A Son of the Forest and Other Writings by William Apess, a Pequot

A Son of the Forest and Other Writings is writings of William Apess, a 19th century Native American.   He was the first Native American to write extensively in the English language.Aside from culling from his first published autobiography, A Son of the Forest (1829),   Ã‚  Ã‚  this volume also contains other autobiographical works like â€Å"The Experiences of Five Christian Indians of the Pequot Tribe† (1832) and his â€Å"Eulogy on King Philip† (1836).In A Son of the Forest he narrates about being born in a tent in the woods of Colrain, Massachussetts, to a Pequot mother and a mixed blood (white and Pequot) father who later separated.   He describes his participation in the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain (after he ran away from indenture servitude) and his conversion to Methodism.He also talks about how his grandfather was a white man who married the granddaughter of King Philip.   He shares how he was abused by his alcoholic grandparents an d eventually sold as an indenture slave while he was very young. His master introduced him to Christianity and allowed him to go to school.   This part was the most influential phase of his life.   He became a preacher in 1833 and moved to Mashpee, the last Indian town in Massachusetts.Here he was able to experience first hand the incompatibility of his Christian faith and the racial prejudice and injustice the whites have done towards the natives. These became the recurring themes of his writings.   In his famous Eulogy on King Philip in Boston in 1836 he strongly forwarded the idea that Indians wanted what the Pilgrims wanted: justice and Christian fellowship.This gripping volume is a subtle political work of Apess of the Pequot Indian people. He articulated Native American consciousness and sentiments through his fiery Christian evangelism.   His topics range from poverty, child abuse, alcoholism (which he himself became one later in life), ethnic identity and religious c onversion.This volume is historically significant because it speaks and argues about racism during the early period of the republic.   Apess chronicled the abuses and injustices suffered by the Indians in the hands of the whites and those acting in God’s name.   Methodism appealed to Native Americans then because of its enthusiastic style and its emphasis on equality.   The work gives an alternative view of the often-written Native American marginalization and rationalization of Indian extinction.The work describes the character of the Native Americans first-hand by one of their own. His most powerful polemic is Eulogy on King Philip where Apess compared the seventeenth-century Wampanoag leader, Metacomet or â€Å"King Philip† to the English, to the republic’s early national hero and founding father, George Washington.He lectures about the relations of Native Americans with the whites in New England. Apess further argues that the Native American cause shou ld not be isolated from American history because Indian history and culture is part thereof.   Their cause is likened to the American Revolution.Published in 1830, A Son of the Forest implicitly challenges the national controversy of the times over the Indian Removal Bill which legalized the federal government’s decision to force Native Americans off their traditional homelands east of the Mississippi River.   Here he promotes the Indians’ humanity, worth, and potential with his life as an example.ReferencesO’Conell, B. (Ed.) (1997). A Son of the Forest and Other Writings by William Apess, a Pequot. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press.  

Principles of Law Essay

QUESTION Malik runs a restaurant at Taman Desa Kluang, Johor. He ordered from Ah Chong Mini Market 50 bags of Pakistani basmati rice at RM40 per bag and 200 packets of sugar at RM2.20 per packet. It was expressly agreed between the parties that Ah Chong must pack the sugar in boxes containing 20 packets each. However, when Ah Chong delivered the goods to Malik’s restaurant, it was found that the sugar was packed in boxes containing 30 packets each. The basmati rice that was supplied was found to be from India not Pakistan. Malik wishes to reject the goods. Advise Malik. Problematic Issue Whether Malik can take legal action against Ah Chong for breach of implied condition by description. Principles of Law Section 2 of SGA â€Å"Every kind of movable property other than actionable claims and money, and includes stocks and shares, growing crops, grass and thing attached to or forming part of land which are agreed to be severed for sale or under the contract of sale† Section 15 of SGA If the contract is for the sales of goods by description, there is an implied condition that the goods must correspond with the description. Case: Moore & Co v Launder Facts: Contract for 3,100 cases of canned fruit packed 30 tins to a case. But half of the cases contained only 24 tins although the total quantity was met. Held: the goods not correspond with contractual description.The buyers entitled to reject the goods. Case: Nagurdas Purshotumdas v Mitsui Bussan Kaisha Previous contract- sale of flour which had been sold in bags bearing a well-known trade mark. Subsequent contract- flour ordered ‘the same as our  previous contract’. Seller supplied flour of the same quality but did not bear the same well-known trade mark. Held: there was a breach of condition as the goods did not correspond with the description. Application According to Section 2 of SGA, basmati rice and sugar are movable property. According to Section 15 of SGA, the basmati rice and sugar supplied by Ah Chong must correspond with the description stated by Malik. According to the case of Moore & Co v Launder, Malik ordered from Ah Chong to delivered 200 packets of sugar and pack the sugar in boxes containing 20 packets each but Ah Chong pack the sugar in boxes containing 30 packets each. According to the case of Nagurdas Purshotumdas v Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, Malik ordered Ah Chong to delivered basmati rice from Pakistan but Ah Chong supplied basmati rice from India not Pakistan. Conclusion Malik ordered from Ah Chong to delivered 200 packets of sugar and pack the sugar in boxes containing 20 packets each but Ah Chong pack the sugar in boxes containing 30 packets each. Malik also ordered Ah Chong to delivered basmati rice from Pakistan but Ah Chong supplied basmati rice from India not Pakistan.Therefore, Malik can take legal action against Ah Chong for breach of implied condition by description. Malik also can repudiate the contract or reject the goods. QUESTION Discuss the differences between conditions and warranties in a contract of sale of goods. CONDITIONS Section 12(2) of SGA-Definition of Condition Condition is a stipulation essential to the main purpose of the contract. Breach of Condition Contract can be repudiated, goods can be rejected. Exceptions (Situations where the innocent party cannot repudiate the contract) Section 13 of SGA – Where the buyers waives the condition. – Where the buyers elects to treat the breach of condition as a breach of warranty. – Where the contract is NOT severable and the buyer has accepted the goods. – Where the contract is specific goods the property in goods or ownership has passed to the buyer. WARRANTIES Section 12(3) of SGA-Definition of Warranty Warranty is a stipulation collateral to the main purpose of the contract. Breach of Warranty Can only claim damages but cannot reject goods or repudiate the contract.

African American Studies Essay

The three topics I have picked for this reaction paper are â€Å"Hurricane Katrina, The Bombing Of Black Wall Street And Gangs†. I’ve picked these topics because I believe that to this day everything is still about being in control, racism and a touch of slavery which leads to gangs. Hurricane Karina: was the costliest and one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. Most notable in media coverage were the catastrophic effects on the city of New Orleans, La. , and coastal Mississippi. Criticism of the federal, state and local governments’ reaction to the storm was widespread. The bombing of Black Wall Street: community was the sight of a happy, affluent Black community but was too much for angry, jealous Whites in Tulsa, Okla. , in 1921, a false rumor was enough to spark a mass riot that left hundreds of African Americans dead, and a swath of black homes and business burned to the ground. The saddest fact associated with this historic atrocity is that the U. S government and local media were complicit in the death and destruction. Gangs: the word â€Å"gang† comes from â€Å"gonge† a term meaning a journey, but later referring to a â€Å"gonge† of sailors in the fifteenth century. Gangs originally began in the 1800’s which meant kids of the street. But US had other predecessors than unsupervised street urchins. There were four kinds of gangs which were predecessors of the street gangs of today 1. Secret Societies, 2. Gangs of outlaws and in the Wild West, 3. Racist like the Ku Klux Klan, and 4. â€Å"Voting Gangs† tied mainly to the Democratic Party in large cities. Many gangs if armed men were racially mortivated. Racial tensions in the cities like New York were constant, and racist conflict was almost everywhere more violent than nativism.. On May 31. 921 a nineteen year old Black male accidentally stumbled on a bumpy elevator and bumped into a seventeen year old White elevator operator who screamed. The frightened young man was seen running from the elevator by a group of Whites and by the afternoon the â€Å"Tulsa Tribune† reported that the girl had been raped. Despite the girl’s denial of any wrong doing, the young man was arrested and a large mob of 2000 White men came to the jail to lynch the prisoner. With a defenseless Black community before them, the white mob advanced to the greenwood district where they first looted and then burned down all Black business, homes, and churches. Any black resisters were shot and thrown in fires. That’s how it became â€Å"The Bombing of Black Wall Street†. It all comes to what’s going on now with, if you are in a gang you can’t go in one neighborhood if you are not affiliated with that neighborhood gang, just like back in then when blacks wasn’t allowed in white people areas or if blacks were allowed, they were segregated. After the Tulsa riot, White inhabitants tried to buy the Black property and force the Black people out of town. No Tulsa bank or leading institution would make loans in the riot-marred Greenwood district, and the city refused all outside assistance. However, racial pride and self determination would not permit the Greenwood owners to sell. Since African Americans could neither live among Whites as equals nor patronize White business in Tulsa, Blacks had to develop a completely separate business and community, which soon became prosperous and legendary. Black dollars invested in black community also produced self-pride, self –sufficiency, and self-determination.

Compensation and Benefits - Financial Reward System Term Paper

Compensation and Benefits - Financial Reward System - Term Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that Compensation and Benefits in financial reward system are very important for organizations because it helps in the systematic organization of tasks and human resources with the purpose of attaining sustainable growth of the organization. Employees’ performance and motivation are depended on the financial as well as non-financial rewards provided by the organization and thus it can be stated as one of the important factors to boost the performance of the employees. An effective financial reward system should consider the organizational structure, its culture along with the need for affiliation by the employees, rewarding employees financially. It should also consider that each person working in the organization receives appropriate financial recognition for their i ­Ã‚ ­ndividual as well as group contributions in the organizational performance. Job evaluation is a system or process in which the contribution of an employee is det ermined with due significance to his/ her position in an organization. A good financial reward system enables the organization’s employees to receive financial recognition for their contribution and job role in the organization and thus can create a positive impact on the workforce. It is worth mentioning that the reward system should be dealt with effectively to have a positive impact on the employees. The output of job evaluation is used in various fields of an organization such as for making remuneration system, human resource management, and for decision making in the payments of different job profiles. The flowchart in the figure represents a theoretical perspective regarding job evaluation. Initially, documentation of position should be performed to view the complete picture of each position in the organization. Determination of remuneration range considering the market competitiveness is another important step in job evaluation process. The performance appraisal system should be well- designed to avoid inequality among the employees. Then a review should be conducted to check the above steps and identify if the goals are achieved within time limits followed by the final determination of the reward system. The job evaluation should be done fairly and there should be no discrimination on the ground of sex or other attributes. There should be equal pay for both male and female. Equal pay for the work of equal value also should be considered in order to maintain sustainability in the organization. Wage survey is a method of collecting information about workers’ remuneration for analysis of existing compensation system which is used to determine the remuneration of employees. Wages are basically paid on daily basis to the workers in any manufacturing or production unit. According to the ‘Fair Labor Standards Act’ of 1939, wages are paid on the basis of hours worked.

What are the defining characteristics of far right wing politics What Essay

What are the defining characteristics of far right wing politics What does the sociological study of far right wing politics have to tell us about the nature o - Essay Example (Weinberg, 2003) Fascism is also characterized by social stratification along these crucial variables, especially in the UK where it is identified by the establishment it gained over the last 50 years following by the growing influence of less education, those holding negative views of the EU and, indirectly, among rural dwellers which are increasingly becoming determined of Right Wing by perceived vision of race, culture, ethnicity and religion. The most common examples of Radical right-wing parties success can be seen where they have managed to combine a strong appeal to anti-establishment ressentiments with an equally strong claim to democratic reform or renewal. The most prominent case is the FPO, which has consistently promoted itself as ‘the driving force behind the political renewal of Austria’, seeking to bring about an ‘Austrian cultural revolution with democratic means’ which would lead to the overthrow of the ruling class and the intellectual caste. (Turner, 1975) Italian Fascism and German National Socialism are characterized by sharing the common aspects of totalitarianism; followed by supremacy of a leader, an exclusive ideology, a single mass party, a monopoly of communications media and education, and a secret police and terror apparatus. The fascist movements and parties that arose in Italy and Germany developed into regular totalitarian dictatorial regimes in the early nineteenth c entury. But fascism also appeared in various western and eastern European countries without achieving major political power. Fascism resulted as a devastating impact of World War I, emerging from economic and demographic devastation and moral exhaustion that took close to ten million human lives, broke up empires, and undermined the political credibility of monarchs and democrats alike. The ideals of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution rationalism,

A areer in ice sculpting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A areer in ice sculpting - Essay Example When we see an ice sculpture glistening in the light we are mesmerized by the intricate designs that have the look of solid crystal.The beautiful piece of art is appreciated for its stunning form as it slowly melts away into the pool of water where it started. When the ice has melted and the sculpture gone, little thought is given to the artist that was at the core of its creation. Yet, someone took the initiative to learn this craft, to practice the trade, and apply their knowledge to generate an additional outlet for their artistry and an additional source of income. We are in awe as we wonder; how did they learn the art of ice sculpting and how do they apply it in the culinary trade For those people fortunate enough to know how to skillfully carve blocks of ice, life has been a series of instruction, catering events, and ice sculpting competitions.Learning the fine art of ice sculpting is done through advanced culinary training academies or professional associations that offer cla sses and seminars. The Academy of Ice Carving and Design offers classes that feature skill levels that start at basic sculpting for caterers to advanced classes in "sculpture skills; computer enhanced custom design; closed-cell ice engraving; multiple block fusing; [and] high-tech special effects" as well as safety and marketing (Ice Carving Training Certification Programs).

The Islamic Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

The Islamic Empire - Essay Example The Muslim physicians were very early and keen experimenters too, and they invented many surgical techniques and dietary improvements. Unlike Christian doctors of the period, they believed in active intervention to heal people and had considerably more success than western monks and nuns, who mainly offered basic nursing and religious support. 3 The Christian Crusades started out as pious journeys which individuals made as a way of doing penance for their sins. They were extensions of local pilgrimages to various churches and holy places and people banded together to set off for Jerusalem, which was revered above all places on earth because of its association with Jesus Christ. Over time the need for protection against the hazards of the journey grew more intense, whether from opportunist robbers or from some powerful Islamic figures who resented the Christian presence on their lands. The people who went on the large scale and well-armed pilgrimages were usually noblemen and their en tourage, and they were motivated by greed and a sense of adventure, rather than religion. Kings and churches supported the crusades also for political and economic reasons since they distracted people from troubles at home and offered chances to bring back spoils of war. Inventing a horrible enemy encouraged people to become mercenaries and defend their own culture. In an imitation of Islamic ideas, the concept of a â€Å"Holy War† was used to drum up support but in fact, a lot of this was just propaganda with no real basis in fact.

The Role of Civil Engineering Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Role of Civil Engineering - Research Paper Example Finally, I will attempt to examine the future of civil engineering and connect it with some aspects of my life and the world. What Civil Engineers Do â€Å"Civil engineers design and supervise the construction of a variety of structures. They work on bridges, dams, tunnels, highways, airstrips, water supply and sewage systems and other structures† (Ferguson 128). Basically, civil engineering is the branch of engineering that is responsible for the building of structures in a given society. Civil engineering ensures that appropriate housing and infrastructure are set up to support the population of a given community. Civil engineering involves numerous activities that are connected to the building of these structures. There are structural matters which involve the evaluation of land/environment and analysis of the most appropriate structure that could be set up in that area. This involves various forms of scientific measurements like surveying and calculations which provides an overview of what and how a given building or structure could be set up in a given place. Water resource engineering is another aspect of civil engineering. This involves the use of science and principles of engineering to build structures that will enable the society to benefit from these water resources or reduce their disruption. The former involves the building of dams and irrigation systems to ensure that water resources are used for the optimum results of the society. The latter involves the creation of dykes and canals to ensure that human beings can be protected from the effects of waterbodies and have good and productive social and commercial lives. Another aspect of civil engineering is construction. Construction involves the building of houses and other commercial structures that are meant to provide shelter for people. This involves the scientific use of building materials to provide the best of services. Transport infrastructure is another important aspect of civil engi neering. Civil engineering leads to the creation of roads, bridges and harbors to ensure that people can move from one point to the other in the most convenient way. Also, environmental optimization is an important component of civil engineering. Civil engineers play â€Å"... two main roles: building/managing infrastructure and sustaining environmental resources† (Grigg 2). This means that the civil engineer is trained to set up structures that are sensitive to the natural environment and the natural habitat. This means that they have a responsibility to build structures that provide the best options for humans as well as other living organisms like plants, animals and fishes. In practice, civil engineers are involved in estimating construction costs and specifying materials to be used. They prepare surveys and apply scientific knowledge to building. Benefits of Civil Engineering to the World In each generation, civil engineers design products, processes and systems and inco rporate technology (Crawley et al 7). Historically, people have always wanted to improve their lives by building settlements to create fulfilling lives. This desire led to the establishment of the first human settlements. The earliest settlements used contemporary technology to design and build structures that provided the kind of livelihood that they wanted. Elements of civil engineering was used in each of these generations. The earliest roles of

Statement of Purpose for university Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Statement of Purpose for university - Essay Example I took the Nemune Dolati junior high school examination at the tender age of 11 years. At the age of 11 and 14 years, I obtained the first rank among all the primary and junior high school students in the painting competition of the province. I had always been keenly interested in industrial design, and this developed into a passion by the time I reached high school. Accordingly, I selected mathematics and physics at high school, in order to obtain a firm grounding in the fundamentals of industrial design. In the nationwide entrance examination of state universities, I stood 1,058 out of the 150,000 total participants. This enabled me to gain admission to the Islamic Art University of [city], which constitutes one of the most prestigious art universities of Iran. The extensive nature of the syllabus of the undergraduate studies undertaken by me at the Islamic Art University of [city], served to provide me with a comprehensive exposure to the core areas of industrial design. In addition, I obtained a strong conceptual understanding of these core areas. During the course of my undergraduate studies, I attended a number of workshops. Some of these had involved working with wood, metal, and plastics. To my great fortune, the Islamic University of [city] has been blessed with state of the art workshops. Moreover, these workshops have been supervised by highly skilled and experienced professors. This exposure rendered me conversant with the rudiments of craftwork and design. Due to my keenness to learn, I completed most of the projects stipulated by my professors. This raised my esteem with them, and they rewarded my perseverance by making me a teaching assistant for the Creativity course. This course had been prescribed for the students of the Industrial Design Department, and was for a duration of four semesters. During my last semester of study, I commenced to assist the Leather Design group in my university, as it was my intention to set up

The Day The Children Vanished PACTS Analysis Essay Example for Free

The Day The Children Vanished PACTS Analysis Essay The theme is the authors reason for writing the story. This message or main thought presented by the author is usually based on their beliefs and principles. The main thought being communicated by the author of The Day The Children Vanished is the psychology of how people react in the face of fear and anxiety. This main thought is established, developed, and enhanced through the use of literary techniques contained in a P.A.C.T.S. analysis. When inspecting this P. A.C.T.S. analysis, we can further understand the ways and means of how the author generates a mood and depicts the theme successfully. The most crucial element of any story is the plot and through it, the author associates the theme of the novel. The title plays a great role in the short story. It gives the audience an immediate idea of what the story is going to be about. This particular title, The Day The Children Vanished, suggests to the audience a mystery surrounding children. Since all children are seen as being innocent, this makes the audience at once sympathize for them. As the story advances, the condolence is extended to the parents who are the heirs of the children. Through the frantic parents, the author now begins to examine human behavior and how it reacts when faced with fear and anguish. The inciting event, when the parents begin to realize that there was no factual explanation for the disappearance of the children and the idea of them vanishing into thin air seemed saner. Some kind of gag. We cant figure it out, the bus never came through the dug way. (Trooper Teliski, pg 410). This inciting event provides space for the mind to grow increasingly paranoid and illogical. In the midst of all the confusion, the first reactions of the townsfolk were to blame the formerly respected Jerry Mahoney. For example, Mr. Goreman, Mr. Peabody and a few others headed by trooper Telinski, stormed into the house of Pat Mahoney and demanded information linking Jerry to the kidnapping. They posed questions like Did he have the need for money? trying to get information which would associate Jerry to the disappearance of the children (Pg 413). They brought up Jerrys past and came to foolish conclusions like Maybe Jerry go sick all of a sudden. It happened to men who saw action overseas ¦ (Pg 413). They fail at considering that Pat Mahoney is going through the same anxiety and distress as they are, as Jerry like their children, was his son on that very same  vehicle. Pat is depicted to be quite crazy through his misleading answers and his ridiculous trips into memory lane. We only learn at the end off the story that Pat Mahoney was in fact not crazy, but one of very few people who managed to maintain their sanity as he had objectives of his own. The increase in suspense and complication excelled when the childrens clothes and other articles were found just outside the quarry. Pat Mahoney said to Mr. Haviland, Everyone in this town is going to be looking for that station wagon in the lake, where they know it isnt ¦ (417). Just like he predicted, the townsfolk crazily were at the quarry in confusion and torment in search for their children. The story reaches its conclusion when the climax of the bank robbery is met. Through the events in the story, the author reveals how the bank robbers were dependant on natural human behavior, and how the townsfolk would react in the face of fear and anxiety. This psychology almost worked for them if it were now for Pat Mahoney and Mr. Haviland. In The Day The Children Vanished, the author shows both sides of the spectrum when examining the characters. There are the townsfolk that allow fear and anguish to consume them, which causes them to react impulsively and point fingers at others without any evidence. For example, Mrs. Jennings and Mr. Dickler accuse Pat Mahoney of hiding the truth to protect his son Jerry, due to his ridiculous responses to questions posed by trooper Teliski. These characters are the ones faced with the tragedy and retort to means that the author uses to depict them as being consumed with fear. On the other hand, characters such as Mr. Haviland and Pat Mahoney contrast the other townsfolk in logical train of thoughts. Mr. Haviland is an outsider to the town and he remained calm since he was not emotionally involved like the others. By keeping his cool he was able to logically weigh the facts and have a steady objective in mind. Pat Mahoney somewhat similar to Mr. Haviland in a weird way reacts exactly opposite to the townsfolk, which made him more hated in the town and the number one suspect to the mystery. Pat is just as worried and consumed with fear as the rest of the townsfolk, but he chooses to remain strong with his objective in mind for the benefit of his son. Through such characters in the story the author relay the mindset of different kinds of humans and thus advance his theme by linking it to the people around us  in our lives. The atmosphere surrounding the short story is vital to maintaining the interest of the audience. The atmosphere must not fail to reflect the plot and the progressing story line. Excluding the introductory paragraph, the atmosphere in The Day The Children Vanished is tense, and suspense seems to be a constant throughout the story. We as the audience can grasp how the parents of the vanished children feel and we link their unreasonable reactions to the fact that they are only human and humans are not perfect. Although the author arouses sympathy from the audience, we are still apart from the story and can see the townsfolk act on impulse not logic. We the audience, still understand why the townsfolk react the way they do because faced with the same situation, most of us would react the same way. Foreshadowing is provided through Pat Mahoney and his story about The Great Thurston. To Mr. Haviland it seemed ludicrous at the time, but he did not realize that Pat Mahoney was speaking from rational thought and knew the outcome of this happening, which he saw as a magic trick or a perfect diversion. Pat Mahoney also foreshadows future events through his friendly bet with Mr. Haviland where he says,  ¦tomorrow morning theyll be out searching. Ill make you a bet if you order them to stay in their houses they will go out searching. (Pg. 418). This prediction turned out to be very accurate as come next morning, all the townsfolk were out searching at the quarry for their children. Through a P.A.C.T.S. analysis, we can better grasp the motive for the author to write this story in the manner he does, allowing him to portray the theme through his own eyes. The theme is established, enhanced and developed through the use of literary techniques examined in this P.A.C.T.S. analysis. When we analyze a piece of work, we can see the techniques used by the author to try and portray a theme and make us see his point of view.

Sequencing Technology for Epilepsy Diagnosis

Sequencing Technology for Epilepsy Diagnosis Epilepsy: It is estimated that at many as 10% of the general populace will experience a seizure in their lifetime. (Persad et al., 2003) Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease defined by its characteristic symptom, recurrent and spontaneous seizures. (Berg et al., 2011) (Asher Y et al., 2012) Epilepsy is a common condition with an occurrence of up to 3% in the population (Deng H et al., 2013). According to Pal D.k et al., (2010) over half of epilepsies have a genetic cause. A large body of research has gone into identifying the genetic causes and corresponding molecular mechanisms of epileptic disorders. Epilepsies have a wide variety of causes including dysfunctional ion channels (channelopathies), abnormal brain development and errors of metabolism etc. (Garofalo S et al., 2012) Research in the genetic mutations behind epilepsies is vital in further understanding the pathology of the many different conditions and developing superior treatments for the afflicted patients. Early Onset Epileptic Encephalopathy: Epileptic Encephalopathies are a large number of rare (prevalence of 1et al., 2010). The symptoms of an EE generally include severe and recurring seizures along with cognitive and developmental delay and/or deterioration. This cognitive and behavioural decline may be influenced by the seizure activity as well as the underlying mechanisms of disease (Kaiman B.A. et al., 2012). The term Epileptic Encephalopathy encompasses a wide variety of syndromes with a diverse range of genetic causes and considerable overlap with other syndromic disorders such as Autism and Mental Retardation. (Berg et al., 2011). The overlap in these syndromes and continuing progression in our understanding of EE’s has resulted in A.T. et al (2010) emphasising that the term epileptic encephalopathy should be viewed as a â€Å"concept and a description† of the wide spectrum of epileptic conditions with an encephalopathic course that are being observed in the clinic. A key diagnostic feature is that Epileptic Encephalopathies tend to occur in infancy to early childhood. While adults can suffer from epilepsy with encephalopathic features this does not tend to be as severe as the Early Onest Epileptic Encephalopathies (EOEE). Children suffering from EOEE’s rarely make it to adulthood due to their poor prognosis. Berg A.T. et al (2010). While more research is coming to light on the potential lasting damaging effects of seizures (Berg et al., 2011) what is certain is that the early onset and repetition of the severe seizures present in EOEE’s is devastating to the early development of patients and their continued growth. As the patients progress from a neonate towards childhood their symptoms will also progress. For example seizures in neonates may not be observable to a clinician as the axonal pathways are not fully myelinated yet and prevent the â€Å"surge† from reaching the motor cortex. Once the brain is fully myelinated the seizures would become observable clinically even though the onset was much earlier in the neonatal stage. This progression of the clinical presentation of epileptic seizures is mirrored in the likelihood of infants suffering from Early Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy (Otohara syndrome) to develop into Infantile Spasms (IS) at 3-6 months in life. Patients’ suffering from IS tend to develop into Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in childhood. (Asher Y et al., 2012) Diagnosis and treatment: As seen in table 1 and table 2 there are a number of epileptic encephalopathies with a clear enough presentation to make an accurate diagnosis based on the clinical symptoms alone. However due to the rarity of these conditions and the occurrence of EOEE’s with unclear presentations (I need a %?) confirmation of a candidate mutation (gene?) is considered the gold standard when it comes to EOEE diagnosis. (Lemke J.R. et al., 2012) In Lemke J.R. (2012) it was shown that when comparing the diagnostic results of a target gene panel against a clinician’s suggested diagnosis that the gene panel results matched the suggest diagnosis in the EOEE’s with clear presentations. This accounted for 50% of the cohort. However for the remainder of the cohort with unclear EE symptoms there very few suggested diagnoses and not all of these were accurate. It has been suggested by Kay C, (2012) that the significant failure to confirm a genetic diagnosis for unclear EE’s is due to the role of de novo variants as candidates. While we may have the above lists of confirmed disease and causative gene mutations in tables 1 and 2 there are still many other EOEE’s without validated genetic causes that could be the result of de novo mutations in the patients. Considering the ever increasing list of epilepsy linked (but not validated) genes, 265 of which identified in (Lemke J.R. et al., 2012)) it is clear that the current gold standard of diagnosing EOEE’s isn’t high enough. A case study shown by Zupanc M.L., (2009) recorded the diagnostic process of a patient â€Å"Kay† that originally presented with slight head drops at 7 months old. Correlating the head drops to an epileptiform EEG (in this case a â€Å"generalised high-amplitude burst of polyspike, spike and slow wave discharges†) allowed certain conditions to be ruled out however it was highlighted that while a confident diagnosis was reached there were alternatives that cou ldn’t be ruled out. Difficulty in EOEE diagnosis can stem from the multitude of potential genetic causes available for some presentations which can lead to a clinician wandering blindly picking candidates for Sanger sequencing to identify a candidate mutation. (Lemke J.R. et al., 2012) Next generation sequencing technology: If the issue in diagnosing EOEE’s is the lack of validated genetic causes for the different presentations then the most comprehensive way to investigate the matter is to examine the EOEE genomes in comparison to controls and identify the candidate genes. Next generation sequencing technology has provided the means to do this and recent years have seen a surge of NGS based studies in EOEEs and their genetic causes. (Lemke et al., 2012) (Veeramah K.R. et al., 2012) (Veeramah K.R. et al,. 2013) The original human genome project was officially announced as completed in April 2003 (Wheeler D.A., et al. 2013). This project made use of the hierarchal shotgun sequencing method (Chial H et al., 2008). This entailed the use of bacterial artificial chromosome clones (BAC) which each housed a 100Kb fragment of DNA. Over 20,000 over these BAC clones were mapped to the human genome and the order in which these BAC clones would be aligned was the tiling path that would be followed to sequence each human chromosome. The BAC clones are further sub divided into 2 Kb fragments (appropriately sized for sequencing) and these are sub-cloned into plasmid vectors and the fragments that will undergo sequencing. The sequencing was undergone by capillary electrophoresis methods. As long as there is sufficient overlap between these sequences they can be aligned to recreate the BAC clone structure. Then using the BAC clone mapped tiling path the sequences of the BAC clones can be aligned to create a contiguous stretch of sequence that represents the human chromosome. (Mardis E.R., 2008) The advances made in this area to create the next generation sequencing technologies involve a movement away from capillary electrophoresis methods and changes in the methods of how the DNA fragments are assembled to produces the genome sequence. Whole Genome Sequencing removes the use of BAC clones and instead the genome is fragmented into different distinct size classes and placed into plasmid and fosmid subclones. By generating paired end reads and using the number of bases between these reads based on the size classes the genomes can be sequenced quicker than using BAC clones. Next generation sequencing platforms allow for massively parallel DNA sequencing and come in a variety of different set ups. As the need for BAC clones has been removed the sample preparation process is much quicker and cheaper than the method used in the original human genome project. Also while the actual run time of the next generation sequencers is longer than that of the capillary based platform the fi nal yield of reads is much higher (from 96 reads on the capillary platform to up to tens of millions on a massively parallel system). This explosion in genomic sequencing technology less than two years after the completion of the first human genome project has provided an astonishing change in the pace of genomic research. (Mardis E.R., 2008) NGS read diagrams? Next generation sequencing and epilepsy: The study of genetic diseases including the EOEE has benefitted greatly from the genome sequencing revolution. Whole genome sequencing techniques have been used to identify a de novo variant in the SCN8A gene which encodes voltage gated sodium channel pore-forming alpha-subunits. Following discovery of the variant the effects of the variant on channel function was observed and shown to implicate the gene’s involvement in EOEE and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). (Veeramah K.R., et al., 2012). Targeted gene panels (next generation sequencing of a list of target genes coding regions only) has proven effective in diagnosing clear presenting EOEE and even providing a potential causative variant when no clinical diagnosis is possible. Most impressive of all was the use of whole exome sequencing (WES) to identify de novo candidate variants of relevance in 7 out of 10 children and potentially identifying 3 new genes that could be linked to EOEE (Veeramah K.R. et al., 2013 ) WES is the process of sequencing only the human exome rather than the whole genome. The exome consists of all the coding regions (exons) of the genome. Even though the exome only accounts for 1% of the whole genome it is estimated to contain 85% of disease causing mutations (Choi M et al., 2009). As of April 2013 U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute claims to sequence a whole genome at the price of $5826. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute claims to sequence the whole exome at the all-inclusive cost of $500. The Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimates that whole exomes can be sequenced at four times the rate of the genome in their facility (Perkel J.M 2013). This rapid and ongoing reduction in cost is mirrored at the rate WES projects are being undertaken. With a date filter for the end of 2010 on Pubmed I performed the search â€Å"exome sequencing† and found a total of 44 articles. By the end of 2012 this 805 and by the end of 2013 the nu mber had more than doubled to 1,751. Whole exome sequencing projects have the advantage of not only being cheaper and faster than whole genome projects but also are a more comprehensive option than targeted gene panels for identifying EOEE candidate variants. While not as complete in whole genome sequencing in scope 85% covers a significant amount of data to be analysed and only leaves a 15% chance of not finding a candidate variant. It should also be noted that the exome is much easier to process and analyse while the whole genome includes non-coding areas which we are currently not really able to analyse in such a way to validate the relevant link between disease and non-coding variants (Perkel J.M 2013). Hypothesis: The question we are trying to answer with these projects is â€Å"Can whole exome sequencing detect candidate disease causing variations in early onset epileptic encephalopathy patients†? As this project involves isolated probands and one family trio it also raises the question of whether the inclusion of parent WES data allows for more rapid and accurate variant analysis. As such the end research goals are to identify likely and relevant disease candidate variations in the proband WES data and confirm their presence with Sanger sequencing The benefits of WES studies in EOEE candidate variants are numerous and important. Identifying a confirmed candidate mutation can allow an affect family to receive genetic counselling. If a clear mechanism of disease can be ascertained from the disease candidate then potentially alternative anti-epileptic therapy can be implemented based on the specific condition to improve patient prognosis even slightly. Along with this as EOEE have such a wide variety in causes and mechanisms some can respond poorly to some standard anti-epileptic drugs and lead to rapid deterioration of the patient. Identifying a genetic cause can prevent this from happening. (FIND REFERENCE) On a larger scale understanding the complex mechanisms of these devastating disorders is the only way to improve and develop treatments for these conditions and improve patient prognosis. Understanding how these rare forms of epilepsy manifest may in turn provide clues into the mechanisms of the more common forms of epilepsy . (FIND REFERENCE) As more research is beginning to highlight the role of earlier onset of seizures on the developing brain and the encephalopathic effects WES could become an effective screening tool in the future that would allow early intervention to control or prevent these devastating seizures and greatly improve patient standard of life and change EOEE to a more manageable condition. (Berg et al., 2011) References: (Persad V, Epilepsy and developmental disability) Berg AT ET al, epilepsy cognition and behaviour Asher Y Molecular bases and clinical spectrum of EIEE Scheffer I., Genetic testing in epilepsy what you should be doing Deng H Molecular biology of genetic based epilepsies D.K. Pal, A.W. Pong, W.K. Chung, Genetic evaluation and counseling for  epilepsy. Nature reviews, Neurology 6 (8) (2010) 445e453. Garofal S from genetics to genomics of epilepsy Hennekam, care for patients with ultra rare disorders Kaiman B.A. et al., A genetic diagnostic approach to infantile epileptic encephalopathies Berg AT et al Epilepsy, cognition and behaviour. Lemke J.R. Targeted next generation sequencing in epileptic disorders. Kay C whole genomes in the clinic (Veeramah K.R. et al de novo pathogenic SCN8A mutation identified (Veeramah K.R. et al, Exome sequencing reveals new causal mutations in children epilepsia (Chial H et al., 2008) DNA Sequencing Technologies Key to the Human Genome Project .(Mardis E.R., 2008) Next generation DNA sequencing methods. (Veeramah K.R., et al., 2012) de novo pathogenic SCN8A (Veeramah K.R., et al., 2013) WES 9/10 de novos (Choi M et al., 2009) Genetic diagnosis by whole exome capture and massively parallel DNA sequencing. (Perkel J.M 2013) ScienceMag exome sequencings towards

Emirates Airways Customer Perception

Emirates Airways Customer Perception For this project, we have used both primary and secondary data. As part of our primary data, a survey questionnaire was created and handed out to 50 passengers who have and continue to fly with Emirates Airlines. The aim of the questionnaires was to shape peoples perceptions of the brand and analyze whether or not Emirates is meeting its marketing mix objectives. Findings are spread out throughout the paper where relevant, and detailed tabulated form can be found in the Appendixes. 1.1 Introduction to the Organization In 1974, three years after independence, the rulers of the UAE decided to establish a joint flag carrier: Gulf Air. However, a tense relationship between the airline and the Dubai government existed ever since its inception, as the latter re fused to give in to Gulf Airs demands to abandon its open-skies policy. In reaction, Gulf Air reduced frequencies and capacities to and from Dubai by more than two thirds between 1984 and 1985 without advance notice (Wilson 2005). Since foreign carriers proved unable or unwilling to fill the gap, Dubais then ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, convened a team of experts headed by Maurice Flanagan and later joined by Tim Clark and the rulers then 26- year old son, Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum to devise an emergency plan. The groups recommendation to set up a home carrier for Dubai was quickly accepted by the ruler, but he imposed two conditions: The new airline should meet the highest quality standards; And there would be no additional capital injections from the government other than the agreed USD 10 million start-up capital. On October 25th, 1985, Emirates first flight departed to Karachi, using an A300, wet-leased from Pakistan International Airlines. The rest is history. In 1987, Emirates began to serve it first two European destinations London Gatwick and Frankfurt. In 1995, it has operated an all wide body fleet, and in 2001, 2003 and 2005 Emirates placed some of the largest aircraft orders ever. As of October 2007, Emirates route network extends to 91 destinations on all continents. In its last business year, ending March 31st, 2007, the airline transported 17.5 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo on 102 aircraft. Currently, 118 aircraft are on firm order (of which 20 will be all-freighters), including 55 A380 and 43 B777. PART TWO 2.0 Situation Analysis According to Kotler Keller (2008), situation analysis is a systematic collection and evaluation of past and present economical, political, social, and technological data. It is aimed at (1) identification of internal and external forces that may influence the organizations performance and choice of strategies, and (2) assessment of the organizations current and future strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. 2.1 Market Summary Airline Industry Portfolio The UAE airline industry is one of the aspiring industries not just in the Middle East and the surrounding South Asian, North African Region, but the world itself. The industrys huge market growth and success in the Middle East and the world is crucially based on the UAE, and especially the cities strategic geographical location and the governments determination to make the country an international business hub connecting the East to the West and vice versa. During the global recession and economic crisis, the airline industry in the UAE in comparison to other airline giants such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France and KLM and other business sectors within the country was the least affected. The UAE airline industry, which includes Etihad and Emirates, was affected by the crisis but has successfully resurfaced at being profitable in the year 2010 and has since contributed effectively to the growth of the countrys total economy (Bloomberg Business week, 2010). Emirates Airline Portfolio Emirates Airlines is one of the most successful and major airlines in the Middle East, currently operating around 3200 passenger flights per week, from its hub the emirates of Dubai to over 110 destinations in 62 countries (Emirates Airlines, 2011). This makes Emirates one of the fastest growing airlines in the airline industry. The Airline Industry is one of the dynamic and fastest growing industries in the world and has influence in the countrys economic growth, international investments and in tourism, mainly due to the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 which allowed the industry to change its category of a public utility service to a much market driven industry (Florian, 2010). 2.1.1 Market Demographics and Needs Emirates Airlines initial market consists of consumers and businesses located in the United Arab Emirates, mainly the Emirate of Dubai. Emirates goal is to cater the needs and demands of the ever growing population of the UAE especially the expatriates residing in the UAE who are the thriving workforce of the UAE and make up approximately 75 percent of the population of the country (UAE-Economic Development, 2010). Dubais and as a result Emirates spectacular growth in recent has been accentuated by two complementary factors: sound politics and its very favourable geographical location. Currently the Emirates Airlines market demographics are divided in three sectors, and they are: 2.1.2 Market trends and target market growth The soaring price of oil and the financial crisis had a tremendous effect on the airline industry. Most of the airlines were suffering from fuel price hikes and were running out of cash. However, Emirates Airlines had proven to be the most efficient and profitable despite the extra costs because of its strategic placement of its products in the market share by creating separate market sectors. These market sectors are part of Emirates product portfolio and have been divided in product share. Emirates Airlines current product share is: (Source: Emirates Group, Annual report, 2010) The reason for Emirates Airlines to design such a product share was simply to adjust its marketing strategy after the effects of the global financial crisis. The adjustment was made to accommodate factors that were pertaining to the demand (requirements) and supply (drivers) for its customer base who were also affected by this crisis. The current product share seems to be working fine for Emirates especially after the global economic crisis, which scarred many businesses in the UAE, especially government owned businesses. The crisis, however, has enormously affected its overall performance rating as a prestige high class inboard service that Emirates Airlines previously used to market to clients as a high value service. Emirates had to revaluate its cost and benefits to accommodate the passenger market needs of a cheaper, faster and safer means of transportation by downsizing its experienced onboard staff members and replacing them with inexperienced workforce and by underplaying the various onboard service options it previously use to boast about just few years before the crisis. 2.2 SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is a tool that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization, as its a fundamental and simple model that analysis the capabilities of an organization as well as its potential opportunities. The information for the analysis is derived from environment and further categorized into internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (opportunities and threats) analysis. (M. McDonald, 2007) SWOT Analysis 2.3 Competition As said by the managing director of Emirates, forget about protection against competition. Thats not how Dubai works (Business Strategy, 2005). Well carriers such as Lufthansa, British Airways, Air Canada, and Air France are among the few competitors of Emirates. Emirates Airline is not affected by their direct competition in the air space. It is the accusations of unfair competitions posed on Emirates Airlines by these leading airlines that cause a major threat to Emirates. As a lie is continuously repeated, people start to eventually believe in it. 2.3.1 Accusations Spearheading the regions development strategy, and emblematic of the economic success of the UAE, Gulf carriers benefit from financial support from their local state, which provides a wide array of services: airports, civil aviation authorities, airport and navigation charges, and finally complementary infrastructure. Furthermore, these airlines enjoy a favorable tax environment, as there is no corporate tax or social security charges in their country (Business Strategy, 2005). In return to such accusations from its competitors, Emirates have denied these accusations by providing the below fact and figures (Emirates Group, 2011): Emirates purchases fuel on the same terms and conditions as other commercial airlines. Fuel accounts for 30% of Emirates total expenditure. Emirates Group states that it has recently paid the Government of Dubai US $776 million in dividends in return for the seed capital gifted to the airline at its ince Emirates total cost of benefits provided to expatriate employee amount to more than US 400 million per annum. On the other hand, Emirates also faces competition from its neighbors such as Qatar Airways, Etihad airways and other competitors such as Gulf Air, Singapore Airlines, and low cost airlines such as air Arabia. For analysis we will shed light on Etihad and Air Arabia. (See Appendix) Etihad Airways are competing with Emirates strategy for best standards in quality in its three product classes. In addition, working aggressively on its infrastructure expansion plans poses a high level threat to Emirates Airlines. Air Arabia: Due to the economic downturn and recession, customers have become highly price sensitive to the market. Air Arabia has become the emerging low cost airlines based in Sharjah and supported by its government, which attracts customers in terms of monetary value by providing cheap travel with an increasing high standard. PART THREE 3.0 Marketing Strategy Baker (2008) states that Marketing strategies is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its limited resources to the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage We would use this guideline to affirm, dissect and comment on Emirates Airlines marketing strategy. 3.1 Mission Statement A mission statement is aÂÂ  strategicÂÂ  marketing andÂÂ  business development tool that adds value because they define yourÂÂ  products / services, goals and cultureÂÂ  to your employees, suppliers, customers, vendors, and the media.ÂÂ  A Mission Statement captures the uniqueness of yourÂÂ  company andÂÂ  acts as a base line for quality,ÂÂ  service and yourÂÂ  marketing messages (John, 2006). Emirates Airlines, or rather Emirates Groups mission statement is simply committed to the highest standards in everything we do (Emirates Group, 2011). Being a vast enterprise by itself, Emirates Group has been quiet successful in embodying the mission of committing to the highest standard onto one of its two core corporation Emirates Airlines, the other being DNATA, by marketing the brand of Emirates as the pinnacle emblem or a luxury standard throughout the world as an emerging Global Brand. This mission has contributed to the company garnering global praises for excellence in every aspect of its business in travel and tourism since its commencement. Emirates Airlines is a brand that is truly emerging as a global icon with its logo representation in Arabic script as a symbol of its origin. Emirates has committed on building an operational and service approach as a true global provider, by delivering high quality service and catapulting itself as the industrys youngest and most advanced fleet to retain its ever growing loyal customers worldwide. Emirates is able to achieve this boasting quality as an emerging global brand by updating its fly roster to 100 destinations in over 60 countries with more than 14 million passengers annually. 3.2 Value Proposition A value proposition is the collection of reasons why a person or company benefits from buying something (L. Richman, 2006). This statement should convince a potential consumer thatÂÂ  one particularÂÂ  product or service will add moreÂÂ  value or better solve a problem than other similar offerings Throughout the years, Emirates Airlines has successfully created a customer-focused value proposition, by offering a combination of products and services, information and experiences customized for its market demographics for each of its destination, it has also claimed that the geographical location of its hub (Dubai) is also a value proposition. This approach had led to an array of product offerings such as: The popular onboard ICE system (an Information, Communication and Entertainment system) fully loaded with hundreds of entertainment channels on demand All-in-one communication device accommodating customer needs of surfing the net, emailing or simply calling a land line whilst in the sky Competitive pricing and time effective routes to over 110 destination Dubai and personalized exclusive lounges for its clientele and the frequent flyer program Skywards also adds value to Emirates Airlines. Skywards Program plays a key role in facilitating Emirates build strong customer relationships. All the above product offerings have facilitated Emirates to deliver its value proposition to its customers and support its mission statement of committing to high standards. 3.3 Marketing Objective Important part of marketing strategies is its objective. According to Dess, an objective of an organization should be directed towards generating greater profits for the company and also towards customers and society at large (2008). It is given that an objective of any competitive organization in its marketing strategy is to be successful in a specific setting which needs a detailed investigation and detailed studies of the surrounding environment of the market, its competitors and key factors that influence the market (both internal and external). With this in mind, the organization should than aim for best results to benefit the company. Hence, Emirates Airlines or rather Emirates Group has carefully devised and constructed an objective and fused it with the groups mission statement. Emirates Groups mission statement is simply Committed to the highest standards in everything we do. In the beginning, Emirates Airlines objective was simply to be the national carrier for the Emirate of Dubai. Later on, with successful entry to the Middle East and Sub-Continent market with a strong financial backing from the Government of Dubai the objective was to be the Elite Flying companion and a dominant figure which focused on the provision of the inflight experience as a customer value in the market. Due to success and further expansions to other markets, Emirates soon realized that its objectives kept on changing and adapting to the targeted market. Below are Emirates current objectives: (Source: Emirates Group, 2010) In our opinion, Emirates decision on keeping the objective of the company specific and coherent to current situation of its target market is a good decision in this ever changing and growing industry, where various factors such as laws, resources, political barriers, wars and international laws can directly or indirectly effect a companys objective and therefore effecting the marketing strategy. 3.4 Target Markets According to Nils (2007), Target Market is the specific group of customers that a company aims to capture from the total population. It is particular market segment at which the marketing campaign is focused after penetrating the market. Quality Destination ServiceEmirates Airline targets the whole globe at its target market. To reduce the complexity, target market is be divided into three parts which are further sub segmented into four parts to suit the target market according to their needs. Price Business travellers pay a lot of attention to convenience since they have to spend a lot of time on airports and airplanes. Touch points that they come across are lounges, frequent flyers, safety and good service and interaction systems. Emirates Airlines serves this market quite perfectly. It segments it with the help of quality and service such as skywards awards, availability of lounges in airports, comfortable seats, in-flight services (internet, telephone systems, entertainment systems lastly good food service) Leisure travellers pay a lot more attention on the flexibility of prices and destination compared to business travellers. Emirates Airline segments this market by destination and price by providing them with opportunity to book early and save, facility to provide visa, holiday packages for new destination each time and lastly a huge variety of destination routes. Cargo: A very strong focus on cargo traffic, which generates 20 percent of Emirates revenues one of the highest percentages in the airline industry 3.5 Positioning Positioning is the perception in the minds of the target market regarding companies brand or product (Ries, 1981). Elaborated by Ries (1981), positioning is an organized system for finding a window in the mind. It is based on the concept that the only time communication can take place is at the right time and under the right circumstances. Apparently, true needs and physical value are the main ingredients in which the company has to base its brand positioning in the minds of the target market. Business class focuses on brand values such as punctuality, reliability frequency, prestige and state conscious (Stephan, 2007). Therefore, airline should position itself to suggest it as a choice for successful people, for the product category of the business class. Leisure class focuses on price of the ticket as their prime factor. Therefore, brand position should be done in terms of value for money. According to Simon, Emirates has set out to be an innovative, modern, and customer-oriented provider of high quality air travel services (2005). He also added that brand positioning is that of a leading, international and quality airline serving the global community (Simon, 2005). In terms of the Emirates target market (business and leisure travelers), Simon adds, Today, air travel is affordable and accessible, and for Emirates, the whole world is our oyster. All customers are important to Emirates, and we strive to provide them with the best possible value for their money, regardless of which class passengers travel in. However, weve always considered the frequent business traveler the people who literally fly to work- as pivotal to our marketing strategy (2005). In terms of the target sub-segments (price, quality, destination, service), officials of Emirate Airlines say From the service provided at the point of ticket purchase to staff at the check-in counter; from facilities offered in our airport lounges to in-flight entertainment and service. At all customer touch points, Emirates pays close attention to our product and service to ensure that we deliver on our brand promise of innovation and quality (2005). In terms of delivering the value proposition of the brand Mr. Simon (2005) further adds, We operate a fleet of modern, wide-bodied aircraft equip these aircraft with the latest in-flight amenities and entertainment systems; We invest in the latest technologies to enable faster and more efficient handling of such functions as ticketing, baggage and cargo handling; We recruit our award-winning cabin crew from over 100 countries around the world and train them to the highest standards so you can be sure there will be someone who speaks your language onboard; We hire gourmet chefs to design and plan our in-flight catering menus; We invest millions of dollars to provide advanced engineering support for one of the worlds youngest fleet of aircraft; and the list goes on across the airlines business units. However, during the process of building a brand, the company also faces emerging challenges to sustain its global brand image. Brand Indigo LLC acknowledges that high levels of brand recall concurrently raise the expectation levels of customers (2010). Were living in an age where the majority of the people are tech savvy and any form of criticism and dissonance can be openly discussed in various blogs. This therefore may wear down the built brand esteem (Brand Indigo LLC, 2010). Brand Indigo LLC suggests that service recovery plans will have to be in put in place in quick earnest, or else customer franchise maybe negatively affected (2010). In addition to all the above, A Dubai based newspaper reported to Emirates that they are receiving reports about their slipping service which can be supported drops in Emirates Skytrax Airline year ranking (Gulf News, 2010). 3.6 Strategy Summary The strategy summary reflects on the ways that the company will meet its objectives by placing strategic communication patterns that can help develop the desired position. With the perspective of branding in mind, the first and utmost aspect relating to Emirates rise as a global brand is its leaderships vision and foresight in linking the brand to its marketing strategy and committing the budgets and resources required for its strategic and tactical impact. Given the aspirations of the Emirates brand in being global, innovative and a customer-oriented provider of high quality services, the key to its success has been Emirates airlines ability to apply the brand in all aspects of its customer interactions. By paying close attention to its product and service to ensure that Emirates deliver on what the brand promises of innovation and quality. Another Cornerstone of Emirates Marketing strategy is sponsorships; Emirates branding employs all the major traditional and new marketing tools, but the most effective approach that help it to connect with its customers and enhance its brand awareness by sponsoring the major sporting events. PART FOUR 4.0 The Marketing Mix Kotler Keller (2006) define the marketing mix as the combination of elements that you will use to market your product. There are seven elements: Product, Place, Price and Promotion, People, Process, and Physical evidence. They are called the 7Ps of the marketing mix. 4.1 Product/Services A product is simply a marketing offering, whether tangible or intangible, that someone wants to purchase and consume. In reality, while decisions related to the consumable parts of the product are extremely important, the TOTAL product consists of more than what is consumed (Christian, 1994). The total product offering and the decisions facing the marketer can be broken down into three key parts (Appendix 2): Core Benefits Actual Product Augmented Product Core Benefits: The first layer of the product as defined by Cant (2009) is it represents the heart of the product Emirates airlines Core Product is the Air transportation of passengers and Cargo Actual Product: The second layer of the product as defined by Cant (2009) is the tangible product or service offered to the consumer For Emirates: Emirates First Class, Business class, Emirates holiday, in-flight entertainment system, luxury service, online check in, courteous spa. Augmented Product: .the third layer of the product as defined by Cant (2009) is the tangible product plus the additional customer services and benefits (also called features). For Emirates: National carrier of Dubai, chauffer service, lounges and spa, Dubai as transit hub and the most important is the private terminal at Dubai international Airport. Source: Three Levels of a Product, 2010, Marketing Teacher, accessed 12/02/2005, http://www.marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-three-levels-of-a-product.html Questionnaire findings suggest that people fly with Emirates for benefits other than the medium of transportation, such as travel experience (Appendix 2). 4.2 Price The price of the marketing product mix is the amount of money charged for a product or service or the sum of the values that consumers exchange for the benefits of having or using the product or service (Armstrong, Gary and Philip Kotler, 2009). Yield pricing Which offers its consumers discounted rates on early purchases, higher rates on late purchases, and the lowest prices on unsold inventory before it expires (Kotler Keller, 2006). Time Pricing It is an important element of Emirates pricing policy. With ticket fares varied by season, day, hour, early bird offers allow Emirates to charge a passenger less. Luxuries. The airline tries to position itself as having the highest value possible for consumers. Passengers who purchase business class, for example, have a complementary limousine pick-up, included in the fare of the ticket. Through collecting primary data research for our project, we found Emirates and Etihad have almost the same prices, with Qatar Airways having prices that are much lower than its competitors. In response to competitors reactions, it is best for Emirates to continue managing to maintain prices, simultaneously adding value by constantly improving the quality and consumers expectations of its services. Questionnaire findings show that 60% of the people surveyed say Emirates is relatively expensive compared to others (Appendix 2). 4.3 Promotion Defined as the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyers purchasing decision (Kurts, 2010). Many promotional activities are not really focused to stimulate immediate purchase, but are rather aimed to move the potential buyer a step forward in the buying process (Van W.1997). Sponsorships For Emirates, sponsorships believed to be the best ways to connect with passengers. (Emirates, 2011). Emirates have sponsored more sporting events than any other airline or company in the world (Hagey, 2009). According to the head of Emirates Airlines marketing department for the past two decades, below are breakdowns of how the budget was spent in the past, compared to the present (Hagey, 2009). Past Advertising 70.00% of budget Public Relations 30.00% Present Sponsorships 55.00% of budget Advertising 45.00% Marketing now makes up about 2.7%, compared to 2.3% previously (Hagey, 2009).The key indicator of success is the association people have of various events with the brand. For instance, the Arsenal player and the word Emirates immediately connects. In fact, the mere association of Arsenal or Dubai with Emirates is proof that sponsorship model works wonders for Emirates. Advertising. The airline also advertises in newspapers, billboards, magazines, and even on television channels such as CNN, for instance. Emirates use reminder advertising to increase brand awareness in the various markets. With the right amount of spending on advertising, Emirates marketing mix is very much in line with the companys objectives. . The most memorable ad with the passengers seems to be the Dubai Welcomes the World with Wonderful life by Black playing in the background (Appendix 1). Passengers have stated that it gives them a sense of calmness and excitement and they associate the advertisement with the cosmopolitan image of the emirate of Dubai (Appendix 1). Sales Promotions. Emirates Airlines often offers best deals, and discounts on specific travel destinations, at specific times of the year. The website of the airline offers the best available prices and gives the consumer the opportunity to pick the price of choice, at flexible dates. Gifts Emirates Airlines offers children on board the airline various branded gifts. Emirates could stress more on social media in order to build strong customer relationships with its passengers and build its own network of loyal customers. 4.4 Place Place represents the location where a product can be purchased. It is often referred to as the distribution channel. It can include any physical store as well as virtual stores on the Internet (Jerome, 1975). Emirates Airways distributes its ticket through quite a few touch points such as: Sales agents ( all over the world) Corporate website Customer service call center (Reservation and booking) In the future, Emirates Airlines can strengthen its place strategies by deploying more sales agents and branches in general. Moreover, it can provide more touch points in the leading malls around the world for an easy access for individuals to book flights. Questionnaire findings show that 80% of the people prefer to use the Internet as the source of ticket purchase, as it provides the best discounted price (Appendix 2). 4.5 People Service, expertise and skills of the people who work for the company and they can be used to set you apart from your competitors (Stephen 2007). . Recruitment and use of the staff and people It is an essential ingredient in any organization, and with the appropriate staff members at hand, the organization can obtain a competitive advantage. Emirates Airline has a staff of 36,652 (Emirates Fast Facts, 2011), who go through training to obtain the right skills and service knowledge that is vital in a service-providing company. Emirates could work on the inseparability characteristic of its service. It is therefore crucial for the cabin crew to remain patient and positive in conflicting situations, so as not to distort peoples perceptions of the brand. Prior to downsizing, Emirates had a staff of very experienced cabin crew members. Recently, however, as previously mentioned above, Emirates uses a mix of experienced and inexperienced cabin crew members. To improvise its people strategy Emirates should make their cabin crew wear name tags to create a friendly atmosphere on board the flight, but would also add to the cabin crews responsibility of complying with the right behaviour that would not damage the brand. Most of the Emirates passengers that were surveyed agree that the cabin crew is friendly and welcoming (Appendix 2). 4.6 Process Defined as the procedures, mechanisms and flow of activities by which services are used by the customer (Koichi Shimizu 2003). Emirates airline has a simple process for its passengers since the time of booking their flight to the time they depart or arrive from Dubai Airport. Emirates own its own terminal three at Dubai international airport to further simply the process (See Appendix 3). The diagram illustrates the whole process through which a passenger goes through since the time he arrives at the airport car park to departure. Emirates airline offers various types of check- in processes. For instance: online check-in, self-check in at the airport to simplify the process even f

Environmental Problems :: essays research papers

Environmental Problems In today’s environment Palm Beach County alone faces many environmental problems, which can turn disastrous if not taken care of. Included in these problems are air pollution, water contamination, and urban explosion. Air pollution is a major factor threatening our health and our environment. Due to the pollutants that circulate in the air, many people can come into contact with cancer causing gases. Atmospheric contaminants are derived from human practices, such as gas from automobiles, factories, and even chimneys. Pollutants do not only cause damage to our health, but they cause damage to the health of plants and animals as well. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide cause damage to leaves of crop plants and trees when they enter leaf pores. Exposure of leaves to air pollutants can also break down the waxy coating that helps prevent excessive water loss and damage from diseases, pests, drought, and frost. Water pollution is another problem our county faces. There are many causes for water pollution but two general categories exist: direct and indirect contaminant sources. Direct sources include effluent outfalls from factories, waste treatment plants etc., which emit fluids of varying quality directly into urban water supplies. Although these practices are regulated, this doesn't mean that pollutants can't be found in these waters. Indirect sources include contaminants that enter the water supply from soils/groundwater systems and from the atmosphere via rainwater. Soils and groundwater contain the residue of human agricultural practices (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and improperly disposed of industrial wastes. The effects of water pollution are varied and can be severe. They include poisonous drinking water, poisonous food animals, unbalanced river and lake ecosystems that can no longer support full biological diversity, deforestation from acid rain, and many other effects. These effects are harmful to everyone either directly or indirectly. It seems as if everywhere you look you either see construction, or a sign confirming construction will soon be present in that particular area. Urban explosion has played a big role in Palm Beach County’s environmental problems. Construction of so many new restaurants and stores has lured many new residents to Palm Beach County. This urban sprout has slowly deteriorated the natural habitat in many areas where entire forests have been cut down in order to make room for homes and new resident areas.

The Power of Delegation Essay -- Delegate Engineering Management Essay

The Power of Delegation Delegation is a management tool that can be used to empower or when abused can be a detrimental force in a company. Delegation can aid employee growth and development while getting the job done efficiently. The true purpose of delegation is to accomplish the task by assigning it to someone else (Blair, 1992). Many misunderstand the concept of delegation and therefore either will not delegate or improperly apply the principle which provides unsuccessful results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The primary reason to delegate tasks is to get the work done. The manager must be wise enough to know that he or she cannot be everywhere and do everything. A manager must also realize that along with the assignment of the job to the subordinate, the authority to complete the task must also be given. The delegation of authority is the hardest, most difficult part for some in management positions. If the task is assigned without the authority to use independent discretion the result is frustration and incomplete production. The manager must clearly communicate the expected result also ensure that the subordinate is properly trained and/or has the required skills needed to accomplish the assigned task.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Communication is a major component of successful delegation. A system of regular exchanges of information between management and employees ensure that each party is aware of what others are doing (Blair, 1992).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My current employer is a nonprofit organization, which is run by a Chief Executive Officer/President who was hired 22 years ago. Her background is in education, as a principal, with a master’s degree in Education Administration. The CEO answers to a board of directors, which have been very good at delegating the responsibilities of running the corporation to the CEO. The board meets monthly to receive reports on the activities and financial status of the facility but other than that have no real hands-on role in the management of the company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The CEO has a very different approach to delegation than the board of directors; she tends to micro-manage her staff. Her idea of delegation leans more to assignment of a task and proceeding to dictate exactly how she desires the task to be accomplished or assigns the task without giving authority to carry it out. The CEO makes assignments to members of her Corporate Leadership Team (program direct... ...tion for his staff. The director is not confident in his own competency yet feels the need to improve upon the work his staff produces. This is not a simple problem because the director, a vice president in the company, needs to work out personal issues in order to stop the offending actions. He can however recognize that the problem exists and redirect his interference. Overall this company would benefit from formal training in the functions of management along with methods of applying the principles of management in their own jobs. A section on delegation would need to consist of the definition of delegation, the importance of communication, developing effective and efficient controls, how delegation aids in employee development, how to maintain proper access or assistance to the delegate and awareness of the possible outcomes and failures when using delegation as a management tool (Blair, 1992). References Blair, GM, The Art of Delegation, IEE Engineering Management Journal, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 165-169, Aug 1992. Retrieved August 19, 2005, from University of Edinburgh School of Engineering and Electronics web site: http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management/art5.html