Recycled Rubber Tyres as Aggregate in Concrete Essay

Recycled Rubber Tyres as Aggregate in Concrete - Essay Example The paper tells that the ability to change the levels of consumption in the UK is one which is essential to the needs to create a sustainable world and to alter the pollutants which are coming from different resources. A technology which is being created is with the use of recycled rubber tyres. There is the option of allowing this to work as an aggregate in concrete, specifically to begin changing the consumption in the UK and to begin lowering the number of toxins with the tyre production that occurs every year. While there is a large amount of consumption and changes with the tyres, there is also a question of whether the aggregate in the concrete is able to create the same substance and material responses as other forms of technology for concrete. This is able to alter and change the way in which the aggregate can be used while determining if the tyres can be recycled into a different substance for other needs. The first question which is associated with the recycled rubber parti cles is based on the understanding of cement paste and how it responds and reacts to the rubber tyre particles being added as a part of it. In a study of Segre Joekes, there was a modification to the cement by adding in rubber tyre powder to the aggregate. The study looked at the cement paste and the way that the surface began to change after a period of 20 minutes. The substance was examined in terms of absorption, density, flexural strength, compressive strength, abrasion resistance, elasticity and fracture energy measurements. The measurement then looked at the level of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) with the rubber. It was found that the rubber not only assisted with the mix of the materials in the cement but also increased the level of flexibility, durability, toughness and compressive strength. The conclusion was not only with the improvement of quality with the cement. It was noted that by using the rubber tyres as a part of the cement, different formats for roads and other road con struction areas could be used. The substance which was created from the recycled rubber tyres is one which is not as course, meaning that the use on road construction can help with more durability and sustainability with the recycled rubber (Segre, Joekes, 2000: 1421). The overall changes which were made with the concrete also refer to the rubber tyres changing the properties of the cement to create different levels of substance to be used in different areas. The association with tyres is one which is able to automatically change and assist with the overall needs and properties for strength, specifically with roads and areas which have continuous use and fluctuation. The changes with the cement also show that the use of magnesium oxychloride, a natural property found in rubber, is able to provide more functioning for the cement. This particular substance is able to work to bind the concrete mixtures in a way that improves the strength and durability of the substance. The rubberized concrete not only has the ability to directly impact and improves the concrete which is used. The magnesium oxychloride as a binding substance can help in changing the way in which concrete is used and allows the mixture to provide even more solutions to the substance. The substance differs with the types of tyres which are used, amount that is mixed with the concrete and is dependent on factors such as unit weight, air content and slump. Incorporating these into the mixture is then noted as essential for creating the correct mixture and alternatives with the rubber tyres and concrete mix that is used (Siddique, Naik, 2004: 563). 2.2 Compressive Strength The additional alternatives which are a part of the rubber tyres used in aggregate

Discussion 1 zhong Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion 1 zhong - Assignment Example The quantity per serving of corn grits instant plain is 1 cup that is equivalent to 245 grams and the product exists in different package sizes. Each serving contains 167 calories, 0.5 g of fats, 0 mg of cholesterol, 525 g of sodium, 36.9 g of carbohydrates and 3.9 g of proteins. Raisin bran crunch is the healthier of the two. This is because while the two food labels have low levels of fats and zero levels of cholesterol, raisin bran crunch has higher quantities of carbohydrates for energy, higher percentage of calcium, and has vitamin A and vitamin C that corn grits instant plain lacks. Each serving of raisin bran crunch has 1.89 percent total fats, zero percent cholesterol, 0.39 percent sodium, 84.9 percent carbohydrates, and 6.04 percent proteins while corn grain instant plain has 0.2 percent of fats, zero percent cholesterol, 0.21 percent sodium, 15.06 percent carbohydrates, and 1.59 percent of proteins. One of the health claims that could describe raisin bran crunch is the low level of cholesterol that is good for health. Benefits of high energy level foods are another claim that best describe the food label. The two claims also describe corn grits instant plain. Your response to components of the food labels is comprehensive to the prompt’s requirements with provisions calories per serving and quantities of different nutrients. You also clearly identify the quantities for each food label and this allows for easy comparison. Your rationale for grading the food labels on health basis is also valid because sugars readily available from common sources and is therefore not very fundamental to a specific food label. Your post also responds to all prompts and identifies accurate health claims for the two food labels for discussion. The post succeeds in identifying the required components for each of the food labels. Its systematic presentation of the components

VHS is dead, long live DVD Essay Example for Free

VHS is dead, long live DVD Essay This statement can be looked at in two ways, either true or false. People that would say that this statement is false would mostly be for nostalgic reasons. I myself feel that this is true because technology is evolving minute by minute, and the future is key to technology. Although I think that its good to have new technology, it also means that more and more people will be taken advantage of. This will not just be the consumer, as prices are very high, but the poor exploited Asian communities that will be paid less than a dollar a day. Apart from this I do think that the digital versatile disc is the way forward for our viewing needs. The acronym DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc. Each word is key in showing how VHS is dead and that the DVD is the future. The Disk is the future because unlike a video, it is not at all bulky and is only 120mm wide, where as a video is 187.5mm. This obviously means that the way we view films, music etc is getting smaller and also means that it will continue to decrease in size. Even though a video is larger than a disc it does not mean that it holds more memory, in fact a disc holds seven times more memory than a video, which is the main reason the DVD has taken on. The word Digital has great benefit over the VHS because videos are predominantly analogue and all DVDs are digital. This is a great advantage for the consumer because people would rather watch something digitally, than something analogue. The word Versatile is the solution to how we interact with our TV. They way it is versatile is by holding so much more information and the ease with which the consumer can range through what is on offer. The DVD has the versatility to view special feature for example commentary and deleted scenes, and it also has the versatility to select the scene you want with the easy touch of a button. The new step of the DVD is the format of DVD-RW otherwise known as recordable DVDs. This is much like VHS videos because it uses blank disks and you can record what you want onto them. The film industry is not for the DVD-RW format because a DVD has copyright on it, which makes it illegal to copy. As it stands, anyone can log onto a powerful computer and by using the right software can gain the file of codes of which a film comprises of, and by using another piece of software known as DivX can reproduce the film. All videos have one thing in common which is their downfall to DVD, it is that cassettes use a magnetic tape. Every time a tape is played it becomes worn, and the tape gets stretched ever so slightly. This wear damages the tape so much its eventually made un-useable. Also due to the size of the tape there is a smaller amount of data that a tape can hold, this is not to be confused with the length of tape, but the added features, in particular, sound. With sound the videocassette can only reproduce Nicam stereo through the lines which make up your TV screen. Nicam stereo is not true stereo but an effect which falls you into thinking its stereo. If you were to hook your TV up to a stereo system you would be able to hear that its not true stereo. Cassettes are bulky, take up more space and brake. The VHS player/recorder is also unreliable with the main part being the clutch-cam the main failure and the reasons for chewed tapes. DVDs are far more flexible with ease of use and added featured data can be stored on the disc, together with the video, text, language, sound types, and information. The most notable extra feature for the ordinary person is the sound options from Nicam to Dolby stereo to Surround Sound 5.1. 5.1 allow the makers of the DVD to produce cinema quality sound, and better with five strategically placed speakers and a base box, providing sound quality from the comfort of your own home. A big bonus for the DVD maker is one DVD for a region, you dont have to make a German, an Italian and any other number of languages as this is all on one DVD. With DVDs there are several regions due to various reasons. The two main reasons are region 1 North America and Japan (NTC) and region 2 Europe (PAL). There are other regions and they have nothing to do with the TV system used. Region 1 normally receives the DVD first due to actual release dates of the film. Region 2 is the next region for film release, which is why the format is changed from Region 1. That is you would be able to buy a Region 1 DVD before film release in Region 2, and therefore you would not visit the cinema. As the DVD is a digital format it is easier to break the region code. This can be done via hardware or software, these are known as multi-regional DVD players. You can buy multi-regional DVD players although they are not advertised, but the only way you can watch a Region 1 DVD on your TV by having a digital TV, this looks at the digital content and not the format (NTC/PAL) of the signal. Another advantage is the use of the pause/slow motion functions. They produce perfect pictures on the TV because they are a digital signal and therefore are decoded in the DVD players digit by digit. There is no tape being streched on the pause button, only a pause on the digital coding.

Impact of Shale Gas on Seismic Activity

Impact of Shale Gas on Seismic Activity Is shale gas development responsible for increased seismic activity? 1. Introduction In recent years, shale gas has become the notorious poster child of the fossil fuel industry (Sovacool, 2014). Proponents tout it as being the answer to current energy needs given that it is available in abundance and has a lower carbon footprint than other fossil fuels e.g. coal and oil (Sovacool, 2014). Contrary to this, opponents have a firm stance against shale gas development, having concerns about its environmental impact. Shale gas has come under fire once again as a link between fracking and earthquakes has stirred up public emotions (Walsh, 2014). There has been a dramatic increase in the number of seismic events in the central and eastern regions of the United States. The US has seen over 300 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 on the Richter scale over a period of three years (2010 to 2012) in comparison to an average of 21 events per year over the last three decades (Ellsworth, 2013). In several states such as Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas, Arkansas and Ohio these increased seismic events have been linked to underground injection of waste water from shale gas developments (Ellsworth, 2013). In the United Kingdom hydraulic fracturing at Preese Hall near Blackpool has been linked to two earthquakes of magnitude 2.3 and 1.5 on the Richter scale (Green, Styles Baptie, 2012). There are a number of procedural steps required for shale gas development that include the following: road and well pad construction, well drilling, casing, perforating, hydraulic fracturing, completion, production, abandonment and reclamation. This essay focuses on the underlying potential of hydraulic fracturing and underground waste water disposal to trigger seismic activities. Despite seismic activities being recorded at only a handful of the numerous shale gas development sites, the evidence indicates that increased seismic activity can be linked to shale gas development (Ellsworth, 2013). Even though the magnitude of these earthquakes are on the scale of being nuisances rather than catastrophes (Sovacool, 2014), there is a growing interest into understanding the cause of these events and the mitigation strategies to avoid larger catastrophes in terms of earthquakes or surface damage. 2. Induced Seismicity Induced seismic events are earthquakes triggered by human activity such as injecting fluids into rock formations for waste water disposal and hydraulic fracturing (National Research Council, 2013). Induced events have a much smaller magnitude than naturally occurring events and are therefore not usually felt on the Earth’s surface (Davies et al, 2013). Induced earthquakes take place when changes occur in the pore pressure-the pressure of fluid in the pores and fractures of rock-due to injection or withdrawal of fluids from the Earth’s subsurface. This change in pressure alters the stress on nearby faults, causing them to slip creating a seismic event. There are many factors that contribute to the magnitude and likelihood of an induced earthquake which include the injection rate, fluid pressure, fluid volume and injection duration (Davies et al, 2013). Since there is no physical difference between naturally occurring earthquakes and induced earthquakes it is difficult to determine the origin of a seismic event (National Research Council, 2013). A study conducted by Davis and Frohlich (1993) proposed criteria that have to be met in order to consider an earthquake as induced. These are: 1. Are these events the first known earthquakes of this character in the region? 2. Is there a clear correlation between injection and seismicity? 3. Are epicentres near wells (within 5km)? 4. Do some earthquakes occur at or near injection depths? 5. If not, are there known geologic structures that may channel flow to sites of earthquakes? 6. Are changes in fluid pressures at well bottoms sufficient to encourage seismicity? Based on these criterion the seismic activity in Dallas Fort Worth, USA was attributed to disposal of waste water from fracking activities (Frohlich et al, 2010) and the earthquakes at Preese Hall, UK were linked to hydraulic fracturing (Green, Styles Baptie, 2012). Figure 1 shows the 198 recorded global induced seismic events (Davies et al, 2013:p.178). Out of the 198 examples of induced seismicity hydraulic fracturing accounts for only 3 instances of ‘felt seismicity’ (seismic activity above magnitude 2.0 on the Richter scale) and waste water disposal, specifically from shale gas activities, also accounts for only 3 ‘felt’ seismic events (Davies et al, 2013). Figure 1. Frequency vs. magnitude for 198 published examples of induced seismicity (Davies et al, 2013:p.178) 3. Seismic activity due to hydraulic fracturing Hydraulic fracturing is the technique used to extract gas from ‘shale rock’ formations. Shale rock has large quantities of methane which are trapped in it due to its low permeability (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012). In order to release the gas, fracking fluid is injected at high pressures to create fractures, increasing permeability of the rock and allowing gas to flow out. Micro-seismic events (less than magnitude 2 on the Richter scale) are often associated with the creation of faults in hydraulic fracturing, however their magnitude is too small to be felt on the surface (Davies et al, 2013). In the event of the presence of a pre-stressed fault near the fracked well a larger seismic event can occur although its magnitude will have an upper limit of 3 on the Richter scale (Green, Styles Baptie, 2012). The magnitude of induced seismicity is directly proportional to the surface area of the fault and degree of stress on the fault (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012). The magnitude also depends on the pressure in the well, which is determined by the following factors (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012): Volume of injected fracking fluid Volume of flow back fluid Injection rate Flow back rate The importance of controlling the well pressure can help mitigate seismicity, as seismic events have occurred only at wells where large volumes of fluid have been injected with little or no flow back leading to pressure build up (de Pater Baisch, 2011). The seismic activity observed at Blackpool, UK was linked to the hydraulic fracturing operations underway at Preese Hall due to spatial and temporal correlation (Green, Styles Baptie, 2012). Eisner et al (2011) conducted a study to look into the reasons behind the earthquakes, which concluded that the earthquakes were caused by injection of fracking fluid directly into an adjacent fault. The fluid injection had changed the pore pressure, reduced stress on the fault and caused it to slip resulting in a series of earthquakes. The earthquakes were also measured against the criteria suggested by Davis and Frohlich (1993) to determine whether they were induced or natural events (Eisner et al, 2011): Table 1. Criteria proposed by Davis and Frohlich (1993) to help differentiate between induced and natural seismicity applied to events at Preese Hall (Eisner et al, 2011:p. 21) The table above shows that the criteria were met and hence the events at Blackpool were classified as having been induced by hydraulic fracturing activities at Preese Hall. Mitigation: In order to avoid such events the Department of Energy and Climate Change introduced the following controls and checks for well operators (Department of Energy and Climate Change, 2014): Utilise all geological information available to determine the location of faults before drilling wells to ensure wells are at a distance from existing fault lines. Inject minimum amounts of fracking fluid Constantly monitor seismic activity Introduce ‘traffic light monitoring system’, which determines whether to proceed with injection or not on the basis of seismic activity magnitude. The implementation of these mitigation strategies would help operators assess location of faults before fracking, monitor seismic activity and stop even if minor tremors occur. 4. Seismic activity due to waste water disposal Waste water is a by-product of fracking and is often disposed of by being injected, under pressure, into disposal wells. Waste water injection increases underground pore pressure and weakens nearby faults, lubricating them, and causing them to slip resulting in an earthquake. The magnitude of induced seismic activity from waste water disposal is larger than that of fracking because it involves injection of larger volumes of fluid over a timespan of months or years (as opposed to a few days for fracking) causing greater pressures to build up (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012). The upper limit of magnitude of seismicity induced by disposal in 5 on the Richter scale (Majer et al, 2007). In the USA links between waste water disposal and seismicity were drawn when a cluster of earthquakes were noticed in the Guy-Greenbrier area of Arkansas. Since the first disposal wells became operational in April 2009 this area experienced an increase in the number of magnitude 2.5 (or greater) earthquakes, with one in 2007, two in 2008, ten in 2009 and fifty four in 2010 (Horton, 2012). Horton (2012) reports that 98% of the earthquakes occurred within 6 km of one of the disposal wells, began post-injection, increased when the rate of injection increased and tapered off when the well was shutdown. After an extensive study of the area it was noted that the waste water was being injected into an aquifer from where it increased pore pressure on an unknown fault triggering the earthquakes (Horton, 2012). Similar activity was observed in the Dallas Fort Worth area, where 11 ‘non-felt’ (magnitude less than 2 on the Richter scale) seismic events were recorded during the period between the 20th of November and 2nd of December 2008 (Frohlich et al, 2010). The epicentre of all 11 events was less than 0.5 km away from a disposal well thereby causing them to be classified as induced seismic events (Frohlich et al, 2010). Out of the thousands of disposal wells in the US only a handful have displayed seismic activity (Frohlich et al, 2010). The reason for this could be that most of the wells are drilled into porous, permeable rocks suitable for accommodating fluids and that injection induced triggering occurs only if the fluid reaches a favourably oriented fault (Frohlich et al, 2010). Mitigation: The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering (2012) have suggested steps that could be taken to mitigate the seismic activity due to waste water disposal: 1. Injection into active faults and brittle, non-porous rocks should be avoided 2. Pressure changes at depth should be minimised by reducing volume of fluid to be disposed. This could be done by building more wells to accommodate smaller volumes of fluid or injecting into highly permeable rocks. 3. A ‘traffic light monitoring system’ should be deployed to respond to seismicity. 5. Conclusion After analysis of data from shale gas plays in the US and UK it can be concluded that shale gas development is responsible for the increased seismic activity felt in these regions. It must be noted however that most cases of seismic activity had magnitudes well below what could be felt at the surface (Davies et al, 2013). According to the National Research Council (2013) hydraulic fracturing does not pose a high risk for inducing seismic activity while disposal of waste water into underground wells poses a greater risk due to the injection of larger volumes of waste water for longer durations of time. However, of the 30,000 wells in operation in the US, only 3 wells have displayed ‘felt’ seismic activity (Davies et al, 2013). A balanced approach should be taken while addressing this matter as other human activities (mining and oil recovery) are responsible for far greater incidences of induced seismicity (Davies et al, 2013). In order to allay public concerns and reduce risks associated with seismic activity the government should enforce certain regulations e.g. geological assessment of rock system at well site, deployment of ‘traffic monitoring system’, limitations on volume and rate of fluid injected and limitations on the proximity of wells to active seismic zones or critical facilities (hospitals, schools, nuclear power plants etc.). Coordinated efforts should be made between the government and industry to put in place a mechanism to respond to induced seismic events and gather comprehensive geological data from shale gas development sites to better understand why, how and where these events occur. References Davies, R., Foulger, G., Bindley, A. Styles, P. (2013) Induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing for the recovery of hydrocarbons. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 45 (0), 171-185. Davis, S. D. Frohlich, C. (1993) Did (or will) fluid injection cause earthquakes? -criteria for a rational assessment. Seismological Research Letters. 64 (3-4), 207-224. de Pater, C.J,Baish,S. (2011) Geomechanical Study of Bowland Shale Seismicity. Eisner,L.,Janskà ¡,E., OprÃ… ¡al,I.,MatouÃ… ¡ek,P. (2011) Seismic analysis of the events in the vicinity of the Preese Hall well. Cuadrilla Resources Ltd. Ellsworth, W. L. (2013) Injection-Induced Earthquakes. Science. 341 (6142). Frohlich, C., Potter, E., Hayward, C. Stump, B. (2010) Dallas-Fort Worth earthquakes coincident with activity associated with natural gas production. The Leading Edge. 29 (3), 270-275. Green,C.A.,Styles,P.,Baptie, B.J. (2012) Preese Hall Shale Gas Fracturing Review and Recommendations for Induced Seismic Mitigation. Horton, S. (2012) Disposal of Hydrofracking Waste Fluid by Injection into Subsurface Aquifers Triggers Earthquake Swarm in Central Arkansas with Potential for Damaging Earthquake. Seismological Research Letters. 83 (2), 250-260. Majer, E. L., Baria, R., Stark, M., Oates, S., Bommer, J., Smith, B. Asanuma, H. (2007) Induced seismicity associated with Enhanced Geothermal Systems. Geothermics. 36 (3), 185-222. National Research Council. (2013) Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies. Washington, DC, The National Academies Press. Sovacool, B. K. (2014) Cornucopia or curse? Reviewing the costs and benefits of shale gas hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 37 (0), 249-264.

Psychology Essay example -- Health, Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a time of elation and excitement in a woman’s life, but few individuals will experience a pregnancy completely devoid of side effects. Many women experience universal physical symptoms such as nausea, weight gain and increased fatigue during pregnancy (Flaxman & Sherman, 2008). The processes associated with pregnancy and birth involves complex physiological and psychological changes in a woman’s brain chemistry (Draganski & May, 2008). According to Kim et al. (2010), a woman may experience various physiological effects based on a combination of hormonal and mechanical transformations during pregnancy (Kim, Leckman, Mayes, Feldman, Wang & Swain, 2010). Many pregnant women are informed to be wary of short-term memory loss, also known as ‘baby brain’. But studies performed by Christensen et al. (2010) provide scientific results that common belief of ‘baby brain’ in pregnant women is a myth (Christensen, Leach & Mackinnon, 2010). I n fact, several women display cognitive modifications during pregnancy, such as an increase in ability to correctly perform reference memory tasks and complex spatial tasks (Kim, Leckman, Mayes, Feldman, Wang & Swain, 2010). Data presented by Kim et al. (2010) suggests that the brain of an expectant mother undergoes hormonal and structural neurological changes in order to prepare itself for the physiological and psychological demands and responsibilities of motherhood (Kim, Leckman, Mayes, Feldman, Wang & Swain, 2010). Reference Memory Reference memory refers to an individual’s ability to recall previously learned facts and information through interactions within their environment (Draganski & May, 2008). A study composed by Draganski et al. (2008) to test reference memory in pregnant ... ...ggests that pregnancy not only has a positive effect on aspects of cognition, but also provides influences on learning, decision making, motivation, and resource utilization (Pawluski & Galea, 2006). Due to various ethical restrictions, the data compiled on experiments performed on pregnant female, human-brain specimens is limited. Despite the restrictions on availability of human data, findings from experiments on animals are still beneficial in relation to humans. Although some pregnant females may suffer from some form of temporary loss in proper cognitive functioning, this loss does not have any permanent effects on brain functioning. Perceptions of cognitive impairment in pregnant women may reflect other factors such as stress, an increase in mental focus on the pregnancy, or even sleep-loss, none of which fall into the category of being a cognitive deficit.

Gifts of Rain :: English Literature

Gifts of Rain Seamus Heaney's poem Gifts of Rain is divided into 4 sections. These 4 sections could symbolise the stages of life which consists of birth, childhood, adulthood and death. It could also symbolise the stages of the river in which it suggests the development of the river from it's source to where it gets strong. Or of course, it could symbolise the stages of the water cycle. Water is the symbol of life, but i can also be seen as purity, freshness or youth. In this mysterious poem, Heaney takes a simple view of life and it seems almost documentary-like. The title of the poem 'Gifts of Rain' gives it a positive feeling, but although water has it's positive aspects such as lifegiving and growth, it also has it's negative aspects, such as being dangerous or even deadly. The first section of the poem has no direction and the rhythm is irregular. This suggests that the rain may come unexpectedly and starts off somewhat jaggedly. The rest of the poem flows and has rhythm and there is regularity in each section. This mimics the movement as the rain as it comes down from the clouds. The running on in the stanzas give the sense that the rain is overflowing. Although the title of the poem gives a positive feeling, the opening line "Cloudburst and steady downpour now for days" gives the effect of a monotonous image and a depressing persistance. "He begins to sense weather by his skin" portrays nature and the sense of a survivor. The animal-like image continues for the rest of the first section and the movement of that animal continues as the animal goes "uprooting" which gives the sense of nature being destructive. Heaney may have included this deliberately to show that nature is not as angelic as people may think. The end of the section highlights the poem as "Sounding. Soundings." is what Heaney's poems are all about and more precisely, what this poem is about. "A man wading lost fields breaks the pane of flood" which starts the second section gives the effect of pain and hurt. The man survives by going along with nature and resisiting it, but it also gives the effect of danger at the same time. "Like a cut swaying" carries on the effect of being deliberate, sharp and precise and "it's red spoors" and "his hands grub" continues with the theme of the animal sort of world. The "sunken drills" give the effect of digging deep and the atlantis "he depends on" gives a hint of an insecurity of life, as if

Howard Schultz Essay

Organization culture has been defined and studied in many and varied ways. Culture is defined as the set of key values, beliefs, understandings, and norms shared by members of an organization (Daft, 2012). The culture of an organization is going to play a big role in the success of the company. No matter how big or how small the company is, maintaining a culture that all employees can live by. Having all employees on board with the company’s mission will pay off a great deal in the long run. Starbucks is one of the premier coffee shops in the United States and their mission tell consumers what they do to maintain a huge customer base, to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time (www. starbucks. com). This paper will help consumers understand Starbucks’ organizational culture and the key leadership and management traits used to execute the business strategy. When people think coffee, they think Starbucks. Starbucks has become a hot commodity when it comes to consumers and their coffee. When people go to a Starbucks, they already know what they are getting, specialty coffee, great customer service and a nice cozy place to relax and just kick back. From the CEO on down to the baristas, Starbucks has developed a culture that sets them apart from other coffee shops around the world. Their success can be credited to the customer service. Anyone in a business knows that customer service is very important and can determine the success of a company. Starbucks thrives on ensuring that the baristas develop positive relationships with all customers. By doing this, customers will start to become loyal to the company. Loyal customers will keep Starbucks competitive in a market that a lot of people seem to be fond of because when people get up in the morning, nothing may be more refreshing then a cup of coffee. The Starbucks organization wants all its customers to feel like they are part of something special when they purchase a cup of Starbucks coffee. To help strengthen the culture, Starbucks focuses on being active in communities, in addition to their environmental responsibility, business ethics, open door policy, and their concern for the employees, customers, and stockholders, all these things make a strong positive organizational culture (Campbell, 2009). Within the organization, from the Starbucks executives down to the baristas, when it comes to maintaining the positive organizational culture that has been laid out for all employees, Starbucks separates themselves from many other coffee shops. The Starbucks management team has not based their success off of several things. Within the company the stores offer things that not many restaurants offer, such as Wi-Fi, exotic styles of coffee and a comfortable place to relax and enjoy a hot or cold coffee beverage. These things differ from other coffee spots in the world, so it makes Starbucks very unique. The innovative coffee styles that Starbucks uses attract the traditional coffee fanatic, as well as a new customer base. The styles of coffee will maintain customer loyalty and loyalty is one of Starbucks main focuses. The dedicated customers consist of business professionals and students. These are the individuals that Starbucks employees will see the most. The environment is made for them as well. For example, business men and women may go to Starbucks for lunch. It is comforting, quiet, and the store gives off a positive vibe. For students, it gives them a chance to indulge in a good beverage as well as take time out of their day to kick back and read a book or even catch up on a few homework assignments, whatever the case may be Starbucks offers an environment that others do not. To some consumers, having the coffee may just be a bonus; they really enjoy the environment Starbucks offers. According to brand expert Priya Raghubir, â€Å"Starbucks stands for coffee; it’s converted that into an experience, â€Å"People really have gotten to know Starbucks as the quintessential coffee shop, where they can sit and be welcome over a cup of coffee† (Shayon, 2013). As discussed previously, customer satisfaction is very important to the brand and company. Making customers feel at home by making Starbucks a cozy environment and providing free Wi-Fi keeps customers happy and keeps customers coming back. The management team coming up with these concepts really puts what they are trying to do as a company in prospective and also gives consumers an idea of what their company culture is. Throughout the company there are different management positions. It is the job of this team to attain organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, leading, and controlling organizational resources (Daft, 2012). Within the Starbucks culture one of the main focuses is the customers. With that being said a good management competency to have is communication. This is a very important skill to have because at Starbucks employees are constantly dealing with customers. Even at the executive level of management, communication is even more important because these are the individuals that are making the decisions that could affect the entire company as a whole. When those decisions are made they need to get communicated down to the baristas and everyone else in between. Communication fits perfectly within this company’s culture. Communicating things from the top to bottom tells all the employees what the main purpose of the company is. Communication helps maintain the culture throughout the whole company as well. For an organization like Starbucks were the focus is to keep customers coming back, the employees must communicate with them at a level that employees from other coffee shops just are not use to. With how Starbucks operates as a whole, they have made themselves the place to buy coffee, which they are not really known for. They are recognized for their great communication with the customers, with other employees, and the management team, and the goal is maintain this level of professionalism so the new and existing customers re-enter a Starbucks and always get the same exact experience no matter the location. â€Å"We’re not in the coffee business. It’s what we sell as a product but we’re in the people business hiring hundreds of employees a week, serving sixty million customers a week, it’s all human connection† (Gallo, 2012). Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz is the man behind how this culture was developed; he is the one that drives the bus today. Back in the 1980’s Schultz had a vision to enhance the way people drink their coffee and he did just that. Starbucks coffee speaks for itself; it is the culture Schultz put in place that makes Starbucks unique and a nice environment to be in. Starbucks opened its first store March 30, 1971 with more than 17, 000 locations around the world (Gallo, 2012). Without Schultz, this company would not be what it is today. Since the early 70s the company has managed to emerge as a premier coffee in the world, and in the 80s with Schultz at the helm. In 2000, with Schultz not in the mix, things did not go as well as expected when he resigned. Eight years after his resignation; he was appointed as CEO again to help the company from the downward spiral they were on. Schultz stressed that is was going to take a lot to get Starbucks back to where they needed to be. It is clear that Schultz made a big impact on Starbucks when he was CEO, and when he was not CEO, the company took a bit of a plunge. Without Schultz, over time it seems like Starbucks may have not lasted. Answering the question, would Starbucks achieve long-term sustainability as a global leader in the coffee industry without Howard Shultz, the answer would have to be no. Just in a short period of time, the company managed to get away from the culture Shultz brought to the company. As an organization, it is their job to live up to the culture that was put in front of them. There have been many times in business where new leaders are appointed and they just do not live up to the expectations. This is a problem that can be fixed if communication is sustained as well. All companies develop or have a culture set in place already. Management plays a key role in developing and ensures that the culture is maintained. Starbucks is an organization that thrives off their culture and this is the reason why they are successful in the business world. They have set themselves apart from other coffee shops by focusing on things other than just the coffee, like the customers, the environment, and for business professionals and students, the Wi-Fi. The organizational culture at Starbucks may not be the best, but they are making a strong case for the organization. References Campbell, A. (2009, November 09). Organizational culture. EZine Articles, Retrieved from http://ezinearticles. com/? Organizational-Culture&id=3203513 July 23, 2013 Daft. (2012). Management. (10th ed. ). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Gallo, C. (2012). Starbucks ceo: Lesson in communication skills. Forbes, Retrieved from http://www. success. com/articles/1272-rekindling-the-heart-soul-of-starbucks? page=2 July 23, 2013 Shayon, S. (2013, March 08). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www. brandchannel. com/home/post/Starbucks-Customer-Loyalty-030813. aspx July 23, 2013 .