Exam questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Exam questions - Coursework Example Since collective bargaining is a process directly associated with the trade unions, it can be rightly concluded that a fall in trade union membership would reduce the collective number of workers the unions represents, and therefore would lead to a decline in the collective bargaining practice itself. Union membership in the UK was in a consistent decline period from 1979 to 1998, and this can be attributed to a certain set of factors, both direct and underlying reasons. The direct causes of the dramatic decline of union membership are as below (Millward et al., 2000): Unions failed to gain a bargaining presence where it was necessary in the newly established workplaces, as the British manufacturing industry declined, which led to the establishment of new workplaces The union membership in places where they were previously recognized led to people leaving the trade unions as a follow up to other. The decline however is not due to these simple factors only, there are certain underlyin g factors which must be identified and critically analyzed in order to complete the study. Firstly, the macroeconomic conditions of UK underwent a change during the decline era, there was massive unemployment which led to a weakened status of the employees who did not want to lose their jobs by undertaking the risk of contradicting the employers, since the number of layoffs were high, this consciously instigated the workers to leave trade unions, thus leading to decline in membership and collective bargaining. Secondly, the legal and institutional policy framework established by the state government led to an automatic decline, since the policies were anti-union and unfriendly, the unions could not reach agreements since they no longer held a powerful position, thus resulting in declining membership. Thirdly, the policies instated by the management itself focused on meeting individual needs rather than coordinating with the trade union’s representative to reach a consensus, t his change in policy abolished the need of having joined any trade unions, thereby reducing the membership number by dramatic numbers. And lastly, according to Metcalf, the aggregate number of union membership is not just a function of environmental factors, but it also accounts for the way in which the trade union responds to the environmental changes, and in UK, the trade unions did not respond diligently, while making the recruitment plan more strenuous, and by ignoring the environmental changes leading to no major changes in the union’s agendas, thereby resulting in further decline (Metcalf, 1991, 22). In light of all the reasons stated and explained above, it can be rightly concluded that there were major underlying reasons which led to a decline in union membership which simultaneously caused a decline in the collective bargaining process and practices in the United Kingdom, since they are directly proportional to each other. The decline of one will inevitably result in the decline of other, because collective bargaining is a practice undertaken by trade unions to meet their objectives, and striking agreements

What shaped the economic policy reactions during the Great Depression Essay

What shaped the economic policy reactions during the Great Depression 1929-1933 - Essay Example In the 1920s stock prices jumped a tremendous amount, to highs never seen before. Many people such as investors believed that stocks were a for sure thing. So they started borrowing heavily which would enable them to invest more money into the stock market. That was all about to end, for in 1929 the bubble was popped and stocks started to go down very quickly. By 1933 the market had reached its lowest point ever, down a total ÃŽ ¿f 80%. This hid the American economy hard; the strong demand for goods, such as major appliances went down, no more money to invest. The stock market had let many people down. During the history ÃŽ ¿f the stock market in the United States, there have been many days in which the market declined numerous points. This is referred to as a market crash. One is called "Black Thursday," which marked the beginning ÃŽ ¿f the Great Depressions. It was decades ago, when the roaring twenties came to a booming halt on October 24, 1929, as the stock market crashed. It is called Black Thursday because it was the first day ÃŽ ¿f panic and the start ÃŽ ¿f the Great Depression. Investors tried to sell stock as fast as possible on this day. Within the first twenty days ÃŽ ¿f the crash, the value ÃŽ ¿f stock held by investors in the United States fell thirty billion dollars. During the Great Depression, production and sale ÃŽ ¿f goods rapidly declined. Employment numbers dropped drastically. Many banks and businesses were forced to close their doors. Not only were jobs and savings lost for many people, but also their homes and farms. Thousands depended upon charity to survive. During the worst part ÃŽ ¿f the depression more than fifteen million people were unemployed. This figure amounted to twenty-five percent ÃŽ ¿f the nations work force. However, even the seventy-five percent ÃŽ ¿f the workforce who were able to maintain or find a job were severely affected. Many experienced major wage reductions or were given only part time work. (Great) In the

Investment in Libyan Oil Industry Dissertation

Investment in Libyan Oil Industry - Dissertation Example The intention of this study is Libya, an important nation situated at the centre of the North African Mediterranean coast. Having the largest resource of oil in the African region, Libya has been a prominent exporter of crude since early 1960s. The Arab Jamahiriya of Libya, encircled by Algeria and Tunisia in the west, Egypt and Sudan in the east and Niger and Chad in the south has however not been viewed as an attractive destination for investments in the more recent past. The international community has been seeing Libya under its leader Colonel Qadhafi as a state that supports and nurtures rebels and finaces terrorists activities against the western nations. This perception led to the imposition of sanctions by the United Nations in 1992 and a series of restrictive measures and trade embargo by the United States.With the final removal of all the sanctions and owing to reforms being undertaken in the country and improvement in relations with other nations, opportunities are now bei ng explored to take up investments in the country and take advantage of the emerging situation. Libya on its part appears to be making all the right moves. Colonel Qaddafi too has expressed his opinion in favour of reforms together with the vision of applied socialism and popular democracy. Multinational companies and foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are now being given encouraging signals to invest in the country. Prime Minister Shukri Ghanem, supported by Seif al-Islam, the son of Col Qaddafi has started the reforms process.

Contingencies to Airasias Marketing Strategy Essay Example for Free

Contingencies to Airasias Marketing Strategy Essay Suggest three contingencies AirAsia should consider and rationalize your choice. What are the main modifications to the current marketing strategy should AirAsia undertake to respond to these contingencies. There are number of threats that AirAsia faces thus it should have well-prepared contingency plans in case certain situations occur. The following part focuses on analyzing three main contingencies that AirAsia should take into consideration as well as the modifications to the current marketing strategy that it would have to make to respond in case certain events occur. What if price war happens  To compete with the rivals, each airline introduced its own strategy. Famous full service carriers like Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways have set up low cost subsidiaries. Malaysia Airlines launched competitive promotion scheme while independent low-cost airlines like Valuair focused on improving customer services through offering additional benefits to customers. Obviously, the harsh competitiveness in the region strengthens the probability that price war might happen. Price war happens when almost all airline companies simultaneously start to reduce their prices and the region’s aviation industry as a whole fails to deliver profit. Price war might have a serious impact on AirAsia if it, together with other airlines in the region, starts to reduce its prices to compete. Customers now will have various choices and would be able to switch to the airlines that offer them the best price as well as best service. If price war does happen, AirAsia should make the following modification to its current strategy: Increase customer satisfaction by improving on-flight service quality as discussed in depth in the third paragraph of question one. What if customers decide to switch to other airlines Air Asia now has to face up with increasing competition not only from low cost subsidiaries of full service carries but also from the emergence of independent low cost airlines. With the increasing emergence of new airlines which provide customers with not only low fares but also â€Å"a level of service far beyond that expected†, the probability that customers switch to other airlines is very high. Recently, AirAsia has been receiving many complaints from passengers who are unsatisfied with the service quality. Focusing intensively on keeping costs low, AirAsia neglected the satisfaction and convenience of its customers. Thus, the company should consider the possibility that customers might switch to other airlines. In this case the following modifications to the strategy should be made: AirAsia should offer incentives for the customers to stay with the company by introducing frequent flyer bonus miles. To motivate customers’, AirAsia can also offer membership cards which would provide them not only with additional miles but also with regular customers’ discount on specific flights to specific destinations or at special period of time. What if AirAsia is unsuccessful in entering new markets such as China and India†¦ AirAsia is now looking for expanding routes to other countries in the region and China and India are a huge potential. However, these markets have completely different economies and therefore there is a probability that the market will not support a new airline. Also, for example, when going to China – a huge market, AirAsia needs to be ready to face tough competition. Besides good reputation in the market, well-established airlines in China such as China Airline, Cathay Pacific, etc. are offering very high quality service to customer. In addition to that in the meantime, AirAsia has to compete with many tough competitors in its local market. Thus, there is possibility that AirAsia might not take the lead when entering new markets and might not be able to reach its targets in new markets. Therefore, AirAsia should take into account the possibility of low demand and be ready to make modifications to its strategy in order to respond: The Olympic Games 2008 would be a great opportunity for AirAsia to strengthen its image in customers’ mind. To take this advantage, AirAsia should organize some activities to promote the company. Other big companies will certainly promote itself through taking part in such activities as Olympic Sponsorship, On-Air advertisement, etc. AirAsia should choose a different tactic. Instead, it can create association between AirAsia and the Olympic through programs spread via mass media such as: design logo for AirAsia used during the Olympic time or organize a lottery program the prizes of which would be Olympic tickets or flying tickets inside China. AirAsia can also use other promotion programs like offering round trip tickets flying to cities where the Games would take place at the price of 1 reminbi (Chinese currency) for the first 10 customers buying tickets at a random period of time during 6 months before the Olympics. This should help build up the demand for AirAisa’ services among the customers and enhance its position in customers’ mind. To conclude, it is important for AirAsia to be aware of all contingencies that may happen during its operations and to be ready to apply modifications to the strategy to protect itself from any possible issues that might occur. These contingencies may not come to reality but it is essential to have contingency plans and to be able to make necessary modifications to the strategy in case of the price war, or lost of the customers, or difficulties entering the new markets in order to adapt to these changes and continue to operate successfully.

Critical Analysis of Darkness at Noon by Harold Krents Essay -- Darkne

Critical Analysis of Darkness at Noon by Harold Krents In "Darkness at Noon", Harold Krents vividly describes some of the everyday prejudices disabled citizens must face. Presented in an often humorous fashion, the author opens the reader’s eyes to the cruel ironies of society’s preconceived and inaccurate judgments, and their long reaching effects on his life. Krents begins his essay by pointing out to the reader that he cannot see himself, and thus, often has to depend upon the viewpoints of others. He states: "To date it has not been narcissistic." The average reader may not be aware that the word "narcissistic" means, "Excessively in love with oneself." It is helpful for the reader to keep this first observation in mind as he continues through the article, and hears Krent’s descriptions of society’s viewpoints. Krents points out three particular judgments that are often passed on him by the public. "There are those who assume that since I can’t see, I obviously cannot hear" then, "†¦others know that of course I can hear, but believe that I can’t talk" and finally "The toughest misconception of all is the view that because I can’t see, I can’t work." It is surely an unfortunate irony, that the disabled citizen must not only deal with his own burdens, but also, the imaginary ones placed upon him by society. Krents supports his statements using appealing illustrative stories with effective imagery. Krent’s chooses to use words which are effective, and relay a definite scene to the reader. Some examples are: "†¦enunciating each word very carefully", "..if the dread word is spoken, the ticket agent’s retina will immediately detach†¦"and "†¦my saint-like disposition deserted me†¦I finally blurted out†¦" He creates i... ...is not even present. Krent’s other recollections are also effective. They all work together to demonstrate the unfounded fears and misconceptions of some members of society. Krent’s mistake is attributing the opinions of a misled few to those of the entire nation. Although the reader is moved by Krents many stories and examples, the lack of objectivity in the essay leaves the reader with doubts. Krent’s theme - that if handicapped persons were viewed fairly their disability would be not be apparent- is one that the reader is aware of and wants to believe in. Yet, Krent’s own pessimistic tones overshadow the greater good. The reader is left with the unpalatable feeling that this essay may be nothing more than a very unconfident and dissatisfied man, attempting to pin his disappointments and failures on society, so that he may feel better about himself.

Is media very powerful in its influence?

The media is everywhere. In your homes, in schools, in the workplace. It is very powerful in its influence. It can change peoples' lives and affect the way they think. The media is very versatile. It can be used for several purposes, from explaining things to persuading you to give money to charity or vote for a certain political party. In this essay I will compare two different media texts. They are both persuasive leaflets: the first trying to get you to chose to rent a McCarthy & Stone retirement apartment, the second is advertising hiking holidays in Ireland. The former of these leaflets came through my letterbox, and is aimed at retired pensioners. The latter, I got from a travel agency. It is aimed at 18-30 year old trekkers. I don't think one would find these leaflets anywhere else because they are very specific in both their aim and their target audience. A company called McCarthy & Stone, who rent out retirement apartments to the retired and elderly, made the first leaflet. Its purpose is a persuasive advert. It has a green, black and white colour scheme, with plain modern font and important information in bold. It is laid out on an A5 sheet that isn't folded or perforated. It has a picture, a map, and where there is a piece of important information, it is boxed out in red or green. It contains a quote from a customer, in which the lady (Mrs. Griffiths) talks about how cheap it is to heat the apartments: â€Å"It's very reassuring to know you can keep your home comfortable all the time without the worry of facing a sudden big bill.† There are also contact details, such as an address and a telephone number, and there is a website address on the header at the top. There is a logo underneath the header with the words â€Å"McCarthy & Stone† written in a semicircle above a silhouette of two people who look slightly aged. Directly underneath this, there is a slogan that reads: â€Å"The natural choice for a happy retirement.† This could be quite effective because the target audience would be people generally over sixty-five, and stereotypically, older people like to be cosy, maybe more so than younger people. About two fifths of the way down the page, there is a very large sized banner that simply says â€Å"Warm and Cosy†. This would appeal to the target audience for the same reasons as the slogan. The picture at the bottom of this page is very clever in its composition: regardless of where your eye falls, it will instantly be lead around the entire photograph. On top of that, all the furniture in the picture is arranged to make the room look bigger than it is. To enhance this effect, the furniture in the centre of the room is very thin legged and spindly with darker colour, and the furniture around the outside is quite bulky, but brightly coloured. All the colours used in the photograph are quite soft, natural colours suck as browns, yellows and reds. The walls are painted a very neutral beige colour, which allows the viewer to picture how the room would look if they lived there far easier. This photograph could almost be used to sell any kind of accommodation or furniture, yet works particularly well here because it portrays a very tranquil setting. The language is interesting in that it uses both formal and informal language, depending on what the company is trying to say. This could be very effective, but in this case it is poorly edited and sends out a very confused message. It uses quite a lot of persuasive vocabulary, and involves the audience very well, but still insufficiently. It concentrates a lot on a story about an old woman who has one of these homes. In honesty, no reader wants to read about the success this company achieved for another person – at least not to this extent. There are a couple of examples of superlative language, such as â€Å"highest† and â€Å"latest†. One of my favourite pieces of language in this leaflet is an oxymoron that reads: â€Å"It all adds up to costing you less† This short sentence is very clever, because it is just ludicrous enough to get the reader to stop and think about what they are reading. I think this would be quite successful in its aim, largely because its target audience is so limited, and it is easier to appeal to a fifteen-year age range that, for example, a forty-five year age range. The informal language would appeal, stereotypically, to the ‘lower-class' type person, and the formal would appeal, again stereotypically, to the ‘upper-class' range. The second leaflet is advertising trekking holidays in Ireland, under the company name ‘Shamrocker', carrying the slogan: â€Å"World famous adventures for backpackers.† Its purpose is to advertise. The layout is quite different from the first leaflet; it is much less structured (i.e. it doesn't look at first glance as if it has been aligned to a grid) whereas the first leaflet looks very square. However the colour scheme is similar, including lots of green and dark blue (like the black on the first leaflet). It is presented on double-sided A4 thick paper, which like the first leaflet is unfolded and imperforated. There are many images, including CGIs, maps and photographs. The font of the writing varies quite severely – there are seventeen different styles of writing in total. There are segments of writing enclosed in boxes to highlight information that the company wants you to see first. There are, like the first leaflet but more detailed, contact details, including email, telephone number, website and company address. There are about three photographs on this leaflet, but they are all quite small. However, they are clear enough, and all have a similar theme – a group of people looking happy, either in front of a rock or an Irish road sign. On the front, the top quarter of the page is taken up by the words â€Å"The Shamrocker Ireland: Live the legend†. Underneath this, there is a photograph of a man in front of what appears to be a large grave headstone. The back is mostly blocks of writing, laid out in blocks under headings such as â€Å"Our Mission†, and then descriptions of different holidays the company offers. The lower eighth is the small print. The language used is very informal, persuasive and superlative, but it is in my opinion slightly boring. It involves the audience well, but there isn't much to say for this leaflet when it comes to language. This leaflet would be very successful towards its target audience (which is stated in the small print, and is â€Å"17 – 35 year olds†) but wouldn't get much interest for younger or older people because as they are trekking holidays, people over this age group may be physically unable to participate, and people under this age range may not be interested in walking for six days, just for the sake of walking, with no ‘prize' or incentive. The informal style would appeal to the target audience. In this essay, I have compared two different leaflets, both advertising. They both would, in theory, be very effective at achieving their goals. I believe that the companies chose the leaflet as their selected form of media because it can reach many people; they are cheap to produce in mass and are effective at getting their message across.

Its Catalysts and Unhealthy Results Essay

The body has acted as the playground of beauty. Many individuals have experimented with their bodies in order for them to look and feel good, mainly influenced by media and backed up by vanity. However, this constant experimentation has created an unusual obsession towards making their bodies look better. False perception of beauty has created an unlikely habit which seems to cost some individuals’ lives. False Imagery of the body seems to have been influenced by media, has also created a â€Å"role model†, and resulted in unhealthy eating habits. Western Media covers almost the entire world and accompanied by the internet, their reach might continue to grow. Western television shows, movies, magazines, and other related media conveyed their perception of beauty. Western media has dominated much of the third world countries’ local media; hence, the influences of Western media on beauty can be most evident within this group. The result was a distortion of their o perception of beauty. Here is a good example coming from the reading: â€Å"Fijians revere a body†¦features that show that the body is strong, hard-working, and healthy†¦Thinness†¦was seen as some kind of social loss or neglect† (McClelland par. 7-8). This was the Fijian’s original perception of beauty when their government announced the installation of a television network which included western programs. Years later, this perception suddenly changed. However, the influence of western media acts only as step one to adopting the changes in perception. Step two is when the individual accepts these changes. Hence, it naturally falls as the individual’s choice. On the other hand, western media has still created a false imagery of beauty which dominated the other culture’s perception on the subject. This may have resulted to the creation of a greater rift between two or more ethnic groups. The United States boasts a diverse population which can be separated into different ethnic groups—white Americans somewhat making up the majority. Whites—especially women—dominate western media; hence, this enabled them to be the â€Å"role models† in terms of beauty. Among the minority groups, many have tried to make their selves look like their favorite celebrities and personalities from the western media; trying to look thin and white which for them, defined sexy. They simply felt insecure with the way they look and how others reacted: â€Å"†¦put white baby powder on my cheeks just to look white,† which was said by a 19-year old South African, East Indian girl (McClelland par. 11). Insecurity on her God-given physique has made her act this way. The whites may seem to be the perfect â€Å"role models. † However, there are a lot of potential role models from the minor ethnic groups that can be equally beautiful, sexy, and sophisticated when compared to the white role model. Members of the minority need a role model of their own in order to avoid the mishaps of eating disorders and other illnesses—paranoia, insecurity, and vanity are just some. Unhealthy eating habits are a result of a person’s insecurity with his or her own body—usual eating disorder patients were women. There are two types of eating disorders: (1) Anorexia (self-starvation) and (2) Bulimia (induced vomiting). Both were equally regarded as a dangerous habit, especially the latter. From some distorted perspective, many still perform such acts in order to look good—being thin is considered sexy. A woman performing these acts may appear sexy, which does not seem to wrong. However, the sacrifice that she had to make can be seen as an act of desperation. Not only that, these two habits can damage the body’s system which can be fatal when not cured. The influence of the western media seems too powerful to counter-influence it. The ethnic disparities may continue to grow and the anorexic and bulimic might remain the same. However, I believe that there is still a way to change the habits of the old and replace these distorted images with ones that would not affect the way people live. Works Cited McClelland, Susan. (August 14, 2000). â€Å"Distorted Images. † Maclean’s.