Environment on Darfur After the Conflict Essay

The world has experienced a lot of conflicts for quite a long time throughout history. All the time there is a conflict, the damages caused is mostly documented in terms of how many casualties have been reported, and the impact it has caused on the economy. It is however rare to hear people talking on the effects these conflicts can have on the natural environment or which steps have been taken to protect the natural environment from such conflicts. The natural environment for a long time has been a silent victim of the conflicts that occurs either locally or internationally leaving the repercussions to be felt for quite some time. In many cases, the impact the war and other conflicts have been having on the environment has been generally very devastating. There are many pollutants that are released in the environment during the war which can end up affecting the natural resources. On the other hand, there are other natural resources that are depleted during the conflict leaving the environment at a worse position. A major problem is that most of the current conflicts are witnessed in the developing countries which do not have the economic capacity to deal with the environmental problems hence causing a major setback. Africa has had quite long cases of civil wars some which started during the colonial period and still taking place to now. These countries have been mostly been fighting over the borders which were drawn by the colonial powers for their on interests. Most of the wars taking place in Africa are as a cause of fighting for natural resources such as fertile farming land or water. Due to the long history of these civil wars in Africa, it is difficult to know exactly what these conflicts have caused to the environment. However, looking at the rate of the loss of biodiversity in the affected regions, it can be easy to realize how serious the situation has left the damage to the environment. Darfur Conflict and the Impact It Has Caused on the Environment Southern Sudan has witnessed along civil war that has caused many nations through the United Nations body and the African unity to try and broker peace in the region and bring things to the normal situation. The conflict that is being witnessed in the region right now is considered as a war between the different ethnic and tribal lines (IRIN, para 2). The sides that are mostly conflicting are the government’s military and the Janjaweed group. There are other rebel groups that have also made the situation to be worse. The major cause of the war in Sudan has been attributed to fighting for water between the Baggara nomads who moved to the south, a region mostly occupied by the farming communities to search for water. This conflict has led to many casualties being reported throughout. Despite putting in place a government of national unity, and increasing the presence of the African Union Peace keepers, the situation has not improved in any way (Borger, para 2). There have been many reasons given as a source to the Darfur conflict, though the major reasons have been cited to be the increasing population which the current natural resources can not hold, hence making these people to fight for the scarce resources. On the other hand, there have been claims that the conflict is as a result of the Arab dominants intention to wipe out the black Africans. This has even made the United States to refer to this as a form of genocide in the area. Whichever the cause of the war, it has caused so many untold damages. The focus on this conflict has always been the number of people who have died in the region, or the number of those displaced. It is important that people’s life and welfare is put first. This is what has been the major concern of many bodies, organizations and other nations. However, like many other conflicts, little concern has put on what effect this conflict is causing to the environment (AP, para 6). As earlier argued, the war in Sudan was triggered by the environmental problems which led to the communities to fight over scarce resources. It is however a worrying trend that the continued conflict is further endangering the environment that is supposed to support the whole population. The environment has been made worse by this conflict and made the land to become uninhabitable. This means that the tension between the conflicting communities gets to be more intense when it occurs that the natural resources are not going to support all of them as expected (Beyrer, & Pizer pp 67). Environmental degradation in Darfur has been on the rise due to the continued conflict. It means that the conflict that started as a result of the environmental problems is being escalated by destroying the environment further. The issues in Sudan over the environment indicate how complex the environmental matters can be in the causing breach to peace. This region has witnessed the decreased cases of traditional methods of environmental management systems, and in some places being disregarded completely. The conflict over resources in Darfur was at a local level but expanded to national level where political and economic marginalization was heightened. Ethnic differences have contributed to making the matters worse to the situation. Therefore, despite having the political and economic factors leading to the problems in Darfur, the major issue surrounds natural resources (de Montesquiou, para 8). The Sudanese Arabs moved to the south to look for pasture for their animals due to the prolonged drought that was experienced in their regions. This led to them conflicting with the black farmers whose land the Arabs were grazing on. The grazing of the animals on the farming land worsened the situation as there was increased soil erosion which made land to be poor for farming. When the black farmers realized that the Khartoum government was indifferent in solving the matter, they rebelled against them. By rebelling, the people started to fight destroying many manmade and natural resources that were on the way (Borger, para 7). When the nomads inhabited the farming areas, they started to cut down the trees. To the farmers, the cut trees were very important as they provided shade for their crops and holding together the soil to avoid erosion. Due to the conflict of interest, these important natural resources were destroyed as they were caught in between the fighting. With no trees cover, the problem of lack of rainfall becomes even heightened, which is a big trouble to both the farmers and the nomads since they cannot be able to get rain that is important for the crops and animals respectively. Due to the bare land caused by the cutting of the trees, it has become harder for the farmers at the refugee camps to go back to their homes as they can not carry out any meaningful activities to such bare lands. With this kind of the situation, it becomes difficult to control human suffering without further harm to the environment (HPN, para 3) Many people have been killed in the conflict while millions of others have been living in the camps after being left homeless. At the camps, the refugees need to be given their basic needs. Water is a very important commodity that no human beings can do without. In fact as argued throughout, the conflict has been surrounding fighting for water resources. Therefore, while at the camps, the refugees have to be provided with water. This has led to the humanitarian organizations to dig boreholes to help the refugees get water. Considering that the land in Darfur is largely dominated by hard rocks, it means that the rains that fall in the short season mostly wash away, hence, the boreholes depends on the underground reserves. Considering the rate at which the reserves are being used, it is tough to imagine the consequences that await the Darfur people when the reserves will finally be depleted. The situation might lead to the refugees being moved to another region that can support them. There are already some areas that have reported the drying up of the boreholes. Apart from water, the refugees also need other resources for their daily work. There have been many trees that have been cut by the refugees near the camps to provide them with firewood. The trees are also cut and used to construct and reinforce the makeshift houses of the refugees. This implies that trees are being used at a higher rate than they are being replaced. There are some refugees who are involved in some economic activities. The common economic activity that the refugees are involved with is making mud bricks. The refugees are involved with this activity mostly because it does not need skilled labor, and the materials are readily available. A lot of water is usually used in the making of the bricks. A lot of water is used considering the dryness on most of the camp soils. Furthermore, since the refugees want to make a lot of money, they try to make as many bricks as possible. The more work they do, the many materials are required. The areas that the soil for making the bricks is dug usually leaves many holes indicating the rate at which the soil is being depleted. The formation of a layer of soil takes many years, however, the refugees depletes many layers in a very short time. It is very bad to notice that the fertile soils that can be used for agricultural production is actually used for the making bricks. These soils can not be replenished in the short run as it is being depleted. In the areas that the refugees remove the soils to make the bricks, they leave the tree roots exposed which contributes to the wilting of the trees (Homer-Dixon, pp 19). Therefore, this still adds the woes the refuges already have. Furthermore, since to make the bricks requires a lot of water, it means that the refugees have to compete on how to use the water for the domestic work and the production of the bricks. In the end, the action contributes to the hastened depletion of the water resources. The bricks cannot be complete if they have not been burnt in the kiln. The kiln requires using a lot of firewood. This means several trees have to be felled to be used in the kiln. One kiln can take as many as 35 trees for the bricks to be ready. This shows the impact this single activity can have on the important natural resources. There have been increased sand dunes in the areas that had once been covered by trees just a few years ago. This is all because of the refugees activities in trying to earn a living. Most of the dams in Sudan are drying and having a lot of sedimentation as a result of deforestation. Many dams have lost their holding capacity due to these reasons (HPN, para 8). Once the war comes to an end as is presupposed, the refugees will have to go back to their homes to start a new life. They will first need to rebuild their damaged homes, which will basically require that they cut more trees to build these homes. Considering the already cut trees in their former homes, there are therefore no trees left behind to cater for their needs. This implies the building materials will have to be sourced somewhere else, which automatically will be increasing the base of the damage to other regions. Having realized the impact the conflict is leading to the refugees affecting the environment, especially on trees, several organizations like the US aid have helped the refugees to design the cooking stoves that uses a completely reduced amount of fuel as a way of the saving the environment. This stoves though taken as a move to save the environment, it has a big impact on the social and cultural life (de Montesquiou, para 11). Since the conflict is between two ethnic groups with two distinct lifestyles, each group undertakes an activity that they think will destroy the other. For instance, the nomads usually graze their animals on the farmers’ crops. This leaves the farmers with nothing as their crops are destroyed by the animals. On the other hand, the farmers on their side burn the grazing lands for the nomads. This is even a worse action to take as it does not only affect the nomads in terms of lacking food, but it affects the farmers themselves in that the burning of the ground destroys the important living organisms that are found in the soil which helps in improving the soil fertility. This means that the soil is left unproductive which will affect both the nomads and the farmers in the long run. Furthermore, the nomads are used to grazing their animals and moving from one region to another after the feeds in that area have reduced. However, due to the conflict, the migration routes for the nomads were blocked by the farmers. This made it impossible for the nomads to move from one region to another with their animals, hence meaning overgrazing in one region. The overgrazed areas will generally have very poor production as there will be increased soil erosion (Homer-Dixon, pp 29). In general, humanitarian issues are usually given much priority over the environment as a short term solution to any crisis. Therefore, whatever actions that are taken by the involved bodies do not give much or even any consideration to the environment. For instance, when the refugee camps are set up, it is aimed at providing security and a better life to the refugees. No consideration is put on what activities the refugees are going to carry out that might affect the environment whether in the long or short run. This is being evidenced by the number of boreholes drying up in various refugee camps (HPN, para 16). There are hundreds of thousands of the Darfur refugees who have been granted asylum in Chad. The Chadian locals are thus forced to compete for the natural resources in their territory with the refugees. Putting in mind the activities the refugees are engaged with, and the major aims of the organization that are associated with the taking care of the refugees which are just humanitarian care, the refugees can have a very big impact on the environment of the host country. The refugees in the camps hopes for someday to go back home. This implies they cannot have long term projects that will help in the development and taking care of the region that has granted them asylum. This might make them to be at loggerheads with the host country and thus be denied the asylum (Gouroukoun, para 7). Furthermore, as the refugees enter the Chadian soil, it is not guaranteed that they have their safety. The Janjaweed have been following the refugees in their camps attacking them. This has also posed danger to the Chadian nationals making them to move closer to where there is security in their country. In essence, the Chadian people are not even free in their own land because of hosting the refugees. As the Chadian moves to the place they feel is more secure, they also cause congestion and constraint to the resources that are supposed to host them. There are many other effects that the conflict has caused to the environment. As the conflict rages on, both sides are heavily armed. The weapons used to attack one group leave a lot of damages to the environment. For instance, there have been many crops, homesteads and the grazing grounds for each group that have been burnt by the opposing group. The oils and chemicals used to burn these properties, and the residue of the burnt products find their ways into the water bodies contaminating them. This on the other hand affects the lives in the water bodies. Furthermore, as the crisis continues, weapons used like bombs have continued to pollute the environment and their effect left in the environment for along time affecting the quality of life. It is very difficult to find crops growing in a region that has experienced a battle field. This is because of the effect that the weapons and chemicals used in the process have on the environment. It is common to find that the areas that had been bombed can not sustain any agricultural activity. It thus means that as the communities fight over the scarce natural resources and keep on destroying them during the fight, it only helps in escalating the problem they are already facing (Homer-Dixon, pp 41). The Janjaweed and the other militias in the Darfur conflict are always in the hideout. Most of the hideouts are in the forests. This implies that they have to depend so much on the forests for their own needs. For instance, they have to cut down the trees to use for fuel, hunt wild animals for food, and all these activities upsets the natural environment settings. There are many regions that used to be occupied by trees and wild animals like the elephants and the antelopes but when looked at now are bare because of the activities that have been taking place in the regions. Conclusion The Darfur crisis has actually been said to have started for over three decades ago. However, it only escalated in 2003 when the current crisis became out of control. The major cause of the war has been attributed to lack of enough natural resources. The problem is that because the fights were due to the protection and the need to acquire more natural resources, it is ironical that the same resources are being destroyed. In essence, this seems to increase the problems already faced. This has created the vicious cycle of the war in the Darfur region. Therefore, unless the concerned bodies look for a way of dealing with the problem of these natural resources, it is not possible to stop this war despite the many peace agreements that might be signed by the leaders of the region. Work Cited AP. Darfur conflict worsens environment, 2007. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://platform. blogs. com/passionofthepresent/2007/06/darfur-conflict. html. Beyrer, Chris & Pizer, Hank. Public Health and Human Rights: Evidence-based Approaches; ISBN 0801886465, JHU Press, 2007. Borger, Julian. Darfur conflict heralds era of wars triggered by climate change, UN report warns, 2007. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. guardian. co. uk/environment/2007/jun/23/sudan. climatechange. de Montesquiou, Alfred. Darfur violence leaves environmental scars, 2007. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/19357602/. IRIN. SUDAN: Climate change – only one cause among many for Darfur conflict, 2007. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/library/news/2007/06/mil-070628-irin03. htm. Gouroukoun. Chadians Increasingly Feel Impact of Darfur Conflict, 2006. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. voanews. com/english/archive/2006-04/2006-04-21-voa44. cfm. Homer-Dixon, F. Thomas. Environment, Scarcity, and Violence; ISBN 0691089795, Princeton University Press, 2001. HPN. Environmental degradation and conflict in Darfur: implications for peace and recovery, 2008. Retrieved on October 29, 2008 from http://www. alertnet. org/thenews/newsdesk/HPN/10adb58d76337a4eb2b436c319bf427e. htm.

Assessment task †SHC 21 Introduction to communication in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings Essay

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Vice Principal Mr. Leonard Curry entered the main staffing office of the Academy and ordered a young teacher to get out into her class. Her quiet gentle response was, ‘I do not have a class now, sir.† â€Å"What!’ was his rebuttal insisting that the schedule had been changed and it was her period to be teaching a 10th grader’s Biology class. She replied by asking if it were ethical for her to be informed in such a manner pointing out that   a memo is the acceptable mode of transmitting such changes. This was followed by a gentle explanation she wanted to perform her duties without conflict. Further he said that it was her responsibility to check out changes on the teacher’s assignment notice board from time to time. She reiterated that that was an unconstitutional approach since it was not stated like that in the bylaws of the school. They continued to argue with the principal threatening her with suspension for insubordination had she not complied. A disciplinary report was eventually filed for insubordination and disobeying the rule of law. Impact on credibility—Principal-Mr.Cury displayed a tendency towards an autocratic leadership style. Once how to address the issue was lawful inscribed in the bylaws stipulating a particular way to inform about staffing changes it had to be adhered to. It would appear that the young teacher reminding him of it antagonized the situation. This is a challenge to his credibility. Communication-It is clear that there was a change of command in terms of communication. The principal seemed to have erred. His reaction is to blame the young teacher for his mistake by imposing a penalty on her for his mistake. This is often a management strategic adopted in a autocratic culture. Power of influence—in this situation the power of influence lay in the position or status of principal. The principal used it to make himself look respectable while casting blame onto unsuspecting immature teacher.

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On Distributive Bargaining and Mediation - Essay Example Distributive bargaining is generally referred as negotiation of win and loses between parties where both the parties attempt to maximize their profit and minimize personal losses. On the other hand, integrative bargaining focuses on developing a win-win situation for both the parties. It is also referred to as interest based bargaining as in this negotiation parties collaborate to determine a solution that generate mutual satisfaction. In certain specific situations, other measures of negotiation such as mediation are implemented as well. Mediation is one of the well-known processes of alternative dispute resolution where dispute resolution is facilitated through skilled leadership of a third party unbiased to the situation (Raiffa, 1982). In this paper, mediation and distributive bargaining have been compared and analyzed as measures of negotiation. The paper also highlights benefits and drawbacks of both the measures in context of conflict resolution and discusses situations where each of these methods is most suitable. It was gathered that a number of scholarly articles on dispute resolution indicates that primarily two kinds of negotiation strategies are adopted in most cases, namely, distributive bargaining and integrative bargaining. The philosophy of distributive bargaining focuses on value claiming and refrains from dividing the pie. There has been a mention of pie in this paper as the concept is often compared to division of pie by most researchers. The distributive bargaining is implied in terms of zero sum approach of economic theory because the process of dividing outcomes of an event under this method of negotiation is mutually exhaustive (Amanatullah, Morris & Curhan, 2008). One of the important aspects of distributive bargaining is that negative correlation is exhibited among interests of aggrieved parties while gain of one party is directly proportional to loss of another. Authors such

McDonalds Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

McDonalds Marketing Plan Essay I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY McDonald’s Philippines is a subsidiary of the Filipino-owned Golden Arches Development Corporation. The first Filipino McDonald’s to open for business was in the Morayta university districts in Manila during 1981. These days McDonald’s is operating over 150 restaurants throughout the islands of the Philippines. Being a 100% Filipino-owned franchise allows McDonald’s Philippines to be more agile and take quicker actions, making them an even more competitive force in the Filipino fast-food market. It is one of the leading fast-food chains internationally as well as in the Philippines, with a rapidly developing consumer brand and growing customer base. . It is a place for family togetherness organized around a common love of the traditional food. Its operating system is characterized by focusing on uniformity for consistent quality, the formation of partner relationship with its franchises and supplier to improve operating system innovatively and last but not least the introduction of new products. With its steady drive for improvement and consistently high quality, McDonald’s revolutionized the entire supply chain. Instead of regimenting its supplier and franchisees, McDonald’s expected commitment from them in terms of adherence and experimentation. The implemented, smooth operating chain of suppliers, McDonald’s corporate management and franchisees balances each other, creates an entrepreneurial spirit that added value, innovation, economics of scale, the bargaining power for advertising and purchasing, as well as new product and process ideas to the company. Additionally, all involved parties maintained a collective emphasis on disciplined quality standards. As years passed by, McDonald’s needed to adapt to industry changes by accomplishing some process design innovations in fruitful collaboration with its suppliers and franchisees. In this context, McDonald’s improved the chain’s chicken and fries’ quality and consistency by switching from raw to frozen delivered fries as well as the productivity of employee. Another major process enhancement was the introduction of the breakfast at McDonald’s. In this way, the corporation expanded its operating hours since it had to pay for rent, utilities and insurance 24 hours a day, anyways. The generation of a totally new business came along with the nice side effect that it again distinguishes itself from its competitors. This marketing plan is used in outlining the product, pricing, and distribution and promotion strategies to be implemented and executed during this time. It proposes a revitalization of the McDonald’s philosophy so as to focus on the quality of products and services for customer’s value and a healthy lifestyle, healthy eating habits, smart choices and education. The plan also outlines the structural issues that may arise during its implementation and execution, tactical initiatives to turn strategy into action. II. CHALLENGE Problem: Before, the company use grilled direct system. Which becomes the problem of the company because the customer always complaining about the quality of the product like chicken mcdo, when it is served to the customers it is not crispy because it stays longer in the warming bin, and also the patty of the burger, it is not juicy because it is not hot. The access of McDelivery to the call center is another problem of McDonalds because some times the information about on the location of the customer is wrong. Solution: Now a day the McDonald’s uses the Made for You (MFY) system. †¢ Food is made or prepared to actual customer demand, providing each and every burger only when it is needed just in time (JIT). †¢ It standardizes assembly of all sandwiches to one or two at a time. †¢ Requires minimal Human Decisions Making. †¢ It requires Behavioral change ⠝â€" Quality ⠝â€" Complete waste ⠝â€" Equipment ⠝â€" Standard procedure III. SITUATION ANALYSIS Company Analysis †¢ Goals – Develop a solution to improve kitchen layouts, people positioning and operational procedures for a better guest experience. In simple terms: our goal is to have a happy and satisfied customer. †¢ Focus – the company should focus on products and services. McDonald’s is a customer-oriented company that strives to offer Filipinos a combination of great tasting, quality food productions at value prices with excellent service. †¢ Values – Customer – driven, Malasakit, Integrity, Teamwork and Excellent. †¢ Strengths ⠝â€" Quality of the product, services and cleanliness of the store. ⠝â€" The service of the company is fast and accurate, and we believe that taking good care of our customers is the first vital step toward effective sales building. ⠝â€" Patents and Trademark ⠝â€" Branding such as through the use of logos, colours, slogan and other images. A key part of the McDonald’s brand is its ‘M’ logo otherwise known as ‘The Golden Arches’. †¢ Weaknesses ⠝â€" The competitors like Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Burger King etc. ⠝â€" Lack of cooperation between the management and in the crews. †¢ Market Shares – McDonald’s has captured more than 40% share of the hamburger market in the Philippines. Customer Analysis †¢ Number – 30% is ages 60 and above, 20% is ages 1-15, 50% is ages 16 and above. This is the percentage of customer who are eating at the McDonald’s everyday especially during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. †¢ Type – Class B C †¢ Value Drivers – a part from our product and services. McDonald’s gives back to the community through the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). RMHC supports children’s development and well being through Bahay Bulilit and Bright Minds Read (BMR). Every happy meal purchase gives 50 centavos to RMHC. †¢ Decision process – The customer have a lot of decision making it is base of what they needs and wants, also the customer decide to buy a discounted product like in coupon and the mcsaver meals. Competitor Analysis †¢ Market Position No. 1 (Jollibee) No. 2 (McDonald’s) †¢ Strengths Lasang Pinoy Raw materials are environment friendly †¢ Weaknesses Jollibee has a poor service †¢ Market shares – Jollibee has captured more than 52% share of the hamburger market in the Philippines. SWOT ANALYSIS Strength †¢ Risk diversity †¢ Large market share †¢ Strong supply chain †¢ Promoting ethical conduct †¢ Competitive fast-food chain †¢ Attentive and friendly staff/crew’s †¢ Rigorous food safety standards †¢ Good reputation among customer †¢ Decentralized yet connected system †¢ Strong brand name, image and reputation †¢ Strong financial and performance and position †¢ Affordable prices and high quality products †¢ Nutritional information available on packaging †¢ Strong global presence and performance in the global marketplace †¢ Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University †¢ McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, product, place, price and promotion Weaknesses †¢ Unhealthy food image †¢ High staff turnover including top management †¢ Customer losses due to fierce competition †¢ Lack of access to the best natural resources †¢ Lack of access to key distribution channel Opportunities †¢ Growing health trends among consumers †¢ Joint ventures with retailers †¢ Consolidation of retailers likely, so better locations for franchisees †¢ Respond to social changes by innovation with in healthier lifestyle foods †¢ Strengthen its value proposition and offering, to encourage customers who visit coffee shops into McDonalds †¢ The new â€Å"formats†, Mccafe, having wi-fi internet links should help in attracting segments. Also installing children’s play-parks and its focus on educating consumers about health, fitness. †¢ International expansion into emerging market’s of other country †¢ Growth of the fast-food industry †¢ Low cost menu that will attract the customers †¢ Providing many promotional activities Threats †¢ Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonald’s of contributing to the country health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity †¢ McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically †¢ Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies †¢ Affordability of the competitors products †¢ Similar flavors and products of the competitors †¢ Competitors endorsers are much popular when it compares to McDonalds IV.Market Segmentation Market Segmentation is the process of splitting customer in to different groups, or segment within the customers with similar characteristics have similar needs. Geographical Segmentation Mcdonalds offered their services based on certain country basic food. Like Philippines McDonalds realized that Filipino basic food is rice which with fried chicken as its local basic food. Demographic/Psychographic Segmentation Demographic segmentation divided the market into groups based on variables like gender, age, nationality, religion; family life cycle and family size McDonald offered their services by segmented their customer base on age, religion and family life cycle. To offer the best service McDonalds still concern about variations due to differing tastes and cultural issues for their customer over the world. Behavioral Segmentation Behavioral segmentation focuses on dividing consumer based on their knowledge, attitudes, uses, benefit sought, or responses to company’s product. One of the best forms of segmentation is to divide buyers according to the different benefits that they want to get by purchasing the product. Usually people who look for in their product class or look for each benefit. For example, McDonald provide McDelivery for 24 hours, this is the only one delivery service that not stop even once in a while a day by just call it and order, after that within a minute it comes to your place with the food that still hot and fresh. V. Alternative Marketing Strategies McDonalds has seen recent success through a careful implementation of its â€Å"Plan to Win† strategy, which focuses on several key aspects of the business, namely increasing traffic to restaurants, providing everyday value to customers, innovating the company through the creation of new menu items, re-imaging the company’s look, as well as its marketing campaigns. McDonald’s Plan to Win is based on a core set of four main goals: †¢ Acquire more customers †¢ Get these customers to eat at McDonalds more often †¢ Develop more brand loyalty for the McDonalds brand †¢ Ultimately become more profitable Increasing restaurant visits Current market condition help the appearance of McDonalds as a low cost alternative to eating at more expensive restaurants in the minds of customers, which has consequently led to an increase in foot traffic at McDonalds franchises. McDonalds has addressed these conditions through an increase in advertising, specially displaying the company’s attention toward a diversified menu of low cost items. Such advertising serves to satisfy all four of goals of Plan to win program, drawing customer interest through a short display of the plethora of new menu options recently added, while also helping to change the look and feel of McDonalds in the minds of customers. Providing everyday value In order to create an overall feeling of value for customers to experience, McDonalds has released a modular value meal, where customers have the benefit of both low prices coupled with increased freedom when deciding on a meal. While traditional menu options emphasize a trade-off between ordering freedom and price, the McDonalds value menu provides customers with both all at once, helping customers associate the brand with good value. Innovating new menu items At the same time as their menu choices have become modular and less expensive, McDonalds is also creating value for customers by providing a diverse menu with many more ordering options. Customers can now expect an increase in health-conscious options by adding some vegetables in the burger and also they provide some dessert like apple pie or pineapple pie. McDonalds also provide a mccafe like ice mocha, ice latte, and cappuccino, Americano to provide some different variety of coffee to satisfy the customer. Marketing campaigns As well as considering the important of keeping customers informed of the continuing changes to the company through advertising media and social media dialogues, McDonalds also recognizes the value of maintaining an ongoing support system and training structure for each of its franchise operators. As mentioned above, McDonalds uses well defined, and measurable milestones to help their constituents meet company goals with as few inconsistencies as possible. McDonalds’ training programs have been continuously recognized for their excellence, and with the continuing changes being carried out throughout the company, this attention to the value of training is a terrific asset to the company. Re-imaging the restaurant Directly benefiting the company’s goals of brand development for the company, McDonalds is reenergizing their brand through an understanding of â€Å"brand power†, which is built on the cultivation of four key areas of the brand, brand identity, familiarity, specialness, and authority. Brand identity is defined as the set of characteristics that customers recognize your brand by; in McDonalds’ case these are speed, consistency, value, and variety. Brand identity works with brand familiarity, helping to expand the message that symbols of the company, or even the overall impact of advertisements themselves in reinforcing the identity of the brand in the minds of customers. If carefully managed, McDonalds can use their brand identity to make their investments in advertising go much further. Beyond this, brand specialness and authority continue the process, representing the perceptions of McDonalds as the company appears to customers. Ideally, McDonalds should leverage brand specialness and authority to clearly stand out as a distinct and trustworthy source of value, allowing customers to increase the value of the McDonalds brand through their positive interactions with the company. McDonald’s adopts different strategies to attract customers of different age groups, but still the main target remains to be children. So in order to attract them, McDonald’s use a key tool: the Happy Meals, which seem to fascinate children due to the toys included in the menu. In addition to this, they have a tie up with The Walt Disney Company for the Disney characters included in the menu, in order to make sure that they offer the kids a wide range of toy options. Moreover, McDonald’s provides the children with a special facility, unique for food venues and fast-food restaurants: a playground. This strategy is aimed at making McDonald’s a pleasant and fun environment for both kids and parents. Even the exterior of every restaurant is also strategically designed using bright colors to invite in the customer, especially kids who can easily be influenced by these aspects. So not only that the children like it, it is a chance for the parents to spend some â€Å"quality time† with their kids. Another aspect of their marketing strategy is the fact that every McDonald’s restaurant provides Wi–Fi facilities, a detail that adds to the attractive qualities and is aimed at teenage customers. In addition to this, what is representative for this chain is their clown mascot, Ronald McDonald, who is essential for creating the bond with children and entertaining them. They can even have private birthday parties in the facilities, again part of McDonald’s aim to induce happy memories in children’s minds, and to make them associate the McDonald’s brand and logo with happy moments. VI. Selected Marketing Strategy Product Suppliers are dedicated to providing McDonald’s with top quality material that is continually monitored for freshness and safety. McDonald’s uses regional suppliers to ensure that the freshness is delivered to customers in every product they buy. Food quality is keys at McDonald’s. They seek out fresh lettuce and tomatoes, onions and pickles, quality buns and potatoes, pure ground beef, select poultry and fish and wholesome dairy products. All of the beef, chicken and pork that are used are purchased from federally inspected facilities to ensure freshness, wholesomeness and peak quality when served to customers. Non-Vegetarian Ingredients Chicken The chicken products are made from high quality boned rib and leg meat and are covered in a specially seasoned, lightly battered coating. They are shaped in uniform sizes to ensure consistency in weight and value. Fish The fish products in McDonald’s Filet –O- Fish are 100% pure whole white fillets that are lightly breaded. Their exacting quality standards for fish surpass federal requirements. The ocean-fresh quality of Filet-O-Fish is a result of the process and ability to freeze the fish at sea to maintain freshness. Vegetarian Ingredients Vegetables McDonald’s use freshly shredded lettuce, onions, pickles and tomatoes in their restaurants. All their vegetable products are processed from high quality graded vegetables in a 100% dedicated vegetarian plant. Potatoes McDonald’s French fries are famous around the world. To make French fries, McDonald’s uses only the best potatoes available from their own potato farms. Their potato suppliers make many of the same nationally recognized brands of potato products to make customers feel that they are with their family at home. These potatoes are cut, blanched and processed on state-of-the-art processing lines to ensure maximum retention of nutrients. Their French fries and Potato Wedges are cooked at the plant in 100% vegetables cooking oil. Other Ingredients Cheese and other Dairy Products All dairy products like cheese, McShakes and Soft Serves are made from fresh dairy milk. All dairy products including cheese have a role to play in balanced diet because they contain a wide variety of essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, fat solubles, phosphorus, etc. McDonald’s uses a special blend of pasteurized American cheese to complement the flavor of their sandwiches. Buns McDonald’s uses buns made from locally grown wheat flour. They are baked locally and delivered fresh, several times each week to McDonald’s restaurants. Cooking Oil Food preparations are done in 100% refined vegetable oils at the restaurants plants. They use liquid oil and not hydrogenated oil. This means there are no TFAs or Trans Fatty Acids in the French Fries or any other products. Additionally, these vegetable oils contain some essential fatty acids necessary for growth. Quality Food quality is the crucial element at McDonald’s. Despite extensive and meticulous quality test at the suppliers end, all products are once again carefully scrutinized at the restaurant. Immaculate of quality allow for nothing but the best to reach customer’s tray. Their products are sourced from the highest quality ingredients, prepared hygienically and treated to regular quality checks such as the McDonald’s Inspection Program (QIP). Scope of Product Line Distribution (Place) Place, as an element of the marketing mix, is not just about the physical location or distribution points for products. It encompasses the management of a range of processes involved in bringing products to the end consumer. McDonald’s outlets are very evenly spread throughout the cities making them very accessible. Drive in and drive through options make McDonald’s products further convenient to the consumers. Intensive Distribution Distribution arrangements tend to be long term in nature. Because of this time horizon, channel decisions are usually classed as strategic, rather than tactical or operational ones. Many of McDonalds restaurants are open 24 hours per day which satisfies the customers needs and wants, especially for exists their hunger. This kind of distribution strategy is called intensive distribution, means marking the product available for sale through all possible channels of distribution. Intensive distribution is stocking the product in as many outlets as possible.† Promotion The promotions aspect of the marketing mix covers all types of marketing communications One of the methods employed is advertising, Advertising is conducted on TV, radio, in cinema, online, using poster sites and in the press for example in newspapers and magazines. Other promotional methods include sales promotions, point of sale display, merchandising, direct mail, loyalty schemes, door drops, etc. The skill in marketing communications is to develop a campaign which uses several of these methods in a way that provides the most effective results. For example, TV advertising makes people aware of a food item and press advertising provides more detail. This may be supported by in-store promotions to get people to try the product and a collectable promotional device to encourage them to keep on buying the item. At McDonalds the prime focus is on targeting children. In happy meals too which are targeted at children small toys are given along with the meal. Apart from this, various schemes for winning prices by way of lucky draws and also scratch cards are given when an order is placed on the various mean combos. VII. Conclusion Since the problem of McDonalds is about the customer that keeps on complaining for the quality and freshness of the products that is being served. Therefore I conclude that the company should use the MFY (Made for You) system, so that the food is made or prepared for the customer just in time with a good quality for a reasonable cost. The company should also provide a large number of riders to avoid late delivery.

Icelandic volcanoes

Icelandic volcanoes Icelandic volcanoes have been associated with many devastating impacts, not only for the people of Iceland. Volcanic hazards tend to extend beyond Icelandic soil and travel to the opposite side of the globe, and are therefore considered worldwide hazards. This shows us that although the eruption occurred on land, the nature and volume of eruptions at mid-ocean ridges are very widespread. An example, of a volcano causing detrimental effects on a large scale was the Laki eruption of Iceland in June of 1783. There were over 1000 people that died which accounts for 25% of the population, and about half of the islands cattle and three-fourths of its sheep died. Furthermore, a large number of hectares and vegetation also perished. A great number of people and livestock died from suffocation caused by the pyroclastic flow- the most dangerous feature of volcanoes. The pyroclastic flow is extremely hot and triggers high velocity winds (exceeding wind speeds in hurricanes) within the cloud and the poisonous volatile gases which are capable of destroying all life within many miles of the volcano in a matter of minutes**. These gases include sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfur trioxide (SO3) which are poisonous alone, however combined with water from sulfuric acid (HCl), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrofluoric acid (HF) and boric acid (H3BO3) can kill within a matter of minutes once inhaled. People and livestock also died due to the secondary effects. The islands vegetation rapidly perished under a blanket of ash. This vegetation could not receive any sunlight to flourish as the ash which coated it blocked the sunlight. Due to a lack of vegetation widespread famine traveled across Europe and diseases surfaced due to the lack of nutrition, effecting the livestock and human inhabitants of the island. Furthermore, the haze that coverers the sky after an eruption, results from the sulfur gases reacting with water vapor, this blocks the suns rays and is therefore detrimental to both life on land and in the ocean. Volcano Laki efficiently eliminated the 1783 summer and it was the coldest in 500 years in some locations, according to tree ring data. The sun was obscured by the vast cloud caused by the Laki eruption and, what should have been a warm summer in the northern hemisphere, took on winter proportions, not just in Iceland, but all over Europe.** Poems were written that i ncluded descriptions of the sun- ‘pale blood red ghost within the volcanic haze. In reference to the laki volcano in Iceland, Benjamin Franklin during a lecture in 1784 made the following comments, when the effect of the suns rays to heat the earth in these northern regions should have been greater, there existed a constant fog all over Europe, and a great part of North America†¦this haze was also observed over Asia and North Africa. These days the haze would cease aviation over much of Europe if an eruption the capacity of Laki occurred. The haze does not only decrease visibility, but it also damages aircraft. For example, the most common result is engine damage that occurs when volcanic ash enters the jet intakes; the volcanic ash melts and cools to become glass coating the turbine blades, often causing the engines to stall. Further secondary effects included contaminated water supplies within Iceland. The water became poison due to its contact with pyroclastic flow and being supplied with acid rain. A build up of fluoride within the drinking water caused ‘fluoride poisoning which resulted in bone deformities in people and livestock evident in graveyard excavations. Volcanoes also have the capacity to interrupt the normal weather patterns not only locally, but also on a large scale. For example, in France the extreme weather resulted in a surplus harvest in 1785 that inflicted poverty upon rural workers, accompanied by droughts, bad winters and summers, involved a horrific thunderstorm and hailstorm in 1788 that damaged crops. This in turn contributed significantly to the build up of poverty and famine that triggered the French revolution in 1780. Recent computer modeling shows that the cooler temperatures in the Northern hemisphere in 1783 caused a weak monsoon for Southern Asia and Northern Africa. The unusual cold in the North lessened the temperature contrast between the land and the oceans, upon which the monsoon winds rely for their development and strength. With little or no monsoon, there are no clouds to produce rain for rivers or to prevent the surface evaporation. Without rain there was no irrigation supplied for crops and this result ed in a food shortage for these countries. The cooler weather also caused the Mississippi River to freeze and the formation of ice in the Gulf of Mexico. These unprecedented weather patterns upon Europe continued for several years Lava is another dangerous feature of volcanoes. The vent of the Laki volcano was marked by a row of lava fountains throwing red-hot molten basalt tens of meters into the air and in a single day, the front of the lava flow advanced 15km2, making it the largest historic eruption. The destructive power of lava flows lies in the high temperature of the rock, which can set structures aflame, and in the size and mass of the flow, which can engulf or crush even large buildings. One observer of the Laki volcano said ‘all the earths plants burned, withered and turned gray, one after another, as the fire increased and neared the settlements. Earthquakes can also be triggered by volcanic activity. The Earthquakes are produced by stress changes in solid rock caused by the insertion and/or removal of magma. These earthquakes can cause land to subside and can produce large ground cracks**. Furthermore, the Laki eruption was heralded by a series of earthquakes and the opening of fissures 25km long, and a shallow graben formed between two of the fissures.

Accounting Ratio Analysis for Finances

Accounting Ratio Analysis for Finances Ratio analysis is a useful tool for analyzing financial statements. Calculating ratios will aid in understanding the companys strategy and in understanding its strengths and weaknesses relative to other companies and over time. They can sometimes be useful in identifying earnings management and in understanding the effect of accounting choices on the firms reported profitability and growth. Finally, the ratios help in obtaining a better understanding of a firms current profitability, growth, and risk which can improve forecasts of future profitability and growth and estimates of the cost of capital. In reviewing the basic financial ratios, we will examine the ratios of Best Buy for the fiscal years ended March 2, 2002 and March 3, 2001. Excerpts from Best Buys financial statements are included at the end of this document. Best Buy is a growing company. The following table reflects the growth in sales and income during the year ended March 2, 2002: Reference: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/4290867/calculating-ratios A number of accounting ratios are used to measure different aspects of performance. Many of these are derived from a single ratio known as the return on capitol employed. Any business would want high return on their capitol as this is the return on of investments made. But also they want the return to be as high as possible against their competitors. If we look at the results of Marks and Spencer over the five years the ROCE fell from 24.88% to just 14.44% thats a fall of 10.44% however. Compare that to the ROCE of next which was 65.54 in 2005 and it stayed around until 2008 when it went upto 84.73 however in 2009 that figure come down to just 40.10 in 2009 despite the big fall Next look like they are outperforming marks and spencer on the return of the capital invested All businesses want to get as high profit as possible marks and spencers gross profit margin over the period of five years it has been stable if will look at between 2006 and 2008 the gross profit margin stayed around 38% that figure saw a fall of just under 1% in 2009 however marks and spencer is doing better than Next as the gross profit margin of next is lower that ms and comparing over the five years they continue to experience a fall in gross profit margin but between 2007 (27.77) and 2008 (28.51) they experienced an increase of just under 1% in 2009 that did not improve because it started to fall again lower than 2008 The net profit margin of ms was looking was looking good up until 2009 as in 2008 it was 12.51 up from 9.38 in 2005 so it was good period however in 2009 that figure was 7.79 lower than the net profit margin of 2005. more worryingly for ms next is outperforming them over the five years not only are they getting high net profit margin but also it is stable at around 14% between 2005 and 2008 Sales per employee The asset turnover is how well the firm is putting its assets to work. The ratio indicates that the asset turnover of Next is better that MS if we compared between 2005 and 2008 however ms look like they gained ground in 2009 when their asset turnover was 3.41 up from 1.74 in 2008 compared this to next in 2008 Nexts asset turnover was 5.66 this was higher than ms 2008 asset turnover but in 2009 next that figure fell down to just 3.06 and this lower than ms if we compared the same year. The stock turnover of ms has been experiencing downward trend in the past five years the 2005 stock turnover was 23.38 but continouos fall in the next four years meant ms stock was turning over 16.91 however the decrease in stock turnover ms will be encouraged that their competitor next is doing worst than them as their stock turnover was just 10.27 Debtors turnover and debtors collection period This ratio indicates the speed with which debtors/accounts recievable are being collected, thus it is indicative of efficiency of trade management. The higher the ratio and shorter collection period the better the trade credit management and the better is the liquidity of the debtors and visa versa. we can see that the control of credit operating by MS is far better than Next. The debtors turnover being 108.53 and the debtor collection period being approximately 3 days compare to 5.77 for the debtors turnover and 63 days for the debtor collection period for Next. Businesses usually operate on a 30, 60 or 90 days policy in terms of debt of payment. Creditor collection period This ratio reflects the time it takes the company to pay its suppliers. Thus, the longer you can hold off payment the longer you have cash on disposal. We can see that the creditors collection period is low (roughly 14 days) compare to next (approximately 22 days) to pay their debts. So marks and spencer might want to look in to ways of improving relationship with suppliers so that they have enough time to pay them. Current ratio The current ratio is the ratio of total current assets to total current liabilities. The current assets of a firm represents those which can be in the ordinary business, converted in to cash within short period of time. Marks and spencer current ratio decreased in the past five years from 0.65 in 2005 to 0.60 in 2009 and the company is below the national average which is 1.8:1, next is doing better than ms even though they are also still below national average with a current ratio of 1.54:1 in 2009 but that is far from national average like ms. Acid test this ratio specifies whether your current assets that could be quickly converted into cash are sufficient to cover current liabilities. Until recently, a Current Ratio of 2:1 was considered standard. A firm that had additional sufficient quick assets available to creditors was believed to be in sound financial condition. Again just like the current ratio both companies are operating below the national average. MS acid test did not show much improvement over the past five years if we compare it to next in the same period 2005 of the both companies was 0.39:1 for MS and 0.82:1 for next however if we look the difference between the two companies ms is 0.37:1 lower than 2005 but next is improving slightly with acid test of 1.09:1 in 2009. Gearing ratio The gearing ratio reflects the amount of finance raised from the banks in relation to the total capital employed. If the gearing ratio is around 40% it is unlikely that a bank would make any further loans. We can see that both companies are far above the 40% and therefore even though they have good reputations it may cause some problems when obtaining loan. This really needs to be looked at and MS must be concerned about this. However, very large company generally operate above this rate. Reference: http://www.scribd.com/doc/19208907/Financial-Analysis-of-IDEA Part 3 UK is passing through a strong economic downturn and overall spending by the consumers is consistently decreasing. The economic growth of UK over the last three years is slowly and consistently declining[1]with forecasts for negative growth in 2009 and some recovery in 2010. These trends also indicate that almost every sector of the economy will be affected with the slow down in the consumer spending due to credit crunch. It is critical to note that there is a marked difference between the corporate social responsibility of the firm as well as improving the overall corporate image of the firm. Linking corporate social responsibility with the improvement of corporate image therefore is something which most of the companies attempt to achieve. (Moir, 2001). At the moment it looks like ms has escaped from criticism like child labour

The Wave was a Good Idea :: Nazi Germany

When something like the Wave comes along, so promising and full of energy and optimism, people are bound to be caught up in it. The students at Gordon High got "swept up" in the ideals and promises of the Wave. No matter how poorly it may have turned out, though, the Wave did start as a good idea. It attempted to make all students equal, to eliminate competition and create a feeling of unity, and, most importantly, to teach the students in Mr. Ross class about Nazi Germany. The Wave eliminated cliques and accepted outcasts. It made students like Robert Billings accepted by their peers. No student was left out, and all of the original Wave members even sat together at lunch. Robert spoke up without being made fun of, and even Brad, a boy who used to torment him relentlessly, accepts him as an equal. No student is considered better or not as good as another student within the Wave. Perfect equality is established, although at the cost of individuality. As the Wave progressed, Mr. Ross noticed the students as a whole were doing better on tests and quizzes. It seemed there was no longer any competition for grades. Rivalry between two students and best friends, Laurie Saunders and Amy Smith, disappeared. Amy had always competed with Laurie for grades, friends, and boys. She loved the Wave because, as a member of it, she didn?t have to constantly compete anymore. Mr. Ross also encouraged the students not to work toward being the best, but to focus on the common goal of the class ? working together as one to achieve what they seek. By doing this, they utilized the section of the Wave motto ?Strength through Community?. Of course, the most important reason it was a good idea is that it taught the students exactly what it intended to ? about being swept up into a large group, about losing the ability to think for oneself, and about unquestioningly following a leader. Many students had thought that nothing like the Holocaust could ever happen again. Only when Mr. Ross snapped them out of their ?Wave? mentality did they realize it almost did. It taught the students to think for themselves and be responsible for their own actions. The excuse of ?just following orders?

St.Augustines Theodicy and St.Irenaeus theodicy as a weak response to

Augustine’s theodicy is greatly influenced by the creation stories of the Old Testament (Genesis 1-3). While thinking about Augustine’s theodicy it is worth bearing in mind that he interpreted the Genesis story as a literal account of the origins of the world and also as a mythological story that communicated values and meaning. While most Christians today would not suggest that the Genesis story is literally true, they still value the ideas Augustine puts forward in his theodicy. Augustine’s theodicy is basically- God is perfect and creates perfection (garden of Eden), God gave us free will which we in turn misuse which in turn leads to the fall of man and therefore evil comes into the world. So now the whole world is evil and corrupted, Natural Evil is then a result of this corruption. Everyone after the fall shares in the sins of Adam- Original Sin, until Jesus saves us by dying for our sins on the cross. In the book of Romans (5:12) it says ‘Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death shall spread to all because all have sinned.’ Therefore humanity is responsible for evil. But some may say that God gave us free will in the first place and if God is all knowing then He knew the fall would happen and therefore he is not all loving or all powerful as he knew evil would come into the world and yet did nothing about it. Vardy comes up with an analogy that works with St.Augustine’s theodicy- the story about the prince and the peasant, a rich prince falls in love with a peasant but knows that if he went up to her clad in his rich fine cottons and silks then she would not truly love him but love what he has. So the prince disguises himself as another peasant and ‘woos’ ... ...so a story of a girl who is beaten and beaten by her parents but does not know why because she is so young. Ivan would say that having free will is ‘still not worth it’ On the other hand some believe that Irenaeus’ Theodicy is effective. They may say that the theory works well with evolution, in the sense that the world was bad and it must be made into perfection. They say that we were once imperfect and have since improved and evolved but this would happen through suffering and therefore it is possible to tie the two theories together. Having to suffer in order to achiever the virtues seems sensible and logical as many sportsmen will know that pain shows that your working hard, this also ties in with the aesthetic principle. Personally I believe that the Irenaeun Theodicy is weak and feeble as there is just too much evil in the world in comparison to the good.

Answering Children’s Questions

All the children are very curious and they always ask a lot of questions because they want to know a lot of things. â€Å"Where does water come from? â€Å", â€Å"why is the sky blue? † and â€Å"what is infinity? † are among the questions that parents struggle to answer for their children. Another query that has tripped up mothers and fathers for generations is, â€Å"where do babies come from? † Most parents are unable to give a correct answer to the basic questions from children about the planet, outer space and the human body. Some of them say that â€Å"babies are delivered by storks†, others – that â€Å"babies are found under gooseberry bushes†. Also parents find moral questions about God and religion hard to answer. I think that every parent should follow some principles answering children’s questions, and the first of these principles is â€Å"Never to lie†. Because children are very quick-witted and they may think so â€Å"If you found me under a gooseberry bush it means that someone had left me there†¦ and who is this someone? † It would me much more difficult to answer. The second thing is that we all must learn till we live. And if we don’t know something it’s never late to learn. So if a child asks â€Å"What is a black hole† or something like that, it would be appropriate to say â€Å"Let's look that up in the encyclopedia. † So we can show the child the way he can learn things and encourage him to seek response through authority in the future. One more thing we can do is encourage brainstorming, or consideration of alternative explanations. For example, if a child asks â€Å"Why are all the people in Holland so tall? , the parent can answer â€Å"Let's brainstorm some possible answers. Maybe its genetics, or maybe its diet, or maybe everybody in Holland wears elevator shoes, or †¦ etc. † And then the child and his parent can decide which answer is the right one. We should never avoid answering the child’s question saying â€Å"I don’t know† because the child has nobody except his pare nt to ask. Answering children’s question gives us an opportunity to revive the child in ourselves, awake our imagination and help the little one to understand the world better.

Aircraft technician Course Program

The documentary analysis will be limited to materials, reports, evaluation and other pertinent data available in the school library and offices. The profile both of the students and faculty are also taken into considerations. TACT- Aircraft Technician Course Aircraft- An aircraft shall mean any contrivance now known or hereafter invented, used or designed for navigation of flight in the air, including airframe, power plant and appliances. Analysis- Analyses the resolution of a compound into each parts.Bibliography- Description of books: a list of books relative to a special subjects. SHED- Commission of Higher Education. Dedication- An inscription or address. Document- Written or printed items for reference or evidence. Data- Plural of : given facts. Faculty- Refers to the teachers are engaged in the full time instruction with the commensurate educational qualification. Goal- Indicate thrust, a direction or target to be attained over given period. Generalization- The result of genera lizing an induction.History- History narration events, past events. Interpretation- act of interpreting, explanation, representation of character on the stage. Knowledge- State or result of knowing, learning, information. Literature- Totality of written and printed works, belles letters. Profile-An outline of anything seen from the side. Significance- Meaning or import. Statistics- The science of classification and arrangement of facts, based on the in the specialized details of a subject. Technical- Pertaining to a particular field of endeavourer as a word or apparatus.This study was conducted , also known as Philippine Air Transport and Training Services is an aeronautical school on Limbos Eve. , San Sister, Parquet City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Founded as Joint enterprise of Filipino and American pioneers in aviation, the Philippine Air Transport Training Services started operations in 1969. It's primary aim was to establish a manufacturing and assembly plant for trainer aircr afts, which at the time of its founding and its new pioneering objective as envisioned by it five founding directors.Its secondary aim was to put up an aeronautical school to meet the domestic and international demands in the fields in aviation and air transportation, At the time of it founding, unfavorable investment climate prevailed. The founders drooped the first aim and proceeded to the secondary aim which was organizing and operating an Aeronautical school to provide the best professional and technical training to the youth. Thus, PATS College of Aeronautics was conformable born. The incorporating directors with experiences in aviation and air transportation.

French Lieutenant’s Woman Essay and Techniques Postmodernism

Examine how FLW represents a postmodern way of thinking. Postmodernism encompasses a reinterpretation of classical ideas, forms and practices and reflects and rejects the ideologies of previous movements in the arts. The postmodern movement has made way for new ways of thinking and a new theoretical base when criticising art, literature, sexuality and history. John Fowles’ 1969 historical bricolage, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, utilises the ideas of postmodern theorists such as Foucault, Barthes and Sartre amongst others to form a postmodern double-coded discourse which examines values inherent in the Victorian era from a twentieth century context. The novel’s use of intertextuality, metafiction and its irreverent attitude can be seen as a postmodern parody of Victorian fiction and the historical novel. For the purpose of examining the values and ideologies of the Victorian era in comparison to the postmodern paradigm, Victorian conventions are shown juxtaposed with postmodern techniques such as the authorial intrusion and alternative endings. Sarah Woodruff is different from other characters in The French Lieutenant’s Woman because she is epistemologically unique and because the narrator does not have access to her inner thoughts: in chapter 13 the author directly addresses the reader and states that he gives his characters the free will to determine their outcome in his novel. In a typical Victorian context, the protagonist’s inner conflict and motives would be exposed to the reader. Fowles denies his right as the author to impose definition of characters and in this way recognises â€Å"the age of Alain-Robbe Grillet and Roland Barthes† in bringing about the â€Å"death of the author† and the birth of the â€Å"reader†. The reader must interpret the text in ways (s)he views it and is forced to actively engage in the text. Fowles also introduces the author as a god-like figure (who turns back time) to craft multiple endings. He (the author) allows Sarah to act in an existentialist way to determine her outcome in the novel. It allows her to exercise her individuality, making her stand as a lone feminist figure amongst the tides of Victorian conventionality. The novel rewrites Victorian sexuality and in this way is an example of the way the sexual revolution of the 1960s is described in the historical novel of its time. Foucault described the Victorian period as the â€Å"golden age of repression† and he revises the notion that the Victorian era was silent on sexual matters in his works. Both Foucault and The French Lieutenant’s Woman claim that the forms of power and resistance are historically conditioned. For example, Sarah’s body is still institutionalised at the end of the novel since she appears only as a minor character in Rosetti’s house. The fact that Sarah is an anachronistic creation points to the idea that the novel is not about the Victorian era but a critique of relative values in their context. The metafictional structure of the novel successfully elucidates that Sarah seems to be subordinated in the patriarchal power of the contemporary narrator- it also endeavours to show that even the most emancipated groups during the Victorian period could not carry the liberation of women completely. This is a reflexion of what Fowles deems backward in the context of his society, and is apparent in Sarah’s repressed sexuality; and the blatant disparity regarding notions of female sexuality: Ernestina is always confined within the strict boundaries of patriarchal, societal convention- this is shown by the way she represses her sexual desire for Charles, being content with the most â€Å"chaste of kisses†. In this way the novel represents the truth as a form of pleasure in a Foucauldian sense. The institutionalisation of prostitutes, a somewhat clandestine pastime for Victorian gentlemen, is a situation that reflects the obvious hypocrisy of Victorian society when compared to Sarah’s situation. She (Sarah) is labelled a â€Å"fallen women† (hence her nickname â€Å"Tragedy†) and is ostracised because of her free-will and â€Å"feminine misconduct†. Charles finds her forwardness rather intimidating as it goes against his beliefs that the stratification of society is a vital element of social stability. This enforces Charles’ Darwinian beliefs about the social hierarchy (in reference to Social Darwinism). Darwinian evolution finds its expression by creating a new way of thinking. Fowles’ novel represents the great crisis of Darwinian Victorian England and traces its impact on society. Charles questions his religion in the Church, admitting he is agnostic, and the narrator himself labels Charles as having agnostic qualities. At the end of the novel Charles has become a â€Å"modern man† and Sarah the â€Å"hopeful monster† who feels alienated in Victorian culture without being able to conceptualise Charles’ intuitive understanding of her otherness and modernity. Darwinian evolution and nineteenth century psychology are portrayed in The French Lieutenant’s Woman as providing a corrective culture dominated by narrow minded Evangelicalism. Examples can be observed in Mrs Poulteney’s fickle attempts at being charitable, her dismissive attitude towards her duty to the church which is merely a habitual pastime for her, and her decision to dismiss Sarah. Then novel’s intertextuality is made up of its bricolage of history and fiction. Victorian epigraphs (and the irony used in them) serve to reconstruct the cultural milieu of the age using representations of facets of its literary world through the poetry of Hardy, Tennyson, Arnold and Clough. It provides a context within which the characters try to construct their subjectivities where they can emancipate themselves from the novel’s dominant ideology (this is an example of how Freud’s ideas about literature’s subjectivity are utilised). Also, the footnotes reinforce the author’s presence and allude to the fact that the author is omnipresent (in the novel). The alternative endings represent two types of Victorian endings and the last, a more postmodern, existentialist one. Fowles’ plays with different endings to epitomise the early postmodernist problem of artistic form and representation and this technique agrees with Umberto Eco’s idea that literature has openness and can be interpreted in many ways. The postmodern style is successful in creating a tension between these endings within a single text. The last alternative ending in chapter 61 can be construed as the existentialist one. The existentialist theme dramatises the struggles of individuals to define themselves and to make moral decisions about the conduct of their lives in worlds which deny them of freedom. Both Charles and Sarah are searching for themselves, trying to find their own existences by rebelling against the norms of tradition: Charles by embracing Darwinism nd declaring himself agnostic (in line with the Nietzschean existentialist ideology); and Sarah by redefining herself (such as labelling herself â€Å"Mrs†) and avoiding the hypocrisy of Victorians towards sexuality and human relations. Like Charles and Sarah, the reader is free of manipulation (by the author) and we can manoeuvre our position in the narrative to create our own â€Å"meaning†. The use of the existentialist theme in The French Lieutenant’s Woman makes the reader aware of Sartrean-style thinking which was not in existence in Victorian times but was conceptualised in Fowles’ era. It is successful in allowing the reader to criticise and contrast the differing ideologies present at the respective times and, by highlighting the shift in values, Fowles effectively expounds a new way of thinking. Fowles successfully blends the Victorian novel with postmodern ideologies and twentieth century sensibility by applying paradigms which lead to the reader being allowed to question previously held values, in particular relative values which change according to context, such as sexuality and religion. Through his pastiche of traditional Victorian romance, and historical narrative Fowles deconstructs his novel and makes the reader aware of contextual codes and conventions through ironic, metafictional comments: â€Å"Perhaps it is only a game†¦. Perhaps you suppose the novelist has only to pull the right strings and his puppets will behave in a lifelike manner† -The French Lieutenant’s Woman Chapter 13 *

Law, Ethics & Corp. Governance Essay

1. Describe what steps you would take to address the following scenario involving skills, competence, and abilities: The employee seems to be unable to learn the computer applications that are basic to her job responsibilities, but, consistently â€Å"tells† her boss that she is â€Å"a good worker and a genius† and that he does not â€Å"appreciate her†. Even after a few months of training and support, she is unable to use the computer tools to be productive and efficient in completing the required tasks. This can be a difficult situation for an employer to make because many employers try to see the positive and have faith in all their employees. If this situation took place within my company, I would continue to observe the employees attitude as well as dedication. Many times, employees are not capable of performing certain tasks, however, with a humble mindset, it is possible to work with them and guide them while working. This specific employee seems to have a self-assured mindset that she is not doing anything wrong. Instead of opening up and allowing her boss to assist her, she becomes arrogant. I would go a different route and have a professional come and train her from another company to see if that would help. If this specific assistance does not help, I will have to write the employee up to warn her that she must submit to the work load within a certain time frame. I do not believe this is being harsh to the employee. If she is hired to do a specific task and cannot get the task accomplished, then she is incapable of doing the work. I will be able to provide a written statement and have her terminated. Employers cannot waste time on employees who talk about their capabilities, yet not perform them. According to â€Å"Law and Ethics in the Business Environment† Chapter 2, she is able to voice her opinion publically in court, however, she must have written proof to back her up whys he should not be terminated. 2. Describe what steps you would take to address the following scenario involving management, behavior, and performance: The employee tends to burst into a rage when criticized and is frequently late to work as noticed by her boss and other staff members. When her boss attempts to address her behavioral issues and the company late policy, the employee’s response is that she â€Å"knows her rights and what to do† if she is wrongfully discharged. She also says she took a business law class in undergrad that taught her â€Å"everything she needs to know about exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine and wrongful discharge in violation of public policy†. I would provide counsel and verbal warning to the employee. It is important to get all of the facts and bring that person into your office without making a big scene. Being honest and upfront about the tardiness and improper behavior will get much respect from the employee and show firm leadership. I will discuss what has been taken place and how important it is to have the whole department working on one accord. I will also discuss that their tardiness is not fair to the other employees. I would take the time to ask if there is anything wrong, or if there is something happening in the workplace or personal life that is causing what is perceived as â€Å"a person with a bad attitude who is unhappy at work. I believe listening and showing empathy will let the employee know you care about their well-being but yet, still mean business. There may be some personal issues that they just need to get off of their chest. If I get a sarcastic response from them, then I must be strong, but not attacking, and let them know that the behavior shown is not acceptable and needs to improve. I would be sure that I am focusing on the problem, not the person. In situations like these, staying calm and let them do the talking will show the humility in you as a leader. In situations like these, I would point out their strengths, and try to first focus on the good aspects of their performance rather than a perceived bad attitude. Documenting and date this conversation as a verbal warning to the employee, yet not making it a threat. This is not a written warning, but shows that you did talk to the person about difficult employee issues. The more the employer documents, the easier it will be to terminate if it gets to that point. The biggest mistake is to not document. Documentation and building a case is the proof that shows you talked to this employee many times but to no avail (Sheahan, 2012). 3. Describe what steps you would take to address the following scenario involving labor and laws: The employee takes a day off from work, without management consent, for her religious holiday observance that falls on a day that is during â€Å"tax season†. The day off occurred during an incredibly busy period for the company during which the employer had notified all employees they were not allowed to take off without prior management approval. Also, there is no labor union for accountants. However, she begins talking to her co-workers during lunch breaks and sometimes during regular work hours, encouraging them to organize and form a union to â€Å"protect ourselves†. This can be a difficult situation because it involves the employee’s religious rights. According to an Act in 1997, â€Å"GUIDELINES ON RELIGIOUS EXERCISE AND RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IN THE FEDERAL WORKPLACE†, Agencies shall not discriminate against employees on the basis of religion, require religious participation or non-participation as a condition of employment, or permit religious harassment. And agencies shall accommodate employees’ exercise of their religion in the circumstances specified in these Guidelines. These requirements are but applications of the general principle that agencies shall treat all employees with the same respect and consideration, regardless of their religion. At the same time, employees are not to engage in religious acts with employees by forcing their beliefs and opinions on them. This can cause immediate termination. Regardless of religious observation day or not, an employee is not to take a work day off without employers permission. The employer has every right to terminate the employee. It is understandable to observe religious acts as an individual but there has to be communication between employee and employer. The employer has to make accommodations for that specific day. 4. Describe what steps you would take to address the following scenario involving policies and procedures: The employee’s supervisor consistently asks her out on dates; the employee initially refuses to go out on a date with her supervisor. The employee later discusses the issue with her girlfriend who encourages her to accept his offers. During her new employee orientation, the employee was informed of the company policy which prevented employees from dating their supervisor and was given an employee handbook with the written policy. The employee and her supervisor later begin having a consensual relationship. Based from the research according to Saalfeld Griggs PC Publications, a supervisor dating an employee is prohibited within many companies. Although romantic relationships in the workplace are common, employers have legitimate reasons for concern about employee dating. The biggest fear is a sexual harassment lawsuit arising from either a supervisor who has a habit of asking subordinates out on dates; an employee who files a lawsuit after a consensual relationship goes sour; or the perception of co-workers that a supervisor is playing favorites with his or her â€Å"significant other. A policy that prohibits a supervisor from dating a subordinate must also describe the penalty imposed if the policy is violated. Men often hold more senior positions in a company, therefore, a policy that always penalizes the subordinate (e.g. by requiring termination or transfer) may create sexual discrimination liability. When enforcing a â€Å"no dating† policy, the employer must be careful to penalize both sexes equally. An employer who selectively enforces the policy, or enforces it more harshly against one sex compared to the other, may be liable for sexual discrimination. In a consensual relationship between a supervisor and a subordinate, the subordinate often is the recipient of preferential treatment. Employees have asserted claims for sexual harassment based on the theory that they can’t receive the same benefits because they are not â€Å"sleeping with the boss.† The policy is in writing and both the employer and employee decided to go against this policy. If one or the other is not able to transfer to another department, they must suffer the consequences of being released from the company. Reference Page: 1. Halbert, T., & Ingulli, E. (2012). Law & ethics in the business environment (7th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. 2. Sheahan, K. (2012). Bad Employee Behavior. Article retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6739049_bad-employee-behavior.html 3. Sutton, R. (1999). Regulating Workplace Romance. Article retrieved from: http://www.sglaw.com/publications.php?id=36&pubtype=showarticle