Trends of Social Networking free essay sample

The Trends of Social Networking Social communication has always been a vital need to humanity. At its core, social communication did not change. People still exchange thoughts, feelings and news; however, the ways they socially communicate have radically changed. Online social networking is a recent form of social communication conducted over the internet. It witnessed a huge growth since 1997 with the first social networking website SixDegrees. com (â€Å"Boyd†). Social networking websites provide a great socializing capability for their members. Primarily, they aim at connecting people with their acquaintances from all places, at all times. Such websites attract more than 1 billion users around the globe (â€Å"List of social networking websites†). Beside for personal use, social networking websites are used for e-marketing and legal investigations. One of the most rapidly growing social networking sites is Facebook. com, with more than 80 million users and a 270% growth rate from 2006 to 2007 (â€Å"To facebook or not to facebook†). We will write a custom essay sample on Trends of Social Networking or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was founded by an American Harvard Student, Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. Huge acquisitions offers were proposed for Facebook reaching as high as $1 billion. This big success may be attributed to Facebook’s ease of use and unique socializing features. Facebook allows users to connect to others by sharing pictures, blogs, videos, interests and more and has taken over American teens and even adults. There have been sites long before Facebook was created but this fairly new site has become the most popular today by far. Many people believe that Facebook is dangerous for users because of the amount of information that can be added on to one’s account. Also, those who oppose the use of the site feel that time should not be spent online because it takes time away from family and puts more emphasis on virtual rather than physical relationships. Others feel that this site allows for socialization and is just a way to have fun and keep in touch with others. Facebook should be allowed to be used by people under 18. It allows members to check students who are taking the same class, living within the same area, or coming from the same school. There are several reasons why Facebook should be used by teenagers. Facebook is well secured and organized website. Individuals who have an account in Facebook are now using more of their time to socialize with other people from far distance and lack of time. It makes easier to join groups having similar likes and dislikes, and can be used as a dating system. Facebook allows users to search for new and old friends, it makes less awkward when communicating with strangers or people we are not familiar with, and also why all of us should have Facebook is that it allows members to check students who are taking the same class, living within the same area, or coming from the same high school. What’s the first thing that pops in your mind when you think about MySpace? Is it friends, danger or is it drama? MySpace or facebook. com are often thought as dangerous websites because of the incidents that have happened or people have seen on TV like girls getting raped, kids getting kidnapped and teenagers getting killed because of MySpace. Now the big question is should myspace. com be restricted to people younger than 18 and only be used by people 18 and older? I personally think that it should not be because MySpace can be beneficial to all ages, a great way to keep in touch with old and new friends, and last but not least a great way to express yourself. Myspace is also another popular social network owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003. Their headquarters are based out of Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had a little over 33 million U. S. visitors. Myspace was founded in 2003. From 2005 until 2008, Myspace was the most visited social networking site in the world. In June 2006, it was the most visited site in the U. S. Despite a lot of changes the number of users decreased. Myspace. com is a very social able website and it’s not as bad as everyone tries to make it. This site is made for people to meet and find each other, listen to music, play games, write blogs and bulletins, and put up pictures within reason. When used properly, nothing bad can happen. MySpace isn’t bad for people under 18 as long as you can be smart about what you put on your MySpace and not give out too much of your information, and be careful with whom you talk to. MySpace can also be very beneficial in multiple ways. For example, if you miss a day at school and you need to get homework you can always ask a friend over MySpace what the homework assignment was or, your teacher can have a MySpace and she or he can post the assignment on MySpace that way every student knows what the assignment is another example on how MySpace can be beneficial to people. If you were like me when you heard about twitter, you probably thought it was pointless. I remember thinking â€Å"what can it do that facebook or MySpace can’t? It just seemed like another social media website to waste time on. I don’t know about you, but I waste too much time already on facebook. I assumed it was just like all the other social media websites that have come before it. Hearing of so many celebrities using it made me wonder what exactly the benefits of twitter are. Twitter lets you share information with people through short messages called â€Å"tweets. † An yone can read what you have to say by following you, or by viewing your profile. At first glance you may think it’s just a bunch of useless information that nobody would care about. When you look more closely at it you can see that there are a broad range of topics being discussed by millions of people. The information being exchanged can range from people just having a good time, to interesting and valuable information. It all depends on what you want to use it for. Twitter is especially valuable for businesses. Staying on top of the latest trend’s and what’s being said about them in real time is a very useful. It helps them more than any other social media website. They can better satisfy their customers if they know exactly what issues customer may have with their business. Being able to reach customers, and understand them so quickly makes twitter an invaluable asset to business. Catching on to twitter in the beginning can be somewhat frustrating. You look up people, or businesses you want to get updates on and follow them. It has a language of its own. You use @username to direct a message to someone, or to reply. Everyone can see this type of message. You can send a direct personal message to someone, but you both have to be following each other. Those are just the basics, and it gets even more complicated from there. It can all seem overwhelming at first, but after you get the hang of it you’ll be fine. Despite the success of online social networking, many opponents find social networking websites as great source of discomfort and risk. Social networking may lead to psychological and financial problems. But all in all as the internet becomes more of a friend then a foe we tend to rely on it from day to day. Maybe it’s because we are hooked on it, or maybe it is because in today’s society we need to have it. What will our next trend of the century be? Only one knows.

All About the Genre of Character Writing

All About the Genre of Character Writing A brief descriptive sketch of a class or type of person (such as a city slicker, a country bumpkin, or a grumpy old man) rather than of an individual personality. Character-writing became a popular literary form in England following the publication in 1592 of a Latin translation of Theophrastus, an ancient Greek writer of similar sketches. Characters eventually became more individualized and were integrated with the essay and the novel. Also Known As: character sketch Examples of Character Writing The Character of the Man in Black, by Oliver GoldsmithA Definition of a Gentleman, by John Henry NewmanGood Souls, by Dorothy ParkerThe Landlord, by Henry David ThoreauMr. Barlow, by Charles DickensThe Plumber, by Anthony TrollopeThe Satirist, by Robert Louis StevensonStatus Details in Tom Wolfes DescriptionsThree Characters by John EarleThe True Friend, by Joseph Hall Etymology From the Latin (mark, distinctive quality) from the Greek (scratch, engrave) Observations and Examples: The 17th of a Character: The AnchormanHe graduated from drama school and looked for parts in television. Because he had prognathous jaws like a cowboys and every cilium of his light-brown hair seemed to be nailed into his skull for keeps, he was steered into the news department. At first, like all beginning newscasters, he had to leave the building...He would stand in front of the building and hold a microphone covered in black styrofoam and recite AP or UPI copy about [an] event. He could do this without skipping a beat, and he maintained his head of hair nearly intact, and soon he did not have to leave the building anymore. He was promoted to the anchor desk of the stations six oclock news broadcast, where he reads the AP and UPI copy from the Teleprompter. Only two things stand in the way of his goal of reaching the network news desk. One is the Anchorwoman, a fireproof blonde who is so aggressive, such a nutcracker, that she terrifies him. His on-air Happy Hour Chitchat with her sounds as if it is being extracted by water torture. The other is the ever-so-imperceptibly widening part in his hair.(Tom Wolfe, Success Stories: The Anchorman. In Our Time, Farrar, 1980) The Theophrastian CharacterTheophrastus (c. 371 of a Character: The Penurious ManThe Penurious man is one who, while the month is current, will come to ones house and ask for a half-obol [a silver coin]. When he is at the table with others he will count how many cups each of them has drunk; and will pour a smaller libation to Artemis than any of the company. Whenever a person has made a good bargain for him and charges him with it, he will say that it is too dear. When a servant has broken a jug or a plate he will take the value out of his rations; or, if his wife has dropped a three-farthing piece, he is capable of moving the furniture and the sofas and the wardrobes, and of rummaging in the curtains. If he has anything to sell he will dispose of it at such a price that the buyer shall have no profit. He is not likely to let one eat a fig from his garden, or walk through his land, or pick up one of the olives or dates that lie on the ground, and he will inspect his boundaries day by day to see if they remain the same. He is apt, also, to enforce the right of distraining, and to exact compound interest. When he feasts the men of his parish, the cutlets set before them will be small: when he markets, he will come in having bought nothing. And he will forbid his wife to lend salt, or a lamp-wick, or cummin, or verjuice, or meal for sacrifice, or garlands, or cakes; saying that these trifles come to much in the year. Then, in general, it may be noticed that the moneyboxes of the penurious are mouldy, and the keys rusty; that they themselves wear their cloaks scarcely reaching to the thigh; that they anoint themselves from very small oil-flasks; that they have their hair cut close; that they take off their shoes in the middle of the day; and that they are urgent with the fuller to let their cloak have plenty of earth, in order that it may not soon be soiled.(The Characters of Theophrastus, edited and translated by R.C. Jebb. Macmillan, 1870)

Particle De in Japanese

Particle De in Japanese Particles are probably one of the most difficult and confusing aspects of Japanese sentences. A particle (joshi) is a word that shows the relationship of a word, a phrase, or a clause to the rest of the sentence. Some particles have English equivalents. Others have functions similar to English prepositions, but since they always follow the word or words they mark, they are post-positions. There are also particles that have a peculiar usage which is not found in English. Most particles are multi-functional. The Particle De Place of Action It indicates the place where an action takes place. It translates into in, at, on, and so on.   Depaato de kutsu o katta. I bought shoes at the department store. Umi de oyoida. I swam in the ocean. Means It indicates means, method, or instruments. It translates into by, with, in by means of, etc.  Ã‚   Basu de gakkou ni ikimasu. I go to school by bus. Nihongo de hanashite kudasai. Please speak in Japanese. Totalizing It is placed after a quantity, time or amount of money, and indicates an extent.  Ã‚  Ã‚   San-nin de kore o tsukutta. Three of us made this. Zenbu de sen-en desu. They cost 1,000 yen altogether. Scope It translates into in, among, within, etc.   Kore wa sekai de ichiban ookii desu. This is the biggest in the world. Nihon de doko ni ikitai desu ka. Where do you want to go in Japan? Time Limit   It indicates time consumed for a certain action or occurrence. It translates into in, within, etc.   Ichijikan de ikemasu. We can get there in an hour. Isshuukan de dekimasu. I can do it in a week. Material It indicates the composition of an object.   Toufu wa daizu de tsukurimasu. Tofu is made from soybeans. Kore wa nendo de tsukutta hachi desu. This is a bowl made of clay. Required Cost   It translates into for, at, etc.  Ã‚   Kono hon o juu-doru de katta. I bought this book for ten dollars. Kore wa ikura de okuremasu ka. How much would it cost to send this? Cause It indicates a casual reason or motive for an action or occurrence. It translates into due to, because of, owing to, etc.   Kaze de gakkou o yasunda. I was absent from school due to a cold. Fuchuui de kaidan kara ochita. I fell down the stairs due to carelessness.

Social Inequality and the Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Inequality and the Law - Case Study Example (ii) There is another matter that, both of them are black murder cases. The judgment and the subsequent actions are said to be based on the fact that the victims were blacks. It is another similarity with the two cases that no offender was found even after a very pinpoint search. As in accordance with the changes in British law that came as an effect of the case of Stephen Lawrence James' father would have aremedy. David Blunkett who was a Home Secretary of Bratain introduced that, the Parliament of Britain forfited the provision against double jeopardy that was previously a strict prohibition. If there is a new and compelling evidence, retrials are now allowed. This is a positive aspect of James father.After the passing of The Race Relations (Amendment) Act (RRAA) 2000,it is more easy for the father of James to go to the Court and get a remedy from the Government. Whether the poor people, women and those from Black and minority ethnic classes are often barred from accessing to justice that is totally dependent on the practice of a state and the people live there. By proven information it can be stated that there is a relation between the race people and the police regarding the combating against racism. Because of institutional racism, or by mixing with other people from other ethnic communities through social events, some of the institutions supply an environment where users can change themselves into basic stream of the society by entering the offices from which they have enjoyed less access. Social justice and Social inclusion is necessary to guarantee full citizenship. Shifting conditions and formative culture are the suggestion of removing entire impartiality. Privilege of every proceeds, fortification and other obligatory requirements; recompense and life likelihood for all; and falling or diminishing excessive inequalities are the keys to take the behind people ahead. The major conference summit of the equalities program has been to protect strict groups from grievance, domination or exploitation, and agonize. There have been groups with natural behavior to struggle against femininity, disability and sexual course. In this situation there is a problem to broaden the religious relationship, social source, tongue and political thinking and opinions - and to focus on celebrating diversity and understanding how inequality arises and how they can be discussed. Service, goods and services in restricted access, under-representation in political, economic and community decis ion making; grass root level people in society; separation, i.e., through restricted employment opportunities; express unfairness; as well as pestering, threats and aggression are aspects of variation in rights. Almost every people in white groups can not take help from full citizenship - they are socially disqualified. Discrimination is of the processes that deny people from full nationality. Social justice can be best acquired through considering the dissimilar wishes of white classes. The requirements of women using public convey, given private security concerns, may vary to the

The Role of Total Quality Management in the National Health Service Essay - 1

The Role of Total Quality Management in the National Health Service - Essay Example The researcher of this essay states that in the last couple of decades, there has been an increasing interest in the application of quality management into healthcare organisations around the globe. It appears that the healthcare system, in general, have largely embraced total quality management. One of this organizations, that are aimed to improve themself is the National Health Service (NHS). It is stated that the drive for total quality management began early in the 1980s as a fall out of the Griffiths Report. Since then, and over the following years, ‘quality’ has become a buzz word in the NHS. This essay intends to look at this developing importance of total quality management in the healthcare sector. And using the NHS as a guide, this article reviews the critical elements of total quality management, the different factors that come to play in promoting these elements and how these can be better put to use to improve the overall quality of service delivery in the N HS. The next section of the essay attempts a detailed explanation of the term 'total quality management', to establish a background understanding of the topic at hand. This is followed by a look at the several elements of TQM, the factors driving these elements and how they inter-play to enhance service delivery and improve competitive advantage. In conclusion, the researcher discusses how total quality management has affected the National Health Service recently and what improvements were reached by it's managers.

Examine sociological explanations of the difference in the educational performance of ethnic minorities in Britain Essay Example for Free

Examine sociological explanations of the difference in the educational performance of ethnic minorities in Britain Essay The connection between ethnicity and educational accomplishment is very complicated as there is a great deal of difference between achievements between each of the ethnic groups. In previous studies, such as those carried out to compile the Swann report (1985), used very simplistic classifications of each of the ethnic groups, Afro-Caribbean, Asian and All others (including white). There was clear ranking between these groups with all others at the top, followed by Asians, and then Afro-Caribbean. Later on more complex classification systems were introduced and so a more detailed picture of the relationships between class and education emerged. For example, Kysel (1988) used eleven classifications to measure success at 16. This study placed Indian, African, Asian and Pakistani pupils at the top, followed by South East Asian and Greek students. Students of UK origin came in the middle of the range, followed by pupils from Turkish, Arab and Caribbean origin. At the bottom were Bangladeshi pupils. Most sociological explanations point to home back ground, educational experiences and factors to do with society. However studies dont usually apply such sophisticated classifications, as used by Kysel, so making it difficult to explain distinctions between the categories. There are three main reasons for different ethnicities achieving differently in the cultural factors, social class and school factors. Cultural factors are thought by sociologists to have a large influence on the difference in attainment of the ethnic groups. Findings of those such as Douglas have provided support for what came to be known as cultural deprivation theory. This theory states that many of the values, attitudes and skills needed for high educational success are missing in the culture of certain ethnic groups. This was a particularly popular theory in the 1960-70s, it was notably supported by the Swann committee (1985), however evidence can be seen as weak, even the Swann report said this argument was sketchy. Driver and Ballard adopted this explanation in their study of children with parents of South Asian origin. They found that these parents quickly developed high expectations of their childrens abilities and such attitudes may have attributed to their success. Ken Pryce rejected theory. He did a study of the Afro-Caribbean community in Bristol (1979) and although he described their way of life as turbulent he also said that Afro-Caribbean parents have great aspirations for their children, and that they were not socially deprived because their parents are supportive, interested and provide all of the educational aid the can. Rex and Tomlinson also rejected the cultural deprivation theory in their study in Handsworth. Their rejected the theory because the data they collected points to Asians achieving highest at school and yet their parents go into school the least, indicating that they are not as interested as Afro-Caribbean parents who go into school the most. In spite of their parents frequent visits to school Afro-Caribbean are achieving the least in school. Another important theory is cultural difference theory, this about children being disadvantaged because their culture differs from the schools, the main example of this is if a child go to an English speaking school and speaks a different language at home, this means that they will not be as practiced as the children for whom English is their first language, they will be subjected to constant correction by teacher and their confidence and self esteem may suffer as a result. This theory is rejected by Driver and Ballard who found that by sixteen Asian childrens command of English is at least as good as their class mate, and in some cases, much better. The Swann report also noted that linguistic factors held back some Afro-Caribbean students but most did not have a problem. Social class is another important factor to consider. Some research suggests that much of the differential educational advantage that Afro-Caribbeans face is due to the fact that most Afro-Caribbeans are working class, disproportionately so. Swann said social class adds up to half of the reason behind educational achievement. Smith and Tomlinson agreed with this with their study of inner city junior schools and found a large variation due to class but a much smaller discrepancy due to ethnicity. The only problem with this is Asian pupils are primarily working class yet they achieve better that their white middle class counterparts. Many researchers have looked at the impact a range of school factors; this idea takes the stance that the difference in attainment between the ethnic groups is due to school environment. In studying school factors researches may have looked at curriculum content, teachers attitudes, ethnocentric resources, banding, language and many other things. Mac and Ghaill found that there was no clearly defined relationship between students who have been the victims of racism and the ones who have been predicted a fail. What he found was how well students did was influenced mainly by the schools they had come from. Pupils from suburban schools did better than pupils from inner city schools. Most studies showed that teachers were not racist to ethnic minorities. Taylor saw that many teachers were very sensitive in their handling of cultural issues and Hammersley went on to say most racist teachers did not bring this into the classroom. Wright studied primary schools and noticed how Asian pupils were largely invisible to the teacher and was treated insensitively by both staff and peers. Coard said that institutional racism lead to ethic minority children having self-esteem problems, which developed into low achievement. This is extremely apt with Afro-Caribbean students who are seen as a threat to classroom management and because they have been treated like this they start to conform to the labels they have been given. The DfEE found in a recent study that Afro-Caribbean pupils were four times more likely be permanently excluded from school than white children. To conclude, the area of ethnicity is a very delicate one and it is important to view it in the context of individuals and not stereotype people. More research is needed in to the experience of small, specific racial groups, not just Asian or White. It is also important to note that it can never be seen as just one factor, it is always going to be a combination of factors and also age and gender can not be ignored, no one factor can never be measured accurately on its own.

Manage the Cultural Differences while Working with People from other Cu

Nowadays, as we all notice that the world is getting flatter. More and more people are getting the chance to work with people from other culture. It is not only limited to the people from the developed countries like Americans and Europeans. People in the developing countries are also open to the opportunity to work with people from other culture. Understanding that culture difference is heavily rooted in people’s everyday behavior is only the first step to get to work with people. Coping the way foreigners do with the local culture is the key point to be successful in working with people from other culture. Misunderstanding the culture and behavioral difference can lead to problems and alienation, even confrontation, between colleagues and ultimately the collapse of partnership. Being self-centered and refusing to social with the local culture would also lead to the failure eventually. When people from the different culture meet or a person goes to a different country, they are expecting to have a culture clash, which includes the communication, leadership and organization and etc. The communication problem would the language barrier, but most time it is more than just the language difficulties. How to get the message across can vary and greatly impact the communication. In the video, Building the Transnational Team, it clearly shows that everybody can speak the same international English, but everyone understanding one another is the challenge. First, when the native English speaker talking with another non-native speaker, if he or she speaks too fast and uses slang terms, the non-native speaker would totally get lost and feel frustrated. Like in the video, Luis from Spain who speaks English but has limited understanding of ... ... will help people from different culture work efficiently together. The change would be in communication, leadership and organization. In the video, five people finally realize that they have to manage the culture difference before they can talk about business. They figure out the way to have a better communication by using simple English and also they could like to phone call and fax both to satisfy people from different culture. Furthermore, strategic change will be implemented which means to adapt or create organization policies which take into account cultural differences. Particular attention should be paid to policies or programs that have been developed to meet the requirements of one culture and are then imposed internationally. The key thing to work with people from different culture is to manage the cultural difference and cope to different cultures.

Cloning Position Paper

The United States government should not fund cloning because cloning would not be an asset for the country right now. It would take a substantial amount funding away in having to accommodate both cloning research and regular scientific research. Looking at it as a whole, cloning is also a matter that a majority of U. S. citizens have not come to terms with. On a global scale, cloning would also create unnecessary competition between the U. S. nd other powerful countries. If the government were to support cloning research, research funds with either have to be split or added onto. With funds being split, progress and and vital advances would be deferred among research that is already going on today. Since our country is well into national debt, adding funds on to enable cloning research would not be wise. America, as one people, are not wholly agreed on the circumstances of cloning research.For some, cloning is crossing an important and moral religious line, let alone a scientific one . For others, cloning is seen as a threat to human and animal rights. If our country is not already equally divided on the issue of cloning, the majority is likely not for cloning. If the U. S. facilitates cloning research, it is likely that other powerful countries will follow lead. There are already many countries who do cloning research, so why make it even more of a global competition?I may also add that there is a wide range of international debt, the U. S. is not the only one experiencing deficit. If any countries should be allowed cloning research, it should be Canada or Sweden; countries that actually have stable economies. Realistically, the U. S. is not yet prepared to fund cloning research. Why can't we just give the glory to a country who could use it? We don't need to reign supreme over every notable advance ever made, or even try to.

Competitive Strategy Southwest Airlines Essay

The domestic US airline industry has been intensely competitive since it was deregulated in 1978. In a regulated environment, most of the cost increases were passed along to consumers under a fixed rate-of-return based pricing scheme. This allowed labor unions to acquire a lot of power and workers at the major incumbent carriers were overpaid. After deregulation, the incumbent carriers felt the most pain, and the floodgates had opened for newer more nimble carriers with lower cost structures to compete head-on with the established airlines. There were several bankruptcies followed by a wave of consolidation with the fittest carriers surviving and the rest being acquired or going out of business. Analysis of the airline industry To determine the profitability of the airline industry, we will do an industry analysis using Porter’s five-forces framework. This industry analysis will help us in understanding the size of the Potential Industry Earnings (PIE), and how much of this th e different participants can extract. Rivalry among competitors There is intense rivalry among different airlines. In the pre-deregulation days, airlines competed mostly on things like service, meals and in-flight movies etc., since prices were mandated by the Civil Aeronautics Board. In the post-de-regulation era, this rivalry has taken on the form of severe price competition, with airlines ruthlessly undercutting each other with fare promotions. There are a number of airlines making the airline industry fairly crowded. Even though the 3-firm concentration in 1992 was 50%, and the 8-firm concentration was 92%, the fact that the airlines competed on price made the industry much more competitive than the numbers might suggest. The service the airlines sell (air transport) is pretty homogenous, and there is not much product (in this case, service) differentiation. The major differences between the services offered by different airlines include the total time spent on an airplane and the number of connections. While time-sensitive business travelers may prefer shorter, direct flights, most leisure t ravelers don’t see this as a big differentiator when the price is factored in. Buyers (both business as well as leisure travelers) have low switching costs and there is very little relationship-specific investment that travelers make. Although the airlines made an effort to create customer loyalty by offering frequent flyer programs, most of the competitive advantage this provided was quickly eroded by almost all airlines offering such programs. Moreover, leisure travelers are motivated to shop around for the best price. The airline industry is also characterized by very high fixed costs. The majority of the operational costs (labor, landing fees, cost of aircraft etc.) are fixed regardless of how full the planes are, and the marginal cost of adding an extra passenger is almost negligible (just the cost of food plus an insignificant amount of extra fuel). Thus, on the margin, every extra seat sold contributes directly to the bottom line. This motivates airlines to undercut each other till price approaches marginal cost. Intense competition also lead to excess s eat capacity in several markets. This, combined with periods of declining demand because of macro-economic factors, and the high fixed costs and low marginal costs make the airline industry very price competitive. Things like access to Computer Reservation Systems and innovative pricing coupled with yield management were competitive advantages for a little while before they become a staple of being in business as an airline. Entry Entry into the domestic airline industry is relatively easy since there are no significant barriers to entry. Inputs such as aircraft maintenance, food service, ground services, reservations etc., could be outsourced. Airplanes could be leased, thereby defraying large initial capital investments, and rights to use gates could be leased at market rates. The minimum efficient scale was not very high since airlines could choose to compete in a few markets, and costs were more or less proportional to the number of flights offered and the number of markets the airline wanted to operate in. The main consideration for profitable entry seemed to be the ability of airlines to fill their airplanes above the breakeven point. In an industry fraught with price competition, brand identity and reputation did not have significant value either. In the airline industry, exit costs are not very high either. Planes could be easily redeployed to other markets, or sold off, and gates and landing rights could be sub-leased to other carriers. Substitutes There are a number of substitutes to air travel, especially over short distances. These include taking other modes of transportation such as driving, taking the train etc., or not traveling at all. The use of technology (like WebEx, NetMeeting, video-conferencing etc.) that facilitates remote virtual collaboration is becoming a good substitute for business air travel as well. Supplier Power The primary inputs to the airline industry include airplanes, labor and fuel. There are only two major manufacturers (three at the time of the case – Boeing, Airbus and McDonnell Douglas) for large commercial aircraft. This, along with the relationship specific investment t hat the airlines make in the form of trained mechanics, existing stock of aircraft etc., is likely to give the aircraft manufacturers some supplier power. A mitigating factor for this supplier power is the lumpy nature of aircraft sales, where there are a few high-value orders placed by airlines with deliveries spanning several years. Labor such as pilots, cabin crew, ground personnel, gate agents etc. are typically unionized and have some bargaining power. However, many airlines especially in the post-deregulation era have used the threat of Chapter 11 bankruptcy to re-negotiate unfavorable labor contracts. Aviation fuel is a commodity and its prices are determined largely by market forces and geo-political factors. Buyer Power The power that airline customers have varies based on the options available to them and the origin-destination city pair. As the General Accounting Office report in 1989 found, fares were 27% higher in monopoly or duopoly hubs than at competitive airports. Sophisticated yield management techniques and competitive pricing have allowed airlines to extract significant consumer surplus in smaller remote markets whe re travelers don’t have much choice and for direct long-haul flights that are preferred by business travelers. Even though there are pockets where some airlines have pricing power, the overall airline industry in characterized by significant buyer power stemming from the intense price competition among airlines. Industry profitability Exhibit 1 provides a summary of this industry analysis. As highlighted by the preceding analysis, the domestic US airline industry is not very profitable. Even though the Potential Industry Earnings seem high (given the volume of air travel and the higher willingness to pay and inelasticity of demand of business travelers), airlines are not able to capture much of these potential earnings. Several factors including intense price competition, excess capacity, high fixed and low marginal costs, along with low barriers to entry and exit, moderate supplier power and significant buyer power contribute to low industry profitability. Southwest’s success for twenty years In spite of a rather gloomy industry outlook, Southwest Airlines has managed to be successful for over twenty years. Southwest has outperformed its competitors by pursuing an operational model that is very different from the traditional larger carriers. Southwest was able to create a differentiated product in an industry dominated by undifferentiated offerings. Southwest took a simple, no-frills approach to flying with no meals and no assigned seating. It flew out of secondary airports where landing fees and costs of operation were much lower. These secondary airports also typically had less traffic so passengers could get to and from the airport with greater ease. Southwest broke the hub-and-spoke model and instead opted to fly frequent flights point to point. By avoiding the hub and spoke model, Southwest did not have to make the massive infrastructure investments that a lot of its competitors had to make. Not having to wait for feeder flights at hub airports, along with the 15-minute turn-around time of aircraft allowed Southwest to better utilize its fleet by keeping its planes in the air for a longer time (11 hours per day as opposed to the industry average of 8.5 hours per day). Southwest also owned only one model of aircraft – the Boeing 737, and was therefore able to achieve economies of scale in stocking components, and training mechanics. All of these measures gave Southwest the lowest cost per Available Seat Mile of 7.1 cents. As a consequence, Southwest had a much lower break-even point than it’s competitors and was able to make money even at lower load factors. With this unique operational model, Southwest not only kept costs down, but also provided customers just what they were looking for – cheap, efficient, timely transportation with high-quality service from a cheerful, motivated staff and without having to wait for connecting flights at hub airports. Southwest offered the lowest prices to price sensitive airline passengers for whom cost was a significant decision criterion. Southwest’s culture Herb Kelleher leveraged one of Southwest’s key resources- its employees to create a set of organizational capabilities, which in turn gave Southwest a competitive advantage. Kelleher institutionalized a culture of having fun while working, and inspired a deep sense of loyalty to the company fr om his workforce. Southwest’s workforce is 90% unionized, but owns 11% of the company. This led to compatibility in incentives between Southwest and its employees. Southwest’s employees did a variety of jobs in contrast to the other major carriers where employees had designated jobs and were reluctant to do anything beyond their strictly defined duties. Having a motivated workforce helped Southwest turn an aircraft around in a record time of 15 minutes. The beauty of Southwest’s operational model was in how each of their steps reinforced the other. A simple, no-frills approach with short haul flights and standardized equipment leading to lower costs, which in turn lead to lower fares in an industry which was extremely price competitive. A well-compensated, highly motivated workforce whose incentives were aligned with those of the company also ensured that things were operating at peak efficiency. A huge part of Southwest’s success in the 20 years since its inception can be attributed to this simple, but remarkably effective model. Threats to Southwest’s continuing success Threats to Southwest’s continuing succ ess include the threat of entry from other low-fare airlines and spin-offs from major airlines that seek to imitate Southwest’s model. With the airline industry bleeding with red ink, the government might step in and start reregulating the industry. In general, regulation and price-setting by the government interferes with free market forces, and breeds inefficiency by creating misaligned incentives and dead-weight losses. Any such re-regulation and government mandated prices would severely hurt Southwest. Other threats to Southwest include the loss of its existing competitive advantages. In particular, any event that triggers the loss of employee morale might lower the operational efficiency at Southwest and erode its cost advantage. Southwest’s go-forward strategy Southwest has designed its strategy around its most important resources and capabilities. It should thus limit its scope to those activities where it has a clear competitive advantage. Southwest should try to grow by replicating its success to new markets and achieving greater economies of scale and organizational learning. Southwest should not try to change its model and try to compete with other traditional airlines by flying long-haul flights and setting up hubs. Doing so would dilute Southwest’s focus and prevent it from leveraging the competitive advantages that have served it well for over two decades. In order to continue to succeed and grow, Southwest has to be able to sustain and build upon its existing competitive advantages. Southwest must focus on making its resources and capabilities (that give it a huge competitive advantage) durable, difficult to identify / understand, and hard to transfer and replicate. Durability: Southwest must focus on making its capabilities more durable than its resources. The airline industry is notorious for its back-to-back boom and bust cycles, and long-lasting advantages such as brand recognition and reputation just do not exist in this industry. Thus, Southwest must constantly focus on making its existing first mover and other advantages durable by keeping its employees motivated and keeping its focus on offering simple, no-frills air travel. Transparency: This refers to the speed with which other firms can imitate Southwest’s strategy. While running an airline is not rocket-science, Southwest does seem to have cracked the code in terms of figuring out the right mix of operational procedures and employee motivation to run a successful profitable airline. To enhance its competitive position, Southwest must focus on capturing and codifying its learning so that its formula for success is harder to identify and understand. Transferability and Replicability: Southwest must focus on making its capabilities less transferable and replicable. Thus, even if a competitor were to acquire the same resources (airplanes, employees etc.) that Southwest has, its capabilities must be hard to transfer and replicate. Southwest has created a unique organizational routine, and has acquired the ability to motivate its people to operate with consistently outstanding cost efficiencies and high levels of service. To build on this, Southwest must continue to focus on its core competencies, reinforce its core values and must continue to align the incentives of its employees with those of the company. In an industry with cut-throat competition and limited profit-making potential, Southwest has successfully pursued a resource based approach to creating sustainable competitive advantages. To continue to succeed and grow, Southwest must focus on identifying and filling resource gaps and continue to offer a differentiated product by exploiting its past organizational learning and its unique characteristics.

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Guess Whos Coming to Dinner essays The film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, written by Stanely Kramer reflects society's prejudices of the 1960's time period. This comedy explores the subject of interracial marriage, and the impact it has upon the parents of the bride and groom. This film definitely confirms the concepts of the 1960's, yet provides a new perspective on mixed marriages for years to come. The movie interprets the time period well, especially enlightening the ignorance and tension between African This movie tells of a dinner party given by a bride's parents to meet her fianc and his parents. The comfortable middle class, white parents of the bride are shocked when they find out that the groom is black. The groom's parents, are also in alarmed to find out that the parents of the bride are white. Surprisingly, the mothers seem to be more accepting of the proposed marriage than the fathers, who are very skeptical, and hold onto old traditions. The 1960's were a period of increased government intervention and reforms, as seen by the shocking message of the story. After the film, the number of interracial marriages in the U.S. increased dramatically since the 1960's both in numbers and in the percentage of total marriages. To 51,718 interracial marriages in 1990 compared to 40,491 in 1960. The results clearly show the changing mindset of the nation from prejudice, to open-mindedness. Although the 1960's was a time of great change, the hearts of many Americans were still unaccustomed to new ideals. The idea of interracial marriage was very new for the time. The progression of the nation becomes evident with the creation of: NAACP in 1909, struggling for civil rights for blacks; the construction of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1960, for eliminating segregation by nonviolent means; the Civil Rights Acts of 19 ...

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