Organizational change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational change - Assignment Example Therefore, it becomes essential to understand the interpersonal effects of implementing change before adopting changes within an organisation; different approaches have been developed, providing assistance for understanding change implementation. The method utilised depends on the desired change, organisational current situations and available resources for implementing change. This theory can be defined as a reflection of daily occurrences within an organisation and remains focused on the reality of the situation facing individuals within the organisation. The method remains much focused on the interpersonal situations through the utilisation of three ever-present elements of content, process and structure (Anderson & Anderson 2001). This seeks to analyse and understand these elements in a great extend before engaging in the proposed implementation of change. Sufficient understanding of these elements, and subsequent investment of financial resources, remains paramount to improvement within a changing organisational structure. The performance of organisations remains highly dependent on the output of employees within the organisation; hence the company should provide financial resources in supporting the employees. Creation of a high performance organisation would therefore include achievement of a balance between the resources utilised in enhancing the se three fundamental elements. This remains the fundamental element utilised in understanding the change management process being implemented. The tasks, goals and focus of the company form an essential part in determining the content which change should be introduced upon (Senior 2002). The management members within the company should be made to understand the content which shall be contained within the proposed change. The activities which the HR manager has undertaken can be termed as beginning to create a focus on establishing the content

Describe the main grievances of the Russian people Essay Example for Free

Describe the main grievances of the Russian people Essay In the early 19th century Russia was still a typical pre-modern society. A century later it had been transformed. The main changes that effected the Russian community took place in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. Although the country was prospering in terms of economy, 80 per cent of the population were classified as peasant who lived in small farming villages that were using primitive farming methods. At the beginning of the 20th century, half the Russian population was illerate. This may have been due to the fact that until the 1860s the peasants had not been set free, although the Emancipation Act was attempting to correct this, not much had changed. Industrial growth after the abolition of serfdom did not really help progress the economy. One school of thought expected that the abolition of serfdom would create a spontaneous upsurge in industrialisation. The Emancipation act did nothing to stimulate a sudden upsurge in industrialisation, but it did not entirely block economic progress either. Though the size of peasant allotments did remain roughly equal, the amounts they actually farmed did not, because poorer households, with insufficient labour or livestock to farm their own allotments, rented them to wealthier peasants who could farm extra land. Industrial production did not grow rapidly, and by the 1900 Russia had a well-established base for further industrial development and an extensive railway network. The record for the agricultural sector was unimpressive, even though agriculture remained by far the largest sector of the economy. Growth was thus rapid but unbalanced. While industry expanded, the living conditions of large sections of the peasantry declined. Industrial development was therefore felt for the most part as a decline rather then a rise in material living standards. The problem for most people was how to cope with deteriorating economic conditions. The increased tax burden was combined with growing land shortage. Between 1860 and 1900 the average allotment per male peasant had declined about 46 per cent. At the same time, a growing number of poor peasants did not have the livestock necessary to work and manure their land. Declining land holdings and rising taxes had a profound effect on the peasantry. They meant the peasants who in the past had been able to support themselves mainly from the land, now had to adopt one of two strategies, either sell their grain for cash, or seek monetary incomes/wages. Russian industrial development favoured not the manufacture of consumer goods, but that of producer goods such as iron. In other words it did little to increase the availability or cheapness of consumer goods or increase material living standards. On the contrary, it affected people above all through an increase in the taxation necessary to pay for industrial development. Although the country was prospering in terms of economy, eighty per cent of the population were classified as peasant who lived in small farming villages that were using primitive farming methods. At the beginning of the 20th century, half of the Russian population was illiterate. This may have been due to the fact that until the 1860s the peasants had not been se free, although the Emancipation Act was attempting to correct this, not much had changed.

Significant Images in the Grimms’ Version of Rapunzel” Essay example --

Significant Images in the Grimms’ Version of â€Å"Rapunzel† â€Å"†¦the witch took her to the middle of the forest and shut her up in a tower that had neither stairs nor door, but only a little window at the very top.† (p. 74) A feeling of suspense is instilled just by reading this single line in â€Å"Rapunzel† by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Elements evoking emotion in a story, such as suspense, increase the degree of entertainment thereby enhancing quality and enjoyment factors. This story is both superficially entertaining and subconsciously intriguing. Exploring the symbolism of images such as the tower, the open window at the top of it and Rapunzel’s long hair will begin to satisfy this curiosity. The image of a tall solid structure is introduced quite early in the story and repeated in two different forms. The first occurs at the beginning of the story in the form of a â€Å"high wall around the garden† (p.73), and the second, of course, as the tower which is home to the 12 year old Rapunzel. It is worth mentioning that the idea of a tower and window at the top are not unique to this story. In fact, they can be traced back to Greek Mythology and the story of Perseus. The excerpt â€Å"†¦he locked Danae in a bronze tower so that she would never marry or have children. The tower had no doors, but it had one very small window. Danae was very sad, but one day a bright shower of gold came through the small window. A man appeared†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/Perseus/perseus.html) clearly proves this. Perhaps the Witch, who is characterized as the Godmother, also had the intention of preventing Rapunzel from marrying and having children. A Freudian would say this image is completely phallic whereby the tower symbolizes the (erect)... ...hat follow. On a deeper level, however, Rapunzel successfully completes the transformation of girl to woman by the end of the story. She has become a wife and bears the child that was conceived in the space at the top of the tower, despite the attempt made by the Godmother to prevent this from happening. Therefore, subconsciously, the Grimms seem to be telling a story of the rite of passage, conception and the elements necessary to complete these events of transformation. Works Cited: Perrault, Charles. "Puss in Boots." Folk & Fairy Tales Comp. Martin Hallett and Barbara Karasek. 2nd ed. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview, 1996. 94-97. Monte, Christopher F. Beneath the Mask: An Introduction to the Theories of Personality. Fifth Edition. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. 1995. http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/Perseus/perseus.html

The DaVinci Code

The Da Vinci Code is creation of Dan Brown’s mental regime or a fact. It is for the people to decide whether these theories belong to Brown's imagination or the skeleton of ‘facts' that supports the book. The early church history just can't stay out of the news. The DaVinci Code contains many more claims about Christianity's historic origins and theological development. Almost every thing our fathers told about Christ is false. Brown argues a single meeting of bishops in 325, at the city of Nicea in modern-day Turkey.There, church leaders who wanted to consolidate their power base created a divine Christ and an infallible Scripture-both novelties that had never before existed among Christians. One of the key points put forward by Brown as Da Vinci code truth is that the Bible cannot be trusted. Certain portions of the literature that Brown proclaimed as ‘Bible' do have fallacies. The early books called the Gnostic Gospels often disagree with the inspired gospels of God’s Word. The Da Vinci Code novel involves a conspiracy by the Catholic Church to cover up the â€Å"true† story of Jesus.In the book, the Vatican knows it is living a lie but continues to do so to keep itself in power. The novel has helped generate popular interest in speculation concerning the Holy Grail legend and the role of Mary Magdalene in the history of Christianity. Fans have lauded the book as creative, action-packed and thought-provoking. Critics have attacked it as poorly written, inaccurate and creating confusion between speculation and fact. From a religious point of view, some critics consider it sacrilegious, and decry the many negative implications about the Catholic Church and Opus Dei.Negating any deep rooted belief after 20 centuries is very difficult, if we see the other side of story. It is more difficult for those who have attained certain level in spiritual world through Christianity. It is a matter of debate as who were the gainer-Bishops or society. Christianity is just a path or media to gain spiritualism. It is not important which path you choose to gain spiritualism. Christianity or any religion in the world is for betterment and to provide a clean society. Sanctity of the Bible; Incomplete input gives out a wrong outputThe Bible's composition and consolidation may appear a bit too human for the comfort of some Christians; Brown claims â€Å"the Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven† In The Da Vinci Code, Brown apparently adopts Arius as his representative for all pre-Nicene Christianity. In reality, early Christians overwhelmingly worshipped Jesus Christ as their risen Saviour and Lord. Before the church adopted comprehensive doctrinal creeds, early Christian leaders developed a set of instructional summaries of belief, termed the â€Å"Rule† or â€Å"Canon† of Faith, which affirmed this truth.With the Bible playing a central role in Christianity, Brown claims that Constantine commissioned a nd bankrolled a staff to manipulate existing texts and thereby divinize the human Christ.. But some people may argue; at this stage, it is impossible to collect sufficient input to arrive on any concrete conclusion. It’s a universal fact that none of us has seen Jesus Christ. It is hard to believe unless we witness. We draw a conclusion based on available inputs, which may further have many variables. Bible's composition and consolidation was necessary to communicate many and into its correct form.Bible draws a line between rights and wrongs, Do’s and Don’ts or in other words it provides a proven track for the people to follow and help them to take their own judgment in day to day life. People are wondering if Brown’s book contains Da Vinci truth. The introductory note of the book says, â€Å"all descriptions of documents and secret rituals are accurate. † Is this a true statement? Is there such a thing as Da Vinci Code truth? So how much of The Da Vinci Code is truth? When asked how much of his book is based on â€Å"reality in terms of things that actually occurred,† author Dan Brown said, â€Å"Absolutely all of it.Although Brown claims that the book is filled with truths, the people must keep in mind that this claim is included in the first paragraphs of a fiction book. Even claims that something is true, when found in a fiction book, are still fiction. If Brown had truly wanted to enlighten the world about his true nature of Jesus and the Catholic Church, he would have done so in a non-fiction setting. Why then did Brown assert in interviews that the information contained within his book was true? Booming of ‘The Da Vinci Code' and Christianity; A logical analysisThe Da Vinci Code proves that some misguided theories never entirely fade away. They just reappear periodically in a different disguise. Brown's claims resemble those of Arius and his numerous heirs throughout history, who have contradicted the uni ted testimony of the apostles and the early church they built. Those witnesses have always attested that Jesus Christ was and remains God himself. It didn't take an ancient council to make this true. And the pseudo historical claims of a modern novel can't make it false.Some Christians have optimistically hoped that The Da Vinci Code might provide a potential opportunity for dialogue and discussion about Jesus with people who might not otherwise be open to such discussions. Booming of Da Vinci code may have many reasons. It may not be wise to correlate its sale to acceptance of the people- for some people it’s a novel, some want to analyze and do the self assessment of their faith and for some it may be of academic interest. Threat to Christianity is beyond imagination. The reason being; the very first question is about existence of God.If the answer is ‘No' then there may arise millions of questions to which today’s world still in search of an answer. If the ans wer is ‘Yes’ then there has to be certain rule and requires source and some media to communicate. Unless, the source is either ‘Supernatural' or ‘Super human', it is hard for the people to rely on it. We find Jesus Christ exactly fits into this place. Therefore The Da Vinci code can never ever be a threat to Christianity. References 1) Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code; Doubleday (USA); 2003 2) The Da Vinci Code, Special Illustrated Edition, Doubleday; November 2, 2004,

Antigone: Beliefs, Opinions, and Moral Views Essay

Antigone and Creon, from â€Å"Antigone† by Sophocles, encounter a philosophical war based on their moral views. A conflict arose when the principles that backed up their actions disagreed with each other. Antigone’s side of the conflict held a gods’ law is the way approach, as opposed to the â€Å"I am king† approach Creon chose to follow. The variation in the beliefs, opinions, and moral views of Antigone and Creon were constantly disputed through out the play. Antigone felt that Creon was disregarding the laws of gods through his law. After she was captured and brought to Creon, she told him, â€Å"Your edict, King was strong, but all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of God. They are not merely now: they were, and shall be, operative for ever, beyond man utterly.† Antigone’s opinion is one that supports the Gods and the laws of heaven. Her view is set by her belief that if someone is not given a proper burial, then that person would not be accepted into heaven. Antigone was a very religious person, and acceptance of her brother by the Gods was very important to her. She felt that â€Å"†¦I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be as dear to him as he to me.† Creon’s order was personal to Antigone, as she saw his law as invading her family life as well as offensive to the Gods. In Antigone’s eyes, Creon betrayed the laws of the Gods by not allowing her to properly bury her brother, Polynices. She believed that the burial was a sacred ritual, and Creon did not have the authority to refuse Polynices his entitlement. Antigone’s strong belief towards the burial of her brother is what led her to her death by the hands of Creon. Since Creon was ruler, whatever he said was the law, and since Antigone broke his law, Creon was in a sense to blame, because if that law wasn’t put into effect then Antigone wouldn’t have hung herself. Nevertheless, she did not stop defending what she thought was proper. Right before her death, Antigone exclaimed, â€Å"†¦ you see me now, the last unhappy daughter of a line of kings, your kings, led away to death. You will remember what things I suffer and at what men’s hands, because I would not  transgress the laws of heaven.† She feels that Creon is abusing his power as king and dealing with her task on a personal level. Creon’s actions were based off of the fact that, â€Å"†¦ no ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office.† Polynices’ body left unburied is a symbol of Creon’s action to achieve the loyalty that he desired. â€Å"As long as I am King, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man.† Leaving the body unburied was done to show respect for Thebes, not in spite of the family. After all, how could the ruler of a kingdom honor a man who attempted to invade and conquer what is now his kingdom. This was far from the beliefs of Antigone. She believed that everyone deserved the right to have a proper burial, no matter what wrong doing that person may have done, and that the gods’ are the authorities that judge the afterlife. Due to this belief, Creon turned Antigone into his prisoner, and not the public’s. The general population actually supported Antigone, but though they were too scared to stand against Creon. Haimon knew of this and told his father, â€Å"Died so shameful a death for a generous act: ‘She covered her brother’s body. Is this indecent? She kept him from dogs and vultures. Is this a crime? Death? – She should have all the honor that we can give her!’ This is the way they talk out there in the city.† Creon was exercising complete domination of political power. By not allowing Antigone to perform her religious ceremony of burying her brother is interfering with religious affairs. This act denied Antigone of her religious freedom. Creon had to weigh each factor carefully, and had to decide between his morals and his beliefs. He was torn, trying to choose what was just. â€Å"†¦ Oh it is hard to give in! But it is worse to risk everything for stubborn pride.† The conflict of beliefs was what led to Antigone’s, Haimon’s, and Megareus’ death. Both sides were just, but Creon was forced to decide and determine right from wrong when there was no clear answer. In the end, the Chorus’ opinion was the determining factor and they convinced Creon to set Antigone free, but it was already too late. The conflict between the beliefs of Creon and Antigone are layered throughout the play. Both have logical arguments, but neither dominates the other. Antigone is motivated by her strong religious feelings, while Creon is trying to be lawful and do what’s right for his kingdom. Neither won this battle, as Antigone took her life, the lives of Creon’s wife and son followed, leaving Creon with nothing but his precious kingdom.

Behavior Impact and Definition of Mirror Neurons

Behavior Impact and Definition of Mirror Neurons Mirror neurons are neurons that fire both when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else performing that same action, such as reaching for a lever. These neurons  respond to someone elses action just as if you yourself were doing it. This response is not restricted to sight. Mirror neurons can also fire when an individual knows or hears someone else performing a similar action. â€Å"The Same Action† It’s not always clear what’s meant by â€Å"the same action.† Do mirror neurons code actions corresponding to the movement itself (you move your muscles a certain way to grab food), or, are they responsive to something more abstract, the goal that the individual is trying to achieve with the movement (grabbing food)? It turns out that there are different types of mirror neurons, which differ in what they respond to. Strictly congruent mirror neurons fire only when the mirrored action is identical to the performed action- so both the goal and the movement are the same for both cases. Broadly congruent mirror neurons fire when the goal of the mirrored action is the same as the performed actions, but the two actions themselves are not necessarily identical. For example, you can grab an object with your hand or your mouth. Taken together, strictly congruent and broadly congruent mirror neurons, which together comprised more than 90 percent of the mirror neurons in the study that introduced these classifications,  represent what someone else did, and how they did it. Other, non-congruent mirror neurons don’t seem to exhibit a clear correlation between the performed and observed actions at first glance. Such mirror neurons may, for instance, fire both when you grasp an object and see someone else placing that object somewhere. These neurons could thus be activated at an even more abstract level. The Evolution of Mirror Neurons There are two main hypotheses for how and why mirror neurons evolved. The adaptation hypothesis states that monkeys and humans- and possibly other animals as well- are born with mirror neurons. In this hypothesis, mirror neurons came about through natural selection, enabling individuals to understand the actions of others. The associative learning hypothesis  asserts  that mirror neurons arise from experience. As you learn an action and see others performing a similar one, your brain learns to link the two events together. Mirror Neurons in Monkeys Mirror neurons were first described in 1992, when a team of neuroscientists led by Giacomo Rizzolatti recorded activity from single neurons in the macaque monkey brain and found that the same neurons fired both when a monkey performed certain actions, like grabbing food, and when they observed an experimenter performing  that same action. Rizzolatti’s discovery found mirror neurons in the premotor cortex, a part of the brain which helps plan and execute movements. Subsequent studies have also heavily investigated the inferior parietal cortex, which helps encode visual motion. Still other papers have described mirror neurons in other areas, including the medial frontal cortex, which has been recognized as important for social cognition. Mirror Neurons in Humans Direct Evidence In many studies on monkey brains, including Rizzolatti’s initial study and others involving mirror neurons, brain activity is directly recorded by inserting an electrode into the brain and measuring electrical activity. This technique is not used in many human studies. One mirror neuron study, however, directly probed the brains of epileptic patients during a pre-surgery evaluation. Scientists found potential mirror neurons in the medial frontal lobe and the medial temporal lobe, which helps code memory. Indirect Evidence Most studies involving mirror neurons in humans have presented indirect evidence pointing to mirror neurons in the brain. Multiple groups have imaged the brain and shown that brain areas which exhibited mirror-neuron-like activity in humans are similar to the brain areas containing mirror neurons in macaque monkeys. Interestingly, mirror neurons have also been observed in Broca’s area, which is responsible for producing language, though this has been the cause of much debate. Open Questions Such neuroimaging evidence seems promising. However, since individual neurons are not being directly probed during the experiment, it’s difficult to correlate this brain activity to specific neurons in the human brain- even if the imaged brain areas are very similar to those found in monkeys. According to Christian Keysers, a researcher who studies the human mirror neuron system, a small area on a brain scan can correspond to millions of neurons. Thus, the mirror neurons found in humans cannot be directly compared with those in monkeys to confirm whether the systems are the same. Furthermore, it is not necessarily clear whether the brain activity corresponding to an observed action is a response to other sensory experiences rather than mirroring. Possible Role in Social Cognition Since their discovery, mirror neurons have been considered one of the most important discoveries in neuroscience, intriguing experts and non-experts alike. Why the strong interest? It stems from the role mirror neurons may play in explaining social behavior. When humans interact with each other, they understand what other people do or feel. Thus, some researchers say that mirror neurons- which allow you to experience the actions of others- could shed light on some of the neural mechanisms underlying why we learn and communicate. For example, mirror neurons may provide insights on why we imitate other people, which is critical to understanding how humans learn, or how we understand other people’s actions, which could shed light on empathy. Based on their possible role in social cognition, at least one group has also proposed that a â€Å"broken mirror system† may also cause autism, which is partly characterized by difficulty in social interactions. They argue that reduced activity of mirror neurons prevents autistic individuals from understanding what others are feeling. Other researchers have stated this is an oversimplified view of autism: a review looked at 25 papers focusing on autism and a broken mirror system and concluded there was â€Å"little evidence† for this hypothesis. A number of researchers are much more cautious about whether mirror neurons are crucial to empathy and other social behavior. For example, even if you have never seen an action before, you are still capable of understanding it- for example, if you see Superman flying in a movie even if you can’t fly yourself. Evidence for this comes from individuals who have lost the capacity to perform certain actions, like brushing teeth, yet can still understand them when others perform them. Towards the future Though much research has been conducted on mirror neurons, there are still many lingering questions. For example, are they only restricted to certain areas of the brain? What is their real function? Do they really exist, or can their response be attributed to other neurons? Much more work has to be done to answer these questions. References A calm look at the most hyped concept in neuroscience – mirror neurons, Christian Jarrett, Wired.Acharya, S., and Shukla, S. â€Å"Mirror neurons: Enigma of the metaphysical modular brain.† Journal of Natural Science, Biology, and Medicine, 2012, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 118-124, doi: 10.4103/0976-9668.101878.Gallese, V., Fadiga, L., Fogassi, L., and Rizzolatti, G. â€Å"Action recognition in the premotor cortex.† Brain, 1996, vol. 119, pp. 593-609, doi: 10.1093/brain/awp167.Hamilton, A. â€Å"Reflecting on the mirror neuron system in autism: A systematic review of current theories.† Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 2013, vol. 3, pp. 91-105, doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2012.09.008Heyes, C. â€Å"Where do mirror neurons come from?† Neuroscience and Behavioral Reviews, 2009, vol. 34, pp. 575-583, doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.11.007.Keysers, C., and Fadiga, L. â€Å"The mirror neuron system: New frontiers.† Social Neuroscience, 2008, vol. 3, no. 3-4, pp. 193-198, doi: 10.1080/17470910802408513.Kilner, J., and Lemon, R. â€Å"What we currently know about mirror neurons.† Current Biology, 2013, vol. 23, no. 23, pp. R1057-R1062, doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.10.051. Kokal, I., Gazzola, V., and Keysers, C. Acting together in and beyond the mirror neuron system. Neuroimage, 2009, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 2046-2056, doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.06.010.Miklà ³si, . Do dogs have mirror neurons? Scientific American Mind.Mirror neurons after a quarter century: New light, new cracks, JohnMark Taylor, Science in the News.Reflecting on mirror neurons, Mo Costandi, The Guardian.The mind’s mirror, Lea Winerman, Monitor on Psychology.Uithol, S., van Rooij, I., Bekkering, H., and Haselager, P. â€Å"What do mirror neurons mirror?† Philosophical Psychology, 2011, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 607-623, doi: 10.1080/09515089.2011.562604.What’s so special about mirror neurons?, Ben Thomas, Scientific American Guest Blog.Yoshida, K., Saito, N., Iriki, A., and Isoda, M. â€Å"Representation of others’ action by neurons in monkey medial frontal cortex.† Current Biology, 2011, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 249-253, doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.01.004.

4 questions to ask at the end of an interview

4 questions to ask at the end of an interview It’s game time- the interview is here. You prepped well. You aced the handshake, anticipated the questions they asked, and wowed them with your smooth, competent demeanor and relevant work anecdotes. Or maybe it wasn’t your best interview (it happens), and you need a way to salvage the whole thing. Either way, as the interview is wrapping up, it’s time to close strong. This is your chance to leave a valuable impression on your way out. At this point, most interviewers will open the floor to you by asking if you have any other questions. Before you simply shake hands and say â€Å"thank you for your time,† consider asking these four questions to finish strong. 1. â€Å"How would you describe the culture here in the office?†This question shows that you’re already thinking about how you can fit in and add value to this company. It also gives you an unofficial glimpse into what the company is like- information that you can’t necessarily ge t from online research. The interviewer is unlikely to tell you the â€Å"warts and all† version (after all, they brought you in because they may be inviting you to join the team and have no interest in scaring you away), but it’s a good way to get an initial feel for whether the job will truly be a good fit for you.2. â€Å"What’s been your favorite part about working for this company?†This engages the interviewer’s personal side, letting them give an opinion that isn’t necessarily based on the company motto or the job description. The answer can be even more revealing about the day-to-day life at the company than asking, â€Å"What’s the day-to-day like here?† For example, at one interview I asked this question and was pleasantly surprised to find out that once a month the company throws a pizza party for employees and holds regular events like employee bake-offs and craft fairs. That told me that the company valued employee morale, and was a deciding factor when I accepted the job. If the interviewer seems stumped by this question and has to think for a while before answering what he or she likes about the place, then†¦that may be a red flag, which is also good information to have.3. â€Å"What experience best prepared you for working here?†Again, this engages with the interviewer and gets them responding candidly without being too intrusive or personal. It shows that you’re invested in preparing for this job. It also tells you about the kinds of skills that will serve you best in this role, regardless of what’s in the job description. For example, if the interviewer tells you that working for a chaotic small company prepared her for the â€Å"all hands on deck† attitude of this place, it tells you that teamwork is prized here. You can respond by saying something like, â€Å"I thrive in that kind of atmosphere too. Working at a small mom-and-pop store taught me how val uable it is for everyone to pitch in to get the job done.†4. â€Å"How would you describe the leadership style here?†Up to this point, it’s likely that the interview was focused on the job itself and your qualifications. This question opens it up a bit and tells you more about the expectations of the company for this job- whether it’s a hands-on management kind of company (or potentially micromanaging), or a leadership style that relies on employees being more independent. It also tells the interviewer that you’re thinking about creating a productive, in-tune relationship with your potential manager.As with all interview questions, it’s important to read the flow of the interview. If you’ve covered any of these topics earlier, no need to rehash them at the end- it could look like you weren’t paying attention. But making sure you have a potential list of thoughtful, engaged questions ready to go will help you finish the interview in a polished, professional way.

An Excerpt from Classic Monologue Oedipus the King

An Excerpt from Classic Monologue Oedipus the King This Greek tragedy by Sophocles is based on the ancient legend of a fallen hero.  The story has several interchangeable names including  Oedipus  Tyrannus, Oedipus Rex, or the classic,  Oedipus the King.  First performed around 429 BC, the plot unfolds as a murder mystery and political thriller that refuses to reveal the truth until the end of the play. The Mythic Tragedy Although it was crafted thousands of years ago, the story of Oedipus Rex still shocks and fascinates readers and audience members alike. In the story, Oedipus rules over the kingdom of Thebes, yet all is not well. Throughout the land, there is famine and plague, and the gods are angry. Oedipus vows to find out the source of the curse. Unfortunately, it turns out that he is the abomination. Oedipus is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta and unknowingly marries his mother, who he ends up having four children with. In the end, it turns out that Oedipus has also murdered his father. All of this, of course, was unbeknownst to him. When Oedipus discovers the truth of his actions, he is wrought with horror and self-loathing. In this monologue, he has blinded himself after witnessing his wife’s suicide. He now devotes himself to his own punishment and plans to walk the earth as an outcast until the end of his days. What Readers Can Take Away from Oedipus the King The significance of the story surrounds the character development around Oedipus as a tragic hero. The suffering he endures as he goes on his journey in search for the truth is different from his counterparts who have killed themselves, like Antigone and Othello.  The story can also be seen as a narrative around family ideals about a  son who is competing with his father for his mothers attention. The ideals set by Greek society are challenged by the Oedipus character. For example, his personality characteristics such as  stubbornness and anger are not that of the idealized Greek man.  Of course, the theme around fate is central as the gods have willed it toward Oedipus. It is only until he is king of the land that he learns about his dark past. Although he was a model king and citizen, his complexity allows him to be labeled as a tragic hero. An Excerpt of the Classic Monologue from Oedipus the King The following excerpt from Oedipus is reprinted from Greek Dramas. I care not for thy counsel or thy praise;For with what eyes could I have eer beheldMy honoured father in the shades below,Or my unhappy mother, both destroyedBy me? This punishment is worse than death,And so it should be. Sweet had been the sightOf my dear childrenthem I could have wishedTo gaze upon; but I must never seeOr them, or this fair city, or the palaceWhere I was born. Deprived of every blissBy my own lips, which doomed to banishmentThe murderer of Laius, and expelledThe impious wretch, by gods and men accursed:Could I behold them after this? Oh no!Would I could now with equal ease removeMy hearing too, be deaf as well as blind,And from another entrance shut out woe!To want our senses, in the hour of ill,Is comfort to the wretched. O Cithaeron!Why didst thou eer receive me, or received,Why not destroy, that men might never knowWho gave me birth? O Polybus! O Corinth!And thou, long time believed my fathers palace,Oh! what a foul disgrace to human natureDidst thou receive ben eath a princes form!Impious myself, and from an impious race.Where is my splendor now? O Daulian path!The shady forest, and the narrow passWhere three ways meet, who drank a fathers bloodShed by these hands, do you not still rememberThe horrid deed, and what, when here I came,Followed more dreadful? Fatal nuptials, youProduced me, you returned me to the wombThat bare me; thence relations horribleOf fathers, sons, and brothers came; of wives,Sisters, and mothers, sad alliance! allThat man holds impious and detestable.But what in act is vile the modest tongueShould never name. Bury me, hide me, friends,From every eye; destroy me, cast me forthTo the wide oceanlet me perish there:Do anything to shake off hated life.Seize me; approach, my friendsyou need not fear,Polluted though I am, to touch me; noneShall suffer for my crimes but I alone. Source: Greek Dramas. Ed. Bernadotte Perrin. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1904

The Impact of Value in Customer Relationship Management on Dissertation

The Impact of Value in Customer Relationship Management on Consultation Management Industries in Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example The Private Sector and the Use of Consulting Services 13 2.4. Why Consultants? 16 2.5. Customer Satisfaction 18 2.6. Service Quality 19 2.6.1. Perceived Functional Value 23 2.6.2. Perceived Technical Value 25 2.6.3. Monetary Value 25 2.6.4. Emotional Value 25 2.6.5. Perceived Outcome Quality 26 2.7. Empirical Studies on Consulting Services 27 2.8. Conclusion 30 3. Methodology 3.1. Introduction 31 3.2. Research Approach 31 3.3. Research Methodology 32 3.4. Research Design 32 3.5 Respondents and Sampling Plan 34 3.6. Data Collection Procedures 34 3.7. Instrument 35 3.8. Validity and Reliability 37 3.9. Ethical Considerations 38 3.10. Method of Data Analysis 38 3.11. Methodological Limitations 39 3.12. Conclusion 39 4. Findings and Data Analysis 4.1. Introduction 40 4.2. Results 40 4.3. Discussion 65 5. Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1. Conclusions 75 5.2. Recommendations 77 Reflections 80 References 82 Appendices 89 List of Tables and Figures Figure 1. Determinants of customer satis faction 23 Results Table 1. Descriptive statistics: Outcomes of management consultancy services. 41 Table 2. Descriptive statistics: Evaluations of the quality of management consultancy services. 43 Table 3. Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient: Company’s competitive stance vs. satisfaction and attitudes with the use of management consultancy services. 44 Table 4. Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient: Company’s competitive stance vs. ... Frequency and percentage distribution: First engagement of management consultant services. 47 Table 8. Descriptive statistics: Attribution of outcomes because of management consultancy services. 48 Table 9. Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient: Company’s frequency of use and experience with management consultancy services vs. satisfaction and attitudes with the use of such services. 49 Table 10. Descriptive statistics: Functional value of management consultancy services. 51 Table 11. Descriptive statistics: Emotional value of management consultancy services. 52 Table 12. Descriptive statistics: Monetary value of management consultancy services. 55 Table 13. Coefficient of determination: Value structure vs. satisfaction with current management consultant. 56 Table 14. One-way ANOVA: Value structure vs. satisfaction with current management consultant. 57 Table 15. Beta coefficients: Value structure vs. satisfaction with5 current management consultant. 58 Table 16 . Coefficient of determination: Value structure vs. outcomes of management consultancy services. 60 Table 17. One-way ANOVA: Value structure vs. outcomes of management consultancy services. 60 Table 18. Beta Coefficients: Value structure vs. outcomes of management consultancy services. 61 Table 19. Coefficient of determination: Value structure vs. evaluations of the quality of management consultancy services. 61 Table 20. One-way ANOVA: Value structure vs. evaluations of the quality of management consultancy services. 62 Table 21. Beta Coefficients: Value structure vs. evaluations of the quality of management consultancy services. 62 Acknowledgements Executive Summary The study aimed to investigate the effect of Value Creation in CRM on local management consultancy industry for finding

Group project (costco) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Group project (costco) - Essay Example This aspect includes the function of providing a particular product or a service. The key operations management issues include designing, planning and management of the system. Most of the problems associated with operations management at Costco include setting of the plan layout and structure, methods used in project management, selection and replacement of equipment. Specific operations issues at Costco involve equipment maintenance policies, traffic and material handling, quality control and inspection, inventory management and process scheduling. Some of these problems are associated with system design, system management and planning of the system Technology plays an important role in streamlining an organization’s operations. It increases efficiency, productivity, reduces energy, manufacturing and labor costs, enhances communication, and enables smooth integration of day-to-day activities. Costco has not been left out in using technology in its business operations. The company manages more than 300 warehouses that house brand name merchandise at low costs. In order for Costco to offer high quality products at cheap prices, it had to establish faster communication with thousands of vendors at any given moment. The company could no more tolerate long delays when trying to access common documents such as invoices, debit or credit memos or purchase orders. Prompt access to transaction documents was not available. Costco also stored and processed large volumes of paperwork, which needed to be accessed easily. All these hardships could only be solved with the appropriate technology. The initial solution was offered by Image Source executive team in 1992 (Collier & Evans, 2012). Costco also uses Oracle Imaging and Process Management software for file storage and retrieval. The company has also utilized technology for scanning images and barcode indexing processes. Initially, 50 Costco users scanned

Wk2multicult Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wk2multicult - Essay Example I think this would impact my work because I am not sure how I would deal with a gay or lesbian couple coming to my offices who want to get married. I do not know how I would counsel them exactly because of what I have been taught. Bohan (1996) states that marriage is a part of "heterosexual privilege". She says when people are married they are able to have public support and acceptance of your marriage, paid leave when your spouse dies and you are grieving the loss, paid leave if you are having a crisis in your family or if the spouse is ill and immediate access to your spouse if they are in the hospital or something happens to them (p. 40). What I realize about this is that this seems to be what people need who love each other and perhaps it does not matter how that love is consummated, but it is only fair that gays and lesbians who love each other should have the same privileges that heterosexual couples have even if they do not call it "marriage." The way that I would address this challenge is to find out more information in this area. I would need to study more. In the area of marriage, there are many states that have already legalized marriage. In fact, Washington, D.C., is the most recent state that is in the process of legalizing gay marriage. I can see that I will need to understand this from a human interest level rather than from a personal level if I am to counsel this group. Socioeconomic status. I do alright. My parents were middle class and worked most o their life. My mother is a teacher and my father is a chemist. I relate to all type of people, especially those who have little income; I want to help. Because I come from a family that was Jewish we were taught traditional values. This has been both a blessing and a curse for me at times. I believe in the traditions and I feel they work to help us understand who we are better than some cultures. We also know what we are supposed to do according to the Torah.

Eco luxury Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Eco luxury - Essay Example Since it requires a special skill and talent to be able to create clothing that can be use and re-use for decades, our future fashion designers, seamstresses, and tailors are being challenged to design and manufacture creative pieces of fashion designs that are classic and elegant. Also known as the â€Å"earth-friendly fashion†, â€Å"ethical fashion†, or an â€Å"eco fashion† (Fletcher); a sustainable fashion is a significant â€Å"part of the fashion industry that recognizes social and environmental responsibility† (Matthews 117; Preston 150). In general, there are some designers who would design and create garments for the purpose of â€Å"wear, wash, and throw away† (Matthews 119). Since the main purpose of promoting sustainable fashion is to enable the local and international fashion designers to establish a system that will indefinitely be supported by the public in terms of becoming an environmentalist and a responsible member of the social, sustainable fashion designers should avoid creating garments of poor quality and low class design. The concept of a sustainable fashion is slowly becoming a special part of the continuously developing trend in sustainable design. As part of a sustainable design which aims to decrease levels of carbon emission in our environment, a lot of people started creating different products that are environmental friendly (The Economist). In order to save the mother Earth, the concept of â€Å"environmentalism† has been adopted in the world of fashion. For instance, to actively participate in charitable work, some members of the fashion industry are giving out a small percentage of their total sales as a donation to non-profit organizations who are reaching out to the less fortunate individuals. Likewise, there are some famous fashion designers around the world who are actively promoting the use of environmental friendly materials such as the â€Å"natural and renewable fibers† that does not use pesticides (i.e.

3 QUESTIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE and deviance Coursework - 1

3 QUESTIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE and deviance - Coursework Example Ermann and Lundman (1982) also offer some suggestions on how to reduce occurrences of corporate deviance, such as â€Å"changes in corporate chartering, the protection of whistleblowers, and the punishment of executives involved in corporate criminality.† All these propositions must be taken together and combined with greater vigilance from the public. This includes ensuring that corporate wrongdoers know that their actions will not go unpunished. Yes, I think there are common threads apparent in the four articles in the book by Thio, Calhoun and Conyers (2008.) One clear apparent commonality is that it demonstrates that human beings who are victims of violence do not always react to violence in the way that other people might think to be commonsensical. Instead of automatic resisting or abhorrence of the abuser, we see a complex mix of pity, self-blame, guilt, feelings of helplessness, and this is true for mothers who are victims of their children’s violence (Jackson, 98), stalkers from previous relationships (Dunn, 94) and battered wives (Bates, 89). This is also true for victims of exclusion who then found themselves as sexual molesters (Lawson, 108.) Also, these articles demonstrate that motivations for committing crimes are more complicated that we think and have psychological motivations. Akers and Sellers (2004) described psychological theory as one wherein the understanding of crime can be traced back to an und erlying personality or psychological disorder. 3. Are there identifiers visible that would indicate potential self-destructive deviance? If so, what are they and what can be done once observed? If not, what can be done to attempt to identify indicators of future self-destructive behaviour? Yes, the research in the field of self-destructive deviance have shown some possible indicators of suicidal tendencies, although the research is also quick to point out that

Brand Implentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Brand Implentation - Essay Example It however faces very stiff competition by the Toyota brand as well as the general motors’ company (GM). The Volkswagen brand currently ranks second from the Toyota and preceding the general motors’ brand within the global context. Though the general motors’ has had dominance within the US in the past, an acute decline within their sales has resulted to the takeover by the Volkswagen brand within the region. She is now the fastest growing brand as well as the brand whose sales has sky rocketed within the recent past. Future projections reveals the brands’ target as being to double their sales and production within the near future by adopting a strategy of increasing by more than 10% their sales annually. The greatest strength attributable to the commendable success of the business brand is the diversity within their products. Not only does the brand company produce the Volkswagen motors but has other products such as the golf, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Bentley, L amborghini, Bugatti, and Porsche. This diversity of production ascertains the good coverage of the market with the variations with their products. This also provides an advantage to the brand in that there is wider scope of distribution of risks from just one brand of operation to the diversified brands. There is also good representation of the various economic classes of people within the diversification strategy. Moreover, the sales made through the various brand products ascertains higher profit realization form various customer segments without actually affecting the main motor brand; the Volkswagen. Over and above, the innovativeness of the team strategically places the brand a notch higher that their competitors as they have been seen to have a very strong team of innovators. Nevertheless, the SWOT analysis reveals critical weaknesses that the brand suffer worst of which is the poor cash flow as noted by the extreme credit facilities extended by the brand especially to the fir st time customers. The brand is consented to the policy of ‘sign and drive’ through which potential buyers are not obligated to have any down payment as they purchase the vehicles in credit. This is a competition tool that has been useful to rate the brand the best within the competition spheres as her popularity of low credit as well as the no down payment has surpassed all her competitors’. Moreover, her diversification within the product line has seen her increase customer base over the years by gaining more access within the Indian as well as the Chinese market through the support of the Golf. These economies are popular in preferring the small vehicles and as such the brand gains the advantage over her competitors. Through the Golf, the brand records over two billion new customers annually within the emerging economies. Despite the internal challenges that the brand is faced with lots of internal challenges though some pointed out to the external environment which must be thoroughly addressed for the purpose of successful progression of the brand. The fuel shortage or concern within the global market necessitates the design of conservative automotives. The fossil fuels are facing the threat of extinction and thus require that locomotive industries device of ways that shall safe and utilize the fuels more efficiently. The

3 QUESTIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE and deviance Coursework - 1

3 QUESTIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE and deviance - Coursework Example Ermann and Lundman (1982) also offer some suggestions on how to reduce occurrences of corporate deviance, such as â€Å"changes in corporate chartering, the protection of whistleblowers, and the punishment of executives involved in corporate criminality.† All these propositions must be taken together and combined with greater vigilance from the public. This includes ensuring that corporate wrongdoers know that their actions will not go unpunished. Yes, I think there are common threads apparent in the four articles in the book by Thio, Calhoun and Conyers (2008.) One clear apparent commonality is that it demonstrates that human beings who are victims of violence do not always react to violence in the way that other people might think to be commonsensical. Instead of automatic resisting or abhorrence of the abuser, we see a complex mix of pity, self-blame, guilt, feelings of helplessness, and this is true for mothers who are victims of their children’s violence (Jackson, 98), stalkers from previous relationships (Dunn, 94) and battered wives (Bates, 89). This is also true for victims of exclusion who then found themselves as sexual molesters (Lawson, 108.) Also, these articles demonstrate that motivations for committing crimes are more complicated that we think and have psychological motivations. Akers and Sellers (2004) described psychological theory as one wherein the understanding of crime can be traced back to an und erlying personality or psychological disorder. 3. Are there identifiers visible that would indicate potential self-destructive deviance? If so, what are they and what can be done once observed? If not, what can be done to attempt to identify indicators of future self-destructive behaviour? Yes, the research in the field of self-destructive deviance have shown some possible indicators of suicidal tendencies, although the research is also quick to point out that

World War I - Why did the Senate choose to Ratify the Treaty of Essay

World War I - Why did the Senate choose to Ratify the Treaty of Versailles - Essay Example Article 10 of the League Covenant required a pledge that all the Nations in the League come to help one another in case of an attack against any of them. The lack of a clause that such action could only be materialized through a unanimous vote of the council infuriated the Senate. Clearly the only solution was to stay away from any European conspiracy and conclude a separate peace with Germany. While Wilson’s Fourteen Points forced Germany to sign a blank check as an account for the damages of the War, they had to go through an inevitable bout of isolationism, which could have resulted in the rise of Hitler and the II World War. Moreover the major European nations like Britain, France and Italy felt that Wilson’s view of the League of Nations may affect their national interests – thus impeding his vision of a World Parliament. The Senate’s opposition was based mostly on its fear that the situation will lead to other major European conflicts, which was not at all unfounded. Moreover, America as a nation had an isolationist stance at that time, never wanting to get involved in international political turmoil. The Senate wanted to be left alone and not be dragged into the new world order. They were strongly against the Versailles Treaty and refused to ratify

House Symbolism Essay Example for Free

House Symbolism Essay In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the use of houses symbolizes the level of freedom Edna feels. From the house in the Grand Isle to the house in New Orleans, and finally the Pigeon house, Edna’ Moods and feelings are expressed to the readers. Edna Pontellier is a woman who lives through many houses in the awakening. Each house represents certain levels and expectations that Edna must face. The first house that Edna lives through is the house in New Orleans. While in the house in New Orleans Edna’s level of freedom is very minimal, due to the fact that she is expected to be somebody that she doesn’t want to be. The people who Edna encounters at the house requires that Edna must be a supreme hostess, Edna on the other hand just want to do whatever she pleases without the feeling of being viewed in a wrong way. Edna’s husband Mr. Pontellier is really the main reason why Edna has no type of freedom in the house. He is very controlling believing that a woman should only do what her husband tells her to do. She doesn’t feel happy with her husband treating her like she is property. Edna decides that the House in New Orleans is not where she is going to be independent. Another house that Edna lives in is the house in the Grand Isle. While living in the Grand Isle Edna’s level of freedom is a little higher then what is was at the house in New Orleans, however she still has to face the controlling nature of her husband. Another factor that is stopping Edna to have the freedom and independence is the fact that Leonce is expecting Edna to be a â€Å"mother-woman† which is a woman who worships her husband and cherishes her children, something Edna has no desire to be. The house at the Grand Isle symbolizes the growth in freedom but doesn’t completely satisfy her needs. Finally the last house that Edna lives in is the pigeon house. While in the pigeon house Edna level of freedom is finally accomplished which allows her to be independent and control how she runs her life. Edna does not have to worry about all the material and life objects that Mr. Pontellier has thrown in her life. Although Edna has all the freedom that she wants, Edna finds herself enclosed and isolated by herself with Robert in Mexico. After a while living at the pigeon house Edna started to feel like a prisoner, which ultimately leads to her unification with the sea. All of these house gives Edna different situations which allows her to grow and realize what she truly believes is the right way for her to live her life.

Rage Against the Machine Essay -- Music Bands Politics Essays

Rage Against the Machine Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk, and Timmy Commerford took to a Philadelphia stage in 1993 clad in black electrical tape that covered their mouths and the initials PMRC written in black marker across their chests. They stood in this fashion for fourteen minutes while feedback from their guitars rumbled through the amps. This seemingly simple prank was actually protest against the censorship of music and the Parents Music Resource Center, founded by Tipper Gore (Buchi, incidents par. 3-4). The music of Rage Against the Machine contains the political and social views of the band members. They are very avid about defending constitutional rights of the individual and large groups of deprived people. The members of Rage Against the Machine each bring diversity and strong political views into the music they produce. Each member is unique in his childhood background and his introduction to music. It is important to understand their backgrounds to fully understand their passion for political justice. Zack de la Rocha was born in Long Beach, California in 1970. After his parent's separation when he was one year old, Zack lived with his mother in the "whitest community in Southern L.A.". Zack turned to his father to develop close ties with the Chicano community, but after his father's mental breakdown, Zack was forced to look for direction in a high school friend and now current band member Timmy Commerford. Zack, who is responsible for writing the band's lyrics, uses his intelligence to express his anger, especially in the mistreatment of groups like the Zapatistas (Taneja, Band Members par. 1). Timmy Commerford, the band's bassist, ... ...noose over all the new societies that it sees. "Ashes in the Fall" calls the leaders of today fascists that talk society up as a chosen life free of blot and mixture. The song contrasts this by showing that these promises fall through and the world is as it seems not as they want you to see it. "Ashes in the Fall" ends by showing that the closing of factories and schools by the rich drive the poor to crime. This driving force to crime opens the doors to the jail cells and the common person is tucked away. Rage Against the Machine uses its music to project its views about many political and social problems. The power of music has helped their messages reach people in positions that are normally politically retarded. Rage has had a profound influence on groups of people across the globe and will continue to do so in the future.

Albert Camus The Myth of Sisyphus Essays -- Papers Albert Camus Sisyp

Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus Albert Camus' essay, 'The Myth Of Sisyphus' is an insightful analysis of the classic work, 'The Myth Of Sisyphus'. In some regards Camus' view of Sisyphus can seem quite accurate and in tune with the original text, but based on Camus' interpretation of the justness of Sisyphus' punishment, it is clear that the writer has some different ideas as well. Camus concludes that this punishment does not have the effect the Gods had intended, and ultimately the tragic hero must be seen as being 'happy'. This is his greatest departure from the intent of the original myth wherein the reader is left with the feeling that Sisyphus' punishment can be seen as appropriate and just. As his punishment for repeatedly outwitting the Gods, Sisyphus is forced to roll a great rock up a steep hill only to have it roll back down each time he reaches the top, forever condemned to repeat the process over and over again. It is this punishment that Camus is most focused on, as the topic of Sisyphus? trickery only comes up to give the reader some background on the story. It is unusual however that Camus considers this punishment as an, ?unspeakable penalty in which the whole being is exerted toward accomplishing nothing?, and at the same time assumes that; ?The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man?s heart.? The gratification that one might find through hard work could certainly be seen as an accomplishment, but it?s hard to see how this pertains to Sisyphus. Camus states that, ?the workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks?, and that his fate is, ?no less absurd.? If a man whistles while performing his laborious job it is onl y because it is assumed that the fruits... ...l text was meant to represent. Camus states that, ?myths are made for the imagination to breathe life into them?, and he surely takes advantage of this. If it is true that Sisyphus truly owns his fate and is the master of his own ?absurd? universe, then that should be seen as his greatest punishment of all, for it does not amount to very much, and as Camus himself pointed out, ?the rock is still rolling.? Bibliography: Works Cited Bierlein, J.F. ?The Myth Of Sisyphus.? Lives Through Literature A Thematic Anthology (3rd ed.). Helane Levine Keating and Walter Levy. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001. 1042-43. Camus, Albert. ?The Myth Of Sisyphus.? Lives Through Literature A Thematic Anthology (3rd ed.). Helane Levine Keating and Walter Levy. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001. 1044-46.

Family Health Essay

Diversity among individuals, as well as cultures, provides a challenge for nurses when it comes to delivering meaningful health promotion and illness prevention-based education. How do teaching principles, varied learning styles (for both nurses and patients), and teaching methodologies impact the approach to education? How do health care providers overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention? Provide an example. 1)We live in a very diverse nation and overcoming challenges related to cultural beliefs and preferences is a very common obstacle for health care workers today. In an article in The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing cultural diversity is defined as being more than just race, Health care workers must realize that addressing cultural diversity goes beyond knowing the values, beliefs, practices and customs of African Americans, Asians, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans/Alaskan Natives, and Pacific islanders. In addition to racial classification and national origin, there are many other faces of cultural diversity. Religious affiliation, language, physical size, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability (both physical and mental), political orientation, socio-economic status, occupational status and geographical location are but a few of the faces of diversity. (Camphina-Bacote, 2003) Health care workers have to diligently accommodate the many needs of all the individuals they encounter. These needs range from diverse deep cultural backgrounds, varying learning styles and learning preferences, and mixed opinions defining health and well being. Language barriers may also be a hardship for health care workers to overcome. An example of how health care workers can overcome differing points of view would be demonstrated in their ability to accommodate to the specific needs of the patient. For example a Hispanic patient who is a Jehovah’s Witness and only speaks Spanish has been ignoring abnormal signs and symptoms of rectal bleeding for several weeks. She comes into the hospital and is worked up and then diagnosed with colon cancer. The early treatment process  requires a colon resection. The risks are discussed with the patient and the risk of blood loss with the surgery is covered. During the operation the patient does experience some bleeding and has hemoglobin that drops down well below normal range to 5.3. In the Jehovah’s Witness culture they do not believe in accepting blood transfusions. After the procedure the pt. is transferred to the ICU. In the ICU the visiting hours are typically restricted to specific hours and this patients family does not understand and does not feel comf ortable leaving there loved one unattended. In the scenario described above there are several examples of possible obstacles that the health care worker must overcome. First would be the language barrier. The use of an interpreter service would be required to be certain that the patient has a concrete understanding of the diagnosis, the treatment, signs and symptoms of chemo and radiation, education for follow up treatment etc. The second obstacle to consider would be the religious belief and refusal of blood products. The risks associated with anemia and possibly educating the pt. and family about natural options available to try and raise hemoglobin nutritionally with iron and vitamin supplements. The third obstacle could be the cultural preferences of family dependency and honoring and providing care for elders. The new diagnosis of cancer is difficult and when you add complexities like language barriers and specific religious beliefs it can make the process even more complicated. Health care workers must be very agile in t heir abilities to create flexible learning environments for the many diverse encounters the will have. References: Camphina-Bacote, J. (2003). Many faces: Addressing diversity in health care. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 8, retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Volume82003/No1Jan2003/AddressingDiversityinHealthCare.aspx 2) Health practices and beliefs are diverse among all cultures in relation to health, illness, birth and death. What is equally true is that there is also diversity within the cultural group; therefore nurses must develop health  promotion and illness prevention-based education that is focused on the individual while taking into considering teaching and learning styles that are culturally relevant. Teaching and learning methodologies, principals, styles or approaches are perhaps the most challenging for nurses. Not only are nurses diverse in culture, sex, age, socioeconomic and religion, we are also part of a discipline that is diverse in practice. It is necessary to acknowledge our own beliefs, biases as it relates to other culture groups so that we don’t unintentionally create barriers to learning. Health care providers can overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention by creating a learning environment built on mutual trust, respect and acceptance. The goal is to provide education that is built upon the individual or group strengths that empower and engage the group/individual to be an active participant. It should encourage decision-making that positively affects lifestyle and health behavior changes. Through experience and education I have had the opportunity to see the diversity within the Hispanic culture. There are major differences with this group in terms of immigrants and acculturated Hispanics. One notable difference is in health care practices. Immigrants take on the traditional formal practices in regards to illness. They are more likely to practice home remedies recommended by a relative such as the use of herbs (yerbas), and healers (curandero), or seek a spiritual healer or religious leader for prayer before seeing a physician because the perception of illness is that it is an act of God for bad life or lifestyle. Therefore their life is in Gods hands. Acculturated Hispanics are more likely to adopt American health practices, depending on access and resources available in health care. However, in some cases a certain residual traditions and practices are seen even acculturated Hispanics. What one individual or cultural group perceives to be important or relevant may be insignificant to another. Reference Lipson, J. G., & Dibble, S. L. (Eds.). (2006). Providing Culturally Appropriate Health Care: Culture & Care 3) Low health literacy, cultural barriers, and limited English proficiency have been coined the â€Å"triple threat† to effective health communication by the Joint Commission. Nurses, who work with patients from increasingly diverse cultural groups, experience daily how these three threats offer a challenge to the effective provision of care at the system, provider and patient levels. Patients deserve culturally and linguistically competent healthcare. First and foremost nurses should continually develop their ability to practice cultural self-awareness so as to better recognize their own cultural and linguistic assumptions and biases. Because health literacy depends on cultural and linguistic factors, there is a need for patient assessment tools that can efficiently collect information on patient literacy, linguistic ability and cultural beliefs. So that providers rely on assessment tools, not on â€Å"gut feelings†. Nurses should make appropriate use of medical interpreters and cultural brokers. Medical interpreters should be cross-trained in cultural competence and health literacy, in addition to medical interpretation training. Understanding cultural differences enables nurses to use appropriate teaching such as oral patient education instead of pamphlets or written materials they may not understand. A teaching tool for ESL is Picture Stories for Adult ESL Health Literacy, which gives students and teachers a starting point for talking about complex healthcare problems and solutions. The assumption that patients understand â€Å"enough† is a common misconception in the operating room. Nurses are responsible for assessing the patients while  the surgeons and anesthesiologist often rely on the information in the chart. The patient is rarely able to verbalize or explain what the doctor is going to do. The Cyracom phone is a indispensable tool used in the operating room to assess and educate culturally diverse patients. We are the patient advocates and must be proactive in providing teaching and answering questions and making sure patients understand what is happening to them. Singleton, K., Krause, E., (Sept. 30, 2009) â€Å"Understanding Cultural and Linguistic Barriers to Health Literacy† OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol. 14, No. 3, Manuscript 4 4) Culture refers to the learned, shared and transmitted knowledge of values, beliefs and ways of life of a particular group of people that generally pass on from generation to generation and it influence thinking, decisions, and actions in certain way and manners (Singleton & Krause, 2009). Culture and language affect how patients attain and apply skills in health care which makes patient education very difficult for nurses to achieve a better outcome for the patient. Nurses are in a position to make better connections between patient culture, language, and health literacy in order to improve health outcomes for culturally diverse patients. Nurses today are providing care, education and case management to an increasingly diverse patient population that is face with triad of cultural, linguistic, and health literacy barriers (Singleton & Krause, 2009). Patient education is essential in assisting patients to live with illness and to have improved health outcomes. Patient education is also one of the most satisfying aspects of care provided by professional nurses. To facilitate learning, nurses must apply effective patient teaching strategies. This process includes assessing and prioritizing learning needs, assessing learning styles, and implementing teaching strategies designed to address identified learning needs (Chang & Kelly, 2007). For example, a family friend had a baby three years ago; she lost a lot of  blood as a result of some complication during child birth. Her hemoglobin was 8gm/dl (Normal 12.1-15.1gm/dl) which was low compare to the normal. Doctor wants her to get blood transfusion which she and her immediate family did not want because of their cultural beliefs. The provider gave options on how she can increase her hemoglobin by eating food rich in iron and vitamin B; eat fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, which will help her body to absorb iron and Iron supplement tablet. The first obstacle there was her cultural beliefs which the provider has to overcome by providing her with an alternative to increase her Iron level. Second obstacle was decision making. In different cultures, individual may look to the nuclear family, extended family, or family head to make decision. The decision for Iron supplement was a family decision due to their cultural beliefs. Furthermore, patients make decisions that are similar to their health beliefs systems to which their culture permit. If the provider does not subscribe to the same health belief system regarding disease etiology as does the patient, health directions may not be followed and conflict may arise between the patient and the provider. Hence, it is important that providers consider the patient’s beliefs when providing health education and interventions (Chang & Kelly, 2007). References: Chang, M., & Kelly, A. (2007). Patient Education: Addressing Cultural Diversity and Health Literacy Issues. 27(5), 411-417. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/564667 Singleton, K., & Krause, E. (2009). Understanding Cultural and Linguistic Barriers to Health Literacy. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 4(3), Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/mainmenucategories/anamarketplace/anaperiodicals/ojin/tableofcontents/vol142009/no3sept09/cultural-and-linguistic-barriers-.html

Exploring Marketing with Delta Airlines as a Case Study Essay

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