The Business Process Outsourcing Industry

The current study aims to contribute to the dearth of literature on the motivational factors that influence the motivation of Indian business process outsourcing professionals who are deployed to the UK. The study further acknowledges the need to address the peculiar motivational needs of different professions operating amongst distinct industries. Because the business process outsourcing industry is a sunshine industry that holds much promise of progress, key players within this realm must be able to address all the concerns of consultants which they deploy offshore to ensure greater probability of success of offshore projects.The results of a survey with 60 BPO professionals in the UK suggest that the highest ratings for motivational factors are clarity of instructions with tasks; presence of clearly-defined and performance-based indicators; and presence of clear, well-defined goals. Notably, all factors are under the rule enforcement cluster of Katz & Kahn’s model of motiva tion. The respondents also expressed that the lowest motivational factors are competitive pay; having loyalty as a basis for rewards; and having seniority as a criterion for reward.All these items belong to the cluster of external rewards. Logically, the highest rated motivation cluster is rule enforcement, while the lowest rated is external rewards. Based on the stepwise regression results, the positive, significant predictors of overall motivation include skills development, having realistic job expectations, lessened absenteeism as a result of motivation, seniority as a criterion for reward, and requiring less instruction or independence.All factors are positively correlated with overall motivation, except for having realistic job expectations, which has a negative correlation with the dependent variable. This means that as job expectations become more realistic, there is a tendency for overall motivation to decrease correspondingly. Motivational Factors of Indian Offshore Consul tants in the UK: An Empirical Study Introduction Numerous empirical researches have focused on the study of motivation and job satisfaction of employees in western contexts, but few have focused on Indian BPO employees.Parikh & Ghosh (2006) have emphasized that reward perceptions of collectivist culture employees are strongly determined by the nature of their cultural heritage and that they put greater premium on the good of the many rather than on their personal interests. The effects of culture are further discussed by Thomas & Philip (1994) in his study of management in India, investigated the applicability of Western motivational theories in the context of India. These researches, among others, point out to the diverse array of factors that influence reward perceptions, and ultimately affect employee productivity.The current study aims to contribute to the dearth of literature on the motivational factors that influence the motivation of Indian business process outsourcing profes sionals who are deployed to the UK. The study further acknowledges the need to address the peculiar motivational needs of different professions operating amongst distinct industries. Because the business process outsourcing industry is a sunshine industry that holds much promise of progress, key players within this realm must be able to address all the concerns of consultants which they deploy offshore to ensure greater probability of success of offshore projects.Justification of the Study Culture and cognition exert a strong impact on the psychological work expectations and ensuing attitudes of employees. There are various variables that influence the job satisfaction of employees and these have been empirically investigated across countries (Earley, 1993). Despite the voluminous literature on job satisfaction, there is a dearth of studies that focus on the reward systems accorded to employees from collectivist cultures such as India (Graf et al, 1990), much more in the more specif ic context of BPO industry, investigating the applicability of Western reward systems in their context.Past empirical studies have focused on a comparison between Western and Eastern employees’ reward perceptions (Dubinsky, 1994). These studies have found that such perceptions are significantly affected by their respective cultures, and the norms that come with it. Values, in turn, will affect the appeal that certain rewards have on the members of the sales force. It is critical for organisations to be aware of the most appropriate rewards strategies because this have a direct effect on the sales person’s performance and productivity (Dubinsky, 1994).There has been no study to date that has focused specifically on the perception of rewards of BPO offshore consultants deployed to the United Kingdom. This study will permit timely and appropriate considerations in drafting the most optimal reward system for this group. This is the rationale for carrying out the current st udy. Review of Related Literature Revisiting the Process Theories of Motivation Process theories present viable explanations for the factors that have an impact on a person’s motivation, particularly on why he selects one course of action over another.These are categorized into cognitive and non-cognitive groups. Cognitive theories assert that behaviour engages mental processes while non-cognitive theories propose that these are caused more by situational factors. The primary cognitive theories include equity, goal setting, and expectancy theories which all emphasize the perceptions of results that are an effect of a specific course of action (Adams, 1965). The first cognitive theory, equity theory suggests that motivation is a type of exchange in which persons use internal equilibrium in choosing a course of behaviour.It projects that employees will select the option which they evaluate as most fair. The parts of the theory include inputs, outcomes, comparisons, and results. By definition are the traits that a person brings to the situations and the tasks that are necessary. On the other hand, outcomes are what the person benefits from the situation. The third component, comparisons is what transpires when the person weighs their inputs to some benchmark standard.Results or outcomes consist of the attitudes and behaviours that stem from their comparison, with the latter being perceived as equitable for equilibrium within the individual to exist (Adams, 1965). The next type of cognitive theory, goal setting theory, presents that individuals target goals and those enterprises may exert impact on their course of action by influencing these targets. The primary parts of such theory include intentions, performance standards, goal acceptance, and the effort expended. The aggregate effect of these components determine motivation.The engagement of an individual in goal setting is expected to enhance his sense of engagement and dedication to the company. Group setting is perceived to be less effective than individual goal setting because it lessens accountability for goal accomplishment. The objective or the goal is the most critical component of this theory; and such are deemed more effective when set with reasonable difficulty. While engagement in the setting of objectives enhances the likelihood of satisfaction, it does not necessarily result in more optimal performance (Mitchell, 1979).The third cognitive theory is expectancy theory, which asserts that individuals select the course of action which they perceive will yield the most optimal benefit. It further says that employees will seek different courses of action and finally select the alternative which will cause them to reap a desired outcome or reward. The theory has lent itself substantially to empirical testing and it has good predictive validity in making predictions about choice of jobs, satisfaction with work, and to a lesser degree the effort that the person will exert at w ork.In addition, the theory indicates that the individual’s expectations of being rewarded is as critical as his perception of the relationship between his actions and the rewards which he anticipates from the enterprise. Another implication of the theory is the uniqueness of individuals in the way rewards appeal to them; as such, companies must be prudent in being able to offer rewards which are deemed appealing by their employees (Mitchell, 1980). In connection with this, Hartog et al (1999) asserts that the perceptions of the social environment is influenced by the culture of the beholder.In effect, the ideal traits of leaders vary across cultures. Hunt, Boal and Sorenson (1990) propose that societal culture has an important impact on the development of superordinate category prototypes and implicit leadership theories. They hold that values and ideologies act as a determinant of culture specific superordinate prototypes, dependent on their strength. There is premium attac hed to a more profound comprehension of the manner in which leadership is manifested across different cultures.Thus, there is also a need for empirical research in this area to be able to understand the distinctions of leadership behaviour and its efficacy across cultures (House, 1995). Hartog et al (1999) asserts that there are various cultural profiles that have been culled from Hofstede’s framework of cultures and which have garnered various testable hypotheses on cross-cultural leadership. These encompass the dimensions of uncertainty avoidance, power distance, masculinity-femininity, individualism-collectivism, and future orientation.There are cultures which are distinguished by strong uncertainty avoidance, and which put high importance on leaders’ compliance to protocol, rules, and customs. This is not too applicable for low uncertainty avoidance cultures (Hartog et al. , 1999). In low uncertainty avoidance cultures, innovation is encouraged. Moreover, paternali stic cultures espouse leaders who are authoritative, as compared to maternal cultures. The latter prefer leaders who are engaging and sensitive as opposed to directive (Hartog et al. , 1999). In the study conducted by Gerstner and Day (1994), they have investigated the differences in leadership prototypes.In particular, the respondents were asked to rate 59 leadership traits. There were 35 American students and between 10-22 offshore students from seven nations; the results suggest that the strength of leader trait associations were distinct across cultures and native country. Considering the constraints of limited sample size, having to enlist students as respondents, and selecting offshore students who were then studying in the United States as representatives of other cultures, and having an unvalidated trait rating tool, there have been reliable distinctions found in their perceptions of leadership traits (Hartog et al, 1999).

Mgt 521 Week 1 Paper Channels of Communication

MGT 521 Channels of Communication According to our readings, â€Å"There are two main forms of communication channels; oral communication and written communication. † (Robbins & Judge, 2011). Within these two channels, there are 10 different types of communication. In the communication process, it is important for the sender to clearly convey the meaning of the message for the receiver to be able to interpret. In order to achieve this goal, the correct communication channel and style must be used. Scenario I To interact with your team about the best beverage strategy, I would use an informal communication channel.According to our readings, an informal communication channel would â€Å"provide feedback to upper management, which would lead toward progress in achieving higher goals and relay any issues that may occur in help resolve these issues† (Robbins & Judge, 2011). Further, face to face communication would be the best form of oral communication to be used as an info rmal communication channel. The team only has one week to develop a global marketing strategy, so the meetings must be more informal and be able to work out the possibilities in a live face to face series of meetings.Other forms of communication such as phone calls, voicemail, or emails could result in slower and shorter discussions. The team needs to be as efficient with their time as possible to deliver this strategy. To convey the strategy to the VP of Operations, I would use a more formal and upward communication channel. According to our readings, a formal channel of communication is â€Å"established by the organization and transmit messages related to the professional activities of members. They traditionally follow the authority chain within the organization† (Robbins & Judge, 2011).Since formal communication follows the chain of command, it is more proper for the team to put their strategy in a written presentation for initial review I would send the VP of Operations an electronic communication (e-mail) that would present the strategy because this is the quickest way to send a lot of information for review. Once the e-mail has been received and reviewed, I would follow up with a video conference to achieve a more face to face communication channel and make sure that all business plans are clearly hashed out and analyzed.This would also be a good solution is the VP is at another location and would not have to travel to have a final meeting. Scenario II In this scenario I would use a formal communication channel with e-mail communication to contact the IT department. This email can be marked with high priority and be received immediately by the IT department. Also, formal e-mail would follow company procedure and allow a written, documented channel of communication for their records and verification.I would also use e-mail communication as a type of downward communication to inform my employees about what happed as well as provide them with the n ew login name and password. This type of downward communication is best for employee communication or when the management wants to inform a large number of employees. This type keeps employees informed and offers security by allowing each employee the opportunity to click and create a new login name and password. In addition, I would use a memo as a second form of communication, to make sure that all employees have another form of written communication in case they have not checked their e-mail.As always, if employees have additional questions or concerns, they can always use verbal face to face communication and simply approach their manager for more information if the written communication is not clear. Scenario III For this for this difficult situation, I would first use oral communication through an all employee meeting. I would inform about the difficulties of the company, and the overall tough decision to let some employees go in order to keep the business afloat. I think that oral communication is more sincere, and employees can see the nonverbal body language of the employer as they explain this difficult situation.Also, an important aspect of a face to face meeting is that it avoids rumors or the grapevine affect that would most likely occur if the employer simply sent a memo or e-mail to the employees. I would want the employees to have the equal opportunity to this information and avoid hurtful rumors or gossip that would likely occur from a simple electronic written message. To inform the affected employees, I would use both oral and written communication. I would first approach them in person and ask to talk to them in person (in private) in my office.If I sent an e-mail or other form, this would create anxiety and be unfair to the employees. I would be as respectful and to the point as possible. In the oral line of communication, I would show my sincerest efforts to show apathy for the situation and also offer any help with a reference for future employment opportunities. I would also be businesslike and explain the last day and other important information that will be completed to confirm the termination. I would follow up with written communication for both sides’ records.I would send a private email for the privacy of the recipient and mark a high priority with a recipient’s confirmation attached to the email upon its opening. This line of communication would have all of the details and state the date all of this will come in effect. An e-mail can also have an attachment with any paperwork that needs to be signed before the last day. This final written communication is more formal and brings closure and hopefully less emotion to the communication process. Works Cited Robbins, Stephen P. & Judge, Timothy A.. (2011). Organizational Behavior. Fourteenth Edition; Published by Prentice Hall

Using Beowulf in the Secondary Education Classroom Research Paper

Using Beowulf in the Secondary Education Classroom - Research Paper Example During the Anglo Saxon era story telling was an integral part of their daily life. Storytelling had a huge significance to the societies them. Storytelling was done for entertainment, to teach, and as a pastime. As a result of their storytelling culture, they are able to keep certain aspects of social conducts in check. The resulting situation is one in which people were able to know the social standards of conduct that is expected of them by the society. It was also used as a way of passing of culture from generation to generation. The stories that were traditionally told in the Anglo Saxon societies had a number of cultural messages that were passed to the audience (Zimmerman 125). As a result of this nature, they were able to give cultural details to people, enabling the continuity of the society’s cultural values. This is the reason as to why storytelling is commonly referred to as one of the most effective means through which societies in the Anglo Saxon era made sure tha t they preserved their culture from one generation to another. Traditionally the Anglo Saxon culture was always passed from one generation to another through oral literature. This made oral literature an important part of the lives of the people during the Anglo Saxon era. The thing about oral literature that is closely dependent on language. Understanding of a community’s linguistic history will enable someone to understand their oral literature. The English language has undergone some changes between the time of Anglo Saxon and the modern British society (Davison, Jon, Caroline Daly, and John Moss 99). This kind of understanding will help someone in getting the most from Anglo Saxon epic poems such as Beowulf. This will also enhance their use in literal and linguistic arts education. The poem depicts the warrior culture of Europe during the period of Anglo Saxon. This is in many ways of high historical

An investigation on consumer perception and trust in e-banking Literature review

An investigation on consumer perception and trust in e-banking transactions through mobile phone.The case of Lloyds TSB - Literature review Example E-banking is also known as internet banking which is an extension of personal computer banking (Stair & et. al., 2009). E-banking utilises internet as a medium for conducting several banking activities such as money transfer, bill payment, balance observation and purchase of financial products among others. E-banking is the outcome of explored opportunity to utilise internet applications in several fields of banking (Bak & Stair, 2011). According to Fonchamnyo (2012), e-banking has experienced rapid growth and changed the traditional banking practices of customers. This growth can lead to massive shift in banking practices leading to advanced business performance. In fact, e-banking has become a major trend for banks to sell their products and services and is perceived to be an inevitable component or ally for banks to remain profitable and successful. However, the acceptance of e-banking is not even particularly between developed and developing nations. It is believed that the diffe rent perceptions of customers about the use of e-banking result in trust and adoption of e-banking facilities (Scribd, 2013). Mobile banking is a subsection of e-banking which has gained growing popularity amongst numerous segments of society. Mobile banking denotes the provision of banking services with the aid of telecommunication devices (Sarlak & Hastiani, 2010). With the use of mobile technology, banks can provide several services to the customers such as money transfer whilst travelling, obtaining online updates or even conducting stock trading and financial transaction activities while being caught in traffic. Therefore, mobile banking provides convenient, simple and timeless banking experience (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, 2013). The mobile e-banking phenomenon which can expressively influence banks’ operational efficiency and services, is gaining status in developed nations. However, irrespective of its several advantages, the use of mobile phone in banking ac tivities is still in the beginning phase, particularly in developing nations (Burri & Cottier, 2012). Following the technological developments, mobile phones are permeating in every aspect of life. The quick propagation of mobile phone not only has transformed the manner in which people live, but also has created a new channel for service delivery. The elevated penetration rate of mobile phone has resulted in increased use of mobile devices for the purpose of banking as it adds more value to the customers (Kumar, 2009; IBM Corporation, 2011). The prospect of mobile e-banking relies on customers’ perception. Customers are only willing to conduct mobile e-banking transaction, if they acquire value from it. From the perspective of customers, this value can be defined with respect to customer perception of using a new technology (Yang & Ma, 2012). 2.2 Consumer Perception Theory 2.2.1 Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) On the basis of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) model, the ov erall feeling or attitude towards the utilisation of technology oriented system is a key determinant of adoption of any

Value Chain Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Value Chain - Term Paper Example The company aims to achieve its mission and vision by fulfilling the needs of varied customers spread at different locations globally. The company ensures that it provides the best quality products at the best and affordable prices which are further accompanied with best services within the industry (Ashley Furniture Industries Inc, â€Å"A Proud History and Poised for a Formidable Future†). Thesis Statement The paper critically identifies the value chain activities practiced by Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc and briefly recommends on various core areas of the company in relation to value chain. Value Chain and Ashley Furniture The term ‘Value Chain’ was first coined by Michel Porter in his famous book ‘Competitive Advantage’ in 1985. The analysis of value chain identifies the activities performed by an organization and further relates them with the organization’s competitive strengths. Porter identifies primary and secondary activities as th e two major activities essential for value chain analysis. He further grouped the primary activities into five sub-heads including inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales and services which are concerned with the value creation as well as delivery of products. Similarly, secondary activities are also grouped into four sub-heads namely, human resource management, technology development, infrastructure and procurement. The secondary activities help organizations to enhance the efficiency and the effectiveness of the overall organizational operations (Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, â€Å"The Value Chain†). The basic model of value chain is being represented below: Source: (Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, â€Å"The Value Chain†) Primary Activities Inbound Logistics Ashley Furniture aims to produce world class durable furniture in attractive designs and affordable prices. Furthermore, the comp any ensures that by no means are its product qualities compromised; and customers receive value for their investment made in terms of durable and finished products. The company has partnered with best class suppliers for the supply of a variety of components required for the manufacturing of the furniture products. In addition to this, the company has the largest air-ride truck fleet in the industry which can be evident on the highways of Wisconsin (Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce, â€Å"BPES-Ashley Furniture†). The tractors involved in the transportation of required components for the manufacturing process are equipped with auxiliary power units that result in less consumption of fuel almost by 10 percent. Additionally, the company is also striving to procure materials locally in order to reduce the cost of transportation and thereby offer its products at affordable prices to its discriminating customers (Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc, â€Å"Ashley World Class Furnit ure Company†). Operations Ashley Furniture has more than 250 acres operating space for manufacturing and distribution throughout the world. It has the biggest casegoods production related plant in the United States. The company sells furniture in more than 123 countries around the globe. The major regional manufacturing and

Hamiltons and Jefferson's political philosophy Essay

Hamiltons and Jefferson's political philosophy - Essay Example Hamilton’s and Jefferson's political philosophy There were two camps who came head to head over advocating different ideologies; on one side there was Alexander Hamilton, the secretary of treasury under Washington who advocated a strong centralized government, while on the other hand there was Thomas Jefferson, the secretary of state under Washington and the third President of the U.S. who was against a centralized government and favored a republican government that would have more to do with foreign affairs and less with the laws that have been imposed in any state of the country. Jefferson opposed a centralized form of government feeling that it would threaten the notions of freedom laid down by the Constitution. Jefferson did everything that was in his power to make sure that America did not become the â€Å"new† England under King George III, which would be disastrous to the cause of the revolution on which basis the American nation had been founded. Alexander Hamilton had a different point of view. Alexander Hamilton could be considered an elitist who advocated that rich and well-born are the chosen ones to rule the country (Nagel 76). Alexander Hamilton believed that a country like America would not survive if it gives too much freedom to its states as doing that would mean fueling their desire of their own independence. Hamilton was like a deputy to George Washington and was quite effective in formulating the policy of incorporation of centralized government in the United States.... According to Hamilton, I believe the British government forms the best model the world has ever produced...This government has for its object public strength and individual security. (Pollard 69) He viewed the British form of government in the exact opposite context as was seen by Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton was accepting the good points of a centralized government point of view in the British form of government against the bad points of freedom laid down by the same government. The section of the U.S. politics from which Hamilton originated was very concerned with the survival of the 13 states that made up the United States of America back in that time, regardless of what the role of government was defined. However, he was quite sure that the vision put forward by Thomas Jefferson, a republican form of government, was in no way practical for the survival of states. Jefferson interpreted the constitution as sacred text that defines the rights of the government. According to Jefferson the government shall be defined in the following way: "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." (Baghatur 239) He wanted to prove Hamilton wrong who proclaimed that a government with limited powers will not be able to guarantee the survival of

Mood disorders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mood disorders - Essay Example In addition there was also a complete loss of interest to do work unlike the normal days. Hobbies that were exiting earlier did not kindle any interest when under depression. Concentrating and decision making became extremely difficult. There was also a decrease in communication with people in the family as well as among friends. The normal routine processes such as sleeping and eating were also affected as there was no sound sleep and loss of appetite was also present. These also contributed to general body and mind weakness. All these led to suicidal tendencies as there was a constant fear in the mind and also a very pessimistic approach to life. Thus given my experiences, I would also expect similar symptoms in a client reportedly suffering from depression and hypomania. He/she should exhibit lack of interest in routine work to begin with as this would be the first noticeable symptom in these individuals as things that were exiting to perform earlier on would not mean anything during times of depression. These could be noticed and reported by the family. Other signs that could be overlooked by family members such as difficulty in remembering and concentrating, weight loss due to appetite loss and other physical changes due to erratic sleeping patterns would also have to be studied. In some cases the person might exhibit irritability and fear. They might break down suddenly without any reason or could burst out in anger. They might speak to themselves assuming they are addressing some other person. They could show decreased interest in sexual activities and other enjoyments. They would not care for their physical appearance and changes in their personal hygiene could also be present. A feeling of low-self esteem and unworthiness generally induces suicidal thoughts and the person might have attempted to suicide in one or more instances or might constantly talk about their

Doctrine of the Trinity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Doctrine of the Trinity - Essay Example Orthodox Church had believed in certain doctrines but a dialogue to establish proper ecumenical principles was necessary. Trinitarianism exists on the divinity of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, who are the Godheads, with rather unclear entities. One opinion said they are One, representing substance, power and eternity; but the controversy prevailed. The early Church Fathers had diverse views about the doctrine of Trinity. Some of them had difficulty in accepting that Jesus was not the only God. Some were reluctant to say that he was not the God, but only the Son of the God. "To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and for whom we live; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and through whom we live." (1 Cor. 8:6, KJV and NIV). "There is not a single controversy with regard to the Nature of the Trinity, as far as we know, which does not involve the doctrine that Christ is the Wisdom of God as its starting point, and the Old Testament definitions of that Wisdom as its proof-test," p.31, Harris. There were confusions with some saying that Jesus represented all the three, or Jesus himself is God and all the three represented Jesus himself. In the scripture the word trinity is not mentioned and its origin remains a bit mysterious In 382, Pope St. In 382, Pope St. Damascus called a local council in Rome to discuss the doctrine of trinity and a papal commentary is still available with strict terms while laying down rules and regulations of being a heretic. "Understanding the nature of orthodoxy and heresy during the fourth century is further complicated by the need to note not only shifts in the content of Christian belief concerning Trinitarian and Christological issues, but also considerable change in the structures and practices within which right belief is assessed," Ayres, p.79. From there, Trinity went through resistance and Fathers like SS. Athanasius, Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine shaped the doctrine in many stages by writing commentaries and defences based on the Council of Constantinople. Athanasius wrote before the council, but says that the Triad is the creator of all things and emphasises that Father and Son work as the principal force behind creation, protection, life, and they are more or less one. St Gregory wrote after the Council and was clearly influenced by the Council's proceedings. He sees the doctrine on the Blessed Trinity's ad extra as Johannine Theology and of biblical origin. In 390, he wrote Concerning We Should Think of Saying that There are not Three Gods to Ablabius where he upholds the Doctrine and says that Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are one and insists that 'no activities of the Godhead are unique to any one'. Around 399 St. Augustine started his work De Trinitate where he cites Gospel of St. John many times and according to him the Doctrine of Trinity could be found in the Gospel of St. John. "Prior to the Cappadocians there scarcely was a concept of person in ancient philosophy. Moreover, the Cappadocians provided a rather complex concept of person" p.14. Turcescu, 2005. Within a period of 264 years from the Council of Nice in 325 AD, a clear definition emerged as the basis of doctrine of the Trinity. In the year 589 AD, the Third Synod at Toledo proclaimed

The five functions of management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The five functions of management - Essay Example The five functions of management This function enables the managers to distribute authority to individual job holders or other employees (Martin and Fellenz 1-75). Controlling can be seen as a four step process of establishing performance standards based on the company’s mission and objectives, measuring and reporting of actual performance, comparing the two and taking of other corrective or preventive actions that may be deemed necessary to solve a particular problem. The main purpose of controlling is to identify deviations from the objectives and taking corrective action (French, Rayner and Rees 12-25). Directing refers to the ability to influence people’s behavior through the motivation, communication, group dynamics, leadership and discipline. The aim of directing is to channel the behavior of all the personnel to accomplish the organization’s mission and objectives while at the same time helping them accomplish their own career objectives (French, Rayner and Rees 12-25). Staffing is fillin g and keeping filled with qualified people all the positions in the business. Some of the specific activities included in this function include recruiting, hiring, training, evaluating and compensating employees. In order to carry out this function properly a manger will liaise with the human resource department. The use of incentives has been seen as advantageous because they encourage and promote appropriate safe behavior among employees at the work place. It is a way that companies are able to demonstrate that they care for their employees and recognizes those who work safely. Secondly long term behavior can be changed through awareness and the provision of financial rewards for proper behavior and this will result in improved morale and reduced worker compensation costs. Third safety incentive programs reduce accidents at the work place as they encourage employees to work in safe conditions (Princhard). The disadvantages of safety incentive programs are that, first they do not o bligate any changes in the existing processes or procedures. Accidents are generally as a combination of some unsafe conditions and therefore by giving employees rewards they try to minimize accidents but the sane processes are still in existence. Incentives also ignore reasons such that they deflect attention from real issues and can disguise genuine deficiencies, flaws or safety management process within the organization. Third incentives are based on a wrong assumption that is unsafe acts. They assume that accidents are intentional acts and that these incentives will cause employees to stop behaving improperly which is wrong (Princhard). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is a theory of motivation that is used to explain the spectrum of human behavior. He proposed that motivation is a function of five basic needs – physiological, safety, love, esteem and self-actualization. He said that these categories are arranged in a hierarchy- that human needs emerge in a predictable stair-step fashion. When one need is satisfied another need up in the ladder emerges or is activated. The process continues until the need for self-actualization is activated (Harold Koontz 290-98). Physiological needs include the following: food, water, warmth, rest and shelter. Safety needs include the

Investigating the acceleration Essay Example for Free

Investigating the acceleration Essay The aim of this experiment is to investigate the motion of a trolley on a plane and compare the results with a mathematical model. Models Assumptions   No Friction When creating the mathematical model I am going to assume that there is no friction acting upon the trolley. This is due to the fact that the trolley will be running upon a smooth plane, which offers no resistance. The trolley is also constructed upon wheels, which minimises the affects of friction between wheel and surface if any. Furthermore the track used for the trolley is specifically designed for the trolley, therefore reducing friction even more. Smooth Pulley The pulley over which the weights pulling the trolley will be passing through, will be smooth. This is for the reasons that the most costly and smoothest pulley available to me will be used. Therefore this should not also provide any resistance, which may impede the flow of motion.   Inextensible String The string, which will be attached to the trolley to accelerate it, will be inextensible, i. e. the string used will not be elastic. Flat Surface The plane over which the trolley is going to be run must be flat, i. e.it must not be slanted up or down or to a side, or else gravity will also be playing a major part in the acceleration or deceleration of the trolley. To ensure the track is flat I placed a ping-pong ball on the track. If the ball rolled up, down or to a side then I would know that the track is not flat and would adjust it in accordance with the motion of the ping-pong ball. String not at an angle The string running off the trolley should be parallel to the track. This is due to the fact that a non-parallel string would be pulling the trolley down as well as forwards. Pulling Forwards = ? Cos ? Pulling Down = ? Cos ? No Swaying In the mathematical model I am going to assume that the falling mass does not sway. This uses the same concept as the rope not being parallel to the trolley. If the mass sways, the falling mass is not using its full potential. Pulling Down = m Pulling Sideways = m Cos ? Negligible Air-Resistance This is due to the unique construction of the trolley; low frame, compact design and no extended parts or objects disrupting the aero-dynamics. Conduct To mimic the real life situation of the motion of a trolley on a plane I am going to use a trolley of mass ranging from 498g to 1498g, which will be run upon a set of smooth tracks. To accelerate the trolley a light inextensible string will be attached to the trolley, which will then be run over a smooth pulley. At this end of the string masses ranging from 20g 80g will be attached which will accelerate the trolley. The mass of the trolley will also be changed. The length of the track will always be kept at 1 metre and the time taken for the trolley to travel the metre will be recorded. While conducting the experiment I realised that clamp holding the pulley covered 1cm of the track. Therefore when carrying out the experiment I released the trolley from 1.1m along the track, giving the trolley its 1m course to run. Accuracy To ensure accurate and reliable results a set of fixed rules must be followed. The length of the track will always be kept to 1 metre. Also three separate readings will be recorded when measuring the time taken for the trolley to travel the fixed metre. Furthermore I am going to ensure that the track is flat, i. e. it is not slanted up, down or to a side, else gravity will also be acting upon the car. Mathematical Model To create the mathematical model I am going to use Newtons second law, which states, The change in motion is proportional to the force. For objects with constant mass, as is the case with this experiment, this can be interpreted, as the force is proportional to the acceleration. Resultant force = mass   acceleration This is written: F = ma The resultant force and the acceleration are always in the same direction. If I use the equation of Newtons second law F = ma and transpose it into the form y = mx + c where the gradient of the graph is gravity. F = ma mg T = ma T = Ma (Substitute into mg T = ma) mg Ma = ma mg = ma + Ma mg = a (m+M) a = g (m/m+M) a = g (m/m+M) + 0 y = m x + c This graph should pass through the points (0,0). To work out acceleration for the mathematical model using the above formula. Mass of trolley (M) = 498g Mass of weight (m) = 20g Distance = 1m a = g (m/m+M) + 0 a = 9. 81 (20/20+498) a = 0. 38 ms-2 All the accelerations have been worked using the above technique and have been presented in the table of results below. Mass of Trolley (g) Mass of weight (g) Distance (m) Acceleration (ms-2) 4 Experimental Results To work out the acceleration for the actual experiment I am going to use the equations of motion, Analysis As can be seen from the graphs the mathematical model, models the actual experiment fairly well until the m (mass of weight) is increased such that the trolley is travelling too fast to ensure accurate timing. Consequently on all three graphs the line of best fit starts from the origin and then gradually veers away from the mathematical model. On the graph of results for M = 498g, it is observable that the actual experiment models the math model reasonably well, until m is 60g. Thereafter, for m = 70g 80g, the trolley is travelling too fast to ensure precise timing hence the big error bars. Therefore I have not taken those two results into consideration when drawing the line of best fit through the points. Furthermore when working out the acceleration for the experimental results I had to square the timing, (i. e. t2) hence doubling the error in timing. The other two graphs of M = 998g 1498g, there are no anomalous results. I think the reason for this is, because of the increased weight of the trolley; the trolley will clearly be travelling slower, hence giving more accurate and reliable timing. The gradient of the line in all the graphs should be in theory 9. 81, but this clearly is not the case. Thus I am going to work out the gradient of the lines and compare it with the math model and observe how well the two compare with each other. As can be seen from the above results the math model did fairly well to model the real life situation of two connected particles. The model I designed does not match the results I obtained in the experiment. This is because either I overlooked some variable quantities or the initial assumptions were flawed. On the other hand it may have been the procedure, which was at fault. In any case all these must be investigated into further. Each assumption ought to be scrutinized independently to deduce whether it is viable with regards to the experiment, in that, some assumptions were unnecessary and others were not made. I think that if the experiment had been conducted in a vacuum and I used air-tracks the experiment would have been a lot more successful.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka | Analysis

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka | Analysis The Metamorphosis written by a German man by the name of Franz Kafka is a prime example of a modernist story. The writing takes on many different aspects of the modern era, with topics on psychoanalysis; breaking down the components of Gregors thoughts, physics, and it also has some what of a political issue on what is the modern world. Gregor Samsas dilemma unfolds very abruptly. The first sentence of the story tells you that he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug. The breakdown and psychoanalysis of Gregors realization that he is now a bug is very strange in the fact that he almost doesnt seem to think it is much of an issue. When he awakes to find himself in the form of a giant insect he wonders Whats happened to me but then his attention is drifted to the picture on the wall and from that to the loud audible rain coming from outside. At this point in his dilemma you would think that his mind would be full of insanity, but not Gregor Samsa he thinks of it as all foolishness and even considers going back to sleep. In going back to sleep Gregors problem isnt the horrid fact that hes now a bug it is instead that in this bug form it is hard for him to sleep on his side, which is the side that he is comfortable with. The dynamics of physics is added to the book in describing his now bug body. It describes his armor-hard back, his arched abdomen that is now divided into bow-like sections. It also goes on to tell about his many leg and how they compare to his massive bug body. All the descriptions give a vivid imagery of the physics of a horrid insect. In a modern world of money and politics where there is a breadwinner of the household Gregor realizes that he has missed his train making getting to work improbable. His income is the means by which the household stays a household. In the apartment with Gregor is his younger sister Grete, his father and his sick mother of which their names are not announced. In this political world Gregor Samsa is basically forced to work a job he hates at a business he hates even more with a terrible boss. After the collapse of Gregors fathers business Gregor had to take up the responsibility of paying off his fathers debts to his boss. Gregors father is very upset with the fact that he doesnt work and feels ashamed for not being the provider as he feels the father should be. Once the realization that Gregor as a giant insect can hardly have or hold down a job sets in the father again gets to step back into the lime light as the breadwinner and provider. Gregor begins to become useless to his family in his present form. The psychological effect that Gregor has on his family is one of fear and disgust. His younger sister Grete tries to help at first by feeding him everyday and showing sympathy but after a while it just become too much for Grete to handle. Gregors appearance does not help with his mothers health and this sometimes excites fits of violence in his father. In one instance his father become irate and pelts Gregor with fruit injuring and making it hard for him to walk. Grete and Gregors fathers feelings over the effect that Gregors mother, her only son that is now an insect is making her health worse and worse and leaves Grete and her father to resent Gregor. As days go on and pass he is more and more separated and isolated from his family because of what he has become. Sometimes the family would leave his door ajar to make it seem like he was closer and in some way in the other room with them. After the wounds given to Gregor by his father the family begins to neglect him. The family takes in three loggers and use the room Gregor is in as a storage space adding insult to injury as if he wasnt there and was already gone. Gregor stays in his room in crippling pain wasting away day by day wishing he had some way to express the feeling and emotions of being a bug and the things like how he wants to encourage his younger sister Gretes violin talents. Later in the story even more of his human interests coincide with the giant bug of a man that he has become. When the rhythm of the music being played on a violin in the parlor by Grete he becomes very excited. The music coming from the parlor sways him from his room and he cannot help but to dance his way into the parlor. When the loggers catch site of him the family cannot handle it any longer and in that is the breaking point for the family. After the incident in the parlor Grete conveys to the rest of the family that there is no longer a Gregor but now just an insect. She suggests that they give up on the i dea of Gregor ever being human again and with remorse they all agree. Later that night abandoned Gregor creeps back into his room where he dies with the mind of a human and the physical body of a disgusting insect. The book The Metamorphosis is a classic modernist/postmodernist story with examples found in all aspects of the genera and era. Conveying topics such as the mind of a man who to no ones reasoning wakes up as a bug, and the analysis of his psyche. Along with the modern world and its problems with debts, and the politics behind them. German man Franz Kafka was able to link the world of modernism/postmodernism as examples from the book being of psychoanalysis, physics, and politics through the life and death of a bug-man.

Symbols and Characters of Bread Givers. Essay -- Essays Papers

Symbols and Characters of "Bread Givers". One of the significant features of Jewish history throughout many centuries was migration. From the ancient pre-Roman times to medieval Spain to the present days the Jews were expelled from the countries they populated, were forced out by political, cultural and religious persecution, and sometimes were motivated to leave simply to escape economic hardship and to find better life for themselves and for their children. One of the interesting pages of Jewish history was a massive migration from Eastern Europe to America in the period between 1870 an 1920. In that period more than two million Jews left their homes in Russia, Poland, Galicia, and Romania and came to the New World. The heaviest volume of that wave of Jewish emigration came between 1904 and 1908, when more than 650 thousand Jewish emigrants came to the US. The Eastern European Jews fled from pogroms, religious persecution and economic hardship. We can learn about those times from history text books, but a better way to understand the feelings and thoughts of the struggling emigrants is to learn a story from an insider, who herself lived there and experienced first hand all the challenges and hardships of the emigrants' life. Anzia Yezierska's novel "Bread Givers" is a story that lets the reader to learn about the life of Jewish Emigrants in the early Twentieth Century on Manhattan's lower East Side through the eyes of a poor young Jewish woman who came from Poland and struggled to break out from poverty, from tyrant old traditions of her father, and to find happiness, security, love and understanding in the new country. The book is rich with symbolism. Different characters and situations in the novel symbolize different parts of the emigrants' community and challenges that they faced. The characters range from the father, the symbol of the Old World, to the mother who symbolizes struggles and hopelessness of the women of the Old World, to the sisters and their men, who together represent the choices and opportunities that opened before the young generation of the Jewish emigrants in the New World. The father of the storyteller, Sarah Smolinsky, is an orthodox rabbi, Mosheh Smolinsky, with rigid old-fashioned conceptions, who cannot or simply does not make an effort to realize himself in America and spends his days poisoning lives of his ... ...e them. And they, with all their education, are under my feet, just because I got the money." Through the lives of different characters the author tells about struggles and sacrifices that any emigrants have to face when they come to a new country and try to get on their feet. The first generation usually gains the least, because older people already have deeply rooted cultural traditions and language barrier that do not let them to assimilate and to feel fully at home in the new place. Just like Sarah's parents in "Bread Givers" the majority of first generation older emigrants that I know feel somewhat alienated and disadvantaged in America. Many of them were naà ¯ve and thought that America was a Golden Amadina where "money grows on the trees". Many were intelligent enough to realize that they were going to a tough land of opportunities where they would have to fight and struggle for a spot under the sun. But those who were realistic came here anyway, because they hoped for a better future for their children who could fully benefit from new opportunities, ethnic equa lity, and democracy that the New World had to offer. Bibliography: "Bread Givers" by Anzia Yezierska

The Destruction of an African Culture :: essays research papers

Taking a glimpse into the lives of natives from the Ibo society in Africa, including villages such as Umuofia, the high regard which is held for traditions is quite evident. It was a way of life. Religion was something that was taken very seriously, regarded as sacred; it helped define many of their customs. These customs were undoubtedly understood throughout the village, and followed without question. With this kind of structured society the specific outcome for any turn of events was made clear, the future was made certain – until a new religion was unexpectedly introduced by the Europeans. The white man’s beliefs flooded the land and changed the course of the forthcoming within their society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The invasion of this new way of life brought about changes, both positive and negative, to the Ibo culture. After the Europeans learned more about the culture of how the Africans worked, they built up a school and hospital in hopes to educate the people and create potential leaders. Here, both young and old were taught to read and write, and the results were quickly evident. Court messengers, clerks and even teachers arose from the educated. The schools expanded in other regions also bringing with them the church and religion. Since faith was the foundation of their education, those who attended the school were taught the way of the white man, including their beliefs, which helped to spread this new form of religion - Christianity. A certain stability was also derived from this new education. â€Å"If Umuofia failed to send her children to the school, strangers would come from other places to rule them.† (Achebe, p181) Knowledge gained would help the people protect themselves against any outsiders. It would give them a better understanding on how to defend themselves both physically and as a people. Since they were a culture based almost solely on what was known to them from past experiences, and being unsure of the outside, they would have had no defense against any intruders coming into their land. Examples of this are highly evident in the case of the white man coming in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The introduction of such a religion also brought about many â€Å"personal† changes, good and bad, to the people of this area. Equality was something unperceived by the Africans. They had a certain standard for living. Some people were considered outcasts by society and forbidden fellowship with the free man; twins were given up to the Evil Forest for death and thought of as evil. The Destruction of an African Culture :: essays research papers Taking a glimpse into the lives of natives from the Ibo society in Africa, including villages such as Umuofia, the high regard which is held for traditions is quite evident. It was a way of life. Religion was something that was taken very seriously, regarded as sacred; it helped define many of their customs. These customs were undoubtedly understood throughout the village, and followed without question. With this kind of structured society the specific outcome for any turn of events was made clear, the future was made certain – until a new religion was unexpectedly introduced by the Europeans. The white man’s beliefs flooded the land and changed the course of the forthcoming within their society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The invasion of this new way of life brought about changes, both positive and negative, to the Ibo culture. After the Europeans learned more about the culture of how the Africans worked, they built up a school and hospital in hopes to educate the people and create potential leaders. Here, both young and old were taught to read and write, and the results were quickly evident. Court messengers, clerks and even teachers arose from the educated. The schools expanded in other regions also bringing with them the church and religion. Since faith was the foundation of their education, those who attended the school were taught the way of the white man, including their beliefs, which helped to spread this new form of religion - Christianity. A certain stability was also derived from this new education. â€Å"If Umuofia failed to send her children to the school, strangers would come from other places to rule them.† (Achebe, p181) Knowledge gained would help the people protect themselves against any outsiders. It would give them a better understanding on how to defend themselves both physically and as a people. Since they were a culture based almost solely on what was known to them from past experiences, and being unsure of the outside, they would have had no defense against any intruders coming into their land. Examples of this are highly evident in the case of the white man coming in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The introduction of such a religion also brought about many â€Å"personal† changes, good and bad, to the people of this area. Equality was something unperceived by the Africans. They had a certain standard for living. Some people were considered outcasts by society and forbidden fellowship with the free man; twins were given up to the Evil Forest for death and thought of as evil.

Ambiguities in the Textual Body of The Castle of Otranto Essay

Incongruous Corpus: Ambiguities in the Textual Body of The Castle of Otranto While the relationship of the Gothic to the Romantic is debatable, the persistent desire of some critics to see it as pre-Romantic should not disguise the possibility that the genre is â€Å"actually sending out very contradictory impulses about its own intentions, [and] adopting certain strategies that thwart the very perceptions it seems to be on the brink of achieving† (Napier, 4). This uncertainty in form and intent has produced imprecision and imbalances in Gothic novels that are partly the result of instability within the Gothic form. Although the Gothic achieves stability by repeating a certain pattern of accepted conventions, leading to remarkable coherence in the â€Å"routine likeness of one romance to another† (Napier, 4), one must be mindful that the Gothic is â€Å"formally and stylistically marked by disequilibrium† (Napier, 4). The imbalance, dissolution, and formal unevenness of the Gothic genre, which some scholars claim are recurrent issues with in the genre, are found as early as the first Gothic novel in The Castle of Otranto. Their existence in Otranto suggests the profound uncertainty Walpole had about the intent of the genre as he perceived it and hints at the immense task the author faced in establishing a new genre that required the â€Å"difficult and uneven breaking away from the more carefully structured and considered narratives of the preceding period† (Napier, 5). Walpole’s inability to provide a thorough theoretical explanation of the intent of the genre and breakaway cleanly from pre-existing narrative norms accounts, in part, for the presence of tonal and modal incongruities within the textual body of Otranto. An examination of the theo... .... Meaning is deflected to surfaces and nothing about a character is truly known beyond what is necessary to further the plot. Nonetheless, despite all the structural incongruities within the body of Otranto, Walpole was successful in establishing a genre that later practitioners perfected. Works Cited Clery, E. J. Introduction. The Castle of Otranto. By Horace Walpole. New York: OUP, 1998. vii-xxxiii. Kiely, Robert. The Romantic Novel in England. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1972. Mowl, Tim. Horace Walpole: The Great Outsider. London: John Murray (Publishers) Ltd., 1996. Napier, Elizabeth R. The Failure of Gothic: Problems of Disjunction in an Eighteenth-Century Literary Form. New York: OUP, 1987. Sedgwick, Eve K. Coherence of Gothic Conventions. New York and London: Methuen, 1986. Walpole, Horace. The Castle of Otranto. New York: OUP, 1998.

Behaviour Contract

I have always loved to watch movies and television shows but I guess it was an addiction already for the past couple of months. I can say that I am very much hooked in watching the television for the past seven months. I love the thrill, happiness, suspense I feel whenever I watch something on television. Whenever I am at home, my whole day would be spent in front of the television. I sometimes skip meals just to watch my favourite movie or a certain talk show.Sometimes I even do not take a bath just to keep track of what I am watching. I love watching those shows that exposes the current fashion, recent social issues, and television magazines, shows that tells Hollywood celebrities’ lives and most of all, movies like suspense thriller, horror, love stories and fairy tales. For me it is the source of my enjoyment, I sometimes forget to study and read books. I think too much watching the television causes great effects in my being. I think being bored triggers my addiction to t elevision.I want something to entertain me so that I do not get too alone. Sometimes I get bored just studying and doing other things, but when it comes to television, I really can’t feel ennui at all. I really feel entertain by the television. I should control my being hooked on television and might as well eliminate it. I should discipline myself and have self control. Within 2 weeks I should minimize my television viewing and by the end of month I must have eliminated this behaviour already.If I spend too much of my time in front of the television then I will ask my mother to deduct my allowance by 50%, I will not be able to go on a night out during Fridays, I will not be allowed to wake up late during weekends, lastly I will not be able to go out with my friends during week ends.If I will not comply with the contract then my punishment for myself will be destroy all my shoes and sandals and I will come to school on slippers for one day. While if I will be able to follow a ll the terms in the contract and comply with it then I my reward will be, spending the whole weekend in my favourite beach resort and hotel.

Philosophy-Metaphysics Essay

â€Å"The PNC: A property cannot both belong and not belong to a subject at the same time and in the same respect. The PNC is the most certain principle, i. e. :1) It is not possible to be wrong about it. 2) If you know anything, you know it (all statements of knowledge imply it). †(Chance, 2005) The Principle of Non-Contradiction is both a law of thought and a law of being. Aristotle propagated this principle first. Since then, voluminous literature is written on this principle, many arguments have been put forth elaborating it. It is believed that this principle is the basis, foundation of all demonstrative sciences. Intuitive understanding is the gateway to knowing PNC. In character, it is un-hypothetical. Its indemonstrability needs to be understood in the proper perspective. The PNC protects the unity of the thought process. The content of one’s thought is its non-contradictory nature. That is to say, the content of one’s thought is the non-contradictory nature of being. To deny it is not to say reality itself is contradictory by nature. Here, the fact to be noted is that insufficient education and understanding on the part of the person who denies the principle. But there are many, who deny; foremost among them are para-logicians. Their mental block seems to be their problem, i. e. how we present what we present before them. How the reality is framed for tendering the version to them. The principle could be both true and false. As per Quantum Mechanics, when we can’t make out the proper option between the two, the principle needs to be deemed as meaningless and void. Many situations can be quoted in support of drawing such a conclusion. Aristotle has the answer for this sort of criticism. Those who deny the principle merely assume that they deny; the very denial contains in fact, their acceptance of the principle. Their question whether the PNC is true or false has the answer –they assume that it is either true or false. Ipso, facto, they speak in is affirmation. But there are instances where the PNC contradicts physics. Relativism as a theory must be false, if the PNC is true. If A believes that the sun is shining, and B believes that the sun is not shining, one of them obviously must be false. Every argument has a counter argument; every example can be challenged by yet another contradictory-example. The attitude of most of the people is, ‘Whatever I say is correct. None is willing to accept that ‘whatever correct is there in the world, belongs to me. ’ It is the acknowledged principle with the rationalists and scientists that nothing could be accepted as true without evidence. But then there is an authentic counter-question for this as well. How one can know that the method employed for knowing or accepting the evidence is true? This is an important observation, which is difficult to refute. The truth of the PNC can be soundly argued on the basis of what Aristotle has propounded about it. But this is true of mind-level issues and examples. If one of the ‘arguing’ individuals has transcended the mind-barrier, his uttering will be on the basis of his realization, and that can never be explained through words, sentences and explanations. Such ‘issues’ form part of the experience-domain of an individual. Even Aristotle has to stop here, with his files related to PNC. To take something for granted as truth, the essential tools one uses are, Reason and Logic. These tools will break and are powerless at the end of the mind barrier. They will never be able to break the barrier.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 30-31

Chapter 30 October 19, 1864 I'm out of danger, but I don't feel safe. I wonder if I'll ever feel safe again, or will I forever long for a desire that I'll never fulfill? Will I get used to the ache? Twenty, two hundred, two thousand years from now, will I even remember these weeks? And will I remember Callie and her red hair, her laugh? I will. I have to. Callie has saved me and given me another chance at life. In a way, it's like she was the daylight that followed the darkness Katherine had cast upon my existence. Katherine turned me into a monster, but Callie has changed me back into the Stefan Salvatore I'm proud to be. I wish her love. I want nothing but the best for her. I want for her to live in the light and find a man–a human–who will appreciate and adore her, who will take her away from Gallagher's house forever to a quiet home on a lake, where she can teach her children to skip stones. I woke in the middle of the night to what I thought were hailstones bouncing against the windowpane. Despite Lexis rules, I peeked through a tiny slit in the curtains and squinted into the darkness. The trees were bare, their branches like ghostly limbs stretching toward the sky. Though it was a moonless night, I could see a raccoon scamper through the yard. And then, a figure standing timidly behind one of the columns on the portico. Callie. I hastily pulled on a shirt and slipped down the stairs, taking care to not make any noise. The last thing I wanted was for Buxton or Lexi to know that a human had followed me home. The door shut with a thud behind me, and I saw Callie jump. â€Å"Im here,† I whispered, feeling thrilled, confused, and excited, all at once. â€Å"Hi,† she said shyly. â€Å"Are you going somewhere?† I asked, nodding at her bag. â€Å"I hope so.† She clasped my hands with her own. â€Å"Stefan, I dont care what you are. Ive never cared. And I want to be with you.† She looked into my eyes. â€Å"I I love you.† I gazed at the ground, a lump in my throat. Back when I was a human, I thought Id loved Katherine until I saw her, chained up, muzzled, and foaming at the mouth. Id felt nothing but disgust at that vision. And yet Callie had seen me unconscious, bleeding from vervain, staked by captors, and pummeling my brother in the ring, and she still loved me. How was that possible? â€Å"You dont have to respond,† Callie rushed on. â€Å"I just had to tell you. And Im leaving no matter what. I cant stay here with Father, not after everything thats happened. Im getting on the train, and you can come with me. But you dont have to. But I want you to,† she babbled. â€Å"Callie!† I interrupted, placing a finger to her lips. Her eyes widened, shifting between fear and hope. â€Å"I would go with you anywhere,† I said. â€Å"I love you, too, and I will for the rest of my life.† â€Å"You mean your un-life,† she said, her eyes dancing. â€Å"How did you know where I lived?† I asked, suddenly shy. Callie blushed. â€Å"I followed you home once. When you ran away after the first vampire fight. I wanted to know everything about you.† â€Å"Well, now you do.† Unable to restrain myself, I pulled her into my arms and lowered my lips to hers, no longer afraid to hear the blood coursing in her veins or to hear her heart beat faster in anticipation. She tightened her grip around me, and our lips touched. I hungrily kissed her, feeling the softness of her lips against mine. My fangs didnt grow, my desire was all for her, in her human form, as she was. She was soft and warm and tasted like tangerines. In those moments, I imagined our future. Wed take the train as far away from New Orleans as possible, maybe to California, or perhaps even sail to Europe. Wed nest in a little cottage and keep livestock for me to feed from, and Callie and I would live out our days together, away from the prying eyes of society. A nagging thought tugged at the corner of my mind: Would I turn her? I hated the thought of doing it, of sinking my teeth into her white neck, of making her live a life in which she craved blood and feared the daylight, but I also couldnt bear the thought of seeing her grow old and die in front of me. I shook my head, trying to release those thoughts. I could deal with them later. We both could. â€Å"Stefan,† Callie murmured, but then the murmur turned into a gasp, and she slipped out of my clutches and onto the ground. A butchers knife stuck into her back, blood pooling out of it. â€Å"Callie!† I cried, sinking to my knees. â€Å"Callie!† Frantic, I tore a vein in my wrist, trying to feed Callie my blood to heal her. But before I could press my arm to her gasping mouth, an unseen hand yanked me up by the shirt collar. A low, familiar chuckle cut through the night air. â€Å"Not so fast, brother.† Chapter 31 I whirled around, my hand ready to strike, my fangs bared. Before I could move, Damon grabbed my shoulders and flung me across the street. My body hit the road, hard, my arm snapping at an unnatural angle. I scrambled to my feet. Callie was lying in the grass, her red hair fanning over her shoulder, a pool of blood darkening around her. She let out a quiet moan, and I knew she must be in agony. I started to race back to her, pumping my blood to my open wound so she could feed easily. But Damon intercepted me, lowering his shoulder into my chest and knocking me backward. I scrambled to my feet. â€Å"This stops now!† I yelled, ready to pounce. I flew toward him, ready to rip him apart, to give him what hed wanted for so long. â€Å"Does it stop now? Before dinner?† Damon asked, a slow smile forming on his face. I watched in horror as Damon knelt down, bared his teeth, and sunk them into Callies neck, drinking long and hard. I tried to push him away, but he was far too strong. How many people had he fed from since our escape? I kept tugging, trying to free Callie, but Damon stayed in the same position as if he were a marble sculpture. â€Å"Help! Lexi!† I roared, as Damon sent me flying backward with a swift jab of his elbow. I hit the grass with a thud. Damon kept drinking. I realized with horror that Callies moaning had stopped. So had the steady, thrumming sound of blood Id gotten so used to hearing in Callies presence. I fell to my knees. Damon turned toward me, his face smeared with blood. Callies blood. I blanched at the sight. Damon chuckled. â€Å"You were right, brother. Killingiswhat vampires do. Thanks for the lesson.† â€Å"Ill kill you,† I said, rushing toward him once more. I knocked him to the ground, but Damon took advantage of my injured arm and flipped me over, pinning me to the ground next to Callie. Damon shook his head. â€Å"I dont think I will die tonight, thank you. Youre done being the one to make the life-and-death decisions,† he hissed. He stood up, as if he were going to walk away. I crawled over to Callie. Her eyes were wide open and glassy, her face pale. Her chest was still rising and falling, but barely. Please live, I thought, gazing into her unblinking eyes in a desperate attempt to compel her. I saw her eyelids flutter. Could it be possible that it was working? I want you to live. I want to love you while you're alive, I thought, squeezing blood from my wounds into her open mouth. Then, as drops fell on her face, I felt an agonizing pain in my abdomen. I sprawled on the grass as Damon kicked me over and over and over in the stomach, a demonic look in his eye. Summoning all my strength, I scuttled on the dew-damp earth away from Damon. â€Å"Help me,† I called again toward the house. â€Å"Help me!† Damon mocked in a sing-song voice. â€Å"Not quite the big man, anymore, are we, little brother? What happened to taking over the world? Got too busy having tea parties with your little friends and falling in love with humans?† He shook his head in disgust. Something inside me snapped. Somehow, I pushed myself to my feet and raced toward Damon, fangs bared. I pushed him to the ground, my fangs carving a long, jagged cut along his jugular vein. He fell to the ground, blood draining from his neck, his eyes closing. For a moment, he looked like my brother again. No bloodshot eyes, no voice laced with hatred. Just the broad shoulders and dark hair that always symbolized Damon. And yet he wasnt Damon anymore. He was a monster on a spree of destruction, stopping at nothing to make his threat of making my life miserable come true. I surveyed the ground around us, finally glimpsing a small tree limb, a few feet away, fallen after a storm. I crawled over to the branch and raised it high above his chest. â€Å"Go to hell,† I whispered, fervently meaning each word. But as the words left my mouth, Damon lunged up from the ground, his eyes red and his fangs bared. â€Å"Thats no way to talk to family.† He scoffed, throwing me to the ground. â€Å"And thats no way to hold a stake.† He raised the branch high over my chest, a gleam in his eye. â€Å"Heres the death you didnt let me have. Slow, and painful, and Im going to enjoy every second of it,† Damon said, cackling as he brought the stake down with all his might against my chest. And then everything went black.

“Nineteen Eighty-Four” by George Orwell Essay

Winstons statement is vague and must be properly addressed before we can access its validity. The word hope in itself is deliberately ambiguous as Winston fails to mention what this hope is for. Winston may be talking about hope of revolution and the overthrow of government as a horse shaking flies. For this there is ultimately almost no hope in the proles due to the futility expressed in the novels ending as even our socially aware narrator succumbs to the guile of Big Brother. However, much more than this Winston may be talking about hope for the future, hope for freedom from social oppression and the dictatorial regime of the Party, hope for the end goal of this revolution. Winston writes this statement having just described the way in which the Party has manipulated sex, one of the basest human instincts according to Freud, into a joyless act and attempts to eliminate the orgasm.The freedom from this sort of tyranny is far more within the reach, and to some extent is already available, to the proles. The proles, superficially, have far more tangible freedom than the party members since they are able to indulge in their own activities during free time which party members are not permitted. The proles are less vigorously monitored by the Thought Police or party officials and in theory are allowed to live as they please. However, in theory, the party members are too allowed to live as they please though the reality is very different as will be discussed later. It is questionable whether or not Winston himself holds any hope in the proles. Whilst traversing the prole districts of London he re-states and corrects his prior quote, this time saying if there was hope it lay in the proles. This suggests that he has come to the conclusion that there is actually no hope other than a theoretical one. The use of if and was shows that Winston is not so much expressing a hope but rather philosophising on abstract concepts, a palpable absurdity which he knows are out of reach in reality. These theoretical truths are expressed as important to Winstons psyche as he depends on them to stay sane, he writes the axiom Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. His hope in the proles is part of the same concept. Winston needs to make sense of his world no matter how futile it might be, he needs to cling on to the prospect of hope despite its impossibility. The way in which the proles are portrayed shows how they are able to function within the world of Nineteen Eighty-Four and kept under control despite having certain levels of freedom. At the start of chapter seven we are presented with the power of the proles to such an extent that we are even given the statistics that it contains 85% of the population of Oceania. Though Winston constantly expresses their huge potential their futility is quickly made clear as their drive is siphoned into irrelevant directions. Winston confuses a squabble over saucepans for the start of a revolution. The juxtaposition of these two ideas serves to emphasise the anticlimactic outlets of the proles as the two are social polars, one a fundamental change in the very workings of society, the other a pointless feud over kitchen utensils. Another outlet for the proles is a large amount of focus centred around the lottery to such an extent that it becomes the principle if not the only reason for remaining alive. The fact that this lottery is largely imaginary shows the level of control that the party is still able to impose upon the proles, despite appearing to be a choice. The party is misdirecting their hope whilst apparently giving it in a controlled system. On the face of it, the way the proles live does not appear to be very different from real life in 1940s London. When Orwell provides us with a list of their activities the care of home and children, petty quarrels with neighbours, films, football, beer, and above all, gambling, fill dup the horizons of their minds it seems to be a bleak portrayal of London rather than a distant dystopian future. We are able to identify with Winstons thoughts and feelings but we are able to identify with the proles lifestyles. Considering Orwells bleak view and lack of faith in social systems and British life in general he is likely to attach a certain stigma and lack of faith in a lifestyle which mimics it. Winston talks extensively of the bland, neutral life which fails to live up to its own expectations the reality was decaying dingy cities where underfed people shuffled to and fro in leaky shoes. This again seems more like a general social commentary of the London of Orwells time rather than a warning of the future which  pervades the rest of the novel. Orwell is clearly disillusioned both in the real world and the world of Nineteen Eighty-Four. The proles, it seems, though possessing more evidential freedom are actually as enslaved by the party as the rest of Oceania. They are regarded as beneath suspicion showing them to be mentally inept and enslaved, perhaps making them greater casualties of Big Brothers regime. The proles are the ultimate party product, exhibiting no threat despite a lack of supervision via Thought Police or telescreens. They show no ambition, are able to employ doublethink and do not question the status quo unlike Winston and Julia, both party members. As Syme says the proles are not people, they have lost all concept of freedom or anything outside of the party without the need of newspeak to diminish these concepts for them. Winston states he knows HOW but I do not know WHY. His contrast with the proles demonstrates the Why. The very fact he thinks this statement and questions the party shows why the party has need of thought police to keep him under control. There is no need for this amongst the proles since they are not intelligent enough to rebel, but intelligent members of the party who can philosophise on concepts of freedom are far more dangerous to the party. It is necessary for them to be force-fed orthodoxy to keep them under control and weed out those who cannot be. Winston contains the fundamental mute protestation in the bones which simply is not present in the proles. There is no hope in the proles uprising since orthodox or not, they will never take the initiative to do so and all those who can invoke them are sought out by Thought Police. The proles are presented as, fundamentally, equally as oppressed as party member but just through different means. The party members are encouraged and required to use Newspeak so as to diminish the English language and the unorthodox concepts that go alongside it. Though proles, on the other hand, not only use Oldspeak but their own dialect of it and actively reduce the words themselves by omitting letters. The format via which Orwell presents this emphasises this point since he does not simply omit the letters but places a dash in their stead Ark at im! Calls isself a barman and dont know  what a pint is. The proles erode letters and grammar of their own accord, demonstrating the fact that they too will naturally move in the direction of the party. Similarly, the conversation of the proles, though they are permitted to argue without raising suspicion is ultimately as futile as those members of the party. The conversations are still not exchanges of views or ideas but the duckspeak of the Ministry of Truth cafeteria. The proles argue amongst one another whilst never actually stopping to hear each others input. We can see this both in the occasion when the men have a debate over the lottery and Winstons conversation with the old man in the pub. Conversations run in parallel with each other rather than meet and the sense of personal isolation of views remains. Since, as readers we know that there is no hope for Winston or the other party members, by seeing the similarities we are shown that there too is no hope for the proles. Ultimately the proles are no more capable of bringing about the revolutionary changes that Winston hopes for than the party members. They have a greater potential since, as the party slogan states, proles and animals are free. However, they are only free in the same way an animal is free. They are not truly free, as Winston would see it, to claim that two plus two equals four since they have no mental inclination to do so. The proles contain the hope of social freedom which Winston desires but are unable to utilise it since they are mentally enslaved without the need for Thought Police, ambitionless and ultimately hopeless. Bibliography: George Orwell – Nineteen Eighty-Four

Renewable energy law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Renewable energy law - Essay Example There are several reasons why the government should insist on the usage of renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources are no likely to cause pollution in the air and on water bodies.However,there are some sources of renewable energy that can cause environmental degradation if not carefully used; such sources include large hydro and some kinds of biomass. Renewable energy is also seen as a perfect example in fighting global warming. These sources of energy do not emit carbon monoxide into the air thus affecting the ozone layer. Further, renewable sources of energy are sustainable; they can be used for several years without being depleted. Renewable sources of energy such as hydro, solar, geothermal, wind, tidal and wave power have got no fuel costs: their production does not depend on the presence of fuel for their production. Their usage can prevent the ever rising prices of energy.The UK and Canada have got the powers to declare an executive economic zone (EEZ).Such a resolu tion means that they are able to establish any organization that will be mandated and concerned with the production of renewable energy. They will also be able to produce renewable energy through the water, current and winds. The UK has got no intention to declare an EEZ, however, the government will consider the move once it receives royal assent from the United Nations. Precedent to this policy is witnessed in the country’s commissioning of an Executive Fishing Zone and another zone for the conservation of the marine environment. These two policies progress the UK’s ability in respect to specific rights, those that exist outside its territorial waters (Roggenkamp and Hammer, 2004). Privileges established in the primary legislation will assist in the creation of boundaries to the production of renewable energy which is expected to operate under the Orders in Council. Regulation for this can be found in the secondary regulation under section 1 (7) of the continental sh elf act 1967 which is concerned with the mapping of the UK’s continental shelf. The government projects that the renewable energy zone will also work in the same way as the UK continental shelf. There are also some limits to these regulations, it is evident that they will challenged by other regulations from other coastal states, for example, at the west coast of Scotland, the limit may extend to over 200 mile limit (Roggenkamp and Hammer, 2004). The UK government has got plans to allocate resources necessary for the development of renewable energy zones, especially in the Crown state. To ensure that the offshore renewable energy installations meet the standards of the UK government, policy makers in the sector will have follow the similar approach followed in the Petroleum Act 1998 (Roggenkamp and Hammer, 2004). This will be achieved through the use of Orders in Council to ensure strict application of the necessary law of England, Wales and Scotland to the approach towards r enewable energy investments and any acts or omissions committed with the range of 500 meters. Further, the government plans to use the protection enjoyed in the Submarine Telegraph act 1885 in the submarine cable responsible for the installation of renewable energy devices, either in the territorial sea or in its internal waters. To this far, the work of the legal team in the provision of regulations within the renewable energy sector will be put to practice by using relevant provisions of the legislation which are already being used in its territorial waters. The government also holds the view that offshore renewable energy and their relation with the integrated transmission network should honor the same quality and safety as the onshore installations. Policy makers therefore plan to extend the legality of the sections 29 and 30 of the electricity act to the renewable energy zone. Further, due to the potentiality of disaster that offshore renewable energy may pose to the airplanes, they plan to also use the civil aviation authority so as to

LITERARY TERMS, CONVENTIONS, & GENRES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

LITERARY TERMS, CONVENTIONS, & GENRES - Essay Example the pens and brushes of the artists present, preserve and draw out the socio-cultural values of their environment in an excellent and elegant mode, which are sure to turn into the intellectual heritage of their society for the future centuries to come. Since it is social and cultural features that provide the raw material to creativity on which the foundations of literature are eloquently erected, so the realities of life give birth to the formation and growth of various forms and genres of literature. In view of the fact that realities are both bitter and sweet ones, the true writers do never hesitate in depicting divergent aspects of society while creating their works. The same can be observed by examining the novels under study including â€Å"Gulliver’s Travels† by Jonathan Swift and â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† by Virginia Woolf. Produced and published during the first half of eighteenth century, Gulliver’s Travels is undoubtedly a wonderful piece of literature created in a superb way by renowned writer and satirist Jonathan Swift. The author has ironically criticized the social injustices and inequalities adopted and observed by the kings, queens, nobility, clergy and courtiers during the Swift’s times by throwing light on the hypocrisy and double standards observed by the elite stratum of society. The novel is based upon the travels the protagonist character i.e. Gulliver made after the wrecking of his ship during his voyage. After the wrecking of the ship Gulliver, a doctor by profession, reaches several strange lands and comes across diverse types of creatures, which are not only absolutely different from the normal humans in size and activities, but are also observe quite eccentric and awkward behavior while interacting with one another. Hence, the novel is full of thrill, action, suspense and amusement, which reveals the outstanding talent and observation of the author on the one hand, and his command over drawing out characters and creating amusements

A New Empirical Model for Predicting the Sound Absorption of Polyfelt Article

A New Empirical Model for Predicting the Sound Absorption of Polyfelt Fibrous Materials for Acoustical Applications - Article Example Empirical models do not require detailed knowledge of the internal structure of the material nor are they derived from theoretical considerations. Delany and Bazley [1] showed that the values of the characteristic acoustic impedance and propagation coefficient for a range of fibrous materials, normalized as a function of frequency divided by flow resistivity could be presented as simple power law functions. Model for Impedance The model is based on numerous impedance tube measurements and is good for determining the bulk acoustic properties at frequencies higher than 250 Hz, but not at low frequencies [2,3]. The validity of this model for lower and higher frequencies was further extended by Bies and Hansen [4].Dunn and Davern [5] calculated new regression coefficients between characteristic acoustic impedance and propagation coefficient for low airflow resistivity values of polyurethane foams and multilayer absorbers. To that effect, engineers can obtain the absorption coefficient of sound at normal incidence by using the equation below: ZR = P0 * C0 (1 + C1 ((P0f)/r)-c2) The final model which comes as a derivative of the first model is Zt = (ZR + iZl)[coth(a + iB) * l] Zt = ZIR + iZIl Qunli [6] later extended this work to cover a wider range of flow resistivity values by considering porous plastic open-cell foams.Miki [7, 8] generalized the empirical models developed by Delany and Bazley for the characteristics acoustic impedance and propagation coefficient of porous materials with respect to the porosity, tortuosity, and the pore shape factor ratio. Moreover, he showed that the real part of surface impedance computed by the Delany’s model converges to negative values at low frequencies. Therefore, he modified the model to give it real positive values even in wider frequency ranges. Other empirical models include those of Allard and Champoux [9]. These models are based on the assumption that the thermal effects are dependent on frequency. The models wor k well for low frequencies. The Voronina model [10] is another simple model that is based on the porosity of a material. This model uses the average pore diameter, frequency and porosity of the material for defining the acoustical characteristics of the material. Voronina [11] further extended the empirical model developed for porous materials with rigid frame and high porosity, and compared it with that of Attenborough's theory. A significant agreement was found between their empirical model and Attenborough's theoretical model. Recently, Gardner et al. [12] implemented a specific empirical model using neural networks for polyurethane foams with easily measured airflow resistivity. The algorithm embedded in the neural networks substitutes the usual power-law relations. The phenomenological models are based on the essential physics of acoustic propagation in a porous medium such as their universal features and how these can be captured in a model [13]. Biot [14] established the theo retical explanation of saturated porous materials as equivalent homogeneous materials. His model is believed to be the most accurate and detailed description till now. Among the significant refinement made to Biot theory, Johnson et al. [15] gave an interpolation formula for â€Å"Dynamic tortuosity† of the medium based on limiting behavior at zero and infinite frequency. The dynamic tortuosity employed by Johnson et al. is equivalent to the structure factor introduced by Zwikker and Kosten [16] and therefore

Recruit staff in own area of responsibility Essay

Recruit staff in own area of responsibility - Essay Example My company recognizes the significance of recruiting right people in order to ensure prompt growth and achievement of goals. The company selects and recruits those candidates who can fit well within the values of the company. The range of positions for which human resource would be recruited is sales consultants, team leaders, duty managers, sales managers and also operational coordinators. There are different goals associated with the recruitment of different profiles, all leading towards a common objective. The sales consultant would be recruited with the objective of handling the core sales activities of products and services and also for managing the daily operations of the stores, while the team leaders would be handling a team of sales consultants and monitor their performance and motivate them (Thornton, 2008). The duty managers will be positioned at the locations like airports so that the stores at the airports can be operated because people travelling to different countries are in need of foreign exchange and obviously are the major customers for the company. The position of sales manager in which I am presently working need to monitor the turnover and revenue targets of the company, control expenses, need to handle managerial operations for a number of stores in specific region. The operation coordinators assist the sales managers and take care of operational excellence and administrative skills. All these employees work in close union with one another in order to run the department of sales in a successful manner because the marketing department has several other positions, which are responsible for handling other core marketing functions (Legge, 1995). 1.2 Gaps between current and required human resources to meet objectives The business model of foreign exchange companies are not designed on the framework of information technology (IT) platforms, which enable them to transfer information and documents faster through electronic form. Since the establ ishment, my company has been dealing with documents in physical form for safety, but with the advent and enormous usage of plastic money and dematerialization of not only securities but documents, my company is also venturing heavily towards it. It has been found that expansion on this new IT enable structure has become easier and cost effective. Up till now the sales force in our company were efficient in selling but had least knowledge in handling sales through electronic medium. However, now we will recruit individuals for sales department who have an average or more than average knowledge in online sales, electronic-documentation, etc. In order to eliminate this present gap, human resource would be recruited (Storey, 2001). The motive is not to recruit staff for the entire department because recruitment cost is higher than training cost for the old employees. Few experts at every level would be recruited, so that an on job training can be conducted. Every team will be consisting of few new as well as old employees, so that a learning environment prevails and the new employees adapt themselves to the work culture faster and the old employees learn to work in the technology integrated infrastructure. This will assist in reducing the gap that is prevailing currently (Cascio, 2003). 1.3 Options for human resource requirements to meet objectiv

Southwest Airlines Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Southwest Airlines - Research Paper Example This airline particularly targeted the bottom-of-the-pyramid market segment by offering no-frills services that resulted in reduced fares. It was claimed to be one of the most low cost carriers as it offered high frequency and short hauls matched with point-to-point service and reasonable fares (Inkpen 5). Unlike its competitors, Southwest did not believe in the hub-and-spoke system as it resulted in congestion and a lot of time wasted in the process of waiting for customers to arrive from other airports. In the words of the company’s Annual report, the company was poised to manage well in good times so as to sustain during bad times (Inkpen 1). Even though the company enjoys a high volume of passenger traffic and high turnover, it has met with various challenges. The most important challenge was the increasing efficiency of legacy carriers in the U.S along with large mergers such as those between Delta and Northwest that was leading to industry consolidation (Inkpen 1). Such consolidations were a threat to companies such as Southwest since the consolidated companies had access to lower operating costs (owing in part due to joint resources) as well as higher prices of tickets which is something Southwest did not focus on. This is reflected in the fact that, according to the financial statements, Southwest possesses the lowest â€Å"average revenue passenger miles† per passenger and has the highest operating margin in the industry (Inkpen 3). However, since passenger yield is high (reflecting high volume of passengers), Southwest has managed to rack up profits in years when others have faced losses. The company also possesses the lowest costs (including unit costs, labor costs and number of employees per aircraft) which add to its source of competitive advantage. However, the company’s ability to offer low fares at low costs has been challenged by smaller airlines such as JetBlue and Allegiant. Furthermore, the acquisition of Air Tran was a big challenge as it would require downsizing, acquiring new fleet as well as moving into non-U.S destinations. One of the major issues faced by the company was the attempts by its competitors to prevent the company from flourishing. Time and again various airlines that were Texas based tried to tilt law in their favor; however, the company succeeded in its legal proceedings. In line with further attempts to outdo its competitors, Southwest offered unmatched low fares such as $59 compared to $310 offered by its competitors (Inkpen 4). Although this was a good thing in one way, it was difficult to position these fares as regular and not introductory fares in the minds of customers. Positioning the brand through such low prices was, therefore, the ultimate challenge. Another issue faced by the company as that of growing and expanding its operations. There was some resistance by employees to this idea which could result in losing markets to rivals. Furthermore, entry into the northeast region did pose threat to the company’s operations due to congestion on airport and high turnaround times at airports. The company might consider using â€Å"drive through airport† models that reduce the number of lanes that the aircraft must pass through. Perhaps the most pressing issue is the Air Tran deal which requires merger of two airlines with different mindsets and operations. There was a difference in the type of fleets used along with Air