What Were Some Entertainment in the 1960s?

During the 60s the color television hi-fi record players, better cars, and more sophisticate washing machines become common place in the home. CBS was the dominant show, then airing 13 of the 15 most popular shows. Movie stars in the 1960s: Ed Sullivan, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton, Andy Griffith, Dick Van Dike, and Danny Thomas. CBS also produced The Beverly Hillbillies, Candid Camera, Family Affair, Rawhide, Bonanza, Laugh-In, and Bewitched.By watching TV you could hardly imagine that any Americans were discontent with their way of life because foul language was strictly prohibited and sex did not play a major role on any of these shows, most were family entertainment with formal plots punctuated by commercials. On May 12, TV: Frank Sinatra, in his fourth and final ABC special for the season, presents the return to television of Elvis Presley, who has just returned from the Army. Frank and Elvis duet on â€Å"Love Me Tender† and â€Å"Witchcraft†.Walt Dis ney, the creator of Mickey Mouse and Pioneer of animated films, died of cancer on December 15, 1966, but his legend lives on. March 1, 1968- The World of Apu completes, in alternations of suffering and joy, one of the most vital and abundant movies ever made. The 60's were the birth of the computers. The Digital Equipment Corporation introduced the first minicomputer in 1963. Television in the 1960s As television technology developed throughout the 1960s, the medium continued its domination as the entertainment form of choice for most Australians.By 1965, it was estimated that 9 out of 10 Australian families owned a TV set. Programs imported from overseas enjoyed massive popularity; in particular the American comedies I Love Lucy and Leave it to Beaver and the British soap Coronation Street. Locally-produced content, however, was also receiving an enthusiastic response. Hit music shows like Bandstand and Six O'Clock Rock proved popular with teenagers, while young children were tunin g in to Play School and Mr Squiggle. Adults were also well-catered for.In 1961, the ABC premiered the current affairs programme Four Corners, which is still running today. Homicide, the first Australian-produced drama series, debuted in 1964, as did The Mavis Bramston Show, a satirical sketch comedy. Both attracted a huge following. Programs like The Mavis Bramston Show and Homicide were crucial turning points in Australian television history. Their success proved that local audiences wanted to see Australian-made programmes, featuring local actors and Australian humour, themes and concerns.Through television, a unique Australian identity was slowly emerging. Television and satellite technology In the late 1960s, Australian television was connected to the international satellite system. Programs could be broadcast live between capital cities and people in remote parts of the country could receive television broadcasts. Along with the rest of the world, Australians could now be invol ved in globally-significant televised events, like the first moon landing in 1969. Cinema and theatre in the 1960sWhile television was still proving to be a major blow to cinema attendance in the early 1960s, cinemas regained some strength in the following years. In 1965 there were around 1000 cinemas in Australia, screening mostly American and British films. Cinema in the 1960s reflected the youth-driven culture of the time, catering less to the taste of families and more to the teenage ‘baby boomer' crowd. Movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and Easy Rider (1969) reflected the fashion, music and changing social values of the decade.Locally-made Australian films were in short supply throughout the 1960s and the period is widely considered to be a low point in Australian film-making. A boost in government funding at the end of the decade, however, would see an improvement throughout the 1970s. Ballet, opera and theatre became more popular in the 1960s, althou gh they still remained a minor form of entertainment. In 1969, the musical Hair opened in Australia. Featuring nudity, drug references and ‘hippy' themes, its success signified a perceptible shift in the nation's conservative social values.See Image 2 Radio in the 1960s Australian radio in the 1960s generally followed the format set by radio broadcasters overseas, particularly in the area of news broadcasting and music programming. Commercial radio was increasingly tailoring its programming to the youth market, filling the airwaves with upbeat, mostly imported music that was popular in the charts. Whilst popular, the overseas radio models were creating dissatisfaction amongst many minority groups in the late 1960s, who firmly believed that the current programming models did not reflect their needs.Ethnic communities, students, activists, classical music lovers may have had little in common, but in the late 1960s they were all pushing for more access to the airwaves. Music in t he 1960s The rock ‘n' roll craze of the 1950s and 60s was changing the way young people entertained themselves. Teenagers clad in the latest fashions would gather in dance halls, or discos, and perform dance fads like the stomp and the boogaloo. The twist, named after the popular Chubby Checker song, was especially popular.It was the first major dance style that did not require a partner, so anyone could try it. Some of the world's biggest bands toured Australia in the 1960s, including the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones and in 1964, the Beatles. Australia was gripped by Beatle-mania as thousands of hysterical, screaming fans mobbed John, George, Paul and Ringo wherever they went. See Image 3 Australian music charts in the 1960s were dominated by American and British music, and local acts were strongly influenced by overseas trends. Some Australian musicians enjoyed international success.Folk outfit the Seekers were extremely popular in America and Britain, becoming the first A ustralian group to sell over a million records. In 1964, Jimmy Little became the first Indigenous Australian to achieve chart success, with his song Royal Telephone. By the late 1960s, the American psychedelic and acid rock movements had filtered into Australia. This music was prompted by, among other factors, Vietnam War protests and the new drug and counter-culture scene. Lyrics from this music style spoke of peace, love, freedom, social protest and civil rights – the social revolution had arrived.Australian History/1960s http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Australian_History/1960s Swing back to the 1960s http://mosman-daily.whereilive.com.au/lifestyle/story/swing-back-to-the-1960s/ Web generation http://www.wgeneration.com/1960.html

Mini case solution Essay

The keys to the company’s future value and growth are profitability (ROE) and the reinvestment of retained earnings. Retained earnings are determined by dividend payout. The spreadsheet sets ROE at 15% for the five years from 2006 to 2010. If Reeby Sports will lose its competitive edge by 2011, then it cannot continue earning more than its 10% cost of capital. Therefore ROE is reduced to 10% starting in 2011. The payout ratio is set at .30 from 2006 onwards. Notice that the long-term growth rate, which settles in between 2011 and 2012, is ROE Ãâ€" ( 1 – dividend payout ratio ) = .10 Ãâ€" (1 – .30) = .07. The spreadsheet allows you can vary ROE and the dividend payout ratio separately for 2006-2010 and for 2011-2012. But let’s start with the initial input values. To calculate share value, we have to estimate a horizon value at 2010 and add its PV to the PV of dividends from 2005 to 2010. Using the constant-growth DCF formula, The PV of dividends from 2005 to 2010 is $3.43 in 2004, so share value in 2004 is: ​ The spreadsheet also calculates the PV of dividends through 2012 and the horizon value at 2012. Notice that the PV in 2004 remains at $16.82. This makes sense, since the value of a firm should not depend on the investment horizon chosen for valuation. ​We have reduced ROE to the 10% cost of capital after 2010, assuming that the company will have exhausted valuable growth opportunities by that date. With PVGO = 0, PV = EPS/r. So we could discard the constant-growth DCF formula and just divide EPS in 2011 by the cost of capital: ​The keys to the company’s future value and growth are profitability (ROE) and the reinvestment of retained earnings. Retained earnings are determined by dividend payout. The spreadsheet sets ROE at 15% for the five years from 2006 to 2010. If Reeby Sports will lose its competitive edge by 2011, then it cannot continue earning more than its 10% cost of capital. Therefore ROE is reduced to 10% starting in 2011. The payout ratio is set at .30 from 2006 onwards. Notice that the long-term growth rate, which settles in between 2011 and 2012, is ROE Ãâ€" ( 1 – dividend payout ratio ) = .10 Ãâ€" (1 – .30) = .07. The spreadsheet allows you can vary ROE and the dividend payout ratio separately for 2006-2010 and for 2011-2012. But let’s start with the initial input values. To calculate share value, we have to estimate a horizon value at 2010 and add its PV to the PV of dividends from 2005 to 2010. Using the constant-growth DCF formula, The PV of dividends from 2005 to 2010 is $3.43 in 2004, so share value in 2004 is: ​​The spreadsheet also calculats the PV of dividends through 2012 and the horizon value at 2012. Notice that the PV in 2004 remains at $16.82. This makes sense, since the value of a firm should not depend on the investment horizon chosen for valuation. ​We have reduced ROE to the 10% cost of capital after 2010, assuming that the company will have exhausted valuable growth opportunities by that date. With PVGO = 0, PV = EPS/r. So we could discard the constant-growth DCF formula and just divide EPS in 2011 by the cost of capital: ​The keys to the company’s future value and growth are profitability (ROE) and the reinvestment of retained earnings. Retained earnings are determined by dividend payout. The spreadsheet sets ROE at 15% for the five years from 2006 to 2010. If Reeby Sports will lose its competitive edge by 2011, then it cannot continue earning more than its 10% cost of capital. Therefore ROE is reduced to 10% starting in 2011. The payout ratio is set at .30 from 2006 onwards. Notice that the long-term growth rate, which settles in between 2011 and 2012, is ROE Ãâ€" ( 1 – dividend payout ratio ) = .10 Ãâ€" (1 – .30) = .07. The spreadsheet allows you can vary ROE and the dividend payout ratio separately for 2006-2010 and for 2011-2012. But let’s start with the initial input values. To calculate share value, we have to estimate a horizon value at 2010 and add its PV to the PV of dividends from 2005 to 2010. Using the constant-growth DCF formula, The PV of dividends from 2005 to 2010 is $3.43 in 2004, so share value in 2004 is: ​​The spreadsheet also calculates the PV of dividends through 2012 and the horizon value at 2012. Notice that the PV in 2004 remains at $16.82. This makes sense, since the value of a firm should not depend on the investment horizon chosen for valuation. ​We have reduced ROE to the 10% cost of capital after 2010, assuming that the company will have exhausted valuable growth opportunities by that date. With PVGO = 0, PV = EPS/r. So we could discard the constant-growth DCF formula and just divide EPS in 2011 by the cost of capital: The keys to the company’s future value and growth are profitability (ROE) and the reinvestment of retained earnings. Retained earnings are determined by dividend payout. The spreadsheet sets ROE at 15% for the five years from 2006 to 2010. If Reeby Sports will lose its competitive edge by 2011, then it cannot continue earning more than its 10% cost of capital. Therefore ROE is reduced to 10% starting in 2011. The payout ratio is set at .30 from 2006 onwards. Notice that the long-term growth rate, which settles in between 2011 and 2012, is ROE Ãâ€" ( 1 – dividend payout ratio ) = .10 Ãâ€" (1 – .30) = .07. The spreadsheet allows you can vary ROE and the dividend payout ratio separately for 2006-2010 and for 2011-2012. But let’s start with the initial input values. To calculate share value, we have to estimate a horizon value at 2010 and add its PV to the PV of dividends from 2005 to 2010. Using the constant-growth DCF formula, The PV of dividends from 2005 to 2010 is $3.43 in 2004, so share value in 2004 is: ​ ​The spreadsheet also calculates the PV of dividends through 2012 and the horizon value at 2012. Notice that the PV in 2004 remains at $16.82. This makes sense, since the value of a firm should not depend on the investment horizon chosen for valuation. ​We have reduced ROE to the 10% cost of capital after 2010, assuming that the company will have exhausted valuable growth opportunities by that date. With PVGO = 0, PV = EPS/r. So we could discard the constant-growth DCF formula and just divide EPS in 2011 by the cost of capital: ​ ​

Promotion and advertising strategies Essay

In 1966, while sitting in a small diner, Rollin King, a Texas businessman presented his attorney, Herb Kelleher with an idea. The idea entailed creating a new airline, one that would offer low fares to passengers and would fly quickly between three cities: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Together, they formed Southwest Airlines. Initially, the airline battled a number of obstacles from various competitors of that time, as the other airlines did not want to see a new competitor in the market who offered low cost flights to local areas. Despite various attempts made to keep Southwest a mere vision, they legally won the right to fly through the Supreme Court and began offering air service in 1971. AirTran Airways, formerly known as ValuJet Airlines, first began operating October 26, 1993. The Airline was renamed after the 1996 crash of ValuJet into the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 passengers and crew members on board. Since that time, AirTran has grown to be one of the most pro fitable airlines in the industry, offering service to more than 60 destinations across the United States, as well as to Mexico and the Caribbean. On September 27, 2010, AirTran Airways made a public announcement that they entered into agreement allowing Southwest Airlines to acquire them. Numerous entities report the reasons behind the acquisition are: to make Southwest a dominant competitor in the airline industry, â€Å"Southwest is following the trend in the industry: merge or acquire in order to stay alive and competitive† (Mouawad, 2010). In addition, the acquisition would allow Southwest to mark its presence in markets they were previously unable to penetrate, â€Å"The deal would expand Southwest’s network by 25 percent and give it its first international  destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico† (Mouawad, 2010). As relayed in a statement made by Bob Fornaro, AirTran Chairman, President and CEO on AirTran’s official website, â€Å"Joining Southwest Airlines will give us opportunities to grow, both professionally as individuals and as a group, in ways that simply would not be possible with out this agreement. Together with Southwest, the world’s largest passenger airline, their financial resources, tremendous brand, legendary customer service, corporate culture and decades-long record of success, we will have the opportunity to go places neither company could have gone alone.† As a result of the acquisition, which was completed on May 2, 2011, Southwest has experienced several unexpected glitches during the transitioning stages. One major issue has been with the ticketing and reservations systems, â€Å"Southwest Airlines agents struggle with AirTran Airways tickets and vice versa, sometimes leaving passengers who have been delayed and need rebooking in the lurch† (McCartney, 2013). It is reported that prices and seat availability are inconsistent on both websites when attempting to book a ticket online. Customers, who purchase early boarding passes for their itineraries, are limited to using them only for the Southwest leg of the trip, as it is not recognized by AirTr an. This has caused numerous complaints with customers who pay full price for early boarding, but are only able to use it for half of the itinerary. Southwest has been diligently working to combine both airline systems, but has not successfully completed the project to date. â€Å"Southwest, for now, have agents of both airlines trying to work two reservation systems on different windows of their computer screens so one airline can check in customers from the other. Southwest says it will have a unified system, new to both airlines, in place by the end of the year† (McCartney, 2013). A prominent issue that has resulted in the acquisition is that once AirTran has been fully integrated into the Southwest Brand, upgraded seating will no longer be available, as Southwest only offers coach class with unassigned seating. In addition, Southwest has been in the works to transition all aircraft from AirTran’s 717 aircraft, which it inherited, to its existing 737 model. â€Å"AirTran had first class, they had assigned seats, and Southwest has no first class, no assigned seats, doesn’t sell through global distribution systems-a very different product than what AirTran offered in the market. It is very distinguishable† (Boehmer, 2010). Delta Airlines and other major competitors feel they will be able to capture former AirTran customers, who find the elimination of upgraded seating unacceptable. Prior to the acquisition, Southwest Airlines had an organizational structure which was instrumental in the company becoming a leading competitor in the airline industry. Founder Herb Kelleher’s leadership style allowed for everyone, including front line employees to play a major role in business planning and operational budgeting. Herb believed that â€Å"management decisions are made by everyone in the organization, not just the head executives† (Advance Business Consulting Website, 2013). As a part of their organizational structure, Southwest maintained over 35,000 employees, had 568 Boeing 737 model aircraft, and operated in 67 domestic cities coast-to-coast. Whereas AirTran, who operated with a similar organizational model, listed assets of 8,500 employees, 86 Boeing 717’s and 52 Boeing 737’s, operating in approximately 37 markets. Southwest Airlines has not made major changes to their organizational structure as a result of the merger. The new Southwest airlines assets contain: â€Å"43,000 plus employees, over 700 aircraft, operating in over 100 markets, serving 100 million customers†, (Bomkamp, 2010). Southwest continues to function with three primary levels of management: Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, and Vice Presidents, all positions subordinate to Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO, Gary Kelly. Since the acquisition, Southwest has taken a slow approach to integrating AirTran systems, procedures, and employees into the Southwest family. Southwest appears to believe they will be able to seamlessly integrate 8,500 AirTran employees into the body of Southwest’s existing 35,000 employees. However, industry analysts feel Southwest’s expectations are risky at best, â€Å"It will be tricky for Southwest. Southwest’s whole business model is built on a particular approach to managing employees. It’s a big bet they are making that they can swallow AirTran† (Cappelli, 2010). According to Southwest Airlines Announcements for Reporting Structure of AirTran and Leadership Changes, Human Resources Practices were modified in effort to embrace the leadership team coming from AirTran. Almost all AirTran leaders were placed in positions with Southwest that were commensurate to positions previously held. The other leaders who were not placed in commensurate positions were hired on as full time consultants to ensure the integration of the two  airlines went well. Southwest airlines have maintained a precedent that was established in 1971, when the company first began conducting business. Southwest Airlines began with four planes and less than 70 employees. During its first year of operation, the company experienced financial trouble, forcing the executives to make the decision to sell one of its planes or lay off employees. In effort to maintain the relationship with its employees, Southwest opted to sell the plane. In return, the employees were asked to cut gate turn-around from 55 minutes to 15 minutes. The employees obliged, helping to establish one of the friendliest management/labor relationships in the airline industry, as reported by PBS.org. According to Atlanta Business Chronicles, the following statement was issued to AirTran employees in the form of a Question and Answer sheet in effort to address their concerns regarding job security, â€Å"The combination of the two airlines will result in additional employment opportunities as the combined airline continues to grow and expand the Southwest network. In its nearly 40 year history, even during the most recent financial crisis, Southwest has remained profitable and has never had layoffs.† This statement was in attempt to calm fears that the acquisition would bring surrounding job stability. As in any industry, when employees are facing major changes in the workplace, especially as it relates to mergers and acquisitions, it is important to communicate plans for the direction of the company and the employees involved. This strategy allows time for the employees to process the information they have been given and adjust to the changes to come. It is imperative that companies model this practice as non-communication results in insecurity, chaos, and hostile work environments where uncertainty is present. References Advance Business Consulting Website (2013). Retrieved from http://www.advancebusinessconsulting.com/advance!/strategic-alignment/strategic-alignment-business-cases/the-rise-of-southwest-airlines.aspx AirTran Airways Official Website, (2014). Retrieved from http://www.airtranairways.com/about-us/history.aspx Atlanta Business Chronicle, (2010). Q&A on the Southwest-AirTran merger. Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/09/27/daily2.html Boehmer, Jay (2010, November 08). Delta Sees Opportunity In Southwest, AirTran Merger. Business Travel News, (15), 4. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.com Bomkamp, S., (2010). Huff Post Travel: Southwest Airlines Buys AirTran for $1.4 Billion. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/27/southwest-airlines-airtran_n_739975.html?view=print&comm_ref=false Cappelli, P. (2010). Strategic Management North America: By Acquiring AirTran, Will Southwest Continue to Spread the LUV? Retrieved from http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/by-acquiring-airtran-will-southwest-continue-to-spread-the-luv/ McCartney, S., (2013). The Wall Street Journal: Southwest and AirTran Airlines: Mergers and Aggravations. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324448104578611980670019710 Mouawad, J., (2010). The New York Times: Southwest, Determined to Expand, Buys AirTran. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/business/28air.html?_r=0&pagewanted=print PBS.Org (date not available). Chasing the Sun: The History of Commercial Aviation Seen Through the Eyes of Its Innovators. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/kcet/chasingthesun/innovators/hkelleher.html Southwest Airlines Official Website. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.southwest.com/html/about-southwest/index.html?int=GFOOTER-ABOUT-ABOUT

Judaism and Divorce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Judaism and Divorce - Essay Example Although divorce in the United States of America is governed primarily by state laws, religion also plays an important role when many people consider divorce as an option. This is true whether the married couple is Christian, Jewish, Mormon, or attached to any other religious institution. What results is a multi-layered approach to divorce in which religious scripture exists alongside state law as a governing set of principles and processes. Of particular interest is when religious doctrine cannot be neatly harmonized with secular state laws; this is significant because there are instances, such as in the case of Judaism, when a civil divorce is granted under a state's laws but not granted pursuant to Jewish doctrine. The consequences can be especially difficult for Jewish women. This essay will examine this multi-layered approach to divorce, the tension that can exist between religious scripture and state divorce law, and how divorce among Jews compares with people from other religi ons. As a preliminary matter, divorce must be considered within a legal context. In the United States that means a combination of federal and state law; in the case of divorce, state laws are fundamentally controlling. Indeed, as stated by a leading scholar in the field, "Judges, scholars and practitioners commonly assume that family law decisions are quintessentially matters of state law. For example, a common theme of the Supreme Court's federalism decisions is the assertion that "family law (including marriage, divorce, and child custody).

Employee Reward (Executive Reward) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employee Reward (Executive Reward) - Essay Example The executive compensation system helps in the improvement of the existing system that helps in accomplishment of goals and objectives. A well structured compensation system helps in the attraction of dynamic and talented pool of executives who can help the company in gaining competitive advantage over its competitors (Browning, 2012).An integrated approach of designing a reward structure helps in developing a system which is directly related to the growth of the company . Executive reward system in a company is the result of a high level interaction between the company executives and the director to maintain an acceptable return on the investment at all times. The executives expect some kind of salary based on daily or annual basis. It also includes employment contracts, portable retirement benefits and deferred compensation (Haygroup, 2013). The company management instead wishes that the executive achieve specific goals and also include developing capabilities (Edge and Davis, 2004 ). A well constructed EC system is only feasible with the development of a leadership framework in which the responsibilities, duties and capabilities are clearly identified and sorted out as per the executive level. In the leadership framework the level, responsibility, capability and results are clearly defined which helps in identification of the opportunities and the development of a strategy. The traditional executive compensation system was developed by Mirrlees and Holmstrom in the year 1975 and later it was modified by Holmstrom and Tirole in the year 1993 (Haygroup, 2013). This theory was developed to help in building an incentive scheme which focuses on trade-off risk sharing and incentive, reward consideration. The theory was also formulated keeping in mind whether the management would be able to pay back the invested amount or not. The author laid emphasis on the fact that stock prices not only reflected the fundamental value of the organization but also signified a shor t term speculative amount. The various constituents of the executive reward systems are as follows: Direct Pay Base Salary The entire executive system would include the annual based salary which would be replaced by the executive salary plans. As per the leadership framework the executive total rewards system would be as follows. Base Salary Annual Incentives and Perks Long Term Incentives Career Development Responsibilities Short Term Success Long Term Success The capability and short term success would be considered The executive salary planning would start as per the market pay data and the desired competitive range would be decided based on the competitive performance of the executives. It also includes the inputs and growth in individual responsibility and the high level performance for the individual (Armstrong, 2002). The salary plans are developed on the assumption of the consistent performance for the executive reward system. Annual Incentive The executive reward system, an nual incentive plan also forms an important part of the total reward and incentive system for the executives (Lepak, 2013). It helps in benchmarking the total work as per the quantitative and qualitative performance standards (Lepak, 2013). To ensure individual accountability the incentive system is designed in such a way that executives are able to accomplish the goals

Interpersonal Skills and a Happy Successful Living Research Paper

Interpersonal Skills and a Happy Successful Living - Research Paper Example The relation of a person with other people around him is known as an interpersonal relationship. The skilled interpersonal qualities are very necessary for living a comfortable life with good social relations. No one is born with social skills. Everyone learns, perceives and absorb the social norms and the ways of dealing people; which comes with time. The first school of social learning of a person is home. Home is the first place where one learns basic etiquettes, social norms and how to deal and respond to people. The basic learning of person is started and is leaned from home. And since then a journey of learning and improving the social skills is constant. The social skills and interpersonal skills of a person are experienced when he enters his professional life. And with time these skills are polished. The interpersonal skills vary from person to person. There are two types of  ­; introvert and extrovert. Both these kinds would be different and thus the relationship, communication, and level of dealing with communication with each type would be different. The interpersonal skills are also affected by the environment we grew in our personal preferences, the way we feel, the personality type etc. Interpersonal skills are needed everywhere. Whenever a person has to deal or communicate with other people the interpersonal skills of person are projected. Basically, there are three stages where interpersonal skills are needed; personal dealing, social interactions, and cooperation. All such relations such as friends, coworkers, family relatives, cousins, neighbors and peers all are included in interpersonal relations.

Public Sector Employment Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public Sector Employment Relations - Essay Example In this context, the role of government and its position in the public sector is a crucial aspect to account for. On the same note, the fact that the government employs the public service introduces employment relations to be accounted for in that sector. Employee-employer relationship is captured in employment relations concepts. This is basically an account of the employee and employer interactions, to further account for productivity in service delivery. The public sector provides both public goods and services (Ashworth and Entwistle, 2010, p.109). The government, whether local or central, acts as the employer in public service. Every employed individual is accountable to the state. Public sector employment relations therefore capture the interactions between the government and its employees in the public service field (Ashworth and Entwistle, 2010, p.113). Over and above capturing productivity of employee through functional relationships with their employers, the concept of empl oyment relations also encompass the morale and motivation of employees in their working environment and beyond. Generally, employment relations are fundamental in a number of ways. The interaction of employees with their employers boosts their cooperation, improving the underlying working environment. Effectiveness and efficiency of product and service delivery is realized in that process. Unnecessary conflicts are also avoided, enhancing information flow and discharge of duties and responsibilities by both employees and employers. Decision making in that context cannot be ignored. Employee relations seek to incorporate the participation of employees in organizational decision making. On the same note, employees can keep track of decisions made that pertain to matters affecting them from time to time. Public servants are managed by the public sector, primarily the government. The relationship between the public servants and their employer is a complex one, and dynamic in nature. It encompasses multidimensional factors that include but not limited to social, economic, political, ethical, psychological and legal factors (Julius, 2008, p.73). Social, economic, political and technological advancements are creating diverse needs for the society, consequently requiring that the public sector be more accountable. Resource allocation is central to this pursuit, but there never seems to be enough resources that adequately address the needs of the society. Social welfare is on the same note calling for higher qualities and standards, pressuring the government even further. This has influenced the public sector, public service and the private sector in a number of ways, all of which converge to employment concerns. The public sector creates a critical employment pool, rendering functional all its firms, agencies, corporates and parastatal entities. The private sector on the other hand accounts for significant employment opportunities in the nation and beyond. Firms and o rganizations that are privately run complement the public sector in accounting for social welfare in the country. Employment operations in the two sectors have open distinctions, and so are the underlying employment relations. In the public sector, the government acts as the central employer of the public servants. These public servants make up the public service that further accounts for public goods and services delivery to the entire public population. The private sect

English Liturture Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

English Liturture - Coursework Example It is such a sad thing that we, human beings have such views and feeling towards our fellow human beings rather than having the less fortunate creations like the animals feeling hatred to human beings for having been blessed more than they have been. Looking at such angle, animals have all the logical reasons for hating men should they have such feelings. However, men hating their equals make no sense at all. This is a sad fact that the highest-thinking living being feels, which would be the saddest part of all because it is decreasing him to a mere animal. These are all evident in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee). Prejudices in To Kill a Mockingbird The story tells of a colored man who has been wrongly accused of rape by a white woman and her father. Being colored, Tom Robinson, the accused was despised and already convicted even before the proper process he needed to undergo. This brought his life to danger, with the white Americans wanting to kill him for the accusa tions made to him even before his trial. Opinions about his being a bad person were already made in the minds of his spectators which eventually had a negative effect to his lawyer, Mr. Finch. The latter was named a negro-lover, extending its effects to his children who were not yet old enough to understand the situation of their father’s client, feeling the resentment of their relatives as well as their neighbors. Racial discrimination has been portrayed in the story in the character of Tom Robinson and his family and the Finch’s helper, Calpurina who represented the prejudiced black people not only in the story but in real life. Gender discrimination on the other hand has been reflected in the speaker’s character, Scout who felt separation in activities enjoyed by his brother and their summer friend, Dill. This also has been strongly seen in the character of the abused Mayella Ewell, the accuser of Tom Robinson. During the trial, it has been revealed that the woman was being abused by his father who was a widower for a long time. Being a drunkard, he has left all his responsibilities to be attended by his first daughter abusing her from household chores to sexually possessing her. The hardships the family experienced placed them among the least privileged and were given the stigma of being in the low class so that the Ewell children were never expected to have decent meals nor finish a year’s education. The family also pictures the life of those who are discriminated because of their social status. Prejudice is such a serious matter that abounds almost everywhere so that it has become the interest of many studies internationally. Suggestions have been made on how to fight against such atrocity especially to those which extend its effect to the killing of other people, not to mention mass murdering a family or race. One of the most common suggestions is education which may help enlighten the minds of people regarding gender, race a nd status. However, in Social Psychology of Prejudice (Crandall & Schaller 1996), it has been mentioned that racism, a form of prejudice thrives even in the intellectual circle. What then is the real score of what we could do about this matter? Race Race is traced in A History: The Construction of Race and Racism (Rogers & Bowman 2008), to religion and science. It is said that the early Christian

Major Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12500 words

Major Assignment - Research Paper Example His horsemen using bows and arrows conquered vast stretches of land in Asia from the present day Beijing in China in the east to parts of present day Iran in the west. Genghis Khan is also credited with establishing an administrative structure based on laws and regulations which enabled his nomadic people to administer the vast empire. Genghis Khan is also reviled in history for the brutality he inflicted on his opponents in war (Jarus). Since the mid-seventeenth century until the end of the cold war era in the early 1990s, Mongolia was cut off from the rest of the world. It was under the control of various Chinese ruling dynasties until the early 1900s. From the time of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917, Mongolia became a communist country and a part of the Soviet bloc. From the early 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mongolia is transitioning into a multi-party democracy. In recent times, Mongolia has caught the world’s attention due to the discovery of an estimated $ 1.3 trillion value of mineral wealth in the country. The minerals include coal, copper, oil, gold, silver, iron ore, tin and uranium. Foreign mining companies have started investing vast sums in the mining industry causing the GDP to rise at over 14% a year, the fastest in the world (Eurasianet). Mongolia is aiming to use its mineral wealth to attract interest from the United States and other countries as the means of balancing the dominance of its large neighbors, China and Russia. This has been enunciated by the Mongolian parliament as â€Å" the third neighbor policy†. The US and other countries see an opportunity in Mongolia to create a strategic zone of influence in the neighborhood of China and Russia (Wachman). This research paper would help serve as an introduction to Mongolia which shapes to be a country that would frequently be in the news in the United States and around the world in the near

Management Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management Information Systems - Essay Example Cost leadership and Differentiation focus strategy will be discussed with examples in the following section. Wal-Mart stores have successfully expanded its operations across many countries with cost leadership strategy by gaining competitive advantage through under-pricing products while maintaining decent profit margin; thanks to savings from lower costs that allows Wal-Mart to transfer savings to customers. Starbucks Corporation currently employs the differential focus strategy and caters to a specific target consumer segment with unique and distinguished products. Selling unique line of coffee and tea products to high-end customers at a high cost gives it a competitive advantage. It doesn’t aggressively market itself but the attention to detail, product quality, impeccable customer service, and ethical practices have helped position the organization as â€Å"one of the most valuable global brands†. Wal-Mart currently has a management information system that helps sto ring and sharing information from and for its world wide operations. It uses point-of-sale system to record all the sales information and telecommunication to connect with its stores worldwide to maintain stocks. Starbucks has an advanced information system in place to collaborate worldwide operations, especially focusing on direct coordination among finance, purchase, sales and marketing, and human resource department. However, both the firms need to extensively focus on information security and customer profiles in order to avoid potential security breaches and information misuse to ensure sustained success and growth. References Trevino, D. (2009, May). Starbucks Details Strategy For Profitable Growth. Starbucks Newsroom. Retrieved from http://news.starbucks.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=184 Ireland, D. R., Hitt, M. A., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2011). Understanding Business Strategy: Concepts and Cases. Cengage Learning. Retrieved from

Policy Priority Issue Essay Example for Free

Policy Priority Issue Essay While most things in life come with an instruction manual, children do not. Parenting is a difficult job. While your child is growing, you must know the best, most up to date resources to assist you in providing the best for him/her. Success by 6 is an initiative to make sure that â€Å"every child in North Central Florida enters school healthy and prepared to learn by the age of 6† (Chun, 2005). It also assists families to be prepared to have a child in school. The greatest challenges facing our country can only be met by focusing on the development of all our children, beginning at birth. Early childhood programs are the most cost-effective way to ensure the healthy development of children in poverty and offer the greatest returns to society. In evidence-based home visiting programs, â€Å"professionals connect families to medical, dental, mental-health, and other support systems† (Daro, D., 2014). The time period from birth through age six is a critical one for â€Å"establishing the solid foundations essential for children’s long-term health, well-being, and learning† (Clothier, S., 2014). Background The Success by 6 was initiated in North Central Florida in 2005. It was initially expected â€Å"to reach 2,500 children with health and developmental screenings, child care provider training, parent education, mentoring, a community center, abuse and neglect prevention, home visitation, program evaluation and family referral programs† (Chun, 2006). This number was reached in its second year and continues to grow annually. As we look to improve and add state policies that lead to good health, learning, and family outcomes, like Success by 6, it is imperative to ensure that policies capitalize on both health and learning.

Factory Farming is cruel to animals Essay Example for Free

Factory Farming is cruel to animals Essay It is so amazing that most Americans are so caring of the animals they keep as pets, and yet are so unconcerned about the upbringing or disposition of the ones they cook for dinner. It is amazing how some Americans see themselves as sympathizing folks and animal lovers until they reflect on what they just ate. Society loves animals as pets, adopts them as extensions of their families, spend ridiculous amounts of money on them, and mourn their deaths. How is it that these same Americans are so indifferent towards the ones they cook for dinner (Arora, 2013)? Factory farms dominate U. S. food production, employing practices that severely abuse animals, puts an enormous strain on our natural resources, and threatens the Nation’s health. Factory farms provide cheap meat that is more affordable to more people, utilizes less real-estate, creates the avenue for more farming jobs to stay in the U.S, and allows cheap fast food to exist. These are really great advantages of the factory farming industry, but come at a tremendous cost. Factory farming puts an enormous strain on our natural resources. According to a report in Farmsanctuary (2013), the factory farming industry puts incredible strain on our natural resources. The extreme amount of waste created by raising so many animals in one place pollutes our land, air, and water (para. 2). Unmanaged and untreated waste that accumulates from combined animal operations is contributing to emissions that are rapidly warming the planet, creating water pollution, and dead zones in our oceans and lakes. The environments in which these animals are confined are severely contaminated and present a significant source for increased infection in their animals, especially poultry, their by-products and eventually humans (O’Brien, 2001). The preservation of our natural resources is important to our survival. If the accumulation of waste and byproducts are allowed to continue due to substandard practices of factory farming industries, our natural resources will continue to diminish. This depletion will inevitably contribute to or provide a catalyst for other problems like issues with our health. When it comes to our health, Americans are very concerned. They may turn a blind eye to the environmental fall-out caused by Factory farming, but they will raise their concerns about the health risks. Diseases like Salmonella, Mad cow, and breathing problems like asthma are increased because of the effects of factory farming on our natural resources. There is also an increase of antibiotic-resistant diseases being identified due to the substandard their practices. In the report from Farmsanctuary (2013), Residents of rural communities surrounding factory farms report high incidents of illness, and their property values are often lowered by their proximity to industrial farms. To counteract the health challenges presented by overcrowded, stressful, unsanitary living conditions, antibiotics are used extensively on factory farms, which can create drug-resistant bacteria and put human health at risk (para. 3). The consistent contact of factory farmed animals with these health hazards, combined with the abuse of antibiotics and growth hormones, as well as other drugs to boost productivity, greatly increases the possibility of infection and disease in its consumers. The byproducts created by theses practices pollute our drinking water and the land that these same farmers plant crops, further exasperating farming conditions by producing unhealthy crops that increase the health risk of consumers. If society only scratches the surface of life down on the factory farm, they will see that diseases like Mad Cow disease may be the tip of the iceberg. In a range of areas, from feeding regimes, to animal housing, to the use of drugs in the pursuit of productivity, human health may be threatened by factory farming (O’brien, 2001). The continued accumulation of waste, combined with the health risks that have become natural by products of Factory farming have become a significant threat to society. If something is not done to alleviate or significantly reduce these effects, the Nation may be on a path of self destruction through overzealous production of food to satisfy consumer consumption, meet consumer demands, and boost financial statuses of farmers in the industry. The main aspect that can be immediately addressed to improve Factory farming living is the living conditions in these factories. The overcrowding of animals at these farms creates a frustrated work environment that fosters accepted abuse, which in-turn amplifies the waste and health conditions. This vicious cycle perpetuates an issue that will inevitably lead to issues of epidemic proportion. A report by Long (2013), stated that, Chickens are crowded so tightly together that they can barely turn around, never seeing daylight or eating a single blade of grass. Beef cattle are finished in huge feedlots, standing all day in their own manure, again with no access to the fresh grass that has been their natural diet for thousands of years. (para. 1). These conditions may not sound so detrimental to some, but combined with the abuse they endure, the conditions are unbelievable and inhumane. Here are some examples given by Editorial Today (2008) on animal cruelty at these farms, Cows are still being forced to be cannibalistic, as they are fed blood, bone meal, and other miscellaneous aspects of other cows (no brain matter, but most everything else)†¦.. [ ] Veal calves are crammed in pens so small that they can’t move their limbs†¦..[ ] Animals are put in semi-darkness which in some cases, cause unbearable conditions (para. 7). And for the cultivation of â€Å"Foie gras† (a delicacy), farmers force-feed ducks and geese an unnatural amount and type of food until their livers become diseased and enlarge up to ten times their normal, healthy size (etoday, 2008). Finally, there are everyday, routine mutilations that are being conducted all in the name of productivity. Mutilations like castration, de-beaking, de-toeing, tail docking, and others. All of which are executed without any form of anesthesia. Why has this transformation happened and is allowed to continue one may ask? Well, the answer is simply to accommodate the mass meat industry and to satisfy the demand of a carnivorous society. It is the twentieth century ideology of modern economics and the assembly line, turning farm animals into number-tagged bodies to be fattened, disinfected, and processed as quickly and cheaply as possible (Arora 2013). Because of this demand, large numbers of animals are being raised in extreme confinement. They are regarded as commodities to be exploited for profit, not humane animals, able to feel pain and suffering, and possessing a soul. Factory farmed animals are bred to grow unnaturally fast and large for the purpose of maximizing meat, egg, and milk production for the food industry. Their bodies cannot support this growth, which results in debilitating and painful conditions and deformities (Farmsanctuary, 2013). Many in society are now getting their voices heard as they ask the question, â€Å"Isn’t there a better way to produce food?† If the practice of mass meat holocaust is allowed to continue at these Factory farms, there are several aspects of society that will continue to degrade. The significant contribution to diseases and natural resource depletion that taints the water, soil, and air of the external environment will perpetuate. These contaminants will continue to finds it’s way into human bodies as chemical pollutants (antibiotics, pharmaceuticals in the meat and our drinking water) and greatly affect other systems with consequences like birth defects and reduced life expectancy. And there is tradition. There natural passing down of tradition from generation to generation will be lost. All the first-hand knowledge and experience in the farming industry will silently be erased due to the limited raising, handling, basic interaction of livestock and farm animals in the modernity of the factory industry. Generations of farmers will grow up without the first-hand experience and knowledge of farming and the art will inevitably be lost. Several proactive groups and other agencies in government continue to advocate the reduction of inhumane and unhealthy practices in the factory farming industry at a vigorous rate. Yet consumers continue to partake, invest, and expand the factory farming industry. How is it possible that even after the education of the public on how animals are treated, most of us them still decide to continue the patronization of factory-farmed meat? An article in editorial today gave one answer when it stated, â€Å"We might conclude that the price we make animals pay, and the price we pay in sacrificing part of our humanity, are worth the benefits (para. 6).† Could this be true? Society is willfully to turn a blind eye to the cruelty because of the lust for meat? This raises another question, when and where does it end? How far is society will to go, and how much are they willing to sacrifice to receive fast, cheap meat? What will it take to rekindle their capacity for love and stop the abused process of obliteration? There are no easy answers to the myriad of questions. Factory farms continue to dominate U.S. food production, employing practices that severely abuse animals, putting a tremendous amount of strain on natural resources, and threatening the health of the nation with disease. However, there is one thought that has become accepted course of action amongst advocates. Consumers must eliminate or reduce the consumption of non-organic and inhumanely-raised beef, pork, chicken, meat, eggs, and dairy products, as well as farmed fish. Force Factory farmers and the meat industry to rethink their methods of production so that they, along with consumers, do not become the associate authors of a diseased, unsympathetic, cruel, and dying society. Mahatma Gandhi said it best, â€Å"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Does this nation consider itself great? References ARORA, N. (2013). On Eating Animals. Humanist, 73(4), 26-31. Editorial Today. (2008). Hobbies and Interests. Factory Farming Pros and Cons. Retrieved from: http://www.streetdirectory.com/etoday/factory-farming-pros-and-cons-awwlc.html Farmsanctuary. (2013). Farming. Retrieved from: http://www.farmsanctuary.org/learn/ factoryfarming/ Long, C. (2000, Nov). Factory farming is fouling our food. Organic Gardening, 47, 12. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203726517?accountid=32521 OBrien, T., Adock, M., Rifkin, J., Pickard, B. M. (2001, 06). Factory farming and human health. The Ecologist, , 30-34. Retrieved from

Mis In Your Pocket Information Technology Essay

Mis In Your Pocket Information Technology Essay The important business objectives are: Operational excellence, new products and services, Customer and supplier intimacy, improved decision making, Competitive advantage Survival. The functions of every firm revolve around all these mentioned objectives. Accordingly the applications for the achievement of these objectives should be selected. Ans1. In this case the advanced features of Smartphone (including the common ones like browser, telephone, camera, music/video player) are discussed. These applications include the use of Smartphone as a Global Positioning Device, a secure system to connect to the database of a particular organization, using tools and applications to interpret the certain medical, theorems, and other results. The other applications include its use as a networking device to remain connected with friends and employees. It is also used as an efficient and fast e-mail sending / receiving device. A large number of tools and software are also available for solving different types of problems. These applications nowadays can support almost every business activity, particularly those which demands a strict timely delivery of services and products. This accounts for developing an efficient supply chain management process, if the business demands so. Also the diversified business functions like collecting data at some place while delivering the same at other place are largely helped by these applications and those where each update/modification is to be reflected in the main database of an organization as it is further used by members of that organization. The employees and clients may be present in different offices which are located in different cities (even different countries), but with the use of such applications on these devices will never force the employees to feel any differences. These applications improve the operational efficiency as the time factor involved is reduced significantly. The work which earlier required extensive manual efforts can easily be done instantaneously by the use of these applications. This also provides more accurate and reliable outputs (compared to the manual results) which are to be used at different levels of Management Information System. This in turn helps the manager to take quick and perfect decisions which directly or indirectly will improve the operational efficiency. Thus all these applications will help the organization to achieve its goals, together with making choices. Q2. Identify the problems that business in this case study solved by using mobile digital devices. Concept: The problem solving is a continuous four step process: Problem identification, Solution Design, Solution Evaluation and Choice, Implementation. Every competitive firm must follow these steps to deal with its problems. Ans2. The use of these mobile digital devices have solved the problems, like providing a powerful and secured mean of sending e-mails and messages among the employees and the clients. The efficient communication is vital for any business activity. Problems like having a secured system which can give access to corporate internal system were also solved by use of various tools and techniques on these devices. For instance Doylestown Hospitals had problem of accessing the medical records of the patients from the different locations of the world, this was easily solved by the use of iPhone. Now the doctors can also have information on medications, lab results, therapy results, nurses notes, patient diets etc. on their iPhone screen. This directly helped the doctors to properly interpret the lab results and diagnose accurately even when they are away from the patient. Also the advanced voice communication system helped the doctors to consult with other specialists for a better diagnosis. The less secured system of authenticating the access to different data was also upgraded which now helped the doctors to store all the data on the hospitals own server. The supply chain consultant and transportation service provider D.W. Morgan improved its delivery services by the use of the services like Global Positioning System (GPS), digital signatures for the very efficient and the timely delivery of raw materials and other components. They were also able to know the exact location of the delivery trucks anytime. This was further helped by the use of Google map. Earlier it used to be very cumbersome task as it involved a great deal of manual efforts and phone calls. Aedas sport designers had the problem in collecting photos at different locations and the sending these pictures to their clients and other concerned employees. The use of iPhones helped them to create a large database of visual assets with minimal effort. They can now take the photo and can immediately send with use of these digital devices. Q3.What kinds of businesses are most likely to benefit from equipping their employees with mobile digital devices such as iPhones and BlackBerrys? Concept: Systems that spans the enterprises are: Supply Chain Management Systems, Customer Relationship Management Systems, Knowledge Management Systems, Intranets and Extranets E-Business, E-Commerce, and E-Government. The use of the digital mobile devices will benefit those businesses where they can impact the above mentioned systems at one level or other. Ans3. A number of business groups can be helped by the use of mobile digital services. Particularly those, which require dealing with a handsome amount of data and information and then using various tools and techniques to properly interpret the data, are likely to benefit with the use of these technologically advanced devices. Also the businesses which require a secure and efficient communication among the employees and clients are also likely to benefit by the use of iPhones, BlackBerrys and other similar devices. These digital phones provide a secure communication channel line which will verify the authentication of the organizations employees and clients accordingly. Even some dedicated services, tools and techniques can also be developed (if required) for the different organizations. The supply and chain management business firms are also likely to benefit with the use of these devices as time plays a major role in the profits and success of the organization. This business of de livery goods/ products will now be managed in an efficient delivery and tracking methodology. This can easily be supported by the use of certain applications (software) on these Smartphones. For example the use of Global Positioning System and Google maps can help an organization to develop an efficient system. The business firms which are located globally or have their services which require a great amount of travelling will also be benefitted with the use of these devices. This will provide the employees to communicate easily as they need not to have a laptop carrying with them for video chats and conferencing. Even if they are away from the office, they can easily be communicated without affecting the business activities. They can also analyze the collected data, graphs; charts etc. on their phones and then interpret the same. Then they can easily communicate their opinions / findings back to the concerned authorities without hampering any profit making opportunity. Thus the busi ness involving sophisticated problem solving tools and techniques can also be benefited where every employee can apply all these tools easily on his own digital mobile device. Q4. D.W. Morgans CEO has stated, The iPhone is not a game changer, its an industry changer. It changes the way you can interact with your customers (and) with your suppliers. Discuss the implications of this statement. Concept: To achieve the competitive advantage the industry will judge the impact of new changes being brought on the following areas: Primary activities, Support activities, and Benchmarking and Best practices. The authorities will evaluate the performance as a whole on the basis of one or more of these above mentioned parameters. Here also, the CEO of D.W. Morgan will review the performance based on this concept and then decide whether the change was successful or not. Ans4. It implies that the use of iPhones (for D.W. Morgan) not only improved a particular sector of the organization but rather helped the organization to succeed as a whole since the complete process from collection of raw material to delivery of products was unmatched. D.W. Morgans CEO stated that the use of iPhone in the business completely transformed their old techniques and methods with the sophisticated but simple to use which changed their working methodology in a positive way. His statement implies that the use of iPhone not only benefitted a particular domain or sector of the organization but completely revolutionized it as a whole. The certain task for which its rival took 20 minutes to 12 hours can be completed by the Morgan within no time. Thus it provided an opportunity for them also to enhance or change their techniques as well. This increase in the competition will improve the quality and the technology used which will definitely produce quality services and product s. Thus the whole industry is revolutionized for a better tomorrow. As for D.W. Morgan, having operations in more than 85 countries, the use of iPhones helped a great deal to improve their just-in-time strategy with a better time management (up-to-the-minute information) of delivery trucks. Earlier the process of tracking the delivery trucks and then guiding them to the next location required a great deal of manual efforts and time but now all this was just the matter of few seconds. Also the information collection and updating process was digitalized with a date-stamp and time-stamp. This whole process kept the suppliers and the clients updated with the required information and helped D.W. Morgan to expand and make profits at a much faster pace.

Dmitri Shostakovich and the Soviet State Essay -- Soviet History

Dmitri Shostakovich was one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. He achieved fame, but with much hardship along the way. He was censored and threatened with not only his life but that of his wife and children by playing the role of a public figure in Soviet Russia. The question is was he a committed communist or a victim? The events in his life, good or bad, shaped the music that he created and led to one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century, his Fifth Symphony. Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia on September 25, 1906, Shostakovich was the second of three children born to Dmitri Boleslavovich Shostakovich and Sofiya Vasilievna Kokoulina. His father was of Polish descent but both his parents were Siberian natives. Dmitri was a child prodigy as a pianist and composer. He began taking piano lessons from his mother at the age of nine. He displayed an incredible talent to remember what his mother had played at the previous lesson and would get caught pretending to read the music, playing the music from his last lesson instead of what was placed in front of him. In 1919, at the age of thirteen, he was allowed to enter the Petrograd Conservatory in Saint Petersburg and studied piano with Leonid Nikolayev. Because the conservatory was poorly funded, it did not have heat; the students had to wear coats, hats and gloves constantly only taking off their gloves when composing. Because of these poor living conditions Dmitri developed tuberculosis of the lymph glands in spring 1923 and had to have an operation. Nevertheless, he completed his final piano examinations at the conservatory in June with his neck still bandaged. Shostakovich, though very intelligent and talented, was seen as immature in his fin... ...alled. Works Cited †¢ Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. A history of western music. 8th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2010. Print. †¢ Fanning, David. Shostakovich studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Print. †¢ Hurwitz, David, and DmitriÄ ­ Dmitrievich Shostakovich. Shostakovich symphonies and concertos: an owner's manual. Pompton Plains, N.J.: Amadeus ;, 2006. Print. †¢ Norris, Christopher. Shostakovich, the man and his music. Boston: M. Boyars, 1982. Print. †¢ Volkov, Solomon, and Antonina W. Bouis. Shostakovich and Stalin: the extraordinary relationship between the great composer and the brutal dictator. New York: Knopf, 2004. Print. †¢ David Fanning and Laurel Fay. "Shostakovich, Dmitry." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 14 Apr. 2012 .

Walker Percys The Moviegoer Essay -- Walker Percy Moviegoer Essays

Walker Percy's The Moviegoer Walker Percy is the author of The Moviegoer, which is written about a young man named John Binkerson Bolling otherwise known as Binx. He is the main character who grows up in New Orleans. He is a moviegoer who is on a search but the object of his search is not clear. The people he encounters help him along the way, especially his stepbrother Lonnie and an African American man. The Moviegoer takes place during Mardi Gras when Binx discovers that something more is needed in his life. The story begins with Binx receiving a letter from his Aunt Emily saying that they need to have a talk. This talk is about his cousin Kate who Aunt Emily is worried about. She has been â€Å"moping around the house† ever since her fiancà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s death and Aunt Emily wants Binx to cheer her up (28). She wants him to treat Kate as he did before and joke around with her to make her laugh and smile. She has been staying inside and has not interacted with people in a while. On Binx’s way to his aunt’s house, â€Å"the idea of a search occurs to† him (13). â€Å"The search is what anyone would undertake if he were not sunk in the everydayness of his own life. To become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something† (13). But what exactly is Binx onto? Binx doesn’t know and doesn’t reveal the purpose of his search because he fears â€Å"exposing (his) own ignorance† (14). Is this search about God? Binx â€Å"hesitates to answer, since all other Americans have settled the matter for themselves and to give such an answer would amount to setting himself a goal which everyone else has reached – and therefore raising a question in which no one has the slightest interest. For, as everyone knows, the polls report that 98% of Americans believe in God and the remaining 2% are atheists and agnostics – which leaves not a single percentage point for a seeker† (13, 14). Binx’s search continues through his attraction to the movies that â€Å"are onto the search, but throw him further from the truth. The search always ends in despair† (13). The movies are a way for him to fill the emptiness in his life. They give him incite into others lives and into his own life. â€Å"Before I see a movie it is necessary for me to learn about something about the theater or the people who operate it, to touch base before going inside† (74). This helps him learn more about how others live and lear... ... wants with his life. He does not need to be as religious as Lonnie but he has choices. Lonnie is willing to fast even though he is very sick and this gives Binx faith that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Even on Lonnie’s deathbed, he is content. After his â€Å"half-brother Lonnie Smith died of a massive virus infection which was never positively identified,† he is asked what will happen to Lonnie (237). The children ask Binx, â€Å"When Our Lord raises us up on the last day, will Lonnie still be in a wheelchair or will he be like us?† and he responds with, â€Å"he’ll be like you† (240). This he may not act in a religious way but at least he does not deny the Lord. So even though he is not all religious, he has taken the faith of Lonnie and directed it into his life. Lonnie’s belief in the long run affects Binx and helps him so many times in his search. He started as a moviegoer, living his life through the movies and now he realizes he can live his life through his actions. He was inspired by one he knew very well and by others everyday actions. He was inspired for the better and hopefully his new profession and wife will fill the void that he’s been feeling for so long.

Essay --

Famine is one of the major sources of China's problem. The problem with the constant famines that China is always facing is that they are always facing the deprivation of food production and the lasting effects of this. The Chinese has always had a rapidly expanding population that food production had never been able to keep up with. It has stemmed multiple problems within the country. It has caused the major distrust of the government, as the government did nothing to help the populace. The famine was a major factor in the reason why the Chinese people did not start to fully modernize and industrialize till now. People have judged the former dynasties of China by their ability to meet and conquer great tragedies, China's current one being that of the ongoing famines that have continued to plague the country for centuries ever since early 19th Century. The role of Mao and the communist government, the ethics that effected the people and the last effects it has had on the country o f China. The first major famines that occurred in China were the known as the "four famines" that occurred in the early 19th century1 . These four famines had a death toll estimated at 45 million dead. The Qing Dynasty was a dynasty of much chaos, the multiple opium wars and the Taping Rebellion. The insuring famine that occurred during the conflict caused over 60 million dead. The Great North China Famine led to the death of 13 million people due to an ongoing drought that the Chinese people were not prepared to handle2. The constant failure of the current government has led to the deaths of millions, which has led the lower class peasant class of China to always have this sense of distrust with the current government, as they are never able to react... ...how the Soviets they were successful. Motivated by this reasoning, Mao choose to do nothing about the famine, claiming that his plan could never go wrong, that the Chinese Communist way was the only correct way. The inflexible Mao and his policies caused a decline in Chinas morality, that is apart of the continued cycle for each generation of the Chinese people. Each time the Chinese go into a major famine, we can see the change in government, this decline in a dynasty, that we have seen repeat itself throughout Chinas history. With Mao's death and the rise of western ideals in China, we can see that China has moved away from its Maoist ideals and moved towards a western model of government. No matter how long it takes the Chinese, I don't think they will ever forget these events in this history, always encouraging the new generation for change of a corrupt system. Essay -- Famine is one of the major sources of China's problem. The problem with the constant famines that China is always facing is that they are always facing the deprivation of food production and the lasting effects of this. The Chinese has always had a rapidly expanding population that food production had never been able to keep up with. It has stemmed multiple problems within the country. It has caused the major distrust of the government, as the government did nothing to help the populace. The famine was a major factor in the reason why the Chinese people did not start to fully modernize and industrialize till now. People have judged the former dynasties of China by their ability to meet and conquer great tragedies, China's current one being that of the ongoing famines that have continued to plague the country for centuries ever since early 19th Century. The role of Mao and the communist government, the ethics that effected the people and the last effects it has had on the country o f China. The first major famines that occurred in China were the known as the "four famines" that occurred in the early 19th century1 . These four famines had a death toll estimated at 45 million dead. The Qing Dynasty was a dynasty of much chaos, the multiple opium wars and the Taping Rebellion. The insuring famine that occurred during the conflict caused over 60 million dead. The Great North China Famine led to the death of 13 million people due to an ongoing drought that the Chinese people were not prepared to handle2. The constant failure of the current government has led to the deaths of millions, which has led the lower class peasant class of China to always have this sense of distrust with the current government, as they are never able to react... ...how the Soviets they were successful. Motivated by this reasoning, Mao choose to do nothing about the famine, claiming that his plan could never go wrong, that the Chinese Communist way was the only correct way. The inflexible Mao and his policies caused a decline in Chinas morality, that is apart of the continued cycle for each generation of the Chinese people. Each time the Chinese go into a major famine, we can see the change in government, this decline in a dynasty, that we have seen repeat itself throughout Chinas history. With Mao's death and the rise of western ideals in China, we can see that China has moved away from its Maoist ideals and moved towards a western model of government. No matter how long it takes the Chinese, I don't think they will ever forget these events in this history, always encouraging the new generation for change of a corrupt system.

1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines Bill of Rights Essay

Article III enumerates the fundamental rights of the Filipino people. The Bill of Rights sets the limits to the government’s power which proves to be not absolute. Among the rights of the people are freedoms of speech, assembly, religion, and the press. An important feature here is the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus which have three available grounds such as invasion, insurrection and rebellion. PRINCIPLES Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws. – no person shall be deprived of life or principles and dignity without due Process of law or guidelines should be fair then all the protection of each. Section 2. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized. – human rights and protection to their property and themselves against the search warrant without evidence against them except to prove that when probable caus e to determine personally the judge after examination under oath or affirmation the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be taken. Section 3. (1) The privacy of communication and correspondence shall be inviolable except upon lawful order of the court, or when public safety or order requires otherwise, as prescribed by law. – The private communications and correspondence shall be inviolable except by court or when public safety requires otherwise as prescribed by law. (2). Any evidence obtained in violation of this or the preceding section shall be inadmissible for any purpose in any proceeding. -If there is evidence that violation of this or in the next section that is impervious to any purpose. Section 4. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances. – no law can be passed or people can assemble and petition or said to the government for redress of grievances that can be able to abridging the freedom of speech or expression. Section 5. No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights. -There is no law to prevent an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise of its civil or political rights. Section 6. The liberty of abode and of changing the same within the limits prescribed by law shall not be impaired except upon lawful order of the court. Neither shall the right to travel be impaired except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by law. – The liberty of abode and of changing the same within the limits prescribed by law shall not be made except when disabled according to the law of the court, which may not be impaired except in the national or public man safety as maybe that has been provide by the law. Section 7. The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law. -the human right of the information and on public concern shall be recognized, based on the records pertaining to official acts basis to government use for research documents detailed on policy development afforded by the citizen subject to such limitations as may be provided by law. Section 8. The right of the people, including those employed in the public and private sectors, to form unions, associations, or societies for purposes not contrary to law shall not be abridged. -the people including those who are employed to the private sector will form a union or associations to the built a negotiation for them that is not against the law. Section 9. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation. -the private property shall not be used for public use without paying anything or allowed by the owner. Section 10. No law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be passed. -There is no law that can pass impairing to the obligation of contracts. Section 11. Free access to the courts and quasi-judicial bodies and adequate legal assistance shall not be denied to any person by reason of poverty. -any person should not be denied by reason of poverty of adequate legal assistance in court. Section 12. (1) Any person under investigation for the commission of an offense shall have the right to be informed of his right to remain silent and to have competent and independent counsel preferably of his own choice. If the person cannot afford the services of counsel, he must be provided with one. These rights cannot be waived except in writing and in the presence of counsel. -any person that is been under investigation of any offence has a right to inform his right and remain silent and have competent and independent counsel on his choice, if the person cannot afford the service of counsel he must be provided with one and this right must be raised in the court. (2) No torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which vitiate the free will shall be used against him. Secret detention places, solitary, incommunicado, or other similar forms of detention are prohibited. (3) Any confession or admission obtained in violation of this or Section 17 hereof shall be inadmissible in evidence against him. (4) The law shall provide for penal and civil sanctions for violations of this section as well as compensation to the rehabilitation of victims of torture or similar practices, and their families. Section 13. All persons, except those charged with offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua when evidence of guilt is strong, shall, before convict ion, be bailable by sufficient sureties, or be released on recognizance as may be provided by law. The right to bail shall not be impaired even when the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended. Excessive bail shall not be required. -all persons except those charged with offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua and when evidence is that he/she is guilty strong shall be bailable, has the right to bail. Section 14. (1) No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process of law. (2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet the witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory process to secure the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence in his behalf. However, after arraignment, trial may proceed notwithstanding the absence of the accused: Provided, that he has been duly notified and his failure to appear is unjustifiable. Section 15. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it. Section 16. All persons shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies. Section 17. No person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself. -no person can be a witness against himself. Section 18. (1) No person shall be solely by reason of his political beliefs and aspirations. -No person only by reason of his political beliefs and aspirations. (2) No involuntary servitude in any form shall exist except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. -no person is excepted by the punishment of the crime by only involuntary servitude he should be duly convicted. Section 19. (1) Excessive fines shall not be imposed, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither shall death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter provides for it. Any death penalty already imposed shall be reduced to reclusion perpetua. (2) The employment of physical, psychological, or degrading punishment against any prisoner or detainee or the use of substandard or inadequate penal facilities under subhuman conditions shall be dealt with by law. Section 20. No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a poll tax -No man is a prisoner just because tax debt Section 21. No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If an act is punished by a law and an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under either shall constitute a bar to another prosecution for the same act. – Nobody was twice put in jeopardy of punishment. Section 22. No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted. – No ex post facto law or bill of attainder is legislation. Searches – To make a thorough examination of; look over carefully in order to find something; explore. Seashore – The coast of the sea; the land that lies adjacent to the sea or ocean. Warrantless Arrest -Under the Rules of Court, Rule 113, Section 5, a warrantless arrest, also known as â€Å"citizen’s arrest,† is lawful under three circumstances: 1. When, in the presence of the policeman, the person to be arrested has committed, is actually committing, or is attempting to commit an offense. This is the â€Å"in flagrante delicto† rule. 2. When an offense has just been committed, and he has probable cause to believe, based on personal knowledge of facts or circumstances, that the person to be arrested has committed it. This is the â€Å"hot pursuit† arrest rule. 3. When the person to be arrested is a prisoner who has escaped from a penal establishment. In flagrante delicto warrantless arrest should comply with the element of immediacy between the time of the offense and the time of the arrest. For example, in one case the Supreme Court held that when the warrantless arrest was made three months after the crime was committed, the arrest was unconstitutional and illegal. Warrantless Searches -Our law on search and seizure has essentially been de,-eloped and refined from the injunction in our Constitution that† [t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable ~earc es and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shall not be violated.†]’ The injunction, however is qualified in terms: what is proscribed are only unreasonable searches and seizures. The Constitutional prohibition therefore readily translates itself into a â€Å"reasonableness† test. search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined by the judge, or such other responsible officer as may be authorized by law, after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.† Definition of bail- the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money is lodged to guarantee their appearance in court: (he has been released on bail money paid by or for someone in order to secure their release on bail:they feared the financier would be tempted to forfeit the  £10 million bail and flee) Philippine Writ of Amparo Definition and nature: The writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty, and security has been violated or is threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity. The writ covers extralegal killings and enforced disappearances or threats thereof.(Sec. 1, Rule on the Writ of Amparo, A.M. No. 07-9-12-SC, 25 September 2007), The word â€Å"Amparo† is a Spanish term which means â€Å"protection†. Writ of Habeas Corpus – is a writ (legal action) which requires a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court.[1][2] This ensures that a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention—that is, detention lacking sufficient cause or evidence. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to the prisoner’s aid. This right originated in the English legal system, and is now available in many nations. It has historically been an important legal instrument safeguarding individual freedom against arbitrary state action. Double jeopardy -is a procedural defence that forbids a defendant from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following a legitimate acquittal or conviction. In common law countries, a defendant may enter a peremptory plea of autrefois acquit or autrefois convict (autrefois means â€Å"previously† in French), meaning the defendant has been acquitted or convicted of the same offence. Self-incrimination -is the act of accusing oneself of a crime for which a person can then be prosecuted. Self-incrimination can occur either directly or indirectly: directly, by means of interrogation where information of a self-incriminatory nature is disclosed; indirectly, when information of a self-incriminatory nature is disclosed voluntarily without pressure from another person.

A Study of Recruitment & Selection Process in Bank

A STUDY OF RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PROCESS IN BANK A project proposal (synopsis) report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the award of the degree of MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA) From Guide: Dr. Nitin G. Vighne By: PRN. No. :- 200801737737 Study Centre No. :-44175 *SESSION: 2009*-10 To YASHWANTRAO CHAVAN OPEN UNIVERSITY, NASHIK (M. S. ) Title: A STUDY OF RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PROCESS IN BANK Without a sound and effective banking system in India, it cannot have a healthy economy. The banking system of India should not only be hassle free but it should be able to meet new challenges posed by the technology and any other external and internal factors. For the past three decades India’s banking system has several outstanding achievements to its credit. The most striking is its extensive reach. It is no longer confined to only metropolitans or cosmopolitans in India. In fact, Indian banking system has even reached to the remote corners of the country. This is one of the main reasons of India’s progress. During the first phase of financial reforms, there was a nationalization of 14 major banks in 1969. This crucial step led to a shift from Class banking to Mass banking. Since then the growth of the banking industry in India has been a continuous process. The Government’s regular policy for Indian bank since 1969 has paid rich dividends with the nationalization of many private banks of India. As far as the present scenario is concerned the banking industry is in a transition phase. The Public Sector Banks (PSBs), which are the foundation of the Indian Banking system account for more than 78 per cent of total banking industry assets. Unfortunately they are burdened with excessive Non Performing assets (NPAs), massive manpower and lack of modern technology. On the other hand the Private Sector Banks in India are witnessing immense progress. They are leaders in Internet banking, mobile banking, phone banking, ATMs. While at the same time, the Public Sector Banks are still facing the problem of unhappy employees. There has been a decrease of 20 percent in the employee strength of the private sector in the wake of the Voluntary Retirement Schemes (VRS). As far as foreign banks are concerned they are likely to succeed in India. Some Banks in India: – ING Vysya Bank, HDFC Bank, Industrial Development Bank of India, SBI Bank, ICICI Bank; etc. In today’s rapidly changing business environment, organizations have to respond quickly to requirements of the people. The Financial market has been witnessing growth which is manifold for last few years. Many private players have entered the economy thereby increasing the level of competition. In the competitive scenario it has become a challenge for each company to adopt practices that would help the organization to stand out in the market. The competitiveness of a company of an organization is measured through the quality of products and services offered to customers that are unique from others. Thus the best services offered to the consumers are result of the genius brains working behind them. Human Resource in this regard has become an important function in any organization. All the practices of marketing and finances can be easily emulated but the capability, the skills and talent of a person cannot be emulated. Hence, it is important to have a well-defined recruitment policy in place, which can be executed effectively to get the best fits for the vacant positions. Selecting the wrong candidate or rejecting the right candidate could turn out to be costly mistakes for the organization. Therefore a recruitment practice in an organization must be effective and efficient in attracting the best manpower. Like in the case of BPO’s, banking sector too faces the problem of attrition. Thus, recruitment is an ongoing process carried through out the year. The project is based on the study of recruitment process. The various recommendations suggested have been the result of the study. The idea is to generate ways of dealing with high attrition and making hiring process manageable and efficient. To know the recruitment and selection process in Banks. To know the purpose & importance of Recruitment & Selection process for the banks. To know the challenges faced by HR Department in these Processes. To know the sources used by the banks for the recruitment and selection process. To know factors effecting the on the Recruitment & Selection process & working of the banks. To evaluate the recruitment and selection process in banks. 4. HYPOTHESIS 5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A Research design is simply the framework of plan for a study that guides for the collection and analysis of data. The study is intended to know the Recruitment and Selection Process in the two banks and comparing the processes held. The study design is descriptive in nature. Descriptive study is a fact-finding investigation with adequate interpretation. The descriptive studies come under formal research. It is the simplest type of research and is more specific. It is mainly designed to gather descriptive information and it also provides basic information for formulating more sophisticated studies. Nature of the Study – This research is ‘Quantitative’ and ‘Qualitative’in nature. RESERCH METHODS:- SAMPLING DESIGN Sampling Method Used: – DATA COLLECTION:- Sources of Data collection Primary data Sources– Personal Interview Structured Questionnaire Ope_n-ended Questions_: – It is a type of questions that requires participants to respond in his/her own words without being restricted to pre-defined response choices. Close-ended Questions: – It is a type of questions which restrict the interviewee’s answers toper-defined response options. Secondary data Sources – Study of recruitment and selection at ICICI & HDFC Banks by the manual provided by the HR department. Internet Books Newspapers Magazines Journals 6. *Expected Contribution Attract and encourage more and more candidates to apply in the organization. Create a talent pool of candidates to enable the selection of best candidates for the organization. Determine present and future requirements of the organization in conjunction with its personnel planning and job analysis activities. Recruitment is the process which links the employers with the employees. Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost. Help increase the success rate of selection process by decreasing number of visibly under qualified or overqualified job applicants. Help reduce the probability that job applicants once recruited and selected will leave the organization only after a short period of time. Meet the organizations legal and social obligations regarding the composition of its workforce. Begin identifying and preparing potential job applicants who will be appropriate candidates. 10. Increase organization and individual effectiveness of various recruiting techniques and sources for all types of job applicants 6. CHAPTERISATION Introduction Research methodology & limitation Company profile Product profile Problem analysis Data analysis conclusion & recommendation Bibliography

Continental Airlines Case Study

04 – 18 – 2012 Ariel Kramer Summary Frank Lorenzo, in 1986, owned one of the largest airline networks in the world. From a small investment in Texas International Airlines, after restructuring it and bringing the company to profitability, Texas Air bought Continental for $154 million. In order to reorganize the corporation as a more viable enterprise, Lorenzo took Continental into bankruptcy. This process caused a walkout by many union workers, so Lorenzo replaced strikers with nonunion workers at much lower wages. Low-cost operator and cut-rate prices was Lorenzo's way to manage the company.After the corporation emerged out of bankruptcy, Lorenzo bought Eastern Airlines. In an environment of heavy losses, he instituted a severe downsizing program. At first Lorenzo's move appeared to be successfully, but he was wrong and Eastern went out of business. In 1993, Continental tumbled again into bankruptcy. The court approved a reorganization plan for Continental to emerge fr om bankruptcy. In the early 90's, a sick airline industry caused heavy losses not just for Continental but for all the companies. In 1994, Gordon Bethune became chief executive officer of Continental Airlines.He made dramatic changes. Since Continental was by far the worst among the nation's 10 biggest according to the Department of Transportation, Bethune renewed focus on on-time flights, lost luggage, and customer complaints. Customers began returning and Bethune transformed the workforce in a happy one by giving them benefits through achieved goals. The new company's manager apologized to their customers and asked them how we could be better being serving you. Instead of the company's old focus on cost savings, efforts were directed to putting out a better product.By giving employees bonuses for meeting certain standards, the incentive was created. Competing just on price basis leaves any firm vulnerable because it can easily be matched by competitors. Q: If you ran the airline, would you employ theory X or theory Y? Why? Theory X and Theory Y were identified by Douglas McGregor. There is a group of people who think, feel and therefore act according to the assumptions of what he called Theory X, and another group moves according to the assumptions of Theory Y. The theories suggest the possibility of managing human productivity in business organizations, as well as view human behavior within them.According to Theory X, humans do not generally like to work, or want to work as little as possible, as such, most workers have to be monitored and threatened with punishment to achieve the objectives of the company. Employees avoid responsibilities, prefer formal orders whenever possible, show little ambition and put safety above all other factors associated with work. On the Other hand, Theory Y highlights the fact that when a favorable environment, the work can be a natural thing that gives pleasure. In this environment, an employee, when enticed with a reward, en gages more in carrying out his task.In time, the employee ceases to be just under orders and responsibilities and begins looking for some responsibilities (do not confuse this theory with too much freedom or lack of control; it is just a different way of managing human resources within the organizational environment). X and Y theories are interesting, but we must consider the culture of each company and the context that a team is to generate a higher profit. Today, many organizations that succeed show strong traits influenced by the theory Y.Theory Y management style develops an open, dynamic and democratic, through which run becomes a process of creating opportunity, releasing potential, removing obstacles, encouraging individual growth and provide guidance on the objectives. His management style is democratic, creating opportunities and providing guidance on the objectives to the employee. It is up to administrators to provide conditions for development and recognition of characte ristics such as motivation, responsibility and potential for development to employees of the company.In this method of administration, workers can improve their work through their attitudes and their relationship with other workers giving the firm a better place to meet its goals. We can say that on the Theory X, it is an inhumane theory that discards the fact that workers are human beings, normal people, and treat them as machines, as objects, or rather, as the property of the company. An employee who should do no more and no less than the work assigned to him, without making any complaints, criticisms or suggestions.A company that adopts the concepts of theory X, employees presents themselves unmotivated and lazy attitudes and behaviors, on the other hand, if one choose to Theory Y, people will interact and present motivational characteristics. Managing is not enough. Recognize the needs and capabilities of your employees are essential to good business development and administrati on. Q: Evaluate the causes and the consequences of frequent top executive changes such as Continental experienced in the days of Lorenzo? Any company needs a plan.Lorenzo was an administrator who did not have a way of following up with a plan. He often changed his strategy at the first sign of failure and did not give time to his top managers try to reverse the situation. Over a period of 10 years, nine presidents had left Continental. This caused a big problem for the company since every time he changed his plan, time and money were spent to organize another strategy. Planning and focus are important aspects for a company to acquire the desired success. Each manager thinks differently. New ideas are brought after each change in administration.With several points that can be improved in the company, the focus of each manager will face a different problem. Giving time and working conditions to a staff member to develop his projects is essential to achieve results and profits for the company. Lorenzo gave no time for his top managers and each exchange, a new mentality was deployed in the company. One needs time to put his plans into practice and show results. Usually without time there are no results and consequently, no profit. Inconsistent strategies are vulnerable. A manager should always follow a plan to maintain the confidence of investors.The lack of planning is not good for the reputation of the company also with relation to customers. Sometimes a strategy needs to be revised and modified to achieve new goals; however, frequent and drastic changes can make a big burnout among employees. The exchange of managers in the company may have been one of the causes of the low profitability in which Continental had suffered in the middle 80’s. Q: It is 1994 and Bethune has just taken over. As his staff adviser he has asked you to prepare a report on improving customer service as quickly as possible.He has also asked you to design a program to inform both bu siness and nonbusiness potential passengers of this new commitment. Be as specific as possible in your recommendations. First, the company should let everyone know that there have been changes in the administration. By sending email to our customers could be a good way to do it. After a period in which the company had bad times, letting customers and investors know about the changes can bring their confidence back and consequently many customers would start flying with us.Second, we could create a program (perhaps a phone number) where customers can make complaints and propose new ideas. Confidence is everything. We get to get our customers confidence back. Emailing people cost nothing. That is a cheap and easy way to get customers to know about the change. Emailing people does not take so much time either, and, therefore, we got a combination of non-cost and few time spent on this new advertisement. By letting customers know about this new commitment, the company can expect an incr ease on sales because of the return of many unhappy customers who are going to be waiting for a better service.In order to get the expected better service, we get to listen to our customers’ complaints and suggestions. A phone number where people could leave messages or talk to a representative would be a great way to get it done. It is another cheap program that would get the confidence of our customers back. These two ideas will bring the company more customers since they would be excited with the new manager’s ideas. This will also cause a higher profit for Continental Airlines in a short period of time without spending a lot of money.