The Biggest Cause Of Waste On Building Sites Construction Essay

The Biggest Cause Of Waste On Building Sites Construction Essay One of the major problems in the construction industry is the wastage of materials. The construction industry generates more waste than the household sector and can account for more than 50% of the deposited material in a typical landfill. Construction waste can be separated into three major categories: material, labour and machinery waste (Ekanayake and Ofori 2000). Material waste however is a greater concern as it is extremely expensive and is made up of non-renewable resources. According to H Lau (2008), large amounts of material wastes are generated from construction sites. Great amounts of costs on construction projects are directly increased through the wastage of materials. Construction waste is an international problem as In the UK construction waste results for more than 50% of waste deposited in a landfill (Ferguson et al. 1995) and according to Rogoff and Williams (1994) 29% of solid-waste in the USA consisted of construction waste. Levels of waste within the construction industry need to be reduced for environmental and financial reasons. The current unrestrained use of natural resources and the pollution levels resulting thereof are becoming unsustainable (Chong, Tang Larsen 2001) Waste management is a low project priority and there is a lack of appropriate resources and incentives to support it (Loosemore, 2001). Judging by the aforementioned statement one can already assume that waste management is something contractors are not too keen on. The minimising and disposal of waste has become one of the most significant environmental issues of recent years, especially as the total volume of available landfill is decreasing (Institute of civil engineers). A landfill can be defined as a method of solid waste disposal in which refuse is buried between layers of dirt with the aim to fill in or retain low-lying ground. One can clearly assume that sometime in the future landfill space will eventually run out. This is indeed a problem in Cape Town. The disposal of construction waste is becoming a major cost in construction projects. Many case studies have been done to monitor construction waste trends on construction sites and the impacts that it has on costs. In South Africa the construction industry generates an estimated 5 8 million tons of construction and demolition waste per annum. Over one million tonnes of building rubble reach landfill sites every year throughout the country (Macozoma, 2002). In order for contractors in the construction industry to be competitive, ways of minimising construction waste need to be addressed with benefits of lower construction costs and higher productivity. This can be beneficial to the contractor in terms of cost and it can assist in contractors doing their duties towards a good clean environment. Objectives of the study Aim of study: The aim of this research is to identify what is the major cause of materials wastage on site. Research Objectives: The main objective of this research is to find out what elements is causing wastage on construction projects. The research will be supported by a literature review showing the current wastage situation that the construction industry is faced with. Importance of the study According to Chang and Chen (1998) every business is started for earning profit. Waste has a negative impact on producing profit as it results in increasing expenses. One of this studies objectives is to investigate and recommend steps to eliminate wastage which will automatically reduce the companies expenses and therefore increase its profit. When materials are damaged and cannot be used for its intended purpose it is considered to be a waste. This leaves the material useless with no other alternative but to dispose of it. All this waste eventually adds to the already increasing negative statistics concerning construction waste. Many contractors fail to adopt a proper controlling procedure as they see it as an expensive and time consuming process (Illingworth Thain 1987). The approach has been that it is more efficient to allow losses to occur than to involve the use of extra resources to control them. Contractors require some sort of incentive to enable them to be more motivated when it comes to monitoring waste on site. 1.5 Research design and methodology The method of research to be used for this investigation will be in the form of qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative data will be gathered from interviews taken to determine the nature of the problems with regards to construction waste and what contractors are doing to control it from competent staff in the building industry. A literature review will be done by gathering information from various textbooks, the Internet, web pages and journals etc relating to the research topic. All interviews will have pre-determined questions which were formulated before the interview, without the individual knowing about them, so as to effectively use the time. Quantitative data will also be obtained by sending out a questionnaire to various construction companies in Cape Town. The results will then be recorded and various graphs and charts will be drawn up to represent the data collection process. 2: Literature review 2.1 Construction waste It is important to understand the concept of construction waste. Listed below are definitions of waste. 2.1.1 Definitions: According to Mossman (2009) Material waste can be defined as anything that is not required to create value for the end-user. Waste can also be defined as an excessive use or carelessness of material (Chandler 1978). Construction and demolition waste means non-hazardous waste resulting from the construction, repair and demolition of structures. 2.1.2 Types of waste Construction and demolition waste can be categorised into five categories, namely roadwork material, excavated soil, demolition waste, site clearance waste and renovation waste (Alarcon 1995). It also results from natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes. Construction and waste includes but is not limited to concrete, bricks, asphalt, glass, carpeting, roofing, site clearance, excavation material and site sweepings. Waste such as timber, plastics and steel should be recycled as they form majority of the waste material 2.1.2.1 Direct waste: According to Skoyles (1987) this type of waste is the physical loss of a material. It is the complete loss of materials which are damaged and cannot be repaired or used. Below are forms in which direct waste occurs: Deliveries waste comprises all loses in transit to the site, unloading and placing into the initial storage. Site storage and internal site transit waste comprise losses due to bad stacking and initial storage, including movement and unloading around the site to stack at the work place or placing into position. Conversion waste comprises losses due to cutting uneconomical shapes, e.g. timber and sheeted goods. Fixing waste comprises materials dropped, spoiled or discarded during the fixing operation. Cutting waste include losses caused by cutting materials to size and to irregular shapes. Application waste includes materials such as mortar for brickwork, paint spilled or dropped during application. Similarly, materials left in containers or cans that are not resealed. Mixed materials like mortar and plaster left to harden at the end of the working day. Waste due to the incorrect type or quality of materials. This includes waste stemming from materials wrongly specified, waste due to errors, particularly in the bills of quantities and specification. 2.1.2.2 Indirect waste: Indirect waste is distinguished from direct waste in that the materials are not usually lost physically only the payment or part or the whole of the value. Indirect waste is normally only a monetary lost and can be referred to as materials used for purposes other than that for which they were ordered (Skoyles 1987). Below are forms in which indirect waste occurs: Substitution, where materials are used for purposes other than those specified. Production waste, where materials are used in excess of those indicated or not clearly defined in contract documents, e.g. additional concrete in trenches, which are dug wider than was designed, because no appropriately sized digger bucket is available. Operational waste, where materials are used for temporary site work for which no quantity or other allowances have been made in the contract documentation, e.g. tower-crane bases, site paths, temporary protection. Negligent waste, where materials are used in addition to the amount required by the contract owing to the contractors own negligence 2.1.2.3 Natural waste: Natural wastes are wastes which cannot be avoided and is therefore inevitable. Cuttings required for tiles and timber and resulting in unusable material or off cuts are examples of natural waste. (Skoyles 1987) 2.1.3 Causes of building waste on site Waste is generally caused by a series of events and not due to a remote aspect (Skoyles and Hassey 1974). Guthrie (1998) mentions however that wastage of material can be directly involved to one of the following: damage and spillage, contamination, storage beyond expiry date, over supply, out of specification, theft and vandalism. There are many contributory factors and theses factors are outlined in the diagram below: Figure 2.1: the origin of waste (Department of Civil and Building Engineering) Low and Tan (1997) states that construction waste can be classified into seven types: Transportation and storage Over-production Delays Unnecessary processing Surplus inventory Unnecessary movement Defects Table 2.1 sources and causes of construction waste (Gavilan and Bernold 1994) Source Cause Design Error in contract documents Design Contract documents incomplete at commencement of construction Design Changes in design procurement Ordering error and over ordering procurement Suppliers error Materials handling Damaged during transportation to site Materials handling Inappropriate storage Operation Error by tradesmen or labourer Operation Equipment malfunction Operation Inclement weather Operation accidents Operation Damage caused by subsequent trades Operation Use of incorrect material Residual Conversion waste from cutting uneconomical shapes Residual Off cuts from cutting material to length Residual Over mixing of material due to lack of knowledge Residual Waste from application process Residual packaging Other Criminal waste due to damage or theft Other Lack of onsite materials control and waste management planning 2.1.3.1 Theft and vandalism 2.1.3.1.1 Theft According to Skoyles (1987) criminal activities cause waste. The construction industry in South Africa is constantly challenged with the high crime rate in our country and theft is an everlasting setback from staff on site to the public off site. Theft has a huge impact on time, money and productivity because material has to be reordered and more money has to be given out for the purchase of new material (K Brulliard 2005). Criminal waste is inevitable and the cost of extra security has an additional cost on the contract sum. Contractors must establish their own security measures like taking more caution and recording any irregular activities. 2.1.3.1.2 Vandalism The construction project is most vulnerable to vandalism during the finishing stages. Graffiti artist and children tend to play a big role in vandalism which ranges from breaking windows to spray painting freshly painted walls. Vandalism is an international problem, even occurring in the Soviet Union (Skoyles 1987). There are two types of vandalism namely: intentional and unintentional. Intentional vandalism is hard to prevent as these are people who get pleasure out of ruining other peoples property but boosting up security should sort out the issue. To prevent acts of unintentional vandalism tougher and stronger material should be used that resist damage like special paints and glazes to resist scratches (Skoyles 1987). 2.1.3.1.3 Principal points to control criminal waste Cause Preventative measures Minor items stolen Keep all valuable goods in lockable storage and keep a record of all materials withdrawn. Theft Control access to site and prohibit strangers from entering. Vandalism Make sure there is security during work and after work. Prevent items from being accessible which are vulnerable to vandalism. Trespass: By public Keep boundaries defined. By children Advise schools of how dangerous building sites are. By builder Ensure drawings and setting out are carefully checked near boundaries and make sure deliveries are supervised and always placed on site. Table 2.2 Skoyles (1987) As soon as graffiti is noticed it should be removed to prevent encouragement of further graffiti. After hour security should be hired to prevent any unauthorized entry. No Trespassing signs should be put up around the construction site to daunt unauthorized entry. 2.1.3.2 Sub-contractors Many main contractors are adopting a new attitude towards sub-contracting a large portion of their work so that their work load can be decreased. According to Costantino (2001) main contractors sub-contract a large portion of their work to cut down on the high overhead expenses which is needed to manage a large work force. There are two types of sub-contractors the first one is labour only sub-contractor. They are groups of artisans and labourers and are usually employed by the main contractor to undertake labour intensive work such as brickwork, plastering and formwork. The second category of sub-contractors performs specialist work on site such as the construction of piles and installation of escalators or lift systems (Wong, 1990). Sub-contractors are usually employed to provide labour only on a job. This type of sub-contractor is called a labour only sub-contractor as they will be providing labour and the main contractor will provide the material required. It is therefore imperative for the main contractor to have control over the sub-contractors usage of material and to encourage the sub-contractor to have a wasteful attitude. Since large portions of the main contractors work are being sub-contracted, sub-contractors are therefore to blame for wastage. Sub-contractors see waste minimization activities as an extra workload and are seemed to be irrelevant (Lingard et al. 2004). The main contractor is the principal player and must set a good example of waste minimisation by motivating an attitude which puts reuse and recycling in use (Ofori and Ekanayake, 2003). Material planning and waste control policies should be included in the invitation for sub-contracts to cover the main contractor from any risk caused from waste (Skoyles and Skoyles 1987). Disciplinary clauses should be inserted to prevent and discourage wastage from labour only sub-contractors. Wasted materials are wasted profits and waste concerns everyone involved from the client and contracts director to the sub-contractor and labourer. Providing adequate training for sub-contractors will improve their attitude to minimize waste and will lead to more efficient and productive waste minimization. The contractor will by incur a small expense from the training but will gain a large return as the construction process proceeds. 2.1.3.2.1 Most common causes of waste by sub-contractor and effect on building operations. Labour only sub-contractor 1 Waste of materials causes profit loss to main contractor 2 Waste causes delay to sub-contract operations 3 May become liable if penalizing clauses used Labour and material sub-contractor 1 Loss to business for material wasted 2 Delay and consequential waste to own and contractors work 3 Can add to waste accumulating on site and therefore adding to contractors waste 4 May be liable for penalizing clauses in sub-contract for consequential waste, particularly damage to other trades Table 2.3 Skoyles and Skoyles 1987 2.1.3.3 Design A building is designed without any consideration of the method of construction being used. The size of materials is not taken into consideration and a vast amount of wastage results from cutting and excess use of materials (Skoyles and Skoyles 1987). It is recommended that designers should prepare designs which have less potential to cause site waste (Ekanayake and Ofori 2000). One of the major contributors to waste is the change in design while construction has already commenced. It is therefore imperative for the parties involved in the construction and design to co-operate closely to avoid any unnecessary waste related to design issues (Ekanayake and Ofori 2000). Wasteful practice should start in the design stage already by specifying materials that will reduce the amount of wastage and also resist any harmful activities against vandalism and theft. Designers should educate themselves with the sizes and lengths materials come in so that unnecessary cuttings will not occur (Skoyles and Skoyles 1987). 2.1.3.4 Manufacturers Most of materials are manufactured in standard sizes and comes in standard packaging. Materials should be manufactured in such a manner that it is in favour of the contractor. A typical example is cement, this product comes in a 50kg bag which most labour find extremely tricky to handle. This product is extremely heavy and strenuous handling results in the packaging being damaged and the product being wasted. Suppliers should give the end users necessary knowledge on how to handle, store and transport their products (Skoyles and Skoyles 1987). Mehta (2008) states that a large amount of waste results directly from the packaging the material is stored in and more environmental friendly packaging should be used which can be used on site after the goods are unpacked. Materials are usually damaged when they are delivered because buyers do not state the requirements. When material is transported it should be protected against rain or dirt from the road. Careful checking should be taken when materials are delivered and any damaged goods should be reported immediately. Manufacturers can reduce waste by: Placing appropriate protection around materials. Sizes of bags of cement to made available for easier handling. Metal banded goods to be protected from the weather Delivery vehicles to be designed to guarantee that materials will be protected during transit. Loaded vehicles should Have less loose material delivered. 2.1.3.5 Storage and handling Skoyles (1978) identified that storage and handling were the major causes of waste. Majority of the labour in the construction industry are unskilled. Unskilled labour is available at abundance as the country is currently faced with a recession and people are desperate for work. The availability of this cheap unskilled labour has a major impact on construction wastage. Poor workmanship and incorrect use of tools are key factors which contribute to wastage. Skilled tradesmen are less cautious about wastage as they can rely on the unskilled labour to clean up after them. Proper site supervision should be instituted at all construction sites to encourage workers to minimize wastage. Workers should be trained to make use of building materials effectively and efficiently. A well trained employee should be given the responsibility of keeping control of all materials. Storage facilities should be well managed and correct inventory list must constantly be attended to. The location of the storage area is vital to avoid double handling and travelling long distances to the place of work. There should be sufficient space at storage areas to accommodate for all the materials. Expensive materials should be stored in a lockable room to prevent theft and material should be stored in such a manner to prevent any damage. Material with a high value should not be stored on the job site any longer than necessary. 2.1.3.6 Delivery of materials All deliveries should be thoroughly checked for any shortages or damages. It is important for deliveries to be properly planned to reduce the risk of materials laying around that will only be used in the future. Contractors should make use of appropriate material delivery planning systems. Copies of the schedules should be kept on site to assist site management in the control of materials. Proper material delivery management will eliminate double handling and reduce wastage dramatically. Expensive materials should be delivered only when it is required on site. 2.1.3.7 Site security Access points to the site should always be locked and controlled. All access points should have gates so that it can be locked after hours. There should always be someone monitoring the access points to restrict any unauthorised entry. Lighting the site is very useful. Thieves are generally more comfortable in the dark and by lighting up the site the public will be able to see if any criminal activities are taking place A good fenced site will reduce the risk of theft and vandalism dramatically. Barb wire on top of the fence will secure the site even further. 2.1.4 Summary of literature review It is inevitable for a Construction company to produce waste. Identifying and categorizing the types and causes of waste help in minimization. It is important to enlist the cooperation of all parties involved in the construction project because they are the parties using the construction materials. Through proper planning and control, material wastage can be minimized without compromising on quality and time of completion. 2.2 Construction waste management 2.2.1 Introduction to waste management In terms of Schedule 5B of the Constitution of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), waste management is a local government proficiency that must be executed to protect human and environmental health (Constitution, S.24). Macozoma (2006) stated that 40% of a countrys waste is contributed by the construction industry and 15% of materials purchased ends up as waste. Waste dumping has huge effects like filling landfills and damaging the environment. It is vital for construction companies to get involved with waste management so that pollution levels, natural resources and energy can be reduced. The key component in waste management is waste minimisation (WBDG 2010). The definition of waste minimisation is: any activity that can prevent the amount, supply and environmental impact of waste (City of Cape Town 2010). The following are benefits from waste minimisation (Camm and Nuttall 1995): Reducing the amount of landfill space Saving natural resources Saving energy Minimizing pollution 2.2.2 What is a waste management plan? According to Macozoma (2002) it is a plan that gives the guidelines and conditions to how waste should be handled and managed on site. Waste management should not only be the contractors responsibility but everyone involved in the project. A typical waste management plan will contain the following fundamentals: Waste management goals Waste prevention strategies Waste salvage strategies Material storage strategies Recycling methods A waste audit Waste disposal options Waste handling requirements Transportation requirements The following are benefits from good waste management practice (Clacksweb 2010): Decrease in disposal costs Decrease in waste transportation costs Increase in the reuse of materials Decrease in levels of material wastage 2.2.3 Why construction wastes management? The following are answers generated from Oikos (2010) 2.2.3.1 Cost By re-using materials you are cutting down cost by not purchasing new materials and you are therefore increasing your profits. 2.2.3.2 Efficiency Material should be salvaged to prevent ordering of new materials. 2.2.3.3 Resource Conservation Contractors can conserve natural resources by recycling their wastage materials. 2.2.3.4 Liability Contractors should take responsibility by getting rid of their waste through legal sources 2.2.3.5 Marketing Contractors who make use of waste management planning will have a positive situation in the market. 2.2.4 Summary of literature review Construction waste management planning is vital to the construction industry and to the environment. By applying waste manageable construction pollution levels will drop and contractors will reap the benefit of producing larger profits. South Africa is a growing country and should follow first world countries by adapting to waste management. 3: Fieldwork 3.1 Introduction The design of the data collection was undertaken in two parts. In Part one a questionnaire was drawn up based on the literature review and part in part two personal interviews were done to establish further information in concluding this research. 3.2 Questionnaire A questionnaire was drawn up relating to Table 1.1 sources and causes of construction waste (Gavilan and Bernold 1994). The questionnaire had 15 short questions which had to be rated on a scale of one to five. One was were the person strongly agreed and five was were the person strongly disagreed. The person who under took the questionnaire had to state their job title in order to get results from competent staff. The questionnaires were sent via email to 25 building companies in Cape Town out of the 25 companies only 22 responded. The data is therefore a representation of only 22 companies opposed to 25. (Refer to appendix A for copy of the questionnaire) 3.2.1 Questionnaire response 22/25*100=88% response to questionnaire The response received is more than sufficient. A failure to respond rate was targeted at 20% and an actual failure to respond rate of 12% was achieved. 3.2.2 Position of Respondents who under took the questionnaire This was vital because the questionnaire was designed for competent staff to fill out. Chart 3.2 Respondents positions According to the results received all the questionnaires were filled out by competent staff and all the questionnaires can be used for the data collection process. Quantity surveyors: 9/22*100=41% Site managers: 7/22*100=32% Contracts manager 2/22*100=9% Buyer: 2/22*100=9% Contracts director: 1/22*100=4.5% Foreman: 1/22*100=4.5% 3.2.3 Data analysis Chart 3.3 Survey response Table 3.1 Data recorded 1-strongly agree 2-agree 3-neutral 4-disagree 5-strongly disagree question 1 16 4 2 question 2 15 2 3 2 question 3 4 8 2 6 2 question 4 11 1 7 2 1 question 5 12 6 4 question 6 2 6 12 2 question 7 2 9 9 2 question 8 4 2 6 7 3 question 9 4 10 6 2 question 10 1 9 7 5 question 11 2 4 7 8 1 question 12 3 5 11 3 question 13 7 7 8 question 14 4 3 5 6 4 question 15 2 3 14 3 3.2.3.1 Analysis of questions Question 1 73% of the respondents felt that errors in the contract documents caused wastage. Question 2 68% of the respondents strongly agreed that a variation in the contract causes wastage. Question 3 Only 54% of the respondents thought that a lack of waste management planning causes wastage. Question 4 50% of the respondents believed sub-contractors have a major influence on wastage. Question 5 0% of the respondents disagreed that cutting of standard material to sizes causes waste. Question 6 54% of the respondents had a neutral feeling that vandalism and theft influences waste. Question 7 50% of the respondents believed proper storage has an effect on waste. Question 8 45% of the respondents disagreed that security could minimize waste. Question 9 63% of the respondents believed unskilled labour influences waste. Question 10 54% of the respondents believed that are not any waste caused from the transportation of material from the suppliers. Question 11 40% of the respondents disagreed that waste is caused due to machinery malfunctioning. Question 12 50% of the respondents had a neutral feeling that waste could be resulted from the lack of waste minimization training on site. Question 13 The sum of 5% of the respondents felt that over ordering influenced waste. Question 14 45% of the respondents believed over production causes waste. Question 15 63% of the respondents had a neutral feeling to waste minimization being of any importance. 3.2.3.2 Ranking of questions A ranking of the questions was done in order to clearly illustrate the main cause of waste according to the questionnaire. Neutral answers were ignored and strongly agree and agree were joined together to form yes and strongly disagree and disagree were joined together to form no. Table 3.2 Ranking of questions yes no total Question 1 20 0 20 Question 5 18 0 18 Question 2 17 2 19 Question 9 14 2 16 Question 3 12 8 20 Question 4 12 <

Essay --

Natural limits and man-made regulations make businessman to look for markets in a foreign country to expand and develop. Globalization is taking away all the barriers between countries offering more successful trading ways with both increased efficiency and decreased costs. Risk involved in doing business with unaffiliated parties puts the parties in unsecured position. Thus, they look for third parties to rely on and to act properly on their behalves in case of unexpected conditions. International Banking stands at the center of these processes by acting as a reliable third party. An International Bank with 6000 offices and many branches UzBank Group, having wide range of information about the global markets, is concerned to help local organizations to manage trading successfully. Trade is an exchange of goods or services while The International trade is when supplier of goods or services performs activities beyond her home country. Nowadays, corporations prefer to trade world wid ely instead of limiting their performance with local market. The reason is that International trade brings various benefits to both business firms and countries: First of all, International trade boosts development and generates growth by allowing exchanging knowledge, standards, and best practices of skills and techniques globally and using the best that fits well. Moreover, Country’s Shortage and high costs become avoidable. Scarcity in availability of raw materials or expensive labor force in local market is exempted. Obtaining the raw materials at relatively lower price than local market can reduce the cost of doing business. In case of illiquid Local markets clients can benefit by Easy access of acquiring financing by entering into highly li... ... terms and condition which may cause future disputes or Documentation risk †¢ Acknowledge the buyers culture and accept cultural differences to keep friendly based business partner. †¢ Foreign exchange risk can be mitigated as the same way as advised for the Buyers. UzBank overseas branch help by offering forward or option foreign exchange contracts to hedge against the risk. And do the business in one currency. †¢ Obtaining sufficient insurance coverage from the side of Uzbank branches can help clients to decrease the level of transit risk. A representative bank of the Uz Bank Group in buyers country help with insurance of accounts receivables in case of non-payment or non-acceptance †¢ If financing in needed for producing process, seller should use fixed interest rate loans or interest rate swaps in order not have interest rate problems even if hey fluctuate. 5 Essay -- Natural limits and man-made regulations make businessman to look for markets in a foreign country to expand and develop. Globalization is taking away all the barriers between countries offering more successful trading ways with both increased efficiency and decreased costs. Risk involved in doing business with unaffiliated parties puts the parties in unsecured position. Thus, they look for third parties to rely on and to act properly on their behalves in case of unexpected conditions. International Banking stands at the center of these processes by acting as a reliable third party. An International Bank with 6000 offices and many branches UzBank Group, having wide range of information about the global markets, is concerned to help local organizations to manage trading successfully. Trade is an exchange of goods or services while The International trade is when supplier of goods or services performs activities beyond her home country. Nowadays, corporations prefer to trade world wid ely instead of limiting their performance with local market. The reason is that International trade brings various benefits to both business firms and countries: First of all, International trade boosts development and generates growth by allowing exchanging knowledge, standards, and best practices of skills and techniques globally and using the best that fits well. Moreover, Country’s Shortage and high costs become avoidable. Scarcity in availability of raw materials or expensive labor force in local market is exempted. Obtaining the raw materials at relatively lower price than local market can reduce the cost of doing business. In case of illiquid Local markets clients can benefit by Easy access of acquiring financing by entering into highly li... ... terms and condition which may cause future disputes or Documentation risk †¢ Acknowledge the buyers culture and accept cultural differences to keep friendly based business partner. †¢ Foreign exchange risk can be mitigated as the same way as advised for the Buyers. UzBank overseas branch help by offering forward or option foreign exchange contracts to hedge against the risk. And do the business in one currency. †¢ Obtaining sufficient insurance coverage from the side of Uzbank branches can help clients to decrease the level of transit risk. A representative bank of the Uz Bank Group in buyers country help with insurance of accounts receivables in case of non-payment or non-acceptance †¢ If financing in needed for producing process, seller should use fixed interest rate loans or interest rate swaps in order not have interest rate problems even if hey fluctuate. 5

All for Show †The Post-Petrarchan Poetry of Wyatt, Sidney, and Spenser

The difficulty of discussing the representation of women in the work of sixteenth century English poets like Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Philip Sidney, and Edmund Spenser is the need to address authorial intent in its historical context. As a critic, one cannot attribute to words what the author did not intend; however, one can attribute intentions that the author did not word. For example, it is easy to justify the objectification and subordination of women in the English-Petrarchan sonnet tradition but is it entirely factual? Does object of desire necessarily mean desired object? Does such a designation deny the agency or even apply to the beloved? The question to ask is whether contemporary criticism can be applied retroactively; that is, whether theories concerning objectification or ‘othering’ are relevant merely because they fit. The real challenge is to decide if evidence of objectification can be discovered or simply applied to a text that has no concept of it. It is p articularly disconcerting that much of the modern renaissance criticism researched for this essay sees no possible contradiction in linking rhetorical evidence to intent; that is to say, they show little evidence of investigating the possible discrepancies between treating objectification as ahistorical and socially contextual, even when they argue for the historically situated nature of identity. One must also consider the fact that theories of objectification interpret and interrogate the text, not the author; that is unless one presumes they are the same thing. To do so, however, commits one to a series of requisite and problematic assumptions. The first of these is the exchange of mimesis for art as an imitation of the author, a shadow of a shadow. Speaking his... ...ing Astrophil and Stella to implode under its own contradictions Sidney ensures that its only lasting consequence is the affect it has on the beloved. In the same way Spenser tries to forge a tangible bond between himself and the beloved by rendering them both physically present in the words of Amoretti, Sidney tries to promote his signifiers to signifieds in an effort to exchange â€Å"semiological [intimacy] for sexual desire† (Stephens 93). The difference is that Spenser offers the beloved a shared space while Sidney seeks exclusive control of the courtship. Much like Wyatt tries to have the last word in Whoso List to Hunt, Sidney and Spenser write their sonnets in anticipation of the beloved’s response. As their efforts to adapt her subjectivity show, all three poets recognize the beloved as powerful, but is this the power of a reader or a social and sexual equal?

Sexual Harassment is NOT Tolerable Essay -- Sexual Harassment in the Wo

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sexual harassment can be defined as unwelcome sexual advances, wishes for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct clearly or completely affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work routine or creates a threatening, antagonistic or unpleasant work environment (EEOC, 2002). The victim or harasser can either be a man or a woman, and sexual harassment is not always targeted to members of the opposite sex. Sufferers of sexual harassment in the place of work can be subject to fear or anxiety, lower efficiency, a higher level of stress and substance abuse (EEOC, 2002). Quid pro quo harassment is when employment or employment decisions for an employee are based on that employees’ reception or dismissal of unwanted sexual behavior (EEOC, 2002). An example cited by Paul is that of Valerie Craig, an employee of Y & Y Snacks, Inc. She had joined some co-workers and her supervisor for drinks after work one day in July of 1978. Her supervisor drove her home and anticipated that they become more intimately familiar. She refused his request for sexual relations, upon which she was fired after ten days from the incident. She soon filed a complaint of sexual harassment with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the case wound its way through the courts. Craig won, the company was held accountable for damages, and she received back pay, return to work, and an order barring Y & Y from taking negative action against her in the future (Paul, 1998). Sexual harassment in the workplace is not tolerable in spite of the powe... ...d need for an understanding of behaviors, legal environment, social context and educational systems, which exist in the countries in which modern organizations operate. The outcome of this effort should be the development of not only a pluralistic organization, but also one with a multicultural workforce from the top ranks all the way to lowest ranks (UMC, 2007). Works Cited EEOC, E. E. (2002). Facts about sexual harrasment. available at http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-sex.html retrieved on 31-10-11 at 12:00 am. Goodman, E. (1991). The Reasonable Woman Standard. Boston Globe. Paul, E. F. (1998). Bared Buttocks and Federal Cases. Society , 352-355. UMC, U. o.-C. (2007). Power And Sexual Harassment -- Men And Women See Things Differently. Science Daily available at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070403184604.htm retrieved on 1-11-11 at 7:00 am.

Studies in Emotional Intelligence Essay -- Psychology Research Papers

Studies in Emotional Intelligence There is a growing interest in the concept of emotional intelligence, and with that growth is a gap between what we know and what we need to know. In the article, Emotional Intelligence: Issues and Common Misunderstandings, Robert J. Emmerling and Daniel Goleman inquire as to what emotional intelligence is, how it differs from other established constructs within psychology, whether or not it can be developed, whether or not it can be a better predictor of work performance than traditional measures of intelligence, whether or not it should be measured at all, and how it relates to ethics. Emotional intelligence has a potential utility in predicting a range of criterion across different populations, but its predictive validity depends on the context, criterion of interest, and specific theory used. Traditional intelligence measures have been unable to account for a significant portion of variance in career success and work performance. IQ was originally thought to account for twenty-five percent of how well people perform in their careers, while it was later discovered that IQ actually accounted for between four and ten percent. A more recent study found that IQ is a better predictor of work and academic performance than EI, but when it comes to becoming an extraordinary performer, IQ may be a less powerful predictor than EI. The failure of IQ to account for the variance between performance and success is especially evident among managers and senior leaders. IQ alone is unable to predict this as well as competencies that integrate emotional, social and cognitive abilit ies. Emotions and cognition are interwoven in the aspects of emotional intelligence, especially in interpersonal functioning, empathy, motivation, affective self-regulation, self-awareness, and complex decision-making. The range restriction on the variable of IQ among managers and senior executives may be the cause of IQ’s inability to predict the variance in performance among managers. Leaders must process a great deal of complex information on a daily basis, and that requires a high level of cognitive ability. IQ simply provides a basis on which to recognize a minimal capability that all who are within a certain job pool should have to keep their job. IQ should remain a predictor of the vocations that are available to an individual of a certain in... ...iduals may only receive feedback related to technical competence, people skills, or leadership style. For an individual to improve on any ability, he or she would need realistic feedback concerning their baseline abilities and progress. Providing valid and reliable feedback on specific emotional and social competence helps to provide individuals with insight into their strengths and areas for development. Providing a more balanced view and a supportive environment can help to overcome feelings of defensiveness that often undermine the development of emotional and social competencies. Emmerling and Goleman inquire as to whether or not EI is morally neutral of or if it interacts with an ethical dimension. In psychology, morality and ethics are treated individually in a dimensin beyond the issues at hand. Certain aspects of EI certainly tend to promote prosocial behavior. Self awareness must be deployed to act in accord with one’s own sense of meaning, purpose, and ethics. Empathy appears to be an essential step in fostering compassion and altruism. These two individuals stress that the progress of emotional intelligence is impressive, but there is still a lot to be discovered.

The Fluidity of the Kite Runner

The Kite Runner is a novel by Khaled Hosseini. Published in 2003 by Riverhead Books, it is Hosseini's first novel, and was adapted into a film of the same name in 2007. The Kite Runner tells the story of Amir, a young boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, whose closest friend is Hassan, his father's young Hazara servant. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan's monarchy through the Soviet invasion, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime. Plot summary Part IAmir, a well-to-do Pashtun boy, and Hassan, a Hazara who is the son of Ali, Amir's father's servant, spend their days in the hitherto peaceful city of Kabul, kite fighting. Amir's father, a wealthy merchant, whom Amir affectionately refers to as Baba, loves both boys, but is often more harshly critical of Amir, considering him weak and lacking in courage. Amir finds a kinder fatherly figure in Rahim Khan, Baba's closest friend. Khan understands Amir and supports his interest in writing. Amir explains that his first word was ‘Baba' and Hassan's ‘Amir', suggesting that Amir looks up most to Baba, while Hassan looks up to Amir.Assef, a notorious sociopath and violent older boy, mocks Amir for socializing with a Hazara, which is, according to Assef, an inferior race whose members belong only in Hazarajat. One day, he prepares to attack Amir with stainless-steel brass knuckles, but Hassan bravely stands up to him, threatening to shoot out Assef's eye out with his slingshot. Assef and his posse back off, but Assef threatens revenge. Hassan is a successful â€Å"kite runner† for Amir, knowing where the kite will land without watching it. One triumphant day, Amir wins the local tournament, and finally Baba's praise.Hassan runs for the last cut kite, a great trophy, saying to Amir, â€Å"For you, a thousand times over. † Unfortunately, Hassan encounters Assef in an alleyway after f inding the kite. Hassan refuses to give up Amir's kite, and Assef decides to teach Hassan a lesson. He beats him severely and then anally rapes him. Amir witnesses the act but is too scared to intervene. Secretly, he also knows that if he intervenes, he might not be able to bring the kite home; therefore, Baba would be less proud of him. After witnessing this brutal act against his dearest friend, he feels incredibly guilty, but knows that his owardice would destroy any hopes for Baba's affections, so he tells no one what he saw. Afterward, Amir keeps a distance from Hassan, his guilt preventing him from interacting with the boy. Jealous of Baba's love for Hassan, Amir worries that if Baba found out about Hassan's bravery and his own cowardice, Baba's love for Hassan would grow even more. Amir, filled with guilt on his birthday, cannot enjoy his gifts. The only present that does not feel like â€Å"blood† money is the notebook to write his stories in given to him by Rahim Kha n, his father's friend and the only one Amir felt really understood him.Amir feels life would be easier if Hassan were not around, so he plants a watch and some money under Hassan's mattress in hopes that Baba will make him leave; Hassan falsely confesses when confronted by Baba. Baba forgives him, despite the fact that, as he explains earlier, he believes that â€Å"there is no act more wretched than stealing. † Hassan and Ali, to Baba's extreme sorrow, leave anyway. It is clear that Ali knows about Hassan's rape. Their leaving frees Amir of the daily reminder of his cowardice and betrayal, but he still lives in the shadow of these things. Part IIFive years later, the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan in 1979. Amir and Baba escape to Peshawar, Pakistan and then to Fremont, California, where Amir and Baba, who lived in luxury in an expensive mansion in Afghanistan, settle in a run-down apartment and Baba begins work at a gas station. Amir eventually takes classes at a local co mmunity college to develop his writing skills after graduating from high school at age twenty. Every Sunday, Baba and Amir make extra money selling used goods at a flea market in San Jose. There, Amir meets fellow refugee Soraya Taheri and her family.Soraya's father, General Taheri, once a high-ranking officer in Afghanistan, has contempt for Amir's literary aspiration. Baba is diagnosed with terminal small cell carcinoma but is still capable of granting Amir one last favor: he asks Soraya's father's permission for Amir to marry her. He agrees and the two marry. Shortly thereafter Baba dies. Amir and Soraya settle down in a happy marriage, but to their sorrow they learn that they cannot have children. Amir embarks on a successful career as a novelist. Fifteen years after his wedding, Amir receives a call from Rahim Khan, who is dying from an illness.Rahim Khan asks Amir to come to Peshawar, Pakistan. He enigmatically tells Amir, â€Å"There is a way to be good again. † Amir g oes. Part III From Rahim Khan, Amir learns the fates of Ali and Hassan. Ali was killed by a land mine. Hassan had a wife named Farzana and a son named Sohrab. He had lived in a village near Bamiyan, but returned to Baba's house as a caretaker at Rahim Khan's request, although he moved to a hut in the yard so as not to dishonor Amir by taking his place in the house. During his stay, his mother Sanaubar returned after a long search for him, and died after four years.One month after Rahim Khan left for Pakistan, the Taliban ordered Hassan to give up the house and leave, but he refused, and was executed, along with Farzana. Rahim Khan reveals that Ali was not really Hassan's father, that Ali was sterile, and that Hassan was actually Baba's son, and therefore Amir's half-brother. Finally, Rahim Khan tells Amir that the true reason he called Amir to Pakistan was to rescue Sohrab from an orphanage in Kabul. Rahim Khan asks Amir to bring Sohrab to Thomas and Betty Caldwell, who own an orpha nage.Amir becomes furious; he feels cheated because he had not known that Hassan was his half-brother. Amir finally relents and decides to go to Kabul to get Sohrab. He travels in a taxi with an Afghan driver named Farid, a veteran of the war with the Soviets, and stays as a guest at Farid's brother Wahid's house. Farid, initially hostile to Amir, is sympathetic when he hears of Amir's true reason for returning, and offers to accompany him on his journey. Amir searches for Sohrab at the orphanage. To enter Taliban territory, clean shaven Amir wears a fake beard and mustache.However, Sohrab is not at the orphanage; its director tells them that a Taliban official comes often, brings cash, and usually takes a girl away with him. Once in a while however, he takes a boy, recently Sohrab. The director tells Amir to go to a soccer match, where the procurer makes speeches at half-time. Farid secures an appointment with the speaker at his home, by claiming to have â€Å"personal businessâ⠂¬  with him. At the house, Amir meets the man, who turns out to be Assef. Assef recognizes Amir from the outset, but Amir does not recognise Assef until he asks about Ali, Baba, and Hassan.Sohrab is being kept at Assef's home where he is made to dance dressed in women's clothes, and it seems Assef may have raped him. Assef agrees to relinquish him, but only for a price;cruelly beating Amir. However, Amir is saved when Sohrab uses his slingshot to shoot out Assef's left eye, fulfilling Hassan's threat made many years before. While at a hospital treating his injuries, Amir asks Farid to find information about Thomas and Betty Caldwell. When Farid returns, he tells Amir that the American couple does not exist.Amir tells Sohrab of his plans to take him back to America and possibly adopt him, and promises that he will never be sent to an orphanage again. However, US authorities demand evidence of Sohrab's orphan status. After decades of war, this is all but impossible to get in Afghani stan. Amir tells Sohrab that he may have to temporarily break his promise until the paperwork is completed. Upon hearing this, Sohrab attempts suicide. Amir eventually takes him back to the United States without an orphanage, and introduces him to his wife. However, Sohrab is emotionally damaged and refuses to speak to or even glance at Soraya.His frozen emotions eventually thaw when Amir reminisces about Hassan and kites. Amir shows off some of Hassan's tricks, and Sohrab begins to interact with Amir again. In the end Sohrab only shows a lopsided smile, but Amir takes to it with all his heart as he runs the kite for Sohrab, saying, â€Å"For you, a thousand times over. † Characters Amir is the protagonist and narrator of the novel. He was born in 1963, and his mother died giving birth. He is a Pashtun. As a child, Amir delighted himself with storytelling and was encouraged by Rahim Khan to become an author.At age eighteen, he and his father fled to America following the Sovi et invasion in Afghanistan, where Amir pursues his dream of being a writer. Hassan is Amir's closest childhood friend. He is described as having a China doll face, green eyes, and a harelip. The reader eventually discovers that Hassan is actually the son of Baba and Sanaubar, although Hassan never knows this during his lifetime. Hassan was later shot by the Taliban led by Mohammed Omar for refusal to abandon Amir's property. Assef is the main antagonist of the novel.He is the son of an Afghan father and a German mother and ironically, given that he is of mixed origin, an advocate of Pashtun dominance over the Hazara. As a teenager, he is a neighborhood bully and is described as a â€Å"sociopath† by Amir. Many of his cruel actions as a child include raping Hassan as a means of revenge against Amir, and giving Amir a biography of Adolf Hitler as a birthday present. As an adult, he joins the Taliban and rapes and abuses Hassan's son Sohrab. Baba is Amir's father and a wealthy b usinessman who aids the community by creating businesses for others and building a new orphanage.He is also the biological father of Hassan, a secret he takes to the grave. Baba is born in 1933 . According to legend, he won in a fight with a black bear in his younger years. Believing that sin could be explained as a form of stealing from one's fellow man, he does not endorse the religiosity demanded by the clerics in the religion classes attended by Amir in school. Baba is disappointed in his son Amir, whom he wishes to be as manly as he is, and appears to favor Hassan. In his later years after fleeing to America, he works at a gas station.He dies from cancer in 1987, shortly after Amir and Soraya's wedding. Ali is Baba's servant, a Hazara believed to be Hassan's father. In his youth, Baba's father adopted him after his parents were killed by a drunk driver. Before the events of the novel, Ali had been struck with polio, rendering his right leg useless. Because of this, Ali was cons tantly tormented by children in the town. He was killed by a land mine in Hazarajat. Rahim Khan is Baba's loyal friend and business partner, as well as a mentor to Amir. Rahim convinces Amir to come to Pakistan by saying â€Å"there is a way to be good again. He eventually tells Amir that Hassan is his half brother, and that he should save Sohrab. He dies peacefully knowing he has successfully made Amir the man Baba wanted him to be. Soraya is a young Afghan woman whom Amir meets in America. She lives with her parents, Afghan general Taheri and his wife. She meets Amir at a flea market and later marries him. Soraya wants to become an English teacher. Before meeting Amir, she ran away with an Afghan boyfriend in Virginia, which, according to Afghan tradition, made her unsuitable for marriage. Because Amir also had his own regrets, he loved and married her anyway.Soraya wants to have children but cannot because of â€Å"unexplained infertility†. Sohrab is the son of Hassan. Af ter his parents are killed and he is sent to an orphanage, Assef buys him and physically abuses the child. Amir saves him, and then is saved by Sohrab in a pivotal confrontation. He is later adopted by Amir and Soraya, where he adapts to his new life. Sohrab greatly resembles a young version of his father Hassan. Sanaubar is Ali's wife and the mother of Hassan. Shortly after Hassan's birth, she runs away from home and becomes a gypsy. She later returns to Hassan in his adulthood.To make up for her neglect she provided a grandmother figure for Sohrab, Hassan's son. Farid is a taxi driver who is initially abrasive toward Amir, but later befriends him. Two daughters of Farid's seven children were killed by a land mine, a disaster which mutilated three fingers on his left hand and also took some of his toes. After spending a night with Farid's brother's impoverished family, Amir hides a bundle of money under the mattress to help them: the secretive act once committed to hurt his friend Hassan, he now does to help someone he barely knows.General Taheri is the father of Soraya. General Taheri lives mainly off welfare, considering himself too good for ordinary work. He is always waiting for a call to be restored to his former position as a high-ranking general in Kabul, which he eventually receives at the end of the novel, after the fall of the Taliban. Khala/Khanum Jamila is Soraya's mother, who lovingly accepts Amir into her family. She sees Amir as someone who could â€Å"do no wrong in her eyes. † Farzana is Hassan's wife and Sohrab's mother, a shy Hazara who is later shot to death by the Taliban.Reception The Kite Runner received the South African Boeke Prize in 2004. It was the first 2005 best seller in the United States, according to Nielsen BookScan. It was also voted the Reading Group Book of the Year for 2006 and 2007 and headed a list of 60 titles submitted by entrants to the Penguin/Orange Reading Group prize . Controversies The Kite Runner has bee n accused of hindering Western understanding of the Taliban by portraying Taliban members as representatives of various social and doctrinal evils not typically attributed to the Taliban .The American Library Association reports that The Kite Runner is one of its most-challenged books of 2008, with multiple attempts to remove it from libraries due to â€Å"offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group. † Afghanistan's Ministry of Culture banned the film from distribution in cinemas or DVD stores, citing the possibility that the movie's ethnically charged rape scene could incite racial violence within Afghanistan. Adaptations The Kite Runner was published in 2003 and in 2007 adapted as a motion picture tarring Khalid Abdalla, Homayoun Ershadi, and Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada . Directed by Marc Forster and with a screenplay by David Benioff, the movie won numerous awards and was nominated for an Oscar, the BAFTA Film Award and the Critics Choice Award . However, M anhola Dargis of the New York Times states that â€Å"The back of my paperback copy of this Khaled Hosseini novel is sprinkled with words like ‘powerful' and ‘haunting' and ‘riveting' and ‘unforgettable'. It's a good guess this film will be rolled around in a similarly large helping of lard. The novel was also adapted to the stage by Bay Area playwright Matthew Spangler. It was performed at San Jose State University in March 2007 and two years later at San Jose Repertory Theatre, where David Ira Goldstein directed a cast that included Barzin Akhavan, Demosthenes Chrysan, Gregor Paslawsky, James Saba, Thamos Fiscelle, Craig Piaget, Lowell Abellon, Rinabeth Apostol, Adam Yazbeck, Zarif Kabier Sadiqi, Wahab Shayek, and Lani Carissa Wong, with Salar Nader also onstage playing tabla.The play was subsequently produced at Arizona Theatre Company, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Cleveland Play House, and The New Repertory Theatre of Watertown, Massachusetts . See als o A Thousand Splendid Suns Kite Runner The Kite Runner 16 Days in Afghanistan – referenced film. Bibliography Hosseini,Khaled. The Kite Runner. Anchor Canada: Toronto, 2004. ISBN 978-0-385-66007-5 References External links on the BBC World Book Club Excerpts: by The San Francisco Chronicle Bibliography: Wikipedia @baygross

Red Bull versus Coca Cola Sport Sponsorship from a Sponsor’s Perspective Essay

Involved in this money is planning the sponsorship deal, carrying it out and last but not least evaluating the whole process and engagement (Hermanns 2003). So according to this the strategic planning process is crucial in order to communicate effectively and achieve the desired outcome. It has become more professional and the amount of money and time spent on this process has increased over the last years. Furthermore, Buhler and Nufer (2010) see mutual understanding, a long-term perspective and trust as important to satisfy the needs of both parties. Hence there are a lot of different perspectives that need to be considered during the strategic planning of a sponsorship deal and different types of strategies can be followed. The comparative case study of Coca-Cola and Red Bull’ sport sponsorship strategy relies on extensive secondary data, from newspaper coverage and official websites from Abstract In 2010, 18. 2 billion US-$ were spent on sponsoring in North America of which 68 per cent are spent on sport sponsoring, by far the leading form of sponsoring (Streng 2010). The area of Sport Sponsorship is immensely important in the sport business. In the major sport leagues sponsorship makes up at least a third of the overall turnover (Ludwig and Schneider 2010). However, the way in which sport sponsorship is dealt with has changed dramatically in recent years. The time where a sponsor just kindly signed a contract to support the local club is gone, especially when it comes to global operating organizations. On the one hand companies are willing to spend more on sport sponsorship. On the other hand they want to gain more in return. In 2010, 63. 7 per cent of the companies have a written strategic and operational planning before starting the sponsorship (Hermanns and Buschner 2010). The question that occurs is therefore how companies strategically plan their sponsorship activities. To respond to this question, this paper analyses the sponsorship strategy of two major sponsors from the beverage industry, Coca Cola and Red Bull. Coca Cola is the best known brand in the world and was one of the first sponsors in sport in the early 20th century. Red Bull is a new company which is highly involved in sport sponsorship. Their approaches however are different. While Coca-Cola is investing huge amounts to sponsors majors events with a global reach, such as the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup, Red Bull initially invested in lesser known extreme sports with a very specific target audience. Moreover, contrarily to Coca-Cola, Red Bull does not limit itself to buying sponsorship rights. In most cases, it also took over the control of the sponsee. Red Bull runs competitions in extreme sports, organizes events, and owns its own Formula 1 team and three football clubs (Salzburg, Leipzig and New-york). Red Bull’s strategy, now the fourth biggest sport sponsor in the world, is thus different to other global sponsors. In literature it is argued that implementing and using the gained rights costs the sponsor three times the money that they have spend on both the sponsors and their sponsees. To gain an additional insight, interviews with the sport sponsorship department of both organizations are planned to better apprehend their strategy and see what their plans are/were and what actually was achieves. These interviews will explore their target group(s), reason for this target segment, activities, general understanding of sponsorship, importance of sponsorship within the company etc. Preliminary results show that there are big differences in the sponsorship strategy of Red Bull and Coca Cola. While Coca Cola seems to be a partner of the sponsee, Red Bull is using a more aggressive style of sponsorship. Red Bull tends to take control of the whole situation in order to ensure the success and the direction of the event. The whole Red Bull company has implemented its sponsorship activities. An example is Red Bull TV, the company owned TV channel, which further broadcast the sponsees. Sponsorship is part of the company philosophy and irrigates its whole marketing strategy. The core product and the sponsorship area are closely linked. Though different, these two cases both demonstrate that strategic planning is getting more important in global companies. There are certain patterns which can be found as well as differences which are due to the different approaches and culture of the company. The implications for the future are more professionalism and concentrating on the own culture rather than trying to copy the strategy from another company. Strategies need to be unique and specifically created for the organisation.