Name Essays (791 words) - Gun Politics In The United States

Name Professor Course Date Annotated Bibliography; what are the effects of the "open carry" law in Texas MADIGAN, TIM. "Open-Carry Law a Dilemma for Texas Merchants." Fort Worth Business Press, vol. 28, no. 8, 29 Feb. 2016, p. 16. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=bwhAN=113559094site=ehost-live. Tim's article appearing in the Washington post looks into the impact of the enacted law in Texas that permits open carrying of firearms unless they are in establishments that disallow it by means of posting such prohibition on their premises. Tim notes that concealed carrying of a weapon had been legalized since 1996. However, since the recent passing of the law permitting open carrying, Tim observes that businesses are coming face to face with the impacts of the controversial gun law. As such, the business' owners are having to decide if they will allow open carrying within the precincts of their establishments, or not. With occasional pressure from clients, the businesses are opting to disallow open carrying within their businesses. Such businesses include restaurants and supermarkets. Tim raises concern about the law especially for failing to define exact places where open carrying should not be permitted at all. For instance, he observes, the mental hospitals are not exem pted from the open firearm carrying. Moreover, open carrying is permitted in the public colleges and other public institutions and only the private establishments to disallow it. Tim demonstrates the kind of confusion that has emerged amongst the public owing to the divisive law. Patrik Jonsson Staff, writer. "Texas' Big New Gun Law: Is the State a Model for Modern Open Carry ?. " Christian Science Monitor, 31 Dec. 2015. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphAN=112032141site=ehost-live. While not explicitly in favor of the Texas' gun law that now allows for open carrying, Jonsson feels that the law could actually be a model for the rest of America. Texas has about 800,000 people licensed to own guns. He observes that the law is not necessarily a lax one as portrayed noting that it is uniquely strict and presents a regulation model. He further notes that Americans, even though they have had a considerable obsesses ion with guns, they are also increasingly warming up to the idea of gun ownership especially in the face of increasing mass shootings. According to Jonsson , the law does require the open carrying gun owners to be licensed. Furthermore, prior to licensing, the gun owners have to show competency in regard to safety as well as passing shooting tests. Moreover, they must be 21 years and above and also have had no psychological problems prior to gun ownership. These views are indicative of the polarizing nature of the gun-law debate in the Texas and the rest of the USA. Story Hinckley, Staff. "University of Texas Approves Campus Carry: How the State Forced Its Hand." Christian Science Monitor, 17 Feb. 2016. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphAN=113062886site=ehost-live Institutions of higher learning are amongst the areas that have been greatly impacted by the law. On the same issue of the firearm carrying law, Hinckley notes that it has negative ramifications for universities as they are not exempted. The University of Texas and other public campuses are left with no option but to approve the "campus carry" requirements. He observes that this law will take effect regardless of the protests by the universities' stakeholders including students and university staff who felt that it was inappropriate to allow firearms in the colleges. Quite worrying is the prospect of having guns in the classroom and other university buildings where weapons have traditionally been disallowed. He observes that the private universities, under the law, are the only ones who have been given the discretion to apply the law or not to. To demonstrate the general opinion of stakeholders in the higher education sector, the writer notes that the majority of private le arning institutions have opted to disallow guns in their institutions. As such, if allowed to, most public c olleges will certainly want to be gun-free. Works Cited Patrik Jonsson Staff, writer. "Texas' Big New Gun Law: Is the State a Model for Modern Open Carry ?. " Christian Science Monitor, 31 Dec. 2015. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphAN=112032141site=ehost-live. MADIGAN, TIM. "Open-Carry Law a Dilemma for Texas Merchants." Fort Worth Business Press, vol. 28, no. 8,

British Airways Management Analysis Essays

British Airways Management Analysis Essays British Airways Management Analysis Essay British Airways Management Analysis Essay This report will focus on the current economic crisis and the effect it has had upon British Airways. The passenger figures at London Heathrow, Gatwick, Standsted and other major airports have dropped by 7. 4 per cent last year compared to 2008. (Telegraph, 2009) Moreover, many different surveys have shown that people are now more reluctant to travel to foreign destinations for holiday. Moreover, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced that only 216. 8 million travelers were registered in 2009, the lowest figures since 2004, and the experts believe that the figures will continue to drop for the foreseeable future. BBC , 2010) These official figures paint a gloomy future for the aviation industry and most airlines. Indeed, the current economic crisis has taken no hostage, and British Airways (â€Å"BA†) is not an exception; in fact, they have faced more adversities than other airlines. This report will show what strategies BA has conjured up to survive the recession and co mpete against low cost airlines such as Easyjet and Ryan Air, who have actually somewhat benefitted from the recent economic crisis. 2. Methodology (-is that ok to use â€Å"we† instead of â€Å"I†? This paper will first be looking at how British Airways, Easyjet and Ryanair performed before the recession. This will highlight the impact the recession has had on these airlines. We will be looking at their history and financial performance before circa 2008, collecting data from articles published by the airline industry which are available from the internet. To bring to light the impact the recent economic crisis has had, we will look at their financial performance for the last two years. As we compare their performances, we will how much the British Airways suffered, in contrast to low budget airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair, who have somewhat benefitted from the economic downturn. The strategies adopted by British Airways to survive the economic crisis and compete against low budget airlines will be looked at individually. We will assess why British Airways were prompted to use these methods. This paper will then consider strategies adopted by other airlines to survive the recent economic downturn. This will give us an indication of whether the strategies implemented by British Airways will succeed or help it to regain their position as the â€Å"world’s favourite airline†. In conclusion, this report will discuss the repercussions of the strategies and its financial outcome, and whether British Airways should maintain its existing business approach or adapt to the current crisis on a more permanent basis, perhaps similar to that of Easyjet and Ryanair. 3. Short History 3. 1 British Airways British Airways is the national airline of Britain. It is a premium airline, possessing over 340 aircrafts and travelling to over 160 destinations. The company’s main centres of operation are London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport. The company was founded in 1972, when the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British European Airways Corporation (BEA) managements were combined under the newly formed  British Airways Board, effectively making it the national airline for the United Kingdom (BA, 1) BA enjoyed great success during the 1980s and early 1990s, and as a result, became the worlds most profitable airline for the most part of the 1990s, representing itself under the slogan The Worlds Favourite Airline. BA, 1) 3. 2 Easyjet Easyjet is a popular low cost airline, which was established in 1995  . The company started extremely modestly, possessing a meager two aircrafts, and travelled only domestically. However, the company gained popularity in the years that followed, and on April 1996, and started travelling internationally, choosing Amsterdam as its first international destination. (Easyjet, 1) Despite its modest start, Easyjet still managed to grow into one of the most popular airlines in the world. Its current slogan reflects its status (â€Å"the webs favourite airline) and as its popularity grew, so did the number of aircrafts under its name, amounting to 174 operating aircrafts as of March 2010, with 54 more in order. (Gerry, 2009) 3. 3 Ryanair Ryanair, similar to Easyjet, started their business providing only domestic air travels. The company was founded in 1985, its primary objective being breaking the then duopoly of British Airways and Aer Lingus on London to Republic of Ireland flights. Its initial success allowed the company to expand its business by adding a second flight route; Dublin to Luton International Airport. Ryanair, 1) The company, however, did not enjoy any financial success until Michael O’Leary took over as the CEO in 1991. The new CEO strived to implement a quick turn-around times for aircraft, get rid of â€Å"business† class seat and unifying the models of all the aircrafts. This proved to be a success, leading the company to spend over $2bn for new aircrafts in 1998. (Thomas M. , Kent B, 2005) The company acted quickly to the increasing popularity of online booking, and launched its website in 2000, allowing passengers to buy and confirm their flights online. This method proved immensely popular as more than 75% of all bookings were all made online in 2001. (Ryanair, 1) 4. Prior to the recession 4. 1 British Airways British Airways enjoyed great financial success during the early and mid-1990s. Their profit figure was very impressive and they constantly expanded, making them one of the largest airlines in the world in terms of revenue, passenger numbers and number of aircrafts possessed. However, their short lived success was met with despair during the late 1990s and early 2000s, they faced financial difficulties and other obstacles to success. BA, 1) As the company started searching for other ways to expand during the early 1990s, they appointed Robert Ayling as the CEO of the company in 1993. The move seemed wise at the time considering the experience and achievement of the new CEO prior to the appointment. However, BA dropped profits of 84 % in 1999 compared to the previous year. The company had to replace the CEO and drastically alte r its management structure. The problem seemed solved until the company suffered financially once more due to the 9/11 attack in United States. In response to these events, on September 2005, a new CEO was appointed. Under the management of the new CEO, Will Walsh, BA underwent several changes and on January 2008, the company revealed OpenSkies, a new subsidiary. The primary objective of launching a new subsidiary despite its weak financial stability was to  take advantage of the liberalisation of transatlantic traffic rights, and flies non-stop between major European cities and the United States. These efforts, however, did not lift BA from its financial difficulties (BA, 1) Further succession of unfortunate events plagued BA, including the current recession, forcing it to resort to desperate measures, including sell its stake in Qantas on 8 September 2008. 4. 2 Easyjet Since its establishment, Easyjet grew exponentially, enjoying great financial success along the way. As a result, it became floated on the London Stock Exchange in November 2000. (BBC 2006) The main ingredients of its success included expanding its base to locations in continental Europe, and taking advantage of the growing demand for low cost airlines from passengers. Table 1 below shows its financial performance for the past 9 years. TABLE 1. EASYJET FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE |Year |Total revenue(? m) |Profit before |Passengers (millions) |Return on equity (%) |Cash flow from | | | |tax-underlying(? m) | | |operations (? m) | |2008 |2,363 |123 |43. 7 |6. 8 |292 | |2007 |1,787 |191 |37. |14. 3% |261 | |2006 |1,620 |129 |33. 0 |10. 1% |222 | |2005 |1,341 |83 |29. 6 |7. 1% |221 | |2004 |1,091. 0 |62. 2 |24. 3 |5. 3 |160. 5 | |2003 |931. 8 |51. 5 |20. |4. 4 |77. 2 | |2002 |551. 8 |71. 6 |11. 4 |9. 4 |84. 2 | |2001 |356. 9 |40. 1 |7. 1 |22. 1 |83. 4 | (Source: Easyjet. 2 Reports and Accounts) Its continuing financial success led to the purchase of GB Airways on October 2007, helping Easyet yet once again, expand its operations and establish a base at Manchester. Easyjet 3) 4. 3 Ryanair After launching its website, Ryanair enjoyed a great financial success, leading to the following events 1. Making an order of 100 new  Boeing 737-800  series aircraft ( 2003) 2. Acquiring a once rival low cost airline  Buzz  from  KLM. (2003) 3. Increasing the number of its bases to from 2 to 11 in less than 10 years. (2004) 4. Making an order of 70 new  Boeing 737-800  series aircraft to meet the demands of its passengers (2005) During 2004, most low cost airlines suffered financially including Ryanair, and it reported a loss for the second quarter of 2004. However, unlike most other low cost airlines, it managed to recover rather quickly and post an impressive profit in the next financial year. Indeed, Ryanairs passenger numbers constantly grew by up to 25% a year for most of 2000s. To demonstrate what this means in terms of numbers, Ryanair initially only carried just under 700,000 passengers annually, however, the passenger figures in 2003 showed an astonishing figure of 21. 4 million. The company owed its success to its constant addition of new routes and new bases around Europe. By the end of mid 2000, Ryanair was one of the largest airlines in terms of number of carriers specializing in European flights, carrying more passengers than the once â€Å"World’s Favourite Airline† British Airways for European flights. (Ryanair 1) 5. Recession and Airline Industry 5. 1 Impact of recession on the airline industry The current economic crisis has had an impact on virtually all types of businesses, including the airline industry. In fact, it has affected the airline industry more so than most other industries due to it being a very competitive market. (William B n. d) From 2008 to the beginning of the current year, 9 airlines, including Japan Airlines the once sixth largest airline by passenger numbers in the world, have filed for bankruptcy, mostly due to the current recession. Considering that only 12 airlines filed for bankruptcy from 1989 to 2007, the number of bankrupt airlines is alarming and reflects that fact that the recent times is definitely unfavourable for the airline industry. (Chris I, 2008) Table 1. 2 shows the airlines reaction to the current recession. Table 1. 2 IATA’s revised forecasts for global air transport volumes [pic] (IATA forecasts 2008 – 2013) 5. Impact of recession on British Airways 5. 2. 1. Financial Performance The most obvious effect the recession has made on British Airways is the decline in the company’s net profit figure. Table 1. 3 shows how badly the company has been effect during recent times. Table 1. 3 British Airways Financial Performance 1996-2009 |Year Ended 31 March |Total revenue( ? m) |Profit before |Profit and loss after tax (? |Passengers (millions) | | | |tax-underlying(? m) |m) | | |2009 8,992 |(401) |(358) |33,117,000 | |2008 |8,758 |922 |726 |33,161,000 | |2007 |8,492 |611 |438 |33,068,000 | |2006 |8,212 |616 |464 |32,432,000 | |2005 |7,770 |513 |392 |35,717,000 | |2004 |7,560 |230 |130 |36,103,000 | |2003 |7,688 |135 |72 |38,019,000 | |2002 |8,340 |(200) |(142) |40,004,000 | |2001 |9,278 |160 |114 |36,221,000 | |2000 |8,940 |5 |(21) |36,346,000 | (Source : British Airways â€Å"Annual Report and Accounts†) Table 1. 3 shows how British airways was enjoying a constant growth in their profit for 6 years straight from 2003, however, there was a steep decline in its profitability during 2009, roughly when the current economic crisis began to severely impact the industry. 5. 2. 2. Other impacts 5. 2. 2. 1 Work-for-nothing proposal The financial strain caused by the current recession had put on the company led to other disastrous events. In June 2009, BA asked its employees to work without pay for a minimum of 4 weeks amongst other favours. (BBC 2009) Colleagues are being urged to help the airlines cash-saving drive by signing up for unpaid leave or unpaid work. From tomorrow, people will be able to opt for blocks of unpaid leave or unpaid work, with salary deductions spread over three to six months, wherever possible. – extract from BAs in-house magazine under the headline Action Time The work-for-nothing offer was presented by and at the same, accepted by Willie Walsh, the CEO of British Airways and Keith Williams, the chief financial officer, who promised to work for nothing for the month of July 2009. In spite of this, Unite refused to accept the not-so-enticing offer, They believed that the CEO, who received a salary of ? 35,000 a year, which is astronomically more than other employees, could afford to work for nothing for a month, but your average BA cabin crew, who only receives an annual salary of ? 29,900, accor ding to the Civil Aviation Authority, cannot afford to do so (BBC 2009) Willie Walsh can afford to work for nothing, our members cant, – Unite Spokesman However, the events that followed the announcement of the work-for-nothing plea shocked the airline industry even more. Contrary to the expectation of many critics, numerous BA workers volunteered to accept the offer, and started to work for free for a month. (BBC 2009) 5. 2. 2. 2 Impact on tariff growth Table 1. shows the changes in tariff growth for First Class/Business and Economy passengers between January 2007 and January 2009. It presents a sharp decrease in both traffic, from January 2008 to January 2009. A striking point is that the recession affected the activities of premium business travellers and non-premium such as holiday makers. Table 1. 4 Tariff growth by ticket type [pic] (Source: IATA iata. org). Furthermore, BA initiated an extra ‘rich tax’ for its premium class passengers (First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and Club Europe class passengers) to combat the soaring fuel price, adding an extra ? 48 to a return long haul flight. However, Analysts warned that the rich tax might backfire to their customers, even though it has absolutely no effect on economy class passengers. (Mail Online, 2008) 5. 2. 2. 3 Troubles with its employees The current recession has not helped British Airways develop a good relationship with its employees; in fact, it has made it worse than ever. Furthermore, the recession has caused tension between the cabin crew and pilots of British Airways. Two trade unions are mainly used by the workers, including pilots, of British Airways. These are BALPA, UK’s largest trade union for pilots, and Unite, the trade union used by cabin crews and other employees who are not pilots. The tension between British Airways continuously escalated due to irreconcilable differences and demands from both sides. The escalation reached its peak on March 2010, when the employees who were members of the trade union, Unite, organised a walkout. British Airways considered this unacceptable and as a result, stripped the workers involved in the walkout with their travel benefits. With both sides taking hits, they came to the conclusion that a deal must be made. However, in response to the stripping of the travel perks, the members of Unite demanded that before a deal is agreed, BA must reinstate the travel perks back to the striking employees. Unsurprisingly, this was refused and Unite officials have declared further strikes after 14 April 2010. There are currently no peaces scheduled, and various prominent figures have tried to intervene to find a solution agreeable by both sides, including the current prime minister, Gordon Brown (Guardian 2010) The members of Unite picketed outside of London Heathrow Airport and again planned other 3 days strike after negotiations did not work but strikers seemed not happy for a second walkout. The Unite insisted to negotiate with BA again, the CEO of BA, Willie Walsh said that the company has made a loss of ? 7m a day. The estimated cost of strike action by cabin crew last month is between ? 40m and ? 45m (Mail Online 2010) However, BA was not unprepared for the walkout. Their contingency plans allowed more than 65 percents passengers to reach to their destinations with 1,157 staff working. Only few flights were cancelled and BA was confident that they could handle the passengers at weekends of March. But the Unite Union made a contrasting announcement, stating that only a few of BA normal flights take off and a half of plans grounded (Chloe B,2010) By the recent strike in 2010, BA has had their brand image damaged and Willie Walsh, chief executive, apologising to their passengers for the situation. Indeed, the financial aspects of British Airways were not the only victim of the current recession. 5. 3. The Impacts of recession on Ryanair and Easyjet As mentioned before, the recession had a somewhat favourable effect on low cost airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair. It has increased its number of passengers and had a positive or insignificant impact on its financial statements. I shall discuss each section separately below. 5. 3. 1 The Passenger Number Growths Table 1. 5 provides information regarding the growth in number of customers for British Airways, Ryanair and Easy Jet. Unsurprisingly, British Airways has experienced a negative growth whilst Easyjet and Ryanair have enjoyed a positive one, albeit being a smaller figure than before the recession. Table 1. Growth in passenger numbers [pic] (Source: CAPA, 2009, www. centreforaviation. com) The figures in the chart suggest that whilst all three airlines have experienced a negative impact from the recession, the biggest victim is British Airways. Moreover, even the growth rate is declined overall for Ryanair and Easyjet, the fact that they are still experiencing a positive growth suggests that more and more people are still switching to low cost airlines. 5. 3. 3 Financial Impact Table 1. 5 describes the new traffic number of Ryanair and Easyjet in August 2009. Table 1. 6 Traffic number for Ryanair and Easyjet [pic] [pic] (Source: CAPA, 2009, www. entreforaviation. com) Table 1. 5 illustrates that both airlines have increased the number of passengers carried during August 2009. This good news prompted Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair, to predict that only four European airlines would survive from the recession: British airways, Air France, Lufthansa and Ryan Air. Added to that, he expected that this downturn could help the Ryanair improve its market position and shares by meeting the needs of passengers with its low price strategy. (Telegraph, 2009) However, it must be noted that the current recession has had no negative impact on the financial performance of both Easyjet and Ryanair. The increased fuel price has forced Ryanair, who refuses to increases its price to its customers, resorted to other earnings: they planned to purchases 50 cheap aircrafts from declining airways and start flying to the new routes which will be the cities of the United State from London Stansted airport and Island Dublin airport. Michael O’Leary stated that We’ll just have to keep flying more aircraft, opening up more routes and offering people more cheap flights, (Jack, 2008) 6. The Strategies implemented by British Airways 6. 1 Strategies implemented to compete against Easyjet and Ryanair As mentioned above, British Airways have suffered financially and passenger number wise due to the current recession. On the other hand, it seems obvious that low cost airlines have suffered far less, and gained some positive aspects during the recent economic crisis. As a result, British Airways have implemented several tactics to combat against these airlines, in an attempt to keep its market share and survive the economic crisis they are facing currently. 6. 1. 1 Merger with Iberia Although British Airways is one of the largest airlines in the world, it still maintained that it could expand further. As a result, BA proposed a merger with Iberia, an ailing Spanish Airline, which is needs to be approved by the European Commission. A preliminary agreement was made before the end of 2009 between Iberia and British Airways. It was believed at the time that if the merger between the two carriers, indeed does go ahead, it will create one of the largest airlines in terms of revenue. (BBC, 2009) On 8 April 2010, an agreement to merge between British Airways and Iberia was announced and it was decided that the newly merged company will be known as  International Airlines Group, although both airlines will continue to operate under their current brands. (BBC, 2010) The merger was met with enthusiasm by both parties, with Willie Walsh announcing that the merger will create a strong European airline well able to compete in the 21st Century,† adding that both airlines will retain their brands and heritage while achieving significant synergies as a combined force. (Willie Walsh, 2010) After the merger, the combined operation would possess 419 aircraft operating to more than 200 separate destinations, and would save the two partners 400m Euros ($594m; ? 358m) in costs a year, according to their preliminary calculation and expectation. (BBC, 2010) The main aim of the merger was to increase its dominance and increase its market share. Although only time would tell, reaction from competitors regarding the news reflected how the merger would affect other airlines. For example, Virgin Airlines announced that the merger will increase BAs dominance at Heathrow with 44% of take-off and landing slots this winter. (BBC, 2010) 6. 1. 2 Ending Business Class on Short-Haul flights Due to the declining popularity of BA’s business class, Willie Walsh has practically put a stop on European business-class travel, saying that the service is proving to be too costly, and that it may harm their chance of surviving the recession. With other companies looking to cut their budgets in order to survive the current economic crisis, BA has decided that the added expense of flying rich businessmen in a slightly larger seats for one or two-hour journeys has become unsustainable and not profitable. (David R, 2010) As seen in Table 1. 5, There has seen a sharp drop in business-class passengers, most of them occurring in short-haul flights. These travelers have either traded down to the economy cabin or moved to budget carriers instead, for example Ryanair. BA is understood to be reviewing its European operations, and as a result, premium seats could be removed from planes operating out of Gatwick and regional airports such as Manchester. In a statement to deal with the issue, â€Å"short-haul premium will never recover. That part of the business has changed for ever and we have to address it†. However, BA has plans to continue providing premium class in short-haul flights operating from Heathrow, to take advantage of business-class transfer traffic. (Martin R, 2010) Although on the face of it, this strategic move seems like a way to combat he rising costs, however, its real intent is to combat low cost airlines, who, although provides business class seats, accentuates the benefits of their economy class seats. 6. 1. 3 Barclaycard promotion British Airways understood that most of their customers booked their flig hts with credit cards. As a result, they saw Barclaycard, UK’s largest credit card provider, as a viable business partner. As a result, British Airways implemented a promotion with the Barclaycard; customers booking their flights via Barclaycard would allow them to earn air miles, which could be used to purchase British airways products or receive free flights. (BA, 2) 6. 1. 4 Voluntary redundancy scheme British Airways announced a voluntary redundancy scheme during the early part of the current recession, stating that almost 300 staff would leave the airline by the end of May 2009. The announcement was expectedly met with hostility with its workers. The scheme was designed to meet some demand for redundancy in some parts of the business and where it was possible to release people and not replace them. The departures, largely in administration and support roles, are the latest cost-cutting measure by the airline, which is facing increasingly weaker demand for flights, particularly for its more lucrative business and first-class seats, and is in addition to about 450 managers that left the company in December 2008. A spokeswoman for BA said the airline was pleased with the take-up of the scheme, with staff numbers in line with expectations. Workers will get about three weeks pay for every year they have been with the airline. The redundancies followed BA’s announcement to sell 11 of its 15 Boeing 757 aircraft, to be replaced by Airbus A320s, in order to cut costs and be more environmentally friendly. (Times Online, 2010) 6. 1. 5 Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) During the latter part of 2009, British Airways announced that it will use Progress Software as part of its program to transform passenger and airport systems. BA expressed its intention to use SOA solutions as a key part of its travel program to upgrade its IT systems. This is expected to last until the end of 2014 and change the way BA provides service by integrating over 600 different electronic systems and processes involved in getting the passengers to their destinations. Gordon Penfold, the CTO of Progress Software, the American company who invented the SOA program, explained that â€Å"with 300 locations around the globe, 25,000 users and more than 250 key applications, BAs goal is to transform the travel experience. The flexibility of the Progress SOA portfolio allows BA to extend the features of its e-commerce site right through to its airports, by allowing greater self-service functionality and plug and play capability. † The result, according to Penfold, is to drive an agile business where rollout is easier, and cost and time are reduced. British Airways believed that providing just low cost seats to its passengers will not help them beat low cost airlines, but reducing the travelling time will make them the natural choice for air travelling. (Angelica M, 2009) 6. 1. 6 Seat Selection On September 2009, British Airways have started charging their passengers if they wish to choose their seats when they reserve. The new charges will affect people who want to ensure they sit together on a flight and anyone with a preference for window, aisle or emergency exit seats Currently, British Airways allows passengers to select their preferred seats free of charge within the 24 hours prior to departure. However from October 7 2009, passengers would have to reach into their pockets if they wish to secure their preferred spot in the cabin when they make a booking. A spokesperson announced that this would give customers more control over their seating options. For an economy class trip within Europe, passengers will pay an extra ? 10 per person to choose a seat. On long-haul economy or short flights in business class the charge will be ? 20, and ? 60 in business class on long-haul voyages. The plan followed the airlines decision to cut luggage allowances and abolish free meals on short flights. However, the plan was met with some ridicule. Some argued that the move will undoubtedly tarnish BA’s brand image. However, the airline has defended the move and said it was giving customers peace of mind they could sit where they want while opening up new revenue streams. Also, they saw that low cost airlines, EasyJet, and Ryanair, had hidden charges which were written in small prints. These extra charges showed how much passengers had to pay for extras such as using a debit card and checking-in. According to their calculation, the â€Å"hidden charges† showed maximum extra charges of ? 375 and ? 79. 85 for Ryanair and Easyjet respectively. (James Q, 2009) 7. Recommendations As mentioned before, most airlines are suffering due to the recent economic downturn. Hence, they, too, have rethought about their current business situation and developed alternative methods. After much research, it seems as though British Airways, who has suffered more due to the current economic climate, has adopted more strategies than others. They have implemented cost-cutting, redundancy and cutting luxury on flight. However, one area where they may improve is focusing on auxiliary income. Focusing on Auxiliary Income The aviation industry companies have opportunities to earn auxiliary income: For example, they could charge for checked baggage, seat assignment, catering and even blankets and so on. Whilst for some airlines this additional income may be insignificant, however, other airlines have seen a dramatic increase in their auxiliary income. During the recent years, US airlines have collected more than US$ 670 million in baggage fees in the second quarter of this year, up some 276 percent from the year-earlier period (I-Net Bridge, 2009) In fact, speaking at the at the World Low Cost Airline aviation conference in Barcelona, Spain, Mango CEO Nico Bezuidenhout stated that; There are compelling reasons for airlines to take ancillary revenue opportunities very seriously, said Bezuidenhout, and airlines have an advantage: a base pre-qualified as having disposable income, an audience which has already illustrated a level of trust in the airlines own brand and, thirdly, knowledge of the consumers travel trends. Not only do airlines have substantial insight into who they carry, but air travel typically represents the first purchase activity in the overall travel procurement cycle, followed by destination content, hotels and cars bookings all of this serving to provide airlines with the ideal contextualised sales opportunity. † Recently, most airlines, not just low-cost airways, have started to focus on increasing their auxiliary income more than ever. British Airways is also adopting this method by charging fee for seat selection. However, perhaps they should consider increasing their additional income through other means as well. 8. Conclusion British Airways has undoubtedly suffered due to the current economic crisis. However, what makes the situation more painful is that low-cost airlines, such as Ryanair and Easyjet are surviving the economic downturn with relative ease, and have gained more passengers due to passengers preferring to travel cheaper than before, as seen above. Perhaps it would not be wise for British Airways to change their business way in order to combat the current recession. Many experts believe that the recession is coming to an end and that people will soon become more willing to spend more on luxuries such as air travelling. On the other hand, there are economists who believe that the recession will last longer than anyone is expecting, and that is businesses do not adapt to the new environment, they will inevitably cease to trade. The wisest strategic movement British Airways could implement would be to shift their attitude towards low cost airlines, taking in what is working for them and utilising it to their benefit, whilst at the same time, constantly improving their strengths such as providing excellent service to their customers. Arguably, low cost airlines have increased their attraction level to consumers in recent years, and British Airways must take this into account. A detailed Porter’s Five Forces analysis, complimented with a SWOT analysis could direct British Airways to the correct way forward. With all industries, it is always vital to constantly monitor their business environment and adapt to it. By carefully analysing their environment, they can decide which strategy will benefit them. They should recognise the opportunities and threats present and wisely use their strengths and weaknesses to their advantage. British Airways must do the same. Based on the strategies currently adopted or announced by British Airways, it appears as though they are horizontally expanding. Perhaps this is the correct way to go, especially since the strategy allows economies of scales. However, constant evolution of the company’s management and business style must be approved if British Airways expects to survive not only the current recession, but against large number of competitors.

OOAD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

OOAD - Essay Example This new booking system will provide facility to computerize the record of the booking of customers into function (event) rooms or bedrooms; and ensures that a room is made available for further bookings as soon as it is vacated. This new system will be implemented to provide the reception more enhanced services. Through this overall customer services will improve that is the main aim in any business. This system will be based on the centralized databases system that will be used to record and manage daily working and management. This system will present a more enhanced working and handling of the overall booking and reservation of the hotel rooms and halls. This system will comprise the client and admin levels. The client system will run at reception to provide the receptionist help regarding the dealing and customer management. This level of the system will allow to reserve, relies, pay and check the overall room’s status and activities. The level will also generate customer slip for the payment. The admin level of the system will be handled by the administration. This level will be used to access the daily working, room’s status and profit. Here management will also be able to draw the daily monthly or any periodic reports. In this section I will present the main use cases of this system. This way of system design will provide a better overview of the system activates and responses. I have used smart draw for the drawing of this uses cases diagram. This section is about the analysis of the use-case model that drives other models in object-oriented analysis and design. The object-oriented technique with Unified Modeling Language is initiated by the system stakeholders as well as the working actions those are required. To demonstrate the on the whole behavior we build up use case model. This way of system modeling presents the indispensable circumstances in which user uses and interacts with the system and generate important

Sampson and Laub's Life Course Perspective Theory Essay

Sampson and Laub's Life Course Perspective Theory - Essay Example The Social Control Theories is an umbrella of various theories written and formulated by several researchers and sociologists, one of which is the Life Course Perspective Theory by the tandem of Sampson and Laub (1992). This theory is distinct from other theories within this umbrella not only because it does not subscribe to some of the principles adhered to by the theorists of the Social Control school of thought, but also because of its potential broader utility in the study of criminology. Sampson and Laub’s Life Course Perspective Sampson and Laub (1992) formulated a theory that seeks to remedy the ‘either or focus’ of researchers in explaining the origin of criminal behavior, one that attempts to resolve two opposing research findings by harmonizing them. Calling this theory life course perspective, these two researchers observed that one group of researchers emphasizes youth in crime in a theory called age-crime curve where criminality starts and peaks durin g teen years while the other group believes that criminal behavior persists even in adulthood. The ‘overemphasis’ of these two groups on their respective theories result in the failure of sociologists, as a whole, to link childhood propensity to criminality to adult criminal behavior. Life course perspective, which Sampson and Laub (1992) defined as â€Å"pathways through the age differentiated life span† (p. 65), synchronizes the aforesaid theories by taking a comprehensive view of the criminal behavior from childhood to adulthood particularly noting the various events that incite changes in the course of an individual’s and affects criminal propensity. The life course perspective is a theory under the broad umbrella of social control theory, but differs from all others in the group by advocating, not for a single factor, but for more comprehensive multi-factor underpinnings of criminal behavior (Sacco & Kennedy p. 74). It is underpinned by two elements: trajectories, and; transitions. Trajectories, according to Sampson and Laub (1992), are the general direction that an individual is expected to take on the basis of his overall pattern of behavior while transitions are significant life events that occur in a person’s life that cause changes in the general trajectory of his life. Furthermore, life events, however significant, may or may not cause transitional change, but depends on â€Å"timing, duration, and ordering of major life events and their consequences for later social development† (p. 66). The way a person reacts to a significant life event is underpinned, according to this theory, to his childhood past, but also acknowledges that events in themselves can be a cause for a redirection of life trajectory. Overall, the life course perspective concerns itself with the study of life trajectories, the connection between childhood and adult behavior, the social implication of age, the transmission of social patterns from one generation to another, and the effects of significantly big events such as international catastrophes (Sampson & Laub, p. 66).  

The Effect of English Law Human Rights Act 1998 Essay

The Effect of English Law Human Rights Act 1998 - Essay Example The courts in the UK are required to give effect to the provisions of the ECHR, which bestows new powers upon the UK judges. It also requires public authorities to comply with the provisions of the ECHR. In the area of employment law, the HRA focuses on unfair dismissal of employees. The present employment law is effective in protecting the interests of employees. However, in the wake of the HRA, employers would have to be more cautious in their dealings with their employees (Human Rights Act takes effect, 2000). The Human Rights Act 1998 introduces several provisions that relate to employment law. The Act prohibits the unfair dismissal of employees. For instance, Eurostar, reinstated two female employees, it had dismissed for wearing trousers, due to the enactment of the Human Rights Act. The dismissal of female employees, on grounds of inappropriate dress, is generally on the basis of a substantial reason. This clause has been removed by the new Act. However, it does not provide any novel and enforceable rights to employees (Hirst, 2000, 3). Some rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, such as the Article 3 rights that prohibit torture, or subjection to inhuman or degrading treatment, are absolute rights. Judges are required to maintain a balance between the rights and the responsibilities of individuals with regard to their commercial interests. Article 9 provides the right to hold religious beliefs. This is an absolute right; and individuals have the right to manifest their religious beliefs through worship, teaching, practice and observance. These activities can be conducted, either in private or in the public (Lammy). Although it is absolute in nature, it has to be limited to ensure the interests of public safety and to protect public order. The rights and freedoms of people belonging to other religions have to be respected. As

Dynamic Communication Strategies

Dynamic Communication Strategies COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES The word communication comes from a Latin word for commonness, including the prefix com- which suggests togetherness, joining, cooperation and mutually. Therefore, communication is definable as a mutual exchange between two or more individuals which enhances cooperation and establishes commonality. Communication is also seen as dynamic, not static and depending on the negotiation of meaning between two or more persons who share some knowledge of the language being used. Communication can be understood as the passing of information in humans, animals, computers, or any other cognitive entity. In a broader sense communication can refer to almost any type of movement, be it matter, energy, force or some effect. Space and time might be the only things that cant themselves be communicated. Human communication refers to the social interaction of giving and receiving information for the purpose of not only understanding, but also facilitating social connection. (Wikipedia, 2006) Communication strategies (CS), widely-studied in the fields of linguistics and second language acquisition, have been defined in various ways, but most definitions are based on the concept of problematicity (Kasper Kellerman, 1997, p. 2) For example, according to Tarone (1977), CS are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦used by an individual to overcome the crisis which occurs when language structures are inadequate to convey the individuals thought (p. 195). Fà ¦rch and Kasper (1983) defined CS as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦potentially conscious plans for solving what to an individual presents as a problem in reaching a particular communicative goal (p. 36). This concept of problematicity leads to problem-solving strategies that a speaker uses when lacking morphological, lexical, or syntactic knowledge. Communication strategies pertain to the employment of verbal or nonverbal mechanisms for the productive communication of information. It is also seen as an adaptation to the failure to realize a language production. They serve the purpose of negotiating meaning when either the linguistic structure or sociolinguistic rules are not shared between individuals or, in more straightforward terms, when the communicative act is on the point of breaking down. AVOIDANCE STRATEGIES Avoidance is a common communication strategy that can be broken down into several subcategories. The most common strategy is syntactic or lexical avoidance within a semantic category. Below is one of the examples of avoidance made by a learner. For example: L: I lost my road NS : You lost your road? L: Uh,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I lost. I lost. I got lost. On the other hands, phonological avoidance is when the learner using other alternative of pronouncing a word (because of its phonological difficulty). For example, instead of using the word rally, the learner opted to say hit the ball In avoidance strategies, learners basically will create message abandonment. Message abandonment is leaving a message unfinished because of language difficulties. A more direct type of avoidance is topic avoidance. In this case, a whole of conversation might be avoided entirely that pose language difficulties. Learners will find alternatives in avoiding the conversation by changing the subject, pretending not to understand, simply not responding at all or noticeably abandoning a message when a thought becomes to express. COMPENSATION STRATEGIES Another common set of communication devices involves compensation for missing knowledge. There are eleven types in this strategy. The first is prefabricated patterns, where learners of beginning-level memorize certain stock phrases or sentences without internalized knowledge of their components. Examples for these memorized chunks of language are How much does this cost?, Where is the toilet?, I dont understand you. Such phrases are memorized by rote to fit their appropriate context or situation. The second type is code switching. Code switching is the use of a first or third language within a stream of speech in the second language. It occurs between two advanced learners with a common first language. This strategy may also include adding word endings from the new language onto words from the mother tongue. Examples of code switching are: switching to the mother tongue: Spanish/English: Have aqua please, Bahasa Malaysian/English: Suami saya dulu slim and trim tapi sekarang plump like drum (Before my husband was slim and trim but now he is plump like a drum) The third common compensatory strategy is a direct appeal for help. If the learners may stuck for a particular word or phrase, asking for aid from the interlocutor either directly ( eg what do ypu call?) or indirectly ( eg rising intonation, pause, eye contact, puzzled expression) . Within this category are those instances where the learner might appeal to a bilingual dictionary for help. The fourth type is circumlocution or synonym. Circumlocution is a figure of speech where the meaning of a word or phrase is indirectly expressed through several or many words. For example: scissors = a thing you use to cut other things, corkscrew = The thing you open bottles with. Circumlocution is often helpful while learning a new language, when one does not know the word for a particular thing. The fifth type is adjusting or approximating the message. Approximation is when the learning using an alternative term which expresses the meaning of the target lexical item as closely as possible. Altering the message by omitting some items of information, making ideas simpler or less precise, or saying something slightly different that means almost the same thing such as saying pencil for pen The sixth type is using of all-purpose words.learners extending a general, empty lexical item to contexts where specific words are lacking (e.g. the overuse of thing stuff, what-do-you-call -it, thingie ..) The seventh type is word coinage. Learners basically will make up new words to communicate the desired idea such as paper holder for notebook and vegetarianist for vegetarian. The eighth type is using non linguistic signals such as using physical motion, mime or gesture, in place of an expression to indicate the meaning Language based clues may come from the target language that the learner already knows, from the learners own language or from another language. For instance, if the learner does not know the expression association sans but lucratif (nonprofit association, in French), previous knowledge of certain words in English (association, lucrative) and French (sans= without) would give clues to the meaning of the unknown word, but (aim, goal), and of the whole expression. The ninth type is literal translation. Learners translate literally a lexical item, idiom, compound word, or structure from L1 to L2. The next type is foreignizing where the learner using a L1 word by adjusting it to L2 phonology (with a L2 pronunciation) and or morphology (adding to it a L2 suffix) The last type is stalling or time gaining strategies using fillers or hesitation devices to fill pauses and to gain time to think ( e.g. well, now lets see, uh, as a matter of fact.) Compensatory strategies enable learners to use the new language for either comprehension or production despite limitations in knowledge. It also intended to make up for an inadequate repertoire of grammar and especially of vocabulary. Eleven compensation strategies exist, clustered into two sets: guessing intelligently in listening and reading and overcoming limitations in speaking and writing. Guessing strategies, sometimes called inferencing, involve using a wide variety of clues linguistic and non-linguistic to guess the meaning when the learner does not know all the words Good language learners when confronted with the unknown expressions, make educated guesses. On the other hand, less adept language learners often panic, tune out, or grab the dog-eared dictionary and try to look up every unfamiliar word. Compensation Strategies allows learners to produce spoken or written expression in the new language without complete knowledge. It is true that certain compensation strategies like using mime or gestures are used in speaking. However, other Compensation Strategies adjusting or approximating the message, coining words, using a circumlocution or synonym, or selecting the topic can be used in informal writing as well as in speaking Many Compensation Strategies for production are used to compensate for a lack of appropriate vocabulary, but these strategies can also be used to make up for a lack of grammatical knowledge Compensation Strategies help learners to keep on using the language, thus obtaining more practice. In addition, some of these strategies such as adjusting or approximating the message help learners become more fluent in what they already know. Getting help and coining words lead learners to gain new information about what is appropriate or permissible in the target language.

The Great Ponds :: essays research papers

The Great Ponds The story begins with Olumba as the elected leader to help find the poachers from Aliokoro. The men of Aliokoro had started to claim some of Chiolu’s Ponds, therefore Olumba and his men had to act quickly. The plan was to capture some or all of the men of Aliokoro involved and the ransoms that they would be obliged to pay would help out the people of Chiolu. The man they had captured was Wago, the leopard killer and the greatest of all. He was a well-known man with an uncanny skill of hunting and as the chapters unfold he also has an uncanny skill of escaping. Okehi made the worst choice when he compromised to share the Pond Of Wagaba. They all had to prepare for a fearful night. The Pond Of Wagaba was to be guarded all through the day against poachers whilst Olumba and other braves were to work out details of strategy. Wago sent out spies to see if anyone was guarding the pond. Olumba’s men waited in the trees for the other tribe. When found Olumba made a signal like a jungle bird. The ambush began. Chiolu had lost four men but although they had won the fight they knew that Aliokoro would put up for another. The next day Ikechi went to visit to the ponds to inspect his fish traps, which by then were full of fish. As he was about to leave he heard a rustling in the bushes. The invaders started to chase him and as he looked behind him he thought he had saw Wago behind him with other men from Aliokoro. After this incident they evidently began to prepare for a battle as Olumba was giving out final instructions to his men. Unfortunately, the battle was not as prosperous as the first because Chiolu had lost. That same night, Olumba’s junior wife, also the mother of his only son was awakened by a loud bang, which made her sit upright only to find a wide gap where the door had once been. The next moment two figures had entered the room and before she was able to do anything her mouth was gagged and very soon the village of Chiolu was left behind. The next day dawned upon a miserable Chiolu. In the last battle several men had been killed while many more were injured. Four women were captured, two of which were very important to Olumba and Eze Diali. The Great Ponds :: essays research papers The Great Ponds The story begins with Olumba as the elected leader to help find the poachers from Aliokoro. The men of Aliokoro had started to claim some of Chiolu’s Ponds, therefore Olumba and his men had to act quickly. The plan was to capture some or all of the men of Aliokoro involved and the ransoms that they would be obliged to pay would help out the people of Chiolu. The man they had captured was Wago, the leopard killer and the greatest of all. He was a well-known man with an uncanny skill of hunting and as the chapters unfold he also has an uncanny skill of escaping. Okehi made the worst choice when he compromised to share the Pond Of Wagaba. They all had to prepare for a fearful night. The Pond Of Wagaba was to be guarded all through the day against poachers whilst Olumba and other braves were to work out details of strategy. Wago sent out spies to see if anyone was guarding the pond. Olumba’s men waited in the trees for the other tribe. When found Olumba made a signal like a jungle bird. The ambush began. Chiolu had lost four men but although they had won the fight they knew that Aliokoro would put up for another. The next day Ikechi went to visit to the ponds to inspect his fish traps, which by then were full of fish. As he was about to leave he heard a rustling in the bushes. The invaders started to chase him and as he looked behind him he thought he had saw Wago behind him with other men from Aliokoro. After this incident they evidently began to prepare for a battle as Olumba was giving out final instructions to his men. Unfortunately, the battle was not as prosperous as the first because Chiolu had lost. That same night, Olumba’s junior wife, also the mother of his only son was awakened by a loud bang, which made her sit upright only to find a wide gap where the door had once been. The next moment two figures had entered the room and before she was able to do anything her mouth was gagged and very soon the village of Chiolu was left behind. The next day dawned upon a miserable Chiolu. In the last battle several men had been killed while many more were injured. Four women were captured, two of which were very important to Olumba and Eze Diali.

Barriers and Drivers to Sustainability

This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust. How to overcome common barriers and make the most of key drivers to sustainability About this guide This guide draws upon research completed in 2009 fo r the Urban Sustainability Support Alliance (USSA) by the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF), Univer sity of Technology, Sydney, into the Barriers and D rivers to Sustainability in Local Government. This guide has been developed to assist council sus tainability practitioners to identify key drivers and common barriers often experienced when working towa rds sustainability. Why develop a guide? The guide adds value to the research by providing p ractical examples of strategies councils have used to overcome barriers and make the most of key drivers to sustainability. The examples provided have come directly from sustainability practitioners who have shared their initiatives with LGSA. The barriers and drivers are listed broadly in the order of significance indentified in the research. Complementary barriers and drivers are grouped toge ther to demonstrate the inter-relationships between barriers and drivers. More information: If you have additional examples to add to this guid e or if you require any assistance in taking any of the following actions please contact the Sustainability Team on (02) 9242 4000 or email [email  protected] Electronic copies of the research report and this g uide are available from the LGSA website: www.lgsa.org.au look under â€Å"ESD†. Gui de developed July 2009 Updated July 2012 Sustainability Learning Guide: Barriers and Drivers to SustainabilityThis project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust. Commonly identified Barriers and Drivers to Sustain ability: Barrier = Driver = Common Barrier or Driver What the interviews tell us How can I overcome this barrier? or How can I make the most from this driver? Lack of Organisational Support A lack of leadership or the failure of leadership to inspire others in the organisation. Despite a good reputation, the sustainability agenda often relies on individuals and occurs only in pockets across councils. Use examples of what other councils have done. Case studies can be used as a business case for sustainability. External experts or facilitators can be used to help raise awareness of sustainability internally. When communicating to senior management on sustainability issues do it in a meaningful and memorable way. Try using statistics and graphs. Get your sustainability initiatives recognised externally by submitting awards applications. General manager and senior management support The level of personal commitment, knowledge and leadership provided by senior management, in particular the General Manager of the council. Recognise staff achievements in the area of sustainability. The intranet and staff newsletters are possible tools. Reward staff achievements in the area of sustainability e.g. Staff Awards Program Ask your GM to endorse your work by inviting them to speak at relevant meetings and training sessions. Mayor and councillor leadership Strong leadership from the elected council. Simply having one or two new councillors who are open to, and positive about, sustainability can be a key driver. Harness councillor support by inviting them to pilot and champion council sustainability initiatives. Use your mayor as a speaker for council events. Encourage councillors to become representatives on sustainability committees.This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust. Common Barrier or Driver What the interviews tell us How can I overcome this barrier? or How can I make the most from this driver? Gap between Theory & Practice A mismatch between what is espoused and what is practiced. Policies not being carried through to implementation. Integrate sustainability into councils management plans, job descriptions and induction training. Build momentum by doing the little things right. It is better to excel in a few targeted areas rather than have average performance across a wide range of areas. Sympathetic organisational structure The level of openness of staff to change can effect how sympathetic they are to the sustainability agenda. A council motivated to come up with new and improved ways of doing things. A history of strong leadership and a policy of recruiting people with these values and skills can contribute to a sympathetic organisational culture. Make the most of a positive organisational culture by involving staff from across the organisation in sustainability planning and actions. Create opportunities for staff to exchange ideas about sustainability. Start an internal sustainability committee or host lunch time sustainability discussions. Lack of staff capacity and high staff turn over Staff with responsibilities for engaging their organisation or community in sustainability, feel the pressures of their wide ranging responsibilities and the types of skills required of them. There is a need for increasing skills of staff more generally. High staff turnover and loss of corporate knowledge. Improve staff capacity to work on sustainability issues by developing an internal sustainability committee made up of staff from different divisions. Support professional development opportunities around sustainability. Consider implementing a mentoring program to give staff additional support. Dedicated sustainability staff Having a sustainability position or a sustainability team was identified as a major enabler. However regardless of a person's job title or position within council, staff who are highly motivated and posses skills in motivating others are extremely important. Recognise dedicated staff by offering incentives such as staff bonuses and awards. Encourage sustainability staff to speak at conferences.This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust. Common Barrier or Driver What the interviews tell us How can I overcome this barrier? or How can I make the most from this driver? Competing priorities A lower priority for environmental or social equity issues was often a reflection of prevailing community attitudes, or lobbying by particular interest groups. Host sustainability workshops to raise community awareness and build community support. Use community expectations and concerns to highlight the importance of sustainability issues. Media coverage of global and local issues Increased media coverage of sustainability issues can increase the level of understanding and support for issues such as climate change and other environmental issues. Use an interesting angle and eye catching pictures. Link local sustainability programs and events to current and dominant issues in the media. Active and engaged community Active communities can have a major influence on the policies and priorities of the elected council. For example the influence of letters advocating action on particular issues. Involve community champions in workshops; e.g. to give a short presentation on a topic of their interest. Popular social media tools such as Facebook and YouTube can be used to harness community support. Inadequate systems for managing information For many councils, data management and IT systems present real challenges. The problems of complex and incompatible systems, or lack of automation, can add to the time involved in planning, coordination and reporting. Use internal financial management systems to track sustainable procurement. Investigate the use of external companies to monitor your water and energy consumption. Effective management systems Internal management systems that brake down silos and ensure easy access to information can help achieve sustainability outcomes. If you are using good systems for sustainability outcomes promote their use both internally and externally.This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust. Common Barrier or Driver What the interviews tell us How can I overcome this barrier? or How can I make the most from this driver? Lack of internal and external funding A lack of resources can limit the implementation of actions in sustainability plans. The current economic climate is putting a strain on council budgets, with implications for staffing. Set up a revolving energy fund. The money that is saved from reduced energy consumption is reinvested in sustainability programs. Use a grant database to track upcoming grants and avoid missed opportunities. Partner with other councils or organisations to develop regional grant applications. Apply for an environment/sustainability levy. Identify and implement low cost initiatives. External funding External funding allows greater access to resources that support sustainability internally. Use the opportunity of external funding to integrate sustainability into councils operations. Regularly communicate your project outcomes to senior management to increase ownership. Ensure your sustainability initiatives are as self sustaining as possible when the funding ceases. Difficulty dealing with government agencies While relationships are often very good at a personal level with officers in other government agencies, the lack of co- ordination between federal and state plans and agencies, and between state agencies, complicated work at the local level unnecessarily and often hindered progress. Partner with state and federal agencies in grant applications. Network with government agencies. Organise round tables with government agencies to progress difficult issues. Partnerships and external agency support Positive partnerships with other agencies such as local Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and/or Regional Organisation of Councils (ROC). Use your partnerships to increase resources, provide joint training opportunities and facilitate information.This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust. Common Barrier or Driver What the interviews tell us How can I overcome this barrier? or How can I make the most from this driver? Supportive Legislation The principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development outlined in the Local Government Act 1993 and related requirements can be used as an important driver. Educate the community, council staff and councillors about legislation e.g. LGSA's Understanding Sustainability for Councillors Course Link councils sustainability projects to relevant legislation. Inadequate Legislation While legislation was recognised as a driver, it was also a common view that it is behind current practice and that the debates and issues in the Local Government sector now are at a very different stage from when the Local Government Act 1993 was drafted. Actively participate in consultation phases of key legislation. Aim to go above and beyond the requirements. Research and development challenges Environment and sustainability positions generally required new knowledge and new ways of doing things, but time for reflection, reading and keeping up with developments is a challenge. Costs involved in obtaining reliable data, and finding appropriate and affordable external assistance can also be a challenge. Partner with universities to gain access to sustainability research and expertise. Subscribe to sustainability networks which allow for transfer of knowledge and approaches e.g. www.sustainablenet.org.au The language of sustainability While practitioners in this area understand sustainability is convenient short hand for a set of well understood principles, the term often proved problematic when used in a broader audience. This is often adds to confusion about the term â€Å"sustainability†. Encourage council and the community to define what sustainability means to them. Develop a shared sustainability vision and understandings. Sustainability newsletters, sustainability induction and sustainability surveys can be used to build awareness of key principles.

Foreign bank penetration to Nordic countries

Lars Engwall, Rolf Marquardt, Torben Pedersen, Adrian E. Tschoegl Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money 11(2001) Word count 1064 Foreign bank penetration of newly opened markets in the Nordic countries Abstract Current essay is based on the research article of Lars Engwall, Rolf Marquardt, Torben Pedersen and Adrian E. Tschoegl. The authors' research examines the role of foreign banks in Nordic countries, focusing particularly on four countries – Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.The authors reviewed regulations on foreign bank entry that may have limited the presence of foreign banks in 1970s and how the removal of barriers influenced the method of entry, as well as on survival factors. The policy of liberalization played an important role in providing new services and stimulating competition and efficiency in the domestic market of four countries. 1. Introduction The aim of the article is to determine the evolution of foreign banks in the banki ng system as a whole.On the basis of the research three hypotheses related to determinants of the foreign bank sector's share were formulated. Tschoegl (2002) identified that the Norwegian case has a number of useful characteristics in banking system. Primarily, it is a clear and recent starting point for the entry of foreign banks. Second, there is an interesting mix of entrants and abstainers, and entry strategies. Third, enough time has elapsed that one can start to observe failures and survivors.The reviewed literature is essential in Justifying the research on the topic and provides useful definitions on liability of foreignness and major sources of problems in Foreign Direct Investment ( ) However, a briet review ot liberalization history ot he Norwegian banking system and especially policies towards foreign banks, which in turn affected on entry and survival picture, could be useful. Tschoegl (2002) noted that Norway had a long history of closure to foreign banks. In the foll owing section, I consider 3 hypotheses introduced by Engwall et al. (2001).Section 3 will focus on methodological issues applied in the testing of the model. The paper ends with a few concluding comments. 2. The hypotheses H 1: the longer foreign banks have been present, the larger their market share. There is an assumption that the time trend affected on the market share of foreign ntrants. Engwall et al (2001) claimed that new foreign ventures faced liability of foreignness that had three aspects. Based on the studies of Choi et al. , (1986, 1996) the cost of operation at a distance was asserted to have less effect on expenses in banking at a distant.The issues such as operating in unfamiliar environment and establishment of relationships with clients are cases of FDI (Tschoegl, 1987) that require a long time period to build proper performance and increase the market share of foreign banks. Grosse and Goldberg (1991) suggest that FDI has become ore regional, and to benefit from re gional specialization banks should acquire specific knowledge and experience. Thus, middle-range theories state when already active in a specific region, foreign banks are likely to expand in that same region.Factors like past colonial links, language or other similarities that do not overlap with regional groupings may then become less important. H2: the market share of foreign banks should expand with a trade deficit and contract with a trade surplus According to Tschoegl (2002) the foreign banks essentially provide a fringe service ied to import trade and related activities. Likewise, Goldberg et al. , (1989) found that international trade is intensive in its use of financial services and those financial services tend to be exported along with goods.

What is Plotâ€Definition, Examples, and Expert Tips from Editors

What is Plots, and Expert Tips from Editors What is Plot? An Author's Guide to Storytelling So, what is a plot in fiction? Let's check your understanding with a pop quiz: which of the following is the best example of a plot?a. A boy finds a new family in a traveling circus run by orphans. b. An immigrant comes to the United States to start a new life. c. A king dies and then the queen dies out of grief. d. A high school girl discovers love from an unexpected source: a centuries-old vampire.If you picked c, you’re right.But what about a, b, and d? Well, strictly speaking, those are a mix of themes and premises, but the confusion is entirely understandable. Storytelling theory is packed with confusingly similar terms - and as you get further into the nuts and bolts of writing narrative, it helps to know the difference.This post is here to help make sure that you don’t lose the plot when you’re writing your own story. But before we get that far, let’s first define plot.What is plot?Plot is the chain of connected events that make up a narrative. It refers to what actually occurs in a story and is one of storytelling’s major pillars. Some will say that if characters are the who and theme is the why, then the plot is the what of the story. Remember that Goal + Flaw + Stakes = Compelling Narrative.Don’t forget about your character’s flaw, says editor Katie McCoach. â€Å"The flaw of a character must be the thing about them that needs to change in order to reach their goal at the end of the book, or another way of viewing it is to ask: what is their fear that keeps them from reaching their goals?† This should feed into the conflict of the story, which will be instrumental in guiding the structure.Don’t†¦Plot in a vacuum.Ever watch a movie or read a book where you shook your head because the characters were acting â€Å"out-of-character†? That author probably fell into one of the biggest temptations of plotting: letting the plot drive the characters. Avoid that, warns Aja Pollock, a former editor at Simon Schuster:â€Å"A lot of authors get the outline in their minds, but when the desires of their characters don't align with where the plot is going, rather than adjusting the plot or rethinking the characters, they shoehorn their characters into situations that don't make sense.†In other words, even plot twists  need to make sense first and foremost. Forcing the plot along will result in characters who behave falsely in readers' eyes - which will make the whole story seem hollow.What's your experience with plotting a book? Have any questions about anything related to plot? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below!

What Effect Has Industrialization Had on the Environment Essay

What Effect Has Industrialization Had on the Environment - Essay Example The researcher of this essay analyzes the effects that industrialization causes yoday and suggests that there are many. The major effect that the concept of industrialization has on the environment is pollution. Pollution which is generally referred to as the negation of the environment by causing harmful effects is very dangerous for human beings and other thriving people in the environment. There are very many types of pollution caused by industries. They range from water pollution, soil pollution and the major one of all, air pollution. Some of the products are like cars that ease the movements of people from one location to the other. There are also machines that are used in farms to assist in farming and such hard activities. However, despite the positive attributes credited to the concept of industrialization, there are also the negativities related to it. All these effects, that were analyzed in the essay are tied to the production of industries to the environment. Despite the fact that scientists argue that the environment is affected for a greater cause as the people dwelling in it generally benefit from the industries. The researcher then concluds that this is due to the fact that the many machines that make work easier for human beings come from the industries. However, environmentalists argue that despite that fact stated by scientists, the environment should be protected by the people running the industries taking more care of the manner in which they dispose off wastes.

The second World War and a conflict between China and Mighty Japan Essay

The second World War and a conflict between China and Mighty Japan - Essay Example This essay stresses that Red Sorghum is displayed by the associates of the chorus in ''The Student Prince'' which is a hoard creation. The moment in time is approximately 1920's. A gorgeous youthful woman, obscured within a bride's conventional automobile chair, is being transverse through dry scenery to her agreed matrimony with a wealthy elderly wine maker. The bearers just as they are projected to perform, they bounce the automobile chair around a great deal and chant ill-disciplined songs. The projected bride is unhappy, not merely with the rough and tumble but in expectancy of matrimony to a male who is above 50 having leprosy. Her father, who is a cultivator, has swapped her for a new-fangled mule. Although it is a tale, the viewpoint is still that of communal realize movies. Nine might not be characteristic of Chinese female of her generation, except she is an adulation of the progressive female of this generation. She is the merely upsetting character and temperament in the m ovie. Hitherto she is constantly perceived in a figurative long shot. She is short of an individual than an image. Consequently, too, is existence at the vineyard where, even prior to the Communist upheaval, the vacation is completed as if on a communal. The movie's most bold character is the absurdly drunken champion, who symbolizes, actually, the self-confident life strength. "Red Sorghum" commences as reminiscence, being narrated by a hidden storyteller, of his grandmother. The excellent hearsay was that the man had the rights to a winery.