Competitive Strategic Management a Case Study of Virgin Atlantics Essay

Introduction: Today, competition in international markets has become severe and in order to sustain relevant position, organizations need to assume competitive strategies so that they can gain competitive advantages. (Rao, pp.185, 2011) The dynamic condition of markets has made it complicated for the organizations to achieve higher level of success without using experts’ promulgated models and literatures. (Flouris, Oswald, pp.19, 2006) Hence, researches have made it simple for the organizations to compete at broader level yet these researches merely gives way to these organizations and they need to develop the strategic plans on their own. Different companies adopt different kind of competitive strategies in order to get higher position in competitive market and for this purpose, it used to perform different activities than the competing firms. (Daft, pp.65, 2009)Virgin Airlines is one of the organizations who have assumed authentic strategies in order to satisfy customer’s need and ultimately got exceptional position. This paper is basically an analysis of the competitive strategy of Virgin Atlantics which it has used in order to gain competitive advantage. The first section analyzes the competitive strategy of Virgin Atlantics, second part deals with advantages and limitations and third part give certain recommendations to Virgin Atlantics in order to better its services. Competitive strategy of Virgin Atlantics: Porter has identified four different strategic options which an organization can use in order to gain competitive advantage keeping the contemporary internal and external environment under consideration. (Griffin, pp.244, 2010) Differentiation strategy is one of those competitive strategies promulgated by Porters In his Generic Strategic model. (Eldring, pp.6, 2009)Virgin Atlantic has based its strategic plan keeping differentiation strategy under consideration. However, if its strategy is scrutinized, it indicates that this strategy has been developed after doing thorough internal and external analysis. As far as internal analysis is concerned, this analysis demonstrates strengths and weaknesses of the organizations and for this purpose, different models like SWOT analysis can be utilized since it allows the organizations to analyze strengths and weaknesses of the organization. (Dibb, Simkin, pp.28, 2008) Virgin Atlantic has also based its strategy keeping internal analysis under consideration since its analysis demonstrate how internal analysis aids in having differentiation portfolio and potential customers. (Strauss, pp.106, 2010) The basic strength of Virgin Atlantic is the financial affiliation which it has with Singapore airline. (Reynolds, Lancaste, 2012) However, its financial information is not disclosed publicly yet it can be found out that the service has been differentiated by the company through identifying the core strengths and cost effectiveness is one of them. As far as weaknesses are concerned, Virgin Atlantic is though providing exceptional services to its customers yet for customers, it is costly. A normal customer cannot have first class or premium class service with this Airline. However, the solution has been provided in the form of three different classes and the average customers can utilize economy class for traveling to different destinations. Similarly, the external analysis has been done through doing market analysis, customer analysis, industry analysis and above all competitive analysis in order to gain competitive advantages. For this purpose, usually PESTEL analysis is done which identifies political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal aspects of the provided services. (Henry, pp.51, 2008) Virgin Atlantic also does PESTEL analysis at macro level in order to gain complete competitive advantage through identifying all essential factors and after doing this analysis, it has developed its differentiation strategy for international market. Porter’s differentiation strategy can be observed from all the perspectives including packages, offers, services etc. For example, it has been offering services for more than 30 different destinations with 43 outstanding aircrafts including airbuses, Boeings and aircrafts. Similarly, this airline has bases in Manchester and London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports and offers services for thirty different destinations including Dubai, Mauritius, Delhi, Sydney and Cape Town, the tourist favorite areas. Moreover, normally airlines offer business and economy class but Virgin Atlantic has three different classes including upper, premium economy and economy classes. In addition, it has infused differentiation strategy through providing Virgin Atlantic Cargo and Holiday services which offers instant and urgent shipments to different destinations of the world. Similarly, different travel packages with outclass offers have also been facilitated to customers in order to gain competitive advantages through dissimilar features. All these examples indicate how differentiation strategy of Porter’s Generic model aids an organization to gain benefits but for this purpose, organizations usually charge premium prices as well. Virgin Atlantic is also costly from other airlines in the market but its unique services have made it ample popular that more than five million customers use its services worldwide and all of them are ready to pay high prices for premium services. The competitive strategy of Virgin Atlantics has been developed keeping the market trends and contemporary needs of the customers under consideration and not only unique and different facilities have been provided but also basic requirements have been fulfilled. Hence, the competitive strategy of Virgin Atlantics has made it successful and preferable for the customers among all large air service providers. For using differentiation competitive strategy, this organization has been cherishing exceptional advantages and some of them are as followed: Advantages: If the analysis of advantages for using differentiations competitive strategy is scrutinized from the perspective of The Strategy Clock, it would appear that the organizations, who utilize this competitive strategy, gain high benefits investing low amount. Source: (Johnson, pp.243, 2008) This thing can be seen from the example of Virgin Atlantics since it has been using different sources to differentiate its services from others in order to gain competitive advantage and hence, achieved high profit in low amount as well. In current markets, the first advantage which Virgin Atlantics has been cherishing is the distinctive position due to providing unique services. Differentiation strategy allows Virgin Atlantics to have distinctive market position that makes it different from other competitors in the market and compels customers to prefer it on other competitors in the market providing similar service. (Thompson, Martin, pp.191, 2010) Second advantage of using this strategy is that it enables Virgin Atlantics to have sustainability in current market environment through gaining competitive advantage. For example, through providing unique services with exceptional features like multi-destination services, entertainment and customer care, shipping service, holiday packages, Virgin Atlantics invested little amount as compared to others but gained double benefits which enables it to have remarkable position in the market. The third major benefit of this differentiation strategy is flexibility which the organization provides. (Doise, pp.82, 2008) Virgin Atlantics also provides ample flexibility to customers in order to allow them to choose from multiple options. For instance, the customer can choose travel class from offered three classes according to his requirements. Suppose if customer has normal budget, he can select economy class whereas if he wants luxurious travel, he can select upper class. Flexibility is offered in packages and customers can choose relevant holiday packages of Virgin Holidays as well. Hence, this thing also proved ample lucrative for the company to achieve competitive advantage in contemporary markets and its environments. Limitations: In current dynamic business environment, using differentiation strategy is though beneficial but only to some extent since there are certain limitations cling to this competitive strategy, some of them are as followed: †¢It is very difficult to sustain elements of differentiation in current business environment since there are potential competitors in the market who try to assume better strategy in order to compete with Virgin Atlantics. These competitors might offer better services and add-ons that might affect core strategy of Virgin Atlantics †¢Changing services and making it unique is often costly. Though core strategy never costs high but sustainability of differentiations strategy usually costs high because the organizations have to spend a major amount in competing with opponents which ultimately compel the organizations to invest more and more for sustaining its position. (Sornarajah, pp.173, 2010) Virgin Atlantics has also faces this situation and spent a large amount on routes and aircrafts in order to differentiate its services from others. †¢Third limitation is the difficult which Virgin Atlantics has confronted in order to achieve differentiation. Since the current market is highly competitive and every organization has been trying to find out the best sources for gaining customer loyalty, this thing has made it ample complicated for the organizations to differentiate their services from others. Hence, differentiation competitive strategy is ample lucrative but these limitations makes it difficult for the organizations to sustain this strategy. However, in order to cope with these dynamic situations, different steps can be taken and the next part of the paper will promulgate all key steps which can augment profitability ratio. Recommendations: Virgin Atlantics can sustain its contemporary position in international markets taking different steps and for this purpose, it has to do analysis time and again in order to assess whether the implemented competitive strategy is compatible with current business environment or not. Following are some recommendations which can be used by Virgin Atlantics for sustaining its current position. Constant analysis: Virgin Atlantics should do constant internal and external analysis and amend the strategy or develop change management strategy according to the market requirements so that it can gain competitive advantages and beat its potential competitors. Additionally, these analyses would also enable the company to assess strengths and weaknesses of the company itself and through overpowering these shortcomings; it can develop its competitive strategic plan. Hybrid strategy: Though differentiation strategy is ample lucrative for providing sophisticated services and gaining customer loyalty yet it cannot be determined easily. Moreover, it might give high market share but market growth is possible only if this strategy is amalgamated with some additional strategy. This strategy can be cost-leadership strategy or focus strategy. Through focusing on differentiation strategy, Virgin Atlantics can obtain not only high market share but also market growth as well. as far as cost leadership strategy is concerned, it can be amalgamated with differentiation strategy in order to double the profit ratio since different researchers have provided combined competitive strategies as the solution of dynamic situation. (Marti, pp.100, 2007) Nevertheless, this hybrid strategy might also affect in a negative way. Competitive prices: Customers usually prefer exceptional services in affordable prices. So, Virgin Atlantics can gain advantages from cheap prices as well. Through providing low cost fleets to different customers, other then the facilitated, this organization could double its profit. However, the budget can be maintained through minimizing provided services during the flights. This thing would enable this organization to have market growth with low price strategy as well. Value added services: Value added services are often referred to as secondary services which are used for attracting customers and sustaining their loyalty with organization (Thurau and Hansen, p.112, 2000) No one can deny the significance of Value added services and marketing and this is the reason why it has remained inseparable part of every marketing plan and differentiation strategy. (Singh, pp.22, 2012) Virgin Atlantics can also gain competitive advantages via value added marketing and for this purpose; it can facilitate its customers with value holiday packages, discounted tickets and packages, lottery system and so on. These techniques would also attract a lot of customers and augment profitability and market share of the company as well. Conclusion: To conclude, it can be stated that this organization has been cherishing top positions on international level only because of using differentiation strategy and for this purpose, it has also invested capital through having partnership with Singapore airline. All its services including multiple destinations, holiday services, cargo services and in-flight entertainment, demonstrate its successful usage of differentiation strategy. However, Virgin Atlantics should also keep the advantages and limitations of using this strategy since there are certain times when this strategy needs slight amendments or changes in order to deal with contemporary circumstances. Virgin Atlantics can use different change management strategies in order to cope with limitations of this competitive strategy. In addition, this organization can also double its profit through taking different steps including value added marketing, competitive pricing and hybrid strategic development. These add-ons can maximize its profitability as well as worldwide recognitions and ultimately it would be able to compete with potential organizations like Emirates and Gulf Air. References: Daft, R. L. (2009) Organization Theory and Design. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Dibb, S., Lyndon S. (2008) Marketing Planning: A Workbook for Marketing Managers. London: South-Western Cengage Learning. Doise, M. L. (2008) An Integration of Corporate Culture and Strategy: The Interrelationships and Impact on Firm Performance. US: ProQuest. Eldring, J. (2009) Porter’s (1980) Generic Strategies, Performance and Risk an Empirical Investigation with German Data. Hamburg: Diplomica-Verl. Flouris, T. G.,Sharon L. O.(2006) Designing and Executing Strategy in Aviation Management. Aldershot, England: Ashgate. Griffin, R. W. (2011) Management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Henry, A. (2008) Understanding Strategic Management. Oxford: Oxford UP. Johnson. (2008)Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text & Cases, 7/E. Dehli: Pearson Education India. Lancaste, G., Reynolds, P. (2012)Marketing. NY: CRC. Marti, M. (2007)Complexity Management Optimizing Product Architecture of Industrial Products. Wiesbaden: Deutscher Universitäts-Verlag. Rao, R. M. (2011)Services Marketing. Dehli: Pearson Education India. Singh, M. (2012)Building Customer Loyalty through Value Added Services: A Case of Telecom Sector. NY: GRIN Verlag. Sornarajah, M. (2012) The International Law on Foreign Investment. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. Strauss, R. (2010)Marketing Planning by Design: Systematic Planning for Successful Marketing Strategy. London: John Wiley & Sons. Thompson, J. L., Frank M. (2010) Strategic Management: Awareness & Change. Andover: South-Western Cengage Learning. Thurau, T, Ursula H. (2000) Relationship Marketing: Gaining Competitive Advantage through Customer Satisfaction and Customer Retention. Berlin: Springer.

Jaidyn Leskie Case Essay Example

Jaidyn Leskie Case Essay Example Jaidyn Leskie Case Paper Jaidyn Leskie Case Paper I. The Main Facts of the Case The main facts of the Jaidyn Leskie case are as follows: ?Jaidyn Leskie disappeared while in the care of Greg Domaszewicz on the night of 14 June 1997. ?Mr. Domaszewicz said that Jaidyn went missing after being left asleep at his house while he went out to pick up the child’s mother. ?On the night of Jaidyn’s disappearance a pig’s head and rocks were thrown at the windows of Greg Domaszewicz’s house. ?Senior Constable Evans said he could find no evidence that anyone entered the windows. A teenage boy discovered the boy’s body on 1 January 1998, at the Blue Rock Dam. A small sleeping bag with a crowbar tied to it and a plastic bag containing baby’s clothes, a bib, elastic-sided boots, a baby’s bottle and an apple were found in the dam. ?Dr Shelly Robertson, a senior forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy on Jaidyn, said that the boy probably died from a direct blow to the head while he was in extreme pain from a fractured left arm. II. Outline the Law relating to murder/manslaughter. Explain who has the burden of proof in a trial and outline in general terms what is required to get a conviction in a murder trial. You will need to point out the law here and list and explain the recognised defences available to the accused. In the law, the killing of another person could fall under two categories, one could be murder or it could be manslaughter. Murder is when a person kills another person with malice aforethought. Malice aforethought is one of the six principals of criminal liability that the prosecution must prove for someone to be convicted of murder. The principals of criminal liability are as follows: ?The killing was unlawful: this is about if the killing of the person was lawful or not, such as a soldier killing an enemy soldier in battle which is lawful. ?The accused was a person over the age of discretion: this means that only a person over the age of discretion (10 years of age) can commit the crime of murder. ?The victim was a human being. ?The accused was of sound mind: this means that for the crime to be murder, the accused must have been sane at the time of committing the act. The victim’s death was caused by the accused: there must be a causal link between the action/s of the accused and the death of the victim. ?Malice Aforethought: malice aforethought is where the accused must have had the intention of committing the crime (mens rea). For malice aforethought to exist, the accused must have had one of the following states of mind when committing to the crime: ? An intention to kill. ?An intention to assault a p erson making a lawful arrest, which resulted in their death. ?An intention to cause Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH). Or, ?Reckless indifference. On the other hand manslaughter is when there is, in some situations which result in death, but where there was no intention to kill or cause GBH. A person may be charged with manslaughter if their actions fall into one of the following categories: ? The accused intentionally inflicts harm. ?The accused’s actions/inactions fall below the expected level of care ? The accused’s actions were unlawful. In defence to the charge of murder the accused could use one of the following defences: ? Self-defence: to be acquitted of murder the accused must prove he/she: ? ad the belief that it was necessary to act to defend themselves or another person. ?had reasonable grounds for this belief. ?Duress: duress is where a person committed murder while under the impression that if they did not commit the crime they or someone else would be seriously harmed. ?Mental Impairment: the accused was unable to understand the consequences of their actions or was beyond reason. III. In the Domasze wicz trial, outline the role of the police throughout the whole episode. Detail the key arguments/evidence of the defence and of the prosecution. The role of the police throughout the Domaszewicz case was as follows: ? To investigate the suspicious death of Jaidyn Leskie. ?To question Mr. Domaszewicz, the prime suspect. ?Breath-test Mr. Domaszewicz when he was pulled over. Evidence/Arguments for the Prosecution. ?Greg Domaszewicz collects Jaidyn from his mother Bilynda Murphy early in the afternoon. ?Ms Murphy calls Mr. Domaszewicz at his house about 4. 00 p. m. and is told Jaidyn is about to be showered. ?Between 5. 30 and 7. 40 p. m. telephone calls to Mr. Domaszewicz’s home are not answered. At 12. 30 a. m. neighbours who live opposite Ms Murphy allege they see Mr. Domaszewicz’s car stop outside her house. ?At 2. 00 a. m. Ms Murphy calls Mr. Domaszewicz and asks him to collect her from Ryan’s Hotel in Morwell. ?Around 2. 00 a. m. a severed pig’s head and stones are thrown at Mr. Domaszewicz’s house. ?Between 2. 20 and 2. 40 a. m. Mr Domaszewicz picks Ms Murphy up in his car and they drive to his house. On the way he says Jaidyn is in hospital with burns. ?At 3. 20 a. m. Mr. Domaszewicz drops Ms Murphy at her home. ?At 3. 35 a. . Mr. Domaszewicz is breath-tested by police and says nothing about an abducted child. ?At 5. 00 a. m. Mr. Domaszewicz drives to Ms Murphy’s home and tells her Jaidyn has been abducted. Evidence/Arguments for the Defence. ?A time, place, manner or reason for the death of Jaidyn had not yet been established. ?Jaidyn’s body was found on New Year’s Day 1998, in a sleeping bag, weighted down by a crowbar, almost six months after Jaidyn’s disappearance. ?DNA testing of the sleeping bag suggested that it was in the dam for no more than two months. According to senior defence counsel at the trial, Mr. Colin Lovitt QC, there was insufficient time for Mr. Domaszewicz to take Jaidyn’s body to the Blue Rock Dam where he was found, and return in time to inform Ms Murphy of the disappearance. ?The police maintained that he had fallen in the water when he dumped the body, which explained his wet wallet and money found by the police. If this were the case, he would have had to return home and change his clothes before going to Ms Murphy’s home. ?Jaidyn’s blood was not found in Mr. Domaszewicz’s house or car. A concern to the police was Mr. Domaszewicz’s statement to Jaidyn’s mother that Jaidyn was in the hospital. Mr. Domaszewicz claimed that this was a joke. ?Mr. Lovitt said that he was known for his practical joking. IV. Do you think the accused should have been allowed to remain silent at the trial? Explain. The right to silence is a right that everyone has that will help some people from saying things that they shouldn’t, when being questions by the police the only question that you have to answer are, â€Å"what is your name? † and â€Å"where do you live? other than that you do not have to answer anything. The police are supposed to tell you that you have to right to remain silent along with the other right that you have. No, I do not think that the accused should be have been able to remain silent at the trial, because at the trial that is where all the truth should come out and if the accused is able to stay silent during the trial then there is no chance to get the totally truth, and in trial the accused is sworn in and must tell the truth and in statement they may lie and only tell the truth if found out. V. Why do you think bail was not granted in this case? When a person is charged with a serious offence, the police have two choices, one is to release the accused on bail until the time of the trial, or if there is too much of a risk that the accused will not turn up for the trial then the police can ask a bail justice and/or the Magistrates’ Court to remand the accused in custody. Bail is the release of a person from legal custody on the understanding that they will appear at their hearing or trial. Bail can be granted by a senior police officer, a bail justice, a Magistrates’ Court registrar or a court (usually the Magistrates’ Court). A bail justice is a person who has been appointed to deal with bail applications. Bail is usually granted because of the fact that the legal system says that everyone accused of a crime is to be perceived innocent until proven guilt. Bail may be refused: ? Where the accused person is charged with murder, treason or drug trafficking ? If the accused person is in custody for some other offence ? If the accused person is in custody for failing to answer bail ? If the court is satisfied that there is an unacceptable risk that the accused person, if released on bail, would: ?Fail to answer bail ?Commit an offence whilst on bail ?Endanger the safety or welfare of members of the public ?Interfere with witnesses ?Obstruct the course of justice, either in relation to him/herself or to others. Bail was not granted to Mr. Domaszewicz because he was charged with murder and because of the type of crime that he was accused of. VI. Explain the process of a committal hearing. Committal hearings are held in the Magistrates’ Court before a case is tried in the County Court or Supreme Court. Their purpose is to find out if a prima facie case exists, that is, whether the police evidence is of sufficient weight to support a conviction. If there is enough evidence to support a conviction then the accused then goes to trial. Under the amendments, preparation of a hand-up brief (where evidence is presented in written form) is the norm. Committal hearings can have a number of stages. ?Special Mention hearing In the hearing the court sets a timetable for the proceedings. If the accused pleads guilt to all charges then the magistrate commits the accused to trail in the County or Supreme Courts based on the evidence in the plea brief (a summary of charges and evidence). If the defendant does not plead guilt or does not enter a plea, then the prosecution must prepare a hand-up brief containing all the evidence, including witness statements, interview transcripts, documents, photos and a list of exhibits. ?Committal Mention Hearing The defendant receives the hand-up brief prior to this hearing and both parties then submit a direction notice indicating their intention to question witnesses or seek an adjournment. VII. Do you think the double jeopardy rule should be abolished? Discuss In my opinion the rule on double jeopardy should be abolished because although it protects the innocent from being prosecuted, it also protects criminals that have been let of for that crime from being tried again if new evidence has come up linking them to the crime. The double jeopardy rule should only be abolished with strict guidelines which ensure that the reason that it was first installed for still applies (to protect the innocent). One way that we could do this is by not completely abolishing the double jeopardy rule, instead just change it so that the double jeopardy rule still applies but with one small change, that a person acquitted of an indictable offence can only be re-tried if there is new evidence that connects the accused to the crime unquestionably. VIII. Discuss the outcome. Was justice done? Give your opinion on the events and point out any inconsistencies/problems surrounding the case. In my opinion justice was not done, because after the trial Bilynda Murphy, the mother of Jaidyn, ask for a full inquest to be held into the death of her son, to try and find out what happened to him, and in this inquest it was found that Greg Domaszewicz, although found innocent of his murder, was said to have played some part in the child’s death, if not being to direct cause of it. Being the last person to see Jaidyn alive, and to have left Jaidyn alone in his house, and then saying that he had been abducted, Greg Domaszewicz should have been able to help police find out what happened to Jaidyn. Mr. Domaszewicz while taking Ms. Murphy home from the Ryan’s Hotel, he tell her that Jaidyn is in hospital burns, which was played off as joke by Mr. Domaszewicz and his lawyer, but what person in their right mind would make a joke like that to a mother who is clearly intoxicated, that statement was not a joke, that was Mr. Domaszewicz trying to make up a plausible story to use as a cover-up for his crime, but when he saw that that story wasn’t a plausible one, he decided to make up another story, about Jaidyn being abducted. And the Pig’s Head group was a likely group to set up, since they, on the night of the crime, threw a pig’s head through the window of Mr. Domaszewicz’s house. But although the story might have been good in theory it was not so good in real life, because when they were questioned about the disappearance of Jaidyn Leskie they admitted completely about throwing the pig’s head through the window but strong denied that they had anything to do with the disappearance of Jaidyn, and said that they only threw the pig’s head through the window of Mr. Domaszewicz’s house but did not enter the house at all, and this was supported by the evidence, because no evidence was found that suggest, even in the slightest, that someone entered the house through the broken window. The defence argued that Mr. Domaszewicz could not have made it to the Blue Rock dam to dump the body, and then come back to tell Ms. Murphy that he son was missing, but how does that defence argue about his pants being wet from the waist down and his wet wallet that was handed to police when Mr. Domaszewicz was pulled over for a breath-test. All the evidence was there but was not acted upon. Although the case was weak, the was still evidence linking Mr. Domaszewicz to Jaidyn’s death and after the inquest it showed that he did play a part in the death of the child, he was the last to see Jaidyn, he was left in his house, if this was not murder then he should get charged with something because, he may not have been the direct cause of the child’s death but he most likely played a part in it.

Top 5 Tips for a Summer Vacation on a Budget

Top 5 Tips for a Summer Vacation on a Budget How to Plan a Vacation on a Budget Many people struggle with the quest of going on a vacation with a thin wallet. But theres no need to worry knowing these five tips, youll be able to go on an amazing trip without spending much! Afford Summer Vacation With These 5 Tips Set a goal Do you know how much money you need to have to go on a vacation? Even if the expensive holiday isnt possible this year, think how much money you require to make your vacation happen and set a savings goal. Think that its too difficult? Just read on. Make a spending plan Quality summer planning requires a good spending plan. In case you dont have a household or a personal budget, creating one should be the first thing to do for finding money for your trip. Understand that it will be very difficult to save money if you dont know about all of your expenses. When people see all their planned expenses, it gets easier for them to decide what they can abstain from to achieve their savings goals. Cut back your expenses Once you have your spending plan before your eyes, you will clearly see what expenses you can trim to get extra money for your vacation. For instance, you can put your cable bill on hold during the spring months when the weather is fine. You may also plan your meals better so that youre eating out less and preparing meals yourself. All those little things, if adhered to strictly for months, can save you enough money to help you go on vacation. Setup automatic transfers Unfortunately, if were financially uneducated, we can become the worst enemies of our money. Therefore, we need to develop and use strategies that will keep our money safe from ourselves. You can use your credit union or bank to setup automatic transfers from your regular account to another account which you will find difficult to withdraw money from. It can be a high-interest savings account which isnt connected with your credit card. For instance, if you transfer $25 on a weekly basis, you can save up to $1,300 within one year. Ask yourself can I live without $25 a week? Sure you can! Dont ignore this little but smart trick to save money automatically. Choose staycation If you cant imagine a better place for vacation than your bed or money is really tight this year, you can choose not to travel anywhere. Staycations are becoming more and more popular, and in case youre interested in getting one, google top staycations ideas to get more info about it. If you use these smart tips, you will certainly find a way to save money for your next vacation even if money is tight this year. Its all about planning, organization, and a little bit of self-discipline.

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Reflection - Essay Example In this paper I will discuss that campus learning is very important for college students as compared to online learning, while keeping in view my own experience of college campus. When I joined my college, I met many other students; and thus, started socializing with my peers, which is an integral part of personality development. My personality has groomed a lot after I have joined my college. I know this when I compare myself to when I was in school. I believe that in campus learning, college students come to know how to behave in classrooms; how to show respect to teachers; how to deal with peers; and, how to show discipline while learning. This socializing is beneficial for them in both short and long terms because they learn how to deal with life and its problems and how to cope with relationships. I learned how to communicate with my teachers and friends, which benefitted me in my personal life as well. Hence, campus learning teaches effective relationship management which cannot be learned through online learning. Campus learning makes students follow the deadlines in a better way, and they learn how to follow a set routine pattern for their studies. When I joined college, one of my friends, who is an online student, convinced me that college campus environment is very strict and makes the student follow the schedules forcibly. However, my experience has been different. I have been able to set my routine in a very effective manner. Online learning does not provide the students with these opportunities, because they tend to be relaxed since they do not have to confront teacher’s remarks and class fellows’ comments’ if they do not meet a deadline or are not dressed up neatly, and etcetera. Hence, campus learning teaches discipline in a much better way. I have learnt how to dress up neatly, how to convey my ideas face-to-face, and how to behave in groups and teams. I could never have learnt

The Starry Night Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Starry Night - Essay Example p.). One of the most stunning features of the painting is Van Gough’s unique but innovative use of exaggerations. By looking at Starry Night, there are a lot of elements in the painting that were exaggerations: the strong strokes of those night clouds, the stars having their own exaggerated luminescence, and as well as the exaggerated luminescence of the moon. In addition, the bold strokes used by Van Gough ignites the viewer to follow these strokes, wherein following the strong strokes would lead the viewer to move around the painting, making this work of art truly great. In fact, the strong emotive feel of the painting, as it can be seen through the strokes and the colors used, reflect the school of impressionism. Another intriguing part of the painting is the dark structure in the left side, wherein it creates a mystic structure within the painting, while blending it with the depiction of the town below. Works Cited Vincent Van Gough Gallery. â€Å"Vincent van Gogh: Starry Night. vangoghgallery.com. Vincent Van Gough Gallery, n. d. Web. 7 May 2011.

Global Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Global Trade - Essay Example Consequently, fair trade has not developed in Third World countries, such as those of Africa and Latin America. Globalization is a post-World War II phenomenon that evolved based on the need to identify ways to promote economic progress among newly independent countries that used to be colonies. According to Piasecki and Wolnicki (2004), "After the second World War, there was widespread interest among economists in finding solutions to the poverty and underdevelopment left behind by the disintegrating colonial system" (par. 3). Experiments with planned economies in the 1950s and 1960s were met with only limited success, and frequent failure, in the developing world. "Until the 1980s, a score of developing nations experimented with non-market theories and concepts, but with rather limited success. Brazil, India experienced a few years of non-sustainable growth in the 1960s. Unfortunately, none of these countries could match the successes of those that chose the mixed economy and the market system in 1990s" (par. 8). By the 1980s, it became apparent that Third World development lagged and there was a need for a new approach. "By the 1980s, against many prominent economists' expectations, development had not materialized in the Third World - with the exception of the Gulf nations. Even in countries such as Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, where significant growth was observed, employment gains were generally unsatisfactory. Everywhere else in the developing world inequality and poverty grew. In addition, inflow of capital and Western consumption standards challenged traditional sectors and the existing power structures. As a result, tensions between modernizers and Islamic traditionalists heightened" (par. 9). In other parts of the world, the 1980s also brought a realization that economic development approaches had not been adequate. The 1980s came to be known as Latin America's "lost decade," in which there was "mounting debt, inflation, and negative growth" throughout much of the region (par. 15). A consensus began to grow around the idea that "a free market and open economy supported development far better than any form of protectionism and state interventionism." A new model of global capitalism, spearheaded by America, began to take hold in the 1990s in the hopes of reversing the economic stagnation in the Third World that had marked the decades since World War II. A theory began to take hold that opening up economies, spurring international investment, and knocking down trade barriers would produce a rising economic tide that would benefit both the developed and the developing world. It was hoped that multinational corporations let loose to pursue their profits across political boundaries would be the engine that spurred a new era of global economic growth. The new economic model was based on "tough fiscal and monetary policy, deregulation, foreign trade and capital flow liberalization, elimination of government subsidies, moderate taxation, liberalization of interest rates, maintenance of low inflation, and so forth. The proponents of these comprehensive liberal reforms strongly believed that the 'miracle of the market' would eventually so lve the problems endemic to underdevelopment. A special role in this process

Workplace Bullying Essay Example for Free

Workplace Bullying Essay Introduction Thesis Research on workplace bullying began in the late 1980s. The field has since evolved, including articles, blogs, and books on the subject. According to the 2014 WBI US Workplace Bullying Survey, 27% of Americans have been targets of workplace bullying; an additional 21% have been witness to the bullying; and a total of 72% are aware that workplace bullying occurs. (WBI the Workplace Bullying Institute, 2014) As of the writing of this paper,  there is no state or federal law yet enacted to compel American employers to address abusive conduct that occurs outside the limited definitions of illegal discriminatory actions. This paper will define bullying, consider the profile and characteristics of a typical bully, consider research on the topic and attempt to understand why bullying is allowed to continue in the workplace. 1 What is bullying According to Susan Futterman, in her book When You Work for a Bully: Assessing Your Options and Taking Action, readers are encouraged to, â€Å"take a step back to make sure you’re distinguishing between genuine feedback, even feedback undiplomatically presented, and bullying.† (Futterman Paroutaud, 2004) Futterman helps to differentiate between poor management skills and bullying by describing bullying as: Persistent Provides feedback which is not useful and focuses on trivial issues Based on false or distorted allegations  Relates to unrealistic or unreasonable targets that are set arbitrarily Is not accompanied by constructive efforts to resolve issues Another definition comes from Workplace Bullying Institute, describes workplace bullying as â€Å"repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators.† It further states that the abusive conduct is â€Å"threatening, humiliating, or intimidating†; involves work interference through sabotage which prevents work from getting done; and/or verbal abuse. (WBI the Workplace Bullying Institute, 2014) Figure 1.1 represents the range of negative behaviors that occur in the workplace. According to The Bully-Free Workplace: Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes From Killing Your Organization, bullying, in its mildest form falls to the right of disrespect and when it is severe can lead to despair and even suicide. (Namie, The Bully-Free Workplace: Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes From Killing Your Organization, 2011) Figure 1.1 The Continuum of Negative Interpersonal Behavior (Namie, The Bully-Free Workplace: Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes From Killing Your Organization, 2011) 2 Why people should care about the topic  In his book, WORKPLACE BULLYING: ESCALATED INCIVILITY, Gary Namie, PhD notes that companies should be concerned about bullying, if for no other reason than its potential to damage the bottom line. â€Å"Employers are frustrated with turnover and disruption caused by bullies. It often costs a company tens of thousands of dollars to recruit, hire and train a new employee to replace a bullied worker who left. (Namie, WORKPLACE BULLYING: ESCALATED INCIVILITY, 2003) This assertion is backed up by Tim Field, a noted British anti-bullying activist with his main focus relating to workplace bullying, â€Å"Most cases of workplace bullying involve a serial bully, to whom all the dysfunction can be traced. A person who is being bullied may already know, or come to realise that they have a string of predecessors who have either: left unexpectedly or in suspicious circumstances; have gone on long term sick leave with some sort of psychological problem, and never returned; taken unexpected early or ill-health retirement,   have been involved in a grievance or disciplinary or legal action; have had stress breakdowns;  have been over-zealously disciplined for some trivial or non-existent reason.† (Field) 3 – Who are the bullies and who are the targets? (Profiles) Bullies  According to the 2014 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey: February 2014, although bullies were less likely to be women than men (31% vs. 69%), women bullies were more likely (68% of the cases) to bully other women rather than men. In the Workplace Bullying Surveys, the percentages were similarly disproportionately high for women bullies. The Workplace Bullying Survey question asked respondents to identify the gender of the bullies and targets in situations with which they were familiar. (Namie, Christensen, Phillips, 2014 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey, 2014) Figure 3.1 – Bullies by Gender (Namie, Christensen, Phillips, 2014 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey, 2014) In his article, Introduction of the Serial Bully, Tim Field asserts that bullies share characteristics, including: â€Å"Plausible Charisma, Charm and Empathy Most workplace harassment and mistreatment (80%) is completely legal. Remarkably, a hostile work environment is actionable (illegal) only in very few situations. Bullying is not only tolerated in business, it is often seen as necessary. Lawmakers are reluctant to pass laws that reign in unfettered workplace violence resulting in psychological injury. (WBI the Workplace Bullying Institute, 2014) Employers react to laws with internal policies. According to the WBI Healthy Workplace Bill, the value of an anti-bullying law is to get employers to prevent bullying with policies and procedures that apply to all employees. The WBI Healthy Workplace Bill, crafted by law professor David Yamada for the Healthy Workplace Campaign, provides incentives for employers to address workplace bullying by avoiding expensive litigation. (Hyman, 2014) Employers Dont Know How to Stop Bullies Respondents of the Workplace Bullying Survey were clear that employers fail to appropriately react to abusive conduct much more frequently than they take positive steps to eliminate bullying. Denial and discounting were the most common reactions by employers. (Namie, Christensen, Phillips, 2014 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey, 2014) Figure 6.1: Employers Reaction to Bullying (Namie, Christensen, Phillips, 2014 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey, 2014) Bullying Is Underreported According to the 2014 Workplace Bullying Survey, forty percent (40%) of targets never tell their employers that they are being bullied. (Namie, Christensen, Phillips, 2014 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey, 2014) Bullying can also be erroneously branded as conflict or a mere difference in personality styles. Although both are statements are true, bullying is also a form of violence, which puts it into a different category. Overly simplistic labels can minimize the impact of bullying on both the targets and the organization. (WBI the Workplace Bullying Institute, 2014) 7 – Recommended Actions – Targets and Employers Targets Employees who are or have been victims of workplace bullying should realize that it is not their fault that they are being bullied. If they are suffering negative effects from the bullying they should seek help from a doctor or counselor and, if the bullying is ongoing, from a career advisor who can help them plan a job or career change. (Workplace Bullying, 2014) Until there are formal policies or laws in place, as is indicated in Figure 6.1, it could be difficult to challenge the bullying, depending on the corporate culture and the position and influence of the bully. Employers Because workplace bullying can be devastating to employees and companies, some companies have instituted zero-tolerance policies toward workplace bullying. In these companies, if an employee is being bullied he or she needs to document the bullying and present the problem to the proper person in the company, usually someone in human resources or upper management. Companies with good anti-bullying policies usually hold meetings from time to time to remind employees what workplace bullying is, how to report it, and the consequences for bullying. (Einarsen, Hoel, Zapf, Cary, 2011) There are some companies that encourage a company culture of workplace bullying. Usually companies do not purposefully support bullying, but they may develop a problem with it either through not taking workplace bullying seriously or by developing the habit of placing blame and fault finding instead of solving problems. In these companies, employees who make a case against bullies may find that the bullying only gets worse. In this situation, employees often have to either make the best of the situation or find different employment. (Einarsen, Hoel, Zapf, Cary, 2011) 8 Summary Although there is still no law against workplace bullying, there are ethical and bottom-line reasons to encourage employers to proactively search out and end workplace bullying including increased productivity, and morale of the targets and those effected as witnesses. With the growing number of people being targeted and the trends to address the issue, it seems to be only a matter of time until laws against workplace bullying are enacted. Once  employers start to enact formal policies and procedures condemning workplace bullying, then bullies will know the consequences of their actions and some may stop; and targets should have an incentive to report instances of bullying. Human resource departments will then have formal policies and processes to deal with the reported bullying cases. References WBI the Workplace Bullying Institute. (2014, May 15). Retrieved from Workplace Bullying Institute: http://www.workplacebullying.org/wbiresearch/ Workplace Bullying. (2014, May 19). Retrieved from Bullying Statistics: http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/workplace-bullying.html Einarsen, S., Hoel, H., Zapf, D., Cary, C. (2011). Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace: Developments in Theory, Research, and Practice. Boca Raton: Taylor and Francis Group, LLC. Field, T. (n.d.). Introduction to the Serial Bully. Retrieved from Bullyonline.com: http://bullyonline.org/workbully/serial_introduction.htm Futterman, S., Paroutaud, F. (2004). WHEN YOU WORK FOR A BULLY: Assessing Your Options and Taking Action. Montvale: Croce Publishing Group, LLC. Grasz, J. (2012, August 12). CareerBuilder Study Finds More Workers Feeling Bullied in the Workplace. Retrieved from Career Builder: http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?sd=8%2F29%2F2012id=pr713ed=12%2F31%2F2012 Hyman, J. (2014, April 3). If You Don’t Want Anti-Bullying Legislation, Give Me a ‘Hell Yeah!’. Retrieved from Workforce: http://www.workforce.com/blogs/3-the-practical-employer/post/20377-if-you-dont-want-anti-bullying-legislation-give-me-a-hell-yeah Klein, K. E. (2008, May 7). Employers Cant Ignore Workplace Bullies. Retrieved from Business Week: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2008/sb2008057_530667.htm Namie, G. (2003, November / December). WORKPLACE BULLYING: ESCALATED INCIVILITY. Retrieved from Ivey Business Journal: http://iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/the-workplace/workplace-bullying-escalated-incivility Namie, G. (2011). The Bully-Free Workplace: Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes From Killing Your Organization. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Namie, G., Christensen, D., Phillips, D. (2014). 2014 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey. Workplace Bullying Institute.