What’s Stifling Creativity at Coolburst

Everyday the world is changing around us. It is an essential part of growth, maturity and effectiveness. Everything from the change in weather, an age, government, or religion affect the way people view, think and perform in certain situations and as a whole in society. History has proven that creative minds can ultimately change an outcome for the better or even the worst. From telegraphs to cellular phones, McIntosh computers to IPODs and IPADs, it was the organizations of these products that took a major risk in investing into someone’s creative idea that affect our society as a whole. These companies have seen their fair share of profits lows and highs through the toughest economy eras, but they continued to persevere and prosper through such times by thinking out the realm of possibility and making their possibilities into reality. However, what happens when an organization suppresses the thought of reinventing themselves to adapt to changes in society and even the world? Coolburst is experiencing a major organizational struggle between what worked for them to get them where they are today and what it takes to continue to strive in the future. Coolburst is located in Miami, Florida. The drink products that they serve are sold in schools and restaurants. The traditional views of during business have forwarded them much success from their beginnings. They have experience great growth through the years, but recently, they profit margin has remained steadily with no boosting sales. Director of Marketing Sam Jenkins has challenged Coolburst’s view and management on changing their way of thinking and opening their mind to new ideas under former CEO Garth LaRoue. Jenkins’s new ideas of productivity and innovation were considered unorthodox within the organization. Ultimately, Jenkins left the Coolburst to go with a company that was very more innovated and creativity. Witnessing these differences of opinions between Coolburst and Jenkins is new CEO Luisa Roberado. Now, Roberado is facing one of biggest challenges yet for Coolburst, what changes can be made to make Coolburst more profitable and more creativity to keep up or even surpassed the demand of an ever changing society. Was Jenkins’s new idea that far fetched with the organization or was he on to something that can change the way Coolburst does business to compete with potential competitor? This case study will explore why Coolburst had a hard time accepting Jenkins’s idea on making Coolburst better in the future, what the organization can do to keep with social changes, and how Roberado can implement and even changed the current ideology of Coolburst and help the company tapped into their resources and flourish the company to the top in innovation, creativity, and in profit margins.

A Look at Mr. John Oakhurst Essay

Most situations require a leader, like the Governor in New Jersey during the recent hurricane. The Governor made choices that he thought would help better the people. Overall the mayor just wanted to protect and lead the people of New Jersey. Another example of leadership like what occurred in Jersey was a simple man by the name of John Oakhurst. John was also put to the test having to make decisions trying to help lead and protect the other people that were with him. In Bret Harte’s short story â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat,† John Oakhurst was a respectful gentleman, a truly unselfish man, and most of all a leader at heart all along. Mr. John Oakhurst was a very respectful gentleman in multiple situations. While the group was making their trek out of the town, John made an odd decision. He had a perfect riding horse name Five Spot and he gave it to the Duchess so she would have a better trip. Along the trail leading out to nowhere Mr. Oakhurst saw a young man he once won money from. â€Å"He then handed him his money back, pushed him gently from the room, and so made a devoted slave of Tom Simson† (Harte 509). This shows that he was trying to do be a nice gentleman and do the right thing. There was plenty of things that John did for the people that showed that he was truly unselfish. â€Å"When the body of Mother Shipton had been committed to the snow, Mr. Oakhurst took the Innocent aside, and showed him a pair of snowshoes, which he had fashioned from an old pack saddle† (Harte 513). This was a deed that probably took a good bit of time away from other needed chores. Mr. Oakhurst also knew that he was going to try and help get the boy out of there and that he wouldn’t be coming back. Since he knew that he wouldn’t be back he went around and got enough firewood to last a few days for the Duchess and Piney. He was just trying to do what any other unselfish and caring man would do to try and help someone. John really made some choices after they set off on their trip from town, that most people would be to unsure to make. When Uncle Billy decided to set off on the horses and leave everyone else to suffer. â€Å"He ran to the spot where the mules had been tethered—they were no longer there† (Harte 510). Instead of telling them the truth that he ran, John told them that Billy had just wandered off camp and stampeded the animals. John told them this so that everyone would stay calm and not worry. Mr. Oakhurst also ration the food supply to make it last as long as possible. John made sure to keep watch other them to protect them. John Oakhurst really was a true leader at heart. Many hardships were faced during the short story â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat†. Most situations need a leader like the people in the story did. John was there to help them in any way he could. Mr. Oakhurst was there to protect and lead the fellow outcasts. John was trying to do the same thing as the Governor of New Jersey. They were both just trying to do the right thing. Helping the people in any way that they could was there prime concern, no matter if it hurt them in the end.

Jack London and His Call of the Wild Essay

â€Å"He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time. † – Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 3 (Jack London Quotes). This quote summarizes the success of Jack London’s writing career in one simple sentence. London’s success and inspiration for his naturalist style can be accredited to the way in which he was raised, and his experiences during his lifetime. Jack London, was born John Griffith Chaney on January 12, 1876 near San Francisco, California. His mother was abandoned by London’s real father, William Chaney a traveling astrologer, shortly after it was discovered she was expecting Jack. This later influenced London’s decision to leave his family at a young age. His mother remarried quickly, and Jack took on his stepfather’s name, London. Because of complications, London was primarily raised by Virginia Prentiss, a former slave, until he was around five years of age (Stern 700). The family lived in poverty, and he had many siblings, but was not particularly close with any of them (Jack London Biography). At age 13, he quit school, borrowed money for a boat, and began harvesting oysters in the Pacific Ocean. By the age of 15, Jack was a successful business man, and known around the docks as â€Å"The King of the Oyster Pirates† (Stern 700). He later reflected on this difficult time by stating, â€Å"Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well† (Jack London Quotes). He was later caught in this illegal act and then hired as part of the coast patrol because of his extensive knowledge of the sea. After a voyage to Japan with the patrol, he returned to California in the middle of a recession (London, Jack). After struggling to find a steady job, London joined Coxey’s army, a hobo organization (Jack London Biography). After becoming bored with that, he enrolled in high school and completed a four year degree in just one year. Shortly afterward, London enrolled at the University of California on borrowed money (Jack London). While attending the University he spent large amounts of time in the school’s library reading the vast collection of books. Among these were works from Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, and most importantly, Charles Darwin. Influenced by his readings, London created his own fusion of socialism, male dominance and white superiority beliefs (London, Jack). In fact, some experts even refer to his books, White Fang, and The Call of the Wild, as fiction versions of Darwin’s Evolution (Stern 700). In the middle of London’s college career, the first Klondike gold rush began. In 1897 alone, over 30,000 men, London among them, rushed to the Yukon territory in search of the precious metal. The majority, like London, returned unsuccessfully. Although he didn’t get rich on gold in the Yukon, he would later be rich on something else from the cold, harsh place; his memories, inspiration for two of his most successful novels, White Fang and Call of the Wild (Yukon). Around the turn of the century, Robber-barons as they were called, monopolized businesses, companies, then entire industries. Jack knew this fact, and believed that writing was his only way out (Jack London). London’s very first writing success Typhoon off the Coast of Japan, inspired by his trip to Japan, came in 1900, the same year he married his first wife, Bess Maddern. Together they had two daughters, Joan and Bess (Jack London Biography). During his first marriage, London published some of his most successful stories, including Call of the Wild (1903) and Sea Wolf (1904) both in which he dramatized â€Å"atavism, adaptability, and the appeal to the wilderness† (Jack London). In 1905, following an affair, London divorced Bess Maddern and married Charmair Kittredge. He later used his second spouse’s character as the protagonist in many of his works. London encouraged Charmair to pursue writing, and with his help, published three books, including a biography over Jack because of his eventful past (Stasz 1). Later that same year, London found his true love, Beauty Ranch. Later in his life he stated, â€Å"I write for no other purpose to add the beauty that now belongs to me. I write a book for no other reason than to add three or four hundred acres to my magnificent estate† (Jack London Quotes). London’s only true love perhaps, was the wilderness, traveling, and the great outdoors. In his later years he was well traveled, visiting Japan, Canada, Cape Horn, Australia, and even Mexico (David 1). London had nearly completed his dream house on Beauty Ranch when it mysteriously burned down; arson was suspected. From then on London’s health slowly but steadily declined. Jack London died on November 22, 1916 due to Kidney failure (Stern 700). Jack London is often considered the first American author to gain international fame through his fiction works alone. Although a very successful author, even in other countries, London’s books also received harsh criticism. His ideas and concept were said to, lack consistency and precision. He also struggled with other thoughts. He wrote and supported women’s suffrage, yet believed in male dominance. London supported white superiority, yet thought it was shameful that, the reckless white men destroyed the cultures of the natives he had seen while searching for gold (Stasz 1). Despite being known for his novels, London also wrote a few non-fiction books, and many short stories, his most famous being To Build a Fire, inspired by his own adventures in the Yukon (London, Jack). Although London went through many adventures, he did not credit these to his inspiration. When asked where he received his inspiration he answered, â€Å"You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club† (Jack London Quotes). Jack Londons writing’s are some of the most famous works of naturalism of all time. They have been described as, â€Å"works that deal romantically with elemental struggles for survival. He is one of the most extensively translated of American authors† (David 1). Jack London was a go-getter. Although he died at a young age (40), he accomplished much during his lifetime. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time† (Jack London Quotes). London’s success and inspiration for his naturalist style can be accredited to the way in which he was raised, and his experiences during his lifetime. For without these, London would’ve had nothing to write about. Because of the role fate played in his life, London grew to become one of the most successful authors of all time, and his books continue to sell in our modern day and age.

Discusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discusion - Essay Example ient times there were many public policy issues to discuss, among the most important: where is the best place to education someone—in the city or the country. Two brother try to raise two brothers according to these different standards. Micio, the older brother, raises his nephew, Aeschinus, in the city. Micio is kind and genial and open-minded. You would probably describe him as a cosmopolitan who, because he lives in a city, knows he must be tolerant because cities are full of many different kinds of people. In a comparison between the two brothers most people would agree that Micio is the better man and provides a better education to his nephew than Demea does. He is a responsible individual and knows that it is important in life to keep one’s words to one’s fellows. He also knows that so much depends on how a person is raised: their whole life can be decided in their education. He is a liberal but responsible individual. Micio sometimes lies, but usually he is an honest person. He is patient and has an open-mind and he also leads an exciting life. I think many people would be happy to have him as an uncle. The contrast between him and his brother is so clear, that Micio often appears in a good light. By the end of this play and his eventual marriage I found I had a good deal of respect for Micio and wish he had educated

The Battle of Midway - One of the Critical Events in World War II Essay

The Battle of Midway - One of the Critical Events in World War II - Essay Example The military confrontation between the United States of America and the Japanese Empire escalated in the early months of 1942, as strategic territories located in and around the Pacific Ocean saw unprecedented levels of attritional warfare. The following passages will analyze the unfolding of events during the Battle of Midway from various authors’ viewpoints and place this battle in the wider context of the Second World War and the then-emergent new world order. To begin with, let us consider the book written by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully titled Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway. The most remarkable aspect of this book is the fact that the authors try to present the political and military developments from the point of view of the Japanese. American and British documentations of the Battle of Midway can at times be biased in favour of the Allied forces. So, this change in perspective offered by Parshall and Tully comes across as refreshing and different. This is not to say that their account of the story lacks objectivity and balance. We learn that Admiral Yamamoto’s planned to keep Japanese forces in the Midway and western Aleutian Islands as a way of gaining the advantage over the Naval Fleet of the United States1. In contrast with the commonly available literature on the Japanese plan, Parshall and Tully explicate in detail its technological, doctrinal and historical aspects spanning the early decad es of the twentieth century. The authors also allude to the contrasting motives and modus operandi of the Japanese and American air strategies. The following passage from the book illustrates the range of references and attention to detail exhibited by the authors: â€Å"The Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu, the four aircraft carriers of "Kido Butai," the First Mobile Striking Force formed the offensive core of Japans fleet. Commanded by Admiral Nagumo, "Kido Butai" planned to attack Midway and then destroy any elements of the U.S. Pacific Fleet that tried to intervene.     

Child Labor and rights Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Child Labor and rights - Research Paper Example Despite this practice being illegal, it remains a rampant phenomenon. In some cases, it remains practiced openly (Alan 25). The international Labor Organization places the number of children aged between five and fourteen who are workers in one way or another at an estimated 211 million across the world. Over 120 million children work full time to support their poverty stricken families in places that remain considered as hazardous (Michel 9). It estimates that the Asia/Pacific region hosts the highest number of children laborers at over100 million. Majority of child workers exist in the Sub Saharan region of Africa. It gets estimated that over 26% of the child population that is equivalent to 50 million children get actively involved in work. The International Labor Rights Forum gets actively involved in lobbying to eradicate the practice of child labor all over the world. This gets done through shedding light on imported goods whose manufacturing process involve the participation of child labor, lobbying for creation of crucial policies and legislation governing child labor and by increasing heightened consumer action and awareness (Megha 10). It also promotes the strategies and policies of the International labor organization on child labor. The labor laws with regard to children are dynamic and vary across nations. These labor laws set the rules and regulations that govern workers and work related issues. The minimum age that laborers ought to be, often gets stipulated in these labor laws. Employers get restricted from hiring anyone who does not meet the minimum age requires by the law (Megha 10). This minimum age varies from country to country and also defines the work that gets permitted at that particular age. Countries that ratified the 1973 Minimum age Convention that got convened by the International Labor Organization adopted the minimum age as fixed between the ages of fourteen to sixteen. In the Unites states, Child Labor Laws set the

Advise VALCOs management about possible ways of managing a cash Essay

Advise VALCOs management about possible ways of managing a cash deficit in the short and long-term - Essay Example For example, the actual cash disbursements exceed budgeted cash out flow for wages and taxes, amount payable for supplies, or even dividend payments to shareholders. This being said, a firm usually prepares a cash budget before time to forecast the cash disbursements and receivables it will realize in near future. The cash inflow is subtracted from cash outflow (or payments) and the result is a cash deficit or a cash surplus depending on which amount is higher than the other. A cash deficit, when not financed, will carry over the next period. Consistent deficits of the cash budget reflect inefficient cash management, and because cash is an important resource, it has to be managed effectively. There are many ways to manage a cash deficit in the short term. Short term means a period of one year or less. Valco has two options to finance its cash deficit in the short term. The first is through making some changes internally and second is using external means to finance the deficit. By internal changes what is meant are changes in Valco’s policies. First, the company must strive to reduce the debtor cycle. Debtor cycle refers to the number of days it takes debtors to pay for the credit sales. Quick recovery from debtors will ensure that cash is not tied up in the form of account receivable and is free to be used to pay other expenses. Another option that Valco has is to reduce its credit sales. This however, does not come without repercussion as it may mean a reduction in overall sales revenue if Valco stops giving the option of credit to its customers. Valco can try to reduce its credit sales (and hence the amount tied up in debtors) by offering cash/trade discounts i f the customers pay in cash at the time of transaction. This will encourage cash sales and therefore a flow of cash payments. (Davoren, n.d.)Also, as the evidence from the question suggests, the raw material stock was increased for the second month, this means

Depression in Older adults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Depression in Older adults - Essay Example A variety of tools or methods that are used to assess depression within older adult will also be presented and discussed. Some of the relevant evidenced-based nursing strategies that have been utilized to address depression within the older adult population will also be presented and discussed. The last section will comprise the summary of key points that will be discussed. Depression in older adult population has generated a massive attention. The attention has arisen due to the underlying effects in the older adult population. Although depression is prevalent in the age group, it is not a formal part of aging (Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). Rather, it is a medical problem tat affects many older adults, and it is possible to eliminate it through proper treatment. However, the problem needs to attract proper attention due to lack of recognition and effective treatment in older adults. On the other hand, it is essential to describe some of the common types of depression affecting older adult’s population. There are three common types of depression. They include major depression, minor depression, and dysthymia (Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). The major depression is characterized by lack of proper sleep, inability to eat, and lacks enjoyment in pleasurable activities (Department of Health and Human Services, 2011) . The main symptoms of depression include depressed mood, loss of interest, disturbed sleep, weight loss, fatigue, and restlessness. On the other hand, minor depression does not have severe symptoms as other depression. It is usually characterized by depressed mood and loss of interest (Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). The other type of common depression is dysthymia and is characterized by long-term, chronic symptoms that act as a hindrance to normal adult functions (Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). The condition is characterized by persistent negative perspective and low mood. The

Situational Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Situational Business Ethics - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that the hospitality industry, such as hotels and restaurants, has to a certain extent a form of unwritten code of ethics, which inexplicably nestle in the heads of employers or managers. Hence, a code of conduct expressing a restaurant’s ethics is as significant as a successful marketing plan. When a restaurant chain enlarges its operation globally, local talent should be employed and trained in relation to: honesty, responsibility, harmony, understanding, and quality. Moreover, equality of all employees in relation to human rights should be addressed justly, promptly and rightfully to the contentment of all involved. This study outlines that the subsequent reaction of the customer and the management to Hatton’s actions contributed to the ethical dilemmas that the company has to resolve through the peer-review process. In this case study ethical issues and possible problem or conflict resolutions will be discussed. Of course, there is a necessity to communicate ethical practices and an effective management is not possible if ethical conducts are not forcefully carried out. Serving others is a dignified line of work and can be exercised in a polite and honest fashion with sensible ethical imperatives to gain the advantages of growth, prosperity, and success. The primary stakeholders in the study are Ruth Hatton, the customer, and Diane Canant, the supervisor. Ruth Hatton’s responsibility is to be well-informed with their Code of Business Ethics and Conduct and conform to all policies and procedures of the company. Claims of lack of knowledge, poor judgment, or good intentions will no t be tolerated as reasons for failure to comply.

Marketing Concultancy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Concultancy - Coursework Example This is a big problem potentially for Apple because the new firms can tank iTunes music revenues, and seriously undermine Apple’s business model. The proposed solutions therefore rely on leveraging the formidable strengths and assets of Apple, including its large cash hoard and its venerable name, to come up with alternatives to Spotify in order to check the latter’s rise and to shore up Apple’s revenues in music subscription sales. This solution leverages key strengths, and also leverages emerging trends in cloud computing and the benefits to be had from harnessing technological progress in cloud computing. This report makes use of external environmental analytical frameworks such as PESTLE and Porter’s Five Forces frameworks, as well as a SWOT analysis, to properly assess the extent of the market problem and Apple’s condition relative to the external market challenge (Hunt 2011; Goldman 2010; Ausick 2013; Google Finance 2014; Schaefer 2014; Hinks 2014; McDuling 2014). Apple needs no introduction. The maker of the iPhone and the iPad is the most influential and the biggest name in technology, and its smartphone business and the ecosystem of apps, software, music and other digital content is the biggest in the world in terms of revenues and traction in the premium markets all over the world. The company is described as being in the business of providing both portable devices and computing devices for mobile communication and personal computing, together with the digital content, platform and apps that go with the hardware. Apart from the iPhone and the iPad, the company is also the maker of the Mac and the Apple TV platforms, together with software such as iOS and OS X, and iCloud. Content is aggregated via iTunes and the App Store. With a market capitalization of $ 661.67 billion, Google is the biggest tech firm

A Position Paper for the Enhancement of the Strategic Ability of Air Essay

A Position Paper for the Enhancement of the Strategic Ability of Air Asia - Essay Example Following sections presents the strategies and the enhancement proposed accordingly. 1. Air Asia to control its costs and source of funding for purchase of new fleet of aircrafts. Increase of fleets’ strategy. Air Asia wants to continue to be the lowest cost short-haul airline in every market it goes in. In considering this vision, the action required is significant investment in aircrafts, distribution channels, production capacity and working capital. In this situation, there is a need to determine first if Air Asia has the capability to raise funds and its financial worth. Financial resources. Financial worth of Air Asia as of 2009 shows current net assets of RM 511,284 million which is an improvement from its RM 263,085 million current net assets in 2008. It has the ability to raise funds from creditors and shareholder, its debt/equity ratio is 2.61 and a net profit margin of 16.2%. A debt equity ratio is a measure of the company’s financial leverage and indicates w hat proportion of debt and equity the company is using to finance its assets. A high debt ratio means that the company is using a lot of debt in financing its assets as in the case of Air Asia. However, in further analysis, capital intensive industry generally has a high debt ratio of 2 (Investopedia, n.d.) Air Asia has a net cash flow of RM598million, equivalent to $181.2 million (Air Asia.com). Air Asia reports of 21.1% profit after tax margin in Malaysia, 1.8% profit after tax margin in Thailand and 17% profit after tax margin in Indonesia (Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, 2010). Chart 1 shows the EBITDAR margin and profit after tax margin in 2Q2010 for year 2010l. It will be noted that after deducting... The study analyzed the strategies used in each strategy of Air Asia, had seen its strength as well as weakness in achieving targets. On this, proposals for enhancement have been recommended. On the first position that requires funding for purchase of additional new aircrafts for new routes and replacement of old ones, recommendation is to get funding from long term debt because of tax advantages. Getting funds from outside sources will save the cash flows for internal operations of the company. Second position pertains to inventory management that will require management to maintain an RFID technology along with a perpetual inventory system that will track inventory and supplies of the airline company in its various segments. The third position calls for a study on the cost saving realized by the on line system of booking to properly explain to stakeholders the benefit of the strategy and to outline further enhancements. The fourth proposition is a recommendation for promotions and a dvertising to attract more customers in order to maximize use of airline capacity. The fifth position is the continuous training and skills development of employees as airline business is dependent on skills of employees particularly in aircraft flying and maintenance. This paper makes a conclusion that a position is presented that needs government approval for a patent to protect brand image of Air Asia as the lowest cost airline carrier in the region.

The human resources of a business Essay Example for Free

The human resources of a business Essay The human resources of a business must be run correctly for the business to be able to achieve its objectives. There are fair main areas of human resources management: planning, recruitment and selection training and development and performance management. To understand how these areas work and the role they hold within the business structure I have decided to research into the human resources within J.D Wetherspoon. I am going to look into their recruitment and selection section in detail. J.D Wetherspoon is a chain of public houses. The first one opened in 1979 by a 24 year old law student called Tim Martin. He opened his first pub in north London, which he named Wetherspoons, after he of his former school teacher. Tim wanted to run his pub differently from regular pubs, he offered a good range of beers, a music free environment, non- smoking area and all day food. According to Tim the pub was run very badly, in spite of his hard work. Although he was struggling he want to expand so in 1980 he obtained planning permission and a pub licence to convert a car showroom into a pub. From here on his success grew. He made his first in 1983 of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½188,000! In 1996 Wetherspoons launched its first pub in Scotland. The Scots didnt enjoy Wetherspoons as they hated the lack of music and poor choice of beers and ales. Tim was aware of the change in tastes around the country so quickly changed so it would satisfy the Scots requirements. In 1998 Wetherspoon decided to open their first hotel in Shrewsbury. Two more have opened since then. By 2001 there were 500 Wetherspoons pubs around the UK, and 100 more opened in 2002. They have now announced plans to open another hundred pubs including pubs in Bath, Burnham, and Solihull; this would create 3,000 more jobs. J.D Wetherspoons has 11,200 either full or part-time employees, of which 220 are at the head office in Watford. Human Resources Management In recent years we have seen a transformation in the way companies started dealing with the people who were their employees. Instead of seeking to get the best out of people just for the sake of the business, e.g. to help the company achieve its objectives. The human resources method is a radical change; they are able to achieve the companys objectives by supporting each employee to for fill their own personal needs. A second change in people management was in the 1990s when management began to release that it should not just be the personnel department of a business that deals with people work. Instead managers should be those that are responsible for recruitment, appraisal, selection and training of employees. A third change in people management was that HRM was given a great deal more status in the organisation. Instead of being something carried on at lower levels of the organisation, HRM is now recognised as a key strategic area of the organisation. Many organisations have moved away from personnel management t the new human resources management. Human resource planning Human resources involve recruiting the right people who then met the goals set by the company. In order for these goals to be met successfully, this process should be run productively, insuring the right people for the job are hired and their skills are used correctly. Any problem would need to be identified and solved quickly and accurately. The way this works can be shown though supply and demand. The demand side The demand for labour will depend on plan on plans of the organisation for the future. J.D Wetherspoon is an organisation that continues to grow rapidly, planning to open another hundred public houses around the UK bringing them to a total of 700. When plans such as this are to take place, it is needed to recruit a great many more employees. A demand forecast needs to be made. One way to do this with the use of work studies. Work-study knows how long various jobs take and can calculate the number of employees needed and the hours they will need to work. This technique is used mainly within manufacturing companies who will need to produce a set amount of products in a given amount of time. J.D Wetherspoons would use a different techniques; management estimates. This involves looking at past employment records and estimating how many staff would be needed in future plans. The amount of staff would depend on many factors: * Size of the establishment * Amount of customers expected * Location * Number of hours worked The forecast would also need to include how many people would need to be employed at each stage of the hierarchy. Current employees through promotions or placements would fill the majority of managerial jobs. J.D Wetherspoons has estimated that their 100 pubs would create an extra 3,000 jobs. The supply side The supply of employees can come from two different places: with the business, internally or externally. Taking employees from internal sources has befits, employees already know and understand how the business runs and operates and where it is heading. There is usually development needed in the employee, so it is important that the right person is chosen to keep costs down. All the pubs within J.D Wetherspoons chain are run in the same way. This means that a member of staff has been trained they would have the right skills to work in any Wetherspoons. Or if for any reason they needed to be transferred from one pub to another, no extra training would be needed. Bar and kitchen staff in J.D Wetherspoons need to hold certain skills e.g. politeness and respect. Thoughs sort of skills are expected of staff through-out the Wetherspoons chain, man skills such as these are seen as part of a persons personality in a sense. Most of the people who work within J.D Wetherspoons are temporary, part-time employees. Students often work in such pubs to earn some extra cash; they dont see it as a career and they are unlikely to work there for long. The type of skills that they have gained while working at Wetherspoons would make them an internal asset but also an external asset to other, rival establishments. It is important for all organisations to understand why an individual wants to work for them. This way they can be trained to the appropriate level and the business can plan ahead. All employers need to know; how many people work for them at each level, how long they plan to stay in the job, their aspirations for the job and their age. This way there can always be employees who have worked there for a while and understand how the business works. If there were too many older people in employment they would all reach retirement at the same time, leaving big gaps in the structure. Younger people tend to only have jobs as a way to gain money whilst studying. Because younger people dont stay in a job for long they damage the amount of promotions that can occur. J.D Wetherspoon has to get their staff turnover right, if too many people are leaving it will cost the company more in recruiting and training. These costs are unnecessary and can be avoided if the right people are employed to star t of with. There are two ways to measure labour turn over: Employee wastage rate It is possible to calculate the number of staff leaving a business as a percentage of those who could have left. To find the wastage rate the number of staff leaving in a time period is divided by the average number of staff employed in time period and that is then multiplied by 100 to equal a percentage. This simple equation shows this: Wastage rate = number of staff leaving in a time period x 100 Average number of staff employed in time period For example, if Wetherspoons employed 100 people but found that 25 left during the year the wastage rate would be: 25 x 100 = 25% 100 This would then help them to predict future wastage rates. They are planning to recruit 3,000 people in the next year and would expect a waste rate of 25% according to this example, meaning that 750 people would leave. This is a large figure so HMR would have to look into of they are employing the right people as recruiting more people is wasting time and money. Labour stability rate This looks at those who have left after working there for some time. The stability rate is measured by dividing the amount of people who have left with more than one years service by the number employed one year ago. Then multiplying this by 100 to make a percentage. Stability index = number of staff leaving with more than one years service x 100 Number employed one year ago This method helps businesses to understand and predict what will happen within their own workforce. It also enables an organisation to make the most of the skill and potential already present within the organisation. For example if Wetherspoons had 88 employees who had been with the company for over one year and during the year 22 employees left, the labour stability index would be: 22 x100 = 25% 88 The external labour market The external labour market is more of an irregular environment. It is made up of potential employees, locally, regionally or nationally; whom have the skills and experience required at a particular time. J.D Wetherspoons is located all over the UK, both national and local labour markets are important. There are a range of factors that effect the size and nature of these labour markets such as: Trends in the size/characteristics of the working population The UK has an ageing population. There are fewer school leavers and young workers available for employment. Businesses therefore may need to employee older people to meet their human resource requirements. Competition for labour When there is a demand for employees with certain skills, companies will be at competition with other firms who are looking for the same skills. For example ten years ago everyone wanted to employee those with I.T skills. The overall level economic activity The demand for goods and services in the economy and hence, for employed is determined by whether the economy is at a boom or recession. In a period of boom generally people will have more money to spend and therefore the demand for goods and services will rise. This therefore would lead to company increasing output and the demand for labour will also increase. Education and training opportunities Over recent years many people have decided to either continue into higher education or return to it. This has put a strain on many businesses as it has limited the amount of people that are available to work full time for tem. For J.D Wetherspoons it can be viewed as an advantage. There are more people willing to work part-time in an easy, uncomplicated environment that allows flexible hours. Plus there are also more people who have completed degrees and gained higher qualifications allowing them to enter the hierarchy at a managerial level, this would cut down on costs of training managers. The effect of government policies The government tries to entice employers to train people by reducing the cost of labour and increasing the proposal of HRM. They have introduced new qualifications, NVQs and AVCEs as an attempt of increasing the quantity of those who hold the right skills for the real world. They have also planned ahead in preparing school children for the world of work by changing the curriculum, stressing an importance on numeracy, literacy and ICT. On this graph the S1 represents the current labour supply situation, in a few years when al of those in education have left the supply of labour will be greater, represented by S2. As the supply is greater the demand (D) will be less and employers will be able to lower salaries, reducing costs. Salaries have to be monitored to check people are being fairly treated. The government may decide to increase the minimum wage. If the minimum amount a person can earn increases the supply will decrease, as many employees. The green line shows this and how the demand for labour would rise. Wage Level S1 S2 D Quantity of Labour Labour markets For all businesses they must also identify and understand the characteristics of their local employment market. Information can be gained from local employment offices or job agencies. I found these examples on the Internet. This first one is average gross weekly pay, by area this is useful to Wetherspoons as it gives them actual government statistics of how much the average wage is in certain areas. It splits it into different areas because the pay is obviously not the same throughout the country. For example London has the highest paid people mainly because it is so expensive to live in London. This graph doesnt look at London, as it is only pacific for the Southwest region. For Wetherspoons to look at this before setting a wage is useful as it will set out an average wage so they dont set theirs far too high or far too low. This would attract either too many people to apply for a certain job or no one would apply. Under the average gross weekly pay by area, is the average gross weekly pay by occupation. This is also very useful as Wetherspoons can look at this and cross-reference it with the pay by area to see how much they should be paying their employees. As you can see the information from this could come in very useful to a business such as Wetherspoons when having to recruit new employees. As they would need to know the wage rates and income level of the area in which their pub or hotel is located, this will then allow them to set the right salary and attract the type of people they want. By observing local unemployment levels companies are able to judge whether it would easy or not to employ enough people in new businesses. This is something J.D Whetherspoons would have to consider when planning the new pubs they want to open. Local employment trends can radically change in a short space of time. Large companies may be forced to close or make large numbers of employees redundant, creating huge unemployment figures, a benefit to many others. I was able to gather some secondary information from labour market review, which covered the whole of the UK but also highlighted the Southwest area. This means that if Wetherspoons was to use this information to see how employment patterns and average wages were different throughout the country. This data can greatly the recruitment process. Within all local areas there will be times when a new skill is needed in the workplace and the demand for these skills will rapidly grow, faster than the supply. This can produce many problems and companies would be forced to raise wages in an attempt to beat competitors in recruiting those that have the same scarce skill. When shortages like this appear employers often start to recruit those from further a field, nationally and sometimes internationally. Without this valuable data the J.D Wetherspoons chain could find themselves falling behind the rest of the market. This data can be used to identify if their business is operating at the same level as the rest of the country. If this is not taken into account then they could find themselves loosing employees through poor wages or even not looking for the right employees in the right areas. For HRM to be efficient a business must have the right amount of employees performing the right jobs at the right time. Therefore it is important that employers and the HRM team know if an employee is not at work and their reason why. A notified absence is when the employee knows in advance that they will not be able to attend work and inform their superior. If the employer were ill they would be entitled to any sickness benefit a doctors note would be requested. Unauthorised absence are those that need to be monitored closely. When an employee simply doesnt show for their shift it lets the team down and can leave others in the lurch, plus the business would be less able to run efficiently. An accident rate is determined by the amount of accidents that have happened in the work place. All businesses have to have the equivalent of a health and safety committee. It is their job to * Investigate and report on all accidents * Construct safety rules * Oversee health and safety training * Uphold connections with health and safety bodies * Keep up to date with the relevant national statistics and reports * Recommend any updates the company may need * Advise on any approaching legislation and relevant publicity campaigns Human resources planning help to maintain a steady flow of new people into the organisation to cover any that maybe leaving. Planning also helps to organise training programmes so each member of staff has the right skills to for fill their specific job requirements. The level of skills in any organisation should rise each year effectively making the business as a whole consistently develops.

The Concrete And Fibre Reinforcement Construction Essay

The Concrete And Fibre Reinforcement Construction Essay CHAPTER 1 Within the following dissertation I aim to study the use of Fibre Reinforced Concrete within the construction industry. Over the last decade, fibre reinforced concrete (FRC) has become widely used in different structural and non-structural applications such as pavements, floors, overlays, industrial slabs and shotcrete linings etc where the major concern is toughness and first crack in flexure. It is estimated that more than 150 000 metric tonnes of FRC has been used throughout this duration of time. Particular focus will be made as to FRC within the construction industry whilst trying to identify what the future hold for this composite material. The question will be posed at to what the general consensus is within the construction industry in regard to the use of fibre reinforcement within concrete. 1.2 Concrete and Fibre Reinforcement Concrete is a material that is very strong in compression although is comparatively weak in tension. To compensate for this imbalance in the concretes behavior, an appropriate reinforcement must be cast into the concrete to help carry the tensile loads. Two forms of reinforcement commonly used are Steel Fabric (Rebar) reinforcement and Fibre reinforcement. Steel Fabric Rebar/Mesh has been used for many years in the construction industry to reinforce concrete and is usually made of carbon steel which is incorporated with ridges to help provide a better bond and adhesion to the concrete. As the rate that both steel and concrete expand and contract is the same this assists in eliminating any possible issues relating to any early signs of cracking within the concrete which could occur if the materials expanded and contracted contradictory to each other. This will assist in enhancing the overall strengthening of the structure. Rebar comes in various lengths and thicknesses to accommodate different types and sizes of jobs. These bars can be tied together to form a grid or cage, this is extremely effective for larger projects or alternatively mesh can be delivered in a variety of standard sheet sizes to site. An exciting alternative product to the above which could be used would be that of fibre reinforcement. The idea of using a fibrous material to provide tensile strength to a material strong in compression but brittle loses itself in the mists of time; in ancient Egypt straw was added to clay mixtures in order to provide brick with enhanced flexural resistance, thus providing better handling properties after the brick had dried in the sun. Fibre reinforced concrete is a composite material which entails a cementitious hydrated paste which is mixed with small reinforced filaments for instance glass, steel, polymer or carbon fibres which come in various shapes and sizes. The multiple fibres restructure the energy within the concrete, preventing the procedure of formation and extension of cracks. This helps to increase the ductility within the concrete whilst sustaining the residual capability during the post cracking period The fibres within the concrete literally bond the sides of a forming crack together at the same time as preventing any visual damage from becoming apparent Although FRC is an application that has been used extensively throughout Western Europe and beyond, its use within the UK has been somewhat restricted to the purpose of reinforcement within industrial floors as its main application. The absence of a recognizably accepted design standard may have an influence on the situation although calls are currently being made for clear industrial guidelines to be certified. The Concrete Society Technical Report 63 concentrates on any problematic issues and provides guidance for current and future design. All information and design aspects associated with fibre reinforcement are incorporated within the British Standard Institution. BS EN 14889, Fibres for concrete Part 1: Steel Fibres Definition, specifications and conformity. Part 2: Polymer Fibres Definition, specifications and conformity. 1.3 Aim The main aim of the following theses is to investigate and evaluate the various properties and functions of Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC) throughout the construction industry whilst giving consideration as to what lies ahead for the future of FRC. 1.4 Objectives To provide a historic overview of Concrete and Fibre Reinforcement. To identify and analyze the various types of fibre products available for concrete reinforcement. To establish possible concrete mix performance enhancements associated with FRC. To explore the Construction Management criteria within the industry in relation to the use of FRC. To highlight the future possibilities and potential that FRC has within the construction industry whilst seeking the views and opinions of various construction professionals. 1.5 Rationale for Research There are three main reasons why this particular topic has been chosen for this theses along with the required research which has been carried out, these are: A personal interest in the material of concrete along with its various functions and applications due to work experience gained in this field. An interest in new innovations being made available to the construction market which will enhance the overall application of the material. An aspiration to investigate whilst enhancing my current knowledge on the theory of FRC 1.6 Methodology Due to the nature of the topic to meet the aims and objectives previously set out for this thesis and to establish the direction for this piece of work information has been obtained from the following sources. Primary Literature Academic Research Journals (Refereed) Conferences / Seminars (Referred) Government Publications Technical Report Papers Secondary Literature Construction Journals Construction Textbooks Library Search Indexes and Abstracts Internet / World Wide Web Library Catalogue Case Study A case study of fibre reinforcement with regard to Construction Management criteria will also be analyzed via various site visits prior and during any works being carried out. This will provide a valuable insight as to how this product is perceived whilst strengthening the case for use in the future. Questionnaire Questionnaires will also be distributed to various Professional bodies influenced by the use of FRC within the construction industry. The methodology adopted is fully discussed afterwards in Chapter 4 along with the analysis of the research findings in Chapter 5. 1.7 Chapter Overview Chapter 1: Introduction Provide a brief introduction into the areas of study which has been identified by the author whilst outlining the main aims and objectives to be achieved in order to fulfill the research criteria. Chapter 2: Background for Study (Literature Search) A review of the relevant theory and recent / current publications associated with Fibre Reinforced Concrete will be used to obtain the necessary information required to establish the Aim and Objectives which have been prepared by the author. Chapter 3: Case Study On site Case Study (tbc) Chapter 4: Methodology An evaluation of the types of research and methodology methods carried out in order to achieve the aims and objectives previously stated. This will describe how and why the chosen research methods had been adopted. Chapter 5: Data Interpretation and Analysis This will consist of an analysis of the data and information generated from the questionnaire returns using relevant diagrams, tables and text to illustrate all findings. Chapter 6: Conclusions and Recommendations All findings from the research process will be compiled and it will be observed as to whether the main outlined objectives have been realized. Recommendations will also be given on areas of further research to enhance the material within the theses. CHAPTER 2 A REVIEW OF FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE 2.1 History of Concrete and Fibre Reinforcement. The history of composite materials started in ancient Egypt over 2000 years ago with mud bricks, reinforced with straw fibres. (Crowther, 2009) Concrete is the second most widely used material on earth after water (The Economist, 2006) Concrete is a building material composed of cement, aggregate sand and water, often with chemical admixtures and other materials (Stanley Bond, 1999). Its modern development spans less than 200 years with 1824 being the patent date associated with the first Portland cement, according to Binns (2002), which is one of the most important milestones in concretes history. Concrete is an ever present material and its versatility, comparative cheapness and energy efficiency have ensured that it is of great and increasing importance for all types of construction throughout the world. Many structures have concrete as their principal material, albeit as a composite with steel to give either reinforced or prestressed concrete, even in those structures where other materials such as steel or timber form the principal structural elements, concrete will normally still have an important role, for example in the foundations. In its simplest form, concrete is a mixture of cement, water and aggregates in which the cement and water have combined to bind the aggregate particles together to form a monolithic whole. (Illston Domone, 2001) (Sutherland, 2009) explains that even though our knowledge and understanding of the material is far from complete, and research continues, concrete has been successfully used in many cultures and in many civilisations. It is not just a modern material; the oldest concrete discovered so far is in southern Israel, and dates from about 7000 BC. It was used for flooring, and consists of quicklime, made by burning limestone, mixed with water and stone which set into a hardened material. Fibres mixed into the concrete can provide an alternative to the provision of conventional rebar or steel fabric mesh in some applications. The concept has been in existence for many years (the first patent was applied for in 1874) and it has been used in a range of applications: amongst the first major uses was the patching of bomb craters in runways during World War 2. However, it was during the 1970s that commercial use of this material began to gather momentum particularly in Europe, Japan and throughout America. (Clark, 2007) Crowther (2009) reiterates that throughout the 1960s research by various scientists which included Romauldi and Mandel who were industrial scientists, In the 1960s, studies by Industrial scientists Romauldi, Mandel and others, created the hypothetical and experimental foundations to help realise the development of a steel fibre product which could be used to as a means of reinforcing and strengthening concrete. In the early 1970s, James Romauldi who was initially involved in establishing the creation of the steel fibre patented the philosophy of steel fibre reinforced concrete, essentially inventing a new material for use within the construction industry. Throughout the 20th century the appliance of asbestos fibre cement was extremely common and extensively utilised whilst more recently it has continued with the use of highly developed carbon fibre substances which have previously been more associated within the specialised aerospace and automotive industries. Glass fibres were introduced and research continued into harnessing the properties of synthetic fibres such as polypropylene along with various other plastic materials. By 2000, the first macro fibre, concrete was ready for production from various suppliers. (Tarmac, 2009) Fibre reinforced concrete is employed around the world on major construction projects which involve infrastructure works, tunnel linings, marine environments, pre cast and insitu walling systems, low shrinkage thin screeds, sprayed concrete applications and significant reinforcement structures. Throughout the UK, its general application is in the use of large industrial concrete floors. Characteristics which are extremely beneficial following the installation of the floors is the improved in impact resistance, this helps minimise any possible unnecessary damage where high volumes of belligerent traffic is expected. The table below Figure 2 clearly shows how concrete is affected by the addition of fibres in various application fields: Table 1 Concrete improvement by fibres Application field Strength Cracking Wear Closure systems  Ã‚  Tunnels  Ã‚   Ã‚  Sole plates / cellar walls  Ã‚   Ã‚  Sewer systems / pipes  Ã‚   Ã‚  Precast elements  Ã‚   Ã‚  Toppings / wear layers  Ã‚   Ã‚  Roads / airfield paving  Ã‚   Ã‚  Industrial floors  Ã‚   Ã‚   Ã‚  Figure 1 2.2 Types of Fibre Products used For Concrete Reinforcement Although there are numerous fibre products on the market the most commonly used fibre types are shown and discussed below giving information on the producer of the fibre, its properties, fibre content in appliance along with the effects of the fibre type within the concrete matrix. 2.2.1 Steel Fibres Concrete containing steel fibres has been shown to have substantially improved resistance to impact and greater ductility of failure in compression, flexure and torsion. (ACI Special publication sp-44) (Bentur Mindess, 1990) claim that it was throughout the early 1900s that steel fibres were first introduced into being mixed with concrete to provide the required reinforcement. The early design of steel fibres was relatively simple and consisted of a rather plain round and smooth design which was cut to the necessary lengths. Only more recently has the introduction of hooked end, indented etched roughened surface, crimped and new polygonal twisted modern fibres have been introduced whilst the original smooth fibres have mainly disappeared. More up to date fibres which are available commercially are contrived from drawn stainless steel wire or by a melting and moulding process which produce fibres which have a crescent profile cross section. (Concrete Society TR 63, (2007)) points out that steel fibres are produced by various processes as discussed above and are supplied in many different shapes and sizes as is shown below in Figure 2. They may either be straight or deformed, however most are round in cross section with diameters between 25 and 60 mm. Steel fibres have a tensile strength typically 2-3 times greater than that of traditional fabric reinforcement and a significantly greater surface area (for a given mass of steel) to develop bond with the concrete matrix. Figure 2 (Neville, 1995) points out that the configurations of fibres can be either straight, continuous-deformed, or end formed as shown previous. Initially, straight fibers were the only configuration of steel fibers available. After further investigation it was quickly learned that there bonding potential was limited which restricted there expected contribution to the engineering properties of concrete. New products were developed to increase the bond between the fibre and concrete, the two best configurations which emerged were: A hooked end, draw wire fibre and a continuously deformed, slit sheet steel fibre. It was determined that the continuous deformed, slit sheet steel fibre provided better micro macro cracking performance as well as flexural strength enhancement, whereas the end deformed, drawn wire steel fibre performed best post first crack. As a feature of steel fibre reinforcement concrete its improved ductility helps to greatly enhance the application where impact resistance is important. The characteristic of fatigue resistance within the concrete is highlighted a being increased by up to 70%. (Clark, 2007) explains that the addition of steel fibres as supplementary reinforcement in concrete minimise the possibility of spalling of the concrete surface due to any inclement temperatures or weather conditions Some of the physical characteristics of fibres directly affect key aspects of concrete performance while others are less important. The factors considered to have the strongest influence on the performance of the steel fibre in concrete are: Bond and Anchorage mechanisms (e.g. straight or deformed shape, end cones or hooked ends) Fibre length and diameter. Dosage used in concrete pours. (kg/m3) Fibre count (number of fibres per kg of fibre), which is a function of fibre size and dosage. Tensile Strength Elastic Modulus (Hannant, D 2002) outlines that fibre reinforcement in concrete act in various ways. Firstly they can remove the formation and development of cracks due to early age plastic settlement and drying shrinkage. Secondly, they may provide a degree of post cracking load carrying capacity. The mechanisms are as follows: Steel fibres, being randomly distributed in the concrete, intercept micro cracks as they form, inhibiting the tendency for them to form into larger cracks. After cracking, the fibres spanning the crack will provide a residual load carrying capacity. The capacity can be considerable, depending on dosage and the type of fibre used. Following a shrinkage case study carried out by Propex concrete systems the photos below evaluate the initial 24 hours of curing time comparing a traditional reinforced slab with wire mesh against a fibre reinforced slab. The traditional (control) slab started to crack within 3 hours whilst the fibre reinforced slab continued to perform whilst maintaining its integrity, this is shown below in Figure 3. Cracks within the concrete which occur at an early stage will only endanger the reliability whilst preventing the concrete from ever attaining its maximum performance capability. Figure 3 The explanation for this early age damage to the slab is relatively simple traditional mesh refrains from functioning until there is movement within the slab and the concrete cracks, for there to be any possibility of the fibre mesh to work the slab would have to be designed ensuring that the mesh had been placed In the top third of the slab. As has been previously mentioned there are various shapes and sizes of steel fibres which are used two examples which are used within the construction of industrial floors are shown below in Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 4 shows four different shapes and sizes of fibre products which include smooth surface, indented etched, roughened surface and round with hooked ends which are the most commonly products used in regards to steel fabric reinforcement. Whereas Figure 5 gives a more in-depth description on the bundled hooked end product. 2.2.2 Synthetic Fibres Straight or deformed pieces of extruded, orientated and cut polymer material, generally polypropylene, that is suitable for mixing in concrete. Macro fibres have a diameter greater than 0.3mm; micro fibres have a smaller diameter (ACIFC, 2007) (Concrete Societys TR66, 2007) considers that polymer fibres can be described and categorised into the following: Macro synthetic fibres which are generally greater than 0.3mm in diameter and are used where an increase in post cracking flexural strength is required. Macro synthetic fibres can be incorporated within the design of structural concrete. Micro Synthetic Fibres are relatively similar to the previously mention Macro synthetic fibres although they are smaller in size along with the inability to fulfil any structural role within any concrete design. Characteristics of this type of fibre include the ability to reduce the instance of plastic shrinkage cracking along with acting as an enhancement for freeze thaw resistance. References: Illston, J.M. and Domone, P.L.J. (2001) Construction Materials There Nature and Behavior 3rd Edition. P91. Spon Press. Sutherland, M. (2009) Concrete Engineering International Volume 13 Number 2. Summer 2009. The Concrete Society Romtech. (2009) Technical Support Products accessed 30th October at http://www.rom.co.uk/products.aspx Crowther, D. (2009) Concrete for the Construction Industry Journal Volume 43 Number 3 April 2009. The Concrete Society. Clark, J. (2007) Technical Report No. 63 Guidance for The Design of Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete. Camberley Hannant, D, Fibres in concrete A Perspective. Concrete, Vol. 36, No 8, September 2002, pp 40 43. Tarmac. (2009) Topforce Fibre Reinforced Concrete accessed 12 November at www.tarmaconline.com//0982%20Tarmac%20Fibre%20Reinforced%20Concrete%20Brochure.pdf. Propex. (2006) Propex Concrete Systems accessed 13 November at www.CS-500_Propex%20Concrete%20Systems%20Brochure_Jul%2006 (1).Pdf. Anon., (2006). Concrete Possibilities. Economist Technology Monthly. The Economist, 380 (23 September), p32. Anon., (1972). American Concrete Institute, an International Symposium: Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Detroit: ACI, 1974. (ACI Special Publication SP-44)

Us airways swot analysis

Us airways swot analysis US Airways SWOT Analysis Mission Statement Customer service has always been a priority at US Airways, and we are committed to making every flight count for our valued customers. Our promise to you, the safety and satisfaction of our customers is a top priority for our airline. Customers first is the result of a joint effort of the airline industry, the US Congress and the US Department of transportation to address the key service elements that affects our customers. New Mission Statement Here at US Airways, we strive to create a modern travelling experience for our passengers. Our young fleet offers passengers the comfort and luxury of 21st century flight. From Wi-Fi, to satellite television to seats that reclines as beds, when u fly with us, youre always connected to the modern world. Strength of US Airways US Airways has much strength as a major airline. After its merger with America West in 2005, it became the 5th largest airline in the US, combining the East Coast prominence of US Airways and the West Coast strengths of America West. US Airways operates more than 3,800 departures a day to 240 destinations in 32 countries and flies nearly 70 million passengers a year. The company has two subsidiaries, US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express which provide hourly short haul flights in the high demand metropolitan areas of NY, BOS, DC. This in particular is a great strength of US Airways because business flyers frequently travel between those cities on a daily basis and tend to sell out those flights. Below is a picture of the aircraft which provides these short distance flights for the business class. It also operates nonstop flights connecting business and pleasure travelers between Philadelphia and London. One of the biggest strengths that US Airways holds over all the other airlines is that it operates the largest fleet of Airbus aircraft in the world, particularly the Airbus A320 family which is considered the leader in the single-aisle jetliner market. The A320 family consists of four aircrafts (A318, A319, A320, and A321) which responds to airlines needs for optimized cabin layouts, better baggage and cargo handling, maximum operational flexibility on short and medium haul routes and most importantly lower operating costs that only a new-generation aircraft can offer. The Envoy Class and seats that US Airways flights have is strength in attracting business travelers. The Envoy Sleeper seats as they are known are seats on the A330-300 in business class that recline completely flat and form a bed as shown in figure 2 below. Those other airplane models that do not have the envoy seats have an envoy class in which every seat is fitted with a personal on demand screen to watch movies, play games, watch syndicated television, and each seat has an EmPower outlet. Other airlines typically only have one outlet per every 2 seats in coach or have done away with the outlets altogether. US Airways is also adding the Envoy Sleeper seats to its transatlantic B767 models. US Airways also have programs that give it strengths in areas other airlines lack. Dividend Miles is US Airways frequent flyer program which gives passengers who fly a certain amount of preferred miles perks such as upgrades, free checked bags, and early check in options. Many airlines have their own rewards program but US Airways has the advantage as it is part of the Star Alliance which is the largest airline alliance. Star Alliance is made up of 25 airlines and even if you do not fly US Airways as long as you fly one of the alliance airlines, your preferred miles are honored. The Star Alliance has their own premium levels for passengers enrolled in the alliances member programs. So regardless of the airline in the alliance, youre still eligible for the upgrades. Star Alliance makes up 28% of the global market share and was voted best airline alliance in 2007 (the next page demonstrates the members of the star alliance and some key facts which was taken from the Star Alliance webs ite). US Airways airport lounges are called US Airways Clubs and have 19 lounges in 14 airports across the US and can also be used within the Star Alliance. This is another perk that many other airlines have but unlike many including the larger airlines such as Delta, admittance to the US Airways lounge is free with your premium frequent flyer program Star Alliance statistics Member Airlines: 25 Number of aircraft: 3,740 Number of employees: 458,332 Passengers per year: 586.60 million Sales Revenue (in US$): 169.70 billion Daily departures: 19,534 Number of airports: 1,071 Number of lounges: 954 Countries served: 171 The two overall strengths that US Airways has over many of its competitors are its â€Å"Do Crew† and safety rating. The Do Crew is made up of volunteer employees that participate in community based programs to help out the community on a monthly basis. The Do Crews set out through their local chapters which are located in many mainstream cities such as Boston, Las Vegas, New York, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, and Washington, DC. Many of the airlines are regarded as only looking to achieve capital, although the ultimate goal of all airlines is to sell seats and make money, US Airways displays a sense of appreciation by giving back to the community each month. The company is a proud sponsor of Reading is Fundamental (RIF) which helps to distribute books and help children achieve literacy. The strongest point that US Airways holds which most passengers would look for is they were considered the safest airline in the US. From January 1, 2002 to January 2, 2007 US Airways had the lowest accident rating of .89 accidents per 1 million take offs. The list below came from the website injury.com which shows the top 5 safest airlines in that period. US Airways (.89 accidents) Southwest Airlines (2.59 accidents) America West Airlines (2.96 accidents) Continental Airlines (3.17 accidents) Alaska Airlines (3.32 accidents) Competition will always exist in the aviation world but these are some of the strengths that set aside US Airways from the other airlines. Weakness of US Airways As many strength US Airways have, it also have their weaknesses that lowers the airline popularity and name. Complaints are a common or daily situation that many customers have during the year. Many luggage claims have been filed by angry passengers. Like customers luggage getting lost and then appearing broken and with missing personnel items. Like in the case of some customers nicknamed â€Å"bigfogie† when he lost his luggage after making connections to another city. When he finally gets his suitcase, he found out that it was broken with all his family gifts and personal stuff damaged. Then after making a complaint and filing their forms for damages, US Airways decision was not to pay for the items. This is a loss of consciousness of the company because after committing the safety and trust of the customers luggage, it ended up like trash. This problem of peoples properties getting damage is very common because he is not the only one complaining for the same problem. People have passed by the same problem, which they end up giving their comments and similar experiences. US Airways safety has been downsized causing a risk to the aircrafts maintenance and peoples lives. Lives haves been in risk because of the safety directives were not met during the period of October 2008 to January 2009. The procedure used was that the mechanics whould stuff shop towels into the aircraft engine, which can cause the engine to fail in any time. In that period there were 1,647 flights that could have been affected, causing any irregularity in the engine performance. This is why U.S Airways was fined 5.4 million dollars by the Federal Aviation Authority. When this was announced it could cause many customers to change to another airline causing losses to the company. This is a clear stage of lack of training and needs to be corrected. â€Å"U.S Airways† will be changing their company structure by concentrating their service in Philadelphia, Charlotte and Phoenix and other cities. Due to the restructuring, the company will let go some markets and fire 1,000 workers and suspend service to Beijing. The restructuring will cause during the next 3 months reducing of 64 to 36 departures in â€Å"Las Vegas† and will be closing operation in Wichita, Kansas and Colorado Springs, Colorado. During the first 6 months of 2010, US Airways will be closing crew bases in Boston, La Guardia and Las Vegas. 25 Business Travel News reported that â€Å"US Airways also pointed to weakness in transatlantic revenue in its plan to cease service from Philadelphia to Birmingham, U.K.; London Gatwick; Milan, Italy; Shannon, Ireland; and Stockholm, Sweden.† This will reduce the customers advantage to get to their destinations directly and will become a hassle were they will have to look for new sources and leave US Airways Services. There is a possibility that revenue will reduce but US Airways will be concentrating in their services which could be neutralized. Other companies will take full advantages of these departures being reduced and bases being closed. These will cause other airlines to gain new customers with less competence. Industry Environment In 2008, US Airways faced an outstanding change in their company. US Passes through significant losses as they confront staggering increases in the price of fuel during that year. The average quarter cost per barrel of oil below in the diagram demonstrates the runaway of fuel prices during 2008: US airways continue with this difficult economical confrontation, they were not able to increase the price of their tickets to at least pay their larger expense which was jet fuel. These factors help other Airlines to take advantage where they increased prices in their tickets and preserve liquidity. US Airways Response As described above, US Airways were profoundly challenged by the economic situation in 2008. They participated in the industrys response to record high fuel prices and take action to operate a strong and competitive airline by implementing the following initiatives. Capacity and Fleet Reductions The company reduced the total mainline capacity by 5.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 and the Express capacity by 1.3 percent on a year-over-year basis. Furthermore, US Airways plans to decrease the total mainline by four to six percent in 2009 and the Express capacity by five to seven percent from 2008. They anticipated that these capacity reductions will enable the company to lower the problem of reduced passenger demand on revenue and reduce costs. US Airways have prepared some strategic methods to obtain their capacity reduction goals: Fleet Reduction: US Airways said that they will be returning 10 aircrafts to leasers, this includes four Airbus A320s that were returned during the first quarter of 2009 and six 737-300 returned in 2008. They further cancelled the leases of two Airbus A330-200 wide-bodies that were planned for delivery in the second quarter of 2009. Even more, US Airways is still planning to reduce additional aircraft in 2010. â€Å"Las Vegas† Flight Reduction: US Airways closed Las Vegas night operation in exception for limited night service to the East Coast in 2008. 141 flights that departed daily from Las Vegas in 2007 were reduced to 77 in 2008. In the end, the revenue produced from the Las Vegas night operation no longer exceeded an increment cost. Opportunities of US Airways While US Airways may not be the best airline in the world, it has the potential to be. Within the company lie many opportunities that it could use to its advantage. The company offers an attractive employee benefit. Within the package lie health insurance, prescription drug coverage, dental insurance, life insurance and many more. We all know that there is a larger population in the eastern United States than the western and currently, US Airways has a large number of destinations and a greater hold on the Eastern coast of the United States. They go to major cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Charleston, Washington DC.etc. These are relatively large cities which could potentially mean more airline seat sales given the right strategies. This is in comparison to Delta Airlines whose eastern city destinations are New York, Boston and Washington DC. The map below shows the routes of the daily 3800 flights carried out by US Airways. The entire eastern seaboard is covered in black which demonstrates the overlaying of multiple flight paths. With fuel efficient airbus aircrafts a large number on their fleet, the company could use this to go towards being a â€Å"green company†. Being a green company has its benefits, especially in the 21st century when many people are conscious of the welfare of the earth. This badge will give the company a good image and might possibly increase passenger enrollments. On January 15, 2009, a US Airways flight bound for Charlotte, North Carolina hit a flock of birds on takeoff from La Guardia airport. The A320 aircraft, captained by Chesley Sullenberger ditched into the Hudson River in an attempt to save the lives of 155 passengers and crews onboard. In the weeks that follow, the media, passengers and government officials all praised captain Sullenberger for his professionalism in handling the situation. The governor was quote calling the event â€Å"a miracle on the Hudson†. Although a traumatic event, this had brought much positive public attention to the highly skilled pilots within US Airways. In 2007, US Airways ranked among the worst in on-time performance; however, a year later, the company went to having one of the best within the major airlines. Airport Business reported that â€Å"US Airways rallied its work force to focus on one goal getting planes pushed back from the gate on-time and began offering financial incentives to workers for better service.† This shows that the company has what it takes to improve on a number of their services and should use this example as a way in making their company more effective. Threats towards US Airways One of US Airways biggest threats is competitive airline tickets, of the three destinations that I have researched; US Airways had the most expensive tickets for two destinations. I visited the website expedia.com and found that from New York City to Boston, US Airways charged a low price of $215, Delta Airlines charge $201 and American Airline charges $202. From New York City to Las Vegas, US Airways charged $248; Delta and American Airlines charged $209. The last destination was from New York City to Miami. US Airways charged $168, Delta Airline charged $163 and American Airlines charged $173. On all three destinations, US Airways biggest threat comes from Delta Airline which offers the lowest airfares. This could be used as a factor which influences customers away from US Airways. US Airways has the worst customer satisfaction out of 19 largest airlines in America. According to Phoenix Business Journal, â€Å"US Airways improves, but still trails in customer satisfaction†. In July 2008, the US department of transportation reported that US Airways had received customer complaints of 2.16 for every 100,000 passengers. The report went further to say 19,400 bags were lost or mishandled in July. Based on these finding, US Airways has more expensive airfares and bad customer satisfaction which is a bad combination for influencing customers to travel with them. For quite some time, Delta airline offered in-flight Wi-Fi access. This had since been a threat towards US Airways which did not offer this service. In todays world many people wanted to stay connected, especially when they are in an aircraft for many hours. However, US Airways has since responded to this threat by introducing Wi-Fi to its aircrafts within the first quarter of 2010. The Pittsburg Business Times reports â€Å"The carrier, which is the No. 1 airline at Pittsburgh International Airport, has hired Aircell to provide Internet access†¦ Customers will be able to choose services from Aircells standard pricing structure, which currently ranges from $5.95 to $12.95.† US Airways international service has a threat amongst the service that is offered at Delta. US Airways currently operates 3,800 daily flights to 240 destinations in 32 countries. This may seem like an impressive figure, however, Delta Airlines has 7,500 daily flights to 567 destinations in 112 countries. This numbers doubles that of US Airways and the company offers cheaper airfares than US Airways. So an expansion into other markets is required, for instance, African and Asian cities. US Airways BCG Matrix Stars for US Airways would include: Airline technology such as Business class reclining seats. The seats US Airways offer comfort ability to its business class passengers making it possible and reasonable for the airline to raise its prices. The Dividend Miles program offers passengers benefits each time they fly with US Airways. This gives much appreciation to loyal customers who would continue to support the airline. Every airline wishes to use less fuel to carry more passengers, with US Airways large fleet of Airbus, they do just that. The fuel efficient aircrafts gives much revenue to the company. The new venture of introducing Wi-Fi technology into US Airways aircrafts will prove to be a question mark. Although it is expected to become a star, there is still some uncertainty to its future in the company. US Airways have a relatively young aircraft fleet. Based on airfleet.net, the average age of the aircrafts are 11.9 years so the dogs in this company could be old unreliable aircrafts. It is always best to buy new aircrafts than try to maintain old ones. It takes too much time and money and there is a high chance it will be out of service again. Unprofitable destinations are another, every airline has this. An airline loses its influence in an area to competition and its just not making money. The only logical thing to do is just to discontinue services to that area. Some cash cows US Airways has are its profitable destinations and shuttle destinations. These destinations are very profitable for the company and although they dont expect much growth, they are still a very good asset for the company. Recommendations On all three destinations from New York that I researched, I found that US Airways had the most expensive airfare. I think more should be done to lower the prices to be cheaper than Delta. Although US Airways has a .89 accident rating which is a significantly low number, they had been publicly fined 5.4 million dollars for lack of safety. This could affect them negatively so it is important that the company keeps up to date with its safety requirements and guidelines. In September 2008, Pittsburg Business Journals reported that US Airways trails behind 18 top Airline companies in America in customer satisfaction. This is because the airline frequently receives complaints about lost luggage and little is done to compensate these passengers. The company needs to be friendlier towards the customer on these matters or face drastic loss in passenger enrollment. The company should start an advertising campaign towards helping to save the environment with their fuel efficient aircrafts. US Airways could use a different image, an image that shows it cares. With the publicity of Captain Sullenberger, US Airways should organize a tour to aeronautical schools for the captain to inspire student pilots. More should be done to open new gates into the international markets. The company does not have much Asian and African destinations and we feel that they should atleast have one major city within these continents. Conclusion US Airways is the fifth largest airline in the United States after its merger with America West Airlines. The companys mission statement gave an impression that it was dedicated to its customers yet the company has much room for improvement towards customer satisfaction to achieve that mission statement. The companys focus is primarily on ways for cutting cost, they sometimes refuse to reimburse customers for their broken luggage and implementing costs to measure up to safety requirements. While they may not have many accidents, the company needs to bear in mind prevention. Overall, the direction the company is going signifies that it has a profitable and bigger future. We expect the company to increase its fleet size and further modernize to the level which it will be competing with the likes of airlines such as Cathay, Air France, etc. Reference A320 Family, Airbus. Retrieved on November 19, 2009 from http://www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/a320 BCG Growth Share Matrix, Quick MBA. Retrieved November 20, 2009 from http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/matrix/bcg/ Consumer complaints about US Airways, Consumer Affairs. Retrieved on November 19, 2009 from http://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/us_airways.htm Cutting Flights And Jobs, US Airways Narrows Network, 25 Business travel news. Retrieved on November 7, 2009 from http://www.btnonline.com/businesstravelnews/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004031470 Delta Airlines worldwide destinations, Delta Airlines. Retrieved November 19, 2009 from http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/plan_flight/destinations/travel_getaways/index.jsp Details and Fleet history, Planespotters. Retrieved on November 25, 2009 from http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/US-Airways?show=current#AirlineFleetList Employee Benefits, US Airways. Retrieved November 18, 2009 from http://www.usairways.com/en-US/aboutus/employment/employee_benefits.html Fleet age, US Airways, Airfleets. Retrieved on November 19, 2009 from http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/?file=calcopopp=US+Airways Flight Prices, Expedia. Retrieved November 17, 2009 from http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=fexpflag=qcity1=JFKcitd1=LASdate1=11/23/2009time1=362date2=11/26/2009time2=362cAdu=1cSen=cChi=cInf=infs=2tktt=trpt=2ecrc=eccn=qryt=8load=1airp1=JFKdair1=LASrdct=1olacid=buttons-meta.cheapflights.cheapflights.buttons.flight.xml.,%20buttons-meta.cheapflights.cheapflights.buttons.flight.xmleapid=12345-1 http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=fexpflag=qcity1=JFKcitd1=BOSdate1=12/1/2009time1=362date2=12/8/2009time2=362cAdu=1cSen=cChi=cInf=infs=2tktt=trpt=2ecrc=eccn=qryt=8load=1airp1=JFKdair1=BOSrdct=1olacid=buttons-meta.cheapflights.cheapflights.buttons.flight.xml.,%20buttons-meta.cheapflights.cheapflights.buttons.flight.xmleapid=12345-1 http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=fexpflag=qcity1=JFKcitd1=MIAdate1=12/2/2009time1=362date2=12/14/2009time2=362cAdu=1cSen=cChi=cInf=infs=2tktt=trpt=2ecrc=eccn=qryt=8load=1airp1=JFKdair1=MIArdct=1olacid=buttons-meta.cheapflights.cheapflights.buttons.flight.xml.,%20buttons-meta.cheapflights.cheapflights.buttons.flight.xmleapid=12345-1 Form 10-K for US AIRWAYS GROUP INC, Yahoo Finance. Retrieved on November 26, 2009 from http://au.us.biz.yahoo.com/e/090218/lcc10-k.html How US Airways ended up in first to get to the top of the on-time heap, airline focused on pushing back from the gate fast, Airport Business. Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://www.airportbusiness.com/online/article.jsp?siteSection=1id=21636 LCC Annual Report, EDGAR. Retrieved on November 28, 2009 from http://sec.edgar-online.com/us-airways-group-inc/10-k-annual-report/2009/02/18/section12.aspx N.Y. jet crash called â€Å"miracle on the Hudson, MSNBC. Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28678669 Robbins Coulter (2009). Management (10th edition). New Jersey, Pearson Prentice Hall Star Alliance member airlines, Star Alliance. Retrieved on November 18, 2009 from http://www.staralliance.com/en/about/airlines/ Top 5 safest airline, Injury. Retrieved on November 18, 2009 from http://www.injury.com/injuries/2009/02/13/top-five-safest-airlines/ United Airlines, US Airways face millions in FAA fines for safetyviolations, Chicago Tribune. Retrieved on November 17, 2009 from http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/oct/15/business/chi-tc-biz-faa-1014-1015oct15 US Airways, United. Retrieved on November 30, 2009 from http://www.united.com/page/article/0,1360,50107,00.html US Airways add Wi-Fi Service, Pittsburg Business Times. Retrieved November 19, 2009 from http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2009/07/20/daily44.html US Airways airlines information history pictures and facts, Aviation Explorer. Retrieved from December 1, 2009 from http://www.aviationexplorer.com/us_airways_airlines.htm US Airways complaint, My3cents. Retrieved on November 11, 2009 from http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=62769 US Airways flight destinations, US Airways. Retrieved November 17, 2009 from http://www.usairways.com/en-US/routemap.html US Airways improves, but still trails in customer satisfaction, Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2009 from http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/business_travel/story/biz/937.html US Airways mission statement, US Airways Group. Retrieved November 16, 2009 from http://www.company-statements-slogans.info/list-of-companies-u/us-airways-group.htm US Airways on flickr, flickr from Yahoo. Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://www.flickr.com/photos/egrenouille/3230143574/ US Airways Past and Present, US Airways. Retrieved on November 27, 2009 from http://www2.usairways.com/en-US/aboutus/pressroom/history.html

Moving Between Different Cultures in Poetry Essay -- Half Caste Search

Moving Between Different Cultures in Poetry For my essay I will be looking at two poems which deal with the experience of moving between different cultures, these are Half-Caste and Search for My Tongue. These poems are written from experience. John Agard the author of Half-Caste was born in Gugana and moved to Britain in 1977. He is half-caste himself and his poem expresses his feelings about the term half-caste. Sujata Bhatt the authoress of Search for My Tongue was born in India in 1956, her family moved to the United States of America in the 1960's and she now lives in Germany. In her poem Search for My Tongue she explains how she feels about having two different languages her birth language, Gujerati and her second language, German. Half-Caste and Search for My Tongue, create very vivid images, which makes it easier for the reader to interpret and understand both the poems and the authors' opinion on the different cultures. Half- Caste creates many images, by using descriptive language and humour. It creates such images as a man, 'standing on leg' and having 'half mih ear' because he is only half-caste so he only has half what a normal person would have but it also creates images about objects 'mix a red an green is a half-caste canvas' and even music 'mix a black key wid a white key is a half-caste symphony'. This helps the reader to understand how the author is feeling about the term half-caste, and can also come to a conclusion about the term themselves. All the imagery in this poem makes the reader think about how anybody who has ever been called half-caste feels. Search for My Tongue creates a very vivid image using very descriptive metaphors, 'it grows back, a stump of a shoot, grows ... ...age which creates vivid images for the reader. Using gujerati in the middle of the poems shows that her mother tongue, her birth language, is still strong and at times, even stronger then her second language. In conclusion both of these poems deal with the issues faced when moving between different cultures in their own ways. They both use language and imagery to express their messages Half- Caste explores the way that we use the term 'half-caste' in our vocabulary and exaggerates it. This is to a great effect as it makes the reader think more about racial issues and the way that we treat people from different cultures. Search for my Tongue deals with moving between different cultures by actually writing about the language barriers and losing your identity. This is how we can link the poems together and show how people move between different cultures.

Essay --

Antigone is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. Antigone finds out that her brothers Polyneices and Eteocles are dead after killing each other. Antigone decides to bury Polyneices and asks her sister Ismene to help her but she refuses. The Creon, the king of Thebes, refuses to bury Polyneices because of going against the state, while his brother is to be buried in honor because he fought for his state and did what he is supposed to do. So he orders for no one to bury Polyneices. Antigone buries her brother but is caught. Creon sentences her to death for disobeying. After a while and being convinced, he decides to let her go. But before he is able to release Antigone, he finds out that she with both his son Haimon and his wife have killed themselves. A tragic hero should be someone who causes their own downfall and disgrace. By using their greatest weakness without noticing their own errors. But until the biggest catastrophe results, they recognize their wrong judging and all they h ave caused. A sympathetic character is the character that the reader can relate to and understand what they are going through. The character that the reader feels sympathy to and concerned about because they have a sad destiny. Also someone who we later tend to admire for what they have done and dealt with it. Antigone is the most sympathetic character because she cannot do anything about her suffering and what she is going through, while Creon is the tragic hero because he uses his own pride that destroys his own power and life. Creon is the tragic hero because he uses his weakness pride to be looked as a great ruler and try to ignore his wrong judgment. But this makes it worse and causes something he does not want to expect. Creon expects that no o... ...e because even if he has much power as king can have, he is insecure when it comes to choices. He does not have a side where the audience can see he cares, but instead he has self-importance and shows no pity because he is doing his own life. Antigone shows all she has got and takes risks on what she thinks is right out of love. While Creon just care for himself and actually ignores what he is doing right. Having pride as a king leads to destroying his own power. But Antigone is the sympathetic character more than Creon because her life has a fate already planned and cannot do anything about it so instead she defends her beliefs for other people and what they deserve. Creon just has pride with what he is doing to his own family and people to be seen as the best. If there is no knowledge on something done, this could result on causing one’s own destruction of life.

The Life Of Sylvia Plath :: essays research papers fc

The Life of Sylvia Plath Sylvia Plath's life, like her manic depression, constantly jumped between Heaven and Hell. Her seemingly perfect exterior hid a turbulent and deeply troubled spirit. A closer look at her childhood and personal experiences removes some element of mystery from her writings. One central character to Sylvia Plath's poems is her father, Professor Otto Emile Plath. Otto Plath was diabetic and refused to stay away from foods restricted by his doctor. As a result , he developed a sore on his left foot. Professor Plath ignored the sore, and eventually the foot was overcome with gangrene. The foot and then the entire left leg were amputated in an effort to save his life, but he died in November of 1940, when Sylvia was just eight years old. The fact that her father could have prevented his death left Sylvia Plath with a feeling of deliberate betrayal. Instead of reaching out to other people for comfort, she isolated herself with writing as her only expressive outlet, and remarkably had a poem published when she was only eight. Plath continued prolific writing through high school and won a scholarship to Smith College in 1950 where she met her friend Anne Sexton. Sexton often joined Plath for martinis at the Ritz where they shared poetry and intellectualized discussions about death. Although they were friends, there was also an element of competition between Sexton and Plath. Sylvia Plath's poem " Daddy" was possibly a response to Anne Sexton's "My Friend, My Friend." It was as if Plath was commenting that her writing skills were just a bit better than Sexton's. Sexton frequently would express to Robert Lowell in his poetry class her dissatisfaction with Plath's writing. She said that Plath "dodges the point in her poetry and hadn't yet found the form that belonged to her." The competitive nature of their relationship continued to the very end. To all appearences, Plath appeared normal, her social life similar to other middle class coeds.Many were attracted to Plath's brilliant mind, but few were aware of the inner torment that drove her to write, alienating her from the rest of society. Madamoiselle magazine awarded Plath a position as guest editor the summer following her junior year at Smith. Friends and family were stunned at her suicide attempt when she returned to college, most believing she had suffered a nervous breakdown due to the stress at the magazine. Her treatment was considered the best the medical world could offer and included electro-shock and psychotherapies. Plath tells her side of the story in the poem Lady Lazarus where she likens her experience to a victim of the Holocaust.