The three world of bali Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The three world of bali - Movie Review Example These midnight-to-dawn performances can be viewed from either side of the screen and also from behind the puppeteer. The ancient literary texts, collected in the old Javanese language of Kawi and Sanskrit (The Balinese Digital Library), are captured on Lontar leaves. These leaves come from Lontar trees that belong to the family of palm trees. The Lontar manuscripts are placed in boxes or bags for proper protection. The older women dancing in Gambuh dance and other performances are seen to be dancing closer to the ancestral shrines in temples. They do so as to honor their ancestors in this endless cycle of rebirth. For Balinese, the idea of time differs from ours. Flowers are seen to have a short time cycle, a rock to be have a much longer cycle while humans are somewhere in between. For them, there is never an end, but a continuous cycle. Balinese Hindus call their religion "Agama Tirtha" because water plays a very important role in their life. Water, represented by a circle in the Hindu tradition, symbolizes completeness and the un-manifest. The Balinese carefully plan out and stagger the use of Balis water supply. Water temple rituals promote a peaceful relationship between people and their environment. When changing the system, many problems were faced with problems such as of water, mice and other pests. Eka Dasa Rudra, in Bali, is held every one-hundred years. In 1963, upon the urging of then President Sukarno, Balinese priests organized to hold the ritual before the exact date it was supposed to be held on. Preparations were met with the first eruption in recorded history of Balis great volcano. This terrible disaster was seen as a confirmation of the gods and demons powers and the necessity of honoring the traditional calendar. The central temple was miraculously spared when the volcano erupted. The Balinese people saw this as a grand

Successful business plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Successful business plan - Assignment Example They have designed their business to halt the speeding industry of car abandoning and transfer this momentum to speed up their business of recycling the abandoned cars and reselling their spare parts. They have targeted the middle class locals and expats who look around for savings with quality control (Othman, 2010). Zug Al Arbat Customers would be allowed to enjoy quality spare parts as it aims to stand the market for long as the suppliers of spare parts. The story prides itself in processing a trouble free solution for those looking for disposing off their cars and finally producing it to produce useable spare parts at the most reasonable price possible. The market feasibility is really strong and progressive since transportation industry of Saudi Arabia is growing real fast. The management team has five representatives. They all have invested in the business and stand as the shareholders. 2. Company Description Zug Al Arbat is a new name in automobile industry that aims at abando ned vehicle collection and its disposal through performing the entire processing of this activity. The totally worn out vehicles would be crushed for recycling and others with a stand able position would be used for refining their spare parts and fixing to other vehicles (Alaska Department of Administration, 2011). Zug Al Arbat aims at targeting the middle class of the local Saudis and majorly the expats who have been to the foreign land of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to earn and save. Majority of these expats do not spend lavishly on their lifestyles. They look for quality affordability that can be maintained for a longer time period at relatively lower costs (Saad A.H. Al Gadhi, Rasin K Mufti and Daniel F. Malick, 2002). The unique selling preposition of this business would be quality to the cost conscious category that aims not for luxury but quality with low costs. Through its extensive contacts and market knowledge, the company has an idea that this gap has as yet not been filed pr operly by any company (United states Environment Protection Industry, 2011). The detailed activities that Zug Al Arbat aims to cater starts from abandoned Vehicle’s Transportation to its workshop, where the vehicle would be safely examined and then preceded for Fluid Removal or the removal of any hazardous metals for instance, deposited mercury (Writing Club , 2009) . The totally worn out vehicles would be than preceded for crushing. After that, the vehicle would be shredded and finally the metal would be ready for recycling (Seatlle, 2013). 3. Strategic Development The biggest advantage Zug Al Arbat aims at providing is to reduce the car abandonment ratio. After digging in to the reasons of car abandonment, they aim at targeting those people, for instance, expats who cannot afford to pay back car loans to call Zug Al Arbat helpline and sale the car at a scrap value. Another big advantage that the company can expect to have for itself is a good government support, since vehic le abandoning is a major nuisance issue for the government of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at an increasing rate (Saad A.H. Al Gadhi, Rasin K Mufti and Daniel F. Malick, 2002). 3.1 Business Constraints: The working feasibility of the company depends upon the some of the following factors effecting the cost and revenue: The price of the scrap metal. Proximity of the metal recycles. The further away the metal recycler is, the higher the cost of transporting the vehicle. During the initial days

The Prevalence of Co-Occurring Disorders Essay Example for Free

The Prevalence of Co-Occurring Disorders Essay When a counselor has a new client they are working with, the client has to be assessed. When being assessed the counselor has to determine what issues the client may have. Through being assessed, the counselor may come to realize the client has more than one issue which is called co-occurring disorders. At this point the client will have to be treated for more than one disorder to effectively overcome the problems they are facing. Within this paper one will locate the prevalence of co-occurring disorders, mental health and substance abuse or dependency. Services, U. D. (2005) states that substance abuse and mental disorders became associated in the late 70’s. Both substance abuse and mental disorder communities realized that the two were associated with not just depression but substance abuse as well. At that time, 50 to 75 percent of clients were reported to have co-occurring mental disorders and co-occurring substance abuse users were between 20 to 50 percent. Researchers have demonstrated that clients with co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness disorders can be beneficial with treatment. Even if the clients have serious mental disorders (Services, U. D. , 2005). With the prevalence of co-occurring disorders, Services, U. D. (2005) states that effective treatment and services is needed to be readily available for those who are in need of help. Many treatment facilities are not ready to treat those who have more than one disorder which means that one disorder is treated, while another is left untreated. After which, the client can continue to have relapses with abuse because the other disorders were not treated. What was considered to not be surprising personally is that fifty-three percent of those with COD whose addictive behaviors with alcohol abuse or dependency also had mental disorders sometime during their life (Services, U. D. , 2005). Also 59 percent of the respondents who had lifetime mental disorders were illicit drug abusers, while 71 percent of those who used illicit drugs over their lifetime had alcohol abuse or dependence as well (Services, U. D. , 2005). This is found not to be surprising because so many people abuse drugs over a lifetime that once they have reached their personal level of high, they tend to switch out to another drug which they believe will fulfill the gap in the word â€Å"high† they are looking for. A statistical piece of information that was interesting is that how the number of mental disorders increases as the number of substance abuse disorders increases as well. Services, U. D. (2005) states the likelihood of mental disorders rises alongside with substance abuse dependencies. With the rise of both abuses at the same time, it complicates treatment for the mental disorder patients that have drug use however, multiple drugs is normal for those who are substance abusers (Services, U. D. , 2005). The reason this information is found to be interesting is because with the two disorders rising at the same level, it appears that the challenges will be harder and more co-occurring disorder patients are going to need help with their issues. As a counselor, one must be dually competent to treat these clients or have staff available to treat the clients who have co-occurring disorders to ensure an effective outcome. Differences and Similarities in the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Systems One similarity of the two systems is that they both are defined by a combination of administrative leadership, regulatory oversight, and the funding. Another similarity is both systems have services that are organized into programs that treat individuals for the illness they are suffering from so the client can learn to have stability in their life. Ongoing treatment and rehabilitation is another service that both systems have available for the clients (Services, U. D. , 2005). One difference between the two systems is that the substance abuse treatment system treats substance use disorders. The services for the substance abuse treatment system are geared towards acute stabilization, active treatment, and engagement. The mental health service system treats individuals for mental health disorders. The services for the mental health service system are geared towards acute crisis intervention that is available for individuals who has been diagnosed with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). Another difference is the substance abuse treatment system is focused towards treating the client to become abstinence from illicit drug and or alcohol use. The mental health service system has case management, psychiatric rehabilitation services, and if needed services that will house the patient if they have been classified with having SPMI (Services, U.  D. , 2005). With all said co-occurring disorders can be located in just about any population. If one is dependent on a drug and or alcohol and has mental issues as well, both substance abuse and mental health disorders need to be treated. One issue cannot be treated and the other left untreated. Ongoing treatment programs and rehabilitation services is available to clients so each individual can live a healthy stabilized life.

Strategic Analysis Of First Choice Holidays Tourism Essay

Strategic Analysis Of First Choice Holidays Tourism Essay This report is based on the strategic analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC, one of the worlds leading package holiday companies. An analysis of the companys internal and external environments will be undertaken resulting in the researchers findings of the opportunities and threat that the industry faces. A look at the industrys competitive forces will determine show the profitability of different industries and the data found, analysed showing the different external competitive forces that affect organisation and how information can be used to counter them. A strategic analysis of the company will show the companys competitive and financial strength in which the companys strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted. A strategic fit which will indicate whether the companys mission and strategies fits its internal capabilities and its external environment. 1.0 Market Environment Analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC 1.1 History First Choice Holidays PLC, trading name of TUI UK limited is part of the TUI Travel PLC Group of companies, one of the worlds leading travel companies, which operates in over 180 countries. The company boasts of having more than 30 million customers worldwide in 27 key source markets such as the United States, Italy, France, India and the United Kingdom. In addition to First Choice Holidays, the company has over 200 brands which are comprised of market leading mainstream brands and specialist brands. The company operates in four sectors: Mainstream this is the largest sector in terms of the companys financial performance and employee numbers. It comprises of leading tour operators and power brands as well as it operates 146 aircraft and serves 22 million customers. Activity this sector has over 40 activity travel businesses that operate under five divisions which are Marine, Adventure, Ski, Student and Sport. The adventure businesses take more customers to iconic adventure destinations than any other operator and serve 1.1 million customers. Specialist and Emerging markets this is an international portfolio of travel businesses focusing on specific destinations, premium travel experiences or particular customer demographic segments, often with differentiated and exclusive products. Accommodations and Destinations this sector sells and provides a range of services in destination to tour operators, travel agents, corporate clients and direct to consumers worldwide. Some services include hotel accommodations, cruise handling and round trips for customers. TUI Travel operates its headquarters from the U.K and employs approximately 50,000 people in over 200 travel businesses in the world. First Choice Holidays PLC, formerly Owners Abroad (Wholesale) Limited and Owners Abroad PLC was formed in 1973. After launching an airline, Air2000, the company moved into Specialist holidays. The company was restructured and rebranded into First Choice Holidays PLC after several acquisitions and joint ventures with various tour companies and cruise liners. The group then structured itself into four sectors: Mainstream, Activity, Specialist and Online Destination Services before the merger with TUI Travel PLC in 2007. First Choice was awarded the Most Environmentally Responsible Large Tour Operator (2007-2009) from the British Travel Awards. 1.2 Vision and Strategic Goal Since First Choice merged with TUI Travel, it shares the same vision and strategic goals. The companys vision statement is Making Travel Experiences Special. The companys strategic goals are to create superior shareholder value by being the leading global leisure travel group providing its customers with the widest choice of differentiated and flexible travel experiences to meet their changing needs and focusing their strategic initiatives for profitable growth. These include developing the companys business model, continuous efficiency improvements and development of growth opportunities. 1.3 PEST Analysis According to G. Johnson et al. in the text Exploring Corporate Strategy, PEST stands for Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal. It provides a comprehensive list of influences on the possible success or failure of particular strategies that First Choice may face or is facing at present. Political With the governments hiking of aviation taxes and Air Passenger Duty (APD), this causes airline tickets to be expensive, therefore discouraging prospective customers from choosing the package holiday company. Political unrest in some countries may cause customers to decide on not travelling to that particular destination out of fear for their safety. Impact on individual of anti-terror measures likely to increase inconvenience of some travel options. The governments Fuel Price escalator is a way of government making money while protecting the environment by discouraging people to travel less. The May 2010 British elections caused political instability with certain actions destabilising the whole of Europe. The government can form new regulations under which these companies can operate which may or may not be positive. Economical The current inflation rate of the U.K is 3.1% which affects air fares, clothing, food etc. With the rise in petrol fuel which increased by 3% above inflation, customers are feeling the pinch of this and are less likely to choose taking a vacation with any package holiday company. The unemployment rate is at 7.7% which lowered by 0.1% over the last quarter. Having a rise in employment will raise confidence in consumer spending. The UK Pound Sterling Exchange Rate has shown recent developments which are indeed very much favourable for the citizens of the U.K. travelling abroad. At present the UK Pound Sterling Exchange Rate has posted the UK Pound Sterling at nearly double the worth of the US Dollar, which means that when British citizens travel to the U.S. they will be able to draw double bargains for their moneys worth.   Social The number of people purchasing on the internet has been on a constant rise. In 2009, 18.31million U.K households have access to the internet. In a survey it was found that 69% of U.K households use the internet to purchase services related to travel accommodation. Increased popularity of foreign travel leading leads to a boom in demand for air travel. However, this has been adversely affected by international terrorism which causes concern for the safety and security of future package-holiday makers. The interaction between tourists and the chosen host community can be one of the factors that may affect a community as tourists may not be sensitive to local customs, traditions and standards. Peoples life style changes cause package holiday companies to now offer customised packages and online booking facilities to meet customer expectations. Technological Today more companies are choosing to broadcast their products via the internet. Online booking has been one of the biggest factors affecting the package holiday industry. U.K residents are now constantly using the internet to book their holiday trips which saves on time for them as well as providing convenience. Advertising on the internet has been proven to boost sales for companies; more and more people are using the internet as a way to communicate their needs and wants to the outside world. 1.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis Figure 1. The Five Forces That Shape Industry Competition First Choice is in a very dynamic and competitive industry, the Porters Five Forces Model was created to show the profitability of different industries. This model is used for analysing the different external competitive forces that affect organisation and how information can be used to counter them. The following is an analysis using the model: Threat of New Entrants First Choice has direct ownership of its own airline and hotels. New entrants may not have the capital for such an investment and therefore may depend on external airlines and hotels to provide their customer with a service. New competitors may not possess the know-how or have the necessary experience to begin operating a package holiday business. Government regulations provides a list of rules that new competitors have to take into consideration before beginning operation, some of which may pose a problem for beginners in this industry. In an already highly competitive market, there will be the issue of pricing to new competitors. Pricing packages in a way that it may be attractive for holiday travellers without being too low so that it may end up running at a loss. Threat of Substitute Products or Services First Choices main competitor, Thomas Cook, has dropped its prices to compete with them for lowest priced package holidays. If successful, customers may be lead to choose that company and divert from the services of First Choice. Competitors may not possess assets such as its own airline or hotel but offers the same services at a cheaper cost. Destinations that the company may not have package deals for, other competitors may provide causing prospective customers to switch to the competitors services. Bargaining Power of Buyers Buyers can dictate the price of package holidays being that the industry is a highly competitive one. Buyers have a lot more choices on package holiday services to choose from. Market research has shown that buyers are taking fewer 7/14 night packages causing package holiday companies to attempt differentiation and specialisation of certain package deals to cater to those who take shorter trips. The threat of buyers going directly to suppliers is possible. The purchasing of airplane tickets from the airline and the booking of accommodation is an imminent threat to the industry. Convenience is key for todays buyers. With the internet customers would choose the company which can provide the complete package holiday service without leaving the comfort of their homes. Bargaining Power of Suppliers If oil prices rise, suppliers of fuel for the airlines may raise their prices. Fuel suppliers can dictate prices for their product depending on the demand for flights. Taxes applied to the cost price of fuel can affect the cost of package holiday deals. Suppliers will have high negotiation powers for those package companies now entering the market but for those experienced and large companies such as First Choice or Thomas Cook, there will be a balance of power. Rivalry Among Existing Competitors Thomas Cook, the main competitor for First Choice and parent Company TUI Travel, has joined with the company offering cheap package deals which increased the already existing price competition. First Choice was combined with its sister company Thomson award winning airline Thomson Airline to be one of the top package holiday airline in the UK which is acquiring the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which meant it will be a fifth more fuel efficient than its competitors Flybe and Thomas Cook Airlines. Thomas Cook offers a range of financial services that First Choice does not which includes foreign exchange services, their own prepaid currency card and the recent innovation of creating an app for the Iphone and Android phones. 1.5 Industry Life Cycle Figure 2. Industry Life Cycle Source: http://alife4testing.co.uk/ This model is used to showcase which stage the package holiday industry is at current. The industry is currently in the Shakeout stage of the lifecycle. The barriers to entry are currently high, economies of scale have been achieved, forcing smaller companies to be acquired by bigger companies such as TUI Travel and Thomas Cook or exiting all together. 1.6 Critical Success Factors (CSFs) The Critical Success Factors of the package holiday industry will highlight the key factors that present and upcoming companies should focus on that will bring satisfactory results, therefore ensuring successful competitive performance. Creating a consolidated market Combining companies or products into one provides opportunities for significant cost savings as well as revenue synergies. Having more direct ownership of airlines and accommodation suppliers. Having successful product differentiation will attract more customers from segments such as university students. To raise awareness, influence choice, change behaviour, and develop and promote new products to encourage responsible holiday choices. Maximised web sales and content. 1.7 Opportunities and Threats of the Market Environment Having analysed the market environment of the industry, the following will highlight the various opportunities and threats the market faces. INDUSTRY Opportunity Threat To consolidate the market by taking over smaller companies. The opportunity to come up with new innovative products/services because of the changing consumer market. To build new capital to purchase assets such as aeroplanes and cruise ships, reducing dependency of suppliers with that mode of transport. New mergers and strategic alliances to promote the maximisation of synergy profits. To maximise on the use of the internet market, to make it more interactive for consumers. Low cost airline competitors such Ryanair and EasyJet has relatively low prices. Natural disasters that may occur at destinations or the home country. People owning foreign property wont be willing to take a full package holiday, just a cheap flight. People booking their holidays for themselves and not through the package holiday companies. Threat of terrorist attacks may change a customers perception on safety when travelling. Table 1. The Opportunities and Threats of the Package Holiday Industry Having analysed the market environment of the industry, this paper will now take a closer look at First Choice Holidays PLCs strategies which will explain the companys various operations and the resources to get it done. 2.0 Strategic Analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC Strategy is concerned with matching a firms resources and capabilities to the opportunities that arise in the external environment. The following shows the strategic analysis of First Choice and the tools used. 2.1 Value Chain Analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC A Value Chain Analysis describes the activities that take place in a business and relates them to an analysis of the competitive strength of the business. Figure 3. Michael Porters Value Chain Model Source: http://www.12manage.com/images/picture_porter_value_chain.gif The following is the value chain analysis for First Choice Holidays PLC: Inbound Logistics Providing all working material for travel shops and tour operators. Printing of travel brochures. Liaising with suppliers of fuel for Thomson aircraft. Liaising with financial institutions for the supply of various foreign exchange currencies to be made available online and at First Choice travel shops. Communication with various hotels and other sources of accommodation. Hiring of security for airport parking facilities. Operations Booking and pre-payment of hotels and other sources of accommodations for clients at various destinations. Liaising with different tour operators, transport and excursion providers. Booking and pre-payment of excursions providers. Updating the travel website for online booking. Securing flights for various destinations. Liaising with insurance company, Mondial Assistance (UK) Ltd., for travel insurance for customers. Fuelling of aircraft for flights. Ensuring there is enough on board staff for flights. Outbound Logistics Distributing brochures to customers. Distribution of airline tickets or cruise ship passes to customers. Marketing and Sales Online booking as well as a pre-departure website for new and existing customers. The availability of 300 travel shops spread conveniently across the UK. Advertising of the company and airline by television and print also on the companys website. Call centre staff are readily available for customer support. The offering of special package deals at a lower price. Existing customers sharing their experiences about the company through word-of-mouth. Service The service of travel insurance for all customers. Airport parking so that customers can safely use their vehicles and park instead of hiring alternative transport to get them to the there. The service of Travellers cheques is provided to customers who want to purchase foreign currency. Seats on the plane can be reserved before customers travel, making it easier and more comfortable for a family to sit together. Car hires are organised for customers in need of transport during their holiday. Qualified child care-takers or nannies are provided to customers equipped with toys and other equipment from respected UK brands such as Crayola and Little Tikes. Firm Infrastructure The following departments make up First Choices company infrastructure. Sales Marketing Finance and Admin Human Resources Support Engineering and Research Operations IT and IS Human Resource Management Employees are trained to be knowledgeable about the industry and company. Training is done for employees so that they can assist customers with choosing the perfect holiday option for their budget. Nannies for baby-sitting services are trained and qualified with  NNEB/CACHE (or equivalent). Air hostesses are equipped with the necessary first aid and situation response training. Technology Development Continued development online booking and interactive websites such as the pre-departure site. Outbound dialler system was installed to automate the call-in service for agents, giving them guidance through the many services and products First Choice has to offer. A browser-based management information system enables management to access operational and business information to monitor how calls are made. Procurement Research on various locations for new accommodation according to customers needs and wants. Communication with vendors and other tour operators. Acquisition of the necessary technology needed to run the company. The purchasing of new aeroplanes for flights to more destinations at a greater speed. 2.2 The Strategic Capabilities of First Choice Holidays PLC An organisations strategic capabilities are its capacities, resources and skills that create a long-term competitive advantage. The following shows the strategic capability of First Choice. 2.2.1 Resources and Competences Resources Competences Threshold Capabilities Threshold resources Tangible 300 travel shops in the U.K 14,000 employees Airline First Choice Airways Expedition cruise ships Over  £2 billion in assets Intangible 4th largest package holiday company Brand strength Owner of several market leading brands such as 2wentys Falcon Online booking website State of the art communication systems (MO Communicator) A contributor to an  £13.8 billion revenue Threshold competences Deployment of travel shops in various key areas in the U.K. To create a market leading presence in the Russian market through joint ventures The introduction of Microsoft Office Communicator to implement an IP-based voice network to deliver better customer service. Enhancing customers experience online by ways of after-sales services Investments such as yachts, aeroplanes and expedition cruise ships that provide First Choice with a greater competitive advantage. Capabilities for competitive advantage Unique Resources Tangible Boeing 787 Dreamliner aeroplanes that are able to go greater distances and offers greater fuel efficiency. First Choice Holiday Village designed for families and a 5-star spa concept for couples. Intangible Powerful brand with the merger with the largest leisure company in the world. 37 years in the travel and leisure industry. Relationships with suppliers to retain 150 million bed nights per year. Core Competences Operational profitability which allows First Choice to respond to changes in the trading environment. Possessing profitable capacity by having individual flight allows the company to determine optimum seat capacity by each U.K airport and to ensure the most appropriate aircraft fleet size and type are maintained. Consolidation of aircraft fleet as a fuel conservation measure and to reduce the companys direct carbon footprint. Table 2. Resources and Competences of First Choice Holidays PLC 2.3 The Financial Analysis of First Choice Following a look at the companys resources and competences, a brief analysis of the company is needed to see where it stands in the industry. First Choice is a part of TUI Travel PLC, therefore shares in the groups profitability. Having merged with the group, First Choice has contributed to  £93million in synergy profits as well as the groups overall revenue of  £18.6billion. The following shows a break-down of the companys financial capability in the following areas in 2009: 2.3.1 Profitability Gross Profit Margin This is used to assess  a firms financial health by revealing the  proportion of money left over from revenues after accounting for the cost of goods sold. The companys Gross Profit Margin stood at 8.4% in 2009, an improvement of 1.1% of the previous year. This shows that the companys pricing strategies have been effective. Net Profit Margin This is used to show how much profit a company makes for every  £1 it generates in  revenue  or  sales.  The companys net profit margin stood at -0.77% which states which has improved over the previous year of -2.1%. Therefore this shows a rise in efficiency after all expenses and that have been considered. Return On Assets This gives an idea as to how efficient  management is  at using its assets to generate earnings. The company earned 0.3% from invested capital (assets) compared to 2008s -1.4% loss. As a result this shows the company is earning more money on less investment. Return on Equity This shows the amount of net income  returned  as a percentage  of shareholders equity. The company showed a 1.2% profit made from shareholder investments, a rise from the previous year -0.1%. Thomas Cook, the companys main competitor had a higher return at 2.37%. 2.3.2 Liquidity Current Ratio This is used to determine a companys ability to pay off its  short-terms debts obligations. The companys current ratio stands at 3:5 which means they can pay off its obligations should it become due at that point. Acid Test Ratio This indicates  whether a firm has enough short-term assets to cover its immediate liabilities without selling inventory. The company showed a ratio of 1:2 for 2009, which means that the company has enough liquid assets to cover an unexpected drawdown of liabilities. 2.3.3 Leverage or Debt Debt to Equity Ratio This indicates what proportion of equity and debt the company is using to finance its assets. The company showed a ratio of -3% which means that they were not aggressive in financing its growth with debt and has the ability to repay loans. Total Debt to Total Assets This is used to measure a companys financial risk by determining how much of the companys assets have been financed by debt. The company showed a ratio of 3:4 meaning that 75% of the companys assets are financed by the creditors or debt (and therefore 25% is financed by the owners). 2.3.4 Activity (see Appendix) Asset Turnover This shows the amount of sales generated for every dollars worth of assets. The company showed a ratio of 1.5 which means for every dollar in total asset spent they gain 1.5 in revenue compared to the industrys 0.34 ratio. Despite a drop in revenue, the company still remained profitable and above its competition. It is seen that the company has an edge and is inviting for any investor. The following shows the companies. The following shows the strengths and weaknesses of the First Choice. First Choice Holidays PLC Strengths Weaknesses One of the market leaders in the package holiday industry both domestically and globally. Technologically advanced, creating new ways using technology to make decisions on their own without going physically to an agent. Offers a wide range of comprehensive services that customers enjoy. Ability to consolidate the market. Inability to fully penetrate the Western market resulting in dependency on the European market for revenues. As at August 2010, there was a consistent decrease in bookings following the recurrence of airspace closures, the emergency budget and the UK weather. Accounting errors on the part of executives. 3.0 The Strategic Fit Analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC Strategic fit indicates how well the First Choice Holidays mission and strategies fit its internal capabilities and its external environment. First Choice is the 4th largest package holiday company in the UK. Its main competitors are Airtours, Thomas Cook and its sister company Thomson Holidays, currently Thomsons dominates the industry. According to Investopedia, competitive advantages give a company an edge over its rivals and an ability to generate greater value for the firm and its shareholders. The more sustainable the advantage, the more difficult it is for competitors to neutralize the advantage. It is the companys competitive advantage that allows it to earn excess returns for its members. Having a competitive advantage is important to First Choice because without it, the company will have no economic reason to exist and will just simply wither away. Through the analysis done in this essay, although First Choice is ranked as #4, it still holds an advantage on its competitors. First Choice used the strategy of backward integration, meaning the company purchased suppliers in order to reduce dependency. An example of this would be its own airline and the First Choice Holiday Village. The acquisition of new aeroplanes, the Boeing 787 Dreamliners, would prove to be a major advantage as consumers are now taking responsibility for the environment and with these aeroplanes; the company will showcase environmental performance by reducing their carbon emissions. Having these assets will give First Choice the advantage of delivering products or services of a higher value at a cheaper price, as a result gain cost leadership. Using the internet for online sales has maximised their profits also the company retained their customers while gaining new ones. The companys liquidity and financial situation is stable despite a drop in revenue in 2009, with that they are capable of market consolidation. An example of that would be the acquisition of C.I.T Holidays, a UK based company with extensive operations in Spain and Italy. First Choice has a long history within the industry along with experience. They have proven to be well prepared to any changing environment. The company has achieved high economies of scale because of its access to larger market allowing them to operate with greater geographical reach. They have the ability to create value for money to its customers and have shown to be innovative by way of creating differentiated products such as its pre-departure website, an after-sales service. 3.1 The SWOT Analysis of First Choice Holidays The SWOT Analysis provides information that is helpful in matching the firms resources and capabilities to the competitive environment it operates. First Choice Holidays PLC Strength One of the market leaders in the industry. Ability to offer differentiated products/services. Commitment to customer service. Wealth of knowledge of the industry. Backward Integration which made them spread across the value chain. Strong distribution channels, the strongest being online sales. Weakness A 13.5% reduction in package prices because of a decrease in sales as a result of the recession and events such as the volcano ash disruption in mid-April 2010. A loss of  £69million in revenue in 2009 compared to the year before. Opportunities Further expansion through acquisitions and mergers. With new mergers and alliances, an opportunity to create synergy profits arise. Threat Airlines and hotels are now offering package deals. Threat to Thomson Airlines from low cost airlines such as Ryanair. Terrorist threats or attacks will change customers perception of safety when travelling. In conclusion, First Choice Holidays PLC is strategically fit and has a high advantage over the competition. The company is seen to be attractive for investment, although their profits fell for the previous financial year and sister company Thomson Holiday still stands at number one, but with new products underway, there may be a positive change.

Washington Irving And His Works Essay -- essays research papers

Washington Irving and His Works Washington Irving was born on April 3, 1783 in Tarrytown, New York. His father was a merchant and owned an import business. Irving had literary influences early in his life. He was friends with Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Charles Dickens. Washington Irving had no formal schooling. Instead, he taught himself by reading as many books as possible. Washington Irving had other interests than just writing. Irving was an inventor. He invented ice drinks and the dumb waiter. Irving was also an entrepreneur. "Early in his life Irving planned to follow his father's footsteps in the family business." (p. 187) Irving had many writings in his literary career. His works include The Sketchbook, A History of New York, The Devil and Tom Walker, and Rip Van Winkle. Despite all of these well known works, Irving never won any awards. Irving's short stories are The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Devil and Tom Walker. The first semblance in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Devil and Tom Walker is that nature proves to be a problem to the characters. In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the hollow is the setting for fear in Icabod's tall tales. Irving reflected on the dark setting many times in this story. "The swamp was thickly grown with great gloomy pines and hemlocks." (Washington Irving. p. 57) In The Devil a...

Technology Is The Seed Of Our Destruction Essay -- Technology, Childre

At an early age children are given toys stimulate their brains. Legos, Lincoln logs, even the game Perfection, teach the young ones what shapes are and what they fit with. But soon Legos will no longer be relevant. Younger generations’ new â€Å"play toys† will be iPads, iPods, and numerous other tech gadgets. Our youth will grow up in a world where technology is always changing; having the mindset that nothing can be done without a smart phone, tablet, or computer. Today’s society is so tied to technology that we are losing grasp on the non-cyber reality. When my mother was dating, boys would come up to her in person and ask her out. There was a rush of adrenaline when doing so; the fear of being rejected, the joy if she said yes. Today boys just shoot over a text that reads â€Å"Hey grl, date?† And some texts are lucky if they contain vowels. What happened to romance? What young girls are growing up to realize only exists in fairytales and romantic comedies. Just like in video games, guys are always trying to find cheats, or short cuts. So it’s never a surprise when guys try to take short cuts to hook up with girls. Having phones with the ability to send pictures and search the web, makes it easier to send and receive risquà © pictures. Society as a whole is too dependent on technology, we are addicted to it. People are on edge when they are not around their phones or computers, because we feel the need to post our every thought and action that we had that day. Who really cares if Joe and Gina are eating at Steak an d Shake and feeling happy? No one! But the fact of the matter isn’t if we care it’s that we know. In the article, â€Å"Children, Technology, Problems and Preferences† is defines this act of sending naked pics or close to na... ...ut a public service announcement will cause the need for research, which will put technology to use and the may become a distraction. Doing homework is no longer about sitting down and getting it done. It is now a test of the fittest, who can go the longest without checking Facebook, tweeting, vining or posting what they just ate to instagram. We need to untie our ties to technology and take our lives back. Works Cited Crispo , Alexander W. "The Age of Electronic Fascination: Can’t Live With it and Can’t Live Without!." 2011.4 n. page. Web. Farber, Barry A., Gavin Shafron, Jaleh Hermandani, Emily Wald, and George Nitzburg. "Children, Technology, Problems, and Preferences." 2012. n. page. Web. Allison, Shelia. "Youth and the (potential) power of social media." 2013. n. page. Web. Menon, Vinay. "Blackberry or Spouse? You Choose." 2013. n.page. print

Equality, Diversity And Inclusion In Work With Children And Young People

Dominic might be feeling excluded, lonely, confused and have low self esteem as he could feel that the children he sees attending the school have a higher status in society as they are allowed to attend the school. He is old enough to have probably attended school in his home country before moving to Britain and may be missing it and may make him feel anger towards the country/system he has moved to. He will be worried for his Uncle in prison without understanding why he is there.Dominic may also feel an amount of resentment to his parents as he might not understand why they have not tried to get him into the school if this has not been discussed with him. He may feel disempowered as at such a young age he might not feel able to express his feelings succinctly to his parents. 4. How might the discrimination affect other children in the setting? If there are other children within the hostel who are attending the school they might feel that Dominic is different as he doesn’t go to school like them.This can lead to them not wanting to socialise with him as children have a propensity to shy away from people/situations that are different to their â€Å"norm†. The children that are living in the surrounding area would wonder why this child is not going to school like most of their peers. This could lead to them thinking that Dominic, and other asylum seekers are different to them and perhaps lower in the social sector. They may not want to socialise if they see him outside school in a park or play area for instance.This can perpetuate the problem. 5. What could be done to prevent the discrimination? The managers of the hostel, who will be getting income from the government to house the family, should have information on a notice board or in a folder in the room, for example, in many different languages about local authority contact details. It would also be hoped that they would notice that Dominic is not attending school and, if they could not communic ate effectively with his parents, contact the nearby school and explain the situation.As it is the governments’ policy to provide education for all children of compulsory school age, it is the LEA’s legal duty to ensure this happens. Therefore, when the family applied for asylum and they listed Dominic as being 7, the LEA should have been notified and have contacted Dominic’s parents. This is irrespective of the asylum status. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in work with children and young people Case Study 2 1 Who is being discriminated against? The travelling community are being discriminated against.This case study highlights Sally in particular within the school setting. 2 What kind of discrimination is taking place? Cultural discrimination 3 How might the child experiencing the discrimination feel? Sally might be feeling a loss of motivation as she does not have a progress file, she may feel it is not worth trying her best as she may feel that there is no point as it is not cherished in the same way as her peer’s work is. This could also lead to resentment and anger.A child in this situation could feel depressed and confused, and that her work, and therefore herself as an individual, is not as valued as the other children in her class. This could bring on low self esteem. 4 How might the discrimination affect other children in the setting? The fact that Sally has settled into the nursery school well and that she is enjoying certain activities suggests that the discrimination is stronger amongst the adults in the setting rather than the children.As it is a nursery school the children will be younger and, to a certain extent, less likely to discriminate against Sally because she is a traveller. Another factor to this is that Sally has been there for 3 months which is a long time for children in this age range (normally 0-5 years old) to create friendship bonds, this however may be challenged if the other children notice that sh e is not being treated in the same way by not having a progress file. One very negative aspect is that it is stated that the local community have started a campaign to get the travellers removed from the area.The children within the homes of adults with this view may hear discussions and opinions that have a negative impact on how they see travellers themselves. This could be made worse if they learn that Sally, who is a traveller, is attending the same nursery as their own children and they may see her as someone they wish their children should stay away from. 5 What could be done to prevent the discrimination? The most obvious course of action would be that Sally’s key worker is challenged and reprimanded for her comments and for not having created a progress file for Sally.It should be explained to the key worker how this may make Sally feel and that especially as her key worker, it is the key workers role to make Sally feel included. Colleagues should have questioned why there was not a progress file for Sally, and a discussion, perhaps involving the parents of Sally, as to whether a progress file could be made for her to take with her if she did end up moving out of the area. This could be given to another nursery school as part of continuity in monitoring her progress in key stage 1.It can be difficult in an area where there is a lot of local opposition to a group in society but it would be the responsibility of the nursery to try to educate the children attending, about the travelling community, perhaps with stories and wall displays about their way of life and cultural beliefs. This could help to break the cycle of prejudice and the children may then challenge their parents views, making the parents stop and think about their own actions. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in work with children and young people Case Study 3 1Who is being discriminated against? Daniel 2 What kind of discrimination is taking place? Stereotyping 3 How might the chil d experiencing the discrimination feel? Daniel might be feeling a sense of disempowerment as he might believe that he is unable to challenge the practice of the playgroup even if there are other children who would prefer not to the run around game before snack time as it is insinuated that the children are not asked what they would like to do. There may be other reasons why Daniel doesn’t enjoy the afterschool club that are not explained in the text.He may have hearing problems and more sensitive to noise, this could be made worse by there not being a separate room for the children to go to for some peace and quiet. It may be simply that he needs some quiet time after a long day at school but feels ostracised to a certain extent as, for him to do what he wants he is not only physically, but socially put outside the group to the corners of the room. Although Daniel is happy to play by himself at home, he is of an age and maturity, where he may feel that this is socially unacce ptable when in a large group. This may lead Daniel to feel depressed.How might the discrimination affect other children in the setting? There are probably other children in the setting that, like Daniel would benefit from some quiet time after school, they may be physically and mentally tired but feel that the expectation to join in with the group activity it too much to say no. This can, like Daniel, lead to them feeling disempowered as the playworkers will be encouraging them to conform to the rest of the groups activities. There may also be children with other disabilities, whether they are physical or behavioural that excludes them from joining in the activity.They might then feel depressed or angry that they are not able to participate in something that is done every day. The exclusion could then give them a sense of lowered self esteem. 5 What could be done to prevent the discrimination? The play group should look into finding a separate â€Å"chill out† area for the ch ildren to use. Ideally it would be a room adjacent to the hall so that the noise levels would be greatly reduced, but failing this, a partitioned area that had a television and perhaps a games console would be useful.There could be soft furnishings like bean bags and oversized comfortable pillows for the children to relax on and perhaps read a book at the opposite end of the â€Å"chill out† area to the television. There should also be a weekly rota as to what group activity happens, this could be based on asking the children themselves what group activities, if any, they would like. This could mean that the children who like taking part in a fun quiz, or craft session for example, would be able to participate in a group activity.This would still allow the children who enjoy the run around games the opportunity burn off some energy. Daniel should be assigned a key worker who should notice the difference in his attitude between the morning and afterschool club. If he is assign ed a different person or the key worker does not work both sessions, then there should be discussion between the staff. It should then be raised gently with Daniel and his parent/carer to find out what was wrong. Question 2 Consider how your own attitudes, values and behaviour could impact on work with CYP.My own culture, background and upbringing can have an effect on my attitude towards the children I am working with. It would be important to understand and recognise this as any personal prejudices may lead to me discriminating against certain groups or individuals. It is my legal duty to protect the rights of children and young people. I could overcome this by researching different cultures and disabilities, especially of those children I am working with and by knowing and understanding any special educational needs it would enable me to help and communicate better with the children.If I find out about their own back grounds, abilities and individual needs, it will enable me to b e more effective and provide more appropriate and personalised support for those children. It would also be personally empowering when dealing with a new situation I hadn’t expected.Question 3 Describe what is meant by the term ‘inclusion’ and how this is implemented in schools. Inclusion or inclusive practice is a method of identifying and understanding barriers to participation and belonging. It is then being able to breakdown these barriers to ensure that the children are able to fully participate in all aspects of their school.In a school where inclusion is practiced everyone feels valued. It is not about viewing everyone as the same, or providing everyone with the same equipment, but giving them all the same opportunities to achieve their best through a high quality of education and understanding. Differences and similarities are understood, accepted and celebrated. Pupils should be educated along side their class mates and not segregated when they need supp ort. An example of this could be a child with a sight disability having a magnifier on hand for work books, or the same information in large print ready for him for each lesson.