Layoff and Strategic Downsizing Decisions Essay

INTRUDUCTION Downsizing is a permanent reduction of workforce through layoffs and other means. Organizations usually downsize to save payroll costs and prevent bankruptcy during tight economic conditions. Downsizing, when done right, makes the organization more efficient, lean, and mean .On the other side, a faulty approach to downsizing can cause the organization to run the risk of losing key talent and intellectual capital, and becoming dysfunctional by breakdown of hierarchies and systems. The criteria adopted for who stays and who goes largely determines the success of the downsizing intervention Many organizations, especially traditional ones, in a bid to ensure impartiality and objectivity adopt the LIFO or â€Å"Last in First Out† principle whereby those who joined the organization last become the first to leave. The rationale of making seniority the basis of downsizing is that newer employees have spent less time in the organization and are less committed or acquainted with the fin er nuances of its running. Also, the organization would have invested lesser time and resources training such employees compared to older employees. other organizations make the combination of competence and performance, or the ability to do required tasks well, the basis of retaining an employee during downsizing. A fresh performance appraisal should precede downsizing, or the last appraisal can be the basis for determining who goes and who stays. Those at the bottom of the appraisal list usually get the layoff notice first. While making performance the primary selection criteria for downsizing and restructure is apparently a just and equitable method, two major concerns remain The soundness and objectivity of the performance appraisal method adopted. A poorly designed performance appraisal method that does not assess the true indicators of performance might churn up a wrong list, causing the danger of the organization dispensing with true performers and retaining people who cleverly mask or cover up their in efficiencies. Whether the performance or competence ofthe employee remains relevant for the organization. The expendability of the person to the organization is another sound basis for determining the selection criteria for downsizing and restructure. This approach primarily considers the value added by the employee to the organization more than any other factor. Regardless of the performance of an  employee, an employee might remain critical for the functioning of the organization, or conversely not needed. For instance, with technology taking roots, most companies do not require specialist stenographers or typists, no matter how skilled or efficient they may be in their work. Similarly, closing down the marketing arm of the business and outsourcing the marketing effort might lead to the lay-off of all marketing executives, no matter how skilled or successful they may be. Organizations would, however, do well to identify people with good generic skills, and the right attitude and commitment, and retain them in other jobs even if the jobs they remain competent in become irrelevant to the organization. The commercial interests of the organization notwithstanding, legal considerations play an important role in determining who goes and who stays during downsizing. The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) requires employers to give employees, state and local officials a 60 days’ notice to mass layoffs when reducing their workforce by 33 percent or more, or laying off 500 employees within a 30-day period. WARN further requires employers of unionized employees to give the union 60 days’ notice before lay-off of their members, and provide individual notice to non-unionized employees. DEFINITION OF DOWNSIZING Downsizing occurs when a company permanently reduces its workforce. Corporate downsizing is often the result of poor economic conditions and/or the company’s need to cut jobs in order to lower costs or maintain profitability. Downsizing may occur when one company merges with another, a product or service is cut, or the economy falters. Downsizing also occurs when employers want to â€Å"streamline† a company – this refers to corporate restructuring in order to increase profit and maximize efficiency. Downsizing results in layoffs that are often followed by other restructuring changes, such as branch closings, departmental consolidation, and other forms of cutting pay expenses. In some cases, employers are not fired, but instead become part-time or temporary workers (to trim costs). ACTIVITIES OF DOWNSIZING It undertaken to improve organizational efficiency, productivity and competitiveness that affect the size of the firm’s workforce the costs and  the work processes. DOWNSIZING STRATEGIES: There are 3 types of strategies. These are below: 1.workforce reduction: 2.work redesign 3.systematic change 1. Workforce reduction: Typically a short term strategy aimed at cutting the number of employees through such programs as attrition, early retirement or voluntary severance packages and layoffs or terminations. Whils a number of these approaches allow for a relatively quick reduction of the workforce, the problem is that their impact is often short term and in many organizations. 2. Work redesign: Often a medium-term strategy in which organizations focus on work processes and assess whether specific functions, products and services should be changed or eliminated. this strategy which is frequently combined with workforce reduction, includes such things as elimination of functions, groups or divisions. 3. Systematic change: Long term strategy characterized by changing the organizations culture and the attitudes and values of employees with the ongoing goal of deducting costs and enhancing quality. By its very nature this strategy takes considerable time to implement. RESTRUCTURING HOW COMMON IS WORKFORCE REDUCTION AND?: The issue that comes up regularly involves how common workforce reduction in Canada. In a national study of major Canadian organization conducted in 1992 and in 1998, it was found that 56% of respondents permanently reduce the workforce over two year period ending in 1992, while 50% cut the number of employee during two year period prior to 1997-1998 about 31% of employee reduced in both 1992 and 1998 5% precent of organization did not engage in workforce. Three recent studies found 45% of participants reported that their organization permanently reduced workforce in two years. Among  organizations reducing the workforce average reduction was around 15% of the workforce. Similarly, when investing how the workforce reductions were carried out; combining the result from the studies revealed that about 355 of reductions were by attrition, 45% by voluntary severance or early retirement; and 40% by layoffs. Compared 1990s, these results suggest that organization s are relying less on layouts and more voluntary services. WHY DO ORGANIZATIONS DOWNSIZE? There are several reasons why organizational decide to downsize the workforce. Some of the factors most commonly mentioned include the following: Declining profits Business downturn or increased pressure from competitors Merging with another organization, resulting in duplication of effort Introduction of new technology The need to reduce operating costs The desire to decrease levels of management Getting rid of employee â€Å"deadwood† Simply put, many organizations engage in downsizing because managers believe that cutting people will result in reduced cost (with cost being more predictable than future and improved financial performance. In addition, labour cost is often seen as easier to adjust relative to other expenditures. Although executives often perceive that reducing the number of people in the organization will lead to lower overhead cost, reduced bureaucracy ,better communication, improved decision making, increased innovative activity and higher productivity, there is considerable evidence that workforce reduction programs often fail to meet their objectives, as has been observe by Cascio: Study after study shows that following a downsizing, surviving employees become narrow-minded, self-absorbed, and risk averse. Morale sink, producing drops, and survivors distrust management. Some organizations drastically reduce the workforce and employ a severe reduction strategy despite increasing demand and a favourable competitive enviroment.This development, which has been mentioned by HR managers in personal interview, may be due to a variety of reasons, including a decision to follow the lead of other firms engage in cutback management and increase awareness of the need of operate in a lean and mean  fashion. THE DOWNSIZING DECISION: For many organizations, going through a downsizing is a very painful and difficult experience. A 1994 article Business week profiled Robert Thrasher, executive vice-president at Nynex and the individual responsible for cutting labelled the â€Å"corporate assassin†. In speaking about downsizing Thrasher commented. This is tough, ugly work. The stress is palpable .I’m vilified throughout the company .that’s tough thing to carry around. â€Å"More recently, Robert Burtlon of Moore Corporation, when discussing his role in a cost cutting plan at a previous company, stated.† I don’t get frustrated any more. I just fire people.† Too often, organization embarks on a downsizing program without careful consideration of whether there are feasible alternatives to downsizing. Studies after study reveals that many downsizing are not well planned frequently ignore the linkage between downsizing and the strategic direction of organization, and underestimate the impact of downsizing on the organization and its human resource. ALTERNATIVES TO DOWNSIZING: Downsizing can be a costly strategy for organization to pursue and as a result, it is desirable to investigate whether alternatives to downsizing exis.In a number of instance, organizations discover that pursuing different alternatives to downsizing may eliminate the need to reduce the workforce or allow for a less severe downsizing strategy. Some of the alternatives include: 1. Cutting no personnel costs (e.g, through energy conservation, planned capital expenditures, leasing of capital equipment, reductions in travel or club memberships) 2. Cutting personnel costs (e.g, through a hiring freeze, job sharing, a reduction in work hours, reduced benefits, and wage concessions) 3.Providing incentives for voluntary resignation or early retirement Although this list is not complete, it emphasizes the need to consider other ways to manage costs within an organization One organization, road communications inc, asked each member of its staff to take one week of unpaid leave during the summer months. According to senior partner mia wedgbury , it let us keep our core team together while reducing cost. And  it went over well with the staff because it precluded layoffs. another organization acxion corporation cut the pay of each employee earning more than 25000 dollar by 5% but also gave the employee the option to by company stock that would be matched one-foe one by the firm INPLACEORMENT AND OUTPLACEMENT ISSUES: Outplacement Issues .Inplacement Refers To A Career Management Approach Inappropriately Placed Workers Into a Restructured organization ,while outplacement focuses on the provision of a program In Examining The Downsizing Decision, It Is Necessary To Consider Both Inplacement And of counseling and job-search assistance for workers who have been terminated. In making career management decisions, organizational decision makers may opt for an inplacement program or termination with outplacement In a survey of Canadian manufacturing firms completed in 2000, organizations that had gone through downsizing were asked to report on the benefits they provide to displace workers. These results are provided in figure11.2 .The most common benefits were severance pay, continuation of employee benefits, outplacement retraining assistance or family counseling PLANNING FOR DOWNSIZING: If downsizing is essential, the key issues that need to be considered: Determining how many people will lose their job and who will be let go (ie. based on seniority or performance) Determining how reduction will be carried out. For example, to what extent will the organization use attrition, early retirement or voluntary severance programs and layoff or termination. Its possible to consider the approach to workforce reduction from the perspective of employee? As indicated in figure 11.3,the approaches to workforce reduction vary in the degree of protection to employees and the cost to employee Determining the legal consequences. For example organizations often ignore or are unaware of legal requirements when downsizing the workforce .some areas of law to be aware of include the law of wrongful dismissal,employment  standards legislation, trade union law ,existing collective agreement provisions, and human right legislation. for instance, there may be a very narrow line between voluntary and involuntary termination, and with the termination of older workers, there exists a possibility of an age discrimination claim Designing current and future work plans .this issue represents a key challenge for the organization and is frequently neglected Implementing the decision. Implementation includes such elements as severance payments, outplacement counseling, the communication of the termination decision, timing if the decision, issues, and communications with remaining employees Performing follow-up evaluations and assessment of downsizing effort Figure 11.3 Approaches To Workforce Reduction Workforce Degree of Reduction protection to Implementation Approach Example Employee Time Attrition Hiring Freeze High Show Voluntary Early Retirement Redeployment Voluntary buyout Work sharing Involuntary Transfer Redeployment Demotion Imposed job sharing Layoff with Retraining Assistance job counseling Advance notice Layoff without Termination Low First Assistance No advance notice No Severance PROCESS OF DOWNSIZING: There are 6 processes. These are below: 1. Develop an RIF team to plot initial strategy. 2. Plan the goals and timing of the RIF. 3. Perform an overall workforce analysis. 4. Review employment policies, individual contracts of employment. 5. Ensure compliance with the Worker. 6. Special considerations for unionized employers. 1. Develop an RIF team to plot initial strategy: Nobody likes the prospect of a downsizing – especially employees who may feel particularly vulnerable to being laid off – and the mere mention of the word can trigger widespread hysteria and morale problems. At the early stages of the initial strategy phase, a company should limit discussion of downsizing to a trusted core of high-level management personnel and consultants. For large companies considering large-scale layoffs, the RIF team ideally should include the chief financial officer, the chief executive officer, the chief operating officer, a senior-level human resources or employee relations executive, an upper-level payroll specialist, an employment law attorney, and a public relations consultant. 2. Plan the goals and timing of the RIF: The first task is to determine the magnitude of savings that need to be realized from a layoff. This task is part of an overall cost-cutting plan, which could implicate other costs and expenses in addition to those related to personnel. Second, the RIF team should consider ways to realize the desired savings, such as subcontracting; consolidation of divisions, operating units or functions; the sale of the company or a work unit; and shutdowns. 3. Perform an overall workforce analysis and an analysis of each proposed termination: The most complicated and difficult aspect of the RIF process is determining which employees will be laid off. The most common legal challenges to layoffs are administrative charges and lawsuits premised on discrimination based on age or other legally protected characteristics. Accordingly, it is crucial for an employer to be able to give legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for every termination decision. Those reasons need to be easy to articulate and logically consistent. 4. Review employment policies, individual contracts of employment, separation benefits and stock-option agreements under which affected employees may claim rights or benefits: The RIF team should perform a due-diligence review of potential liabilities and verify whether, by policy or contract, the company has limited its ability to lay off employees. Likewise, where a collective bargaining agreement or policy dictates a priority for reductions in force, or â€Å"bumping rights,† such procedures should be examined. The company should also review policies and agreements to determine eligibility for severance benefits and accrued benefits such as paid time off, vacation or sick leave. 5. Ensure compliance with the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification (WARN) Act: Generally, employers with 100 or more employees are subject to the WARN Act. Covered employers are required to give 60 days’ advance written notice of a â€Å"plant closing† or â€Å"mass layoff.† A â€Å"plant closing† is defined as the permanent or temporary shutdown of at least one facility or operating unit that results in an employment loss of 50 or more employees at a single site of employment. A â€Å"mass layoff† is a loss of employment at a single site of employment that affects at least 50 employees and one-third of the covered employer’s work force. a loss of employment of 500 or more workers at a single site of employment. Special considerations for unionized employers: The National Labor Relations Board maintains that, with certain exceptions, employers must bargain with employee representatives over the effects of  layoffs stemming from entrepreneurial decisions such as closing a plant or transferring bargaining-unit work. In the case of layoffs that do not constitute a business closing or a transfer of bargaining-unit work, employers generally must bargain over the effects of such decisions and, depending on contract language, the very decision to lay off employees. ADJUSTING TO JOB LOSS: Workers who have lost their jobs frequently experience tremendous pain. As well, job loss can be very difficult for family members. Furthermore, many downsized employees are very bitter and angry with their former employer. A U.S. study of downsized workers revealed that 67% would never work for their former company again, 54% would not recommend that others purchase the organization’s products or services, and 11% considered going to the media and talking about their layoff experiences. One can start adjusting to job loss by using a little psychology. There have been a lot of studies done on how to deal with loss. Psychologists have found that people often have an easier time dealing with loss if they know what feelings they might experience during the â€Å"grieving process.† Grief doesn’t usually overwhelm us all at once; it usually is experienced in stages. The stages of loss or grief may include: Shock — you may not be fully aware of what has happened . Denial usually comes next — you cannot believe that the loss is true. Relief then enters the picture for some, and you feel a burden has lifted and opportunity awaits. Anger often follows — you blame (often without reason) those you think might be responsible, including yourself. Depression may set in some time later, when you realize the reality of the loss. Acceptance is the final stage of the process — you come to terms with the loss and get the energy and desire to move beyond it. The â€Å"acceptance† stage is the best place to be when starting a job search, but you might not have the luxury of waiting until this point to begin your search. While some people may see a job loss as a challenge which opens up new opportunities, most associate job loss with strong negative emotions. It is important to know that it is natural to have some negative feelings (especially at first) after a job loss, and that most people experience  them. Here are some feelings and experiences that you may have after losing your job: Loss of professional identity: Professionals identify strongly with their careers. Unemployment can often lead to a loss of self-esteem. Being employed brings respect in the community and in the family. When a job is lost, part of your sense of self may be lost as well. Loss of a network: The loss may be worse when your social life has been strongly linked to the job. Many ongoing â€Å"work friendships† are suddenly halted. Old friends and colleagues often don’t call because they feel awkward or don’t know what to say. Many don’t want to be reminded of what could happen to them. Also, when work and social activities mix, such as with company picnics and dinner parties, the job loss can be hard for all family members who participated in such activities. Emotional unpreparedness: Those who have never been unemployed may not be emotionally prepared for job loss and may be devastated when it happens. It is natural and appropriate to feel this way. You might notice that some people you know don’t take their job loss as hard as you have taken it. They might be more prepared for this time of uncertainty. Studies show that those who change jobs frequently, or who are in occupations prone to cyclic unemployment, suffer far less emotional impact after job loss than those who have been steadily employed and who are unprepared for cutbacks. A number of organizational interventions and practices have been identified as helping previously employed workers adjust to job loss and secure new employment. They include the following: Advance notification of layoffs, which gives employees time to dent with the reality of job loss and to seek future employment. Severances pay and extended benefits, which provide an economic safety net. Education and retraining programs, which give individuals time to acquire marketable skills. Outplacement assistance to inform employees of new job opportunities and to improve their ability to â€Å"market† themselves. Clear, direct and empathetic announcement of layoff decisions. Consideration of HR planning practices that represent alternatives to large scale layoffs. There are some benefits of losing a job: Time to reflect Grow new ideas, direction and career plan Get out of a job that was substandard Spend more time with family and hobbies

Statistics and Psychology

There are numerous applications of statistical reasoning and research methods in the field of psychology. From simple aspects of reading and interpreting psychology articles, to completing personal research, statistics is a necessary concept to understand. The scientific method is essential to research, and many of the concepts cross the lines into statistics. It is also imperative for us to compare and contrast the characteristics of primary and secondary data. Ultimately, the focus of these topics centers on the application of statistical reasoning in psychology.Statistics in Psychology One might ask themselves how mathematical concepts could possibly apply to psychology. The answer is simpler than many imagine, all one has to do is focus on the interpretation. Reading psychology research articles is a common occurrence for anyone in the field. Without the ability to understand the jargon, tables, graphs, and other aspects at the heart of statistics, one is unable to truly process the findings of research (Aron, Aron, & Coups, 2009). Research is an iatrical part to nearly every field of psychology, but especially those who seek to answer questions and gain insight to problems.Most fields of psychology –including counseling and clinical focuses- require answers to questions (Aron, Aron, & Coups, 2009). Answering questions requires some form of research, which uses statistics on some level. To answer many of these questions, research is done with some application of the scientific method. Research and the Scientific Method When searching for the answer to a problem, most go about it in an orderly way. The research done in the scientific method is simple application of systematic and logical steps to problem solving (Cowens, 2006).Using the five-step process allows researchers to examine any inquiry. The Five-Step Approach The first step is to determine a problem to solve, or make an observation (Cowens, 2006). This can be a simple question or a more comp lex desire to understand how or why something works. For instance, a psychologist seeks to understand why certain object triggers rage in a patient. Step two is to determine a hypothesis (Cowens, 2006). A hypothesis is usually a speculation or idea about how or why something happens. This step seeks to predict the outcome or reasoning of the problem.The psychologist may form the hypothesis that the object triggers rage because the patient associates the object with past trauma. Now it is time to test the hypothesis. Experimentation and research enters the picture for this step (Cowens, 2006). To test the hypothesis, the psychologist may use sessions or questions as research. They may also try other objects, or use hypnosis to recall the trauma. Recording the observations is an essential step in the scientific method (Cowens, 2006). All observations are important, and frequency tables, graphs, and charts explore the statistical application of the scientific method.In addition to thes e, psychologists may use notes to explore the reasoning. The final step is drawing a conclusion (Cowens, 2006). The purpose of this step is the interpretation of the findings. The results may either support the hypothesis, or raise new questions to explore. The psychologist may find no past trauma, and determine that all purple objects trigger both rage and fear. They then will seek a new hypothesis to begin a new search for answers. Primary and Secondary Data In any aspect of research, it is imperative to consider the validity of results.Primary data is described as data observed or collected directly from first-hand experience (Triola, 2010). Secondary data is published data, or data collected by others (Triola, 2010). Primary data is preferred in research because the knowledge is obtained first-hand, where secondary relies on the observations of others. For instance, more accurate results in a weight study will come from the direct weighing of the patients than asking them their weight. Statistics in Research Psychologists use univariate principles when they measure only one variable and multivariate procedure when using variables to ascertain relationships (Chow, 2002).Psychologists often use statistics to identify areas of research interest. In testing a hypothesis, many researchers need to turn questions into testable numerical data. One of the most common statistics applications is the testing of the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis involves the original claim –like 50 out of 100 patients see success in regression techniques to overcome phobias- and turning it into a mathematical claim (Â µ = 50). The alternative hypothesis represents the difference of a claim, or the probability that it is untrue because the test statistic is outside the given range (Â µ ? 50).These claims are tested, and if it is found that less than 50 patients saw success with regression techniques, then researchers are able to use statistical reasoning to disprove the statement. Overall, statistical reasoning is extremely important in the interpretation of research results obtained through the scientific method. Personal Application The concepts discussed throughout this paper have focused on many answers this author hopes to find in her professional life, and has pursued in her personal life. The author cited the example of rage and fear caused by purple, because her nine-year-old sister suffers problems with this concept.After many trials, tests, and visits to therapy, we were able to determine that she associated the color with Barney the dinosaur, and she cross-associated Barney with a fear of dinosaurs coming back to life in an old movie. Although a simple study, it had great impact on this author’s life, and her future pursuit of psychology. Conclusion Statistical reasoning in psychology may seem like a contradiction to many. However, any pursuit of answers requires research –which employs the scientific method and statistics. We have determined primary data to be more beneficial and reliable than secondary data.We have also applied the concept of hypotheses to statistics and basic research. In conclusion, even simple understanding in psychology is often related to statistical reasoning. ?References Aron, A. , Aron, E. N. , & Coups, E. J. (2009). Statistics for psychology (5th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall Chow, S. L. (2002). Statistics and its role in psychological research. Methods in Psychological Research. Retrieved October 3, 2010 from ProQuest database. Cowens, J. (2006, August/September). The scientific method. Teaching PreK-8. (37)1. 42. Triola, M. F. (2010). Elementary Statistics. (11th Ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Cebu Pacific Paper

Case Context Cebu Pacific Air owned by the Gokongwei family and established in 1988, is the provider of most domestic flights in the Philippines. In 2000, Cebu Pacific Air was able to go international and expanded operations to Asia-Pacific countries. It owns 45% of the market share, and is among the top 5 in growth in terms of passengers carried and served. The airline company is known for its promo fares, where one can save around 40% to 50%, if flights are booked early. For the longest time, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air's competitor, dominated the local airline industry. Through the liberalization program, the latter was able to enter the market and gain its share of customers and passengers. In response, PAL adjusted its prices to compete with the others, and focused its strategies on cheaper last-minute bookings. Cebu Pacific Air gives importance to customer value, and addresses it by providing hassle-free online reservations, on-time flights, comfortable flying experience, etc. Named as the â€Å"World's Number One Airline† by an e-newsletter, the airline has been growing and has continued to make its mark in the Philippine airline industry. Its emphasis on the importance of the customers has helped Cebu Pacific Air to be successful in proving that it is indeed one of the top airlines in the country. Macro Environment Prior to the Philippine aviation industry liberalization in 1995 under Executive Order 219, state-owned Philippine Airlines enjoyed virtual monopoly with the country's adopted policy of ‘one country, one airline' imposed during President Marcos’ administration. The industry remained uncontested between 1973 and 1994 compelling the government to regulate fares to prevent PAL from engaging in monopoly pricing. In the years following liberalization, the domestic airline industry has attracted as many as five entrants but this has dwindled to three. Currently, the Philippine aviation market is mainly served by Cebu Pacific Air (CEB), Philippine Airlines (PAL), Airphil Express (APX) and ZestAir. As of August 2011, CEB is the market leader and holds 45 % domestic market share, followed by PAL with 22%,   APX with 19% and ZestAir with 12%. Seair also takes a small part of this market such as by serving flights to Batanes. The impact of liberalization on the domestic industry is mixed. Departure frequency increased in the most profitable markets, while smaller communities either lost service altogether or experienced sizeable declines in departure frequency and capacity. Furthermore, some markets served by a single airline have relatively higher fares. In the recent economic crisis, many foreign countries and the rest of the world were affected. The Philippines, however, was not greatly hit by this recession. Even though we fared better than the others, it cannot be denied that we were still affected. Many multinational companies shut down their operations in the country, such as Intel and Goodyear. Also, many overseas Filipino workers from the United States, United Kingdom and the Middle East were forced to leave these countries with no promise of return. It also affected the Philippine Stock Exchange since it closely followed other stock exchanges from around the world, particularly NYSE. All of these resulted in great fears among the citizens. Filipinos are now more frugal and conservative in their spending habits. The economy experienced dwindling demands of different products, which resulted to more production cuts, succeeding layoffs, and more layoffs. Filipinos started looking for products and services that would provide more value to their hard-earned money. As people are now starting to go back to the basics, leaving the extravagant lifestyle behind, companies now face the problem of losing their customers, even their loyal ones. Thus, many of them started offering products that would exemplify true value for money. More so, discounts and promos have boomed. Cebu Pacific was no exception to this scheme. As many people considered air travel as something they could live without, the industry faced a bigger problem of attracting customers. The â€Å"Piso Fare† that they launched in 2005 was already a big help to company. More and more people are choosing Cebu Pacific over other airlines, such as Philippine Airlines. What is important now is for travelers to get to their destinations in the most affordable way possible, and the company was able to offer them a low-cost yet high-quality service that perfectly catered to the needs of their clients. SWOT Analysis Strengths The key strengths of Cebu Pacific are on its strong market positioning, lean cost structure, ability to reap scale efficiencies, healthy brand equity, and balance sheet strength. The heights of Cebu Pacific’s victory over its competitors cannot be attributed to the aggressive low-pricing strategy that it blazed per se. The ability of CEB to identify the objects that are of value to their customers, and extend those perquisites at low cost is of tantamount importance in the airline’s success. Cebu Pacific customers also get their value through the airline’s very convenient online reservation and payment system. This, equipped with the company’s partnership with banking firms as well as servicing companies such as LBC and Rustan’s, as well as its rigorous promotion in social networking sites, allows the customers to access information regarding CEB’s prices and low promo fares and easy payment. Equally valuable is also the management’s employee training which reflects the company’s strong customer-centered, team-based orientation. Weaknesses To allow for its promotional activities such as low-fares in domestic and international travels, Cebu Pacific must also cut some costs on some segments of its operations. Either by cutting some operational costs or personnel costs, this would have an immediate impact to the image that the company is trying to project. With the entry of relatively smaller airline companies in the industry that can afford to compete CEB in low-pricing makes the airline company vulnerable to price wars, and this pressure increases the vulnerability of the airline to maintain its image. Like all airline companies, and especially because of its big operations, Cebu Pacific heavily relies on forecasts of volatile fuel prices to produce sound business decisions and pricing. Lastly, industry commentators are disappointed that the strong brand and marketing platform of Cebu Pacific lacked scale in terms of fleet size. Opportunities The 21% year-on-year international passenger growth on the year 2011 opens a wider door for Cebu Pacific to increase its market share. Offering foreign travels exclusively on selected destinations allows Cebu Pacific a wider market and a more flexible marketing mix. The company’s financial stability, sustained growth, and good brand image allow the financing for more expansion in the products and services they offer which is tantamount to put down competitive pressures from its competitors, both via cost leadership and product differentiation. Cebu Pacific is strategically positioned for this as it has a strong domestic network that is able to offset headwinds to the international network. Reaping the benefits of scale efficiencies may be realized through this expansion. Finally, with its biggest competitor facing internal labor concerns as well as concerns on solvency and liquidity, the airline can choose to increase market share profitably at the expense of this competitors—instead of only positioning to stimulate and grow the market. Threats That low-pricing schemes such as the PisoFares became a trademark for Cebu Pacific is threatening the airline’s brand of acquiring an inferior image against its more expensively priced competitor products. Its customer segment that caters for businessmen and other high-profile class are at the expense of its extensive marketing promotion on cheap fares. Also, the company’s profit margin has been slowly declining as it engages in price competition with relatively smaller airlines such as Air Philippines and Zest Air. While both competitors have been investing for expansion, CEB must stand prepared while pursuing for a higher market share and leadership. Finally Cebu Pacific must strategically position it’s cost-cutting strategies such as outsourcing, as recent moves to outsource some noncore operations of other airlines that has been encouraging from a cost-saving perspective has ensued labor disputes and strikes which showed the insensitivity of such a move. Problem Through tedious research and careful analysis, we have proven that Cebu Pacific exhibits cost leadership as it was able to cut prices to deter the entry of new entrants and at the same time able to offer low prices to powerful buyers. (See Porter’s Generic) Competitors are always on the look as to how they can catch up and perhaps Cebu Pacific may be threatened by competitors copying their low cost strategy. With this, how can Cebu Pacific maintain to be the market leader when time comes that competitors have already adopted their low-cost strategy? Marketing Mix Product Cebu Pacific Air provides its customer both domestic and international flights to fifty two destinations. Company with its slogan it's time everyone flies tries to keep what they have been promised to its customers by offering a wide array of products and high quality of services aside from air fare to keep their customers loyal and to attract new ones. Cebu Pacific Air does not only provide travel through air but it provides tours for both land and water by building tie ups with travel agencies and hotels. This tie ups provides its customer travel packages with hotel rooms at a discounted price, which make all the fun. Furthermore, the flight does not include a meal but they offer a fun shop where the company sells hearty meal, cold sandwiches, savory snacks, quick snacks, cold drinks, and hot drinks which are changed monthly for variety. Branded souvenirs such as stuff toys, watches, bags, etc. can also be purchased via online or inside the plane. Moreover, other services include seat-selector, sport equipment fee, TravelSure insurance, prepaid baggage, rent a car, and buy event tickets. Cebu Pacific Air always keeps on improving its existing products while introducing new products to tailor fit its products to its customers for more satisfaction and to gain customer loyalty. Price As the barriers to entry were lifted, new players can now easily enter the market to serve the domestic routes. Many benefits were gained by these actions, particularly in the reduction of air fare. Cebu Pacific used its pricing systems to gain a competitive advantage in the industry. It continuously strives to offer low prices, yet also continuously maintain the level of service it promises to deliver to its customers. One of the main strategies of Cebu Pacific to attract customers was its low fares offered on a year-round basis, such as its â€Å"Piso Fare† and LiteFares. This made air travel more affordable to Filipino passengers. This move is considered to be a lethal one for its competitors for it captured a big portion of the market. And although competitors soon followed suit, it was already too late and Cebu Pacific had already gotten a strong position in the market. To compensate for such big discounts, flights that are booked closer to the actual date are fully priced, but they are still comparably lower than those of its competitors. For Cebu Pacific, they value the things that matter most to their customers, such as training of their pilots and crews, aircraft maintenance, and on-time reliability, such that passengers will not pay for trivial things, such as paper tickets and free meals. They focus more on the practical and essential matters to be able to offer their services at low prices yet still earn returns on them. Place Cebu Pacific Air has strategically placed most outlets where passengers can book their flights in business centers, near or inside malls, hotels, and airports. These locations are usually where travellers go to, making it easier and more convenient for them instead of going to a place which might be out of their itinerary just to avail of the company’s services. Aside from this, Cebu Pacific Air has been able to ensure access to customers through online booking. With the growth and development of technology, the airline company has been able to capitalize on the convenience and availability of the Internet to easily reach customers. Promotion Low promo fares are the best known strategy that Cebu Pacific uses to gain ompetitive advantage over competitors. Specifically, they offer 1 peso flights not just for destinations in the Philippines, but also in some areas in East Asia such as Singapore and Malaysia. This promotions strategy is the most popular and most common thing that comes to mind when thinking Cebu Pacific Air. Aside from the traditional forms of promotions and above the line advertising, this airline also makes use of new social media platforms through below the line advertising. Cebu Pacific Airlines is the first airline industry in the Philippines to make use of these new technologies. These types of advertising make use of social networks and give more focus to certain niche markets. An example of this type advertising is Cebu Pacific Airlines’ use of Twitter for announcements, ticket promos, and games for chances to win free tickets. Another form of this promotion strategy can be seen through a viral video posted in YouTube of Cebu Pacific’s flight attendants dancing to the beat of the song â€Å"Just Dance† by Lady Gaga. The special dance number was presented to the passengers after the standard safety instructions had been performed and aimed to give passengers a more enjoyable flight experience. Having assessed Cebu Pacific Air’s marketing mix; we can truly say that its success can be attributed to its low price strategy and loyal customers. CEB has employed strategies to make flying accessible to everyone. They have lowered their prices and yet did not forego the quality of their services. CEB has been loyal to its value proposition of providing more for less. CEB knows very well that customers will try out low-priced products but will be turned off if it does not deliver the value/benefit it promises. And no amount of advertisement will change their perception of a product after a bad experience, even if you have the lowest price in the market. And so, CEB has never been lax in maintaining the other component of their marketing mix besides price as competitive as possible to always satisfy customers. Recommendation Competition from other low cost carrier airlines continues to saturate the market and poses a threat to Cebu Pacific. To fly higher and up and above this hurdle, we now give you our counterstrategy: Cebu Pacific Air: Juan time, Big time! Juan time, Big time is a full blast strategy that banks on Cebu Pacific Air’s Cost leadership and Filipino oriented service to retain its market leadership in the domestic market and eclipse PAL in the international market. In this full blast move, Cebu Pacific will continue to leverage on its constant seat sales and low pricing while making sure that it delivers true value to its customers. Cebu Pacific always wants to provide exceptional, unrivalled service at notches higher than its competitors. To achieve this, Cebu Pacific needs to fuel this four-fold ‘Juan time, Big time’ strategy to continue to fly high and long in delivering its promise in letting every Juan fly. Fuel 1: Juan with You With Juan with You, we strengthen the customer flying experience to encourage more future flights. We will filipinize the customer flying experience and do this by always being hospitable in our service. Cebu Pacific will not only offer air transport, it will also offer a satisfying, fun, and hospitable flying experience. Doing so will increase the perceived value of the Cebu Pacific Air flying experience. Juan with you will be implemented along with these tactics: 1. First, it will strengthen its customer service arm, and assign an actual active CEB officer in operating its Facebook and twitter pages to more instantaneously answer and attend to customer questions and concerns. This will communicate how Cebu pacific values its every customer. 2. Second, it should make its flight attendants wear Filipiniana attire, especially in international flights. 3. Third, it should structure a hip, dance number around the performance of its in-flight safety guidelines. The last two will easily solve the problem of tedium that may set in after long hours for waiting for the flight’s end. Fuel 2: The Juan Time Cebu pacific will lead in debunking the old Filipino time concept, where late is acceptable, even expected. We will put an emphasis on sticking to only one time, the Juan time, and provide incentives to making its passengers arrive early to allow early boarding. Also, Cebu pacific should train its ersonnel to always be fast and efficient in their execution of their tasks to further expedite checking in. Cebu Pacific should strive to increase its on time performance level and again to improve the value offered to passengers, give customer points for every late flight arrival that customers may use when they also avail of Cebu Pacific’s loyalty card program. Fuel 3: Juan with the World Cebu Pacific has already achieved to become the leading low cost airline in providing domestic flights. Its competitors, however, offer more international destinations. With this, we recommend that Cebu Pacific tap on more international destinations as their consumers would be delighted to know a variety of international destinations to choose from. This way, consumers would choose them among its competitors. Fuel 4: My only Juan Since Cebu Pacific has already managed to become the leading airline. It should now focus on keeping its customers loyal. This they can achieve through mileage programs to acquire points that customers can use in availing other flight add-ons. With this mileage rewards program, customers will be attracted to more to avail of the other services of Cebu Pacific. Thus, this strategy will make Cebu Pacific the top choice and the only choice of every Juan. With this four-fold full blast strategy, Cebu Pacific Air will indeed be able to increase customer perceived value through the perks it offers at the same time retaining its low cost pricing. Thus, despite the threat of competitors adopting their low cost strategy, customers will still choose them over others for they are fully satisfied and truly delighted with CEB’s loyalty of providing more for less to its customers. APPENDIX Bibliography

Case Study on Gender Discrimination Research Paper

Case Study on Gender Discrimination - Research Paper Example In order to deal with the issue, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1968 launched a sex-testing initiative â€Å"to protect women against unfair competition† (Woolum, 1998, 52). The sex-testing program was initiated due to the belief on the superiority of males in sports: female athletes would be at a disadvantaged position over their male counterparts in men’s events, and male athletes taking part in women’s competitions would have an undeniable advantage; hence, female athletes must be safeguarded against male athletes participating in their competitions. Hence, all athletes participating in women’s competitions should be subjected to various tests to identify and make sure of the athlete’s sex. This essay presents a case study of a fictional female athlete undergoing sex test prior to participation in the Olympic games. This female athlete is currently the fastest woman in the world. She achieved world fame due to her feats in track and field. However, suspicions about her true sex arose because of her masculine physical appearance, movements, and voice. Physical Description of the Athlete and Brief Notes about her Performance Jane Doe is 27 years old with a height of 5ft and 7 in and weight of 80 lbs. Her event is 100m sprint. She is single and professes to be a virgin. She says she has not dated any man and did not experience having any boyfriend. She is muscular but noticeably thin. She has short hair. She has very small breasts and no underarm and facial hair. She has a flat abdomen but large muscle formation around the thighs and legs, which is expected of a track and field athlete. She won 35 gold in track and field. She ran the 100 meters in 13 seconds in Madison Square Garden; won a gold medal for Sydney in the Olympics in the 50-yard dash with a first-time record of 12 seconds; and completed 100 yards in 9 seconds. Because of these remarkable performances, Jane Doe became a household name. For 6 years, she won more than 200 medals in important track-and-field competitions. Tests Performed on Jane Doe and Results of the Tests In Jane Doe’s sex test, the examiners obtained cell samples from her cheek’s mucous membrane, or also called ‘buccal smear’, then stain them and check them up for Barr bodies. If the subject is a female, with XX chromosomes, the bodies will appear, resulting in a positive result (Schaffer & Smith, 2000, 135). If uncertainties exist, examiners will scan cells not for Barr bodies, but for the lack of Y chromatin. In the case of Jane Doe, the examiners stain the cells and study them thoroughly. The elongated section of the Y-chromosome comes into view as a clear stain. If this stain did not appear, Jane Doe will be allowed to take part in the competitions. The result for these two tests is both positive, which confirms Jane Doe’s femininity. But the application of these tests became very controversial. Some scholars claim that sex chromatin testing does not identify females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic disorder (Evelyn, 2011). Jane Doe was hence examined for the said disorder. It was found out that she ha s it. She has 22 pairs of autosomes and a pair of X-chromosomes, the normal chromosomal balance in females, yet has an unusual muscle power and masculine physique (Sullivan, 2011). This disorder is caused by a genetic biochemical deficiency that affects the adrenal glands abnormally, making it incapable of transforming

Accident Investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 118

Accident Investigation - Essay Example With reference to daily life routine that involves instances that expose one to accidents, as well as prior research, it is alleged that 96% of this accidents are because of unsafe human acts and methodologies of living. The 4% remainders are accidents facilitated by unsafe conditions. Taking a leap of the work environments, it is evident that these areas are not strange to accidents and such misfortunes. Incident investigation in such areas usually comes as a reactive approach by the entire company. In some instances, though rare, the community comes in as those who fall victim are born of the community (Manuele 59). With the revelation of information such as details of the injured individual, the nature of the injury endured and the body orientation to the particular line of duty, it brings light to the situation, giving precision as to whom or what was at fault. This kind of information makes it possible to answer questions that eye at discovering what happened when it happened, and how it happened. From this, comes revelation on what exactly tend to transpire. This is where research puts percentages, marking the main causes of most of these accidents. It is widely discovered; true to prior research, that majority of these accidents tend to happen because of unsafe acts by the parties involved, thus the repercussions faced. Viewing, in particular, the cause of an accident involving the collapse of a building may mainly lie on parties involved in the putting up of that particular building. In such a situation, blame and fault may fall on the architect or else the contractor who facilitated the building of that actual structure. For example, he or she may have poorly planned and designed the putting up of that building (Manuele 108). This may lead to further destruction of poor management may facilitate the use of poor building material, low wages for the workers that have the negative impact on them, leading to poor worker services.

The Physical and Virtual Fences in Different Arenas of Politics, Essay

The Physical and Virtual Fences in Different Arenas of Politics, Economy, Land and Their Correlation - Essay Example He employs different examples of sufferings and failures by different communities or countries on account of such policies inspired by the idea of boundary-making. He explains their harmful effects as envisaged in the form of financial insecurity as faced by people of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia etc.He mentions the plight of refugees from China, Romania desperate to cross the suffocating boundaries of their countries in their quest to taste the freedom. In the name of globalization, capitalism and democracy, restrictive elements are being introduced in the determining of strategies for the security of countries against terrorism, economic lapse, contamination and dearth of natural resources which are overly detrimental to the moral of people and to the development of society due to their obvious adherence and propensity towards measures prescribed by prejudice, force and constraint.The writer consciously puts the topic of ‘fencing’ on the debate, with the basic flow of es say showing an inclination towards his dislike towards the concept of fencing as apparent by the name of the essay. The examples presented by the writer evidently justify his stand against fencing which are a cause of uncertainty and distrust amongst countries and which tries to cover various selfish intentions of various societies on the smaller scale, whereas, of various developed countries on the larger scale through the exploitation of their weaker counterparts, by alienating them from giving contribution in deciding economic.

MGMT 4350 Leading Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MGMT 4350 Leading Organizational Change - Essay Example leader should possess certain qualities including the ability to understand the change barriers that they are bound to encounter; this will help avert disasters before they happen. A change leader should also be able to lead the organization through the change and enhance unity while at it. Providing resources and being an advocate for the people initiating change tends to be a crucial quality. A great change leader should also be able to create a reasonable timeline for the change which will be realized, and the whole organization will follow ( National Institutes of Health, 2015). A change manager too has qualities that he/she needs to possess. One of the key qualities is that a change manager should be able to mobilize the entire institution through the change process. Also, he/she should be able to hard-wire the changes into the organization. He/she should be able to structure a learning program to ensure that the change is sustained. Being able to communicate strategically and consistently will also be a key feature of a great change manager. National Institutes of Health. (2015, May 29). Office of Human Resources at the National Institute of Health. Retrieved from Hr.od. nih.gov: http://hr.od.nih.gov/workingatnih/competencies/leadership/changeleadership.htm Kotter, J. (2011, December 7). Change Management vs. Change Leadership -- Whats the Difference? Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com:

The Role of the Police in Society Research Paper

The Role of the Police in Society - Research Paper Example is such that it undertakes all these tasks and many more so that the people at large are not unduly made to suffer and be on the receiving end at any moment in time (Garland, 2011). Proper understanding of the role of the police has made the people of America know that it exists to satisfy their concerns and to make sure that the relevant authorities are doing their jobs in a proper and adequate way. What is even more important is the fact that the role of the police has been expounded upon by these very authorities on a consistent basis so that the people know beforehand what to expect of them, and how these shall provide value for the sake of the community members. This discussion will now focus on the different styles of policing which are in use. These include the three different styles, namely the watchman, the legalistic and the service perspectives. Since the work of the police is broad in the basic sense of the word, and they have limited resources available at their disposal , the role of the police administrators and authorities are geared to develop certain policies which are there to prioritize and emphasize upon these activities and tasks in essence. The watchman style of policing focuses upon the maintenance of order which is found in different communities which have a declining industrial basis as well as a blue-collar and mixed population based on ethnicity and race (Mackenzie, 2011). This watchman form of policing is less proactive than the other two styles where one can see that certain offenses are overlooked when it comes to a mix of legal, cultural and social grounds. This is so done so as to make sure that the public order element is under wraps and that there are no predicaments in the light of the same. The charges of discrimination are a direct... This paper approves that the values of a community might just get affected by the style and role of policing for the sake of that community. This is because if a community is looking forward to receiving a service form of policing, then the service style is suited for its own needs. However if there are a large number of arrests due to law and order issues, then the aspect of legalistic policing might just do the trick. This is important to ascertain what kind of policing would in essence play the bridge between the people and the police authorities at the end of the day. Once such understandings are reached upon, then only can one devise the ways and means through which policing can be studied and its different styles are implemented and executed in the most literal sense. It is also possible that all three styles of policing – watchman, legalistic and service are being used in combination with one another. Police works to good effect to service the people against the intrude rs entering into the community. This report makes a conclusion that the role of policing is such that it brings wellness and serenity within the society. In order to be termed as a success within the community domains, it is imperative to think of policing in the light that it should be serviced for the sake of the people at large. All said and done, policing is any society of the world is indeed one of the most important elements and should be given due priority as it sets things right no matter how tough the circumstances are.

See the attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

See the attachment - Essay Example If these resources are overexploited, then the future generation will be adversely affected. The OPEC members agreed to these issues since they were after conservation of the environment. The comprehensive energy policy aimed at reducing the dependence on imported oil in US. This was meant to create flexibility in the sources of energy. In the case of the government, the policy was very popular as well. The government encourages the various stakeholders to implement the policy in their best way. This is meant to increase the measures of safeguarding the environment. These factors are quite important as the government subsidizes the various projects involved in environment conservation. Following the suggested measures by the OPEC members, US are likely to be dependent on the solar energy to some large extent as compared to Israel. The Bright Source wishes to construct the largest solar energy project that has never been developed in California. This project will assist in substituting the oil energy in US. The impact of technology in US is also likely to affect the final decisions that are made by the OPEC leaders. These issues are significant at maintaining the environment for the future generation to

The Hero with a Thousand Faces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Hero with a Thousand Faces - Essay Example As per Campbell’s Monomyth, the journey of a hero is confined to a sequence of actions that includes three main stages, namely, - Departure, Initiation and Return. From these sequences, we could get a better idea about the phases that a hero undergoes and how his life would probably get transformed with each phase. Now let’s take a stance to discuss about two real life personalities, Daniel Suelo, the protagonist of the book The Man Who Quit Money and Abdulrahman Zeitoun, the primary character of the book Zeitoun. Could they be considered as a hero, on the schema of Campbell’s Monomyth? Let’s analyze this question further ahead to sort out the possibilities of these two characters to be claimed as a hero. Dave Eggers, in his book, Zeitoun portrays the life of Abdulrahman Zeitoun as a simple and loving man who lives in New Orleans with his family. However, the arrival of Hurricane Katrina collapses the lives of the people residing in the coastal regions in New Orleans. With his small canoe, Zeitoun aids his neighbors by rescuing them and even their animals, and also make arrangements to provide food, water and other essentials to the needy. Soon after the hurricane, abrupt changes encounter his life. He was fallaciously arrested by the police officials on account of suspicion for withholding possessions. During his incarceration, the torments he faced at the hands of the police were merely intolerable. He was treated inhumanely mainly on the basis of his ethnicity. Finally, he was released after the authorities understood his innocence. When the life of Zeitoun is focused, it conforms well to the Campbell’s notion of a hero. He lives in an ordinary world, with his wife and four children, holding his own business in the New Orleans. The departure phase of his journey is started with the onset of hurricane. He set forth his way crossing the threshold to face various challenges, which included imprisonment and eventually he returned back to his community. At the start, the call for adventure arrives for him in the form of a destructive hurricane that hit the coast. The awakening call for him was the natural calamity which gave him the arousal and pushed him to aid the needy people during the hurricane. It brought out the kindness and the generosity in him, and made him to deliver to his people and help them in the times of need. As a hero, he went forth on his own volition to accomplish the adventure. (Campbell 48). In his initiation stage of journey, he is destined to face various trials that reveal the true ch aracter within him. As Campbell states, â€Å"The composite hero of the monomyth is a personage of exceptional gifts. Frequently he is honored by his society, frequently unrecognized or disdained† (Campbell 29). These quotes aptly fit to the life of Zeitoun. Being hailed as a rescuer by his community people during the hurricane, soon after, he was imprisoned wrongly by the officials of the state and made to undergo intolerable trials. It was during his incarceration that he has to withstand all his emotional as well as physical temptations in order to endure the suffering. He was detained in a Greyhound bus stand on the suspicion of him being a terrorist, which was primarily due to his ethnicity or religion. During the imprisonment, he was denied medical aids and was even prevented from informing his family about his imprisonment.

Combating Compassion Fatigue Essay Example for Free

Combating Compassion Fatigue Essay If you ask anyone in the field of healthcare, they will tell you that nursing is a very demanding profession. Many nurses feel weighed down by the emotional and physical demands of their chosen career. They may feel that their efforts go without acknowledgement. They may feel overwhelmed by their workload and feel they do not have adequate support or recourses to confidently and efficiently perform their roles. Part of the nurse’s role is to exhibit compassion for patients and their family members. Yet, compassion is an emotion that requires inner conviction and resiliency (Bush, 2009). When a nurse to facing fatigue and burnout, this compassionate feeling is replaced with feelings of apathy. It is important to recognize the signs of impending compassion fatigue and have knowledge of effective strategies to combat these feelings. Symptoms and Triggers Compassion fatigue to a term used to describe the unique stressors that affect individuals in a caregiver role (Bush, 2009). Some emotional symptoms to identify are anxiety, low self- esteem, powerlessness, and anger. Physical symptoms that are common are irritability, sleeplessness, and somatic pains. Environmental and emotional stressors of the workplace are what contribute to compassion fatigue. All caregivers at risk fro developing compassion fatigue, yet some may be more susceptible than others. All caregivers are at risk for developing compassion fatigue, yet there are some that may be more susceptible than others. Every person responds to emotional and environmental stressors differently. Some have a larger capacity for it than others. A shortage in staff results in a heavy workload for nurses. Nurses become fatigued when they are continually required to perform tasks alone that are best performed by a team. Unfair treatment of workers is perceived when evaluations, promotions, compensation  and benefits are not applied fairly (Espeland, 2006). When a nurse’s hard work goes unnoticed and unrewarded, this may result in feelings of hopelessness. Self-conflict is an important stressor that should be mentioned. Nurses tend to be very ambitious and have high expectations for themselves. These standards may lead the nurse to over-extend themselves, resulting in early on- set burnout. Also, a nurse may not be able to satisfactorily meet their own standards of care when they are simply given too much work to handle. The result of this is will be job dissatisfaction and subsequent compassion fatigue. Nurses who are young when they join the profession are at higher risk. This is because they are less prepared for role ambiguity, heavy workloads, and changing environments (Espeland, 2006). Bearing the suffering of others over a length of time is a big factor in the development of compassion fatigue. A nurse should be able to recognize their own individual risk for compassion fatigue and understand how to guard against it. Overcoming Burnout To change from a burnout state, we need to change our thought processes and viewpoints about the people and things that may have contributed to our burnout (Espeland, 2006). A nurse needs to actively take control of their situation instead of waiting for their situation to change on its own. By setting realistic goals for themselves and prioritizing important aspects of their life, the nurse can begin overcoming the state of compassion fatigue. It’s important to realize our personal limits. We can strive to perform at our optimal best without attempting to achieve perfection, which is impossible for anyone. We always have control of our own attitude. When we strive to maintain a positive outlook, we minimize feelings of compassion fatigue. It is inevitable that we will face challenges and adversity on our career path. Utilizing adversity as an opportunity for personal growth as opposed to a barrier is a way to guarantee personal and professional advancement (Espeland, 206). Another change that may need to be made to overcome burnout is a change in practice. Recognizing when it is time for a change is important. Whether it changing units within our hospital or changing disciplines within nursing, these changes provide us with the chance to grow in our profession and gain new skills. This variety contributes to career satisfaction and lessens the risk for burnout. It is imperative for nurses to know their risk for compassion fatigue, how to guard against it, and how to overcome it if they do find themselves in the state of burnout. Reviewing information about compassion fatigue to valuable to all nurses, as nurses in all disciplines of the profession are at risk for compassion fatigue. Applying these strategies and coping mechanisms will provide the nurse with a more satisfying experience in their nursing career and will assist them to perform at their optimal best. References Bush, N. (2009). Compassion fatigue: are you at risk?. Oncology Nursing Forum, 36(1), 24-28. doi:10.1188/09.ONF.24-28 Espeland, K. (2006). Overcoming burnout: how to revitalize your career. Journal Of Continuing Education In Nursing, 37(4), 178-184.

Compare the ways in which ambition is presented in Act 1 of Macbeth and chapter 5 of Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Compare the ways in which ambition is presented in Act 1 of Macbeth and chapter 5 of Frankenstein Essay Compare the ways in which ambition is presented in Act 1 of ‘Macbeth’ and chapter 5 of ‘Frankenstein’. Pay close attention to the writers presentation of ideas and relate your thoughts to the social and historical content of the texts. Ambition is a passion for something so strong that weaker individuals will become utterly seized by it. We see this in both protagonists in the two texts. Macbeth is first shown as a noble warrior. Shakespeare uses the language of the other characters such as ‘the captain,’ to underline and suggest what had happened and what will happen throughout the plot. Shakespeare uses the phrase â€Å"But all’s too weak/ for brave Macbeth† to explain Macbeth’s capability in the beginning of act one. Although we soon learn that he leaves his nobility behind as his selfish ambition takes control of mind. The words have been chosen to make the phrase dramatic and shocking to the audience, as Macbeth has just slaughtered â€Å"Macdonwald†, Shakespeare uses punctuation to split up the sentences as Shelly also does when ‘Frankenstein’ is terrified that the monster could be lurking in his home in Inglestad when he returns with ‘Clerval’. The novelist also does this when Frankenstein becomes manic due to his relief at seeing ‘Clerval’ and the fear of his creation. This technique is used so that the texts are read or performed in a disjointed manner which creates a sense of anticipation. Mary Shelley wrote ‘Frankenstein’ as an outlet of her experiences throughout her previous years and to express her feelings of grief, anxiety and shock from her childhood. When Mary Shelley was younger, her own ambition was to have a child to love and care for. This ambition and hope was shot down when her baby died soon after its birth. This could be the inspiration that she used for the creation and the unkind response given by the world to it. We learn much about the protagonist victor Frankenstein and his utterly selfish ambition throughout chapter five. This is the climax of his scientific obsession, he finally manages to bring the creature to life after his â€Å"Candle was nearly burnt out†. Shelley uses this metaphor to indicate that Frankenstein only had a small amount of his candle left to work by, and that he was close to giving up, and that his ‘Candle of hope’ was nearly extinguished. We can see parallels between Macbeth and Frankenstein where in the last act of the play, Macbeth describes how he sees life and death. He uses the words â€Å"Out out brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to display his thoughts about the light or flame of life and how he now wishes he could blow out his candle so that he may die. A candle will flicker, shrink and grow through time and these uses of the word make me imagine the ups and downs of our lives until finally, they weaken and extinguish. The authors use the idea of a candle as it is often used as a symbol of light, hope and expectation. Frankenstein describes his own ambition to create the monster when he tells us that he had â€Å"desired it with an ardour†. Shelley uses â€Å"desired† to make us realise that Victor Frankenstein has wanted this success for a long time and that he has dreamed about it, the word â€Å"ardour† is in this phrase as it makes one think of a deep and intense passion of love in which Frankenstein is referring to the monster by. He contradicts this by using it in the past tense to explain that he regrets his decision to bring life to the monster. Frankenstein says that his aspiration â€Å"†¦far exceeded moderation† when talking about his hope to create a life. Shelley has used the words â€Å"exceeded moderation† to display the extent to which Victor Frankenstein had wished to succeed as a scientist. Although Victor Frankenstein, automatically rejects the creation when he views its appearance. This tells me that Frankenstein is very shallow and intolerant as he does not give the â€Å"utterly benevolent,† creature a moment to be understood or loved. Shelley uses this expression to compare the Frankenstein’s creation a new born babe as babies are completely innocent when they are first born. Shakespeare also introduces the idea of children and violent acts with Lady Macbeth when she tells us about the horrifying moves she is willing to take to have the opportunity to become Queen. Lady Macbeth says the expression â€Å"†¦dashd the brains out† to turn the beautiful and natural act of breastfeeding into something monstrous, she is comparing killing her â€Å"babe† while breastfeeding to killing King Duncan. The word â€Å"dash’d† has been used to emphasise the speed at which she would kill her child and the Shakespeare has used punctuation to create this effect. I believe that this is where Frankenstein begins to fall due to his ambition and, in contrast to Macbeth, he dies not realise that what he is doing and has done is wrong. Macbeth describes his hopes for King Duncan’s death as â€Å"black and deep desires†, which tells me that Macbeth recognises the immorality of his wishes. Frankenstein and Macbeth both soon become arrogant and totally selfish. Macbeth also turns evil and bloodthirsty. Shelley and Shakespeare both warn their audience of the potential threats and consequences of trying to play the role of God by creating, destroying or changing life.

Leisure Management Essays Leisure Activity

Leisure Management Essays Leisure Activity The Development and significance of tennis as a Leisure Activity (Mainly in the UK). 1. The History and Development of tennis. (Mainly in the UK) According to The Cliff Richard Tennis Development Fund 2000, tennis is a world-class competitive sport captivating millions of players and fans all round the world. It was in France that the game tennis as we know it today really came into being. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries it became the highly fashionable sport of kings and noblemen a far cry from being played by the lower classes. The development fund 2000 describes how real tennis was actually very different to the game that we know today. The game was played indoors, in large galleries with jutting roofs and points were won according to how the ball was played off of the gallery walls, rather like squash. This concept is very different to todays Lawn Tennis, where the rectangular court is laid out on a grass surface and the play is within marked boundaries, not off of the walls. After its initial rise in popularity with the French nobility, tennis spread throughout Europe, becoming particularly popular in England. To day, Wimbledon and the UK are associated with lawn tennis. Cliff Richard’s Development fund describes how the changes in tennis have taken place over the years and how the shift has moved tennis from being associated with the upper classes to a sport which is played at all different levels and at every level of the social classes. During the 19th century when Victorian prosperity in England prompted a significant revival, courts were built in many famous country houses and the first tennis clubs providing facilities for members began to appear. The biggest boost for tennis however came in 1875. As said by the development Fund 2000, The All England Croquet Club, which had formed in 1869 had failed to attract enough visitors and in 1875 they decided to offer Lawn Tennis as an added attraction. The new game was an instant success, so much so that in 1877 the name of the club was changed to the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. This highlights that the popularity of tennis has been growing for many decades thus gives us a good ind ication that it will continue to prosper. The Wimbledon Championship has been one of the most significant developments in the history of tennis. This event alone has contributed to a huge numbers of followers and participants throughout the UK and illustrates the development of tennis as we know it today. In the 1930s the game became highly fashionable in the UK, led by British stars such as Fred Perry and Don Budge and International Champions such as Henri Lacoste. Then, into the 1990s the championships became more popular than ever particularly as Great Britains hopes for a champion became rekindled with the likes of Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman. Now, entering 2006 we are witnessing the rise of young Andrew Murray who is taking the tennis circuit by storm and he will hopefully encourage and boost tennis numbers within the UK. The Lawn Tennis Association has outlined a number of ways in which it has attempted to translate the enthusiasm generated by the Wimbledon Championships each year into lasting benefits and continually develop tennis on a yearly basis. Some examples include; the sponsored campaign, ‘Play Tennis’, which is an initiative that offered free tennis lessons with the Lawn Tennis Association coaches in April and May 2004. The Lawn Tennis Association confirms that in 2004, 8,000 Londoners participated in the scheme and as a result around a third joined their local tennis clubs after playing. This highlights the significance of tennis within the UK and that the sport is held in high esteem. Perhaps now it is important to expand its target market and appeal to different socio-economic groups. Further, the Lawn Tennis Association launched an Ariel Tennis Ace campaign which was a ‘talent search’ for young players, the winner of which received coaching with John McEnroe du ring the Wimbledon Championships. It is important to note that tennis is such a significant sport within the UK that such competitions are respected and widely sought after. Other ways in which the Lawn Tennis Association has developed and increased the popularity in the UK include the introduction of a Tennis Show which has been running since April 2004 which was linked in with the Fitness Show and offered free coaching, access to clubs and information. Further, in order to establish a larger ratio of children who play tennis the organisation pioneered the Wimbledon Kid’s Zone; whilst the Championships were taking place, a children’s area is established to introduce children to tennis. Approximately 6,000 children attended in 2004 and lastly, ‘The Road to Wimbledon’ initiative was set up for young players to lure them into tennis and encourage promising young talent which will help boost tennis numbers. The incentive to entering this competition was that the winners were given the opportunity to play at Wimbledon in August. Nowadays, sporting events tend to be sponsored by major companies in order to generate more money. Last year, American Express sponsored a five-day event next to Tower Bridge with larges screens televising Wimbledon matches, tennis training and held a celebrity tennis night which raised money for the Sport Relief Charity. The Lawn Tennis Association supports any private sponsorship for these free public events because it helps develop the sport. Moreover, it is obvious that much is being done to develop tennis within the UK because Sport England has launched a website www.activeplaces.com – this Internet site has produced a list of facilities for all sports, including the locations of every tennis court in London. Sport England believes that the site’s usefulness could be enhanced if it keeps records of the condition of facilities to ensure the courts upkeep and increase the number of tennis players in the UK. The Lawn Tennis Association believes that currently a third of local authority tennis courts are in a state of disrepair, this information needs to be passed onto the local authorities to be addressed, otherwise tennis could cease to play a significant sporting role in the UK. Also, if information of facility conditions is recorded it will provide a more realistic picture of sports resources in London and may serve as a prompt to local authorities to improve their local facilities. 2. The Organisation of tennis.   The Lawn Tennis Association’s work and investment is based around three main priority areas, theses include tennis clubs, junior players and performance. The organisation has been trying to make British tennis more inclusive and available to a wide number for many years. The reasons for targeting the different areas and widening their target market are to attract more and better players. Nowadays, the Lawn Tennis Association is focusing on how and where tennis is played and organised in the UK. The reason for this is to establish where the best facilities are and to improve the areas which are in disrepair. In order to better organise tennis within the UK, the Lawn Tennis Association has introduced an initiative called ‘Club Vision’ which aims to provide progressive clubs with greater support and resources at both a national and county level and to ensure that clubs can play a greater part in making the UK into a stronger tennis nation and make it as popular and g enerate a following as great as that of football. ‘Club Vision’ is described by the Lawn Tennis Association as being a multi-million pound investment programme that puts clubs at the heart of British Tennis and also supports public pay and play indoor tennis centres, schools and local authority venues. The Lawn Tennis Association joined forces with the Sports Council and the All England Lawn Tennis Club in 1986 to launch the Indoor Tennis Initiative designed to develop indoor tennis centres around Britain. The main benefit of ‘Club Vision’ is that it is able to help any club throughout the UK regardless of size and therefore as facilities are better they can promote and attempt to attract many people. This shows that tennis is becoming more organised in the UK perhaps as a result of the increased availability of courts, the affordability of equipment and the increased media interest and coverage of tennis tournaments and championships. According to Sport England, the London Assembly’s Culture Sport and Tourism Committee met with them and the Lawn Tennis Association to discuss tennis in London in 2004. The aim of the meeting was to establish how the Wimbledon Championship could propel and promote tennis within London and the rest of the UK. Further, the bodies discussed and considered ease of access to tennis courts in London and deliberated over club organization and costs of using publicly owned tennis courts. Throughout the talks, certain projects were discussed which encourage young people to get involved in tennis (such as the Westway Tennis centre), and further they examined how the Mayor, Sport England and the Lawn Tennis Association could encourage more Londoners to pick up a racquet. There is more incentive for people to take up tennis due to the 2,600 tennis clubs which have affiliated with the Lawn Tennis Association via their local county office. The development and introduction of so many clubs h ighlights the improvement of tennis as a leisure activity. Currently, the Lawn Tennis Association estimates are that two-thirds of local authority courts nationally are in a state of disrepair and nevertheless the cost of hiring local authority courts stands between  £2- £6 per hour for adults. Most tennis activities are run through such organisations as the Lawn Tennis Association and All England Tennis Club. As a result of theses clubs it is possible for people to enquire as to their nearest club or courts and increase the probability of people playing tennis as knowledge is more readily available. 3. The Social Structure of Participation. In my opinion tennis has always been classified as a rich mans sport. This might be due to the fact that when tennis originated it was played by the Kings, Queens and nobility. This stigma has now shifted however, there are still certain socio-demographics who shy away from the sport. According to the Lawn Tennis Association, 2.9  million people aged four years and upwards played tennis in the UK in 2003. Further, this is reinforced by the British Embassy who suggests that around five million people play tennis in the UK. Either way, this is a large number but there does not compete with the number of people that play football. Of the 2.9 million tennis players the Lawn Tennis Association estimates that 441,000 of   these people play tennis in London; 137,000 of them playing regularly. In the UK many of the tennis campaigns and organisations aim to attract the younger generation to take up tennis. This it is no surprise that the younger generation in the UK are likely to play mor e tennis in the future than that of the current older generation. In contrast to the number of tennis players in the UK, American Tennis Life Magazine, which conducted a survey on tennis, illustrates that 23.5 million Americans play tennis annually. Of this, 52 per cent of players were men and 48 per cent were women with the average age of these players being 29. Further, the percentage of women players to men is reflected in the ratio of spectatorship. McNamee, (2001) illustrates that 48 per cent of women watch tennis compared to 52 per cent of men. I am surprised that women on average play less and watch less tennis. The abovementioned illustrates that tennis is indeed a thriving sport within the UK but simultaneously illustrate that there is scope for growth within these figures. So, it is important to establish the type of people who do not play tennis and the reasons for their lack of participation in the sport. The kind of people not playing tennis are those who are in the lower social classes who cannot afford to pay for a club membership, those in areas where facilities are in a state of disrepair and those from ethnic minorities, the latter will be discussed further. Moreover, Sport England and the Lawn Tennis Association have identified the following barriers to greater participation in tennis in London, some of which include; cost (however in reality this is more down to peoples perception of the sport – studies show that the actual cost of tennis membership is more than half what people estimate). Also, poor local authority facilities and a lack of investment in facilities has meant that people in certain areas are just unable to play tennis. Further, the weather plays a large role in determining the months of the year in which tennis is playe d. Those with no access to indoor courts are not likely to play tennis outside the summer months which results in lower numbers of people who play tennis. Moreover, Sport England has established that there is no co-ordinated approach to tennis for people with disabilities, thus limiting the development of tennis as a leisure activity. Lastly, due to the immense popularity and plugging of other sports such as football, competition with other leisure activities and sports creates a loss of interest in playing tennis once young people have left school. Furthermore, according to Gabriel, D from the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), black players are noticeably absent from tennis. Supposedly, poverty is cited as a major factor, with 57 per cent of people from ethnic minorities socially excluded from sports on the grounds of destitution. Gabriel, D believes that a white sporting establishment effectively excludes people from ethnic minorities  from getting involved in the organisation and governance of sport at every level. In other words, the lack of black people in decision-making roles within sports organisations means there is little opportunity for them to ascend to senior and more influential roles that could promote their wider involvement and influence in sport. McLean, L reinforces the fact that the ethnic minorities do not take part in sport, compared with the national average. Supposedly, people from ethnic minorities are keen to give sports such as tennis a go, but they do not have access to facilities. Thus in order to ensure that tennis remains a popular sport and continues to grow it is essential that every local government looks to improve facilities in their area and encourage ethnic minorities. Every year, Wimbledon is broadcast on television and in its own right is one of the UK’s major sporting events. According to the Lawn Tennis Association, Sport England spent approximately  £18.7 million on tennis facilities, coaching and promotion and outreach in London in 2003. This perhaps demonstrates that tennis in the UK is in fact on the increase. What we must ensure is that we have the infrastructure in place to cope with larger numbers. The Lawn Tennis Association believes that the most immediate benefit from the Wimbledon Championships is the revenue generated by the event.   The 2003 competition brought in  £25.8 million (net income) which was invested back into tennis initiatives nationally. However, in order to see tennis become more popular it is essential to promote all year round and eradicate the idea that it is a summer sport. There is of course little that the Lawn Tennis Association can do to change the weather but it should look to invest in indoor co urts and floodlighting through its Club Vision programme and Indoor Tennis Initiative.   In 2003, the Lawn Tennis Association committed  £2.28 million to facilities in London, 30 per cent of the organisations fund. Since 2001 it has invested over  £4.89 million in 16 major tennis projects in London. Further, Gabriel, D from the Commission for Racial Equality has reported that black people are very interested in tennis thus there is scope to increase the number of tennis players in the UK. In my opinion tennis is a growing sport. This is further emphasised by UK Sport (2001), which has explained how the management Board of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to engage with Sport England and the Lawn Tennis Association in an informal consortium to seek planning permission for the redevelopment of facilities at the Bisham Abbey Sports Centre, enabling it to become a Centre of Excellence for both sports. This illustrates that organisations believe that tennis is a worthy investment for the future. Further, Since September 2004, construction has been underway on the Lawn Tennis Association’s new National Tennis Centre (NTC) in Roehampton. If tennis was showing signs of decline there would not be so many initiatives or campaigns running to improve facilities throughout the UK. The site will provide a single site of national focus for tennis in Great Britain, and will open in late 2006. The reasons for a National Tennis Centre according to the Lawn Tennis Association are that in 1999 an extensive review of the sport was undertaken and it arose that tennis has effectively turned into a social leisure activity for a few, rather than a competitive sport to be enjoyed by many millions. In all, the evidence points to a rise in popularity of the game tennis. There is still plenty of scope for growth and the introduction of more ethnic minorities to the sport. Bibliography The Cliff Richard Tennis Development Fund (2000) The History of Tennis. (Internet), Available at http://www.cliffrichardtennis.org/planet_tennis/history.htm, cited 30/11/05 Bray, A. (2005) Tennis in London. (Internet), Available at http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/reports/culture/tennis.rtf, cited 30/11/05 The Lawn Tennis Association. (2005) Building our Tennis Nation. (Internet), Available at http://www.lta.org.uk/InsideTheLta/AboutTheLta/BuildingOurTennisNation.htm, cited 30/11/05 British Embassy. Sport – One of the best things in life. (Internet), Available at http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate /ShowPagec=Pagecid=1065716130553, cited 30/11/05 Gabriel, D. Commission for Racial Equality (2005). Why black British tennis players are missing from Wimbledon. (Internet), Available at http://www.cre.gov.uk/Default.aspx.LocID-0hgnew070.RefLocID-0hg00k001.Lang-EN.htm, cited 30/11/05 UK Sport (2001) Cricket and Tennis seek Alliances. (Internet), Available at http://www.uksport.gov.uk/template.asp?id=376, cited 30/11/05 Tennis Life Magazine. Demographics. (Internet), Available at http://www.tennislifemagazine.com/advertising/advertising-demo.html, cited 01/12/05 McNamee, Dr (2001) Sporting Conduct: A survey of Sports spectators’ perceptions of the values and norms of selected professional sports. (Internet), Available at http://www.uksport.gov.uk/images/uploaded/sportingconduct.pdf, cited 01/12/05 McLean, L. Participation in Sport. (Internet), Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2002/race/participation_in_sport.stm, cited 01/12/05

The Oppression of Colonized India Illustrated in Arundhati Roy’s Novel

The post colonial experience has made the goal of harmonious family relationships that much more difficult, due to the families fragmenting throughout the old country and immigration to the land of the colonizer. Children and adult children alike lose perspective on their homeland and the struggles within their homeland. They become awe-struck by the development of the colonizers land, and as a result become confused with where their loyalties should lie. In Arundhati Roy’s novel â€Å"The God of Small Things†, the Kochamma family is a family of tragic situations and tragic people. Not all of their problems stem from colonization; in fact it is their own cultural traditions that lead to much of the tragedy; however it can be argued that the underlying theme within the novel is one of a people oppressed by the colonization of India by England, and how a society already consumed with prejudices based on class (or caste, as the Indian would refer to it) and colour begins t o turn on itself, and devalues its own people, culture and heritage. The Kochamma family lives, works and plays together. They do not however communicate with each other, nor do they comfort each other or attempt to understand one another. This is the greatest downfall of the family. Colonization plays a role in how some members begin to perceive each other and India as a whole; as well it lays the foundation for the sense of worthlessness each member of the family feels at different times. Although the English have left India when this story takes place, their presence can still be felt. â€Å"Englishness† and whiteness is held in high regard, and is something to emulate and work towards. The Indians, who had always had a class system and a disregard for darker skin,... ...n all of these stories, the children look to their families to help them form their identity and find their place in the world; and in most cases are disappointed with the lack of unity and dis-functionality they encounter. This relationship is much like India has with itself and England. Rather than thinking independently and trying to move away from British culture and being a people oppressed by colonization, the Indian people become a victim once again insomuch that they continue to think like the colonized even after they have won independence. The fragmentation of families in the post-colonial experience will only cease when the fragmentation of their country and culture has been ratified, and the shameful mindset of the colonized victim is shed from their minds and they are able to find respect and the future in their own customs, culture and people.

Symbolism in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” Essay -- Literary Analy

In 1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge published his poem â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner†. Several editions followed this, the most notable being the 1815 version, which included a gloss. This poem has grown to become well known and debated, especially concerning the message that Coleridge was attempting to impart. The interpretation of the poem as a whole and of various characters, settings, and objects has been the subject of numerous essays, papers, books, and lectures. There are approximately four things that are major symbols in this work, along with the possibility that the structure itself is symbolic. In order to best determine what these things symbolize in â€Å"The Rime†, one must look at what Coleridge considered a symbol to be and then analyze the text accordingly. James McKusick accomplishes this first task deftly, intertwining Coleridge’s own writings into his essay and then elucidating upon them so that the reader may understand Coleridge’s views, which should then influence how the poem is interpreted. In this, own discovers that Coleridge felt that to be a symbol, the object in question must be humble and of everyday life, while â€Å"bear[ing] witness to the presence of the Eternal.† The process of creating a symbol was two-fold in that â€Å"poetic images emerge fully formed from the †¦ imagination, but they do not become symbols, laden with †¦ meaning, until they are appropriated and reconstituted by the awareness of a reader† (McKusick 223). Thus, the purpose of a symbol was to convey the Eternal. One other important f eature of Coleridge is that in creating a symbol, he often uses nature and its elements, as can be seen in â€Å"The Rime† (Bostetter 242, Perkins 433). Depending on the interpretation of the poem as whole w... ... the poem and possibly implicate that it is also the center of the universe as well (Dilworth). Interpretation of a literary work is often difficult to determine, but the author often leaves many hidden clues to help the reader along. Symbols are one of the primary features used by authors in this endeavor and Coleridge was no different in writing â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner†. Many other symbols besides the four major ones discussed exist, along with other literary characteristics possibly acting as symbols or simply assist in exposing the message the author wanted to divulge. Ultimately, the beauty of literature is the fact that each person may perceive it differently and not be incorrect, and through open-minded discussion people may share, create, and impart new pieces of wisdom, spread appreciation, and share the love of Christ as well. Symbolism in â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† Essay -- Literary Analy In 1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge published his poem â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner†. Several editions followed this, the most notable being the 1815 version, which included a gloss. This poem has grown to become well known and debated, especially concerning the message that Coleridge was attempting to impart. The interpretation of the poem as a whole and of various characters, settings, and objects has been the subject of numerous essays, papers, books, and lectures. There are approximately four things that are major symbols in this work, along with the possibility that the structure itself is symbolic. In order to best determine what these things symbolize in â€Å"The Rime†, one must look at what Coleridge considered a symbol to be and then analyze the text accordingly. James McKusick accomplishes this first task deftly, intertwining Coleridge’s own writings into his essay and then elucidating upon them so that the reader may understand Coleridge’s views, which should then influence how the poem is interpreted. In this, own discovers that Coleridge felt that to be a symbol, the object in question must be humble and of everyday life, while â€Å"bear[ing] witness to the presence of the Eternal.† The process of creating a symbol was two-fold in that â€Å"poetic images emerge fully formed from the †¦ imagination, but they do not become symbols, laden with †¦ meaning, until they are appropriated and reconstituted by the awareness of a reader† (McKusick 223). Thus, the purpose of a symbol was to convey the Eternal. One other important f eature of Coleridge is that in creating a symbol, he often uses nature and its elements, as can be seen in â€Å"The Rime† (Bostetter 242, Perkins 433). Depending on the interpretation of the poem as whole w... ... the poem and possibly implicate that it is also the center of the universe as well (Dilworth). Interpretation of a literary work is often difficult to determine, but the author often leaves many hidden clues to help the reader along. Symbols are one of the primary features used by authors in this endeavor and Coleridge was no different in writing â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner†. Many other symbols besides the four major ones discussed exist, along with other literary characteristics possibly acting as symbols or simply assist in exposing the message the author wanted to divulge. Ultimately, the beauty of literature is the fact that each person may perceive it differently and not be incorrect, and through open-minded discussion people may share, create, and impart new pieces of wisdom, spread appreciation, and share the love of Christ as well.