Avoiding Disaster


Book Description

The best thing you can do for your business is to be ready for anything When Disaster Strikes offers business leaders the peace of mind of knowing that their business is ready for any contingency, no matter how extreme. This guide is designed to be used as both a preparatory resource for when times are good, and an emergency reference when times are bad. This book gets managers up-to-speed on what they should be prepared to deal with and offers real solutions for putting those business continuity plans in place. From natural and man-made disasters to catastrophic computer hack attacks, When Disaster Strikes is the ultimate weapon for any manager determined to help the business survive no matter what.




Avoiding Archaeological Disasters


Book Description

You think it can’t happen to you, but it can. One day, months into your construction project, your front end load operator runs into bones and wooden slats. Your county coroner says it is not a crime scene, and refers you to the local archaeology department. The archaeologist tells you that it is a very important discovery. Work stops. Archaeological discoveries happen all the time in the course of projects. Most are manageable, some are less so, and some are mismanaged, wasting time and money. If you are not prepared, the consequences can be disastrous. This book is for project engineers, project managers, construction managers, the staff of affected government agencies, and archaeological consultants. In its pages you receive enough information, enough archaeological perspective, to intelligently work with the various parties involved in your project and avoid an archaeological disaster.




How to Avoid a Climate Disaster


Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NATIONAL BESTSELLER In this urgent, singularly authoritative book, Bill Gates sets out a wide-ranging, practical--and accessible--plan for how the world can get to zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to avoid an irreversible climate catastrophe. Bill Gates has spent a decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. With the help and guidance of experts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science and finance, he has focused on exactly what must be done in order to stop the planet's slide toward certain environmental disaster. In this book, he not only gathers together all the information we need to fully grasp how important it is that we work toward net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases but also details exactly what we need to do to achieve this profoundly important goal. He gives us a clear-eyed description of the challenges we face. He describes the areas in which technology is already helping to reduce emissions; where and how the current technology can be made to function more effectively; where breakthrough technologies are needed, and who is working on these essential innovations. Finally, he lays out a concrete plan for achieving the goal of zero emissions--suggesting not only policies that governments should adopt, but what we as individuals can do to keep our government, our employers and ourselves accountable in this crucial enterprise. As Bill Gates makes clear, achieving zero emissions will not be simple or easy to do, but by following the guidelines he sets out here, it is a goal firmly within our reach.




A Safer Future


Book Description

Initial priorities for U.S. participation in the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, declared by the United Nations, are contained in this volume. It focuses on seven issues: hazard and risk assessment; awareness and education; mitigation; preparedness for emergency response; recovery and reconstruction; prediction and warning; learning from disasters; and U.S. participation internationally. The committee presents its philosophy of calls for broad public and private participation to reduce the toll of disasters.




Project Management Tools and Techniques for Success


Book Description

Emphasizing that it's much easier and more cost effective to make changes in the planning phases of a project rather than later on, Project Management Tools and Techniques for Success provides an accessible introduction to project management fundamentals. Highlighting approaches for avoiding common pitfalls, it begins with an introduction to p




Water and Disasters


Book Description

This book is the first major attempt to address, comprehensively and in-depth, the many issues associated with water and disasters. It is particularly relevant and topical in view of the increasing frequency and intensity of water-triggered disasters that have afflicted the world in recent years, among them the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Water and Disasters is a global survey - and assessment of the causes, consequences and post-recovery policies - concerning water disasters. The chapters include empirical studies, case histories, conceptual-theoretical investigations, policy perspectives, institutional analysis, and risk analysis, among others. The book features a comprehensive discussion of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, as well as major floods and droughts in England, Wales, China and the western United States. It also includes chapters on advances in decision support systems for flood disaster management and rainfall insurance. This volume should be of special interest to disaster management planners and practitioners globally, primarily in the domain of water, in crafting creative solutions for tackling the disasters effectively, efficiently and rapidly. This book was previously published as a special issue of International Journal of Water Resources Development.




Executive Guide to Preventing Information Technology Disasters


Book Description

Recent and well-publicised disasters have highlighted the fact that organisations of all kinds - from healthcare to aerospace - are critically dependent on Information Technology systems. The prevention of catastrophic I.T. failure is now an essential part of management. In this thought-provoking guide for executives and managers Richard Ennals argues that the critical factor is not technology, but people and communication.




Taming Giant Projects


Book Description

Giant projects often end in giant failures. From the ancient tower of Babel to the recent Transrapid Train, giant projects stumble from crisis to crisis. Based on an analysis of the technical, time, and financial goals from case studies (Olympic Games, university hospitals, and a huge wind energy converter), four success factors in managing giant projects are identified: Formulation and change of goals, basic configuration, socio-political environment, and management structure and capacity. The book focuses on the crucial role of the project owner and the relations among the four success factors. It offers recommendations and guidance on successfully completing giant projects to owners, project managers and contractors.