Cyber Crime And Cyber Criminal Activity - 1839 Words

Have you ever wondered how computers systems get hacked? Have you ever considered the criminals motives for engaging in such type of criminal activity? While computers and the Internet have undoubtedly brought great advantages to society. Computers have also paved new ways for criminals to engage in dangerous activities that are unprecedented in scope and could potentially cause catastrophic consequences for society. Cyber criminal activity occurs constantly, however, many people are unaware of the true meaning of cyber crime and their risks associated with becoming a victim of such crime. According to an article released by the Law school of the University of Pennsylvania â€Å"The term cybercrime refers to the use of a computer to facilitate or carry out a criminal offense† (Katyal 12). These criminal offenses can include, but are not limited to: telemarketing, identity theft, online money laundering, cyber terrorism, and cyber extortions. In an era were society at large rel ies greatly on computers and the Internet, it is crucial to understand the methods that cyber criminal’s use and the measures that one must take to prevent becoming a victim of cybercrime. When people think of cyber criminals also known as hackers many people tend to imagine a person dressed in black, with pale skin, bad mannerism, over weight, and somewhat anxious. People tend to think of hackers in this manner, because that is how they are portrayed in movies and T.V. However, these stereotypical imagesShow MoreRelatedThe Achievement And Success Of Cyber Crimes1124 Words   |  5 PagesSuccess in Cybercrime Cyber crimes refer to crimes committed against computers, computer networks of the information stored in computers (Bronk, 2008). In the past, the main problem that law enforcement officers have faced with regard to cyber crimes has had to do with the jurisdiction. With the prominence of the internet as a means communication and computers are a means of accessing information, cyber crimes have become prevalent. However, given the realisation that cyber crimes can be committed byRead MoreRoutine Activity And Situational Crime Prevention Theory1082 Words   |  5 PagesRoutine activity theory states that for a crime to be committed, three important factors need to be present including: a motivated offender, an accessible target, and the absence of a capable guardian against a violation. Marcus Felson and Lawrence E. Cohen introduced the routine activity theory in 1979, where they believed that an individual who has these three characteristics gives them a greater possibility of commit ting a crime. Moreover, situational crime prevention is known as strategies ofRead MoreWhat Is Cyber Crime?1424 Words   |  6 PagesWHAT IS CYBER CRIME? Crime is a common word that we always heard in this globalization era. Crimes refer to any violation of law or the commission of an act forbidden by law. Crime and criminality have been associated with man since long time ago. There are different strategies practices by different countries to contend with crime. It is depending on their extent and nature. It can be concluded that a nation with high index of crime cases cannot grow or develop well. This is because crime is theRead MoreThe Complexities of Prosecuting Cyber Crime Essay650 Words   |  3 PagesCyber crime and traditional crime have similar identifiable traits when criminal activity is the outcome. The goal of any criminal is to cause harm, threat steal, extortion, to name a few with intent to harm the public good. Local and state law prosecutes traditional crimes through the state attorney. The prosecutor represents the people(entity) of the state. The defendant or the entity charged must prove to the state, by reasonable doubt, their innocent’s of the charges. IndividualsRead MoreCyber Crime And Cyber Criminals844 Words   |  4 Pages Cyber crime is defined as any crime that involves a computer and network. Individuals, businesses and government agencies around the world constantly face threats to their medical information, consumer data, as well as company trade information and military decisions. Cyber security specialists are professionals that are specifically trained to protect individuals and organizations from cyber crime, hackers and scammers. Cyber criminals cause chaos Cyber criminals take pride in creating chaosRead MoreEssay on Cyber Crime and National Security1000 Words   |  4 PagesEssay on Cyber Crime And National Security When we talk about national security, we talk about the security of over one billion people and sovereignty of a country that is culturally rich, politically stable, socially compact and economically emerging. The worst victim of terrorism and naxalism India and its national security has been threatened recently by cyber crime. They concept of cyber crime is not radically different from the concept of conventional crime. Cyber crime is the latest andRead MoreThe Issue Of Cyber Crimes Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesJurisdiction is one of the main issues on account of cyber crimes because of the extremely inclusive nature of the cyber crimes. With the constantly developing arm of the internet the territorial concept appears to vanish. New Methods for resolution of dispute should offer route to the traditional techniques. Accordingly, the Information Technology Act, 2000 is quiet on these issues. In spite of the fact that S. 75 accommodates extra territorial operations of this law, yet they could be significantRead MoreCyber Security Threats And Crimes1279 Words   |  6 Pages Cyber security threats/crimes Before people even knew you could do so much with computers and internet beside common work activity before it got popular and admired, criminals had to get a lot more personal when retrieving their personal information like dig through trash, steal or break into their mailboxes, are buy it from a somebody who sold other people identity was some of the way criminal got people personal information. Now many of people aroundRead MoreThe Issue Of Cyber Crime1118 Words   |  5 Pagesresult when criminals commit a crime. Whether a person is covering their face with a ski mask as they physically rob a bank or someone infiltrates a hospital’s network to steal personal information for ransom, every criminal finds comfort in the warped sense that their identity will most likely be unknown, which will allow them to evade law enforcement. Due to technological advancements, criminals are more likely to remain anonymous after committing a criminal act when they engage in cyber crime. As aRead MoreThe Cybersecurity Act ( Cybersecurity )1708 Words   |  7 Pagesimportant information leaked to either cyber-criminals, terrorists or hackers then multiple people or America itself may be in trouble. Many businesses, trade groups, government officials, and civil liberty groups will be protected by the Cybersecurity Act, also it gives people, the government, and money more privacy then they have already. The overall goal of CISA (Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act) is to improve information sharing in the hopes of preventing cyber-attacks against both the private

Should We Abolish Pennies Free Essays

What would it be like without pennies? Without them we can’t use them for changes. Life would be different without pennies. Everything will have to change if we take out pennies in the U. We will write a custom essay sample on Should We Abolish Pennies? or any similar topic only for you Order Now S. If we don’t have pennies, then everything will be rounded off to the nearest five or ten cents. All the products with extra changes in the sale will have to change the amount of its costs to a point where no penny is needed. That’s more work for the workers to do, making all the costs of the items in the store into an amount where pennies aren’t needed. What would happen to the 99 cents store? If the pennies were to be gone, it won’t have the 99 cents store anymore. Sure they can change the cost of items to a dollar, but that is one cent more than the customers used to pay. That may not sound like a lot of money, but think about it, if you buy one hundred items for one hundred dollars, you could’ve save one dollar and one dollar can save a person’s life from starvation. And if they change it to 95 cents, they will lose profit. The sign of the store will have to be changed to whatever cost they decided to change the items to, but they can’t change the sign to â€Å"$1 Store† because there are already a store called that. And if they do change the sign, that means that they have to use their own money to get the new sign, which also means they’ll have less money to use for other necessary things for the store. The sources say that the penny is the lowest denomination coin, but if it were to be gone, the nickel would be the lowest denomination coin. Would it end up like the pennies and would be abolish in the future years? Even if the pennies were to be completely gone, the nickels will have the same complaints that the pennies were having and the complaints of the lowest denomination coin will go on and on until there is no coins left. In taking the pennies off, memories of Abraham Lincoln will be gone. All the things Lincoln did for the U. S. will fade away. We will no longer see him in coins, the 16th president will be less recognized without having a penny as his memory source. Abraham Lincoln will be forever remember with the pennies! This is how it would be like without pennies. Everything will be rounded off up or down. Would you want that to happen? Would you want Abraham Lincoln’s memories to fade away? Every penny counts, just as â€Å"every vote counts†. We must save the pennies! How to cite Should We Abolish Pennies?, Papers

Detailing About the Security Issue Related †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Detailing About The Security Issue Related? Answer: Introduction Before detailing about the security issue related to IoT, it is very crucial to understand what does it mean. IoT or Internet of Things is basically a system which helps to connect various devices to each other such as a television, washing machine, animals etc. These objects are provided with exclusive identifiers and have the capability to transport information over a network without the need of any interaction between two humans or the human and computer. In the Internet of Things, things may comprise of anything between a heart monitor implant in case of an individual, a biochip transponder in case of a farm animal to a car which has built in sensors to make the driver aware if the pressure of tyre is low. An IoT can help the various entities lessen the expenditure via ad hoc procedural efficiencies. IoT has a whole array of benefits to offer, due to which even the government is supporting energy companies to convert the present meters into smart ones (Turner 2016). Here all the data and information will become automated thus enabling to utilise less energy. Background However, with the advent of internet, there is always a question as to whether it is safe or not. Security is one of the biggest challenges posed by IoT. These systems and equipments connected to IoT have a whole lot of personal data stored within them such as the smart meters would know the house number of the meter owners and what electronics are being used within that house and these are further shared with other devices and held in databases by companies. It has said that many efforts are not being put to security fences into an IoT at the initial stages and the same can be proved due to various equipments which have been attacked by the hackers from the connected baby monitors to the traffic signals as well. Although IoT is safe since not many use it even now, yet the same have their own lapses which have to be looked upon. The interconnection of devices and objects via IoT has led to the emergence of biggest risk associated i.e. infection of one equipment can lead to infection of all those which are connected with that equipment. This is what has endangered the most vital infrastructures which otherwise would be protected. Past instances have made it clear that IoT is also subject to its own varsity which has led to the security lapses (Qiang et.al. 2013). The same is due to the vulnerability in the existing interaction system and software which are linked to the main nodal infrastructural point such as the personal laptops and such systems which are utilised for the official purpose and surveillance cameras have been targeted to lead to illegitimate entrance via the external medium. The report connotes the various security issues related to IoT and what all protection mechanisms are presently being used for defending against the said issues. Security Challenges Posed By Iot IoT has posed several challenges with regards the security related stances since inception. However, earlier since the number of users were small, hence the same was not very insecure, but with the increasing number of users, the hackers have started targeting the IoT connected devices as well. Thus it poses several challenges to the security of those devices which are all interconnected to each other. While budding any IoT application protection and trying frameworks play an imperative role. The most basic security hiccup in an IoT environment is that it boosts the number of equipments behind ones networks firewall (Yousuf et al.2015) . The concern of the people and the organizations has multiplied from only personal systems and smart phones to protecting devices such as cars, home appliances, wearable and such other devices which support IoT (Bekara, 2014). This has increased the options of the devices to be hacked. It is quite common nowadays to hear that the IoT attackers have at tacked and thus controlled the remotely control cars and thus ensure that the car runs as per their will. These attackers do not stop here, they may even end up intruding into the baby monitors or the thermostat so as to discover personal data of a person. Another security issue with regards IoT or the devices connected via IoT is that the tech companies have although started to discover newer devices but they lack in updating these devices enough or not at all. Thus it means that the IoT device which was once purchased can gradually become unsafe due to absence of regular updates (Eastwood. 2017). The corporations will be hit by a million of data from all sides of the IoT i.e. across all sensors which are connected. However the organisations are quite unsure about the protection of the said data. Such as the electricity boards being able to gather data automatically due to installation of smart meters. But these meters can be hacked to under-report the usage of energy. Presently one can easily buy an anti-virus and download it in their personal computers but unfortunately the said system is absent in an IoT device. Thus lack of built in security into these IoT connected devices and equipments fail to create trust and integrity of information stored in them. The main aim behind an IoT system is to ensure that the life of people becomes easy thus ensuring that efficiency and output enhances of the staff of any entity. Such a huge amount of information gathered will help in ensuring making better decisions. However unfortunately the said system will have a long lasting implication on the personal safety expectations. If the gathered facts and figured gets hacked then it will definitely challenge the trust people have imposed on IoT. The attackers are expected to hack the main systems rather than just the other connected devices (Suchitra Vandana 2016). However installing a string security track towards the end of an equipment is important, but if understood from a hackers view point, they would prefer not to impress upon any particular device when they know that hacking the entire application that controls these devices will give them access to numerous devices connected at one go (Samani, 2014). Thus it can be rightly said omnipresent co nnectivity will lead to multiplying IoT threats and security challenges. Lastly, the challenge posed by IoT is that its hack can lead to financial losses as well as harm to the physical well being as well. The hacking of an IoT can even lead to destroying a persons health also as was witnessed in August 2016, when the cyber security organization MedSec found out IoT weaknesses in the pacemakers which was manufactured by St. Ju-de Medical Research from Muddy Waters then accused St. Jude to investors leading to probable regulatory actions. Most of the IoT devices do not have a user interface because of which they are unable to get notification about any updates available (Das Sharma, 2016). However, looking towards the various challenges posed by an IoT, several protection mechanisms are being installed. Protection Mechanism It is very crucial to ensure that IoT is secured since its usage is increasing with every passing day. If the same is not taken up on priority then the various opportunities that it has to offer to the business houses will be undercut. When the product managers work in conjunction to the security specialists while planning a roadmap for the development of a product, for them considering security is a key concern while designing the product plan, its features and the way it would function. Such a collaboration of the two will ensure that the business opportunities and the security anxieties are well balanced and any kind of such weaknesses can be discovered at the start of the product lifecycle (Madukan Date, 2016). Another protection mechanism that can be implemented is the risk management mechanism, although the said procedure is an age old one, yet the business houses are required to find out the hiccups where their entities would be exposed to by analysing the various risk related situations and the ultimate implication of such attacks on the entity as well as the final users (Press, 2017). Authentication is also a very successful mechanism to protect IoT connected devices. Mutual authentication is a must between the various devices so that it can be proven that the same is worth to be trusted. Even though the internet fails to give dependable endpoint verification yet there are various other ways available. One such alternative solution is cryptography also although it is also subject to some vulnerabilities (Hanna, 2015). Lastly, the compilation, combining, observing and normalising information from the various devices connected to IoT is done and conducting such reporting strategies which is actionable by nature so that the matter can be brought under control when it falls outside the domains of the set policies (Roman et.al. 2011). IoT related analytics would be required in future to find out attacks specific to IoT and such attacks that cannot be found out by the traditional and age old security alarms such as firewalls. The said attack identifier are complicated artificial intelligence machines, big data techniques and machine learning (Pollard, 2016). Conclusion Thus while summarising the said stance of IoT and its related security hacks and ways and means of protecting these hacks, it can still be construed that IoT is reliable to some extent. Various attempts are being made to ensure that the same is safe and secure from any kind of susceptibility. Thus to ensure the same various mergers and such collaborations have taken place which would help to provide a more secure environment to IoT. One of the most prominent example is that of Vodafone who are the founders of the Internet of Things Security Foundation who are entrusted with the opportunity of verifying the devices which are interlinked to the internet for any kind of defaults weaknesses. They would further give a hand towards those who provide technology safety, those who adapt to the systems and the ultimate users. Researches are being conducted on a continuous basis which help to mingle the extent of safety of IoT once the internet and the concerned IoT device is connected to each other. The fact that IoT is a very vital part of the life of many cannot be denied or ignored. Thus due to the same, the safety issues should be addressed on an immediate basis which is possible only if the companies across the borders come along and work in cohesion towards emergence of a safer IoT environment. References: Bekara,C. (2014). Security Issues and Challenges for the IoT based Smart Grid. Procedia Computer Science. 34. 532-537. Retrieved from https://ac.els-cdn.com/S1877050914009193/1-s2.0-S1877050914009193-main.pdf?_tid=aa3caddc-334a-11e7-a2a4-00000aacb361acdnat=1494178323_79fdd209eb4ed5f44d5af91545bb4453 Das,D. Sharma,B. (2016). General Survey on Security Issues on Internet of Things. International Journal of Computer Applications. 139(2). 23-29 Eastwood,G. (2017). 4 critical security challenges facing IoT. Retrieved from https://www.cio.com/article/3166106/internet-of-things/4-critical-security-challenges-facing-iot.html Hanna,S. (2015). 6 Ways to Boost IoT Security. Retrieved from https://trustedcomputinggroup.org/6-ways-boost-iot-security/ Madukan,S., Date,H. (2016). Security Mechanisms for Connectivity of Smart Devices in the Internet of Things. Springer International Publishing: Switzerland. Pollard,J. (2016). Meet IoT security challenges head-on. Retrieved from https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Meet-IoT-security-challenges-head-on Press,G. (2017). 6 Hot Internet of Things (IoT) Security Technologies. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2017/03/20/6-hot-internet-of-things-iot-security-technologies/#26325fb51b49 Qiang,C., Quan,G., Yu,B. Yang,L. (2013). Research on Security Issues of the Internet of Things. International Journal Of Future Generation Communication and Networking. 6(6). 1-10. Retrieved from https://www.sersc.org/journals/IJFGCN/vol6_no6/1.pdf Roman,R. Najera,P., Lopez, J. (2011). Securing the Internet of Things. IEEE Computer. 44. 51-58. Retrieved from https://www.nics.uma.es/pub/papers/1633.pdf Samani,R. (2014). 3 key security challenges for the Internet of Things . Retrieved from https://securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/business/3-key-security-challenges-internet-things/ Suchitra,C., Vandana C.P. (2016). Internet of Things and Security Issues. International Journal of Computer Science and Mobile Computing. 5(1). 133-139. Retrieved from https://www.ijcsmc.com/docs/papers/January2016/V5I1201636.pdf Turner,M. (2016). How to secure the Internet of Things. Retrieved from https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/How-to-secure-the-internet-of-things Yousuf,T., Mahmoud,R., Aloul,F., Zualkernan,I. (2015). Internet of Things (IoT) Security: Current Status, Challenges and Countermeasures. International Journal for Information Security Research. 5(4). 608-616. Retrieved from https://www.aloul.net/Papers/faloul_ijisr15.pdf

Rakesh Soni

Priorities before Soni Rakesh Soni is a chief compliance officer (CCO) to the Indian information technology (IT) company appointed in July 2009. This company is managed by a board of six members assigned by the federal government as caretakers the same year. Soni was allocated the responsibility of controlling the corporate governance of Mahindra Satyam Limited. This was implemented to enable the company’s progress without increasing the workload from the preceding year 2008 (Pradipta Mukherjee).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rakesh Soni specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As the chief compliance officer, Soni was to come up with a new outline on code of ethics and instill principles of corporate governance at Mahindra Satyam Limited, which was formerly recognized as Satyam Computer Services Limited. Soni was supposed to report his ideas to the vice chairman of Mahindra Satyam named Vineet Nayyar. Soni also served as the company’s chief operating officer with the profit center. He was accountable for business verticals, which he reported to C. P. Gumani who was chief executive officer (CEO) at Mahindra Satyam Limited. In a bid to carry out this responsibility effectively, he solicited assistance from Sucharita Palepu. Palepu was the head of talent management in Human Resources (HR) at Mahindra Satyam. Managerial Issue before Soni Soni was to ensure that there would be no additional violation, overt or covert of corporate governance standards. Mahindra and Mahindra Company had outlined these standards as follows; introduction of strong cooperate best practices, review of key processes, and implementation of suggestions from forensic accounting/investigating authorities. Soni was responsible for ensuring that everyone worked with integrity, which was greatly backed by Mahindra’s reputation. However, information available to the independent directors was limited. Soni had t o make a decision on substitution of Satyam since it was tainted as an individual brand. It was important to give the brand a lower profile among the stakeholders even though it was the dominant source of value creation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact, this brand recorded higher revenues, larger number of employees, and higher economies of scale than Tech-Mahindra. In addition, it was more recognized in the global technology industry than Tech-Mahindra. On the other hand, Tech-Mahindra was offering an opportunity to force entry into the market. In addition, Soni faced the managerial issues of integration among people who were the motivating forces in the IT industry. Signals Indicating that Independent Directors Missed at Satyam As per the suggested code of conduct, the directors were to represent the interests of shareholders and consult them when making important decisions such as in acquisitions. However, the chairman of the board of directors (Raju) approved the purchase of 100% stake in Maytas Properties and 51% in Maytas Infrastructure (Maytas Infra) on an investment of $1.3 billion and $0.3 billion respectively. These infrastructure companies were controlled by Raju’s sons. Maytas Properties established in 2005 was involved in the development of such urban space infrastructure as integrated townships and special economic zones. On the other hand, Maytas Infra was involved in building highways, metros and ports (Bartlett and Beamish 67).The directors were expected to demonstrate high standards of integrity, devotion, independence of thought, and judgment. In this light, the described approval and purchase were out of context. The chairman and managing director of Mahindra and Mahindra Company made a commentary that, â€Å"it is not as though we did not have a plan to go in. It was not as though once we won the bid; we scratched o ur heads and said, â€Å"Okay†, what do we do next?† When we took over the company, we had a road map of what to do from day one. We were like commandos hitting the ground with a battle plan. The key message was: the past is, by definition, gone, so let’s pick up the pieces, the good ones, and start running† (Taneja 44). This shows explicitly that due care was not considered. Another code of ethics was that all directors had to dedicate adequate time, energy, and attention to ensure diligent performance of his/her duties inclusive of making all reasonable efforts to attend board or committee meetings. In the standing issues of the company against its accounts’ books, it was overstated leading to false and unfair view of the shareholders and the public in general.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rakesh Soni specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The directors claimed to have no previous knowledge, which was a clear expression of neglecting responsibility. In summary, the directors were required to comply with every provision of this code. However, they had gone against this code in a precise and explicit manner. Personal Idea on Role of Auditors In my opinion, the roles of auditors are as indicated in the following list. Scrutinizing the financial statements and the announcements of a company in order to examine whether they are the true and fair representation of the business. Assessing internal financial controls and risk management system within the company. Scrutinizing and examining internal auditing operations. Endorsing external auditors’ appointments and replacements, and analyzing their work efficiency Fostering and instigating guidelines on the use of auditors for non-audit services (Leung, Barry and Robertson 43). Works Cited Bartlett, Christopher and Paul Beamish. Transnational management: text, cases, and readings in cross-border management. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2011. Print. Leung, Philomena, Barry J. Cooper and Peter Robertson. The role of internal audit in corporate governance management. Melbourne: RMIT Publishing, 2003. Print. Taneja, Nawal. Looking beyond the runway airlines innovating with best practices while facing realities. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Pub. Co., 20102009. Print. This essay on Rakesh Soni was written and submitted by user Aubrey Goff to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Qantas Airways Limited Analysis

Qantas Airways Limited Analysis Executive Summary Market analysis is a vital concept for any business organisations to be able to assess the market needs and based on what is at hand, respond to the needs. Before making a market analysis, it is good to look at a company’s background in order to ascertain how current operations were motivated by past records. Three main tools have been used to analyse the airline industry using the case of Qantas.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Qantas Airways Limited Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These are Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats, (SWOT), Porter’s Five Forces, and Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Legal, and Environmental (PESTLE) factors. At the end of the discussion, it can be noted that Qantas remains a major player in the airline industry at local and international levels amid the stiff competition from other carriers. Introduction Qantas Airway s Ltd. is an Australian firm that operates in the airline industry at local and international capacities. The ideal to start the organisation was hatched by two individuals back in 1922. Fergus McMaster was convinced to look for interested investors after McGinness and Fysh sold the idea to him. The history of Australian civil aviation is mainly about the history of Qantas that started from a humble beginning to what defines the future of Australian airspace. The corporation began with a two-passenger plane to the recent Airbus A380 series with carriage capacity of 450 passengers to far destinations. The Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd, (QANTAS) hard to pass through hurdles to develop its market share with a pull of dedicated staff members backed by very loyal customers. The key pillars of Qantas development are the stakeholders who created it, the workforce, and the customers. The vertical rise in the company’s growth has made Qantas one of the worldâ⠂¬â„¢s best long distance international brands and one of the best service providers in Australia. The outstanding growth of Qantas defines the course of international aviation industry (Qantas, 2012a). In order to critically analyse a firm’s business operations, there are tools that are employed to ascertain the strength and position of a firm. SWOT, PESTLE, and use of Porter’s Five Forces are recommended tools that can achieve this feat. The tools involve evaluation of a firm’s strength by looking at a number of factors that overly defines a successful business organisation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By taking the case study of Qantas Airways Ltd, this paper vividly explores market parameters that make Qantas outstanding among other world airline brands. From review of the company’s business activities, one concludes whether the firm stands strong and whether sustainability of business activities will be achieved in both short and long terms. Quantas Airways Background Description of the Organization Fergus McMaster was convinced to look for interested investors after McGinness and Fysh gave him a detailed plan for setting up an air service. Fysh and McGinness with the help of flight sergeant Arthur Baird took a trip to Mascot Aerodrome in Sydney to inquire for delivery of 2 Avro planes. An agreement was reached and the Western Queensland Auto Aero Service Ltd was registered. A rebranding took place later to form the abbreviation, (Qantas, 2012b). The formal establishment of Qantas was in 1920 following registration with chairmanship of Fergus McMaster. There were then a series of air test and joy rides by the founders who experienced technical and physical difficulties while airborne. The machines were remodelled to suit the needs at that time and the aircrafts could make 54,000km carrying a total of 871 p assengers by the biplanes without damage (Qantas, 2012a). As time passed by, more planes were required in airmail services between Cloncury and Charleville in 1922. Two years later, the first Australian Prime Minister flies Qantas on an official government duty. The marched achievement seemed to bring new hope for the company and in 1926, Qantas started building its own machines at the Longreach base. The following chronology of events summarises the succeeding history of Qantas: 1927: The firm recruits the first traineeAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Qantas Airways Limited Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More 1928: The launch of the Flying Doctors Service with Qantas offering the air travel services. 1929: Outback network arrives in Brisbane 1931: Trial airmail delivery is made from Brisbane to Darwin 1934: The firm changes its name to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd. 1935: The Qantas DH86 flies overseas, Darwin to Singapore. The flight is to deliver airmail to the UK in liaison with Imperial Airways that was later named BOAC. 1938: The airline to the United Kingdom receives Short C Class airplanes to make trips to Singapore. Imperial Airline obtains the responsibility of the route. 1939-1945: A fully set base takes operation of mechanical works at mascot base known today as Sydney Airport. Qantas gets involved in the WWII as its planes are used to transfer the foot soldiers from the threat of advancing Japanese fighters to New Guinea.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They airplanes also supply foodstuff to soldiers at the battle fields. Qantas also makes history for being the first to make more than 30-hours flight over Perch and Sri Lanka airs to make important links with Allied Forces. The kangaroo logo becomes symbol of Qantas in 1944. 1946: air transport in Australia-UK route recommence and this time the British Airways in a partnership programme. DC3 service is initiated to New Guinea as the flight network reaches new Indian and Pacific Islands destinations. In the same year, Australian regime launches new airline known as Trans-Australia Airlines, TAA in the domestic market with Lester Brain (formerly of Qantas) as the general manager 1947: Government of Australia buys all shares in Qantas, Constellation aircraft sets in, and the first flight is made to Japan 1949: TAA replaces Qantas in the Flying Doctors Service and the Queensland and Northern Territory routes 1953: Along the Kangaroo route to UK, a tourist economy class is introduced 19 54: The Super Constellations flies to San Francisco, USA and Vancouver, Canada for the first time 1956: For the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Qantas carries the Olympic flame from Athens to Melbourne 1958: The Qantas’s Super Constellations make a round the world flight 1959: Qantas introduces Boeing 707 series as the first non-American airline. This gain reduces flight times by half for trans-Pacific flights 1960: TAA in charge of operations in the Papua New Guinea from Qantas 1964: TAA launches its first jet by purchasing Boeing 727 series; high performing machines that stimulate the Australian airline industry with their mechanical superiority, speed, and comfort. This results to massive growth of the industry. 1966: The retirement of Qantas Co-founder and Chairperson, Sir Hudson Fysh 1967: Qantas rebrands to Qantas Airways Ltd. TAA launches DC9 that proves to be mechanically sound for going 495 different revenue flights without delay on mechanical breakdown 1971: The introdu ction of the Jumbo jet; Boeing 747 1974: Qantas evacuates 673 survivors on one flight from the devastation of Cyclone Tracy from Darwin to set new world record 1979: Phasing out of the 707 series and venturing into an all-747 airline. In the same year, the firm rolls out the first Business Class travel experience to customers. 1985: The launch of Boeing 767s. James Strong goes to TAA in order to revitalise the TAA when the government was advancing to stronger deregulation and competition 1986: TAA becomes Australian Airline 1988: Australian airline is incorporated to a public company 1989: Australian Airline in trouble due to pilot’s strike followed by resignation. The government agrees to a deal to make a proposal that would bring together the Australian Airline and Qantas. 1989: Qantas Airways Ltd buys the Boeing 747-400 that the first nonstop flight of 18,001km in accompany jet. The first experience take place in the London-Sydney route. 1990: One John Schaap quits the fir m as an executive member to join Australian Airways as its general manager. The departure took only ten months before deregulation of local airline industry in Australia. 1992: Government agrees to sell the stakes of Australian Airline to Qantas valued at $400 million. 1993: The government regime offloads 25% stake to make British Airways have ownership of Qantas Airline in a privatisation strategy. Australian Airline merges with Qantas to form Qantas Airways Ltd. with James Strong as the CEO 1994: A new cabin design launches to update service provision 1995: Qantas offloads the remaining 75% shares to the public in the ASX. Qantas becomes one of the world leading service providers in the aviation industry with an operation capability of airlifting 14 million passengers per annum using over 130 aircrafts 1997: Qantas marks the year of the golden jubilee along the Kangaroo network from Australia to the United Kingdom and Japan 2002: The launch of subsidiary airline to operate at inte rnational level. The name of the firm is Australian Airlines 2004: Introduction of a new and cheap carrier in the domestic flight known as Jetstar 2006: Australian Airlines stops its services 2008: The A380 series are added to Qantas fleet while second biggest order to be done by any airline corporation is in the pipeline. A380 aircraft is inaugurated to fly from Melbourne to Los Angeles, the technology is of high standards as the Required Navigation Performance finds usage in managing flight. This makes the firm to reduce its carbon emission by significant figures. Installation of Qantas General Electric CF6-80C2 engine to enhance the performance of the B747-400 aircrafts 2010: new check-in system 2012: The arrival of B787 aircraft considered as next generation fleet 2020: Centenary of Qantas, Qantas (2012a). Location of Organization The initial location of the Qantas operations was in Longreach, Queensland to Brisbane In 1930, the company’s headquarter was moved from Longr each, Queensland to Brisbane In 1938, the company’s headquarters was moved from Brisbane to Sydney as operation base. In 1957, a new corporate headquarter was set up along Hunter Street, Sydney Stakeholders of the Organization From the chronology of events that have shaped Qantas Group, the company was a private entity when it was founded back in 1922. The growth track led to instant recognition and at some point the government of Australia took over the firm. Afterwards the government privatised the firm. In a bid to make the firm have an international appeal, British Airways was took a 25% stake at Qantas after the government agreed terms with British Airways in 1993. In 1995, Qantas offloaded the remaining 75% shares to the public in the ASX (Qantas (2012a). Today Qantas is a public owned company and it is listed in the ASX as QAN. This gives opportunity to anyone who would wish to own the firm a chance by simply buying the stock. Any individual who owns the QAN is a Qant as owner; hence, stakeholder . The management team spearheaded by the Nominations Committee is free to nominate a new member to the Board of Directors and every stakeholder has the right to approve such nominations during the company’s AGM. Just like other listed companies, only a stakeholder with 51% ownership of the firm can have a direct say on how the firm should run with regard to management and who should be in the Board. Organizational Structure The Qantas’ Board is dominated by independent Non-executive Directors who work hand in hand with Executive Directors to carry out Qantas capital intensive programmes. The Board has responsibility of upholding accountability and freedom in a bid to maximise the profit for goodwill of all stakeholders. The Board of Directors Source: Qantas (2012b) The Executive Arm of Qantas Other than the Board of Directors, Qantas also has the Executive Team that comprises of the following personalities: Alan Joyce; The firm’s CEO Gareth Evans; CFO Lesley Grant; CEO of Qantas Loyalty Simon Hickey; CEO of Qantas International Jayne Hrdlicka; the CEO of Jetstar Group Brett Johnson; the firm’s General Counsel Jon Scriven; Group Executive People Lyell Strambi; CEO of Qantas Domestic Board Committees Audit Committee Nominations Committee Remuneration Committee Safety, Health, Environment and Security Committee Board Committee Charters The Board Charter was adopted by the Board in September 1, 2003. The Committees have the duty of giving comprehensive analysis of all issues affecting the company to the Board for approval. In addition, the Board approved charters for its Committees as: Audit Committee Charter Nominations Committee Charter Remuneration Committee Charter Safety, Health, Environment and Security Charter, Qantas (2012b). Service Analysis The main Qantas’ service line is passenger transportation and air freight services. These are the services that have seen the company grow in th e last decades. The fleet size has increased, the planes have been modernised, and expectations are still high is the fleet renewal plans. This means that customers will continue to experience superior services at least in the near future. Other than the main services, Qantas owns a number of subsidiary firms as it takes service experiences a notch higher. QantasLink This subsidiary, firm has more than 2000 flights per week in 56 destinations spread in metropolis, regions, and across borders (Papua New Guinea). Q Catering This is the firm’s group that offers catering services to the travellers and is fully owned by Qantas. It has two main branches: the Q Catering spread across Qantas’ 6 ports in Australia and Snap Fresh that is a modern facility in Queensland specialised in meal production. The meals are supplied to non-aviation destinations. Qantas Freight This is Qantas’ subsidiary that manages all the freight issues in the international level for Jetstar, Jes tar Asia, and Qantas. In addition, it handles freight in domestic market that is marketed by Australian air Express. Qantas Freight Enterprise runs specialised logistics businesses across the borders done by: Express Freighters Australia (EFA), Jets Transport Express, and Qantas Courier employing 800 workers. Express Ground Handling This is Qantas’ subsidiary is fully owned by Qantas Airways and works in liaison with Qantas Airports and Qantas Catering Group. It provides ground handling facilities regional airlines and Jetstar. Qantas Holidays This is Qantas’ subsidiary forming union with the Jetset Travelworld Group to offer travel wholesale services. The services cover all the Qantas destinations outreach not only by Qantas itself but also in alliance with other airlines. There have been mergers of Qantas Holidays with other firms to offer a range of travel agency at retail prices. Qantas Jetstar This is a low cost airline working in Singapore and Australia since 200 4. Whereas the Jetstar Australia is wholly owned by Qantas, â€Å"Jetstar Asia is a Singapore-based partnership between Qantas (49%) and Singapore company Westbrook Investments (51%) with the hub based in Singapore† (Qantas 2012c). Qantas Defence Services Qantas Defence Services offers flight services to the defence force of Australia in at both local and international levels. This began in the WWII and since then, the government of Australia is in liaison with Qantas to offer air flights. There are warplanes in the Qantas Defence Service docket to suit these needs. Technology The Dreamliner’s arrival Qantas has, since its inception tried to remain one of the best performing airlines not only in Australia but also in the international airline industry. This has been made possible given the firm’s drive to purchase high performing machines in the airline industry. Backed by sound financial background, Qantas embraces any technology that can add value to the passe nger transportation and freight services. Technology must improve if the world is to attain global climatic challenges resulting from the emission of carbon into the atmosphere. In the airline industry, one way of using technology to cut on carbon emission is the adoption of efficient cars. Qantas has made the Boeing 787 as the foundation of its fleet renewal programme at both the domestic and international services. The firm has placed an order of 50 Boeing 787 cars and the Dreamliner would be delivered around June 2013. The Boeing 787 series are a high technology machines that will make Qantas to be able to fly to far destinations without flight connection. This will boost point-point travels across the globe. The aircraft’s body is made if composite and light materials and due to light weight, the aircraft travels faster than ordinary aircraft of similar size. It is fuel efficient and able to reach further destinations on full load and is easy and cheap to maintain. The in vestment in Boeing 787 series is in line with Qantas belief of providing air transport safely, high quality services, and innovative business ideas that have been the company’s ethos since 1922 (Qantas, 2012k). To maintain the high level of technology of the Boeing 787 series, Qantas has chosen GE GEnx Engines to maintain the fleet. GEnx meets the requirements to maintain the cars at low cost while paying keen attention to environmental safety standards. Boeing 787 has the ability to increase fuel efficiency by 20%, make a 20% carbon emission cut, 40% nitrous oxide emission cut, and reduce noise footprint by 50% at airports. This table below shows the technical specifications of Boeing 787: B787-8 B787-9 Seating 210 250* 250 – 290* Configuration Twin Aisle Twin Aisle Length 57 metres (186 ft) 63 metres (206 ft) Height 17 metres (56 ft) 17 metres (56 ft) External Fuselage width 574 centimetres (226 inches) 574 centimetres (226 inches) Wind Span 60 metres (197 ft) 60 metres (197 ft) Cruise Speed Mach 0.85 Mach 0.85 Maximum Take-off Weight 228 tonnes 247 tonnes Source: Qantas, (2012d) World’s first technology entertainment The Qantas’ Q Streaming pilot and its passenger were among the first in the world to experience WIFI entertainment technology. In addition, passengers using the technology entertainment car within the airlines of Australia are first to practically try the In-Flight Entertainment technique, (IFE). Travellers will also be allowed to use WIFI enabled gadgets like laptops. As of February this year, Qantas passengers travelling can now download Q Streaming app available from the iTunes database while passengers who own laptops can easily download the MS Silverlight before plane takes off. The new technology entertainments are making customers to really appreciate services at Qantas. Great choice is offered for to the customers and their feedback so far has been amazing. As a result, the company will continue to develop its Q Streaming utilities by taking advantage of the new emerging edge wireless technology. According to Qantas (2012e) â€Å"Qantas will continue to enable customers access the Q Streaming content via their own WIFI enabled devices on the dedicated B767-300 whilst finalising plans to extend its application to wider fleet.† Internal Economic Environment International corporations like Qantas should undertake SWOT analysis to establish its internal position as an organisation against the external environment. This is critical as it makes it possible to adjust to environment needs of business; for instance, opportunity created through open borders that make it easy to access overseas market, (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson 2008). It allows managers to review the internal and external business environment with the aim of setting up obligatory roles of a company geared towards company’s mission and vision statements. SWOT analysis helps to restore the glory of an underperforming business to new economic heights. A firm’s strength is fundamental in maintaining competitiveness, which consumers value most. Competitiveness makes products imitation by other industrial players difficult. Belk and Sherry (2007) note that value is creation is motivated by the satisfying the needs of both producers and consumers according to co-production assessment. Leveraging in short refers to the harmonisation of internal strength against external opportunities. Planning in management should expect operation constraints when internal weaknesses prevail as it is likely to limit a company’s competitive advantages and opportunities. On the other hand, internal weaknesses are a threat to organizational strengths as they make a firm susceptible to the external economic environment. Strengths A business organisation can have a number of possible strengths to boost performance these may include: a pull of skilled manpower, sound book values or finan cial health, brand name like Qantas that is popular across the globe and adjustment in equipment purchase or installation, inadequate competition, and own premises among. A pull of a skilled manpower helps in the cutting training cost; hence, reduced annual overheads. A good financial position means that an organisation can service its financial commitment and access more funds like loans. Own premises reduces the amount of recurrent costs. All these strengths can lead to cost reduction that may be needed to adjust to a short term market need; for instance, sudden rise in jet fuel prices that will automatically affect normal running of the business. Strength therefore can be used to sustain competitiveness. Product diversity The core business line of Qantas Airline Ltd is passenger transport and air freight. To this effect, the firm has delivered top quality even in the most trying economic times. Product diversity is equally important to boost critical operations when the main busi ness is faced with fiscal challenges or any other challenges. As such, Qantas runs a series of subsidiaries listed below: QantasLink Q Catering Qantas Freight Express Ground Handling Qantas Holidays JetStar Qantas Defence Services The Qantas Freight operates the freight services with its own fleet that of cars of the Boeing 747-400F and B767-300F. The subsidiary also carries ground handling services in 7 locations in Australia and abroad for its own airlines and other carriers. The Qantas Defence Service supports the Australian and this began in the WWII era. The subsidiary offers services to the defence forces in Australia and due to the superiority of Qantas the expected level of services needed can be met by the firm’s strength (Qantas 2012c). By operating subsidiary firms Qantas is in a position to strengthen its asset and revenue base to meet its fleet expansion and renewal programmes. In addition, this strategy is helpful in reducing the dependence level of Qantas pas sengers’ services that can be affected by political tensions when diplomatic hitches or sanctions occur. The ground handling services that Qantas Freight offers to even other carriers in far destination like Los Angeles helps the firm in building inter-organisational relations and diplomatic relationship with Australia and America and others. Number of fleet and types of fleet The airline since its inception in 1922 has seemed tremendous growth in the domestic and international level. To boost the upward trend, Qantas has been in the forefront to set a number of world records in the airline industry due to its preference for high performance machines. Qantas is the largest airline operator in Australia and this is achieved by fleet development to carry passengers to various destinations across the world. In the next decade, Qantas has a short term plan of capital investment in the tune of US$23 billion to buy more and high performing aircrafts of the next generation. The flee t capital investment would see the firm buy the more of the Airbus A380s and the most talked about Airbus A320 neo and Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Qantas, 2012f). The significant point about fleet renewal at Qantas is to facilitate efficient use of fuel in the long run as fuel is a global problem when supply dwindles. Renewal replaces older and more energy intensive machines with low fuel consuming ones. The current fleet of aircrafts at Qantas is Australia’s biggest in domestic aviation industry and one of the world’s best in international airlines. Qantas won the World Airline Awards for the Best Premium Economy Class. The Trans-Tasman line has a new B737-800 series, superior services of new 747 series that delivers the best Business Class worldwide, among other superior services offered by Qantas. The much talked about Dreamliner is expected to be delivered to Qantas in 2013 and other brand new 50 B787-900 series to arrive by 2016 (Qantas, 2012f). This kind of fleet supe riority in the domestic and global airline industries places Qantas in a strategic position to continue dominating the industry even in the years to come. The company’s prospectus runs for the next 4 years in terms of new airline arrivals only. These kinds of realignments and strategies will ensure that the Qantas remains a strong brand. Strong corporate governance structure Corporate governance may be a great strength if properly structured in an organization in order to improve accountability in running activities of the firm. Corporate governance builds formidable relationship between shareholders and business managers. Turner, 2009 observes that’ corporate governance â€Å"is used to describe a range of issues relating to the ways in which companies may be directed and controlled† (p. 5). A broader definition of good governance takes cognizance of the social and business environment, to enhance social functions of a firm in the society. Stakeholders’ roles are critical in the maintenance of competitiveness and long term sustainability of an organisation’s activities (Calder, 2008). Corporate governance should outline operations with respect to policy structure, its implementation, and other amicable strategies to withhold stakeholders’ preferences. Qantas in line with the requirements of corporate governance has an elaborate corporate governance structure for its full functionality. The Board of Directors is given the responsibility of ensuring Qantas corporate governance is created or updated, protected, to enhance shareholders’ value. The Board follows the provisions of Australian Securities Exchange Corporate Governance Council’s principles. Qantas publicly discloses all their policies relating the corporate governance, which builds stakeholders’ trust. Qantas Board of Directors maintains high level corporate governance ethics that are constantly being reviewed to comply with the latest issu es that affect the structure. To help in this regard, the Board works on corporate governance structure directed by the following sub-sections: The Qantas Constitution Corporate Governance Statement Qantas’ Executive Remuneration Philosophy The Qantas Board Board Committee members Board Committee Charters Qantas Group Business Practices Document Qantas Diversity Statement (Qantas, 2012b). The elaborate nature of Qantas corporate governance and its transparency conforms to all the requirements of corporate governance outlined above. Therefore, the firm’s shareholders and all other stakeholders see accountability of the highest level. They in turn trust the company’s ideals, which is an endorsement to its operations for the sustainability of Qantas. Weaknesses It is important to recognise a company’s weaknesses in order to minimise them in future. Weaknesses can be; rented premises, unskilled or semi-skilled workforce, heavy debts, stock imbalance, and un productive or inefficient machines. Even though Qantas owns a number of subsidiaries, the subsidiary firms depend on mainstream Qantas services (passenger transportation) and freight. This means that if the mainstream services are affected, there will be a ripple effect that will trickle down to the subsidiary firms. Therefore the firms should invest in different lines and industries. According to Reuters (2012) Qantas still faces the challenge of fuel costs and the immediate response at times of high fuel costs is to hike fares. This is a weakness because it can lead to lose of customers. External Economic Environment Threats Existence of strikes Industrial strike poses a great threat to the company performance. During strikes the airline operations are grounded and that leads to reduction of revenue and subsequently gaining by the company’s rivals such as Virgin Australia. For instance, Qantas first quarter profit of the year 2012 reduced by 52% (CAPA Centre for Aviation, 2 012). The main contributing factor to the reduction of the mentioned profit margin is industrial strikes. The company estimate of the revenue loss as result of strike is AUD 95 million. Competition from other airways companies The existence of the competition from other airline also is a great threat to Qantas airways market share. Virgin Australia offers stiff competition to destinations which were earlier seen as Qantas airways natural markets. The completion has made Qantas airways to cut off some of the international routes so as concentrate to the domestic market. Global economic crises The effects of global economic crisis in 2008 challenged many global business organizations. The aviation industry was also hard hit because the number of tours reduced as travelling became a lesser priority. Currently, the Euro zone crisis continues to affect member countries in Europe. The global economic crises are a threat to the airline and frantic efforts must be made to minimize their eff ects. The end result of global economic crisis is that it increases operation cost, reduces business opportunities which in turn leads to loss of revenue to a company. Fuel prices The stability of fuel prices in the global market directly affects the operations of airlines. The stability depends on a number of issues; one being political standoff between one or more countries. To stabilize the fuel prices, Qantas ahs a well developed hedging strategy that intends to cushion the effect of unstable fuel prices. Under the Capital Management and Treasury, Qantas reserves cash revenue of $3.3 billion to facilitate debt problems. Fuel costs, operating foreign exchange, and aircraft capital expenditure are all hedged to respond the incoming challenges. Of the three hedged funds, fuels cost takes 86% with an effective hedge price of US$116.05/barrel. According to Qantas (2012g), â€Å"Hedging approach mitigates risk whilst maintaining upside potential,† (p. 13). Opportunities Product diversity Needs extension to non-airline services The Oneworld Alliance Oneworld Alliance offers great opportunity for Qantas to extend its services to further destinations. Through the alliance, it is possible to integrate critical airline operations with the Qantas’ operations. Porters Five Forces Porter’s Five Forces model was initiated by the renowned economic and business strategist Michael E. Porter. Porter identified five pillars that mainly influence organisation and planning of businesses. This model is relevant in modern day given the phase of internet use in business processes that has led to globalization. The five forces are illustrated below: Source: Porter, (1985) Bargaining power of Buyers Customers with substantial bargaining are likely to have a massive take on what should inform a business strategy. The advances in technology and the use of internet ahs significantly increased such of information and for customers. As a result, customers can make f are comparison for the various airlines before booking. The information is available online; for instance, Qantas has its own page for online booking. Choice is made depending on the desired pack and price for a flight. High bargaining power of customers increases rivalry in the airline industry. Qantas has specialised in the delivery of quality economy and business classes that serve the interest of various categories of customers. In fact, Qantas has won awards in the provision of superb services. As mentioned earlier, Qantas won the World Airline Awards for the Best Premium Economy Class. Bargaining power of Suppliers The number of suppliers who are able to deliver a company’s fleets or any other equipment needed affect suppliers’ bargaining power. In case of supply dominance by one or few entities, the bargaining power of the supplier(s) will be increased as increase in demand for equipment increases. On the other hand, if there are many suppliers are in an industr y, their bargaining power will be diminished leading to low costs of machinery and other equipment. In the fleet development industry, there are limited manufacturers that can deliver state of the art aircrafts to meet Qantas market needs. For instance, Boeing 787 Dreamliner is s superior kind of aircraft that not every manufacturer has the ability to make in the short run. To this effect, the manufacturer enjoys the bargaining power and Qantas has to give in to any demands given by Boeing. Threat of New Entrants New entrants are firms that are not currently in market completion in a given industry; but they have the ability to do so if they decide. In international airline industry, it is absolutely unavoidable to eliminate the threat of a new entrant and alleviate any threat of their market share. Many corporations invest in Research and Development, (RD) to improve services. However, threat of a new market entrant relies on a number of factors. First, economies of scale enjoyed b y a leading company may act as a barrier to a new entrant that is yet to start service delivery in a given market. According to Hill and Jones, (2009), â€Å"Economies of scale arise when unit costs fall as a firm expands its output. Sources of economies of scale include, cost of reductions gained through mass-producing a standardized output and discounts on purchase of raw materials in bulk.† Another barrier to entry is absolute cost advantages. When initial resource investment is high for an existing company compared to a potential entrant, there would be very hard scenario for a new entrant to get into market. Government policies may also favour market dominance for some companies; for example, if incentives are given to new entrants, barrier to entry would be significantly reduced for a business organisation. The forth factor that influences this force paradigm is the cost of consumer switching from one service or product to another. If the cost of switching is relatively low, a new entrant captures some part of the market share whereas if the costs are high, dominant firm would are the beneficiaries. Consumer loyalty on a given brand can be a hurdle for a new firm to enter market. Threats of substitutes If market situation allows for substitutability of goods and services from other competitor, then the management needs to find alternative measures to limit the threat. This can be done through finding new markets, adopting competitive fares and low cost product, among other measures that will make the company maintain its market share. If the degree of substitutability of goods and services is low, threat of market share will be low. Qantas prides itself as a trend setter with the new fleet of cars expected in the future. The firm has the financial ground to support all the ambitious plans in the offing. In May 2012, Qantas withdrew services in the Auckland-Los Angeles and Singapore-Mumbai routes in a aircraft renewal plan. The plan was to set free 4 of the A330 cars that were in turn taken to the Sydney-Bangkok route. The A330s were to replace the 2 Boeing 747-400 series. This was a reduction in international flight in favour of domestic trunk network. According the CEO of Qantas the strategy is to ensure that Qantas maintains a minimum of 65% of the domestic market (CAPA Centre for Aviation, 2012). The plan meant that the trans-continental market was limited in service. As such, Virgin Australia saw an opportunity and planned for a three to four year strategy to roll into the market with A330. Virgin Australia followed the launch into the route with yet another target of the Sydney-Perth route with A330s and A330 flights from Melbourne-Perth twice in a day. These market entries by Virgin Australia offers substitute services to customers in the aforementioned routes, which is a threat to Qantas. Rivalry among competitors All the other forces lead to increased rivalry among firms in a given industry. The airline industry has a number of established airline operators that and new entrants who create stiff competition and rivalry. Depending on the type of brand that an organisation creates to the consumers, popularity will come from product pricing, design, and dedicated funds for advertising. There is a relationship between price of a commodity and costs involved in production and when prices are low and costs are high, the profit margins are decreased. On the other hand, when competition is low profit margins shoot up. Cost is lowered, prices rise, and profit increases. In a nutshell, Hill and Jones (2009) point out at four factors that affect level of rivalry, â€Å"The intensity of rivalry among established companies within an industry is largely a function of four factors: industry competitive structure; demand conditions; cost conditions; the height of exit barriers in the industry.† Industry analysts carry out research to determine the number of firms in a given industry. Industrial struct ures vary and each segment ought to determine the rivalry levels at its own capacity. For instance, in a progressive industry would behave in a particular manner. According to McGahan, (2004), â€Å"Under progressive change, the industry’s stability arises from the links between activities rather than from any single proprietary activity.† The demands of a given industry also influence the intensity of rivalry and for an increase in demand for services and products there will be reduced rivalry between firms. Alternatively, when there is low demand the rivalry between firms increase and the profit margins reduce. This is due to the cost factor. Reduced demand implies that firms must review prices to have competitive fares. While this happens, there are costs that must be met, for instance, recurrent costs must be taken care of despite the gains made in the sales department. Qantas has responded to alleviate insignificant rivalry within the airline industry by forming t he Oneworld Alliance. The alliance brings together top 12 most successful airlines at the international level to coordinate the running of more than 700 destinations in over 130 countries. The other airlines in the alliance are: Air Berlin, American Airline, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Royal Jordian, and S7 Airlines. The intent of the alliance is to bring on board airline firms and make them share the resources they have to boost customer experience; for instance, the 500 airport departure lounges that the alliance members can access across the world (Qantas, 2012h). Pestle Analysis Political The Qantas Group enjoys cordial relationship with the government of Australia since its assistance in the government engagement in the WWII. The firm assisted in airlifting soldiers from the threat of advancing Japanese forces while at the same time dropping foodstuff in tree-tops. Since then, the Qantas firm continues to serve the defence force by for ming the subsidiary, Qantas Defence Service that airlifts soldiers to their destinations with defence jets. Fleet development in the Qantas Defence Services is convincing and hopefully, the relationship with the government will continue to build in the future. In addition, Qantas is the biggest airline firm in Australia in both domestic and international flights. As such, it is a source of revenue for the government through taxation as a fully tax complaint firm. The government must therefore build policies that favour the firms for the good relationship to continue. Political engagements between government and Qantas employees are guided by policies. It promotes collaborative relationship with the Australian regime and complies with all legislations that promote corporate ethical standards. For instance, Qantas does not allow its employees to make political donations in money value or in-kind to any political officer, political parties or officials. When any worker attends a politi cal party meeting, then the firm states that such activities should be seen as personal and not sponsored. Economic Qantas group economic performance between 2010 and 2011 are as indicated below: Qantas Group Segment Performance Summary: 2010-2011 Source: CAPA Centre for Aviation, (2012) Economic indicators of Qantas financial position are mainly positive. For instance, there has been a steady growth of ancillary revenue since 2010 for Jetstar. In addition, the unit cost performance show that Qantas has succeed in reducing the cost as from 2010 to 2012 going by the first quarter results. These two scenarios are shown in the charts below: Jetstar Ancillary Revenue and Unit Cost Performance: 1H2011-1H2012 Source: Qantas, (2012g) Qantas had to retrench 500 engineers at Victoria base in response to economic needs of the firm. After the announcement of the job cuts, it again announced that it would separate its international operations from domestic ones. Moreover, each business is to have its own CEO and report its own financial results. This move can be interpreted that Qantas wants to streamline individual sectors by reducing losses and increasing profits where necessary. According to Bamber (2011), â€Å"Qantas’ domestic airline made an underlying profit before tax of $552 million in 2010/2011FY, while the international business lost $216 million.† By separating the two, each sector can concentrate on addressing its own issues. In addition, bureaucracy will be made easy as they work as separate entities. Socio-cultural Factors CSR policies are important in building the socio-cultural relationship between a firm and the community around it. A good CSR structure addresses both the external and internal affairs of a business organization. External CSR policies focus on the social contract between an organization and the society. Qantas has programmes that enhance harmony between its operations and the community. For instance, the high technology pl anes will reduce noise level to people living around airports. Customer reward schemes also build social relationship with customers. Qantas has sponsorship programmes for qualified students who want to pursue further education. There are other socio-cultural programmes that are outlined under the firm’s CSR port. Technological The use of technology has been elaborated in the paper before. The main technologies that Qantas has adopted of late are the use of technology in entertainment and flight renewal plans that will bring modern planes to its fleet. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a high technology car that has significant impacts on economic, environment, and customer experience. Legal As said earlier, Qantas in line with the requirements of corporate governance has an elaborate corporate governance structure operations. The Board of Directors is given the responsibility of ensuring Qantas corporate governance is created or updated, protected, to enhance shareholders’ value. The company complies with all guidelines that are provided by the ASX Corporate Governance Council’s principles. Qantas publicly discloses all their policies relating the corporate governance. Qantas Board of Directors maintains high level corporate governance ethics that are constantly being reviewed to comply with the latest issues. Most importantly, the Board has its own Constitution that directs all ethics issues and governance structure. Environmental Qantas is committed to environmental sustainability other than the economic and social commitments. The firm’s objective is to be top in environmental performance through the implementation of required environment policies geared towards the protection of the current and future generations. Environmental engagements Qantas engage all stakeholders in ensuring the community has a variety of environmental programmes that run year in year out. Some of the plans include the firm’s Green Team, which is a gro up of volunteers who raise environmental awareness campaigns. In addition, through the Great Barrier Reef Foundation ZooX Ambassadors, Qantas informs its employees on the relationship between climatic changes, the coral reefs, and how these two have an impact in the sustainability of the firm’s operations. The other engagement is eXcel Environment Ward, which awards the most focused employee in the implementation of environmental projects in the Qantas businesses. The climate challenge Since global climatic changes are a concern to the whole global community, Qantas prides itself in the development of programmes that cut down on emissions address climate issues. Qantas has set its own emission targets in a bid to reduce the effects of climatic challenges. As the company core business is airline transport, 95% of Qantas global carbon emissions are due to jet fuel use. A possible avenue of reducing the emission is through use of efficient machines that will cut on the consumpti on. The figure below illustrates the set goals in reducing emissions at Qantas: Source: Qantas (2012i) Reducing aircraft noise Qantas has the plan of reducing aircraft noise among the communities that live close to the airport by considering the purchase of aircrafts with that ability. The fleets on order including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner have the ability to reduce the noise. This is why Qantas (2012j) makes firm statement, â€Å"Seeking better ways of managing aircraft noise is one of the many ways we continue to develop strong relationships with our communities. We believe that the best solutions emerge through collaboration.† There are also many other strategies put in place to reduce the environmental impact of the firm’s operations. Impact Of External Environment On Qantas A firm’s external environment is a three-piece component: the industry, the business and operation environment, and its remote. The three components of external environment can change and affect the operations at international and local levels. The PESTLE analysis above helps in the definition of remote environment. The industry on the other hand is defined by the Porter’s five forces. The two models of analysis therefore help in the identification of the external business environment and its impact on Qantas. International travels are characterised by regulatory impediments, which prevent carriers from inflowing to a new destination. Barrier to entry into a new destination is an obstacle to expansion programmes of a carrier. Network alliances open avenues for expansion and gives right to enter into a restricted territory. Network alliance also opens base for resource sharing. Limited runways for take offs and landings may be a challenge to individual carriers. Finally, network alliances eases competition pressures, leading to a reduction in pricing and can earn supernormal profits. Alliance members should be weary of threat of new entrants and formulate s tringent measures to counter the threats. One way of achieving this is through imposition of regulatory restrictions and initiating frequent flyer programmes. External business environment is also defined by the entry of other airlines into the market. Incumbency in the airline industry is a great barrier to entry into the industry. However, disruptive technology is a threat to this barrier and an opportunity for a new entrant. Foster supported by Christensen as quoted by Vlaar et al., (2005) assert that, â€Å"disruptive technological change brings about new value propositions and strategic options that may have a devastating effect on established firms and industry structure.† (p. 155). Incumbents are unable to establish radical technological inventions due to protocol issues and conventional organisation structures that take long time to make critical decisions. Since new entrants face operation difficulties through service imitation and high investment costs in RD, disrup tive technology is a scope towards market breakthrough. Emirates Airline is a new entrant into the market that defied the odds to break into airline industry with great success after short period of time. According to Shikoh (2005), research by Skytrax in 2005, Emirates was third after Cathay Pacific and Qantas Airways and in front of global brands like British Airways and Singapore Airlines. As mentioned, Emirates instilled a sense of ‘business unusual’ in the industry with more operation strategies that appealed to majority. The airline industry is a multi billion investment venture that is mainly funded by national governments. Due to this, there is expansion rigidity brought about by legal restriction on routes usage. Network alliances, therefore, involve both liberal bilateral agreements between two government and agreement between partners. The geopolitics of airline industry is main source of barrier to entry by a new firm and the cause of incumbency by national carriers. This paper has established that other than privatisation, network alliance is one of the ways, through which industry players can expand their operations to new destination. However, the case of Emirates Airline is unique as the firm defied the barriers to enter into the industry and become a global brand. Disruptive technologies and organisational rigidity are a challenge to the incumbent but give rare opportunities to new entrants. Structural rigidity can also be eliminated by privatisation. In the airline industry, customer service is important as there is a direct relationship between customers and the employees. Before the management thinks of any effort to improve customer services, there is need of focussing on employee issues for them to respond with exemplary services to customers. In an airline where staffs are discontented, they are likely to replicate poor services to the customers. Eventually there could be lost business as customers will seek better services elsewhere because there are options. Southwest Airline is among the world leaders in customer service at relatively low price. The firm considers its staff as the selling point. Southwest airline pays remunerates its workforce well and but remains a profit making organisation that has never retrenched its staffs (Bamber, 2011). Virgin too is following in the footsteps of Southwest airline and in the same line; Qantas should take some strategies from Southwest airline to rejuvenate its economic hitches and the 500 retrenchment of workers in its Victoria base. According to Bamber (2011) lesson from Southwest airline should be favoured instead of the bid to resorting to private equity funds to purchase Stakes at Qantas. Since the attempt, the share price has steadily fallen. Impact Of Qantas On External Economic Environment Qantas being one of the Oneworld Alliance means that the firm is a major player in Australian domestic and international airline industries. Its operations affect t hose of other carriers. The interrelationship among the world carriers tells the nature of the airline industry. The airline industry is very dynamic and sources of economic rent are diversified. Due to heavy investment needed in the airline industry, the industry operates either as government owned ventures or by a particular entity. However, global wave of privatization and private business entities entered the industry in the mid 1990s, revolutionising the sector. There are limited cases of merger of firms in the airline industry due to rigid international air agreements that domestic firms adhere to. Strategic alliances; and alliances between carriers is now the norm in the industry. Alliances between big network carriers are common if compared with those between low cost carrier (LLC), and charter airlines. According to Forsyth et al., (2011), â€Å"This type of airline differ in that the first operate integrated route networks centred around one or multiple hubs, offering pas sengers a dense network of flight connections, while low cost and charter airlines typically focus on point-to-point networks.† (p. 49). This paper discusses how various airline operations and activities affect economic rent of firms, engaged in the industry at the global, regional, and domestic level. Consolidation of the industry is a major source of economic rent as it presents rationales, upon which networks integration would yield benefits. To begin with, working together brings in economies of scale for individual firms to improve technical efficiency. This is because firms in an alliance can share codes, which increases passenger flight rates. According to risk diversification theory, creating many routes manages adverse effects of depending on a single airline destination. Another reason to form network alliance is that it reduces transaction costs that are passed on to customers. Forsyth et al., (2011) pose that, â€Å"Airlines that offer connecting services to passe ngers and flight forwarders may increase profits by joint marketing of their services on the basis of one stop shopping.† Shopping at one point saves on transaction costs as passengers don’t need to connect flights but instead buy products and services from a partner in an alliance. In order to make this a reality, firms in an alliance should carry out joint branding and tender seamless travel plans to passengers. Network alliances is the commonest practice in the world and as Ramà ³n-Rodriguez et al., (2010) posit, â€Å"The success of this strategy has led to the creation of one world, Sky-Team and Star Alliance that are now responsible for about 75% of global passengers and 90% of long-haul flights.† (p. 111). Network alliances eliminate market imperfections, which majorly affect airline operations. Airlines do serve a particular route, and when there is an alliance, interests of passengers who demand flight connection and complementary services will be serve d. Individual carriers face market imperfection due to uncoordinated price-setting mechanism because of numerous price mark-ups, set by individual carriers. This reduces marginal costs (MC), leading to decrease in profit margins. Network alliance minimises price mark-ups due to coordination of a joint pricing model that offers complementary services to travellers. Customer also benefit from low prices, set by network alliances. Reference List Bamber, G 2011, Saving Qantas in a matter of trust. National Times, Viewed on smh.com.au/opinion/politics/saving-qantas-is-a-matter-of-trust-20111107-1n3rx.html Belk, R. W. Sherry, J. F., 2007, Consumer culture theory: volume 11 of research in consumer behaviour, Emerald Group Publishing, Melbourne. Calder, A., 2008, corporate governance: a practical guide to the legal frameworks and international codes of practice, Kogan Page Publishers, London. CAPA Centre for Aviation, 2012, Qantas cuts international services to grow profitable domestic ma rket as Jetstar grows all around, viewed on http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/qantas-cuts-international-services-to-grow-profitable-domestic-market-as-jetstar-grows-all-around-68423 Forsyth, P. Niemeier, H. Wolf, H., 2011, Airport alliances and mergers – Structural change in the airport industry? Journal of Air Transport Management, vol.17, no.1, pp. 49-56. Hitt, M., Ireland, R. Hoskisson, R., 2008, Strategic management: competitiveness and globalization: concepts cases. 8th ed, Cengage Learning, London. Jones, H. Jones, G., 2009, Strategic management theory: An integrated approach, 9th ed, Cengage Learning, Melbourne. McGahan, A. M., 2004, How industries evolve: principles for achieving and sustaining superior performance. London: Harvard Business Press. Porter, M. E., 1985, Competitive Advantage: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors, The Free Press, New York. Qantas, 2012a. The Qantas story. Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/history/global/en. Q antas, 2012b. Corporate governance, Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/governance-structure/global/en Qantas, 2012c. Subsidiary companies, Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/subsidiaries/global/en Qantas, 2012d, Boeing 787 Dreamliner: Flying into the future, Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/aircraft-boeing-787/global/en Qantas, 2012e, Qantas customers experience world first entertainment technology. Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/media-releases/feb-2012/5358/global/en Qantas, 2012f, Fleet developments Viewed on qantas.com.au/fleet-developments/global/en Qantas, 2012g, Qantas Airways Limited: 1H12 Results Viewed onqantas.com.au/infodetail/about/investors/2011InvestorPresentation.pdf Qantas, 2012h, One World Alliance, Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/oneworld/global/en Qantas, 2012i. Climate change, Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/climate-change/global/en Qantas, 2012j, Noise Management, our commitment, Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/ community-commitment/global/en Qantas, 2012k, Small beginnings Viewed on qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/history-beginning/global/en Ramà ³n-Rodrà ­guez, A. B., Moreno-Izquierdo, L. Perles-Ribes, J. F., 2011, ‘Growth and internationalisation strategies in the airline industry’, Journal of Air Transport Management. 17(2) pp. 110-115. Reuters, 2012, Qantas raising fares to tackle high fuel cost, Viewed on reuters.com/article/2012/03/30/uk-qantas-fares-idUSLNE82T00Q20120330 Shikoh, R., 2005. Global branding the Emirates way. Viewed on http://dinarstandard.com/marketing/global-branding-the-emirates-way/ Turner, C., 2009, corporate governance: A practical guide for accountants, Butterworth-Heinemann, New York. Vlaar, P., Vries, P. D. Willenborg, M., 2005. ‘Why incumbents struggle to extract value from new strategic options: Case of the European airline industry’, European Management Journal, 23(2), pp. 154-169.

Battle of Globe Tavern - Civil War

Battle of Globe Tavern - Civil War Battle of Globe Tavern - Conflict Dates: The Battle of Globe Tavern was fought August 18-21, 1854, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders Union Major General Gouverneur K. Warrenapprox. 20,000 men Confederate Lieutenant General A.P. Hillapprox. 15,000 men Battle of Globe Tavern - Background: Having begun the Siege of Petersburg in early June 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant began movements to sever the railroads leading into the city. Dispatching troops against the Weldon Railroad in late June, Grants effort was blocked by Confederate forces at the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road. Planning further operations, Grant transferred Major General Winfield S. Hancocks II Corps north of the James River in early August with the goal of striking at the Richmond defenses. Though he did not believe that attacks would lead to the citys capture, he hoped they would draw troops north from Petersburg and force Confederate General Robert E. Lee to recall troops sent to the Shenandoah Valley. If successful, this would open the door for an advance against the Weldon Railroad by Major General Gouverneur K. Warrens V Corps. Crossing the river, Hancocks men opened the Second Battle of Deep Bottom on August 14. Though Hancock failed to achieve a breakthrough, he succeeded in drawing Lee north and prevented him from reinforcing Lieutenant General Jubal Early in the Shenandoah. Battle of Globe Tavern - Warren Advances: With Lee north of the river, command of the Petersburg defenses dell to General P.G.T. Beauregard. Moving out at dawn on August 18, Warrens men moved south and west over muddy roads. Reaching the Weldon Railroad at Globe Tavern around 9:00 AM, he ordered Brigadier General Charles Griffins division to begin destroying the tracks while Brigadier General Romeyn Ayres division deployed to the north as a screen. Pressing up the railroad, they swept aside a small force of Confederate cavalry. Alerted that Warren was on the Weldon, Beauregard ordered Lieutenant General A.P. Hill to drive back the Union forces (Map). Battle of Globe Tavern - Hill Attacks: Moving south, Hill directed two brigades from Major General Henry Heths division and one from Major General Robert Hokes division to attack the Union line. As Ayres made contact with Confederate forces around 1:00 PM, Warren ordered Brigadier General Samuel Crawford to deploy his division on the Union right in the hope that he could outflank Hills line. Advancing around 2:00 PM, Hills forces assaulted Ayres and Crawford, driving them back towards Globe Tavern. Finally stemming the Confederate advance, Warren counterattacked and regained some of the lost ground (Map). As darkness fell, Warren directed his corps to entrench for the night. That night, elements of Major General John Parkes IX Corps began to reinforce Warren as Hancocks men returned to the Petersburg lines. To the north, Hill was bolstered by the arrival of three brigades led by Major General William Mahone as well as the cavalry division of Major General W.H.F. Rooney Lee. Due to heavy rain through the early parts of August 19, fighting was limited. With the weather improving late in the afternoon, Mahone moved forward to strike the Union right while Heth assaulted Ayres in the Union center. Battle of Globe Tavern - Disaster Turns to Victory: While Heths attack was stopped with relative ease, Mahone located a gap between Crawfords right and the main Union line to the east. Plunging through this opening, Mahone turned Crawfords flank and shattered the Union right. Desperately attempting to rally his men, Crawford was nearly captured. With the V Corps position at risk of collapse, Brigadier General Orlando B. Willcoxs division from IX Corps moved forward and mounted a desperate counterattack which culminated with hand-to-hand fighting. This action rescued the situation and allowed the Union forces to maintain their line until nightfall. The next day saw heavy rains descend upon the battlefield. Aware that his position was tenuous, Warren used the break in the fighting to construct a new line of entrenchments approximately two miles to the south near Globe Tavern. This paralleled the Weldon Railroad facing west before turning ninety degrees just north of Globe Tavern and running east to the main Union works along the Jerusalem Plank Road. That night, Warren ordered V Corps to withdraw from its advanced position to the new entrenchments. With clear weather returning on the morning of August 21, Hill moved south to attack. Approaching the Union fortifications, he directed Mahone to assault the Union left while Heth advanced on the center. Heths assault was easily repulsed after being hammered by Union artillery. Advancing from the west, Mahones men became bogged down in a swampy wooded area in front of the Union position. Coming under intense artillery and rifle fire, the attack faltered and only Brigadier General Johnson Hagoods men succeeded in reaching the Union lines. Breaking through, they were quickly thrown back by Union counterattacks. Badly bloodied, Hill was forced to pull back. Battle of Globe Tavern - Aftermath: In the fighting at the Battle of Globe Tavern, Union forces sustained 251 killed, 1,148 wounded, and 2,897 captured/missing. The bulk of Union prisoners were taken when Crawfords division was flanked on August 19. Confederate losses numbered 211 killed, 990 wounded, and 419 captured/missing. A key strategic victory for Grant, the Battle of Globe Tavern saw Union forces assume a permanent position on the Weldon Railroad. The loss of the railroad severed Lees direct supply line to Wilmington, NC and forced materials coming from the port to be off-loaded at Stony Creek, VA and moved to Petersburg via Dinwiddie Court House and the Boydton Plank Road. Eager to eliminate the Weldons use completely, Grant directed Hancock to attack south to Reams Station. This effort resulted in defeat on August 25, though additional parts of the railroad line were destroyed. Grants efforts to isolate Petersburg continued through the fall and winter before culminating in the citys fall in April 1865. Selected Sources CWSAC Battle Summaries: Battle of Globe TavernEncyclopedia Virginia: Battle of the Weldon Railroad Civil War Trust: Cutting the Supply Lines

Depression in the Elderly in a Giatric Hospital Research Paper

Depression in the Elderly in a Giatric Hospital - Research Paper Example A condition for inclusion in the sample was that the patient must have stayed in the hospital for a period of not less 3 months. This was informed by the reason that anxiety/depression is directly proportional to amount of time one spends away from their accustomed residence. Other criteria for inclusion included no psychological diseases, Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score of 18, and participants’ informed consent of the study. The choice of sample from four different health facilities is laudable as it improves the randomness of the data used and thus limits un-representativeness of the findings. Administration of questionnaires formed the primary method of data collection. All participants were required to fill in their questionnaires with the best possible answers. Those who had difficulties providing responses were assisted by research assistants, who read out the questions to the patients and basing on the responses, filled in the questionnaires. All but 5 of the 200 administered questions were returned with completed responses. While questionnaires are effective tools for data collection, they may not be as effective among the elderly as compared to the other age groups. This is because a significant number of the elderly in these facilities suffer from abnormal conditions such as dementia which may compromise their responses. As such, the researcher should have focussed on either interview or observation. The research used descriptive research design. Such a design is the best technique for gathering information that would show relationships and define why the world exists as it is. In this research, Jee and Lee were certainly concerned with the cases of depression among the elderly. The choice to send the elderly people in rehabilitation facilities is often dreaded by many people who are aging. The fact on the ground is that such a shift in

Sensory evaluation of food Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sensory evaluation of food - Assignment Example Sensory evaluation is sometimes done to label a product as acceptable or unacceptable. Sensory evaluation gives information about the typical characteristics of the food product or any of its ingredients so that any necessary change can be made to the food item or any ingredient can be avoided or replaced. A sensory analysis on a final product or newly introduced product would judge whether the food item is in line with its original specification. Feedback is collected after sensory evaluation so that any small or big amendment may be made to improve the product. Further evaluation would include the analysis of the food properties. Properties of the food and its ingredients are scientifically measured. These measured scientific properties are analyzed and interpreted to get the results. Sensory analysis would tell how the assessed food item is perceived through the five senses. Appearance, taste, smell, touch and hearing are the five factors that are used as parameters to analyze the food item. The color of the food item, its smell, its taste, its physical nature and sound would grade it. The color of a food item would reveal some of its properties. For example, deep fried items and those with artificial color would reveal its nature through its color. The smell of gravy will reveal the presence of absence of spices in it. Taste of a food item would disclose majority of its ingredients. Taste would reveal what is included and what is missing. As we touch a cake we will understand how much cream is used for making it. If you want to test a piece of banana or potato chips you just need to bite it once. Sensory evaluation would thus give complete analysis of a food item. Sensory evaluation is very much required for newly developed products. Sensory analysis would check whether a newly developed product is unique or comparable to another product of same range. Some products may be complete imitations of another product which is already established. Some may