Stopping the Repetition of the Past: Musings of Antebellum America

Stopping the Repetition of the Past: Musings of Antebellum America Author Henry James has said that â€Å"it takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature. † For over one hundred years slavery had crippled the African American people and aided the white man; however, when the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect it would become a slow catalyst of change that would take over a century for the Civil Rights Movement to be at its pinnacle. Racial limits would be pushed, lasting tension would arise. A great American novel of this time should depict the questionable change in racial demographics of the United States. Set before African American freedom, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain has been incessantly praised by authors and critics of all levels for pushing boundaries. It needs to be placed â€Å"in the context first of other American novels and then of world literature† (Smiley 1). Much like the American way of leaving the old country behind and immigrating to the United States, the novel’s loveable, young country boy of a narrator, Huckleberry Finn, pulls in readers of all kinds and feels the loneliness of being on his own travelling in the south, save for his runaway slave friend Jim. Along their adventures up and down the Mississippi River to free Jim, the reader follows Huck’s moral development, which is built up during different episodes in the story, but ultimately undone in the end. Although the â€Å"roundabout† nature of the end of the novel and Huck’s moral regression has rendered distaste, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn deserves its place in the literary canon of American literature for its variable structure, good-natured narrator, and reflections of Antebellum America. In essence, the ending of Huckleberry Finn is its pitfall. Hemingway claims that if you read the novel, that â€Å"you must stop when Nigger Jim is stolen from the boys. That is the real end. † One must go to where Huck tells Tom of stealing Jim out of slavery, where it is evident that Tom withholds the knowledge that he knows that Jim has already been freed. â€Å"What! Why Jim is – † he begins to say, but then stops talking before he reveals the facts (Twain 235). Tom Sawyer is â€Å"too fanciful, too extravagant,† making it clear that he is ultimately the ending’s drawback (Marx 10). It is clear that Tom Sawyer has begun planning his â€Å"adventure† almost immediately after finding out Jim was captured, and he takes advantage of his â€Å"best friend† Huck. According to James Pearl â€Å"the long and drawn out trick that Tom Sawyer plays on Jim makes the reader doubt if any real development has taken place† (2). After everything Huck does for Jim and the scrupulous opinions he forms, Tom comes back into the picture and pulls him back to his childish shenanigans. Huck allows his â€Å"so called friend† to take control of him, and the â€Å"follower† in him comes back out. He lets Tom boss him around and does all that he can to please him: â€Å"‘Oh, shucks, Huck Finn, if I was as ignorant as you I’d keep still – that’s what I’d do’† (Twain 248). Tom acts as another father figure to Huck: an additional lousy, bully like character. The natural growth of Huck and Jim’s friendship, the â€Å"pursuit of freedom and Huck’s gradual recognition of the slave’s humaneness – [are] rendered useless by the entrance of Tom Sawyer and his machinations to ‘free Jim’† (Peaches 15). Not only is Tom Sawyer unrealistic, but he is also charismatic and a natural leader, unfortunately in this case. At first, Huck questions Tom’s way of doing things â€Å"‘Confound it, it’s foolish, Tom,’† but later he becomes â€Å"Tom’s helpless accomplice, submissive and gullible† (Twain 250, Marx 12). Even Jim, â€Å"he couldn’t see no sense in the most of it, but he allowed we was white folks and knowed better than him† (Twain 256). â€Å"Huck is the passive observer,† who does not tell Tom what he is planning is wrong, and Jim is â€Å"the submissive sufferer of them, who does not fight back (Eliot 3). Tom adds unneeded agitation to a well written, historically reflecting novel. At the very end when Tom wakes up, he is asked why he would want to set a freed slave free and responds â€Å"‘Why, I wanted the adventure of it; and I’d ‘a’ waded neck-deep in blood to-goodness alive,’† behaving as an immature imp (Twain 292). After all that Tom and Huck put Jim through, some sort of reaction from Jim and a well-deserved outburst from Huck are expected; however, the actual response is quite the antithesis of what is expected. Huck still puts the menace on a pedestal, believing that â€Å"Tom Sawyer had done and took all that trouble and bother to set a free nigger free† (292). Jim does not even question Tom’s motives. When freed, Jim receives forty dollars from Tom, and the newly freed man claims in excitement â€Å"‘Dah, how, Huck, what I tell you†¦I tole you I ben rich wunst, en gwineter be rich ag’in, en it’s come true’† (294). While most of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not convincing, the ending surpasses the realm of improbability into ridiculousness. Leo Marx declares â€Å"the most obvious thing wrong with the ending, then, is the flimsy contrivance by which Clemens frees Jim,† which goes to say that although the ending is very humorous, it is quite agitating (9). This novel is a â€Å"masterpiece because it brings Western humor to perfection and yet transcends the narrow limit of it conventions. But the ending does not† (Marx 11). No matter how stirring the conclusion of the book is, there is still an insightful segment. During the â€Å"attempted† freeing of Jim, â€Å"Each shackle, chain, and discomfort applied by the boys to Jim makes Twain’s point that freeing a ‘free’ black man in the postbellum is protracted and difficult† (Godden, Mccay 11). Even after the Civil War ends and the Emancipation Proclamation is still in place, the actual â€Å"freedom† of African American men and women is not in attained. These oppressed people still live under the reign of a struggling, racially suppressive nation. A century after this period â€Å"freedom† is fought for again, yet won day by day. Just when the reader believes that some hope has arisen, Huck lights out for the territory just like he lights out from every other situation. Aunt Sally is â€Å"going to adopt [him] and sivilize [him] and [he] can’t stand it,† and that’s the end (Twain 296). No more to leave the reader thinking about how the narrator has developed immensely or how much struggle he has gone through, James Pearl has to â€Å"ask whether Huckleberry Finn goes in a line, or a circle† (1). Almost as soon as the reader opens the novel, which Hemingway has noted that â€Å"There was nothing before†¦There has been nothing good since,† an explanatory written by Mark Twain is seen. It is written that â€Å"In this book a number of dialects are used, to wit: the Missouri negro dialect; the extremest form of the backwoods South-Western dialect,† as well as the use of many more speech patterns that have â€Å"not been done in a hap-hazard fashion, or by guess-work: but pains-takingly, and with the trustworthy guidance and support of personal familiarity† (Twain Explanatory). Right off the bat Twain establishes respectable ethos or credibility, which lays the framework of language in the novel. As its characters speak throughout the book, it is easy to differentiate between the varying dialects that are used. Jim is a prime example of Twain’s â€Å"pains-takingly† written dialect, â€Å"I tuck out en shin down de hill en ’spec to steal a skift ’long de sho’ some’ers ’bove de town, but dey wuz people a-stirren’ yit, so I hid†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (55). To the modern day reader this is difficult language to become adept to reading, but it is quote easy to see that it is exquisitely written. â€Å"Twain creates the impression of the American folk culture through his use of dialect and phonetic spelling, which mimics speech, rather than writing† (Pearl 1). Even though many of the adventures are improbable, the credibility of the characters in them are made more convincing by mimicking this â€Å"native tongue† The use of the word â€Å"nigger† in the novel creates a sense of fury in countless Americans. Henry Peaches mentions Fiedler when stating that the racial-slur â€Å"has the odious distinction of signifying all ‘the shame, the frustration, the rage, the fear’ that has been so much a part of the history of race relations in the United States† (Peaches 12). However, Peaches and Fiedler do not put into account the culture in which Huckleberry was raised. Twain â€Å"uses language to show that access to culture and education defines character† (Pearl 1). Huck was raised in the South during the 1800s, before the emancipation of slaves, so naturally he and many others in the novel would use the word without an afterthought. All of the negative racial undertones used by Huck are not simply the thoughts of a young boy, they are reflections of Twain. This is expressed during the King Solomon chapter, where Huck claims that Jim â€Å"had an uncommon level head, for a nigger† (Twain 86). As chapter fourteen unfolds, the question of equality of the American people comes into play. â€Å"The debate about the Americanness of Huckleberry Finn reveals the larger struggle to define American identity† (Pearl 1). This book came at a time after the slaves in the United States were freed, but it is based before that. It was a time when Americans needed to contemplate their country’s history, and define for themselves the difference between right and wrong. When Jim cannot seem to understand why French men and American men do not speak the same language, Twain is inferring that all men should be equal, merely because they are men. Whenever the mix of the Ohio River and the Mississippi River is mentioned, there is a sense of pressure and divided pride. Those who live on the Mississippi River feel their Southern pride, â€Å"The Child of Calamity†¦said there was nutritiousness in the mud, and a man that drunk Mississippi water could grow corn in his stomach if he wanted to† (Twain 101). Although this quote seems very silly, it brings to light the foolish, yet very real northern and southern rivalry Northerners and Southerners had differing opinions about slavery and human rights, â€Å"they talked about how Ohio water didn’t like to mix with Mississippi water† (101). Richard Godden and Mary Mccay point out that â€Å"Twain locates this conversation very specifically†¦ [that] the intersection is political as well as geographical† (10). Later on in chapter twenty-two Huck goes to another town where a lynch mob goes after Sherburn. Sherburn may have just shot a harmless drunkard, but his speech is eloquent. What comes out of the communicative man is an expression from Twain based upon Southern antics â€Å"‘Why, a man’s safe in the hands of ten thousand of your kind – as long as it’s daylight and you’re not behind him†¦Why don’t your juries hang murderers†¦you’re afraid to back down – afraid you’ll be found out for what you are – cowards’† (Twain 162). Twain makes clear once more the way he feels about the south. This town, much like the south had â€Å"to be moving back, and back, and back,† it was still caught in its old ways, unjust and antiquated (156). Even Huck speaks to this â€Å"because the people that’s always the most anxious for to hang a nigger that hain’t done just right is always the very ones that ain’t the most anxious to pay for him when they’ve got their satisfaction out of him,† meaning that those who take advantage of others are raved up to use them but do not want to make an effort to pay the repurcusions of it (288). When Huck speaks â€Å"there is no exaggeration of grammar or spelling or speech, there is no sentence or phrase to destroy the illusion that these are Huck’s own words† (Eliot 3). The use of a child narrator in this scene is key. Humans have a predisposed inclination to care for young children, and these jaded, insightful words that come from Huck evoke a deeper sense in the reader. Coming from a child, these words have a stronger sense of meaning. The language and sentence structure that Twain uses for his characters goes hand in hand with the often abnormal juxtaposition he often forms. One night his pap â€Å"was all tired out†¦[he] said he would rest a minute and then kill me† (Twain 41). This subtly included sentence adds immense effect The predominant use of simple sentence syntax which â€Å"allow(s) him to handle the surfaces of the world as they come at him, or to watch and record others doing likewise† (Godden, Mccay 12). There is neither judgment nor alarm in his tone. When Twain constructs sentences in this way it catches the reader off guard and creates a realization of the cruelty of the world that Huck has become so adjusted to. Choosing right from wrong seems impossible when the person that taught him to delineate right from wrong was a morally clouded father. This is exemplified again during the Grangerford episode when Huck starts out describing Colonel Grangerford, â€Å"He was kind as he could be†¦Everybody loved to have him around too; he was sunshine most always†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and then continues with the unexpected fact that â€Å"the old gentleman owned a lot of farms, and over a hundred niggers† (Twain 125, 126). This is ironic due to the contrast between Huck’s romanticized view of the lovely Colonel Grangerford and the reader’s understanding that the man inhumanely owns over a hundred beings. Huck has a basic, yet growing understanding of how slavery is cruel, but not enough to equate slave owners as unjust people. Then when the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons go to church with their guns â€Å"and kept them between their knees or stood them handy against the wall,† Huck includes then that â€Å"It was pretty ornery preaching – all about brotherly love,† as if the situation was not ironic nor strange in any way (129). The juxtaposition included in this statement as well as the irony exemplifies Twain’s opinion of the ridiculousness of age old vendettas and family rivalries in the South. After everything they leave church with a â€Å"powerful lot to say about faith and the good works,† which exacerbates the foolishness of the feud, they speak of faith, but try to kill of their enemies every chance they get (129). Twain’s opinions are not kept out of his book, but are hidden in some cases. They have created such a lasting legacy for Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The author’s opinions and a wide variety of characters enable the reader to have a wider viewpoint of the people in this period of history. Following the Sherburn incident, Huck goes to the circus. He does not transition whatsoever, â€Å"I could a staid (at Sherburn’s), if I’d a wanted to, but I didn’t want to. I went to the circus, and loafed around†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (162). This sudden change happens a few times throughout the novel to help illustrate the extent of Huck’s age and lack of capability to process life altering situations, such as the death of his dear friend Buck, which symbolizes the death of the boy’s childhood. He immediately goes back to the raft, â€Å"We said there warn’t no home like a raft,† and continues back on his adventures with Jim (134). This action â€Å"leaves room for endless variation and adventures, with the endless variation of America’s inhabitants† (Pearl 1). The reader is never really sure what to expect next in the novel, which leaves room for prediction. The seemingly random episodes are expertly crafted to show Huck’s moral development. America at the time is a big melting pot of different cultures, which come into play with shaping the narrator. Beginning in the first few pages of the novel, the reader gets their first taste of Huck as a narrator. He is goodhearted, and does not judge, which makes him an unbiased storyteller. Beginning with speaking about the author, Mark Twain, Huck says that â€Å"he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth† (Twain 13). Even when referring to his father who abuses him he does not see the wickedness in him, â€Å"but by and by pap got too handy with his hick’ry and I couldn’t stand it. I was all over welts† (37). By being an impartial narrator he allows â€Å"the reader to make his own moral reflections†¦He is the impassive observer: he does not interfere†¦he does not judge† (Eliot 2). T. S. Eliot is spot on when he says this. By being an â€Å"impassive observer†, the reader then takes Huck’s later moral development more seriously. During the Grangerford episode he learned that unique Emmeline Grangerford made poetry about people who had died and felt bad because no one wanted to make poetry about her once she died â€Å"so [he] tried to sweat out a verse or two [himself],† just because he felt that bad for a girl he had never met (Twain 124). This type of mature sincerity is uncommon among preadolescent boys. The development of Huck’s conscience comes a bit later in the novel, however the start of his moral growth begins before this. As soon as Huck and Jim meet again on the island Huck breaks norms of the time, and he chooses not to turn Jim in. â€Å"‘I said I wouldn’t [tell], and I’ll stick to it. Honest injun I will,† and he even claims that he does not care if â€Å"People call [him] a low down Abilitionist† (55). Although this scene is early in the novel it essentially sets the scene for the rest of the Huck’s progress, excluding the ending. Huck’s immediate reaction to help his newfound friend, whom he would be â€Å"incomplete without,† before he becomes well acquainted with him â€Å"is an unforgettable moment in the American experience,† and proves his heart is in the right place (Eliot 3, Marx). When he plays a mean, childish trick on Jim, who was once his slave, he apologizes â€Å"It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger,† and even when he apologized he â€Å"warn’t ever sorry for it afterwards† (Twain 95). T. S. Eliot claims that â€Å"the pathos and dignity of a boy, when reminded so humbly and humiliatingly, that his position in the world is not that of other boys, entitled from time to time a practical joke; but that he must bear, and bear alone, the responsibility of a man† (4). Huck must reason for himself right versus wrong, and act as an adult, even though the role models he has had in his life have consisted o f an alcoholic father and foster parents who try to â€Å"sivilize† him (13). This is where he realizes that he needs to do right from there on forward. He would not â€Å"do him no more mean tricks and [he] wouldn’t done that one if [he’d] a knowed it would make him feel that way† (95). â€Å"Huck learns that Jim has real feelings, recognizes humanity, and vows not to play any more tricks on him,† which is Huck’s first big step in moral development (Pearl 2). However, after this big step, when Jim and he came close to Cairo, Huck becomes nervous. He realizes what he is doing is â€Å"wrong† in society’s terms. It made him feel â€Å"all over trembly and feverish,† this is his conscience playing a role in his life decisions for once. Sacvan Bercovitch believes â€Å"Huck’s desire to fit in is underscored by his inability to do so†¦He believes in racism, class hierarchy, Southern aristocracy†¦,† which is completely inaccurate (14). Huck tries to believe in these things because society has forced him to believe in them, but he is questioning what he has been taught The situation â€Å"got to troubling [him] so [he] couldn’t rest,† then he â€Å"got to feeling so mean and so miserable [he] wished he was dead† (Twain 110). He â€Å"couldn’t get that out of [his] conscience, no how nor way† (110). Stealing â€Å"that poor old-woman[‘s]† slave â€Å"scorched [him] more and more† (110). Huck â€Å"has vision† for the first time in his life that society may not be right and decides that he would do whatever â€Å"come[s] handiest at the time,† and not what is necessarily â€Å"right† (Eliot 2, Twain 113). When contemplating turning his friend in, he â€Å"got to thinking over [their] trip down the river,† and that while they were floating along they talked and sang and laughed (222). This leads to Huck’s decision that he will â€Å"go to hell† if that is what it takes (223). Leo Marx believes that â€Å"this is the climactic moment in the ripening of his self-knowledge. By stating he will go to Hell, Huck â€Å"has surrendered to the notion of a principle of right and wrong (Cox 190). His friend Jim is his father figure and â€Å"the power of Jim’s personality erodes the prejudices that Huck’s culture has instilled† (Peaches 14). When Henry Peaches states that Huck’s â€Å"attitudes extend no fu rther than his love for Jim,† it is not necessarily true (13). Huck does love Jim, he has become â€Å"a surrogate father to Huck,† and he immediately agrees to help Jim as soon as he finds out on the island that Jim is a runaway (Peaches 16). He also claims that â€Å"there is no tangible reason to assume that the regard Huck acquires for Jim during his odyssey down the river is generalized to encompass all blacks† (Peaches 12, 13). Peaches is correct that there is no â€Å"tangible† evidence, but just because Huck saves Jim as opposed to some other runaway slave does not make his motives any less genuine. While the ending of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn arguably is its drawback, the capricious structure and language, delightful narrator, and observations of prewar United States unquestionably give the novel its place in the literary canon of American literature. Once it is accepted that the last twelve chapters of the book are disappointing, it is easy to see the merit in the rest of the piece. Depicting the feelings of southern citizens and African Americans before the Civil War, it gives a glimpse into the past of a torn country. The legacy of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will last for many years to come because of the profound impact that is had upon both America and other nations. Mark Twain’s writing has exposed the wrongdoing of slavery to the American people. By writing the novel after the Civil War, he has forced the country to look back in shame on the disturbing act of slavery and to fight for the cause of equality. It will live on because it is a book for everyone. Subtly including dark images with satire offers many interpretations, therefore giving a book that younger children can read and not see more than a story, and mature readers can look at with a deeper understanding. By looking into the past, one can help stop the repetition of heinous acts in the future.

I Need Help case Essay

1. Think of a real or made up but realistic example of a pure risk that you or someone you know may face, and then answer the questions below. a. Describe the specific risk. The specific risk is losing a job b. What sort of negative outcomes are possible for this type of risk? You won’t have any money because you won’t get paid. c. Would this risk be likely to create unexpected expenses? Why or why not? I don’t think so , there is no other extra bills you have to pay. d. Describe at least one way you could protect yourself against this risk. One way you could protect yourself is to get insurance. 2. Think of a real or made up but realistic example of a speculative risk that you or someone you know may face, and then answer the questions below. a. Describe the specific risk. Invest in something to make money b. What sort of negative outcomes are possible for this type of risk? One negative outcome is losing all your money. c. What sorts of positive outcomes are possible for this type of risk? One positive outcome is that you can gain money. d. Would this risk be likely to create unexpected expenses? Why or why not? No they only thing you are putting money on is the investment I would think. e. Describe at least one way you could protect yourself against this risk. One way you could protect yourself against is by diversifying your investments among many different types 3. Imagine that you are a parent with young children. You want to get life insurance to protect your children financially until they are old enough to produce their own incomes. Would term life insurance or permanent life insurance be a better choice in this situation? Why? 4. Describe two types of insurance that you have or are likely to have at some point in your life. What risks are these insurance plans protecting you against? Why do you think these types of insurance are important? 5. List four valuable items that might be kept in an apartment or house. Next to each item, write the estimated dollar amount that each item might be worth.

All About Suicide By Luisa Valenzuela

Suicide: something that occurs among all age groups except newborns obviously. Although suicide occurs among all age groups there has been an increase, specifically among teenagers. Some would say that suicide is not preventable. However, that is not the case. Teenagers give off warning signs that can be noticed by those around them. Parents, teachers, and guardians need to take action and bring a stop to this increase in teenage suicide by cutting down the stress they put on teens. According†¦ Assisted Suicide I examine the ways in which our cultural expectations with respect to death may be transformed by the legalization of assisted suicide. I suggest the inadequacy of the philosophical framework currently taken as the basis for discussing the advantages as well as the dangers of legalizing assisted suicide. I do not believe that individual autonomy is any sort of possibility for dying patients, regardless of the social policies that surround death in a society, insofar as our individual†¦ Olesen February 25, 2015 Our Fate in Our Hands Assisted suicide is a controversial topic, sparking up questions and debates on whether it should be legal, or not. I argue that it should be legalized, it would be beneficial to some individuals because it would allow people with terminal illnesses to plan and prepare for their deaths, rather than go through pain and suffering, and the fear of not knowing when you could die. Assisted suicide, also commonly known as death with dignity, was created so†¦ Over a time span of one year, 2003 to 2004, suicide amongst children, especially teens has risen drastically. Contemplating suicide at any age is horrible. When a teenage, who has the ability to make informed decisions and has all the potential in the world, considers committing suicide, this is a tragedy. The tragedy suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. This paper attempts to list theories†¦ Doctor-Assisted Suicide Suicide is the act or instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally especially if that person is of sound mind. Euthanasia is the act or practice of killing individuals who are hopelessly sick or injured for reasons of mercy. Doctor-assisted suicide is a term used to describe the act of a doctor or physician providing direct or indirect means of assisting someone in taking their own life. There are 2 types of euthanasia. Passive euthanasia is withholding†¦ That 's the thing about suicide. Try as you might to remember how a person lived his life, you always end up thinking about how he ended it. (Cooper). Suicide is a life changing event, not only for the person who commits suicide but also for the surviving family members and friends. Family members might turn to each other in search of answers wanting to know what drove their loved one to commit such an atrocious thing, and subsequently begin to blame themselves or each other for not realizing that†¦ Assisted suicide is a very contentious topic in the world today. Everyone has their own opinion on this subject and it is a socially debated subject that involves a person making a choice, whether it is a choice to continue on with their life or give up hope and end their life. This should be a choice a person should make for themselves. While in the United States only one state has legalized assisted suicide. I agree with assisted suicide and this paper will support my feelings on this subject.†¦ The Significance of Suicide in Hamlet The concept of suicide is one that is greatly contemplated and discussed by Hamlet and other characters in William Shakespeare's play. It can be seen through two of Hamlet's soliloquies and his overall demeanor throughout the play. Hamlet has many issues that he must deal with such as the death of his father and the marriage of his uncle and mother. These two incidents led Hamlet to consider the extreme act of suicide to escape the fate that he had been bestowed†¦ assisted suicide this is a controversial subject, in this case there is a young cancer patient who has declined quickly who may be asking for help in ending their life. It may be argued that this is one of the choice a patient may make in the way that they seek to determine their own treatments; furthermore that allowing fully competent patients to make this decision is respecting autonomy. However, the patient bill of rights does not enshrine any right for a patient to seek assisted suicide. They†¦ â€Å"Suicide is not chosen; it happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain† (I-10). Ending a life is a big step in the wrong direction for most. Suicide is the killing of oneself. Suicide happens every day, and everyday a family’s life is changed. Something needs to be done to raise awareness of that startling fact. Suicide is a much bigger problem than society will admit; the causes, methods, and prevention need to be discussed more openly. Committing suicide probably sounds like a foreign†¦

Our town Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Our town - Essay Example In the play, a man is actually showing the viewer around. Like a guide, he takes the viewers to different parts of the town and introduces them to different characters. As the story proceeds, the viewer is introduced to side characters, the milk man, the newspaper boy, the church people and the local doctor. These may be side characters but they play an important role in presenting the habits and life style of people in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The hero of the play, George is seventeen years old when he decides to become a farmer. The heroine, Emily is deeply in love with George and doesn’t want to part from him for three years even if it is for his farming education. They decide to get married. The marriage scene itself is very significant. In form of vocal self addresses, it portrays the feelings of the bride and groom, their parents and even the wedding priest regarding marriage. Sometime later, when the couple becomes pregnant and Emily is in anesthesia during the delivery, she has a dream, or more likely a vision, in which she sees her own funeral. The dream is important since it conveys an emotional message, therefore it is described below: Emily sees herself after death, standing among many dead relatives of her and George. She wants to go back to life and doesn’t want to die. She gets a last chance to view her past. She chooses a day of her life that was her sixteenth birthday. While viewing the happenings of that day, she realizes so many things that she had been ignoring in life. For instance she realizes that she never really noticed how young and beautiful her mother was, or how concerned her parents were for the children etc. she delivers the dialogue co ntaining this lesson aloud and then wakes up from the dream. The play ends with the guide taking the viewer to

The Mediating Effects of Time Structure on the Relationships between Article

The Mediating Effects of Time Structure on the Relationships between Time Management Behavior, Job Satisfaction and Psychological Wellbeing - Article Example Macan’s (1994) model conceptualizes how individuals manage time to achieve performance and maintain well being. Bond and Feather (1988) termed â€Å"time structure† to â€Å"the degree to which individuals perceive their use of time as structured and purposive† (p. 321). How employment provides individuals with a sense of structure and purpose, and how the absence of such a structure has negative influences. In a recent study, Kelly (2003) examined the relationship between worry and time usage amongst university students. Kelly found that the negative impact of Time Structure is worry. Kelly’s finding is inconsistent with many previous studies, which suggest that Time Management Behaviors (TMB) positively predict psychological consequences, such as personal wellbeing, work and life satisfaction. Macan and her colleagues developed the Time Management Behavior scale (Macan, 1994; Macan et al., 1990) by the twin surveys of college students and organization employees. Macan classified time management behavior into three categories Setting goals and priorities; mechanics of time management behaviors, and preference for organization. Setting goals and priorities includes â€Å"items that tap the setting of goals the person wants or needs to accomplish and prioritizing of the various tasks to achieve these goals† (Macan et al., 1990, p. 761). Mechanics of time management refers to the â€Å"behaviors typically associated with managing time, such as making lists and planning† (Macan et al., 1990, p. 761). Preference for organization refers to a reverse-scored factor that includes items measuring â€Å"a general preference for disorganization in one’s workspace and approach to projects† (Macan et al., 1990, p. 761). Based on this categorization of time ma nagement behaviors, Macan (1994) proposed the process model, which hypothesized that time management behaviors predict an individual’s perceived control of time, which in turn predicts job

Christian Church in the Middle Ages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Christian Church in the Middle Ages - Essay Example The church influenced the way people think. The advent of the church began upon the fall of the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church was the only source of moral authority during the middle ages. The head of the Catholic Church at the time was, just like today, the Pope. Members of the church believed that the Pope represented Jesus spiritually on earth. Under the Pope were cardinals, archbishops, bishops and local priests who were in direct contact with the populace. The pope and the archbishops only presided in important occasions. Normal services were the obligations of the local priest under instructions from the Bishops. The major role of the church during the middle ages was to fulfill the spiritual need s of the followers. Priests gave instructions to peasants and the people living in towns in the faith. They also served important purposes in comforting the members when they are in trouble. When members of the church lost a loved one, the priests would be there to console with the families and ensure an organized send off. According to the church, everybody is a sinner, whether male or female and Christian s could escape the wrath from God by believing in Jesus. They would receive eternal life in heaven through doing good and fully participating in the sacraments. Apart from the spiritual leadership role, the church performed many secular roles. The church owned land and Christians contributed to the wealth creation of the church through tithes. Tithes were a portion of the members’ earnings that they gave to the church. Through canon laws, the church had its court to matters relating to justice. Except the monarchs, the church had authority over the secular leaders. The pope had the power to excommunicate kings and other secular rulers who attempted to challenge him. Some members of the Christian community during the middle ages dedicated their lives to serving God and they became Monks and Nuns.

Agile Port System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Agile Port System - Essay Example Older ports have to get into alliances and partnerships to coordinate their activities and decrease unnecessary competition. These alliances can lead to the creation of satellite terminals instead of the presence of several redundant old ports. This can help reduce congestion of containers at deep-sea ports and free up space for high-cost facilities in such locations. Through alliances, there can be the better exchange of information, which reduces dwell-time and improves movement (Konings, Priemus and Nijkamp, 2015). Exchange of valuable information helps in security checks and value added logistics, and this is only achievable through partnerships for the common good of making profits. In relation to technology, fast and real-time data processing and sharing are essential for the expansion of infrastructure and superstructure. This is essential to facilitate tracking and tracing of shipments. For example, the Electronic Data Interchange information system can help in recording and sharing of information across ports. Efficient coordination between terminals and inland transportation operations is applicable if older ports adopt modern web applications and systems to facilitate the dynamics of terminal handling operations. In addition, older ports should improve gate operations technology to improve processing time in gate lanes. Construction of dedicated lanes is also essential to save time and improve functionality. In conclusion, several areas mentioned above require improvement to adapt an agile port system.

Medical Lawsuit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medical Lawsuit - Essay Example Midei. This means that the management was involved since it stood to gain from the over approximation of the problems that faced the patients. The management also had a laissez faire approach to the management of the actions of the doctor who was deemed to the star cardiologist. The inability or the unwillingness of the management to control the extent of the activities of the doctor was a major source of the confidence of the doctor to continue with the processes that were against the standard procedure. The installation of the stents in the patients that did not require them was a huge risk for the patients and the management. To the patients, the process of the installation was irreversible. The fact that the medical centre sanctioned the installation out of the clamour to improve the finances of the organization was an indicator that the medical centre was no longer interested in the health of the patients. Another way of looking at the issue of the installations is by comparing the installations with the ones conducted in the rest of the medical centres that are compliant with the rules. The comparison indicates that the hospital may have sanctioned the installation of the stents by the simple act of remaining silent about the issue (Hackney). The supe rvisory mechanism of the hospital had the capacity of reviewing the installation in the patients making the excuse of poor supervisory mechanism irrelevant in this case. The hospital can be said to have failed at best in the restriction of the practices of the doctor. However, the most appropriate explanation of the medical centre practices can be seen from the willingness of the medical centre to pay the doctor a large sum of money that was significantly different from other cardiologists that are in his working class (Barker and Padfield 150). The hospital proceeds to distance

Difference between Group At Risk and Vulnerable Population with Coursework

Difference between Group At Risk and Vulnerable Population with Examples - Coursework Example The group ‘at risk’ in relation to poor health refers to those individuals who remain under a constant threat of facing health-related issues, as they are exposed to certain risks. One of such examples can be illustrated as a person with liver damage, who is being unable to manage regular activities due to the prevailing unfavorable conditions and associated risks (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014). The members associated with the groups of â€Å"at risk† and â€Å"vulnerable population† often cannot manage their respective activities by themselves. Thus, they need to be advocated by the nurses. It is assumed that the members of the respective groups at certain times fail to advocate themselves due to an augmented level of vulnerability in mitigating the adverse conditions such as lack of education, poverty, homelessness, shortage in basic amenities and exposure to unhealthy conditions among others. From my viewpoint, I think advocating the elders would be the best suitable option. I feel so because elder population groups remain weak to the situations of physical stress and economic failure, which results in causing different health problems (Lillis, LeMone, Lynn & Taylor, 2010).

Nature love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nature love - Essay Example I plainly believe, on this ground, that one such element of huge significance is romance – a mystical fuel or driving force within what constitutes the essence of love yet which possesses distinct character that enables us to distinguish one relationship from the other. During the late 18th century, the principle of Romanticism came to be ascertained not as a style or method in art but an attractive influence which, by virtue of deep imagination, passionate emotion, and freedom of expression altogether functions as chief inspiration to an artist and his composition. Even literature and music flourished in the Romantic period which brought the modern generation to understand how one field as music bears ample association with other fields that may be related to literary work, painting, or sculpture. Apparently, the inclination of a human being to be romantic and become naturally self-aware to create and appreciate objects of wonder has directed man to establish more affinity with nature both in oneself and in the environment. I think the painting â€Å"Mrs. Thomas Gage, 1771† by John Singleton Copley with its viewer’s response exemplifies the meaning of interaction between art and human sentiment. Based on Copley’s endeavor, the theme of romance is quite evident in the eyes of Mrs. Gage whose tranquil countenance looks drawn or disposed to either a sight of interest somewhere or a thought of awe which then reflects at length via her calm pose and facial expression. She seems to be in a state of beauty that is fulfilled not just by the physical attributes but, to a greater extent, even by the projected effect of inner peace that might have dwelt within her as a consequence of an enduring love. Thus, this should justify a situation of romance for her radiant illustration by Copley communicates the meaning of her intimacy with love, nature, intellect, and contemplative behavior. Despite the mystery of how it

Peace-Building and Community Development in Uganda Essay Example for Free

Peace-Building and Community Development in Uganda Essay Community development is a multi-faceted activity that has different ends. It also has different requirements depending on the needs of people inside the community. Development can be achieved through sustaining small and medium businesses, ensuring education for all, managing inclusion and diversity, keeping peace and order, and creating comprehensive disaster management. Through these, a community like Uganda can be sustainable. In Uganda, the dehumanizing aspects of slavery in the South and racial discrimination in the North are more than just the beatings, but also the parting of children from their mothers, the denial of education, and the sexual abuses of slave masters (Davis, 2004). The civilization that developed in Uganda reflected the variety and contrasts found on the continent. The peoples of Uganda differ greatly in language, customs, and appearance. The geography of this huge continent also shows sharp contrasts. Along the Nile River, which flows from the tropical forests of Central Uganda through the deserts of the north, several early civilizations developed. One of the most influential regions was Sahara. Sahara’s political, economic, and cultural influence had an effect on the history of other kingdoms. Later, empires based on trade grew up in the region of Sahara (Davis, 2004). Patterns of settlement and trade were influenced by the varied climates and natural sources of the Uganda continent. The hottest and wettest regions of the continent are near the equator, in the basin of the Congo River. Heavy rainfall and warm humid air encourage the growth of lush rain forest. Near the edge of the rainforest is the savanna, an open grassland dotted with shrubs and scattered clumps of trees. The savannas provide land for farming and herding. These grasslands are also home of Uganda great herds of wild animals, gazelles, giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, lions, and elephants (Davis, 2004). Racism in Uganda has been associated with reduced spirits, lower efficiency and a greater probability to experience terrible stress and nonappearance in the major activities in a community. People who go through racism speak of having feeling of timidity or letdown and lowered levels of self-esteem. Minorities who sense that their identity and culture are not cherished may also live through lowered levels of self-confidence and self-respect and think that they have are not welcome in a neighborhood or community. This mindset may bring about a feeling of denunciation of their own values, language, and ultimately their culture, and an ensuing loss of individuality (Hooks, 1994). In Uganda, the ways of thinking of people concerning cultural miscellany of their communes differ extensively. Amongst a number of minorities, there is a devotion to a deepened insight into cultural diversity and multiculturalism. Some â€Å"mainstream† people are anxious about variations and sense antipathy towards people of color. If the person of color is suffering discrimination of any sort, he or she may feel forlorn and miserable. He or she may also attempt to evade incidents where racist activities could happen, and pretend to be unwell or be anxious of deserting their homes (Kressel, 2001). In some nations, significant segments of the population reject coexistence with minorities in equal terms. These minorities have faced discrimination in such areas as housing, education, and employment. Although no scientific proof supports racist claims, racism is widespread and has caused major problems throughout the world. Racism is most often used to justify the creation of political or economic systems that encourage or maintain the domination of one racial group over another. Such beliefs were long used to rationalize the enslavement and persecution of people viewed as inferior (Stoessinger, 2002). Throughout history there have been persecutions and atrocities that can be described as cases of genocide. The Russian pogroms (persecutions of the Jews) during the late 1800s and early 1900s were an example of genocide. During World War II, the Germans practiced genocide. They killed about six million European Jews. Victims of the Holocaust went through dehumanization simply to make the killing of others psychologically easy for the Nazis. Many victims of the Holocaust suffered from various experiments which eventually led to the death. Some of the experiments were things such as: sun lamp, internal irrigation, hot bath, warming by body heat, hypothermia, among others (Clemens and Purcell, 1999). In recent years a debate has raged over the question of whether opportunities for black economic advancement are more affected by race or class position. Sociologist William Wilson believes that racial discrimination has become less important than social class in influencing the life chances of black Americans (Hinkle, 2004). He says that civil rights legislation and affirmative action programs have substantially lifted the cap historically imposed on black social mobility by segregation, resulting in greater educational, income, and occupational differentiation: Blacks with good educational backgrounds and job skills rapidly moved into the American middle class; blacks with limited educations and job skills became the victims of dehumanization and welfare dependency. Now poor urban blacks find themselves relegated to all-black neighborhoods where they are further dehumanized and socially isolated from mainstream American life (Zanden, 1993). According to Maiese (2003), the United Nations defined peace-building as an interplay of â€Å"capacity building, reconciliation, and societal transformation†. For other organizations, the short-term goals are more evident; peace-building revolves around promoting peace in an immediate situation. The United Nations drew up an international convention in 1948 that made genocide a crime. On Dec. 9, 1948, the United Nations passed the Genocide Convention, which was designed to overcome the claims of Nuremberg defendants that they had violated no law. The convention made genocide a crime. The next day, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Fifty years later, in 1998, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda became the first international court to pass a guilty verdict for the crime of genocide. The verdict related to crimes committed during the 1994 conflict in Rwanda (Kim, 2004). In 1999, there was already a convention, called the Geneva Spiritual Appeal, which made history in collecting in one venue the Catholics, the Jewish, the Buddhists, the Muslims, the Protestants, and the Orthodox Christians. Then again, there remain Christians, Animists, Muslims in conflict in Nigeria; Christian-Muslim discord still abounds some parts in Asia as Indonesia and the Philippines; Buddhists and the minority population of the Hindus Tamils are at odds in Sri Lanka; and incredibly, Animists and Witches are cursing each other in Uganda (Reich, 1998). Sometimes, it is appropriate to entitle these conflicts nationalist ones, because they impact on the endeavors to build nation-states, in which the majority gets the state. More like the winning territory takes over or designs the administration. Defining such a nation is typically by linguistic or religious yardsticks. Hence, we have the Ugandans in the continent of Africa singled out as the inferiors by tongue and by faith, and Germans differ from the French by their verbal and non-verbal communication (Carter, Gwendolen, and Herz, 1991). Perhaps theres a tendency of people growing to be defensive about their identity if they sense that it is under cordon. There is really not a single ultimate peace resolution plan that can referee the unrest. Attempts had been made like the 1999 Convention but the conflict is not exclusively attributable to spiritual diversity alone. It may be distributed among ethnic feuds, religion-based worldviews, economic modifications, and political coalitions, among several others (Carter, Gwendolen, and Herz, 1991). On having the United Nations’ enforcement of globalized paradigms, they would need to try harder. Peculiarities factor in on the extent of their reception. If the countrys fragile, they are more likely to get involved. If the countrys sturdy, they are more likely to lag behind and perform diplomatically around the edges. The key is not to establish globalized benchmarks but to develop local, internal avowals (Stoessinger, 2002). They said there is only one Bible and a million interpretations. But there is a single quotation in it that speaks of harmony: a house divided against itself cannot stand. Proclaiming a house partitioned to be a condominium cannot be expected to work out when many of the occupiers want instead to demolish the edifice entirely and put up their own, unattached houses. Speaking of houses, local religious sects could construct and ring a Peace Bell at the beginning and end of their spiritual observation. Ugandan victims could ask their municipality to formally declare their observance of the day (Kim, 2004). It would also be certainly wise for any intercontinental organizations to use workforce from countries that went through related experiences, rather then using the abstract approach brought by peacekeeping squads from Western nations to intervene in Uganda. One specific strategy possibly is to have this staff encourage the people inviting other faith traditions to join them in a prayer service for peace in Uganda (Carter, Gwendolen, and Herz, 1991). International treaties should make it easier for local organizations to get concerned in the region of Uganda where genocide is concentrated without misplacing valuable time as they wait for the pronouncement of the United Nations Security Council, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, or the Organization of African Unity (Reich, 1998). But it should always be made a point that the auxiliary time is spent on deepening interfaith commitments to dialogue and cooperation for promoting peace. In the 1990s, Jewish groups pressured those who had profited from the Holocaust to compensate Holocaust victims or their descendants. Groups that paid reparations included the German government, certain Swiss banks, and some German companies (Clemens and Purcell, 1999). In the country Uganda, Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager played the hero in the lives of thousands having different cultural backgrounds. In the middle of European colonization in Rwanda, Paul made an uncompromising initiative to communicate with the most relevant redeemers from the camp of Brussels’ headquarters. This way, he succeeded in playing the peacekeeper among the threatened people he hid in their hotel (Carter, Gwendolen, and Herz, 1991). The United Nations also played an indispensable role in Uganda. Led by Col. Oliver, the organization gets to know what is actually happening but not to make contingent actions and resolutions to put a stop to genocidal cases that mete out Rwanda. He stood the middleman between the U. N. superiors and the people under the wings of Paul Rusesabagina (Carter, Gwendolen, and Herz, 1991). However, it was also evident that the situation could have gone smarter if the likes of Paul Rusesabagina and Col. Oliver were given ample attention or at the very least, not ignored. Apart from the United Nations, a multitude of support and private-owned groups advocate against dehumanization and as such, campaign for a zero-dehumanized world and for a healing process to start with (Stoessinger, 2002). For instance, Interact Worldwide is an advocacy-driven virtual institution with the purpose of building support for and implement programmes, which enable marginalized people to fulfill their rights to sexual and reproductive health. Redefining Progress works with a broad array of partners to shift the economy and public policy towards sustainability; that they can measure the real state of a country’s economy, our environment, and social justice with tools like the genuine progress indicator and the ecological footprint; that they design policies to shift behavior in these three domains towards sustainability; and that they promote and create new frameworks to replace the ones that are taking us away from long-term social, economic, and environmental health. Other popular organizations include The Family Alliance to Stop Abuse and Neglect, National Down Syndrome Congress, Resources for Children of Holocaust Survivors, Amnesty International, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, Reebok Human Rights, among many others (Carter, Gwendolen, and Herz, 1991). Prejudice provides for the safe release of hostile and aggressive impulses that are culturally tabooed within other social contexts. By channeling hostilities from within family, occupational, and other crucial settings onto permissible targets, the stability of existing social structures may be promoted. This is the well-known scapegoating mechanism, another common method to dehumanize (Zanden, 1993). In Uganda, scapegoating resulted in the inhuman treatment of Ugandan tribes like Tutsi. Bound by his duty-based ethics, Paul Rusesabagina could be pictured having utter, intrinsic moral commitments to some external source to carry out certain actions, notwithstanding his particular situation and personal goals (Carter, Gwendolen, and Herz, 1991). The ways of thinking of people concerning cultural miscellany of their communes differ extensively be it in Rwanda or in some other place in the world. Amongst a number of minorities, there is a devotion to a deepened insight into cultural diversity and multiculturalism. Some â€Å"mainstream† people are anxious about variations and sense antipathy towards people of color. If the person of color is suffering discrimination of any sort, he or she may feel forlorn and miserable. But with Paul Rusesabagina around, the people kept safe in Uganda were saved not only from the harm of genocide but from the deadly bias posed against them by the larger society that is morally wrecked and uncharitable (Carter, Gwendolen, and Herz, 1991). An inherent debate has raged over the question of whether opportunities for black economic advancement are more affected by race or class position. Some believe that racial discrimination has become less important than social class in influencing the life chances of Ugandans. Civil rights legislation and affirmative action programs have substantially lifted the cap historically imposed on black social mobility by segregation, resulting in greater educational, income, and occupational differentiation: Blacks with good educational backgrounds and job skills rapidly moved into the middle class; blacks with limited educations and job skills became the victims of dehumanization and welfare dependency. Now poor urban blacks find themselves relegated to all-black neighborhoods where they are further dehumanized and socially isolated from mainstream Ugandan life (Hooks, 1994). The risk is that when chauvinistic behaviors and attitudes are allowed to go unimpeded in any environment, a climate cultivates which sees these incidents as natural and so permits racism to become deep-rooted. Whereas not many complaints are collected every year, this should not be compared to a low frequency of racist incidence. Inadequate understanding of legislation, fear or apprehension on the part of victimized minorities to disclose racist activities or disinclination by parents to engage in legal amends are factors that may thwart the conveyance of official complaints. As well, formal treatments for grievances of racism are not constantly suitable, with arbitration usually being considered as a preferable substitute (Kim, 2004). Racism has been a steady problem in Uganda all through time. Other forms of racism are, perhaps, less obvious. The hierarchical structure, academic elitism, and the whole way of life of mainstream society are directly opposed to cultural values and world views. How all this conflict is experienced by people of color can only be explained adequately by the citizens of the society themselves; it will be different depending on their past experience and even non-existent for others, but the suppression of the values and way of life of the mainstream society will adversely affect everyone because racism against these people of color eats at the hearts of the dominating as well as the dominated people (Hinkle, 2004). Peace-building can concentrate on resolving current issues between constituents. It involves moderating by authorities or other members of the community to maintain understanding between parties. On the other hand, it is also creating a society where the constituents are educated and transformed so that they do not only know peace but also lives peace. In these terms, education plays an integral role. This creates a community which is not only dependent on intermediaries but with self-regulation of peace as well. In the end, a community filled with peace-loving citizens is a community where peace has been built (Stoessinger, 2002). Personally, if I were a member of a certain low-income urban neighborhood similar in nature in Uganda, I would offer my full knowledge of the end and the means to achieve it. As part of the will for a â€Å"sense of community,† I will take the initiative to conform to shared leadership or become servant leaders. After all, a leader providing positive reinforcement is a leader creating a positive climate and peace-loving attitude all over a community. So long as there will be provision of opportunities that allow me to exercise responsibility and creativity in our common endeavor, my active participation would include extensive information dissemination, be it online or via available physical infrastructures, and active civic participation.

Stages of Pregnancy

Stages of Pregnancy Zainab Fareed Conception- is the stage of when the sperm fertilises the egg. There are different stages before conception this includes ovulation, hormone rise, the egg travels to the fallopian tube, if the egg isn’t fertilised, fertilization, implantation: Moving to the uterus and finally pregnancy hormones. Growth- This is a term used when you are growing in weight and height and size. Development-Development is when you have changes and increasing in skills and abilities. Pregnancy: 3 Trimester stages in pregnancy- First trimester stage- In this stage your body begins to change and you go through different changes. These types of changes happen between (week 1- to week 12) and the hormones in your body begin to change the organs in the body and their systems. Also these changes can cause different symptoms to occur even during the first week of pregnancy. These symptom include- extreme tiredness, morning sickness, mood swings, heartburn etc. 3 weeks of pregnancy- At 6 weeks of pregnancy at this point you are about 6-7 weeks pregnant and there is a large lump where the heart is and a bump at the end of the head of the neural tube. This bump is going to become the baby brain and head. The embryo is curve and has a tail. At this stage the heart can be seen beating on an ultrasound scan at this specific stage. Also the development of the arms and leg form and become visible. At 7 weeks of pregnancy, the embryo is continuing to grow and at this point the embryo is about 10mm long from the head to bottom. Also the brain is continuing to grow faster and this also shows the head is growing faster than the rest of the body. The embryo has a large forehead and eyes and ears are still continuing to develop as the inner ear starts to develop however the outer ear won’t begin to grow for another couple of more weeks. Also the nerve cells continue to multiply and develop as the nervous system begins to take its shape. At 8 weeks of pregnancy, the baby is called a foetus (offspring) and the legs of the baby are lengthening and forming cartilage as well. However the different parts of the body such as the knees, ankles, thighs and toes haven’t fully developed yet and will take some time. Also the placenta is continuing to develop and this when forming structures this is known and called as chorionic villi, this will help attach the placenta to the wall of the womb and at this stage the foetus will get its nourishment from the yolk sac. Second trimester stage- During this stage you will feel like the pregnancy is becoming easier and more causes like nausea and fatigue slowly go away in your pregnancy however more notable changes to your body. Your abdomen will enlarge as the baby is still continuing to grow. This stage happens when you are 13 – 28 weeks pregnant and eventually you can feel the baby moving more. For body changes these include- body aches, stretch marks on abdomen, swelling on the ankles, fingers, face. 3 weeks of pregnancy trimester stages: Week 14- In this week the baby develops different skills such as they can squint, frown, grimace and can possibly suck the thumb etc. Also when doing an ultrasound scan you can possibly check the baby carrying out these skills for example they can possibly see the baby sucking its thumb. Also the baby can grasp too and is being to produce urine. This release the amniotic fluid around the body and this is a process which would continue until birth. However when it comes to the baby’s development the baby is stretching out and approximately the size is from 3 and a half inches. Also by the end of the week the baby’s arm would be growing and also the legs still have to lengthen more. http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-14-weeks_1103.bc Week 17- The baby’s skeleton is changing once again and this time it is from soft cartilage to bone and the umbilical cord. Also the support to the placenta is growing stronger and thicker. At this stage the baby would weigh almost 5 ounces and the length would be around 5 inches long from the head to bottom. The baby can also begin to develop to move the joints and the sweat glands are beginning to develop. http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-17-weeks_1106.bc Week 28- At this week the baby would weigh about 2 Â ¼ pounds and length is 14.8 inches from head to its heels this shows that as the weeks go by the baby is continuing to develop until birth. The baby also picks up on some skills such as blinking their eyes, growth of the baby’s eye lashes, the baby can also see light from the womb and this is filtered light. Also finally the baby is developing billions on neurons in her brain and also gaining a lot of fat in their body to help for when it is born. http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-28-weeks_1117.bc Third trimester stage- In this stage, it consists of going to the toilet regularly, this because the baby is getting bigger and is developing and it’s putting more pressure on your organs. The different symptoms of body changes which occur include- shortness of breath, heartburn, trouble sleeping, contractions etc. Also near to your due date the cervix becomes thinner and softer which is also called effacing. Also these changes happen when you’re in the final trimester stage between 29-40 weeks of pregnancy. 3 weeks of pregnancy trimester stages: Week 30- At this stage the baby’s body length is about 15.7 inches and weighs almost 3 pounds. Also a pint of amniotic fluid surrounds her and the volume will shrink as she gets bigger and takes up a lot of room for the uterus therefore it will become less. The development of the eyes are still continuing to develop and it is not that good however it will develop once the baby is born and also when the baby is born it is likely that it would keep its eyes closed more in the day for some time. http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-30-weeks_1119.bc Week 35- At this stage the baby doesn’t have much room to move as it the baby is length is every long and it is over 18 inches long and weighs 5 Â ¼ pounds. Also not much movement would be going on in the womb as it would be warm and also the number of times the baby kicks would remain the same. As for development the kidneys are fully developed now and this means the liver can take out some waste products. The physical development of the baby is complete and for the weeks coming the baby would continue putting on weight. http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-35-weeks_1124.bc Week 40- At this stage the baby would be developed in many areas and would weight about 7 Â ½ pounds and is 20 inches long. The skull bones are not attached which allows the baby to overlap if it is warm through the birth canal during labours. This also known as moulding which is the reason why the baby’s head shape would look different after birth and this is normal and is not permanent. So these are the different stages in week 40 of pregnancy. http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-40-weeks_1129.bc Labour: 3 Stages- Labour has 3 stages and these include the first years when the contractions open up the neck of your uterus and this consists of early labour and active labour and the transitional phase. The second stage of labour is when you push the baby out into the world and the final third stage is when you deliver the placenta. 1st stage- During pregnancy, your cervix is closed and is full of mucus to keep out infection. In the first stage of labour your cervix has to move forward to what is called anterior position and should be open so that the baby can be born. By the end of this stage the cervix should be fully opened and should be open to about 10cm in diameter. 2nd stage- During the second stage of labour you have to push down the baby from the birth canal and this is when the baby comes out and you have given birth. When giving birth you will feel the pressure of the baby’s head low down to the pelvis. It is important to follow the correct procedures as something can go wrong. When the babys head is down in the pelvis, the mother would probably feel a hot, stinging feeling. When coming down to the final parts the doctor or midwife would tell you to take short breaths this would help resit the need to bear down two or three contractions and this helps the baby to be born gently and slowly. 3rd stage- During the last stage of labour, the baby is born and ends when you deliver the placenta. The contractions will be clear and visible but are weaker when they begin again as the uterus contracts down. Also other options are that the hospital offer an injection which makes the placenta come out however this process has side effects like reducing blood loss and this is because of the drugs. These are the three stages of labour and there are different stages which is involved in this process. Bibliography. Baby centre. (2014). The stages of childbirth. Available: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a177/the-stages-of-childbirth Last accessed 10/09/2014. Nhs . (2013). Your babys early development. Available: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-weeks-4-5-6-7-8.aspx#close. Last accessed 10/09/2014. Web Md. (2005). Pregnancy and Conception. Available: http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/understanding-conception. Last accessed 10/09/2014.

Product Strategy And Management Jet Airways

Product Strategy And Management Jet Airways On a bright sunny morning of May 2011, Naresh Goyal, the founder chairman of Jet Airways was going through the financial reports for the year ended March 2011 while having his regular cup of coffee. Jet Airways had posted losses for the quarter ended March 11 while it had posted a meager profit of 9.69 crores for the FY11 after three years of consecutive losses. The company was thinking of ways to bring the airlines back into consistent profit-making ways. The company currently offered three brands of airline services: the premium service- Jet and the low cost models- JetLite and JetKonnect. The companys main competitor in the premium space was Air India and Kingfisher while it had a lot of competitors in the low cost carrier segment. JetLite had contributed 75% to the groups domestic revenue in the June quarter but a lot of questions were raised about the logic behind operating two low cost models at the same time when such intense competition was there in the segment. Naresh Goyal had to take a decision soon about the future that his company should take in relation to these low cost models. Indian Airlines Industry Pre-liberalization Era At the time of independence in India, there were eight companies were in service within and outside the country namely Tata Airlines (renamed as Air India), Indian National Airways, Air service of India, Deccan Airways, Ambica Airways, Bharat Airways and Mistry Airways. In 1953, the government nationalized the airlines via the Air Corporations Act, 1953, which gave birth to Indian Airlines and Air India. Indian Airlines came into being with the merger of eight domestic airlines to operate domestic services, while Air India International was to operate the overseas services. Furthermore, the Act gave monopoly power to Indian Airlines to operate on domestic scheduled services ruling out any other operator. Air India became the single Indian carrier to operate on international itinerary excluding some routes to the neighboring countries which were given to Indian Airlines. Liberalization and Private Players Entry The services offered by the two state-owned airlines were not up to the mark. So, in the early 1990s, Indian government initiated liberalisation of Indian airlines industry and relaxation in rules and regulations for private players to operate in this industry. As a consequence to this the Air Corporations Act was repealed in 1994 and private players were allowed to operate scheduled services. In 1995, Air Sahara, Jet Airways, Damania Airways, East West Airlines, Modiluft and NEPC Airways were granted scheduled carrier status. But only four operators- Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Jagsons and Spicejet (previously operated as Modiluft) started operations by 1997 and continued to operate. Eventually, by 1998, at least six private airlines, East- West, Modi-Luft, NEPC, Damania, Gujarat Airways and Span Air were closed. The arrival of private players in the aviation industry improved the services offered by the players as competition created an incentive to improve services offered. By 2003, only two private carriers survived to see the sunrise of the new century, i.e. Jet and Sahara. The survival of Jet Airways could be attributed to its sound financial planning and extraordinary management team since its inception. Arrival of Low Cost Carriers In 2003, a major breakthrough happened in the airlines industry when Air Deccan started its operations as Indias first Low Cost Career (LCC). The arrival of Air Deccan gave competition to the extant duopoly of Jet Airways and Sahara Airlines. It also changed the fare structure in the industry from two-way economy and business class fares into multiple options of including check fares, web fares, APEX fares, internet auctions, Special discounts, corporate plans, last day fares, promotional fares etc. Since the entry of Air Deccan, the passenger traffic in the airlines industry has grown tremendously. In the next two years, Kingfisher, Spice Jet, Indigo, Go Air and Paramount also started as LCCs in India. The consolidation phase in the Indian Airlines Industry In 2007, Jet acquired Sahara, Kingfisher acquired Air Deccan and Indian Airlines and Air India were merged to form a single entity named Air India. A comparative account of aircraft movements, passenger count and freight in the first quarter of 2011-12 over that of the previous year is given in Exhibit 1. Company History Jet Airways Company founder Naresh Goyal completed his graduation in Commerce in 1967 and joined the travel business at the age of 18 as a general sales agent (GSA) for the Lebanese International Airlines. From 1967 to 1974 he learnt the intricacies of the travel business through his association with several foreign airlines. In May 1974, he formed his own company, Jetair (Private) Limited, to market other foreign airlines in India. When the Indian government reopened the domestic aviation market to private carriers, it provided an opportunity to Goyal who established Jet Airways (India) Private Limited in 1991. On April 1, 1992, Jet Airways was incorporated as an air-taxi operator in India. It started out its domestic operations on 5th May 1993. With an initial fleet comprising of 4 leased Boeing 737 aeroplanes, Jetairways soon expanded to include international operations with its maiden international flight from Chennai to Colombo. Jet presently connects 52 domestic destinations. Jet strengthened its position as the airline for the business community considerably during 90s. 80%of its passengers were business class passengers who chose its services because of its punctuality and excellent service. 95% of its passengers rated the airline as good or excellent. In March 2004, Jet Airways acquired license to fly over international routes and it presently connects 24 international destinations. Formation of JetLite and JetKonnect On 12 April 2007, Jet acquired Air Sahara for USD 340 million. Air Sahara was renamed as JetLite and was positioned to serve the segment that was emerging to be new customers of airline services offered at low prices. During the recession of 2008, Jet was facing falling revenues. Hence it decided to allocate some of its aircraft from Jet Airways to cater to the LCC segment as purchasing power of people was low at that time. There were regulatory delays in transferring aircrafts from Jet Airways to JetLite as these two had different operator codes. On 8 May 2009, Jet Airways launched a new low-cost brand called Jet Konnect to operate on sectors that had less than 50% or less load factor. Competitive Landscape In the phase from 2003-2006, the entry of Air Deccan marked a new point in Indian aviation: India had its first low cost/no frills airline. By matching aircraft fares with upper class railway fares, this was an era where passenger traffic went up and intense competition among the players started. Spurred by the success of Air Deccan, other LCCs such as Spicejet, Indigo, GoAir began operations. Air Deccan was acquired by Kingfisher airlines and became the LCC called Kingfisher Red. Some of the major players providing competition to Jet today are Indigo and SpiceJet. Kingfisher, which once used to be a tough competitor in the non-LCC segment is now a very weak competitor. Indigo Currently, this LCC is the market leader and the only profitable airline service in India. Their main focus is on on-time performance and service which are main consumer needs. Through this and a whole host of cost cutting measures, they have ensures that they remain profitable. The airline is on an expansion mode to other major cities of the country as well as international destinations. Indigo scores better than the low cost JetLite and JetKonnect on the service dimension. In terms of communication, Indigo ads focus mainly on their own time performance and the hassle-free experience. To break the ad clutter, Indigo differentiated its ads: it came up with an innovative ad picturised on the form of a Broadway musical. The ad also showed uniformed stewards and air hostesses in Indigos blue uniform which was a great way to portray their brand identity.  [1]   Kingfisher Owned by Vijay Mallya, its the most flamboyant airline in India and fares much better than Jet in terms of in flight and on ground services. It is a major luxury airline operating an extensive network and had expansion plans for regional and long-haul services. Currently, it is in bad financial health due to which its flights have been plagued by delays and as a consequence, its image has taken a severe beating. In terms of communication, Flying High was the tagline used in the Kingfisher video ad2 that exhibited liberation and flying through its picturization2. Kingfisher was positioned as a luxury brand and this was conveyed clearly through the video. However, similar to Jet, Kingfisher didnt release any video ad for the low cost carrier (Kingfisher Red) it started operating after acquiring Air Deccan. The luxury positioning of Kingfisher, which resulted in confusion when Red started operations, was one of the factors that was leading to its growing unpopularity. Its future, at least in Goyals point of view, looked bleak. Hence he focussed more on other competitors while strategizing for the future of Jet. SpiceJet It is Indias second largest low cost airline and third largest in terms of market share. It was originally started as Modiluft airways back in 1993 in partnership with Lufthansa. Over the years, it changed hands and got rebranded as SpiceJet and operates as a low cost carrier. SpiceJets communication focuses on the main attributes of the airline: service to unaccompanied minors, option of choosing your own seat etc. But, these features fall either in the categories of basic/performance attributes that any airline should have. SpiceJet hasnt taken any measures in their service to upgrade these features to the excitement category so as to be differentiated from other players. Tipping points in the history Sahara acquisition Spreading wings In year 2005-06, when Air Sahara was exploring the opportunities for private placements of its equity, several airlines like SpiceJet and Kingfisher showed their interest for stake in the company. However the deal couldnt be made because Kingfisher thought the price set was too high given the not so strong financials of Sahara. Later, Jet Airways came into the picture and showed strong interest in buying out the airline. This merger had several strategical objectives behind it: Jet will have a strong position in the Indian Airline industry with almost 50% of the market share. Jet would become the only private carrier to fly international with no competition for 3 years because other carriers were relatively new. And as per regulations, it would have needed minimum of 3 years of domestic operation before going international. Jet would have a complete dominance of parking bays and airport infrastructure. Jet could now easily increase its capacity without expanding supply. The merger happened in 2007 and Jet Airways branded Air Sahara as JetLite and positioned it as low cost carrier to compete against low cost carrier at that time. If we look at this merger strategy from Ansoffs matrix framework, we can say that the move was more of Diversification strategy. This can be justified by the fact that JetLite was positioned as low cost carrier as a new product for Jet (Jet was known as full cost carrier) and they targeted new market segment which was low cost. However, this turning point for Jet proved to be too costly as it moved from a profit-making airline to a loss-maker and hasnt recovered yet. (Refer Exhibit 2 for sales and profit trends). Jet Konnect Another Jet brand In year 2009, when Indian economy was not doing well, the international operations of Indian airlines were affected too. At the same time, Jet Airways was facing stiff competition from low cost carriers and JetLite was not doing well in the domestic market with just around 7% of market share. Thus in the same year, Jet launched low cost brand named Jet Konnect to fight with the low cost carriers on routes with higher passenger load factor. Instead of expanding the existing brand JetLite, the decision to establish a new subsidiary was to avoid the regulatory delays associated with moving excess aircraft from Jet Airways to JetLite which had separate operating codes. Jet Konnect offered no-frill services. Almost 3 years after its introduction, positioning of Jet Konnect seems to be working for the fact that 70% of all the seats that Jet sells in the domestic market come from Jet Konnect itself. But even after the introduction of JetKonnect, the company has been making losses. Thus, though Jet Konnect strategy may have helped Jet to retain its market share near 28%, clearly it failed to make a long term business plan. Issues- Increasing Sales; Decreasing Profits The financials indicate that sales have been increasing throughout the past 12 years, but the profits have not followed the trend. The company which had started to make increasing and positive profits since the internationalization of its operations in 2004, started showing declining profits that soon dwindled into losses after the acquisition of Air Sahara. Recovery from the losses has been very slow. Goyal wondered if this was because of the inability of transferring the synergies from Jets primary business of full service to no-frills service. Brand Confusion Goyal also wondered if having two low-cost brands was a good idea, as it could have possibly led to people not being able to differentiate between JetLite and JetKonnect. At the time of inception of JetKonnect it had seemed like the best option possible to earn revenues in a slowing market and it had to be implemented quickly without waiting for the settlement of legal issues of including Jets fleet under JetLites name. But now, thinking back, Goyal wondered if he had moved too fast. Brand Dilution Jet used to be considered a premium brand offering full services. With the extension of the name Jet to the new no-frills brands JetLite and JetKonnect, Goyal wondered if there has been a dilution in the brands equity. Ideally, JetLite and JetKonnect were meant to be downgraded versions of Jet. Did the market perceive it this way? Or was Jet being seen as an upgraded version of the low-cost carriers (and thus occupying only a second place in the mindspace of the consumer)? Has the extension resulted in cannibalization of Jet? The way forward- Alternatives Entry into LCC segment had started off the loss-making phase for Jet and the introduction of a new LCC brand hadnt helped the company make positive profits. If the LCC segment were to be still operated by Jet, streamlining the product portfolio of the group to offer the guests a single superior in-flight product in the full-service and low-fare categories respectively was the only viable option as seen in the alternatives he jotted down to be discussed with his strategy team. Merge JetLite and Jet Konnect; brand it as JetLite. Merge JetLite and Jet Konnect; brand it as Jet Konnect. Merge JetLite and Jet Konnect; brand it as a different new brand. Exit the Low Cost Carrier segment to overcome brand dilution. The next day, he put forth these to the team and asked for a solution to the issue at hand and a suggestion for the way forward. Analysis- Arriving at a solution After the meeting with Goyal, the strategy team split themselves into sub-groups: one analyzing the communications of Jets brands and one conducting market research to understand peoples brand associations with respect to Jet. They aimed to view the current position of the brands with respect to the value as well as price perceived by the market. Communications of Jets brands Jet Airways A set of formal ads was released in 2007, without any celebrity attraction [  [2]  ]. These ads focussed on the various attributes featured in the three classes of air travel, without any voice-over. The tagline used was Change the way you fly. This was followed by a set of TV Commercials (storyboards in Exhibit 3) released in 2008, starring Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, for the First Class, Premiere Class and Economy Class of Jet Airways. The airline was positioned as a service-oriented one that took care of the little things that add to the good experience of the customer. In addition, there were hoardings speaking about connectivity as well as reinforcing the taglines of the video advertisements. An interesting case in point was when Kingfisher took an ambush initiative and put up a hoarding over Jets hoarding (that spoke about Jet having changed and asking people to visit their site to know more); Kingfisher took credit saying that it was responsible for the change. This was followed by GoAirs ambush of Kingfisher and Jet, by putting up a hoarding on top of the two existing hoardings, saying that they havent changed and still remain the smartest way to fly. This campaign resulted in publicity for all three brands. JetLite JetKonnect Not much of advertising was done for these two brands- a possible reason for the confusion between the two, prevailing among people. A few print ads for JetKonnect were released when the airline was introduced (Ref. Exhibit 4-a). One of them had personnel wearing the same attire as Jet Airways personnel. This was aimed at reinforcing the good service quality in JetKonnect (by linking it to the service of Jet Airways) but it resulted in brand dilution and cannibalization of Jet Airways, when a low cost carrier (JetKonnects ads spoke about Low Fares) was perceived to offer an equally good service. The print ad of JetLite (Ref. Exhibit 4-b) reinforced the low-cost feature by displaying the price (Rs. 1001) prominently, for a few domestic routes. Brand Associations Depth Interviews- Depth interviews conducted across six people in the age group of 22-27 who had travelled by Jet Airways, JetLite and JetKonnect. This segment was chosen because they would be part of the major class of air travellers in the coming decades. Questions were posed (Ref. Exhibit 5) to understand their requirements from airlines services and their views on the three brands that Jet had. The respondents could be classified into two major categories: Those who expect comfortable travel and service quality and are willing to pay for these Those who are very price-conscious and do not care much for service The people in the former category associated Jet with comfortable travel and thus preferred it for long journeys; those in the latter category did not associate anything exceptionally good with Jet. Some even felt that they were too high priced for the quality of service they offered. None of the people interviewed had seen the advertisements of Jet Airways with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan starring in them. Some recalled seeing hoardings that spoke about good connectivity and some recalled the attire of the personnel and the logo. All the interviewed people used the online mode of checking prices via sites like makemytrip.com, yatra.com or cleartrip.com. Booking was made by some people at the respective airlines website while it was done by some others at the price checking portal. All were aware of the Jet Privilege Card program but only one was a user of it. Punctuality was a key expected attribute by all interviewees and all gave a positive feedback about IndiGo on that aspect. Jets brands were seen to be neither significantly good nor significantly bad with respect to punctuality. The comfort and quality-sensitive people gave Jet Airways a higher rating than JetLite or JetKonnect, while the price-sensitive people rated JetLite and JetKonnect over Jet Airways. No difference was perceived or observed between JetLite and JetKonnect. Is Jet an upgraded version of JetLite/Konnect (or) is JetLite/Konnect a downgraded version of Jet? From the customers ticket purchase behaviour (all of them used makemytrip.com or cleartrip.com or the likes), it was seen that they would first be shown the cheapest flights first (which is how those sites are programmed to function). Hence, a typical customer would first see JetLite / JetKonnects prices and then see the incremental price to be paid for Jet and then compare the price versus quality / extra features received from the full-service airline. Thus, it was observed that the LCC brands were becoming the anchor brands and Jet was seen as an upgrade. This was substantiated further in the analysis of a survey that was conducted (as explained below). A low-cost carrier being seen as an anchor brand is degenerative to the parent brand as brand dilution occurs and people associate even the parent with the LCCs attributes. Survey A survey (Ref. Exhibit 8 for the survey) of air travellers was conducted to identify the importance of various attributes to people and the rating of airlines on those attributes (Ref. Exhibit 6). This helped arrive at the Market Perceived Quality (MPQ) and Market Perceived Price (MPP) of the airlines relative to one another, which aided our comparative analysis and inferences regarding brand perceptions. Weight attached to attributes The attributes, in the order of importance, was seen to fall into 3 buckets. The first bucket has punctuality with a highest weightage of 21%. The second bucket has flight connectivity, baggage allowance and flight crews attitude, all with weights around 17-18%. The third bucket contains food-on board and in-flight entertainment with weights around 13-14%. (Ref. Exhibit 6-a). Punctuality has always been of paramount importance in any mode of transport. However, the interesting thing is the reduced weights given to the third bucket this was a direct result of the communication strategies followed by the low-cost carriers. Existence of Brand Confusion An MPQ as well as MPP analysis of JetLite versus JetKonnect throws up a score of 1.00, implying that there is no perceivable difference in the minds of the customer in terms of the two brands, leading to brand confusion and dilution. JetLite-Jet: Quality versus Price MPQ analysis (Ref Exhibit 6-e) of JetLite versus Jet shows that JetLite is only 89% of Jet with respect to quality, whereas an MPP (Ref Exhibit 6-f) analysis shows that Jetlites perceived price is 97% of that of Jet. Heence, people can easily perceive Jet to be priced only marginally higher than JetLite for a relatively better offer of quality. Hence they think that Jet is an upgraded version of JetLite. Indigo- Better Quality than Jet MPQ analysis of Jet versus IndiGo shows that Jet is marginally perceived to be of a lower quality than IndiGo, despite Jet being a full-service airline and IndiGo being a no-frills airline. This is indicative of the fact that people perceive punctuality (in which IndiGo excels) to be a very important quality. Thus a relatively new airline has managed to change the weight attached by people to punctuality, by showing them the value it can create for them by offering it. Perceptual Maps Also, based on the interview and survey responses, perception maps were constructed for airlines in India (Ref. Exhibit 7). It is seen that IndiGo offers very good price-value performance with respect to the top three attributes that people expect in airline service. No carrier operated in the Premium price-high connectivity quadrant, as it was not economical to offer full-service over short routes (that offer high / direct connectivity). Current brand name connotations (Lite signifies that it is a stripped down version of Jet; gives a negative connotation to the customer that he/she is losing some services of the original Jet airways) + (Gives the reliability of the parent brand, and the extension Konnect tries to point out to an additional attribute of connectivity, which according to the survey is highly valued) n/a (A name which would not include Jet in it) n/a Parent brand enhancement (A premium product and a stripped down product with the same brand name will lead to dilution) (A premium product and a stripped down product with the same brand name will lead to dilution) + (A name which would not include Jet in it; being a completely independent thing it would not tarnish Jets image with a low cost tag) + (Exiting from the LCC segment and just concentrating on the traditional segment completely eliminates the chances of brand dilution) Anchoring in the mind of the customer -Jet Airways versus LCC brand name (Jet is seen as the upgraded version of Jetlite (the perceived anchor, as shown in the analysis- Ref Exhibit 6-e,f)) (Jet is seen as the upgraded version of Jetkonnect, which is perceived to be the same as JetLite, (LCC is the perceived anchor, as shown in the analysis- Ref Exhibit 6-e,f)) + (With the LCC not having Jet in its brand name the first customer contact with Jet happens with Jet Airways and hence Jet remains the anchor brand) + (Completely exiting LCC, eliminates the whole threat of being anchored as a low-priced brand in customers mind) Recommendations by the strategy team The evaluation of the options indicates that the 3rd option (Merge Jetlite Jetkonnect; spin off with a new brand name) is the most viable, as it scores positively on all criteria. Currently the brands of jet are positioned as in Fig- 2. This can be modified to create a positioning map such that there are two different brands that are clearly separated, with distinct brand names that do not result in brand dilution or confusion. The positioning should be as in Fig-3: cid:[emailprotected] Fig 3: Current Jet Situation Fig 3: Jet after brand fusion Operational Recommendations for both brands of the company Punctuality- This is the most important attribute to the customers. Hence this has to be provided by both the full-service as well as the low-cost service airlines. Otherwise they would soon lose out to IndiGo. Connectivity- The new LCC brand should aggressively increase the number of directly connected locations to compete with IndiGo and SpiceJet. Communications- Clear and distinct communication strategy should be developed for both brands. For example, crew attire, colours in the print ads and such visible brand elements should be distinct, to avoid brand dilution. First Class Ad1 The description of the features such as a comfortable lie-flat bed, personal wardrobe, table for two and a door (that provides privacy) is done by a voice-over, accompanied by the visuals that show the protagonist experiencing them in an imaginary place of luxury, correlating each scene with the experience inside the flight. The comfort and luxury are communicated effectively and the ad ends with a tagline- Filled with the little touches that count and a written line displaying More than 400 international flights per week. Economy Class Ad2 The features- such as more space between rows of seats, more legroom (with a special leg-rest) and a cushion for back-rest- are shown as being enjoyed on board a flight by the protagonist, while a voice-over describes each one. The ad ends with a tagline Its the little touches that go a long way and a display of the words More than 400 international flights per week. Premiere Class Ad3 The features such as wider seats and more space for passengers are shown figuratively with a widening of a sofa on which the protagonist is seated and pushing the sofa down the room to create more space between the protagonist and another person. The features of a lie-flat bed and direct aisle access from all seats are shown in an in-flight environment. The possible absence of a figurative comparison for a lie-flat be  [3]  d could be to avoid confusion with the first class ad. The ad ends with the tagline Its the little touches that make a big difference and a display of the words More than 400 international flights per week. How frequently do you travel and for what purpose? While working- once in 3 weeks; purpose was official 12-13 times per year; personal(going home vacation) Once in 4-5 months; personal Do you have any preference for specific purposes; if so, why? Official- jet (to take advantage of frequent flier); Personal- Whichever is the cheapest(except Air India) Indigo over spicejet because of timely departure and arrival; likes jetlite as well because of the same reason; doesnt prefer jet because of food (as that adds to cost) Indigo any day- both personal business; punctuality is the best What comes to your mind when we say Jet ? Logo, nothing else High price. Jet was good once upon a time; Now, Jet doesnt give value for the amount charged Nothing premium; in-flight entertainment doesnt always work; food is the only differentiating factor, but it doesnt matter to me What 3 attributes make you choose JetLite over Jet Airways? Only Price Price, Punctuality (think Jetlite is better), Newer seats Only Price What 3 attributes make you choose Jet over JetLite ? Wont prefer; cost sensitive Will chose jet over jetlite in case there is no jetlite flight in that route+ if Jet travels quicker (can accept price that is higher by a max of Rs 1000) Only if I am not paying for it Have you seen ads of Jet? Remembers Hoarding; connects to (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) ; (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) flights to NY/SA; airhostess dress color; Yes; havent seen them in recent times; doesnt remember much Not recently; Kingfishers ambush-known due to prior academic input How do you book your tickets? Online-search for yatra coupons; Book the cheapest mode Check prices through makemytrip; book through the travel agent. Doesnt trust giving the card no. in the website Cleartrip.com site only Do you know about Jets loyalty programme? Yes; registered but didnt get the card /make use of it Heard about the reward points system from other people Yes; not a member as I dont fly regularly Do you perceive any difference between JetLite JetKonnect? If so, what? No Not much; jetlite has been more punctual and more sophisticated air crew; no change in food options No