10 Reasons to Oppose the Death Penalty Essay Example for Free

10 Reasons to Oppose the Death Penalty Essay Innocence and the Death Penalty The wrongful execution of an innocent person is an injustice that can never be rectified. Since the reinstatement of the death penalty, 139 men and women have been released from death row nationally. The High Cost of the Death Penalty It costs far more to execute a person than to keep him or her in prison for life. Death Penalty Can Prolong Suffering for Victims Families Many family members who have lost love ones to murder feel that the death penalty will not heal their wounds nor will it end their pain; the extended legal process prior to executions can prolong the agony experienced by the victims families. International Views on the Death Penalty The vast majority of countries in Western Europe, North America and South America more than 139 nations worldwide have abandoned capital punishment in law or in practice. Inadequate Legal Representation Perhaps the most important factor in determining whether a defendant will receive the death penalty is the quality of the representation he or she is provided. Deterrence Scientific studies have consistently failed to demonstrate that executions deter people from committing crime anymore than long prison sentences. Arbitrariness in the Application of the Death Penalty Politics, quality of legal counsel and the jurisdiction where a crime is committed are more often the determining factors in a death penalty case than the facts of the crime itself. Religious Perspectives on the Death Penalty Although isolated passages of religious scripture have been quoted in support of the death penalty, almost all religious groups in the United States regard executions as immoral. Racial Disparities The race of the victim and the race of the defendant in capital cases are major factors in determining who is sentenced to die in this country. In 1990 a report from the General Accounting Office concluded that in 82 percent of the studies [reviewed], race of the victim was found to influence the likelihood of being charged with capital murder or receiving the death penalty, i.e. those who murdered whites were more likely to be sentenced to death than those who murdered blacks. Alternatives to the Death Penalty In every state that retains the death penalty, jurors have the option of sentencing convicted capital murderers to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The sentence is cheaper to tax-payers and keeps violent offenders off the streets for good.

Sample Business Plan Essay Example for Free

Sample Business Plan Essay Executive Summary Business Description Business Success Consulting is a new business located in North Creek, British Columbia, specializing in consulting services for small and medium sized businesses. Primary services will include market feasibility studies, business plans, operational reviews, re-engineering, strategic planning, seminars and workshops. Our mission is to provide our clients with business services that help them become more successful and to become a leader in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. To keep our overhead costs low, Business Success Consulting will be located in the home of Mark B. Assets. The home is equipped with a computer, fax machine and photocopier. Ownership and Management Business Success Consulting is a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. As the business expands the firm may develop strategic alliances with other companies. Mark B. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant and a member of the Institute of Management Consultants of British Columbia. He has a commerce degree from the University of Brigham and a Masters in Business from the University of South Seymour. Mark B. Assets has been a consultant for 15 years with Smith and Smith specializing in small and medium sized businesses. Business Success Consulting will initially only have one employee, Mark B. Assets. Additional staff support will be obtained on a subcontract basis. Secretarial service will be contracted out as required to TempServ company in North Creek. Key Initiatives and Objectives Business Success Consulting is currently in the process of obtaining a bank loan for $30,000 to finance the start up of the business. Our key objective during the first 12 months of operation is to develop a profitable consulting business. To do this, a strong client base will be developed through networking with local business leaders and business associations, affiliating with small business loan divisions of the local banks, and holding seminars and workshops. During the first four months of operations eight small business seminars and four small business workshops will be developed. Marketing Opportunities Due to high overhead costs Smith and Smith recently restructured to focus more on large corporate and government clients. This meant the elimination of their small business division. Large consulting firms such as Smith and Smith typically target larger businesses and government contracts; thus creating an opportunity for smaller consulting firms such as Business Success Consulting to provide small and medium sized businesses with affordable consulting services. There are currently no other firms that specialize in this type of consulting located within the region. Mark B. Assets left Smith and Smith to continue to provide small and medium sized businesses with much needed affordable consulting services. Competitive Advantages The key competitive advantages of Business Success Consulting are the small business experience and expertise of Mark B. Assets as well as the businesss relatively low overhead costs compared to competitive consulting firms. Mark B. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant with extensive consulting experience for small and medium sized businesses. Overhead costs are comparatively low because Business Success Consulting will be based at the home of Mark B. Assets and labour costs will be low as there are no other full time employees. Marketing Strategy Our target markets will be small and medium sized new and existing businesses in the surrounding region. Business Success will market its services by placing an ad in the yellow pages, listing with all local business and industry associations, developing a brochure to be distributed to lending institutions and clients, becoming an active member of a number of business and consulting associations, networking with the local business community, and developing workshops and seminars for small businesses. Our seminars and workshops will be used to promote our other consulting services. Attendees will be able to pick up our corporate brochure and ask any questions regarding the services we provide. The corporate brochure will outline Business Success Consultings services and fee structure. The brochure will also highlight the past experience and level of expertise of Mark B. Assets. The brochures will be distributed at our workshops and seminars, to lending instituutions, associations, key business leaders, and to potential clients. Business Success Consulting will not do much advertising except for placing an ad in the local yellow pages. Within the next three years, Business Success Consulting may develop an Internet site highlighting key services, level of expertise and fee structure. Mark B. Assets will join local business associations to maintain contacts in the business community as well as to stay well informed about the business issues that are important to local businesses. Summary of Financial Projections The revenue of Business Success Consulting are projected to increase from $121,770 in 1998 to $181,170 by 2000. Revenues will see strong growth of 22% annually as the business grows and expands. The Cost of Sales are 55% including total wages (including subcontractors) at 45% and goods and materials at 10%. The Net Income is projected to increase from $12,330 in 1998 to $17,279 in 2000. Corporate profits will be taxed at the corporate rate of 22.8% while Mark B. Assets wages of $40,000 per year will be taxed at prevailing personal tax rates. Confidentiality and Recognition of Risks Confidentiality Clause The information included in this business plan is strictly confidential and is supplied on the understanding that it will not be disclosed to third parties without the written consent of Mark B. Assets. Recognition of Risk The business plan represents our best estimate of the future of Business Success Consulting. It should be recognized that not all of major risks can be predicted or avoided and few business plans are free of errors of omission or commission. Therefore, investors should be aware that this business has inherent risks that should be evaluated prior to any investment. Business Overview Business History Business Success is a management consulting business that is scheduled to begin operations on March 1, 1997. Business Success will be a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. Mark B. Assets left the large consulting firm of Smith and Smith to specialize in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. Large consulting firms such as Smith and Smith typically target larger businesses and government contracts creating an opportunity for Business Success to provide small and medium sized businesses with affordable consulting services. Vision and Mission Statement Our mission is to become a leader in small business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful. Objectives Our primary objectives over the next year are to: 1. Obtain a bank loan of $30,000 to cover the start up costs and initial operating costs for Business Success Consulting. 2. Generate one new client contract a month by networking with key industry leaders and local lending institutions, conducting seminars and workshops for small and medium sized businesses, and joining key business and industry associations. 3. Generate a net profit of $12,000 in the first year by developing a strong client base and keeping overhead costs to a minimum. 4. Develop and conduct eight business seminars  and four business workshops that meet the needs of the local business community. Ownership Business Success is a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. As the business expands, strategic alliances may be formed with other companies. Location and Facilities To keep our overhead costs low, Business Success Consulting will be located in the home of Mark B. Assets. The home, located at 1875 Wilson Street in North Creek, is equipped with a computer, fax machine and photocopier. Secretarial service will be contracted out as required to TempServ company in North Creek. Where possible, all meetings and presentations will be held at the clients location. If this is not feasible, the company has arranged to rent the boardroom of a local law firm as required. Presentation equipment such as overhead projectors and liquid crystal display (LCD) units will be rented from North Creek Community College. Any sub-contractors hired for specific projects will not work in our office but will work from their own offices. This will greatly reduce our overhead costs allowing us to price our services competitively. As Business Success Consulting grows, consideration will be given to acquiring office space. Products and Services Description of Products and Services The primary types of services we will provide include market feasibility studies, business plans, reengineering strategies, organizational reviews, strategic planning, seminars and workshops. Our services include the development of: 1. Market Feasibility Studies We develop market feasibility studies for businesses that want to market new products or technologies. Some of these companies are looking for government funding to commercialize the technology or product. Our market feasibility studies include a full assessment of potential markets, competitive analysis, and the financial viability of commercializing the product. 2. Business Plans We will develop full business plans for start up and existing businesses requiring financing, introducing new products, entering new markets, and  restructuring. 3. Other Services Our other services will include operational revviews, strategic planning, and development of corporate re- engineering strategies. 4. Seminars and Workshops We will offer seminars to small and medium sized businesses. The seminars will focus on key management issues for small and medium sized operators such as market analysis, product commercialization, how to write a business plan, marketing strategies, customer service etc. Attendance will vary but should average 20 to 30 people each. The workshops will be developed to help small and medium sized businesses write business plans. This service is currently unavailable in the area. Workshops will be held in the evenings and on weekends making it easier for busy operators to attend. Key Features of the Products and Services Business Success Consulting will specialize in small and medium sized firms. While other consulting firms in the region offer small and medium sized businesses consulting services, none specialize in this area. With todays unpredictable political and economic environments, it is increasingly difficult for entrepreneurs to successfully start new businesses and for existing small and medium sized businesses to remain profitable. Our services will differ from our competitors in that Business Success Consulting will offer creative, innovative, and effective solutions to business problems. Too many consulting firms try to develop standard models to solve key business problems. Business Success realizes that business problems have a variety of solutions; what may be right for one business would not necessarily meet the needs of another business. Production of Products and Services Initially subcontractors will be hired as needed to work on specific projects. Subcontractors will be hired based on their area of expertise and experience. Due to office space limitations, sub contractors will work out of their own offices and will be linked directly to our office via e-mail and the Internet. Within the next three years, full time consulting and administrative staff will be hired. While all reports will be produced and  edited by Mark B. Assets, the physical reports will be formatted, printed and bound by TempServ, a local secretarial agency in North Creek. Should the company take on any other full time employees, consideration will be given to leasing office space in the North Creek area. Future Products and Services We will continually expand our services based on industry trends and changing client needs. We will also get feedback from clients and seminar attendees on what is needed for future seminars and workshops. Comparative Advantages in Production Our comparative advantages in production are our low overhead and labour costs. Business Success does not have to pay for under utilized staff or facilities. We also have an advantage in that we can pick the most qualified sub- contractors for each project. The sub-contractors will be picked based on their expertise. This allows us to draw from a larger labour pool and skill set. Subcontractors will be hired as needed which means that during down times our firm is not over staffed. Industry Overview Market Research To fully understand the market we are targeting we talked to local business leaders, the Small Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the local economic development office, and all small business lending departments at the local banks. In addition, we read local newspaper and journal articles, and collected industry statistics from Statistics Canada. Size of the Industry There are 500 consulting businesses in British Columbia; there are 34 consulting firms in the North Creek area alone. While there is some overlap in the types of services provided, most firms have developed their own market niches. Firms tend to become well known and recognized for their skills in a specific area such as organizational re-engineering, marketing, training, employee benefits, government program evaluation, or in a specific industry such as forestry, hospitality, health care, information technology,  or communications. Key Product Segments Consulting is a very diverse industry. There are hundreds of different services that consultants provide to all industries and industry sectors. Key Market Segments Key market segments vary by consulting specialty. The key markets for consulting services are corporations, municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments, crown corporations, and institutions such as hospitals and educational facilities. The total size of these markets is unknown because they are continually changing and there are no provincial or federal tracking mechanisms in place to accurately determine how much these market segments spend on consulting services annually. Purchase Process and Buying Criteria The buying process for consulting services varies by type of client and by type of service. Businesses find and chose consulting firms using several methods. 1. Referral Businesses find consultants through their lending institutions, business or industry associations, friends or colleagues, and the yellow pages. Businesses contact these consulting firms to obtain proposals and price quotes for the required services. A consulting firm is chosen based on the needs of the client such as price, quality of proposal, as well as the reputation, past experience and level of expertise of the consulting firm. 2. Request for Proposal Government and other businesses requiring consulting services sometimes distribute a Request for Proposals to a number of consulting firms that they would like to bid on a specific project. These consulting firms submit proposals for the projects they wish to bid on outlining the sccope of the work, the methodology, a work plan and price quote. These proposals are evaluated based on a predetermined set of criteria developed by the client. The proposal evaluation criteria varies by project and client but usually includes price, quality of proposal, and the reputation, past experience and level of expertise of the consulting firm. 3. Open Bidding System (OBS) The OBS is an opening bidding system for government contracts. Anyone can access this service and submit a proposal  for any contract they feel qualified to bid on. Business plan services are usually purchased by start up businesses or by small and medium sized businesses requiring financing, commercializing a new product, or entering new markets. These businesses seek business planning assistance from their lending institutions, industry and business associations, or directly from consulting firms. Description of Industry Participants Consulting firms are divided into large firms with more than 100 employees, medium sized firms with 20 to 100 employees and small firms with less than 20 employees. The majority (66%) of consultants in Canada are employed at large firms, 6% and medium sized firms and 28% at small firms according to a recent Industry Canada report. The large consulting firms are usually U.S. based firms and include Andersen Consulting, Coopers Lybrand, Deloitte Touche, Ernst Young, KPMG, and Price Waterhouse. Small firms typically have less than 10 employees. Key Industry Trends The consulting industry is growing for two key reasons. One is that demand for consulting services is increasing as companies downsize and contract out work that was historically done in-house. Corporate downsizing has also resulted in many managers being laid off. It is difficult for many of these people to find similar employment and as a result, many of these managers start their own businesses. Approximately 10% become consultants, many providing consulting services to the firms they just left. Those who start other types of businesses may require specialized consulting services to improve their chances of success. Therefore corporate downsizing has resulted in an increase both in the supply of, and demand for, consulting services. The number of business starts in North Creek has risen 10% annually over the last several years. Approximately 100 new businesses with be started in the area in 1997. This trend is projected to continue for at least another 5 years. Industry Outlook With the continued economic and political uncertainty in this province, the demand for consulting services will grow as many companies are reluctant to hire additional employees. More and more work will be contracted out to outside consultants as companies maintain tight control over labour costs. This trend is also true in the government sector which is under increasing pressure to reduce costs by reducing their employment levels. While the number of business starts has increased so have the number of bankruptcies. Approximately seven out of 10 new businesses will fail within the first two years of operation, primarily due to poor management. Some people who start new businesses lack basic business skills. The demand for small business training and assistance will grow as these entrepreneurs seek the assistance they require in order to reduce their risk of business failure. Marketing Strategy Target Markets Our target markets will be small and medium sized new and existing businesses in the surrounding region. We will also submit proposals in response to any Request for Proposals we receive as well as for any relevant provincial and federal government contracts. Description of Key Competitors There are a total of 34 consulting firms in North Creek, British Columbia. Only 14 of these consulting firms offer services similar to Business Success Consulting. The other 20 consulting firms in the region specialize in other areas of consulting such as employee benefits, training, marketing, information technology, health care or forestry. There are four large consulting firms (more than 30 employees) that offer consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. However, these large firms cannot cost effectively service this market due to high overhead and labour costs. Small and medium sized businesses usually cannot afford the high hourly fees charged by these firms. Business from this target market does not represent a significant portion of the revenues generated by these four large firms which all specialize in other areas of consulting. There are 10 smaller consulting firms (less than five employees) that offer consultiing services similar to Business Success Consulting. However, none of these firms  specializes in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. All 10 firms offer a wide range of consulting services. The majority (70%) of these firms are operated by people who have been laid off from large firms and who have limited consulting experience and qualifications. Analysis of Competitive Position Business Success Consulting will be the only consulting firm in the region specializing in providing consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. Business Success Consulting has a competitive advantage in this area due to the excellent consulting experience of Mark B. Assets. Mr. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant with 15 years consulting experience, including 10 years focussing on small business consulting. However, as a new business, it may take time to establish a strong client base and develop a reputation as a small business specialist. Mr. Assets already has an excellent reputation in this area and Smith and Smith, his former employer, will redirect any of this type of business to Mr. Assets new firm. Pricing Strategy Business Success Consulting services will be priced competitively with other small consulting firms. Typically the fees charged by small firms are much lower than those charged by the large firms due to lower overhead costs. Our fees will be based on several factors including the time and resources needed to complete a project, overhead costs, and the fees charged by other competitive consulting firms. Our hourly rates average $90.00 per hour compared to $180.00 per hour for the large consulting firms. Our hourly fees will remain the same for all projects. However, total project costs will vary depending on the time needed to complete the project as well as the direct expenses incurred as part of the project.

The Introduction To Ecommerce Information Technology Essay

The Introduction To Ecommerce Information Technology Essay In the 19th century commerce was affected by the development of rail system which reduced the cost of shipping and let seller sell his products around the country rather than in one region and helped the country to develop a national system of trade. It also led the creation of national daily newspaper, weekend holidays and improved the nations health by making perishable goods such as fresh fish and fruits more widely available. The process repeated this time electronic commerce affected the commerce by cutting the cost of transportation of information, and by letting the seller to introduce his products worldwide rather than nationwide by the later part of Twentieth century  [1]  . In the early 60s and 70s when mankind was trying to find and develop fast means to travel and communication, the business developers introduced Electronic commerce (E-com) for the business efficacy. However, the use was limited to only business to business (B2B) transitions which were Electronic data interchange( EDI) and Electronic funds transfer (EFT). By late 1991 when internet became widely available for commercial purposes, consumers also realized the usefulness of E-commerce and so started taking advantages of E-commerce. As a result, today thousands of businesses have been taken to websites. E-commerce is called as New Economy for modern world which is created by using digital technology changing our societies drastically in terms of business transactions, services, transfer of information and online shopping. As Kevin Kelly describes  [2]  Its global; it favors intangible things- ideas, information, and relationships. And it is intensely interlinked. These attributes produce a new type of marketplaces and society, one that is rooted in ubiquitous electronic networks  [3]   If simply defined, E-commerce is about exchange of digitized information between parties  [4]  which can be ordering of goods and services as well the control of their flow, making contracts and sharing information instantaneously from one part of the world to another and this can be held between consumer to consumer, business to consumer and business to business. These days people relate internet with e-commerce which is a wrong perception It is the most popularly used means these days but according to the World Trade Organization,  [5]  E-commerce can be used by using telephone, the fax, the television, electronic payment and money transfer system, Data interchange and the internet.  [6]   Considering the above statement, any transaction, any order of goods and requesting of services by using any of the above six instruments falls under the means of E-commerce. There is no precise definition of e-commerce as it changes according to its evolving role. At the beginning of the new millennium in 2002, another definition came which defined it as any business transaction concerning goods and services, where participants are not in same physical location and communicate though electronic means  [7]   Hence these days, E-Commerce Is a business term used for selling and buying goods and services over internet and other electronic means between B2B, B2C and C2C. Beneficiaries Of E-commerce There are three classes of society of those who are taking benefits as doing their business electronically (i) Business to Business (B2B), (ii) Business to Consumer (B2C), and (iii) Consumer to consumer (C2C). Business to Business . B2B electronic commerce over internet is increasingly becoming the popular choice of communication for the business as its instantaneous.  [8]   B2B e-commerce is whereby both parties conduct transactions in the course of business, also known as paperless trading especially in the US  [9]  . For instance suppose a motor manufacturer needs to purchase parts from supplier, this can be done either via e-mail or by EDI (Electronic Data Interchange system). Business to Consumer This is the type of dealing in which one party is doing their business by selling goods over website or by advertisement where they are directly dealing with consumers, such as sales person dealing with customer in high street, example of this kind of dealings are shopping on website such as www.amazon.co.uk or www.sony.co.uk. Consumer to Consumer In this kind of dealing both parties are natural persons and do not operate any business. The good example of C2C is consumer selling goods to another consumer through a website or some consumer advertising over a website for example www.ebay.co.uk. Scope of Law There is no single or specific law for e-commerce as Kevin Kelly describes  [10]  as its of global nature, electronic commerce has propensity to break the national barriers more easily rather than traditional cross-border trade.  [11]   Hence the user can either use a website for making a purchase or e-mail an offer from any jurisdiction and acceptance can take place from other jurisdiction due to this global nature that website might be subject to law of that country.  [12]   The issue of Electronic contracts was 1st considered at the international level in 1996 by United Nation Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) by introducing the Model law on Electronic Commerce and the Model law on Electronic Signature. In United Kingdom Electronic Commerce Act 2000, Electronic Commerce Regulations 2002 was introduced to provide basic legal frame work for electronic commerce and to deal with its problems in a country, and Electronic Signature Regulation 2002. The enactment of Acts was the result of European Union Directive 2000/31/EC, which was introduced to provide fundamental structure for electronic commerce in national markets, to remove cross-border barriers for online services within the member states, and to provide legal certainty to the services. Felling the heat of Electronic Commerce problems, United States of America also enacted the legislations specifically dealing with Electronic commerce. These were: (i) Uniform Electronic Transaction Act 1999 (UETA), (ii) Uniform Computer Information Transaction Act Amended 2000,2000(UCITA) and Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act 2000.  [13]   Same way different Asian countries also introduced special legislation to cope with E-commerce. Examples are Singapores Electronic Transaction Act 1998, Indias Information Technology Act 2000, Hong Kong Electronic Transactions ordinance 2000, Philippines Electronic Commerce Act 2000  [14]  and Electronic  Transactions Ordinance 2002. Advantages of Electronic Commerce: With Respect to Virtual Shop: As discussed above, e-commerce affected the commerce by reducing the cost of trade, especially in selling and buying. In 1995 Bill Gates stated in his book regarding shopping that; The net will carry us into a new world of low-friction, low -overhead capitalism, in which market information will be plentiful and transaction cost low it will be a shoppers heaven  [15]   Bill Gates words have already been proved. Shopping over internet has become the new and the most popular market for the customers. Due to low cost, sellers dont have to buy or rent the costly articles from a shop in high street. Instead they just need to get space over internet at a very low price as compared to high street shops. Furthermore, there isnt any need to hire employees as a seller himself can update or monitor the website. Lastly, he doesnt have to pay any utilities. All these advantages raise the margin of profit with an added benefit which is that the seller can attract customers by offering his product at a lesser price than high street shop price. Another advantage of a Virtual shop is that it is open for business 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Customers can even shop on the day of Christmas or any other holiday. Also, a virtual shop can cater not only to local customers but to anyone in the world who has an internet connection. Virtual shop is as profitable for the seller as it is for the buyer. When you shop online you save time, petrol and you can shop at any time even after business hours. With respect to E-mail: 20th March 2002 was the land mark day in the history of E-mail and postal mail in United Kingdom. By then it was proved that majority of people trust and are interested in e-mail rather than traditional postal mail.  [16]   The reasons are that it is cheap, fast and accurate. The biggest advantage is that it is private as only that person who knows the password can access it. Another great thing is that the same message can be sent to many recipients at the time within the same duration.

The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare :: Merchant Venice Essays Shakespeare

The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare's satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, is an examination of hatred and greed. Prejudice is a dominant theme in The Merchant of Venice, most notably taking the form of anti-Semitism. Shylock is stereotypically described as "costumed in a recognizably Jewish way in a long gown of gabardine, probably black, with a red beard and/or wing like that of Judas, and a hooked putty nose or bottle nose" (Charney, p. 41). Shylock is a defensive character because society is constantly reminding him he is different in religion, looks, and motivation. He finds solace in the law because he, himself, is an outcast of society. Shylock is an outsider who is not privy to the rights accorded to the citizens of Venice. The Venetians regard Shylock as a capitalist motivated solely by greed, while they saw themselves as Christian paragons of piety. When Shylock considers taking Antonio's bond using his ships as collateral, his bitterness is evident when he quips, "But ships are but board, sailors but men. There be land rats and water rats, water thieves and land thieves -- I mean pirates -- and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks" (I.iii.25). Shylock believes the Venetians are hypocrites because of their slave ownership. The Venetians justify their practice of slavery by saying simply, "The slaves are ours" (IV.i.98-100). During the trial sequence, Shylock persuasively argues, "You have among you many a purchased slave, which (like your asses and your dogs and mules). You us in abject and in slavish parts, because you bought them, shall I say to you, let them be free, marry them to your heirs... you will answer, `The slaves are ours,' -- so do I answer you: The pound of flesh (which I demand of him) is dearly bought, 'tis mine and I will have it" (IV.i.90-100). Shakespeare's depiction of the Venetians is paradoxical. They are, too, a capitalist people and readily accept his money, however, shun him personally. Like American society, 16th century Venice sought to solidify their commercial reputation through integration, but at the same time, practiced social exclusion. Though they extended their hands to his Shylock's money, they turned their backs on him socially. When Venetian merchants needed usurer capital to finance their business ventures, Jews flocked to Venice in large numbers. The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare :: Merchant Venice Essays Shakespeare The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare's satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, is an examination of hatred and greed. Prejudice is a dominant theme in The Merchant of Venice, most notably taking the form of anti-Semitism. Shylock is stereotypically described as "costumed in a recognizably Jewish way in a long gown of gabardine, probably black, with a red beard and/or wing like that of Judas, and a hooked putty nose or bottle nose" (Charney, p. 41). Shylock is a defensive character because society is constantly reminding him he is different in religion, looks, and motivation. He finds solace in the law because he, himself, is an outcast of society. Shylock is an outsider who is not privy to the rights accorded to the citizens of Venice. The Venetians regard Shylock as a capitalist motivated solely by greed, while they saw themselves as Christian paragons of piety. When Shylock considers taking Antonio's bond using his ships as collateral, his bitterness is evident when he quips, "But ships are but board, sailors but men. There be land rats and water rats, water thieves and land thieves -- I mean pirates -- and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks" (I.iii.25). Shylock believes the Venetians are hypocrites because of their slave ownership. The Venetians justify their practice of slavery by saying simply, "The slaves are ours" (IV.i.98-100). During the trial sequence, Shylock persuasively argues, "You have among you many a purchased slave, which (like your asses and your dogs and mules). You us in abject and in slavish parts, because you bought them, shall I say to you, let them be free, marry them to your heirs... you will answer, `The slaves are ours,' -- so do I answer you: The pound of flesh (which I demand of him) is dearly bought, 'tis mine and I will have it" (IV.i.90-100). Shakespeare's depiction of the Venetians is paradoxical. They are, too, a capitalist people and readily accept his money, however, shun him personally. Like American society, 16th century Venice sought to solidify their commercial reputation through integration, but at the same time, practiced social exclusion. Though they extended their hands to his Shylock's money, they turned their backs on him socially. When Venetian merchants needed usurer capital to finance their business ventures, Jews flocked to Venice in large numbers.

Graduation Speech: Go Create New Memories :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

I was puzzled and wasn't sure what to talk about tonight. I had to prepare this speech ahead of time and turn it in for approval. I much prefer doing things spontaneously, using all the skills I have developed over the years, you know, sorta letting people (being the teachers and parents) know that we really were listening! It's much more fun interacting with other people, watching their reactions, and playing along with them. But, I had to do the right thing, So while I was contemplating my topic, it came to me - this is what I want you to take with you as we depart the Bryan Station School District and move on into life. I want you to remember the small, seemingly insignificant things that happened to you while you were growing up. You know, like the simple smile that your best friend gave you when you were really down and needed a boost. Like the many times you walked down the hall, high-fiving your buds, showing you cared without getting all goofy about it. You didn't even realize that they were down and just knowing they had a friend in you boosted them to face the next school challenge. Remember the time you were really thirsty in third grade, and went into the room after recess, only to remember that there was a party today, and there would be cupcakes and Kool-aid served in a matter of minutes? Remember saving a seat for your friend to sit on the bus, knowing that you were gonna share all the cool stuff you did yesterday? And how glad you were to be able to share this? Everyday, everything we do affects someone, somehow. My wish is for all of us to recall a kind gesture, a happy moment that happened unplanned, that really sticks in our minds, that made a big impact on us, and relive those moments in our future. Pass on that joy/hope/support, whatever you got out of it. Remember that you will be making new friends, that those people you have shared every day with for four or maybe 12 years will be going their separate ways. You will have many moments where you won't have anyone around to boost you up, where you won't be told if it is the right thing or the good thing to do.

heroarms A Comparison of Code Heroes of A Farewell to Arms and For Who

The Code Heroes of A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls      Ã‚  Ã‚  In Ernest Hemingway's fiction, there is something known as the "Hemingway Hero".   This term is usually applied to the male protagonist in his works.   The Hemingway hero illustrates a variety of traits, ranging from heavy drinking to his role as a leader among the characters with whom he interacts.   Traits of this hero also resemble the personal characteristics of Hemingway himself, and the hero usually finds himself in similar predicaments Hemingway faced in his life.   Two Hemingway heroes, Robert Jordan from For Whom the Bell Tolls and Frederic Henry from A Farewell to Arms, exhibit the traits established in Hemingway's heroic code.   Given the presence of war in each novel, the two heroes display leadership in some form many times.   Jordan and Henry also mature to realize that they hold the capacity to love as each develops an intimate relationship with a woman they meet.   Just as Ernest Hemingway aided the injured in the Great War, Frederic Henry d rives an ambulance for the Italian army in the same war.   And although Hemingway did not fight in the Spanish Civil War as Robert Jordan does, he wrote newspaper articles covering the war in order to publicize the Republican struggle.   The hero Hemingway creates in his fiction serves several purposes.   Through his heroes, Hemingway idealizes his beliefs about life and how men should act as well as events in his own life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since Hemingway's time, literary critics have defined his heroic code to include the following:   The Hemingway hero does not believe in the afterlife, is brave, strong and seeks pleasure,   thinks cowardliness is disgraceful, believes in grace, courage and discipline, thinks de... ...as collecting important information about the bridge for Robert.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Frederic Henry, on the other hand, has little respect for discipline, and intern, displays hardly any of his own.   Henry begins the war helping the Italian Army, serving as an ambulance driver.   He receives an injury to his leg, and after recovering, deserts the army when he becomes separated from the rest of the army during a retreat......    Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ---. For Whom the Bell Tolls. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1968. Ernest Hemingway in His Time.   July, 1999. Universtiy of Delaware Library, Special Collections Department. 29 Dec. 20002 Flashback. July, 1999. The Atlantic Monthly. 29 Dec. 2000 Hemingway Campfire. February, 2000. Hemingway Nantucket Campfire. 5 Jan. 2002

Airasia Essay

Introduction AirAsia originally was founded by government and on 2 December 2001 was bought byTonyFernandes. AirAsia was established in year 1993. AirAsia has travel around the earthandascend to become the world’s best in year 2001. AirAsia continues to spread out the way for low-cost aviation through the innovation, efficient and passionate approach to businesswith a route a network that extent through over 20 countries. There are some companieswhich link withAirAsia such as AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia, Philippines’ AirAsia Inc., AirAsiaJapan and Indonesia. In addition, for the vision part in AirAsia, AirAsia aims to be the largest low cost airlinein Asia and serving the 3 billion people who are currently underserved with poor connectivity and high fares. While for the mission of AirAsia, AirAsia wants to be the best airlinecompany to work whereby employees are treated as part of the big family. Besides, AirAsiatry to maintain the lowest cost hence everyone can fly with AirAsia. Highes t quality product,embracing technology to lower the cost and improvement in service levels will be maintained by the AirAsia airline also. Lastly, create a globally recognized ASEAN brand will be the mission part of AirAsia In the values part, AirAsia will implement through the following key strategies which are: Safety Low fare, no frills Lean distribution system Point to point network High aircraft utilization Streamline operation The loyalty programmed of AirAsia will be â€Å"BIG†. BIG was known as the kind global programmed where can earn BIG Points to redeem â€Å"free airline flight†. Members can enjoythe preference booking, special offers and discount as an AirAsia BIG dedication member interm and condition apply. (AirAsia, 2013). a) Name Air Asia Malaysia Branch Alor Star Lot 20, Lapangan Terbang Sultan Abdul Halim 06200 Kepala Batas, Alor Star, Kedah Bintulu Lot GL.14, Public Concourse, Terminal Building Bintulu Airport 97000 Bintulu, Sarawak Kuala Lumpur LCC Terminal, Jalan KLIA S3, Southern Support Zone Kuala Lumpur International Airport 64000 Sepang, Selangor Darul Ehsan Kota Bharu Ground Floor, Lapangan Terbang Sultan Ismail Petra 16100 Pengkalan Chepa, Kota Bharu, Kelantan Darul Naim Kota Kinabalu Ground Floor, Terminal 2, Kota Kinabalu International Airport Old Airport Road, Tanjung Aru 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Kuching Ground Floor, Kuching International Airport 93756 Kuching, Sarawak Kuala Terengganu Lot No. 15 & 17, Terminal Building , Sultan Mahmud Airport 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Labuan Level 1, Labuan Airport Terminal 87008 Wilayah Persekutuan, Labuan Langkawi Langkawi International Airport 07100 Padang Mat Sirat, Langkawi Miri 1st Floor, Miri Airport 98000 Miri, Sarawak Penang Lot 3, Departure Concourse, Penang International Airport 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang Sandakan Lot 1 & 2, 1st Floor, Terminal Building, Sandakan Airport 90719 Sandakan, Sabah Sibu 1st Floor, Main Terminal Building, Sibu Airport 96000 Sibu, Sarawak Tawau FL 4, 1st Floor, Tawau Airport Building, Jalan Apas-Balung 91100 Tawau, Sabah Senai GL 13 Sultan Ismail Airport 81250 Johor Bahru, Johor Contact +603 8775 4000 600 85 8888 (AirAsia X Premium Line) Founder Background TONY FERNANDES Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes has a personal credo – â€Å"Believe the unbelievable. Dream the impossible. Never take no for an answer.† He studied at Epsom College, UK, and the London School of Economics and qualified as an Associate Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 1991. He became a Fellow Member in 1996. He was admitted as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) in 2008. Tony has been the Group CEO of AirAsia since December 2001. Prior to AirAsia, he was the Financial Controller of Virgin Communications London before joining Warner Music International London in 1989. He was promoted to Managing Director, Warner Music Malaysia in 1992 and to Regional Managing Director, Warner Music South East Asia in 1996. In 1999, he became the Vice President of Warner Music South East Asia. Tony’s many awards include: Honor of the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, conferred by Her Majesty Queen El izabeth II in 2011 for services to promote commercial and educational links between the UK and Malaysia. In 2010, the French government had conferred on him the award of Officer of the Legion d’Honneur, the highest award that can be conferred on a non-French national. He was named as one of the world’s 100 most creative people in business for 2011 by New York-based business magazine Fast Company, and awarded the Inaugural ‘Travel Business Leaders Award’ winner by CNBC. Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun Dato’ Kamarudin is the co-founder of Tune Group. He is also the Deputy Group Chief Executive Director of AirAsia since December 2001. Prior to joining Tune Group and AirAsia, Dato’ Kamarudin worked in Arab-Malaysian Merchant Bank from 1988 to 1993 as a Portfolio Manager, managing both institutional and high net-worth individual clients’ investment funds. In 1994, he was appointed Executive Director of Innosabah Capital Management Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Innosabah Securities Sdn Bhd. He subsequently acquired the shares of its joint venture partner of Innosabah Capital Management Sdn Bhd, which was later renamed Intrinsic Capital Management Sdn Bhd. Dato’ Kamarudin received a Diploma in Actuarial Science from University Technology MARA (UiTM) and was named the â€Å"Best Actuarial Student† by the Life Insurance Institute of Malaysia in 1983. He received a B.Sc. degree with Distinction (Magna Cum Laude) majoring in Finance in 1986, and an MBA in 1987 from Central Michigan University. History AirAsia was established in 1994 and began operations on 18 November 1996. It was originally founded by a government-owned conglomerate, DRB-Hicom. On 2 December 2001, the heavily-indebted airline was bought by former Time Warner executive Tony Fernandes’ company Tune Air Sdn Bhd for the token sum of one ringgit (about USD 0.26 at the time) with USD 11 million (MYR 40 million) worth of debts. Fernandes turned the company around, producing a profit in 2002 and launching new routes from its hub in Kuala Lumpur, undercutting former monopoly operator Malaysia Airlines with promotional fares as low as MYR 1 (US$0.27). In 2003, AirAsia opened a second hub at Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru near Singapore and launched its first international flight to Bangkok. AirAsia has since started a Thai subsidiary, added Singapore itself to the destination list, and started flights to Indonesia. Flights to Macau began in June 2004, and flights to mainland China (Xiamen) and the Philip pines (Manila) in April 2005. Flights to Vietnam and Cambodia followed later in 2005 and to Brunei and Myanmar in 2006, the latter by Thai AirAsia. In August 2006, AirAsia took over Malaysia Airlines’s Rural Air Service routes in Sabah and Sarawak, operating under the FlyAsianXpress brand. The routes were subsequently returned to MASwings a year later, citing commercial reasons. At the end of 2006, Fernandes unveiled a  five-year plan to further enhance AirAsia’s presence in Asia. Under the plan, AirAsia proposed strengthening and enhancing its route network by connecting all of its the existing destinations throughout the region and expanding further into Vietnam, Indonesia, Southern China (Kunming, Xiamen, Shenzhen) and India. Through its sister companies, Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia, the plan called for a focus on developing its hub in Bangkok and Jakarta. With increased frequency and the addition of new routes, AirAsia increased passenger volume to 13.9 million in its 2007 fiscal year. On 27 September 2008, the company announced 106 new routes to be added to its then-current list of 60. The number of old routes discontinued has not been publicly disclosed. In August 2011, AirAsia agreed to form an alliance with Malaysia Airlines by means of a share swap. The alliance was struck down by the Malaysian government, in effect voiding the agree ment of both airlines. By early 2013, AirAsia saw a steep increase in its profitability. The year-over-year comparison had shown a 168% increase in profits versus the same period in 2012. For the quarter ending 31 December 2012, the airline’s net profit stood at 350.65 million ringgit (US$114.08 million). Despite a 1% rise in the average fuel price, the airline recorded profits of 1.88 billion ringgit for its full 2012 fiscal year. In February 2013, AirAsia submitted an application to the Indian Foreign Investment Promotion Board, through its investment arm, AirAsia Investment Limited, to seek approval for commencing its operations in India. AirAsia asked to take a 49% stake in the Indian sister airline, which was the maximum allowed by the Indian government at that time. Initially, AirAsia committed to invest up to US$50 million in the new airline. Operations would begin in Chennai, expanding its network throughout South India, where AirAsia already operates flights Growth 1946: Air Asia as an airline of cargo transportation in Mainland China for the China National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration which was commonly known as CNRRA. 1946~1954: the company was reorganized into â€Å"Civil Air Transport† and â€Å"Air Asia Company Limited which were both subsidiaries of Air America. 1955: Air Asia established in Taiwan and was the first MRO in Asia to obtain FAA License. 1987: Air Asia’s shares of  stock transferred by Mr. Bill Monkman, a major stockholder of Precision Air motive – a U.S. corporation specializing in various engines and components work in the aviation industry. 1994: Taiwan Aerospace Corporation (TAC) acquired Air Asia and made it a subsidiary. Air Asia has been accumulating ample maintenance experiences and achieved the great honor from many customers globally for its outstanding maintenance performance. 1996: Air Asia established the Vertical Flight Center which was the only one helicopter maintenance faci lity in Asia that obtained the authorization from Bell Helicopter. Air Asia also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its founding. 1998: Air Asia went public on the IPO (initial public offering) list. 2000: Air Asia carried out various expansion plans, upgraded facilities and established additional capabilities. Air Asia was also the first Taiwan aviation company to acquire the ISO 9001 International Quality Standard Organization Certifications.Air Asia proactively engaged in the MRO projects of Boeing B737 commercial aircraft. 2001: Air Asia constructed the New Wide Body Aircraft Maintenance Hangar. 2002: Air Asia acquired several OEM’s Authorized Distributor Certifications including Boeing, Bell, Hawker Beechcraft, Rolls-Royce, MD Helicopters, Honeywell, BF Goodrich, Sikorsky, Allison and Raytheon. 2007: Air Asia obtained the repair station certification from Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). Air Asia signed the long-term agreement with Japan Airlines to provide heavy maintenance services for MD-80 Fleet. 2009: Air Asia obtained the repair station certification from Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). 2010: Air Asia signed the long-term heavy maintenance contract with Japan Transocean Air Co., Ltd. (JTA). 2012: Air Asia signed a 6-year fleet heavy maintenance contract & line operation service contract with T’way Airlines. Air Asia signed the long-term agreement with Avanti Aviation Corporation to provide maintenance services for CESSNA 208B Fleet. b)Objective Firstly, to provide full-fledged training and development to AirAsia pilots, aircraft engineers, cabin crew and guest services staff. Secondly, to develop the academy as aviation training ground towards fulfilling AirAsia’s aspiration in becoming a regional aviation training hub. Lastly, to serves as a platform to keep AirAsia All Stars on track with the latest industry  developments and to incorporate best practices into their operations. Aim To be the world’s best low cost airline in the world on a consistent basis. Vision To be the largest low cost airline in Asia and serving the 3 billion people who are currently underserved with poor connectivity and high fares Mission To be the best company to work for whereby employees are treated as part of a big family Create a globally recognized ASEAN brand To attain the lowest cost so that everyone can fly with AirAsia Maintain the highest quality product, embracing technology to reduce cost and enhance service levels Values Safety: Adopting a zero tolerance to unsafe practices and strives for zero accidents through proper training, work practices, risk management and adherence to safety regulations at all times. Valuing our People: Committing to our people’s development and well-being and treating them with respect, dignity and fairness. Customer Focused: We care and treat everyone in the same manner that we want to be treated Integrity: Practicing highest standards of ethical behaviour and demonstrate honesty in all our lines of work in order to command trust and mutual respect. Excellence in Performance: Setting goals beyond the best and reinforcing high quality performance standards and achieving excellence through implementing best practices. c) Organizational Structure d) Past/present projects i) Past projects that are being done by AirAsia group under AirAsiaRedTix, their entertainment based subsidiary. Most of the projects held are concerts and festivals that focus on attracting youth, especially their staff who are known as AirAsiaAllstars. These are some of the events/projects held by AirAsia Entertainment: Future Music Festival Asia AirAsiaBloggers’ Community Annual Party AirAsia Annual Party ii) The owner of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes also took part in 2 high profile projects that involved his AirAsia brand such as the F1 Lotus (now known as Caterham) team and the football team, Queens Park Rangers. AirAsia are well known as the main sponsor for each team. Tony Fernandes’s aim is to reach out to different set of group other than travelling junkies and frequent fliers. The Formula One project Queens Park Rangers Past awards/achievements Year 2013 ï‚ · World’s Leading Low Cost Airline by World Travel Awards 2013 ï‚ · World’s Best Low Cost Airline by Skytrax Year 2012 ï‚ · World’s Best Low Cost Airline by Skytrax ï‚ · 2012 ATW Value Airline of the Year Year 2011 ï‚ · Best Asian Low-Cost Carrier By TTG Travel Awards 2011 ï‚ · World’s Best Low Cost Airline ï‚ · Best Low Cost Airline – Asia by Skytrax ï‚ · Best Company for Investor Relations – Mid Cap ï‚ · Best Investor Relations Website – Mid Cap by Malaysian Investor Relations Association’s (MIRA) ï‚ · Asia’s Best Low Cost Cargo Carrier Award by Aviation Awards Asia 2011 ï‚ · Fastest Growing Foreign Airline for Cargo by Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport ï‚ · 2010 Asiamoney’s Best Managed Company Award Year 2010 ï‚ ·Masterclass Global CEO of the Year awarded to YBhg. Dato’ Tony Fernandes ï‚ · World’s Best Low Cost Airline by Skytrax ï‚ ·AirAsia voted the Air Cargo Industry Newcomer Award at the ACW World Air Cargo Awards 2010 by Air Cargo Week Year 2009 ï‚ · Airline Of The Year by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) ï‚ · Tony received the 2009 Frost & Sullivan Excellence in Leadership Award by Frost & Sullivan ï‚ · Best Asian Low-Cost Carrier by TTG Travel Awards 2009 ï‚ · World’s Best Low Cost Airline by Skytrax Year 2008 ï‚ · The Laureate Award for Best Commercial Airport Transport from Aviation Week ï‚ · Tony awarded the Malaysia Brand Icon Award from Deputy Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri NajibTunRazak at the Global Brand Forum Malaysia ï‚ ·AirAsia – Malaysia’s 30 Most Valuable Brands 2008 By Malaysia’s Most Valuable Brands (MMVB) ï‚ · PIKOM ICT Organisation Excellence Award 2008 By Association of the computer and multimedia industry (PIKOM) ï‚ ·AirAsia X – Best New Airline Of The Year By Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) ï‚ · Best Asian Low-Cost Carrier by TTG Travel Awards 2008 ï‚ · Top CEO brand & 3rd Best Corporate Brand in Malaysia by Pulse Group Survey ï‚ · World’s Best New Airline (AirAsia X) by Budgie World Low Cost Airline Awards 2008 ï‚ · Friends Of Thailand Award 2008 by Tourism Authority of Thailand ï‚ · Asia Pacific’s Top 1000 Brands 2008 Survey (AirAsia- Top 5 Airline) by Taylor Nelson Sofres ï‚ · Asia’s Best Budget Airline under Best In Travel Poll 2008 by SmartTravelAsia.com ï‚ ·AirAsia wins Airline Strategy Award in the Finance Category by Airline Business ï‚ ·AirAsia recognized as one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies In The World by FastCompany.com ï‚ · Airline Market Penetration Leadership of the Year by Frost & Sullivan ï‚ · Rising Leaders – The Next 10 Years by Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) in collaboration with AXN Asia ï‚ · Commendations of Prestige Award for outstanding contribution in Macau by Macau Special Administrative Region Year 2007 ï‚ · Airline Of The Year 2007 by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) ï‚ · Asia’s Best Budget Airline under Best In Travel Poll 2007 by SmartTravelAsia.com ï‚ · Airline Human Capital Development Strategy Award by Frost & Sullivan ï‚ · Asia’s Best Emerging Companies with regards to Corporate Governance by The Asset ï‚ · Best Low Cost Airline in Asia by Skytrax ï‚ · The Brand Laureate 2006-07 for brand excellence in the Airlines-Low Cost Carrier Category Year 2006 ï‚ · Malaysia’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 awarded to YBhg. Dato’ Tony Fernandes ï‚ · Low Cost Airline of the Year in KLIA Awards 2006 by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad ï‚ · Merit Award for CAPA Airline of the Year 2006 by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) ï‚ · Asia’s Best Budget Airline under Best In Travel 2006 by SmartTravelAsia.com ï‚ · Best Managed Company, Best Corporate Governance, Best Investor Relations, and Most Committed to Strong Dividend Policy under The Annual Investor Poll by FinanceAsia.com Year 2005 ï‚ · The CAPA Aviation Executive of the Year 2005 awarded to YBhg. Dato’ Tony Fernandes ï‚ · Regional/ Low Cost Leadership Award in Airline Business Startegy Awards 2005 by Airline Business – awarded to YBhg. Dato’ Tony Fernandes ï‚ · Airline Market Leadership Award by Air Transport World (ATW) ï‚ · Transport Company of Excellence Award by Ports World Sdn. Bhd ï‚ · Asia’s Top 200 â€Å"Best Under A Billion† Companies by Forbes Asia ï‚ · RHB AirAsia Credit Card by Superbrands ï‚ · Best Chip Program for MasterCard Marketing Leadership Award 2005 by MasterCard Year 2004 ï‚ · Asia Pacific Low Cost Airline of the Year 2004 by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) ï‚ · Asia Pacific Aviation Executive of the Year 2004 awarded to Tony Fernandes, Group CEO by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) ï‚ · Asia Pacific Low Cost Advertising Award for Best Asia Pacific / Middle East Low Cost Airline Print Advertisement 2004 by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) ï‚ · Asia’s Best Managed Company in the Airlines and Aviation Sector by Euromoney ï‚ · Best Newly Listed Company (3rd place) by Euromoney ï‚ · Triple A Regional Award for Best Airline IPO for 2004 by The Asset Magazine ï‚ · Best IPO of the Year by The Edge Singapore ï‚ · 25 Stars of Asia honoree listing (Tony Fernandes) by Business Week ï‚ · Best Uniform’ for Miss Airlines International Contest 2004 5th China Air Show, Zhuhai ï‚ · Market Leadership Award, 2005 Airline Achievement Awards by Air Transport World Magazine Year 2003 ï‚ · Developing Airline of the Year 2003 by Airfinance Journal ï‚ · CEO of the Year (Tony Fernandes) by Business Times and American Express ï‚ · CIO Top 100 Honoree for excellence in strategic IT deployment ï‚ · Obtained Malaysian Superbrands status by Superbrands International e) SWOT Analysis for AirAsia Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Analysis for AirAsia Strengths Air Asia has a very strong management team with strong links with governments and airline industry leaders. This is partly contributed by the diverse background of the executive management teams which consists of industry experts and ex-top government officials. For example, Shin Corp (formerly owned by the family of former Thai Prime Minister – Thaksin Shinawatra) holds a 50% stake in Thai AirAsia. This has helped AirAsia to open up and capture a sizeable market in Thailand. With their strong working relationship with Airbus, they managed to get big discount for aircraft purchase which is also more fuel efficient compared to Boeing 737 planes which is being used by many other airlines The management team is also very good in strategy formulation and execution. The strategy that they have formulated at the beginnings was a clever blend of proven strategies by other low cost airlines is US and Europe. They are Ryanair’s operational strategy (no frills, landing in seconda ry airport), Southwest’s people strategy (employee comes first) and Easyjet’s branding strategy (linking with other service providers like hotels, car rental). AirAsia’s brand name is well established in Asia Pacific. Besides the normal print media advertising & promotions, AirAsia’s top management also capitalized on promotions through news by being very â€Å"media friendly† and freely sharing the latest information on Air Asia as well as the airline industry. Their partnership with other service providers such as hotels and hostels, car rental firms, hospitals (medical tourism), Citibank (AirAsia Citibank card) has created a very unique image among travelers. Alliance with Galileo GDS (Global Distribution System) that enables travel agents from around the  world to check flight details and make bookings have also contributed to their string brand name. Air Asia’s local presence in few countries such as Indonesia (Indonesia AirAsia) and Thailand (Thai AirAsia) have successfully â€Å"elevated† the brand to become a regional brand beyond just Malaysia. The links with Manchester United (one of the world’s most famous football teams) and AT&T Williams Formula On e team have further boosted their image to a greater extend beyond just the this region AirAsia is the low cost leader in Asia. With the help of AirAsia Academy, AirAsia has successfully created a â€Å"low-cost airline mentality† among their workforce. The workforce is very flexible and high committed and very critical in making AirAsia the lowest cost airline in Asia. The excellent utilization of IT have directly contributed to their promotional activities (email alerts and desktop widget which was jointly developed with Microsoft for new promotions), brand building exercise (with over 3 million hits per month and on the most widely surfed booking engines in the world) as well keep the cost low by enabling direct purchase of tickets by consumer thus saving on airline agent fees Weaknesses Air Asia does not have its own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility. It may be a good strategy when they first started with only Malaysia as the hub and few planes to maintain. But now, with few hubs (Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia) and over 100 planes currently owned and about another 100 planes to be received in the next few years, AirAsia have to ensure proper and continuous maintenance of the planes which will also help to keep the overall costs low. It is a competitive disadvantage not to have its own MRO facility AirAsia receives a lot complaints from customers on their service. Examples of complaints are around flight delays, being charged for a lot of things and not able to change flight or get a refund if customers could not make it. Good customer service and management is critical especially when competition is getting intense. Opportunities There are 2 major events that are taking place now or going to take place in less than 6 months from now. First, is the ever increasing oil price. Second, is the â€Å"ASEAN Open Skies† agreement that has been reached. The  increasing oil price at the first glance may appear like a threat for AirAsia. But being a low cost leader, AirAsia an upper hand because its cost will be still the lowest among all the regional airlines. Thus, AirAsia has a great opportunity to capture some of the existing customers of full service and other low cost airline’s customers. However, there will be also some reduction in overall travel especially by casual or budget travellers. The â€Å"ASEAN Open Skies† allows unlimited flights among ASEAN’s regional air carriers beginning December 2008. This will definitely increase the competition among the regional airlines. However, with the â€Å"first mover† advantage as well as its strengths in management, strategy formulation, strategy execution, strong brand and â€Å"low-cost† culture among its workforce, this agreement can be seen as more of an opportunity. There is also some opportunity to partner with other low cost airlines as Virgin to tap into their existing strengths or competitive advantages such as brand name, landing rights and landing slots (time to land). The population of Asian middle class will be reaching almost 700 million by 2010. This creates a larger market and a huge opportunity for all low cost airlines in this region including AirAsia. Threats Certain rates like airport departure, security charges and landing charges are beyond the control of airline operators and this is a threat to all airlines especially low cost airlines which tries to keep their cost as low as possible. For example, Changi airport in Singapore charges SGD21 for every person who departs from Singapore. AirAsia’s profit margin is about 30% and this has already attracted many competitors. Most of the full service airlines have or planning to create a low cost subsidiary to compete directly with AirAsia. For example, Singapore Airlines has created a low cost carrier Tiger Airways. f) Conclusion AirAsia will be the best airline company as they provide the cheapest price for tickets and granting everyone the affordability to fly around the world. As travelling via aircraft are becoming the norm these days, especially  during vacation time, the low cost airline are always the target for travellers and thus, aiming to be the best among the rest will prove profitable in the future. To make the company better, AirAsiawas recommended via surveys to provide more choices of foods and drinks in order to reach thesatisfaction of passengers. In addition, AirAsia can certainly benefit fromthe increment of luggage allowance to 20 Kg to the passengers, if the upgrade do took place.Furthermore, a good leadership style can affect the entire company in a good way andmotivate employees to be more creative and innovate. With the motivation and innovation, consumers believe that AirAsia can be untouchable in the low cost airline scene and strive towards becoming the world best airline company . Tony Fernandes innovative and out of the box thinking led him into creating the current best low cost airline in the world. This shows the quality he possesses and the vision he owned. Dethroning AirAsia as the world’s best low cost carrier would be a monumental task for others because of its credibility alone. I hope AirAsia will remain the best in the future and will not be too complacent with their feat. As a last note, hopefully incidents such as the recent MH370 that occurred to MAS can be avoided, especially to a Malaysia-owned airline. Reference Website 1) http://www.slideshare.net/SM3027/air-asia-presentation 2) http://airlines-malaysia.com/tag/history-of-airasia/ 3) https://www.airasiamegastore.com/smart-travel-tips/the-story-of-airasia-aircrafts 4) https://www.inkling.com/read/contemporary-strategy-analysis-grant-7th/case-9/the-history-of-airasia