COMMENT PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

COMMENT PAPER - Essay Example (Article 5. 1.a drafted by Dr. F. V. Garcà ­a Amador, Special Rapporteur, and submitted to the International Law Commission. International Responsibility: Second Report 1957 cited in Friedmann, et.al., 760) It goes to say that Allan, even if he is not a national, will be allowed certain basic rights such as making contracts and closing deals. Since it was also mentioned that the State of Lunacy will not tolerate any discrimination in contracting, it is the State’s obligation to render necessary actions to Charlie Company, which they did—revoking Charlie Company’s charter. Therefore, if the Unites States would charge the State of Lunacy in behalf of Allan, the State would not be held liable for Charlie Company’s discrimination because they had already applied the necessary action. b. According to Lunatic law any person seeking redress against a business incorporated under state law is allowed to sue in their courts. Not giving Allan the right to sue because of the sole reason that he is an â€Å"alien† is a violation of the State of Lunacy’s Law. The Clerk would have to face the consequences of his/her judgments against Allan as an answer to the violation. When states fail to adhere to the international standard, a denial of justice may occur. Denial of justice holds states responsible under international law for wrongful administration of justice regarding foreigners committed by the executive, legislative or judicial organs of the State. It includes improper administration of civil and criminal justice with regard to foreign persons, such as denial of access to courts, inadequate procedures, and unjust decisions. (Paulsson, Jan, Denial of Justice in International Law) If not given proper action by the State of Lunacy, the United States could i nclude this situation to their charges against the State in which they will be held liable. c. The State of Lunacy will be not held liable even though Allan is an alien and is injured during

The Ethics of Samsung Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Ethics of Samsung - Research Paper Example New management encompassed the encouragement of employees to adopt changes in the company and strive to become more ethical for others. Therefore, qualitative performance at Samsung is preferred over the quantitative terms. In the presence of these efforts, Samsung Electronics admitted breaches of the labor regulations in the way of the excessive working hours. Repeated use of child labor at some factories of Samsung was also observed. However, Samsung takes measures to correct these violations including revising hiring policies, overtime practices and work hours. Welfare and health protection were among other measures (Mundy 2012). Compliance program of Samsung is intended to guarantee the legal compliance of self-governing and network of compliance officers supports and represents all departments. Compliance officers dispense advices and provide legal resources to employees. This compliance program is developed to ensure that Samsung’s employees comply with governmentâ€℠¢s regulations, laws and other policies to mitigate the risks of the unanticipated legal fallouts. Talking about vision and mission statement of Samsung, it is stated in the motto that creates the world by inspiring the world. Samsung is committed to inspire the communities by leveraging the key Samsung’s strength in the innovative products, new technology and creative solutions and also promoting the values of Samsung’s employees and partners. Samsung also declared that company responded to the internal changes as well as a new development. However, change in the mission statement was intended to keep the pace of growing international operations. New mission statement is focused to devote the technology and human resources to create services and superior products towards contributing the global society. Enhancing the well being of people all over the world is another point of Samsung’s mission statement (Lee, 2006). Code of ethics of Samsung did not mention the ethics office, but most companies of Korea had the ethics officer (Samsung Engineering, 2013). Samsung like other business companies requires the mechanism for transmission of practices and values on the corporate, social responsibility and ethical business. Samsung Engineering continues to educate and communicate the employees on the Samsung’s compliance management through training of employees and encourage employees to participate in the practices of the compliance program. The training contains the points of legal compliance and relevant laws on corruption prevention, and fair trade. In fair trade at Samsung, no employee is allowed to do unfair transactions and provide the improper influence to others. No employee in the future is allowed to provide the unfair and false information. Employees of Samsung cannot involve in acts of receiving the money, any service or benefits from undue advantages. They are also strictly prohibited to receive rebates or do doubtful transact ions. Cyber education has been provided to all Samsung’s employees on the understanding of ethical management. Samsung Electronics knows very well about the development of compliance culture and create core values for top management and employees. A zero tolerance principle is ensured in all cases of unethical and misconduct of business conducts. A pledge of compliance is signed by executives

The Changing Urban Geography of the Inner East End and the City of London Essay Example for Free

The Changing Urban Geography of the Inner East End and the City of London Essay Tower Hamlets have been inhabited for 2000 years, with a detailed history going back to the Roman invasion of 43AD. The world famous Tower of London stands on the River Thames on the western boundary of the borough. It dates from the reign of William the Conqueror in the 11th century and in the past 900 years it has been used as a fortress, royal palace, zoo and state prison. Much of borough was marshland at this time. As London expanded and the pressure for development intensified, the land was gradually drained and reclaimed. A cluster of small communities was established, known locally as the hamlets around the tower which is the origin of the boroughs name. The areas population spread south from Spitalfields and Whitechapel as works to prevent flooding of the Thames allowed many new houses and wharves to be built at Blackwall, Poplar, Shadwell and Wapping. These areas grew as centres of shipbuilding and repair. Lime kilns to make mortar for the building industry were established, giving their name to Limehouse. The construction of Bow Bridge over the River Lee in Henry 1s reign improved access to the tide mills on the east bank. It wasnt until the 16th century that the area really began to thrive. During that century Whitechapel was a bustling suburb of London, becoming a centre for trades, such as metalworking, brick making and tanning, not allowed in the City because of danger, noise and smell. The dissolution of the monasteries by 1536 freed land for building and London grew rapidly. The split between east and west London became marked with the west attracting courtiers, gentry and professional classes and the east the trades, industry and commerce. Shipbuilding spread rapidly along the riverside and became concentrated on the Isle of Dogs. Some say it was so named because Henry VIII exercised his hunting dogs there but it may well have originated from Isle of Docks. Factories and rows of terraced houses consumed the rural landscape of the 18th century, except for pockets of land saved for parks and gardens, in particular, Victoria Park, Stepney Green, Bethnal Green Gardens and Island Gardens, which remain to this day. The maritime character of the hamlets around the Tower was transformed in appearance during the 19th century, with the building of huge warehouses and high walled docks. The West India Dock, which opened in 1802, was the first enclosed dock built on the Thames for cargo handling and within 26 years the East India, London and St. Katharine Docks were all working. As the workshops, docks and factories of East London made a major contribution to the development of London as world trading centre, it was very much at the expense of workers who endured damaging working conditions. Two famous East London strikes played an important part in organising unskilled workers into unions. In 1888, Annie Besant led the match girls at Bryant and Mays factory in Bow, in their fight for better conditions. The following year saw Ben Tillet, Tom Mann and John Burns lead the dockers strike to raise wages to 5d per hour, less than 3p in todays currency. Philanthropists of every description were drawn to the East End. Dr Barnardo trained at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel and founded his first home for orphans in Hope Place, Stepney in 1866. The first Ragged Day School was set up in canal-side warehouses at Mile End and is now a museum about the East End and the lives of its children. Salvation Army founder William Booth began preaching on the Mile End Waste in 1865. In 1869 the Baroness Burdett-Coutts built a gigantic covered market called Columbia, in Bethnal Green. Of the many political figures in the boroughs history, George Lansbury Councillor, Mayor of Poplar, Member of Parliament and Leader of the Labour Party from 1931 to 1935 did much to try and improve conditions for local people. Sylvia Pankhurst headed the militant East London branch of the Suffragette movement based on Old Ford Road. The borough is historically famous for providing refuge to those fleeing persecution. In the 18th century, the area was occupied by the silk weavers largely descended from the Huguenot refugees (French Protestants escaping from Catholic persecution in France). A hundred years later, Jews fleeing the pogroms in Eastern Europe founded a thriving community. At the same time, a Chinese community was established in Limehouse as a result of merchant trading. Throughout its history, Tower Hamlets has continued its trend of welcoming people of different faiths and cultures. During the 20th century newcomers from Bangladesh settled in Spitalfields and the surrounding areas, along with Somali and Vietnamese refugees. With its culture and cuisine, the predominant Bangladeshi community gives such life and vitality to the area that it has been dubbed Banglatown. This is in stark contrast to the mid 20th century period when much of the area was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War. The borough suffered more than any other part of London during the war twenty four thousand homes and much of its industry were destroyed. The post war period was also a difficult time as the traditional dock industries fell into rapid decline, leaving substantial areas of land and buildings vacant and derelict. But Tower Hamlets has a history of responding to the demands of time. After several decades of failed schemes and plans, part of the borough (all of the Isle of Dogs and most of Wapping) was designated an economic development zone. As a result the years since 1980 have seen massive expansion of new industries and employment, and an extraordinary landscape-changing transformation has taken place. Empty warehouses have been converted and derelict sites have been replaced by towering office blocks and contemporary housing complexes, many with award-winning glass and steel designs. The borough has altered greatly over the centuries, but much of its history survives today in the original street patterns, place names, architectural heritage and the absorption of people from many different backgrounds into todays growing community. The Tower hamlets were built in 1963 when the boroughs of Stepney, Poplar and Bethnal Green were merged together. This area is nowadays known as the East End of London. The fresh Docklands and Riverside developments are slowly changing the area away from being just a working-class area. For the last 400 years the residents in this area have generally been craftsmen, labourers and those who worked for the richer city dwellers. The Tower Hamlets became an extremely important industrial area, in the unloading, storing and processing of goods coming into London. However the working conditions in these areas have traditionally been very appalling. The major industry during the Second World War in this area was the docks, but the Tower Hamlets were extremely badly damaged during the Blitz. This had a disastrous effect on the docks, and this saw the decline of them. The London City Council produced a post-war rebuilding scheme, even after a huge amount of people had migrated out of the area. This resulted in the area becoming more residential than industrial. The area in the borough contained post-war Edwardian and Victorian terraces, and at this time it was not very aesthetically pleasing, and did not attract a great deal of visitors to the area. The Tower of London however, is a huge place in Britains history dating back to 1067, and holds the Crown Jewels. The Tower Bridge is continually refurbished for the reason that it attracts a huge number of tourists the whole year round. After the closing of the docks, a enormous urban generation took place, which meant that some of the area was rebuilt completely and to a very high standard, an example of this being Canary Wharf, which holds numerous high rise office buildings. There are now also attractive housing developments and a much better service and leisure infrastructure. Spittalfields Spitalfields lies at the heart of the East End of London and is famous for its bustling street markets. Many people are drawn to Spitalfields for the wide variety of eateries found around the markets. Brick Lane is known for its curry restaurants, and with its predominant Bangladeshi community. The area is historically famous for providing refuge to those fleeing persecution. In the 18th century, the area was occupied by the silk weavers largely descended from the Huguenot refugees (French Protestants escaping from Catholic persecution in France). A hundred years later, jews fleeing the pogroms in Eastern Europe, founded a thriving community. Nowhere is the unique history of the area better depicted than in the history of the local mosque. The mosque in Brick Lane has been a place of worship for different faiths for hundreds of years. It was first built as church by the Huguenots but changed use to become a synagogue when a jewish community replaced the protestant population. This shows how the immigrants who came into this area has changed considerably. First it was the Hugenos who came in 1700s to Fournier Street and brought the silk industry with them. They came due to the persecution of French protestants in France in the late 1600s. The Eastern European Jews who migrated in the 1881 due to persecution changed the area to a synagogue, while the Bangladeshis built it into a mosque in the 1950s. By the middle of the 20th century the jewish community had mostly moved on and the building was converted again, this time into a mosque to serve the Bangladeshi community. With its culture and cuisine the Bangladeshi influence gives a cosmopolitan feel to Spitalfields. The influence is so striking that the area has been dubbed Bangla Town. Architecturally, the narrow lanes and alleyways of Spitalfields typify the bustling street life of Charles Dickens London. Spitalfields covered market was built in 1682 and is a fine example of the hamlets architecture. It now houses a lively crafts and antique market with an international and organic The nearby Brick Lane Market developed during the 18th century for farmers selling their livestock and produce outside the city boundary. Today the market offers wide array of fruit and vegetables, clothes and household goods. Petticoat Lane Market is renowned for its clothing and leather goods. To the south of Spitalfields is Whitechapel Road, which is world famous as the only East End street on the Monopoly board. More locally the road is famous for the East London Mosque, The Royal London Hospital and museum and the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. However on the topic of housing, Spitalfields is not of very high standard. The inner city, which is predominantly Bangladeshi, has a very low owner occupation rate, but this has increased dramatically in the last 30 years, showing how much it has come forward in the last few decades in terms of both size and standard. A reason for this is the law introduced which allowed people to buy from the council, which allowed the houses to be refurbished through gentrification. Despite this, Spittalfields is still a rather poor area, with high housing densities, no central heating and other serious characteristics of deprivation. Former Bishops Gate goods yard is a very rundown area and shows the great decline in the area. It has been in decline for the last 25 years and is now used as a car park, which is typical for areas around the area. The new Church on Commercial Street is a strong reflection of the change in land use of the area as a large majority of churches were bombed during the Second World War and this is being redeveloped. As we go further into the city of London away from the East End we see that there are increasing more new office blocks being developed with 10 -12% in Canary Warf and many in Exchange Square. The reason for this is because companies save a lot of money, over 100% in fact making Exchange Square a popular area. Also, because of limited space, the law has come out allowing only British based companies to buy shares so many companies move to London and so land values are increased. Also an illustration of change in land use is Devonshire Square where East India Company Warehouses, which was a major trade company, are being converted into offices. This is unusually not near the docks but reason for its placement is due to the large space available. Also the buildings have had conversion to higher ceilings for air conditioning and cables for IT which again highlights the modernisation of the area. The Guild Hall is the heart of Londons government. It has had a lot of refurbishment since the 12th century and is the wealthiest local authority in Britain. It receives à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6 million per annum from Natwest Bank from tax. It has responsibility for numerous things such as many open spaces around London (e.g. Burnham Beeches), for hygiene in markets, control of London University and controls part of London and Heathrow. These reasons show how this area of London is so significant and important. A very important wealthy area is the area of Guild Hall. The Big Bang attracted many foreign companies, which brought more wealth into the London economy. Over $450 billion a day pass through London in the foreign exchange which is obviously a huge amount of money, showing London is a very important city of the world. This proves the fact that London is the worlds second largest economic city, and earns $1.8 trillion in stocks shares. One of the reasons for this is because London is in the centre of the worlds time zones, so it open when other leading cities are open, such as New York and Tokyo, which is very advantageous. As well as that, London is the centre of the car manufacturing, which is the world largest manufacturing industry. The stocks and shares began in the Mansion Square, and the Bank of England is also located here. The London Mayors Office is also situated here. We appreciate how much the land use and people in London have changed over time, and the reasons for this actually occurring.

Training on Performance of Employees in Etihad Airways

Training on Performance of Employees in Etihad Airways This research project aims to investigate the impact of training on the employees of El Etihad, a well known airline based in the Middle East with operations across the world. 1.1. Overview Training and development play very important roles in the enhancement of individual abilities and professional advancement of organisational employees (Gerber Lankshear, 2000). Numerous changes have occurred in the global economic and business environment since the end of the Second World War. Such changes, which have intensified in nature and scope since the 1980s, include rapid advancement in technology, the dismantling of physical and economic barriers between nations, the development of instantaneous methods of communication across long distances, and sharp reduction in costs of international travel (Gerber Lankshear, 2000). The phenomenal increase in international travel is an integral part of globalisation and has in turn led to immense churning in the airlines industry (Craig Douglas, 2000). The airline industry has witnessed the emergence of numerous new airlines across the world, even as well established and once famous airlines have had to close down. Whilst new airlines like Ryan Air and Easy jet have come up in the UK, numerous new airlines have sprung up in China, India and the Middle East. Such growth in the airline industry has resulted in intensification of competition, segmentation of customers, and the emergence of low cost airlines and chartered trips (Craig Douglas, 2000). Etihad is one such airline, which was established in 2003 in Abu Dhabi and has in a short period of time grown significantly both in operations and in sales. Operating in an intensely competitive environment, the organisation needs to improve its sales and operational efficiencies in order to break even and become fin ancially viable (Craig Douglas, 2000). It is widely recognised that with all other things being equal, the competitive advantage of organisations, both in production and in service sectors, is determined by the quality of organisational employees and the levels of customer service (Eaton, 2001). The role of employees is especially important in service sectors like hotels and airlines, where individual customer satisfaction is often dependent upon the quality of service provided by organisational employees. All modern day airlines, big and small, recognise the importance of employees and their role in the achievement of competitive advantage and organisational growth (Eaton, 2001). Airline employees, both on the ground and those who fly, are chosen with great care and trained continuously and intensely in order to improve operational efficiencies, customer service and competitive advantage. 1.2. Aims and Objectives This research project aims to determine the role of training of employees in Etihad airlines on the organisational efficiency, customer service, and competitive advantage of El Etihad Airlines. Its objectives are as under To examine the role of training in improvement of organisational efficiency and competitive advantage of organisations. To investigate how training can improve the performance of employees in the airlines sector. To investigate and assess the ways in which training can help the performance of employees at Etihad Airways 1.3. Research Questions The research questions for this project are framed as under: Research Questions 1: What are the organisational advantages of training? Research Question 2: How can such advantages improve the performance of employees in the Airlines sector? Research Question 3: How can training improve employee and organisational performance at Etihad Airways? Research Question 4: How will such improvement impact the operational and financial performance of Etihad Airways? 1.4. Terms and Definitions Terms and Definitions Details Epistemological Approach The approach of knowledge Quantitative and Qualitative Methods The two main methods of social research Population The group of people or things under study in research projects Sample A small portion of the population that is expected to have the attributes of the larger population 1.5. Limitations of Study This study will be limited by the amount of information accessed during the course of investigation of primary and secondary sources. Whilst extensive efforts will be made to obtain relevant information, it is very possible that some facts that are relevant may not be unearthed. Such inadequacies could limit the final analysis and results of the project. 2. Literature Review Etihad Airways Etihad Airways was established in July 2003, through the proclamation of a royal decree by Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE. Etihad is the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, and offers air travel within country and to numerous other global destinations (iloveindia.com, 2009). It is based in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE. The company is yet to post a profit and has faced difficult times in the wake of the global economic downturn of 2008 (iloveindia.com, 2009). Competition in the Airline Industry The airline industry has faced very challenging times over the course of the past decade and continues to face multifaceted and tough situations. The industry suffered extremely in the days after the September 11 attacks, when worldwide drops in air travel compelled a number of celebrated airlines, counting the likes of Swissair, to seal operations because of enormous operational and financial losses (Yousfi, 2008). The huge hike in fuel costs in recent years, which in 2007 shot up to more than 140 USD per barrel and now floats between USD 70 and 75 per barrel, is adversely affecting the operations and finances of all passenger airlines. The airline industry, globally, has suffered losses worth billions of dollars in recent periods and expects to make a nominal profit of 0.05% in 2011 (Yousfi, 2008). Etihad has not just been adversely affected by adverse global environmental circumstances but also by competition from strong Middle East airlines like Qatar Airlines and Gulf Air. The o rganisation faces extremely strong international and local competition, and is finding it difficult to break even and thereafter make profits (Yousfi, 2008). Training and Development Training and Development constitutes the overall organisational strategies and policies that are adopted by organisations for helping employees to improve their individual and collective organisational abilities and skills (Adiele, 2009). Training initiatives aim to build workforces with better ability in order to allow organisations and employees to attain their objectives for customer satisfaction and service. Training represents all the activities that are taken up, both by organisations or individually by employees, to improve employee performance in existing or associated areas of employment (Adiele, 2009). Training in organisations comprises of two important segments, i.e. internal training and external training (Vemic, 2007). Internal training is provided within the organisation. Such training can be classified into off-job and on-job training, on-job training standing for the improvement of skills through the actual participation of workers in their jobs and off-job training standing for learning enhancement through observation; either in class rooms or in the work place (Vemic, 2007). External training represents training that is arranged outside companies, mostly by consultants and professionals (Vemic, 2007). Need for Training and Development Employees need to be trained for various reasons. Whilst staffing of employees is carried out on the basis of their overall suitability for the jobs expected of them by way of educational background and achievements, prior training and working experience, changes in work place and environmental conditions, as well as alterations in work requirements, often require employees to enhance their skills (Lowson, 2002). Training needs could arise because of reasons like (a) the inculcation of fresh technologies and work processes, (b) alterations in manufacturing, service or other work processes, (c) the need to prepare employees for additional responsibilities, (d) the need to prepare workers to take on improved responsibilities, (e) the need to develop their awareness about environmental and business circumstances and (f) the need to develop or alter their attitudes and behaviours (Lowson, 2002). Organisations are progressively emphasising on the importance of ethics in the work place (Vemic, 2007). Modern organisations are informing employees about the ethical direction of their organisations and the requirement for employees to maintain ethical codes of conduct. Apart from ethics, training programmes are frequently designed to give employees interpersonal skills and conflict minimisation techniques (Vemic, 2007). Inculcation of the requirement for preservation of work place harmony also helps workers in improving their relationships with others. Training also plays a key role in inculcating safety in working processes (Vemic, 2007). Benefits of Training and Development HR experts are agreed on the positive benefits of training, not just for junior members of the workforce, but even more for supervisors and managers, for augmentation of individual and organisational productivity and performance (Gerber Lankshear, 2000). Suitable and well planned training assists workers to develop their skills and knowledge, as well as to acquire new skills. Many studies have shown that employees can toil considerably faster and with lesser errors after proper training. Such training allows them to do their jobs better and enables them to take on new responsibilities. Whilst training assists organisational performance and efficiency, it also increases employee worth and augments their value in the employment market (Gerber Lankshear, 2000). Please see Appendix 2, which details the various benefits of training and development in the form of a chart. 3. Research Methods 3.1. Methodological Perspectives 3.1.1. Important Research Factors Research in areas management come under the broad scope of economic research (Bryman Bell, 2007). The research methodology for such assignments is determined in agreement with the doctrine of social research and is shaped by the character of the subject under study and the infrastructural and other resources available with the researcher. The choice of suitable research methods and techniques involves the selection of precise research methods and the most appropriate sources of information (Bryman Bell, 2007). 3.1.2. Quantitative and Qualitative Methods of Research Social research methods are fashioned by two broad and different research approaches, namely the quantitative approach and the qualitative approach. These approaches are fashioned by dissimilar epistemologies and require the use of distinct research techniques, both for acquisition and for analysis of data (Darlington Scott, 2002). Please see Appendix 1 Most theories put forward by researchers need substantiation, measured by relevant quantitative data Quantitative research is an inquiry into an identified problem, and based on testing theories. The goal of quantitative methods is to determine whether the predictive generalizations of a theory holds true. Quantitative political research thus refers to the use of measurement in the analysis of behaviours and attitudes. Quantitative political analysis makes great use of statistical concepts and theories in its execution. In a situation that involves the behavioural analysis of large numbers of people, sometimes running into hundreds of thousands, statistical analysis is the most convenient way of arriving at a logical conclusion. The use of statistics by way of various tools like predetermined sampling methods, probability, correlation and regression analyses is used to present findings that support or contradict research hypotheses. Quantitative analysis is initially somewhat bewildering to stereotypical political researchers, who mostly have backgrounds in the liberal arts and are unfamiliar with statistical models. However, the models used are reasonably simple and decision making is restricted to choosing the level of data to be used, the choice of the sampling technique, the sample size and the appropriate tool for measuring variability. The measurement of variability, which involves computation of means, medians, modes, standard deviations and coefficients of correlation and regression, is the only stage in quantitative analysis that requires a certain amount of number crunching. However, software for their computation is universally available and researchers, these days have little to do other than feeding in the results of surveys and questionnaires. Apart from these descriptive techniques for data analysis, statistical inferential techniques that involve generalising from a sample to the whole population are also regularly used in qualitative research methodology. Quantitative analysis involves two other major tasks that influence the quality of the final analysis, namely data collection and the final validation of results. Data collection can happen directly through the use of questionnaires and surveys, from opinion polls or from pre-existing material, like results of other research efforts or official statistics. Harrison (2001) states that opinion polls are often used to obtain indications about public preferences while exit polls help in forecasting results. The voluminous material available from official sources is also used as base data in quantitative research on many occasions, after satisfaction of its validity for the Qualitative methods of analysis are fundamentally different and are applied when the issue under study is subjective in nature and open to different ways of interpretation (Neuman, 2005). Qualitative research methods are fashioned by interpretivist epistemology and concern detailed examination of multifaceted subjects that are frequently profound and incapable of being satisfied with yes or no responses. Qualitative techniques involve obtaining understanding human behaviour in depth as well as the reasons that govern such behaviour, i.e., the how and why behind attitudes and consequent decision-making. Samples are therefore small and focussed and techniques incorporate skilled and extensive interviewing of respondents, observation and examination of documents (Neuman, 2005). The major difference between quantitative and qualitative research techniques lies in much greater involvement and the elimination of detachment, which however is integral to quantitative research involving large samples and surveys. Numerous techniques, including participant observation, ethnography, ethno methodology, dramaturgical interviewing, case studies, unobtrusive observation, content analysis and historiography form part of the repertoire of the student using qualitative methodology for research. There are very few step by step rules in this methodology and the objective is to arrive at the real reasons behind what people actually do, as opposed to what they say, e.g. in surveys. Whilst most research assignments call for the use of either quantitative or qualitative methods, some multifaceted and multidimensional issues necessitate the use of both techniques (Neuman, 2005). 3.1.3. Choice of Information Sources Information sources are generally categorised into primary and secondary sources. Secondary information sources consist of all the information on the subject that is available to the public at large in the form of published material, more specifically books, articles, both journal and magazine, and other publications (Bryman Bell, 2007). Primary information is obtained from sources that are part of or are integral to the subject under study (Bryman Bell, 2007). Whilst primary information is commonly obtained from interviews and focus group discussions, such information is also available from specific public domain sources like organisational or departmental publications, publications authored by the subjects under study, interviews given by them to reliable media publications, and otherwise from information disseminated through personal or organisational websites (Bryman Bell, 2007). 3.2. Research Design The research project is complex and its design will need to incorporate both quantitative and qualitative methods of research. It is proposed to investigate the responses of a small group of 25 airline employees of Middle East airlines on the proposed benefits of training. This will help in obtaining information from airlines employees on their perceptions of training, especially on the training techniques that could help them in their jobs. Whilst it could be difficultly to obtain permission from airline managements for the conduct of such a survey, a recommendation letter from the institution should help in obtaining their agreement to participate. Qualitative interviews with three senior or middle level airlines staff, especially with people associated with the HR function will also help in obtaining detailed information about the role of training in improving the performance of airline employees. 3.3. Population and Samples The population, for the purpose of this assignment, consists of the employees of Etihad Airways. With the operations of employees of most employees in the airlines sector being reasonably similar, the population can be taken to be all people employed in the airline sector in the Gulf States. The sample for the quantitative survey is fixed at 25 airline employees. The size of the sample is fixed on a non-probabilistic basis and has been decided in line with the abilities and resources of the researcher in conducting the survey. Qualitative interviews are expected to be conducted with three airline employees. The choice of three respondents for qualitative employees is reasonable considering the detailed work required in conducting qualitative interviews. The sample size for qualitative interviews is thus determined at three respondents. 3.4. Data Collection Data collection for quantitative interviews with 25 airline employees will be through carefully constructed questionnaires that will contain a maximum of 15 multiple choice questions. The questionnaire will be easy to use and will be administered by 3 volunteers at airline terminals, only after approval of airline managements. Data will be collected for qualitative analysis from direct interviews with carefully chosen officials, engaged in middle or senior management positions in the airline sector in the Gulf countries. The questions for the interviews will be both open and close ended in nature. The interviews will be audio taped and thereafter transcribed into typed documents. 3.5. Research Ethics Appropriate care will be taken to ensure the adoption of ethical rules and norms that are pertinent to business research (Bryman Bell, 2007). All information sources used for the purpose of study will be acknowledged carefully and comprehensively (Bryman Bell, 2007). All participants will be informed of the nature of the assignment and its purposes. Respondents have been informed of their right to confidentiality and of refusing to answer all or any of the questions asked of them. All respondents have also agreed in writing of their unilateral and unforced willingness to participate in this study (Bryman Bell, 2007). 3.6. Data Analysis The analysis of data will need to be done with reference to the research questions of this project. Data collected from the questionnaire survey will first be carefully transcribed and tabulated, and thereafter analysed with the use of standard statistical tools and techniques. Analysis of data obtained during direct interviews will be conducted after the contents of the audio tapes are carefully transcribed along with notes on behaviours of respondents during the course of interviews. It is important in such cases to bring out the nuances that are not available in the typed manuscripts of the interviews. References Adiele, N., 2009, Importance of Training and Development in a Firm, Ezine, Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ndunuju_Adiele (accessed October 13, 2010). Bryman, A., Bell, E., 2007, Business Research Methods, 2nd edition, New York: Oxford University Press. Creswell, J.W., 2003, Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches, 2nd ed, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Darlington, Y., Scott, D., 2002, Qualitative Research in Practice: Stories from the Field, Crowà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s Nest, N.S.W.: Allen Unwin. Eaton, J., 2001, Globalization and Human Resource in the Airline Industry, 2nd ed., Ashgate Publishing Ltd: Aldershot, UK. El Etihad Airways, 2010, à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Company Profileà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ , Available at: www.etihadairways.com/sites/etihad/global//default.aspx (accessed October 13, 2010). Elliott, D., Stern, E. J., 1997, Research Ethics: A Reader, 1st edition, Institute for the Study of Applied and Professional Ethics at Dartmouth College. Gerber, R., Lankshear, C., 2000, Training for a Smart Workforce, London, Routledge. Craig, C. S., HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252 Douglas, S. P., 2000, HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252International Marketing ResearchHYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252 (2nd ed.), New York: John Wiley HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252 Sons. iloveindia.com, 2009, Etihad Airways, Available at: www.iloveindia.com/airlines-in-india//etihad-airways.html (accessed October 13, 2010). Kervin, J. B., 1992, Methods for business research, New York: Harper Collins. Lowson, R, H., 2002, Strategic Operations ManagementHYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=102807829, The New Competitive Advantage,HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=102807829 New York, Routledge. Morrison, S., Winston, C., 1995, The Evolution of the Airline Industry, The Brookings Institution, 4 Washington, D.C. Neuman, W. L., 2005, Social Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, 6th Edition, Allyn Bacon. Penslar, L. R., 1995, Research Ethics: Cases and Materials, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A., 2009, Research methods for business students, 5th ed, Essex: Pearson Educational. Vemic, J., 2007, Employee training and development and the learning Organisation, Economics and Organisation, 4, 2, 209-216. Yousfi, J., 2008, Troubled Global Airline Industry Battered by Fuel Costs, Labor Problems, Money Morning, Available at: moneymorning.com//troubled-global-airline-industry-battered-by-fuel-costs-labor-problems/ (accessed October 13, 2010). Appendices Appendix 1 Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research Quantitative Research Qualitative Research Is Objective in nature Is Subjective in nature Depends upon Measurement Depends upon Interpretation Researchers are independent of the Process Researchers are part of the Process Sample size is very important Sample size is not important Used for testing theory and dependent upon early Literature Review Used for developing theory and as such Literature Review is an ongoing process Reasoning is logistic and deductive and establishes relationships and causation Reasoning is dialectic and inductive and establishes meaning, discovery Report is generally in the form of statistical analysis and strives for generalization Report is narrative in nature, dependent upon interpretation and works towards uniqueness

Anglo Saxon Scops :: English Literature Writing

Anglo Saxon Scops The written word has existed for thousands of years, with the style and subject matter of literature changing to fit the times. English literature is no different, with three distinct periods of writing (Old English, Middle English and modern English). As the earliest period of documented literature, the Old English period is marked by the primitive styles and language of the Anglo Saxon people. Though they were sea-faring warriors, the Anglo Saxons were capable of strong emotions, best captured in poetry. However, these works were not written down. Rather, they were recited or sung. Some men even devoted their lives to this purpose. These skilled minstrels were known as scops. The scop was an Anglo-Saxon poet who was commissioned by the early Germanic kings or soldiers to entertain them by reciting the poetry to the accompaniment of a harp or a similarly stringed instrument. From the Old English word â€Å"scieppan†, scop means to create, form or shape. The scop was also referred to as a gleeman, from the Old English word â€Å"gleoman†, who was a musician or performer. Though the scop was a performer, like the gleeman, the work of the scop was more artistic, as the name denotes. Unlike the gleeman, scops also wrote and performed their own poetry. Also, they had to be able to insert fitting verse where necessary, depending upon the occasion or celebration . Scops were known to travel from village to village; however, many had permanent posts in the king’s court or mead halls. Usually, they performed for great feasts, celebrations, or the homecoming of soldiers from war. Their performances were usually short, but there were usually many lines of verse. Beowulf itself is over 3000 lines long. Any given song could deal with events from the present, such as battles won or recent adventures had. In Beowulf, the scop announced Beowulf’s triumph over Grendel the morning after the deed. Some songs might deal with figures from the past like the ancestors of the Anglo Saxons. Other subjects reflected in the poetry include the sea, brave deeds, glory of warriors, and the love of home. Scops were also commissioned to write elegies or songs for the dead. It was considered an honor to have a scop sing one's praise or mourn one’s death. But, regardless of the subject matter, the theme was lofty and its tone was earnest.

Van Goghh - There Are Several Van Goghs :: essays research papers

Art historian Griselda Pollock, in her documentary entitled The Legend of van Gogh, stated that ‘there are several van Goghs.’ To agree or disagree with this statement, one must firstly understand the point Pollock is attempting to get across. One could interpret this opinion as meaning that there are various artistic styles and several facets of van Gogh’s life that can be critically analysed; having this understanding of Pollock’s attitude toward van Gogh, it would be difficult not to agree with her. Using phraseology similar to that of Pollock, one could say that there are four van Goghs: the failing peasant, the successful sophisticate, the eccentric meaningful lover, and the van Gogh of the present day. All who have knowledge of the artist would know how complex his life was, and so it is not incredible to believe that he was all these things during his relatively short life. (Born in 1853, he died at the age of only 37, in 1890.) An alternate definition of Pollock’s statement is the following: He was prolific and protean: He was a scholar and a sufferer, an art-world pro and a destitute outsider, an evangelical bohemian, both sordid and sublime. There are as many ways to see his pictures as there are ways to read his life. Some are stolid brown and gray. Others seem to detonate in a shrapnel burst of color, as if his world had begun to fly apart. Some are piercingly original. Others closely imitate other artists' art. Apparent in these paintings – from "Van Gogh's Van Goghs: Masterpieces From the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam" – are the combustible components that he mixed in his art. Firstly, van Gogh as the failing peasant. Van Gogh was not always a painter; although many claim he realised his artistic potential early in life , he did not seriously consider devoting his life to it (de Grausen , Eurie ). There is little known information about the artists first fifteen years, yet it is possible to find out the basics: after a few years of education in Holland, he left his studies at the age of 15, and never returned to them. In 1869, he joined a firm of art dealers in The Hague, called Goupil & Cie. (The van Gogh family had been involved in the art world for many years: both Vincent’s uncles, Cornelius and (Vin)Cent were art dealers, as was, of course, Vincent’s brother Theo.

Financial crises Essay

It is difficult to deny the fact at times of financial crises more and more people have no other choice but to become entrepreneurs (Spors & Flanderz, 2009). Due to the growing unemployment, more and more people simply cannot but use entrepreneurship as the source of wellbeing. The success of such business initiatives depends on how well new entrepreneurs are able to evaluate their operational risks. Moreover, given that operational risks are being formed at all levels of organizational performance, entrepreneurs should be extremely cautious and attentive toward such risks, and develop effective monitoring systems that would work to identify operational risks as soon as they are created. It should be noted, that for a business to be successful it is not enough to understand operational risks; entrepreneurs should remember that the latter do not account for strategic and reputational issues that are equally important in business. I believe that entrepreneurs should choose holistic approaches to business – the approaches that cover a broad range of risks and help timely identify and address them. Comparative Advantage It is obvious that comparative advantage is one of the few concepts that drive economic development and provide countries with additional production stimuli. The case of Turkey (Afsin,Yilmaz & Fahrettin, 2007) suggests that the more country invests in manufacturing the most successful and cost-efficient products, the more likely it is to gain comparative advantage over other countries and to use this comparative advantage as the source of significant profits. What seems to be true, though, is that the concept of comparative advantage does not cover all benefits the country may use when investing into the most competitive products. Comparative advantage provides countries with an opportunity to use additional profits for the development and improvement of other products. These investment opportunities create a kind of comparative advantage cycle, which national manufacturers can continuously use to increase GDP, expand research and development opportunities, and to conquer the growing share of markets.