Vik Muniz Photographs Essay Example For Students

Vik Muniz Photographs Essay I observed a very unique series of photographs by Vik Muniz called Seeing is Believing. Vik Munizs images are not simply photography but are pictures of complicated pieces of art he has produced at earlier times. Utilizing an array of unorthodox materials including granulated sugar, chocolate syrup, sewing thread, cotton, wire, and soil Muniz first creates an image, sculpturally manipulates it and then photographs it. Munizs pictures include portraits, landscapes, x-rays, and historical images. One work that particularly caught my attention was a photograph called Big James Sweats Bullets from the series Sugar Children. The content or subject matter of the artwork is representational. The photograph depicts the hardworking children of sugar cane plantations in South America. This particularly photo is a portrait of a dark skinned boy, slightly overweight, standing and grinning. The photo is of neatly arranged granulated sugar across a piece of black paper which produces the image of the boy. We will write a custom essay on Vik Muniz Photographs specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Many different sensory properties compose the artwork. There is a soft light that seems very natural coming off the boys face. The light shines at the boys face at an elevated level, as if he were outside on a hot afternoon with the sun overhead. There is a wide range of tones from very bright, in the reflection off the boys cheeks to very dark in the skin of the boys face. Muniz does an excellent job using shadows to provide a feeling of depth and adding curves to the boys body and face. The shape of the boy is positive, but the background is not defined, allowing a negative shape or void in the picture. Although there is no actually texture on the photograph the texture from the original work of art is apparent. The use of sugar gives off a hazy effect preventing the photo from having a clear focus. The portrait of the boy has a frontal vantage point with his body centered and balanced on at all angles. This shows the expression on the boys face and the size of the boys body, which is important to the title of the work. When looking at the photograph the eyes are immediately drawn to the boys face and grin. I chose this piece of art in particular because of the strong emotional message it sent to me. You could sense the hard work and labor the children experienced at these plantations. You tend to feel sorry for this child when considering what he must go through. What I enjoyed must about this photo was Munizs use of symbolism. The fact that he produced the image of a sugar cane working boy with actual sugar was both impressive and significant.

Diplocaulus Essays

Diplocaulus Essays Diplocaulus Paper Diplocaulus Paper The Duplicitous is a very strange and mysterious animal from long ago. Scientists dont know much about the creature. They know that the Duplicitous is a 4 foot long amphibian that lived in the early Permian period 250 million years ago. The Duplicitous lived in the USA and northern Africa. The Duplicitous lived near present day Texas, Oklahoma, and Morocco. At the time these areas were very wet and swampy. This is a perfect habitat because this gives the Audiovisuals the ability to be sneaky and to hide. The Duplicitous needs stealth to catch its prey. The Duplicitous ate small animals like rodents and small reptiles. The Dimension was the main threat to the Duplicitous. The Dimension can eat the Duplicitous because of its razor sharp teeth. Its teeth can crush and eat the Duplicitous boomerang shaped head. The Duplicitous is like a present day alligator, but it has a boomerang shaped skull. The Duplicitous may not be the biggest animal out there, but it is very strong and it animal is fast. The boomerang shaped skull acts as a hydrofoil which helps it get away from its predators. The Duplicitous hides in the mud and waits for prey to come and get a drink. Snap! If the Duplicitous was alive today people would never want to go swimming again. The Duplicitous is an interesting animal because of all of its unique and amazing features. It was an excellent hunter. The Duplicitous was great at adapting and surviving in the extremely harsh environments.

The Best of Intentions Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Best of Intentions - Case Study Example Some of the key issues include the following: Business decisions which are made based on race or gender rather than an evaluation of strong or best performance Discriminatory clients or customers influence decision making in the AgFunds company. The issue of minorities is evident with the company having low expectations for blacks becoming successful. The company has made little effort in reforming customer attitudes and supporting their previous minority representatives Racial and cultural differences strongly influence company decisions which show racial biases. Analysis and explanation of decisions will be made based on expert discussions. Researchers agree that Cynthia should offer Steve the job. According to Humphreys et al (2002), Cynthia should give Steve a good list of prospects after finding out the clients. These clients assume that she will not send to them a representative that under performs. Therefore, clients will be more open to Steve. Also, Cynthia needs to act as St eve’s sponsor through working with Steve but at the same time work with others to communicate the high expectations she has for him. This effort may not be successful though because Peter Jones, Cynthia’s boss, believes that the clients are not yet ready for a black person to become their representative. That is why he shows unwillingness to risk proving that he is wrong. Therefore, Peter is denying Steve a chance to prove himself in a cross cultural environment. According to Morris (Humphreys et al, 2002), Cynthia should offer Steve a job because he has the right qualities and he is the best qualified candidate. He states that if Cynthia allows discriminating clients to influence her decision to hire Steve, it may put the AgFunds Company at risk of a discrimination claim. He proposes that strong performance could be a great equalizer in the organizational culture. In this case, some prospective clients may be in need a high performer irrespective of race or gender bec ause the district has been losing customers for fifteen years. Again this might not be possible because of Peter’s paternalism which is rather offensive and lack of effort by the company to change the attitude of customers. Also, the company lacks support to previous representatives considered as minorities. Based on these facts, the causes of lack of effective communication across cultures is the clients’ unchanging attitude and the lack of support and mentorship for representatives from the black minority. Koehn & Leung (Humphreys et al, 2002) work in collaboration on research examining ethical problems that arise during cross cultural interactions. Koehn is for the opinion that Cynthia should offer the job to Steve if she thinks she is the right person. She says that Steve may be in a better position than other sales representatives at AgFunds to handle the Arkansas farmers. This is based on several studies that have shown that minorities who were being treated as o utsiders have often outperformed others in handling difficult and stressful situations. However, this might not apply in this case because Peter with other district managers may be already set to push Cynthia into not hiring Steve. Koehn’s and Leung’s research give an example of gender bias in decision making where male executives have over the years argued that female employees should not be given international postings. They argue that nationals

Classic airline and marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Classic airline and marketing - Essay Example After insignificant loss in this sector, many of the airline companies utilized this chance and have emerged as the top players in the airline business. The financial crisis also contributed to aggravate the situation and paved the way for the decline of this airline company. However, they have recorded earnings of over eight billion dollars and this has given scope for revival. These profits are not insignificant if one considers the crunch in travel sector due to global financial crisis. But, problems including the failure in the marketing have again caused this airline to show poor performance. They found a decrease of 10% relating to the shareholders. Again, due to the global economic crisis, the board of directors of Classic Airlines has been forced to decrease the rates by 15%. They has also been a little hesitant to improve their marketing technologies. These made them to pay badly and struggled to withstand in the current competition. The company has also failed to provide su itable offers to attract customers to their services. Most of the other companies came up with numerous offers on hands to attract new customers and retain the old ones. Thus, the previous loyal customers and some of the frequent flyers started to migrate to other airlines that offered them higher value in their services and are also ready to travel for low prices. When Classic Airlines has sensed this idea, they were not able to implement a marketing plan to retain their loyal customers because of the rate problems. They were not able to run their operation on a cost that the other companies offer. Thus, the marketing tactics to retain the reputation of the company among the passengers did not bear any fruits. Currently, Classic Airlines are not able to find an alternative to escape from their dilemma. They are not ready to reduce the cost from what they have decided in their budget. They are now trying to

Oman Telecommunication Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oman Telecommunication Company - Case Study Example There is a 49%cap on foreign ownership in Omantel.However no single party can hold more that 5% of the company's shares currently. The telecom landscape is primarily dominated by the state owned incumbent operator Oman Telecommunication Company (Omantel) It is the sole licensed operator of public fixed lines, telecommunication services including local, long distance and international telephony besides data communication and value added services, dominates the telecom landscape in Oman. It has launched its digital cellular network in 1996 and was the only mobile service provider in Oman until 2005, when new entrant Nawras telecom forayed into the market.Nawras won the tender for a second cellular license in June 2004 and received it in Feb 2005.Omantel's cellular subsidiary, Oman Mobile was given a the formal cellular license in Feb 2004.Both the players operate in the cellular market under a three year period of exclusivity that will expire next year. For the year ending Jan 2006,there were an estimated 1,78,000 internet users in the sultanate, out of which a vast majority accounted for Omantel's subscriptions. Howver since it's launch in March 2006,second mobile license holder Nawras has claimed 20% of the market share and has added over 3,00,000 new subscribers In the current scenario, there is no schedule for awarding the third generation (3G) universal mobile telecommunication system (WMTS... The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority(TRA)expects to license a second national public fixed line network operator as well as a second national public data operator in the near future but has not yet set a schedule for the endowment of the license. Market Potential. Statistics from the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority reveal the following: Mobile phone subscriptions: 1.5 million Fixed phone lines: 2, 69,000. Out of this Omantel's subscriber base amounted to 1.242 million (all services) in June 2005.For mobile services its market share was a staggering 91.7% for the same period. There has been a significant rise in the number of internet users, yet the penetration rates in Oman are low compared to other regions in GCC. Most of the internet users are concentrated in and around the capital region of Muscat. Despite persistent attempts, little progress has been made in other parts of the country, particularly in regard to the access of high-speed ADSL services. Therefore, it maybe inferred that there is a lot of untapped market potential in Oman. The Arab Advisors group forecasts that by the end of 2009 increased penetration figures, greater account usage and multiplier ratios might account for as many as 5,08,000 internet users in the sultanate. The installation and access charges are plunging, therefore the internet and data services market is promising. In recent times, Nawras has introduced wireless EDGE broadband services. High-end business users constitute a major chunk of the clientele, but it is a small segment of the market and nearing saturation. In this context, the under twenty-five market segment is likely to drive growth. In markets like Europe and East Asia

Zoonotic Foodborne Pathogens | Essay

Zoonotic Foodborne Pathogens | Essay Zoonoses describe diseases that can be transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans. Zoonotic diseases are common and are caused by various types of agents, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites [12]. According to the study by Taylor et al. 2001 that out of the 1415 infectious organisms that are pathogenic to humans 61% of them are zoonotic [8]. And over 200 zoonoses related diseases are known [12]. Zoonoses related diseases can be caught from foodborne zoonoses, non-foodborne zoonoses, helminthic parasitic zoonoses, protozoan parasitic zoonoses and zoonotic ectoparasites. However this work is only focusing on the common bacterial related foodborne zoonoses. Every year bacterial foodborne zoonoses is the cause of millions of people becoming ill [12]. The most significant bacterial zoonotic pathogens associated with foodborne disease are Campylobacter, Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 [5]. Other bacterial foodborne zoonotic pathogens are Mycobacteria, Listeria, and Brucella all of which are from dairy products. The zoonotic foodborne pathogen Campylobacter causes the illness campylobacteriosis which causes often bloody diarrhoea, malaise, fever, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting. The incubation period is usually between 2-5 days before onset of symptoms. Most Campylobacter infections are mild, without the need for hospitalization and with complete recovery within 10 days. However the severity of the disease varies and in some cases may be life-threatening or resulting in long term health problems. People that tend to die by the disease are often suffering from immuno-deficiencies, or other diseases like liver disease or cancer. Guillain-BarrÑ  syndrome (GBS) is a complication of Campylobacter infection that occurs in approximately 1 in every 1000 reported cases of campylobacteriosis (CDC, 2008, May 21). GBS an autoimmune disease that targets the nerves cells of the body may lead to permanent paralysis. Another neurological related syndrome that may occur subsequent to campylobacter iosis is Miller Fisher Syndrome. [2, 5, 10] In the UK there are approximately 55,000 cases a year of Campylobacter infection. Campylobacter jejuni being the predominant Campylobacter species that causes foodborne gastrointestinal illnesses in humans, other similar closely related species that causes diseases in humans are C. coli and C. fetus. C. jejuni are curved gram-negative, microaerophilic, thermophilic rods with optimum growth temperature at 40oC and low oxygen concentrations. It is these qualities of C. jejuni that enables it to colonise the intestines of warm-blooded birds and mammals. The reservoir for C. jejuni ranges from healthy domestic and wild animals such as dogs, cats, cattle, pigs, sheep, birds, chickens, rodents, ducks and geese. As C. jejuni is ubiquitous in nature food products particularly poultry meat, beef and pork are at risk of environmental contamination during processing. Campylobacter can survive in livestock water troughs, stock ponds, lakes and dairy lagoons all of which may introduce the infecti on into the animal flocks. Also rodents, wild birds, faecal contaminated equipment and footwear may all serves as potential vehicles of transmission of bacteria into the animal flocks. Once the infection is introduced into the flock rapid transmission between the animals occur with subsequent colonization of commercial meat that if undercooked may lead to foodborne enteritis in the consumer. Poultry meat tend to carry high bacterial numbers of C. jejuni, being the main source of infection in humans as it has a high level of consumption so the risk is greater. The consumption of unpasteurized milk should also be avoided as it is an identified source of Campylobacter, but pasteurization of dairy products eliminates the pathogen. [2, 5, 10] Control and prevention measures have been established in order to reduce Campylobacter pathogens entering the human food chain. These control strategies are aimed at preventing colonization of the pathogen in food animals through the implementation of strict bio-security measures, good hygiene practices at harvest level in an attempt to control and minimise the level of faecal contamination during poultry transportation, slaughtering and carcase dressing. Other incorporated control methods include decontamination strategies, rodent control, exclusion of wild animals and insect eradication that are potential carriers of the pathogen, and chlorination of drinking water to 2ppm. Gamma irradiation of animal carcasses is also effective at reducing the colonization levels of the pathogen in the carcass, but this method although endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and others is not well accepted by consumers. Increased public awareness of foodborne Campylobacter infection is nec essary as in the end the only measure to ensure reduce risk is at the consumer level through increased hygiene when storing, preparing and handling raw-meat to avoid cross-contamination via utensils and through adequately cooking of the poultry at recommended temperatures by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure destruction of C. jejuni. Undercooked poultry has been responsible for >50% of cases of C. jejuni. [2, 5, 10] The second most common bacterial foodborne zoonoses pathogen reported is Salmonella which are gram negative rod-shaped bacteria that are closely related to the Escherichia, and is responsible for causing salmonellosis. Salmonellosis is associated with enteric infections and since the discovery of the first strain of Salmonella in 1885 called Salmonella choleraesuis there have been over 2300 strains known to cause salmonellosis; the most common being S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium. In the UK there are approximately 11,000 cases a year reported on Salmonella which causes gastroenteritis. Symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. In severe cases the diarrhoea may be bloody just like in Campylobacter infections. The incubation period for Salmonella varies from 6 to 72 hours. Complications may also arise such as bacteraemia or Reiters syndrome. Bacteraemia occurs when the Salmonella pathogen enters the infected individuals bloodstream. Reiters syndrome although uncommon may result from Salmonella infection, it is a disorder associated with at least two of three seemingly unrelated symptoms: reactive arthritis, eye infection and urinary tract infection. The people most susceptible to contracting Salmonella infection include immuno-compromised individuals such as AID sufferers, cancer patients, or transplant recipients. Or individuals that are in close proximity to other infected people, such as sharing a household, or individuals that possess pet lizards, birds, or reptiles. Salmonella has a low infectious dose, probably from 15-20 cells. [3] Salmonella are present in the environment as well as cold and warm blooded animals. The Salmonella serotypes in food animal species like poultry can be divided into host specific and non-host specific infections. The host specific infections are those that affect the bird host and are of little public concern, such as S. Gallinarum and S. Pullorum. They are the common serotypes implicated in poultry disease. As for the non-host specific infections they are the cause of Salmonella foodborne poisoning in humans such as S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium. Most of the serotypes associated with human foodborne disease cause no disease in poultry, but can be spread by them between flocks and once in the food chain the product is contaminated food. Poultry meat and products like eggs are the main source of Salmonella infection in humans. [3] Similar to the Campylobacter control strategies, on farm prevention and control methods are undertaken to control Salmonella in poultry. Strict bio-security measures and farm pathogen reduction strategies are the first steps in minimising the occurrence of foodborne pathogens in eggs and meat. Surveillance of poultry flocks for Salmonella should be conducted to identify any infected flock which can then be immediately dealt with using appropriate measures to minimise spread within the flock and the risk of transmission to humans. Infected flock should be slaughtered and disposed of appropriately to reduce human exposure to Salmonella. One of the ways in which poultry may contract Salmonella is through contaminated food, thus it is necessary to monitor the poultry feed status. It is recommended to use bactericidal treatment or heat treated food to prevent Salmonella contamination. Poultry food should also be contained in clean closed containers to prevent access by rodents or wild bir ds. Rodent control should be used as a repellent. Vaccines against Salmonella can also be used but should not be used as the sole control measure, rather as an additional prevention measure. Good hygiene practices should be used such as cleaning and disinfection of equipment and the bird house, disposal of litter in a safe manner especially contaminated waste to prevent exposure to humans, livestock and wild-life to Salmonella. The use of antimicrobials as a treatment of Salmonella infection in poultry should not be used as it may contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance, or mask the infection during sampling. Also it is vital that public awareness and education of foodborne Salmonella infection is raised so that poultry consumers can take necessary precautions to avoid contracting the infection. The precautions that consumers can take include the cooking of meat adequately before consuming, cooking of eggs until the yoke is solid, not consuming food containing raw eggs, not consuming unpasteurized milk, and the washing of hands after handling any animals. [7, 10] The third and last foodborne bacterial disease to be discussed is the gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7. The O and H denotes the cell wall and flagella antigen number respectively. E. coli bacteria colonise the intestinal tract of warm blooded animals, such as humans and mammals. There have been over 700 serotypes identified but those that produce the Shiga toxin (Stx), such as E. coli O157:H7 have been associated with foodborne illnesses and is responsible for most of the E. coli related illnesses in humans. In the UK alone there are approximately 1,100 cases per year of E. coli O157:H7 with just a small dosage (

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg Conner Mahan Period 5 Presented to Stephen Dame February 24, 2013 Table of Contents Cover Page : Page 1 Table of Contents : Page 2 Biography Page : Page 3 Films Page : Page 4 Songs Page : Page 5 The Letter to the Famous Person : Page 6 Gallery : Page 7 Works Cited : Page 8 Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an actor, movie and television producer, and also a former rapper. He was known for being called Marky Mark in his earlier years of fame but then became more famous in 1991 with his debut of being the frontman of the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.He was named number one of VH1’s 40 Hottest Hotties of the 90’s. Wahlberg has been in several movies, one of the most famous for him was Fear because it was the first film that he had a good roll in. Mark believes in the religion of Catholicism. He is married and has four children. He married Rhea Durham in 2009 and they are still married to this day. He has two brothers, Donnie Wahlberg and Ro bert Wahlberg. Mark was born in Boston, Massachusetts, U. S. on June 5, 1971. He is 41 now and still making movies. His current occupations are being an Actor and a Producer. His most recent production that will be coming out very soon is Pain and Gain.In this movie he had to go on a rigorous diet and workout a lot. If you take a look at two different images before and after the movie was made you can tell a large difference in his muscle mass. In this movie they corrupt a company man that happens to sell an illegal substance. They blackmail him about what he has done and get him to give them all of their money and runs of. Movies That He Starred In —- The Substitute : 1993 Renaissance Man : 1994 The Basketball Diaries : 1995 Fear : 1996 Traveller : 1997 Boogie Nights : 1997 The Big Hit : 1998 The Corruptor : 1999 Three Kings : 1999 The Yards : 2000The Perfect Storm : 2000 Planet of the Apes : 2001 Rock Star : 2001 The Truth About Charlie : 2002 The Italian Job : 2003 Entoura ge : 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010. I Heart Huckabees : 2004 Four Brothers : 2005 Invincible : 2006 The Departed : 2006 Shooter : 2007 We Own the Night : 2007 Saturday Night Live : 2008 The Happening : 2008 Max Payne : 2008 The Lovely Bones : 2009 Date Night : 2010 The Other Guys : 2010 Cubed : 2010 The Fighter : 2010 Contraband : 2012 Ted : 2012 Broken City : 2013 Pain & Gain : 2013 2 Guns : 2013 Transformers 4 : 2014 Ted 2 : 2014 Movies That He was Producer/Executive Producer In –Entourage – Executive Producer. We Own the Night – Producer. In Treatment – Executive Producer. How to Make It in America – Executive Producer. The Fighter – Producer. Contraband – Producer. This is Mark Wahlberg on the Red Carpet. (2005-2007) This is Mark Wahlberg on the Red Carpet again. (2010-2011) Letter to Mark Wahlberg : Hello Mr. Mark Wahlberg. I would like to inform you of me being a big fan of yours. I would someday like to meet you. I don’t have m uch to talk about. Sincerely, Conner Mahan Works Cited : â€Å"Mark Wahlberg. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 26 Feb. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.

Five Forces of Competition Essay

Air travel has changed the way people live and experience the world today. The airline industry is a strategic sector that plays a fundamental role in the globalization of other industries since it promotes tourism, world trade, foreign investment and, therefore, leads to economic growth. However, all airlines within the industry operate in a highly dynamic environment where various legal, social, technological and economic forces interact with each other, thus influencing their decisions and actions In the industry where airlines can face severe financial distress due to oil crisis, recessions and terrorist attacks, In order to survive, as well as succeed, the business needs to assess its competitive environment and identify key factors that may influence its actions (Porter, 1998, p. 5). The airline industry is very competitive and Michael Porter’s five-forces model can be used to analyse the intensity of the competition and the profitability of this industry. Porter’s five forces model is a business unit strategy tool which is used to make an analysis of the value of an industry structure (Hubbard, 2004, pg 35). The analysis is made by the identification of 5 fundamental competitive forces. These include: Threat of new entrants is high  One of the forces identified by this model is the threat of new entrants which refers to the possibility of new competitors entering the industry and undermining the profits of the established businesses. In the world today, the airline industry is so saturated that there is hardly space for a newcomer to enter the market. The biggest for this is the cost of entry. The airline industry is one of the most expensive industries, due to the cost of buying and leasing aircrafts, safety and security measures, customer service and manpower. Other barriers to entry which will recess new comers into the airline industry include Government restrictions and high capital costs to develop new airlines. However, the entry barriers for new airlines is lower today since the Australian domestic airline market was deregulated in 1990. This has produced far greater competition than before deregulation in most markets. The deregulation has allowed Jetstar and Tiger Airways enter the market and reduce the market share for Virgin Blue and with the added competition, together with pricing freedom, means that there is a major onstraint on profitability for the airline industry. Moreover if borrowing is cheap the likelihood of more airlines entering the industry is higher. Bargaining power of Buyers is high The bargaining power of buyers is another force that can affect the competitive position of a company (Porter, 1998, p. 48). This refers to the amount of pressure customers can place on a business, thus, affecting its prices, volume and profit potential (Porter, 1998, p. 45). The various airlines flying from the Gold Coast airport are competing for the same customer, which also results in strengthening the buyer power. Individuals wishing to travel to and from the Coolangatta airport are presented with various choices when selecting an airline but price is usually the most important factor, especially for students and families. Hence, the bargaining power of customers in the airline industry is very high since they are price sensitive and search for the best deals available. Virgin Blue attracts travellers that are price sensitive by offering them low fares and those that are convenience oriented by providing them with frequent flights. Qantas on the other hand has created a frequent flyer program to create switching costs which may be a significant factor to a traveller when choosing which airline to fly with. Bargaining Power of Suppliers is high Suppliers can also exercise considerable pressure on a company by increasing prices or lowering the quality of products offered which are mainly dominated by Boeing and Airbus. The bargaining power of suppliers depends on supplier concentration, substitute supplies, switching costs, threat of forward integration and buyer information. However, other suppliers who work with the airline such as the providers of on board snacks do not have the same bargaining power as they are a larger industry which allows for Virgin Blue to have a choice over who they are purchasing from. Virgin Blue will purchase their on board snacks from the supplier which is the most economic so Virgin Blue can make a higher profit margin from the goods when they are sold. Threat of Substitutes is low for international carriers/ little higher for short distance The availability and threat of substitutes is another factor that can affect competition within the airline industry. It refers to the likelihood that customers may switch to another product or service that performs similar functions (Stahl, M, Grigsby D 1997, pg 145). Substitutes for air travel include travelling by train, bus or car to the desired destination. The degree of this threat depends on various factors such as money, convenience, time and personal preference of travellers. The competition from substitutes is affected by the ease of with which buyers can change over to a substitute. A key consideration is usually the buyers switching costs, however due to their low fare non-stop flights, Virgin Blue, Jetstar and Tiger airways can lure both price sensitive and convenience oriented travellers away from these substitutes. Competitive Rivalry is high  Industries that are very competitive generally earn low profits and returns since the cost of competition is high. The airline industry is usually characterized by the cut-throat competition that exists among the rival airlines due to its low cost nature. Since the carriers are involved in a constant struggle to take away the market share from each other, industry growth is average and as it is easy for buyers to switch between the airline companies, depending on price, the rivalry is increased. Rivalry is also high in the airline industry due to high fixed costs, as much of the cost of a flight is fixed, there is a great opportunity for airlines to sell unsold seats cheaply, which resolve in pricing wars between the airlines (Hubbard, 2004, pg 38). The airlines are continually competing against each other in terms of prices, technology, in-flight entertainment, customer services and many more areas. The net result of this competition between companies is an overall slow market growth rate. In conclusion we can understand that the airline industry is very competitive and Michael Porters five-forces model can be used to explain why the potential for returns is so low in this industry. Firstly, the threat of new companies entering the industry is high and the entry barriers are low. Secondly, the bargaining power of customers is high since they are price sensitive and search for the best deals. The third force, bargaining position of suppliers, is strong since they are concentrated and this limits the control airlines have over suppliers to reduce prices and earn higher profits. The availability and threat of substitutes is another factor that can affect a company’s competitive position. However, the degree of this threat depends on various factors such as time, money, convenience and personal preferences of travellers. The final force in Porters model is competitive rivalry between the companies within an industry. Cut-throat competition exists among the airlines and since there is a constant struggle for market share, the over all profit potential of this industry is low.

Book of the Dun Cow essays

Book of the Dun Cow essays Biblical Relationships in Wangerins The Book of the Dun Cow The relationship between good and evil in Wangerins novel, The Book of the Dun Cow, is conveyed by farm animals that portray characteristics of religious characters and events from the Holy Bible. Wangerin, being a preacher and long-term religious writer clearly shows examples of these biblical events. The plot and events that happen throughout this novel are very closely related to the events that happen in the Holy Bible, and can easily be interpreted by the reader. Biblical events such as David and Goliath, the Birth of Christ, War in Heaven, and King Alexanders decapitation (Old Testament) can be linked into this novel. In the early chapters of the novel we are introduced to an evil being known as Wyrm. Wyrm represents the Devil in the novel. Wyrm is described as something that lived in the darkness, in dampness, in the cold. He stank fearfully, because his outer skin was always rotting, a runny putrefaction which made him itch, and which he tore away from himself by scraping his back against the granite teeth of the deep. (Wangerin, 23) Wyrm, much like the Devil lived underneath the earth. Wyrm and the Devil both spent all their spare time spreading their evil ways and taking over the animals souls. Senex, an old rooster, was one of the animals that the evil invaded. Wyrm visited Senex through a dream. Wyrm said, And you have no son. A son would make your death honorable. And heir would preserve your name. A prince upon any one of them would snap your Hens into order. (Wyrm, 27) Wyrm then says, ...I promise you that you shall have a son. (Wyrm, 28). Wangerin uses Wyrm much like God uses Mary to give birth to his son. However, the two linked events are rather contrary to one-another because Wyrm picks a male character to bear his child, unlike god who p...

Financial Reporting and Stock essays

Financial Reporting and Stock essays Financial Reporting and Stock Price Movements The relationship between financial reporting numbers and stock price movement is an important one to anyone studying accounting. We spend four years learning the ins and outs of financial reporting so that some day we can get a job to prepare or audit the financial statements. Do these statements and the numbers that are in them actually affect shareholder value and if so then to what extent? Studies show that earnings do have an affect on stock price. That fact leads us to consider how managers can use GAAP to manipulate those earnings. Open up any intermediate accounting textbook, flip to chapter one and you e bound to come upon the section dealing with the principal users of financial statements. Investors and creditors are the individuals for which financial reporting exists to give information. It not enough to provide them just with financial statements, but information that is useful for decision making. We use the term ecision usefulness quite often but if you were to ask most people what that really means they wouldn be able to define it well enough for a serious discussion. Information has decision usefulness if it has predictive and feedback value. In other words, it must have some ability to d While this may seem boring and redundant it does offer a good foundation for this analysis. Financial reporting is the most important and widely distributed information source for anyone having anything to do with the stock market (and therefore stock prices). If financial statements provide no decision usefuln ess then they have no concrete impact on stock prices. Numerous empirical studies show that the earnings figure at the bottom of the income statement has a direct impact on stock price. In essence, earnings convey a measure of firm value to investors. As 2003 came to a close, companies in the S&P 500-stock index were on track to post a 20%-plus rise in stock price and a ...

Investigation of Current Performance in Inverleith Hotel (B&B) Edinbur Assignment

Investigation of Current Performance in Inverleith Hotel (B&B) Edinburg - Assignment Example Additionally, a SWOT analysis of the hotel has been conducted with the aim of understanding strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Inverleith Hotel (B&B) located in Edinburgh, which is a B&B hotel. A comparison is also made between the hotel with other similar size B&B hotels in the same geographical area. Alternatively, it also intends to explain the methods through which the current performance of the hotel can be maintained properly and the possible solutions for the expansion of the business. In order to determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Inverleith Hotel (B&B), a SWOT analysis has been conducted. In this respect, the strengths, as well as weaknesses of the hotel, can be determined. The possible opportunities related to the success and development of the hotel can also be ascertained. After identifying the weaknesses and threats, the hotel can reduce the weakness by applying new strategies to improve the performance of the hotel (Practical Entrepreneurship, n.d.). The hotel is one of the leading fast food hotels in England. The hotel focuses on the preferences of the customers, which is one of the important strength of the hotel. This strength helps the hotel to attract the more customers to increase the sale as well as increase the profit of the hotel. It also helps to improve the performance of the employees so that the objectives of the hotel can be accomplished. It has multiple numbers of customers in the market. The financial growth of the hotel has increased to a substantial extent. The geographical area of the hotel is good for marketing or doing business. The facilities provided by the hotel are based on quality standards and in accordance with the needs of the customers. The rooms of the hotel are equipped with modern equipment like telephone and broadband access and with self-catering accommodation (Practical Entrepreneurship, n.d.).

Personal philosophy reflection Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal philosophy reflection - Coursework Example Any behavior that may go against the lines of conduct may be deemed as inappropriate and unprofessional, and in the end, might diminish the benefits of nursing to patients, and society at large (Hannigan, Pattison & Pill, 2010). Today, nurses are shown on how to make these boundaries visible to the people in their care, thus; ensuring that patients receive the utmost help in their quest to attain health. Nurses have been given the responsibility of ensuring that patients get the necessary attention and provide an environment where the provision of healthcare is done in an ethical and effective manner (Hannigan, Pattison & Pill, 2010). From this, patients can comprehend the extent of their caregiver’s duties to them, and learn to appreciate them during the entire process. Times are changing, and it is fundamental for nurses to change with them. This may work toward ensuring that any and all relationships formed in the healthcare field reflect the nursing code of conduct and profession, and also indicate their commitment and affection for the people in their care. It is my belief that nursing is one of the most reliant and dependable vocations globally (DeLaune & Ladner, 2010). This is because there are lives that depend on the code of conduct of all nurses, and it is these responsibilities that help them uphold upright morals and values in this profession. There are lots of lives at hand, not just the patients’ that might be affected; it is my duty to ensure that being effective every time is at the top of the to-do-list. It is vital to be a team player in a bid to ensure that patients receive the care they need. This requires proper communication skills, with both my colleagues and the patients in my care. Proper decision making is one of the most vital aspects of this course that might ensure I execute my duties