Segment reporting for investor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Segment reporting for investor - Essay Example Company segments arise due to the complex nature of activities carried on by today's corporates.These activities not only embrace multiple products produced over different business lines adopting varying technologies and processes but also because of the fact that these activities cross national boundaries and spread geographically over many countries. Consolidated financial results of such a corporate, widely spread and complex, become a simplistic statements of broad figures- which hides more information than revealing it.Any decision maker,be it an investor or some other person or organization,finds it difficult to analyze the true financial position of the company with this broad set of results.Segment reporting was specified exactly to get around this difficult position.Under segment reporting a corporate's financial results are broken down segment wise and presented in a manner to exhibit clearly as to how they are contributing to the consolidated position.This evidently would enable any decision maker to analyze the corporate body from several segmental views and identify strengths and weaknesses which may vary in degrees.The decision based on such an analysis would be more factual and objective. Two widely accepted segmenting techinques distinguish between operating business lines and geographical segments. We examine below how such segment reporting influences investors and corporate entities who prepare such segmental data. We also examine the various regulatory and accounting prescriptions that govern segment reporting by corporate entities before taking up concluding remarks. Perception of Investors Investors are primarily concerned with the safety and return on amounts invested or to be invested in any entity. Safety and return concerns have a direct bearing on risk perceptions of the investors. Investors are essentially risk profiling a corporate entity and invest money only if calculated risk is permissible with their risk taking capabilities. The information that goes in such risk profiling has been theoretically built into share price movements and asset pricing constructs. From the mid-1950s to the early 1980s, a random walk theory (RWT) of share prices was developed based on the past empirical evidence of randomness in share price movements. RWT basically stated that speculative price changes were independent and identically distributed, so that the past price data had no predictive power for future share price movements. RWT also stated that the distribution of price changes from transaction to transaction had finite variance. The fundamental concept behind random walk theory is that competition in perfect markets would remove excess economic profits, except from those parties who exercised some degree of market monopoly. This meant that a trader with specialized information about future events could profit from the monopolistic access to information, but that fundamental and technical analysts who rely on past information should not expect to have speculative gains. Segment report essentially present investors an opportunity to project some such specialized information and gain from it. Efficient Markets Hypothesis (EMH)

Death is Definitely Not Justified With Physician-Assisted Suicide Essay Example for Free

Death is Definitely Not Justified With Physician-Assisted Suicide Essay Doctors dedicate their blood, sweat and tears to achieve the ultimate goal of their profession – to preserve the health and well-being of their patients. Doctors positively intervene with life processes in order to maintain and preserve the lives of many people. However, when doctors negatively intervene with a natural process like death, problems can arise because they are caught in a dilemma of whether to forego life and help end the suffering or to preserve it and torment the patients suffering with terminal illnesses. This is why, physician-assisted suicide is not just perceived solely as a medical problem because it also involves legal, ethical, social, personal, and financial considerations. Physician-assisted suicide remained as one of the most controversial types of euthanasia because it violates the Hippocratic Oath. Physician-assisted suicide literally means that the physician provides the medication for suicide to a competent patient who is capable of carrying it out. It is not just morally reprehensible for a physician, or any medical practitioner, to assist the patient to conduct this procedure because it negates their responsibility to preserve life, physician-assisted suicide also devalues the life of the patient as their fate is put entirely in the hands of a human being. Indeed, there exists an unprecedented debate over physician-assisted suicide (also called euthanasia) because involves medical professionals, as well as the patients and their families. The arguments range from determining the dignity of the patients, the quality of their lives, their mental state, and sometimes their usefulness to society. For example, the patient who is in a vegetative state is considered dead by some but not by others, and this case presents substantial moral and ethical problems. The Oxford Dictionary of English (2005) defines euthanasia as â€Å"the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma†. However, euthanasia means much more than a â€Å"painless death†, or the means of procuring it, or the action of inducing it. The definition specifies only the manner of death, and if this were all that was needed to achieve it a murderer, who is careful to drug his victim to death, could claim that he or she did an act of euthanasia. We find this ridiculous because we take it for granted that euthanasia is â€Å"death† itself, not just the manner of death. How can someone administer a â€Å"medical procedure† to the one who dies in the end? The spate of recent public and philosophical controversy has been over voluntary active euthanasia (VAE), especially physician-assisted suicide. Supporters of VAE argue that there are cases in which relief from suffering supersedes all other consequences and that respect for autonomy obligates society to respect the decisions of those who elect euthanasia. If competent patients have a legal and moral right to refuse treatment that brings about their deaths, there is a similar right to enlist the assistance of physicians or others to help patients cause their deaths by an active means. Usually, supporters of VAE primarily look to circumstances in which (1) a condition has become overwhelmingly burdensome for a patient, (2) pain management for the patient is inadequate, and (3) only a physician seems capable of bringing relief (Dworkin, Frey Bok, 1998). A much publicized case of physician-assisted suicide came into the headlines when it shocked people with the bizarre activities of Dr. Jack Kevorkian in early 1990s (or â€Å"Dr Death† as the media have dubbed him) in the USA. Dr. Kevorkian, a retired pathologist, assisted over forty people to commit suicide in recent years in circumstances, which were somewhat beyond normal from regular medical practice. These people travelled to Kevorkian from all over the USA to seek his assistance in suicide. Kevorkian assisted their death by ending their suffering. He even attached his patients at the back of a dilapidated Volkswagen van, where a â€Å"suicide machine† can be found. This machine automatically injects patients with lethal doses of drugs, as patients themselves activate it. Despite being prosecuted for assisted suicide on several occasions, Kevorkian escaped conviction and continued his personal campaign for relaxation of the law in his peculiar way. It was only when he moved from assistance in suicide to euthanasia that he was finally convicted. He filmed himself administering a lethal injection, and the film helped secure his conviction for murder (Keown 2002, p. 31). Of course, his actions provoked discussion of the thin line separating passive euthanasia, which is legal in this country, and active euthanasia. Opponents of Kevorkian’s actions state that he is practicing physician-assisted suicide, which is illegal. Proponents of Kevorkian’s actions argue that the patient’s right to control his or her medical treatment is sufficient justification for assisted suicide. Unfortunately, most Americans seem to agree with physician-assisted suicide. A nationwide survey by the Gallup poll in 2004 showed that 69% of Americans believed that physicians should be allowed to help terminally ill patients in severe pain commit suicide. These results were consistent with those of Gallup polls over the past two years, where â€Å"Americans have shown slightly higher levels of support for doctors ending patients’ lives by painless means than for assisting patients to commit suicide† (Lyons, 2004). Allen et al. (2006) suggest about the reasons for these statistics. They said that â€Å"one explanation could be the increase in education and awareness of advances in both medical technology and research on various chronic diseases†. As more Americans are becoming more aware of the devastating psychological effects of disease on a person’s well being; â€Å"they may be more willing to make informed decisions on end-of-life care†. Armed with knowledge of how painful and grueling pains that patients suffer, Americans think that sometimes the best option for a terminally ill patient is physician-assisted suicide or some other form of euthanasia. Strangely enough, a group of doctors also support physician-assisted suicide. Known as the Hemlock Society, these doctors advocate the legalization of euthanasia (Snyder, 2001). This organization believes that the final decision to terminate life ultimately is one’s own, although it does not encourage suicide for emotional, traumatic, or financial reasons, or in the absence of terminal illness. Conversely, the National Hospice Organization supports a patient’s right to choose, but believes that hospice care is a better choice than euthanasia or assisted suicide (Snyder, 2001). Despite the salient points made by the supporters of physician-assisted suicide, we should not forget that this process essentially negates the purpose of a doctor’s profession. The Hippocratic Oath, which dates back in the 400 B. C. E. states that â€Å"I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel†. Not only that it is in clear opposition to the oath of their profession, it is also morally and ethically reprehensible. According to Somerville (2006), there are two major reasons why people should not allow euthanasia to be legalized. First reason is purely relying on principle that it is not right for one human to intentionally kill another (with the exception of justified self-defense cases, or in the defense of others). Somerville (2006) stated that the second reason is utilitarian, as legalizing physician-assisted death has harmful effects and risks to people and society. In fact, the harms and risks far outweigh any benefits of physician-assisted suicide. While Mak, Elwyn Finlay (2006) reasoned that â€Å"most studies of euthanasia have been quantitative, focusing primarily on attitudes of healthcare professionals, relatives, and the public†. Most people perceive pain as the major reason for requesting euthanasia, while other factors that convince people to choose it are impairment of functions, dependency, being a big burden, being isolated to people, depression, losing hope, and losing autonomy or control. This is why, Mak, Elwyn Finlay (2006) thought that legalizing euthanasia is a â€Å"premature† move when research evidence from the perspectives of those who desire euthanasia is not yet proven to be necessary. The researchers suggested that there needs to be additional qualitative patient-based studies in order to broaden the physician’s understanding of patients. They deemed that there should be the â€Å"inclusion of medical humanities, experiential learning, and reflective practice into medical education should help ensure doctors have better communication skills and attitudes†. Thus, doctors and healthcare professionals should focus in examining ways to improve cure and care at all levels so that they can trash out the â€Å"side effects of poor end of life care†. In this way, physician-assisted suicide would not be necessity anymore. In 1997, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not guarantee Americans a right to physician-assisted suicide and returned the issue to the state legislatures for continued debate. In its decision, the Court placed emphasis on the American tradition of condemning suicide and valuing human life. In its ruling, the Court made it clear that the states have a legitimate interest in banning physician-assisted suicide, but it also left it open to them to legalize the practice. As a result, the practice has been legalized in Oregon. Although the law is rather unequivocal in regard to the practice of active euthanasia, the court decisions have been quite ambiguous. This may be a proper stance for the law in that its adamant negative position provides a deterrent to all considerations of the practice and forces deliberation of the merits on a case-by-case basis. But under what circumstances is euthanasia justifiable? Is it permissible to kill the terminally ill? How about those who are not terminally ill but have only lost their appetite for life? Even if society decides that citizens have a right not only to life, liberty, and property but also to death, what part do health care practitioners play in this right? Would the role of physician who conducts euthanasia have a chilling effect on the medical profession? What law cannot answer, ethics and morality could provide the answers of what needs to be done by health professionals when faced with a difficult dilemma, such as physician-assisted suicide. As medical practitioners, medical code of ethics should not just become theoretical concepts, because ethics are important references in the application of one’s moral and value system to a career in health care. Ethics involves more than just â€Å"common sense†, which is an approach for making decisions that most people in society use. Ethics goes way beyond this: It requires a critical thinking approach that examines important considerations such as fairness for all consumers, the impact of the decision on society, and the future implications of the decision. In the end, as doctors, the central issue remains caring for the dignity of the patient, which involves respecting the patient’s wishes, protecting the integrity of the profession, and sparing the life of a person under all conditions which are generally understood to be extremely burdensome. Thus, all forms of physician-assisted suicide are ethically and morally reprehensible because it promotes intentional killing. This principle does not require the preservation of life at all costs, which is essentially the role of all physicians.

The Essence of Teamwork Essay -- Sociology Sociological Team Work Essa

The Essence of Teamwork â€Å"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their hard work. For if one of them should fall, the other one can raise his partner up. But how will it be with just the one who falls when there is not another to raise him up?† – Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 As the scriptural text quoted above implies, teamwork can accomplish what the individual cannot do on his or her own. Teamwork is defined as â€Å"a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they are mutually accountable.† (Katzenbach and Smith, 1993) In today’s society, with so much emphasis on pride and personal achievement, the concept of teamwork seems to be old-fashioned or basic. Clashes of personality, different perspectives and cultures prescribe one to develop a natural inclination toward individual work and an unhealthy reluctance towards team work. Nevertheless, teamwork, if managed properly, can be a source in which complexity is simplified, a problem meets a solution and great things are accomplished. So with the focus on teamwork, what are the present challenges to teamwork? What are some good approaches towards building a successful team? Finally, what are the personal and collective benefits of teamwork? The Challenges to Teamwork When asked the question, â€Å"What are some challenges to teamwork?† most people would respond with common answers such as: conflicts of personalities, stress, job dissatisfaction, unethical behavior, miscommunication or lack of communication. However, with advancements in technology and a never before experienced contact between the western and eastern hemispheres of the world, there are new challenges that are being encountered now and will continue to be dealt with in the future. The challenges that must be met by today’s project teams are: Virtual Project Teaming, Cross-functional teams, Globalization, Diversity and Time to Market Pressure. Most of the common contributing factors to teamwork failure such as personality conflict, miscommunication or stress are the consequences experienced if the previously mentioned challenges are not met. The greater proportion of the work of virtual project teams is carried out online. These sorts of teams exploit reliable and consistent communications in order to work together and overcome some of t... ...dividual ideas. An individual’s communication, critical thinking, evaluation, conflict resolution and academic skills are improved through positive teamwork activities. As a result of good teamwork, social connections are formed between team members that may extend beyond the workplace or classroom and thus improve team morale and camaraderie. An individual’s communication, critical thinking, evaluation, conflict resolution and academic skills are improved. Bibliography: Cohen, E, (1986). Designing Groupwork: Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom. New York: Teachers College Press. Katzenbach, J.R and Smith, D.K. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High performance Organization. Boston: Harvard Business School. Kliem, R and Anderson, H (2003). The Organizational Engineering Approach to Project Management: The Revolution in Building and Managing Effective Teams. Boca Raton: St. Lucie Press. Lipnack, J and Stamps, J (1997). Virtual Teams: Reaching Across Space, Time, and Organizations with Technology. New York: John Wiley & Sons. New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1984 Revision). New York: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

Creating Tension throughout Red Room by Nicci French :: Red Room Nicci French Gothic Novels Essays

Creating Tension throughout Red Room by Nicci French This gothic story is about an arrogant man who has heard of the â€Å"Red Room† and believes he is above the caretakers. He makes his way through the house, commenting on his surroundings. When he arrives at the room he is less confident than he was before. He sits waiting with his revolver at the ready, expecting something solid to attack him. When the candles start to extinguish, he is suddenly unnerved. He panics and falls unconscious and awakes to find himself in the presence of the caretakers with several injuries. A gothic story is a type of romantic fiction that predominated in English Literature in the 1800’s, the setting for which usually a ruined gothic castle or abbey. The gothic novel, or romance, emphasized mystery and horror and was filled with ghost-haunted rooms, underground passages and secret stairways. The â€Å"Red Room† conforms to the gothic genre because it is about an ancient castle under the ruling of some elderly people who are terrified and have not yet visited the â€Å"Red Room† In this particular story the narrator seems to speak with an air of superiority â€Å"‘I can assure you,† said I, â€Å"that it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me’†. He believes he is above the caretakers and is sneering at them. â€Å"‘And I stood up before the fire with my glass in my hand’† The narrator feels the elderly are beneath him and speaks condescendingly to them. There is tension between the narrator and the elderly: â€Å"If I see anything tonight I will be so much the wiser† He is unbelieving of the caretaker’s theory of a ghost’s presence and does not care to show them kindness. The narrator is scathing towards the caretakers and refers to them ruthlessly. â€Å"More bent, more wrinkled† It shows his lack of respect towards the caretakers and that he sees them as hideous monsters. The narrator is assertive and speaks to the caretakers with pomposity, â€Å"it is my owns choosing,† The elderly caretakers are hostile to one another from the beginning of the story, such words as â€Å"positive dislike† and â€Å"took no notice of his arrival† suggest this. The narrator is distant with the caretakers and is unfavorable, â€Å"wrinkled†, â€Å"bent† and â€Å"withered† illustrates this. The narrator sees the custodians as monsters showing them little respect. When the narrator tries to ask for directions to the room he is ignored many times by the elderly; this implies that there is tension between the custodians and the narrator. As he begins his journey he becomes startled and paranoid along with the feeling of fear towards the house â€Å"I stood rigid for half a minute

Air Asia Strategic Management Recommendations Essay

Introduction An analysis of the External Environment would be done so as to facilitate a direct comparison between the generic elements where AirAsia has been founded in. The report then would delve into an internal analysis whereby the Porter’s 5 Forces would reiterate the direct forces that would affect the Airline Industry and subsequently, AirAsia itself. The capabilities and core competencies of the firm would be explained in greater detail towards the latter part of the report before a series of analysis would be done to segregate the more influential ones from the rest. A series of strategies would be then recommended for AirAsia to undertake so as to continue building brand awareness and brand equity throughout the world as a low-cost carrier. 1.0 EXTERNAL ANALYSIS 1.1 Industry Identification AirAsia belongs to the airline industry. Competition in the airline industry is very intense and is growing rapidly together with the increase in demand for budget fares across Asia. The different airlines are making use of several strategies to compete with one another in the airline industry and it is crucial for airline companies to identify their competitive advantages so as to be able to achieve profits and brand equity globally. 1.2 External Environment Analysis Political/Legal: Political factors such as changes in regulation and the global trend toward privatisation of government-owned or government-regulated firms have had implications on the general environment. Furthermore, taking budget flights out of Malaysia can be quite a challenge. Many governments have been instrumental in dabbling in the success of airline companies in Asia. Most airline companies in Asia have had full or substantial state ownership as well as management and control. A prime example in Malaysia would be Malaysian Airlines System (MAS). Such companies are often well-subsidized by their governments and do not face much competition. Instead of being profit-oriented, they are more focused on fulfilling national objectives. As such, privatization and de-regulation have paved the way for new routes and airport deals via the use of open skies agreements between countries and permission of entry of private airlines (Dellit 2002) As such, they would give new airlines that are low-cost carriers such as AirAsia, Jetstar and Tiger Airways chances to access domestic routes and tapping into market share of the airline industry. However, in light of globalization, the airline industry has also been hit by threats such as terrorism, accidents, attacks and disasters. A drop in customer confidence in a particular airline company would be detrimental to a company’s profits as well, hence a low cost carrier would be subjected to factors such as aviation restrictions, consumer preferences and geographical infrastructure of Asia (Steverman 2009). To combat such uncertainties, a budget airline company would have to be meticulous in selecting favourable routes in it’s day to day operations so as to avoid any form of possible negative impacts. (Dellit 2002) Economic: Despite standard of living observed to be improving globally, there exist variations within and between countries. Economic downturns in the recent years have cost companies to lose profits in the industry. However, this proved to be an opportunity for budget airlines. The result of the recent global economic downturn which led to a worldwide stock market plunge also caused aircraft leasing costs to be reduced by 40%, and this led to an environment that had lesser competition in the airline industry. This then enabled many budget airlines to lease their aircraft at a cheaper rate, which resulted in cheaper ticket prices for their customers (AirAsia 2009). However, the possible impact of fluctuating oil prices in the economy would take a toll on operation costs when fuel prices appreciate (Milmo 2011). Revenue and profitability of the company as a whole would fall if fuel prices become too high. As such economic factors are not within airline companies’ control and are unavoidable, the opportunities would outweigh the disadvantages, presenting further opportunities for them to continue in its expansion across Asia. During economic downturns, there would be an expected demand for affordable low airfares amongst budget-conscious buyers, especially for travellers who are travelling on leisure (Ernst & Young 2012). Social-Cultural: The changing societal attitudes and cultures such as growing environmental awareness has implications on the emphasis placed on corporate social responsibility. Furthermore, in order to stay globally competitive, firms now have to consider placing more resources into sustaining competitive advantage with being environmental friendly at the same time. Rapid economic growth has also paved the way for a growing middle class within Asia’s large population, especially so in Malaysia (Ernst & Young 2012). Together with the constant and gradual increase in trade and tourism activities within Asia, the demand for travel has also increased. People are now keener on exploring places far away from home and are willing to fork out money for such experiences. In doing so, the idea of low cost airfares that would allow them to save more to spend at holiday destinations is appealing to them (Ernst & Young 2012). The attractiveness of budget airlines lie primarily with their low-ticket prices and hence would present itself as a major opportunity to budget airlines. For an airline to differentiate itself from its competitors, it has to be able to have value-added services apart from low fares to distinguish itself and outstand the rest. This works out to be a competitive advantage, which may present itself as an important factor for airline companies to have so as to succeed as a low cost carrier (DestinAsia 2012). Technological: By utilizing information technology to aid companies in e-transactions and e-commerce activities, the traditional ticketing and travel agent systems were soon replaced by e-ticketing and internet booking systems (Mouawad 2010). This meant that alongside with globalization, even the process of booking tickets have gone through a massive restructuring. Airlines are now able to save the cost of issuing physical tickets and can now do away with large and expensive booking systems as well as tour agency commissions (PRLOG 2010). However, an airline must ensure that it is not over-reliant on the Internet systems as if it is not handled properly, the risk of system destruction and database overload can affect online sales heftily. The technological aspect of the airline business would pose to be a threat if systems are not properly backed up and maintained on a regular basis (Mouawad 2010). Environmental: Global warming has become an increasing issue facing businesses all around the world as there has been increasing number of evidence of rising dangers from the ongoing buildup of human-related harmful greenhouse gases. Global emissions of carbon dioxide experienced a sharp increase peaking in 2010, hence having a greater impact on how most businesses are carried out (The New York Times 2012). Considering the fact that airplanes contribute to a large proportion of about 13% of transport-derived carbon dioxide emissions, is a cause for concern for the airline business (Whitelegg 2000). 1.3 The Industry Environment In order to analyse the attractiveness of the airline industry, Porter’s five forces framework can be employed. This evaluation is crucial to determining the Air Asia’s best strategy later in the report. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: In the airline industry, the suppliers are namely aircraft suppliers and airline employees such as the flight crew and pilots. Depending on the switching costs that are associated with changing airplanes, the bargaining power of the aircraft suppliers will vary. The bargaining power of suppliers is higher when purchasing new airplanes while it is smaller for second-hand airplanes. Labour unions specifically the pilots’ and mechanics’ unions have high bargaining power as their skills are hard to replace. In addition, there has been an observed trend whereby successful union strikes in the airline industry have led to negative abnormal returns (Finance Department Faculty Publications University of Nebraska Lincoln 1991). Furthermore, wage rates accounts for a larger proportion of costs in the airline industries as compared to other industries (Lehn 2000). Bargaining Power of Buyers: The main buyers in the airline industry are passengers consisting of Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) and small business travellers. As the majority of airline customers are unable to organize and coordinate, their bargaining power is low. Furthermore, with the need for organizations to negotiate well in advance and that discounts are dependent on airline expected demand, offers, and decisions forecasts and not so much on buyers, the corporate bargaining power stays low. Besides catering for passenger travel, there is also the cargo transportation whereby bargaining power is increasing with it being one of the key drivers of revenue in the airline industry. Threat of New Entrants: Although there is deregulation and liberalization in the airline industry, there are still high operating costs and upfront costs that may deter entrants such as high fuel operating costs and purchasing price of airplanes (Mint 2012). However the trend of deregulation and liberalization in the airline industry has enabled for new entrants in the industry to enter easily despite the high costs associated with start-up and operating (Moorman 1993). Also, considering that there has been an increase in demand for low-budget air travel coupled with the deregulation, there is increased competition as a result. Hence, the threat of new entrants is moderately high despite the high barriers to entry. Rivalry amongst Existing Firms: As seen from the case, there was a rapid emergence of low cost carriers across Asia as well as the neighbouring regions in a fierce competition to succeed alongside established airlines (Lawton & Doh 2008). Hence, the rivalry amongst firms is observed to be very intense. In the Asia region, other competitors that dominate the airline industry include Scoot, Jetstar, Tiger Airways and in Malaysia itself, Malaysian Airlines (Wassener 2012). Firms can differentiate themselves based on factors such as differentiation and cost leadership. Hence, the choice of providing better service or choosing to lower prices on a further and continual basis are examples of strategies that firms have employed to differentiate themselves from their fellow competitiors. This further reiterates that price competition makes rivalry amongst existing firms very high. Threat of Substitutes: The threat of substitutes for the airline industry is medium as apart from transportation methods such as rail, ship and buses, there is no direct substitute for freight services. This is due to the geographical location of the Asian region in comparison to the United States and the United Kingdom that makes it time consuming to make use of other means of transport (Lawton & Doh 2008). Hence, ferrying customers via air would reiterate that the threat of substitutes for alternative modes of transport is fairly low. However, there are many other substitutes within the airline industry for alternative low budget airlines that offer the same services with no frills and at a low cost for customers (Sreenivasan 2010). In the case of a low-cost leadership strategy that has been adopted by the industry leaders such as AirAsia, other airlines would follow suit in lowering costs to entice their competitors’ customers. Is the Airline Industry Attractive? Investors may find that the airline industry is a slightly volatile investment, however if the airline has a good establishment in the market, and is cost effective and profit generating, this will highly improve industry attractiveness. 1.4 The Competitive Environment There is a current trend of customers who favour low cost airline hence there is an increasingly number of airlines that are offering the same sort of services and products as AirAsia. This led to stiff competition in the airline industry. AirAsia’s direct competitor in this case would be other budget airlines such as Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia (Sreenivasan 2010). This can be seen by their target market of customers being similar to their competitors across all of these firms and the strategies adopted are often identical to each other (Sreenivasan 2010). As AirAsia is deemed as the lowest cost airline in the world as of 2007, it sustained first-mover advantage, which stemmed from moving directly into undertaking a low-cost leadership initiative (Mahtani 2012). It was only after it happened that that other budget airlines begin to break into the market with replicated strategies. 1.5 Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Stimulated Market Growth: By having a plane ticket cost less than a bus ticket, bus passengers will probably want to switch to air travel. As a result, the demand will increase significantly. This same kind of market stimulation occurred when Ryanair , an Irish low cost airline, was launched. Liberalization of Geographic Markets: Full liberalization of the Asian market would open doors to AirAsia helping them expand their routes. Malaysia’s underdeveloped aviation market: Even though Malaysia’s geography may encourage air travel, a survey held in 2001 showed only 6% of the population was doing so. Therefore, it shows good opportunity for them to promote air travel in their home country. Introduction of Biofuels: Following other airlines initiatives, it is an environmentally-friendly alternative to reduce carbon emissions. Market of Potential Travelers in Indonesia, China and India: Indonesia which is located close to Malaysia has a population of 235 million. These are potential travelers specially with the joint venture already in place. India and China combined have 2.5 billion people. These sizeable markets create a potential to add new routes to and within those countries. Further Expansion into Cargo Tansportation: An agreement with a cargo company was made in 2007 and as stated by AirAsia, it to section of their ancillary income, considerably contributing to the company’s bottom line. Perhaps AirAsia can reach other deals with other cargo companies. Oakland airport: The airport is located on the west coast of the United States and may serve as an entry route into the American market. Passengers would be able to get a connecting flight to many other destinations within the US from there. Threats Firstly, a number of budget airlines would enter the market and become a threat as well existing ones who may become more competitive. At the moment there 50 budget airlines in South, East and Southeast Asia. Secondly, AirAsia may lack bilateral agreements with some counties thus deterring the optimal free flow of passengers. On the other hand, competition in the tourism industry might entice countries to open up their borders. Thirdly, important players from other regions may be willing to join the market posing a threat to AirAsia. Richard Brandson from Virgin Blue, for example, is interested in making investments in a low cost airline in Asia. Lastly, an increase in the cost of fuel may limit the company’s expansion plans as well as compromising the low cost fares brand position they hold. 2.0 INTERNAL ANALYSIS 2.1 The Firm’s Resources: Tangible and Intangible Tangible: AirAsia’s fuel efficient airbus 320 helps to maintain its low-fares brand position and at the same time being environmental friendly. Financially with the company’s IPO, there is capital available for further expansions. In addition, with the company’s hardware costs locked in coupled with the availability through the very strong surge orders that followed, AirAsia’s cost competitiveness and capacity are improved. Intangible: AirAsia has gained great favour with the Malaysian government and this enabled for easier business negotiations and relations in the country. Tony Fernandes, who had started AirAsia, is a valuable asset to the company considering his strong marketing and operational abilities. In addition, Fernandes hired leading low-cost airline experts to restructure the company’s business model and has acquired more valuable assets onboard as such. With AirAsia’s established presence through sponsorship of sports teams such as Manchester United and market leadership in the Malaysian domestic market, they have an advantage over competitors with their brand recognition. The company’s strong relationship with cargo management company, Leisure Cargo, is another intangible resource. Lastly, the airline’s low start-up operating benefit and internet booking and ticketless travel allow for the lowest possible costs structure and low distribution costs respectively. 2.2 Capabilities Identification Use of Information Technology (IT): Making bookings via the internet and having e-transactions for ticketless travels meant that it not only saved customers time but also gave them the convenience of being able to book their travel tickets anywhere and anytime (The Economist 2012). This also helped in reduction of costs when it comes to issuance of tickets and entertaining bookings via the phone or in person. Making use of IT made the overall process fuss-free and easier to handle for the company. Air tickets can also be purchased from designated Automated Teller Machines (ATM) as well as post offices, which showed how far Airasia went in making the purchase of tickets convenient for their patrons. Airasia’s ability to leverage on IT far surpassed its competitors in the field. Transportation Switch: AirAsia also went forth to dominate the domestic market by enticing current and prospective customers to make the switch from road to air transport (Lawton & Doh 2008). This can be seen in low fares that were offered from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, this tactic allowed customers to experience the in-flight comfort of the low cost airlines and boosted publicity for AirAsia (Lawton & Doh 2008). Furthermore, their decision to go into cargo transportation was a significant move in their expansion plans. AirAsia’s Brand Equity: has been rising stealthily throughout the few years that it has established in the airline industry. Having established it’s reputation as the ‘World’s Best Low-Cost Airline’, it has also won many other awards throughout its time in the airline industry (AirAsia 2007). The company’s branding initiatives are deemed to be successful, as they have been continually pushing for aggressive marketing and sustaining their growth organization-wide. (Silverstein 2010) With the airline earning such a reputable name, it has gone into establishing alliances with other airports within and outside it’s geographical region, this further advertises their brand name on a global scale. (Khor et. al 2009) Organizational Structure: The corporate structure of AirAsia is relatively simple and flat as it comprises of few levels of management so as to reduce cost and increase efficiency (AirAsia 2011). The levels of management are streamlined and together with the use of IT, employees are empowered with decision-making skills with only one or two people to report to in the organization structure. Employees are regarded as equals, and inputs are often encouraged regardless of hierarchical positions. Furthermore, as incentives are distributed based on performance of the company, employees are motivated to work harder cohesively. Product development and Innovation: Aircrafts were designed by the company to combat wear and tear as well as costs and reduction of cleaning time. Innovative ideas include setting up their own branded credit card as well as offering corporate travel loyalty points (The Economist 2012). Their aircrafts bear the logo and the name of the company, which makes it a form of advertisement and establishes it’s brand presence in the eyes of the customers (AirAsia 2007). The ‘Fly Thru’ program is an example of an innovative idea developed by the company. It reduces check in time for multiple flights and gives passenger ease of travel from the booking stage to the transit stage, reducing discomfort of having to re-check in at their transit destinations (Periabras 2012). 2.3 Core Competency Analysis From the core competency analysis, it can be deduced that some of the firm’s capabilities outstand others. Brand Equity stands for having a strong brand image and this is deemed to be one of the most sustainable competitive advantage in the long run. Factors such as use of information technology, organizational structure and product development and innovation would also make AirAsia outstand like-minded firms in the airline industry. Whereas transportation switch may be a capability that AirAsia has but it would only sustain the firm on a temporary basis and may be similar to similar capabilities that other companies have. Identifying the more outstanding factors would aid the company in recognizing its sustainable capabilities as the returns would also be higher compared to other factors. 2.4 Value Chain Analysis Primary activities Support activities Firm infrastructure Business strategies; shareholder management; partnership management; relationship building Inbound logistics Monitoring competitors; In-flight catering; flight scheduling Human resource management Pilot and sales force training; in-flight training; career planning; operational training Operations Check-in, baggage handling; bookings; cargo management; coordination of stations and hubs; on-board service; Technological development Computer reservation systems; Flight scheduling system; market research; baggage tracing system Outbound logistics Flight connections; security procedures; baggage systems; commission payments Procurement Monitoring suppliers; branding (online); delivery instruction specification Marketing and sales Advertising and promotion; loyalty card; group sales; online sales; travel agent programs Service Baggage claim service; car and hotel reservation; customer profiling service; customer relationship management 2.5 Weaknesses At the moment AirAsia is disadvantaged in that they have a majority of wide body aircrafts that are not as economical for short haul flights. North American and European low-cost carriers have around 77% narrow-body planes compared to AirAsia’s 29%. In addition, the company is limited in their ability to expand services and volumes due to limited availability of suitable terminals. There needs to be a greater supply of low-cost airlines terminals at national and international airports. These terminals allow low-cost airlines to keep costs down through quick turnaround and taxi times and therefore charging customers cheaper fares. 2.6 SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS  · Lowest cost airline in the world  · Low distribution costs  · Market leader in Malaysia  · Being innovative  · High profit margins – 35%. Amongst highest in the airline industry  · Good brand recognition  · Good management skills WEAKNESSES  · Too many wide body aircrafts instead of narrow body for shorter flights  · Lack of low-cost carriers terminals at national and international airports OPPORTUNITIES  · Stimulated market growth  · Liberalization of geographic markets  · Underdeveloped geographic market in Malaysia  · Use of biofuels; reducing carbon emissions  · Further expansion into cargo transportation  · Large market of potential travelers in Indonesia, China and India  · Oakland airport as a entrance route to the US market THREATS  · Competing budget airlines entering the market  · Lack of bilateral agreement within countries enabling a free flow of passengers  · Important players from other markets willing to join the market  · Increase in fuel cost 3.0 Strategies and Recommendations 3.1 Current Strategies Single Class, Low Fares and No Frills Airasia adopts a single class and no frills service for its airline services. (Airasia 2012) This meant that unlike global airlines, Airasia does not provide meals, entertainment or amenities for its customers. Their sole purpose is charging the customers for the most basic airfreight experience, with the goal of the destination in mind. On the other hand, they do not compromise on customer service as a result of giving reduced cost services. The products offered onboard are also standardized with characteristics that are deemed acceptable to the customers. Establishing ticket prices that are deemed the lowest competitively, Reduced Fixed Costs AirAsia’s strategy is in line with its mission to be the world’s lowest cost airline. (AirAsia 2012) The low cost structure was attributed to the company’s good planning of resources such as fuel consumption and maintenance costs so as to give customers the best yet lowest prices they can offer. (AirAsia 2008) Efficient Distribution System Seats are deemed as single class which means that there is only one class seating and it is not assigned, passengers would seat themselves on a first come first serve basis. This is done so in fairness and to save the hassle of allocating seats on the company’s behalf. (AirAsia 2012) E-ticketing also aids in saving the cost of issuing hardcopy tickets, this makes it convenient for customers and saves costs for AirAsia. (AirAsia 2008) Use of Secondary Airports AirAsia typically operates from secondary airports which mean that they would benefit from lower parking, landing and ground handling fees. Secondary airports are also less busy than main airports with most of them having shorter runways, this in turn reduces fuel consumption during take-off, landing or taxi. Fuel consumption is one of the main expenses that AirAsia has hence this is a beneficial cost saving. (AirAsia 2012) Secondary airports are often closer to urban districts which makes it more appealing to some travellers and hence increases the number of potential customers for the airline. The use of secondary airports help in boosting sales and keeping operating costs low. (AirAsia 2012) Point to Point Network AirAsia adopts a point-to-point network model whereby the flights they embark on are short-haul ones within four-hour radius or less (AirAsia 2008) Their sister airline, AirAsia X would focus more on the longer flight routes, hence the point-to-point network is based on the goal of flying a customer from the origin to the destination. Customer Loyalty Programme – ‘BIG’ AirAsia has implemented a Customer Loyalty Programme named BIG Loyalty Programme which enables for the accumulation of BIG Points and allows for the members to redeem free flights. This programme is also a collaborative approach with other BIG Partners where if customers spend their money at, they are also able to accumulate BIG points. 3.2 Future Strategies Use of E-Commerce AirAsia’s current electronic online booking system expanded to cater to different payment methods like billing and settlement plan (BSP) and computer reservation system (CRS) channels after they realized that sticking to the direct-sales only channel was a self-destructive strategy. This has created an ease of booking for customers. However, to further enhance the organization’s IT capabilities, AirAsia can hire an IT expert team to oversee the electronic commerce systems, improve web design, and include more payment methods as deemed fit. As AirAsia operates in a fast-moving services industry, the IT expert team will then meet up regularly to review the electronic commerce systems, gather the problems that surface, and provide consolidated solutions and recommendations to each problem. In addition, AirAsia has adapted Revenue Management Systems, Inc. (RMS) as their revenue management partner and selected airRM as its revenue management system (Revenue Management Systems, Inc. 2012). This has led to the organization’s ability to analyze historical data and forecast demand in order to create efficiency and hence cost savings (AirAsia 2007). In addition to this already set up system, there could be a collaboration of the IT expert team with the financial and marketing team to determine the most effective way to management inventory and revenue besides just leaving it to the IT expert team. Undoubtedly, there will be risks and barriers that will be faced when implementing these suggested strategies. One of the potential risks of E-Commerce is the fact that it increases the possibility of making wrong decisions and the impact is usually huge and swift (International Symposium on Government in E-Commerce Development 2001). Another barrier could be the culture barrier between the different functional teams (i.e. marketing, financial, IT team) that could possibly cause the collaboration of the teams to be unsuccessful. As a result, this could lead to wastage of resources. In-Flight Advertising Initiatives It is essential for AirAsia to continue building on its brand image and brand equity as it is deemed to be a capability that would not only bring in the revenue but would also establish AirAsia as a niche budget airline across households. This can only be done through further advertising and marketing initiatives. In-flight marketing is an ideal way for AirAsia to reach out to its first-timer flyers and possible returners to continue flying with AirAsia (Kirby 2010). Discounted tickets, package holidays and credit points brought forward from previous travels with AirAsia would entice customers into flying more with AirAsia. This can be done within the aircraft where customers would not be able to leave the premises (Leslie n.d). Such marketing initiatives can be incorporated into mini leaflets or flyers so that customers can explore their future holiday options on board the flight to their current holiday destination. Furthermore, flyers onboard have a receptive mindset which is due to the fact that they are excited about the new destination that they would be heading to therefore advertising to such a target audience would bring forth more responsive results (Leslie n.d). Implementing this initiative would require documents to be printed in precise and bold as well as eye-catching manner that would seize the attention of the flyers on board. It has to be attractive so that customers would enquire about it and not just take a quick glance before chucking it aside. Further reiteration can be done by in-flight staff, which could bring personal marketing into this initiative by offering their knowledge upon request. It is an inexpensive procedure for certain in-flight advertising products and it would require more initiation from interested customers. This method is ideal compared to the more expensive ideas that would require mass media for advertising purposes. In-flight advertising can take the form of magazines, radio, video or catalogs. The downside of running this strategy an in-flight marketing initiative would be the reduced target audience, which stems from having an outreach that is only aircraft wide. Limited availability of flyers on flights that are emptier compared to other flights would make the advertising initiatives redundant. Furthermore, it could incur the irritation of customers who may wish to rest and not have to deal with anything else on the flight. In-flight initiatives such as radio and videos would incur higher costs as compared to paper advertising on catalogs and magazines. Furthermore, if the advertising placement is too intrusive, consumers may in return develop negative attitudes towards AirAsia’s marketing regimes. Use of Biofuels Brazilian airlines as well as American, Canadian, German, French, Australian within many others around the world have started using or have plans on using biofuels (Lane 2012). In Asia, specifically, Thailand and Indonesia announced plans of moving towards aviation biofuels (Lane 2012). AirAsia could join the group: Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG) formed in 2008. It may be an alternative when oil prices will likely continue to rise and it is environmentally friendly, therefore they will be able to increase the number of passengers without increasing carbon emissions (Wassener 2011). Since many airlines have started or plan on switching to this kind of fuel, perhaps supply may not be enough and prices go up with high demand (Wassener 2011). Another risk would be the fact that if you are using edible crops to produce biofuel, food prices may go up. Moreover, in an attempt to increase production getting more land, natural habitats might be destroyed by deforestation (Gao, Skutsch, Masera & Pacheco 2011). Finally, a proportion of the market may be skeptical of flying on aircrafts utilizing aviation biofuels. Aggressive Promotional Campaigns AirAsia can continue creating aggressive promotional campaigns as ‘Malaysia with love’. It will make them standout in the competitive airline market. Due to the fact that social media is so widely used nowadays, social media campaigns and efforts are an excellent idea to increase brand awareness and recognition. Statistics show that 58% of firms who have used social media for over 3 years have reported an increase in sales over that period and 85% of businesses say they have had an increase in market exposure (Forbes 2012). Delta Airlines, for example, has introduced bookings through Facebook perhaps AirAsia can do the same or simple create an innovative campaign (The Independent 2010). Risks to the implementation of social media promotional campaigns is the fact that rival low cost-carriers may decide to copy this strategy allowing them to gain market exposure as well and consequently steal market share if their efforts prove to be more successful. In addition, customers who may have had bad experiences with the company will have the story quickly spread in social media networks, making it more harder for firms to contain negative publicity. References AirAsia 2008, AirAsia wins Airline Strategy Award: Finance Category Real 5 Star carrier gets Real 5 Star honour! Available from: . [10 October 2012] AirAsia 2009, Media’s Brand of the Year Goes to AirAsia Awarded for constant innovations and bold ideas in branding campaigns. Available from: .[10 October 2012] Airasia 2011, Investor relations. Available from: . [10 October 2012] AirAsia 2012, What is low cost? Available from: . [10 October 2012] AirAsia in Travel and Tourism (Malaysia) 2012, Euromonitor International The Independent 2010, ‘Airline ticket booking via Facebook goes live’, Available from: [10 October 2012] Daily Yomiuri Online 2012, AirAsia expansion of Japan flights eyed. Available from: . [10 October 2012] Dellit, A 2002, How the ‘free market’ ruined the airline industry. Available from: . [10 October 2012] DestinAsia 2012, Reputation of Asia’s Low-Cost Airlines Takes Off. Available from: < http://www.destinasian.com/airline-news/reputation-of-asias-low-cost-airlines-takes-off/>. [10 October 2012] Ernst & Young 2012, Asia expected to experience changing trade patterns and huge expansion of consumption by growing middle class. Available from: .. [10 October 2012] Finance Department Faculty Publications University of Nebraska Lincoln 1991, The Effects of Airline Strikes on Struck and Nonstruck Carriers. Available from: [7 October 2012] Forbes 2012, ‘The Developing Role of Social Media in Modern Business World’. Available from: [10 October 2012] Khor, YL, Ramli, M, Azeman, A, Goh, GG. 2009, Branding an airline: a case study of AirAsia. Available from: . [9 October 2012] Kirby M. 2010, Airlines to roll out new in-flight advertising service. Available from: . [10 October 2012] Lane, J 2012 â€Å"Aviation biofuels: which airlines are doing what, with whom?†, Available from: [9 October 2012] Lawton, T, Doh, J. The ascendance of AirAsia: Building a successful budget airline in Asia. [9 October 2012] Lehn, KM 2000, ‘Soaring Labor Costs May Ground Airline Merger’, Wall Street Journal, 25 May. Available from: ABI/INFORM Global [7 October 2012] Leslie, S n.d.,Why Inflight Advertising Works. Available from: . [10 October 2012] Mahtani S 2012, AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes Pokes Fun at Singapore Airlines. Available from: . [9 October 2012] Milmo, D 2011, Oil prices pose threat to airlines’ profits and survival, IATA warns. Available from: . [10 October 2012] Mint 2012, ‘Higher fuel costs and fewer travellers worry airline firms’, Mint (New Delhi), 3 September. Available from: ABI/INFORM Global [7 October 2012] Moorman, RW 1993, ‘New entrants are no cure-all’, Air Transport World, vol.30, no. 8, pp.25. Available from: ABI/INFORM Global [7 October 2012] Moorman, RW 1993, ‘New entrants are no cure-all’, Air Transport World, vol.30, no. 8, pp.25. Available from: ABI/INFORM Global [7 October 2012] Mouawad, J 2010. Airlines Work to Catch Up to the Digital Age. Available from: . [10 October 2012] Periabras, R C. 2012, AirAsia expands Fly-Thru innovation. Available from: . [9 October 2012] PRLOG 2010, Technology Drives the Airline Industry. Available from: [10 October 2012] Silverstein B 2010, Airasia. Available from: . [9 October 2012] Sreenivasan V, 2010, Jetstar, Airasia link hands; may twist Tiger’s tail. Available from: . [9 October 2012] Steverman B, 2009. Renewed Terrorism Threat Rattles Airlines. Available from: < http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/dec2009/pi20091229_644479.htm>. [10 October 2012] The Economist 2012, Spreading its wings. Available from: . [9 October 2012] The New York Times 2012, Global Warming & Climate Change. Available from: < http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html>. [10 October 2012] Wassener B 2012. Asia Pacific Region is Fertile Ground for Low Cost Airlines. Available from: . [9 October 2012]. Whitelegg, J 2000. Stockholm Environment Institute University of York England, ‘Aviation: The social, economic, environmental impact of flying’. Available from: [11 October 2012]

Motivating employees Essay Example

Motivating employees Essay Example Motivating employees Essay Motivating employees Essay Motivating employees Name: Course: Institution: Instructor: Date: Outline Abstract Introduction Discussion Importance of motivation Ways of motivating employees Conclusion Abstract Employees are an important asset of a business. Their input determines the performance of a business. If employees have low input, the business is likely to perform poorly. If the employees give large amounts of output, the business will perform well. The business has a responsibility of motivating employees to maintain high levels of output. The human resource department is supposed to determine the possible ways of motivating employees and implementing them. Motivating employees plays a role in retaining employees in the business (Longenecker, 2010). Motivating employees Introduction Motivating employees depends on the nature of work and the needs of the employees. Studies have proved different employees are motivated differently. It is important for the management to understand how their employees become motivated. For instance, some employees prefer non-material rewards while others prefer monetary motivation. Motivating employees improves their discipline and reduces labor turnover. Motivation gives employees satisfaction and sense of belonging in the work place (Lauby, 2005). Discussion The most important motivation is a comfortable environment for working. Employees should have all the facilities they need to do their work. If they lack a good working environment, they will not utilize their full potential. Some of the employees will feel they are not exploiting their skills fully hence look for another job (Lauby, 2005). Relationship between management and employees must be smooth and professional. This is another important motivator for employees. It is difficult for employees to cope well with insolent and unreasonable managers. Business managers should adopt a leadership approach, which will motivate employees. For instance, they should initiate effective communication with the employees. They should learn their problem in the work place and look for solutions. Address the employees in way suggesting the management and employees are part of each other. There should be a culture of teamwork between the management and the employees. This aspect is significant in achieving success in the business. Employees who are free with their managers can approach them with any issues they have. This comfort motivates the employees in their work (Longenecker, 2010). The most common way of motivating employees is giving them an attractive salary. A large number of employees are attracted by big salaries. In today’s world, career people are advancing their education to get better bargain of salary. Research shows a large percentage of labor turnover since most of these employees are seeking jobs with better salaries. Businesses should offer their employees salaries according to their professional qualification. It will motivate and retain the employees in the business. A business loses a lot due to labor turn over (Silverstein, 2007). Training programs and workshops are suitable motivators. Employees get a chance of learning more and enhancing their skills. Enhancement of skills makes employees to feel competent and motivates them to work harder. It also enables them adjust to the changes in the work place. Guidance and counseling about topics like attitude in the work place, performance and other relevant is necessary. It makes employees understand their work and improve their attitude their attitude towards their work. They also acquire knowledge of different aspects of their duties (Lauby, 2005). Conclusion There are many other methods, which business owners could use to motivate their employees. A business should do everything possible to avoid labor turnover caused by lack of motivation to the employees. The business will lose time and production units for the absent employees. It will also incur expenses of recruiting and hiring other employees. This is why the management should ensure the employees have a good working environment. Motivation is directly proportional to employees output. Motivated employees will always have better output than demotivated employees will (Longenecker, 2010). Reference: Lauby, S. J., American Society for Training and Development. (2005). Motivating employees. Alexandria VA: American Society for Training Development. Longenecker, J. G. (2010). Small business management: Launching growing entrepreneurial ventures. Australia: South-Western Cengage Learning. Silverstein, B. (2007). Motivating employees. London: Collins.

What is an Epilogue and How To Write One, According to Pro Editors

What is an Epilogue and How To Write One, According to Pro Editors What is an Epilogue - and How To Write One Readers Won't Forget The epilogue comes after the story has ended and acts as a finishing touch. It’s one of those literary devices whose necessity is often debated - along with its predecessor, the prologue. If you write a strong ending to a story, should there really be anything left to say? Well, like a good digestif, an epilogue can serve as a satisfying close to a story - one that gives you a moment to reflect on everything you just consumed. It shouldn’t replace dessert the ending of the novel, but merely provide a grace note for the story to close on.To help you decide if your story needs an epilogue and, if so, how to write a strong one, we’ve asked our editors to give us their top epilogue advice. But first, let’s make sure we’re all clear on what an epilogue really is...What is an epilogue?Classic Greek and Elizabethan plays often included epilogues to explain the later fates of the characters. An actor would step forward and speak directly to the audience, offering commentary on the story and dispensing morals, if any were to be found in the tale.  Note that the epilogue, in this respect, is the exact opposite of the prologue and the preface.Since then, the epilogue has naturally evolved. Today, this kind of wrap-up is very rarely used in novels. It's seen as "spoon-feeding" the reader and it implies a lack of trust - either between the novelist and the reader, or between the writer and their own ending.Whether you’re writing a â€Å"Happily Ever After† or a â€Å"To be continued†¦Ã¢â‚¬  epilogue, just be sure to go forward with confidence. If you doubt its necessity, it’s a strong sign it doesn’t need to be there. Either way, don’t overwrite, trust your readers, and you’ll surely have them sighing when they flip the final page and remember that â€Å"parting is such sweet sorrow.†What are some of your favorite epilogues? How do you feel they contributed to your understanding or enjoyment of the story? Leave any thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Definition and Discussion of Mental Grammar

Definition and Discussion of Mental Grammar Mental grammar is the  generative grammar stored in the brain that allows a speaker to produce language that other speakers can understand. It is also known as  competence grammar and linguistic competence. It contrasts with linguistic performance, which is the correctness of actual language use according to a languages prescribed rules.   The concept of mental grammar was popularized by American linguist Noam Chomsky in his groundbreaking work  Syntactic Structures (1957). Philippe  Binder and Kenny Smith noted in The Language Phenomenon how important Chomskys work was: This focus on grammar as a mental entity allowed enormous progress to be made in characterizing the structure of languages. Related to this work is  Universal Grammar, or the predisposition for the brain to learn complexities of grammar from an early age, without being implicitly taught all the rules. The study of how the brain actually does this is called neurolinguistics. One way to clarify  mental  or competence  grammar  is to ask a friend a question about a sentence, Pamela J. Sharpe writes in Barrons How to Prepare for the TOEFL IBT. Your friend probably wont know why  its correct, but that friend will know  if  its correct. So one of the features of mental or competence grammar is this incredible sense of correctness and the ability to hear something that sounds odd in a language. Its a subconscious or implicit knowledge of grammar, not learned by rote. In The Handbook of Educational Linguistics,  William C. Ritchie and Tej K. Bhatia note, A central aspect of the knowledge of a particular language variety consists in its grammar- that is, its  implicit  (or tacit or subconscious) knowledge of the rules of pronunciation (phonology), of word structure (morphology), of sentence structure (syntax), of certain aspects of meaning (semantics), and of a  lexicon  or vocabulary. Speakers of a given language variety are said to have an implicit  mental grammar  of that variety consisting of these rules and lexicon. It is this mental grammar that determines in large part the perception and production of speech  utterances. Since the mental grammar plays a role in actual language use, we must conclude that it is represented in the brain in some way.The detailed study of the language users mental grammar is generally regarded as the domain of the discipline of linguistics, whereas the study of the way in which the mental grammar is put to use in the actual comprehension and production of speech in linguistic performan ce has been a major concern of  psycholinguistics. (In Monolingual Language Use and Acquisition: An Introduction.) Prior to the early 20th century and previous to Chomsky, it wasnt really studied how humans acquire language or what exactly in ourselves makes us different from animals, which dont use language like we do. It was just classified abstractly that humans have reason, or a rational soul as Descartes put it, which really doesnt explain how we acquire language- especially as babies. Babies and toddlers dont really receive grammar instruction on how to put words together in a sentence, yet they learn their native tongue just by exposure to it. Chomsky worked on what it was that was special about human brains that enabled this learning.

Cultural diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Cultural diversity - Essay Example the cultures of other ethnic groups who on the other hand believe that illness is as a result of supernatural phenomena attributing the cure to be prayers and other supernatural interventions. The interviewee discussed the different cultural health beliefs and traditions held by different ethnic group in the US that impact on healthcare providence. He discussed the traditions held by Asian islanders about the importance of their extended families and the views of the oldest male in the family are highly regarded. They however believe in harmony and this leads them to agreeing to follow recommendations from health care providers not because they believe in it but simply to avoid disagreements. The interviewee also talked about cultures of the Russian immigrants in the US, who view the US healthcare with a level of distrust since they view the relationship with medical practitioners as being authoritarian, therefore finding it difficult to openly discuss medical concerns with them. He talked about the Hispanics also, who he said that they hold a great respect for older members of the family and have to consult them on matters that concern illness and health. Other Hispanics as revealed by the interviewee view illness as punishment from God and prefer using home remedies for treatment. He also talked about African- Americans whose culture consider the importance of church and family, holding kinship ties with aunts, cousins, grandparents, uncles and even people who may not have a biological relationship to them bit have a role in their family systems. They usually consult a key family member before making decisions related to health. The interviewee also talked about the cu ltural beliefs and traditions of Native Americans who place the values of health to spiritual beliefs and family. They believe that harmony with nature lead to good health, and illness as being as a result of imbalance between supernatural forces and the person. The interviewee expressed his

Illegal Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Illegal Immigration - Essay Example Immigrations are good sometimes for the country but as every good thing has a bad trait; the immigration gets costly for the host country. Sometimes more disasters may cause due to these immigrants. In this piece of writing, discussions on illegal immigrations in different countries, its positive and negative effects will be through. It's the dream of every mankind to live better and give best to one's family. People immigrate from one family to other not only for change in their mood; making thing adventurous for themselves but also to find better land to live and better job to earn. Few of them move to stay with their families already settled in the other country. Few immigrants need the best education in their lives and few of them need the best environment for their families to groom in. Little of them are switching their own countries coz they are tied of country's culture and tradition. Few of them needs different good opportunities in life to grow economically more rapidly. Money really makes this world's mankind crazy to run and leave their loved ones. No doubt many countries offer immigrants a good guest of honor. They serve them if they are here with their families a nice discount on their schools, on their health care etc. similarly if they are employed there, its in some countries a rule to provide a nice income to the employee, more over a nice hand on employee kids expenditures. Medications, electricity charges, Grocery stocks and traveling are few more incentives immigrants get to have. Holidays from work, Different incentives while working really gives attraction to immigrate to a nice high standard countries. America is one of the biggest countries that receive the world's biggest amount of immigrants. People run for good jobs to other countries, leaving their home and family and moreover the fame and respect from the society to earn money. People leave their official respectable job and immigrate to work day and night having number of part time jobs. And for that even they are ready to sweep, serve on petrol pumps, and providing themselves in hotels and restaurants as waiters. Most of the poor people like to go in such countries for part time opportunities as soon as possible and though instead spending money or using their education they just went by using different resources and known to be as illegal immigrants. Immigration costs the country more as its spending less than its earning to its citizens. Few years back it was easy for every one to move from this country to that; and that country to this. But this was giving tough time to host countries, as they have to spend more for sometimes their guests and sometimes who are not citizens of the country but stayed for so long that they are good to be a citizen. These kinds of few reasons make country government set few rules to join their country. Now these rules are being checked on the immigrant and then the permission to be the guest is awarded. People not fulfilling these immigration requirements use illegal ways to enter the country. Crossing Country's borders by hiding here and there, from ports hiding in luggage, etc are few ways to be in the country without immigration. Moreover, people who come once through legal immigration stays long for work even after the expiration of their Visa limit; is also an illegal immigrant. These illegal immigrants not only uses country's goods and

Advertising in the UK fastfood industry Dissertation

Advertising in the UK fastfood industry - Dissertation Example sh this aim, the study targets the following objectives: 3.1 To determine the status of fast food advertising in the UK, for the period 2003 to present (to include findings from the Hastings review and the study by the Food Standards Agency.) 3.2 To understand the cultural issues and considerations that surround fast food advertising 3.3 To draw insight as to how an understanding of cultural attributes may make the advertising of fast foods more effective and mutually beneficial for both consumers and business. 4. Statement of the research problem and sub-problems What are the cultural considerations that advertisers should take into account in promoting the fast food business in the UK? 4.1 What is the current status of fast food advertising in the UK? 4.2 With the ban imposed on advertising for children, what strategic shift in marketing should fast foods consider in targeting the adult market? 4.3 Based on the revised marketing strategy, what are the social norms, beliefs and atti tudes of adults that advertising must consider in pursuit of the new strategy? 5. Significance of the research topic The research topic is a timely and relevant issue in the United Kingdom, where in January 2007 a total ban was implemented by the Office of Communications (OFCOM) on the advertising of junk food and fast food to children. The new legislation was the result of the unrelenting campaign of parents and pressure groups, with the support of the British Medical Association, who were concerned about the worsening obesity problem besetting not only the UK but almost all developed nations. The ban covers all advertising of foods deemed to have particular appeal for children and youth under the age of sixteen. The advertising ban also comes at the end of an exhaustive three year... The research topic is a timely and relevant issue in the United Kingdom, where in January 2007 a total ban was implemented by the Office of Communications (OFCOM) on the advertising of junk food and fast food to children.   The new legislation was the result of the unrelenting campaign of parents and pressure groups, with the support of the British Medical Association, who were concerned about the worsening obesity problem besetting not only the UK but almost all developed nations.   The ban covers all advertising of foods deemed to have particular appeal for children and youth under the age of sixteen.     The advertising ban also comes at the end of an exhaustive three year research on the effects of junk food and fast food advertising on the eating habits of children, mandated by the UK government for OFCOM to undertake.   Lobbyists from either side participated, including representatives from food manufacturers who worried about revenue deterioration.   At this point, health campaigners are pushing for a furtherance of the ban to include all advertising of junk and fast foods before the watershed of 9pm.   The move had made advertisers more creative, foregoing television advertising and resorting to social networking sites and mobile phones. (Fast Food Nation, 2011).Cultural aspects of advertising.   There is current debate about the relationship between advertising and the culture in which the advertising campaign is being launched.   Many are apparently of the opinion that advertising influences those segments.

Strategic Dissection of Blackberry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Dissection of Blackberry - Assignment Example The management after analyzing hidden demand of the market decided to design software which would enable users of Blackberry Smartphone to gain access of wide array of advanced technology based applications. When the phone was launched in the initials stage it attracted huge percentage of profit margins. However with changing scenario of business environment Blackberry witnessed fluctuating consumer demand. On a broader context, it can be stated that there was a need for strategic change in its business operations. This organization possesses competitive advantage in the form of its innovative ideas to provide wireless solutions to target market. In the present scenario there are certain strategic objectives being implemented by the company such as making strategic development period much shorter, ensuring direct and simple communication, and drawing a clear distinction between aspirations and commitments (Blackberry, 2013). Product oriented approach is the major strategy of the comp any. This form of strategy even includes customer, technology, market and products. Long term version of consumer understanding is not facilitated in the company as the focus is on mitigating present consumer demand. Functional, business and corporate level strategies are incorporated by every organization so as to gain a competitive position in the industry. Blackberry always has followed product oriented strategy since its main aim was to convey product benefits across the globe. There are certain strategic changes being made at all levels in order to sustain its business operations. Corporate level strategy of Blackberry is to compete effectively in global and national markets. The company desires to acquire the maximum market share in coming years. Business strategy of the company denotes the market diversification strategy implemented by

Crisis Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Crisis Management - Essay Example Therefore, in an attempt to secure the countries against the harmful effects of floods, various governments have formulated tsunami management plans. These plans are meant to provide the course of action necessary to ensure a sound business continuity management when the business is subjected to risks by natural disasters like cyclones, floods, earthquakes or tsunamis. This paper discusses the tsunami management systems as developed in different countries in general with specific reference to the one employed in the United Kingdom (UK). Also, the roles and responsibilities of the government, media and the local community are analyzed in relation to the subject matter. The European states have taken a step further beyond providing protection against tsunamis by developing Flood Risk Management (FRM) System. (www.floodsite.net, 2007). The system fundamentally comprises three phases as identified by (www.apfm.info, 2005) given as follows: Practically, the advance preparation phase in the underdeveloped countries heavily relies on empirical methods of judging the possibility of tsunamis. The methods include but are not limited to observing behavior of the animals, water levels in dams and rivers and rains. Such notions persist in less educated societies in which a vast majority of people do not understand the technical language in which the flood forecasts are broadcast. However, history proves that their beliefs should not be underestimated. (Mott, 2005) mentioned in that prior to the tsunami of 2004, a strange change in the mood of zoo animals was noticed. The outdoor animals were observed screaming and running for higher grounds and the pets refused to move outdoors. (Mott, 2005). The risk conscious societies of the modern age are moving toward the development of a community based approach. The Community Flood Management Committee (CFMC) assesses factors needed to reduce the chances of tsunami occurrence and lays d own the

Strategic Dissection of Blackberry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Dissection of Blackberry - Assignment Example The management after analyzing hidden demand of the market decided to design software which would enable users of Blackberry Smartphone to gain access of wide array of advanced technology based applications. When the phone was launched in the initials stage it attracted huge percentage of profit margins. However with changing scenario of business environment Blackberry witnessed fluctuating consumer demand. On a broader context, it can be stated that there was a need for strategic change in its business operations. This organization possesses competitive advantage in the form of its innovative ideas to provide wireless solutions to target market. In the present scenario there are certain strategic objectives being implemented by the company such as making strategic development period much shorter, ensuring direct and simple communication, and drawing a clear distinction between aspirations and commitments (Blackberry, 2013). Product oriented approach is the major strategy of the comp any. This form of strategy even includes customer, technology, market and products. Long term version of consumer understanding is not facilitated in the company as the focus is on mitigating present consumer demand. Functional, business and corporate level strategies are incorporated by every organization so as to gain a competitive position in the industry. Blackberry always has followed product oriented strategy since its main aim was to convey product benefits across the globe. There are certain strategic changes being made at all levels in order to sustain its business operations. Corporate level strategy of Blackberry is to compete effectively in global and national markets. The company desires to acquire the maximum market share in coming years. Business strategy of the company denotes the market diversification strategy implemented by

Muhammad and the faith of Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Muhammad and the faith of Islam - Essay Example Islam, unlike Christianity which believes in the Holy Trinity (three persons in one God), held the belief in only one God. They criticized Christians as blasphemous and heretics because of their belief in the Holy Trinity. Islam, however, also teaches salvation, judgment, and heaven. Salvation according to Islam decided upon the hands of their god. Judgment, although cannot be predicted, is absolute to happen. Heaven, for Muslims, is place of joy which Christians criticize to be sensual. Like any other religion, Islam has its own restrictions that uphold morality and peace. The successful expansion of the Arabs to Southern Europe, Spain, and the rest of the Western world proved how powerful their faith in Allah has become. Their first conquests were laid in Syria, Egypt, and North Africa. They easily disrupted the powerful Byzantine Empire and eventually conquered their kingdoms. The Arabs continued their successful conquests in Spain and parts of Asia. Christian kingdoms, meanwhile, moved southward in search of larger lands on which to place their growing population. The greatest contribution of Arabs to their conquered lands was the innovation in agriculture. Like Greeks, Arabs also promoted advances in science, mathematics, and medicine. The advances in learning were promoted in the Arab cities. The Arabs were the first to use the word algebra is a mathematical sense. They also introduced the use of the number zero (0) which made calculations simpler. In the area of medicine, Arab physicians translated numerous medical books of Greek origin and used them in medical practice.

Energy Conservation Essay Example for Free

Energy Conservation Essay Energy conservation is the reduction of quantity of energy used. Energy conservation supports the eco friendly lifestyle by providing energy, which saves your money and at the same time saves the earth. When you decrease the amount of energy you use you automatically make efforts to reduce increasing global warming. Source of Energy Conservation: Solar Energy: Solar power uses the suns energy and light to provide heat, light, and electricity for homes. It is the primary source of all energy forms on the earth. It is one such energy which helps in maintaining the ecological balance through the process of photosynthesis and green house effect. We have been using sun to dry clothes and boil food for generations. But now number of techno powers which have been developed to make full use of solar energy such as: Photovoltaic systems : By these systems the electricity could be produced directly from the sunlight. Solar Process Space heating and cooling : It is the commercial and industrial use of suns heat. Solar Hot Water : The process to heat water with the solar energy. Solar Power plants : Producing electricity bu using the suns heat. Passive Solar heating and daylighting : Use solar energy to heat buildings. Wind energy : Wind energy is often used to generate the mechanical power or the electricity. In the country like India, wind energy holds the great importance because of large hilly, coastal and desert areas. In the rural areas it is used to pump water and grind grain. The benefit of wind energy is that it is fully pollution free and is eco friendly too. It costs low and the generation of power is continuous. It is the most effective way to conserve the energy and prevent the environment. Geothermal Energy : Geothermal energy is used in the form of thermal energy, electrical energy, nuclear energy, mechanical energy, chemical energy and light energy. It uses heat energy from beneath the surface of the earth. It was first used to produce electricity in the Itlay in 1903. Geothermal energy has the major environment benefit as it prevents air pollution. It is particularly important in the inland nations such as Indian Oceans and the pacific regions. Energy generation from geothermal sources is only possible in few places under unique geographic conditions. Wave energy : Ocean waves contain large amount of energy, which can be extracted through Ocean winds, Ocean currents, Ocean Geothermal etc. if the barrage is built across the river, electricity can be obtained by by the flow of water through turbines as the tide rise and falls. Hydroelectric energy : Another renewable source of energy is the hydroelectric energy, which is produced from fast flowing water. The process is pollution free. The movement of water spins the turbines which in turn generate electricity. Biomass energy : Biomass is the plant and animal waste which is used as the energy. Biomass energy like manure from livestock, plant waste etc can be used to generate electricity, fuel, light, and heat. We get biomass energy directly from plants and indirectly from the animal waste.

Theories of Authority and Obedience

Theories of Authority and Obedience Ioannis Sakarellos Obedience has always been ubiquitous while while at the same time was easily overlooked. According to Milgram, obedience can be defined as â€Å"the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose. It is the dispositional cement that binds men to systems of authority† (1). This paper claims that ordinary people who have a strong personal moral code tend to blindly follow orders given by an authoritarian figure when they become part of a structured organization governed by authority. This action of blindly following orders to do things that they personally know are wrong and can cause horrible results is referred by Zimbardo as â€Å"turning evil† (The Lucifer effect). What is meant by blindly following orders is that people fail to think of the consequences of the actions that they have been ordered to undertake. Many researchers have come to the conclusion that it is not the mentally ill or the ones with behavior problems who end up doing the most harmful things but rather the normal people. The key concept of the paper is that ordinary people by â€Å"simply doing their job† with a sense of obligation towards an authoritarian figure can cause immoral and unethical circumstances to arise (Milgram 6). The main source to be analyzed will be Milgram’s book Obedience to Authority, which examines his teachers and learners experiment. The end result of the experiment is that average people did â€Å"become agents in a terrible destructive process† (6). However, the process by which people become evil is of equal importance. Moreover, the second source of the paper is Zimbardo’s book, The Lucifer Effect, which further examines the main concept of the research through real-life examples. It mainly focuses on how good people can turn evil by obeying someone’s orders under certain situations. Directly connected with this outcome is the term â€Å"Banality of evil†, which comes from Arendt’s book Eichmann in Jerusalem (xiv). This term means that evil things occur when ordinary people follow orders and feel that the evil things they are doing are normal. In this paper, both experimental and real life situations are examined in order to illustrate the power that authority has on individuals who have normal codes of morality and behavior, and how they will perform ruthless acts they wouldn’t have done otherwise. Milgram states that our own nature is the root of being obedient since â€Å"we are born with the potential for obedience.† This inborn structure, along with the influences each person has from society, â€Å"produce the obedient man† (125). He states, the reason ordinary people blindly follow orders given from an authoritarian figure lies in the changes that occur in people’s behavior when from acting individually they enter a hierarchically coordinated organization. He concludes that the conscience an individual has about moral and ethical standards, and what that person thinks is right or wrong, is not further followed with the orders given from an authoritarian figure. Individuals will act blindly without thinking whether the actions they have to undertake conform with their personal values. When ordinary people enter a hierarchical structure system, they lose their personal judgment of each order given from someone who is higher in the hierarchical ladder. T herefore, the nature of the action ordered is not filtered by the person’s own belief, and as a result, heinous consequences might occur. Milgram’s teachers and learners experiment is one characteristic situation of blind obedience that occurs due to the change in people’s behavior when moving from the individual function to the organization function. â€Å"The main question is how far the participant will comply with the experimenter’s instructions before refusing to carry out the actions required of him† (Milgram 3). Before mentioning the results of the experiment and how the participants who had ordinary behavior managed to turn evil by obeying the experimenter and conducting immoral and unethical actions, I want to highlight one of the keystones in this research; Milgram’s agentic state. The agentic state, or state of agency, is â€Å"the condition a person is in when he sees himself as an agent for carrying out another person’s wishes† (Milgram 133). As individuals enter an authoritarian system which is hierarchically organized and moves away from being autonomous, they fail to follow their own beliefs and perceptions and they turn into an agent who follows blindly and uncritically the orders given from above. Most importantly, when the person is in the agentic state he â€Å"no longer views himself as responsible for his own actions but defines himself as an instrument for carrying out the wishes of others† (Milgram 134). People, by being in the agentic state, are becoming blindly obedient to the authority figure. Especially, if the actions ordered are unethical and immoral, as it is in the teachers and learners experiment, people can become evil and cause severe pain for example, by giving electric shocks to the learners. In order to examine the consequences of the agentic state on participants, the most vital factors that lead the subjects in this state and transform them into blind obedient servants, need to be mentioned first. One of the factors is the perception of authority. According to Milgram, authority can be defined as â€Å"the person who is perceived to be in a position of social control within a given situation† (138). Milgram declares that what matters is how the individual perceives authority in a social structure. Specifically, the experimenter and the set-up of the situation, which seems like a scientific laboratory, create authority’s appearance, which is what influences the participants. Two other main factors he suggests are the entry into the Authority System and the Overarching Ideology. In order for a person to fully become an agent who only follows orders, he or she has to become part of the authority system. The entry into the laboratory serves the role of enteri ng into the authority system. It is very important that the participants enter voluntarily since in that way, a sense of commitment and obligation towards authority is created. Regarding the overarching ideology, â€Å"science and its acceptance as a legitimate social enterprise provides the overarching ideological justification for the experiment† (Milgram 142). The ideological justification of the experiment’s purpose is what drives participants to obtain willing obedience, perceiving their behavior as helping a desirable end to occur. The three factors (perception of authority, entry into the Authority System, the Overarching Ideology) are necessary in shifting into the agentic state. Once the participants are in this state of altered personality, two main consequences arise which cause the former ordinary people to transform into evil servants. One of the consequences is the process of tuning, when the subject has â€Å"maximal receptivity to the emissions of the authority, whereas the learner’s signals are muted and psychologically remote† (Milgram 144). Milgram states that learners are viewed as simple obstacles rather than human beings that need to be overcome in order for the authoritarian relationship of experimenter-learner to be satisfied. In addition, authority is perceived as an impersonal force and the experimenter as a suprahuman character, having powers above and beyond a normal person. Orders given exclusively by the authoritarian figure will be followed whether they promote immoral and unethical actions and severe negative results ensue. The other main consequence is the loss of responsibility and is characterized as the most far-reaching one in the agentic state. â€Å"A man feels responsible to the authority directing him but feels no responsibility for the content of the actions that the authority prescribes† (Milgram 145). The people believe they have an obligation towards the authoritarian figure and their accountability depends on how well they have performed the actions called for by the authority. The heinous nature of the actions ordered are not taken into consideration simply because â€Å"they see them as originating in the motives of some other person† (Milgram 146). Also, because they are not in the autonomous state, the superego cannot control their actions and the inhibitory forces are not capable of examining whether the orders given compromise their moral values and principles. Hence, the people end up being blindly obedient and they adopt a different personality which forces them to do terrible actions with even more harsh results. According to Zimbardo, the experts predicted that most subjects would not give strong electric shocks when orders to do so. They forecasted that on average â€Å"less than 1 percent would go all the way to the end, that only sadists would engage in such sadistic behavior, and that most people would drop out at the tenth level of 150 volts† (271). However, the shocking truth was that â€Å"two of every three (65 percent) of the participants went all the way up to the maximum shock level of 450 volts† (271). The key factor that made the participants obey and continue even after the point where the victim-learner was not responding was the experimenter’s reassurance that he will take the responsibility of their action. A characteristic example is a teacher’s report which states the initial refusal: â€Å"I didn’t know what the hell was going on †¦ I was not taking responsibility for going further. That’s it.† (271). Although, the los s of personal responsibility is one reason for continuing, Zimbardo suggests another reason. He highlights that the participants did not know how to exit the experiment. â€Å"It is a simple matter of up and then out.† (272). The results of the experiment reveal exactly what the purpose of the paper was; to prove that it is not the sadists or the psychopaths who conduct the most unethical, immoral and cruel actions but the ordinary people. The normal people are the ones who, under specific situations and by the influence of an authoritarian figure, will blindly follow orders. A real-life example of every-day men becoming evil and being indoctrinated into extraordinary killing occurred during the 2nd world war. It was the actions of Reserve Battalion 101, a unit of the German Order Police, consisting of approximately 500 men from Hamburg, which played a crucial role in the extermination of Jews in Poland and the implementation of Hitler’s Final Solution. According to Browning, the members of the Unit were middle-aged ordinary men, neither sadists nor Nazi fanatics. However, despite the option they were given from their commander not to participate in the Unit’s actions, 90 percent of the men didn’t refuse and took part in the shootings. The Unit’s inhumane and unethical achievement was the death of at least 83,000 Jews (142). Browning’s conclusion is similar to the one given by Milgram in the teachers and learners experiment. The members of the Battalion were as normal as the participants in Milgram’s experiment, a nd the reason for the unrealistic killing lies in their blind obedience to the authoritarian figure. Browning suggests that ordinary people will tend to obey and follow orders given from above, even though the orders might come into conflict with their personal judgment and values. The explanation for this statement was given by Milgram: specifically, in both cases the people were placed in a hierarchically organized structure; therefore, people’s ethical boundaries didn’t apply to the orders given from authority. People lost their personal identity related to the orders given: their inhibitory forces were no longer able to inspect whether the orders were within their ethical limits. As a result, both participants of the experiment and members of the Battalion ended in conducting actions they wouldn’t have done otherwise. Last but not least, one of the most vital historical examples that clearly illustrates that the ones who tend to blindly follow orders given from authority are ordinary people, is the case of Adolf Eichmann. Despite Eichmann’s cruel actions of arranging the execution of millions of Jews, he was completely normal without any trace of abnormal behavior: â€Å"Half a dozen psychiatrists had certified him as â€Å"normal† –â€Å"More normal at any rate †¦ â€Å"not only normal but most desirable† (Arendt 25–26). Arendt’s concluded that â€Å"the trouble with Eichmann was precisely that so many were like him, and that many were neither perverted nor sadistic, that they were †¦ terribly and terrifyingly normal.† She states that this â€Å"new type of criminal †¦ commits his crimes under the circumstances that make it well-nigh impossible for him to know or feel that he is doing wrong† (276). â€Å"It was as though in those last minutes [of Eichman’s life] he was summing up the lesson that this long course in human wickedness had taught us–the lesson of the fearsome, word-and-thought defying banality of evil† (252) . Hannah Arendt, through her detailed analysis of the war crimes trial of Eichmann, was the first to present the fundamental phrase â€Å"Banality of evil.† She showed that â€Å"social forces can prompt normal people to perform horrific acts† (Zimbardo 289). The experimental and real-life examples that were examined in the paper suggest that the key factor for ordinary people to blindly obey an authoritarian figure is their entry into a hierarchically organized structure, and the loss of their individuality. By entering in such well-structured system, people turn evil and they conclude horrible actions they wouldn’t have done if they weren’t part of it. Therefore, it may be possible that the conclusion drawn from these examples could be applied in today’s highly coordinated world. The modern militaries, the business, political and governmental organizations are also hierarchically structured. This may indicate that nowadays people within these organizations can still be transformed into modern evil servants who will serve and obey the interests of the most powerful people. However, it might also be plausible that due to the more liberalized world we live in, people instead of obeying they could actively resist the or ders given from above or they may even act in an aggressive and violent way against authority. Obedience to authority will always be a theme available for further research and with more than one possible explanations of why people obey and follow orders.