Choose one of the topics below Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Choose one of the topics below - Research Paper Example It is paramount to shift to energy sources that can substantially reduce the CO2 emissions as compared to fossil fuels rather than restricting energy saving portfolios in order to realize a reduction of greenhouse emissions. Renewable energy strategy is the best approach to reducing the emissions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), to reach the ultimate goal of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, including the developing countries, strategic renewable energy sources should be implemented. Nuclear power generations and fossil fuel-fire d power generations with CO2 storage and recapture measures should be put in place to fast track counter global warming (IEA, 2008). Renewable energy is an inexhaustible energy that is a flow-type and is environment friendly. This proposal will presents some analytic findings of renewable energy outputs towards a low carbon society. It goes further to provide the nature policies on the promotion of renewable energy, measures to overcome non-economic barriers for the adoption, future courses of electricity demand-supply system, cost and effects of promotion of renewable energy and the ways to allocate related costs (IEA, 2008). The leading renewable energy producer in North America is Ontario. This renewable energy is beneficial since it does not bring about environmental degradation or pollution. Different methods of producing such energy include harnessing of wind energy through the use of windmills, harnessing of biogas or through the harnessing of solar energy. Electricity harnessed through solar energy directly depends on the energy from the sun and its intensity. Hence, different states that rely on solar energy try to determine solar insolation annually in order to optimize their electricity production during high insolation periods and subsidize their electricity during low insolation periods. There are different methods of

Project Analysis Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project Analysis Report - Research Paper Example The following report presents an analysis on a project from its planning, implementation and performance together with other crucial elements of a project. The project is Computerized Passenger Reservation System by the Indian Railways. The project was successful developed, designed and implemented as attributed by the high level of management, experienced vendor, CMC, slow hurrying among other strategic techniques that the company employed. Introduction Success of a project depends on several things such as evaluation of risks and opportunities and knowing how to utilize the outcomes for the benefit the project, as well as effective project’s objective definition, planning and management. A project manager plays a key role in project planning, execution and implementation; thus, they are tasked with the obligation to search for new strategies and ensure a strategic project. The following report presents an analysis on a project from its planning, implementation and performanc e together with other crucial elements of a project. The project is Computerized Passenger Reservation System by the Indian Railways. Overview of the Project and Objectives The establishment of railway transport in India started in 1851, and by 1901, there were 24 million passengers using railway transport managed by GIPR Company. 42 railway companies operated in India during the colonial era, but after independence, they were all merged and operated by the government (Raman & Wig, 2010). Since then, the company has improved on the number of passengers carried per year, as well as the carriages and the railway lines. The Indian Railways is divided into 17 zones for effective management with several divisions. The divisions also encourage sports and operate hospitals and schools for employees. PRS system that was designed from scratch has been labeled the most successful project done by the Indian railways. The objective of this project was to transform passenger reservation system i n order to handle the huge magnitude of passengers and complexity of the transactions. Analysis of scope of the project shows that is was divided into four stages, which were initiation stage, project stage, implementation stage and growth stage. The initiation stage comprised feasibility studies and the decisions that piloted the approval, as well as funding of the PRS project. The major activities at this stage included creating the need for the PRS, approving schedule and budget and identifying management team for the project (Raman & Wig, 2010). The second stage was the project stage, which constituted activities for startup of the project. Activities in this stage were vendor and hardware selection, systems design, integration, testing, software development, data conversions, manual procedures redesigning and finally, roll-out. The third stage of the project scope was the implementation stage where the organization accepts PRS and puts it into use. As such, this stage was fulfi lled by carrying out activities such as rework, debugging system and software, staff training and system performance tuning. Lastly, growth stage came fourth on the scope of the project, and this is where the organization established plans to further investment in infrastructure to support the technology. In addition, the organization also extended the new system’s use to other areas, as well as developed additional applications to be linked with the system. Stakeholder Analysis The major

Animal Cruelty Essay Example for Free

Animal Cruelty Essay To bring awareness to my audience about animal cruelty. Introduction: As humanity has grown, there has been an increase in authority and rules and regulations of everyday life. One of these rules is animal cruelty. Animal cruelty simply means cruel unjustified treatment of animals and sometimes pets to unnecessary harm and pain. One principal type of animal cruelty is torture. It is not ethical, moral, or legal but we humans do it.. One of the places we see the most animal cruelty is in the circuses. Animals in circuses are regularly and dangerously exposed to many abuses and diseases. Circuses do not practice what they preach and indulge in animal cruelty on a regular basis, after the training sessions of the circuses, tight collars, whips; beatings and torture are the order of the day for these animals. Elephants are one of the animals that suffer from major diseases in the circuses like tuberculosis and can infect humans with the bacterial disease. Some cases show that the elephants were not cured medically for wounds caused during beatings and other natural causes. Circuses have known to keep a large amount of soil ready, to hide the wounds and the blood on the elephants. Some elephants have also suffered from lameness, arthritis and food abscesses. Elephant deaths in circuses are normally caused due to osteoporosis. Elephants suffer from Osteoporosis simply because they do not have wide spaces to move around. Due to the cruel treatments, it has been proved that circus animals are dying at a higher rate than they are breeding. Circuses teach children that its acceptable to abuse and mistreat animals for amusement Another animal cruelty is with dogs, people seem to think that fighting is a dog’s nature. Dogs are not the same as humans, but dogs do feel physical pain. Just because a dog cant say That hurts! doesnt mean they dont feel pain. Dogs also suffer from feelings such as loneliness when left chained. Thats why they howl and bark, to try and get some attention and if they are ignored dogs stops howling, its because hes given up hope. So much cruelty is involved in dogfighting. Dogs are tortured to make them violent. Kittens and puppies are used as bait to teach dogs to kill. Illegal drugs and weapons are usual at dogfights. Fighting dogs usually live on chains their whole lives. Other animal cruelty we see is when they make experiments on animals, like monkeys, mouse, gineapigs etc. Monkeys and others animals do not have identical immune systems as humans, and may not respond to drugs or vaccines in the same way. Animals are often depressed alternatives for humans, and some mixtures that may well cause no harm to an animal, could seriously harm a human being. Also, a drug that is toxic to the animal it is tested on may have no toxicity, and even healing benefits in humans. Pain and suffering still occur, and simply being in captivity can cause great distress to animals, just as it would to a human. We most of the times forget the pain and suffering we are causing to animals, we use them as objects of study, rather than live creatures, and this can mean they are treated as disposable rather than indispensable.

Strategy For Sustainable Construction 2008

Strategy For Sustainable Construction 2008 According to OGC Guide (2003), sustainability includes environmental, social and economic factors, and construction affects all three areas. HM Treasury launched a three-year Sustainability Action Plan in June 2000 which sets out how the government client would take forward the sustainable development agenda through better procurement of new works, maintenance and refurbishment. The Strategy for Sustainable Construction aims to achieve sustainable construction through procurement, good design, innovate the construction process, continuous professional development of people, better regulation, climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation; reduce per capita consumption of water, enhancement of biodiversity, reduction of construction waste to landfill and using materials having least environmental and social impact. (HMG, 2008) According to Glover (2008), the following points should be taken into account while drafting construction contracts Identify the client and principal contractor; Identify who is responsible for complying with the regulations and drafting and updating the SWMP; Decisions in relation to sustainability provisions; Identify the different types of waste that will be produced in the course of the project and describe what waste management action will be taken; Identify who is responsible for removing the waste Construction Projects and contracts are already subject to certain sustainability provisions like clause 4.18 of the FIDIC Red Book entitled Protection of the Environment. Similarly, clause 16 of the JCT 2007 form states that the provider will assist the employer and the other project participants in exploring ways in which the environmental performance and sustainability of the Tasks might be improved and environmental impact reduced, for instance, selection of materials and adoption of construction techniques which result in reductions in waste. The wording of Clause 16 of the JCT 2007 form is similar to paragraph 56 of JCT Framework Agreement Guide. The government has introduced a number of legislative provisions like Site Waste Management Plans Regulations 2008, Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2008, Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, Landfill Tax and Code for Sustainable Homes 2008. (Glover, 2008) Having identified sustainability as a key issue, the JCT conducted preliminary discussions with senior industry figures. As a result of those discussions, the JCT launched a consultation, to deal with sustainability in construction contracts and ultimately the issue of how sustainability should be addressed in JCT contracts. The findings of the consultation were published in a guidance notes called Building a sustainable future together. It revealed that detailed requirements should be contained in the project specification rather than in the contract. The guidance notes also sought to address the feeling amongst participants that guidance was needed for tackling sustainability in contractual documentation. (Law-Now, 2009) The incorporation of suitable provisions in guidance notes or clauses in construction contracts offers the clients to incentivise to improve sustainability. Areas for possible inclusion under the heading of sustainability, are: sustainability targets, desired levels of energy, and water use; targets for waste minimisation and recycling; requirements for use of materials that come from sustainable sources; targets for health and safety of the workforce on site; targets for training and appropriate skills levels; requirements for use of up-to-date integrated supply chain methods including improved logistics and use of logistics plans; and targets for improved working conditions for staff both on and off site. Considerations on the transport side, both for bringing staff on site and bringing materials to the site will also be important to the overall carbon footprint of the project. (JCT Consultation Paper, 2008) Sustainability Objectives have to be reflected in the employers requirements and carried through into contract drafting. There are already a number of existing contractual provisions in many standard form contracts which can be tailored to address sustainability, for example, clause 2.15 of JCT 2005 Design and Build regarding Changes of law. A mechanism similar to liquidated and ascertained damages can be an effective means of ensuring delivery of sustainable requirements. Use of clear objectives and deliverables linked to a compensation mechanism is the key to delivering sustainable development through contract drafting. (Douglas and Oats, 2008) The principal purpose of Revision 2 is to recognise the increasing importance of sustainability and to provide a flexible framework. The sole alteration has been the insertion of the new Seventh and Eighth Recitals (Framework Agreement and Supplemental Provisions). Entries are provided against the references to them in Part 1 of the Contract Particulars. The default position for each Supplemental Provision is that it applies unless otherwise stated. (JCT Guide, 2009) The sustainability wording encourages the contractor to suggest economically viable changes to the works, which might result in environmental benefits to the works and requires the contractors to provide the employer with information on the environmental impact of the materials they select and use. (Law-Now, 2009) JCT SBC 05 has fall-back provision regarding sustainable development, which is according to clause 2.1 which deals in compliance with the contract documents, the construction phase plan and the statutory requirements. The key to sustainable construction is that the sustainability provisions are incorporated in the design and specification. In sustainability terms (as with any contract), there are two questions that need to be asked which are, what is the loss and what are the ordinary standards applicable when asked to incorporate sustainability provisions. (Glover, 2008) Under the Society of Construction Law Delay and Disruption Protocol, it is possible to build sustainability provisions into the definition of practical completion i.e. a project is not complete unless certain sustainability standards have been achieved. The contractor might require the addition of a new relevant event under clause 2.29 of the JCT Standard Building Contract to account for the risks of such provisions. Clause 2.29.12 already deals with the risks of a change in the law i.e. the introduction of new environmental regulatory provisions. The client and the contractor have to decide who carries the risk for increase in prices of commodities for sustainable construction. (Glover, 2008) According to Glover (2008), the collateral warranty in terms of sustainability can be stated as The consultant warrants and undertakes to the employer that it has and will continue to use reasonable skill and care that it shall endeavour at all times to specify for use materials from the BRE Green Guide to Specification. To conclude, the JCT seems to be deciding between Aspirational clauses and specific obligations. The key to incorporating sustainability provisions into your contract lies with getting your specification right. When it comes to enforcing that specification, there are two options. Firstly, monitor the performance of the contractor through the use of Key Performance Indicators, which must of course be agreed in advance. Secondly, make sure that the achievement of practical completion is linked to the achievement of the sustainable goals you want incorporated into your project. (Glover, 2008) 2. According to NEC3 clause 10.1, the Employer, the contractor, the project manager and the supervisor shall act as stated in the contract and in the spirit of mutual trust and co-operation. This is similar to JCT 05, Schedule 8 (Eighth Recital) paragraph 1, which states that the parties shall work with each other and with other project team members in a co-operative and collaborative manner, in good faith and in spirit of trust and respect. In the NEC3, when Option C, D, E F are used, Clause 20.3 states that the contractor advises the project manager on the practical implications of the design of the works and on subcontracting arrangements. Clause 20.4 states that the contractor prepares forecasts of the total defined cost for the whole of the works in consultation with the project manager and submits them to the project manager. According to NEC3 clause 25.1, the contractor cooperates with others in obtaining and providing information which they need in connection with the works. According to NEC3 clause 40.3, the contractor and the supervisor each notifies the other of each of his tests and inspections before it starts and afterwards notifies the other of its result. These clauses illustrate the collaborative working environment. (Telford, 2008) JCT SBC 05 contains an express undertaking to comply with the statutory requirements and Construction Phase Plan in clause 2.1 which covers Health and Safety legislation. According to clauses 3.23 and 3.24, the contract also makes provision with respect to the CDM Regulations and a CDM Co-ordinator as well as a Principal Contractor is appointed by the Employer. The Part 2 of the CDM Regulations sets out the duties of clients, designers and contractors. According to JCT 05 Schedule 8 (Eighth Recital) paragraph 2, the parties will endeavour to establish and maintain a culture and working environment in which health and safety is of paramount concern. This supplement provision adds an obligation to comply with non-statutory HSE and HSC codes. (JCT Guide, 2009) This is similar to NEC3 clause 27.4, the contractor act in accordance with the health and safety requirements stated in the works information. It is necessary to include in the contract any particular requirements which the employer has and are in parallel with statutory requirements. These requirements may include such matters as the safety regulations of the factory, a health and safety plan for the whole site, submission of safety policies and which party is responsible for maintaining areas used by several contractors in a safe condition. (Telford, 2008) Also, clause 91.3 of NEC3 deals with the termination of the contractor in substantially breaking a health and Safety Regulation. For further reading on Health and Safety issues, there is a guide on Health and Safety in the Achieving Excellence suite which identifies how client decisions and activities impact on health and safety. (OGC, 2003) According to NEC3 clause 16.1, the contractor and the project manager give an early warning by notifying the other as soon as either becomes aware of any matter which could increase the total of prices or impair the performance of the works. Also, the intention of clause 16.3 in NEC3, regarding risk reduction meeting is to take action or make decisions which avoid or mitigate the effects of identified risks on cost, quality and time which helps in saving cost. The concept of Contractors share is used in Option C D of NEC3. The purpose of the Contractors share is to encourage effective management control of the final Price of Work Done to Date relative to the target i.e. for saving cost and value improvements. (Telford, 2008) The clause 63.10 of NEC3 deals with the reduction of price if the effect of the compensation event is to reduce the total defined cost. Similarly, the intention of clause 63.11 is to encourage the contractor to apply value engineering principles to the works inf ormation and save cost and improve value. (Telford, 2008) This is similar to JCT 05 supplement provision Schedule 8 paragraph 3, according to which, the contractor is encouraged to propose changes to designs and specifications for the works and to the programme that may benefit the employer in the form of reduction of cost of the works. It is during the pre construction phase that most value improvements are derived by value engineering exercises. Further opportunities for value engineering exercise arise in context of variations where cost saving can be done. (JCT Guide, 2009) For further reading, there is a guide on Whole-life costing and cost management in Achieving Excellence Procurement Guide suite which provides advice on producing whole-life cost models and explains what needs to be done to keep costs under control at key stages in the project. (OGC, 2003) Sustainability Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Glover, 2008) According to JCT 05 supplement provision Schedule 8 paragraph 4, the contractor is encouraged to suggest economically viable amendments to the works which may result in an improvement in environmental performance in the carrying out of the works and the contractor shall provide all such information that the employer requests regarding the environmental impact. According to clause 2.3 and clause 2.9, the JCT has taken an active role in establishing the importance of proper information being available on the environmental impact of materials and goods selected by the Contractor. (JCT Guide, 2009) Also, JCT SBC 05 has fall-back provisions regarding sustainable development, which is according to clause 2.1; the contractor shall carry and complete the Works in a proper and workmanlike manner and in compliance with the contract documents, the construction phase plan and the statutory requirements. This is similar to NEC3 Option X2 regarding Changes in the Law. Any legislation or regulation by the government regarding sustainable development can be incorporated in the NEC3 through this clause. As well as Option Z can be used in NEC3 to incorporate sustainable construction in the contract by adding additional conditions to the contract. Performance can be measured by Standard Key Performance Indicators, Post-project implementation reviews and Client performance surveys. The Improving Performance: project evaluation guide as well as benchmarking can be used to measure performance throughout the life of the project. (OGC, 2003) According to NEC3 Option X20, the contractor reports to the project manager his performance against each of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) stated in the Incentive Schedule and if the target is not achieved then the contractor submits a proposal to the project manager for improving his performance. If the target is achieved or improved then the contractor is paid the amount stated in the Incentive Schedule. Also, the employer may add a Key Performance Indicator and associated payment to the Incentive Schedule. (NEC3, 2008) This is similar to JCT 05 supplement provision Schedule 8 paragraph 5, according to which, the employer shall monitor and assess the contractors performance by reference to any performance indicators stated in the contract particulars and where the employer considers that the target may not be met, he may inform the contractor who shall submit his proposals for improving his performance. Another feature of NEC3 Option X17 is that, if a defect included in the defects certificate shows low performance with respect to a performance level stated in the contract data, the contractor pays the amount of low performance damages stated in the contract data. The performance of the contractor is certified by the supervisor following a specified performance test to be carried out between completion and defects date. (Telford, 2008) In JCT 05, according to Section 108 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act (HGCRA) 1996, a construction contract should enable a party to give notice at any time of his intention to refer a dispute to adjudication. If a dispute arises, the parties should consider whether to allow a reasonable period for negotiation before recourse to adjudication or other external means of resolving the dispute. (JCT Guide, 2009) This is similar to NEC3 which has also incorporated HGCRA 1996 in Option Y (UK) 2. According to NEC3 clause 13.7, a notification which this contract requires is communicated separately from other communications. In NEC3, Dispute Resolution is dealt using two options namely Option W1 which is used in international contracts outside UK and Option W2 which incorporates HGCR Act 1996 and is used in UK. According to NEC3, Option W1, disputes are notified and referred to the Adjudicator in accordance with the Adjudication Table. While in case of Option W2, a party may refer a dispute to the Adjudicator at any time. According to clause W2.3, a party gives a notice of adjudication to the other party with a brief description of the dispute. Within seven days of a party giving notice of adjudication he refers the dispute to the Adjudicator, provides information and send a copy of the information to the other party. If the subcontract allows, the contractor may refer the subcontract dispute to the Adjudicator at the same time. The Adjudicator may review and revise any action or inaction of the Project Manager or Supervisor, take the initiative in ascertaining the facts, instruct a party to provide furt her information or instruct a Party to take other action. The Adjudicator decides the dispute and notifies his decision and his reasons within twenty eight days. If a party is dissatisfied by the decision of the Adjudicator, he may notify the other party within four weeks that he intends to refer it to the tribunal. The tribunal has the power to reconsider any decision of the Adjudicator. The parties can settle the dispute through arbitration as well. (NEC3, 2008) According to JCT 05 clause 9, the parties can settle the dispute in four ways i.e. through mediation by using a third party to assist the negotiation process(Clause 9.1),refer disputes to Adjudication (Clause 9.2) and the procedure is similar to NEC3, refer disputes to arbitration (Clause 9.3 to 9.8) and litigation (Article 9). According to JCT 05 supplement provision Schedule 8 paragraph 6, each party shall promptly notify the other of any matter that appears likely to give rise to a dispute or difference. The senior executives nominated in the contract particulars shall meet as soon as practicable for direct, good faith negotiations to resolve the matter. In the case of the sixth Supplemental Provision (Notification and negotiation), there is a further entry for nominated employees. (JCT Guide, 2009) Word Count: 2862 References: Issaka Ndekugri and Michael Rycroft, 2009, the JCT 05 Standard Building Contract: Law and Administration JCT Consultation Paper, 2008, Sustainability JCT 05 Standard Building Contract Guide, 2009 JCT (2009), Standard Building Contract with Quantities 2005 Jeremy Glover, 2008, Sustainable Development in the Construction Industry, Retrieved from: http://www.fenwick-elliott.co.uk/files/Sustainable%20Development%20in%20the%20Construction%20Industry.pdf (Accessed on 25th January, 2010) Law-Now, 2009, Construction industry body embeds sustainability in its standard form contracts, Retrieved from Blackboard NEC3 (2008), Engineering and Construction Contract 2005 Simon Oats and Tom Douglas, 2008, Sustainability Contracts Strategy for Sustainable Construction, 2008, retrieved from: http://www.strategicforum.org.uk/pdf/1381-Report.pdf (Accessed on 25th January, 2010) Sustainable construction, Retrieved from: http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/sectors/construction/sustainability/page13691.html (Accessed on 25th January, 2010) Thomas Telford, 2008, NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract 2005 Guidance Notes

A Worn Path Essay -- Character analysis, Phoenix

Ambiguity in â€Å"A Worn Path† has a significant impact on the story's presentation . The story does not know the trip's purpose until the end, when Phoenix herself remembers. This ambiguity of purpose impacts atmosphere and believability and creates a more direct experience of Phoenix's trip. If the journey's purpose was clear from the start, the story would either feel different or need adjustments in writing. The ambiguity impacts how information is interpreted, the choice of narration, and the expressive result of the work. Several details are given throughout Phoenix's trip without relevance to her destination. Every detail stands out because it is not known why Phoenix is traveling. This can lead to premature conclusions about Phoenix's goal. For example, she has concerns about her dress being torn, she has need to go under a barbed wire fence, and after the fence she sees â€Å"Big dead trees, like black men with one arm, were standing in the purple stalks of the withered cotton field† (1286). These details could lead to speculation that Phoenix is in the antebellum South, and is trying to return to the plantation hastily and subtly. A torn dress may reveal her night activities and the fence may be around the plantation itself. The image of one-armed black men standing in cotton fields invokes the antebellum South because of the association of cotton fields with slavery and the potential of amputation as a sort of punishment. It is not immediately known whether these images are related to Ph oenix's past, present, or neither. The story came out in 1941, so if she is around 90 and the story takes places in 1941, she could reasonably have memories of slavery. However, the fact that when she encounters a white man she is not questio... ...that her forgetfulness caused his death, either with the lye incident itself or afterwards. This is ambiguous, which emphasizes Phoenix's language and her personality instead of plot. The effect of her descriptions of him has more impact on the understanding of Phoenix and her relation with the world than on plot and closure. The ambiguity in â€Å"A Worn Path† impacts the story in several ways. It changes how the details are approached, discarding expectations. It helps the story become more immersive. It shifts the emphasis of the story from plot to the trip itself, Phoenix's personality, and the environment. It probably impacted decisions regarding the narrator. It emphasizes Phoenix's state and casts doubt on the grandson's status. Ultimately, the ambiguity in â€Å"A Worn Path† impacts how it is read, the expressive impact of the story, and the technical aspects of it.

Men, Women, and Sex Differences Essay -- Nature vs. Nurture

Nature vs. Nurture? The debate has obsessed the minds of psychologists and philosophers for many years, each arguing their idea is the right way. ABC aired a TV documentary "Boys and Girls are Different" hosted by John Stossel to show some of the leading feminists ideas and their opponents thoughts. Psychologist, and researcher from the Kinsey Institute, June M. Reinisch believes that biology and culture shape gender differences. She believes that men and women aren't the same. Simply that "equality does not mean being the same, it means having equal opportunities" (Men, Women). Reinisch, leader of the advanced studies and projects at Kinsey stated, "When people say women can’t be trusted because they cycle every month, my response is that men cycle every day, so they should only be allowed to negotiate peace treaties in the evening." June Reinisch fights for equal opportunities for women by giving seminars and speeches nationwide to groups of women. In addition, she speaks and writes on sexuality issues. "We are very adolescent about sexuality as a society, thinking it is for young people," says psychologist June Reinisch, director emeritus of the Kinsey Institute in Bloomington, Ind. June is a very outspoken woman and for that has several consequences that she faces in life. She faces criticism daily from the public, media and other scientists. Luckily, her job at the Kinsey Institute doing gender research, results in her not worrying about the thought of losing her job over gender issues. However, her status is continually up in the air for the media to pick at. The media can say negative ideas regarding her research and beliefs because she is so well known. June documented several early behavioral di... ...levision programs are sex-typed and white-male oriented. More male than female roles are shown and male characters act strikingly different from female ones. Males typically are more aggressive, constructive, and direct and are rewarded for their actions. By contrast, females are depicted as acting deferential toward other people or as manipulating them through helplessness of seductiveness to get their way"(Kendall Page 3). It goes as far as simple education programs such as Sesame Street and Barney that have mainly all male characters and names. The characters also participate in mostly boy activities. Consider all sides of the debate and each group's affiliation. Finally, the question is up to you as the program announcer said, "Should gender influence our place in society? Some research says yes. Some people don't want you to hear about it" (Men, Women).

Environmental Protection and Sustainability

Introduction In the past 25 years, international passenger aviation has experienced a threefold increase. It is expected that the aviation sector will continue to see similar growth over the next 25 years (Walker & Cook, 2009). Due to the rapid expansion of the aviation sector, there has been a growing concern for environmental issues in airline operations, especially in terms of energy and environmental sustainability (Agarwal, 2010). The focus on sustainability and environmental protection is due to the environmental consequences of contemporary aviation, especially the contribution of aviation to global climate change (Upham, 2003). With the recognition of the harmful effects of aviation on the environment, experts predict that â€Å"environmental factors will increasingly limit the expansion of air travel and the social benefit that it brings† (Green, 2003, p.281). Meridiana concurs that it is important to consider sustainability and environmental protection in aviation. It recognises the importance of green aviation and puts a lot of value on protecting the environment. In line with this, the company manages its activities in compliance with national and EU environmental regulations. As proof of its commitment, it has been awarded certification of its Quality System in compliance with UNI EN ISO 9001:2008 regulation for air quality. SGS Italia SpA has certified the compliance of the company’s activities involving the design and supply of services on board of domestic, international, and intercontinental flights (Meridiana, 2009). Recently, Meridiana joined the Association of European Airlines (AEA), which represents Europe’s major airlines. The AEA influences its members at the industry and institutional level in order to achieve goals that benefit the airline industry. One of the main thrusts of the AEA is to shape a more sustainable and competitive arena (AEA, 2013). Meridiana’s membership in the AEA shows that it is committed towards achi eving sustainability in the aviation sector. Marketing Mix Despite its success in some areas of the domestic market, the company has experienced heavy losses in recent years. With its ageing fleet, subscale international network, and its dependence in the domestic market, the company is facing very stiff competition from some of Europe’s leading low cost carriers (CAPA, 2013). Taking these into consideration, Meridiana has to improve its current marketing mix in order to increase sales and remain competitive. Effective marketing strategies can have a significant influence on society; thus, it is important for the company to apply the appropriate marketing mix to achieve their objectives.ProductMeridiana’s major strength is its competitively priced business class seats for long haul destinations, targeted at leisure travellers. As a medium service carrier, it offers elements of both full service and low cost carrier. For example, it provides food and drinks like full service carriers but its price range is comparable to low cost airlines. Meridiana should utilise this mix and use it as a competitive advantage. The airline needs to focus on its domestic flights and its short/medium haul destinations in Europe. The current marketing strategy fails to reach out to the business community. Their marketing strategy should emphasise services for both holiday/leisure and business purposes. The company should target SMEs and become the airline of choice for small and medium-sized companies. This can be done by offering discounts and incentives for companies who want to purchase multiple seats or flights.PriceMeridiana needs to use a competitive pricing scheme to attract customers. Its price point should be not too high from low cost carriers, but lower than traditional networked airlines. Although low cost carriers have lower prices, Meridiana should differentiate its slightly higher price point by offering better customer service. The aim is to have a mid-range price point, which can attract middle class consumers and SMEs.PlaceMeridiana has been highly successful in Sardinia and Sicily. The company should replicate its success by building stronger presence in other parts of Italy and in key international airline hubs such as London, Dubai, Beijing, Singapore, Narita, Paris, and New York. This can be achieved by improving airport check-in services and making their internet reservations website more attractive and easy to use.PromotionAs a hybrid airline, Meridiana operates both as a low cost carrier and a network airline (Sansonetti, 2010). It needs to be highly competitive by keeping it unit costs down. This can be achieved by enhancing its internet and social media channels. Meridiana should upgrade its website to make it more attractive and user-friendly. It should improve its tie-ups with hotels, resorts, car rentals, and other tourist services to attract more customers.PeopleMeridiana should improve its services to customers in order to attract more consumers and gain more customer loya lty. Excellent customer service can be a competitive edge, especially when low cost carriers offer cheaper rates. Meridiana should also highlight their people and the value of customer service in their marketing strategies.ProcessMeridiana should ensure that its online reservations are always efficient and that customers can easily access the airline through phone or email. The airline’s systems should be designed for the benefit of customers. Physical Evidence Meridiana should also ensure that its flights are always on time; its planes are spotless; and its service crew are highly efficient. Its check-in and guest lounges in airports should be clean and the services of both ground crew and in-flight staff should be excellent.Promotional MixMeridiana should focus on tapping customers from the mid-market socio-economic segment and business people, especially from SMEs. The elements of the promotional mix must integrate different strategies. It should use a combination of vario us promotional strategies, particularly, advertising, public relations, sales promotions, and internet/online promotions. The integration of different promotional tactics will aid in achieving a more successful result. Advertising should be enhanced in traditional channels such as television, print, and radio in order to target domestic consumers in areas where Meridiana is not the market leader (i.e. Milan, Turin, Naples, Marconi, Rome, and Verona). To increase presence in international markets, the airline should advertise in popular travel magazines and international cable channels (i.e. BBC, CNN, NHK, etc.). In terms of public relations, the airline should improve its relationship with Italian businesses and local government. It should also improve its public image by doing CSR activities and being more active in environmental protection. The company should emphasise their support for green aviation and sustainability in the airline industry. Meridiana should also launch sales p romotions on its ticket prices. It should conduct seat sales in which the flight fare is a fraction of its original price but customers can avail of the ticket only for a limited period. For example, the seat sale gives an 80% discount on ticket prices for 50 seats in the plane and the sale will be ongoing for 3-5 days only. Meridiana should also prioritise internet/online promotions and strengthen its social media presence. The airline should improve its advertisement and tie-ups with online travel sites such as Expedia, Kayak, and Orbitz. It should also effectively make use of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Meridiana should advertise in these sites and encourage customer feedback through social media. The company can also utilise viral advertising by putting very creative and highly memorable adverts in YouTube or other video sharing sites. References Agarwal, R. (2010). Sustainable (Green) Aviation: Challenges and Opportunities. SAE International Journal of Aerospace. 2(1), p.1-20. Anna Aero. (2013). Meridiana fly and Air Italy complete merger, as Meridiana turns 50 under new CEO; combined fleet shrinks for S13. Available: http://www.anna.aero/2013/06/19/meridiana-fly-and-air-italy-complete-merger-as-meridiana-turns-50-under-new-ceo/. Last accessed 12th January 2014. Association of European Airlines (AEA). 2013). AEA welcomes Meridiana as new airline member. 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