Eddies actions Essay Example For Students

Eddies actions Essay To an audience watching this particular scene when the play first was released in theatres, they would be not only shocked by Eddies actions, but also repulsed, because in the early nineteen hundreds, homosexuality was highly frowned upon and seen as a disgusting global epidemic that spread sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To people then, if someone was a homosexual then they were lower than them. Eddies actions would have very dramatically impaired their opinion of Eddie, making them think of him as a more disgraceful person. Strangely, affect the kiss, the relationship between Catherine and Eddie has not been completely destroyed, however it is almost totally gone. By the end of the play, their relationship (along with Eddie) is dead. The action that breaks it completely is Eddie telephone call to the Immigration Office; a manoeuvre that he hoped would get Rodolfo out of his life for good, but ended up having drastic consequences that no one would have imagined happening. At this point in the play and at this point in Eddies mind, he is willing to do anything to get rid of Rodolfo so that he can claim Catherine for himself. He is even willing to break all of the ethical rules of immigrated families and tell the authorities on one of his own kind.  If I were in charge of directing this scene on stage, I would need to make sure that the actors playing the characters were able to cover a wide range of emotions because the final scenes features emotional roller-coasters for all characters. When Eddie calls the Immigration Office, I would cast the lighting so that it was dark, and try to have Eddie talking in a phone box in the middle of the stage, with half of his face covered in light and the other half shrouded by the dark. By doing this, it would show the audience how two-faced Eddie really is and how evil he has turned from a once good person. When Catherine discovers what it is that Eddie has done to Rodolfo, and to Marco as well, she realises that there is no longer any kind of relationship between her and Eddie, and all that she feels for him is anger, hate, and what once was pity has now turned into disgust and loathing. She sees him as a rat! He belongs in the sewer! He bites people when they sleep! He comes when nobodys lookin and poisons decent people! In the garbage he belongs! She wants everyone to know what kind of person she is and what he can do with his manipulative, but not to mention confused and twisted, mind. The first time that Catherine announced her and Rodolfos engagement, she wished more than anything for Eddie to put his issues behind him and bless them as a couple, and she also wished for him to go to their wedding without a grudge. But, because of the actions that Eddie has carried out, and because of the words he has spoken, Catherine only wishes now for him to stay as far away from her as possible. At the end of the play, Catherine decided many things about Eddie Carbone (this is shown in all its entirety when Catherine doesnt say a word when Eddie is stabbed, and it is only when he is clearly dying that she apologises for her actions). The first of these is that he is not worth anyones trouble, because if you give him any effort of your own, hell turn it against you and throw it back in your face. .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c , .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .postImageUrl , .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c , .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c:hover , .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c:visited , .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c:active { border:0!important; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c:active , .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc7c081fa634e471e8467cfa667a7633c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Elsinore in ashes. (theater in former Yugoslavia) EssayAnother conclusion that Catherine came to about Eddie is that he is a sick, mentally twisted and perverted human being, who cant accept it if something is taken away from him unwillingly. But the most important decision that Catherine has made about Eddie is that he cannot let the ones he loves leave his so called parentally guiding grasp. If he does lose a loved one, be it by death, moving location or to another man, he will try everything he can to try and get them back. This feeling of Catherine is what motivates the entire story and what causes Eddie to go to the extremes that he finally did go to. In Conclusion Throughout the play, we see the character Eddie Carbone deteriorate as a husband, as an uncle and also as a human being. We realise what type of person he really is when he finds out that his niece is in love with another man and he gradually loses all sagacious control over his thoughts, words and actions. His wife may be the first person to notice how obvious his incestuous feelings have become, but it is not long before Marco, Rodolfo and unfortunately Catherine notice them too. The four major events that happen after this group realisation (the destruction of Catherine and Eddies relationship, the kisses from Eddie to Catherine and Rodolfo, the barging in of the immigration officers and the climactic death of Eddie) are all caused by Eddies irate actions and debauched feelings. The relationship between Eddie and Catherine was always doomed to end in tragedy, because from the first instance we see them speak together, there is clearly some friction and frustration between the two. This friction is made a lot more prominent as the story develops, and by comparing the monstrous creature the Eddie has turned into at the end of the play to the once innocent and protective person that Eddie once was at the beginning, it is easy to see how much difference simple emotions such as jealousy, lust, passion, hate and anger can do to a man and to those around him who he loves.

Southwest Airlines Case Analysis Essay Example

Southwest Airlines Case Analysis Essay Southwest History 1966: Rollin King marched into Herb Kelleher’s law office with a plan to start a low-cost/low-fare airline that would shuttle passengers between San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston. Thought of this idea because businessmen were complaining about the commute. 1967: Kelleher filed papers to incorporate the new airline and submitted an application to the Texas Aeronautics Commission for the new company to serve Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. 4 year legal and regulatory battle from rival airlines 1971 (January): Lamar Muse brought in as the CEO to get operations under way. Boeing supplied three new 737s, discounted price by $1 million (5gt;4) and financed 90% of the $12 million deal. 1971 (June): Southwest initiated its first flights with a schedule that soon included 6 round-trips between Dallas and San Antonio and 12 round-trips between Houston and Dallas. Disappointing results despite only $20 fare compared to rivals $27-28. Their funds stretched thin and they were putting fuel on Muse’s credit card. Employee morale was high. 1971 (November): Muse came up with idea to offer $10 fare to passengers on the Friday-night Houstongt;Dallas flight. The flight sold-out without advertising. Muse came up with a two-tier on-peak and off-peak pricing structure. BEGINNING OF THE NO-LAYOFF POLICY, they have never laid off or furloughed any employees. 1972: Moved flights in Houston from the newly opened Houston Intercontinental Airport to the abandoned Houston Hobby Airport (for money and location reasons). 1973: Reported its first-ever annual profit in 1973. Introduced a profit-sharing plan for senior employees (first in the airline industry) -Rest of the 1970s consisted of legal battles- 1977: Listed on the NYSE 978: Muse resigned; Howard Putnam became CEO after Kelleher turned down the offer. 1979: First route outside Texas (New Orleans) 1981: Putnam resigned; Kelleher became CEO. Southwest had 27 planes, $270 million in revenues, 2100 employees, and 14 destination cities. Kelleher did not run from his office but among the troops. 1983: 3 additional Boeing 737s purchased; Southwest flies more than 9. 5 million passengers. 1984: Sout hwest is ranked first in customer satisfaction among the U. S. airlines for the fourth straight year. 1985: Service begins to St. We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines Case Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines Case Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines Case Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Louis and Chicago Midway. Southwest named the Ronald McDonald House as its primary charity (a pilot lost his daughter to leukemia). 1986: Southwest flies more than 13 million passengers. 1988: Southwest becomes the first U. S. airline to win the Triple Crown (best on-time record, fewest reports of mishandled baggage, and fewest complaints per 100,000 passengers) for a single month. 1990: Revenues reach $1 billion; only major U. S. airline to record both an operating and a net profit. The Culture Committee was formed to promote â€Å"Positively Outrageous Service. † 992: First annual Triple Crown; second-year running they were the only major U. S. airline to record both an operating and a net profit. 1993: Begins operations on the East Coast and wins second annual Triple Crown; revenues exceed $2 billion and profits exceed $100 million. Third consecutive year of being the only U. S. airline to record both an operating and net profit. 1994: Introduced ticketless travel in four c ities; third Triple Crown; acquires Morris Air (Salt Lake City) 1995: Ticketless travel becomes available system-wide; fourth consecutive Triple Crown. 996: Service to Florida begins; fifth consecutive Triple Crown; ~$740,000 to RMDH 1997: Service begins to Southwest’s 50th city; more than 50 million people fly Southwest. 1998: Named by Fortune as the best company to work for in America 1999: Service is added to three more cities. 2000: # of passengers exceeds 60 million; revenues surpass $5 billion; 28th consecutive year of profitability; 9th consecutive year of increased profits; becomes the 4th largest U. S. airline in terms of passengers carried. 2001: 30th Consecutive year of profitability; only U. S. airline to report a profit; record 64. million passengers 2001 (June): Kelleher stepped down as CEO but stayed chairman of the Board. James Parker and another trusted protege became CEO. 2002: Ranks second among companies across all industry groups (first in airlines) on Fo rtune’s 2002 list of most admired companies. Began changing the look of its planes. 2004: Parker retired unexpectedly. Gary Kelly appointed CEO. 2005: Becomes 2nd largest U. S. airline in terms of passengers carried. First significant blemish on Southwest’s safety record (overshot runway in Chicago). 2006: A record 96. 3 million passengers fly Southwest. 007: Becomes the largest U. S. airline in terms of passengers carried; profitable for the 35th consecutive year; named to Business Week’s first ever â€Å"Customer Service Champs† list and is voted â€Å"Overall Best Airline in the U. S. They introduced the Business Select fare to attract economy-minded business travelers. Did an â€Å"Extreme Gate Makeover† to improve experience. Ticketless travel accounted for more than 95% of all sales. Operation Kick Tail (customer service initiative) launched. 2008: More people were flying Southwest than any other U. S. airline and they were the only U. S. Air carrier that was consistently profitable and had been since 1973. Southwest did not choose to use a la carte pricing like other airlines; they stuck with an all-inclusive fare. Mission statement was revised to highlight customer service commitment. Belated Aircraft Inspections further tarnish Southwest’s reputation (placed three employees on leave). 2008 (May): Kelleher resigned as chairman of the board. Kelly assumed chairman of the board, president, and CEO. Southwest Financial and Statistical Background Key Financial Ratios | 2005| 2006| 2007| 2008| Gross Profit Margin| 31. 2%| 30. 54%| 26. 63%| 22. 07%| Operating Profit Margin| 9. 56%| 10. 28%| 8. 02%| 4. 07%| Net Profit Margin| 6. 38%| 5. 49%| 6. 54%| 1. 61%| Return on Total Assets| 3. 46%| 3. 71%| 3. 85%| 1. 27%| Return on Stockholders Equity| 7. 25%| 7. 74%| 9. 29%| 3. 59%| Earnings Per Share| 61. 00%| 63. 00%| 85. 00%| 24. 00%| Current Ratio| 94. 07%| 90. 09%| 91. 84%| 94. 55%| Quick Ratio| 90. 18%| 89. 37%| 87. 34 %| 88. 80%| Working Capital| -$228| -$286| -$395| -$153| Routes and Flight Data May 2008 serves 52 U. S. cities. Currently serves 69 U. S. cities. Top 10 Airports: May 2008| Current| Las Vegas| Las Vegas| Chicago Midway| Chicago Midway| Phoenix| Phoenix| Baltimore/Washington| Baltimore/Washington| Oakland| Denver| Houston Hobby| Houston Hobby| Dallas – Love Field| Dallas – Love Field| Los Angeles| Los Angeles| Orlando| Oakland| San Diego| San Diego| Aircraft Fleet: | May 2008| Current| Total A/C: | 527| 544| Total Seats:| 71,824| 74,153| †¢Southwest tested Wi-Fi on four of there airplanes, and in late 2009, made the decision to begin installing satellite-delivered broadband from their Wi-Fi provider, Row 44, on the rest of their fleet. Southwest estimates that heir entire fleet will be Wi-Fi enabled in the 2013 timeframe. Number of Domestic Passengers by Air Carrier | 2000| 2005| 2006| 2007| Q1 2008| Southwest| 15. 32%| 19. 63%| 21. 68%| 21. 95%| 23. 21%| American| 14. 42%| 17. 16%| 17. 29%| 16. 48%| 16. 64%| Delta| 20. 68%| 17. 22%| 14. 29%| 13. 26%| 13. 43%| United Air| 15. 30%| 12. 25%| 12. 88%| 12. 14%| 11. 61%| US Airways| 11. 96%| 8. 22%| 7. 18%| 11. 17%| 11. 26%| Northwest| 10. 23%| 10. 36%| 10. 16%| 9. 43%| 9. 09%| Continental| 7. 73%| 7. 32%| 8. 05%| 7. 99%| 8. 18%| Jet Blue| 0. 24%| 3. 21%| 4. 07%| 4. 42%| 6. 59%| America West| 4. 11%| 4. 63%| 4. 41%| 3. 6%| 0. 00% *| * America West data is included with US Airway starting in 2007 due to merger. Operating Revenues of Selected US Airlines, 2000-2007 (in billions) | 2007| 2006| 2005| 2004| 2003| 2002| 2001| 2000| American| 1st$22. 9| 1st$22. 5| 1st$20. 6| 1st$18. 6| 1st$17. 4| 1st$15. 9| 2nd$15. 6| 2nd$18. 1| United| 2nd 20. 1| 2nd19. 3| 2nd17. 3| 2nd15. 7| 3rd13. 4| 2nd13. 9| 1st16. 1| 1st19. 3| Delta| 3rd 19. 2| 3rd17. 5| 3rd16. 5| 3rd15. 2| 2nd14. 3| 3rd12. 4| 3rd13. 2| 3rd15. 3| Continental| 4th 14. 2| 4th13. 1| 5th11. 1| 5th9. 9| 5th7. 3| 5th7. 4| 6th8. 2| 5th9. 4| Northwest| 5th 12. 5| 5th12. 6| 4th12. | 4th11. 3| 4th10. 1| 4th9. 2| 4th9. 6| 4th11. 0| US Airways| 6th 11. 7| 6th11. 6| 7th7. 2| 6th7. 1| 6th6. 8| 6th6. 9| 5th8. 3| 6th9. 2| Southwest| 7th 9. 9| 7th9. 1| 6th7. 6| 7th6. 5| 7th5. 9| 7th5. 5| 7th5. 6| 7th5. 7| America West| *| *| 8th3. 4| 8th2. 5| 8th2. 2| 8th2. 0| 8th2. 0| 8th2. 3| Total| 110. 5| 105. 7| 96| 86. 8| 77. 4| 73. 2| 78. 6| 90. 3| *America West merged with US Airways in 2005. Major U. S. Airlines Fuel amp; Oil and Total Operating Expenses Per Passenger Revenue Miles Southwest Airlines had the 4th lowest fuel cost in 1995, 2nd lowest in 2000, and the lowest fuel cost from 2006 to Q1 2008 Southwest Airlines had the 2nd to the lowest total operating expenses in 1995 and the lowest from 2000 to Q1 2008. | 1995| 2000| 2005| 2006| 2007| Q1 2008| Fuel amp; Oil| | | | | | | America West| 1. 40| 2. 18| 3. 32| 3. 85| 3. 87| | American Airlines| 1. 53| 2. 04| 3. 67| 4. 15| 4. 34| 5. 75| Continental Air Lines| 1. 67| 2. 18| 3. 42| 3. 82| 3. 97| 5. 26| Delta Air Lines| 1. 70| 1. 73| 3. 68| 4. 18| 4. 32| 5. 67| Northwest Airlines| 1. 73| 2. 35| 4. 01| 4. 56| 4. 47| 5. 94| Southwest Airlines| 1. 56| 1. 95| 2. 44| 3. 37| 3. 71| 4. 54| United Air Lines| 1. 51| 1. 98| 3. 53| 4. 11| 4. 26| 5. 5| US Airways| 1. 59| 2. 44| 3. 89| 4. 30| 4. 45| 5. 63| | | | | | | | Total Operating Expenses| | | | | | America West| 10. 57| 12. 15| 14. 50| 16. 15| 15. 58| -| American Airlines| 14. 25| 14. 48| 15. 18| 15. 55| 15. 98| 18. 18| Continental Air Lines| 12. 87| 13. 70| 16. 38| 16. 51| 16. 56| 18. 81| Delta Air Lines| 13. 53| 12. 85| 16. 68| 17. 50| 17. 63| 20. 95| Northwest Airlines| 12. 77| 12. 99| 17. 40| 16. 20| 15. 90| 19. 25| Southwest Airlines| 10. 91| 10. 91| 11. 21| 12. 03| 12. 53| 13. 85| United Air Lines| 12. 58| 14. 65| 15. 35| 16. 07| 16. 27| 19. 13| US Airways| 17. 73| 19. 8| 18. 49| 20. 03| 20. 14| 21. 45| Operating Expenses per Average Seat Mile (Available Seat) | 1995| 2000| 2005| 2006| 2007| Compensation| 33. 95%| 36. 35%| 40. 62%| 37. 39%| 35. 38%| Fuel amp; Oil| 14. 29%| 17. 34%| 19. 63%| 26. 25%| 28. 02%| Maintenance| 8. 49%| 8. 15%| 6. 46%| 5. 80%| 6. 81%| A/C Rentals| 6. 65%| 4. 27%| 2. 36%| 1. 93%| 1. 76%| Landing Fees| 6. 22%| 5. 69%| 6. 58%| 6. 02%| 6. 15%| Depreciation| 6. 08%| 6. 08%| 6. 83%| 6. 36%| 6. 15%| Other Expenses| 24. 33%| 22. 12%| 17. 52%| 16. 25%| 15. 71%| 1. Is there anything that you find particularly impressive about Southwest Airlines? One of the most impressive facets about Southwest Airlines is the foundation the airline was built on and how that foundation remains present after 40 years, â€Å"true grit. † Southwest Airlines fought to be in existence, remain in existence, and today fights to remain a lean and fearless competitor by providing a low-cost, low-price and no-frills product. Southwest Airlines’ tenacity is very distinctive and they are proud to show it through their marketing campaigns, such as, â€Å"Nobody Is Going to Shoot Southwest Airlines Out of the Sky for a Lousy $13. † The value Southwest Airlines has for its employees is impressive. The low employee turnover rate and large number of applicants is a strong indicator that this value is real and not lip service. Another interesting fact in regards to employees at Southwest is that in 40 years there have only been four CEOs, with 20 of those years being one individual, Herb Kelleher. 2. What grade would you give Southwest management for the job it has done in crafting the company’s strategy? What is it that you like or dislike about the strategy? Does Southwest have a winning strategy? In respect to Southwest’s efforts in crafting the company’s strategy, we feel that the company deserves an A for its relentless efforts to stay true to its low-cost provider strategic intent and for its ability to be able to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. As customers, we feel like the low prices are an extremely likeable aspect of the strategy. It is also important to mention that their customer service level is strong and leaves each passenger feeling a connection with the Southwest brand. However, we dislike the lack of creature comforts and the cattle-like approach to boarding. Southwest does maintain a winning strategy. One of the most important concepts that Southwest developed and grasped in their strategy was that it was not enough to be a low-cost provider; they needed to have a sustainable competitive advantage. The company addressed this by stressing that through the low-cost provider strategy, customer service, and customer satisfaction, they are able to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, which is demonstrated in their financial and statistical data. A manager from Southwest stated â€Å"our fares can be matched; our airplanes and routes can be copied. But we pride ourselves on our customer service. † Although no strategy is without fault or mistake, Southwest has managed to significantly make its strategy into one that can thrive in both a short and long-term vision. With its focus on ways to keep cost low for customers, from paperless tickets to special programs for frequent flyers, the company has been able to effectively provide service to their customers and hold true to their mission. 3. What are the key policies, procedures, operating practices, and core values underlying Southwest’s efforts to implement and execute its low-cost/no frills strategy? Southwest has many key policies, procedures, operating practices and core values that help to implement and execute its low-cost/no frills strategy. Fare Structure: Southwest employs a relatively simple fare structure featuring low, unrestricted, unlimited, everyday coach fares, along with even lower fares available on a restricted basis. Route System: Southwest did not use the hub-and-spoke route systems like their rivals; instead their route system was carefully designed to concentrate on flights between pairs of cities 150-750 miles apart where there was enough passenger traffic that Southwest could offer a sizable number of daily flights. Relationship with Boeing: Southwest operates only one type of aircraft (Boeing 737s) to minimize the size of spare parts inventories, simplify the training of maintenance and repair personnel, improve the proficiency and speed with which maintenance routines could be done, and simplify the task of scheduling planes for particular flights. With their loyalty to Boeing they were able to acquire new aircrafts at favorable prices. Ticketless Travel Option: Southwest was the first major airline to use ticketless travel which eliminated the need to print and process paper tickets. They were also the first to allow customers to make reservations and purchase tickets at their website; this allowed them to bypass the need to pay commissions to travel agents for handling the ticketing process and reducing staffing requirements at reservation centers. Congestion Avoidance: Southwest de-emphasized flights to congested airports which helped them produce better-than-average on-time performance and reduce the fuel costs associated with sitting in line on taxiways or circling waiting for clearance to land. It also allowed them to avoid the higher landing fees and terminal gate costs at such high-traffic airports. No Reserved Seats Policy: To economize on the amount of time it took terminal personnel to check passengers in and to simplify the whole task of making reservations, Southwest stopped assigning seats. No Cleaning Crew: Southwest flight attendants were responsible for cleaning up trash left by deplaning passengers. No First-Class: Southwest does not entertain a first-class section in any of its planes nor do they entertain frequent fliers at fancy clubs in terminals. They also do not serve meals in order to make reprovisioning planes simple and quick. Bags Fly Free: Southwest does not charge a baggage transfer service fee. Passengers pick up their luggage themselves. Software Updates: They implemented use of new software that significantly decreased the time required to generate optimal crew schedules and help improve on-time performance. Cloth to Leather: Southwest concluded that an all-leather interior would be more durable and easier to maintain, more than justifying the higher initial costs. Fuel Hedging: Southwest was a first-mover to fuel hedging and derivative contracts to counteract rising prices. Their fuel hedging strategy had produced savings of about $3. 5 billion since 1998. Vertical Winglets: To enhance the performance and efficiency of the fleet, they added vertical winglets on the wing tips to reduce lift drag, allow aircraft to climb more steeply and reach higher flight levels quicker, improve cruising performance, extend engine life and reduce maintenance costs, and reduce fuel burn. New Technology: Southwest is investing in technology and software to replace its ticketless system and its back-office accounting, payroll, and human resource information systems. This will enhance data flow, operational efficiency, and customer service capability. 4. What are the key elements of Southwest’s culture? Is Southwest a strong culture company? Why or why not? What problems do you foresee that Gary Kelly has in sustaining the culture now that Herb Kelleher, the company’s spiritual leader, has departed? The key element of Southwest’s culture is the total employee benefit package, from compensation to training and development to promotion to retirement. Southwest’s operative principle states, â€Å"employees come first and customers come second. Management believes that by placing a high priority on employees, it would result in those employees being passionate about their jobs, but also lets the employees know that Southwest is concerned for their general well-being and would provide them with job security. It is important to note that Southwest Airlines has never laid off or furloughed any of its employees since beginnin g operations in 1971. Southwest’s simple thesis is as follows: Keep employees happy—then they will keep customers happy. CEO Gary Kelly even said, â€Å"Our people are our single greatest strength and our most enduring long-term competitive advantage. † Southwest is a very strong culture company. By placing their focus on employees first, they are ensuring that their customers will be well taken care of. They hire employees based on their attitude and then train them for skills. Herb Kelleher stated â€Å"We can train people to do things where skills are concerned. But there is one capability we do not have and that is to change a person’s attitude. So we prefer an unskilled person with a good attitude†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Southwest has the belief that superior, hospitable service and a fun-loving spirit flowed from the heart and soul of employees who themselves were fun-loving and spirited, who liked their jobs and the company they worked for, and who were also confident and empowered to do their jobs as they saw fit. Southwest also has the lowest employee turnover rate in the industry with pay scales above the industry average (sometimes even near or at the top of the industry). Another important part of their culture is their no-layoff policy. Kelleher stated â€Å"Nothing kills your company’s culture like layoffs†¦you want to show your people you value them and you’re not going to hurt them just to get a little more money in the short-term. † Southwest has two core values: LUV and fun. LUV turned into the code word for how to treat customers, with dignity and respect and demonstrating a caring, loving attitude. LUV and red hearts appeared on posters at company facilities to remind employees of the behavior that was expected towards customers and other employees. Fun at Southwest includes pranks and jokes, dressing up on holidays, charity benefit games, entertaining behavior of employees while on the job, and more. CEO Gary Kelly explains that the â€Å"Southwest Way†, which includes having a Warrior Spirit, Servant’s Heart and a Fun, Loving attitude are the three things that have defined their culture for 36 years. In 1990, a Culture Committee was formed to nurture the Southwest Spirit. The committee sponsored and supported hundreds of ways to promote the Southwest Spirit by using the red hearts and LUV to embody the spirit of caring and other things such as serving employees pizza. Southwest’s monthly newsletter, LUV Lines, spotlights experiences and deeds of certain employees, reprinted letters of praise from customers, and company milestone celebrations. There are also occasional meetings called Culture Exchange in which they share similar information as the LUV Lines. All of these culture-building exercises have helped Southwest be a profitable company with loyal employees and happy customers. Gary Kelly may still encounter problems after taking over as CEO. Herb Kelleher instituted practices and support systems that promoted operating excellence which were a source of company pride. He devoted many years and a great amount of effort to find the best and most effective ways to operate every aspect of the company, from aircraft maintenance to efficient baggage transfers. CEO Gary Kelly has been following Kelleher’s lead in pushing for operational excellence. Kelly may not be the â€Å"original spiritual leader,† but he is doing his part to keep the company the way Kelleher left it. Kelly has strong strategic objectives; one being that Southwest would be â€Å"the safest, most efficient, and most reliable airline in the world. Both men believed that having a strong balance sheet and profitability were important financial aspects of the company. Kelleher’s vibrant, fun and caring attitude will be hard for any other CEO to match. He was known for his Hawaiian print shirts, making jokes and tricked out motorcycle. He was well known not only inside the company, but also outside for his combativeness. In 1990, he had a message penned in the Dallas Headquarters Office that stated: â€Å"The people of Southwest Airlines are the creators of what we have becomeand of what we will be. † Kelly will never be the same person as Kelleher and it may take longer for employees to warm up to his different management style. Kelly is less of a â€Å"culture pusher† than Kelleher, which could hurt Southwest in the long run, since their whole company is based on promoting a fun, caring atmosphere. Although Kelleher spoke very highly of Kelly when he took over as CEO in 2004, that doesn’t mean that Kelly will be as highly respected in terms of a spiritual leader to employees than Kelleher was. In addition, the Kelleher era at Southwest seemed to always be in a dogfight to build and become what they are today. As the employees who fought that fight with Kelleher retire, a piece of the â€Å"warrior spirit† goes with them. This may make it hard for Kelly to keep the warrior mentality alive with new employees who didn’t have a dog in the fight and may feel they don’t have as much invested to ensure they stay on top. 5. What grade would you give Southwest management for the job it has done in implementing and executing the company’s strategy? Which of Southwest’s strategy execution approaches and operating practices do you believe have been most crucial in accounting for the success that Southwest has enjoyed in executing its strategy? Are there any policies, procedures, and operating approaches at Southwest that you disapprove of or that are not working well? During a difficult time within the airline industry, Southwest made its entrance in 1971, despite the endless attempts from rivals to collapse the company before they could get started. Southwest emerged and made its first flight in June 1971. Since then Southwest’s management team has done a monumental job in implementing their strategies. By using a differentiation approach Southwest was able to stand out amongst its competitors. Low fares, entertainment, more flights to the same locations, the gradual expansion into new geographic markets, adding flights in areas where rivals were cutting back service using first-mover strategies, and flight turnaround times around 25mins (compared to 50-60 minutes from its competitors) all contributed to a grade A for Southwest’s management. Southwest’s overall strategy has transitioned from the 1971 to 2010. When the airline first started, they were serving a market niche in the Golden Triangle (Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas). They moved towards a Focused Low-Cost Provider as they expanded their service by expanding into new geographic markets and adding flights in areas where rivals were cutting back service. Southwest is now moving towards becoming a Best-Cost Provider by upgrading the quality of the customer experience (i. e. leather seats, business-focused areas, family-focused areas, etc). The low-cost, low-price, and no frills strategies have worked very well for Southwest. The company took a two-tier fare approach which gave customers a choice between a low unrestricted, unlimited, everyday coach fare and one which was restricted that was even lower cost. Despite its highly effective strategy, Southwest has some aspects that may not be working as well as others. Their infamous cattle call (procedure for boarding) can make customers feel like animals rather than people when they are fighting for a seat. Many customers may choose to forgo the lower airfare to enjoy a more peaceful boarding experience. Another issue to be addressed is the maintenance policies and procedures that ultimately led to the fairly recent media debacle. Reports of lax aircraft inspections surfaced and Kelly admitted the wrongdoing of the company. He limited the bad media exposure by ensuring the public his airline was one of the safest to fly with. Despite his public apology, this matter needs to be aggressively approached to ensure customers feel safe flying Southwest. 6. What weaknesses or problems do you see at Southwest Airlines? 1. Public perception of safety after airline inspection issue 2. Lack of creature comforts such as pre-assigned seating and on-board meals. 3. There is no first class for customers, so those wanting a more luxurious experience may fly with competing airlines. . It also offers no baggage transfers to other airlines, which may be a complaint from passengers needing to catch another plane in a short amount of time. 5. Cattle-call boarding procedure 7. What recommendations would you make to Gary Kelly? 1. Establish a more aggressive maintenance inspection program, especially with the older aircraft in their fleet. 2. Offer premium services for a fee. For example: seat selection, leg room, seat size, baggage transfer, and boarding first. 3. Provide a few more creature comforts on longer flights. Doing without comfort is fine on short flights. 4. Sell even lower cost tickets to spontaneous travelers who truly decide at the last minute to get away for a short weekend vacation when there are vacant seats available. 5. Continue hedging fuel to save money in that aspect. 6. Explore increasing the number of destination cities so they can grow their customer base. 7. Southwest should continue learning about the types of customers that tend to fly with Southwest so they can make changes to better serve their clientele. 8. Explore international flight options.

Sample Gre Essay Responses - Tips on Writing Effective Essays

Sample Gre Essay Responses - Tips on Writing Effective EssaysWhen you receive an essay question, you will be given the opportunity to write a response to it. You are required to provide a sample response, but there are certain things that you should avoid. If you follow these tips, then you will have a much better chance of writing a great essay response.The first thing that you should avoid when writing a sample response is grammatical errors. The easier and more natural language that you use, the easier it will be for the readers to understand your point of view. Do not use flowery, unclear language as it will detract from your argument.The second thing that you should avoid is making a small section for your quote. You can make this small section the central part of your response, but do not make it the most important part of your entire essay. It can also be hard to keep your point straight in a small space.Lastly, you should consider making a few changes to your sentence structu re. All your sentences should have a single clear objective in them. For example, do not use the word 'although'if' in your essay. Instead, use the word 'for.'It can be easy to get lost in your essay. You may even start to think that your main point has been made without actually saying anything. As a writer, you should always be looking for ways to move forward and not be afraid to take chances with your essay.By following these guidelines, you will be able to easily write a great response to the question you are asked, while making sure that you are not losing sight of your main point. This will also make it easier for the reader to understand your essay. You will also be able to make your essay a lot more interesting by avoiding some of the common mistakes that people make.An essay is a very effective tool for writing theses. It can help you get your point across quickly, clearly, and concisely. However, you will need to be able to write a great response if you want to do well in this area.There are many online essays that will help you write the right kind of essay. By following these tips, you will be able to write a better essay quickly. If you do not follow these guidelines, then you may find that your essay has errors in it.

Position Description essays

Position Description essays The network support technician maintains and supports the companys Data/Voice network, which connects approximately 90 employees. The employees responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, network devices within an enterprise Local Area Network (LAN), Intranet, and Internet. The employee will work with customers and the IT department to document and coordinate the installation of network and telecommunications hardware/software through change management. The employee will be responsible for troubleshooting of LAN routers, Virtual Private Network (VPN) Switches, LAN and Internet connections. The employee will also be required to respond promptly to complaints from workers and maintain 100% reliability of the network. This includes, but I not limited to, file and print servers, application servers, communication servers, and workstations. The position also requires that the employee will expand the network as necessary to keep up with the companys growth and increased network activity. The employee will also responsible for prompt response to complaints on anything that is related to the computer network this includes, but includes but is not limited to, complaints about a slow network non-receipt of critical data, issues with accessing the internet, and poor communication i.e. e-mail and faxes. The employee will also be working with other teams to ensure projects are on time and will also assist with other projects as the need arises. The employee should also help in the Development and implementation of time and cost saving initiatives for the company network. And the development and implementation of services to assist in delivering better services to customers and employees. Associates Degree in Computer Science, Telecommunications, or related field. The employee must have excellent analytical and problem solving skills ...

Argument Analysis about The Moral Instinct by Steven Pinker Essay

Argument Analysis about The Moral Instinct by Steven Pinker - Essay Example He asserts that the distinct patterning of brain activity displayed in this and other experiments illustrates an instinctive moral sense that exists organically in the human brain, â€Å"hardwired† in a manner similar to how other theorists have posited grammar as fundamental to human instinct, yet distinct from other types of mental and emotional activity. Pinker invokes â€Å"history’s best-thought-through moral philosophies, including the Golden Rule (itself discovered many times); Spinoza’s Viewpoint of Eternity; the Social Contract of Hobbes, Rousseau and Locke; Kant’s Categorical Imperative; and Rawls’s Veil of Ignorance... (as well as) Peter Singer’s theory of the Expanding Circle,† numerous scientific studies from psychology, neuroscience, sociology, and other disciplines to build his thesis from authoritative sources of reference, yet ultimately fails to prove conclusively why his hypothesis is differentiated from pure supposi tion. (Pinker, 2008) For example, in ‘The Moral Instinct,’ Pinker writes: â€Å"According to Noam Chomsky, we are born with a ‘universal grammar’ that forces us to analyze speech in terms of its grammatical structure, with no conscious awareness of the rules in play. By analogy, we are born with a universal moral grammar that forces us to analyze human action in terms of its moral structure, with just as little awareness. The idea that the moral sense is an innate part of human nature is not far-fetched. A list of human universals collected by the anthropologist Donald E. Brown includes many moral concepts and emotions, including a distinction between right and wrong; empathy; fairness; admiration of generosity; rights and obligations; proscription of murder, rape and other forms of violence; redress of wrongs; sanctions for wrongs against the community; shame; and taboos.† (Pinker, 2008) Symbolically, Pinker begins his essay by introducing historical figures or pop culture

Arab Oil Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arab Oil - Case Study Example The Egyptian and Syrian political leaders, President Anwar Sadat and President Assad had made their final decision to attack Israel on October 6, at 2:00 P.M. As a response to the decision of the Arab leaders, Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko began evacuating Soviet civilian personnel and their families from Egypt and Syria. The Soviet Union government headed by Leonid Brezhnev did not fully approve of the decision of these two Arab countries. Israel was headed by Golda Meir during the armed conflict. (Israelyan, 1995) The Yom Kippur, or Ramadan War, which started on October 6, 1973 was due to the frustration of the Arab countries with Israeli failure to evacuate occupied territories and to support UN resolutions. (Morse, 1999) These frustrations had been aggravated by persistent perceptions among Arab leaders that the United States was strongly supporting Israel in violation of the Arab situation. Prime Minister Assad of Syria informed the Soviet authorities that the Syrian and Egyptian leaders had decided to prusue a joint attack against Israel on October 6 at 2:00 P.M. This crucial decision had been made on October 4. Both countries had relied on the Soviet Union for understanding and support. (Israelyan, 1995) The combined military forces of Egypt and Syria attacked Israel during the Yom Kippur which was a religious holiday for Israelis, the Day of Atonement. On the Golan Heights, 150 Israeli tanks battled 1,400 Syria tanks and in the Suez area, about 500 Israeli soldiers faced 80,000 Egyptian soldiers. The Israelis were obviously outnumbered. However, the Israeli army called up reserves and engaged the two countries in strategic counter-offensive military actions. (Morse, 1999) Furthermore, the act of using oil as a weapon was enhanced by the efforts of the five Arab OPEC members on October 17 to enlist the support of the oil ministers of Egypt, Syria, Libya, Bahrain, and Syria in order through a Conference of Arab Oil Ministers. The meeting had a political purpose; the ministers mutually agreed on how to use the oil weapon to encourage the United States to re-examine its unwavering support for Israel and to force the evacuation of occupied territories. The outcome of the October 17 meeting was a resolution specifying the appropriate processes steps need to be taken. Nine countries signed the resolution. The members decided that the oil weapon would be deployed as follows: the nine signatory countries would decrease their oil production levels by at least 5 percent from the actual September 1973 levels. Then in the succeeding months, a similar reduction will be applied. The Arab countries will guarantee that friendly states will not be included in the redu ction.The oil production cuts would continue until Israel had moved out of the occupied territories and the basic and legal rights of the Palestinian people were upheld. The decision on the production cut was then changed on November in which the reduction of oil production were raised to 25 percent below the September level. This was to be followed by another round of 5 percent reduction in December. The different categories of oil-consuming countries were prioritized accordingly. First, the most favored countries would receive their full oil

Combining Nurse Leader with Advocacy Personal Statement

Combining Nurse Leader with Advocacy - Personal Statement Example This enables me to work with any medical organization in any part of America. However, due to the short duration that in the nursing profession, I have not managed to be a member of many professional associations, except in the Nursing Association of America, but am aspiring to be involved more and more in nursing and other professional associations (Manco-Herrman, 2006). Regarding career planning, I can say that I fully understand my role as a nurse, and know the requirements and description of my nursing profession. I understand that my greatest service is to the people, especially among the patients without showing any partiality. I am a goal driven individual, and my dream to become a renowned nurse in the nursing field driven my career. I would wish for a nursing profession where the nurses, particularly starting from me, will be able to deliver services to the customer, not just because they are in the profession, but because it is ethical to do so regardless of the money paid. I believe that this future career path can be achieved through determination and willingness to growth. Though career development might seem expensive, there have been sponsoring that offer training and financial support to nursing professionals who wish to grow and develop their careers. This enhances flexibility and gives the capacity of nurses to adapt to the future scenarios (Massella, 2005). As concerning the personal journey disciplines, I can rate myself as good, aiming to become excellent. During the short duration that I have been in the nursing field, I have been able to take part in action learning. This has enabled me integrate the problem solving techniques with the already acquired skills to enhance the delivery of services to customers. Normally, when left to make decisions regarding the welfare of the patients, I personally evaluate the condition or the situation, make decisions, decide on the most appropriate decision and personally reflect on those decisions to de termine their feasibility. However, I have not been fully involved in council planning, but I have participated in leadership trainings where I have acquired skills regarding leadership. Nevertheless, through the reflective practice, I have been able to assess my leadership development plan and determine my progress in active leadership behaviors. This has enabled me rate myself as far as leadership is concerned and enable me determine the most appropriate methods and practices in leadership to enhance my development as a leader (McClure, 2005). Rating myself in terms of reflective practice reference and behaviors, I always use the guidelines that facilitate my evaluation and reflection of involvement in nursing career. These include the skills acquired, identification of my role as nursing professionals, identification of the discrepancy in nursing and also I have been able to propose the most flexible means to enhance growth of the nursing profession in the future. I normally hold integrity as the key factor in my nursing profession and a leader, and to appreciate ambiguity since it acts as a driving force encouraging my advancement in nursing career. Whenever I feel inadequate in a certain area, I always seek clarification from higher professionals or through research. People in the nursing