World War I 101 A Brief Overview

Renewable Energy A New Direction Essay - 1241 Words

Abstract: Can the Quapaw Tribe Benefit from Renewable Resources? The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) finds low potential for wind and photovoltaic energy, with favorable potential for geothermal. While this is limiting in terms of options which are currently available it is also good for the Quapaw tribe as this means that there is an option available to the tribe. This entails that implantation of geothermal energy can be achieved successfully to mitigate energy cost. Introduction: â€Å"Up to ninety cents of every dollar the Tribes spend on energy leaves immediately- lost forever to all of the economic leverage and benefits this money could create within tribal communities.† –intertribalcoup.org Can the Quapaw Tribe Benefit from†¦show more content†¦The Quapaw tribal jurisdictional area is approximately 21 square miles. The Tribe operates a museum, counseling services center, childcare learning centers, a convenience store, The Downstream Casino and Resort, the Quapaw Casino, a golf course as well as several governmental entities such as the tribal administration, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and tribal marshals, fire and emergency medical services. Quapaw tribe energy use: to determine electricity use and the emissions created because of this use I went through tribal utility bills and by using figures from the electricity company and other energy figures I extrapolated the table below. The renewable resource energy potential for Quapaw lands was determined using National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) data. NREL is best described their description of themselves; â€Å"The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the nations primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development (RD).NRELs mission and strategy are focused on advancing the U.S. Department of Energys and our nations energy goals. The laboratorys scientists and researchers support critical market objectives to accelerate research from scientific innovations to market-viable alternative energy solutions.† This is a NREL map of Oklahoma detailing wind energy. There is limited wind energyShow MoreRelatedEvolution Of The Uk Energy Policy1500 Words   |  6 PagesName: Egbo, Kingsley O. Student No: 150432009 SPG8009 Assessment. The Evolution of the UK Energy Policy The UK government had made concerted efforts over the years in developing a definite course of action for the Renewable energy industry in the UK in light of changing conditions of the industry. 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The Composition of Und spur ich Essay Example For Students

The Composition of Und spur ich Essay Beethovens only opera, Fidelio, took on many forms from the original version which premiered in 1805 to the complete version, regarded as one of the best operas of the times, which premiered in 1815. For the final version, Beethoven brought in famed librettist Georg Friedrich Treitschke. The article The Composition of Und spur ich in Beethovens Fidelio discusses the legitimacy of the claims Georg made, after Beethovens death that the aria, Und spur ich, was written predominantly in one evening at his own house. The article first outlines Georgs claim in depth. After the claim is stated the author, Barry Cooper, discusses at length the likelihood of the claim being true based on facts known of the aria and Beethovens tendencies. As a whole an organized thesis is stated, and the remainder of the article is spent proving the claim, while also considering counterpoints to the issue. Overall, the article is exquisitely organized, and presents each individual point well. The first portion of the article explains Georg Treitsckes account of the events which took place preceding and after Beethovens writing of Und spur ich. Georg states in Thayers life of Beethoven, Beethoven came to me about seven oclock in the evening. After we had discussed other things, he asked me how matters stood with the aria. It was just finished; I handed it to him. He read, ran up and down the room, muttered, growled, as was his habit instead of singing-and tore open the piano The hours passed, but Beethoven improvised on. Supper, which he had intended to share with us, was served, but he did not let himself be disturbed. It was late when he embraced me, and declining the meal, he hurried home. The next day the admirable composition was finished. Cooper agrees in the article, this is a beautiful picture painted of Beethoven, one of the greatest composers of all time, writing an aria in such perfect time and inspiration, but the point is raised as to how accurate this claim may be. Cooper sets out to prove whether this was actually the case and by what means it can be proven. Throughout the remainder of the article, Cooper brings up key evidence intended to prove Georgs statements correct. The largest case Cooper presents deals with Beethovens personal sketch book, Dessauer. This book was Beethovens composition sketch-book for serious musical thought, as opposed to others he kept for drafting and brain storming. In the sketch-book, it is shown that Und spur ich comes after the Act II finale; though in the opera it arrives at the beginning of Act II. This ties in perfectly with Georgs claim that the piece had been causing both Beethoven and himself many problems for quite sometime and putting them behind schedule. In addition, the fact that the arias sketches were in a span of five pages further proves the point showing it was probably written in a short period of time. Cooper then admits the remainder of Georgs claims are less easy to prove, however, some evidence can be compiled. Some articles of evidence are the writing materials used in the sketches of the revised compositions. It is noticed that the writing materials switch between both mediums and colors on the pages of the sketch-book. Cooper goes on through much detail to prove that, in the sketch-book, the Und spur ich aria must postdate all of the finale sketches that occupied the preceding 51 pages. In addition, the melodrama sketches in ink must postdate the arias composition, since on of them on page 88 even incorporates a motif of the aria. The last point mentioned in Coopers argument for Georg Treitschkes case is the spacing of the aria in the sketch-book. The draft is spaced very widely giving the impression of having been written down in a hurry, which is what could be expected if the piece was written at Georgs home in an evening. All the motifs are present, as they should be, since Treitschke claimed to have heard them from another room. In addition, each bar belongs to the final version of the aria, with few exceptions. .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf , .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .postImageUrl , .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf , .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf:hover , .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf:visited , .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf:active { border:0!important; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf:active , .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5ba42d263da519dc32e43a2fd2bcd8bf:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Has Disneyfication destroyed the traditional folk tale and damaged children's illustrated literature? EssayCooper also alludes to the ending of the sketch-book entries on the aria, especially the fact that there are signs of Beethoven noting last minute details to be worked out the next day, so as not to forget anything. Though inconclusive, this could show Beethoven to be in a hurry, possibly due to the hour getting late in the night. After reading the article a number of times and really analyzing it, I feel as though Barry Cooper presents his case exquisitely. He clearly outlines the points he will attempt to make throughout the paper in a well thought out introduction, complete with somewhat of a thesis. He proceeds to then make each point through the paper clearly, presenting all facts with full explanations, almost anticipating questions or inquiries the reader might have. From start to finish, the paper is organized clearly and states its point to a convincing length, without wasting readers time on miniscule details. Barry Cooper does a great job of writing an informative paper on the origins of Und spur ich in the last revision of the opera Fidelio by Beethoven, in the formalist approach to musicology.

Climate Change Effect on Focal Species Free Sample for Students

Question: How does Climate Change Effect Focal Species Such as Plants and Birds. Answer: Introduction With the change in climate patterns, several species of birds and animals have to adapt to it. The ultimate consequence of climate change is habitat loss, altering competitive relationships, shift in climatic conditions, modifying migrational capabilities in birds and animal and shift in climatic conditions. In the past century, global warming of earth has led to ecological changes and this has consequently altered the species range and patterns of season breeding (Impact of climate change on species 2017). The purpose of this report is to compare the impact of climate change on several climate watch species of birds and flowering plants and determine their use in analyzing the effects of climate change. Comparison of climate watch species Some of the important climate watches species which are influenced by climate change includes the Australian magpie, Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Gymea Lily (Doryanthes excelsa), Illawarra Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius), Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)and London Plane Tree (Platanus x acerifolious). The change in temperature and rainfall in different geographic regions affect the breeding behavior of magpies. A research investigating the climate related changes in migratory and reproductive patterns on Australias flora and fauna revealed variation in breading season of Australian magpies (News in Science (ABC Science) 2017).While in the northern hemisphere, they have started to breed earlier than usual, in the southern hemisphere they are more likely to start breeding earlier. Hence, climate fluctuation has direct impact on amount of breeding in Australian magpies (Gibbs 2007). Another climate watch species important for analyzing the climate change is the Masked Lapwing and climate watchers generally observe their diet pattern, flight and breeding behavior. Hence, scientist can find answer to the response of animals, plants and ecosystem by observing the breeding and duration of breeding activities in this bird (Group 2017). In case of flowering plants like Jacaranda, the shift in climatic conditions results in early or late bloom of flowers in this species. The initiation and duration of the intense blooming days for Jacaranda differs according to the differential winter patterns (Butt 2015). On the other hand, another plant Gymea Lily also shows similar changes as seen in the Jacaranda. Due to the warming of global temperature worldwide, the plant starts to shoot and flower earlier than usual. Hence both Jacarand and Gymea Lilys blooming pattern is changed by climate changes. In case of Illawarra Flame Tree, the change is seen not by warm temperature but it is triggered by rainfall. The Climate Watch data on this plant has revealed that decreased rainfall due to climate changes increased the flowering period and defoliation in the Illawara Flame Tree (Mazur et al. 2017). The London Plane Tree is also an important indicator species for climate change in Australia. The research studies done on evaluating the impact of climate change on this species has shown that distribution of the London Plane Tree is affected by the extreme change in climate. When extreme climate is observed in any region, the London Plane Tree shifts to cooler and temperate regions of the world. As it is a temperate tree, change in temperature highly affects their budburst timing (Patrick et al. 2017). Hence, with the increase in temperature, the flowering and fruiting timing of the tree becomes earlier than usual. Use of Climate watch species in recording effects of climate change Several climate watch species, which are significantly affected by climate change, is highly used in predicting signs of climate change. For example, Californias Jacaranda tree blooms early when there is mild winter. Hence, researchers studying climate change can easily be alerted about the effects of drought and rising temperature by observing the blooming pattern of the Jacaranda (Yale Climate Connections 2017). Climate watch advisors also routinely observe the flowering pattern and opening of seed pods in Gymea Lily. This helps them to understand shift in climate patterns because they began to flower in new area when they get warmer temperature to thrive in places where they could do not do earlier due to cold. By gathering this information on seasonal events in flowering plants, climate watchers can easily track and understand the effect on climate change on plants and animals around the world (Group 2017). Limitation of citizen science project The science project is an important element of environmental research where public directly engage in scientific discovery by observing and managing natural resources. However, some of the limitation of the citizen science project is that some of the complex research method may not be suitable for volunteers who lack training in research and monitoring protocols. Hence, there is high chance of risk to data because of the introduction of biases during the study. This kind of project lacks accuracy and data quality issues are often observed (Haklay 2013). To overcome these issues, members of the project will need to develop best practices and project design guideline to promote efficiency of the study. Relevance of Climate Watch studies on society Climate Watch studies have become an important element in developed society due to the drastic change in climatic patterns and its aftermath seen in the world. This form of studies helps researcher to observe flora and fauna of the earth to determine the climatic changes and its impact on natural environment. It has supported the environmental monitoring program for the whole community. By this means, community can take action before detecting the drastic effect of climatic change. It is necessary to observe the effect of climate change on plants and animals to better understanding seasons and the associated changes with it. This study is also important for community due to the differential impact of climate changes on the earths geological, ecological and biological systems. It is leading to global as well as humanitarian crisis (Schfer and Schlichting 2014). Hence, by means of climate watch studies, researchers become alert of the consequences of change and take relevant steps to m inimize any hazards in the society. The emergence of large-scale environmental hazards has also prompted the scientist to take this kind of response. Reference Butt, N., Seabrook, L., Maron, M., Law, B.S., Dawson, T.P., Syktus, J. and McAlpine, C.A., 2015. Cascading effects of climate extremes on vertebrate fauna through changes to low?latitude tree flowering and fruiting phenology.Global change biology,21(9), pp.3267-3277. Climate change affects birds and bees News in Science (ABC Science) 2017.Abc.net.au. Retrieved 27 March 2017, from https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2005/11/09/1499533.htm Early blooming jacaranda plants are a sign of change - Yale Climate Connections., 2017.Yale Climate Connections. Retrieved 27 March 2017, from https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2015/08/early-blooming-jacaranda-plants-are-a-sign-of-change/ Gibbs, H., 2007. Climatic variation and breeding in the Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen): a case study using existing data.Emu,107(4), pp.284-293. Group, T., 2017.Gymea Lily | ClimateWatch.Climatewatch.org.au. Retrieved 27 March 2017, from https://www.climatewatch.org.au/species/plants/gymea-lily Group, T., 2017.Masked Lapwing | ClimateWatch.Climatewatch.org.au. Retrieved 27 March 2017, from https://www.climatewatch.org.au/species/birds/masked-lapwing Haklay, M., 2013. Citizen science and volunteered geographic information: Overview and typology of participation. InCrowdsourcing geographic knowledge(pp. 105-122). Springer Netherlands. Impact of climate change on species., 2017.Wwf.panda.org. Retrieved 27 March 2017, from https://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/species/problems/climate_change/ Mazur, E., Lower, S., Taylor, S., 2017. The onset of flowering and leaf shedding in the Illawarra Flame Tree is triggered by rainfall. https://dx.doi.org/21336447; 21306725; 21335404 Patrick, C., Ling Elaine, L., Eley, M., Lin, M., 2017. The London Plane Tree (Platanus x acerifolia) as a climate change indicator species in Australia. https://dx.doi.org/21139276, 21003953, 21137916, 21152384 Schfer, M.S. and Schlichting, I., 2014. Media representations of climate change: A meta-analysis of the research field.Environmental Communication,8(2), pp.142-160.

Business Strategy and Whitbread Essay Example

Business Strategy and Whitbread Paper Bibliography There are no sources in the current document. Carol Pickering Assignment 1 Business strategy EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Whitbread PLC founded in 1742 by Samuel Whitbread the first mass production brewing plant in Georgian London. Whitbread had always been known for brewing and running pubs. A complete change in direction in 2001 saw the selling off of both the brewing and the pubs and a new era of hotels restaurants and coffee shops began. 2011 see the core estate of premier inns several restaurant chains and costa coffee. These are not confined to the UK but Whitbread now sees business as global. Their vision is to build the best large scale hospitality brands in the world but still incorporating the values the Sam had in the 18th century. Whitbread have core values that are simple yet strong and three words, Genuine, Confident and Committed. These can be seen as to what the company aspires to and how they wish the business to conduct itself. As a global corporate business Whitbread can be seen to be creating value for money and creating a complete customer experience focusing on areas of the industry that are expanding value for money hotels and family restaurants as well as ever popular coffee shops. We will write a custom essay sample on Business Strategy and Whitbread specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Business Strategy and Whitbread specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Business Strategy and Whitbread specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In the financial report for 2010/11 there were as can be expected no financial objectives there were however several covering corporate responsibility from green issues such as energy saving to ethical objectives such as funding of schools for children in coffee growing regions. Also improving customer experiences stronger offers and expanding the business around the globe The vision strategy and core values for Whitbread are to the point focused and easily understood. The mission statement however is a little weak in that it does not contain and the necessary elements of a good mission statement. It focuses on its brand market and its philosophy with no mentions of employees or its corporate responsibility which both hold strong focus in the annual report for 2010/11 Financially Whitbread has gone from strength to strength. Expanding the business across the globe opening hotels and coffee shops in foreign shores has led to increase in like for like sales and profits. Turnover in 2010/11 was up 11. 5%. Revenue in hotels and restaurants up 10. 6%. Growth in costa coffee saw a massive increase of 24. 7% and Costa saw an increase of 38. 4% in its operating profit for the financial year. Operating profit grew from 3188m in 99/00 to ? 250m the year after the radical change in direction to ? 308. 8m in 10/11. Taking such a step in redirection was a gamble some would say. Having a solid strategy strong core values and a clear aim has lead Whitbread from strength to strength not nationally as was but globally as is. CONTENTS Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. page 1 History of Whitbread†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦page 1 Whitbread Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. page 2 Mission Statement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. page 2 Vision†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦page 3 Core Values†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. age 4 Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. page 5 Financial Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. page 5 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. page 6 1. INTRODUCTION Whitbread PLC is a major player within the hospitality and leisure sector in the U. K. As a company in 2001 the company took a different direction altogether. The aim was then to concentrate on the growing markets in hotels and restaurants. This report aims to look at the business strategy of Whitbread through the annual report 20010/2011 looking key trends and ratios as well as the company’s mission statements visions and objectives. HISTORY OF WHITBREAD Samuel Whitbread was born in 1720 his brewing apprenticeship was 1736 and he opened his first brewery in 1742. In 1750 he constructed the first purpose built mass production brewery in the UK this was Chiswell Street in Georgian London. Modern Whitbread in its current form started in 2001 when the brewing division was sold off and the company left the traditional bar and pub sector for good. Reincarnating itself into a hotel and restaurant company it still holds the values the Sam Whitbread in the founding days. That is to genuinely focus on the customer and to strive to be the best and to recognise that progress comes from innovative thinking. In the annual report from 2000/01 which was the last that covered the original estate the consisted of 5915 units outside the brewing division ranging from pubs managed and leased to hotels and off-licences with a turnover of ? 2951. 4mil and a GP of ? 759. 4mil. In the last annual report 2010/11 the portfolio contains 44295 rooms 379 restaurants and 1217 UK coffee shops and 654 internationally. The 2. turnover for this period was ? 599. 6mil however the GP was 1362. 5mil. (www. whitbread. co. uk) WHITBREAD STRATEGY Using PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological Environmental and Legal) an organisation can influence its strategy and alter it as the factors change. Politics covers changes in government; economics are influenced by exchange rates and world growth. Social covers demographics and technological covers innovations such as the inte rnet. Environmental covers green issues and legal covering legislation such as health and safety (Johnson. G, Scholes. K, Whittington. R 2008). Whitbread’s strategy is focused on creating value for money and the customer experience creating a link to a set of objectives and an incentive scheme for managers that depending on the brand can be up to 100% of the basic salary. (www. whitbread. co. uk/benefits). Rewarding individuals motivates a team, the interest levels increase in those areas of focus and the strategy becomes the employee’s everyday focus and it is understood. The team are motivated to perform to the best of their ability (Kaplan. R, Norton. D, 2004). Whitbread Strategy Appendix i MISSON STATEMENT Whitbread mission statement Appendix ii â€Å"A mission statements aim is to provide stakeholders with clarity about the overall purpose and raison d’etre of the organisation. † (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington 2008). 3. By early 21st century mission statement were widely used by organisations, Barkus regarded them as weak and varying ( Barkus. B, Glassman. M, McAfee. B, 2000). However Rarrek Vitton and Bart Baetz found a positive influence on returns for those organisations with an effective mission statement. (Bart,C. , Baetz,M. 998) found a positive influence on returns for those organisations with an effective mission statement. Mission statements should contain some or all or nine components (Appendix iii) The Whitbread statement does not contain all nine of these components. It touches on its brand â€Å"hospitality brand† Market â€Å"the world†. Its philosophy could be interpreted as â€Å"outstanding value†. There is however no mention of the employees or public image both of which hold focus in the last annual report with regard to employee qualifications and corporate responsibility (www. hitbread/annualreport. co. uk ) VISION Whitbread vision statement (appendix iv) A vision statement gives an insight into direction the organisation wants to take. It gives direction to the stakeholders and why and how to support the organisation (Kaplan. R, Norton,D. 2004). Profit alone will not motivate employees an organisation they see profit as money the management use and pay-out to shareholders (Quigley. J, 1994). A combination of a vision for employees to work towards and the generation of profit are needed for the success of an organisation. Whitbread in their vision statement give a clear and concise direction for the company using phrases â€Å"best large scale hospitality brands in the world† and â€Å"most 4. customer focused organisation there is†. The stakeholders know the direction the organisation is going and how it will achieve this. CORE VALUES To instil a set of core values within an organisation and will define the way in which the organisation is run. These values will tend towards values in which the organisation wishes to reach or aspire rather than what it is. These values are usually linked to corporate responsibility and are variable and misleading (Johnson. G, Scholes. K, and Wittington. R 2008). Arguably these core values are the basis on which an organisation work and conduct themselves. Whereas strategies will change according to outside influences the core values will not change (www. nps. gov ) Whitbread has three core values 1. Genuine – really caring about customers 2. Confident – striving to be the best at what we do 3. Committed – working hard for each other These values would not need to change even if the business did. PESTEL influences do not affect the 3 values for Whitbread. These can remain the focus for the company in challenging times. 5. OBJECTIVES Whitbread objectives (appendix v) â€Å"Clear and explicit and the basis upon which options are evaluated† (Johnson. G, Scholes. K, Whittington. R, 2008 p31) Objectives are formulated in relation to sales profits and aimed at both unit and corporate level. There are market based objectives that are linked to service repeat business and market share these are more commonly called targets. Both objectives and targets need to be measured (Ansoff. I, 1968). These measured and times objectives can focus on areas within a business that are in need of attention (Johnson. G, Scholes. K, and Wittington. R 2008). While within the Whitbread report there were no clear financial objectives those that were laid out are environmental (Appendix v) and called targets rather than objectives. When using the SMART criteria for creating objectives, Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic and Times all the targets meet this criteria. (Kerry 2002). FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Whitbread turnover 2010/11 was ? 1599. 6m up from ? 1435m 2009/10 a growth of 11. 5%. gross profit 2010/11 was ? 1362. 5m against ? 1221. 5m 2009/10 an increase of 0. 75%. Whitbread is split into 2 divisions hotels/restaurants and Costa Coffee. Revenue from the hotel/restaurants 20010/11 was ? 698. 6m an increase of 10. 6%. like for like sales were up 8. 2% against a negative of 4. 3% 2009/10. Restaurants had positive LFL sales of 3. 3% and the operating profit was up 14. 7% to ? 283. 4m. Costa 6. Coffee revenue 20010/11 was ? 425m an increase of 24. 7% like for like sales of 7. 8% and an operating profit of ? 50. 1m an increase of 38. 4% (www. whitbread. co. uk) CONCLUSION Whitbread has a clear defined strategy vision and strong core values. Each is easy for stakeholders to understand and form a strong base for the brand across the globe. The mission statement is however missing several of the key components including employee and corporate responsibility. This has not however hampered the continuing success of the company with sales and profits up again at the end of the last financial year. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ansoff,C. Baetz,M. (1998) The Relationship between Mission Statements and Firm Performance: an explority study. Journal of management studies. 35. Bartlaus,B. Glassman,M. McAfee,B. (2000) Mission Statements: are they smoke and Mirrors. Business horizons. 23. David,F. (2010). Strategic Management. Prentice Hall. USA Kaplan,R. Norton,D. (2004) The Strategy- focused Organisation. Harvard business School Press. Boston Mass. USA Kerry,T. (2002) Effective Learning Objectives task setting and differentiation. Nelson Thomas. UK. Quigley,J. (1994). Vision: how leaders develop it share it and sustain it:39 WEB SITES www. whitbread. co. uk www. nps. gov APPENDICES Whitbread Strategy â€Å"Our strategy is to create value for our shareholders by focusing our investment and growth in the expanding areas of the hospitality industry with particular focus on value for money hotels and costa coffee shops. This is how we manage to deliver outstanding performance across all of our business† www. whitbread. co. uk - Appendix i Whitbread Mission statement â€Å"Our aim is to build the best large scale hospitality brands in the world by becoming the most customer focused organisation there is. Anywhere. We’ll do this by providing outstanding value and making every day experiences feel special so that our customers come back time and time again† www. whitbread. co. uk - Appendix ii Components for a mission statement 1. Customers- who are the firm’s customers? 2. Products or services- what are the major products or services? 3. Markets- geographically where does the firm compete? 4. Technology- is the firm technically current? 5. Concern for survival growth and profitability-is the company committed to growth and financial soundness? 6. Philosophy- what are the basic beliefs values aspirations and ethical priorities of the firm? 7. Self-concept- what is the firm’s distinctive competence or major competitive advantage? . Concern for public image- is the firm responsive to social community and environmental concerns? 9. Concern for employees- are employees a valuable asset of the firm? - Chapter 2 the business vision and mission - Appendix iii VISION STATEMENT â€Å"Our ambitious vision is to build the best large scale hospitality brands in the world by becoming the most customer focused organisation there is, anywhere† ww. whitbre ad. co. uk - Appendix iv OBJECTIVES * Improving our insight to deliver a better customer experience * Stronger value led offers * Innovating across our brand propositions making our brands more accessible through increased distribution channels * Reduce our relative operational carbon emissions by 26% v a 2009/10 baseline by 2020 * Achieve 80% of waste diverted from landfill from Whitbread hotels and restaurant sites by Feb. 012 * Achieve a relative 20% reduction in water consumption in our hotels and restaurants portfolio against 2009/10 base line by 2020 * Raise ? 1m for water aid * Achieve 3000 qualifications from Whitbread hotels and restaurants apprenticeship scheme. 400 costa learners trained by 2011 * To raise funds and build Costa foundation schools sufficient to educate 15,000 children in coffee growing communities by 2012

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Quotes

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Quotes The curtains close. With Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the famous epic of wizardry and magic finally ends. J. K. Rowling takes us, Muggles, for one last magical tour into Harry Potters world. The book ends with a climax that reaches a feverish pitch. If you havent yet grabbed a copy of the book, you are missing a lot. For the rest of the die-hard Harry Potter fans, take a trip to fantasy land, with these Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows quotes. Spoiler warning: These quotes might reveal parts of the story. Albus DumbledoreOf course, it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?Ron Weasley(with regard to Peeves singing his victory song) That really captures the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesnt it?(Engraved on Dobbys grave)Here lies Dobby, a free elf.Luna LovegoodI think the answer is: a circle that has no beginning.Hermione GrangerMudblood, and proud of it!PeevesWe did it, we bashed them, wee Potters the one,And Voldys gone moldy, so now lets have fun!Sirius Black[On being asked if dying hurt] Dying? Not at all. Quicker and easier than falling asleep.VoldemortThat Potter lives is due more to my errors, than to his triumphs... I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best-laid plans. But I know better now. I understand those things that I did not understand before. I must be the one to kill Harry Potter, and I shall be.Albus DumbledoreIt is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well. Dudley Dursley(to Harry) I dont think youre a waste of space.Albus DumbledoreDo not pity the dead, Harry, pity the living. Above all, pity those who live without love. By returning you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed and fewer families are torn apart. If that seems to you a worthy goal, then we say goodbye for the present.Hermione GrangerWands are only as powerful as the wizards who use them. Some wizards just like to boast that theirs are bigger and better than other peoples.Albus DumbledorePower was my weakness and my temptation.Luna Lovegood(after McGonagall says Lord Voldemort is attacking) Ooh! We can say that name now?Albus DumbledoreThat which Voldemort does not value, he takes no trouble to understand. Of house-elves and childrens tales, of love, loyalty, and innocence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. Nothing. That they all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any magic, is a truth he has never grasped.(Engraved on Rowena Ravenclaws diadem) Wit beyond measure is mans greatest treasure. Ronald WeasleyAlls fair in love and war, and this is a bit of both.Mr. OllivanderThe wand chooses the wizard, that much has always been clear to those of us who have studied wandlore.Harry Potter(to Ron and Hermione kissing) Oi! Theres a war going on here!Ron Weasley(referring to Draco Malfoys son) Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mothers brains.Fred WeasleyFor instance, this new idea that You-Know-Who can kill with a single glance from his eyes. Thats a Basilisk, listeners. One simple test, check whether the thing thats glaring at you has got legs. If it has, its safe to look into its eyes, although if it really is You-Know-Who, thats still likely to be the last thing you ever do.(Engraved on the Potters grave)The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Kung Fu Hustle Analysis Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Kung Fu Hustle Analysis - Movie Review Example The development of film through pooling resources from different industries and applying the different genres that were previously not being utilized has aided them cross the coterminous boundary of global film. Chinese films are more defined in geographic, ethnic and auteurist terms and only bound to address the issues of identity, nationhood, gender and immigration. Chow’s film, Kung Fu Hustle answers the Joroen De Kloet’s call to ‘move away from the textual to the contextual’ and still address the same issues that previous directors were trying to address. Scholars need appreciate that the evolving Chinese film industry is incorporating aspects that are more western and involving western studios to make their art. The two industry have ceased being apart and have merged to make a comprehensive picture that addresses the â€Å"derivative- a slavish, lesser, imitator† tag. The main aspect of merging the two different cultures is to appeal the popular audience and intertwine globalization, localization, regionalization and nationalization in films. Chow’s film Kung Fu Hustle is an important sign in the evolving Asian market to adapt and interact with the western industry. Chow, through production, funding and the acting incorporates western aspects that are ‘acceptable’ to the Chinese people. He avoids themes that will limit his film to the Asian market, which has a liberal thought in terms of culture and religious freedom. Through his previous films, he knows that he cannot appeal to the audience through voice humor and hence develops bodily and character humor that will auger with any audience globally. An auteur skill of film making that makes him a director to reckon with in the Chinese film industry, while incorporating those aspects that attract popular audience and make money. Popular culture among actors is definitive in formation of identity,

Business Financing and the Capital Structure Essay

Business Financing and the Capital Structure - Essay Example Financial planning of the corporation would include building a plan to meet the expenses of the future through its holdings on assets after considering the predicted future cash flows and plans for withdrawal or allocation of funds. Financial planning help the corporations to understand the changes required in the areas of investment and allocation of assets in order to meet their financial goals. Thus financial planning ensures smooth transition of the financial position of the companies to attain the long term goals in future and also to meet the short term operational need. The process of financial planning is significant for the companies to attain sustainability in a competitive market (Baker and  Powell, 2009). Working capital of corporations is the difference between the current assets and current liabilities of the corporation. Working capital management involves maintenance of optimum levels of both the current liabilities and current assets of the corporation. Optimum lev el of current asset and current liabilities indicate maintenance of sufficient current assets and cash in hand in order to meet the short term liability and expenses for daily operation in an efficient manner. The important ratios that are useful for effective working capital management are inventory turnover, account payables and accounts receivables. The excess cash is parked by businesses through the marketable securities like debentures and bonds that could be converted into cash within a short period of time. The marketable securities for parking excess cash provide a source of high liquidity. The high liquidity requirement could be met by the corporations by use of marketable securities due to the presence of large number of buyers in the market. The financial instruments used to park excess cash are exposed to lesser market risk as these could be transformed into liquid cash at any point of time. 2. Assume that you are financial advisor to a business. Describe the advice that you would give to the client for raising business capital using both debt and equity options in today’s economy. The valuation of companies had become vulnerable from the period of economic recession which turned into a global financial meltdown. Although the situation has recovered to an extent since last year which was backed by performance of the emerging economies, the investors are still circumspect on investing in equities of the companies without doing adequate research. Thus the raising of business capital through a mix of debt and equity options would be suitable for the companies. The equity financing option of raising capital would involve issue of shares to the public for raising funds. The companies would have to share the profits with the increased number of shareholders. The risk of investments, however, would also be shared with investors. The ownership structure of the company would get diluted and the control over business decision making would be reduced. The funds raised through debt financing option are also painful for the companies over a period of time due to the regular interest payments to be done by them. The cost of debt financing, however, would be reduce due to the tax deductibility feature. Due to the tax shields, the companies are in a position to reduce their interest payments. Thus a debt-equity mix strategy for raising business capital is suitable for the

Making decisions in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Making decisions in business - Essay Example In such context, the researcher has decided to go deep in the topic of business research in order to understand how data is being collected and how this data can be analyzed in order make valid business decision. The essay will also take example of case study regarding sales revenue in return of Facebook marketing in order to shed light how statistical calculation is used for analyzing data. But, in the first section, the essay will shed light on data collection procedure. 1.1 Collection of Primary and Secondary Data Saunders, Lewis and Thornhil (2009) pointed out that researchers should be careful while collecting data regarding given business problem because business research is significantly different from academic research. For example, business researchers should focus more on real time data such as sales revenue after integrating certain advertising measures while academic researcher focus more on historical data in the form of literature review. For a business problem, researc hers can use two types of data source such as primary and secondary. 1.1.1 Plan According to the instruction, I have been approached by marketing department of Blue Marketing in order to help them to analyze the success of the new social media (Facebook) marketing campaign which has been designed for their client cocktail cosmetics. Data sources for analyzing the success of marketing campaign can be following types; Data Sources Characteristics Validity Secondary Data Previous result of such kind of marketing that has been prepared by the company for other clients. Historical data from the company database regarding industry trend on social media marketing trend. Available business report on global social media marketing trend. Financial report of cocktail cosmetics which can serve as basal plan for understanding the resource capability of client for funding digital marketing campaign. No. of likes is Facebook page of the social media marketing campaign of cocktail cosmetics. Data s ources should not be old (not before 2011) while each data should be collected after cross checking the authenticity. Data should be collected from updated databases and previous social media advertising campaigns should be adjusted as per present condition and size of cocktail cosmetics. Number of likes in Facebook page can help the Blue Marketing to assess the popularity of the campaign. These data are being collected in real time manner hence there is no question on data validity. Primary Data Sources Daily sales revenue data, Facebook Posts (FP) and Fan interactions (FI) are three major primary data sources for Blue Marketing to analyze the performance of the designed social media campaign. Survey method can also be used in order to collect data from Facebook users regarding their opinion about the campaign. Reliability statistics should be used in order to test the autocorrelation between the sample data and data having low responses having low should be deleted in order to inc rease validity of the data. Secondary data should be collected by accessing internet sources and paid business databases while primary data can be collected by visiting the Facebook page of the campaign and customer interaction page in Facebook. Sales data can be colle

European Perspective on Nanotechnology Patents

European Perspective on Nanotechnology Patents An Overview of Nanotechnology Patents: A European Perspective The future world will to a large extent consist of a knowledge based society. Intellectual property (IP) will play an important role in generating wealth and employment in that society. A general rule is that the more developed a country is the more stricter and secure for IP and strict to uphold the IPR. IP assets have become between 50 and 70 percent of the gross domestic products of a developed country.[1] In that sense it can be said that IP has become one of the most important assets of knowledge based economies.[2] Creativity is essential to economic growth.[3] It is feared that the development of new technologies and thereby the progress of societies will be halted without the presence of intellectual property rights (IPR). IPRs encourage the development of new technologies. IPRs aim at creating a harmonious relationship among investors, inventors and consumers. Patent rights are one of the important branches of IPR. The ultimate goal of patent rights is to promote invention a nd encourage further development of that invention for the benefit of society. Before going into an in-depth discussion on nanotechnology patents, it will be wise to discuss patent rights. The main aim of patent rights is to protect technological inventions.[4] Patents can be seen as the outcome indicators of applied research and technological advancement.[5] A patent protects novel and non-obvious ideas and not mere the expressions of those ideas.[6] The patent system is meant to protect technology, actual machines, devices and new chemical, biotechnological/nanotechnological compositions rather than pure concepts.[7] The main of the system is to promote the continuation of intellectual community[8] and industrial and technological development. Generally a patent may be defined as the exclusive right granted by statute to a party who conceives or discovers a non obvious and novel invention, to use and develop that invention, to prevent others from manufacturing, selling or using the invention for a limited time, which depends on the inventions and jurisdictions. Patent terms are typically from 14 to 20 years.[9] The applicant of a patent must show that the invention is eligible subject matter, novel, having industrial application or utility, inventive step and non-obviousness i.e. that the invention is not obvious to a skilled person in the field with ordinary knowledge and lastly adequate disclosure. Its not enough that an invention is new for a company or in a definite country. The described invention must be new in the international context.[10] Patent is very important in the intellectual and scientific community because of it relate to their reputation and to enrich their resume. In the sense of commercial sector, it i s important because it creates barriers to entry into the market.[11] The emergence of a new and pioneer technology creates issues and possibilities in perfecting IP rights.[12] Like other present technologies, nanotechnology isnt merely a part of a distant future, but is also a significant technology today.[13] Its obvious that nanotechnology will be one of the essential technologies of the 21st century which have enough potentiality to create new markets and prosperity.[14] Nanotechnologies are treated not as a standalone topic, but as a potential and important approach to develop new materials and accomplishment new properties. Their potential for characterizing and building up nano-structure will meet future goals in nearly all sectors. Nanotechnologies have the merit of joining together chemists, physicists, biologists, medical doctors, sociologists, etc. It has been held that nanotechnology will be one of the largest sectors of economic growth of world in the foreseeable future.[15] Such technology will be used in a wide range of products from mi litary weapons to clothing.[16] Many multinational companies have already invested huge amounts in the field of nanotechnology. The nano-world is full of surprise and potential.[17] As its a nascent technology, it may pose problems and opportunities for IP regimes.[18] Nanotechnology patents are not treated differently than other patents but it is true that more complex technology creates more complex problem within the patent system. It may be the next legal challenge in the field of IPR. Although early predictions for nanotechnology commercialization are encouraging, however, there are formidable challenges that include legal, environmental, ethical and regulatory questions, as well as emerging thickets of overlapping patent claims. The rapid technological development of nanotechnology will challenge the traditional regulatory system in patent law.[19] Another problem will arise to classify the nanotechnology because advanced nano-products may suit into different categories simultaneously.[20] One thing is certain, however, nanotechnology is here to stay and will generate both evolutionary as well as revolutionary products in the future, thereby improving all sectors of our life.[21] The impact of nanotechnology on our way of life is widely belie ved to reach profound and hitherto unimagined levels in the coming decades.[22] Nanotechnology is just passing its early stage in the field of science and very little development has occurred in the legal arena on nanotech. In this thesis, I will focus on legal sides of nanotechnology patents. My overall point of discussion is legal rather than technical. The first part of the thesis will contain a general overview of nanotechnology from a scientific view point, different governmental and non-governmental organizations approach as well as the importance of nanotechnology from other general aspects. In the second part of the thesis, the relationship between nanotechnology and IPR will be discussed. The third part of the thesis addresses the possibility of patenting nanotechnology inventions. This part also contains a brief description on EU policy towards nanotechnology patents. Finally, the future legal challenges which may face legal experts in the IP field regarding the patenting of nanotechnology products are analyzed. 1. What is Nanotechnology: Technological and theoretical improvements have moved us to the place where our knowledge of atomic construction and behavior has significantly improved.[23] This advancement enables human to enter the age of nanotechnology.[24] Nanotechnology is mainly consists of ‘nano- materials- e.g. carbon nano-tubes, fullerenes, nano-particles, quantum dots, dendrimers, nano-crystalline diamonds, nano-wires, etc.[25] According to Eric Drexler, a nano-optimist, nanotechnology can change the world in the way that the steam engine did.[26] A proper definition is very important in a field of science and technology, not least for patents.[27] It is very important to define nanotechnology from a legal point of view. The world of nanotechnology is a world of individual atoms and molecules.[28] Its the science to study and use of the unique characteristics of materials at nano-scale.[29] A precise definition of ‘nanotechnology in law and science is yet to be decided. It encompasses many dif ferent concepts and fields simultaneously, which is a difficult task. Even scientists in the field maintain that it â€Å"depends on whom you ask.†[30] Many experts and different governmental institutions have tried to define the concept of nanotechnology. Generally ‘nanotechnology seems to refer to very small science.[31] ‘Technology derives from the Greek tekhne, which means ‘skill or ‘discipline and ‘logos which means ‘speech.[32] ‘Nano comes from the Latin word for ‘dwarf, but today the prefix is more known to denote one billionth (i.e. one billionth of a metre).[33] Therefore nanotechnology could mean the discipline of assembly at the nanometer scale or in other words, molecular assemblage and mass molecular production.[34] Nanotechnology is an umbrella term used to define the properties or products and process at the nano/micro scale that have resulted from the convergence of the physical, chemical and life science.[35] EPO[36] defines ‘nanotechnology as follows: The term nanotechnology covers entities with a controlled geometrical size of at least one functional component below 100 nano-metres in one or more dimensions susceptible of making physical, chemical or biological effects available which are intrinsic to that size. It covers equipment and methods for controlled analysis, manipulation, processing, fabrication or measurement with a precision below 100 nano-metres. The U.S. ‘National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) predicted in a report issued by the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the near term benefits of the developments of this new technology. The White House Office of Management and Budget devised a broader, more functional definition for nanotechnology. It defines Nanotechnology as : research and technology development at the atomic, molecular or macromolecular levels in the length scale of approximately 1-100 nano-meter range, to provide a fundamental understanding of the phenomena and materials properties at the nano-scale and to model, create, characterize, manipulate and use structures, device and systems that have novel properties and functions because of their small or intermediate size.[37] Nobel laureate Richard Smalley defines nanotechnology as ‘the art and science of building stuff that does stuff on the nano-meter scale. Eric Drexler defines nanotechnology as â€Å"engineering in the molecular scale†.[38] Some legal expert characterizes it â€Å"as the skillful management of matter at the scale of one billionth of a meter or smaller†.[39] The US Nanotechnology Act[40] defines nanotechnology as the science and technology that will enable one to understand measure, manipulate, and manufacture at the atomic, molecular, and supra-molecular levels.[41] Although nanotechnology encompasses many different types of concepts, it can be said generally that nanotechnology is a science to manipulation of matter or things at the scale of nano-meter.[42] Nanotechnology covers several established domains and technologies, with the exact definition of what are nanotechnology still being debated.[43] 1.1 Why is nanotechnology important? Nanotechnology is important in many senses. Nanotechnology will certainly change the nature of almost every human made object in the next century and will reshape out interaction with the surrounding world.[44] It covers a multiple fields of science and will create a vital opportunity in the future world. In the view of transformational impact, its a simple fact that it gives us a set of tools that make us enable to transform the world at a far smaller scale than was ever available to us before.[45] Nanotechnology enables us to change the structure of many different fields by giving us opportunity to access a realm where many of the old rules associated with matter apply no more.[46] Nanotechnology attracts a considerable amount of attention because it gives us opportunity to access to radically different capabilities with wide range of materials, even though we have been using those materials for many years. Nanotechnology will give rise to a wealth of new materials and manufacturin g possibilities, which will cause a great impact on our future economy, environment and society. Nest I will address some fields where the application of nanotechnology will have an important impact: Economic Impact: Many economists predict that nanotechnology will be the next economic turning point in the global economy. It may be the issue of every economic sector as it encompasses a large and diverse field. In nearly every economic sector such as health and medicine, materials, computing and electronics, military weapons, environment, energy, transportation and virtually every other commercial sector nanotechnology will play a great role in coming decades considering its numerous fields of applications. Nanotechnology has attracted the worldwide companies vastly. As of 2004, 1500 companies worldwide have declared their plans on nanotechnology research and development and of these 80% were newly startup companies.[47] The U.S. National Science has presumed that the world market for nanotechnology will reach 1 trillion USD or more within 20 years.[48] According to Lux Research, within next ten years nanotechnology applications will affect nearly every type of manufactured goods.[49] The EU recog nized nanotechnology as an important element for the benefit of its citizens. In 2007 the European Commission allocated EUR 600 million for nanotechnology research and development.[50] The former president of the United States, George W. Bush signed the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act[51] on December 3, 2004 authorizing approximately $3.7 billion in federal funding for the development and research of nanotechnology over the next four years.[52] According to Mike Honda, California House Representative and co-drafter of the original Nanotechnology Act, the worldwide market for nanotechnology products and services could reach $ 1 trillion by 2015.[53] Nanotechnology in food security, environmental and public health issues: Nanotechnology will have a great impact on food security and environmental issues. In September 2003, the United States Department of Agriculture published its roadmap and in that report the Department predicted that nanotechnology will change the appearance of food industry, changing the way food is produced, processed, packaged, transported and consumed.[54] Helmuth Kaiser Consultancy predicts that the market of nano-food will rise from 2.6 billion USD to 20.4 billion USD by 2010.[55] Nanotechnology is capable of changing the agriculture and food industry with e.g. new tools for the molecular treatment of disease, speedy disease detection, raising the ability of plants to absorb nutrients etc..[56] Intelligent sensors and small delivery systems will help the agricultural industry combat viruses and other crop disease producing agents.[57] There is strong possibility that in the near future nano-structured catalysts will be available which will enhance the competency of pesticides a nd herbicides, allowing lower doses to be used. In CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture), nano-technological devices providing ‘scouting capabilities could enormously improve the growers ability to determine the suitable time of harvest for the crop.[58] Another important role for nanotechnology-enabled devices will be the increased use of automatic sensors linked into a GPS system for real-time monitoring. These nano-sensors could be fixed throughout the field where they can monitor soil conditions and crop growth.[59] Wireless sensors are already being used in specific parts of the US and Australia. Nanotechnology can help us to improve our understanding of the biology of different crops and thus potentially increase yields or nutritional values.[60] Nanotechnology has also potential to save our environment indirectly through the use of renewable energy supplies, and filters or catalysts to control environment pollution and clean-up existing pollutants.[61] Nanotechnology can also be used to clean ground water. The US Company Argonide uses 2nm diameter aluminum oxide nano-fibres (Nano-cream) as an element of water purifier. This nano-level filtration system helps to remove viruses, bacteria and protozoan cysts from water. Developing countries like India and South Africa are also running similar projects using the same technique.[62] Research at the Centre for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) has shown that nano-scale iron oxide particles are tremendously effective at binding and removing arsenic from groundwater,[63] which will play a great role especially in the developing countries where environmental pollution is an important factor. The development of nano-technological based remediation techniques can resto re and clean-up environmental injury and pollution (e.g. oil in water or soil).[64] Most of the opposition to nanotechnology has been targeted on the long term risks connected with self-replicating nano-robots. Some environmental groups, e.g. the Action Group On Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC) predicts that nano-materials may cause harm to human health and environment. Moreover the group urges to ban the production of nano-materials.[65] Besides these, some experts feel worried about impact of nano-particles in the environment and predict that some nano-elements will also be harmful for the environment and suggest that there must be a risk assessment authority for nano-particles. Nanotechnology in the medical sector: Nanotechnology is a technology which has vast possibilities in the development of health and medical treatment.[66] Medical science has made big advances in understanding the structure and functions of living organisms down to the genetic level. Nanotechnology created the opportunity to apply that knowledge significantly more perfect to the diagnosis and treatment of illness and injuries than in the traditional way.[67] Nanotechnology applications in medicine are growing significant interest, which can be labeled as ‘nano-medicine. ‘Nano-medicine can be defined as the medical application of nanotechnology that will have potential to lead to useful research tools, advanced drug delivery systems and new ways to combat disease or repair injured tissues and cells.[68] The advancement of nano-medicine may result in more significant interventions in respect of illness.[69] Nano-medicine is capable of prevention, early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of different diseases.[ 70] The experts on physical science predict that in future nanotechnology will apply to surgery and to cure different complex diseases in human body. Nanotechnology in military weapons: The first wave of nanotechnology will primarily be used in the military for state security related purposes.[71] Many nanotechnology experts presume that in many states have already taken lots of initiatives in their military sectors and given top priority to research in making nanotechnology weapons and its potentiality at the time of war and other military uses. It should be remembered that the Internet, computer and other land marking inventions of the last century were also military projects and now these inventions have changed the world in every sector and are being used for the welfare of mankind. The ultimate question comes down to whether the good outweigh the bad with respect to the utilization of this technology in this domain.[72] Nanotechnology in Information Technology (IT): Nanotechnology has enough potential for creating faster computers with larger memories than the present transistors and other components permit.[73] Carbon nano-tubes will also be used in IT. These tubes could be either conducting or semiconducting and have the potential for memory and storage as well. By using nanotechnology, computer tools will be cheaper than today and will create a sustainable IT sector. Without doubt nanotechnology will vastly affect the IT sector in the future. 1.2 EU policy for nanotechnology: Presently nanotechnologies strengthen many useful and practical applications and have huge possibilities to improve the quality of life and protection of environment and accelerate Europes industrial competition.[74] The European Commission has taken several steps to take nanotechnology research benefits for the development of the EU[75]. The EU is proceeding toward a collective and correlated strategy for nanotechnology research and development.[76] The Commission has not yet adopted any broad and specific public policy for nanotechnology but has adopted a strategy plan for the allocation of significant resources for supporting nanotechnology research and development.[77] But this strategy has yet not been turned into any formal legislation and/or regulation.[78] On June 7, 2005 the European Commission passed an Action Plan for the implementation of a strategy for European nano-science and nanotechnology development.[79] This action plan is not obligatory by law and in apparently it is simply a declaration and a step towards regulating nanotechnology further. In this action plan, the importance of research and examining the future impact of nano-science and nanotechnology is emphasised. The Commission have divided the Action Plan into five steps: Promote RD in the Europe: In this phase, the Commission recognized that by collaborating with public and private sectors across Europe for the research and development of nanotechnology, an interdisciplinary initiative is necessary. In 2007-2008, the Commission invested EUR 2.5 billion under the Research Framework Programme and before that in 2003-2006 EUR 1.4 billion had been invested.[80] As nanotechnologies have multidisciplinary character, the Research and Development (RD) projects have taken in different industrial sectors such as health, food, energy, transport, environment, etc.[81] Frame a base of European â€Å"Poles of Excellence†: This phases main aim is to build up poles of excellence into present structures for establishing highly-presentable world class poles in the area of nanotechnology by providing necessary services to the research community.[82] State of art equipment and instrumentation is day by day a challenge for the development of nanotechnology and to establish whether RD is enabling to transform into capable of being wealth rendering product and process.[83] The Commission is giving support continuously by funding access to present facilities and creating new facilities, which have led to ‘durable integration in the form of new institutes and virtual infrastructure such as the European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF).[84] Investing in human resources: The purpose of this axis is to conforming European educational system to the specifies of nanotechnology in the higher level studies which also cover legal technical subjects such as patenting nanotechnology and encourage the young people in the EU to nanotech studies and research.[85] Actually the development of nanotechnology mainly depends upon the skilled manpower and interdisciplinary actions. The main aim of this phase is to transform the nanotech knowledge from academy to industry.[86] Patronizing the transformation of knowledge into Industrial Applications: In this phase the Commissions strategy and its Action Plan pointed to two issues connected to IP: Patents and Standardization.[87] In respect of patents, the Commissions Action Plan advocates to establish a patent monitoring system for nanotechnology and to harmonize the patent prosecution system especially ‘sufficiency of disclosure and ‘inventive step, (which are crucial in case of nanotechnology patents) among the leading patent offices in the world such as the European Patent Office (EPO), the US Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO) and the Japan Patent Office.[88] Concerning standardization, the Commission encourages pre-normative research and development in combined actions with the activities of European Standard Bodies.[89] Integrate the Social Dimension: The purpose of this phase is to recall an EU strategy about ethical principles in respect of health, safety and environmental aspects in the development of nanotechnology and making a transparent approach by open dialogues with E.U. citizens and stakeholders.[90] The Commission has taken several actions to reflect the peoples expectations and take their views into account.[91] In February 2008, EC passed a recommendation of ‘Code of conduct for responsible nano-science and nano-technologies research which gives guidelines towards a responsible and open approach.[92] Every proposal considered for funding by the Commission must meet the requirements of ethical issues.[93] The Commission is also giving efforts to increase researchers awareness to the Code of Conduct on nanotechnology research. Actually the Commission seeks the nanotechnology research to reflect and comply with the basic ethical values described in the core European Agreements such as ‘the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. 2.0 Relationship between Nanotechnology and IP: IPRs play a significance role in the development of new technologies. IPRs are essential in the present technology-driven age.[94] For an international perspective, nanotechnology is presently one of the most effective new technologies, in terms of number of patent applications.[95] Moreover, competitors in the nascent nanotechnology industries employ trade secrets legislation to supplement their control over key technology and expertise. In spite of being less directly involved in the nanotechnology industry, copyright and trademark legislation are also affect competitors in nanotechnology markets as the companies use computer software for nanotechnology research and development. Moreover, companies are also active to give their products commercial identification and trademark is playing a great role in that respect. IP law yields the primary regulatory vehicle by which ownership, control and use of nanotechnology are managed. The basic purpose of IP law is to facilitate for creators or inventors and encourage continuation of further development and creation. Thus IP law plays an influential role in a new and highly divergent functioning field of research and development like nanotechnology.[96] IP law also plays an important role in the integration of nanotechnology development into commercial applications.[97] The next part investigates how nanotechnology is related to IPRs. Patent: Patent law give legal rights to inventors. For a patent right to be granted certain criteria should be fulfilled such as eligible subject matter, inventive step, novelty and usefulness or industrial application and lastly sufficient disclosure and description.[98] Patents are important to protect small, emerging technology business.[99] Most business enterprises need a quantity of patent portfolio as insurance towards their already risky investment.[100] These criteria are not technology specific and thus should also be fulfilled in case of nanotechnology inventions. As much of the research in nanotechnology has been conducted through multidisciplinary fields, it may challenge the present patent system. For an example, as its a newly adopted technology in the field of science the patent examiner may grant broad patent rights to the inventor which in the future may cause a great barrier in the development of nanotechnology and society may be deprived from the benefits of nanot echnology. Copyright: Copyright law protects original expressions of ideas of literary and artistic works but not for the ideas themselves.[101] The main key of copyright is the ‘originality of authorship.[102] The issues of copyright are mostly likely to arise in respect of nanotechnology regarding computer software programs which is likely to be used for nanotechnology research and development.[103] Trademarks: Trademark rights protect words, logos and any other type of commercial identifiers.[104] These marks help the public to identify the respective products or services of a company. It also helps customers from not being misled by deceptive use of marks. As many nanotechnology related companies will come into the market, trademarks will play an important role to identify the different company and their products which is most crucial for investment of a company. Trademarks also indicate the goodwill of the company. Trade Secrets: Trade secrets can be defined as ‘confidential information or knowledge which is not widely known and gives competitive advantages to its owner. Companies may be more interested to keep some information or know-how of their products as trade secrets because under patent law after the expiry of the protection period the product will come into public domain. For trade secrets there is no time limit and business advantages may come from by using trade secret protection wisely, or a combination of patents and trade secrets. The use of different forms of IP offers different options for developers of nanotechnology. While nanotechnology industry is highly patent oriented the possibility of vast legal battles over nanotechnology patents in the future is likely to be happen. It also should be kept in mind that aggressive assertion of IPRs can create obstacles in important research of nanotechnology.[105] Patent busting, generics, technical standards and open sources are a few of the leading examples of critical IP challenges to all technology, including nanotechnology.[106] The challenges of IPR management of nanotechnology are not only for the ownership of IP but also the possibility of huge economic value from nanotechnology. 3.0 Patentability of Nanotechnology-European Aspect: The recent advancement of industrial research and development in the nanotechnology field is a worldwide phenomenon. Since last few years national and international governmental authorities, research institutes and industrial companies have increasingly aware of nanotechnology as a driving force for innovation in different fields including chemistry, material science, biotechnology and electronics.[107] For nanotechnology, patents are the most used and by far most important form of IP.[108] Nanotechnology is incomparably among the most patentable technologies, in that it is exceptional in attributes and nascent.[109] The main attraction in nanotechnology patenting is not only its size but also its ‘unique cross-industry pattern. Nanotechnology is exceptional compared with other technologies because it does not originates in a single branch of science like biotechnology, information technology etc.[110] The main characteristic of nanotechnology is its size. Surprisingly this is nearly the first new field in almost a century in which basic ideas, i.e. ‘the basic building block was patented at the beginning.[111] Patent rights give the rights holder an opportunity to gain economic and other related profits for a certain period as a reward for the invention. In case of nanotech research and invention there is a need for huge long term investments thus patent rights play a substantial role to recoup the investment of a company. Without a clear and sound patent regulatory system, large companies will be reluctant to invest in the field of nanotechnology and the development of nanotechnology invention will be hampered. Its no doubt that the rapid growth of nanotechnology will result a multiple field of application and jurisdiction and obviously will create a legal challenge in future IP regimes. The most basic issue is that whether nanotech inventions are patentable or not? In this chapter the ‘patentability of nanotechnology will be discussed in the light of European legal instruments and the WTO TRIPS Agreement. All inventions are not patentable. A patentable subject matter might not be (a) an abstract idea; (b) laws of nature; and (c) physical phenomena.[112] As mentioned, to qualify the patentability of an invention certain conditions must be satisfied. i) patent eligible subject matter; ii) utility; iii) novelty; iv) non-obviousness; and v) sufficient disclosure. In addition to the already mentioned patentability criteria, the claims have to be clear, brief and must be supported by the description.[113] The application of the inventions requires disclosing the invention is such a way as a whole that a person skilled in the art is being capable to carry out the invention.[114] There are not separate patentability rules for nanotech inventions. Thus any patent connected with the nano-field must fulfill the general requirements of patentability.[115] 3.1 Procedures at the European Patent Office: In Europe, an applicant can file a patent application either in the national patent office or in the Europe European Perspective on Nanotechnology Patents European Perspective on Nanotechnology Patents An Overview of Nanotechnology Patents: A European Perspective The future world will to a large extent consist of a knowledge based society. Intellectual property (IP) will play an important role in generating wealth and employment in that society. A general rule is that the more developed a country is the more stricter and secure for IP and strict to uphold the IPR. IP assets have become between 50 and 70 percent of the gross domestic products of a developed country.[1] In that sense it can be said that IP has become one of the most important assets of knowledge based economies.[2] Creativity is essential to economic growth.[3] It is feared that the development of new technologies and thereby the progress of societies will be halted without the presence of intellectual property rights (IPR). IPRs encourage the development of new technologies. IPRs aim at creating a harmonious relationship among investors, inventors and consumers. Patent rights are one of the important branches of IPR. The ultimate goal of patent rights is to promote invention a nd encourage further development of that invention for the benefit of society. Before going into an in-depth discussion on nanotechnology patents, it will be wise to discuss patent rights. The main aim of patent rights is to protect technological inventions.[4] Patents can be seen as the outcome indicators of applied research and technological advancement.[5] A patent protects novel and non-obvious ideas and not mere the expressions of those ideas.[6] The patent system is meant to protect technology, actual machines, devices and new chemical, biotechnological/nanotechnological compositions rather than pure concepts.[7] The main of the system is to promote the continuation of intellectual community[8] and industrial and technological development. Generally a patent may be defined as the exclusive right granted by statute to a party who conceives or discovers a non obvious and novel invention, to use and develop that invention, to prevent others from manufacturing, selling or using the invention for a limited time, which depends on the inventions and jurisdictions. Patent terms are typically from 14 to 20 years.[9] The applicant of a patent must show that the invention is eligible subject matter, novel, having industrial application or utility, inventive step and non-obviousness i.e. that the invention is not obvious to a skilled person in the field with ordinary knowledge and lastly adequate disclosure. Its not enough that an invention is new for a company or in a definite country. The described invention must be new in the international context.[10] Patent is very important in the intellectual and scientific community because of it relate to their reputation and to enrich their resume. In the sense of commercial sector, it i s important because it creates barriers to entry into the market.[11] The emergence of a new and pioneer technology creates issues and possibilities in perfecting IP rights.[12] Like other present technologies, nanotechnology isnt merely a part of a distant future, but is also a significant technology today.[13] Its obvious that nanotechnology will be one of the essential technologies of the 21st century which have enough potentiality to create new markets and prosperity.[14] Nanotechnologies are treated not as a standalone topic, but as a potential and important approach to develop new materials and accomplishment new properties. Their potential for characterizing and building up nano-structure will meet future goals in nearly all sectors. Nanotechnologies have the merit of joining together chemists, physicists, biologists, medical doctors, sociologists, etc. It has been held that nanotechnology will be one of the largest sectors of economic growth of world in the foreseeable future.[15] Such technology will be used in a wide range of products from mi litary weapons to clothing.[16] Many multinational companies have already invested huge amounts in the field of nanotechnology. The nano-world is full of surprise and potential.[17] As its a nascent technology, it may pose problems and opportunities for IP regimes.[18] Nanotechnology patents are not treated differently than other patents but it is true that more complex technology creates more complex problem within the patent system. It may be the next legal challenge in the field of IPR. Although early predictions for nanotechnology commercialization are encouraging, however, there are formidable challenges that include legal, environmental, ethical and regulatory questions, as well as emerging thickets of overlapping patent claims. The rapid technological development of nanotechnology will challenge the traditional regulatory system in patent law.[19] Another problem will arise to classify the nanotechnology because advanced nano-products may suit into different categories simultaneously.[20] One thing is certain, however, nanotechnology is here to stay and will generate both evolutionary as well as revolutionary products in the future, thereby improving all sectors of our life.[21] The impact of nanotechnology on our way of life is widely belie ved to reach profound and hitherto unimagined levels in the coming decades.[22] Nanotechnology is just passing its early stage in the field of science and very little development has occurred in the legal arena on nanotech. In this thesis, I will focus on legal sides of nanotechnology patents. My overall point of discussion is legal rather than technical. The first part of the thesis will contain a general overview of nanotechnology from a scientific view point, different governmental and non-governmental organizations approach as well as the importance of nanotechnology from other general aspects. In the second part of the thesis, the relationship between nanotechnology and IPR will be discussed. The third part of the thesis addresses the possibility of patenting nanotechnology inventions. This part also contains a brief description on EU policy towards nanotechnology patents. Finally, the future legal challenges which may face legal experts in the IP field regarding the patenting of nanotechnology products are analyzed. 1. What is Nanotechnology: Technological and theoretical improvements have moved us to the place where our knowledge of atomic construction and behavior has significantly improved.[23] This advancement enables human to enter the age of nanotechnology.[24] Nanotechnology is mainly consists of ‘nano- materials- e.g. carbon nano-tubes, fullerenes, nano-particles, quantum dots, dendrimers, nano-crystalline diamonds, nano-wires, etc.[25] According to Eric Drexler, a nano-optimist, nanotechnology can change the world in the way that the steam engine did.[26] A proper definition is very important in a field of science and technology, not least for patents.[27] It is very important to define nanotechnology from a legal point of view. The world of nanotechnology is a world of individual atoms and molecules.[28] Its the science to study and use of the unique characteristics of materials at nano-scale.[29] A precise definition of ‘nanotechnology in law and science is yet to be decided. It encompasses many dif ferent concepts and fields simultaneously, which is a difficult task. Even scientists in the field maintain that it â€Å"depends on whom you ask.†[30] Many experts and different governmental institutions have tried to define the concept of nanotechnology. Generally ‘nanotechnology seems to refer to very small science.[31] ‘Technology derives from the Greek tekhne, which means ‘skill or ‘discipline and ‘logos which means ‘speech.[32] ‘Nano comes from the Latin word for ‘dwarf, but today the prefix is more known to denote one billionth (i.e. one billionth of a metre).[33] Therefore nanotechnology could mean the discipline of assembly at the nanometer scale or in other words, molecular assemblage and mass molecular production.[34] Nanotechnology is an umbrella term used to define the properties or products and process at the nano/micro scale that have resulted from the convergence of the physical, chemical and life science.[35] EPO[36] defines ‘nanotechnology as follows: The term nanotechnology covers entities with a controlled geometrical size of at least one functional component below 100 nano-metres in one or more dimensions susceptible of making physical, chemical or biological effects available which are intrinsic to that size. It covers equipment and methods for controlled analysis, manipulation, processing, fabrication or measurement with a precision below 100 nano-metres. The U.S. ‘National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) predicted in a report issued by the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the near term benefits of the developments of this new technology. The White House Office of Management and Budget devised a broader, more functional definition for nanotechnology. It defines Nanotechnology as : research and technology development at the atomic, molecular or macromolecular levels in the length scale of approximately 1-100 nano-meter range, to provide a fundamental understanding of the phenomena and materials properties at the nano-scale and to model, create, characterize, manipulate and use structures, device and systems that have novel properties and functions because of their small or intermediate size.[37] Nobel laureate Richard Smalley defines nanotechnology as ‘the art and science of building stuff that does stuff on the nano-meter scale. Eric Drexler defines nanotechnology as â€Å"engineering in the molecular scale†.[38] Some legal expert characterizes it â€Å"as the skillful management of matter at the scale of one billionth of a meter or smaller†.[39] The US Nanotechnology Act[40] defines nanotechnology as the science and technology that will enable one to understand measure, manipulate, and manufacture at the atomic, molecular, and supra-molecular levels.[41] Although nanotechnology encompasses many different types of concepts, it can be said generally that nanotechnology is a science to manipulation of matter or things at the scale of nano-meter.[42] Nanotechnology covers several established domains and technologies, with the exact definition of what are nanotechnology still being debated.[43] 1.1 Why is nanotechnology important? Nanotechnology is important in many senses. Nanotechnology will certainly change the nature of almost every human made object in the next century and will reshape out interaction with the surrounding world.[44] It covers a multiple fields of science and will create a vital opportunity in the future world. In the view of transformational impact, its a simple fact that it gives us a set of tools that make us enable to transform the world at a far smaller scale than was ever available to us before.[45] Nanotechnology enables us to change the structure of many different fields by giving us opportunity to access a realm where many of the old rules associated with matter apply no more.[46] Nanotechnology attracts a considerable amount of attention because it gives us opportunity to access to radically different capabilities with wide range of materials, even though we have been using those materials for many years. Nanotechnology will give rise to a wealth of new materials and manufacturin g possibilities, which will cause a great impact on our future economy, environment and society. Nest I will address some fields where the application of nanotechnology will have an important impact: Economic Impact: Many economists predict that nanotechnology will be the next economic turning point in the global economy. It may be the issue of every economic sector as it encompasses a large and diverse field. In nearly every economic sector such as health and medicine, materials, computing and electronics, military weapons, environment, energy, transportation and virtually every other commercial sector nanotechnology will play a great role in coming decades considering its numerous fields of applications. Nanotechnology has attracted the worldwide companies vastly. As of 2004, 1500 companies worldwide have declared their plans on nanotechnology research and development and of these 80% were newly startup companies.[47] The U.S. National Science has presumed that the world market for nanotechnology will reach 1 trillion USD or more within 20 years.[48] According to Lux Research, within next ten years nanotechnology applications will affect nearly every type of manufactured goods.[49] The EU recog nized nanotechnology as an important element for the benefit of its citizens. In 2007 the European Commission allocated EUR 600 million for nanotechnology research and development.[50] The former president of the United States, George W. Bush signed the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act[51] on December 3, 2004 authorizing approximately $3.7 billion in federal funding for the development and research of nanotechnology over the next four years.[52] According to Mike Honda, California House Representative and co-drafter of the original Nanotechnology Act, the worldwide market for nanotechnology products and services could reach $ 1 trillion by 2015.[53] Nanotechnology in food security, environmental and public health issues: Nanotechnology will have a great impact on food security and environmental issues. In September 2003, the United States Department of Agriculture published its roadmap and in that report the Department predicted that nanotechnology will change the appearance of food industry, changing the way food is produced, processed, packaged, transported and consumed.[54] Helmuth Kaiser Consultancy predicts that the market of nano-food will rise from 2.6 billion USD to 20.4 billion USD by 2010.[55] Nanotechnology is capable of changing the agriculture and food industry with e.g. new tools for the molecular treatment of disease, speedy disease detection, raising the ability of plants to absorb nutrients etc..[56] Intelligent sensors and small delivery systems will help the agricultural industry combat viruses and other crop disease producing agents.[57] There is strong possibility that in the near future nano-structured catalysts will be available which will enhance the competency of pesticides a nd herbicides, allowing lower doses to be used. In CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture), nano-technological devices providing ‘scouting capabilities could enormously improve the growers ability to determine the suitable time of harvest for the crop.[58] Another important role for nanotechnology-enabled devices will be the increased use of automatic sensors linked into a GPS system for real-time monitoring. These nano-sensors could be fixed throughout the field where they can monitor soil conditions and crop growth.[59] Wireless sensors are already being used in specific parts of the US and Australia. Nanotechnology can help us to improve our understanding of the biology of different crops and thus potentially increase yields or nutritional values.[60] Nanotechnology has also potential to save our environment indirectly through the use of renewable energy supplies, and filters or catalysts to control environment pollution and clean-up existing pollutants.[61] Nanotechnology can also be used to clean ground water. The US Company Argonide uses 2nm diameter aluminum oxide nano-fibres (Nano-cream) as an element of water purifier. This nano-level filtration system helps to remove viruses, bacteria and protozoan cysts from water. Developing countries like India and South Africa are also running similar projects using the same technique.[62] Research at the Centre for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) has shown that nano-scale iron oxide particles are tremendously effective at binding and removing arsenic from groundwater,[63] which will play a great role especially in the developing countries where environmental pollution is an important factor. The development of nano-technological based remediation techniques can resto re and clean-up environmental injury and pollution (e.g. oil in water or soil).[64] Most of the opposition to nanotechnology has been targeted on the long term risks connected with self-replicating nano-robots. Some environmental groups, e.g. the Action Group On Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC) predicts that nano-materials may cause harm to human health and environment. Moreover the group urges to ban the production of nano-materials.[65] Besides these, some experts feel worried about impact of nano-particles in the environment and predict that some nano-elements will also be harmful for the environment and suggest that there must be a risk assessment authority for nano-particles. Nanotechnology in the medical sector: Nanotechnology is a technology which has vast possibilities in the development of health and medical treatment.[66] Medical science has made big advances in understanding the structure and functions of living organisms down to the genetic level. Nanotechnology created the opportunity to apply that knowledge significantly more perfect to the diagnosis and treatment of illness and injuries than in the traditional way.[67] Nanotechnology applications in medicine are growing significant interest, which can be labeled as ‘nano-medicine. ‘Nano-medicine can be defined as the medical application of nanotechnology that will have potential to lead to useful research tools, advanced drug delivery systems and new ways to combat disease or repair injured tissues and cells.[68] The advancement of nano-medicine may result in more significant interventions in respect of illness.[69] Nano-medicine is capable of prevention, early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of different diseases.[ 70] The experts on physical science predict that in future nanotechnology will apply to surgery and to cure different complex diseases in human body. Nanotechnology in military weapons: The first wave of nanotechnology will primarily be used in the military for state security related purposes.[71] Many nanotechnology experts presume that in many states have already taken lots of initiatives in their military sectors and given top priority to research in making nanotechnology weapons and its potentiality at the time of war and other military uses. It should be remembered that the Internet, computer and other land marking inventions of the last century were also military projects and now these inventions have changed the world in every sector and are being used for the welfare of mankind. The ultimate question comes down to whether the good outweigh the bad with respect to the utilization of this technology in this domain.[72] Nanotechnology in Information Technology (IT): Nanotechnology has enough potential for creating faster computers with larger memories than the present transistors and other components permit.[73] Carbon nano-tubes will also be used in IT. These tubes could be either conducting or semiconducting and have the potential for memory and storage as well. By using nanotechnology, computer tools will be cheaper than today and will create a sustainable IT sector. Without doubt nanotechnology will vastly affect the IT sector in the future. 1.2 EU policy for nanotechnology: Presently nanotechnologies strengthen many useful and practical applications and have huge possibilities to improve the quality of life and protection of environment and accelerate Europes industrial competition.[74] The European Commission has taken several steps to take nanotechnology research benefits for the development of the EU[75]. The EU is proceeding toward a collective and correlated strategy for nanotechnology research and development.[76] The Commission has not yet adopted any broad and specific public policy for nanotechnology but has adopted a strategy plan for the allocation of significant resources for supporting nanotechnology research and development.[77] But this strategy has yet not been turned into any formal legislation and/or regulation.[78] On June 7, 2005 the European Commission passed an Action Plan for the implementation of a strategy for European nano-science and nanotechnology development.[79] This action plan is not obligatory by law and in apparently it is simply a declaration and a step towards regulating nanotechnology further. In this action plan, the importance of research and examining the future impact of nano-science and nanotechnology is emphasised. The Commission have divided the Action Plan into five steps: Promote RD in the Europe: In this phase, the Commission recognized that by collaborating with public and private sectors across Europe for the research and development of nanotechnology, an interdisciplinary initiative is necessary. In 2007-2008, the Commission invested EUR 2.5 billion under the Research Framework Programme and before that in 2003-2006 EUR 1.4 billion had been invested.[80] As nanotechnologies have multidisciplinary character, the Research and Development (RD) projects have taken in different industrial sectors such as health, food, energy, transport, environment, etc.[81] Frame a base of European â€Å"Poles of Excellence†: This phases main aim is to build up poles of excellence into present structures for establishing highly-presentable world class poles in the area of nanotechnology by providing necessary services to the research community.[82] State of art equipment and instrumentation is day by day a challenge for the development of nanotechnology and to establish whether RD is enabling to transform into capable of being wealth rendering product and process.[83] The Commission is giving support continuously by funding access to present facilities and creating new facilities, which have led to ‘durable integration in the form of new institutes and virtual infrastructure such as the European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF).[84] Investing in human resources: The purpose of this axis is to conforming European educational system to the specifies of nanotechnology in the higher level studies which also cover legal technical subjects such as patenting nanotechnology and encourage the young people in the EU to nanotech studies and research.[85] Actually the development of nanotechnology mainly depends upon the skilled manpower and interdisciplinary actions. The main aim of this phase is to transform the nanotech knowledge from academy to industry.[86] Patronizing the transformation of knowledge into Industrial Applications: In this phase the Commissions strategy and its Action Plan pointed to two issues connected to IP: Patents and Standardization.[87] In respect of patents, the Commissions Action Plan advocates to establish a patent monitoring system for nanotechnology and to harmonize the patent prosecution system especially ‘sufficiency of disclosure and ‘inventive step, (which are crucial in case of nanotechnology patents) among the leading patent offices in the world such as the European Patent Office (EPO), the US Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO) and the Japan Patent Office.[88] Concerning standardization, the Commission encourages pre-normative research and development in combined actions with the activities of European Standard Bodies.[89] Integrate the Social Dimension: The purpose of this phase is to recall an EU strategy about ethical principles in respect of health, safety and environmental aspects in the development of nanotechnology and making a transparent approach by open dialogues with E.U. citizens and stakeholders.[90] The Commission has taken several actions to reflect the peoples expectations and take their views into account.[91] In February 2008, EC passed a recommendation of ‘Code of conduct for responsible nano-science and nano-technologies research which gives guidelines towards a responsible and open approach.[92] Every proposal considered for funding by the Commission must meet the requirements of ethical issues.[93] The Commission is also giving efforts to increase researchers awareness to the Code of Conduct on nanotechnology research. Actually the Commission seeks the nanotechnology research to reflect and comply with the basic ethical values described in the core European Agreements such as ‘the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. 2.0 Relationship between Nanotechnology and IP: IPRs play a significance role in the development of new technologies. IPRs are essential in the present technology-driven age.[94] For an international perspective, nanotechnology is presently one of the most effective new technologies, in terms of number of patent applications.[95] Moreover, competitors in the nascent nanotechnology industries employ trade secrets legislation to supplement their control over key technology and expertise. In spite of being less directly involved in the nanotechnology industry, copyright and trademark legislation are also affect competitors in nanotechnology markets as the companies use computer software for nanotechnology research and development. Moreover, companies are also active to give their products commercial identification and trademark is playing a great role in that respect. IP law yields the primary regulatory vehicle by which ownership, control and use of nanotechnology are managed. The basic purpose of IP law is to facilitate for creators or inventors and encourage continuation of further development and creation. Thus IP law plays an influential role in a new and highly divergent functioning field of research and development like nanotechnology.[96] IP law also plays an important role in the integration of nanotechnology development into commercial applications.[97] The next part investigates how nanotechnology is related to IPRs. Patent: Patent law give legal rights to inventors. For a patent right to be granted certain criteria should be fulfilled such as eligible subject matter, inventive step, novelty and usefulness or industrial application and lastly sufficient disclosure and description.[98] Patents are important to protect small, emerging technology business.[99] Most business enterprises need a quantity of patent portfolio as insurance towards their already risky investment.[100] These criteria are not technology specific and thus should also be fulfilled in case of nanotechnology inventions. As much of the research in nanotechnology has been conducted through multidisciplinary fields, it may challenge the present patent system. For an example, as its a newly adopted technology in the field of science the patent examiner may grant broad patent rights to the inventor which in the future may cause a great barrier in the development of nanotechnology and society may be deprived from the benefits of nanot echnology. Copyright: Copyright law protects original expressions of ideas of literary and artistic works but not for the ideas themselves.[101] The main key of copyright is the ‘originality of authorship.[102] The issues of copyright are mostly likely to arise in respect of nanotechnology regarding computer software programs which is likely to be used for nanotechnology research and development.[103] Trademarks: Trademark rights protect words, logos and any other type of commercial identifiers.[104] These marks help the public to identify the respective products or services of a company. It also helps customers from not being misled by deceptive use of marks. As many nanotechnology related companies will come into the market, trademarks will play an important role to identify the different company and their products which is most crucial for investment of a company. Trademarks also indicate the goodwill of the company. Trade Secrets: Trade secrets can be defined as ‘confidential information or knowledge which is not widely known and gives competitive advantages to its owner. Companies may be more interested to keep some information or know-how of their products as trade secrets because under patent law after the expiry of the protection period the product will come into public domain. For trade secrets there is no time limit and business advantages may come from by using trade secret protection wisely, or a combination of patents and trade secrets. The use of different forms of IP offers different options for developers of nanotechnology. While nanotechnology industry is highly patent oriented the possibility of vast legal battles over nanotechnology patents in the future is likely to be happen. It also should be kept in mind that aggressive assertion of IPRs can create obstacles in important research of nanotechnology.[105] Patent busting, generics, technical standards and open sources are a few of the leading examples of critical IP challenges to all technology, including nanotechnology.[106] The challenges of IPR management of nanotechnology are not only for the ownership of IP but also the possibility of huge economic value from nanotechnology. 3.0 Patentability of Nanotechnology-European Aspect: The recent advancement of industrial research and development in the nanotechnology field is a worldwide phenomenon. Since last few years national and international governmental authorities, research institutes and industrial companies have increasingly aware of nanotechnology as a driving force for innovation in different fields including chemistry, material science, biotechnology and electronics.[107] For nanotechnology, patents are the most used and by far most important form of IP.[108] Nanotechnology is incomparably among the most patentable technologies, in that it is exceptional in attributes and nascent.[109] The main attraction in nanotechnology patenting is not only its size but also its ‘unique cross-industry pattern. Nanotechnology is exceptional compared with other technologies because it does not originates in a single branch of science like biotechnology, information technology etc.[110] The main characteristic of nanotechnology is its size. Surprisingly this is nearly the first new field in almost a century in which basic ideas, i.e. ‘the basic building block was patented at the beginning.[111] Patent rights give the rights holder an opportunity to gain economic and other related profits for a certain period as a reward for the invention. In case of nanotech research and invention there is a need for huge long term investments thus patent rights play a substantial role to recoup the investment of a company. Without a clear and sound patent regulatory system, large companies will be reluctant to invest in the field of nanotechnology and the development of nanotechnology invention will be hampered. Its no doubt that the rapid growth of nanotechnology will result a multiple field of application and jurisdiction and obviously will create a legal challenge in future IP regimes. The most basic issue is that whether nanotech inventions are patentable or not? In this chapter the ‘patentability of nanotechnology will be discussed in the light of European legal instruments and the WTO TRIPS Agreement. All inventions are not patentable. A patentable subject matter might not be (a) an abstract idea; (b) laws of nature; and (c) physical phenomena.[112] As mentioned, to qualify the patentability of an invention certain conditions must be satisfied. i) patent eligible subject matter; ii) utility; iii) novelty; iv) non-obviousness; and v) sufficient disclosure. In addition to the already mentioned patentability criteria, the claims have to be clear, brief and must be supported by the description.[113] The application of the inventions requires disclosing the invention is such a way as a whole that a person skilled in the art is being capable to carry out the invention.[114] There are not separate patentability rules for nanotech inventions. Thus any patent connected with the nano-field must fulfill the general requirements of patentability.[115] 3.1 Procedures at the European Patent Office: In Europe, an applicant can file a patent application either in the national patent office or in the Europe