Singapore Airlines- A Strategic Re-look - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 23 Words: 7034 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Introduction SIA traced its roots to an organization called Malayan Airways that offered its first commercial passenger service in May 1947.Today, SIA is Singapores best-known company, and rated consistently as Asias most admired company(Asian Business, 1997,p. 24). Its smiling, willowy cabin attendant, outfitted in tight batik sarong kebaya designed by renowned fashion house Pierre Balmain, and marketed as the Singapore Girl, is now a well-known international service icon. In 1994, the year she celebrated her 21st birthday, the Singapore Girl became the first commercial figure to be displayed at the famed Madame Tussauds Museum in London. Madame Tussauds had unveiled the waxwork of the SIAs global marketing icon that year to reflect the ever-growing popularity of international travel. SIA is widely reckoned by those in the airline industry, travellers as well as its competitors, as one of the very best airlines in the world, judging from the numerous industry awards it has won. According to the Business Traveller Asia Pacific, SIA has become the standard by which all other international airlines are judged (Business Traveller Asia Pacific, 1997a, p. 3). SIA also consistently leads the industry in profitability and rides through rough and turbulent times much better than most of its rivals. It has had an impressive and continuous profit streak since it took to the skies some 25 years ago; a track record almost unheard of in the brutally cyclical airline industry (Asian Business Review, 1996, p. 34). On 1 May 1997, SIA turned 50 and celebrated its Golden Jubilee Anniversary in grand style. It was a far cry from its humble beginnings in 1947 when it started life as part of Malayan Airways. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Singapore Airlines- A Strategic Re-look" essay for you Create order The International Airline Industry The airline industry had traditionally remained fragmented primarily due to the limiting effects of national and international regulations. Enforced in the form of landing rights and associated competitive constraints, even large airline companies had only been able to develop dominance over their own regional markets at best. With the exception of the United States, dominant national flag carriers, typically owned by the national governments, had remained the only international representatives of their countries. However, the competitive dynamics in this industry had started to change dramatically in recent years. Deregulation, privatization, and the advent of new technologies have started to reshape the industry on a global level. The United States deregulated its airlines in 1978 and had since witnessed heightened competition and aggressive jockeying for market position. Europe entered the throes of a similar escalation of competition following the creation of the European Union a nd the disbanding of country-specific barriers to free market competition among air carriers. In Asia, deregulation occurred in fits and starts with some major regions allowing greater access to foreign carriers. For example, India, a regional market of some significance, announced that it would privatize its state-owned airline company. It had already allowed its traditionally domestic airline to compete against its international air carrier in many of the regional markets comprising neighboring countries. Japan made major strides in deregulation after selling off its shares in the then state-owned Japan Airlines and permitted All Nippon Airways to serve international markets. In Latin America, many of the smaller national flag carriers were privatized. Countries such as Mexico and Argentina infused significant levels of market competition in their airline industries by removing anti-competitive barriers and privatizing their national airlines Mexicana and Aerolineas Argentinas. The trend seemed certain to gain further momentum and open skies might be closer to reality than ever before. The major European nations were already in discussions with the United States to implement an open Trans-Atlantic market area where landing rights would be determined by free market forces rather than regulatory policy. Open skies agreements are bilateral agreements between countries that agree to provide landing and take-off facilities for air carriers originating in any of the partner countries. Such an agreement does not have the typical restrictions related to landing rights that are determined on a city-pair basis. For example, Singapore and the U.S. had signed an open skies agreement under which a Singapore carrier could travel to any destinati on city in the U.S. and vice versa. The twin trends of privatization and deregulation resulted in an increasingly global approach to strategic positioning in this industry. Although most large carriers still retained their regional dominance, many forged alliances with other leading carriers to offer seamless services across wider geographic areas. These alliances made most of the larger airline companies de facto global organizations. With increasing geographic reach and decreasing regulatory barriers, many of the regions were witnessing acute competition often in the form of fare wars. Consumers in general became much more price sensitive than ever before. In attempting to keep up with the competition, many carriers upgraded their service offerings contributing to declining yields in a price-conscious market. Chronic excess capacity worldwide only exacerbated this situation. Not surprisingly, there was a decline in passenger revenue yield in all geographic regions and the airlines were fighting an uphill battle to ex tract higher levels of efficiencies from their operating structures. For example, passenger yield dropped by 1.9% and 2.5% in 1998 and 1999, respectively, in Europe and 0.8% and 1.5% in North America during the same period. The drop was far more geographic region-wise summary of key trends in passenger traffic, growth potential, and major players follows. (Source: Annual Reports and HSBC Research.) Asia-Pacific Region By 1999, traffic in the Asian region had become quite important to the overall success of the air transportation industry. Collectively, this region represented 24% of worldwide revenue passenger kilometers. The ICAO estimated that the Asia-Pacific region had grown annually by 9.7% over the last ten years. This upward trend was expected to continue albeit at slightly lower levels, moderating between 6%-7% until 2001. Trans-Pacific traffic was expected to grow at 6.6% and intra-Asia-Pacific traffic by 5%. Some analysts predicted that Asia would play a key role in over half of the top twenty international markets ranked in terms of revenue passenger miles by 2002 The aviation market in Asia, while similar to Europe of the pre-EU era, did indeed have some dominant players. Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines were the clear leaders and together accounted for 40% of the market share. The second tier included Cathay Pacific, Thai, and Korean Air, which comprised 33% of the market. Asian carriers in general had significantly lower operating costs compared to their American and European counterparts. For example, in 1998, according to Warburg, Dillon Read, personnel costs for North American carriers accounted for approximately 32% of total revenues. For European carriers, it was 21%. However, for the Asia-Pacific carriers, it was only 17%. Most of the Asian carriers also had much higher labor productivity levels and lower unit labor costs than airlines in North America or Europe. This location-specific advantage was a primary reason why carriers from other regions were setting up significant hub operations in the Asia-Pacific region. While the y ields for many carriers such as China Airlines, Korean Air, Thai, and Malaysian, the second and third tier competitors, were much lower than international levels, the top tier carriers such as Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines had yields consistent with their North American and European counterparts. The avenues for differentiating airline services in this region were shrinking. The elite carriers who had built a reputation for superlative service such as Singapore Airlines were now facing stiff competition from carriers such as Thai Airways and Cathay Pacific who had geared to deliver similar services. Thus, differentiation was becoming much more demanding and difficult to sustain Singapore International Airlines: Country and Company History and Culture of Singapore Singapore had witnessed bountiful growth and become the envy of many neighboring countries as it entered the new 21st century. Its per capita GNP increased by a phenomenal 75% between 1990 and 1999 and currently stood at S$39,724. This meteoric rise could be directly traced to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, the most powerful Prime Minister in Singapores history. He was able to tap the patriotic spirit of his people when he announced his intent to develop Singapore to rival Switzerland in terms of standard of living. His emphasis on superior education standards, a controlled labor environment, significant outlays for training and development, all helped to enhance the quality of human capital. At the end of 1999, Singapore boasted a literacy rate of 93%, among the highest in the region. Singapores Confucian work ethic dovetailed very well with his ambitions. It emphasized responsibilities over rights and placed enormous value on attributes such as hospitality, caring and service. As a result of th ese efforts, Singapore, today ranked among the best countries in terms of human capital and was often rated among the worlds friendliest places to do business. Rising standards of living meant higher wages .Coupled with the small size of the local population and a very low unemployment rate (3.2% in 1998), the availability of labor was seen as a potential stumbling block in the drive toward further growth. Many of the larger companies already depended on a sizable number of expatriates from neighboring countries as well as the West to staff positions. A staunch believer in free trade and internally driven growth, Mr. Yew made it clear from the start that the world does not owe Singapore a living. For example, in the air transportation sector, Mr. Yews government declared that SIA, although the national carrier, would not receive any subsidies, protection, financial assistance, or economic benefits from the government. It would have to sink or swim based on its own resources and ingenuity. Singapore literally adopted a free skies approach whereby foreign flag carriers from other countries were welcome to serve the city-state without any restrictions. This meant heightened competition for SIA right from the start. However, the free market philosophy also resulted in sharper rates of market growth. For example, roughly 35% of the equity base of Singapore was foreign in origin, and foreign investors owned 17% of all companies in the country, both testaments to the successful programs that attracted foreign capital and commerce to the island nation. The tourism industry played a very significant role in the overall development of the country. Handicapped by the small size and the lack of natural resources, Singapore had to rely on service industries such as tourism and finance to generate growth. It had always enjoyed an enviable status as an important geographic hub dating back to the pre-British Colonization era. During its history as a British colony, Singapore provided an important stop-off point for travelers from Europe and Britain to the outlying colonies of Australia and New Zealand. Building on this historical reputation, Singapore evolved into an important Asian tourist hub The common origin and shared history of SIA and MAS In 1947, Malayan Airways was established and operated services between Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Ipoh and Penang, using its fleet of twin-engined Airspeed Consuls. In May that year, when Malayan Airways first took to the skies, there were only five passengers onboard its twin-engined Airspeed Consul. With the flight crew having to attend to the flying of the plane, passengers had to help themselves with the only refreshment available onboard then a flask of iced water. In 1963, it was renamed Malaysian Airways Limited. In 1966, both the Malaysian and Singapore Governments acquired joint majority control. The following year, it was renamed Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA) Limited. On 26 January 1971, both the Malaysian and Singapore Governments agreed to set up separate national airlines, and on 1 October 1972, Malaysia-Singapore Airlines ceased operations. In its place, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) took to the skies. SIAs initial growth and expansion The split of MSA on 1 October 1972 saw MAS taking over all the domestic routes while SIA took over the international network and all the Boeing jets in the MSA fleet .SIA was government-owned, and the Singapore Government viewed the airline as an investment in a portfolio held by the republic. Although SIA was a state-owned enterprise, it paid taxes, like any other company in Singapore, and was expected to be competitive and profitable. Without any domestic routes to monopolise, SIA had to strategise to survive. Soon after the split, SIA embarked on an aggressive growth and aircraft and equipment acquisition programme. It acquired Boeing 747 Jumbo Jets, which went into service in 1973. In that same year, subsidiary Singapore Airport Terminal Services Ltd (SATS) was set up to provide ground services. In 1977, in conjunction with BA, it introduced the supersonic Concorde on the London- Bahrain-Singapore route. The maiden flight was on 10 December 1977. After three flights, however, disputes over airspace delayed regular Concorde service until early 1979. On 1 November 1980, the SIA/BA joint Concorde service between Singapore, Bahrain and London was, however, terminated. SIA began cargo service from Singapore to San Francisco via Hong Kong, Guam and Honolulu in 1978. Passenger service on the route commenced the following year. In 1979, SIA took the unprecedented action of trading in the B-747s purchased just a few years earlier for more advanced, fuel-efficient versions of the same aircraft while simultaneously expanding the fleet in a record-setting S$2.1 billion order with Boeing Aircraft. By 1979, it became the ninth largest airline in the world, up from the 57th position prior to the parting of ways with MAS, achieved on the back of a continuous average annual growth rate of 46 percent over its initial seven-year period (Harvard Business School, 1989b). SIA shares were listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange on 18 December 1985, and a new corporate identity was unveiled on 28 April 1987. On 14 December 1989, SIA concluded a major world-wide alliance with SwissAir and Delta Airlines, covering wide-ranging co-operation and eventual exchange of equity. An MOU with Cathay Pacific Airways and Malaysia Airlines was signed on 22 December 1992 to form a joint venture to develop and operate a frequent flyer programme. Passages,the frequent flyer programme, was officially launched on 1 July 1993. On 22 June 1994, SIA placed a US$10.3 billion order for 22 Megatop 747s and 30 Airbus 340-300E aircraft. The following year, on 14 November 1995, it ordered 77 B777 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines worth US$12.7 billion, including spares and spare engines. SIA turned 50 on 1 May 1997. It had by then grown into a diversified group, totally transformed from its humble beginnings 50 years ago. On 7 May 1997, less than a week following its 50th birthday, it took delivery of its first Jubilee B777-200, which touched down at Changi Airport. Symbolically, this ushered in another new and challenging era for SIA. The power of an idea: a most successful product/service differentiation strategy Within a year of the launch of SIA following the split of MSA on 1 October 1972, SIA began looking for new ways to differentiate itself. In 1973, SIA had in its service, some of the worlds most modern aircraft. Its maintenance operations were generally recognised to be on a par with those of the worlds major airlines. All its pilots and engineers were proficient and experienced, as there were no restraints from the unions on hiring Western crew members if SIA thought they were better. The product/service differentiation strategy that SIA finally decided upon was based on in-flight service. The strategy, as summarised by its then SIAs advertising manager, who later became its manager of in-flight services, was: What we needed was a unique selling proposition. Happily, we found it. Or perhaps I should say we found her, because the Singapore Girl has become synonymous with Singapore Airlines. SIA is an Asian airline, and Asia has a long tradition of gentle, courteous service. The Asian woman does not feel she is demeaning herself by fulfilling the role of the gracious, charming and helpful hostess. What we hope to do is translate that tradition of service into an in-flight reality (Harvard Business School, 1989b). SIA was thus strategically positioned in the premium service, quality and value market segment of the international airline industry. SIA capitalised on Oriental charm with stewardesses of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Eurasian ethnic backgrounds. By 1997, this resource pool within Singapore had, however, expanded to include Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, China, Japan and Korea. In 1997, a third of its 5,800-strong cabin crew were non- Singaporeans (The Sunday Times, 1997a, p. 3) SIA stewardesses were costumed in a specially designed version of the graceful Malay sarong kebaya, designed by renowned fashion house, Pierre Balmain. Passengers were treated to some of the best food on any airline, which is served with lots of warm smiles, warm towels, and attention to details. It provided first-class, business-class and economy-class passengers with cocktails, fine wines, and in-flight motion pictures at no extra charge. Since its inception, SIA has always subscribed to a policy that once a passenger pays for his or her ticket, there should be no more charges on the aeroplane. SIA now spend S$20 million a year on wines, with about 60 to 80 bottles of wine consumed per flight. International consultants who specialise in French, American and Australian wines are contracted to do wine-tasting twice a year for SIA, and they advise the airline on what to buy for its first, business and economy class passengers (Straits Times, 1997a, p. 22). According to SIA, the airlin e even receives letters from passengers asking for the names of wines that they took on SIA flights, with some asking where they can buy them (Straits Times, 1997a, p. 22). Service became the raison detre for SIA, and at the heart of its service reputation was the Singapore Girl. Slogans like A standard of service that even other airlines talk about and SIA: you are a great way to fly were used regularly in its marketing. SIA has always been of the view that the key to its success was its value or quality for the money. SIAs corporate philosophy of the airline industry since the late 1980s is best summed up by: The airline industry is, by its very nature, a service industry. In a free market, the success or failure of an individual airline is largely dictated by the quality of the service it provides (Joseph Pillay, Chairman SIA, Harvard Business School, 1989b). Most had to confront the apparent contradiction between cutting costs and prices, on the one hand, and maintaining customer focus and delivering customer service, on the other. It was a challenge many found most difficult. Into the 1990s SIA had developed a very strong market position. While keeping an eye on costs, its quality and service-enhancement strategy allowed it to command a relative market price premium position through premium service, value and quality. Its enviable position can be summed up as follows: If others resort to cutting fares, we can certainly do the same and we have a far better financial strength to cut fares and last longer than anyone else. But we ask ourselves first whether it is necessary to do that . . . So far, we have no need to do that (S. Dhanabalan, Chairman SIA, 1997, The Sunday Times, 1997b, p. 32). On competition, S. Dhanabalan reiterated SIAs long-standing strategy: Strong competition is not new to SIA. Every now and then, some airline, in an attempt to gain market share, will resort to senseless heavy discounting. It is a short term phenomenon. We take such competition in our stride (The Sunday Times, 1997b, p. 32) The Singapore Girl, the idealised version of the SIA cabin attendant, was the centrepiece in SIAs marketing strategy. Very high-quality photography was used in SIAs advertisements, and the Singapore Girl was always the central feature of the advertisements. The advertisements portrayed her in a number of settings and used a variety of themes to good effect. The Singapore Girl strategy proved to be a powerful idea and turned out to be a phenomenal success. International Research Associates (INRA), a firm which conducted surveys (covering the area of advertising recall) in the Asia Pacific area triennially, found that SIAs advertising enjoyed steady increases in unaided recall in the three successive INRA surveys in advertisement recall it conducted in 1973, 1976 and 1979. The SIA advertisement recall was 21 percent in 1973. It rose up to 32 percent in 1976, and shot up to 50 percent in.The average advertising recall of about 40 airlines studied over the same time period was only 9.6 percent (Harvard Business School, 1989b). SIAs market research up to 1997 continues to attest to this: Around the world the Singapore Girl remains a very positive marketing icon. She evokes the very best in Asian charm and hospitality (Director, Market Research, SIA, The Sunday Times, 1997a, p. 3). Although there were initial protests in some Western quarters in what was perceived to be sexist overtones in the advertisements, not everyone took offence at the advertising image. In a 1979 Fortune magazine article, Flying high with the Singapore Girls, it was noted that far from being repelled by the notion of becoming a `girl, about 7,000 young Singaporean women applied last year for 347 openings in the hostess ranks of SIA (Harvard Business School, 1989b). In the West, its acceptability in recent years had changed quite appreciably. In 1997, it was noted that: Her popularity in the West is such that it would be quite risky for SIA to attempt to change the image at a time when people there are getting used to her (Analyst, Goldman Sachs, The Sunday Times, 1997a, p. 3). Customer focus, innovation, creative service and service excellence On an SIA flight in 1996, a Chinese couple travelling in first-class with their children and nanny had refused the food served. When asked, the man of the family replied: We are just not used to these and would prefer a bowl of instant noodles. Since then, every SIA flight carries a supply of instant noodles for those customers who find in-flight cuisine not quite to their taste (Asian Business, 1996, p. 40). In addition, first-class and business-class passengers flying out of Singapore can now pre-order certain Singapore local fare prior to their flight to be served to them onboard. These are just some examples that illustrate the constant drive by SIA to introduce new ideas to improve customer service, in its customer focus to win customer satisfaction and even delight. There is of course nothing high-tech or sophisticated about instant noodles nor Singapore local fare, but these examples highlight the creative customer service even in simple things that has won SIA wide praise (Asian Business,1996, p. 40). This has become a hallmark of SIAs service excellence. In 1972, SIA was the first airline to introduce free food and alcoholic drinks on its flights. SIA has recognised that in this highly competitive market, any advantage gained by one airline over others will be short-lived, and ideas that are new will become commonplace in a matter of months. However, it noted that the important thing is to always stay in the forefront both in service and in technology (Asian Business, 1996, p. 40). This strategy of SIA focuses primarily not on reducing costs, but on enhancing quality or service and preventing customer problems from arising. SIA has succeeded most uniquely with this type of strategy in the airline industry, a strategy commonly employed in service businesses that command premium prices with high margins, businesses in which there is a high degree of repeat business, with word-of-mouth praise by customers as a most important marketing channel. It has been argued by some that an organisation should be conservative in its promises regarding service excellence to prevent customer expectations becoming too high. High expectations, so that argument goes, increase the potential for customer dissatisfaction. Such prescriptions, however, serve only companies with modest ambitions. In SIAs case, it was very different. It had a bold strategic vision and aspiration of being a top airline, not just any ordinary good airline. Through its careful market positioning and delivering its service promise, SIA could be said to be the very first airline in the international airline industry to have succeeded in developing such a powerful and enduring image of quality service that has resulted in its acquiring a sustainable competitive advantage. Its ability to sustain this advantage, even as its competitors seek to develop comparable service capability, had been buttressed by the fact that it was the first to earn and attain the quality-servic e position and image in the market and in customers minds. High service quality standards need to be developed systematically over time. Although sustaining a competitive advantage based on service quality is possible, this requires unrelenting effort on the part of an organisation to continually improve its service. This was achieved in SIAs case. As part of SIAs strategy to differentiate itself on the basis of superior customer service, it was able successfully to generate a vision of service excellence throughout the organisation. Such an organisation-wide energizing vision of service excellence is a powerful source of competitive advantage in top class service organisations. Such strength can be the bedrock of a quality and service-based sustainable competitive advantage. A service organisation that does not have such a shared vision and culture of service excellence will have a tough task acquiring it, as it cannot be bought. It must be built, as in SIAs case. In SIAs case, setting exceptionally high customer service standards generated a positive spirit and culture that had many follow-on results. Customer servicewent beyond the mechanics involved in efficiently providing a service onboard. Pride, zeal, and motivation were some of the positive service hallmarks that flowed from the shared vision and culture of service excellence, and the results were impressive. Unlike robots or machines, where differences in performance are largely rooted in technical specifications, human beings are subject to major performance variation. The SIAs vision and culture that hold exceptionally high customer service standards as a strategic objective to be attained were a most important factor accounting for its exceptional performance. To support this service excellence strategy, SIA adopts a most rigorous quality control system and process for staff recruitment and selection, as well as a rigorous training and service policy (Asian Business Review, 1996, p. 34). For example, SIA has one flight attendant for every 22 seats, the highest in the world and well above the industry average. Cabin crew must be under 26 and are employed on a five-year contract after making it through a very selective three-stage interview process that includes a social function Previously, all cabin crew would complete a six-month training course before they could be allowed to serve a customer. However, this has now been compressed into an intensive four-month course, which is still considered to be the longest and most comprehensive programme of any major airline. In comparison, Cathay Pacific, for instance, conducts only a seven-week intensive training programme on technical, safety and interpersonal skills. The aim of SIAs training is to provide gracious service reflecting warmth and friendliness, while maintaining an image of authority and confidence in the passengers minds. Each month, thousands of young ladies would apply for the airlines rigorous course that emphasizes safety training and encompasses beauty tips, discussions of gourmet food and fine wines, and the art of conversation. SIA is also at the forefront of service innovation through technology. For instance, it introduced Electronic Ticketing for flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and Penang (and vice versa) on 1 October 1997. About two weeks earlier, on a flight from Singapore to Tokyo on 15 September 1997, it had launched a revolutionary innovation in in-flight entertainment with the introduction of the WISEMEN system, offering passengers full control over their viewing and listening options. With WISEMEN, passengers will be able to choose from 15 movies, 20 short features and about 50 CDs. This is over and above the current SIAs in-flight entertainment system, Krisworld, which already had 22 video channels, 12 audio channels and ten games channels. Internet check-in for First Class, Raffles Class and PPS Club Members flying out of Singapore was introduced on 20 November 1996. SIAs profitability track record Just as well-known as its product/service differentiation strategy, as well as its creative service and service excellence, but certainly less familiar, is SIAs profitability track record. Since its inception in 1972 some 25 years ago, SIA has had an uninterrupted profit track record. Asian Business Review, in an article piece on Asias Great Companies, noted that its financial track record is almost unheard of in the brutally cyclical airline industry, and touted it as the Worlds most profitable airline (Asian Business Review, 1996, p. 34). Its profitability track record is even more astounding considering that it is the national airline of a small country that is essentially just a city, of only 647 square kilometres and 3.6 million populations, with no domestic routes to monopolise. Yet, despite this it has managed to consistently deliver profits in one of the worlds most cyclical industries. SIA has an established practice of keeping its fleet young and modern (Singapore Airlines, 1997b, p. 5). This, made possible by the airlines strong cash flow position, has allowed it to maintain a fuel-efficient fleet that averages just over five years of age without resorting to heavy borrowing or costly leasing deals. The fleets of most other international carriers are more than twice as old as SIAs. SIAs fleet is in fact the youngest in the world, not taking into account the couple of small regional airlines that have just started up. For SIA, this strategy which entails heavy capital costs, however, translates to significant savings through minimising aircraft downtime and minimizing maintenance costs. Newer aircraft are also faster and more fuel efficient, and are perceived by passengers to be safer. For instance, the B747-400 is 10 percent more fuel efficient than its predecessor. For SIA, this means a significant saving as about 15 percent of the companys expenditure is on fuel (Asian Business Review, 1996, p. 34). Most airlines use a combination of different financing schemes for their aircraft with the core fleet usually on long-term leases to minimise interest costs. SIA is, however, about the only major airline in the world to finance aircraft internally. Although there were times in the past when SIA financed aircraft using operating leases, these were primarily because of tax considerations. SIA has always viewed it as advantageous for an airline to own aircraft outright, as excess capacity can be disposed of expeditiously should a rapid downturn occur in the economy. In this way, the cost of maintaining underutilized aircraft can be avoided. SIA is very active in the used-aircraft market. In the last 17 years, SIA has in fact sold off 69 of its older aircraft at a total value of US$1.69 billion. To have flexibility, SIA makes it a high priority to negotiate options on new aircraft purchases and deliveries: We aim for steady growth, not haphazard fits and starts. We do not try and outguess the economy. It is only through advanced planning, focused on consistent growth, that the whole organisation can function efficiently. We need to train pilots, buy new aircraft, expand facilities, design new aircraft configurations and move forward in 100 other areas of the company (Dr Cheong Choong Kong, CEO, SIA, 1996, Asian Business Review, 1996, p. 34). SIAs strategy can therefore be described as one of steady growth, and of taking the long-term strategic view. It does not simply react to cyclical and transient market conditions. It invests in capacity and increases route frequency only when it is confident that there is the market. This means that operations are not necessarily cut back when yields indicate a downward trend or when a particular business is struggling during its start-up or infancy stage. SIAs strategy of having separate subsidiaries to run and manage its business strategic units has contributed favourably to profitability. SIAs data processing division was moved from Singapore to Bombay to cut costs. Vertical integration and expansion through the formation of its Singapore Engine Overhaul Centre allowed the company to become self-sufficient in engine maintenance and reduce costs. Subsidiary SilkAir is run as a separate airline with its own brand and its own strategy, concentrating on secondary destinations within the region, and not major cities like London or New York, or places as far away as Japan. It is a different product with a different clientele. For example, SilkAir does not have a First Class. The freight business is becoming increasingly important for SIA. Although it is currently contributing about 20 percent to the groups revenue, it is set to grow. This may increase to 25 percent within the next few years. SIA now has five Boeing 747-400 dedicated freighters, known as Mega Arks. This is the most modern Boeing 747 and SIA is the largest operator of the freight version in the world. Including underfloor space on passenger aircraft, SIA has a weekly capacity of 126 million freight ton kilometres. Its growth in market shares surpassed its growth in freight volumes. In financial year 1996, SIA posted group profits of S$732 million (Asia Aviation, 1996, p. 18). For the financial year 1997, SIA posted interim net profits for the six months to 30 September 1997 nearly 10 percent higher to S$616 million, more than most analysts had expected (Business Times, 1997b, p. 7). The 9.9 percent rise in earnings was due to better yields and lower costs, a strong recovery in the cargo market and lower fuel prices (Straits Times, 1997b,p. 88). SIAs strong showing exceeded the expectations of many analysts. The consensus full-year forecast by analysts polled was S$1.14 billion with estimates ranging from S$1.07 billion by CS First Boston to S$1.3 billion by Union Bank of Switzerland (The Estimate Directory, 1997). This works out to be an average forecast of 10 percent full-year net profit growth for SIA by the 32 analysts polled. SIAs strategic vision and its rise on the world stage Of all things Ive done, the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them toward a certain goal (Walter Elias Disney, Founder, Walt Disney Company, 1954). Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat (Theodore Roosevelt, 1899). The SIA story parallels and reflects the visionary, can-do and energizing spirit embodied in the above quotes. SIA was able to have a highly focused and energising strategy that engages its people, reaching out to them and grabbing them in the gut, to produce spectacular results over its 50-year history. No airline can boast and match this in terms of overall impact and sustainability. Comparison with its twin sister airline, MAS, in which they share a common first 25 years, demonstrates starkly what SIA has achieved in the last 25 years. 1997 saw SIA named The Worlds Best Airline for the fourth year running in the Zagat Airline Survey. A major consumer survey company in the US, Zagat surveyed 10,000 frequent travellers to rate 61major air carriers.Air Transport World, in 1994, called SIAtheWorldsNo. 1 airline over the last two decades. Accolades also came in for SIA from Europe. At the Seventh Espace Voyages Professionals (Business Travel Fair) in Paris in October 1997, SIA was announced the top airline in the only business travel survey, Baromeatre Voyages dAffaires, in the long-haul category. In the British-based 1997 Executive Travel magazine awards, SIA swept the Airline of the Year, Best Airline to the Far East, Best Long Haul Airline, Best Ground Check-in Staff and Best Airport Lounges awards. Closer to home in the Asia-Pacific, 1997 marks the sixth straight year in which SIA has walked away with the overall Best Airlines Award in the Business Traveller -Asia-Pacific awards. BA clinched the seventh position. Its positions for 1996 and 1995 were sixth and seventh, respectively. MAS dropped to the 32nd position in 1997, down from its 18th and 26th positions in 1995 and 1996, respectively (Business Traveller -Asia Pacific, 1997b, p. 40). SIAs performance in competitive rankings of all companies in Asia is just as impressive. In all the annual Asias Most Admired Companies (AMAC) surveys conducted by Asian Business since the inception of the AMAC Polls in 1991, SIA has been voted either first or second. In the three most recent Asian Business AMAC Polls (1995 to 1997), which covered some 250 major companies across Asia, it consolidated its position by emerging the clear winner. BA and MAS were placed at the 117th and 206th positions in 1997, respectively (Asian Business, 1997, p. 24). A 1997 research report by the London-based Travel and Tourism Intelligence on a study of the Asian civil aviation industry concluded that SIA is set to remain Asias leading carrier for the next decade (Straits Times, 1997f, p. 6). MAS saw its previous position slip, and was reckoned to need several more years to recover. The research report, which profiled 18 major airlines in the region, attributed SIAs lead to its unique combination of profitability, market leadership in in-flight entertainment, its reputation for quality and the advantages of its Changi Airport base. In 1997, it was noted by Business Traveller-Asia Pacific that: Singapores excellence in the world of international aviation remains so unquestioned that its become an article of faith. Through a combination of constant product development, consistent and excellent in-flight service and what is probably the most ambitious and extensive fleet-renewal programme in the world, SIA has become the standard by which all other international airlines are judged. That pre-eminence in the sky had been buttressed on the ground by an urban infrastructure that, whether youre talking in Asian or global terms, is second to none. Changi Airport . . . (Business Traveller Asia Pacific (1997a)). SIAs ratings given by other airlines, including those of its competitors, were also very favourable: SIA is a world-class airline and we respect it greatly. It is still very competitive. Other carriers are always interested in what SIA is doing (Ian Gay, Regional General Manager of Qantas-BA Alliance, 1997, The Sunday Times, 1997d, p. 3). SIA is an airline that sets trends, is profitable and well-managed, and takes a personal interest in its passengers (Mike Simon, Emirates Head of Communications, 1997, The Sunday Times, 1997d, p. 3). Conclusion In its 50-year history, SIA has come a long way. It has become an industry leader and innovator, setting standards to which other airlines aspire. At 50, it is still riding high as it begins a new chapter of its corporate journey. On the occasion of its 50th Anniversary Celebration, it was thrown a new challenge by the Prime Minister of Singapore to scale a new peak (Straits Times, 1997g, p. 5). Six days later, the first of the 77 Jubilee B777-200 aircraft that SIA has ordered from Boeing touched down at Changi Airport. In October 1997, SIA announced that it is considering inviting foreign talent to join its board of directors, to reflect the international nature of its business. This is to underline its global character and to stay ahead of the competition. A month later, its HQ moved into its new HQ building in the heart of the citys downtown. It has also embarked on a major exercise to change its corporate culture to prepare for the global competition in the new millennium. In October 1997, SIA Chairman, revealed that SIA is gearing up for a new era of heightened competition where tailor-made in-flight service, for the increasingly demanding passenger, will be the norm. He noted that: one of the changes we see is that passengers will refuse to be compartmentalised into one average unit. Each person will have his own particular needs and he will want service that is tailored tomeet those particular needs. On SIAs future direction, he pointed out that: Basically, it has to be service, and better service. Others have learned that what differentiates one airline from another is service. They have wised up to it and have also starting improving their service. The challenge is therefore to keep ahead of the pack (The Sunday Times, 1997b, p. 32). On how SIA intends to keep ahead, Chairman revealed that: The crew will have to be equipped to meet the special needs of passengers. They would have to be . . . We are constantly reviewing procedures and training methods. . . so that when people fly, SIA will be the preferred airline (The Sunday Times, 1997b, p. 32). He further stressed that, while customer satisfaction was seen in the many awards the airline received, SIA would not take this for granted. For all its international flights, SIA crews are now being prepared to be conversant with and to make announcements in the languages of the countries it flies to. In November 1997, SIA hired McKinsey Company to conduct a 12-week management review. Its plans for more expansion and to become more global are well underway. On Sep 2000 Singapore Airlines (SIA) signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire 49 per cent of Virgin Atlantic, the holding company for Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Sun and Virgins cargo operation, Virgin Aviation Services. The cost of the transaction to SIA is GBP 600.25 million (S$1620 million), which includes a capital injection of GBP 49 million (S$132 million). Virgin will reinvest a further GBP 51 million (S$138 million) into Virgin Atlantic. This big investment, the first by the SIA Group in another airline, will move it nearer to its goal of being a major global In 2006 Singapore Airlines announced that it has expanded its co-operation with Virgin Atlantic Airways to enable customers of both airlines to enjoy more choice when they fly between Australia, the UK, the United States, the Middle East and Singapore. Judging from its past track record, as well as the concerted and systematic way it has anticipated and prepared itself for the new competition and changes to come, the prospect of it continuing with its winning streak looks good. References: U.S. Dot Form 41, Boeing Corp; World Airlines in Review, Interavia Business Technology, June 1999. Journal of Management Development, Vol .19 Journal of Air Transport Management xxx (2009) 1-6 Asia Aviation (1996), SIA posts strong $732m group profit, June. Asian Business (1996), Asias most admired companies 1996: creative service is secret of success, May. Asian Business (1997), Asias most admired companies, 1997, May. Asian Business Review (1996), Asias great companies: why SIA is the worlds most profitable airline, December. Business Times (1997a), Airlines told to stop slashing fares or industry will suffer, November Business Times (1997b), SIA posts surprise 10 percent rise in interim earnings to $616m, October Business Traveller Asia Pacific (1997a), Fast-lane flyers, October. Harvard Business School (1989a), Cathay Pacific Airways (A), Vol. 9, pp. 144-89. Harvard Business School (1989b), Singapore Airlines (A), 9-687-022, Rev. 3/89, 13 September. Harvard Business School (1993),Changing the culture at BA, 9-491-009, 13 September. Silver Kris (1997), The birth of SIA, October Singapore Airlines (1992- 2007) Straits Times (1997c) Singapore and SIA must adapt to meet competition, July, p. 56. The Sunday Times (1997c), SIA recruits cabin crew who speak passengers languages, October The Sunday Times (1997d), Even No. 1must do better to stay ahead of the competition, August The Estimate Directory (1997), October Government of Singapore, Department of Statistics, browsed on (22nd Aug) www.singstat.gov.

A Brief Look at Pop Culture - 835 Words

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US Foodservice Grows Market with Oracle with CRM on Demand free essay sample

US Foodservice operates and distributes all over the country. It’s important that they be able to stay on top of what’s in demand from their customers. Because they’re in the food industry it’s important to US Foodservice that they be able to fill the order as quickly as possible since they’re dealing with perishable items. US Foodservice works with Oracle team on the front end to map as close to an integrated business solution as possible. In 2009 when the economy was sinking US Foodservice gained their highest market share in terms of account growth. This proved that their use of and teamwork with Oracle CRM aided in the success! They also are able to use the Oracle CRM as a tool to track their sales leads. Before they didn’t have a handle on where they’re sales people were going and how many were producing sales. We will write a custom essay sample on US Foodservice Grows Market with Oracle with CRM on Demand or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With the Oracle CRM tool, they tracked the leads to sales and sales to revenue. Chapter 3 Discussion Questions 2. It has been said that the advantage that leading-edge retailers such as Dell and Walmart have over their competition isn’t technology; it’s their management. Do you agree? Why or why not? Yes, I agree. Technology is advantage but proper management is the key to success. Benchmarking is a perfect example. Benchmarking involves comparing the efficiency and effectiveness of your business processes against strict standards and then measuring performance against those standards. Industry best practices are usually identified by consulting companies, research organizations, government agencies, and industry associates as the most successful solutions or problem-solving methods for consistently and effectively achieving a business objective. 3. What are some of the issues to consider in determining whether the Internet would provide your business with a competitive advantage? Because of the internet, the traditional competitive forces are still at work, but competitive rivalry has become much more intense. Internet technology is based on universal standards that any company can use, making it easy for rivals to compete on price alone and for new competitors to enter the market. Because information is available to everyone, the internet raises the bargaining power of customers, who can quickly find the lowest-cost provider on the Web. Chapter 4 Discussion questions 1. Should producers of software-based services, such as ATMs, be held liable for economic injuries suffered when their systems fail? Liability extends the concept of responsibility further to the area of laws. Liability is a feature of political systems in which a body of laws is in place that permits individuals to recover the damages done to them by other actors, systems, or organizations. Because of this, I believe that producers of software-based services are included in the group and should be held liable. 3. Discuss the pros and cons of allowing companies to amass personal data for behavioral targeting. As the internet continues to open up a wealth of marketing opportunities the need to stay directly in tune with customers’ specific wants and needs will increase twofold. In order to market a product it will no longer be enough to discuss how a product works, but how a product can work for the consumer. Thus, an effective consumer marketing strategy is needed in order to create a solid customer base that recommends your services or products and continues to return for repeat visits.

Othello Is a Victim Who Runs Ahead of His Tempter free essay sample

Othello is a victim who runs ahead of his tempter Othello is a powerful and thought-provoking play because it demands its audience to contemplate the very nature of humanity. The concept of mankinds inherent evil is explored primarily through the character of Othello. The audience is often left confused as to whether Othellos downfall can be blamed on his character or rather the inescapable evil of man. Of course, in Othello, Iago acts as a catalyst for the disastrous chain of events and can hence be credited with initiating Othellos change in nature. The main theme of Othello is that of mankind’s intrinsic evil. Shakespeare explores the idea that, despite outside influences, within all people lie unavoidable jealousy, mistrust and cruelty. Shakespeare considers this idea largely through Othello, who is originally characterized as loyal, loving and kind. This is demonstrated by the respect he commands in the presence of the Duke and senators and also be the obvious love Desdemona holds for him, refusing, even upon his threatening her with death, to renounce her love. We will write a custom essay sample on Othello Is a Victim Who Runs Ahead of His Tempter or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Shakespeare however provides two explanations for Othello’s transformation. The first being is that he is simply overly influenced by Iago’s evil, and the second being that all of mankind possess an inner immorality which cannot be held at bay, and to which Othello unfortunately succumbs. This innate element of humanity is defined throughout the play as a â€Å"monster†. Iago describes people as â€Å"not ever jealous for the cause. But jealous for they are jealous: ‘tis a monster. Begot upon itself, born on itself†. This use of metaphor highlights the horrific nature of this emotion that, like a monster, can completely consume its maker. Othello accuses Iago of acting â€Å"as of there were some monster in his thought. Too hideous to be shown†. This is ironic because Shakespeare is in fact using a premonition, in that he is also referring to the uncontrollable jealousy, or â€Å"monstrous thought†, within Othello, although it only later emerges. Othello’s response to Iago’s accusations of Desdemona as adulterous is â€Å"O monstrous, monstrous†. Axel Kruse, an academic who writes on Othello, claims this repetition of the word â€Å"monster† throughout the play is because of Shakespeare’s understanding of the need for obviousness and repetition of the main themes. However, the repetition of this powerful word also reinforces the concept of this so-called â€Å"monster† actually referring to humanity itself. The word â€Å"monster† encompasses all the flaws of man: cruelty, jealousy, suspicion and irrationality. Repetition is therefore a clever technique used to reinforce the idea of humanity’s inherent evil, constantly comparing it to an unrestrained monster. Othello’s death is also a tragic moment, where the hero of the narrative is reduced to one who â€Å"foams at mouth and†¦ breaks out to savage madness†. His ending forces the audience to consider whether this state of chaos and â€Å"irrational passion† (according to Axel Kruse) is in fact representative of the final illness of humanity itself. This concept of mankind’s intrinsic sin suggests that Othello is merely a victim of something greater and more powerful than himself, an evil that can be found in all people and is not just particular to Othello. Shakespeare also portrays Othello as weak in character, in that he succumbs to his doubts, acts irrationally and has a strong capacity for violence. By allowing the tragic hero to have quite obvious flaws, Shakespeare is demonstrating Othello’s ability to run ahead of his tempter because of his own hubris, rather than purely being a victim of humanity’s inescapable evil. This is evident in the play when Othello, referring to Iago’s accusations of Desdemona’s betrayal, says, â€Å"I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove†, followed shortly by Othello stating, in the same scene, â€Å"’Tis destiny unshunnable, like death†. Here, Shakespeare uses contradiction to enforce Othello’s rapid ability to descend into suspicion and malice. Originally, Othello is logical and wise in that he refuses to make accusations without substantial evidence. This statement however is shortly followed by Othello’s demonic accusation of Desdemona’s disloyalty. This rapid transition in Othello’s faith and security implies that his downfall can be partly blamed on his own inability to control his suspicions. Shakespeare uses simile in Othello’s speech, comparing Desdemona’s betrayal with death. This diabolic comparison is significant because it originated from Othello’s own doubts rather than Iago’s convincing. Othello’s capacity to abuse and undermine Desdemona with no proof of her suspected crimes is an example of his own distrustful personality, as opposed to the inherent nature of mankind. Shakespeare also considers the possibility of Othello’s past influencing his character, especially regarding relationships. Early in the play, Othello describes his childhood of military training and experience on the battlefield saying, â€Å"little of this great world can I speak more than pertains to feats of broil and battle†. Othello himself acknowledges his naivety when it comes to domestic life because of his harsh upbringing. Othello describes in detail his meetings with â€Å"Cannibals that eat each other and the Anthropophagi, men whose heads to grow beneath their shoulders†. Shakespeare uses hyperbole in order to enhance the audience’s understanding of Othello’s brutal past in order to somewhat explain his misunderstanding of his domestic situation and justify his quickness to anger and violence. By exploring Othello’s past in such depth, Shakespeare suggests that Othello has cause to run ahead of his tempter, as he has been raised in a militant manner that encourages and demands distrust and doubt. Shakespeare explains that, to some extent, Othello is a victim of not only humanity’s inescapable capacity for destruction, but also of his own past. Shakespeare explores racial prejudice as an explanation for Othello being both a victim of society and himself. There is some irony in the play in that Othello can seem to be at once the most heroic of men for rising to a position of power and influence, despite the racial discriminations of the era, and also as a â€Å"monster in hiding reveals himself in his threats to tear his wife to pieces†. This is an extract from Axel Kruse’s essay, where he explores Othello’s capacity to play both victim and villain simultaneously. Kruse articulates the ability for Othello to run ahead of his tempter because of his constant struggles against being viewed as an outsider, a threatening â€Å"figure of weird ugliness†. However, Shakespeare contradicts himself in that, while he advocates Othello’s ability to overcome racial prejudice, also blames Othello’s faults on his ethnicity. Emilia, enraged by Othello’s crimes, says of Desdemona, â€Å"O, the more angel she, and you the blacker devil†. Shakespeare is using metaphor here to highlight Othello’s flaws and compare and credit them to his skin colour. The reason for this may be that he sought to justify Othello’s actions by blaming his inferior ethnicity, a stigma of Shakespearean times. Shakespeare may also have wanted to satisfy the demands of an Elizabethan audience who despised racial difference in society and wished to see such stereotypes exhibited in theatre. By blaming Othello’s downfall on his ethnicity, Shakespeare is claiming that Othello’s irrationality in running ahead of his tempter is partly because he is a victim of his own skin colour. Shakespeare establishes early on in the play that Iago is Othello’s tempter, the manipulative character who sparks Othello’s doubt. Before Iago’s intervention, Othello was seemingly totally captivated and in love with Desdemona. However, Iago’s manipulation is extremely subtle, and it almost appears that, rather than Iago encouraging Othello’s rash actions, Othello himself is responsible for his own downfall. While Iago is the first to vocalize a suggestion of Desdemona’s disloyalty, it often seems that Othello is in fact the original source of his own distrust, and hence runs ahead of his tempter, Iago. This is evident where, upon Cassio leaving Desdemona’s side, Iago says, â€Å"I like that not†. Without further explanation, Othello immediately understands this to mean that Cassio and Desdemona have an illegitimate relationship. Axel Kruse’s paper furthers this idea, stating, â€Å"the implication is that some kind of suspicious jealousy is present in Othello’s mind from the beginning†. Kruse highlights a highly significant aspect of Act 3, Scene 3, where Othello says of Iago, â€Å"By heaven, he echoes me†. This is following an extraordinary conversation between Iago and Othello where it appears that Othello is almost talking to himself and furthering his own feelings of doubt rather than Iago planting the ideas in his mind. Kruse questions whether, at this point, Iago is replacing Desdemona in Othello’s mind and seducing him into a state of chaos. However, while Iago admits to playing the â€Å"demi-devil†, it seems more that Othello runs ahead of Iago in that it is Othello who establishes himself as jealous and revengeful. Shakespeare establishes Othello as a victim, of both human nature and his suffering under a prejudice society. Yet Shakespeare also manages to convince his audience that, while victimized, Othello can still be blamed for running ahead of his tempter, his tempter being both Iago and human evil itself. Othello’s flaws come to light far more rapidly than would be natural under the circumstances, and it is therefore clear that Othello is responsible for his weakness in character, and ability to run ahead of his tempter.

Racism Essays (1262 words) - Social Inequality, Discrimination

Racism Essays (1262 words) - Social Inequality, Discrimination Racism Racism is defined by the Webster Dictionary as the assumption that the characteristics and abilities of an individual are determined by race and that one race is biologically superior to another. Confronted with a problem as complex as racism, we cannot afford to let ourselves be constrained by the boundaries of specific disciplines. Racism is alive and well. The reports of its demise are totally unfounded so that we come to the beginning of the twenty-first century, it remains as our society's major dilemma. There is a lot at stake when dealing with this issue, but that fact is that we cannot brush it aside or ignore it any longer because it is present in everything we do. Canada and the United States are one of the two biggest countries when it comes to ethnic diversities within its boundaries. Immigrants enter these countries by the thousands to better their chances of a good and stable life. The demographic statistics of these countries are rapidly rising. Immigrants are starting to take over and their presence is being felt more and more. Historically, both countries had their respective problems involving other races. When the British settlers first came to Canada, they were confronted with the Native Americans. Their goal was to claim land for England, but they also had to convert the aboriginal to the Catholic religion. So against their will, the Native Americans were taught to worship a new God. The Whites were taking advantage of these primitive tribes living in and around the country. They played with their minds, giving them hard liquor, disguised as the Drink of Life. So the aboriginals were overwhelmed, and could not stop the invasion. They were defeated, forced to live in small territories, and some were turned into slaves. Americans were as bad, if not worst, toward racial groups. The most significant of the acts committed is the segregation of African American during the late eighteen hundreds until the mid-nineteen hundreds. Black people were brought from Africa and were auctioned to the highest bidder to work in the cotton fields. Their working conditions were atrocious and a lot of them died of hunger or sickness. It's not until the Civil War that the legal status of African Americans started to change. Even then, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down federal statutes designed to enforce the amendments. The absence of an adequate federal law permitted discrimination against black Americans in employment and housing, public accommodations, the judicial system, and voting opportunities. In the two historic events, the possible reason for the actions done toward the racial minorities might be the fear the have towards them. We did not understand why they were different from us, so we categorised them and immediately judged them as the inferior race. Even though the history of both nations was different, their actions against racial minorities were similar to one another. Throughout the years, it seems that Canadians and Americans have excepted their immigrant counterparts. In both Canada and the United States, a range of indicators of racial attitudes shows certain positive trends. In the United States, the National Academy of Sciences report, A Common Destiny: Blacks and American Society, gleaned data from dozen of national opinion polls conducted between 1942 and 1983. These polls show growing and now virtually universal verbal commitment to the principle of racial equality. The disparities between the Whites and the Blacks have declined significantly. In Canada, race is less conspicuous. Without doubt the climate in Canada too has improved since the Second World War, when racially exclusionary immigration policies were still in effect. For its study, The Economic and Social Impact of Immigration, the Economic Council of Canada assembled data from existing surveys of intolerance. The council reported a positive trend among anglophones on an index of tolerance. A survey conducted in 1990 by Decima Research Ltd. permits a comparison of the two countries. The Canadians in the survey were, overall, slightly less overtly racist than the Americans: 90 percent of Canadians and 86 percent of Americans agreed that all races are created equal (Maclean's, 1990). This difference is insubstantial. Large minorities in both countries deny overt racism. Canadians favour immigrations more than Americans do, despite the fact

Overview of the Independent American Party

Overview of the Independent American Party The Independent American Party is a minor Constitution-based party with limited influence, and is not to be confused with the large percentage of voters who consider themselves independents. The most recent electoral activity for the party was a 2012 US Senate race in New Mexico where the IAP candidate received just under 4% of the vote. That candidate, John Barrie, was also the founder of the New Mexico chapter of the American Independent Party. After formally registering the party, they were granted direct ballot access for two election cycles. After he lost the Senate race, Barrie left the NM-IAP and joined the similar Constitution Party, likely because the IAP would be unable to gain ballot access after the freebies. The party website currently directs potential candidates to register as write-in candidates if they live in the state of Utah. The partys Facebook page is dedicated to sharing news links about constitutional issues and has limited information on party-related events. The party likely attracts a number of curious visitors due to having independent in the name of their party. The National Chairman is Kelly Gneiting, a 5-time US champion sumo wrestler who also holds a Guinness World Record for being the heaviest man to finish a marathon. Mission Statement To promote: respect for life, liberty and property; strong traditional families; patriotism; and individual, state and national sovereignty - with a strong reliance on the Declaration of Independence and allegiance to the Constitution for the United States of America - by petition to God and by political and educational means. History Founded in 1998, the IAP is a Protestant Christian theocratic political party. It initially existed in several Western states and is a remnant of former Alabama Gov. George Wallaces once-powerful American Independent Party. Converting the unaffiliated IAP state party organizations - united by a common Religious Right ideology (similar to the Constitution Party) - into a national IAP organization was an effort started by members of Utah IAP. The Idaho IAP and Nevada IAP subsequently affiliated with the fledgling US-IAP in late 1998. The party subsequently established small chapters in 15 other states, and it now has contacts in every other state. Most of the IAP activities remain in Utah, however. In 1996 and 2000, the various IAP state parties endorsed the Constitution Party nominee for president and in 2000, the national chairman questioned the IAPs future in presidential elections. The party has focused its attention more on activism in the last eight years and has almost completely withdrawn from fielding local, state or federal candidates. Since 2002, the IAP has endorsed Constitution Party candidates and other conservative third party nominees. The IAPs platform calls for: The immediate termination of all programs of foreign aid, whether military or non-military, to all foreign governmentsImmediate withdrawal from the UN and NatoThe repeal of all federal gun legislation and state firearm laws which are not in accordance with the US ConstitutionStrong immigration reform including the repeal of amnesty laws and the prompt deportation of all illegal aliens and a clarification of the 14th Amendment that does not recognize the US citizenship of children born to illegal immigrants on US soilEnglish as America’s official languageThe passage of a balanced budget amendmentRaising tariffs on imported goods and a ban on all imported goods produced by child laborProtecting the ocean and fishing rightsEliminate regulations that artificially impede the production of domestic oil while enacting a transition to alternative fuelsProtecting the right to life for all US citizens, including the unbornPeople have the right to choose their health care providers and h ave quality health care and no one - including the patient - has the right to make decisions that result in the death of the patient Outlawing cloning and the development of genetic mutationsParents have the right to choose how their children are educatedRestoration of god to the public squareMarriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman only

Illness and disability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Illness and disability - Essay Example A majority of the health differences are a function of finance. Social support is the most critical of these factors. Among the elderly, dementias, depression and alcoholism have been found to be the most common emotional problems. These give arise to other health problems. In particular, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common problems among the elderly, and this requires great care and attention. Unfortunately, some of these elderly persons deny their heath challenges, and this makes the process of treating and caring for them difficult. There is however a disturbing feeling among healthcare providers that the elder should receive less concern. They are offered inferior medical assistance compared to other groups. Some physicians believe that the elderly are a burden to the healthcare system. Luckily, there are those physicians who develop a personal relationship with these patients. According to medical experts, it is important for physicians to feel the emotional side of the patients’ well-being. There is a wide range of programs available for the elderly, and some are in-home programs. However, most of these programs, especially the in-house care, are expensive and thus unavailable. According to the video, board and care homes are a good option in enhancing the quality of care among the elderly. Unfortunately, the United States does not compare well with other developed nations when it comes to caring for the elderly. As the population of the elderly continues to increase, there is need to plan for how the ir health needs will be addressed. The University of Hawaii Center on Aging. " Growing Old in a New Age: Illness and Disability."Annenberg Learner - Teacher Professional Development. Annenberg Media,  1993. Web. 20  Nov.  2014.

90 points Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

90 points - Assignment Example For instance, I will attempt to understand the cultural values of my clients when marketing the products of the firm in order to foster respect for the customs of my target clients. Similarly, I will apply the concept of environmental scanning to gather valuable information that can benefit the firm. For example, I will utilize both online and offline means to collect information about the trends in the competition in the market. The collected information will help the marketing team to devise comprehensive marketing tactics to acquire a competitive edge. In my role as a marketing representative, I will endeavor to understand the preferences and purchasing behavior of the customers. For example, I will conduct routine customer surveys to establish what products and services they would like my firm to improve. The surveys will assist the marketing team to capture the needs of the customers as contained in the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Similarly, the concept of relationship selling will be paramount in my marketing activities. I will apply the concept in creating a long-term relationship with the potential as well as existing customers who belong to different generations as I seek to satisfy their various

Business Ethics - Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Business Ethics Discrimination Essay Discrimination is defined as distinguishing something from something else (i. e. don’t hire him because he has no experience). Unjustified discrimination is distinguishing something from something else on a basis that is not justified (i. e. don’t hire him because he is black). The term discrimination commonly replaces the term unjustified discrimination in business, philosophy, psychology and day-to-day community life. In a just and fair society, such as we Canadians aspire to, a job applicant’s race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, orientation, mental ability, or physical condition should not disadvantage them in career choices or job competitions. If a short Asian female firefighter can do the job, she should get the job. Conversely she should not expect to receive concessions that are not available to all; that is in effect also discrimination. Unfortunately, discrimination often arises in business in regards to hiring, job placement, wage, and promotion. Affirmative Action Ideally, discrimination should be of no concern at all; everyone should have an equal opportunity to anything. In a perfect world a hiring manager would not have to think thoughts such as, â€Å"They are disabled, they are women, they are aboriginal,† and would only think, â€Å"This person will be perfect for the job because†¦. † Unfortunately this may never completely happen. For example if a person in a wheelchair applies to be a stock person at Costco and another person who is not in a wheelchair applies for the same position the manager will be debating, â€Å"Should I hire the person who cannot walk because I want to be socially responsible? Or should I hire the person who can walk, who will probably do a better job and who I won’t have to make special accommodations for? † Another example is a man and a woman who are applying to be a nurse on the obstetrics ward; they have both just graduated and have exactly the same experience. If only one position is available who is more likely to be hired? Affirmative action programs often come into place to encourage equal opportunity. Affirmative action refers to policies or rograms that take factors such as; age, sex, race, color or religion and give preferential treatment to people that belong to an identifiable disadvantaged group, or outgroup. Cons Reverse discrimination occurs when preferential treatment is given to one person and the other is left out. For example if a woman is hired to work in an oil patch just because she is a woman and man is not hired (perhaps only because of quota requirements), he will experience reverse discrimination. This may in fact v iolate a province’s human rights code. Some would also argue that it is wrong to place at a disadvantage a current day job applicant in order to attempt to compensate for historical wrong treatment of certain categories of job applicants. Merit may not exist if affirmative action is in place. A situation could arise where an applicant may deserve a job more because he or she has more education and more experience than the hired applicant who is disabled, if the hiring was done only in the interest of a representative workplace. May condescend or offend outgroups because the people belonging to that group don’t believe they need preferential treatment in order to succeed. Affirmative action creates a perception that all racial minorities or physically disabled persons have low self image, poor job marketing skills, missed opportunities, and are in need government regulated assistance. Efficiency may be compromised if a company is forced to hirer a proportionally representative workforce. Instead of hiring the best fitting candidate, companies would be forced to seek out a visible minority or a disabled candidate. This simply is not good business practice. A company should be free to hire the best candidate. Morale and workplace cooperation may be negatively impacted by a person being hired because of affirmative action policies which clearly give special considerations not available to all. The outgroup may develop a sense of entitlement that is not supported by the majority of the workers. Affirmative action may cause a widening of the gap (and an affirmation of bigotry) instead of a diverse and inclusive work force. For example, a white man at a steel factory may think that he got his job because he is qualified for it while being angry that the Asian man only got hired because there were no other Asians working in the plant and the hiring manager did not want to be discriminating. Pros Assistance in obtaining a desired job may be necessary for members of an identifiable disadvantaged group, or outgroup, since discrimination may make it difficult to establish a career. For example, men can be excellent nurses, but if a female hiring officer doesn’t understand or embrace the benefits of diversity, the obstetrics ward would have all female nurses. Another example might be a hair dressing trainee who is in a wheelchair; this applicant may have more obstacles to overcome and more convincing to do with a prospective employer. It is not fair, or just, that these applicants would have to be much better that the â€Å"normal† kind of applicant in order to be desirable to the employer. This â€Å"assistance† is given in affirmative action plans such as requiring employers to choose the disadvantaged applicant when all other skills are equal. Affirmative action makes working in different areas more desirable. Ex, Okanagan College has free introductory welding courses for women only. If colleges did not have these affirmative action programs there would probably be less female welders. This creates an incentive for a member of an outgroup to step forward and be part of the creation of workplace diversity. Affirmative action ensures justice for those who have historically been oppressed. Although hopefully not in Canada, there may still be a stigma attached to those whose ancestors were slaves, lower class, or aboriginal and thus seen as lesser that those with good career jobs. Some people may believe that affirmative action is necessary to change the attitudes of society by mandating a diverse work force. Canada cannot ignore the fact that a few generations ago a person with mental challenges or physical disabilities would not have been offered a position if there was a reasonable candidate who was considered â€Å"normal. † Affirmative action envisions a just work place where everyone is normal because the new normal is diverse and inclusive. Affirmative action encourages a representative work force. If 2% of the community’s population is visually impaired, then in a company of 100 employees, there should be a least two people who have some kind of sight impairment. In Canada, 3% of the population is aboriginal; therefore, there should be three members of a First Nation employed at the above company. A disabled person aged 25 to 44 accounts for 8% of the population. Statistically speaking, the above company, if it were in British Columbia, should have 27 employees who are recent immigrants. With roughly 60% of Canada’s population being Caucasian, all the numbers above would create a representative work force. It could be described as a diverse, dynamic, and exciting place to work; but does it exist? By requiring the inclusion of a representative work force affirmative action will in the long term change attitudes and encourage diversity. Thesis Affirmative action programs are still necessary to ensure equal opportunities in the work place and to encourage diversity, which over time will extinguish discrimination and contribute to a just, fair, and tolerant society. History I believe discrimination stems from history. If a young person learned from parents, schools, or media that women are not good trade workers, they will continue this discrimination for generations. This is what happens in all forms of discrimination because discrimination is learned. Discrimination can be reduced in a society with the influence of laws, education, and incentives. Affirmative action mandates exposure, which with encouragement by supportive government and ethical businesses will result in workplace diversity, and that over time will influence the thinking of society as a whole. Further Discussion: Continue Affirmative Action Dimock and Tucker thoroughly discussed their views on affirmative action policies about how such policies cause problems for employment equity in Canada. Dimock and Tucker did not discuss why such policies may still be necessary and did not thoroughly discuss a solution to discrimination. Their conclusion, while pointing out that affirmative action programs have not met intended goals, does not offer concrete solutions other than education. I disagree that the young should be the only target to ensure against discrimination. Youth can be racist, sexist, and exclusive. That’s why our society has a large problem with bullying. If discrimination is a learned trait, then the youth are learning it from above, and that is precisely the target of affirmative action. I believe affirmative action should still be used to some extent in order to encourage diversification. I think a combination of education and the experience of exposure is more useful that a single target group (such as educating the young). If groups (young, school aged, post secondary, and the work force) are created with diverse and representative participants, the likelihood of all groups beginning to like each other because of repeated exposure is much higher then if they remain separated. Well informed members of society who have personal experience with diversity are the least discriminating for several reasons: †¢They have been educated not be discriminating (from classes like this). †¢They have been put together in groups with all different types of people, and †¢They have become comfortable with that diversity. The result is that they have learned to be less discriminating than their peers or previous generation. For example, a white 18 year old’s great grandparents may have been what is now considered racist toward black people. In the grandparent’s time racism, even segregation, was thought of as perfectly normal, and those views were passed down generation to generation. However, through education and exposure racism was slowly extinguished until we have a grade 12 student who welcomes a new immigrant from Zambia. Instead of being completely racist like his great grandparents the 18 year old now only believes the stereotype that all black people like rap music which he hates. The next generation will (hopefully) not even notice that a black person is in the group. If affirmative action continues it will help the top (the existing generation of employers) meet the bottom (the well informed and accepting job applicant) and the result will be a tolerant, inclusive, and diverse work place. The attitudes of the work place will in time influence society as a whole. Conclusion I was lucky enough to learn about discrimination in both psychology and philosophy class in the same week. Although solutions are not offered in this paper, I believe discrimination can be eliminated through education and diversification. If it were normal to have a representative and diverse â€Å"melting pot† of opportunities and experiences, there would be no need to practice discrimination. Diversification is good. It makes a community tolerant and compassionate; it makes a secure and exciting place to live. Including all groups in all employment opportunities will ultimately create a better society – the melting pot that Canada so prides its identity in. Affirmative action plans ensure that the work place will contribute to this pride.

FDR and Winston Churchill Essay -- essays research papers fc

Between the years of 1939 and 1945 the world was sent spiralling in a mess of corruption, violence and uncertainty. Allied powers were faced with the unparalleled task of protecting the world from tyranny. In terms of political power, this weight was bestowed upon the shoulders of two memorable individuals. By and large Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt can be labelled as beacons of democracy and leaders of the free world in their time. Winston Churchill, the son of Lord Randolph Churchill, became an officer in the 4th cavalry in 1894. Between 1895 and 1899 he served in Cuba, India and South Africa as a reporter. Churchill entered politics in 1900 and held many government posts until he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty prior to World War One. Due to logistical and tactical failures during wartime, Churchill was somewhat discredited and lost his naval post. In the inter war period, Churchill remained politically active and made his way up the ranks to become chancellor of the exchequer in Stanley Baldwin’s Conservative government. When World War Two broke out, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appointed him to his old post as First Lord of the Admiralty. When Chamberlain was forced to resign, Churchill became Prime Minister. He served throughout the war as Britain’s supreme leader until he was defeated in a 1946 general election. Churchill once again became prime minister from 1951 until his r esignation in 1955. In 1953, he was knighted and received the Nobel Prize in Literature. Franklin D. Roosevelt was a lawyer educated at Harvard and Columbia University School of Law. His political career started when he was elected to the New York State senate in 1910. He was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy, a position he held from 1913 to 1920. As a Democrat, Roosevelt ran as vice presidential nominee along side James M. Cox, an election that was lost to the republican candidates Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. While vacationing on Campobello Island, N.B., Roosevelt was stricken with polio and became paralysed from the waste down. However, he eventually recovered partial use of his legs. In 1928 and 1930, Roosevelt was elected governor of New York. At the height of the great depression, in 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt became the 32nd president of the United States. He went to work immediately utilising government resources to combat ... ...d weaknesses as every individual does, but were, without a doubt, very successful leaders in their time. Churchill and Roosevelt were truly beacons of democracy and leaders of the free world. Bibliography Alacritude, LLC. Encyclopedia.com. 24 Feb. 2003 < http://www.encyclopedia.com/>. Churchill Center, The. Sir Winston Churchill Homepage. 5 Mar. 2003 < http://www.winstonchurchill.org/>. Gardener, Brian. Churchill in his Time. London: Methuen & Co Ltd., 1968. Gilbert, Martin. Churchill’s Political Philosophy. London: Oxford University Press, 1981. Goff, Richard, et al. The Twentieth Century, A brief Global History. New York: McGraw-Hill Company, 2002. Jablonsky, David. Churchill: The Great Game and Total War. Portland: International Specialized Book Services, Inc., 1991. Kimball, Warren F. The Juggler: Franklin Roosevelt as Wartime Statesmen. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1991. Ludwig, Emil. Roosevelt: A Study in Fortune and Power. New York: The Haddon Craftsmen, Inc., 1937. White, Graham J. FDR and the Press. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1979. White House, The. The White House Home Page. Mar. 9 2003 .

Americans with Disability Act of 1990

The American population of disabled workers previously had no protection of their employment or mandates pressed upon their employer to provide necessary work accommodations, to protect their livelihood, until the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law that prohibits employers to discriminate based on an employee’s disability. This paper will demonstrate the components of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as well as provide relevant United States Supreme Court cases set out between employee and employer where the law was challenged or upheld. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is an Act set out to â€Å"establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability† (Americans with disabilities, 1990). The Act was introduced to the Senate by Senator Tom Harkins on May 9, 1989. The Act was passed by the Senate on September 7, 1989 by a vote of 76-8 and passed by a unanimous voice vote before the House of Representatives on May 22, 1990. The Act was enacted by the 101st United States Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on July 26, 1990 (Americans with disabilities, 1990). ADA Issue: Definition of Disability Under the American with Disabilities Act the term â€Å"disability† refers to a â€Å"physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity† (Americans with disabilities, 1990). The case between Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. v. Williams was presented to the United States Supreme Court on November 7, 2001. The case primarily questioned how you determine whether an individual is substantially limited in the major life activity of performing manual tasks. Under the American’s with Disabilities Act of 1990, 104 Stat. 328, 42 U. S. C. 12101 et seq. (1994 ed. And Supp. V), a physical impairment that â€Å"substantially limits one or more†¦major life activities† is a â€Å"disability. † 42 U. S. C. 12102 (2) (A) (1994 ed. ). Respondent, Ella Williams, claimed to be disabled due to carpal tunnel syndrome and sued, petitioner, her former employer, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. , for failing to provide accommodations as required under the American with Disabilities Act. Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. v. Williams, (00-1089) 534 U. S. 184 (2002). ] Ella Williams began employment at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown, Kentucky, in August of 1990. She was placed on the engine fabrication assembly line, where her duties included work with pneumatic tools. Utilizing these tools over time caused pain in respondent’s hands, wrists and arms. She was treated by her physician and found to have carpal tunnel syndrome and bilateral tendonitis. Her physician released her to return to work with restrictions that included no lifting more than 20 pounds, she could not lift or carry objects weighing more than 10 pounds, must not engage in constant repetitive motion of the wrists and elbows and no overhead work or performing tasks utilizing vibratory or pneumatic tools. Toyota Motor Manufacturing responded to Williams’ restrictions, for the next two years, by modifying her job responsibilities within the medical restriction guidelines. Despite this revision, Williams missed work for medical leave and she filed a claim under the Kentucky Worker’s Compensation Act. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann 342. 0011 et seq (1997 and Supp. 2000). The parties settled this claim and Williams returned to work. Williams was still not satisfied with petitioner’s efforts to accommodate her work restrictions and she filed suit against Toyota in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky alleging that petitioner ha d violated the ADA by refusing to accommodate her disability. The suit was settled, and as part of the settlement, respondent was able to return to work in December of 1993. Upon Williams return, Toyota accommodated respondent by placing her in the Quality Control Inspection Operations Department. The team’s tasks included (1) â€Å"assembly paint†, (2) â€Å"Paint second inspection†; (3) â€Å"shell body audit†; and (4) â€Å"ED surface repair†. Williams was placed on a team that performed only two of these tasks and rotated between the two roles. In assembly paint, Williams would visually inspect painted cars moving slowly down the conveyor and then rotated every other week to the second piece of her role, which was to examine the cars by lifting the hoods and opening the doors. She was able to perform these duties as described. There was a change in workflows in the Department of Quality Control where all employees must rotate between the four tasks of the quality operations. Williams attempted to perform all four duties as required, but began having increased pain, sought medical treatment was diagnosed with myotendonitis bilateral periscapular, inflammation of the muscles and tendons of the shoulder blades and forearms and thoracic outlet syndrome. Williams requested to return to only performing the two components of her position. The parties disagree on what happens next, Williams’ states that Toyota refused her request. Toyota states that the employee began missing work excessively and they were forced to terminate her position for poor attendance. Williams again sued under the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. During the court proceedings and on deposition Williams stated that she was â€Å"disabled† as she was no longer able to perform activities of daily living that included (1) manual tasks; (2) housework; (3) gardening; (4) playing with her children; (5) lifting; and (6) working, all of which, she argued, constituted major life activities under the Act. [Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. v. Williams, (00-1089) 534 U. S. 184 (2002). Under the ADA the claimant must show that the limitation on the major life activity is substantial 42 U. S. C. 12102 (2)(A). â€Å"Substantially limits† was defined as unable to perform a major life activity that the average person in the general population can perform†. In determining whether an individual is substantially limited i n a major life activity, the regulations instruct that the following factors should be considered: â€Å"the nature and severity of the impairment; the duration or expected duration of the impairment; and the permanent or long term impact, or the expected permanent or long-term impact of or resulting from impairment. 1630. 2(j)(2)(i)-(iii) (Americans with disabilities, 1990). The court concluded on January 8, 2002 that the respondent’s impairments substantially limited her in the â€Å"major life activities† of performing manual tasks and was found to be â€Å"disabled† as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and therefore granted judgment to respondent on the basis that Toyota violated the Act by not accommodating her request as a disabled individual. [Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. v. Williams, (00-1089) 534 U. S. 184 (2002). ADA Issue: Definition of Disability and Direct Threat The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, under Title II, prohibits disability discrimination by all public entities. Public entities must comply with the ADA regulations by the U. S. Department of Justice and includes granting access to all programs and services without disability discrimination. Under the ADA regulations there is also a â€Å"direct threat† provision which protects facilities where an individual may pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others (Americans with disabilities, 1990). The U. S. Supreme Court Case No. 97-156, Randon Bragdon, Petitioner v. Sidney Abbott, Respondent, poses the question whether asymptomatic HIV infection is a disability under the ADA, and when determining whether an individual with HIV poses a direct threat to a health care provider, should the courts defer to the providers professional judgment [Bragdon v. Abbott (97-156) 107 F. 3d 934, (1998). ] Abbott is infected with HIV, but it had not manifested into the serious stages at the time of the incident. Abbott presented to her dental office and disclosed her HIV infection. Rangdon Bragdon, her dentist, refused to treat her in his office setting and sited his policy on filling cavities on HIV patients. He was willing to treat her in the hospital for no extra charge, but she would be responsible for the hospital bill. She declined and filed suit under the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which prohibits discrimination against any individual†¦ â€Å"on the basis of disability in the †¦enjoyment of the†¦services†¦of any place of public accommodation by any person who†¦operates [such] a place,† 42 U. S. C. 2182 (a), but qualifies the prohibition by providing: â€Å"Nothing [herein] shall require an entity to permit an individual to participate in or benefit from the†¦ accommodations of such entity where such individual poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others,† 12182(b)(3) (Americans with Disabilities, 1990). The court ruled in favor of the respondent, Sidney Abbott, on June 25, 1998. E ven though the respondent’s HIV had not progressed to the point of being symptomatic, HIV is a â€Å"disability† under 12102 (2)(A), that is, â€Å"a physical†¦impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities. The life activity upon which respondent relies, her ability to reproduce and to bear children, constitutes a â€Å"major life activity† under the ADA. In affirming the summary judgment, the court did not cite sufficient material in the record to determine, as a matter of law, that respondent’s HIV infection posed no direct threat to the health and safety of others. The ADA’s direct threat provision, 12182 (b)(3), stems from School Bd. Of Nassau Cty v. Arline, 480 U. S. 273, 287. [Bragdon v. Abbott (97-156) 107 F. 3d 934, (1998). ADA Issue: Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment, unless to do so would cause undue hardship. An accommodation is typically any change in the work environment that allows an individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities (American with disabilities, 1990). The U. S. Supreme Court case U. S. Airways, Inc. v. Robert Barnett poses the question under â€Å"Reasonable Accommodation†, when an employee with a disability seeks reassignment as an accommodation under the ADA, does the employees right to reasonable accommodation trump another employee’s seniority rights when the employer has a seniority system. Robert Barnett, respondent, obtained a back injury when he was a cargo handler for petitioner, US Airways, Inc. Following the injury, he transferred to the mailroom, which was less physically demanding. The mailroom position later became open to a senior-based employee bidding under US Airways seniority system. US Airways gave the position to the most senior employee, refused Robert Barnett’s request to accommodate his disability, and Barnett lost his job. Robert Barnett sued US Airways, Inc. under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits an employer from discriminating against an employee with a â€Å"disability† who with â€Å"reasonable accommodations can perform the essential job functions, 42 U. S. C. 2112(a) and (b), unless the employer â€Å"can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of [its] business†, 1211(b)(5)(A) (Americans with disability, 1990). US Airways presented that their seniority system had been in place for decades and governs over 14,000 US Airways agents and the policy would trump all other requests. They had been consistent with the usage of the seniority system and allowing any other rationale to alter the policy would cause undue hardship to both the company and the non-disabled employees. The court ruled on April 29, 2002 in favor of US Airways and stated that undermining seniority systems would cause a undue hardship on employers [US Airways v. Barnett, 535 US 394 (2002)]. ADA Issue: Scope of Title III Under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires an entity operating â€Å"public accommodations† to make â€Å"reasonable modifications† in its policies to accommodate when necessary disabled individuals, unless the entity can demonstrate that making such modifications would alter the nature of their operations, 12182(b)(2)(A)(ii), (Americans with disabilities, 1990). The case, PGA Tour, Inc v. Casey Martin tests the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and questions whether Title III of the ADA protects access to professional golf tournaments by qualified entrant with a disability; and whether a contestant with a disability may be denied the use of a golf cart because it would fundamentally alter the nature of the tournament to allow him to ride when all other contestants must walk. Casey Martin, respondent, suffers from a degenerative circulatory disorder that prevents him from walking long distances on the golf course. When Martin became a professional golfer he posed a request, which was supported by medical documentation, that while in tournaments he be accommodated by utilizing a golf cart. Petitioner, PGA Tour, Inc. refused and respondent filed suit under Title III of the ADA. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Martin in a 7-2 decision on May 29, 2001. The Supreme Court found that the PGA Tour should be viewed as a commercial enterprise operating in the entertainment industry and not as a private club. In addition, Martin should be provided a golf cart to utilize as a means of reasonable accommodations [PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin, 984 F. Supp. 1320 (2001). ] The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 has brought valuable protection and necessary accommodations to employees and applicants that otherwise may have been faced with discrimination, which was the principal goal of the legislation. The act has been instrumental in providing access to public programs and services that may have not been available to disabled Americans previous to the inception of the ADA. The ADA makes it possible for everyone to be treated as equals and prevents unethical discriminatory behaviors from being placed upon those individuals that suffer from disabilities.