Tuesday, November 26, 2019

To the Memory of Mr. Oldham Essay Example

To the Memory of Mr. Oldham Essay Example To the Memory of Mr. Oldham Paper To the Memory of Mr. Oldham Paper Oldies verse, rough and unrefined, In comparison o Dryness style begs the question, why did Dryden want to pay tribute to a much younger and less accomplished poet? In the first ten lines of the elegy we can see that Dryden attempts to establish the history between the two. Too little and too lately known , shows us that the two authors had Just recently met and Whom began to think to call my own, tells us that John Dryden had started to take a Liking to John Lolled. This fact Is elaborated on by the sentence For sure our souls were near lady: and thing cast in the same poetic mould with mine. Dryden says here hat their souls were really close to each other and they were cast from the same poetic mould. It is interesting on Dryness part to say this when their styles were not so similar, Dryden being artistic and flowing and Oldies style seemingly coarse and less thought through. However, we are told that they did know each other in the first ten lines so we must take another route in determining why Dryden wanted to lament Oldies passing. In lines nine and ten we see that Dryden may be stating that Lolled was a stepping stone in Dryness studies. Thus Minus fell upon the lippies place, while his young friend performed and won the race. This couplet illuminates Dryness way of thinking. It seems that Dryden learned a little from John Lolled despite his young age, which probably attributes to Dryden liking Lolled, and this spurred Dryden on to new heights, so he relates Oldies death to Missuss fall and Dryden himself is the young friend who wins the race. However, this is not to say that Dryden used Lolled in a negative way. In the legend, Minus was winning the race when he slipped in a pool of blood and fell; he then rolled into the path off avail opponent so that his friend could win the race. So, in essence, he is saying that Lolled helped him to achieve greater heights in writing and fame even though Lolled died, or fell. All this probably attributes to the reason for John Dryden to write the tribute to Lolled, however, the elegy does not stop there. In lines ten through fourteen, Dryden ponders on what older age could have given Lolled In terms of higher thinking and achievement. This part Is sort of a wishful thinking attempt at contemplating what John Lolled would do In older age. Dryden states that age might have given Lolled a refined tongue for his harsh and rugged line. Another answer to the reason Dryden felt Like he owed a tribute to Lolled Is that he may have felt that John Lolled was a man before his time. In lines nineteen and twenty Dryden writes Thy generous fruits, though gathered ere their prime still showed a quickness; and maturing time. This meaning that the fruits of Oldies labor, his poetry and satires, were mature for Lolled. Also, In answer to ten to ten shuttles Dryden en uses ten words allele Ana mould, n s basically comparing himself to Lolled. This is not strange because they have the same birthday, and they both write in satire, Just different styles in satire. When he writes One common note on either lyre did strike and knaves and fools we both abhorred alike, Dryden is comparing both he and Lolled to how musicians are similar when they play the lyre in reference to their poetry. Although, he does criticize Oldies verses in that he says thro the harsh cadence of a rugged line, a noble error, and but seldom made, when poets are by too much force betrayed. He is criticizing Oldies work here saying that his errors are noble and that he himself writes satire in better verses. The piece where he mentions the rugged line probably indicates that Lolled is more preoccupied with the matter that is given rather than the manner in which it is given. This view is expressed more clearly when Dryden writes But mellows what we write to the dull sweets of rhyme. Overall, we see that John Dryden and John Lolled had many things in common. They were both poets, or satirists to be more exact, and they both had the same airhead. Yet Lolled was substantially less famous than Dryden and had accomplished considerably less than him, so this begs the question why did Dryden feel the necessity to write a tribute to him? As we have seen, Dryden feels that he was connected to Lolled, maybe it is that they were both satirists, maybe it is that Lolled castigated wickedness instead of preaching virtue and Dryden found this appealing. Or maybe, Dryden saw Lolled as an equal, not on a literal level, but on a metaphoric, by this I mean that Lolled wrote satires in a way that was before his mime seeing that he was only 30 at the time of his death. It is for this reason, I believe, that Dryden feels he must at least recognize the young writer so that people may not forget what could have been had not smallpox prematurely ended Oldies life. He equates him with Marcella, the son-in-law of the Emperor Augustus. Marcella died at an early age and he was mourned very heavily by the Roman population, and Dryden uses this to pay tribute to Lolled who will more than likely not be mourned widely by the masses.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Why Im Writing The Book On 10x Marketing - CoSchedule Blog

Why Im Writing The Book On 10x Marketing Blog Many of you have asked when  (not if) I’d write a book. Answer: Now! So for those of you who are already totally on board with getting the book on marketing from your friends at †¦ †¦subscribe to this exclusive email list to get the first chapter for FREE right now. You’ll also stay up to speed on its progress and get early access for pre-ordering. And youll get access to the 10x Marketing LinkedIn Group to bounce ideas off other 10x marketers (including your friends at ). Do it now! Now: If the fact that so many marketers have asked me to write this book isn’t enough reasoning behind its creation†¦ read on (or watch) to learn why  Ive decided to write the  book on The 10x Marketing Formula. Yet Another  Marketing Book? The world doesn’t need another â€Å"copycat† marketing book. In fact, the world doesn’t need any more â€Å"copycat† content whatsoever. So†¦ what sets this  book apart? And more importantly†¦ why do marketers like you need this  book? Why Im Writing The Book On 10x MarketingContent Marketing Isn’t Living Up To Its Promises For the past several years, content marketing has been all the rage. There are current success stories seemingly everywhere. But even though content marketing has been a successfully established tactic for more than a century, lately†¦ it’s not living up to the hype. The thing is, you’ve already petitioned your boss to try this. You have the software. You have the processes. But actual results? Crickets. As marketers, we’re struggling more than ever before to prove that what we’re doing is really working. And even with all of the promises of content marketing†¦ we’re hitting what Gartner calls the trough of disillusionment. Gartner has discovered a pattern in technology adoption for business use they call the â€Å"Hype Cycle†. Essentially, it looks like this: Something new emerges (new channels, tactics, technology, etc.). Early adopters embrace the new. Expectations soar due to a few success stories. Way more people jump on board expecting the same success. Then†¦ crushing defeat. Does that sound like your  content marketing? ^^^ It was feeling that way to us at . That is†¦ until we embraced The 10x Marketing Formula. Heres why @embraced the 10X marketing formula.The Solution To Actually  Generate Results = The 10x Marketing Formula Like I imagine so many of you have experienced, we adopted content marketing with high hopes here at . When we started up, we needed the traffic†¦ we needed the success story to be our  story†¦ but we weren’t getting it. Instead, we found quality + consistent content wasn’t- and couldn’t- be the promised driver of ROI. It just wasn’t enough. What we discovered was the need to develop and refine the content marketing process. All of that with the goal of driving real growth, measurable return, and 10x results. Since then, we’ve honed The 10x Marketing Formula to grow from zero customers to 9,000+, zero email subscribers to 250,000+, and pageviews from zero to 1.5 million every single month. And we did it all in less than four years. This book gives away everything we’ve learned along the way. It’s the secret to unlocking results, getting your boss off your back, and justifying better resources. When we started, we looked for books like this. They just didn’t exist. But we needed this  book- this  10x Marketing Formula- to get our own marketing team out of content marketing’s trough of disillusionment. That’s why Im writing it now. This book shares the growth levers we’ve discovered as we matured. We’ve reached some major growth numbers. And this book teaches you how to blow up your numbers, too. Because in the end†¦ it’s not publish or die. It’s results or die.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Jewish Funeral Anthropological Research Paper Essay

Jewish Funeral Anthropological Research Paper - Essay Example For them, since we are all created in the image of God, life should be all about infinite value, â€Å"regardless of its duration of quality†. Anything that expedites the death of a person or shortens a human life is absolutely a violation to this duty1. The other end in a Jewish life continuum is that of death. As they safeguard life with supreme care, they also take death with valuable commitment in maintaining their duty of sanctity even in this difficult time. Death in a Jewish community is embraced with intricate ceremonies lasting for a period of time. The seemingly simplistic process of Christian death and its acceptance remarkably differs from the extremely complex process by which this community responds to the same social experience. Contrary to Christian communities’ ritual regarding death, Jewish communities give surety that rituals be carried out in accordance to Judaism religious beliefs which is always to set an example of holiness and ethical behavior to the world. Thus, whether in life or in death, the presence of a community epitomizing the Jewish â€Å"covenant relationship† with God is of prime importance. To honor the dead (kvod hamet), it must be buried at a shortest time possible regardless if a family member is not present to attend its burial. Anything that prolongs the physical body to remain above ground is considered â€Å"disrespectful and undignified† and â€Å"humiliation of the dead† (Khara, 2009). Moreover, it is necessary that the dead person must never be left alone from the moment he is considered dead until the time he is completely buried. Doing so is an apparent gesture of rendering utmost respect for the departed (mitzvah). From the moment a Jew dies, a synagogue will make the necessary arrangement for the whole ritual process. When a community is well organized, the services of a sacred burial society or Chevra Kaddisha are acquired in preparation for the burial of the body. It is a rule that in the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Critical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical Analysis - Essay Example At the same time they aim to deliver specific suggestions through analysis of the research outcomes. The suggestions would be of much benefit to education and in making educational decisions. The article, Motivating boys and motivating girls by Marsh and Martin, supports positivist and anti-positivist research paradigms (Babbie, 2006) to explore the effect of gender as well as other educational constructs on student motivation from different levels of understanding. This combined paradigmatic model on one hand is necessary to dig into the psyche of those who believe in the gender stereotypic model and that of the students who are at the centre of all discussions. On the other hand it would help in accumulating tried and tested factual details of the factors affecting motivation and engagement. While the qualitative or the subjective approach helps in generating meaningful responses from the groups, the quantitative or the objective approach backs the subjective findings by providing with significant data. Depending upon the nature of the research topic, this combined approach is undertaken as any one approach would have been insufficient in critically assessing and evalu ating the validity of the research outcome. A qualitative approach based on interviews and case study of students and teachers gives the research its basic direction. An approximate idea could be formed about the practicality of each model. The authors held interviews with teachers, educational practitioners and students of either gender. The subjective interrogation has been of much help in comprehending the standpoints of the two groups. While the educational practitioners hold the gender stereotypic model functional in student motivation within the class room, the students have been observed to hold neutral views implying the need of good teachers rather than fussing over teacher gender. The subjective approach has actually established the relevance of the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Availabilityof Safe and Clean Water in Nigeria Essay Example for Free

The Availabilityof Safe and Clean Water in Nigeria Essay One would agree that something so basic and necessary should readily be available but that has not been the case with Africa. Africa is home to most of the poorest people in the world. It is a continent faced with numerous conflicts, trials and challenges; and a severe lack of access to safe water is amongst its biggest. An estimated eight hundred and eighty-four million people do not have access to safe drinking water, while some one and a half million children under five died each year from sickness caused by water-borne diseases. In Sub-Sahara Africa in general, there is no water shortage, but there is a lack of storage capacity and distribution systems. Nigeria is Africas most populous nation and is home to an estimated one hundred and sixty-seven million people. It is a country that receives a relatively high level of annual rainfall which is not distributed evenly through time or space. Because of these variations in time and space, people in different parts of Nigeria use water in different ways. For example, in the drier northern parts of Nigeria where rainfall is lower and less evenly distributed throughout the year, efforts have been made to develop irrigation. Down south, the rainfall is more abundant and supplies the teeming population who use it as a source of portable water. While irrigation is important in a few parts of the country, the vast majority of people use water mainly for day-to-day household activities like cooking, drinking, and washing. In a relatively well-watered country like Nigeria, one would think that acquiring water would not be a problem. Providing safe, abundant supplies of household water, has been an immense challenge however. Unfortunately, access to safe drinking water is far less than thirty percent on the aggregate. In a poor country like Nigeria, gaining access to safe, continuous water supplies is an ongoing struggle for many. Human wastes and pollution make many water supplies unsafe for many people. In addition, the state has been unable to provide safe, affordable water. This is particularly true in rural areas. In many rural areas, where the majority of the population live, women and girls are forced to walk long distances to acquire household water. In extreme cases, women and children may spend from two to three hours per day gathering water. It goes without saying that most rural households do not have their own pipe-borne water supply. In the best of circumstances, small villages or neighborhoods will have their own wells. While water supply is somewhat better in urban areas, major challenges still remain. In cities without a functioning public water system, individual households and groups of households must either drill their own well or purchase their water. The proliferation of small urban wells and boreholes is not a thorough end to the problem, however. There is no guarantee that the water drawn from the wells especially is safe for drinking. Due to a lack of sanitation facilities, household wastes filter into the cities underground water supplies. Furthermore, with an eighty-five percent increase in urban population from 1990 to 2004, the number of urban dwellers unserved with either safe drinking water or basic sanitation doubled from 1990 to 2004. In addition to rapid urbanization, ineffective governance and persistent poverty remain the root cause of water infrastructure associated problems. Access to safe water is also a critical factor in Nigerian public health. The most damaging drinking water-borne illnesses are typhoid, cholera, and diarrhea. Other human diseases are spread merely through contact with contaminated water. Bathing water illnesses include schistosomiasis (formerly known as bilharziasis), dracunculiasis (guinea worm infection), and roundworm infections. Drinking and bathing are not the only methods through which water-borne illnesses are spread. Contaminated water is often used to wash foods like fruits and vegetables. This often provides another channel for diseases to spread. Bad management of the water bodies too has led them to even becoming breeding sites for vectors of parasites that cause diseases such as malaira, river blindness, dengue fevers, sleeping sickness and so on. Nigeria is masked with challenges of coping with failing infrastructures, inadequate finance, poor legislation, lack of appropriate institutional capacity for regulation and control and often the political will to enforce control measures to bring about change. The position is complicated by the fact that governments have been at a loss on how to set standards to improve the water situation. Consequently, they resort to dependence on adopted standards, policies and guidelines as presented by international organizations. But in the midst of these seemingly insurmountable challenges efforts, are being made to bring about a shift in the status quo but they have not been enough. The theoretical and practical knowledge of water, sanitation and hygiene are of relevance in overcoming this water crisis and providing safe and clean water to Nigerians. The practical aspect may be undertaken in the form of a community development project. Objectives of such water supply projects will involve the following: †¢ Assessing community needs in relation to water supply. †¢ Developing a joint plan of action with the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community members for the supply of water and romotion of environmental hygiene and health. †¢ To promote the adoption of safe hygienic practices within the project communities in order to limit the occurrence and effects of water and sanitation related diseases. To assist in empowering the communities for behavioural changes through participatory approaches. †¢ To establish a powerful network with international organizations working on water, the environment and health in order to provi de technical assistance for the project, especially as regards training of trainers. Establishment of a joint planning committee including all the stakeholders and community members is very necessary for the project. This is important in order to have active participation and a sense of ownership of the project; such multisectoral committee will enhance the sustainability of the programme. The second stage of the planning involves the determination of a hierarchy of the project goals, objectives and targets which is to provide clean and safe water to members of the community. Going further, a generation and assessment of the various options available for achieving the set objectives and targets, as there are usually several ways of reaching a target. This will result in preferred options or a combination of approaches, which will then form part of the plan to bring safe and clean water to Nigerians. The programming stage translates the results of the option appraisal into a series of programmes, each with a budget, over the plan period. The penultimate stage involves the implementation of the plan, bearing in mind the various dynamics of the Nigerian poplulation. This involves transforming the broad programmes drafted to suit the smaller rural communities, into more specific timed and budgeted sets of tasks and activities, and involves the drawing up of a more operational plan or a work plan to service the bigger cities and the nation at large. The work plan is closely monitored during the implementation stage. This is to see that the corruption so frequently encountered in the system does not hamper the progress being made in providing clean and safe water to Nigerians. Simple behavioural changes have complex repercussions. However, such changes will not occur unless they are appropriate, affordable and acceptable, considering the complex web of socio-cultural and economic factors impacting at the individual and the community level in Nigeria; ultimately determining whether or not people are willing or able to make basic changes in their lifestyles in order to help serve them clean and safe water. These changes are geared towards safeguarding public health and delivering a better life to Nigerians, and must involve each and every one of us. Countless lives will be saved, and the attending socio-economic advancement would be rewarding to every Nigerian.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Sylvia Plath Essay -- Biography

Sylvia Plath was a troubled writer to say the least, not only did she endure the loss of her father a young age but she later on â€Å"attempted suicide at her home and was hospitalized, where she underwent psychiatric treatment† for her depression (Dunn). Writing primarily as a poet, she only ever wrote a single novel, The Bell Jar. This fictional autobiography â€Å"[chronicles] the circumstances of her mental collapse and subsequent suicide attempt† but from the viewpoint of the fictional protagonist, Esther Greenwood, who suffers the same loss and challenges as Plath (Allen 890). Due to the novel’s strong resemblance to Plath’s own history it was published under the pseudonym â€Å"Victoria Lucas†. In The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath expresses the themes of alienation and societal pressure on women in the 1950s through symbolism, an unconventional protagonist, and imagery. Through an overwhelming sense of symbolism, the author demonstrates both the separation and pressures that Esther Greenwood goes through. The reoccurring image of a bell jar haunts Esther throughout her story representing both her mental illness and her alienation from the society surrounding her. As Dunn states â€Å"a glass ‘bell jar’ is used to cover and protect laboratory materials. Significantly, a bell jar also allows objects to remain in view.† Much like a scientific specimen, Esther is readily visible to those around her both observation and study. The jar in this case represents her mental instability, which causes her to be isolated from the rest of society and treated abnormally. Furthermore, â€Å"Plath [uses] the bell jar to indicate the circumference of the world of pain and mental suffering Esther Greenwood, the heroine, lives in† (Evans 105). The heroine herself admit... ...scandal that they did in the tabloids and had only seen it as an immediate means out, a way to escape. Rich in descriptive phrases and words this imagery contributes to the themes. From headlines to cadavers, bell jars to mental illnesses, and a subdued matron to a rebellious young lady, this novel hosts the two overarching themes of alienation and constraints on women in the 1950s. Esther Greenwood separates herself from nearly all of society and simultaneously must overcome the strictures that are set upon her and hinder her from the future she aspires towards. Through extensive imagery, symbolism, and characterization Sylvia Plath delves into how people strive for perfection and acceptance through social standards and additionally how those that do not comply completely with them are alienated from the group of society, either by themselves or by the group.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Evidence suggests a link between Late Onset

It is a primary degenerative disease of the cerebral cortex. It accounts for over 65% of all dementia cases, commonest cause of dementia. First described by Alzheimer in 1907 and named after him by Kraeplin. It is a progressive brain damage. It destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior. The incidence is about 2 – 7 % at ages above 65yrs. This doubles after every additional 5yrs to 8-10% at 80yrs and 30-40% at 90yrs. Rare below 50yrs. This progressive increase in incidence with age has caused significant medical, social and economic concerns in nations with growing number of elderly people.It is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. It does not have any current cure; treatment available is targeted at presenting symptoms. Pathology Aetiology: The cause is unknown. However there is increased incidence in Down’s syndrome. The risk is also higher with increased free radical formation and failure of antioxidant defenses which ma y contribute to the degeneration [SOD is reduced by 25% in the frontal cortex and hippocampus]. It is occasionally familial. Besides, genetic studies show linkage between Familial AD and loci on chromosomes 1, 14 & 21.Late onset AD is a heterogenous disorder. Evidence suggests a link between Late Onset AD and atherosclerosis, inflammation and cholesterol. Linkage has also been found to a gene locus on chromosome 19q. There is also a strong association between Alzheimer disease and amyloid proteins. In this disease condition, there is a breakdown in some of the synapses that serve the function of information storage, processing and memory; this spreads to other cells and over time, these cells die. Such affected cells are surrounded by plaques and contain characteristic tangles.Macroscopy: Macroscopic examination of the brain shows a variable degree of cortical atrophy with widened sulci. These changes are pronounced in the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes. Hydrocephalus ex vacuo -compensatory ventricular enlargement occurs due to parenchyma loss. Microscopy: Microscopic examination shows senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid angiopathy. All these changes are also found in the brains of elderly because they are features of aging. The pathologic changes seen in this disease begin first in the entorhinal cortex, spread to the hippocampus and isocortex and eventually to the neocortex.Senile plaques: are spherical collections of dilate neuritic processes which surround a central amyloid core. The neuritic processes are also called dystrophic neuritis; are silver-staining and contain paired helical filaments, abnormal mitochondria and synaptic vesicles. The periphery is occupied by microglial cells and astrocytes. The amyloid core is stained by Congo red stain; it contains abnormal proteins predominantly amyloid proteins. There are also diffuse plaques in those with Down syndrome; these lack the neuritic processes seen in senile plaques.Neurofibril lary tangles: bundles of filaments in the cytoplasm of the neurons encircling the nucleus. They are vivid as fibrillary structures with silver staining although they are also basophilic with Hematoxylin and Eosin stain. These structures contain paired helical and straight filaments; the former contain protein tau, Microtubule-associated protein [MAP2] and ubiquitin. The quantities of these tangles correspond to the degree of dementia. Another pathologic feature is Amyloid angiopathy which is an invariable finding in Alzheimer disease associated with amyloid protein.Besides, there is also accumulation of intraneuronal vacuoles in the cytoplasm. Amyloid angiopathy, hirano bodies are mostly within the frontal, parietal and temporal cortex, hippocampus and substantia inominata. There is also marked reduction in Ach, NE, 5-HT. Diagnosis Alzheimer disease usually becomes clinically apparent as insidious impairment of higher mental functions with changes in mood and behaviour. Later progre ssive impairment in orientation, memory, attention and concentration worsens.Eventually patient becomes mute, immobile and severely disturbed. The diagnosis of Alzheimer disease is based on a combination of clinical and pathologic presentations. There are impaired cognitive functions, Psychotic features such as delusion and hallucinations, and depression. The course is relentlessly progressive. Survival rate varies between 8 & 10yrs Management includes Good history, mental state and thorough physical examination. Every patient must be thoroughly evaluated to determine the extent and severity of the disease.Psychometric testing – for confirmation, Mini Mental State Examination ,7-min screening, mental test score, clinical dementia rating, Wechsler adult intelligence scale [WAIS: current IQ to previous I Q] Investigation: these physical investigations are useful to access the physical status of the patient; identify any physical illness and determine co-morbidities. Blood test : full haemogram, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, C-Reactive Protein, urea and electrolyte, Fasting and random blood sugar, liver function test, Ca, Vitamin B12, Folate assay, Thyroid function test.Imaging: Chest X-Ray, cranial CT scan, MRI, PET, SPECT, angiography Others: Lumbar Puncture and CSF analysis, brain biopsy for histology Treatment Generally, goal of treatment is to maintain remaining ability as far as possible to preserve dignity, relieve distressing symptoms, slow disease progression & provide care for as long as possible in the familiar home environment. Patients should be made aware of their condition if possible. Inform patient the nature of the disease so that they can adapt favorably to existing conditions.Family support is an important part of the treatment plan: Counseling of the relatives & careers, family support and medical problems of the careers also deserve particular attention. The emphasis here is to encourage family members to show understanding for pati ent’s condition and help them live well with the condition. Behavioral methods that have been suggested include re- enforcement, shaping, desensitization, prompts & other practical aids to cope with forgetfulness. Drug treatment: there is not cure for Alzheimer disease but some drugs have proven useful in patients.These drugs are used based on their mechanism of action and the pathogenesis of the disease. These include: Antioxidants: these are useful to reduce free radicals implicated as etiologic agents for AD. Anticholinesterases, such as neostigmine, physostigmine increase, Ach levels. Antipsychotics are indicated to control paranoid delusions while antidepressants may be indicated when depressive symptoms are prominent. Prevention: recent evidence suggests that participation in cognitively demanding activities in later life can be preventive. Prognosis The changes in Alzheimer disease are irreversible.The disease is terribly progressive and the biological history can rare ly be altered. This makes the prognosis unfavorable. However, palliative measures can be adopted to alleviate the deficit and preserve remaining functions. References Cummings J, Cole G: Alzheimer Disease, JAMA 287:2335, 2002 Braak H, Braak E: Frequency of Stages of Alzheimer-related lesions in different age categories. Neurobiol Aging 18:351; 1997 Braak H, Braak E: Neuropahtological staging of Alzheimer-related changes. Acta Neuropathol [Berl] 82:239; 1991 Mirra SM, Hart MN, Terry RD: Making the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Arch Pathol Lab Med 117:131, 1993

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Virgin Blue

VIRGIN BLUE UNDERSTANDING EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT 1. Attractiveness of the Industry 1a. Identify the industry, product segments and value chain The industry is the Australian airline industry (global). Core activities cover providing travel services to leisure travellers in Australia and overseas, including flights, travel insurance, holiday packaged deals, and freight business. Products segments including ? Business travel? 57. 1% of industry revenue ? full-fare ? business & government travellers ? growth of video conference (-) impact on growth unit value of sale/pax double leisure travel fare ? Leisure travel? 29. 4% of industry revenue ? low-fare ? leisure travellers ? price is an important factor and strong driver for growth ? high cost incurred for flight changes ? Freight and other? 13. 5% of industry revenue ? freight transport, time sensitive & high value to weight item & charges on excess baggages, late fee,etc†¦ 1b. What is the current life cycle of the industry? The Aus tralian airline industry is at the mature stage of its life cycle.This is demonstrated by the low average growth rate of the production, and the low airline operating margins around 2 percent over the last five years. Declining fares in the leisure travel segment due to strong competition have combined with increasing costs to lower profitability over this period. Yield management is critical to profitability due to high fixed costs involved in operating a flight, that is, the marginal cost of passenger on a flight is very low, so having a plane full, with as many full-fare passengers as possible, is important to maximise profitability.Over recent years, there has been consolidation, brand transformation in the industry and more services been introduced to attract higher yield customers. This is evidence of a low growth environment, wherein the industry is at the mature stage of its life cycle, the organisation focus is on efficiency, cost control, and market segment. 1c. What have been the key issues affecting historical industry growth? What was their impact? Key issues influencing historical industry growth using TEMPLES model FactorIssuesNature of Impact ————————————————- +/ =/ -) Technology? The growth of video conference- Negative has had a slightly negative impact on growth in this segmenting recent ————————————————- years Economy? Threat of the uncertainties of the global financial- Negative crisis, changing interest rate and fierce competition ————————————————- from low-cost carriers in its domestic market Market? the low density of population and the size of Aus+ Positive Air travel in Australia is somewhat of necessary ? Declining fair in the leisure travel segment due to- NegativeStrong competition have combined with increasing costs to lower profitability over this period; fierce competition from low-cost carriers in its domestic ————————————————- markets Politics? Being restricted in the ability to expand overseas due – Negative to Singapore Airline’s right to veto the use of the Virgin ————————————————- Blue name internationally. SIA had the power to block ————————————————- Virgin Australis’s brand due to 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic ————————————— Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- hat SIA acquired in 1999 Law ————————————————- Environment? With a launch of the first real low-cost arline in+ Positive Australia, one class of ticket and minimal on-board, complementary service, there had been strong growth in the 2000s in market for travel for leisure, encourage ————————————————- Australians to take more holidays and air travels Society? low density of population and size of Australia+ Positive ————————————————- Air travel is somewhat necessaryOverall+ Positive 1d. What are the key issues that will affect future industry growth? What are their likely impact and the overall assessment of the industry’s future growth? Future growth for the overall industry is assessed as positive (although it will be at a lower rate than historically growth) Key issues influencing future industry growth FactorIssuesNature of impactAssessment of (+/ =/ -)impact on future Industry growth ————————————————- (Low/Med/High) Technology? The growth of video conferenceNegativeLow as had a slightly negative impact on growth in this segmenting recent ————————————————- years Economy? Threat of the uncertainties of the global Negative Low Financial crisis, changing interest rate and fierce competition from low-cost carriers in ————————————————- its domestic market Markets? Threat of new entrances present theNegativeLow Possibility the firms will enter industry And diminish the industry return by passing along value to buyers in form of lower price and raising cost of competition the alliance with SIA was one of thePositiveMedium several that Virgin had formed in building ————————————————- its international network Politic? the alliance with SIA was one of PositiveMedium several that Virgin had formed in building its international network, allow Virgin to offer global flight coverge, epscially South-east asia and China, attractive to International business and leisure ————————————————- travellers Legal ————————————————- Environment?Alon g with alliance with SIA, there have beenPositiveMedium forged alliances with other international airlines such as Etihad, Air NZ, and US giant Delta Air Line to give business travellers an attractive overseas ————————————————- and flequent flyer network Society? the airline developed and preserved its PositiveMedium culture by spending a lot of resources on recruiting the right people to serve its leisure customers and providing a culture and conditions that retain good ————————————————- people Overall ImpactPositiveMediumIn conclusion, the future industry growth is assessed as Low to Medium 1e. What have been the key issues affecting historical profitability? What was their impact? Industry revenue was estimated to be $14. 5 billion in 2012, with its main busin ess being the transportation of passengers and freight on scheduled routes within Australia. Approximately 86% of the industry revenue is generated from airline ticket sales. The business travel segment is accounted for 57. 1% of industry revenue in 2012, while leisure travel segment is 29. 4% and freight and other are 13. 5%.Airline operating margins are relatively low, averaging around 2% over the last five years. Declining fares in the leisure travel segment due to strong competition have combined with increasing costs to lower profitability over the period. Using Porter’s five forces model, we can review the factors affecting historical profitability, it can be concluded that industry’s rivalry has increased. This is the result of many factors including: ? Threat of new entrance is low due the barrier of entry high. Capital requirements required to enter the airline industry. High fixed cost in operating the fly. The power of suppliers has been high due to limited number of service options available in business travellers segments such as proving access to hundreds of destination and business lounges around the world, offering high quality catering and other on-board service like newspapers & magazine in premium class cabins, car hire and hotel reservation services. ? The increasing power of buyers’ buyers due to the price sensitivity of consumers (low price) and the search for best deal available, as well as air travel in Australia is somewhat of a necessity, given the size of Autralian and the low density of population. The increasing impact of substitutes such as alternative services like video conference maintaining low-cost services ? Industry rivalry is high: Jetstar, QAL’s low cost airline, was introduced in 2004 in response to Virgin Blue’s success in the industry and the loss of market share away from Qantas's full-fare service to the low-fare carrier; Jetstar is a low-cost carrier targeting low-fare leisure trav ellers; The airline industry growth is average and as it is easy for buyers to switch between the airline companies, depending on price. Thus rivalry is increased.Furthermore, the high fixed cost create opportunity for the airline companies to have price wars to compete each other, the great market share of Qantas will kill Virgin Australia at last. Porter’s competitive model Airline industry Potential New entrants Airline club loungesForeign carriers Priority ticketingRegional carriers Priority check-in High quality catering Newspaper ; magazine Hire car ; hotel reservationIndustry Rivalry Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Qantas Jetstar Alternative services Business travellers Subsitute products ; services Video conferenceLeisure travellersFreight ; other, tour packages 1f. What are the key issues that will affect future industry profitability? What is their likely impact and the overall assessment of the industry’s future profitability? Attrac ting higher yielding corporate and government customers has been a key driver of improving the industry profitability. Yield management is critical to profitability due to high fixed costs involved in operating a flight – that is, the marginal cost of a passenger on a flight is very low, so having a plane full, with as many full-fare passengers as possible, is important to maximise profitability.Also, in order to improve profitability, the major competitors in the industry (Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin) have become vertically integrated. Strategic airline alliance been introduced. Qantas and Malaysia airline negotiated an agreement for access markets in Asia and code-sharing. SIA and Virgin formed an alliance, allowed SIA customers access to Virgin Australia’ s domestic airline airport’s lounges. This partnership, along with Virgins’ other alliance, would allow Virgin to offer global flight coverage, attractive to international business and leisure travellers. The key factors influencing the future profitability of the industry can be summarised as follows: ? Positive factors include ? Forming alliance has allowed Virgin to offer global flight coverage, attract more international business and leisure travellers ? introducing a premium – valued service ? develop new lounge – product enhancement ? introduce new uniform and new menu – product enhancement ? Negative factors include ? Strong competition in the industry between major companies as growth slow and more emphasis is placed on maintaining or increasing market share with price becoming a key factor. Potential entrance of other new low-cost carriers. The future profitability of the industry will continue to be medium. 1g. Who are the industry’s key competitors? What are their strengths and weaknesses? In 2012, the industry is dominated by two airlines, Qantas Airways Ltd and Virgin —————————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- CompetitorValueStrengthWeaknessRelative ————————————————- Propositionproposition Qantas Airways Ltd? Fully integrated? Highest market? Less focus on? Strong ? Accounting for 65%shareleisure travellers share of industry? Dominates business evenue in 2012segment ? More services offered such as full service, ————————————————- low cost, regional Virgin ? Fully integrated? Second highest? No coverage? Strong ? Accounting for 17. 2 %? Strong presencein regional share of industryin leisure market revenue in 2012? Offer services in full service and low ————————————————- cost service Others? Accounting for 17 . 8%? private charter ? group of small? Weak share of industrypassenger flights orcompanies revenue in 2012freight operation UNDERSTANDING EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT 2.Summarise the strategic position of Virgin Blue 2a. Who are Virgin Blue’s key stakeholders, what are their objectives and are their objectives aligned with Virgin Blue’s strategic goals? As stated in the section on â€Å"Game change program- a new strategic direction for Virgin in Australia†, Virgin regard itself as number one position in the leisure segment and maintaining its low-cost focus. Its state strategic goals are as follows: ? Growing its share of the Australian business travel segment from 10% to 20% ? Establishing a ‘virtual’ global network through strategic airline alliances ?Ensuring capacity was closely aligned to profitability ? Maintaining a strong presence in the leisure market ? Enhancing its brand in Australia and overseas markets There are numerous stakeholders (individ uals/groups that have interest in the business or corporate strategy of the organisation) in relation to Virgin Blue. An analysis of the objectives of each of these stakeholders and the alignment of these objectives with Virgin’s strategic goals as follow ————————————————- Who are theWhat do they seek to receive fromIs Virgin Blue delivering against their stakeholders? he organisation? expectation? John Borghetti? Launching â€Å"Game Change† program? Yes, the transformation of Virgin (CEO)with the vision to be the airline of has been well on the way and choice for Australian business and attract numbers of business & leisure travellersleisure travelles ? Reinvent the company as a full-service? No, still not yet take over Qantas brand by altering its low-cost, no-frillsbusiness market model to take market share from Qantas ————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- in the higher-margin, business market Board including: Roger Linderman? new management team, formed to?Yes, its chase growth in business (General manager)take on Qantas, particularly in thesegment, but not yet take over Jane McKeoncompetition for business travellerQantas (running government’s relation team) Hope Antzoutlatos (head of domestic ; International network Operations) Will Owens (Heads of yield Management) Hans Hulsbosch? develop the airline’s economy ;? Yes, have been attractive to (Creative director)business class cabins to attract numbers of business travellers ————————————————- Business traveller segment Employees? Secure employment prospect? Yes, as its chase growth in the family based, teamwork,business segment, it has to ensure ——â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- respect and funlow turnover and maintain culture Singapore Airline? SIA and Virgon form an airline? yes, the agreement between SIA alliance, allow the use of Virgin Ausand Virgin has allowed SIA customer Band overseas. Virgin able to build to use Virgin’s domestic network its international network, and alsowith just one ticket & allow two allows SIA customer access to Virginairline gold member to access to Australia’s domestic networkVirgin’s domestic airline’s airport ————————————————- ounge 2b. What business strategy is Virgin Blue supposed to have been pursuing and has this in fact been the case? The five questions (5Qs) approach is used to understand Virgin Blue’s stated business strategy Business strategy usingExamples of how V irgin has been pursuing this stated ————————————————- 5Qs approachbusiness strategy ? Does Virgin Blue want to growthVirgin blue wants to grow. We can see from their new vision profitability? â€Å"to be the airline choice for Australian business and leisure Travellers†. And its targeting to grow the share in business travel segment from 10% – 20%.The airline alliance strategy to establish it built its international alliance network in Asia as it is a critical market for Virgin ? What products/services will Virginleisure travel segment maintaing its low-cost; Virgin Blue Blue provide? began offering a premium economy fare, reinvent itself as a full service brand by altering its low-cost, no-frills model to take market share from Qantas in the higher margin, business market; developed its passenger lounges, introduced a loyalty reward scheme, ‘Velocity R ewards’, and offered the first Web check-in service in Australia. In what market will Virgin BlueGeographic market – Australia domestic airline, global flight operate? coverage after Virgin formed alloances with Singapre Airlines Customer market – business traveller, leisure traveller, freight and other include travel insurance, and formed a new venture with ZUJI, an online travel company. ? What generic strategy will VirginGeneric strategy – low cost leadership (no-frills models) adopt? -;Differentiation: take market share from Qantas in the igher margin, business market (full-service model). ? what is the position in the insutryVirgin Blue had grown through expanding its leisure travel does Virgin Blue plan to hold? segment, and growing low-fare passenger numbers to hold the number one position in the leisure segment and maintaining its low cost focus; By 2010, Virgin had about 10 per cent of business travellers and an approximate 30 per cent of all dom estic air travellers; Growing its share of the Australian business travel segment from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.SWOT ANALYSIS Identify the capabilities of the organisation in the context of the competitive environment, using SWOT analysis ? Strength: Virgin Blue had grown through expanding its leisure travel segment, and growing low-fare passenger numbers to hold the number one position in the leisure segment and maintaining its low cost focus. _ Virgin had formed alliances with Singapore Airlines in building its international network _ Borghetti was a former QAL executive who was appointed CEO and MD of Virgin in 2010.He quickly established a new management team capable of taking on Qantas, particularly in the competition for business travellers, by recruiting some highly experienced ex-Qantas staff including: Roger Lindeman as General Manager Service Experience; Jane McKeon, to run Virgin's government relations team; Hope Antzoulatos as head of domestic and international network operations; and Will Owens as head of yield management. ? Weakness: Qantas has 65% of industry revenue in 2012 but Virgin only has 17. % and no regional offered compete with Qantas; Qantas dominates the business segment. _ Unprofitable routes in New Zealand and to destinations including Fiji, Phuket and South Africa, high costs in maintaining its four brands, and confusion in the market between the brands. ? Opportunities: Acquire 20% of market share in market sector _ brand transformation reduce the cost of advertising and less confuse customer _ expand alliance with SIA to enter Asia market, broaden its offering by adding more services to enter the business segment and attract higher yield customers ?Threats: fierce competition from low-cost carries in its domestic market; Jetstar would have in capturing part of the leisure market _ Declining fares in the leisure travel segment due to strong competition have combined with increasing costs to lower profitability over this period. EVALUATION OF STRATEGIC OPTION ? Competitive advantage Benefits:yes, to sustain growth and profitability Valued by customers_ maybe not as people perceived Qantas as leading provider for business segment _ have to be careful not losing loyalty customers External consistency Industry’s life cycle:Fits well – moves to more competituve environment TEMPLESto respond to the external environment particular social cultural factors and economy factors – > fit well to maintain profit Profit well with the changes in external environment where more competitive from low cost Jetstar and profit due to pressure on price, to sustain growth & profitability by capturing more market sharee in business segment ? Internal consistency Revenue & costrevenue increased by capturing more in business segmentCost reduced by consolidating into one brand Not implementmore difficult to complete in the industry because of competition Reputation riskculture issues Loyal customer * Consistent i n term of growth and sustainability But not consistent with the current culture and balance >< low cost leisure and business segment ? Internal consistency Capabilities:experience management team from Qantas Capitalcan be quite costly to reposition itself and do it property Strong culture in family oriented can be quite difficult for business market

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Parsons Chairs and Parsons

Parsons Chairs and Parsons Parsons Chairs and Parsons Parsons Chairs and Parsons By Maeve Maddox The first time I heard the term parsons chair I immediately imagined that the name derived from some quaint country custom of seating the visiting preacher on the best chair in the parlor. Not so. The Parsons chair takes its name from its place of invention: the Parsons School of Design founded in Paris in 1921 by Frank Alvah Parsons. According to an article on a site called Modern Dining Chairs, The parsons chair is virtually always crafted of hardwood, and features a slightly curving, squared backrest and legs. They are usually featured with slipcover upholstery that entirely covers the legs and gives the chair a solid, monumental appearance. This slipcover is optional or absent on many recent models. Furniture retailers don’t seem to agree as to the spelling. You can find Parsons chair, parsons chair, Parson chair and parson chair. Until a chair design expert corrects me, I’ll go with Parsons chair in recognition of the fact that the name comes from a proper noun. However, since Parsons is not a commercially-registered word, Im sure that parsons chair cannot be considered incorrect. The word parson meaning â€Å"clergyman† derives ultimately from the same Latin word that gives us person in the sense of â€Å"human being.† The word entered English from Anglo-Fr., O.Fr. persone curate, parson. Person may have come to mean the person in charge of the local church by shortening the Latin phrase persona ecclesiae person of the church. I suppose that a pronunciation variant turned person into parson. The word parsonage, â€Å"house for the parson,† is documented from the 15th century. The word parson occurs in several English expressions. One that I find amusing is the parson’s nose, a reference to the fatty tail end of a cooked chicken or turkey. My granny used to gross us out by eating that bit. She may have called it the pope’s nose. Here are some other words used to refer to personnae ecclesiae. chaplain clergyman cleric curate pastor preacher priest minister rector vicar Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?Time Words: Era, Epoch, and EonThrew and Through

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Intact is One Word

Intact is One Word Intact is One Word Intact is One Word By Maeve Maddox Ive seen too many examples of intact written as two words to go on assuming that they are typographical errors. Photo caption: A couch that was left in tact after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Question on medical forum: Is chest muscle left in tact after MastX? Question on aviation site: Why are there only 2 Stukas left in tact today? The adjective intact is written as one word. It means whole, entire, not affected by anything that injures. Ex. An animal that has not been spayed or neutered is said to be intact. The literal meaning of intact is untouched. The in prefix means not. The tact comes from a verb meaning to touch. The noun tact has the same origin. An obsolete use is sense of touch. Now the words main use is figurative: tact ready and delicate sense of what is fitting and proper in dealing with others, so as to avoid giving offence, or win good will; skill or judgement in dealing with men or negotiating difficult or delicate situations; the faculty of saying or doing the right thing at the right time. (OED) As for intact, lets keep it, well, intact. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†One Fell Swoop10 Tips About How to Write a Caption

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Business Analysis and Review of Timberland Case Study

Business Analysis and Review of Timberland - Case Study Example This relationship makes the company to give more emphasis on the societal and environmental issues and concerns. Now-a-days, it has become a trend that before buying a product, customers not only look for quality and price but the commitment from the part of that business organization as well for the common good of the society. According to a survey undertaken within the organization, most of the employees are interested in working for a socially committed company than receiving high salary. As there is a good working environment there will be less absenteeism and which means there is a reduction in the cost of recruitment, selection and training ,and leads to the over all improvement in the performance of the organization. The main drawbacks of the relationship include many employees in Timberland lost their job and the company downsized its operation. City Year faced shortage of funds as Congress threatened to withdraw federal funding. Employees of Timberland were not ready to accept the decision of diversion of a big amount to City Year. Timberland also faced financial problems which affected their social service. Association of a profit organization and a non-profit organization may raise some questions regarding its objective which is different from each other. So some adjustments might require in this regard which affect shareholders of both the organization. Main motto of Timberland behind this association was social commitment but they gave secondary or no preference to the brand and company image and also to the equity base of the company. Consider some of the other factors of this relationship such as co-dependency, drawbacks and benefits of being tied to only one community organization, exclusive sponsorship, etc. As Timberland is having association with only one organization, that is City Year, give the advantage of interdependency. In other words both the organization can make some unifies action in their policy formulation and also they can share the resources available. The disadvantage is that the society may raise question like this; if the company (Timberland) is more committed to the social service why did not they make association other charity organization. As a result of this relationship the organizations whom helped the City Year financially may withdraw their further help as City Year got sponsorship of Timberland. Now discuss each of these issues in a short narrative and then construct a Benefit/Drawback table to summarize your findings. Then discuss the impact and strategic value of each and try to determine the overall impact of this relationship: Table showing the benefits and drawbacks of relationship Parties Concerned Benefits Drawbacks The Organizations (Timberland and City Year) The reputation of the Timberland enhanced and also it resulted in increase in the business and decrease in labour turnover. As regards to City Year is concerned, financial position become strong and the interdependency helped in decision making. It led to employee dissatisfaction at Timberland as their colleagues lost their job and also it affected the financial balance of the company. With regard to City year, the association

Friday, November 1, 2019

Nursing as a Profession Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Nursing as a Profession - Research Paper Example Nowadays, there are several professions which an individual can select according to his skill and knowledge. According to Michael Plaut, PhD, the assistant Dean for Student Affairs Associate Professor of Psychiatry University of Maryland School of Medicine, a professional is person, with a specialized body of knowledge, set of skills, who beholds certain group mission or identity and maintains a set of standards of behavior and practice (Plaut, n.d.). From this, it transpires that a nurse, whose job involves all these factors and more, is a professional. Thus, it can be argued that nursing is a profession and not merely job or work. A profession is characterized by its traits. Some traits are common to all professionals. The main thing, which is required, is the diligence in one’s own duty. A person, to be called a true professional, needs to conscientiously be aware of her duties as a professional and follow the ethical principles that guide such a profession. He or she should also be highly competent and well-versed with the requirements of the profession and possess the relevant skill sets. Besides, he or she should also be able to understand the feelings of others and have effective communication skills. A professional should be confident in the work and have the quality of integrity. Moreover, a positive attitude along with the willingness to serve the public, are the qualities that are distinct traits of a professional. If one examines the job of a nurse, it can be seen that a nurse needs to possess all these traits, especially in terms of serving others. The American Nurses Association considers t hat â€Å"the depth and breadth of the nursing profession is meeting different health care needs of the population† (Considering Nursing, 2004). Thus, nursing can, unequivocally, be construed as a profession and not a mere job or call. To explain it further, the term nursing needs to