Guests of the Sheik

Ethnocentrism: The Cultural Differences between Western and Middle Eastern Cultures Through its ethnocentric tales and family based beliefs, Elizabeth Warnock Fernea’s Guests of the Sheik suggests that to find the true representation of Islamic culture, one must leave ethnocentrism behind. Not only will we discuss ethnocentrism and the cultural differences between Western and Middle Eastern societies, we will also take a look at the women of El Nahra and family within the differing societies. Fernea entered El Nahra naive to the culture.However, was an innocent bystander, she became indignant because of the reference of wearing the abayah, â€Å" because she viewed the â€Å"abayah† as not being a part of her culture and did not have to wear it, â€Å"Why should I have to wear that ugly thing–it’s not my custom† (1965: 5). However, through her stay in the small Iraqi village, she gained cultural insight to be passed on about not only El Nahra, but to all foreign culture. As Elizabeth entered the Sheik’s village, she was viewed with a critical eye, â€Å"It seemed to me that many times the women were talking about me, and not in a particularly friendly manner† (1965: 70).The women of El Nahra could not understand why Elizabeth was not with her entire family, and why it was just her and her husband Bob: â€Å"Where is your mother? Kulthma asked. I told her she was in America far away, and when Selma repeated this in a better accent, the women clucked in sympathy. Poor girl, they said. Poor child. To be alone without any of one’s womenfolk was clearly the greatest disaster which could befall any girl† (1965:36). The women did not recognize her American lifestyle as accurate.This is not only ethnocentrism on the part of the El Nahran women because of their belief system that you are suppose to have your parents living with you or near you but American’s do not see this as a bad thing to live far from ones parents. Conversely, Elizabeth–BJ or Beeja, as named by the village and Bob did not view the El Nahra lifestyle as particularly proper either. They were viewing each other through their own cultural lenses. However, through their constant interaction, both sides began to recognize some benefits each culture possessed.It takes time when you are immersed in a particular community to understand the cultural ethos and eventually the community as a whole. Through Elizabeth Fernea’s ethnography on Iraq’s El Nahra village, we learn that all cultures have unique and equally important aspects. In El Nahra, for example, the cultural ethos is family honor. The actions of the community are based on the solid family bonds that exist throughout. However, individualism drives the majority of America. Our actions seem to be a direct result of the cultural ethos.In this, lied much of the uncertainty between Bob, BJ and the El Nahran people. In America, we spend a grea t deal of the time away from home and our families and completing tasks that will further the success of the individual. Generally, Americans are willing to sacrifice a lot of their family solidity for individual success. A sacrifice of this magnitude would be unheard of in a community such as El Nahra. Their relationships, both marriage and friendship are based on their family, and no one seems to know any other lifestyle. Marriages in El Nahra were, for the large majority, predetermined.This tradition in America would be strongly questioned and completely disregarded, based on the cultural ethos of individualism. Americans put a large emphasis on courting their own spouse. However, based on El Nahra’s cultural ethos of family honor, the people trusted their family unit to make quality choices for them. Obviously, from an American perspective, a women’s freedom of choice in this facet of El Nahran culture is lacking. However, viewing marriage cross-culturally, their p riorities as a tribe and culture are different and we cannot view them through American eyes.We should understand that family is the most important feature of each of their lives, and the preservation of the family line is of the utmost priority to them. In El Nahra, it may have seemed to Beeja that women have no power in their society. However, power may have multiple meanings as one travels from culture to culture. In America, a woman may view power in terms being able to obtain and maintain a stable, high-paying job on her own. We may also view a woman of no power as one without a job, simply satisfied being a common housewife. However, in El Nahra, as Beeja finds out, the women have more power as housewives.Their power comes from their ability to please their husband, and it is known, who were the preferred wives. As a favored wife, bearing children gives the woman power in her community amongst both women and men. â€Å"A typical well-respected wife would have served and respe cted her husband, worked hard, kept herself beautiful for him, made him laugh, and of course borne him sons (1965:169). They also obtain their power and respect from their capability to do what American women may consider to be menial chores. Preparation of meals and the cleanliness of ones home are essential to how a woman is viewed in El Nahra.When the sheik visited BJ and Bob’s home, BJ experienced this concept of power first hand. To make a good impression and understand the customs better, she had her servant Mohammed helped with Sheik Hamid’s feast. â€Å"Then Mohammed and I dished up the food, the chicken, the kebab, the meat dishes, the vegetables and salad and yogurt†, (1965:96). â€Å"We piled the platters, twelve of them, onto the tray. Mohammed mopped his brow, readjusted his headdress, then lifted the heavy, steaming tray to his shoulder and set out for the other room†, (1965:97).These feasts are very imperative to the reputation of a woman i n El Nahra. There are benefits to being a woman in El Nahra. Many women in American communities do not have the opportunity to experience the support and close bond between other women in their community. In America, it is hard for women to find enough time to spend with other women in the same manner as the women of El Nahra. The lifestyle is slower paced, and the importance is more on relationships instead of money and individualism, as in America. These close groups of women are a result of purdah, the veiling and seclusion of women. They say an uncovered woman is an immoral woman,† Bob explained, â€Å"and the tribesmen ask why a woman should want to show herself to anyone but her husband†, (1965:6). Predictably, Americans would perceive this behavior as degrading, while El Nahran women identify with it as a part of life. El Nahran women do not view it as degrading; rather, from BJ’s many interactions with the women of the community, they recognize it makes t hem stronger. The time they spend together is precious. They all gather together in a seemingly jovial atmosphere.Most American women never get to experience that kind of bonding with such a large group of women. Granted, American women some times gather for tea parties to catch up with each others lives, but the women of El Nahra are in constant daily contact, and already know each others lives inside and out. The bonds that the women make are unique outlooks of El Nahran culture that make it equally as important as any other culture in the world. El Nahran women have many unique and important aspects of culture, which contribute to a healthy lifestyle.These aspects are unique to their village and create a positive environment for them to live. However, members of foreign cultures may disagree. At that point, people must understand that cultures can be equally as productive and beneficial no matter the means they use to achieve their particular goals. Elizabeth Fernea conducted her self as a respectful and somewhat open individual within the Iraqi community, she accepted the change of culture in which she was not accustomed and experienced the concept of Iraqi culture.I believe Elizabeth started out with strong ethnocentric views: â€Å"Thus, although I balked at wearing an all-enveloping black abayah, I had elected to live like the women of El Nahra-in relative seclusion behind walls, not meeting or mixing with me† (1965:5), but left with a more opened mind and respect for different cultures, especially the Middle East culture: â€Å"when I came to Selma, heavy and clumsy with the child she was carrying, she smiled politely in a set way and then as I smiled back, her face changed and she threw her arms around me and cried aloud.At this my own reserve broke and I found myself weeping, passing from one abayah-clad figure to another in a welter of embraces and tears†, â€Å"they were bidding me goodbye† (1965:331). This shows how Elizabeth s tarted ethnocentric coming to El Nahra, but her interactions with the women of El Nahra mad her more culturally relative to the Iraqi culture of El Nahra. Guests of the Sheik Ethnocentrism: The Cultural Differences between Western and Middle Eastern Cultures Through its ethnocentric tales and family based beliefs, Elizabeth Warnock Fernea’s Guests of the Sheik suggests that to find the true representation of Islamic culture, one must leave ethnocentrism behind. Not only will we discuss ethnocentrism and the cultural differences between Western and Middle Eastern societies, we will also take a look at the women of El Nahra and family within the differing societies. Fernea entered El Nahra naive to the culture.However, was an innocent bystander, she became indignant because of the reference of wearing the abayah, â€Å" because she viewed the â€Å"abayah† as not being a part of her culture and did not have to wear it, â€Å"Why should I have to wear that ugly thing–it’s not my custom† (1965: 5). However, through her stay in the small Iraqi village, she gained cultural insight to be passed on about not only El Nahra, but to all foreign culture. As Elizabeth entered the Sheik’s village, she was viewed with a critical eye, â€Å"It seemed to me that many times the women were talking about me, and not in a particularly friendly manner† (1965: 70).The women of El Nahra could not understand why Elizabeth was not with her entire family, and why it was just her and her husband Bob: â€Å"Where is your mother? Kulthma asked. I told her she was in America far away, and when Selma repeated this in a better accent, the women clucked in sympathy. Poor girl, they said. Poor child. To be alone without any of one’s womenfolk was clearly the greatest disaster which could befall any girl† (1965:36). The women did not recognize her American lifestyle as accurate.This is not only ethnocentrism on the part of the El Nahran women because of their belief system that you are suppose to have your parents living with you or near you but American’s do not see this as a bad thing to live far from ones parents. Conversely, Elizabeth–BJ or Beeja, as named by the village and Bob did not view the El Nahra lifestyle as particularly proper either. They were viewing each other through their own cultural lenses. However, through their constant interaction, both sides began to recognize some benefits each culture possessed.It takes time when you are immersed in a particular community to understand the cultural ethos and eventually the community as a whole. Through Elizabeth Fernea’s ethnography on Iraq’s El Nahra village, we learn that all cultures have unique and equally important aspects. In El Nahra, for example, the cultural ethos is family honor. The actions of the community are based on the solid family bonds that exist throughout. However, individualism drives the majority of America. Our actions seem to be a direct result of the cultural ethos.In this, lied much of the uncertainty between Bob, BJ and the El Nahran people. In America, we spend a grea t deal of the time away from home and our families and completing tasks that will further the success of the individual. Generally, Americans are willing to sacrifice a lot of their family solidity for individual success. A sacrifice of this magnitude would be unheard of in a community such as El Nahra. Their relationships, both marriage and friendship are based on their family, and no one seems to know any other lifestyle. Marriages in El Nahra were, for the large majority, predetermined.This tradition in America would be strongly questioned and completely disregarded, based on the cultural ethos of individualism. Americans put a large emphasis on courting their own spouse. However, based on El Nahra’s cultural ethos of family honor, the people trusted their family unit to make quality choices for them. Obviously, from an American perspective, a women’s freedom of choice in this facet of El Nahran culture is lacking. However, viewing marriage cross-culturally, their p riorities as a tribe and culture are different and we cannot view them through American eyes.We should understand that family is the most important feature of each of their lives, and the preservation of the family line is of the utmost priority to them. In El Nahra, it may have seemed to Beeja that women have no power in their society. However, power may have multiple meanings as one travels from culture to culture. In America, a woman may view power in terms being able to obtain and maintain a stable, high-paying job on her own. We may also view a woman of no power as one without a job, simply satisfied being a common housewife. However, in El Nahra, as Beeja finds out, the women have more power as housewives.Their power comes from their ability to please their husband, and it is known, who were the preferred wives. As a favored wife, bearing children gives the woman power in her community amongst both women and men. â€Å"A typical well-respected wife would have served and respe cted her husband, worked hard, kept herself beautiful for him, made him laugh, and of course borne him sons (1965:169). They also obtain their power and respect from their capability to do what American women may consider to be menial chores. Preparation of meals and the cleanliness of ones home are essential to how a woman is viewed in El Nahra.When the sheik visited BJ and Bob’s home, BJ experienced this concept of power first hand. To make a good impression and understand the customs better, she had her servant Mohammed helped with Sheik Hamid’s feast. â€Å"Then Mohammed and I dished up the food, the chicken, the kebab, the meat dishes, the vegetables and salad and yogurt†, (1965:96). â€Å"We piled the platters, twelve of them, onto the tray. Mohammed mopped his brow, readjusted his headdress, then lifted the heavy, steaming tray to his shoulder and set out for the other room†, (1965:97).These feasts are very imperative to the reputation of a woman i n El Nahra. There are benefits to being a woman in El Nahra. Many women in American communities do not have the opportunity to experience the support and close bond between other women in their community. In America, it is hard for women to find enough time to spend with other women in the same manner as the women of El Nahra. The lifestyle is slower paced, and the importance is more on relationships instead of money and individualism, as in America. These close groups of women are a result of purdah, the veiling and seclusion of women. They say an uncovered woman is an immoral woman,† Bob explained, â€Å"and the tribesmen ask why a woman should want to show herself to anyone but her husband†, (1965:6). Predictably, Americans would perceive this behavior as degrading, while El Nahran women identify with it as a part of life. El Nahran women do not view it as degrading; rather, from BJ’s many interactions with the women of the community, they recognize it makes t hem stronger. The time they spend together is precious. They all gather together in a seemingly jovial atmosphere.Most American women never get to experience that kind of bonding with such a large group of women. Granted, American women some times gather for tea parties to catch up with each others lives, but the women of El Nahra are in constant daily contact, and already know each others lives inside and out. The bonds that the women make are unique outlooks of El Nahran culture that make it equally as important as any other culture in the world. El Nahran women have many unique and important aspects of culture, which contribute to a healthy lifestyle.These aspects are unique to their village and create a positive environment for them to live. However, members of foreign cultures may disagree. At that point, people must understand that cultures can be equally as productive and beneficial no matter the means they use to achieve their particular goals. Elizabeth Fernea conducted her self as a respectful and somewhat open individual within the Iraqi community, she accepted the change of culture in which she was not accustomed and experienced the concept of Iraqi culture.I believe Elizabeth started out with strong ethnocentric views: â€Å"Thus, although I balked at wearing an all-enveloping black abayah, I had elected to live like the women of El Nahra-in relative seclusion behind walls, not meeting or mixing with me† (1965:5), but left with a more opened mind and respect for different cultures, especially the Middle East culture: â€Å"when I came to Selma, heavy and clumsy with the child she was carrying, she smiled politely in a set way and then as I smiled back, her face changed and she threw her arms around me and cried aloud.At this my own reserve broke and I found myself weeping, passing from one abayah-clad figure to another in a welter of embraces and tears†, â€Å"they were bidding me goodbye† (1965:331). This shows how Elizabeth s tarted ethnocentric coming to El Nahra, but her interactions with the women of El Nahra mad her more culturally relative to the Iraqi culture of El Nahra.

The Only Crime Is Pride

â€Å"The only crime is pride† is a true statement. Multitudes of people take much pride in numerous things some being: their job, family, political views, hometowns even in their favorite sports team. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, the protagonist, Antigone, wants to give her brother Polynecies the same honorable burial given to her other brother Eteocles. Creon, The ruler of Thebes, makes it very obvious to all the citizens that they are not to attempt to bury his nephew or they will be stoned to death.Antigone deliberately defies her uncle Creon to get her wish and receives punishment as she should for breaking the laws. Subsequent to the sentry bringing Antigone in for her illegal actions, Creon’s niece does not deny anything saying that she had to do it. The ruler of Thebes was appalled that she would ever commit such a crime. This discovery prompts the Choragos to say, â€Å"Like father, like daughter: both headstrong, deaf to reason! She has never learned to yield. † Showing that pride clouds her judgment and directly goes against her uncle and his laws to give Polynecies the honorable burial he deserved.Antigone knew that this crime was punishable by death but her pride would not let her oversee leaving her dead brother unburied like many of the other soldiers and open for the birds and dogs to eat. Oedipus’ daughter was so involved in doing the right thing that she to take her own life in the process. She says, â€Å"If I had left my brother lying in death unburied, I should have suffered. Now I do not. † This further exemplifies that she cares more about the pride of her family rather than her own life.Had Antigone obeyed the laws put in place by her uncle, she would not have been forced to die. Instead she could have gone on living a noble life in the city of Thebes. Creon’s pride effects many of the decisions that he makes as a ruler. His dignity makes all the decisions very biased, including in scene 3 when he is arguing with his son Haimon. His son tells him that, â€Å"In flood time you can see how some trees bend and because they bend, even their twigs are safe, while stubborn trees are town up roots, and all. He, is telling Creon if he insists with being so stubborn with sticking to what his pride tells him to do; he will corrupt himself and many other who are in his life. Although Creon’s son is much younger he is wiser than his father even if Creon would never admit it. The king of Thebes was told many times that since Antigone is his family that he should not punish his niece, another reason people tell him he should release her is that she is a female. Despite these reasons Creon says that he would look weak to the citizens of Thebes if a girl was able to get away with such a felony.His level of self-esteem would also diminish if he had let Antigone get away with this illegal act. Haimon is not the only one who tells Creon he needs to change his way. The blind prop het Teiresias tells Creon, â€Å"Think: all men make mistakes, But a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, And repairs the evil: The only Crime is pride. † Creon's pride made Antigone's punishment for doing what she believed was right much more severe than necessary. He had to follow through with his decree so he would not look weak in front of the people he governed.Tragically, because of his pride, both Antigone and his own son, Haimon, died needlessly. Is one's pride more important than human life? In society today pride corrupts people in every country and over every: gender, race, religion. Most crimes are committed because people take too much pride for things; and because of this take fierce actions. In Libya angered civilians took matters into their own hands after a movie was made mocking their god Mohammed. They were very proud of their religion and to see it mocked in a movie upset them.Aggressors attacked and killed 4 Libyan ambassadors for the United States. Another example is the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot. It was a public disturbance that broke out in downtown Vancouver, British Colombia Canada on Wednesday, June 15, 2011. The riots happened immediately after the conclusion of the Boston Bruins’ win over the Vancouver Canucks in game seven of the Stanley Cup. The Vancouver fans were outraged since they had a lot of pride in their team. They were so upset that they stormed the streets flipping over cars, setting stores on fire, and vandalizing property.The prideful fans minds were clouded and made rash decisions; not thinking about what they were doing and acting out of instinct. Harper Lee's book To Kill a Mockingbird also exemplifies people making decisions with clouded minds. Once word gets out that Atticus will be representing Tom Robinson in court people begin to bully Jem and Scout. Since Jem is older he understands that he must not let his pride get in the way and keeps composure until finally he snaps, terr orizing Mrs.Duboses’ garden ripping out all the flowers. Scout’s self-worth also clouds her mind, beating up many classmates that even thought to bring up that her dad was a bad man. â€Å"The only crime is pride. † Accurately displays that pride makes humans act with clouded judgment making them do things they would not normally do; the same way Antigone and Creon acted throughout Sophocles play, Antigone, and the same way it effects millions of people in today’s world.

A Chinese Cinderella Autobiographi

No one acknowledges her or shows any heed and sympathy towards her. This relationship is shown in line 28 when she asks ‘Where is everyone? As no one comes to greet her when she arrives home, showing how they are uncaring towards her and do not regard her as family, not even welcoming her arrival or asked if she would like anything. It is almost as if she is a stranger, even to her biological father and siblings who continue to play ‘by the swimming pool’, no one caring about her coming back home. In addition, she is not informed about her family moving home when she asks her Father’s chauffeur in line 23 ‘Where are we? Her questions show her confusion and little knowledge on what has been happening at home pointing out that her family have not even bothered to write to her. Her other siblings and stepmother are ignorant to her arrival as if she is a stranger and worthless. Being sent to boarding school points out even more that they do not want anythi ng to do with her and would rather not see her because to them she is nothing. Adeline knows this herself as when Ma-mien Valentino calls her to tell her that her ‘chauffeur is waiting to take her home’ she thinks that someone has died because the last time she was called home it was only due to this reason and she begins to fear what might have happened. When she arrives the servants use a rude tone and do not care for her as much as they would for her stepsiblings showing the unfairness, even her father using a commanding tone when he meets his daughter after so long not even welcoming her but orders her to ‘Sit down’ instead. Her father does not regard her as his own daughter but uses her to improve his status with her achievements so when her father speaks to her she becomes timid and afraid, not trusting him when he shows her a little kindness, pointing out the distant relationship between Adeline and her family. Adeline’s character is somewhat cautious she doesn’t trust people too quickly, especially when it comes to the kindness from her family members as she is wary that they are playing a trick on her to make her feel miserable like they did all her life. Although she is not treated well by her family, she s clearly educated and this is shown when she wins a competition and quotes a poem to show her happiness. However, she is modest and keeps her happiness and excitement hidden, showing her timid and humble personality when she comes across her father and hiding what she feels even though it proved to be difficult but because she is clever and knows her father too well she did not want to miss the one chance she would have in a life time. She respects her father’s wishes as she would do anything to leave the place where she is unwanted though her strong personality keeps her distress that she suffered for years at bay. A Chinese Cinderella Autobiographi No one acknowledges her or shows any heed and sympathy towards her. This relationship is shown in line 28 when she asks ‘Where is everyone? As no one comes to greet her when she arrives home, showing how they are uncaring towards her and do not regard her as family, not even welcoming her arrival or asked if she would like anything. It is almost as if she is a stranger, even to her biological father and siblings who continue to play ‘by the swimming pool’, no one caring about her coming back home. In addition, she is not informed about her family moving home when she asks her Father’s chauffeur in line 23 ‘Where are we? Her questions show her confusion and little knowledge on what has been happening at home pointing out that her family have not even bothered to write to her. Her other siblings and stepmother are ignorant to her arrival as if she is a stranger and worthless. Being sent to boarding school points out even more that they do not want anythi ng to do with her and would rather not see her because to them she is nothing. Adeline knows this herself as when Ma-mien Valentino calls her to tell her that her ‘chauffeur is waiting to take her home’ she thinks that someone has died because the last time she was called home it was only due to this reason and she begins to fear what might have happened. When she arrives the servants use a rude tone and do not care for her as much as they would for her stepsiblings showing the unfairness, even her father using a commanding tone when he meets his daughter after so long not even welcoming her but orders her to ‘Sit down’ instead. Her father does not regard her as his own daughter but uses her to improve his status with her achievements so when her father speaks to her she becomes timid and afraid, not trusting him when he shows her a little kindness, pointing out the distant relationship between Adeline and her family. Adeline’s character is somewhat cautious she doesn’t trust people too quickly, especially when it comes to the kindness from her family members as she is wary that they are playing a trick on her to make her feel miserable like they did all her life. Although she is not treated well by her family, she s clearly educated and this is shown when she wins a competition and quotes a poem to show her happiness. However, she is modest and keeps her happiness and excitement hidden, showing her timid and humble personality when she comes across her father and hiding what she feels even though it proved to be difficult but because she is clever and knows her father too well she did not want to miss the one chance she would have in a life time. She respects her father’s wishes as she would do anything to leave the place where she is unwanted though her strong personality keeps her distress that she suffered for years at bay.

TVR Journal Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

TVR Journal Responses - Essay Example For example, images in the Western media focused on the dazzling fireworks in the sky through carefully targeted bombing raids carried out by the US air force, while carefully editing out most images of civilians injured in the war. Dissenting opinions offered against the Iraq war were presented sparingly in the media during the initial stages of the war, since it became â€Å"unpatriotic† to discuss the negative aspects of the war. Public relations firms work to shape and influence public opinion and such firms were working on behalf of the Bush Presidency, carefully maintaining a pulse on public opinion, so that only those images favoring the Governmental view of the Iraq war appeared in the media. As opposed to this, media representation in the rest of the world condemned the American position and reported on civilian casualties, presenting a different picture altogether. Selective reporting, biased reporting or the manner in which certain issues are highlighted while others are glossed over can elevate or diminish the significance of an issue in the mind of the public. The media is therefore a very powerful tool for shaping public opinion. The advent of television was a landmark in the development of the media because it was able to transmit visual images as well as audio and written images. With the development of better technology, television programs have become more sophisticated. There are programs to suit every kind of taste and need, from news programs to movies to sports and cooking shows, shows for children, game shows and soap operas, all of which compete fiercely to grab high viewer ratings so that they can become more profitable with increased advertising. Corporate ownership of TV networks in America has created a trend where the integrity of journalistic reporting has been compromised. Since corporate entities seek to enhance their profits, they are not unduly concerned about the content of

Israeli perception on the six day war and the security dilemma Research Paper

Israeli perception on the six day war and the security dilemma - Research Paper Example The Israeli were angered by the actions of the Arab Nations and the lack of action from the United States and UNEF. Israeli decided to seek a peaceful agreement from the U.S. and UNEF but failed to reach an agreement, this made the Israeli’s to start war with the Arab countries, and in the end Israeli emerged victorious over these countries. Israeli`s Defense Forces had no reason to go to war but were forced by circumstances to fight, for the protection of its people, and securing security for its people. Key words: Israeli, Six Day War, Security, Dilemma, Perception, Israel, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Arab, U.S., Israeli Defense Force, Army, National Security, Doctrine, Forces, Quality, Quantity, Resources, Threat The Six Day War was a war between five Arab neighbors namely; Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Israeli and her neighbors, in which Israeli captured the most part of Arab territory. This war broke out on 5 June, 1967 and ended on 10 June 1967, following a three week tension, when th e Israelites learned that Egypt had deployed a large army in Sinai Peninsula. The cause of the Six Day War was as a result of increased tension between Israel and its Arab neighbors in the mid 1960`s. Israeli ruling to divert the waters of River Jordan to Negev Desert frustrated the Arabs, who wanted the river to flow to Lake Galilee. Syria had begun to divert the waters but this made Israel bomb Syria in the years 1965 and 1966. Egypt played a big role in the Six Day War; this was because of the: blockade of the Gulf of Aqaba, the Fatah and PLO raid on Israel, the creation of an independent Israel, Israel decision to strike first in 1967, and expulsion of UN forces from Egypt (Rea and Wright, 1997). Historians sited that the reason for Israel attack was because of the poor economic conditions it was experiencing at the time. They explained that a war would distract people`s minds from unemployment and low development and this would bring foreign currency, to boost the economy (â₠¬Å"Causes of the War,† n.d.). The cold war tension motivated and exploited the soviets, to take advantage of the destabilized region, and provide them with military and economic assistance, in order to outsmart Jordan and Iraq, as it increased threats on Israeli By the end of the war, Israeli had captured triple the size of the area controlled. Israeli unified Jerusalem, Sinai, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip and West Bank. Israeli hope was to have peaceful negotiations with the Arabs states (Bard, 2012). Israelis perspective on the events that led to the Six Day War was influenced by views of itself in the region and in the international community during that time. Israeli thought its existence was been threatened, before the war broke out, leaders were also concerned about how Israel would survive. This made Israel to pay back the continued Arab hostility and specific attacks. They thought that this would make the Arab leaders cease to attack Israel and caution them to control the ir acts against Israeli. Many unfriendly superpowers gave Arab countries aid to attack Israeli, and this angered them because of their hostility and unfriendly ways. The main reasons for Israeli attacks were the severe Arab threats, and the role of the United States in a threat that was serious. On May 23, President Nasser of Egypt announced the blockage of strait of Tiran, this changed Israeli`s perception. The question many asked was, what is the United States doing about this decision, and was is

Human Growth and Behaviour Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Human Growth and Behaviour - Research Paper Example Erikson expressed the notion that every stage of growth has its distinctive challenges, referred to as crises. He held that such egocentric crises offered challenges to the identity of an individual (Riley and Erikson, 1979). Successful psychosocial development or personality development relies on addressing and overpowering these responsibilities or crises. The first stage of development and the crisis faced by the child involves the basic trust versus basic mistrust of an infant, which emphasizes that when parents meet all the needs of an infant, trust develops automatically. â€Å"The basic strength of the first stage is hope or the expectation that difficulties in life, presenting whatever challenge they may, will eventually result in a positive outcome† (Archer, 2011). Accordingly, the infant would require this sense of hope at his subsequent stages of behavioral development to meet any impending challenges (Lawler, 2002). The weakness of this stage or rather the direct o pposite of hope is the hopelessness and withdrawal. Jimmy Lee felt hopeless during his infancy because both his parents worked at their restaurant for long hours, leaving their son under the care of other Scottish friends and relatives who looked after his interchangeably for the first two years of his life. The second stage, autonomy, and shame during toddlerhood involve parents who generate supportive and caring surroundings to let the toddlers study and apply independence and gain their personal confidence.

Caribbean history Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Caribbean history - Research Paper Example Preceding the European invasion, Caribbean region was densely inhabited with millions of native people. The period starting in 1492 realized a sudden influx of explorers that caused the natives to almost face a total extermination. Following this period, only a few native Indians survived, most of who relocated to the mountains far from European control (Beckles, & Verene, 3- 6). Here they intermingled with Africans escapees and other colonial rebels. The speedy decline of native Caribbean matched with the initial importation of slaves from Africa. Trans-Atlantic slave trade played the greatest role in these relocations, as it brought close to 11 million Africans to the Americas. Out of these African slaves, over 40percent were taken to the Caribbean were they greatly shaped the region's culture and population. This work explores the gradual changes that characterized the Caribbean slave societies as they struggled to oppose their enslavement and secure their freedom. The purpose of this paragraph is to detail various modes of resistance developed in plantation societies by field, domestic, and skilled slaves as well as the evolution of maroon societies. African fight against enslavement and captives’ revolt against the slavery conditions were a common reaction. According to the enslavers, ‘slaves were notoriously lazy and ill disposed to labor’ which suggest daily resistances as ubiquitous. (Beckles, & Verene, 12)The forms of resistances depicted by the enslaved Africans included: runaways, day to day resistance, adaptation and conspiracy. ‘RUN AWAYS’ Taking off was considered a common and most frequent act of resistance displayed by the enslaved throughout the slavery era in the Caribbean. In taking off, slaves in this region peacefully opposed their enslavement. This presented a gross mistake of subordination in the eyes of the slave masters who regarded every successful escape as serious failure in security. In addition, the act of running away depicted erosion of discipline which was established to maintain control and order among the enslaved. ‘Run aways’ caused the slave owners serious inconveniencies, while on the other side carried no negative implication on stability of the slave society (Beckles, & Verene, 65). In essence, ‘run aways’ served to deny the enslavers the much needed labor and at the same time signal those who remained behind to assert their power , thought to have significant impact on economic activities. The fact that all enslaved peoples needed freedom above all other things is no secret; the only puzzle remained on the issue of how one would accomplish such a desire. Individuals who successfully ran from their captures later came together on their own to form what is commonly referred as maroon communities (Engerman, Seymour and Robert, 23). . DAY –TO- DAY RESISTANCE The purpose of this paragraph is to detail on day –to –day resista nce as a tool used by the slave societies to fight against their enslavement. While slaves taking off from their enslavers publicly showed their opposition to the status they were in, fellow slaves who choose to remain continued with other forms of resistance. These different approaches to opposition were shown throughout the slavery era on a daily basis. Most of them were hard to identify as intentional owing to their subtle nature. Many of these actions were

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 60

Discussion - Assignment Example This is because Osama Bin Laden was its leader, and was responsible for providing it with ideological, as well as spiritual leadership. Despite his death, and the defeat of Al-Qaeda, the nation has not yet healed from this attack. This is because other terrorist organizations have emerged that target American citizens. These organizations are affiliated to Al-Qaida (Riedel, 22). This includes terrorist organizations such as Al-Shabab, operating in Somalia, and ISIS, a terror group aimed at establishing a caliphate in the Middle-East. These groups have managed to target and kill American civilians. This includes the latest beheadings of American journalists in Iraq (Otis, 3). These actions have caused great anger against these terrorist organizations, and United States is seeking to build an international coalition that can fight against these new terror organizations. Prominent Islamic leaders have disowned these groups, denoting that the use of violence against non Muslim members is against the principles of Islam. To fight these groups, there is a need of the government to use a two pronged approach. The government should use the military to prevent these groups from attacking its interests. The government should also initiate measures aimed at promoting religious tolerance amongst the leading religious groups. This is through education, and inclusive

The Ethical and Legal Issues Which Arise with Health Care Essay

The Ethical and Legal Issues Which Arise with Health Care - Essay Example The case of Martin is one which carries interest because of the known concerns that pertain to stroke as well as the capacity which the hospital had to respond, but didn’t. This first began when Martin was admitted to the hospital, which raises ethical concern with the responses that were required and not acted upon. It is known that when an individual suffers from stroke, certain reflexes began to be prompted, specifically to try to balance out the body in a different manner. With this, is a known change with the body that leads to pneumonia, often which leaves the body too weak for an operation. Feeding tubes and alternative feeding methods are common expectations with patients, especially if the stroke is too severe for post – stroke patients. It is noted that this is the only way to not have reflexes respond and to make the right movements for nutrition and alterations for feeding among patients. The known problem which arises is one which indicates that the hospita l should have immediately responded to the conditions in terms of feeding and nutrition, as opposed to hiring a speech therapist to try to change the condition of Martin first. Another problem which is associated with the case of Martin is based on the inability for him to talk and the dependency which was created with his condition in the hospital. This issue is furthered with the processes which were not carried through, not only in terms of the nutritious and physical state, but also in response to the other difficulties which are known to accompany those suffering from a stroke. This is inclusive of psychological responses, social difficulties, changes in cognitive ability and personality processes. Hospital personnel are required to understand the ethical concerns and the way in which this links to the

Southwest Airline Essay Example for Free

Southwest Airline Essay Southwest Airlines was introduced in Texas on June 18, 1971 with three Boeing 737 airplanes and only serving three cities of Texas which included Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. The company came a long way since 1971; today Southwest Airlines has 537 Boeing 737 airplanes and serving 68 cities around the US. Southwest Airlines has become a major airline in 1989 when it hit the billion-dollar revenue mark. Southwest Airlines is the United States’ most successful airline due to the low fares, high frequency, and point-to-point carrier. According to the Southwest Airlines Fact Sheet 2010 â€Å"Southwest operates more than 3,200 flights a day coast-to-coast, making it the largest U. S. carrier based on domestic passengers’ carrier as of September 30, 2009†. As June 2011, Southwest Airlines has become the top airline to carries the most domestic passengers in the US. Southwest Airlines in 2013 has expanded their destination to 86 cities in 42 states and Puerto Rico. The current CEO of Southwest Airlines is Gary Kelly and his vision for the company is â€Å"to connect people to what important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low cost air travel†. According to the swamedia.com â€Å"Gary is a 27-years Southwest veteran who began his career at Southwest Airlines as Controller, moving up to Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Finance, then Executive Vice President and CFO, before being promoted to CEO and Vice Chairman in July 2004. Gary assumed the roles of Chairman and President in 2008. Prior to joining Southwest Airlines in 1986, Gary was a CPA for Arthur Young Company in Dallas and Controller for Systems Center, Inc.† Gary has received many awards during his 27 years with the company and twice being named CEO of the year by D CEO Magazine’s. Also, he was named of the best CEO in America by Institutional Investor three times. According to the Sawmedia.com â€Å"Gary was selected as Dallas Business  Journals CEO of the year for 2011. In 2010, Gary was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2013, Gary will be inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame at the University of Texas at Austin; Gary is the recipient of the 2013 Father of the Year Award; and Gary is the recipient of the 2013 McLane Leadership in Business Award at Texas AM University.† According to Gary Kelly and SouthwesAirlines.com their mission statement â€Å"is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual price and Company Spirit†. They have been operating their business exactly as their mission statement. They have been so successful due largely to the usual focus on their employees. LUV and FUN is the program which Southwest has created for their employees and their focus on customer service which they have to show respect for one and another, represent the company and create a comfortable, relax and fun working environment. Southwest Airlines’ Strengths Southwest airlines has many strengths’, but one that brings in profit to the company in a major way is their customer service. Southwest airlines has the highest quality of customer service that is delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit. That statement is not only their motto, but also their way of making a profit. Southwest brand their name on good customer service. They have been admired to be the third top ranked airline in the U.S and the tenth in the airline industry. Buyology and an online research marking company evaluated 4,000 men and women, with four key parameter of a company; the awe, the superiority harmony and exploration of a company to rank the top ranked company. According to www.southwestonereport.com, â€Å"220 brands and companies were studying during this evaluation the company were matched by numerically with strength and weakness. With relation with Southwest airline consciously and unconsciously Southwest airline earned the top spot for 2012.† Not only do bag fly free Southwest airline was the first airline to offer senior discounts, ticketless traveling, and services for air freight delivery to the common traveler. Southwest airline offers credit based on the number of trips with the airline instead of the total miles traveled also understanding the not how far you fly it’s how many times you fly with  Southwest airline. As Southwest’s major strength is the customer service making a profit is another strength that has sustained them. In 2012, Southwest airline marked the most profitable airline in U.S airline industry unmatched for over 30 years. These profits is the results of the exemplary customer service that Southwest airline has making over 421 million dollars in 2012 alone. Another major strength is Southwest airlines website. During the second quarter of 2013, 80 percent of Southwest airline passenger revenues were booked via southwest.com. In addition to flights, customers are able to make car, hotel, cruise, and complete vacation package reservations on southwest.com. Southwest airline has the Southwest Shortcut feature on southwest.com, which is the first online tool that helps customers find the lowest fare based on availability across the entire month. Southwest airline has many strengths, but as southwest airline put it in a nut shell its all about. According to www.southwestonereport.com, â€Å"Southwest continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers each year among 96 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and five near-international countries all at low far.† Southwest Airlines’ Weaknesses Southwest Airlines has become one of the top airlines in America, it is the number one airline that carries domestic passengers around the state. Southwest Airlines have followed their CEO leadership, they do what they are supposed to do and they are carried on their mission statement to the fullest. With that in mind Southwest Airlines could be the only perfect airline and have many advantages compare to others: as for examples low fares, beautiful flight attendants and happy employees who respect one and another. Southwest Airlines has successfully built a great, comfortable and relax workplace for their employees. Also, they have great customer service which is always their first priority. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a perfect company or a perfect person because the world that we live in right now is not perfect, so Southwest Airlines has many strengths but they are also have many weaknesses as well. The first weakness of Southwest  Airlines is within their company. Debt and operating expenses are among the tops of the company priority, according to quality-assurance.com â€Å"The company is estimated to possess $361 million of debt on their balance sheet, and until they pay down these debts it will drag significantly on their business†. Debt will drag on the business of Southwest. Also the Mounting Operating Expense can count as one the weaknesses of the company as well. The company has to pay out more for fuel because it has grown 182.30% for the average of gallon from 2005 to 2011. Unfortunately, the company also has to deal with it employees’ union because of the union has demand more services and benefits for their members, and by the end of the day Southwest doesn’t have much left money to cover their debts and expenses. The second weakness of Southwest Airline is the services provided to customers. According to businesstune-ups.com â€Å"Southwest Airlines doesn’t provide international flights, they don’t have seating options, their cargo space is very limited, they only have one type of airplane, Very short trips earn the same amount of perks as a long, extensive flight. Scrutiny of potential employees based on personality before skill could be dangerous.† Not having international flights and only have one aircraft for their services are the disadvantages to Southwest’s competitors. These days more and more passengers going out of country for their business trips which will increase profits and customers for the company. Only have one type of aircraft which is a great way to save money when the maintenance services come. Also, it is a big disadvantage for Southwest Airlines because the aircraft has a limited space for passengers’ luggage. Southwest Airlines also doesn’t have a seating chart and no business option for their passengers. It is a great way to save money for the company and as well for the passengers to get a lowest air fares as possible, but many business passengers want their own space to work on their presentations or their companies’ projects. So, without the business class option the airline will be losing out to its competitors. Another weakness of Southwest Airlines is the company only provides limited destinations for its passengers and mostly is from the South. The limited areas will limit the number of passengers who will choose Southwest as their designated airlines. It is hard and difficult to compete with other larger airlines that serve both domestics and internationally with also help them to build bigger market for their companies. Southwest Airlines’ Opportunities Now that the merger of Southwest Airline with AirTran is now complete, growth is on the rise for Southwest, its customers and employees. In the acquisition, Southwest now can handle more international destinations with its new fleet of larger aircrafts. This gives more diversity for the customer and gives Southwest the ability to keep its fares low. Southwest also gained 8,000 additional employees from AirTran and if done correctly, this merger can only improve its customer service rating. Southwest Airlines is one of the top airlines in service today; known for their strategy, dedicated work force, low fares and customer service. The competitors’ component or analysis is defined as the process of identifying the performance and marketing strategy of competitive brands or products in the marketplace. So what is it about Southwest Airlines that has put them in such an elite category compared to the competition? Southwest’s main strategy is to keep things simple. â€Å"It has never served meals, does not have advanced seat reservations, and flies only Boeing airplanes. These decisions have helped Southwest be flexible in the face of the recent decreases in airplane passengers caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the world economic crisis.† (http://teamsparksouthwest.blogspot.com) By reducing some of the amenities that other airlines offer, it allows them to reduce the amount of employee cut backs, maintain low fares while retaining employees that are loyal to the brand, ensuring a good customer experience. This strategy has allowed Southwest to have 39 years of profitable growth (Thompson). Southwest has been on the cutting edge of managing employee loyalty. In a recent interview with, Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest, he expressed that the key to a productive workforce is â€Å"Paying personal attention to each of your people instead of a formula, also to empower employees and back them up (Kelleher)† (Thompson). Over time, implementing these general tactics has reinforced a working culture at Southwest that separates them from their competition. A happy employee means great customer service, customer retention and consistently growing profit margins. Southwest airlines is known for its low fares but due to increasing fuel costs, limited destinations and people finding alternate ways of travel; ultimately Southwest’s competitive advantage of being the leader of low fares will diminish. Having fewer planes equals lower fuel costs which  is an area that Southwest is struggling with to maintain those low airfare prices. â€Å"Fuel crisis and fuel price become threats to Southwest Airlines Company. Fuel costs in 1978 averaged 37 cents per gallon while in 1979 it became 80 cents. In 1980 fuel costs exceeded $1.00 per gallon. This price hike changes the expenditure pattern of the company. Operating costs become 40% of the total budget† (MBA Study Point case study). The only true competition for Southwest is regionally. Delta out marks them in most areas but due to Delta’s concentration in the Southeast they only compete on a regional level. Delta does however fly to most of the areas where Southwest is the preferred airline. The same is not true for Southwest who has more limited destination availability. In order to compete, Southwest will need to add more destinations to their roster. Business travelers will still prefer Delta because of their perks for Business travelers which Southwest does not have. Not to have a business class excludes a whole subset of travelers that are more likely to fly on a regular basis which cuts down on profits. Southwest’s culture is centered around the customer. While in recent years they were positioning themselves as a low-cost airline with exceptional customer service; their fares have seen a slight increase but the standard for high quality customer service remains the same. They create an employee friendly environment that motivates employees to want to work hard and be the best they can possibly be for the company. Southwest’s website states â€Å"happy employees = happy customers† and this is the culture they operate with every day. Southwest airline believes that volunteering is crucial to the health of nonprofit organizations that work to meet needs in different communities. Southwest airline employees volunteer their time day in and day out for the important causes that are closest to their hearts. â€Å"In 2009, Southwest Airlines Employees volunteered more than 45,000 hours to charities across the country. In an effort to support these passionate Employee volunteers, Southwest Airlines launched the Tickets for Time program. For every 40 hours our Employees volunteer for a nonprofit organization, the benefitting nonprofit organization is eligible to receive one complimentary, round-trip ticket on Southwest Airlines for fundraising or transportation needs†(Southwest.com). Southwest Airline has an outreach program for every culture and lifestyle the employee volunteer more than 137,  000 hours. Southwest airline has an Adopt-A-Pilot program where students will  research careers and further develop life skills, while the importance of staying in school is reinforced. Southwest Airlines and AirTran pilots mentor fifth grade students and offer this program at no charge to the schools that participate in the Adopt-A-Pilot program. Southwest airline has several outreach programs that reach out to many cultures such as African- American, Asian, and Hispanic programs and LGBT. Southwest Airlines’ Treats Airline industry could be affected by many factors such as general economic environment, fuel price, airline terror acts, weather conditions and air traffic restrictions. General economic environment has an impact on the demand for travel, and therefore influences the number of flights run by Southwest. The fuel price controls the company’s costs; rising fuel price would increase the cost, and the company cannot always avoid influences of fuel price by fuel hedging. Terrorist attack incidents would both physically and psychologically affect customers and employees, which leads to a higher security cost. Weather conditions also, have an important impact on flights as well. Bad weather conditions may delay flights, increase turnaround time, and thus mark up costs. All these potential threats are faced by Southwest Airlines. Having been very successful in their operations, Southwest Airlines is surely a target of competitors’ focus. And by that, other airlines may begin co pying Southwests strategies. Though this may show that Southwest is definitely a leader in the airline industry, it is somehow disadvantageous for the company in the long run. If those airlines try to imitate Southwest’s cost efficiency strategies, they can also lower their ticket prices and compete with Southwest. Through such, competition will get tougher for Southwest and it will no longer be able to monopolize the low fare sector of the industry; and worse, there is a possibility that a big company in the future, possessing more advanced technologies and facilities, will operate using Southwest Airlines low-cost model to a wider market, which will encroach and outdo Southwest Airlines. Terrorism is one of the greatest threats for people to lose faith on the airline industry. Airline companies in the US can attest to that after experiencing the â€Å"911 Attack† in 2001 when they incurred major losses. Though Southwest was one of those airlines who did not incur a major loss, the possibility of an unforeseen terrorist aggression using airplanes is still a major threat in  the company’s operations. This is because any loss of confidence in the safety of air travel would lead to a shift to the use of other forms of transportation, leaving Southwest struggling to fill its seats. High unemployment and inflation are keeping more travelers at home; Supply and demand price elasticity of airline carriers may vary depending on the nature of the industry. The macroeconomic factors affecting the airline industry include unemployment, the economic growth in the United States, and inflation. With low economic growth, consumers are finding luxury items more difficult to purchase and airline tickets for vacations fall into that category. Unemployment contributes to a lack of vacation travelers since individuals who are not employed do not have extra money for vacation or airline tickets. Inflation also causes operating costs of the airlines to be higher which entails cuts into the profits of Southwest. Unemployment is affecting the airline industry because consumers are taking more â€Å"stay-cation† at home or vacationing to areas to which they can drive. As unemployment has risen, the airlines have laid off a much higher percentage of their people as well. Southwest Airlines’ Grand Strategies Recommendations Grand strategies, often called master or business strategies, provide basic direction for strategic actions. There are many grand strategies that Southwest Airlines can choose from when considering which match with their company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Southwest Airlines is excellent in planning their long-term goals. The above SWOT analysis proved that the company is successfully carrying out the cost leadership strategy to manipulate their competitors and boost up their company. Their mission in providing low fare cost is one of the best strategies that they have to increase their market share, and it also put a significant increase in the demand of air travel. Southwest Airlines’ rapid rewards program is brilliant, so they should continue and expand it even more. Southwest Airlines’ employees mainly belong to the Union and they are mainly full time workers. Since the Union has demanded more services and benefits for their members, the company gained limited profit. To fix this, the company should hire more part time workers instead of full time workers because if they implemented this they would not have to provide full  benefits and instead focus on gaining profit. Also, Southwest Airlines should make all flights within the states point-to-point flights, and give their employees a strict timeline to alleviate delays. This will keep an accurate time frame for customers. As far as the flight concerns, Southwest Airlines has only one dependable flight, which is very dangerous when it comes to safety, but the good thing about that is an inexpensive cost for maintaining the aircraft. The safety of the customers is very important, so Southwest should increase at least one more dependable aircraft just in case something unexpected happens to the other one. Customer service is superior for Southwest Airlines, but many of their weaknesses can give their competitor many advantages. Southwest does not offer international flights, and there are increases in demand for international flights, so they should consider flying internationally within the next 5 or 6 years, or Southwest should completely become integrated with AirTran Airline by 2014 because they could put an increase in their net income. The advantages that Southwest’s competitors such as American Airlines and US Airways have are their inflight meals, seating charts, and highly advanced technology they have available for their customers. In this case, Southwest Airlines should invest in one more jet that provides higher quality and luxurious experience for customers such as business travelers who are willing to pay extra for it. In that jet they would offer inflight meals, provide seating options when customers book their tickets, and most important of all, they have to adv ance their jet to have advanced technologies such as television. One of Southwest Airlines’ threats is a general economic environment problem like high unemployment and inflation that they cannot control. One thing that can be done is to create a program that provides customers time to pay off their ticket 5 months in advance before flying. So the customers would have enough time to pay in increments over a period of time so they do not have to worry about spending a lot of money at once. When it comes to expanding their name brand Southwest Airline should continue to increase their popularity by increasing the advertisements on both their and AirTran’s website. Since the websites are the main places where customers go to book their tickets, the company should put that into a good use by creating more advertisements, and therefore gaining more popularity. Lastly, Southwest should continue to foster its remarkable culture. The fun-loving attitude that the company has  for their customers and employees shows that Southwest has a great working environment; the dedication that the employees have for the company contributes to both the tangible and intangible benefits. â€Å"It is a true competitive advantage for Southwest Airlines.† (Terra Thompson) Conclusion As a result in performing this project, we have learned that SWOT Analysis is the key for all businesses success. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses within the company and understanding the opportunities and threats that the company has externally are extremely important in planning the strategic plans to help the business overall outlook. As far as Southwest Airlines, we have learned that the company is very successful when it comes to the superior customer services, but Southwest should definitely continue on increasing their brand by upgrading their services within their aircrafts to become more high tech. We know that Southwest is known for their low cost fair, which gave them a huge advantage of their competitors. And the fact that they are integrating with Air Trans was a brilliant idea, because they are expanding their brand through Air Trans in providing International flights, which are, in a very high demand right now. We think Southwest Airlines is in the borderline in gaining a sustainable competitive advantage if they are expanding their aircraft to fit what their customers needs and wants. References Analyzing southwest airlines [Web log message]. (, April). Retrieved from http://teamsparksouthwest.blogspot.com/2012/04/southwests-competitive-advantage.html AP News. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://traveltips.usatoday.com/kind-planes-southwest-airlines-fly-62394.html Broughtson, R. (n.d.). Southwest airline swot analysis. Retrieved from http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/southwest-airlines-swot-analysis.html Bruwick, L. (n.d.). Southwest airlines swot analysis powerful business assessment tool. Retrieved from http://www.businesstune-ups.com/Southwest-Airlines-SWOT-Analysis.html Case analysis: Southwest airlines. (2012, may 17). Retrieved from http://netmbastudy.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/case-analysis-southwest-airlines/ Gale Encyclopedia of Small Business. Competitor analysis. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/competitor-analysis Gary , K. (n.d.). Gary

Why Star Topology is Best

Why Star Topology is Best 1.0 SYNOPSIS This study focused on a star network topology. A star network is a local area network in which all devices are directly linked to a central point called a hub. Star topology looks like a star but not exactly a star. The findings from the study revealed that in star topology every computer is connected to a central node called a hub or a switch. A hub is a device where the entire linking standards come together. The data that is transmitted between the network nodes passes across the central hub. The project further goes on to explain the advantages, disadvantages and usage of star network topology. The centralized nature of a star network provides ease while also achieving isolation of each device in the network. However, the disadvantage of a star topology is that the network transmission is largely reliant on the central hub. If the central hub falls short then the whole network is out of action. Star networks are one of the most common computer network topologies that are used in homes and offices. In a Star Network Topology it is possible to have all the important data backups on the hub in a private folder and this way if the computer fails you can still use your data using the next computer in the network and accessing the backup files on the hub. It has come to realization that this type of network offers more privacy than any other network. 2.0 INTRODUCTION The main objective of this project is to discuss the advantages, disadvantages and usage of star network topology. A topology is a physical structure of a network. Star topology is a network structure comprising a central node to which all other devices attached directly and through which all other devices intercommunicate (http://www.yourdictionary.com/telecom/star-topology). The hub, leaf nodes and the transmission lines between them form a graph with the topology of a star. Star is one of the most and oldest common topology in the local area network. The design of star topology comes from telecommunication system. In telephone system all telephone calls are managed by the central switching station. Just like in star topology each workstation of the network is connected to a central node, which is known as a hub. Hub is a device where the whole linking mediums come together. It is responsible of running all activities of the network. It also acts as a repeater for the data flow. Generally when build a network using two or more computers, you need a hub. It is possible to connect two computers to each other directly without the need of a hub but when adding a third computer in the network, we need a hub to allow a proper data communication within the network. In a Star Network the whole network is reliant on the hub. (http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-6-2005-65413.asp) Devices such as file server, workstation and peripheral are all linked to a hub. All the data passes through the hub. When a packet comes to the hub it moves that packet to all the nodes linked through the hub but only one node at a time successfully transmits it. Data on a star network exceeds through the hub before continuing to its target. Different types of cables are used to link computers such as twisted pair, coaxial cable and fiber optics. The most common cable media in use for star topologies is unshielded or shielded twisted pair copper cabling. One end of the cable is plugged in local area network card while the other side is connected with the hub. Due to the centralization in star topology it is easy to monitor and handle the network making it more advantageous. Since the whole network is reliant on the hub, if the whole network is not working then there could be a problem with the hub. The hub makes it easy to troubleshoot by offering a single point for error connection at the same time the reliance is also very high on that single point. The central function is cost effective and easier to maintain. Star topology also has some draw backs. If the hub encounters a problem then the whole network falls short. In a Star Network Topology it is possible to have all the important data backups on the hub in a private folder and this way if the computer fails you can still use your data using the next computer in the network and accessing the backup files on the hub. 3.0 BACKGROUND STUDY In this section the researcher has clarified and explained in details some of the advantages, disadvantages and usage of star topology. These three concepts are the main core of this project. 3.1 ADVANTAGES OF STAR NETWORK 3.1.1 Isolation of devices: each device is isolated by the link that connects it to the hub. By so doing it makes the isolation of the individual devices simple. This isolation nature also prevents any non centralized failure from affecting the network. In a star network, a cable failure will isolate the workstation that it links to the central computer, but only that workstation will be isolated. All the other workstations will continue to function normally, except that they will not be able to communicate with the isolated workstation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_network) 3.1.2 Simplicity: The topology is easy to understand, establish, and navigate. The simple topology obviates the need for complex routing or message passing protocols. As noted earlier, the isolation and centralization simplifies fault detection, as each link or device can be probed individually .Due to its centralized nature, the topology offers simplicity of operation. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_network) 3.1.3 If any cable is not working then the whole network will not be affected: in a star topology, each network device has a home run of cabling back to a network hub, giving each device a separate connection to the network. If there is a problem with a cable, it will generally not affect the rest of the network. The most common cable media in use for star topologies is unshielded twisted pair copper cabling. If small numbers of devices are utilized in this topology the data rate will be high. It is best for short distance ( http://fallsconnect.com/topology.htm#a) 3.1.4 You can easily add new computers or devices to the network without interrupting other nodes: The star network topology works well when computers are at scattered points. It is easy to add or remove computers. New devices or nodes can easily be added to the Star Network by just extending a cable from the hub. If the hub adds a device for example a printer or a fax machine, all the other computers on the network can access the new device by simply accessing the hub. The device need not be installed on all the computers in the network. The central function is cost effective and easier to maintain. If the computers are reasonably close to the vertices of a convex polygon and the system requirements are modest. And also when one computer falls short then it wont affect the whole communication. (http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/dictionary/definition/what-is-star-network.html#) 3.1.5 Centralization: the star topologies ease the chance of a network failure by linking all of the computers to a central node. All computers may therefore communicate with all others by transmitting to and receiving from the central node only. Benefits from centralization: As the central hub is the bottleneck, increasing capacity of the central hub or adding additional devices to the star, can help scale the network very easily. The central nature also allows the check up of traffic through the network. This helps evaluate all the traffic in the network and establish apprehensive behavior (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-different-network-topologies.html). 3.1.6 Easy to troubleshoot: in a star network the whole network is reliant on the hub so if the entire network is not working then there could be a problem with the hub. This feature makes it easy to troubleshoot by offering a single point for error connection ad at the same time the dependency is also very high on that single point 3.1.7 Better performance: star network prevents unnecessary passing of the data packet through nodes. At most 3 devices and 2 links are involved in any communication between any two devices which are part of this topology. This topology encourage a huge overhead on the central hub, however if the central hub has plenty of capacity, then very high network used by one device in the network does not affect the other devices in the network. Data Packets are sent quickly as they do not have to travel through any unnecessary. The big advantage of the star network is that it is fast. This is because each computer terminal is attached directly to the central computer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_network). 3.1.8 EASY INSTALLATION: Installation is simple, inexpensive, and fast because of the flexible cable and the modular connector. 3.2 DISADVANTAGES OF STAR NETWORK 3.2.1 If the hub or concentrator fails, nodes attached are disabled: The primary disadvantage of a star topology is the high dependence of the system on the functioning of the central hub. While the failure of an individual link only results in the isolation of a single node, the failure of the central hub renders the network inoperable, immediately isolating all nodes. (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-different-network-topologies.html ) 3.2.2 The performance and scalability of the network also depend on the capabilities of the hub. Network size is limited by the number of connections that can be made to the hub, and performance for the whole network is limited by its throughput. While in theory traffic between the hub and a node is isolated from other nodes on the network, other nodes may see a performance drop if traffic to another node occupies a significant portion of the central nodes processing capability or throughput (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_network). Furthermore, wiring up of the system can be very complex. 3.2.3 The primary disadvantage of the star topology is the hub is a single point of failure: If the hub were to fall short the whole network would fail as a result of the hub being connected to every computer on the network. There will be communication break down between the computers when the hub fails. 3.2.4 Star topology requires more cable length: When the network is being extended then there will be the need of more cables and this result in intricate installation. 3.2.5 More Expensive than other topologies: it is expensive due to cost of the hub. Star topology uses a lot of cables thus making it the most costly network to set up as you also have to trunk to keep the cables out of harm way. Every computer requires a separate cable to form the network. . A common cable that is used in Star Network is the UTP or the unshielded twisted pair cable. Another common cable that is used in star networks is the RJ45 or the Ethernet cables 3.3 USAGES OF STAR NETWORK Star topology is a networking setup used with 10BASE-T cabling (also called UTP or twisted-pair) and a hub. Each item on the network is connected to the hub like points of a star. The protocols used with star configurations are usually Ethernet or local-talk. Token Ring uses a similar topology, called the star-wired ring (http://fallsconnect.com/topology.htm#a). Star Topology is the most common type of network topology that is used in homes and offices. In the Star Topology there is a central connection point called the hub which is a computer hub or sometimes just a switch. In a Star Network the best advantage is when there is a failure in cable then only one computer might get affected and not the entire network. Star topology is used to ease the probabilities of network failure by connecting all of the systems to a central node. This central hub rebroadcasts all transmissions received from any peripheral node to all peripheral nodes on the network, sometimes including the originating node. All peripheral nodes may thus communicate with all others by transmitting to, and receiving from, the central node only (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Star network is used to transmit data across the central hub between the network nodes. When a packet comes to the hub it transfers that packet to all nodes connected through a hub but only one node at a time successfully transmits it. In local area networks where the star topology is used, each machine is connected to a central hub. In contrast to the bus topology, the star topology allows each machine on the network to have a point to point connection to the central hub and there is no single point of failure. All of the traffic which transverses the network passes through the central hub. The hub acts as a signal booster or repeater which in turn allows the signal to travel greater distances. When it is important that your network have increased stability and speed, the star topology should be considered. When you use a hub, you get centralized administration and security control, low configuration costs and easy troubleshooting. When one node or workstation goes down, the rest of your network will still be functional. 4.0 APPENDIX As the name suggests, this layout is similar to a star. The illustration shows a star network with five workstations or six, if the central computer acts as a workstation. Each workstation is shown as a sphere, the central computer is shown as a larger sphere and it is a hub, and connections are shown as a thin flexible cable. The connections can be wired or wireless links. The hub is a central to a star topology and the network cannot function without it. It connects to each separate node directly through a thin flexible cable (10BASE-T cable). One end of the cable is plugged into the connector on the network adapter card (either internal or external to the computer) and the other end connects directly to the hub. The number of nodes you can connect to a hub is determined by the hub. 5.0 CONCLUSION A star network is a local area network in which all computers are directly connected to a common central computer. Every workstation is indirectly connected to every other through the central computer. In some star networks, the central computer can also operate as a workstation A Star Network Topology is best suited for smaller networks and works efficiently when there is limited number of nodes. One has to ensure that the hub or the central node is always working and extra security features should be added to the hub because it s the heart of the network. To expand a star topology network, youll need to add another hub and go to a star of stars topology. In a Star Network Topology it is possible to have all the important data backups on the hub in a private folder and this way if the computer fails you can still use your data using the next computer in the network and accessing the backup files on the hub. 6.0 REFERENCES Available on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_network Available on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_small_aperture_terminal Available on http://fallsconnect.com/topology.htm#a Available on http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/dictionary/definition/what-is-star-network.html#(above) Available on http://www.answers.com/topic/star_network Available on http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-different-network-topologies.html Available on http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-6-2005-65413.asp Available on http://www.blurtit.com/q826101.html

Life and Work of Leonardo da Vinci Essay -- Leonardo da Vinci Painter

Life and Work of Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci had a powerful mind and was a very curious and daring boy. Leonardo was so curious about flying, he jumped off a barn with wings that he made by himself. Leonardo loved nature and exploring. He would also like to draw geometrical shapes. Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 in Vinci, Italy. Vinci was a farming community with hillsides, growing grapes, fruit trees and olives. His mother was a peasant woman and his father was a notary. He was often alone, exploring and experimenting in the hills and other areas of his home. This gave him a bond and a love of nature that is reflected in all his art and sculpture. As a teenager, Leonardo was apprenticed to an artist and sculptor, named Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence. By the age of twenty-one Leonardo was an accomplished painter and sculptor. He painted many portraits of royalty, dukes, duchesses, kings and queens. His most famous portrait is the 'Mona Lisa'. The subject was the wife of a Florentine merchant. Its fame is due to her strange and mysterious smile. It is thought that Leonardo used court jesters to make her smile as he worked. Margaret Livingstone, a present-day authority on visual processing, has a scientific explanation about Mona Lisa's smile. When people look at a face, their eye goes to the eyes, and the peripheral vision, (the side vision), which is less accurate, goes to the other areas of the face. So, when someone looks at the eyes of Mona Lisa, the peripheral vision goes to her mouth, and the shadows painted there by Leonardo suggest to the viewer that "elusive smile". If you just looked at her mouth, she doesn't seem to be smiling at all. With Leonardo's extensive study of optics, this could have been deliberate, adding to h is genius. Leonardo experimented with different types of paints and plaster. This was probably one of the reasons for his interest in these arts, because he left so many works unfinished. Through his painting and sculpture, he found away to pursue his experiments and use the things he learned, and still be accepted by the society he lived in.. By 1503 he worked to aid Florence's war with Pisa. He designed an aqua duct plan to cut off the water to Pisa so that Florence would win the war. He was then established as a creative and talented engineer. He was often in the employ of the Nobility for his ... ... are loose papers, which come from various times of his life, are about the physical and geographical effects of water. Leonardo hoped to write a book about this subject. The Renaissance was a special time in the history of man. The word renaissance means rebirth. The Renaissance came following the Dark Ages. It was an explosion of creativity in art, literature, science and music. Leonardo da Vinci was born in these times. He was known as the "Renaissance Man", because he himself was an 'explosion' of all these things, and brought so much to them. Before the Renaissance, people had to spend their entire lives just struggling to exist. As you can see, Leonardo was a genius. He was extremely open-minded in his thinking. He wanted to know things, just for the sake of knowing them. He put pieces of knowledge together in different and new ways, like pieces of puzzles. His imagination gave him ideas that were hundreds of years ahead of his time. What we can learn from Leonardo is there is always something to discover in learning new things, and that something can be found in looking at something in many different ways. And each person can be many things throughout their lifetime.

Personal Essay: Prejudice -- Personal Narrative

I. BACKGROUND   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The location was a moderate to large size city near the east coast of Massachusetts. The city has a mix of all races and is diverse in its racial distribution. It is a city where most of the people are middle class working folks. While it is a moderate size city, it has few city problems such as homelessness, poverty and violence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The year was 1992 and it was the summertime. It was very hot and humid at about 11:30 at night and I was in a car driving around looking for something to do. It was a boring Tuesday night so I decided to go to a big video arcade hangout called Funworld. There is a number of video games as well as young people. The establishment is a large building with a large parking lot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was with three other people in the parking lot when we were approached by a group of three other gentlemen. I myself am a caucasian male under 21 years of age. Two of the people I was with were upperclass caucasian males also under the age of 21. The last person was also under 21 and male, but he was African-American. One of the caucasians was a close friend and another was an acquaintance. The African-American was also a friend of mine. Of the three gentlemen that approached us, two were hispanic males that appeared to be over 21 and the other was a caucasian male that appeared over 21, although I couldn't be sure. Although I didn't want to make any judgements about them, they looked as if they were poorly dressed and over 21. So I deduced that they were in a gang or they were drug dealers, high school dropouts, etc.;. II.ACTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At first it appeared as if both groups would just pass by each other unnoticed but the caucasian male in the other group made a racist remark about my African-American friend. He said "Look at those dumb dudes walking with that fucking spade". My African-American Dave turned around suddenly and said "What the fuck did you say?" The caucasian male retorted "None of your fucking business dick!" At this point both groups approached each other and then my friend Dave said "You wanna go", in response the other kid said "Let's go!" and shoved him in the chest. The other two of the caucasian male's friends jumped on top of Dave and then we all kind of got into a fight. We were mostly just pushing and shoving each other at first.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After about a minute of pushing... ...his fight alone was a melting pot of individuals. I think in my mind that the fat that Dan was white affected his decisions, not in a big way, but in some sort of way. I don't really know about the other three, but as for Chris and I, race affected us in terms of white and hispanic because that's who we were mad at the most. I don't know why this would be the case, but it just was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that African-American viewing this would have felt the most strongly. The event they would have sen unfolding in front of them would have hurt a lot. They would have jumped in to help not only my friend Dave but also all of us because we were all trying to fight for the same thing out there. African-American's also would have been puzzled as to why one white man would help out a black man but not two. The way events unfolded would have made them think twice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In an odd way I feel another thing that would have made people jump in to help was the fact that a caucasian and an African-American were fighting for each other . As much as we hate to admit it that is not a scene we see nearly enough of in this day and age. Something has got to be done about it immediately.

Wedding Speech †Best Woman or Maid of Honor :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Wedding Speech – Best Woman or Maid of Honor Ladies and Gentlemen – I’ll start by thanking Brian on behalf of the bridesmaids for his kind words. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Hannah and am trying to do as good a job as I can today to be Brian’s best man – rather as good a job as I am able to do given that there was no way I was going to put my name down to have gender reassignment surgery so that I could properly fulfil the role. I was a bit surprised, although naturally honoured, when Brian asked me to do this, but in actual fact, having a girl as a best man makes perfect sense as it shows that Brian has carefully thought ahead to his life as a married man and is happy with the woman having the last word! However if there’s anybody here who feels nervous and apprehensive at the thought of what is soon to come†¦ it is probably because you have just married Brian. Now I was a bit unsure about the duties of a best man, although I told Brian very early on that there was no way I was going to get off with a bridesmaid – I say that with no offence intended to Claire and Nicola who I’m sure you’ll all agree look lovely, and have done a great job today. So to find out what was expected of me, I turned to the internet and managed to find some really interesting stuff†¦ but then remembered what I had gone onto it for in the first place, and set about plagiarising other people’s speeches from all the wedding sites I could find. So I accept no responsibility if this end result is rubbish. I know many of you will have been to a few weddings in your time, so can I suggest that you entertain yourselves quietly by playing wedding bingo – every time you hear a witty comment in my speech that you have already heard at another wedding, give yourself a point and the first one to five wins a piece of wedding cake. So going back to what I discovered I am expected to do as the best man: Organise the stag night. Or in Brian’s case, hen night as Brian insisted on inviting more girls than guys. It was actually a very civilised affair, walk in the countryside, few drinks in a nice pub, then a lovely meal with fine wine and champagne in the evening.

Albinism Essay

Albinism Background Information Albinism is a genetic disorder which affects the amount of melanin produced, in a person’s skin, hair, or eyes. Oculocutaneous albinism, Ocular albinism, and Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome are other names for this genetic disorder. The disorder affects mostly men, because it is a recessive gene. Females are usually carriers. Albinism does not affect any specific ethnic or religious group. Symptoms/ Effects This Genetic Disorder affects the eyes, skin, or hair’s pigmentation. If an organism has albinism, it has little or no color in a specific part of its body. Albinistic skin burns easily. People with this disorder have to take special precautions to avoid sunburns and diseases such as skin cancer. Most types of Albinism also affect the eyes. Symptoms affecting the eyes include Crossed eyes, Light sensitivity, Rapid eye movements, Vision problems, and functional blindness. Albinistic people may have to limit their outdoor activities to avoid too much exposure to the sun. This disorder itself is not life threatening. However albinism affects many animals’ camouflage, and makes them easy prey. A human’s life span can be shortened by lung disease or bleeding problems from a form of Albinism, Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome. Testing/ Diagnostics This disorder can be detected simply by looking for pale or unnatural colored eyes, hair, or skin. To make sure, scientists use genetic tests to affirm that a person has albinism. Ophthalmologists also conduct electroretinograms to detect any optical problems. Causes Albinism is a recessive gene that can only be inherited. It is not sex-linked. Treatments Albinism cannot be cured, but it a person with albinism can wear colored contacts or sunglasses to comfort and protect their eyes. They can wear sun block and stay indoors to protect their skin. Name: Vivian Ray (Vivia)? Age: 17? Gender: F? Appearance: There, you see her first thing you notice when you see Vivia, is her grace. From her delicate structure to her fluid motions, she is elegant and nimble. Vivia has dark black/brown hair pulled into a messy bun with an ornate pen sticking out of it. She has overgrown bangs, that fall into her face. She has an odd way of talking, she looks at you straight in the eyes with her bright grey irises, while speaking with long embellished sentences in a melodic voice. Vivia does not appear to be intimidating or weak. But at the same time, both. She holds herself tall and her eyes seem be a portal to her her inner depths.? Abilities/Talents: Vivia once ice-skated and did ballet. She is moderately athletic. Vivia’s main talent is writing. She often walks around in the park trying to find the perfect word to decribe the leaves slowly falling down, or the prints in the snow. She has her own column in the Elwood High newspaper called â€Å"On the Bright Side†? Basic Likes/Dislikes:? Likes: Vivia like things that are well though out, poems, artwork, and anything else. She loves sour things, and is often sucking a lemon head. When asked her favorite color she thinks of her late mother’s grey eyes (the only trait she inherited from her mother) and replies without hesitation, grey. She loves fruit and would pick it over any other dessert, likes listening to instrumental music . She also likes to reread her dog-eared copies of Shakespeare in her free time.? Dislike: The number one thing Vivia dislikes is being wrong. She does not like the uncertainty and indecisiveness she often suffers from. She also does not like people who stereotype and make assumptions about her. She tends to not work as hard if she is forced to do something instead of herself choosing to do something. Vivia also absolutely hates suspense, and has yet to read a full mystery without skipping to the end.? Personality: Vivia, is usually not the loudest person, and often simply listens in the background. However, her writing truly shows who she is, and wants to be. She is often caught dreaming about what would happen if her life were different. She has a temper if you annoy her enough to find it. She can be stubborn, and is very fair.? Background Information: As a senior at Aberle High, Vivia is being pressured into making the big decision as to what career path she should choose. Her father is pushing her toward a doctorate, while she would rather become an author.? Relationships: Vivia’s mother was a journalist and died in a car accident while driving to the scene of er next story. She lives with her father and little brother. She loves her father and wants to make him proud. There, you see her, leaning against a tree

Employment Dispute Resolution in Singapore

1. Introduction a. Objectives The objective of the report is to provide a better understanding of the roles of the different courts in settling employment disputes. At the end of the report, reader would be able to find alternatives in settling employment disputes too. b. Methods of Research In this report, there will be real life case studies settled by different courts for settling disputes. These cases will help in illustrating the criteria for using the different courts. This report will also include internet research. 2. Causes of DisputesDisputes are caused when both parties, namely the employer and employee, cannot come into an agreement over monetary issues such as wages, benefits and overtime pay. Other circumstance will be a violation of health safety standards or law that can be common law or related to employment. Court cases will arise when these disputes are not resolved by conciliation or mediation. 3. Acts Relating to Employment There are two main acts that concern th e procedures of settling disputes. They are the Employment Act (EA) and Industrial Relations Act (IRA). c. Employment ActFor employees covered by the Employment Act, employment disputes will only be referred to the Labour Court for adjudication if they are unable to be resolved amicably through conciliation. Conciliation is a process which involves negotiations between the parties, then coming up with a mutually agreed decision that is fair to the parties involved. However, certain conditions must be satisfied, that the claim must be on matters arising not earlier than one year from the date of lodging the claim, and if the employee concerned had already left employment, the claim must be lodged within six months from the date of leaving employment.For managers and executives who are not covered by the Employment Act, the Ministry will consider providing mediation service to help resolve employment disputes on breach of contract or retrenchment. Mediation, a non-adversarial process, involves a mediator who will facilitate the entire process by helping the parties involved to first identify issues, negotiate, then find a practical solution and settlement that all parties involved are mutually agreeable to and able to accept. The mediation process is voluntary and considered on a case-by-case basis.There are certain requirements that will apply, which includes that the managers and executives are earning $4500 and below, the claim is in respect of a matter which occurred within the period of one year before the date that the issue is reported, if the claim is for items related to their termination (e. g. notice, the issue must be lodged within six months from the date on which the employee has left employment), and when viable alternatives such as private amicable settlement with employer had been exhausted.However, if either party fails to respond to mediation or if no amicable settlement could be reached after mediation, the matter will then be pursued in the civil court. d. Industrial Relations Act The Industrial Relations Act is passed in 1960 to provide a mean to settle employment disputes through collective bargaining which involves the union, conciliation and if unresolved, through arbitration held by the Industrial Arbitration court. This act aims to protect employees who are members of the union, allowing them to enjoy benefits covered under.Examples of union include the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union and Singapore Airlines Staff Union. This act limits the representation of employees who are in managerial and executive positions in certain areas. As defined in Section 30(1) of Industrial Relations Act, an executive employee is an employee who is employed in a managerial or executive position. They are not allowed to have representatives from the union to negotiate for retrenchment benefits upon retrenchment or resolving any dispute in the contract of employment.As this act is a bridge to the tripartite relationship in Singa pore, namely the government, employer and employee, there are certain procedures to follow in accordance to filing a case against the employer in a unionized organization. Preceding the filing, the employee would have to try to resolve the dispute with his immediate supervisor. Failing that, he or she can choose to bring the matter up to a member of the branch committee of the Union who would make a representation of the employee in resolving the dispute.In more serious cases, it can be brought up to the Human Resource Department by the General Secretary of Union and may even request a union management meeting with the management of the company. After all means, both parties will then refer the case to Ministry of Manpower for conciliation which is an invitation to negotiate under the Act. If an agreement is not reached by both parties, they can seek mediation by the Industrial Arbitration Court. 4. Different Courts The employees covered under the different acts will bring up their unresolved disputes to different courts. . Labour Court The Labour Court, deals with issues between employers and employees when they cannot be resolved through mediation or reconciliation at the MOM level. It is empowered by law to inquire into and arbitrate disputes between employees and employers. If mediation between the parties does not yield any agreement, for example, company not paying their employee salary or wrongful dismissal. The decisions or orders by the Labour Court are enforceable. It is also more viable for the employee to go through the Labour Court to settle employment disputes.However, the employees must not be earning more than S$2500 per month and are covered under the Employment Act. In the case of Vertex Global Holdings Pte Ltd, they owed an employee in arrears for about 2. 5 months. They gave the reason of having financial difficulties and were not able to pay the employee. The case was brought up to the Labour Court but they did not accept this explanation and the company was ordered to pay the employee amounting to $2820. In another case whereby a cook employed by VP Food Pte Ltd, he was terminated after 3 days.However, the employer was to pay him a sum of $235. 38 for work done but was underpaid. The reason that the employer gave was the distress caused by the cook’s harassment and there was no notice period specified. The explanation was rejected. The court held that Employment Act prevails and notice pay was payable In such cases, Labour Court comes into good use when dealing with unfair treatment from the company. But in recent years, the number of cases being brought up to Labour Court has decreased from 2009 to 2010.This shows that mediation or reconciliation has contributed to a huge part of the decrease in number of cases and they would be a better solution to problems than going to court. f. Industrial Arbitration Court Employment disputes, concerning union members, are not resolve under the conciliation of MOM are re ferred to the Singapore Industrial Arbitration Court (IAC) for further remediation. The IAC resolve disputes between employers and employees by offering the best possible solutions that are not only fair and beneficial to both parties but also in the interest of the community and country’s economic situation.The decision made by the Justice of IAC is concluding hence it cannot be disputed or appealed against. Voluntary and compulsory arbitration are the two ways that employers, unions or the government can refer an employment disputes to the IAC. Through the voluntary arbitration, employers and unions can refer their cases to the IAC through a joint or ex-parte application however this is only applicable when mediation at the MOM level is deem inconclusive. Under compulsory arbitration, a dispute is referred to the IAC when it is directed by the MOM or the President of Singapore.With increasing efforts from tripartite co-operation, Singapore has seen a great decrease in the n umber of cases being handled at IAC. The number of employment dispute cases averaged 10 per year and this indicate that that majority of the cases are being resolved at MOM and union level. This is essential as it helps to reduce unnecessary loss of work man hours and provide foreign investor’s confidence to invest in Singapore which in turn boosts the Singapore economy. Over the years, IAC has proven to be an effective way in solving disputes between employees and employers however there are cases when one party might feel otherwise.In the case of the dispute between Singapore Refinery Company and the representing union, the general secretary of SRCEU mentioned that â€Å"the union is disappointed with the ruling as a whole. † The case was brought up to the IAC for settlement as the union demanded salary and service increment for SRC employees. The president of IAC concluded that SRC will increase the service increment to 5 per cent plus $15 and 3 per cent salary incr ement. The union felt that the increment was too low and there was no effective communication between them and the company.This case show that whiles the IAC may provide the best feasible solution however it does not mean that it is the best fit for all the parties involved in the dispute. g. Civil Court The role of civil courts in resolving employment disputes is at minimal. Disputes raised by Professionals, Manager and Executives, also known as the PMEs, earning up to S$4,500, are solved in civil court. However, the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore is looking into resolving their salary disputes in Labour Court in the near future, limiting it to S$20,000.This allows PMEs to seek a lower cost alternative in resolving their disputes. For breaches in employment contract, it will still be handled by civil courts under law of contract. 5. Comparison h. Differences Between The 3 Courts | Civil Court| Labour Court| Industrial Arbitration Court| What they settle? | Employment disputes on breach of contract or retrenchment that cannot be resolved through mediation| Employment disputes that cannot be settled through conciliation| Trade disputes that cannot resolve through conciliation| How they settle? The role of Civil Court in resolving disputes is at minimal. Civil Court handles breaches in employment contract under law of contract. | The court has the authority to analyse and settle disputes(for example, unfair treatment from the company)| Resolve employment dispute through arbitration. The decision made by the Justice of IAC cannot be disputed or appealed against. | Criteria| PMEs(Professionals, Manager and Executives) earning up to $4,500| No legal representation is allowed in Labour Court.Employees not earning more than $2,500 per month and are covered under Employment Act| An executive employee who are employed in a managerial or executive position are not allowed to have representatives from the union to negotiate for them(retrenchment or disputes in the con tract of employment)| Who can go? | Managers and executives that are not covered under Employment Act| Employers and Employees under Employment Act| Employers and trade unions| In the past, Singapore employment law has been favorable to employers.However, the trend in recent years shows that enhancement of employee welfare and safety became more important. i. Singapore versus United States of America Both countries show various similarities of the roles of court in settling employment disputes. In United States of America (USA), employees are allowed to sue for dismissal due to discrimination of gender, religion, origin and many more. Employees are generally protected against discrimination under U. S Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC).In Singapore, employers are encouraged to practice fair employment promoted by Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP). In both countries, employees are allowed to bring their employers to court in any event that there are employmen t disputes and unresolved by conciliation and arbitration. However, there are differences too. In United States of America, the government is more in favor of the employees whereas in Singapore, the government is more in favor of the employers.Also, in any disputes, the United States of America allows employees to hire a lawyer or an attorney to represent them in court. In Singapore, employees covered under different acts are represented by different people such as the union leader or even unrepresented in front of the labour court. The different courts are designed to different cases involving money or other disputes while all disputes in United States are brought to only one court. 6. Conclusion Through intensive research and findings, this report covers the key points on how the different courts resolve employment disputes.Although MOM have proven to be an effective medium in mediating disputes between employers and employees, there is still a need for the presence of court to re solve cases that are more complex. Case studies are being brought up in the report to further illustrate how disputes are being resolved at different levels. In referring to the SRC case, it clearly highlight that although the IAC has provided the best possible remedy however it does not satisfy all parties who are involved in the case.This means that better procedures can be considered to better understand the problems underlying between employees and employers. Through our recommendations, it will provide possible solution to further enhance the system that is already in place. The recommendation will not only look at the current problems but it will also propose how corporations can create a harmonious working relationship among employers and employees. 7. Recommendations