The Implications of the Use of the Triple Bottom Line Approach Essay - 1

The Implications of the Use of the Triple Bottom Line Approach - Essay Example However, these events reflect the cultural and social values of the country. Therefore, it is the moral responsibility of the business to participate in the upliftment of the society as well as the environment. In the given project, the concept of Triple Bottom Line approach will be discussed mainly in the respect of event industry. Later on, the case of Edinburgh will be discussed to explain how the application of Triple Bottom Line approach can improve the performance of festival and event industry; that is how the event industry can gain sustainable growth in long-term perspective. With growing concern on sustainability, the concept of Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach is gaining popularity among companies throughout the world. As coined by Elkington (1997), a financial performance that is â€Å"the bottom line† is insufficient to indicate the long-term corporate success of an organisation. Therefore, it is quite essential to pay equal importance towards ecological and social â€Å"bottom lines† (Ehnert, 2009, p.37). The key concept of Triple Bottom Line can be summarised as- wealth generation, social benefit and environment protection. This concept is commonly popular as â€Å"People, Profit & Planet† (Cayreyre, et al., 2009, p.46). The main motto (goal) of a company is to increase the wealth of its shareholders. Thus, it is quite essential for a company to generate profit for its investors (shareholders). Therefore, to attain long-term growth in the industry, a company should improve its profitability. Profit-generating capability can be measured with help of certain financial indicators, such as gross as well as net profit margin, return on investment, return on capital employed and so on. The company is a part of the society. It acquires all the resources (land, labour, capital and material) from the society. Therefore, it is the moral responsibility of a company to participate in the upliftment of the society where it operates. Similar to the social aspect, a business should also consider environmental factor while making essential decisions.  

Causes of Film Cult Status: Donnie Darko

Causes of Film Cult Status: Donnie Darko Film Donnie Darko Abstract The following dissertation developed out of an enthusiastic interest in â€Å"Cult† film fandom and, in particular, Donnie Darko (Kelly: 2001). The desire to study the film in depth through a case study into its fandom came from my own curiosity and ambition to decipher and understand the level of fandom that surrounds the film, and how that formulated. Through reviewing and studying other academics work in the field and their own theories on cult films it acknowledged the diverse work when trying to find a solid definition and the complexities that follow the term â€Å"cult†. The research was used as the core of my study whilst examining Donnie Darko throughout the dissertation, using the work as not only a definition for cult but also theories on reception and fandom. .. By looking at the pre release of the film itself and the critical reception that followed an interesting debate is revealed: Was Donnie Darko created to become a â€Å"Cult† film? By conducting a study into the critical and fan reception of Donnie Darko it became apparent of the impact this had on the film’s cult status and also of how the cult fandom communities communicate and operate with each other in the form of dedicated fan web sites and fan message boards. By taking into consideration the various components of Donnie Darko, pre release, distribution, fan and critical reception, the conclusion of how much Donnie Darko can be represented as a Cult film can be found. It is plain to see what impact the internet had on the success of its reception with fans and revivals for re-releases, all of which point to the film being deliberately manufactured to adhere to cult sensibilities. Introduction In contemporary film and media there has always been an interest in fan studies and audience reception but there has been limited work on the specific genre of cult fandom and cult films. The research that is already available on the subject of cult films is inconclusive and does not share a common definition of what cult film is. I believe that it is possible to make a structured framework of what makes a film cult from existing research but there is insufficient study in respect of how cult films can be seen to be deliberately made. It is my hypothesis that film makers now have the knowledge to be able to construct and manipulate their films into gaining a cult audience, and that by researching this it will inform future academic discourse in the area of cult film. This piece of work will endeavour to map out the techniques used to create a cult film and thereby gain a cult audience and from this it will be possible to determine whether or not cult films are a carefully constructed and marketed text. In this dissertation, which takes the form of a case study, the 2001 Richard Kelly film Donnie Darko will be analysed in terms of how it has achieved the perceived status of being branded a cult film. The aim of this will be to define what a cult film is, and what attributes constitute a cult film, whilst looking at levels of fandom and considering whether or not cult is more ordinary than first perceived. The first section of this paper will discuss existing definitions of what cult films are, and also the problems faced when defining them. Having arrived at a solid definition of what a cult film is it will be used as the reference point when considering cult film in terms with Donnie Darko for the rest of the paper. A film’s cult status is not dependant on textual aspects alone and, in the final section of the paper, I will take a look at the reception of Donnie Darko amongst critics and general fans; this is, arguably, the most essential element to consider in terms of understanding how the status of cult film was conferred upon Donnie Darko. By referring to academic journals and contemporary reviews of the film in commercial film magazines and on websites it will be possible to arrive at an idea of how the critics formed the cult idea. Lacking a formal outlet, fan reception is harder to analyse, but by surveying fan communities online in the form of a dedicated fansite and one specifically created forum for Donnie Darko fans, it will be possible to analyse the fandom surrounding the film. Also, through analysis of focus groups of self proclaimed Donnie Darko fans, it will, through their discourse and opinions, be possible to map how cult fans react and use the text, in order to find out whether the film was constructed for this purpose. Literature Review – What Is Cult? When studying Cult Film it is first important to arrive at a robust definition of the term in order to provide clarity throughout this study. â€Å"Cult Film† is a phrase that is often used, in the context of certain films, by film reviewers, critics and the film fans alike, but arriving at an academic definition of what the terms exactly means, and the attributes a film must be seen to have to conform to a notion of a cult framework, is a difficult task. Many theorists have proposed their own notions and definitions of what makes a film cult, each formulating a different variation of what they see as essential to the make-up of a cult film. Some suggest that a â€Å"cult film† is created through its overall consumption, whilst others attribute prominence to other elements that feature within the text themselves. In their work in the area of cult film Jancovich, Stringer, Willis and Reboll also recognise that the term cult has many different meanings and connotations, asserting that â€Å"(Cult) would include entries from such seemingly disparate subgenres as â€Å"bad film†, splatterpunk, â€Å"mondo† films, and sword and sandal epics, Elvis flicks† (Sconce 1995 cited in Jancovich et al 2003:1) the list goes on but the point they are trying to make is that an overwhelmingly large group of films could potentially be considered as cult. In their work they do not set out to completely define the exact characteristics of any specific movies, describing cult films as an â€Å"essentially eclectic category† (Jancovich et al 2003:1) the work also goes on to propose that there is no one single signifier or characteristic that is occupied by every cult film but that they are formed by the viewers and critics via a â€Å"subcultural ideology† (Jancovich:2003:1), and that, in terms of film, this ideology is formed when the audience or even the film maker choose to view the films in opposition to what is thought to be mainstream cinema. An example of this would be Hollywood cinema stories that have a beginning, middle and an end whilst following a set path which leads to a resolved and happy ending in most cases. Jancovich goes on to also describe how film fans claim the title of being a cult fan by suggesting that there are two separate groups. The first set of fans that are ones that can be seen to â€Å"revere specific films as works of true artistic and political independence† (Jancovich et al: 2003:2). Examples of such works would include Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971) and more recently Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994), these films although having gained much popularity can be perceived as being quite obscure and different. These differences are aesthetically pleasing for certain viewers that consider it cult. The other group of fans he describes are fans that watch films that can be viewed and celebrated for the simple fact that they have not adhered to mainstream cinema, these films, in a lot of cases, do not even have recognisable quality in terms of story or acting but are again enjoyed due to the over-the-top and often clichà ©d acting and effects. An example of this would be Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead Trilogy in the 1980’s, which included over the top gory scenes and also clichà ©d catchphrases such as when the main character Ash (Bruce Campbell) is confronted by a demon who tells him that he will â€Å"swallow his soul† before Ash replies â€Å"Swallow this† kills the demon with a shotgun blast. Such celebration and viewings of these films, known as cult fandom, came from a direct opposition to main box office Hollywood hits and certain areas of movie fans seemed to crave these over-the-top and unusual films more than the epic blockbuster. This market for alternative films was not left unnoticed by film exhibitors and the emergence of art screenings began to emerge or, as Jancovich put it, they â€Å"turned to wealthy specialist audiences through the creation of art cinemas† (Jancovich et al 2003:3). The creation of such picture houses channeled the fans of these alternative films together and became their first forum to engage with each other. This can be considered a critical step in cult fandom emerging and is pertinent in terms of this study as it can be seen to correspond with the online forums that are now widely available for fans to discuss their passions. A phenomenon which is discussed in detail below. Jancovich et al goes on to touch on the spate of technological advances that have recently begun to have a bearing on whether films gain the status of cult. For example new media outlets such as digital television, art cinemas, VHS, DVDs and most recently the internet that allow higher distribution of films, regardless of the film’s success in the mainstream cinemas. This technological revolution of distribution is described by Jancovich as â€Å"a powerful market force† (Jancovich et al 2003:4). Such a market force means that films that completely failed at the box office and have been written off by critics can nevertheless go on to gain a loyal fan base simply through buzz generated by fans telling each other about the films. A phenomenon which has become increasingly prevalent with the rise of the internet fan bases. Jancovich et al acknowledge a number of problems with the new rise in technology, the first of which being that the wide array of possible ways for the films to be seen now â€Å"threatens distinction and exclusivity†(Jancovich et al 2003) something which cult movies and their fans depend on. This is a particularly interesting notion, as it suggests that although the available media outlets allow fans a base on which to share their film interests on, it can also mean that film makers can market carefully constructed films, which adhere to all the attributes that have made many other cult films successful, directly in order to tap into a specific, pre-identified cult audience. There are examples of films being made for the specific purpose of gaining a cult status or a highly niche audience to form a cult, this warps the notion of what cult film is due to the deliberate attempt to create a fan base rather than one being spontaneously generated. This can lead to films appearing to have the textual elements of a cult film but not have the same following of that of a cult film but, rather, that of a failed mainstream film. A fan base which is essential to the idea of cult. An example of a failed cult film would be I Heart Huckabees (Russel:2004) its confusing, multi level narrative and overall unusualness, whilst seeking a cult market, has not generated any significant fan support, so cannot be considered cult as loyal fan base is a reoccurring element in any cult definition. One film that might been seen to be a successful manufacturing of a cult was The Blair Witch Project, using alternative technology, with the use of the handheld cameras, not seen before in modern Hollywood. This film can be also said to be the first film to properly use the internet as a tool for advertising their film, through a cult medium. h Be that as it may, it is not to say that any film with a fan base will be considered cult. Films such as Star Wars (Lucas) which has perhaps the biggest, obsessive fan base of any film could be perceived as being far too popular in the mainstream to be even considered as cult. This is one of the many difficulties in investigating what a cult film is but despite of this it is still essential to investigate films on many levels to identify and confirm a films cult status.The reception of a film after its release represents perhaps the biggest part in the creation of a cult film and this happens through two groups – The Fans and The Critics. First of all the viewing public play a major part in the cult success of a film and only through fandom can a film achieve a true cult status. Cult films could be labeled through critics calling it so in a review, this can cause a domino effect and influence fans to begin acknowledging the film as having cult status, due to the academic labeling of cult. Critical approval though is not as concrete evidence of a films status, as the slating of a film by a critic could in turn create a higher cult following for that film.Harper and Mendik in their work have put forward a number of characteristics of films that are considered cult after analyzing a number of cult films. They point towards futuristic ideas, the paranormal, scattered and complex narratives, gory violence and events that cannot be explained, this are seen to be essential to being able to put films into a cult category (Harper Mendik 2000:8 to10). This work along with Jancovich et al’s approaches cult film as a type of counter culture. An alternative culture to Hollywood and its principles and practices in terms of film and also counter to the norms of the rest of western society. Although there are many differing views on what a cult film is, this is the definition that will be used and acknowledged throughout the rest of the study and is the template for what will be considered â€Å"Cult†. The definition above is not complete however as , although it does describe what elements the film has to have for the reader of the text to describe it as cult, it does not entirely show what cult fandom is, and as a result it is essential to read the text as what Barry Grant describes as the â€Å"supertext†. What is meant by the â€Å"supertext† is that more than just the text is studied and in relation to cult film its distribution, consumption and reception all play a pivotal role in its cult definition or as Grant himself describes â€Å"Because cult films, by common definition involve some intense devotion on the part of their audience† (Grant 2000:14) It is Grant’s view that the supertext, in the form of a cult film can transport the viewer away from their own reality by using a certain text to escape from their norms as Grant states in his work on The Rocky Horror Picture Show in which he contends that â€Å"it is a fundamentally ambiguous text that can comfortably accommodate opposed readings. Because of its well-known phenomenon of audience participation, the move also is perhaps the clearest demonstration of the cult films supertextual significance† (Grant 2000:19). This view ties in with audience reception theory and the Uses and Gratifications model to be exact. Throughout this study fans’ behavior will be looked at in relation to the Uses and Gratifications (UG) which is a body of approaches underpinned by the basic idea that people use texts and the media to gain specific gratifications out of them or as Blumler and Katz state It presents the use of media in terms of the gratification of social or psychological needs of the individual (Blumler Katz 1974). In their work on UG Jay G Blumler and Elihu Katz put forward four sub-sections when considering in what areas the audience were gaining gratification from media texts; these include surveillance, personal relationships, personal identity and diversion. The element that relates closest to the work on cult film and in particular Grant’s work is the Diversion section, which is described as a media text which allows the user an escape from reality. Also the section on personal identity is relevant to this study as it is described as a person creating their own identity from things they find attractive in the media. These two sub-sections will be considered when studying fans that use Donnie Darko as it demonstrates the cult fan’s relationship to the text as being active and is the closest media theory to the work already studied on cult film. Finally, in considering the phenomenon of online fandom, it is worth noting Matt Hills work on newsgroups which describes online fandom as something separate and new from offline fandom, or as Matt Hills states â€Å"The mediation of ‘new media’ must be addressed rather than treated as an invisible term within the romanticised ‘new’. (Hills 2002:172). This particular study was useful to me in that it was the first to open my eyes into the usefulness of the data online when studying fans. Here Henry Jenkins explains the wealth of data that can be accessed â€Å"the computer net groups allow us to observe self-defined and ongoing interpretive community.. {Whose} discussions occur without direct control or intervention by the researcher, yet in a form that is legitimately open to public scrutiny and analysis† (Jenkins 1995 cited in Hills 2002: 174). I found this quote particularly useful when deciding on methodology and despite having already decided on focus group research to research fans face–to-face it became apparent that the internet also would have a wealth of data to be analysed without any interference from academics, making the data more valid.Overall what I can take from the literature review is the following definition of cult that will be used as a template for the study of Donnie Darko. Having studied many different theories, it is the following template that will be used when considering fans in relation to the film â€Å"A cult film is characterised by its active and lively communal following. Highly committed and rebellious in their appreciation, cult audiences are frequently at odds with cultural conventions.Cult films transgress common notions of good and bad taste, and they challenge genre conventions and coherent storytelling. Among the techniques cult films us are intertextual references, gore, loose ends in storylines, or the creation of a sense of nostalgia† (Cultographies: Cult Definition: Web: Accessed 10/03/08) As it is this definition, combined with the Jancovich’s theory that cult films can be deliberately made in a marketing attempt to gain a cult following, that will be used in relation to fans using Donnie Darko as a supertext to see how film makers can now manipulate a fan base, using new media technology as a base. Project Aims The aim of this study will be to follow the case study of Donnie Darko, it being a contemporary example of a cult film, and map out its reception as a cult film from its early cinema release to the reception of both fans and critics alike of subsequent releases of further editions of the film. By mapping out the film in this way it will become clearer not only how it adheres to the cult formula but also how cult is established or even in some cases manipulated. By studying fans of the film in relation to Grant’s work on the supertext it becomes clear how the film makers have influenced the level of fandom involved and also perhaps most importantly the fans’ contribution. Methodology To maximise the potential for results that hold quality and validity throughout my case study of Donnie Darko a number of different methods are used to gain the evidence I need to conclude this study. The purpose of focus groups in this study is to question fans of Donnie Darko on their level of fanaticism and also to find out how they were influenced by the film to become such a fan. The constitution of the focus groups is derived from personal networks, family and other university goers. My target population has no class, race or gender requirements, targeting the fanatical fans of Donnie Darko and as the film itself when it was released was targeted at teens and tweens the source group is taken from university students and their peer group. Focus groups were determined to be the optimum methodology, representing a practical and relatively inexpensive way to do research due to lack of a budget; the participants can be sought out and assembled quickly. The insights that are needed to make are immediately available, the insights in this case is what makes the film so important to their lives and the reasons behind them buying into the Donnie Darko cult.The benefits of using a focus group rather than just a survey revolve around the degree of interviewing flexibility as; during the focus groups it is possible to play clips from different films and to be able to study body language and interactions between the fans in relation to the enjoyment of different elements of cult films. Arthur Asa Berger describes the usefulness of this particular technique â€Å"The aim of the discussion is not to build a consensus, but just the opposite- to find out what each member of the focus group thinks about the topic under discussion, to elicit from each person in the group his or her descriptions of behavior of interest.†(Berger 1991:91)The contents of the transcripts obtained from these focus groups are then read through and analysed using content analysis trying to draw distinction between a cult films being deliberately manufactured The attendees of the focus groups included five fans of the film that I had considered to be deeply involved with their fandom in regards to Donnie Darko. They were obtained by the sending of emails, Attached at Appendix B, to all students of Bath Spa University, asking them if they consider themselves fans of Donnie Darko and if they did if they would like to take part in a research project that would not take up much of their time. Their anonymity was also assured, as their gender was neither at issue nor who they were. Many replies were received,32 in all, and a response was sent back outlining the intentions of the study, how the findings would be used and what would be required of those willing to participate Potential participants were also sent a set of questions designed to test their level of fandom. These questions were derived from the largest Donnie Darko fan list (website) on the internet and required the respondent to possess a degree of knowledge necessary to being considered a â€Å"true† fan of Donnie Darko. The replies that were considered to most correspond with a high degree of fandom were subsequently selected to take part in the study. During the focus group session a number of set questions, Attached at Appendix A, were asked that were considered essential to my study. These questions were used as they facilitate an analysis of how the film makers attracted this cult market and what elements inspired the fans. The reasoning behind using the interview technique mixed with the focus group rather than questionnaire is that the interviews enabled participants to answer in their own words and language structure in favour of a mark out of 10 on a questionnaire sheet. This affords the findings a richer meaning as well as allowing for the clarification of certain meanings or, as Berger puts it, â€Å"The depth interview, on the other hand, is highly focused. It is conducted to get at matters such as hidden feelings or attitudes and beliefs that respondents may not be aware of or that are only dimly in their consciousness† (Berger 1991:57) The responses that are sought in order to prove the hypothesis that cult films are manufactured to directly gain a cult fan base are ones that relate to the film in terms of the definition of cult previously stated for example enjoyment of the loose plot or the sense of nostalgia that film brings to the viewer. Critical Reception Donnie Darko is firm cult fan favorite and has been named in numerous cult film list including coming 9th in Film Four’s 50 films to see before you die (channel 4: web). The film, set in 1988, takes place in a small town in the USA which is about to witness the end of the world. Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a troubled youth who is plagued by visions of a giant rabbit named Frank who warns him of the worlds impending doom. Along with his girlfriend Gretchen (Jena Malone), and other people that help him along the way, he must try to understand the strange happenings at home, at school and his life. It is a struggle against time and life as he gets led closer to the end of the world. Donnie Darko was the debut film of director and writer Richard Kelly. It premiered at 2001 film festivals, generating a high level of â€Å"buzz† and picking up a number of awards; most notably the grand jury prize at the renowned Sundance Film Festival. The film generated a lot of hype arising from this festival buzz, and this hype in turn damaged the commercial success of the film. Film distributors were put off by the film’s multi-genre format and, arriving around the time of the terrorist acts of 9/11, the scenes of plane crashes at the start and end of the film, as one commentator states â€Å"Donnie Darko, a story of death and crashing jets, flopped in the US, not least because it came out just after 9/11† (Danny Leigh: 2004: Web). Because of this the film was considered a box office flop, only being able to amass $110,494(source IMDB) in its first weekend as it was only shown on 58 screens in the whole of the United States and, subsequently, only given a f ew weeks run, it was in danger of slipping off the radar. Under these situations, the press and critics may not have given Donnie Darko the attention and acclaim that is arguably deserved. At the time of release Richard Kelly had not explained that the film was open to interpretation and reviewers seemed at odds with the film, especially with what the film was trying to say or if indeed that the audience was required to create their own meaning. Searching for reviews of Donnie Darko it becomes apparent that few critics were agreed on the films agenda. The British Film Institute’s magazine Sight and Sound wrote that â€Å"(Donnie Darko is) about seemingly inconsequential but secretly connected details, and divine forces that compel characters to actions they dont understand† (Felperin 2002 web) Others do not share this view, with one reviewer deciding that Donnie Darko is merely a general teen movie and that â€Å"Donnie Darko may be the Everest of adolescent angst movies. A smart, emotionally troubled suburban teen wrestles with the usual stuff identity issues, bullies, well-meaning but clueless parents and various school absurdities† (W. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle 2001) and some clearly articulating their confusion, asking â€Å"Is it a horror film? A black comic parable of Generation X angst? A teen drama with a psycho edge? If not, what the hell is it? Looking in my notebook, I see I have scribbled: David Lynch, The X Files, Prozac Nation, My So-Called Life, Ghost World†¦.none of these quite nails the genre, and perhaps more importantly the tone of this very strange movie.† (Bradshaw: 2002 Guardian: Web) The confusion that was exhibited by the film critics can be attributed to the multifaceted and multi genre format that can be seen in most cult films. Donnie Darko’s mix of sci-fi, horror and comedy is reminiscent of other recent cult films such as Starship Troopers and Critters and apparent in reviews of an older cult favourite The Evil Dead which state that â€Å"The influence of The Three Stooges on its comical creative trio of director Raimi, producer Robert Tapert, and lead actor Bruce Campbell gives the film a playful but unsettling feeling† (Glanville 2001: BBC: Web). It is this unusual mix that gives cult films an ingredient that mainstream Hollywood lacks, cult films can be seen to go against these ideologies and critics did not miss this within Donnie Darko from the outset, claiming that â€Å"The product of first-time writer-director Richard Kellys fertile imagination, Donnie Darko is one part 1980s Hollywood teen movie, one part sci-fi flick, with a dollop of David Lynch and a twist of Catcher in the Rye. If you were cynical you might call that cocktail the instant cult classic† (Slater 2002: BBC Web). With reviews such as this the Donnie Darko cult begins to take shape in the public consciousness whilst the fact that the film seems to have been designed as a cult is also recognised by the reviewers. After the critics have their say it is down to the fans to make what they want of the film and whether or not the reviewers have a direct influence on the fans when calling films cult is another issue, but they can be seen reacting to Donnie Darko as they had with numerous cult films to go before it. By looking at Donnie Darko, we are looking at the most contemporary film to become such a cult success and much of the onus has been pointed towards the increase in new media technology and in particular the internet. The internet has enabled large groups of fans in fan communities that can easily support, critique and help each other to come to understand films, especially Donnie Darko. Not only can fans talk to each other about the film, the interest in film can be seen world wide and the buzz created helps spread the word and in turn influencing many sales on DVD â€Å"Following the success at the Pioneer, midnight screenings popped up across the country, fueling domestic DVD sales to more than $10 million† (Burnett: 2004 indiewire Web) these sales have since gradually increased in America and gaining a huge following in the U.K. In much the same way as the critics were split and at odds with each other, the audience also lacked consensus, with some arguing that the plot holes and the general mystery around the film should be celebrated for making the film special and those who did not subscribe to this concept and expected the film to be resolved for them. Such oppositions in taste between fans and critics alike creates the perfect grounds for a cult to form and to be celebrated, this becomes clearer when studying the fan communities themselves. Study Phase 2 Returning to the internet, as represent the primary vehicle and forum for fans to communicate with each other, often in the form of dedicated fan sites. Such sites are created by individual wishing to share their fandom of the film with others and seeking to explain Donnie Darko in their own way. Perhaps the main source of discourse between fans takes place on interactive message boards, an online version of the ‘book club’ model for example. By analysing and describing the audience reception to Donnie Darko, it gives us additional insight into the level and type of fandom that is associated with cult films. More now than ever before, due to technological advances, fans are able to discuss and interpret their views on the film, and even doubters of the film can read the views of fans and be drawn into the mystery of the film. Such debates not only invoke discussion but allow the fans to obtain pleasure from the text and becoming more literate in it. The internet discussion rooms help breed the cult in more ways than the discussion itself. The debates between fans lead on to other events such as the viewing of the film again, evaluating and developing new ideas obtained from reading other fan theories. Subsequent development of their own new ideas to share with other fans is encouraged, not only adding value to their own reading of the text but also boosting the pleasure of the community as a whole. It can be argued that such close inspection and dismantling of the text, leads to the film being used in a way that was not the intention of its author, Richard Kelly, but it is this hardcore following of fans online that have created the success for Donnie Darko and without their keen following and debates the film would not be ascribed cult status. Here it may be pertinent to refer back to the idea of the supertext as we can identify the fans’ reception as showing the commitment and passion required to form the cult of Donnie Darko using the internet as the foundation for the fans personal but maybe imagined affiliation with the film. When searching the internet, on a search engine, typing in â€Å"Donnie Darko Fansite† brings up thousands and thousands of pages and, after reading through many of them, it seeme

Iron Age Hoplite Warfare and Democracy :: essays research papers fc

Iron Age Hoplite Warfare brings about the First Democratic Societies in Archaic Age Greece, Following the Role of Monarchy, Feudalism and the Aristocracy As per the coverage in our course, in the Persian War, a Greek force from Athens set out to meet the invading Persian army at Marathon, and set them running. They were outnumbered by the Persians two to one, and the Persian army had been the biggest force the Greeks had ever seen. The majority of the killing took place while the Persians were hastily retreating to their ships. With only 192 dead, the Greeks reduced the Persian force by 7,000 men; however, the remaining 13,000 soldiers were still a sizable threat if they should sail down and enter Athens proper, and so the Greek army hastily moved back to their city.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The question of how they did this feat might be explained by the Greek theme that any Greek warrior could take on ten barbarians, but for our purposes the interesting question is why their involvement with what they were fighting for was able to give them the push to oust the invading empire. I surmise that the involvement in the state militarily and thus politically for the Athenians, which amounted to the beginning of democracy as we know it. As it is suggested by the book title, The Roots of the Western Tradition dig deep down into the ancient civilizations. Greece is a unique, important and telling civilization to study for it reveals the beginning of systems in which we live that are still evolving.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These Greeks had all voted together in assembly, and although assured by Persia that they could not meet the threat, they did not submit to a takeover. All the men who voted for war against Persia, an empire which frightened most other Greek Polis’, including Sparta, from sending military aid to Athens, were the very men who would don their Hoplite armor, clash together shield to shield to form phalanxes, and defeat the Persians at Marathon. These men were motivated by their own interests and what they had to protect: their prospering Polis of Athens, and their financial and political gains that came from fighting for it. The Greeks enjoyed a sharing of power, which in their view, was the antithesis of the monarch style powers held by the Absolute Leaders of the Great Empires developing in the Near East.

Apple vs Samsung

Which one is better, Apple or Samsung? Along with the rapid development of science and technology, electronic products has became a very important part of our life. And there are many electronic companies in the world such as Apple, Sony and Samsung. Apple and Samsung are two of the most famous electronic companies in the world. They both produce abundant kinds of electronic products such as smartphones, tablets and computers. So there are many comparisons of these two companies' products. In 2011, there is a lawsuit of Apple accused the Samsung that they damage their many patents in samrtphones and tablets fields (Jackson, 3).Also Apple's complaint included specific federal claims for patent infringement, false designation of origin, unfair competition, and trademark infringement, as well as state-level claims for unfair competition. (Jackson, 4)Although Apple won the lawsuit, however after that the Samsung accused Apple as well. And these lawsuits are still continuous. These make p eople pay more attention of the comparison of the two companies. Many people want to know which one is the best electronic company in the world. To answer this question different people have different ideas.Most people think Apple is better, however others prefer Samsung. And, following are researches about the two companies, they will tell people the reasons that why Apple is better. Apple Inc. is an multinational corporation headquartered in Cupertino, California that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company was founded on April 1, 1976, and incorporated on January 3, 1977( –, para. 9). There are many kinds of products that it produce, however Its best-known hardware products are the Mac line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. Also Case Study will describe why Apple Inc. is a very successful company.Its software includes the OS X and iOS operating systems and the iTunes media browser ( Fisher , 3). Apple is the world's third-largest mobile phone maker after Samsung and Nokia. Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company in the United States in 2008, and in the world from 2008 to 2012 (Fisher, 5). However, the company has received widespread criticism for its contractors' labor practices, and for Apple's own environmental and business practices (Musgrove, 35). All these things tell us that Apple is a successful company and it have a powerful strength. pic] Figure 1 The logo of Apple This logo is the logo of the Apple Inc. The silvery white give a person with science and technology feeling. This is the meaning of the logo: the bite off the gap arouse the curiosity of people, doubt, want to know the taste of apple will personally have a taste (Niv N. P. ). According to Michael M. Scott the former pre sident of Apple Inc. â€Å"it is the most expensive and creative logo ever designed. â€Å"( para, 5) Samsung is a South Korean multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul.It comprises numerous subsidiaries and affiliated businesses, most of them united under the Samsung brand, and is the largest South Korean company. Samsung produces around a fifth of South Korea's total exports and its revenues are larger than many countries' GDP; in 2006, it would have been the world's 35th-largest economy. The company has a powerful influence on South Korea's economic development, politics, media and culture, and has been a major driving force behind the â€Å"Miracle on the Han River† (kelly, 56). Samsung is also a great company, it is the South Korea's national industry.And it is the pride of all the South Korea people. As well Samsung is a company has a long history, it was made up in 1938, and with the 75 years of development, it has became a world-class company. Samsung also has many famous products, but the most well-known is the Galaxy series products, such as smartphones Galaxy s3 and tablets Galaxy note2. [pic]Figure 2 The logo of Samsung This figure is the logo of Samsung company, it is a concise and clear design, and the sideling background expressed Samsung people's positive and enterprising spirit (Niv N. P. ).All above show people the powerful of the Samsung company, it has the strength to compete with the Apple company. With the fast development of technology, a lot of new stuff appeared. These products become the most powerful things to prove the technology of their company. Many experts do researches to compare these products of two companies because products can tell people the quality of each company clearly. In addition , all the products top class products from smartphones and tablets market. Such as iphone5 and galaxy s3. People compare every details of them and try find which one is better.Through Chaffin's resear ch people can found that a lot of evidences that believe iphone5 is better. Firstly, iphone5 unveiled at 2012 September, at the first week, iPhone 5 sold millions. Even galaxy s3 sold 10 millions units during 4 months, iphone5 just cost 7 days got the half number of galaxy s3 sold for four months( Chaffin, 1). Then, he make some further analysis that start with design. The thick of iphone5 is 7. 6mm and galaxy3 is 8. 6 mm. iPhone 5 just makes the body as thin as possible, a full millimeter less than Samsung galaxy 3. ( Chaffin, 3). And apple has also try to make the phone feel a bit less severe in the hand.Even there also had some slight issue happened on iphone5, because of a part of outer skin made by aluminum ,the character is more easier be scratched. A lot of user feels a little angry about this. Next, for screen, obviously galaxy 3’s is bigger. but the Apple's technology is higher. it makes the screen looks more clear. For power, just like before iPhone always use non-r emovable battery and galaxy use removable battery(Chaffin, 3). According to this research, they think iPhone5 is better than galaxy s3. From this, Apple is better than Samsung in Smartphone field.When it comes to tablet market. According to Catanzariti the tablet expert ,†New pad have the best scream –‘retina'. The ‘retina' screen is by far and away the best display on any mobile device we've come across. (page, 2) . People can see the texts on this screen more clearly and easily. Even Photos and videos look bright and vivid can have a better presentation. The iPad's screen is so sharp that it constantly highlights the low quality of many images on the Internet ( Catanzariti, para3). By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. 1 has a larger screen with a rather standard low resolution .Whatever from the definition or the presentation of texts and pictures Samsung Galaxy Note less the than the new iPad. This means it won't be able to display the same super cr isp text as higher resolution screens. ( Catanzariti, para5). So most researchers prefer New iPad, and it can prove that Apple is better than Samsung in tablet field. In computer market, Apple is better , Apple's computers such as Macbook is one of the top class computers in the world, and Samsung do not has any computer reach it. Young people prefer Apple's computers because its fashion appearance design and they give them a sense of science and technology.However, the Samsung's computer do not have these factors, just have a common appearance. Adult people prefer Apple's computers because they have a perfect operating system, and it's very help for design and other professional works. In addition , Apple computers users are more than 3 times of Samsung's users in the USA ( –, para 7). Researchers also do many researches of satisfaction. According to J. D. POWER& ASSOCIATES 2012 U. S. TABLET SATISFACTION STUDY, apple tablets are tops in customer satisfaction. The study measu red satisfaction using five factors on a combined 1,000 point among customer who used their tablet for less than 2 years.The factors include such as performance, ease of operation, styling and design, features, and price. [pic]Figure 3 Tops In User Satisfaction:TWICE: This Week in Consumer Electronics Figure 3 show Apple’s tablet satisfaction is most high, achieving a score of 848 by considering well in performance, ease of operation, styling and design, and features. Amazon followed closely at 841, and Samsung came in third as got 827 rating. And below the industry average of 832 points, followed by Acer, Barnes &Noble, and HP. Gap between Samsung and Apple's score of 21.Although it is a low number ,his is not a number to be ignored, because the users number of their tablets are very high. In comparison with the only Apple and Samsung, as this research, customer prefer Apple’s tablet more than Samsung’s tablet. Some people can say that this study alone, in this paper’s conclusion cannot say Apple is better. However, The survey was based on experiences reported by 1,985 tablet owners in July 2012. (Calif, para 6) Overall satisfaction was 857 among owners who watch three or more hours of video per week on their tablet, or 45 points more than people who don’t. Calif, para7) In addition, people who spend three or more hours seeing video are more likely to purchase another tablet from their current manufacturer in the future than are those who do not watch as much video content, the company said. The percentages are 90 percent and 81 percent, respectively. The survey also found that tablet owners spend 7. 5 hours per week browsing the Internet, watching videos, listening to music and reading books on their device compared with 9. 6 hours per week on a personal computer for the same activities. As can see, tablet was used various functions and multiple perform by applications that use the master. Calif, para 8) When seen from a va riety of used tablet, Can expect that the Apple tablet preference and other Apple’s products are also better than Samsung’s one. As mentioned earlier in this paper, as well as that Apple can be seen to people to more go ahead and advanced technology, productivity than Samsung’s did. With the researches above, more people prefer Apple. However according to the Beer Jeff the author of [APPLE SMASHER â€Å"In the second quarter of 2012, Samsung shipped about 50 million smartphones, the most ever sipped in a single quarter by any vendor, according to market research firms Strategic Analytics and IDC Worldwide.By contrast, in the latest quarter Apple sold 26 million iPhones and Research In Motion shipped just 7. 4 million Blackberries†. (Para 7) He also discusses about the consumer goods company Samsung, and also pay attention on the Samsung’s business strategies about how Samsung can selling more smartphones than the company Apple. Besides this article include what different between Samsung and Apple’s social media marketing, hardware and software. However, he just talk about the sales of only one year and only in the smartphone field.When it comes to the whole electronic products market share, Apple takes more parts than Samsung. The user of Apple of electronic products is also more than the users of Samsung. In addition, after the Samsung lost the lawsuit, many Samsung users sold their phones, they wonder some functions of Samsung phones would not work. Samsung indispensable to Apple is a good competitor, Of these two companies compete, consumers are able to access the more advanced technology. These positive competition exist Samsung and Apple, and the company has made efforts to better technology and customer service.Therefore, competition continues to be positive, and the evolving technology in consumer products to better fit their own would pick that. (Carrier, 6) The two companies all have their advantages and short comings, they are better than each other in different fields, but with the comparison they have, the both becoming better. In conclusion, this paper shows the various aspects, the current technology in society the more advanced the opinion that Apple's products have. Works Cited Catanzariti, Ross. â€Å"Tablet comparison: Apple new iPad vs.Samsung Galaxy Note 10. 1. † Web. 10 August. 2012. Chaffin,Bryan. Spec Comparison: Apple’s iPhone 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S3: The Mac Observer. 15 Sep, 2012. Print. Calif, Apple, Amazon Tablets . Tops In User Satisfaction:TWICE: This Week in Consumer Electronics, 1 October. 2012. Beer, Jeff. â€Å"Apple smasher†. 10/29/2012, Vol. 85 Issue 17, p54-57, 4p, 5 Color Photographs. Mlot, Stephanie. † Galaxy S III Helps Samsung Widen Smartphone Lead Over Apple. † Jul 2012, p1-1, 1p. — , â€Å"Apple Investor Relations â€Å"FAQ, Apple inc.Retrieved March 2, 2007. Kelly ,Olsen . â€Å"Samsung chairman resigns over sca ndal†. Associated Press via Google News. Archived fromthe original. Retrieved June 4, 22. Jackson,White International Business Times. â€Å"Apple vs. Samsung-The Legal Battle†. 05 Oct. 2012 Fisher, Anne â€Å"America's Most Admired Companies†. Fortune 157 (5): 65–67. March 17, 2008 Carrier, Michael A. â€Å"A Roadmap to the Smartphone Patent Wars and FRAND Licensing† (PDF). CPI Antitrust Chronicle (Social Science Electronic Publishing) . Retrieved July 27, 2012.

Exemplification Model Essay: Violence on Campus Essay

Violence on college campuses is gradually acquiring broad social significance. For many years, college campuses were believed to possess sufficient level of student safety and security. Violence and campus life seemed the two incompatible categories. However, as news are overfilled with the examples of violence in colleges that range from mass shootings to incidents of rape and assault, parents and education professionals are becoming more concerned about the atmosphere, in which students are bound to spend several years of their college life. Numerous examples confirm the relevance of campus violence issues. Addressing these issues is impossible without a systemic approach to defining and preventing violence on campus. Students must also understand how to prevent, to report, and to explain specific acts that hinder their freedoms or violate their basic rights on campus. Campus violence remains one of the most serious issues, which college and university students have to address. Either in the form of direct physical abuse or emotional pressures, many students report experiencing violence on campus. For example, the authors of the recent study published in The Journal of Adolescent Health surveyed 2,091 students in three universities on the subject of campus violence. As a result, 17 percent of male students and 16 percent of female students reported having experienced some kind of violence in the six months preceding the research (Stone). That campus violence remains an issue is further supported by detailed statistical research. Between 2005 and 2007 the number of reported murders on campus has grown from 4 in 2005 to 41 in 2007; 2 cases of negligent manslaughter were registered in 2007; the same year, the number of forcible offenses reached 1400; almost 800 cases of robbery and 1300 aggravated assaults were reported to authorities (U. S. Department of Education). These figures reveal the shocking truth: college students living on campus are subject to a whole set of physical and emotional threats. Moreover, the majority of these threats come from inside the campus. â€Å"Students are responsible for 80% of campus crime, although rarely with weapons† (Siegel). Thus, neither electronic alarm systems nor better safety grounds can secure students from becoming victims of a crime. The truth is in that research regarding violence on campus is scarce. On the one hand, professionals in education and students lack a clear definition of campus violence and thus are not always able to report the incidence of violent assault or emotional threat to authorities. On the other hand, college authorities are willing to silence the cases of violence as a matter of preserving their positive reputation. However, even the scarce information on college violence reveals several tendencies. First, campus violence often happens between students, who know each other or have already met on campus. For example, Siegel writes that â€Å"four percent of female students stated that they had been raped, predominantly by other students. Researchers report that 74% of sexually related crimes were committed by fellow students†. Second, in case of mass assaults, these are the students on campus, who become instruments of such violent attacks: for example, the case of mass shooting Steven Kazmierczak on February 14, 2008 at NIU University implies college authorities’ inability to trace possible violent threats and to protect students from similar assaults (Schlueter). Stone refers to her girlfriend, who became the victim of numerous fights with her boyfriend – a bright example of campus violence. Third, in many cases, students simply fail to define violence. â€Å"The definition of violence is hard to pinpoint, and that may be why people don’t speak out† (Stone). In this atmosphere, students should be given a chance to look deeper into what violence is. This is impossible without a profound and detailed research of what violence is and how it can be prevented. Students on campus must be able to delineate violence threats from insignificant cases of possible quarrels and conflicts between students. Students should know statistical figures and far-reaching implications of campus violence. Conclusion Violence on campus is gradually becoming a matter of the major societal concern. Numerous examples confirm the growing violence complexities on campus. Unfortunately, in the current state of research, universities and colleges fail to protect their students from violence threats; nor are they able to develop effective prevention and violence reduction strategies. Beyond the need to give a single specific definition to campus violence, colleges and universities should realize that the majority of violence dangers originate from inside the campus. As such, addressing and eliminating the discussed violence issues is impossible without a detailed systemic and scientifically grounded approach. Works Cited Schlueter, K. â€Å"Campus Violence Increases. † 2008. Chicago Flame. 02 August 2009. http://media. www. chicagoflame. com/media/storage/paper519/news/2008/02/25/News/Campus. Violence. Increases-3232501. shtml Siegel, D. â€Å"What Is Behind the Growth of Violence on College Campuses? † USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), May, 1994. Stone, L. â€Å"Both Sexes Suffer Campus Violence: Study. † 2009. The Province. 02 August 2009. http://www. theprovince. com/news/Both+sexes+suffer+campus+violence+Study/1795356/story. html U. S. Department of Education. â€Å"Campus Security. † 2008. U. S. Department of Education. 02 August 2009. http://www. ed. gov/admins/lead/safety/campus. html#data

CAW vs PC WORLD - Law Case Study

CAW vs PC WORLD - Law Case Study CAW vs PC WORLDCaseStraight out, this case is about the "duty to bargain in good faith", unfair labour practices.CAW-Local 127, the applicant, claimed that PC World the responding party, that they engaged in bad faith bargaining, and requested a number of remedies for the alleged breach. PC World denied it had breached the Act, and was seeking the dismissal of these applications.The Boards decision after hearing from both sides: a) is that the January 8, 1997 proposal made by PC World has been extinguished by the passage of time; b) that PC World did violate the obligation to bargain in good faith and to make every reasonable effort to reach a collective agreement; c) that PC World's proposal of April 18, 1997, appears to have been designed to be rejected by the Union and its members; d) the parties are directed to return to bargaining forthwith to bargain in good faith and to make every reasonable effort that reach a collective agreement.English: PC World, Kensington High Street, Lo ndon....PC World was stating that their January 8th proposal was removed off the table, where the Union stated that the offer was still valid and it was never removed. So PC World, due to a lengthy strike, the offer should be considered to have elapsed. In the Board's decisions after reviewing the evidence decided that PC World never told the Union on January 8th that if a strike commenced that the last offer was off the table. That if the offer had been withdrawn and they did not notify the Union, then the employer had failed to bargain in good faith because both sides never met again until April 16, 1997.From the commencement of the strike the Union persistently asked and pleaded to meet with the employer to recommence bargaining.

The Late 19th and Early 20th Century to Build Solidarity

The Late 19th and Early 20th Century to Build Solidarity Introduction From medieval times, the conflict between employers and workers has existed in the labor sector. During the 19th and 20th centuries, labor sectors witnessed a number of transformations. Owing to constant poor working conditions, extended working hours, poor remuneration, and exploitation by employers, workers devised strategies of advocating for their grievances (Yellen, 1974).Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on The Late 19th and Early 20th Century to Build Solidarity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Among other strategies, workers formed trade unions and used them to present their grievance collectively to their employers. Historical conflicts between employers and workers have always centered on the struggle for power in the workplace. According to Ashenfelter (1969), states workers perceived that by forming trade unions, they would have a high bargaining power that would enable them to advocate for thei r demands. Despite the presence of labor unions, workers occasionally employed riots and strikes as strategies of advocating for their grievances and enhancing their solidarity. When trade unions and employers failed to reach an agreement on their demands, workers resorted to riots and strikes as effective strategies of advocating for their demands and grievances. Therefore, this thesis argues that labor unions, riots, and strikes were effective strategies that workers employed to enhance their solidarity at their workplace during the industrialization period. Strategies of Solidarity Labor Unions Labor union was one of the effective strategies that workers used in enhancing their solidarity at their workplace. Labor union promoted solidarity and oneness among workers in various organizations and companies. To enhance solidarity among workers, union leaders encouraged them to form unions so that they could undertake collective bargaining of their demands in aspects such as wages, sa laries, working conditions, and contractual terms. According to Wolman (1975), what promoted the growth of trade unions in America was the determination of workers to improve their working conditions and prevent exploitation by employers. In their determination, the founders of trade unions argued that solidarity of the workers was fundamental in enhancing their bargaining power in the labor sector. With enhanced bargaining power, workers were able to advocate for their demands and improve their solidarity. Therefore, labor unions proved to be effective in enhancing solidarity among workers in their workplace.Advertising Looking for thesis on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Despite the ability to increase the bargaining power of workers and enhance their solidarity, labor unions also experienced a number of shortcomings. Johnson (1969) argues that trade unions were capable of causing massive strikes and demo nstrations, which eventually halted the industrial activities and operations. The strikes had a disruptive effect on the growth of industries and countries, as well as on their economies. As labor unions catered for workers who were members of the union only, it resulted in discrimination of those workers who were not members to the unions. Many employers, therefore, hired workers who were not members of the unions and subjected them to atrocities and exploitations that related to work. The discrimination hampered the power of workers’ unity and solidarity in their workplace, which was the core component of the labor union. Riots Workers also employed riots in the 19th and 20th centuries to enhance their solidarity at the workplace. Since riots were very destructive, employers had no alternative except to stop the riots by addressing workers demands and grievances urgently. David (1963) states that the results of the riots were beneficial to the workers as it encouraged them to come together and compelled the employers to address their demands and grievances. However, it was detrimental to the organizations as they incurred losses from these riots. When employees felt that the organization, industry, or company was exploiting them they would organize riots to create a platform that they could use in presenting their grievances to their employers. A good example is the Haymarket riot in 1886, which took place in the state of Chicago. As a result, riots were very instrumental in enhancing solidarity of workers in the workplace during the industrial period. Despite their effectiveness, riots had a number of disadvantages such as widespread destruction of industrial infrastructure and loss of lives. For instance, the Haymarket riot, which took place in the state of Chicago, caused the deaths of seven police officers and four workers.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on The Late 19th and Early 20th Century to Build Solidarity specifica lly for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Riots also affected the growth and the economic development of those areas adjacent to the industries that experienced frequent riots of workers. Riots affected economic activities because businesses and other operations within the vicinity took days or even months to resume normal operations (Foster, 1920). In spite of the destructive nature of riots, workers employ them when portraying their unity and advocating for their demands. Strikes Workers also used strikes as a strategy to enhance their solidarity. When workers felt that their employers were undermining or exploiting them without addressing their grievances and demands properly, they usually organized strikes. The Homestead strike in Pennsylvania is one of the notable strikes used by workers in presenting their views. Strikes brought workers together since it would address their challenges, and thus enabled them achieve their unity and oneness. Lens (1973) a rgues that strikes were beneficial because they compelled employers to address grievances of workers appropriately. Strikes also helped to bring workers together and make them to achieve the much-needed solidarity. Strikes were also instrumental in the creation of labor unions. In this perspective, strikes played a major role in the late 19th century and the early 20th century in enhancing workers’ solidarity at the workplace. Although strikes played an important role in uniting workers and enhancing their solidarity, it had a number of shortcomings. In the late19th century and early 20th century, many economies of countries such as the United States and Britain were highly dependent on industries. According to Olzak (1989), labor unrest and strikes halted worker operations in these industries until employers and workers came to an agreement regarding the demands of workers. The strikes greatly affected the industrial operations in these countries as well as their economies.A dvertising Looking for thesis on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, the strikes also put some workers in a dilemma because they wanted to remain loyal to their employers or abide by the requirements of striking workers, and risk losing their jobs. Another challenge posed by strikes is that small business enterprises sometimes had to close down, since strikes would incur them losses and completely cripple their operations. Despite these shortcomings, strikes were effective in enhancing workers’ solidarity at the workplace. Conclusion Workers’ solidarity was critical in that it created a platform that helped workers to present their grievances and demands to their employers. The solidarity of workers also enhanced strength and bargaining power of workers, thus enabling them to advocate for the improvement of working conditions and remuneration. The solidarity also ensured that workers accessed standard working hours and good working relationships. It is of significant to note that strategies employed by workers in promoting their solidarity in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries were effective and practical. Hence, a critical aspect is that these strategies reflect on the contemporary societies. References Ashenfelter, O., Pencavel, H. (1969). American trade union growth: 1900-1960. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 1(1), 434-448. Coates, D. (2000). Models of capitalism: Growth and stagnation in the modern era. London: Cambridge University Press. David, H. (1963). The History of the Haymarket Affair. New York: Collier Books. Foster, W. Z. (1920). The great steel strike and its lessons. New York: BW Huebsch. Grob, N., Billias, A. (2010). Interpretations of American History: Since 1877. New York: Simon and Schuste. Johnson, G. E., Ashenfelter, O. (1969). Bargaining theory, trade unions, and industrial strike activity. The American Economic Review, 59(1), 35-49. Lens, S. (1973). The labor wars: from the Molly Maguires to the sitdowns. London: Doubleday. Olzak, S. (1989). Labor unrest, i mmigration, and ethnic conflict in urban America, 1880-1914. American Journal of Sociology, 94(6), 1303-1333. Wolman, L. (1975). The Growth of American Trade Unions, 1880-1923. London: Arno Press. Yellen, S. (1974). American labor struggles, 1877-1934. New York: Pathfinder Publishers.

The 5 Ethical Considerations in Sociological Research

The 5 Ethical Considerations in Sociological Research Ethics are self-regulatory guidelines for making decisions and defining professions. By establishing ethical codes, professional organizations maintain the integrity of the profession, define the expected conduct of members, and protect the welfare of subjects and clients. Moreover, ethical codes give professionals direction when confronting ethical dilemmas or confusing situations. A case in point is a scientists decision whether to intentionally deceive subjects or inform them about the true risks or goals of a controversial but much-needed experiment. Many organizations, such as the American Sociological Association, establish ethical principles and guidelines. The vast majority of todays social scientists abide by their respective organizations ethical principles. 5 Ethical Considerations in Sociological Research The American Sociological Associations (ASAs) Code of Ethics sets forth the principles and ethical standards that underlie sociologists professional responsibilities and conduct. These principles and standards should be used as guidelines when examining everyday professional activities. They constitute normative statements for sociologists and provide guidance on issues that sociologists may encounter in their professional work. The ASA’s Code of Ethics contains five general principles and explanations. Professional Competence Sociologists strive to maintain the highest levels of competence in their work; they recognize the limitations of their expertise; and they undertake only those tasks for which they are qualified by education, training, or experience. They recognize the need for ongoing education in order to remain professionally competent; and they utilize the appropriate scientific, professional, technical, and administrative resources needed to ensure competence in their professional activities. They consult with other professionals when necessary for the benefit of their students, research participants, and clients. Integrity Sociologists are honest, fair, and respectful of others in their professional activities- in research, teaching, practice, and service. Sociologists do not knowingly act in ways that jeopardize either their own or others professional welfare. Sociologists conduct their affairs in ways that inspire trust and confidence; they do not knowingly make statements that are false, misleading, or deceptive. Professional and Scientific Responsibility Sociologists adhere to the highest scientific and professional standards and accept responsibility for their work. Sociologists understand that they form a community and show respect for other sociologists even when they disagree on theoretical, methodological, or personal approaches to professional activities. Sociologists value the public trust in sociology and are concerned about their ethical behavior and that of other sociologists that might compromise that trust. While endeavoring always to be collegial, sociologists must never let the desire to be collegial outweigh their shared responsibility for ethical behavior. When appropriate, they consult with colleagues in order to prevent or avoid unethical conduct. Respect for People’s Rights, Dignity, and Diversity Sociologists respect the rights, dignity, and worth of all people. They strive to eliminate bias in their professional activities, and they do not tolerate any forms of discrimination based on age; gender; race; ethnicity; national origin; religion; sexual orientation; disability; health conditions; or marital, domestic, or parental status. They are sensitive to cultural, individual, and role differences in serving, teaching, and studying groups of people with distinctive characteristics. In all of their work-related activities, sociologists acknowledge the rights of others to hold values, attitudes, and opinions that differ from their own. Social Responsibility   Sociologists are aware of their professional and scientific responsibility to the communities and societies in which they live and work. They apply and make public their knowledge in order to contribute to the public good. When undertaking research, they strive to advance the science of sociology and to serve the public good. References CliffsNotes.com. (2011). Ethics in Sociological Research. cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26845.html American Sociological Association. (2011). asanet.org/about/ethics.cfm

Carbohydrates Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Carbohydrates - Research Paper Example Polysaccharides function to store energy; in plants they operate as cellulose. A monosaccharide know as ribose is essential to coenzymes and also is one of the predominant structural elements in the genetic material that composes RNA. Informal contexts within nutrition research that reference carbohydrates often refer to their existence in foods such as pastas, bread, and cereals and often correlate their occurrences to foods that contain large amounts of starch. When examining carbohydrates in terms of food science, they are divided into simple and complex carbohydrates. Dietary guidelines recommend that complex carbohydrates should be coupled with simple carbohydrates that contain a significant amount of nutrients – this includes fruits, such as apples and oranges. It is also recommended that individuals gain approximately 45-60% of their energy from carbohydrates food sources; only 10% of these sources should be derived from simple carbohydrates, that is sugars. While carbo hydrates are recommended for healthy living they are not termed essential nutrients. Indeed, it is possible for living organisms to obtain all the necessary nutritive elements for life from solely fats and proteins. Not all carbohydrates are readily digestible by humans, as some carbohydrates can only be digested with the aid of gut

Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Education - Assignment Example This is because the child was able to name new objects as directed by the mother. Having watched the three videos, I have realized what Kamil (2011) argued as observation data aids in identification of a particular aspect within a certain setting. The collection of data in the Infant Video Clip was quite difficult because the child is at the early stages of development and does not realize what he or she needs. However, the child is able to stick to the caretaker’s movement and identify the flower being rotated above. The data collected here is that the child is able to identify the object and trace the movement without recognizing its name. Further, it is difficult to know whether the kid paid attention to the flower or not. On the other hand, the Toddler Video Clip was the easiest to collect data since the child was able to identify and recognize a new object and ask what it was. In addition, the child was able to recognize eatable objects like melon, and the communication was excellent between the child and the mother. Finally, the Preschool Video Clip was average in terms of data collection. This is because the kid had developed the recognizing ability, which made her identify what she needs. However, data collection was not easy because several kids were involved, which limited ability to pay attention to a specific

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Essay - 3

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business - Essay Example As a result of this open registration system, shipping companies that are located within the United States or other countries can register their ships in countries such as Liberia, Mangolia or Cyprus where the labor laws and environmental standards are much less stringent and thereby is able to escape liability for many of the regulations that are enforced upon ships registered in other countries. Harun Ur Rashid (2005) points out how the flag of convenience is one aspect of international shipping law that has allowed ships to escape liability for some of the worst accidents that have occurred, such as the oil spills off Spain’s northwest Coast on November 13, 2002, which was one of the worst environmental disasters in history, yet no liability could be pinned on the ship that was operating at below optimum standards. Ships can also escape liability for issues involving immigration and the liability of individual citizens of various countries who are employees on board its vessels. For example, the case of Empresa Hondurana de Vapores v McLeod involved an issue aboard a ship with a flag of convenience, which was registered in Honduras. The National Labor relations Board directed that an election be conducted among all foreign seamen aboard the ship. This was contested by the Honduran company that owned the ship as a violation of the private law of Honduras and thereby a violation of international treaty obligations1 as well as a violation of the United States Constitution itself. The Plaintiffs relied upon the case of Fay v Douds in which the Court held that district courts have jurisdiction over proceedings where constitutional rights are violated. The company therefore sought and won an injunction in a federal district court against the order of the National Labor relations Board on the basis that the Board had extended its jurisdiction into the foreign relations field through ordering such an election (Powar, 1962). Moreover, in

Weiyi Zhang a Misshaped Block Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Weiyi Zhang a Misshaped Block - Article Example Trade occupation nominees must then be reflective of the labor needs in a long-term assessment of the market needs for GSM applicants. The current MODL will be canceled and reinstated with newer specifically skills-focused requirements as stipulated in the list. This exempts those who are skilled graduates under subclass 485 or with pending GSM visa applications. The new Skilled Occupation List (SOL) also spares those who at February 8 are diploma holders with the visa of Vocational Education and Training under subclass 572, Higher Education under subclass 573 and Postgraduate Research under subclass 574. But students s with visa will need to have already acquired an occupation to be qualified for a permanent visa under the GSM program. â€Å"I was hoping to be a journalist,† Zhang says. He will be gravely affected by these changes. Scheduled to graduate in July with a degree in accounting, this new development means that he gave up his dream for nothing. What is most likely to happen is that Zhang will go back to his country with nothing. No permanent Australian resident visa and a diploma for a course that was not exactly his immediate choosing. His hopes and dreams of a better future diminished after years of grueling academic pressures. Giving up his dream of a media-related career for nothing. The education industry of the country holds the third biggest foreign exchange source. These alterations to migration guidelines are seen as causing a major impact in the education sector. These students spent thousands for an Australian education in their belief of securing permanent residency status in a stable and progressive country. Not to mention the years that they have dedicated to finish their tertiary education. Living in a foreign land is not easy, even more so if you have to study in it.

Ethics og healthcare Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics og healthcare - Assignment Example Therefore, in healthcare ethics ensures that the healthcare administrators behave in a moral way towards their patients. The lesson I have learned from this module is that, there are four ethical principles that guide the health care system (Morrison, 2011). They include autonomy, which is the freedom to make choices that are independent of any person’s control. In health care, this principle is guided in the practice of seeking informed consent, truth telling, maintaining confidentiality and fidelity. Secondly, there beneficence, which is act of doing good and acting with kindness towards others. Thirdly, there is non-maleficence, which makes it a duty to the health care providers to refrain from causing harm to the patients intentionally. Lastly, there is justice where it is the duty of the healthcare providers to ensure that there is equality in service delivery. I would apply this lesson in the workplace by ensuring that every individual has a clear understanding of the meaning of ethics, as well as, educating my colleagues on the four basic principles of ethics that are required in the healthcare

Introduction to Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Introduction to Economics - Essay Example This mainly depends on the type of the product or service offered. As such, this essay seeks to explain different factors that cause a monopoly market. It also seeks to discuss the benefits of a natural monopoly in the market with regards to the type of products offered. A monopoly market can be defined as a market environment where only one single supplier operates in that particular market and there is no close substitute to the products or services offered (Roos, 2008). A monopoly usually exists in electricity as well as postal services industry. In such kinds of industries, the government has power to control them to protect the interests of the consumers. A good example of a natural monopoly is Australia Post which offers different postal services as well as stationary to different customers. This industry is regulated by the government and it is responsible for setting prices for different products offered. In this case, it can be noted that the government is responsible for cr eating the monopoly in the postal industry so as to safeguard the interests of the people at large. Usually, confidential documents are conveyed to different destinations inside as well as outside the country hence there is need for this industry to be regulated by responsible authorities to avoid irregularities in handling different postal orders. In the event that some orders have been lost, it becomes easier to trace them given that there will be only a single player in the industry with clearly defined channels of delivering different postal orders. The other factor that may also contribute to the growth of the monopolist market is that this is a service industry which ought to meet the needs and interests of the people at a subsidised rate whereby the price of services offered will be determined by the responsible authorities. If there are many players in this particular industry, the competition that will arise can cause the prices to increase such that they will expensive to many people. The other aim is to maintain the quality whereby there will be few players in the industry. In most cases, it is the government which creates a monopoly market to satisfy the different needs of different consumers. There will be laws that are meant to guide the provision of certain products and services to the customers. A natural monopoly is usually regulated by the government to ensure that the industry conforms to the expected standards of operation. In some cases, a monopoly market can be caused by rising factors of production if it is a manufacturing industry. Information about some of the factors that give rise to a monopoly market can be viewed at . If the factors of production are very high, some players in the industry will be eliminated and only big organisations that are able to reap economies of scale from their operations are able to survive in that market which creates a monopoly. If other players are not able to meet the operational costs, the result is t hat they fold their business and only established organisations can continue to operate. The other factor that may cause a monopoly market is that certain products and services need to be regulated and controlled so that they conform to the expected standards by the regulatory authorities. In some cases, only one company will have great control of the supply of all the required material in

Ethics og healthcare Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics og healthcare - Assignment Example Therefore, in healthcare ethics ensures that the healthcare administrators behave in a moral way towards their patients. The lesson I have learned from this module is that, there are four ethical principles that guide the health care system (Morrison, 2011). They include autonomy, which is the freedom to make choices that are independent of any person’s control. In health care, this principle is guided in the practice of seeking informed consent, truth telling, maintaining confidentiality and fidelity. Secondly, there beneficence, which is act of doing good and acting with kindness towards others. Thirdly, there is non-maleficence, which makes it a duty to the health care providers to refrain from causing harm to the patients intentionally. Lastly, there is justice where it is the duty of the healthcare providers to ensure that there is equality in service delivery. I would apply this lesson in the workplace by ensuring that every individual has a clear understanding of the meaning of ethics, as well as, educating my colleagues on the four basic principles of ethics that are required in the healthcare

Product Reassessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Product Reassessment - Essay Example This essay will provide insight of a plan for repositioning Blu Ray Disk into Korean market by focusing on demographics characteristics based on US census data. Additionally, the type of research needed have been scrutinized as well as methods that can be used to increase adoption rates of Blu Ray Disk. The distribution problems that are likely to be encountered in Korean market and ways of addressing them have been scrutinized. This may involve determining how the Blu Ray Disk may fit into Korean market given the fact that some new features have been added in order to meet customer’s needs and wants (Pride & Ferrell, 2012). The following are three components for an effective and efficient repositioning of Blu Ray Disk into Korean market; there must be product positioning, market positioning and brand positioning. Product positioning focus on making Blu Ray disk unique from other disk available in Korean market (Clancy, Krieg & Wolf, 2005). This may be achieved by conducting product differentiation whereby, some cognitive and unique features may be added into the Blu Ray Disk to enhance their capacity and usage (Pride & Ferrell, 2012). On the other hand, Market positioning may help in identification of marketing strategies, whereby; the position of available and impending competitors may be evaluated. Additionally, SWOT analysis model may be applied to identify strength and weakness of competitors in the target market (Pride & Ferrell, 2012). Finally, brand positioning focus on taking into consideration the following attributes; consumer perceptions, brand attributes, price attributes and competitors’ attributes (Pride & Ferrell, 2012). Consumer perceptions may help to evaluate the minds of consumer concerning the available products supplied by the company (Pride & Ferrell, 2012).The issue of price should be taken into consideration. The company should evaluate their prices in relation to those of competitors in

Trends And Scenarios In The Airline Industry

Trends And Scenarios In The Airline Industry The Airlines is one among the inventions that had changed the way how people live and experience the world. In due course of time it has now become impossible to imagine business and leisure travel without air travel. The airline industry exists in an intensely competitive market. In recent years, there has been an industry shakedown, which is expected to the trend towards expanding domestic and international services. The airline industry is classified into four categories: International, National, Regional and Cargo. Airlines industry facilitates economic growth, world trade, international investment and tourism and so plays a key role in globalization making it a large and growing industry. Air travel (both business and leisure) has grown by around 7% in the last decade. Business travel has grown as companies having global presence in terms of their investments, their supply and production chains and also their customers. Availability of aircrafts at affordable prices backed by increased tourism had led to rise in leisure travel. Overall in terms of regions in developed regions like Europe and North America a slower growth is seen when compared to developing regions like Asia Pacific. Airlines profitability is closely tied to economic growth and trade. So based on the GDP growth the demand for airplanes and the air travel will increase. So during 1990-1995, the industry suffered from world recession and the air travels were further lowered by Gulf War. Thus financial difficulties impact airlines/aircraft industry. Deregulation is also stimulating competition, such as that from small, low-cost carriers. Some of the Key terms and ratios for airline industry are listed below. Available Seat Mile = (total # of seats available for transporting passengers) X (# of miles flown during period) Revenue Passenger Mile = (# of revenue-paying passengers) X (# of mile flown during the period) Revenue Per Available Seat Mile = (Revenue) / (# of seats available) Air Traffic Liability (ATL): An estimate of the amount of money already received for passenger ticket sales and cargo transportation that is yet to be provided. Load Factor: Measures the percentage of available seating capacity that is filled with passengers. Analysts state that once the airline load factor exceeds its break-even point, then more and more revenue will trickle down to the bottom line. Airport capacity, technology used, structuring routes and costs to buy or lease the aircraft are very vital for the industry. In addition Weather, Fuel Cost and Labour also play an important role. The industry has to realise the need for a radical change to sustain and also ensure growth and prosperity for their survival. Currently many cost cutting measures are being adopted in the industry. Also to meet the requirements of customers and elevate to customer delight from mere customer satisfaction the industry players concentrate on the quality of service that they offer, both on the ground and in the air. The key challenge is to ensure meeting of customer requirements and at the same time make effective cost cutting measures and continuously being efficient and competitive and profit making. Nevertheless, the aviation industry is characterized by strong nationalist sentiments so in many places despite globalisation airlines will face limitations on where they can fly and restrictions on their ownership of foreign carriers 10 aviation myths More runways are essential Environmental organisations try their best to price people off planes International agreements make the ending of aviations privileged tax free status (including tax-free fuel) become impossible The external costs of the industry are met through Air Passenger Duty (APD) Building new runways has clear economic benefits Aviation helps the UK tourist industry We may be able to fulfil our international obligations with regards to climate change and still have uninhibited growth in aviation and airports We can lessen the damage done to our environment, heritage and countryside that has been caused by aviation and airport expansion and also compensate for the same Airports can expand and we can still meet EU air quality standards Technology has delivered significant environmental improvements in the past and will continue to do so Emerging Markets The Asia-Pacific region and Middle East are the emerging markets in airline industry. They are expected to experience a higher traffic growth and expand rapidly. For better analysis please see the graph below: Regional traffic growth (% change year-on-year): 2009 to 2012F Note: (Data by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation)) Chief Characteristics of Airline Industry Capital Intensive: Its a capital-intensive business which requires huge amounts of money to operate effectively. This industry requires capital for expensive equipments like aircrafts, maintenance systems, control towers, simulators etc. Labour Intensive: Airlines need personals like pilots, crew members, security guards, cleaners, engineers etc. Its a very labour-intensive industry and nearly 1/3rd of the revenue is used for the payment of workforce. Thin Profit Margin: The profit margin is very thin in this industry. It averages to about 1-2% only. Seasonal: Earlier airlines used to see a heavy load during summers (because of vacations) and a relatively lesser load during winters. The seasonal factors results in rise and fall of airline revenues over the course of the year. Over the years the seasonal effect has reduced to a greater extent. History and the Current Scenario of the Indian Aviation Sector Genesis of Indian Airline Industry 1932: Mr. J.R.D.Tata flies a De Havilland Puss Moth from Karachi to Mumbai as part of the first Tata Sons Ltd. Flight to deliver mail carried by British Imperial Airways 1948: Govt. of India acquires 49% stake in Tata Airlines, designated it a flag carrier and renamed it as Air India International 1953: Jawaharlal Nehru, in friendly transaction, convinces the Tata group to let the Government of India acquire a majority stake in Air India International and nationalizes air transport 1953: Indian Airlines formed by merging eight former independent domestic airlines 1960: India enters the jet age with an Air India B707. USA and India are connected for the first time with an Indian Airline 1990: East West Airlines becomes the first private airline since 1953 After 1991 1991: Private airlines were allowed to provide the service under air taxi scheme to operate chartered and non-scheduled services. 1994: Private airlines permitted to operate as scheduled air service providers. 2003: Air Deccan lowered down the fares to 17% of previously charged rates thus introducing the concept of budget airlines in India. Consolidation The under-pricing of tickets due to the intense competition and the increasing number of budget carriers resulted in losses to the budget carriers as well as to the entire aviation sector. Consolidation was looked as the single way out which would lead to less competition and stable fares. The main reason for the increasing costs and reduced efficiency and flexibility for the Indian aviation sector was poor Airport infrastructure and manpower shortages. In 2007, there were 13 scheduled carriers which was estimated that this number would fall to 8-10 by 2010 in this fragmented Indian domestic aviation sector and the estimation is almost true considering the current scenario of the aviation sector. 2007: Jet Airways announced that it would buy Air Sahara for US$500 million 2007: Air India and Indian Airlines merged into one entity named NACIL 2008: Kingfisher-Deccan deal was the third alliance in the Indian aviation sector. Current Scenario of Aviation Industry The Indian Aviation Industry, being one of the worlds fastest growing aviation industries, has a compound annual growth rate of 18%. There are 454 airports and airstrips in India, of which 16 are international airports. As of May 2006, private airlines accounted for more than 75% of the sector of the domestic aviation market. The Indian aviation sector saw an increase in revenue by nearly US$ 21.4 million in December 2009 due to increase in traffic movements. Moreover, the Airport Authority of India may gain better margins in the near future as predicted by Ministry of Civil Aviation. These have been attributed primarily to the boost in the share of revenue from Delhi International Airport Limited and Mumbai International Airport Limited. According to a report released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation the number of passengers carried by domestic airlines rose from 67, 61, 000 to 80, 56, 000 for the period January February 2009 and January February 2010 respectively. The increase in passenger marked a growth of 19.2% for the aforementioned period. Some of the factors that have resulted in higher demand for air transport in India include the growing purchasing power of middle class, low airfares offered by budget airlines, the growth of tourism industry, increasing outbound travel from India and overall economic growth of India. Besides this, Indian airports are being ranked among the top airports of the world. The Hyderabad International Airport now ranks amongst the top 5 Airports in the world as per the annual Airport Service Quality passenger survey. The other airports to figure in the top 5 are the ones at Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing. There are even talks going on between India and United States to make the country an aviation hub. The Airport Authority of India is set to spend over US$ 1 billion in 2010, towards modernization of airports. The civil aviation ministry has also converted Delhi airport into an international hub for passenger airlines to help the airport utilize large amounts of additional capacity. The investment policy of India in aviation industry currently allows FDI up to 100% under the automatic route for green field projects and for existing projects, FDI up to 100 % is allowed; upto 74% under the automatic route and beyond 74% under the government route. Potential for Growth Despite the slowdown and slow recovery, Indian Aviation industry sector still continues to look promising. This is primarily due to the burgeoning middle class with increasing massive purchasing power, low cost carriers providing services at very attractive low fares, the growth of Indian tourism and increasing outbound travel from India. In addition, the Government has planned to modernise non-metro airports, phasing out new international routes, putting into place new airports and renovating existing ones. Experts are estimating the growth of industry as high as 25% YoY. Since 2006, most of the major Indian airline operators such as Air India, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines have reported large losses, reason being high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, rising labour costs and shortage of skilled labour, rapid fleet expansion, as wheel as intense price competition. Adding to all these problems are the new players entering the industry even before the existing players could stabilize their operations. As a result, all the airlines suffered even further when the recession hit. Even then also the Indian aviation industry has been more prone to crisis as compared to their global counterparts and thus, India has the highest passenger growth rate among the entire airlines sector in the world including economies like Australia and France. The total number of passengers travelling by air will be a whopping 400 million by 2020. To meet with this accelerated demand, existing players need to increase fleets and broaden their reach including regional destinations as well. They are also going to get the competition from international low cost airlines like Air Asia (Malaysian) and JetStar Asia (Australian). Flight into the future As estimated by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), by 2011, the Indian aviation sector is likely to cross the mark of 60 million domestic passengers, whereas the total number of passengers i.e. both domestic and international is expected to cross the 100 million-mark over the next three years. India is gearing up for heavy investments in the aviation sector of India. According to the Investment Commission of India, Investment opportunities of around US$ 110 billion by 2020 are now being predicted. It is estimated that about US$ 80 billion will go towards purchase of new aircraft and US$ 30 billion for the development of airport infrastructure. Over the next 10 years, the Indian aviation sector will try to cash in on the potential to grow by 25% annually, as said by Praful Patel, the Minister for Civil Aviation. Also it could attract the highest investments among all the industries in India i.e. an amount up to $45 billion. India needs improvements in services offered, huge number of skilled personnel and to stop already experiencing shortage of pilots and thereby problems like direct and indirect employment. Hence, India can look at this time to play a transforming role in this sector, as it holds great promise for development as well needed for the Indian economy to grow at a faster rate. Major players in domestic market Indian Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. Full Fare Airlines Jet Airways Ltd. IndiGo Jetlite Budget AirlinesSpiceJet Paramount Airways Go Air Kingfisher Red Current Market Shares Challenges faced by Airline Industry 1) Rising Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) Prices: ATF prices form about 40% of the total operating costs of airline industry. As fuel prices climb, a trend of airline stock prices going down has been noticed. The rising fuel prices make it difficult for airlines to increase profits and they are forced to increase the air fares. 2) High input costs: Input costs are high due to:- Various taxes by State Governments and on repayment of interest on foreign currency loans taken for purchasing aircrafts due to which some airlines are under high debts . Due to shortage of technical personnel, manpower costs are also high. 3) Decreasing returns: After the advent of Low cost carriers, the legacy carriers were forced to decrease their prices and thus profits were impacted. With the ever-increasing competition, there is a price war that is giving low returns to all airline operators. 4) Employee Management: Training, recruiting and retaining talented employees is a major concern due to shortage of skilled personnel including pilots, unionism and cut-throat competition. After- recession effects like retrenchments, salary cuts along with no-new-hiring policy, strikes by Air India and Jet Airways staff etc. has made this task even more challenging. 5) Infrastructure Upgradation: The infrastructure upgradation progress in India is far behind the western countries. While steps are being taken to upgrade major airports in Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai, another issue that is yet to be fully addressed is security. Proper airline scheduling and passenger handling is another task besides physical and IT infrastructure. Attracting private sector investments and implementing the planned projects efficiently is a concern. 6) Overcapacity: There has been excess capacity of aircrafts that were ordered to increase market share before the global slowdown but were delivered after the same. 7) Regional connectivity: Though there is excess capacity in some airlines, some areas are still not well connected due to poor infrastructure. The airlines have to concentrate on building remote regional connectivity other than concentrating only on metros. 8) Environmental Regulations: The carbon emission and fuel efficiency standards have to be met by technology investments and commitment. RD on bio-fuels, that have the capacity to reduce aviations carbon footprint by up to 80%, needs to be carried forward aggressively. 9) Congestion: Due to increased passenger traffic and cargo growth, there has been congestion on major routes on airports like Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai etc. This has to be tackled effectively by either expanding capacity or creating new airports. All this needs real strategic planning in the industry with technological innovations and best management practices. global scenario and trends In the past decade, travel by air has increased by 7% per year, for both business and leisure. Large aircrafts like the Boeing 747 have made it convenient for people to travel at affordable costs. Governments in developing nations give impetus to the development of infrastructure to lure tourists from prosperous countries and add to their national economies. Besides tourism, business travel has grown considerably owing to the rapid growth of world trade in goods and services. Some airlines are owned by the state. The ones that are independent are vulnerable to economic uncertainties. Changes in the regulations of the governments and the presence of an intensely competitive market have led to many hardships in the industry Commercial flights began within a decade of the invention of aircraft in the early 20th century. There was a surplus of aircraft and pilots worldwide after world wars I and II. DELAG, Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft, the worlds first airline, was founded on November 16, 1909 with government assistance, and operated airships manufactured by The Zeppelin Corporation. Its headquarters were in Frankfurt. By the 1950s, airline companies created the framework of international travel and commerce that exists to this day. The Airline industry is highly unionised viz. there exist multi-unions. The industry is highly regulated in terms of routes, hours of work, etc. De-regulation in US in 1978 and in Europe in 1990s and again 2007/08 has removed control of the government over fares, routes and has marked the entry of new low cost airlines in US, Europe and now India and SE Asia. In Europe, major players like Iberia, TAP, Alitalia, KLM, Air France, Lufthansa were all once state-owned. The aviation industry is governed and set apart by strong nationalist sentiments towards a countrys domestic flag carriers. In many parts of the world, airlines will, therefore, continue to face confines on where they are allowed to fly and restrictions on their ownership of foreign carriers. The global airline industry being high competitive has resulted in huge cumulative losses. Many airlines have either gone bankrupt or have collapsed. For example, Sabena, Swissair, Alitalia, Delta, United. future trends Worldwide economic activity, reflected in the global gross domestic product (GDP), is the most powerful driver for airplanes demand. The global GDP is projected to grow at an average of 3.2 percent per year for the next 20 years. Reflecting the economic growth, worldwide passenger traffic will average 5.3 percent growth and cargo traffic will average 5.9 percent growth over the forecast period. The above graph represents the growth in the future. However, this growth can be achieved only if the surging price of fuel is controlled as it directly affect flight schedules, ticket prices and services offered. So order to survive airlines need to become more lean and mean by addressing issues like rising costs, constraints on revenue growth and increasingly dissatisfied customers. Now we need to understand that three features are vital. That is services that give customers more control over their journeys, an infrastructure that can be easily changed to cope with variations in demand and greater collaboration among travel providers. The 5 technological innovations that can help the industry deliver the above mentioned features are Self-service solutions: Its a cost cutting measure but now gives the passengers the choice and control they want Integrated baggage handling: Using IT systems and process and technologies like RFID together and thereby speed up at the same time efficiently handle the security checks for the customers baggage. Shared Services: There are three levels of shared services. One is share commodity application which reduces infrastructure costs. Next is common service hosting, which allows applications to be used by the partners and other clients. Then finally traditional application hosting, which enables multiple clients to use commodity applications as per their usage rate. Modular, flexible airport operating systems: Airports need to improve their operating systems and have a modular, flexible architecture so has to improve the efficiency and contribute to growth. New Security Technologies: Identity management solutions like finger print matching etc. and other such improved techniques have to be employed as the threat of terrorism is growing. Thus with all such measures we can expect a good growth in the airline industry. Opportunities The rise in low cost carriers and increasing disposable income of consumers with the growing population of youth working generation, especially in metros, all give rise to tremendous opportunities to the aviation industry- 1) Enhancing non-aeronautical revenue streams and Airport retailing: Revenues from vehicle parking, advertisements, shop rentals are being targeted with increased modernisation of airports and attracting international luxury brands for a 24/7 shopping experience for the customers. E.g.- New airport terminals such as the T3 in New Delhi. 2) Airport development through PPP: The restructuring of airport infrastructure for metro and non-metro airports, developing Greenfield airports by attracting large private investments is a part of governments Eleventh Plan, where it expects an investment of around US$ 6.5 billion. This would fulfil the gaps to build world-class user-friendly airports with modern technology and provide airport capacity ahead of demand. 3) Bio-Fuels: Instead of focusing only on crafting fuel-efficient engines, manufacturers of aircraft (like being done by Boeing and Airbus),can focus on developing sustainable bio-fuels that can protect them from wavering profits due to rising fuel prices. 4) Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business: This offers high investment and business potential. An Ernst Young report says that the MRO business in the aviation sector can absorb investments of up to US$ 120 billion 2020. Air India has signed an agreement with GE Aviation, a unit of General Electric Co. (GE), to set up a $90 million facility to maintain aircraft engines in Mumbai. 5) Private Jet market: With increasing number of billionaires in the country and the glamour quotient attached to airlines, the private jet market in India is a great business opportunity. The government is also considering permitting private airstrips in the country. 6) Heli-tourism and Commonwealth games: A major portion of visitors during the Common wealth games including spectators, athletes and coaches will travel via airlines. Tourism to various parts of India can be boosted at the same time by heli-tourism or attractive offers by airlines connecting major tourist spots. 7) Exploring alternate revenue streams: Air Cargo operations Ground Handling opportunities lie in offering comprehensive ground-handling solutions,3rd party handling and service contracts with private airports.E.g- AI-CIAL at Cochin Training will be needed for pilots, airhostess, engineers, cabin crew, technicians, ground staff which is a huge business opportunity considering the demand for aviation jobs. Internet business can be leveraged for e-ticket bookings thus saving agent commission costs and airline websites can pose as one stop shops for all travel related information thus boosting revenues. Emergency medical services (EMS) business Eurocopter, a division of EADS which is world leader in the field of aerospace defence and related services, is looking forward to entering the emergency medical services (EMS) business in India. Leading hospital majors like the Manipal group and the Apollo group are being considered for the purpose. The company operates around 480 helicopters in India that cover both the civil and military sectors. The company also plans to increase its business area by entering the heli-tourism sector.