African American and Obama Essay

In â€Å"A More Perfect Union’†, a discourse given by Barack Obama, there are different issues tended to, with race being the greatest of all. In Obama’s discourse, his fundamental center is the issue of bigotry, and he addresses the instances of prejudice today and how we should adapt to these issues. Obama utilizes different tones and encounters in the two his life and the lives of others also, to depict his musings regarding the matter. Clearly in a discourse about bigotry given by an African American man, there will be blended reactions depicted by the crowd, and I think those blended responses are actually what was happening in the crowd. As being a piece of that crowd, I think Obama made an excellent showing of indicating how prejudice is as yet present today, towards African Americans, however every other race too. In â€Å"A More Perfect Union†, Obama not just discussions about the traditional kinds of prejudice comprising of whites and blacks, yet in addition that of the various ethnicities we have in this nation. Because of doing this Obama presents every one of these issues reasonably and unprejudiced, without focusing a lot on which type of prejudice concerns him the most, which would be bigotry towards African Americans. He puts forth a defense that there is additionally bigotry towards Caucasian Americans, which isn't generally thought of when managing bias among gatherings of ethnicities. By doing this, Obama truly shows that he is introducing his interests similarly, and is no chance one-sided towards a specific gathering or race in his discourse. Obama discusses various kinds of encounters of prejudice in his life that numerous other youthful African American men and lady may have additionally experienced. What's more, since he has such a rich social family, with various ethnicities, he makes his life relatable to pretty much every race in America. The focuses he utilizes in his discourse are both sensible and proper towards the crowd that he is tending to, which are the voters of America. Obama had an extremely admirable sentiment which I think interested numerous individuals, when he talked about his family circumstance. He clarified his family foundation and all the various ethnicities that were entwined inside his family tree, including his white grandma. Much the same as some other grandson, he cherished his grandma and she adored him regardless of what her perspectives on prejudice were. By introducing this foundation Obama clarified that race was no limit when it came to family life, so for what reason could this not be the situation between partners in consistently life. I think this account of his grandma is one of the most crucial focuses in the discourse. Most everybody in the crowd can relate in light of the fact that for the most part everybody in the crowd would presumably of had a grandma that they adored as Obama did. Out of everybody in the crowd who had a grandma, I would nearly ensure they would adore the equivalent regardless of whether they were an alternate shading or race, which is the point Obama is attempting to make here. While Obama was giving this discourse he had an extremely particular tone, which I believe was made known to each and every individual who had heard it. Tuning in to the discourse, I couldn’t help yet think about his tone as tragic and baffled. Likewise I think obviously Obama was baffled when it went to his sentiments with respect to his own one of a kind Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and as it should be. When discussing dynamic bigotry going on in a nation like America today, there ought to be no sentiments other than nauseate and disillusionment. I accept that it didn’t take long for the crowd to get on Obama’s tone for the discourse, and from now on this tone set up for the remainder of the discourse. Obama utilized his tone for his potential benefit when talking and, truly helped him give an increasingly enthusiastic discourse when conversing with his crowd. Obama utilized different various tones and models when giving his discourse to the American individuals. The explanation he did this, was to attempt to interface with all the various kinds of crowds he was tending to. Clearly he was tending to the American individuals, yet there are many sub bunches inside the American individuals. Obama tried to discuss bigotry toward African Americans, just as different ethnicities, including Caucasian, to take out any inclination there was when giving the discourse as an African American male. Doing this was significant when giving this discourse, in such a case that all the diverse various crowds weren’t tended to, it would naturally be accepted that this African American man, was talking towards his race just, and along these lines isn’t considering the remainder of the American individuals. On the off chance that the crowd would of responded to this discourse, I would accept they would feel that Obama isn't just an unfit possibility for president, however an ethically tested American also. Obama’s â€Å"A More Perfect Union Speech†, was a discourse, however a message to the entirety of the American individuals that we won't capitulate to prejudice today, as we had before. By tending to America along these lines, I think he increased a great deal of regard from individuals that in any case wouldn’t have even thought about deciding in favor of him in his presidential crusade. In his discourse he raises numerous worries that we had as a nation, and I imagine that he tended to those worries as well as possible of. Obama introduced a great deal of admirable sentiments, and appeared to America that he had numerous smart encounters that certified him to be an effective innovator in a nation, for example, the United States. â€Å"A More Perfect Union†, truly set up for the new development against prejudice, by giving this discourse Obama changed the perspective on numerous Americans’ regarding the matter of bigotry, and I feel that is actually what Americans expected to figure it out.

Free Essays on Indian Removal And Andrew Jackson

The constitution of the United States peruses; â€Å"We hold these facts to act naturally apparent, that all men are made equivalent, that they are blessed by their maker with certain unavoidable rights that among these are life, freedom and the quest for happiness.† In the mid 1800’s, there existed a profound division among the nation’s white populace in regards to Native Americans. In their dealings with Native Americans, the primary white pilgrims received arrangements that were framed by their own European perspective and experience. At the point when the United States turned into a country, the new government was based on this European establishment. Afterward, the United States changed its Native American arrangement through changing viewpoints and requirements. The developing avaricious white populace hungry for new land and riches started to an infringe on Native American area. In the long run the Native Americans were thought of as useless boorish savage s by those west of the Appalachians and redeemable savages by eastern altruists and philanthropic people. To the white pioneers in the trans-Appalachian wilderness that ran from the mid-west toward the southern states, Indians were viewed as a danger that must be smothered. Devotees to Native American change were generally from the mechanical and business focuses in the Northeast where just a couple of Indians lived. President Andrew Jackson didn't fall into this last classification. He was a dedicated Indian contender who might inevitably evacuate everything except a couple of Indians from the southeast and move them to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma). The time of Andrew Jackson was loaded with logical inconsistency and oddity. Jackson brought the United States its first full taste of genuine majority rule government. A defender of individual rights, he made the government more remarkable than any other time in recent memory. He was additionally disparaged as â€Å"King Andrew† a despot, as a result of his evacuation strategy towards the Indians and his unforgiving treatment of some southern slave states when they compromised ... Free Essays on Indian Removal And Andrew Jackson Free Essays on Indian Removal And Andrew Jackson The constitution of the United States peruses; â€Å"We hold these realities to act naturally obvious, that all men are made equivalent, that they are invested by their maker with certain basic rights that among these are life, freedom and the quest for happiness.† In the mid 1800’s, there existed a profound division among the nation’s white populace in regards to Native Americans. In their dealings with Native Americans, the principal white pioneers received approaches that were framed by their own European perspective and experience. At the point when the United States turned into a country, the new government was based on this European establishment. Afterward, the United States changed its Native American strategy through changing viewpoints and requirements. The developing insatiable white populace hungry for new land and riches started to an infringe on Native American area. In the long run the Native Americans were thought of as useless graceless savages b y those west of the Appalachians and redeemable savages by eastern donors and compassionate people. To the white pioneers in the trans-Appalachian boondocks that ran from the mid-west toward the southern states, Indians were viewed as a danger that must be smothered. Adherents to Native American change were to a great extent from the modern and business focuses in the Northeast where just a couple of Indians lived. President Andrew Jackson didn't fall into this last class. He was a given Indian warrior who might inevitably evacuate everything except a couple of Indians from the southeast and move them to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma). The period of Andrew Jackson was loaded with logical inconsistency and conundrum. Jackson brought the United States its first full taste of genuine majority rule government. A defender of individual rights, he made the government more remarkable than any other time in recent memory. He was additionally disparaged as â€Å"King Andrew† a dictator, in view of his expulsion arrangement towards the Indians and his unforgiving treatment of some southern slave states when they compromised ...

Reading For Every Type of Self-Care

Reading For Every Type of Self-Care Let’s get something out of the way before I start:   I think the concept of “self-care” has been hopelessly diluted from its original meaning. What was once a term used to describe the necessity of activists taking the time to recharge and refocus before returning to the fray has become a way for lifestyle blogs to sell $65 candles. I think for those of us that suffer from mental illness, or do a lot of political thinking and organizing, on top of full-time jobs or kids or other responsibilities, self-care can be an incredibly important tool and can even feel revolutionary. I advocate for it. Actually, I advocate for taking care of oneself all the timeâ€"I just don’t believe it’s always a feminist act. With that disclaimer, I want to further position this article by saying that it has been an unbelievably horrible couple of weeks. I don’t need to rehash current events here. And it would be downright ridiculous to equate my own stressâ€"from my Manhattan apartment, scrolling through Twitterâ€"with the suffering of those more directly affected by what is happening in our country. I think there is a balance to be struck between Tina Fey’s cringeworthy edict to hole up and eat sheet cake and wearing yourself thin trying to address every single repulsive event immediately. I think most of us at Book Riot would consider reading a kind of ultimate self-care, because it has the power to both educate and comfort, to be a quiet pastime with the power to amplify any number of voices. I think when we feel lost, or stagnant, sometimes the action that feels the most manageable is to pick up a book. In that spirit, I’ve put together some books ranging from “generally soothing” to “re-invigorating” that I’ll most likely be turning to in the coming weeks. If you’re seeking, to borrow another book’s phrase, some chicken soup for the soul, I would highly recommend Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things , a compilation of her Dear Sugar advice columns. I’m the kind of person who has always enjoyed reading advice columns, even when (especially when?) the query has nothing to do with my own personal problems. It makes me feel a little better about the world to know that people are so willing to make themselves vulnerable to strangers. Strayed’s advice is always lovingly and thoughtfully given, without shying away from the complexity of the questions she’s asked. (I also recommend the Dear Sugar podcast, which has the ambience of a late-night radio show playing Josh Groban songs. It helps me sleep.) For a more personal narrative, Zadie Smith’s book of essays Changing My Mind is the best (shocker: Hannah recommends a Zadie Smith book!). Her thoughts on other books, movies, and her own life feel like you’re having a deep conversation with your smartest friend over coffee. Her essay about Katharine Hepburn single-handedly birthed my obsession with Hepburn, whose movies are among my favorites of all time. This book might gently nudge you towards looking more critically at the media you consume, but for me, it always prompts me to meditate on the good things. Moving along. I’ve been trying to read more authors of color, especially women, and now is a good time for it: there are brilliant new novels by WoC popping up everywhere. Earlier this month, I devoured The Mothers by Brit Bennett in about two days, which was funny and touching, managing somehow to be both atmospheric and matter-of-fact. I’m also currently in the middle of Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo, which tells the story of a Nigerian woman whose husband takes a second wife after she fails to conceive. Stay With Me reads like the best, most enduring epic, and all day I think about when I’ll be able to get home and keep reading. I’m including both of these books because I think that when turning to books for self-care, an easy way to give that action a little bit more of an impact is to support the work of authors of color and stories about people of color. It helps to decenter the notion that these books are somehow special-interest. Finally, if you are ready to read something that will rile you up, an excellent choice would be James Baldwin’s I Am Not Your Negro. This book is challenging, devastating, and overall a brilliant collection of Baldwins writings. There’s also Angela Davis’s classic text Women, Race, and Class, which tends to hold up despite its slight dated-ness. And for good measure, I’d also add in Susan Sontag’s exhaustive discussion of empathy in Regarding the Pain of Others, which is specifically about art and photography but I think remains unbelievably relevant in the age of social media. And, when it comes out, I have no doubt Ta-Nehisi Coates’ We Were Eight Years in Power could serve as the crown jewel of this section. Reading doesn’t have to be passive, and, in my opinion, in hard times it can only help.

Simplex Method Example - 1545 Words

Simplex Method — more examples with standard problems COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B. PAGE Farmer problem (once again) A farmer has a 320 acre farm on which she plants two crops: corn and soybeans. For each acre of corn planted, her expenses are $50 and for each acre of soybeans planted, her expenses are $100. Each acre of corn requires 100 bushels of storage and yields a profit of $60; each acre of soybeans requires 40 bushels of storage and yields a profit of $90. If the total amount of storage space available is 19,200 bushels and the farmer has only $20,000 on hand, how many acres of each crop should she plant in order to maximize her profit? What will her profit be if she follows this strategy? COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B.†¦show more content†¦How many houses of each type should he construct in order to maximize his profit? COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B. PAGE Planning Subdivision x = # townhouses y = # single story z = # 2-story COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B. PAGE Planning Subdivision x = # townhouses y = # single story z = # 2-story 1/6 x + 1/4 y + 1/2 z ! 60 40x + 50y + 60z ! 2880 25x + 30y + 40z ! 2400 Maximize: P = 15x + 18y + 20z (in thousands of $) COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B. PAGE 1/6 x + 1/4 y + 1/2 z ! 60 40x + 50y + 60z ! 2880 25x + 30y + 40z ! 2400 1/6 x + 1/4 y + 1/2 z + u = 60 40x + 50y + 60z + v = 2880 25x + 30y + 40z + w = 2400 –15x – 18y – 20z + P = 0 COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B. PAGE x ! 1 # # 6 # # 40 # # 25 # # -15 y 1 4 50 30 -18 z 1 2 60 40 -20 u v w P 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 $ 60 2880 2400 % 0 Find the first pivot element. COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B. PAGE x ! 1 # # 6 # # 40 # # 25 # # -15 y 1 4 50 30 -18 z 1 2 60 40 -20 u v w P 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 $ 60 2880 2400 % 0 Here is the first pivot element. What is the first row operation? COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B. PAGE x !1 # # 6 # #2 # # 3 # # 25 # # -15 y 1 4 5 6 30 -18 z 1 2 u v w P 1 0 0 0 $ 60 1 1 0 60 0 0 48 40 0 0 1 0 2400 -20 0 0 0 1 0% Specify the row operations to finish this step. COPYRIGHT  © 2006 by LAVON B. PAGE x ! -1Show MoreRelatedSimplex Method Essay1189 Words   |  5 PagesSimplex Method Paper Simplex Method Paper Many people may be wondering exactly what the simplex method is. The simplex method definition is a method for solving linear programming problems. According to Barnett, Byleen, and Karl (2011) the simplex method is used routinely on applied problems involving thousands of variables and problem constraints. George B. Dantzig developed the simplex method in 1947. In this paper the topic of discussion includes how to solve a simplex method problem thatRead MoreHw Solutions1306 Words   |  6 PagesTUTORIAL 2 Linear Programming - Minimisation Special cases Simplex maximisation 1. Innis Investments manages funds for a number of companies and wealthy clients. 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Concept of Fate In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 891 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/03/25 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Julius Caesar Essay William Shakespeare Essay Did you like this example? Fate is inevitable, unavoidable, and ultimately ends in death. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, multiple characters experience a deadly fate, but it is not completely unavoidable. People also have control of their own lives and the ability to make decisions, affecting them and others. Shakespeare uses characters in this play to illustrate the theme of fate and to project how easily it can be tampered with. Fate, as a theme in this play, is involved in many of the characters lives. Fate is dependent on a persons actions. Julius Caesar is a character who inflicts death upon himself. Caesar ruled in the triumvirate with two powerful men, and when it came crashing down, Caesar was the only one lucky enough to stay alive. He had been involved in the death of another member, Pompey, whom was loved by the Romans: O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey? (1:1:38-39). Caesar is now taking Pompeys place, and was being celebrated, when he killed the peoples ruler. If Caesar hadnt been so ambitious for power, he wouldnt have gone into battle with Pompey and ultimately taken the throne from him. Then, when he is awarded with the power, he turned down the crown three times to seem humble, He put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by mine honest neighbors shouted (1:2:228-230). Most people still applauded him, but others saw his bluff. If Caesar wouldnt have been as greedy for the power, he would have been alive at the end of the play. The reader sees Caesars d ownfall play out. After killing a respected member of the government and taking over, there is bound to be criticism. The senators begin to turn on Caesar, just like he does against Pompey. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Concept of Fate In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare" essay for you Create order All the senators join to justly plot the murder of Caesar, but they dont complete it without consequences. Brutus, a well-respected man of Rome, believed in the mission to put Caesar to rest, And therefore think him of a servants egg Which hatched, would as his king grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell (2:1:32-34). The conspirators do not feel as though Caesar is trustworthy as a ruler; he did turn on Pompey. The belief is that Rome will be a much better place if Caesar is not part of it. Some conspirators had other reasons, on top of Caesar being selfish and greedy, that led them to participate in killing Julius Caesar. For example, Metellus Cimber, a conspirator, asks Caesar one last time before he dies, to let his brother come back: Is there no voice more worthy than my own, to sound more sweetly in great Caesars ear For the repealing of my banished brother? (3:1:49-51). Caesar had banished his brother from Rome prior to the setting of the play and Metellus seems to hold a grudge about it throughout the plot. Caesar is put to death in order to prove a point that Rome and its citizens would be better off without a ruler like him. Participating in the murder soon comes back to haunt each conspirator and lead to the formation of their own fates. The conspirators all face the repercussions for their actions. Brutus allowed Antony to speak at Caesars funeral. This was a big mistake. He uses sarcasm to address the conspirators as being honorable throughout his speech. By rallying the citizens up, together with Antony they can riot against each of the conspirators. They even go so far as to kill an innocent man with the same name as Cinna, Cinna the poet. A group of citizens carry Cinna the poet off the stage and one can only imagine what they would do to a real conspirator: Tear him! Tear him! (They attack him) Come, brands, ho! To Brutus, to Cassius! Burn all! Some to Decius house, and some to Cascas; some to Ligarius! (3:3:35-38). The people are finally giving all the senators what they believe is just. Brutus should have listened to Cassius and decided not to let Antony speak because now every Roman citizen wants the conspirators dead, and all eventually face that. Brutus could have saved himself by refusing to join in the first place, they all could have. But all of them participated and must deal with the consequences. Before the battle begins, Brutus tells Cassius, But this same day Must end that work the ides of March begun (5:1:112-113). The conspirators completed their mission on the 15th of March, and then their fates were altered. Caesar made decisions and acted in ways that formed his fate; the Conspirators should have seen their death coming. Life is full of choices, each choice that is made contributes to a persons fate. Caesar killed Pompey and was a selfish ruler, for his short time in power. The conspirators saw the truth in this and decided to act on Caesars bad ruling capabilities. But, by killing Caesar, they too changed their own fates. Any little action made by a person can be remembered and held against them. What someone thinks is unfair or just may not appear that way to everyone. It only takes one small decision to change a persons fate. Keep in mind every time a decision is going to be made, that people will remember it.

What Is ‘Creativity’ and How Can It Be Assessed Free Essays

Creativity refers to intuitive solutions that are of genuine value. A characteristic seen as most desirable, linked to problem solving and expertise (Garnham and Oakhill,1994). Additionally, Weisberg(1993) believed intended originality is involved with creative thinking. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is ‘Creativity’ and How Can It Be Assessed? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Despite its difficulty to define, creativity has been studied in diverse disciplines, often in conjunction with intelligence testing. According to Mooney(1963), the study of creativity arises from 4 perspectives; creative people, creative processes, products of creativity and creative places. The psychometric approach attempts to predict creative achievement and identify the products of creativity. Several established tests have been administered to creative people, to explain differences between intelligence, as measured by IQ and creativity tests. Guilford(1956) derived a hypothesis regarding this difference, differentiating between convergent and divergent thinking. Convergent thinking seeks to find the correct answer to specific problems, a strategy for solving most well-defined problems. Conversely, divergent thinking requires flexibility and originality, leading to many possible solutions which aid solving ill-defined problems. Guilford identified the process of divergent thinking as important for creativity, since involving indirect and productive thinking. However, research has indicated only slight correlation between performance on divergent thinking tasks and other measures of creativity. Additionally, its mixes creativity with intelligence or originality therefore is difficult to establish. The autobiographic and biographic approaches focus on the products of creativity. Unlike above, assumptions that intelligence and creativity correlate are ignored, as they are based on observation. Wallas(1926) proposed a four stage account of creative insights. Beginning with; perception, preparatory work on a problem; incubation, internalisation of problem into the unconscious mind. Followed by the most crucial stage, inspiration, the solution begins to appear in conscious awareness, in the form of flash of insight. Intimation occurs, feelings of the solution about to emerge; sensitivity is crucial in order to avoid distraction. Finally, verification is when the solution is applied and elaborated, ensuring the problem is solved. Wallas considered creativity to be a legacy of the evolutionary process, allowing humans to adapt to rapidly changing environments. How to cite What Is ‘Creativity’ and How Can It Be Assessed?, Essay examples What Is ‘Creativity’ and How Can It Be Assessed Free Essays Creativity refers to intuitive solutions that are of genuine value. A characteristic seen as most desirable, linked to problem solving and expertise (Garnham and Oakhill,1994). Additionally, Weisberg(1993) believed intended originality is involved with creative thinking. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is ‘Creativity’ and How Can It Be Assessed? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Despite its difficulty to define, creativity has been studied in diverse disciplines, often in conjunction with intelligence testing. According to Mooney(1963), the study of creativity arises from 4 perspectives; creative people, creative processes, products of creativity and creative places. The psychometric approach attempts to predict creative achievement and identify the products of creativity. Several established tests have been administered to creative people, to explain differences between intelligence, as measured by IQ and creativity tests. Guilford(1956) derived a hypothesis regarding this difference, differentiating between convergent and divergent thinking. Convergent thinking seeks to find the correct answer to specific problems, a strategy for solving most well-defined problems. Conversely, divergent thinking requires flexibility and originality, leading to many possible solutions which aid solving ill-defined problems. Guilford identified the process of divergent thinking as important for creativity, since involving indirect and productive thinking. However, research has indicated only slight correlation between performance on divergent thinking tasks and other measures of creativity. Additionally, its mixes creativity with intelligence or originality therefore is difficult to establish. The autobiographic and biographic approaches focus on the products of creativity. Unlike above, assumptions that intelligence and creativity correlate are ignored, as they are based on observation. Wallas(1926) proposed a four stage account of creative insights. Beginning with; perception, preparatory work on a problem; incubation, internalisation of problem into the unconscious mind. Followed by the most crucial stage, inspiration, the solution begins to appear in conscious awareness, in the form of flash of insight. Intimation occurs, feelings of the solution about to emerge; sensitivity is crucial in order to avoid distraction. Finally, verification is when the solution is applied and elaborated, ensuring the problem is solved. Wallas considered creativity to be a legacy of the evolutionary process, allowing humans to adapt to rapidly changing environments. How to cite What Is ‘Creativity’ and How Can It Be Assessed?, Papers

Military appts free essay sample

Doctors appointments are missed each and every day by people who either forget to show up or choose not to call and cancel their appointment. One of the reasons why it is best to try and keep your doctors appointment is because it is the polite thing to do. Would you arrange a job interview with a company you were serious about working for but then fail to show up? No, not in the civilian world. It is very important to schedule routine doctor appointments regularly to ensure proper treatment as needed to care for my health as an injured soldier. I schedule my appointments so I can work on treating my injuries physically and mentally so when I medically retire I can hope for a better future of recovering and living a healthy life with a greater chance of being alive a lot longer than if I didnt take proper treatment. We will write a custom essay sample on Military appts or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If I didnt think appointment were important than I would see my health go downhill and the recovery would be nearly impossible. Its very important to be on time to my appointments because if I were late I wouldnt receive the proper treatment I need, I would be taking time away from another soldier that thinks his appointments are just as important for his treatment and it wouldnt be fair to anyone, including myself and my healthy life and another reason is because it is my place of duty while in the military. When scheduling appointments you do not want to miss them for a number of reasons. If you miss the appointment, you are not only wasting your doctors time. You could also place your health at risk if you do not start your treatment as quickly as possible. It is rude to your doctor and you are not following through with treatment thats important for your health. Someone who also needed treatment sooner could have had the opportunity to be seen if I was going to schedule and miss my appointment. One of the primary concerns with missed appointments is that they limit access to care for multiple patients. When patients fail to appear for their appointments or they dont call and cancel in advance, its kind of hard to have enough appointments to meet the health-care needs of other patients. Making an appointment is the same as guaranteeing you will be somewhere at the agreed upon time. Just as you expect a provider to be there as scheduled, the provider expects you to be there as well. The dental office supports hundreds of members a day and works hard to keep the process of seeing Soldiers flowing smoothly. Missing an appointment interrupts that process and creates unnecessary additional work for schedulers, providers, and staff. Our goal is to support the organization that supports us by meeting all appointments. Although I can understand your missing an appointment because of recent distractions, there is no valid excuse for missing an appointment. We must find a way to make sure you dont miss future appointments. People use a variety of methods but they all share one thing in common: they all realize, at the moment they make the appointment, that they have made a promise to be present at a certain time and place and must find a way to make sure they meet their obligation. Some people have established methods that they use over and over such as writing the appointment down in an appointment book and reviewing it daily. Others write it down on a sticky note and put it somewhere where they will see it every day to remind them of the impending appointment. I will not dictate the method you use because our goal is to make sure you meet all future appointments and the method I suggest may not work for you. You must choose a method that works for you and ensure you make all future appointmets because further missed appointments will result in more severe action and affect your career.

Why After School Jobs Are Benificail (Pursausive S Essay Example For Students

Why After School Jobs Are Benificail (Pursausive S Essay peech)AFTER SCHOOL JOBSIn a world where getting ahead less of what you know and more of what youve done, I think that after school jobs for students are increasingly beneficial. I dont believe the myths that with a job there is no time for school work of extracurricular activities. I am a junior, I have had jobs since I was 15, I have never had my G.P.A drop below 3.2, and I have always been involved in at least three school activities. A teenager that has a job is more apt to be taught responsibility, learns more about money and gets a jump start on the real world after high school. We will write a custom essay on Why After School Jobs Are Benificail (Pursausive S specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now One challenge that I have had to overcome, but ultimately grown stronger from is that of finding an appropriate time to finish my homework. I no longer take class time to work on my assignments for granted. While most of my friends who dont work usually go home and sit on their sofa for four hours before opening their bookbag, I have found that Friends and ER can still run their show without me watching, something I am afraid many of my peers have yet to discover. And shockingly enough it is possible to go for weeks without watching any television! Having a job has also taught me to respect authority. I have held jobs as a carhop, a waitress, and a grocery checker and sacker. Like most jobs that high schooler have, I am constantly around people. After being yelled at for undercooked steak or smashed bread, it is much easier to deal with rude people in other situations, I am much less likely to lose my patience and I understand that many problems and attitudes depend on circumstance. Many adults are also extremely impressed that is is automatic for me to address people older than me as maam or sir when I have a question or request. I think another positive was that jobs impact teenagers is that it teaches them about money. At the risk of sounding like a codjity old man, kids these days dont know the value of the dollar. I know many kids that are going to be in a world of hurt when Mom and Dad arent there with their wallet to give them money to go out or buy their clothes and CDs. I now think twice before spending $115 dollars on a pair of shoes when I realize that will cost me thirty hours of working. I also have a better idea of what money buys and what things cost. After reading countless grocery totals everyday I am very aware that if I dont land a job in collage, I will be living off of Raman Noodles and the occasional Always Save hot dog. I look at taxes much different now, before I worked I didnt understand what all of the fuss was about. But after watchin g my meager paycheck melt away more every week, I understand why sometime the certainty of taxes seems like the more appealing option. After school jobs are great to prepare for life after high school. While I believe it is important to maintain healthy social life during high school, there arent many collages or jobs that will accept you just because you are involved in every club offered. If you pick jobs responsibly, there is no reason while you cant stay active in school and work. I have not missed a football game yet in high school and I have been in every play put on by the school. Jobs prepare you for the world after school. After being a waitress I know I can find work in virtually any decent sized town in America. Because of my job I know that I cant just wake up in the mourning and go somewhere that I have not planned. Just like in the real world things must be planned weeks or even months in advance. If I need a job I know how to apply; I know how to pass an interview; I know how to impress authority figures, all skills I will need after I graduate. So for all of the teenagers and parents who try to say t hat jobs can only hurt teenagers, thats bunk! A job has taught me responsibility, helped me learn about money and prepared me for the real world. As long as students show a little maturity, there is no reason why jobs cant benefit teenagers tremendously. Social Issues Essays

HRM Essay Example

HRM Essay Example HRM Essay HRM Essay First and foremost, applicants must be satisfied with the procedure of interview in order to prove efficiency on the job and to take advantage of employee rights in terms of health and safety.   For instance, Ontario Employees are governed by Occupational Health and Safety Act (1990) to understand about the benefits and laws entitled to receive.In University of Wisconsin, medical interviews are conducted through digital computers to check non-verbal behavior and also the response from the keyboard. The system of computer based interview is by and large very advantageous in scrutinizing   applicants in speed, mentally alert and in work efficiency. It saves time and money for organizations such as Nike which saved   $2.4 million in a term of three years.  Ã‚  Ã‚   In tech-savvy days, there could be no possibility of   disadvantages through computer-based interview system instead it facilitates on line processing of applicants at a fast pace. Equal employment opportunities for   Nike being a multinational profit making company, there are always job opportunities opening up and aspects of EEO   can be easily handled by HRM as its workforce is segregated into skilled, semi-skilled and professional in computer based interview system and there can be no possibility of giving scope for unbiased or unfair HR practices.Some of the applicants who attended computer-based interview were impressed with the speed and accuracy Nike functions which gives an evident fact that Nike handles public relations in a professional manner.   Nike has a large pool of workforce and a continuous recruitment according to the capacities of expansion that Nike plans for its products.   The system of recruitment is excellent as computer systems work with speed, accuracy and reduce the burden of manual working of interviewing system.ConclusionIt is important for applicants to stay ahead with education, work experience in order to get recruited in multinationals and also it is i mportant to be well aware of employee rights to perform well in job as well as personal life in keeping good health and in deriving benefits from the organisation.

Discsussion Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discsussion Board - Essay Example This is what this literature plans to discuss and will show using factual research and reports from the White House's National Strategies on drug trafficking. Drug Trafficking depicts the illegal activities of drugs being distributed through out the world. It is a criminal occurrence and has created wide spread alarm in many parts of other countries but particularly in the United States. In the 1960's the main area of concern was in the trafficking of heroin and its subsequent abuse. Also at this time there were other illegal drug activities gong on, specifically with drugs that were considered to be recreational and psychoanalytical but which posed just as serious a problem as the harder drugs such as heroine, and cocaine. The milder drugs like marijuana were also rampant and being elicited and distributed by many drug dealers and those smuggling it over the border. Because of past concerns and the current problems in law enforcements attempts to curtail the illegal distribution of these heavier drugs, there have been several policies established and strategies developed in order to gain a tighter reign on criminal drug cases involving the trafficking of them. The Bush Administration has set aside funding for cracking down on drug abuse and the trafficking associated with it. ... There have been other government agencies that have received funding as well but the ones listed are the most proficient on controlling illegal drug use. The 2003 national Drug strategy campaign has been one of the largest iniatives by the government to dissuade the youth from becoming associative with drug trafficking and drug usage. It is believed that by educating the youth about the consequences of drugs, they will be deterred from it and drug sellers and traffickers will be less able to sell to the youth and therefore their capabilities to distribute illegal drugs will be minimized in this category (National Drug Control Strategy 2003). Drug prevention programs seem to be very effective in bringing knowledge to the youth on what thy can expect if they fall into the trap of drugs and the selling of them. These programs make it clear that the misinformation that has been handed to the youth by drug sellers indicating that it is a simply teenage fad and it is ok to experiment with drugs during the teenage years, have been substantially dispelled so that young people have a clearer interpretation of what is truth and what is a lie concerning drugs. This has been very effective in decreasing the amount of drug trafficking around the youth population although there still exists a number of concerns. What has come into existence in the educational system now is a program that legally can test teenagers who are suspected of having a drug problem. The main goal in this program is not to punish the youth who are found to be associated with a form of drug use but rather to get them into proper treatment facilities where they can be rehabilitated and properly counseled as to the outcome they

Explain and Contrast Three Major Interpretations of the Fourth Essay

Explain and Contrast Three Major Interpretations of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by the Supreme Court - Essay Example The Warrant Approach Before the 1960s, the courts approached the interpretation of the Fourth Amendment by closely linking the two clauses on reasonableness and warrant. The first is deemed a mere introduction to the second clause, which implies that so long as warrants are employed in conducting the search and seizure, then the principle of the Fourth Amendment is met because the warrant is the embodiment of the reasonableness clause. On the other hand, any search and seizure conducted without the use of a warrant is ipso facto unreasonable and defies the reasonableness clause of said Amendment (Harr & Hess, 2007, pp. 178-179). This approach is underpinned by the idea that unless within established exceptions, warrantless searches or seizures in which there have been no prior approval by the court are unreasonable because they are conducted outside the realm of the judicial process (cited in the dissent of Stewart in US v Edwards 415 US 800 (1974). The conventional Warrant Approach is evident in the cases of Coolidge v New Hampshire 403 US 443-454, US v. Chadwick 433 U.S. 1 (1977), Payton v New York 445 US 573 (1980), Go-Bart Importing Co v US 282 U.S. 344, the dissent in US v Edwards 415 U.S. 800 (1974) and Camara v. Municipal Court 387 US 523 (1967). In Coolidge, the US Supreme Court reversed and remanded the conviction of the defendant on the ground that the evidence supporting it was inadmissible for violation of the Fourth Amendment. The search warrant for the search of the defendant’s car was invalid because it was issued by the Attorney General who was the chief prosecutor of the case and was therefore not a â€Å"neutral and detached magistrate.† Because there was, in effect, an absence of warrant, the search was deemed done outside the judicial process and was per se unreasonable. In Chadwick, the Court ruled that opening a footlocker inside the trunk of a car without a warrant contravened the Fourth Amendment because of the heightened p rivacy expectation attached to it. In Payton, a New York law allows the police to enter a felony suspect’s home and arrest him without a warrant. The Court ruled that this law violated the Fourth Amendment because it allowed a search without prior authority granted by a neutral magistrate. In Go-Bart Importing, the Court reversed again a judgment of conviction on the ground that the search of a desk and a safe and the seizure of evidence therefrom on the basis of a search warrant issued by the US Commissioner were invalid under the Fourth Amendment. Finally in Camara, the Court ruled that searches conducted by government health and safety inspectors are subject to warrant under the Fourth Amendment because they intrude upon the privacy of persons protected by it and unless the owner consents to the search, the same is deemed unreasonable. The Reasonableness Approach In the 1960s, the US Supreme Court broadened its interpretation of the Fourt

The Opera Singer As An Actor Music Essay

The Opera Singer As An Actor Music Essay In this dissertation emphasis will be placed on the marriage of three concepts namely: good voice singing technique, musicality and acting for opera (building the character) in the training of a successful opera singer hereafter referred to as the singer-actor. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the essential skills that needed to be acquired by the modern opera singer. The rationale therefore, is to provide guidelines for the minimum requirements for the training of the opera singer as singer-actor. Taking into consideration the demands on opera singers when taking part in an opera, the study was guided by the following question: How does the knowledge of good voice (a sound singing technique), musicality and building a character role benefit the opera singers performance? Evolving from the main research question, the following sub questions were formulated: What is a good voice within classical voice training methods? How can musicality contribute to an opera singers performance? What are the demands to build a character role? General and specific aims: The general aim of this study was to determine how the knowledge of a good voice, musicality and building a character role, benefit the opera singers performance. Specific aims: The specific aims of this study are: to define a good voice To define musicality to determine how building a character role contribute to an opera singers performance. Due to the limited nature of this study, only a literature study will be done. As an extension of this study, the researcher would follow an interpretivist paradigm with a qualitative approach which strives to comprehend the important skills an opera singer should have according to contemporary South African opera singers and their view of the importance of acting ability for successful opera. The study will be conceptualised in terms of and based on the following frameworks: The voice Musicality Acting ability Relationship between music and text For opera to retain its artistic relevance to, and impact on, the fabric of arts and culture, it can be argued that there are three fundamental elements to the performance of opera which need to be addressed, and which require academic input (herformulering), discipline regarding musicality as well as focussed tuition and practise (sweeping statement. Wie se so?). In a world of ever-increasing media coverage of artistic and musical artists and events, together with an ever-increasing sophistication of a wider audience, it is becoming increasingly challenging for the artist, and in particular, the opera singer, to be successful in his career. Key to this challenge is that the opera singer is left with no choice other than to develop skills beyond the purely technical expertise. It is imperative that, in order to be extraordinary and thereby successful, the opera singer has to master three co-functioning disciplines, namely the good voice, musicianship and acting ability (sit bronne in). Singers tend to take acting classes separate from their vocal training in order to improve their acting skills. However, they mostly discover that taking classes in spoken drama and dialogue helps up to a certain point, but when going back to singing opera, the acting strategies learnt in the drama class do not always migrate to the performance of the aria (cf. Bean: 2007:167). This lack of transition is a result of the unique relationship between the music and the stage character in opera, which is not taken into account in the training of purely spoken (non-musical) drama. Thus, the one aspect that separates the acting of a spoken drama from that of opera is the music that is performed by instruments and the human voice. (Bron) (Prof. Jak: kommentaar is dat dit self evident is, of vroeà «r genoem moet word). The argument specific to this dissertation is that the preparation and development of the opera singer (or singer-actor) has to facilitate three equally important, inter-linked and overlapping platforms of the Good Voice (singing technique), the discipline of musicianship and The Ability to Act (building the character). ( dink dit is aan die begin gesà ª) In order to deliver a masterful opera performance, the singer actor needs to depict a character successfully. The opera singer needs to be a singer-actor who has mastered the following three pillars (Good Voice, Musicianship and Acting Ability) of the craft and art of Opera Performance. Each of these pillars deserves equal attention with particular reference to the input, mentoring/development and training curriculum of the opera singer (Bron) Further to the intention of the dissertation, it will be important that there are appropriate and comprehensive definitions of these three equally important elements that are based on the relevant literature and which build on the existing body of knowledge in this field. Specifically, this study will integrate the definitions of A Good Voice, Musicianship and Acting Ability in terms applicable to the Singer-Actors optimal performance of Opera. Furthermore, in this dissertation emphasis will be placed on singing techniques, the elements of musicianship, and various relevant acting strategies in the training of a successful opera singer. This dissertation will also include the identification of relevant areas of scholarly attention and future academic research that will add to the existing body of knowledge in this arena. An in-depth literature study of relevant and contemporary sources on these topics have been done to guide the research. Method of research The following methods of research were used to answer the research questions: Consulting of the following databases: JSTOR, Google Scholar, Periodical archive online and IIMP; Literature study Interpretation of information and conclusions A study of Largo al factotum from Puccinis Il Barbiere di Seviglia on the basis of the score and recordings, in order to ensure a common understanding of how the study could apply to the aria Before the conceptualized terms will be discussed, a concept clarification of the relevant issues at hand, will be provided. 1.1 Concept clarification The Good Voice / The self-amplified singing voice The good voice can be defined as the ability of the opera singer to project the voice in a way that its heard over and above the full orchestra accompanying the singers. This view correlates with the description of Gilfrey (2007:1) who describes the voice as a classical technique, a manner of singing that projects the voice over a large orchestra in a large theatre. Four elements are essential to produce a sound, namely a vibrating object, a power source to make the object vibrate, a medium through which the vibrations are transmitted and apparatus to receive the vibrations (McKinney,1999:20). The self-amplified singing voice as described by Gilfrey (2007:1) is the single most important element of opera; the one that distinguishes opera not only from spoken drama, but also from rock and pop music, from jazz and from musical theatre (as it is performed today). Optimal Acoustic Output Acoustic output refers to the optimal projection of the voice to enhance the correct and optimal usage of the voice as an instrument. According to Titze (2002: 367 376) mean glottal airflow (or, alternatively, glottal resistance) has been a target for optimising vocal output power in voice therapy and singing training. Glottal airflow refers to the space between the vocal cords (the fleshly parts of the air passage inside the throat) which produce the sound of the voice by fast or slow moments, in which this space is repeatedly opened and closed (Longman, 1980:484). Generator / Breath Management / Breath Breathing is a natural process which begins at birth an ends with death. This is a natural process for which no training is acquired. The rate of breathing is governed by the bodys need for oxygen and needs no conscious controls. The essential difference between breathing to live and breathing to sing, lies in the amount of conscious control exerted (McKinney, 1994: 46). In other words, the breathing process is a spontaneous event for the normal person, but a skill that needs to be mastered by the opera singer to optimise breath control and support for the voice. Vibrator The word vibration of the voice refers to The function of the vibrator is to set the column of still air in the throat and also that in the windpipe in vibration. The vibratory element of the larynx consists of a highly skilful compromise on the part of nature which enable the opera singer to phonate without interfering with the breathing capacity (Kelsey, 1950: 66). This vibration is a function of the larynx; a device similar to the diaphragm of a sound-system speaker, is the anatomical device through which the sound is created while simultaneously allowing the singer to continue breathing through the same gap (or slit) by which the airflow is controlled. This control is the output of extensive skill learning, disciplined practise and deliberate conscious control (Kelsey, 1950: 66-67). Structure and Function Resonator / Supraglottic Activity The word resonator refers to an apparatus for increasing the resonance of sound (Longman, 1980:942). For the purpose of this study, the word resonance can be defined as secondary vibrations produced by sound waves from another vibrating body (Lessac, 1997:13). He also distinguishes between two types of resonance, namely direct or enforsed resonance and indirect or sympathetic resonance. Direct resonance occurs when a vibrating body is placed in direct physical contact with another substance. For the opera singer direct resonance could be the sound resonating with the outer surfaces of your teeth. Indirect resonance occurs when the sound waves of a vibrating body set up vibrations in a substance some distance away. Sympathetic resonance occurs as the vocal sound waves, travelling through air space from the vocal folds, make contact with the hard pallet and then with the nasal bone (Lessac, 1997:13). The ability to resonate can therefore be described as the amplifying of the human voic e. This amplifying can be divided into three sections, including the air contained in the lungs and windpipe, the air contained in the throat and, that contained in the suprapalatal cavity. Each of these can be seen an air-conditioner. Classical Technique (sit nog iets in of haal uit, PL) In popular usage, art or serious music as opposed popular music The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. CHAPTER 2: The Good Voice in Classical Singing Before the good voice can be discussed, the anatomy of voice production needs to be clarified in short. Lessac (1997:14) defines the term voice box of human sound box as the cavity or enclosure where the tone is strengthened, amplified and enriched by resonance and wave reflection. According to Lessac, the voice box comprise two areas: a major adjustable area right above the larynx and the oral cavity and nondadjastable area in the pharynx, the nose, the forehead and adjacent structures. This soundbox can be describe as the singing meganism of which all the parts interdependent of each other, eah of which plays a crucial role in producing the good voice. The good voice as defined in par 1.1 takes years of concentrated training. This focus on singing technique is the primary focus of most singers studies (Gilfrey, 2007:1). A whole voice approach is beneficial for both singer and actor; however actor training programs dont include singing, and vice versa. Acting is becoming increasingly important for the opera singer, but is seldom supported by the prerequisites of theatre voice and movement (Melton Tom, 2003:135). Sà ª nog iets oor hoekom training belangrik is. Singing is both a science and an art. Most teachers have at least some appreciation for a scientific singing method and those who dont often claim to have discovered some long-lost piece of wisdom. This wisdom is generally already incorporated in the teachings of a well-trained singer. There are some fads that come and go but a singer with good technique and access to his or her emotions will please any audience and have a much broader career with greater longevity (Brown, 2004: 97-104). Technique is central to singing opera, but singing is also an art form, and no art form can be realised by the use of technique alone. Merging voice technique, musicality and emotion through competent acting skill is something that must be taught from the very beginning of the Opera Singers development of his/her career. This is because, when occupied in the emotion of the moment, the good voice will acquire nuances that are quintessentially important to conveying the emotional elements of the opera and will thus elevate the singer to a higher level of performance and riveting engagement with the audience. Gebruik onderstaande as daar nog inligting daaroor is, anders voeg saam, PL Every aspect of the voice, used directly of indirectly affects the whole mechanism. For example alignment and breathing are integrally connected to the performers range, resonance and articulation. For this reason, some of the relevant aspects affecting the good voice, will be discussed below. 2.1 Vowel modification Vowel Modification and Primal Sound Christy (1961) means that an important criteria for good singing habits is the homogenic shaping of vowels, in other words, they should sound as if they fit together, the vowels must be consistent with each other. Many professional singers never master the art of even vocal production. This can be ascribed to vocal coaches not fully grasping the concept of vowel placement. When this concept is fully understood it is impossible for a singer to not produce vowels freely and comfortably. In the first volume Christy states that once a single vowel is mastered the singer must focus on uniting the remaining vowels in accordance with that of the first. He means that the different vowels should attain a similar sound without losing its distinctive character. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦this is another way of saying vowels have to be equalized by having a common, fundamental tonal characteristic. The fundamental tone of the human voice is the huh sound. According to Christy this sound should be considered the basic reference to vowel placing because the uh sound is the most natural sound that can be produced, as the pharynx is relaxed and in its natural position. Oren C. Brown concurs with Christy, but describes the uh sound as the primal sound: Primal sounds are involuntary. They are the sounds you were born with. In Beijing , Basel or Boston, a babys cry at birth is his primal sound. In 1963, Peter F. Oswald mad a phonetic analysis of the babys cry. He labeled the initial sound as a schwa [Éâ„ ¢], (uh as in about), which linked the cry to a babys first word, mama [mÉâ„ ¢mÉâ„ ¢]. Mama is the first word spoken by babies throughout the whole world. In Korea the word is ama, with the vowel preceding the consonant. (Brown 1998) p. 1 The sound identified by both Brown and Christy can therefore be described as the primal- or natural relaxed sound. As practical advice Brown suggest testing the sound through a range of exploratory exercises: making the huh sound in a short repetitive sequence (as if laughing), or a long relaxed sustained huh (like a sigh). He also suggests sliding the huh up and down the vocal range noting that the sound becomes lighter in the higher range and darker in the lower range. He means that this is natural and advises the singer to note his or her voices natural inclinations. Judith Litante also mentions in Natural Approach to Singing (p32) that the vowels used in Italian forms a basis for the study of vowels in singing. She believes that they are pure. The reason for this is that Italian vowels are a compact basis for both English and other non Latin based languages. In English one finds many diphthongs. She means that employing these pure vowels or primal sound, as previously mentioned would eliminate the distorted pronunciation of diphthongs; for example extending the last syllable when singing say, it becomes sayee or kind becomes kieend. When the vowels are aligned and the vocal structures are in a natural posision, these kinds of distortion is eradicated. 2.2 Breath management Breathing techniques need to be considered holistically and consciously controlled until it becomes an unconscious competence. Sufficient and natural supply of air is needed for voice production. A good posture is an essential part of breathing and should be developed to support the opera singer in his breath management (Brown, 2004:17). This view is supported by Mckinney (1994:46-64) who state that there is a direct and positive correlation between correct posture (diaphragm control, and muscular movements of the chest, back and abdomen) and effective breathing in singing. According to McKinney (1994:48) breathing has four stages, namely a breathing-in period (inhalation), a setting-up-controls period (suspension), a controlled-exhalation period (phonation) and a recovery period. These stages should be repeated till the opera singer has the ability to go through the stages unconsciously. This process can be compared to the person who learns to drive a motorcar and has to concentrate on each step till he gets the ability to perform all the steps automatically. For the opera singer this refers to preparing to breathe, preparing for the phrase, physically singing the phrase and recovering in order for the process to repeat. 2.3 The vibrator 2.4 The resonator 2.5 The articulator Classical Opera training and singing versus Singing pop or secular music The single most important element of opera, the one that distinguishes opera not only from spoken drama, but also from rock and pop music, from jazz and from musical theatre (as it is performed today), is the self-amplified singing voice. This is a voice produced with a classical technique, a manner of singing that projects the voice over a large orchestra in a large theatre. The learning of the singing technique this voice requires, takes years of concentrated training. This focus on singing technique is the primary focus of most singers studies. CHAPTER 3: Musicianship How the Classical Singer Accesses Demonstrates Musicianship To acquire musicianship a high level of artistic interpretation of songs and knowledge of repertoire is required through years of training. One can not over emphasize the importance of musicianship. It is simply not suffice for a musician to have a musical ear, theoretical and musical knowledge, play an instrument or respond emotionally to music. The artist must be a musician i.e. a singer (Christy Vol 1: 7). According to Miller (Principles of singing p1) a singer can acquire musicianship through classes, studying an instrument (ex. Piano), performing in choirs or through private study and the self-exploration of music. Even though a singer that has exceptional vocal talent, he should receive professional music training and the participation in solo or choral ensembles especially in the first year of study. Many vocal teachers might disagree with this statementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ A singer with a natural talent and an ear for music must be able to imitate sounds and pitches and not just h ear this internally, for example; in a singing lesson the student listens to the vocal teacher and then imitates the vocal sound of the teacher. The same principle applies with rhythm. A sound inner sense of rhythm will contribute to the holistic musicianship of the singer. Besides musicianship, there is also the interpretation of music. According to Christy (1961: Vol 2:110) Interpretation is the emotional and artistic portrayal; the summation of all music. According to Christy (1961:Vol2:110) Musicianship is the science of music and interpretation . A good singer should be familiar with all styles of music and song literature. The singer must be trained in a style and in the interpretation of songs in a particular style. A song has a style that must be established and followed through to the end. It is possible for a singer to become comfortable with a particular style that he can do well in, but he will not realise that what he steers clear of could be very valuable for his musical development. Therefore the teacher should analyse, guide and discuss the songs with the singer, in order to identify the accompanying details of expression. (Christy 1961:Vol2:110-111). The basis of musicianship include the abilities to read and interpret rhythms and intervals, playing the piano accompaniments, acquiring knowledge of the basics of theory and harmony, music and musicians in terms of vocal and instrumental style, schools and song literature. (Christy 1961:Vol1:7) According to Christy 1961:Vol:109, (quoting Curt Atler in the art of accompanying and coaching: 1965: 219) interpretation may be defined as the singers act of expressing and communicating meaning, mood and epic, a comedy, or just an expression set to music all in capsule form. To interpret music is to express or reproduce it intrinsically by the singer, in the score. Due to the limitations in music notation, it is the responsibility of the singer to interpret and express the fine distinction between tonal colour, tempo and intensity of the composers interpretation. The expression can be found in the text and in the setting. According to Christy 1961:Vol2:112, when the same song is sung by two sensitive artists, it is highly unlikely that the general style, tone, colour and mood will be markedly different; however, dynamics, tempo, word accentuation, and innumerable details often are. Thus, the keys must be studied by the singer in order to express and keep the interpretation on trac k. The two requirements for interpretation include the fidelity to the composers intent and that it must contain an essentially creative element of the interpreters own making, illuminating the subject with fresh light. (Christy 1961:Vol1:190). Furthermore, the expression must be honest, sincere, simple and direct, which means that nothing must be added or placed over the music that will distract attention from the work itself. Also, the singer must reproduce the music with insight, imagination and vitality in his own unique way it must not be copied from others. Interpretation has four main factors including appropriate and fervent mood or emotion, eloquent diction, adequate technique and a natural, sincere stage presence. (Christy 1961:Vol1:190). EMBELLISHMENTS Embellishments comprise of, but are not limited to the appoggiatura, acciaccatura, mordent, gruppetto or turn, trill and the portamento. These are techniques that are of vital importance in the interpretation of music. In the appoggiatura, the singer usually has to apply his own taste due to its indeterminate value. There are some accented notes in a melody that form the bass of the intervals since they lean on the next note to which they descend. The appoggiatura was used by singers long before it was written down, because of the enjoyable sound and is often absent in the score. (Shakespeare: 115). The acciaccatura and mordent is different from the appoggiatura as it is written with a stroke through the stem and tail. This does not have an affect on the value of the next note but it is sung much quicker. The acciaccatura is usually a small note where as the appoggiatura is written as a whole note. (Shakespeare: 115). The gruppetto or turn is a group of three or four notes. If the higher interval is a tone, the lower tone is a semitone and if both intervals are semitones it is known as a chromatic turn. (Shakespeare: 115). Sung in rapid alternation with the note of the scale above it, the trill is an embellishment that has a principle note that belongs to the harmony of the composition. A trill is usually finished with a turn. (Shakespeare: 115). The portamento carries the voice from one interval to the next, then passing lightly through the intervening tones. It also indicates a phrase and the Legato rendering of a passage. (Behnke: The technique of singing: 99) Legato Slur Intonation Colour in the voice timbre (emotion) Following the conductor Discuss the concept of DISCIPLINE Technical aspects According to Hayward (see 1994:205) style can be interpreted in many different ways. Interpretation can be defined as communicating understanding. Interpretation can best be expressed in a persons own language according to James Nolan in his book Interpretation, Techniques and exercises. Expression and conveying of meaning, feeling and idea through sound can be defined as interpretation (Christy 1967:109). CHAPTER 4: Acting Within the South African context, this integration of The Good Voice, Musicianship and Acting is deficient. There are various reasons for this lack of attention given to the development of acting skills with singer-actors. One is that there are not many qualified tutors in South African institutions that combine the field of acting and musical performance. Another reason is the absence of appropriate development programs and relevant material in curriculums. As a result, there is less interest from students to pursue a career as a singer-actor. In support of this argument, Knobel and Steinert (2002:155) claim that the acting teacher should be just as important to you as your singing teacher and can be of great help to you throughout your singing career. Interestingly enough, contrary to this understanding are the arguments of authors such as Bean, Goldovsky and Balk, who posit that acting classes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are very often of little benefit to the singing actor Bean (2007:167). These two opposing views illustrate that there are no consensus among academics about the importance of acting skills (al dan nie) of the opera singer. This statement is underpinned by the neglect of some higher education institutions offering voice training, where little or no training in acting is provided. In the quotation below, Bandelj truly captures the spontaneous physiological, psychological and emotional reactions which authentic acting can bring about in the actors performance. When a singer acts and sings in a mechanical way, it often comes across as disjointed or in some cases ridiculous. It is the emotion that breathes life into the song and makes it relevant, connecting with the audience and transcending facial contortions (Bandelj, 2003:393-394). To avoid that, an actor should utilise the all the involuntary muscle contractions that emotions evoke in the body, either by recalling their own past experiences or imagining themselves personally going through what the character is experiencing. This makes the whole action more believable. Gilfrey, Bonavia agrees that the ability to act, though considerably under-estimated, is not the only or the most necessary qualification for the operatic stage. Acting in opera is a comparatively modern accomplishment (Bonavia, 1915:79). This observation, by Bonavia, pays homage to the deeply rooted tradition of well-respected opera singers being famous for their magnificence of voice; but of their skill in acting there is hardly any mention to be found anywhere (Bonavia, 1915:79). ( Dink hier aan enige ou opera wat opgevoer is en waar daar slegs aandag aan die sang gegee is) Ultimately, Bonavia contradicts (to some extent) the previous argument by identifying an exception. That is Chaliapin who, according to Bonavia, provides the audience with ever-changing shades of facial expression à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the whole character left vividly impressed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Chaliapin is the ideal actor (Bonavia, 1915:80). In terms of the attempts made at acting within the Opera world, there is a history and tradition of operatic gesture and the surprising persistence of melodramatic effects and gestural overstatement (Smart, 2004:26). While this is certainly applicable to the Nineteenth Century, we need to be cognisant of how this tradition of gestural overstatement may be (erroneously) assumed to be the only acting required of the singer actor in the twenty-first Century. That is, even in the times of Verdi, the role of gesture à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (grew) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as formal conventions loosened (Smart, 2004:136). The appropriate question therefore is, to what extent have formal conventions loosened further, particularly in a world hallmarked by electronic media and social networking? As indicated in the introduction, Television and DVDs, have provided unrestricted access to Opera to an ever-increasing sophisticated and demanding audience in the entertainment space. This view is further reinforced by the writing of RePass (1953:10-18) who states that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(PL). Building the Character The creation of a character role by the singer-actor is the basis and starting-point of the combination of singing and acting. While it cannot be doubted that an excellent singing technique à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (viz., The Good Voice and Musicianship) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is essential to the success of any opera singer, other skills required for a convincing performance, among them acting, are often given less attention by singers and their teachers (Gilfrey, 2007:1). Innate talent is not the sole factor as the ability of a singer-actor to create a character role is severely impacted by the cultural beliefs of what acting is and also how it is measured. When keeping this in mind it becomes evident that the creation of a character, especially in the case of singer-actors, are based on the teachings of Konstantin Stanislavsky better known as the method acting technique. The method acting technique is an approach that the Russian actor developed to whose approach stresses the internal preparation of actors (Bandelj, 2003:393). This focus differs from that of the other schools of acting namely The English School of Acting, The Bertold Brechts epic theatre and Japanese Noh Drama. The interaction experienced by the singer-actors on stage and the director with the constant feedback assures a more lifelike portrayal. The fundamental driver of method acting is the wish to reproduce reality. All (acted) behaviours and interactions need to be seen to be psychologically, emotionally and socially authentic and plausible, while concurrently acting as an integrating mechanism to the plot and to the other cast members. Drawing on his/her own experiences and observations the actor needs to appear spontaneous while using objects in both a symbolic (or metaphorical way) and a literal way (Bandelj, 2003:393). This, and the additional use of props to facilitate the portrayal of the situation, are all tied together by the passion of the actor and the pursuit of truth as art imitates life or indeed verisimilitude (Bandelj, 2003:394). The quality of the voice has much more to do with the correct training and technique, rather than the singers natural endowment, especially later in life as the singer ages. *The W questions to build a character role (also mentioned in the PowerPoint) Who? What? Where? When? Why? And HOW? Contributing Elements to Building a

Marketing Strategy of Ethiad Airways

Table of Contents 1. 0 Introduction 3 2. 0 External Environment Analysis3 2. 1 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis 3 2. 2 SWOT Analysis 5 3. 0 Marketing Strategy Analysis 6 3. 1 Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning 6 3. 1. 1 Segmentation 6 3. 1. 2 Targeting 6 3. 1. 3 Positioning 7 4. 0 Strategic Alliances 8 5. 0 Sponsorship 9 6. 0 Contribution to the Competitive Advantage and its Sustainability10 6. 1 Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning 10 6. 2 Strategic Alliances and Sponsorship 10 7. 0 Conclusion11 8. 0 References12 Word Count: 3282 1. 0 IntroductionEtihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has in just eight years established itself as the world’s leading airline. Set up by Royal Decree in July 2003, Etihad commenced commercial operations in November 2003 and became the fastest growing airline in the history of commercial aviation (Etihad, 2012). Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is the airline’s hub. The airline seeks to reflect the best of Arabian hospitality – cultured, considerate, warm and generous – as well as enhance the prestige of Abu Dhabi as a centre of hospitality between East and West.However, nowadays it is very hard to maintain the business in such a competitive market in times of recovery from the recent recession. Therefore, it is crucial to understand that just providing a service is not enough. Firstly, this report overviews the external environment in which Etihad has to survive and compete, evaluating its main challenges and opportunities. Secondly, Etihad’s main marketing strategies will be identified and critically discussed. Thirdly, the extent to which adopted marketing strategies help to achieve and sustain the competitive advantage will be analysed.Finally, the conclusion will be drawn based on achieved knowledge and personal assumptions. 2. 0 External Environment Analysis For better understanding of the marketing strategy that Etihad uses, it is cr ucial to analyse the external environment in which the company operates. 2. 1 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis In order to examine the positioning strategy and forces of the external environment that may potentially affect the Etihad’s performance, it has been decided to adopt the classical Porter’s Five Forces model.By using this model, it is possible to judge the extent to which an external environment is able to shape the costs, the prices and the profits of the organisation (Porter, 1980). * Competitive rivalry in the industry – high In terms of competitors, Etihad Airlines’ main competitors are the companies operating in Middle East, which are Emirates Airlines, Quatar Airways and Gulf Air. These airlines operate in a higher price and quality spectrum than, for example, Air Arabia and are being direct competitors for each other (McKechnie et al. , 2008).Rivalry between these companies is very intensive, as there are a small number of competitors on the market. * Bargaining power of customers – low In order to have a significant amount of power in the industry, there should be a few customers who can dictate their rules to the organisations, as for example in some B2B cases. However, there are millions of customers, who are willing to fly to and from Middle East, where Etihad operates, therefore, customers have a very limited power. * Bargaining power of suppliers – high For the airlines organisations the main suppliers are the aircraft manufacturers and the oil companies.In both cases there are a very few of them. Therefore, airline industry companies have a very limited power over their suppliers. Additionally, as it has been announced by the International Air Transport Association (2008), the global airline industry possesses losses due to the increased oil prices which also decrease the industry’s profitability. * Threat of new entrants – low The threat of new entrants depends on the number an d complexity of the barriers to entry. The barrier of the starting capital or investment is extremely high in the airline industry.Also, there are a lot of legal or patents issues with opening and maintaining of the airline organisation, which also is a barrier to entry. The brand loyalty is another very important barrier to entry. When choosing the airlines, customers, especially â€Å"the high profile† ones, are being very careful about health and safety, comfort and other details, therefore tend to choose companies with the brand they trust. Overall, the threat of new entrants is low, because there is a number of very hard to overcome barriers to entry, and if the small company appears on the market, it tends to be absorbed by one of the major players in the industry. Threat of substitutes – low Airlines industry – being an important sector of travel and tourism industry will have such potential substitutes as the sea, railway and road types of transportation . However, as Etihad is operating in an upper-class prices level, the threat of substitutes would be fairly low. In terms of potential business travellers, the time would be more important than money for them. In terms of leisure tourists, the prices may matter, however, cruise ships’ tickets tend to be more expensive than the planes’ ones.Therefore, if the experience of cruising is not extremely important for the customers, they would prefer travelling by air. 2. 2 SWOT Analysis After looking at the overall external environment, it is important to evaluate Etihad’s main strengths and weaknesses, suggesting what opportunities and threats are there, by using a classical SWOT model. 1. Strengths: * Well settled airlines company, by February 2012, operating a fleet of 63 Airbus and Boeing aircraft (Etihad, 2012) * Over seven million travellers per year with 1000 flights a week, 84 destinations in 52 countries. * Global sponsorship of events and sports clubs. Freque nt-flyer program â€Å"Etihad Guest Programme†, considered being innovative, offering greater flexibility to its customers (McKechnie et al. , 2008). * Global Awards received in 2009 and 2010, as the world’s leading airline. * More than 30 awards received for service by the World Travel Awards (WTA) (Etihad, 2012). 2. Weaknesses: * Failure of the bid to sponsor Manchester United team. * Still fairly underdeveloped in comparison with company’s main competitors Emirates Airline (170 aircraft, 115 destinations) and Quatar Airways (132 aircraft, 100 destinations) (Emirates, 2012; Quatar, 2012). . Opportunities: * 100 aircraft on order, including 10 Airbus A380s, the world’s largest passenger aircraft (Etihad, 2012). * The location gives higher opportunities for growth and developments. United Arabic Emirates is a very rich country with extremely quickly growing business and tourism sectors, additionally UAE is a member of OPEC, which also may help with oil pr ices negotiations. 4. Threats: * Global rise of fuel prices. * Terrorists’ threats to airlines’ industry in general. 3. 0 Marketing Strategy AnalysisThe main component of the firm’s marketing strategy and the rationale for this strategy in light of the environmental conditions in which it operates; 3. 1 Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning In marketing, segmentation, targeting and positioning are inseparable as they all related to each other. Segmentation is dividing the market into different groups with similar needs. Targeting is determining which offerings to make to each market segment and then the final step is to position the brand within the target market (Hooley and Saunders, 1993).Traditionally, airlines segment their customers in order to align their product strategy according to the different segments (Teichert et al, 2008). 3. 1. 1 Segmentation Market Segmentation was defined by Baines et al (2008, p. 217) as the division of a market into differen t groups of customers with distinctly similar needs. Alternatively, Kotler et al (2005, p. 391) add that these groups of customers have different needs, characteristics and behaviours and they require different marketing or product mixes. Customers can be segmented according to geographic, demographic, psychographic and behaviour variables.Etihad segment their customers according to three different boarding classes, which are: Diamond First Class, Pearl Business Class and Coral Economy. Each class is aimed at a different customer segment. Diamond First Class is aimed at wealthy individuals and business people who are willing to maintain their luxurious lifestyle in the air. Pearl Business is targeted at business and leisure travellers who are willing to pay more to enjoy a better flying experience. Coral Economy is aimed at customers who are on a budget but willing to enjoy a comfortable flying experience with the highest level of service.It is worth noting that Etihad is a five sta r airline and provides the highest level of service. According to Milne (2009) Etihad segment their customers according to business, religious, personal and tourist purposes. The rationale behind Etihad’s segmentation is to appeal to all types of customers with different income levels. Based on the prices that Etihad charge, it is clear to see that they aim for the middle and upper class social sector customers who command high standards of hospitality and luxury. 3. 1. 2 TargetingOnce a company has segmented their customers into different groups based on their characteristics, the next step is to target their customers with products and services that might appeal to that particular customer segment. Etihad airlines follow a differentiated marketing approach which involves targeting several market segments and designing separate offers for each (Kotler et al, 2005, p. 419). Etihad is different from their rivals because they are smaller airline but they are a luxury brand and offer personalised services to all their customers in spite of what class they are travelling in.By differentiating the market, this might lead to higher sales volumes for Etihad because they are able to exploit the segments with their offerings. The benefits of the strategy are its difficulty for competitors to copy and the level of service cannot be obtained anywhere else by the customer. A disadvantage of the strategy is the high volume of resources required to meet the needs of different customers, resulting in a loss of economies of scales and increased operating costs for the company. 3. 1. Positioning A positioning strategy determines where the business competes, how it competes and the choice of differential advantage which dictates how it competes (Doyle and Stern, 2006, p. 84). Positioning is important for an organisation because it is a way for a business to stand out from its rivals and let the customers to identify the brand easily (Baines, 2008, p. 251). Etihad positio ns itself within the airline industry as a luxury brand which offers 5 star hospitality and luxury personalised service.Etihad’s on-board services are hospitality orientated and are similar to those of 5 star hotels. The airline industry is very competitive and it is hard to differentiate between the quality of services because they almost the same and there is not much of a distinctive difference between them. Etihad has a competitive advantage in this market by starting out as a luxury brand form the outset. Other airlines are now trying to raise their standards but this will take a long time to achieve. Etihad is positioned at the high end of the airline industry.In comparison to RyanAir and Easyjet, these airlines are at two extremes of the scale and it is clear that Etihad does have a strategy that makes it different from all the airlines on the market. Because Etihad has positioned itself well within the industry, it has capitalised on its uniqueness. The company achiev ed a huge success in the short time of operating and established a strong sustainable market position. Looking at the STP of Etihad in the light of the environmental conditions in which it operates, it is clear to see that the conditions are a little bit tough due to competition from cheaper airlines and the gloomy economic outlook.Due to the recession, people are tightening their belts and spending less, therefore most people would prefer to pay less to fly to their chosen destinations. This is where Etihad stand to lose out to cheaper airline companies. 40% of their revenue comes from economy class seats, therefore if they price themselves too high in these current economic conditions, they risk losing a huge chunk of their revenue to other airlines because customers will always go for the cheaper airline ticket. In terms of competition, Emirates & Qatar Airways are Etihad’s biggest competitors, fighting for the same customers.Also these two companies are more established a nd have a bigger customer base than Etihad. Etihad is still a very young company being vulnerable to competition. However, it seems they are doing very well and recently broke even, planning to expand, while maintaining their current market position. All this can be accredited to their solid marketing strategy which they are using to maximise their benefit and strengthen their position within this market. 4. 0 Strategic Alliances Strategic alliances reduce the boundaries between firms and enable easier flow of knowledge across those boundaries.This process creates the possibility for organisations to share administrative authority, form social links and joint ventures (Badaracso, 1991). One of the reasons why firms engage in strategic alliances includes sufficient resources, low pace of innovation, low technology, high manufacturing cost and market access (Doz, 1996). Another reason to collaborate in strategic alliances is to create a competitive advantage over competitors in the ma rket (Lei and Slocum, 2005). Also, strategic alliance help companies to bring their products on to the new innovation level (Zhang, 2010).The advantage of strategic alliances is to share the risk and cost of products. Firms join strategic alliances for compiling technologies and assets, enhancing easier access to resources and technologies (Ohmae, 1989). Firms could assure the sufficiency of their resources, that the new technologies to maintain their advantages with the strategic alliances (Ireland, et al. , 2002). The disadvantages of strategic alliances is that organisations might give their partners more than they gain, the exchange of resources, benefits and knowledge should be reciprocated between the firms.Organizations could stand the chance of losing their competitive advantages if they provide benefits such as resources, knowledge and technology. Most strategic alliances don’t maintain their cooperative relationships for a long term as most strategic alliances are b ased on the current benefits rather than future competitive advantages. Also, in strategic alliances, the effect of competition can lead to aggressive knowledge acquisition from partner firms (Kaplan, et al. , 2010). Notably, many alliances fail as a result of inter firm rivalry (Park and Ungson, 2001).When firms merely pursue self-interests (competition) but neglect common benefits (derived from cooperation), partner firms may lose motivation to continue the alliance. Implementing any organisational alliance successfully depends upon a firm’s knowledge and ability to manage interdependencies with a partner through on-going coordination with that partner, to credibly convey relevant information and knowledge to the partner, and to develop social bonds with the partner (Ireland, et al. , 2002).Strategic alliance between airlines, as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is â€Å"a merging of resources, operations, of financial interests between [one] entity an d [another] entity (Vander-Kraats, 1993). This entity could be an air carrier or a repair station and could involve the sharing of parts or the utilization of mechanics, pilots, and flight attendants†. Some of the strategic alliance adopted by Etihad can include code-sharing agreements, marketing arrangements, procurement policies, system commonality, and interchanges of flight-crew personnel and sponsorship with other major organisation (Vander-Kraats, 1993).Etihad pursuit of code sharing agreement has become a key part of its marketing strategy. A  codeshare agreement, sometimes simply  codeshare, is an aviation business arrangement where two or more airlines share the same flight. A seat can be purchased on one airline but is actually operated by a cooperating airline under a different  flight number or code. Etihad has a major partnership with Virgin Blue’s group of airlines which enables Virgin Blue’s international brand â€Å"V Australia† to op erate joint services with Etihad. Combined, these two airlines offer joint networks of more than 100 destinations (Etihad, 2012).To succeed, alliance partners must encourage true collaboration beyond the formal governance structure and learn how to adapt and integrate knowledge acquired from the alliance to serve the specific needs of their own innovative efforts (Hughes and Weiss, 2007). Through these alliances Etihad strengthen their core-competence such as stronger brand name, and capture a stronger client base. 5. 0 Sponsorship Etihad’s sponsorships portfolio includes sports and major tourism events in the U. A. E and different regions in the world.Commercial sponsorships is defined as a cash investment in an activity, person or event, while in return gaining the access to the exploitable commercial potential associated with that activity or person by the investor (Meenagham, 1991). Sponsorships provide the mechanism for changing, adjusting or reinforcing brand equity sup ported on updated processing of attributes, benefits and attitudes (Keller, 1998). Corporate sponsorships are used to enhance the brand equity by raising awareness and creating positive brand associations in the mind of consumers (Gwinner and Eaton, 1999; Meenagham, 1991).This highlights the effects and significance of strong brands as it possesses the ability to attract a wide audience. The advantages of sponsorships include the promotion of caring attitude and goodwill. The good example of successful sponsorship is Etihad’s stadium and Etihad’s association with Manchester city and a football team which attracts a wide audience (Etihad, 2012). The disadvantage of sponsorships is that the investments made by the sponsors do not always guarantee that the objectives will be achieved.In the case of Etihad, investing in sport teams can backfire if they don’t meet the expectations the firm had for their performance. The final disadvantage of sponsorships involves any bad publicity derived from the benefactor will inevitably affect the brand name associated. 6. 0 Contribution to the Competitive Advantage and its Sustainability After analysing Etihad’s main marketing strategies, the discussion below will be about how each of the components of these strategies contributes to the firm’s competitive advantage. 6. Segmentation, Positioning and Targeting Segmentation gives Etihad a competitive advantage because it helps them differentiate and understand their customers’ needs more and helps improve their offering to the different types of customers. By understanding their customers’ needs better, they can gain an advantage over their rivals. On the other hand, every airline segments their customers according to the different classes therefore there is not much of an advantage since they all have a similar system of segmenting their customers.Etihad’s positioning gives them a competitive advantage because they positio n themselves as a 5 star airline offering 5 star hotel quality services on board. Their service on board is what sets them apart from their competitors. This advantage is sustainable in the long run provided they maintain their high standards throughout. Also, in terms of positioning, Etihad found a â€Å"gap† in the market by using Abu Dhabi Airport as their base rather than Dubai airport because of the cheaper airport fees and taxes which gives them a cost saving competitive advantage.By targeting a specific demographic, Etihad’s marketing campaigns are likely to be more cost and time efficient as it will be highly relevant to the target market’s needs and it enables them to stand out from their competitors. 6. 2 Strategic Alliances and Sponsorships Strategic alliances have enabled Etihad to create a competitive advantage in their industry and make this advantage sustainable. Etihad engage in strategic alliances as a way of seeking to reduce competition in the ir quest to raise profits (Badaracco, 1991). These alliances have nabled the company to share the risks associated with the ventures because some projects are too complicated for Etihad to handle on their own. (Badaracco, 1991). By collaborating with other firms worldwide, Etihad are overcoming barriers to entry in new geographical markets since they are a growing company looking to expand globally. Organizations expanding overseas find that they require a local partner due to unfamiliarity with the local conditions (Badaracco, 1991). Strategic alliances enable firms to exchange favours such as improving product quality, technologies and factors related to products.Sustainable competitive advantage indicates that companies could maintain their completive advantage for a long term (Culpan, 2008). Through their strategic alliance with Sabre in December 2011, Etihad gained access to integrated software across its reservations, inventory marketing and e-commerce, distribution and depart ure control operations. The benefits from this alliance included improved joint market share which has the potential to generate over $25 million dollars per annum for both companies (Etihad, 2012). . 0 Conclusion This report attempts to analyse the environment in which Etihad Airways Company has to maintain its business profitable and prosperous. The report covers main marketing strategies and tools Etihad uses for the purpose of identifying and understanding its customers’ base and keeping a relationship with it. Finally, the extent to which these marketing strategies help to keep the business and its competitive advantages sustainable is evaluated and critically accessed. 8. 0 References Abecassis-Moedas, C. nd c-Jouini, S. (2008), â€Å"Absorptive Capacity and Source-Recipient Complementarity in Designing New Products: An Empirically Derived Framework,†Ã‚  Journal of Product Innovation Management,  25(5), pp. 473–90. Badaracco, J. 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(2001). ‘Interfirm rivalry and managerial complexity: A conceptual framework of alliance failure’, Organization Science, 12, pp. 37 – 53. Porter, M. E. (1980), Competitive Strategy, New York: Free Press. Quatar Airways (2012), [Online] Available at: www. quatarairways. om (Accessed on: 22 March 2012). Teichert, T. , Shehu, E. and Von Wartburg, I. (2008), â€Å"Customer Segmentation Revisited: A Case Study of the Airline Industry†. Transportation Research, A(42), pp. 227-242. Vander Kraats, S. A. , (1993), â€Å"Gaining a Competitive Edge through Airline Alliances†, Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, incorporating Journal of Global Competitiveness, 10(2), pp. 56 – 64. [Online] Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com (Accessed on: 23 March 2010). Zhang, H. Shu, c. Jiang, Malta, A. 2010), â€Å"Managing  Ã‚  Knowledge for Innovation  Ã‚  the Role of Co-o peration, Competition, and Alliance  Ã‚  Nationality†, Journal of International  Ã‚  Marketing  Ã‚  Association, 18, pp. 74-94. 1. Presentation and Style (10 marks) | Mark range| Mark| The work is well structured and has a logical and well ordered flow between issues. Language used is sophisticated and articulate. Referencing is consistent and uses the Harvard method. | 8-10| | There is a clear underlying structure to the work which makes it easy to read and understand. Referencing is consistent. 6-7| | The work is acceptably presented and has a clear structure. The arguments are clearly expressed although the language and terminology used lacks sophistication. Referencing is consistent. | 5| | The work lacks a central narrative which links the issues discussed together in a coherent way. Referencing is haphazard. | 4| | The work has no real structure and is more a collection of loosely related issues than anything. Referencing is haphazard and weak. There are errors of spelling, grammar and punctuation. | 0-3| | 2. Use of Appropriate Models and Concepts (25 marks) | Mark range| Mark|A clear and sensible choice of models and concepts has been made with which to carry out analysis. The models are used well and develop clear and robust analysis which shows an excellent understanding of the model and how it can be applied. | 18-25| | A good choice of models and concepts is made and these models and concepts are used appropriately and correctly. Conclusions may be drawn from the use of models but these conclusions lack a little in terms of sophistication. | 15-17| | Models chosen are appropriate to the example under discussion but the analysis derived from them is weak or superficial.The use of models does little more than rearrange or repackage information about the company. | 12-14| | The use of models is haphazard and there is no clear rationale for why they have been chosen. The models deliver limited analysis and offer few if any insights into the example under discussion. | 10-11| | Limited or no use of models is demonstrated. Information about the company and its environment is simply described and there is nothing to guide or focus the analysis| 0-9| | 3. Evidence of Research about the Company and its Business Environment (25 marks) | Mark range| Mark|The assignment uses a variety of sources, all of them reliable, to provide an excellent level of detail. A systematic approach is taken to the gathering of evidence and information about the company and its environment. Discussions are supported by robust evidence throughout. | 18-25| | A good selection of sources are used to provide information about the company and its environment and these are used to reach sound conclusions| 15-17| | Different sources may be used to gather information but there is no real attempt made to distinguish between the quality of information presented.The use of information is unstructured and haphazard and provides a limited base for conclusion s and discussion. | 12-14| | Whilst there is some information provided about the company, it will tend to be anecdotal and lacking in robustness. There is no real evidence of a systematic approach to gathering information. Conclusions reached do not reflect the quality of evidence provided. | 10-11| | The assignment is too reliant on just one or two sources of information about the company and no attempt is made to examine the reliability and quality of those sources.Material presented is accepted uncritically and without question. | 0-9| | 4. Discussion and Analysis (25 marks) | Mark range| Mark| The assignment has a clear focus on the question posed and answers it using sophisticated analysis and discussion which combines theory, models and robust data. There is a clear structure and line of argument throughout the assignment. | 18-25| | The assignment contains some good discussion and analysis. There is an attempt to integrate theory, models and evidence. There is some structure to the assignment and a focus on the assignment requirements. 15-17| | There is a blend of analysis and description but the assignment overall leans towards the descriptive rather than the analytical. Models may be used but there is no real attention paid to how theory can develop analysis and insights. At times, the assignment fails to focus on the question posed. | 12-14| | The assignment lacks a clear structure which focuses on the question posed and is mainly descriptive with no real analytical content. The assignment focuses on what has happened and makes no real attempt to use theory, models or evidence to explain why it may have happened and the implications of such things.The work is mainly descriptive. | 10-11| | The assignment is little more than a collection of loosely related points about a company and the environment in which it operates. There is no integration between theory, models and evidence at all. | 0-9| | 5. Conclusions (15 marks) | Mark range| Mark| Conclusion s reached are robust, clear and an accurate reflection of the preceding sections of the report. Conclusions draw together the different strands of theory and practice developed in the assignment. The conclusions show a high level of understanding of marketing strategy. 10-15| | Conclusions are a good reflection of the assignment overall and round things off in a clear and competent manner. An understanding of marketing strategy is demonstrated but differentiating between important and less important issues needed development. | 8-9| | Reflections are a reasonable reflection of the work in the main body of the assignment. No real distinction is shown between important and less important issues but there is an adequate understanding of marketing strategy demonstrated. 6-7| | Conclusions do little more than restate what was in the main body of the assignment and so lack impact. No distinction is made between important and less important issues and limited understanding of the subject m atter is demonstrated. | 4-5| | Conclusions are weak, underdeveloped and have no real relationship with the work which preceded them. Conclusions do not suggest an understanding of either the theory or practice of marketing strategy. | 0-3| | Overall Comments: Key Strengths Key Weaknesses and areas of improvement| | Final Assignment Grade (including Mark Contribution)| |