Southwest airlines Comparative Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Southwest aircrafts Comparative Analysis - Essay Example s the clients pick expanding request, the organization likewise gets less grumblings contrasted with different carriers and this has made it to turn into a market chief in the aircraft business. There are anyway different elements that has prompted the accomplishment of South west aircrafts and they incorporate the association structure, association culture and authority, coming up next is an investigation of the company’s structure, culture and administration contrasted with its rivals. Association structures incorporate the level structures, tall structures, various leveled structure, concentrated and decentralized structures and each structure received has points of interest and inconvenience related. The organization is composed in a various leveled structure whereby top laborers incorporate the CEO and official VPs. (Hoffer, 29) The upside of this structure is that position and a duty are plainly characterized. Unmistakably characterized jobs help in lessening clashes in an association and furthermore help in improving efficiency and specialization. The other bit of leeway related with the progressive structure is that advancement ways are obviously characterized. This implies laborers are all around spurred to accomplish higher situations in the association, advancement depends on execution and along these lines top chiefs are very much aware of the tasks and exercises in their division. High efficiency is accomplished where laborer are inspired to improve execution which thusly prompts high benefit. (McCartney, 2007) Chiefs are had practical experience in the progressive structure, supervisors are advanced from non administrative situations in the association and furthermore from a similar division they work and subsequently they represent considerable authority similarly situated and this guarantees effectiveness in the organization. The other favorable position of this structure acknowledged by the Southwest aircraft is that laborers are progressively faithful to their divisions; the organization is isolated in a few divisions and these office help in improving efficiency of laborers through

The Victorian Age Essay -- History, French Revolution

The Victorian Age of Literature â€Å"It was the best of times; it was the most exceedingly awful of times†¦it was the spring of expectation, it was the winter of despair† (Dickens n. pag.). These words by Charles Dickens, one of the most well known scholars of the Victorian Period, were planned to show the associations between the French Revolution and the decay of Dickens’s own time, the Victorian Era (â€Å"About† n.pag.). Dickens needed to show how the patterns of his time were following a sad way that had just played out and not finished well in France. As per an article about this recorded period, the Victorian Era was â€Å"a time of progress, a period of extraordinary change, yet in addition a period of incredible literature† (â€Å"Victorian† n.pag.). The Victorian Period mirrors the extraordinary changes in the social, political, and conservative movements of the time. To begin with, some data is all together about the Victorian Period itself. Sovereign Victoria, England’s longest ruling ruler, sat on the seat from 1837 to 1901. The range of time is alluded to as the Victorian Period (Abrams 1860). At the demise of Queen Victoria, her subjects responded so that they defied a considerable lot of the thoughts set forward during her rule. Indeed, even her own nation perceived her life and rule as an unmistakable verifiable period isolated from the rest (Abrams 1861). Additionally in the Victorian Period, different occasions were going on that changed the manner in which numerous individuals pondered life. Among those progressions were propels in logical research, which made clash with scriptural convictions. With Darwin’s commitment of The Origin of the Species in 1859, which set off a logical upheaval, numerous Victorians lost confidence in the congregation. His speculations mixed uncertainty about where humankind truly began from, and the... ... the period carried with it a change to the individuals of England and the globe. On account of England’s thoughts of their dependably and rights to the remainder of the world, human progress as we probably am aware it could never be the equivalent. Much the same as this change affected England, the impacts of Queen Victoria’s managed molded the world as it is presently. One can't envision considerably less graph how various things would be on the off chance that it were not for Queen Victoria’s impact on worldwide economy, reasoning, science, topography, brain research, strict convictions, and so forth. On account of her and her help of change from the Industrial Revolution, even the most straightforward of things that individuals underestimate today would not exist like having the option to consider it daily following eight hours of work, extra time pay, sound and safe working conditions, and rights to protect themselves against out of line rehearses both in the working environment and out of it.

5 Ways to Get Your Student Loans Forgiven

5 Ways to Get Your Student Loans Forgiven As if going through college is not hard enough, graduation means there is another burden to be shouldered. This burden is that of repaying your student loans.With all the celebration that comes with graduation, you would think that life is about to get smoother. That you would look for a job and get one sooner than later.Earn a good income to sustain yourself and pay your bills, including debts like student loans.Unfortunately, things don’t always work as hoped for.You may go out there and find it a real struggle getting a job. What do you do? What happens when the 6-month grace period comes to an end?Pending bills can be a major issue, especially soon after college. And if you don’t get a job quickly, then stress starts building up. Source: Kemble FinancialLike many others, you may have been told that if you studied hard and passed your exams, you would get a good job.After that, you proceed to buy a home and raise a family.But if that good job doesn’t come along soon, all these can seem as nothing but wishes.But hope is not lost. At least not in repaying your loan.WHY SHOULD YOU SEEK LOAN FORGIVENESS?Today we’re telling you what you can do to reduce your student loan burden.Just like any other debt, these loans can weigh you down to the point of unmanageable stress.At that point, you may struggle to even make a good decision on a daily basis.There can be many reasons why your loan repayment is taking a toll on you.But whatever the reason, you need to deal with this debt.HOW TO GET YOUR STUDENT LOANS FORGIVENContrary to what many think, you don’t have to struggle with your loan if you can’t repay it. This does not mean that you should decide not to pay up what you borrowed.That would not be wise. It woul d deny many others an opportunity similar to the one you got.Imagine what would happen if all borrowers never paid back their loans.If you borrowed money to help you in your college years, the best thing to do is to pay back. This will help others borrow too.But in the event that you are unable to repay the loan, then there are ways of dealing with it. These are meant to help those who genuinely want to pay back but can’t.The reasons might be anything from unemployment to extremely low salaries.For this reason, various programs have been developed to help reduce your burden. We are going to look at 5 ways in which you could have your student loan forgiven.In some of these cases, you will have a certain amount forgiven so that your balance is greatly reduced. In other cases, you can get the full balance canceled.There are various options in the repayment of your student loan. The below video from Federal Student Aid has some helpful information about this. With that information, le t’s get into the loan forgiveness options.Alternative 1: JOIN THE MILITARYEver fancied being part of the marines? Maybe even the Navy Seals?A career in the military can be adventurous. It is also a sacrificial service as you put your life in the line for your country.But isn’t this a great way of serving your country?One things that gets embedded into the lives of service men and women is patriotism.These people are also always ready to serve.There are also many benefits of joining the military. And in the context of our discussion on student loans, this is another reason. Your career in the military can both pay for your college as well as repay your college loans.This happens under the Military College Loan Repayment Program (CLRP). This program has been designed to be an incentive for new recruits.And it’s an incentive that works very well. It can help you clear up to $65,000 worth of student loan debt.The different branches of the military have different payment terms and the amounts vary. The payments are made directly to the lender and start after you have completed one year in active duty.Eligible LoansIt is important for you to know that not all types of loans can be serviced by the CLRP.The below loans are the ones eligible for repayment:Stafford Student LoanAuxiliary Loan Assistance for Students (ALAS)Parents Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)Consolidated Loan ProgramFederally Insured Student Loans (FISL)Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS)Perkins LoanAs a hopeful for the loan repayment program, you still must have certain qualifications. Some are general, i.e. they cover all the service branches.Others however are more specific to particular branches.For those specific to particular branches of the military, you just have to confirm when seeking recruitment.Qualifications for CLRPHere is what you need for eligibility into the CLRP:Be a first-time recruit enlisting for at least 3 years of serviceMust have a qualifying specialtyMust have a score of at least 50 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)If enlisting in the Air Force or Navy, you must sign up for a minimum of 4 years. If enlisting in the National Guard, the minimum duration of service is 6 years.Alternative 2: GET AN INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT PLANAnother way to get your student loan forgiven is by applying for an Income-Driven Repayment plan. This is the method many Americans are using to repay their college loans.This plan is helpful because it takes into account your income. It ensures that the repayment of your loan will not be burdensome.In your repaying, you can at least remain with enough to live on. Considerations of your family size are made to ensure a comfortable repayment.The amounts to be paid every month are determined by the amount of discretionary income you have. Discretionary income is the amount of money you have that is above the federal poverty level.The best part of using the IDR plan is that you get to pay the lowest m onthly amounts possible. And since your payments are based on your earnings, they can be adjusted if your income levels change.At the same time, some drawbacks exist. There are two which are the biggest. One is the need to annually re-certify your income status and eligibility.This process helps determine the amounts to be paid over the next year.The other issue is that interests are usually accumulating when using this plan.As much as your monthly payments will be lower, there will be more payments in interests by the time you’re done with the loan.Types of PlansThe IDR plan is an umbrella term for four different plans. They all are based on your income levels but individually, they have slightly different terms.The percentages from your discretionary income is different and so is the repayment period.Here are the different Income-Driven Repayment plans with some details about them.1. Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment PlanThis plan has payments capped at 10% of your discretionary income. The repayment period is 20 years. This is also the loan forgiveness period. Any loan balance after this period is forgiven.2. Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) Repayment PlanThis repayment plan also has its payments capped at 10% of your discretionary income. The payment period differs depending on the purpose of the loan.If the loan was for an undergraduate study, the period is 20 years. If for a graduate or professional study, the repayment period is 25 years.3. Income-Based Repayment (IBR) PlanYour repayments in this plan depend on when you took the loan. Loans taken before July 1st 2014 have a payment of 15% maximum of your discretionary income. Your repayment period will be 25 years.If you took the loan on or after July 1st 2014, the payment is 10% maximum of your discretionary income. The payment period will be 20 years.4. Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) PlanWith ICR, your repayment amount is 20% of your discretionary income. The repayment period is 25 years.Eligible LoansNot all loans are eligible for the income-driven repayment plan. In some cases, loans may need to be consolidated in order to be eligible. Here are some of the loans you can repay through the IDR plans:Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loansDirect PLUS loans taken by graduate or professional studentsFederal Perkins Loans (if consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan)Direct Consolidation Loans which didn’t repay any PLUS loans taken by parentsA more comprehensive list of eligible loans can be found here. The kind of loan you have will determine the kind of plan you apply for.While some loans are not eligible in some plans, they are in others.Alternative 3: JOIN THE PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAMThe Public Service Loan Forgiveness program works a bit differently from the others.This is especially so considering that your loan balance could be forgiven after making 120 qualifying monthly payments. This means forgiveness after a repayment period of 10 years.The cave at however is that these repayment amounts have to be made under a qualifying repayment plan. This also has to be done while working full-time for a qualifying employer. You will notice that there are several terms in this description which need proper defining.Let’s look at these terms to ensure you understand how exactly the PSLF program works.Qualifying employer â€" a qualifying employer is basically one of three types. It may be a local, state or federal government agency or a not-for-profit organization which is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.There are other not-for-profit organizations which are not tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code though still qualify to be qualified employers.These are those which provide public services like public safety, early childhood education, public library services etc.Some of the employers who are not qualified employers include labor unions, for-profit organizations and partisan pol itical organizations.Qualifying payment â€" this is the due amount on your bill which is paid within 15 days of the due date. This payment is done while working full-time in a qualifying employment. The payment counts if it was made after October 1st 2007 under a qualifying repayment plan.If you are within the grace period or have applied for deferment or forbearance, you shouldn’t make payments.Such payments will not count as qualifying payments.For the payment to count, get the deferment or forbearance waived or let the grace period end.Note that the 120 qualifying monthly payments do not have to be consecutive. In cases of job loss, any payment done before a period of non-payment will not be lost.You can continue paying after you get another job or start working for another qualified employer.Full-time qualifying employment â€" this is either the definition of “full-time” as made by your employer or work which is at least 30 hours per week. Whichever of these two is greater , that is the full-time duration needed by PSLF.You might be working part-time for more than one qualifying employers at the same time.In this case, you could reach the full-time duration if the combined average time worked in the different employments total 30 hours per week.Time spent in some activities engaged by some not-for-profit organizations will not count towards full-time work.Time which is spent on religious instruction, worship services, or any form of proselytizing will not count as full-time work.Qualifying repayment plan â€" this is any of the repayment plans included in the Income-Driven Repayment plan. These have been discussed above.Eligible loansThe only loans eligible for PSLF are direct loans. If you have any other loans such as the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) or the Federal Perkins Loan, these are not eligible. Defaulted loans are also not eligible.To make the FFEL and Perkins loan eligible, you will have to consolidate them into a Direct Consolidation Loan.Below are the eligible loans for PSLF:Direct loansDirect consolidation loansDirect Stafford loansDirect PLUS loansNOTE: PSLF does not have a maximum amount to be forgiven. As long as you have made the required qualifying payments, you are good to go. These payments are also retroactive. If you have made 120 qualifying payments, then your loan can be forgiven right now.With PSLF, the forgiven amount is not taxable.Alternative 4: FILE FOR BANKRUPCYIf your situation is really bad and cannot afford to make any payment, you can file for bankruptcy. This process is not the easiest path to take.Filing for bankruptcy will lead you to the court where you’ll need to prove your inability to repay your loan.For the court to discharge your student loan, you’ll have to prove that repaying the loan will cause you an undue hardship.This means making your life and that of your dependents extremely difficult.Courts normally use what is referred to as the Brunner test to determine your eligi bility for a bankruptcy discharge. Through the test, it has to be proven that:Given your current financial situation, repaying the loan would make you and your dependents unable to have a minimal standard of livingThe current hardship situation will continue for a significant part of your loan repayment periodYou have put in the effort to try and repay the loanEven after filing for bankruptcy, it is not automatic that the court will discharge your loan.There are at least three possible determinations which the court may make. These are:The court may agree with you and fully discharge your loan. This means that you won’t have to make any repayments.The court may agree with you but decide that you can still pay some of the amount required. It will then determine the amount.Though agreeing with you on the difficulty in repaying the loan, the court might simply reject your request for discharge. In that case, it may require you to pay the loan under more favorable terms. These may inc lude lower interest rates and a longer repayment period.Alternative 5: PERKINS LOAN FORGIVENESSIf you have a Perkins loan, it can be canceled or discharged. Cancellation happens based on eligible employment or volunteer service. Discharge on the other hand, is only available under certain circumstances.For cancellations, the eligible employment and volunteer services include those working as:TeachersEarly childhood education providerFirefighterNurse or medical technicianSpeech pathologist holding a Master’s degree at Title I schoolVolunteers with AmeriCorps VISTA or Peace CorpsMost of the cancellations are 100% after 5 years of full-time working. For the AmeriCorps VISTA or Peace Corps volunteers, they get up to 70% canceled in 4 years.CONCLUSIONYou can pursue any of these avenues to get your student loan forgiven. If you’re fresh from college, this might be a good time to plan ahead.When you take one of these paths early enough, you know that not only are you working, but are a lso actively minimizing your debt burden.

Management of quality - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2772 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Introduction The success of organisations relies heavily on the management of quality (Zeithaml and Bitner, 2003 or 2006) NEED TO CHECK BEFORE PUTTING IN!! Managing customer care and service quality are fundamental for the achievement of any organisation (Ko and Pastore, 2004). Service suppliers that deliver a high level of service quality and customer care are more likely to achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction (Saravanan and Rao, 2007). As a result satisfied customers will be more encouraged to re-use the services; this will usually impact on the financial success of the organisation (Howat, et al., 1999). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Management of quality" essay for you Create order General principles of quality The fundamentals of the word quality presented in the work of Deming in the late 1980s create a basis for further study into the area. As a result, a number of definitions of quality have been proposed by researchers. Mills, (1992, p.2) stated that quality was the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy or implied needs. Further research into quality has indicated that a more useful definition has been defined as meeting the agreed requirements of the customer (Kelly, 2004, p.33). Both definitions of quality are connected to both goods and services with emphasis on the features of the product or alternatively focus on the customers needs and expectations (Chang and Chelladurai, 2000). Goods are defined as tangible; these are physical products that offer benefits to consumers, in contrast services are defined as intangible, and represent non-physical products (Shank, 2009, p.16). Services have five main characteristics that are unique to service markets; these are intangibility; perishability; inseparability; heterogeneity and lack of ownership (Kotler, 2005). Heterogeneity indicates that each service experience is likely to be different as factors such as the time and location change, also the interaction phase with customers differs (Kotler, 2005). To reduce the impact of heterogeneity, management must focus on the operating systems, procedures and staff training in order to ensure consistency (Brassington and Pettitt, 2007, p.465). Furthermore, the quality of staff is becoming increasingly essential in the public service industry, with managers indicating their expectations of staff in terms of their attitudes and competencies when delivering the service to cust omers (Swarbrooke, 2002; Brassington and Pettitt, 2007) Managing the quality of goods and services primarily involves benchmarking, this is the measurement of an aspect of an organisations performance against an internal or external target (Beech and Chadwick, 2004, p.256). Two other key terms associated with quality include quality assurance and quality control, Mills, (1992, p.3) states quality assurance provides adequate confidence that a product or service will satisfy given requirements of quality. In contrast (Dale, 2000) suggests that quality control aims to achieve and monitor service quality, by identifying and addressing quality problems. Researchers have recognised that there are several issues with the conceptualization and measurement of quality in relation to sport services, for example (Tsitskari, et al., 2006) suggests that there is a degree of uncertainty and disagreement regarding parts of the criteria including the conceptual model of quality. Previous literature (such as Ko and Pastore, 2004; Tsitskari, et al., 2006) have focused on the concept of service quality and acknowledged that there are several definitions of service quality. However (Parasuraman, et al., 1988, p.2) defined service quality as an appropriate approach for assessing the quality of a firms service is to measure consumers perceptions of quality. In other words service quality is the comparison of consumer expectations with the actual service performance (Parasuraman, et al., 1988). The concept of service quality is based upon the customers perception of the characteristics and delivery of services (Ko and Pastore, 2004). Further research by Zeithaml and Bitner, (2006) suggests that the concept of service quality is a significant issue, as service quality perceptions are related to customer satisfaction and customer retention. Other researchers such as (Kim and Kim, 1995) have had varied perceptions on the measurement of service quality. However the main use of measuring service quality has been through the instrument, SERVQUAL, a 22 item scale founded by Parasuraman, et al., (1988). Recent research by (Tsitskari, et al., 2006) indicates that the majority of researchers accept that the 22 items in SERVQUAL are sufficient indictors for the overall measurement of service quality. However a study by Murray and Howat (2002) demonstrates that there is a lack of agreement on the exact nature of service quality dimensions. For example, (Parasuraman, et al., 1988) formed five dimensions of service quality: responsiveness, assurance, tangibles, empathy and reliability, through using the SERVQUAL scale, mainly focusing on the human aspects of service delivery. However (Chang and Chelladurai, 2000) suggest the variability in dimensional structure can be modified and tailored for specific industries. For example, Howat, et al., (1999), used only three dimensions for 17 service quality attributes in their study of 30 Australian sports and leisure centres. The three dimensions used in the study were (a) core service, which included a range of activities with programme information, (b) personnel service, which included the quality, knowledge and responsiveness of staff, (c) peripheral service including secondary services including services for food and drink. The observations suggest that a comprehensive conceptual model needs to be developed for a better understanding of the nature and meaning of service qual ity (Ko and Pastore, 2004). Robinson, (2004) identified three frameworks for managing quality, these are: total quality management (TQM), the EFQM Excellence Model and Quest, as all these frameworks emphasise performance management and continuous improvement. Firstly TQM is a framework for quality management and is a process from top to bottom, bottom to top, which involves every person in an organisation, in order to ensure customer satisfaction at every stage (Torkildsen, 2005, p.382). The three main principles of TQM are customer focus, continuous improvement and teamwork (De Knop, et al., 2004). The EFQM Excellence Model is the most widely used organisational framework in Europe while becoming increasingly popular in the sport industry as it created the basis for QUEST (Robinson, 2004). The key principles of the model include results orientation; customer focus; leadership and constancy of purpose; management by processes and facts; people development and involvement; continuous learning; innovation and improvement; partnership development; and corporate social responsibility (Beech and Chadwick, 2004, p.257). Quest is a sport and leisure specific quality framework, and is a tool for continuous improvement; Quest also defines industry standards and good practice and encourages high quality delivery to customers. (Quest, 2009) Two models are associated with Quest, one model focuses on the management of leisure facilities and the other focuses on sport development, (Quest, 2009). Quest is funded by a wide range of organisations with the majority of the support coming from the four home country Sports Councils (Torkildsen, 2005). The Quest scheme for facility management identifies four essential sections; these include facilities operation, customer relations, staffing and service development and improvement, all of which are examples of best practice in the leisure industry (Wood, 1997). Organisations have recognised the importance of the quality programme of ISO 9002. This quality programme ensures that the operations of the service are displayed through a consistent approach, recognising that customers can expect the service to be similar from day to day and between service deliverers (Robinson, 2004). Literature has demonstrated that there are many challenges and issues for managing quality in the public sector industry. For instance, Doherty, et al, (2002) suggests that that external issues for concern include, increasing complaints about the declining level of quality in areas such as transport, education and health. In contrast, (Doherty, et al, 2002) also recognises internal challenges for organisations, with the current growth of internal assessments, and issues around quality and value for money. Beech and Chadwick, (2004) identify specific challenges for managers managing quality in the public sector; these primarily include recognising and acknowledging their main customer groups and then managing these customers experiences by improving the service delivery through performance measures. However, managers who dont prioritise their customer groups will run the risk of delivering services that do not meet any expectations of quality (Robinson, 2004, p.141). Additionally it is important for managers in the sport industry to understand and identify participation motives and customers problems because this determines not only the level of service quality, but also the level of customer satisfaction (Ko and Pastore, 2004, p.162). An earlier study by Schvaneveldt, et al., (1991) indicated that three key factors affected the delivery of service quality in sport organisations. The three factors were associated to the core service, the physical context and most importantly the interpersonal interactions in the performance of the service. These observations have major implications on customer care as the quality of the encounter is an essential element in the overall impression of the quality of service experienced by the customer (Dale, 2000). In addition, Swarbrooke, (2002) suggested that observing quality in public services primarily focused on issues such as the cost of the service and perception on value for money from the service. There are a number of issues and challenges associated to managing quality in the public sport sector. For example MacVicar and Ogden, (2001) suggests that managers in the public sport sector are more inclined to use peripheral workers due to the competitive environment and budget pressures. Peripheral workers are primarily on non-standard contracts and carry out services and duties that are delivered to customers. The challenge managers face is that they have to develop strategies to motivate an insecure, low commitment workforce to ensure good customer care is provided. (MacVicar and Ogden, 2001, p.129) Another issue in managing quality in the public sport sector industry is that expectations are either so unrealistic that it is not possible to deliver services of such a high standard, or it is financially very costly to do so, given the levels of resource constraint (Robinson, 2004, p.178). Recent research by (Alexandris, 2008) demonstrated the importance of identifying performance indicators in order to test the success of the managers strategies, and goals and reflect on the quality delivered to customers. Research by (Lentell, 2000, p.2) has indicated that customer satisfaction in sport services can be affected by factors such as the robustness of the bookings system, the promptness of the service delivery, and the way customers are treated by staff, or by the cleanliness of the service outlet. However recent research by (Tsuji, et al., 2007) suggests that managers should continuously develop and adopt procedures to understand, evaluate, and improve on the quality of services provided to their consumers in-order to improve customer care. The current state of golf, is that it is a $60 billion industry, with 30,730 courses worldwide and over 57 million golfers.(Golf Research Group, 2009 ) The Royal Ancient (RA) is golfs governing body, it operates with 136 organisations from the amateur and professional game and on behalf of over thirty million golfers in 123 countries (R A, 2009). The R A identify that the implementation of best practice throughout a golf club can be demonstrated firstly through ensuring that the management structure is capable of setting policy objectives which maintain and improve the quality of the golfing facility (R A, 2009). In addition the RA, recognise the importance of monitoring and reviewing the policy objectives as well as focusing on the efficient and effectiveness of service delivery to customers (RA, 2009) The governing body of male amateur golf in England is the English Golf Union, looking after the interests of over 1,800 golf clubs and 740,000 club members (English Golf Union, 2009). The governing body specifically addresses the management of quality at golf clubs in England. Providing assistance and support, in specific areas such as club adminstration, golf course management, as well as assisting staff in the day-to-day operations of the golf club and course (English Golf Union, 2009). The majority of research on the management of quality in golf has come from the US golf industry. For example a US golf study on managing perceived quality has indicated that golf club managers that modify the price of green fees depending on the time of day, time of booking or condition of play may impact customer satisfaction (Kimes and Wirtz, 2003). A further American study investigated how golfers choose a golf course. The findings indicate that American golfers are most influenced by the cost of green fees, followed by the quality of course conditions, availability of tee times, and lastly the location of golf course (Richard and Fairclough, 1994). However recent research by (Won, et al., 2009) suggests that committed golfers care more about the core elements such as the quality of course conditions rather than the cost of green fees. The research suggests that golf club managers that are providing a quality service primarily need to improve the core elements such as course main tenance as well as operating the golf facility (Won, et al., 2009). Other research surrounding the management of quality in golf has come from Korea, and Australia. For example a Korean study based on service quality and customer satisfaction suggested that managers of private golf clubs that focus on providing and improving service quality to customers can impact the profitability of golf clubs (Kim and Lough, 2007). Furthermore a study from the Australian golf industry identified twenty one service attributes. These attributes measured the perceptions of the golf facilities performance against the golfers expectations of the facility. The study specifically researched into areas such as the appearance of the facilities, course quality, staff responsiveness, customer behaviour, etiquette and value for money (Crilley, et al, 2002, p.374) Further research into issues in managing quality in the context of golf, has reflected that an increasing number of American golf courses are being built annually, while the number of golfers in America remains stagnant (Petrick, et al., 2001). As a result it is important that golf club managers identify the factors which attract and retain golfers. The findings also recognise that by understanding golfers experiences, this will enhance the facility operations, leading to a higher quality of service delivery (Petrick, et al., 2001). According to a report by the golf research group, (2002) based on UK golf courses this found that since the beginning of 1990, 603 new golf facilities have been built. This increase was initiated by the report called The Demand for Golf created by the RA. However from 2000, the growth of new golf facilities has been limited and only 10 new golf facilities were opened from 2000 to 2002, due to financial constraints and the lack of demand in the golf industry. (Golf Research Report, year) The current recession has affected the golf industry, according to a report from the English Golf Union they have found that memberships are declining in many golf clubs in the UK. Also the majority of golf clubs in the UK are not implementing joining fees in-order to attract new golfers (Mintel, 2009). In the UK, in 2008 there were 1.225 million members of golf clubs, and there are 2,630 golf courses, 72% of these golf courses are located in England (Mintel, 2009). According to a study by Mort and Collins (2001) they highlighted that 11% of golf courses totalling 210 in England, are classified as municipal golf courses, and stated that the objective of municipal golf courses is to maintain low green fees and attract the local population. Mowsbury Golf Club in Bedfordshire is a municipal golf course and is run by the local authority. According to a report by the Golf Research Group, (year) on municipal golf courses in 2002, there has been a substantial decrease in the number of rounds played per year especially between the years of 1995-2001. For example in 1995 around 45,000 rounds were played, however by 2001 only 35,000 rounds were played on the municipal courses, reflecting a huge decrease of 10,000 rounds played. Over the 6 year period this was a 23% reduction in UK municipal rounds in the UK. (Golf Research Report, year) Literature has acknowledged that there are a limited number of UK studies that have focused on service quality and customer care at golf clubs. However one study focused on the management of quality at municipal golf courses and highlighted Best Value. Stevens and Green, (2002) indicate that Best Value primarily focuses on local authorities, ensuring that the quality and cost of services meet the needs of the local population, and that the efficiency and quality of services continually improve. The study indicated that the introduction of Best Value has contributed to an improvement in the operations of municipal golf courses, primarily through the process of benchmarking with the objective of improving service quality (Mort and Collins, 2001). The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of service quality and customer care as perceived by members and non-members at Mowsbury Golf Club, Bedfordshire. The rationale for the study recognises that previous research reflects that are a limited number of UK studies on the customer care and service quality at golf clubs. Also previous researchers such as (Tsitskari, et al., 2006) have reflected the importance of service quality to the mission of sport and emphasises that further research towards service quality should be a primary concern. References https://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=394687/display/id=448545?select_section=448543

Analyzing Mary Olivers Poem Wild Geese - 633 Words

Poetry is a powerful way that we can experience language, make connections that are not always apparent, as well as discoveries about ourselves, our emotions, and out connections with the world. Mary Olivers poem, Wild Geese, for instance, speaks directly to the reader with encouragement, wonder, and hope. It does not rhyme in the conventional sense, and is more prose oriented. But, using the allusion of wild geese, soaring high above the basic cares of the world, we can completely understand Olivers view that all things are possible. Too, the poem is quite musical in its rhythm: You do not have to be good da dadadada da You do not have to walk da dadadada da, etc. You only have to let Meanwhile the world goes on Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles Meanwhile the wild geese Metaphors are another powerful theme in the poem, and while not too difficult to imagine, they nevertheless allow us to feel and visualize the universe as expressed by Oliver: The soft animal of your body Two things come to mind here; the idea that an animal is soft and protective, and the idea that there is an animal part of our bodies that is gentle, kind, and willing to express itself. Sun and pebbles move across the landscapes While we intellectually know that there is a process of nature that forms the environment, the idea of calmly having these processes envisioned expresses purpose, calmness, and the cycle of life The wild geese, high in the clean blue air The image

Shooting Dad Free Essays

Jurgen Bolanos Professor Brewer English 107 Feb. 18 2011 We’re not so different you and I In Sarah Vowell‘s essay â€Å"Shooting Dad† she talks about her relationship with her dad. She goes far to explain how she differs from her father. We will write a custom essay sample on Shooting Dad or any similar topic only for you Order Now She explains her tug-of-war battle with her father. In the end of the essay she expresses her great love for her father and it shows how happy she is that she shares a common feeling. They share a great sense of passion and pride. She begins the essay by showing the open gap between her and her father. She explains her relationship as â€Å"You could have looked at the Democratic campaign poster in the upstairs window and the Republican one in the downstairs window and seen our home for the Civil War battleground it was† (Vowell 433). I feel that in her description, her and her father both were very stubborn and wanted the other to view their personal way of living as right. Sarah’s father called her in mocking joyful tones when a republican won an election, and she pasted a left wing newspaper clipping on the refrigerator door because she knew he would see it. Another way of setting herself apart from her father was the numerous times when she explained discomfort in her home. â€Å"I had to move revolvers out of my way to make room for a bowl of Rice Krispies on the kitchen table† (Vowell 434). Vowell then contrast her discomfort with the lonely island she has made out of her room. She not only separates herself from her dad but also her twin sister who is just as passionate about guns as her father. She feels like her twin is in an alliance with her father and against her. Amy shared our father’s enthusiasm for firearms and the quick-draw cowboy mythology surrounding them† (Vowell 435). Sarah realizes she may now be able to build a relationship with her father when she hears about his new cannon. She asks him if she may go shoot his new cannon with him. This is like a breath of fresh air to her and a great surprise to her father. â€Å"He was immediately suspicious† (Vowell 438). Even when she was trying out a new thing with her father she seemed a bit cautious because she was trying to justify her motives to the reader. Although Sarah starts to admit she likes her new experience, Sarah’s view of guns as negative still exists. She puts in her essay an explanation of why her father’s cannon are different by using the analogy of someone trying to rob a liquor store. â€Å"try to rob a convenience store with this 110-pound Saturday night special, you’d still be dragging it in the door Sunday afternoon† (Vowell 439). She tries to assimilate her love for loud, head banging music to the sound of the cannon when it is shot. Towards the end of the essay the rhythm slows down as she begins to talk about her fathers wishes when he dies. She feels kind of honored to know that her father will be shot out of the cannon they both shot together. In her last paragraph she shows that honor by starting just about every sentence with â€Å"I. † Sarah says, â€Å"I will have my father’s body burned into ashes. I will pack these ashes into paper bags. I will go to the mountains†¦I will plunge his remains into the barrel and point it into a hill†¦I will light the fuse. But I will not cover my ears†¦ I think she also uses the repetition of me to show ownership, because they way her father wants his body to be treated are from an experience they shared. This was an awesome essay that began with the clashing of two stubborn people. Sarah then learned that all her life she had believed that her and her father was complete opposites but went she first shot the cannon with her father all that changed. She ends the essay with a new found relationship with her father and knowing they are one in the same. How to cite Shooting Dad, Essay examples

Management information systems

Introduction A management information system (MIS) is a business tool that integrates technology, information, and people. It differs from other types of information systems in that it can be used to evaluate an organization’s operational activities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management information systems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An MIS is tailored to be used alongside human decision-making. There are different types of management information system notably Transaction processing system (TPS), Management information system (MIS), Decision support system (DSS), Expert System (ES), and Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP). This essay seeks to compare these five different types of management information system in terms of their functions and importance. Transaction Processing System Functions and Importance A Transaction Processing System (TPS) is a type of information system that collect s, stores, retrieves, and modifies data transaction procedures in an organization. In this process, transaction passes through an AICD test where data is generated or modified before it is stored in the information system. Transaction processing systems serve three functional areas: system routine functions, system administration functions, and application development functions. System routine functions entail the provision of an execution environment where integrity, availability, and security of data are enhanced. It also guarantees fast response time and high transaction throughout the process. The system administrative functions of the transaction processing system include provision of administrative support that enables users to configure, monitor, and manage their transaction systems. Application development functions encapsulate the provision of functions for use in custom business applications like access to data, intercomputer communications, and design and management of us er interface. Transaction processing systems help in scheduling and loading by controlling the rate and order at which processing of tasks take place. High priority is given to tasks with the best response times and with respect to the availability of application servers and other system resources. A TPS is vital in managing the system resources as it maintains a pool of operating resources that are used in transaction processing, application program loading, and acquiring and releasing storage.Advertising Looking for essay on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A transaction processing system helps in monitoring the progress of tasks and can suspend tasks waiting for input while also adjusting task priorities. It ultimately resolves any problem encountered during processing. TPS also help in managing data. It obtains data to be used in performance of tasks, coordinates resource managers, locks the data for update, and records logging changes. This IS tool manages communication by monitoring communication with users and servers, ensuring that communication sessions are initiated appropriately and manages data handling and conversion processes. Finally, it routes data to the intended destination (Weikum and Vossen, 2002, pp. 67). TPS aids time management efforts as it manages transaction processing in relation to the passage of time. It ensures that tasks are started at predefined times. The dates and time when events started are logged onto disk. In general, A TPS controls part of business system to provide a certain degree of automation to otherwise manual processes. Diagram of TPS System Management information system functions and importance A management information system is very pivotal in effective and efficient management of organizations. It makes use of technology, information, and people as its primary resources. It is often used in analysis of operational activities within an organization and serves myriad functions within an organization. For MIS to effectively serve its functions, people with both software and hardware installation skills have to be engaged. Employees within the organization must also have people skills. The MIS systems can be used in controlling tax and finance within an organization (O’Brien, 1999, pp. 12).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management information systems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Management information system functions can be classified into help desk, support team, service and support, training, networking, purchasing, installations, research and development, operations, planning, and budget. At the help desk MIS can be used to aid in solving problems. Calls that stream to the help desk telephone can be entered into database where they can be quickly retrieved and updated. At the support team level, an MIS helps teams assigned to different department s and projects to offer their ongoing knowledge and progress in areas where they operate in an improved manner. MIS can also be used by service and support teams like those engaged in hardware repair, software support, and warranty services to provide onsite services. The support team will be capable of providing phone support within an organization thereby acting like liaisons between the department head and other support teams. With MIS, employees can be trained on computer basics, office productivity software, and use of specialized software in every department. MIS can be used in networking an entire organization. It can be used in designing both local and wide area network, their implementation and support. It can also be used in enhancing server support, backing up, and anti-virus server support. MIS can also be used in Ethernet and fiber optic support. With regard to purchasing, MIS can aid in specifying the specifications ofb hardware and software systems to be purchased the reby maintaining standards for purchases. It assists in maintenance of fixed assets and grant proposals. With regard to research and development, MIS helps in review of current trends in the industry. After the review, an organization can opt to introduce new technology while evaluating new systems. With MIS, an organization is capable of doing light data entry and modifications. It can also aid in budgeting and planning where a relationship is maintained between different departments within an organization with respect to areas they deem as priority areas. Planning can be done for long and short-term projects.Advertising Looking for essay on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Functions and importance of DSS Decision support systems (DSS), similar to other ISs, aid managers in their day-to-day decision making processes without requiring the presence of computer experts (Laudon Laudon, 1991, pp. 122). DSSs transform data in such a way that they become useful and quality decisions can be made from them. DSS serves three main functions: information management, data quantification, and model manipulation. With respect to information management, information is stored, retrieved, and reported in a structured format that is convenient for the user. In the perspective of data quantification, large amount of information is condensed and manipulated analytically into core indicators that reflect the essence of the data. Model manipulation implies construction and resolution of different scenarios to respond to what if questions. Modules are formulated, alternatives generated, and solutions to proposed models arrived at. It is incumbent that owners of established e nterprises become certain that businesses need DSS before buying computer systems and software to initiate it. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) functions ERP solutions are used by organizations to streamline and integrate operation processes and flow of information. This procedure helps in synergizing the organization’s resources like men, material, money, and machine through information. ERP was initially recommended for larger enterprises such as multinational companies due to the costs incurred in its implementation. However, non-multinational companies have so far gone ahead and implemented its usage so that they have competitive advantage over their competitors. Some of the notable functions of ERP include helping improve information access throughout an organization. The system helps in routine business processes like tax structures, invoicing systems, and provides a cohesive clientele database that can be accessed by all departments within the organization. With resp ect to improved business processes, an enterprise can have a competitive advantage over its competitors when it integrates ERP. With the implementation of an ERP system, the use of paper records becomes limited because of availability of online formats where data can be stored and retrieved easily. It facilitates better monitoring and faster resolution of queries (Sheilds, 2001, pp.9). Functions of Expert Systems Expert systems are computer applications that integrate computer equipment, software, and specialized information to imitate expert human reasoning and advice. An ES system provides discipline specific advice to their users. Their usage is restricted to commercial and industrial setups. It has a searching program known as an inference engine which contains all systematic processing rules and logic associated with them. It also consists of a knowledge database that stores necessary factual, procedural, and experiential information that represents expert knowledge (Turban and Jay, 1998, pp. 51). Through knowledge transfer, expertise is normally passed from human to knowledge engineer who creates and structures the knowledge database through completion of logical, physical, and psychological tasks. This is why expert systems are fondly referred to as knowledge based information systems. Human expertise is widely distributed through the expert system thereby making businesses to realize the benefits of consistency, accuracy, and reliability as pertains problem solving. Reference List Laudon, K.C., and Laudon, J.P. (1991). Management Information Systems: A  Contemporary Perspective. New York: Macmillan. O’Brien, J. (1999). Management Information Systems – Managing Information  Technology in the Internetworked Enterprise. Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Sheilds, M.G. (2001). E-Business and ERP: Rapid Implementation and Project  Planning. London: John Wiley and Sons. Turban, E., and Jay, E. A. (1998). Decision Support Systems and Intelligent S ystems.  Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Weikum, G., and Vossen, G. (2002). Transactional information systems: theory,  algorithms, and the practice of concurrency control and recovery, New York: Morgan Kaufmann. This essay on Management information systems was written and submitted by user Jazmin Lott to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Management Information Systems