Intellectual Property Issues - Software Piracy - why is it widespread, Essay

Intellectual Property Issues - Software Piracy - why is it widespread, what are the ethically flawed justifications people use f - Essay Example (Besen and Raskind, 1991) Software piracy may involve the distribution of unlicensed copies of proprietary software on floppy disk, CDs, hard drives, or file sharing programs and websites on the internet. Many of the instances of software piracy involve computer hacking activities where these programs are altered so that users can install and operate them on private computers without registered serial numbers, licenses, or keys. The advantage for the software pirates and their community of users is that they can enjoy all of the powerful functionality of advanced proprietary software applications without having to purchase them. For students learning these programs, the poor, unemployed, or citizens of other countries who may enjoy a minimal standard of living, software piracy may be the only way to afford or have access to these programs. Due to these issues and others revolving around software patents, there is an increasing movement to develop open source software platforms with a ll of the functionality of proprietary applications but freely distributed to download. The question of software piracy relates fundamentally to digital culture and hacking, making the issue a vital part of understanding this subculture internationally. Software Piracy & Intellectual Property File sharing and software piracy actually predated the internet and has been around nearly as long as people have been programming computers. Software is licensed under standard intellectual property, copyright, and business law, usually including a user agreement with the terms and conditions of use stipulated in advance that the customer must accept. Intellectual property law turns source code into licensed property that can be protected from theft under a common law basis. (Besen and Raskind, 1991) Therefore, the legal argument established under the current combination of copyright and intellectual property laws creates the crime of software piracy for anyone attempting to circumvent license d use by distributing cracked versions of the software that can be installed on a computer without paying. The legal argument includes the fact that the software pirate is denying the payment due for the licensed software to the company that developed it, thus weakening its business plan and sustainability. The loss of ROI therefore constitutes a criminal act, similar to copying a videotape and selling it or airing a movie without paying royalties, etc. (Besen and Raskind, 1991) The software pirates themselves refute this by pointing out that they are not necessarily costing the developing companies any income, because people who can afford it or who need licensed copies in enterprise or academia will purchase it anyway. They state rather that software piracy empowers the poor people who would otherwise be without tools and at a competitive disadvantage due to their socio-economic status. This â€Å"Robin Hood† argument can be persuasive as well, because the cost to make a di gital copy of a software title is essentially zero. (Boyle, 2004) File Sharing & Digital Culture Digital culture views hackers as heroes and the â€Å"

How Fast Food Nation has chancged MY personal eating and shopping Essay

How Fast Food Nation has chancged MY personal eating and shopping habits and WHY - Essay Example After reading Schlosser’s book, I’ve started retrospecting my eating habits, finding that Schlosser’s view of fast food has influenced my eating and purchasing decisions. In particular, I’ve started thinking of the kind of food I eat, the way it is processed, and how much organic food I consume. Like most other Americans, the huge volume of fast food advertising has used to attract me blindly to consume this kind of food. As argued by Schlosser, the harsh competition among fast food companies in the United States pushes them to use advertising heavily in order to attract more and more customers. Although fast food advertising is directed to all kinds of people, kids and adolescents are specially targeted in order to promote this kind of food among them. As kids and adolescents are still inexperienced, they can be easily influenced by what they watch on TV, and thats why fast food advertising attracts more and more young people in the US. Accordingly, like other American adolescents, I have turned into a heavy consumer of fast food since an early age due to the role of advertising. Everywhere in television and print media, we are surrounded by a great number of ads that aim at convincing us to use certain kinds of products and services or eat certain kind of food. In that sense, ads are tools that deepen the spirit of consumerism among Americans, since young age. TV ads, for example, use all modern approaches to push the audience to consume more and more products. In this context, the main role of the American government and Not-for-Profit organizations is to adequately inform people about the possible threat of junk food on health. To prove that TV ads play an important role for popularizing fast food among Americans, Schlosser notes that "the Fast Food chains annually spend about $3 billion on television advertising" (Schlosser, p. 47). However, this figure has

A Mothers Legacy In Mary Shelleys Mathilda Essay Example for Free

A Mothers Legacy In Mary Shelleys Mathilda Essay Abstract Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley are two writers whose ideas are likely to be similar. Shelley admits that she is influenced by her mother. Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to find out and to identify the ideas presented in Wollstonecrafts essay on womens rights A Vindication for the Rights of Woman (1792) and see if they are incorporated into Shelleys novella Mathilda (1819). My analysis of A Vindication for the Rights of Woman shows that Wollstonecrafts main ideas are that limited education, the subjugation of women by the family, female dependency on men and romantic thinking are the source for womens inferiority. This essay identifies and examines these ideas in the light of some secondary material and tries to suggest that they are visible as themes in Shelleys Mathilda. In Mathilda, these ideas are visible as themes throughout the novel. The tragedy that befalls the characters illustrates the immoral and self-destructive tendencies which women obtain when being subject to these conditions. On the other hand, Shelley does not emphasize a lack of education and offers an additional point of view where Wollstonecrafts views on motherhood are criticized. The conclusion drawn is that Wollstonecrafts ideas must have had an influence on Shelley as the fate of the characters is an illustration of the society that is criticized in A Vindication for the Rights of Woman and its destruction. However, Shelley does not agree on ideas with the subject of upbringing and goes against a few of her mothers main points, namely the role of mothers and the pre-eminence of education. They mostly have a consensus as most ideas that are present in one work are present in the other but Shelley has rebelled against some of her mothers notions.

Asian Exclusion Laws Essay -- essays research papers

There were a very large number of local, state, and federal laws that were specifically aimed at disrupting the flow of Chinese and Japanese immigrants to the United States. Two of the major laws were the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and the 1907-1908 Gentleman’s Agreement. Although the laws had some differences, they were quite similar and had similar impacts on the immigrant population.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1882, Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act, which outlawed Chinese immigration. It also explicitly denied naturalization rights to Chinese, meaning they were not allowed to become citizens, as they were not free whites. Prior to the Chinese Exclusion Act, some 300,000 laborers arrived in California, and the act was intended to primarily prevent the entry of more laborers. The passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act was the first attempt by congress to ban a group of immigrants based on race or color.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The only Chinese that legally entered the United States during the six decades the Exclusion Act was in place were those in “exempted classes'; such as merchants, students, diplomats, and travelers (Chan). An unknown number illegally entered through the Canadian and Mexican borders and many others entered as “paper sons.'; The act did not prevent Chinese immigration per se; it simply prevented most legal immigration. The 1907-1908 Gentleman’s Agreement was the result of a conflict between t...

No Child Left Behind Act

With the No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law in early 2002, the Bush Administration put its stamp on the central federal law governing K-12 schooling, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) ratified in 1965. Throughout his campaign for the presidency, Bush summoned the ideas that are now law as a way to improve public education across the board, particularly for poor children. Vowing to end the soft prejudice of low expectations that he said has allowed too many poor children to fall enduringly behind in school, President Bush declared, â€Å"It's time to come together to get it (educational reform) done so that we can truthfully say in America, ‘No child will be left behind, not one single child'† Described in this way, the problem of low expectations proposes the solution most probably built into the provisions of No Child Left Behind: higher expectations. Though, the law needs not higher expectations which, after all, cannot be legislated but to a certain extent documented success, across the board and against a set of external standards. Expecting every child to succeed is one thing; needing that success is another. Supporters look upon the No Child Left Behind Act as a much-needed push in the right direction: a set of measures that will drive broad gains in student achievement as well as hold states and schools properly accountable for student progress. A number of critics see it fundamentally as a insincere set of demands, framed in an appealing language of expectations, that will force schools to fail on a scale large enough to rationalize shifting public dollars to private schools that is, as a political effort to reform public education out of existence through a policy of test and burn. (Levin, B. & Riffel, J, 1998). Sadly, No Child Left Behind appears, at best, to fix the wrong problem. The sanctions written into the law appear designed to compel teachers to teach and students to learn. Thus far, few children do not want to learn and few teachers do not want to teach. This is barely the biggest problem in struggling schools. What is missing is chance and support, not desire. Consider the gap between the reforms institutionalized through No Child Left Behind and the needs of John Essex, a high-poverty school in rural Demopolis, Alabama. The New York Times (Schemo, 2003b), reported: The truck full of stones showed up at John Essex School without explanation, as if some unnamed saint had heard Loretta McCoy's despair. As principal of this school in Alabama's rural Black Belt, Ms. McCoy struggles to find money for essentials: library books, musical instruments, supplies and teachers. So when the stones appeared, Ms. McCoy knew it might be the closest John Essex would get to landscaping and got pushing. A pile went by the back door, filing a huge pothole the children waded through when it rained. Another truckload filled a sinkhole by the Dumpsters, where garbage trucks got stuck in mud, and a third went to craters when the children took recess. Her pleading got John Essex five deliveries of rock: not enough to level the school's entrance, but enough to give its principal a small dose of hope. The K-12 school has 264 students, all poor and all Black. The building's cinder-block walls are unplastered, electrical lines are exposed, also the library includes books â€Å"that ponder how the Vietnam War will turn out† and â€Å"speak of landing on the moon as an ambitious dream† (Schemo, 2003b). Students have to master a foreign language to earn the academic diploma they require to get into college; however the school has no foreign language teacher, as well no art or music teacher. A few wrist bells comprise the school's collection of musical instruments. One person teaches chemistry, earth science, biology, and all the other science classes. Given the funding shortfalls and high failure rates extensively predicted for struggling schools like John Essex, it is hard to believe that sanctions are a good-faith prescription for accomplishment. Schools with fewer students and less funding will have even more difficulty attracting the best teachers, most of whom will prefer not to teach in a school branded failing. Though No Child Left Behind was signed into law with promises of not giving up on a single student, which proposes a commitment to ensuring that all children succeed, sanctions drive the law and almost make sure the opposite: failure. If this was not the case, if a state documented the success of each and every student that state no doubt would be criticized for cheating, grade inflation, or low standard. Pious platitudes regarding children being capable to learn and accountability for adequate yearly progress are poor substitutes for the cold, hard cash schools like John Essex need to attract good teachers and to finance the programs that might validate this rhetoric. While the federal contribution to total spending on public education is extremely small, about seven percent, the high-poverty schools most vulnerable to the sanctions rely excessively on this money. No Child Left Behind emerges not to address the very real problems in these schools, some of which rely on Title I dollars for more than a third of their spending, but somewhat to use those problems as a rationale for eroding public education. President Bush wanted to include vouchers for private schools in the No Child Left Behind law, however let this go when it became clear Congress would not pass the legislation with that provision. Debatably, however, No Child Left Behind lays the groundwork for exactly this result. The objective appears to be not to improve the quality of schooling for poor children, however rather to turn the problems of poor schools into a campaign to destroy public education. As growingly schools are deemed failing, the demand for vouchers likely will increase, paving the way for a transfer of students and funds to private schools. In the summer of 2003, the president invigorated his call for vouchers and backed a proposal to spend seventy-five million dollars in federal money on vouchers for private schools. Of the seventy-five million dollars, fifteen million dollars would go to families in Washington, DC for vouchers for two thousand of the sixty-seven thousand students in the district. The move came after a decision by the U. S. Supreme Court the year before that affirmed the constitutionality of permitting parents to use public funds to pay for religious and other private schooling. The case focused on a program in Cleveland, which offers private-school vouchers of up to $2,250 to approximately three thousand and seven hundred of the district's seventy-five thousand students. (Tozer, S. E., Violas, P. C., & Senese, G, 2002). Several students lack supports common in middle-class and rich households an adult at home in the evening, lots of books, and a quiet place to work. Others struggle to handle with the stress of living with constant economic insecurity evictions, homelessness, moving from place to place or of living in a community used by the larger society as a poisonous dumping ground. By paying no attention to this reality, No Child Left Behind continues the â€Å"blame-the-victim approach† that has long considered public schooling. Much more is needed than simply stating we now have high expectations for all children. Unaccompanied by a political commitment to construct a system where there is a cause to expect every child to succeed, such proclamations ridicule the ideals they bring to mind. Under the semblance of battling the soft bigotry of low expectations, policy-makers are moving in the incorrect direction in the long struggle to understand the ideal of equal educational opportunity. The stick side of the No Child Left Behind Act is operating: Schools not capable to meet annual achievement targets are being punished. Though, the carrot side of the law, something better for poor children in struggling schools, has not materialized. While funding for Title I has increased, it falls violently short of the realistic costs of achieving hundred percent proficiency. As the federal government reviewed states' plans for putting into practice No Child Left Behind in summer 2003, a related battle gathered steam when the Bush administration planned to overhaul Head Start, the federally funded preschool program that serves about one million of the nation's poorest 3- and 4-year-olds in community centers and schools. Under the proposal, the funding for the program would be distributed in block grants to states, under the control at first of up to eight governors. When Head Start was formed in 1965 as an initiative within the larger War on Poverty, then-President Lyndon Johnson intentionally avoided giving governors, antagonists in battles over civil rights, control over the program. (Levin, B. & Riffel, J, 1998). Critics of the proposal, including more than forty antipoverty and child welfare groups, protested that distributing Head Start dollars in block grants to states would take to bits the program by destroying the federal guarantee that the money will be used as originally planned namely, to provide an array of services to poor children, together with nutritional food, dental and health care, immunizations, as well as, in some centers, literacy programs for family members. To take this program away from communities this is a direct federal community program also hand it over to states without the national performance standards, without the requirements for complete services that make Head Start successful, and at a time when states are facing the biggest budget shortfalls in their history, is to destroy it. (Johnson, M, 2001). Under the proposal, Head Start employees would be needed to teach reading, writing, and math skills, and Head Start pupils would be required to partake in an assessment to find out if the new academic standards were being met. The proposal would need as a minimum half of all Head Start teachers to have 4-year college degrees by 2008, however would not require competitive salaries. Head Start teachers now earn merely about half the average salary of kindergarten teachers. Reference: Johnson, M. (2001, December). Making teaching boom proof: The future of the teaching profession. New Economy, 8(4), 203-207. This article describes how the staffing and retention of teachers could be enhanced to deal with national shortages. Levin, B. & Riffel, J. (1998, March). Conceptualising school change. Cambridge Journal of Education, 28(1), 113. This article attempts to discuss the implications for educational strategy makers suggested by the literature review Schemo, D. J. (2003b, July 11). Questions on data cloud luster of Houston schools. The New York Times. Retrieved from  Ã‚   http://www.nytimes.com This article discusses that hundreds of drop-outs were wrongly listed as transfers. Enrolment at alleged miracle high schools dropped noticeably during this time. Tozer, S. E., Violas, P. C., & Senese, G. (2002). School and society: Historical and contemporary perspectives (4th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill This text seeks to define an analytic framework that illustrates how and why certain school-society issues first took place in this country and how they transformed over time. In its assessment of the development of education in the United States, this text entails an engaging historical story.

Social Stratification In The Great Gatsby Analysis

Social Stratification in the Oh-So Great Gatsby Among numerous themes, including; the ‘American dream’, isolation, hope, love and various others, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s acclaimed novel The Great Gatsby, the allure of social stratification is the most significant element. Social stratification is a concept that refers to the way in which a society groups different people into stratas, or layers, based on wealth, power, and social status. The Great Gatsby is an accomplished piece of social commentary, showing American life in the Roaring Twenties. The strong economy that arose in the 1920s created an environment for many influential changes in the day-to-day social life of Americans, reflected in The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald organized†¦show more content†¦The narrator, Nick Carraway tells the reader from the outset of the book that he is done with the way society, and in particular the upper class behaves. When he came back from visiting in the East Egg, he says he â€Å"wanted the world to be in uni form (Fitzgerald, 2)†. It is apparent, from the beginning that class difference will play a large role in how the book transpires, and so it does. Daisy, Tom, and a friend of theirs, Jordan Baker, are at the top of the novel’s social empire. Their families have had money for years, and for that reason, they are the Old Money. As exposed in the novel, they spend their ‘old money’ very freely and tend to entertain themselves with parties, etc. With high class, they choose their acquaintances based upon that as well. The social differentiation shown here is that they did not care how much money people in the 1920s (like Gatsby) had in their pockets. It was where and how they got the money, that mattered to these elites. Throughout the novel, Jay Gatsby strives to reassure Daisy that he has more wealth than when they first fell in love. Moving next to Nick, Daisy’s cousin, Gatsby invests in his house to make it magnificent, all for her welcoming. Gatsby’s hope to win Daisy’s love had changed course when Daisy figured out that he had not been born into money. Figuring out that James Gatz did not attend Oxford and had to work (bootlegging) for his money, was enough for Daisy and Tom to not attend Gatsby’s funeral in theShow MoreRelatedsparknotes vs cliffnotes830 Words   |  4 Pagesranging from overall plot summaries and character analysis, but Sparknotes goes more into the literary aspect of the book, while cliffnotes focuses more on the character and his motives. In analyzing Jay Gatsby, Cliffnotes focuses much more on Gatsby himself and his underlying motives to his character, like â€Å"In assessing Gatsby, one must examine his blind pursuit of Daisy.† (Cliffnotes). Sparknotes focuses not only on the overall character of Jay Gatsby, but also analyzes how his character compares withRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Great Gatsby1787 Words   |  8 PagesThe Great Gatsby, published in 1925, is hailed as masterpiece of American fictions of its time. It is noted for the remarkable way its author captures a cross-section of American society during the 1920 s. The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald offers up a commentary on the American society of which he was a part. He successfully encapsulates the mood of a generation during a politically and socially crucial and chaotic period of American history. In fact, The Great Gatsby is a brilliant piece of EnglishRead MoreExploring The Destruction Of True Love2134 Words   |  9 Pagescapitalist society: A Marxist Approach to â€Å"The Great Gatsby† Love can be defined as honesty, trust and respect; it occurs when two people touch each other s soul. Every series, every story and every movie speaks about how two people fall in love and live happily ever after. All stories come to that same conclusion but what happens when two people don’t belong to the same social class. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a story about Jay Gatsby, a man who is part of the working class that

Pestel Analysis Economic Factors That Affect To Beer Industry Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3423 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? According to Canadeans latest Global Beer Trends report, global beer consumption will increase 2 billion hectolitres by 2013.  However Canadean predicting an average growth rate of 2.8% between 2009 and 2015. According to Huanshu W., (12-02- 2009), the global high-end beer market will reach 65.5 million kiloliters by 2013, an increase of 74.7 percent over 2006. In Asia-Pacific, beer production will reach 13.5 kiloliters, an increase of 125 percent. Furthermore Huanshu W., (12-02- 2009), notes that the China will be one of the main market for beer industry. Global Beer Consumption Forecast Growth rate by Region Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Pestel Analysis Economic Factors That Affect To Beer Industry Business Essay" essay for you Create order Source: Canadean Beer Service, https://www.canadean.com/News/Beverage_Industry_News.aspx Heineken Geographic distribution of consolidated beer volume, 2009 2008 Region In thousands of hectolitres Source: Heineken International (2011), Annual Report (2009), [Online] According to Heineken International (2011), Annual Report (2009), Heineken has market leadership position in Western Europe. Heineken imported various group brands into several Western Europe markets, affects to increase of the consolidated beer volume in Western Europe. Also Heineken is the largest brewing group in Central and Eastern Europe. Acquisition of Amstel helps to expand brand name of Heineken to success in Central and Eastern Europe. Although Heineken expand distribution in Africa and Middle East by brewing varieties of local brands and export the Heineken and Amstel premier brands across the region. According to Heineken International (2011), Annual Report (2009), Heineken has also built a strong market position in Americas by acquisition of FEMSA in year 2010.This made Heineken the national importer, marketer and seller of FEMSAs brands and expand distribution of Heineken brands in Americas. Also Heineken expand distribution in Asia pacific by made joint venture with Fra ser Neave, Asia pacific Breweries. Heineken is brewed at several of Asia pacific breweries throughout the region. Also Heineken beer has a dominant market position, especially in Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan Heineken International (2011), Annual Report (2009). Number of rivals in beer industry and their world market share Based on 2007/2008 Beer volumes estimates Source: Beer Institute (2011), Research, 2008 Annual Industry Update According to Beer Institute (2011), Research, 2008 Annual Industry Update, The top 3 brewers are Anheuser-Busch InBevs (ABI), Miller and Heineken.These brewers now produce over 50% of worlds beer consumption. Although 70% 80% average beer market share hold in other developed countries. Beer Industry Growth in China According to Heineken International (2011), Currently China is the largest beer market with a sales volume of 291 million hectolitres of beer in 2004 and an annual growth rate of about 15% with a population of 85 million people. China beer market competition is growing at outstanding rate because all the major beer companies try to increase their share of the market. According to AP-Foodtechnology.com, (06-Aug-2004), In China since 1997 total consumption of beer grew by 16.79 % up to 2003 and reach 24.87 billion litres, also total expenses on beer has risen by 85.99 % in current value since 1996. China government economic reform policies affect to growth of China beer market. Heineken Asia Pacific Breweries combine operations in China According to Heineken International (2011), Heineken and Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) was combining in year 2004.This combine leads Heineken to do production and marketing of beer and other strategic activities such as investments for plants, mergers and acquisition in China. Heineken beer will be locally produced to better fulfil the growing demand for Heineken beer in China. Heineken acquired Guangdong Brewery in China Heineken International (2011) noted that the total acquisition of Guangdong Brewery by Heineken is valued at EUR 57 million. Furthermore Mr Thony Ruys, Chairman of Heineken NV said, The Guangdong province is one of the most important beer markets in China. The strong position of Guangdong Breweries in this region offers an excellent platform for further growth of the Heineken brand in china. Guangdong is the largest and prosperous provincial beer markets in China with an estimated volume of 18 million hectolitres per year. Also the partnership with Guangdong Brewery will strengthen the position of Heineken and Asia Pacific Breweries APB considerably in china. Social Issues According to Nugent A.,(25-02-2005), in USA most of beer lovers change their choice to strong beers to light beers (low-alcohol) because they believe that is healthier than regular beers. Light beers calorie percentage is lower than regular beers. However some people argue that light beers are nothing but marketing strategy. Heineken was Introduce to the market in 2005 Heineken Premium Light Larger to compete with other light beer rivals in the market, allbusiness.com (01-10-2006).Furthermore Consumers have reduced their beer consumption because diet and health issues. These consumers think beer effect to body fat because of the percentage of calorie, therefore consumers switch to wine, malt-flavoured alcoholic drinks, BBC News (08-03-2005). Political The beer industry mainly suffers from increase of excise tax by governments and regulations at both federal and state level. Federal and state level regulations affect to beer industry when production, distribution, advertising and labelling. Also percentage of alcohol include in beer, Brewers Association.org. Heineken is a worldwide brewing company therefore governments regulations where it operates heavily affect for Heineken product sales and profit. One example is that government excise tax affect to Heineken sales in Russia. According to Andrew Cleary (21-04-2010), in 2010 first quarter Heineken sales decreased in Russia because excise tax increase by Russian government. Technological Technology helps to brewing industry companies to develop more efficient distribution channels and upgrade facilities with technology that increase the brewing process and improve the quality of the cultivate ingredients and harvesting process. This helps to increase consistency and reduce costs. Heineken is very rich in using information Technology for their production process because its worldwide operations are highly dependent on the availability of information systems, Heineken International (2011). Legal Legal issues affect for beer industry when packaging, advertising and labeling. When advertising beer products target consumer age must be over 21 years. Also some of the countries such as Middle East and other Islamic countries advertising for beer products are banned. Therefore Heineken has to obey rules and regulations according to countries where it operates. Heineken Enjoying Heineken Responsibly is the new marketing strategy that follows obeying the rules, EnjoyHeinekenResponsibly.com. Environmental Factors that affect to beer industry Recycling Waste According to Beer Serves America (2009), Beer industry brewers and brewer suppliers improvement of the beer packaging lead to increase of the recycle rate of waste plastic, paper, glass, aluminium and cardboard that are used to package manufactured Beer bottles, beer cans and packs. Recycled glass accounts for more than 30% of the materials used to produce new bottles. Overcome from this problem every major brewer companies are successfully recycling waste packages on their own recycle production units. In addition to their own corporate recycling programs, brewers and brewer suppliers encourage the communities they serve to recycle as well. Heineken International (2011), points out that glass is use 76% as a packaging material for beer in Heineken and they distributed beers usually in returnable packaging for reduce waste material environment pollution. Water Conservation and Treatment According to Beer Serves America (2009), Water is the primary ingredient for brewing process. Regular maintenance of faucets and piping allows brewers to quickly identify and repair water leaks; also water meters helps to monitor overall water usage. Some of the brewers in the industry have built on-site water treatment plants for reprocess and purify water for the brewing process. Some brewing industries use Bio-Energy Recovery Systems (BERS) to treat wastewater, reducing its strength and volume while creating a renewable biogas that helps fuel their breweries, Beer Serves America (2009). Heineken International (2011), points out that Specific water consumption at Heineken breweries in 2003 were 5.4 hectolitres per hectolitre of beer and it decrease of 3% compared to 2002. This improvement is because of investment in new water treatment systems. Wastewater from 68% of Heineken production units is treated in on-site plants or in urban plants. Other remaining waste water in production units is discharge after the treatment of on-site wastewater treatment plants. Energy Management Most of brewing industries use alternative sources of energy, such as wind, sunlight and Biogas to power their operations. Furthermore through constant monitoring and maintenance of facilities and adopting technology innovations and techniques use by brewers helps to produce beer with energy efficiency, Beer Serves America (2009). According to Heineken International (2011), Heineken use Renewable energy sources to generate some of the heat required in brewing process. These biogases take from the anaerobic treatment of wastewater. Heineken has 19 anaerobic treatment plants and its the 7th largest user, that use biogas as an energy source. The causes that are affected to change competitive structure and business environment in Brewing industry Acquisition in Beer Industry According to Brown A.,(10-06-2002),Acquisitions accelerate global expansion giving beer companies competent market share in target markets, as well as produce and distribute their own brands through the acquired facilities. Adolph Coors acquisition of the Carling in year 2002 basically gives it position for leading UK lager brand and also offers it platform to extend its own Coors brand throughout the UK. Brown A., (10-06-2002) points out some of the major acquisitions are in beer industry, in 1999 Antarctica and Brahma merged to form AmBev in 2000, Scottish Newcastle Plc Acquired Kronenbourg in 2001, Carlsberg A/S and Orlka ASA completed merger of brewing operations to form Carlsberg Breweries A/S in 2002. Heineken Acquisitions and partnerships According to Heineken International (2011), Annual Report (2009), Heineken has wide international presence through a global network of distributors and breweries. Heineken owns and manages one of the worlds leading portfolios of beer brands and is one of the worlds leading brewers in terms of sales volume and profitability. These following Tables Exhibits some of the major acquisition and partnerships with other brewery companies made by Heineken past years (2004 2010) around the world. These acquisitions are key economic factors that help to drive Heineken to build the long-term future of Heineken brands and business. Also acquisition of other breweries and made partnerships with other brewery companies ensure to improve financial performance and distribution strategies that create values for the company. Heineken acquisitions and partnerships (2004 2010) Global economy crisis Beer industry research: Beer sales depression in recession According to Canadeans news (17/11/10), economic downturn has resulted in reduced sales of beer in Europe and North America. Furthermore Canadeans news (17/11/10), noted that worlds top 4 brewers sale rate is less than in 2008. However, expansions into emerging economies have ensured profitable for large brewers such as AB InBev prominent producer South America and SABMiller prominent producer in Africa. Asia overtakes Europe as worlds biggest beer producer McCurry J. (12 August 2010), noted that economic crisis affected beer sales in Europe, but 5.5% rise in Asias beer production followed .Furthermore he noted according to a study research by the Japanese brewing giant Kirin Holdings, Asia has overtaken Europe as the worlds biggest beer producer for the first time in 35 years. British economic crisis, the lowest level of beer consumption in the UK since 1948 -Star City News According to StarCityNews (03-09- 2010), noted that consumption level of alcoholic beverages in UK has been decrease. Furthermore StarCityNews (03-09- 2010), points out using APBI report, that beer drinkers consume only 13% lower than the year 2004. This percentage is below the average number of beer drinkers in Europe Union countries. Also StarCityNews (03-09- 2010), noted using APBI report data that decrease of the alcoholic beverage consumption affect due to the economic recession in UK and success of the message responsible drinkers which campaigned for the British society for reduce British people drinking habits.Furthermore StarCityNews (03-09- 2010), points out that according to Alcoholic Beverage Industry (APBI) report the tax on beer in the UK also affected to reduce the consumption of beer in UK. UK beer sales fall According to Canadean(27/10/08),news, noted that using British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) report results that overall sales of the beverage in UK decreased by over seven per cent between July and September in 2008, which is thought to be equal to a 1.8 million pint fall. Innovations to Beer Industry (Heineken Draughtkeg) According to TalkingRetail.com (04-05-2007), Innovation of the Heineken unique stand alone Draughtkeg beer system revolutionized the beer industry. Furthermore invention of the DraughtKeg system helps to increment the growth value of the beer category. Competitive Position of the Heineken by reviewing five competitive forces Threat of Substitute products (high) Heineken threat of substitute products is high because customers have many other substitute beverages, such as Liquor, wine, cider, flavoured alcoholic drinks, and non alcoholic beers. The mostly competition come to the industry from the Wine, Liquor and other malt flavoured alcoholic drinks, because they also target the same demographic group. Present market popular substitute product against beer is Smirnoff Ice which is an alternative beer that brewed using a malt base, www.smirnoff.com. Threat of new Entrants (low) Heineken is a large beer company therefore new entrants is low. Also there are many microbreweries throughout Heineken brand distribution countries. But it is difficult to microbreweries to compete with larger companies such as Heineken because advantage of economies of scale, Advertising expenditures and start up capital in beer industry is high. This makes the industry is not attractive for new entrants. Bargaining power of suppliers (low) Bargaining power of suppliers is low. Heineken operates some of own local sourcing projects and Agriculture projects to get raw materials such as Sierra Leone Sorghum Project which is local sourcing project in Sierra Leone is part of the companys Africa-wide strategy to procure at least 60% of its raw materials locally, Heineken International (2011). Due to the size of Heineken, suppliers would not want to lose business with Heineken. In addition Heineken manage supply chain code, both in terms of ethics and the environment therefore Heineken has control possibilities over many of its product inputs, Heineken International (2011). Bargaining power of customers (medium) The bargaining power of customers is a medium threat for the beer industry. Such as taste of the beer, calories, price, and alcohol percentage are concerned by customers when they are going to buy beer product. There is also price comparison and sensitivity in the beer market. According to (comparesupermarketprices.co.uk), Major companies are price their products to the market demand price because among competitors there is huge competitive for price, package and discounts that are given to customers. If one company give a discount other competitors also do. Therefore Customers also have low switching cost because of competitive price. Jockeying for position with rivals (high) Competive forces within beer industry are high. Heineken main competitors are Anheuser-Busch, SABMiller and Carlsberg. Anheuser-Busch has 26% global market share and SABMiller has 17% global market share, Beer Institute (2011), Research, 2008 Annual Industry Update. There is low variation in products and advertising within the beer industry, if one firm launches a new advertising campaign, others will follow. Similarly if one firm launches a new beverage, others will try to copy that beverage. One of the example is Light Beers, according to Miller Brewing Company they produce first Light beer to the USA market in 1977 after that Anheuser-Busch introduce their light beer Bud Light in 1982 and heavily advertised their brand to become first in the market. Furthermore in the beer industry there is competition from both local products and other major brands import products, therefore Heineken has to compete with many type of competitors. Also other threats that affected for competitive po sition are mergers and acquisitions in the beer industry. But Heineken is a large company and recent acquisition of Scottish and Newcastle in 2008 and FMSA in 2010 increased the Heineken global market share, Beer Institute (2011), Research, 2008 Annual Industry Update. Competitor Analysis Heineken Major Competitors are Anheuser-Busch InBev, SABMiller and Carlsberg. Within these 3 competitors Anheuser-Busch InBev, SABMiller are the main competitors to Heineken because of their global market share strength, beer brand and portfolio strength, company revenue and sale of beer volume. Anheuser-Busch InBev According to AB-InBev.com annual report (2009) Anheuser-Busch is the worlds largest beer company and it is the dominant market leader in USA. Furthermore it is the largest global brewer with 25% global market share and one of the worlds top 5 consumer products companies, based in Leuven, Belgium. Anheuser-Busch InBev generated revenues of US$36,758million for 2009 and it portfolio contains more than 200 brands. Anheuser-Busch InBev target consumers are from the lower class of society to the upper class. They have a wide range of precious beer brands and beverages to offer each social class.Anheuser-Busch InBev holds the 1st or 2nd position in 19 key markets. The company employment strength is approximately 116,000 people based in operations in 23 countries around the world, and manages a portfolio of over 200 beer brands including globally recognised brand Budweiser. (www.ab-inbev.com). Furthermore Anheuser-Busch InBev operates in six operational zones, Latin Am erica, North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific and Central and Eastern Europe. The company strives to be the Best Beer Company in a Better world. SABMiller SABMiller is the worlds second -largest brewing and bottling company measured by revenue and it is only second to Anheuser-Busch. SABMiller based in South Africa, operates in 75 countries across Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, China and India and sells nearly 213 million hectolitres per year and account for 13% global market share. According to SABMiller.com, its owned more than 200 brands and 139 brewers with total number of 69,116 employees. SABMiller revenue for 2009 was US$18,703million SABMiller.com, Annual Report (2009), [Online]. The SABMiller premium beer brand is Pilsner Urquell and also SABMiller is the worlds largest bottlers of Coca-cola products, SABMiller.com. According to SABMiller.com, their mission is to own and nurture local and international brands that are the choice of the consumer. Their strategic priorities are Develop strong relevant brand portfolios that win in the local market, Create balanced and attractive global spread of business, an d increase the profitability of local business, leverage skills and global scale, SABMiller.com. SABMillers significant presence in Africa is the major threat that Heineken to success in Africa. Moreover SABMillers strengthened than Heineken by revenue for year, market share, brewers owned worldwide where it operates. Carlsberg According to Carlsberg.com, Carlsberg is the worlds 4th largest brewery group based in Denmark and employing around 45000 people and account for 7% global market share. The Carlsberg portfolio includes more than 500 brands and well known international premium brand is Carlsberg. In 2009 Carlsberg Group sold more than 135 million hectolitres of beer and sold more than 150 countries, revenue for 2009 was DKK 59,382 million, carlsberggroup.com. Under Export and Licensing agreements Carlsberg sells its products to countries where it has no breweries. Furthermore Carlsbergs products vary particularly in volume, price, target consumers and geographic locations. Carlsberg.com notes that The Carlsbergs ambition is to be thefastest growing global beer company. Carlsberg does not have large footprint according to Heineken, Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller. But its premium brand name Carlsberg has a significant position in Asia. Competitors Global Products Price and Market Share Comparison (Based on 2009 data) Company Name and Global Rank Global Market Share (2009) Revenue (2009) Globally available Brand Name Description about product Price in UK (02-03-2011) 01.Anheuser-Busch InBevs 25% global market share US $36, 758 million Stella Artois Number one Belgian beer in the world and is distributed in over 80 countries. 1.50 (660ml) Becks The Beck brand is the number one export brand in Germany, and present in more than 100 countries worldwide. 1.50 (660ml) Budweiser The leading brand of Anheuser-Busch InBev brewed to be universally popular brand and first national beer brand in USA introduce in 1876. Its called the Great American Larger. 1.94 (660ml) 02.SABMiller 13% global market share US$18,703 million Grolsch Available in over 60 countries worldwide and origin in Netherland. Unique Package style makes it stand out from others. 1.87 (450ml) Miller Genuine Draft Origin in United States, Available in over 68 countries. 1.16 (330ml) Peroni Nastro Azzurro Origin in Italy, Also Available in austrailia, Africancountries,France,india, peru,Poland,Romania, Russia,Japan,UK and USA. 2.13 (660ml) 03.Heineken 9% global market share ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬16.13 million Heineken The Heineken the world drinks today is still brewed using the original, unrivalled recipe invented three generations ago by the Heineken family. Available in more than 170 countries. 1.99 (650ml) Amstel Amstel is the market leader or one of the top-ranked brands in Greece ,Netherlands, France,Hungary,Spain,Italy,USA and South Africa. Available in more than 120 countries. 1.46 (330ml) 04.Carlsberg 7% global market share DKK 59,382 million Carlsberg Carlsberg pilsner was launced in 1904, and its the flagship brand in the Carlsberg family. Available in where Carlsberg operate countries. 0.85 (440ml) Turborg Turborg origin was Denmark but now available in more than 70 different countries. Turbog is the youth brand in the Carlsberg international portfolio. 0.89 (275ml) Source: Above table Price Comparison according to https://www.comparesupermarketprices.co.uk,