The Most Recognized Language Architecture Essay

The resurgence of the most accepted linguistic communication of Baroque and Renaissance Architecture has been illustrated through some of the major public edifices in the United States. The twentieth century has marked architectural significance in following classical rules with modern attempts. Rockefeller Center is one of the twentieth century ‘s most successful architectural accomplishments. The success of this major edifice has been translated as the symbol for the new city, the image of the dream for a healthy and compassionate urban hereafter [ 1 ] . The procedure driving the development of Rockefeller Center works in the mode in which the modernistic manner is woven into the ideological and historical cloth of its clip [ 2 ] . The undertaking had begun as a existent estate development predicated on the Metropolitan Opera Company ‘s desire for a resettled new auditorium [ 3 ] . After the stock market clang of 1929, the Metropolitan Opera Company decided non to make a new place there [ 4 ] . Despite the thick of the depression ongoing, the Rockefeller Center was a undertaking developed by John D. Rockefeller. The undertaking was carried through completion with some concern ; nevertheless even with guess the centre has changed the face of midtown Manhattan. The centre ‘s monumentality marks one of the most dynamic infinites in New York City, and serves as a memorial to commerce every bit good as successful urban infinite. The thought behind the planning does non sum up to â€Å" a metropolis within a metropolis, † nevertheless it was a monumental fragment inserted into a metropolis grid [ 5 ] . Raymond M. Hood who was caput designer of the undertaking squad, was involved with the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design with the Architectural League in New York City. Around the same clip period that the Rockefeller undertaking was developing, the reverse skyscraper emerged as a powerful symbol of modern America [ 6 ] . There are recognizable assorted ways that Raymond M. Hood removes classical vocabulary to accomplish the skyscraper is shown through the distant connexion between Beaux-Arts and modernism in New York. The formality of the Beaux Arts planning was illustrated as axially oriented and ordered dominated most City beautiful design. Beaux Arts manner can be defined through arch and pediment doors, statuary, level roof, rusticated raised first narrative and classical inside informations and accents on order, self-respect and harmoniousness. At the terminal of World War I, this Beaux Arts manner started holding rivals among the modern and international manner architecture. The presence of the Ecole surveies revitalized a new mode with traditional preparation [ 7 ] . This undertaking incorporated landscape, metropolis planning, architecture and art at a degree that any other undertaking has yet to get the better of. The true sharpness of Rockefeller Center was read easy through the quality of its public infinite, which has contributed greatly to the strength of Mid-town Manhattan. The sarcasm is that the public infinites besides inaugurate the internalisation of public unfastened infinite that has come to qualify the American metropolis since the World War II [ 8 ] . This denationalization of public infinite has done so much to weaken the unity of the traditional street. The construct behind the public place did non belong to Hood ‘s original program [ 9 ] . Hood followed the thought that the tallness of urban towers should be accompanied by a addition in figure of streets, and the tallness of towers should be dictated by the sum of street frontage [ 10 ] . The urban gesture of the place represented the solid statement of metropolitianism, it was a public urban infinite every bit good a memorial. The urban planning development of the twentieth century has emerged out of City Beautiful Movement. The motion launched by Daniel Hudson Burnham evolved due to the metropolis ‘s shapelessness, as an attempt to better these metropoliss at that place was concern beyond the fa & A ; ccedil ; ade but the quest for aesthetic paralleled with the hunt for functionality of a humane metropolis [ 11 ] . The planning of this composite was done in a really distinguishable mode, every arrangement and connexion was executed thoughtfully. Fifth Avenue entertained the low rise edifices because at the clip of planning, 5th avenue was a low rise street [ 12 ] . The nucleus of the composite is where the antecedently proposed opera house was suppose to be placed, so ideally that is where the design squad planned to put the largest office edifice. Surrounding the nucleus was the smaller office edifices, and stores offered on the street and belowground degree that would link prosaic to the new metro being built at 6th avenue [ 13 ] . The entry to the place begins at the expansive promenade. The promenade took dimensions of a traditional street breadths, so the Rockefeller Group took great attempts to developing this axis with fountains and gardens. The breadth of the promenade was significantly big, so the logic of puting landscape caused the visitant to go confidant with the Windowss of the stores, promoting concern [ 14 ] . The sequence of the program held a transitional quality yet sophisticated. The sequence at 5th avenue would convey one down a major promenade where all kinds of stores are located, taking to the deep-set place. The deep-set place today exists as a skating rink, but was intended to be a shopping place. The symbolism of the New York skyscraper of the 1920 ‘s does impart itself to American capitalist economy in its most active stage, so hence Rockefeller Center design purpose was to reconstruct that assurance after the stock market clang [ 15 ] . The head behind the design was lead by senior architect Raymond M. Hood. The planning involved the prosaic place, roof gardens and the centre succeeded in incorporating the ends of the American Renaissance but besides reshaping those ends to run into the challenge of European modernism [ 16 ] . Hoods architectural impact can be seen in the massing of the RCA edifice of the place. The RCA edifice was the first edifice to be erected for the Rockefeller place. The exterior vocabulary reflect the stripped classical linguistic communication similar but non indistinguishable to those of the News Building, but flatter, set uping monochromatic vocabulary with gray tones. The exterior refined fa & A ; ccedil ; ade is clothed with limestone and aluminium spandril panels [ 17 ] . Hood developed on the sense of the signifier as a heavy mass. Austere explains this dumbness as â€Å" ..not so much like that of a mountain as the News Building appeared to be, but a prodigious domen ; non excavate or volumetric as the McGraw-Hill Building, but instead a huge drop upon which people might mount to secret metropoliss at the degree of rooftops. † Some would reason that regardless of Hood ‘s preparation, the Rockefeller undertaking has been removed from classicalism, while Vincent Scully has stated â€Å" the agreement is pure Beaux-Arts, a small impassive possibly, but axial, focussed and house, determining a shopping street with topographic points to sit and a little square in which it is possible to make something or to watch people making things † [ 18 ] . The program which is Gallic inspired has reflected the Beaux Arts planning. The entry of international edifice shows ornamentation of the traditional symbolic thought behind Rockefeller [ 19 ] . The decoration shows the expansive promenade being on axis with the decoration of wisdom, as shown in image 4.1. The Rockefeller ‘s had a great involvement in instruction and universe trade, therefore the decoration was given a outstanding arrangement in the composite. The involvement of universe trade is really apparent at the symbol represent Old and New Worl d, North and Southern Hemispheres. The clock at the top represents the Sun, the Sun is reflecting on quicksilver, the God of commercialism. On both sides of quicksilver are four elements ; air current, air, fire and Earth. Below quicksilver lies the symbol of engineering and industry [ 20 ] . Bordered on each side of engineering and industry are symbol of Old universe with a mosque, and the New universe image of Aztec and Mayan temple [ 21 ] . Underneath is the ship of geographic expedition, placed between the palace of Europe and the Americas. And below that is the images of four races stand foring the diverseness of the complex [ 22 ] . This ornamentation does non merely suggests a entry, but embraces the importance of the complex as a memorial and the symbolic rhythm the exists through the motion of the composite.As Dennis Sharp stated in Twentieth Century Architecture: A Ocular History,â€Å" †¦ Situated on a block that lies between New York ‘s busy 5th and 6th Avenu es and 48th and 51st Streets, the development represents the apogee of pre-war skyscraper design and comprehensive planning. Public and private activities are brought together in the strategy and the whole design creates an ambiance that is a direct and positive part to urban life. The great RKO gesture image theater was the first edifice completed ( designed by the chief designers with Corbett, Harrison ) and MacMurray, Hood and Fouilhoux ) and opened in 1932. It seats over 3,500 frequenters and has a full phase. † [ 23 ] . The planning of the complex starts to include all degrees of complexnesss in which were successful solved. The issues of traffic, commercialism and prosaic volume were all considerations. The most dramatic component of the composite is the RCA edifice, the tallest edifice of the organisation and even though it is separated by a important distance from the place, the continuum ne'er loses its connectivity to the composite.Work CITEDDolkart, Andrew. â€Å" The Architecture and Development of New York City. â€Å" Skyscraper City ( 2004 ) : n. pag. Web. 12 Dec 2009..Balfour, Alan.Rockefeller Center. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978. Print.Fletcher, Tom. â€Å" GE Building, originally RCA Building. † n. pag. Web. 12 Dec 2009..Frampton, Kenneth.Modern Architecture. 4th. London: Thames & A ; Hudson, 2007. 221. Print.Stuart, Jewel.Ely Jacques Kahn, Architect Beaux-Arts to modernism in New York. 1st. New York: W, W Norton & A ; Company, 2006. 30. Print.Stern, Robert.Raymond M. Hood. New York: Rizzoli International, 1982. 15. Print.Sharp, Dennis.Twentieth Century Architecture A Visual History. Images Publishing, 2006. 257. Print.Hines, Thomas. â€Å" Architecture: The City Beautiful Movement. â€Å" Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. , 2005. Web..Balfour, Alan.Rockefeller Center. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978. Print.Frampton, Kenneth.Modern Architecture. 4th. London: Thames & A ; Hudson, 2007. 220. Print.Frampton, Kennet h 220Frampton, Kenneth 221Stern, Robert.Raymond M. Hood. New York: Rizzoli International, 1982. 15. Print.Stern, Robert.Raymond M. Hood. New York: Rizzoli International, 1982. 15. Print.Stuart, Jewel.Ely Jacques Kahn, Architect Beaux-Arts to modernism in New York. 1st. New York: W, W Norton & A ; Company, 2006. 30. Print.Stern, Robert.Raymond M. Hood. New York: Rizzoli International, 1982. 14. Print.Stern, Robert.Raymond M. Hood. New York: Rizzoli International, 1982. 15. Print.Stern, Robert 15Hines, Thomas. â€Å" Architecture: The City Beautiful Movement. â€Å" Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. , 2005. Web..Dolkart, Andrew. â€Å" The Architecture and Development of New York City. â€Å" Skyscraper City ( 2004 ) : n. pag. Web. 12 Dec 2009..Dolkart, Andrew. â€Å" The Architecture and Development of New York City. â€Å" Skyscraper City ( 2004 ) : n. pag. Web. 12 Dec 2009..Dolkart, Andrew 2Stern, Robert.Raymond M. Hood. New York: Rizzoli International, 198 2. 14. Print.Stern, Robert.Raymond M. Hood. New York: Rizzoli International, 1982. 14. Print.Fletcher, Tom. â€Å" GE Building, originally RCA Building. † n. pag. Web. 12 Dec 2009..Stern, Robert.Raymond M. Hood. New York: Rizzoli International, 1982. 15. Print.Dolkart, Andrew. â€Å" The Architecture and Development of New York City. â€Å" Skyscraper City ( 2004 ) : n. pag. Web. 12 Dec 2009..Dolkart, Andrew. â€Å" The Architecture and Development of New York City. â€Å" Skyscraper City ( 2004 ) : n. pag. Web. 12 Dec 2009..Dolkart, Andrew 2Dolkart, Andrew 3Sharp, Dennis.Twentieth Century Architecture ; A Ocular History. Images Publishing, 2006. 257. Print.

Why Has the Power of the Federal Government Expanded

Kenneth A. Cherisol AMH 2020 Prof. John Fitzgerald Nov 17, 2010 But WHY? Why has the power of the federal government expanded so significantly? Was this shift in power from state governments to the federal government necessary? Government power took a huge shifted from state government to federal government during and after the civil war. Although President Franklin D Roosevelt’s new deal is often considered the pivotal point that caused this shift, the major event attributing to this shift in power was the civil war. The first event that led to a growth in federal power was the ratification of the Constitution in 1789.Although the constitution is to protect the right of individuals and limit the power of government it led to more government power so that it can accomplish its goals. Eventually the Civil war established the federal government’s power over the states. After the civil war the Federal government had to enforce its power over the states to control issues su ch segregation, racism and regulating states powers over the rights of citizens. The government that was established to protect the rights of it citizens now had to look out for its economic welfare.Eventually this led the way for interest groups such as union veterans to tap into the federal treasury. The government now needed means to obtain funds for it limited treasury. Different commissions were developed to regulate aspects of the food industry, fuel, trade and eventually the entire economy. Some of these commissions include the FDA established in 1906, the Federal trade commission established in 1914 and the Federal Reserve establishes in 1913. Eventually in 1913 federal income tax was established providing a source of funds for the federal treasury.World War 1 led to future advancement of the Federal government’s power even further. The federal government now regulated waterway shipping, railways were nationalized, and the United States food administration now regulat ed all aspects of the food industry from agriculture, distribution and sales. During the 1920’s US agriculture suffered because the worldwide market for farm products was competitive. This led to the federal government passing tariffs of farm imports and in 1922 the Capper-Volstead act exempted agricultural cooperatives from antitrust laws.Another act, the Agricultural Credits act of 1923, made it easier for farmer to receive loans from the Federal Farm Board which was established by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1929. The federal Government also needed to regulate the power of businesses. The Federal Government began to limit the power of business by enforcing antitrust laws created by the Shermans act of 1890. Antitrust enforcement was another area in which Federal government increased in power. I believe the expansion of the Federal Government was necessary in every way to ensure the future of US.Before the civil war the states had most of the power dictating state law s and each was concerned with better its own states not looking at the nation as a whole. This led to issues such as the south having slaves and the north not allowing slavery. Eventually this led to the civil war. The federal government is necessary to regulate the powers of the states. Acts such as the civil rights act of 1964 led to equal treatment of individuals regardless of race or color. Even after the act the federal government had to enforce the laws on the south and rebuild the south’s state governments.The federal government’s power affects our daily lives from education to regulations on entertainment and safety. Due to recent economic issues states are allowing the federal government to dictate education policy in exchange for funding. Federal taxes affect our income and ensure funding for various government programs. Federal expansion is also necessary to maintain peace with other nations and ensure the safety of American lives through funding for our mil itary and regulating foreign affairs. I believe the growth in Federal Government is necessary and without it the US would not be as influential and powerful as it is today.

Capital accumulation Essay Example for Free

Capital accumulation Essay Nucleon should focus on contracting manufacturing for phases I and II and then for phase III focus on vertical integration of production to create greater economic value, therefore gaining and sustaining competitive advantage and producing the largest NPV. By contracting manufacturing, Nucleon will be able to focus on core competencies with no capital investments. Also, by vertical integration Nucleon gains sources of competitive advantage. Contracting manufacturing focuses on core competencies. Nucleon will have facilities and personnel in place to implement phases I and II, require no capital investments (reducing up front costs: Table 1), and therefore able to focus on clinical trials. As Hurt’s commented, â€Å"It’s important for us to get our products into the clinic before others do.† Vertically integrating increase NPV by 2002 and gains competitive advantage. Nucleon has high threats of opportunism due to uncertainty and complexity. There are over 200 other firms and Nucleon needs to obtain competitive advantage and then sustain this advantage. By integrating, Nucleon has good possibilities of raising funds, producing other products, and raising a larger income. Vertical integration provides a larger potential income for Nucleon in phase III based on NPV (refer to Table 1), while contracting manufacturing for phases I and II provide Nucleon with ability to focus on core competencies and thus producing the largest NPV by 2002 of approximately $20M. Performed well even in the recession. CEO believed that you need to have an effective strategy and right people to execute the strategy. The company has been able to gain competitive advantage, but can they sustain this advantage? Distinguishes us from other players in the M&A field, it’s that we stay in touch with the companies. 2001-Present Danaher focused on allocating decisions on the basis of return on invested capital (ROIC) Capital accumulation. (2016, May 30).

John Dewey Significane to Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

John Dewey Significane to Education - Essay Example Adhering to the belief that education should be practical and relevant to the needs of society, Dewey argued for the reformation of the educational system. In Experience and Education, Dewey (1925) stated that in many cases, schooling stands in the way of learning. In order to make intellectual progress, he noted, "we mostly have to unlearn what we learned in school" (p. 7). As revolutionary as they were several decades ago, Dewey's philosophical theories in the field of education have stood the test of time and have tremendous relevance to education in the 21st century. Dewey's theory of experiential learning focused on learning within a social environment (Semel & Sadovnik, 1999). He asserted that knowledge was based on prior experiences and constructed in social settings. He argued that knowledge needs to be organized in real-life experiences that provide a context for the information being presented. The role of teachers is to help students organize content and facilitate real-life experiences to reinforce the information included in the lessons. Dewey suggested that experiences in education should reflect the capabilities and readiness of the learner, and the quality of the experience is a critical component of his theory on experience and education. If the experience is appropriate, learners can develop the knowledge needed to apply their experiences to other situations. As a result, they have created new knowledge, have advanced to a different level of readiness, and are prepared to acquire and construct additional knowledge. Dewey was frustrated when philosophers did not view education with sufficient seriousness. He maintained that learning by participation in the ways of their communities, allowed children to achieve and grow cognitively and become productive adults. Rather than teaching isolated bits of information in a given lesson, Dewey perceived education as an interactive process with schools providing opportunities for students to engage in activities that require the exercise of a complete set of reflective thoughts and experiences (Tanner, 1997). This is quite a contrast from the traditional model of the classroom where the teacher transmits the knowledge to the students and the students are passive recipients of knowledge. At the present moment, as schools face challenges in providing students with adequate education to become productive citizens in a global economy, stakeholders in education are searching for ways to provide effective educational experiences for the students (Davis, 2005). Everyone is looking for results. With the government requiring greater accountability and academic outcomes from students through the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 educators must assume accountability for the intellectual development of their students. This has once again focused the teaching profession on creating classroom experiences for students that produce more lasting learning. As a result, many educators are beginning to revisit Dewey's educational philosophies and theories (Semel & Sandovik, 1999). They recognize that education that builds on the prior experiences of children contributes to development of new knowledge. This use of experiential education also can help children become act ive learners who take more responsibility for their academic outcomes. Thus, Dewey believed that building on prior experience as an instructional strategy should be primary in all educational

Jury Deliberation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Jury Deliberation - Essay Example "Research" in this instance could be wide and varied in meaning as there are other extrapolating questions with regards to jury deliberation itself. Are questions limited to the AC 1118 (protection of free debate in the jury room) only Are there other contradicting details about the jury process which the public must know and that should be properly acted upon Does "research" apply to the outsiders, or the jurors themselves As Section 8(1) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 provides: "(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, it is a contempt of court to obtain, disclose or solicit any particulars of statements made, opinions expressed, arguments advanced or votes cast by members of a jury in the course of their deliberations in any legal proceedings," making votes, discussions and other related issues on jury deliberations sacrosanct before the law. In this instance, it is against the law that jurors themselves impart any information or knowledge with regards to the case at hand, so that they are to live life like the case does not exist at all. And this is to allow implementation of AC 1118, of which may be interpreted as to protect the jurors, or the court decision, and the public in general. Court cases that have touched on the issue of "protection of free debate in the jury room" include Regina v. ... ion why or how come that in those cases where the court was informed of some misconduct on the part of jurors, steps were not done to rectify what has gone wrong (UKP, 2006). In the R v Mirza (2004) case, AC 1118 was also indicated of important clause as an important feature of the jury's work protecting "individual jurors from exposure to pressure to explain the reasons which had actuated them individually to arrive at their verdict," (House of Lords, 2005). Likewise, R v Young Stephen (Bar Council, 2006) has also been mentioned as one of the most notorious case. Incidentally, it was emphasized in a report that section 8 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 on disclosing or obtaining information relating to jury room deliberations were addressed to third parties (Procter, 2006) in the discussion mentioned. One example of this contradictory deliberation was the case "Her Majesty's Attorney General (Respondent) v. Scotcher (Appellant) (Criminal Appeal from Her Majesty's High Court of Justice) of which one Keith Scotcher has been charged of contempt of court. In the deliberation, it was established that appellant Scotcher was summoned for jury service in January 2000 for a case against two brothers criminally charged. In February 20 of that same year, an anonymous letter was sent to the mother of the two defendants in the criminal case of which contents include among others: "Dear Mrs Anderson I was the one jury member who held out against the prosecution case at the trial of [A] and [B]. I would like you to seriously consider, as I'm sure you are already, talking to your counsels about appealing the convictions on the grounds of an unsafe conviction, miscarriage of justice, or whatever. [XXXX] When we first went out the voting was close XXXX. Many changed their vote

Online Course Materials and Online Educational Tools Essay

Online Course Materials and Online Educational Tools - Essay Example Some courses are therefore available through a face to face teacher interaction which is supplemented by online course material and other educational tools. There has been some debate about the effectiveness of the online courses per se or of the supplemental course materials to add to the students’ understanding of the subject (Allen and Seaman, 2006) .Moreover, previous research has also found that teachers’ perceptions about the effectiveness of the online course or course material differs vastly (Dawley, 2007) which may in turn impact on their enthusiasm to adopt their teaching to the new requirements entailed by the online mode of learning. This research therefore aims to assess what teachers in college X at the University of Y, in Jeddah, KSA think about the online course material that the university uses to supplement the classroom teaching. As such, the main research questions are: 1. What do the teachers think are the advantages and disadvantages of the online course material? 2. What are some of the barriers and challenges that teachers face while developing and managing the online content for their courses? 2. Literature Review According to Allen and Seaman (2006), online education is not restricted to the fringe anymore instead the popularity of online education is increasing rapidly (Dawley, 2007). In fact, it has become crucial to the long term plans of any institution to incorporate online courses for both local and international students. As more and more teachers begin to adapt to this method of teaching, it is necessary to understand their perceptions about moving to an online approach. This paper takes at look at the perception college teachers have about online... As the report declares two teachers are interviewed from a University in Jeddah, and their opinion sought on the impact on student learning that the online course content that the University uses to supplement regular classes. The teachers are selected on the basis of convenience sampling from among the acquaintances of the researcher. The interviews are conducted over Skype, and the responses are analysed in a reflective manner. The findings are discussed to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the online course content, and recommendations made for the improvement of the same.This paper highlights that online education is not restricted to the fringe anymore instead the popularity of online education is increasing rapidly. In fact, it has become crucial to the long term plans of any institution to incorporate online courses for both local and international students. As more and more teachers begin to adapt to this method of teaching, it is necessary to understand their per ceptions about moving to an online approach. This paper takes at look at the perception college teachers have about online course materials and online educational tools.  Many researchers have made the observation that in spite of the high demand of online courses, faculty members are not very keen to shift their mode of teaching to an online medium.  One of the major concerns of adopting an online approach is pedagogical – whether the process of teaching would be as effective as that of a classroom.

Leininger's Cultural Care Diversity and Universality Research Paper

Leininger's Cultural Care Diversity and Universality - Research Paper Example The paper also describes how research, empirical testing and knowledge development enables the modern and future nursing care to be culturally congruent and thus effective. a). Concepts And Subconcepts of The Theory Leininger’s theory focuses in explaining, describing and thus predicting the similarities and differences of nursing practice in relation to the conceptualization of the patient’s culture. Therefore it can be said that the main focus of the Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality is the care of patients and culture (McFarland and Eipperle, 2008, p. 48). Moreover, the theory demonstrates the methods of nursing approach which aims at taking care of patients with an understanding of their culture. The application of this theory in nursing is through the Trans-cultural Nursing Model where patient care by nurses is designed in a way that it is congruent to the beliefs, practices and values of the patients (Leininger and McFarland, 2006, p. 57). Leininge r’s theory illustrates that since culture shapes every individual, it becomes very important for a nurse especially during medical care. The Trans-cultural Nursing Model therefore enables nurses to view their patients in terms of their beliefs and practices so that they would understand them sufficiently and hence facilitate care (Vandenberg, 2010, p. 238). The nursing care outcome in a trans-cultural patient care is a high level of patient well being (Ekman and Emami, 2007, p. 417). Nurses are mandated to be aware that patients are different because of the unique cultures. The contemporary society which is characterized by globalization and enhanced communication technology has enhanced migration and as a result, societies are more diverse with people from various cultural backgrounds. This reveals that The Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality is very relevant in nursing practice throughout the world. Because patients and their families expect their beliefs and values to be respected it becomes compelling for nurses to apply a trans-cultural approach in nursing practice so that patients are cared for in the most appropriate way (Leininger and McFarland, 2006, p. 59). Therefore cultural competence among nurses is regarded as a very valuable skill which differentiates one form of nursing from another. Planning nursing care requires the understanding of the patient’s values and beliefs so that various cultural phenomena are taken into consideration. The cultural aspects which are described within the Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality include family, social groups, space, communication, genetic variations, spirituality, time orientation and health traditions. All these aspects must be understood by the nurse in order to provide relevant, appropriate and desirable care to the patient and as a result avoid misunderstanding, conflicts or law suits that would result from the dissatisfaction of the health consumers, families or friends. In trans-cultural nursing research, empirical testing and knowledge development is enabled by understanding individual cultures in relation to the social categories (Ekman and Emami, 2007, p. 418). Such research promotes the knowledge of nurses on cultures and thus enhanced current nursing practice and the future generation patient care. Additionally, knowledge develop

HOW DOES OUR FAITH IN RELIGION AND SCIENCE AFFECT OUR GAINING NEW Essay

HOW DOES OUR FAITH IN RELIGION AND SCIENCE AFFECT OUR GAINING NEW KNOWLEDGE - Essay Example As a result, there have been conflicts as to the reliability of science or religion as sources of knowledge, which in turn affects people’s acquisition of new knowledge. In view of this, the aim of this paper is to show how faith in science and religion affect people’s acquisition of new knowledge. Knowledge can be pursued through religion or science, though they both use different methodologies. As stated earlier, research has revealed that conflicts exist between science and religion. Moreover, owing to controversial scientific discoveries, religion and science have been increasingly drifting apart. Science and religion differ because; while scientific knowledge is gained through empiricism and reason, religious knowledge is based on faith and divine revelation. In view of this, people with strong religious beliefs may not easily accept new knowledge that is not based on faith or divine revelation. On the other hand, people with strong scientific beliefs may reject ne w knowledge that is not based on reason or empiricism. The differences in perspectives between science and religion have further been facilitated by the fact that while science is constantly changing, religion tends to be static most of the times. Religious doctrines rarely change, thus people who have faith in religion may have this mentality when it comes to the acquisition of new knowledge. Such people are usually hesitant to embrace new changes or developments in the society. Moreover, any teachings that deviate from their religious beliefs are rejected, regardless of how helpful they might be. This absence of tolerance could hinder such people from acquiring new knowledge, since they are severely restricted by religion. Science on the other hand is more flexible, thus individuals with faith in science are open to new ideas. They also tend to be tolerant about other people’s opinions, since their perceptions are not restricted by any religious doctrine. As a result, it is easier for people who have faith in science to gain new knowledge, since such knowledge is considered a stepping stone to future discoveries. The inflexibility of religion has been demonstrated in various ways, showing that it indeed hinders people from acquiring new knowledge. The religious stand on the issue of HIV/AIDS is a good illustration that faith in religion affects how people respond to new knowledge. Owing to the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, scientists have recommended the use of condoms as one method of minimizing spread of the disease, which has no cure. However, the church, which is a religious institution, has strongly opposed use of condoms. The Catholic Church strongly opposes the use of condoms, yet scientists have proved that condoms are effective in curbing the spread of the disease. Faith in religion that condoms are not acceptable by the Roman Catholic Church has affected efforts by health professionals to teach people that using condoms reduces the chances of cont racting the disease. Roman Catholics cannot accept the use of condoms under any circumstances, while at the same time they do not have a better solution to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Although this new knowledge could actually save their lives, it is rejected on the basis of faith in religion. In this case, it is apparent that while scientific claims are backed up by proven facts, the refusal of condom use by the church is only based on faith rather

Corporation Taxation Foreign Tax Credit Research Paper

Corporation Taxation Foreign Tax Credit - Research Paper Example However, there are four tests which one requires in order to qualify for the foreign tax credit (Rousslang, 1). It follows that foreign tax credit cannot be more than a company’s tax liability multiplied by a certain percentage thus maximum allowable foreign tax credit. Carrying back of the foreign tax credit is a common practice especially when the credit is more than the maximum limit (About.com, 1). It is usually carried to the future or previous year depending on the situation. Credit for Foreign Income Taxes Irs.gov (1) reveals that income tax systems across the world are known to provide credit for similar income taxes that are usually paid to foreign countries. A limitation of credit is usually subjected to the kind of taxes which are of a similar nature to the taxed being credited. There are a number of rules that govern the eligibility of a tax credit. They include basis and nature of the levy; availability of a tax treaty between the two countries; form of payments; political influence; similarity of credit between the two countries; conditions relating to the levy and property or services that accompany the taxes. A typical example is the United States tax system which allows foreign tax credit on the basis of limitations. These limitations are usually in relation to compulsory levies on gross receipts or net income. The countries that require participating in boycotts are not awarded the credit. This exemption also applies to taxes that are subjected to services and goods according to the relevant taxing authority. In the UK, foreign tax credit is allowed on foreign tax similar to corporation tax; subject to limitations (Irs.gov, 1). This... This essay is the best example of comparison tax system of different countries. The United States tax system which allows foreign tax credit on the basis of limitations. These limitations are usually in relation to compulsory levies on gross receipts or net income. The countries that require participating in boycotts are not awarded the credit. This exemption also applies to taxes that are subjected to services and goods according to the relevant taxing authority. In the UK, foreign tax credit is allowed on foreign tax similar to corporation tax; subject to limitations. This situation is provided for in the respective tax treaties. Canada is known to limit the credit by way of deductions in relation to gas or oil businesses. A common observation has been that most tax systems across the world indicate the specific time when a foreign levy is eligible to receive credit. This has to be in accordance to the agreed requirements of the foreign tax credit. Rousslang further reveals that so me tax systems offer credit simply because the tax can be taxed according to the existing domestic tax system. Other systems offer the credit on the basis of the time when the particular foreign item is being subject to income tax requirements. Some tax systems offer credit on the basis of recognition in their financial statements. The government plays a vital role when it comes to developing tax treaties. It is therefore expected that various countries across the world have different methods of approaching this issue.

Video-based training programs Essay Example for Free

Video-based training programs Essay Video-based training programs are being implemented at an ever-increasing rate across the country. While this type of training should certainly not be the only method that is used to train your employees, it is very effective and can offer significant advantages over other training methods. ADVANTAGES There are many advantages to video-based training. However, only the most significant ones are discussed here. Save Development Time. You can shorten your training cycle because you will have the ability to deliver â€Å"just-in-time† training where and when you need it. Facilitation materials with activities and discussion points can be used in whole or in part to create training events that run anywhere from one to four hours. Add Variety to the Delivery Mix. Workshops and lectures can become routine and boring. Video provides a change of pace and can add an entertainment factor that is not possible in a live presentation. Videos can also be used to supplement a face-to-face workshop to stimulate discussion, demonstrate concepts that could not otherwise be presented, and provide meaningful examples of the topic at hand. The more the senses are engaged in the content, the more the participants will learn. Build a Resource Library. Building a video and/or DVD library allows you to offer a broader range of training. You will no longer be limited to custom in-house development or scheduled classroom events. Trainees can check out a DVD or access video training online. RECOMMENDATION Video-based training materials save your organization time and money, and they make your business look progressive. Because they help build learning retention, they can also improve the return on your training investment. The next step should be a formal review of your training needs and an evaluation report to be completed by a professional video-based training firm with a proven track record.

Concept of internal marketing

Concept of internal marketing The concept of internal marketing The concept of internal marketing is a tool that companies use within their workforce to communicate with their employees. Many company owners and authors of internal marketing believe this concept is as important to a companys survival as external marketing (communicating to customers). When communicating to employees this involves the communications of â€Å"corporate culture and goals, mission and vision statements, as well as personnel policies and procedures†. http://www.bnet.com/2410-13237_23-168356.html Internal marketing was introduced in the mid 1970s. This was initiated so companies could use the concept as a way of achieving consistent service quality. Internal marketing became known in the service marketing industry. The objective of this concept was to get a more improved performance from the employees who regularly dealt with customers. Although this concept began within the service marketing it has now broadened beyond and is included in many other companies and organisations. Ahmed and Rafiq authors of the book Internal Marketing: Tools and concepts for customer-focused management suggest that authors have many definitions of internal marketing and from studying the literature they have highlighted 5 main elements of the concept; Employee motivation and satisfaction Customer orientation and customer satisfaction Inter-functional co-ordination and integration Marketing-like approach to the above Implementation of specific corporate or functional strategies Employee motivation is a significant element of the concept, for many authors understand this to be the essence of what internal marketing to be. An employees attitude towards their own work place is believed to directly influence the value of the customer service that is given to consumers. This was summarised by Kusluvan (2003) â€Å"Internal marketing efforts are assumed to result in employee satisfaction, job involvement, work motivation, employee commitment, maximum employee effort on behalf of the organizations and customers, increased job performance, service-oriented behaviours and lower turnover which, in turn should improve service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty† Kusluvan, S (2003) pg:42. There are many other definitions of internal marketing. Ahmed and Rafiq argue that the span of understanding about internal marketing from other authors is huge but vague in its limitations. One of the earlier studies by the author Berry, L (1974) believed that â€Å"effective internal marketing, which would contribute to effective marketing would require financially rewarding personnel, management commitment to sales training and self-development revision of personnel transfer policies and a redefinition of management in terms of helping people to achieve through work† (p.13). Berry along with Pasuraman (1991) later added another definition to the concept in their book Marketing services: Competing Through Quality by stating â€Å"Internal marketing is attracting, developing, motivating and retaining qualified employees through job-products that satisfy their needs. Internal marketing is the philosophy of treating employees as customers and it is the strategy of shaping job -products to fit human needs† (pg 26). These authors believed that there was a set of principles to treating employees fairly and motivating them. They also highlighted the belief that employee satisfaction was an important element of internal marketing. The definition by these authors stress the importance that employee satisfaction is needed in order to develop, motivate and retain the best and most qualified employees. From these two definitions given by Barry you can understand that the concept of internal marketing is a broad notion. The American Marketing Association have given a more simplistic and modern definition for the concept â€Å"marketing to employees of an organization to ensure that they are effectively carrying out desired programs and policies†. This definition doesnt give readers a breadth understanding of the concept. Unlike Berrys (1991) definition it doesnt justify how internal marketing can be achieved in the workplace and it also doesnt explain the ways in which employees are to be marketed to ensure the work carried out by them is effective and of a good standard. An important element of internal marketing as said earlier is motivation [motivating the work force]. Considered by many authors as the ‘grandfather of all definitions on internal marketing Grà ¶nroos (1994) created a definition which saw the efforts of motivating employees as very important. Grà ¶nroos had two previous definitions both created in 1981 which suggests that internal marketing is the selling of the firm to employees who are seen as the internal customers. Grà ¶nroos believed that â€Å"the higher employee satisfaction that will result will make it possible to develop a more customer-focused and market-oriented firm† (Cahill, 1996, p.4). Grà ¶nroos 1994 article looks into motivation and states that â€Å"the internal market of employees is best motivated for service mindedness and customer-oriented performance by an active, marketing-like approach, where a variety of activities are used internally in an active, marketing like and coordinated way† (Grà ¶nroos, 1994, p. 13). This definition, as well as Johnson and Seymours (1985) definition which explains internal marketing should â€Å"create an internal environment which supports customer consciousness and sales-mindedness†. Both definitions highlight the fact that internal marketing is about the service and sales mindedness of the customers. There are other recent definitions of the concept of internal marketing by Ballantyne (2000) which suggests that internal marketing â€Å"is a strategy for developing relationships between staff across internal organisational boundaries. This is done so that staff autonomy and know-how may combine in opening up knowledge generating processes that challenge any internal activities that need to be changed. The purpose of this activity is to enhance quality of external marketing relationships† (pg: 43). This definition emphasises the importance of the relationship between the staff and the organisation and how internal marketing is a strategy that will allow this relationship to become stronger. It also highlights the fact that building on the relationship can enhance the service quality and also their relationship with their external markets. To evaluate how affective internal marketing is with employees companies usually give staff seasonal or yearly surveys which they will us e to measure the affects of their internal marketing efforts. There are many answers to what can actually make a successful company. Some may say its the companys ability to adapt to the market or even a companys high level of customer retention and many believe successful companies are created from within the organisation. Communicating internally but affectively to your internal market (employees) many authors believe is an important attribute for company success, An article written in 2007 about the importance of internal marketing suggested thatâ€Å"Internal communications is traditionally viewed as the sole province of the Human Resources department,† and the article continued by stressing the importance that employees have over effective external marketing â€Å"When employees understand and commit to the value proposition of the company and its brands, external marketing becomes more effective, because the employees become product champions†. As the pace of the economy is fast changing and the recent recession has affected many companys survival, internal marketing grows increasingly important. Due to the recession and the increasing pace of change in the workforce, there has been news of many companys creating alliances with one another, merging with one another and also downsizing as a whole. During these hard times employee motivation is extremely important, especially if every employee is understandably beginning to have concerns about their own companys survival or their current job position. Organisations must instil within these employees some sort of strength and satisfaction that would mean that the employees would continue working and at a good level. Generally, a strategy that many companies use and one which coincides with Ballantynes (2000) definition is that companies â€Å"empower staff to build stronger customer relationship†. Internal marketing supports this strategy (or theory some might say) and suggests that through staff empowerment employees will drive for better understanding, they will have a deeper commitment to the relationship they hold with the organisation and as a result there will be greater involvement from the staff. While todays diverse work force becomes more complicated there are a few barriers which can possibly affect how internal marketing is kept within an organisation. In the book Internal marketing: directions for management, Varey R and Lewis B explain these barriers. The first and probably the most important barrier would be the employees and an organisations ‘resistance to change. Kotler (1990) believed that problems can occur from an organisations ‘built-in â€Å"resistance of management to change† (Percy and Morgan 1990). Managers often do not consider new ideas brought about their company, and this is because a change in the work place can bring forth an overall fear of concern about their job and future positions. Other barriers to internal marketing are ‘inter and intra functional conflict. Inter-functional conflicts often occur when a senior managers assumption of their organisational culture is ill-advised and as a consequence managers may become unaware of the issues and problems which affect prolific activities or â€Å"co-operation and integration† (pg: 78). Intra-functional conflicts are basically when one internal function fails to recognise another internal function. Intra-functional conflicts on the other hand are where the goals and objectives of the organisation and its departments are different to the individual and personal goals of employees. â€Å"It occurs because individuals have different goal, desires and ambitions, and will be submerged in different social spheres of interaction that will impact upon their overall attitude and behaviour†. (Pg: 79) If ever these barriers work in cohesion then it can spell big trouble for any organisation. Although the three chosen are seem as the major barriers affecting the use of internal marketing within an organisation there are also a few other problems which can affect successful implementation of the concept. 1, managerial incompetence 2, poor understand of the internal marketing concept 3, rigid organisational structure and 4, top members of staff treating employees like they are unimportant to the business. Anon (2007) Internal Marketing Kotler P, Bowen J and Makens J (2003) have stated 5 importances of internal marketing; Employees must have a customer service attitude Employees must understand your product Employees must be enthused about your product and your company There must be good communication between employees and management Employees must be able to identify and solve customer problems Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism 3e (2003) Generally employees of organisations, especially those who communicate directly with customers can have an influence on customer satisfaction. The authors suggest that these are 5 important features of internal marketing and in order for it to be affective organisations must aide in ensuring that employees behave in a desired manner expected of them from the organisation. Internal market in todays industry is needed because as Berry L Pasuraman A (1991) stated it serves as a â€Å"managerial philosophy† that a company deploys on to employees that in turn would teach the employees how to maintain good high standard of affective customer service. Within organisations employees are recognised as a major part of the capabilities that service organisations produce. â€Å"The popular view is that employees constitute an internal market in which paid labour is exchanged for designated outputs.† Fill C (2009) pg: 895. Fill suggests if the objective of an organisations internal market is kept then employees will reap the benefits through paid labour. Kotler P, Bowen J and Makens J (2003) have proposed that these are the four objectives of internal marketing; To ensure that employees are motivated for customer-oriented and service-minded performance. To retain good employees. To increase customer satisfaction To increase profitability Some may argue that the main objective of internal marketing is to retain suitable and efficient employee personnel. As a means of retaining these ideal employees, organisations develop motivated and customer-conscious staff which while working simultaneously and cohesively can work towards achieving absolute customer satisfaction. There is a philosophy in internal marketing that every action made within the organisation is oriented towards this sole purpose. As times and the economy change so would the process of internal marketing. The model above shows four steps of internal marketing. Some authors believe this model to be too vague and feel that the complexity of the internal market or many organisations cannot be met by four simple steps. Grà ¶nroos (1996) believes â€Å"The internal marketing process is not to be viewed as a process, which only moves in one direction from the top down. On the contrary, the process needs to be directed from and to every side of the organisation in order for it to be successful† As it is important that an organisations internal marketing objectives are met by its employees, an organisation will produce an internal environment that staff will need to function in to a desired way recommended to them by their company. In the article Internal Marketing (2007) it is written that there are four important areas within an organisations internal environment which are essential for the organisations internal market: Motivation Co-ordination Information Education Internal Marketing from engineer sood These four areas have come up many times in definitions by numerous authors and combined create the four objectives of internal marketing that organisational managers should be trying to reach from their employees. If these are reached then as a result the employees work would drive the profitability of the organisation to a positive and effective level. To conclude in many definitions you will read internal marketing being referred to as a concept that aims on â€Å" attracting, developing, motivating and retaining qualified employee† Berry Pasuraman (1991). In some other cases you will read that internal marketing is a philosophy whereby employees are treated as customers or even in some cases where organisations will basically teach employees a specific way of working in the work place and handling customers. Internal marketing has come a long way since it was first proposed in the service marketing industry in the 1970s. The role of marketing in general has undergone many changes. Organisations have begun networking with one another and members of organisations have begun sharing responsibilities and working as teams. Although many if not all definitions of the term ‘internal marketing can still be relevant to today, the concept in itself over the past 40 years has become one which is/will constantly change as long as the world of business changes. From a concept which first focused on supporting the consciousness and sales-mindedness of employees to one which broadens its scope and understands that the concept is much more profound and more complex to achieve good employee to customer service quality. Key words such as ‘relationships, or ‘motivate and philosophy are now being used in the more modern terms of the definition. J.N. Sheth suggests â€Å"motivation is what moves people. It is the driving force for all human behaviour or more formally, it is ‘the state of drive or arousal that impels behaviour toward a goal objective† (Sheth et al 1999). Indeed, motivating employees has continually been used by authors since the concept of internal marketing was initiated , and although motivating employees to work harder and more efficiently is seen to be very important, organisations also need to understand and create a way of making employees enjoy the work that they are doing. Content workforces which take pleasure in their work are understood to be more productive and affective, which in turn creates a better service and customer experience.Organisations must instil within these employees some sort of strength and satisfaction that would encourage the employees to continue working and at a good level. As the new age dawns many organisations have even used employees to help sell their company e.g. Halifax. Halifax adverts and many other adverts similar to this have used employees as a way of advertising to external customers about big internal changes to policies and procedures that the company may be having. You see adverts everywhere with pictures of employees holding offers or incentives from their company or maybe even different adverts where employees are actually talking to the camera. This can be seen as a form or a strategy used for internal marketing. As a good employee is as important to a company as the employer, employees may feel the need to get more involved with company actions and strategies. In the article Internal Marketing (2007) it was stated that one of the problems which could affect the successful implementation of internal marketing is the ignoring of an employees importance to the company and treating them like any other tool of the business. Companies such as The Carphone Warehouse have their own internal marketing strategy whereby they are accompanied by new employees on a weekend of training. On this expedition employees are taught how to deal with customers, they are given information about the company and objectives that the company and each individual employee are and should be trying to reach, they are taught many things about the products sold in the shops, how to deal with complaints and they are also taught ways in which they should act in the workplace (the rules and codes of conducts). Organisations which take on the strategy to market internally must have a clear and precise objective and mission. The objectives of the organisation must be very clear if it is to correspond with how managers internally market their company to employees. If objectives are clear there will be no confusion within the staff on how to do things and what to aim for. This will help the process of knowledge development of the employee by piecing together understanding and loyalty to individual development. As a personal definition of the term internal marketing one would define it as an internal culture created by the managers of an organisation. This culture allows employees to express their creativity and innovative selves to an extent where they still show responsibility and accountability. It is the selling of the ideals and objectives of the company to the employees so that they work harder towards the goal of ultimate success. Developing and motivating employees are strategies deployed to attain the best qualified staff which would allow organisations to reach set objectives. It is a concept which can be evaluated seasonally through surveys and observations of the employees. Internal marketing should be used to meet the expectations of customers, instead internal marketing should be used to exceed them.

Motif of Play in John Updikes A&P Essay -- John Updike A&P

The Motif of Play in A & P  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the short story "A & P" the author, John Updike, uses the motif of play as one of the main means by which he develops the character of Sammy, the nineteen-year-old narrator and protagonist of the story. In his many and varied references to play, Sammy reveals, along with his obvious immaturity, his rich imagination and potential for possible growth. The story takes place in the summertime of 1960 on a Thursday afternoon. Sammy is employed at the A & P grocery store located in the middle of a town north of Boston, about five miles from the beach. Along with Sammy, the other characters involved in this story are three girls shopping in the A & P in their bathing suits, whom Sammy names Plaid, Queenie and Big Tall Goony-Goony; Stokesie, Sammy's married co-worker; and Lengel, the A & P manager. "A & P" is told from Sammy's point of view. Sammy presents himself as a nonchalant and flippant young man. He appears to be somewhat contemptuous of the older people shopping in the store. However, near the end of the story, we see that he does take responsibility for his conscience-driven behavior and decision, revealing his passage out of adolescence into adulthood through the courage of his convictions. We see Sammy's immaturity at its worst with his snide labeling of the customers in the A & P. An example of this occurs when he calls one lady "a witch about fifty with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows" (p.33). Sammy places the blame on her for his mistake at the cash register. He claims she would have been burned at the stake in Salem if she had been alive then. In another instance, he refers to the housewives shopping as "houseslaves in pin curlers" (p.34). He seems to be fo... ...gives him some insight into his future. As he is walking away from the A & P he sees "Lengel in [his] place in the slot, checking the sheep through. His face was dark gray and his back stiff, as if he'd just had an injection of iron, and my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter" (p.37). Sammy begins his transition from adolescence into adulthood here. He realizes that if he stays at the A & P he may end up like Lengel or the other sheep. He wants more out of life and his fantasy about being Queenie's "unsuspected hero" (p.36) allows him to escape. Sammy comes to the conclusion that life is not going to be easy and he is going to make decisions for himself that the people around him will not necessarily support. Work Cited Updike, John. "A & P." Literature (4th ed). Ed. Robert DiYanni. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.

Ecstasy :: essays research papers

Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, E, and XTC, is a drug that has two effects. The effects of ecstasy are hallucinogens and stimulants. Ecstasy gives you lots of energy and it also makes you feel no need to eat or sleep. Ecstasy takes about twenty minutes to an hour depending on the person. The effect of amphetamines makes the user feel more energetic, and also makes the user feel like not wanting to eat or sleep, once the effects start to wear off, the user feels happier and at peace. Ecstasy can make your blood pressure go way high. Ecstasy can also make your body temperature and heart rate raise. Side affects of ecstasy effects the user by depressing the user, and causes them serious brain damage. Depression by using ecstasy is caused by low serotonin levels witch happens when you don’t replenish the serotonin you lost when you take ecstasy for a week straight. Ecstasy damages your long and short term memory. In the early twentieth century, germen pharmacologists were doing intense research for new drugs for the public. During that time cocaine, morphine, and heroin, were developed and thought to be medical breakthroughs. However, in the early 1900s the bad effects of these drugs were showing effect. When scientists took drugs from things like plants and such the added stuff and tested them for positive effects. Most of the drugs that were created were never intended to be used by their selves, but made it easier to make other drugs by using these drugs like stepping stones. Despite the stories about ecstasy being used as a appetite suppressant, ecstasy was just created to make other drugs.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many different ways to take ecstasy; these are the most common ones: Eating the pill- this is the most common way. Swallow the pill like you take a aspirin. Parachuting the pill- when you crush up the pill wrap it in thin paper and swallow that. Railing the pill-this is when you crush up the pill and snort it up your nose.

The House Of The Seven Gables Essays -- essays research papers

Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables The mood of Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables is dark, and painstakingly creepy and slow. The story centers around the murders of two men, centuries ago, the curse that was placed upon the house as a result of that conflict, and the repercussions to the current generation. The overall story is like that of a nightmare of total and complete oppressive darkness. Not so much the fright that results from images of goblins and monsters, but that feeling of being scared of the dark; not because of what is there, but because of what you don’t know is there. Hawthorne sets this mood by describing the events that triggered the curse placed upon the Pyncheon mansion in the very first chapter, but never reveals more than a piece of the motivations and consequences at a time, throughout the remainder of the story. The descriptions of the house deteriorating throughout the years covered in the book establishes the sensation of the endless nightmare – that despite mortal man, the house remains as it was from the day it was erected and only the outward appearance changes. . In fact, as the story centralizes around the curse placed upon the house, it is almost the main attraction of the story, the other characters only playing supporting roles to show the potency of the dark power that the house holds on members of the Pyncheon dynasty. Because Hawthorne gives the house human characteristics, â€Å"So much of mankind’s varied experien...

Chapter Notes: Leaf-Fall 1666

Chapter Notes: Leaf-Fall 1666 We have looked at the first chapter – which chronologically occurs towards the end of the text, and discussed some of the reasons why Brooks might choose to structure her novel in this way. We see a lot of characters interacting with each other in ways that are quite different to the next chapter, demonstrating how much they have changed during the time of the plague. Brooks has taken her time here to describe the desolation of the garden that Elinor cared so much for – this reflects the desolation of the village and the characters – particularly Mompellion whose despair is so evident here.Anna (our narrator) is stoic, and is keeping things afloat. Her caring nature is evident in her attempts to assist Mompellion and also in her care for his horse Anteros. However, she refers to herself as a servant and you have all picked up on the fact that her behaviour does not at all resemble that of a servant. This foreshadows the tremendous jo urney (that ‘Year of Wonders’) the reader is about to see Anna embark on. Chapter Notes: Ring of Roses Refers to children’s rhyme supposedly about the plague. Certainly echoes the plague sores that are found on George Viccars body during this chapter.The chapter ironically begins with Anna saying that the last winter – when her husband died – was the most difficult she had lived. No-one expected this plague. We examined the burgeoning relationship with George which is cut short by his illness. We see Anna’s passion for her children (challenging God’s edict that none be placed before him) and her desire to be with a man again. We learn a lot about the lives of women in puritanical society in this chapter, and how Anna is already different from them. `Chapter Notes: The Thunder of his Voice Meaning of the title becomes apparent in the very last page of the chapter.Has a religious resonance. We are introduced to Anys Gowdie in this chapte r – a woman quite unlike those of her time. Anna feels drawn to her and changes many opinions in discussion with her, showing us how unusual Anna herself is for a woman of the time. Anys reveals her affair with George and his intentions to Anna. There are no deaths in the chapter – but the plague is discussed at the dinner at the Bradfords where Anna is serving. Anna goes home and checks her boys – both appear unafflicted. Chapter Notes: Rat-Fall. Obviously modeled on Leaf-Fall, what is the meaning of this chapter title?It begins with glorious descriptions of nature – the people believe they have contained the plague. Anna plays with her children and interestingly, Mompellion enters the picture. Very Garden-of-Eden-esque. Anna is uncomfortable around him. This stands in stark contrast to what we are about to experience. The boys playing with the dead rats is ominous. The weather soon changes, and Anna remarks on the insects biting her boys. She longs to t alk with Anys and begin to see the world in ways that she does. One of the boys playing with the rats starts showing symptoms. Mem Gowdie is sent away as they fetch a physician.The physician flees from the plague. Anna’s baby Tom dies during the chapter. Aphra scolds her for doting in him – she has lost many babes herself. She tells her it is folly to love them until they are walking and talking. It is clear that the plague has struck the town. Chapter Notes: Sign of a Witch Anna compares the plague to the falling of a whip that continues to strip a man’s back on p. 81. We learn that her elder son Jamie passes away even as he is still grieving for his brother. Anna tries a number of remedies to soothe or cure Jamie which must have been common at the time, to no avail.In fact, they seem to make things worse. It is only Anys who is able to soothe him – she promises Anna prophetically on p. 84 that her arms wont be empty for long. Mompellion comes to pray fo r Jamie and Anna â€Å"hears the words as if far away†. P. 86 Anna tells us of her grief and her inability to understand why she has not succumbed when her children and many around her have. Of particular importance are the questions she asks in the graveyard on p. 87. While all this is happening (which is personal and thus central to our narrator) it is clear the plague has spread throughout the village.It has certainly not been contained as they hoped. The townspeople seek a scapegoat, and Anna comes upon them accusing Mem Gowdie. Anys is not far behind and they seek to lessen the hysteria that has grabbed all around them. Pp. 89 – 91. Brooks creates a lot of tension in these pages. The responses of the townspeople here will prove useful in a number of possible themes to discuss around the text. In saving Mem Anys draws attention to herself and Anna finds that her loose tongue around Anys and George helps condemn her friend. Anys uses all her wits to distract and ang er the villagers and accepts that her death is inevitable.Her actions here may be hard to understand and we will need to discuss them. Mompellion comes to confront them but is too late to save Anys. They have created yet another tragedy within their town, and unwittingly destroyed the woman who may best have helped. Consider the irony of Mompellion’s comment: â€Å"oh yes, the devil has been here tonight†. Chapter Notes: Venom in the Blood The atmosphere in the village gets bleaker and Brooks comments that the witch’s blood has not saved those that followed her into her grave. Mem Gowdie falls ill and is taken into care at the rectory, but passes soon after.The herblore of the village is lost. No law is willing to come to the town to hold anyone accountable for what happened. Suprisingly, Mompellion’s sermon preaches love rather than punishment of vengeance (pp. 102 – 103), and he invites his predecessor Reverend Stanley to come into the Church (p. 100). This is significant given the religious upheaval of the time. The two have worked together for the good of the town and the older man shows his support of the younger. Mompellion pleas for them all the stay confined in the village rather than spread the plague seeds.Many agree, some if only for lack of food and provisions to travel. This is all evident in the conversations after the service. It also becomes clear that neighbouring villagers will send them food if they stay on quarantine. The Bradfords are not noticed slipping our quietly from the proceedings. This is a powerful chapter title and its meaning will require discussion. Chapter Notes: Wide Green Prison Those that stay in Eyam feel a kind of grace in their decision, which is juxtaposed with the hasty and discourteous exit of the Bradfords. They even defy the reverend’s pleas.Bradford accuses Mompellion of just trying to make the villagers feel better about having to stay (p. 115), which threatens the gentle peace many found at the church earlier. Consider the title of the chapter when discussing this. Many servants are left without a home or job and are distributed amongst the village. Kindness even in their darkest hour. This is worth noting – the darker aspects of humanity depicted in these chapters often outweighs the good we could see if we looked too (p. 117). Elinor gets on with the business of helping the town.We have some good examples here of the teamwork and balance in the relationship between Elinor and Michael. Elinor encourages Anna to help with midwivery, although Anna has horrible memories of her mother dying in childbirth pp 120 – 121, because they are â€Å"all that she has†. Elinor takes some milk of the poppy in case it is needed, and Anna calls upon her memories of the manner and technique of Anys Gowdie. On p. 122 she says the words the Gowdies said: May the Seven Direction Guide this Work, and feels that Anys is there guiding her as to how to deliver the baby safely.That night, they celebrate life instead of death, but Anna pockets the little vial of milk of the poppy at the end of the chapter. Chapter Notes: So Soon to be Dust The title from the chapter comes from the English burial service taken from Genesis 3:19. Why might this be important? The story of Jakob Brand and Maggie Cantwell shows us the types of responses people from Eyam might find in the neighbouring villagers. (pp. 129 – 131) Anna has a confrontation with her drunk father (pp. 133 – 135) and we found out more about her relationship and responses to him. Chapter Notes: The Poppies of LetheThis chapter titles strikes me as somewhat ironic – poppies stand for rememberness but Lethe represents forgetting and oblivion – oblivion brought on my remembering? Does this make sense in Anna’s case? Its also a very dark chapter whereby Anna questions whether she can go on amongst all the death and loss. Anna begins the chapter by m using about falling down a hill – a metaphor for her temptation with the poppy she lifted at the end of the previous chapter. It is a substance she knows from when Sam broke his leg and was treated by the Gowdie’s. Anna repents her theft but cannot bring herself to give the vial back.She makes a concoction of poppy and honey to hide the bitter taste and experiences sweet dreams of her dead children. The day she awakes to seems darker for her efforts, but she notices her mind is calm and she has slept well for the first time in a long time – 10 hours. The day is indeed bitter as she comes across plague ridden Sally Maston (p. 140) whose mother has died already and cannot care for her or ease her suffering. Anna looks after the children as best she can, but recognizes that it is a deathwatch. There is an interesting exchange with the sexton (a church official who comes to pick up bodies) on p. 41 that shows the exhausted attitude of the townspeople to death. Elino r tells Anna that her childhood friend Lib Hancock (who she told the gossip about Anys and George too which eventually led to Anys’ downfall) lies on her death bed. Anna rushes to her, but she is too far for them to put the incident behind them. After these traumas, Anna again relies on the poppy for sweet dreams, but she wakes up to the harsh reality that she has no more. She then remembers the herb stores at the Gowdies and sets off to replenish her stock. On her way, she visits the Talbot cottage as she does not see smoke coming from the chimney.She discovers two things there – that Richard Talbot has attempted to burn off his plague sore in an effort to burn out the disease, and also that Kate has brought a charm (like a spell) to attempt to dispel the plague also. She tells Anna she brought it from the spirit of Anys Gowdie. Anna knows this to be untrue, but cannot solve the mystery just now. When she arrives at the Gowdie cottage she finds Elinor there, who she m omentarily mistakes for the ghost of Anys. Elinor explains that she is there to learn what herb lore she can from the Gowdies, in hopes of saving the town.Elinor reveals she is well aware why Anna is there, and convinces her that she should not attempt to forget her boys through escape via the poppy. She asks Anna if she had sweet dreams and she answers ‘the sweetest I have ever known†. (p. 149). Elinor says she remembers this well, and warns her that the poppy is â€Å"a jealous friend and will not lightly loosen its embrace† (p. 149). She goes on to reveal her sad history to Anna (pp. 150 – 155) and how she came to marry Michael. She does not however reveal all and the biggest secret will be revealed by Michael in the final pages of the novel.They begin their work with the herbs and Elinor has made a study of the victims and notices that while the plague has claimed many, it has not claimed many â€Å"silver hairs†. They decide to start arming the young with as many natural medicines as possible. Anna worries about how she will cope without the poppies and notes that she can always find them amongst the Gowdie’s garden. Question your response to this. Anna also realizes she can throw herself into her work, and this may keep her going. Chapter Notes: Among Those That Go Down to the Pit A very long chapter.Michael is exhausted and Elinor and Anna try to convince him not to do so much. The reader should take note of the relationship and balance between Michael and Elinor after Elinor’s revelation of the previous chapter. Jakob Merill dies and young Brand who has been living with them and caring for the children is named his heir. Anna notes that the cold season demands so much of her – she is busy every minute of every day, delivering babies and learning about the herbs. She explains the processes she and Elinor try, and how they learn through trial and error.They rest only on Sunday – when Elinor dre ads to see in the church pews how they are losing the battle (p. 167-8) In his service, Mompellion says that he must close the church and the church yard – there are too many dead to bury there. He asks the parishners not to worry about not being buried on hallowed ground, God will find them. He faints at the pulpit. Reverend Stanley takes over. Elinor and Anna take him back to the rectory. In this chapter we also learn about the plight of Merry Wickford, a miner’s daughter who alone survives the plague. The other miner’s may take her father’s area if she is unable to produce a dish of lead.Unable to convince the other miners to help Merry, Elinor tells Anna they should help as Anna has knowledge of the mines from Sam. This frightens Anna, who knows enough to recognize how dangerous this is. She also knows that miners are superstitious about having any women near them (p. 175) Nonetheless they take Sam’s gear and try (p. 178). Anna is gripped by fe ar and the two women soon realize they are unable to meet the challenge. Anna remembers that fire-setting can be used, a dangerous practice that cost Sam his life. Elinor encourages her saying that the Plague could catch them any day.Elinor wants to accompany her but (for the first time) Anna speaks harshly to her if the silliness of not being out there to dig her out if needs be (p. 184). Earth buries her and Anna accepts her death. However, Elinor and Merry have both not obeyed her instructions and are on hand to dig her out. They present the overladen dish and save Merry’s mine. Mompellion is amused by Elinor’s presence of mind and outfit. Anna sleeps well that night. (p 188) Chapter Notes: the Body of the Mine Anna recovers from her wounds. Joss Bont takes on the role of grave digger, eeking hefty payment from those too weak or sick to bury their dead. The chapter continues with further examples of his greed and callousness. The final straw is when he digs a grave for Christopher Unwin who lies ill but not dying. He does not even have the plague. When Unwin lives, Bont angrily demands payment for the services that were neither asked for nor necessary. (pp. 196 – 197) Bont is humiliated by Mompellion. Anna hears that her father is thrown out of the tavern, and worries for her stepmother and her children. Aphra laughs when she hears and says â€Å"I am my own ways of bridling that mule† (p. 98). However, that night Bont hits him with his spade and attempts to bury him anyway, in order to steal his goods(p. 199 – 200) Unwin takes his grievance to the Body of the Mine (from the last chapter) as the only quasi-legal system left.. Unwin is also a miner and thus has rights to this. No one speaks up for Bont and he is sentenced to have his hands impaled to a stone as punishment for theft. It is generally up to kin to retrieve the accused, but Aphra’s children are all but one sickened with the plague and she cannot go. Anna doesn’t realize this and never seeks him out.Bont dies on the hill – which leads to greater tragedies later (pp. 204 – 205). His body is partially eaten by animals, and Aphra has to deal with this just after she buried three of her children with her own hands. Her behavior at the Grave is strange and unholy, even for one as superstitious as her( pp. 207 – 208). Chapter Notes: The Press of their Ghosts Anna grieves her father and the rectory and tells his history to Elinor. We learn to have some sympathy for him in this (pp. 209 – 210). Anna feels free of him after the telling – like she is strong enough to face him now.Anna and Elinor’s strength and resilence is contrasted with the other women in the town who are buying charms to ward off the plague. Spring arrives and the lambs are born easily and the village looks pretty again. Although Anna notes it does not over-shadow the still dwindling numbers when they go to pray at Cucklett Delf. Half way through June the village has lost half its population to the plague and this takes its toll on people. Anna details the changed appearance of John Gordon who punishes his body to atone for his sins. (p. 217 – 219). Mompellion and Anna later visit his wife to confirm this.John is later found dead and his wife contracts the plague a week later. This makes voices whisper as to whether he was right or not. Jane Martin takes to sleeping with many men to survive. Mompellion chastises her for it harshly (rather than the man), does Elinor’s history have anything to do with this? The chapter ends ironically with Anna feeling jealous of the Mompellions for having each other (pp. 228 – 229) Chapter Notes: A Great Burning Elinor begins coughing which sends Anna into a panic (pp. 232 – 233). She reflects on all that Elinor has meant to her (pp. 34 – 235) and Elinor asks Anna to look after Michael. Her fever breaks on p. 237. It is not the plague. Michael is overjoyed and Anna is jealous again (p. 239). Renewed, Michael preaches to the villagers that there should be a great burning of their possesions that might carry the plague (he is inspired by Urith Gordon here, who accepted possessions from plague homes and died). He calls it a sacrifice to God. Aphra is drawn to the fire in black rags – it becomes clear that she is pretending to be the ghost of Anys Gowdie and selling the charms around the village (p. 243).The villagers turn on her, and Michael tells them not to violate this spiritual place. Aphra is taken and held by two farmers – who cruelly throw her into a pit of manure which she must tread all night (p. 245 – 246). Elinor and Anna try to bathe and soothe her but she is angry and accuses Elinor of stealing Anna and her children (pp. 247 -248). Anna worries for Faith, the remaining girl and when she eventually goes to look for her finds something startling (pp. 249 – 251). Chapter Notes: Deliverance Anna comments that she avoids Aphra and wishes she hadn’t – foreshadowing again.They realize that they have not had new deaths for some time and hope that the plague has passed. Michael comments that new growth is present at the site of the Great Burning. Michael and Elinor argue about whether or not it is yet time to celebrate the passing of the plague. Michael wants to hold off. In tears, Elinor comments that not all are as strong of will as he. What does this mean really? Eventually a date is fixed and Michael and Elinor dress in white, Elinor with spring blooms in her arms. As he begins to give thanks, Aphra appears.She is clearly mad and blames Mompellion. Mompellion attempts to calm her and sadly Faith’s corpse is damaged in this. Aphra swings wildly with the knife, ending her own life and Elinor’s. (pp. 257 – 259) Chapter Notes – Apple-Picking Time Faith, Elinor and Aphra are buried and Anna considers how best to serve the memory of her friend (pp. 264 – 264). Michael goes into seclusion. He cannot bear Anna to speak of Elinor. When Anna offers to shave him they have an intimate moment (p. 266). Memories of the past run rampant here.Michael is astonished that Anna can read Latin. Michael remains alone for a season and Anna says she cannot rouse him. She brings him the good news of the town, showing the reader that life is moving forward outside the walls of the rectory (pp. 269 – 270). Anna decides to embrace life and make the most of it, symbolized by taking Anteros off for a ride. Mompellion is enraged and Anna takes him into her arms (pp. 273 – 281). He relationship begins but is destroyed by the revelation that he never slept with Elinor. Anna feels she has stolen something from Elinor (p. 83) She finds Michael cruel and perverse (p. 284). She comes upon Elizabeth Bradford and agrees to go and tend the birth. The surgeon abandoned a case Anna solves easily and she remarks tha t the little girl reminds her that she is to go on (p. 287). She saves the child from being killed as the result of adultery and promises to leave the village and care for the girl herself. (pp. 288 – 291). She is given jewels to do this. Anna plans to leave her cottage to Merry Wickford and plans to swap her sheep for a donkey to carry her away. Mompellion interrupts her planning.He knows the whole story and feels Anna may be in danger from those who would seek to destroy the child still. He gives her Anteros and an escape route (pp. 293 – 294). Chapter Notes: The Waves, Like Ridges of a Plough’d Land (Epilogue) The epilogue begins with Anna remembering a poem and marveling that it was written by a woman, showing how small she once believed the world and the capacity of women to be. She describes where she has ended up and how she got there. There are many key passages to look at, and much discussion to be had for the purpose of this chapter.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt and His Allies

FDR Research Notes * The Jews Standpoint * The Debates never end to the reasoning of why the 6 million Jews were not saved by the US Government * The Jews had already taken heavy fire, and now their voice cannot be heard * In 1942, as details of Hitler’s Final Solution reached the Allies, it was difficult for the public and many government officials to grasp the extent and significance of the Nazis’ systematic, mechanized killing. * On December 17th, 1942, the US joined 10 other Allied governments in issuing a solemn public declaration condemning Nazi Germany’s â€Å"bestial policy of cold-blooded extermination† of the Jews. Franklin Delano Roosevelt t believed that the surest way to stop the killing of innocent civilians was to defeat Hitler’s Germany as quickly and decisively as possible. * Assessment of Roosevelt’s role during the Holocaust is made difficult by the relative lack of communication. * Roosevelt and Churchill chose not to sing le out German mistreatment and mass murder of the European Jews as a key focus of the conflict, preferring to refer in general to the aim of ending the mistreatment and murder of civilians under Axis rule. From the American Standpoint * Most Americans at this time were clueless about World War II due to the Government’s president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, by our 32nd president not informing us on many things, may have just had prevented the 2nd Civil War in history * The President did not also inform many government officials due to the germination of the news at the time. * The President also had many in-depth conversations with the British Prime Minister to make sure that the Allies can certainly win this war. The President is also reminded by the British Prime Minister to not forget the lives that were lost during this World War and also to save the rest * Once the World War was finally making some progress with the 101st Airborne, the riots began. * The Americans were n ot impressed with the government’s president and the officials could only say, â€Å"Do not lose faith in the nation we lie in, the United States of America. † * The Americans did finally come to an agreement with the situation, and that is, â€Å"try harder. † * The Other Allies The 3 major allies, or known as â€Å"The Big Three†, are Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill * Joseph Stalin at this time during WWII was in charge of the Soviet Russian’s, which have been recently betrayed by Nazi Germany. * Franklin Delano Roosevelt at this time during WWII was in charge of the United States of America, and has kept many secrets from the Nation that can never be seen. * Winston Churchill at this time during WWII was in charge of the British Commonwealth and has many questions on why FDR had backed out on rescuing millions of Jews. Soviet Russia (WWII) * The man with the heart for the mix of democracy and communism. Joseph Sta lin was the Soviet Union leader until his death in 1953. * In August 1939, the Union had gone into a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany that was violated in 1941 and the Union was being attacked by Nazi Germany. * After the capture of Berlin in 1945, Soviet Union became the 1 of the 2 Superpowers with the Allies (the other being the United States of America. ) * The British Commonwealth Winston Churchill, Born on November 30th, 1874 and Died on January 24th, 1965 * The one of the few prime ministers to actually serve twice as the prime minister. * Fought in WWII and had a very good relationship with FDR and was basically the provider of Ammo and supplies to the US during the time of Nazi Germany. * When Hitler invaded the USSR, Winston famously said, â€Å"If Hitler invaded hell, I would at least make a favorable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons. † * Franklin Delano Roosevelt * Born January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945 Was involved with the Holocaust and was also partnered with the USSR and the British * FDR was not preparing to save the Jews anytime soon not because of their race, but because of the expenses. FDR had to make sure that Allies win this War and do it with as little money as possible. * FDR was being supplied by his good friend, Winston Churchill, while the Russian Joseph Stalin, provided experimentation so that the Allies could be far more ahead than the Axis (even though we were 2 years behind the Airplane)† Bibliography

Airasia’s Strategic Management

Case Study: AIRASIA AirAsia was launched in 2002 by Tony Fernandes, at the time a pioneer of low-cost flights in Asia. At first, the company operated three Boeing 737s. In 2004, after a very successful public offering, AirAsia was listed on the Malaysian Stock Exchange and from there grew rapidly. As of 2011, the AirAsia Group has 93 aircraft spread across 12 hubs (see appendix 1) and is flying to more than 60 destinations in 16 countries with 130 domestic and international routes.AirAsia operates 3,500 flights every week on domestic and international routes from nine regional hubs in Malaysia, Thailand (Thai AirAsia) and Indonesia (Indonesia AirAsia). AirAsia’s head office and its main base is the Low Cost Carrier Terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. This terminal handles 48. 4% of AirAsia’s traffic (see appendix 2). AirAsia is the leading low-cost carrier in the world and won the Skytrax award for World's Best Low-Cost Airline in 2009 and 2010.In addition, the company is Asia's largest low-fare, no-frills airline and has a long-haul arm, AirAsia X, which currently flies to China, India, Iran, Taiwan, the UK and Australia with plans to launch services to Japan and South Korea. This report will use the PESTEL framework to evaluate the opportunities and threats presented by AirAsia’s external environment. It will then apply a SWOT framework to analyse the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of the AirAsia group.Finally, this report will list three recommendations, to be evaluated by the AirAsia board of directors before implementation. To begin, a PESTEL framework will enable us to understand all the macro-environmental factors affecting AirAsia. 1. Political Opportunities Deregulation and privatization present Air Asia with opportunities for new routes. For example, the ASEAN governments signed the ASEAN Multilateral Agreement on the Full Liberalisation of Passenger Air Services (an open skies policy) in 2010.From 2 015, designated airlines from ASEAN countries will be able to fly to any city with an international airport in a member nation. AirAsia will therefore have the opportunity to penetrate undeveloped markets in the ASEAN region by opening new routes. However, it should be noted that foreign competitors will have the same opportunity and new routes will require the utilization of more aircraft. The Malaysian Government has always supported the Malaysian airline industry. One example of this is the opening of the Low Cost Carrier Terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.Further, the Malaysian Government has helped all low-cost carriers (LCCs), and in particular AirAsia, to develop a competitive edge by reducing their operating costs and improving their logistics. Secondly, the Malaysian Government has given AirAsia, along with all Malaysian airlines, significant tax incentives (see appendix 3). These tax-incentives in fact helped AirAsia to cover a substantial part of its loan inte rest when purchasing aircraft. It is also important to highlight that other Southeast Asian countries are often substantially state owned.This allows the government to control the airline and protect it from competition. As an example, AirAsia established a joint venture with Shin Corp when it began operating in Thailand with Thai AirAsia. AirAsia had a holding of 49% of Thai AirAsia while the remainder was held by Shin Corp. , owned by the former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (2001 -2006). Threats AirAsia and its competitors can also be negatively affected by government decisions. For example, unless the Malaysian government makes an effort to minimise crime, travellers may choose to visit other destinations.Low-cost carriers are also suffering from recent delays in the construction of a new permanent low-cost carrier terminal (Expected to open in October 2012), work being undertaken by the Malaysian government. These delays reduce the ability for low-cost carriers to expand their capacity by catering for new passengers. Barriers to trade between countries may also inhibit low-cost carriers in Malaysia from entering more protected markets like China where the government tightly controls the airline industry.Civil conflicts and conflicts between regional governments can also affect AirAsia’s operations. For instance, there has been a resurgence of violence in Southern Thailand and terrorism attacks have occurred in the rest of Thailand and Indonesia. Additionally, Malaysia's recent decision to explore oil-rich waters off the coast of Borneo has led to increased tensions with Indonesia. These tensions could harm customer confidence and affect all businesses operating in Southeast Asia. 2. Economic OpportunitiesThe economic situation in Malaysia is stable. As an illustration, from 2004 to 2010, Malaysia's average interest rate was 2. 91%, its average inflation rate was 2. 77% and its average unemployment rate was 3. 43%. In addition, the Gove rnment of Malaysia has a current account surplus that enables them to continuously boost domestic demand, resulting in an average annual GDP Growth of 4. 5% between 2000 and 2011. The global forecast for all Asian countries for 2011 anticipates an average GDP growth of at least 3% for 2011.Countries like China, India and Indonesia are expected to experience GDP growth exceeding 6% (see Appendix 4). Although, economic downturns are always complicated for any business to negotiate, they can also present certain opportunities for companies like AirAsia because, for example, aircraft leasing costs are often reduced by about 40% at such times. Thus, companies with ‘deep pockets’ are able to invest and expand their fleet at a very competitive price. Threats Fluctuating oil prices are a major challenge for airlines.For example, in 2009 and 2010 the price of jet kerosene price represented between 40 to 55% of AirAsia CASK (cost per available seat kilometre). From the latest inf ormation, the fuel price in 1Q11 was US$117 per barrel, relatively high when compared with 1Q10 when the price was only US$99. 6 per barrel. Fluctuating oil prices have a major impact on operational costs. This is why all airlines use fuel-hedging contracts to stabilise the price they pay for the purchase of jet kerosene. By hedging fuel, Air Asia paid an average price of US$107 per barrel in Q1 2011 from (see Appendix 5).The last decade was very prosperous for several Southeast Asian airlines and the Asia Pacific domestic LCC penetration by capacity has expanded rapidly, and has reached a saturation level in several countries. For instance, in countries like the Philippines (61. 8%) or Malaysia (56. 5%), more than half of the region's airline seats are supplied by low-cost carriers compared with the world average of 24% (see Appendix 9). 3. Social/Cultural / Demographic Opportunities Firstly, Southeast Asia offers an important advantage to airlines because the egion is comprised of multiple ethnic groups that are able to speak several languages. For example, Malaysia is composed of several ethnic groups – Malay, Chinese, Indian and Thai – and this provides a company like AirAsia with the ability to find staff that can speak several languages, something which is useful as they rapidly expand their business outside Malaysia. Secondly, the rapid urbanization of Southeast Asia clearly helps airlines because it forces governments to develop important infrastructures and open new airports in order to facilitate the flux of people between countries.According to the UN, seven out of the 15 most populated cities in the world (;10 million) are predicted to be in Asia by 2025 (see Appendix 6). Thirdly, rapid economic growth also drives a rapid growth in the middle class within Asia’s large population. According to the latest OECD forecast, the amount of money spent by the Asian middle class is expected to represent 59% of the total amount spent by t he middle class in the world by 2030 (see Appendix 7).By analysing average household consumption within Asia, we can also confirm that the communication and transport spending category will increase from less than 10% in 1995 to 15% in 2015 and this will definitely increase the demand for air travel between Asian countries (see Appendix 7). Threats The emergent middle class is growing more rapidly in countries like India and China. It is likely that these countries will develop foreign LCC competitors that will have a higher growth rate as well as a larger economy of scale than Malaysian airlines like AirAsia. 4.Technological Opportunities By utilizing information technology, airlines have been able to reduce their operating costs. LCCs were clearly the most effective players in the airline industry at implementing breakthrough information technologies. By implementing e-ticketing systems and using e-commerce to bypass traditional travel agents, LCCs have been able to ‘leanâ⠂¬â„¢ their processes by removing unnecessary costs. Furthermore, new, state-of-the-art aircrafts are more fuel-efficient than older models, and this has helped airlines to reduce their fuel consumption.AirAsia has implemented these technologies and they have contributed to their operational efficiency. Today, AirAsia has the world’s lowest CASK (cost per available seat kilometre), at just US$3. 52 in 2010 (see Appendix 8). It has achieved this by implementing the following best practices: a powerful Yield Management as well as Computer Reservation System (Novitiate Open Skies), a global Enterprise Resource Planning System (powered by Microsoft Business Solutions) and a Customer Relationship Management system provided by Siebel.Threats By being highly dependent on technology, LCCs incur costs in ensuring that their systems operate smoothly and safely (i. e. from backup systems and maintenance). In addition, by relying heavily on online sales, LCCs expose themselves to large f inancial losses when system disruption occurs. 5. Environmental/Legal Opportunities Firstly, AirAsia has the youngest fleet in Asia, with the new Airbus A320 and A330 providing improved fuel efficiency.This is fortunate because the EU has adopted a new policy (coming into effect January 1, 2012) that requires all airlines to pay for greenhouse gas emissions released on journeys to and from EU airports. Secondly, labour unions in Asia are relatively weak when compared with EU or USA and this helps airlines in Asia to remain competitive by reducing their overhead cost to a minimum. Threats Natural disasters force airlines as well as airports to reduce or shut down their operations for hours or even days.In the last decade, airlines have been exposed to Hurricanes, snow, fog, H1N1 influenza pandemic, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. SWOT| Opportunities| Threats | O1) The population of Asian middle class is booming and will reach almost 700 million by 2012O2) Lots of potential to exp and and exploit growing markets in China, India, Japan and Korea as well as the long haul approach in Europe (AirAsia X)O3) Higher fuel costs may force some competitors out of the industry | T1) ASEAN Open Skies will increase competition, for example Singapore Airline and Thai Airways will start LCCs in 2012T2) Saturation of he LCC market in the Philippines and MalaysiaT3) Aviation regulation and Government interference will impact AirAsia’s passenger capacity (recent delays in the construction of the new, permanent low-cost carrier terminal (Expected opening date October 2012)T4) Accidents and disasters affecting customers| Strengths| Weaknesses| S1) Cost leadership: The world’s lowest CASK (Cost per available seat kilometre) with $US3. 52 in 2010. S2) Economies of scale: The biggest and youngest fleet among the LCCs in the region, with an average age of 2. 5 years.S3) Single aircraft fleet (which reduces maintenance and training costs)S4) Double digit growth of all A irAsia subsidiaries; AirAsia achieved record profit in Q42010S5) Quick turnaround of 25 minutes, which is the fastest in the regionS6) AirAsiaX has the world best fleet-utilisation, in excess of 17 hours, achieved by focusing on price-sensitive, time-insensitive customers S7) Profit margin is the highest margin in the LCC industry with 23%; by way of comparison, Ryanair's profit margin is 20%S8) The highest ancillary revenue in the LCC industry (through services like pick a seat, cancellation, baggage supersizing, excess baggage, cargo, as well as travel and tours through AirAsiaGo. com, e-coupon with AirAsia Megastore or Hotels with TuneHotels. om)S9) Brand name is well established in Asia PacificS10) Good at using IT to deliver low-cost operations (ticketless travel, online booking, online check-in)S11) Strong management team consist of industry experts with fast decision making processes (entrepreneurial)S12) Not sensitive to seasonal factors due to the high diversification of ro utesS13) Partnership ANA S14) Virgin Group has 20% share in AirAsia XS15) Weak labour unions | W1) AirAsia load factor fluctuates a lot and is not optimal. W2) Limited human resources due to low costsW3) Non-central location of secondary airportsW4) Heavy reliance on outsourcing (maintenance, repair). W5) Not financially strong enough to compete with â€Å"deep pocket† international airlines, e. g.Singapore Airline's new LCC | * | Main Recommendations| * | O3 with W1 = Recommendation 1 (CI to benchmark European LCC Load factors)O2, S13,S14 with T2 = Recommendation 2 (Partnership to enter new countries due to high LCC penetration level in Southeast Asia)S4 with T1 and W5 = Recommendation 3 (IPO of Thai and Indonesian AirAsia as well as AirAsia X to finance future growth)| Recommendations 1) Load factor As can been seen from the SWOT analysis, AirAsia is outperforming its competitors in terms of operation in several fields. It has the world’s lowest CASK, the worldâ€⠄¢s highest ancillary revenues per passenger and is the largest discount carrier in South East Asia.However by analysing the cost structure of Air Asia, it is clear that revenue can be improved by increasing the passenger load factor from 75% to more than 85%, something Easyjet has been able to do (see Appendix 10 for more information). The CI team must be deployed to investigate in detail the strategy that Easyjet has used. 2) LCC penetration in Southeast Asia is reaching maturity level need for diversification Appendix 9 and the SWOT together highlight the fact that domestic LCC penetration by capacity (seats) within Southeast Asia is starting to reach its maturity by exceeding LCC penetration worldwide (30% of Southeast Asian flights are supplied by LCCs compared with 24% in the world).Countries like the Philippines and Malaysia are clearly the most mature, with more than 50% of airline seats supplied by low-cost carriers. By analysing LCC penetration per country, we can see that AirAsia can leverage its AirAsia subsidiaries(Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia) to enter new countries with very low LCC penetration rate, such as Taiwan, Indonesia, China and Japan. The recent partnership of AirAsia with the Japanese airline ANA underlines the possibilities of this strategy. LCC penetration within Japan is only 9. 1%, far more than China with 6%, Indonesia with 5. 2% or the empty market in Taiwan with 0%. Meanwhile, Air Asia X (in which Virgin Group has an ownership position along with Air Canada) could be used to enter the difficult market in China more deeply.CI teams (AirAsia, Virgin Group, Air Canada) should be able to share information and knowledge in order to define several scenarios for future collaboration within China. 3) IPO to finance growth The construction of the new, world-class low-cost carrier terminal in Kuala Lumpur is expected to be completed in October 2012. Once built, it will be able to serve over 30 million passengers a year and, with exp ansions, will have the capacity to serve up to 45 million passengers a year. By analyzing the forecasted growth of AirAsia as well as it cost structure (see Appendix 11) we can see than the current economic downturn has increased the cost of aircraft by 212%, mainly due to the credit crunch.In addition, AirAsia’s ability to finance the expected growth forecasted is limited because its current structure includes only one publicly listed company that is used to finance all the capital expenditures for Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia and AirAsia X. One solution to cope with this situation of high growth and important capital requirements is to launch IPOs in 2011, especially because AirAsia X and Thai AirAsia are performing very well in 2011. The proceeds of IPOs could enable AirAsia to buy new planes and fund growth in order to compete with Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways who will start their own LCCs in 2011. In order to optimize the IPO the CI team will evaluate the best time for implementing this strategy.In, addition, the CI team will also evaluate the possible risks that IPO will have on the autonomy of AirAsia. Appendixes Appendix 1 AirAsia Group fleet composition: Q1-2011 Source: http://www. airasia. com/iwov-resources/my/common/pdf/AirAsia/IR/AA_1Q11_Analyst_Presentation. pdf Appendix 2 AirAsia's extensive domestic and regional network Source: http://www. airasia. com Source: http://www. centreforaviation. com/profiles/airlines/airasia-ak Appendix 3 Malaysian government Tax Incentive Source: http://www. centreforaviation. com/profiles/airlines/airasia-ak Appendix 4 Asian countries GDP Forecasts Appendix 5 Jet Kerosene prices Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation & US Energy Information AdministrationAppendix 6 Top 15 most populated cities in the world (>10 million) are predicted to be in Asia by 2025 Appendix 7 Emerging middle class in Asia Source: http://www. oecd. org Source: http://www. adb. org Appendix 8 AirAsia has the world’s lowest CASK (Cost per available seat kilometre) with 3. 52 USD in 2010. Selected airlines RASK and CASK: Three months ended 30-Jun-2010 (RASK = Revenue per available seat kilometre and CASK = Cost per available seat kilometre) Airline| RASK| CASK| AirAsia| USD 4. 87| USD 3. 52| Air Arabia**| USD 4. 88| USD 4. 43| Tiger Airways| USD 4. 61| USD 4. 58| JetBlue| USD 6. 72| USD 6. 04| COPA| USD 7. 37| USD 6. 58|Norwegian Air Shuttle| USD 7. 34| USD 6. 82| Southwest| USD 7. 73| USD 6. 84| Vueling| USD 7. 68| USD 6. 91| China Southern Airlines**| USD 7. 32| USD 6. 98| Thai Airways| USD 6. 76| USD 7. 15| WestJet| USD 7. 95| USD 7. 43| Continental Airlines| USD 8. 25| USD 7. 52| Virgin Blue**| USD 7. 43| USD 7. 52| GOL| USD 7. 99| USD 7. 71| Air New Zealand**| USD 9. 22| USD 7. 71| Delta| USD 8. 65| USD 7. 74| US Airways| USD 8. 93| USD 7. 88| United Airlines| USD 8. 82| USD 8. 08| Air Berlin| USD 7. 76| USD 8. 12| Jet Airways| USD 8. 09| USD 8. 20| American Airlines| USD 8. 51| USD 8. 22| C athay Pacific| USD 9. 55| USD 8. 41| TAM| USD 8. 54| USD 8. 44|China Airlines**| USD 10. 60| USD 8. 49| Air China**| USD 9. 75| USD 8. 60| China Eastern Airlines**| USD 9. 25| USD 8. 63| Malaysia Airlines| USD 7. 90| USD 8. 75| Singapore Airlines| USD 9. 61| USD 8. 92| LAN| USD 10. 31| USD 9. 18| British Airways| USD 8. 88| USD 9. 21| EVA Air**| USD 10. 47| USD 9. 38| Qantas**| USD 9. 84| USD 9. 68| Iberia| USD 9. 78| USD 9. 75| Korean Airlines| USD 12. 65| USD 9. 82| Finnair| USD 10. 20| USD 10. 68| Asiana| USD 12. 48| USD 10. 69| Air France| USD 12. 05| USD 12. 51| SAS| USD 15. 03| USD 14. 18| Lufthansa**| USD 16. 41| USD 16. 49| easyJet| USD 6. 99| n/a| Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and company reports Appendix 9Asia Pacific domestic LCC penetration by capacity 2011: Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation & OAG Facts Appendix 10 Passenger load factor Easyjet, Ryanair vs AirAsia Selected European airlines intra-Europe passenger load factor and passenger load factor gr owth: Mar-2011 AirAsia load factor development: 2Q2008 to 2Q2010 Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and AirAsia AirAsia cost structure Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation & AirAsia Appendix 11 AirAsia A320 and A320neo aircraft delivery schedule: 2011 to 2026 Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and Ascend AirAsia cost breakdown / ASK: 1Q08 vs 1Q09 Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation & Airasia