Background of Technology Project Essay

The Project to be studied is an implementation of a work assignment and tracking system in an IT department in a medium sized company. The IT Department before the project was started, had undergone a management change and a reorganization due to corporate cost cutting and restructuring. The previous structure of the IT organization was teams of people that support specific applications in the system, and the business users of a particular application contacted the team assigned to their application for system enhancements and support. There was no system for managing and tracking projects and tasks, and it was left to the managers of each team to handle project prioritization, assignment and tracking. This structure was changed to a pooled resource structure where IT staff people were grouped by functional areas (such as mainframe support group, pc support group, web applications, etc). The IT structure was no longer hierarchical and the work was no longer handed down in a top down approach thus creating a need for a systematic way of managing people and tasks to function effectively. SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle) The Life Cycle for this particular project did not exactly match the order of the phases as described in the Systems Development Life Cycle concept. Because of the immediate reorganization of the IT organization, current projects encountered delays and the IT procedures and tasks were disrupted. This prompted a need for a quick reshuffling of work between the new groups and a quick and dirty way to manage the work at hand and incoming work until a better system is implemented. Initiation The initiation of a system (or project) begins when a business need or opportunity is identified. This happened for this project when a CIO was appointed to head the new IT organization and was asked to reduce head count by pooling the resources while at the same time still provide timely and effective service to the business users of the IT systems and applications. System Concept Development Phase In this phase of SDLC, the business need has been approved and the approaches for accomplishing the concept are reviewed for feasibility and appropriateness. Several approaches were considered for tackling the problem in the IT department. The first approach was an Excel spreadsheet to list all IT personnel and their assigned tasks but this turned out to be too cumbersome and hard for several persons to use. An in-house developed web based system was also considered and was in fact implemented but was cancelled since it was not flexible enough to handle the different tasks of the different IT groupings and the different sources of work requests. The last approach was either to buy an existing package that would fit the requirements and customize it for the IT organization’s structure and procedures or develop one in-house. Planning Phase In the planning phase, the concept/approach is further developed to describe how the business will operate once the approved system is implemented, and to define project resources, activities, schedules, tools, and reviews to ensure the products and /or services provide the required capability on-time and within budget. The planning phase for this particular project was being done while simple solutions were being used and implemented since there were time constraints and something had to be in place right away. A team was assembled to look into existing applications within the company or packages out in the market that would fit the requirement and assess its flexibility and long term viability for the organization. That team also had to come up with a process flow of how work will be handled in the new IT structure to help in the use of the short-term solutions and to help in finding a long-term solution. Finally, two long term approaches were proposed. One was that of customizing the packaged software that was currently being used by the Help Desk to track PC and Mainframe work requests for PC Technicians and Mainframe System  Programmers, which was from a company called Remedy. The other was to develop a work flow system in-house. Requirements Analysis Phase In this phase, functional user requirements are formally defined and delineate the requirements in terms of data, system performance, security, and maintainability requirements for the system. The functional user requirements for this project detailed all the different tasks that an IT organization performs and the information that needs to be tracked for each such as requestor, status, assigned IT person etc. One of the main requirements gathered was that of accessibility of the work flow system. Different people will be entering work requests such as business users and help desk personnel and the user interface and performance requirements for the two types would be far different. So the chosen system should have flexible interfaces and need to communicate work status and results back to the requester in a medium that is accessible company wide. Another main requirement is that the system can be implemented quickly and should be flexible enough to easily add features in the future. Design The physical characteristics of the system are designed during this phase. For this project, after reviewing the requirements, the only option that would work was an out of the box solution such as the Remedy Action Request System. Since it was already being used by the Help Desk team, it has already proven itself as a flexible and reliable system to use. As a help desk software it allows entry of work request, assigns work, allows a way to log the progress of a request and stores all the history regarding a request. Design was simply a matter of finding out the customizable options and features in Remedy and designing it for the different IT groups formed. Since help desk work was different as compared to application development work, two type of request were designed and one was for support/problems and one was an enhancement to the system or major project that have subtasks and  involved lots of people with different roles and responsibilities. For the IT staff a client server platform was needed for faster execution, and for accessibility and ease of use, a simple web-based interface was designed for the business users since they don’t need to see too much detail. Since company wide communications was done through email, work assignment, status and results need to be communicated through this medium. Development, Integration , Test and Implementation Phase The four phases for this project was combined into one because of the time constraints and since it was a packaged software approach and the main components no longer needed development and testing. Most of the development involved loading tables that the package uses such as logon ids, departments, user data etc, and the customization of the user interfaces. The necessary components of Remedy were installed and hooked up with the web servers and the email system. Before final rollout, it was given a trial basis by one representative in each IT group and finalized based on the recommendations of each representative. Once the work flow system was ready, the IT staff were trained on how to use it and how work should flow through the organization. Conclusion The project as a whole went through a couple of cycles of the SDLC due to different implementations. But the final result was relatively successful since it incorporated the ideas that Trepper suggested in his article â€Å"Getting an edge on the competition† which was about process management. According to Trepper, process management † should also cover the establishment of actual development phases and activities, creation of a workflow among participants, and selection and implementation of tools and techniques best suited to the task.† This was accomplished by the Remedy AR system. The customized Remedy AR System also incorporated the two principal source of best practices as listed by Trepper which is industry best practice and ones  developed within the company. The Remedy AR System already had the industry best practice since it is a widely used system and the company best practices were incorporated through the customization of the system based on recommendations of the different IT groups.

Origins of western culture Essay

My friend and I organized for a visit to the park; we had to analyze several parks so as we could come up with the best park that was rich enough to enable us get enough literature for this class. After much research, we found Aztec ruins national park would play the role. Aztec ruins national park is a center of ancestral pueblo society that has housed more than five hundred rooms. It is made of original timber that holds the roof of Entire Park. In the park walls, finger prints of ancient workers are found in the stucco walls. As you talk in the park, you hear the echoes of the ritual drums in the reconstructed great kiva. According to (nps. gov, 2008) web site, Aztec national park is situated in animals’ river valley of northwest New Mexico. It is bounded by the Aztec national monument on the west, community of different cultures, residential buildings, roads, kivas and ancestral culture of modern puebloan people of the south east. The community around the park takes advantage of the year-round water from the Animas by constructing irrigation ditches that direct water to their farms of corn, beans, and squash. Settlers have also constructed irrigation terraces, some tracing the paths of the prehistoric ditches to irrigate fruit trees and pasture lands. The Farmers Ditch, a major irrigation ditch built in late 19th century, runs east-west through the more than 300-acre park and transports precious water to historic fruit orchards within the park and to users outside the park boundaries. According to (James H. 1992 National Monuments p77) Rise in the interest in developing people through out the organization could be attributed to a number of factors. In Aztec reins national park, employees are taking broader ranges of responsibility, managers, in particular are faced with a completely new environment. For they have to deal with people of different cultures and calibers. They have to make fundamental changes and come up with more planned productive strategies for effective operations of the park. Advertisement is another most important component that characterizes the operation Aztec ruins national park in the market since it raises the awareness of the customers about the park and its services in the market. Therefore a well planned advertisement is an important component that helps the park to penetrate the market Aztecs ruins national park’s market has a wide scope which comprises of many factors. These factors are essential for the maintenances of park competitiveness of the services being delivered by the park in the market, the Aztec ruins national park’s marketing team has the privileges of collecting relevant data from its market target which quite fundamental is its goods and service improvements that enable the maintenances of high competitiveness nationally. Human resource management has become one of the most important aspects in Aztecs ruins national park. It has been realized that having a competent and a motivated workforce can help the park create a competitive advantage which other parks may find hard to replicate in the market. Therefore there is need for the park to take bold step in order to address issue of hiring and retaining a competent work force. It will begin by motivating the current workers and to give them more freedom to make their own decision as pertains to the operation of the park. But them most important thing is for the Aztec ruins national park is to come up with a human resource plan that will be integrated in the overall growth strategy. A strategic human resource plan will define issue on hiring, retaining, training and development of the workforce in order to maintain a competitive workforce. (George C. 1962 Aztecs of Mexico P36) states that motivation is the force or impetus behind behavior and actions. This energizes behavior and directs behavior towards a goal. In Aztec ruins national park managers are always expected to create a desire of working to employees by creating conducive environment and a favoring atmosphere for working. Aztec ruins national park has been advocating the use of reinforcement by rewarding. An attractive object or event is supplied as a consequence of a particular work done perfectly. According to behavior approach to motivation, managers have an understanding of employees’ motivation which begins with careful analysis of incentive and rewards that are present in the park. These incentives are like privileges and money. It’s always managers’ responsibility in Aztec ruins national park to identify behaviors that need to be reinforced like outstanding performance, punctuality, neatness and completion of work (Stearns, 2003). Aztec ruins national has helped the surrounding community much, conservation of the Park can bring more profits to both community and the state. It’s quite apparent that the catchments areas found in the park, if taken care of, can be of great help in agriculture thus availing food and employment to the community. This being a tourist destination, it helps the community interact with people of different culture and there finding market for their farm products

Annotated Bibliography Strategic Management Literature review - 1

Annotated Bibliography Strategic Management - Literature review Example The author credits that business plan and a business idea will make a company or business achieve its goals. A personal conclusion is that cost leadership or product differentiation, which would result in added value to the product or good offered to the buyer creating room for high incomes and profit. The author tries to show how people critically think to build a successful business and that is the author gives a hint on the successful ways and that is by having a business plan. The author classifies management as the school of thoughts that show management in different institutions. Mintzberg own proposal for the basic values of strategic management is criticized by using the identical criterion. The intended audience by the writer is business and people who intend to get into the business venture. The author’s purpose of the work was the show strategy paradigm where the typical planning focus for the firm prepares the financial budget with a time perspective of 12 months. The credibility of the author is that strategic management aim is to create, affirm aim and do data analysis in order to identify issues arising in the organization (Hill, et.al 2009). Special features include the collection of data entails making efforts of collecting data from other organization and even carrying out reviews from the outside environment and this is quite unique. The author concluded that survival, practical goals and operational goals must be enhanced by stakehol ders. The author’s conclusion of the work was the strategy paradigm creates good financial management.A personal conclusion is that strategic paradigm is a way of performing financial management that grows the company’s economy and growth. A theme of the study was to focus on how business is run by the microcomputer and these are the relationships that are accorded in business. Weaknesses are the challenging factors that an organization will face, altering the smooth flow of production strategies.  

International Management Ethica and Values Essay

International Management Ethica and Values - Essay Example Ethics establishes have certain characteristics since it involves learning the right and wrong. Most ethical decisions have multiple alternatives unlike the legal decisions. Ethical decisions also have mixed outcomes unlike legal decisions that have certain outlines for disobedience. The consequences of the ethical decisions are uncertain unlike in legal decisions whereby the outcome of the legal decision making is known in advance. There are certain decisions that are both unethical but legal for instance betraying the trust of a friend is not illegal, but many people may consider it unethical. An example of decisions that are legal but unethical include a stockbroker recommending a buy option of a particular stock that he has adequate information that prices may likely go down in the future. Another legal but unethical decision is when a mechanic refuses to recommend installing an expensive machine even though he is aware the overall costs of production will decline. Examples of et hical but illegal decisions include writing a post-dated cheque after the client or customer agrees for delivery in next paycheck in the bank. Conflict of interest occurs when the individual has vested private interests whether in employment or discharging professional services. The self interest should appear to influence the objective discharge of the duties. The interest may be personal interest or financial interest. Conflict of interest occurs when there is a convergence between individual relationships and his professional or official responsibilities to the organization. Some areas of conflict of interest include accepting bribery, using the company’s property for self purposes and utilizing the employer’s confidential information for private purposes. In managing the conflict of interests, organizations should establish a code of conduct and policy that guides all employees in the

Early-Age Marriage in Ethiopia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Early-Age Marriage in Ethiopia - Essay Example In this particular research, I want to look into the cultural differences that spell the differences on how different societies view, and react to, early-age marriages or unions. In the Americas, I have come to believe that early-age unions, if ever they occur, are generally viewed, or judged, as a result of lack of parental guidance. Ironically, according to research, in Ethiopia, early-age marriages are planned by parents for many different reasons, but mostly to have a little â€Å"relief† from continuous poverty. My aim in this research is to try to look at the different reasons and effects of early-age marriages to present them to readers in order to not only learn on the Ethiopian culture, but also to gain an insight into how important this aspect is in a person's life. Should people see how the freedom that young people have in a nation whose civil rights movement is at its highest is sometimes taken for granted because they are not placed in an opposite position, they might place more importance on matters that other people of their age would give everything to have. Background Should people, especially in underdeveloped communities where access to health care is inadequate, delay the age of marriage, problems on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of these young girls will be lessened. Early-age marriage is a common occurrence in developing countries. One example of this is Ethiopia, where â€Å"62% of Ethiopian women aged 20-49 get married before the age of 18,† (Alemu 4) and most, if not all, of these are arranged by the parents of the couple. Furthermore, Ethiopia is ranked as having 12th largest occurrences of early marriages according to the International Center for Research on Women. In such marriages, these young girls are usually just forced to give in to their parents’ wishes for marriage. Permission of the bride is usually not sought, and even prior knowledge or consultation is usually not given. Because of thi s, the child-bride's physical, emotional, and mental well-being are placed under risk of damage that could sometimes be irreparable. Physical problems such as domestic violence, spousal rape, or complications during child-bearing and giving birth can cause severe damage to the child-bride (Gossaye et al. 2). Additionally, emotional issues such as depression, trauma, and even mental distress are evident in a big percentage of these marriages (Gossaye et al. 2). Furthermore, mental problems can also be observed in such marriages. For one, these child-brides are rarely able to go back to school after marriage. This deprives them of self-development and chances for growth. Self-fulfillment becomes rare for these females. Physical Problems in Early-Age Marriages I have not really immersed in a community where early-age marriages abound. However, there are certain multi-cultural communities in rural settings where these types of marriages or unions can be seen. I have observed that while domestic issues are present in every marriage, such issues are more emphasized if one of the spouses is very young. For one, I have always been against domestic violence. There is a general consensus that aside from the children, women are almost always the victims in domestic violence. If adult woman has problems in preventing it from happening to her, how much more can a child-bride prevent it from happening

Incident of Morales video Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Incident of Morales video - Essay Example However, the question remains: who is the one responsible for the death of Manuel Ortega? First issue questionable in the video was the hiring of the engineer Fred Martinez. He was a consultant of the competing company such that he is knowledgeable of confidential information about ChemiToil. Although it has been clarified that Fred did not sign any legal papers that restricts him from sharing secrets from ChemiToil, there is a difference between doing something illegal with doing something unethical. If Engineer Martinez revealed classified information to Phaust, he would have disobeyed the rule of practice stating that â€Å"Engineers shall not reveal facts, data, or information without the prior consent of the client or employer except as authorized or required by law or this Code (NSPE, 2007)† even if he is no longer en employee of ChemiToil. The fact, however, that Phaust has to formulate their own recipe for paint remover suggests that Fred did not disclose sensitive inf ormation from his former clients. It was also clarified that Fred designed the plant based on the preliminary documents from Chuck and Wally; not from the design of ChemiToil. These imply that the engineer did not do anything unethical regarding this issue of confidentiality. The next debatable issue came when 20 percent of the budget was cut off. The stress brought about by this event evidently caused the decisions that later lead to the death of their colleague. Fred did his job by clarifying to his bosses that there is a possibility for the project to be unsuccessful. However, it is also stated under the Code of Ethics that â€Å"If the client or employer insists on such unprofessional conduct, (the engineer) shall notify the proper authorities and withdraw from further service on the project (NSPE, 2007)†. Fred should not have let his boss Wally oppress him into following orders instead of making sure proper measures were implemented for the safety on the plant. The most alarming part of the whole video was when Wally talked to Fred about how everything is just about business and profit. He insisted that they should blindly follow orders from higher bosses. This part showed that the money restrictions were not only due to economic reasons but for personal gain. Wally risked the quality of the construction just to make sure that the employees get their bonuses. It was very subjective and selfish. Fred was also wrong to accept this reason. It is his responsibility to put the safety of everyone before personal gain. He should have reasoned out with Wally about this. They should not have kept this reason from the others. Everybody else was under the impression that there was no other choice except to cut expenses. It was one of the key scenes when the Mexican Official asked Fred what he thinks if the point in which the mistake was made. It made the audience start to wonder and be aware of the turn of events. It was when the Mexican official asked if eco nomic issues dominated the decision making of the project that Fred made a very unethical gesture. In this part, Fred denied being influenced by economic factors. It has been clear all through out the story that the restrictions were due to finances. It was clear that the characters understood perfectly the risks they are taking just because of money constraints. It is very much established in the Code of Ethics that engineers should be guided by the highest standards

Theory on selected topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Theory on selected topics - Essay Example These products are usually categorized according to their characteristics of market growth rate and market share. A typical BCG matrix is shown in the figure below: As we all know that McDonald’s Corporation is made up of world-wide business, such as McDonald’s USA, McDonald’s Europe, McDonald’s Asia and McDonald’s America. We are going to use the lens of BCG matrix to determine the position of each of these businesses in a BCG matrix for McDonald’s Corporation. (QuickMBA, 2009) STARS: Stars are those products that have a large market share in a rapidly growing industry. In simple words, these are successful products that need continuous investment to maintain their dominating position in the market. According to the statistics given in McDonald’s Corporation’s annual report, McDonald’s USA is a star. It has a high market share in the market which is booming rapidly. However, due to increased competition in the market, McDonald’s Corporation should invest in McDonald’s USA heavily, so that they do not lose out market share to other competitors like Burger King or KFC. (Daft, 1997). A question-mark is a business that has low-market share in the rapidly growing industry. In order to increase the market share, the business will need more and more resources. However, it is not guaranteed that the business has enough potential to become a start. In the case of McDonald’s corporation, McDonald’s Europe falls under the category of a BCG Matrix â€Å"Question Mark†. McDonald’s Europe has found it tough to break into the food industry which is already congested with various firms in the industry. The culture diversification in the different parts of Europe has also resulted in low-demands and cash returns for McDonald’s Europe, making it a question mark. The only way to cure the problem is that McDonald should carry out a market research to find out what people

GAME NOT OVER YET, NOT YET....ELECTRONIC ARTS Essay

GAME NOT OVER YET, NOT YET....ELECTRONIC ARTS - Essay Example This acts as a competitive advantage for the organization of EA as per industrial organization view. Not only this, according to resource based view, the sustainability of the firm mainly depends on its tangible and in-tangible resources. This might prove effective for the organization in enhancing its efficiency and popularity in the market among others thereby reducing its threat for new entrants. Apart from this, in order to enhance the net income and demand of the products of the organization, low cost unconventional strategies such as flash mobs, street art and many others are used. By doing so, the level of awareness and reputation of the organization enhances to a significant extent among others as stated by Guerrilla view. Yes, EA exhibited critical success factors in order to enhance its brand portfolio and profitability in new business context. Apart from other resources, the management of the organization of EA recruited highly experienced and talented individual from Apple, Xerox PARC, Atari and VisiCorp in order to enhance its dominance in the segment of online games and video games. This acted as a boon for the organization thereby amplifying its scope of success in the market among others. This is mainly because; they help in enhancing the inner talent of the workforces thereby amplifying the scope of invention. Due to which, the organization became able to cope up with changing preferences of the customers that enhanced its image and value in the market among others. In order to enhance its image, EA offered more attention over its tangible resources and so it recruited extremely talented and knowledgeable staffs within the organization. These resources are extremely essential for the organization so as to invent new product lines and so they are regarded as unique (Allen & et.al, 2011). An organization like EA might suffer from the issues

Importance Of The Internet Essay Example for Free

Importance Of The Internet Essay The Internet is very helpful for businesses all over the world. It helps speed up many processes in a cost-effective way. Yet the usefulness of the Internet depends on what types of services and products each business. And how they take advantage of what is available. Many businesses may benefit a great deal more than others may. And there are many different benefits depending upon the types of the business, whether it is a supplier, a distributor, or a retailer. Some of the benefits could be; creating a new client base, product analysis, market analysis, expert advice and help, recruiting new employees, fast information access, wide scale information dissemination, fast communications, cost-effective document transfer, peer communications, and new business opportunities. Finding new clients is not as easy as most may think. This process involves an in depth market analysis, product marketing and consumer base testing. Where if a business where to use the Internet it would be much easier because the Internet has several million people from all over the world looking for businesses to invest or subscribe to. It is very easily recruit new clients or customers if your presence on the Internet is known. If your business was on the Internet you will be able to do product analyses and comparisons and report your findings on the net. You may also be able to find at least one other person who will be familiar with a product that you Thompson, 2 are testing or about to purchase or invest in. You can get first hand reports on each product before you purchase it. The Internet has many surveys for an analysis of the market for a new product or idea. These surveys are easy to reach many people so you are able to determine the satisfaction of the users of each product. This will enable you to be able to satisfy your customers easily because most of these are anonymous you will be able to get accurate information to help you understand what is preferred by your customers. The Internet has many experts on it who make it very easy for you to find them. You may even be able to get free advice and help with problems you might have come across from the same people who are paid very highly for  their consulting services to large organizations. There are many web sites that have job listings online for employers. Qualified employees always post new resumes to the site. This may inform the employers of the skills hopeful employees will have to offer. So the employee will not have much trouble looking for prospective employers. Getting information over the Internet is much faster on most occasions than doing it via fax or postal courier services. Countries around the world are available to interact with. You can lessen the possibility of the receiver not getting the information needed. You can place documents on the Internet and make them instantly accessible to millions of users. This provides an effective method to present information to the public. This also will improve the availability Thompson, 3 of the documents to a client base larger than the circulation of many major newspapers. Electronic mail, also known as email has provided to be an effective solution to the problem of telephone tag. This still has the speed of telephone conversations and still provides the semi-permanence of postal mail. This can be sent from just about anywhere where there is an Internet service. This takes a very short period of time and saves a lot of money over postal or courier services, which can also suffer late deliveries, loss or damage. So as you can see the Internet is very valuable to many businesses all around the world. It allows things to be processed faster and for the most part much safer. I think that it would be in the best interest of most businesses to participate actively in the Internet.

Financial Highlights of John Lewis Performance Essay Example for Free

Financial Highlights of John Lewis Performance Essay Sales Sales are the activity within a business for the purchases of products and service. This is also the operating revenues that is earned by the company  by selling their products or services. Last year, the business was involved in an accounting scandal, and saw the departure of some senior executives. However the retail giant, which has more than 3,300 stores in the UK, had a better Christmas than expected. The sales over the holiday period were down just 0.3 percent on the year before and up 0. 1% if fuel sales are included. Overall, comparable sales for the three months to the beginning of January were down by 2.9%.Tescos chief executive, Dave Lewis, said the firm was facing the reality of the situation and was seeing the benefits of listening to our customers. Revenue Revenue are the amount of money that the business receives during a specific period which includes the discounts and deductions that are for returned merchandise Revenue is calculated by multiplying the price at which goods or services are sold by the number of units or amount sold. Tesco’s revenue increased from the years 2010 to 2011 from  £57,502m to  £61,174m. This infers to us that there would be an increase in the corporations stockholders equity and its assets. The revenues will increase the retained earnings section of stockholders equity. The assets that usually increase are cash or accounts receivable. Conversely within the years of 2012 to 2013 the business revenue decreased from  £64,541m to  £63,967. This indicates to us that the business reduced their pricing. However within 2013 and 2014 there was an increase within the revenue figures from  £63,967 to  £64,149. Profit Profit is the money that the business makes after accounting for all the expenses. This is a financial benefit that is realized when the amount of revenue gained from the business activity exceeds the expenses, costs and taxes needed to sustain the activity. Any profit that is gained goes to the businesss owners, who may or may not decide to spend it on the business. Tescos Britain’s biggest retailer Shares fell as much as 17 per cent to their lowest in around 14 years as it said trading profits for the year ending February 2015 would not exceed  £1.4bn. This is  £500m below current market forecasts of  £1.9bn. Debt Debt is the amount of money borrowed by one person from another. Many  corporations and individuals use debt as a method for making large purchases that they could not afford under normal circumstances. A debt arrangement gives the borrowing individual permission to borrow money under the condition that it is to be paid back at a later date, usually with interest. Within Tesco the debt decreased within the years of 2010 to 2013 from  £14.0b to  £13.5b because the business is paying off debts owed regularly which results in a positive cash flow. On the other hand the business debt increased within the years 2013 to 2014 from  £13.5b to  £14.5b. This is for the reason that the business are not paying off the liabilities that are owed. Pension A pension is a type of retirement plan, usually tax exempt, where an employer makes contributions toward a pool of funds set aside for an employees future benefit. The funds is then invested on the employees behalf, allowing the employee to receive benefits upon retirement. Philip Clarke and Laurie Mcllwee are members of the Tesco PLC pension scheme, which provides a pension up to two-thirds of base salary on retirement, normally at the age 60, dependent on service. Within the organisation each year’s pension earned before 1 June 2012 will be increased up to a maximum 5%. Turnover Turnover is the number of times an asset is replaced during a financial period. This would be the number of shares traded for a period as a percentage of the total shares in a portfolio or of an exchange. As we can see above, on Tesco profit and loss sheet there was an increase in the turnover from the years 2010 to 2011 from  £56910.0m to  £60455.0m. This indicates to us that Tesco has strong sales within this year as the business is re-stocking cash quickly and has a lower risk of becoming stuck with obsolete inventory. On the other hand within the years 2012 and 2013 there was a decrease in figures from  £63916.0m to  £63406.0m. This tells that the business is carrying too much inventory which suggest poor inventory  management and low sales.

Downfall of Tsar Nicholas II and WW1

Downfall of Tsar Nicholas II and WW1 To what extent was the First World War responsible for the downfall of Tsar Nicholas II? Jack Boag, Thursday, 26 January 2017 Shortly after Russia became the first member of the Entente to enter the First World War on the side of Serbia, Tsar Nicholas II, a devoutly religious man, prayed for hours on end in his private chapel, repeating the line from the Our Father, Thy Will Be Done. Then, God appeared to him, and instructed him to take personal command of the armies and lead from the front. These events could be said to have led to the downfall of both the Tsar personally, and autocracy as a whole. However, from a moral standpoint, what he did was perhaps commendable. His desire to join his troops at the front rather than watch the oncoming slaughter from the Winter Palace increased his popularity and the popularity of the war. In addition to his devout religious beliefs, he felt that his duty was to serve, rather than rule over his subjects. In short, he did the wrong thing for the right reasons. To quote Dominic Lieven, Nicholas loved his country and served it loyally to the best of his ability. He had n ot sought power and he was not, by temperament or personality, well equipped to wield it. Possibly the most catastrophic mistake upon going to the front was leaving the nation under the governance of the Tsarina Alexandra (his wife) and the rather dubious holy man Grigori Rasputin. In the words of Orlando Figes This was autocracy without an autocrat. Both Alexandra and Rasputin were incredibly unpopular, and the general populace were very suspicious of them. The fact that Alexandra was German made things worse, and false accusations of her being a German spy were commonplace. Rasputin didnt help himself either, and his indulgences outside of his duties to the Imperial Family became Russias worst kept secret. There was even (probably unfounded) rumours of the two having an affair. Cartoons of them in bed together were constantly going round all the major Russian newspapers. Both Alexandra and Rasputin valued loyalty over ability and this guided their choice of ministers horrendous judgement on their part. It is often said about the Western Front that reason for the mass slaughter was that it was a war conducted using 19th Century tactics, but with 20th Century weapons. However, the Russian Army was still stuck in the previous century. It had never seen victory against an adversary of a similar size in nearly 100 years. The Crimean War was a disaster, and defeat in the Manchurian War against Japan was an utter humiliation for Nicholas II. It the Russian Army could be defeated by the Japanese, how would it fare 10 years on against the Germans, who had modernised their army, while the Russian one had not changed since their defeat in Manchuria. The slaughter at the Battles of Tannenburg and the Masurian Lakes was on such a scale that the Russian Generals, in order to spare their men more pain, opened fire on them. General Samsonov, in charge of the Russian Army at Tannenburg, committed suicide shortly afterwards in shame. 70,000 Russian soldiers died at Tannenburg and 125,000 Russians di ed at the Masurian Lakes. The following extract is a report from the front. The army had neither wagons nor horses nor first aid supplies. We visited the Warsaw station where there was about 17,000 men wounded in battles. At the station we found a terrible scene: on the platform in dirt, rain and cold, in the rain on the ground even without straw, wounded, who filled the air with heart-rending cries, dolefully asked: For Gods sake, order them to dress our wounds, for five days we have not been attended to. More Russians were killed than any other nationality during the war (considering the Germans were fighting on two fronts, unlike the Russians). In terms of the Entente, Russians make up approx. 40% of the dead and 50% of the wounded (About 4 million Russians died and about 5 million were wounded). However, the pre-existing conditions for an uprising were already there. Russias view of the Tsar was mainly an outcome of Bloody Sunday in 1905, where the Imperial Guard opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. From that point forward, the writing was on the wall for autocracy in Russia, and for Nicholas. He came across as out of touch with the common man and incredibly oppressive. His concessions were not really concessions, as the Duma (Russias Assembly that Nicholas reluctantly agreed to) had no real power. On the international stage, the war with Japan over colonial ambitions in Manchuria and Korea was a disaster. An unhappy people, and an unhappy military after that defeat. This meant the clock had been ticking for Nicholas II for 9 years prior to the war. In conclusion, the war itself was a disaster for Russia. Their army was top-heavy and woefully ill-equipped, as was shown by the Manchurian debacle in 1905. Nicholas II going to the front with his men was commendable from a moral standpoint, but was political disaster for him. Tsarina Alexandra and Rasputin were unequal to the task of governing the nation and were heavily criticised in the popular press. However, the war itself was only a catalyst for what was already set in stone after Bloody Sunday and the Russo-Japanese War.

The Ending of Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis :: Metamorphosis essays

The Ending of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis At first glance, the final four pages of Franz Kafka's novel The Metamorphosis seem to be meaningless. This assumption, however, is anything but the truth. The final four pages, although seeming to be of no importance, serve to show the reader how the Samsa family changes as a result of the main character's, Gregor Samsa's, death. The family's changes are best exemplified in two different scenes: the scene at the kitchen table, and the scene on the trolley. During the scene at the kitchen table, there is a common change among the family members: their new willingness to do things independently. Their bold act of writing "letters of excuse" is a clear example of their new independence. Prior to Gregor's death, the family relied completely on Gregor's financial support and had little in terms of responsibilities. Kafka explains this lack of work when he writes, "they [Gregor's parents] had formed the conviction that Gregor was set for life in his firm . . . they were so preoccupied with their immediate troubles that they had lost all consideration for the future,"(17). By taking the initiative and writing to their employers, Gregor's family proves that they no longer depend on Gregor. The scene at the kitchen table proves revealing once again when Mr. Samsa announces that he will fire the cleaning lady (17). By doing so, Mr. Samsa demonstrates that he has changed and can take responsibility. Grete (Gregor's sister) and Mrs. Samsa also show that they have changed by not contesting Mr. Samsa's decision to fire the cleaning lady. In retrospect, firing the cleaning lady is an additional step towards change from the past. The second revealing scene is the scene on the trolley. In this scene, Kafka reveals the family's plans for the future, as well as the significant changes in Grete. He also emphasizes that leaving the apartment together is "something they [the family] had not done in months"(58). Demonstrating again their change to independence. Similarly, the family's plan to buy a "smaller and cheaper apartment" (58) further proves that they have become independent. Kafka's remarks pertaining to Grete reveal a different kind of change. During all of the turmoil involving Gregor, Grete matured both physically and mentally.

How effective is Harper Lees title of To Kill a Mockingbird? :: English Literature

How effective is Harper Lee's title of To Kill a Mockingbird? '" Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "Your father's right," she said. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people/s gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."' (p. 96) From the above quote we learn that a mockingbird gives only pleasure to people. It does not harm anyone, or destroy people's gardens, like other birds might do. The book can be said to contain 'human mockingbirds' who, each in their own way, are persecuted or treated badly through no fault of their own. Probably the two main and most obvious mockingbirds in the novel are Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. These two characters very much contrast each other, but the way they are treated by other persons in the book gives them a mutual bond. Both of these characters had to pay for their actions with their lives - Boo Radley being deprived of friendship and the outside world by his own family, and Tom Radley being convicted of a crime he did not commit, which ultimately lead to his death. Boo Radley, otherwise known as Arthur Radley, is described by Jem as a monster-type figure: "Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were blood-stained - if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time." (p.19) We know that this is not what Boo Radley really looks like, and Jem is giving this description to Scout so as to tease her. Being as young as she is, she believes this portrayal of Boo. However, though Jem is only having a laugh, this shows us what sort of image of Boo the children grew up with. The title could be connected with this because the children are mocking Boo's life and making fun of it. I also think that the following words from Jem are important: '" I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in

Organisational Strategy at Flybe Essay

Introduction For the purposes of this report I have chosen Flybe as my main focus of discussion in the UK and European airline industry. Flybe is Europe’s largest regional airline with 162 routes, operating from a total of 53 departure points. In this report I will analyse why it has made sense for Flybe to build on their strengths of being a regional operator and how they have managed to find a niche in the crowded airline marketplace. I will also discuss their strategy for future growth and how they have chosen their battleground carefully. I will discuss in detail how Flybe is attempting to fulfil its mission statements of â€Å"Low Cost, But not at any cost† and â€Å"To give you safe, efficient and friendly service†(Flybe, 2008). Eye For Travel (2008) reports that Flybe’s financial reports for the year-ending 31 March 2008 show 46% increase in turnover to  £535.9m. There was also a profit before tax of  £53.4m. Flybe’s competitors such as EasyJet, Ryaniar and BMI Baby have not had such positive figures in these tough economic conditions. I have included in this report the capability analysis of Flybe, the stakeholders analysis and how Flybe can utilise its resources to gain competitive advantage. Relevant appendices and a bibliography are included at the end of the report. STRATEGIC CAPABILITY ANALYSIS FOR FLYBE Effectiveness of strategies used 2002-2008 The period 2002-2008 was significant for Flybe. It coincided with a major shift in strategy in response to market conditions. Flybe adopted the LCC business strategy in 2002 (Done, 2003). The author’s aim is to identify the strategies using the Bowman’s Strategy Clock (1995). Evaluation of strategies will be done using the TOWS matrix (see Appendix 1 for Flybe’s strengths and weaknesses). Low Cost No Frills Strategy The adoption of the LCC business model by Flybe as a strategy can arguably be described as the positioning approach. This strategy could not have been planned but was rather an emergent one following the downturn in profits  exacerbated by September the 11th event. A closer analysis of the Bowman’s Strategy Clock reveals that Flybe’s initial strategy was that of low price. According to Done (2003), Flybe’s restructuring process was geared towards competing with the established no-frills airlines. Competition with Ryanair and Easyjet was therefore inevitable, but was this strategy sustainable? How effective was this strategy? According to Grant (2005), to compete effectively with a low cost strategy a company should be having economies of scale, experience curve and a lead on the market. Datamonitor (2007), notes that Flybe has had a lot of experience in the aviation business. It enjoyed economies of scale in its operations. It had a lot of experience in the airline industry. What it did not have was the large market share when it decided to adopt the LCC model of operation. Upon further analysis one can safely argue that this was a major risk that Flybe took by entering into this short haul business. A TOWS matrix analysis of Flybe (Appendix 1) suggests that Flybe adopted an effective strategy because it had strengths like economies of scale, dedicated staff, capital and resources to explore the expanding low cost business. Flybe only needed to offer a competitive product similar to its competitors. As a potential entrant into the business, there was no deterrence from the established airlines to stop Fl ybe from entering the market. On that basis, Flybe can be said to have used an effective strategy. It is also important to look at the strategies that sustained Flybe once it entered the market. Flybe’s Business Strategies Rapid expansion Restructuring of Flybe was associated with the rapid expansion programme. Flybe chairman, Jim French, announced the completion of its five year plan of rapid expansion programme (Annual report of 2007). There was an increase in the number of aircraft, network and profits for the corporation for the period 2002-2007. Rapid expansion was mainly achieved by the acquisition of BA Connect, a subsidiary of British Airways. The acquisition made Flybe one of the largest European LCC (Done, 2007, Annual Report, 2007). This fitted  well with his strategy of competition with its established airlines. However, acquisitions carry their own risks such as human relations problems (that can arise after the acquisition), not easy to dispose of unwanted parts of the company, problems of clash of national cultures particularly where target if foreign and high risks if a wrong company is targeted (Lynch, 2003). Re-branding Flybe has been reframed into a recognisable product on the market. The Flybe brand has continued to grow with passenger volumes up from 4.7million to 7million in 2006 and 2007 respectively (Done, 2007). The forecast for year 2008 was predicted to an annual turnover in excess of  £500 million and passenger volumes of 10 million (Done, 2007). It is debatable that Flybe’s initial plan was to establish itself on the market as phase one of the programme. Against a background of heavy losses, Jim French took a risk that paid off by sustaining Flybe into existence considering the intensity of competition on the market against established brands like Ryanair and Easyjet. Sustaining Flybe on the market would have been the second phase. Flybe adopted a strictly no-frills strategy between 2002 and 2006. However, a shift in strategy has been noted from 2006 onwards. This strategy is that of differentiation. The Differentiation Strategy Examining Bowman’s Strategic Clock (Appendix 2), Flybe has now shifted its strategy to differentiation without a price premium. Its major competitors have continued with the no-frills approach, while Flybe has commenced on product differentiation. Datamonitor (2007) noted that product differentiation for Flybe is in frequent flier programmes, on board deli, business express travel and corporate users. As highlighted in the 2007 Annual Report Flybe became the first LCC to charge baggage handling. However, its competitors have copied this and are doing the same. The advantages of differentiation as highlighted in research and literature include creating value for the customer, gaining a market share and enticing customer loyalty to the offered product (Grant, 2005). Judging by Flybe’s  results in terms of profitability and growth in passenger figures it appears as if differentiation strategy is working. On the other hand, it should be noted that Debonair came unstuck wh en it employed this strategy. Parnell (2006) has reiterated Porters argument that a company needs to have either a Low Cost Strategy or Differentiation Strategy combined with a focus strategy. If this does not happen then businesses risk their potential to maximise on performance. Flybe at present appears to be pursuing both strategies of Low Cost and Differentiation. Other authorities have argued for the co-joined approach suggesting the importance of customer perception in terms of price and value (Bowman and Faulkner, 1997). The author argues that Flybe might be leading ahead of its competitors. When Michael Oleary, Chief Executive Officer of Ryanair, was asked about what his next challenge was he suggested differentiation strategy (Done, 2007). Whilst Flybe has got competitive advantage at present in respect of differentiation, other competitors have already started thinking about it because it is easy to copy. Jim French can be said to have used an effective strategy again. As shown in Appendix 1(TOWS matrix for Flybe in 2008), Flybe has used its strengths of fleet efficiency and competitive routes to take advantage of the growing and expanding LCC market. It has also used product differentiation and customer loyalty to exploit a large share on the growing market. By purchasing environmentally friendly aircraft, Flybe has managed to counter threat of global warming concerns. Product differentiation has been used to insulate Flybe from the competitive environment where Ryanair and Easyjet have a large stake. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS FOR FLYBE Stakeholder pressures Stakeholder pressures played a significant role in terms of strategies that have been chosen by Flybe. The main stakeholders include shareholders, employees, customers, governments, suppliers, environmental pressure groups, unions, foreign governments, media, airports, local governments, directors, financial institutions and competitors. . The stakeholder pressure shall be examined using a power-interest matrix (Appendix 3). As power and interest moves towards high power and high interest segment, it is indicative of an increased level of stakeholder pressure. Appendix 3 represents three periods when Flybe decided to change its business model in 2002, a period of stability between 2002 and 2006 and finally when it started showing interest in the acquisition of BA Connect in 2006. Meeting the expectations and demands of all stakeholders has been described as almost impossible within literature (George, 2003). Pre-2002 period Flybe’s management was under considerable pressure from its main economic stakeholders. The company had gone for nearly three years without making any profits and with limited growth (Done, 2003). Pressure was mounting mainly from its shareholders for results in terms of profits. Tudway and Pascal (2006) pointed out that a shareholder’s perspective regarding responsibilities of directors as that of increasing shareholder value. Appendix 3 shows that there was a lot of pressure from financial institutions, creditors and share holding employees in the high interest- high power segment. Media had also started showing interest in what was happening at Flybe. Flybe’s competitors and suppliers were eager to find out what was happening in Flybe hence indicated in the low power- high interest segment. The resultant effect in terms of strategy was a change in management. Jim French was appointed the managing director and there was a change in the direction of the company. A positioning approach was adopted. Flybe announced its decision to establish itself as a LCC. The company was re-branded into Flybe. In that respect, stakeholder pressure was significant in influencing Flybe’s strategies. Between 2004 and 2006 there was a different kind of pressure as shown in appendix 3-1. There was a low interest from suppliers, media and the government with low power as well. There was high interest but with low power from competitors, unions, employees, pressure groups, creditors and financial institutions. Meanwhile Flybe had embarked on its strategy of rapid expansion. Heavy losses at BA Connect precipitated the move by Flybe  for a possible acquisition in 2006. The ultimate strategy was therefore fulfilled but the power-interest matrix also started showing a different picture before the acquisition (appendix 3-2). The government as a regulatory body had to come in with high interest and high power. Easyjet’s interest in BA Connect was blocked by the government paving the way for Flybe as the main competitor for the acquisition (Done, 2006). Media and environmental pressure groups also started getting involved towards the high interest and high power segment. Interests from secondary airports started to increase since they were going to profit from the acquisition. The resultant effect was the acquisition of BA Connect in 2007. Environmental pressure groups could be described as having played a significant role in Flybe’s decision to acquire smaller and environmentally friendly aircraft, the 78 seater Q400 turboprop aircraft. Flybe abandoned its initial interest in either Boeing or Airbus aircraft. Stakeholder pressure could be argued as having played a part, and still plays a significant part today. Stakeholder pressure is therefore a significant factor in firm strategies. However, not everybody’s demands will be effected by management. Some decisions will be taken at the expense of others. A power-interest matrix is a useful tool in stakeholder pressure assessment. RECENT STRATEGIC CHANGES THAT FLYBE HAS TAKEN Fit or Stretch future strategies Flybe achieved in its strategies of rapid expansion and re-branding the corporation within a short period of time. Change of business model, acquisition of BA Connect and differentiation strategies have all been aimed at gaining a substantial market share through positioning. The author argues that with its accelerated rate of growth Flybe now requires to consolidate its position on the market by focussing on its internal resources. Working on its core competencies, Flybe can still realise growth. The author therefore suggests that Flybe’s future strategies should be stretch based. Indeed, in the battle of the low cost carriers, Flybe have decided that an ambitious strategy is the best way that they can prosper. The acquisition of  BA Connect accelerates this strategy. Flybe’s rapid growth will enable them to spread their costs over a far greater range of activity and routes than ever before. This should enable them to continue to be able to offer low cost fares (Bizl ed, 2008). Evidence in literature and research asserts that the development of competitive advantage could be through looking at a firm’s resources and capabilities (Foss and Kaudsen, 2003; Barney, 2001). Appendix 4 is a value chain system for Flybe. A close examination of the value chain has led the author to conclude that Flybe has huge resources at its disposal and capabilities that it can develop into core competencies. As such, its future strategy should be based on the inside-out approach. Looking at the inbound activities, Flybe made the right decision in terms of aircraft acquisition. Flybe’s 78 seat Bombardier Q400 Turboprop and the Embraer 195 (which will be fully operational in 2009) have been heralded as an environmentally friendly fleet, its capacity suits the market. Flybe’s competitors have gone for bigger aircraft instead, despite the threat of public protests and impending legislation (Done, 2007). Flybe could possibly have a competitive advantage from its assets. Effective operations supported by its links with Exeter University in terms of learning and development could improve and cut down on costs. For the period 2007-2008 financial year about  £10-15m has been set aside for marketing the Flybe product. In 2007 Flybe had cash reserves in excess of  £136.2m compared to the same period the previous year (Annual Report, 2007). This is strength and Flybe should focus on building route growth, developing its brand and increasing its fleet efficiency. Claiming a core-competency in Flybe business should concentrate on improving passenger load factor, reputation index and operational efficiency (Pegels and Yang, 2000). This is achievable considering Flybe’s resources. More importantly, Flybe is currently taking an exceptional change of nearly  £6.5m by writing down the asset value of its BAE 146 aircraft (Bized, 2008). This is an essential part of their strategy to operate more efficiently, and in a more environmentally friendly fashion. Flybe’s new fleet will be one of the youngest in the world (Bized, 2008). The acquisition of BA Connect saw Flybe’s staff increase to over 3000 in a relatively short period (Done, 2007). This author argues that with such a vital resource the process of integration should focus on building a vision and culture that promotes the corporate brand of Flybe (Hatch and Schult, 2003). Nonetheless, post-merger integration will be critical to the success of Flybe. Learning and development for increased productivity and enhanced corporate image should focus on employees. Flybe has recently unveiled details about its project to build a 160-bedroom hotel at Exeter International Airport (This is Exeter, 2008). The hotel would be operated by a third party, with Flybe guaranteeing to fill 80 rooms a night with all its employees and those from other industry sectors attending training courses. This would be part of resource management. In January 2008, Flybe also announced a landmark franchise Agreement signed with Loganair (The Scottish regional airline). This is Flybe’s innovative philosophy and strategy of continuing to build a market-leading position as Europe’s largest regional airline following the acquisition of BA Connect in 2006. The flights commenced operations in October 2008 (Reuters, 2008). Flybe should now focus on organic growth. Research evidence has associated organic growth with stretch strategies (Leavy, 2003). However, a two-pronged approach has been suggested as a potentially effective strategy. The need to concentrate on resources while positioning a firm is considered as a dynamic and vibrant approach in the unpredictable market of today (Leavy, 2003). Flybe would be no exception to adopt such a strategy for the future. Flybe’s response to development on the market will determine the strategy to focus on. Jim French has not ruled out taking a predatory stance to opportunities that arise on the market. The author recommends a strategy based on stretch while keeping an eye on the industry structure. Other Future Strategy Options Flybe could consider the possibilities of mergers, alliances and sustained acquisitions of other businesses. Acquisition is where strategies are developed by taking over ownership of another organisation (Johnson, et al  2006). Flybe recently penned a three year exclusive contract with car rental firm Avis that will see both companies explore the possibility of integrating car hire with flight bookings (Skyscanner, 2008). However, Flybe would also have to consider the pros and cons of mergers and acquisitions. Another strategy option that Flybe could possibly consider would be stock market floatation, when the current market conditions and the economic situation become favourable. Conclusion As seen above, external factors either create threats or opportunities for firms in the industry. Industry structure analysis is vital to identify key drivers in the industry. Flybe has successfully chosen its strategies to date. It remains to be seen if future strategies will be as effective but the author has suggested a stretch based strategy while keeping an eye on the market. References Barney, J.B. (2001) â€Å"Is the resource based ‘view’ a useful perspective for Strategic management research? Yes.† Academy of Management Review 21, 41-56 Bized (2008) http://www.bized.co.uk/current/leisure Done, K. (2003) Companies UK: Flybe negotiates to join the big league [online] Financial times. London: Available from: http://ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=&y=6&drillDown=%2Bgaco. [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2005) Companies UK: Walker trusts set Flybe on course for sale or float [online] financial times. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=2&y=6&drilldown=%2Bgaco. [Accessed 17 November 2007) Done, K. (2006) BA sells regional unit to Flybe [online] FT.com site. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=11&y=b&drillDown=%2Bgaco [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2007) Regional airline sale costs BA  £105m. [online] FT.com site. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=1&y=6&drillDown=%2Bgaco [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2007) Flybe flies into loss [online] FT.com site. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe=&y6&drillDown=%2Bgaco [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2007) Ryanair orders 27 Boeing jets. FT.com site [online] Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe=&y6&drillDown=%2Baco [Accessed26 November 2007] Flybe (2008) Flybe official website. http://www.flybe.com Foss, N.J. and Kaudsen, T. (2003) â€Å"The resource-based tangle towards a sustainable explanation of competitive advantage.† Managerial and Decision Economics 24, 291-207. George, B. (2003) Managing Stakeholder vs Responding to Stakeholders. Strategy and Leadership. 31(6), 36-40. Grant, R.M. (2005) Contemporary Strategy Analysis. 5th ed. Blackwell Publishing. Australia. Hatch, M.J and Schult, M (2003) Bringing the Corporation into corporate branding. European Journal of Marketing. 37 (7/8), 1041-1064. Johnson, G; Scholes, K; Whittington, R (2006) Exploring Corporate Strategy – Texts and Cases, 7th edition. Prentice Hall, London Leavy, B. (2003) Assessing your strategic alternatives from both a market position and core competence perspective. Strategy and Leadership. 31 (6), 29-35. Lynch, R (2003) Corporate Strategy. 3rd Edn. Prentice Hall, London. Parnell, J.A. (2006) Generic strategies after two decades: a re-conceptualisation of competitive strategy. Management Decision. 44 (8), 1139-1154. Pegels, C.C. and Yang, B. (2000) The impact of managerial characteristics on strategic assets, management capabilities. Team Performance management: An Introduction Journal , 6 (5/6), 97-106. Reuters (2008) Flybe – Another new horizon for Flybe: NON-REG. http://www.reuters.com/article Skyscanner (2008) Flybe goes from strength to strength. http://news.skyscanner.net/articles/2008/07/000482-flybe This is Exeter (2008) Flybe unveils plans for a 160-bedroom hotel at city airport. http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/business/Flybe-unveils-plans-160-bedroom-hotel Tudway, R and A.M. (2006) Corporate Governance, Shareholder value and Societal expectation. Corporate Governance. 6 (3), 305-316. Transport Research Laboratory (2004) Airline Performance Indicators. Transport Research Laboratory, Wokingham. London.

Appendix H Topic Sentence Outline

Associate Level Material Appendix H Topic Sentence and Informal Outline Worksheet Using the Center for Writing Excellence and My Foundations Lab resources, provide the topic sentence and informal outline for your Personal Ethics Statement. †¢ Topic sentence: Many people believe that having good personal ethics is not as important as it used to be. However, ethics are what make a person who they are and how they live their daily lives. A person’s personal ethics are the ideas that they believe are the most important to them, such as honesty, integrity, and morals. Informal outline: Personal ethics are a person’s beliefs about their morals and knowing right from wrong. Having good personal ethics is important when it comes to family, every day society, work and school. Most people who have good personal ethics are likely to be honest in their personal lives and chances are they will also be honest in their professional life as well. Teaching personal ethics within yo ur family is a very important part of many cultures and different family units.In many cases this is where adults have learned their ethics from such things as honesty, integrity, and morals. Ethics in a way can also become traditions and a way of life. Ethics in the workplace and school are important because it creates a safe and secure environment for everyone around. While at school and work there are certain rules that are in place to make sure that everyone feels comfortable. A person having good personal ethics holds him or herself accountable in a moral sense and can determine how their values affect their social environment.

A crucible of American Identity Essay

From the founding of the United States to its keeping, wars have been fought- some lost some won- but by re-examining history, some decisions about going to war or capitulation have been learned and questions asked. Could they have been avoided and other strategies sought? Analyzing the relationship between the United States and the North African Barbary States in the 1800s conveys the author’s main purpose in this article by showing how a young nation at that period in time was taken advantage of by the Barbary States and made to pay frequent ridiculous tributes to sultans, yet its citizens imprisoned, killed or enslaved. The eventual consequence was the pursuit of reciprocity: respect and honesty in trades. The author takes us on a journey from the beginning to the crest and the nadir through the experiences of some exemplary individuals of how the United States eventually got what it wanted. The story of William Bainbridge, famously described here as having pervasive bad lu ck, sets the tone of the fate which befell the Americans frequently but specifically on the George Washington. The anger that must have seethed from their thoughts from the humiliation they experienced when their course was redirected to Istanbul under severe threats could not be tempered as Bainbridge himself swore that he would never take tribute to Algiers â€Å"unless authorized to deliver it from the mouth of our canon†. This told well of the humiliation as he once more quipped† such mortifying degradations†¦.makes me ponder on the words, independent United States†. This meant that the lofty image the United States had of itself or the image it portrayed to some other nations as a powerful nation that could defeat the British Empire in battle was false. How do you explain defeating a giant yet yielding to an ant? Nevertheless, this was a catalyst for a nation to create and reaffirm its identity, to live up to the image it portrayed, bring the abuse by the Barbary States to a stop and restore some pride. Dealing with the Barbary States from the home turf proved mor e difficult as the then President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson was known for his vacillations. He promised to attack the Barbary States and not yield to  their vain promises or their incessant demands for more tributes but went around and lessened the number of navy ships that could wage war on those states. Something I call a backwards progress. It later dawned on the President that inaction was not the best solution so he bypassed the congress and instructed the navy to act on the previous treaties they already had with the North African states. By bypassing the congress to authorize a military action on those states meant that the succeeding presidents of the United States could also do this during their tenure. It is what we popularly call Executive Action. Several individuals ran up the list of bravery and cowardice. A notable example of the cowards was Richard Morris whose pitiful attempt at charming the pasha by capitulating with a $5000 â€Å"inducement† had him scampering back to the safety of his ship for fear of being taken hostage when the pasha said his t ribute was laughable at best. A further smear on the power of the United States as this signaled that the Barbary States had an upper hand in trades and negotiations. Here come the noteworthy braves: i) Edward Preble, whose audacious approach to the emperor of Morocco resulted in the unconditional renewal of the 1786 treaty between the two nations. ii) Stephen Decatur, whose conquest with Edward Preble in the burning of the grounded Philadelphia rang across Europe as a valorous deed of the â€Å"age†, an act of immortal glory. Lastly was Eaton, whose determination to dethrone Yusuf and enthrone Hamid though outnumbered was brought to an abrupt end when an American naval ship the USS Constellation sailed up and informed him that the President had settled issues with Yusuf. His efforts were gallant because Yusuf thought the Americans were gaining grounds on all flanks and that compelled him to yield to negotiations. Had Eaton not been determined, the pasha may not have yielded as he had often laughed off the advances of the Americans in the past. In summary, whatever the stars and stripes may come to symbolize nowadays to an individual, the price of war is always greater than the price of reasonable negotiation but the price of identity may be the sum of both. The United states time and over has come to establish that identity across the world by declaring war or negotiating with nations whose actions have direct impact on its domestic affairs. Some OPEC countries can easily determine the price of barrels of crude oil on a whim but also readily come to negotiations with the United States if certain conditions are met. These  conditions could be likened to the tributes of the 1800s. But on another hand, those countries whose stubbornness to conform with pacts and whose foreign affairs affect the domestic affairs here could easily find themselves entrenched in a war with the United States. Most notable examples are Iraq, Syria and Libya; the war in Iraq was shrouded under the cloud of Weapons of Mass Destruction but it actually was for the control of Oil and Syria likewise because the ISIS has control over critical oil installations and refineries. The Libyan war was based on support. To support the rebels to dethrone Ghaddafi who sat on an abundance of oil wells and was trying to galvanize the Muslim and all African countries to ignore dealings with the United States, proposing one currency and a United States of Africa â €“an identity- had he succeeded, the authority of the United States would be threatened.

Irish People and Father Flynn

In order to answer the broad question, the term ‘possibility’ will be analysed in the context of the characters of the texts and in the ‘possibility’ for their personal growth and opportunity for change, be it spiritual, physical or emotional. The essay will focus thematically on four chosen texts: James Joyce’s The Sisters and Langston Hughes’ poems I, too, New Yorkers and Harlem. Firstly this essay will analyse how the city of Dublin represented in The Sisters is shown, through Joyce’s literary devices, to both offer and restrict possibility for each of its central characters.Key themes identified will then be used as a basis for further analysis of how these themes are more widely represented within the selected New York poems to either confirm or refute Lehan’s statement that ‘The city both offers and restricts possibility’. Textual analysis of The Sisters reveals numerous literary devices that explicate the theme of the repression of possibility by the city of its people.Throughout, Joyce uses symbolism, metaphors, and ellipsis to emphasise his themes whilst allowing the reader to infer its meanings without the need to describe them explicitly. The italicised words ’paralysis’, ‘gnomon’ and ‘simony’ (page 1) is one such technique and immediately underscores the physical, spiritual and religious restrictions found within the story that Dubliners symbolises as a ‘paralysis’ (p1) of the city and its people.The story’s young, intelligent, and sensitive (unnamed) protagonist comes to experience first-hand the reality of paralysis and death: he achieves his desire to ‘look upon’ (p1) both the physical paralysis and death of Father Flynn, with whom he was ‘great friends’ (p2) and the more subtle psychological ‘paralysis’ of those around him – his Aunt, Uncle Jack, Eliza and Nanny Flynn and Mr Cotter. The story shows that the Dublin adults are mentally immobilised – metaphorically paralysed, by their conformity to the conventions of their city lives, for them, the beliefs of the Irish church is a given.Eliza, Cotter and the church men consider Flynn and not the church to be the cause of his predicament ‘the duties of the priesthood was too much for him’ (p9). They appear unable to acknowledge the truth of a priest ‘nearly smothered’ (p4) by his understanding of the demands of his – and their- church. The perceptive boy, finds the adults surrounding him ‘tiresome’ (p1) and notices how Nannie Flynn’s skirt was hooked ‘clumsily’ (p6).His judgemental and sometimes precocious style seems at times somewhat harsh ‘the old woman’s mutterings distracted me’ (p6) and his character seemingly reflects the ‘scrupulous’ nature of Father Flynn. The friendship between this fatherless boy and the priest also offered important possibilities for growth to our protagonist, he was taught ‘a great deal’ (p2) such as ‘how to pronounce Latin properly’, told stories ‘about Napoleon Bonaparte’ and was questioned until he ‘could make no answer’ (p6).This education, when contrasted to the ‘principle’ of education described by his Uncle as a ‘cold bath’ (p2), is something that, without Father Flynn, the boy might not have had access to. The question of whether, in the ‘sensation of freedom’ from (p4)Flynn’s death, the boy takes up this possibility for change or succumbs to the paralysis caused by the restrictions of the city is one which Joyce leaves unanswered. In the case of Father Flynn the city of Dublin both offered and restricted possibility.From a lower class upbringing in ‘Irishtown’ (p9) Flynn was able to travel to, and be educated in, ‘the Irish col lege in Rome’ (p5). Yet once he returned to the city and took up his post, he became the ‘disappointed’ (p9), Father Flynn who was paralysed by his ‘too scrupulous’ (p9) nature. Perhaps this is a reference to the potentially paralysing psychological disorder ‘scrupulosity’ which would explain his ‘nervous’ (p10) disposition and his failed attempts to perform his office – represented by the symbolic chalice that ‘contained nothing’ (p9) and the ‘idle chalice’ (p10) he ‘loosely retained’ (p6) in death.The story’s namesakes, the Flynn sisters, were perhaps the most restricted by their Dublin lives. Flynn’s economically and socially impoverished siblings lived with him in the ‘unassuming shop, registered under the vague name of Drapery’ (p3) have been forced to receive the debilitating legacy of a ‘truculent’ (p6) defector whose fortunes once t ook him to college in Rome. Their lack of education becomes apparent through Eliza’s malapropisms ‘freeman’s General’(p8) and ‘rheumatic wheels’ (p9) and the fact they remain unmarried is made clear through the address of ‘Miss Flynn’ (p8).The sacrifices the sisters made for their brother’s career within the Irish church, is clearly represented by the symbolic communion of sherry and cream crackers when they receive the boy and his Aunt into the death-room, all highlight the sacrifices they have made. Joyce does not veil his opinion that the Catholic Church is responsible for a large portion of Dubliner’s paralysis of will and also hints at another malefactor: England. The death notice on the door of the shop on ‘Great Britain Street’ (p3) states that the priest died on 1st July 1895.This date coincides with the Battle of the Boyne (1690) in which Catholic supporters of James II were defeated by William III in a defeat that ‘brought death to the Irish hopes for national and religious freedom. ’(Walzl, 1965, p45) . The date is also that of the Feast of the Most Precious Blood which is symbolic of Father Flynn, his strokes, the broken chalice and the communion served in the death-room. This analysis has demonstrated a number of themes in The Sisters that restrict (paralyse) the possibility of its characters growth, and fewer that display the offering.The paralysis of its character’s resolution for change, caused by the restrictions of the city, is a theme that is also echoed throughout the rest of Dubliners. Joyce presents the city as an ever present â€Å"channel of poverty and inaction† (p. 35) which often leads to a life of â€Å"commonplace sacrifices closing in final craziness† (p. 33). Trapped by poverty and political and religious repression, Joyce's citizens cannot summon  the hope or energy that Gallaher  from ‘A Little Cloudâ€⠄¢ did, to â€Å"revolt against the dull inelegance† of the city (p. 68). However, Joyce's portrait of Dublin is not entirely bleak.Joyce could simply have condemned Dublin, as  Gallaher  does, or followed the example of Duffy, who, in A Painful Case, seeks refuge in brittle, lonely seclusion. But Joyce chose the more challenging course of confronting and accepting the loss of the ‘dear’ in ‘dear, dirty Dublin. ’ (p70) The city’s ability to supress its citizens hope of, or will to change, is something that it is clear, the paralysed characters of The Sisters had experienced, and it is this theme that this essay will now explore further, in an attempt to draw conclusions as to the validity of Lehan’s statement.The chosen Langston Hughes’ poems I, too, Harlem and New Yorkers display continuity of the theme of ‘paralysis’ through the restriction of a city on its citizens although in differing ways and to differing e xtents. Langston Hughes’ poem, I, too, is a poem whose main character is in complete contrast to the those of Joyce. Hughes positions the readers to feel the emotions of guilt and sympathy by applying his personal narration and allows the readers to recognise the inequality of the ‘darker brother’ who is sent ‘to eat in the kitchen /when company comes’ (lines 3-4).The isolation of the ‘darker brother’, his presence an embarrassment to the people around him, serves to anger and motivate his determination for change that is so differing to that of Joyce’s Dublin characters. When he ironically states, ‘But I laugh,/And eat well,/ And grow strong’ (5-7) the speaker is making clear his determination to utilise even the worst situation as an opportunity for growth. Hughes’ use of humour and irony demonstrates this positivity and certainty of change for the future which is in complete contrast to that of Joyce’ s characters.The physical symmetry of the anthem-like poem centres around the line ‘tomorrow’ (8) and seems to gain momentum and passion, as he defiantly promises white America that he will not be spoken for ‘Tomorrow, /I’ll be at the table/ when company comes. / nobody’ll dare say to me,/ eat in the kitchen [†¦] they’ll see how beautiful I am’ (8-16). Hughes positions the reader to feel both sympathy and admiration in the statement, ‘and be ashamed’ (17).The word ‘beautiful’ seemingly symbolises both the speaker’s skin colour and his cultural heritage, his pride demonstrating that he does not want to change himself so the city will accept him, but for the ‘white’ city to awake from its own paralysis and to actively accept change by valuing their separate and distinctive black culture, establishing that he, acting as a representative for the rest of his culture, is as part of the city a s â€Å"I [he] too am [is] America† (18).The theme of ‘paralysis’ is also present in Hughes’ poem Harlem albeit in different way to that of I, too. The speaker’s tone of disdain towards the city is instantly clear through the powerful imagery of it being situated on ‘the edge of hell’ (line 1). This is then compounded by the frequent punctuation and repetition of ‘old’ (3-5), successfully portraying the tedium and hopelessness that it is clear the speaker feels about the situation.The narrative uses the term ‘we’ suggesting that, like I, too, that the speaker is not just speaking as himself but acting as a ‘voice’ for a wider, black culture. When he speaks of the price increase of sugar, bread and the ‘new tax on cigarettes’ (11) he suggests political repression, when he speaks of the job they ‘never could get/and can’t have now/Because we’re coloured’ (13-15 ) he displays his embitterment towards the city and its reluctance to change. The feeling of hopelessness is carried through to the end of the poem, ‘We remember. a sombre statement echoing the ‘remembering of old lies’ (5) from the beginning and accurately portraying the sense of time passed over which they have been ‘patient’ (5) despite what ‘they told us before’ (5). The sense of hopelessness present within the speaker, and by association the African-American culture, is one that Hughes is suggesting has been gradually attained through their sacrifices for, and repression by, the city in which they live, much like that of Joyce’s Dublin upon his characters.The third poem which this essay will use to explore the validity of Lehan’s statement is that of New Yorkers. The first stanza opens introducing the male character as that of a native New Yorker ‘I was born here’ (line 1), the internal rhyme of ‘that ’s no lie, he said/right here beneath God’s sky’ (2-3) draws attention to the apparent need to reassure the female character that he was telling the truth, the implication being that they had been subject to previous dishonesty.If, like in Hughes’ other two poems we assume that each ‘voice’ represents the voice of their particular cultures we can infer a deeper meaning to the previous statement: that the female voice who ‘wasn’t born here’ (4) represents the new immigrants, the statement therefore seemingly echoing the ‘old lies’ seen in Hughes’ Harlem that promised of better possibilities. ‘where I come from/folks work hard/all their lives/ until they die/ and never own no parts/of earth nor sky’(6-11) Hughes draws attention to her belief of the better possibilities that the city would offer and the fact that they were misguided, by his use f her believing she could own a piece of ‘s ky’ (11). The repetition of the word also serves to demonstrate the similarities between the ‘sky’ of the place from which the immigrant originates and that of the city’s despite her initial beliefs that the city would offer more ‘Now what’ve I got? ’ (13). The following declaration of love ‘You! ’ (14) acts to convey that an unexpected possibility for emotional growth has been offered. However the hint of irony in the final line ‘The same old spark! perhaps implies that she has closed her mind to her original dreams of expanding possibilities, for what might be a temporary ‘flame’. In conclusion, Hughes’ poems, like The Sisters, all indicate the offering of, and restrictions on, the possibilities within a city and therefore confirm Lehan’s statement. Both authors, upon first glance, seemingly highlight more restrictions than opportunities. It is important to remember however, that as each c ity changes, so do the opportunities and restrictions offered, and at the time of writing, both cities were in a period of dramatic change, to which there is always resistance.At the conclusion of The Sisters we are left wondering how much of a character's plight is due to the city’s restrictions Joyce so specifically illuminates, and how much is due to human qualities that transcend environment. Perhaps the lesson in both Joyce’s and Hughes’ work, is that a city is made up of individual characters, and as long as its individuals remain backward-facing, without hope and closed to change, they will be paralysed from seeing the possibilities that the city has to offer them.Word Count 2186 Bibliography †¢ A230 Assignment Guide,( 2010) TMA 04, Open University press †¢ Bremen, B (1984) â€Å"He Was Too Scrupulous Always†: A Re-Examination of Joyce's â€Å"The Sisters† James Joyce Quarterly  , Vol. 22, No. 1 pp. 55-66 †¢ Haslam, S & Asbe e, S (2012) The Twentieth Century, Twentieth-Century Cities, Open University Press †¢ Haslam, S & Asbee, S (2012) The Twentieth Century, ‘Readings for part 1’, Open University Press James Joyce (2000 [1914]) Dubliners (with an introduction and notes by Terence Brown), Penguin Modern Classics, London, Penguin. †¢ Walzl, F (1965) The life chronology of the Dubliners , James Joyce Quarterley Websites: †¢ A230-11J, Study Guide: Week 26: Extra Resources, Milton Keynes, The Open University, http://learn. open. ac. uk/file. php/7066/ebook_a230_book3_pt1_chpt4_langston-hughes-poetry_l3. pdf (accessed 21st March 2012) †¢ http://us. penguingroup. com/static/rguides/us/dubliners. html

Alcohol Abuse And Substance Abuse

The Effects of Alcohol and Substance Abuse on Fetal Development Natalie Fontanella Liberty University Online Abstract This paper examined the effects of alcohol and substance abuse on fetal development in expecting mothers. The critical periods of fetal development during pregnancy are reviewed and discussed in order to determine the effects alcohol and substance can cause during certain stages. In order to gain a more efficient understanding of the effects different substances can have on fetal†¦ Substance Abuse Along with stress, family dysfunction, and social isolation, substance abuse has also been linked with an increased risk of child abuse and neglect. Aspects of the family environment can be a useful and vital assessment aspect for identifying child abuse and neglect. According to a study conducted by Shanta Dube, Robert Anda, Vincent Felitti, Janet Croft, Valerie Edwards, and Wayne Gills (2001), there was a strong relationship between parental alcohol abuse and each of the 10 adverse†¦ Alcohol Abuse Amber Wienberg Brown Mackie College- Lenexa, KS July 11, 2015 Alcohol Abuse Alcohol is the most abuse and widely used substance (Fortinash & Worret, 2012, pg. 333). According to Fortinash and Worret, 9.6% of American males and 3.2% of American females are alcohol dependent (2012, pg. 33). As stated by Psychology Today, alcohol abuse is defined by: failure to fulfill major school, work or home responsibilities, drink and driving, reoccurring legal issues related to alcohol†¦ policing, the use of alcohol and substance abuse has risen within the departments. Studies concerning the connection between alcohol and PTSD have shown that officers tend to turn to drugs and alcohol if they have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The use of drugs have led to addiction and even police corruption. This problem has become an epidemic for the police in today’s society. Citizens may argue that police are no different than an average citizen on substance abuse or that drugs actually†¦ Research Methodology There are very few studies on yoga intervention on alcohol and substance abuse. There ae several factors associated with substance abuse that prevents patients from relapse. Participants will be select based on the following criteria: the age, the employment status and the patient admitted for long-term inpatient treatment. The patient age 18 and over, who are currently employed in a firm and who are admitted in the facility as inpatient will be recruited for the research. The†¦ Alcohol may seem to be very innocent to people and a way to socialize with others even though that at times can be true it can also be very harmful and in some cases dangerous. Studies show that impulsivity has long been considered a risk factor for harmful alcohol use. Advances in neurocognitive models of impulse control have allowed substance abuse researchers to understand how dysfunction of specific cognitive mechanisms underlying behavioral control can contribute to substance use (Fillmore†¦ A main issue that is still occurring in the military is the many cases of the substance abuse. The USA Today news article, â€Å"Ex-soldier Returns to Fight Substance Abuse in Military† talks about Frank L. Greenagel Jr. who opened up his own counseling center for substance abuse. He also served in the military and agreed that there are many individuals who are dealing with substance addiction. These individuals need help before things could potentially become fatal. Greenagel discusses how one of†¦ Substance abuse and addiction has become so common that almost every individual has been or will be affected by its consequences. Substance abuse and addiction does not only affect the individual directly battling with it, but also impacts the lives of many others. Alcohol and substance abuse counseling is a career path that has interested me due to my personal experiences associated with alcohol and substance abuse. There are many different people battling with alcohol and substance abuse who†¦ Lauren’s alcohol consumption, especially in the form of binge drinking, is a form of substance abuse and is considered a health-risk behaviour (Buultjens & Buultjens, 2015). Therefore, it is important to note that active substance abuse correlates with poor adherence to prescribed treatments in adolescents (Costello et al., 2016). Furthermore, it is observed that adolescents who display one type of risk-taking behavior are more likely to engage in further forms of risk-taking in regard to their health†¦ People suffer from substance abuse such as; drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Most people mistakenly think that those who suffer from substance abuse do not have the willpower nor does that person want to stop using drugs. What those people don’t understand, drug abuse or some might call it drug addiction is a complex disease. (Signs and Symptoms of Substance Abuse, 2016). When a person is abusing drugs quitting it easier say, than done. Drugs can affect and change the brain and the body making the process†¦

Critically examine why financial liberalisation brought financial Essay

Critically examine why financial liberalisation brought financial crisis in most of the Asian countries (for example South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thaila - Essay Example Transactions in financial markets are affected by the efficiency of intermediaries such as brokers who put buyers and sellers together and professionals who keep the market in operation, ranging from clerks who keep records and financial analysts who allow information to flow within, to, and from the market (Howell et al., 2002). Historically, financial markets evolved under the close supervision, regulation, and protection of governments for the good of market agents (the suppliers and users of funds). Through laws, suppliers of funds such as depositors or lenders were protected from swindlers who ran away with the money, whilst users or funds borrowers had to be protected from usurious lenders. Whilst the government also made it difficult for a small number of market agents to establish an oligopoly, it also saw the need to create monopolies mainly for legitimate reasons such as the regulation of prices, public protection, and to stimulate market competition. However, when governments become too complacent, these legitimate reasons become intertwined with political factors and became illegitimate and burdensome, and instead of improving market efficiency it had the opposite effect: markets became too costly, prices were too high, artificial, and not competitive, and therefore highly inefficient. Inefficiency is tantamount to a lack of freedom in the operations of markets, so the call for market liberalisation is in effect a strategy to "free" the market from government regulations. Liberalisation is the removal of government interference in economic markets and barriers to trade (Stiglitz 2002: 59) and is supposed to improve a nation's economy by forcing resources to move from less to more productive uses, thereby raising efficiency in the use of resources. Liberalisation is not necessarily a bad thing because in fact and intention, it is for the benefit of market agents. However, like most other realities of life, if it is not done well it can end in disaster. Just to give some examples easy to understand: you don't ask a young man who just received his driver's license to race against David Coulthard or expect the Manchester school district's soccer champions to play well against Manchester United. Yet, this is what liberalisation attempts to do: the best way to improve the efficiency of financial markets is to let it free, which usually means allowing competitors both local and foreign to slug it out in open competition. The good ones will adjust, learn, and survive, whilst the poor ones will disappear. The financial markets of Southeast Asia before the crisis shared the characteristics of a market that was not free and of being under the influence of government regulations that stifled competition. The foreign exchange market was protected by a government that intervened in transactions to keep the local currencies artificially high. Bank interest rates were kept artificially low to favour local borrowers, which included local governments and favoured conglomerates. Awash with cheap funds, wanton borrowing and wild lending happened side by side to construct golf courses and buildings and purchase Porsches. How Inefficiency breeds Crisis The Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998 has been one of the well-studied