Necessary Leadership Alberto Fujimori Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Necessary Leadership Alberto Fujimori - Essay Example When Alberto Fujimori was elected President of Peru in 1990, the country was suffering from massive external debt which could not be paid, uncontrolled hyperinflation, non-existent international reserves, and food shortages (The World Bank, 1997). Basic government services like education, health, and basic infrastructure had been neglected and were eroding away. The government was perceived as weak, and two terrorists groups, Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) and the MRTA (Movimiento Revolucionario Tupac Amaru), were competing for control of the country. Both of these groups had formed alliances with Peruvian drug dealers. Violence and intimidation were common, and law-biding Peruvians were very afraid of what the future might hold for their country and their lives. As one commentator noted, "The intense violence of the 1980s created a content in which many Peruvians were willing to cede citizenship and other rights to an extremely personalistic, authoritarian regime in exchange for or der and stability" (Jo-Marie, 2006 p32). Alberto Fujimori was the "extremely personalistic" and politically unknown candidate that was elected president in 1990. After his election, Fujimori vigorously attacked Peru's economic and crime problems. Even Fujimori's critics conceded that Fujimori's policies brought Peru's hyperinflation under control and got the nation's legal economy moving again (Jo-Marie, 2006).Critics also admit that it was under Fujimori that the leaders of Shining Path and MRTA were captured and the guerilla warfare that had characterized terrorist activity in Peru was virtually eliminated (Jo-Marie, 2006). At the same time, the Fujimori administration increased spending on social programs, built schools, repaired or created new infrastructure, and provided funds for community-based economic development (Jo-Marie, 2006). These were all necessary steps in correcting Peru's economic problems and making it safe from terrorists.Fujimori's actions, however, were severely criticized as an abuse of power by his political opponents and by those who saw his policies as violations of human rights. After being reelected to a third term in 2000 under questionable circumstances, Fujimori went into exile in Japan and eventually resigned as President (Peru's Fujimori Resigns, 2000). Since his resignation, additional charges of corruption, death squads, and other abuses of power have surfaced, leading the current Peruvian government to call for Fujimori's extradition from Japan so he may be tried on criminal charges in Peru (Judge Blocks Fujimori Extradition , 2007). AnalysisLeadership in Challenging Times Any reasonably competent elected official can lead during times of peace and economic prosperity, when the only real duty of government is simply not to do anything that would interfere with economic growth or destabilize the peace. Effective leaders can make the most of these opportunities; ineffective leaders allow circumstances to erode and lose the gains that were made during prosperous times. As noted above, Fujimori came into power at a time when Peru was enjoying neither peace nor economic success. Data from public opinion polls

A historical approach to The Guest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A historical approach to The Guest - Essay Example The story’s rich historical derivation makes it ideal for an examination through the lenses of historical criticism, as such, one can examine the occurrences themes and stylistic and the impacts of the larger historical backdrop both within and without the text. Concisely, the story revolves around three major characters are Daru, Baducci the gendarme and the Arab prisoner. Daru is a schoolteacher stationed in the desert school where the gendarme brings the Arab who has been accused of murder. Daru receives them hospitably and makes them tea in the schoolroom; he unties the prisoner’s hands and makes both of the as comfortable as he could with his limited facilities. That he takes off the ropes binding the prisoner, connotes the shame felt by colonialist for treating their subjects as if they were less than human (Just 904). Daru is told that the French suspect an uprising, he should deliver the prisoner to the town so that the gendarme can return and prepare in case it materializes the schoolteacher however turns down the task of delivering the prisoner. Balducci tells him it is an orderfrom the authorities but Daru insists that he will not comply; he does not stop him from leaving the prisoner there and even signs a document to att est to the fact. Daru accommodates the prisoner for the night, the next morning, despite his insistence that he would not take him to the authorities; he leads him in the direction of the town. Halfway there, he stops at a crossroads and tells him he can choose to deliver himself to the police or he can escape. He gives the prisoner food and money and leaves him to make up his mind. He heads back to the school where ironically, someone has written on the board that he would pay for the delivering â€Å"their brother†. Here, Camus uses dramatic irony to bring out the absurdity of the situation in which Daru finds himself because had Author of the threat known

Managing Change Essay Example for Free

Managing Change Essay An investor should be benefited from the construction project; the benefits include profits, business development, utilization of resources and jobs. The investors will be interested to invest in the project only when there are accurate forecasts that would provide long term benefits. The construction industry is highly uncertain, and there is a possibility of risk. As the risks influence the profits, it is important to anticipate the assumption of risks and be calculated into a feasibility analysis and this would avoid the risks for the benefit of the investor. Firmansyah, 2006). Construction industry has many problematic issues in the United Kingdom and majority of the problems have been the direct consequences of the decisions taken by the professionals of the construction industry, and the financial institutions. Project feasibility study enables optimization to provide the profits. The present study will suggest some changes to be adapted for the feasibility of the construction project. Problem statement Construction industry in the economic downturn has problems from the financial institutions and professionals. This constraint has reduced the profits and the constraints are largely associated with the decisions of the professionals. An effective planning requires the adoption of some changes that make the project feasible in order to get the profits. Zenith is a construction company is losing profits as the projects are not feasible due to the non-adoption of changes in decision making by the professionals and financial institutions. Present study The present study is a project feasibility study that analyses the problems associated with the construction industry and suggest the changes to be adopted by the management of the Zenith construction company for the project to be feasible. Problems and issues of the construction industry in UK House purchase credit facilities Owning a house is becoming increasingly difficult to various sectors in the society due to the lack of funds to invest on commercial development projects. Population size and demographics Population is increasing and also becoming older, and an important aspect is that there is no correlation between the population growth and the households. The growth of the households is disproportionate with the increasing population. Consequently there is also a significant change in the demographics. Density of the population United Kingdom has become one of the densely populated areas of Europe and this creates a lot of pressure that cannot be sustained. This pressure is mostly towards the countryside with limited natural resources. Brownfield development The Government has restricted the construction work on the green fields, and sixty percent of the construction work should be targeted on the brown fields. Environmental impact on buildings There are environmental concerns arising due to the unsustainability emanating from millions of buildings which are existing and the new building that are built every year. The activities of the construction industry such as demolition, maintenance, repair and conversion poses an immediate and long term problems to the environment. However, this has decreased relatively with reference to the construction industry. Brown field development The Government of UK introduced a planning policy that aims at increasing the use of Brown field sites for construction. This policy promotes greening and addresses the public fears on the spreading of the cities to the low density rural lands. There are certain empty lands left by the major manufacturing industries that incurred heavy losses and some areas of the city which require regeneration. The development of these areas may provide some solution at least to some extent to the demand for housing in the commercial market of UK. The target set out by the government to develop new houses was sixty percent by 2008, however, in the policy the term PPS3 means vacant lands and the lands which are in use and have potential for development. The percentage of the new homes built on the brown fields increased from 53 to 56 percent in ten years. If the refurbishments works included in the policy are considered there is an increase of 3 percent and it is not a difficult task to achieve. Some commentators argue that the target for brown field can be raised to 100 percent by taking up the development in north and mid lands. Another viable alternative includes the utilizing the existing lands and buildings, as the construction of new buildings is expensive. The forecast is that there may be a still more shortage of financial resources in future. Population density A high level of density placed a heavy pressure on the country side for its natural resources. Pressure has increased on utilization of the green belt and other open areas for housing to meet the demands in the commercial markets. There is a decrease in the percentage of green and pleasant land, as there is a 5 percent increase in the construction of home in the rural areas. (Department for Environment and Rural Affairs. 2000) The situation can be improved if the existing buildings are used in an efficient way. Feasibility study The feasibility studies for any project are aimed at knowing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the business environment. The study is also carried out for knowing about the required resources, and the possibility of success. Feasibility study assesses the cost of project and the value attained from those costs and a good feasibility study provides a historical background of the product, accounts, operations and management, financial data, legal requirements and tax structures. (Justis,et,al, 1979). Five common factors of feasibility study Technology and system feasibility The aim of carrying out the technological feasibility study is to find out the technological capabilities of the company in terms of hard ware, software, expertise, and personnel to handle the project up to its completion. Economic feasibility The effectiveness of the new system is evaluated with economic analysis, and the expected benefits and savings are compared with the costs. The cost factors include the development costs and the operating costs and the analysis of these factors determines the deliverable benefits from the system. The economic analysis also considers a time based study to know about the time required to get returns from the investment. Legal feasibility The data processing system should comply with the local data protection act. Operational feasibility Operation feasibility determines the capability of the system to solve the problems. Schedule feasibility This measures how well reasonable the project time table is, and determines whether the deadlines are mandatory or desired. Adaptation With the problems and issues associated with the construction of households, it is proposed to alter or adjust the structure in an environment to suit the new conditions that includes alterations, extensions, improvement, and other works. The three main forms of adaptations include conversion, extension and refurbishment. In addition to this, alteration, conservation, modernization and maintenance also comprise adaptation. A lot of benefits are associated with the adaptation of the existing building instead of demolishing it and constructing a new building after clearing the site this is refurbishment. (Douglas,2002). Technical and operational feasibility A lot of factors favor refurbishment that include the †¢ social factors : that conserve energy and resources, and preserve the historic monuments that avoids a social resistance to this change economic factors: shorter construction periods, keeping the business running, condition of the building, constraints in planning, insufficient funds, necessity to upgrade the structure, high land values, uncertainties such as long term value, loss of investment and constraints in development. (Kwayke, 1994) Economic feasibility Cost control was a problem followed by a variation and pricing of tenders, however, control of the dust and noise occupied the top position of the problem issues. (Egbu,1996). For the feasibility study of a refurbishment work it is important to allot sufficient time in the early stages of the project, in such a way that the design, procurement, and construction can be based on the findings of the feasibility studies. Most of the studies suggest that there are more benefits associated with the adaptation. The benefits are increase in the speed of construction, and when the time for the feasibility study for refurbishment is considered, it is 50 percent less than the time required for a fresh new construction. Adaptation projects have fewer chances for delay particularly from weather. When the refurbishment work begins, there will be external envelopes and the roof covering, and with the case of new construction time is required for demolition, removal of the resulting waste, and for the delivery of the new materials. There will be least disruption in the buildings of the neighbors, and cost to refill is reduced. Delay due to the delivery of material would be very less as most of the required materials already exist. With a thorough feasibility study, it is possible to control the costs with an effective forecasting. The duration of the project will be less; consequently the borrowings and the loss of earnings will be less. There will no problem for the savings for the site security, and the other costs associated with the site establishment and running costs. Other important issue to be considered for the feasibility for refurbishment includes least impact on the environment. The movement of vehicles will be less, least amount of materials that go to the landfill, reduction in the use of new materials and the energy as well as costs associated with it. In addition to this there will be preservation of the heritage as some people argue that some of the architectural features are better than the new erections. Change programme of the company Taking the advantages of adaptation into consideration, the company can take adaptation either as refurbishment, conversion, or alteration in order to make the project feasible. Considering the requirements of the client The surveyor should be in a position to advise the client on the viable alternatives to the new construction, and be able to present them. The total costs for a building project will include the cost of the land, cost of acquiring and preparing the site, cost of demolition and physical preparation, cost of building, professional fees for the whole project, cost of disposal, and the cost of financing. (Ferry and Brandon, 1984). Defining the problem After the details of the problem are clarified, the scope of the decision can be defined. The decision maker should focus the attention on the major aspects of the decision. The decision should be based on the financial situation of the client and a considerable amount of time should be allotted to this activity. Setting the objectives After knowing about the requirements of the client, it is important to consider what is hoped to achieve the decision and the aims to work. The client decision making should be directed towards specific objectives to be achieved within the allotted time and cost parameters. Determining the options This is a creative process, and it is the process of generating the alternatives, that would satisfy the requirements of the client. The thoughts should be focused on producing viable and suitable options, and for this the client, and in the present study adaptation is the viable and suitable option. Deployment phase It is the responsibility of the surveyor to develop an appropriate strategy for deployment. Developing a contingency plan is also required. Control phase The control is exercised upon the feedback of the information from the actual performance when compared with the predetermined plan. (Watson,2009) Feed forward phase This phase involves the critical analysis of the entire decision making activity, and this phase actually involves taking the experience obtained from the previous projects. (Cook and Slack,1984). The key issues to be addressed for building adaptation Suitability of the building †¢ structure of the building †¢ condition of the building †¢ aesthetics †¢ Project brief †¢ sustainability †¢ legal issues †¢ change of use Conclusions Adaptation process can solve the problems and issues of household and commercial building of UK and it is also important to consider the environmental issues while taking a decision on the feasi bility of the construction work. When decision on construction is considered it is important to take decisions on costs and environmental issues. The due consideration should also be given to initial costs and future running costs. These factors should be incorporated into the decision making model. In the present study the project would be feasible when it is refurbished given the advantages associated with the adaptation rather than reconstruction. When all of the above facts are taken into consideration the project is feasible in deriving the profits and good will to the company for its sustainability. Decision making model [pic] References 1. Cook, S. and Slack, N. (1984) Making Management Decisions, Prentice-Hall International Inc, London, UK, ISBN 0-13-547837-5. 2. Douglas, J. 2002) Building Adaptation, Butterworth Heineman, Oxford, ISBN 0-7506-5085-0. 3. Department for Environment and Rural Affairs. (2000) Countryside Survey — Accounting for Nature: Assessing Habitats in the UK Countryside [online], Retrieved from : http://www. defra. gov. uk/wildlife-countryside/cs2000/02/01. htm Accessed February 2007. 4. Egbu, C. (1996) Characteristics and Difficulties Associated with Refurbishment. Constructio n Papers No. 66, CIOB, Ascot. 5. Ferry, D. J. and Brandon, P. S. (1984) Cost Planning of Buildings, BSP Professional Books, London, UK, ISBN 0-632-02403-8 . Firmansyah . A,B et. al(2006) Risk analysis in feasibility study of building construction project: case study -Pt. Perusahaan Gas Negara Indonesia. The Tenth East Asia-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction August 3-5, 2006, Bangkok, Thailand Retrieved from http://eprints. qut. edu. au/6551/1/Trigunarsyah_EASEC_10_5. pdf 7. Department for Environment and Rural Affairs. (2000) Countryside Survey — Accounting for Nature: Assessing Habitats in the UK Countryside [online], Retrieved from : http://www. efra. gov. uk/wildlife-countryside/cs2000/02/01. htm Accessed February 2007. 8. Justis, R. T. Kreigsmann, B. (1979). The feasibility study as a tool for venture analysis. Business Journal 9. National Statistics Online. (2005) Population — UK Population Grows to 59. 6 million [online], Retrieved fro m : http://www. statistics. gov. uk/cci/nugget. asp? id=760 Accessed February 2007. 10. Paul Watson (2009) The key issues when choosing adaptation of an existing building over new build Journal of Building Appraisal (2009) 4, 215–223

Business Analysis of British Airways (BA)

Business Analysis of British Airways (BA) British Airways plc provides air services operations both at international and domestic level. Its major business is commercial flight. It also caters to various services like cargo freight, mail services and other auxiliary services all over the world. Mainly it runs its business in United States and Europe. It is situated in Harmondsworth, Middlesex, employing 42,755 people all over. It is emerging to be competitive and sustain its integrity as the best airlines which stress superior customer service. It has 300 destinations throughout the world; this extent of operations offers customers with world-class services at various destinations. Its customers range from explorers to executive. The aim of this report is to enable readers to comprehend strategic review and analysis of British Airways by explaining: History of British Airways Current strategic situation Potential Strategic options Recommended strategic direction with rationale Identification of critical success factors Performance measurement criteria The procedure used to compile this report is mainly extensive reading of various text books on corporate strategy, online journal articles and company’s website. All the information, surveys and experimentations included are taken through proper referencing from standard sources. II. Main Body 1. History of British Airways British Airways which originated as Aircraft Transport and Travel started its maiden daily international scheduled air services between London and Paris after World War 1. In 1939, UK government merged British Airways and Imperial Airways to form British Overseas Airways, which became a state owned company. BOAC’s main operation was long haul services and British European Airways was established to serve continental European and domestic market. Both BOAC and BEA expanded their business geographically over a period of time and BOAC started its flights to New York (1946), Japan (1948), Chicago (1954) and west coast of the US (1957). At the same time BEA expanded its network to Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester. In 1970, BEA started its charter airline services, BEA air tours. BAOC and BEA were merged together in 1972 under British Airways Board and in 1974 British Airways was formed. In 1976, British Airways started its first supersonic passenger service jointly with Air France. British Airways was privatised in 1987 and was merged with British Caledonian. In 2002, British Airways CitiExpress was formed by merging British Regional Airlines and Brymon Airways which were wholly owned subsidiaries. Other two wholly owned subsidiaries of British Airways, British Airways Regional and Manx Airlines were also merged with British Airways CitiExpress making it a single entirely owned regional subsidiary airline. In 2003, British Airways sold Dba, its German subsidiary to a German based low cost airline Verwaltungsgesellschaft. Same year British Airways Holidays introduced its first program after re-integrating with British Airways. In 2004, to clear their debt, British Airways sold their 18.6% of stake in Australian airline Qantas for  £1.1billion and also sold their London Eye to Tussauds  £95 million. In 2006, British Airways CitiExpress was renamed as BA Connect and the same year, they sold 14.6% stake in an Indian based business services Provider VVNS Holdings. British Airways also sold its Travel Clinic business to MASTA (Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad). Meanwhile British Airways came to an agreement with Maley Hungarian Airlines for code sharing on each other’s flights. They also started a flight from London to Calgary, Canada. At the same time they acquired American Airline’s Stake in Iberia Airlines. In 2007, British Airways started flights from London to New quay in UK and also they announced their intention of their investment in 777-200 ERs which were scheduled for delivery in 2009.In 2006 they also sold their regional operations of BA connect to an European regional airlines Flybe. At the same time, British Airways launched its new subsidiary, BA CityFlyer in Lodon city Airport. BA CityFlyer was expected to operate 250 flights a week from the Docklands airport to six UK and European destinations. In May 2007, British Airways placed an order for eight airbus A320 family aircraft which were scheduled to be delivered between 2008 and 2010. Same month they announced their decision to replace 14 oldest Boeing 737’s with Airbus A319 aircraft, but they were also de-listed from New York Stock Exchange in the same month. British Airways launched their services from Paris and Brussels to New York in January 2008 and in April, 2008 from London to New York. Each week British Airways operated 62 flights from Gatwick and 55 flights from Heathrow. To make best of EU-US Aviation agreement, that allowed carriers to fly between any destinations in the EU and US, British Airways started their first commercial flight inJune 2008 from Paris to New York under a new subsidiary airline â€Å"OpenSkies† In July 2008, British Airways bought L’Avion, a French airline, which expected to be integrated with OpenSkies by early 2009. In the same month British Airways and Iberia, a Spain based airline group held talks for the merger of two companies. 2. Current strategic situation 2.1 Internal analysis British Airways deals with the operations of domestic and international scheduled air services for freight and mail, carrying passengers and various supplementary services. The company mainly function in the America and Europe. Company’s operations are also spread across Australia, Middle East, East Asia, India and Africa. Its head office is located in Harmondsworth, Middlesex. As on March 31, 2008 it employed 42,377 people. British airways had 245 aircraft in service at the end of March 2008 in comparison to 242 in March 2007. During the financial year ended March 2008,  £8,753 million (approximately $17,572.3 million) revenue was recorded which was 3.1% increase over 2007,  £8,75 million (approximately $1,756.6 million) was the operating profit which was 57.4% increase over 2007,  £680 million (approximately $1,365.2 million) was the net profit in comparison to  £290 million (approximately $582 million) net profit in 2007. Airlines business and Non-Airlines business are the two segments in which the company has divided its business. Cargo operations, main scheduled passengers and revenue from ancillary services comprises airlines business. In addition to scheduled services, chartered services are also provided by company’s passenger transportation services at both domestic and international level. It’s among the largest scheduled international passenger airlines in the world with airline route network of 300 destinations. More than 33 million passengers travelled through British Airways in FY2008. BA Connect is a wholly owned subsidiary of British airways which operates on regional (UK) routes. Heathrow International Airport is the company’s principal base, where it carries 41% (approx) of airport passengers. Gatwick, London is its second base of operations. It maintains hangers, operates offices and other support services at Gatwick, Heathrow and other UK airports. Space and desks under lease or license is also occupied by the company throughout the UK including Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham. During the financial year ended March 31, 2008, 805,000 tons of cargo was carried by its cargo transportation services to destinations in the America, Europe and other parts of the world. Passenger aircrafts carries the majority of cargo, while the remaining is carried on part-chartered freighter aircraft or leased. A range of services to other air lines is also provided by British Airways like airframe maintenance, consultancy services, cargo handling and computer and communication services. Non-airline businesses comprise mainly Airmiles Travel Promotions (the UKs famous travel loyalty scheme provider) and BA Holidays (company’s subsidiary which offers sightseeing, transfer options, hotels and cars across 250 destinations over the world). 2.2 External Analysis We will briefly analyse the external analysis of British Airways based on â€Å"Porters five forces analysis† and PESTEL analysis. 2.2.0 Porter’s five forces analysis :http://www.themanager.org/Models/p5f.htm Competitor’s rivalry within the industry High. Rivalry is high due to power of buyers and threats of substitutes. It’s the only force which determines industry attractiveness. They compete with other airlines on the same city-pair routes, from charter services, from other modes of transport and from charter services. Virgin Atlantic, easy jet and other European airlines are in tough competition with British Airways as there is a free market for domestic flights operating in the whole of Europe. These airlines are free to decide the fares and operate on any route. There is competition not only in the air but also on ground as well, for instance a 17% decrease in rail journey times between London and Manchester in 2004 and 2007 led to 20% growth in the train’s share in total market. British airways introduced a corporate responsibility centre stage that helps the company to stand out from the other competitors. Threats of new entrants Low. Competitor’s mergers and acquisitions also have the potential to effect their revenue and market position. Very high cost is required by new entrants to start. British Airways have invested a huge amount on infrastructure, computers and online services. Therefore initial investment required to start up this business is very high. Further, its brand name and strong market position reduces the threat of new entrants. Bargaining power of suppliers High. Main suppliers of airline industry are for fuel, in-flight services and aircraft. The cost of changing suppliers proves very high in airlines business. The suppliers generally have a powerful brand in Airlines industry. For instance, like British Airways have Boeing and Airbus aircrafts, therefore they need to avail the services and maintenance of aircrafts from them. Bargaining power of buyers High. British Airways customers do don’t have any control over the prices or they lack bargaining power. However, they are very powerful as very high competition prevails in the airlines market. Their top competitors include Ryanair Holdings plc, Ryanair, Air France KLM, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Lufthansa etc and many times these airlines provide competitive offers to the customers with very low prices. Threat of substitutes Medium. The airlines industry has suffered a high loss of customer confidence after September 11, 2001 disaster in New York. There is no direct replacement available for airlines for long/overseas journeys. Coaches, Trains or ship/ferries can be used for short journeys. Rapid development of technology can be an indirect substitute of air transportation. According to International AirTransport Authority, Corporate Air Travel Survey 2002, for last 12 months â€Å"no frills/low cost† airlines were used by 1/3 of all business travellers basically for cost benefit. Further, video conferencing was used by 37% to save money and travel time. PESTEL The beginning of the new millennium has made the airlines industry witness the most difficult time it has ever faced. Political instability and unprecedented crisis have resulted from terrorist attacks in September 11, 2001 in New York and July 7, 2005 in London together with wars in Iraq. These incidents resulted in new security regulations from the US and EU and customer travelling confidence have also reduced. Economic factors are of vital importance. Fourth quarter of 2008 showed a 2.0% lower GDP than fourth quarter of 2007. This is mainly due to the recent credit crises and thereby economic slowdown. Company showed an operating profit of  £89 million as on 31st December’2008, which is 88% down compared to 2007. Further,  £70 million was the loss before tax for the same period and fuel cost went up by 48.4% to  £2,244 million. It is mainly due to economic weakness and fall in the value of sterling. Impacts of social factors vary from country to country. Size of potential market and customer’s needs are affected by them. Demographic changes have led to the growth of â€Å"grey† market which is incurring more expenses on travelling and leisure. Tastes, fashions and lifestyle are also changing. So as to maximize its capability to operate and plan in a most effective scheduling and routes possible, British airways is using route planning software. Use of standard technology will minimize cost and provide quality service to freight customers and passengers. (Gomm, 2005). Technology also enables to reduce the personal costs like automated check-in processes and e-ticketing and thereby enables the airlines to offer standard services with less human resource. BA is the first airline to introduce a unique technological system called â€Å"Microwave Landing Technology†, which increases the rate of safe landing during low visibility by 20%. Power of Trade Union is an important legal factor affecting British Airways. British Airways is aware of the consequences caused by Trade Unions (August 2004 and August 2005 strike actions). Factors which British Airways must consider are legal regulations on customer rights, employee rights and rise in ecological and environmental issues. 2.3 SWOT British Airways which has strong international operations network with 300 destinations across the world has its own strengths and weaknesses. Here is the SWOT analysis which helps to understand their business scenario better. Positive Negative INTERNAl Strengths Weakness Strong geographical presence at international level High employee productivity High Service Quality Large Airport Presence Strong operating performance first-rate new fleet of aircrafts Use of High end technology Competitive and quality customer service Bad performance at key markets in terms of revenue growth High Debt of the company Highly Dependent on Fuel Lack of effective marketing strategyEXTERNAlOpportunityThreats Growing global tourism industry and an increase in international travellers Growing air cargo industry EU-US aviation agreement Buracratic systems and management poor decision making Drastic change in technology and customer behaviour Intense competition from low cost airlines Increase in fuel cost Economic slowdown due to credit crunch 2.4. Current strategy â€Å"One Destination seeks to ensure our customers fly confident that, together, we are acting responsibly to take care of the world we live in.† is the vision of British Airways. Their corporate responsibility vision is to become the world’s most responsible airline and they have developed guiding principles describing what they are doing to achieve this goal. Leading the industry towards finding innovative solution is their determination. They plan to continually review how they fly, what they fly and what they buy to become the most responsible and efficient airlines in the world. The British Airways has developed a strategy where their main concern is to establish themselves in Terminal 5 and also acquire new aircrafts depending upon their financial performance by March 2010. They have adopted an approach to truly deliver this vision, uniting all areas of the organisation, divided into 4 major pillars:EnvironmentThey aim to minimise their impact on the environment, including their contribution to air quality, waste, climate change and noise. British Airways was the first airline to report its environmental performance in 1992 since they recognise the impact they have on our planet while delivering socially and economically vital service of air transport. So as to become the world’s most responsible airline, their environment strategy aims to minimise and manage the environmental impacts. Main focus: How they fly Efficient operation to minimise their impact on environment. What they fly Adopting recent technology including alternative fuels, airframes andengines to minimise their impact. What they buy Using economic tools like emissions trading for fully reflecting the cost oftheir environmental impact. Goals across these areas are: By 2010 landfill by zero waste in the UK. By 2025 they aim to improve the carbon efficiency by 25% reducing the carbon dioxidefrom 111 to 83 grammes per passenger per kilometre. By 2015* average noise per flight to reduce by 15%†¢By 2050 their net CO2 emissions to reduce by 50%*measured as the network average quota count (QC) for combined landing and take-off cycle. Comprehensive plan developed to achieve the Goals†¢Climate change British Airways overall strategy is to ensure maximum contributionto their share of global carbon dioxide emission reductions by 2050†¢Waste Focus on recycling, reducing, reusing and responsible waste disposal. Noise Their impact on the local communities nearby airport to be reduced. Air quality Air quality for communities nearby airport to be improved. Community Providing support to local communities in the country where British Airways operate is the main belief of the company. Conservation projects, small individual programmes, 120 international communities and various charities were helped by BA’s support. London Benchmarking Group reported British Airways direct and in-kind donations of  £5.7m last year. British Airways offer variety of support like cargo space, funding, fund raising events, merchandise, free flights and excess baggage. Their main concerns for support are Sustainable Tourism and Heritage, Education and Youth Development, Environment and Supporting employees. Marketplace British Airways suppliers and customers are involved in one destination in their marketplace pillar, to facilitate building up more sustainable business and to persuade dedication to corporate responsibility. Issue covered by their marketplace pillar comprises: How they fly Reliable customer What they buy Responsible procurement What they fly Sustainable products and services Goals across these areas are: 10% of customers to be encouraged to counterbalance their carbon on ba.com by 2012. By 2012 100% of their strategic suppliers to be audited for ethical practices. Corporate responsibility to be used as a decision criteria by 75% of corporate customersby 2010. Workplace British Airways aim to provide a work environment that engages, develops, motivates and support their colleagues. Encouraging employees to be committed to Corporate Responsibility is the main aim of British Airways workplace As employees plays a vital role in making up the airline and they need them onboard One destination. This commitment is not only going to help them deliver a great place to work, rather it will also ensure quality customer service in the industry. Issues covered by their workplace pillar comprise: How they fly Responsible colleague What they buy Tools to do the job What they fly Invest in people Our goals across these areas are: Every year British Airways 50% employees donate money to charity through ‘Pay Roll Giving’. Every year British Airways 50% employees donate time to communities and charities. 75% of employees committed to delivering our corporate responsibility goals by 2010 British Airways have recognized performance objectives to evaluate their development in each of these four sections. British Airways aim to deliver its corporate responsibility strategy by a programme plan developed including over 80 programme level activities and hundreds individual projects. Business Plan BP10Bring Terminal 5 aliveIn order to improve the operational performance and enhance customer experience British Airways main concern is successful delivery of terminal 5 at Heathrow base. Terminal 5 denote their sole biggest challenge and change. British Airways â€Å"Fit for 5† programme was set to be accomplished in the 1st year, which involved essential agreement modification and implementation on highly superior work performance all over the Heathrow terminals. BA Basics and Brilliance The British Airways board aims to offer â€Å"Brilliance† in its activities and deliver the â€Å"BA Basics† constantly. Business Plan 10 (BP10) primarily focuses on baggage performance and punctuality with additional plans to recover â€Å"BA Basics† in various areas for the long term. British Airways aims to offer â€Å"Brilliance† to their customers in numerous vital areas such as their customer services, Terminal 5, ba.com, their premium customer experience and their network and schedule from London. Competitive cost base Main priority of BP 10 is cost control; they expect savings from various areas of business too. The need to decrease considerable deficit position and resolution of pension’s problem is predominantly acknowledged in BP10. It’s quite difficult for them to achieve a competitive cost base if they are to accomplish their growth and investment plans. Invest in growth In the first year of the plan they campaign to commence a competition for the new long haul aircraft, if the pension’s deficit satisfactorily resolves. In order to meet their explicit growth plans they intended to secure first of these aircrafts in 2009, whilst the replacement of fleet will be started by 2011 with the second batch. The strategic significance of the operations in London and Gatwick airport is recognized in BP10. The key to British Airways network development programme from London airport is the operations maintenance of BA Connect’s London city, as part of British Airways regional business sale to Flybe. BP10 enablers The vital aspect behind implementation of BP10 is constant engagement and participation of British Airways’ people. A major segment of British Airways broader communication strategy was local face-to-face communication as it was accepted to be the most effectual engagement. The second major possibility for change in the business remained IT. British Airways investment plans in this sector comprised constant advancements in the functionality and usability of ba.com, Terminal 5, encouraging a variety of departmental change programmes and automating corporate processes plus simplifying services by use of employee self service. 3. Potential Strategic options After going through BA’s vision, goal and their current strategy, we are of the opinion that BA’s current strategy is very competitive and will definitely help British Airways to achieve their goals. In addition to the above strategy, we also have identified few more potential strategic options which could be helpful for BA’s further growth. The accessibility to enormous products and services creates an opportunity to exploit them appropriately. Making the most of global variations and technological trends serves as a potential opportunity to work with. The potential strategic options which British Airways could utilize for further development of business could be Virtual reality, which may serve as an innovative simulation, share expertise and attaining network software. Some of the potential strategic options for British Airways are discussed below:Global tourismThere are many factors which have a very strong influence on the airline industry and one of them is trends in global tourism industry. As per the World Tourism Organization survey, approximately 898 million international tourists travelled globally in 2007 which is 6% higher than the previous year (846 million- 2006). As per the Tourism Satellite Account research which is done by World Travel and Tourism council, it is been predicted that world travel and tourism will grow at an average rate of 4.3% per annum for the period of 2008-2017 and will generate $13 trillion for that period. Rising Air Cargo Industry There is a tremendous growth in the Air Cargo market and the volume of the business is doubling in every 10 years time. As per the International Civil Aviation Organization, the cargo business is expected to grow at an average rate of 6.5% per annum in next 20 years. Approximately 22.17 million tons of freight was carried throughout the world and it is expected to grow up to 60million in 2017. In 2008, BA transported 805000 tons of goods and these numbers will increase tremendously in coming years due to its operations presence in most part of the world and will be benefited by the growing trend in cargo market. Open Skies Agreement Open Skies aviation agreement between EU and US is an air transport agreement, which allows airlines of both EU and US to fly between any points among EU, US and non EU countries like Switzerland. This is the replacement for the previous agreement made between US and each European country. To take advantage of this agreement, British Airways started new subsidiary airlines â€Å"OpenSkies† and for the first time it started to fly direct flights from continental Europe to the US. The first flight of open skies was on June 2008, from Paris to New York. The new agreement has enabled British Airways to increase its operations in the key regions. Several Strategic options can also be identified with the help of the Ansoff Matrix analysis discussed below. Ansoff Matrix Market Penetration Market penetration strategy involves consolidating and protecting/building the existing product/services in the existing market. It occurs when a company with its existing product penetrates a market. This strategy starts with the existing customers of the organization. This strategy can be used to increase sales without losing focus on their existing product/services. British Airways can penetrate in the market through their joint business agreement with Iberia and American airways thereby gaining competitors customers, by upgrading the quality of their services and also increasing the frequency of the flights in the existing market. It is comparatively cheaper to retain existing customers than finding new ones. Product Development Product development strategy emphasises on building a new product with existing and new capabilities beyond current expectations in the existing market. In the present scenario of economic downturn, it is quite difficult to introduce new product considering the cost involved in developing new product and it is risky to predict customer reaction too. British airways have already invested a huge amount in setting up its infrastructure especially in Terminal 5. They should rather emphasise on maintaining and upgrading the quality of present services. Market Development Market development strategy focuses on finding new segments, territories, new uses of existing market with existing product/services. British Airways may go for new market development considering the current strategic situation of the market. However, as the company already operates in more than 300 destinations therefore we would recommend them to concentrate on maintaining the quality of services at the existing markets thereby further build up its position. Diversification Diversification concentrates on developing a new product in new market with existing and new capabilities beyond current expectations. Since British Airways have numerous services operating almost all over the world, it would involve high degree of uncertainty and financial risk to go for diversification. Mergers and acquisitions could be an important alternative for further growth. However the current financial situation of British Airways does not allow the same as they have already invested a huge amount on its current projects and it might prove to be difficult and risky too. Although British Airways may consider this decision once the company’s position is strengthened and there is potential for growth and acquisition in the market. It may be a useful strategy in order to attain fast market growth. Thus the strategy which we would advise British Airways is to concentrate on existing market and existing services and accomplishing its ongoing investment project. So as to achieve further growth in the market British Airways should make the best possible use of its investment projects and strengthen its brand name by providing new offers to the current customers and appealing to new niche market. 4. Recommended strategic direction with rationale After discussing the current strategy and potential strategic options for British Airways, we would like to further recommend the following strategic directions:Develop opportunitiesBritish Airways should try to continue their business tie-ups in the new market once they regain their financial stability. Though BA’s talks on merger with Quantas Airways Limited failed, they need to strengthen their existing joint business with Quantas to have a good hold on the Australian market. They need to concentrate on Asian and Middle East market which has a high potential for growth. Distributing the risk British Airways should concentrate on their Cargo industry which has got a great potential. They should also try to reach more markets through code sharing with other airlines which is a cost effective option. Manipulating strengths British Airways have got a very strong base in Heathrow Airport, UK. BA’s Terminal 5 presence will help them to maintain high standard of service as it will enable them to handle increased volumes of customers and baggage. Upgrading Customer experience They should focus on providing better facilities like T5 lounge, which provides premium customers better comfort and luxury like a private members club. They should strengthen their customer base by constantly upgrading their flight schedules, offering better competitive packages for customers and being competitive with the facilities provided on board so as to attract more customers and thereby creating an opportunity for increasing revenue. Controlling cost of expansion plan British Airways has been moderately successful by following its effective strategies. Currently, we would advise BA to control its expenditure on buying new fleets and expanding to new destinations. They also need to reduce the cost of high aircraft utilization so as to minimize environmental risks. Services British Airways needs to concentrate on providing value for money to the customers. There is an intense competition in the market from Virgin Airlines, Singapore Air, KLM, Quantas and Emirates who also fly in the same route. They might lose their customers if they do not provide something unique from their competitors. These days the number of low cost airlines is increasing through out the world in both domestic and international market. Hence, cost effective and better services should be provided. Passenger friendly airports It is of extreme importance for passengers to feel that their purchasing needs are met. British Airways should aim to establish an image of a major international hub with standard facilities.

Louis XIV Essay -- France French King Louis XIV Essays

Louis XIV After being ruled by a prime minister for so long, France needed some changes. That is exactly what Louis the XIV would bring to France. In an age of separation, Louis wanted to start a unification process. He started this by giving himself sole power and also only having one religion for the country. The king is always the center of attention good or bad. Louis was prepared to take the good with the bad, and handled it well. He emphasized the king as the center of attention. While some see him as egotistical and greedy, Louis was one king who knew how to make improvements. At four years and eight months, Louis XIV became King. His mother, Anne of Austria, ruled until he could take the throne, but it wasn’t until Louis came to power that France began making improvements. Louis made some powerful moves during his reign; one of them was to nullify the Edict of Nantes. He did this to re-establish Catholicism in France (Europe). While there was opposition, the decision went over well because most of France was catholic at the time. Louis also ruled as an absolute monarch (no prime minister), which has not been done for a while. This was a big step because he was taking all of the power and giving it to himself. Also under King Louis’ rule industry and commerce flourished. This came with the help of his counselors. It was at this time that art and literature began to flourish as well. During this period literature and art were made to flatter the King, which is another reason Louis encouraged them. Overall, art, literatur e, war and statesmanship ranked highest when Louis was in power. It can be argued that Louis was not good for France because of his spending... ...o be treated as such. This was a good analogy for the time. Kings are the center of the kingdom and, by making the court respect that Louis made them realize that the king needs respect. It is a good idea because then the king does get the respect that he deserves. Louis the XIV had a commanding presence and used it wisely. In a time of great separation Louis began to try unifying France. While he did have a few faults, his positive change helped France more than any other king could have at that time. Those who feel his few faults are enough to call him a bad king are dwelling on such minor issues and should look at his overall influence on the country. Under his rule, France ranked highest among art, literature, war and statesmanship. Louis XIV had plenty of skill, which is why he was able to bring such great qualities all at once to France.

Elizabethan Society Exposed in King Lear Essay -- King Lear Essays

Blood gushing from stabbed eyes. Sipping poison slipped by one’s very own sister. Fathers turning against their sons. Such are the horrid outcomes of the characters in King Lear. Shakespeare has written one of the greatest tragedies of all time with this play and from the very start, has provided no cushion of happiness for his viewers. They are immediately thrust into a world of turmoil-Lear’s favorite daughter is banished by him, Gloucester is deceived by his younger son, Lear is sent into a storm by his ungrateful heirs†¦and the list goes on. Yet, what is it that causes these wretched consequences? Is it because there are many diabolical personalities in the play? Many mistakes made by fathers in disbelieving their trustworthy children? No. The answer is that society is ultimately responsible for the end results of the play. The world of King Lear demonstrates for the audience, by illustrating with its various characters and their doings that a s ociety built around a social hierarchy and material wealth will always be a place of unhappiness, filled with people committing wicked actions. Shakespeare scribbled King Lear away between the years 1603 and 1606. This was a tumultuous time because Queen Elizabeth I had died but had left no heir and no husband to seize her monarchy. Therefore, the citizens were worried and the competition for her regency was strong. In writing the play, Shakespeare broached this uneasy topic by creating the character King Lear, who is unsure of whom to pass down his power too. Thus, Shakespeare builds a setting with many of the current concerns and problems of his Elizabethan world (yet they are approached in a disguised manner). This time period in England was one where... ...me blind while if the sisters had never stolen their father’s trust, he would never have gone crazy, Goneril would never have poisoned Regan and committed suicide and Cordelia would not have died. Thus, the tragic parts in the tragedy would not exist just as a world without the unhappiness would be happy. Works Cited â€Å"King Lear: Background on Shakespeare.† PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. . Signet Classic Edition Teacher’s Guide. Hern, Leigh Ann; Ellis, W. Gieger; Reed, Aretha J. S. (co-eds.), Penguin. Web Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Tragedy of King Lear. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009. Print. â€Å"The Stucture of Elizabethan Society.† Walter Nelson. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. .

Concept Developed Within Classical Sociology

Choose any one concept or argument developed within classical sociology. Critically evaluate the use of this concept or argument by contemporary sociology in trying to understand a current social issue. In my essay I am going to discuss the current economic upheaval, its impact on modern society and how Marx and his theory of alienation are still relevant today. The topics covered will include classical Marxist sociological thought and modern concepts with regard to the current economic situation, for example, Industrial Action, job insecurity and the erosion of the welfare state. I will argue that people in society today, whether they are private or public sector workers or those claiming welfare are still exploited and alienated by capitalism just as they were in Marx’s day. Marx saw alienation as a process in which humanity is turned into a stranger in a world created by labour (Classical Social Theory, Craib 1997) by this he meant that the worker became a commodity and part of a production line, losing themselves and their identities to the means of production. The shift away from the freedom of human interaction through to the way in which society and social relations impose themselves upon is summed up (at least as far as capitalism is concerned) in the theory of alienation. ’ (Classical Social Theory, Craib 1997). Marx was convinced that the division of labour was the reason that man was alienated from his labour. He saw the proletariat exploited for his labour by the bourgeoisie who owned the means of production. Marx defined labour as â€Å"mans self confirming essence† and noted that capitalism had transformed human labour into an object, an external thing. Classical Social Theory, Craib 1997). It is important to understand Marx’s theory of alienation as I will be discussing its relevance in today’s society and the impact of this theory when applied to modern society. Employers only employ workers if they possess skills that are of a use value to them. In essence there is no point in employing someone who produces work of a value that is less than what they are to be paid. This is the exchange value of the workers labour power. The difference between the endeavours of the worker and the pay supplied by the employer is the surplus value, which is the profit that the empl oyer retains. This is Marx’s definition of exploitation that exists within the wage-labour relationship. In simple terms the worker is working for a wage to sustain them but also to ensure the employer gains a profit. The contrast between the two will always favour the employer not the worker. It is not that the employer overtly seeks to exploit the worker; it is in Marx’s eyes a natural consequence of capitalism. The employer pays the worker not out of the goodness of their heart but as a means of increasing their own wealth. Marx therefore perceived capitalism as being in a state of constant crisis. It is the existence of this exploitation that for Marx causes the crisis to occur. If as a worker I produce ?10,000 of goods in a month (value of labour power to employer) but I am only paid ?1,000 a month for this labour (exchange value of labour power) I do not receive sufficient pay to purchase the value of the goods I have produced. (Classical Social Theory, Craib 1997:pg94) In simple terms a crisis occurs in capitalism when goods produced by the workers are not sold. A consequence of this is that workers will be made redundant; this causes the economy to enter a depression or financial slump. This slump is only reversed when those goods are sold and companies can begin production once more. This is a very basic economic explanation of the cycle of growth and recession that has afflicted capitalism throughout its history. (Classical Social Theory, Craib 1997:pg95) The phenomenon of recession has been a constant threat within capitalist societies, not only in Marxist terms does the worker suffer the alienation and exploitation from his labour, he or she now has to contend with many other threats caused by the unstable nature of the economic system. The worker now faces the prospect of many other economic uncertainties, such as redundancy, pay freezes and pay cuts. The current worldwide recession that has plagued the banking financial sector has caused tremendous hardship for those ill equipped to deal with it. This has lead to a number of changes within the employment market. The fear of job insecurity has never been higher; the days of a job for life are now a thing of the past. Giddens refers to a concept of ‘trust and risk’. In this instance Giddens states that trust refers to the confidence that society has in individuals and its significant institutions. We live more than ever in a globalised community and society, our lives are shaped and influenced by people and institutions; we are never likely to meet. Giddens talks about society having trust in ‘abstract systems’, he uses the example of food regulation and banking systems. The current financial crisis we find ourselves in has lead to an all time low in the faith we once placed in the banking and financial world. In Britain a number of large banking corporations have had to have their losses underwritten by the tax payer. The consequence of this has been for the coalition government having to implement widespread cuts and policies to curb the financial deficit. Public sector workers and those who rely on the welfare state have been hit hardest by the new financial constraints forced upon them. (Giddens 2006:122,123) Those responsible for the current economic crisis, i. e. the banks have not suffered as a result of their mistakes in the same way that the worker or the welfare claimant have. As Marx would say, yet again the owners of the means of production have not been penalised but rather it is the proletariat who has had to incur financial hardship and exploitation. Recent examples of this include, Workers in two unions at Southampton City Council are to start indefinite industrial action from 23 May in a row over proposed pay cuts of up to 5. 5% and Postal workers in London have voted to go on strike in protest at job losses. The Royal Mail cites the need for voluntary redundancies to increase efficiency and profitability but the unions disagree, saying that forced redundancies will have to be implemented. These are two examples in the current economic crisis where workers are paying the price for a recession created by the actions of an unregulated banking system. The welfare state has also suffered in this harsh new financial reality, whilst those at the top of the banking fraternity have suffered no penalty or sanction, in fact quite the reverse, the city continues to hand out excessive bonuses. The glaring unfairness and difference that exists between those in control of the financial institutions and those who are beholden to them has never been more stark. In a bid to reduce the national debt, the coalition government has imposed budget cuts across the entire public sector. NHS, councils, the police have all had severe budget cuts. It will be the poorest in our society who will suffer as a result of these new financial constraints. This new tentative financial situation means that the worker and the claimant now face an uncertain financial future. In conclusion, if Marx were alive today he would see that nothing has changed, capitalism still retains an iron grip upon society and those who live in it. Wealth and inequality continues to widen every year. This has a serious and detrimental impact upon those in our society who can ill afford to suffer the financial hardships that have resulted from the mistakes and risks taken by those who own the means of production. Alienation and exploitation is now so widespread and there has never been a more pressing need for the works of great sociological thinkers like Karl Marx and what he had to say regarding the exploitive nature of the capitalist state. It is of crucial importance to highlight the inequality that exists within modern capitalist society. If we want and desire a fairer society for all we need to recognise those within it who suffer the most. The work of Karl Marx and particularly his theory of alienation has enabled society to understand the relationship that exists between the bourgeoisie and proletariat. The worker will continue to be alienated under capitalism but now the ever increasing unfairness and exploitation suffered by the many as a result of the mistakes made by capitalist institutions will insure that wealth inequality will continue to increase. References Giddens A, 2006, Sociology Polity Press, Cambridge Craib I, 1997, Classical Social Theory, oxford University Press Oxford http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-13508478