Josephine Baker Racial Refugee Comes Home Free Essays

One hundred years ago a star was born, but its light, like that of real stars, took many years to reach us. Josephine Baker, dancer, actress and singer, shone on the stages of France long before she was accepted here in her native country. Having escaped from the poverty of her early childhood, Baker became a legendary performer in France only to be dismissed by American audiences of the 30s. We will write a custom essay sample on Josephine Baker: Racial Refugee Comes Home or any similar topic only for you Order Now Her story, fortunately, does not end there, as the changing social climate led to Baker’s eventual return and her efforts in the civil rights movement. Though it took decades, the â€Å"Black Venus† finally claimed her place in the history of American entertainers. Baker’s early family life was a world away from the life of glamour she was to later lead in France. Born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri in 1906, Baker was subjected to the racial prejudices of the times as a result of her mixed Native American and African-American origin. Sources vary on the identity of Baker’s father, but the official version lists Eddie Carson, a vaudeville drummer, and Carrie McDonald, a â€Å"washerwoman,† as Baker’s parents. As an infant, Josephine was taken by her mother to winerooms and vaudeville houses where her father performed (Haney 1981, p. 6). St. Louis had an important music scene at the time, and this certainly had quite an impact on the young Freda. Carson soon abandoned mother and child, and Baker’s mother married another man, Arthur Martin, with whom she bore a son and two more daughters. Martin, often unemployed, could not support the household, and so Baker’s childhood was spent cleaning, babysitting and waitressing. Baker describes working for the â€Å"Mistress,† a wealthy white woman, in her autobiography, where she was required to get up at five in the morning (Baker and Bouillon 1977, p. 3): â€Å"There was coal to fetch, the stove to stoke, chamber pots and spittoons to empty, bed to make wood to cut, the kitchen clean. † She did manage to go to school, but then worked after school as well, sleeping in the Mistress’s cellar at night. Baker was only seven years old. Haney (1981, p. 10) suggests that Josephine’s mother harbored resentment against her daughter, blaming her for the loss of Carson; perhaps this, along with the family’s poverty, explains why Carrie McDonald sent her daughter to the Mistress. Josephine finally returned home after the Mistress was arrested for physically abusing her, but Josephine wound up living much of the time with her grandmother and aunt as her relationship with her mother deteriorated even further. Baker’s feelings for the country of her birth were always to be influenced by the experiences of her youth in Missouri. In her autobiography, she recounts the story of seeing her neighborhood go up in flames and seeing a black man beaten when whites decided to avenge the alleged rape of a white woman in July of 1917. Upon leaving her house to find the conflagration, Baker said she thought she was looking at the Apocalypse (1977, p. 2). Jean-Claude Baker and Chase (1993, p. 30) reject Baker’s claim to have witnessed the St. Louis race riots, arguing that she only learned the story later from others. In any case, such an event was to leave a lasting impression on Josephine. Not surprisingly, she was to leave St. Louis at a young age in search of a more promising future. In Josephine’s youth, a brighter future was not available to her through education – she could only escape through marriage. At the age of only 13, Josephine married Willie Wells, a man more than twice her age (Baker and Chase 1993, p. 36). The marriage was illegal and short-lived (to be followed by five more marriages over the years), and Josephine was destined to return to her mother’s house. Her true escape came when she joined the St. Louis Chorus line, where she was an instant hit. Baker was soon touring with vaudeville troops, performing skits. Though audiences loved Josephine, she faced racism in town after town, where she faced the Ku Klux Klan and segregation (Haney 1981, p. 29). Baker continued her rise to stardom, though, when in 1921 she landed a role in the Broadway production of Shuffle Along, despite original concerns that she was too dark for the part. As the show became a hit, Josephine made an enormous salary for the time. When the production came to St. Louis, Josephine performed before a mixed audience, but the blacks were restricted to the balcony seating. Josephine’s biological father, Eddie Carson, reportedly showed up to ask to be hired for the show, only to be rejected (Haney (1981, p. 39). Baker followed up her success with a role in The Chocolate Dandies in 1924 and became a legend in connection with the Harlem Renaissance in 1925 at The Plantation Club. The real turning point came later in 1925, though, when Baker made her debut in Paris with Joe Alex and the Danse Sauvage in La Revue Negre at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees. The audience loved Baker, who danced wearing only a feather skirt. From there, she went on to tour Europe and eventually star in La Follie du Jour at the Follies-Begere, often appearing with her pet leopard and dancing in a skirt made of bananas. She was to star in two movies, ZouZou and Princess Tam-Tam in the mid-thirties, by which time she was one of the highest paid entertainers in Europe (Official Site). In 1936, though, Baker was to be forcefully reminded of the barriers African-Americans were facing in her native country when she returned to the United States to star in the Ziegfield Follies. Unpopular with American audiences and critics, Baker was eventually replaced by Gypsy Rose Lee. In fact, Josephine met the realities of American racism as soon as she got off the boat from France, as she was refused a room in several New York hotels because of her color. Miki Sawada, Baker’s maid at the time, was with her and described what happened (Baker and Chase 1993, p. 191): â€Å"I could not believe this could be the same woman I had seen in Europe, standing triumphant on the stage, showered with flowers. Here she was huddled before me on the floor, weeping. † In publicity photos for the production, Baker was lit so that she would appear lighter. She wrote to a friend, â€Å"†¦be assured, if I want to make a telephone call in the street, I’m still a negresse† (Baker and Chase 1993, p. 196). After the newspaper critics panned her performances, the show closed and Baker returned to France. Despite her experience in the thirties, Baker returned to America in the fifties and sixties to work to advance civil rights for people of color. The most famous instance occurred when Baker worked with the NAACP to protest segregation at The Stork Club. Animosity brewed as a result between Baker and gossip columnist Walter Winchell, which led to Baker’s name being tainted in the Red Scare of the McCarthy era. Baker found other ways to combat racism as well, adopting twelve multiethnic children who came to be known as the â€Å"Rainbow Tribe. † The first of her children, a son, was an â€Å"occupation† baby, a baby of mixed Japanese and Western race from Tokyo. Other adoptees hailed from Finland, Columbia, Canada and Israel (Baker and Bouillon 1977, p. 192-196). By the time of her death in 1975, Josephine Baker had accomplished more in her lifetime than anyone could possibly have imagined was possible for an African-American woman born at the beginning of the century. Not only did Baker manage to overcome the poverty and social limitations of her youth, she emerged as legendary entertainer, a champion of civil rights and a mother to so many who came from homes and situations as bleak as her own had been. Despite the many occasions on which her fellow Americans rejected her, Baker never gave up on her homeland and used her experiences as motivation to work toward a better society. The spate of biographies and the documentary of her life that have sprung up in the last two decades are a sign of the changing social climate and racial relations in America, as well as a sign of the longevity of Baker’s legacy. Bibliography Baker, J. and Bouillon, J. (1977) Jospehine. New York, Harper Row Publishers. Baker, J. C. and Chase, C. (1993) Josephine: The Hungry Heart New York. Random House. Biography. Available from: The Official Site of Josephine Baker, Josephine Baker Estate c/o CMG Worldwide http://www. cmgww. com/stars/baker [Accessed 19 October 2006]. Haney, L. (1981) Naked at the Feast: A Biography of Josephine Baker. New York, Dodd, Mead Company. How to cite Josephine Baker: Racial Refugee Comes Home, Papers

The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber free essay sample

Characteristic of most of Ernest Hemingway’s works, â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber† begins with a man and a woman seemingly happily in love but ends with that very love turning on itself and resulting in tragedy. The events leading up to their downfall tell a story of a lack of consistency, and a person’s true character being shown. The main themes of this story are courage and cowardice which are shown through all three characters: Francis, Wilson, and Margot. Francis Macomber begins his immediate decent when he embodies the theme of cowardice in the beginning of the story. When he encountered a wounded lion, he ran in fear and had to be saved by Wilson, the tour guide. This one decision cost Francis everything. The first consequence of his cowardly actions was the reaction that his wife had. Margot had lost all sense of protection from her husband when she had watched her husband run in fear. We will write a custom essay sample on The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She even expressed her discontent with his actions almost to a point of mockery. Margot was quick to point out all of Macomber’s flaws and mistakes and to raise up Wilson, who was appearing more attractive and appealing to her by the second. But Francis, being a kind and gentle man, did not react in anger. Instead he began his plot to win back his wife’s affection. While most men would probably go after the other man which their wife had transferred her attention towards, Francis was from thence forward looking for ways to regain his sense of manhood in his beloved wife’s eyes. One day when the three were out on their safari, Francis spotted his chance when he ran across some buffalo. Without hesitation, Francis shot and killed two buffalo. There was also a third buffalo that he had shot and appeared to be dead but was only severely wounded. Francis had shown bravery but was no match for the wounded buffalo that had begun to charge towards him. Wilson, once again, stepped in to save the day but unfortunately, Francis would die in his act of courage and valor. Richard Wilson is exactly what you would consider a safari tour guide to the rich to be like- experienced, fearless, and a little pompous. Although perceived as an outright act of valor, Margot may have forgotten that what Wilson had done was in a way a part of his job title. Wilson was responsible, to some extent, for the people whom he accompanied on safaris. After all, when a safari guide for the rich, it is most likely not uncommon for Richard to run into some couples that knew nothing of what they were getting themselves into but were merely spending their vast amounts of money into something adventurous. In other words, Wilson was probably more than used to be a babysitter for the adventurous wealthy. But on the other hand, Richard Wilson’s courage is not to be demeaned. Being a safari guide alone requires an amount of courage that most individuals do not possess. Richard exhibited his cowardice with the way that he allowed Margot to act towards him. Once again, Richard Wilson is not on vacation, this is his occupation. By allowing Margot to kiss him in the car and continue to talk more than kindly about him to and in front of her husband, he was being very unprofessional. Any real man would have had the courage to stand up to the woman that he had just met and tell her that he could not allow her to act in such a promiscuous way towards him. Probably the most cowardice of any of the main characters, Margot’s actions showed very little courage. Marriage is a commitment which is often misunderstood or ignored by most of the individuals who have joined in the vow. When a woman says ‘I do’ to a man, she is in essence promising that man that no matter what she is his and his only, forever. She is promising a certain level of obedience to him and the utmost of respect. In this story, Margot, if she really meant her vows, threw them out the window quicker than Francis ever had time to plead his case. Not only did Margot make her husband out to be the most disgusting of men for running away, she starting chasing after another man in front of her husband. But her cowardly spirit did not end there. When Francis was trying to win back her affections by killing the buffalo, his life was cut short by a bullet that left a gun his wife was holding. Ending another human’s life for your own personal agenda is the most selfish, cowardly act that an individual could commit. Francis Macomber may have had a moment of weakness and fear when he came face to face with a lion but through his self control and his later actions, he showed much more courage than Richard Wilson and Margot put together. Francis had every right to act out and to be typical and take his anger out on Wilson, but he didn’t. Macomber died a noble man who only wanted the love of his wife restored to him. When an individual’s life is taken into consideration, it is not how they began that matters but how they finished.

Maritime Port Security free essay sample

Prompted by the US, the IMO agreed to make security amendments to he Safety of Life at Sea Convention 1974 (SOLAS). Parties to the IMO and SOLAS convention finalized these amendments at a diplomatic held at the IMO in December 2002 in London. In the diplomatic conference, it was agreed upon that maritime security measures will be accepted internationally by January 1, 2004, and in force six months later by July 1, 2004 worldwide. As a result of this agreement, the International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS) was drafted containing the amendments and complimentary provisions to the SOLAS. The ISPS was included as an Annex to Chapter Xl-2 of the SOLAS Convention. The new security code is the first multilateral ship and port security standard ever created. It requires nations to develop port and ship security plans primarily as a safeguard against the threat of terrorist attacks. It also provides for a standard framework in helping governments to evaluate risks in case of threat to ship and port facilities. We will write a custom essay sample on Maritime Port Security or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The ISPS applies to all passenger ships on international voyages, to all other ships over 500 G on international voyages, and all port facilities serving ships on international voyages (Peppinck, 2003; US Department of Homeland Security, 2003). The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) is considered as the US equivalent of the ISPS. It is the US response to the security amendments required by the SOLAS and its complementary ISPS. The purpose of the Bill is to strengthen and add additional defense to the United States (US) port security. The Bill was designed primarily to protect the US ports and waterways from terrorist attacks. MTSA was signed on November 25, 2002. In July 1, 2003, the temporary interim rules for the Act was published, as well as the effective date of regulations. In the same month, a ublic meeting was held in Washington, D. C. , and the deadline for submission of written comments on MTSA was set. On October 22, 2003, the publication of the final on November 22, 2003. The Act was finally fully implemented on July 1, 2004 (US Department of Homeland Security, 2003; United States Coast Guards, 2006). . Review of Previous Legislation: The Need for MTSA MTSA was enacted pursuant to the ISPS Code, which is considered as the first multilateral ship and port security standard created. Since MTSA complies with the standards and requirements of the ISPS, the ACT is considered as the first specific egislation addressing port and maritime security in the US. Apart from the MTSA, however, Section 89, Title 14 o f the United States Code authorizes the US Coast Guard to board any vessel subject to Jurisdiction of the US, or subject to US Jurisdiction by operation of any law. The Coast Guards have the right to make inquiries, examinations, searches and seizures on board vessels if in violation of US laws. The Coast Guards are likewise allowed to engage in land, water, and air patrols, as well as to order any vessel to stop if it falls within their Jurisdiction. However, what federal law provides is control over the anchorage and movement of vessels in navigable waters of the US. Ship and port security standards were not expressly specified as within the power of the Coast Guard (The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, 2001). The Secretary of Transportation also has the broad authority to regulate the movement and operation of vessels subject to US Jurisdiction, as provided in the Ports and Waterway Safety Act (PWSA). The Act also authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to respond to terrorist acts against vessels and waterfront facilities, as ell as to investigate any incident that causes damage to waterfront facilities or affects the safety of US ports. Under the Secretarys authority, a vessels clearance to entry in the US may be refused or revoked upon violation of the PWSA (The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, 2001). The Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 expanded the authority of the Coast Guard. This law was enacted in response to an incident wherein a US citizen was killed when a passenger vessel, Achille Lauro, was seized by terrorists in 1985. To protect passenger vessels and passenger terminals from errorist attacks, the US Congress constituted Title Xl of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act as the International Maritime and Port Security Act. Title Xl requires the Coast Guard to establish measures to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks, as well as to establish security and safety zones. Passenger vessels and passenger terminal operators are also required under this Act to develop contingency plans for security measures against terrorist acts, subject to examination and approval by the Coast Guard. However, this Act does not cover cargo vessels and erminals. The foreign port assessments are coordinated between the Department of State and the cruise ship industry. In 2000, only two assessments for safety and security plans were conducted (The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, 2001 The National Infrastructure Security Committee (NISC) of the US Department of Transportation was created after September 1 1, and is charged with the responsibility of focusing on intermodal security issues and to ensure coordination of the Departments security work across all modes of transportation. Direct Action egulatory and diplomatic initiatives for each mode of transportation. S. 214, The Port, Maritime, and Rail Security Act of 2001 , was introduced by Senator Hollings of South Carolina, as a new paradigm in maritime and port security in the US. In discussing these initiatives, then Secretary of Transportation, Norman Mineta, in a Statement before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, discussed that focusing exclusively on security at ports is not enough. A comprehensive approach that looks beyond ports and port f acilities, embracing the entire marine transportation system, is crucial. It should involve not only large seaports but smaller ports as well as ports of all sizes handling bulk cargoes, and the security of coastal waters and inland waterways (Mineta, 2001). Admiral James M. Loy, on the same occasion before the Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, had this to say on the US port and maritime security strategy: While effective homeland security is built upon the principles of awareness, prevention, response, and consequence management, the primary objectives are awareness and prevention. Awareness helps focus resources and provides efficiency to prevention. Prevention places a premium on awareness, detecting, identifying, and tracking threats to our homeland security. However, once terrorists or the means of terrorism are on the move towards or within the United States, the nation must have the means to detect and intercept them before they reach our borders and our transportation system. While there are no guarantees, there is good reason to believe that we can improve our national ability to detect potential threats in or to transportation through effective use of information that is, toa great extent, already available. (Loy, 2001). Admiral Loy further stresses that, maritime trade, which is critical to this countrys economic strength, continues to move through ports with minimal interruption. It is no surprise that sustaining mobility will come at a higher cost to all of us. But the reality is that we live in a country that prides itself on the openness of its democracy, so we remain at risk to attacks of terrorism. It is incumbent upon our government to minimize this risk (Loy, 2001). MTSA fills in the gaps of these other past legislations and responds to the need for a more comprehensive approach towards port and maritime security in the US. Based on S. 1214 as earlier introduced by Senator Hollings, MTSA requires vessels and port facilities to conduct vulnerability assessments and to develop security plans that cover passenger, vehicle, and baggage screening procedures. The powers of the Coast Guard under PWSA, involving establishing security patrols, establishing security and safety areas, and to access control measures were deemed incorporated into the MTSA. Unlike the International Maritime and Port Security Act however, the MTSA is not limited to passenger vessels and passenger operator terminals. Its cope and security regulations cover sectors of maritime industry with higher risk of involvement in transportation security incident, and includes not only large passenger vessels, but also various tank vessels, barges, large passenger vessels, cargo vessels, towing vessels, offshore oil and gas platforms, and port facilities handling certain kinds of dangerous cargo or service. MTSA, incorporating the role of NISC, also requires the establishment of committees in all the nations ports in order local and state agencies and industries, as well as the boating public. These ommittees, called the Area Maritime Security Committees, performs much of the same tasks as NISC, with the primary responsibility of developing plans so that resources in the committees particular area are best equipped and utilized to prevent and respond to terrorist threats and attacks (United States Coast Guards, 2006). 3. Summary of Pertinent Provisions of the MTSA The MTSA was intended with the primary purpose of establishing a program to ensure greater security for US seaports. It requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a vessel identification plan wherein vessel types and US port facilities hat pose a high risk of being involved in a transportation security incident must be identified. The incident as covered by this Act pertains to one that involves significant loss of life, environmental damage, transportation system disruption, or economic disruption in a particular area. The Secretary is likewise responsible for assessing the vulnerability of US port facilities and vessels that may be involved in any of the abovementioned transportation security incidents. In addition to vessel identification and vulnerability assessment, the Secretary of Transportation is equired to develop a plan called the National Maritime Transportation Security Plan, which should prevent and respond to any transportation security incident. The plan requires for the coordination of federal, state, and local government agencies. Consistent with the National Maritime Transportation Security Plan, owner and operators of vessels or facilities are likewise required to submit their own vessel or facility security plan to prevent and respond to transportation security incidents. These plans are subject to the examination and approval of the Secretary of Transportation. The Secretary likewise needs to establish security incident response plans for vessels and facilities involved in transportation security incidents. The Secretary of Transportation is also required to assess the effectiveness of antiterrorism measures in specified foreign ports (MTSA, S 102) The Secretary of Transportation may also deny admission, or removal, of an individual from the US if the individual poses as terrorism security risk to the nation. Otherwise, a qualified individual may be issued a transportation security card for entry into secured areas for vessels or facilities. The Secretary can also establish criteria for denial of admission to the US and can direct the Attorney General to perform background checks on individuals seeking entry into the US. Likewise, the Secretary is authorized to deny entry of vessels from foreign ports with ineffective antiterrorism measures or not maintaining effective antiterrorism measures (MTSA, S 102). In addition, the Secretary is tasked with coordinating with the US Coast Guard in developing an international agreement that provides for a uniform, comprehensive, international system for identification of seafarers that will allow the US and another country to establish the identity of any seafarer on a vessel within the US waters or such other country involved (MTSA, S 103). To help in implementation, the Secretary of Transportation is tasked with the establishment of maritime safety and security teams. The scope for these teams is protection of vessels, harbors, ports, facilities, and cargo in US waters. The Secretary is also tasked with implementing a system to collect and analyze information on relating to the vessels crew, passengers, cargo and intermodal shipments. Specified vessels operating in the navigable waters of the US are also required to be equipped ith Automatic Identification Systems (AS) (MTSA, S 102). In summary, pursuant to the MTSA, the Secretary of Transportation is required to implement measures for vessel identification, information collection, vulnerability assessment and to establish security plans for the nations ports and specified foreign ports. Violations of the requirements in this section gives the secretary authority to set forth civil penalties. The MTSA also served to amend past legislation. Section 104 of the Act provides that MTSA amends federal law to extend the Jurisdiction of the US to include all aters of the territorial sea as described in Presidential Proclamation 5928. The Ports and Waterways Safety Act (PWSA), which was earlier discussed in this paper, was also amended to authorize the use of qualified armed Coast Guard personnel to serve as sea marshal on vessel and public or commercial structures which are on or are adjacent to the US. These sea marshals have the duty of preventing or responding to terrorist acts or transportation security incidents (MTSA, S 107). The International Maritime and Port Security Act, which was also earlier discussed as Title Xl of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act, was also amended to require an annual report to be submitted to Congress on threats of terrorism to US ports and vessels. Such an annual report is also supposed to contain an analysis of the effectiveness of maritime transportation security activities under MTSA regarding port security against terrorist attacks (MTSA, S 110). The MTSA has also touched on the authority of the Coast Guard. They are now authorized to conduct marine casualty investigations involving foreign vessels in areas outside US territorial waters. Such authority is consistent with practices and procedures of international law (MTSA, 423). The Act also amends the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act to permit the Coast Guards drug interdiction Jurisdiction to extend to 24 nautical miles from US shores. This constitutes the outer limit of the US contiguous zone. The MTSA also provides for circumstances under which the US Government may legally seize a vessel involved in illicit drug smuggling (MTSA, S 418). One major strength of the MTSA is that, as landmark legislation, it provides for a standard for US ship and port security which is pursuant to one world standard for hip and port security as pursuant to the ISPS Code. The US no longer has to rely on a patchwork of security procedures since there is a comprehensive set of standards that the international community must adhere to (Ridge, 2004). In his Remarks delivered at the Port of Los Angeles, Secretary Tom Ridge stated: This will help create a culture of security at ports around the world and mandate specific improvements (2004). The vessel identification system required by MTSA will allow the US to regulate the entry of vessels, as well as its passengers, crew, and cargo before allowing their ntry into the US. Vulnerability assessment should also help port facilities and vessel owners and operators to evaluate their risks to transportation security incidents and terrorist attacks. The gathering of maritime information will allow the US to analysis make a port vulnerable to such incidents. The action plans required by the MTSA also calls for harbor areas to take affirmative steps in ensuring they comply with security and safety requirements, as well as to coordinate among federal and local agencies, as well as other maritime stakeholders. There is thus a Joint, nationwide ffort to fortify our ports and to protect the nation from potential terrorist attack. Basically, the obvious strength of the MTSA is that it calls for verification in the entry of vessels, foreign or domestic, into US ports. This allows the US to prevent and regulate terrorist threats to the country. Another important strength of the MTSA is that it calls for security plans and assessments which are pertinent per port or harbor area. US ports are not required to follow one strict security plan. Assessments and action plans are designed according to meet the unique security and safety needs for each specific port (Ridge, 004). Critiques of the legislation in related literature have identified three weaknesses of MTSA which relate primarily to security issues. The three weaknesses are as follows: 1) the limited number of ports that will be covered by the MTSA vessel identification system requirement; 2) the scope and quality of the port security assessments pertaining to vulnerability assessments; 3) Coast Guards intention of not individually approving security plans for foreign vessels (Wrightson, 2003). The AS, or automatic identification system, to be developed for vessel dentification system (MTSA, S 102) requires the Coast Guard to implement a process that allows port officials and other vessels to identify the identity and position of vessels entering or operating within their respective harbor area, as an early warning of unidentified vessels or vessels which are not in a location. The problem with implementing such a system is that it requires considerable land-based equipment and infrastructure which are not currently available in many ports across the US. Studies forecast that the AIS will be available in less than half of the 25 busiest ports in the nation (Wrightson, 2003, p. ). The second weakness in MTSA, which was apparent after examination and review by United States General Accounting Office (GAO), pertains to the scope and quality of the vulnerability assessments required by the Act for every port facility and vessel owners and operators regarding transportation security incidents (MTSA, S 102). In a Testimony before the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on September 9, 2003, Margaret Wrightson, Director for Homeland Security and Justice Issues, said: As part our work, we have interviewed port stakeholders to obtain their views on the process. At one port, where the assessment has been completed and the report issued, stakeholders said they had not been given an opportunity to comment on the report, which contained factual errors and did not include an assessment of railroads and the local power generating plant. At the other port, where the assessment was still in process, local Coast Guard personnel and port stakeholders noted that a survey instrument referred to the wrong port, asked questions they regarded as not pertaining to security, and was conducted in ways that raised concerns about credibility. Many of these stakeholders saw little sefulness in the assessments, believing that they added little to what the reviews of individual facilities or installations. They said the assessments focused on the same systems that had already been reviewed and would have greater value if they were focused on matters that had not already been thoroughly studied, such as the potential for waterborne assault (Wrightson, 2003, pp. 9-10). The usefulness and accuracy of such vulnerability assessments have been criticized extensively by those required to participate in such assessments. In addition to quality of such assessments, according to Wrightson, the costs for these ssessments are also extremely high. Most assessments have been conducted only at medium-sized ports in the US, and even at each port the costs per assessment is estimated at $ 1 million or more (Wrightson, 2003, p. 10). Given the cost and the questions as to the usefulness of such assessments, implementing this requirement of the MTSA continues to be a struggle and ineffective today. The third issue pertains to the vessel security plans required for all vessels operating in US waters. These security plans, subject to review and approval by the Secretary of Transportation, must comply with MTSA requirements. According to Wrightson, to implement this requirement, the US Coast Guard has stated that it does not have the intent to individually approve vessel security plans for foreign vessels. The Coast Guard provides that flag state approval of a vessel security plan constitutes compliance with the MTSA requirement of MTSA vessel security plans. Unfortunately, MTSA does not mention any role or participation of foreign countries with respect to the US Secretary of Transportations require approval of such vessel security plans. The problem with this is that ISPS provides for an international equirement for a security plan, which provides that a vessels flag state is responsible for reviewing and certifying the vessels security plan. The concern here is that a vessel may belong to a flag state which does not have a strong safety requirement standard. A foreign vessel belonging toa flag state is subject to the review and certification of such states safety requirements of that vessels security plan. According to Wrightson (2003), the Coast Guard implemented rules to address this issue by verifying that foreign vessels have approved, fully implemented security plans (Wrightson, 2003, pp. 0-11). Unfortunately, the US Coast Guard admits that its security effort is modeled after the US safety program, which may differ from a flag states safety requirements. The Coast Guard is reported to not have contingency plans in place in the event that stronger safety measures than those called for in their current plans are required in order to verify a foreign vessel. These concerns however pertain mainly to foreign flag vessels. us-registered vessels and their corresponding security plans will be reviewed and approved by the Coast Guard. Such review and approval also comes at high costs. In the 2004 budget for the US Coast Guard, the review and approval of the security plans as required by MTSA for domestic vessels alone were set for $ 70 million, with 150 full time personnel required to conduct the review and approval (wrtghtson, 2003, pp. 0-11). Lastly, there is a fourth weakness that can be identified in the MTSA. Although it was discussed that the fact that MTSA does not require for a specific security or action plan for each part, and that action plans are tailored to fit the safety needs of drawbacks. Congress has identified the issue of determining what elements of port ecurity might be best addressed through establishing across-the-board or standard measures applicable to all seaports in the US. These common standards and practices is naturally contradictory to the tailored, site specific approach that MTSA encourages in order to meet the safety needs and specific circumstances of each particular port in the US. For instance, the MTSA does not provide for a specific percentage of cargo which Customs Service should physically inspect at US seaports (Fritelli, 2003, p. 6). 5. Final Assessment and Recommendations to Strengthen MTSA Despite its flaws, the MTSA is still landmark legislation as it took a huge step in allowing the US to prevent and deal with terrorist attacks on the nations maritime ports. Of the 46 key areas identified to implement the requirements of MTSA, 43 of these ports or harbors have already transmitted maritime information which is a preliminary step in helping to establish security systems and action plans (Wrightson, 2003, p. 1). Due to the requirements in MTSA, the Coast Guard has also published its six interim rules on the provisions in the ACT wherein it has lead responsibility ertaining to national maritime security initiatives, area maritime security, vessel security, facility security, outer continental shelf facility security, and AS. The rules also provided for a comprehensive description of industry-related maritime security requirements and cost-benefit assessments for US ports (Wrightson, 2003, pp. 4-6). A careful analysis of strategies and issues identified by the US Department of Homeland Security calls for the following recommendations relating to the issues and weaknesses of MTSA identified in this paper (US Department of Homeland Security, 005): Development of an Infrastructure Recovery Plan which sets standards and procedures for recovery of maritime infrastructure following an attack or similar disruption. This should go hand in hand with vulnerability assessment, in order to respond to the criticism as to lack of usefulness of vulnerability assessments in ports. Vulnerability assessment should thus include assessment as to the costs and extent of recovery needed for an area after a transportation security incident or terrorist attack. Development of an International Outreach and Coordination Strategy. This should allow a framework for the US and foreign governments to coordinate regarding security measures and standards. This will address the issue regarding the Coast Guard verification of foreign flag vessels which may have different security measures and standards as the US. The other issues identified as weaknesses of the MTSA costs of putting AIS in place, costs of conducting assessments in ports, and the lack of a standard measure for all ports versus specific area standards per port have been addressed in the 108th Congress, 1st Session, in HR 2193. The Bill, cited as the Port Security Improvements Act of 2003, provides for funding of port security enhancements pursuant to MTSA. The House Bill provides for standardization of security requirements for ports, vessels and facilities, requiring the Coast Guard to issue regulations under Section 70103, Title 46 of the United States Code, to establish national minimum standards for security requirements for each port, facility in a port in the US, and each vessel entering a US port.

How To Drive a $221 ROI Using Promoted Content on Facebook

How To Drive a $221 ROI Using Promoted Content on Facebook How would you like to make $22 on every $1 spent promoting content? Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, let’s find out. Today, we’re talking to Freyja Spaven and Daniel Daines-Hutt, authors of How We Drive A $22:1 ROI From Cold Traffic, Using Facebook And Promoted Content. They share secrets to their success when it comes to researching, planning, designing, copywriting, and testing to promote content via paid ads on Facebook. AmpMyContent helps small business that have funds, but are time poor and unable to leverage content Tweaking content to make it 10X more effective Paid Ad Process: Ad goes to cold audience Drives them to piece of content Presents hyper-specific, next-step offer with a highly efficient lead magnet Over-inundation of content; 83.6 million new posts are published every month Facebook ads allow you to get a lot reach, without spending a lot of money Research: Push traffic to good, not bad content; determine if ad is profitable; and interview readers regarding a problem that needs a solution Avoid creating a lot of content that doesn’t highlight your expertise about a topic Ads start at a loss; use bottom-up testing to make ads profitable Create an ideal audience for your content to make an ad that resonates with them Supply and Demand: More specific your ads, the more Facebook charges How people consume a newsfeed ad; on auto-pilot with their attention, interest Use Facebook machine learning to your advantage to obtain user data and create an algorithm to achieve conversion goals Branded Solution: Ad content should educate readers about specific systems and processes that reduce stress and solve relevant problems Getting people into a room, but not offering them anything; every piece of content should have a call to action Email is an effective channel to make sales Links: The Definitive Guide to Paid Content Promotion: Facebook Edition How to Create Killer Content That Gets Results In Any Industry AmpMyContent Freyja Spaven on Twitter Daniel Daines-Hutt on Twitter The 10X Marketing Formula by Garrett Moon Mad Men Machine Learning Facebook What topics and guests do you want on the Actionable Marketing Podcast? Send me your suggestions! If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes: â€Å"There are so many benefits to promoting content, rather than just writing new stuff all the time.† Daniel Daines-Hutt â€Å"It’s a very simple process. Like everything when it comes to marketing, it’s the subtleties.† Daniel Daines-Hutt â€Å"Marketing really is connecting someone from A to B, from their problem to the solution.† Daniel Daines-Hutt â€Å"One of the big mistakes that we see is people creating a great breadth of content and not really showing their expertise in their content by going deep into a subject.† Freyja Spaven

Opening Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Opening Exercise - Essay Example The guesser will have to think creatively to pinpoint the word and concepts written on the paper. If a certain concept or word is unclear, team members can either research for clarification or better yet, ask the teacher to help explain and clarify the word or concept. Still, the participants are learning. The restrategizing aspect of the game will teach the players about their lapse in their communication techniques and from their mistakes apply remedial measures to improve performance just like in an organization. They could also learn from the other team. Each teams will also learn how to communicate properly so that they could guess the word and concept given the limited feedback of â€Å"YES, NO or COULD BE†. This would make the players appreciate how susceptible people are to miscommunication. The process will also teach the students the value of clear communication in an organization realizing the difficulty of guessing concepts and ideas when handicapped by less than ideal situations such as having noise in communication, not having all the information needed, and not clearly transmitted thoughts. The game can be applied to any subject. Only the words can be changed to suit the need of a particular subject. The game can also be made more challenging by letting the opposing team write the words that their opponents will have to guess. Of course they would naturally make the concept more difficult for other team to guess pushing the learning process to extend to more complicated concepts that would entice the students to study more to win the game without them realizing that they are already studying the

CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS - Assignment Example In this case the limits will offer a rational framework within which ideas and concepts can be understood. In coming up with such limitations academicians in various fields such as lexicographers, lawyers, system analysts and philosophers analyses concepts to draw up distinctions and give meaning to abstract objects and words in a bid to ensure that a common ground for interpretation is reached. In doing this, they define constraints, consistency checks and implications that must be enforced to keep the database an accurate reflection of the state of the world the result of which is a formalizable catalog of concepts, relations facts and principles that makes up the world , how its put together and how it works. (Sowa, 1984). In this regard, concepts can be defined as a general idea derived from particular instances that is, the concept is described within the confines of the context and situation in which it is devised.The sub concept is a secondary concept that is derived from the already formulated concepts. The derivation of concepts and subconcepts then demand that ideas and information be interpreted differently depending on the situations at hand and this calls for frameworks within which unifying concepts can be defined. Without such frameworks there would be a misuse of conceptualization where individuals would disagree on even obvious matters. An accused in the court of law would claim that he believes that killing is good and justifiable, people would not agree on such basic things as the colour of the traffic lights or the interpretation of basic texts. It’s for this reason that database administrators carry out conceptual analysis in designing a database to ensure that the resulting d atabase does not contain arbitrary restrictions or even inconsistent data. In doing this they eliminate the vague boundaries of natural concepts and replace them with sharp and more precise distinctions. In the end it is true to say

The Pestel Analysis Of Construction Industry Economics Essay

The Pestel Analysis Of Construction Industry Economics Essay General Objective: To come up with an eco-friendly construction material using shredded PET bottles as an aggregate (replacing the gravel component of CHB) in the production of an alternative construction material, ecological hollow block (EHB), which could result to a better cost effective product. Specific Objectives: To prepare an industry study of all the construction materials currently being used in housing and commercial developments. To review the waste management system in the Philippines and look for areas that are sustainable sources of PET materials. To identify the current drivers and trends of the real estate and construction industry, as well as the Non-government Organizations (NGOs) in order to explore the viability of introducing the EHB products for their construction needs. To prepare a business model for each market segment, namely: (1) Non-government Organizations (NGOs) and (2) Real Estate Developers and Contractors. Scope and Limitations This MRR is focused on the following market segments: real estate developers, construction companies and NGOs. The study is limited to the Philippines specifically the National Capital Region (NCR) and provinces within a 130 km radius. Other construction materials that have the potential to be used with PET flakes aside from the concrete hollow block are excluded from this study. Central Hypothesis This MRR focuses on the Ecoblock venture into the Philippine market through the NGOs specifically on housing and development programs; and eventually cater to the local real-estate developers and contractors. Hence the desired outcome of this MRR would be a venture strategy considering the economic conditions, market outlook, competitive analysis, risks analysis and capital sourcing. II.PESTEL Analysis of Construction Industry Political Factors President Aquinos State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 2010 highlighted the importance of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).  [1]  The PPP was seen as an important strategy for infrastructure development. It has also been estimated that the pipeline of PPP projects (infrastructure projects for transportation, water, power, health, and agriculture) for the year 2012 will amount to USD 5.49B. Another factor that can have an effect on these projects is the upcoming election in the year 2013 that can increase government spending on infrastructure developments. Lastly, the issue of corruption (specifically in government infrastructure projects) is seen as an important political factor in the construction industry of the Philippines. The corruption issues of the Philippines regarding infrastructure was discussed during Finance Secretary Cesar Purisimas meeting with Ernie Bower, the senior adviser and director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC.  [2]  In this meeting, it was cited that the PPPs program of the Philippines will be able to address the current issues on corruption. According to Purisima, the right infrastructures should be accompanied by forward-looking policies for the Philippines to be competitive through highly-viable and promising ventures. It was also made clear that corruption is a major factor that will hinder the gov ernment to increase spending for infrastructure projects. Economic Factors Figure 1. GDP year-on-year Growth Rates, 2006-2011. Source: National Statistic Coordination Board As shown in Figure 1, the Philippines gross domestic product (GDP) decreased from 7.6% in 2010 to 3.7% in 2011. This is due to the negative export growth rates in 2011 that was influenced by the global economic conditions particularly the economic and financial crises in US and Euro countries  [3]  . The domestic factors on the other hand include the decreasing demand and negative growth rate in agricultural production and the under spending of the government in infrastructure projects. Based on the GDP projections of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank, the Philippine economy will slightly improve in 2012 due to the support of growth in private consumption (higher OFW remittances), investment, and government spending  [4]  . However, if the debt woes in Europe will worsen and the recovery of the US economy will not be sustained, the Philippines will experience lower exports and foreign investment that may lead to lower GDP growt h. Considering these factors the Philippine government must be able to increase government spending on infrastructure projects to prevent the economy to slow down further. Figure 2. Peso-dollar rate, Inflation Rate, and 91-day T-bill in the Philippines, 2006 to 1Q 2012. Source: Bangko Sentral ngPilipinas As shown in Figure 2, even if demand in the economy is lower in 2011 due to the lower GDP growth rate, overall prices still increased which was brought about by the increase in prices of petroleum in the global market.  [5]  Looking at the disposable income of Filipinos, if the overall prices increase, the purchasing power will tend to decrease. This might affect the amount of disposable income that might be allocated for house purchase. Based on Figure 2, inflation is lower in the 1st quarter of year 2012. Meanwhile, the 91-day Treasury bill interest rate decreased when the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) attempted to stimulate economic growth. The peso-dollar rate remained stable due to the increase in inflow of remittances. The stability of the peso-dollar rate is very important in the construction industry due to the fact that some of the materials being used in construction are imported. The instability of the peso-dollar rate will affect the price of these materials. Figure 3. Construction Output (in million Php and share to total GDP) Source: National Statistic Coordination Board As shown in Figure 3, construction output in 2011 went down. This is due to the under spending of the government in infrastructure projects.  [6]  The construction-to-GDP ratio decreased from 5.7% to 5.2%. The increase in government spending can increase the GDP for the coming years. Table 1. Growth in the Tourism Industry, Business Process Outsourcing, and Mining Industry that may Affect the Construction Industry. Year Tourism Industry (Foreign Tourist Arrivals) Business Process Outsourcing (Projected Growth) Mining Industry (Expected Investment) 2010 3.52 M 2011 3.921 M (exceeded 3.74M target) 18% $3.4B 2012 1Q: 2.14M 20% $3.9B Source: Philippine Constructors Association Country Report, 2011. Department of Tourism Growth of other industries will also open opportunities for the construction industry. As shown in Table 1, the tourism industry, the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), and the mining industry are continuously experiencing growth which may lead to more construction projects. For the tourism industry alone, 47 hotels with 14,000 rooms will be constructed by the year 2013.  [7]   Due to the Philippines stronger financial position, the Standard and Poor raised the Philippines international debt rating to one notch below investment grade (BB+).  [8]  According to the DBS Group, the Philippines can achieve investment-grade credit rating with a year or two. Once this is achieved, more investments will flow to the country. Social Factors The social factors that we will be considering in this study will give emphasis on the population growth rate, age profile, and housing backlog in the Philippines and try to correlate them with the construction industry in the country. Population Growth Rate As of July 2011 the Philippines has an estimated total population of 103.775 million and out of this, 11.86 million reside in the National Capital Region (NCR). The Philippines has an average population growth rate of 1.9% and the NCR has an average population growth rate of 1.78%. Age Profile The majority of the population in the Philippines belongs to the working class (15-64 years: 61.1% or 62,201,170 as of 2010). This is the portion of society who are about to start their own families until those who are about to retire from their respective careers. People in this segment are also the ones who have the capacity to invest in residential developments. Housing Backlog As of 28 December 2011 Philippines housing backlog is currently 3.6 million.  [9]  The government will tap shelter agencies like the Housing and Urban Development Coordination Council (HUDCC), the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), the Pag-ibig Fund, the Social Housing Finance Corporation, the National Housing Authority, the Home Guaranty Corporation, and the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation to reduce the housing backlog by 50% with an annual target of 350,000 housing units. To achieve this, the Aquino administration highlighted the need for more PPP programs to use the underutilized government lands. The insufficiency of available funding resulted to this housing backlog. The government needs Php 1.7 trillion to address the Philippines housing needs. In 2011, several typhoons and flash floods occurred in the Philippines between May and September. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will develop recovery and rehabilitation projects for victims of flash floods in NCR and other provinces with a total of 187,008 families. Also, projects will be developed for the victims of typhoons that entered the country, which affected 1.4 million families  [10]  . Technological Factors Last June 28, 2012, the general membership meeting of the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA) was held to discuss the current issues that the industry currently faces. In this meeting, innovation was considered as a driver of productivity. According to Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao, the players of the industry must be able to re-evaluate their resources and processes to make it more efficient, responsive and relevant to the present stringent requirements of the industry.  [11]  Regarding PPP for infrastructure projects, the government must demand from its private partners new technologies that will accelerate delivery time while ensuring public safety. However, Canilao also recognized the fear of being the first to try something different. With this, he emphasized that those players who will not invest in technological innovation might be left behind at bidding time. According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Philippines may adopt new construction trends in Japan, particularly on the latest technology on roads and bridge construction.  [12]  The construction and engineering technologies from Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will help the Philippines build disaster-resilient infrastructures that would mitigate the effects of climate change. Technological innovation in the Philippines doesnt only happen with government projects, private manufacturers of construction materials also try to innovate the products and processes to improve the product offering. Cement manufacturers like the Holcim Group created a green sustainable solution for cement.  [13]  The company is trying to minimize the impact of cement manufacturing in the environment. The company focuses on bringing down carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by reducing the clinker factor by using mineral components as alternative materials.  [14]  Innovation on the use of raw materials was accompanied by improvement in the process namely: (1) use of alternative fuels; (2) co-processing; and (3) quarry habilitation policy. Co-processing is considered as a globally accepted technology that helps the company process water streams in the cement kilns to properly dispose hazardous industrial wastes.  [15]  The quarry habilitation policy would ensure that the quarry sites can be used productively by the community before they are completely mined out. Holcim Philippines was the first company to submit a Final Mine Decommissioning and Rehabilitation Plan to the Department of Natural Resources (DENR), which will serve as a blueprint in restoring quarry sites. Environmental Factors Land development and construction have a direct impact on the environment wherein land conversion from agricultural to urban and residential greatly reduces bio-capacity (ability of the land to produce food and other resources for the society).  [16]  Because of this, sustainable land development is becoming more important in the construction industry. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) developed an ALI Sustainability Framework to chart, monitor, and report the companys progress in sustainable land development. The increasing awareness about environmental impact of construction activities will eventually affect the way residential and commercial developments are built. In 2006, the Philippine Green Building Council (PHILGBC) was formed as a national non-profit organization through the alliance of building and construction industry leaders from the private and public sector.  [17]  This organization was formed to ensure an ecologically and economically sustainable industry. This resulted to a local green building rating system that is now called Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE). The BERDE scheme will serve as a benchmark for all property developers in the country. Last August 17-19, 2011, the first Philippine International Total Green Movement Exhibition and Conference was held at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Manila. The joint venture of the Philippine Constructors Association, Inc. (PCA), Global-Link Exhibitions Specialist, Inc. (GESI), Philippine Society of Ventilating, Air-conditioning, Refrigerating Engineers, Inc. (PSVARE), Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI), and Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Manila, created the Green Philippines 2011.  [18]  This event featured four exhibit segments on construction (Green Construct), manufacturing (Green Manufacturing), lifestyle (Green lifestyle), and energy (Green Energy). Also, last August 16-17, 2011, the 2nd Sustainable Building Technology Conference was held that invited international sustainability experts to discuss the best practices for a green industry. These events would show that the players in the c onstruction industry are already leaning towards environment friendly development projects. Legal Factors The construction industry is one of the most hazardous and risky occupations in the country. With this, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWG), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) signed a Memorandum of Agreement last May 4, 2011 to strengthen the campaign to minimize accidents in construction activities. This MOA aims to promote the welfare of construction workers and prevent the recurrence of construction-related incidents, notably the ones that recently killed or severely injured workers early 2012.  [19]  Also, this MOA is an off-shoot of DOLE Department Order No. 13 (which provides the Guidelines Governing Occupational Safety and Health in the Construction Industry) and aims to intensify the holistic and extensive execution of the policies and programs set forth in D.O. No. 13 in construction sites. III. Construction Materials Industry Existing Eco-friendly Construction Materials The construction industry in the Philippines is currently leaning toward ecological friendly materials due to the global campaign to save the environment. The materials that are available range from pre fabricated walls and blocks to bricks that is considered to be the oldest building material used. The pre-fabricated walls and blocks use polystyrene as an aggregate that is added to the concrete mixture to produce a lighter and insulating product. Reinforced fire bricks are also one of the common construction materials that are used in construction of homes. Reinforced bricks are made of industrial wastes such as rice hull, coal ash, silt, mud and clay. Existing Market and Availability The existing market for pre-fabricated walls and blocks are the contractors for commercial buildings and high-rise residential buildings. There are also some contractors that use pre-fabricated materials for home construction but the homeowners still prefer to use concrete hollow blocks (CHB) because of the high cost of the pre-fabricated material. The walls are pre-ordered by the contractor and are sometimes manufactured on site to avoid delivery expenses. On the other hand, the reinforced firebricks are used in home construction. This material is usually specified by the people who belong to the higher class of society mainly because of the price of this construction material. Advantages disadvantages of using existing eco-friendly construction material Pre-fabricated walls are used in exterior and interior applications in building construction. The lighter wall means that the foundations of a building project could be smaller due to the reduction in weight that the foundation needs to support. Installation time for the pre-fabricated wall is shorter compared to using conventional materials in wall construction. The product is smoother and does not need additional plastering (only the joints require additional concrete) because of the smooth finish that these walls generally have. The pre-fabricated walls also serve as good insulators that result to less energy consumption. A notable disadvantage of using this product, aside from the cost, is that the sizes that are available are only limited and could not be cut to size. The advantages of using reinforced fire brick in construction is that it uses less cement and is stronger than concrete. Bricks are also weather resistant and are considered to be ideal in tropical countries like t he Philippines because it slowly absorbs heat to keep the inside of the house cooler. Bricks do not need cement plastering and the walls do not need to be painted. The disadvantage of using this material is the high cost. Even if it requires less cement and no paint the cost of the material is still higher compared to common construction materials used. Concrete Hollow Blocks (CHBs) CHB as a backyard industry In the Philippines, CHB remains as a backyard industry because it is easy to produce, especially the non-load bearing CHB. The CHB can be produced manually by using an improvised mold. In producing a non-load bearing CHB, a mixture of sand, gravel, cement, and water can be manually compressed using the improvised mold. Reasons why CHB is still being used in construction There are three reasons why CHB is still being used in construction, namely: (1) cost; (2) availability; and (3) ease of installation and handling. CHB still remains as the a cheaper choice in construction of a concrete house. As a backyard industry, CHB is available nationwide with similar product specifications. Lastly, CHB is a traditional product. With this, majority of the laborers or construction workers are familiar with CHB in construction. The familiarity of the laborers with a product is the main reason why CHB is still being used. Innovations from CHB The demand for quality, economy, and completion time are the major considerations for all construction projects that usually dictate the choice of technology  [20]  . The traditional construction material currently being used for construction projects is the CHB. Based on the interview with key players in the real estate industry, another alternative is the pre-fabricated walls. For fabricated walls, the entire wall is built off- site or on-site before installation as compared to CHB that are stacked one on top of another. In the Philippines, only 5% are using prefabricated building material in housing construction  [21]  . Over the years, different types of construction materials have been offered containing recycled plastic, such as PVC pipes. Recycling is especially important for thermoset polymers since this form of plastic cannot be reheated and melted back to liquid form. In the Philippines and in other countries, shredded plastic has been used as aggregates for bricks and construction blocks. Most of these, however, are not widely offered commercially and are not load bearing. Porters Five Forces and Key Success Factor Figure 4. Porters Five Forces for the Construction Materials Industry Industry Rivalry Among Existing Players- Medium The demand for this product is readily accessible in most areas and the market is sensitive only to the price relative to the quality of the product they receive. At present the 4-6inchconcrete hollow blocks prices are standard for all and vary only between the volume suppliers and the backyard suppliers because of their respective approach to the business. The buyers of the product favor the suppliers who are nearer to them (because of transportation costs) and if satisfied with the quality they retain their suppliers. However there are instances where the buyer changes suppliers in lieu of quality issues for this reason, industry rivalry will be considered medium. Threat of New Entrants Medium The technical skill and labor required isnt advanced nor does it require highly specialized machines to deliver the product, the only obstacle is the cash required to: 1) purchase the hollow block maker and; 2) to secure working capital requirements. The cost of a concrete block mixer is between Php30,000-P40,000, and a mold container would be approximately Php5,000 per piece. Normally a block maker can start a small-time business with 6 molds which is equivalent to Php30,000 therefore a backyard business can start at a Php60,000 investment excluding working capital. The disadvantage of this practice is it sacrifices the quality/durability of the blocks due to the lack of compression of the block being formed thereby resulting in a lower PSI rating. The difficulty in securing funding for this particular business is high because the business is not unique while the returns in this type of business do not instantly translate to high growth profits. The local venture capitalists who provide seed capital to startups look to sunrise industries such as the BPO sector and IT services delivery, or the next big website investment. The prospects of a potential participant to capture market share will primarily be on their ability to reduce the cost of their concrete hollow block while maintaining a reasonable quality and service. In order to achieve this, the potential participant must have a large base of clients in order to achieve economies of scale in their production of quality products and a person who will provide assistance to the client to ensure proper delivery and satisfaction, a backyard hollow block maker will not be able to be competitive and for this reason the threat of new entrants is rated as medium taking into consideration these factors. Bargaining Power of Buyers Medium Some projects outsource their hollow block while others make it onsite. While it is preferred to buy the product in order to avoid the cost of investment and taking into consideration that there is abundant supply for this product (but at varying prices depending on which type of supplier: backyard supplier, volume supplier or a wholesaler, and depending on the volume purchase of the buyer the bargaining power of buyer is medium given the availability of a quality product in the market. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Low / Medium The demand for reasonably priced hollow blocks are assumed to be growing at 10.5% and construction materials 5.4% which supports the argument that demand is good. Another consideration is that the real-estate residential development is in the form of condominiums and they make use other products such as pre-fabricated walls instead of hollow blocks. The construction boom doesnt directly translate to increased hollow block use and the prices of hollow block are generally stable therefore for these reasons the suppliers bargaining power is low. The bargaining power of cement and sand suppliers remain low since there are abundant sources for these suppliers. The PET flakes suppliers have a medium bargaining power since they are less abundant than the cement and sand suppliers. Moreover, the local PET suppliers have different methods in shredding and cutting the plastic such that those suppliers that have the ability to shred PET flakes at a certain size have a stronger bargaining power than others. Threat of Substitute Products Low For the low cost housing sector and other housing projects hollow blocks are still preferred. The emerging sector of high-rise residential projects make use of pre-fabricated products and gypsum boards however the market share of these products is only 5% for construction materials, therefore the threat of substitutes are rated medium. Key Success Factors (Industry) The success in this industry will be in the costing of the product and the quality. In order to reduce the overall cost of the product there is a need to meet operation efficiency and effective marketing in order to achieve economies of scale that will bring down overall costs for our firm while producing a good quality product. Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Emphasis on PPP programs for government infrastructure projects Good forecast for the tourism, BPO, and mining industry Movement towards sustainable community development The use of plastic as an aggregate is not yet widely introduced in the Philippines The high amount of investment on PPP programs is seen as a good opportunity for the construction materials industry. For year 2012, several PPP projects are in the pipeline, namely: (1)14 projects on transportation; (2) 2 projects on utilities-water (3) 2 projects on power; 1 project on health; and (4) 2 projects on agriculture that amounted to USD 5.49B will increase the demand for construction materials. These PPP programs will also serve as an opportunity for private companies to increase their annual construction projects. The growth of three industries, namely: (1) tourism industry; (2) BPO; and (3) mining industry will also contribute to the growth of the construction materials industry. The increasing annual foreign tourist arrivals and domestic travelers opted for the increased in resorts, hotels, and condominiums. The increase in number of accommodation facilities was accompanied by the Republic Act of 9593 or Tourism Act of 2009 wherein the roads that are not initially classified as national but lead to tourism sites, airports, and seaports will be improved which will be included in the DPWH budget for 2012.  [22]  For the BPO, construction of commercial buildings is also expected to increase to meet the demand of the industry. The investment of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) would show that the mining still remains as a promising industry (Table 1). Investment on mining would result to more office sites and barracks for mining companies. The movement towards building more sustainable developments is seen as an improvement for the construction industry. New technologies for products and processes will help improve the viability of construction projects in the Philippines. By focusing on the impact of construction of the environment, the need for environment-friendly products may increase as the industry try to include the societys welfare in planning construction projects. The use of plastic as an aggregate is currently being used in Germany. However, this new aggregate is not yet widely introduced in the Philippines. This is seen as an opportunity for the company to introduce a product with more benefits than the existing products in the market. Threats Competition (large companies) Emergence of new products Competition especially against large competitors is seen as a major threat because these companies are already established in the industry. New companies that may introduce new products in the market may face difficulties especially if these products are not patented. Large companies can simply launch the same product at a larger scale. The availability of funding for these large companies will give them an advantage to produce more products. The more products a company manufactures, the opportunity to capture a larger market is bigger. Also, large companies can be seen as good suppliers for developers and contractors who want a steady supply of materials. Even if CHB currently remains as the primary choice for wall construction, emergence of new products as a substitute may pose as a threat for the CHB market. Even if only 5% in Philippines uses prefabricated bu