JetBlue Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

JetBlue - Case Study Example The interest payments would not show on the balance sheet while the increased assets would, making JetBlue look like a viable investment opportunity. Thus a decision needs to be made on the mode of financing that will lend strength to JetBlue's capital structure. However before analyzing the options of financing and recommending the most suitable alternative, it is imperative hat the current situation of the company be analyzed so that the structure can be evaluated for the option most suitable to it. To evaluate the current financial position based on the published data, the company will be evalaluated based on its profitability, its financial strength, the adequacy of its cash flows and its leverage and relationship between the fixed and variable costs of operating the airline. On the basis of profitability, assuming that salaries and related costs along with fuel are variable costs, JetBlue's contribution margin ratio indicates that the contribution of revenue to variable costs was 52% in 2000, 61% in 2001, and 62% in 2002 and by 64% in the first half of 2003. However, a more detailed look at the profitability indicates that the operating margin, which considers the contribution of revenue to total operating costs, is much lower. In fact, operating costs were higher than revenue in 2000. But this is because the revenue earnings of the airline were much lower in 2000, than in consequent years. The shortfall in revenue and its failure to cover operating costs can be attributed to the fact that the airline had just started and customers, wary of trying out a new airline might have preferred travelling on the older airlines. Moreover the airline might not have had the proper connections and incentives in place for travel agents, which it covered for in later periods, leading to an increase in sales revenues. Comparing operating and contribution margin, an analysis of the two indicates that fixed costs account for a large portion of the airlines costs. The operating margins for the years 2000, 2001, 2002 and half year ended June 2003 were -20%, 8%, 17% and 18% respectively, indicating that fixed costs pulled down the profit amounts. The graph below illustrates the Net Profit Margin, before and after taxes and shows the impact that tax has on the net profit margin. As it can be observed, taxes pull down the net profit margin in periods where there is revenue growth but in periods where there is a loss the tax waivers do not further the losses. However the taxes when carried forward in the next year increase the difference in before and after tax margins, the consequent year remedies this. Upon further scrutiny we can observe that the return on assets (ROA) for JetBlue has been positive from 2001 onwards, with a -6% return in the starting year. For the rest of the periods return on assets was 6%, 7% and 3% (till June 2003). The returns on investment (ROI) were much higher than the returns on assets, being 24%, 23% and 10% in 2001, 2002 and half year ended June 2003 while negative returns were posted in the initial year of

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Project Management - Essay Example The provided analysis critically assesses the most important issues of the project especially in the planning and development phase and the way they should be approached and dealt. The general recommendations include: 1. Developing a detailed project documentation especially in the areas of the specification and the expected quality for the product deliverables; 2. Developing detailed risk mitigation strategies especially for mitigating the inherent risks; and 3. Developing a specific communication and reporting procedures which will ease the coordination of the activities and will favour fast reaction in risky situations; Table of Contents Project Background 3 Project Concept and Strategy 4 Project Scope 5 Project team and structure 7 Project management plan 8 Project schedule 10 Project budget 13 Project control and monitoring 13 Outline project risk register 15 Conclusion and Recommendations 16 References and Bibliography 17 List of Tables Table 1 Training Themes Table 2.Project C ost Table 3. Project Responsibility Matrix Table 4. Risk Register Outline List of Figures Figure 1. Project life Cycle Figure 2.Work Breakdown Structure Figure 3. Project Organisation Figure 4. Gantt Chart Project Background Big Ideas Ltd plans to organize a one day training event in project management, with a specific focus on the MS Project use and the Critical Path Analysis (CPA) as a planning technique. Big Idea has no project management experience in managing events of such caliber which is why several companies with expertise in project management have been approached for providing an offer and a solution of how the event should be managed. The Project management Ltd (PML) offer is provided in the following sections. Project Concept and Strategy PMBOK and PRINCE2 are standard project methodologies used by many PM practitioners across the world. The both methodologies recommend that the projects begin with a project initiation phase in which a clear identification of customer, in this case the owner’s requirements is made (PMI 2008, OGS 2005). In the case of Big Idea’s project, PM practitioners as Field and Keller (2007:8-15) and Gardiner (2005) and in line with the PM standards, recommend preparing a Feasibility study or a Business Case in the terminology used in Prince2 PM approach (OGC 2005). The Business Case is a standard tool in project management which aims at investigating the financial, technical and managerial implications of the identified solution for accomplishing client’s requirements. The Business Case enables the Management team to make a decision on the future development of the project , its objectives and scope (Field and Keller 2007: 25-40). The outputs of the project initiation phase are: (1) an Appointed Project Manager and a (2) Project Initiation Document (PID). In the process of the initial project development and the definition of the project objectives, the project practitioners as Turner (2009) and Kerzner (2009) recommend an identification of two set of factors for measuring the project success. The first set is made out of the success criteria, or the dependent variables by which the successful outcome of the project will be assessed: time, cost and quality. The second set are the success factors or the independent variables which will influence the successful achievement of the success c

Hispanic students Essay Example for Free

Hispanic students Essay Learning is one of the vital needs of a growing child. However, because of some social issues, the education outside the house is unfairly provided to students of an educational institute, which revolves in a culturally diverse community. As seen by many educational and child development experts, this is one of the main problems that the educational institutions face today. The issues that are connoted to be in connection with the racial inequalities in the society, which are also present in the educational institutions of America. In this regard, the author of this paper hopes to discover the reasons behind the said educational issue especially concerning the impact it has on teaching children who have learning disabilities. As known to many, public schools in the United States are catering to both bright children as well as children who are suffering from learning difficulties who belong to the lower economic sector of the society. Because of this, the government of the said country provides certain assistance such as healthcare facilities to support the needs of the said children. However, because of racial differences, the administration of some public school institutions is rather encouraged to treat children differently. This means that there exists an unequal treatment especially between the White American children and the ones belonging to the minorities. How Race Plays a Great Role in the Public School Setting page 2 In the public school system, White students with developmental disabilities have more emphasis put on their success than their African American and Hispanic counterpart. The public school administration makes every service that is possible available to White students, while at the same time withholding this information from African American and Hispanic students and their families. As a fact, it has been observed that administrations catering to children who are suffering from developmental or emotional disabilities makes it sure that the White children are aware and have an ample access to the services of the school that are available for them to have especially regarding healthcare and counseling assistance. On the contrary, they are leaving the minorities unaware of the said services. Hence, most often than not, African American students who have disabilities lack their needs because of the stigma that plagues their race, which was unfortunately applied to them by the society. Purpose of the Study The author of this paper aims to examine the wide differences that occur between multiculturalized populations in the public educational institutions present in the American society. Aside from this, the author also hopes to come up with better institutional systems, which could be applied in public school administrations, which are catering to students who have learning disabilities. Hence, by doing so, this study would then be able to cater to the needs of both the White students as well as the minorities to have an ample and equal share of the services provided by the administration for them. Consequently, the author too, expects that at the How Race Plays a Great Role in the Public School completion of this research, several foundations of change could be established to set the priorities of the public school administration straight back to giving fair service to all the students that they cater to regardless of from what race or minority group they come form. Importance of the Study As mentioned earlier, the issue of service provision to children belonging to the minor races who are present in the American society concerns a large portion of the population of public school institutions. This way, by knowing the realities behind the actual situation that are happening in the said educational establishments, this study would enlighten every reader about the need to be informed and be well serviced by the administration where they enroll their children into. This study should also awaken the less-caring administrations to finally realize that the very reason of their existence is to give fine and fair service to their stakeholders and the includes all the students who are enrolled in their institutions. Hence, as a result, it is expected to convince administrative officers to provide information to everyone else who is enrolled in their schools about the best possible services that they could avail from the school provisions. This could include both therapies and counseling sessions that could help the children get over their learning difficulties free of charge. In this manner, it would not only be the White students who would have access and benefit from the administration’s provisions, but the minorities as well.

The Debate On Pornography Media Essay

The Debate On Pornography Media Essay The circumstances surrounding the debate on pornography cross ethical, social, religious, psychological, and cultural boundaries. It is argued that pornography decreases the desire and appeal for long-term traditional relationships. Judaism requires women to dress modestly while the ancient Hindu text, the Kama Sutra, depicts sexual behavior in ways considered today to be porn. Feminists argue that it is a violent exploitation of women and promotes chauvinism, and that it leads to abusive relationships and makes men more likely to rape women. This essay will discuss possible answers to the posed question by illustrating the arguments for and against pornography. Pornography is often defined pejoratively: words like violent, degrading, and humiliating may be used with no acknowledgement that such descriptions are subjective and contextually relative (Ciclitira 286). A common view is that pornography is degrading to women. This statement is an opinion. Ones perception of pornographys depiction of sex is related to their own sexual experiences and their views on sex. Some women might say that porn is degrading if their own sexual experiences have left them feeling objectified or used or if they have been sexually assaulted. In this case, the idea of sex itself might be the issue and therefore the depiction of sex might remind that woman of her own negative experiences. Other women who have had positive sexual experiences and frequently enjoy sex might be excited by porn and see the depiction of sex as a reminder of their own positive and satisfying experiences. Not all pornography portrays females as being passive participants or simple sex objects. In many cases, the woman is not just giving pleasure, she is receiving it. The presentation of women enjoying sex and orgasming shows sex to be natural, healthy, and pleasurable not something to be ashamed of. Pornography can depict sex as something romantic and emotional or as an act between adults who love each other. The view that pornography is degrading to women disregards the views of women who create porn whether by writing it, producing it, or acting in it. It also disregards the pornography that illustrates a womans perspective of sex and porn that is aimed at female audiences. Many women willingly participate in the production of pornography whether for mass distribution or for private viewing. Many women also enjoy watching pornography alone or with their partner(s). Pornography is harmful to relationships is another view. The Flood article (393-394) states, US studies find that a consistent minority of female partners of male regular pornography users find it damaging both for their relationships and themselves. They see their male partners pornography use as a kind of infidelity, feel betrayal and loss, feel less desirable, and describe other negative effects on their relationships, sex lives and themselves (Bridges et al., 2003). First, this is a minority of females and the article does not state how low that minority is. The minority could be 10% of Latino or 3% of Caucasian females. A perception of porn use harming a relationship may point to fundamental flaws in the relationship that are only made more visible through porn use but do not exist because of the porn use. For example, the woman might believe her sex life is floundering because her partner is using porn rather than her to satisfy his sexual needs, but the man might be using porn because he is dissatisfied with the woman or disinterested in her. In this case, it is not the porn that is harming the relationship; it is the lack of communication between the partners: the man isnt open about his dissatisfaction so the woman sees the porn as causing the mans disinterest in her rather than being a result of the disinterest. On the other hand, the man may be interested and sexually attracted to the woman, but pornography offers a form of arousal that cannot be found elsewhere. A relationship could be sexually vibrant but the introduction of pornography may illicit unique sensations that overwhelms the male and makes the woman feel less valuable. Pornography may benefit relationships, as sex can be a very important aspect of a relationship establishing and maintaining closeness, giving each other pleasure, satisfying each others sexual desires, expressing affection, etc. A couple (married or dating) might watch porn in order to get aroused prior to engaging in intercourse. But one may argue why a healthy couple would need to watch something to illicit arousal. Pornography can be used to spice things up for the couple giving them ideas of new positions to try or inspiring role-playing scenarios. The statement that porn harms relationships is too broad. The information available on the harmful effects of pornography on relationships seems to be focused on heterosexual relationships while ignoring homosexual relationships. Another view is that pornography makes men more likely to rape women. The Flood article (393) talks about studies that show a correlation between teenage boys frequency of consumption of porn and their agreement with the idea that it is acceptable to hold down and force a girl to have sex. However, the ability of parents to block their children who are minors from viewing porn on the internet or TV while at home may diminish the frequency of porn. Even though minors can acquire pornography from outside the home (from friends, on a different computer, etc), if adults teach children starting from a young age about sex, its need to be consensual, its consequences, and the importance of respecting women and people in general, then young boys attitudes toward sex and females may very well be unaffected by pornography. Nevertheless, even if all young boys were taught in this way, they would not all absorb the important lesson. Other factors such as peer or media influences play large roles in young boys attitudes towards sex and the treatment of women and those would need to be controlled as well. Flood (392) also states that men who frequently use violent or rape porn are more likely to report that they would rape a woman if they could get away with it. This does not necessarily mean that the porn is planting the desire to rape a woman. Perhaps the man who would rape a woman watches the porn in order to see a fantasy that he cannot realize. In this case might the porn be somewhat satisfying the mans desire to rape and preventing him from doing so in reality. However, violent porn can give violent or sexual offenders venues to act out their fantasies. The watchers of violent porn may gain inspiration to go and act out their fantasies on innocent women. Flood cites Malamuths writing that men at high risk for sexual aggression are more likely aroused by it and more likely influenced by it (392). But what percentage of men are at high risk for sexual aggression? Does the predisposition to sexual aggression guarantee that the man will rape or assault a woman ONLY if he watches porn? Or does watching porn create sexual aggression and violent feelings towards women? This view is also strewn forth in the media. Barongan and Hall conducted a study where males listened to neutral or misogynous rap music before viewing sexually violent and neutral vignettes (196). They would then choose a vignette to show to a female. Their reasoning for the study is that misogynous messages appear in the media and they can contribute to negative attitudes or behaviors towards women. And pornography has been defined, by some, as sexually explicit materials that can evoke sexually abusive and degrading treatment of women. Some men may believe that their own sexual aggression against women is justified because it is seen or heard in the media, and if so, their actions are not wrong because they are common. The study showed that of males that listened to misogynous rap music 30% showed the violent vignette to their female. Surprisingly only 7% of the males who listened to neutral rap music showed the assaultive vignette. Viewing pornography that glorifies sexual coercion is particularly degrading and harmful. Is sexual coercion degrading to women? If you use random association with this statement, it can easily lead you to agree with the statement. Coercion is to force, compel, or persuade. If women are coerced into sex in pornography, it seems easy. Who is persuaded easily? Unintelligent people? Children? Therefore, women are stupid or as ignorant as a child for being coerced into sex. Non-normative sexual activities falling into the sexual coercion category such as BDSM (Bondage/Domination/Sadism/Masochism) are practiced by both women and men. To say that depiction of sexual coercion is degrading and harmful is to pass judgment on those people who participate in BDSM. Why shouldnt people with non-normative (but still legal) sexual desires have pornography available to them that is suited to their desires? BDSM can be viewed as strange or weird. Why not judge them for being weird? If only a small ma jority of people participate in BDSM, why are their views of sex important to the rest of the population. Sexual coercion and even rape are common themes of sexual role-play among consenting sexual partners. To depict sexual coercion in pornography is to depict a real life scenario within consensual sex. I believe that pornography has beneficial effects for some and harmful effects for others. Do I believe that pornography is degrading to women? Generally speaking, no. However, films that are violent or disturbing in nature, depicting women enjoying these acts that probably no one would enjoy taking part it, I feel is degrading to women. I think that sexually there are things that no woman would want to be involved in, and to show that some people would do so can humiliate and lessen the value of such person. Pornography that that simply depicts intimate and erotic acts, I do not think is degrading. As for pornography creating a prevalence of violence in men or having influences that compel someone to commit rape, I think it is very possible, but it is a person to person issue. I think men who through watching porn think it is okay to force intercourse upon someone will eventually think that regardless of if they have viewed porn. Some people are predisposed to being violent towards women in many other ways than pornography, and although pornography is not the route cause, it can definitely attribute. Non-violent men who respect women and have had meaningful relationship will not have suddenly commit rape after seeing pornography. I think it could evoke thoughts or fantasies similar to acts depicted in the porn they watch, but they will not go out and rape or take a life. I do believe that pornography can damage relationships, but once again, it can have the opposite effect depending on the individuals. I have heard of problems that pornography has caused in friends relationships. I have seen it stem from the fact that women in pornography have physical attributes that are exaggerated to increase sex appeal. I understand that women can feel subpar to the women in the films because they dont look a certain way or compare to these women in societys opinion. I believe the adult entertainment industry can be a contributor to self-esteem or image problems of young women today. Moreover, self-esteem and confidence issues play a huge role in the successfulness of a relationship. On the contrary, I have heard of pornography helping relationships by adding something new to a fading love life. Pornography can spice up a love life, or ruin one. It can illicit arousal for intimacy or to commit a sexually violent crime. Pornography involves acts that are very instinctual to us and therefore can evoke strong judgment towards both ends of the spectrum. Similar to abortion or euthanasia, it is important to find middle ground, and to encourage imaginative thinking where people will not rush to say pornography destroys relationships or causes rape, but it can destroy relationships and may give someone the idea to rape.

Analysis of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe :: essays research papers

?The Raven? by Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe?s ?The Raven? is a dark reflection on lost love, death, and loss of hope. The poem examines the emotions of a young man who has lost his lover to death and who tries unsuccessfully to distract himself from his sadness through books. Books, however, prove to be of little help, as his night becomes a nightmare and his solitude is shattered by a single visitor, the raven. Through this poem, Poe uses symbolism, imagery and tone, as well as a variety of poetic elements to enforce his theme of sadness and death of the one he loves. Within the poem Poe divides the characters and imagery into two conflicting aspects of light and dark. Almost everything in the poem reflects one world or the other. For example, Lenore, who is repeatedly described as ?radiant? epitomizes the world of light along with the angels she has joined. Another image of light would be the lamplight the character uses to light his chamber, his refuge from the darkness of the outside. However, The Raven, as well as the dreary December night shows signs of darkness. These images of light and darkness go even further to represent life and death, the man?s hope of an afterlife with Lenore and his fear of everlasting loneliness. The poem consists of an undeniable narrative structure. Told from the third person, Poe also uses symbolism to create a strong melancholy tone. For instance, both midnight and December symbolize an end of something and the hope of something new to happen. Another example is the chamber in which the narrator is placed, this is used to show the loneliness of the man. Along with imagery and symbolism, Poe incorporates many poetic elements to express his feeling. These include assonance, alliteration, and rhyme. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. For example ?For the race and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Lenore.? This repeats the vowel sound of ?a?. Poe also used a lot of alliteration. For example, ?Doubting dreaming dreams no mortal level, dared to dream before?. Notice the repetition of the ?d? sound. One last element used in ?The Raven? is rhyme.

Apple’s Competitive Advantage Clearly Lies

Apple’s competitive advantage clearly lies in its organizational culture. However the leadership for maintaining the specific cultural orientation comes from Steve Job’s vision of the future direction of product development. Without his leadership, the company might not be in a position to develop products that will transform the market.This has been the core competency of the company. By transforming the market dynamics, the company has managed to create a market leadership position. Therefore new product development has been the critical success factor at Apple and the guiding force behind the success of this strategy has been Steve Job’s vision.Once he relinquishes his position, it is not clear whether Apple would be able to maintain its competitive advantage. In this respect, the issues of succession planning become relevant. If Apple is to make its competitive advantage sustainable, then it would have to develop the necessary human capital that would maintai n the company’s momentum in new product development.According to Michael Porter’s framework for strategy formulation, a business organization has three strategies at its disposal for developing a competitive advantage: differentiation, cost minimization and quick response.The problem with these strategies is that they cannot lead to the development of a sustainable competitive advantage because they can be easily copied by competitor organizations.However when it comes to the competitive advantage rooted in the organizational culture, then it becomes sustainable because the organizational culture in each company is unique, therefore the best practices in this regard may not be immediately transferable.This unique organizational culture at Apple has been created by Steve Jobs’ vision for the continuous improvement process. Essentially he is implementing the strategy of differentiation through a continuous process of new product development.However it is his leade rship which facilitates the continuous process of managing change which new product development entails. Therefore whether the company would survive Steve Jobs’ departure is a valid question.The general public is clearly of the opinion that Apple will lose its competitive advantage once Jobs no longer provides the creative force. The share prices of the company fluctuate depending on the health condition of the CEO. In order to boost public confidence, the management of the company should clearly develop its internal resources so that dependence on Steve Jobs’ leadership may be slowly diminished.However no matter how much of strategic human resource management the company practices, its glory days may be gone with the departure of Steve Jobs. His vision guided the product development strategies of the company and they were the core competencies of the company.Once this mental connect with the market is no longer there, the company may no longer be in a position to deve lop products that will draw an enthusiastic response from the market. Apple’s competitive advantage is based on reshaping markets and rethinking products to the core. The implementation of both these strategies has been driven by Steve Jobs’ vision.The critical need for Apple at the moment is to conduct a rigorous process of succession planning. The company needs to recruit manpower from external sources in order to maintain the innovative spirit of the company. The most important strategy for the company is to maintain the strategy of differentiation. However the innovative cultural orientation must be maintained.The management should therefore develop human capital accordingly. Employees must be made to see how their work links to the strategic focus of the company, so that they can be involved in the new product development process. In this respect, the importance of creative thinking must be stressed at all times.In this respect, the management has to invest in tra ining and development programs. Once the employees are involved in the decision making process, it will be enriched and as a result, the company will be able to maintain its momentum in continuing to develop revolutionary products.Dess, Gregory G., et al. (2007). Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantage. McGraw Hill/Irwin.

Information Technology Acts Paper Essay

Have you ever been sitting at home relaxing when the phone rings and it is a telemarketer on the other line trying to sell you something? You didn’t reach out to the company on the other line prompting this intrusion. Most of the time, you don’t even want the product they are selling. This is an issue that has plagued millions of people across the United States since the mid-to-late eighties when businesses started using the telephone in order to market and sell their products. Two Acts in particular have been passed in order to help battle telemarketers and maintain residencies’ privacy when it comes to the telephone. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) was passed in 1991 was implemented because of the increasing amount of commercial solicitation calls consumers were receiving. The act laid out rules that companies must abide by when marketing through the telephone. Some of these rules consisted of providing the solicitor’s name, the name of the entity whose behalf the call is being made, and a telephone number or address where they can be contacted. Another is that solicitation calls can only be made between the hours of 8 am and 9 pm. Finally telemarketers must abide by any do not call requests from consumers. According to â€Å"Unwanted Telephone Marketing Calls† (2013), â€Å" In June 2003, the FCC supplemented its original rules implementing the TCPA and established, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the national Do-Not-Call list. † George W. Bush signed the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act into law on June 11th, 2003. This Act in conjunction with the TCPA, the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act is also here to protect the consumer from unwanted phone calls. There is a grace period of 31 days that the consumer has to put their phone number on this list from the day the number is registered. Companies can be sued by individuals for not upholding rules by which these to Acts represent. States can also initiate civil action against offending companies. Individuals can also file complaints through the FCC. These are a few of the ways the TCPA and Do-Not-Call Implementation Acts can be enforced. They are only here to protect the consumer and we are all better off for them.