Saturday, December 28, 2019

Mental Health Counseling - 6134 Words

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY COUNSELING Mental Health and Community Counseling COUN 501 Abstract: Counseling is within the reach of anyone in today’s society. The fields of mental health and community counseling allow services to be rendered to anyone that may need these services while in the past these service were only accessible for a person of a higher social standing in essence the rich. Mental health and community counseling had its beginnings several centuries ago. The services received from mental health and community counseling have helped those with personality development and emotional problems that are unable to pay for services in private practice and therefore if not for these services these clients†¦show more content†¦This situation challenges counselors to struggle continuously with how to serve our clients most efficiently (Mireau Inch, 2009). Wait list have been found to disparaging for clients. Mireau et al. concluded that clients on wait lists experience more problems and experience lower motivation and poorer outcomes as the waiti ng period lengthens. Brief solution-focused counseling has proven to that client with very short wait prior to their first appointments are more likely to show up for their first appointments and are more likely to complete treatment (Mireau Inch, 2009). The research has shown that counselors who use this method make a conscious use of their time by engaging the client quickly and keeping the client focused on goals and priorities (Mireau Inch, 2009). There are some drawbacks to BSFC; this method is not a style for beginning counselors (Mireau Inch, 2009). BSFC relies heavily on the art and intuition of the experienced clinician (Mireau Inch, 2009). The technique requires that counselors have appropriate training and an eclectic knowledge of and comfort in a variety of other counseling styles to meet the needs of the client (Mireau Inch, 2009). Another technique used byShow MoreRelatedThe Field Of Mental Health Counseling1201 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Burnout in the field of Mental Health Counseling is a serious concern for everyone involved, whether the person is just beginning their journey, or if they are a seasoned veteran with years of experience. Unless, the person has a prevention plan in place and adds it into their busy schedule and does not stray from their commitment of their self-care program. It is easy when we get busy to skip a day here and there and the next thing you know we have not taken care of ourselves forRead MoreMental Depression And Mental Health Counseling851 Words   |  4 PagesDuring her time at Independent Living, she hasn’t encountered a large scale of crisis during her time as a mental health counselor. However, while receiving her mental health counseling degree, Hurricane Sandy occurred and she counseled the geriatric population after they were traumatized. She has faced several client crisis, one involved counseling a client who functioned within the Borderline Range of Intellectual Dev elopmental Disabilities with Autism, Anxiety Disorder NOS and Obsessive CompulsiveRead MoreThe Mental Health Counseling Program1203 Words   |  5 PagesA mental health counselor is a counseling professional, whose duties involves helping individuals cope with difficult life events, managing mental illnesses, and referring patients to additional resources that can help them. Before they can start counseling, they need to follow their states specific requires. For instance, in Louisiana, one has to obtain a master’s degree from an accredited program, have the required hours of supervised practice and coursework, and pass the National Counselor ExaminationRead MoreThe Origins Of Clinical Mental Health Counseling1458 Words   |  6 Pagesprofession of counseling has a rich and bold history, evolving through the years from varied disciplines and birthing diverse specialties and branches along the way. Often referred to as the youngest of the counseling specialties is clinical m ental health counseling. Despite physical health’s grasp on the nation, mental health has been a major focus at various times throughout history and continues to become an ever growing concern for people in general. As people come to better understand mental healthRead MoreEssay on Mental Health Counseling483 Words   |  2 Pages Mental health counselors work with individuals, families, and groups to address and treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote mental health. They are trained to address a wide range of issues, including depression, addiction and substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress management, problems with self-esteem, issues associated with aging, job and career concerns, educational decisions, issues related to mental and emotional health, and family, parenting, and marital or otherRead MorePsychopharmacology and Mental Health Counseling1035 Words   |  5 PagesPsychopharmacology and Mental Health Counseling Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Counseling It seems that the more human development changes, the more there is a demand to understand the role of pharmaceuticals in daily life with regard to mental health. In the article, The Mental Heath Practitioner and psychopharmacology, a growing challenge for mental health counselors is to understand the potential benefits and limitations of many different types of drugsRead MoreAssessment Of Mental Health Counseling1268 Words   |  6 PagesAssessment in Mental Health Counseling The day that we come into the world, we start to develop pieces of a personal puzzle that throughout the rest of our lives we attempt to â€Å"fit† into our individual and unique puzzle. As time progresses, we seem to find that some of the pieces may â€Å"fit† very well into place, but we also find that some of the pieces are hard to â€Å"fit† into place, even when we try to force the piece in its place. In fact, some may say that when we try to force pieces into our personalRead MoreCounseling: Mental Health Counselor1320 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿U03A1_ COUNSELING SPECIALIZATIONS AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS_ARezendes Resilience, an Evolving Concept: A Review of Literature Relevant to Aboriginal Research Resilience, an Evolving Concept: A Review of Literature Relevant to Aboriginal Research Abstract In this paper, I will discuss the history of counseling; specifically how school counseling and mental health counseling came to be. I will also examine the key philosophies of the counseling profession including, wellness, resilience, andRead MorePsychopharmacology and Mental Health Counseling740 Words   |  3 PagesPsychopharmacology and Mental Health Counseling Samantha Jackson Walden University Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Counseling Kaut and Dicknson (2007) states â€Å"a growing challenge for mental health counselors is to understand the potential benefits and limitations of many different types of drugs â€Å"(.p204-205). Drugs are prescribed to have an effect on the brain and behavior of clients. Mental health counselors are advised to be trained in how psychotropic medications can benefit and beRead MoreAssessment Of Mental Health Counseling838 Words   |  4 Pages Assessment in Mental Health Counseling Starting from the day that we come into the world, we begin to develop personal â€Å"pieces† of a puzzle and as we grow we try as we might to â€Å"fit† these pieces into our own individual and unique puzzle. As this time progresses, we sometimes find that some of the pieces will â€Å"fit,† but we also find at times that no matter how hard we try, some pieces never â€Å"fit,†, even when we try to force them in place. In fact, some people say that when we try to force these

Friday, December 20, 2019

plato Essay - 1175 Words

Discuss Plato’s Parable of the Cave. Plato’s parable of the cave, also known as the â€Å"allegory of the cave, opulently describes beneficial metaphors and elaborate imagery about knowledge, ignorance, truth and lastly enlightenment. The allegory of the cave appears at the beginning of Book VII of Plato’s The Republic, which in itself is principally a study of justice, government and leadership. In The Republic, Plato describes a cave containing individuals confined to the cave floor, bound by shackles. They are unable to move their heads and stare incessantly at the cave wall directly in front of them. The prisoners cannot see one another. Behind the prisoners burns a fire projecting images of objects, animals and individuals carrying†¦show more content†¦The analogy is attempting to encourage individuals to realize the danger of acceptance and complacency. Only when we question and search do we have the chance to become truly free. When freed from our cave - enlightenment is possible. â€Å" The prisoners initial reaction of escaping from the cave is one of fear and confusion, a desire to return to the comfort and security of what he had lived with all his life even though now he is aware it’s all an illusion†(Jackson R 23) Everything the prisoner once believed to be real is now a figment of his imagination and his past environment. This realization at first is frightening, He recognizes that the objects he now sees are real objects and what he has experienced his whole life was simply shadows. Escaping from the cave is a turning point in the prisoner’s life. His prior knowledge is questioned thanks to his heightened sense of consciousness. Plato implies people’s lives and there ability to think rationally is limited by their experiences. This phenomenon is reflecting through the shackled cave men’s lack of awareness of the world and there inability to distinguish what is real from what is not. The cave analogy explores the danger and human tendency of becoming docile consumers. Simply accepting familiarity as knowledge disallows for human growth and permits individual’s knowledge and experiences to simplyShow MoreRelatedPlato And Plato s Republic1119 Words   |  5 PagesThe ancient Greek Philosopher Plato had an interest in finding the ideal government. In Plato’s Republic, he discusses his ideas and views of how this ideal government would function. He believed that people are born into 3 different classes, with different responsibilities (Plato 415a). Only people in the â€Å"golden† class were fit to rule. The most effective of these rulers would be philosophers, as they have kno wledge of the good of the whole (Plato 473d). This system seems too perfect for me. IRead MorePlato967 Words   |  4 Pageswould wish the best for a friend regardless of the friend’s usefulness to them or what pleasure he could attain. Having been raised to strive to attain these virtues, the need for a reason to do so becomes pointless. Another difference is that Plato believes that the best type of good is one that is desirable both in itself and for the sake of its results, while Aristotle says that if X is desired because it brings you to Y, then Y is ultimately better than X. Therefore, the highest good is oneRead MorePlato And Plato s The Apology1623 Words   |  7 Pagesmore interested in determining how the world worked and its origins/cosmology, as oppose to philosophers such as Plato And Socrates who focused more on ethics or morality. Plato’s conception of God and religion can be depicted in his literatures â€Å"Euthyphro† and â€Å"The Apology† which he expresses through his writings of Socrates in dialogue formation. While one may assume that both Plato and Socrates shared analogous notions of God and religion it is impossible to truly know given the Socratic problemRead MoreThe Republic By Plato Vs. Plato1299 Words   |  6 PagesThe Republic by Plato is an vision of an utopian society established through the character of Socrates. Many aspects of Plato’s society appears utopian; however, it can also be viewed dystopian as it is mere subjectiveness. Many of Plato’s arguments apply to current day society; for example, Donald Trump’s rise to power depicts democracy degenerating to despotism. Plato’s Republic is utopian in idealistic terms because the most qualified individual is in charge of society who is able to extend hisRead MoreComparison Between Plato And Plato1101 Words   |  5 Pagesmorality is, how to create justice inside and outside society, the state of nature, equality, and the state of war. They distinguish how the people and government help create a well-oiled society. Comparing Plato to Rousseau, the beginning of philosophy to a more modern perspective. In Crito by Plato, Socrates continues a speech of the Laws of Athens by appealing to a social contract that exists between the Laws and the citizens. By living in Athens, one must abide by the Laws of Athens. Since SocratesRead MorePlato1819 Words   |  8 Pageswinner of the North Award for the best paper in the 2012 Agora. Ben presented an earlier version of this paper at the ACTC Student Conference at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, in March, 2011.) When reading the Apology and the Crito of Plato, one inevitably comes upon a seeming fundamental contradiction between the two dialogues. The Apology presents readers with a defiant Socrates who declares in his trial that, if acquitted on the condition that he never philosophize again, he wouldRead MorePlato s Symposium, By Plato1273 Words   |  6 PagesIn the book,† Plato’s Symposium,† by Plato, who was a philosopher in Greece, he illustrates the dialectic discussion at a party at Agathon’s to celebrate his triumph of his first tragedy. In the Symposium; the guests Phaedrus, an Athenian aristocrat; Pausanias, the legal expert; Eryximachus, a physician; Aristophanes, eminent comic playwright; Agathon ,a tragic poet and host of the banquet; Socrates, eminent philosopher and Plato s teacher; and Alcibiades, a prominent Athenian statesman, oratorRead MorePlato Vs. Rhetoric : Plato And Rhetoric2524 Words   |  11 PagesPlato and Rhetoric Plato is one of the greatest philosophers in history. Often his words and sayings resonate to this day. But, considering all what Plato has done, what is most peculiar about him is his condemnation of poets and sophists. Plato is in a constant fight to see that the way of true philosophy replaces these false arts. But even much more interesting is that Plato goes even further, and condemns the use of rhetoric, the art of persuasion, as a whole. He not only does this adamantlyRead MoreEssay on Plato1158 Words   |  5 PagesPlato: The Life of Plato Plato was born around 427 BC, in Athens Greece to rich and politically involved family. Platos parents spared no expense in educating him; he was taught at the finest schools. He was taught by Socrates and defended Socrates when he was on trial. Plato traveled to Italy and may have even visited Egypt before founding The Academy. Plato also visited Sicily and instructed a young king there before returning to The Academy to teach for twenty years before his death in 347Read MorePlato Vs Aristotle Vs Plato1814 Words   |  8 PagesPlato and Aristotle had a considerable amount of differences in ideology given that Aristotle was Plato’s student for roughly two decades. Plato, a student of Socrates, opposed the idea of average citizens to participate in politics because he believed that political practice was skill or â€Å"technÄ“ that can only be achieved by a few people. He believed that â€Å"kings must be those among them who have proved best both in philosophy and where war is concerned.† (Republic, 491) and that these â€Å"philosopher

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

A Biography Of Dorothea free essay sample

Dixie was a woman who dedicated her life to changing conditions for people who couldnt do it themselves such as, the mentally ill and the people in prisons. Ms. Dixie was a woman who did many things. She was an author, teacher, activist, and a superintendent of nurses during the civil war. Dixie instilled changes in the treatment and care of the mentally ill and helped improved the living conditions in the prison. The results of her efforts can still be seen throughout the United States.Early Life Dixie was born April 4, 1802, in Hampered, Maine (I-p. 1976). She lived with her parents but was an unhappy child at home. Dixie later moved to Boston in 1814, to live with her wealthy grandmother. She never really attended school while living with her parents, but in her adulthood, with not to many options for women, Dixie decided to become a school teacher (Parry, M. We will write a custom essay sample on A Biography Of Dorothea or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page S. 2006, April). She decided to start her own elementary school in her grandmothers home in 1821 , and 3 years later she wrote and published a book about school teachers (Parry, M. S. 2006, April).This book reflected how she felt toward women and their education. She believed women should be educated on the same level as men. Dixie published several other books, including books of religious poetry and fictional texts featuring moral lessons. Even though she was a successful person she still felt as if she was missing something. She often suffered from depression from time to time and experienced break downs. Dixie later began to volunteer teaching Sunday school at an all-womens prison. While working there she saw people with mental illnesses who were to being treated.She then became determine to improve the prison conditions. She started out investigating different treatments of the mentally ill. Dixie reached out to the state and submitted a memorial to the state legislature. She was determine to do all she could to help these women (Parry, M. S. 2006, April). Field Of practice Dixie contributed so many things to the field of social work before it was even born but, she was not a social worker. She started out as a school teacher in Boston. Her career began to expand as she worked with female convicts on Sundays.There she found mentally ill and retarded people locked up in unheated cells. Working with these women and seeing there conditions made her reach out to people who had mental illnesses. She wanted to help no matter what it took. Dixie later had a hospital named after her in her honor. She believed in women rights and how society treated those who poverty knocked down to being homeless and who diseases had deprived them of reasons. Many people looked at her as a nurse who fought for the rights of individuals with mental problems.She wanted to change the things that took lace in the prisons and wanted help for the mentally ill. She put forth a lot of effort towards theses causes (Parry, M. S. 2006, April). Contributions to Social Work Dixie was responsible for the improvement of hospitals in Rhode Island and New York. She also established hospitals in 13 other states and the District of Columbia (l. P. 1976). She was appointed the highest office held by a woman during the war to be the superintendent of nurses. She supervised all of the nurses there at that time.Dixie asked the congress to grant more than 12 lion of land to be used for the mentally ill as well as the deaf and blind. The congress approved at this time but, was later vetoed by President Franklin Pierce. Dixie legacy is seriously disproportionate, barely beginning to ask why her efforts for Asylums proved so much success. She was also an advocate for the needy in her society (one who is self- centered and troublesome). Dixie was a woman who worked to promote the welfare of the sick and wounded. She contributed a lot of hard work and effort to support those women and the mentally ill. She made sure she mad a difference in people lives. Conclusion Throated Dixie was an amazing woman. She is somebody that I would be proud to become just like, She contributed so much to the social work field. I wrote about Miss Dixie because she made a way for the women in prison and choose to help the ill. She seen many visions of things that needed to be done and she set her mind to conquering them all. While fulfilling this assignment I learned that social work is not just about working with children and finding them great homes but, there is so much more to the field.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

A Midsummers Night Dream1 Essay Example For Students

A Midsummers Night Dream1 Essay reason and love keep little company together nowadays. This quote from the play is extremely applicable. In the world in which we live there is always a reason for love. You do not wake up and automatically fall in love with someone. You meet someone, get to know them and then form a relationship. All bets are off in this play. At first we see that there are relationships formed. Lysander and Hermia are in love, but Demetrius also loves Hermia. To make matters worse Helena loves Demetrius. And finally Egeus, Hermias father, wants her to be with Demetrius, not Lysander. Because of the lack of character development we do not understand why any of this is this way, but we accept it none the less.After Puck puts the love juice in the eyes of the characters all that we have come to know about the characters changes. Lysander and Demetrius both end up hating Hermia and loving Helena. There would be no other human reason for this to happen. In another part of the story Titania, Queen of the fairies, falls in love with Bottom, who is one of the rustics. Bottom ends up with the head of an ass, but Titania still loves him. Once again there is no human way for any of this to happen, but we do not question it because all of these unusual events take place in the forest, which we learn is very magical. In Act III we see how very true the statement, reason and love keep little company together nowadays. Is. We see the queen of the fairies in love with a mortal and not just any mortal, but one with an asses head. This is the act in which we see the four lovers in love with all of the wrong people. Lysander and Demetrius not only fall out of love with Hermia, but also act very cruelly toward her. And example of this would be when Lysander says to Hermia, Get you gone, you dwarf! You minimus, of hindering knotgrass made! You bead, you acorn! They also mock her dark complexion while praising Helena on how beautiful she is. Unfortunately Helena thinks they are all acting in this manner to make fun of her. She proves this by saying, O spite! O hell! I see you are all bent to set against me for your merriment. (Act 3.2 line 145) and Never did mockers waist more idle breath. (Line 168) Helena also thinks Hermia is mocking her when in actuality Hermia has no idea what is going on either. We can see that Helena believes Hermia is against her in line 192 when she states, Lo, she is one of this confederacy! All control is in the hands of the fairies throughout the play in Act IV, the fairies mend all of the confusion they have caused in Act III. Titania falls out of love with Bottom and he no longer has the head of an ass. Lysander and Hermia fall back in love with one another. Demetrius and Helena fall in love as well. Basically, they all live happily ever after, yet none of them know or understand why. This is why reason and love keep little company throughout this play. Bibliography:

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Frankenstein Essays (779 words) - Frankenstein,

Frankenstein Frankenstein Morality. It has been questioned by people, honored by people and revered since the beginning of time. Yet even today not one person can say what is morally right. It is a matter of opinion. It was Dr.Victor Frankenstein's opinion that it was alright to create a "monster". Frankenstein's creation needed a companion. Knowing that his first creation was evil should the doctor make a second? With the knowledge at hand, to Dr.Frankenstein, it is not at all morally correct to bring another monster into the world. Looking at this probelm with his family in mind, the doctor begins his work on the second monster. The first monster threatened Frankenstein and even his family. The monster angrily said to Frankenstein, "I can make you so wretched." (pg. 162) Trying to scare Frankenstein for not creating his mate the monster resorted to threats. If the good doctor does create a companion for his first creation he may be e ndangering others. "The miserable monster whom I had created," (pg.152) says Victor upon looking back at his work. If there is another monster there will be twice the power and possibly twice the evil, which could hurt or kill his family. When and if Frankenstein commits the moral sin of creating another monster he may be rid of both monsters forever. "With the companion you bestow I will quit the neighbourhood of man,"(pg 142) promises the morally corrupt monster to the doctor upon the completion of his partner. When the doctor, if and when he, finished his first creation's mate there is a chance that the monsters will not keep their promise and stay in Europe envoking fear into townfolk. The good doctor, trying to act morally, destroys the monster for the good of the world. The monsters can potentially take over whatever they please. "A race of devils would be propegated,"(pg. 163) thinks Frankenstein to himself in his study. The monsters, if powerful enough, could possibly take o ver Europe. Frankenstein realizes that he can not possibly doom the world to benefit himself. "Shall I, in coold blood, set loose upon the earth a daemon.."(pg. 162) argues Frankenstein with his creation. It is not morally right for one person to unleash such a terror on the world to benefit only himself and his family. Frankenstein will not let any example change his mind on the point that the monster is and will always be morally corupt. Continuing on his point that the monster was too evil to duplicate, Frankenstein says, "Your threats cannot move me to do an act of wickedness; but they confirm me in determination of not creating you a companion in vice."( pg. 163) Frankenstein will not sacrifice his morallity because of persuation from a monster. Although beholding the threat of death and misery Frankenstein held his ground and did not sacrifice his moral. When and if Frankenstein creates another monster he can not feel as if he has done the morally right thing. From creating the monster Frankenstein will some how be making people other than himself unhappy. " I consent to your demand, on your solem oath to quite Europe forever, and every other place in the neighbourhood of man,"(pg. 143) says Frankenstein as he sees the power that the two could possibly possess. The good doctor sees that with his own hands he could possibly scar the world forever. The doctor wants, if anyone, himself to be unhappy instead of all of man kind. "Begone! I do break my promise," (pg. 162) states the doctor angrily. Not thinking about himself but the world unselfishly breaks his promise to the monster. Possessing such a great mind the doctor is able to realize that a greater evil will be realesed upon the earth then upon himself. "Your threats cannot move me to do an act of wickedness,"(pg. 162) says the doctor as he argues his point with his creation. The doctor sees that a greater and more horrible result can come from him making the second monster than not. With the knowle dge at hand, to Dr.Frankenstein, it is not at all morally correct to bring another monster into the world. On the one hand if the second monster

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard The WritePass Journal

Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard 1. Introduction Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard 1. Introduction1.1.(i)   PESTEL Analysis1.1 (ii)   Porter’s Five Forces Analysis1.2.   Opportunities And Threats1.2. (i)   Opportunities1.2. (ii)   Threats2.1. Internal AnalysisValue Chain Analysis:Inbound LogisticsOperationsOutbound LogisticsMarketing and SalesServices2.1 (i) Strengths2.1 (ii) Weaknesses3. Key Strategic Issues3. (i)   2002 deal to acquire Compaq3. (ii) No Defined Smartphone Strategy4. Relevant Frameworks4. (i) With reference to Ansoff’s growth strategies, HP used â€Å"product development† strategy in acquiring Palm.4. (ii) Alternative Option5. (a) Key HP stakeholders5. (b) Implementation of HP’s acquisition strategyRelated 1. Introduction Hewlett Packard (HP) is a multinational information technology corporation headquarterd in Palo Alto, California, USA. This report examines the external and internal factors that have influenced   HP defining their strategic and competitive position. Evaluation of the company’s strategic choices is presented. The models of Porter’s five forces, Ansoff Matrix, SWOT and PESTEL are used in the analysis. 1.1.(i)   PESTEL Analysis Political:   The political analysis of HP pertaining to government controls and rules in the effort of HP to keep up with the Environmental and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Codes and in terms of decency, quality and environmental concerns. Economical:   HP mainly relies on revenue from its printing hardware, financial investments, investments in small and medium enterprises and internet solutions for its maintenance. Social:   HP has the local US consumer base well captured but it seems that there is very little to be done here in terms of attracting the upcoming young generation of IT zealot and unless there is a stress upon updating the models of its hardware for printing and PC’s to catch up with the hype created by HP and Intel who unveil new models almost every other month. Technological:   HP went â€Å"cyber† almost a decade ago, which is fairly recent in comparison to its 70 year long market presence (HP, 2009). In fact the turning point of HP’s luck came in 1998 when HP’s corporate software and support division and corporate systems division was amalgamated and Ann Livermore took over to run this new Enterprise Computing Solutions Organisation (ECSO), with an investment of $15 billion and an employee base of 44,000 employees (Moore and Snyder, 2000). Environmental:   HP’s operations are subject to regulations under federal, state, local and foreign laws concerning the environment, including laws addressing the discharge of pollutants into the air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, and the cleanup of contaminated sites. Legal: Patent Reform Legislation – As one of the largest patent holders in U.S, HP is on average granted four patents every day. HP is a constant target of frivolous patent lawsuits. These lawsuits force HP to divert resources away from innovation and product development, leading to reduced economic benefits from invention (HP, 2009).    1.1 (ii)   Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Threat of Entry:   Threats of entry in this case is moderate. There is low brand loyalty of existing firms. Consumers usually compare the prices with different brands when they decide to purchase PCs. They think that every PC has the same price and has the same function no matter what brand it is, which means low product differentiation. There is medium capital requirements, no government regulations and low economies of scale in manufacturing. There is low investment for independent stores. Decreasing profitability indicates that there is a threat of new entrants Threat of Substitutes:   Threat of substitute products is low. HP believes in standards-based technology, which represents the opportunity to decide in the item of much preferance. HP tries to eliminate barriers by continuous updating processes and presenting new products to remain in the top of the industry. The Power of Buyers: Bargaining power of buyers is high. Consumers are very price sensitive because they like to buy cheap and high quality products. If they see a hardware or software or PC with similar functions but different brands and price, they will tend to buy a cheaper one. The buyer power for HP can be low since product demand is high, this means that the company has power to control the amount of production and also its products price. On the other hand, customers have lots of substitutes. Moreover there is not a huge difference between products which are produced in the market. The Power of Suppliers:   HP bargaining power of suppliers is high. There are large number of suppliers for every component parts of the PC, for example, one can make a PC by using component parts from different suppliers, including hard disk, DVD drive, monitor, etc. Microsoft and Intel have tremendous bargaining power against the PC manufacturers. There are high switching costs. Competitive Rivalry:   Rivalry is high. For instance, price, when one company acts to protect its position by lowering the price of PCs, it will affect other companies. This means all other firms may want to lower their price in order to attract the customers. There is also decreasing profitability. Since the firms sell their PCs in a low price, they will make less profit. 1.2.   Opportunities And Threats 1.2. (i)   Opportunities Expanding presence in cloud computing market – In July 2008, HP along with Intel Corporation and Yahoo, created a global multi-data centre,   open source test bed for cloud computing research and education. The goal of the project was to promote collaboration among industry, academy and governments by removing the financial and logistical barriers. In 2009, HP announced HP Cloud Assure, a new SaaS offering designed to assist businesses to safely and effectively adopt cloud-based services. The increasing demand for cloud computing is likely to create demand for HP’s solutions in coming years. The global spending on cloud computing is forecast to cross a value of over $40 billion by 2012. Expanding portfolio of imaging and printing solutions – HP has made several strategic acquisitions and introduced new products in the imaging solutions segment in recent times. Its imaging solutions strategy entails the commercial markets, from print services solutions to new growth opportunities in commercial printing. HP has launched several retail photo printing solutions and services that provide consumers the tools to personalise their photos and publish customised creative output. 1.2. (ii)   Threats Projected decreases in the IT markets – Forecasters predict a decrease in the worldwide demand for various IT products offered by HP. The economic slowdown has negatively affected many market segments, including information technology. HP has experienced this decline not only in the U.S. but also in its global markets. Hyper-competitive Environment – Although HP recently overtook Dell in sales, the latter remains a formidable competitor, as are other companies such as Toshiba, Lenova Group and Aver. It competes in terms of price, quality, brand, technology, reputation, distribution and range of products, among other factors. In some regions, the company faces competition from local companies and from generally-branded or white box manufacturers. 2.1. Internal Analysis Comparative Analysis – The three dominant producers (competitors) in the PC industry are HP, Dell and IBM. HP has always been a leader in this industry and in all aspects of technology. Through its merger with Compaq, HP has created an even bigger market share to compete with Dell’s PC division. As far as research and development, HP is always at the head of the game. HP has created and patented some of the leading products in technology development, such as touch screen monitors. HP still receives royalties today, from that invention. All three companies agree that employee learning is a very important aspect of their organisations. Each of the companies spends a substantial amount of money on educating and rewarding employees. HP and IBM have similar strategies for learning. When it comes to sales, Dell is at the top of the market. With regards to IT services, IBM is a far more profitable company than either HP or Dell. Organisations willing to spend money on research and development, like HP and IBM, will likely be here in years to come because they are not just relying on PCs to make a profit. Dell will likely have to get involved in producing other products in order to stay on top of the market. Resources: HP has 324,600 employees worldwide while servicing more than one billion customers in 170 countries on six continents (HP annual report, 2010). It has three main business divisions namely: HP Enterprise Business – is the largest business segment of HP accounting for 36% of HP’s 2007 revenue, providing servers, storage, software and information technology services that enable enterprise and midmarket business customers to manage their current IT environments and transform them into a business enabler. HP Enterprise Business has three sub-divisions namely HP Personal Systems Group, HP Imaging and Printing Group and HP Financial Services. HP Labs – is the exploratory and advanced research group for HP with some 600 researchers in seven locations throughout the world HP Software Division – is the Enterprise software division of information technology company. From September 2005 through 2010, HP purchased a total of 15 software companies as part of a publicized, deliberate strategy to augment its software offerings for large business customers (HP, 2010). HP also has subsidiaries namely, 3Com, 3PAR, Compaq, Palm, Inc, ProCurve, Snapfish and VoodooPC. Finance: HP’s posted net revenue in 2010 was $126.3 billion, in 2009, net revenue was $115 billion, with approximately $40 billion coming from services. In 2006, the intense competition between HP and IBM tipped in HP’s favour, with HP posting revenue of $91.7 billion, compared to $91.4 billion for IBM, the gap between the companies widened to $21 billion in 2009. In 2007, HP’s revenue was $104 billion, making HP the first IT company in history to report revenues exceeding $100 billion. In 2008, HP retained its global leadership position in inkjet, laser, large format and multi-function printers market and its leadership position in the hardware industry. The financial position of HP as of October 2010 is as follows: (HP,2010) US$ billion Operating Income    11.479 Net Income   Ã‚  Ã‚   8.761 Total Assets 124.503 Total Equity    40.781 Value Chain Analysis: Inbound Logistics Building products to order, maximise manufacturing effeciencies by producing high volume of basic product configurations Configuring products to order – for customer customization JIT to minimise inventory Purchase supplies from multiple vendors Operations Utilizes its own manufacturing capacity as well as origional design manufacturers and contract manufacturers for cost efficiencies HP is the largest customer for most of their suppliers – best terms and prices Outbound Logistics HP uses external partners for its outbound logistical needs Marketing and Sales HP has a number various types of partners including retailers, VARs, distribution partners, OEMs, system intergrators and independent software vendors Services HP Services competes in IT support services, consulting, intergration and outsourcing services. Products : HP has successful lines of printers, scanners, digital cameras, calculators, PDAs, servers, workstation computers and computers for home and small business use. HP not only supplies hardware and software but also a full range of services to design, implement and support IT infrastructure (HP, 2010). Culture: HP founders, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard developed a unique management style that came to be known as â€Å"The HP Way†. The HP Way focuses on employee satisfaction as the source of company success. Some of the by-products of the HP Way include flex time and open communication between managers and employees.    2.1 (i) Strengths Prominent Brand Name Recognition: HP has launched a branding initiative called, â€Å"One Voice,† in order to better intergrate its line of consumer electronics and computer hardware products. The project resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost savings by automating package design creation. In 2009 the company moved up from the 12th to the 11th most recognisable brand (Interbrand.com). Successful Strategic Acquisitions: HP’s major mergers and acquisitions in recent past include Compaq Computer Corporation in 2002, Mercury Interactive in 2006 and Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS) in 2008. In Nov 2009, HP announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire 3Com, a provider of computer network equipment for $2.7 billion. Strong Market Position: HP can boast of a 30% global server market. Its domination of the global printer market is evidenced by its 40% market share. In 2008 HP took a major step in strengthening its position in the IT services market by acquiring EDS. 2.1 (ii) Weaknesses Weak Market Segment Intergration: HP’s portfolio of offerings lack significant software product or manage consulting services when compared to major competitors, for instance, IBM and Accenture are establishing management consulting divisions so as to provide more comprehensive and intergrated range of services. 3. Key Strategic Issues 3. (i)   2002 deal to acquire Compaq While the merger went smoothly, it didn’t solve too many of HP’s strategic challenges. The Compaq merger helped HP vault to no. 1 in storage and no. 2 in servers while becoming stronger in technology services. In the fourth quarter, the corporate unit’s sales rose a surprising 10%. Still HP was struggling with profitability at the same time IBM and other competitors were reaping strong profits. Even with HP’s top line gains, the margins and profits declined. Also, combining the market shares of HP and Compaq was designed to create a market leader that could slow Dell’s advance, but Dell had blown past HP in market share and had widened its lead to 18.3% of the market, versus HP’s 15.7%. HP had also fallen short of its 3% operating margin goal, reporting margins of less than 1% for 2004. This merger meant a lot of people lost their jobs. 3. (ii) No Defined Smartphone Strategy While the HP company directors had confirmed their interest in smartphones, nothing had been communicated about its strategy, even, if previously, projects existed which were looking to combine hardware and mobile services in a harmonious fashion. Always enterprise oriented, HP completely missed the uptake of smartphones by general public, allowing market leadership to be taken by a smaller player. In the first quarter of 2010, latest financial results indicated that this business unit was losing money at a fast rate, generating only $25million compared to $57million, the same period in 2009 (NYT, Feb 2010). There was a dilemma whether to continue with the smartphone market. 4. Relevant Frameworks 4. (i) With reference to Ansoff’s growth strategies, HP used â€Å"product development† strategy in acquiring Palm. Suitability: HP had already acquired the iPaq line of smartphones in 2001 when it bought Compaq Computer although there had been a decline in profits. Before the acquisition, HP had no legitimate play in the vital smartphone space, so this strategy is suitable. The deal would give HP access to Palm’s homegrown software that could run phones, as well as other types of devices like computer-tablets. It was an opportunity not to be missed. Feasibility: HP has all it takes in terms of finance, technology and skills, to make the acquisition profitable. This came at the right time as both companies were struggling and therefore needed a big fix. Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices. Product development is therefore a feasible strategy. Acceptability: The strategy is acceptable but with some risks of â€Å"new strategic capabilities† and â€Å"project management risk†. Both companies were failing in the smartphone industry therefore there was no guarantee that when the two companies come together, there will be any improvement, especially since Palm chief executive was to stay on. Product development also involves heavy investments which could be a risk in case the project fails. 4. (ii) Alternative Option In order to deal with its key strategic issues HP could possibly have adopted â€Å"market penetration† strategy. Suitability: This was going to be a suitable strategy, as in the case of compaq, market penetration would have meant hq would gain compaq’s customers. It would have worked well also for the smartphone industry. All that HP was going to do is attracting non-users of HP products and convincing current clients to use more of their products through promotions and advertising. Feasibility: Market penetration is the least risky way for any company to grow, also, penetration pricing involves the setting of lower rather than higher prices in order to achieve a large, if not dominant market share so this makes it a feasible strategy. Acceptability: It is however not such an acceptable option as there might be a likelihood of competing suppliers following suit by reducing their prices also, thus nullifying any advantage of reduced prices. The other potential disadvantage is the impact of reduced price on the image of offering, particularly where buyers associate price with quality. 5. (a) Key HP stakeholders Stakeholders have different interests in supporting or opposing a particular strategy (Johnson et al., 2008) and this is best illustrated below:                                                                                  Stakeholder power vs level of interest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Adopted from Johnson et al., 2008) Key players are those where their reaction towards the organisation’s projects and initiatives must be given primary consideration. Shareholders exercise their ultimate control over HP and how it is managed, for example, having a say on how the management is paid. Recently, (March, 2011), investors expressed how unhappy they were on pay packages for top managers , saying they are paid a lot of money and claiming it’s a waste. By voting against these pay packages, the board approved the change (Inquirer, March 2011). Managers are key players in the sense that for any company to succeed, it needs management that is driven and ambitious. In 2007, HP produced a report called â€Å"The Seven Habits of Ambitious Companies†, briefly laying down that its managers have big ideas, stay focused, build momentum, put people first, encourage communication, manage innovation and listen to their conscience (HP, 2007). With all these habits, the company is bound to thrive for the best and stay at the top. Employees are equally important as they are integral to the success of the business. The talent, expertise and skills of employees drives everything from how HP innovates its products and manage its supply chain to how they connect with customers and collaborate with partners (HP, 2010). Consumers may, for example, exert pressure on sales managers to represent their interests within the company, so in a way they can also be regarded as key. 5. (b) Implementation of HP’s acquisition strategy A stream of acquisitions have strengthened HP position in the software business (alcrastore.com). Key stakeholders have the power to influence HP’s implementation of its acquisition strategy. This can be done in different ways: Involvement in strategic implementation: This is through exercising discretion. Shareholders have to vote for or against any acquisition meaning the power is in shareholders hands as they are the ones who ultimately decide if any acquisition is to succeed or not. Control of strategic resources: Management is responsible for the allocation of resources to implement the policies and plans, projects and programs. For instance when HP acquired Compaq, there were job losses so its vital for management to take this into consideration. There has to be a balance between the longer term needs of the future and the short term imperatives of the present.. Hierachy (formal power): This is management’s role through decision making. They have to make sure that the acquisition is suitable, feasible or acceptable. If after such considerations, the strategy does not meet the interests of HP then management have the power not to implement such strategy. Control of human environment: The board of directors play a vital role in negotiating HP acquisitions. They are the ones who eventually seal the deal financially so it is vital that the share price is right. Possession of knowledge and skills (competitive advantage): Expert knowledge that forms the organisation’s core competencies is equally influential. It is the core competencies of an organisation that differentiates it from its peers and competitors. For instance, in the case of HP acquisition of Palm, there were other companies who had shown interest. Potential buyouts from companies like HTC and Lenovo ultimately fell through but HP had an advantage over its competitors – the global strengths. Since HP is such a global company, it has gained significant skills and knowledge hence making it more attractive.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Essay - 2

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies - Essay Example Therefore, every organization or business should anticipate to be tangled in a merger or acquisition at some point in time. This is basically true for businesses or people living in America, where deal practices outpaces the rest of the world in terms of volume and size. This research aims at discussing various issues concerning merging, acquisition, and international strategies. Cisco Corporation acquires organizations that provide eye-catching technologies, goods, or market prospects and this has been a major growth strategy for this company. To assist merge this corporations quickly, constantly, and slight disruption, Cisco has developed cross efficient groups, distinct mutual philosophies, as well as developed value procedures. This well-organized method to integration permits Cisco the capability to attain speedily the value anticipated from the acquisition, among other benefits. Cisco consumers can learn from Cisco`s real world involvements in this part to assist upkeep the sam e enterprises requirements (Satu, 2012). Acquiring other organizations is a vital strategy for Cisco Corporation to quickly provide new products, reach fresh markets, as well as increase income. Cisco has acquired over one hundred and twenty organizations ranging from small startups to large, well-developed companies including WebEx. As it is noted, it is not easy to merge workers, goods, services, functions, as well as procedures of acquired organizations. With several acquisitions taking place every year, it became apparent that Cisco could not approach the amalgamation effort in an unplanned way, with diverse individual and activities affianced every time. Rather, acquisition incorporation required to become a standard way of carrying out business for Cisco workers. Cisco required an integration approach that would be dependable across the organization, repeatable for every new acquisition, and adjustable as Cisco start to obtain large originations with various functional strictu res. Cisco employed the strategy of standardization in order to determine whether or not this unification was a wise choice. Research shows that with Cisco`s standards for the IT substructure and components, it can implement its incorporation strategy much calmer because everybody knows what to do. All it has to do is to work on recognizing and determining the exclusions to the strategy, and that is a vast change for its capability to finish the incorporation rapidly and effortlessly. The strategy of standardization Cisco used in determining if the corporation is the best choice is a good strategy. This is because this strategy enables it to merge the new organizations in every of the organization`s major operational areas such as, information technology. Given the number of organizations that Cisco has acquired, it would have taken too much time to analyze every acquisition, collect Information technology necessities, submit an integration plan for approval to an IT supremacy group , and every time reinvent the several other duties involved in an incorporation. The manager of Cisco declared that they wanted to have a proactive strategy to incorporating

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Can ethics constrain and improve politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Can ethics constrain and improve politics - Essay Example hics of democracy argues that the greatest divide in ethics comes between action centred views, practical ethics, ethics of character and being ethical. What he referred to in simple terms was that the moral uprightness should be as a means of doing or being good. As an answer to this critical question philosophers used the question of; what was the centre of moral discourse, evaluation of morality and justification of one’s morality. He further on went to quiz what the primary concern was or end of a moral activity. Dewey in his book refers to democracy as a moral upright which is a clear opposite from his moral thought.Dewey’s ethics is as a resource for tackling difficult questions regarding the justification of democracy from his radical view of democracy. In Dewey’s ethics we find specific virtues, relationships and experiences. He went ahead to (Dewey, 2008). Dewey feels that one should advocate individualism in their political administration of public affairs with a little consideration for honour and self-esteem. He further argues that politicians in their administrative roles should consider what benefits them most then the society. He further feels that morality can be but instead advocates for the reflexive morality by observing and understanding the circumstances surrounding a course of action. (Dewey, 2008) Charles R. Beitz in his book â€Å"Political theory and international relations† feels that changes in international relations have led have a clear exhibition to his political theory. He further states that Nations are not interested in promoting human welfare. Since nations are longer as self-sufficient, its global image no longer gives an accurate picture of the morality inside a state (Beitz 2008). In the book the key concept of politics by Andrew Heywood, it can be observed that Realism as a political theory in which he finds a man as egocentric hence using egoism to define human nature. On the Liberal theory, Heywood believes man is a

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Mind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mind - Essay Example I certify that, except where cited in the text, this work is the result of research carried out by the author of this study. The main content of the study which has been presented contains work that has not previously been reported anywhere. This written report is for an assignment about software for collaborative work and phenomenological analysis. The assignment is divided into two activities. Activity 1 deals with the evaluation of the software Timbuktu, which is a remote control and secure encrypted connection software that is used for network management on large and distributed networks. Activity 2 of the assignment presents a brief discussion about phenomenological analysis under the Activity 2 for this part. The software Timbuktu is desktop-to-desktop remote control software for use with computers that have the Windows or the Macintosh operating systems. This software is useful for large distributed networks in which hundreds of computers are linked together over a network that has a substantial spatial spread. Because of the spatial spread, it is likely to be difficult for network maintenance or administrative staff to traverse substantial distances to troubleshoot computers or to load files onto the machines. Timbuktu makes it possible for remote computers to be manipulated through network interconnection with a local computer. This is a great help when very many computers have to be looked after, but it must be noted that at the time of writing, Timbuktu is not available specifically for the Vista operating system, although it is likely that the capability of Vista to run legacy software systems will permit Timbuktu to be used on machines with this operating system. Complimentary media can be considered as being a communications media which is capable of replacing the established or the traditional or which is capable of providing support for

Friday, November 15, 2019

Roles and Responsibilities: Health and Social Care Provider

Roles and Responsibilities: Health and Social Care Provider Introduction In this assignment, I am going to explain how one health or social care provider has contributed in national provision and describe three roles within the NHS and explain their responsibilities and possible career pathways. West Cumberland Hospital is one of two acute hospitals in Cumbria, serving around 140,000 residents of West Cumbria. The hospital is located on the outskirts of Whitehaven, in Hensingham, and also provides Diagnosis/screening, care for long-term conditions, Rehabilitation for illness/injury, 24 hour Accident and Emergency, CHOC, a consultant-led maternity unit, special care baby unit, an outpatients service and a range of specialist clinical services. In 2015, a  £90 million new building was added to West Cumberland Hospital, the building contains advanced surgical theatres and the new buildings interior and services are all modernised. The new modern build makes the hospital look more pleasing and attractive. However, issues and complaints have occurred regarding centralising consultant-led maternity services in Carlisle and women in labour may have to travel to Cumberland Infirmary, this is due to a shortage of childrens doctors, states the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, and some kind of change is essential. The Hospital offers free National Health Service Treatment. Local GPs refer patients to outpatient clinics for specialist treatment and advice. Care Quality Commission (CQC) are independent regulators who make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage them to improve. Their inspection in 2015 on Whitehaven hospital concluded that the hospital required improvement and so was placed in special measures (CQC 2016). West Cumberland Hospital is manged by North Cumbria University Hospital Trust which is an acute hospital trust committed to providing a high standard of care to a population of around 320,000 from Carlisle, Allerdale, Eden, Copeland and parts of the Dumfries and Galloway and Northumberland. Services, such as paediatrics and AE, are provided from West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven and the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle. The trust also supports a wide range of diagnostic and clinical services which are located in nine community hospitals across North Cumbria. The trust became a university Hospital in September 2008. Within the NHS, there are large variety of positions which all require different specialist skills and training. Each job in health and social care settings is important in contributing to providing the best quality care for service users. Roles, responsibilities and career pathways of a Doctor. Medical doctors examine, diagnose and treat patients who have been referred to the hospital by GPs or other healthcare professionals. Doctors apply their specialist medical knowledge and skills to the contribution of prevention and management of disease. After five years of medical school, a junior doctor will do a minimum of four years further training to qualify as a general practitioner (GP), or a further eight years to qualify as a hospital consultant. Once a registrar, after one year they can become a GP, or a specialist consultant in five to six years. There are numerous responsibilities of a doctor. Doctors must undertake patients physical examinations and consultations, perform surgical operations, monitor and regulate medication of patients, plan and assess required treatments of service users, communicate daily with nurses, doctors, GPs and other healthcare professionals and they also maintain records of patients. These responsibilities require a doctor to have an ability to solve problems, work effectively under pressure and have leadership and management skills. Roles, responsibilities and career pathways of a Radiographer. The role of a Radiographer is to undertake clinical imagining diagnostic examinations using different kinds of radiation to treat injured or ill patients. They must ensure that every service user is fully aware of the procedure and remain as comfortable and relaxed as possible. You can study to become either diagnostic radiographer or therapeutic radiography at university. A diagnostic radiographer uses radiation to diagnose an injury or illness of a patient and a therapeutic radiographer uses different kinds of radiation to treat illnesses or injuries. It is important for a radiographer to have good communication skills and strong analytical skills. There are several responsibilities of a radiographer. They need to be able to assess patients and their clinical requirements to ensure they know which radiographic techniques to use. Radiographers also need to provide support and reassurance to patients, taking into account their psychological and physical needs. Taking responsibility for radiation safety is also important. A radiographer will also work alongside radiologists and surgeons by taking part in more complex radiological examinations. A diagnostic radiographer can become an advanced practitioner where they can undertake a high level of clinical responsibilities. Diagnostic radiographers also can go on to work at consultant level, where you will be able to contribute to strategic development of services. Role, responsibilities and career pathways of a paramedic. The role of a paramedic is to provide immediate response to emergency 999 and 111 calls. Paramedics are usually the first senior healthcare professionals on the scene and the level of care they provide can range from dealing with minor illnesses and injuries to life threatening conditions. There are many responsibilities of a paramedic. They must be capable of monitoring the patients condition and be able to use technical equipment, including ventilators and defibrillators to help stabilise and resuscitate patients, they must also perform surgical procedures if necessary, such as intubation (inserting a breathing tube). Paramedics will also communicate with other emergency services to ensure a suitable level of response is provided. EMTs and Paramedics are both well trained healthcare professionals. EMTs are trained to provide a basic level life support to patients such as CPR, spinal immobilization, basic airway management and bandages and splinting, an EMT is considered the entry level for emergency medical services. An EMT can become a paramedic by undertaking a foundation degree in Paramedic Science which will take around two or three years to complete. A paramedic can undertake extra training to become a specialist paramedic or take a further qualification depending on which qualifications they already hold, a specialist paramedic are advanced practitioners in dealing with emergency situations and they need to be able to understand situations quickly and stay calm in stressful situations. A specialist paramedic can take further training of three to five years to become an advanced paramedic and once an advanced practitioner, a further six years to become a consultant paramedic. Television Censorship Comparison: The US and UK Television Censorship Comparison: The US and UK Television Censorship Comparison Television Censorship: A Comparison between the United States and the United Kingdom Since television became official in the 1930s, there have always been geographical disparities regarding to what degree different countries view television content as objectionable based on moral, religious or political criteria. The process of preventing this inappropriate content from reaching audiences is known as censorship, but blocking all unacceptable material from television is seen as a violation of freedom of expression. However, although censorship is a heavily debated topic around the world, each country has its own regulations and policies that vary significantly. In this comparative analysis, I will examine the different views on censorship and inappropriate content in the United States and the United Kingdom. First I will discuss the current regulations and censorship issues in the United States, as well as programs and content that have been deemed inappropriate. Then, I will elucidate the censorship regulations in the United Kingdom, and discuss a recent television issue that sparked controversy over lackadaisical censorship policies. To finish, I will compare and contrast the two countries views on censorship, with an emphasis on why the United States and the United Kingdom have different perceptions about the degree of regulations necessary in their country. The United States In the United States, censorship and other broadcasting policy-related issues are handled by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC â€Å"is an independent United States government agency, directly responsible to Congress. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC’s jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions† (â€Å"About the FCC†). In the United States, obscene, indecent and profane broadcasts are taken very seriously, and based on the severity of their context, can be punishable by law. According to the FCC, enforcement actions by means of warnings, monetary fines or revoking channel licenses can be issued after a complaint is filed and a violation is confirmed. â€Å"It is a violation of federal law to air obscene programming at any time. It is also a violation of federal law to air indecent programming or profane language during certain hours,† which includes any content between 6am and 10pm (â€Å"Obscene, Indecent, and Profane Broadcasts†). However, many people and organizations feel that the First Amendment of the Constitution, defending freedom of speech and expression, is in direct violation by the FCC’s enforcement of censorship. On the opposing side of the FCC are groups united against censorship regulations, claiming that censorship is an infringement of the First Amendment protecting freedom of speech and expression. The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is a group of 50 non-profit organizations throughout the nation such as the American Ethical Union (AEU) and the National Communication Association (NCA) who â€Å"educate the public and policy makers about threats to free expression; mobilize them to take action to oppose censorship and assist in those efforts; facilitate communications between local activists and national organizations; and devise new educational, advocacy, and media strategies to create a more hospitable environment for free speech and artistic freedom† (â€Å"Mission Statement†). The NCAC believes that a healthy, functional democracy is defined by freedom of communication, and the inability to communicate â€Å"is fatal to moral, artistic and intellectual growth† (â€Å"Mission Statement†). All groups united against censorship believe that it represents an unreasonable amount of power and dictatorship over the minds and intellectual capacity of all people. However, the FCC has encountered many severe censorship issues in recent years concerning public broadcasts with inappropriate content. February 1, 2004 will forever be remembered not for an exciting Super Bowl game, but for Janet Jackson’s live â€Å"wardrobe malfunction† on CBS in front of millions of football fans. CBS owner Viacom was fined $550,000 for the half-time show broadcast, which the FCC declared was â€Å"in apparent violation of the broadcast indecency standard† (Lehrer). After the Janet Jackson incident occurred, the FCC began imposing greater fines for programs that show indecent, profane or obscene content (â€Å"Remote Control: Indecency Legislation Raises Fines and Fears†). In December of 2004, the FCC fined 111 television stations that broadcasted the CBS show â€Å"Without a Trace† for a record $3.6 million, which suggested that teenagers were involved in a sexual orgy. â€Å"CBS defended the ‘Without a Trace’ episode, saying the episode contained ‘an important and socially relevant storyline warning parents to exercise greater supervision of their teenage children’† (Bosman). Since then, many other television shows have been fined for indecency, which has led to the detriment of station programming because stations are worried about being charged. This string of massive fines given to inappropriate airings has led broadcasters to self-censor their programs using five-second delays; especially on entertainment, sport and sexually explicit television shows (â€Å"Remote Control: Indecency Legislation Raises Fines and Fears†). The United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) is in charge of regulating all of the private commercial channels, including iTV, Five and Channel 4. Ofcom was first established as the overseer of communications industries by the Office of Communications Act 2002, combining the responsibilities of the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission, the Radio Authority, and the Director General of Communications into one regulating group (â€Å"Statutory Duties and Regulatory Principles†). Ofcom’s responsibilities include: â€Å"Ensuring the optimal use of the electro-magnetic spectrum; ensuring that a wide range of electronic communications services including high speed data services is available throughout the UK; ensuring a wide range of TV and radio services of high quality and wide appeal; maintaining plurality in the provision of broadcasting; applying adequate protection for audiences against offensive or harmful material; and applying adequate protection for audiences against unfairness or the infringement of privacy† (â€Å"Statutory Duties and Regulatory Principles†). According to the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, multiple sections were established to set proper standards for television broadcasting. Two codes related to the censorship of inappropriate material are: to prevent harm to children under age 18, and to avert offensive or harmful material from being broadcasted. Section One Protecting the Under-Eighteens states: â€Å"Material that might seriously impair the physical, mental or moral development of people under eighteen must not be broadcast. Children must also be protected by appropriate scheduling from material that is unsuitable for them† (â€Å"The Ofcom Broadcasting Code†). Section Two Harm and Offence asserts: â€Å"In applying generally accepted standards broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context. Such material may include, but is not limited to, offensive language, violence, sex, sexual violence, humiliation, distress, violation of human dignity, discriminatory treatment or language (â€Å"The Ofcom Broadcasting Code†). Freedom of expression and responsibility are considered hand in hand by the Code, which is why each programmer must obey regulations that apply to each section. Although Ofcom controls the private channels in the United Kingdom, the government-owned stations such as the BBC have their own indecency regulations. The BBC has a more relaxed policy for indecency, which is know as the Watershed policy. â€Å"From 9pm the TV watershed helps parents protect children from unsuitable material. In all but exceptional circumstances, programmes before 9pm are suitable for general audiences including children. From 9pm they are progressively suitable only for adults† (â€Å"Decency and the TV watershed†). The BBC and other public broadcasting stations in the United Kingdom rely on parent support and program warnings to prevent children from exposure to indecent, profane or obscene content, not on censorship rules and expensive fines. In the United Kingdom, the lack of universal policies and regulations on censoring inappropriate content of all television channels shows the overall laissez-faire attitude toward television censorship. In general, the United Kingdom fines programs and stations for going over television program limits or blatantly lying on television, but does not often penalize stations for showing morally, politically or religiously indecent content. However, there is extremely limited information on television programs that have been in violation of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code or BBC regulations that have been fined for airing inappropriate material. In one case, an episode of Jerry Springer The Opera was brought to court by Christian evangelists trying to prosecute Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director general. According to Stephen Green, National Director of the Christian Voice, the show on BBC2 â€Å"featured scenes depicting Christ wearing a nappy and swearing had ‘clearly crossed the blasphemy threshold’ † (Petre). However, the show was not censored on BBC2 or prosecuted for blasphemous content after being brought to court. Mark Mullins, who represents Stephen Green and the Christian Voice, said â€Å"No prosecution for blasphemy can be brought against the BBC. That is tantamount to saying that blasphemy is of little, if any, relevance in today’s society† (Petre). Compared to the United Kingdom, whose regulations allow for greater rein of freedom of speech and expression, the United States has much harsher regulations about censorship and blocking harmful content from the airwaves. Comparison The United States and the United Kingdom both deal with complaints from television viewers on a daily basis; however, the viewers in the United Kingdom complain there is not enough censorship, while the viewers in the United States feel there is too much censorship. According to mediawatch-uk, an organization that campaigns for decency and accountability in the media, they believe that television has become toxic to viewers, and no longer represents reality or enforces censorship of inappropriate material. â€Å"Violence, sex and bad language is so common on TV†¦However, Parliament has approved laws which say that programmes must meet with ‘generally accepted standards’ and that the public should be protected from ‘offensive and harmful material’.   This law is being ignored and viewers’ rights are being overridden in the quest for ratings, audience share  and controversy† (â€Å"mediawatch-uk†). Many organizations like mediawatch-uk have been established to apply greater pressure on the regulating bodies like Ofcom and BBC, convinced they have not responded sufficiently to the public concern. On the opposing side, the United States has many organizations like the NCAC that argue regulations set on American television are too severe, and do not allow for the freedom to exercise the rights guaranteed in the First Amendment. According to Stephen Rohde, a lawyer who specializes in First Amendment concerns, â€Å"It is not in the ‘public interest’ for certain prudish groups to dictate what the American people can see on television, when the material is constitutionally protected and violates no laws.   Such groups remain free to exercise their constitutional rights to publicly condemn any programming they find offensive and to press the ‘OFF’ button on the remote† (â€Å"Censorship on Television: When Crying â€Å"Indecency† Goes Too Far†). Although television has become a highly advanced medium in recent years, there are extreme differences between the enforcement of censorship regulations in the United Kingdom and the United States. Censorship is a central issue in television, but it is nearly impossible for either country to agree on what constitutes inappropriate material, and how it should be dealt with to satisfy the majority of viewers. Conclusion Both the United Kingdom and the United States would benefit from finding a balanced medium by setting strict censorship laws, while still allowing for freedom of speech and expression. During certain hours of the day, especially after 9pm, parents and their children should be highly advised that there may be inappropriate content in the television material. Therefore, censorship should be enforced while children are more likely to watch television, and more relaxed when the audience becomes more mature at night. However, because the United Kingdom has different regulatory bodies governing the public and private television channels, they should agree on certain guidelines to avoid censorship issues, as well as complaints from unsatisfied viewers. The United States should relax their policies on censorship by not broadcasting harmful programs during the day, or on channels with consistent adolescent viewers. Since the biggest concern overriding the censorship problems is obscene, profane or indecent material affecting children, their moral and religious beliefs should be taken into account when establishing regulatory principles. Around the world, countries have different views on the amount of censorship necessary to protect their audiences from harmful television. The United Kingdom and the United States are just two examples of very dissimilar regulatory systems, based on how their country feels censorship is necessary. In the end, it is the balance of appropriateness and inappropriateness, freedom of expression and freedom of censorship, that must take into account all age groups, moral views and the impact of television on its viewers. Works Cited â€Å"About the FCC.† FCC. Federal Communications Commission. 10 Dec 2007 . Bosman, Julie. â€Å"TV Stations Fined Over CBS Show Deemed to Be Indecent.† Business. 16 Mar 2006. The New York Times. 11 Dec 2007 . â€Å"Censorship on Television: When Crying â€Å"Indecency† Goes Too Far.† News. 18 Feb 2005. PEN Center USA. 13 Dec 2007 . â€Å"Decency and the TV watershed.† Reports, policies and guidelines. British Broadcasting Company. 12 Dec 2007 . Lehrer, Jim. â€Å"Television Indecency.† Online News Hour. 23 Sept 2004. Public Broadcasting Service. 11 Dec 2007 . â€Å"mediawatch-uk.† About Us. 2007. mediawatch-uk. 13 Dec 2007 . â€Å"Mission Statement.† About NCAC. National Coalition Against Censorship. 10 Dec 2007 . â€Å"Obscene, Indecent, and Profane Broadcasts.† Consumer Governmental Affairs Bureau. 24 Sept 2007. Federal Communications Commission. 10 Dec 2007 . â€Å"OfCom.† TV. Office of Communications. 10 Dec 2007 . Petre, Jonathan. â€Å"Jerry Springer ruling ‘weakens blasphemy law’.† News. 07 Dec 2007. telegraph.co.uk. 13 Dec 2007 . â€Å"Remote Control: Indecency Legislation Raises Fines and Fears.† National Coalition Against Censorship. 11 Dec 2007 . â€Å"Statutory Duties and Regulatory Principles.† About OfCom. Office of Communications. 12 Dec 2007 . â€Å"The Ofcom Broadcasting Code.† Ofcom Broadcasting Code. 25 July 2005. Office of Communications. 12 Dec 2007 .

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

oppositional defiant disorder :: essays research papers

According to the DSM-IV, if a child's problem behaviors do not meet the criteria for Conduct Disorder, but involve a pattern of defiant, angry, antagonistic, hostile, irritable, or vindictive behavior, Oppositional Defiant Disorder may be diagnosed. These children may blame others for their problems. Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a pattern of negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior lasting at least six months, during which four (or more) of the following are present: Often loses temper. Often argues with adults. Often actively defies or refuses to comply with adults' requests or rules. Often deliberately annoys people. Often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior. Is often touchy or easily annoyed by others. Is often angry and resentful. Is often spiteful or vindictive. It is important to note that a counselor or therapist will consider a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder only if the behavior occurs more frequently than is typically observed in individuals of comparable age and developmental level. In other words, the problems and conflicts between teens and parents are as old as time itself, and some conflict is normal and inevitable. However, when the parent/child conflict becomes increasingly severe and appears to be spiraling out of control, then ODD might be considered. Also, as teens are growing and learning, they will sometimes do some very ill-advised things that can cause them problems, both legal and in school. However, if this behavior does not repeat itself and is a one-time event, then a behavior disorder is probably not present. For a diagnosis of ODD to be made, the disturbance in behavior must be causing significant problems in school, in relationships with family and friends, and in the workplace. ODD will not be diagnosed if the the therapist suspects that the teen's behaviors are being directly caused by another psychotic or mood disorder, such as bipolar disorder. oppositional defiant disorder :: essays research papers According to the DSM-IV, if a child's problem behaviors do not meet the criteria for Conduct Disorder, but involve a pattern of defiant, angry, antagonistic, hostile, irritable, or vindictive behavior, Oppositional Defiant Disorder may be diagnosed. These children may blame others for their problems. Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a pattern of negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior lasting at least six months, during which four (or more) of the following are present: Often loses temper. Often argues with adults. Often actively defies or refuses to comply with adults' requests or rules. Often deliberately annoys people. Often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior. Is often touchy or easily annoyed by others. Is often angry and resentful. Is often spiteful or vindictive. It is important to note that a counselor or therapist will consider a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder only if the behavior occurs more frequently than is typically observed in individuals of comparable age and developmental level. In other words, the problems and conflicts between teens and parents are as old as time itself, and some conflict is normal and inevitable. However, when the parent/child conflict becomes increasingly severe and appears to be spiraling out of control, then ODD might be considered. Also, as teens are growing and learning, they will sometimes do some very ill-advised things that can cause them problems, both legal and in school. However, if this behavior does not repeat itself and is a one-time event, then a behavior disorder is probably not present. For a diagnosis of ODD to be made, the disturbance in behavior must be causing significant problems in school, in relationships with family and friends, and in the workplace. ODD will not be diagnosed if the the therapist suspects that the teen's behaviors are being directly caused by another psychotic or mood disorder, such as bipolar disorder.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

A Rescue at U.N. Headquarters Essay

In their article, A Rescue at U. N. Headquarters, as Other Wait and Hope, Thompson and MacFarquhar illustrated the attempt of the United Nations to save the lives of those still trapped victims of the earthquake in Haiti as well as the condition of the people of Haiti whose homes had been devastated. A week after the earthquake, Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, visited Haiti for the first time on Sunday (Thompson & MacFarquhar, 2010). Thompson and MacFarquhar (2010) described that day as â€Å"one of trials and triumphs for the agency†. A missing United Nations official was pulled alive after five days of being trapped in the ruins of Christopher Hotel (Thompson & MacFarquhar, 2010). A Danish employee, Jens Kristensen, was also rescued that day. Still, the families of those who are still missing urged Mr. Ban to hasten the search, â€Å"Everywhere he went during his six-hour visit here, he was greeted by people who urged the United Nations to do more, act faster and plan more carefully (Thompson & MacFarquhar, 2010). Nieves Alvarez, a staff member, not only asked to speed up the operation but also expresses her dismay because of the obvious nationalism showed by the Chinese rescuers who left after finding some of their people’s bodies as well as American rescuers who left after sometime (Thompson & MacFarquhar, 2010). Food and shelter is also a great problem. Civilians in the food distribution site are even complaining about the scarcity of the supply. Sally Lazard, 37, said â€Å"We need more than cookies. You see where we live? We have no water, no toilets, no food†¦. If people go too long without food, they will fight for it† (Thompson & MacFarquhar, 2010). â€Å"Water supply is so scarce that taking a bottle off someone’s desk can lead to hurtful confrontations† (Thompson & MacFarquhar, 2010). Civilians also feared of being attacked by gangs in the street and asked for protection form the United Nation staffs after the first few days of the earthquake. Reference Thompson, G. & MacFarquhar, N. (2010, January 18). A Rescue at U. N. Headquarters, as Others Wait and Hope. The New York Times.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Historical Changes in the Employment Laws in US

Historical Changes in the Employment Laws in US Chronology of employment laws The Clayton Act was enacted in 1914, with the intention of establishing legal protection for organized labor. There was a need to assert the position of labor in the face of antitrust legislations, and this is what the law was intended to achieve. In 1926, the Railways Act was passed. It was meant to encourage collective bargaining among employers, and prohibit discrimination against unions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Historical Changes in the Employment Laws in US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Davis-Bacon Act was passed by Congress in 1931, to address the problem of wage payment in the construction industry. Its provisions required a contract for construction into which the federal government entered, to specify the minimum wage to be paid to laborers employed under that contract (Federal Labor Laws, n.d). In order to increase protection for union activities and collective b argaining, Congress passed the Norris-NaGuardia Act in 1932. The Act legalized strikes and other collective ways of dealing with labor issues, and also prohibited the enforcement of ‘yellow dog’ agreements or contracts through the courts of law. The National Industry Recovery Act was enacted in 1933, and congress intended to set standards of ‘fair competition’, by regulating regular working hours and wages (Federal Labor Laws, n.d).. The National Labor Relations Act-1935 was passed by Congress in order to regulate labor relations among employees whose activities affected interstate commerce, except those in the agricultural sector. The Act also established the NLRB, through which labor disputes would be handled, and prohibited employers from engaging in any of the prohibited unfair practices. In 1936, Congress enacted the Walsh-Healy Act, whose intention was to restrict the regular working hours, establish minimum wages and regulate the employment of childr en and ex-convicts (Federal Labor Laws, n.d). In order to introduce some limitations to the rights enjoyed by trade unions, Congress enacted the National Labor Relations Act in 1947. The Act introduced measures to delay or avert ‘emergency strikes’ and prohibited the discriminative ‘closed shop’ practices of trade unions. The Equal Pay Act was passed by congress in 1963 to prohibit the act of paying different amounts of money to male and female employees, only because they were male or female. This law was also enacted in order to protect employees from retaliation, if they filed complaints against their employers.Advertising Looking for essay on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Civil Rights Act of 1964, was enacted to protect the rights of individuals, and to prohibit various actions by employers that the law classified as discriminatory (Federal Labor Laws, n.d). This list is not exhaustive, and many more employment laws exist in the US. In the recent past, there has been a marked increase in the calls for equality and protection from discrimination at the work place. Legislations such as The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, Civil Rights Act of 1991, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 all prohibit different types of discriminations. These legislative efforts have led to the reduction of discrimination at the work place, as these laws prescribe heavy penalties for the commission of prohibited acts by employers and their agents. Scenario Discrimination at the workplace on the basis of sex is prohibited by employment laws in the United States (EEOC, n.d). There are several options that an aggrieved party can pursue in order to have his/her grievance addressed. These options include; internal dispute resolution procedures at the workplace, filing a complaint with the EEOC, or litigation among others (EEOC, n.d). If an employee files a complaint against the employer, he/she is protected from retaliation by the law. Smith has a case against the company for retaliation, since the law prohibits retaliatory acts by the employer against an employee who files a complaint against it. The remedies available to a victim of retaliation include; compensatory damages for expenses or losses that he/she may have incurred as a result of the retaliatory act, and punitive damages to punish the employer especially where the act was malicious or reckless (EEOC, n.d). Before he can recover, Smith will have to prove; that he exhausted the internal dispute resolution mechanisms laid down by the company before proceeding to the EEOC, and that he suffered damage or loss as a result of the retaliatory act. He will also have to establish the company’s vicarious liability for the acts of the offending party in order to recover against it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Historical Changes in the Emp loyment Laws in US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References EEOC. (n.d.). Sex-Based Discrimination. Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sex.cfm Federal Labor Laws. (n.d.). Web.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Cost Management in Air Asia Essays

Cost Management in Air Asia Essays Cost Management in Air Asia Essay Cost Management in Air Asia Essay 1. 0INTRODUCTION Background, History and the Business Concept AirAsia is a brand of airlines operated by AirAsia Berhad. A Malaysian based low-fare company. AirAsia established in 1993 and start the operations on 18 November 1996 (Wikipedia, 2011) Inspired by the success of Ryanair and EasyJet as low cost carrier, Toni Fernandes saw the potential of having the same concept in Asia. Air Asia executed the cost leadership strategy with introduced ticketless travelling, one type cabin, free seating, and online booking trough internet that able slash the price into 40% 60% cheaper than regular airlines (Declanegan, 2012) Now Everyone Can Fly† described AirAsia’s value. Operational effectiveness and cost advantages created efficiency go directly to end user. Customer enjoy more surplus with price falls, and encourage more air travel among Malaysians (Khoo et all, 2005) The study purpose is to analyse how AirAsia and its strategic cost management able to operate a business in low cost yet generate a profit, and able to sustain as one of the business leader in South East Asia. 2. 0LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1What is Strategic Cost Management Cost management is a process where entities have control, monitor and manage their own cost and expenses. It covers the whole budget of the business, inflow and outflow of cash and transactions in every certain of period. This is for the entity to keep track of their business transaction, and also to estimate budgets for the future. While strategic cost management is the overall recognition of the cost relationships among the activities in the value chain, and the process of managing those cost relationships to a firm’s advantage and also known as Cost Management Theory1. 2. 2The importance of strategic cost management to the company Strategic Cost Management is one of the key business strategic planning. Dr Kalyani Srinivas C defined strategic cost management as a tool for competitive advantage and value creation that does not focus on traditional cost reduction, which entails unnecessary cost elimination. Meaney K, 2011 mentioned that cost management has purpose to ensure adequate supply of funds from the right source at the right cost, at the right time to the firm to meet its funding needs. At this point each company want to improve the profit as maximum without losing the business principle. Strategic management can be considered as one of the strategic management technique for the company to succeed in their business. 2. 3Key success factor to have good cost management in a company To have a good cost management, a company need to set a proper goal, long and short term planning. Clear target and align accountability to the target (Delloitte, 2010). Create a guide of principle was one of the critical factors of strategic cost-management-framework for the firm of foundation to achieve an effective cost management. 3. 0STRATEGIC COST MANAGEMENT FOR AIR ASIA 3. The background of Strategic Management for Air Asia (related to the concept of the business Chan, D (2000) mentioned since 1970, Asian air travel competition has been intense. The intensity has increase very significant with economic growth in Japan, China and South East Asia. When the competition in the airlines industry become hard, complex, and uneven, AirAsia need to think strategically to win the market yet able to generate profit for shareholder. With â€Å"Now Everybody Can Fly† as its tag line, AirAsia try hard to make the ticket price as low as possible to make the cost of flight affordable to lmost everybody. AirAsia also expand the fly route to most of point where Malaysia Airlines (MAS) refuse to fly. The concept of Low Cost Carrier (LCC) is based on the idea that people would fly a lot more often if they get an affordable fare. LCC make air travel the most simple, convenient and inexpensive form of transportation so that they can move maximum number of passenger at the minimum cost (DodDid, 2012) 3. 2How Air Asia Manage their cost Air Asia has several main strategies to keep the price low while price of fuel and goods keep increased. According to the official website, Air Asia managed to cut more cost in operation where regular airlines unable to do, such as : High Aircraft Utilization Air Asia only need 25 minutes to disembark and embarked passenger, include load and unload the luggage, compare to full-services-aircraft (FSC) which need minimum one hour. The minimize time spent on the ground, make Air Asia able to fly almost 12 block hours to maximise the operations. No Frills Air Asia based on the basic concept of transportation : carry passenger from point A to point B safely. Every other services like food, alcoholic beverage, and comfort kit are considered luxury and out of the main concept. Streamline Operations Air Asia make the operation as simple as possible. They only use single type of aircraft to make services persons (flight attendants, mechanic, pilot and services crews) only need to learn one type of aircraft. Compare with another airlines which has several type or aircraft, the company has to created one training department where and several maintenance and mechanic specialist according the aircraft type. Air Asia able to delete those department in the company which save a lot of cost. Basic Amenities Air Asia fly from Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) with very basic building and facilities. No special boarding gate like FSC which landed and picked up passenger from KLIA. In other country, Air Asia always landed at less busy Airport (Secondary Airport) such as Clark (Manila, Philipine instead of Ninoy Aquino) and Standstead (London, UK instead of Heathrow) to reduce tax airport for passenger. Point to point network Air Asia operate on short-haul most of the time, also do not make arrangement with another airlines or provide connecting flight to keep the operation simple and low cost. Air Asia believed with keep the operation system simple and based on basic concept of transportation would keep the cost and ticket price low enough yet still generate profit to keep the investor stay. Fig 1. Revenue per ASK, Cost per ASK and Cost per ASK exclude fuel From the fig. 1 we could see averagely for five years Available Seat Kilometre (ASK) cost without fuel is USD 0. 016 (1. cents) per kilometre seat, which is very low compared with MAS (USD 0. 07 ~ 7 cents) or Cathay Pacific (USD 0. 10 ~ 10 cents) (fig 2) while Operating cost included the fuel charges averagely USD 0. 0328 (3. 28 cents) every seat, every kilometres operated. Average from 5 years data, Air Asia operating cost around 80% from the total revenue, except in 2009 where operating cost reach 112% ( fig 3) which make the company suffer 17% loss or equal with RM -496 Million as the result of company unwinding the remaining fuel hedges and interest rates loan which taking a lot of charges. Fuel hedges had been main strategies of a big company which use large amount of oil and gas to operate their business such as manufactured and transportation. Fuel Hedges mean Air Asia has special contract with several oil and gas company to give a fix price of fuel for several period without follow any fuel fluctuation and politic situation. With Hedging the fuel, Air Asia able to press the fuel surcharge only 17% from average fuel surcharge (Unknown, 2011) theborneopost. com/2011/05/27/airasia-reduces-risk-through-fuel-hed ging/ With opening in several international destination such as Singapore, Bangladesh and India, Air Asia able to came up with clean sheet for the following years. Air Asia able to generate net profit 16% from the total revenue without change the ticket price. Average for five years, Air Asia able to generate 30% of net profit. (Karp, 2009) routesonline. com/news/24/atw/13066/airasia-suffers-128-million-2008-loss/ Profit margin is the way to compare in the net profit ratio in different entities to check the effectiveness each expenditures to generate profit. For the same line of industries, profit margin is important to compare with competitor to overtake them via pricing wars which always become a main success factor of Air Asia to gain more customers. According to Center for Aviation 2011 (CAPA) net profit margin from 2001 to forecast 2012 average are 4% from the net revenue. (CAPA, 2011) centreforaviation. com/analysis/iata-upgrades-2011-airline-industry-profit-forecast-but-warns-of-weaker-2012-59153 Air Asia in five fiscal years able to gain operates profit margin averagely 16% and nett profit margin average 19% from the net sales. It shows that on aviation industries, Air Asia consider as efficient compared with other low cost airlines company Cebu Pacific 9%, Nok Airways 6%, Tiger Airways 14% , MAS 5%, Singapore Airlines 3%, Thai Airways 9%. (CAPA, 2012) centreforaviation. com/analysis/mas-should-reconsider-lcc-strategy-as-losses-continue-while-airasia-reports-more-leading-profits-74652 Return on Shareholder Equity or ROE measures a corporations profitability by revealing how much profit a company generates with the money shareholders have invested . 4. 0RECOMMENDATIONS Compared with other aviation industries, Air Asia has big success to press the cost to keep try flight fare as low as possible. However the low fare price still able to generate profit with accumulation of sales volume and the effectiveness of aircraft operation which make the company still very attractive to investor and shareholder. 5. 0REFERENCES Chan, D. 2000. â€Å"Airwars in Asia: Competitive and Collaborative Strategic and Tactics in Action. â€Å"Emerald Management and Development, 19:473-488. Declanegan, 2012. AirAsia. http://declanegan. blogspot. com/2012/01/few-people-said-they-enjoyed-my-post-on. html Doddid, 2012. Business Model Low Cost Carrier Air Asia. http://doddid. com /2012/04/business-model-low-cost-carrier-air-asia/ Khoo, C. Hofman, S. Tjitrarahardja, C. Narayaswamy, R. 2005. Air Asia Strategic IT Initiative. University of Melbourne. Meaney, K. 2011, Importance of Cost Management for Business Success. On Website http://ezinearticles. com/? Importance-of-Cost-Management-for-Business-Success=5692129 ventureline. com/accounting-glossary/S/strategic-cost-management-definition/ deloitte. com/assets/Dcom-Ireland/Local%20Assets/Documents/ie_Consulting_ChangingYourTune. pdf