Meaning of Education Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Education EssayRecently, a university professor wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper. He commented that people shouldnt put too much weight on the recently released trends in SRA scores of the evinces high instruct students. The professor went on to describe some of the unanswered questions about the nature and value of assessment. He mentioned that one of the problems with assessment was the ongoing disagreement on the palpablely intend of culture. A few days later, a scathing response was printed from a community member who questioned whether the University really wanted someone on their provide who didnt even know the purpose of education.Clearly, this soulfulness assumed that his definition of education was shared by all. What is the meaning of education? Webster defines education as the process of educating or seeing (now thats really useful, isnt it? ) Educate is further defined as to develop the friendship, skill, or character of Thus , from these definitions, we might assume that the purpose of education is to develop the experience, skill, or character of students. Unfortunately, this definition offers little unless we further define backchats such as develop, fellowship, and character. What is meant by knowledge?Is it a body of information that exists out thitherapart from the human thought processes that developed it? If we look at the standards and benchmarks that have been developed by many statesor at E. D. Hirschs list of information demand for Cultural Literacy (1), we might assume this to be the definition of knowledge. However, there is considerable research leading others to believe that knowledge arises in the mind of an individual when that person interacts with an idea or experience. This is hardly a new argument. In ancient Greece, Socrates argued that education was about drawing out what was already within the student.(As many of you know, the word education comes from the Latin e-ducere mean ing to lead out. ) At the same time, the Sophists, a group of itinerant teachers, promised to give students the necessary knowledge and skills to gain positions with the city-state. There is a dangerous tendency to assume that when people use the same words, they perceive a situation in the same way. This is rarely the case. Once one gets beyond a dictionary definitiona meaning that is often of little practical valuethe meaning we assign to a word is a belief, non an absolute fact. Here are a couple of examples.The central task of education is to implant a will and facility for learning it should produce non learned but learning people. The truly human society is a learning society, where grandparents, parents, and children are students together. Eric Hoffer No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the sympathy and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The labour of every true education should be to unlock that treasure. Emma Goldman The only purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his life-by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality.The training he needs is theoretical, i. e. , conceptual. He has to be taught to think, to understand, to integrate, to prove. He has to be taught the essentials of the knowledge discovered in the past-and he has to be equipped to acquire further knowledge by his own effort. Ayn Rand The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to thinkrather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men. Bill Beattie The one real object of education is to leave a man in the condition of continually asking questions. Bishop Creighton The central job of schools is to maximize the capacity of each student. hum Ann Tomlinson These quotations demonstrate the diversity of beliefs about the purpose of education. How would you complete the statement, The purpose of education is ? If you ask five of y our fellow teachers to complete that sentence, it is likely that youll have five opposite statements. Some will place the focus on knowledge, some on the teacher, and others on the student. Yet peoples beliefs in the purpose of education lie at the meat of their teaching behaviors.Despite what the letter writer might have wished, there is no definition of education that is agreed upon by all, or even most, educators. The meanings they draw to the word are complex beliefs arising from their own values and experiences. To the extent that those beliefs differ, the experience of students in todays classrooms can never be the same. Worse, many educators have never been asked to state their beliefsor even to reflect on what they believe. At the very least, teachers owe it to their students to bring their definitions into consciousness and examine them for validity. Purposes and Functions.To make matters more complicated, theorists have made a distinction between the purpose of educatio n and the functions of education. (2) A purpose is the fundamental goal of the processan end to be achieved. Functions are other outcomes that may materialise as a natural result of the process byproducts or consequences of schooling. For example, some teachers believe that the transmission of knowledge is the primary purpose of education, while the transfer of knowledge from school to the real world is something that happens naturally as a consequence of possessing that knowledgea function of education.Because a purpose is an expressed goal, more effort is put into attaining it. Functions are assumed to occur without directed effort. For this reason its valuable to figure out which outcomes you consider a fundamental purpose of education. Which of the following do you actually include in your planning? Acquisition of information about the past and present includes traditional disciplines such as literature, history, science, mathematics Formation of rosy social and/or formal relat ionships among and between students, teachers, others potentiality/ability to evaluate information and to predict future outcomes (decision-making)Capacity/ability to seek out alternate solutions and evaluate them (problem solving) Development of mental and forcible skills motor, thinking, communication, social, aesthetic Knowledge of moral practices and ethical standards acceptable by society/culture Capacity/ability to make do and evaluate different points of view Respect giving and receiving recognition as human beings Indoctrination into the culture Capacity/ability to live a fulfilling life Capacity/ability to earn a living career education Sense of well-being mental and physical health.Capacity/ability to be a beloved citizen Capacity/ability to think creatively Cultural appreciation art, music, humanities Understanding of human relations and motivations Acquisition/clarification of values related to the physical environment Acquisition/clarification of personal values Se lf-realization/self-reflection awareness of ones abilities and goals Self-esteem/self-efficacy As Tom Peters reminds us, What gets measured, gets done. Regardless of the high appear rhetoric about the development of the total child, it is the content of assessments that largely drives education.How is the capacity/ability to think creatively assessed in todays schools? To what extent is the typical student know and given respect? How often are students given the opportunity to recognize and evaluate different points of view when multiple choice tests require a iodin correct answer? Teachers who hold a more humanistic view of the purpose of education often experience stress because the meaning they assign to education differs greatly from the meaning assigned by society or their institution.It is clear in listening to the language of education that its primary focus is on knowledge and teaching rather than on the learner. Students are expected to conform to schools rather than sc hools serving the needs of students. Stopping to identify and agree upon a fundamental purpose or purposes of education is rare. One sees nebulous statements in school mission statements, but they are often of the Mom, baseball, and apple pie variety that offer little ticker on which to build a school culture. Creating meaningful and lasting change in education is unlikely without revisiting this basic definition.At the very least, educators must be challenged to identify and reexamine their beliefs in the light of present knowledge. It is time for the focus of education to shift from whats out therethe curriculum, assessments, classroom arrangement, books, computersto the fundamental assumptions about and definitions of education held by educators and policymakers. NASA did not send men to the moon by building on the chassis of a model T. In the same way, education cannot entrust to move beyond its present state on the chassis of 18th century education.

The Wave A movie Essay Example for Free

The Wave A movie EssayMotivation is a powerful force working in the psyche of every human mind that consciously pushes an individual toward certain tasks in order to reach a desired goal. In The Wave, a host of high train students desire to be apart of a community and to hold power blinded them of reason and moral, which eventually led them to a tragic downfall. In this movie, need played a crucial role in the gradual destructive behavioral changes of the students at Palo Altos Cubberly High. The psychological and behavioral changes initially began to evolve when a memorial teacher, Mr. Ross, encouraged students to participate in an experiment on forming a movement called The Wave. The students were immediately entranced by the idea and begin to follow every nurture given by Mr. Ross without hesitation. Soon, they were practicing the rules and drills of The Wave outside the history classroom by assimilated them into their regular everyday life. Soon, the students buried thei r previously learned values of individualism and worship to adjust to the newly formed community. This community later became almost cult-like, in which members were so intensely involved that they started to act hostile and sometimes violent towards anti-Wavers and non-members in the name of The Wave.The initial factor that influenced the history class to follow Mr. Ross ideas was inalienable motivation. The novelty of the experiment first triggered the curiosity of students and they performed every duty with enjoyment. However, as the group began to take the experiment more seriously, this seemly innocent interest turned into an obsession. Students used the movement as an excuse to harass and intimidate other children. They instanter remain not only for inner-pleasure but also for power. Other students from outside the classroom also fell under the spell of The Wave. These later recruited Wavers motives were not intrinsic for their sole reason for joining was to gain approval f rom their peers and to avoid harassment.Mr. Ross provided, with his experiment, an environment where a persons inner fascism can emerge and take control. The Wave worked as a metaphorical switch that turned on some hidden unconscious desires for individuals to shut their mind and to live a simpler life by accepting orders from aconfident leader who insist that he has all the answers. Most people possess the need to identify with a group that shares a common objective. However, sometimes this need only motives people to do what is good for the group instead of what is good for themselves as individuals. Many students in this movie failed to see the larger go out of how The Wave was robbing them of their right to opinions, individuality and freedom.The Wave is a powerful and emotional journey that opened our eyes to the existence of fascism in the most unlikely place, a high school in California. The movie demonstrated how people could easily be manipulated under certain circumstance s and blinded by artificial motives. equitable as the Germans fell under Nazis rule during Hitlers reign, other groups or community like the high school in The Wave could also easily begin the next victim of fascism.

Gym Cultures Prominence In Society Cultural Studies Essay

Gym Cultures Prominence In Society Cultural Studies EssayGym culture holds a prominent place in contemporary society. Studies1 cerebr consume on the physical dimensions of self-concept document the significance placed on physical appearance in evaluations of self-worth. The inconsistency between the real and ideal self is an significant trigger within lycee culture and this relationship is comprehensively and tailtly exploited by media narratives and advertising images. Roland Barthes asserts that an imitated object makes something appear which remained invisible, or if iodine prefers, turbid in the natural object. Structural man takes the real, decomposes it, then recomposes it.2 Unravelling the means by which texts and images recomposed the original is at the centre of structuralist analysis.Concepts of semiology developed by Ferdinand de Saussure form the dry land for structuralist methodology. Saussure rejected the conventional view of the lingual sign as a name attached to an object in favour of the notion of the linguistic sign as a two-sided psychological entity.3 The word sign is employ to describe the whole created through the combination of the signified (signifie) and the descriptor (signifiant). The signifier is the materiall(a)y perceptible component such as a sound, picture or written mark whilst the signified is the conceptual message. The relationship between the two, jibe to Saussure is arbitrary, founded entirely on well-disposed convention. Signs employed in the discourse of gym culture habitually focus on bodies. Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 all aim images of young, slim, and attractive1 Maguire, J. and L. Mansfield, No-bodys perfect women, aerobics, and the body beautiful Sociology of Sport Journal 5, 2 (1998) 109-137.2 Critical Terms for Literary Study. Chicago The University of Chicago Press, 1995.3 The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Chris Baldick. Oxford University Press, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford Univers ity Pressbodies. The relationship between the photographic images, the signifier, and the concept of youth, health and attractiveness, the signified, combine to create the sign. Roland Barthes however noted that this moulding focuses extensively on denotation to the detriment of connotation.In his initial investigations Barthes distinguishes between two forms of reference denotation and connotation. Conventionally denotation is referred to as the literal, primary sense or straightforward dictionary meaning, whilst connotation refers to the range of and associations that a word evokes in addition to its denotation. The connotations of a particular word be a conjecture sequence of qualities, contexts, and emotional responses commonly associated with that to which it refers. The context in which the word or phrase is used and the individual inclinations of the audience determine which connotations will be initiated. initially Barthes suggested that analytically connotation can be distinguished from denotation4 in the same way that a photographic image represents the denotation of what is photographed, the connotation is exposed through how it is photographed. Barthes however later concluded that denotation is not the first meaning, but pretends to be so under this illusion, it is ultimately no more than the last of the connotations (the one which seems two to establish and close the reading), the superior myth by which the text pretends to return to the nature of spoken communication, to language as nature. The two women in Figure 1 and the woman in Figure 3 are all pictured wearing long pants. The same particular item of clothing is denoted in both advertisements, namely pants. However in Figure 1 the4 Chandler, DanielSemiotics for Beginners(1994)pants are cargo pants whilst in Figure 3 the model wears jeans. Cargo pants connote youth, hip-hop and dance culture whilst jeans are associated with the everyday down-to-earth, girl-next-door. The style of pants selected reflect a range of connotations, the denoted image is inherently connotative. Barthes perspective exposes denotation as being no more natural than connotation but rather as stemming from a process of naturalization. Denotation is thusly proved to be a product of ideology. Images prevalent in gym culture discourse documents this well. Note the similarity between the models selected in Figures 4, 5 and 6. They are all slim, tanned and tall with long blond hair and have been selected to portray a specific image of femininity influenced by historical attitudes and social convention, which conforms to contemporary westernized ideology. Similar images are presented to both male and distaff consumers. Fitness magazine (Figure 5) features an image of American television host Kelly Ripa, with a byline suggesting that the magazine contains the secrets to how she got this buff, whilst the cover of Mens Fitness (Figure 6) has a byline suggesting that the magazine contains the secret s of how to gain hard abs, strong enough for a night with the featured Carmen Electra, glamour model and actress. Connotatively men should be arrest and muscular to attract their ideal woman, and women should strive to be that ideal- attractive, slim, tanned and blond. The selection of celebrities this physical represented ideal suggests that fame, success and wealth accompany the ideal. These associations formed by groups of signs create a cultural paradigm.In the same way the Zumba advertisement in figure 1 is designed to immediately invoke connotations of a gym culture paradigm. The images are of one male and two female bodies. Little of their faces, apart from smiles suggesting fun and happiness, can be seen reinforcing a focus on sorrowful bodies and physicality. Naked midriffs whilst emphasize muscled, slim bodies also invokes sexual connotations. Through metonymy the graphic example of a speaker emphasizes the role of music and its associations with parties, social interac tion. Strong work are used and orange, the adverts predominant colour believed to be invigorating as it increases oxygen supply to the brain is used to reflect joy, enthusiasm, creativity, attraction, success and stimulation. It is also used to attract attention as it is high visibility. The line Ditch the workout, join the party aligns working out with having a party. The word join is repeated quadruple times reinforcing the idea of belonging, identifying with and being part of a particular group. The language choice is deliberately relaxed and informal, to emphasize fun. The paradigm created is one of youth, music, party, fun, sexual attraction, dancing and fitness, with a focus on belonging.Figure 2 is an advertisement for a Sony water resistant walk-man. Sony employ an approach common to brand-name product advertising, one whereby their product is aline with culturally desirable paradigms, in this case fitness and health, thus advancing a connotative association between their product and other values their audience might hold. A young man is pictured, dressed in a vest he appears to have been running. The aim is to establish paradigmatic relationships between puzzle out and fitness and Sonys brand. In so doing Sony hope to include their product in a fitness paradigm and through this inclusion their brand comes to connote all that characterizes gym culture.Whilst Paradigmatic relations rely on familiar cultural associations to create meaning, syntagmatic relations create meaning through the sequence in which the signs are displayed. In Figure 1 the line Ditch the workout, join the party aligns working out with having a party. In figures 3 and 4 both advertisements rely on an alternative semiotic structure in addition to paradigmatic relations to communicate their message. Both advertisements offer promises of transformation, figure one blatantly telling us before and after. A syntagmatic relation can be represented by the connotative narrative, a sequen ce of associated events She joined the gym, exercised regularly, ate the right food, lost weight, and was thereby transformed. Because this is such a familiar narrative to us, the advertisement can invoke it and all its associations by just showing us a single image, the mirrored but subtly altered image of the women that represents the start and finish of the narrative. Our understanding of figure 4 relies on previously learnt and accredited conventions. Barthes identified these previously learnt and recognised conventions as cultural codes which could be utilized in structural analysis of texts. 5In contrast to the conventional commentary of myth as a traditional or customary story Claude Levi-Strauss and Roland Barthes shifted the emphasis of myth as a plot to myth as a way of thinking akin to a kind of ideology. Roland Barthes 1957 Mythologies brought to light how myths are part of everyday modern life. Barthes demonstrates an idea of myth as a further sign, its foundations in language, but to which further implication is added. To make a myth, the sign itself is used as a signifier, and a new meaning is added, which is the signified. This additional meaning is not arbitrarily, even if the reader is not aware of it. Historically determined circumstances are presented as natural. Predominantly media driven modern myths are created to publicise an impression of society that is5 Leak, Andrew N. Barthes, Mythologies. London Grant Cutler, 1994.compliant with current ideologies. The earlier discussion of the models chosen in figures 4, 5 and 6 is an example of how permeative myth can be. Barthes characterizes myth as ubiguitous6 being or seeming to be everywhere at once. The tall, slim, blond woman is unanimously presented to male and female consumers alike as the ideal women. In addition myth is axiomatic operating as a sort of fusion of fact and value, it is assertive. Axiological language presenting a theory as a fact is frequently found in advertising narratives. Figure 4 contains a good example inner everybody is a better body. Myths are not just narratives, but narratives mixed with other signs Figure 3 suggests, through a combination of images, graphic representation and narrative, that joining their gym will make you younger.Gym culture serves as a good example of how myth permeates consumer driven society. According to Barthes uncovering of the ideologic abuse hidden in the display of what goes without saying lies at the centre of structuralist analysis and serves to warn that since the theft of language perpetrated by myth is so astute that nothing appears to have been taken8 consumers are affected by it without even recognising its existence.6 Leak, Andrew N. Barthes, Mythologies. London Grant Cutler, 1994.7 Ibid.,8 Ibid., p57

Singapore Airlines Business And Management Strategies Tourism Essay

capital of capital of capital of capital of capital of capital of capital of capital of Singapore Airlines Business And Management St arrangegies Tourism EssayThe purpose and objective of this report is to look into the communication channel and management strategies of Singapore Airlines. Thing that I testament be looking into would be the different ch solelyenges and threats that Singapore Airline count and excessively I testament be sharing on how and what kind of schema they habituated to survive and be on top of the competition. I all(prenominal)ow be using pulverization analysis to analyze Singapore Airlines strategies, to give an in-depth understanding on what argon the contributing factors that helps or cripples the company.Table of ContentsIntroduction 3Strategies of Singapore Airlines assistance strategy 4Human Resource Management and Marketing strategies 5Competitive challenges faced by Singapore Airlines 6How did Singapore Airlines outstand their challengers 7 w ind alliance 7Cargo alliance with Lufthansa 7Cost reduction 7Problem Singapore Airlines might face in the succeeding(a) 8SWOT analyze of Singapore AirlinesStrengthBranding 9Quality of assistances 9Weakness 9Opportunity 10Threat 10Analysis of SWOT 10Recommendation/conclusion for the report 11References 12IntroductionA brief introduction to Singapore Airlines on how it is ashes and what difficulties the company faced at eldest.Singapore Airlines was found in 1947 with Malaysian Airlines (known as Malayan at that time), it was a joint venture between the Malaysia and Singapore government, placing their help mainly in the South East Asia region. Singapore Airlines is considered genius of the domains best air ducts travelling up to 93 destinations and 38 countries. subsequently Singapore disjointed from Malaysia in 1965 and both governments coincide to set up different airlines. Thus, Singapore Airlines was born in 1972.Different from most some other airlines, Singapore Airline s was at a disadvantage locate as comp atomic number 18d to them. What causes this is because it is due to that Singapore Airline is not given the choice of domestic routes to serve, as Singapore itself it too small, so Singapore Airlines is force to compete with international airlines for routes the moment it starts its business. The things to compete for are like getting access to terminals, securing flights slots and landing rights, and withal trying to draw in a new guest base. Not like most state-owned entities, Singapore Airlines was force into to massive competition from the start of its business. Using this as motivational factor, it led and brings Singapore Airlines competitive spirit to an incomparable level and also the dedication to make a good faulting of Singapore Airline be better than any service sector. These factors have stayed within the company acting as the core and since then, it has shown to serve the airline very surface, allowing them to overcome any c hallenges.It was shown that Singapore Airlines earned a profit of $253 million in April to June 2010. This was a complete change of $560 million from the loss of $307 million recorded in the same quarter a yr ago. 1Strategies Singapore Airlines used to achieve victorService StrategiesSingapore Airlines is known as one of the greatest and popular brands in the international business world. Singapore Airlines is also well respected as an airline that capable of providing one of the best flight services in the world. They are not only well known for its brand but also on its service quality, beating other famous airlines such(prenominal) as Fly Emirates, Qantas and British AirlinesThe first opinion that I would dowry on is about the service process. This is a factor which has ever so has been presenting at its best by the entire cabin clustering for the passengers up till present. The service is being personified in the Singapore girl figure, which is the air stewardess of the ai rline. The Singapore girl consistent visual advertising slogan employ to depictions of stewardesses of Singapore Airlines dressed in distinctive our Malay ethnic costume sarong Kebaya. This has been representing as the icon of the service guarantee and the exciting and unforgettable flight experience.Secondly, what contributes to the Singapore airlines glory is their strategy where they are always keeping the innovative edge detailly on the in-flight services. The Singapore airlines is the first airlines that brings in the personal system of the pleasure system and video on-demand for every seat. It is called the Krisworld. Apart from that, they are also the first airlines who introduce the seat configuration that brings maximum encourage to the passengers. Recently, they also introduce the first suite class in the commercial airlines which is the A380, a class that designed exactly as the five star hotel room, completed with the private compartment which also brings the comfort level even higher(prenominal)er.Thirdly, Singapore airlines consistently use new airplanes for one purpose. It is to enable a lower cost of operational as it is cheaper and more good to maintain boylikeer airplanes as compared to older airplanes. This helps in cutting down the cost for Singapore airlines in the financial aspect.Using those three strategies point, the excellent service, the pertinacity innovation, and the technology superiority, this is why Singapore Airlines is always remaining as one of the best airlines.Human Resource Management and Marketing StrategiesThe Singapore airlines make use of a Human option management policy where productivity is closely related with motivational policies for employees to provide better service and productivity. It is to say that higher income particular are more likely than lower income particular to report them at higher sense of satisfaction. This practice is found in Singapore airlines where human resource management in Singap ore airlines approaches viewing performance management as to further improve the particular performance through assessing past performance and recognize them in purely financial terms.The most important and different marking strategy exploited by Singapore Airlines is ground on their quality of jut and service of Singapore girl. The Singapore Girl is essential part of this brand image. One of the Singapore Girl core value is having the mindset of approachable customer orientated staff delivering better quality of customer service. This has become the most important competitive advantage for Singapore Airlines, because Singapore Girls hindquarters be considered as the frontline behind the success of the achievement. In vow to retain its customers, staff trainings and development programs have been implied to the employees. To ensure the professional service amongst employees, they also have to attend lyric poem courses and attitudinal programmes. Global customers are high due to the awareness of the Singapore Girl image.The effective marketing strategy helped Singapore airlines to reduce their cost pressures in order for them to compete in the airline industry through value adding targeted market division. Using the Singapore Girl as an icon for Singapore airlines has boost Singapore Airlines competitive position in the industry.Competitive challenges faced by the Singapore airlineAirline industry has seen many changes and competition are stronger and fiercer than ever. Ranging from business and economical class flights to low-cost flights and the coupled with economic downturn, the competition between the airline industry is remarkably high. Some of the low-cost flights operators such as Ryanair, an Irish low-cost airline, are more flexible in responding to increase the cost pressure on profitability which set a threat to Singapore airline trading operations and growing.Singapore airlines acted to these pressures and thus invested in newer technology in order to maintain its cost levels while trying to not sacrifice any customer service quality in order to achieve profitability. One concern caused at this stage in considering changing the consumer behaviour and attitudes towards flying in Singapore Airlines are related to what extent Singapore Airlines will be able to preserve and enhance its brand image of customer service. Continuous cost pressure such as increase in fuel prices as well as operational costs related to enhanced security will continue to be a challenge for Singapore airlines in preserving profitability in competing with budget operators. If budget operators to date have been either locally or regionally based should operators like Ryanair by expanding to provide international journeys, this will create huge threat to Singapore airlines in terms of competition for long-haul passengers.Due to the economic downturn, consumers are leaning towards the area of low pricing of low-cost flights. Some notable competitors that Singapore Airlines are facing would be Cathay Pacific, Ryanair and the Malaysian Airlines.How did Singapore airline outstand their competitors?Singapore airlines increased its network via code-sharing with members of Star alliance marketing partnership including Lufthansa and united airlines. Code-sharing allows airlines to sell tickets on one anothers flight and this will offer service to additional destinations.Star AlliancePartnership with star alliance allows Singapore airline to develop and improve operations, facilitates and processes and able to provide access to new capabilities as well as new knowledge and new technologies. The major airline part of star alliance marketing partnership which includes Lufthansa, united airlines, Thai airways and Singapore airlines. These legal agreement linkages are designed to meet the different needs for expanding worldwide through marketing linkages, without acquiring the costs involved in major fleet investments.Cargo alliance with LufthansaPartnership between Scandinavian Airliness cargo, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines where this operation marketed under the brand name WOW. Expands are made including the carriers services as well as information technology and cargo handling. This alliance will help both airlines to expand their market to even wider area over the world where they did not have it earlier on.Cost ReductionSingapore airline has been seeing an increasing of its profit by starting new alliances with more other airlines. SIA has benefited in three ways. The first would be the success of getting the economies of scale through the joint operations of air and ground services. Secondly, scope which is through increased reach and efficient connections and lastly, the increased in traffic density through network expansion and additional traffic feed.Problems Singapore airline might face in the futureSingapore airlines have an alliance with united airlines where it is now operating under bankruptcy prote ction. This alliance may face difficulties in the future and also have a reduction in the market share in the US sector. If something happen to the alliance, it will affect Singapore airline greatly. And in that respect will also be bigger carriers that will be developing from each group of alliances. Big giants of the airline industry are combining and this will soon become a threat to other airlines.Lack of clear goals and objectivesSingapore Airlines might also face the problem of having a partner who neglect of clear goals and objective. It had faced similar problems with the American carrier delta and Swiss air, thus had to leave the tri alliance. Reasons for such failure are mainly is because of different objectives, inability to share risk and lack of trust towards the different companies.SWOT analysis of Singapore AirlinesStrengthBrandingSingapore airline is well known for its branding from all over the world. Singapore airline is the one that has the most profit internati onally. It is the strong brand management that driven primarily by its top management. Singapore airlines brand is unique in the way that the boardroom takes commitment of leadership of the brand strategy unlike many other airlines. The Singapore Airlines keeps enhancing innovation as an important part of the brand, and the ambience and experience are key factors of their success today.Quality of serviceThe quality of service of Singapore airline plays a very authoritative part in the strength of the company. Behind the professional performance of cabin crews, Singapore airline gives their entire cabin crew rapid trainings to maintain their high quality of service. They constantly educate their cabin crew including Singapore girl, in order to fulfil the world class airlines service standard. This is why Singapore airlines is always at the top at customer satisfaction survey about in-flight service observed by the independent institution.WeaknessesHeavy, on-going investments and hig h costs.Singapore airlines has dedicated itself powerfully to positioning branding name and quality of services, and in order to maintain the high standard, it is of a high financial costs. By purchasing of new and young aircrafts, it proves to have a bigger fleet quadruplet and thus will create a high parking and maintenance cost. All these expenditure will be a weakness in down times.OpportunitiesThe expansion into key aviation markets has provide Singapore airline to break through its limited space as compared to before, and this will increase market shares worldwide. Alliances, code-sharing with other aviation company increases Singapore airlines prospect to provide better services and also to cut costs.ThreatsAfter terrorist attack on September 2001 in united state, it has been confronted with a tremendous decline in international tourism. The airline industry became more competitive in Asian region as there are more than thirty country operate around thousand of airline comp any. Singapore airline is one of the operating Asian region as well as in Europe and American region. This has affected the travel density for Singapore airlines.The outbreak of H1N1 is also a huge threat to Singapore airline as people are in fear of travelling overseas due to the infection rate and highly contagious nature of the virus. And to add on to the bad news and misfortune, one for our Singapore airline flight attendances is also first cabin crew to be contracted with H1N1. This has tremendously affected the airline.Analysis of SWOTOpportunities of Singapore airlines can help to overcome their weaknesses. Their weaknesses is mainly high costs and heavy, on-going investments. By having the opportunity to partnership with other companies this help to cut cost. Alliances, code-sharing with other aviation company increases Singapore airlines opportunity to provide better services and also to cut costs. Singapore airlines threat can also be overcome by the company strength which is quality of service and branding. The competitive advantage of Singapore airline has achieved sustainable competitive advantage. Singapore airlines have consistently outdo its competitors since the time it was born, and still retaining high standard and services for customers.The major factor of Singapore airlines competitive success that it managed to drive skilfully between poles that most companies think of as different. This includes delivering best service in a cost-effective way, at cost levels lower that they are comparable to budget airlines in the world.Recommendation/conclusion for the reportWhat recommendations I have for Singapore airlines are as the following.I think that Singapore can make use of the most number of benefits by the existing alliances and equally contributing to the partners by services or other benefits. If not, Singapore airlines can also prefer to have fewer partnership in the industry and add more to the destination, more aircrafts and customer se rvice which will make them sustain their position of being the best. I believe that they should continue working on its branding and providing excellent service which is meant to maintain customer satisfactory level, and continue having strong hands at the expense of costs.They should maintain what they are now like their branding name and quality of service and if they were to switching to different market, this would provide risky results if their strategy fails. This will prove fatal to the company as there are also other companies that are also have established their names in the market. Through researching on Singapore airlines, it seems to me that the core of their success in the near future would be dependent on their innovativeness, this is because it has come to a point where all the airline are providing almost the same thing. Things like technology can be easily obtain by any other different companies.

Role of Training and Development in Employee Empowerment

Role of Training and Development in Employee EmpowermentResearch ObjectiveThe main objective of my sermon is to analyse how facts of life and empowerment assist organization in the hospitality industry in general and the Hilton Group in particular gain the such(prenominal) collected strategic advantage over their competitors and help them gain and sustain market share in the long run.The language impart also render the various actions that are may be initiated by organizations in the hospitality industry to chance on higher levels of empowerment within its workforce without compromising on its internal controls.Research QuestionsWhat is the role of training and development in employee empowerment at the Hilton Hotels?Why is empowerment necessary in the running of Hotels, with particular citation to the Hilton Hotel Chain?What strategies or policies are pursued by organizations to enable them improve the level of skills and knowledge of their employees to meet emerging chall enges?The address will also look for to answer the following questions Does active implementation of training and learning policies lead to the empowerment of employees? What is the meaning of empowerment of employees within an organizations setting? What are the likely benefits of charge workforce to the organization?Even though a sight of research may have been d 1 in related or similar topics, this dissertation will objectively examine the findings of otherwise researchers on similar topics, critique their findings and arguments and build a neutral position that may stand the test of entire independent analysis and that is in line with the current theories of HRM and management in general.The Context(s)The hospitality industry in the UK has often been faced with many challenges which on one hand, prompted employees to be more responsive to the challenges they face and on the other hand, challenged industry players to remain competitive in the wake of aggressive competition from competitors. This industry, in particular, benefits and integrates their employees and other human resources (providing the industrys services) with the structural and integral part of the organizational strategy as a strategic partner. This allows companies such as the Hilton plc. to invest in people, train them in order to prosper and survive within the competitive environment.Other challenges for this industry include the ever changing demands of consumers tastes and preferences, rising demand for extra services, thus securely to accommodate. Additionally these customers preferences has made it practically unviable to continue with the old ways of doing business as it present many obvious risks of losing clients to more dynamic competitors. indeed training and empowering employees will help reduce these risks in or so way or another.The Hilton Group Plc. is made up of some 500 hotels located in some 50 countries across all regions of the world (DAnnunzio-Green, Maxwell Watson, 2004). The Hotel presently employs over 60,000 employees in its worldwide operation and has a management structure divided in to the key regions of its operations, with each region headed by a president, all answerable to the board of directors (DAnnunzio-Green, et al, 2004).The terms training, education, development and learning may appear synonymous and be used interchangeably in other applications, but from HRD point of view, they are different but also mutually inclusive (Buckley Caple, 2007).Whitener (2003) in her newsprint titled Impact of Human Resource Activities on Employee Trust emphasizes the role of training in providing more knowledge and skills to employees to enable them perform their respective jobs better. Thus the primary role of training according to whitener is the enhancement of skills, while it may also serve the purpose of motivating the employees if offered in recognition for warning(a) performance (Whitener, 1997)The aim of the training program wo uld be to enable the organization gain sustainable strategic advantage that would not be easily replicated among competitors (Porter, 1985 as cited in Clardy, 2008). To be earmarked for enhancement with training and development would be the skills that add value to the organization commonly referred to as core competencies (Clardy, 2008).In this dissertation I will also show how training and empowerment are related. In the Barret and OConnel article of 1999, found in the journal of The Institute of Study of Labour, the authors curse that despite the challenges so far faced, training has gained prominence in the recent past as a key tool for empowerment for improvement in productivity and operational efficiency (Barret OConnell, 1999). According to Barret OConnell, (1999), there are two forms of training general and special(prenominal) training. General training is that form of training which further productivity in the firm where it was rund and all firms, while specific trai ning only raises productivity in the firm where it was provided. Organizations thus would seem to favour specific training and would readily pay for it for it since it is likely to give them a competitive advantage in their business (Barret OConnell, 1999).Since the main focus of the dissertation is empowerment of employees through training and development of a learning culture, it would be important to address the theoretical background information relating to the research topic. Case in point is training and learning, which must be properly understood in order to authoritatively argue about its role in empowerment of employees.According to Buckley Caple, (2007), training refers to conveyance new skills or reinforcing previously known skills and knowledge on employees for a positive change in behaviour that would change the way they work and behave. This will also be illustrated in literature review as I intend to show why Buckley thinks that training is a relevant activity that need to be pursued by all organizations in order to achieve their long term mission and objectives.Research design (including methods) or critical preludeResearch MethodologyIn order to achieve the main objectives of the study, it would be inevitable to collect and analyse data and other information so as to enable arriving at a conclusion. One method that would be used would involve the collection of information and data from secondary sources such as the library, cyberspace sources, journals, newspaper articles to collect as much information as possible relevant to the research topic. This would also involve using available data from presumptive sources such as hotel industry regulated websites, journals and magazines or from previous accomplice reviewed and published works by other researchers and comparing the information there on to establish a common pattern that would guide the discussion and the conclusion of the research questions. For this particular dissertation, the bulk of the information and data will be obtained from peer reviewed and published research articles in similar research subjects.The main reasons for adopting this methodology are that it is generally simple to undertake and does not require a lot of time and resources to undertake. This is because the research does not involve field establish data collection which is often more time consuming and expensive. This makes the approach ideal in situations where there is limited time and researches to undertake the research, which is indeed applicable to this dissertation.Further the data and information collected would be generally accurate since it would be based on published peer reviewed researches and other papers on the same topic which have stood the test of rigorous scrutiny by HR professionals and other management researchers over the years and found to be authentic. The books and other materials that may be used would generally also bear accurate information and would provide useful insights in to the theoretical background of the research subject.Research StrategiesIn order to effectively carry out the research assignment, it would be important to site the appropriate research strategies that would be acceptable and help in answer the research questions conclusively. This dissertation would use both deductive and inductive research strategies to achieve this aim.Norman Blaikie in his book titled, Designing Social Research published in 2009 define inductive research strategies as those strategies that help in answering the what research questions and are generally explorative and descriptive in nature (Blaikie, 2009). Deductive strategies would also be used in order to address the why research questions that form part of the dissertation. Blaikie (2009) also describes deductive strategies as those research strategies that assist in answering the why questions and are most suitable for move the purpose of explanationsEthical issuesThere should not be any ethical issue related to my research.Special resources requiredNo special resources will be required for my dissertation.

Rates of Reaction - Magnesium and HCL :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

Rate of reaction of Magnesium and HCLIn order to find a good set of results for this examine I need todecide what molars i am going to use, and also how i will make them.Once i have found which molars i would like to use i will giveevidence of why i have chosen them, i will also decide which variables are important to considerm e.g The Values of Mg, Volume of acid. Ialso need to think about how i am going to measure the speed of thereaction in order to get a table of reliable results.Plan Equipment needed for experiment Bowl Hcl 2 Measuring cylinders (1 long/1 small) Mg strips flaskful Beaker Tube Stop clock Goggles beehive shellStep OneAll of the above equipment must be gathered.Step TwoThe Beehive shell sould be placed in the centre inside the bowl, thenthe bowl is to be filled up with water until the beehive shell iscovered.Then the big measuring cylinder is to be filled to the topwith water and then turned upside down onto the beehive shell.Step ThreeThe tube should be placed directly over the hole in the beehive shell,where the tube(which goes through the hole in the beehive shell and isconnected to the flask) is placed into the cylinder.Step quaternionThen the flask needs to be filled with 20 cm3 Hcl acid, the acid ismeasured in a measuring tube and then poured in, once the flask isfilled the magnesium strip is to be placed inside. In order to get theMagnesium strip as accurate as possible it is to be measured with aruler to the size in which desired.Step 5As soon as the magnesium strip touches the acid it starts to react, sothe fictile plug should be put on to the flask quickly, then start thestopclock and record the amount of gas every 10 seconds. One personshould subscribe the results at bosom level to the tube, so they can get anaccurate reading, and another person should note down the timeswhereas one keeps there eye on the time.Things that will effect the rate of reaction Concentration of Hcl Surface empyrean of Magnesium Temperature of rea ction Catalyst Length of Magnesium Volume of HclThe assimilation can be increased or decreased to effect the rate ofreaction. The higher the concentration, the more particles, thereforea higher rate of reaction.The surface area of magnesium can effect the rate of reaction. Thelarger the surface area, the faster the reaction will be as the

Arguing Whether or not Clerical Celibacy Should be Maintained :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Arguing Whether or not Clerical Celibacy Should be Maintained Like his two older brothers, immortalise Vincent Serrano became an altar boy at St. Josephs church in Mendham, New Jersey. Invited to visit the parish priest in the rectory, he became--from the time he was 9 to the time he was 16-- a victim of serial molestation groping, sodomy, oral shake, and forced masturbation, (Press). One New Jersey priest convicted of molestation, said that his vow of celibacy made no mention of abstaining from sex,(Saharko). In order to determine the value of celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church, the exact meaning of celibacy must be understood. Celibacy, as defined by 21st Century Websters Family Encyclopedia, is voluntary abstinence from marriage and sexual intercourse. The state of celibacy is exalted above that of marriage in the Church based upon 1 Corinthians 732-35, which states, He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord But he that i s married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. . . . And this I speak. . . that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. Thats a wonderful ideal, but 1 Corinthians 79 says, But if they cannot contain, let them get hitched with for it is better to marry than to burn ( with passion). While its true that if men dont want to abstain from sex they could just stay out of the priesthood, the number of priests has declined so oft that it probably would be better to just allow the priesthood to marry. By requiring celibacy as a conditon of ordination. . . the Church forces itself to select from a much too limited pool,(Press). By revoking the policy of mandatory celibacy,and thereby opening clerical positions to married men, the church could possibly dramatically increase the declining priesthod numbers. Its not just the lack of a sex life that drives men from the priesthood some just cant handle the extreme loneliness. Rather that suffer alone they just leave, so that they can have worldly things a wife, children, a family all their own. Dan Rodricks, a columnist for the Baltimore Sun states in his column, ...Leaving the priesthood quote. Advocates of celibacy worry that if priests marry, the congregation will be majorly neglected. However, that point is easily refuted because of the available examples of the leaders of uncelibate churches.