Four Seasons Goes To Paris Essay

One of the worlds leading operator of luxury hotels in business for the last thirty years Four Seasons is successful due to exceptional personal customer service, adhering to standards, at the same time adopting to local customs and blending with the environment. While staying at Four Seasons guests can be assured they will get individual personal attention and exceptional service with no excuses whatsoever. At Four Seasons the hotel makes sure that the guest is comfortable and goes way out of the normal to do what the guest wants even if they have to bend the rules. The Four Seasons Hotel adheres firmly to its standards, according to the hotel management its standards are the foundations for all its properties, and every manager in the hotel has a clear perception of what the standards are, and they adhere to them, over a period of time these standards shape relationships between people and these relationships contribute in building a culture. The hotel has the policy that each individual property should blend with the environment, like if the property is in Chicago when a guest wakes up he should feel that he is Chicago, if the hotel is in Paris and the guest wakes up he should feel he is in Paris. In blending with the environment it still adheres to its standards of individual personal attention, prompt and exceptional service. Strong corporate culture with top management being in the firm for long time 25 + years, corporate and field managers thinking of themselves as part of a  family and treating each others as their own has been a big factor in the hotel’s success. The has a human resource Golden Rule which stipulates that â€Å"One should treat others the way they wanted to be treated themselves†. The firm believes in the fact that people make the strength of the company, the basic human needs stays the same all over the globe, people need respect, care, thoughtfulness. When the firm takes care of its employees as its own the employees takes care of the firm in return. An example of how this golden rule is implemented is the hotel provides the employee with several uniforms and there is nothing saying that they should change it once per day or at some specific time whenever they feel dirty they can change their uniforms, at the end it goes to their dignity almost no one feels comfortable in dirty clothes. Four Seasons has enough properties across the globe and has enough experience and expertise from different areas of this world with diverse cultures that its managers claim that they can go to any city or town and pull people who can follow its mission to provide the best luxury class environment for its guest. It says that even tough the culture and environment is really different but the process of opening a new property is exactly the same everywhere. With all these claim entering into business in France was a big challenge for the four seasons, they had to adhere to the American building code, adhere to the French laws for building and of the work force , modify the property to meet all these requirements and at the same time maintain the French George V look. The way four seasons entered the French market is one of the best ways to do business a business should adopt to the local cultures and blend in the environment, people are generally not that much in favor of a change and if  you blend with the local environment the local community will adapt to the new business in the area and things will go smooth. The hired a French interior designer whose policy was to make the guest rediscover the hotel and make them feel how much better the new redesigned place was. They had issues in adhering to the French labor laws. It’s a country with strong unions in short lots was different in what goes on in US so the firm had to change its way of working. In France they have an emotional way of doing things, the French did not take the company’s golden rule seriously they thought it was too American. They had an incredible pride in being French. The good thing about French is they can be very joyous and encouraging but at the same time French Temper also lashes out. It all ended up to how the four seasons came in to France was almost as important in what Four Seasons did. I would say they way they entered the French market was good but it required a great deal of tact and judgment. The way four seasons done business across the globe according to the policy of Diversity and Strength their belief in diversity and singularity should be a guide to any business entering the global market. Look at the case of McDonald its almost uniform and unique all over the world, now in its vision this mite be the good thing about it but people are generally not that easy to adopt to new tastes, if a community favors more spicy food then for starters they mite visit a McDonald restaurant for a change but in the long run they mite avoid it. Same goes if it sells food that is not consumed in that community no one is going to buy it.

Car sales Solution Essay

My task is to imagine my friend is setting up a car locating business and wants to install a computer system. The system must have the power to store different car information and have the function to search for desired car information be stored and searched for easily .The system must also be easy to use and I have been asked to find a solution to carry this out. Two ways that I could solve the problem is by (1). Putting the information in a table using Microsoft Word, information would be easy to store, but a disadvantage would be that it is, hard and time consuming to search for a desired car. Another way would be storing the information in Microsoft Access. Microsoft Access is a program that contains databases. I think this would be the most efficient method to solve the problem, because information could be stored and searched for easily, using fields. To do this you need to use a query. Firstly you must make a query table, to it you need to add as many field options as you need such as type model, below each field type what you are looking. Save the table, open it and you should have some results. The car data type I need to put into the databases to solve the problem are Model, Make, Year, Type, Mileage, Mot, Colour, Extra features and history of owners. These will become the titles of the fields (fields are the tables in which you add all the information in the databases. I need to collect each of these items of data because this will give easy access to search for the customers desired feature of a car. For example if a customer wanted a red car I could just type red next to colour when searching. I have designed a data capture form, which shows all the details of a certain car. The car information I have entered comes from an ad in the local paper Herald and Post. The car information is taken from a Stanground Autos ad. I have decided to create a way of validating data. The data type that needed validating was Mileage and Price. For the Price field the validation rule is; >0 and 0 and

Sellers Remedies for Breach of Contract by a Buyer Essay

Sellers Remedies for Breach of Contract by a Buyer - Essay Example The aim of the paper is to analyze the adequacies of the remedies available to a seller in the event of the breach of contract by a buyer. B. Remedies Available To the Seller in Case a Buyer Breaches Contract Any breach of a valid and binding contract gives the aggrieved party the right to sue for damages from the party that has breached the contract4. The English law of contract provides certain remedies to an aggrieved seller whose contract has been breached by a buyer as noted by Whincup5. It is worth noting that unlike buyer’s remedies that are dependent on the acceptance of an offer, seller’s remedies for breach of contract does not depend on the acceptance of the contract6. According to Rowan, regardless of whether the buyer has accepted the goods or not, a breach of the contract entered into with the seller gives the seller the right to sue for incidental damages or sue the buyer for fraud or third-party tort in case the seller still has an interest in the goods7 . The law of contract states that in the event that a buyer wrongfully revokes acceptance, rejects goods, or refuses to pay the amount due in respect of the goods before delivery, the seller is entitled by law to withhold the goods until the buyer pays the total amount due as agreed in the contract. Secondly, the seller also has the right under the law to stop delivery of the goods by any bailee or resell the goods to recover the damages. The law also permits the seller to recover damages from the buyer for non-acceptance of the goods or a price in some cases8. In addition, the seller is also allowed by law to cancel the contract altogether after giving the buyer in breach a notice and after allowing them more time to make up for their breach according to Article 64(1)(b) and Article 63(1) of the CISG9. 1 Seller’s Right to Damages The seller can claim damages from the buyer as long as they result from a breach of contract and the damages are not too remote according to Articl e 61(1)(b) of the CISG10. Essentially, the damages that the buyer pays the seller is aimed at putting the seller in the position he/she would otherwise have been had the contract well performed (Robinson v Harman [1848]) 11. Hadley v Baxendale ([1854]) 12 present the principles of remoteness in respect of damages. For damages to be applied to a party in breach of contract, the losses that the aggrieved party suffers must naturally flow from the breach. Alternatively, the losses that arise from possible breach of contract must have been contemplated by the parties to the contract. Some specific types of contracts are subject to legislation that prescribe remedies in the event a party breaches the contract. A contract that involves the sale of goods, for example, allows a party to recover special damages in line with section 54 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (SGA). A seller can claim compensation for reliance loss in case it is not easy to prove loss of expectation (Anglia TV v Reed [1 972])13. As exemplified in Jarvis v Swans Tours Ltd [1973]14and Jackson v Horizon Holidays  [1975]15, a seller can successfully claim damages for mental distress or disappointment in case the contract is, for example, a holiday contract.  

The Impact of Sports Celebrity Advertising On 18-24 Year Old Males in Dissertation

The Impact of Sports Celebrity Advertising On 18-24 Year Old Males in London - Dissertation Example games; the ruining of the representation of sports celebrities as a result of current public cases relating recognized sports stars for example, Allen Iverson, Mike Tyson, Latrell Sprewell, and the substantial advertising finances that are generally assigned to this venture. I will start by presenting a comprehensive survey on celebrity endorsements and by discovering appropriate theories. I will then focus my assumptions to experimental analysis. Furthermore I will present the effects and examine their inferences for marketing executives and examiners in advertising, as well as try considering possible upcoming research trends. This study observes whether customers understand that celebrity endorsers are fond of the commodities they approve, and presents a form using these and other features of the endorser to foresee thoughts toward the endorsed creation. Way of feelings towards the advertisement the endorser and the good were also considered. The model specified that product attitudes were forecasted by conjectures about the endorser's liking for the creation and by approaches toward the one who endorse. This research was performed at university and Harrow town centre of UK using a variety of searching techniques incorporating focus crowds and an analysis of males whose ages were between 18 to 24 years. It was intended to address a chain of research queries associated to the connection between 18-24 years young men and icon-person advertisement. Introduction Whilst the celebrity is typically a complete stranger, and someone one is never prone to neither meet, nor ever truly familiar with, the virtual imminence created between celebrity and audience often has very real effects on the behaviour in which individuals discuss the experience of their everyday lives.... In this analysis there are three variables, the age of respondents, their interest in football and their liking of sports celebrity advertisements, the research gives us the conclusion that the males of 20 to 22 years are more interested in playing football and as the age becomes more than 22 the interest in football gradually becomes less. The high expenditures related to brand marketing make it essential that presenting memos successfully raise customers' attention towards the product. By means of that thought in mind, studies that observe features of advertisements that create them powerful are in particular important. The current researchers represent an initial step in classifying what makes endorsement advertisements valuable based upon work in provenance theory inside public psychology. The results put forward that endorsement-advertising success can be strongly influenced by customers' implications regarding whether the endorser, in fact, prefers the product. Advertisers, in contrast, sometimes appear to be content with simply producing a celebrity between an admired supporter and their product with the anticipation that the endorser's constructive figure will by some means "rub off" on the item. Individuals who pursue British football very frequently, repeatedly, and at times are more disposed to be influenced by David Beckham's endorsement than those who go after every other year. From this result, one can conclude that celebrity advert is most of the use when 18-24 years old males have the chance to intermingle with the celebrity.

Praise the Humble Dung Beetle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Praise the Humble Dung Beetle - Essay Example The media as well as the law makers are biased towards these invertebrates although these creatures are of tremendous importance to the society. It is not the large animals that are feeding the majority of the population. It is these invertebrates that help in the stabilization of soil and help in providing people with majority of their diet. Furthermore they even help in the development of necessary drugs for serious illnesses. Such as the molecules that help in the development of a drug called compound taxol that helps in the treatment of breast cancer and they even help in developing a medicine for patients suffering from leukemia. Their existence is even essential to encourage scientists in developing new elements. For example they have encouraged engineers in developing methods that can help in the extraction of water from fog. These invertebrates are very necessary and the government needs to take measures such as providing them protection under Endangered Species

World-system on the hierarchy of China and Hong Kong Essay

World-system on the hierarchy of China and Hong Kong - Essay Example First, a theoretical framework for the concept of the world system has been constructed using current literature. Second, the political and economic history of China and HK has been examined. Finally, the development of China and HK since the 1980s will be compared. World-systems theory is a set of nested and overlapping interaction networks which focuses on understanding the development of multicultural territory labour division across core and periphery regions (Chase-duun, 1993, 1995; Wallerstein 1974, 2000). Wallerstein (1974) defines the world-system as a multicultural territorial division of labour, and defines two types: core and periphery. These are defined by the nature of their industries: core regions are characterized by capital-intensive, well-developed tertiary industries and periphery regions by labour-intensive primary and secondary industries. The specific claims of world-system theory can be separated into system structure and system dynamics. System structure defines the characteristics and relationships of the system components, with reference to core, periphery and semi-peripheral regions1. System dynamics concerns the processes of the upward or downward mobility within the structure (Shannon, 1996). When Mao Zedong established the People's Republic of China in 1949, the government's priority was the forcible redistribution of property (Kenneth, 1992). Marrin (1993) and other critics describe the first few decades after the creation of the Republic as being full of chaos, famine and class struggles. The Korean War induced the United States and United Nations to enforce a series of embargo punishments on China. Furthermore, the Soviet Union withdrew loans and technicians in 1960 due to a downturn in their relationship. The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution (1958-1976) not only paralyzed internal production and economic activities, but also separated China from the world-system economy (Marrin, 1993). Because China rigidly controlled international investments and trade, Hong Kong became the only port where China could buy foreign currency and items that were not obtainable locally (Miners, 1991). Hong Kong (pre-1980s) Hong Kong became a British colony at the end of the Opium War in 1842. Although its governor was appointed by Britain, colonial government did not promote any ideology to enhance its political legitimacy. Hong Kong has often been described as a free society (So & Kwitko, 1990). Colonial government adopted a "positive non-intervention" policy towards the economy while maintaining a competitive business environment to attract foreign investment, and pursued export-led industrialization in the early 1950s (Haddon-Cave, 1995). After China's political upheaval in1949, an influx of over sixty thousand refugees to HK (Hambro, 1955) brought substantial capital and labour resources, which were used to set up manufacturing factories. The embargoes imposed on Chinese trade in the 1950s helped subsidize the HK economy, with HK acting as a buffer zone between western countries and the Chinese market.

Child Slavery in West Africa's Cocoa Plantations Research Paper

Child Slavery in West Africa's Cocoa Plantations - Research Paper Example The paper tells that it is ironical that while children in cocoa growing countries live a miserable life, large manufacturers in Europe and the US reap huge profits selling chocolates made from cocoa. These children work in almost slave-like conditions while millions of consumers derive pleasure by consuming cocoa products. According to UNICEF, nearly 200,000 children are made to work in West and Central Africa through human trafficking. Mostly, these children are exported from Mali, Nigeria, and Cameroon. The cocoa farms in these countries operate in violation of basic human rights. Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana’s economy largely depends on the cocoa exports and the prices farmers fetch from the international market. International prices are not in their control and the value gain depends on the yield they get from their farms. Much of the work, even today, is done manually and farmers have never thought of exploiting technology to replace manual labor over last several decades due to its easy and abundant availability. At times, weather also plays their role in success and failure of cocoa crops. All these factors, and the traditional way of farmers’ thinking in using manual labor for having the lowest possible cost in producing cocoa, they continue to use child labor as they cost them much lower in comparison to adult labor. Cote d'Ivoire also known as Ivory Coast is the largest producer of cocoa beans followed by Ghana. Most of the child laborers in these countries arrive from Mali. Mali is one of the poorest countries not only in the region but in the world with a GDP of less than $1000 per capita as per the CIA Factbook as on 2010 with over 30% of the population below poverty line. The unemployment rate has been estimated huge 30% as per 2004 estimation. Over 80% people in Mali earn their living from agriculture. With hardly any earning opportunities available Malians are forced to move other neighboring countries. That is why poor families in Mal i agree to send their children to Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana.

Direct Solicitation and Making the Case( Narrative) Essay

Direct Solicitation and Making the Case( Narrative) - Essay Example Each night 20 to 25 volunteers help in serving the meals. The Cathedral Kitchen runs the Culinary Arts Training (CAT) Program. The 17-week program seeks to impart knowledge and develop high-quality culinary skills in learners (The Cathedral Kitchen ). Each year, the program enrolls forty students all of whom are trained free-of-charge: the Kitchen meets the costs of their textbooks, meals and uniforms. In addition, the Kitchen assists the students with job placements at no cost. This paper seeks to raise $270,200 to help increase the intake into the CAT program from the current forty to eighty. The paper explains how this amount is going to be raised by each of two methods of solicitation: email and traditional mail solicitation. This phase of our funds drive targets the business community in Camden City. Indeed, the business community has stood by the Cathedral Kitchen since its inception in 1976(The Cathedral Kitchen). The City’s small and medium enterprises and large corporations alike have continually supported us by making donations in both cash and kind. Therefore, we are once more counting on their unceasing generous support to help us raise the initial $270,200 we need to double our intake from the current forty to eighty students. In recent years, the Cathedral Kitchen has been receiving an ever growing number of applications for the CAT program. However, given the limited capacity of the program, many qualified candidates have been turned down. Hence, the need to expand the program. Even though by doubling our intake we still may not be able to take in everyone, we believe the move is a step in the right direction. Most of our students are drawn from some of the poorest families in Camden Ci ty and elsewhere in the state of New Jersey. Therefore, by keeping a student in the CAT program, one is transforming an entire family. Our graduates are employed and serve in the

How have African-Americans worked to end segregation, discrimination, Research Paper

How have African-Americans worked to end segregation, discrimination, and isolation to attain equality and civil rights - Research Paper Example lace for ever since the spirited struggle against such a corrupt social regime would come to an end and several decades later today, one of the African American descendants is president. How this became a successful story is through a tough battle which could only be won with special dedication and commitment. Strategies to end segregation in America began specific with steps such as on transport system, job opportunities, protestations and violent reiteration, repatriation and lobbying for legislation to allow equality. One of the most potent channels where segregation became rooted in the USA was through the use of public amenities, particularly the transport system. Segregation was manifested in several forms where initially, African Americans would not share a bus with the White. Train transport could not allow mixing of these two races and separate cars were provided, with the conditions of transport exposing the African American community to suffering and humiliation beyond explanation. Several other public amenities systems had similar discrimination policy which deliberately isolated and banished the African American people from a pleasant public life. For instance, hotels, schools and theatres would not permit free mixing of these races. Later on, where the two mixed, the African Americans were reserved for the back sits to make them feel inferior to the White people. This backdrop implies that the African American had no human and civil rights when compared to other Americans. This had to be stopped by the African American community assisted by humane Whites who sympathized with their plight during the regime. A spirited fight was launched beginning with the sensitization and mobilization of the African American community to rally their support for the plight of their civil and human rights. Angry scenes of resistance from the regime’s mechanisms such as judiciary are on record, with courts giving ridiculous rulings and retrogressive laws being passed

Essay on Mobile Revolution Essay Example for Free

Essay on Mobile Revolution Essay Mobiles are no more a luxury or a life style product. Mobile phones, which were one of the beautiful possessions of anybody not until a decade ago, have now become a necessity to the common man. The entry of private service providers with CTMA, GSM and of course, 3G technologies has changed the Communication sector in India beyond imagination. Many new competitors have entered the mobile market resulting in reduction of the STD rates and Local call rates. Plans are also on anvil to enable mobile users to switch over to other service providers without changing their number, also called Mobile Number Portability (MNP). The mobile users in India have increased tremendously during the last decade. Youth, both in rural and urban India, have welcomed and accepted mobiles with open hands. The decrease in call rates can be imagined from the fact that it cost around? 16 per minute when mobiles were introduced in India and today it costs as little as 1 paisa per 2 seconds offered by companies like MTS. Even the size of mobile phones has changed to an unimaginable level. They have become very handy today compared to their walkie-talkie resemblance when they were introduced. The immense benefit offered by a mobile has triggered this revolution. With a mobile phone in hand, one can be available round the clock, and can get the up-to-date information on anything. The availability of internet on mobile phones has increased its utility tremendously. It has made mobile phones, to an extent, an essential item for carrying out a business transaction. The facility of sending short messages or pictures enables a person to send the message across without actually bothering to disturb the other person. For traders, it helps them get the price details of any products without even bringing the products to the market. The introduction of mobile banking helps people carry their bank in their mobile. Some people even carry their office in their mobile phones. However, mobile phones also have some demerits as they can be used to detonate bombs. Some instruments which have cameras in them can be used for taking unnecessary photographs. Constant use of mobile phones may create health problems and increase risk of accidents on road. In spite of these demerits, mobile phones are becoming popular day-by-day as their advantages fairly outweigh the demerits. In fact, the mobile revolution has occurred very fast in India. This symbolizes the countrys transformation from an inward looking tentative nature to a confident and resurgent global economic power. The mobile phone service providers have also increased manifold during the years. Some of the important market players are: Aircel, Airtel, BSNL, MTNL, Idea Cellular, Tata Indicom, Tata DoCoMo, Reliance Communications, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone, Videocon Telecommunications, MTS India and Spice Telecom. Even in rural India, mobile phone has brought a tremendous change to rural telephony, marginalizing the middlemen and empowering women, strengthened by the formation of self-help groups. It has vastly improved access to information and helped in the explosive growth in connectivity. Even at sea, fishermen in Kerala use the mobiles to keep track of rates for their catch in the market. The improvement in infrastructure and support from the Government has acted as a catalyst for mobiles to make tremendous inroads into rural India. The role of mobile telephones are varied, in that, they help assess the market information, coordinate travel and transport, manage remote activities and increase the remunerative working days. As a result, the rural marketing scenario has also undergone a change. Today, the rural consumer is better informed and price conscious. The total mobile penetration is increasing at a quick pace with companies like Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Reliance Communications, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Tata Teleservices, etc. aving unveiled big network expansion plans and innovative marketing strategies specially tailored region-wise. Some of these companies are using a door-to-door marketing strategy in villages and B and C category census towns. They are involving members of gram panchayats and trained market-feelers to make residents aware of the usefulness of mobile telephony and how the system of pre-paid refills work. Handset manufacturers too are gearing up with Nokia incorporating nine Indian languages on certain handsets to promote sales. Value-for- money handsets priced between 1,000 and 1,400 with a plethora of tariff plans to choose from is also one of the reasons for driving subscription growth in these regions. Handsets are being imported in bulk by some service providers. It is expected that voice short messaging service will become a focus area in future, especially in rural areas and service providers are already planning implementation of the same. The pace at which mobile revolution has occurred in India can be attributed to the easy to understand operations. For an illiterate, mobiles phones were so easy to operate that they needed to understand only two buttons the green button for answering a call and the red button for disconnecting a call. Everything else can be learnt with usage and passage of time. Even today, most of the mobiles are used on this two button principle, which makes it a popular device. Gone are the days when people use to queue up before a Public Call Office (PCO) and wait their turn for an hour, only to end up without connectivity. Mobile phones have also removed the necessity to remember telephone numbers of other people. In-built phone books in the instruments enable a person to call the other person, without ever having to remember the other persons number. Actually, mobile phones have become an all-in-one tool in the pocket, which has replaced even the old pocket diary. It is also slowly replacing purse, with the introduction of mobile transactions. No wonder, life without mobile phones have become unimaginable and unthinkable to many.

Balance Scorecard for Air India

Balance Scorecard for Air India Introduction Air India is the prime and oldest Airline of India. It is the State carrier which currently connects to rest of the world such as the Americas, Asia, Europe, etc. It is headquartered at Nariman Point, Mumbai in the Air India Building. It is the 16th largest Airline in Asia serves out of two major Domestic hubs in India at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi CST Terminal, Mumbai. The airline started its journey with the Maiden flight from Karachi Airport to Mumbai Airport via Ahmedabad in July 1932. It was founded by JRD Tata and later on acquired by the State. Air India has two subsidiaries and two affiliated carries. Together Air India, Air India Cargo, Air India Express, Indian and Air India Regional form the National Aviation Company of India Limited. It currently serves 11 countries across the globe apart from the various domestic destinations. Air India Cargo It serves as the cargo operator for the airline serving in conjunction with on ground truck-transportation systems and achieving synergies to increase returns. The carrier also is allowed to carry dangerous (hazardous cargo) animals under IATA rules. Air India Regional The airline previously known as alliance air serves the interior small airports domestically to serve the needs of such regions with smaller aircrafts. The hub for this is at the IGI airport in Delhi. Indian It focuses on the domestic touch points for the airline. It serves various destinations in the country with two major hubs at Delhi Mumbai. Air India Express The airline subsidiary was formed in 2005 to serve the low cost space in the South east Asia and the Gulf region. This is a no frills airline which focuses on the low cost travel mind space for its consumers. Tangible Assets Fleet and Material Resources Air India has continuously being trying to improve its Aircraft fleets. It has recently added 17 new aircrafts which include B777s- Long range aircrafts and it has also procured some 15 new airbus aircrafts to serve its domestic destinations. Currently the Air India fleet stands at a strong 136 aircrafts. Air India serves various international destinations such as in the USA which includes Newark, JFK Chicago with its non-stop Boeing Long range aircrafts. The detailed aircraft distribution is as given in the table below: Network Air India operates from various cities across India like Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Jaipur, Varanasi, Tiruchirapalli, Gaya and Thiruvananthapuram in totality 16 cities for its international location flights. The need of boarding flights from metros for international locations has thus ceased thus providing better opportunities to other cities to develop economically and aid in the countrys growth story. The various requirements in terms of customs, etc. are directly done in these cities. Air India also has code sharing agreements with various airlines across the world providing better accessibility to other locations. International Hub: Air India has established its international hub at Frankfurt for better transfers and code shares across the world. It has forged partnerships with Lufthansa and is currently vying for being a part of the Star Alliance. These alliances has strengthened AIs network in the US and Europe to a large extent. Indian Hub: Air India has its domestic hubs in Delhi IGI Airport and Mumbai CST Airport. The firm services 64 Indian cities domestically from these locations. Out of these locations seventeen service to International flights too thereby providing seamless connectivity. The domestic locations are service by Airbus A321 aircrafts with all world class services. Star Alliance Air India is currently in the process for vying to become a part of the International Alliance which will connect it to 916 cities in the world and have code share agreements with 17000 daily routes across the world. Air India club members can enjoy the benefits of International lounges, code shares, loyalty programmes, etc across all the 21 top airlines across the world increasing the service levels to a new height. The alliance is pending at March, 2011. Human Resources Air India has a large base of human resources which makes it one of the poorest in terms of the Human resources quality and performance. The airline pays around 17 per cent of its expenditures as salaries which is much higher than the global average of around 10 per cent. There are around 31000 employees which are serviced by around 14 unions in Air India which creates a huge scope of non-improvement of its current strength of employees. Post the merger the unions have introduced their intent of cooperating with NACIL towards achieving a better way ahead for the airline however issues pertaining to retrenchment and privatization are still serious concerns which the unions take very seriously and are averse to compromise on. The SBU structure which has been brought about in the organization further increases the woes of the Airline as well as the management. The organization has been split into smaller units which are responsible for better management of resources. However the reporting structure is a big catch. A Mumbai Airport Manager is reviewed by the ED of west zone but reports to his SBU head which is in no way related to his performance appraisals. The award of International postings is carried out by a third party who in no way is related to the current chain of reporting and is a commercial director who sits in the HO at Mumbai. Such an organizational structure calls for low performance and lack of accountability from the employees which will lead to non-performance from the organization in the long term. IT Technology resources IT is one of the most critical resources for the success of organizations in the modern times. The merger synergies would have IT as a critical input. One of the major exercises is to have a common airline code which would also help in the eligibility to the Star Alliance. As a measure the airline has contracted the IT serviceability to SITA (Society International Telecommunications Aeronautics) which has had more than 50 years of experience with the airline systems in Air India. The deal worth 845 crores is for a period of 10 years and is aimed at establishing network connectivity at all domestic and international locations for Air India, fare management, baggage tracing and reconciliation system, online booking engines, automated boarding control systems, check-in, air to ground communications, etc. SITA will also provide its horizontal passenger service system. Currently SITA provides its facilities to 140 airlines all over the world serving over 120 million passengers across the world to provide seamless connectivity to Air India to International routes and carriers. It would help to strengthen strategic partnerships for AI across the globe. Air India has also been invited to participate in the SITAs horizon board in India which is a partnership between SITA and airlines to develop the next generation passenger service systems across the globe. All these developments would help AI to establish itself as a brand in the PSS system delivery across the globe. SITA in India works with its strategic partners Mindtree NIIT to implement its technological systems and has a workforce of more than one lac employees. Low Cost Resources Livery The new livery which was launched after the merger has characteristics of both the descendants namely AI and IA both. The livery consists of the flying swan and the Konark chakra placed inside it. The Air India brand is mentioned on the tail of the Aircraft in hindi proudly depicting Indias national language. The aircraft colour is ivory with streaks of red retaining Air Indias colour. Also the red and orange streaks presence on doors signifies the merger of the two giants into one single entity. Maharajah Maharaja is the most reminiscent figure which is associated with the airline. It was designed by the duo of Bobby Kooka, AIs Commercial Director and Umesh Rao, J.Walter Thompson Ltd. Way back in 1946 primarily as a memo symbol; however it has translated into much more than that over the years. The maharajah has won various awards around the globe for its uniqueness and antics. The first word customers associate with AI is the puns and antics of the Maharajah. The maharajah is a unique brand proposition created by the Airline which has served it as a brand ambassador across the world. In- Flight Entertainment Air India has a variety of channels which cater to both the audio and video entertainment of its passengers. The customers have a variety of Indian channels such as popular music, ghazals, bhajans, etc. There is also a variety of English music channels having various genres like rock, pop, jazz, alternative rock , classical , etc. There are also a variety of regional channels available in Indian regional languages such as Malayalam, Tamil, etc. and also movies in similar languages are available for flights connecting the South Indian regions to the Gulf and South East Asia. On Ground Facilities Air India has its own exclusive lounges at Delhi, London, Hong Kong and New York in addition to the one in Mumbai. At other international airports, Air India has tie-ups with other international airlines or local Airports Authorities for lounge facility. There is a lounge for unaccompanied minors as well. Online Booking The quick, easy and convenient way to book AI tickets online through the Air India website. An e ticket will be generated and the details with the e ticket link will be emailed to the passenger. Air India has extensive facilities for Web check in and Tele check in for its passengers to provide ease of facilities. Dining Air India has a variety of menus to cater to a variety of tastes for its passengers. There is a choice of Indian, Continental, Western and Asian cuisines. There are certain special cuisines available on some routes like Japanese cuisine on the Tokyo route, etc. The special requirements of certain passengers also met with a variety of more than twenty six dishes available. There is a large assortment of wines and drinks to choose from giving the passenger a world class dining experience. Balance Scorecard at Air India The balanced scorecard is a holistic design of looking at an organization. It helps align the activities of the business to the vision, mission and the strategy of the organization. It helps improve communication, both internally and externally as well as measure the performance against said goals using proper metrics. Balanced Scorecard concept was started by Dr. Kaplan and David Norton as a means of measuring performances of organization. It was a measurement framework, which for the first time added non-financial metrics along with the traditional metrics that gave managers a better view of the performance of the organization. Over the years, balanced scorecards were refined to become a complete planning and management system for strategy. It helps operationalize vision and mission documents; progress on which can be monitored daily. The airline industry is cyclical in nature. Demand fluctuates seasonally; while planning for capacity and investments have to be done long term. This means that airlines usually go through sessions when they are operating in the red financially. Hence, it makes perfect sense to use a Balanced Scorecard to evaluate the performance of the organization. It gives a better indication of the health of the organization as well as helps create proper milestones for evaluating the progress towards strategic goals. Air India has been facing turbulent times recently. A lot of reorganization, restructuring with regards to the organization, finances and fleet have taken place. The company is deep in the red and there have been calls to divest this white elephant. As Air India struggles through this mess, using a balanced scorecard will give clarity to their goals and help them focus their efforts in achieving the said goals. Balanced scorecard has been implemented in several airlines, the most documented one being the Balanced scorecard implementation at Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airline is a USA based low-cost airline company and is also the worlds largest no-frills airline. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Southwest has among the largest fleet of passenger aircraft among all of the worlds commercial airlines, operating more than 3200 flights daily. Southwest is also a very profitable airline, having posted profits for 37 consecutive years. The balanced scorecard implementation at Southwest airlines has gone through a series of iterations and they are currently in their 3rd generation. We suggest a similar balanced scorecard for Air India. For the balanced scorecard we must have: Vision Mission Core Goal Activities and Outcomes Vision statement is the picture of your company in the future. It forms the lynchpin around which strategy formation takes place. Mission statement is the fundamental purpose of the existence of the company. It clarifies Why do we exist? Core Goal is the goal that is to be achieved by the balanced scorecard. Activities refer to processes that take place inside the organization, that lead to desired outcomes. Activities consists of Internal Processes Learning and Development Outcomes consists of Financial Performance Customer Satisfaction Activities are internal to the organization, while the outcomes in terms of financial outcomes and customer outcomes are visible outside the organization. Also internal processes, Learning and Development are long-term goals while financial and customer outcomes are more short-term goals. However they act as leading indicators of the changes happening in internal processes and Learning and Development. These show that the activities that were internal to the organization has reached a point of maturity that they have started impacting the customer and financial outcomes. As shown in the balanced scorecard given below, activities and outcomes interact with other activities and outcomes and hence no item can be looked at in isolation. The interactions between the strategic goals in each of these four divisions (2 activities and 2 outcomes) have been identified and dwelled upon in the balanced scorecard. The internal processes which must be measured for the scorecard that we identified were: Faster Turnaround of flights Increased Utilization of fleet Adherence to Schedule These will help rationalize workforce, fleets and bring in incremental improvements in operational efficiencies, bringing down costs and making Air India more competitive vis-Ã  -vis low cost carriers. Adherence to Schedule will help Air India rebuild customer confidence in the ability of the Airline to perform. The Learning and Development initiatives that need to be taken up and measured are: Alignment of employees with company goals Cross Functional Training Team work Cross functional Training and teams will increase the efficiency of the organization allowing it to make decisions faster and hence respond more quickly to changes. This is very important for Air-India as the general perception is that the company is slow to change and lethargic in decision making. The financial outcomes from these activities are: Profitability Lower Costs Increased Revenue Fewer Planes The customer outcomes are: Lower Prices On-Time flights Frequent flights Friendly Service Given below is the pictorial depiction of the balanced scorecard for Air India. Resource Based Turnaround Strategy for Air India This part of the report deals with understanding the reasons for the near collapse of Air India and proposing a turnaround strategy for the airline. Since its establishment by the Tata Group and the subsequent takeover by the Indian Government, Air India has seen a lot of issues emerging and changes in the competitive environment in which it operates. These issues and changes have been intensified by uncertain economic conditions, various crises and subsequent recoveries in the European and Asian economies, and a general lack of confidence in professional fields. This has led to a general reduction in the average time available to the organization which seeks to affect a successful turnaround. Also, the rising competition in the field it operates has compounded the problems by making Air India fight for limited resources with players which quite often have people with greater conviction at the top and therefore can allocate a greater part of important resources to the firms operation s. This challenge is primarily faced by organizations which operate in industries that have high technology orientation and companies which typically have high gestation periods where an investment made in any particular area or domain impacts the companys bottom line for a long period. Airlines business being one that is fairly high technology is characterized by factors that include product and/or process sophistication, research and development (RD) intensity, and a large population of technical employees. High-tech firms often encounter rapid changes in technology, demand, and a competition which is overlaid by sharp and unpredictable change. Thus, the AI management must be equipped for change management in line with the changes in the airlines industry environment. Unless this happens it will continue to struggle to remain profitable. This is precisely what has been encountered in the case of Air India. Within this high-velocity context, any turnaround strategy is faced with unique challenges. These have been depicted in the figure below. Business Decline The framework that the group uses in analysing the reasons for Air Indias failure and proposing the turnaround takes a new view of turnarounds by integrating constructs drawn from existing turnaround literature with others from the resource-based view of the firm. It proposes that efficient business operations are based on a combination of factors like key resource availability, germane strategy, and appropriate implementation of that strategy through adequate resource leveraging. In this case the financial and human resource would be the resources AI must look to leverage. Important resources within an enterprise can also act as the base for a turnaround strategy which would foster sustainable competitive advantage. Such resources are often the products of historical strategy and environmental action and are invariably capable to withstand rigorous tests of quality. A list of the key attributes of these resources is provided below: (Refer High-Velocity Environment Trims Time to Act Creating a Framework for High-Tech Turnarounds by Rolph N.S. Balgobin, Naresh Pandit; Nov 1, 2002) Turnaround Strategy Turnaround attempts are often the result of existence-threatening decline, there exists a lot of uncertainty with the origin of the points of change intervention and the role of the new top management. Frequently, a turnaround attempt is initiated after pressure from a significant stakeholder, such as a parent company or strong shareholder group. Air India has witnessed this quite a few times as with the ascent of every new government at the center of Power in New Delhi, the attitude towards the airline has changed. Hence pressure often came from the private players whose bids to take over the airline provided the fillip to the management of the airline to change the scheme of things at Air India. In most cases, the need for the change happens internally, usually started by the management who sees the signals of an impending decline. Also in new age high-technology firms, turnaround need not always be a management driven effort. However, the attitude of managers is just as necessary as having new leadership in getting the turnaround efforts going. The success of turnaround recovery plans are different from the unsuccessful ones in many ways (refer to the points mentioned below). In the cases of turnarounds that are successful, analysis-led understanding of the dynamics of the business is done using a diagnostic review. This provides a clear indication of the turnaround opportunities that are available. These opportunities have to be pursued with the goal of creating a sustainable competitive position in the market. Successful turnaround Plan characteristics Result from a diagnostic review (inductive rather than prescriptive) Profitability is explicitly set as an objective A single turnaround plan rather than competing initiatives or no plan at all Communication with stakeholders to ensure alignment A turnaround team develops and implements the plan Causes of decline are appropriately addressed The Process of Turnaround The frameworks used to portray turnaround are often depicted as a sequential process, which starts with the management initiating the attempt, then retrenchment, consolidating and then returning to a growth stage. But in high tech turnaround process there are four distinct stages crisis development, management change, transformation and stabilization, and return to growth. In the case of Air India, the Crisis Development phase started in the year 2008-2009 when the airline reported financial losses of 5000 crores. Due to this, the airline couldnt pay the salaries of its employees leading to a massive announced by the employees in the summer of 2009. This was one of the biggest human resource crises in the history of Indian business with nearly 30000 Air India employees going on strike. Immediately following this, the disastrous incident of the crash of Air India Express Flight 812 leading to the death of 158 people, happened. The change phase, unlike in the more traditional sectors, change happens not at the top as turnaround starts happening. There is often a change of problematic management, mostly purporting the point of view that a CEOs knowledge and relationships are crucial to a successful recovery. The same happened in the case of Air India. The entire top management of Air India was recast in a period of 30 days by the then aviation minister Mr. Praful Patel. As part of the shakeup, several old time directors were asked to leave and a Professional Chief Operating Officer was appointed under the CMD, Mr. Arvind Jadhav. In the third phase, a lot of actions happen simultaneously; these include cost rationalization, asset rationalization, revenue creation and product and market reorganization. In turnarounds that are successful, organizations should be careful not to lose resources that may be useful to recovery. This happens when they concentrate on surviving rather than on competitive leadership. Reflex cutbacks should not result in loss of key resources in firms successful in turning around their organizations. Instead, the focus should be on reducing costs. Also Air India disinvested some of the less efficient parts of its operations, while retaining the more important and useful ones. After an early emphasis on cost reduction, the focus of Air India then shifted to Structural alterations, joint-venture participation, investment, and the introduction of new products. There is a significant deviation in the experience of firms operations in more stable industries, which suggests that it is the high-competitive environment that demand that the changes occur simultaneously rather than sequentially. But as the transformation takes place, the turnaround of the firm goes through an inflection point that causes a shift in focus from cost and asset reduction to growth of the firm. In the case of Air India this has been characterized by the commitment of the top management to the growth of top line and sales and a conscious effort on the part of the airline to drive up volumes and occupancies of the airlines. The airline plans to reduce its price up to 23% by the end of this year. Industry experts see this as a clear sign of conscious effort on the part of the airline to drive up its volumes and occupancy rates. The last phase of the turnaround is punctuated by the assumption that for survival the focus has to be on growth and acquisition. In high competitive industries, this phase does not usually require that the CEO change or that the management change. Our group expects the same to happen by the end of the nest fiscal year when the economy would have recovered and new opportunities would arrive at the horizon for the troubled airline. Influencing Factors Literature study says that significant differences exist between successful and not so successful cases when they are compared in terms of their contextual and situational factors of turnaround attempts. Factors related to macroeconomic improvement and market growth appear to be assisting turnaround attempts. Though, it also has been seen that these environmental changes are not deterministic. With each organization being a unique collection of resources, external events do not seem to be having a uniform impact. Thus, a rising tide seems to lift only the seaworthy boats. External influencing factors include: Macroeconomic Improvement Market Growth Stakeholders attitude. Interaction of an organization with stakeholders such buyers, employees, suppliers, unions, bankers, the government and the community play a major role in determining the success of the turnaround efforts. When important stakeholders hold an active interest in the business viability of the firm, the chances of success appear to be greater. Internal Influencing factors include: Mission institutionalization Availability of financial resources Power concentration, and Perception of the permanence and controllability of decline. Mission institutionalization, primarily driven by the internal and external expectations of the businesses the firm should be in, can be a major abettor or inhibitor of positive change demanded by an intended turnaround. In cases where the changes required put the firm in a new strategic domain (say that of the low cost carriers), mission institutionalization can often hinder efforts of a swift shift in strategy if a firms constituents instinctively negate or refute out courses of action that are seen to be inconsistent with the vision and mission of the firm or its founders. This in Air Indias case can be explained by the reluctance of the airlines part to move into low cost carriers strategic domain. While this remains a possible strategic domain for the future, the airline showed remarkable reluctance in adopting this as a possible strategy. Maybe the Maharaja cant fly cheap after all. Available financial resources are one of the important requirements for a turnaround attempt, especially if the firm has considerable cash demands. Even then, availability of funds has still not been found to be one of the deciding factors in the outcome of a full-fledged turnaround effort. This is a significant finding as it often is suggested that firms in stress require only a steady input of cash until their products or services regain market acceptance. Also in the case of Air India with the airline being heavily government funded, the opportunity to save money and possible publicize it makes a great political success story and a PR opportunity. Of greater impact on the success of a turnaround attempt is the concentration of power within the organization. Firms with higher levels of power concentration are a lot freer to strategize, develop and also implement successful turnaround plans, while the cases that fail are often constrained or reined in by parent companies, powerful stakeholders like political parties, or internal politics. In non-turnaround cases, the management appears to have far less power relative to that owned by the stakeholders. In the case of Air India, with the creation of a new position of power of CEO, can potentially dilute the power vested in the top management. Yet considerations of operational efficiencies far outweigh the concern for power dilution. Similarly, with the entire airline industry showing signs of recovery with the economy firmly on the path of recovery, the perception of the permanence and controllability of decline is that of impermanent and one that can be managed by suitable strategy implementation. Strategy Implementation Successful firms reduce their resource base in those areas which are no longer core activities. Failed firms are more far likely to dispose or sell off on otherwise lose valuable resources than those that might support a recovery attempt. In the successful cases, the remaining resources are often realigned and augmented with the resources which are borrowed through joint ventures, development agreements, or outright acquisitions. This is depicted in the diagram as shown below. Resource Leveraging diagram As a rule, the successful turnaround cases concentrate a majority of their critical resources on a single and consistent turnaround plan, emphasize on a few improvement areas at a time, and focus on a few critical performance levers. They have a strong feedback mechanism to instill new learning deep into the organization. In the case of Air India it would be taking the voice of customers very seriously and trying to create a culture which cares for the people the firm serves. Firms which go through very successful turnarounds are also in a position to blend and balance resources to bring in products and services into the market, while unsuccessful firms often have seem to have an imbalance of skills, which neutralizes capabilities that exist elsewhere in the organization. Finally, parsimonious and frugal resource use and the useful ability to implement turnaround plans quickly also form one of the chief characteristics of successful recoveries. Thus, this is the comprehensive resource based turnaround strategy that we propose for Air India.

Self Discovery and Noel Perrins The Androgynous Man :: Androgynous Man Essays

Self Discovery and Noel Perrin's The Androgynous Man Reading The Androgynous Man by Noel Perrin1 sparked a number of thoughts. Our father's sperm and our mother's ovum are both necessary for fertilization and conception. For every human being seen walking the face of this planet, this formula has taken place of necessity. Without both genders, there would be no single gender; everyone is part mom and part dad. Therefore, the hormones that dominate in each gender are present in both genders in varying amounts. And since every individual derives being from both mom and dad, there is a wide range of possibilities in the niche that each person in each gender will be naturally inclined to, regardless of the stereotypical roles. Everyone is distinctive and unique. When I was in high school, for the first time in my life I developed a group of exceptionally close friends. We referred to ourselves as The Family. We were looking for meaning in life, meaning . . . and acceptance. We were a coed group consisting of about ten people-five girls and five guys-and we learned a lot about ourselves and life. One thing that we learned was the freedom to be who we were. We did all kinds of things together-we laughed, we cried, we talked, we fought, we loved, and we hated; we unselfishly supported one another through the storms of adolescence. In the process, we learned how to become truly whole persons. We were not afraid of our masculine or feminine sides, and self-discovery blossomed with the water of mutual acceptance. In some ways, I feel as though I have lost a part of what I had then. I have become so logical and analytical in my thinking that at times it seems as though I have no remaining emotional side left. And after all, what is it that matters most in life? Science will never be able to empirically demonstrate the love that bonds people together-logic will never be able to demonstrate the warm feeling you have from sharing yourself with someone else-analysis in itself will never offer up happiness, contentment, worth, and value. Above all, science, logic, and analysis will never be able to grasp the spiritual because they "insist on what is packaged and precise" as Christian singer/songwriter Nichole Nordeman so poignantly sings in "Who You Are." Can one ever package the mysteries of the universe and the awesome Creative force that spawned them?

Why Americas Veterans Should Be Honored :: Argumentative Essay

America’s veterans should be honored because they have suffered through so many hardships that others could not and have not survived, and they did it for their country that they loved and still love today. I believe that veterans are our nation’s bravest citizens. I also harbor a special adoration for them because my brother is in the Army and he has already served one tour in Iraq, and is currently on his second at the age of nineteen. My family is either very lucky or very blessed because my brother has yet to be injured in active duty. One day, I hope to join the Air Force and, in turn, become a veteran, as well. Veterans can remind us just how horrible war is, and, hopefully, prevent more wars in the future. Veterans have sacrificed so much so that we may have our rights, our leisures, our hopes, our dreams, and, most of all, our freedom. Everyone should honor the veterans of our nation at all times, not just on holidays like Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day during which we are constantly reminded of our forefathers whom gave their lives and so much more for our country. Many of us take things like going for a walk in the park, hanging out with friends, or going to the church of our choice for granted. I think we all need to take a step back and really look at the situations other countries are in right now and the dealings that they are going through. Then maybe we can look at our own country and really see what we have that others don’t, and consider all the lives, limbs, labors, and loves lost for every single aspect of freedom that we have. Our own men, women, and, at times, children have been sacrificed to feed the mouth of the beast that is poverty, oppression, depression, hunger, violence, and greed.

code of ethics :: essays research papers

What I have experienced over my 43 years of living, both personally and professionally, forms my thoughts, beliefs and feelings and therefore drives what I can call my personal code of ethics. The following briefly describes the core ideals that I maintain:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Honesty – I firmly believe that honesty is the best policy. It will have to be an extreme situation that involves serious injury, damage or other loss that will convince me that not being truthful is best. I realize that the truth can often be very painful, can cause anger, distrust and hatred but I feel that if I have been truthful and given someone all of the information, they will possibly hold me in a higher regard. This honesty will hopefully allow a greater trust between us and future dealings will be less likely to be strained.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Legal – I am a person that follows the laws of the land. I feel that it is wrong to steal, cheat, lie or mislead with the intent to make a personal gain. I strive to be a law-abiding citizen. I work in the pharmaceutical industry. The FDA code of regulations requires this industry to be very stringent in all that we do in the development and manufacture of drug products. This includes drug products for food and companion animals. Many times during the manufacturing process, conditions arise that would possibly render a product or process unsanitary or contaminated. Failing to stop a process and correct this type of situation is considered a federal offense and is a violation of the law that is punishable by jail. We have been trained to treat these conditions very seriously and follow regulations at all times. If we do not it is possible that someone could lose his or her life.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Empathy – When dealing with people and making decisions, I try to be empathetic and consider a person’s feelings and the effect my decisions could make on them and how they feel. I do not feel that it is acceptable for me to be responsible for anyone feeling badly.

Evalue The Benefits Of Pursing A Specic Essay

Abstract A hobby is more than just something that you do in your leisure time. It is something that you make time to do and look forward to doing. Insurmountable pleasure and relaxation can be obtained from doing something that you consider fun to do. It can be described as creative, fascinating, practical, inexpensive, enjoyable, different or unusual. Evaluate the benefits of pursuing a specific hobby Hobby is described as a regular activity that is done for pleasure. Common misconceptions about hobbies are that some think that hobbies or recreations are just for people who live a relaxed life or people who have been retired and have time on their hands, while others believe that hobbies are just a waste of time. On the other hand, people with full, busy, even stressful lives can benefit from hobbies just as much if not more than the average person. I would like to explorer specifically the benefits of pursuing a hobby like hiking. Hiking outdoors has plenty of perks: nice views, fresh air, and sounds of different things and smells of nature. It exercise your mind, body, and soul and is a simple way to challenge yourself. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes. In fact, turning this into a healthy habit can lead to a healthy lifestyle. It’s a great way to start an exercise program that is beneficial to the proper upkeep of the body. Hiking is a powerful cardio workout tool. Studies have shown that obesity is associated with a modest increase in risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. For people who find it uncomfortable to run or job, walking is a great form of cardio that burns about 240 calories an hour! There are a wide variety of hiking trails. Many people in my community take up walking early in the morning and sometimes late evenings. I would like to briefly  discuss the benefits of pursing hiking as a hobby. There are many definitions for the word hiking. Hiking in Canada and the USA is the preferred term for a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails, in the countryside, while the word â€Å"walking† is used for shorter, particularly urban walks. Another source gave the meaning to hiking as â€Å"In its most basic definition, Hiking is simply Walking for recreational purposes. A good summary is: â€Å"In Hiking, the Journey is more important that the Destination. The Encyclopedia Britannica from Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service: Walking as a recreational activity and sport. Among those with sedentary occupations, hiking is a natural exerci se that promotes physical fitness, is economical and convenient, and requires no special equipment. Because the hiker can walk as far as he wants, there is not physical strain unless he walks among hills or mountains. I am sure we could find many definition for the word hiking, but despite the many variations derives from this word â€Å"hiking† they all have to do with some form of walking. Hiking is one of the most sought out hobbies in what world today and is used in academic and professional sports organizations around the world. Our US military and police forces use this hobby as a part of their routine training for fitness and training purposes. I remember my first experience hiking to the top of the tallest mountain in Jamaica West Indies. I was only 16 years of age, just a boy trying out this new adventure called hiking. My self and 14 other boys hike to the mountain top of the tallest mountain in St. Andrew, Jamaica known as the Blue Mountain Peak. Its elevation is 7,402 (2,256 m) It was breath taking to see this creation, to see different mountains overlapping each other, to hear and see different types of birds that are not usually seen in the city, to see the different plants and trees, hills and valleys in this cold elevated piece of Jamaica. This was an adventure of a life time I cannot forget. It would have been an experience that would have shaped my life forever and have taught me courage, bravery, it has also fostered closer and stronger relationship the scout brothers. In my research I have discovered that hiking is not just a hobby or a form of recreational interest or just another activity, but it also can lower your risk of colon and breast cancer, and possibly lung and endometrial cancer. Just 30 minutes of aerobic activity 3-5 times a week can lower your risk pf breast cancer by 30- 50 percent. In addition to this, it is good to know that you can turn hiking into a healthy habit! Hiking releases adrenaline and endorphins, which can decrease tension, anxiety, and blood pressure levels. This can reduce risk of depression and will leave you feeling better physically and mentally, which will encourage you to continue your new healthy habits. Studies have shown that exercising during and after treatment with people with cancer can benefits these patients in several ways, ranging from improved fitness and higher quality of life to reduced rates of recurrence and a longer life. Cancer patients who exercise may experience less nausea and less fatigue. It’s never too late to use exercise to fight cancer. If you’re coping with cancer or its aftermath, now is the time! Hiking offers additional health benefits such as: lowering your risk of heart disease, improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, boosts bone density, since walking is a weight-bearing exercise, build strength in your gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings, and muscles in your hips and lower legs, it helps to control your weight, strengthen your core and boost your mood. Research have shown that hiking has a positive impact on combating the symptoms of stress and anxiety. In conclusion, based on the benefits highlighted above, hobbies is shown to have a rewarding outcome. When people think about Hiking, they mostly think of nature, the great outdoors, a backpack and a tent. For most people, Hiking is an escape back to nature and a great way to get a good workout while forgetting all about the day to day hassles of city life. Why should you do hiking? Hiking is a great body exercise which will realty improve your overall physical condition. The natural waling motion provides you with a relatively low impact but effective workout. In its easiest form, Hiking is a very safe walk using clearly defined trails. Many people take a walk to clear their heads or to think about issues. Hiking could be a way of relaxing or something that can test your own capabilities and foster relationships with people who share the same types of recreational interest. REFERENCE Lee, Jamaica Travel and Culture .com (2009). Blue Mountain Peak – The Blue Mountains. Retrieved from http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.com/destinations/the_blue- mountains//blue-mountain-peak.htm The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica (2014, September 25). What is hiking? Retrieved from http://www.abc-of-hiking.com/info/article-printer-version.asp?id=544 Scott, E., (2014), The Importance of Hobbies For Stress Relief. Retrieved from http://stress.about.com/od/funandgames/a/The-Importance-Of-Hobbies-For-Stress-Relief.htm Robinson, K. M., Smith, M.W., WebMD Magazine – Feature (2013, September 15). How Hiking is Good for Body and Mind. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/fitness- exercise/features/hiking-body-mind

Civil War in Fort Sumter in American Essay

Fort Sumter is located in Charleston in South Carolina; the Fort was famous for its role that it played as a site where most shots that initiated the American Civil War were fired during the battle of Fort Sumter. This site was constructed using the slave labor from the year 1829 and unfinished in the year 1860, when the war started. This structure was designed to accommodate six hundred and fifty men and one hundred and thirty five guns arranged in three rows of gun emplacements, On April 12, 1861, there was a thirty four hour firing that was opened by the Confederate succession whereby a Gillmore Medal a special military decoration, was issued to the Union Service Members who performed their duties in Fort Sumter in the opening combat of the American Civil War. The battle in Fort Sumter was a conflict that ran for decades in America, the origin of this war was slavery in the new territories, which led to the negotiation of the year 1850 that was used to stop the political crisis, but it did not resolve the issue of slavery, slavery was considered by the Northerners as a national vice which was controlled by a number of Southern owners of large plantations who had the goal of spreading slavery. Under this, we find that the southerners were more worried about the growth of the North in terms of its population and industrial development. The development of both the North relied on free labor while the South relied on slave labor. There was a division of the United States in two regions that is, the North East and the Midway was recognized with its growing economy that relied on the farms owned by the families, the industries, and transportation, business with a high population in urban areas and in never encouraged its slavery outside the borders. While the Southern was controlled by a developed plantation system supported by slavery, the northern population was said to have grown quickly than the Southern population, this made it hard for the southern states to have control over the national government. Most of the slaves were not owned by many of the Southern whites who concentrated in subsistence farming, while the most of the salve owners were engaged in controlling the political and economical systems in the State. The northern states argued that the slavery was adverse for the nation, whereby in 1776 the north had to abolish slavery with a concern of maintaining unity in the states, within which politicians had a reasonable resistance to slavery, which led to negotiations such as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and that of the year 1850. Under this the struggle to end slavery was not the main goal of the war, the war started with the need of expanding the territories of the slavery that was taken as a basic in economic, cultural and political differences that led to the rise of the control of the States’ rights and independence of the Southern States in the country. The attack of the Northern state at the Fort Sumter created Hostilities among the states whereby, the Northern States attempted to defend the nation, we find that Lincoln mentioned during his inaugural address in March 1861, that a National Unity to be put up, whereby there was already a withdrawal by the Seven States. This unity was to be used as a war goal to unite the democrats, Border States and the Republicans. In 1863, Lincoln included liberation that permanently removed the division factor that lead to independence of the other states, even though he proposed federal laws against slavery in the year 1858 where withdrawal was increased, the Slave-owning South and the Anti-slavery North, which made him express a concern to stop the expansion of slavery putting in mind the publics believe that the slave trade was in its way of extinction. In the 1850s, there was a strong political battle that focused on the expansion of slave trade in the territories which accelerated the Southern movement towards secession , under this we see that both the Southern and the Northern states were threatened by secession, whereby the Southern States had fears of losing its control of the central government to the forces that were against slavery-while the Northern States were fearing that the Southern had already taken control over the government, this led to this civic war. The Southern was supported by the election of the Republican Abraham Lincoln through which most regional leaders feared that he was put in a position which would enable him stop the expansion of the salve trade, we see that many Southern citizens thought that slavery would be abolished by either Lincoln or another person from the north and therefore they decided to split. Fear of racial and equality was also seen as a leading factor to this civic war whereby the Southerners expressed their fears for the loss of slavery that would thereafter lead to the economic losses. Also the fears of racial equality whereby, there was the probability of a doctrine of equality to be set through which all men regardless of race would be made the slaves of a particular region and this would make them demoralized and degraded in a way that they could fight against the slavery. The fear of modernization was seen as a leading factor to the civil war, where we see that the Northern States were becoming economically stable, with its strong knowledge of having aggressive, free labor capitalism, while the South remained in its traditional standards of living. The Northern was said to be having an industrialized economy whereby, it engaged itself in producing of arms, munitions supplies including monetary contributions and transportation while the confederate territory continued to shrink and its economy weakened. This led to the North having power over the shipments, steamships, river boats and the navy that made the North to come up with the construction of ships that led to the north to also take control over the river systems thus blocking the whole Southern coastline making its transportation slower and difficult to manage. Various international communities intervened in this civil war this included the Britain and France who, rather increased the Southern States chances of winning the secession from the United States. Under this we see that the Southerners decided to involve themselves in cotton consignment, in which they had an objective of making the economy of Europe to be inefficient thinking that it would have made Britain enter the war in order to get cotton, but this ideology did not work since Europe had to prove to have a productive supply of cotton to the British thus the Northern States gained exports at a more British import trade. The Southern failure in the cotton production came as a result of the control put on the transportation systems by the Northern states, which therefore hindered any transaction between any other countries with southern states. In the early 1820s and 1830s, the religious leaders were seen to come up with an idea of abolition as one of the methods they thought would help them resolve this war; these leaders were termed as abolitionists who attempted various social reforms extinguish the war, among them were Wendell Phillips and Frederick Douglas who insisted for the immediate abolition of slavery. Among the two, there were also other abolitionists like Theodore Weld and Arthur Tappan, who asked for an abrupt action against the war, though the action, was to be a gradual liberation program with a long system. This course was also supported by the Anti-slavery men, who were not abolitionists they tried hard to limit the slavery; they were seen to be ambitious to end the slave trade in their states this is best explained in the 1841 case, where we find that John Quincy Adams presented the Amisted African slaves in the United States supreme court, claiming that they should be set free. These abolitionists believed that all people were equal before God where, they came up with an argument that enslaving another person is a violation of the Higher law. The slave owners were angered by this movement and they defended this fact, saying that slavery was good and that it was authorized by God. We see that the southern came up with Biblical interpretations that directly disagreed with those of the abolitionists, under which they interpreted the case of the curse of Noah’s son Ham and his offspring in Africa, can be used as a validation for the slavery of blacks. In 1830s it was found that the General Post Master of the United States banned the mailing of pamphlets that were made to fight against slavery to the South. In this case we find that the Southern States refused to be termed as abolitionists. And anyone who was found rebelling against the slavery was charged with his actions, this is better explained in the 1859 case of, John Brown who attempted to start a slave rebellion which threatened the Northern States, Brown’s efforts were to fight against the slavery; whereby he seized the federal Harpers Ferry Armory at the Harper’s Ferry, Virginia in the year 1859, the ferry had carried many weapons to be used in the war, he was strongly supported by many Anti-slavery members of the Secret Six that provided the financial support for his raid. Among the supporters was, George Luther Stearns, Franklin. Sanborn, among others. As an effect of the raid Brown was captured by the army that was dispatched to put down Browns’ raid and he was tried for treason against Virginia and he was later hanged. At the end of the war we see that the South emerged as the winner of the war whereby it is said that the Union took advantage of the confederation in terms of industrial strength, population, and the objectivity of winning the war. Most people argue that the confederate action were only used to delay the defeat, but the confederacy was seen to have won the war by the survival of Lincoln where he defeated McClellan in the 1864 elections under which the aspiration of the southern victory was ended. With the success in the elections Lincoln was seen as a success in getting the support of the neighboring States, the conflict democrats, liberated slaves and Britain and France. We also see that Lincoln defeated the copper heads and their peace policy. He had found military leaders such as Grant and Sherman who took the advantage in battle over the Associate Militia through which the war was won by the generals who feared no bloodshed and by the end of 1864 the South had lost the anticipation to win the battle. Though, the Northern war leaders noticed that the victory over this war needed more than fighting. It decided to come up with ways of encompassing the two goals of the war, where by we see that the secession was to be renounced and all forms of slaves were to be eliminated. These leaders differed completely on the following: the criteria of the war and also on the degree at which the national control that were to be given to the South, and the process by which the southern was to be reincorporated into the union again. The war ended in the year 1877, which carried a complex and various series of federal and state policies. The civil war amendments were long-term results divided into three where the thirteenth amendments was that which abolished the slavery, the fourteenth one was that which extended federal permissible protections to the people not putting in mind the race, and the fifteenth one which abolished racial boundaries on voting. References Donald, D. E. (2001): The Civil War and Reconstruction:-latest edition 2001. 700 page survey Davis. W. C. (1983): The Imperiled Union 1861-1865 3v (1983) Fellman, M. E. (2003): This Terrible War- The Civil War and its Aftermath. 2003, 400 page survey Reach, J. P. (2005): Americans at War Society, Culture and the Homefront. Vol. 2: 1816-1900 Tulloch, H. (1999): The Debate on the American Civil War Era† 1999, historiography

Philippine vacation experiences

It's been quite a long time since I've been here, but still, the feeling never changed. It's still where my heart finds its second home -? the Philippines. We celebrated Christmas very religiously by attending predawn masses called Sambaing Gab; eat traditional food like rice cakes and having a good time with our family. The night mass starts at December 16 and lasts until the day of the Christmas. The church bells and first cockcrow awaken the people of the town to go to church and to pray for a joyful celebration of the Chrism's birth.This is indeed quite different comparing to celebrating in Italy, which is mostly about Santa Clause and giving gifts. As it continues to blow on the cold breeze of December, me and my cousins enjoyed caroling in the neighborhood. It is hoping from one house to another every night and singing Christmas songs. This serves as our bonding together and also, there is this joy that resides in Our hearts as we sing different Christmas carols. Through this, it sets our mood for some Christmas spirit. Roaming around our place, I noticed that each household were adorned with these star-shaped multistoried lanterns which they call â€Å"parole†.They say that s early as November, these were already hanged as a preparation for Christmas. After all the preparations, Niche Buena is still the much-anticipated part after the midnight mass. It is a traditional Christmas Eve feast after returning home from the mass. It was a very special occasion for me because after a couple of years, we will celebrate the Christmas Eve as a whole family. We rarely have this moment, so I will consider this as one of my best Christmas. Truly, everybody gets busy during December but me and my family never let any moment get wasted.We savor every chance that we get together through outings and exploring the beautiful spots in the place. More than that, I must say that the real essence of this season is the giving and sharing among people. It is by these mome nts that we are reminded that the love for each other is still the main center of the celebration. At the end of the day, these seasons are still about family closeness and my vacation in the Philippines is one great reminder that a strong bond among families is what makes each season worth-celebrating. Indeed, it was a cold yet warm vacation because of the love between and among us.

Brokenness Into Beauty

Convergys is one of the world's leading providers of customer care, human resources and billing outsourcing services. The company's business is divided into several units, Customer Care, Business Support Systems (BSS) and HR Services. Customer Care, the largest of the subdivisions, offers customer service care services for businesses through 77 contact centers as of June 2008. In fact, Convergys is the No. 1 provider of outsourced customer service in the world and the clear market leader in the United States, with 8 percent of the outsourced customer care market (or more han twice as much as its closest competitor).HR Services provides employee care services to some 1. 2 million employees in 40 countries in areas such as benefits and payroll operations, staffing and training. With BSS, Convergys manages telecommunications billing and business support system software for large communications companies around the world. As a leader in customer management for over 30 years, Convergys is uniquely focused on helping companies find new ways to enhance the value of their customer relationships and deliver consistent customer experiences across all channels and geographies.Every day their 75,000 employees help their clients balance the demands of increasing revenue, improving customer satisfaction, and reducing overall cost using an optimal mix of agents, technology, and analytics. Their actionable insight stems from handling billions of customer interactions annually for our clients. Among Fortune 500 companies, over half of the top 50 are clients that trust their most important relationships to Convergys. Convergys has approximately 89,000 employees in 68 customer contact centers and other facilities in India, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, United States, Canada, CostaRica, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. In the western United States, Convergys uses a business model that offers entry-level customer-service work at pay not much above minimu m wage, geared toward students and other beginning-level workers. It pays generous tuition reimbursement for enrolled students, and seems prepared to manage the turnover rates that such a comparatively mobile†one could say ‘restless'†workforce tends to cause. Large numbers of especially first- and second-year employees leave its ranks.As a result, Convergys is virtually always hiring and training phone center workers. Convergys as recently been phasing out the staff of their call centers in the United States, and increasing staffing in their Pune/Bangalore/Manila call centers. This reduces the salary and benefits cost, which should prove to increase revenue. Unfortunately this has not helped the stock prices. Convergys develops detailed training programs for these new employees, and offers good supervisor support for front-line call center workers dealing with customer problems.Convergys recruits a significant portion of its call center, chat & email support staff from India and the Philippines. The business of this company is centered around labor cost arbitrage. Not possessing any other significant strength may work against this company in the long term. As tar as short-term prospects go this company seems well positioned to profit. Convergys claims to be highly flexible when it comes to client relationships. They offer to come up with the best possible solution in every possible situation.Convergys Mission: Provide Customer Relationship Management software and services that create valuable relationships between our clients and their customers. Convergys Vision: Convergys will be the recognized global leader in innovative Customer Relationship Management solutions, and: Provide for our clients: Leading-edge products and services that offer a compelling value and create a competitive edge. Create for our employees: An environm

Compare the movie 300 to the life of the spartans Essay

Compare the movie 300 to the life of the spartans - Essay Example They often declared wars against their neighbors instead of creating overseas colonies. They trained their men from the early age of six to prepare them for future wars. The Spartans did not encourage freedom of thought and behavior. The boys were rigorously trained and were made to believe that â€Å"self-discipline and courage were the highest virtues†1. The location of Sparta was the main reason for the Spartans to build strong warriors. The city was situated on mountainous, rocky terrain which was by nature infertile and so could not be used for farming. The city was also at a great distance from the sea which made them difficult to get engaged in fishing or trade. That is why the Spartans needed to conquer the surrounding cities of Greece to get access to water by traveling on their lands. Since Sparta was a land-locked city, so the Spartans were aware that any battles that needed to be fought would have to be on land and for this they needed strong, expert and fearless w arriors2. Spartan society emphasized physical beauty and venerated death during war. The Spartans subjugated the neighboring Greeks and forced them to become agricultural slaves. Since the slave population was almost ten times than that of the Spartans, so the latter always remained at guard and oppressed them with strict military control. Spartan citizens constituted of only males as the female did not have any kind of political rights. The Spartan women were known for their independent spirit and for their ability to acquire wealth in the absence of their husbands from home3. The film 300 portrays the Spartans as paragon of the concept of freedom as well as indomitable heroes of the battle of Thermopylae. This kind of portrayal is in harmony both with the historical records of the warriors as well as their legendary status as brave soldiers. Their fearless attitude can be observed from the quote of Leonidas: â€Å"No retreat, no surrender. That is Spartan law. And by Spartan law we will stand and fight, and die†4. Spartans are more popularly known for their love of wars, disciplined nature and their obligation towards their duty. This was reflected in the quote of Dilios in the first scene of the movie: â€Å"Taught that death in the battlefield in service of Sparta is the greatest glory he could achieve in his life†5. The portrayal of Spartan women in the movie is accurate as it showed Queen Gorgo as a strong willed woman who was a political and military advisor of her husband. The movie depicted the philosophy of the real Spartans accurately which is any battle that is fought for their country, even if it is a losing battle, is worth fighting fearlessly till the enemies are defeated. The empire (opinion) The Spartan empire portrayed in the movie cannot be desirable in the real world. The over confidence of Leonidas that his army comprising only of 300 soldiers can successfully combat the Persian army of more than one million soldiers cannot b e entertained in real wars. The Spartans from very young age were instilled with the knowledge that war is the only way of fulfilling their dreams and desires, and that courage and fearless-of-death attitudes are the greatest qualities in men. This kind of psychological upbringing can be very harmful and disastrous in this modern world where every country strives for peace and

Differentiating Between Market Structures Essay

Differentiating Between Market Structures - Essay Example The attraction of the consumers is ensured through high quality products. The products where the company specializes in are not available easily in the market and therefore the company has the opportunity to cement the consumer base. The company can thus control the bargaining power of the consumers. The needs of the consumers can be readily analyzed and they are assisted in taking the advantage of the buying opportunities. The customers are driven towards the shops with the help of the discounts offer. The supply chain managers of the company can recognize the importance of the customers in their business. They are aware that attracting more customers will involve more sales which in turn mean more revenue and profits. The customers are retained through the modes of product variety and low costs. The services offered are efficient and ensures that customers do not queue up in the shops of the competitors. The customer loyalty has been gained by the company through the modes of custo mer retention and widening up more opportunities for the customers which increases the customer sovereignty and the customers have the option to choose the products that suit their preferences. Competitors never got the chance to drive away consumers from Kedler Fine Foods. In order to compete effectively the competitors are forced to make additional expenses in terms of marketing and advertisements. Competitive strategies Branding ensures that the customers associated with the company believe in innovation and quality. The customers want value for money and so the company engages in providing top quality support to them. The efficient delivery system has paved the way for higher profits while the lack in innovation can lead to reduced sales and revenue. The company has been able to invent new product styles and effective delivery system upon placement of orders. Internet marketing is the strategy that was adopted by the company to promote the products. The website offers informatio n on a variety of products, details on delivery system and some other information that may be necessary for the customers (Porter, 1985). The online customer relationship is an effective way of managing the business and to deal with the customers in prompt fashion. Positioning is a strategy that tends to increase profits. The company enjoys the top position in offering fine quality products to the customers who demand quality with competitive prices. The company targets the middle class customers and focuses to cement the customers’ base with time. Market Structure The company operates in the market of perfect competition. A large number of small firms comprise the market for perfect competition. Each firm is small compared to the entire market. The comprising firms set the identical products. The customers as well as the firms are well informed about the prices. In the short run the firms can change only the variable factor namely labor. The other decisions are predetermined . In the long run the firms have the potential to change their scale. In the short run when the existing price is less than the average cost curve it is better for the firm to close down. Several buyers are present in this market. The market offers products that are substitutable. There are no barriers to entry and therefore provides a level playing field for the new entrants (Etro, 2009). The forces of demand and supply determine the prices of the products and since the company under

Describe the strategic development of Toyota. In doing so relate the Essay

Describe the strategic development of Toyota. In doing so relate the development and strategies of the organisation to the relevent business tradition in which it has developed - Essay Example Toyotas logo was established in 1936. (History of Toyota) The current Toyota Company has started as a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works devoted in 1933 to the production of automobiles under the direction of Kiichiro Toyoda. The name, Toyota, has taken instead of Toyoda in order to separate the exact name of the founder from the company name. Moreover Toyota is easy to pronounce than Toyoda and also it takes eight strokes to write in Japanese, is considered to be luckier than Toyoda. (Toyota corporate history) It has started with A1 passenger cars and later shifted to G1 trucks in 1935, because of the initial failures in car manufacturing. Toyota Motor Co. was established as an independent and separate company in 1937. The initial history of the company was not much encouraging. The US cars were dominated in automobile industry till the initial stages of 1970s. The 1973 oil crisis has served as a blessing to Toyota as more and more customers concentrated on the small car industry to save fuel. The Americans were interested in big luxury cars till the oil crisis while Toyota concentrated more on fuel economy cars. They have researched a lot in manufacturing fuel economy small cars while the American car manufacturers like General Motors concentrated more on bigger expensive ones. When the oil crisis has started in 1973, Toyota had already the technology readily available for them to develop economic cars while the Americans forced to develop new technologies to manufacture economic small cars. Thus from 1973 onwards Toyota, slowly started to capture the world market. â€Å"By 1955, Toyota was making 8,400 cars per year; by 1965, 600,000 cars per year. Toyota set up a headquarters in Hollywood in 1957; the first Toyota car registered in the United States was a 1958 Toyopet, sold in 1958†. (Toyota history: corporate and automotive) â€Å"In 1959, the company opened its first plant outside Japan - in Brazil.† (Toyota history: