Position Paper Essay

* A position paper is an essay that presents an opinion about an issue, typically that of the author or another specified entity; such as a political party. Position papers are published in academia, in politics, in law and other domains.Position papers range from the simplest format of a letter to the editor through to the most complex in the form of an academic position paper. Position papers are also used by large organizations to make public the official beliefs and recommendations of the group * A position paper is a critical analysis of current facts, data, and research literature. A key feature of the paper is the position statement, which presents the Academy’s stance on an issue. * A position paper is a document promoting a particular viewpoint on an issue or event. These documents are used by political campaigns, think tanks and non-profit organizations to compile thoughts on a single issue for mass consumption. The consumers of position papers include interested vot ers, academics and competing organizations with the desire to write opposing viewpoints. Position papers can offer simple positions, like white papers, or provide blueprints for resolution, like green papers. * Like a debate, a position paper presents one side of an arguable opinion about an issue. The goal of a position paper is to convince the audience that your opinion is valid and defensible. Ideas that you are considering need to be carefully examined in choosing a topic, developing your argument, and organizing your paper. It is very important to ensure that you are addressing all sides of the issue and presenting it in a manner that is easy for your audience to understand. Your job is to take one side of the argument and persuade your audience that you have well-founded knowledge of the topic being presented. It is important to support your argument with evidence to ensure the validity of your claims, as well as to refute the counterclaims to show that you are well informed about both sides. Parts of Position Paper Position paper can be a reasoned defense or a critique of an ethical thesis. It should not be done as a research paper or a collection and arrangement of diverse sources. Instead, your paper should exhibit two central characteristics: 1. an intensive analysis of a ethical thesis, and 2. your criticism of the thesis and your supporting arguments. The expression of your opinion or feelings, although important in its own right, must be supported by rational argument or justification (with supporting details) acceptable to a reasonable person. Position paper should consist of the following parts: 1. An Introduction – where you state the purpose of the paper and what you intend to show. This might include summarizing the main parts of your paper. 2. An Explication – where you explain the basis for the philosophical view you are examining. Be sure to present this argument or thesis as persuasively as possible. 3. The Counter – Argument where you present objections to the thesis and give your supporting reasons for those objections. 4. The Resolution of the Problem – where you either support the original view by overcoming the counter arguments or you reject the original view by showing the objections constitute unanswerable difficulties. (If you cannot take either of these two positions, then explain carefully why the problem cannot be solved in its present form. On many philosophical issues this is the best course to take. In such a case, try to suggest what further work needs to be done.) 5. A Conclusion – where you restate the purpose of th e paper and summarize the main parts. Finally, restate your position. Kinds of Position Paper Kinds of Position Paper Position papers can be written for academic and advocacy purposes depending on the goal of the writer. Professors and researchers publish their latest research while explaining their methods in academic position papers. Position papers written by gubernatorial candidates, non-profit leaders and religious groups offer evidence as well as solutions to major problems. These papers assume a position as well as a desired remedy with the goal of demonstrating a position different from the status quo. * Internal Position Papers This type of position paper is intended as a preparatory tool for the individuals on your delegation and for the delegation as a whole. Internal position papers are very valuable tools for individual preparation, as they force students to think about the full complexity of the issues they are confronting from your delegation’s perspective. Also, by asking students to put their ideas in writing, an internal position paper can force each student to condense a large amount of research and ideas into a small, more comprehensible argument from your nation’s perspective. These types of position papers do not need to be more than one or two pages in length and may be written either in paragraph form or with bullet points for each unique idea/issue in the topic area. Also, the entire delegation can benefit from each individual’s work if these papers are copied and shared with each group member, thus providing a more well-rounded view of the represented country’s p ositions on all issues. * Public Position Papers This type of position paper is intended as a public statement of your country’s positions on the topics being discussed. It should include brief statements about where your country stands on the issue in question and on what has done to confront this issue. It should also include your country’s public position on the options. Uses of Position Paper Write a position paper to: * Organize and outline your viewpoint on an issue * Formally inform others of your position as a foundation to build resolution to difficult problems * Present a unique, though biased, solution or a unique approach to solving a problem * Frame the discussion in order to define the â€Å"playing field.† This can put you in an advantageous position with those who may not be so well prepared as regards the issues behind their positions * Establish your credibility. Here you are demonstrating that you have a command of the issues and the research behind them, and can present them clearly * Let your passion be demonstrated in the force of your argument rather than in the use of emotional terms * Guide you in being consistent in maintaining your position in negotiation What are the objectives of writing a position paper? * Formally inform others of your position or viewpoint in an issueas a foundation to build resolution to difficult problems. * Present a unique, though biased, solutionor a unique approach to solving a problem * Frame the discussion in order to define the â€Å"playing field.† This can put you in an advantageous position with those who may not be so wellprepared as regards the issues behind their positions * Establish credibilityHere you are demonstrating that you have a command of the issues and the researchbehind them, and can present them clearly * Let your passion be demonstrated in the force of your argumentrather than in the use of emotional terms * Consistency is a key her Directions for Writing a Position Paper * Choose a topic that has has two clear sides and that you have an opinion about. Topics can come from the news, popular culture, school or anywhere. All that matters is that your position is valid, can be defended and the counter position can be argued against. These are the main parts of the position paper. * Create an outline of the topic and list your position and points in your favor, as well as the counter position and arguments against it. You will use this as a plan for the paper and will often refer to it when writing. * Write the introduction by stating the problem and your position. The introduction is the reader’s first impression of the paper, so it should be concise and interesting. The introduction should grab the reader’s attention, and should contain your thesis statement. Your thesis statement will clearly present your position on the issue and the purpose of the paper. * Create the main body of the paper using the points from the outline. Each paragraph should address a different point that supports your main argument. Each point should be stated and defended using logical reasoning and information from appropriate sources. Present evidence in the form of statistics, interviews from experts and academic articles and other credible sources. Do not simply state your opinions; back them up with evidence. * Debate the other side after writing the points for your argument. Throughly research opposing arguments, and then defend your own position against those counter-positions. * Give the audience a summary of your position in the summary, but do not repeat the introduction and body. Add possible courses of action or solutions to the problem, but do not introduce new questions with the conclusion. You want the reader to feel satisfied and convinced.

Falcon Computer Essay

Falcon managers documented that the company’s communications is an open kind of communication, but why did they always hold a meeting with an executive panel. Quality was said to be the most important of all, in a sense that they delivered damaged-free computers to customers; in contrast, two out of four defective computers were used in one of their trainings. Despite the fact that the employees, like Peter Richards, knows about the inconsistency between their values and behavior, they choose to behave. Because normally when we talk of our values, these are the things that we strongly feel about. These are the things we are either for or against. And it’s often easier to think of what we are for rather than what we are against. This is because we feel positive energy when we are working on what we are for. Even if our values are negative, we can be stronger and more focused by expressing it positively. The way Falcon values formulated is a technique involving the advocacy of a behavior that is opposite to the one existing with the expectation that this approach will encourage the employees of the persuasion to believe that they are working in an ideal environment against the existing reality. With this, executives possibly would like to hide the flaws of the company. They would want the employees to be positively motivated by satisfying themselves to a blind belief that there are no problems at all. And when the company closed, the employee will just have thought that this is something they have seen before and have not done anything because of the hope that a positive change might happen in between.

Breezy case

This case analysis explores the possibility of Breezy, a leading supplier of carburators and air filters in North America, the possibility of developing offshore busines in countries where car manufacturing is growing. The report is structured as follows: First, there are five important questions that Breezy must consider and ask itself before developing a relationship with a new customer. After Breezy decides to go offshore, it will have to go through the negotiating process, which involves five steps. Breezy then, must have capabilities of how an offshore business is organized, consider the many different costs and risks involved in the implementation and decide how it will finance the project. The report also talks about how Breezy will have to modify its corporate strategy. Finally, the report concludes with the best reccomendation for Breezy to maintain its competitive advantage. 1. In exploring the possibility of developing a relationship with offshore car manufacturers, what questions should Breezy be asking? a) Who are the suppliers of carburators and air filters that Breezy will be competing against? This is an important question when conducting an external analysis of the players in the Industry because Breezy will be able to design a strategy that will make their products different from competitors. b) What are the car manufacturers human, financial, physical and organizational resources and capabilities? Breezy should be asking and investigating the firms that it plans on partnering abroad because they would not want to d business with car manufacturers that are not financially stable or have a bad organizational culture. c) How is the business done in the country (Brazil or India)? Breezy must consider the different business styles deriving from different countries in order to succeed in the global market. d) Does the car manufacturer have a good credit? Breezy must make sure its customers can pay for the products in order to avoid having to write off uncollectible accounts. e) Will Breezy be able to gain competitive advantage over local suppliers? Breezy could choose between cost leadership strategy or product differentiation strategy. 2. How should it approach the issue of negotiating with them? The negotiation process involves 5 steps: 1. Define objectives for the partnership: Breezy should have benchmarks in which to compare their objectives with the manufacturers objectives. These will define whether they can meet common grounds when doing business together. Examples of benchmarks include nature of agreement, duration of alliance, expectations, key aspects to protect, etc 2. Assemble a negotiating team: Breezy will have a team that represents all areas of the company affected by this relationship. In addition, the team will be composed of a chief negotiator, an experienced interpreter, and senior management personnel and personnel with knowledge of technical, operational, and legal details. The roles of the team will be to choose a negotiating technique and conduct due dilligence on the parties involved, understand the business and social customs of the country. 3. Establish trust: Breezys negotiating team should first build rapport with the manufacturers before presenting their proposals. 4. Establish the business framework: After rapport has been established, the team should be able to draw an agreement where all parties reach consensus, then outline the alliance in general terms, define objectives, consider how internal politics will affect the deal and define respective contributions of both sides. This should be done in a Letter of Intent. 5. Establish a legal framework: This will allow establishment of structure, definition of rights and obligations and scope of cooperation. (FITT, 6th ed). In the end, set the negotiations with a Memorandum of Understanding. 3. How should any offshore operation be organized? What are the key location considerations? Every offshore operation should have the right people. For example, a senior manager should be in charge of managing all operations with personnel with knowledge of global operations reporting to him. Therefore, there must be clearly designed roles for each person involved. Any offshore operation will be defined by the financial commitment that each party will contribute and the risks and rewards that comes from it. An foreign subsiadiary could be set up in the country they plan to enter in order to have face to face contact with potential and new customers. Regarding the global supply chain, companies will have to create a distribution strategy and implement it. Also, companies should select an intermediary involved to facilitate the shipping of cargo, aid with documentation and customs brokerage. Regarding location, companies going offshore must use the Porters Five Forces model. A location where the threat of buyers, threat of new entrants, threat of rivalry, threat of substitutes and threat of suppliers are all low would be an ideal place to do business and exploit opportunities. The choice of country will be based on the efficiencies or competitive advantages it can gain from being located in that country. These include proximity to market, cheaper labour costs, production efficiencies, etc (FITT, 6th ed). In addition, if the country has trade or economic sanctions, is politically instable, has high tax rates, inadequate transportation systems and undeveloped banking systems, firms should consider going into other markets. 4. What costs are likely to be incurred in this venture? Transportation costs including cargo insurance and freight Labour costs Maintenance charges Taxes and International carges Loading and unloading fees Freigh forwarders, customs brokers fees Export fees Documentation fees such as obtaining licenses and permits Marketing and advertising costs 5. How could this initiative be financed? There are many different ways to finance the offshore venture and implement the plan. Breezy can get a loan from financial institutions, sell shares if it is a private corporation or sell shares on the exchange market if it is a public company. Another source of fund is acquiring a loan from venture capitalists or government agencies such as Business Development Corporation (BDC). 6. What business should Breezy be in? How should it revise its corporate vision? Considering that the North American industry is already saturated with limited scope foor expanding sales and profits have been significantly declining for Breezy, it is certain that the companys industry is in its mature phase of development. It is time for Breezy to take advantage of its competitive advantage by exploring new markets. Breezy should be in the business of producing carburators and air filters for the future popular car in India, in addition to the North American market, however due to the changing trends in the auto industry, where fuel efficiency is going under way, Breezy will have to adapt to the new trends in order to maintain its competitive advantage. Breezy should also keep an eye on countries where car manufacturing is growing. So far, the companys best strategy if it was to go into India or Brazil is to refine its current products , emphasize on increasing the quality of service with new customers, and focus on reducing manufacturing costs and increased quality through process innovations. The original corporate vision of becoming North America’s leading supplier of carburetors and air filters should be revised to becoming the leading supplier of fuel efficient carburators and air filters by expanding Breezys market share to potential markets. 7. What risks does the offshore venture face that the domestic company does not? Theft/ Damage of shipments in transit: If Breezy was to ship their products by sea, there is a risk of pirates or improper handling of containers, improper storage or conditions of the cargo. Missing documentation for customs clearance in the sea ports. Degree of expertise in international business documentation, transportation, payment, etc. Breezy has to find suitable intermediaries such as a freight forwarders to assist with the offshore venture. Culture differences: Breezy needs to adapt to the culture in which it is doing business in. Differences include language, geographic distance, cultural issues. Inadequate infraestructure such as roads, warehouses. If Breezy is going to do business in a thirld world country, it must consider whether it is possible to transport and store their products and maintain its condition and know if they have to spend extra for proper transportation and storage. Environmental considerations: Breezy needs to consider whether it has to alter the design and packaging to withstand the effects of climate. Cost escalation, higher costs: Breezy will have to be able to afford the higher costs that comes with doing business offshore and still be able to outscale competitors. Risk of having contractual disputes with new customers. Conclusion Overall, Breezy was faced with two alternatives. One was to stay in the North American market and extend its product offering and continue working with existing customers even though there was not much potential to exploit opportunities for increasing profitability. The other option is to expand its market share by going into new markets and developing new customer relationships. I believe the latter alternative is the best course of action for Breezy as it will be able to acquire new customers while taking advantage of its reputation and competitive advantage. Breezy will benefit from increased sales and will be able to stay in business.

CRJS300 U2IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CRJS300 U2IP - Research Paper Example In fact, counting the number of police agencies in the United States is a difficult task because there are many; ranging from local, municipal and metropolitan police departments, county law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, campus law enforcement, state law enforcement, and federal law enforcement. These all have different jurisdictions and functions. At the first glance, one would claim that a single national police force is good because of the possibility of improvement in uniformity and continuity, better deployment of personnel, better coordination of various services, reduced costs, and better training. A closer look at the issue will reveal that creating a single national police force is an inevitable strategy, taking into account the changing nature of crimes. The first issue that necessitates the unification of agencies is the changing nature of crimes. A perfect example is cybercrime, which crosses national and state borders. Similar is the case of both domestic and international terrorism and narcotics trafficking. This situation is admitted by Finklea in the CRS Report for Congress, â€Å"Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress† dated 22 December 2010. The paper admits the increasingly transnational nature of crime and expresses concern over a possible nexus between organized crime and terrorism. Thus, it is clear that the nature of crimes has changed. As Tully (2002) points out, issues like domestic and international terrorism and narcotics trafficking are not within the scope and resources of the small police departments, and equipping each small department with these resources is a highly expensive and hence impossible strategy. Therefore, a consolidation of the police forces will offer better se rvices at reduced costs in handling crimes like terrorism, drug trafficking, and such other cross-border crimes. In the opinion of

Internal factor Evaluation on Michael Kors Company Essay - 2

Internal factor Evaluation on Michael Kors Company - Essay Example While compared to the industry performance, Michael Kors holdings Ltd. Has maintained a steady growth, sending a positive message to the investors. Sales by the company were higher than the aggregate sales by the entire industry. Moreover, the net income too grew consistently with the industry indicating a positive growth of the firm in the industry. For instance, the net income of the company for a 5 year average period was 114.64 against that of the industry that was at 18.56. Price earnings ratio (P/E Ratio) is the current share price of a company compared the company’s per share earnings. While arriving at the price earnings ratio, the market value per share of the company is divided by the company’s earnings per share. High Price earnings ratio gives an indication to the investors to expect higher earnings at the end of the financial year. Previously, since the decision to go public in the year 2011, the company has had a steady growth and has managed to be a leading market in the high end fashion industry. Cited as its biggest strength, the company has been able to avoid the pitfalls that have befallen its rivals in the design industry (Caplinger web). The steady increase has been reflected on its performance against the overall market performance, registering a higher current ratio than the industry’s general performance. Price sales ratios of the company are also higher than those of the company, while price cash ration are also higher than the industry’s. Profit Margins of a company indicate the level of profitability of a company in relation to the sales and revenue obtained. A high profit margin indicates a positive growth and increased levels of income for the shareholders. While compared with the average industry’s performance, the profit margin indicates the most profitable firms in an industry where investors are guaranteed their returns. Michael Kors has maintained a steady growth in its sales volume which has

Cultures in Conflict, Christians, Muslims, Jews in the Discovery Assignment

Cultures in Conflict, Christians, Muslims, Jews in the Discovery - Assignment Example This essay analyzes that many women have dropped the tradition voluminous dress codes and adopted more cosmopolitan and elegant fashions in the country (ProQuest, 82). Foreign fashions have been integrated into the dressing for women within the country and this has been one of the major elements in which change has been clear between the tradition and the modern era.Cultural and social permissiveness within the highly Islamic country of Bahrain was displayed when a 10-year-old girl participated in the world swimming competition in Russia, earlier in the month of August 2015. This prompted a lot of eyebrows to be raised regarding the participation, but since there was no age restriction for participants, the young girl could not be barred from participation (Byrnes, para 2). In the ultimate analysis, the ruling in a case regarding the jailing of the opposition leader within the country has presented a popular debate in a country with the marking of 200 days since his incarceration on August 20th (Rahdi, para1). International media has focused immensely on the political situation in the country and questioned the aspects of democracy with the society. The lack of political tolerance has been cited as the sole reason for the incarceration of Sheikh Ali who has been advocating for nonviolent ways of settling political differences (Naar, para 3). There has been international pressure calling on the government to establish an independent inquiry into the case of the opposition leader.

The Good Soldier Svejk Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Good Soldier Svejk Analysis - Essay Example en analyzed by the author as well as the main characteristics that have been explored and satirized such as the use of national language, utilization of legal symbols, and religious objects among others. The novel describes the happenings of the First World War that resulted from the murder in Sarajevo. Characters such as Svejk display a great interest in serving the Australian emperor during the war that it was hard to decide whether he was simply crafty or an idiot who undermined the efforts of the war. Subsequently, he gets arrested by the secret police, Bretschneider, when he makes sensitive remarks about politics and later sent to penitentiary. It is then claimed that he was insane and was sent to a madhouse before he was ejected. Subsequently, he uses his intellect to join the army as batman to the chaplain of the army who is Otto Katz. Generally, the narrative recounts of how a rogue was able to use his wits and survived various misfortunes. It gives a limelight to a corrupt and complex society where the main character is always on the move from the beginning of the novel. One of the key elements that the author has used in sustaining and creating interest and making the char acteristics more credible is in developing the main character and how he is enlightened by the struggles in his life. The amazing and picaresque novel is a genre that has exemplary characteristics such as satire, which enables the author to introduce various social types in funny and bizarrely situations. This he does to expose their vanity, stupidity, and hypocrisy. The form used does not make difficult demands to have intricate plotting as in the case of detective stories but rather has detailed characterization of persons who are comic strips with regard to social types. The style employed demands an interesting and sympathetic central character as well as witty satire in order to sustain the interest’s of the reader in all the episodes. Hasek satirize s and explores various

Financial statement of the company has a lot of details could be Essay

Financial statement of the company has a lot of details could be effect the investors invested on wrong asset and cause their capital loss - Essay Example They stress how business analysis and valuation helps in various decision-making contexts of a business. Security analysis, corporate financing policies analysis are some of the areas that application of the framework is possible. Their work focuses on how to increase effectiveness in corporate boards. The book gives readers the practical capability of the analyzing financial statements. The authors give the reader up to date methods of how to make financial statements meaningful. The practical capability gives individuals with the knowledge of tactically analyzing financial statements. Readers will have the knowledge of understanding the risk and profitability of a business. The authors talk about ways of scrutinizing financial statements in the volatile markets of an uncertain economy. In addition to, the financial statements provide the readers with the ability to forecasts financial statements accurately. The authors also teach individuals that ethical issues make it hard for accountants to manage financial

The role of Internal, External and Forensic Auditors Essay

The role of Internal, External and Forensic Auditors - Essay Example Auditors play a significant role in the deterrence of fraud. They assist in risks detection and monitoring, control and regular testing of internal processes and suitable follow up for the purpose of dealing with weaknesses in the system. There are three types of the audit; these include internal, external and forensic audit (Weightman 2008 p 38). This literature review presents a critical evaluation of the roles of the professionals involved in the three types of audit. An organization’s management decides the role of internal auditors whose objectives are usually different from those of external auditors who are chosen to give an independent report regarding the financial statements (Wholey et al 2004 p 66). They work towards satisfying the requirements of the management. Internal auditing is used by organizations as a strategy to assist the organization to accomplish its objectives. The internal auditors, therefore, are in charge of using the systematic methodology designed by the management to analyze the organizational processes, actions, and events with the main goal of identifying organizational problems and suggesting possible solutions. These are independent authorities that conduct regular checks on an organization’s records and books of accounts depending on the agreed procedures for external auditing. These auditors are usually concerned with attesting that there are no substantial misstatements in the books of accounts (Sawyer et al 2003 p 91). They provide essential information about the efficiency of the in-house controls in regard to financial reports, precision and punctuality in transaction recording, and the precision and wholeness of reports regarding monetary and regulatory issues. They also offer an independent and non-subjective opinion in regard to the activities of an organization, as well as vital information for the maintenance of its risk management processes (Weightman 2008 p 88).

History of the Olympic Games Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

History of the Olympic Games - Term Paper Example The Olympics was later revived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France in 1894 with the formation of the International Olympic committee (IOC) which is the governing body until now. Since then, the events are held every four years during summer and winter. This paper will outline the history of Olympic Games from inception to date highlighting the major changes the games have undergone. These began in ancient Greece 3000 years ago. However, it is not known when the games actually began as some date back to 776 B.C while others indicate earlier or later dates. From 8th century B.C to 4th century A.D, the games were held every four years between August 6 and September 19 during religious festivals at the Olympia in honor of Greek god Zeus (Crowther 45-46). The Olympia was situated in West coast of Peloponnese or what was referred as the Island of â€Å"Pelops’ who was the founder of Olympic Games. According to Olympic.org (nap), it was a meeting place for worship, political and religious practices as early as 10th century B.C. At the central part of the Olympia lay the temple of Zeus hence most events were held during religious festivals of cult of Zeus. The games were entrenched in the aristocratic ideals of â€Å"the beautiful and the good† which included spiritual and moral excellence, harmony, skill, balance and grace (Crowther 58). These ideals ar e still embraced by IOC today. The games were held every four years between city-states and kingdoms and involved a period of Olympic peace during which safe passage across the Mediterranean was allowed for 3 months before and after the games. Noticeable is the fact that only men were allowed to participate in the games and married women were not allowed to be spectators. According to Crowther â€Å"the men were to be male, of Greek city-state and tribe, free born, have legitimate

Corporate Governance in Australia After Hih Essay Example for Free

Corporate Governance in Australia After Hih Essay In the light of various corporate scandals, regulatory bodies and corporate governance were placed under pressure by shareholders and stakeholders to form a tighter grip in governing corporation’s conduct. The obligations, roles and responsibilities of company’s stewards are under scrutiny of Corporations Act, listing rules, country’s code of corporate governance, ethics as well as social standards. At the same time, advocates of market forces as a replacement to regulations and legislation continue to pursue for market deregulation and liberalisation based on the believe that government intervention will only distort resources allocation and hinder market growth. The collapse of Australian company HIH Insurance Ltd (HIH) in 2001 was analysed in terms of its conduct and compliance to the Corporations Act, listing rules as well as code of corporate governance as released by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Council (CGC). Reforms in regulations and the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations 2007 by ASX CGC were used to recommend best practices in corporate governance that should have taken place in HIH. Lastly, the effect of globalization and challenges to good corporate governance resulting from globalization were discussed from the perspective of national government, regulatory bodies as well as the corporation itself. Justice Neville Owen, The Royal Commissioner in the HIH Royal Commission Report described corporate governance as the framework of rules, relationships, systems and processes within and by which authority is exercised and controlled in corporations, and the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Council added that corporate governance relates to and influences how the objectives of the company are set and achieved, how risk is monitored and assessed, and how performance is optimized (The HIH Royal Commission, 2003; ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). The meaning of corporate governance has evolved over time but, in the strictest sense, is linked to the legislation that allows its existence. The law sets forth a company’s rights and responsibilities but this can differ from country to country. However, it is generally accepted that corporate governance extends beyond the law to include a consideration of best practices and business ethics (Birt, Chalmers, Beal, Brooks, Byrne, Oliver, 2008). The structure of corporate governance as put forth by Farrar (2005) and represented in the figure below illustrates the relationship within the corporate governance structure: Figure: The structure of corporate governance (Farrar, 2005). The issues surrounding the rights and responsibilities of corporations are complex and ever changing as financial markets become more global, corporations become larger and more powerful, and society’s perception of the corporate role changes. A school of thoughts advocates for market forces to be the regulator of the financial market. The neo? liberals assume that factor markets work efficiently without government intervention if property rights and competition are guaranteed. They considered government interventions as less efficient than market? based solutions and stresses that government interventions hamper private sector development and that government should concentrate on improving the enabling of business environment through deregulation (Emeseh, Ako, Okonmah, Obokoh, Ogechukwu, 2010). Neo-liberalism challenges the conventional structuralist orthodoxy of government intervention by highlighting the negative effects of â€Å"financial repression† on economic growth and development. They refer financial repression to be the set of government legal restrictions preventing financial intermediaries in the economy from functioning at their full capacity. The distortion of domestic financial markets through rules and legislation is claimed to have negative impact on economic growth. In essence, corporations should be relied on in the main to self? regulate in the critical aspect of business activities. Neo-liberalism has prompted many countries to implement liberalisation and deregulation of their financial markets on the recommendations of the World Bank and IMF (Emeseh, Ako, Okonmah, Obokoh, Ogechukwu, 2010). The significant role of market forces in contributing to good corporate governance and strong corporate performance has for some time been emphasised in economic literature on the corporation and corporate law. In fact, advocates consider the influence of market forces to be an effective substitute for formal legal regulation (duPlessis, McConvill, Bagaric, 2005). However, through-out the last two decades, legislation reforms and corporate governance has also grown rapidly, particularly since the collapse of Enron Corporation in 2001 and the subsequent financial problems of other companies in various countries. As financial scandals continue to emerge, there will be continued attention placed on corporate governance issues, especially relating to transparency and disclosure, control and accountability, and the most appropriate form of board structure that may be capable of preventing such scandals occurring in future (Mallin, 2007). In pursuance of good corporate governance, an area of interest would be how directors’ conduct and decisions should be in the best interest of the company, its shareholders and other relevant stakeholders. In this context, the agency theory is a very suitable framework that can describe the problems associated with the principal-agent relationship caused by separation of ownership and control between shareholders (the principal) and directors (the agent) in corporations. Information asymmetry, moral hazard, difference in attitude towards risk and difference in interest between shareholders versus directors are common agency problems that would usually be at the expense of shareholders (Mallin, 2007; Rahman, Salim, 2010). For example, directors may have a wider range of economic and social needs (such as to maximize compensation, security, status and to boost their own reputation), while shareholders are interested only in maximizing return on investments. Furthermore, as directors are usually contracted to the company on short term basis, they may be eager for short-run payoffs within their contract term, whereas shareholders’ interest would be based on long-term success. Australian companies have a unitary board structure and the regulatory framework for corporate governance and directors’ duties is governed by (i) Statute (notably the Corporations Act), (ii) Common law rules (for example, cases relating to directors’ duties), (iii) The company’s constitution, and (iv) Guidelines issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (Dibbs Barker Gosling Lawyers, 2003). ASIC plays a vital role in enforcing and regulating company and financial services laws to protect Australian consumers, investors and creditors. It acts as Australias corporate regulator and administers various legislations including the Corporations Act 2001, Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, etc. (Australian Securities ; Investments Commission, 2010a). By the Corporations Act, general duties imposed on directors and officers of companies are stated as (i) the duty to exercise their powers and duties with the care and diligence that a reasonable person would have which includes taking steps to ensure they are properly informed about the financial position of the company and ensuring the company doesn’t trade if it is insolvent, (ii) the duty to exercise their powers and duties in good faith in the best interests of the company and for a proper purpose, (iii) the duty not to improperly use their position to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to the company, and (iv) the duty not to improperly use information obtained through their position to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to the company (Australian Securities ; Investments Commission, 2010b). Beyond their legal duties and obligations, directors are also expected to meet commercial expectations in th e interest of stakeholders, which include, but are not limited to, shareholders. These commercial expectations essentially require directors to drive the bottom line and provide appropriate shareholder returns. Taking it a step further, many directors of today are challenged to embrace triple bottom line reporting and consider the economic, social and environmental ramifications of their corporate activities (Lucy, 2006). While the scope and laws governing the conduct of directors are wide and many, intentional and unintentional breach has shocked the financial market and public numerously. Till today, HIH Insurance Ltd (HIH) that went into liquidation in early 2001 is well remembered by almost every Australian as a collapse caused by mismanagement of the company, and various board members were brought to court on charges including giving misleading information with the intention of deceiving other board members and the company’s auditor. As one of Australia’s largest insurers, the company ran into debts of over AUD$5 billion and subsequent to the collapse, the government carried out an expensive exercise to underwrite many of the failed policies (Mallin, 2007). According to the HIH Royal Commission Report on the failure of HIH, it was concluded that investigators did not find fraud or embezzlement to be behind the collapse. The failure was more the result of attempts to paper over the cracks caused by over-priced acquisitions (notably FAI Insurance Ltd) and too much corporate extravagance based on a misconception that the money was there in the business. The primary reason for the huge loses was that adequate provision had not been made for insurance claims and past claims on policies had not been properly priced. HIH was mismanaged in the area of its core business activity (Bailey, 2003). In chorus, the HIH Royal Commission report fundamentally states that the main reasons for the failure of HIH was poor management and greed characterised by (i) a lack of attention to detail and skills, (ii) a lack of accountability for performance, and (iii) a lack of integrity in the companys internal processes and systems (Nicholson, 2008). Justice Neville Owen further commented in the report on what was the essence of good corporate governance: The governance of a public company should be about stewardship. Those in control have a duty to act in the best interests of the company. They must use the companys resources productively. They must understand that those resources are not personal property. The last years of HIH were marked by poor leadership and inept management. Indeed, an attitude of apparent indifference to, or deliberate disregard of, the companys underlying problems pervades the affairs of the group. † (The HIH Royal Commission, 2003). The above comment can be loosely translated to say that the directors of HIH have failed their duties. Notably, in April 2005, Mr Ray Williams, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HIH, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ jail with a non-parole period of two years and nine months. Mr William’s sentencing follows ASIC’s successful civil penalty proceedings on the three criminal charges which Mr. William pleaded guilty to. The three criminal charges were (i) that he was reckless and failed to properly exercise his powers and discharge his duties for a proper purpose as a director of HIH Insurance Limited when, on 19 October 2000, he signed a letter that was misleading, (ii) that he authorised the issue of a prospectus by HIH on 26 October 1998 that contained a material omission, and (iii) that he made or authorised a statement in the 1998-99 Annual Report, which he knew to be misleading, that overstated the operating profit before abnormal items and income tax by $92. 4 million (Australian Securities Investments Commission, 2005a). ASIC’s HIH investigation also led to criminal prosecutions of 9 other former senior executives, including directors of FAI, HIH and associated entities on 31 Corporations and Crimes Act charges. Of high public interest was Mr Rodney Adler, a former director of HIH and the majority owner of FAI was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ jail, with a non-parole period of two-and-a-half years, on four charges arising from his conduct as a director of the HIH group of companies in 2000. ASIC’s chairman, Mr Jeffrey Lucy, in his public statement said, â€Å"Mr Adler was in a position of trust as a director of HIH but he put his own financial interests before the interests of HIH shareholders† (Australian Securities Investments Commission, 2005b). Mr Adler was sentenced after pleading guilty to four criminal charges: (i) two counts of disseminating information on 19 and 20 June respectively, knowing it was false in a material particular and which was likely to induce the purchase by other persons of shares in HIH contrary to s999 Corporations Act 2001, (ii) one count of obtaining money by false or misleading statements, contrary to s178BB Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), and (iii) one count of being intentionally dishonest and failing to discharge his duties as a director of HIH in good faith and in the best interests of that company contrary to s184(1)(b) Corporations Act 2001 (Australian Securities Investments Commission, 2005b). HIH’s disastrous business ventures in U. K. , U. S. , acquisition of FAI Insurance Ltd. nd the Allianz joint venture were identified as what ultimately brought HIH down. These instances of poor decision-making were caused by and reflect a poor corporate governance culture. Corporate governance issues identified included (i) an over-dominant CEO whose decisions were never questioned, (ii) an ineffective chairman who failed his responsibility to oversee the functioning of the board, (iii) an ineffective board who failed to grasp the concept of conflicts of interest, and was unable to monitor and does not question management performance, (iv) inappropriate conduct in remuneration setting and performance measurement (mostly made by Mr. Williams who, although not a member of the committee, attended all meetings by invitation), (v) an ineffective audit committee who showed no concern with risk management and internal control, and (vi) compromised auditor independence (the auditing company was Arthur Andersen and HIH’s board had three former Andersens partners one of them was the chair of the board yet continued receiving fees under a consultancy agreement. Andersens also derived significant fees from non-audit work which gave rise to a conflict of interest with their audit obligations) (Lipton, 2003). Subsequent to HIH’s collapse, The Corporate Law Economic Reform Program (Audit Reform and Corporate Disclosure) Act 2004 (commonly known as ‘CLERP 9’) came into force on 1 July 2004. CLERP 9 incorporated a number of recommendations made in the HIH Royal Commission Report. Reforms were made relating to (i) disclosure of directors’ remuneration, (ii) financial reporting, (iii) auditors i ndependence, (iv) continuous disclosure, and (v) enhanced penalty provisions. CLERP 9 also deals with accounting standards, expensing of options, compliance controls, and encouragement of greater shareholder participation at meeting – all of which represents a significant development in the corporate law framework (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, 2005; Alcoc, Bicego, 2003). Prior to CLERP 9 coming into force, advocates of corporate governance were delighted with Australian Stock Exchange Limited (ASX) release of the â€Å"ASX Corporate Governance Councils (CGC) Principles of Good Corporate Governance and Best Practice Recommendations† in March 2003. ASX CGC adopted the same principles based approach as taken in the UK Combined Code which governs entities listed on the London Stock Exchange. ASX listed entities are at liberty not to comply with the recommendations, but if they do not, they must explain why not. The Guidelines were built on the belief that one size does not fit all companies. The Guidelines contained 10 essential Corporate Governance Principles (Principles) and 28 Best Practice Recommendations (Recommendations) which was later revised in August 2007 as â€Å"Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations† (Guidelines) comprising of 8 Principles and 26 Recommendations (Farrell, Harding, ; Spilsbury, 2003). The Guidelines also reflect ASX CGC’s emphasis in continuous disclosure by listed companies. Each Principle has a Guide to reporting about the Recommendations at the end of the chapter discussing what should be disclosed and where. Under ASX Listing Rule 4. 10. 3, companies are required to provide a statement in their annual report, disclosing the extent to which they have followed the Recommendations in the reporting period. Where companies have not followed all the Recommendations, they must identify the Recommendations that have not been followed and give reasons for not following them – the â€Å"if not, why not† approach (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). In relation to HIH’s case, a number of the Guidelines’ Principles provide fairly extensive coverage of corporate governance issues identified in HIH earlier. Principle 1 highlights the need for companies to establish and disclose the respective roles and responsibilities of the board and management. In the 2007 edition, the Guidelines added the Recommendation 1. 2 for companies to disclose the process for evaluating the performance of senior executives (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). This Principle serves to provide disclosure in relation to HIH’s situation of an over-dominant CEO and ineffective chairman and board. Where HIH was highlighted to have a board that was ineffective and failed its duties, Principle 2 states that companies need to structure the board to add value with an effective composition, size and commitment to adequately discharge its responsibilities and duties. Recommendations in the principle placed importance in having a majority of the board and the chairman being independent directors to ensure independence in board decisions and prevent conflict of interest. Recommendation 2. 4 suggests that companies should establish a nomination committee to ensure appropriate selection and appointment practices in the company. This Recommendation also provides resolution in relation to HIH’s case whereby the board was mostly made up of directors hired by Mr. William, including the former Andersen partners. In the 2007 edition, the Guidelines added the Recommendation 2. 5 for companies to disclose the process for evaluating the performance of the board, its committees and individual directors (previously this was part of Principle 8 in the 2003 edition, titled â€Å"encourage enhance performance†). This Recommendation helps to ensure directors are given access to continuing education to update and enhance their skills and knowledge that are necessary in performing their duties (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). Principle 3 discusses how companies should promote ethical and responsible decision-making. Beyond legal obligations, directors are expected to make decisions that satisfy not only the company’s shareholders but other stakeholders as well (this principal includes amalgamation from Principle 10 of the 2003 edition Guidelines which was to â€Å"recognize the legitimate interests of stakeholders†). To achieve this, Recommendation 3. 1 encourages companies to establish and disclose their code of conduct pertaining to integrity practices, legal practices and handling of unethical practices. Aligned with this, Recommendation 3. 2 promotes the establishment and disclosure of company’s policy concerning trading in company securities by directors, senior executives and employees (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). Relating to Principle 3 and Principle 7 titled â€Å"recognize and manage risk†, HIH has been considerably questioned of its various business decisions, mostly of which contributed to huge loses and ultimately the company’s insolvency. Criticized decisions made by the company are many, and on top of the list include (i) the acquisition of FAI Insurance (majority-owned by Mr. Adler who later became a member of HIH’s board of directors) for A$300 million which FAI was later estimated to be worth just A$100 million, (ii) re-entering the California market in 1998 and failure to take the difficult decision to exit the market when it proved unprofitable, and (iii) the decision to enter a sector (insurance and re-insurance of film-financing) that has proved problematic for many market participants in London (Cagan, 2001). The lack of risk management within HIH was apparent and Mr. Adler’s unethical conduct was evident with his imprisonment. In view of the importance of risk management, Recommendation 7. 1 urges companies to establish policies for the over sight and management of material business risks (that is financial risks and non-financial risks) and disclose a summary of those policies while Recommendation 7. 2 call for the board to require management to design and implement risk management and internal control system to manage the company’s material business risks and report to it on whether those risks are being managed effectively.

Endocrine System Of Human Body Health And Social Care Essay

Endocrine System Of Human Body Health And Social Care Essay Endocrine system is defined as the network of the glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream, (Papalia E. Diane Sally Wendkos, 1985). This means that the hormone of the human body are the chemicals that are responsible to influence the rate or direction of activity in the distant target organs by speeding up or inhibiting the growth of the cells in those organs. The nervous system is not the only biological system that governing the behavior of human, (Baxter, J.D. Funder, W.J1979). But rather both the central and the peripheral nervous system work closely with the endocrine system, a series ductless gland that secrete the hormones directly into the bloodstream. Hormones are very active in the maintenance of the homeostasis, the proper balance in the body internal state. Thus, both the autonomic nervous system and proper balance in the body internal state. Thus, both the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system work together to achieve the equilibrium, (Baxter, J. D, Funder, W.J 1979). The crucial coordinator of both systems is the hypothalamus, which provides the mechanism by which the brain exerts control over the endocrine system and by which the endocrine system exerts control over the brain. For instance, the brain causes the release of the hormones that affect the body tissue, and as result of the testosterone on the shape of the larynx thereby causing the deeper voices in males. Conversely, hormones may be permanently alter the brain cells are organized and the ability of the estrogen to alter cells in the hypothalamus that governing adult sexual behavior. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:LXj3QsJdWkdDIM:http://www.soulcare.org/images/endocrine_system.gift=1 Description of the Endocrine System and it Rated Functions The endocrine gland as members of the orchestra, the conductor would be the pituitary, which are the master gland. This gland has two subdivisions the anterior pituitary, which is made of same embryological tissue as the throat and it is the true endocrine organ of the human system (Axelrod, J.T.D. Reisine, 1984). And the anterior pituitary secretes large number of hormones. The hypothalamus controls the release of the hormones by the means of the hormone releasing factor. The endocrine system is made up of the various hormones, which performed different function as part of the human body over a given period of time. These include the following: Adrenal gland: The adrenal gland contained the aldosterone or androstenedione hormone which functions as an excretion of sodium and potassium. It also helped in the growth of pubic and underarm hair of the human and it promotes the sex derive over a given period of time. The medulla contained cortisone and the epinephrine hormones which performed the function of removing the metabolic substance in the body. And this hormone also enhanced the body to be able response the stress and how to manage the stress situation in everyday life of human. Hypothalamus The hypothalamus gland contained the releasing hormones of the human body that control the anterior pituitary hormone secretion. The kidney gland contained the rennin hormone which controls the aldosterone secretion, and it also controlled the blood pressure of the human. The pancreas gland: it contained the insulin hormones that regulate the waste substance in the human body. (That is the metabolism substance). The pituitary gland is another vital gland that contained two glands namely the anterior gland which is made up with the andermocotropic hormones, which controlled the adrenal cortex. It also contained the growth hormones that enhanced human growth and its responsible to the removal of metabolism substance in human. The testes gland contained the testosterone hormone that performed the function of maturation of the male reproductive system that is it responsible for sperm production, secondary sex characteristic and the sex drive of the human. The thyroid gland is made up with the thyroxins that are responsible for the energy metabolism, body growth and the development of the individuals. Digestive system According to Oxford Advanced Leaners Dictionary, digestive system is the breaking down of food particles into smaller substance which can easily be absorbed by the bloodstream. The endocrine system contained an hormone which is made up of the insulin (Cahill, G.FMcDevitt, H. O. 1981), that helped to break down the sugary substance in the human body and the rennin also act on the protein food substance and convert it into smaller particles which passes down to the smaller intestines and these are excreted by the endocrine secretion organ which in the stomach and the intestine secrete a number of hormones that enhanced in the body regulation of human. Excretion system Excretion system is defined as the process of removing the metabolic or waste materials from the body, (Alexander, E. 1986). The endocrine system contained Aldosterone and Androstenedione hormones that helped to excrete the metabolic or waste materials from the human body. The cortisone hormone of the endocrine system also enhanced in the excretion of the waste metabolic substance. For instance the pancreas of the endocrine system gland helped in the regulation of metabolism substance in the human body. Respiration system The respiration system is considered as the three separated but related functions that is the ventilation, the gas exchange that occurred in between the blood and the other tissues of the human body, and the oxygen utilization by the tissues energy reaction of the cell respiration, (Anderson, E. 1977). Nervous system The nervous system is divided into two parts namely, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. (Andreasen, N.C, 1988) defined the nervous system that is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. The peripheral nervous systems control crucial nerves that arise from the brain and the spinal cord. The nervous system is composed of the two principals type of cells that is the neurons and the neuroglia. The endocrine system and nervous system work together to achieve the equilibrium of the body. Neurons are the basic structural and the functional units of nervous system This system are specialized to respond to the physical and the chemical stimuli conduct electrochemical impulses and releases specific chemical regulation and it is also performed a function of strong memory thinking and controlling muscles and glands. Neuroglia are supportive cell in the nervous system that helped the function of the neuroglia are about five times more abundant than neurons and it have limited mitotic abilities than the brain, that is the brain that occur in adult are usually composed of the neuroglia than the neurons, (Van De Graft, M. Kent, 1985-1995). Muscular system Skeletal muscles are arranged base it functional groups that are adaptive in causing particular movement within each muscles the fibers are arranged in a specific pattern that provides specific functional capabilities. The skeletal muscles constitutes it own body system and accounts for approximately 40%nof the body weight over 600nindividual muscles make up the skeletal muscles. Conditions and Causes Associated with the Endocrine The condition that is associated with the endocrine is the glandular problem this is the situation where the thyroid glands are said to underactive and this normally prevents the person from burning up food. The endocrine influence of the obesity supposedly resulted from a condition over which the individual has no control and it also result in glandular fever. Another conditions associated with the endocrine system is the Addisons Syndrome. This is inadequate secretion of corticosteroid hormones by the adrenal glands, and sometimes this happens as a result of tuberculosis infection. The third condition of endocrine system is amenorrhea. The primary amenorrhea is the situation where the menstrual fail appear in female during the puberty. It is normal cause by the absence of the ovaries. The secondary amenorrhea is a situation where the menstrual period stop after establishment of puberty) may be caused by disorders of the hypothalamus, deficiency of ovarian, pituitary, or thyroid hormones, mental disturbance, depression, anorexia nervosa, or a major change of surrounding or circumstances. Another condition associated with the endocrine system is the polycystic ovarian syndrome. This is the hormone disorder characterized by incomplete development of Graafian follicles in the ovary due to inadequate secretion of luteinizing hormone; the follicles fail to ovulate and remain as multiple cysts distending the ovary. Sometime, the imbalance of the hormone result in obesity, hirsute and acne and the woman is infertile due to lack of ovulation. Cushing syndrome is condition where there is excess amount of cortico-steriod hormone in the body. Effect The Addisons syndrome include weakness, loss of energy, low blood pressure and also pigmentation of the human skin. The primary and the secondary amenorrhea results in nervousness; irritability, emotional disturbances, headache and depression. And it affect some women for about 10 das prior to menstruation. The Cushings syndrome results in weight gain, reddening of the face and neck, excess growth of the body and facial hair, raised blood pressure, loss of mineral from the bones and raised blood glucose levels and sometimes mental disturbances . Preventions Prevention of the glandular fever includes the following. Wash hands regularly, particularly after sneezing or coughing. Avoid kissing Avoid sharing personal items Avoid eating and drinking share food The prevention of Addisons is by formerly fatal, and such disease is now treatable by replacement of hormone therapy. The prevention of primary amenorrhea and the secondary amenorrhea is also done by the replacement of therapy with associated increase in risk of breast cancer. The treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome can be controlled by the administration of the appropriate hormone in the body system. Evaluation Endocrine system is the vital system in humanity that enhance the body part, endocrine system is in charge of the body processes that take place in the gradually way such as the cell growth. It usually processes like breathing and the body movement of human are controlled by the nervous system. However, the nervous system and the endocrine system are separate and it usually work together to help the body system function effectively and efficiently, (Andreasen, N.C. 1988). The endocrine system is made up of gland and hormones. The hormone of the body are the body messengers which helps to transfer and instruction information from one set of cells to another. Different hormones move through the bloodstream and each hormones are designed to affect a certain cells of the body. The gland of the endocrine system is a group of cells that produces and secretes or give off, a chemicals. The gland of the body removes or selects the waste materials in the human body such waste materials include the sweat and salivary glands release secretion in the skin and in the mouth. The endocrine system is a vital glands simply because it enhanced in the reproduction system of humans. Conclusion In the nutshell, endocrine system is most important system in the human system that helped the body system to function effectively and efficiently. The endocrine system is a complex group of glands that helps to control the reproduction system of human, the metabolism, growth and the development through a substance called the hormones of the human being. This system controls the way human being respond to their surrounding and it provides the proper amount of energy that the human body needs to be able to function well, (Papalia, E. Diane Sally, W. 1985). In some cases, the glands of the endocrine systems are impaired and this can result in the imbalance of hormone. The imbalance of hormone or condition of endocrine system can affect the health of the individuals in various ways and some of this endocrine conditions are vary serious. These imbalance hormone or endocrine system conditions are the growth disorder, the menopause, hormone abuse, the glandular problem, the Addisons, Cushings polycystic ovarian, pituitary disorder, diabetes and among others.

Use Of Geological Knowledge In Building A House Construction Essay

Use Of Geological Knowledge In Building A House Construction Essay A house provides warmth, security and comfort for us human. In order to build houses that meet the safety requirements and occupants expectations, geological knowledge is important as a base for the construction of these buildings. A house is not build on a fluffy cloud, but on a solid ground where we have to first mount slab or lay concrete beams as the main foundation systems. It is also a common construction technique in wet and coastal areas where houses are put up on posts. Before the decision to purchase a land or home is made, the type of ground where the house is going to be built on must first be determined. It is important to have a stable soil because there could be many drawbacks if the ground is unstable. If a house is built over loose soil conditions, the house will slowly sink. And if a house is built over an old dump site, it may be exposed to gases from the toxic waste below the surface. Units of houses that are to be put up on hill slopes must consider various factors including the slope gradient, soil and rock engineering properties, drainage system, ground water table, geological factor and rainfall intensity. Hill slopes and elevated areas must be assessed holistically, taking into account those factors that are inter-dependent. Local authorities should advise house buyers by providing geological reports related to the proposed site before these buyers are to make decision on whether to buy properties residing near hill slopes. In Malaysia, slopes have been classified into four classes and four levels of height. Class 1 is for slopes of less than 15 degrees, Class 2 for slopes of between 15 and 25 degrees, Class 3 for slopes of 25 to 35 degrees and Class 4 where slopes are more than 35 degrees. There exist guidelines that ban building activities on slopes of more than 35 degrees. Besides, slopes with granite and schist have a layer of soil in between and are prone to landslides. In advancement, man-made slope disasters can be minimised by focusing on three technical phases, namely planning, during construction and post-construction activities. In the planning phase, submitting engineers must undertake a detailed investigation of the soil condition prior to drawing up the building plan so that accurate engineering measurements can be formulated to ensure the building can stand firmly on the ground. Under during construction phase, periodic inspection by the regulatory authorities should be implemented to ensure that the construction is executed according to the design requirements and safety aspects. Lastly, during the post-construction phase, monitoring instrumentation and periodic slope maintenance should be carried out. By having proper slope maintenance, signs of slope instability can be detected earlier and minor slope repair can be done, thus minimising the risk of large-scale slope failure. The cost of major slope repair is much more expensive than car rying out maintenance works. Nevertheless, slopes stability can be maintained by terracing and ploughing contour to prevent soil being washed downhill, planting tree belts to provide windbreaks and retention of straw and crop litter to protect the surface from erosion. Usually, benching, constructing  retaining walls,  shotcreting and putting up steel nets are some other methods of maintaining a slope. In addition, authorities must ensure the intensity and direction of underground water flow, type of rocks in the soil and ability of retaining structures to support the ground. Developers must have flexible pipe fittings installed to avoid water leaks while in mudflow areas, channels or deflection walls are to be built to direct the flow of water around buildings. Inclusively, some of the  precipitation  that falls onto the land  infiltrates  into the ground to become ground water. Once in the ground, some of this water travels close to the land surface and emerges very quickly as discharge into streambeds. However, because of gravity, much of the rain water continues to sink deeper into the ground. Water can move both horizontally or vertically once it meets the water table (below which the soil is saturated). Water moving downward can also meet more dense and water-resistant non-porous rock and soil, which causes it to flow in a more horizontal fashion. The direction and speed of groundwater movement is determined by the various characteristics of aquifers and confining layers of subsurface rocks in the ground. This event can cause geo-hazards because when water flows underground without being monitored, landslide or sinking of soil can take place. After identifying the geological factors related to the ground where the house is to be built on, we next identify the geological aspects that contribute to the construction of the house itself. Walls of a house can be made of so many different materials such as mud and clay, rock, wood, bricks or concrete. The deciding factor is usually connected with the quality of the  soil being used. Larger amounts of  clay  usually mean using the  cob/adobe  style, while low clay soil is usually associated with  sod  building. Soil and especially clay is good  thermal mass. Homes built with earth tend to be naturally cool in the summer heat and warm in cold weather. In Malaysia, houses are made of either clay or sand bricks. Clay bricks are a little more expensive than sand bricks but clay bricks are more practical to Malaysian houses as they are naturally cool in the Malaysian heat. Rock structures are the longest durable building material available, and are usually readily available. There is a simple rule to follow on building a solid rock wall; durable and strong stones must be used. Rock is a very dense material so it gives a lot of protection and must be impervious to moisture. Some of the best rocks to be used are those made of hard shale or schist because they have natural flat cleavage planes when split. Its main draw-back as a material is its weight and awkwardness. Its  energy density  is also considered a big draw-back, as rock is hard to keep warm without using large amounts of heating resources. A house is not complete without a roof. Nowadays, there are many types of roofing materials being used to shelter a house. On the other hand, developers must also consider the slanting of roof and geographical location of a house. The most common roofing material use in Malaysia is clay/concrete roof tiles for urban house dwellers and metal shingles for rural houses. Both concrete and clay tiles have longer lifespan, require low maintenance and are resistant to rot and insects. Then again, clay is very heavy and also fragile. For buildings in equatorial regions with warm and humid climate like Malaysia, the roof has been said to be a major source of heat gain. According to the Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT), the principle of earth-base materials provide natural cool also apply to roof whereby although the most expensive, clay roof tiles can keep a house cool in the Malaysia heat as it is proven to have the best thermal performance with respect to MRT. The highly recommended material for reflective insulator is double-sided aluminium foil which can be used to replace mass insulation materials due to higher thermal performance. Hybrid ceiling proved to have the best performance in reducing thermal radiation into the interior space, followed by plaster board and cement board. In order to complete the house, flooring materials are needed. The geological aspect of the house must first be clarified. If the house is located in a moisture area, use flooring material that does not rot and will not absorb water, such as stone, marble and granite, or concrete slabs, whereas in a very cold area, material such as linoleum is used. Some stone tiles such as polished granite, marble, and travertine are very slippery when wet but they keep mold and mildew away. Some of the softer stone such as limestone tiles are not suitable for very heavy traffic floor areas. As recently as the 1970s, wall-to-wall carpeting was a standard selection for homeowners who were purchasing new flooring. Linoleum was popular in the kitchen, and bathrooms were often covered with inexpensive vinyl tiles. It also used to be that granite and marble surfaces or rougher, more rustic stone materials seen only in vacation cabins or backyard patios. Nowadays, floors of houses are assortments of all t hese classified materials. Lastly, up until the 1970s, asbestos has been the most popular material for ceiling tiles. It is only recently found that asbestos is unsafe if the material is airborne; hence, contaminated  ceiling tiles  are risky if damaged. Ceiling tiles are lightweight tiles fabricated from perlite, mineral wool, and fibers (from recycled paper) are used in the interior of buildings. They are placed on a steel grid and they provide thermal but especially sound insulation. Here in Malaysia, it is proven that hybrid ceiling (combination of aluminium foil and rockwool) is able to produce the lowest MRT  followed by plaster board and cement board. In a nutshell, the acquirement of comprehensive knowledge of the house foundation, materials to use and experts advice is important. These skills are geological knowledge needed in building a perfect house. (1524 words)

Evolution And Creation :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The theory of evolution and creation are the same and different in a lot of ways.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lamarck was the first person to come up with a theory for evolution. There are a lot of different creation stories in the Native American   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The theory of evolution means that all plants and animals developed from earlier forms by hereditary communications of slight changes in the production or generations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The word evolution means“The historical development of a biological group (as a race or species) (Webster’s dictionary). The origin of the theory of evolution began with the French naturalist named Lamarck. This happened in around 1809. He said that the more an animal used its body parts the stronger they got. He also said that the less a animal used its body parts the smaller or weaker it became. He thought that these traits became hereditary. Later scientist disproved this theory when more was learned more about genes and how they work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  50 years later Darwin came up with a theory that most scientist believe it to this day. this is called the theory of evolution. His book was called “The Origin of Specie.'; Alfred R. Wallace, came out with a theory that was almost identical to Darwin’s theory. Darwin’s theory was much more developed and better known. For example Darwin pointed out that farmers would take certain qualities from two different plants and mix them together and it would produce the desired plant. He believed this happened in nature also and he called it “the survival of the fittest'; or “natural selection.';   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are a lot of different creation stories and they are the same in that since but they are all different. The creation stories start at the beginning of the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The creation myth I’ve chosen to wright about is based on what native Americans believe. Here is a quote from chief Weneinock of Yakima “God created the Indian country and it was like he spread out a big blanket. He put the Indians on it . . . and that was the time the river started to run. Then god created fish in the river and put deer in the mountains . . . then the creator gave us Indian life; we walked and as soon as we saw the game and the fish we knew they were made for us. We grew and multiplied as a people.'; (Taylor Ph.D.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another creation story is from the Iroquoian mythology. They thought sky women gave birth to twins. Their names were Iouskeha and Tawiscaron. Iouskeha was the good- minded twin, he was born normal and he made plants, animals, birds and mankind.

Beloved - Overall Summary Essay -- Essays Papers

Beloved - Overall Summary One of the most common reader responses to Beloved is speechlessness. Readers attempt to deal with that speechlessness by trying to determine whether Sethe's attempt to kill her children was morally justified or not. These almost always seem like stilted, insufficient answers to a beautiful, poetic, and profoundly disturbing novel. It is as though the novel haunts the reader until he or she incorporates it into some structure of moral judgment. Perhaps trying to overcome the speechlessness with an awkward attempt at moral reasoning is not the most productive way to respond to Beloved. Instead, we might discover that the effect of speechlessness relates to the broader thematic content of the novel. The circumstances of Beloved's death are horrific. Life in slavery is equally horrific. For the former slaves that populate the novel, the past is unspeakable. Every day, Sethe beats back memories of her enslavement at Sweet Home. For a long while, Paul D can only verbalize his experiences through song. One of the most common forms of punishment for slaves was gagging with an iron bit. Sethe's own mother was forced to wear the bit so often that she has a permanent smile frozen on her face. Robbing the slave of the power of speech is a powerful way to make him or her feel like a beast. Paul D feels even less than the rooster that struts around him as he sits, mute and chained. Baby S...

The Power of Free Will in Milton?s Paradise Lost Essay -- Milton Parad

The Power of Free Will in Milton's Paradise Lost Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Remember always that you not only have to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one." To be an individual means to act by choice and make decisions with free will enhanced by the power of knowledge. Only then are people true to themselves and to others. In Paradise Lost, Milton clearly conveys this concept of acting freely under God. He shows the reader that only with the freedom to choose do a person's actions become meaningful and sincere. This idea also helps Milton to explain the importance of "the fall" and God's ultimate plan. Throughout the book, free will is demonstrated not only by Adam and Eve, but also Satan and the other fallen angels, as well as God's Son. Each character's fate further explains why freedom is so important in expressing true feelings. In Paradise Lost, Milton portrays his belief that God's real desire is power. To achieve this power, God has given to man the freedom to choose. By giving mankind, more specifically Adam and Eve, this freedom, God will have undefeatable power because those following him will be true. As Eve later states, For we to him all praises owe, And daily thanks, I chiefly who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself canst nowhere find (Milton, 4.444-48) By following God of their own will, the praise Adam and Eve give to God is real. It is not a dreaded act done out of fear. To take away the freedom Adam and Eve are given would be taking away God's power. This helps to convey the understanding among mankind that part of God's ultimate plan of holding power is to allow people to act on their own free will. .. ...e, the decision to do so is much more meaningful. Thus, God has an even greater following, which again, fits into his ultimate plan. Without the freedom of choice, a person's actions are not sincere or meaningful. As a part of God's ultimate plan, he gives the angels in Heaven and Adam and Eve free will in their actions. By doing so, God heightens his own power because his following is strong and faithful. Satan's character, on the other hand, gains followers out of fear. As a result, he does not attain the same power that God does, which helps to support the thesis that true power can only be gained with free will. Milton also adds depth to this concept by connecting the power of knowledge to free will. Works Cited Empson, William. Milton's God. London: Chatto and Windus, 1961. Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Roy Flannagan. New York: Macmillan, 1993.

A more personal essay about betrayal Essay

Over the past few years, I have gained much knowledge about betrayal. I have come to believe that it is close to the worst thing that people can do to each other (besides murder), and it’s something that happens more and more as one grows older. By definition, betrayal can mean to be unfaithful, to deliver something to an enemy by treachery, or to desert a person in the time of need. Obviously, this can tell a person a couple of things. First of all, betrayal is a broad â€Å"subject,† and secondly, it is downright malicious. The first example of betrayal that I have given is to be unfaithful. In my eyes, this is probably the worst form of betrayal. I think this because I have been cheated on and I know that the feeling one gets when he or she finds out about the affair is absolutely heart wrenching. At first, I went to pieces when I found out, but then I got over it and I forgave my boyfriend (at that time). Big mistake. He never stopped lying to me, and to this day he still does ,even though we aren’t together anymore. I guess I should have thought twice and listened to the popular saying â€Å"Once a cheater, always a cheater.† The next example that I choose to represent betrayal was to deliver something to an enemy by treachery. Many people have experienced this, but the largest upset was most likely when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The Japanese government was trying to side with the Germans during World War II. The Japanese told the United States that they would not do anything, but then they bombed us, leaving our country open for anything that could come our way from the Germans. I think that is betrayal because the Japanese lied to our country. Although, I guess things turned out for the better in the end; our economy went up slightly and the Japanese were avenged†¦twice. My last example of betrayal is to desert a person in the time of need. I believe that this instance is best depicted in â€Å"Hamlet,† a play by William Shakespeare. Prince Hamlet’s mother, uncle, and friends all desert him in his time of need, which was after his father’s death. This may sound quite confusing, but Claudius (Hamlet’s uncle) killed Hamlet’s father. Not even a  month after the father’s death, Claudius and Queen Gertrude (Hamlet’s mother) are joined in wedlock. Nobody thought that Hamlet was sane because of everything that had happened to him. His friend’s weren’t very true to him and his mother wouldn’t believe that Claudius killed his father. For those reasons, I feel that everyone betrayed Hamlet in the sense that they deserted him in his special time of need. As one can see, betrayal is a harshly wounding action. It can leave an imprint on a person’s heart for many years and it can also make them lose trust in loved ones. To be betrayed is to be completely deceived, and that is a hard thing to endure. I say this because I know it. It has happened to me and I will never forget it, but I have definitely overcome the pain.

Drama Paper on Trifles †Susan Glaspell Essay

Susan Glaspell’s one act play Trifles is based upon actual events which occurred in Iowa at the turn of the century. Between 1899 and 1901 she worked as a reporter for the Des Moines News, during which time she covered a murder trial of a farmer’s wife, Margaret Hossack. The play was written some years later. (enotes. com, 2005) This essay aims to analyze the themes and ideas presented here by analyzing the central character. The full text of this play can be retrieved from http://www. vcu. edu/engweb/eng384/trifles. htm This paper aims to show, by conducting an analysis of the central character, Mrs. Wright (the accused), and discussing her thoughts, feelings and actions, how she is affected by events, other characters and environmental culture and values. Mrs. Wright is a farmer’s wife at the turn of the century, at a time when feminism was beginning to come to the fore, but many years before the active burning of bras, in the 1960s, without children. Moreover, she is married to a man who is not known in the outside community for his social skills – to quote Mrs. Hale, one of the female characters in the play, to pass the time of day with him would be like a raw wind that gets to the bone. We never actually meet Mrs. Wright in person, but it is from the conversation of the others that we learn about her. For instance, from the women’s observations, and despite the comments of the men, we learn that Mrs. Wright is in fact a good homemaker – she quilts well, is diligent about her preserves, the pans were neatly arranged under the sink, and the roller towel was in fact clean prior to Mrs. Wright’s departure (it was dirtied by the man who came in later). She also had bread set ready to be baked. This attitude displayed by the males in the play is indicative of unfair judgements made by men at the time. Even the title of the play, Trifles, indicates that what women worried about at the time was considered unimportant. Thoughts, feelings and actions Mrs. Wright, prior to her marriage, was a singer. We learn also that later in her marriage, she buys a bird. It becomes apparent that Mr. Wright cannot tolerate the bird’s singing and kills it. The women deduce that Mrs. Wright has begun to equate herself with the bird – initially feeling caged, stifled and killed – prior to her marriage, she went out, sang and had fun, and in the very last act, the cage broken, symbolizing freedom, if not of the bird’s body, at least of its spirit. Unwittingly, in one of the opening sentences, Mr. Hale contributes to this image of Mrs. Wright being oppressed by commenting that he didn’t think that what his wife wanted mattered much to Mr. Wright. Having lost everything prior to this, Mrs. Wright could not tolerate the loss of the one thing that she loved. This death of the bird was the act of anger that the men did not find. Her marriage has been similar to a caging, killing (of herself), and in the final act of killing her husband, she has in fact set herself free – although ironically she is now in jail. Mrs. Hale hits the nail on the head when in hindsight she realizes indirectly that Mrs. Wright was lonely – the unpleasantness and coldness of the place which kept her away kept others away too. With the death of the bird the one thing that was fun had now gone too. Interestingly, the bird died of strangulation – and Mr. Wright also died because of being constricted around his neck. Environmental culture The men have gone there with their minds made up and to them it is just a matter of trying to find the proof. The women have gone there with no such convictions, through going about their business they find the truth and yet are still able to show compassion – they decide to take Mrs. Wright the quilt, so that she can undo the last untidy square and complete a nice piece of work. Doing this, they find the dead body of the bird. Having been constricted and confined in life, the bird has been laid to rest in the most beautiful place Mrs. Wright can think of. They also find good fruit and decide to take this to her to convince her that after all her fruit did not rot. Instinctively, they know that this will make her feel better about herself. It is interesting that although it is the men who are there to investigate the case and get to the bottom of things, it is the women, through their observations and insight, get to the truth of the matter. They are the ones who notice, and understand, the erratic sewing of the last quilted square, for instance. The men believe that everything is clear, except for a reason for doing it – which they have not discovered despite having occupied the same premises as the women for the same amount of time. The women think briefly about disclosing this – their eyes meet – but they say nothing. They do not discuss it with the men – it would not be their place. Women at the time were considered inferior, the men where the authority. Thus, although some do know the truth, in fact, because of environmental cultures and the norm of the time, it is never discovered fully. Over 100 years later, one must believe, and be grateful that this would no longer happen. We have learned through trial and error and instances such as this that there are a variety of viewpoints and insights that can help us get to the truth. Works Cited Enotes. com, 2005, retrieved 10 April 2006 from the website http://www. enotes. com/trifles/ Trifles, Susan Glaspell, 1916, retrieved 10 April 2006 from the website http://www. vcu. edu/engweb/eng384/trifles. htm

Qantas Airways Limited Group Essay

Introduction: Qantas Airways Limited is an Australian iconic airline group engaged in the operation of international and domestic air transportation services and the provision of freight services (Market Line, 2014). The airline also associates its services with the Jetstar brand, with QantasLink, Jetstar Asia and Jetstar Pacific grouped under the same business (Passport 2013). With a 17.7% market share of international passengers in Australia (Business Monitor, 2011), the company aims to upsurge its global market position through a demanding and reconstructive approach. The company has already accomplished a notable degree of achievement locally and internationally with its significant competitive positioning and strong alliance with Emirates and previously British Airways. Though with increasing global forces bestowing as challenges for the business, Qantas has to adapt to the macro-environmental factors appropriately in turn with their internal marketing mix. Clarke (2006) stresses that in a wo rldwide economical industry, competition is fierce and costs need to be through international eyes, so an arduous analysis of the strategic pillars is needed for the sustainability and improvement of Qantas in the international market. Internal Analysis 1.1 Strategic Alliances For the improvement of global marketing performance for a company such as Qantas, a global outlook on the affiliation between market condition, marketing policies and programs and consumer response needs to be developed systematically (Davidson, 1983). The application of internal factors relating to the strategic approach Qantas has applied has developed in an enhancement of its global branding in the international aviation market. Qantas tactically formed a strategic 10-year alliance with Emirates on 31 March 2013 (Passport 2013), to further strengthen its global service across various regions around the world as well as to improve its system coverage. With its international segment continuing to be loss making (Passport 2013), retaining the international division of market share with Emirates includes a permanent shift in their network of destinations that includes Europe,  Middle East and Africa; which is evidently a geographic advantage for the airline. The relationship deems m ore significant than a fixed agreement, including integrated network collaboration with coordinated pricing, sales as well as a benefit-sharing model (Market line 2013). The partnership also coincides with their loyalty program, standardising the benefits for customers across both airlines in turn expanding their business partners on a global level. 1.2 Competitors: The generated link between market share and competitors is relatively important, as Hazledine (2011) stresses the more competitors there are, the smaller the market share. By forging an alliance with an attractive competitor like Emirates, the company has gained a stronger network in Europe, Middle East and Africa, while gaining a competitive advantage in the international aviation market. However, since the formation of this new strategic alliance, the termination with the previous partnership with British Airways has led to a change in routes and the comprise of its position with Oneworld- an alliance of the world’s leading airlines working as one (Oneworld, 2014) There has been an increase of rivalry by a number of competing airlines targeting Qantas’ lucrative international and domestic routes. Hazledine (2011), discusses that the Australian market is ‘predominately duopolistic’, with about three quarters of the routes are shared between Virgin and the remaining are Qantas’ monopolies. This implication leads to its dominance in the Australasian market being targeted by other leading aviation companies. The bulk of Qantas’ sales are from Australasia (Passport, 2013), though has been increasing interests from competing airlines seeking to capture their share hold of the region. However, with the significant investment of the expansion of Jetstar in the Asian territory, the notion of retaining a stronger consumer base will significantly intensify due to the construction of new routes with a code-sharing agreement signed with China Eastern (Passport, 2013). External analysis: 2.1 Economic conditions In order to sustain their achievement thus far, the ability to capitalise  costs and expand travel options for consumers on a global level leaves Qantas to transform its programme entirely, ‘becoming one of the world’s best premium airlines, setting global standards for long haul travel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Mules, 2013). Though with the fluctuating inconsistencies in the global sphere, this economically impacts on the business itself. Before the economic downturn, the business illustrated the competitive pressures from Virgin Australia and various low-cost carriers flying to Australia (IBISWorld, 2014). Its competitors highly influenced the profitability of the company with Virgin Blue successfully capturing the market share from Qantas, highlighting 30% – 40% lower costs than those of Qantas (Oxenbridge et al, 2010). The combination of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the inherent volatility of the aviation industry (Financial Management, 2013), meant that in te rms of economic environment, many were seeking to lower and affordable services. Jetstar, a positioned association of the Qantas brand, centres on minimizing costs through operational efficiencies (Oxenbridge et al, 2010). In recognition to this significant investment of Qantas, there has been an increased focus on Jetstar’s expansion into the Australasian region, by building stronger relationships in the effort to replicate the dominant market share of the domestic market to those in the Australasian region. Revenue evidently increased where it eventually reached the stage providing more than 100% of the Qantas group’s profits in 2009 (Danaher et al, 2011). Jetstar’s performance provides an opportunity to focus on Australian traffic into the Asian continent, as demand for low cost carriers remains high in Asia Pacific (Passport, 2013). Furthermore, the rising oil prices seem to reinstate huge challenges to the economic conditions of a company. They directly impact on the profitability of a business and has always been a major component contributing to cyclical nature of economic activity and the demand for air travel (O’Connell and Williams, 2011). With an 18% bill increase in 2012 (Market line, 2013), it pressurizes on the costs and margin of profitability of the company, which has led to an increase to internal and external costs. 2.2 Sociological factors: Moreover, it is important to recognize the severity of income levels across the heterogeneous market, which may influence sociological issues. The first  issue relates to the cost-cutting strategies which have been implemented by Qantas, including segmenting businesses, instituting pay freezes and the outsourcing of functions (Oxenbridge et al, 2010). According to Oxenbridge (2010), Qantas slashed thousands of jobs with redundancies and attrition in order to save costs and switch to lower cost providers. Due to this predicament this has led to shifting operations and agreements offshore, basing their tasks in Dubai ultimately resulting to the significant number of job cuts associated with the employment of the 5-year transformation programme (Mules, 2013). As profit margins are expected to increase with pressure, this has been an increasing implication for the company who are still establishing aggressive policies, which is ultimately affecting the suppliers and workers of the business. Furthermore, the second relates to the two-brand strategy Qantas has operated to cater for business travellers and leisure carriers. The study of global trends on an international level must be initiated in order to provide the correct service to diverse ranges of markets. With the emergence of their lower cost carrier Jetstar, the company has applied different ranges of classes to accommodate the social needs of their consumers. By operating the services of premium classes to business passengers and lower fare divisions to those of the leisure travellers, restructures the position to appeal to all consumers. 2.3 Environmental factors: Qantas’ key priority is the reduction of carbon emissions resulting in fuel burn (Holmes, 2013). Their environmental sustainability ensures the future vitality and maintenance for the company and the implementation of programs aids them to become a global environmental sustainability leader in the aviation industry (Qantas, 2014). The effect of their corporate social responsibility can be suggested through the application of minimising carbon emissions and carbon footprint through the introduction of the lower cost fleet, B787 Dreamliner. With its improved fuel efficiency, it is expected to use 20% less fuel (Passport, 2013). Human activities further reiterate climate and environmental issues, which ultimately influence the internal mix of the Qantas group. 2.4 Technological Factors: The importance of communication technology will always be of significance in regards to the tourism and airline industry (Coles and Hall, 2008).The enhancement of customer experience through the disbursement of modernised technology embedded in all carriers of Qantas has led to the rising operations of customers on a global scale. In an article relating to the key issues of the company, Holmes (2013) depicts the rewarding response in relation to the implementation of â€Å"online and mobile check-in, in-flight entertainment and electronic bag tagging† in regards to the intense global competition. The utilisation of an interactive application of RED, as well as the advanced browsing tool for frequent flyer users has been adapted to their global brand strategy in order for the improvement of quality and rewards for customers (Passport, 2013). Additionally, it has been noted that this generation of innovations is particularly reliant on information technology (IT) and communications technology (Pansiri and Courvisanos, 2010). In saying this, it is crucial for companies to navigate their views onto the online society to accommodate to a wider market. The functionality of particular social media strategies has aided Qantas to expose the brand in an online approach. With the extensive improvement of new forms and technologies, the continuing implementation of these devices is crucial for company as well as the consumer experience. 2.5 Political and legal factors: Reinforcing the fact that Qantas is a multinational company, the operation of its services must run in a highly regulated environment. Through global alliances and government regulation, the manifestation of air service agreements primarily dictates the spatial extent of the airline network (Coles and Hall, 2008). Amongst the complexity of the regulation of frameworks the aviation industry appear to regulate in, the requirement of considerable negotiations between global governments must be reiterated in some occasions when regulating their rights to specific routes and air space. Qantas continues to benefit from government protection in the Australia- Los Angeles route, where Qantas and United Airlines operate as a duopoly (Oxenbridge et al, 2010). Along with other alliances Qantas has tactically initiated, the air space is shared between Emirates, which inevitably upsurged their competition global position. Furthermore, the  implication of job security and the issues relating to Qantas’ legal dispute has created uncertainty for workers. With Qantas outsourcing their operations at a much lower rate of pay, has seized the attention of unions objectifying this notion. The major issued raised was the compatibility of the Fair Work Act in relation to the Qantas dispute. Forsyth and Stewart (2013) exemplify the issue of the ability of unions protecting their employee’s rights and jobs against the global competition of labour and outsourcing of jobs. This meant that in turn new enterprise agreements would be set out; pertaining Qantas to sought and revise their business strategy in the attempt to bargain with the unions. Nonetheless, this issue of the outsourcing of jobs is an increasing predicament resulting in long-term implications for workplace regulation in Australia (Forsyth and Stewart, 2013). Conclusion In this strenuous analysis, the difficulty of bestowing challenges faced upon Qantas has led to a tactical approach of forming alliances with the largest competitor in the aviation market. However, the application of internal and external factors must be applied in order to retain their market position. With its dominance of market share in the domestic market and increasing nature in the international segment, Qantas has the growth and potential to endure global forces imposing strategic approaches and marketing strategies. References: CLARKE, Andrew. The future for Qantas : still calling Australia home? [online]. ALTERNATIVE LAW JOURNAL; 31 (2) June 2006: 97-98. 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