British Airways- Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

British Airways- Case Study - Essay Example ifically, it seems that the poor communication among the employees of the firm has been a constraint towards the development of the firm’s profitability. This problem has led to the design and application of inappropriate rules that govern the firm’s structure and its communication with the customers. It is also because of this fact that employees do not perform in accordance with the goals set by the firm’s management and as a result the financial development of the company faces severe delays. The poor communication among the employees in British Airways can be assumed through a series of facts related with the firm’s daily operational activities as well as the performance of its leaders since the firm’s entrance in the British market (in 1974). More specifically, immediately after the firm’s formation in 1974 from the merge of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and the British European Airways (BEA) the employees of the two companies (who now should cooperate) were differentiated regarding their cultural aspects. In this context, the former employees of BOAC believed to belong in a ‘traditional’ and ‘high class’ firm different from the ‘low class’ BEA. On the other hand, the employees in BEA also considered employees of BOAC to be snob while they saw themselves as ‘true competitors’ in the British market. For this reason, it can be assumed that for employees in BEA the merger with BOAC was a wrong decision which could lead the new formed company, the British Airways, in severe financial losses. In accordance with the above the cultural differences among employees in British Airways were intensive since the firm’s formation and this fact has been the main reason for the lack of effective communication among employees in the firm’s particular departments – at least at the firm’s initial ‘steps’ in the British market. The above problem has been limited partially after the reduction of staff in 1981 by Lord King (the

Onsumer law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Onsumer law - Essay Example If the credit card provider and the bank, which is acting on behalf of the supplier/ Retailer are the same then only the transaction will have effect on only three parties. Consumer Credit agreements: In Consumer Credit Agreement the creditor provides finance to the debtor for purchase of goods and services and such finance shall be within the specified amount. The credit provided by the creditor to the debtor includes Credit sale and conditional sale such the agreements of bank overdraft and credit card, which are also termed as revolving credit or running account. Under these agreements the debtor purchases the goods and or services from the supplier or wholesaler or retailer etc and the creditor makes the payment for the debtor and such credit the creditor shall fix limit, from time to time. The further classification of these agreements are unrestricted credit agreements and restricted use credit agreements. Bank loans fall in the category of unrestricted credit agreements. ... Dealer is an Agent of Creditor: In accordance with Section 56 of the Consumer Credit Agreement a person who makes negotiations of a regulated agreements between the creditor and the debtor is called the agent of creditor, such person includes a dealer in hire-purchase and a retailer who allows the customer to pay through credit card for the goods supplied. This section gives the protection to the consumer by making creditor liable for any breach of contract of sale either due to misrepresentation or due to any reason, and giving liberty to the consumer to sue the creditor for the breach of contract of sale2. Liability of Creditors in Consumer Credit Agreement: Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 provides that the creditor is liable for the default of the supplier and the debtor has a claim against the creditor similar to that of his claim against the supplier in the Consumer Credit Agreements such as hire-purchase, credit sale and conditional sales. The creditor is jointly and severally liable to the debtor. The consumer who purchases the goods from supplier or wholesaler or a retailer using the credit card has right to claim against credit card issuing company, which provides the credit card to the consumer3. Therefore the Section 75(1) and Section 56 of the Consumer Credit Act gives the protection to the consumers against the creditor such as the credit card issuing bank for any breach of contract of sale including implied conditions such as fitness and satisfactory quality as explained in the sale of goods act. This section provides to the consumer who makes the payment of the price of goods through the credit card, to claim against the supplier and also the

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom Essay Example for Free

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom Essay The Board of Education and Administration of Holland Elementary School have agreed on a decision that will come into effect at the beginning of the Fall 2013 school year. As well as introducing many of our newly acquired teachers to the classrooms, we will also introduce a new artificial intelligence that our students have never experienced before. This will come in the form of robotic instructors who will assist our current teachers with their work and teach other lessons on their own. This may come as a shock to some, but I am extremely confident in this decision. Artificial intelligence coming to the classroom this year will have a positive impact on our school system with increased teaching strategy to achieve a higher level of learning. Robots with artificial intelligence teaching students in the classroom is something that may seem to some like a science fiction fantasy, but the reality of the matter is that robotic helpers, teachers, and playmates are part of a booming technology that has already started flourishing in other countries. Articles from the New York Times have informed us on the hundreds of robots South Korea has already hired to assist teachers, and teach certain subjects on their own (Benedict Carey and John Markoff Students, Meet Your New Teacher, Mr. Robot Para 10). The robots they use are usually computer screened faces with bodies that have arms and legs, allowing them to be entirely mobile on their own. The robots use motion tracking and speech recognition to act human like. This makes them able to engage people in conversation, play games, complete simple tasks, and teach simple skills to others (Carey and Markoff Para 8). Adam Sneed, a researcher for The Future Tense Program explains in his article Coming Soon to a Kindergarten Classroom: Robot Teachers how robots give realistic human-like responses to social cues given by people in their surroundings (Para 6). They also understand the concept of personal space, and when approaching people, they know to stop before anyone’s personal space is invaded (Carey and Markoff, Para 19). The robots are programmed to act as if they have feelings similar to those of children. If the robot is damaged purposely by the students, it will begin to cry. Children react to this by feeling very sorry and backing off right away. If the robot continues to cry, the students offer it peace as they would with another child. Experiments that have shown this in the past are a display of the strong bond students can make with the robots (Carey and Markoff Para 25). Robots with artificial intelligence can engage children through many ways that are subconscious to humans. They hold eye contact with the children and use physical rhythm to stay involved with them. For example, if a child is swaying from side to side, the robot will start to sway as well. The robots mirror the children as a game to connect with them, gain their friendship, and build a sense of trust. If a student lifts his or her arm, the robot will lift their arm as well. The robots will also play vise-versa, letting the children mimic their moves (Carey and Markoff Para 4). Robots also show a large understanding of tasks that are explained to them. In a study done at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a robot was told where certain objects belong in a classroom and then was instructed to put them all away. When the robot came across a toy that it was unsure about, it stared at the toy in hesitation to pick it up. The robot’s instructor asked if it had any questions, and the robot replied by asking where the toy belongs. When it was explained that the green toy belongs in the g reen bin, the robot nodded its head, put the toy in the bin, and said â€Å"makes sense† (Carey and Markoff Para 45-47). This is an example of how the robots that will be incorporated into our classrooms can expand their knowledge and learn from the students to help them improve their teaching. Artificial intelligence is such a large benefit to our students because of all the good teaching qualities the robots have been programmed with that not all human teachers possess. These qualities include encouraging, non-judgmental, infinitely patient, and comforting. Our robots would never get mad at a student for something, and they will never yell at a student or make his or her feel bad for thinking incorrectly. James Marshall Crotty, co-founder/peripatetic publisher of Monk Magazine has recorded in his article Why Kids Prefer Robots to Teachers and Parents that students feel more welcomed and accepted because of this, allowing them to feel more room for guilt-free error. This will eliminate the social boundaries that often keep students from being creative so they will be able to be themselves with much mo re confidence and learn in a more proficient mind set (Forbes Para 7). Robots are able to detect when children are not engaged in the learning, and they are also able to understand signals that children subconsciously put out when they are confused or have a question they are waiting to ask, in which case the robot would offer them the chance to ask their question (Carey and Markoff Para 52). These are all very important skills that are necessary for an instructor to have. The new robots will be an extraordinary help to our special education program which includes mostly students with Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism. Sneed explains how robots will help our students learn social and cognitive skills in a way that is less intimidating to them than through human contact. At times when children with Autism are shy and will not communicate with other people, the robots are able to bring them out of their shell and teach them social skills (Para 5). The robots also provide the students with certain therapies that help their disabilities such as repetitive tasks and imitation. The robots are able to keep any student on task just as efficiently, if not more than human teachers, which is something that will benefit everyone (Carey and Markoff Para 20). Robots are especially good at teaching subjects such as foreign language. In a study performed at the University of Southern California, a robot was used to teach the Finnish language to a group of preschool students. It would pick up objects and say what they were in Finnish, and use productive teaching strategies such as games and repetition to help the children retain the information. When the study was finished, all of the words taught by the robot were significantly imbedded into the children’s memories, while the words they learned from multimedia tapes or other sources were not embedded well at all. This is due to the cognitive engagement, patience, and encouragement the robots provide for the preschoolers. Many different experiments such as this one show that robots’ teaching strategies impact students at about the same level as human teaching strategies (Carey and Markoff Para 21-24). Experiments are performed all over the world by many different specialists who study robotics, and anyone can see, their data concludes that artificial intelligence has a positive influence on the learning levels in a classroom. Specialists have also taken into account the feelings of children who have had the opportunity for artificial intelligence to become a part of their lives. Studies reported by Crotty show that a majority of students are pleased to have a robot to study and play with (Para 2). Robots are able to make games out of children’s homework, and the knowledge they gain from their assignments is portrayed as fun, giving them incentive to get their work done as well as possible. This is very helpful, especially for children who are discouraged in school and have low self-efficacy (Crotty Para 4). The robots are viewed by the children as friends and as very helpful companions. A quote from an article by Rendeiro Fonesca in United Academics Magazine brings us into the life of a boy who had artificial intelligence assisting him at home as well as in school: When I get home, my robot helps me with my homework. My mother and father came in and said no video games now, homework first, but when they saw that I was already finished and had done everything correctly, they were glad that I had made friends with the robot. It could do everything—play soccer, build Legos, read, do math, write, and all the movements a person can make. Since my parents really are always at work a lot, they can’t always help me or play with me or cook something. Now the robot helps them with that.† —Boy, 9, Germany. (Fonseca Robots in the Classroom Para 4) According to this article, children see their robots as reassuring, helpful, encouraging, and as a very big influence to help them with their learning. They often feel more comfortable being their true selves around the robots than they do with a teacher they are unfamiliar with, which helps to be creative in their work when the robots are around (Fonseca Para 10). They also encourage children to be proud of themselves, which gives them incentive to show their parents and human teachers how well they are doing with the instruction given by the robots (Crotty Para 6). While we understand that robots teaching children in the classroom is viewed as unnatural by many, we ask for your cooperation to please understand the significant advancement in technology that has occurred in the past ten years. In Crotty’s article, he also explains how technology is viewed through the eyes of children as something very human. It is a major part of our culture, and young students don’t know of any life deprived of the conveniences technology has given us (Para 4). Robots seem strange and unfamiliar to us, but every new technology appears this way when it is first introduced. The introduction of artificial intelligence to the Frenchtown Elementary School District will lower our budget by decreasing the amount we will be paying in teacher salary. It will bring new learning opportunities to our children, open up a new kind of culture into our lives, and provide excellent assistance to our special education teachers, as well as general classroom lessons. With this addition to our curriculum, the administration hopes to achieve higher state testing scores, and higher overall levels of learning and motivation. Works Cited Carey, Benedict, and John Markoff. Students, Meet Your New Teacher, Mr. Robot. The New York Times. The New York Times, 11 July 2010. Web. 26 Oct. 2012 Crotty, James Marshall. Why Kids Prefer Robots To Teachers And Parents. Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 03 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. Fonseca Rendeiro, Mark. Robots in the Classroom. United Academics: Connect Science and Society. UA Magazine, 22 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. Sneed, Adam. Coming Soon to a Kindergarten Classroom: Robot Teachers. Slate. The Slate Group, 6 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012.

Thomas Moores Music: Nationalism and Identity

Thomas Moores Music: Nationalism and Identity Nationalism and Identity in Irish music has become a topic of great discovery for many scholars. The aim of this essay is to illustrate how the compositions of Thomas Moore, airs taken from Edward Buntings collection, aided in creating a sense of nationalism and identity in Ireland at that given time in history. To do this we must first address the key words in the title in order to provide evidence within Moores compositions. Context on Identity and Music identity is mobile, a process not a thing, a becoming not a being;Â  our experience of music of music making and music listening is best understood as an experience of this self-in-process. Music, like identity, is both performance and story, describes the social in the individual and the individual in the social, the mind in the body and the body in the mind; identity, like music, is a matter of both ethics and aesthetics. (Frith 96, p.109) For decades now, the issues of identity and music have been a topic for debate for many scholars. The above statement by Simon Frith highlights several issues for one to address: identity, society and music. These three issues often come hand in hand when we speak of music and culture. Frith points out that identity is not a solidified, end result of a person. Identity is something that is always in process, a becoming not a being (ibid). Steph Lawler also suggests that identity is a process by which we come to know ourselves when she states that identity itself is a social and collective process and not, as Western traditions would have it, a unique and individual possession (Lawler 2014, p. 2). Both Frith and Lawler highlight the importance of society in creating identity. Frith indicates that identity showcases influential societal factors in an individual and the individual influences societal identity. This is done within ones own moral code and ethics by which they chose to liv e, and can be adapted and changed as a person moves from one society or social structure to another. Lawler suggests that identity is produced through social relations (ibid) thus confirming with Friths earlier suggestion that identity is a process which is constructed to social interaction. Mark Slobin suggested that we all grow up with something, but we can choose just about anything by way of expressive culture (Slobin 87, p. 55). One of the most expressive forms of culture and identity is music. Frith claims that music constructs our sense of identity through the direct experience it offers of the body, time and sociability, experiences which enables us to place ourselves in an imaginative cultural narrative (Frith 96, p. 124). This statement allows us to address the personal identity and the social identity. First off Frith states that music constructs our sense of identity (ibid) which is done through either self-expression of self-selection. Self-expression refers to the act of composing or creating an original piece of music that one uses to express their personality of identity. Self-selection then is the act of choosing music already in the social spectrum that one identifies. Of course, each of these selections can change over a given period of time or as a re sult of social interactions. But what makes music special what makes it special for identity is that it defines a space without boundaries (a game without frontiers). Music is thus the cultural form best able both to cross borders sounds carry across fences and walls and oceans, across classes, races and nations and to define places; in clubs, scenes, and raves, listening on headphones, radio and in the concert hall, we are only where the music takes us. (ibid) Music not only has the ability to create identity for an individual, it has the power to unite communities, societies, cultures and nations in a very unique way. Nationalism Nationalism makes more of the nation than a mere political or cultural community. Its realization becomes the supreme ethical goal of human beings on earth: It is depicted categorically as the most important thing in life; it becomes the be-all and end-all of man in his search for security (Snyder 1954 cited Ryan, 1991. p. 3). This quotation from Joseph Ryans dissertation in 1991 on nationalism in Ireland quantifies what nationalism became for Irish culture and identity during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Music during the early decades of the nineteenth century reflected social and cultural identities, Dublin musical taste reflected that of London, the mainstay of its concert programmes being drawn from the current European tradition during that period (Boydell 1986 cited Ryan, 1991. p. 77). Barra Boydell highlights how major organisations during this period were trying to create an identity of one nation. In 1792 the Harp festival was organised so that the collectors could: Revive the ancient music of the country and to preserve from oblivion the few fragments which have been permitted to remain as monuments of the refined taste and genius of their ancestors, they emphasized both this perception of Irish music, specifically that of the harpers, as a relic of antiquity, and asserted the common Irish identity of Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter (Boydell, 2014 cited Fitzgerald OFlynn 2014. p. 37). Here Boydell illustrates the original ideology of identity for the United Irishmen, one common identity for all the people of Ireland. This ideology began to change towards the end of the eighteenth century into the early nineteenth century. Once seen as a strong hold for British trade, Dublin and Ireland were now on a decline after the industrial boom during the 1800s. Ireland did not expand as well as other European cities of this era and as such lost its popularity for living and trade. Boydell conveys the direction in which culture and identity was moving: [It was] later in the century that this identity would begin consciously to express itself through Irish traditional (or folk) music and the music of the Irish harpers. When that did happen, notably with Walker, Bunting and Thomas Moore, Irish folk music would become an important signifier of Irish national identity. (Boydell, 2014 cited Fitzgerald OFlynn 2014. p. 37) The ideologies of organisations such as the United Irishmen, founded in 1791, would go on to contribute to the creation of what Irishness was or what Nationalistic views were at this given period in Irish history. Ireland in the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century, was in the depth of political and religious unrest. Still under British rule, the Irish people were now seeking equality for all Irishmen. The United Irishmen organisation was in pursuit of civil, political and religious equality from the crown of Britain. They sought to engage in a resistance to British cultural supremacy and in 1798 saw the first major failed rebellion of their fright for Irish freedom. As part of their ideology, songs and music would begin to play a major part in creating and maintaining a nationalistic view. Irish song would grasp the attention of the Irish people and make them emotionally involved in the question of nationality through songs which were inherently Irish (MacCarthy 2012 , p. 165). This period in Irish history was very unsettled for the people of Ireland, and yet it began to unite the country as a nation. Ireland was fast becoming a passionate subject matter with the majority of the country, specifically with Irish born Catholics of middle to lower classes. Thus music was seen as a suitable vehicle for nationalism within the ranks of these classes (MacCarthy 2012, p. 104). By utilising the national music of the Ireland the: Songs and ballads conveyed a sense of Irishness to readers based on traditional cultural aspects such as music or history (MacCarthy 2012, p. 103). These tactics aided in boosting the ideological drive of certain organisations. By encompassing the cultural and historical aspects of the nation through music and song, these organisations were creating a national identity through music that supported their cause. The Act of Union was passed in 1803 and this brought about a wave of nationalist expression. Ryan suggests that: literature dominated [arts in the eighteenth early nineteenth century] but music too made some contribution and in so doing helped link the first and second wave of expression (Ryan, 1991. p. 98). It was at the beginning of the nineteenth century -1807- that Thomas Moore began publishing his ten volume work of Irish Melodies; which concluded in 1834. Contained heavily within these melodies, is evidence of Moores political beliefs. Moores Melodies were expressing not only the political and cultural themes of Ireland in this period, but also nationalist themes which would later lend themselves to ideologies within new waves of revolt in the coming decades. It was towards the end of the century, however, emerging nationalism begins to imbue Irish music with a clearly political and nationalist identity, a development charted by White and by Davis, and to which Moores Irish Melodies would later make such a defining contribution (Boydell, 2014 cited Fitzgerald OFlynn 2014. p. 36).

Urban Elite Theory Essay -- Development, Politics, Vancouver

Theoretical Lenses I. Urban Elite Theory Urban elite theory will provide students with a theoretical lens by which to understand the redevelopment projects initiated in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver during the lead-up to the 2010 Olympic Games. Urban elite theory extends the scope of classical elite theory by adding that a metropolis is divided by its physical districts based on class distinctions (Darity et. al., 2008). The presence and power of elites, however, is not seen as entirely negative according to this theoretical perspective. Instead, the collusion of elites is necessary for stability and efficiency within a political system. If urban elite theory were to be applied to the Vancouver case, one hypothesis would be that urban elites participate in development projects in order to maximize their political power and consolidate their involvement within certain communities. A successful gentrification project redevelops an area through the collaboration of political and business elites. Such a project would prov ide housing that caters to young professionals who will so...

Does it or Does it Not? :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To be able to believe that some one or thing exists, it must be a universal idea that others have at least heard of. It also must be tangible to a human being and have some sort of physical evidence or others accounts of evidence to show that it does in fact exist. If the object or person cannot provide hard physical evidence, then how does it get humans such as our selves to believe in them? The answer seems simple enough, faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Religion, in general, has been around since human beings have first graced this planet. No one knows exactly how it actually came about, but we know that it is here and still is here today. God may or may not exist. Through the faith of the people He most definitely exists to them. He is praised, worshiped, and glorified by over one billion people through out the world. Those one billion people trust and believe that God exists without having to have physical or logical evidence. They say that through all things God exists. Why? Because supposedly He created all living things on this planet. Scientists, however, have their own idea of how Earth was created. So, how do we know that He truly does exist? We cannot see what He looks like, or what He sounds like. We also do not have records of His birth or death. There are many beautiful murals and paintings of Him through out the world, but which one is He? How can someone devote their selves and time into something they cannot see or hear? It seems like a waste of time to some. To others, religion acts as a crutch for comfort and safety. Some say that he does exist in our everyday lives in everything that we experience. Others, however, believe that He exists in money and say that if people donate money the â€Å"Good Lord† will heal you and love you, but you have to donate some money first before he can do anything. It is sketchy and since when was having faith in God a paid service? Some people only pray for what they need, and sometimes might not even really need it and act as if God is Santa Claus. He is also a crutch for those who are insecure and need to find comfort. Therefor e, meaning that it could be a trick of the mind.

Family And Literacy

As a child growing up, my parents had already shared to us different stories from mythical/folk tales to the tales of other family members. The typical childhood stories, i. e. The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, etc. , were not also lost in the classroom arena as well. These stories were the first glimpses of the moral backbone that one adopts and also served as the first taste of reading and writing, the fundamental necessities in formal learning.Concerning the moral background, these stories had taught me the valuable lesson of integrity, empathy, sympathy, kindness, and the lesson that two wrong could not make a right, and elders should be respected. Telling and reading stories with a child could definitely give the child certain ideas. My mother rarely read me stories but I still developed a knack or liking for reading novels and poetry. The precious times that the stories were told had given me this certain enthusiasm. It has driven me to have a certain passion to le arn how to read and write on my own and these were powerful backgrounds to help me in my formative years.Being a parent, an aspiring teacher and a former child, I could draw a conclusion that parents could help pave the way for children to easily adjust to formal schooling. Parents could further develop the basic learning abilities of children by encouraging their natural curiosity and imagination. A child’s learning usually starts at home with the parents and the development of these first steps could be furthered by the school. It was said that the child could learn with the help of the parents through constant exposure to Environmental Print (Jo Anne L. Vacca, 2005).The parents could do this by accessing what is readily available at home. They could make use of the television set. A parent then could sit down with the children and explain what could be seen. They could devise a plan where their children could do some activities concerning the television show like scribblin g down some words that they had encountered while watching. This just a start and a glimpse to the help that parents could extend to their children. REFERENCE Jo Anne L. Vacca, R. T. V. , Mary K. Gove, Linda C. Burkey, Lisa A. Lenhart, Christine A. McKeon. (2005). Reading and Learning to Read (6th ed. ). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.