Drought Causes, Stages, and Problems

Every year as summer approaches, areas around the world grow concerned about seasonal drought. Throughout the winter, many places monitor precipitation and the snowpack to prepare for what the warmer, drier months may bring. In addition, there are areas where drought is a regular year to year occurrence that lasts longer than just the summer. From hot deserts to the freezing poles, drought is something that affects plants, animals, and people worldwide. What Is a Drought? Drought is defined as a period in which a region has a deficit in its water supply. Drought is a normal feature of climate which happens in all climate zones from time to time. Usually, drought is talked about in one of two perspectives- meteorological and hydrological. A drought in terms of meteorology takes into account deficiencies in measured precipitation. Each years measurements are then compared to what is determined as a normal amount of precipitation and drought is determined from there. For hydrologists, droughts are monitored by checking stream flow and lake, reservoir, and aquifer water levels. Precipitation is also considered here as it contributes to the water levels. In addition, there are agricultural droughts that can impact crop production and cause changes to the natural distribution of various species. The farms themselves can also cause droughts to happen as the soil is depleted and therefore cannot absorb as much water, but they can be impacted by natural droughts as well. Causes Because drought is defined as a deficit in water supply, it can be caused by a number of factors. The most important one though relates to the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere as this is what creates precipitation. More rain, sleet, hail, and snow can occur where there are moist, low-pressure air systems. If there is an above average presence of dry, high-pressure air systems instead, less moisture is available to produce precipitation (because these systems cannot hold as much water vapor). This results in a deficit of water for the areas over which they move. The same can also happen when winds shift air masses and warm, dry, continental air moves over an area as opposed to cooler, moist, oceanic air masses. El Nino, which affects the oceans water temperature, also has an impact on precipitation levels because, in years when the temperature cycle is present, it can shift the air masses above the ocean, often making wet places dry (drought prone) and dry places wet. Finally, deforestation for agriculture and/or building combined with the resultant erosion can also cause drought to begin because as the soil is moved away from an area it is less able to absorb moisture when it falls. Stages of Drought Since many areas, regardless of their climatic region, are prone to drought, different definitions of the stages of drought have developed. They are all somewhat similar, however, usually ranging from a drought warning or watch, which is the least severe. This stage is declared when a drought could be approaching. The next stages are mostly called drought emergency, disaster, or critical drought stage. This final stage begins after a drought has occurred for a long period and water sources begin to be depleted. During this stage, public water use is limited and oftentimes drought disaster plans are put into place. Short and Long Term Consequences Regardless of a droughts stage, there are short and long term consequences with any drought because of nature and societys dependence on water. Problems associated with drought can have economic, environmental, and social impacts on both the areas where they occur and areas that have relations with those where the drought happens. Most of the economic impacts of drought are associated with agriculture and the income generated from crops. In times of drought, the lack of water can often cause a decline in crop yields, and thus a reduction in income for farmers and an increase in the market price of products since there is less to go around. In a prolonged drought, unemployment of farmers and even retailers can occur, having a significant impact on the economy of the area and those with economic ties to it. In terms of environmental problems, drought can result in insect infestations and plant diseases, increased erosion, habitat and landscape degradation, a decrease in air quality and that of what water is present, as well as an increased risk of fire because of drier vegetation. In short-term droughts, natural environments can often rebound, but when there are long term droughts, plant and animal species can suffer tremendously, and over time desertification can happen with an extreme lack of moisture. Finally, droughts have social impacts that can cause disputes between users of available water, inequalities in water distribution between wealthy and poor, disparities in areas in need of disaster relief, and a decline in health. In addition, in rural developing countries population migration can begin when one area experiences drought because often people will go to areas where water and its benefits are more prevalent. This then depletes the natural resources of the new area, can create conflicts among neighboring populations and takes workers away from the original area. Over time, increased poverty and social unrest are likely to develop. Drought Mitigation Measures Because severe drought is often slow in its development, it is relatively easy to tell when one is coming and in areas that are capable, there are several mitigation measures that can be used to reduce the impacts felt by drought. The most important steps in lessening the effects of drought though are soil and water conservation. By protecting soil, it is better able to absorb precipitation, but it can also help farmers to use less water because it is absorbed and not as much run off. It also creates less water pollution by the pesticides and fertilizers present in most farm runoff. In water conservation, public use is often regulated. This mostly includes watering yards, washing cars and outdoor fixtures such as patio tables, and swimming pools. Cities such as Phoenix, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada have also implemented the use of xeriscape landscaping to reduce the need to water outdoor plants in dry environments. In addition, Water conservation devices like low-flow toilets, shower heads, and washing machines can be required for use inside the home. Finally, desalination of seawater, water recycling, and rainwater harvesting are all things that are currently under development to build on existing water supplies and further reduce the impacts of drought in dry climates. Whatever method is used, however, extensive monitoring of precipitation and water usage are the best way to prepare for a drought, inform the public on the problem, and implement conservation strategies.

North Korea Foreign Policy - 1689 Words

Assess the impact of foreign involvement on North Korea’s foreign policy and isolation: North Korea is, as stated by Bruce Cummings in North Korea – Another Country, â€Å"The Author of most of its own troubles†. The country is close to entirely isolated from the rest of the world maintaining only small contact with certain nations. Since the ceasefire of the Korean War, North Korea has become increasingly detached from the majority of the world; however what factors have led to this increased isolation? The heavy bombing of the North during the war, the continued existence of missiles aimed at the North, the fall of the Soviet Union, the Carter and Clinton governments steps on reconciliation with North Korea and the Bush Governments†¦show more content†¦With a loss of one of the countries few remaining large allies, North Korea would have been driven further into isolation after this collapse. North Korea’s foreign policy was becoming increasingly reclusive in the late 20th century. Anders Lewis, a right-wing American historian and a heavy detractor towards much of Bill Cummings’ sympathetic work towards North Korea quoted Kim Jong Il in his essay, The Historian Who Defends North Korea as saying; â€Å"‘the imperialists’ aid is a noose of plunder and subjugation aimed at robbing ten and even a hundred things for one thing that is given†. It was clear that the North was still self-excluded and heavily isolated from much of the world; however between 1993 and 2001, the government of Bill Clinton made several important steps which improved North Korea’s foreign relations and reduced the countries increasing level of isolation. Korea had â€Å"suffered a fractured 20th century† and the Clinton government realized this and worked towards reconciling with the fragile and tense culture which had been created in the North. Cummings observed several key points about the progress of the Clinton government’s steps on reconciliation with North Korea and states â€Å"It took the road of negotiation and accomplished several things no previous administration ever did†. When focusing in on this progress,Show MoreRelatedForeign Policy and Terrorism in North Korea Essay2016 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction North Korea appears on the international stage as a country existing beyond the world we all know. It isolates its citizens from the rest of international community and does not obey any rules determined by international law, but requires respect and recognition. Moreover, North Korea is one of the countries that remains aggressive towards its neighbors and applies various terrorist techniques, i.e. illegal contraband, political terror and mass abductions of other countries’ citizensRead MoreNorth Korea Is A Rogue State Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pages North Korea is a rogue state. A nation whose actions and behavior could set off a deadly regional conflict. A conflict which could involve the use of nuclear warheads, cause massive loss of life. Since the end of the Korean War tensions have run high between North Korea and the surrounding countries. The biggest cause for concern for the U.S. and South Korea is North Korea’s continual test of nuclear weapons paired wi th its aggressive behavior towards its regional neighbors. North Korea’s irrationalRead MoreMr. Trump And Foreign Policy1661 Words   |  7 PagesMr. Trump has proven since he is not like his predecessors before him. He is going to change how the United States deals with foreign-policy. He plans to go with the American first logit, but according to NPR he has already broke his promise about putting Americans first. NPR stated the following â€Å"†¦ American role in the world, a so-called America First agenda. His decision to strike Syria in response to a sarin gas attack was another surprising turn-about. White House officials say this is a signRead MoreNorth Korea s Confrontational And Unpredictable Behavior1261 Words   |  6 PagesThe impact North Korea poses on the global community outweighs its geographical size. Having only a landmass about the size of Mississippi, North Korea houses a population of 23 million people. This small communist county is one of the most isolated and controlled places in the world. Formed after World War II and having only two leaders during its time of existence, this country has displayed defiant acts against the global community throughout its history. Currently under heavy sanctions byRead MoreKorean War : The Cold War1598 Words   |  7 PagesSoviet Union and the United States broke due to their ideological differences after World War II, in the midst of the Cold War was the Korean War. The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 when the North Korean People’s Army poured across the 38th parallel, a border between South and North Korea, to attack South Korea. 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Especially, the nuclear threat of the ambiguous North Koreans, which haveRead MoreNorth Korea Has No Ambition for Nuclear Proliferation Essay examples1467 Words   |  6 Pages There has been an increase in the support of taking forceful actions towards North Korea which has seemed to be unpredictable in its steps and decision taken especially in terms of security. It has maintained its stand on the nuclear arsenal and other programs associated to it, creating a threat to the security of the whole region and the whole in general (Kim, 2002 pg.6). It has also refused to involve itself in any form of negotiation making the other nations abandon further negotiations andRead MoreThe Political Tensions Between North Korea And South Korea Essay1473 Words   |  6 Pagesinternational conflict includes North Korea and South Korea. There is persistent opposition in this region of Asia, mainly due to the clash of political systems and religious ideologies that officially began 66 years ago. 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Gill states in his report, â€Å"Despite differences on tactics and approach, the primary strategic goal on which nearly all parties in China agree is stability, both at home and in China’s foreign relations, particularlyRead MoreThe Function of the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan in Preventing the Spread of Communism During the Cold War952 Words   |  4 PagesThe foreign policy of the United States during the Cold War fully supported the growth of democratic nations. The USSR, however, wa nted countries to become communist like them. These opposing views led to tension between the two nations. As a result, in 1947, President Truman issued the Truman Doctrine which stated that the United States would supply aid to any country as long as they pledged to be democratic. The Marshall plan was enacted in 1948 and it was similar to the Truman Doctrine except

A Sad Love Story Free Essays

A sad Love Story.. A boy proposed his girlfriend for marriage, Girl: Tell me. We will write a custom essay sample on A Sad Love Story or any similar topic only for you Order Now . Who do you love most in this world? Boy: You, of course ! Girl: What am I to you? Boy: The boy thought for a moment and looked intently in her eyes and said â€Å"u r missing part of my heart † She smiled, and she accepted his proposal. ::  ¦ ::  ¦ : :  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ After their wedding , the couple had a sweet and happy life for a while . However ,the youthful couple began to drift apart due to the busy schedule of life and the never-ending worries of aily problems and soon after their life became difficult . ::  ¦ ::  ¦ : :  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦::  ¦ : : All the challenges posed by the harsh realities of life began to drift away their dreams and love for each other . .. The couple began to have more quarrels and each quarrel became make their relation more worst. One day , after the quarrel , the girl ran out of the house.. .. At the opposite side of the road , she shouted,† You don’ t love me †¦ !† The boy hated her childishness and out of impulse, said ,†May be, it was a mistake for us to e together ..! You were never da missing part of my  ¦ †¦ !† Suddenly, she turned quiet and stood there for a long while .. .. He regretted what he said but wordsspoken cant be taken back. With tears in her eyes, she went home to pack her things and Before leaving the house,she left a note for him: â€Å"If I ‘m really not da missing part of ur  ¦, let me go.. n search for sum 1 whu is. .. It is less painful thisway†¦ let us go on our separate ways and search for our own partners .. .† ::  ¦ ::  ¦ : :  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦::  ¦ : : Five years went by. .. He never remarried but he had tried to find out about her life indirectly .. †¦ . She had left the country and was living her dreams. He use to regret on what he did but never tried to bring her back. . In the dark and lonely night , he lit his cigarette and felt the lingering ache in his heart. He couldn’ t bring himself to admit that he was missing her . †¦. One day , they finally met†¦ . At the airport , He was going away on a business trip . He saw her, She was standing there alone, with just the security door separating them. She smiled at him gently . Boy: How are you ? Girl: I’ m fine. How about you.. . Have you found your heart ‘ s missing part.. .? Boy: No . Girl: I’ ll be flying to New York in the next flight . Boy: I ‘ll be back in 2 weeks time . Give me a call when you are back †¦ You know my number †¦ . Nothing has changed . With a smile , she turned around and waved good- bye .. â€Å"Good-bye . . . † Same evening he heard of a plane crash which was headed to New York . He tried to know about her and found that,She died . Midnight. †¦ Once again , he lit his cigarette. †¦ . And like before, he felt the lingering ache in his heart. †¦ He finally knew , she was that missing part that he had carelessly broken . . . Sometimes, people say things out of moments of fury†¦ .. We take outour 99% frustrations at our loved ones. †¦ And even though we knowthat we ought to†think twice and act wisely†, we actually dont do it. Thing s happen each day , many of which are beyond our control . Try not to hurt ur loved once, bcz amoment of anger cud b a lifetym punishment †¦ u How to cite A Sad Love Story, Papers

Strategic Information System Case Study of Kinokuniya Bookstore Austr

Question: Discuss about theStrategic Information Systemfor Case Study of Kinokuniya Bookstore Australia. Answer: Introduction Strategic information system is one of the key systems or sections in the business which is extremely important in the day to day operations of a business. Without information system operations will definitely face significant difficulties to operate the day to day activities in the business. Most of the organisations in the contemporary business environment have strong strategic information system integrated in the operations which helps them to mitigate any organisational issue or challenge which might be internal or external. The role of strategic information system is of paramount importance which could be understood only with the effective research and analysis. The use of accounting software package has become a common tool for many organisations all across the world. In the contemporary business environment of Australia the use of accounting software package has become imperative given its role in handling the overall finance and relevant information effectively (Galliers and Leidner, 2014). The present report is important as it discusses about the organisational structure and the key issues related to operation. This study will also discuss the possible system acquisition method which helps in handling the accounting practice in the organisation. Overall the present study will discuss the process of adoption of the accounting software and the challenges and issues related to it. Kinokuniya is bookstore chain and is one of the best bookstores available in Sydney. It is a Japanese brand which has been able to operate its business effectively in Sydney and some other places in Australia. Given the steady emergence of this bookstore chain it will serve as an effective reference to complete the study. Kinokuniya is a leading small and medium scale bookstore chain operating in Sydney. The root of the organisation is mainly in Japan and it has started its business in Australia recently. The organisation has served almost all the book lovers in Sydney which clearly shows the amount of interest books still create. The Japanese bookstore chain believes in discussing art and culture. The bookstore is unique in nature as it has huge stock of books and one could find a rare collection here which is not possible in any other bookstore. The organisation is presently operating in Sydney with the focus on expanding its business operations in the other parts of Australia and the planning is under process (Willcocks, 2013). The organisation has been able to generate significant amount of revenue in the last few years which has encouraged the organisation to expand its business in the other markets. The current organisational structure of the organisation is simple yet suitable for the organisat ion. Kinokuniyas current organisational structure is a flat structure which helps the organisation to make decisions easily and effectively. The flat organisational structure helps the organisation to make effective improvements in its operational styles as there is no work of the mid level management in this kind of structure. The advantage of this structure is that it helps the upper management to directly communicate with the lower level employees and in the case of Kinokuniya it becomes extremely important as it is essential to get the feedback of the book lovers coming in the store to improve the overall service system of the company (Baltzan, 2012). The flat organisational structure of the organisation is advantageous but it also leads to certain operational problems. It could be said that the main operational problem which could emerge in a flat organisational structure is lose of hold over the employees as under one manager there are number of employees working and this breaks the communication with some of the employees. It is important for the employees to understand their roles and responsibilities in the organisation and for that it is important to communicate effectively all along the operational line. In the present case the main operational problem that the organisation Kinokuniya has faced is wrong coordination in different departments. The finance department of the organisation is responsible to record and calculate all the financial aspects of the business and due to miscommunication and poor coordination there has not been proper and effective information gathering which would help to keep records as well as plan th e overall financial budget for the organisation. In a flat structure it is at times tough to control employees effectively (Cassidy, 2016). Hence in this scenario it is important that the organisation puts in place a strong system which would help to ensure that financial errors and decision making are done effectively in the business. The flat organisational structure in Kinokuniya the bookstore chain could lead to significant understanding issues as lesser layers of management could make employees pompous and casual in their work which wouldnt help to make effective business decisions as well as lead to poor customer relationship which would definitely affect the overall business turnover the organisation. Hence it could be said that the quality of performance could be bad with flat structure operating within the organisation. In this case the organisation has faced this problem as most of the consumers trying to take help from the employees have failed due to the ignorance of the employees working in the organisation (Morecroft, 2015). It has been seen that the organisation has effective training and development program in place but the employees have become highly casual which has led to poor performance of the employees. The organisation has also not been able to make expansion decisions properly as complex decision making is not effective with the help of flat organisational structure. The most suitable system acquisition method in this case for Kinokuniya would be to go for an ERP solution. There are number of key operational issue in the organisation and hence for this reason Enterprise Resource Planning is effective for the organisation. The ERP will be an effective system which would help the organisation to make sure all the procedures and resources in the organisation are perfectly managed. With ERP Kinokuniya will be able to manage its financial decisions, employee performance effectively keep records and communicate with the employees successfully (Bradford, 2015). ERP will be effective for the organisation as it will help to reduce cost for the company and manage the entire operation effectively. The ERP system is able to effectively automate the system and manage the business effectively. The Enterprise Resource Planning is an extremely effective software system for the organisation for this bookstore as it will help to keep records and information in a p roper way and it will also help in financial decision making which would definitely help to reduce cost and develop a stronger financial budget for the organisation (Azevedo, Romo and Rebelo, 2012). Every organisation has a specific sales process through which it sells that generates revenue. The sales procedure flowchart is given below: Fig 1: Sales Procedure Flowchart As per the above flowchart followed by the organisation Kinokuniya it could be said that there is a huge role of the business manager in this case in the sales process. the user orders a book in the bookstore or may be online which directly reaches the business and he or she checks the order form and issues it to the warehouse where the storekeeper checks the inventory and it goes to the stockouot and from there to the delivery sheet where the entire information is recorded from the side of the storekeeper and then it reaches the user. Apparently it might look lengthy but it is a simple process and is easy to reach to the consumers if the employees operate effectively (Bernus, Mertins and Scmidt, 2013). ERP is normally secured system but server frauds are very common nowadays and hence if the main server on which the software is based is hacked or breached then there is a possibility of network breach and data theft. Hence it could be said that the common issue with ERP is its vulnerability to outer programs like malwares and spywares which are used to breach the safety and security of the ERP software through its main server (Davenport, 2013). The development and adoption of the accounting system software package is important. The adoption of accounting software package has become very important in the business as it helps to keep all the possible financial records or information and helps to manage the finance effectively. The accounting software packages are largely internet based and hence provide online support which helps the organisation to get online support whenever possible. The development of accounting software packages are being done for a long time now and its adoption in Australia could be considered as extensive. The adoption of accounting software helps in easing the pressure of financial works and also makes it systematic which reduces hassles and financial errors in the business (Hall, 2012). The current market size of accounting software packages is huge at the present moment. The accounting software is used almost all across the world with emerging and developed economies using the accounting software extensively in business and other organisations to have proper information on finance and to make suitable decisions. In the last few years the market size has grown by around 85% which is a significant rise in the market share (Beynon-Davies, 2013). There are number of companies in the world providing accounting software packages but SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, MYOB, XERO, Oracle E-Business Suit, Intuit have emerged as winners in the market. These organisations have been able to gain significant market share and sustainable competitive advantage only because of their excellent customer response and technical support and great customised service to the client which other organisations have not been able to do. These organisations have been able to reduce and minimise the arduous task of managing finance and have made it easy which is definitely a great point about them (Romney and Steinbart, 2012). There are number of gaps or challenges in handling accounting software packages for the consumers. One of the biggest challenges is handling the highly mechanical software systems. For most of the consumers it becomes tough to understand the procedure of handling these softwares and this stands to be one the challenges. On the other hand services of Oracle and SAP are very expensive and this is a definite gap which the companies can work upon. Lack of accuracy and features create problems at times for the business consumers to handle accounting software effectively (Christauskas and Miseviciene, 2012). The key suggestions which could be given to these organisations will be to develop their service system and they should become more customers centric and understand the needs and wants of the consumers. They should also think about making the service cost effective and mechanically easy. More user friendly interface is a must for accounting softwares to be embraced more by consumers an d hence this should also be looked at seriously (Kirchmer, 2012). Conclusion The present report has tried to discuss the key aspects of information system used at workplaces. The importance of accounting software has increased in the recent years and hence it is important to understand the key challenges and gaps to use to accounting software which the present report has tried to reveal. It has also discussed the flowchart through which Kinokuniya bookstore gets its sales and has finally recommended suggestions to the accounting software developing organisations to provide better services to consumers. References Azevedo, P.S., Romo, M. and Rebelo, E., 2012. Advantages, limitations and solutions in the use of ERP systems (Enterprise Resource Planning)A case study in the hospitality industry.Procedia Technology,5, pp.264-272. Baltzan, P., 2012.Business driven technology. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Bernus, P., Mertins, K. and Schmidt, G.J. eds., 2013.Handbook on architectures of information systems. Springer Science Business Media. Beynon-Davies, P., 2013.Business information systems. Palgrave Macmillan. Bharadwaj, A., El Sawy, O.A., Pavlou, P.A. and Venkatraman, N.V., 2013. Digital business strategy: toward a next generation of insights. Bradford, M., 2015.Modern ERP: select, implement, and use today's advanced business systems. Lulu. com. Cassidy, A., 2016.A practical guide to information systems strategic planning. CRC press. Christauskas, C. and Miseviciene, R., 2012. Cloudcomputing based accounting for small to medium sized business.Engineering Economics,23(1), pp.14-21. Davenport, T.H., 2013.Process innovation: reengineering work through information technology. Harvard Business Press. Galliers, R.D. and Leidner, D.E., 2014.Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. Routledge. Hall, J.A., 2012.Accounting information systems. Cengage Learning. Kirchmer, M., 2012.Business process oriented implementation of standard software: how to achieve competitive advantage efficiently and effectively. Springer Science Business Media. Morecroft, J.D., 2015.Strategic modelling and business dynamics: a feedback systems approach. John Wiley Sons. Rainer, R.K., Cegielski, C.G., Splettstoesser-Hogeterp, I. and Sanchez-Rodriguez, C., 2013.Introduction to information systems. John Wiley Sons. Romney, M.B. and Steinbart, P.J., 2012.Accounting information systems. Boston: Pearson. Willcocks, L., 2013.Information management: the evaluation of information systems investments. Springer.