Tourism Development In Sikkim Essay

Tourism development in Sikkim has passed through many phases.At Government level the development of tourist facilities was taken up in a planned manner.The Government took several significant steps. A State Policy on tourism was announced in 1992. Later in 2000,The Tourism formulated a comprehensive plan for achieving a sustainable growth in tourism. In 2001, The Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) is a registered NGO and operates out of Gangtok, ECOSS believes in the conservation of biodiversity, local culture, promotion of sustainable livelihoods through community mobilisation and empowerment. It conceptualised and hosted the South Asian Regional Conference on Ecotourism (SARCE 2002) at Gangtok with the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and the Ministry of Tourism which essentially brought ecotourism into the development profile of the North Eastern States and put Sikkim on the ecotourism map of India. ECOSS has successfully executed the Sikkim Himalayan Hom e stay Project funded by UNESCO under their Cultural & Ecotourism in Mountain Regions of Central and South Asia programme from 2004-2007 for promotion of community home stays in Yuksom, Dzongu, Kewzing and Pastanga through capacity building of ecotourism service providers. ECOSS has been a key player in The Gangtok Water Supply and Sanitation Scheme Project funded by the Australian Government International Development Assistance (AUSAID) Programme under their Community Small Grants Scheme. It has been actively involved in the improvement of water supply, sanitation and solid waste management in Greater Gangtok area covering 55 various schemes and benefiting over 26,000 people.ECOSS has executed the Rural Tourism Cluster Project funded by NABARD for the promotion of community based home stays and ecotourism activities in the villages of Rey Mindu in East Sikkim and Lingee Payong in South Sikkim. ECOSS continues to conduct numerous awareness and capacity building trainings in the ecotourism sector both within Sikkim and in the North Eastern states. ECOSS has conducted a pilot project for the revival of the ancient weaving practice of giant nettle fiber cloth amongst the Lepcha community of Dzongu. It has also provided consultancy services on ecotourism for the ADB funded SASEC Tourism Infrastructure Project in Sikkim In 2011 ECOSS has been instrumental in creating the Vision Document for Quality Elementary Education for the Human Resource Development Department, GoS.  ECOSS is also currently engaged in the JICA funded Sikkim Biodiversity and Forest Management Project covering the North District Definition related to Sikkim Ecotourism 1. Ecotourism: A form of tourism that involves travelling to natural areas with the specific objectives of learning, admiring and enjoying nature and its wild plants and animals as well as local people’s cultural aspects including religious monuments, while conserving the natural and social environment, and improving the welfare of the local people. 2. Ecotourism Activities: Activities coordinated by a qualified nature and cultural interpreter designed to entertain and educate clients. Examples of above mentioned activities are;- a. activities in mountains such as trekking, bird and wildlife watching, hiking, photography, mountaineering etc; b. activities in rivers and lakes such as angling, rafting, kayaking, photography etc; c. participating in cultural and traditional events such as agro-tourism, handicraft making, fairs and festivals and Himalayan folkways. 3. Sustainable Ecotourism Development: Development of ecotourism in the State of Sikkim, which meets the needs and aspirations of the current generation without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations. 4. Ecotourism Assets: Natural and cultural features that attract visitors, such as landscapes, endemic or rare flora and fauna, local agricultural products, local culture including festivals, local folktales, history, historical monuments and heritage sites. 5. Ecotourism Products: A combination of activities and services which are sold and managed through qualified ecotour operators including local communities or individuals. 6. Ecotourism Services: Services including transportation, local cuisine, camping, home stay, guiding and interpretation. These services should cause minimum damage to the natural and cultural environment and promote a better understanding of the natural and cultural aspects of an area . 7. Interpretation: Communication that helps visitors to understand and appreciate the community resources. Interpretation includes facts, but also reveals the reason of the importance of those facts so that visitors are able to understand why the resources should matter to the individual visitors. Interpreter is a person who provides interpretation in natural and cultural areas, interpretation center, parks and etc. Sikkim ecotourism council The Sikkim Ecotourism Council will be an autonomous council as outlined in the organizational diagram. The Sikkim Ecotourism Council will have an executing arm which is the Ecotourism Directorate (ED) working under the Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department (FEWMD). The Council will have a local village level operational system which incorporates various Community-Based Organizations (CBO) working in tandem with Panchayat, Non Governmental Organisation, Tourism Development Committee (TDC), Self-help Groups (SHG) and other local people’s representative groups. Members of Sikkim Ecotourism Council are as follows. Chief Patron : Chief Minister Two Patrons : Minister of Forest and Minister of Tourism, Chairman : Chief Secretary Member Secretary : PCCF-cum-Secretary, Forest Department (FEWMD) Member : Chief Wildlife Warden Member : Secretary, Tourism Department Member : Secretary, Rural Management & Development Department Member : Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services Department Member : Secretary, Home Department Member : Secretary, Sports & Youth affairs Member : Director, Ecotourism Directorate Member : Person of National Ecotourism Expertise Member : National Level NGO Members : Four Local Level NGO and CBO Member : Travel Agent Association of Sikkim (TAAS) Role of ecotourism council a. bring all key stakeholders on a common platform of understanding of ecotourism activities . b. coordinate all key stakeholders to work on the  ecotourism activities carried and reflect their opinion to the activities; c. establish guidelines for ecotourism, and revise them in consultation with the key stakeholders including NGO, CBO, local communities, tour operators, tour agents and relevant government authorities from time to time as per the requirements; d. ensure that the new guidelines are consistent with the Code of Conduct for responsible tourism prepared by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India and adopted by Dept of Tourism and Civil Aviation (Govt. of Sikkim); e. monitor the activities of ecotourism to ensure minimum negative impacts on the biodiversity and ecosystems of Sikkim. Emphasis should be on the carrying capacity of the Protected Areas (PAs) in Sikkim including Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP); f. evaluate the negative impacts brought by ecotourism activities and existing rules and regulations, and review and revise the rules in consultation with the stakeholders which have direct or indirect influence to the ecotourism activities as and when necessary; g. review and finalise a draft ecotourism action plan and a long-term development plan which are prepared by ED; h. monitor the trainings and capacity building carried out by ED; i. monitor and influence the activities of private entities which violate the main principles of Sikkim Ecotourism, through relevant organizations; j. request tour operators, guides and home stay owners to provide information on Sikkim’s ecotourism products and ecotourism services, since this information is needed for planning and monitoring of ecotourism activities; Role of ecotourism Directorate of Sikkim Role of ecotourism council is as follows (A) Planning and Development: i. ensure the implementation and execution of the ecotourism guidelines; ii. coordinate with the Home Department, and other related key government organizations in border sensitive ecotourism sites to ensure the smooth operation of ecotourism activities; iii. implement the strategies described in Sikkim Ecotourism Policy; iv. organize seminars, workshops and international conferences among concerned government officials, NGO, CBO, and other stakeholders, from time to time so as to consider the emerging needs/suggestions etc from all sections of society. (B) Financing: i. monitor the revenue generation and allocation of funds for the development of ecotourism; ii. develop a plough back mechanism with an autonomous status for funds generated for sustainability of ecotourism related activities. (C) Operation and Management: i. work in close collaboration with NGO and state level of CBO to implement the ecotourism activities; ii. collaborate with NGO, CBO, TDC, SHG and other local people’s representative groups to implement the ecotourism activities at the village level; iii. set standards for the carrying capacity in the Protected Areas and other Reserved Areas to prevent damage to the biodiversity and ecosystems; iv. publish newsletters, bulletins, pamphlets, status reports and other information and disseminate important government notifications and rules; v. ensure visitors, tour operators, tour agencies and guides to follow the prescribed guidelines. (D) Monitoring, Evaluation and Research: i. monitor the environmental impacts which are caused by tourism activities and plan/take necessary remedial measures to mitigate the same; ii. enlist ecotourism operators in the state and monitor their activities; iii. facilitate scientific assessment of relatively unexplored ecotourism destinations for their potential and promotion; iv. develop participatory tourism monitoring plans in collaboration with NGO, CBO, SHG, TDC, Panchayat, EDC, PSS and JFMC; v. monitor the training and capacity building programmes that are conducted by various other agencies and provide support and cooperation; Strategies for Sikkim tourism development 1 Strategies for planning, zoning and modelling for the Ecotourism sites and other general tourism sites are a. FEWMD and Tourism Department work together to identify the tourism zones and general tourism zones b. prior to establishment of the tourism zoning, plan consultations with the local NGO, CBO, TDC, SHG and other local people’s representative groups as well as key government organizations such as Rural Management and Development Department on the issue of the ecotourism zoning at each area; c. establish zonings for tourism development sites, which will be called tourism zone hereafter,  and general tourism development zone, and differentiate the two zones in Sikkim; d. select villages from the tourism zone and establish a model from each district and focus on efforts on allocating finance, manpower for capacity building and facilities and equipments, and disseminate the successful cases to the other ecotourism zone; e. make some variation of the tourism zone which has specific objectives such as, tourism zones for trekking, tourism zones for bird watching, tourism zones for flower photography; f. regulate the design and appearance of new ecotourism infrastructures such as, accommodations, view points, footpaths, and restaurants that blend with the landscape; etc Strategies for Training and Capacity Building Strategies for training and capacity building are a. train and build the capacity of local communities including home stay owners, youth and women’s groups who wish to engage on ecotourism activities. The topic of the training and capacity building are specific themes such as, environmental education, home stay management, waste management, computing, finance, ecotour program designing, interpretation, risk management, cooking local cuisine, guides for trekking, bird watching, fauna and flora photography, angling, rafting, religious monuments and languages; b. prepare and provide training materials including training manuals, text books and training courses; c. provide technical capacity building for tour operators, CBO, NGO, frontline staff of FEWMD as well as various stakeholders including STDC, EDC, JFMC, PSS and Panchayat; d. identify village level CBO’s engaging on ecotourism activities, and provide necessary capacity building to them; e. identify and review the existing regulations and bye-laws and other regal is sues related village level ecotourism activities. Support CBO to clarify those issues prior to commence the ecotourism activities; f. plan certificate courses for nature interpreters and ecotour guides for trekking, bird watching, fauna and flora photography and other activities; g. identify low season income generation activities to complement ecotourism such as handicraft souvenirs, food and fruit processing, production, repairing and maintenance of adventure equipments; h. provide training and capacity building to FEWMD staff as well as Tourism Department staff within the state to understand the clear  meaning of ecotourism as an activity supported and monitored by FEWMD to be driven by CBO. Strategies for Benefiting the Economically Disadvantaged People Strategies for Benefiting the Economically Disadvantaged People are a. facilitate self employment opportunities for the economically disadvantaged people in ecotourism enterprises; b. encourage supply of goods and services to tourism enterprises by the economically disadvantaged people; c. facilitate direct sales of local goods and services to visitors by the economically disadvantaged people (informal economy); d. encourage establishment and running of tourism enterprises by the economically disadvantaged people – e.g. micro, small and medium sized enterprises, or community based enterprises (formal economy); e. set up systems of voluntary support by tourism enterprises and tourists to the economically disadvantaged people. Strategies for Safety Strategies for safety are; Ensure to have insurance set by all the tour operators, guides, tour agents whose clients may have accidents and injuries during their trip, and guides to carry first aid kit when they are in the field with their clients; Plan training and issuing certificates system for safety including risk management. The training will focus on methods of risk management avoid problems, medication to save clients and quick rescue operation to all the tour operators, guides, tour agents whose clients may have accidents and injuries caused by the engagement of tourism activities; Plan a system of notifying landslides high risk areas as well as other dangerous places for visitors by ED to the tour operators, tour agents, guides and drivers of vehicles through the related associations on a regular basis; Develop a series of hazardous maps of ecotourism sites (places, characteristics of hazardous, etc.) in Sikkim in sustainable manner and update it regularly; Plan a quick response team for an event of any kinds of accidents related  ecotourism activities; Plan a system of emergency call for medical doctors an event of visitors’ sickness or injuries. Strategies for Certification Strategies for certification are; Plan a committee which includes STDC, TAAS, SAATO, TDC, NGO and CBO to work on certification related to the ecotourism activities (e.g. home stay, tour operators, environmental friendly lodges) ; The certification process has to be transparent based on specific guidelines which are monitored through social auditing;   ED, STDC, TAAS, SAATO, TDC, NGO and CBO work together to identify necessary certification items related to ecotourism activities such as renewable energy, ecotour guide. They will plan further courses for the identified items. Strategies for Finance Strategies for finance are; Plan a mechanism of financial system through banks at reasonable interest rates targeting the local people who wish to engage in tourism activities; Inform the financial system to the people in Sikkim including the local villagers;

Eastern State Penitentiary Reflection Paper Essay

Eastern State Penitentiary is believed to be one of the very first prisons established, not only in the United States, but in the world. Eastern State was functional for 141 years until 1970 when the prison closed down. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the prison is now a stabilized ruin open to the public for tours. After personally touring the facility I was able to understand the main purpose of the prison, the living conditions and the daily routines of an Eastern State Penitentiary inmate, and attempted escapes which is why prisons like Eastern State should not be used in our modern Criminal Justice System. It was designed for strict solitary confinement and had little to no rehabilitation programs. The prison was and still is not temperature controlled. The inmates suffered extreme summers and harsh winters while staying at Eastern State. Their rooms were quite small and only had a bed, some sort of dresser, and a toilet. The condition of the cells, with the exception of Al-Capone’s cell which was much larger and more comfortable than the rest of the cells, suggest that the designers of the prison wanted the inmates stay at Eastern State to be unpleasant. This prison was built for the sole purpose of punishment. For example, Elmo Smith was the 350th person to be executed by the electric chair in the United States on April 2, 1962. He was also the last person to be killed using the electric chair in Pennsylvania. Although the inmates were required to work within the prison walls they did not receive help with the problems that landed them in Eastern State in the first place, such as alcohol and drug abuse. Therefore the type of punishment that was seen at Eastern State did not maximize the welfare of individuals because inmates were not rehabilitated. As stated earlier, the inmates worked in the kitchen, infirmary, workshops, and barbershops. In the twentieth century you could see an inmate barbershop in almost every cell block. The barbershops became a place of socialization by the inmates and often the guards would go in for a free cut. When I learned this I was shocked that the guards allowed the inmates to have sharp tools that had the potential of being used as weapons. In fact, one story we  heard on our audio tour was of a guard who said an inmate pressed his tool to the guard’s neck and threatened to take his life. The inmate was joking and the officer was left unharmed but inmates were known to create weapons that were used for protection and a way of threating other inmates. These weapons were called shanks or shivs and prison guards discovered a majority of them before any harm could occur. Unfortunately there were stories of inmates killing each other such as Joseph Havel who stabbed his fellow cellmate to death in the middle of the night. Another important component in the life of Eastern State Penitentiary inmates was the opportunity to practice in religious activities. Upon entry, every inmate was given a Bible in hopes of one day they would receive salvation. Also, in the beginning of the prison’s life there were weekly religious services in every cellblock that the inmates had the chance to listen to from their cells. In later years, Christians had the opportunity to worship in the chapel during Sundays while Jews had the opportunity to worship in the synagogue. Religious freedom was the only freedom that the inmates received. They were strictly monitored and had to wake, eat, work, and sleep when the guards told them too. Although the guar ds did their best to keep an eye on every inmate, the system employed at Eastern State was flawed. Eastern State Penitentiary was designed for strict solitary confinement but that system failed and the population of inmates increased dramatically leaving the guards outnumbered. They tried to maintain surveillance and control of the institution. One way they monitored the inmates was using forming the cellblocks into a pentagon and having a watch tower in the middle. This design was flawed because it was impossible for the guard in the watch tower to see every cell and every part of the cells. Prison guards at Eastern State hated working in the watch tower, a position left for new recruits, because they felt more restricted than the inmates. They could not listen to music or read, had little human contact, and had to call their commanding officer every fifteen minutes to check in. Prison officials liked to believe that these methods of surveillance worked but there were numerous riots and attempted escapes by the inmates. The largest riot was on January 8, 1961 in cellblock nine when two inmates over powered an office and then they proceeded to opening other cells. They tried to set their criminal  records on fire. Another example was William Francis Sutton who attempted to escape five times. Lastly, there was the great escape from cellblock seven, cell 68. Clarence Klinedinst had a reputation as a good worker which he used to be transfer to cellblock seven where he started using the tools from work to build a tunnel. Riots and escapes such as these lead to the closing of Eastern State Penitentiary in 1970. Prisons such as Eastern state should not be used today because, according to the utilitarian theory of justice, the ends do not justify the means. A lot of money is put into them when all they do is hold inmates for a number of years and then they are rel eased into the community. With no form of rehabilitation the released inmates revert back to crime and are reincarcerated. The cycle is never ending and prisons become overpopulated and prone to riots as was Eastern State Penitentiary.

Qing China and the consequences of the golden age Essay

The â€Å"Prosperous Age† was a period where Qing China experienced a drastic increase in population, flourishing trade and commerce, and a remarkable level of social and political stability during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong. However, its brilliance was overshadowed by its subsequent consequences and China was soon at its breaking point in the 19th century. This essay would then evaluate on the implications of the â€Å"Prosperous Age† and how the long-term consequences proved to be more negative in the 19th century due to a string of crisis, and subsequent problems that continued even in modern China of the 20th century. Negative Unanticipated Long Term Consequences Reversal of Trade Fortunes with Britain During the 18th century, there was mounting European demand for Chinese goods (Hung, 2011). Britain in particular, had strong liking and demand for Chinese goods especially tea. Hence, it led to the outflow of British silver into China, but little inflow of silver back into the British economy resulted in China enjoying a trade surplus (City University HK, 2007) while Britain suffered from a trade deficit. To redress this deficit, Britain began to smuggle and sell opium in China (City University HK, 2007). China’s attempt to prohibit opium then resulted in the Opium Wars and suffered a tragic defeat. The defeat in the Opium War led to the signings of unequal treaties . Upon signing of the unequal treaties, much Chinese marked it as the beginning of a century of shame and humiliation. Although China was never formally colonized, the lack of ability to defend its basic sovereign rights and ability to govern its own country made it look like a like semi-colonized state of Britain. Consequently, the Qing government was seen as weak and inefficient to combat against the foreigners and much Chinese lost faith in the Manchurian Qing government. As a result, this gave rise to the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) where violent revolts and attacks were targeted against foreigners as a sign to resist their influence. Boxers, supported by China, suffered a yet another defeat and were forced to sign yet another unequal treaty: Boxer Protocol, where the reparations drastically crippled the Chinese economy till the mid 20th century (Zheng, 2009). Thus, we can see that the initial trade surplus, a sign of â€Å"Prosperous Age† resulted in British to redress the situation by selling opium to the Chinese led to the Opium Wars and the unequal treaties which greatly weakened Qing China internally and externally in the 19th century. China’s failure to counter foreign influence led to their continued defeat in the Boxer Rebellion at the end of 19th century, where another unequal treaty continued to cripple her till mid 20th century , thereby demonstrating the long term consequence of the â€Å"Prosperous Age† was indeed negative in the long run, especially since the consequences did not confine just to the 19th century but even stretched to the 20th century. Reforms did not keep up with population boom During the â€Å"Prosperous Age†, China’s population tripled from less than 150 million to over 400 million (Perkins, 1969). Civil Service Exam however continued its strict quota for passing (Bentley & Ziegler, 2003) and that meant a lower ratio of scholar to population passes. The frustration of students led to the rise of influential leaders like Hong Xiuquan who sought for reforms which led to the Taiping Rebellion . Coincidentally, the backbone of his rebels were the poor peasants who were forced out of arable lands and were socially upset and frustrated, which was also due to the consequence of the population boom. The consequence of the Taiping Rebellion led to a weakened Qing as they were forced to decentralize power to provincial elites to deal with the crisis and this power was never fully recovered even after the rebellion was suppressed (Sng, 2011). Provincial elites who did not return the power were a growing sign of defiance and could have the possibility of rising up against the imperial court. The unneeded civil unrest caused by Taiping Rebellion also served to exacerbate subsequent crisis like the Northern Chinese Famine (1876-1879) where the government was severely blamed for not providing sufficient aid. The excess unrest and loss of power proved to be detrimental in the 19th century as it crippled China and the country with no official political bloc stepping up to assist with the problems and crisis. In short, China was in a total disarray and chaotic. Lack of technological advancement Qing China favoured political and social stability over technological innovation which they feared would lead to unsettling changes. Furthermore, the vast population available to firms was a cheaper alternative to increase output, rather than investment of new technologies which was costly (Bentley & Ziegler, 2003). This proved to be adverse in the 19th century when China engaged in wars. In the Opium Wars, the Qing military was no match against the British who utilized better technology to triumph (Tanner, 2010). The first defeat resulted in Treaty of Nanjing which ceded Hong Kong to Britain. Subsequent wars like the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1985) had China suffering a crushing defeat against a more superior and modernized Japanese army. China then ceded Taiwan, Penghu and the Liaodong peninsular to the Japanese. It clearly implied that China could not defend its own sovereign ground and indicated how backward the Chinese army. It questions the right of China to even claim rights over those territories if she could not even defend it properly. The problem gets exemplified into the 20th century when China continued to suffer several defeats to the Japanese in the Second Sino-Japanese War . Even with the Self-Strengthening Movement (1861-1895) which was embraced to modernize China was insufficient. The subsequent defeats to Allied forces in the Boxer Rebellion and Japanese in the Sino-Japanese Wars marred the success of the movement. Especially significant was the defeat in First Sino-Japanese war as for the first time in over 2000 years of history, regional dominance in East Asia shifted from China to Japan (Johnson, 2010). Coupled with the defeat, China’s international and regional standings were challenged and staged subsequent revolutions that led to other problems and the eventual demise of Qing. Positive Long Term Unanticipated Consequences Building a new foundation based on common people The end of Taiping Rebellion inspired nationalists (Del Testa & Lemoine & Strickland, 2001) to fight for the betterment of Chinese. It was because of the consequence of the â€Å"Prosperous Age† that led to the decisive rise of nationalist to seek for reforms. An example would be the decentralizing of power, which meant many parties would be involved in decision-making process, rather than just the monarch government. This would ensure that concerns are taken into deliberation before decision-making that will benefit majority of the Chinese, rather than the imperial court only. The nationalist dream then culminated in the 1911 Revolution in the early 20th century, where the Qing was overthrown and the Republic of China was established. Nevertheless, the dream of the nationalist was short-lived due to a power struggle within. Even though election was scheduled for 1913, but it soon became clear than Yuan Shikai wanted to establish his own power base. Sun Yat Sen was then forced into exile after he stepped down as head of the newly formed Kuomintang (Foster, 2007). The new government was then monopolized by Yuan and led to decades of political division and warlordism, including monarchy restoration (Blecher, 2010). Therefore we can see that the perceived benefits from the consequence of â€Å"Prosperous Age† in the 19th century did not fully materialize in the 20th century. Monarchy restoration was attempted and defeats the purpose of the promised sharing of power with the people initially. Political and social unrest persisted even with the new government which culminated in the May Fourth Movement (1919). Hence, we can see that China did not become better even with the end of Qing. It would be judgmental to argue that the initial rise of nationalists had resulted in a better China. It would be fairer to argue that the initial rise of nationalists led to more power struggle and dissident movements like the Chinese Warlord Era (1916-1928) as there were no strong political forces to enforce stability and order until the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) came in 1949. Conclusion Hence, we can see that the consequences of the â€Å"Prosperous Age† proved to be more negative. The severity of the negative consequences shed light on the crises in the 19th century which crippled China internally and externally. The impact of the consequences was so overwhelming that it even snowballed to the 20th century and further crippled modern China. In contrast, the perceived positive consequences was that it built the foundation but the problem was that the foundation was weak and unstable which in turn led to more problems which culminated in more movements and revolutions. Furthermore, problems like sovereign issues were not solved by reforms or China’s surge in military strength but rather treaties that returned territories to her under imminent conditions . Thus, we can see that the long term consequences were more negative in the 19th century as it continued the crippling of China economically, socially and militarily and as well as set the stage for the movements and revolutions in the 20th century which did not necessary bring about stability and communal power amongst its people until the CCP came into power in 1949. References – Hung, H.F. (2011), Protest with Chinese characteristics: demonstrations, riots, and petitions (p24-26). USA: Columbia University Press – Qian Long Emperor’s Letter to George III, 1793, retrieved from Sanders & Morillo & Nelson & Elleberger (2005), Encounters in World History: Sources and Themes from the Global Past, Volume 2 (p289). McGraw-Hill – Sng, T.H (2011, Oct 4). Size and Dynastic Decline: The Principal-Agent Problem in Late Imperial China 1700-1850. – City University of HK Press (2007), China: Five thousand years of history and civilization (p109). Hong Kong: City University of HK Press – Perkins, D.H. (1969). Agricultural development in China, 1369-1968. Chicago: Aldine – Bentley & Ziegler (2003). Traditions and Encounters (p724-740). New York: McGraw-Hill – Tanner, H.M. (2010), China: From the Great Qing Empire through the People’s Republic of China 1644-2009 (p77). USA: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. – Del Testa & Lemoine & Strickland (2001). Government leaders, military rulers and political activist (p86). Greenwood Publishing Group – Foster, S (2007). Adventure Guide China (p18-19). Hunter Publishing, Inc. – Blecher, M.J. (2010). China against the tides: restructuring through revolution, radicalism, and reform (p205). Continuum International Publishing Group – Johnson, R.E. (2010). A Global Introduction to Baptist Churches (p267). Cambridge University Press – Zheng, J.G. (2009). Historical dictionary of modern China 1800-1949 (p32). USA: Scarecrow Press

Book review Literature Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Book - Literature review Example The publishing home of the book is Polity Press that has tagged the book under review to be one of their widely sold and acclaimed books. The author, Peter Nolan, who is a professor of Chinese Development, has brought many jigsaw puzzles together to inform the masses about the impact that Chinese economy had on its social and political status quo. Before understanding the impact that the book has on the readers and the amount of knowledge that the book successful shares, it is significant to know the subject matter that it discusses. Chinese economy has happened to be the most effective one. It is merely because that every bond, factory or other mineral resources are being bought by the Chinese economy. Nolan has connected the buying and investment patterns of China to create a strong argument concerning the secret behind the success of China. Readers can find as if they are being lectured in a classroom of the University of Cambridge as the author (professor) Nolan himself combines every possible detail regarding the success and spread of Chinese market (Nolan, 2012). As a matter of fact, the author has tried to create a comparative stance for the readers. For instance, the author has provided a clear view of operations conducted by different economies of the world. At one point, the readers would find out the debt amounts that a Chinese economy had to pay for not being self-sufficient. In a comparative manner, Nolan discusses the manner in which the Chinese economy has arranged cheap vendors and producers. Later on, these resources were spread throughout the world. The data that has been plugged in different sections of the book to provide higher credibility has been skimmed from major databases such as United Nations organs for economic programs, etc. There are a number of past studies and event details that were cited in bulk by the author (Lane, New York). It is an evident fact that if something is

Examples of two problems in the healthcare field that have Essay

Examples of two problems in the healthcare field that have mathematical solutions - Essay Example For example, Young’s Rule is commonly used to determine child’s dose. The formula for Young’s Rule is as follows: Rationale for the use of Young’s Rule to determine dosage for children is that there is a lot of variation in the size, weight, and tolerance level of the children. There needs to be a formula that can standardize the determination of dosage for children regardless of these factors. Young’s Rule is particularly used when the dosage has not been recommended for the children by the manufacturer. Using Young’s Rule, dosage for a child can be determined just by using his/her age as the information. For example, if 500mg of a tablet is prescribed for an adult per day, then to find the dose for a child 10 years of age, the process would be as follows: Doctors and nurses operating in the health care industry have to deal with a lot of complicated cases quite often. New procedures and operations are being realized for the treatment and cure of diseases that have so far been considered incurable. Rapid advancement in the field of science and technology has provided answers for many unsolved questions. However, it is not easy to convince a patient that needs a surgery to undergo it. This is where statistics plays its role. Doctors gain confidence of the patients by referring to past patients that have undergone the surgeries successfully. Let’s suppose an older adult needs to have a polyp in the vocal cord surgically removed. He is double-minded on whether or not to undergo the surgery because he may not survive anesthesia as he also happens to be a patient of diabetes, asthma, and few other health complications. Mathematical solution for an old patient that wants to know what are the chances of survival after being given surgery under general anesthesia is providing him with the statistics mentioning the survival rate for patients of the same age in the past. The rationale for providing the patient with the statistics is that it

Principles of nonprofit leadership Research Paper

Principles of nonprofit leadership - Research Paper Example sults the first and foremost thing which is required by organizations is effective leadership of a nature that aspires to achieve these results in the best possible way (Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Management Excellence). Most of the nonprofit organizations believe that money is the only resource that can help an organization to achieve its desired objectives. Keeping this in view, many of the experts have argued that not only money but the leadership plays an important role. They argued that effective leadership is the only tool that helps an organization to achieve its intended objectives (A Guide for Board Members, Managers and Staff). The organization work towards achieving those goals and money only enables them to deliver results that are expected of them. In today’s era the two important resources for any organization are financial resources and human capital (Tierney). The set back or down turn in financial resources is impossible to avoid and difficult to overcome, but shortcomings in human capital can be very awkward for an organization and cannot be calibrated easily. Keeping in view above mentioned issues, the need for the nonprofit organizations is to have an effective leadership that goes all the way towards achieving intended and desired results. This paper will probe into the challenges that any nonprofit organization is expected to face while developing effective leadership (Hill, 135). It will further shed light on benefits derived by developing effective leadership along with advantages and disadvantages. It will provide an insight of the principles of nonprofit leadership. Thus, this paper is expected to make a valuable contribution in the existing stock of knowledge. It has become quite difficult for nonprofit organizations to manage in today’s tough economy. According to (Hill, 12) Following are few challenges that nonprofit organizations are facing while in the phase of developing effective leadership. With increased

Social Responsibility - Profit and Ethics Essay

Social Responsibility - Profit and Ethics - Essay Example To this end, the notion of resolving business and social responsibility has been regarded as impossible. This notion has been fuelled by personalities such as Friedman who argue that the social responsibility of business lies in the maximization of profits so long as it is within the precincts of the rules of engagement (Friedman, 1970). To this end, Friedman argues that the decision concerning the social responsibility of business should be validated based on agreement with all the affected parties. In this case, Freidman asserts that business managers have an ethical obligation to act in the best interest of their employees and stockholders (Friedman, 1970). Consequently, if businesses managers conduct socially responsible policies, they are acting against the stakeholders’ best interest by forcing them into financing a foreign project. To this effect, it is true to some extent that the mandate of most for-profit companies is to generate maximum profit for their stakeholders . However, this notion is equally a stereotype that implies ethics and profits are untenable in any business set up. On the contrary, companies that solely pursue profits at the expense of profits, eventually collapse in the long term. As a testament to this, Friedman equally contends that profit making by companies should be founded on some ethical restrictions. Consequently, Friedman asserts that in exercising freedom, individual businesses, should take into consideration the harm or involuntary costs that they force on others. To this end, Friedman outlines four restrictions that should govern the pursuit of profit. These include; adherence to ethical norms, avoidance of fraud or deception, adherence to the law, and engagement in open and free competition (Friedman, 1970). Consequently, social responsibility involves the pursuit of profit making interests with due consideration of others freedom. At this juncture, the premise for advancing the notion that ethical responsibilities can be pursued in tandem with profit making is logically relevant. To this end, the foundations of the case involving the dispute between UK dairy farmers and large supermarkets and processors will aid in supporting the thesis. Case Background The background of the case concerning the UK dairy farmers, the retail supermarkets and processors revolves around the price cuts of the milk produce. According to the Guardian News, the prices for farmers’ milk have stagnated over the last 15 years since 1997 (Gray, 2012). This has been despite the fact that animal feeds have doubled in costs. However, the farmers ‘farm gate’ price of milk has been cut from 30p a litre to 25p (Collinson, 2012). To this end, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers has expressed fears that many farmers will be driven into bankruptcy. The farmers have placed blame on the milk processors such as Dairy Crest, Robert Wiseman and Arla (Gray, 2012). However, the processors on their part bl ame the leading supermarket chains for their cut throat bargaining on the milk price. To this end, the supermarket retailers are blamed for sparking off price wars by manipulating the processors against each other. Consequently, it led to decrease of the milk prices. Financial variables indicated that processors decreased the price of milk to around 25p a litre for the farmers (Gray, 2012).

Heat exchanger design project Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Heat exchanger design project - Coursework Example The Flowrate of the system is to be designed to be 10,560 kg/hr The design also aims at getting the heat exchanger using hot Ethylene glycol which at the inlet shall be at a temperature of 350 K. At the outlet, the design is to have the hot ethylene at the temperature of 310K. At the same time, the design Pressure at the inlet is to be 2 atm. 2 Background Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers A shell and tube Heat Exchanger works with the principle that a series of parallel tubes run through a shell that is filled with a fluid that takes the heat from the series of parallel tubes. The tubes transfer heat into the fluid primarily through conduction and convection. It is a very effective heat exchange system where the heat is ejected from the pipes with a lot of ease. This mechanism of heat exchange is the most commonly used in industries as opposed to the numerous other mechanisms that are available. The walls of the tubes are key in the transfer of the heat from the parallel tubes to the co olant running in the shell. S & T Heat Exchanger Design Standards The Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger types are typically designed such that they are in such a wide range of shapes and sizes. The sizes usually range from 6 inch all the way to a whopping 40 inch just in their diameter. On the other hand, their usual length normally varies from just a meager 3 feet all the way to a whopping 40 feet over and above the heads of the tube. Also as per the designs of the Heat Exchangers, their usual design pressure which they can accommodate is upto a pressure of 20 Kg for every sq.cm gauge. This is on the tube side walls and shell side walls. The design of the Heat Exchangers follows the fabrication standard of ASME / TEMA unfired vessels pressure codes and ASHRAE requirements standards. The climate of the area under consideration changes seasonally and rivet holes should have a broad tolerance accordance to the four seasons of the world. It has extreme end points whose temperatures go beyond the melting point of water. Under changing environmental temperature conditions, materials tend to expand and contract. In this regard, the heat exchanger system has to be designed in way that considers the expansion and contraction of materials. The system has to be made with more flexible tolerances and fits to allow for the expansion and contraction of the materials (I). The best method for the joining of the parts of the system should be one which allows for the expansion and contraction of materials. In this regard, permanent material joining methods like welding are inappropriate. The use of rivets is recommended. The rivets should be such that they allow the joined materials room to expand and contract relative to one another. To achieve this, the rivets and the rivet holes should be designed with a great tolerance fit. The system should also be designed in a way that permits regular repairs and maintenance. It should not be rigidly enclosed. More or less all systems tend to break down at some point in the course of their work time. This calls for an entry point to check up the internal portions of the system. In this regard, it is in appropriate to design a system which is permanently enclosed within a system. Entry points can be made from several wide ranges of mechanisms. The design incorporates all the conditions at hand so as to have the heat within the system are within the constraints that are bearable for

Explain, with examples from recent years in the UK, the main reasons Essay

Explain, with examples from recent years in the UK, the main reasons why a government taxes its citizens - Essay Example This paper will be discuss why the United Kingdom government collects taxes from its citizens and to what use the collected taxes are used for in the state. Some of the reasons the United Kingdom government collects tax from its citizens is in order to facilitate the construction and maintenance schools or education, as well as hospitals and roads. When looking at schools, it will be right to say that the taxes collected by the state in this endeavor is used in the public school sector where the government has a responsibility to provide free education. Hence, the money collected as taxes are used to maintain the schools and besides that cater for any expenses incurred. Public hospitals are another area where taxes are utilized in the name of public service offered by the government to its citizens, here the government offers health care at a subsidized rate in order to offer cheaper medical care and assistance to the less privileged in society. The state also collects taxes in order to be able to provide defenses as well as military capabilities to the state. Defense is one of the most important duties a state has to its citizens. Therefore, majority of the taxes are usually consumed in defense, the state uses the resources possible to track information as well as protecting the country from internal and external attacks of terrorism. Being so the government uses the money to provide the defense ministry with the required necessities to protect the state from attacks as well as be prepared for war when the need may arise. Citizens in the United Kingdom also pay taxes in order to support the royal family.For example the recent royal wedding between Kate Middleton and Prince William expenses were paid for by the tax payer The British government has the civil list, which contains the list of members of the royal family who receive payment in exchange of performing state duties. Such duties include opening buildings,

Kudler Fine Foods Service Essay Example for Free

Kudler Fine Foods Service Essay Service Request The manager of Kudler Fine Foods, Kathy Kudler, has requested the development of a system to track customer purchases through a Frequent Shopper Program to award loyalty points for redemption. (Apollo, 2011) Key Stakeholders The key stakeholders are the individuals that are directly involved with Kudler Fine Foods and will have a direct effect on the overall project. These individuals will be the main source of information in the analysis, design, implementation and testing phase of the systems upgrade. Kathy KudlerProject Manager The Frequent Shopper Program for Kudler is specific in addressing current and future customers by rewarding them for shopping with the company. Both business and technical functions will be addressed as well as improved communication between the sales and marketing and purchasing departments. The goal is to provide better response to customer demands while rewarding the customer and accomplishing this in an efficiently fast manner. A marketing plan must be developed to inform current and potential customers of the program and encourage them to participate and take advantage of the benefits offered by the program. In utilizing an outside source for the program, Kudler will be able to provide a good relationship between the IT resources of the outside source and the internal sales and inventory  systems. There is also a need to modify the two different databases and the GUI in order to allow for smooth data transfer and communication. Kudler’s specific goals are to improve customer satisfaction in order to increase brand loyalty, cut costs by increasing supply efficiency, and increase sales which will result in higher revenue and profits for the company. In order to ensure success of this project, certain aspects will be monitored throughout the duration. This will allow Kudler to view what aspects are successful and what aspects are not. The main aspects that will be monitored are: new customer enrollment into the program, tracking of purchases from current and repeat customers, tracking of customer reward points, duration of participation from customers in the program, and total customer redeemed points, and difference in cost of redeemed items versus wholesale/supplier costs. Supporting Measures and Project Feasibility In order for Kudler Fine Foods to continue growth and experience profitability, the design and implementation of a Frequent Shopper Program must be accomplished. The program will need to utilize the best available hardware and software to accomplish their goals and to promote growth as well. The chosen system will need to address both short and long term needs and problems that could arise. This is done through a development phase that will combine all aspects and products that Kudler wishes to incorporate into the program. This phase must address the current budget allocated by Kudler for the implementation of the program while incorporating all needed requirements. Current Business Process Summary Proposed System Requirements The proposed new system must be capable of meeting the requirements set forth by the key stakeholders within the company. This list of requirements will be presented, discussed, and then edited based on what is needed, what is within budget constraints, and what is decided on by the stakeholders. This list of functional requirements proposed to Kudler is below. Functional Requirements System is capable of new customer enrollment System is able to track purchases for all customers System is able to track and store rewards points for individual customers System allows for rewards points to be redeemed System allows for viewing of customer rewards points on POS terminals System allows input changes from POS terminals System will sync with company website for tracking of rewards points System allows for data from each location to be stored and accessed in a central location System must be compatible with current system in place for easy transition. Determine Requirements The determination of the requirements for this system is a key part in the development of the Frequent Shopper Program (FSP). There are many methods that can be used to properly determine the requirements needed for an efficient system. These can range from simple observation of current processes and interviews with employees and management, to Joint Application Design (JAD) procedures. The commonly used methods of observation, interviews, etc., can help analysts pinpoint exact requirements based on user input and business processes. According to Charvat (2003), â€Å"One of the biggest benefits of a proper user requirements specification is that youll be able to plan and estimate your project correctly, decreasing the chance of cost and time overruns.† The analyst must listen to the employees and gain a thorough understanding of all business processes before establishing the new system requirements. The Joint Application Development (JAD) is a newer and more organized means of gathering information to base requirements on. This process is conducted by holding sessions in which key stakeholders and other key members of management are present and work together in the outline of the possible requirements. This allows for input from all levels within the organization and can yield better results than other commonly used methods. While this process can be lengthy, it keeps all key members involved up to date on the status of progress during the development phase and analysis. List of Confirmed Requirements System is capable of new customer enrollment Mandatory System is able to track purchases for all customers Mandatory System is able to track and store rewards points for individual customers Mandatory System allows for rewards points to be redeemed Mandatory System allows for viewing of customer rewards points on POS terminals Mandatory System allows input changes from POS terminals Mandatory System will sync with company website for tracking of rewards points Mandatory System allows for data from each location to be stored and accessed in a central location Mandatory System must be compatible with current system in place for easy transition Optional Proposed System Process View Functional Allocation Modeling This aspect is very important in ensuring all software and hardware utilized for the new system is up to date and current as of the time of this service request. Since technology advancements are made almost every day, it is important to stay on the cutting edge. This is why the use of computer systems with an Intel core i7 processor is being chosen. The hardware that will be used wil1l be purchase directly from Dell. This will give Kudler piece of mind with all hardware and full technical support with the warranty provided from Dell. The systems chosen will have 8GB of RAM (memory) and will include 22† LCD monitors, core i7 processors with 4.5GHz speed, and come preloaded with Windows 7.. Each system will also be equipped with 10/100 ethernet capabilities to meet the standards of the current network in place at Kudler. The current server in place at Kudler will be replaced by Unix servers by SPARC Enterprise Software SAP system for retail environments. The POS terminals will be replaced by NCR RealPOS 82XRT terminals which offer scanners, cash drawers, touch screen displays, and built in printing capabilities. VOIP phone systems and HP M521dn and HP 8015 printers will replace the outdated ones currently in use. Logical Model of System Preliminary Design Model Design Trade-off In order for Kudler Fine Foods to have a successful program, an examination of product roll out methodology must be performed. There will need to be a specific balance in regards to the mixture of cost, schedule and performance. It is understood that a program cannot incorporate all three aspects at once which then leads to deciding what the appropriate trade-offs shall be within the requirements. The following depict possible scenarios of combining two aspects but foregoing a third possible requirement. Cost and Schedule By having a program that is inexpensive and keeps to the specified timelines the company will end up with one that is affordable and able to start up right away. If the schedule is large for integration of the system with the current system then the time to capitalize on the customers data would take time. The downside is that cheap is not always best and can result in a low performance record that is fraught with hardware and software failures. If the program cannot function properly there is a decent chance that it will fail outright due to customers not wanting to take part in it. Schedule and Performance Creating a program that is scheduled to finish on time and functions to specified standards will allow Kudler customers to enjoy the program’s rewards with little to no problems. In this instance the design trade-off is cost. The cost of the new proposed system would be quite moderate to high. The cost to get the correct and reliable information at every instance of time is the biggest challenge over the cost incurred in the infrastructure. Not keeping up with costs for the creation though will result in a project that has a finishing cost much higher than was originally budgeted for. The result can pull funding from other much needed programs or can cause the program to change such as the customer receiving rewards that are of a lower  quality than originally promised. Cost and Performance If the project team is able to create the program at manageable costs while maintaining a high quality performance status the customers will be able to enjoy the benefits of the rewards while allowing the company to stay within appropriate budget levels. All the previous customers ‘ data would be inputted and further processed , which would take time The implementation of the new system would reduce costs of data transfer and catering the customers in a suitable manner. The performance of the system would improve with enhanced ability to track information about customers , their preference pattern and any change in their behavior In addition to all the above , the company can reduce the extra cost of hoarding of goods and can only customers preferences. The possible tradeoff is that the program may not be finished as scheduled. This can result in a backlog for future projects. In addition, if the project takes an exceedingly longer amount of time than originally thought, it may become scrapped so a new plan can come in its place. Detailed Design Process The prototype will drive the design of the forms and reports. The forms need to document predefined data in a clear and concise manner. Forms are typically based on one database record and have a stylized form. Reports are business documents that contain predefined data and data from many unrelated transactions or records used for reading or reviewing information. The forms and reports need to be end user friendly and clear to understand. They should not have simple rows or columns. The forms and reports can be designed using online graphical tools. This will help standardize them with other organizations. The forms and reports should have a transparent human computer interface. In designing a form or report there are some fundamental questions that need to be addressed: who will be the form/report user, the purpose, when will they be needed, who should have access to them, and who does it need to be delivered to? Answering these questions will allow the programmer to produce an effective form/report. The hardware and networks used should be consistent with what is already in use throughout the organization. Kudler Fine Foods uses UNIX operating system, HP blade server system and SAP as their software. The UNIX server needs to be upgraded to UNIX SPARC Enterprise software. The organization should upgrade their current version of SAP Retail SW to SAP for Retail. The HP Blade server should be upgraded to a Dell PowerEdge M620 blade server. The HP blade server is obsolete and this may create problems if future support or maintenance is needed. The CM2320nf printer is obsolete and should be upgraded with the HP M521dn printer. The HP 3015 printers, VOIP phones, APC Smart UPS, POS terminals, 22† screens, and the NAS 10 TB storage server should all remain. If the organization is going to upgrade their software they should upgrade their hardware as indicated. This will allow the organization the ability to use state of the art hardware with state of the art software and get the most out of the system. They will be able to utilize the most current technological features currently available and extend the life of their infrastructure. Human Computer Interface The human computer interface should be designed with Microsoft Visual Basic. Net. Microsoft is a universal program that employees are familiar with. Using Microsoft will allow end users to feel comfortable with the software because the commands for Microsoft can be applied. Training is easier for employees using Microsoft because so many of them are familiar with it. Microsoft reports can also be imported and exported to other mediums making it possible for end users to review the information in detail. They currently use Microsoft Windows 7. Using the most current version of software will extend the life of the system. Using outdated software will hinder the use of the most current applications and can make the program prematurely outdated. The organization should continue using Dell computers but they need to upgrade them to Dell XPS 8700 with an i7 processor, and 4.0 GHz. CD drives are no longer necessary, most information is transferred or stored via a memory stick. Physical System Model What are information architecture diagrams? â€Å"A diagram architecture is not necessary an architecture produced through diagrams. Instead, diagram architecture is an architecture that behaves like a diagram, indifferent to  the specific means of its realization. (Par. 13) When it comes to these diagrams you are taking the knowledge of the architecture and molding it into a visual and understandable aid laid out in sequence like patterns that show direction. And when these diagrams are designed of information architecture the process usually ends up back where it started making a loop back to the requirements. Producing this process of creating an information architecture diagrams can be a bit confusing and people end up getting information confused rather easy. Until a man named Philippe Kruchten came up with a brilliant way to look at the diagram. He introduced the concept of viewing the diagram through the eyes of the stakeholders. This process became known as the 4+1 information view model. The 4 is for the several views in which he describes as the Physical view, Logical view, development view and the process view. And the +1 is added to describe the scenarios. Modeling the architecture of a software system can be presented in two areas known as the High level design and design patterns. High level is the use of the core components who work together for the one mission of fulfilling the requirements. And depending on if the system is large enough it is possible that each component will sustain its own high level setup that will provide descriptions of its smaller parts. Design patterns are used here and there in the particular designs of each of the components. A pattern is a waypoint that will direct you to the end solution of the program in which it is accommodating. If the same pattern is used through the design of separate programs it will act as a money saver as it saves in the purchase of new software and saves time in the design process. Testing Process Summary This phase will be somewhat similar to the installation and implementation phase in some ways. The overall functionality of every aspect within the system must be tested to ensure it meets the requirements of the original project plan. All new software and hardware must go through thorough examination and a system of checks to accomplish this. This phase must be continued throughout the life cycle of the system to continuously check for errors and bugs to keep the system performing at optimum capacity. To properly complete this phase there are guidelines to follow for testing that will cover all aspects of the system. Hardware and Software Installation Process/Training Plan In order to accomplish the implementation of the Frequent Shopper Program Successfully Kudler will need to implement the POS Server database flawlessly into the system in order to avoid data loss or corruption of data. The online Cash Registers and the in-store cash registers will be communicating to the same database and a seamless integration of these three components is crucial during the early implementation phase of the installation. The challenge during this phase of the installation is the software that will be used to bring these three components together. Continuous testing of the POS, The CMS, and the store website are needed to ensure that any bugs in the system are pointed out early. Once this is complete the Kudler will be able to focus on the smaller aspects of the program such as ensuring that all merchandise are coded correctly and the scanners are properly transmitting the data. The timeline for the implementation of this project is 2-3 months. The company should take measures during the implementation and installation regarding marketing to  maintain the competitive edge and afford customers needed time to adjust to the idea of this new system. Time will be needed to train staff on the proper procedures for issuing and Frequent Shopper Cards, and the support teams will need training on how to troubleshoot system errors. The cashiers will need training on methods of marketing the programs and procedures for how to use, issue, and reissue cards to customers enrolling or already enrolled in the program. One of the keys to success of the program is ensuring the cashiers have a clear understanding of how to market the program. Failure to ensure marketing or the cards is upheld and train employees on how to properly process cards will be counterproductive to the program and could lower customer value. Installation Process Installation is the organizational process of change over from the current information system to the new one. â€Å"Managing the change to a new system—whether or not it is computerized — is one of the most difficult tasks in any organization† (George, Hoffer, Valacich, 2012). After system construction, final acceptance tests performed during systems installation and evaluation ensures the development team has completed all tasks for the project. After determination that system operations are fully functional, the system is ready for installation. During the installation process, the old system becomes disabled and subsequently, the new system activated. The project manager and developers assemble the resources required for installation as the work begins. Resources required for installation of the system includes development team members and their various programming tools, including software. Project constraints in this instance have a comparatively narrow degree because of the streamlined and limited changes. The installation team begins by changing the modems over to broadband, and activating broadband connections at each store. At this stage, the installed applications including updates to the Point of Sale system software, the database management system, credit card interface software, and printer applications undergo testing for appropriate functionality. The entire system is then tested, and confirmed successful for use (George, Hoffer, Valacich, 2012). The installation of the Kudler Fine Foods Frequent Shopper Program and related plans for training will correspond with the timeline illustrated. Training Plan The training and installation timeline provides a sufficient and organized schedule for installation and system testing, also providing an expedient finish to the system implementation processes. The project team develops training materials and documentation for training classes. The next step in the implementation phase is training system users, managers, and IT staff. Diagram 1: Installation and Training Timeline User training and training documentation should include an overview of system features, capabilities and limitations, data entry and menu screen options, contents, and processing instructions, and procedures for requesting changes and reporting problems. Other important inclusions are troubleshooting examples and error situations including resolutions, and a section on frequently asked questions (Cashman, Rosenblatt, Shelly, 2013). As illustrated, Frequent Shopper Program System Training, the specific details for training specific groups vary according to employee function and extent. Documentation Plan Summary Documentation needs to be accurate and will also be a determining factor on the software’s success or failure. Documentation needs to include how to work the system, navigate it, its potential, how to use the data, and reporting methods. This should be done early on so the end user has reference materials. The documentation process should begin when developing the system. This will provide supporting material for developers and help develop future training materials. If the end user does not understand how to use the system or recall information for reporting purposes, the software is not serving its purpose. Most systems in place today are for information gathering and storage. If the end user can’t access the collected information, then the software will be rendered useless. The system will need to be maintained so a maintenance manual should be available to guide developers on how to make fixes and update the system. An operational manual should be available for the subject material expert, designers and users. This manual will help when they have questions on a process or how to get a certain part of the program to produce or collect  the proper data. A technical manual will be necessary so the technical writers can refer to the system structure when they have questions. The technical manual should include drawings, flowcharts, and the database structure. The system should have a training manual that has step by step instructions that a user can follow. It should also have a list of any codes, available reports, system outputs, a troubleshooting guide, work a rounds, and be current on updates. The Training manual or user manual will help the user by providing a guide for future reference and for training. The training manual will help decrease questions and improve efficiency. The more information that is available for the user the more proficient they will be at using it. Training end users is very important. This could mean the difference between an efficient and easy flowing system or a cumbersome, difficult to use nightmare. Visuals should be used to make training easier and provide future training material references. If there are inquiries that are not frequently performed, the end user might not recall how to initiate the inquiries and having a visual to refer to, might help the end user be more efficient when conducting these inquires. Support Maintenance Plan It’s not enough to just implement a system and fully integrate it into the new business system. There must be a support system that covers common mistakes and helps people locate answers to their technical questions. And along with the system support there also must be some type of maintenance schedule that keeps the system healthy, like frequent updates to keep the system up to date and as free from bugs as possible. Software Support In order for a system to operate at full potential the software must remain up to date with all of the bug fixes and security issues that comes with having software. Having your software up to date could very well be the lifeline of your company. If your software fails, then the work production conducted on that system will also fail. Hardware Support Just as important as software support is hardware support. Hardware consists of several critical and physical components of an IT system. These components include but are not limited to; servers, systems used to store data, personal computers (PC) and the networks that tie them all together. When it comes to business communication is the key, and this doesn’t exclude the communication of the IT systems. Network Support Like previously mentioned, networks are the communication for IT systems. Keeping your network up and running can be a little difficult to deal with. When a network goes down then every piece of hardware on that network has no communication. Unfortunately network issues usually get dealt with as soon as they happen. What is recommended is to have a preventative maintenance schedule in increments of monthly, bimonthly, semiannually, annually or biannually to periodically check the condition of the network before it fails resulting in a downed network. When software is merged over into a company system there are user manuals and lists of known and unknown bugs for the system. Each member should have been briefed on the new software and also provided the information included in the user manuals and the known and unknown bug reports. For the hardware and network, preventative maintenance is the best way to avoid a downed asset. And a well maintained support system with frequent updates will ensure your software stays up to  date with the latest security and bugs fixes. Conclusion This thorough analysis and all aspects carefully and fully examined, the proposed project will not only meet, but exceed the request of Kudler Fine Foods for implementing a rewards program. The use of cutting edge technology in both hardware and software aspects will ensure a smooth running system for years to come. The incorporation of the rewards program and the system upgrades should not only increase profitability, but brand loyalty from customers as well. The system meets all required needs of Kudler Fine Foods to include time scheduling, budget, and both short and long term goals. References Apollo Group Inc. (2011). Kudler Fine Foods. Service Request SR-kf-013. Retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/ServiceRequests/index.asp#Kudler Fine Foods Cashman, G. B., Rosenblatt, H. J., Shelly, G. B. (2013). Systems Analysis and Design (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Thomson Course Technology. Charvat, Jason. (June 30, 2013). Determine User Requirements Now to Avoid Problems Later. TechRepublic. Retreived from: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/determine-user-requirements-now-to-avoid-problems-later/ Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H., Roth, R. M. (2012). Systems analysis design (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Federal Bureau of Investigation (2013). The Insider Threat: An introduction to detecting and deterring an insider spy. Retrieved from: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/counterintelligence/the-insider-threat George, J. F., Hoffer, J. A., Valacich, J. S. (2012). Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design. Retrieved from: http://www.bau.edu.jo/in st/hamza/SAbook.pdf Riordan Manufacturing Intranet Website (2014). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Riordan/ (2010, 05). Diagram Architecture. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 05, 2010, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Diagram-Architecture-63657523.html

Joint Criminal Liability for Murder | Case Study

Joint Criminal Liability for Murder | Case Study Introduction: This assignment will attempt to analyse lesser criminal liabilities leading up to stronger criminal liabilities for all parties involved in a possible conviction of murder by focussing on the major themes of contending and procuring, aiding and abetting, accessory liability, unlawful killing, grievous bodily harm (death resulting) and causation. Joint Criminal Liability between Andy, Matthew Jimmy Are both Andy and Matthew equally principal offenders for the purpose of distinguishing criminal liability? Criminal liability A person who commits the acts which form whole or part of the actus reus of the crime is known as a ‘principal in the first degree†: Osland v R (1998) [1] It can be derived from the facts that both Andy and Matthew were present at the scene to carry out a joint criminal enterprise: Tangye (1997) [2] as there was an express agreement: Tangye (1997) [3]made between the two to seize the managers of large supermarkets in their homes and force them to return to their supermarkets and open the safes. On the facts it cannot be established that derivative liability exists between the two or any failure to agree to such actions is present: Osland v R (1998) [4]rather an â€Å"acting in concert† which may create the effect of equally placing responsibility on each individual for the acts of the other: R v Lowery and King (No.2) (1972) [5] Both Andy and Matthew may be charged with Conspiracy under S.321 to commit and offence does this extend to Jimmy? Conspiracy Andy puts his plans to Mathew who agrees to take part in the robberies, for a percentage of the proceeds under S.321 of the crimes Act 1958 this agreement made between Andy and Matthew resulted in the involvement and commission of the offence hence may lead to a finding of guilt in conspiracy to commit that offence. Does this apply to Jimmys level of involvement? Actus Reus Conspiracy has been defined as an agreement to do an unlawful act or a lawful act by unlawful means†:R V Jones (1832) [6] there is clearly no question of dispute that both Andy and Mathew decided that the best way of making quick money was to execute the agreed criminal act. To establish contravention of s.321 it may be inferred that Jimmys conduct of providing a â€Å"safe house intentionally perverted the course of Justice or intended to pervert the administration of public justice: James v. Robinson (1963) [7] hence making Jimi a complicit in the commission of a crime. Mens Rea The establishment of both Andy and Matthewss intentional agreement to contravene s.321 is apparent on the facts posing the question whether a conspiracy charge is as effective as heavier weighed substantive charges available: Hoar v R (1981) [8] Jimmy may be found guilty under the equally applicable test if it is proved that the provision of the ‘safe house was a furtherance to the common purpose: R. v. Tripodi (1955) [9] in effect being liable for accessorial liability due to the counselling and procuring involved with Andy and Matthews main offences. Defences The scope of mens rea clearly applied to Jimmy is debatable â€Å"a conspiracy is proved by evidence of the actual terms of the agreement made or accepted or by evidence from which an agreement to effect common objects or purpose is inferred.†: Gerakiteys v R (1984) [10]. No evidence of actual terms of the agreement provides a clear entry point before the act or common object to the commission of the offence by Jimmy: R v Theophanous (2003) [11]The mere providing of a â€Å"safe house provides only an inference for a jury to draw upon after the fact of Jimis level of participation. In this light the evidence may fall short of establishing a clear level of involvement: R V Darby (1982)[12]. Due to the possible grey area in establishing Jimmys intention to pervert the course of justice the possibility of an acquittal under s.321 may result, if the inference of the overt act in itself is not proved beyond reasonable doubt aligning common purpose against other substantive criminal acts: R V Darby (1982) [13]. Both Andy and Matthew may be charged with Burglary does this extend to Aggravated Burglary? Burglary Andy and Matthew may be guilty of burglary for breaking into Joes home as trespassers with an intention to assault both Joe and Betty. Actus Reus As we can see from the facts the actions of both Andy and Matthew in breaking into Joes home may substitute the trespassing and home for the purpose of a building. Case? Mens Rea On the facts this was actioned knowingly without permission with a firm intent to commit an assault: R v Collins (1972) [14] Aggravated Burglary If burglary can be established between Andy and Matthew they may be also be found guilty of aggravated burglary due to the carrying of a firearm at the time and knowingly entering with intent to do so. Actus Reus Both Matthew and Andy entered intending to assault Joe carrying loaded pistols at the time of their entry. With no apparent reason on the facts to dispute that Joe was not present in his house, hence an inference may be drawn by the jury not suggesting otherwise: R v Verde (2009) [15] Mens Rea: Both Andy and Matthew on the facts intended to threaten to cause injury to a person inside the house if he they were disturbed during the burglary: R v Verde [2009] [16]. They also had the weapon for a purpose connected with the burglary as discussed about albeit for armed robbery: R v Kolb Adams (2007) [17]. Matthew may also be charged of extortion with threat to kill Extortion with threat to kill Furthermore on the above aggravated burglary charge this may be coupled with Matthews threat to kill Betty which may contravene S.27A B regarding extortion with a threat to kill. Actus Reus Matthew clearly made a demand of Betty to lie down on the floor and remain silent or he will kill her. Leaving Joe fearing for his life and that of his wife if they did not submit: R v Lawrence (1980) [18] Mens Rea: On the facts Matthewss intention to threaten to kill was an attempt to create fear of the infliction of harm: Ryan v Cuhl (1979) [19]. Is Andy liable for the common law crime of false imprisonment against Betty? False imprisonment Andy may be liable for the Criminal offence of false imprisonment due to unlawful restraint and threats to both Joe and Betty. Actus Reus As we can see from the facts Andy drags Betty into another room tying her hands and feet with rope and taping her mouth in order for her not to scream. Clearly unlawfully restraining Betty from her liberty to freedom of movement, furthermore confining her into the custody of one room: Ruddock v Taylor (2005) [20] Mens Rea: Andy held a clear intention to unlawfully restrain Betty against her will as a consequence of his threats to kill her and Joe if they did not comply: R v Garrett (1988) [21] Defences There is little to no likelihood that Andy may raise a defence of lawful justification for his actions upon the facts: Blackstone [22] Andys Liability Is Andy liable for contravening S.22 23 of the Crimes Act 1958 regarding Bettys unborn child. Conduct endangering life/Reckless conduct endangering serious injury Andy may be charged as a result of engaging voluntarily in the conduct of restraining Betty without lawful excuse that may have placed her unborn child in danger of death. S.22 23 Actus Reus It can be clearly established that Betty whimpered that she was 7 months pregnant, however Andy voluntarily and recklessly continued without lawful excuse to assault and restrain causing possible serious injury by way of miscarriage on Bettys unborn child: R v Crabbe (1985)[23] Mens Rea Applying the test in: Ryan v Walker (1966) [24] to the possible death by way of miscarriage to Bettys unborn child. The Jury may infer that this possibility was contemplated by Andy as a result of his continued restraint and threat to kill. Furthermore evidence of Andy contacting authorities alluded to his realisation and contemplation of danger or serious injury. Defences: There may be a minimal defence to debate the intent on Andys behalf to place Bettys unborn in danger by the subsequent contacting of authorities furthermore death did not result, hence the actus reus of the consequence failed to occur: R v NuriI (1990) [25] however a finding on the continuation of Bettys restraint at the time of the offence may weigh more heavily against Andys contemplation: R v Crabbe (1985).[26]. It must also be noted that in R v Hutty (1953) [27]a person is not a being until he or she if fully born in a living state however R v West (1848) [28] negates this and still establishes homicide if a child is born and subsequently dies. Does Andys use of stolen licence plates constitute theft for the purposes of s.72 (1) s.73 (5) s.73 (12) Theft Andy may be charged with theft by the action of stealing or dishonestly appropriating another persons licence plates with the intention of permanently depriving them from the owner. Actus Reus Clearly Andy was unauthorised to appropriate or physical take and carry away: The king v James Lapier (1784)[29]. Another persons tangible property: Oxford v Moss (1979) [30]in this case being licence plates for the commission of the offence. Mens Rea It may be inferred that Andy had specific intent to dishonestly deprive s.73(12) the owner of rightful possession of the licence plates for his own right to use: Stein v Henshall (1976)[31] furthermore this can be strengthen by the lack of consent: R v Senese (2004) [32] Are both Andy and Matthew liable for kidnapping Joe under S.63a Kidnapping Andy and Matthew may be liable for demanding Joe to drive to the supermarket to intentionally open the safe for their advantage in return for his release. Actus Reus On the facts we can clearly see that Joes personal liberty or freedom of choice was removed primarily by way of a threat to kill unless he complies: Wellard v R(1978) [33]. Secondly this was performed by Joe being carried away in the form of a car by Andy and Matthew. Thirdly this was achieved by force without consent. This may be inferred by a Jury as his wife Betty was clearly in an injured state. Fourthly at no point was there any justified lawful excuse: R v D (1984) [34]. Mens Rea Andy and Matthew both shared intent in agreeing to perform the kidnapping in order to fulfil their common purpose of performing the robbery. Case Did the actions of Joe opening the safe constitute a criminal offence under s.9AG. Duress Joe may not be found guilty of a criminal offence pertaining to the opening of the safe under duress due to a threat to kill Betty. Actus Reus: On the facts a threat of immediate death was made towards Betty unless both remained compliant. Joe being clearly overborne by this indirect threat subsequently led his will to be placed under duress, furthermore serious personal violence overbearing his ability to become resistant or no opportunity to restrain lead may lead to a strong justification for his actions of opening the safe: Attorney-General v Whelan (1934) [35] Mens Rea Clearly Joe had no intent to perform this criminal offence if he was not under duress, his will was overborne with fear for his life and that of his wife. Defences Joe has a strong case in establishing duress: R v Brown (1986). [36] Furthermore a jury may infer that carrying out the conduct was the only reasonable way that the threatened harm could have been avoided. s.9AG. (b) Are both Andy Matthew guilty of committing Robbery/Armed Robbery contravening s.75 s.75A? Robbery/Armed robbery Both Andy Matthew as an accessory may be equally guilty of robbery for stealing the contents of a safe by force through Joe by means of fear with the use of firearms. Actus Reus Joe was aware of the theft and subsequently was compelled by force or fear to submit to Andys demands to open the supermarket and safe, this prevention by violence or threat establishes robbery under s.75 the use of firearm establishes armed robbery for the purpose of s.75 a (1) enabling the two to have the safe opened and its contents permanently deprived of the owner. It is clear that Joe being the supermarket manager satisfying s.75 a (1) as the applicable person or custodian of the property in this instance: Smith v Desmond (1965)[37] Mens Rea It is clear that Andy and Matthew intended to place Joe under duress by the use of a deadly weapon to intimidate Joe to fear for his life and that of his wife. case Defences Regardless if Andy believed he had an honest entitlement by way of his intentions of support for the Karen tribe as a claim for defence, it is unnecessary to prove this: R v Langham. (1984) [38] furthermore would not constitute lawful excuse at any rate under the Firearms Act (1996) s.132 (2). Thirdly a claim for military necessity would not apply due to his departure from the SAS and proportionality arguments contravening multiple international humanitarian law conventions regarding legal use of force.[39] Andys Liability over Joes serious injuries sustained. Causing serious injury intentionally Andy may be charged under s.16 17 s.22 for pistol whipping Joe until he became unconscious. Actus Reus It may be established on the facts that Joe clearly suffered no less than serious grievous bodily harm by Andys act of pistol whipping to the point of unconsciousness DPP v Smith (1961)[40]. Due to this act being in furtherance of a crime it would constitute without lawful excuse for the purposes of s.16 of the crimes act 1958. Mens rea Andys intent may be established sufficiently in causing intentionally serious injury through the furtherance of a crime or alternatively through recklessness. Meyers v R (1997) [41] It is possible that recklessness may also be established given the nature of Andys training received through the SAS in the continued use of such force being reasonable foreseeable that such a consequence may arise R v Coleman (1990) [42]. Andy may also be liable under s.22 for recklessly engaging in conduct that renders Joe in danger of death with the carrying of a firearm it also may be sufficient to be deemed guilty for grievous bodily harm and breech of s.31a R v Faure (1999)[43]. as a probable consequence he may be deemed just as blameworthy as the conduct of one who does an act intended to kill or to do grievous bodily harm. R v Crabbe (1985) [44] Is Matthew triable as a principal offender as an abettor for his involvement in the commission of a crime under S.323? Abettors in indictable offences are triable as principal offenders Matthew may be charged for assisting Andy at the scenes of the crime furthermore encouraging and procuring by taking appropriate steps towards the commission of the offence under S.323 Crimes act 1958. Actus Reus Matthew agreeing to take part in the robberies hence satisfies the preparation arm or to â€Å"abet† in agreeing to the commission of the offences Thambiah v R (1966)[45], Secondly clearly he â€Å"aided† when he broke into the home acting in concert, hence not derivative to the principal offence also by carrying loaded pistols and when he threatened Betty and Joe performing the subsequent false imprisonment Osland v R (1998) [46] Thirdly Matthew â€Å"counselled† by â€Å"keeping nit† and not changing the course of action R V Whitefield (1983) [47] whilst the robbery took place. These actions show the series of steps undertaken in the commission of the offences constituting a breach of s.323. Mens Rea Matthew may be found guilty due to the fact that at no time Matthews intention knowingly or wilfully changed to the knowledge and acceptance of the pre formed sequence of events R v Bainbridge (1959)[48]. [1] Osland v R (1998) 159 ALR 170 [2] Tangye (1997) 92 a Crim R 545 [3] ibid at 545 [4] Osland v R (1998) 159 ALR 170 [5] R v Lowery and King [No.2] (1972) VR 560 [6] R V Jones (1832) 4 b Ad 345 at 349 [7] James v. Robinson (1963) 1 CLR 593 at p 618 [8] Hoar v R (1981) 148 CLR 32 [9] R. v. Tripodi (1955) SCR 438 [10] Gerakiteys v R (1984) 153 CLR 317 at 7 [11] R v Theophanous (2003) 141 A Crim R 216. [12] R V Darby (1982) 40 ALR [13] R V Darby (1982) 40 ALR 601 [14] R v Collins (1972) 2 All ER [15] R v Verde (2009) VSCA 16 [16] R v Verde [2009] VSCA 16 [17] R v Kolb (2007) QCA 180 [18] R v Lawrence (1980) 32 ALR 72 [19] Ryan v Cuhl (1979) VR 315 [20] Ruddock v Taylor (2005) 222 CLR 612 [21] R v Garrett (1988) 30 SASR 392. [22] Blackstone, Book 4, Chapter 14 [23] R v Crabbe [1985] 156 CLR 464 469 [24] Ryan v Walker (1966) VR 553 [25] R v NURI (1990) VSCA 7 [26] R v Crabbe [1985] 156 CLR 464 469 [27] R v Hutty (1953) VLR 338 at 339 [28] R v West (1848) 2 Cox cc 500 [29] The king v James Lapier (1784) 168 ER 263 and Wallis v Lane [1964] VR 293 [30] Oxford v Moss (1979) 68 Cr App Rep 183 [31] Stein v. Henshall (976)V.R. 612 [32] R v Senese (2004) VSCA 136SDSD [33] Wellard v R(1978) 67 Cr App R 364 [34] R v D (1984) 2 all er 449 [35] Attorney-General v Whelan (1934) IR 518 at 526 [36] R v Brown (1986) 43 SASR 33 at 37. [37] Smith v Desmond (1965) AC 960. [38] R v Langham. (1984) 36 SASR 48 [39] Article 52 of Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions [40] DPP v Smith 1961 AC 290 [41] Meyers v R [1997] HCA 43; (1997) 147 ALR 440; (1997) [42] R v Coleman (1990) 19 NSW 467 [43] R v Faure (1999) 2 VR 537 [44] R v Crabbe [1985] HCA 22; (1985) 156 CLR 464 (26 March 1985) [45] Thambiah v R (1966) AC 37 [46] Osland v R (1998) 197 CLR 316 [47] R V Whitefield (1983) 79 Cr App R 36 [48] R v Bainbridge (1959) 3 ALL ER 200

The EasyJet Business Model and its Market Survival

The EasyJet Business Model and its Market Survival 1.0 – Title 2.0 – Introduction 3.0 – Research 3.1 – Aims 3.2 – Objectives 4.0 – Literature review 4.1 Airline Industry 4.1.1 Deregulation of the Airline Industry in the US and in Europe: 4.1.2 Persian Gulf War and Recession 4.1.3 World Trade Centre Disaster 4.2 – Budget Airline Industry 4.3 – History of Easy Jet 4.4 – Globalization and Technology 4.5 – Marketing – Alliance 4.6 – No Frills 4.6.1 – Inputs 4.6.2 – Product Design 4.6.3 – Process Design 4.7 – Competition 4.8 – Business Model 4.8.1 – Internet 4.8.2 – Customer Purchase Experience 4.8.3 – World Wide Web (WWW) Strategy 4.8.4 The Philosophy 4.9 – Future 4.9.1 – Low passenger comfort 4.9.2 – Questionable security standards 4.9.3 – Uncertain tragedy, consequences and expansion in the future 5.0 – Methodology 5.1 – Secondary data 5.2 – Choice of research method 5.3 – Methodology 6.0 – Conclusions 7.0 – Bibliography Easy Jet and the Airline Industry The subsequent part of the paper is organised as follows. Section 3 discusses the aims, objectives and selection process of the research. Section 4 discuses the relevant literature that has been reviewed in the preparation of this paper. It will describe the airline industry and EasyJet’s strategy and business model. Section 5 outlines the methods adopted and the spirit of the methodology underlying the analysis of the findings. Section 6 constitutes the conclusion that is drawn from the research of this paper. Section 7 is the bibliography and references used in the writing of this paper. This paper makes a case for establishing a large – scale business organisation to exploit a promising business opportunity in terms of providing education/career counselling for Indian students seeking professional advancement through overseas undergraduate/post graduate education. The choice of the above thesis has been determined primarily out of my own experiences as an undergraduate student in the United States and later as a post – graduate in the United Kingdom. The principal motivation for the paper however transcends personal considerations and owes much to the emergence of social forces released by globalisation in developing countries such as India. 1.1 Globalization and Overseas Education The Indian economy has been, for most of the period, following the attainment of Independence in the late forties, structured on a Mixed Economy model[1] that accorded economic primacy to the state. The spirit of central planning dictated the allocation of resources in what was essentially a closed and autarkic economy that considered international trade to be of little relevance. All this changed in the early nineties on account of the realisation that the centrist model of development was becoming increasingly irrelevant and incapable of providing the economic growth necessary to sustain a standard of living that matched those of other countries in the world. The collapse of the Soviet Union[2] had much to do with this new awareness since central planning in India had been particularly influenced by the Soviet model. In particular the Second Five Year Plan (1956 – 1961)[3] which placed heavy emphasis on state owned heavy industries and which played such a large part in shaping the Indian economy for nearly forty years was structured by the economist P.C. Mahalonobis who believed that the Soviet model contained the most promise to help India secure rapid economic growth. However, even after four decades of development based on central planning, India had not made much progress, except for achieving what came to be called the â€Å"Hindu rate of gro 3.1 – Aims The aims of the research are to identify the airline industry and the EasyJet Business model and how does it survive in the market. 3.2 – Objectives The objectives of the research is to analyze the case study and answer the proposed research question by analyzing the airline market, EasyJet’s business model, the future of the low cost carriers and the changing trends in the airline industry that could affect the business of these no frill airlines. 4.1 Airline Industry The beginning of the aviation industry was by Wright brothers who launched their first successful flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Airline was not used as an option in early years because of fear of travel but today it is used as a fastest mode of transportation. Since the 1980 RKP (Revenue Passenger Kilometers) was the way the growth of the airline industry is measured. This RKP is larger than the real world growth GDP. As we refer to the case in Exhibit 1 we can see the growth of the airline industry has faced many ups and downs since the 1980’s. This changing trend in the airline industry has been because of a variety of reasons such as uncontrollable environmental factors, terrorism, globalization, technology, etc. The airline companies in the earlier years worked on a very huge profit or loss margin. If the number of passengers increases it brings in enormous profit to the airline and in the opposite case can bring huge losses. The airline industry also works on an extremely high fixed cost and therefore as the demand in the airline decreases the company faces huge losses. Also it should be taken into consideration that it takes 1 – 2 years to build a plane and therefore increasing capacity immediately because of higher dem and can be taxing for the company. The airline industry came into much use only during the 90’s because the cost of production went down and therefore was more affordable by customers although yet expensive. Then there was no looking back for the airline industry as it was a multi billion market and therefore competition increased drastically. Because of globalisation and other factors the demand for business and tourist travel increased at a more than double rate. The increase standard of living and changing trend of visiting places around the world also increased this need. Increase in the travel was also caused because of competition of other private airlines besides the government airlines forcing competition and there after reducing prices even further. The uncontrollable factors effect the airline industry directly or in directly. Some of the factors because of which the airline industry suffered are: 4.1.1 Deregulation of the Airline Industry in the US and in Europe: In many countries in the earlier years the government would control certain strategic sectors and airline industry was one of them. The airline industry was deregulated in the 1978 in the USA and about 15 years later in Europe. This deregulation bought privatization and therefore there was tremendous increase in competition. In no time it changed from an oligopolistic industry to a perfect competition. Europe was earlier run by the government whereby they controlled the entire system like where the airlines would fly, changes in price and the time they would fly. But after the European economy deregulated the airline industry competition increased even in Europe. The deregulation of the EU in 1992 and very minimal trade barriers as per the WTO has increased travel worldwide. This has also given the different airlines an opportunity to expand their network and apply better marketing to survive in this perfect competition. One of the things that have changed the way airline industry is operating in 2000 is the introduction of the â€Å"no frills low cost† carriers. After deregulation as competition increased more than 75% of the companies left the market as they could not cope up with the high market share. When the deregulation took place in the USA a new airline called SouthWest airline was introduced that cut its prices by 70% therefore being ahead of the competition and capturing more and more market share. In Europe following the SouthWest model Ryanair and EasyJet came into existence. Even besides deregulation the government yet controlled the time slots, landing rights and other privileges awarded by them. Government was also responsible in supporting the airline industry by building new infrastructure. Therefore even though deregulation took place there was a big political and governmental influence on the industry. 4.1.2 Persian Gulf War and Recession The airline industry even though deregulated had suffered losses until it recovered in the 1988, but it was followed by recession in 1989 and the gulf war in 1990 / 1991. The gulf war and the recession which was elongated for four long years hit the industry with a loss of US $22 million. Besides the industry being affected badly there was also decrease in the amount of customers flying as they were scared. Also the high oil prices during the Gulf War increased the fixed cost of the airline which in turn increased prices drastically. Airlines became profitable only after 1995 as many cost reductions had taken place to satisfy customer needs. 4.1.3 World Trade Centre Disaster As we can see in Exhibit II of the case study we can see that the airline industry was profitable from 1995 up till 2000 and then faced a deep dip in profits when the September 11th disaster took place. After effects of the September 11th made a few airline companies file bankruptcy as they suffered huge looses because of the high cost of production. The September 11th disaster increased security as they hired more personnel and security applications, increase in the waiting time for passengers and also made air transport very less attractive. Therefore airlines had to develop a cycle of trust for their customers as they were adopting alternative methods of conducting business like video conferencing and shared corporate jet. The substitution of flying increased business in video conferencing by 30% and also it lost 10% of its business and first class customers. SARS and Iraq war decreased earnings even further. All these above external factors directly or in directly affected the ai rline industry that changed the way business was operated in the 21st century. The introduction of the budget airline industry is explained below: 4.2 – Budget Airline Industry A Budget Airline is a low cost airline which does not issue tickets, no connections, quick checking, only one class of tickets and sell directly to the customer. Budget airline industry was introduced in 1971 by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher named SouthWest airline which followed the ticket less and no frill strategy. Many years later another airline was introduced following the SouthWest model called RyanAir. It also focused on no frill model and focused on functionality. Just a little later Easy Jet was introduced which was a no frill, and web based booking airline reducing cost drastically. Airlines like British Airways, Air France, Delta etc., earlier would charge a full price if a customer booked ticket in advance and then sold it for a cheaper price as the date comes closer. But airlines like Easy Jet applied a completely different pricing model that is cheaper tickets sold in advance and price increases as the date gets closer. Therefore this pricing model was later applied by many carriers for better profits. 4.3 – History of Easy Jet The easy jet was introduced by the son of the Greek shipping magnate, Stelios Haji-Ioannou who based it on the SouthWest Model that was introduced in the USA in 1995. The easy jet concept is based their pricing model that reduces the air fare for passengers in short haul flights so that they can fly frequently. The traditional model was that the airlines were sceptical with lowering prices as it would affect the revenue but easy jet has completely proven them wrong as it is increasing its market share at a fast pace since its existence. Easy jet today has more than 75 routes in 36 European airports. The seats are sole by telephone reservation or online eliminating the middle men that are the travel agents. After one year of its launch it designed a website that became a very important part of the business. Easy jet is a member of the UK airline group that consist of seven other companies and easy jet is responsible to run the traffic control. Easy jet has invested millions of dollars to develop safe and reliable air traffic to increase and maintain capacity on air and ground for long term future growth. In 2001 easy jet did a fantastic job by selling 75% of its seats online and therefore has been regarded as Europe’s second largest airline in UK. This arose the need for expansion and therefore it acquired British Airway’s subsidy Go. This acquisition made it the biggest low cost travel company in the world even ahead of its rival Ryan air. The airline also signed a deal in 2002 to purchase 120 Airbus to achieve its goal for growth. EasyJet also followed the model of single fleet aircraft which makes it easier for maintenance, operating cost and training. But after its acquisition with Go the company faced a lot of additional administrative cost making it difficult for them to lower the prices. 4.4 – Globalization and Technology According to Cogburn (www.unesco.org) â€Å"globalization is about the monumental structural changes occurring in the process of production and distribution in the global economy†. According to him â€Å"global companies can break apart business functions and spread them across the globe†. As a result of these processes â€Å"developing countries are facing tidal wave of changes, opportunity and challenges†. Globalization has made the world a smaller place to live. It has also increased competition worldwide and therefore customers want the best quality at a cheaper rate. Because of globalization and customer demand the airline industry has also changed the way it operates with â€Å"no frills† strategy. â€Å"The internet will change how people live, play and learn. The industrial revolution brought together people with machines in factories, and the internet revolution will bring together people with knowledge and information in virtual companiesit will promote globalisation at an incredible pace. But instead of happening over 100 years like the industrial revolution, it will happen over seven years†. [Micklethwait John and Wooldridge Adrian (2000), p 36] Companies also adopt to different global strategies like mergers and acquisitions instead of forming a completely new company. This helps the company to increase its customer base but it is also very important for the two companies to integrate themselves so that the core business and strategy is not destroyed. As in the case of EasyJet, it only operated one kind of aircraft for lower overhead and maintenance cost. But when it acquired GO it had different kinds of aircrafts that therefore it was very difficult to keep the price lower. Therefore it is important to follow different global strategies but extensive research needs to be done by forecasting the after affects. 4.5 – Marketing – Alliance The airline industry has developed from its nascent days when the Wright brothers invented the first airplane. Today it is a large and complex industry spanning the entire globe. Major considerations in the industry today are the global capacity surplus and yield management to boost profits and achieve break even points. The paper suggests that European airline industry follows four major business models, rather the business is divided into four categories of players – 1) National Flag Carriers, 2) No Frills Airlines, 3) Regional / Niche players and 4) Charter airlines The National Flag Carriers are the major world airlines that cover a wide range of destinations and distances from long haul intercontinental flights to short distances. Distinct features of the major carriers are high service standards, common quality, frequent flyer programs and code-sharing. During the 80’s the major airlines of the world followed a â€Å"hub and spoke† formula to expand services – whereby they would operate from a single airport as its hub and fly to multiple destinations. British Airways was the 1st to develop the London Heathrow airport as its hub. The benefits of the hub and spoke model can be seen from the significant tie-ups and partnerships major airlines have formed. This has given the flyers a large selection of flights and connections to virtually every corner of the world. It has also resulted in better yield managements so that airlines can operate higher load factors. The paper states that airlines currently need 70% load factor for their Jumbo aircraft flying long distances and new aircraft to be launched will reduce that to 58% making airlines more profitable. A study done on the revenue generated by the major world airlines indicate a large portion coming from business travellers. After the global economic downturn in 2001, the airlines have seen double digit drop in business travel which has resulted in significant loss of revenue and profitability. The shift has been primarily due to the availability of cheaper alternatives and cost cuts in industries across the globe. As a result the market capitalization of the national carriers has fallen between 36% and 56% over a span of 2 years from 2001 to 2003. 4.6 – No Frills The No frills model is different from the traditional method of operation. The no frill airlines work on a minimum standard of service, low prices and short flights. The key to their core business is the low cost pricing strategy. Pricing is mainly controlled in the three areas that is: 4.6.1 – Inputs Low cost in inputs is achieved by low cost of labour, similar airplanes for lower maintenance and operation, reduction in airport fees as it would not fly at the big airports, lower wages and better utilization of staff for example two shifts instead for three, and usually take older flights that have a lower investment. 4.6.2 – Product Design The product design is point to point arrangement with use of secondary airports. This saves cost and helps improve on time performance as the secondary airports are cheaper and less crowded as compared to the busy ones. Point to point arrangements also reduces connection passengers. All seats in a no frill airline are coach and has lesser space. They also do not have any lounges, catering and no bag transfers between flights. This helps them to save cost and improve their performance. 4.6.3 – Process Design The process design offers simplified boarding, disembarking and aircraft service. This helps the airline to save turn around time and therefore can make multiple trips. There are no agents and booking is usually done over the internet which reduces the sales cost and therefore can provide the customer with additional discounts. Therefore as we can see that the inputs, product design and process design reduces the cost by 59% as show in exhibit VI. The table divided the three by reasons of cost reduction by different percentage and it can be seen that each contribute to lower cost for the company drastically. 4.7 – Competition As we know that the no frills strategy has changed the way business is operating in the airline industry. Therefore many major players are fighting to be profitable. Every player is changing its strategy and experimenting in the new market. Lufthansa has reduced capacity and increased its pricing by 4.5%. This is a new strategy adopted by them as they are reducing the amount of aircraft that is operating. They are also cutting wages for workers as well as the remuneration. However other airlines like BA and KLM started new subsidy to compete with the no frill carriers like EasyJet and Ryanair. Both BA and KLM required high investment when their core business was suffering and both of them sold of their operations finally to concentrate on their core business and strategies. Lufthansa who were reluctant to start their own low cost carrier finally invested into Eurowings. They also started a number of flights to Germany called the Germanwings. It was noticed that these major players were investing in many low cost routes by increasing their capacity to capture more market share. They also wanted to keep prices lower to take away the market share from other modes of transportation. British Airways and Lufthansa worked on a strategy that provided lower cost than any of its other competitors and these tickets purchased did not need to be booked in advance and was not a restricted ticket. They followed this strategy as it would have been very useful to the customer and in turn would be profitable to them. 4.8 – Business Model Easy Jet’s business model is related to its pricing. It has a built in advantage as it reduces the overhead and administrative cost as it uses an eccentric approach. Easy jet makes every effort to lower all unnecessary costs as they do not deal with travel agents. Customer have to order their ticket either online or over the telephone where additional discounts are given to satisfy customers. The easy jet success is linked to the internet model used by the company to sell tickets. This is a very cost effective and reliable model as globalization and technology comes into existence. 4.8.1 – Internet Easy jet’s ticket sales are mainly through the internet. Almost 75% of its sales is through the online website. Earlier customers were a little sceptical to use credit cards and make payment online but in today’s high tech world it has boosted the sales of the company drastically. The customer places the order over the internet which gives them a wide variety of choices and dates and fares available on each flight. The fares offered by Easy jet are lower than the competition and therefore preferred by the customer. Usually majority of the airlines work on a return trip basis, but Easy jet follows a one way strategy giving customers the choice of flying one way, round trip or multi leg trip giving them the best and cheapest options available as per date and time that is preferred by the customer. Flights that are booked through the web are priced much lower than the telephone giving the customer as advantage by the airline reducing its over head cost. 4.8.2 – Customer Purchase Experience The website of the company is designed as a process that allows the passenger to exit at any time if he changes his mind. The website does not need the passenger to insert details every time he or she needs to view the time and date for a particular flight. The website also has a login system whereby it stores the name, address and all other related personal details so that the customer does not have to take the trouble to re-enter information every time he or she wants to purchase a ticket. Therefore it registers user names and password so that the entire process if fast and not time consuming. As we know a lot of airline companies as you to fill personal details before they give you the price, date, and time of a particular flight. This can get the customer really frustrated as sometimes they only want to check the price to compare it to what the other airlines offer. This ease of use facilities of the website offered to the customer and the low prices available as compared to any other competitor makes it a memorable experience for the customer who wants to return back to easy jet at any other time he or she wants to make a purchase. This website and pricing model has developed a positive brand image for the company by which it retains customer loyalty and increases its customer base. 4.8.3 – World Wide Web (WWW) Strategy The web strategy applied by easy jet has been so successful that more than 75% of their sales are through the internet. Therefore the company is trying to phase out of the telephone reservation to reduce cost even further and will be one of the only airline that would sell airline tickets only through the internet. Their marketing strategy to phase out of this telephone reservations has started by not listing its telephone number on any marketing and advertising material but just noting its website for further business. Their main reason to phase out of this is because this web approach has been very successful so far and therefore they are confident that it will do well in the future as technology advances and the use of computer is increased and known to all. 4.8.4 The Philosophy Easy jet has been constantly doing new things to develop and increase business. it follows the differentiation and first in the market strategy to build its customer base. It has completely changed the operation of the airline industry as many people are aware and buy from easy jet because of the low price of the ticket as well as easy availability for one way, multi leg and round trip tickets. Besides cost cutting and efficiency provided they believe in satisfying their customers a 100% as the word of mouth strategy has been proved successful in any business. Therefore these low cost methods of advertising and marketing have made it possible for them to sell tickets at a lower cost compared to all other airlines available in the market. The business model used by easy jet has allowed it to achieve growth in the mature airline industry by applying differentiation strategy in this highly competitive world. It has put a positive perception in the mind of the customer and operating very efficiently and economically as it depends more on the functionality of the airline rather than the frills offered to the customers. The strategy used by easy jet is bold and modern and can be risky for them as they decided to make sales only through the internet. The company applies sound principles while exploring the market by doing extensive research and therefore is ready to take a few risks as it believes that changes in the company is required for future profits and growth. 4.9 – Future The future of the no frills low cost carrier’s looks bright as more and more customers are wanting to spend less on travel as they have many options available. As we know that no business model today is perfect so therefore there are a few flaws to this model also as the low comfort of passengers to travel in an aircraft with food and enough leg space, security provided by these aircrafts is questionable and also the uncertainties and external factors of the future can effect the airline industry as it has done over the past. 4.9.1 – Low passenger comfort The model applied by low cost carriers is very simple as it follows a no frill strategy. But it is questionable that this model may be too simple for travellers who want to keep their status and also business people whose travelling expense is paid by the company expense. Therefore they would not mind paying a premium price for their comfort and status. Also majority of these low cost carriers may cancel or reschedule a flight without prior notice and a business traveller going for some important work would not be able to afford missing and important meeting or order. Also it has to be taken into consideration that low cost carriers like EasyJet fly to secondary airports as they cannot afford the busy airports. Therefore this may not be acceptable to everyone as the secondary airport may be a little far away from the city and therefore other modes of transportation will need to be taken for them to reach their destination. Low cost carriers also work on the policy of no cancellation or advanced booking cheaper price but this may not be useful in times of emergency when the customer would end up paying the same price for a normal fare ticket by a major airline and a low cost airline. Therefore the future will determine the changing trend in the airline industr