Second Language Acquisition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Second Language Acquisition - Essay Example Children respond according to their imagination. This way they are able to make a link between the country and the food. The teacher also speaks the adjectives and nouns loudly, for example, emphasizing on the word delicious. This makes the students grasp words and makes them learn how to use them in sentences. The teacher does not point out their mistakes; instead, she encourages them and repeats what every one of them speaks. She knows how to be lenient with non-native speakers. She involves all the children in the lesson and aims at making them participate actively so that they are able to think on their own and to recognize things and assign names to them. In short, the teacher uses interesting strategies to address the needs of non-native speaking English students by making use of the most modern technological tools like multimedia and by making the whole class participate in the learning process.

Three steps in financial analysis and management reporting Essay

Three steps in financial analysis and management reporting - Essay Example In this idea, it is showcased how important it is to determine the facts about the organization before anything else has to be taken into account in financial analysis. This is very important because it is the organization itself that has to be the center point of financial analysis. For instance, an organization is composed of human resource. In a specific study, it is shown that the success of introducing new system into the company for the purpose of improving financial performance is determined by understanding the needs of the personnel and their capacity to adapt the new introduced system (Randolph and Ogawa, 2007). The effectiveness of an organization can be attributed to the performance of its personnel. In other words, part of the facts that should be gathered in understanding an organization is the capacity and competency of the human resource. This is evident on the task of financial analyst in which he or she must have a detailed understanding about the management and the company in particular (Hagberg, 2003). In line with this, it is important that financial analysts must be able to determine both financial and non-financial performance information of an organization as basic foundation of the analysis (Coram, Mock and Monroe, 2011). In this regard, there is a good opportunity to gather accurate information that will help determine the right approach in the entire process of financial analysis. Compare the facts in the organization over time to facts in similar organizations One of the most important benefits in trying to compare facts in the organization over time to facts in similar organizations is to understand how well it is performing and to know other financial issues in it such as the general financial strength (Cleary, 2006). In a study conducted by Cleary, the investigation of facts and comparing them among different organizations prove to be an effective way to understand financial strengths and performance of an organization. Thus, it i s evident that an organization that tries to compare its financial information from the other is a significant way to check performance and eventually will pave way to create the right evaluative process. In creating a standard in financial activities, there is an assurance of awareness and the right implementation process towards an organization’s achievement of financial strength (Iatridis, 2010). Balanced scorecard is known to be one of the best adopted strategies for performance measurement and evaluation of the company and its financial performance. In line with this, this measurement deals with understanding the facts within an organization and especially in similar organization for comparison. For instance, one of the most essential components of balanced scorecard is customer. Customer-oriented organizations are eventually trying to provide the best customer value especially in customer-oriented organizations (Flint, Blocker and Boutin, 2011). These companies in order to achieve their best performance through their customers try to compare the facts they have with them and that of the other organizations in order to substantially create customer value. It is therefore clear in this point that it makes sense to result to comparison of performance and information in order to achieve organizational objectives. Use perspective and judgment to make

Financial Strategy and planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Strategy and planning - Essay Example The decision to purchase or not to purchase rights shares ultimately rest upon the company's performance like an ordinary issue purchase decision. The likely impact of rights issue upon the market value of share, earnings per share and wealth of shareholders depend on the future prospectus of the issuing company. However, unless the company performs better, it is undisputedly say that nothing will gain by the shareholders out of rights issue. This type of financing is preferred when the company needs to fianc its expansion needs and at the same time it does not like to dilute its ownership. Unlike ordinary shares, this type of shares does not offer voting rights to the holders. Therefore, preference shareholders do not have any voice or say in the company's management. Therefore, it does not result in the dilution of ownership of ordinary shareholders. However, preference share holders are entitled to a fixed periodical dividend and the repayment of principal after a stipulated period of time. This may result in a situation where the company will be left with low distributable profit and thereby reduced earnings per share. This may ultimately lead to adversely affect the market value of ordinary shares. Loan stock is a kind of fixed income security. Loan stock is issued by a company against the loan granted by another. The holder gets fixed periodical return coined as interest and principal after the maturity period. Loans stock may be of two types, namely secured and unsecured. The secured loan stock is similar to an ordinary loan for which the borrower offers collateral to guarantee the repayment of the loan. But an unsecured loan does not have any kind of collateral with it. A secured loan stock, when an entity is issued is like debenture/bonds. The issue of loan

Time Continues To Fly and Changes Continue to Occur Essay

Time Continues To Fly and Changes Continue to Occur - Essay Example Similarly, in John Updike’s short story A & P, the protagonist Sammy works as a checkout clerk at the supermarket of the same name as the title of the story. He finds his work monotonous, goes on with it robotically until his attention is caught by a group of girls who are clad in swimming costumes. Being a boy of nineteen years, he is, not so surprisingly, immediately attracted to them especially the tallest one who he nicknames Queenie. He watches them closely, almost acting like a stalker. He sees and imagines and wishes. When the manager Lengel tells the group of girls off for coming to A & P dressed in their swimsuits and nothing more, Sammy is indignant on their behalf. Wanting to play the hero and to get their attention, maybe even their number, he resigns on the spot. Lengel tries to reason with him, even brings in his parents’ displeasure at the resignation. Sammy realizes what he has done will bring repercussions but what is done is done and he is willing to f ace the consequences (Updike). Sammy acts the way he does because he had been distracted by a couple of beautiful girls. It is understandable, of course, but giving up his job turns out to be useless since the girls leave before he does and have no idea of what he has done for them. He follows his impulses, is emotional about his decision and loses his job. He is unemployed once again and has no way of earning money. As Lengel reminds him, his parents would be disappointed because of this. Resigning may even seem worth it if he had actually gotten the girl but he had not. He had only ended up making bad decisions out of which he got nothing. They backfired from all angles. This is how life to a teenager seems like. All problems and no successes no matter what they do to achieve whatever they wish. In the story Greasy Lake which is written by the author T. Coraghessan Boyle, he is reminiscing about his years as a â€Å"rebellious punk†. He writes about three boys who think the y are â€Å"cool† because they act like â€Å"bad boys† when; in fact, they still are boys with their own insecurities and are unsure about life. They are nineteen year old young men called Jeff, Digby and the unnamed narrator. These three are on a lookout for adventures and thrill and think that is all to life. They drive around in their mother’s car, drinking, wishing for a change in life but are not exactly excited when their wishes do come true. The three hang out at their spot away from the town, it is dirty with rubbish around it and obviously nothing good can happen there. When they reach the Greasy Lake, they pull a prank but it turns horribly wrong and they do not know what to do. They were aiming to make fun of another friend but they end up pranking someone else completely. A fight breaks out between the three boys and the man who is, in actuality, a â€Å"bad guy† and not just pretending to be one like them. The man hits them and injures them but eventually the three manage to overcome him and hit him with an iron rod which makes him lose conscious (Boyle). After this, the man’s girlfriend comes running out and when the boys find her attractive, they start ripping off her clothes and it seems like they are attempting to rape her but then another car arrives. The occupants of the car start to scream at them so they rush for cover. The narrator tries to hide himself in the swampy water and is disgusted and very frightened when he sees a dead body in front of him. The other cars’

The Effects of Social Media on a Business Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Social Media on a Business Essay Social media has greatly changed the way people communicate and interact with one another. There are a variety of social media sites which are used worldwide, such as Youtube, Facebook and Twitter. This type of communications method is now being used by business in marketing their products. The fact that many people use social media to discuss their thoughts and views online, has caused business to alter their communications and marketing strategies to better fit the new mean of sending out messages. Social media is presently used in place of the â€Å"old-fashioned† marketing tools, such as TV, billboards, radio, etc. This new process which business use to convey messages and promote ideas or products has formed a collaboration with its customers. A business can now gain instant feedback from its customers, tackle rumors, and post any updates about the business online. Companies reported using these social media tools was helpful for several reasons. They reported that the tools provide the following: †¢ Another way to communicate  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Added value to customers †¢ Product/brand awareness †¢ Ability to keep up with trends and competitors †¢ Demonstration of product †¢ A more cost effective and productive form of marketing. (Barnes, 2010) Objective This literature review will discuss the role that social media plays on businesses and the effect it has when promoting a business or marketing its product. This review will contain the view and analysis of experts in the use of social media by businesses, and in what way the media can benefit or damage the reputation of an organization. The research questions used were â€Å"How does social media affects businesses?† and â€Å"How can social media benefit a business?†. While The research questions were similar, they did offer a wide range of topics concerning the research objective. Searching and locating literature The main database used for the research was Polytechnic’s summons. The research questions were first used here which introduced many articles. Most of the articles found by summons were taken from the Proquest and Emerald management collection databases, among other database systems. When reviewing the articles I read the â€Å"executive summary† or the â€Å"introduction† and later decided whether to continue with the article or to exclude it. The articles which were ruled out were the ones discussing social media from a non-business perspective. Some articles which were excluded did have good ideas, even though they presented it with a different viewpoint, so I used the reference list of said articles to locate more literature and further the research to get closer to the objective. The role that social media plays on businesses Mediatization describes how media is transformed from being a mediator and instrument for other institutions to become an institution in itself (Hjarvard, 2008). This further explains that social media is now a global institution, businesses and organizations will have to find new strategies in their marketing approach which will act in accordance with today’s mediatized society. (Pallas and Fredriksson, 2010) Businesses must now learn the new ways of functioning in a mediatized society. Media, especially social media, is important for the overall view of a business. When consumers look to a business they judge it based on its reputation, a reputation which it gains through mediatization. A successful business will have to know how mediatization works, and be able to alter it so that the customers will see what the business intends to be seen. A proper image and reputation of the business will be formed. As the flow of consumer online activity began rising businesses took notice of this â€Å"phenomenon† and picked new means of reaching consumers and their targeted audience through social media. In the beginning business created blogs, wikis, and forums in order to reach their audience, but now they have heavily started using the highest ranked social media sites such as micro-blogging via Twitter, and Facebook (Li and Bernoff, 2008). The effect of social media on a business Many would argue that social media benefits a business in a positive way and is a innovative way of marketing. Electronic media brings people together, when businesses join in on this media they are now in-touch with their customers. They will be able to connect with their audience which will result in customer loyalty, which will give the business an upper hand over potential competitors (Varey, 1999). Organizations will need to incorporate social media tools into their marketing and communication strategies. Social media will shift the consumers views on the business because they will now be able to spot the degree of openness and responsiveness in the business (Schein, Wilson and Keelan, 2009). However, in her article How do the most successful companies use social media? (2010), Nora Barnes gives an opposing view on the use of social media by business. While in the short-run a business will gain a fast reputation, it will affect the business in the long-run. She argues that if a business is thought of as an â€Å"official† business with high ranking employers and maybe investors, then social media is not the correct marketing tool to be used as it shows a business as being vulnerable, and will not be thought of very highly by its high-ticketed consumers. Dury (2008) also furthers this argument by stating that marketing is different to social media and that the two should not be mixed. That it ‘destroys social medias foundations by undermining its human elements’. This is because the essence of marketing is corporate and that a social media approach will issue a softer outlook to the official corporate image of a business. An organizations reputation means everything. Executives know the importance of this, The stronger the reputation, the better quality of customers they get and the brand name begins to rise (Eccles, Newquist and Schatz, 2007). Social media is not considered a â€Å"quality† method of marketing an organization, and certainly not a brand name. An organizations quality is shown in its: †¢share of voice – how much was said; †¢performance – amount of coverage relative to one’s peers; †¢breadth of coverage – themes reported; †¢media tone – positive, neutral, negative; †¢risk profile – the ratio of positive to negative coverage for particular themes; and †¢position – whether the media reflects the organization’s desired profile. (Dowling and Weeks, 2011) Reputation is in the consumers mind therefore a company should be aware of the quality it is presenting in order to provide a positive reputation. A similar opinion was given by Mat Ramsey, mentioning â€Å"Don’t use social media for corporate communications† (Ramsay, 2010). Any updates regarding the business should be posted on its official website. If they were done via social media sites it will bring down the status and quality of the corporation. Summary The study of the above articles has proven one thing, that social media has a very important part to play in the communication and marketing section of a business, whether for the good of the business or for bad. The use of social media may benefit some businesses but it harmed others. A business must study this approach carefully when deciding to incorporate social media in the marketing strategies as the effect may make or break it. Benefits The benefits of this review is the comparison between expert opinions over the matter. Social media hasn’t been fully investigated so this review brings all the thoughts on this topic together in ordered to get a clear image on the benefits and effects of social media.

Effects of Alcoholic Drinks to College Students Essay Example for Free

Effects of Alcoholic Drinks to College Students Essay Although alcohol may give you a feeling of elation and aroused senses due to a lessening of inhibitions during the early stages of alcohol intoxication, alcohol is a depressant. It depresses the central nervous system—leading to slowed reactions, slurred speech, and ultimately, to unconsciousness. Alcohol progressively affects different brain areas. Alcohol first affects the part of the brain that controls inhibitions. When people lose their inhibitions, they may talk more, get rowdy, and do foolish things. After several drinks, they may feel â€Å"high,† but really, their nervous system is slowing down. Alcohol acts fast because it is not digested like food. Instead, it moves directly into the bloodstream from the stomach and small intestine. It takes a long time for alcohol’s effects to wear off—as it takes approximately one hour for the liver to process the alcohol in one drink. ALCOHOL’S DAMAGING EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN Difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times, impaired memory: Clearly, alcohol affects the brain. Some of these impairments are detectable after only one or two drinks and quickly resolve when drinking stops. On the other hand, a person who drinks heavily over a long period of time may have brain deficits that persist well after he or she achieves sobriety. Exactly how alcohol affects the brain and the likelihood of reversing the impact of heavy drinking on the brain remain hot topics in alcohol research today. We do know that heavy drinking may have extensive and far–reaching effects on the brain, ranging from simple â€Å"slips† in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions that require lifetime custodial care. And even moderate drinking leads to short–term impairment, as shown by extensive research on the impact of drinking on driving. A number of factors influence how and to what extent alcohol affects the brain (1), including * how much and how often a person drinks; * the age at which he or she first began drinking, and how long he or she has been drinking; * the person’s age, level of education, gender, genetic background, and family history of alcoholism; * whether he or she is at risk as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure; and * his or her general health status. BLACKOUTS AND MEMORY LAPSES Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount of alcohol increases, so does the degree of impairment. Large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly and on an empty stomach, can produce a blackout, or an interval of time for which the intoxicated person cannot recall key details of events, or even entire events. Blackouts are much more common among social drinkers than previously assumed and should be viewed as a potential consequence of acute intoxication regardless of age or whether the drinker is clinically dependent on alcohol (2). White and colleagues (3) surveyed 772 college undergraduates about their experiences with blackouts and asked, â€Å"Have you ever awoken after a night of drinking not able to remember things that you did or places that you went? † Of the students who had ever consumed alcohol, 51 percent reported blacking out at some point in their lives, and 40 percent reported experiencing a blackout in the year before the survey. Of those who reported drinking in the 2 weeks before the survey, 9. 4 percent said they blacked out during that time. The students reported learning later that they had participated in a wide range of potentially dangerous events they could not remember, including vandalism, unprotected sex, and driving. Binge Drinking and Blackouts| †¢ Drinkers who experience blackouts typically drink too much and too quickly, which causes their blood alcohol levels to rise very rapidly. College students may be at particular risk for experiencing a blackout, as an alarming number of college students engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking, for a typical adult, is defined as consuming five or more drinks in about 2 hours for men, or four or more drinks for women. | ARE WOMEN MORE VULNERABLE TO ALCOHOL’S EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN? Women are more vulnerable than men to many of the medical consequences of alcohol use. For example, alcoholic women develop cirrhosis (5), alcohol–induced damage of the heart muscle (i. e. , cardiomyopathy) (6), and nerve damage (i. e. , peripheral neuropathy) (7) after fewer years of heavy drinking than do alcoholic men. Studies comparing men and women’s sensitivity to alcohol–induced brain damage, however, have not been as conclusive. Using imaging with computerized tomography, two studies (8,9) compared brain shrinkage, a common indicator of brain damage, in alcoholic men and women and reported that male and female alcoholics both showed significantly greater brain shrinkage than control subjects. Studies also showed that both men and women have similar learning and memory problems as a result of heavy drinking (10). The difference is that alcoholic women reported that they had been drinking excessively for only about half as long as the alcoholic men in these studies. This indicates that women’s brains, like their other organs, are more vulnerable to alcohol–induced damage than men’s (11). SUMMARY Alcoholics are not all alike. They experience different degrees of impairment, and the disease has different origins for different people. Consequently, researchers have not found conclusive evidence that any one variable is solely responsible for the brain deficits found in alcoholics. Characterizing what makes some alcoholics vulnerable to brain damage whereas others are not remains the subject of active research (34). The good news is that most alcoholics with cognitive impairment show at least some improvement in brain structure and functioning within a year of abstinence, though some people take much longer (35–37). Clinicians must consider a variety of treatment methods to help people stop drinking and to recover from alcohol–related brain impairments, and tailor these treatments to the individual patient. Advanced technology will have an important role in developing these therapies. Clinicians can use brain–imaging techniques to monitor the course and success of treatment, because imaging can reveal structural, functional, and biochemical changes in living patients over time. Promising new medications also are in the early stages of development, as researchers strive to design therapies that can help prevent alcohol’s harmful effects and promote the growth of new brain cells to take the place of those that have been damaged by alcohol.  ¦ As well as damaging their health, university students who drink too much alcohol may also be damaging their academic performance. Alcohol: The Benefits of Moderate Drinking Drinking alcohol in moderate amounts can have positive influences on physical and mental health. While alcohol is one of the most widely abused substances on the market, it is also one that features certain benefits for drinkers who consume it in safe amounts. For individuals who consume low levels of alcohol, benefits like reduced stress, increased cardiovascular health and decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes offer a wealth of reasons for consumers to drink in moderation. Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Tension. Research shows that the consumption of alcohol in moderate amounts can lead to certain psychological benefits. Low levels of alcohol can trigger stress reduction, easy feelings of anxiety and help consumers to reduce tension. In addition, low levels of alcohol consumption can also cause the consumer to feel more pleasant and relaxed. Studies on sleep show that people who drink in moderation get more sleep on average than do those who indulge in excess. These psychological effects of moderate drinking are positive ones that can be beneficial to the consumer. A Longer Life The positive psychological effects of drinking in moderation can be associated with the studies that show moderate drinkers tend to love longer than people who dont drink at all or those who drink in excess. Studies from a number of different countries including China, the United States and England indicate that longevity is highest among groups of people who drink alcohol in moderation. Increased Cardiovascular Health Several studies have shown that drinking alcohol in moderation has a positive correlation with certain aspects of cardiovascular health. In particular, the risk of developing coronary artery disease is significantly lowered in conjunction with moderate consumption of alcohol. Another link between alcohol and cardiovascular health shows that moderate consumption of alcohol has a positive correlation with survivability in the event of a heart attack. Those who drink low levels of alcohol are more likely to live and less likely to experience another heart attack. Alcohol produces several positive effects on the body when consumed in low levels. For example, it increases levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). Alcohol also acts as a blood thinner once it enters the human body, much like common aspirin does. Thus, when consumed in moderation, it can reduce the likelihood of developing blood clots in arteries. Decreased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes While consuming alcohol in large quantities has been proven to put drinkers at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, some studies show that drinking in moderation might have the opposite effect. The relationship between alcohol and type 2 diabetes is the focus of a great number of ongoing studies. Findings show, however, that moderate drinkers are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than heavy drinkers. All of these health benefits associated with moderate drinking serve as an incentive for consumers to limit their levels of alcohol intake. Too much alcohol eliminates the health benefits described above. The best way to maximize on the health benefits of alcohol is to consume it in low levels. Negative Effects of Drinking Alcohol on Physical Fitness While occasional alcohol use may not have a major impact on physical activity, there is a clear link between sports, exercise and drinking alcohol. In fact, alcohol is the most widely used drug by athletes which is why alcohol related difficulties seem to be more common among those who exercise regularly. It is clear that drinking in excess can negatively influence exercise. Studies done to determine the influence that alcohol has on exercise Studies have shown that consuming alcohol has the following influence on exercise: *Diminishes the use of amino acids and glucose by the muscles of the skeleton *A detrimental influence on the supply of energy *An impairment in metabolism while exercising In addition, persuasive evidence implies that continual use of alcohol is connected with unfavorable effects on systems of the body and organs, including the liver, brain, heart and blood vessels. Exercising while under the influence of alcohol Drinking alcohol has a negative influence on motor skills, stamina and aerobic ability. Alcohol has the following effects on motor skills: *Delayed reaction time *A decrease in hand-eye coordination *Less precision and balance Alcohol has the following effects on strength training and short term athletic functioning: *A decline in athletic performance as a whole. *Decreased times in cycling and running *Weakened pumping power of the heart *Impaired temperature control while exercising *Weakening of grip strength *Decreased jump altitude *Lower 200 and 400-meter running performance *Becoming tired more quickly while participating in high-intensity workouts Alcohol has the following effects on aerobic performance: *Dehydration *Considerably diminished aerobic performance *Hindered 800 and 1500-meter running speeds *An increase in health risks after working out in hot atmospheres for an extended amount of time Working out with a hangover. A hangover is caused by a number of factors including, dehydration and toxicity from the alcohol. The symptoms include a gloomy mood and headache. Unfortunately, these side effects can cause a decline in athletic performance. Working out with a hangover has been shown to considerably decrease aerobic adequacy by as great as 11 percent. Long term effects that alcohol has on exercise performance Long term, heavy (more than two drinks each day) alcohol use can impair exercise in the following ways: *Hindering the cardiovascular reaction to exercise *Cause nutritional deficits from changes in nutrient consumption, digestion and metabolism. *Cause muscle injury, wasting and feebleness in several muscles, including the heart. *Changing the bodys hormonal atmosphere It is also important to note that women might be more susceptible to the toxic results of alcohol on the heart. It is clear that drinking in excess can negatively influence exercise. Alcoholism is a growing problem in the United States and is even a problem in teenagers, too. Unfortunately, there are a variety of negative effects that are associated with the consumption of alcohol. While the negative effects can either be long term or short term, all of them start with the first drink of alcohol. Negative effects may not become apparent immediately, but as time goes on, the adverse effects of alcohol will become more and more noticeable and, in some cases, they can even lead to death. Diseases One of the negative effects that alcohol tends to have is the increased risk for multiple serious diseases. Increased consumption of alcohol can lead to serious medical problems such as cirrhosis of the liver, which often results in death. Infections, sleeping disorders and sexual dysfunctions can also be caused by consumption of alcohol. Recent studies have also shown that consumption of alcohol can actually raise the risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer, throat cancer and intestinal cancer. Consuming alcohol can be very serious and there are many grave negative effects that are caused by alcohol. Avoiding alcohol can help you avoid these adverse effects and perhaps even save your life.

Organisational Strategic analysis on British airways

Organisational Strategic analysis on British airways The issue of organisational changes is a corner stone of organisational functioning, development, competitiveness and, yet, effectiveness. Over the past decades, the way in which people are managed, promoted and stimulated at workplaces has become a primary key to assess and improve organisational efficiency and marketability and became a part of a general organisational strategy. The purpose of this report is to conduct a Organisational Strategic analysis one of the largest airline company British Airways. The objective of the report is to evaluate the competitive and changing market condition of the airlines companies how these companies specially BAs organisational changes occurred in last five years In terms of globalisation and rapidly changing business environment, as well as growing competitiveness on the market, modern companies increasingly need to rely rather more on their skilled and motivated personnel than on pure technologies and products the report will show us how BA addressed following issues: Main objectives in making the change in last five years. Key factors Influence of BAs organisational changes How managed change toward resistance of changes In the Chapter D, the aim of the Chief Executive Willie Walsh for BA to be simpler and improving employees behaviour and performance has discussed the 7S framework are also used. The aim of the report is to outline the areas in which the current strategy could be improved and further related changes. Conclusion and recommendations are also drawn. Table of Contents Page No 1.0 Overview of the Company 1.1 British Airways Organisational Changes in last Five years 1.2 Objective in making change Part 2 2.0Factors influencing British Airways change strategy__ 2.1 Internal influences Part 3 3.0 Organizational Change 3.1 Organizational Resistance how its managed 3.2 Types of Organizational change process 5.0 Recommendations and Conclusions Part 4 4.1 Timetable for implementations Table of Figures Page No Figure 1: Model of Change- Sequence of Events Figure 2: Forces Causing and Resisting Change within an Organization Figure 3: Statistics of Favourite airline Figure 4: Europe Share Market Movement Figure 5: Timetable for full implementation Figure 6: 7S framework Figure 7 : Herzbergs Two Factor Theory Figure 8: Factor affecting employees attitude 5.1 Recommendations for achieving Mr Willie Walshs goal for BA, Part 1 1.0 Overview of the Company British Airways happens to be one of the biggest airline operators that is U.K. based and among the different operators of Europe it is holding the position of the 3rd position after the Air France, Lufthansa and KLM. The major canters of the airline are at London Gatwick, and London Heathrow in which their range of the services being provided by them from the long routes to the short routes of the domestic European flights. Manchester happens to be one of the Britain Airports from where it is operating for the long distance flights. There are about Five hundred and fifty destinations to which the airways is providing flights at convenient timings. Thus the British Airways is a group which comprises of the other subsidiary firms like the British Airways Plc and others like the BA Connect Ltd. and British Airways holidays Limited. As British Airways is considered to be a leader in the industry mainly because of the kind of the technology that is being utilized by the company in providing various services like the online booking system and the ticketing method of self services(www.britishairways.com) 1.1 British Airways Organisational Changes in last Five years British Airways Plc: the skys the limit. British Airways Plc, BA, is the leading airline in the United Kingdom, and naturally one of the biggest in the world. In May 2005, Willie Walsh, newly taken over from Rod Eddington as chief executive, continued this active management of company culture and said of his staff: I want them to feel inspired, I want them to feel optimistic, I want them to feel that this is a good place to be (Dangerous Company, BBC2 April 2006). Willie Walshs vision of change was so ambitious (doing better and better, never enough for him), Walsh justified himself in saying that he had a long-term vision and staff a day-to-day one. Although before Walshs tenure as chief executive, BA was a very well-run and profitable company and it was considered as the worlds favourite airline. But as visionary leader he was made number of changes, such as he reduces top heavy executive team from 25 to 14. Thus, he presented five objectives to achieve: To sustain BA as the worlds favourite airline. Improve customer service Diversify through merger and acquisitions Improve management and to be best managed company in the UK Cost cutting 1.2 Objective in making change The overall objective of Walshs approached to reduce the expenditures with in the organization as well as exterior. Walshs claimed BA needed a second revolution. At the beginning Willie Walshs vision of change and strategies were correct but its implementation to achieve his objectives were not well-liked by employees or people around him this resulted in employees de-motivation and de-moralization. As a result there was a planning to strike by the employees which was temporarily held by the court decision but there are planning to have a strike. This paper discovers the phenomena of radical organizational change in last five years, its implications and consequences over the companys on the whole performance and the controversy of leadership and its issues? In this paper author discuss how leadership effect on organizations performance in the context of organizational change? And how well Willie Walsh did his change management strategies. Was he successful or failure. This paper reviews these questions by analysing the case study of British Airways, and also discusses the role of effective communication and the motivation of staff in BA and how these aspects are interrelated with each other. Part 2 2.0Factors influencing British Airways change strategy__ Monitor global competition, customers, competitors and other factors Need for change Initiate Change Implement Change Evaluate problems opportunities, define needed changes in technology, products, structure culture Facilitate search, creativity, idea champions, venture teams, skunkworks idea incubators Use force-field analysis, tactics for overcoming resistance Environmental Forces Internal Forces Consider plans, goals, company problems needs Figure 1: Model of Change- Sequence of Events (Source: Richard, 2001) Corporate Innovation is something that is very hard to change and employees need time to get used to the new way of organizing. Many people are not willing to change unless they perceive a problem or a crisis. For companies with a very strong and specific culture it will be even harder to change. Mr. W. Walsh, Chief Executive of British Airways decision to implement change at BA was influenced by a number of various factors. These were mainly based on the effects of the external environment on British Airways. BAs technology was not in keeping with the technology of their competitors and so this was reflected in its products. To combat this threat, W.Walsh.,(2009) tried implementing new procedures and changing the culture of the organization. He decided to change the organization from a technology driven company to a more service oriented one, lacking the technological strength of its competitors, BA proposed to offer a superior level of service instead. The external environment threat of technology was the main reason behind BAs change. Change within the Organisation Forces Resisting Change Forces for Change Global Pressures Competition The Market External Environment Aspirations of the Workforce Technology Costs Inertia Lack of Trust Complacency Conservatism Fear of Failure Fear of the Unknown Power Blocks Figure 2: Forces Causing and Resisting Change within an Organization (Source: Jewell, 1990) In order to survive and prosper in a competitive and rapidly changing environment, organizations also need to change. This may be brought about by many influencing factors which may be internally within the organization or in external environment of the organization. External forces originate in all environmental sectors, including customers, competitors, technology, economic forces and the international arena. External influences: Political factors including legislation or other government measures. Organizations are forced to change in order to meet, for example, health and safety, environmental or consumer protection requirements. The EUs laws could prevent to diversify into the no-frills market.This will make less competitions for BA from no-frills airlines. Noise pollutions stricter laws from EU could affect all the airlines. United Kingdom have decided not to introduce the Euro would reduce number of tourists to come into the kingdom. Slots reductions at the airport could enable BA to take over other routes which are served by the other airlines. Reduction in the protection of slots, particularly those at the primary airports could enable British Airways to take routes served by other airlines. Government is always tried to protect BA as a national flag carriers. Costs have been increased due to increase fuel price. Economic factors such as changes in levels of unemployment and interest rates which can have a major impact on demand. Increase the airport taxes could increase costs of the BA. New members of EU could increase or introduced new flights to the UK which could prevent to hold up the profits. Current economic downturn and swine flu could prevent people to fly. BA and Spains Liberia airlines merged decision to increase  £400 millions of synergy (http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/ba-and-iberia-agree-merger-deal) Social factors including changes in life styles and environmental issues which organizations must respond to if they are not to lose out to competitors. Threats from terrorists attacks could reduce people to fly such as September 2001 and most recently failed suicide bomb attack at American Airlines . Technological progress such as word processing in the office or robots in the factory can change working materials, methods and practices and create the need for new skills. Trade unions can influence wage rates, working conditions and other aspects of industrial relations. Competition and changes in consumer tastes and demand all impact on business organizations, making change necessary in order to respond. Media reports which can influence consumers and employees perceptions of an organization and its goods and services. Internal forces for change arise from internal activities and decisions. If top managers select a goal of rapid company growth, internal actions will have to be made to meet that growth ( Smillie Hailey., 2001). New departments or technologies will be created. Demands by employees, labour unions and production inefficiencies all can generate a force to which management must respond with change. 2.1 Internal influences: New products or services which require change in order to introduce them. Management changes, due perhaps to a merger, take over or the appointment of new staff. This may affect the management style and culture of the organization. Quality assurance systems which are becoming increasingly important in organizations in order to meet changing customer expectations. Productivity and profitability improvements which often require change in systems or procedures in order to control or reduce costs and/or increase output. Customer service is now more crucial than ever for organizations in competitive markets because they can only survive and prosper if they satisfy customers. After analyzing the external environment, it can be summarized that no-frills zone may pose a big threats in the future. Another Problem that most recent painful terrorists attack had cancelled number of flights of BA. After the need for change has been perceived and communicated, change must be initiated. This is a crucial stage of change management- the stage where ideas that solve perceived needs are developed. Responses that an organization can make are to search for or create a change to adopt. The modern complex business world is being rapid changes. There are number of factors such as globalization amongst companies, changes in market trends as well as companies who are more globally demanding and mature, necessary to reduce costs and the introduction of new technology has lead to companies to face large amount of competition than they had in the past. It is therefore important for organizations to stay ahead of their competitors and recent research has indicted that the creativity and innovation of an organization can give them that competitive edge they require. By being creative and offering consumers a more innovative service or product, the company or organization will be able to differentiate themselves from others who offer similar services. Cook (1998) found that creative organizations harness the ability to think and act in different ways that make sense to their current and future customers. BAs CEO presented his views and identified on the key drivers and directions for the airlines industry and the strategies BA will follow in the transition into the next millennium. He also reiterated BAs commitment to achieve long term growth in earnings and shareholder value in the top quartile of the major airline by focusing on people, performance and growth. Part 3 3.0 Organizational Change Organization changes its overall strategy for success, adds or removes a major section or practice, and/or wants to change the very nature by which it operates. Willie Walshs vision was the same. When together all employees or the group of people work to achieve the organizational goal, the organizations are become operational and successful. Therefore, organizational change is possible only when employees of the organization understand the need for change, buy-in the idea of change, are motivated towards the change, and express their interest (McGuire D. Hutchings K., 2006; Beer M. et al, 1990). Keeping in view the importance of employees, management thinking for change should consider the effect of the change on employees as well as their resistance and reaction on it. They should be taken into account and should be motivated and explained reasons of change by the management while taking any decision. Other researchers (e.g. Tichy, 1983) acknowledge the frustration that managers feel when their organizations do not respond to elaborately analyzed plans, where there is a lack of interaction between decision and action. In the case of BA, Willie Walsh did not plan to follow up change because he did not think fundamental changes as process but wanted to change entire organizational culture immediately. As Whittington and Mayer (2002) also vindicate this need, adaptive reorganization, the ability to redesign structures frequently, is now critical to organizational performance. However, an effective change can only be achieved if change managers encourage employees participation as much as possible, address their concerns and repercussions and ensure them that leaders involvement would be role models for a change (Heracleous, 2002). Enthusiastic Willie Walsh eager for bringing changes in BA forgot to get his employees involved in the change management process. Nevertheless, employees or group of people working together for organizational goal made the organizations as successful. 3.1 Organizational Resistance how its managed There are number of factors are playing for resistance to changes such as fear of the unknown, the possibility of economic insecurity, habit, threats to social relationships and failure to recognise the need for change (Nadler, 1988). Another issue of importance in change which is difference between how organisation looks at present and look after the change. According to Cameron et al (1993), readiness for organisational change depend on how the degree to which a change (TQM) and existing culture differs from that culture, an organisation may be more or less ready for such a change. Tichy and Devanna (1986) discuss creating a need for change; in effect, opening up the organizational culture to be receptive to the change. They note that this is especially difficult when there is no apparent crisis, but rather the long-range vision of a leader who anticipates the time it takes to implement organizational change. Resistance to change is especially relevant if the vision of a leader differs from the values and beliefs of the existing organizational culture. If that is the case, then cultural issues must be addressed (Schein, 1991; Trice and Beyer, 1991). In the case of BA, Walshs vision was very good because organizations continuously need improvements and changes to maintain its competitive advantages. Willie Walsh started the change process and neither involved management nor his staff and stressed too much on cost cutting activities then these radical changes turned employees repercussion and resistance to change into aggression and they went on strike. Because e mployees thought that these changes were not needed and they were not convinced, also, they were worried about their future. In this part of the paper author will now discuss the controversy of leadership and its effect on organizations performance in the context of organizational change. 3.2 Types of Organizational change process Change management is a process to bring modification and transformation into an organization to sustain and improve its efficiency (John Hayes, 2002).There are different overall types of organizational change process, including planned versus unplanned, organization-wide versus change primarily to one part of the organization, incremental (slow, gradual change) versus transformational (radical, fundamental), etc. Organizational change is a step by step and a learning process which involve everyone in the organization. There are number of researches has conducted and researcher stated that the change in the organisation should have organisational culture capacity (Garratt, 1987, 1990; Bahlmann, 1990; Senge, 1990; Senge et al. 1994, 1999; Pedler et al., 1991; Burgoyne et al., 1994; Swieringa and Wiersma, 1992; Watkins and Marsick, 1993; Redding and Catalanello, 1994). This approach differs clearly from the literature trend which puts an emphasis on knowledge management and which associates organizational learning capacity with the ability to create, acquire, transmit, retain, or use organizational knowledge. This trend is led by authors such as Amponsem (1991); Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995); Nonaka and Nishiguchi (2000); Nonaka and Teece (2001); Nonaka et al. (2003); Baets (1998); Von Krogh and Roos (1996); Von Krogh et al. (1998); Despres and Chauvel (2000); Chauvel et al. (2003). It is clear from the above literature that Willie Walsh should have involved all the members of management and staff while making change in British Airways. They should have been convinced about the need of change for the improvements and encouraged to support this process. Despite of considering all that, he brought radical changes in organization without making his management and employees involved, like cost cutting activities, outsourcing of different departments and sale of operations etc. Buono and Bowditch (1993) notified that uncertainty during change processes is typically about the aim, process and expected outcomes of the change and implications for the individual employees (Buono and Bowditch, 1993). Part 4 The change in the BA has partly successful, as Walsh five objectives are partly achieved. Below has explained which changes are successfully meeting its objectives or not: 1) Sustain BA as the worlds favourite airline: According to Consumer Travel Alliance survey shows that Southwest Airlines was no 1 favourite in the world because of price and customer service. Below graph shows its result: Figure 3 : Statistics of Favourite airline (Source: http://consumertraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/FavoriteAirline1.gif) 2) Improve customer service A survey conducted by the BA shows that satisfaction rating across the network rose by 72 percent. The survey conducted among 21millions customers(.http://www.britishairways.com/cms/global/microsites/ba_rep) 3) Diversify through merger and acquisitions Most recent M A with Iberia agreement of  £3.9bn brought share price up and according to Willie Walsh both brand would be retained(http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://static.guim.co.uk). Below graph shows of share market movements, it has shows that BA has gaining Europe share market in significant wa, Figure 4 : Europe Share Market Movement (Source: http://www.centreforaviation.com/news/share-market/2009/11/13/british-airways-and-iberia-establish-mou-for-merger) Improve management and to be best managed company in the UK British Airways has failed to reach an agreement with union for stop strike but at the end strike called off because of court order. He have not succeeded with his instant reform but he is able to overcome competition from low costs budget airlines(http://www.businessandfinance.ie/index.jsp?p=222n=22) Cost cutting British Airways have struggling to cost cut because of resistance of employees, as they have made controversy by asking staff to take unpaid leave, reduce hours or work for nothing (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/06/british-airways-jobs-pay-unions). Thus they have facing strong resistance from the Union which discussed earlier in the part of this study. 4.1 Timetable for implementations Moreover, the parallel running and big bang strategies and pilot studies would be the best approach for the BAs changes for strategies. Such as However, it is very important to combination new technology and old technology until new systems is working properly in effective and reliable way, i.e. parallel running. The big bang strategy can be approached with the motivational courses and management training. The absenteeism could assist to loosing money by the company, as a result the change is evident in speed way. Big band theory could generate resistance to change, as well as a risk of failure, but in order to implement changes can be improve employees work environment, i.e. carefully planning will ensure successes and great resistance can be avoided. Below graph shows the timetable for full implementation, Figure 5: Timetable for full implementation 4.0 Recommendations and Conclusions A 7S framework model was developed as a model of not just structure, but model of organisational change by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman (1980). This frame work can also be used as an organisational analysis tool and it also depicts that organisational effectiveness from interaction of various factors. The 7S framework show below, Figure 6: 7S frmaework Skills Style Strategy Systems Shared Values Staff Structure (Source :http://www.themanager.org/models/7S%20Model.htm) the BP Group. Post acquisition, 240 BP employees will continue working for and in support of the ground fuels business to be transferred to Hellenic Petroleum. The remaining personnel will continue to support BPs other activities in Greece. The agreement also provides for a transitional period regarding the management of the network and branding. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals, Greek competition authorities and other relevant approvals. The deal is expected to complete towards the end of 2009. N M Rothschild Sons Limited acted as financial advisor to Hellenic Petroleum SA. Pratap Amin, Sebastian Lawson , Jocelyn Mitchell, Avril Martindale, John Fordham, David Taylor, Daniel Lawrence, Eli Hilllman, Vanessa Jakovich, Ned Staple, Van der Staal, Olivia Wyld, Patrick Taylor, Susan Doris, Michael Mà ¼ntefering, Chun Wing Yeung, Dylan Cunard, Todd Kramers of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP acted as legal advisors fo r BP plc. The above diagram has no starting point or hierarchy and it shows that by seven elements which are considering organization form these 7 viewpoints it would be possible to establish major strength and weakness. 7S framework shows the 7most important things that should be kept in mind by the management for achieving organisational goals. The BAs management framework clearly sets out principle on how to delegate authority and responsibility. As the responsibility of running the company is efficiently is given to CEO, therefore CEO should take of all 7S mentioned in the framework. BAs group Chief Executive Willie Walsh is aiming to make BA a simpler and more efficient by enhance of employees behaviour with embedding a high performance culture by 2012. He had suggested that simplification is the key to success. According to Walsh (2008), BA had incredible assets and a great workforce. The only need was to bring these assets and people together to form a more productive, efficient and powerful organisation. The core problem that was cited was the Bureaucratic management structure which was formed because of the number of mergers and acquisitions in the organization. According to Walsh (2008), the people who knew most about the company were the people who were running operations at the bottom level. He also noticed that the management had become too introspective at the level and was not listening to the employees about safety and reliability. Furthemore, According to De-Witt Meyer (2004), business strategy is concerned with how firms should go about creating a sustainable competitive advantage in each business they operate. Therefore, In order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage, goals and make company the best in the industry, the owners (CEO, Top level management) of the company should take care of the people working in the company, as their efficiency in performance would help company to achieve its goals. So, therefore a good integrated communication and co-ordination network would be required to sustain its image in the industry. Figure 7 : Herzbergs Two Factor Theory (Source: http://tutor2u.net/business/people/motivation_theory_herzberg.asp) Herzbergs Two Factor Theory was developed as a model of understand of employees motivation and attitudes. This theory was developed by Fredrick Herzberg in 1959. Herzberg suggested both the factors are very important to understanding employee motivation and satisfaction. Following some of the factors which are causing satisfaction and dissatisfactions of the employees: Factor affecting employees attitude Figure 8 Hygiene Factor Dissatisfactions Motivator Factor Satisfactions Company policy and Administrations Achievement Supervision Recognition Working condition Responsibility Salary and other financial factors Opportunity for advancement Job Security Personal Growth Relationship Challenging The above list of factors shows that management of BP not only avoid Hygiene factor also provides Motivator factor to the employees in order to Tonys aims to make a simpler and more efficient by enhance employees performance and behaviour. 5.1 Recommendations for achieving Mr Willie Walshs goal for BA, Considerable steps should be taken up so as to make employees sure that they are working in a safe and healthy environment. This would help Walsh to retain the employees and also to generate a sense of belongingness among them. Another major factor is that there should be a new operating management system which should be designed so that it would help to bring more consistency in the operations of the company. This can be done by implementing cross group programmes. It can be done minimum once a year to call all the employees at one place (city by city) People are one of the main assets of a company to perform efficiently and effectively. Walsh would require focusing on improving behaviours of employees by motivating them to work in a more efficient and coordinated way. This can be done by rewarding them, giving them more fringe benefits and providing them safety and security at the workplace. There is also need to build a high performance culture in organization. With coordinating among different operations and departments, a high performance culture and highly motivated employees, Tony can achieve him aim. For effective change management process, good communication between management and staff is imperative. In order to keep competitive advantages and to minimize fundamental effects of political and economical disturbance, the continuous change is required but this should be taken place with the involvement of each and every member of staff. In the process of decision making, if employees are taken into confidence and are convinced about the required change while taking them on board in decision making process, they would as a part of change management process adhere and admire the change. On the other hand, if they are left disconnected and arent motivated about this change process, subsequently their spirit and enthusiasm will go down. Certainly they will have apprehensions and impact about this change process. Senses of insecurity and uncertainty of job within the organization created due to lack of communication which spread out rumours. Thus little-convinced employee will give low output and will not remain loyal to the company. Having gone through the case study and examining it with different supportive theories, it is apparent that even though the British Airways was a well-run company, Walsh decided to bring changes to compete in competent industry but he did not use properly communication techniques and therefore his employees were not communicated his ideas fully.