The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley Essay

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley - Essay Example However, ultimately they manage to resist and continue feuding. It eventually comes out that Tommy has been sleeping with Donna's sister, Mona, who is still only a teenager. Donna takes the affair very personally, as if she has been betrayed by both her sister and her exboyfriend. She demands an explanation from Tommy who hedges and fails to offer a complete explanation. He waffles between admitting that he is still in love with Donna and acting like none of it bothers him. Donna demands that Tommy promise never to sleep with Mona again, but Tommy counters by insisting that Donna wouldn't care so much if she weren't still in love with him. Donna implies that Tommy is in danger because he has admittedly used both herself and her sister. They obviously share a father and fathers are protective of their daughters. To have offended two of them in one fell swoop is surely cause for Donna's father to assault Tommy. This does not compel Tommy to reverse his stance in their ongoing argument in the scene, however. Tommy claims that he loves her but he has to do what is best for himself, and Donna claims she has to get away from him to save herself. In the second scene, Donna goes to visit her father, announcing her arrival in the same angry fashion as she did in scene one.

Yemen Strikes May Target Top AL Qaeda Leaders Essay Example for Free

Yemen Strikes May Target Top AL Qaeda Leaders Essay Al Qaeda is a global militant Islamist organization founded by the late Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam among other Islamic. It dates back to around August 1988-1989 in Peshwar in Pakistan. Its origins were traced to the Soviet War in Afghanistan. It operated as a network that comprised of both multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim revolution. This movement called for global jihad and implemented a strict interpretation of the Sharia laws. It was branded a terrorist organization by major organizations and countries in the world such as the United Nation Security Council, the European Union, NATO, the United States, and the United Kingdom among many other countries.               Al Qaeda functioned both on its own and through some minor terrorist organizations. The organizations that operated under the al Qaeda included Ayman al-Wawahiri’s Egyptian Islamic Jihad which was also known as el Gamaa Islamia. There were also other Jihad groups in countries such as Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Pakistan, Croatia, Tunisia Lebanon, Albania, Philippines, Azerbaijan, Tajistan and the Hashmiri Region in India and Chechnyan in Russia. AL Qaeda kept cells and personnel in numerous countries to facilitate its operations including Kenya, Tanzania, the United States, Germany, United Kingdome, Malaysia and Canada. â€Å"Al Qaeda has no home base, but maintains cells in different countries in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia† (Zalman) Objectives                  One of the ultimate goals of Al Qaeda was to fight off the United States armed forces out of Saudi Arabian peninsula and Somalia. They issued rulings on Islamic laws indicating that such action was proper and essential. Bin Laden led the AL Qaeda to oppose the United States for various reasons. First, they perceived the United States to have no faith because its governance was not as per their interpretation of the Islamic laws. The second reason was that they regarded the United States as a provider of vital support to â€Å"other infidel† nations and institutions. They particularly branded the Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and finally the United Nations, as enemies of the Islamists organization. Third, Osama Bin Laden greatly contended the participation of the United States armed force in the Gulf war and operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1991, 1992 and 1993 respectively. Above all, the presence of the American forces in the Saudi Arabian penins ula was with no doubt resented by the al Qaeda. Last but not least, the United States Government’s incredible resentment was owed to the arrest and conviction of the al Qaeda personnel or any member of their affiliate terrorists organizations. For these reasons, Osama Bin Laden led the al Qaeda to declare jihad, holy war, against the United States. He pursued this goal through all means possible. The al Qaeda made attacks on any nations or organizations allied to the United States.                Since 1988, when Al Qaeda was formed, â€Å"the organization has been credited with scores of terror attacks around the globe, which have resulted in the deaths of thousands of people† (National Geographic). Attacks in East Africa                   On 7th August 1998, well planned attacks were made on two American embassies in the East African countries of Kenya and Tanzania. In Tanzania, it is perceived by the authorities that a bomb was planted in a refrigeration truck which was later parked outside the United States embassy. It was unfortunate that these two embassies did not meet the recent strict measures that have been implemented. The attack on the Tanzanian embassy saw 11 people die and 86 more get injured. On the other hand the Kenyan bombing resulted in the deaths of 12 Americans, 213 Kenyan Citizens and had over 5000 casualties. One of AL Qaeda’s leaders, Al Libi, â€Å"was wanted for his alleged role in the deadly 1998 bombings of the two embassies in Africa† (CNN).               The aftermath of this attack was devastating and the United States in conjunction with the Tanzanian government sought to set up a new embassy. The United States impeached Osama Bin Laden as the core perpetrator of the bombing of these embassies. The united stated went ahead to offer a reward for five million dollars for his arrest and conviction.                   The United States government as devastated as it was plotted attacks on Sudan and Afghanistan. On 20th August 1998, the United States attacked Sudan and Afghanistan. It was alleged that the US targeted a chemical weapons producing plant, located in Sudan, with 13 cruise missiles. This only resulted to the deaths of the night guards. There has not been any substantial evidence that supports the attack and therefore it has come under extreme criticism. The attack on Afghanistan consisted of about 75 cruise missiles which targeted three separate terrorists’ camps and strongholds. This attack brought the deaths of 24 people but unfortunately failed in getting Osama Bin Laden. â€Å"The strikes were a response to an imminent threat to the U.S. posed by a terrorist network backed by Osama bin Laden† (CNN). Attacks in Yemen                   This is AL Qaeda’s first ever attack in its course. It is known as the Yemen Hotel Bombing of 1992. On the evening of the 29th of December 1992, a bomb went off at the Gold Mahur Hotel. This happened to be where the United States’ armed forces had been staying on their route to Somalia. Fortunately the troops had already evacuated the hotel at the time of the attack. Undeterred by any circumstances, the AL Qaeda went ahead to plot another attack. They targeted another hotel. They perceived that the American troops were staying in the Aden Movenpick. However, the bomb detonated in the hotel car park, ahead of time for their attack. The explosion led to the death of two Australian tourists. Osama Bin Laden and Mohamed Khan claimed responsibility for these attacks. Attacks in Jordan                In December 1999-2000, there was a plotted attack by the AL Qaeda to attack United States and Israelis tourists who had visited Jordan to celebrate the millennium. Conversely, authorities in Jordan disillusioned the plotted attacks and apprehended and convicted 28 suspects. This plot involved the bombing of the LAX but this was a complete failure for the AL Qaeda since the bomber, known as Ahmed Ressam was apprehended at the US- Canadian border with explosives in his car. The AL Qaeda did not stop at that. They planned an attack on the USS Sullivans on January the third in 2000. This failed because they put too much weight on a small boat that was to bomb the ship. Attack on MV Limburg                   The Limburg was loaded with 397,000 barrels, equated to 63,100 m3, of crude oil from Iran en route to Malaysia. It was attacked in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen where it was to collect another load of crude oil. The Limburg was registered under a French-flag. PETRONAS, a Malaysian petrol firm, had chartered the Limburg. At some distance offshore, a small boat loaded with explosives rammed the tanker on the starboard and detonated. The craft caught fire and estimated 90,000 barrels, equated to 140,000 m3 of crude oil spilled into the ocean. Yemeni authorities apparently claimed that the explosion was caused by an accident. However investigations showed traces of TNT on the wrecked vessel. In the incident one crew member was killed and 12 others were injured. According to BBC, Ahmed al-Darbi confessed to being responsible for this incident.                      The Battle of WanatOn July 13, 2008, AL Qaeda and Taliban guerilla fighters raged war on NATO troops. This occurred near Wanat, a village in Waygal district, in Afghanistan’ province of Nuristan. This battle has been branded â€Å"Black Hawk Down†. It was one of the bloodiest attacks in the war and one of the numerous attacks on remote outposts. In comparison to the preceding ambushes that were executed in a haphazard manner, this was well coordinated and executed. â€Å"American casualties included nine killed and 27 wounded, while four Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were wounded† (Terrorists groups). Attacks on the United States                  On Tuesday September 11, 2001 a coordinated series of 4 attacks were launched on the US in the metropolitan area of Washington DC and in New York by the Al-Qaeda, a terrorist group of Islamic religion.                19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger airliners. The purpose of hijacking the planes was so that they could be used for suicide attacks.                  Two of the planes, the United Airline flight 175 and also the American Airliners flight II were crashed into the south and north towers of the world trade center complex in New York City respectively. In two hours the two towers collapsed. The debris from the buildings and the fires partly of completely caused the collapse of the buildings in the world trade center complex and also caused damage to another ten large surrounding structures. The Rise                  The affliction of AL Qaeda on global is seemingly a long standing affair. Its beginning goes back decades to the modern-day establishment and conversion of a non-state armed group that has made it its purpose to create exceptional regional and international changes based on unnecessary use of brutal force for political motives. Apart from prompting domestic and foreign crises, the AL Qaeda focused specifically in adapting and prospering open-endedly as it sought new approaches. All along, it is in this perspective that the growth of AL Qaeda was planned for. This was a preordained way for the group to ensure it growth regardless of any setbacks from the very beginning. This isolated it from preceding and successive Islamists groups. On the other hand, traditional Islamist factions started to institute themselves through religious preaching, political sermons and particularly through networks of domestic social amenities.                   The first incarnation of AL Qaeda was to act as a welfare provider originating in the reinter state, Arabian Gulf. On the other hand its purpose was to apparently fight the Soviet Union in the 1980s, Jihad. The superiority of this underlying principle did not translate to a sudden halt of an unsatisfied local aim but somewhat the domestic contention to spill out to the external parties. From the perspective of a failed Arab and Islamic nation building, this faction sprang forth as a project with the combination of religion and politics. I was built upon: Relocation of authority; Outwitting the state; And the belligerent empowerment of a non-state actor.                  If in the beginning the swift propagation of the five regional depictions of the Al Qaeda were questionable, an added suggestion of the organization’s inspiring global reach and its ability to function in multiple nations long after War on Terror had been declared against it, it progressively occurred that the regional affiliates were significantly at variance and their link to the mother Al Qaeda was in some way unsubstantiated.                   Although in its first fifteen years it had been able to develop globally against vital odds; for each tactical loss, the Al Qaeda earned a strategic gain. This was demonstrated by: Retreating in Afghanistan but advancing in Iraq; Restricted leadership but had proliferating contacts; Abridged physical mobility but had global impact; Additional enemies but expanding recruits. The fall                  In the period between 2006 and 2011, AL Qaeda’s leadership had changed into a self-commandment, in due course offering only political, religious and military commentary, and not operational orders. Taking everything into account, what can be interpreted as a regionalization strategy of the Al Qaeda mixed up the global representation of the organization. The required elasticity the group embraced, partially voluntarily, partially as a way to adjust to the impending international anti-terrorism campaign, brought about an ever-growing distance with the already liberated divisions.                  Osama Bin Laden’s vanishing from Al Qaeda and also the War on Terror scene, for that reason, signified the end of the reign of the original faction established in Afghanistan. This opened a new chapter in which the regional authorizations will further sanction their existing independence. In so doing they will bestow the conflict with a new arrangement by diminishing terrorism among nations. War on Terror                  Previous efforts to put an end to this menace were somehow unsuccessful until May 2, 2011. O this day, a team of U.S Navy Seals with the help of the United States intelligence located the AL Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. He was found in Abbottabad in Pakistan, 31 Miles from Islamabad where he met his demise. On June 16 the same year, Ayman al-Zawahiri succeeded Osama Bin Laden but the fight against terror continues.                The war against terror is a global war. There have been numerous efforts to curb the AL Qaeda menace. The United States has shown great dedication in trying to bring justice to the crimes committed by this faction, the Al Qaeda. These efforts have included several military actions by the United States armed forces and other allied nations and institutions like the UK and the United Nations. Presently, there are ongoing various military operations against this terrorist faction. This operation either targets the faction directly or the affiliates of this faction such as the Al Shabaab in Somalia. Many countries have joined the war against terrorism. For example, according to Fox News, the Iraqi Government has announced that it is offensive on AL Qaeda. Yemen is also said to be targeting top AL Qaeda leaders, as Stated by CNN reporters, Jamjoom and Smith, write.                   The United States government has greatly contributed the gradual fall that AL Qaeda is undergoing. Military action is seemingly the way to go since these terrorists seem not to the get the hang of diplomacy. Presently, â€Å"prompted in part by a recent video that showed Al Qaeda leaders in Yemen openly taunting the United States, the CIA launched lethal drone strikes†(Dilanian). According to ABC News, even after two years when the United States withdrew its troops from Iraq, the US is still aid the Iraqi government to fight off the AL Qaeda faction. References Al Qaeda. Answers, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. AL Qaeda Attacks: A Chronology. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. Battle of Wanat 2008. Terrorist Groups, 8 Apr. 2008. Web. 26 Apr. 2014 Fast facts: The embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. CNN, 6 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. Guantanamo prisoner al-Darbi admits MV Limburg Attack. BBC, 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. Jamjoom, Mohammed and Smith, Matt. Yemen Strikes May Target Top AL Qaeda Leaders. CNN, 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. US Assisting Iraq in Fight Against Al Qaeda 2 Years After Troops Withdraw. ABC NEWS, 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.Zalman, Amy. Al Qaeda: Profile of Al Qaeda. About, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. Source document

Art Therapy: Children and its Effectiveness Essay -- Psychology

What is art? Art is the self-expression of someone of something that shows the hidden or underlying emotions that are found within the unconscious mind. Art has been around for centuries (â€Å"Merriam-Webster†). Normally, art would tell stories of past events which were significant to that culture. This could include things such as hunts and sacrifices to please the gods. As people and humanity started to evolve and become more civilized, art started to transform and take on a new appearance as well. From being a story prop to something that is more abstract; art started to become more and more important in the lives of people. During the renaissance in Europe, many new artists and ways of thinking emerged and became the main-stream way of thinking. Many of those artist are household names such as Vincent Van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci . They transformed art from what it was to how we see it today (Belliveau). Jumping forward from the renaissance to the 1960’s, you h ave artists emerge such as Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollok. They pushed the boundaries of art and how it was perceived in society (American Art Therapy Association). When one talks about art there are many aspects that they could be talking about. Art could be seen as a painting but it could also be seen as a sculpture or sketch. When thinking about art the possibilities of how it could be used is endless. Art could be used in interior decorating or designing something extraordinary but it could also be used as self-expression of suppressed feelings that are unknown to the consciousness. In the beginning, art was never seen as a therapeutic form of expression. Art is now looked at as a good was to relieve stress and express emotions. Rather, art had a more practica... ....† Science 302.5646 (2003): 810-813. JSTOR. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. . Kramer, Edith, and Jerome Hellmuth. â€Å"Art and ... The troubled kid.† JSTOR. Art Education, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. . Mueller, Karen, and Margie Whittaker Leidig. â€Å"Women’s Anger and Feminist Therapy.† Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies 1 (Winter 1976): 23-30. JSTOR. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. . Wexler, Alice. â€Å"Painting Their Way out: Profiles of Adolescent Art Practice at the Harlem Hospital Horizon Art Studio.† Studies of Art Education 43 .4 (2002): 339-353. JSTOR. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. Belliveau, George. â€Å"An Alternative Practicum Model for Teaching and Learning.† JSTOR. An Alternative Practicum Model for Teaching and Learning, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. .

Body Image - A Body Unknown :: essays research papers

It happened suddenly, surprisingly and overnight. One day I was a child and the next I was a sex object. Catching everyone from friends to teachers, parents to siblings off guard I had grown into a women and to some, a piece of female specimen that welcomed sexual advances, harassment and jokes. The one thing that has defined my womanhood more then anything else has been my breasts. I was thrown, unarmed into this situation at the tender age of 13, since then my views have changed. At 13 I viewed my buxomest body as a toy, an advantage, but after 5 years of being viewed as a sex object my views have changed. Changing my views ever further was reading Chapter 9 in Julia Woods Gendered Lives, this chapter dealt with the stereotypical roles of both sexes. One female role that applied directly to me was the sex object stereotype. Even after 5 years of continuous harassment I feel empowered and proud of my sexuality, I love my body, including my breasts. Wood described a sex object as so mething that was wrong, something that shouldn’t be a part of our society. Wood inadvertently made me feel like I was harming other women by embracing my sexuality. Wrong, I say, society has made me a sex object and I will do everything I can to make society deal with what they have created. I have always believed that my body was something to be proud of, something that I have treasured and praised throughout my life. For the first 6 months of my womanhood I felt I had been blessed. But, over the years I endured example after example that showed me there was something very, very wrong with the way society deals with sexuality. I did not see anything wrong when I was on an airplane with classmates and found them staring at my breasts. When I asked them what they were doing they simply replied, â€Å"waiting for turbulence.† That was funny, then. A couple months later I heard boys in the back row of my science class talking vulgarly about my body, naturally, I was upset, but chalked it up to immaturity and went on with my life. My freshman year of high school was the worst, so far. I didn’t feel like I could run in P.E. because the wrestlers, whom were all upperclassman would stand at the wall and yell elicit lines to me.

19th Century Horror Stories Essay

In this essay we will look at the Characteristics of 19th Century Horror Stories, commenting on: the structure of the story; the characterisation; the themes included in the story; the setting and the writer’s technique. I will be looking into two texts in detail: â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw† by William Wymark Jacobs; and â€Å"The Signalman† by Charles Dickens, whilst making references to â€Å"Captain Rogers† – also by William Wymark Jacobs, and â€Å"The Engineer’s Thumb† by Sherlock Holmes. During the Victorian period, the industrial revolution was in full flow, and the gothic styles of writing used in the stories of this period were extremely popular – featuring in many magazines of the time. Horror stories became almost an obsession for many people, who were drawn in by the unique styles of the writers such as Dickens, Poe, and Wilkie Collins. They were cheap, and widely available, with many of them being published in magazines. The availability of them meant that the obsession continued, as the people of that time were always able to obtain a new story. One of the stories, â€Å"The Signalman† by Dickens, is a fine example of the horror stories of that day: It begins by setting a gloomy scene, with the Signalman situated in a ‘deep cutting’, his figure ‘foreshortened and shadowed’. Using description such as this, the author can immediately let the reader understand the mood of the story – in this case, dark and depressing. This technique is also used in â€Å"Captain Rogers†, with the words ‘feeble’, ’painful’, and ‘forced’ being used in the first paragraph. The ‘deep cutting’ in which the story is set, is later described as a ‘dungeon’, and at the end of the cutting was the entrance to a black tunnel, in which there was a ‘barbarous, depressing, and forbidding air’ – setting a negative semantic field around the piece. The Signalman himself is described as a ‘dark sallow’ man, living in as ‘solitary and dismal a place’ that the narrator ever saw. Indeed, the narrator comments that it was ‘as if I had left the natural world’. Indeed, the opening to the story gives the reader a glimpse of the signalman’s loneliness, and a sense of foreboding towards the trench in which he was posted. Loneliness and foreboding are two major characteristics of 19th Century horror. Horror stories from this period often have a supernatural theme. In â€Å"The Signalman†, ghostly ‘spectres’ haunt the unfortunate rail-way worker – and shortly after they appear, a terrible accident occurs. Accumulation is a major factor in horror stories, and â€Å"The Signalman† used this to great effect. The appearances of the spectres become more frequent, making the reader wonder what is going to take place at the climax. The spectre returns, and the signalman describes to the narrator that: ‘what troubles me so dreadfully is the question: What does the spectre mean?’ This leaves the reader to ponder what may happen next in the story, even though they may have no idea. It leaves the reader feel to be scared by whatever their imagination may come up with, meaning the writer does not have to reveal the plot just yet – but can keep the reader guessing. This is a common feature in 19th Century horror, and is used in â€Å"Captain Rogers† and â€Å"The Engineer’s Thumb† The narrator also describes how he could see the ‘mental torture’ and ‘pain of mind’ of the signalman, suggesting that the events with the spectre have left his state of mind in tatters. In 19th Century horror stories, characters were often driven mad by the events unfolding in the book At the end of the book, the plot unravels, and all becomes clear. The narrator is shocked to hear of the death of the signalman, who is hit by a train. He then learns that the spectre which had been haunting the signalman was the driver, shouting at him to clear the way. The ending of the book is  short, with just a little dialogue after we learn of the death of the signalman, which is common in horror stories of this era. This style of ending is similar to that in â€Å"Captain Rogers†, in which there is a death, and a sudden ending to the story. This is also the case in â€Å"The Engineer’s Thumb†, when Holmes realises that the printing press has been destroyed, and the criminals are many miles away. Another famous tale from this period is â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw† by W.W.Jacobs. It epitomises the horror genre of this time, with suspense, mystery, death, and a super-natural theme all included in the plot. The story begins with a good use of contrast. ‘The night was cold and wet’, but inside Laburnam Villa, a ‘fire burned brightly’, as a father and son are playing a game of chess whilst an old lady sat by the fire, ‘knitting placidly’. Contrast is also used at the beginning of â€Å"Captain Rogers†, when ‘a bright fire afforded a pleasant change to the chill October air outside’. Description of the setting is included in the father’s dialogue: ‘Of all the beastly, slushy, out-of-the-way places to live in, this is the worst’. At this point, a guest knocks on the door and is invited into the house. He tells the family a tales of ‘strange scenes’ and ‘doughty deeds’, a good use of repetition, and finally arrives on the subject of a monkey’s paw, which ‘had a spell put on it by an old fakir’. Again, another reference to super-natural subjects. The Paw will grant three separate men each three wishes, but when asked about this, the visitor’s face ‘whitened’ – a method commonly used in 19th Century horror to show fear. Later, the family urge the visitor (a sergeant in the army) to let them have ownership of the paw. The sergeant is reluctant to hand it over, instead suggesting to ‘let it burn’ in the fire. This leaves the reader wondering what could be so bad about the paw, which the sergeant wants to let burn in the fire. As with â€Å"The Signalman†, â€Å"Captain Rogers†, and â€Å"The Engineer’s Thumb† , it is left to the readers’ imaginations what the plot may be surrounding the story, confirming that it is a common characteristic of 19th Century Horror. A technique also used in this particular story, was the use of words such as ‘unusual’, ‘depressing’ and ‘horrible’ to set a negative and gloomy semantic field around it, which alerts the reader to the mood of the story. Nearly every 19th Century Horror story used this method of writing, including â€Å"The Signalman† and â€Å"Captain Rogers†. These stories also use the technique of repetition to put across the meaning of a phrase or piece of dialogue more strongly. In â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw†, a character called Herbert is sitting alone by the fire, when he sees a face ‘so horrible and so simian that he gazed at it in amazement’, in the flames. The repetition of the word ‘so’ makes the adjective following it, much stronger. In â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw†, and often in other horror novels, a short relief from the tension will be given. In â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw†, directly after the scene in which Herbert has seen the ‘vivid’ faces in the fire, there is a short scene portraying events at the breakfast table the following morning. The monkey’s paw, the object of all their wonder, fear, and excitement the night before, is ‘pitched on the sideboard with a carelessness which betokened no great belief in its virtues’. The family laugh the tale of the sergeant off, making a mockery of the ‘power’ of the paw. Often, horror stories of this period will add scenes such as this to enable the use of features such as irony, which is used in abundance in this scene, for example when Mrs. White asks: ‘How could two hundred pounds hurt you?†. Immediately after, Herbert replies: ‘Might drop on his head from the sky.’ All this is ironic, as Herbert is eventually killed by some machinery at his workforce – and the family are given two hundred pounds in compensation, after Herbert used the paw to wish for ‘two hundred pounds’. The reader thinks the story has reached its climax, when the family are informed of the death of Herbert. However – there is one last twist in the plot. Some 19th Century Horror Stories added a twist, and it proved very popular. A week after the death of Herbert, his mother and father eventually, after much arguing, decide to use the paw one last time – to  bring Herbert back to life. A ‘loud knock resounded through the house’, and his mother rushes to the door to open it for Herbert. Just when the reader thinks the mutilated body is going to be let into the house, his father realises his mistake – and wishes his son away. The door is opened, but Herbert is gone. The eventual anti-climax to this twist is also used often in 19th Century Horror Stories. A twist was also included in â€Å"Captain Rogers†, where Rogers murders his friend, Gunn. To conclude, many different styles and techniques were used to create a Horror Story in this time, but they all had the same effect, which was to create a dark and negative semantic field– which makes the story more scary and thrilling for the reader. Writers such as Dickens, Poe, Collins, Jacobs, and Doyle included vivid descriptions of setting and character to aid their writing, and add to the semantic field.

Asian Fall essays

Asian Fall essays A large economic downturn in East Asia threatens to end its nearly 30-year run of high growth rates. The crisis has caused Asian currencies to fall 50-60%, stock markets to decline 40%, banks to close, and property values to drop. The crisis was brought on by currency devaluations, bad banking practices high foreign debt, loose government regulation, and corruption. Due to East Asias large impact on the world economy, the panic in Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, and other Asian countries has prompted other Countries to worry about the affect on their own economies and offer aid to the financially troubled nations (The Great Wave). The East Asian crisis has affected almost all of the Asian Nations, but the three hardest hit countries are Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea. The panic began in Thailand in May of 1997 when speculators, worried about Thailands slowing economy, excessive debt, and political instability devalued the Baht (Thailand currency) as they fled for market-driven currencies like the American dollar. Indonesias economy soon fell soon after when the rupiah hit a record low against the U.S. dollar. Indonesia is plagued by more than $70 billion worth of bad debts and a corrupt and inefficient government. Thailand and Indonesia also suffer from being overbuilt during real estate booms that they were the result of huge influxes of cash by optimistic foreign investors. South Korea faltered under the weight of its huge foreign debt, decreasing exports, and weakening currency (Asian Fall). Other major countries touched by the crisis are Japan, China, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Japans economy is burdened by $300 billion in bad bank loans and a recession. Chinese banks may carry bad bank loans of up to $1 trillion. The banks lend 66% of Chinas investment capital to state-run industries that only produce 12% of Chinas industrial output. Malaysia and the ...

Heroes in Chivalry Essay Example

Heroes in Chivalry Essay Example Heroes in Chivalry Paper Heroes in Chivalry Paper Roland and Lancelot: Heroes in Chivalry Since the dawn of time heroes have come and gone, some won battles and others lost wars but all have been remembered through the generations as lessons, for better or worse, of morality and timeless human themes. No period In history is more synonymous with hero worship as the Medieval ages. Throughout these times some of the most famous tales of knights, kings, and chivalry were penned, none more so than the stones of Roland, a great warrior under King Charlemagne, and Sir Lancelot, a knight of King Urethras. Willing to suffer for their respective causes, their honor and the honor of their allies were of utmost Importance to them. These two men both personified and exemplified the classic facets of medieval song and romance, chivalry and courtly love, In many ways, but they do so In significantly assistance when confronted with an overwhelming opposing army for fear of the besmirching of his and his countrys honor. In Christie De Tropes Lancelot, Gain and Lancelot set out in quest of Queen Guinevere. Both value honor above all else and are willing to fight for it. When given the suggestion that he should call for aid in battle, Roland replies, Almighty God forbid that I bring shame upon my family,and causes sweet France to fall into disgrace! Ill strike that horde with my good [sword). When Lancelot, during his dual with his loves captor, sees Guinevere watching him his devotion to her and his hatred of his opponent make him so fiery that Inelegant [surrenders]. Their adherence to the code of chivalry and the gravity of honor felt by these two men caused both to do things others would not and thus Amortized them as heroes. Though both are protecting honor of one kind or another, Lancelot and Roland have two very different reasons for doing so. Roland is refusing reinforcements so as to not seem a coward, while Lancelot is seeking a woman. While both are displaying the highest amount of chivalry, only Lancelot can be said to be trying to woo and win his ladys heart. This noble application of so called courtly love is what sets Lancets aims of attaining love and romance apart from Reloads; to retain the glory of France and gain fame for his king, his men, and himself. Another aspect of chivalry portrayed In both accounts Is the dependence placed by both champions on combat, fighting, and the usage of cavalry. Both combatants in the tale of Lancelot are Incredibly adept horsemen and swordsmen, so much Is their skill and power of fighting, that their collision seems Like a mighty thunder-clap and both sustained [catheters blows] with equal honor. While Roland enters battle riding his charger, swift-running Flagellant and so potent of a warrior Is he that his enemies, the pagans flee Trying their best to get away. The lowercasing of blood-and-thunder heroism In these readings and the presentation of the two aforementioned characters as plantations of physical courage and personal loyalty in both cases further cements them as to of the greatest, mos t chivalrous heroes of all time. Not only is their fighting a demonstration of their chivalry and courtly love but the lengths to which they are willing to go is even more exemplary. Roland was willing to die for his religious devotion and for his king; he never lost slant AT want was Important to Nils own Dealer system, even as en met Nils ND, laying on the ground, he placed beneath himself his sword and his horn, his head facing pagan Spain, so King Charlemagne and all the Franks would say that he, Count Roland conquered until he died. Just as Roland was willing to die, so too was Lancelot in his quest for Guinevere, though he did not have to, he needed only to endure excruciating pain. Sacrifice is a major characteristic of chivalry and courtly love; it is said that to love is to suffer, and there is no doubt that either man loved his respective creed. The Song of Roland and Christie De Tropes Lancelot are two of he most majestic chronicles of honor and morality in all of history. Their timeless lessons in chivalry are applicable even today, many hundreds of years after their conception. The significance of upholding honor, physical and mental fortitude, and willingness to sacrifice and attempt the unimaginable for an important cause is easily discerned from both antecedent heroes accounts. The chivalry shown by Sir Lancelot and Count Roland is inexorably similar yet still maintains an arms length difference of originality that sets them apart as two classic renditions of medieval noble ideals.

buy custom Purdue Education essay

buy custom Purdue Education essay I have a strong background in Physics and Mathematics; therefore, a major in Engineering is the best course for me. Choosing a major has been my concern since in the 9th grade. Since I was young, I have always had an interest in how things work. As I grew, I realized that I gradually became more interested in how systems, structures and all things work. In high school, I did exceptionally well in mathematics and physics. I, also, love solving mathematical problems. I got a Bronze medal in International Zhautikov Olympiad 2010 and silver in City Olympiads in physics (Astana) 2010, 2009. I would like to specialize in Power and Energy Devices and Systems. I understand that to be skillful and succeed in this career; I need to obtain a university education in a university that offers high quality education in this area of engineering. Education is an investment; the more one dedicates to it, the better reward it gives back. Therefore, doing a major in engineering in reputable school is the only way I will prosper in this career. I have taken quite some time to research on all options that are open to me. Purdue Education, from my research, is my best choice to transform me to what I should be. This is because Purdue Engineering School has a brilliant reputation and offers exceptional Electrical engineering courses. With its leading professors and well equipped laboratories; I am confident that Purdues curriculum and the hands-on experience with partnerships enhance the balance between theoretical works and real-world applications, which is a characteristic of the best school of engineering. I am confident that doing the major at Purdue will give me the skills I require for prosperity and research in my career in the future as an electrical engineer. Buy custom Purdue Education essay

Assignment Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Essay - 1

Assignment Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management (Benchmark Assessment) - Essay Example Delivery of healthcare needs a continuous improvement of the quality in order to increase patient satisfaction rates. Since the nurses are the closet to the patients with regard to delivery of healthcare, they have the greatest opportunity to constantly identify areas in which to improve the quality of healthcare. However, as Feldman and Alexander (2012) say, the nurses cannot do this in a vacuum; they need an environment that will make it possible for them to improve the quality of services. Everyone in the healthcare environment has an opportunity as well as a responsibility to be involved in the continuous quality improvement. Continuous quality improvement should be the ethos of any healthcare facility. Needless to say, nurse managers have a very important role in making sure that the healthcare environment has the right facilities and conditions to facilitate continuous quality improvement. Since nurses have such a big role to play and are a very important resource in the implementation of the continuous quality improvement, how they are managed by nurse managers determines to what extent they are capable of implementing the continuous quality improvement programs within their area of practice. In this regard, there exists a number of management practices that such managers should consider in helping nurses to practice and facilitate continuous quality improvement. Apparently, management and leadership and are two diverse issues and this has an effect on the way nurses are capable of been productive in their work. Leadership, in the context of continuous quality improvement, has a better chance of delivering success and making it possible for the nurses to continually improve their services. For any healthcare facility to be able to benefit from nurse leadership as much as possible, it would be necessary to have the systems that help in

Fundamental of management information system Essay - 3

Fundamental of management information system - Essay Example This can be done by using special software or program which will allow to record by the scanner what products buyers actually buy (scanner data) in the Macy’s stores, click-through sequences, or automated customer counts (Chapter 2: Information Systems and Knowledge Management, n.d.). Based on point-of-sale data recordings there can be retrieved data which will enable Macy’s to answer the question: By organizing all these data into database and comparing information among all 800 locations management will know whether there is a need of adjusting its items to local tastes or may be there is no need at all. In addition to internal behavioral tracking made out of actual sales, Macy’s could carry out proprietary marketing research (Chapter 2: Information Systems and Knowldge Management, n.d.). Such a research can be performed online by using different programs (for instance Salespod), which allows to deal without paperwork and avoid outdated information (Eliminating Paperwork from Retail Marketing and Merchandising). Unknown. "Eliminating Paperwork from Retail Marketing and Merchandising."Â  Salespod.net, 2013. Web. 3 Apr 2014.

Risk Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Risk Identification - Essay Example For anything to qualify as an art, it is essential that an element of subjectivity lies therein. Subjectivity hitherto refers to lack of objective and empirical explanation for the factors that might be involved in the undertaking. These do tend to be absent from the dynamic identification of risk at certain junctures. Here comes the viewpoint of considering it as underdeveloped. The fact of the matter is, that classifying the true potential of a subjective quantity is never really possible - hence making risk identification an essentially underdeveloped art. It may not be taken as a negative feature, but rather as inherent trait. It is partially developed in the context that certain integral features of the process of risk management have been actualized, and can be subsequently applied to any school of thought wanting to get a risk identification for itself. However, it is reasonably underdeveloped in the context of protective and speculative abilities. After all, the primary purpose of risk identification is to rid oneself off it and possibly avoid a remission of the same. However, the complex dynamics of every operating system, man or machine, makes it a magnanimous task to recognize all possible risks. Wikipedia explains the process of risk identification, "... It is partially developed in the context that certain integral features of the process of risk management have been actualized, and can be subsequently applied to any school of thought wanting to get a risk identification for itself. However, it is reasonably underdeveloped in the context of protective and speculative abilities. After all, the primary purpose of risk identification is to rid oneself off it and possibly avoid a remission of the same. However, the complex dynamics of every operating system, man or machine, makes it a magnanimous task to recognize all possible risks. Risk Identification - Domain Wikipedia explains the process of risk identification, "After establishing the context, the next step in the process of managing risk is to identify potential risks. Risks are about events that, when triggered, will cause problems. Hence, risk identification can start with the source of problems, or with the problem itself." This explains the rationale of how things are taken, and hopefully, preempted. After this, it is desirable for the analysis of the risk to be taken. These can be further of two types: 1. "Source analysis Risk sources may be internal or external to the system that is the target of risk management. Examples of risk sources are: stakeholders of a project, employees of a company or the weather over an airport. 2. "Problem analysis Risks are related to fear. For example: the fear of losing money, the fear of abuse of privacy information or the fear of accidents and casualties. The fear may exist with various entities, most important with shareholder, customers and legislative bodies such as the government" (Wikipedia). Risk Identification - Methods Risk identification factors can be multifaceted in their origin. "The chosen method of

Planning and Enabling Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Planning and Enabling Learning - Essay Example The 9th and the 12th academic year are the two most significant life paths that a student can pass through. Generally those two years guide the students to their chosen careers. To a greater degree though what will bring success in his/her life depends on the choice of subjects during these stages. Both parents and teachers play an immense role in directing children towards what education route to choose that would lead them to successfully university and career development. BTEC was established in 1984 and stands for the Business Education Council (BEC) and the Technician Education Council (TEC). BTEC course is based on continuous assessment rather than on annual exams. The BTEC course incorporates opportunities for work experience and gaining real life skills through case studies. BTEC course is designed to enhance the demands of employers in modern society and to allow students to quickly progress to their university degree. BTEC has proved its operational success and effectivenes s in the last 25 years and is gaining popularity as students are mo focused on day to day abilities and the course's flexible nature. Statistically, more than 1 million students enrolled on BTEC course for the academic year 2006/2007 (Edexcel BTEC Course, 2009).Institutions and students all around the world value the BTEC brand because it delivers excellent vocational qualifications that signify global recognition to the chosen area of studies. Practically it does not matter whether the programme is taught in London, Beijing or Dubai, since the quality assurance procedures assure that the candidates are awarded with standardized and internationally recognized qualifications. BTEC diplomas are organized to provide specialist work-related abilities in a wide range of sectors. BTEC courses equip students with valuable and lifelong skills and knowledge required for their career progress, and/or for the continuation of their vocational studies at higher academic level. During the BTEC course learners meet with professionals from the preferred industry in order to receive adequate consultation and the specialists to supervise the programme and progressive activities of the students. All BTEC seminars cover core and expert units, thus they have standard format and clear guidance about the requirements of the qualifications assessed. There is assessment criteria applied. The learners get Pass, Merit, or Distinction for each module of the programme. This means that the learners have to collect a number of points to obtain the overall Pass Grade for the programme. No external examinations apply in BTEC programmes (Edexcel BTEC course, 2009). When designing the cou rses providers work closely with employers from different sectors to create an inspiring atmosphere where students gain the skills they need to either start employment immediately after graduation or continue to a higher education. The subject areas that BTEC cover are: Applied Sciences Children's Care, Learning and Development Engineering Hospitality Languages Public Services and Security Art and Design Construction Hairdressing, Beauty and Related Therapies IT and Computing Media Sport, Leisure and Recreation Business, Management and Services Education and Training Health, Care and Counselling Land and the Environment Performing Arts and Music Travel, Tourism and Transport Services - Decide on the envisaged group and identify the barriers The envisaged focused group is 12 graders. The barriers that learners at BTEC course can face while planning and organizing his ideas are several. First of all, when one is attempting to clarify and comprehend the functions or operations of the studied course, students can rarely imagine properly the object itself. For example, it will be difficult to communicate how to use a computer for the first time if this is not visually demonstrated. In order for learners to study the subject, they have to get the object related to it. In this way they will experience it in various directions and will build

ASSESSMENT This module is assessed through One Literature Review (3500 Essay

ASSESSMENT This module is assessed through One Literature Review (3500 words) which you must submit electronically Submit - Essay Example The banner of ‘Islamic world’ and its homogeneity is represented by discursive practices and not by diversity of geographical boundaries, politics, history, language as well as broader contexts of material life. Various sources including new orthodoxy in government circles as well as mass media represents Islam as an ‘exceptional’ case making Muslims to be detached racialized and essentialised (Hunt, 2002). The veil is considered as an Islamist attire symbolizing loyalty to the religion and analogous to swastika used by Nazism. The argument over Muslim women’s clothing has led to emerging political battles. However, wearing the veil is considered part of the agenda of Islamic fundamentalism ( Modood, 2009 ). According to the article the veil is barbaric symbol which have been fought years past but still presents symbol of inequality and lack of freedom for women. The veil amongst other issues is considered to hide various women characteristics, virtue and status, for instance it could hide a loving mother as well as truly religious woman. There is some level of difficulty in differentiating which of the women hidden in veil represent genuine Islam. Linking the veil to Islamic fundamentalism of ‘child marriage’ and ‘murder’ represents it as a symbol of barbarism as discussed above (de Castro, 2004). This has been considered as contributing towards larger percentage of Islamophobic atmosphere which links veiling to illegal activities which in actual sense are far away from the truth. According to this article, the veil is compared to balaclava normally used by armed robber or a mugger. This is because both outfits shield identities of the wearer. In the same instance, the veil is considered as key signifier of Islam especially in ‘war against terror’ where it is constructed in the imagery of intruding violent threat. The attire has also been used in constructing public discourse which links I slamic religion to political questions on violence affecting regions such as United States and United Kingdom. The picture of veiled woman is sympathetically constructed as victim of extremism within the society. This was even used as key justification for the bombing of Afghanistan and Iraq, since the countries were considered as exercising disregard for the plight of Afghan women. Oppressive regime of Taliban equates veiling with tyranny hence considered as part of enemy’s territory. Werbner, P. (2007) ‘Veiled Interventions in Pure Space: Honor Shame and Embodied Struggles among Muslims in Britain and France’ in Theory Culture and Society, 24(2) pp. 161-186 According to the article various theoretical bases of state and law have been enacted as a recognized means of handling differences in human behavior as portrayed by religious dogmas. Basically, the kind of faith predominant in an area is as a result of strong traditional, cultural and political features as presented by occupants. However, the natural law identifies certain human objective values and demands as the basis for legal systems within regions. According to doctrine of natural law, various important components of traditional and cultural behavior are considered as having strong influence on human rights. Conversely, religion is considered as specific cultural form capable of

Planning and Enabling Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Planning and Enabling Learning - Essay Example The 9th and the 12th academic year are the two most significant life paths that a student can pass through. Generally those two years guide the students to their chosen careers. To a greater degree though what will bring success in his/her life depends on the choice of subjects during these stages. Both parents and teachers play an immense role in directing children towards what education route to choose that would lead them to successfully university and career development. BTEC was established in 1984 and stands for the Business Education Council (BEC) and the Technician Education Council (TEC). BTEC course is based on continuous assessment rather than on annual exams. The BTEC course incorporates opportunities for work experience and gaining real life skills through case studies. BTEC course is designed to enhance the demands of employers in modern society and to allow students to quickly progress to their university degree. BTEC has proved its operational success and effectivenes s in the last 25 years and is gaining popularity as students are mo focused on day to day abilities and the course's flexible nature. Statistically, more than 1 million students enrolled on BTEC course for the academic year 2006/2007 (Edexcel BTEC Course, 2009).Institutions and students all around the world value the BTEC brand because it delivers excellent vocational qualifications that signify global recognition to the chosen area of studies. Practically it does not matter whether the programme is taught in London, Beijing or Dubai, since the quality assurance procedures assure that the candidates are awarded with standardized and internationally recognized qualifications. BTEC diplomas are organized to provide specialist work-related abilities in a wide range of sectors. BTEC courses equip students with valuable and lifelong skills and knowledge required for their career progress, and/or for the continuation of their vocational studies at higher academic level. During the BTEC course learners meet with professionals from the preferred industry in order to receive adequate consultation and the specialists to supervise the programme and progressive activities of the students. All BTEC seminars cover core and expert units, thus they have standard format and clear guidance about the requirements of the qualifications assessed. There is assessment criteria applied. The learners get Pass, Merit, or Distinction for each module of the programme. This means that the learners have to collect a number of points to obtain the overall Pass Grade for the programme. No external examinations apply in BTEC programmes (Edexcel BTEC course, 2009). When designing the cou rses providers work closely with employers from different sectors to create an inspiring atmosphere where students gain the skills they need to either start employment immediately after graduation or continue to a higher education. The subject areas that BTEC cover are: Applied Sciences Children's Care, Learning and Development Engineering Hospitality Languages Public Services and Security Art and Design Construction Hairdressing, Beauty and Related Therapies IT and Computing Media Sport, Leisure and Recreation Business, Management and Services Education and Training Health, Care and Counselling Land and the Environment Performing Arts and Music Travel, Tourism and Transport Services - Decide on the envisaged group and identify the barriers The envisaged focused group is 12 graders. The barriers that learners at BTEC course can face while planning and organizing his ideas are several. First of all, when one is attempting to clarify and comprehend the functions or operations of the studied course, students can rarely imagine properly the object itself. For example, it will be difficult to communicate how to use a computer for the first time if this is not visually demonstrated. In order for learners to study the subject, they have to get the object related to it. In this way they will experience it in various directions and will build

Cadbury Chocolate Company Marketing Strategy Research Paper

Cadbury Chocolate Company Marketing Strategy - Research Paper Example A specification and assessment of the Cadbury Chocolate’s current marketing strategyA specification and assessment of the Cadbury Chocolate’s current marketing strategy In order to amplify the position and reputation in the market, the organization of Cadbury Chocolate tried to implement effective marketing strategies. Only then, the organization of Cadbury Chocolate might enhance its brand image and range of customers to a significant extent as compared to many other rival players.  Effective distribution system: the organization of Cadbury tried to maintain effective distribution system so that the customers might get their desired products. However, this strategy of Cadbury Chocolate became successful only due to the effective team management and work coordination of the sale team members that amplified the productivity and market share of the organization of Cadbury Chocolate in the market.Customer choice and preferences: the organization of Cadbury Chocolate beca me successful in understanding the demands and requirements of the customers and acted in that way. It prepared varied types of chocolates such as gems, diary milk, perk, 5 stars, à ©clairs that enhanced the profitability and demand of the products of Cadbury Chocolate. Moreover, constant modification of the products so as to fulfill the preferences of the target customers amplified its growth by almost 35 percent within a very small period of time. Due to which, it helped the organization to position itself as a market leader.

Drama - Blood Brothers Response Essay Example for Free

Drama Blood Brothers Response Essay Blood brothers is a story which was written in 1981 as a school play and included a range of themes which help the audience understand and feel for the story rather than just watching it. The themes in this play include poverty, innocence, love, games, belief and superstition. I feel that the key themes that control the play are chance and society of the time and I feel that most of the story circles around these themes and most events are caused by these themes. To emphasize the themes in the play, we created a three minute version of the play which consisted of still images, narration and stylised movement. We decided to split the play into four sections which were: baby years, childhood, 14 17 years and 20+ years. We decided that we would show the giving away of the baby as this allows the rest of the story to flow. If it wasnt for this specific scene, the story wouldnt have happened as the giving away of one twin is a significant event in the play. This also allowed us to add emotion to our piece as this is one of the several events which separate people into two opinions. For the second section (which was childhood) we included images of them first meeting, playing games, both of the mothers separating Mickey and Eddie and Mrs Johnstone giving the locket to Eddie. My group and I felt that these were also important events in the play; in fact one of the main themes in the play is games which relates to the robbery and overall shooting of both twins later on. For 14 -17 years, we decided to show both children being suspended from school, the meet up between friends with the devil narration on top which we thought allowed our piece to flow making it easier to understand. At the last stage, 20+, we performed four still images which included an unemployment scene, Lindas pregnancy, Eddie and Linda being together and finally the shooting with the second half of the images having the mad man narration over the top: Theres a mad man running round and round You know the devils got your number You know hes right beside you Hes screamin deep inside you And someone said hes callin your number up today Today Today TODAY! This piece of narration was used in our three minute version of the play as we thought that it summed up a lot of the happenings in this age group and is a constant theme throughout the play. I found that the best way to tell this story within the three minutes was to use different techniques which allowed expressing and stressing of several moments in a play making it more effective. In our three minute version, this included levels, space and marking the moment. One example of these entire three put together was when both boys got expelled. We had the class sitting down at the back while the teacher was standing up straight looking down on one pupil who was higher than the class but lower than the teacher. This made use of levels, space and also marked the moment by focusing on the locket. We decided to make the giving away of the baby the most significant point in the play. This is because the whole of the story centres on this point, and if it wasnt for this event, none of the other events would have happened. To mark this moment, we used narration which was originally placed over the point where Mrs Johnstone was only considering giving the baby to Mrs Lyons. How quickly and idea, planted, can Take root and grow into a plan. The thought conceived in this very room Grew as surely as a seed, in a mothers womb This piece of narration allowed us to realise how the event they are seeing came into being. We found that forum theatre was a very useful technique to bring Mickeys monologue to life. Forum theatre was used to change the way we said lines and how to put expression, feeling and life to the lines which in turn make the monologue a lot more vibrant and interesting. The way we performed forum theatre was to have someone acting out a verse of the poem. We then got the audience to comment and suggest improvements. We then acted the verse out again and repeated the process until we were happy with it. Below is the verse we performed. Y know our Sammy, He draws nudey women, Without arms, or legs or even heads In the baths, when he goes swimmin. But Im not allowed to go to the baths, Me Mam says I have to wait, Cos I might get drowned, cos Im only seven, But Im not, Im nearly eight. We started off with the beginning of the verse being said in a very secretive way although it was put in the category of secret in a child which meant that it had to be told; something I had felt many a time when I was a young child which also meant my body was slightly crouched and slightly tense. I used the same experience to goggle at what Sammy was able to do when he went swimming. Then disappointment kicks in when I hit But Im not allowed as my voice goes slower and my body slumps and when the mother comes on I re-enact a rather rude hand motion usually used when someone is too talkative while the mother reads her quote. The last line is said in a way of self-pity making the character feel sorry for himself which I have felt many times when I was a young child and feeling as if my parents were deriving me of all of the worlds pleasures. In this monologue I learnt that Mickey was a character who always wanted more and wanted something someone else had that he hadnt which is an apparent characteristic of Mickey throughout the play. It also helped me realise that it was more than just a greedy feeling as the feeling was a lot deeper and it was if the world had forgotten about him but not the others who lived in the world around him. As I said before, forum theatre had helped me find these characteristics as it helped shape what had been written. It was as if there were a lot of muddled thoughts and both me and the audience were helping to piece it together properly so we could both get an idea on how the character was really like and how the character really felt. For individual spontaneous improvisation, I acted as Mrs Johnstone where I was looking at both babies and playing with them as if it were my last time with both of them. Of course, at the time my character would have not known which baby would have been taken and because of this, I acted in a way as if it were the last time for Mrs Johnstone to see both of them. My thought track for this piece was: I cant believe this is happening and it would have been hard to come to terms with something which could potentially change somebodys life, especially when it is your own son. This decision was both challenged and supported by a technique called a conscience corridor which we used to find the pros and cons of giving the baby away which was then fired to somebody stepping into the shoes of Mrs Johnstone. Feeling the confused and mixed feelings, it gave us a chance to make our own decision as if we were that character. Some pros included having money, less stress, a better life for your son, less work. Some cons included the guilt of your child being bought, splitting up a natural bond given to both children, more stress as you worry and having to cover it up from the outside world. The conscience corridor was put into action by splitting the class in half and putting them up as two sides to create a human corridor. We then got a member of our class to walk up while each person in the wall said the pros and cons. When the person in the middle finishes walking up through the corridor, he/she tells us his/her decision. In this situation, I wrote a diary entry as Mrs Johnstone. I typed my diary entry up below I cant believe it is happening. So close to the time where one of my beloved babies would be given away to my employer. I am sure that I am doing the right thing I cant afford to give them both a good life and Mrs Lyons does want a baby so badly. Even so, I feel I am breaking a natural bond given to them both which makes me unsure on whether I should do it. I am in a situation which I would never wish on any mother. Overall, I found that explorative strategies helped us understand Blood Brothers as it allowed us to see what usually are hidden thoughts and feelings of characters. It also allows us to get into character and realise how events and other actions are performed by the character.

The Critical Success Factors Of Scope Management Information Technology Essay

The Critical Success Factors Of Scope Management Information Technology Essay Until today, the ICT project success has yet to demonstrate an excellent track record. Findings from a research done by Standish Group from 1994 until 2009 revealed that the percentage for challenge and failure IT projects was still high as compared to that of a successful project [4]. There are many reasons which contribute to these failure. One of the main reasons is the poor PSM ([3],[5]). According to many researchers, PSM is a critical area which needs to be given attention in ensuring the success of a project ([6]-[11]). Based on the literature review, it has been found that none of the research done applies the concept of CSF in ICT PSM in order to upgrade the ICT project success. Therefore, this research was conducted with the intention to identify the CSFs in PSM, which could contribute to the ICT project success, in terms of stakeholders satisfaction, time estimation accuracy and cost estimation accuracy. It was expected that this study would give researchers some new insights on PSM CSFs for ICT project success. This paper consists of four sections, which are background, research methods, results and discussion, and conclusions. II. BACKGROUND This section explains briefly two main concepts in this research, which are ICT Project Scope Management and CSF. Then, a brief explanation will be given on the research factors which are obtained from the combination between failure factors and success factors in PSM. These factors have the potential to contribute to the ICT project success. ICT Project scope management In this research context, ICT Project Scope Management is defined as the processes required to ensure that the ICT project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully [12]. Meanwhile, ICT is defined as any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit, or receive electronically in a digital form, which comprises of technology, communication and application [13]. PSM is one of the nine project management fields of knowledge [12]. It is very crucial in ensuring the project success as compared to the other eight fields of knowledge [6]. PSM includes the process of scope planning, requirements collection, scope definition, WBS creation, scope verification and scope control. All these processes are needed to ensure that only the required work will be carried out. Any unnecessary works is a waste and can increase the risks in project management [15]. Incomplete and vague project scope could cause requirement creep and scope creep [5] which could cause the project to be incomplete on time and at a predetermined cost. It could also cause the delivery produced (product, service or result) could not satisfy the stakeholders. The Critical success factor approach In 1979, Rockart introduced the CSF method and concluded that CSF is an effective and efficient method to assess data requirements [19]. This method has been studied until it becomes more stable ([20]-[21]) and it has been applied widely in various industry sectors and domains [22]. Bullen and Rockart defines CSF as the limited number of areas in which satisfactory results will ensure successful competitive performance for the individual, department, or organization. CSFs are the few key areas where things must go right for the business to flourish and for the managers goal to be attained [20]. According to them, each CSF set is created uniquely and differently based on the environment where this method is applied. In IT/ICT project management field, CSF method is applied as an effort to upgrade the ICT project success such as to plan, develop and implement the software project ([23]-[24]) and data depository execution [25]. Success Factors in ICT Project Scope Management Based on a thorough review done on academic and practitioner literatures, it has been found that there was no formal research that has been carried out to identify CSFs in ICT Project Scope Management. However, there were success and failure researches in ICT projects such as software projects, development and implementation projects of information system, web-based project and network installation project which involve project scope ([6],[23],[26]-[33]). From these researches, the factors which have the same criteria were combined according to three dimensions: Project, Process and People. To determine the project success attributes which reflect the whole perception on an ICT project success, PMBOK guidelines were used which demonstrate the essential relationship between PSM and Project Time Management, and between PSM and Project Cost Management [12]. Based on the stakeholders role and responsibility in managing project scope, the stakeholders satisfaction as an ICT project success attribute was taken into account ([12],[14],[34]-[35]). Table 1 shows the summary of the attributes used in this research. TABLE 1 SUCCESS ATTRIBUTES Dimension Attribute Overall perceived level of success Stakeholders satisfaction (Stakeholders are satisfied, accept and approve with the project scope planned, defined and implemented; All the deliverables produced by the project were accepted and approved by the stakeholders). Time estimation accuracy (All the work that has to be carried out (project scope) for a project helps successfully in estimating the time needed to complete a project; Clear main deliverables (product, service, result) helps successfully in estimating the duration of time needed to complete a project. Cost estimation accuracy (All the work that has to be done for a project (based on the scope) helps successfully in estimating the cost needed to complete the project). III. METHODOLOGY This research was an exploratory survey which used quantitative method. The instrument used was a questionnaire and it was developed based on the combination of failure and success factors gained from the literature review. Reliability test, factor analysis and regression analysis have been conducted to determine the critical success factor using SPSS version 17. Survey questionnaire In this study, a survey questionnaire was employed as the method of data collection. A structured questionnaire was constructed to capture the respondents perception of the questions. The survey instrument consists of six sections. The first section was on respondents profile and demographic information. The second, third and fourth sections were on success factors related to project, process and people. The fifth section was on perception of ICT project success. The last section was for additional comments, where respondents were invited to give any feedback or thought related to the questions stated. To measure the importance of success factors and perception of ICT project success, a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1= strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree was adopted to solicit the perceptions on the degree of importance for the identified success factors relative to the ICT project success. An in-depth discussion about the questionnaire was done with five experts in ICT project management, who were two experts from the public sector, two experts from the private sector and one expert from academia. All five experts have experience of at least five years in ICT project scope management and more than ten years of experience in ICT project development. The purpose of this discussion was to obtain opinions, views, suggestions or comments about the survey instrument content validity and face validity. Feedback from the expert was used to refine the clarity of the questionnaire items by rephrasing the items as necessary. The internal consistency reliability of the items in the questionnaire was tested by conducting a pilot study. The respondents for pilot test were ICT officers working in Malaysian public sector. A pilot survey was administered to five public sector agencies with the distribution of ten sets of questionnaires for each agency. 31 respondents returned their feedback after waiting period of 20 days. Cronbachs alpha was used for the internal consistency reliability testing. The results of these tests shows that the values for the entire construct were greater than 0.8. Thus, it shows that the items in the questionnaire have a good degree of reliability [36]. This indicates that there were no problems with the internal consistency reliability. Data collection method The target population for this study was ICT professionals in Malaysian public sectors. One thousand questionnaires, delivered personally by hand, were administered from 1st March 2010 among Malaysian public sector ministries, departments and agencies located in Putrajaya and Cyberjaya. For other locations, three hundred questionnaires were distributed using web-based survey method from 8th March 2010. The questionnaires used for both methods were the same. After six weeks of survey period, a total of 561 valid questionnaires, representing response rate of 43.15%, were received (531 were collected personally and 10 were collected through web-based interface). Data analysis method Factor analysis and stepwise multiple regression were used to analyze data from the survey questionnaire. Factor analysis was conducted in three stages [37]. The first stage was the assessment of the suitability of the data. The correlation among the factors was identified by examining the correlation matrix among items, Bartletts Test Sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy (KMO MSA). The second stage was factor extraction. Common factor analysis and principal axis factoring technique were used to extract the factors. Kaisers criterion or eigen value rules were used to determine the number of factors to be retained. The third stage was factor rotation and interpretation. The orthogonal rotation approach with Varimax method and cut-off loading point 0.4 [38] were used to clarify the factor structure. Factor extraction and rotation will be repeated until there were no cross-loading factors or no factor loading value less than cut-off loading point. Items with fa ctor cross loading or factor loading less than cut-off loading point were eliminated [38]. Stepwise regression solution procedure was used to determine the CSFs of PSM which contribute to the ICT project success. Through this procedure, only significant success factors were used in the model. The general multiple regression model is: Y = A + B1X1 + B2X2 + à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ + BkXk where Y is the dependent variable (DV), A is the Y intercept, the Xs represent the various independent variables (IVs) and Bs are the coefficients assigned to each of the IVs during regressions [39]. In this research, the IVs were the success factors of ICT project scope management and the DVs were the stakeholders satisfaction, time estimation accuracy and cost estimation accuracy. IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Factor analysis The result of factor analysis as shown in Table 2 shows seven factors with 45 attributes which were included in the structure and explained 60.57% of the total variance. All the seven factors were translated according to the items included in the factors. The first factor was called stakeholders commitment which consists of 12 items. The second factor was called Work Breakdown Structure which consist of 11 items. The third factor was called project objective and justification definition which consists of 9 items. The forth factor was called change control which consists of 4 items. The fifth factor was called project constraint definition which consists of 3 items. The sixth factor was called realistic project assumption which consists of 3 items. The seventh factor was called business knowledge which consists of two items. TABLE 2 FACTOR STRUCTURE FOR PRINCIPAL AXIS FACTORING EXTRACTION AND VARIMAX ROTATION ON PSM SUCCESS FACTORS ITEMS Item Factor 1: Stakeholder commitment Percent of variance explained = 43.381, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 43.381 The project received strong top management support during the process of project scope management. The project had a cooperative and supportive process owner during requirements elicitation. The Steering Committee is committed to the meeting scheduled Users are able to explain their needs or requirements to project team or project developer. Project manager have the communication skills to communicate with all stakeholders involved in the project scope management. Project Team meetings held regularly to manage the project scope processes. Project Champion commitment, especially during a crisis in managing the project scope Project team members fully responsible in managing the project scope. Method of brainstorming or face to face is used to obtain user requirements. Project manager fully responsible in managing the project scope. Project team members have knowledge in ICT field that will be required for the development and implementation of the project. Roles and responsibilities of project team is determined and clearly defined Factor 2: Work breakdown structure Percent of variance explained = 4.892, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 48.272 The infrastructure (hardware, networking, telecommunication) specification is compatible with the product (system) to be produced. The software specification is compatible with the product (system) to be produced. The system development methodology is suitable to the product (system) to be produced The application specification is complete and clearly defined The user requirements are realistic. User requirements specific to the project objectives to be achieved. Each user requirements meet business requirements embodied in the project. User requirements can be implemented in accordance with the stipulated time period. Human resources responsible for carrying out each of work activity is clearly mapped in the WBS hierarchy. Distribution of activities in the WBS is well planned and precisely defined. The WBS defined the project overall scope. Factor 3: Project objective justification definition Percent of variance explained = 3.460, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 51.732 Specific and clear project objectives Realistic project objectives Achievable project objectives Acceptable project objectives by main stakeholders Measurable project objectives Justification stated the importance or benefit of the project implementation. Justification focuses on the organization goal to be achieved. Clearly defined works that included in the project. Justification stated the improvement of employees skill with the implementation of the project. Factor 4: Change control Percent of variance explained = 2.601, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 54.333 Coordinating Committee set the action to be taken for the change request. Decisions and actions taken for the change request was agreed by all members of the Coordinating Committee. Decision made by Coordinating Committee is well recorded Coordinating Committee taking into account the interests, benefits and negative affects for each of the change request. Factor 5: Project constraint definition Percent of variance explained = 2.409, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 56.742 Clearly defined uncontrollable project constraints. Clearly defined controllable project constraints. Source(s) for each constraint (controllable or uncontrollable) are clearly described. Factor 6: Realistic project assumption Percent of variance explained = 2.187, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 58.929 Realistic project deliverables (product, service, results) Realistic technical assumptions Realistic assumptions of project management organization Factor 7: Business knowledge Percent of variance explained = 1.644, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 60.573 Project team members have knowledge in business processes related to the project. Project manager have knowledge in business processes related to the project. The seven factors were translated into seven main hypotheses. The hypotheses were numbered from 1 to 7. Since there were three success dimensions for each factor, the corresponding success dimensions were identified by the letters a, b and c. As a result, there were a total of 21 hypotheses, from 1a until 7c as stated above. Hypotheses related to the Project dimension: H1: The existence of well-defined project objective and justification is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a)Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. H2: Having realistic project assumptions is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a)Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. H3: The existence of well-defined project constraints is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. Hypotheses related to the Process dimension: H4: The existence of complete WBS is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. H5: The practice of correct change control procedure is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. Hypotheses related to the People dimension: H6: Having project team that is knowledgeable about the business process is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. H7: The existence of strong stakeholder commitment is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. Regression analysis A stepwise multiple regression was conducted between the three ICT project success dimensions (stakeholder satisfaction, time estimation accuracy and cost estimation accuracy) as the dependent variables and seven underlying PSM success factors as independent variables. TABLE 3 SUMMARY OF OUTCOME FROM STEPWISE MULTIPLE REGRESSION ICT project success dimensions R2 ANOVA Selected variables ÃŽÂ ² value Stakeholder satisfaction 0.614 F(3,527)= 144.3, P Strong stakeholder commitments 0.519 Complete Work breakdown structure 0.227 Well-defined project objective and justification 0.111 Time estimation accuracy 0.451 F(3,527)= 144.3, p Strong stakeholder commitments 0.346 Complete Work breakdown structure 0.318 Well-defined project objective and justification 0.100 Cost estimation accuracy 0.380 F(3,538)= 110.066, p Strong stakeholders commitment 0.390 Well-defined project constraints 0.225 Change control 0.104 Table 3 shows significantly three factors which were strong stakeholders commitment, complete WBS, and well-defined project objective and justification as the CSFs of PSM which contribute to 61.4% variant changes to ICT project success in terms of stakeholder satisfaction. The finding also reveals significantly that the three similar factors, were the CSFs of PSM which contribute to 45.1% variant changes to ICT project success in terms of time estimation accuracy. For the ICT project success in terms of cost estimation accuracy, the result demonstrates significantly that strong stakeholders commitment, change control and well-defined project constraint were the CSFs of PSM which contribute to 38% variant change to ICT project success in terms of cost estimation accuracy. With the above observations, the results of the hypotheses testing can be finalized as follows: out of 21 research hypotheses, a total of 9 hypotheses were supported, while the remaining 12 hypotheses were rejected. Those hypotheses were rejected due to their low coefficient values and high probability level for their corresponding null hypotheses. It means that the presence of those factors did not make a significance difference to the value of ICT project success dimensions. V. CONCLUSION In carrying out this quantitative research, a questionnaire survey method was used to determine the CSFs of PSM which contribute to the ICT project success. ICT project success was investigated in terms of stakeholders satisfaction, time estimation accuracy and cost estimation accuracy. A total of 557 usable data were successfully collected from the respondents who were the public sector ICT professionals. Seven success factors of PSM have been extracted through the factor analysis. The factors were strong stakeholders commitment, complete WBS, well-defined project objective and justification, change control, well-defined project constraints, realistic project assumption and good business knowledge. With the use of stepwise multiple regression analysis, it can be concluded that strong stakeholders commitment, complete WBS and well-defined project objective and justification were the PSM CSFs which contributed to the ICT project success in terms of stakeholders satisfaction and time estimation accuracy. Strong stakeholders commitment, change control and well-defined project constraint were the PSM CSFs which contributed to the ICT project success in terms of cost estimation accuracy. Strong stakeholders commitment factors were the main contribution to the three aspects of ICT project success. Realistic project assumption and project team business knowledge were failed to be proven as th e critical success factor for any aspect of ICT project success. All the critical success factors which have been discovered for each aspect of ICT project success are the main contribution from this research. These factors should be given attention by practitioners while managing ICT project scope so that the project scope that is being managed: 1) could produce deliveries (product, service and results) which successfully give satisfaction to the stakeholders, (2) successfully helps in making time estimation accurately, and (3) successfully helps in making cost estimation accurately.

Rate of Reaction Coursework Essay -- GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investi

Investigate if changing the concentration of an acid will change the rate of the reaction when marble is dissolved in hydrochloric acid. Apparatus Marble Chips Conical Flask Hydrochloric Acid Gas Syringe Delivery Tube Stop Watch Fair Test To make the experiment a fair test I will use the same amount of acid for each concentration. I will do this by using a capillary tube because they are very accurate. I will use 3g of marble in each concentration of acid. I will clean everything out before I start the next experiment with a different experiment. Safety ====== Magnesium is flamable and when it reacts with acid an exothermic reaction takes place releasing a large amount of heat energy. Acids are corosive so saftey glasses must be worn. Method I will use Marble chips all of a small size. I have decided to use 3g or marble chips. The amount of acid I have decided on is 20ml. I will measure this by using a burette, a very thin tube that lets out the acid when you turn the tap; it gets very accurate amounts of acid. I can measure the speed of the reaction by how much gas is given off. I can measure this in cm3 in a gas syringe. When the experiment takes place, I will take the reading every 10 second to get a good graph for the results. If the reaction goes very quickly, I will take the readings every five seconds. I will use acid of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 molar concentrations. To be sure I can rely on my results I will repeat he experiment twice or three times if necessary, because there is chance of inaccurate results for many reasons. Calcium Carbonate + Hydrochloric acid Calcium Chloride + Water + Carbon Dioxide CaCO3 + 2HCl CaCl2 + H2O + CO2 Prediction ========== I predict that if the concentration of the Hydrochloric a... ...would have been a lot similar. If I did use Powder however, the concentration of acid may have had to be weakened as the reaction would have taken place a lot quicker due to the very large surface area and readings wouldn't have been as accurate. Secondly, an inaccuracy may have been caused by the fact that the temperature may have dropped during the reaction. This could have been used if I used a water bath to heat up the acid to a constant temperature. You have to allow for a margin of human error during the experiment, some people react slower than others and you have to rely on the person taking the readings with the stopwatch. The results were reliable because they were almost the same in both experiments, even though there was an anomalous result; it happened in both experiments, so the results were still relibale, I have no explination for the anomalous result.

Does America Need a National ID Card System? :: Essays Papers

Does America Need a National ID Card System? Introduction The recent terrorist attacks made it very clear that we need to do something to help make our country safe and protect our residents from those who want to bring harm and ruin. Many want to invoke a national ID card system, thinking that the ID card will provide us the security that we are looking for. But, is that really the solution? We need to understand what is wrong with the current systems that are in place now. We will examine what is required to get this system up and running and what is involved in making the system secure and safe. Lastly, in conclusion, we need to be clear on what direction we need to take to bring about a secure nation. Problems with Current Systems In Place The most notorious incident displaying where our country is lacking in security was the terrorist attack of September 11. Robert O'Harrow Jr. and Jonathan Krim of the Washington Post wrote, "five of the 19 terrorists involved in the attacks on New York and at the Pentagon were able to obtain Social Security numbers, even with false identities. The other 14 probably made up or appropriated other numbers and used them for false identification, according to Social Security officials. At least seven of the hijackers also obtained Virginia state ID cards, which would serve as identification to board a plane, even though they lived in Maryland motels." 1.1 The concern citizens of our country have is illustrated in this comment by Kimberly Warhoe posted in a forum on "National ID Cards". "The system in place now is in terrible shape. We truly need something more secure, something that can protect innocent people. Yes, we may lose some of our privacy, but we may gain a more secure nation. " 1-2.1 This terrible act of terrorism made it very clear that we need a way to know if a person is who he says he is. We need a way to be able to "verify and identity those applying for licenses and authenticating documents used to obtain licenses," as stated by William Welsh in Washington Technology. 2.1 Another important factor to consider is that any technical system that is implemented will always have human interaction, these will be the people who interact with the data and the system.

British airways Essay

British Airways is one of the International Airlines that provides its flights to 570 destinations in 133 territories. It mainly operates from the Heathrow and Gatwick. It faces many problems like 531 million pounds loss in revenue because of lack of international market study, employee relationship (strike problem) and many more. Hence an effective strategy is the only chance to overcome these problems. The strategy of British Airways includes the innovation in technological accessories, customers relationship, employee relationship, safety and security of stake holders and so on. Introduction: Any business has challenges from different elements like globalisation, information and technology, socio and cultural factors, political factors and so on. To meet these challenges a clear strategy is very crucial for any organization. A strategy is a clear vision of what the organisation will be based on a sustainable competitive advantage. Actually, strategy is a road map for future directions and scope. It is a long range plan for five years and more. It develops mission, objective and goals for an organisation. To develop an effective strategy any organisation must set an account with different factors. Environmental analysis, present analysis, strength, weakness, opportunities and so on are the factor through which a strategy can be developed. Part 1 1) Identify the mission, Values and key objectives of an organisation within its environment. The mission statement of British Airways is â€Å"To be the undisputed leader in world travel for the next millennium†. The values of British Airways: Honest. Reliable On time Good service Objectives of British Airways: British Airways based in London is the largest airlines in the United Kingdom and provides daily flights to more than 400 cities world-wide. Like most large corporations the airline must focus on a variety of goals and objectives both for short-term and long-term survival in the competitive global market. General objectives of British Airways: With an objective of becoming the world’s largest leader in global premium airline, British Airways will continue to focus on customer service at every level of passenger’s journey. The overall Objectives are divided into three areas. Global (appeal to all passenger’s, whether for leisure or business travel in order to create repeat customer’s). Premium (ensure that passenger’s receive the highest quality of service where ever they encounter the airlines). Airline (maintain the focus on aviation with the largest equipment, products and services). Strategic objectives of British Airways: British Airways provides four strategic objectives: Airline of choice (remain the top choice for International flights for premium customers as well as cargo, economy and shorter flights). Top-quality services (provides the best customer service for passengers on all routes and classes of travel and improve online service). Global city growth (continue to expand the list of top-tier countries through airline partnership). Meet customer’s needs (exploring the latest options and products to enhance customer loyalty. A stakeholder is a person or organisation that has an interest in a business, for example benefit from it. As a customer you are a stakeholder in British Airways. Even if someone is working part time they are stakeholders in their employers business. You can be a stakeholder as a customer, in all shops you buy from and anywhere you spend leisure money, it could be going to the cinema or supporting your football match. Stakeholders of o buy products or services, they are looking for a wide range of products and service s. They also want easy accessibility and hope to buy good quality products and services at a competitive price. They are really important as they provide money for the business in order to be successful. Suppliers Suppliers stock the business with the supplies the business needs, if they are late then it will cause a conflict between business and suppliers. Therefor it is vital that all the business suppliers are on time. Suppliers are probably the third important part in a business, they provide the products/services and if they are not in time it poses to be a threat to the financial state of the business. On the other hand, suppliers aren’t that important in decision making because they are scared of losing their contract with British Airways. Employees May want an increase in pay rise. Staffs have a very big interest in British Airways, they have an interest in the business in the form of wages, bonuses, discounts, and holiday pension. Owner’s In contrast it may want a decrease in pay rise for their employees you could say that the owners probably one of the most important people in a business. Local and national communities Give planning permission depending on the business a person wants to do. Part 2 2) Investigate the economic, social, and global environment in which organizations operate. What is an economic system: An organised manner in which a state or a nation allots its resources and allocates goods and services in the national community. An economic system is loosely defined as a countries plan for its services, goods, and the exact way in which its economic plan is carried out. Basically there are three major/different types of economic systems prevailing around the world and they are: Market Economy: In a market economy, national and state governments play a minor role. Instead consumers and their buying decisions drive the economy. In this type of economic system, the assumptions of the market play a major role in deciding the right path for a country’s economic development. Market economies aim to reduce or eliminate entirely subsidies for a particular industry, the pre-determination of prices for different commodities, and the amount of regulation controlling different industrial sectors. The absence of central planning is one of the major features of this economic system. Market decisions are mainly dominated by supply and demand, the role of the government in a market economy is to simply make sure that the market is stable enough to carry out its economic activities properly. Planned Economy: A planned economy is also known as a command economy. The most important aspect of this type of economy is that all major decisions related to the production, distribution, commodity and service prices, are all made by the government. The planned economy is government directed, and market forces have very little say in such an economy. This type of economy lacks the kind of flexibility that is present a market economy, and because of this, the planned economy reacts slower to changes in consumer needs and fluctuating patterns of supply and demand. On the other hand, a planned economy aims at using all available resources for developing production instead of allocating the resources either for advertising or marketing. Mixed Economy: A mixed economy combines elements of both the planned and the market economies in one cohesive system. This means that certain features from both market and planned economic systems are taken to form this type of economy. This system prevails in many countries where neither the government nor the business entities control the economic activities of that country – both sectors play an important role in the economic decision – making of the  country. In a mixed economy there is flexibility in some areas and government control in others. Mixed economies include both capitalist and social economic policies and often arise in societies that seek to balance a wide range of political and economic views. http://www.economywatch.com/world_economic-indicators/type British Airways operates in the Mixed economic system as British Airways was privatised on February 1987 and the government has less intervention as it’s a private company the only intervention that the government would have is only setting the prices of the air tickets. What is Social Welfare: Social welfare is about how people, communicate and institutions in a society take action to provide certain minimum standards and certain opportunities. It is generally about helping people facing contingencies. Social welfare which British Airways does for its employees. Social Welfare Policy: Is basically to improve and protect the standard of living of the people or citizens as a whole. In the United Kingdom the Name â€Å"Social Policy† is used to apply to the policies that the government uses for welfare and social protection and the ways in which welfare is basically developed in a society. There are various social welfare policies that the United Kingdom’s adopts and they are: Social welfare policy that British Airways has adopted/follows: The impact that social welfare initiates on British Airways as well as the wider community is firstly that British Airways adopting the work place regulation is that it benefits the employees of British Airways and that the employees can work without any head aces as British Airways has provided all it employees with training in safety measures, plus rest time is given to the employees and to the crew members of British Airways accommodation is given because the crew is normally flying for endless hours/long journeys. The workers are also made alert about the basic terms and conditions of the organisation which are basically ethics, code of conduct, and the responsibility of the organisation. The other social welfare policy which British Airways provides its employees is social security for its employees similar to contribution benefits (Retirement pension, maternity allowances) and also non contributor benefits (social fund, working tax benefits) to its employees, which gives the employees the freedom to do whatever in their personal life. The Employment Law in British Airways states and illustrates the normal working hours, conditions, and the acts of the organisation. What is Industrial Policy: Industrial policy comprises all government interventions which consist of: 1. Directed towards the supply side of the economy that consists of enterprises, industries, sectors). 2. Aims to influence the industrial structure of the economy and its industrial changes. Industrial policy purposefully affects incentives to produce specific goods or incentives to enter or exit a specific goods market. It is not limited to manufacturing and includes all types of commercial economic activities. Industrial policy interventions have to be justified because if competitive markets worked adequately, any such intervention would: 1. Distort optimal allocation, 2. Distort dynamic competition and its benefits (innovation, flexibility, consumer’s sovereignty etc.). 3. Privilege specific enterprises or industries or sectors at the expenses of others, 4. Would disadvantage taxpayers and consumers. (An European industrial policy: concepts and consequences, Oliver Budzinski). Industrial policy is concerned; it is the government sponsored economic program in which the public and private sector coordinate their efforts to develop new technologies and industries. Government provides the financial support and capital to the private sector by direct subsidies, tax credits or government- run developmental banks. Industries policy emphasise cooperation between government, banks, private enterprise, and employees to strengthen the national economy. http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com Impact of Industrial policy on British Airways: In the United Kingdoms the Industrial policy has affected a lot of industries but the Industry that suffered the most was the aviation industry including all the airlines even British Airways. Therefore British Airways has changed its strategy of working and has been successful as British Airways adopted new policies. One of the policy that states to reduce Co2 emissions by 15% by all airlines and British Airways has decided to reduce by 50% as they are working on creating a new kind of fuel which is known as bio diesel which is pollution free and environment friendly. Fiscal Policy: Government spending  policies that influences macroeconomic conditions. These policies affect tax rates, interest rates and government spending in an effort to control the economy. Monetary Policy: The action of a central, bank currency or other regulatory committee that determine the size and rate of growth of the money supply, which in turn affects interest rates. Monetary policy is maintained through actions such as increasing the interest rate, or changing the amount of money banks need to keep in the vault or bank reserves. Impact of fiscal and monetary policy on airline industry as well as British Airways: The principles of economics tell us that governments can sometimes improve market outcomes. Methods of influencing market outcomes can come in the form of monetary and fiscal policies. Monetary policies influence shifts in aggregate demand for goods and services by increasing the money supply, reducing the equilibrium interest rates and stimulating investment spending or decreasing the money supply, raising equilibrium interest rates, lowering investment spending (Mankiw, 2004). Fiscal policies shift the aggregate demand curve by increasing or decreasing government spending or through the increase or decrease in taxes (Mankiw). Because these policies influence aggregate demand, the government uses such policies to try and bring stabilization to the economy. Such polices affect different industries on many different levels. Some industries have positive effects and some negative. In analysing how monetary and fiscal policies affect the airline industry, we can look at how these policies affect employment, growth of the industry, and product prices. Many fiscal policies directed toward the airline industry have had profound effects. One such policy is represented by the excise taxes and fees levied on air carriers. Such taxes and fees are allocated by the Government to fund improvements of airports, provide security for the airlines and airports, allocate funding for the FAA, provide for services for international customers, and support operations at airpark facilities. These fees represent roughly 26% or $52 of a standard 200-dollar round-trip airline ticket (Air Transport Association, 2005). Current economic conditions of the airline industry are dismal, especially due to the tragic events of September 11th. The Air Transport Association (ATA) argues that such fiscal policy in these trying times hinder the air carriers’ ability to right themselves through a self-help policy. The ATA further explains that in an effort to stabilize the industry, such taxes and  fees can account for the elimination of over 129,000 jobs, forced many carriers into bankruptcy, and, because consumers react heavily to price increases in this industry, hinder their ability to allocate funds by raising ticket prices. With this current fiscal policy, air carriers have little manoeuvrability of funds to meet the demands of an operating budget. Mike Smith (personal communication, June 10, 2008), former owner of Pacific Crest Aviation in Big Bear Lake, CA, adds that go verning agencies institute other fees to generate operating revenues for airports. On example of this is landing fees. Landing fees vary from airport to airport, but play a key role in the determination of where air carriers decide to base their operations. In attempts to accumulate more funding through fiscal policy, Mr. Smith explains that the FAA continues to suggest the implementation of user fees. Still to be determined how such a fee would impact the airline industry; present fiscal policies have air carriers screaming for reform. Deregulation is another fiscal policy that has considerably impacted areas of the airline industry. Since deregulation in 1979, the airline industry experienced substantial growth. With the emergence of new competition in the industry this created numerous amounts of jobs, drove ticket prices down, and expanded the available market for various air carriers. Through an industrial wide growth of over 200%, new carriers were able to open positions to thousands of new employees in various parts of the nation. Average ticket prices in 19 79 remain relatively unchanged today. As an extremely competitive market emerged, the rally for passengers on each carriers flights kept ticket prices down as carrier created connecting flights through this new open sky policy; reaching more consumers, minimizing opportunity cost, and offering competitive pricing. The Airline industry continues to be affected by the overall condition of the nation’s economy. When healthy spending exists and pleasure travel is frequent, air carriers are able to fill flights, raise prices, and maintain a stable economic environment. However, when condition of the nation’s economy falls, so do the buying habits of the consumer. This is where the airline industry finds itself today. Struggling to fill flights in a slow economy and fighting heavy fiscal policy. Recent monetary policies made by the federal government to improve market conditions are sure to have an effect, but how it will impact employment, growth, and prices in the airline industry are  still unknown. The most Recent monetary policy made by the government came in the form of economic stimulus checks. This in-flow of money into the economy in an attempt to stimulate the purchase of goods and services throughout the United States may help diminish the effects of our current sluggish e conomy. Little to no data exists to show how this has impacted any growth in the airline industry. So far, there seems to be little change in the spending habits of the consumer to travel via air. Because the economic position of the airline industry has been struggling for so long, improvements due to any single event may be impossible to track. Whether changes in fiscal policies, monetary policies, or internal carrier structure help to improve conditions in the airline industry, changes will happen slow and will reflect economic condition in the nation’s marketplace. By successfully managing opportunity cost, and adapting to an ever changing economic environment, airline industries can have economic success. However, the well-being of the nation’s economy will have a direct impact on the level of success experienced in the airline industry. During economic shortfalls in the nation’s economy, travellers will have fewer resources available to travel for pleasure. Contributing to the negative economic influences in the airline industry, future and existing policies targeting the airline industry will continue to hinder the industry’s ability to recover losses in periods of economic hardships. http://www.taxreformpanel.gov Makiw, N.G. (2004) Principles of economics (3rd edition). Chicago, 2: Thomson South-Western. PESTLE Analyses on British Airways: PESTLE Factors Key Points Implications for British Airways Political Heavy regulation (AEA, 2009). Increased security due to past terrorist threats (DFT, 2008) Compliance is essential if British Airways wants to continue. Sufficient security measures should be in place to ensure consumer confidence and competitive advantage in maintenance. Economic Global economic crisis: world growth is projected to just over 2 per cent in 2009 (IMF, 2008). Pound weakness especially against the Euro. Oil prices declined by 50% since their peak retreating to 2007 levels. Decline in fuel prises the dollar strengthens (IMF, 2008). UK Consumer spending saw its sharpest decline for 13 years between July and September 2008 (Channel 4, 2008) Possible reduction in the amount of business travel as companies are cutting costs and using alternative means of communication such as telecom fencing. British Airways is vulnerable as a United Kingdom operating airline to a poor exchange rate. Fluctuation in oil prices and exchange rates will directly affect British Airways cost base. More intense competition. Social The United Kingdom has an aging population. Increasing Unemployment Potential opportunities for growth as older generations have more time to spend on leisure activities such as international travel. Increased bargaining power as an employee. Technological A recent survey revealed that 34% of online consumers plan to use price- comparison sites more in 2009 (NMA, 2009) Online booking services and check-in is becoming increasingly used by the airline industry. Increased consumer awareness and therefore bargaining power. British Airways must ensure that they remain up to date with these technological advances whilst avoiding becoming overly reliant, as this may isolate certain consumer markets (i.e. the elderly) who don’t feel comfortable using such technology. Environmental/Ethical Noise pollution controls and energy consumption controls. Cancellations of flights and loss of baggage. New legislation (e.g. climate change bill) enforcing tighter environmental regulation may increase operational costs each year. Such ethical issues could have a detrimental effect on reputation if left unresolved. Legal Collusion and price fixing. Recognition of trade union and industrial action e.g. cabin crew strikes. Open skies agreement. Restriction on mergers will have an impact on British Airways proposed alliance with American Airlines. Good employee relations are essential if British Airways wants to avoid industrial action and interrupted operations. Opportunity for British Airways and its competitors to freely transport aircrafts between the European Union and the United States.