Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Bible

Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Bible The Bible is a collection of books, inspired by God, to be used as God’s revelation of Himself to us. It is God’s doorway to declare his authority over his people. Authority of the Bible is established and/or comes from its own claims. The Old Testament uses the phrase â€Å"This is what the Lord says† enough times to give any reader the understanding that it is the word of God. Because the Bible is viewed as God’s Word it is the final word concerning all issues it speaks. Inspiration is the supernatural guidance of biblical writers by the Holy Spirit.There are different theories as to how God inspired the Bible. Verbal and Plenary inspiration are two theories held by many. These are similar in the belief that they believe the Holy Spirit’s influence was so intense that each word ended up being the exact word God wanted used. Verbal inspiration is more text oriented than author oriented while Plenary holds more to author oriented rather than text oriented. I hold to the belief once taught to me by Dr. Orr that â€Å"God is God, and therefore can do anything God wants; God inspired the Bible in his own way; thus the Bible turned out exactly as God intended it†.With this belief I do not try to prove how the Bible was inspired but rather stress the Biblical support of the theories. 2 Timothy 3:16 is one of the verses most used when proving inspiration in that it tells us that all scripture is from God. In 1 Corinthians 2:9-13 we are given Paul’s view to the process of inspiration. In this verse Paul explains that the spirit revealed the things God wanted them to know so that they may understand and write what was freely given to them. As Christians we view the Bible as inerrant.Inerrancy is the belief that what God inspired in the Bible is without error. In Numbers 23:19 we are taught that God cannot lie, if this is so and the Bible was inspired by God then we are indirectly gi ven support to and definition of inerrancy. There are five common arguments for and against inerrancy of the Bible. The weakest argument is the Slippery Slope Argument. It just states that if you stop believing in the inerrancy of the Bible than you will stop believing in the teachings and end up an unbeliever. Though this may happen to a few people this is not the usual.Christians can hold to their beliefs without holding to the belief that the Bible is inerrant. The Epistemological Argument is just as weak of an argument. It states that claims of belief can only be justified by believers if scripture is without error. It states that scripture must be beyond a doubt the truth. The problem with this is that a believer should not have to rely on the belief that all scripture is without error to feel that their claim of belief is justified. The Biblical Argument is a great way to defend inerrancy.In this argument it states that the Bible teaches of its own inerrancy. We can see one of these teachings in Matthew 5:17-20. The argument against this is very weak. It argues that the Bible does not teach inerrancy because nowhere does it directly say that the Bible is inerrant, without error. This to me in no way disproves the argument just argues for arguments sake. The last and strongest is the Historical Argument. This argument states that the bible is inerrant because it has been the belief of Christians throughout history.Throughout history Christianity has not fallen as many other beliefs and cultures have. No matter how hard disbelievers try to fight scripture it still stands and is believed by many. There are many famous historical theologians that can be used to defend the inerrancy of the Bible. The argument against this is weak in that it argues that the Bible was not taught as inerrant till the 19th century. It argues that the only reason Christians began to say the Bible was inerrant was because of the need for it in apologetics.The relationship between i nspiration and inerrancy is powerful because they are united. Without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit there would be no need of inerrancy. We trust in the inerrancy of the Bible because we are taught that scripture was given to the authors by the breath of God. God is infallible and therefore the inspiration of the Bible is inerrant. When I reflect on the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Bible I know that to be a committed follower of Jesus I must submit to each of these so that I may grow in my faith.

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity Integrity Is to follow high-quality morals when no one Is observing. Integrity Is a good quality to have because it makes the person more trustworthy and a better person in general. Academic integrity is when one is honest and fair when it comes to studies and to school. An example of academic integrity is when a person does not cheat even when the teacher leaves the room. If the person decides to take out his notes and cheat when the teacher leaves the room, he is displaying academic dishonesty.Why cheat? Maybe the student has many extracurricular and is unable to find time to study, he feels pressured by his parents and cheats to please them, or he Is just too lazy to study and cheats so he can keep his optional status. Students often cheat because they have an underlying Incentive, students rarely cheat for sport. In a high school setting students may cheat so they can get good grades and please their parents, others may cheat because they don't have time to stu dy. In high school, students must do well so they can get in to good colleges so they wont be left featureless.Because their whole lives depend on their performance n high school, they have an incentive to cheat. The consequences some students face for academic dishonesty in high school is a suspension or in some cases, expulsion. In universities, students are often more stressed than high school students and require more time for test preparation, but because of pressure, they may end up resorting to academic dishonesty in order to pass classes. In Carnegie Melon's Why do Students Cheat? Article, the author states that the college students are held o high expectations and are socially pressured to get good grades.Other students are Involved In volunteer work or have too many classes In their hands and do not have good time management to make time to study for assessments. Hopefully by facing the consequences of showing a lack of integrity, the student learns to become a person who comes to value honesty. Many who are dishonest face social consequences and lack of trust from peers and teachers/professors. Other consequences are facing trial, probation, sanctions, and dismissal from the institution.To have integrity is to practice it, while the student is learning and growing intellectually, they should be taught to value honesty and integrity so they can practice the principles. Another way to integrate integrity into our society is to establish a system where integrity is one of the highest principles, and if one was to show a lack of Integrity, they may face the consequences the community sees fit. Academic Integrity Is one of the most Important aspects of a learning environment. Without It, students will practice dishonesty and demoralize themselves. By shrub Integrity is to follow high-quality morals when no one is observing.Integrity is a time to study, he feels pressured by his parents and cheats to please them, or he is cheat because they have an underl ying incentive, students rarely cheat for sport. In a students must do well so they can get in to good colleges so they won't be left involved in volunteer work or have too many classes in their hands and do not have show a lack of integrity, they may face the consequences the community sees fit. Academic Integrity According the Walden University Student Handbook academic integrity to be essential for each student’s intellectual development (2013 Code of Conduct Student Handbook). This allows students opportunity to freely exchange, students and instructors attribution. Enrollment to the University solidifies a commitment to abide by the code of conduct. By instilling academic integrity within your writing it gives students a chance to write creatively while accepting the responsibility for academic integrity (COCSH, 2013). There are many reasons to maintain academic integrity, but it sometimes becomes difficult for this success to achieve at a doctoral level. It is important that students not deny themselves the opportunity to succeed by taking short cuts. Thus, this will compromise their integrity and violate the Student code of conduct. Students are encourages students to may submit questions and concerns to contact their faculty mentor, course instructor, or academic advisor. (2013) Plagiarism In my opinion, Plagiarism is taking someone's original ideas and writing and making it yours without giving proper credit to the author. Plagiarism can be avoided by always citing sources that ideas are derived from other works as use for your own ideas when writing. Credit should be given when credit is due (APA 2010,p15). Self-Plagiarism is when you do not present your own previously published works accurately. According to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, each time a student summarizes a passage or rearrange the order of a sentence by changing some of the words, credit to the source is required (APA 2010). This is required to safeguard other writer’s ideas. In some instances, such as describing details or an analytical approach extensive self-referencing is undesirable (APA 2010 p16). Citation It is necessary to avoid plagiarism this can be completed when citations occur and also when original ideas are not derived. According to the APA Manual the author, year, and specific page citation or paragraph are required quotation comprising of less than 40 words, should open, and close with double quotation mark and the source cited in parentheses. (APA, 2010, p171). An example of this would be â€Å"In the United States, the American Cancer Society (2007) estimated that about 1 million cases of NMSC and 59,950 cases of melanoma would be diagnosed in 2007, with melanoma resulting in 8,110 deaths†(Miller et al, 2009 p. 209. ) Conclusion In conclusion, Academic Integrity is imperative and should be adhered to in order to maintain the highest level of scholarly standards. Paraphrasing, citing author’s contributions correctly and acknowledging secondary sources allow readers to discover informative writings and strengthen the writer’s credibility to contribute accurately. Academic Integrity According the Walden University Student Handbook academic integrity to be essential for each student’s intellectual development (2013 Code of Conduct Student Handbook). This allows students opportunity to freely exchange, students and instructors attribution. Enrollment to the University solidifies a commitment to abide by the code of conduct. By instilling academic integrity within your writing it gives students a chance to write creatively while accepting the responsibility for academic integrity (COCSH, 2013). There are many reasons to maintain academic integrity, but it sometimes becomes difficult for this success to achieve at a doctoral level. It is important that students not deny themselves the opportunity to succeed by taking short cuts. Thus, this will compromise their integrity and violate the Student code of conduct. Students are encourages students to may submit questions and concerns to contact their faculty mentor, course instructor, or academic advisor. (2013) Plagiarism In my opinion, Plagiarism is taking someone's original ideas and writing and making it yours without giving proper credit to the author. Plagiarism can be avoided by always citing sources that ideas are derived from other works as use for your own ideas when writing. Credit should be given when credit is due (APA 2010,p15). Self-Plagiarism is when you do not present your own previously published works accurately. According to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, each time a student summarizes a passage or rearrange the order of a sentence by changing some of the words, credit to the source is required (APA 2010). This is required to safeguard other writer’s ideas. In some instances, such as describing details or an analytical approach extensive self-referencing is undesirable (APA 2010 p16). Citation It is necessary to avoid plagiarism this can be completed when citations occur and also when original ideas are not derived. According to the APA Manual the author, year, and specific page citation or paragraph are required quotation comprising of less than 40 words, should open, and close with double quotation mark and the source cited in parentheses. (APA, 2010, p171). An example of this would be â€Å"In the United States, the American Cancer Society (2007) estimated that about 1 million cases of NMSC and 59,950 cases of melanoma would be diagnosed in 2007, with melanoma resulting in 8,110 deaths†(Miller et al, 2009 p. 209. ) Conclusion In conclusion, Academic Integrity is imperative and should be adhered to in order to maintain the highest level of scholarly standards. Paraphrasing, citing author’s contributions correctly and acknowledging secondary sources allow readers to discover informative writings and strengthen the writer’s credibility to contribute accurately.

Singapore International Airlines

Contents COVER LETTER4 1PROSPECTS OF ECONOMY5 1. 1Global Financial Crisis5 1. 2Oil Prices5 2PROSPECT OF AIRLINE INDUSTRY5 2. 1General Trend of the Airline Industry5 2. 2Analysis of competitiveness of industry6 3VALUE CHAIN7 3. 1Training of Pilots/ Cabin crew/ Ground handling staff7 3. 2Branding and publicity7 3. 3Reservations and Ticketing7 3. 4Ground Operations7 3. 5In-flight Services8 3. 6Aircraft Operations8 3. 7Fleet Management and maintenance8 3. 8Customers8 4SINGAPORE AIRLINE’S COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE8 4. 1The 4 components of SIA’s competitive strategy8 5FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS9 5. Operating Performance Analysis9 5. 2Liquidity Analysis10 5. 3Solvency Analysis10 5. 4Profitability Analysis10 5. 5Stock Prices Analysis11 5. 6Comparison with Industry Average11 6SINGAPORE AIRLINES’ NON-FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE11 6. 1Learning and Growth11 6. 3 Internal Processes12 7RECOMMENDATIONS12 8APPENDIX13 9REFERENCES32 Cover Letter To: Ms Leo, CEO From: Investment Team Subje ct: Investment Report – Singapore Airlines Ltd This report contains an analysis of Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) with response to your query on desirability of making a fairly large medium-to-long term investment in the shares of SIA. Firstly, an analysis of the prospects of the airline industry which SIA operates in would be given to develop a better understanding of the business environment. The current state of economy will also be one of the highlights as it is perhaps one of the biggest concerns amongst investors. Next, the company’s value chain and competitive strategies would also be presented and analyzed to justify if SIA have the ability to sustain its growth despite numerous world-wide challenges such as the financial crisis and high oil prices. On top of that, an analysis of the company’s past financial statements and especially for the year 2007/08 would be presented to analyze the profitability and quality of earnings. For a more holistic approach, analysis of the company and industry using non-financial performance measures would also be used to address issues where financial measures are insufficiently informative. Comparisons with the industry and main competitors will also be made along the way to show how they fare and if the stock price has the potential to grow amongst stiff competition in the airline industry. Lastly, recommendations on the desirability of the investment would be given on our stand based on our analysis. 1Prospects of Economy 1. 1Global Financial Crisis The world’s economy is currently facing one of the worst financial threats ever since the Great Depression in 1929. Demise of US banks such as Lehman Brothers were due to huge corporate debt default which caused them to incur a large impairment loss. This tight credit crunch caused the downfall of the global stock market with fearful investors withdrawing their investments. In response to the gloomy outlook of the worldwide economy, assurance was given by the G7 as they announce to unveil a 5-point plan to counter the crisis and to stabilize the financial market. 1. 2Oil Prices The airline industry was drastically hit by the rocketing of aviation fuel prices for the past one year , forcing many companies to increase air ticket prices to cover the increased expenditure. Expenditure is accelerating at a faster rate than revenue; hence this has caused many airline companies to suffer a loss in operating profit. However, basket average crude oil prices has been on a declining trend. â€Å"Prices fell $18. 1/b or more than 14% in August, declining sharply from the record levels reached in July,† according to OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report September 2008. 2Prospect of Airline Industry 2. 1General Trend of the Airline Industry The current situation in the airline industry remains bleak. It is caused by a mix of weakening passenger demand, particularly i n the First and Business Classes, and the existing uncertain global economic outlook. Cargo demand has also plummeted, with a 6. 5% drop in demand for Asia-Pacific carriers in July 2008. However, SIA has been able to anticipate changes and continue to break new grounds. The procurement of A380 Airbus has helped SIA achieve substantial cost savings. In addition, conversion of five Airbus A340-500 aircraft into an All-Business Class set-up, and constantly ensuring that capacity best matches SIA’s demand , have proved to be profitable for SIA alone despite the overall weakening passenger demand. 2. 2Analysis of competitiveness of industry Since SIA’s overall profitability is largely influenced by the presence of competition, we have used Porter’s Model of Five Forces to analyze the competitiveness of the industry. Threats of substitutes Over the years, the airline industry has become increasingly competitive with entry of new competitors such as budget airlines. As such, some passengers are choosing to fly budget airlines for short travelling distances. Hence, demand from customers are becoming relatively price elastic, forcing some firms to lower their prices in order to stay competitive. Buyer Bargaining Power Buyer bargaining power is increasing due to the price transparency concerns of customers, as they can choose which airline to take. However, on the industry level, bargaining power is low. Supplier Bargaining Power Supplier bargaining power in the airline industry is high as the input required (aircraft, aviation fuel) is unique and there are no similar substitutes available. Rivalry among existing players The intensity of competition among airlines has increased substantially over the years as firms are narrowing the gap of the service quality and on board amenities. This has led to increasing emphasis in effective cost management for firms. Threat of Entry There are substantial barriers to entry for the industry due to the high initial fixed outlay and proprietary know-how. However, the entry of budget airlines poses potential threats to the existing players. Many firms have responded by buying shares in firms of budget airlines. 3Value Chain 3. 1Training of Pilots/ Cabin crew/ Ground handling staff SIA’s places great emphasis in training by continuously sending its employees for comprehensive and rigorous training. To present only the best service, SIA also imposes stringent selection tests of employees at the recruitment stage. 3. 2Branding and publicity SIA’s spending on advertising has been static over the recent years. Recently, TBWA replaced Batey agency which popularised the iconic Singapore Girl . SIA adopts a global approach to advertising in the international media, keeping the Singapore Girl icon as its representation of high quality service. 3. 3Reservations and Ticketing SIA’s website allows flight timetable downloads for gadgets such as pocket PCs and palm tops and synchronizes the data when it is amended. SIA’s ticketing offices are located in over 70 countries and it operates 24 hour telephone reservations and service call centres to help its customers. The use of interline e-ticketing allows ticket information to be stored in SIA’s secured database and shared among airlines on the customer’s itinerary. 3. 4Ground Operations SATS handles all ground operations which includes baggage/ airfreight handling and apron services. Technology such as Internet check-in, biometric checks and downtown check-in services are ingrained to speed up processing time. The application of Fully Automated Seamless Travel (FAST) integrates three processes comprising airline check-in, pre-immigration security checks and immigration clearance. SIA’s loyalty customers also have the privilege of priority check-in and enjoying exclusive facilities at its lounges. 3. 5In-flight Services Its in-flight on-demand entertainment system has over a thousand demand options and office software for passengers. Also, SIA also integrated the full size ‘space-bed’, on-board email and internet services in its First and Business classes. 3. 6Aircraft Operations SIA flies directly to 66 destinations and has recently increased flights to more popular destinations. SIA has transformed its cabins to full business class seating for its SG-NY flights and will be doing the same for its SG-LA Flights. . 7Fleet Management and maintenance SIA maintains young fleets of passenger and cargo planes. These fuel efficient planes are on the average age of 6-7yrs. It leases 34 out of its 126 aircraft on an agreement of range 4. 7-10. 5 years with options to sub-lease. SIAEC has also joined Airbus’ Maintenance Training Network, givin g it access to Airbus’ latest training methodologies. 3. 8Customers SIA’s KrisFlyer customer retention scheme has been effective to date and it now focuses on services for wealthy and business travellers, in conjunction with the PPS club . Singapore Airline’s Competitive Advantage Through the value chain comparison with competitors, SIA has achieved both differentiation and low cost strategies in its operations and stands out as a leader in the industry. 4. 1The 4 components of SIA’s competitive strategy 4. 1. 1Rigorous service design, development and continuous innovation SIA’s service development department constantly researches for and tests out new innovations. It uses the centralized innovation approach which involves three-step processes. The effective feedback channel helps to ensure that any useful suggestions are adopted. Employees are also sent on ‘spy flights’ on competitor’s planes to report their findings . SIA’s continuous innovation supports cost effectiveness and it transfers this margin to its customers. Some examples are improvements in seat and screen size, as well as in-flight services, which compares favourably to its competitors . 4. 1. 2Profit and cost-cutting mentality of employees SIA’s employees are well aware of the implications of high costs and they always strive to achieve customer satisfaction in a cost effective manner. Compared to the industry, SIA maintains a relatively young yet fuel efficient fleet. 4. 1. 3Holistic Staff Development All employees have a training and development plan which includes both functional and interpersonal skills. SIA’s aircrew is organized in teams of 13 and flies together for at least 2 years . Hence, these have helped to develop team bonding for delivering excellent service. 4. 1. 4Strategic synergies through diversification and world-class infrastructure SIA has reaped strategic synergies through diversification of its subsidiaries: SIA Engineering Company, SATS, SATS In-flight catering and Tiger airways. Diversifying has helped to avoid tough competition and to capture a larger market share by offering more types of services. Hence, SIA still gains the general market share through its 49% stake in the low-cost carrier Tiger Airways while focusing on wealthy and business travellers, 5Financial Statement Analysis 5. 1Operating Performance Analysis Revenue from the company’s operating activities increased by 12. 5% and expenditure increased by 7. 7%, causing the operating profit to increase by 60. 1% from 2007. Also, net cash provided by operation activities was has been positive and on an increasing trend. This tremendous improvement in operating profit is due the increased demand for SIA’s flights. 5. 2Liquidity Analysis 5. 2. 1Quick Ratio The ratio dropped from 1. 4 in 2007 to 1. 29 in 2008. This is largely due to the company recognizing more sales in advance of carriage under current liabilities. However, the overall quick ratio trend has been greater than 1. This indicates the relatively stronger liquidity position to meet current debts, especially compared with its competitors . 5. 3Solve ncy Analysis 5. 3. 1Debt-to-Equity Ratio The ratio dropped from 0. 12 in 2007 to 0. 11 in 2008. The result projects an optimistic outlook because the company was able to complete their purchase of new A380 planes without relying on outside funds and the value of the ratio is lower than its competitors. This indicates SIA’s strong ability to generate cash from operating activities for future growth. 5. 4Profitability Analysis 5. 4. 1Return on Average Equity Holders’ Funds The return on average equity holders’ funds dropped from 14. 9% in 2007 to 13. 56% in 2008. The major reason behind the decrease was due to sale of SIA building and investment in Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise Pte Ltd in 2007. The extraordinary events led to a significantly large amount of profit in 2007. Hence, the drop in return on average equity holders’ funds is not a big concern. Compared to the 2006 figure of 9. 61% and 2005 figure of 11. 01%, the company has been more successful in generating returns for its equity holders. 5. 4. 2Earnings after Tax per Share (diluted) This is a conservative measure that takes into account of the employees exercising their share options. The diluted earnings after tax per share dropped from $1. 71 in 2007 to $1. 66 in 2008, largely due to the one time sale of assets in 2007 mentioned above. The drop is not a concern because it still shows an increasing trend. 5. 4. 3Dividends per Share The overall trend of the dividend payout is positive and investors are expected to receive a fair share of dividends annually . 5. 5Stock Prices Analysis The general price trend of SIA stocks shows an upwards inclination. It reached a peak at around November 07 and prices have been decreasing since. One of the reasons why stock prices started to decrease is due to rising fuel prices. In view of the recent financial turmoil, the unstable economy is expected to have a significant impact on stock price. As compared to its major competitors, the stock price decrease was fortunately not as drastic. Also, we should note that this is a temporary mark to market loss suffered and not a permanent impairment loss incurred by SIA. 5. 6Comparison with Industry Average Overall, SIA’s financial performance is above industry average in comparison. 6Singapore Airlines’ Non-Financial Performance Non-financial performances are an integral part of a company which is bound to affect a company’s financial position in the long run and will determine its sustainability amidst stiff competition. A comparison with their closer competitors is also being considered . 6. 1Learning and Growth SIA places large emphasis on its employees. One of its strategies to train its employees includes company-wide Core Developmental Competency Framework, which seeks to help staff identify their strengths and opportunities for improvements. SIA Group also has seven training schools to deliver training in each core functional areas. This includes the Transforming Customer Service (TCS) initiative and general management training. Furthermore, SIA has in place share-based remuneration programmes which aim to more directly align the interests of senior management with the interests of shareholders. . 2Customer perspective One of SIA’s strengths lies in its superior customer service and excellent facilities on board. On top of that, SIA also places large emphasis on the safety of its customers on air and have introduced various new methods and equipment on board with the customers’ welfare and convenience in mind. SIA’s efforts in providing excellent customer service ar e evident by the many awards and accolades they garnered over the past years. These awards have enhanced their reputation and enabled them to dominate in the Airline industry. 6. 3 Internal Processes SIA’s Value Chain was analyzed to gain better understanding of its internal process. 7Recommendations From the above analysis, we understand that the airline industry that SIA operates in is extremely volatile and competitive. Coupled with the problem of rising fuel prices, the future do poses many challenges for SIA. However, having analyzed SIA’s strategies and operation style, we can see that SIA has been effective in managing the challenges faced to date, despite it being a relatively small and young airline compared to the other players in the industry. This is evident from the good financial performance of SIA. Thus, our team is optimistic about SIA’s growth prospects for the next 5 to 10 years and we predict that an attractive return can be guaranteed if the shares were bought. However, in view of the financial turmoil, we suggest putting the investment plan on hold first and wait for share prices to plummet to a sufficiently low point before buying the shares. Ultimately, this will help our company to take advantage of the low share price and maximize returns in the future. 8Appendix Appendix 1 Article 1 From The Times October 9, 2008 Interest rate cuts overshadowed by spectre of recession IMF says world is heading for major downturn Patrick Hosking, Banking and Finance Editor Interest rates across the world were slashed yesterday as central banks took unprecedented emergency action in an effort to contain the worst economic threat since the Great Depression. Hours after the Government unveiled a ? 500 billion rescue package for the British banking system, the Bank of England joined forces with its counterparts across the Western world to cut rates by half a percentage point. The extraordinary level of coordination was designed to demonstrate resolve in the face of financial panic but failed to restore confidence in the stock market. Share prices rallied briefly in London but the FTSE 100 index closed down 239 points at 4,367, its lowest point for four years. In its bleakest forecast for years, the International Monetary Fund said that the world was entering a major downturn in the face of â€Å"the most dangerous shock . . . since the 1930s†. The US and Europe were either on the brink of or already in recession. Appendix 2 Article 2 Home > Breaking News > Money > Story Oct 11, 2008 G7 vows to fight crisis WASHINGTON – GROUP of Seven finance chiefs on Friday unveiled a five-point plan to fight the global economic firestorm and restore confidence in the financial system by shoring up struggling banks. ‘The G7 agrees today that the current situation calls for urgent and exceptional action,' the US Treasury said in a statement on behalf of the G7 nations. We commit to continue working together to stabilise financial markets and restore the flow of credit, to support global economic growth,' it added after the finance ministers and central bank chiefs from the G7 nations – the United States, Germany, Japan, France, Britain, Italy and Canada – met in Washington. Appendix 3 Graph 1 Appendix 4 Newspaper Extract 1 The Straits Times, October 19 2008 Money Section Appendix 5 Exhibit 1 Airline Industry†™s Value Chain and competitive advantage The diagram below describes the Primary activities that is included in SIA’s Value Chain Appendix 6 Article 3 SIA stays the course with its branding strategy American advertising agency TBWA took over the coveted account from Singapore- based agency Batey – the name behind SIA's ad campaigns for the past 35 years.. †¦ Many marketing experts, who were looking for a significant change in SIA's branding strategy, were surprised by the lack of it, while others felt the ads weren't much of a head turner†¦ SIA spokesman Stephen Forshaw says critics have got it all wrong. Branding is not only about advertising. More importantly, it is about the substance behind the brand. ‘It perplexes me that people think the key to branding is advertising. It's not,' he says. ‘The key to branding is getting the fundamentals of the business right first. ‘Advertising is merely a way of communicating between the organisation and its customer base. ‘ †¦ †¦ But there remains a key constant – the Singapore Girl icon. ‘The representation of the Singapore Girl is what the brand delivers to customers – that is very high quality service,' Mr Forshaw says†¦. †¦ A significant application of biometric technologies currently being developed at SIA’s hub at Changi Airport in Singapore is the FAST (Fully Automated Seamless Travel) process. In November 2004, a six-month pilot test of FAST has been initiated based on a biometrics technology that integrates three processes: airline check-in, pre-immigration security checks, and immigration clearance†¦ †¦ This initiative at Changi Airport is a world’s first of integrating these processes with the clear objective of driving service excellence at airport operations and SIA’s ground services, while at the same time driving efficiency and improving security.. Appendix 7 Table 1 Kris Flyer Programs The table below describes the KrisFlyer programs of SIA. Level Benefits Young Explorer Club†¢Earn and redeem miles for free travel just like other KrisFlyer members †¢Miles earned go towards qualification for higher tiers of membership Kris Flyer Elite Silver†¢25% bonus on actual miles flown whenever you fly Singapore Airlines, SilkAir or Virgin Atlantic. †¢Priority Reservation Waitlist and Priority Airport Standby Kris Flyer Elite Gold†¢25% tier bonus on actual miles flown each time you credit the miles you earn on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Virgin Atlantic. †¢Increased Check-in Baggage Allowance (20kg, or one extra piece of baggage). Priority Airport Check-in and boarding and baggage handling †¢ Access to Star Alliance Gold Lounges. PPS Club†¢Exclusive Gift Vouchers to purchase items from our inflight shopping service, KrisShop. †¢Enjoy reduced or waived fees for various KrisFlyer services. †¢Travel Assistance and Insurance. †¢25% tier bonus on actual miles flown each time you credit the miles you earn on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Virgin Atlantic. †¢If your reservation for a seat in First or Raffles/Business Class cannot be confirmed immediately, you will be offered the option of a guaranteed seat in Economy Class on the same flight. 100% increased check-in baggage allowance on all Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights †¢ Extended Use of Silver Kris Lounges. †¢Access to Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses. Solitaire PPS Club †¢25% tier bonus on actual miles flown each time you credit the miles you earn on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Virgin Atlantic to your KrisFlyer account. †¢Supplementary Card for your spouse, who will be accorded the same level of service as you whenever they travel. Appendix 9 Article 5 Cost-effective service excellence: lessons from Singapore Airlines An additional source of intelligence is SIA’s â€Å"spy flights†, where advisors travel with competitors and report on their offerings†¦ †¦ SIA builds team spirit within its 6,600 crew members through its â€Å"team concept†, where small teams of 13 crew members are formed and then fly together as far as possible for at least two years. This leads to the development of team spirit and social bonds within the team that reinforces the culture of cost-effective service excellence and the peer pressure to deliver SIA’s promise to customers†¦. Appendix 10 Table 2 The tables below show the comparison between the in-flight facilities provided by SIA and their competitors. Airline comparison in terms of screen size AirlineEconomy ClassBusiness ClassFirst ClassOthers Singapore Airlines10. 6’15. 4’ LCD23’ LCD (1280Ãâ€"768 Pixels)100 movies, 180 TV shows, 20 radio stations, 65games, 700music CDs, office software, noise cancelling headsets Cathay9’ widescreen15’ widescreen17’ widescreen100 movies, 350 TV shows, 22 radio stations, 888 CDs, 70 interactive games, noise cancelling headsets Qantas6. 3’10. 2’8. 3’60 movies, 200 TV shows, 20 radio stations, 10 games, 150 music CDs, noise cancelling headsets Airlines comparison in terms of in-flight services AirlineSingapore AirlinesQantasCathay 1st Class- 88. 9cm wide, fine grain leather seats – Flat bed – Adjustable table height – Dressing table with mirror – Plush duvet, fluffy pillows – Ferragamo Toiletries – Givenchy Sleeper Suite and suede slippers – Power outlet – Noise cancelling headsets- 198cm long flat bed – Light meals/ snacks available anytime – Built in massage capability in each chair – Payot paris toiletries – Akira Isogawa pyjamas, eyeshades – Power outlet – Noise cancelling headsets- 205. 7cm long, 63. 5cm wide flat bed – Personal Closet for clothes, hoes, mattress, pillows – Extra large tray table – Mood Lighting – Adjustable reading light – Built in massage capability in each chair – Acca Kappa Amenities set – Power outlet – Noise cancelling headsets Business Class- 1-2-1 layout with 76cm width seats – Flat bed – Light duvet, large pillows – Computer usage with USB ports and keyboard – Business lounge – Snack corner – Eau de toiletries – Power Outlet – Noise cancelling headsets- 2-2-2 layout – Shoe compartment – Coat Hook – Built in massage capability in each chair – Meal and cocktail table – Adjustable reading light – Inflight bar – Marc Newson amenities kit with Korner skincare product – Power Outlet – Noise cancelling headsets- 2-3-2 layout with 198cm long, 52 cm wide seats – Flat bed – Built in massage capability in each chair – Extra large tray table – Mood Lighting – Adjustable reading light – Extra large tray table – Agnes B Amenities kit with Murad/Dermalogica skincare products – Power Outlet – Noise cancelling headsets Appendix 11 Table 3 Average Age of Aircraft Average Age of Aircraft, 31March 20082007-20082006-20072005 – 20062004 – 2005 SIA Passenger Fleet (Months)77757664 SIA Freighters (Months)88766865 Industry Wide (Months)162160159157 Appendix 12 Table 4 Operating Performance of Company The CompanyCathay Qantas in S$ million 200820072006200520082008 Revenue12,759. 6011,343. 9010,302. 809,260. 109753. 27715051. 7 Expenditure-11,115. 60-10,316. 90-9,651. 80-8,562. 20-8751. 65-13774. 2 Operating Profit1,644. 001,027. 00651697. 91001. 6271277. 527 Percentage Change60. 10%57. 80%-6. 70% 33. 40% (compared to previous year) Cash Flow from Operating Activities4269. 43163. 52309. 62786. 62,540. 032,101. 91 Appendix 13 Table 5 Quick Ratio Calculation Quick Ratio = Quick Assets/ Current Liabilities (Quick Assets exclude inventories & prepaid assets) The GroupCathayQantas n S$ million 200820072006200820082008 Current Assets8,313. 308,248. 805,938. 304,943. 90339075616. 2 Inventories507. 7534. 1517. 5442. 5882215. 7 Section 44 tax prepayments-46. 7166. 2221. 4– Prepayments104. 986. 1—- Quick Assets7,700. 707,581. 905,254. 604,280. 00330255400. 5 Current Liabilities5,957. 705,258. 404,842. 503,901. 60273947603. 9 Quick Ratio1. 291. 4 41. 091. 101. 210. 71 Appendix 14 Table 6 Debt-to-Equity Ratio Calculation Debt-to-Equity ratio shows the composition of debt and equity in the capital structure and measures the degree to which the company relies on outsider for funds. Debt-to-Equity Ratio = Total long-term liabilities/ Total stockholders' equity The GroupCathayQantas in S$ million 200820072006200520082008 Long-term Liabilities1,599. 201,805. 801,824. 402,333. 304860. 20913. 5022 StockholderEquity15,125. 2015,100. 0013,470. 6012,342. 3016759. 325753. 29 Debt-to-Equity Ratio0. 110. 120. 140. 190. 290. 16 Appendix 15 Table 7 Return on Equity Holder's Fund Calculation Return on equity holders’ funds = Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company / Average equity holders’ funds (Percentage) The GroupCathayQantas 200820072006200520082008 in S$ million Profit attributable to equity holders2049. 2128. 81,240. 701,309. 507023969 Equity Holder's funds15,125. 2015,100. 0013,470. 6012,342. 30505495731. 2 Average equity holders' funds15112. 614285. 312906. 4511898. 747967. 55683. 05 Return on equity holders' funds13. 56%14. 90%9. 61%11. 01%14. 64%17. 05% Appendix 16 Table 8 Earnings after Tax per Share (diluted) Calculations Earnings afte r tax per share (diluted) is computed by dividing profit attributable to equity holders of the Company by the weighted average of ordinary shares in issue excluding treasury shares, adjusted for the dilutive effect on the exercise of all outstanding share options. The Group 2008200720062005 Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company(S$ millions)2,049. 402,128. 801,240. 701,352. 40 Adjustment for dilutive potential ordinary shares (S$ millions) (5. 10) (4. 80) (3. 60)- Adjusted net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company (S$ millions)2,044. 302,124. 001,237. 10- Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue (million)1,216. 001,233. 601,219. 501,218. 20 Adjustment for dilutive potential ordinary shares (million)14. 910. 02. 1- Adjusted weighted average number of ordinary shares (million)1,230. 901,243. 601,221. 601,218. 0 Diluted earnings per share (cents)166. 1170. 8101. 3111. 0 Appendix 17 Table 9 Dividend Schedule The Group 2008200720062005 Interim dividend (cents per share)20. 015. 010. 010. 0 Proposed final dividend (cents per share)80. 035. 035. 030. 0 Dividend cover (times)1. 71. 72. 32. 8 Appendix 18 Exhibit 3 SIACathay PacificQantas Airways SIACathay PacificQantas Airways 52 Weeks Range Volatility47%63%59% H ighest Price in 52 Weeks$19. 90$24. 00$6. 06 Lowest Price in 52 Weeks$10. 52$8. 77$2. 50 Appendix 19 Table 10 Figures for Industry Averages are taken from Reuters (www. reuters. com) Industry AverageGroup's Average Quick Ratio0. 921. 29 Interest Coverage0. 0426. 42 Return on Assets0. 19%8. 10% Return on Equity-0. 04%13. 60% Appendix 20 Table 11 Non Financial Evaluation in the form of a BSC Learning and Growth Aspects of MeasurementMeasuresEvaluation Employee DevelopmentEmployee training programmes implemented †¢Implementation of a company-wide Core Developmental Competency Framework. Consisting of eight core competencies, it allows staff to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. †¢Three areas have been prioritised for follow-up action: Pay and Benefits, Career Development, and Working Relationships. This shows that they are concerned about its employees’ welfare, not just giving them financial satisfaction. †¢Introduced a web-based self-learning security program for cabin and technical aircrew. †¢Seven training schools Employee satisfactionEmployee benefits schemes †¢Short-Term Incentives Short-term incentives generally take the form of an annual profit-sharing bonus. Payment of the variable bonus is based on employees achieving the target levels in the following: (i) SIA Group’s Return on Shareholders’ Fund; (ii) SIA Company’s Operating Profit Margin; and iii) SIA Company’s Passenger Load Factor †¢Long-Term Incentives The Company has put in place share-based remuneration programmes allowing employees to share in its growth and success. These plans comprise the Performance Share Plan (PSP), Restricted Share Plan (RSP) and Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP). InnovationNew technology and innovations†¢KrisWorld, Singapore A irlines' award-winning and ever-expanding inflight entertainment system, offers customers a wide range of entertainment options. Customers can choose from a variety of movies, TV programmes, music CDs and channels. There is also an extensive selection of video games and interactive applications including Berlitz Word Traveler, a fully interactive learning programme. These techonology implemented allowed them to be one of the best airlines in the industry to offer such entertainment system. †¢Uses Three-step centralized innovation process. Examples are the recently launched design of the Airbus A380 cabin. Customer Overseas presenceNetwork Development†¢As of 31 March 2008, Singapore Airlines operated 726 weekly flights to 66 destinations in 36 countries. Including codeshare services with Star Alliance and partner airlines, the Airline’s global route network grew to 149 destinations in 46 countries. †¢In August 2007, SIAEC acquired 100% of Aircraft Maintenance Services Australia to offer line maintenance services at international airports in Australia. The acquisition is part of the Company's continuing effort to capture a larger slice of the global maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market by extending its reach o new growth markets and to broaden the span of its services to offer total maintenance solutions to airlines. SafetySafety measures introduced†¢Introduced a web-based self-learning security program for cabin and technical aircrew. It also successfully completed its second renewal of the IATA Operational Safety Audit. The audit covered key operational areas across the Airline, including flight safety, emergency management, engineering maintenance and ground handling. The Airline is also working closely with other safety organisations, such as IATA and AAPA, to promote and enhance flight safety. Service rangeNew services improvements to current flights†¢KrisShop launches new online sales portal krisshop. om, featuring an online catalogue and selections exclusive to Singapore †¢ECONOMY CLASS Improved design and use of light, thinner materials which provide more personal space and legroom. Other features include a non-intrusive reading light installed underneath the seatback screen, personal storage space for spectacles and smaller items, and adjustable footrest. †¢BUSINESS C LASS The A380 is configured with 60 Business Class seats. All seats offer direct access to the aisle, with a 1-2-1 forward-facing configuration. The new Business Class seats onboard the A380 are the widest in its class for any airline. At 85-cm wide, the seat is similar but slightly bigger, than the Business Class seats fitted on the Airline’s Boeing 777-300ER fleet. Business Class on the A380 also features a Passenger Corner, specially created for these customers to pick up snacks and socialise during long flights. †¢AIRLINES KRISWORLD Customers can choose from more than 1000 entertainment options featured on the new KrisWorld, including movies, television programmes, music, learning applications and 3D games. Screens across all classes are bigger: 58cm in Suites, 39cm in Business and 30cm in Economy. Singapore Airlines customers flying on the A380 and B777-300ER, are also able to work. Inflight through a comprehensive suite of office applications which can be accessed via the handset and without a laptop. All seats come with their very own USB port and in-seat power supply. †¢INTERLINE E-TICKETING Singapore Airlines ranks as the first non-US carrier, and third in the airline industry, in implementing interline e-ticketing. As of March 2008, 97% of all tickets issued from the Airline’s sales channels were e-tickets. All Singapore Airlines’ stations in the network are e-ticket enabled. According to IATA ranking in March 2008, Singapore Airlines has 120 Interline e-ticketing partners, among the highest in the industry. Corporate Social ResponsibilityRaising money for charities †¢Over $1. 9 million was raised and distributed to charities in Sydney, Singapore and the global humanitarian organisation, Medecins Sans Frontieres. Singapore Airlines announces it will auction seats in the world’s first A380 flight on the global online marketplace, eBay. All money raised from the auction is to be donated to four charities. The auction starts on 27 August 2007 and runs for two weeks. Environment†¢The A380 is a cleaner, greener, new generation aircraft – fuel burn, compared to a Boeing 747, on a per-seat basis is 20% less, and its noise footprint at take-off and landing is about 95% lower than any aircraft introduced 40 years ago. It is the cleanest, most environmentally friendly large passenger plane to take to the skies. Importantly, it will also help to deal with congestion at busy airports by offering more seats without the need for more frequencies. And it is delivering a substantially lower fuel burn per seat mile than the older generation large passenger jets. Image and reputationAwards and Accolades September 2008 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific â€Å"Best Airline† for the 17th consecutive time in its 2008 Readers' Poll. †¢Best Asia-Pacific Airline, Best First Class Best Business Class and Best Economy Class. With ten editions worldwide, Business Traveller is the world's leading publication geared towards frequent business traveller s. †¢World's Best Awards 2008 survey â€Å"Best International Airline† for the 13th consecutive time in its. The magazine has a readership of almost five million. February 2008 †¢Air Transport World (Global) Airline of the Year March 2008 †¢Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Aerospace & Defence Awards (Asia) Airline of the Year Business Process Process efficiency Solutions to improve business efficiency †¢Introduction of A380 to cater to high demand from customers and also attempted to cut costs that was passed on from high oil prices since the use of bigger airplanes will be more cost efficient as opposed to flying smaller airplanes with more frequency. In addition, five new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft were delivered. These raised the number of Boeing 777 aircraft in the operating fleet to 72, reaffirming Singapore Airlines’ position as the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 family. The four-time weekly service via Moscow started in March 2008, boosting the number of weekly passenger flights between Singapore and the USA to more than 50. Frequency was increased between Singapore and cities in Asia and Europe to meet growing demand for air travel. This shows that they continually increase their frequency to meet demands and improve services towards customers. Employee EfficiencyValu e added per employee†¢There is an improvement from $497,662 to $530,859 which is an increment of 6. 7% over the last financial year. Appendix 21 Table 12 Comparison with Close Competitors SIACathay PacificQantas Learning & GrowthAir Crew training -4 month long training for stewardesses which includes both functional and interpersonal skills -Promote team dynamics by organizing aircrews in teams of 13 and flies together for at least 2 years Self Learning – Web-based self-learning security program for its cabin and technical crew to increase efficiency in learning Air Crew training – Staff alignment survey to ensure better employees’ expectations. – Leading-edge training and development programmes to enhance the skills of our workforce. -Business-driven learning Confidential counselling through our Employee Assistance Programme. Air Crew training – Comprehensive training program that covers topics including customer service, medical aviation, aircraft and personal safety, emergency procedures. – QGFT provides high level practical and theoretical training in dedicated facilities. Internal Business Processes-Cost cutting solutions to improve business efficiency through introduction of Airbus 380 which offers the state of the art aircraft and that it also cuts back on fuel costs. – Diversity of businesses by tapping into budget airline Tiger Airways. Average fleet age of 6. 41 years-Cost cutting solutions to improve business efficiency by publicly announcing plans to replace a few older aircraft with new fuel-efficient plans and retrenching employees. -Average fleet age of 11 years. -Cost cutting solutions to improve business efficiency through introduction of Airbus 380 which offers the state of the art aircraft and that it cuts back on fuel costs. -Overly focused on cost cutting such that safety is being compromised, and they are currently under supervision by CASA -Average flight age of 9. 3 years Diversity of businesses by tapping into budget airline and currently holds stakes in Jetstar. Customer Perspective- Close relationship and builds loyalty through branding. – Excellent in flight ente rtainment on board that is crucial for longer flights. – Low safety concern: Introduced a web-based self-learning security program for cabin and technical aircrew and has completed its second renewal of the IATA Operational Safety Audit. The Airline is also working closely with other safety organisations, such as IATA and AAPA, to promote and enhance flight safety. Build and maintain a good social image and reputation- Excellent in flight services on board with brand new state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system with audio and video on demand for the business class. – Low safety concerns and they emphasized that safety is of utmost importance: established the Board Safety Review Committee and Airline Safety Review Committee – Safety problems have been an issue recently with numerous cases of technical problems and causing flight delays. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) told Qantas to improve the maintenance of its planes, after several flights ha d been cancelled or delayed due to engine problems. † – Social image declining due to adverse news reports about concerns over safety levels. Appendix 22 Article 6 Singapore world's best airline STUART INNES 20 September 2008 SINGAPORE Airlines, the first to have daily international flights through Adelaide Airport, has been named best airline by Business Traveller Asia-Pacific magazine The readers' votes also gave the airline wins in categories for best first class, best business class and best economy class. The gongs come on top of other awards to Singapore Airlines such as the annual Skytrax survey, which voted it airline of the year. US-based magazine Travel + Leisure readers voted Singapore Airlines as best international airline in its 2008 World's Best Awards. 9References Books Loizos Heracleous, Jochen Wirtz & Nitin Pangarkar (2006) Flying High in a competitive industry: Cost-effective service excellence at Singapore Airlines McGraw-Hill Educatiion (Asia) Databases Factiva http://global. factiva. com. ezlibproxy1. ntu. edu. sg/sb/default. aspx? NAPC=S&fcpil=en Journal Articles Shank, K. J. and Govindarajan, V. (1992). Strategic Cost Management and the Value Chain. Journal of Cost Management, Winter 1992, 5(4):5-21 Chivaka, R. (2007). Strategic Cost Management: Value Chain Analysis Approach. Accounting SA, August 2007, 25-27. Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive Advantage. The Free Press, New York, Ch. 1, pp 11-15. Newspaper Reports The Straits Times, October 19 2008, Money Section, SIA sees 1. 6% drop in flier numbers Other Reports Singapore Airlines Ltd Financial Report 2007-08 Singapore Airlines Ltd Financial Report 2006-07 Singapore Airlines Ltd Financial Report 2005-06 Singapore Airlines Ltd Financial Report 2004-05 Cathay Pacific Financial Report 2007-2008 Qantas Airways Financial Report 2007-2008 Websites www. cathaypacific. com www. qantas. com. au www. reuters. com www. singaporeair. com http://business. timesonline. co. uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article4909976. ece http://www. straitstimes. com/Breaking%2BNews/Money/Story/STIStory_288507. html www. venturerepublic. com/resources/Singapore_Airlines_ ¬_An_Excellent_Asian_Brand. asp www. singaporeairfreight. com/ttd_bizenterprise/Singlenews. aspx? DirID=64&re

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T&D 2 - Essay Example Firms regularly employ ‘Training Needs Analysis (TNA)’ to train their employees in order to serve their employees with quality services. TNA allows companies to assess their internal requirements for improving staff skills. For this purpose, a determination of job roles and responsibilities is undertaken at every level and category with respect to the employees working in the various departments. This paper details the outcomes of a TNA study conducted on an electrical engineer (referred to as the ‘subject’) who works at ESB International, a prominent energy company. The subject works in the ‘Engineering and Facility Management’ department and his roles primarily include the design and management of projects related to electrical sub-stations. The subject works in a team of five people and is the technical manager of the group. The study has been influenced by the recommendations of Garavan et al (2003) in identifying the training needs of entities at various levels within the organization. Thus, the literature review and the analysis are driven by the key aspects outlined by Garavan. Essentially, an ideal TNA process should be carried out at 3 levels: The different levels mentioned above are important elements of assessing the training needs and are highly interrelated. Thus, performing a study based on this structure will provide a balanced analysis that can address the requirements at each of these levels. A typical TNA analysis begins with a review of the strategic and operational objectives of the organization. For example, the SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis is a technique to identify such objectives. At the departmental level, the role of managers is widely studied and the skills of team members are reviewed against all identified objectives. This is important as organizational success is only possible if all departments and

Enron Accounting Fault Essay Example for Free

Enron Accounting Fault Essay Enron is frequently given as an example of creative accounting. It is also given as a good example of accounting fraud and insider trading. This is a good example of creative accounting taken too far not many would disagree that it was accounting fraud, although some would say they were just unlucky to get caught. after all, the auditors were Arthur Anderson, at the time one of the most respected auditing firms. Creative Accounting – Example 1 – Creating multiple trading entities The creative accounting involved setting up other entities and then trading with these entities. This is a common practice; many businesses divide their operations into sectors that perform specialist functions and then trade is carried out between these various entities. However, normal applicable accounting standards (GAAP), would require that some sort of financial consolidation is performed and the full picture reported. However, there was a bias to record income, revenue, and profits from transactions with these entities; rather than costs, expenses, and losses. Creative Accounting – Example 2 – Moving business segments offshore Enron created these entities offshore. This is also a common practice in accounting and tax planning. Many businesses do this to reduce the amount of taxes they pay, this can be done legally (tax avoidance) and it can take illegal forms (tax evasion). Offshore entities usually enjoy an enhanced level of privacy, this can make it difficult for local governments and auditors to gain insights into what is going on. Enron appears to have manged to succeed for a long time in hiding what was going on from both auditors, investors, and potential whistle-blowers. If Enron was recording profits, and assuming not much else was happening in these other entities, then these offshore entities would be recording losses. These losses were conveniently recorded away from the financial statements and therefore investors and many staff never new about them. Creative Accounting and Insider Trading The executives didn’t stop here. By using creative accounting and fraud to manipulate profits, they were able to affect the stock price, the next logical and illegal step was to start to trade the stock to benefit from the inside knowledge they had. This is know as insider trading and is illegal in most countries.

Ryanair-The Southwest of European Airlines Case Essay Example for Free

Ryanair-The Southwest of European Airlines Case Essay Ryanair was founded in July 1985 by the three brothers, Catlan, Declan, and Shane Ryan, with the financial assistant of their father Tony Ryan. As a beginner commercial carrier, its operations began with 25 staff and a single 15-seat turbo-prop commuter plane between Waterford in the southeast of Ireland and Gatwick Airport, the second busiest airport in London after Heathrow. Later on, regulatory authorities permitted the Ryanair Airlines to have at least four flying flights a day on Dublin-London route, with more seating capacity. Nowadays, Ryanair, with its rapid growth, occupies the most sought position in its own field, being Britains favorite airline and the oldest-low cost air carrier in Europe. The goal of my internal analysis on Ryanair is to focus on resources and capabilities as internal sources of uniqueness that allow firms to beat the competition. This analysis is often called the resource-based view of the firm. By theory, a firm gains an advantage by obtaining valuable and rare resources and developing the capability to utilize these resources to drive customers toward their products and services at the expense of competitors. As a result, firms with superior resources and capabilities enjoy competitive advantage over other firms. Value Chain AnalysisFirms make products or provide services by engaging in many different activities. The basic structure of these activities is embodied in the firms value- chain. Value-chain activities are of two types: primary activities and supportive activities. Primary activities include inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and services. Support activities include human resources, accounting and finance operations, technology, and procurement. All the activities -primary and support are potential sources of competitive advantage or disadvantage of any firm. In Ryanair case, parts of the inbound logistics are Ryanairs low-cost deals, negotiated against promise of large and growing volume of business. Also, they include dependency on suppliers to deliver fuel as well as food, drinks and duty-paid products to be sold on-board; they need to be stored, handled and controlled upon delivery. The other important element of the primary  activities includes the operations. Ryanair fast turnarounds of 25 minutes are the companys core competencies. This is the most important cost advantage that enables high aircraft utilization. More frequent departures of two more per day than competitors with few planes, increases Ryanairs revenue. Point-to-point flights mean no interlinking with other carriers. Raynair offers direct non-stop journeys, avoiding the cost of providing through services for connecting passengers and delays caused by late arrival of connecting flights. Ryanair uses the standard model plane- Boeing 737, which means that company, is a ble to obtain spares and maintenance services on favorable terms, to limit the cost of staff training and to offer flexibility in scheduling aircraft and crew assignments. A relatively young fleet reduces maintenance, spare and fuel costs. Also, Ryanair placed resources to strengthen its core business such as satellite television, Internet service and arcade game, so the passengers can enjoy the trip. For outbound logistics, Ryanair uses isolated secondary airports, which often require further transport arrangements for customers. Also, some destinations are so geographically obscure that they cant support regular services to customer, as evident on some Scandinavian routes for example. This limits the level of market share Ryanair can achieve. EasyJet does the opposite and flies to big cities, but then have to pay higher landing charges which are reflected in their higher prices. However, using regional airports saves costs as charges are lower, facilities cheaper and Ryanair can negotiate favorable deals. It also enables fast turnaround times, and more on-time departures as the airports are less congested. 95% of Ryanairs flights are punctual compared to 88% for EasyJet. As I already mentioned, under primary activities are also marketing and sales. Ryanair considers branding virtually irrelevant as it believes that price is most important to customers. This reflects on companys image which isnt always so good in the press. In contrast Southwest Airlines, contribute a large part of their success to theirs well established brand values, and EasyJet has won awards for its brand. Ryanair invested resource to establish website for passengers. It made passengers more convenient. Spending on advertising and promotions to expand its market is reduced as most advertising takes place on the website. There promotion is also used to sell excess capacity, such as two-for-one offers, which creates market awareness. Over 90% of bookings  are made directly, either on the website or through reservations centers. The website saves on staff costs, agents commission, while significantly contributing to growth. Travel agencies are used on a small scale as necessary when opening new routes in unknown markets. Under services, Ryanairs virtually no-frills- lower costs considerably. The company enables fast turnarounds and offers very low ticket prices. But with less flight attendants, usually only two per flight, compared to five for the competitors, the quality of the services drops. The philosophy of Ryanair is that for passengers the price is more important than the quality. The low quality services could damage the brand name and this could lead to business reduction. Under support activities- the procurement, the purchasing power of the company enables negotiation of favorable deals with suppliers. However, these demand large and growing volumes based on passenger numbers. Although growth is slowed down new planes has been ordered aiming to double the fleet by 2009. Ryanair keeps good buyer-supplier relationships which ensure reliability and low-cost procurement of services. Many functions of the company are contracted out. Under human resource management, Ryanair aims to control its personnel cost by continuously improving the productivity. The staff is working under big pressure set by an overhead person and most commonly with feelings of dissatisfaction. The technology development factor of the support activities indicates that Ryanair uses its website (www.ryanair.com) to monitor bookings and to see how full planes are, all minute by minute. Also, the company uses its internet site as the major part of the business, which saved them about $6 million a year on an average. Resource AnalysisResources and capabilities are the fundamental building blocks of a firms strategy. The resource-based view presents a perspective of competition that portrays the value of a resource or capability as derived from the dynamic interplay of market forces. While the market and environment establish external constraints and pressures, a firms response through resource allocation and capability development become a source of competitive advantage. The resource-based perspective views a firm as an organization that has a bundle of protective resources and capabilities.  Resources are tangible and intangible assets a firm uses to choose and implement its strategies. Capabilities are the skills a firm uses to bring its resources to bear. Ryanairs tangible resources include all Boeing 737 airplanes the company uses, as well as the companys headquarter building in Dublin and all other buildings the company uses. Part of the tangible resources also are all of the supplies, food, drinks and duty-paid products company holds in inventory, as well as fuel. Intangible resources contain bigger part of the business. They include all the intellectual capital, like expertise and accumulated knowledge, experience, skills, abilities and talents that every employee in Rayanair possesses. Here I could include also the companys brand recognition, customer loyalty, investors confidence and the good reputation. Charismatic personality of the companys CEO- Michael OLeary is part of the organizational culture under the intangible resources. The capabilities of Rayanair are:-The lowest airfare rates, simple processes (no frills), large brand awareness, clear offer (focuses on particular market segment), the innovative strategies on cost cutting, and quick turnaround time-Learning curve (early entrant), accumulated much knowledge/experience, outstanding marketing and PR skills of the CEO OLeary- The company ability to bargain and get beneficial deals with suppliers; the efficiency and high turn-around rate, fast luggage handling and high punctuality- The ability to think strategically and assertively and to act on it: acquisition of Buzz-The expansion of new hubs and new added routes-The ability to control and cut costs, which are crucial to survive and succeed in the industry!-The ability to build and sustain brand (loyalty). Financial AnalysisRyanairs current financial objectives, strategies, policies and programs are clearly stated in their Annual reports and financial statements for 2008, which I have attached in the separate file. These financial objectives seem to be consistent with Ryanairs mission, objectives, strategies, policies of low fares, as well as with internal and external environments. There was an increase in profit after tax of 33%, which was because of 7% increase in average fairs, so profit margin was 19.66%. There was an increase in fuel costs by 50%, and staff costs rose  32%. The operating margin decreased by 1% (to 21% from 22%), which lead to an increase in operating profit by 28% compared to 2007. Total operating revenues increased by 32%. Maintenance costs increased by 12%, marketing and distribution costs increased by 71%, and aircraft rental costs increased by 23%. (Ryanair Holdings PLC, 2007). From this financial analysis, I could conclude that costs are increasing, but profit is also increasing leading to gains in the company. The statements are calculated in Euros, and there could be some differences based on the floating Euro/US Dollar exchange rates. In addition, this financial analysis supports Ryanairs past and pending strategic decisions, based on being a low fare air carrier. Ryanairs profit margin in 2007 is 19.66%, compared to EasyJet with 8.47% (2007), Air Lingus with 8.19% (2007) and British Airways with 5.48% (2007). If most companies in the same industry report decrease in profits, Ryanairs financial performance indicates that the company is in competitive advantage. (Ryanair Holdings PLC, 2007)Analysis of Strengths and WeaknessesStrengths and weaknesses are the major internal characteristics of firms, derived from the SWOT analysis. Firms within an industry generally have different strengths and weaknesses, and those differences often have a strong bearing o n which firms win competitive interactions. Ryanair strengths are:-Brand name: Ryanair through its 24 years in the Low Cost Carrier (LCC) market has developed a very well recognized brand name. -Benefits from low airport charges: These aid the low cost base Ryanair benefits from. -Has first mover advantage on regional airports (e.g. Charleroi): Acts as a barrier to entry-Internet site (94% bookings) www.ryanair.com : Lowers the cost of distribution as over the phone bookings are more costly. Eliminates the need of travel agents. -High seat density. -All Boeing aircraft: A uniform fleet saves on maintenance and training costs. -Fast turn-around. -High Service performance: Punctual, high rate of flight completion, low baggage loss, which give a good image of the companys reliability. -Modernized fleet which leads to less expensive maintenance: Will become more uniform with only one model (Boeing 737-800), also newer planes will require less maintenance. -High aircraft utilization: Ryanair flies its planes for longer thus generating more revenue from its assets. -Fuel and other risks hedging. -Small headquarters-Point to point flights: No hub and spoke, lowers cost as no through services requiredRyanair weaknesses are:-Prone to bad press: Rayanair is perceived as arrogant and the slightest incident with the scandal commercial gets a lot of press coverage. -Niche market: Restricted expansion possibility. -Distance of some regional airports from advertised destination: Over time customers may find this a big inconvenience. -Poor service: Ryanair decreased the number of flight attendants per flight, which decreased the service quality. -Ryanair is extremely sensitive to changes in charges (increase in fair value)In conclusion I would like briefly to summarize the strengths and weaknesses I mentioned above. Ryanair carries out its routine checks and repairs on its aircraft using its own engineers which means that some maintenance costs are included in the staff cost. Also the company has cost advantage, because of its ability to achieve 25 minutes turnarounds and therefore can run two more flights a day in its schedule than rivals such as British Airways. Their use of secondary airports means that they are able to negotiate deals with the airports, in contrast to larger airlines unwilling to split their operations between two or more airports. Ryanair does not pay dividends to its shareholders. All profit is reinvested back into the business, which means a higher profit margin. Ryanair is unable to expand its home market industry, because of airport taxes. Passengers having their own luggage carried at their own risk could mean a loss of reputation if any major scandal is to occur in terms of loss of luggage. Increasing its fleet could mean that it might incur more losses. Reference: Thompson, A.A., Strickland, A.J., Gamble, J.E. (2008), Crafting executing strategy;The quest for competitive advantage. Boston: McGraw- Hill Irwin. Ryanair Holding PLC, (2007). The Worlds Favorite Airline. Retrieved May 20, 2009,from Ryanair Web Site:http://www.ryanair.com/site/about/invest/docs/2007/070920annualreport.pdfRyanair Holding PLC, (2007). Strategy. Retrieved May 20, 2009,from Ryanair Web Site:http://www.ryanair.com/site/about/invest/docs/Strategy.pdfGoogle (2009). Ryanair Holdings plc (Public, ISE: RYA). Retrieved May 20, 2009, from Google Finance Web site: http://www.finance.google.com/finance?q=ISE:RYALavarack, M P. M. Brown. (1992) Benchmarking: Learning from Best Practice. Business Studies, Vol 5, No.2. Thompson, J. L. (1997) Strategic Management. International Thompson Press: London. Carpenter, M.A. and Sanders, W.G. Strategic Management: A Dynamic Perspective Concepts and Cases, 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009

Nonviolent Direct Action in the Civil Rights Movement

Nonviolent Direct Action in the Civil Rights Movement Who was the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) lawyer who successfully argued the NAACPs Brown v. Board of Education? Answer: Martin Luther King. Question: Name several people who were involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Answer: Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Question: Who was the first President of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)? Answer: Martin Luther King. Question: Who organized the famous March on Washington? Answer: Martin Luther King. Question: Who started the sit-in movement of the 1960s? Answer: Martin Luther King. (Armstrong 2002) Does the preceding list of questions and answers sound familiar? If you teach high school history, the answer is probably yes. However, this does not tell the whole story. In reality, Martin Luther King was just one member of the larger Civil Rights Movement sweeping the country. In order to illuminate the larger picture to our students, alternative strategies need to be considered. One such strategy is presented here. This lesson plan tackles the Civil Rights Movement from the perspective of nonviolent direct action. I am not arguing that King is not an important historical figure of the Civil Rights Movement, because he certainly is. The problem, however, is that since the early 1970s, the struggle for civil rights has been taught almost solely in relationship to King and his life. Students graduate from high school viewing the civil rights movement synonymously with Martin Luther King Jr. Such connections are understandable, if grossly uninformed. Students are denied the opportunity to immerse themselves in the complicated and varied histories of the civil rights movement. (Armstrong 2002) According to Armstrong, in the past, most high school history teachers relied on textbooks to help them convey the civil rights movement to their students. Unfortunately, the vast majority of textbooks present a narrative of the civil rights movement of King as the embodiment of the Civil Rights Movement. As a result, textbooks typically begin the movement in 1954 and 1955 with the Brown v. Board decision and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and end in 1968 with the assassination of King. (Armstrong 2002, 6) However, this is only a narrow view of what many historians consider a much longer struggle for racial civil rights. One way to open up this narrative is to provide students with access to primary documents. This lesson incorporates three primary documents one from each of the leading groups that advocated nonviolent action during the civil rights movement. This methodology not only presents students with alternative perspectives, but it also exposes students to a core tool used by historians. (Armstrong 2002) In any history course, whether it is second grade, high school, or graduate level, aspects of the story will be left out. History is a vast and ever-expanding field, and it is impossible to include everything in one course. However, by showing our students how to think and act like historians, we can give them the opportunity to explore these topics further in the future. National Standards The National Standards for United States History: Era 9 Postwar United States, Standard 4 requires students to understand the struggle for racial and gender equality and the extension of civil liberties. (National Center for History in the Schools 2005) Time This lesson should be divided into three class sessions of approximately one hour. Student Objectives To analyze primary source material. To analyze the role of nonviolent direct action in combating racism. To analyze the role of different organizations combating racism in the Civil Rights Movement. Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Background Nonviolent Action According to Gene Sharp, Nonviolent action refers to those methods of protest, resistance and intervention without physical violence in which the members of the nonviolent group do or refuse to do certain things. (Sharp 1969) These methods can be divided into three basic groups: nonviolent protest, noncooperation, and nonviolent intervention. Each group contains different examples of nonviolent actions. Nonviolent protest includes such actions as parades, marches, and picketing. Noncooperation includes such actions as walkouts, strikes, and boycotts. And nonviolent intervention, the most militant forms of nonviolence typically refers to sit-ins. (Wirmark 1974) Each of these methods of nonviolent action was employed during the Civil Rights Movement. Three of the leading organizations which advocated the use of nonviolent action were the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) CORE was founded in 1943, and specialized in nonviolent action to combat racial discrimination. Its first focus was on sit-in demonstrations with the goal that public places, such as restaurants, would become desegregated. (Wirmark 1974) As the Civil Rights Movement evolved, so too did the goals of CORE, who began to sponsor freedom rides during the early 1960s. [See Figure 1] (Woodward 1966) From 1962-1964, CORE concentrated on voter registration drives throughout the South. It was also responsible for sponsoring direct action protests against unfair housing measures and other types of discrimination against African Americans in the North. Though all three organizations (CORE, SNCC, and SCLC) employed nonviolent techniques in their quest for equality, it was CORE who initiated the practice. (Meier and Rudwick 1973) Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) On February 1, 1960, a group of young African American students were refused to be served in a coffee shop in North Carolina. In protest, the students sat in silence in the shop. This type of protest, known as a sit-in, rapidly spread throughout the country, bringing many young college students into the civil rights cause. [See Figure 2] (Woodward 1966) The SNCC, the youngest and most militant of the organized groups, came out of the sit-in movement. Students who had participated in sit-ins wanted to control student demonstrations, and thus founded the SNCC in 1960. (Wirmark 1974) By 1966, the SNCC had gained national attention with its use of the slogan Black Power. Some of the most important leaders of the SNCC were Bob Moses of Mississippi, Charles Sherrod of Georgia, and Bill Hansen of Arkansas. These men were most effective because they truly believed in the morality of their cause. They were courageous in the face of adversity and influenced others to not give up hope. (Stoper 1977) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) After the successful Montgomery bus boycott, Martin Luther King, Jr. founded the SCLC to bring together the church leaders who had been organizing the boycott. [See Figure 3] Inspired by the actions of CORE, King wanted to apply nonviolent action on a large scale. (Wirmark 1974) Unlike the other two organizations, the SCLC acted as an umbrella organization. It brought together various civil rights groups across the South and the rest of the nation. It also differed from other civil rights groups because it was primarily made up of religious groups. Charles Morgan, a member of the SCLC board of directors said of the group, SCLC is not an organization, its a church. (Fairclough 1987, 1) King was certainly a significant force behind the SCLC, but its successes cannot be accredited solely to his larger-than-life personality. The SCLC was extremely effective in combating racial discrimination and segregation, and this was due partially to King, partially to its belief in a higher moral ca use, and partially to its commitment to nonviolent action. (Fairclough 1987) He will meet the anger of an individual or group in the spirit of good will and creative reconciliation; he will submit to assault and will not retaliate in kind either by act or word. A member will never engage in any action in the name of the group except when authorized by the group or one of its action units. When in an action project a CORE member will obey the orders issued by the authorized leader or spokesman of the project, whether these orders please him or not. If he does not approve of such orders, he shall later refer the criticism back to the group or to the committee which as the source of the project plan. No member, after once accepting the discipline of the group for a particular action project, shall have the right of withdrawing. However, should a participant feel that under further pressure he will no longer be able to adhere to the Rules for Action, he shall then withdraw from the project and leave the scene immediately after notifying the project leader. Only a person who is a recognized member of the group leader in a particular project shall be permitted to take part in that group action. Guarantees from the Local Group to the Individual Each member has the right to dissent from any group decision and, if dissenting, need not participate in the specific action planned. Each member shall understand that all decisions on general policy shall be arrived at only through democratic group discussion. A CORE member shall receive the uncompromising support of his CORE group as he faces any difficulties resulting from his authorized CORE activities. Day Two Handout -Page 2 Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Statement of Purpose We affirm the philosophical or religious ideal of nonviolence as the foundation of our purpose, the presupposition of our faith, and the manner of our action. Nonviolence as it grows from the Judeo-Christian tradition seeks a social order of justice permeated by love. Integration of human endeavor represents the crucial first step towards such a society. Through nonviolence, courage displaces fear; love transforms hate. Acceptance dissipates prejudice; hope ends despair. Peace dominates war; faith reconciles doubt. Mutual regard cancels enmity. Justice for all overcomes injustice. The redemptive community supersedes systems of gross social immorality. Love is the central motif of nonviolence. Love is the force by which God binds man to himself and man to man. Such love goes to the extreme; it remains loving and forgiving even in the midst of hostility. It matches the capacity of evil to inflict suffering with an even more enduring capacity to absorb evil, all the while persisting in love. By appealing to conscience and standing on the moral nature of human existence, nonviolence nurtures the atmosphere in which reconciliation and justice become actual possibilities. Day Two Handout -Page 3 Southern Christian Leadership Conference: This is SCLC Aims and Purposes of SCLC The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has the basic aim of achieving full citizenship rights, equality and the integration of the Negro in all aspects of American life. SCLC is a service agency to facilitate coordinated action of local community groups within the frame of their indigenous organizations and natural leadership. SCLC activity revolves around two main focal points: the use of nonviolent philosophy as a means of creative protest; and securing the right of the ballot for every citizen. Philosophy of SCLC The basic tenets of Hebraic-Christian tradition coupled with the Gandhian concept of satyagraha truth force is at the heart of SCLCs philosophy. Christian nonviolence actively resists evil in any form. It never seeks to humiliate the opponent, only to win him. Suffering is accepted without retaliation. Internal violence of the spirit is as much to be rejected as external physical violence. At the center of nonviolence is redemptive love. Creatively used, the philosophy of nonviolence can restore the broken community in America. SCLC is convinced that nonviolence is the most potent force available to an oppressed people in their struggle for freedom and dignity. SCLC and Nonviolent Mass Direct Action SCLC believes that the American dilemma in race relations can best and most quickly be resolved through the action of thousands of people, committed to the philosophy of nonviolence, who will physically identify themselves in a just and moral struggle. It is not enough to be intellectually dissatisfied with an evil system. The true nonviolent resister presents his physical body as an instrument to defeat the system. Through nonviolent mass direct action, the evil system is creatively dramatized in order that the conscience of the community may grapple with the rightness or wrongness of the issue at hand. Supplementary Materials Visual Aids These photographs can be used to supplement this lesson plan. Pass them out to the class or incorporate them into your classroom presentation. More visual aids can be found at: www.loc.gov/rr/print/. Figure 3: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in front of SCLC Headquarters in Atlanta. Figure 1: Background Map: 1961 Freedom Rides [New York]: Associated Press News Feature. ca. 1962 Figure 2: Tottle House Occupied during a Sit-in by some of Americas most effective organizers. Atlanta, Georgia, ca. 1963 Civil Rights Timeline *Adapted from http://www.africanaonline.com/2010/08/civil-rights-timeline/* 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education: U.S. Supreme Court bans segregation in public schools. 1955 Bus boycott launched in Montgomery, Ala., after an African-American woman, Rosa Parks, is arrested December 1 for refusing to give up her seat to a white person. 1956 December 21 After more than a year of boycotting the buses and a legal fight, the Montgomery buses desegregate. 1957 At previously all-white Central High in Little Rock, Ark., 1,000 paratroopers are called by President Eisenhower to restore order and escort nine black students. 1960 The sit-in protest movement begins in February at a Woolworths lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C. and spreads across the nation. 1961 Freedom rides begin from Washington, D.C: Groups of black and white people ride buses through the South to challenge segregation. 1963 Police arrest King and other ministers demonstrating in Birmingham, Ala., then turn fire hoses and police dogs on the marchers. Medgar Evers, NAACP leader, is murdered June 12 as he enters his home in Jackson, Miss. Four girls killed Sept. 15 in bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. 1964 July 2 President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 1965 Malcolm X is murdered Feb. 21, 1965. Three men are convicted of his murder. August 6. President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The act, which King sought, authorized federal examiners to register qualified voters and suspended devices such as literacy tests that aimed to prevent African Americans from voting. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., unleashing violence in more than 100 cities. In response to Kings death, Seattle residents hurled firebombs, broke windows, and pelted motorists with rocks. Ten thousand people also marched to Seattle Center for a rally in his memory. 1992 The first racially based riots in years erupt in Los Angeles and other cities after a jury acquits L.A. police officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, an African American.