Southwest airlines free essay sample

Analyzing Southwest Airlines’ organizations harmony is very challenging. Using the Mckinsey 7S Framework will make this process easier. The Mckinsey 7S Framework is made up of hard elements and soft elements. The hard elements consist of strategy, structure, and systems. These are elements in the organization that can not be changed easily. The soft elements consist of shared values, skills, style, and staff. These are elements that can be changed easily. The strategy of Southwest is very unique. Southwest strategy focuses on provided their service with the lowest prices in their industry. They have a ten-minute turnaround policy which allows flights to board and leave very quickly. Southwest deals with competitive pressure by focusing on a greater competitor, the automobile. This focus keeps Southwest ahead of the other airlines. Changes in customer demand were softened by the unique staff that Southwest had. Customer service took the place of meals that would be served on short flights. We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest airlines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Southwest has a functional structure with three levels of management. Decision making is decentralized at Southwest. This decentralized decision making is good for the organic cultural of Southwest. Southwest strives to keep its employees involved with decisions. The main system that keeps Southwest going is it’s Human Resources system. This system ensures that the culture of the organization remains strong. This is important because it is one of the factors that keep customers returning to Southwest for all their flight. The HR department makes sure that the people it hires are willing to have fun while on the flight as well as crack a few jokes from time to time. There are some strong shared values within Southwest Airlines. Southwest’s values include quality, reliability, action, informal communication and feedback. All of these values contribute to the customer service orientation of their organization. Southwest has a very unique style that it as set for itself. Decisions at Southwest are made collectively. Employees seem to be more cooperative than competitive. Southwest is a family oriented organization that enforces its culture to the customers using its employees. There are nominal groups formed within the company. The employees get together voluntarily in order to do community service projects. The Southwest staff is like a family. Many of Southwest’s staff is classified as couples. This helps Southwest effectively promote its family oriented culture. Selected staff needs to be fun and outgoing. The strongest skills that are represented by the Southwest employees are customer service skills. Southwest prides itself on giving the customer a great flight experience. Their staff, as stated previously, is fun and family oriented. Judging by the 7S framework model, Southwest Airlines should not take on the extra flight it would get from LaGuardia. The extra flight will compromise the ten-minute turnaround that Southwest has praised itself on. This will negatively affects its customer service effectiveness which is the driving factor of Southwest’s culture and values. Southwest airlines free essay sample Analyzing Southwest Airlines organizations harmony is very challenging. Using the Mckinsey 7S Framework will make this process easier. The Mckinsey 7S Framework is made up of hard elements and soft elements. The hard elements consist of strategy, structure, and systems. These are elements in the organization that can not be changed easily. The soft elements consist of shared values, skills, style, and staff. These are elements that can be changed easily. The strategy of Southwest is very nique. Southwest strategy focuses on provided their service with the lowest prices in their industry. They have a ten-minute turnaround policy which allows flights to board and leave very quickly. Southwest deals with competitive pressure by focusing on a greater competitor, the automobile. This focus keeps Southwest ahead of the other airlines. Changes in customer demand were softened by the unique staff that Southwest had. Customer service took the place of meals that would be served on short flights. We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest airlines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Southwest has a functional structure with three levels of management. Decision making is decentralized at Southwest. This decentralized decision making is good for the organic cultural of Southwest. Southwest strives to keep its employees involved with decisions. The main system that keeps Southwest going is its Human Resources system. This system ensures that the culture of the organization remains strong. This is important because it is one of the factors that keep customers returning to Southwest for all their flight. The HR department makes sure that the people it hires are willing to have fun while on the flight as well as crack a few Jokes from time to time. There are some strong shared values within Southwest Airlines. Southwests values include quality, reliability, action, informal communication and feedback. All of these values contribute to the customer service orientation of their organization. Southwest has a very unique style that it as set for itself. Decisions at Southwest are made collectively. Employees seem to be more cooperative than competitive. Southwest is a family oriented organization that enforces its culture to the customers using its employees. There are nominal groups formed within the company. The employees get together voluntarily in order to do community service projects. The Southwest staff is like a family. Many of Southwests staff is classified as couples. This helps Southwest effectively promote its family oriented culture. Selected staff needs to be fun and outgoing. The strongest skills that are represented by the Southwest employees are customer service skills. Southwest prides itself on giving the customer a great flight experience. Their staff, as stated previously, is fun and family oriented. Judging by the 7S framework model, Southwest Airlines should not take on the extra flight it would get from LaGuardia. The extra flight will compromise the ten-minute turnaround that Southwest has praised itself on. This will negatively affects its customer service effectiveness which is the driving factor of Southwests culture and values. southwest airlines. Southwest Airlines free essay sample In what ways might airline customers be segmented? Airline customers might be segmented when groups with varying needs and wants are recognized. They can be segmented on a number of different types of things; such as age, gender, location, buying behavior, and demographics. a. Which segments or niches would you consider Southwest’s prime targets? Southwest’s prime targets would be that of business and leisure travelers. Business travelers are less price sensitive than leisure travelers. They often travel on much shorter notice than leisure travelers. With the price of fuel rising companies have been urging their employees to reduce air fares and this factor attracted a lot of them to Southwest. Leisure travelers have always shopped around for reasonable prices. The fact that discount rates were offered and the whole family could go on a well planned trip was a plus to the leisure traveler. b. Which segments probably would not be? Long-hauls with high-fares. We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They don’t provide additional amenities such as ordering special meals and drinks. 2. Discuss the pros and cons for expansion of Southwest beyond short hauls. Which arguments do you see as most compelling? PROS include: †¢Southwest may want to embark upon flying international. †¢ They can eliminate nonproductive flights to focus on long haul flights. †¢They can instill a Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program for out of the country flights. †¢With the price of fuel rapidly rising, passengers want to be carried wherever they need to go. †¢Newer planes that are fuel efficient might need to be purchased. CONS include: †¢The purchase of newer planes can be costly Small shift in the population or consumer tastes can greatly affect business. †¢May have trouble expanding into new markets (especially up-market). †¢Air fares may have to go up. 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of Southwest’s unions. Due to Kelleher’s hard work and determination, by 1974, he established a great relationship between management and labor with a unio n being present (Hartley, 2006). It also appears that with the stock incentives and the shares rising, that Southwest continue’s to be a rapidly growing firm, (Hartley, 2006). 4. On August 18, 1993, a fare war erupted. To initiate its new service between Cleveland and Baltimore, Southwest announced a $49 fare (a sizeable reduction from the then-standard rate of $300). Its rivals, Continental and US Air, retaliated. Before long, the price was $19, not much more than the tank of gas it would take to drive between the two cities-and the airlines also supplied a free soft drink. Evaluate he implications of such a price war for three airlines. Due to the fact that Southwest was smart in their operation they were able to outwit their rivals. They were able to take the business of their opponents and offering them fares at a valued price. The big airlines could not afford to keep up with the legal battles as they were already losing money from not enough passenger capacity. 5. A price cut is the most easily matched marketing strategy and usually provides no lasting advantage to any competitor. Identify the circumstances when you see it desirable to initiate a price cut and potential price war. I think that I would initiate a price war when I see that competition needs to be phased out. There are always new competitors offering some new amenity, but the war on fares will always come about. It may be a certain season or a certain venue, but there will always be a need for the fare wars. 6. Do you think it is likely that Southwest will remain dominant in its niche despite the array of discount carriers? Why or why not? I think that they can remain dominant until their hedging contract is up. I believe that this will be the time when the economy will dictate what will be thrown on the table. That means that Southwest might have to buckle down and maybe get financed for a change. Until now they have been using their profits to fund the cost of fuel to keep them going strong. I don’t think that this may prove wise in 2012. Southwest Airlines free essay sample This proposal addresses the needed steps to be taken in order for Southwest Airlines to see continued growth in the airline industry. Southwest Airlines has been able to remain one of the most profitable airlines in the industry for an extended period of time. Even with the hindrance of the 2001 terrorist attacks involving airplanes and the U. S recession of 2008, Southwest has continued to see strong revenue growth. Meanwhile, other companies were experiencing major losses and in some cases folding. Southwest Airlines has capitalized on the company’s strength of being the top low cost carrier by offering a simple and efficient business plan that prides itself on customer service. Other carriers are now starting to take note of Southwest’s success and emulate many of their practices in an attempt to grab a share of their customer base. To overcome this competition, Southwest must continue to be unique and innovative in their business plans. We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Introduction: A New Airline Power is Formed Southwest Airlines was created in 1971 by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher. Their thinking was that if they offered fares lower than any of the competition, with efficient service, the company was bound to succeed. Their thinking turned out to be on target, as Southwest has for decades been one of the most successful airlines in the country. What began as a small Texas airline has grown to become the fifth largest airline in the United States. Today, Southwest Airlines flies over 70 million passengers per year to more than 62 cities. Southwest orchestrates over 3,000 flights per day. The Southwest fleet consists of over 436 jets which have an average age of nine years old. Since the Department of Transportation began tracking Customer Satisfaction statistics in 1987, Southwest has consistently led the entire airline industry with the lowest ratio of complaints per passengers boarded. Customer satisfaction is one of the cornerstones at the foundation of Southwest’s success. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Complaints per 100,000 customers boarded Source: http://www. southwestonereport. com/people Background: A Unique Business Model When being established, Southwest used a business model that differed quite a bit from ones seen at other successful airline companies around the country. When the airline launched, the fares were much lower than the competition. In fact, many fares were actually below the cost of driving a vehicle over the same route. Southwest’s policy of pricing its service was to compete with auto travel, something not even considered by other airlines at the time. While the fares have increased with inflation, they are still some of the best in the industry. Southwest has been able to keep its fares low and its service ratings high by implementing processes that are unlike those of its competitors. Trips are made more frequently by Southwest than the average airline, passengers are not assigned seats, only Boeing 737 jets are used in the Southwest fleet, un-congested or secondary airports are targeted in their routes, and tickets are primarily sold through the internet. Southwest’s frequent departures provided opportunity to frequent business flyers to catch a later flight if they missed one. They also didn’t assign seats to passengers. They issued colorful reusable plastic cards numbered 1 to 30. Passengers who came first could take the seat of their choice, thus providing an incentive to arrive early. This process of assigning seats eliminated the time-consuming reconciliation of the double assignment of seats on full flights and allowed Southwest agents to keep the plane doors open for last minute arrivals at the gate. The airline didn’t transfer baggage to connecting flights on other airlines and didn’t provide food in flight The process has proven to be very efficient, standardized and low-cost, allowing for quick turnaround and low fares. Customers are part of the process and taking their roles willingly. For distribution of tickets, initially commission was given to travel agents but later Southwest implemented a â€Å"ticketless† (paperless) travel program and later the development of Southwest. com as a means of using the internet to sell travel directly to customers. Southwest was a true pioneer in utilizing the internet, first establishing a website in 1995. This lowered distribution cost. Southwest has an average turnaround time of 25 minutes. This is quite lower than the industry average. For this success, the factors that were responsible were; an absence of meals on all Southwest flights, a limited amount of checked luggage on Southwest’s typically 60- to 90- minutes flights, a near-uniform configuration for all of its 737 aircraft, a team-oriented approach to ground services with team measures for turning around planes and freedom to do whatever necessary to get a plane pushed off on time with a high speed boarding process. Southwest has a great reputation of treating their passengers like family, often telling jokes and word games during the flights. Southwest also treats their employees very well, offering a wide range of perks and benefits. Southwest employees are routinely the highest paid in the industry. Average First Year Airline Pilot Salary Source: AirlinePilotCentral. com, an industry career page (Aug, 2011) Problem: Emerging Competition Recently, Southwest Airlines has seen the level of its competition increase. A decline in revenue and passenger traffic has accompanied this. Other airlines (some established, some upstarts) have started to lower their prices in order to compete directly with Southwest. This is somewhat of a testament to Southwest’s success, as many have decided to mimic their blueprint in an attempt to spawn similar success. Today there is far more low fare, low cost choices than there have been in years past. Legacy airline carriers are now offering â€Å"Southwest Style† no frills, low fare service. The past decade has seen the emergence of new upstart airlines such as JetBlue, AirTran Airways and Frontier Airlines. These airlines specialize in the low cost fares that have helped Southwest thrive. On top of similar pricing, these new competitors also boast the feature of having more amenities befitting a higher end airline. Deluxe leather seats, DirecTV offered in flight, assigned seating, extravagant drinks and carb conscious meals are just some of the feature these low cost competitors are offering their passengers. Also, while Southwest has a unique operations model that allows them to slash their turnaround times, there has been concerns about certain aspects of their service level. The most noticeably troublesome facet of their service issues is their struggles in baggage handling. While Southwest does boast about their â€Å"Bags Fly Free† policy, not charging passengers to check multiple bags, they have the second-worst rate of mishandled bags in the country according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. While speedy baggage loading and unloading is a key part of Southwest’s process to minimize turn time for their planes, it appears that they could be sacrificing efficiency for speed. Opportunities: Building on an Already Great Model While Southwest Airlines has made major strides in supplanting itself among the leaders in the airline industry, the threats are there for the competition to move in on Southwest’s market share. A consequence of Southwest’s success is the fact that competitors are looking at their operations model, refining it and implementing it themselves. Southwest must continue to evolve and adapt as a company in order to fend off these new challenges. The operational model Southwest has functioned under since its inception has proven to be a huge success for the company. Keeping operating costs and turn times low has given the company flexibility to do things that weren’t deemed feasible by traditional airline carriers. Offering low fares, frequent flights and rapid expansion are outcomes of the low operational costs. It does however; seem to be a point of transition for the company currently. Vast economic changes in the airline industry, brought about by the terrorists’ attacks of 2001 and the economic collapse of 2008 have forced traditional airlines to restructure their operational model. Seeing that the model Southwest utilized seemed to be working extremely well, many companies gravitated towards it. In today’s airline market, the Southwest model is no longer unique, and the gap has been narrowed. Southwest has long relied on expanding to secondary or smaller airlines. Their flights remain domestic. Perhaps the time has come for the airline to think bigger. Southwest does not fly to many of the busiest airports in the United States. While this is a calculated move done to help with expansion, it is potentially obstructing the company from gaining countless numbers of would-be customers. Another area for potential growth would be expanding to international flights. This could be a major boon for Southwest, as their operation model could be a huge hit in other countries. This would however be a major step for the company, and would require much research before it could be implemented. The issue mentioned earlier regarding a large number of mishandled bags is one of major concern for Southwest. A major part of their operations centers on customer satisfaction, and missing bags can definitely damage this. The bag problem may be a byproduct of Southwest’s focus on having extremely short turn times for their planes. Their fixation on getting the planes ready for the next flight as quickly as possible may in turn sacrifice efficiency when it comes to loading and unloading the planes. This area of the plane turning process should be analyzed and possibly refined, as it would appear to be the reason behind the high number of mishandled bags. More airlines are emerging with the combination of low air fares and attractive inflight amenities that many would not expect on an economy class flight. Southwest has historically offered frill free flights, giving passengers basic services and mainly focusing on creating a fun environment to engage their patrons. With competitors now offering more perks at similar price points, it is imperative for Southwest to ramp up on the inflight extras offered on their trips. At the beginning of the case, a flight by Southwest CEO Gary Kelly is documented. On this particular flight, a satellite based Wi-Fi Internet service is being tested out. It has since been put into implementation, and is currently available on nearly 75% of Southwest’s fleet of jets. In addition to this innovation, in June 2013 Southwest introduced a â€Å"TV Flies Free† offer. In the deal, Southwest has partnered with Dish network to offer customers 14 live TV channels and up to 75 on-demand shows. Passengers can view the content on their internet ready personal devices, such as smart phones and tablets. This is a noteworthy addition to Southwest’s inflight benefits, as two of their main competitors from a low fare price point perspective, JetBlue Airways and Virgin America, have offered free live TV for years, doing so on screens installed in the seatbacks of their jets. It is estimated that 90% of passengers now travel with personal devices, meaning the vast majority of people who fly Southwest have full access to free inflight TV. This also means that Southwest saves on installation costs that would accompany putting screens in seatbacks. This gives them a financial edge on their competition. Recommendation: Enhancement and Expansion The airline industry has evolved drastically over the past decade as the financial climate has changed. Companies are focusing on efficiency and passenger satisfaction, major pieces of Southwest’s success plan. With the industry evolving to mirror southwest, it appears that the time has come for Southwest to evolve itself in order to stay ahead of the curve. Southwest could see a decent revenue increase with an overhaul of their on-flight setup. Adding first class seating could make their airline more attractive to consumers who want a certain amount of luxury at a decent price point. The prices for first class tickets would be lower than that of a traditional airline, so that passengers are still getting the Southwest value that they are accustomed to. First class seating would be assigned, leather seats would be available and an extensive drink menu would be offered. Meals would still not be served in an effort to keep plane turn times down. Coach seating will remain the same, with first come first serve seating. Free WIFI and TV service will continue to be expanded, so that it will be available on 100% of Southwest flights. The baggage portion of Southwest’s turn process must be analyzed and overhauled. Missing bags is considered unacceptable to most travelers, and could account for a great deal of customer turnover. It is possible that changing the way baggage is loaded in and out of the planes could add to average turn times of planes, but sacrificing time for added efficiency is an even trade, especially when your turn times are well under the industry average already. With the larger airlines taking cues from Southwest’s success, the time has come for the airline to expand into larger airports. JFK in New York, Miami International, Dallas Fort Worth International, O’Hare in Chicago, and Logan International in Boston should be prime targets. While Southwest already has route to many of these cities in the lesser used terminals, having a presence in larger airports with more air traffic will increase visibility and potential customers. Flights should remain domestic for the immediate future, as adding international flights would be a massive undertaking given they don’t particularly fit into Southwest’s current operational model. Conclusion: Continuing the Climb Towards the Top Southwest Airlines is a company that was built on a strategy considered unique and risky at the time it was founded. It has seen itself grow from a tiny, regional company with 3 jets to one of the most recognizable brands in American air travel. As time has passed and the airline industry has evolved, Southwest now has an outstanding, low cost model that has worked successfully for the past 30 years; one that is custom fit for today’s changing economy. Competitors realize this, and in turn have mimicked Southwest’s model to grab business from them. Southwest must be proactive in adjusting to the ever changing climate of the air travel industry. Building on their already strong business model is imperative for continued success. Expanding service and upgrading the inflight experience are excellent opportunities for increased revenue. Southwest must not remain content and continue pushing forward on making their product the best airline experience possible.

Acceptable Risk free essay sample

Each year there are millions of people who die or are injured all around the globe due to the fires at work. Although, it is not just the loss of life that a country has to deal with, it is the damage to land and property and loss of businesses. Once a fire breaks out on a fertile agricultural land, the land becomes infertile for quite some time. Such incidents reduce the production and the output of the country per year, reducing the compensation of the employees, whose income is highly dependent on agriculture. This is just one trivial example of how such events destroy land and take away lives. When it comes to responsibility of such events, it is not just the government that is to blame. Every citizen is responsible for his own actions. In this report, I shall be covering some of the incidents that have taken place after 9/11 and all the preventive measures that can be taken to avoid these fire events. There is a lot that can be done to prevent all the fire events that take place. There is no doubt that not a lot can be done, but, the number of casualties can definitely be decreased. In this research report we will be discussing some of the main incidents that have taken place after September 9, 2001, which depict the structural loss and loss of lives caused due to the fire events that have taken place in the world. In addition to that, in the end we shall be discussing what strategy the government has come up with, in order to reduce and avert such tragedies. The government has come up with a five-step process called Risk Assessment. In which each individual and each event is dealt with separately. This enables the people to have a clear-cut idea of as to how to deal with such situations. (Henry, 2001) Let’s see what really caused the collapse of the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001. We all know that, the two hijacked planes which were heading in totally different directions were made to crash the two towers. This crash caused a fire and the towers were like a lit candle for quite some time. And then the building collapsed. There is something that is bizarre about this situation. How is it possible for a building, so well-developed, a multi-million dollar project, estimated to be standing for more than 20 years without repair – fell and collapsed, causing a cloud of dust and smoke? This is not the only thing, there were fire extinguishers and fire alarms in the building which go off whenever there is a smoke of fire or if the office appliance catches fire. But none of that happened. Now, the official reason that is given by various observers is that the fire caused the building to heat and the temperature was rose way above 800 °C, which caused the building to collapse. The laboratory director who came up with this figure and statement was fired after the actual temperature of the building was found to be no more than 500 °C. One of the eye witnesses said that the real damage that was caused to the building which caused it to collapse was the â€Å"size† of the fire. Although the building had an efficient fire protection system in place, the plane 767 crashed through the wall, inside the building, destroying the main fire protection devices inside the building. This witness was present in the first tower of the World Trade centre, who witnessed and survived the collapse. The other witness that was present in the other World Trade Centre tower also claimed that the fire spread in World Trade Centre II was due to the size of the fire and also claimed that the fire spread inside the building within seconds burning everything that was in its way. Because of the fire, the building’s iron rods started to melt and poured down inside the building melting the office supplies and the rest of the things that were inside the building, ultimately destroying not only the infrastructure of the building which caused the collapse of the building but, it also destroyed the fire protection systems. It was later estimated that the heat that was produced by the fire caused by the plane crash is approximately equal to the heat produced by a nuclear generating station. But the real mystery is that, despite all this, the building was suppose to be standing still, at last it was a very strong building, but it collapsed. This is how destructive a fire event can be. This mystery of as to why the fire caused in building collapsed, despite the fire protection systems, is still unknown. (Frankel,2001) Above described is just one incident, which is pretty much known through out the world not as a collapse of two great towers but as 9/11. After 9/11 a lot of incidents took place, that could have been prevented, but the effort of the fire extinguishers again resulted in vain. On October 18, 2004, in the city of Venezuela, the tallest building that was standing in Venezuela, caught fire and collapsed. It was the tallest skyscraper in Venezuela and was a very important government building. The cause of the fire was reported to be an inflammable materials present inside the building, ignited and caused the collapse of the tallest building there. The ignition caused the explosion of the windows, and the tallest skyscraper was like a lit candle for more than 17 hours. By this time, all the floors from the 34th floor to the top of the building were burnt. No fatalities were caused do to the ignition, but the people present inside the building and especially the fire extinguishers, suffered from toxic inhalation problems. There were a lot of witnesses that were interviewed, which included eye witnesses and the survivors of this incident.

College Essay Topics

College Essay TopicsWriting a well-written essay is easy, but when you go back to your college and submit your essay as the topic of a class, there are several tips that you will need to follow. There are many different types of essay topics at your college that are considered good, and you will want to find a topic that is helpful to the teacher. Here are some tips for finding the right essay topic.Sometimes, students will ask their college professors if they can write the topic, but this can be difficult because the college professors will have a list of essay topics that they are looking for. When you are working with a class in which you know the professor very well, then you will be able to tell them what type of writing you do and how you feel about the topic. When you get into a class where you have no idea who the instructor is, then you may not get all of the tips that you need.A college student must always have a list of topics that they can write about. Once you have a lis t of topics that you can use, then you can use this information to write up an essay. If you are able to find someone who is willing to write the topic for you, then you will not have to spend the time thinking about what topic you should use and how you should word it. Since the topic is already chosen for you, then you will be able to focus on writing your essay.One of the things that you will want to consider when choosing a college topic is if you know the kind of classes that your school offers. If your school is a vocational school, then you may want to find a topic that will relate to the classes that you take in your vocational school. In other words, if you are taking chemistry classes in your school, then you will want to use the topic that is associated with chemistry in your vocational school. This will make it easier for you to focus on the topic of your essay.Also, you will want to decide what the theme of your essay will be. If you know that your college has a subject called 'Biology,' then the theme of your essay might be something like, 'My interest in Biology is what made me decide to major in Biology.' You may also want to try to narrow down the theme to something that relates to your major. If you know that your college has a specific topic in a class called 'Informatics,' then you may want to try to choose a topic that relates to your major.When you are going to write college essay topics, you should be very careful to not write about anything that may upset someone in the class. For example, if you are writing about a personal experience, you may want to make sure that you do not mention any health or personal issues that were mentioned in the class. There is nothing worse than reading a topic about your own health or life experiences, and it may be hard for the teacher to deal with it.When you are writing college essay topics, you should always follow the directions that you are given. When you are given a list of essay topics, make sure that you follow the instructions to the letter. If you find that you are having trouble writing the topic, then it may be best for you to talk to the teacher and get advice from them on the topic that you want to use.

Gambling Essay Research Paper Research Paper 2Gambling free essay sample

Gambling Essay, Research Paper Research Paper 2 Gambling # 8220 ; Just one more pull, merely one more dollar. Anytime now this machine is certain to pay off large! # 8221 ; This is an illustration of the yak you may hear if standing along a row of slot machines, or # 8220 ; one arm bandits # 8221 ; as some like to name them. You might happen yourself in the thick of a diverse crowd. There are people observing their birthdays, and twosomes observing retirement. You see dying people seting Nis in slot machines, and you see others put on the lining 1000s on a manus of fire hook. Some are here for the societal facet and to hold merriment. Others are here, because they have no pick. They are addicted. Regardless of age, sum of money spent, or concluding for coming. They are all here to chance. Gambling has become a major facet of our cultural lives. However, its societal and economical impact remains controversial. We will write a custom essay sample on Gambling Essay Research Paper Research Paper 2Gambling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some claim gaming is the reply to about all of our states fiscal jobs and concerns. Others are speedy to indicate out the ruins and negative facets of gaming. In order to do a determination on the gaming argument, it is of import to hear a assortment of sentiments on the subject. There are a few major positions as to what class we should take for chancing. The three positions are to make off with the restraints on gaming and openly advance it, modulate chancing to do it safer, and to halt gaming for the interest of all. The major focal point of pick one is that chancing is merely amusement, and it should be treated in that manner. Denny Rowe discusses why his household chooses Las Vegas, a premier location for chancing, as their favourite household holiday topographic point. Denny says, # 8220 ; It # 8217 ; s merriment, and the monetary value is right. # 8221 ; The Rowe household positions chancing every bit merely another manner to hold merriment and # 8220 ; spice # 8221 ; up a holiday. Apparently, they are non entirely. Many Americans who visit casino resorts say that they had a more hearty and more exciting holiday than others who visited ski or state resorts. They disagree with their oppositions who see chancing as a risky activity that needs to be smothered with limitations. They are speedy to indicate out that Americans have neer wanted a public bureau ordering to them how to pass their ain clip and money. Supporters of sentiment one think that frequently the authorities attempts to play # 8220 ; Big Brother # 8221 ; by seeking to forestall jobs before they occur. This, harmonizing to them, negatively effects our society by forcing authorities into our lives, decelerating economic growing, and by cut downing resources that may be needed to work out more serious issues as they arise. Opinion one besides substitutes the term # 8220 ; bet oning # 8221 ; for # 8220 ; gambling. # 8221 ; They feel like the word, # 8220 ; chancing # 8221 ; has a negative vibration, holding been associated with the Wild West, Mafia-owned casinos, and the Victorian thought that chancing is evil. They say that # 8220 ; bet oning # 8221 ; is a more impersonal, clear, and accurate representation of the industry. An industry that they point out is partly owned by 1000000s of Americans through common financess and stock investings. Supporters point out that this industry is flourishing, and we are all sharing the wealth. Americans spend more on gambling than books, recorded music, and films combined. Supporters of sentiment one point out that the gambling industry has invested 100s of 1000000s of dollars in communities across the state. They are speedy to demo illustrations of this. Every twelvemonth money from bet oning activities on Native lands has been placed into nutrient, lodging, and wellness plans that were enduring sever budget cuts at the custodies of federal authorities. ( H.C. 55 ) They besides focus on the occupations that are provided from the casinos. Gaming has brought over 10,000 occupations to people all over the country. ( H.C. 55 ) In add-on, 37 provinces have a lottery ; this gives occupants a fun manner to do voluntary parts to educational, environmental, and other operating financess. In 1994, lottery gross revenues amounted to merely over 30 billion and the provinces got to maintain 13.7 billion dollars to travel towards such financess. ( Davidson 65 ) Opinion one protagonists say that is $ 13.7 billion that taxpayers do non hold to worry about for the twe lvemonth. There are many people who support sentiment one ; nevertheless, there are some Americans that feel although casinos do hold advantages, they should be purely regulated. These people fall into the group of citizens who support sentiment two. This group feels that chancing is neither good nor bad. They feel that it is popular, but unsafe because it is easy abused. They compare it to alcohol, and point out that it can be socially lay waste toing. Opinion two protagonists call for a # 8220 ; major inspection and repair # 8221 ; in the enforcement and ordinance of all signifiers of chancing. They feel the authorities has a responsibility to protect American consumers by curtailing unjust concern patterns and unsafe merchandises. In contrast to sentiment one, pick two protagonists are in favour of the # 8220 ; Big Brother # 8221 ; pick. They feel the authorities must modulate about every facet of American life to forestall jobs before they occur. However, they still back up chancing to an extent. They feel that casinos can be good if net incomes are directed to the proper topographic point. Supporters of pick two feel the demand to step up ordinances to do chancing less seductive and less likely to be abused. For illustration, casinos should restrict stakes, halt functioning free intoxicant, acquire rid of the commissariats for easy recognition and ready entree to ATM machines. Opinion two protagonists besides feel the demand to criminalize province publicity of casino gaming and lotteries. Presently states spend 100s of 1000000s of dollars a twelvemonth on advertisement runs that coax people to wager. Choice two protagonists feel this is a bit inordinate. In add-on, they attribute increased offense rates to casinos. However, they do non experience that fring of casinos is the best reply, but instead implementing rigorous ordinances of crime-prevention attempts. Opinion two protagonists # 8217 ; bottom line is that chancing grosss can be helpful, but fueled by its popularity and economical benefits, chancing has grown excessively rapidly for society to RESs pool suitably. Gambling has to be made safe in order for society to genuinely profit. The following position is sentiment three. Choice three protagonists assert that # 8220 ; chancing is every bit incorrect as prostitution. # 8221 ; They province that # 8220 ; The dramatic growing of gaming is non the consequence of a popular motion. Rather, it is driven by the gaming industry with its high priced lobbyists and pie-in-the sky promises # 8221 ; ( Legalized Gambling ) . They add that chancing can neer be made wholly harmless and the effects greatly outweigh the benefits. Too many people are going addicted. Inspire magazine provinces that # 8220 ; Along with the growing in legal gaming, the figure of people at hazard of job gaming has risen to about 15 million, and the list of Gamblers Anonymous chapters has about doubled since 1990 # 8243 ; ( Inspire ) . Opinion three protagonists would wish to see chancing disappear. They add that this activity could neer be stopped wholly though, and lawgivers should non promote these destructive patterns. Lawgivers are promoti ng these behaviours by legalising them and turning them into societal norms. Choice three protagonists add that raising public grosss from such harmful activities puts the province on the moral degree of a # 8220 ; pimp # 8221 ; or # 8220 ; card shark. # 8221 ; Opinion three is based around three sentiments. First, they say that the civilization of chancing undermines indispensable American values. They feel it promotes a # 8220 ; societal pathology # 8221 ; that creates a sense that the good life is no longer earned by work and doggedness, but is alternatively based on fortune in chancing. Following, they feel that gaming is a fraud. They say it is a catch that allows the gaming industry to take away people # 8217 ; s belongings without giving anything in exchange. More than two out of every three people thought that chancing encourages people who can least afford it to waste their money. # 8221 ; ( Gambling 142 ) Third, they feel that chancing corrupts authorities and public plans. They point out that province authoritiess have become spouses with casino operators in advancing the fraud of gaming. Choice three feels that because gaming and the jobs associated with it are inseparable, there is merely one solution. Their solution is that the state has to halt the gaming industry # 8217 ; s growing, phase out all signifiers of gaming, and expose the gambling civilization for what it is. By educating the populace about the negative effects of chancing, we will non merely halt its enlargement, but roll back this threat that is destructing our society. ( Legalized Gambling ) It is evident that our civilization has many positions on the controversial subject of gaming, and each sentiment represents valid points. As illustrated in the old sentiments, chancing in our society is a controversial topic that strikes up a practical pouring out of point of views on a broad scope of specific issues. From funding fraud to offense rates, our society is torn between sentiments. Gambling means different things to many different people. Many see it as a signifier of guiltless amusement, while others think it is the Satan in camouflage. After analysing each of the three point of views, I have come up with sentiment four. My sentiment leans more towards pick one, but pulls thoughts from pick two. I feel that chancing has ever been a popular manner for people to socialise, hold merriment, and be highly entertaining with a great component of suspense. I agree that gaming is a quickly turning industry that might necessitate restrictions. However, I besides feel that Americans are smart plenty to cognize their bounds. Americans who enjoy casinos and all other types of bet oning do non necessitate a # 8220 ; Big Brother # 8221 ; authorities, to state them how to pass their clip and money. I think it is great that households can bask bet oning as a type of household holiday. However, I believe that during this clip it is of import to stress to younger kids that chancing has to be done in a responsible manner, and that there are some hazards involved. These hazards include fiscal loss, and psychological dependence. It is true that dependence can come about with about any activity. I feel that chancing should non be singled out, and that the money spent on anti-gambling runs could be better spent on other issues such as drug consciousness or malignant neoplastic disease research. I besides disagree with the statement that the civilization of chancing undermines indispensable American values by doing it seem like the good life is no longer earned by difficult work and doggedness, but alternatively based on fortune in games of opportunity. I feel that it does about the opposite. We are invariably reminded of the astronomical odds of winning the province lottery or other games of opportunity. I ever hear people stating, # 8220 ; Did you know that you are more likely to acquire struck by lightning than win the lottery? # 8221 ; This illustrates to me that people do non hold a false sense of the odds. In add-on, we are ever listening to radio commercials reminding us to # 8220 ; play responsibly. # 8221 ; So the inquiry remains # 8220 ; What should be done? # 8221 ; I believe that the gaming industry should be allowed to go on enlargement without excessively much ordinance. I agree that the disbursement forms of the American consumer are the best regulators of the industry. Along with every other industry, province lotteries and casinos should run under the same normal consumer protections that are applied to all other industries. However, we can non deny that people can develop jobs attributed to chancing. I believe for this ground it would be a good thought to spread out research and intervention plans to assist people who suffer from compulsive chancing upsets merely as we have plans for intoxicant nuts. Within the last 20 old ages, there has been a dramatic growing in chancing and casino development within our state. Gambling is no longer considered an illegal action, like the yearss of the # 8220 ; Wild West. # 8221 ; In contrast, chancing is now promoted as amusement by about every province and the gaming industry. I believe that chancing is non a job but a possible solution that contributes financess to public plans, cut downing the rise in revenue enhancements, supplying occupations, and assisting economic systems.

Objectivity is impossible in journalism, especially in the face of atrocity and on a subject one is passionate about

Objectivity is impossible in journalism, especially in the face of atrocity and on a subject one is passionate about Introduction Reputable journalists around the world desire to disseminate news in an unprejudiced manner. They focus on furnishing the public with information about local or international occurrences through minimal personal interference.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Objectivity is impossible in journalism, especially in the face of atrocity and on a subject one is passionate about specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While the virtue, of reaching this goal is reasonable, the feasibility of attaining it is another matter altogether. Challenges of striving for objectivity It is possible for people to experience the same reality, but their understanding of the same depends on their perception (Brooks 2006). A microwave may seem like an indispensable device to a restaurant owner, but the same item may be perceived as a box or an awkward piece of furniture by a bushman in the Kalahari Desert. Alternatively, a personâ€⠄¢s definition of intelligence may depend on that person’s cultural inclinations. Education, norms, and biases filter what people perceive in their worlds. It is these filters that cause people to have different religious standpoints, gender identities, personalities or economic opinions. For instance, a group of people may witness a mob lynching in a part of town. A lawyer may talk about the possibility of a lawsuit by the concerned assailant; a politician may consider strengthening the city’s security laws; a clergyman may talk about God’s role in sparing the victim from death. All these perceptions stem from old information that the viewers used to understand the new information. Since people subjectively construct the world, then even journalists perceive events against this backdrop. Methods or platforms used to convey information are quite unsteady in the field. Journalists need to use words in order to convey information, yet words can mean different thin gs to different people.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, the statement â€Å"Mergina is an exotic location bursting with native energy† could mean different things to different people. Does the word exotic refer to something bizarre or is or just another way of demonstrating that the location is exciting and different? If it is different, then the author should specify his reference point. Native energy may be translated negatively by the people of Mergina who may assume that the term connotes primitivism. Therefore, journalists may intend on conveying factual information, but their choice of words and interpretations could betray them. Even the sheer notion of doing conflict war zone reporting brings the matter of objectivity into question. An employer cannot force a journalist to enter a war zone unless the correspondent consciously chooses to do so. This means that he or she must feel strongly enough about a certain story to put himself or herself in danger. At that point, the journalist will compromise on objectivity because he or she is passionate about the matter. Reportage requires detachment, but this is close to impossible to achieve when journalists already feel so strongly about something. When engaging in journalistic work, stakeholders must make numerous decisions on news reporting. They must decide on occurrences that qualify as news. Not every event (religious meeting, violent interaction, political episode, and economic matter) that happens will make the news because editors often determine which ones journalists will report.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Objectivity is impossible in journalism, especially in the face of atrocity and on a subject one is passionate about specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although most editors have a lot o f experience in the industry, this only proves that journalism pegs on experience as a filter of the newsmaker’s world. Reporters and journalists may dedicate a lot of time and effort towards to the collection of valuable information on conflict. However, their efforts may be thwarted by media houses if they are not politically correct. For instance in the UK, some natives attacked and beat up Iranian girls for wearing Hijabs. No local media outlets reported the incident, yet the matter received extensive coverage in Iranian media houses. It was the decisions of higher powers in those stations that determined what they transmitted. Numerous media houses tend to reflect the ideological preferences of their editors. Although many of them try to show the other side of the story, the vast majority will endorse their superior’s ideologies. Journalists do not exist in a vacuum; they are part of their society and will often implement the perspectives embraced by established p owers, political or government leaders (Jones 2009). Aside from the decision process, even the process of reporting the news is quite difficult to perform for those individuals who have the responsibility to do so. Besides the choice of words that journalists select, the images they convey can also alter perceptions. On television, cameras may zoom in on ten demonstrators and make them look like a large crowd. Alternatively, cameras may take aerial shots of a large crowd and make it appear as though it was a minor dispute. Even the order in which news reports occur can determine viewers’ or readers’ interpretations. The amount of time dedicated to a story will determine how people will think of it. The reader’s tone of voice or facial expression may also change the way the public perceives the matter.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Journalists are quite human; they can get fully engaged in the conflicts or issues that they are covering if the issues affect them. When a reporter visits a missionary – operated orphanage, where children can only get food when they become Christians, then the journalist will most likely deplore that behaviour. Alternatively, if terrorists kidnap a correspondent in a conflict zone, then this can dramatically alter the individual’s opinion of the terrorists. Even the general experience of war causes many reporters to become empathetic about torture victims. They may be prompted to condemn the atrocities that they witness, and this may undermine their ability to objective. A correspondent who faithfully records violent behaviour without criticizing it will be an upstanding journalist but not a decent person. Dispassionate reports often yield dispassionate reactions from the public. Readers, listeners and viewers often respond to passionate and genuine stories. If journa lists stick to news items, without showing their human side, then they may elicit negative responses from the public. Emotions are what make people human, so audiences do not expect journalists to eliminate this aspect from their work. Furthermore, sometimes certain atrocities are so blatant that it comes naturally to take a stance against them. If a journalist tries to use words such as alleged when the violent acts are so obvious, then the individual may fall into the trap of false objectivity. Sometimes a middle-ground approach may not be tenable. Virtues of objectivity Numerous external parties may interfere in journalistic activities. Perhaps the most notorious ones are politicians. If journalists did not care about objectivity, then they would be reduced to political puppets. In the government, loyalty to one’s group is more valuable than allegiance to the truth. A member of parliament would need to consult and support members of his party in order to get any piece of l egislation passed. However, undesirable results would occur if journalists did the same thing. Some governments have reduced media houses into propaganda platforms. If journalists in those countries committed to objectivity, then they would perpetuate the truth, even when this meant betraying their governments. A case in point was the Nanking Massacre of China. This was an atrocity that occurred at the city of Nanking in 1938. The conflict involved the killing, rape, arson and torture of Chinese people by Japanese soldiers. About 300,000 casualties arose from the war with most of the victims being civilians or unarmed Chinese soldiers. The Japanese combatants raped women and forced them to commit acts of incest. They looted their property and left them with nothing. When stakeholders revisited the matter in the 2000s, some Japanese politicians, such as Mayor Kawamura of Nagoya, Governor Ishihara of Tokyo and Japanese LDP party members, claimed that the Massacre never occurred. Other s who acknowledge its existence have tried to play down the magnitude of the atrocities. Journalists who report these events have also fallen victim to the above sentiments owing to the need to obey authority. If they stayed committed to objectivity, then they would have focused on both sides of the conflict. They would have discussed the varied interpretations of the matter and the need for apology from the Japanese government. As such, their biased journalists have fanned Chinese-Japan mistrust and general relations (Gallichio 2007). Members of the media industry also have the unique challenge of handling stereotypes. Human beings tend to focus on facts that confirm stereotypes and ignore the ones that contradict them. Objectivity in journalism is essential in order to reduce this preference for stereotypes. Therefore, the possibility of staying objective can be considered in this industry. Journalists reporting about violence, conflict, or atrocities have several reasons to striv e for objectivity; therefore, this illustrates that there is a possibility for existence of objectivity. First, atrocities rarely occur in isolation; this means that every conflict has a context that led to the culmination of violent behaviour. A warring society may have undergone decades of polarisation and unresolved issues; it may possess structural issues that perpetuated the violence. Issues such as government neglect, military oppression, and poverty should receive just as much attention as the personal atrocities committed by individuals. Journalists who strive for objectivity would not just focus on irrational aspects of atrocities; they would also explain the factors behind the violent behaviour. It is necessary to suspend judgements when making these calls, no matter how divergent the issue is from one’s worldview. A journalist who endeavours to become objective will not just concern himself with issues that support his perspective; he will try as much as possible t o look at all the facts. De-contextualisation of violence necessitates working towards objectivity. Conflicts or wars are usually quite complex. It is easy for journalists to fall into the trap of dualism. Here, they may reduce the stakeholders in the conflict to just two individuals, yet other external parties such as multinationals may also play a role. For instance, international journalists reported the 1994 Rwandan atrocities as a conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis. While the latter groups were the majority stakeholders, the UN, US, Belgian and French forces also contributed to the conflict. Furthermore, journalists downplayed their role in ending the conflict. If reporters at the time strove for objectivity, then they would not have ignored the role of these external players in the genocide. Alternatively, when reporting about conflicts it is easy to present the most outstanding or dramatic aspects. Reporters may make violence seem like the only option, yet this is not alwa ys true. Journalists ought to strive for objectivity by refraining for Manichaeism; a term that refers to the process of demonising one group and regarding the other one as chaste. No conflict is ever black and white; that is why journalists need to note all the negotiations that may occur in a conflict. Furthermore, ceasefires may not always signify peace. If escalation occurs in a war, then journalists must explain the causes of the occurrence. Alternatively, if journalists ignore the views of the bereaved in news reports, then the public may not understand why an escalation or act of revenge occurred. When reconciliation takes place, journalists have the power to perpetuate healing by showing images of resolution. In order for all these positive outcomes to occur, then journalists working in such environments need to strive for objectivity. Reporters who strive for this objective should exercise self control. They need to suppress their own emotions in order to get to the truth. This means that they ought to embrace the possibility of being a little dull. Outright attacks against certain prominent figures may attract readers’ attention, but they do not necessarily indicate that the matter is true. Most attacks tend to exaggerate the vices of an individual while ignoring the person’s strengths. Journalists should process all the information they have collected and put it in one coherent pattern (Holber Zubric 2000). The act of connecting all the parts takes strong judgment, which may not always be prevalent amongst all reporters. They need to report issues as they are without demonising one group or ignoring certain aspects of the conflict. Such issues provide proof for the possibility of objectivity in journalism. Sometimes attachment in journalism can lead to severe consequences, which points to the possibility and usefulness of objectivity. This is especially so when the concerned reporter is passionate about a certain topic. British corres pondent Marie Colvin died in Syria when one of the warring parties fired a missile at her and her group. Colvin belonged to a group of journalists who ascribed to a school of thought known as journalism of attachment. In this group, members believe that correspondents have a moral duty to the public by taking sides (O’Neill 2012). They affirm that one must identify the evil and pure sides in a conflict and then show a preference for the positive side. Here, journalists cease being reporters only; they transform themselves into moral crusaders. Many newspapers have praised the courage of these individuals; however, they do not realise the danger of such an approach to those crusaders. When journalists abandon objectivity, as Colvin did, then they become players in the war. In one instance, Colvin rescued 1500 people in East Timor when Indonesian forces arrested the victims. The latter event occurred in 1999, and peers commended Colvin for her heroic efforts. The individual als o urged western governments to intervene in the Kosovo conflict during the 1990s because she identified the Serbs as evil and the area’s Liberation army as virtuous, yet these factors changed dramatically. In other similar scenarios, journalists have used their positions as activists to force western governments to intervene in foreign conflicts through military action. A case in point was the intervention of the UK, US and the French in the Libyan conflict of 2011 through bombing campaigns. Activist journalists have the ability to change the direction of a war by garnering support from their governments against sides they perceive as evil. One can thus deduce that such journalists are no longer neutral and objective. They choose to replace their quest for the truth with their moral objectives. Many of them even criticise unbiased journalists as bystanders who have no place in modern journalism. The challenge with taking such a stance is that it causes reporters to become too engrossed with emotion. A large number of these activists will reduce news findings to morality tales and disregard the complexities involved in the conflict. In other words, they will perceive things as black and white. Therefore, one can see the importance of objectivity in such circumstances. Objectivity, or at least its quest, is possible in the face of atrocities in order to present the true picture of a conflict. When journalists get carried away by their emotions, they will detach themselves from reality and loose balance in their work. A case in point was the issue of global warming. Initially, most reporters focused on the impending danger that the world would be subjected to if it did not change its consumption patterns. However, with time, the media realised that there was another side to the issue and started to report it too. Objectivity is desirable and possible especially when covering controversial topics. Journalists who abandon objectivity may also fall into the t rap of becoming targets in the conflict. When reporters take sides, usually against the local regimes in which they are reporting, they often cause those local leaders to turn against them too. Some of them may bomb their media houses or target them for military purposes. Correspondents who urge western governments to participate in a war may ignite anti-western sentiments in conflicts. Therefore, everything that represents western influence, including western reporters will become enemies of the local regime. Not only is the quest for objectivity the best way to ensure that the public gets to see a conflict’s real picture, but it also protects journalists from fatal consequences of emotionalism. Conclusion Objectivity is dependent on human interaction, which renders journalistic work subjective. It is, therefore, true that objectivity in journalism is impossible. Reporters cannot leave their moral inclinations behind and then dwell on their jobs dispassionately; this is simp ly contrary to human nature. Nonetheless, the virtues of objectivity cannot be ignored. Journalists who comprehend the influence of subjective views would double check their work for glaring biases and prejudices. Such enlightened individuals would also be aware of other people’s worldviews and will encompass them in their reports. Objectivity should be a goal to be sought even though journalists can never attain it fully. Focus ought to be on the process and not the journalist. Journalists have their own opinions, but the process that they use to present information should encapsulate notions of objectivity. Journalists should also refrain from excesses of emotion; otherwise they may lose sight of reality or may also become targets in conflict zones. References Brooks, D 2006, Objectivity in journalism, Imprimis, Michigan. Holber, L Zubric, S 2000, ‘A comparative analysis: objective and public journalism techniques’, Newspaper Research Journal, vol. 21 no. 4, p p 50-67. Gallichio, M 2007, The unpredictability of the past, Preiger Publishers, London. Jones, A 2009, Losing the News: The future of the news that feeds democracy, Oxford University Press, Oxford. O’Neill, B 2012, ‘Dangers of the journalism of attachment’, Spiked, 4 February, p. 14.

Multi-national operation and risk management of Renishaw plc Essay

Multi-national operation and risk management of Renishaw plc - Essay Example It also deals in production of healthcare products. Among what it produces are medical devices, surgical robots, and planning software used for stereotactic neurosurgery for products. The company manufactures dental CAD/CAM and stereotactic neurological systems. The company sent its products to all markets in the world (Thomas 2012). This is a company with its base in the UK and has operations throughout the world. Renishaw Plc offers services in 35 key markets, including Australia, Europe, United States, and Japan among others. The UK and Germany are two of its largest markets (Grant 2007). Especially the Western Europe markets, which are the largest source of purchasing power accounting for 28% of the worldwide total in 2012. In addition, the company has more than 60 offices in 32 countries with 94% of its sales realized outside the UK. The reputation as exhibited by the company has made it receive numerous awards among them the fifth Queen’s Awards (Grant 2007). This is a public company listed in the London Stock Exchange with an employee base of over 3,092; it is also a constituent of FTSE 250 Index. However, this number grows progressively at the rate of 11.8% yearly. This is partly because of the business in which the company is engaged in of manufacturing an assortment of test-probe and measurement system that are applied in industrial operations. Its latest sales as at June 2013 were recorded at $ 527.5 Million with a growth of 1.8% from the previous year’s sales figures. Its net income was recorded at $ 105.6 Million with an income growth of 2.8% annually. The firm as well gains its competitive strengths from its competitors, which include - Badger Meter, Inc; Euro Tech Holdings Company Limited; Controlotron Corporation among many others (Aguilar 2004). Financial Ratio Analysis is a technique that is employed when analyzing the financial performance of a

Dry farming the Zinfandel grape varietal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dry farming the Zinfandel grape varietal - Essay Example Before irrigation systems became available and practical, dry farming was standard practice for planting and managing wine grapes in California. Dry farming is still possible and successfully used by some growers, but it is site-specific and dependent on annual rainfall, climate, soil type and grape variety. The economics of dry farming are a key consideration in relation to grape yields and prices. Dry farming wine grapes depend on residual soil moisture to meet the water requirements for grape vine growth and berry development (Chatterton, 196). Even in California’s dry Mediterranean climate, the water retained in soils from winter rains can be sufficient to support grape production throughout the growing season without supplemental irrigation. Dry farming techniques can improve grape and wine quality. Many growers have said that they trade quantity for quality when dry farming. Although dry-farmed vineyards may yield less than irrigated vineyards, the fruit that is produced often has more concentrated flavors and a deeper expression of quality taste. Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles believes that their dry-farmed berries are essential to the balance and expression of their wines. Dry farming can also have significant positive impacts on the environment and improve the sustainability of vineyards. By not irrigating, dry farmers reduce the water footprint of the vineyard. According to Frank Leeds (2003), studies in Napa Valley shows that he is saving a minimum of 16,000 gallons of water an acre a year by dry farming his vineyards, compared to those that only lightly irrigate. If vineyards can conserve fresh water, not only will they be contributing to water conservation, but also reducing their dependency on a highly demanded resource, particularly in areas of groundwater overdraft (Hargreaves & Mary, 109). Competition over