Thursday, October 31, 2019

Broadway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Broadway - Essay Example Peter Stuyvesant in 1658 named the foremost lined street in New York and had to be constructed by the residence of Brouwer Street. The objective of the Dutch is to trade in New Amsterdam and also take importance of the rivers bounded by the city; similar method is disclosed with the territory of New York’s transport production that will be set up two centuries to come. The lesser part is recognized of being a center of Jewish culture. The ruins of the area’s Jewish inheritance exist in business streets of home to most Yiddish theatre production near the beginning of 20th century. The East Village’s Hester, Grand, and Essex next to Allen are also part of the region. Down town Next Street on the lesser East part is populated by the Poles and Japanese markets. There is also a secluded population of Bangladeshis and immigrants from Muslim nation most of whom are congregants of little Mosque found on first Avenue. The neighborhood presents many synagogues’ like Beth Hamedras Hagadol and kehila kedosha Janina. The Chinese people have also marked on the lesser side in the recent decades. If you look at the avenue patterns of cities, you will frequently see the way the city has grown over time. Theres a characteristic prototype to unexpected city growth approximately indistinguishable to the fast growing of the glass shell on ceramic objects as it contracts. These correspond to the customary period. Present is a stage of rectangular grids obviously an image for modernization. Nowadays we observe the plant-like branching of cul-de-sacs, the post-modern direct opposite of modernization, where the perfect would be to have no from first to last streets at all. I have an improved interior record and I am grateful for the city as I have never before. It may be ever altering and modernizing and yet in the old times what mattered was if an individual knows how to find it in its streets, infrastructures and neighborhoods. These may include: Delancy which was a

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Effects of Homosexuals in Schools Essay Example for Free

Effects of Homosexuals in Schools Essay In the 19th century, a German psychologist coined the term â€Å"homosexuality†. Basically, homosexuality is often a sexual attraction that is primarily towards the members of the same sex (Pickett, 2006). Oftentimes, homosexual equates to being gay and/or lesbian. There are varying points of view regarding homosexuals and homosexuality. Many religious groups believe that there no one born as a homosexual. However, there are plenty of scientists, particularly psychologists who believe that a person is born this way. Religiously speaking, there are no supporting texts in the Bible that there are homosexuals. Only two genders are made: man and woman. Oftentimes, the greater portion of the homosexual community believe that they were â€Å"born gay† (Worthen, 2004). This belief and perspective oftentimes give them comfort and a sort-of justification for their â€Å"state†. Also, this very same ideology relieves them of any responsibility to change. Nevertheless, there is no firm scientific proof until today that affirm that some people are born homosexual. Genetically speaking, they are just either male or female (Worthen, 2004). Since there are no born homosexuals, many psychologists believe that homosexuality is a learned behavior. There are many factors or reasons why a person becomes homosexual. Primarily, most of these factors involve family. These include a disturbed family life in the early years (of the individual), absence of/in love on the part of either parent or a failure to identify with the same-sex parent. Later, the consequences of these reasons manifest in the individual in varying forms—and one of them is through confusion of their identity that oftentimes lead to homosexuality. But one thing is for sure—that homosexuality has many roots (excluding family). Along with the other factors that cause homosexuality, we must not also take for granted the individual. The individual’s choices also play a key part in transforming and shaping his (homosexual) identity. Majority of causes of being homosexual is rooted with family reasons. In such cases this immensely affects the behavior of the individual particularly in school. Majority of homosexuals that go to school instantly faces the burden of â€Å"coming out†. This is one of the hardest challenges that an individual must face. Since most of homosexuals that go to school are having identity crisis and fear of rejection from their peers (if ever they decided to come out), they have a very high tendency to have unusual behavior from â€Å"straight people†. Most of the time, (with the assumption that the individuals are mostly teenagers since they still go to school) these people is in high risk of suicide, substance abuse, the feeling of isolation and more importantly, school problems. Consequently, because of this kind of behavior, they (and it) inevitably affect their relationship with other people. Because they always need the feel to isolated, the tendency is that, they can be the frequent butt of jokes (especially in schools where homosexuality is not yet a very open and accepted topic) that will in turn can lead into more dangerous behaviors. Moreover, when things go uncontrollable, there is also a huge tendency for the individual to resort to many absurd and unsafe displacement methods (i. . substance abuse, committing crimes, etc). Because of the rising number of individuals (particularly young homosexuals) that is involved in this kind of situations, a great deal of number of individuals and concerned groups were established to help them. Most of these help lines offer counseling but more than that, they also make sure that the individual can pursue his/her way to full acceptance and if worse comes to worse, to their recovery. Before the advent of DNA technology, psychologists and sociologists believe that the cause of homosexuality is influenced by the environment of the individual; but with DNA testing, they were able to pinpoint that somehow, genes has something to do with it. But more importantly, we cannot deny the fact that from the beginning, there were only male and female; but as time pass, some strong environmental factors can bend the reality of life that even Nature herself find it hard to turn back (or at least minimize the bad consequences) time.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Causes And Effects Of Delay In Malaysian Construction Construction Essay

Causes And Effects Of Delay In Malaysian Construction Construction Essay In the construction industry, projects can be delayed among large number of causes. There are different type and categories of delays found on construction Projects. Delay has major effect on completion cost and time of construction Project. Delays can be minimized if they were identifying causes. Knowing the cause of any particular delay in a construction project would help avoiding the same. Even though with different types of studies have been carried out to identify the factors influence the causes of delays, since the problems are quite related to the studies need to focus on specific geographical area, or region in Malaysia. A major appreciation of the Malaysia construction industry is due to the growing rate of delays in project delivery. In Malaysia most public work projects, including any construction projects under government authority or under privacy are awarded on a competitive basis using the traditional approach. The consultants and contractors are engaged in separate contracts. The contractors commonly would be involved until the whole project have been completed 1.3 Aim and objective of study 1.3.1 Aim To investigate delays pertaining in construction projects in Malaysia 1.3.2 Objective To identify the major causes of delays in construction project; To identify the effects of delays in construction project; and To identify the methods of minimizing construction delays. 1.4 Background of the study Construction delay is major problems frequent occur in the construction industry. Delays adversely impact on project stakeholders including owners, design professionals, construction professionals, purchaser and others. The main objectives of construction projects are cost, time, quality and safety numerous According to Assaf, et al. (1995) mentioned the most important causes in large building construction projects in Saudi Arabia which included approval of shop drawings, delays in payment to contractors and the resulting cash problems during construction, design changes, conflict in work schedules of subcontractors, slow decision making and executive bureaucracy in owners organizations, design errors, labor shortage and inadequate labor skill. Refer to causes of delay in Saudi Arabia, the major parties to lead the delay happen which include client and contractor. Because of client always change the design of building. Besides that, late responds and poor project management team and also delay pay month payment to the contractor by client. On the other hand, contactor due to not enough worker during work progress and some argument with sub-contractor. According to Ogunlana, et al. (1996) studied the delays in building project in Thailand, as an example of problem faced by the developing economies. They concluded that the problems of the construction industry in developing economies can be nested in three layers: problem of shortages or inadequacies in industry infrastructure, mainly supply of resources; problems caused by clients and consultants; and problems caused by incompetence of contractors. Construction in Thailand because some parties fault due to project delay such as contractor consultant and. During construction stage the client because of changing certain part of design and lack of experience could not solve the problem immediately. Besides client, designer is one of the parties because of own fault which is give unclear drawing to the contractor due to lack in experience. On the hand, the other parties which is contractor because of facing in poor management team, improper planning and scheduling and also inadequacy o f site inspection. According to Chan and Kumaraswamy (1996) surveyed and classified the causes of construction delays in Hongkong as seen by clients, contractor and consultants, and examined the factors affecting productivity. The results of their research indicate that the five principal and common causes of delays are: poor site management and supervision; unforeseen ground condition; low speed of decision making involving all projects team; client initiated variations; and necessary variation of works. Construction delay in Hongkong, the parties related to delay project include client, consultants, contractor and some relevant party. Factor to related delay by client such as client frequent delay make payment to contractor and also suffer in financial problem. Besides client, designer because of lack of experience always make mistake in drawing and late process design document. On the other hand, factor to cause contractor delay project which include lack of experience in project team and also poor site management and supervisions. Other than that, material is also one of the causes. During construction stages, material shortage and material changes to cause project delay. Identified the effects of delays in construction projects have been undertaken by some researchers. According to AIbinu and Jagboro (2002),identified the six effects of delays were time overrun, cost overrun, dispute, arbitration, total abandonment, and litigation. The results of their studied about the effects of construction delays on project delivery in Nigerian construction industry, shows time overrun and cost overrun were the frequent effects of delays in construction projects. In construction industry, the effect of project delay because of time and cost overrun. In this situation, some of the faults parties need to take responsibility to pay the loss and expense to those parties suffer in damage. Several studies have been studied and recommended the methods of minimizing delays in construction projects. Nguyen, et al (2004), identified five critical success factors could be applied to reduce the effects of delays includes: competent project manager; adequate funding until project completion; multidisciplinary/competent project team; commitment to projects; and availability of resources. To minimizing the project delay during the construction stage, first of all a client needs to hire an experience project manager. Once the problem of delay happen, the project manager can solve immediately. Besides that, the project team member should communicate with other team member. Aibinu and Jagboro (2002) in their study also identified two methods to reduce or if possible eliminate time overrun were acceleration of site activities, and contingency allowance. The contractor must take full responsibility during work progress. Once contractor found out actual work progress are not similar with estimate and he must take some action to avoid the project delay such as involve some additional worker. According to Odeh and Battaineh (2002) recommended four methods includes: developing human resources in the construction industry through proper training and classification of craftsman; adopting a new approach to contract award procedure by giving less weight to prices and more weight to the capabilities and past performance of contractors; and adopting new approaches to contracting, such as design-build and construction management (CM) type of contracts. 1.5 Scope of the Study The scope of the research will focus on literature review and a questionnaire. Projects investigate in this research included school building, church, office, hospital, communication facilities and etc. The survey will conduct in Malaysia. The questionnaire survey will design based on factors identify from literature review that contributed to causes of delays, effects of delays and methods to minimize delays. A questionnaire will developed to assess the perceptions of contractors and consultants of the relative importance of the causes and the effects of construction delays. The developed survey questionnaire will distributed to the target respondent in Malaysia. 1.6 Outline methodology Stage 1: Literature review The review of literature has provided useful information based on the causes, effects, reactions and possible solution related to the issues delay project in construction industries. Stage 2: Pilot study Data collection will take the form of a structured postal questionnaire. However, an initial pilot study will be conducted to test the validity of the questionnaire through in-depth interviews with three contract manager. Stage 3: Main survey questionnaire and questionnaire go through with interview. The feedback from the pilot study should assist in finalizing the questionnaire and prepare the ground for main survey. The questions with centre around the areas mentioned in the above objectives. In order to obtain a high level of response, a multi-option format will be designed and limited to about 30 question and 10 questions which are go through with interview. Open questions are considered to be inappropriate as they would required the respondents to formulate an answer which needs lengthier input and will therefore be more difficult to analyze. Stage 4: Analyzing the postal and interview questionnaire This stage is analysis of the questionnaire to determine the level of agreement or disagreement by the respondents to each question within the questionnaire by counting the number of respondents who answer favorably or unfavorably. Besides that, analyze the questions which is done by interview to determine how the contractor to solve the delaying problem of project. Stage 5: Writing the research report The stage involves writing up the content of the dissertation and should cover the chapter proposed in the following section. Proposed contents Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Literature review Chapter 3 Research design and method of analysis Chapter 4: Analysis of the result and discussion Chapter 5: Conclusion and future study evidence

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Gay Science,by Friedrich Nietzsche :: The Gay Science, Friedrich Nietzsche

1) Nietzsche could have written The Gay Science differently. What justifies the style of composition he chose? More importantly, is his style of writing effective? What relation do you see between the style of his writing and the content of thought it expresses? Nietzsche's style of writing was a deliberate stylistic choice meant to hide the meaning of his work and philosophy from those who would not be able to understand it, and through there misunderstanding would abuse it. This writing style was also meant to help support and give meaning to Nietzsche's arguments on the nature of language and how language is, at its root a metaphor describing an object that is disconnected from us. Nietzsche's work broke down language to its metaphorical roots and explored the nature of how our language is disconnected from the objective reality around us. Nietzsche uses the metaphorical roots of our language to show that words and language our fundamentally disconnected because of the subjective nature of language. Nietzsche shows these metaphorical roots by showing how simple words and phrases that we use in our everyday life are really disconnected or at least removed by the barrier of language. Language is a serious of metaphor's all describing ho w an object subjectively appears to the individual. No language can describe what it is like to "be" that object, nor properly describe what it is that makes the object what it is. All language can do is provide a vehicle through which man can communicate what he is subjectively experiencing and relate it via a metaphor to another individual who will only get a idea of what is being described rather than an actual concrete description. 2) In sections 124, 343, and 377, Nietzsche claims that, following the death of God, human beings find themselves "in the horizon of the infinite," on the "open sea," and "homeless." What are the consequences of the death of God? With reference to section 347, discuss the ambiguity of this new found freedom. How might it terrify some people and empower others? The consequences for the death of god are far reaching and and many in Nietzsche's work. Christianity sparked the death of God as most of us know him through the actions of Martin Luther. Luther's desire to give the common man the ability to understand and read the bible brought a end to the churches monopoly on morality and brought the "divine" to the common man making the common man "divine".

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Cfa Level1 Note – Ethics and Professional Standards

Ethical and Professional Standards 1. : Code of Ethics A. : State the four components of the Code of Ethics. Members of AIMR shall: 1. Act with integrity, competence, dignity, and in an ethical manner when dealing with the public, clients, prospects, employers, employees, and fellow members. 2. Practice and encourage others to practice in a professional and ethical manner that will reflect credit on members and their profession. 3. Strive to maintain and improve their competence and the competence of others in the profession. . Use reasonable care and exercise independent professional judgment. to launch Standards of Practice 2-I. : Standards of Professional Conduct: I. Fundamental Responsibilities A. : Know the laws and rules. Standard: Maintain knowledge of and comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations (including AIMR’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct) of any government, government agency, regulatory organization, licensing agency, or profe ssional association governing the members’ professional activities.Compliance: Members can acquire and maintain knowledge about applicable laws, rules, and regulations by: †¢ Maintaining current files on applicable statutes, rules, and regulations. †¢ Keeping informed. †¢ Reviewing written compliance procedures on a regular basis. B. : Don't break or help others break the law. Standard: Not knowingly participate or assist in any violation of such laws, rules, or regulations. Compliance: When members suspect a client or a colleague of planning or engaging in ongoing illegal activities, members should take the following actions: †¢ Consult counsel to determine if the conduct is, in fact, illegal. Disassociate from any illegal or unethical activity. When members have reasonable grounds to believe that a client’s or employee’s activities are illegal or unethical, the members should dissociate from these activities and urge their firm to attempt t o persuade the perpetrator to cease such activity. 2-II. : Standards of Professional Conduct: II. Relationships with and Responsibilities to the Profession A. : Use of Professional Designation II(A. 1) AIMR members may reference their membership only in a dignified and judicious manner.The use of the reference may be accompanied by an accurate explanation of the requirements that have been met to obtain membership in these organizations. II(A. 2) Those who have earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst designation may use the marks â€Å"Chartered Financial Analyst† or â€Å"CFA† and are encouraged to do so, but only in a proper, dignified, and judicious manner. The use of the designation may be accompanied by an accurate explanation of the requirements that have been met to obtain the right to use the designation. II(A. ) Candidates in the CFA Program, as defined in the AIMR Bylaws, may reference their participation in the CFA Program, but the reference must clearly state that an individual is a candidate in the CFA Program and cannot imply that the candidate has achieved any type of partial designation. B. : Professional Misconduct II(B. 1) Members shall not engage in any professional conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation or commit any act that reflects adversely on their honesty, trustworthiness, or professional competence.II(B. 2) Members and candidates shall not engage in any conduct or commit any act that compromises the integrity of the CFA designation or the integrity or validity of the examinations leading to the award of the right to use the CFA designation. Compliance: 1. Make clear that dishonest personal behavior reflects poorly on the profession. 2. Adopt a code of ethics to which every employee must subscribe. 3. Conduct background checks on potential employees to ensure that they are of good character and eligible to work in the investment industry.C. : Prohibition against Plagiarism Stand ard: Members shall not copy or use, in substantially the same form as the original, material prepared by another without acknowledging and identifying the name of the author, publisher, or source of such material. Members may use, without acknowledgment, factual information published by recognized financial and statistical reporting services or similar sources. ? ? Compliance: 1. Maintain copies of materials that were relied on in preparing the research report. 2.Attribute quotations (and projections, tables, statistics, models, and methodologies) used other than recognized financial and statistical reporting services. 3. Attribute paraphrases and summaries of material prepared by others. 2-III. : Standards of Professional Conduct: III. Relationships and Responsibilities to the Employer A. : Inform your Employer of the Code and Standards III(A. 1) Members shall inform their employer in writing, through their direct supervisor, that they are obligated to comply with the Code and Stan dards and are subject to disciplinary sanctions for violations thereof.III(A. 2) Members shall deliver a copy of the Code and Standards to their employer if the employer does not have a copy. Compliance: Members should notify their supervisor in writing of the Code and Standards and the member’s responsibility to follow them. The member should also suggest that the employers adopt the Code and Standards and disseminate it throughout the firm. If the employer has publicly acknowledged, in writing, that they have adopted AIMR’s Code and Standards as part of the firm’s policies then the member need not give the formal written notification as required by III(A).B. : Duty to Employer Standard: Members shall not undertake any independent practice that could result in compensation or other benefit in competition with their employer unless they obtain written consent from both their employer and the persons or entities for whom they undertake independent practice. ? ? C ompliance: 1. Members who plan to engage in independent practice for compensation should provide written statements to their employer describing the types of services they will perform, the expected duration of the services, and the compensation they will receive. . Members should also disclose to their prospective clients the identity of their employer, the fact that they are performing independently of the employer, and what their employer would charge for similar services. 3. Members seeking new employment should not contact existing clients or potential clients prior to leaving their employer or take records/files to their new employer without the written permission of the previous employer. C. Disclose Conflicts between you and your Employer III(C. 1): Members shall disclose to their employer all matters, including beneficial ownership of securities or other investments, that reasonably could be expected to interfere with their duty to their employer or ability to make unbiased and objective recommendations. III(C. 2): Members shall comply with any prohibitions on activities imposed by their employer if a conflict of interest exists.Compliance: Members should report to their employers any beneficial interest and any special relationships, like corporate directorships, that may reasonably be considered a conflict of interest with their responsibilities. Members should also discuss the situation with their firm’s compliance officer before taking any action that could lead to a conflict of interest. D. : Disclose Additional Compensation from Outside the Firm to your Employer Standard: Members shall disclose to their employer in writing all monetary ompensation or other benefits that they receive for their services that are in addition to compensation or benefits conferred by a member’s employer. Compliance: Members should make an immediate written report to their employer specifying any compensation or benefits they receive or propose to receiv e for services in addition to what their employer is to give them. This written report should state the terms of any oral or written agreement, the amount of compensation, and the duration of the agreement. E. : Responsibilities of SupervisorsStandard: Members with supervisory responsibilities, authority, or the ability to influence the conduct of others shall exercise reasonable supervision over those subject to their supervision or authority to prevent any violation of applicable statutes, regulation, or provisions of the Code and Standards. In so doing, members are entitled to rely on reasonable procedures designed to detect and prevent such violations. ? ? Compliance: The supervisor and the compliance officer should: 1. Disseminate the compliance procedures. 2. Update the procedures as necessary. 3. Educate the staff and issue periodic reminders. . Incorporate a professional conduct evaluation into the employee’s performance review. 5. Review employee actions to ensure co mpliance and identify violators, initiating procedures once a violation has occurred. A supervisor should respond promptly to the violation by conducting a thorough investigation, and placing limitations on the wrongdoer until the investigation is complete. 2-IV. : Standards of Professional Conduct: IV. Relationships with and Responsibilities to Clients and Prospects A. : The Investment Process IV(A. 1) Reasonable Basis and Representations. Members shall: a.Exercise diligence and thoroughness in making investment recommendations or in taking investment actions. b. Have a reasonable and adequate basis, supported by appropriate research and investigation, for such recommendations or actions. c. Make reasonable and diligent efforts to avoid any material misrepresentation in any research report or investment recommendation. d. Maintain appropriate records to support the reasonableness of such recommendations or actions. Compliance: 1. Analyze the investment’s basic characteristic s (records must show the characteristics of the investment and the basis for the recommendation). . Analyze the needs of the portfolio (includes the client’s needs, as well as the needs of the total portfolio). 3. Maintain files to support investment recommendations. [pic] IV(A. 2) Research Reports. Members shall: a. Use reasonable judgment regarding the inclusion or exclusion of relevant factors in research reports. b. Distinguish between facts and opinions in research reports. c. Indicate the basic characteristics of the investment involved when preparing for public distribution a research report that is not directly related to a specific portfolio or client.Compliance: Members should consider including the following information in research reports: 1. Expected annual rates of return, calculated on a total return basis. 2. Annual income expectations. 3. Current rate of return or yield. 4. The degree of uncertainty associated with the cash flows, and other risk factors. 5. T he investment’s marketability or liquidity. [pic] IV(A. 3) Independence and Objectivity. Members shall use reasonable care and judgment to achieve and maintain independence and objectivity in making investment recommendations or taking investment actions. Compliance: 1. Protect integrity of opinions.Reports should reflect the analyst’s unbiased opinion. 2. Disclose all corporate relationships (i. e. , directorships, underwriting arrangements or acting as a market maker). 3. Disclose personal holdings and beneficial ownerships. 4. Create a restricted list. 5. Restrict special cost arrangements. Members should pay for their commercial transportation and hotel charges. 6. Limit gifts (US$100 is the maximum acceptable value for a gift or gratuity). 7. Restrict investments (strict limits should be imposed on private placements). 8. Review procedures (supervise the personal investment activities of the employees).B. : Interactions with Clients and Prospects IV(B. 1) Fiduciar y Duties: In relationships with clients, members shall use particular care in determining applicable fiduciary duty and shall comply with such duty as to those persons and interests to whom the duty is owed. Members must act for the benefit of their clients and place their clients' interests before their own. Compliance: 1. Follow all applicable rules and laws. 2. Establish the investment objectives of the client. 3. Diversify. 4. Deal fairly with all clients with respect to investment actions. 5. Disclose all possible conflicts of interest. . Disclose compensation arrangements. 7. Preserve the confidentiality of client information. 8. Maintain loyalty to the plan beneficiaries. [pic] IV(B. 2) Portfolio Investment Recommendations and Actions: Members shall: a. Make a reasonable inquiry into a client's financial situation, investment experience, and investment objectives prior to making any investment recommendations and shall update this information as necessary, but no less frequen tly than annually, to allow the members to adjust their investment recommendations to reflect changed circumstances. b.Consider the appropriateness and suitability of investment recommendations or actions for each portfolio or client (including the needs and circumstances of the portfolio or client, the basic characteristics of the investment involved, and the basic characteristics of the total portfolio). c. Distinguish between facts and opinions in presenting recommendations. d. Disclose to clients and prospects the basic format and general principles of the investment processes by which securities are selected and portfolios are constructed and shall promptly disclose to clients and prospects any changes that might significantly affect those processes.Compliance: Know basic nature of your client; know objectives and constraints. [pic] IV(B. 3) Fair Dealing: Members shall deal fairly and objectively with all clients and prospects when disseminating investment recommendations, diss eminating material changes in prior investment recommendations, and taking investment action. Compliance: 1. Limit the number of people privy to recommendations and changes. 2. Shorten the time frame between initiation and dissemination. 3. Publish personnel guidelines for pre-dissemination. 4. Simultaneous dissemination. 5. Establish rules about employee trading activities. . Establish procedures for determining material changes. 7. Maintain a list of clients and their holdings. 8. Develop trade allocation procedures. 9. Make sure one account is not being used to bail out other accounts. 10. If the firm offers differing levels of service, this fact should be disclosed to all clients. [pic] IV(B. 4) Priority of Transactions: Clients and employers shall have priority over transactions in securities or other investments of which a member is the beneficial owner so that such personal transactions do not operate adversely to their clients' or employer's interests.If members make a recom mendation regarding the purchase or sale of a security or other investment, they shall give their clients and employer adequate opportunity to act on the recommendation before acting on their own behalf. Compliance: 1. Define personal transactions. 2. Define covered investments. 3. Limit the number of access persons. â€Å"Fire Walls† should be built to prevent the flow of information from one group or department to other groups within the firm. 4. Define prohibited transactions. The text specifically mentions equity based IPOs. . Establish reporting procedures and prior-clearance requirements. 6. Ensure that procedures will be enforced and establish disciplinary procedures. [pic] IV(B. 5) Preservation of Confidentiality: Members shall preserve the confidentiality of information communicated by clients, prospects, or employers concerning matters within the scope of the client-member, prospect-member, or employer-member relationship unless the member receives information conce rning illegal activities on the part of the client, prospect, or employer.Compliance: The simplest and most effective way to comply is to avoid discussing any information received from a client except to colleagues working on the same project. [pic] IV(B. 6) Prohibition against Misrepresentation: Members shall not make any statements, orally or in writing that misrepresent: a. the services that they or their firms are capable of performing. b. their qualifications or the qualifications of their firm. c. the member's academic or professional credentials.Members shall not make or imply, orally or in writing, any assurances or guarantees regarding any investment except to communicate accurate information regarding the terms of the investment instrument and the issuer's obligations under the instrument. Compliance: Firms can provide guidance to employees who make written or oral presentations to clients or prospects by providing a written list of the firm’s available services and a description of the firm’s qualifications. [pic] IV(B. ) Disclosure of Conflicts to Clients and Prospects: Members shall disclose to their clients and prospects all matters, including beneficial ownership of securities or other investments, that reasonably could be expected to impair the member's ability to make unbiased and objective recommendations. Compliance: Members should report to their employers, clients, and prospects any material beneficial interest they may have in securities, corporate directorships, or other special relationships they may have with the companies they are recommending.Members should make the disclosures before they make any recommendations or take any investment actions regarding these investments. [pic] IV(B. 8) Disclosure of Referral Fees: Members shall disclose to clients and prospects any consideration or benefit received by the member or delivered to others for the recommendation of any services to the client or prospect. Compliance: 1. Dis close all agreements in writing to any client or prospect who has been referred. 2. Describe in the disclosure the nature of the consideration and the estimated dollar value of the consideration. . Consult a supervisor and legal counsel concerning any prospective arrangement regarding referral fees. 2-V. : Standards of Professional Conduct: V. Relationships with and Responsibilities to the Investing Public A. : Prohibition against Use of Material Nonpublic Information Standard: Members who possess material nonpublic information related to the value of a security shall not trade or cause others to trade in that security if such trading would breach a duty or if the information was misappropriated or relates to a tender offer.If members receive material nonpublic information in confidence, they shall not breach that confidence by trading or causing others to trade in securities to which such information relates. Members shall make reasonable efforts to achieve public dissemination of material nonpublic information disclosed in breach of a duty. Compliance: Fire walls, minimum elements are: 1. Control over interdepartmental communications. 2. Review employee trading against restricted lists. 3. Restrict proprietary trading while the firm is in possession of material nonpublic information.Additional procedures: 1. Restrict personal and proprietary employee trading. 2. Place securities on a restricted list when the firm has material nonpublic information. 3. Disseminate material nonpublic information only to those with a need to know. 4. Designate a supervisor who decides when trading is appropriate. B. : Performance presentation Standard: 1. Members shall not make any statements, orally or in writing, that misrepresent the investment performance that they or their firms have accomplished or can reasonably be expected to achieve. 2.If members communicate individual or firm performance information directly or indirectly to clients or prospective clients, or in a man ner intended to be received by clients or prospective clients, members shall make every reasonable effort to assure that such performance information is a fair, accurate, and complete presentation of such performance. Compliance: Misrepresentation about the investment performance of the firm can be avoided if the member maintains data about the firm’s investment performance in written form. Investment accounts should be combined into composites by investment class and risk groups. : Standards of Practice Handbook a: Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the Standards of Professional Conduct by recognizing and applying the Standards to specific situations. This is an application of many different ethics concepts to different scenarios. After having learned the ethics material in earlier learning outcomes you will be able to apply these concepts to various scenarios as you take the quizzes. b: Distinguish between conduct that conforms to the Code and the Standards and conduct tha t violates the Code and the Standards.This requires looking at different scenarios and possibly applying several ethics concepts to each scenario. After you learn and understand the ethics concepts you will be able to apply them to specific situations through the quizzes. 4: AIMR Performance Presentation Standards Handbook a: Explain the goals of the AIMR-PPS Standards. The Standards have been designed to meet the following goals: †¢ To achieve greater uniformity and comparability among performance presentations. †¢ To improve the service offered to investment management clients. †¢ To enhance the professionalism of the industry. To bolster the notion of self-regulation. Note: The Presentation Standards are intended primarily to be performance presentation standards, not performance measurement standards. Portions of the AIMR-PPS are required while some are recommended. AIMR strongly encourages the adoption of both required and recommended components of the Standards. Also, performance presentations may have to provide more than the minimum requirements of the AIMR-PPS to meet the full intent of the Standards. b: Identify the parties affected by the AIMR-PPS standards. Firms. The PPS Standards are voluntary. The PPS are widely recognized as fair and accurate reporting guidelines for investment performance. †¢ AIMR Members, CFA Charterholders, and CFA Candidates. The PPS are not explicitly incorporated into the AIMR Code and Standards of Professional Conduct. The PPS does, however, help insure that members, charterholders and candidates are in compliance with Standard V(B), Performance Presentation, so that they will make no material misrepresentation of their performance results. †¢ Prospective and Current Clients.The PPS helps clients compare investment performance across firms. The PPS helps clients evaluate their investment manager’s performance. c: Identify the four main topics of the AIMR-PPS standards (i. e. , creation and maintenance of composites, calculation of returns, presentation of results, and disclosures). †¢ Creation and maintenance of composites. A composite is a set of portfolios that follow the same investment style. †¢ Calculation of returns. †¢ Presentation of results. †¢ Disclosures. d: Identify what constitutes a valid claim of compliance with the AIMR-PPS standards.To claim compliance, firms must meet all composite, calculation, presentation, and disclosure requirements. Adherence to the basic requirements, however, does not guarantee fair and adequate performance reporting. Compliance with the standards also requires adherence to all applicable laws and regulations. If the firm has made every reasonable effort to ensure that their performance presentation is in compliance with the PPS, the firm can use the following legend:? XYZ Firm has prepared and presented this report in compliance with the Performance Presentation Standards of the Association for Investment Management and Research.AIMR has not been involved with the preparation or review of this report. †¢ Any use of the mark â€Å"AIMR† except as shown above is prohibited. †¢ If results are not in full compliance, performance cannot be presented as: Being in compliance with the AIMR-PPS except for †¦ †¢ Statements referring to the calculation methodology used in a presentation as being in accordance or compliance with AIMR-PPS standards are prohibited. †¢ AIMR members who misuse the term AIMR, AIMR-PPS standards, or the Compliance Statement are subject to disciplinary sanctions under Standard V(B).

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Filippo Marinettis Futurist Manifesto

Filippo Marinettis Futurist Manifesto Every time art movements replace each other, a new, â€Å"fresh† tendency rebuts and refutes the old one with enthusiasm and categoricity. However, there is hardly any movement in the history of art that demonstrated as strong aspiration for destroying the â€Å"old† and bring the â€Å"new† as Futurism.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Filippo Marinetti’s Futurist Manifesto specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Having emerged in the early 20th century, Futurism absorbed the tense and contradictive spirit hovering in the air of progressive Western European capitals. One of the first artistic personalities who managed to grasp this spirit was Filippo Tommaso Emilio Marinetti, an Italian poet who is today considered one of the â€Å"fathers† of Futurism. In his Futurist Manifesto published in 1909 in Paris (Marinetti 1909), Marinetti formulated the essence and the purpose of the Futurist mo vement and thus outlined the â€Å"ethical code† of a New Artist, a Futurist. Playing on the contrast of new and old, courage and cowardice, a human and nature, freedom and captivity, Marinetti not only expressed the spirit of his epoch, but also gave direction to it. The contrast of â€Å"old† and â€Å"new† is the core of the Futurist movement. The term â€Å"Futurism† itself carries a certain paradox: on the one hand, its name includes the allusion to the future; on the other hand, this term was used in the beginning of the 20th century to denote not the art of the â€Å"future†, but the art of â€Å"today†. Probably, this paradox was the issue that pleased Futurist poets and artists of that time who had opportunity to claim that they had overthrown the past and overstepped the present. We may notice this when familiarizing ourselves with numerous works of visual art, cinema, literature, music and architecture of that period. Futurists do not mourn over the glory of antiquity or Renaissance; they look at the world around them with excitement: cars, airplanes, huge buildings constructed of concrete and glass become the objects of panegyric and poetical description. Thus, together with the contrast â€Å"old/new†, Futurists create the contrast of â€Å"human† and â€Å"nature† where a human is in the superior position. Instead of admiring the scenery with a bird flying in the sky, a human of the new epoch soars with his metal wings. This message and this rhetoric take their origin in Futurist Manifesto. â€Å"Why should we look back, when what we want is to break down the mysterious doors of the Impossible: Time and Space died yesterday†, says Marinetti (1909), and a reader may even imagine the passion and enthusiasm put by the author in his words.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Marinetti outlines the new notion of beauty that has come to replace its old â€Å"version†, â€Å"†¦the world’s magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed† (ibid.); he says, it is time to free Italy from the heritage of the past that burdens it, from those â€Å"professors, archaeologists, ciceroni and antiquarians† (ibid.). Marinetti is against stagnation, stability and tradition, but for a breakthrough, experiment and innovation. Thus, a modern person cannot enjoy the beauty â€Å"preserved† in museums; the beauty of a â€Å"roaring car† is more comprehensive and dear to a human of the beginning of the 20th century. This is what we can see in the Futurists’ paintings: experiments with textures, techniques and shapes help to express the spirit of the time and thus help the â€Å"new† overthrow the â€Å"old† and â€Å"ascend the throne†. Painters try to depict speed and energy, l ight and sound; composition seems not harmonious and well-balanced, but unsteady, disturbing. Particularly, we may allude to the paintings by Umberto Boccioni, Marinetti’s compatriot and â€Å"confederate† in the artistic movement. Boccioni’s The Street Enters the House (1911) is the bright illustration for the statements of Marinetti’s Futurist Manifesto: the author depicts speed, energy and noise my means of colors, composition and numerous details, blurring and overlapping. Futurist poets tend to experiment with a word, a sound, a sentence. Their desire is to break the rules that exist in the traditional, â€Å"ordinary† language. Below, the fragment of Marinetti’s poem Aeropoem for Agello: 700 Km an Hour (1939) illustrates these tendencies (in Bohn 2005, 14): Suddenly far from the earthly feminine tic-toc Agello Castoldi and I gulp down the beautiful misty lake at 200-300 metres triumphantly joining those illustrious fliers who have flow n 700 kilometres an hour Uuuaaaa Uuuuaaaaa Uuaaaaaaaa However, in Futurist Manifest, the notion of the new beauty is inseparable from the notion of struggle, â€Å"Except in struggle, there is no more beauty† (ibid.).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Filippo Marinetti’s Futurist Manifesto specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Marinetti operates one more contrast: â€Å"freedom† versus â€Å"slavery†; freedom should be brought to the society, which implies to overcome â€Å"every opportunistic or utilitarian cowardice† (ibid.), and to art where the museums, libraries and other â€Å"vestiges of the past† should be destroyed (ibid.). To free the society from the state of sleep and constraint, Futurists need to come with courage and violence. â€Å"Art, in fact, can be nothing but violence, cruelty, and injustice†, say Marinetti (ibid.). This spirit was impregnated Futurist wo rks of literature and art. The above mentioned painting by Boccioni â€Å"radiates† the energy of riot, anxiety, violence, penetration and destruction. In Luigi Russolo’s paintings, we may also see violence and aggression (for example, Impressions of Bombardment (Shrapnels and Grenades), 1926). Not accidentally, Futurism is to some extent considered one of the forerunners of Fascism. Promotion of changes brought by means of destruction and violence is neighboring with nationalism. Yet in Futurist Manifesto, we see the nationalistic tint in the author’s narration, â€Å"It is from Italy that we launch through the world this violently upsetting incendiary manifesto of ours†¦ For too long has Italy been a dealer in second-hand clothes† (Marinetti, 1909). Thus, besides seeing Futurism as a solid, integrated movement in art, we also may notice its connection with the tendencies that existed in politics and society of that time. The ideas declared in Futur ist Manifesto found their development during the next decades and had crucial impact on the history of the mankind. We see one more illustration of how art and the real life are always connected. References Boccioni, Umberto. The Street Enters the House. 1911. Sprengel-Museum, Hannover. Bohn, Willard. 2005. Italian Futurist Poetry: Edited and Translated by Willard Bohn. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Marinetti, Filippo T. 1909. Futurist Manifesto. Le Figaro 20 February 1909. CSCS.Umich.Edu. Web.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Russolo, Luigi. Impressions of Bombardment (Shrapnels and Grenades). 1926. Collection of the Comune di Portogruaro.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Quoting Out of Context Fallacy (Changing Meaning)

Quoting Out of Context Fallacy (Changing Meaning) The fallacy of quoting something out of context is often included in the Fallacy of Accent, and it is true that there are strong parallels. However, Aristotles original Fallacy of Accent referred solely to shifting the accent on syllables within words, and it is already stretched in modern discussions of fallacies to include shifting the accent between words within a sentence. To expand it further to include shifting emphasis on entire passages is, perhaps, going a bit far. For that reason, the concept of quoting out of context gets its own section. What does it mean to quote someone out of context? After all, every quotation necessarily excludes large sections of the original material and is thus an out of context quotation. What makes this a fallacy is to take a selective quotation which distorts, alters, or even reverses the originally intended meaning. This can be done accidentally or deliberately. Examples and Discussion Quoting out of Context A good example is already hinted at in the discussion of the Fallacy of Accent: irony. A statement meant ironically can be taken wrong when in written form because much irony is communicated through the emphasis when spoken. Sometimes, however, that irony is communicated more clearly through the addition of more material. For example: 1. This has been the best play Ive seen all year! Of course, it is the only play Ive seen all year.2. This was a fantastic movie, as long as you arent looking for plot or character development. In both of these reviews, you start out with an ironic observation which is followed by an explanation which communicates that the foregoing was meant to be taken ironically rather than literally. This can be a dangerous tactic for reviewers to employ because unscrupulous promoters can do this: 3. John Smith calls this the best play Ive seen all year!4. ...a fantastic movie... - Sandy Jones, Daily Herald. In both cases, a passage of the original material has been taken out of context and thereby given a meaning that is exactly the opposite of what was intended. Because these passages are being used in the implicit argument that others should come see the play or movie, they qualify as fallacies, in addition to just being unethical. What you see above is also part of another fallacy, the Appeal to Authority, which attempts to convince you of the truth of the proposition by appealing to the opinion of some authority figure - usually, though, it appeals to their actual opinion rather than a distorted version of it. It is not uncommon for the Quoting Out Of Context fallacy to be combined with an Appeal to Authority, and it is frequently found in creationist arguments. For example, here is a passage from Charles Darwin, often quoted by creationists: 5. Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely-graduated organic chain; and this, perhaps, is the most obvious and serious objection which can be urged against the theory. The Origin of Species (1859), Chapter 10 Obviously, the implication here is that Darwin doubted his own theory and had encountered a problem he could not solve. But lets look at the quote in the context of the two sentences following it: 6. Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely-graduated organic chain; and this, perhaps, is the most obvious and serious objection which can be urged against the theory.The explanation lies, as I believe, in the extreme imperfection of the geological record. In the first place, it should always be borne in mind what sort of intermediate forms must, on the theory, have formerly existed... It is now obvious that instead of raising doubts, Darwin was simply using a rhetorical device to introduce his own explanations. The exact same tactic has been used with quotations from Darwin about the development of the eye. Of course, such methods are not limited to just creationists. Here is a quote from Thomas Henry Huxley used on alt.atheism by Rooster, a.k.a Skeptic: 7. This is ... all that is essential to Agnosticism. That which Agnostics deny and repudiate, as immoral, is the contrary doctrine, that there are propositions which men ought to believe, without logically satisfactory evidence; and that reprobation ought to attach to the profession of disbelief in such inadequately supported propositions.The justification of the Agnostic principle lies in the success which follows upon its application, whether in the field of natural, or in that of civil, history; and in the fact that, so far as these topics are concerned, no sane man thinks of denying its validity. The point of this quote is to try and argue that, according to Huxley, all that is essential to agnosticism is to deny that there are propositions which we should believe even though we do not have logically satisfactory evidence. However, this quote misrepresents the original passage: 8. I further say that Agnosticism is not properly described as a negative creed, nor indeed as a creed of any kind, except in so far as it expresses absolute faith in the validity of a principle, which is as much ethical as intellectual. This principle may be stated in various ways, but they all amount to this: that it is wrong for a man to say that he is certain of the objective truth of any proposition unless he can produce evidence which logically justifies that certainty.This is what Agnosticism asserts; and, in my opinion, it is all that is essential to Agnosticism. That which Agnostics deny and repudiate, as immoral, is the contrary doctrine, that there are propositions which men ought to believe, without logically satisfactory evidence; and that reprobation ought to attach to the profession of disbelief in such inadequately supported propositions.The justification of the Agnostic principle lies in the success which follows upon its application, whether in the field of natural, or in that of civil, history; and in the fact that, so far as these topics are concerned, no sane man thinks of denying its validity. [emphasis added] If you notice, the phrase it is all that is essential to Agnosticism actually refers to the preceding passage. Thus, what is essential to Huxleys agnosticism is that people should not claim to be certain of ideas when they do not have the evidence which logically justifies such certainty. The consequence of adopting this essential principle, then, leads agnostics to repudiate the idea that we ought to believe things when we lack satisfactory evidence. Combining the Out of Context Fallacy with Other Fallacies Another common way to use the fallacy of quoting out of context is to combine with a Straw Man argument. In this, someone is quoted out of context so that their position appears weaker or more extreme than it is. When this false position is refuted, the author pretends that they have refuted the real position of the original person. Of course, most of the examples above are do not by themselves qualify as arguments. But it would not be unusual to see them as premises in arguments, either explicit or implicit. When this happens, then a fallacy has been committed. Until then, all we have is simply an error.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Ritalin essays

Ritalin essays Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is a mild CNS stimulant. In medicine, Ritalin's primary use is treatment of Attention DeficitHyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The mode of action in humans is not completely understood, but Ritalin presumably activates the arousal system of the brain stem and the cortex to produce its stimulant effect. Recently, the frequency of diagnosis for ADHD has increased dramatically. More children and an increasing number of adults are being diagnosed with ADHD. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) (Bailey 1995), prescriptions for Ritalin have increased more than 600% in the past five years. Ritalin has a long history of controversy regarding side effects and potential for abuse, however it greatly Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is manufactured by CIBA-Geigy Corporation. It is supplied in 5 mg., 10 mg., and 20 mg. tablets, and in a sustained release form, Ritalin SR, in 20 mg. tablets. It is readily water soluble and is intended for oral use. It is a Schedule II Controlled Substance under both the Federal and Vermont Controlled Substance Acts. Ritalin is primarily used in the treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) (Bailey 1995). ADHD is a condition most likely based in an inefficiency and inadequacy of Dopamine and Norepinephrine hormone availability, typically occurring when a person with ADHD tries to concentrate. Ritalin improves the efficiency of the hormones Dopamine and Norepinephrine, increasing the resources for memory, focus, concentration and attention (Clark 1996). Ritalin has been used for more than 30 years to treat ADHD. Nervousness and insomnia are the most common adverse reactions reported, but are usually controlled by reducing dosage or omitting the afternoon or evening dose. Decreased appetite is also common but usually transient (Long 1996). According to Clark (1996), children, adolescents and adults diagnosed with A...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Organizational socialization mini ethnograhy Assignment

Organizational socialization mini ethnograhy - Assignment Example It is demonstrated in the ways how power and data move through its progressive system, and how bound workers are towards aggregate destinations. I am committed to working with people and helping them to solve their problems as l have a sympathetic and caring nature, as well as the ability to empathize and win the trust of people from all kinds of backgrounds. With a strong desire to be a basic ingredient in bring about a better and sustainable change, l always aspired to be a social worker. I chose â€Å"Peace Corps† for the position of â€Å"Administrative Officer†, because of its proven record of long standing service to humanity. The Peace Corps started its mission to 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy  urged university students  to work and be a source of peace by living and functioning in developing countries. With more than 200,000 workers, it is an agency administered by the federal government and aims at achieving world peace and friendship (Peace Corps). The Practical View considers organization closely linked with broader society and strives for conflict resolution by cooperation of labor and management. It is based on the notion of development of work to achieve competence, consistency and specialization with simplification. Interpretive view emphasizes on entity building as well as smooth functioning of a group and human associations in gauging productivity. The core features of the Interpretive View approach are participatory management of a distinct individual working efficiently in a group. Critical and Post Modern views are based on the concept that the organization is an adaptive system which has to adjust to changes in its environment. Critical and Post Modern views focus on developing  the  socio-technical structure,  and handling  contingency situations efficiently. It is a dynamic methodology that happens when a unique individual accepts new or changed responsibility inside an organization. The

Friday, October 18, 2019

Governance and Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Governance and Public Policy - Essay Example As good governance, there is a marriage of the new public management with liberal democracy. As a socio-cybernetic system, it refers to the interdependence of socio-political-administrative actors. And finally as a self-organizing network, it refers to networks seeking to establish their own policies and manage their environments (Rhodes, 1997). Other authors emphasize different points relating to governance. Farazmand (2004) highlights the international element of governance, including the fact that effective governance is value-laden. Lowndes and Skelcher (1998) have an actor view of governance with various elements of governance relating to the outcomes of social processes, ensuring that the means by which actors relate to each other is founded on reality. Frederickson and Smith (2003), on the other hand seeks to view governance as an attempt to understand the institutional interactions in administration. All of the definitions support the fact that governance refers to more than the actions which governments do to accomplish their tasks. Governance in other words relates to the interactions between the public sector and the society as a whole in the management of public issues and problems. Rhodes’ (1997) definitions of governance also include other kinds of relations, including hierarchical and market-style relations. Strong arguments against the narrow perspective of governance are made by Schuppert (2007) who argues that a narrow definition makes it difficult to include the generally more successful elements of governance, including hierarchical governing. As pointed out by Wolf (2007), what is more important is to consider the... This essay critically discusses the ways the word governance is used by Rhodes, mostly with reference to Judt and to various examples and conceptualizations. Initially, a discussion of concepts was established in this study, followed by a critical analysis of these concepts. Rhodes discusses how new applications of governance have emerged. He also evaluates the contributions of actors and institutions outside the central administrators to the general processes of governance. Theoretical contributions impact on conventional applications, which usually picture government to be strong and centralised executives, managing the unified state. Governance as defined and described by Rhodes refers to various elements, including transparency, accountability, new public management, good governance, socio-cybernetic applications, and self-organizing network. Other discussions on governance raised by Judt, who emphasizes the importance of adopting liberal principles of democracy in securing favou rable outcomes in governance. Governance lost its link with the traditional past, mostly because traditions have been considered backward, often holding back development for various states, including third world countries. Governance is also now based on the dynamic relations between the different political actors of the state, using resources which allow for transparency and accountability and the political actors, who include the engaged citizenry, working with the state and the governing authorities.

Investigation of the june 3, 2006, collapse of Grandview triangle Essay

Investigation of the june 3, 2006, collapse of Grandview triangle bridge in Kansas City, MO (crane accident) - Essay Example The bridge deck was manufactured of nine concrete and a thick slab. The bridge had 12 spans of different length, whereby, the central girders were held in place by bents. The bents used to hold girders in place were made up of concrete. There were 11 bents in place connecting from east to west. On the other hand, girders were situated between flanges United (States Department of Labour, 2006). The picture below indicates that the bridge was made in such way that it appears as non-disjoint beam. As part of the Grandview Triangle development plan, the Montessori Department of Transport was awarded contract to vandalize old bridge including their bents. Further, the contract involved constructing new bridges as soon as the old ones were demolished. The Track Hoe Crane Company were the manufacturer of Track hoe Crane that was involved the accident on 3rd June 2006 accident at Kansas City during demolition process of the old buildings. The track hoe crane had an approximate height was estimated to be eighty five percent above the old bridge that was being demolished. On the contrary, the crane used in this demolition was weighing approximate seventy two thousand and eight hundred pounds. In addition, the load of the hoe crane had a capacity of 18percent during the collapse of the bridge (States Department of Labour, 2006). Various factors were involved in this accident. The following are the factors involved in the accident; the location of the hoe crane, the girder, expertise of the construction engineers who were involved in the demolition of the old bridges. It can be observed that the location of the crane was an important factor that contributed to the accident. The crane was placed located at the midst of the bridges, such location and the pressure that was being employed by the cranes led to the accident as the force was not uniformly distributed. Further, the pressure of above eighteen percent above the strength of the yield was quite

Border Security and the Threat of Terrorism Essay

Border Security and the Threat of Terrorism - Essay Example Views that by effectively securing its borders, amerce will have effectively assuaged the threat of terrorism by a half is rife. This view is predicated on the knowledge that money laundering, illicit drug trade, illegal immigrants and trade in other contraband products crucially depend on border security lapses and are key to terrorist activities. Background of the Study Events that surrounded and defined September 11th, 2001 totally reshaped American foreign policies, and security measures. By and by, the US government has become cognizant of the fact that strengthening its intelligence against terrorist threats would not in itself suffice. To America, for an attack of a high magnitude such as the September 11th, 2001 to occur, there must have been security lapse in border security. The veracity of this observation is clearly seen in the fact that every one of the 19 September 11th terrorist hijackers had received temporary American tourist visas and had outmaneuvered the screening department. The gravity of the matter is also seen in the fact that the Canadian border which measures 4,855 km long, the Mexican border which measures 3,111 km long and the presence of other unsecured ports leave the US vulnerable. It is against this backdrop that, America created Homeland Security in 2002 while passing and ratifying other measures that would render the airports, seaports and land borders more secure. Methodology The data that has been used in the investigation is both qualitative and quantitative. The need to use quantitative data is underscored by the fact that terrorism and border security are phenomena that can be analyzed in numeric and non-quantified manner. The reality that underpins terrorism can be expressed in quantities and may include: the number of victims and the funds that have been used in launching terrorist onslaughts and counterterrorism activities. On the other hand, the non-quantifiable aspects of border security and the national threat of ter rorism may include; the ideological difference that bifurcates and sows discord between America and proponents if Islamist ideology and the value of human life which is too sacrosanct to allow quantification. On the other hand, this paper has factored the use of both primary and secondary data. Primary data involves information that has been compiled by authorities and responsible agencies, concerning terrorism. Conversely, secondary data, referring to data that has undergone analyses and interpretation have been used, in order to widen the scope of ideas and facts that define and characterize American border security and the threat of national security to terrorism. Literature Review Steinmetz1 observes that there are other experts and authorities such as Michael Chertoff (Homeland Security secretary) who see the issue of border security and the manner in which it can avert the threat of national security as a matter that must not go unabated. Chertoff, for instance, maintains that even with the measures that the US, through Homeland Security has put in place; there will always be attempts at evading the American border security by terrorists.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Orientalism by Edward Said Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Orientalism by Edward Said - Movie Review Example United States, Said had the unique advantage of experiencing different perspectives on the issue of Palestine-Israel conflict as well as broader Arabian politics. His works on the subject of Middle East politics are informed by his first hand experiences at these places, as well as a careful study of preceding scholarship by Western intellectuals. The primary criticism in his book Orientalism, as also seen in the documentary, is directed toward the stereotyped vision of Arabs in Western media and academia. This phenomenon, Said notes, is not something new, for its origins could be dated back to the Napoleonic conquest of Egypt in late eighteenth century. Behind the Western stereotyping of the Orient is the underlying belief that the surveyed geographies and peoples are somewhat backward and unrefined compared to Western civilization. What is also evident is the process of homogenization, whereby the vast mosaic of Oriental culture, language, social norms and religious beliefs are bracketed and abstracted into a unified whole. According to Said, â€Å"Orientalism identifies a range of strategies by which 19th and 20th century scholars, writers and artists imposed their authority on the East. The Orient was represented as a theatrical stage affixed to Europe, a place where jaded aristocrats, earnest second sons and tyrannical explorers could discover timeless truths, or perhaps unimagined erotic delights. Stereotypes of eastern wise men and exotic harems removed the colonial world from history altogether, substituting a timeless realm. Orientals are seen not as people but as problems, subjects, races†. (Burrows, 1999, p.50) But the reality is far from such constructions, as accounts of people who live in different regions of the Orient attest to. And as Said suggests in the documentary film, this set of illusions about the Middle East is not accidental or due to scholarly oversight. Said identifies a subtle difference between the stereotyping of the

Strategies to Build Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategies to Build Culture - Essay Example These factors are for instance the institution’s atmosphere, overall attitudes towards cultural diversity, culturally responsive curriculum, as well as involvement of the community (Gay, 2002). Of all the mentioned factors, the academic and personal relationship between learners and their teachers is the most influential. Gay (2002) refers to this relationship as the core relationship of learning. It incorporates the roles of students and teachers, the subject matter, as well as how these two parties interact in class. The strategy of building culture, which this paper will discuss, is building relationships among teachers and their culturally diverse students. As stated earlier, a proper relationship between teachers and culturally diverse students will enable learning to take place in the classroom. When students believe that their teachers or educators truly care about them and appreciate them as individuals, they will cooperate and work together in class (Vavrus, 2008). Su ch a situation will also assist these students to work diligently and come up with the best results with regards to their education. Building a unique culture, in a culturally diverse class, is all about approval, admiration, affirmation, not only from the educators, but also from the learners themselves. Some of the strategies, which follow below, can be help educators form a meaningful relationship among them and their students. Finding Multiple Commonalities Educators do not have, in reality, to share the students’ interests, but just know what interests them (Vavrus, 2008). Knowing what culturally diverse students enjoy or appreciate is critical when having classroom debates, conversations and forming high-interests lessons. Educators, therefore, should find as many communication channels as possible with individual students. However, at the same time, it is also essential for teachers to reveal their own interests to their students (Gay, 2002). It is essential for educat ors to remember that successful relationships or associations, in nature, are two-way streets. According to Gay (2002), students appreciate it when their educators acknowledge critical factors such as sports, clubs, hobbies, popular movies, artistic interest, as well as music, among others. A majority of the respected and appreciated teachers know or are well acquainted with the favorite band in town, students and the respective sports they love, and the latest movies (Gay, 2002). Teachers are also encouraged to attend such events with their students in order for them to feel connected. According to Vavrus (2008), such an educator will be able to know what affects their students when it comes to learning, and will enable the educator to formulate strategies, which will ease factors affecting the student. Know Your Student’s Background Knowing and identifying students’ familial along with economic background will assist teachers in building a better understanding regard ing individual attitudes and behaviors in the classroom. Individual students portray different behaviors and attitudes with respect to the families or culture they come from (Vavrus, 2008). Affluent students act differently than students raised in poverty. It is essential for educators to know as much as possible regarding their learners (Gay, 2002). Teachers will be surprised to notice how open their students will be once the teachers knows about their background. Knowing a

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Border Security and the Threat of Terrorism Essay

Border Security and the Threat of Terrorism - Essay Example Views that by effectively securing its borders, amerce will have effectively assuaged the threat of terrorism by a half is rife. This view is predicated on the knowledge that money laundering, illicit drug trade, illegal immigrants and trade in other contraband products crucially depend on border security lapses and are key to terrorist activities. Background of the Study Events that surrounded and defined September 11th, 2001 totally reshaped American foreign policies, and security measures. By and by, the US government has become cognizant of the fact that strengthening its intelligence against terrorist threats would not in itself suffice. To America, for an attack of a high magnitude such as the September 11th, 2001 to occur, there must have been security lapse in border security. The veracity of this observation is clearly seen in the fact that every one of the 19 September 11th terrorist hijackers had received temporary American tourist visas and had outmaneuvered the screening department. The gravity of the matter is also seen in the fact that the Canadian border which measures 4,855 km long, the Mexican border which measures 3,111 km long and the presence of other unsecured ports leave the US vulnerable. It is against this backdrop that, America created Homeland Security in 2002 while passing and ratifying other measures that would render the airports, seaports and land borders more secure. Methodology The data that has been used in the investigation is both qualitative and quantitative. The need to use quantitative data is underscored by the fact that terrorism and border security are phenomena that can be analyzed in numeric and non-quantified manner. The reality that underpins terrorism can be expressed in quantities and may include: the number of victims and the funds that have been used in launching terrorist onslaughts and counterterrorism activities. On the other hand, the non-quantifiable aspects of border security and the national threat of ter rorism may include; the ideological difference that bifurcates and sows discord between America and proponents if Islamist ideology and the value of human life which is too sacrosanct to allow quantification. On the other hand, this paper has factored the use of both primary and secondary data. Primary data involves information that has been compiled by authorities and responsible agencies, concerning terrorism. Conversely, secondary data, referring to data that has undergone analyses and interpretation have been used, in order to widen the scope of ideas and facts that define and characterize American border security and the threat of national security to terrorism. Literature Review Steinmetz1 observes that there are other experts and authorities such as Michael Chertoff (Homeland Security secretary) who see the issue of border security and the manner in which it can avert the threat of national security as a matter that must not go unabated. Chertoff, for instance, maintains that even with the measures that the US, through Homeland Security has put in place; there will always be attempts at evading the American border security by terrorists.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Strategies to Build Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategies to Build Culture - Essay Example These factors are for instance the institution’s atmosphere, overall attitudes towards cultural diversity, culturally responsive curriculum, as well as involvement of the community (Gay, 2002). Of all the mentioned factors, the academic and personal relationship between learners and their teachers is the most influential. Gay (2002) refers to this relationship as the core relationship of learning. It incorporates the roles of students and teachers, the subject matter, as well as how these two parties interact in class. The strategy of building culture, which this paper will discuss, is building relationships among teachers and their culturally diverse students. As stated earlier, a proper relationship between teachers and culturally diverse students will enable learning to take place in the classroom. When students believe that their teachers or educators truly care about them and appreciate them as individuals, they will cooperate and work together in class (Vavrus, 2008). Su ch a situation will also assist these students to work diligently and come up with the best results with regards to their education. Building a unique culture, in a culturally diverse class, is all about approval, admiration, affirmation, not only from the educators, but also from the learners themselves. Some of the strategies, which follow below, can be help educators form a meaningful relationship among them and their students. Finding Multiple Commonalities Educators do not have, in reality, to share the students’ interests, but just know what interests them (Vavrus, 2008). Knowing what culturally diverse students enjoy or appreciate is critical when having classroom debates, conversations and forming high-interests lessons. Educators, therefore, should find as many communication channels as possible with individual students. However, at the same time, it is also essential for teachers to reveal their own interests to their students (Gay, 2002). It is essential for educat ors to remember that successful relationships or associations, in nature, are two-way streets. According to Gay (2002), students appreciate it when their educators acknowledge critical factors such as sports, clubs, hobbies, popular movies, artistic interest, as well as music, among others. A majority of the respected and appreciated teachers know or are well acquainted with the favorite band in town, students and the respective sports they love, and the latest movies (Gay, 2002). Teachers are also encouraged to attend such events with their students in order for them to feel connected. According to Vavrus (2008), such an educator will be able to know what affects their students when it comes to learning, and will enable the educator to formulate strategies, which will ease factors affecting the student. Know Your Student’s Background Knowing and identifying students’ familial along with economic background will assist teachers in building a better understanding regard ing individual attitudes and behaviors in the classroom. Individual students portray different behaviors and attitudes with respect to the families or culture they come from (Vavrus, 2008). Affluent students act differently than students raised in poverty. It is essential for educators to know as much as possible regarding their learners (Gay, 2002). Teachers will be surprised to notice how open their students will be once the teachers knows about their background. Knowing a

Exploring Marketing with Delta Airlines as a Case Study Essay Example for Free

Exploring Marketing with Delta Airlines as a Case Study Essay Tedlow, Richard S. believes that the history of consumer product marketing in the United States can be divided into three phrases.1 The history of marketing will aid us in understanding the business world today and is thus useful in this essay to explore this in brief before embarking on studying Delta Airlines as a case study to approach the topic of marketing, in the context of the U.S Airline Industry. Phrase 1 is that of fragmentation and this is purely due to logistics reasons, rather than the result of any marketing strategy. This results in transportation of bulky goods from one region to another being relatively expensive and for a consumer product to achieve national distribution, a favorable ratio of weight and bulk to value is required. This phrase happened before the 1880s and the market size is restricted due to a lack of information, and it is characterized by a high margin and low volume. The second phrase of unification is the rise of mass marketing, with high volume and a low margin, which is the direct opposite of the first phrase of fragmentation. The development of this phrase is possible due to firstly, the development of the railroad and the telegraph and secondly, innovations in manufacturing technology. All the above innovations led to a more effective transportation and communication network that lowered the cost of mass marketing products by significant percentages. There is a rise of standardization with advances in manufacturing technology, and it is now possible to produce in great volumes and also, in small packages. Phrase Two occurred in the period 1880s to 1950s, and during this period, brand marketing and management grew in importance. Manufacturers attempt to transform the name of his product into a kind of supername Ââ€" a brand.2 The products of this phrase not only aimed at national distribution, but also strived to attract all consumers using a single brand or product, that will be regarded as ‘standardÂ’. 1 Richard S. Tedlow, The fourth phase of marketing: Marketing history and the business world today, in Tedlow, Richard S. and Jones, Geoffrey, editors, The Rise and fall of mass marketing (London ; New York : Routledge , 1993), p. 19 2 Richard S. Tedlow, New and improved : the story of mass marketing in America (New York: Basic Books, 1990), p. 14 The third phrase is that of segmentation. The innovations that led to this phrase after the 1950s is made possible by radio and television advertising. There were also major changes in America culture that influenced consumer demand. Commercial advertising through television showed that certain programs appealed to certain classes of viewers. This meant that the opportunities for segmenting markets, that is, concentrating the selling appeal on one particular group of potential customers who might be defined by their age, income, and education ( known as demographics) or by their lifestyle ( known as psychographics) were greatly enhanced. 3 There is a rise in image advertising in this phrase, for example, Coca-Cola had always been “the symbol of the standard bearer of changeless, ageless Americana”.4 Commericals were no longer about characteristics of the products, but of the people portrayed as using them, and this led to the development of the “Pepsi Generation” for example. All this saw the breakdown of the whole American mass market developed in Phrase Two to spilt into numerous product categories from necessity items to up-market consumer-durables. Segmentation also occurs at the retail level. This phrase is characterized by high volume and value pricing. The key developments of the railway, telegraph, production technologies and television advertising, are external to corporations, but yet they manage to capitalize on them and turn opportunities into profits. This is how market segmentation evolved. Marketers are sensitive to changing times and they capitalize on opportunities and turn the situation around to a positive one, in terms of fulfilling the companyÂ’s objectives. This is the second proposition put up by Tedlow, that of “entrepreneurial vision”, of which risk-takers need to make investments and turn their visions into reality. 5 3 Robert D Buzzell and Jean-Louis Lecocq, “Polaroid France (S.A.),” in Steven H. Star, Nancy J. Davis, Christopher H. Lovelock and Benson P. Shapiro, editors, Problems in Marketing, (New York:McGrawHill, 1977), pp. 191-213 4 Richard S. Tedlow, The fourth phase of marketing: Marketing history and the business world today, in Tedlow, Richard S. and Jones, Geoffrey, editors, The Rise and fall of mass marketing (London ; New York : Routledge , 1993), p. 18 5 Richard S. Tedlow, The fourth phase of marketing: Marketing history and the business world today, in Tedlow, Richard S. and Jones, Geoffrey, editors, The Rise and fall of mass marketing (London ; New York : Routledge , 1993), p. 21 Another important proposition put up by Tedlow is that of “managing change”. Consumer tastes and the external environment are constantly changing. Corporations have to be flexible and adapt quickly to the unstable environment facing them. Competition can come from other corporations in terms of either trying to beat the firstmover with the same strategy, or trying to change the rules.5 Tedlow proposes a fourth phrase of marketing and this is due to information technology. “Inventory, is the price of the lack of information; and the information revolution is lowering that price in the factory, in the distribution system, and at the point of sale.”6 This is the stage of “micromarketing”, which is hyper-segmentation, of possibly every customer as a component of a segment of one. Supply is able to increase due to information technology, but, at the same time, demand for micromarketing is increasing. Consumers are becoming more and more demanding and they expect to get what they want, thus there is a rise in customization. Consumer choices will increase and it is every marketerÂ’s hope to sell any potential customer precisely what they want and to ensure they get maximum satisfaction. It is no longer necessary to convince consumers to purchase the standardized products that the factory has made. However, disadvantages of micromarketing must be noted. The latter may result in an overflux of choices and consumers become confused, as differences diminish. There is also the problem of shelf space or that of the limitations of distribution. Scarce resource in the form of shelf space has to be allocated by the retailers, and thus products canÂ’t just keep increasing. I will now turn my attention to the U.S Airline industry, where marketing is a framework for airline decision-making. During the period 1979 to 1983, the deepest world recession created many problems in the U.S Airline industry. Among these were rapid expansion of fuel prices, which increased the operating costs of airlines. Slot restrictions caused by the walk-out of air traffic controllers in August 1981 also posted a problem. The U.S recession resulted in a general weakness in air traffic and yields. This 6 Richard S. Tedlow, The fourth phase of marketing: Marketing history and the business world today, in Tedlow, Richard S. and Jones, Geoffrey, editors, The Rise and fall of mass marketing (London ; New York : Routledge , 1993), p. 27 is an indicator that the external environment that airlines are operating in, is thoroughly unstable. Economic upturns and downturns are expected. When the Airline Deregulation Act was passed in the United States on October 1978, the airline industry is faced with overcapacity and fare wars, and it is impossible to maintain yields. But, lessons have been learnt since the last world recession for the U.S airlines. One New York analyst comments that “I have never seen an industry so well prepared for a recession.” Airlines now are sensitive to the capacity cycle and even though the industry has a number of new aircraft on the way, there are no excessive commitments for new capacity. A lot of flexibility is built into the aircraft deals and airlines have older, fully depreciated aircraft that they can either hold on to or retire, in the face of overcapacity. There are now two new weapons open to the North American majors that they did not possess in the last downturn. The first is that of the regional jet that revived the regional airline industry, and is a potential new market. The second is the low-cost airline-within-airline operations, such as Delta Express and US AirwaysÂ’ new MetroJet. The majors are able to compete with Southwest, who can ride out a recession well because of its dedication to keeping costs down and knowing its markets well.7 Delta Express, the airline-within an airline, launched in 1996, was started not only to protect the mainline carrier from increasing low-fares competition in America but also to prove to Wall Street that Delta management can be innovative and progressive as well. The Just Plane Cookies, shaped to resemble aircraft, became the signature of Delta Express. Delta Express offers lower salaries than those at the mainline, but it is launched to motivate DeltaÂ’s employees once again, after the trust factor has been broken, with the 7.5 program as an attempt to cut costs drastically during the last industry downturn. Some 65% of Delta departures from Orlando are now delta Express flights and the market is so important to Delta Express that the carrier now occupies the whole wing of a terminal at Orlando Airport. Delta Express releases the creative skills of their people and this boosts employeesÂ’ morale. Innovations are created this way as the management is able to respond immediately. The key to making Delta Express work is to define the boundaries 7 “US majors aim to break the cycle,” Airline Business, January 1999, p. 52 so that the customer differentiates between their product and that of the mainline. Delta Express operates a point-to-point service that is not part of the mainlineÂ’s network. Delta Express gains leverage from being able to offer Delta Skymiles frequent flier points. About 70% of the customer mix is leisure and Delta Express has since moved from three fares to six fares and better yield management. They introduced seasonal fares, and they constantly reassess processes to keep costs down. Keeping costs down as an airline that is a business unit of a major carrier remains a serious challenge. However, the advance seat reservation facility that Delta Express offers is a useful advantage over both MetroJet and SouthWest, but the most obvious success of Delta Express is the way it has helped revived the spirit of Delta. 8 Even though the industry remains intensely competitive now, major carriers has a route system well suited to their individual strengths, and fewer carriers are on the verge of bankruptcy, unlike the financial crisis that we saw in the 1980s and early 1990s. “All carriers are using much stronger yield management systems which allow them to offer discounts without giving away their product through ruinous price wars”, says Raymond Neidl, an analyst at ING Barrings in New York.9 The problem of ticket discounting that led to great uncertainty in airlinesÂ’ revenue forecasts as a result of deregulation, is no longer a big problem now, as a result of stronger yield management systems. With a better outlook for traffic, the prospect of low rates of capacity growth in the near future and a manageable level of new aircraft deliveries, there seems to be better times ahead. 10 Successful airlines are market-oriented airlines, who are well-led with the topmanagement setting a clear, sound and long-term strategy. The potential available markets are identified and which market segments to exploit are decided, and the whole of the corporate resources are devoted to meeting the product needs of those identified market segments. This is the application of the marketing theory. But, first of all, what is marketing? “Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably.” 11 There is a need to differentiate 8 “Express Yourself,” Airline Business, February 1999, pp. 56-57 9 “US majors aim to break the cycle,” Airline Business, January 1999, p. 51 10 Chris Tarry, “ Time to Break the Cycle,” Airline Business, June 2000, p.94 11 U.K. Institute of Marketing, quoted in Wilmhurst (1978), p. 1 between consumer and industrial marketing. The former consists of items of a relatively low unit price and there is usually not much contact between the consumer and the producer. The latter is characterized by smaller number of buyers and unit prices are high higher and there is direct contacts between the producer and the buyer. What is being market-oriented? Marketing investigation is done to gain a thorough knowledge of the market segments that the airline is interested in going into, and areas of unsatisfie d consumersÂ’ wants and needs will surface. An airline may also consider going into a market segment where consumersÂ’ wants and needs are satisfied less than their expectations. A collection of competitorÂ’s actions is important also in this initial stage of the application of marketing theory to real-life corporations. Next, a firm needs to define its marketing strategy and this starts off with the firmÂ’s objectives, that include both corporate and social ones. The corporate mission is then established which defines the broad area of activity of which the corporation is concerned. The corporation then needs to adopt a marketing plan, that consists of what consumers want and need, competitorsÂ’ actions, the strengths and weaknesses of the corporation and the opportunities and threats posed by the external environment. Marketing communication is important to secure sales of products in particular markets and also to promote the corporate image of the firm in question. At the many stages of marketing, a corporation must make a choice between deploying its own resources or hiring services. The internal organization is important and thus the appropriate corporate management structure must be established and also the application of appropriate personnel recruitment and training policies. The external organization will consist of others not in the corporation, in the role of marketing, such as services of consultants in market research. The marketing mix is the combination of the four controllable variables, of product, price, place, promotion (the four Ps) that an organization creates to satisfy its target market. Airlines need to offer a range of products such that they are better placed due to the probability of a downturn in some markets being counter-balanced by upswings in other markets. An important reason for product and market diversification is due to “synergy”. “It is the term used to describe a situation where a firm producing several products is able to do so more effectively than a set of firms with each firm concentrating on a single item.” 12 Most airlines pursue the total market strategy, that is the attempt to provide services for significant parts of the business, leisure and freight segments. Even though this strategy gives great opportunities to airlines, there is the problem of designing products which meet the conflicting requirements of the different segments. The business market segment requires a wide route network with good interconnections and a high flight frequency, and thus costly products. High seat accessibility is required as well, but high prices are charged for this segment, due to the relative price elasticity of demand. The leisure market, on the other hand, competes based on prices and this results in price instability and very low yields, and leisure demand will only peak during only a few times a year. Its products can be offered comparatively cheaply though. However, the leisure market is potentially the largest segment of the total airline market, and its longterm prospects are better than that of the business segment. As for the freight market, an all-freight airline should concentrate on large and bulky items that are too large to fit into the lower holds of even wide-bodied passenger aircraft. Overnight delivery of urgent parcels by Federal Express, has also proved to be highly successful and passenger airlines canÂ’t compete since the proportion of their flying is done in the daytime. Frequent Flier Program(FFP) as an Airline Marketing Strategy The starting point of a successful FFP is to lay down the airlineÂ’s aims and structure first. The main goal will most likely be to increase seat sales through generating repeat business among loyal customers or attracting new customers. The FFP database can be a source of marketing information and it can be used as an additional source of revenue through the trade of FFP points with associated partners. There is also the opportunity for consumers to differentiate products in a world filled with too many consumer choices, as in TedlowÂ’s fourth marketing phrase. The program needs to be accessed regularly to adapt to constantly changing market conditions and redeveloped if necessary. Airlines should not focus too narrowly on one particular objective and risk damaging the whole scheme. Thus, they should work 12 Stephen Shaw, Airline Marketing and Management, (Malabar : Krieger , 1988, c1985), p.16 across all their strategic aims. Every department needs to recognize the loyalty program as a key marketing tool and internal support need to be won. The FFP also needs market acceptance and thus the program structure needs to meet the expectations of the consumer, who looks to the awards and service benefits. Flexibility is important in the unstable economy, as in TedlowÂ’s proposition of “managing change”. Delta has long introduced a non-expiring policy for its miles, and Air France was the first European major to adapt this change after being influenced by its alliance with Delta. Customer service is also very important in FFP programs and quality management needs to remain under strict airline control. The elite program catering for the customer segment of frequent high-yield travellers, enable the airlines to keep their best customers. “A successful FFP must be one that is based on clear strategic goals, and that achieves a balance between them supported by an attractive program structure benchmarked against best global practice.” 13 For example, Delta has started a strategic alliance with Aeromexico, Air France and Korean Air. They call themselves “Skyteam”. The agreement outlines the formation of an enhanced marketing relationship among the carriers. SkyTeam airlines have a reciprocal frequent flyer program, extensive codesharing network and the best growth potential of any global alliance. SkyTeam With four airlines now working together to continually improve customer benefits, SkyTeam compares very favorably. SkyTeam is the first alliance built around customer needs and is currently one of the world’s top three global airline alliances. SkyTeam has strong hubs in key markets where 80 percent of the world’s traffic flies. Passengers will continue to enjoy the benefits of their home airlines while traveling on any SkyTeam airline, with more choices of flights and departure times, plus all frequent flyer program and lounge benefits. SkyTeam offers customers worldwide access, improved choice and convenience, consistent service and the ability to be recognized and rewarded for their loyalty. Immediate benefits include reciprocal frequent flyer programs, worldwide lounge access, 13 Ravindra Bhagwanani, “ Keeping the high Fliers,” Airline Business, June 2000, p. 93 and the combined network of Aeromexico, Air France, Delta and Korean Air. By yearend, benefits will include priority baggage handling, preferred seating for our elite frequent flyers and other benefits based on our extensive employee training program. Aeromexico has long been recognized as a market leader and the preferred choice in air travel for passengers in the Mexican and Latin American markets. Joining the alliance with like-minded partners allows Aeromexico to expand its international route network and better serve the needs of passengers as they travel on both business and pleasure throughout the world. Air France’s hub at Charles de Gaulle International Airport offers an extensive schedule of connecting flights to points throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It is the best-positioned hub in Europe for transatlantic passengers traveling beyond a European gateway. In addition, the airport offers great potential for further capacity growth. Delta’s hub at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport offers passengers more connections than any other airport in the world, with 1,316 daily flights to 126 destinations. Customers have access to a global network of 5,390 flights each day to 356 cities in 57 countries on Delta, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and Delta’s Worldwide Partners. Korean Air’s hub in Seoul is the best Asian hub for SkyTeam, offering service to 78 cities in Asia. Korean Air’s upcoming hub at Seoul’s new Inchon Airport will be the future leading hub in Asia and one of the few major hub airports in the world with room to expand. SkyTeam is a multi-lateral, global alliance among the four airlines. In addition, each carrier will continue to have bilateral relationships with airlines in their respective markets. SkyTeam plan to explore all synergy possibilities. SkyTeam has tremendous potential in the area of cargo. Delta and Air France have already announced a joint agreement, and plan to expand this to a multi-lateral level. This is the fulfilment of the total market strategy mentioned above, and strategic alliances enable a pool of resources together to serve more routes and consumers, especially when SkyTeam is the first alliance built around customer needs. History of Delta Airlines Delta Airlines began modestly, as a crop-dusting outfit in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1928, the first professional crop duster in the nation. Delta was founded by C.E Woolman, who headed the company for 38 years, until his death in 1966. He moved DeltaÂ’s headquarters to Atlanta in the early 1940s and that hub became the heart of its operations and ultimately the course of most of its management. Even though Delta actively opposed deregulation, it entered deregulation with a number of strengths. By growing, it has elbowed its way into the “big five.” Delta has expanded significantly in the Southeast by acquiring Citizens and Southern Airlines in 1953. It expanded north with its acquisition of Northeast in 1972. And in 1986, Delta joined the stampede to merge by acquiring Western Air Lines, hubbed in Salt Lake City. Because Delta paid its workers well and had never laid any off, it enjoyed relatively amicable labour relations and had few union contracts. That enabled it to enjoy high productivity, excellent service, and high worker morale with little turnover. DeltaÂ’s greatest asset of all was its people. While deregulation has brought the industry tremendous labour strife, labour-management relations were goos at DelataÂ’s Atlanta headquarters. In 1986, DeltaÂ’s workers dug into their pockets and bought the company a jet. A job with Delta is security for life, but DeltaÂ’s salary expenditures were high and they were saddled with the largest labour expenditures in the industry. But, Delta has been blessed with profitability, except in 1983, when it made a loss. This loss is because a market survey in 1982 revealed that Delta had acquired a reput ation for being highpriced in the new regulated environment. Hubs The question of hub-and-spoke networks has been a central issue in route planning under deregulation. Many airlines have based their planning on the idea that if they build a major hub, with large numbers of flights in and out of it, it will be very difficult for a newcomer to break in, as they will be able to match the wide network. This is the first-mover advantage in one of TedlowÂ’s propositions, not mentioned above. The limitations to this concept is that passengers prefer to take direct flights rather than those requiring intermediate stops. At Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta, Delta Airlines operates and it can claim to be the busiest single-airline hub in the world, with 600 daily departures. More than 20000 Delta passengers change planes in Atlanta each day. Each of DeltaÂ’s arriving and departing waves consists of over 50 aircraft, requiring all four runways to be used simultaneously for arrivals and then for departures. 14 DeltaÂ’s Mission Statement and Corporate Strategy Delta wants to be the “Worldwide Airline of Choice” and their strengths lies in the competitive edge of DeltaÂ’s people, customer service as the cornerstone of their company, a strong route system, outstanding operations and fleet and ethical and honest actions. DeltaÂ’s vision builds on DeltaÂ’s heritage and their vision results in sustained profitability that comes the opportunity for growth and advancement and the pride that comes from being part of an exceptional business organization. Delta has a Success Through Service training and that led to its achievement of a competitive advantage. Delta has built a legendary reputation for family-friendly, “deltastyle ” customer service. Employees are loyal and contented members of the “Delta Family”. Delta has also led the industry in customer satisfaction ratings, providing passengers with a consistent, high-quality flying experience. For example, Delta received the “2000 Grand Prix Customer Service Award”, whereby Teleperformance, a Parisbased customer relationship management company, honored Delta’s Online Customer Support Desk with the U.S. 2000 Grand Prix Customer Service Award, for superior email customer service support. Delta also took second in the T ransportation and Travel category for its telephone customer handling. DeltaÂ’s fundamental belief about service to people, customers and personnel, remains unchanged. Delta personnel treated one another as extended family and this concern is mirrored in the way Delta personnel treat customers. Delta hires at entry level, so thus, managers are able to handle problems of their staff with empathy since they have been through that before. There is a strong tradition of employment security in Delta. 14 Pat Hanlon, Global airlines : competition in a transnational industry, (Oxford : Butterworth Heinemann , 1996), p. 80 During economic slumps, extra staffing is redeployed into other jobs and creative options such as job sharing and voluntary personal leaves are also made available. Delta has a flat and thin management structure and engages in cross utilization and thus employees has a broader view of their company. Delta emphasizes a lot on the people side of the profit equation and thus, it has a strong compensation structure that acknowledges the people side of business and the value of experience and draws and keeps the best people on the team. Team work is inherent in Delta and everyone respects one another. There is empowerment in the job and employees are motivated to work harder and be more productive. The best measure of passenger satisfaction among U.S Airlines today is the number of complaint letters written directly to the Department of Transportation by consumers. Since 1971 when that reporting began, Delta has maintained the best overall record for passenger satisfaction of any major U.S airline per 100,000 customers boarded. “Delta knows the only way to achieve the goal of being the best and most respected airline in the world is to deliver excellent service, one customer at a time.” Importance of Information Technology Delta Airlines have exploited the challenges posed by the millenium bug to overhaul its obsolete IT infrastructure with leading-edge technology that will help achieve operational excellence and give a big boost to customer service and even contribute to revenue performance. The gate and boarding project which includes new computer systems and software, boarding documentation and procedures, is the cornerstone of the airlineÂ’s ongoing Airport Renewal program to modernize and standardized DeltaÂ’s ancient airport technology and physical plant. Not only is the system simpler but it greatly enhances DeltaÂ’s ability to recognize and regard its best customers or those needing extra attention. The system is tied to DeltaÂ’s customer database, and thus the customerÂ’s past history or possible dissatisfaction with DeltaÂ’s services could be established and corrected for in the customerÂ’s next flight. The systems greatest value will be when things go wrong and people wi ll be satisfied that they are handled well during those circumstances. Delta develops technology around process, rather than function. They have been planning and changing their technology around the customers, rather than the systems being functionally focused around reservations, airports and the Internet. Delta is ultimately interested in the “Customer Experience”. Delta cuts costs by $30 million per year, due to a standard technology infrastructure at all locations and thus expect to increase customer service significantly.15 Delta continues evaluating emerging technologies that may further increase its customer services. Conclusion As shown in DeltaÂ’s case above, Delta engages in information technology and now, they are able to focus individually on every customer, and increase their customer service and this is characterized by TedlowÂ’s fourth marketing phrase Ââ€" micromarketing. An airline is very service oriented and thus, consumers will not be confused in terms of numerous products emerging, but rather, they will be pleased by the excellent service they receive. Delta has also been a well-managed company, whereby employees are empowered and teams are used to facilitate brain-storming and everyoneÂ’s opinion is taken into consideration. Employment at the entry-level further enhances the ability to empathize with others working in other departments. Delta is also very customer-oriented and that totally encompass the marketing concept of putting customerÂ’s needs and wants first. Delta is able to compete globally and become one of the ‘big fiveÂ’ in America and has one of the busiest hubs in Atlanta. All this comes from sound marketing principles, a mission statement of being the “Worldwide Airline of Choice”, a total market strategy in the business, leisure and freight market segments. Delta has also gone into strategic alliances in SkyWest to further enhance customer service. Delta concentrated also on standardizing its operations through its technology infrastructure and this is part of TedlowÂ’s Phrase two where standardization is widespread. Delta also segments its markets into the three market segments and continues to serve its different market segments with excellent service and this is Phrase Three in what Tedlow comes up with. 15 King, Julia and Wallace Bob, Corporate standards are key to Delta plan, Computerworld, Volume 33, Issue 24 (Framingham, June 1999), p.16 The case on Delta has shown that focus on the customer is very important for any corporation to succeed. Management is also very important with the right corporate culture and structure instilled, and coupled with marketing strategies, can achieve a worldwide standard and accepted corporation. Bibliography Buzzell, Robert D. and Lecocq, Jean-Louis, Polaroid France (S.A.), in Steven H. Star, Nancy J. Davis, Christopher H. Lovelock and Benson P. Shapiro, editors, Problems in Marketing, (New York:McGrawHill, 1977): 191-213 Flint, Perry, Being last is not always the worst thing, Air Transport World, Volume 36, Issue 9 (Cleveland, September 1999): 68-69 Hanlon, Pat, Global airlines : competition in a transnational industry, (Oxford : Butterworth Heinemann , 1996). J. Paul Peter and Donnelly, James H., Marketing Management : knowledge and skills : text, analysis, cases, plans (Homewood, IL : Irwin , 1992). Jones, Patricia and Kahaner, Larry, Say it and live it: 50 corporate mission statements that hit the mark (New York : Doubleday , 1995). King, Julia and Wallace Bob, Corporate standards are key to Delta plan, Computerworld, Volume 33, Issue 24 (Framingham, June 1999):16 Shaw, Stephen, Airline Marketing and Management, (Malabar : Krieger , 1988, c1985). Spechler Jay W., Managing quality in Americas most admired companies (San Francisco : Berrett-Koehler Publishers ; Norcross, Ga. : Industrial Engineeering and Management Press, Institute of Industrial Engineers , 1993). Tarry, Chris, Time to Break the Cycle, Airline Business, June 2000: 95-96 Tedlow, Richard S., New and improved : the story of mass marketing in America (New York: Basic Books, 1990). Tedlow, Richard S., The fourth phase of marketing: Marketing history and the business world today, in Tedlow, Richard S. and Jones, Geoffrey, editors, The Rise and fall of mass marketing (London ; New York : Routledge , 1993): 8-35. Weaver, Nora and Atkinson, Tom, Training for Success Through Service: How Delta Air Lines Does It, in Zemke, Ron and Woods, John A., editors, Best practices in customer service (New York, N.Y. : AMACOM, 1998): 109-118