Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II

Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II The Battle of Iwo Jima was fought from February 19 to March 26, 1945, during World War II (1939-1945). The American invasion of Iwo Jima came after Allied forces had island-hopped across the Pacific and had conducted successful campaigns in the Solomon, Gilbert, Marshall, and Mariana Islands. Landing on Iwo Jima, American forces encountered much fiercer resistance than expected and the battle became one of the bloodiest of the war in the Pacific.    Forces Commanders Allies Admiral Raymond A. SpruanceMajor General Harry SchmidtVice Admiral Marc Mitscherup to 110,000 men Japanese Lieutenant General Tadamichi KuribayashiColonel Baron Takeichi Nishi23,000 men Background During 1944, the Allies achieved a series of successes as they island-hopped across the Pacific. Driving through the Marshall Islands, American forces captured Kwajalein and Eniwetok before pushing on to the Marianas. Following a victory at the Battle of the Philippine Sea in late June, troops landed on Saipan and Guam and wrested them from the Japanese. That fall saw a decisive victory at the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the opening of a campaign in the Philippines. As a next step, Allied leaders began developing plans for the invasion of Okinawa. Since this operation was intended for April 1945, Allied forces were faced with a brief lull in offensive movements. To fill this, plans were developed for the invasion of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands. Located approximately mid-way between the Marianas and the Japanese Home Islands, Iwo Jima served as an early warning station for Allied bombing raids and provided a base for Japanese fighters to intercept approaching bombers. Additionally, the island offered a launching point for Japanese air attacks against the new American bases in the Marianas. In assessing the island, American planners also envisioned using it as a forward base for the anticipated invasion of Japan. Planning Dubbed Operation Detachment, planning for capturing Iwo Jima moved forward with Major General Harry Schmidts V Amphibious Corps selected for the landings. Overall command of the invasion was given to Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and the carriers Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitschers Task Force 58 were directed to provide air support. Naval transport and direct support for Schmidts men would be given by Vice Admiral Richmond K. Turners Task Force 51. Allied air attacks and naval bombardments on the island had commenced in June 1944 and had continued through the remainder of the year. It was also scouted by Underwater Demolition Team 15 on June 17, 1944. In early 1945, intelligence indicated that Iwo Jima was relatively lightly defended and given the repeated strikes against it, planners thought it could be captured within a week of the landings (Map). These assessments led Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to comment,  Well, this will be easy. The Japanese will surrender Iwo Jima without a fight. Japanese Defenses The believed state of Iwo Jimas defenses was a misconception that the islands commander, Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi had worked to encourage. Arriving in June 1944, Kuribayashi utilized  lessons learned during the Battle of Peleliu and focused his attention on building multiple layers of defenses that centered on strong points and bunkers. These featured heavy machine guns and artillery as well as held supplies to allow each strong point to hold out for an extended period. One bunker near Airfield #2 possessed sufficient ammunition, food, and water to resist for three months. Additionally, he elected to employ his limited number of tanks as mobile, camouflaged artillery positions. This overall approach broke from Japanese doctrine which called for establishing defensive lines on the beaches to combat invading troops before they could land in force. As Iwo Jima increasingly came under aerial attack, Kuribayashi commenced focusing on the construction of an elaborate system of interconnected tunnels and bunkers. Connecting the islands strong points, these tunnels were not visible from the air and came as a surprise to the Americans after they landed. Understanding that the battered Imperial Japanese Navy would not be able to offer support during an invasion of the island and that air support would be nonexistent, Kuribayashis goal was to inflict as many casualties as possible before the island fell. To this end, he encouraged his men to kill ten Americans each before dying themselves. Through this he hoped to discourage the Allies from attempting an invasion of Japan. Focusing his efforts on the northern end of the island, over eleven miles of tunnels were constructed, while a separate system honeycombed Mt. Suribachi at the southern end. The Marines Land As a prelude to Operation Detachment, B-24 Liberators from the Marianas pounded Iwo Jima for 74 days. Due to the nature of the Japanese defenses, these air attacks had little effect. Arriving off the island in mid-February, the invasion force took up positions. The American planned called for the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions to go ashore on Iwo Jimas southeastern beaches with the goal of capturing Mt. Suribachi and the southern airfield on the first day. At 2:00 AM on February 19, the pre-invasion bombardment commenced, supported by bombers. Heading towards the beach, the first wave of Marines landed at 8:59 AM and initially met little resistance. Sending patrols off the beach, they soon encountered Kuribayashis bunker system. Quickly coming under heavy fire from the bunkers and gun emplacements on Mt. Suribachi, the Marines began to take heavy losses. The situation was further complicated by the islands volcanic ash soil which prevented the digging of foxholes. Pushing Inland The Marines also found that clearing a bunker did not put it out of action as Japanese soldiers would use the tunnel network to make it operational again. This practice would be common during the battle and led to many casualties when Marines believed they were in a secure area. Utilizing naval gunfire, close air support, and arriving armored units, the Marines were slowly able to fight their way off the beach though losses remained high. Among those killed was Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone who had won the Medal of Honor three years earlier at Guadalcanal.   Around 10:35 AM, a force of Marines led by Colonel  Harry B. Liversedge succeeded in reaching the islands western shore and cutting off Mt. Suribachi. Under heavy fire from from the heights, efforts were made over the next few days to neutralize the Japanese on the mountain. This culminated with American forces reaching the summit on February 23 and the raising of the flag atop the summit. Grinding on to Victory As fighting raged for the mountain, other Marine units battled their way north past the southern airfield. Easily shifting troops through the tunnel network, Kuribayashi inflicted increasingly severe losses on the attackers. As American forces advanced, a key weapon proved to be flamethrower-equipped M4A3R3 Sherman tanks which were difficult to destroy and efficient at clearing bunkers. Efforts were also supported by the liberal use of close air support. This was initially provided by the Mitschers carriers and later transitioned to the P-51 Mustangs of the 15th Fighter Group after their arrival on March 6. Fighting to the last man, the Japanese made superb use of the terrain and their tunnel network, constantly popping out to surprise the Marines. Continuing to push north, the Marines encountered fierce resistance at the Motoyama Plateau and nearby Hill 382 during which the fighting bogged down. A similar situation developed to the west at Hill 362 which was riddled with tunnels. With the advance halted and casualties mounting, Marine commanders began changing tactics to combat the nature of the Japanese defenses. These include assaulting without preliminary bombardments and night attacks. Final Efforts By March 16, after weeks of brutal fighting, the island was declared secure. Despite this proclamation, the 5th Marine Division was still fighting to take Kuribayashis final stronghold at the northwest tip of the island. On March 21, they succeeded in destroying the Japanese command post and three days later closed the remaining tunnel entrances in the area. Though it appeared that the island was fully secured, 300 Japanese launched a final assault near Airfield No. 2 in the middle of the island on the night of March 25. Appearing behind the American lines, this force was ultimately contained and defeated by a mixed group of Army pilots, Seabees, engineers, and Marines. There is some speculation that Kuribayashi personally led this final attack. Aftermath Japanese losses in the fighting for Iwo Jima are subject to debate with numbers ranging from 17,845 killed to as high as 21,570. During the fighting only 216 Japanese soldiers were captured. When the island was declared secured again on March 26, approximately 3,000 Japanese remained alive in the tunnel system. While some carried on limited resistance or committed ritual suicide, others emerged to scavenge for food. US Army forces reported in June that they had captured an additional 867 prisoners and killed 1,602. The final two Japanese soldiers to surrender were Yamakage Kufuku and Matsudo Linsoki who lasted until 1951. American losses for Operation Detachment were a staggering 6,821 killed/missing and 19,217 wounded. The fighting for Iwo Jima was the one battle in which American forces sustained a greater number of total casualties than the Japanese. In the course of the struggle for the island, twenty-seven Medals of Honor were awarded, fourteen posthumously. A bloody victory, Iwo Jima provided valuable lessons for the upcoming Okinawa campaign. In addition, the island fulfilled its role as a waypoint to Japan for American bombers. During the final months of the war, 2,251 B-29 Superfortress landings occurred on the island. Due to heavy cost to take the island, the campaign was immediately subjected to intense scrutiny in the military and press.

Creative Writing on World Literature

Creative Writing on World Literature Introduction It is in the 1660 that is referred to as the date of restoration. This is the period in which the republican experiment that was under Cromwell came to an end. It then gave the British a chance to reinstate the monarchy. On the other hand, restoration in the 18th century poetry in its cultural contexts is a combination of British writings pointed towards about four cultural contexts (David 2007). Below is a list of elements I could list as being important: i. Literally warfare ii. City landscape iii. Empire iv. A gendered society v. Personal voice The above listed aspects form the base of humanity within any form of society. They are the ones that orient people into their different roles and how they should go about them. For instance, we can talk of gendered society, as being the unit within a society which assigns roles to people through their gender. There are some roles which are seen as being meant for male whereas others are seen as female tasks (David 2007). We can also talk of personal voice, which entails one’s power or expression freedom. Another element ; literal warfare, denotes the arguments that could arise within a society. They can range from pet warfare to intensive warfare and its level is determined by the amount of effort put forward to counter one’s emotions (David 2007). The sections have been oriented through wheeler, with his poem writings. The poems talked about the political, poetic, and social discourse to which the authors are directed. The poem has been set in a way that it can fit the undergraduates and the graduates (David 2007). It is said that the restoration came at a period when the European countries found out that religion which they had considered as a uniting factor within their community had no authority in acting as the comfortable means of sharing life (David 2007). They later considered the fact that they needed a person with an outstanding authoritative power to guide them through the community. From the above mentioned culture, there was hope for a reasonable social and political life. Excessive emotions which had early on lead to religious bloodshed were a thing of the past and people could now interact and associate freely (David 2007). A section of the new program, of the reforms within culture gave attention to the forms of language at different levels. Due to the need of language to be improved and modified, passionate rhetoric metaphors that seemed to distract communication were done away with (David 2007). It was realized that, public communication or address should use a simpler language, the language should be clear as well, and that it should be able to appeal to the sentiments of the learned section of the society. These appeals also encouraged as well as discouraging some of the literal efforts. It is worth noting that in this period, are of great criticism. It brings out a form of thinking whereby reasonableness has overdone passionate feelings. Moving with cultural shift is a new phenomenon there is an increase in number of middle class of people considered as being literate. These people own a healthy amount of leisure with a good amount of utilizing power. There also is a change in terms of manners between people and within the society. We have learned on how men and women treat and interact with each other. This has largely affected those people in the middle class. The growth of journals, magazines, and other readings is said to be concerned with the group of these people (David 2007). The emergence of a form of faith in England, we get to see in two appropriate directions. Some Christians though resisted the change and were sticking to their perceived ways of life, they believed humanity to be a form of identity among people. On the opposite side of these events, another different group of people viewed the power of transformation brought about by science as being of no reference to religion (David 2007). It is out of those views political dominance prevailed. There was a 3rd group, the group is outside what can be said to be the mainstream political process. This consisted of those people who are unwilling to do away with their traditionalism. It is said to consist of Baptists and Protestants amongst others. In our case, the significant point to take is that the desire for a new reasonableness, within the public domain is responsible for satire. As defined, satire is composition of word phrases. It used in ridiculing people, whereby the use of this feature when writing or in speech discourages some form of vice. Satire has been used to bring out the weaknesses in those people who want to embrace traditionalism so much that they can’t move on with the improvement of the living patterns (David 2007). It could not be seen as impossible, for the world with full of ego to be encouraged by satire. Many of the major poets around the world used satire as a writing style. In this case, satire has been used to defend public order. However, it can also be seen as being used to criticize those who could not embrace change among the community. Different ranges of tone can be taken in satire. This is because traditionally, satire is seen as betraying what can be called a moral vision. This is done purposefully to swap between positive and negative criticism. Satire on the other hand also, can be able to take different forms, this can be gentle or savage (David 2007). Despite the different forms taken by satire though, it still remains to serve the same purpose. The effectiveness of satire in achieving its goal is said to be the moral subject of the audience. Satire is seen as a mirror which lets people see their faces. Rather than taking satire negatively or emotionally, people should learn on how to learn from satire as it will make them better entities.

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Recruitment and Selection Strategies - Essay Example It starts with the hunt for new employees and it continues till a pool of application is generated out of which new employees are selected. To develop a good strategy an organization an organization should always keep itself updated on the opening that are present in it , openings that may be required and positions that are potentially going to be vacant in the future. An organization should target the positions needed immediate fillings first, but it is best to predict the vacancies and plan for recruitment as this ensures that the quality of recruitment activities stays good. Requirements for a certain type of position should be fully understood for better recruitment. The performance level required, the experience needed by the potential employee should ne properly be established. The organization should identify that the vacant post can be best filled by external recruitment or internal recruitment. Some organizations feel that employee referrals are very effective forms of recruitment source (Lisa Guerin, 2007). Vacancies are mostly properly advertised. Human resources personnel involved in recruitment should have proper training and experience so that they can judge the skills and parameters required for the job and determine if they are present in the candidate or not. Evaluation methods of candidates should be described (Linda L. Neider, 2003). The most popular evaluation methods are written tests, interviews, psychometric tests (Carter, 2004) or a combination of these. Things that affect the recruitment process are the organizations objectives and policies, the government policies and labor laws, the source of recruitment traditionally used by an organization, the current needs of the organization and the costs affiliated with the recruitment (Rouse, 2007) The recruitment challenges faced by organizations are that the labor in some countries has aged and the pension costs are becoming high. In the modern day the organizations invite employees from all around the world (Hook, 2008), to generate a larger candidate pool the organizations use modern sources like outsourcing. Organizations outsource their recruitment activities to another organization which screens candidates initially according to organizational requirements given to it so that its employer organization can select employees from its screened candidate pool (Ian Beardwell, 2007). The advantage of this is that even if the company is not planned for a vacancy it can forward its need to the outsourcing organization and get a desired employee in lesser amount of time. It also creates competitive advantage by speeding up the process of recruitment; it helps the management to stay focused on other things rather then the generation of a candidate pool. These organizations usually negotiate salaries on the behalf of their employers to save time and resources of its employers. Poaching and raiding is also another way of acquiring talent, in this the organizations attract and employee a person who is already an

List and explain the three step risk analysis process and list Personal Statement

List and explain the three step risk analysis process and list resources - Personal Statement Example At any rate, it is always better to be prepared for any eventuality although admittedly, it is virtually impossible to prepare adequately for anything and everything. However, having good plans in place is better than having no plan at all that can deal with a contingency whenever it so happens. The most crucial part of security planning and loss prevention is critical thinking. This is the ability to think and ask the tough questions other people may hesitate to ask. Further, it is a way to get out of the box-mindset and adopt a different attitude from the business as usual. In his book, author Philip P. Purpura postulates critical thinking as the cognitive ability of analysis, the interpretation, the explanation and the evaluation of ones own reasoning, to even include ability to question ones conclusions and judgment in a continuous process of assessment (2008, p. 4). In this regard, there is a highly-recommended three-step risk analysis process that is to be followed in order to have a good grasp of the security situation. It is the rational and orderly way of identifying a problem, determining its probability of occurring and finding solutions. The objective of this process is to also estimate the loss in case of an adverse event happening. This 3 step process is discussed in much greater detail in the next page. Conducting a loss prevention survey – this first step takes into consideration all possible threats, hazards, vulnerabilities and weaknesses that can threaten security and survival. Purpose of this activity is to assess probable adverse events based on certain conditions such as weather, geography, fire protection systems, pending litigation, proximate presence of nearby hazardous materials (nuclear, chemical, biological, etc.) and all other identifiable threats to include social, political and economic conditions. The survey is actually a questionnaire in the form of checklist to make sure everything is covered during the

Poverty In Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poverty In Canada - Essay Example UNISEF has found out that child poverty rate in Canada, which is one among the wealthiest nations of the world, was 14.9% in 1990s (Raphael, p.11 of preface). Canada’s treatment of its â€Å"poor, single mothers and natives† had come even under the UN criticism and the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had remarked that the â€Å"country has not ensured Canadians enjoy economic and social rights guaranteed by a UN covenant to which Ottawa is a signatory† (Raphael, 9). The CCSD National Task Force had given a comprehensive diagrammatic representation for measuring poverty and had listed â€Å"three important dimensions of well-being† as, â€Å"economic, psycho-social and political participation† (9). The review done by the task force has shown that Canadian society lacks in all these three dimensions to various degrees (CCSD National Task Force, 9-11). ... The gravity of the situation is so that â€Å"more than 3m Canadians (or one in ten) are poor; and 610,000 of them are children† (The Economist). Causes The major cause of poverty in Canada is found to be lower wages that people are getting. It is a social reality that, â€Å"market incomes have stagnated for all earners, except the most wealthy† (Global Economic Justice Report, 2). In 2005, it was observed that â€Å"one in six Canadian workers earns less than $10 an hour† (Global Economic Justice Report, 2). A contributing factor to the low-wage situation has been the â€Å"increases in non-standard work (contracts, part-time work, temporary agency work) and an increased number of so-called â€Å"involuntary part-time workers†-workers who would prefer to work full-time but are unable to find such work† (Global Economic Justice Report, 2). As compared to the other rich nations of the world, Canada spends very less money on minimum wages, health and social service investments, education, employment, training, and social infrastructure (Raphael, p.12 of preface). In Canada, it is noted that the people remain poor because, â€Å"the political and economic system does not provide employment wages or social assistance benefits at a level†¦that allow for a life outside of poverty† (Raphael, p.11 of preface). Also the public policy does not ensure, â€Å"affordable housing, childcare, and health and social services, thereby straining the resources available to†¦vulnerable groups† (Raphael, p.11-12 of preface). The housing problem was so grave for low-income earners that the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had asked Canadian government to consider low-income housing as a

External Environment Macro Analysis Pest Analysis Marketing Essay

External Environment Macro Analysis Pest Analysis Marketing Essay Political -. European Union and world trade union had contributed massively in the globalisation that had promoted globalisation but due to recession especially in US and European market the governments of the countries have started pursuing protectionism policies. In UK and USA the government is promoting the policy of giving job opportunities to their citizens first then the outsiders. Such policies would bring a big change in strategy formulation of many companies. Economic the GDP growth of the developed countries have been falling in the last five years. Moreover the year 2009 would experience more big fall in GDP whereas the BRIC countries have shown good growth of more than 7% in last five years but due to recession in the world market there will be fall in their growth also due to global impact Social- due to globalization in last two decades a convergence approach has been observed the world over of accepting global brand irrespective of their culture. Purchasing power in developing countries have increased which had made them spending more on luxuries products. Similarly women and children segment has also become an active segment in the last one decade. Technological -globalization had given rise to tough competition among the MNC, they are investing huge amount on research and development to bring new improved products to attract customers. Providing differentiated products from the competitors is generally the aim of giant companies. external environment o t internal environment sW SWOT ANALYSIS BAT is engaged in the manufacture, marketing and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products. The groups brand portfolio includes over 300 global and regional brands. Strong brands provide the group with the flexibility to frequently launch new products as brand extensions. strong brands provide a competitive advantage to the group in the market place. However, increasing advertisement restrictions may negatively impact the group sales, as advertising is important in driving tobacco sales. Strengths Strong brand portfolio The groups brand portfolio includes over 300 global and regional brands. The groups Global Drive Brands (GDB) including Kent, Dunhill, Lucky Strike and Pall Mall, account for more than 26% of the group global volumes. Strong brands provide the group with the flexibility to frequently launch new products as brand extensions. More importantly, strong brands provide a competitive advantage to the group in the market place. Diversified revenue streams BAT has a wide geographic presence. It operates in 180 markets in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and the American Pacific region through a large number of subsidiaries and associate companies. Continuous orientation towards research and development The group has been continuously strengthening its research and development (RD) activities in recent past. The group devotes significant resources and attention to product development, process technology and consumer insight research to develop consumer-preferred products with innovative and distinctive features. This is evident from the fact that the group incurred  £105.1 million in the RD activities in FY2008. The RD provides support for the groups current range of products . It also provides guidance on the use of ingredients in products to help to improve the quality and standard of the products as well as comply with national legislative requirements. RD initiative helps BAT to innovate and introduce new products in line with changing consumer preferences. Weaknesses Low employee productivity BATs revenue per employee is lower than that of its closest competitor.The group recorded revenues of  £12,122 million in FY2008, with a total number of 56,170 employees. The groups revenue per employee stood at $400,365.0 in FY2008, significantly lower than that of its closest competitor, Imperial Tobacco. In FY2008, the revenue per employee of Imperial Tobacco stood at $952,078.4, Lack of scale The group lacks scale when compared to its competitors in the market. Many of its competitors, such as Philip Morris International and Imperial Tobacco are much larger in size and in terms of revenues. Philip Morris $63,640.0, Imperial Tobacco  £20,528 BAT,  £12,122 million in FY2008. The groups small scale of operations could turn out to be a disadvantage in the fiercely competitive market. Lack of scale also reduces the bargaining power of the group. Opportunities Acquisitions to strengthen the market position The group has entered into some strategic acquisitions in the recent past. As a result of these acquisitions, the company now has a much stronger market position in Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Poland and both acquisitions have performed in line with expectations, while contributing positively to earnings. These strategic acquisitions would continue to benefit the group in future as well. Growing global tobacco industry The global tobacco industry is forecasted to witness growth through 2013. Volume declines are evident in developed markets. However, some developing markets in Eastern Europe and East Asia are recording growth. The performance of the industry is forecast to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR of 4.1% for the five-year period 2008-13, . This would give a positive boost to the revenues of groups overall business. Declining oil prices The oil prices have been declining in the international markets. declining oil prices is likely to positively affect the groups operations. Declining oil prices would reduce its cost, thus enabling it to increase its operating margins. Threats Increasing advertising restrictions Advertising, promotion and brand building, which are critical to the tobacco industry, are facing increasing regulatory obstacles across the globe. Growing illicit trade Illicit trade in the form of counterfeit products, smuggled genuine products and locally manufactured products on which applicable taxes are evaded, represents a significant and growing threat to the legitimate tobacco industry. The illicit trade constitutes a larger portion of the total tobacco industry across the world. Economic slowdown in Euro zone BAT derives major portion of its revenues from the European market Representing 39.1% of the total revenue. A weak economic outlook for the Euro zone is likely to depress the demand for the groups products, impacting the revenues of the group in the immediate future. external environment FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Buyer Power The main retail outlets for the US tobacco market include independent retailers, service stations, and supermarkets/hypermarkets. The concentration of retail outlets selling tobacco products is relatively low here, as there are number of outlets where the products can be sold. In the US, independent retailers are the most predominant distribution channel, with 27.6% share of total distribution Furthermore, tobacco products are not the only products sold by most retailers and in most cases retailers are not reliant upon tobacco sales thus boosting buyer power. Customers are likely to be susceptible to brands, so potential pull-through of end-consumer demand on retailers exists, weakening buyer power somewhat. Overall, buyer power is moderate. Supplier Power Tobacco is an agricultural product and therefore key suppliers to the tobacco market include tobacco leaf farmers. These farmers lack power in the supply chain due to their smaller size, with many farms being family run businesses, particularly those in developing countries. Further inputs to the market include processing aids, humectants (which keep the tobacco moist and pliable), preservatives and brandspecific flavors. Other key inputs include packaging materials, such as paper/card, plastic, and foil to protect and preserve the products of this market. More specifically, packaging manufacturers supply the market with in-line rotogravure printed hinge-lid blanks and soft packs, RYO (Roll Your Own) tobacco booklet covers, as well as printed OPP film (Oriented Polypropylene film), bundle wraps and tobacco pouches. Due to the relative size of such suppliers, their respective influence over the market is increased. There are limited alternative raw materials in this market, so players are unlikely to switch between suppliers boosting their power somewhat. Overall, supplier power is moderate. New Entrants The dominance of existing brands is notable within the US tobacco market, with leading players such as Altria Group or Reynolds American benefiting from scale economies. Legislation and Government regulation with regards to smoking also continues to get more and more stringent within this market, i.e. a complete ban for smoking in public places has been implemented in a number of states. Current tobacco control strategies seek primarily to decrease the demand for cigarettes through measures that encourage individuals to adopt healthier behaviors, raising entry barriers. Such regulations could effectively deter the threat of new entrants. Furthermore, shelf-space in retail outlets is finite and retailers may be unwilling to substitute other established brands in order to stock those of an entirely new, unproved brand. Overall, there is a moderate from new entrants to the US tobacco market. Substitutes Tobacco products are non-durable goods, and substitutes for tobacco products may include various other non-durable consumer goods, for example nicotine gum, nicotine patches, and herbal cigarettes. However, there are inter-segmental substitutes apparent within this market, alternatives to cigarettes and fine cut tobacco products include: smokeless tobaccos, cigars and pipe tobacco. Players and consumers alike may substitute one tobacco product for another, with players who specialize in the manufacture of cigarettes diversifying into cigars as an example. However, inter-segmental substitution still involves essentially the same product. The benefits of substituting tobacco products for alternate non-durable consumer goods are especially notable in concern to consumer health, largely due to the health risks associated with smoking (e.g. increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease etc.). These alternative products fulfill consumers need for nicotine, without the harmful effects of inhaling smoke. Unlike tobacco products that face restrictions on advertising in many markets, nicotine replacement products are highly promoted through a variety of media. Overall, there is a strong threat from substitutes to the US tobacco market. Rivalry The US tobacco market is concentrated, with Altria Group and Reynolds American collectively holding over 76% share of the markets value. Product differentiation is essentially limited between the core tobacco products, which include: chewing tobacco, cigars and cigarillos, cigarettes and loose tobacco, which increases rivalry. Illicit tobacco supplies have a negative impact upon players revenues and it is estimated that over 10% of tobacco consumption (around 600 billion cigarettes) a year, globally, is supplied by smuggled or counterfeit trade, which will serve to boost rivalry. Overall, there is a moderate degree of rivalry in the US market. Company analysis MARKET SEGMENTATION I Cigarette sales constitute the largest share of the US tobacco market, accounting for 93% of the total revenues. In comparison, sales of chewing tobacco generate 3.3% of the markets value. MARKET SEGMENTATION II The United States accounts for 21.8% of the global tobacco markets value. In comparison, Europe generates 41.2% of the markets revenues. Company analysis COMPANY VIEW A statement by Jan du Plessis, Chairman at BAT is given below. company strategy: growth, productivity, responsibility and building a winning organization. Growth company continued focus on our 4 Global Drive Brands (GDBs) has played a major role in these achievements. Last year, our 4 GDBs grew by 16 per cent, with about a quarter of the increase attributable to successful brand migrations. Kent rose by 18 per cent and Pall Mall by 22 per cent Lucky Strike increased by 9 per cent and Dunhill by 7 per cent. GDB volume now represents over 26 per cent of our total volume, providing us with a significant opportunity to add scale to our key competitive innovations. Productivity We have also made further progress with our productivity savings and we are very much on track towards our target of reducing our costs by  £800 million by 2012, Responsibility In 2008, for the seventh year running, we were included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and we published our first Sustainability Report. Winning organization Employee opinion at British American Tobacco compared favorably with other FMCG companies in the comparator group. Earnings, dividends and share buy-back Adjusted diluted earnings per share grew by 19 per cent to 128.8p. the benefit from the share buy-back programme were partially offset by higher net finance costs, a higher tax rate and an increase in minority interests. Liquidity Arguably the most satisfying feature of our results last year was the high level of cash generation. Free cash flow rose 52 per cent. they continue to maintain investment grade credit ratings. Outlook We remain alert to the possibility of down trading. However, our well balanced portfolio of brands covers all major price points, while our geographic diversity further mitigates the risks for shareholders. We are very much aware of the potential challenges but the inherent strength of our businesses, our brands and our people should make us more resilient than most. Current strategy ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS It is one the most popular strategies which are being used by the modern corporate for the purpose of diversification. In this most of the tobacco industry it is becoming increasingly popular strategies for the purpose of acquiring market leadership In this BAT are tried to acquire many companies globly for its core competencies, market shares, brands well known R and D and their special technologies The main reasons for acquisition and mergers are the following: It is the strategy by which the BAT is trying to get market leadership and as an edge over its rivals especially in the tobacco industry . BAT is operating in the tobacco industry is attempting mergers and acquisitions as strategy for expanding operations in the world. By using the strategy the corporate are trying to increase their geographical coverage which is a most crucial strategy or technique by which it is a able to target its final consumers thus it is an effective strategy by which the customers are being targeted in a short span for its main benefit is the integration which helps the firms to increase their outlets. Acquisitions and mergers helps in expanding of the output that leads to achievement of economies of scope which in turn increases the earning capacity or the profit margins of the firms using such a strategy. This helps in the using of the brand name of BAT by the acquiring firm which helps in providing benefits to BAT, by using strong brand name for increasing their customer force. ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS PROBLEMS Problems of integration- if the subsidiary organization is not able effectively integrate with the parent organizations operation then the whole exercise of acquisitions and mergers can be into a big problem. In case of BAT has always maintained its independence and culture. Problems concerning the human resources-If the resources especially its human resources are not being utilized properly in accordance then in such cases the usage of such strategies for the purpose of acquiring company can be futile Problems concerning the conversion of the subsidiary company into the parent companies culture- The acquiring company has to ensure that the subsidiary company should not have much problem in converting in accordance to the BAT framework. Future entry strategy There are many ways to enter the foreign market as explained in the diagram above Acquisitions Probably the most important reason for this method of market expansion is that associated with the particular assets of the company: brands, market share, core competencies and special technologies may all represent reasons for purchase Mergers. Mergers are similar to acquisitions in the sense of two companies combining. However, mergers usually arise because neither company has the scale to acquire the other on its own. Joint ventures and alliances-A joint venture is the formation of a company whose shares are owned jointly by two parent companies. It usually shares some of the assets and skills of both parents. Cereal Partners Inc. is a 50/50 joint venture between Nestle and General Mills (US) whose purpose is to attack Kelloggs breakfast cereals Franchise-A franchise is a form of licensing agreement in which the contractor provides the licensee with a pre-formed package of activity. It may include a brand name, technical service expertise and some advertising assistance. Payment is usually a percentage of turnover. McDonalds Restaurants are among the best-known franchises. theory The main advantages and disadvantages of the various methods of market expansion are summarised Methods of expansion: advantages and disadvantages- Advantages Disadvantages Acquisition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can be relatively fast à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Premium paid: expensive à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ May reduce competition from a rival, although such a move usually has to be sanctioned by government competition authorities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ High risk if wrong company targeted à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Best targets may have already been acquired à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cost savings from economies of scale or savings in shared overheads à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Not always easy to dispose of unwanted parts of company à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintenance of company exclusivity in technical expertise à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Human relations problems that can arise after the acquisition: probably the cause of more failures than any other à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Extend to new geographical area à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Problems of clash of national cultures, particularly where target foreign à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Buy market size and share à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Financial reasons associated with purchase of undervalued assets that may then be resold Joint venture à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Builds scale quickly Control lost to some extent à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Obtains special expertise quickly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Works best where both parties contribute something different to the mix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cheaper than acquisition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can be difficult to manage because of need to share and because parent companies may interfere à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can be used where outright acquisition not feasible à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Share profits with partner Control lost to some extent à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can be used where similar product available Alliance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can build close contacts with partner à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Slow and plodding approach à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Uses joint expertise and commitment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Needs constant work to keep relationship sound à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Allows potential partners to learn about à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Partners may only have a limited joint commitment to make alliance a success each other à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unlikely to build economies of scale à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Locks out other competitors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Slow and plodding approach Franchise à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lower investment than outright purchase à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Depends on quality of franchise à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Some of basic testing of business proposition undertaken by franchise holder: lower risk à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Part of profits paid over to franchise holder à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Exclusive territory usually granted à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Risk that business built and franchise withdrawn à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lower investment than outright purchase à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Some of basic testing of business proposition Future entry strategy Three main criteria for deciding how to invest or enter new market are Risk of losing proprietary information in case of direct investment and exporting the risk is very low, whereas in case of licensing and joint venture risk is medium) Resources if company has less resources it should go for licensing and exporting, if it has medium resources it should go for joint venture and if has high resources then direct investment Control if company wants to have full control it should go for direct investment or export with own staff, if medium control then joint venture and licensing and low control then exporting with middlemen in case of BAT the firm should go for acquisition merger because it would give the company full control on the brands of the acquired company. thus freedom to take their own decisions. Secondly the risk of losing proprietory information would be very less as acquired company would not copy such information Thirdly the company has enough resources to go for such move Current strategy or company analysis Marketing mix strategy While entering in different countries BAT has to take decision or formulate strategy relating to four factors of marketing mix -product -promotion price place BAT would be mainly has to decide about the Problem relating to standardization or adaption-Standardising or adapting the international marketing mix Product as BAT has to enter in the new market they have to take decision relating to product positioning and formulation. The company has to analyse the culture of the country and then take appropriate decision whether to use same brand names or to lanch changed brands or products in the market. the changes if required might be done in many areas like design, service offering, brand name, pack design Promotion- BAT has to decide whether advertising proposition, creative presentation, sales promotion, personal selling style needs changes or not. Generally if the products are changed that definitely requires changes in promotion strategy according to the culture Price especially in case of developing countries prices pay major role on the decision of the customers purchase. Therefore appropriate decision have to be taken by BAT for price, discount structure, credit terms distribution channels- distribution channels have to used which are more famous in the new market to reach the products to customers in time. Therefore the company need to make changes in such direction. Future strategy Ansoff matrix In market penetration, a firm seeks to expand the sales of its present products in its present markets through more intensive distribution, aggressive promotion, and competitive pricing. In market development, a firm seeks greater sales of present products from new markets or new product uses. It can enter new markets, appeal to segments it is not yet satisfying, reposition products, and use new distribution methods. In product development, a firm develops new or modified products to appeal to present markets. It emphasizes new models, better quality, and other minor innovations and markets them to loyal consumers. In diversification, a firm becomes involved with new products aimed at new markets. The products may be new to the industry or to the company. Distribution and promotion orientations are different from those traditionally used by the firm. BAT would be using market development strategy to avoid many problems like illegal trading of their products in the market where they havent entered. The main reasons for choosing this strategy are BAT has good experience in entering successfully in new market, at present they are already in 113 countries. BAT has to aggressively pursue this strategy to increase its sales where the market is showing high growth Through this strategy the company can avoid illegal trading of their products in the market where they have not entered. Current strategy generic strategies We begin our exploration of environment-based options by considering the generic Definition strategies first outlined by Professor Michael Porter of Harvard Business School. Generic strategies are the three basic strategies of cost leadership, differentiation and focus (sometimes called niche) open to any business. The Porter generic strategy model identifies two key planning concepts and the alternatives available for each: i) Competitive scope (broad or narrow target). It is possible to target the organisations products as a broad target covering most of the market place or to pick a narrow target and focus on a niche within the market. ii) Competitive advantage (lower cost or differentiation). There are fundamentally only two sources of competitive advantage. These are differentiation of products from competitors and low costs. The following three basic strategies are identified (see Figure): Cost leadership-broad market and low cost position. Differentiation-large market and unique strategy. Focus-narrow target segment and either low cost position or a unique strategy. Cost leader ship and differentiation strategies are alternatives for large firms; a focus strategy isavailable to smaller firms. Porter modified the concept to split the niche sector into: niche differentiation niche low-cost leadership. Cost Leadership strategy: this generic strategy calls for being the low cost producer in an industry for a given level of quality. The firm sells its products either at average industry prices to earn a profit higher than that of rivals or below the average industry prices to gain market share. The cost leadership strategy usually targets a broad market ii. Differentiation Strategy : This strategy calls for the development of a product or service that offers a unique attributes that are valued by the customers and customers perceive to be better than or different from the products of the competition. The value added by the uniqueness of the product may allow the firm to charge a premium price for it. The firm hopes that the higher price will more than cover the extra costs incurred in offering the unique product. Firms that succeed in differntiation strategy often have the following internal strengths: Access to leading scientific research. Highly skilled and creative product development team. Strong sales team with the ability to successfully communicate the perceives strengths of the iii. Focus Strategy : this strategy focus on narrow segment and within that segment attempts to achieve either a cost advantage or differentiation. The premise is that the needs of the group can be better serviced by focussing entirely on it. A firm using a focus strategy often enjoys a high degree of customer loyalty and this entrenched loyalty discourages other firms from competing directly differentiation focus super premium ice cream segment; cost focus economy ice cream segment. In the global car market, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari are clearly niche players they have only a minute percentage of the market worldwide. Their niche is premium product and premium price. BAT should pursue cost leadership strategy because -as the company is using its financial resources in acquiring other companies therefore the company should pursue strategy in which they can earn more profit by spending less or by reducing the cost of production. This strategy would enable the company to earn more profit. Company current analysis BCG Model- product portfolio The BCG Matrix, named after the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), is perhaps the most famous 22 matrix. The matrix measures a companys relative market share on the horizontal axis and its growth rate on the vertical axis. market growth rate for each product, the market growth rate of the product category. Market growth rate is important because markets that are growing rapidly offer more opportunities for sales than lower growth markets. THE GROWTH SHARE MATRIX- the market growth rate on the vertical axis indicates the annual growth rate of the market in which the business operates. It ranges from 0 to 20 percent. A market growth rate above 10 percent is considered high. Relative market share, which is measured on the horizontal axis, refers to the SBUs market share relative to that of its largest competitor in the segment. The growth share matrix is divided into four cells, each indicating a different type of business: stars cash flow question mark dogs high growth high share low growth high share high growth low share low growth low share in this case the business is likely to generate enough cash to be self sustaining Firm can further promote Expand more in the service and product. Invest in R and D Stars are high-growth, high-share businesses. Very often, they need heavy investment for financing their rapid growth. Eventually, their growth slows down and they turn into cash cows. in this case business can be used to support the other business unit -due to high share these units are generating cash to support other sbu They may generate enough surplus to maintain themselves. due to low share the business unit is not able to maintain market share Question marks, are low-share business units, in a high-growth market. -They require a lot of cash, for maintaining the market share. -Any business has to think between building a question mark into stars or whether they have to be phased out. in this case the business is a cash trap as both are low -limited future short term focus and avoid risky projects. Dogs are low-growth and low-share businesses. Current situation BCG matrix Many of the brand of BAT are in star position in certain countries and some are in cash cow position in certain countries, some are in question mark and certain are in dogs position. Benson and hedges, dunhill, lucky 7 and john player are in star position in many countries. These brands are having good market share and good market growth therefore the company should keep investing in such brands. In case of 555 and Viceroy they are in cash cow position in certain developed countries where the market growth has decreased but

Cultural Implications of a “Brave New World”

Aldous Huxley’s â€Å"Brave New World† relates a fictional society in which freedom is dead, morality is forgotten, and man’s future is bleak indeed. His work employs many parallels that can be drawn to society’s culture today, possibly even serving as a prediction of the future 500 years from now. With that said, a close look will be taken into several of Huxley’s themes within a â€Å"Brave New World† to best determine the impacts of his fictional society in regards to current cultural trends, and trends for the future. Huxley’s â€Å"Brave New World† is set far into the future, in 632 AF, or 2540 AD.Plotted in this extreme, Huxley has liberated himself from any confines of modern literature and opened up the doors for a future entirely of his making, with his own rules, and own utopian predictions. For, written in 1931, Huxley was essentially inventing a society some 600 years into the future, one in which he has created a â €˜negative utopia’— [a society] in which utopian dreams of the ‘old reformers’ have been realized, only to turn out to be nightmares† (Booker, 16), which, with the Utopian books of his time, was his very intention.With that said, Huxley’s work should be â€Å"read primarily as a warning against runaway capitalism and as an anticipation of coming developments in Western consumer society† (Booker, 20). Further, in a direct parallel from Huxley’s work to modern society, capitalism could, very easily, take the same turn in an attempt to create a better, more stable economy. The story itself is a frightening version of the future that could be, all the while containing social and cultural issues of the early 1900’s.The cultural impact of the Industrial Revolution alone highlights a major theme within the work that the world is moving at too fast a pace for survival tempered by the loss of intellectual individuality. In Huxle y’s world, reproduction has no use as it is easier, and more economical, to essentially create new individuals via a hatchery process. Sex is no longer the means for reproduction but has been relegated the role of pleasure, where any man can have any woman, and there are no relationships based upon such intimacy.There are no emotional ties to family, loved ones, or friends, and death is accepted as the natural cycle of life, not to be mourned, but not really to be thought about either. Huxley’s world is separated into a large caste system: with Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons. In this society, the upper-castes are given more time in the hatchery to develop intelligence and physical prowess, whereas the lower castes are essentially poisoned to have lower intelligence and lesser physical endowment.Huxley’s employment of these plot conditions marks his greatest theme: that of the loss of individual identity. In his â€Å"brave new world,† people are mere products of creation, relegated into their castes, who live out their lives as they are supposed to, never questioning, never wondering, never living. With this basis, Huxley initiated the â€Å"reinforcement of desired behavior by reward rather than by punishment† (Fjellman, 3), with the â€Å"[prediction] that we might be tamed instead by desire and pleasure† (3).Then, perhaps for balance, Huxley introduces the character of Bernard Marx, a psychologist and an Alpha Plus. Despite his caste rank, Bernard is an outcaste in their society, based mostly on his physical condition, which socially marks him as a lower caste because of his smaller size. Bernard, of course, falls for a Beta Plus, Lenina, who is so far in the societal doe that she cannot even question her own actions and is tormented by her â€Å"friends† for not being promiscuous enough.As for Lenina, Huxley â€Å"reserved especial bile for the female of the species, whose presence provokes eve n more heated rhetoric† (Higdon), and her character the ultimate parody of the female species. Further, Huxley â€Å"offers a remarkably sexist vision which suggests—if it does not outright say—that only Alpha men are capable of being unhappy, of being unorthodox, of being rebels. Only once, in a remark by Mustapha Mond, does the work suggest that women can become as troublesome to the State as men and suffer exile for their unorthodoxy† (Hidgon).This rebel nature and ability to see the world for the reality of what is can be seen â€Å"through the actions and thoughts of its four male rebels: Bernard Marx, Helmholtz Watson, John the Savage, and Mustapha Mond—each of whom has been driven in one way or another to question and to rebel against the not-to-be-questioned values of the Fordian/Freudian world of 632 A. F. Each of these men has wandered dangerously far into unorthodoxies that threaten the community, identity, and stability of the World Sta te† (Higdon).From this basis, Bernard is the first male character to begin his rebellion when he realizes that there is something very wrong within their society—that everyone has been given â€Å"memories† from the hatchery based on subliminal suggestions and not actual events. Moreover, many critics refer to this rebel nature as Huxley’s â€Å"response to early cinema†¦[it] was far-reaching in its implications, recognizing cinema’s stimulation of the body as well as the mind and imagining cinema's potential to be either an instrument of social and political reform or a medium of cultural degeneracy† (Frost).Indeed, Huxley considered music a powerful medium, once writing that â€Å"‘the darkness of the theater, the monotonous music induce in the audience a kind of hypnotic state’† (Frost), exactly like Huxley’s soma does to the characters. Further, Huxley’s narrative form â€Å"[shows] the individual i n society, serves to heighten the sense of his helplessness and vulnerability† (Ferns, 132). Moreover, Huxley’s world â€Å"is an unsettling, loveless and even sinister place. This is because Huxley endows his ‘ideal’ society with features calculated to alienate his audience.Typically, reading BNW elicits the very same disturbing feelings in the reader which the society it depicts has notionally vanquished – not a sense of joyful anticipation. [Huxley himself] describes BNW as a ‘nightmare’† (Pearce). Indeed, Huxley writes in his Forward that his work is â€Å"a book about the future and, whatever its artistic or philosophical qualities, a book about the future can interest us only if its prophecies look as though they might conceivably come true† (Huxley, ix).For his part, Huxley avoids any real technological advancements (like computers, aviation, or even the evolution of the automobile) within â€Å"Brave New World,â₠¬  instead focusing on the evolution of the human being and the social cultural advancements that 600 years into the future might bring. More, Huxley writes that the â€Å"only scientific advances to be specifically described are those involving the application to human beings of the results of future research in biology, physiology, and psychology† (ix-x). Indeed, in choosing this form, Huxley has created a society that could exist in the very near future—and not one 600 years distant.Further, â€Å"it is only by means of the sciences of life that the quality of life can be radically changed†¦the people who govern the Brave New World may not be sane†¦but they are not madmen, and their aim is not anarchy but social stability. It is in order to achieve stability that they carry out, by scientific means, the ultimate, personal, really revolutionary revolution† (x). With this epiphany, Huxley made, for the first time, a purely utopian society in which it is not the technological advances that relegate the future of mankind, but it is mankind themselves who make it for themselves, for the good or for the bad.And it is this ideal that makes a frightening assumption for the future of mankind. 500 years into the future, surely Huxley’s world could come into fruition, but, in an even more frightening realization, Huxley’s world could come into society slowly, and within a period of decades, the current society, in an attempt to create a more safe and stable life for its inhabitants, could instead transform into the dystopian world predicted in a â€Å"Brave New World. † Overall, Aldous Huxley, in a â€Å"Brave New World† demonstrates a dystopian future in which mankind is subjugated by the very essence of being human.Where pleasure is a form of reinforcing punishment and sex is nothing more than an activity of the popular. The future that Huxley predicts is, in reality, a truth that every society may yet face . For, in removing the technological advances that mark many utopian works, Huxley has given the story over to human nature itself. And, in every future, there lies a culture where stability is the goal—and in that ideal, a â€Å"Brave New World† is not so far advanced, after all. Works Cited. Booker, Keith M. The Dystopian Impulse in Modern Literature: Fiction as Social Criticism. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994. Fjellman, Stephen M.Vinyl Leaves: Walt Disney World and America. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1992. Frost, Laura. â€Å"Huxley’s Feelies: The Cinema of Sensation in Brave New World. † Twentieth Century Literature, 52. 4 (2006): 443+. Higdon, David Leon. â€Å"The Provocations of Lenina in Huxley’s Brave New World. † International Fiction Review, (2002): 78+. Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Bantam Books, 1958. Ferns, Chris. Narrating Utopia: Ideology, Gender, Form in Utopian Literature. Liverpool, England: Liverpool U P, 1999. Pearce, David. â€Å"Aldous Huxley: A Brave New World. † (2008). BLTC Research. 26 June 2009 .

Core competencies of Indigo Airlines Essay

1. Only debt free company in the aviation sector – It has enough cash in his kitty to sustain itself for another two years. With the amount of cash that indigo possesses it will surely be one of the big players in the low-cost space globally with its expected fleet size of about 100 planes by the year 2016. Indigo’s fleet makes up approximately 6.5% of India’s combined fleet size and comparing this figure with the market share of 27.40%. 2. Word of Mouth & Repeat Customers – Indigo has hardly advertised and indulged in brand building activities. It spends less than 1% of revenue on marketing. It is only lately that it started to realize the value of advertising and launched a couple of ads. The secret behind the immense success of the airline is the word of mouth advertising & repeat purchases by the customers. Indigo outperformed its rivals by establishing a difference; it created greater value to its customers at lower price. Hence, Delivering greater value allowed them to charge higher and Greater efficiency resulted in lower average costs. 3. Price Sensitive & Time Sensitive – The company achieves cost advantage through various processes such as avoiding the in flight services, No free meals, Highest no. of seats in the aircraft, Lower employees per aircraft, Lightest passenger seats in India which weigh only 12.8 kgs and using paint which overall weights 50 Kgs less. Indigo has broken up the job into small parcels with time targets and each of these is monitored. They have even turned around an aircraft in 14 minutes. 4. Operational Efficiency & Innovation- Indigo has set up a centralized operations control centre which monitors the weather, anticipate delays and even provides advance information to the ground staff. Average age of the fleet is about 1 year, the occurrence of technical faults are low and hence less maintenance issues. Because of this Indigo has managed to achieve high On-Time performance. Indigo keeps implementing new and innovative ideas to increase the quality of customer service. Recent example is: Indigo has roving â€Å"check-in counters† where passengers with only cabin baggage can check-in with an Indigo official with a handheld device, rather than lining up at the check-in counter. Calculating Success of Indigo Airlines (Load Factor) â€Å"Indigo has reported a Load Factor of 75.7% when the Industry’s average was 65.6%† * Load factor represents the proportion of airline output that is actually consumed. To calculate load factor, divide RPMs by ASMs * RPM(Revenue Passenger Miles) – It is calculated by dividing passenger revenue by available seat miles * ASM (Available Seat Miles) -One aircraft seat flown one mile, whether occupied or not. For example-An aircraft with 200 passenger seats, flown a distance of 200 miles, generates 40,000 available seat miles.

What You Should Know About Electronics

What You Should Know About Electronics Electronics is the branch of physics that deals with the emission and effects of electrons and the operation of electronic devices. How Is Electronics Different From Electricity? Many devices, from toasters to vacuum cleaners, use electricity as an energy source. These electrical devices transform the electrical current they receive through your wall socket and transform it into another form of energy. Your toaster, for example, transforms electricity into heat. Your lamp transforms electricity into light. Your vacuum cleaner transforms electrical energy into motion that drives the vacuums motor. Electronic devices, however, do more. Instead of transforming electrical energy into heat, light, or motion, they actually manipulate the electrical current itself. In this way, electronic devices can add meaningful information to the current itself. Thus, an electric current can be manipulated to carry sound, video, or data. Most devices are both electrical and electronic. For example, your brand new toaster may transform electricity into heat and also manipulate the current using a thermostat that maintains a specific temperature. Similarly, your cell phone needs a battery to provide electrical energy, but it also manipulates electricity to transmit sound and pictures. History of Electronics While we think of electronics as a modern field, it has actually been around for well over 100 years. In fact, the first manipulation of electrical currents for practical purposes began in 1873 (with Thomas Edison). The first major breakthrough in electronics occurred in 1904, with the invention of the vacuum tube (also called the thermionic valve). Vacuum tubes made possible the invention of TV, radio, radar, telephones, amplifiers, and even microwave ovens. In fact, they were used throughout most of the 20th century and are even in use in some places today. Then, in 1955, IBM introduced a calculator that used transistor circuits without vacuum tubes. It contained no fewer than 3,000 individual transistors. Digital technology (in which information is shared using a combination of 0s and 1s) became easier to design with the use of transistors. Miniaturization has led to a revolution in digital technology. Today, we think of electronics as relating to high tech fields such as computer design, information technology, and design of electronic devices. The reality, however, is that electricity and electronics are still very closely allied. As a result, even auto mechanics must have a good understanding of both fields. Preparing for a Career in Electronics The field of electronics is vast, and electronic engineers generally make a very good living. If you are planning to go to college, you may choose to major in electronic engineering, or you may choose a university where you can specialize in a particular field such as aerospace, telecommunications, or manufacturing. In any case, you will be learning about the physics and practical uses of electricity and electromagnetism. If you are not going the college route, you have several good options in the field of electronics. Electricians, for example, are often trained through apprenticeship programs; todays electricians must also be up to date with electronics, as most projects require a working knowledge of both. Other options include electronic sales, manufacturing, and technician jobs.

The Discovering of Puerto RIco essays

The Discovering of Puerto RIco essays The Discovering of Puerto Rico? Can this be any be more ironic. Boriquen was the name given to what we today call Puerto Rico and it was already discovered by Arawak Indians. So why do we date the discovery only when the Europeans came into the picture, 1493. Most of us are aware of what the European did to the native Indians and how the brought over the Africans and inslaved them. If we could go back time we would have wished things had been dault in a different, more peaceful way. But since we cant go back in time we have to accept that now we are who we are because of those events. And since we cant change the past we should try our best to change the future by not being prejudice. On Christopher Columbus 2nd voyage he brought 17 ships, about 1200 men, stores for round trip voyage of 6 months. Also seeds, plants, animals, tools for agriculture and construction. Obvious that Spain intended to colonize not just explore. But the most important things they brought was language that today is still spoke, religion that is still practice and a way of remembering this of years and years gone by, written history. When he sailed out of Cadiz September 1493, and made a stop at the Canary Islands in October, those who joined him on the second voyage probably had no idea how they would change, and there great great grandkids would be part Dominica was the first of many island that would be discovered found for the first time by European. Followed by Mariegalante, Les Saintes, Desirade, Guadeloupe, Monserrat, Antigua, St. Martin, St. Croix, and the Virgin Islands name after the mythical story of St. Ursula and the 11,000 virgins that were killed by the Hauns when they were visiting the holy shrines of France, Spain, and, Portugal. The first sign for a what we ...

Utilitarianism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Utilitarianism - Assignment Example For this reason, an abortion is done. The decision may be against the morality of the society but it may be good to the girl. West is of the assumption that the end may justify the means if the perception of the majority is considerate of the truth (Par 8). If the same case may be involving a grown woman, an abortion may not justify the end. This is based on that the decision is made under no circumstances that may justify the actions. In another example, a hospital may ignore calls to carry out euthanasia on a patient. From the public perspective, the hospital should end the life to stop a person from suffering. The hospital is however, hopeful that a cure may be created to cure the illness. If the person is cured, the conduct of the hospital may not be questioned. From this argument, one may be of the assumption that the pleasure and wants of the majority may determine the morality of ones actions. However, if other factors such as truth are disregarded an action may be justified regardless of the morality and the perception of the

Crime Scene Investigator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Crime Scene Investigator - Essay Example The ability to recognize and collect physical evidence properly is always invaluable in solving violent crimes as well as during prosecution. As a matter of fact, the role of a crime scene investigator is in most court cases very critical as he/she is the determining factor as to whether physical proof will be applied while prosecuting or solving violent criminal acts (Crime Scene Investigator Network, n.d). It is important to note that the investigation of a crime scene can either be straightforward or it can come with challenges, which would call for a multidisciplinary approach in order to resolve them. To start with, the investigator can get the wrong impression of the crime scene – for instance, a crime scene that seems to be accidental fire may have been staged to conceal further crimes. Therefore, hurried conclusions may make the investigator to miss out on important clues. The investigator should therefore know that every item that catches his/her attention is importan t and he/she should document it. He/she should thus be observant and diligent following standard procedures for every kind of scene response (Fish, Miller & Braswell, 2010). On arriving at the scene of crime, a crime scene-investigator must do various things and process lots of information. To start with, he/she should start by having a brief interview meeting with the first reporting officer on the scene as well as the lead detective in order to obtain information that can assist him/her comprehend what happened, when it occurred and the order of the events that took place (Domnauer, 2007). This should happen without the investigator getting too much information that is likely to taint his/her perspective. Instead, it should be sharpened in such a way that he/she is able to take the information that he/she received previously and mesh it with that which he/she gathered at the crime scene thereby enabling him/her to come to an impartial and logical determination of the events. In ot her words, the investigator should present the court with an accurate and true crime scene representation remaining unbiased as well as objective all through the proceedings. He/she should leave it for the court to weigh the value of the evidence and determine innocence or guilt (Fish, Miller & Braswell, 2010). Crime Scene Investigator Network (n.d) further records that a crime scene investigator has no substitute for a thoughtful and careful approach, and that he/she must not jump into making immediate conclusions regarding what happened founded on limited evidence. Instead, he/she must come up with several different theories of the crime, keeping those that incoming information at the scene do not eliminate. Rational deductions regarding what happened are generated from information from witnesses as well as the scene appearance. These theories assist in guiding the investigator in documenting specific conditions and identify valuable proof. According to Ruslander (2007), a crime s cene