A Handful of Dust essays

A Handful of Dust essays In Evelyn Waughs, A Handful of Dust, Tony Last exists as an aristocrat whose devotion to Victorian values and beliefs controls and dictates his life; leaving him blind to the unhappiness and boredom his wife, Brenda, experiences due to his primitive and outdated ways. Tonys obsession with the Victorian lifestyle only intensifies with his exposure to the material and transient qualities of the new, emerging society. The rapid development of this society shortens the existence of the Victorian lifestyle and seemingly leaves Tony as the last member of his beloved British society. Unwilling to conform and desperately clinging to his traditional ways, Tony creates his existence as an outsider; rejected and abandoned by society he seeks refuge and familiarity in Hetton. Ironically, it is Tony Lasts devotion and loyalty to the preservation of Hetton that lead to the ultimate destruction of his life. The emerging modern society transforms Victorian culture into a mere memory of the pas t, Tonys overwhelming devotion and loyalty to Hetton create the abandonment, solitude, and destruction he experiences throughout the duration of the novel. The marriage between Brenda and Tony suggests the extermination of Empire, the disillusion with the imperialist development that was intimidating in the modernist period. Tony Last lived his life with order. His loyalty and dedication to his estate was that of outstanding perseverance. But there was not a glazed brick or encaustic tile that was not dear to Tonys heart (13), he cherished every bit of that estate. His estate was entirely rebuilt in the gothic style and is now devoid of interest. He even named the bedrooms in their country estate after characters from the King Arthur stories, with the central clock tower, the dining hall with its hammer-beam roof and pitch-pine minstrels gallery; their bedrooms with their brass bedsteads, all of which the...

Free Essays on The Inuit

The Inuit The Inuit are a people inhabiting small enclaves in the coastal areas of Greenland, Arctic North America (including Canada and Alaska), and extreme northeastern Siberia. The name Inuit means â€Å"the real people† (Chance 21). In 1977 the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, held in Barrow, Alaska, officially â€Å"adopted Inuit as the replacement for the term ‘Eskimo’† (Chance 25). There are several related linguistic groups of Arctic peoples, including the Kalaallit in Greenland, the Inuvialuit in Canada, and the Yupiget, Yuplit, and Alutiit in Alaska. Many of these groups prefer to be called by their specific â€Å"tribal† names rather than as Inuits. In Alaska the term â€Å"Eskimo† is still commonly used. Chance notes that the Inuit vary within about 5 cm (about 2 in) of an average height of 163 cm (5 ft 4 in). They also display â€Å"metabolic, circulatory, and other adaptations to the Arctic climate† (Chance 95). Inhabiting an area spanning almost 5150 km (almost 3200 mi), Inuit have a wider geographical range than any other aborigines and are the most sparsely distributed people on earth. From archaeological, linguistic, and physiological evidence, most scholars conclude that the Inuit migrated across the Bering Strait to Arctic North America. A later arrival to the New World than most native peoples, the Inuit share many cultural traits with Siberian Arctic peoples and with their own closest relatives, the Aleuts. The oldest archaeological sites identifiable as Inuit, in southwest Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, â€Å"date from about 2000 BC and are somewhat distinct from later Inuit sites† (Chance 17). By about 1800 BC the highly developed â€Å"Old Whaling† or â€Å"Bering Sea† culture and related cultures â€Å"had emerged in Siberia and in the Bering Strait region† (Chance 30). In eastern Canada the â€Å"Old Dorset† culture flourished from about â€Å"1000 to 800 BC until about AD 1000 to 1300† (Chance 17). The Dorset... Free Essays on The Inuit Free Essays on The Inuit The Inuit The Inuit are a people inhabiting small enclaves in the coastal areas of Greenland, Arctic North America (including Canada and Alaska), and extreme northeastern Siberia. The name Inuit means â€Å"the real people† (Chance 21). In 1977 the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, held in Barrow, Alaska, officially â€Å"adopted Inuit as the replacement for the term ‘Eskimo’† (Chance 25). There are several related linguistic groups of Arctic peoples, including the Kalaallit in Greenland, the Inuvialuit in Canada, and the Yupiget, Yuplit, and Alutiit in Alaska. Many of these groups prefer to be called by their specific â€Å"tribal† names rather than as Inuits. In Alaska the term â€Å"Eskimo† is still commonly used. Chance notes that the Inuit vary within about 5 cm (about 2 in) of an average height of 163 cm (5 ft 4 in). They also display â€Å"metabolic, circulatory, and other adaptations to the Arctic climate† (Chance 95). Inhabiting an area spanning almost 5150 km (almost 3200 mi), Inuit have a wider geographical range than any other aborigines and are the most sparsely distributed people on earth. From archaeological, linguistic, and physiological evidence, most scholars conclude that the Inuit migrated across the Bering Strait to Arctic North America. A later arrival to the New World than most native peoples, the Inuit share many cultural traits with Siberian Arctic peoples and with their own closest relatives, the Aleuts. The oldest archaeological sites identifiable as Inuit, in southwest Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, â€Å"date from about 2000 BC and are somewhat distinct from later Inuit sites† (Chance 17). By about 1800 BC the highly developed â€Å"Old Whaling† or â€Å"Bering Sea† culture and related cultures â€Å"had emerged in Siberia and in the Bering Strait region† (Chance 30). In eastern Canada the â€Å"Old Dorset† culture flourished from about â€Å"1000 to 800 BC until about AD 1000 to 1300† (Chance 17). The Dorset...

Money and banking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Money and banking - Assignment Example Conversely, introduction of money market mutual funds constrained deposit to banks since they paid higher money market values. Finally, the introduction of ATMs in the banking sector reduced the cost of transactions, which the banks used to benefit from due to the paper work required (DeYoung). Hence, the consequence of this shift was a reduction in banks fundamental sources of funds. Experts cite adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) as a dubious practice that exacerbated the financial crisis. In this case, ARMs enticed borrowers with low credit to enable them borrow against the value of homes. This way, families were able to own homes that were beyond their reach. Consequently, there was an inflation of a new bubble in the housing sector as prices were indicative of families’ inability to pay (Mackaman). Subprime mortgages, like ARMs, contributed to underpaid-workers owning homes that they could not afford to pay. In effect, this led to creditors risk managing the default payments through shadowy techniques that involved bundling, selling, and repackaging debt. With the number of defaulters rising, what followed was a number of foreclosures that were in contrast with the value of debt bundling from banks and saving institutions. In effect, these institutions resulted to liquidity and solvency status that lead to the crisis (Mackman). Strictly put, banks that follow proper lending procedures will ensure that the borrowers are credit worthy and they will not become defaulters, which can make a bank lose money. However, a bank with high nonperforming loans runs the risk of a low capital base to do business and they can run into trouble with financial regulators. In addition, such publicity might result to substantial withdraws from depositors (a run on the bank). 6- Explain the Basel requirements and how banks got around the

What do UEL Students think about the Future of University Education Assignment

What do UEL Students think about the Future of University Education and Why - Assignment Example Because of the many concepts identified through research the study could not develop a workable hypothesis based on initial findings, the study took an inductive approach whereby the literature review was used to model questions for use in the primary study (Price 2011). The aim of the study based on the findings in the initial review of literature was to develop new models or explanations and understandings about the future of education through the lens of university students; an exploratory research approach. Initial research studies identified many different arguments about the future of education, including structural changes to the classroom, distance learning through e-systems, increasing tuition costs and even more interactive tools and instruments based on changing curriculum in-line with business evolution. The most common theme identified was the presence of e-learning as a foundation for the future of university education. Because of the enormous volume of literature on th e subject, e-learning became the focus of this primary study. Literature review E-learning is the use of various electronic applications and systems to promote educational learning. These include â€Å"web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classroom development and digital collaborations† all delivered through Internet, satellite television, CD-ROM and intranet systems. (Manochehr 2004: 10). According to a recent report published by the Sloan Foundation, e-learning systems have achieved a 12-14 percent growth rate since 2006 (Mihai, Sanciu and Aleca 2011). In the United States alone, as one example, there are currently 3.5 million students using online education systems within higher education environments (Mihai, et al.). It is forecasted that e-learning will, by 2014, be in 81 percent of global universities (Mihai, et al.). Another recent study with a sample population of 289 respondents, 189 of which were from higher education environments and 100 from corpo rations, identified current usage of electronic learning. In the study, 44 percent of respondents used blogs to teach, 53 percent video podcasts, 71 percent online courses, 56 percent social networks, 66 percent text messaging and 49 percent mobile broadband (The Economist 2008). What significantly supports the notion that e-learning could represent the future of university education is that this study consisted of respondents from Europe, The United States, Asia and other international countries (The Economist). There is significant growth in usership of e-learning systems both in universities and the business environment. According to Clark (1999) students who use distance learning via the Internet have similar performance levels to that of students taught in the physical university environment. The researcher conducted a study of student performances from 1928 to 1999 after cataloguing 355 different research reports during this 69 year period and discovered equal achievement with both types of learning (Clark). High achievement in distance learning via the Internet continues to make this teaching system an incentive for universities around the globe. Further, there is also significant growth rate in the use of social networking and video sharing sites on the Internet. According to the Copyright Clearance Center (2009), there were 12.7 billion Internet users that viewed videos in 2008, an increase of 34 percent from 2007. Video sites allow the instructor to post their lectures online at a low cost, thus providing education for users not only in Europe but around the globe. Sanborn, Santos,

How groupthink affects the effectiveness of groups Essay

How groupthink affects the effectiveness of groups - Essay Example This essay discusses that in 1952, William H. Whyte had coined a unique term in Fortune magazine, known as â€Å"groupthink†. This term reflected conformity culture that has shaped many business organizations. Groupthink has both positive and negative impacts on group effectiveness. The major goal of groupthink is to achieve consensus through conflict eradication. This approach tends to change workplace environment by shifting focus towards minimizing conflict rather than obtaining desirable results. Groupthink influences group members to act in harmony and this adversely affects individual thought process. Innovation is not a prime concern as per the concept of groupthink. This negatively affects the formulation of the high-performance group. Group effectiveness is mainly dependent on two aspects such as working as a team and facilitating high productivity level. High productivity level can be correlated with efficiently responding to fluctuating market demand and acquiring k nowledge on technological advancements. Group effectiveness is high only when group members are capable enough to understand external conditions and accordingly formulate strategic decisions. However, there are certain positive effects of groupthink in relation to sustaining harmony within a group. Group conflict can be considered as one of the reasons behind decreased team productivity. Groupthink attempts to eliminate this cause by cultivating a common ground of interests. Performance of a new organization is positively affected by groupthink.

Managing Change A Case Study of Corus Strip Products UK

Managing Change A Case Study of Corus Strip Products UK Using suitable and significant models, theories and concepts, this report examines how the company Corus implemented a current change initiative at its sub-division (Corus Strip Products UK) in a reaction to the obvious threat of increased competition from new entrants in the steel industry. By considering the case study, this assignment uses the Gradualist Paradigm of change to discuss how barriers to change at CSP UK were overcome and how the measurement of outcomes of change influenced organisational transformation. This will be employed to confirm and critique any suggestion made to its executive relating to the sustainability of the business. INTRODUCTION Corus Strip Products UK (CSP UK) is a leading producer of strip steel valuable in various manufacturing and construction sectors. It aims to be a leader in steel industry, by providing better products, higher quality services, and better value for money than its rivals. It needs constant development of entire working environment and culture in order to meet its ambition for growth. In 2010, it published a case study (The Times 100 Business Case Study: Corus) that explains how barriers to change were overcome in its sub-division. CSP UK initiated the Journey program in 2005. The company sought to tackle an extensive variety of issues but was specific in its tasks and framework which centred on the values and beliefs of its people. Fundamentally, this needed a combined effort from stakeholders (employees, contractors, suppliers and other associates) uniting on a set of guiding principles (8) that will define the core of the business namely honesty, professionalism, integrity, respect, improvement, excellence, fairness and transparency. The objective of this assignment is to form the concepts of the methods of change and learning of key stakeholders in the case study, using appropriate and relevant models. The results will be used to justify and critique recommendations to the management for future initiatives to sustain development at Corus. MAIN CONTENT Drivers (reasons) for change Due to the dynamic and disordered nature of steel markets, change was unavoidable at CSP UK in other to retain its competitive advantages. Inefficiencies within the business at CSP UK led to delays and wastage in production. Exports of products from the UK were more expensive compared to other countries, reducing its competitive advantage. CSP UK had dedicated workforce but there was a lack of motivation by work situations and signs of poor health and safety culture. External drivers for change centred upon increase competition from new entrants in the steel industry especially from Eastern Europe and Far East. This had a negative effect on demand leading to higher cost of its products, reducing its attractiveness to potential customers. Also advances in technology resulted in customers wanting better products, leading Corus to focus on innovation. CSP UK had a poor public opinion regarding environmental issues and this contributed to changes within the firm informing its business strategy, policies and procedures of the future. Types of change In order to understand change processes at CSP UK over time, it is vital to look at how the organisation understood the change cycle (Tushman, 1970) and how environmental factors affected its strategic vision. Since the 1970s, there has been a gradual decline of old products with the emergence of new products needed to increase future prospects. The Journey program showed both incremental and transformational changes over its period of implementation. It built on high skill set of its stakeholders and focused on how to improve work systems adaptable to the demands of new markets. Its framework for cultural transformation was at an organisational level, focusing on developing new and dynamic set of values that is different from earlier times (Burnes 2009, in Hayes). Previous drives for change from the Corus case report, showed signs of programmatic or planned change occurring. Looking at Total Quality Management (TQMs) initiative as well as prior programs, there was a focus on work reprogramming which included rationalizing of costs leading to a downsized labour force (~ 13% of total costs). However, CSP UK is an organisation of highly skilled and dedicated people and for future prosperity, there has to be a greater focus on how systemic (e.g. job enhancement, people empowerment and team building) and organisation development (including training, education and indoctrination of cultural values) can effect growth and improvement of business. Barriers to Change The 1970s were characterised by job reductions, redundancies, and a shortage of apprenticeships leading to doubt in workforce regarding new initiatives (refraining forces). Furthermore, certain members of staff at CSP UK gradually became unconcerned to business initiatives as they and the business had survived earlier testing times. The fear of the unfamiliar led to anxiety about existing teams and positions; hence the management at CSP UK sought to clarify the collective interest of all. Corus is a reputable firm in a conventional industry showing rigidity in certain aspects of its business. It had difficulty in modifying certain business practices to take advantage of advances in technology. This is damaging to its growth prospect and weakens its drive for innovation that adds value to its products and services. Additionally, the personnel at CSP UK showed signs of ageing, which demonstrated a slow pace to change. The pace of change has to be right, not too slow but not too fast as this can lead to a mis-alignment with the environment (Johnson Scholes 1991 in Hayes 2007). Transfer of skills amongst staff was limited and affected the ability of the firm to attract the brightest, youngest individuals available, important for future development. Company policy of rewarding long service rather than distinguished service reinforced the companys lack of dynamism, and its need to adapt business models to reward productivity and not longevity. CSP UK must focus on incentives that recognise suitable professional behaviours both natural and acquired. Methods of Overcoming Barriers CSP UK understood the importance of involving all stakeholders and effectively communicating the process of change. It defined its present performance standard (As Is) and future goals (To Be), stressing the importance of managing transitional periods and sustaining and revising its outlook. High impact techniques were used to demonstrate the state of the business highlighting where improvements could be made. In one instance, 150 senior managers were invited to Millennium Stadium Cardiff only to be met with shoddy service like servings of cold tea and the use of a broken slide projector. In addition, videos of poor standards were shown to managers, as well as the consultations with local school children which highlighted poor public opinion regarding the vision and practices of the business (e.g. environmental issues). Alarmingly, there was no dissent from the invitees, demonstrating a difference between industry standards and expectations of employees, representing a huge barrier t o reforming the firm. To tackle this, stakeholders at Corus had to be made aware of their right to challenge. Individual ownership of change was fit into the work setting and personal responsibility for change was encouraged. To this day, over 5000 employees have signed up to the beliefs and principles of the firm. Approaches to Managing and Leading the Change Process The Gradualist Paradigm The gradualist paradigm of change states that, basic change occurs through a process of continuous adjustment as change is emergent, i.e., there is no deliberate organisation for change (Weick Quinn, 1999). Therefore, for successful implementation of change, management and communication of change is vital. Leaders at CSP UK focused on its future prospects, its vision for change and how its culture identity can build emotional links within its workforce; while its management team focused on the present and set out a combined (economical organisational development) strategy for company transformation (Beer 2001 in Hayes 2009, chapter 14). Nahavandi, 2000 (in Burnes) Kotter, 1990 (in Hayes) stressed the importance of change managers developing suitable capacity and logistic to implement change. Managers at CSP UK set out clear targets (top-down directives), established steps to be taken and allocated resources as needed, with the aim of improving economic value of its products. Credit must be given to its managerial style which showed flexibility between transformational (innovative and adaptive culture) and transactional models recognising and rewarding success. A note must be made of the inter-changing roles of leaders and managers at CSP UK which were not mutually exclusive, but where sometimes combined in times of change for greater efficiency (Bolden, 2004 in Hayes). Organisational development strategies at CSP UK focused on enhancing the abilities of its stakeholders by involving and supporting individuals in their roles. It passed on its organisational vision clearly and focused on creating an enabling environment that increases productivity. It promoted a culture of involvement and shared purpose, focusing on the individual as champions of change. To achieve this, it used a range of communication channels including written and verbal interactions such as newsletters, workshops, intranet messages, heart-to-heart conversations, etc. The management team at CSP UK expected certain hindrances like the lack of trust in managers and resistance to change (restraining forces) and was well equipped to meet these challenges. Change in itself can be a violent process, especially in terms of restructuring, recruitment and redundancy, so mediating and actively listening to the fears and desires of its stakeholders is crucial. Beer (2001, in Hayes) stresses the importance of upward communication and underlines the need for information distribution and individuals buying-into the need for reform. At the moment, there is collective support from individuals, teams and departments to improve its culture. In effect, the Journey sought out to manage a psychological contract based on core values that shape outcomes relating to job output. Measuring the Outcomes of Change The Journey program contributed hugely to the viability of business at Corus Strip Product, UK. Its production volume has increased by 4.5% to a run-rate of 5 million tonnes. Absenteeism is at an all time low and there has also been an improvement of goods and service to its customers. There are stricter targets for Health and Safety; with safety teams tasked with maintaining an accident-free environment. These have all contributed to the establishment of a robust business especially in the backdrop of harsh economic realities in 2008 and 2009. Crucial business forecast for 2009/2010 predicts cost reduction of approximately  £250 million. In order for an effective transitional period at CSP UK, it developed integrated feedback mechanisms that made the review process easy, and its adaptability to meet new deadlines. Midway indicators were set to integrate the workforce into achieving stated objectives. There has also been a massive number of quick wins, which has contributed to a greater yield and continues to improve the cost-effectiveness of the business. RECOMMENDATIONS This report has raised the issue of an organisational-wide business process re-engineering (BPR) at Corus as reinforced by gains showed at its sub-division (CSP UK) from implemented reforms. The plant is on target to attain a 20% reduction in cost of production of steel. Using CSP UK as a model, organisational structures can be redesigned world-wide that are more flexible and less hierarchical to accomplish faster and more adaptable responses to changing markets. For sustainable growth, Antonacopoulou Gabriel (2001); Argyris (1991) argued for the need for new learning to occur during the change process to allow for a gradual transformation of Corus from an organisation learning (OL) to being a learning organisation (LO). To be ahead of rivals in the sector, Corus has to continually invest in new systems especially apprenticeships to renew its workforce and to create a forward-thinking environment. Strebels cycle of competitive behaviour (in Hayes 2007) illustrates the importance of Corus having the adequate structures that it uses to predict technological, political (e.g. new laws) and economic changes in the steel industry. In the 1970s competition was fierce with rivals reacting to add value to their products to maintain market relevance. This led to an oversupply of products (breaking point) with insufficient demand and a consequent downturn leading to job losses. CSP UK acted rightly to formulate efficiency strategies resulting in Total Quantity Management initiative (TQMs) to improve competitiveness and productivity. Total labour cost is low (~13% of total cost) in contrast to energy and raw materials, e.g. assembly line cost at 40-50% of total cost, indicating excesses to expenditure here. Therefore, there is an opportunity to thoroughly review work efficiency (especially energy and raw materials) and reassign sufficient resources to improve innovation, staff management training, development, shared values and time and apprenticeship (transfer of learning). This comprehensive approach to organisational development is reflected in the thinking of the management. we cannot solve our problems by spending; we cannot solve our problems by cutting back. The only way to meet our challenges is to change how we go about things. (quote from Managing Director of CSP UK). The poor perception amongst the public on how CSP UK handles environmental issues has to be addressed without delay. Records show that carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by 10% and its standards now exceeds government criteria for carbon emissions. A public relations initiative using a variety of channels (including internet, bill boards, television and radio, telephone messaging, etc) is needed to show the significant improvement in the companys impact on the community. There is some evidence of failure in previous programs even though the firm supported the concept of modernization. Due to the punctuated nature of change, measures have to both be incremental and transformational in nature to be effective. The Journey program gave a clear picture of the need for coordinated organisational changes within its structure, learning and culture (Burnes, B. 2009). Evidence of this is found in the way it worked in partnership to re-define its eight (8) core value that now steers everything CSP UK does and what its culture stands for. Corus Strip Products UK achieved this by winning the support of all employees as champions of change and supported a culture of frank engagement, avoiding the us and them mentality. This in turn challenged barriers of change and delivered a workable strategy that built a sustainable business for future generations. This culture must constantly be revived, reviewed and guarded carefully for future growth and development at Corus. CONCLUSIONS Due to the case-based evaluation of this report, there are limitations to the assumptions that can be made. However, it was evident that there was the need for organisational change to retain sustainability at Corus Strip Products UK. The Journey helped CSP UK weather the storm despite the economic downturn, with the company now benefiting from the gains of the program. This has enabled the business to construct a feasible business model that focuses on organisational transformation and establishes its growth and profitability margins; to maintain its ability to attract investment and capital from governments, big businesses, and individuals.

Eulogy for Grandmother :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Grandmother I believe that every person in, in their own unique way, creates a legacy in their lifetime by which others can live long after that person has left us. For those of us who remain, Mildred Johnson has truly created a legacy to uphold and fulfill in our daily lives. I firmly believe that this carrying out is a true honor and responsibility by means of the various facets that Mildred has made her own. Love : Above all, Mildred Johnson is a figure of unconditional love. Love was the major fabric by which she created her tapestry of life. In the raising of her own children, the teachings of her grandchildren, and in how she welcomed in new family and friends, her unconditional strong love is what has made our family what it is today and what will keep us together from this day forward. Spirit : My Grandma, Mildred Johnson, is a true woman of faith. For as far back as I can remember, my Grandma has been a conveyor of the word of God in developing her family and living her daily life. Never would she miss a Sunday to share the word and love of God. As time moves forward not all of God’s children remain strong enough as before to lead his flock. Nor can all of God’s choir continue to sing quite as loudly as they always have. This is the time when the Lord takes them into his hands to rest their souls as he has now done with Mildred. Make no mistake, however, as the legacy of spirit that she has created in all of us will continue to live on. Family : My Grandmother Mildred truly defined the word family as I have come to learn and live it. Holidays and family gatherings were the celebrations they were because they were surrounded by Grandma’s love. I watched family such as my late uncle Reginald become the amazing family man he was because of traditions instilled by his mother. I have also seen her daughter - my aunt Milinda – raise three beautiful children by the love and traditions passed down from Grandma. I, of course, owe most of who I am from Grandma’s love passed down through my own mother Rayetta and her husband George, whom Grandma so highly regarded.

British Airways Essay

In 1987, British Airways was privatised, and over the next decade turned from a loss-making nationalised company into â€Å"The World’s Favourite Airline† – a market-leading and very profitable plc. The strategy that transformed the company into a marketing-led and efficient operation was conceived and implemented by Lord King as Chairman, aided by Sir Colin (subsequently Lord) Marshall: two tough businessmen who confronted staff inefficiencies and so improved service effectiveness that BA was rated international business travellers’ favourite airline for several years in the 1990’s. Lord King having retired, Lord Marshall became Chairman and was succeeded as Chief Executive by Bob Ayling, a long-time BA manager. Ayling set in train a strategy to turn BA into a â€Å"global† airline – transcending the â€Å"flag-carrier† status (the role of a nation’s leading airline) it shared with Air France, Lufthansa, Swissair, Alitalia, Iberia – into an airline with no â€Å"national home† operating throughout the world. The dropping of the overtly â€Å"British† heritage and associations was reflected in a changed brand strategy. Away went aeroplane liveries featuring the Union flag, to be replaced by tailfins bearing themed designs from around the world. This was to address the â€Å"global traveller† a savvy (mainly business) customer whose criteria for purchase were service levels, range of destinations, promptness – not price. But the re-branding became a debacle. Customers, staff, alliance partners, shareholders and retailers (travel agents) all liked the British heritage and imagery and rebelled against the turn to an anonymous, characterless new style. Ayling also focused on cost-reduction programmes which antagonised and demotivated BA’s staff – and customers noticed the deterioration in behaviour of staff whose commitment to customer service suddenly plummeted. The upshot was that Ayling was ousted in a boardroom coup in March 2000. During his reign, a loss of 244m in the year to March 31 2000 – the first since privatisation – was recorded and the group’s market value had fallen  by half. A New Face. In May 2000, Rod Eddington joined BA as Chief Executive. He was previously Managing Directory of Cathay Pacific and Executive Chairman of Ansett, an Australian airline. Eddington’s immediate actions were designed to restore profitability to BA’s operations – and to restore the Union Flag to BA’s planes! He set about reducing the fleet, moving to smaller aircraft, cutting clearly unprofitable routes. He also targeted â€Å"high-yield† customers, the traditional mainstay segment for BA. Matching supply with demand was the overall concern, to restore positive cash flow. Strategically, BA’s longtime search for a merger partner was resumed. A link with American Airlines, the first choice partner, was out of the question after US regulatory authorities squashed the idea. A proposed merger with KLM, the Dutch flag carrier, was discussed in some depth, but that foundered on doubts over the long-term financial benefits, and arguments over the relative shares each airline would have in the merged company. Low-Cost Airlines. Meanwhile, the airline industry was undergoing a seismic shift with the rise of low-cost â€Å"no frills† airlines. Ryanair and easyJet had, at first, demonstrated the existence of a new market for cheap airline travel which had not been tapped by traditional airlines. But then they began to expand and to compete for passengers that normally would have gone to BA – even business class customers couldn’t see the reason â€Å"to pay  £100 for breakfast† (the difference in price between BA and easyJet between London and Edinburgh.) BA’s response (under Bob Ayling) was to form GO as a direct response to the no-frills competitor. Operating out of Stansted airport, GO was operated entirely separately from BA, so none of the high-cost culture was inherited. Launched in the face of vociferous opposition from easyJet, GO nevertheless established itself in the market – though at what cost, no-one could guess. Rod Eddington soon decided that his focus on premium customers made GO’s operations inconsistent with that of BA as a whole. GO was sold in May 2001 for  £100m to 3i, a UK venture capital and private equity group. GO was subsequently sold on to easy Jet for 375m. However, the driving of aggressive strategies from budget airlines is still forcing flag-carriers to re-assess their business models. The Outcome. For the year ended March 2001, Eddington’s steps had yielded a quadrupling of operating profits. Market share on key routes had been lost as cuts in fleet and routes bit, but BA believed it had lost customers who paid deeply-discounted fares. BA continued its vigorous pursuit of high-yield passengers. September 11th. So, all seemed to be going well. The brand was being restored, financial performance was improving and the only real problem was lack of progress on forming a partnership with a US carrier, prevented by the regulators. Then came September 11th, and the airline market fell apart. The consequences were swift – passenger numbers fell 28%, US airports were closed for a week, Swissair, Sabena, US Airlines and nearly, Aer Lingus, went bust. Alitalia lost 570m, Lufthansa 400m. Altogether the industry lost 7bn and shed 120,000 jobs – 13,000 at BA – and passenger numbers are still running at 13% below normal on transatlantic routes. In contrast, passenger numbers and financial results at low-cost carriers – easyJet and Ryanair – were rising impressively. Then came Sars, the Iraq war and the continuing sluggishness of the world economy, all deeply damaging to passenger numbers. Strategy at BA was thrown into disarray. Current Strategy. With the travel market is still subject to â€Å"global economic and political uncertainty†, BA has repeated its forecasts for lower revenues. However, the â€Å"fundamentals of this business are stronger than they have been for four or five years† John Rishton, Finance Director, says BA is generating cash, and is conserving that cash. (FT and D.Tel. 6.11.02). The operational imperatives to cope with the turbulent environment are expressed in BA’s â€Å"Future Size and Shape† initiative which is intended to: – Achieve significant cost reductions. Originally targeted at 650m, the cost savings are now expected to save an annualised  £1.1bn over 3 years (FT 19.3.03). Simplified operations and minimal overheads is the aim. – Cut capacity, to match supply of aircraft and flights to the reduced demand. – Cut staffing levels. A further 3,000 job cuts planned for March 2004 have been brought forward to September 2003. – Change BA’s business model. Aware that no-frills competition is not going to go away, but that BA possesses a positive service heritage, BA wants to create an offering that combines the best bits of BA and the no-frills model. Martin George, BA’s director of marketing and commercial development, explains â€Å"our customers like the BA product – convenient airports, high frequency, good level of service – but want it at the right price, and that’s what we’ll give them. It’s about changing our business model to allow us to compete profitably† (Management Today, September 2000). – Rationalise BA’s internal UK and short-haul business – CitiExpress has been formed from the activities of subsidiaries Brymon, BRAL, Manx and BA Regional. To stem heavy losses on this short-haul network, some rationalisation has been done – it has pulled out of Cardiff and Leeds-Bradford airports, and will cut its current fleet from 82 to 50 all-jet planes by end-2005. However, it is expanding operations from Manchester, and from London City airport to Paris and Frankfurt. (FT 18.12.02). It is recognised that BA started to take the bitter medicine of cost cuts and restructuring earlier and in bigger doses than rivals in Europe and North America, and that Rod Eddington has pushed through changes that were long overdue. But is this enough? – can BA wrest back the short haul market from easyJet and Ryanair, while maintaining its position in the longhaul market†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Strike! In July 2003, just at the start of the busy holiday season, BA was hit by an unofficial strike by Heathrow check-in and sales staff who were objecting to a hasty introduction of a swipe-card automatic clocking system. 500 flights were cancelled, affecting 100,000 passengers. The damage to BA’s service reputation was enormous. Both management and union leaders were taken by surprise, and it brought to a head the existence of restrictive practices going back 40 or 50 years which both sides have to confront. Performance. Results for the year ending 31st March 2003 showed a pretax profit of 135 on turnover down 7.8% to  £7.69bn, up from a loss of 335 in the year to March 2002. The results included a charge of 84m for the planned ending of Concorde flights in October, and a fourth-quarter loss (January to March) of 200m. These positive results were entirely down to cost reduction. No  dividend was paid – a consequence of the need to conserve cash. Operating margin at 3.8% is way below Eddington’s target of 10%. (D.Tel, 20.5.03, FT, 21.5.03). In the first quarter of the 2003-04 year, a pretax loss of  £45m was incurred – the effect of the Heathrow strike was put at 30-40m. The business environment. However, Rod Eddington sees the furure business environment as very hard to read, but expects it to get tougher. 2003-04 was meant, according to analysts, to be BA’s year of recovery, but it is not now expected to happen. (DTel, 11.2.03) A critical development is the start of talks between the EU and the USA to dismantle the web of regulations that have controlled the development of international aviation since the mid-1940’s. Eddington, as chairman of the Association of European Airlines, insists that truly global airlines are impossible in the current regulatory environment. â€Å"If it were left to the market, international airlines would undoubtedly follow in the footsteps of other industries and would seek the benefits of scale and scope that are currently denied them. A truly global airline†¦..would be free to operate wherever its customers demanded, free to grow organically or through acquisition and free to charge whatever the market would bear.† These talks are likely to be very long. However, it potentially offers the opportunity for an opening of the two biggest airline markets and lead to substantial consolidation of participants. (FT, 29.9.03). The takeover of KLM, the Dutch flag carrier, by Air France, may be the precursor to the consolidation expected. BA sees no threat from what is now Europe’s largest airline. D.Tel, 1.01.03).

Material Culture and Dignity of Women

This is an interview on allegedly loss of dignity experienced by a family which has undergone social change because of material culture (technology).The advancement of technical know-how nowadays has resulted to various constructive and destructive consequences. In this particular case, the sociological family problem refers to chatting on the Internet, a hobby or interest which has undoubtedly become a money-making venture to some women.Thus, according to its breadwinner and head of the family interviewed, his daughter has lost her dignity for chatting on the Internet just to earn money from foreigners who are willing to pay just so their desires are met.What is of major concern in this scenario is the issue on moral values, poverty and gender sensitivity perhaps. In the society in general today, chatting in the Internet is considered unethical for the very reason that the intention of doing it is for money. Self-respect is being sacrificed and is deemed vanished in the process. Mos t of us value money, status, personal fulfillment, and freedom†¦ (Ursery, 2002).The second key point is poverty. Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day (Shah, 2007). The case family was categorized as economically challenged and was really having difficulty looking for income-generating activities. This was seen as the main motive why the daughter engaged in chatting on the Internet.Finally, the third contention is gender sensitivity. Getting paid for chatting in the Internet has generally devastating effects on the identity of women. Some view is as degrading to females as if they are merely â€Å"objects† for gratification in whatever form required by men who take advantage of such services.From a personal perspective, chatting on the Internet as a material culture and a growing trend for easy money should not be tolerated for it corrupts the value of women. There are other ways of earning through respectable an d decent means.Poverty cannot be used as an excuse to engage in amoral acts though it is not a sin to try to raise one’s standard of living. It is not fair for other women in making generalizations that women are merely â€Å"objects of gratification† or â€Å"objects of desire and malicious intent.† Women are seen to be a sensitive and fragile creature that is why they should be preserved and respected.Culture may consist of attitudes, beliefs, customs, traditions, art and achievements of society that are passed on to each generation (â€Å"Emeralds,† n.d.). It is often said that culture, material culture (technology), is learned and adapted from one’s environment. Computers are thought to be one of man’s greatest inventions. In this 21st century, or the Computer Age, everything operates using these electronic devices in information, communication, and telecommunication domestically and internationally.Socializing by learning this cyber-cul ture is not bad but it should be used properly and for the right purposes without forgoing morality standards. Incorporating them in our lives is a not abrupt but is done gradually through stages and adjustment is vital in the process.In conclusion, chatting on the Internet for money is not an acceptable practice no matter how prevalent it is at present. The daughter’s way of earning is not a dignified thing to do. Moral values, poverty and gender sensitivity are key points to consider in all our undertakings. Material culture (technology) is beneficial but precautions must be taken so as not to abuse it.Referencesâ€Å"Causes of Social Change.† (2002). Retrieved December 13, 2007, from http://stmarys.ca/~evanderveen/wvdv/social_change/causes_of_social_change.htmâ€Å"Emeralds: Components of Culture.† (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2007, from http://sch.ci.lexington.ma.us/~jpetner/EmeraldsShah, A. (2007). Causes of Poverty. Retrieved December 13, 2007, from http ://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Poverty.aspUrsery, D. (2002). Exploring Rules, Values and Principles. Retrieved December 13, 2007, from http://www.stedwards.edu/ursery/values.htm  

15 Vital College Survival Tips

15 Vital College Survival Tips In this quick-read article you’ll find 15 college survival tips that get straight to the heart of the matter. We didn’t waste time with fluff tips or nonsense. Each one is serious business so let’s get to it. 1. Make Eating Right Exercising Habitual Yes, really. Eating right is going to work miracles all by itself because you’ll be running on all cylinders. Exercise will keep you in shape and balanced. Being healthy is really a good idea (who’d-uh thunk it?) and it helps you get the most out of your college experience. 2. Maintain Relationships with the Right Professors Don’t hesitate. From the get-go you need to be establishing relationships with the professors that matter most to you given your goals/focus. Don’t be creepy or in a hurry. Just approach them and let them know they’ll be seeing you around for the next few years and you would love to get to know them. That’s it. Then practice being a student they’re pleased with. It makes college life so much easier when you’re connected to the right people. 3. Know Your Major from Day One Don’t be indecisive. Make a decision and stick with it. Don’t spend a year or two bouncing around from one major to the next wasting time and money. If you’re too young to think about your future in a mature way, maybe you should wait before committing to college? At the end of the day it’s not necessary, but knowing your major from the start makes college much more rewarding. 4. Get Lame Classes Done First Regardless of your major there are a bunch of classes you need to take. Some are the fun classes while others are going to be hard or boring electives you’re not interested in. Don’t avoid them. Get them done with as early as possible so you can spend as much time as possible on the classes that matter to you most. 5. Realize that College is Temporary Don’t get so lost in the moment that you make decisions which could really harm you down the road. Like, maybe it’s not a good idea to post videos on the net of you doing illegal or ridiculous things. Especially if you plan on becoming a teacher or public official. I mean live it up, but don’t forget that college is just a temporary place and the real world awaits you. Also, because college is temporary you really don’t need to take it so seriously that you cause yourself physical or psychological harm. Get it, do your time, get your degree(s) and then move on. It’s that simple. 6. Cradle a Sense of Balance Relax. Find ways to keep yourself balanced and cradle them because they mean so much. Resistance training really helps. Take a yoga class. Do something to keep your mind and body centered so that you don’t get too swept up into things. 7. Be Strategic with Procrastination We all procrastinate, it’s fine. Just make sure you use it wisely. Mid-terms aren’t a good choice†¦jus’sayin. 8. Destroy Your Comfort Bubbles You’re going to survive college. One way to make sure you get the most of it, is to demolish your comfort bubbles and explore, experiment, travel and make yourself available to exquisite experiences. 9. Are You Ready to be a Parent? Seriously. Sex is awesome and there are TONS of young sexy people in college. The question is, are you prepared to be a mommy or daddy? If not, then you need to take sex a bit more seriously. 10. Don’t Avoid Class Difficulty Maybe that class sounds awesome, but on the first day you felt like it might be better to swim in razor blades and lemon juice. Hold on a minute, don’t be so quick to hop out of classes that you find challenging. These are known as character-builder classes. 11. Go to Class! We had to include this one because we understand how powerful propaganda can be. The more you see, read and hear â€Å"go to class!† the higher the chances are that you’ll go. These classes cost money and they are time in your life you’ll never get back so you better take them seriously. 12. Learn How to Take Proper Notes This isn’t high school. Take notes seriously. Clue: you don’t need to take a â€Å"how to take notes† class. 13. Learn to Chill at Test Time The more prepared you are the more relaxed you’ll be. Don’t let anxiety and fear gobble up tons of your mental energy. Instead, make sure you’re prepared and ready to rock when test time comes. 14. Focus on the Right Kind of Friends Don’t let idiots drag you down. Hang with people that can help you succeed and vice versa. 15. Go to Tons of Events Take advantage of as many school events as possible, because then you’ll meet tons of people and create for yourself tons of opportunities (relationships). So how about it folks? Do you agree these are the big hitter survival tips or what? Let us know what you do to survive.

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Literature Review - Essay Example This paper analyses the recession and its influence on Indian ship breaking industry. The article Effect of recession, written by Nagpal N in 2008 has mentioned that the unemployment increased a lot because of recession. He has also mentioned that the companies forced to cut down their expenditure on advertising and media activities because of recession. Stock markets all over the world have shown negative results because of recession. Those who invested in housing, car, security and insurance schemes suffered lot of damages. Expatriates in America from countries like India lost their jobs and started to return because of the recession. As the dollar value falls, the American economy started to decline. The cheap goods manufacturers, China and Thailand like countries were also suffered lot of problems because of their market loss in America (Nagpal, 2008). The article Impact of global recession on India by Sonia Verma explained recession in terms of demand, inflation and deflation. Indian companies getting good outsourcing businesses from America and any economic problems in America may affect India also. Exports to America from India also suffered major setback because of recession. America stopped new hiring which is another concern for the Indian expatriate community in America. Around one crore persons could loss employment because of recession in America itself in a financial year. IT industries, financial sectors, real estate owners, car industry, investment banking and other industries were the major sufferers of the current recession (Verma, 2009) The article Recession proves to be a boon for ship breaking at Alang, reported heavy business in Indian ship breaking industry during the current recession period. It reported that companies docking vessels for disposal to avoid a downturn in freight rates. Rising steel prices,

FAMILY SYSTEM THERAPY Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

FAMILY SYSTEM THERAPY - Term Paper Example II. First Set of Questions. Who is the main theorist? ?What are major concepts, strengths, and weaknesses? ?How does this theory best fit with your value system and personal beliefs? ?What population do you hope to work with (e.g., chemically dependent, domestic violence, families, general mental health, severely mentally ill, etc.)? Why do you think the theory is the best choice for this population? (505 words) ? The main theorist on whom we are going to focus is Epstein. His idea was the McMaster Model of Family Functioning. According to Barker (2007), â€Å"The McMaster Model of Family Functioning addresses the current functioning of the family [than worrying about the past or present developmental stage, [including]: 1) problem solving; 2) communication; 3) roles; 4) affective responsiveness; 5) affective involvement; and 6) behavioral control† (pp. 51). There are six major concepts that have been mentioned that clients must work on in therapy in order to reach their thera py goals. The major strengths of this model is that clients will begin to see success almost immediately if they begin to work in therapy with this particular model. The major weaknesses of this model is that it does not integrate the past or the future into therapy. This could be detrimental for a number of reasons, one reason being that the client must able to have a sense of where he must go and where he has been in order to know how to act in the present. This is a major flaw in the model. However, this theory best fits with my own value system and personal beliefs, because it is my strong belief that a client must deal with how he or she is functioning within the family. I hope to work with populations that suffer from mental illness. I definitely believe that the family has a lot to do with how the mentally ill receive their care. According to Rasheed, Marley, & Rasheed (2010), â€Å"†¦data began to indicate that the locus of pathology was in the context of the family, a nd not simply the afflicted individual† (pp. 213). Also, I am concerned about the fact that people only tend to seek therapy when things are falling apart in the family. According to Carr (2006), â€Å"[People often] seek therapy because they feel that they have grown apart and cannot communicate with each other†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pp. 405). Dealing with mental illness can be a tough challenge, especially because of the societal malaise associated with mental illness and the people who suffer from it. According to McBride (2006), There are some â€Å"†¦stigma and misunderstandings associated with mental illness† (pp. 63). Families must realize how to care for their family members, depending on the type of mental illness that is at the core of the issue. According to Barry and Farmer (2002), â€Å"[It is important to identify] the core value of mental health...care†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pp. 43). There are several drawbacks and setbacks that can affect the clients if they donà ¢â‚¬â„¢t receive proper treatment. Mental illness can wreak havoc on a family’s finances and drain its energies. According to Abosh and Collins (1996), â€Å"Families experience chronic emotional distress from the episodic disruptions caused by the illness† (pp. 68). Truly, the family must pull together when someone in the family is thought to have or is diagnosed with a mental illness, because all members of the family are needed to be supportive at that time. Family issues