Author Interview #1 †Jane Davis

Author Interview #1 - Jane Davis Author Interview #1 - Jane Davis We’ve had the pleasure of interviewing some great freelancers from inside the industry. And while we’ve learned a great deal about the practicalities of writing, we were left wanting to hear from the other side of the creative process - the writer themselves.Well, good news everyone! We’re now going to be featuring interviews with some of the indie author scene’s established darlings and rising stars. We’ll be talking about how it feels to be at the vanguard of the movement, what they’ve learned getting here, and how they make it work.Our first interview is with Jane Davis, author of, among other things, ‘Half-truths and White Lies’ and  'An Unchoreographed Life.’REEDSY: I was just enjoying the extract you have on your site from An Unchoreographed LifeJANE DAVIS: Thank you. While I shy away from the label ‘Women’s Fiction’ I think of that novel as the most ‘Women’s Fiction’ thing I ’ve written. Although, having said that, one of the last reviews I had was from a single father saying much how he related to it, and that was very interesting.REEDSY: I’ve never really ‘got’ the whole idea of there being a label ‘Women’s Fiction’ - it seems to not say much about the work it describes.JD: Sometimes fiction gets pigeonholed with inappropriate labels. That was my problem with ‘Half-truths and White Lies’. I was pigeonholed as an author of Women’s Fiction, and I’ve massively shyed away from that since. But maybe I’ve come full-circle. Prostitution was an issue I wanted to address at the time when changes in the law were proposed, but since it’s such a sensitive issue, I chose to address it from the point of view of a mother/daughter relationship.REEDSY: So how do you describe your writing?JD: Well, it’s been called literary, but I’m slightly embarrassed by that. I thi nk it has this connotation of being highbrow and inaccessible. For me, my fiction is all about the characters. I put them in these terrible scenarios and feed them to the lions. I try to write sympathetic characters but then I make terrible things happen to them!So I suppose I write contemporary-stroke-literary. I put the label, ‘historical’ on ‘I Stopped Time,’ my homage to the pioneers of photography and it’s consistently been my best-seller. I think that’s because historical fiction is a label people relate to more than ‘literary’ or ‘contemporary’. They know where ‘historical’ sits. ‘I Stopped Time’ is actually a time-lapse novel, which goes between the present day and the lifetime of a woman who lived to the age of 108. But with the ‘historical’ label, people have an expectation of what they’re going to get - whereas ‘literary’ can be quite off-putting. S ome people I interview describe their work as ‘general fiction’ - I don’t have a feel for what that means either.REEDSY: It’s a sort of negative definition - telling you basically nothing†¦JD: I think the fact that my fiction is cross-genre - that I think of myself as a brand - is a large part of why being an indie author suits me. Random House didn’t take my follow-up to ‘Half-Truths and White Lies,’ because it wasn’t ‘Women’s Fiction’ and they had published me under their Black Swan imprint, which is exclusively for Women’s Fiction. I simply wasn’t aware of the implications. But at that point I wasn’t thinking long term. I had won a competition and was happy to be published, however that came about.I saw Adele Parks speak at the London Author Fair. She told us that when she was first published, she was given the choice of marketing her fiction as commercial or literary, and when she asked what the difference was, she was told, â€Å"Well, literary sells 7,000 copies and commercial sells 70,000 copies.† I’d not heard it in terms as blunt as that before, but I don’t think those figures were unusual in those days. Of course, post-2008, book sales have taken a nose-dive.REEDSY: Can literary fiction work without the support of a publisher? One argument against self-publishing goes that it can only sustain work that meets certain standards of viability in terms of sales. How do you find it?JD: I’ve only been doing this for two years, but my sales figures have only really pushed upwards with cross-selling. When people buy one of my books they do seem to come back and buy all of them. I’m not selling in big numbers by any means. I’m willing to give books away in order to hook readers†¦As for traditionally published authors, I’ve spoken to a few who are thinking of going indie when their deals come up for renewal. M ost are under two book contracts and they hear rumours that those contracts won’t be renewed under the same terms, and there’s also a great deal of dissatisfaction from the authors themselves about the lack of marketing support offered by publishers. Advances are also considerably lower. When I was at the London Book Fair this year, I was hearing about figures of  £5000 for one book or  £8000 for two books. Take from that the cost of marketing and there’s not a lot left in the pot.However, the authors I have met on the speaking circuit still firmly believe that bookshops are their realm. Are you familiar with the ALLi’s ‘Open up to Indies’ campaign?’ I’ve been going out and talking in bookshops and libraries, sometimes pairing up with traditionally published authors, because bringing a crowd puller obviously helps to opens doors. The estimates are that 70% of books will be self-published by 2020. It’s very difficult t o think that bookshops will only want to offer 30% of what’s available. And it’s quite clear that the 70% is going to include books by some of the authors bookshops and libraries currently stock. A stance against stocking self-published fiction is plainly unrealistic, but authors need to put themselves in the places of booksellers and librarians. Quality control is an issue that concerns them.REEDSY: I feel like the myth of the uniformly low quality of indie books is starting to die out†¦ slowly, but it’s fading.JD: I hope so. I use accreditation services that give a clear indication that my books have passed rigorous assessment. And the rise of small presses of course is continuing . Their publications are performing very well in competitions, very well. I went to a book launch this week for an author who has just been snapped up by a small publisher, Burning Eye Books. They publish mainly poetry. In fact, this is their first fiction title. Alice Furse sel f-published in January and they approached her. I think she’ll do very well out of it because they only have one fiction author to promote right now, and having that concentration of force behind you is fantastic. It’s the kind of support you might expect from an agent but wouldn’t normally get from a publisher.Author collectives are also enjoying a great deal of success. Having a name and collective power helps. I didn’t have enough forethought to do any of those things! I went ahead and published under my own name - I think I’d do things slightly differently now.REEDSY: What would you do differently?JD: More preparation. It’s too easy to publish. Don’t push the button unless you’re absolutely certain that the work is as good as it can possibly be. The problem is you’re too close to the book to judge that yourself - even though I used a copy editor and several proofreaders, my first self-published book went out with 13 typos in it. It’s easy to update it if you’ve got the control of the manuscript, but actually I was quite embarrassed that there was a first edition out there†¦ The money I spent on printing books that I then ditched would have been better spent on a further proofread. Because of course you can’t just hire one copy editor and one proofreader. The process needs multiple pairs of eyes.I think that rather than use the free ISBNs offered by self-publishing services, having ISBNs registered under your own name - so that you are shown as the publisher of your own work - helps. When you go to a bookshop there isn’t the ‘Amazon prejudice.’ I don’t put an awful lot of energy into getting my books onto shelves, because it’s very hard for me to break even on the percentages I’m offered, and the sale or return model doesn’t work for most indie authors. Then there’s the question of staying stocked. Even when I was t raditionally published, bookstores didn’t stock my title automatically. I had to go into branches week after week saying â€Å"Right, you’ve sold the copies you had on the shelves, can you order more?† It’s very time-consuming. A couple of indie shops stock my book, and they are amazingly supportive. When I’ve done talks at Waterstones they’ve been happy to stock my books on the night, but they wouldn’t ordinarily because I publish via Createspace. As a result of being in the Smashwords Premium Catalogue, my paperbacks are now available online with WH Smiths and Blackwells now, which was a surprise, so maybe the tide is turning. In the future I’ll think about buying my own ISBN and register it under my own name.Since joining ALLi I’ve become a lot more aware of these issues - all the little things which might hold you back.REEDSY: How much of your time now do you spend on writing vs managing the self-publishing element?J D: I’m quite active on social media. I had a lot of talks over the summer, which took time to set up. It’s not a case of going into a library and they’ll ask you to come along in the next month. Sometimes the impact of the ground work you’re doing comes one or two years down the line. I think, in all honesty, I spend more than 50% of my time on things like social media, sharing content, interviewing authors for my website†¦ Of all of those activities, interviewing authors has been the most helpful. Initially I approached everyone who appeared on the Guardian’s list of the top 30 indie books of 2013. There’s a very supportive community of indie authors out there. Interviews take up quite a lot of time, but I think they’re incredibly worthwhile. You don’t get immediate rewards, but an author you have interviewed might perhaps read and review your books, or offer a return interview†¦My third indie release was in November 2013. I had no publicity, so it was a very soft launch. April 2014 I released ‘An Unchoreographed Life’, and I was inundated with offers from people offering me guest blog posts, interviews, etc. The difference was that I had offered that facility to other authors. It’s very much a reciprocal thing. So marketing is not always direct marketing. It’s the soft-sell and building brand awareness. I’d say more than 50% of my time is spent on it - I wouldn’t want to say how much more than 50%!REEDSY: Would you think about outsourcing the marketing at some point?JD: Well, I have no budget. I recently relaunched my website and paid The Curved House to design it. I think it was money well-spent, even though it will knock out any profit I might have made next year. My original website had been built for one book, and I had tweaked it over time, but the look wasn’t cohesive. Now, it will be easier to add to, and I’m glad I’ve invest ed the money. But my budget is generally minimal. I often barter with people, offering to help out in exchange for return services.REEDSY: How about production?JD: I try to stick to a budget of  £1000 -  £1500. I think that’s a sensible level because only 5% of books sell more than 1000 copies. Interestingly, most authors I know aren’t making money from their sales, they make it from other services they offer.In terms of where I spend the money, my cover designs are really important to me. They are my brand. None of them have cost very much. I use a graphic designer. I come up with the design myself, and he executes it.  I also use a team of beta readers who have more or less replaced the need for a structural edit (something I used to pay for), and a copy editor and a proofreader. The typesetting and e-book conversion I do myself. In addition to writing my own stuff, I also do work for other authors as part of bartering process.REEDSY: Are there services you see authors being tempted to neglect?JD: It’s not always a question of ‘neglecting’ services. You have to look at the reasons behind choices. I know some authors who are very against using a copyeditor, not because they’re ‘unprofessional,’ but because they’re very anti-censorship and see using a copyeditor as a form of that. However, if your reason for not using a copy editor or a proofreader is lack of funds - I would say think again. Save the money and invest or decide what skills you have that you can offer someone else.When you’re starting out it’s tremendously hard but I’ve had massive support, even before I was a member of ALLi. Not necessarily from my writer’s group. You’re not a novelty there, everyone’s got a book they want readers for - but the Keep Fit group I’ve been going to for 25 years. I’ve found some fantastic beta readers and proofreaders there. The thing is not to be afraid to ask for help. There’s a great TED lecture by Amanda Palmer about the power of asking, and people want to be involved in a project, especially one where they can use skills that they don’t get the chance to use at work. My beta readers work for no more than a mention in the back of the book, maybe a coffee and a cake to talk about how the book made them feel. It’s not all about spending money. It’s about investing your budget in the right places and collaborating with a team you respect. It’s a mistake to think ‘expensive’ means ‘quality.’ Some of the services I have been happiest with have cost me nothing at all.REEDSY: Thank you for your time Jane

Describe the stages in qualifying as a solicitor Essays

Describe the stages in qualifying as a solicitor Essays Describe the stages in qualifying as a solicitor Essay Describe the stages in qualifying as a solicitor Essay There are many ways in which to qualify as a solicitor. There are three main routes. The quickest way is to have an A-level in law first which would take roughly up to two years, or something equivalent to that, the next stage to that would be to do a law degree, this also takes two-three years. The next step is to do the one year legal practise course. This would be followed by a two year training period. Once you have completed these four steps you have qualified as a solicitor. Usually this route takes 7 years altogether. The second route is where you have got an A-level (or equivalent) and you want to take a degree in another subject. If this is the case then you would have to take the common professional examination, which is a one year law course, then after that the legal practise course (is one year) and then do the two year training period and you would then qualify as a solicitor, this route would take at least nine years. The third route is the longest route in becoming a solicitor. If all you have is 4 GSCEs and want to qualify as a solicitor, then you have to do the exams of institute of legal executives part one and two. After that you would have to work in solicitors office for two years. From this you would have to be admitted as a fellow of institute of legal executives, with this you must be over 25 and you must have also worked in a solicitors office for five years or more. When this has been completed you will the have to do the legal practise course for a year or you can do the two year training course along with passing all the final exams. When you have done this you have qualified as a solicitor, most people find that this is the longest route to qualify and can take up to 13 years. Which ever route you choose you must complete all stages otherwise you will not qualify. During the training in each the trainee will be paid, although it will not be the same amount as what the actual solicitors get it will be a trainee rate. Even after a solicitor has qualified they will still have to keep attending education courses so that their knowledge is kept up to date. There is also another route in which the non graduates can qualify as solicitors, if they become legal executives first. This route will only be eligible to candidates who are mature enough, and this route will take longer than what the graduate route would. There are a lot of expenses to pay when becoming a solicitor, especially in the training process. This is because there is a financial problem and students will usually have to pay the fees of the Legal Practise Course and it can cosy anything up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½7000. Also they will then have to support themselves during that year. The likely hood of somebody from a poorer family is quite unlikely as they cannot afford to pay for the course and they are then prevented from becoming solicitors even if they did obtain a good law degree. Some students may take out bank loans and students will then be starting the training period will a large debt. There is a way of overcoming this problem, and this is to go to a university which offers a four year degree course, it includes a law qualification and a practical course so that students only have to pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000 per year for their fees. There are many solicitors working in all different firms but depending on what firm you are in the work required can be quite different compared to other firms. There are many firms which range from high street firms to big city firms. A small high street firm will be a general practice, and will advise clients on many different topics for example housing and business matters, whilst a solicitor in practise will be likely to spend some of their time interviewing clients, and negotiating on their behalf. Also they will spend a large quantity of their time on paperwork (drafting contacts, wills, leases, and dealing with conveyance). A solicitor may also stand up for their client in a court, and pursuing their clients case further. A solicitor may not handle criminal cases civil actions only. Large city firms usually concentrate on things such as business and some commercial law. The amounts earned by solicitors vary as the different types of firms, but there are top earners in big firm s who can earn anything up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500,000 annually, whilst solicitors at the bottom end can earn less than à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30,000 a year for example sole practitioners. Solicitors can deal with advocacy in the magistrates court and the county court. A solicitor will deal directly with a client and will enter a contact with them. Barristers are mostly referred to as the bar. They are controlled by their own professional body-the general council of the bar. All barristers must also be members of one of the following court inns, Lincolns inn, Inner temple, Middle temple, and Grays inn. Barristers that are at the bar practising are often self employed, but they do usually work from a set of chambers, were they can then share administrative expenses with the other barristers. A majority of barristers will concentrate on advocacy, but there are some who will specialise in the area of tax and company law. All barristers have the right to audience in all courts in England and Wales. Those who will choose to concentrate on advocacy doing paperwork, giving advice and drafting documents will do this for the use in court. Usually barristers will operate something that is known as the cab rank rule, and this is where they cannot turn down a case if it is on the area of law that they deal with, they will be free to take the case, although barristers can turn down a case when it requires an investigation, or when it includes a service that they cannot provide. The access to justice act 1999 now allows barristers working for the cps to keep their rights of audience; also it all ows barristers who work in a solicitors firm to keep the right to present cases in court. Legal executives work in solicitors firms as assistants. Legal executives often deal with more strait forward cases, for example preparing wills or leases, keeping it simple. Legal executives also have certain rights of audience in court. The partners in the firm that the legal executive works for is responsible for their work. There are many similarities between solicitors, barristers and legal executives. These are as follows. Barrister and solicitors between prospective barristers and solicitors, they both face many financial problems in their time of becoming and doing their jobs Non graduates will only do one year of formal law for the common professional course to become either. The legal service ombudsman examines barristers and solicitors. They both can work together, (solicitor briefs the case for barristers. Both barristers and solicitors with an advocacy are eligible to apply to the lord chancellor to become a queens council (QC) Also barristers and solicitors can get sued for negligence by their clients. You need an A level or something equivalent to become either of these. Solicitors and barristers profession for representing ethnic minority are both equally represented. Solicitors, barristers and legal executives all have rights of audience. Also solicitors and legal executives both can work in the same place and they do the same kind of work. For example they both draft documents. They prepare wills, and can interview clients. Like barristers and solicitors, legal executives are responsible for their own work. Solicitors and barristers are both liable for negligence.

Would the quality of news gathering diminish if news papers no longer Essay

Would the quality of news gathering diminish if news papers no longer existed - Essay Example ly affected in a negative manner by the absence of printed newspaper distribution as professional journalistic practices have evolved along with technological advances and cultural trends. Modern technologies have provided a wider selection of news sources while simultaneously providing access to numerous resources through which to verify the veracity of the information provided. While news organizations established prior to the advent of the internet have subsequently contributed web-based versions for subscribers to the digital catalogue, other companies such as Yahoo.com have elected to create a place of their own in providing news from local, regional, national, and international sources. This glut of news sharing allows a minimum of pieces which could be regarded as yellow journalism to make it into the mainstream media as misinformation. Having numerous sources makes it more apparent when unfounded or opinion based stories are found to conflict with the reality of events. However, this spirit of collaboration and information sharing is not without its pitfalls. Numerous news agencies now employ wide spread re-publication of stories linked to national and international events throughout media, a practice which could limit the scope of available accurate and relevant reporting if left unchecked. Fortunately, circumstance dictates the limitations of duplicating information. Competition in the free market lessens the possibility of such all-consuming laziness in news gathering professions as profit remains the key to the success of an organization regardless of the medium in which the news is offered to the public. As a result, the timeliness and accuracy of the news w hich has been gathered form reputable sources constitutes the intellectual property which serves as the basis for their success and is paramount to other concerns. As familiarity and access to internet sources has spread and people have lost interest in buying printed newspapers, they have become

Chinese Intellectual History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Chinese Intellectual History - Essay Example The thinkers had developed their thoughts by using their individual philosophy. They suggested their own ideas about the military, political as well as economic policies to make a single ideal monarchy. They inferred that a strong centralized ruling system can only solve the prevailing problem in the country. This will end the continuous war among the six independent states. Because this long-lasting turmoil hampers the everyday life of common people, hinders the production and growth of the states and brings poverty in the economy. The war is happening only because of the desire to achieve power over the others by all of the states. But all of the thinkers, in their thoughts, mentioned that this single monarchist should be ideal ruler who should possess some moral qualities. This would be a â€Å"sage monarch†. They suggested that the ruler should behave in a different way in person and adjust in different ways to the outer world. The monarch should try to implement several p olicies that can bring peace and unity in the â€Å"All under Heaven† (Pines 2). ... The Confucians said that the ideal monarch should follow the early Western Zhou kings. They prioritize the implementation of ritual performances. The Mohists criticized the prevailing warfare. They suggested quick reduction in the government expenditure and a hierarchical political structure should be made. The ranks would be given in accordance to the wealth of a person in the society. Every bureaucrat should obey the person above his rank. They also imposed the idea of moral value with universal love. In such love, all people should treat others in the same fashion irrespective of the relationship between them. The Daoists recommended that the ideal ruler should practice psychosomatic training by meditation. The ruler would not be engaged in the active ruling of the government and would let to take place things and events in natural way. This way, everything in the universe would be arranged in their own way (Ivanhoe and Norden 1-312). The above schools of thought argued that singl e monarchy is essential for peace in Heaven. Another school of thought is the legalists who suggested that one single state must be created. This creation can be done by implementing one strong armed force and by developing policies to strengthen the military forces, legal activities and economic resources of one single state. This state, by using its strengths and resources, therefore, could achieve the power over the other states. This article will examine the idea what Yuri Pines highlighted in his book that how the thinkers analysed their conception of getting peace in a time of change in political system. The article would not discuss about all of them but about the idea of only one

External Environment, Internal Environment and SWOT Analysis Essay

External Environment, Internal Environment and SWOT Analysis - Essay Example On November 24, 2005 the company was awarded a patent for its ground breaking technology which utilizes banana tree trunks as the raw material to produce paper (Papyrusaustralia, 2009). A SWOT analysis will help us understand the internal and external environment of the company. Papyrus Australia is start up company with an innovative product that will revolutionize the paper industry. The company has a patented technology which gives it a monopoly for at least 17 years. There is surplus of raw in the word due to the fact there are over 25 million banana trees in the world (Prospectus, 2005).The energy utilization for a manufacturing plant is extremely low and a complete manufacturing facility can be set up in farm in a small space of 500 square meters. The water expense of the manufacturing facility is cero. The plantation actually receives the additional benefit of obtaining free water to irrigate the banana trees since the actual tree from which the truck is extracted is made up of 60% water, which can be put to good use since it has to be disposed of anyways during the manufacturing process. The production of the banana paper is limited to the size of the farm. The business model does not consider the transportation cost of bringing in banana tree trunks as raw material from other farms. There are logistical problems associated with the producing banana trees because has to set up a large network of manufacturing plants across the world. The operation is dependent on penetration the Sub-Saharan African region which is one of the most underdeveloped regions in the world. The company has not shown yet they can mass produce their product. The company is still in the adolescence stage of its business life cycle. Due to the fact that the company is starting out from scratch there are plenty of opportunities for business expansion. Africa is focus point for

The Thomas Cook France Strategy On French Market Marketing Essay

The Thomas Cook France Strategy On French Market Marketing Essay In 2009, the international tourism industry generated more than 611 Billion Euros but it goes through a transformation cause to some externals factors. Firstly, the development of internet has particularly modified the context, permitting a disintermediation between the tours operators suppliers and the finals customers. On the other hand, Internet has also allowed the development of Pure players specialized in discount prices on the tourism industry. Because of this situation, the major tour operators groups and travel agents are developing new strategies. Their mains purposes are to satisfy the customers demand and to respond to the emergence of electronic markets system. Most of tours operators offer a wide range of holidays packages in a highly competitive market constantly in evolution. The Package Holidays (or all inclusive travels) is defined as a single package including at least travel and accommodation and sometimes other services. In France, its very popular because the customers like the value it provides, the security offered and the large choices of destination. Numerous group as TUI, Expedia, Go Travel, Club Medà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are present in the French market but Thomas Cook is a very good model in term of strategy, positioning and growth Indeed, with 3 million annual customers in 2009 and a market share of 13%, Thomas cook France is a second major tour operator in France offering a large range of tourism and services through all over the world for all the budgets. Thanks to the acquisition of Jets tours and results in net progression, the group is now able to develop a strategy based on the innovation and on it network growth. In 2012, Thomas Cook wants to reach 20% of market share on the tour operating market and is interesting to explore the strategic position of the groups to achieve its objectives. Throughout this report, we are going to analyze the macro-environment of the group thanks to the Pestle Analysis and the five forces framework, as well as it strategic capability in order to understand it strategic fit and direction with Environment. 2 Task A The Macro- Environment To maintain profitability, the tours operators have to analyze their business environment to achieve high sales volume and to reduce the costs of the packages by allowing to the customers a great valuable experience. Nowadays, tourism is a dynamic industry, really vital for the international economy. Nevertheless, this industry is very dependent of the macro-environment mutations. Indeed, some elements can influence the stability of the market as the geopolitics conflicts, effects of terrorism and environmental issues for example. All this can have impacts on the tours operators performance as well as in their strategic direction. Its necessary for the managers to use the Pestle Analysis for understanding their industry situation. Thanks to this useful tool the tours operators will be able to consider its external environment before to make wrong choices and to put in place their strategies. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis Figure 1 Pestel Factor on the tourism industry 2.1.1 Political The political influence is certain. Since the 11 September attacks the global political situation has changed. These facts have had bad impacts on the tourism industry and on its different actors (travel agent, airline companies and tour operators). The precautions related to security, the struggle against the terrorism and the management of the crisis became majors factors which resulted to modifications and reorganization in the touristic activities. The procedures to enter on the territories are harder, controls in the airports have been reinforced and all this affect tourist perceptions. Cause to the deficit public, the French government will establish in 2012 a new Taxation policy on the internet subscription (source le Figaro). This decision can impact the purchasing power of the French people and influence their holidays destinations. Nevertheless, some events promoted the activities touristic like the Schengen area expansion or the enlargement of the European Union (Cyprus in 2004 which is a great destination for the French people, Turkey in a near future). 2.1.2 Economic All stakeholders are strongly influenced by the economic situation. Tourism is one of the most resilient industries in the world. The international tourists arrivals are estimated to have declined worldwide by 4% in 2009 to 880 millions. In the same year, international tourism generated 611 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ billion in export earnings according to the world tourism organization. Cause to the global economic crisis and the problem of the H1N1 Flue, the short distance travel have been privileged face up to the purchasing power diminution. Indeed, in France, only 20% of the population traveled in a foreign country and 46% didnt go on holidays cause to the diminution of their budget. The decreasing of the Euro and the unemployment augmentation can represent also a threat for the French customers. Moreover, the pressure on the fuel prices by the speculation, the conflicts or by the OPEP countries can cause majors impacts in the Tour operators strategies because the oil prices is also an important factor in the package holidays industry. 2.1.3 Social Nowadays, we can see a rise in tourism by elderly and by the student. News customers expectations emerge and influence the tour operators offers. With the development of cheapest holidays (particularly in Mediterranean countries), the travel abroad became banal and now, lot of people are looking for a consumption more responsible. The attitudes concerning safety and environment play from now on an important role in the customers decisions Moreover, brand consciousness has a good impact on the people. 2.1.4 Technological With the internet development, lot of actors offer competitive price and also at the last minute. This entire permit for the customers to choose and to compare The impacts are considerable because the online reservation and sales permits to eliminate staff, intermediaries and in this way tour operators have to adopt their strategies in order to dont lose their customers. Nevertheless, Internet is also a low barrier for potential entrants. Internet has also permitted the emergence of platform like Trip Advisor. Just in few seconds the customers have the power to destroy the reputation of a company. 2.1.5 Environment The sustainable tourism represents a good opportunity in the Tourism industry. We can see consumption more responsible and the augmentation of ethical packages holidays. For example, KUONI group realized a partnership with some organizations or associations to promote tourism more responsible. However, Tourism can contribute to the degradation of the environment (CO2 emission cause to the aviation contribution, green house effects, pressure on the local resources and water for some countries). Natural disasters like the tsunami, Caribbean hurricane, Iceland disruptive volcano have major negatives effects. At long term, these events can cause many problems on destinations. 2.1.6 Legal In France, the employment law concerning the working time (35 hour per week, 5 weeks of holidays) has permitted to the French people to travel more but on shorts distances which favored the development of short stays(Marrakech, Romaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). 2.2 Porters 5 Forces 2.2.1 Threat of new entrants is low High barriers to entry due to a high concentration Global players and strategic alliances: Merger and acquisition reinforce the positioning of big groups and let little chance to new distributors (maybe niche marketà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). They propose competitive prices and lot of destinations thanks to economies of scales and integration strategies. Brand recognition: play an important role as barrier to new entrants. In the French market, more than 35% of market share is controlled by Thomas Cook and TUI. 2.2.2 Threat of substitutes is high Emergence of the information and communication technologies Internet product development  [1]  : Has permitted the online agency emergence which necessitate less investments so a repercussion on the final price The role of the tours operating is questioned. Now its possible to plan his trips without going through the traditional network. 2.2.3 The power of buyers High due to large choices of substitutes The buyer power is high: Easier access to substitutes / Customers can compare the offers and impose their conditions to have a better value for money Customer reactions: Have the possibility to give her opinion on the company performances and services after their trips = Necessity for the tours operators to managing the customer relation and to attract and keep it. 2.2.4 The power of suppliers High due to a disintermediation phenomenon E-Commerce development  [2]  : Suppliers (airline companies, hostelsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) can sale directly to the final customer in order to absorb  [3]  the intermediarys margin Difficulties for companies having a low market share to have power on supplies 2.2.5 Competitive Rivalry- High due to pressure on the margins and differentiation opportunities The French market of tour operating is fragmented and enough saturated. High fixed cost largely favors the top leaders and permits to realize concentration and integration strategies in order to pressure on the margins The big group came from internet are stronger and reinforce their position with acquisition and merger to propose competitive prices However, there are still opportunities for companies because: Low differentiation between the tours operators: Excepted Club Med, Voyageurs du Monde or Marmara for example, the tours operators compete on a same segment(midrange and up market) without a really distinct identity Even if, Thomas Cook and TUI have an important financial capabilities, the financial performances of the sector are average 2.3 Critical success factor Now, we can identify the critical success factors to conclude the macro-environment analysis. This latter are important key points to consider in order gaining a competitive advantage: The price is highly important even for the up market segment because the tourism industry know a strong pressure on the margins Offer a service of quality to the customer in order to be differentiate of the competition and to attract and keep the customer Control the costs in order to be competitive on the market Consider the ICT (information and communications technologies) to extend the customer base and to face up at the evolution of the market Partnerships and network 2.4 Opportunities and Threats OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Sales augmentation thanks to internet Online Agencies growth and development Employment law favorable for travels Disintermediation between the tours operators suppliers and the finals customers Opportunities in niche and up market segment Air traffic controls cause to terrorism Ecotourism development Easier access to substitutes Brand consciousness Increase of the oil barrel price Customers are looking for a service personalized based on the quality Purchasing power diminution / Global recession Low differentiation between the tours operators Natural disasters, green house effects Table 1: Opportunities and Threats 3 Task B The external factors play a major role on the tourism industry and its actors. Now that the macro-environment analysis has been realized, the second parts will deal with the strategic capabilities of Thomas Cook France. 3.1 Thomas Cook France Since 2000 the group is present on the French market and possesses a valuable brand image thanks to its first distribution network in France (660 agencies), a strong brand portfolio (Jet Tours, Club Jumboà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) and values which place customers at the center of its preoccupations. In this second part of the assignment, competitive advantage, resources and competencies will be analyze in order to understand how the group can surmount the threats and exploit the opportunities of the market. 3.2 Value Chain 3.2.1 Primary activities The main activities generating added values for Thomas Cook is firstly the supply of packages followed by the composition of the offer and its arrangements according to their customers and orientation. Then, come an important key concerning the service based on sales experience and the manner to advice. To conclude, the after sales service in order to insure the customer satisfaction and his fidelization. 3.2.2 Support Activities Support activities provide support and added value to the primary functions improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the latter. If tour operator want be competitive in the market, he has to acquire informatics systems and infrastructure. Moreover, as Thomas Cook is an intermediary between suppliers and the customer, the management of the human resources is highly important to insure a support in the primary activities. In this context, the network and partnerships are essentials in order to offer competitive touristic products and services and Thomas cook is well positioned on this point with more than 150 partnerships (Club Med, Traveltainmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) This value chain provides an overview of the functioning of a tour operator like Thomas Cook and will help the managers to understand which activities provide more value to be competitive. Infrastructure and informatics systems Human resources: formation, experience, destination Knowledge Development of partnerships and networks contacts SUPPLIES COMPOSITION OF THE PACKAGES HOLIDAYS MARKETING AND SALES SERVICE Figure 3 Thomas Cook France Value Chain 3.3 Resources and competences 3.3.1 Physical resources and capabilities Even if Thomas Cook is a service provider, the tangibles goods that it possesses take on a strategic importance. The most important factor for the group is the utilization of its most important physical resource: its 660 agencies on all the French territory. These agencies permit to develop a good quality in term of sales and advices but also permit to identify in live the demand evolution. Thomas Cook is the first tour operator which covers all the territory thanks to its distribution network. TUI Travel, the leader on the French market arrive in second position with almost 400 agencies. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..). The most important factor for tour operator capabilities is the utilization of the distribution framework. More than 60 % of the sales are carried out by the agencies network. Moreover, Thomas cook possess a quite sophisticated IT infrastructure thanks to its partnership with TravelTainment. Thanks to a performing tool concerning the online reservation, the group proposes a high technological solution and became the first group in France to put in place such a partnership. 3.3.2 Human Resources and competencies Thanks to 1700 employees at the attention of the customers, Thomas Cook France attach an importance to human resources management The human resources policy of the group, emphases training and adaptation of teams to increase the professionalization and promote an operational decentralization. All the employees are positively aware of all the destinations. Nevertheless, the low level of wage can be a threat for the group in term of competitiveness. Indeed, in 2010, 40% of the employees have participated at a strike to demand augmentation face to positive results. One indicator for the human resources competency of Thomas Cook can be the Chairman knowledge,  skills, experience  and  behavior  used to improve performance of the group. Since 2006, the chairman of Thomas Cook, Denis Wathier, expert in E-commerce fulfils totally the group expectations in accordance with the market opportunities and threats (E-commerce evolutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). He has refocused the strategy, developed the franchise network and internet sales and has permitted to recover profitability. He has a great valuable experience in tourism industry (see Table 3) and the frequency of chairman substitutions have been stop (source). Since 2006 THOMAS COOK CHAIRMAN 2004 2006 MAEVA Group strategy Director 2000 -2004 VOYAGES-SNCF.COM General Director 1996 -2000 PIERRE VACANCES TOURISME Marketing and Communication  Director 1995 -1996 CLUB MÉDITERRANÉE Marketing Director France   1990 -1995 UCPA Marketing and sales Manager Figure 4 Denis Waltier Experience, Thomas Cook France Chairman 3.4 Financial resources and competencies Since 2007, Thomas Cook have positive results (Table4) because in 2006 the net income was 6  300 000 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬. Denis Waltier hopes for 2010 an operational profitability of 5 %. This profitability will be the result of a hard work concerning the staff control cost and package holidays costs. THOMAS COOK France 2008 2007 Evolution Net income 71  900 000 4.400.000 + 1534,09 % Gross operating profit -900.000 -1.700.000 + 47,06 % Table 2 Financial results Ratio THOMAS COOK France 2008 2007 Evolution Cash flow Staff costs 1.900.000 400  000 4.200.000 1.300.000 -54,76 % -69,23% Table 3 Financial Ratio Staff cost is a key performance in term of cost management. The difference is significant for 2007-2008. This entire permit to be more competitive on the market because there is a huge pressure on the margins. 3.5 Intangible resources and capabilities The intangible resource of Thomas Cook is its brand recognition and experience. The group has a huge brand image in France but also all around the world. In 2001, after only one year of experience in the French Market, Thomas Cook has had 31% of notoriety and overtook competitors based on the market since more than 10 years. In this segment, the group has a significant potential in term of competitive advantage. Moreover, the leadership position of Thomas Cook on the French market is explained by the values which animate its business: the quality of services and the customer satisfaction. 3.6 Overview about Threshold vs. Unique resources /Competencies RESOURCES COMPETENCIES Threshold competencies Financial Human Financial Human Physical Intangible Capabilities for competitive Advantage Intangible Physical Figure 4 Threshold vs. Unique Resources / Competencies The principal competitive advantage of Thomas Cook France is its reputation and brand name which are two elements which permit them to be the second leadership on the French market. With more than 150 partnerships, 4 billions of customers and a strong presence in the international market, the brand Thomas Cook has a good reputation and notoriety. 3.7. Evaluation of a sustainable competitive advantage The sustainable competitive advantage of Thomas Cook is its distribution network. With a multi-canal distribution strategy, the group is in advance on its competitors. Indeed, it has the best distribution capabilities in term of agencies and covers all the French territory. All this permit to gain market share and to have a great positioning in term of distribution. The group hopes to overtake TUI Travel in 2 years thanks to this advantage. 3.8 Summary of Strengths and weaknesses STRENGHTS WEAKNESSES Excelent brand image and notoriety Human resources: Decrease of the wages Competitive distribution network : 660 agencies High Chairman substitutions (4 in five years) Human competencies Financial resources: Negative gross operating profit Positioned on all the segments Low cost with Club Jumbo Mid-range with Up market with Jet Tours The group is late on the internet distribution network Intangible resources: Lack of identification on other Thomas Cook brands Strong partnership and relation with suppliers Net Income growth Table 4 Strengths and weaknesses 4. Task C 4.1 Strategic Direction Thomas Cook France follows a strategy based on its growth network and on innovation. The principal objective for Thomas Cook France is to control the costs in order to be competitive. Thomas Cook is conscious of the threats and opportunities on the market. Nowadays, the group wants to strengthen its positioning on the French market and developed new segments like its niche concept voyage trà ¨s privà ©e and Au coeur du monde. Thanks to the Ansoff matrix, we can analyse the strategic direction : Two main options Market penetration: Thomas cook has to gain market share if the group wants to achieve its objectives for 2012: 20% of market share in 2012. The group proposes competitive products and services. It has a strong power vis-à  -vis suppliers and thanks to its strong distribution network, he has in advance on these competitors. Now, the group has to increase their economies of scale It has to have a clear positioning on the market Horizontal integration: 4.2. Strategic Fit Opportunity /Threats SUITABLE Strategy  ? Comments Eco tourism product development X For the moment Thomas Cook doesnt take account of this opportunity in its strategy. It has strong partnership with non gouvernemental organizations like planà ¨te urgence but doesnt propose ethical packages holidays. Brand consciousness Æ’Â ¼ Thomas Cook France have a strong brand image and its communication strategy is based on its knowledge and experience Service personalized for the customers Æ’Â ¼ The customer is in the center of its preoccupations. Their only objective is to give at the customer an unforgettable experience. For example Thomas Cook France is the only company who propose an assistance in French in their village holidays Purchasing power diminution Æ’Â ¼ Thanks to its new low-cost product Le Club Jumbo, the group can face up to the global recession and propose substitution product and services to maintain their sales volume Internet development X The group is late on this segment. The sales represent only 11% of the sales. The Chairman has decided to invest in this network and wait for the next years Low differentiation between the tours operators X Even if the group is positioned on all the range, it has a lack of differentiation due to the numbers of its offers and its positioning strategy is not enough clear Online Agencies growth and development Æ’Â ¼ Appropriate strategy thanks to the development of an online platform Vacances trà ¨s privà ©es.com Green house effects/ Global Warming Æ’Â ¼ The sustainable development is a priority in the Thomas Cook strategy. Since 2007, the group put in place a strategy to reinforce their image : 1 package holiday bought = 1 tree planted in Indonesia Opportunities in niche market Æ’Â ¼ The group propose a new offer positioned on a niche segment: luxury package holidays at decreasing price scale Table 5 Strategic Fit of Thomas Cook Critical succes factors Match? Comments The price Æ’Â ¼ -Thomas Cook propose competitive prices thanks to its network and partnerships -Strong relations with the suppliers which permit economies of scale and to be competitive -Pricing policy Servive of quality Æ’Â ¼ Quality of the service is at the center of the preoccupations Before the travel: Assistance 24/24 and 7/7 by phone or internet During the travel : special assistance services After the travel: Customer satisfaction study Consider the ICT Æ’Â ¼ Partnerships Æ’Â ¼ 150 partnerships Control of the costs . Table 6 Thomas Cook France match with critical success factors References List Books Gerry Johnson, Kevan Scholes and Richard Whittington, 8th edition, Exploring Corporate Strategy, Text and cases, 2010 Gilian Dale, BTEC National, Travel and tourism, 2007 John Beech, Simon Chadwick, The business of tourism management, 2006 A.K Bahtia, The business of tourism: Concept and strategies, 2007 Viviane Tauran-Jamelin, Marketing du tourisme  : 1à ¨re et 2à ¨me annà ©e, 2002, France Internet Journal du net, 2006, Qui sont les championsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦du voyage  ? Available at: http://www.journaldunet.com/management/0608/0608149-match-tour-operateurs.shtml Tnooz, 2010, Build your own package holiday on Thomas cook and you actually go with Expedia Available at: http://www.tnooz.com/2010/01/08/news/build-your-own-package-holiday-on-thomas-cook-and-you-actually-go-with-expedia/ Journal du net, 2010, France : Le marchà © du tourisme en ligne Available at: http://www.journaldunet.com/cc/10_tourisme/tourisme_marche_fr.shtml Strategos, Pierre Amalou,2009, Denis Wathier, prà ©sident du directoire de Thomas Cook France Available at: http://www.strategos.fr/spip.php?page=article-numeroid_article=775 Synolia, 2010, THOMAS COOK VOYAGES DOPE SES PARTS DE MARCHÉ AVEC SUGARCRM Available at  : http://www.synolia.com/cas-clients-sugarcrm/thomas-cook-voyages-dope-ses-parts-de-marche-avec-sug-2.html BFM Radio, 2010, Interview de Denis Wathier : On ne peut pas se contenter de faire uniquement du voyage gà ©nà ©raliste Available at: http://www.radiobfm.com/edito/info/81395/denis-wathier-on-ne-peut-pas-se-contenter-de-faire-uniquement-du-voyage-generaliste/ Les Echos, 2009, La consolidation du secteur est en cours Available at: http://www.lesechos.fr/entreprises-secteurs/service distribution/dossier/300377344-la-consolidation-du-secteur-est-en-cours.htm Daily Bourse.fr, 2008, AVEC JET TOURS, THOMAS COOK ATTEINT LA TAILLE CRITIQUE EN FRANCE (WATHIER) Available at: http://www.daily-bourse.fr/avec-jet-tours-thomas-cook-atteint-la-taille-criti-Feed-AFP080609113548.x4aesox2.php Daily Bourse.fr, 2008, THOMAS COOK FRANCE PASSE À LOFFENSIVE ET ÉTEND SON RÉSEAU DAGENCES Available at: http://www.daily-bourse.fr/thomas-cook-france-passe-a-l-offensive-et-etend-so-Feed-AFP070926111050.1ot6c8zf.php Corporama watching the business, 2010, Economie : Un partenariat de 3 ans pour Transavia et Thomas Cook Available at: http://www.franceactus.com Journal du net, 2008, Thomas Cook rachà ¨te Jet Tours au Club Med Available at  : http://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/tourisme/actualite/thomas-cook-rachete-jet-tours-au-club-med.shtml Tourmag.com, 2006, Thomas Cook France de retour à   là ©quilibre Available at: http://www.tourmag.com/Thomas-Cook-France-de-retour-a-l-equilibre_a12080.html Wikionews, 2010, Thomas Cook ouvre 3 nouveaux Club Jumbo Available at: http://www.tourmagazine.fr/Thomas-Cook-ouvre-3-nouveaux-Clubs-Jumbo_a15707.html Rà ©seau de veille en tourisme, 2008, Regard sur les grands changements du  «tour-operating » mondial Available at: http://veilletourisme.ca/2008/03/10/regard-sur-les-grands-changements-du-tour-operating-mondial/ Là ©cho touristique.com, 2010, Thomas Cook France revendique 5 % de rentabilità © en 2009 Available at: http://www.lechotouristique.com/thomas-cook-france-revendique-5-de-rentabilite-en-2009,19959 Là ©cho touristique.com, 2010, Thomas Cook assure en cas de force majeure Available at: http://www.lechotouristique.com/thomas-cook-assure-en-cas-de-force-majeure,20842 Verif.com, 2008, Thomas Cook France, Financial infomations Available at: http://www.verif.com/bilans-gratuits/THOMAS-COOK-FRANCE-431994482/ Tourmag.com, 2009, Thomas Cook France: Denis Wathier succeed à   Olivier de Nicola, Restructuration de Thomas Cook France Available at: http://www.tourmag.com/Thomas-Cook-France-Denis-Wathier-succede-a-Olivier-de-Nicola_a19001.html Strategos, 2010, Denis Wathier, prà ©sident du Directoire Thomas Cook France Available at: http://www.strategos.fr/spip.php?page=article-numeroid_article=794 Sud Aà ©rien, 2004, Quand les  «Ã‚  low cost  Ã‚ » grignotent les marchà ©s du charter Available at: http://www.sud-aerien.org/Quand-les-low-cost-grignotent-les Stratà ©gies.fr, 2004, Adieu Havas voyages, bonjour Thomas Cook Available at: http://www.strategies.fr/actualites/marques/r28235W/adieu-havas-voyages-bonjour-thomas-cook.html Tour Hebdo, 2010, Thomas Cook champion de la rentabilità © du secteur en 2010 Available at: http://www.pros-du-tourisme.com/actualites/detail/30682/thomas-cook-champion-de-la-rentabilite-du-secteur-en-2010.html Strategos, 2010, Denis Wathier, Thomas Cook Available at: http://www.strategos.fr/spip.php?page=article-numeroid_article=660 World Tourism Organisation, 2010, Comitted to tourism, travel and millennium development goals Available at: http://www.unwto.org/index.php 2008, THOMAS COOK GROUP MAKES ACQUISITIONS IN FRANCE AND CANADA www.thomascook.fr/pages_statiques//CP_version_Anglaise_finale.do

It Wasn’t War it Was Genocide in Rwanda Essay -- Essays Papers

It Wasn’t War it Was Genocide in Rwanda Never ending battles have occurred over the past sixty years in Rwanda due to their atrocious economy. It has been the Tutsi and the Hutu, two out of the three ethnic groups in Rwanda, that have been battling for the government spot. As the years went on, the fighting kept getting more brutal. This brutality ended up being an all out massacre in Rwanda from the Hutu. It has been argued whether if the killings were an act of genocide or an act of war. But what are exactly genocide and war, and which one relates to the conflict in Rwanda? Because of the way the Hutu went through with there harsh brutality towards the Tutsi provides enough evidence to prove that the Hutus actions were an act of genocide. Rwanda is a densely populated small landlocked country in Africa. In this small country reside three ethnic groups the Hutu, the Tutsi, and the Twa. The Hutu account for 85 percent of the population, the Tutsi make up 14 percent, and the Twa only make up about 1 percent. The Tutsi, even though they only make up 14 percent of the populations, have ruled Rwanda for years, which has stirred up many emotions from the Hutu being that they have the numbers while the Tutsi still has the power. Then there is the Twa who have no political effect in Rwanda. Before 1950 the Tutsi and the Hutu lived very similar lives growing cattle and cultivating their land. They even intermarried and shared the same language. Everything was great until a new type of economic system came into play, colonialism. There was always a little rivalry between the Hutu and the Tutsi but this rivalry substantially grew when colonialism came into the economic system in Rwanda. Not to say that Rwanda w... ...me against the rules of war, and since the actions of the Hutu was nothing less than atrocious the incident in Rwanda in 1994 was nothing less than a pure act of genocide. Works Cited - Destexhe, Alain. The Crime of Genocide. New York, NY: New York University Press, 1995. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/rwanda/reports/dsetexhe.html. - Kampfner, John. â€Å"The Journalist as God.† New Statesman. Jan. 26, 2004. Vol. 133 Issue 4672, p. 22, 2p - Lorey, David E. ed., and Beezley, William H. ed. Genocide, Collective Violence, and Popular Memory. Wilmington, DE: Scholary Resources Inc., 2002 - Robinson, Luke. â€Å"The Tragedy of Rwanda.† Monthly Review Dec. 2003. vol. 55 issue 7, pg. 52, 9p - Shaw, Martin. War & Genocide. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2003

Corporal Images

First and foremost, it is of dire importance to draw a distinction between appearing to be ethical and actually using ethical considerations. There has been an attempt by several corporations to appear to be ethical. In these instances there has only been an effort to reach an immediate goal of prosperity. Of course this will work in the short run but in a sophisticated society â€Å"fake† will not survive. With the advances in technology and the increase of information, we as a community are becoming better informed. It is only a matter of searching and gathering the facts to make the decisive decision of proceeding with a certain company. In current times the line dividing truly ethical considerations and appearing to be ethical are becoming much easier to distinguish but in several cases are still unclear. In practice ethical considerations lead to a decrease in friction within the public domain. In other words, less conflict will arise between private individuals and corporations when ethical behavior is being be experienced. For corporations, social conflict takes place when behavior is seen as wrongful or unethical but in actuality is perfectly legal. Many times this leads to calls for boycotts from churches or other organizations. Whether the public demonstrates in front of the gates, charitable organizations set up wailing walls, or the media uses pressure through critical reporting, this will mean a definite loss in social recognition of the company in question. Kathy Lee Gifford fell victim to the media a couple years ago when her clothing company was caught abusing child labor laws in factories abroad. Whether this leads to a fall in the share price or there is a measurable loss in sales are of secondary importance. Criticism â€Å"from the outside† generally means that the management role is taken up with defensive activity and therefore not free for the shaping of the future. In the Kathy Lee Gifford case and as in many other cases, the issue faded and disappeared with time. Many economist have said that the most intelligent corporations forbid dealings that could provoke negative social reactions. On the other hand , there is steady increase in evidence that shows a corporation's â€Å"image† can become a competitive advantage when used as a tool of propaganda. This method of approach can in some circumstances be used to gain market advantages as it did for a local fast food chain in California. Jack in the Box was convicted of not entirely cooking their hamburgers which in turn was infecting children with salmonella poisoning. Due to the conviction and the attention from the media, the fast food restaurant was put under strict regulation. In other words, the new enforcement of regulation was a safeguard against the consumption of salmonella. Many individuals saw this as a benefit and as a result wanted to eat at Jack in the Box. This can be a positive market advantage where a corporation gains the attention from negative issue but can in the long run gain a larger market. Another example practiced in the Unites States, is where a number of companies that are not only environmentally exemplary but go beyond the minimum legal requirements. Other costs can arise through conflict with one's employees. The fact that a company is the focus of public criticism can have disastrous results for morale and job satisfaction within a corporation. In the long-term, this can lead to valuable employees looking for other work and leaving the corporation. This can be a detriment when a business is trying to establish itself as reliable As employees are a corporation's most valuable â€Å"capital†, this alone is reason enough why unethical conduct cannot lie in a corporation's interests. Various studies have shown a positive correlation between ethical conduct in a corporation and job satisfaction. Where top management is seen as giving strong support for ethical consideration, job satisfaction increase together with the degree of employee identification with the corporation. Everything points to the conclusion that a positive reciprocal relationship exists between â€Å"job satisfaction† and â€Å"ethical conduct†. The ethical considerations of a corporations play a role in the entirety of value systems, thought and decision patterns, methods of behavior, and structures within a corporation that often emanates a feeling of togetherness and thus boosts motivation to work. The role of the corporation within the community can also reinforce an employees behavior. A business that has been plagued with a negative reputation or considered to be â€Å"unethical† within the neighborhood could lower the morale of its employees. On the other hand, behavior that prompts customers to buy and motivates investors to purchase shares is looked upon with pleasure and pride can also reinforce employees' positive identification. A great example of this can be recognized in San Diego, California. Qualcomm in recent years has become one of the most prominent and successful companies among customers and its community. Not only does this corporation hold a large majority of San Diego employment but it also holds the name of the stadium. Its reputation within the city has given the employees a sense of pride for whom they are working. What Jakob Burckhardt formulated for individuals can also be applied to corporations: they are not just what they are, but also what hey have set themselves as ideals. Even if they do not emulate these to their capacity, a part of their being is marked by the mere fact of wanting to. There are a number of indications that show corporations whose practice ethical conduct are considered as more attractive employers than those which have been publicly criticized due to failure to recognize their responsibilities to the welfare of the community and the environment. A poll taken from Business Week revealed that 88% regard â€Å"work satisfaction†, 67% a â€Å"good working atmosphere†, and 66% a â€Å"job that makes sense† as important criterion in choosing an employer. These are all factors which can hardly be true of companies where Green peace demonstrates in front of the factory gates or churches call for a boycott. Corporations are now no longer measured on what hey produce, but on what they present. The strength of many trends can instantly change at the blink of an eye, especially when the labor market spreads hopelessness for those seeking a career. But an increasing number of individuals, whether as employees or consumers, are taking ethical viewpoints more seriously that 10 or 20 years ago. The next question we should ask ourselves is, why has this happened. Why are we as a society increasing our ethical considerations with corporations? One answer that was stated before is with the increase of information, we as a society are becoming more knowledgeable of our decisions. We are enabling ourselves to make more â€Å"ethical† decisions based on the whims of a corporation. Many of those with responsibility in corporations are complaining about an increase in an already too thick jungle of laws, stipulations, and directives. Commercial freedom, the complaint goes on, can no longer exist within the ever narrower thread of state regulations – too many rules endanger the economic success. There is a great deal of evidence that such complaints have set forth the idea that â€Å"less state† can have an enlivening effect on corporate commitment. Freedom is, however, always an ethical duty and may thus be demanded on only as a correlate of responsibility. Anyone who wishes to help avoid further criticism and correct inappropriate behavior must offer legitimate proof of ethically responsible conduct. Back to the example of fast-food restaurant, Jack in the Box, in order to continue serving the public they were required to prove they cooking their meats to full capacity. They had to provide evidence of corrected demeanor as well as compensation. Ethically responsible corporate dealings mean dealings beyond the status quo, active shaping, and forward-looking ethical balance. Minimal will not do in a society whose wants and needs are infinite. A corporation must not only meet but exceed regulations. Whoever maintains a running battle on current law to defend positions that might have been based on a regulations many years ago but which are now regarded as â€Å"wrongful† and will be even more so in the future, is not being business like but negligent. Such companies that support those social forces will demand tighter controls and more state intervention. Innovation, efficiency, effectiveness, the ability to utilize market potential optimally, recognize the signs of the times, and the art of saving costs and expense in the right place at the right time will continue to be of great importance alongside all the other corporate virtues. However, an additional element will gain in significance: business ethics. It will become more and more a new, solid basis for competitive ability, breaching the limits of classical markets. The more wealthy a society is, the more significant non-material values become. Corporations that act in a visibly ethical way will be preferred by informed consumers more and more. This will become a problem for those corporations that ignore moral aspects, and for other it will be an opportunity to get to the very top.

The Roaring 20s essays

The Roaring 20's essays How ya gonna keep em down on the farm, after theyve seen Paree? This popular song is the essence of the Roaring 20s. Times were beginning to change, and many different situations and events contributed to the change. Some of these contributors were The Prohibition, The Scopes Trial, Changing Roles of Women, Education and Pop Culture, and The Harlem Renaissance. The Prohibition was the complete ban of alcohol in America. An Amendment was added into the constitution prohibiting the transportation or sale of any kind of alcohol. Reformers in the Christian church were convinced that liquor was the main cause of the nations problems and corruption. At first, saloons closed, and things calmed down, but then the country got sick of not being able to choose what they wanted to do. Many immigrants thought of liquor being part of socializing, and not a sin. This was when illegal sales of alcohol began. Speakeasies, which were hidden saloons, started opening, and the people were able to get their liquor. Bootleggers bought their liquor in Canada and smuggled it in for others. Many criminals found a new way of making money, and organized crime, such as the mob, grew in both numbers and income. This had an impact in the culture because since the nation could not get what they wanted, they had to go to other, illegal, places for their needs and wants. The nation became dependent on criminals to get what they wanted, and the nation has continued to deteriorate ever since. The Scopes Trial was a major trial over evolution versus creation. This trial gained national recognition and was reported on daily by big-city reporters. Tennessee had made a law banning the teaching of evolution in schools, and one teacher named John T. Scopes broke that law. The American Civil Liberties Union promised they would defend him, and got him the most famous lawyer of that day. Clarence Darrow was a well-known, respected lawyer, an...

Free Essays on Chapters Inc

Chapters Inc. – Indigo Books & Music Inc. merger The idea of a superstore book retailer was that of Larry Stevenson, the former CEO of Chapters Inc. This legacy of creating the ultimate booklovers haven began when Stevenson acquired Coles and Smithbooks. These smaller retailers helped to formulate the idea of Chapters, which was launched in 1996. Later that year Heather Reisman the co-owner of Trilogy Retail Enterprises established her own branch of superstore book retailing called Borders Canada, this created a bitter rivalry. This rivalry stems back to the day when Reisman launched Borders Canada, which was an American and Canadian book retailing venture. Stevenson, sensing competition lobbied the idea, and Industry Canada disallowed the creation of this company. Reisman evidently did not give up, and later that year founded Indigo Inc., she hired away seven on the top executives from Chapters Inc., which infuriated Stevenson. Over the years, the inability to control inventory and the failure of Chapters Inc.’s e-commerce endeavor caused an $84.5 million annual loss by Chapters Inc., Indigo Inc.’s losses were also great totaling $31.7 million. Many saw the merger of the two industry conglomerates as the only means of salvaging their operations. When Indigo Inc., on November 28, 2000 made its bid to obtain Chapters Inc; many industry analysts had different ideas about the merger. Tom McFeat of CBC News Online recognized the need for healthy competition in the market place. Mcfeat compared Chapters and Indigo Inc.’s number of stores and found that there would be no competition in the Canadian Book Industry if the two chose not to merge. He identified that with the merger of Chapters Inc. and Indigo Inc. stores would have to be closed resulting in Job losses for those who are employed by the respective companies. This does not include the lost revenue and jobs for independent bookstore owners who cannot compete with such a l... Free Essays on Chapters Inc Free Essays on Chapters Inc Chapters Inc. – Indigo Books & Music Inc. merger The idea of a superstore book retailer was that of Larry Stevenson, the former CEO of Chapters Inc. This legacy of creating the ultimate booklovers haven began when Stevenson acquired Coles and Smithbooks. These smaller retailers helped to formulate the idea of Chapters, which was launched in 1996. Later that year Heather Reisman the co-owner of Trilogy Retail Enterprises established her own branch of superstore book retailing called Borders Canada, this created a bitter rivalry. This rivalry stems back to the day when Reisman launched Borders Canada, which was an American and Canadian book retailing venture. Stevenson, sensing competition lobbied the idea, and Industry Canada disallowed the creation of this company. Reisman evidently did not give up, and later that year founded Indigo Inc., she hired away seven on the top executives from Chapters Inc., which infuriated Stevenson. Over the years, the inability to control inventory and the failure of Chapters Inc.’s e-commerce endeavor caused an $84.5 million annual loss by Chapters Inc., Indigo Inc.’s losses were also great totaling $31.7 million. Many saw the merger of the two industry conglomerates as the only means of salvaging their operations. When Indigo Inc., on November 28, 2000 made its bid to obtain Chapters Inc; many industry analysts had different ideas about the merger. Tom McFeat of CBC News Online recognized the need for healthy competition in the market place. Mcfeat compared Chapters and Indigo Inc.’s number of stores and found that there would be no competition in the Canadian Book Industry if the two chose not to merge. He identified that with the merger of Chapters Inc. and Indigo Inc. stores would have to be closed resulting in Job losses for those who are employed by the respective companies. This does not include the lost revenue and jobs for independent bookstore owners who cannot compete with such a l...

Being Unionized or Union-Free ( just paraphrase ) Human Resource Class Essay

Being Unionized or Union-Free ( just paraphrase ) Human Resource Class - Essay Example ith employees, education of employees and management, hiring and promotion policies, quality working conditions, resolving of complaints efficiently and teamwork (Maille, 2009). To be able to remain union free for a long time a company should in the course of production ensure that wages of employees in the same lines of production is analyzed, so as to allow the company to make relevant adjustments in meeting its employees demands. The wages and other compensation can be increased after making the necessary analysis. These benefits will work as a great boon and will help in motivating the employees who will start working effectively after realizing the fact that the company has done a great deal to help them. The internal system should also be analyzed by a company, it includes salary and wage rates in order to determine the exact amount of compensation and wage to be given to different individuals holding various positions, and the varied lengths of service in the company, as it may not be realistic to pay a similar compensation to a new employee as compared to an old employee. If there is any disparity which cannot be explained then an evaluation should be done in order to come up with a fair solution. Employees have quite a few concerns these days and it is very important for a company to address these problems. The management and the employees should interact more often so that the communication becomes crystal clear, it is very important to have a good communication system in place. Some ways of making communication better are door to door policies, suggestion boxes, bulletin boards, job orientation, forms which communicate to the employee benefits and company events like holiday parties and therefore making the employer to know the needs of the employees. After the communication the company is able to act according to the views from its staff and hence make the required changes (Richard, 2008). Educating the employees is essential for a company; the union

Nurse Practice Act Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nurse Practice Act Discussion - Assignment Example Teaching as a responsibility in nursing entails informing the patients on the medication guidelines (Munro, 2012). As an obligation of a nurse, teaching is evident when advising patients on how to handle the wounds, especially during the post-operative stage. The responsibility extends to other patients undertaking other different forms of medications. Nurses explain to the patients the advantages and disadvantages of the actions taken so that every activity undertaken with regards to healing is in their best interest. Some of the nurses decide to transmit the actual practice of teaching to upcoming nurses (Penn, Wilson & Rosseter, 2008). They impart the knowledge gained to ensure the incoming nurses exhibit high levels of knowledge and professionalism. In my practice as a general nurse, a reflection of the teaching role is evident when I pass necessary information to the patient. The information passed depends on the condition of the patient in terms of knowledge base and age. In some cases, the teaching may entail actual demonstration to the patients how to handle the medication when they move back home. Providing full information enhances the carefulness among patients leading to improved