Strategic Manement - Budget Airline Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Manement - Budget Airline - Assignment Example stomers than other competing airlines as it has effectively blended the low fares combination with an extremely friendly customer service, no exasperating fees, excellent working culture and highly efficient operational system. The key facts of Southwest Airlines are represented in the following table: Southwest Airlines has ensured that it develops a highly effective and well-integrated business model that will allow it to provide superior quality services to the customers at low fares. The crucial elements of the business model related to the excellence in customer service are providing safe journey, offering reliable services, shorter travelling period, excellent service quality, short haul point to point travel and lowest fare. The company is enhancing the customer’s travelling experience by providing them online booking services so that they can make their travel packages quickly and effectively. It has been clearly mentioned in the mission statement of Southwest Airlines that it wants to provide the customers with superb travelling experience at low fare prices. In order to support this mission of the company, the positioning statement of Southwest Airlines can be stated as â€Å"To be the number one service provider for aviation needs by offering the customers a unique and sensational solution with superior quality and low cost.† The company acquired AirTran in 2011 with the aim of extending its fleet base so that it can widen its range of destinations (Morre, 2011). The existing business model of the company is well-integrated and properly developed that permits it to gain a competitive edge in the airline industry. The crucial element for the airline companies is the operational mechanics that range from the booking of air tickets to the maintenance of aircrafts. As one of the Key Success Factors of Southwest Airlines is the low-cost operational efficiency, it has ensured that it upgrades the operations by implementing a well-designed value chain

The Socio Economic Forces Tourism Essay

The Socio Economic Forces Tourism Essay The tourism industry is a major contributor to the gross state product of many countries Reige and Perry, 2000 and in the last 50 years, tourism has developed into one of the worlds most powerful, yet provocative, socio-economic forces (Sharpley and Telfer 2008). Travel Tourism industry has become one of the worlds most important and fastest growing economic sectors, generating quality jobs and substantial wealth for economies around the globe (WTTC, 2007). The recent global recession has not caused the tourism industry to grind to a complete halt, and the World Tourism Barometer indicated that the recession only caused a 4% decline in global tourism from 2008-2010 (UNWTO, 2011b) and now it is expected to grow again. WTTC President and CEO, David Scowsill (2011) says Over the next ten years, its total contribution to GDP will rise by 4.2% per annum to US$9.2 trillion, bringing with it 65 million new jobs, but for that growth to be achievable and sustainable, governments must work to gether with the industry towards smarter policies and legislation that will help Travel Tourism to thrive. In Third world countries, governments encourage tourism investment because of the assumption that it will contribute to economic development of their countries (Hall, 1995). Third world nations and developing nations always seeks the potential benefits of tourism such as increased income, foreign exchange, employments and economic diversification (Sharpley and Telfer, 2008). According to Ferguson (2007) The tourism industry directly provides around 3 per cent of global employment, or 192 million jobs the equivalent to one in every twelve jobs in the formal sector. As with other industrial sectors and fields of academic study, tourism has also developed over the decades and has been influenced by a multitude of internal and external factors. It is not surprising that many aspects of tourism are totally different than they used to be before because of the vast rate of technolog ical change along with social, economic and environmental changes. Bangladesh is one of the worlds most densely populated countries, with its people packed into a delta of rivers that empties into the Bay of Bengal [BBC] (2011). Its implementing its developing plans for a long time. They are not only trying to secure their economic growth but also trying to improve their social living standards. In Bangladesh, tourism was almost non-existent at the countrys independence from Pakistan in 1971. More recently tourism has seen as a means of the contributing to their attainment. Tourism contributes 4.8 % to Bangladeshs Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and employs over 1509100 which contribute 1.9% of direct employments (WTTC, 2011). According to Bhatia (1986 in Jenkins and Tosun, 1998), many countries in the third world do not know the importance of tourism and the impacts that it can have, and Bangladesh is one of those countries. Essentially Jenkins and Tosun (1998) argue that, tourism development took place in most of the places of this world as an unpla nned activity (p 102). Like sustainable development sounds attractive (Butler, 1992: 64), the phrase of sustainable tourism accepted immediately by this country even the meaning of this term is not understood fully. Though sustainable tourism is the in thing across the world, Bangladesh, in spite of being endowed with natures bounties and beauty, still struggles with the concept (Mahmud, 2010). Several destinations in Bangladesh such as Chittagong hill tracts, the Sundarbans, Saint Martin coral island, Nijhum Island, Srimanagol Lawachera rain forest, Tangua Hoar and Coxs Bazar, which could be used as sustainable tourist spots (Mahmud, 2010). Coxs Bazar is the tourist capital of Bangladesh. By popular choice, Coxs Bazar has recently been ranked as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World'(Zamir, 2009), located conveniently on the east-west air-corridor making it a gateway to the Far East. It is endowed with resources and the potential for a tourism industry. In the southern edge of the country has a 125 km (77.6 miles) long beach of soft silvery sand, the worlds longest (Qadir, 2003) and a chain of hills that run parallel to the sea for almost the entire length, towering cliffs, colourful, ancient pagodas and Hindu temples (Anonymous, 2007), in a Riviera-like setting with crescent-shaped low hills overlooking the Bay of Bengal, and most visited tourist destinations in Bangladesh. The range of the hills covered in luxurious green groves is precious locations for tourists. Coxs Bazar is located at the head of this terrain. Coxs Bazar is also known as Panowa, literature meaning yellow flower. Palonkee was its other name. The daughter of the sea Bangladesh is a beautiful surprise for the tourist. Since the tourism is reported as a relatively easy way to earn foreign exchange, many countries are eager to enter international markets as fast as they can (Jafari, 1974) and Bangladesh is one of them. According to Jafari (1974), tourists and news media of a developed countries come to be a kind of promotional agents for a developing country or for a under developing country. Though Hasan in his book development tourism in Bangladesh blames the international news media for representing a wrong appearance of the country and news media carefully avoid telling the world of the brighter side of Bangladesh than the rough side of it (Khairuzzaman, 2008) still there are some positive approaches from the international media. Lonely planet is one of them. The world leader in publishing travel guides and guidebooks Lonely planet recommended Bangladesh as one of the top ten interesting travel destination in 2009 (Thoms en, 2009). This UK based publication Bradt Travel guide is known as a pioneer in tackling unusual destinations, for championing the causes of sustainable travel and for the high quality of writing (Thomsen, 2009). The first guide on Bangladesh published in 2009 and the back cover text states: Bangladesh has a reputation for being poor and beset by flooding, but this republic of rivers rewards those willing to look beyond the headlines. Leave luxuries behind and embark on the richest of travel experiences among some of the sub-continents friendliest people (Thomsen, 2009). This kind of positive focus on Bangladesh is not possible to buy for money. Lack of consistent strategy on cooperation, appropriate knowledge and sustainability; are the great barrier to a positive development of Bangladesh tourism sector. Environmental resources are an important asset not only in Coxs Bazar but to other tourism destinations in all other third world countries. The tourism in Bangladesh is especially popular due to its coastal areas of Coxs Bazar. If environmental resources are important economic assets in Bangladesh, the immediate action that need is that of sustainable utilisation of resources to benefit for present and future generations (Mbaiwa, 2005). It is well established that the presence of tourism in destination always brings with it environmental, socio-culture and economic benefit and this is why it is an effective development tool in any under developing countries and in the case of Bangladesh, A sustainable tourism strategy will have a major positive impact (Thomsen, 2009). When carrying out a broad research on any substance, it is essential to become acquainted with contextual of that topic, by using relevant literatures. For this dissertation, it is most significant to obtain information in a number of different sources. Academic books, journals, newspapers, where available, will be used in the gathering of information for this dissertation. Here in this project, I will outline the history of sustainable tourism development first which will provide the context of how it is developing and will answer either it exists in the Bangladesh, particularly in Coxs bazar. In order to gain this knowledge I will look at different publications related to research issue will be collected from academic books, daily newspaper, projects, related archives and tremendously up to date journals. For this purpose it will be extremely useful to look at relevant internet websites such as the websites of different ministry of Bangladesh and tourism industry based websites. In ternet websites will be an important source to fill in the gap by providing useful information where books and periodicals are not so unequivocal. 2.0: Literature review All tourism includes some travel but not all travel is tourism (Page, 2007). Tourism used to be recognised as an activity undertaken by those who travelled away from home for holidays, to visit relatives or to carry out professional business, in the past. Tourism is a composite of activities, services and industries that deliver a travel experience: transportation, accommodations, eating and drinking establishments, shops entertainment, activity facilities and other hospitality services available for individuals and groups that are travelling away from home (Goeldner and Ritchie, 2009). Therefore it encompasses a wide variety of purposes. The officially accepted definition by UNWTO (1993) is: Tourism comprises the activities of person travelling to and staying places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, businesses and other purposes. This definition challenges the commonly held perception that tourism is purely concerned with recreation and having fun (Holden, 2008). But according to Gunn (1994) the best working definition of tourism is that of by Mathieson and Wall (1982 in Gunn, 1994): Tourism is the temporary movement of people to destinations outsides their normal places of work and residence, the activities undertaken during their stay in those destinations, and the facilities created to cater to their needs. At the present time, tourism is even more far reaching with wider implications. Specialists have illustrious between mass tourism, which involves those features just mentioned, and alternative tourism, which can include cultural, educational, social, environmental, agricultural and political tourism (Wearing and Neil, 2009). Tourism promotes better cross culture understanding. For any third world and developing countries, tourism is seen as an important tool of their regional development, culture, environmental and in most cases; the tourism portfolio is attached to Economy. This provides us with an initi al insight into the impact of tourism within all countries it has. In addition to social, political and economic concerns, tourism has become a vastly important and global feature of environmental argument. Tourism development which consistently ignores environmental concerns is unlikely to remain viable in the longer term (Pigram, 1990). High volume of tourism can cause environmental including water, air and noise pollution which are extremely destructive to a locations sustainable well-being. It is as a significance of the growing awareness of the harmful effect that tourism has on the environment, as well as a general heightened understanding of how global warming is affecting our planet, that tourism has been given an environmental focus. Indeed, sustainable tourism is now a widely known outlet of tourism, with the state of the environment being given more and more consideration. The term Sustainable Tourism has been introduced in the context of wider debate about environmental sustainability and logically implies a form and level of tourism whi ch maintains a total stock of natural resources (Sinclair, 1998). The growing awareness of environmental damage in this modern technological world is the reason to address this term. Getz (1986) says that when tourism planning was first developed in the 1960s, the disciplines main focus came, almost totally from the perspective of maximizing economic growth (p. 21). Over the decades, the focus has shifted and is now, more sensitive to non-economic issues (p. 32). Murphy (1985) argues that it is the responsibility of the tourism industry to, develop and protect its attractions, whether they are natural or man-made, and become a hospitality industry to make visitor experiences as enjoyable as possible (p. 10). Though it is argued that too much emphasis is placed on relatively short term economic impacts at the cost of considering the long term social and environmental impacts of tourism, thereby encourages in a better awareness of the problems that the industry creates (Holloway et al ., 2009). The importance of sustainable development is to carry growing successes into the future in such a way that future generations are not troubled (Pearce et al., 1990). Sustainability, sustainable tourism and sustainable development are all well-established terms (Liu, 2003). There are two components in the definition of sustainable development. The meaning of development and the condition necessary for sustainability are those two components (Miltin, 1992). Croall (1995) compares sustainability to the link between development and conservation, which should not conflict to each other. According to Bartelmus (1986 in Tosun, 2001), development implies a process that makes an effort to improve the living conditions of people. To meet human needs and wants is the main objective of development (WCED, 1987) which involves wider apprehensions with the quality of life (Pearce et al., 1990). When applied to tourism, as Godfrey (1996 in Gunn, 1994)) points out the concept of sustainable development relates to a form of environmentally friendly tourism. Aside, Rees (Gunn, 1994 p.85) define sustainable tourism development as a positive socio-economic change tha t does not undermine the cultural, ecological and social systems upon which local communities and societies are depended. The concept of sustainability first appeared on the public sense in the report by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987. The outline of sustainable development is that the economic growth and the environmental conservation are not only friendly but they are partners and one cannot survive without than other. The Brundtland Commission Report defines sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED, 1987). The Commission highlighted that sustainable development is not a fixed national agreement, but an active process of changes which are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations (WCED, 1987: 46). A general weakness in the concept of the sustainable tourism development is that its principles and objectives have tended to manifest themselves in sets of guidelines that based on managing the limits of acc eptable environmental and social change, which is unable to account for the almost infinite diversity of tourism development contexts (Sharpley and Telfer, 2008). In a research Liu (2003) found that sustainability is praised by Bramwell and Lane (1993 in Liu, 2003) and according to them it is a positive approach intended to reduce the tensions and friction created by the complex interactions between the tourism industry, tourists, environment and the host communities to maintain the long term capacity and quality of both natural and human resources. Miles of golden sands, towering cliffs, surfing waves, rare conch shells, colourful Pagodas, Buddhist Temples and delightful sea-food all this makes what Coxs Bazar is today , the tourist capital of Bangladesh (NTO). Coxs Bazar is one of the most attractive tourist spots, not only in the Bangladesh but also in the world. The warm, shark free waters are good for bathing and swimming while the sandy beaches offer opportunities for sun-bathing (NTO). The tourist capital of Bangladesh includes conch shell market, tribal handicraft, and salt and prawn cultivation. According to a census of aquatic birds, a total of 15933 birds of 52 species have been spotted in Coxs Bazar (The Daily Star, 2009) can be seen as other attraction. Aggmeda Khyang, a Buddhist monastery at the hills, Himchari picnic spot, just about 8 km from Coxs Bazar, Innani Beach 32 km away from the city, is one of the most spectacular sea beaches in Bangladesh which is very close to the worlds longest sandy beach in Coxs B azaar and it is situated within the Inani protected forest; Sonadia island with very little human visitation, Teknaf peninsula, some 80 km from town and picturesque St. Martin Island to the south at 13 km distance from mainland are the around attraction of Coxs Bazar (Ahammed, 2010). All these places are located around Coxs Bazar and easily accessible by road and water sides what makes this place hub of tourism. As an international destination, Bangladesh has a mixed image. Tourists from abroad perceive a negative awareness of Bangladesh from news media. People from outside perceive as place where the population is living in poverty, corruption and in natural disasters. Though the new seven natural wonders search 2009 have made the country attractive for tourism and is also charted as one of the top ten interesting destinations by new travel books (Quader, 2010). Bangladesh is still one of the countries in South Asia with the fewest arrivals and the lowest revenue earned from the tourism industry. WTTC (2011) predicts that the contribution from travel and tourism will increase 6.3% per annum till 2021. According to Bari (FE, 2010), At present, around 0.50 million international tourists visit Bangladesh each year, It employs one million people. Most of the tourists visited the country for business purpose, and their stay in the country was brief as they had not been offered to explore the hil ls, seas and forests of the country brimming with natural beauty (Mahmud, 2010). The only cause for this is the lack of awareness and proper arrangements. Though the economic contribution of tourism and the share of Coxs Bazar to the national economy are not studied with reliable statistics (Ahammed, 2010) still the tourism industry leaders said in Financial Express (FE, 2010) that Bangladesh can earn US$2.0 billion in annual revenue from the tourism sector if it can attract two million international tourists. According to the general manager of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, revenue earning from the tourism sector is experiencing a downward trend and the revenue from tourism sector was approximately  £51 million in 2008, which came down to  £47 million in 2009. Till June 2010, the revenue was  £26 million (FE, 2010). Tourism in Bangladesh is managed by Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and tourism. There is no doubt that tourism is an effective development tool, helps economy to generate revenue, country gets benefited as well as the private sector and local community, Consciousness on preservation of nature and protection of environment tends to increase. Though Coxs Bazar is easily accessible by road, still there is no rail links in this city. The government spending huge amount of money to get Coxs Bazar rail linked within 2 years. Governments infrastructure development planning includes the work on the upgraded submarine cable connection of Coxs Bazar Landing Station to increase the bandwidth (Unb, 2011). Development of major infrastructure to serve resorts should be coordinated to meet the demands of the industry with boarder economic and social needs (Brohman, 1996). The presence of tourism in any destination always brings environmental, socio- culture and economic impacts. Less developed destinations like Coxs Bazar are more susceptible. Development of tourism in Coxs bazar brings external money flow which drives the living standard of the locals to higher level. Development of tourism in Coxs Bazar on a long-term basis is to give due importance to the above impacts for its sustainability. It needs a long term planning, continuous development work, avoid the negative impacts and investment timing have to be predetermined (Quader, 2010). The current growth in tourist numbers to Coxs bazar has led to the recognition that consideration needs to be given to a sustainable tourism development strategy if the site is to be maintained for future generations. 3.0 Aims and objectives In undertaking this investigation, this dissertation has number of aims and objectives. As sustainable tourism is a very well established term in modern tourism industry due to a heightened environmental awareness, it is important to understand how it functions and whom it targets. The goal of environmentally sustainability is a maximum level of desired outcome such as economic profit, quality of life what will maintain in a steady way, subject to constraints imposed by environment. Basis on this concept it can be said that environmentally sustainable tourism implies a key importance on maintaining a certain level of environmental quality. This is highlighting that, a sustainable environment and a viable tourism industry are essential elements to make an environmentally sustainable tourism (Johnston Tyrrell, 2007). In order to do understand the term and the function of environmentally sustainable tourism, it will first be necessary to outline the basics of the tourism industry in le ss developed country like Bangladesh and how it has changed over the years. By doing this it will be possible to better understand how the sustainable tourism industry fits into Coxs Bazar. 3.1: Aims The core aim of the social and economic perspectives of tourism is to inspire more international and domestic tourists to promote the growth of tourist value which focus on creating employment, achieving revenue, developing local engagement (Gilmore et al., 2007) and enable some members of the population to move from the informal sector to higher paid jobs in the formal sector (Sinclair, 1998). The environmental aim is often conflict between the economic and social perceptions which is to protect and to conserve both culture and the environment (Gilmore et al., 2007). The host population is itself a part of the tourism product. The rapid growth of tourism in any less developed countries and destinations raises questions of sustainable tourism development, particularly the access and economic benefits to local economies. For this dissertation, it is most important to know the various facets of the relationship between host population and tourism industry of Coxs Bazar of Bangladesh. T he locals are subjects to be viewed and interacted with, or settings for tourist activities, and their attitudes and behaviour constitute the hospitality resource of a destination (Smith, 1994). According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) (1993), tourism is sustainable when it improves the quality of life of the host community; provides a high quality of experience for the visitor; and maintains the quality of the environment on which both the host community and the visitor depend. Coxs Bazar have limited opportunities and resources for agriculture or industrial development and are turning to tourism to create the major source of economy though a huge part of population are still involved in fishing, collecting sea foods and sea products for their livelihood. Traditionally, it is a conservative society and socio-culture, economy and the quality of life is still below than national average (Ahammed, 2010). The aim of this project is to critically assess whether Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh can be developed in a sustainable way. 3.2: Objectives Finally, having completed a thorough investigation and after evaluation of the data collected will leads up to the current prevalence of the sustainable tourism in Coxs Bazar, it will then be possible to imagine how the industry may develop in future. Objectives are Æ’ËÅ" To evaluate and define sustainable tourism development in term of environment, economic and culture. Æ’ËÅ" To investigate and find the specific requirement for sustainable tourism development in Coxs Bazar. Æ’ËÅ" Critically discuss whether the people of tourism industry in Bangladesh really know the meaning of sustainable development? Æ’ËÅ" To illustrate useful conclusions and make effective recommendations on sustainable tourism development for Coxs Bazar that can be implemented by the tourism authority of Bangladesh. 4.0: Methodology and Method The following section of this dissertation shall outline the methodology and the method that shall be employed for the primary research section of this dissertation. 4.1: Methodology In tourism research there is an on-going need for statistical insights but qualitative research offers a great deal of understanding at social life from in a different way (Phillimore and Goodson, 2004). Phillimore and Goodson (2004) argue that tourism researchers are not bound to adopt a simple set of methods, and are therefore free to combine a wide range of approaches with a more sophisticated attitude to use qualitative research. This project used both primary and secondary data resources. In terms of primary data sources, this dissertation relied on the research work that I have carried out on sustainable tourism development in Coxs Bazar. Priority was given to the semi structured interviews I took in April 2011 which resulted in to develop conclusions and recommendations based on the findings that could be implemented in Coxs Bazar. In order to give concrete load to the primary research conducted this research will also contain some secondary research. Collecting data from people who are involved with the tourism industry in Bangladesh will give considerable ideas that will have been formed by looking at secondary literature. It will also provide the dissertation with a personal insight which cannot be gained from conducting qualitative research alone. 4.1.1: Primary Research From the outset, I decided that my research objectives more easily lend themselves to more qualitative forms of analysis. This study is essentially attempting to determine how a number of complex concepts impact and relate to one another. It requires the subject area to be looked at from a number of different perspectives and for links between these separate perspectives to be determined. Britten et al (1995) suggest that employing qualitative methodology allows for the researcher to, Address research questions of immediate relevance which are otherwise difficult to investigate (p. 105). Flick et al (2004) go on to point out that the use of qualitative methodology can aide in, the understanding of complex relationships rather than explanation by isolation of a single relationship, such as cause and effect' (p. 8). Sofaer (1999) further argues that this can result in, rich descriptions of phenomenaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it not only serves the desire to describe; it also helps move the enquiry towards more meaningful explanations (p. 1102). It is for these reasons that this study will approach the research objectives from a qualitative, rather than giving practical weight to quantitative, approach. 4.1.2: Secondary Research Secondary analysis has a well-established pedigree. This will provide the useful information in order to understand the background of the subject. Hakim (1982) state that, secondary data analysis is any further analysis of an existing dataset which presents interpretations, conclusions or knowledge additional to, or different from, those produced in the first report on the inquiry as a whole and its main results(p 1). Secondary data can embrace a whole range of experimental forms; it can include the data generated through systematic reviews, through documentary analysis as well as the results from government sponsored surveys (Smith, 2008). Secondary literature provides a considerable source for appreciative which is necessary when making decisions regarding any topic and placing advance theories to develop situations. 4.2: Method The first method that was considered was focus groups. MacNaghten and Myers (2004) suggest that this method is most useful for researchers who perhaps, are not entirely sure what categories, links and perspectives are relevant (p. 65). However, this method can yield data that can be difficult to understand and interpret. For an inexperienced researcher this could present a problem and could lead to data that is perhaps not as rich as it could be. I finally chose semi-structured interviews as my primary research method. Kvale (1983) states that the use of this method presents the researcher with the opportunity to, gather the life-world of the interviewee with respect to interpretation of the meaning of the described phenomena (p. 174). It is this real world experience that will give my data real depth and will hopefully help me to understand some of the complex problems faced by my respondents. Another advantage of this method is outlined by Blee and Taylor (1995) who argue that semi-structured interviews places human agency, at the centre of the movement analysis. Qualitative interviews are a window into the everyday world of activists, and they generate representations that embody the subjects voices, minimizing, at least as much as possible, the voice of the researcher (p. 96). I had hoped to be able to conduct this research in Coxs Bazar. However, it became clear to me early in my research that this was not likely to be popular. Instead, I chose to focus my research on travel agencies in the UK who offer holidays to Coxs Bazar and other parts of Bangladesh. I chose to draw my sample group from agencies located in Bangladeshi communities. Tower Hamlets, Manchester and Oldham have arguably the highest concentration of Bangladeshis in the country, so I chose to target travel agents here. As people working in the industry are answering my questionnaires, I assured them that they will remain anonymous to make them feel more confident to give honest answer. I phoned round several agencies and managed to secure interviews with 5 travel agents. A few days before the interviews, these respondents were sent an outline of my study so that they could perhaps begin to prepare their responses. This would hopefully yield richer data for me to use. These interviews were mostly conducted face to face, although two was conducted over the phone and Skype. I recorded the interviews and took extensive notes during them. I was conscious of the fact that, in semi-structured interviewing, analysis and interpretation are on-going processes (Blee and Taylor, 2002: 110). Unlike in quantitative data collection where one waits until all the data is collected before starting the analysis process, with qualitative data collection, the analysis is an on-going process. In the analysis of the data, I employed a fairly liberal interpretation of the grounded theory method. Stern (1994) suggests that this method is most helpful for researchers exploring new subject a reas or who simply want to gain a fresh perspective on a familiar situation (p. 30). The use of this method demands that the researcher constantly re-evaluates the data collected and then categorizes and codes it. I decided that my codes would be the objectives set at the start of this dissertation. I re-listened to my interviews to my interviews a number of times to find parts of the data that best met my objectives. The following section of this dissertation will present the findings from the primary research and discuss these in light of the findings from the literature search. The objectives of the study (see 3.2) were used as markers in the interviews. Although the respondents were allowed to veer off track, I always tried to bring the discussion back to the four main objectives guiding this research. Notes: I did not add references cause of the word limits. Once I finalised this work I will go through Gold proofread again.

Truman’s Policy of Containment: As related to the Individual and Socie

Truman’s Policy of Containment: As related to the Individual and Society Containment in foreign policy is known as the strategy suggested by George Kennan to prevent Soviet expansionism by exerting counter pressure along Soviet borders. The Truman Doctrine was the name given to a speech President Truman delivered to a joint session of Congress on March 12, 1947, in which he proclaimed a new policy and role for the United States in global affairs. Specifically, the president sought $400 million in economic and military assistance for Greece and Turkey, two strategic Mediterranean countries threatened by subversive forces supported by the Soviet Union, after the British said a month earlier that they could no longer provide the needed support. To justify aid for Greece and Turkey to a skeptical Congress, Truman placed the situation in the context of broader changes that he saw taking place in global politics. Truman felt that the peoples of a number of countries had totalitarian regimes forced upon them against their will. At the time the United States had made frequent protests against coercion and intimidation, in violation of the Yalta agreement, in Poland, Rumania, and Bulgaria, but those protests proved insufficient. Truman declared that the United States must now be willing â€Å"to help free peoples to maintain their free institutions and their national integrity against aggressive movements that seek to impose upon them totalitarian regimes.† The sweeping language of the speech and the worldwide commitment to assist any state threatened by totalitarianism gained it the status of a â€Å"doctrine† and a lasting policy for the United States. The speech became a declaration of Cold War. The i ssue was begin... ...hat they wanted to unlike the way it under a communist regime. As related to the humanities based theme of the individual and society Truman and his policy of containment helped improve the way we look at life and the status of the world at the time and now. Bibliography: - A Report to the National Security Council, April 14, 1950, p. 5. - Congressional Record, vol. 93, pt. 2, March 12, 1947, pp. 1980-81. - The Parenthetical Passages from Mr. X [George Kennan], â€Å"The Sources of Soviet Conduct,† Foreign Affairs (July 1947), pp. 566-82. - Kagan, Donald. The Western Heritage, 6th edition. pp. 1075-77. - Mansbach, Richard. The Global Puzzle. pp. 112-13. - 5 Apr. 1999. http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photos/av-photo.htm (20 Apr. 1999). - 31 Mar. 1999. http://www.earthstation1.com/Miscellaneous_wwII_pictures.html (20 Apr. 1999).

Developing nursing standards of practice Essay

The standards of practice for the RN are made up by the state board of nursing that the nurse lives in. It is each nurse’s responsibility to know and abide by their standards of practice for their state. Each state develops their standards of practice by following guidelines that the American Nurses Association (ANA) provides. The ANA has a committee on Nursing Practice Standards and Guidelines that has a duty to clarify the role and relationships that are associated with regulation of all nursing practice (ANA, n.d.). â€Å"The model recognizes the contributions of professional and specialty nursing organizations, educational institutions, credentialing and accrediting organizations, and regulatory agencies; clarifies the role of workplace policies and procedures; and confirms the individual nurse’s ultimate responsibility and accountability for defining nursing practice† (ANA, n.d.). There are 5 essential entities that are involved with developing a standard of practice. They are knowledge, role validation, competence and skill, environment, and ethics (Klein, 2005). As a standard of practice is being developed, there are questions for each entity that can be asked. For example: Knowledge—â€Å"Did I complete a program that prepared me to see this population (family, adult, pediatric) of patients?† (Klein, 2005) Role Validation—â€Å"Is additional licensure or certification required to do this skill on an ongoing or specialized basis?† (Klein, 2005) Competence and Skill—â€Å"How have I maintained competence?† (Klein, 2005) Enviroment—â€Å"Does the environment that I work in support this scope or practice through structures such as staffing, consultation, policies and procedures, protocols, and community standards?† (Klein, 2005) Ethics—â€Å"What are the potential consequences of accepting treatment responsibility for this patient?† (Klein, 2005) In conclusion, the board of nursing wants the practicing nurse to be fully competent in their work. This is a direction of how they determine the standards of practice that we follow. American Nurses Association. Determining Scope of Practice for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.Retrieved August 6, 2014, from http://www.nursingworld.org/ScopeofPractice Klein, T. A. (2005). Scope of Practice and the Nurse Practitioner: Regulation, Competency, Expansion and Evolution. 1-2.

Bakhsh letter

As an international pilot with 11 years experience, I would make a great addition to your flight staff. I am trained and certified to fly by both the Unites States’ Federal Aviation administration and the Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation, having studied on planes in both of the countries. Because I am fluent in both English and Arabic, I am a great asset to any company with flights into Northern Africa.From my enclosed resume, you will note that I have a strong record of accomplishment during my time as a pilot. I began as first officer on a Boeing 737 and move up to my final position as first officer on a Boeing 777 before being made captain of a McDonnell-Douglas 90. Since then, I have been again promoted and currently serve as Captain of an Embracer E170.In addition to my flight experience, I have had international pilot training courses with Boeing, in Seattle, WA, USA, and Embracer in Zurich, Switzerland. I am a responsible Captain, taking the utmost care to assure that my aircraft is well-cared for and my passengers arrive safely at their destination. Thank you for taking the time to review my resume and credential. I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you to discuss how I may be an asset to your company. Sincerely, Ca. Hani Atef Bakhsh

Time Heals All Wounds Essays

Time Heals All Wounds Essays Time Heals All Wounds Paper Time Heals All Wounds Paper Experiencing the loss of a loved one can make you feel empty inside, with an incomplete feeling that the world will never be the same again, and nothing will heal your pain. This loss could be someone who has passed away or someone who has become absent from your life. Either way people cope with loss or change in many different ways and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† or â€Å"Some Memories of My Father† are two prime examples. These essays remind us what it feels like to have someone you love depart from your life . The feeling of losing someone you love no matter the situation can make you feel discombobulated, eccentric, saddened, confused, and filled with unanswered questions or vague thoughts and memories. Furthermore, both stories focus on with how dealing with loss or change sometimes causes psychotic thoughts and actions and many other psychological issues that can affect everyone around you. Together these stories symbolize the social changes in our society and community and the radical changes to tradition. These stories are given from the narrators view point and we receive their opinions and feelings about not only the main characters but the events that are happening in their community. In Faulkner’s, â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, the story has a very gothic and grim setting to it. The narrator describes how this particular town has a moody and forbidding atmosphere; a crumbling old mansion; and decay, putrefaction, and grotesquerie. Faulkner’s work uses the gripping elements to highlight an individual’s struggle against an oppressive society that is undergoing rapid change. A prime example the narrator express is, â€Å"Only Miss Emily’s house was left, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumps-an eyesore among eyesores. † (Section 1. 2) It is obvious that the narrator does not approve of Miss Emily’s surrounding area. It is quite possible the narrator is dissatisfied with everyone in the town, perhaps this particular period in American history. The second paragraph of the first section the story gives clues we need to find out what the story is saying about America. The story shows how difficult it was for southern people to deal with the new America (post slavery) represented by the Emancipation Proclamation. In comparison, the short story â€Å"Some Memories of My Father†, is more modern day and have a hint of familiarity and nostalgia we all have witnessed and/or experience in our community one way or the other. Like many children who are abandoned by a loved one they tend to create memories or moments. When his father disappears along with several other men from their blue-collar Detroit neighborhood, sixteen-year-old Michael Smolij witnesses the effects of large-scale abandonment on the communitys wives and mothers. Our society more now than ever perhaps have seen a rapid decline of fathers in the household and many women left to be both mother and father to their children. The writer, Bakopoulos shares his experience with the loss of his father and what type of impact it made on his community. In the story, the writer lets us know that things in the community have changed and he not only missed his father but the way things used to be. â€Å"Yes, it’s true that I miss my father, but in a larger sense, I missed all the fathers. † (Need section from the story) He describes the things he saw as he drove past. ‘Neighborhoods like this could have been a million miles away from us. † This short excerpt of the actual book allows the reader know that there is a mass epidemic of fathers exiting the home which leaves a lot of heartache and pain and many unanswered questions such as why? Which is almost the same feeling one experiences one a loved one passes away. Was it the tough labor of working that caused this, mental illness from war, lack of a role model in the home for them, or some under lying child hood demons caused these men to abandoned their responsibilities? This is still a question we are asking today in 2013. Well whatever it is, it made the writer say, â€Å"Now the only thing that remains: When I was sixteen, my father went to the moon. † (Need section from the story) Secondly, it is adequate to say that both stories have similar literary styles. Both uses flashback and foreshadowing. You can also contrast the different styles as well. In â€Å"A Rose for Emily† the story is not in conventional order and chronologically complex. Emily’s life is portrayed through a series flashbacks starting with a scene from her funeral. From there the story is told over a course of many decades which also intertwines with the first point that was made which was the changes that were happening in society and in the community. The foreshadowing in this story is very important and ties in very closely with the complexity of the chronological order of events that take place. Because there are so much back and forth unchronological methods presented in this story there is not proper description of the sequence of events that allows the reader to know what ever happened to Homer or her refusal to let her father be buried? We know about odor, poison, and disappearance. It is up to the reader to figure out Emily buys poison, Homer disappears, and there is a mysterious odor. I believe Faulkner wanted this to be as less obvious as possible in order to have the reader truly understand the complexity of the characters and this period in history. In the second story, â€Å"Some Memories of My Father†, the flashbacks are definitely in chronological in order. In fact, the author is describing to the reader moments he had written down in his notebook. He goes to stay, â€Å"I listed a few memories I had in a notebook, afraid they might leave me†. From age three to sixteen he describes an expert from his childhood and a memory he had of his father. To the reader, the foreshadowing may seem very obvious because each year it seems things with his father seemed to get more disturbing but when he reached at sixteen and the story ends with â€Å"Now the only thing remains: When I was sixteen, my father went to the moon. † This leaves the reader stunned and confused and open to interpret the statement in many ways. Some may assume he died or an insane asylum. The writer leaves you at the edge of the cliff and open to believe whatever you want because all along he is trying to hold on to the few memories he have even if his father was just a vague piece of it. In summary, both stories have many similarities and differences that can be compared and contrasted. I think the most obvious conclusions from both stories is that although losing a loved is very difficult time does heal all wounds? Also, both stories are about the impossible things we believe because the truth may simply be too hard to deal with. We saw this first hand from Emily and have difficulty the excepting the loss of her father and with Michael in excepting his father is ill and not coming back as he is â€Å"gone to the moon†. Both characters have gone through major changes in our society and dealt with them in their own form and fashion. John F. Kennedy once said, â€Å"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. † (Kennedy, 1963)

5 Clues Its Time to Get a New Job (Before Its Too Late)

5 Clues Its Time to Get a New Job (Before Its Too Late) Most people are totally excited on the first day of a new job. But after a few months (or years), we can start to lose the love a little. Here are 5 ways to tell whether you’re just bored or if you really should look for another job. 1. Your boss is a jerkSeriously. She puts you down, publicly. She blows up at you in front of everyone. She snaps  at you regularly. This is not good boss behavior. Remember, a good boss will do everything they can to help you succeed and encourage you to grow and improve until you’re delivering your best work. This is in her best interest. If your boss is all nasty and no nurture, it may be time to move on.2. You dread workYou come home running on empty- emotionally and physically and mentally exhausted. And the thought of going back in the morning, or on Monday, fills you with dread. If you feel actual knots in your stomach at the idea of going in to work, it might be time to think about a change.3. You’re too busy to breatheYouà ¢â‚¬â„¢re so busy that you only leave the office to shower and sleep (and even then, not for very long). You’re always on your email or your work phone. And weekends? Haven’t had one of those in months.Remember, if you’re this busy there’s no way you’re actually doing good work. You don’t have time to think! Have a conversation with your boss about taking better care of yourself, managing things, delegating perhaps, and about having at least one day off to recharge. If you can’t get these boundaries set up, you should leave before you burn out completely.4. You’re so boredSeriously, you can hardly make it through the day. You’ve started yawning- not because you’re tired, but because your job is so brain-numbingly boring that you can’t focus or stay awake. If you have one of these jobs where management would rather you have your butt in your chair all day than actually be productive, then you might be better off somewhere else.5. You want something differentWanting to move on to something new or different is natural. Maybe you want a new challenge! Or a change of scenery! Keep in mind you might not have to go nuclear to get this. See if there are any positions in different departments within your company. If you could see this solving the problem, it might be easier than a career change. If you listen to yourself and confront your situation honestly, you’ll know when it’s really time to go.

How to Build a Rocking Author Media Kit a 7-Step Template

How to Build a Rocking Author Media Kit a 7-Step Template How to Build a Rocking Author Media Kit: a 7-Step Template This post was last updated 9/28/2018.Picture this: you’ve just self-published a book and are gaining some traction in your publicity rounds. Then, out of the blue, a journalist asks you for a headshot, bio, and sell sheet.Don’t panic. By the time you're done with this post, you'll be ready to compile an all-purpose key to book publicity: your author media kit. A good media kit is one of the most straightforward ways to win over the press and everyone else who matters during your publicity rounds: book reviewers, bloggers, and indie bookstores.So how can you build a kit that you can use in all aspects of your book marketing efforts? We spoke to our professional book publicists to answer all your questions about author media kit templates.What is an author media kit?In a nutshell, an author media kit is an assortment of information for anyone who wants easy access to further details about you and your book.Think of an author media kit as a dynamic business card on your we bsite. â€Å"Media kits indicate that you are a serious author with a book that deserves to be considered,† says Hannah Hargrave, an award-winning book publicist. She’s worked with celebrities like Goldie Hawn and has helped to launch the careers of first-time authors.â€Å"Taking the time to collate all your resources - and formatting them in a useful, clear way - will make a journalist’s life easier and get them on your side. It’s also a lot simpler to send a link to your media kit than to attach several large documents to a pitch email,† she says. The author media kit: an all-purpose dynamic business card for you and your book! Testimonials / reviewsKeep it all on one page, and make it as polished as possible. Think of it as a slick resumà ©, but for your book.Tip: For a professionally-designed sell sheet, consider reaching out to a designer for a quote.7. Book ExcerptOne more chance to intrigue your audience. Hannah suggests not including the whole book. â€Å"I find it’s best to include the first few pages, or the opening chapter,† she says, since that should already be enough to draw in an audience.Congrats! Now that you’ve finished your author media kit, you’re probably wondering: what do I do with it?What next?First, make sure your kit looks professional and polished. People will take you only as seriously as you take yourself.Then, put your author media kit up on your website. â€Å"Perhaps have a dedicated press page, or include it on your website’s ‘About Me’ page for anyone who wants further information,† Hannah recommends. â€Å"If you recei ve any queries from journalists, include a link to your media kit in any reply.†Here are three more tips for the road:Label each of your files appropriately. â€Å"There’s nothing more frustrating than to have to open a Word doc titled â€Å"media kit† and scroll through pages of content to find an excerpt or your talking points,† says Dalyn.Take a look at other authors’ media kits. â€Å"Most have links on their websites,† says Hannah. â€Å"This will give you a good idea of what authors with comparable titles useful. You’ll also see how professional, clear, and concise the information included is, too.†Keep your kit up-to-date. If you publish another book, circle back to your kit and update it with all the new details.If this seems like a lot of work to you, consider reaching out to a book publicist. There's no real replacement for their experience and insight: they're not only experts at creating a media kit, they’ll a lso be instrumental in getting your kit - with a pitch and press release - to the right people and media outlets. Publicists also have access to a huge database of contacts and know how to speak to them. And, of course, it’s entirely possible to go about it alone, as some self-published authors have successfully done. It might be a grind, but a great author media kit on your side will make it that much easier.Have any more tips for building author media kits? We'd love to hear them. Leave any thoughts in the comments below!

Dissertation, Journalism, Mass Media and Communication Dissertation

, Journalism, Mass Media and Communication - Dissertation Example This essay declares that MOOCs trace their history back from 1969 when the aspect of open distance learning cropped up. The courses were offered via television microwave integrated channels. Students who had access to these channels watched lecturers on their TVs at off the campus sites. The courses evolved with the technology of streaming content from the internet and the use of electronic submission of assignments. Additionally, the lecturers used the same technique to distribute the learning materials for the enrolled students. The same system is the equivalent to the today’s MOOCs with the cost being the only differentiator. Stanford’s MOOCs technology offers same services to the off-campus students same as the on-campus ones. They receive similar credits up on passing. Early last decade, Stanford University implemented the SEE initiative that entailed offering of engineering and other six Cs online courses free up on logging on to the campus website. Such an idea o ffered lecturer notes and assignments through video technique. This paper makes a conclusion that the Stanford’s MOOCs attracted hundreds of students as it integrated courses with resourceful databases, artificial intelligence and machine learning as compared to the Yale and Harvard styles. With the evolution of the Harvard platform offering similar courses, Stanford implemented the Class2Go and the Venture Lab platforms as the counteracting and competitive online platforms for its students.

The definition of Intellectual Property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The definition of Intellectual Property - Essay Example Examples include licensing arrangements under which the licensee pays the licensor to exploit the right; the imposition of contractual obligations not to use or disclose information; or restrictive covenants which prohibit employees from establishing rival businesses within a specified period or geographical area. A more laconic definition of intellectual property suggests that 'it comprises all those things which emanate from the exercise of the human brain, such as ideas, inventions, poems, designs, micro computers and Mickey Mouse' (Phillips 2001, p.3). Intellectual property rights refer to the ability to own and protect the products of human intellect. These rights may have to be applied for and granted, or in some cases, such as with copyright, this arises automatically. Formally, there are four main types of intellectual property protection and these will be explained briefly below. Patents cover inventions of both new and improved products and processes. They are probably the most publicised and conventional form of protection. Patents are granted to cover new products and processes and in the United Kingdom last for up to 20 years. ... Patenting systems vary throughout the world and their jurisdiction is territorial. In the United Kingdom the patent is granted to the first applicant to file rather than to invent. The Intellectual Property Scenario in Europe The European Patent Organisation and the European Commission have been concerned that the above statistics imply that the innovative potential within Europe is not being adequately tapped. Patent offices across Europe frequently argue that the patent system is not being adequately used, leaving considerable numbers of potential innovations unprotected (Hofinger 1996, p.91-98). There is a different culture concerning patenting in Japan, where it is common to file a number of applications for a single invention. It may be argued that the difference in approaches to the use of the formal intellectual property systems, identified between nation states, is also one of the distinguishing features between small and large firms. Similarly, the relatively low use of the formal systems by small firms may also mean that a reliance on patent counts, etc. is an inaccurate measurement of innovation or research activity. Hence, there is a need to 'unpack' the approaches to innovation and intellectual property management by owner-managers. However, the perceived positive link between formal intellectual property protection and innovation is not without controversy. (Granstrand 1999, p. 13-16) Empirical and theoretical research has offered several arguments in favour of weaker intellectual property protection. One argument hinges on the negative effects of monopolistic behaviour that strong protection permits. Gilbert and Newbery (1982,

Pacific Island and significant human migration to this group Essay

Pacific Island and significant human migration to this group - Essay Example The paper tells that human migration for instance to the Pacific Islands, despite how indiscrete their topology and distribution is, can satisfactorily be analyzed today with advancements in study techniques available. Mention must be made of genetic techniques that have proven to be vital in the field of anthropology, with a rare level accuracy and specificity. Pacific anthropological studies have widely been performed, especially regarding human migration to the region, to unravel astonishing discoveries of how this was possible. Based on geographical divisions of the main Pacific into the three main Islands, anthropological studies have been facilitated. These main groups of islands are Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia. Perhaps, it would be a significant step in studying the geographic location of the Islands, to understand the relationship of the Islands with the source of their inhabitants; the continents. Pacific Islands are named after the ocean in which they are found in; the Pacific Ocean, which covers a third of the earth’s surface. Generally, there are about 30,000 Islands in the Pacific Ocean, with a wide geographical distribution touching several continents namely; Antarctica, Asia, North and South America as well as Australia. As earlier mentioned, the major group of islands both in numbers and size are mainly three (Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia), with a similarity in their south of Tropic of Cancer location. Melanesia (black islands), include New Guinea and the surrounding islands near North America. Micronesia (small islands) covers Kiribati and the islands around it, most of which are found to the north of the equator.

Strategic Marketing Plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Strategic Marketing Plan - Term Paper Example Budget is tight for the first year and as such, management shall be more than careful in its decision making for the business. Employees shall carefully be chosen and the owner shall make sure that each personnel are oriented towards achieving its corporate goal which is to start gaining profit by the end of the first year. Competition would be very stiff with the presence of various coffee shops that have already established their presence in various parts of Dubai and the rest of the United Arab Emirates. Aviano Coffee is also confident in being able to make gains through its Internet channel. Its Marketing efforts shall be intensified to ensure that the corporate message is brought across the target market. To cap this off, Aviano Coffee Shop wants to achieve two things with the business: to share excellent coffee experience through its quality products and to gain profits to ensure presence in the market for a long period of time. II. BACKGROUND Coffee remains to be one of the mo st preferred beverages anywhere in the world. In the US, it is estimated that 50% of the total population or approximately 150 Million Americans drink coffee in any form, be it espresso, cappuccino, latte or cold coffee. Moreover, among these coffee aficionados, the average consumption is 3.1 cups per day (Coffee Business Statistics Report 2010). As such, it is expected that more and more Coffee shops open and thrive serving the tastes of these coffee lovers. Despite the presence of numerous Coffee shops in the country, there is yet room for more entrepreneurs who want to serve the needs of the Coffee lovers. While some may opt to go traditional, others diversify to create concept shops that do not only serve ordinary coffee, but also the fast growing industry of specialty coffee. It is with these premises that the author proposes to bring into local franchise the Colorado based brand Aviano Coffee. Aviano Coffee is popularly known in Colorado, with its market reach extending to oth er cities in Denver. Its product line highlights Latte Art, where baristas manually extract espresso. The key to competition is the manner by which specialty coffee drink is done, focusing on aesthetics of the coffee products and the ambience within the coffee shop, which focuses on the 18th and 19th century. Management wants to bring its clients into the specialty coffee experience capturing olden moments through appropriate interior design and shop structure. The thrust is to bring into the shop people who intend to have a good coffee experience (Aviano Coffee 2011). Bringing the concept store in Dubai will prove to be a challenging but exciting experience for the owners. Promoting the business within a unique culture, there will be little tweaks into the concept to ensure that the target market will feel most welcome when entering the concept store. This business plan discusses the strategies by which the concept is introduced to the target market in Dubai, and hopefully to other cities in the United Arab Emirates. III. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS The United Arab Emirates is considered to be one of the most liberal Middle East Countries in the world, according to the State of World Liberty Index It is also considered to be the 5th highest in the whole world basing on GDP per capita, and is the fastest growing economy globally (Top 5 Most Liberal Muslim Countries 2011). The presence of bars, clubs, movie theatres and commercial

Filme review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Filme - Movie Review Example What impressed me most about the movie is that it has captured the exact economic, social, political and psychological conditions of the victims of the post world war era through showing ladies who stand in queues to get water, ruined buildings, behavior of the society when the lead character accuses the boy of stealing his bicycle etc. The visuals all point to the torn apart post war city and the dialogs of the characters further exemplify the economic situation of that era. This is evidenced when the protagonist, Antonio, tells his wife that he feels â€Å"like a man in chains† (Bicycle Thieves, 1948). This dialog right here is the epitome of the helpless situation of the working class people, that is, although they were ready to work hard for a living, they were constrained by various elements thus entailing in their jobless state and miserable life. However, on the other hand, the movie also portrays the selfless love a wife must possess towards her husband and furthermore illustrates the concepts of familial relationship and sacrifices giving them the most importance. As far as I am concerned, familial relationships are of great prominence and it is this kind of relationships and concepts that I value the most, and since the movie deftly demonstrates this, it appeals the most to me. Therefore, according to me, this was the best film I have seen as compared to other movies shown in this semester. 2) Name some of the special effects, camera techniques and camera composition used in â€Å"Citizen Kane† and how was this evidenced in the film itself? The camera techniques used in the movie â€Å"Citizen Kane† (1941), directed by Orson Wells who also performs in the title role, become evident from the scene presenting Xanadu, Kane’s old age retreat. The protagonist withdraws to this location in his old age as a symbol of his isolation from the society. The audience is first given a long shot view of the old fortress like residence wit h its gates towering over the frame. By providing such a view of his home, the audience receives a sense of Kane’s power through the overbearing view of the gate that separates the home from the rest of the world. Again, in the scene where the animals are shown, the camera pans onto the cage, again giving the viewers a sense of Kane’s power that has enabled him to create his own world, by eschewing the American way of life. Many similar cases can be seen in the movie which exemplifies the deft use of camera and angles. 3) We watched De Sica’s â€Å"Bicycle Thieves† this semester. What was so important about Italian Neorealism and how was this evidenced in the film itself? Italian Neorealism was the first post war cinematic movement that freed filmmaking from the realm of perfect worlds portrayed in the movies, thus its significance cannot be overlooked. Prior to this movement, the Italian films were greatly influenced by Hollywood movies, with which littl e could the people of Italy relate to. However, once this new trend surfaced, it transformed cinematography and boosted it into a new phase that brought to the fore movies reflecting the real life conditions of the working class people from all aspects including economic, psychological, social, moral, political etc. Bicycle Thieves evidences neorealism through the portrayal of non professional actors, natural settings and

Youth and Anti-Social Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Youth and Anti-Social Behaviour - Essay Example Alcoholism, drug abuse or substance abuse, sexual abuse, violence, cybercrimes etc are growing among the youths which are a matter of concern for the sociologists and the government. Morality and ethics are rapidly diminishing subjects in our society at present which encourage the youths to engage in all sorts of antisocial activities without a second thought. The life philosophies of the youths in the 1980’s or 70’s and that of the youths of the 2010 are entirely different. Because of the changing perceptions about life, youths create lot of social problems in different forms which is discussed briefly in this paper. What is social problem? â€Å"A social problem is a condition that at least some people in a community view as being undesirable† (What is a social problem?, n. d). It is difficult to define social problem accurately or comprehensively because of the various dimensions associated with it. Murder, violence, theft etc are accepted by everybody as soci al problems. However, teenagers who play loud music in a public places may not view it as a problem, even if it causes disturbances to the public. Smoking is also a personal matter; but if it performed in a public place, it can cause immense damages to the health of the people around the smoker. Same way, drug and alcohol abuses are personal matters; but these things can lead the abuser towards antisocial activities. ... Anti-social behaviour doesn't just make life unpleasant. It holds back the regeneration of disadvantaged areas and creates an environment where more serious crime can take hold (What is ASB? n. d.) Man is a social animal and hence it is difficult for him to lead an isolated life. Since we are living in a society, it is necessary for us to satisfy the needs of the society along with satisfying our own needs. At the same time, individual needs should never cause any problems to others in the society. In other words, an individual need become a socially accepted need only if it does not cause any physical or psychological problems to others. For example, sex is a biological or psychological need for all the living things. Sexual engagements are socially accepted, only when both the parties did perform it based on mutual consent. However, rape cannot be justified under any circumstances because of the absence of mutual consent in such cases. Moreover, sexual activities of minors are unac ceptable to the society even if it performed with mutual consent. In short, same activity can become a socially accepted or rejected one based on the circumstances or the nature of the activity. Alcoholism and drug abuse are some other major antisocial activity undertaken by youths. These things are considered as personal matters by many of the youths. However they are forgetting the fact that alcoholism or drug addiction may result in severe mental, physical and social problems which may affect others as well. Alcoholism and drug abuse can create lot of social problems such as Divorce, loss of employment; domestic violence, drunk driving etc. All these problems will affect a society one

Filme review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Filme - Movie Review Example What impressed me most about the movie is that it has captured the exact economic, social, political and psychological conditions of the victims of the post world war era through showing ladies who stand in queues to get water, ruined buildings, behavior of the society when the lead character accuses the boy of stealing his bicycle etc. The visuals all point to the torn apart post war city and the dialogs of the characters further exemplify the economic situation of that era. This is evidenced when the protagonist, Antonio, tells his wife that he feels â€Å"like a man in chains† (Bicycle Thieves, 1948). This dialog right here is the epitome of the helpless situation of the working class people, that is, although they were ready to work hard for a living, they were constrained by various elements thus entailing in their jobless state and miserable life. However, on the other hand, the movie also portrays the selfless love a wife must possess towards her husband and furthermore illustrates the concepts of familial relationship and sacrifices giving them the most importance. As far as I am concerned, familial relationships are of great prominence and it is this kind of relationships and concepts that I value the most, and since the movie deftly demonstrates this, it appeals the most to me. Therefore, according to me, this was the best film I have seen as compared to other movies shown in this semester. 2) Name some of the special effects, camera techniques and camera composition used in â€Å"Citizen Kane† and how was this evidenced in the film itself? The camera techniques used in the movie â€Å"Citizen Kane† (1941), directed by Orson Wells who also performs in the title role, become evident from the scene presenting Xanadu, Kane’s old age retreat. The protagonist withdraws to this location in his old age as a symbol of his isolation from the society. The audience is first given a long shot view of the old fortress like residence wit h its gates towering over the frame. By providing such a view of his home, the audience receives a sense of Kane’s power through the overbearing view of the gate that separates the home from the rest of the world. Again, in the scene where the animals are shown, the camera pans onto the cage, again giving the viewers a sense of Kane’s power that has enabled him to create his own world, by eschewing the American way of life. Many similar cases can be seen in the movie which exemplifies the deft use of camera and angles. 3) We watched De Sica’s â€Å"Bicycle Thieves† this semester. What was so important about Italian Neorealism and how was this evidenced in the film itself? Italian Neorealism was the first post war cinematic movement that freed filmmaking from the realm of perfect worlds portrayed in the movies, thus its significance cannot be overlooked. Prior to this movement, the Italian films were greatly influenced by Hollywood movies, with which littl e could the people of Italy relate to. However, once this new trend surfaced, it transformed cinematography and boosted it into a new phase that brought to the fore movies reflecting the real life conditions of the working class people from all aspects including economic, psychological, social, moral, political etc. Bicycle Thieves evidences neorealism through the portrayal of non professional actors, natural settings and

Minimalist visual artists and composers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Minimalist visual artists and composers - Essay Example The fact that music has more â€Å"space† in time that it has to occupy, along with the fact that the common chords used have emotional resonance means that minimalist music retains a more emotional intensity, while visual art remains more intellectual, as demonstrated by a comparison of Philip Glass’s â€Å"Einstein on the Beach† and John McCracken’s â€Å"Untitled Slab.† Einstein on the Beach begins with deconstructed common chords, before being overlaid by a female ensemble counting to six using the same chord. This is then quickly overlayed with a voice speaking quickly, words barely just too quick to catch any narrative out of (Glass). It then begins with an overlay of male voices singing harmonics and a different group of male voices counting to six using a different octave of the same chord. Each chord used is major, with harmonies communicating a combined sense of joy and loftiness. These musical elements, though deconstructed here, would still be recognizable even to a lay audience, and leave Glass’s music with a distinct emotional punch. McCracken’s work, â€Å"Untitled Slab,† is very different. This piece of work is a painting that resembles, in every element, a large black slab of marble, down to the sense of reflections in its black depth (McCracken). The fact that it looks so almost common place while being made with such distinct skill asks the viewer to engage with art critically; it demands the reader use their mind and think about art as a construct. This consciousness of art as art is common to minimalist visual art, and keeps the viewer at arm’s length, reducing the emotional punch that the art actually has. This means that minimalist visual art, while sharing many similarities with minimalist music, has a very different effect. Minimalist music retains a great deal of emotional punch, while visual art loses it to heightened intellectualism. These

Marketing Issues Facing the HSBC Bank in the UK

Marketing Issues Facing the HSBC Bank in the UK Key marketing issues facing HSBC Bank in the United Kingdom and globally: How it can be improved for entering in to 2011 Abstract Todays global banking environment is highly volatile, but this does not hinder competition from being intense. Consequently, organisations such as HSBC Bank plc, the worlds local bank, need to align their marketing strategies to improve on their brand value and positioning. To enter into the year 2011, they need to address both internal and external environment(s) which inevitably affect their competitive advantage, positioning and performance. In the following, the researcher aims to explore these avenues with the view to propose an extended study on new strategies to improve upon HSBCs current standing. Table of contents Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Methodology Chapter 3: Literature Review Chapter 4: Evidence Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations References Appendices Introduction In the last few years, the banking industry has undergone tremendous change in the face of global transformation. As a result, executives are finding it difficult to meet competitive challenges as the pressure to become global intensifies. HSBC Bank plc, headquartered in United Kingdom, is a global business which faces the same challenge and is being investigated in the following dissertation. The aim is to survey the key marketing issues that challenge the bank, in the UK and globally so that the researcher could further its study in developing solutions for the same. Some of the objectives that the researcher aims to achieve in this dissertation proposal are as follows: Objectives 1. To explore key external and internal environments to address major issues that plague HSBC to function successfully as a global bank. 2. To identify the marketing mix that should be adopted to be integrated in the banks marketing and competitive strategies. 3. To investigate organisational functions like MIS (Management Information System) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to align them with the market structure. 4. To evaluate the brand value at HSBC, and perhaps identify new strategies for improving its global positioning. Background Today, change catalysts are being integrated by major consolidated organisations to adapt and become flexible to the changing needs of consumers. The banking industry, likewise, has been following the same trend of consolidation through mergers and acquisitions (MA), despite the fact that these MAs are creating even more complex organisations. This can be gauged from HSBCs organisational spread. HSBC has over 100 million customer base, spread across the globe through its Customer and Global businesses. With 9,500 offices and 335,000 staff in 85 countries and territories, it is considered to be one of the worlds top financial brands by The Banker Magazine (HSBC Official Web site 2008). While it is regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK, the global nature of its operation subjects it to be regulated by 510 central banks and authorities around the world as well (HSBC Official Web site 2008). To ensure that HSBC meets global challenges, the bank has been constantly evolv ing its strategy. For the past decade, it has focussed on being the worlds local bank with a wide network spread to mostly international emerging markets to develop unique cosmopolitan customer base to strengthen its financial standing. The four key business areas private banking, commercial banking, personal financial services and global banking markets help HSBC to align its presence with global trends such as fast growing emerging markets, world trade, and longevity in business (See Appendix 1). In line with this focus, is the strategy to leverage brand and network to increase revenues and maximise efficiency (HSBC Official Web site 2008). This conservative positioning strategy had been adopted for the past decade and has paid off in terms of higher earnings, and improved performance (BBC 2001). However, recently there has been a fall in profit earning (UK Annual Report 2007)(See Appendix 2), which has been translated to low performance. Some of the factors that have afflicted the bank include inflation in developed markets; slow down in emerging economies; and the ongoing credit crunch, especially in the UK and neighbouring Europe (HSBC Annual Results 2007; Toxic Shock 2008). The growing importance of globalisation only emphasises on the need for integrating marketing strategies within competitive strategies to leverage future performance. According to a Deloitte report (2007), banks like HSBC, with a global focus, need to understand external and internal factors that affect them, in order to devise comprehensive competitive strategy. While experts (Dietz, Reibestein, and Walter 2008) predict growth in global banking revenues estimated at 7 to 8 percent from 2006 to 2016, how to harness this forecast is dependent on the individual firms strategy. For this purpose, HSBC need to revise its strategic orientation. The purpose of research is to gain new knowledge through logical and systematic methods. According to Smith (1981 qt. Gliner and Morgan 2000), research is a broad discipline which must be carefully examined before adopting methods for evaluation. Whether the researcher chooses the naturalistic, experimental, survey or historical methods, the choice should be consistent with the inquiry defined. Accordingly, research approaches in the social science discipline can be divided into the positivist or quantitative, and constructivist or qualitative approach (Mangan, Lalwani and Gardner 2004). Depending on the quantitative or qualitative paradigm, a researcher must choose the approach of research. A quantitative paradigm is associated with scientific methods in acquiring research results and identifies causal relationships (Phillips 1992; Lincoln and Guba 1985 qt. Gliner and Morgan 2000). On the other hand, the qualitative approach is a constructivist approach that studies humans and physi cal objects with the meanings inherent in their social roles and symbolism. Considering the qualitative nature of the topic, the researcher proposes to adopt a constructivist approach which would be more appropriate in exploring the issues that affect HSBC. This is a logical proposition as it would allow the researcher to predict the causes and market behaviour based on theoretical frameworks studied through comprehensive literature review, a gist of which shall be explored in the next section. Furthermore, the researcher proposes this choice of research approach based on the premise that social science researches often seek to predict and control (Bryman 1995). Research questions raised are often open-ended and encompass extensive avenues before decisions can be made. Therefore, a qualitative method shall be suitable for the study of key issues challenging HSBC in the future. To take a brief overview of banking, the researcher has carried out a brief literature review to study the issues that surround the organisation. In the following section, the researcher shall explore the current market environment, as well as attempt to understand it through theoretical frameworks. Banking Industry As the worlds banking industry globalises and consolidates, cross border investment barriers have fallen to give way to new and volatile markets. To serve evolving markets, banks have been observed to develop new competitive strategies that capitalise on operations, resources and functionality, and serve new types of customers. The challenge for banks today is the geopolitical risks and structural market challenges which they need to adapt to, for addressing international compliance of standards, demographic shifts, and developing relationships with customers. The diversified nature of the banking environment makes it difficult for global organisations, like HSBC, to focus. A global bank can be defined as having the widest reach in providing services to affiliates, while a local bank has narrower reach in provision of services to institutions in the country. Some of the challenges that affect these organizations are explored below: 1) External Environment The basic premise for gaining competitive advantage in a global environment according to experts like Porter (1990) and Weihrich (1982), is through formulation of strategies that reflect the conceptual framework of the TOWS Matrix (See Appendix 3). The TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths) Matrix is a systematic analysis model which identifies factors that surround the industry, and, thereafter, help identify solutions by maximising opportunities and strengths. By identifying the competitive advantage against competitors, the industry or firm can maximise the attributes it posses at the international level. These competitive advantages can be factor conditions such as skilled labour or infrastructure; demand conditions such as demand of the product or service; related and supporting industries; and firm strategy, structure and rivalry (Porter 1990). However, critics are of the view that Porters formula does not provide the key to success (O’Shaughnessy 1996) as it does not address operational and environmental issues like culture, competitive advantage in emerging markets; political and national history; or role of government. In todays global banking environment, these issues play critical roles (Jones 2005). These are evident from the Deloitte report (2007) on key issues challenging the banking industry, which include off-shoring; local insights for global branching; cost-reduction; emergence of hedge funds; and complex anti-money laundering regulations (Deloitte 2007). Not only is the global business environment of today strived with uncertainty due to emerging markets participation (Fahy 1993; Bansal and Penza 2000), but also the technological, political and regulatory environments have heightened competition. In the past decade, HSBC has focussed its competitive strategy on Europe after the slow down in Asia-Pacific region. Europe is an ideal setting for international integration based on a single market program (Berger, Smith, and Judge 2003; HSBC 2008). There are, however, issues that hinder development and competition including loyalty to local banks, regulatory restrictions, demand for global banking services, and technological advancement of banks. As a result, HSBC needs to rethink its current strategy. 2) Internal Environment As a result of the above factors, the internal environment of global banks has to be revolutionised. At the forefront is the adage the customer is king. Global banks are changing their strategies to alter banking environment congruent to customers needs, rights and choices. Services and products are tailored to the living conditions and customer patterns of banking use. These conditions set off alternative marketing strategies that emphasise on individuality and relationship building. Investment in technology, skills and branch networks, for example, has helped traditional banks to grow and profit from new sources of income (Jayawardhena and Foley 2000). In the UK, especially, the scale of investment in knowledge management and technology has helped transform the banking industry to succinctly harness potential businesses and create advantage for organisations. Learning organisations, however, is still a relatively new concept for many to understand and appreciate its implications (H arris 2002). Besides the above, global banks are also undergoing structural changes. As more and more banks become global, the traditional role of retail banking has to be revisited. (Bansal and Penza 2000).Issues that affect HSBC like credit and market risks, competence and expertise have come to the forefront, as banks diversify their businesses. For these reasons HSBC needs to be prepared for change management in its internal environment. 3) The Marketing Mix Given the diversified nature of the global banking industry, Jagersmas report (2006) suggests that banks need to rethink marketing strategies to meet the challenges in the future by improving customer focus, innovating products, pricing products competitively and organising product information for its strategic positioning. The challenge that awaits organisations is to rethink strategic objectives that would align with the new environment. One approach is to develop a visual identity and develop a communication network to establish relationships with customers. The communication strategy would be the life line for the organisations strategy in adapting or changing its market context or other environmental alterations, according to Melewar, Bassett, and Simoes (2006). Similarly, Gummesson (2002) is of the view that relationship marketing is the new approach to marketing that focuses on customer, suppliers and organisations in a complex network environment or society. It is only throug h these new communication frameworks that the banking sector can address the core and brand values it has to develop for successful marketing mix. (See Appendix 4) HSBC needs to re-evaluate its marketing mix in order to generate newer ones. 4) Market Segmentation and Targeting Indeed, the nature of the marketing mix is no longer simply the 4 Ps of Price, Product, Position and Promotion but involves complex analysis of the target market and its segments. In fact, Papasolomou and Vrontis (2006) are of the view that todays banking organisations have different sets of customers and expectations. Customers are no longer limited to the walk-in type, but extend to internal customers such as employees, stakeholders and shareholders; service delivery is not limited to providing service, but extends to standards and expectations; development involves training and development in motivation, and inspiration; and employee incentives. To be successful, organisations must adopt alternative strategies. Market segmentation in the banking industry has changed from niche segments to accumulated customer base of corporate, private or commercial customers, although the principles for targeting them remain the same customer relationship building; ease of access; delivery of se rvice through diverse workforce; and collaborative banking strategies. As a result, banks like HSBC would need to improve upon customer focus, introduce new ideas to customers and drive aggressive campaigns (Wells Fargo and First Direct 2007) using a strong communication network (Berner and Kiley 2005) to build brand image. 5) MIS and CRM What differentiates and establishes brands depends on the power of the brand to communicate its value to the market. According to Sinek (2008), successful communication is dependent on the banks ability to offer different products and services reflective of the customers needs. Hence, branding alone would not differentiate banks, but the humanness of the banks philosophy would. Thus, Umpqua Bank and FirstDirects popularity with customers is due to their understanding of the need for convenient banking, need for alternative products and services, and their understanding of the ever-changing world of banking. By harnessing the online banking technology, direct banking has become possible to their customers. The attractiveness of these banks to their customers is inherent in the shift away from traditional transaction-based to customer based banking (Branching out 2007). Furthermore, banks have also capitalised on technological networks to expand globally to bring customers closer to their banks by defying geographical dispersion (Lefton 1997; Branching out 2007). However, in the process, issues like outsourcing labour to foreign regions, which are alien to the customers, and low quality service delivery compromise the overall expectations. Banks, especially, rely on outsourcing companies for their customer service which constitutes a major part of their service/product delivery (Gottfredson and Phillips 2005). This reliance on external organisations for the banks success is volatile and, at times, detrimental to its relationship with customers. Whether HSBC should rely on these systems or not shall determine its performance in the future. 6) Brand Positioning The objective of competitive advantage is dependent on positioning of the product. A firms communication strategy and its effectiveness depend on the positioning strategies. In marketing strategies for service-oriented brands, positioning is even more critical as it modifies the intangible perceptions of the service in relation to the competition (Blankson and Kalafatis 2007). For these reasons, strategic implications of brand positioning are critical for the organisations competitive strategy. Service positioning differs from tangible product positioning as its characteristics are different from physical goods. Customers differentiate the service from goods through communication, standard of service delivery, and the quality of the benefits reaped. Thus, marketing communication plays a vital role in establishing the marketing positioning of brands. Consequently, Papasolomou and Vrantis (2006) emphasise on the importance of internal marketing throughout branch network to strengthen r elationship marketing and the brand. In banking, this could be achieved by launching internal marketing campaigns to sustain the brand through employees and their experiences such as brand proposition, overcoming internal barriers, continual improvement and expansion. These HSBC needs to explore in to incorporate into its future strategies. From the above brief literature review, the researcher is of the view that HSBC, as a global bank, faces tremendous challenges in the near future to improve upon its marketing strategy. The above literature also suggests that, while the current marketing strategy has been successful in launching the HSBC in the international market, the bank needs to revise and develop its marketing strategies which would sustain HSBC in global environment. Issues that plague the worlds global banking industry need to be evaluated in the future study to understand the extent and breadth to which HSBC has complied with, before competitive strategies can be evaluated. The brief literature review also indicates that todays marketing strategies are different from traditional methods adopted, especially for a service-oriented organisation. Consequently, marketing strategies for HSBC needs to be re-valuated to gauge its future performance, and perhaps devise new ones to address current and future issues. Issues like MIS, CRM, brand positioning and marketing mix shall be revisited in this extended dissertation in order to tackle the issues that plague its internal and external environment. From the above evidence, the researcher proposes an extended study in the form of a dissertation to review HSBC’s performance and how it can improve upon its current marketing strategy in order to develop an integrative competitive strategy for the future. Considering the fast-paced and highly volatile banking environment of the UK and globally, HSBC needs to improve its performance in order to sustain competition. With the extended study, the researcher hopes to achieve the following objectives: a. A detailed investigation of the external and internal environment of HSBC in order to identify its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. b. Identify the marketing mix that it should adopt and integrate within its organizational strategies to enter into 2011. c. To study the current organisational function such as MIS and CRM to the advantage of HSBC and integrate into its future marketing strategies. d. Improve on its current brand value and global positioning. 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