Pricing and Distribution Strategy Blizzard from Dairy Queen

How to Discipline Without Stress, Punishment, or Rewards

How to Discipline Without Stress, Punishment, or Rewards Young people today come to school with a different orientation than past generations. Traditional student disciplining approaches are no longer successful for far too many young people. For example, a parent related the following to us after a discussion of how society and youth have changed in recent generations: The other day, my teenage daughter was eating in a rather slovenly manner, and I lightly tapped her on the wrist saying, Dont eat that way.My daughter replied, Dont abuse me.The mother had grown up in the 1960s and volunteered the point that her generation tested authority but most were really afraid to step out of bounds. She related that her daughter was a good child and added, But the kids today not only disrespect authority, they have no fear of it. And, because of rights for young children- which we should have- its hard to instill that fear without others claiming abuse. So, how can we discipline students, so we as teachers can do our jobs and teach these young children who refuse to learn? In many cases, we resort to punishment as a strategy for motivation. For example, students who are assigned detention and who fail to show are punished with more detention. But in my questioning about the use of detention in hundreds of workshops around the country, teachers rarely suggest detention is actually effective in changing behavior. Why Detention is an Ineffective Form of Punishment When students are not afraid, punishment loses its effectiveness. Go ahead and give the student more detention that he simply wont show up to. This negative, coercive discipline and punishment approach is based on the belief that it is necessary to cause suffering to teach. Its like you need to hurt in order to instruct. The fact of the matter, however, is that people learn better when they feel better, not when they feel worse. Remember, if punishment were effective in reducing inappropriate behavior, then there would be NO discipline problems in schools. The irony of punishment is that the more you use it to control your students behaviors, the less real influence you have over them. This is because coercion breeds resentment. In addition, if students behave because they are forced to behave, the teacher has not really succeeded. Students should behave because they want to- not because they have to in order to avoid punishment. People are not changed by other people. People can be coerced into temporary compliance. But internal motivation- where people want to change- is more lasting and effective. Coercion, as in punishment, is not a lasting change agent. Once the punishment is over, the student feels free and clear. The way to influence people toward internal rather than external motivation is through positive, non-coercive interaction. Heres how... How to Motivate Students to Learn Without Using Punishments or Rewards Great teachers understand that they are in the relationship business. Many students- especially those in low socio-economic areas- put forth little effort if they have negative feelings about their teachers. Superior teachers establish good relationships AND have high expectations. Great teachers communicate and discipline in positive ways. They let their students know what they want them to do, rather than by telling students what NOT to do. Great teachers inspire rather than coerce. They aim at promoting responsibility rather than obedience. They know that OBEDIENCE DOES NOT CREATE DESIRE. Great teachers identify the reason that a lesson is being taught and then share it with their students. These teachers inspire their students through curiosity, challenge, and relevancy. Great teachers improve skills that prompt students to WANT to behave responsibly and WANT to put effort into their learning. Great teachers have an open mindset. They REFLECT so that if a lesson needs improvement they look to themselves to change BEFORE they expect their students to change. Great teachers know education is about motivation. Unfortunately, todays educational establishment still has a 20th-century mindset that focuses on EXTERNAL APPROACHES to increase motivation. An example of the fallacy of this approach is the defunct self-esteem movement that used external approaches such as stickers and praise in attempts to make people happy and feel good. What was overlooked was the simple universal truth that people develop positive self-talk and self-esteem through the successes of THEIR OWN EFFORTS.

Financing and Structuring Health care Research Paper

Financing and Structuring Health care - Research Paper Example how the patents will pay for the healthcare extended to them, what they will pay for the healthcare services consumed by them, and the range of options and innovations that could be facilitated to the ailing in the sphere of healthcare payments (Walshe, 2006, p. 34). In that context, a thorough understanding of the American healthcare system will be partial, if it is devoid of an understanding of the related financing mechanisms. Health insurance, health coverage, or healthcare coverage is the term used in the United States of America to refer to any program that helps the patients pay for the healthcare services and products used by them during the course of their treatment. Considering the fact that USA is a land of diversity, there exist varied types of health insurance types to suit the needs and aspirations of diverse types of individuals and groups. For what is health insurance but a risk coverage mechanism to assure that individuals and their families have access to quality and timely healthcare. The three main types of health insurance prevalent in the United States of America are individual health insurance, group health insurance and state sponsored health insurance (Green & Rowell, 2010). Individual health insurance covers the healthcare needs of the primary policy holder and one’s family (Green & Rowell, 2010). As the policy holder is required is required to pay for such type of insurance, it happens to be the costliest type of health insurance. Some of the benefits offered by the individual health insurance policies are personalized healthcare, tax exemptions, and a smooth continuation of the insurance plan, as long as the premiums are paid without default (Green & Rowell, 2010). Group health insurance happens to be the most preferred type of insurance. It is also known as the employer sponsored health insurance. In group health insurance, an individual and one’s family accrues the insurance benefits by the virtue of one’s employment (Green &

Ford and Toyota Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ford and Toyota - Case Study Example B. Toyota management recognizes that employees must sense that effort will pay off in terms of performance, that it is highly correlated with performance and that higher effort will yield better performance. Toyota management changed job design and introduced new reward system for its production department (Toyota 2007). The stronger the perceived correlation, the stronger the motivation (Armstrong 2001). If the employee has adequate ability and the job is designed well, then performance is solely dependent on the level of motivation. In order to improve performance, Assuming ability and job design were in order, high motivation became a necessary and sufficient condition for high performance. Armstrong (2001) underlines that if employees know their ability is high and the design of their job is "top notch," then high performance is perceived as indeed possible and perceived to depend on their efforts. The aim of this change was to create an environment where employees perceive that they have and can easily acquire knowledge and new skills to perform. C. The strategies implemented by the management helped Toyota to reduce resistance to change and create skillful workforce able to cope with the new changes and deliver quality articles. It helped employees build their self-confidence and showed employees that their skills, abilities, and traits were compatible with job requirements. In order for employees to exert high effort, they saw a good reason for it and knew that there were benefits to it. The new policies allowed employees to sense that performance pays off and yielded a desired positive outcome (Toyota 2007) Ford A. Similar to Toyota, Ford is subjected to new environmental regulations and new standards. Ford also introduced hydrogen-powered car but the main problems faced by the company were skills shortage and lack of knowledge in this sphere. Ford management expected that much ability and skill improvement would come from self-initiated activities. Employees did not have to wait for formal training programs to be offered by the company (Ford 2007). According to Campbell (1997) if formal training is not offered, employees must be given ample time to engage in self-development activities. Employees who get into routines of continually engaging in activities designed to improve ability are more likely to sense that they are keeping pace with the ever-increasing demands made of workers in today's constantly changing technological and economic environments. They are likely to have more confidence that they are keeping current in their knowledge and skills. B. In order to solve this problem, Ford introduced on-job training programs for engineers and production workers. When workers were not engaged in actual production, they practiced their skills with simulations if such opportunities were made available. Good simulations were developed for almost any type of job, factory labor, office, managerial, and so forth. These strategies are important because well-designed practice which provides workers with rapid, accurate feedback on how they are doing and on what they need to do to correct deficiencies can lead to high levels of proficiency as exercises are repeated over and over again (Campbell 1997). Apprenticeships and understudy training programs allowed workers to observe the performance of an expert and "try out" the

Movie Titanic Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Titanic - Movie Review Example He wrote: "In the wake of the Titanicmania, several critics took on these broader questions. Frank Rich observed in the New York Times that Titanic "was destined to be truer to 1997 than 1912, no matter how faithfully the director, James Cameron, reproduced every last brandy sniffer of the White Star Line." One of the primary accurate accounts that the movie faithfully acknowledged off from the RMS Titanic was the date setting that the movie took place of. In the movie it was noted that the first launching of the supposed extravagant ship was in April 14, 1912 - the exact date of the launch of the TMS Titanic recorded in history. The gigantic putrid ship under the ocean was shown when group of treasure hunters explored the location of the sunken ship. The 2000 feet deep sunken ship being shown throughout the movie was actually the real footage of the Titanic that James Cameron have taken in 1995, before the production began (Berardinelli 1997). From the start, the acknowledgement of the real Titanic was implied by Cameron for primarily depicting the real one rather than the production's improvised version of it. This is apparently a sign of respect for the accuracy of the image of the ship, and also a point of accuracy regarding its image. Social Setting. Titanic represents the transition of the social condition during the real RMS Titanic's period by splitting its body in two when it was then persistently sinking, upon the film's depiction. The period then was apparently dealing on a scheme of the boundaries between the upper-class and the lower-class, and the period did really exist in social history. The status was visible upon the characterization of the main leads of the movie through Jack Dawson, played by Leonardo Di Carpio, and Rose Dewitt Bukater played by Kate Winslet. Although struggling in status, Rose belongs to the upper-class, while Jack belongs to the lower-class, both aboard in the remarkable ship though in different decks, denoting their statuses. Another historically accurate in sociological ground of the movie is the stereotypical setting during the period that hindered intimate connections between the rich and the poor, such as the sort of "forbidden love" case between Jack and Rose. Marriage of the rich families somehow became a trend then to secure one another's social status or wealth in society. The fictional character Rose had been dealing was a factual social pressure during that era when she was being forced by her socially-threatened mother to be married to the character that Billy Zane being portrayed, Caledon Hockley, the rich fiance of Rose. Upon prior meeting with Jack, Rose was already reluctant to be wed with Caledon, but she was being strained by conditioning of her mother to marry him to keep their status in the Alta society - many similar cases had been cited in the history at the period (Chumo 1999). Characters. The two lead characters are well known to be fictitious, which Cameron honestly claimed as to be. However, some real significant characters recorded from the history were given to life in the film, and fairly built up with characterizations that were based on their immediate descriptions from history as well - of what they were famous of. They were depicted upon the fictional scenes

Consumer behaviour regarding luxury product consumption

Consumer behaviour regarding luxury product consumption From guilt-free fair-trade products and free-range eggs, to cruelty-free shampoo and chemical-free paint, a revolution seems to be occurring in wealthy capitalist societies. And this is happening not at the margins of society but at its heart, in the shopping centers and homes of ordinary people (Lewis and Potter, 2010). Mainstreaming of ethical concerns around consumption is on the rise and companies are extending their fair-trade range over more products, in a bid to catch the ethical consumer. But is this phenomenon also apparent in luxury product consumption? The discussion in this paper is aimed towards analyzing the role of ethics in the luxury industry where consumption, to much extent, is based on hedonistic values. It is also quite uncertain whether luxury brands actually target ethical consumers. The role of ethics in luxury product consumption is complex and thus requires an intricate analysis. This paper will initially discuss about ethical consumerism as a whole. Comparing and contrasting various research studies and surveys; it will present the current global trends in consumer behaviour. Moving into the luxury sector, it will analyze the values and motivations behind luxury product consumption and examine if sustainable development can co-exist with luxury products. Finally, it will highlight some of the steps big luxury groups such as BVLGARI, LVMH and Versace are taking to integrate ethics into consumption by working on issues such as animal welfare, child labour, education and environmental protection. The question arises whether these measures motivate consumer behaviour de facto. This paper will demonstrate that consumer motivations behind luxury purchases are hedonism and social recognition, rather than ethical values. Purchase of a product that concerns a certain ethical issue such as human rights, animal welfare, child labour or environment protection can be termed as ethical consumption (Doane, 2001). In general, ethical consumption is reflected when a consumer feels responsible towards society and expresses these feelings by means of his or her purchase behaviour (De Pelsmacker, Driesen and Rayp 2005). Consumers can translate their ethical concerns by either buying products that contribute towards ethical concerns or by boycotting products that are unethically produced. Ethical consumers are therefore aware of the consequences of production, consumption and disposal, and expect companies, producing the products they buy, to conform to ethical standards. Recent studies indicate that consumers increasingly care about ethics while purchasing regular household goods and are willing to pay a premium for socially acceptable products (Auger, Burke, Devinney and Louviere, 2003). For example, they prefer to buy fair-trade coffee, organic foods, products free from child labour and legally logged wood. The Edelman Goodpurpose consumer survey (2010) shows that 86% of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on societys interests as on businesss interests. According to the survey, emerging markets have taken the lead consumers in Brazil, India, China and Mexico have outpaced their peers in the west in purchasing and promoting brands that support good causes. Hence, there is cultural variation in behavioural intentions, but the group of consumers most interested in socially responsible products is growing across the world. The Edelman study also suggests that after 4Ps Product, Price, Placement and Promotion, Purpose is the 5th P of marketing. In order to retain their customer base, marketers need to understand and act on the social issues that matter to their customers and are a best fit to their business. Whilst a lot is indicated about increasing socially conscious consumer attitude, it does not reflect in actual consumer behaviour. Research indicates that a consumer attitude towards making ethical purchases is more positive than behaviour (De Pelsmacker, Driesen and Rayp 2005). For example, Cotte and Trudel (2010) demonstrate that 44% consumers indicated an intention to change their buying behaviour to consume ethical products, however only 18% actually did. General ethical attitude or even surveys intent on measuring consumption ethics are almost completely unrelated to actual behaviour since there is pressure to answer in a socially desirable way (Auger and Devinney, 2007). So consumer purchasing behaviours are not nearly as high as these attitudes would predict (Carrigan and Attalla, 2001) and consumers will buy responsible products only if quality, performance and prices are equal (Deloitte, 2008). This ubiquitous attitude behaviour gap is due to various factors. It may be the consumers perception of having to compromise on attributes such as convenience and quality of the product they value (Roberts, 1996) or could be the lack of knowledge about the firms ethical behaviour. Consumers are more aware of a firms unethical behaviour and rather have little knowledge about its ethical initiatives (Carrigan and Attalla, 2001). Another reason is widespread consumer scepticism and cynicism (Roberts, 1996). Marketers who try to oversell their firms offering as better on socially conscious dimensions, risk being accused of what is now called green washing (Cotte and Trudel, 2009). Hence, the most important factors affecting buying decision are still price, quality, convenience, and brand. Therefore, there is clearly a lack of conclusive and empirical evidence that consumers will pay more for socially responsible products (McWilliam and Siegal, 2000), but at least there seems to be a constant effort by both consumers and companies to be ethically conscious in consumption and production respectively. There is a trend towards more consumer activism with respect to the social behaviours of organizations, especially large and well-known multinational corporations (Auger, Burke, Devinney and Louviere, 2003). Despite the ethical markets strong growth, consumers have blasted Nestlà ©, Coca-Cola, Cadbury, McDonalds and Tesco for failing to do enough to champion ethical values, according to new market research (Britton, 2010). But traces of such efforts can rarely be found in the luxury sector. It is observed that for higher priced products, only those consumers, who have a strong favourable attitude towards charity, are ready to pay the premium (Anderson and Cunningham, 1972) . In order to verify this behaviour, it is important to explore the motivations behind luxury purchases. Analyzing consumers perception of luxury products, a survey conducted by Synovate (2009) demonstrates, 35% people feel that luxury is everything over and above what is needed and 17% associate luxury as a lifestyle. Whether consumers define luxury as a feel of cashmere on their skin, the joy of time to spend as per their wish or the pleasure of showing off their success, actually depends on where they live. For example, in developing countries like India and Brazil, luxury is about flashing your wealth with big designer logos, its away of life. Whereas in countries like France, where people are certainly hedonistic, and enjoy the small pleasures like a good smell, or the softness of a scarf, and of course cooking and eating, luxury is about making them feel good and not about flaunting a brand. Luxury purchases are motivated by hedonistic values associated with instant gratification (Szmigin, Carrigan and OLoughlin, 2007). These values stimulate a consumer to purchase a $3500 Louis V uitton bag whose function is the same as a handbag at $250. Essentially, at the core of luxury consumption are three key motivations: indulgence, exclusivity and status. Danziger (2004) highlights two reasons behind buyer behaviour to solve problems and to make them feel good. She classifies consumer purchases into 4 categories Utilitarian, indulgences, lifestyle luxuries and aspirational luxuries, each motivated by different values (represented at the ends of each axis in fig.1). Utilitarian purchases include items such as blenders, food processors and microwaves, which essentially focus on practicality. Indulgences represent lifes little luxuries that provide emotional satisfaction and which consumers can buy without guilt. Cosmetics, entertainment products, games and costume jewellery are appropriate examples. Lifestyle luxuries are luxury cars (Mercedes, BMW), designer clothes (Armani, Ralph Lauren), Watches (Rolex). They are extravagant and provide material satisfaction, along with the prestige and image conferred by the brand. And finally there are aspirational luxuries that have no practical need and are purchased largely for the pure joy of owning them. Theses include Art, antiques, vintage collectibles, yachts, fine jewellery, etc. Consumers buy these items to make a statement about them in society, express their values, interests and passions. Fig1: Consumer purchase categories and motivations behind each Having discussed that a consumer buys anything to satisfy a concrete need, in purchasing luxury items, the act of consuming, rather than the product itself, satisfies this need (Danzigner, 2004). In fact, tracking the roots of luxury product consumption and marketing, we find it to be based on sheer unethical values (Sylvester, ND). Back in the 1840s in Manchester England (The worlds richest city then), the cotton mill owners were at the top of the social ladder and usually showed off their wealth at dinner parties where they served wine instead of beer and the wealthier class served champagne. For the most affluent class this was a problem as champagne was no longer exclusive. As a solution, the French marketers, keeping the product unchanged, created a much more expensive drink called vintage champagne. The rich mill owners were flocked to it. Hence, within a few years, the world was buying more bottles at higher prices. The anecdote above is a good example that shows how the concept of luxury is based on un-ethical selling and consumption, of which marketers are well aware. This view is supported in the 21st century as marketing strategist, Sergio Zyman (2000), provides in his book, the end of marketing Marketing is how to sell more things to more people more often for more money. In fact, French marketers are the leaders in marketing luxury brands and even the puritan roots and guilt dont prevent them from behaving in unashamedly elitist ways and producing items that no ordinary person will ever be able to afford. Marketers are concentrating their efforts on selling things that people dont need, but want. Different values that motivate consumers to make a low value purchase as compared to a luxury purchase. Empirical evidence suggests that materialism is negatively correlated with consumer behaviour, i.e. unethical behaviour is associated with greater amounts of materialism (Barrett, 1992 cited in Muncy and Eastman, 1998). The more materialistic consumers might be willing to bend ethical rules to gain possessions and when faced with an ethical choice, the acquisition of the goods may begin to take primacy over ethical values (Muncy and Eastman, 1998). Thus, the factors that may cause a person to be more materialistic may also cause him or her to be less ethical. In fact, marketers may have self-interest in encouraging materialism. Even if we consider that some people do behave ethically while purchasing luxury products, their decisions are not necessarily dependent on ethical values. People, while shopping in public, like to be seen as altruistic and thus are more likely to choose green products, that maybe expensive and low quality but benefit the environment (Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh, 2010; Telegraph, 2010). So their purchases are often motivated by status, especially when these products cost more relative to non-green products. The Toyota Prius is a prime example of a self-promoting mobile billboard for environmentalist beliefs. A compact hybrid Sedan with moderate features and performance, considered a Green product due to high fuel efficiency. In a survey, 40% of hybrid owners indicated that they bought a green car as an alternative to a traditional luxury car such as a BMW (Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh, 2010). Yet, the top five reasons why the Prius was so successful and environmental conservation was last on the list (Maynard, 2007). The number 1 reason was, that it made a statement about the consumer, a statement that the owner cares about the environment. So consumers are willing to spend on ethical products but at the cost of earning a public status or reputation. In the privacy of ones home, luxury and comfort is still the winner (Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh, 2010). Having discussed that hedonism and materialism as motivators of luxury purchases, it is evident that sustainability and luxury are quite incompatible terms. To drive a Rolls Royce, a Bentley or a Mercedes S Class would radiate a message that the owner couldnt care less about gas overconsumption and the warming of the atmosphere (Kapferer, 2010). Luxury is about excellence: more than any other, luxury brands guarantee zero risk. Now there are more and more pressures from lobbies and animal defense groups to forbid testing skin care products on animals. But without testing, the brand cannot ensure that its product is harmless for consumers. If all fashion luxury brands adopt a minimalist look, they would lose all capacity to differentiate and thus lose their integrity. Elliott and Freeman (2001 cited in Belk, Devinney and Eckhardt, 2005) found relatively high price elasticity of demand for products made under bad labour conditions but low price elasticity for products made under good conditions, implying that companies can potentially lose from having their products identified as being made under bad conditions but have little to gain from marketing their products as being made under good conditions. Modern revelations of how Prada and Dolce Gabbana bags were being stitched by clandestine Chinese workers in workshops-costing a mere à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬20 to produce, have signaled the need of ethical behaviour in manufacturing, in order to retain customers. Luxury brands are advancing fast to meet the demands of sustainable development. Some brands are actually working on philanthropic endeavors, but their motive is not quite clear. For example, since 2009, BVLGARI has raised more than 6 million Euros to support Save the Childrens quality education programs and are hosting several special events to support quality education for the worlds neediest children (Bvlgari, 2010). LVMH has been auditing its carbon imprint since 2004 and has taken as a managerial motto the four words: renew, recycle, reduce, and review (Kapferer, 2010). The same holds  true for Tiffany. Dior (LVMH) gets their handbags made in Italy (excellent leather suppliers and their know-how that produces less CO2 than if it was made in China) and the leather comes from bio farms. Versace has an Art Unites initiative where the brand makes one-of-a-kind handbags out of each work of art drawn by a child. The bags are sold for about $250 through its global boutiques and all p roceeds go to childrens foundation or other charities. Having analyzed the extent to which consumers value ethics in the luxury sector, as well as explored the same issue from the perspective of the luxury companies, one can conclude that that people care more about ethics if the people around them can recognize them for doing so. There is a big attitude behaviour gap that demonstrates that consumers still make important purchase decisions on the basis of price, quality and durability of product rather than ethics. Thus, the intentions of both consumers and producers are to some extent unethical in its roots and motivated by further recognition to be doing whats right rather than for the outcome and effect of those ethical decisions on the people that they are benefitting. What is evident is that firms have realized that need of ethical conduct to retain its customers if not gain more.

Outline from may 31- june 12, 1864 :: essays research papers fc

May 31 - June 12, 1864 In the overland campaign of 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant with the Army of the Potomac battled General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia for six weeks across central Virginia. At the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna and Totopotomoy Creek, Lee repeatedly stalled, but failed to stop, Grant's southward progress toward Richmond. The next logical military objective for Grant was the crossroads styled by locals Old Cold Harbor. May 31, 1864 After sparring along the Totopotomoy northeast of Richmond, Grant ordered Major General Philip Sheridan's cavalry to move south and capture the crossroads at Old Cold Harbor. Arriving near the intersection, the Union force ran into Major General Fitzhugh Lee's Confederate horsemen. A sharp contest ensued, soon joined by Confederate infantry under Brigadier General Thomas Clingman of Major General Robert Hoke's division. After a short battle, Union cavalry drove the Confederates beyond the crossroads. The Rebels then started digging new positions a half-mile to the southwest. June 1, 1864 Lee wished to retake Old Cold Harbor and sent Major General Joseph Kershaw's division to join Hoke in a morning assault. The effort was short and uncoordinated. Hoke failed to press the attack and Sheridan's troopers, armed with Spencer repeating carbines, easily repulsed the assault. Grant, encouraged by this success, ordered up reinforcements and planned his own attack for later the same day. If the Union frontal assault broke through the Confederate defenses, it would place the Union army between Lee and Richmond. After a hot and dusty night march, Major General Horatio Wright's VI Corps arrived and relieved Sheridan's cavalry, but Grant had to delay the attack Major General William Smith's XVIII Corps, Army of the James, marching in the wrong direction under out-of-date orders, had to retrace its route and arrived late in the afternoon. The Union attack finally began at 5 p.m. Finding a fifty yard gap between Hoke's and Kershaw's divisions, Wright's veterans poured through, capturing part of the Confederate lines. A southern counterattack however, sealed off the break and ended the day's fighting. Confederate infantry strengthened their lines that night and waited for the battle to begin next morning. June 2, 1864 Disappointed by the failed attack Grant planned another advance for 5 a.m. on June 2. He ordered Major General Winfield Hancock's II Corps to march to the left of the VI Corps. Exhausted by a brutal night march over narrow, dusty roads, the II Corps did not arrive until 6:30 a. Outline from may 31- june 12, 1864 :: essays research papers fc May 31 - June 12, 1864 In the overland campaign of 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant with the Army of the Potomac battled General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia for six weeks across central Virginia. At the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna and Totopotomoy Creek, Lee repeatedly stalled, but failed to stop, Grant's southward progress toward Richmond. The next logical military objective for Grant was the crossroads styled by locals Old Cold Harbor. May 31, 1864 After sparring along the Totopotomoy northeast of Richmond, Grant ordered Major General Philip Sheridan's cavalry to move south and capture the crossroads at Old Cold Harbor. Arriving near the intersection, the Union force ran into Major General Fitzhugh Lee's Confederate horsemen. A sharp contest ensued, soon joined by Confederate infantry under Brigadier General Thomas Clingman of Major General Robert Hoke's division. After a short battle, Union cavalry drove the Confederates beyond the crossroads. The Rebels then started digging new positions a half-mile to the southwest. June 1, 1864 Lee wished to retake Old Cold Harbor and sent Major General Joseph Kershaw's division to join Hoke in a morning assault. The effort was short and uncoordinated. Hoke failed to press the attack and Sheridan's troopers, armed with Spencer repeating carbines, easily repulsed the assault. Grant, encouraged by this success, ordered up reinforcements and planned his own attack for later the same day. If the Union frontal assault broke through the Confederate defenses, it would place the Union army between Lee and Richmond. After a hot and dusty night march, Major General Horatio Wright's VI Corps arrived and relieved Sheridan's cavalry, but Grant had to delay the attack Major General William Smith's XVIII Corps, Army of the James, marching in the wrong direction under out-of-date orders, had to retrace its route and arrived late in the afternoon. The Union attack finally began at 5 p.m. Finding a fifty yard gap between Hoke's and Kershaw's divisions, Wright's veterans poured through, capturing part of the Confederate lines. A southern counterattack however, sealed off the break and ended the day's fighting. Confederate infantry strengthened their lines that night and waited for the battle to begin next morning. June 2, 1864 Disappointed by the failed attack Grant planned another advance for 5 a.m. on June 2. He ordered Major General Winfield Hancock's II Corps to march to the left of the VI Corps. Exhausted by a brutal night march over narrow, dusty roads, the II Corps did not arrive until 6:30 a.

The Low-cost Orange Flying Machine: The Case of easyJet Essay

The colour orange is increasingly becoming synonymous with the firm easyJet as it has become one of the world’s most profitable low-cost airlines (Alamdari and Fagan, 2005). This paper examines the basis of their success and argues firstly, that easyJet from its inception essentially adopted and stayed with the original low-cost model that was pioneered by Southwest airlines in the USA. Moreover, this is a model that has served them well, resulting in sustained business performance and growth over a decade. However, our second point is that with this growth, and increased competition, there are signs of the need for a change. Accordingly, in what follows, we examine in turn: the historical origins of easyJet, emphasizing its values and the influence of the Southwest airlines model; the essential features of its business model; and some indication of its business performance over time. Historical Origins: Personality, Values and the Southwest Way EasyJet was conceived in 1995, with its first flight occurring in November of that year. There are numerous descriptions of the early start-up days, but one of the most vivid is surely the following (Calder 2006: 113): The entrance to the average airline’s headquarters is an impressive affair, intended to impress visitors. But the HQ of Britain’s most successful low-cost airline is far from average. For a while, the modest foyer of easyland – the huddle of temporary buildings from which one of Europe’s leading airlines is run – was adorned by a tent. It was a small, two-person job, strung from the roof†¦ Take one shipping millionaire, two Boeing 737s normally used for British Airways flights and several dozen gallons of orange paint, and you have a revolution in the skies. But industry watchers like myself were slow to realise the scale of the upheaval signified by the first flight of easyJet. The picture conveyed above stands in marked contrast to the subsequent growth and current performance of easyJet. Indeed as we were preparing the first draft of this paper easyJet announced that pre-tax profits were up by 55 percent to a record  £129 million in the year to September 2006. Turnover was up 21 percent, passenger numbers by 11.5 percent (to 33 million), the share price hit an all time high, and 52 new Airbus jets were to be ordered (Financial Times 2006). The contents of Figure 1 below lists some of the key milestones in the evolution of easyJet. Much of the early discussion of easyJet pivoted around its founder, Stelios Hajin Ioaanou (‘Stelios’). His personality, background, ‘entrepreneurial approach’ (Rae 2001) and ‘managerial style’ were all much discussed: the ‘no frills’ working environment (e.g. no private offices) and the ‘orange culture’ (i.e. ‘being up for it’; ‘passionate’ and ‘shar’p) were held to be important legacies following his stepping down as Chairman in 2002. In what was initially seen as very much a ‘personality-driven’ organization it is important to emphasise the place and role of Southwest airlines in influencing the personality of the Chairman. As one study stated: ‘It was not until he flew on Southwest airlines that Stelios felt he had found the right concept for a European airline. Stelios intensively researched Southwest, meeting with founder and CEO Herb Kellacher and buying 250 copies of Nuts – a book documenting Southwest’s success – for distribution to potential employees and customers. (Sull 1999: 22) Southwest airlines is very much an organization in which a high level of ‘selective perception’ is apparent among observers and emulators; you can see what you want to see in it (Pate and Beaumont 2006) To easyJet the key message received, accepted and followed faithfully, was to adopt and stick to the original low-cost model pioneered by Southwest. The Basic Low-Cost Business Model The key features of this model are outlined below in Figure 2 below. Product Features 1. Fares/ network Low, simple and unrestricted fares, high frequencies, point to point, no interlining 2. Distribution Travel agents and call centres (today internet sales), ticketless 3. Inflight Single class, high density seating, no meals or free alcoholic drinks, snacks and light beverages for purchase, no seat assignment Operating Features 1. Fleet Single type, Boeing 737, high utilisation, 11-12 hours per day 2. Airport Secondary or uncongested, 20—30 minute turnarounds 3. Sector length Short, average 400 nautical miles 4. Staff Competitive wages, profit sharing, high productivity (Source: Alamdari and Fagan 2005: 378) Figure 2: The original Southwest Airlines low-cost business model Indeed, if anything easyJet appears to have achieved further leverage along the ‘no frills’ dimension of this basic model: travel agents were completely avoided (direct sales only) and passengers had to pay even for soft drinks and snacks (Sull 1999, 23). Such features of the easyJet low-cost model were held to be acceptable, or indeed attractive, to ‘people who pay for travel from their own pockets’ (Sull 1999:23). Specifically easyJet targeted three cost-conscious and price-sensitive customer segments: (1) the traveller visiting relatives; (2) leisure travellers working brief trips; and (3) entrepreneurs and managers from small firms. At this stage we need briefly to comment on staff conditions (competitive wages, profit sharing, high productivity) in Figure 2. First, in a general sense, it is remarkable how little human resources and staffing matters figure in discussions of the easyJet strategy (Sull 1999; Jones, 2005); they are essentially conspicuous in their absence. Secondly, if one turns to more specific matters there are grounds to question the reality of the staffing approach in Figure 2. For example, on the competitive salary front, it has been estimated that pilots at easyJet earn around 25% less than pilots working for traditional carriers (Jones 2005: 151). This differential was a considerable source of tension and difficulty when easyJet took over the airline GO in August, 2002, with calls for strike action occurring at the time (Jones 2005:91). In the latter part of this paper we turn to look at these sorts of human resources and employment related matters in more detail. The Basic Business Model and the Bottom Line Earlier we made reference to the impressive performance figures of easyJet for the year to September 2006. This has not been an isolated success story. For example, easyJet pre-tax profit figures rose from  £5.9 million in 1998 to  £40 million in 2001, and now to the current all time high of  £129 million. At least one major study has attributed this success to easyJet sticking very closely to the original features of the low-cost model outlined in Figure 2. In essence this research (Alamdari and Fagan 2005), which involved 10 low-cost carriers in Europe and the USA, reported that, firstly, easyJet adhered very closely (74% compatible) to the original model, a figure only exceeded by that for Ryanair (85%) (Alamdari and Fagan 2005: 388). Moreover their second key result was that the closer one adhered to this model, the higher was profitability. The success of easyJet (and Ryanair) in this regard has been noted in other studies. For instance, the McKinsey Quarterly (2005) reported that easyJet and Ryanair account for about 50 percent of seat capacity in Europe’s low-cost market, with between 2004 and 2006 only easyJet (8.9%) and Ryanair (29.4%) having positive average operation margins. Although both easyJet and Ryanair are always hailed as the two financial success stories of the European low-cost sector, with both adhering most closely to the original low-cost model (Figure 2), it is important to recognise important differences between them. For example, easyJet’s unit costs are reported to be double those of Ryanair, with the former break-even point (76% of capacity) being higher than that of Ryanair (63%) (McKinsey Quarterly 2005). Other differences between the two, which have been noted, are that easyJet has more head –to-head competition with the conventional carriers because it uses more established airports than Ryanair (Jones 2005: 211). Much of the bottom line success of easyJet has been attributed to its yield management system which seeks to extract the maximum revenue per flight (Jones 2005: 212). It is these sorts of sentiments which underpin their micro-type targets. For example, the aim is to grow the current profit per seat figure of some  £2.50 to  £5 by the end of 2008. Are there Signs of Changes in easyJet’s Business Strategy? Current profits are good and the emphasis on yield measurement and tough targets will still remain. This said, there are signs of some actual or proposed changes in the business model. These have arisen because of the rise of new low-cost competition, changes in the conventional carriers (limited frills), and external pressures such as oil price rise. The changes are designed to address some concerns of existing customer segments and to attract new customers. For example, in April 2003 easyJet launched a dedicated website for business travel arrangements which allows corporate customers to access monthly management information so that they can track travel spend. In June 2005 it introduced easyJet lounges, which passengers had to pay for, but which were viewed as attractive to business travellers. Figures released in The Times (11th November, 2006) suggest that they have been relatively successful in capturing the business market: Stansted and Luton (easyJet’s London bases) have the highest proportion of frequent flyers among major airports at over 50 percent as compared to 39 percent of passengers at Heathrow. Measures have also been taken in recent years to address customer concerns regarding the lack of clarity of the full fare until the last stage of booking, through an upgraded software system. A key question remains; can easyJet consistently capture the business traveller sector, with their considerable expectations of ‘added extras’ while remaining true to their winning formula of cost leadership? Only time will tell. References Alamdari, F. and Fagan, S. (2005) Impact of the adherence to the original low-cost model on profitability of low-cost airlines, Transport Reviews 25, 3: 377-392. Calder, S. (2006) No Frills. London: Virgin Books. Financial Times (2006) 15th November, p24. Jones, L. (2005) easyJet, the Story of Britain’s Biggest Low-Cost Airline. London: Aurum. McKinsey Quarterly (2005) August edition. Pate, J. and Beaumont, P. (2006) The European low-cost airline industry: the interplay of business strategy and human resources, European Management Journal 24, 5: 322-329. Rae, D. (2001) easyJet: a case of entrepreneurial management, Strategic Change 10, 6: 325-336. Sull, D. (1999) easyJet’s $500 Million Gamble, European Management Journal 17, 1: 20-38. The Times (2006), 11th and 15th November. View as multi-pages

Systematic and Common Chemical Names

Systematic and Common Chemical Names There are many ways to name a chemical. Here is a look at the difference between different types of chemical names, including systematic names, common names, vernacular names and CAS numbers. Systematic or IUPAC Name The systematic name  also called the IUPAC name is the preferred way to name a chemical because each systematic name identifies exactly one chemical. The systematic name is determined by guidelines set forth by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Common Name A common name is defined by the IUPAC as a name that unambiguously defines a chemical, yet does not follow the current systematic naming convention. An example of a common name is acetone, which has the systematic name 2-propanone. Vernacular Name A vernacular name is a name used in a lab, trade or industry that does not unambiguously describe a single chemical. For example, copper sulfate is a vernacular name which may refer to copper(I) sulfate or copper(II) sulfate. Archaic Name An archaic name is an older name for a chemical that predates the modern naming conventions. Its helpful to know archaic names of chemicals because older texts may refer to chemicals by these names. Some chemicals are sold under archaic names or may be found in storage labeled with the older names. An example of this is muriatic acid, which is the archaic name for hydrochloric acid and is one of the names under which hydrochloric acid is sold. CAS Number A CAS number is an unambiguous identifier assigned to a chemical by the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), a part of the American Chemical Society. CAS numbers are assigned sequentially, so you cant tell anything about the chemical by its number. Each CAS number consists of three strings of numbers that are separated by hyphens. The first number contains up to six digits, the second number is two digits, and the third number is a single digit. Other Chemical Identifiers Although the chemical names and CAS Number are the most common way to describe a chemical, there are other chemical identifiers you may encounter. Examples include numbers assigned by PubChem, ChemSpider, UNII, EC number, KEGG, ChEBI, ChEMBL, RTES number and the ATC code. Example of Chemical Names Putting it all together, here are the names for CuSO4 ·5H2O: Systematic (IUPAC) Name: copper(II) sulfate pentahydrateCommon Names: copper(II) sulfate, copper(II) sulfate, cupric sulfate, cupric sulfateVernacular Name: copper sulfate, copper sulfateArchaic Name: blue vitriol, bluestone, copper vitriolCAS Number: 7758-99-8

Humanities Nuclear War by Kahns On Thermonuclear War and Kubricks Dr. Strangelove

Humanities Nuclear War by Kahns On Thermonuclear War and Kubricks Dr. Strangelove Nuclear war is the issue that has been discussed for a long period of time by a number of writers and researchers. It is not always easy to give a clear definition whether nuclear war is a pure negative or a pure positive aspect in human life, this is why it is always interesting to offer new ideas and introduce some captivating perspectives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Humanities: Nuclear War by Kahn’s On Thermonuclear War and Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this paper, the two works by different people will be analyzed in this paper to comprehend how nuclear war may influence the society. Herman Khan was an American futurist who promoted a lot the nuclear strategy that was spread in the United States of America. His On Thermonuclear is one of the most powerful books where the author makes an attempt to describe and evaluate the nature of nuclear war and its importance . Another powerful work is created by Stanley Kubrick; it is the movie Dr. Strangelove where the idea of nuclear war is perfectly satirized from a variety of perspectives. These two authors even cooperated to introduce one powerful and effective idea, still, their standpoints seem to be rather different as the movie introduces the nuclear war as something absurd, and the book aims at describing the war as something inevitable and not as dangerous as many people usually think. On Thermonuclear is the story about nuclear war and its possible effects on the society and the existing balance of power. In this book, the author underlines the fact that nuclear war is something that people could be ready for; still, when the time to experience the effects of the war comes, it turns out to be that people are not actually ready for such danger. Of course, society may recuperate after the war is over, however, it is so difficult to predict the outcomes and be sure about the true nature of war. The most powerful issue in the book is probably author’s argument that this type of war may be unwinnable for people still possible. Though the book does not aim to promote the war, a number of critics accept such message as a kind of threat to society and social inability to control the events. The author wants to prove that people’s possibilities are great indeed, however, they are not always powerful to gain the desired control. In his turn, Dr. Strangelove introduces another point of view where he admits that nuclear war is of accidental character and is considered to be a type of failure of deterrence. In spite of the possibility to explain that nuclear war does not have any positive outcomes and characteristic, this character tries to justify the creation of nuclear weapon and the necessity for the countries to have it in the arsenal. In comparison to Khan, Dr. Strangelove understands that it is not always possible to control nuclear war, that the results will b e dramatic for people, and that society should take more care of the conditions under which weapons are created and stored.Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In general, the positions of both authors are clear enough: it is not right to promote the idea of nuclear war, still, the activities of government in different countries seem to be that terrible truth that bother many people. There are no people who want to develop nuclear war, and each country tries to take the position with the help of which its citizens will be in safe; however, if someone makes a decision to start such kind of war, the vast majority of countries will be ready to use their nuclear weapon even without knowing how to use it properly. It is a comic as well as tragic situation that proves one thing: human possibilities are amazing, still, more control is required to benefit from these possibi lities and knowledge.

Assign Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assign - Assignment Example The attitudes of the younger generations toward and relationship with the old in Qatar are quite varied and are affected by various factors. The factors that affect the young people’s attitudes toward the old are not reserved to the state of Qatar but commonly apply to other parts of the world as well. Some of these factors include racial/ethnic/cultural, religious, and educational background (Hagestad 515). In Qatar, the transition to old age is characterised by retirement, poor health, advanced chronological age, death of spouse as well as mental and physical weakening. Some of the attitudes that youth have toward the aged are negative as the latter are associated with unproductiveness, forgetfulness, intellectual rigidness and other stereotypical notions leading to discrimination and prejudice against them (Sijuwade 1). No wonder many youths in Qatar prefer not to work with the aged. On the other hand, some people associate old age with wisdom, blessedness and respect. As a matter of fact, attitudes may change over time. In 50 years time, the current young population will be aged and newer generations in existence. The population of the aged in the state will probably be greater than it is now, the literacy level higher than it is today. There is a high likelihood that the aged population will be viewed in positive light then considering various

E-Commerce in Developing Countries Research Paper

E-Commerce in Developing Countries - Research Paper Example Different sectors including transportation, industries, technology, and entertainment greatly depend on internet applications. Various studies indicate that internet provides extensive employment opportunities to large number of people. Furthermore, internet has become the largest database in the universe. The most fascinating feature of the internet is that it acts as a platform for online trade or E-commerce. Today, many of the multinational corporations generate notable percent of their sales revenues through online business. II. Issues for developing countries a. Info-structure It seems that information structures used to build a website often become a constraint to E-commerce growth in developing countries. Sequences, hierarchies, and webs are the major information structures deployed to develop a website; and structures like hierarchies and webs are best ways to build and manage information databases effectively (Fresh Thinking Business, n.d). However, database management using such models requires in depth knowledge and greater efficiency. Obviously, developing countries may not have much fund to spend on infra-structure development as they need to address a series of other operational fund requirements. Moreover, those counties may lack adequate expertise to promote information structure development and this situation would adversely affect their internet usage practices. Experts reflect that many of the developing countries are still unaware of the necessity of structure development as they do not consider internet as a major contributor to their overall economic development. b. Legal and financial framework Evidences suggest that a nation’s legal and financial framework can have a greater impact on its E-commerce practices. Some developing countries believe that unrestricted internet access may negatively affect their national security and hence they ban some specific websites. To illustrate, China banned the social networking site facebook rec ently to maintain social peace and harmony. However, this move has affected the country’s E-commerce sector to a great extent since facebook was an important channel of business promotion in China. Nowadays, more countries are planning to ban some highly trafficked websites in order to avoid threats to national security. Such practices are more likely to impede online business growth since many of those websites provide people with a common platform to share their views and opinions regarding a particular product or service. As we mentioned earlier, developing countries with an unstable financial background cannot raise sufficient funds to foster IT development, which is essential to intensify E-commerce growth. c. Human resource Undoubtedly, human resource plays a pivotal role in determining E-commerce growth in developing countries. Although online business sector needs less number of employees as compared to traditional business settings, potential workforce is necessary f or E-commerce promotion. It seems that developing countries like India and China are blessed with potential human capital resources and hence they can employ skilled people and thereby generate huge revenues from online sales. In contrast, some other countries do not have adequate human resources and hence those countries employ the available workforce on industrial sectors. Obviously, this situation would impede the growth of E-commerce sector. It is also noted that