Impact of Photoshopped Images on Teenagers

Impact of Photoshopped Images on Teenagers Do photoshopped images affect the way teenagers feel about themselves? Do you ever just read through a magazine or just walk through the local Mall and see posters of men or women, young children, even infants with no flaws? Well majority of this advertisement is thanks to photoshopping. So how does photoshopped images affect the way teens feel about themselves? (Choices: The Award Winning Health Life Skills Magazine for Teens,,Debate: Does Photoshopping images Hurt Teens? November/December 2014 Issue.) Back in 2012 a girl started a petition against photoshopped photos in a popular teen magazine, and 84,000 signed, clearly were tired of being fed lies! Use your voice through the internet and social media to demand that companies stop using photoshop for good. Everyone knows that perfection does not exist in this world. So when you open a magazine and see a model or celebrities believe me that their flawlessness is made from photoshopping the images. So dont compare yourself to todays models and celebrities because its their job to look good by using photoshop. The biggest threat to ourselves self-esteem is ourselves. Stop comparing yourself to theirs and start recognizing how good you look. Three Facts about Photoshopping: (Choices: The Award Winning Health Life Skills Magazine for Teens, Debate: Does Photoshopping images Hurt Teens? November/December 2015) In 2013 Israels Photoshop law went into effect. It requires that digital alterations to make models appear thinner be disclosed along with the images or ads. The truth in advertising Act was introduced in congress in 2014. It passed, it would require the government to come up with a strategy to reduce the use of altered images in advertisements. According to a 2014 survey nearly three quarters of young women edit photos of themselves before posting them to social media. More than half of men do the same. Studies have shown that women or girls who read or look at any fashion advertisement or magazines can have a negative effect on their self-esteem. I think that the three facts stated above are really important that they remain enforced still to this day. All companies who use photoshopping to alter any features on a person especially a teenager should make the public aware that it was done. Also they should get the permission from parents of teenagers before any photoshopping images are done and get posted to the public by any advertising on the social media. I feel like companies make it not as clearly visible or known to the public about photos that have been altered. Its usually in very fine print and hard to find on the image or ad. Its very important to teach our young children about the truth behind the images that surround them. Letting them see behind their photo spreads and the advertisements can help control the negative effect of these images. Todays media plays a big part of todays society. The media informs us on everything that is going on in the world. Which includes the new products that are on the market. The media can also have a negative effect on society, especially on teen girls. Their struggles of body image issues, self- esteem, and acceptance is brought out the most when they look at how perfect and flawless women look in magazines, advertisements, commercials, posters, and bill boards. All of the perfect things they see in the media are photoshopped. A method that gives teen girls a perception of what they have to look like to be categorized as being beautiful in todays society. (Huffington Post, New York, NY, Oct. 2014 Issue) A lot of teen girls today put themselves down when they look at a photoshopped ad, they feel as if they arent beautiful. This is the main reason why photoshopping needs to be banned. Perfection doesnt exist. No matter how many photoshopped ads there are in magazines, all women and teen girls are beautiful in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Companies need to stop using photoshop and promote women for who they really are without photoshoping any of their features. I dont understand why some parents feel that they need to alter their teenage or young childrens photos. Especially if they know that their photos are being photoshopped to look better in the eyes of their parents. I think this caused low self-esteem and this is what causes a lot of teenage depression and suicides. At young ages children should be accepted for who, and what they look like not for what someone wants them to look like. Some of the alterations that can be photoshopped are anything from whitening teeth, removing br aces, acne, and altering breasts on photos. Three of the most common mental-health problems among girls are eating disorders, depression or depressed mood/self-esteem. They are linked to the presentation of women in the media. Forty two percent of girls I grades 1-3 want to be thinner. Fifty three percent of 13 year old girls are unhappy with their bodies. By the time theyre 17, girls have seen 250,000 TV commercials telling them they should be aspired to be a sex object or have a body size they can never achieve. Seventy eight percent of 17 year old girls are unhappy with their bodies. Thirty percent of high school girls and 16 percent of high school boys suffer from disordered eating. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses. (Day, Lori, Newburyport, MA, 14 April 2014) SUMMARY: Life should be about who you are and not any type of photoshopping to make you something that you are not. I have learned from this research assignment that photoshopping can destroy teens self-esteem, and cause major emotional breakdowns. Be comfortable with your natural body appearance. WORKS CITED: Choices: The Award Winning Health Life Skills Magazine for Teens. (Debate: Does Photoshopping images Hurt Teens?) November/December 2014 Issue Day, Lori, Newburyport, MA: Educational Psychologist, Consultant, and Author of Her Next Chapter: (Why Photoshopping Is a Matter of Life and Death for Many Girls) Huffington Post, New York, NY (Photoshop: The Ugly Truth About Pretty Pictures) 11/11/2014 Updated 1/11/2015 Huffington Post, New York, NY (What We Miss When We Photoshop School Pictures) 10/06/2014, Updated Aug 03, 2015 GOOGLE SEARCHS: (06 Feb. 2017 15 Feb. 2017) Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks? https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com//do-photoshopped-images-make-you-feel-bad- Self Esteem Act: US parents push for anti-Photoshop laws Daily Mail www.dailymail.com/Self-Esteem-Act-US-parents-push-anti-Photoshop-law Oct. 2011 The Self Esteem Act: Parents push for anti-Photoshop law in U.S. Photoshop: The Effect On Teen Girls and Why It Needs to be Banned www.radicalparenting.com//photoshop-the-effect-on-teen-girls-and-why-it-needs-to May 30, 2012 Self-Esteem and Girls: The Medias Role | Building Self-Esteem www.healthyplace.com/blogs/buildingselfesteem//self-esteem-in-girls-the-medias-rol Aug 30, 2012 The photoshop effect | Feature Article 2013-12-03 GhanaWeb www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/The-photoshop-effect-294006 Dec 3, 2013 The Ugly Truth Behind Pretty Pictures | Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/the-ugly-truth-behind-pretty-pictures May 2014

California Love :: Economics Culture Cultural Essays

California Love Do you have any interest in politics? Could you lay your hands on $3,500? Would you be able to attain 65 signatures from registered voters? If you answered yes to these three questions, then congratulations, you are qualified to enter the race to run the fifth largest economic empire in the world. All the more power to you my friend. If you are not already aware, my home state of California is undergoing civic pandemonium disguised in political rhetoric as a â€Å"recall.† We are witnessing one of the biggest travesties in the modern era and poor Gray Davis is clearly the victim. Given the circumstances when he took office, Davis has done a pretty damn good job with the mess he inherited from former Governor Pete Wilson. Davis is surrounded by malevolent bureaucrats on a day-to-day basis, as is true for most politicians, and when one has to work with these bad guys, bad things tend to happen. Why is this? California is dealing with the fallout from an inefficient federal government that left its western daughter to flounder in the wake of a crisis the feds very likely created. When Wilson pushed for de-regulation of energy distribution (electricity/gas), outside suppliers, primarily Texas ringleaders like Enron, were allowed to run wholesale pricing up unchecked. Pacific Gas and Electric then filed for ban kruptcy, Southern California Edison was similarly affected. Now layer on surplus spending from dot.com tax coffers and the inability of legislators to rein in spending after the collapse of the dot.com industries due to their greed or bury-the-head-in-the-sand mentality. Now you have a reversal of a record surplus to a record deficit of some 35+ billion dollars. Prime fodder for the Republicans. Whenever there is a great deal of power, you will find a great deal of attention, greed and controversy. In the political arena, parties will strive for stability and control to maintain their power. So, is this recall really a street-smart reaction by Republicans, or is there a connection between California's recent foibles and a Republican conspiracy to regain stability and control? My congratulations go out to Mr. Bush for once. Perhaps he actually does know what he's doing. Perhaps he can push his personal agenda and look totally innocent. Knowing how much California would suffer financially, he couldn't have had any connection to the demise of Enron and WorldCom, could he? No ... certainly he didn't plan this crisis to rid California of its apparent cause, Gray Davis, did he?

To what extent is this true and how important is this conflict to the novel as a whole?

Throughout Iris Murdoch's novel, ‘The Bell' we are constantly being presented with conflicts, many of which relate to the discord between sex and religion which have been opposed to each other since the dawn of creation when Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation in the Garden of Eden. This conflict has particularly dark tendencies and acts as a destructive force for several characters, namely Catherine, Michael and Nick. Despite this being the primary theme of the novel we are also presented with a number of conflicts of a different nature. The main conflict of the novel is that existing between sex and religion, as embodied by Catherine and Michael. Michael is constantly confronted by the issue of his sexuality and how it affects his religion. He is always striving to live a good life and he believes that entering into the priesthood would allow him to achieve this. However he is prevented from fulfilling this wish by his homosexuality which goes completely against the Church's teaching. Michael believes that to live a good life, â€Å"One should have a conception of one's capacities †¦ study carefully how best to use such strength as one has†. In initiating relationships with firstly Nick and then subsequently with Toby, Michael is clearly failing to do this. He is aware of his sexual tendencies and knows that they are viewed as improper but fails to take measures to prevent them from overpowering him. Michael admits to this failing in Chapter 16, â€Å"Michael was aware now †¦ that it had been a great mistake to see Toby †¦ the clasp of hands, had had an intensity, and indeed delightfulness, which he had not foreseen – or had not cared to foresee. † Michael seems to take pleasure in the feeling of guilt which these forbidden relationships cause in him. When he is confronted by James Tayper Pace, following Toby's confession of what had taken place between them, he is quite willing to take all the blame for the whole situation, â€Å"The real blame belongs to me. By sending Toby away you've made him feel like a criminal. † It is as though Michael wants James to blame him. He feeds off guilt; the constant cycle of guilt, redemption and then further guilt. Nick's arrival at Imber Court acts as a further reminder of his sins and at the conclusion of the novel when Nick has killed himself, Michael is left with a permanent reminder of his actions as he becomes responsible for Catherine. Despite all the guilt, Michael feels that his love of God and his love of Nick â€Å"come from the same source†. The moments in which he claims to feel closest to God are ironically found with Nick and Toby. Of Michael's feelings over his initial contact with Toby the narrator comments that, â€Å"He had felt his heart heel over in tenderness for the boy, and had been sure that such a spring of feeling could not be wholly evil. † However, Michael is unable to reconcile his homosexuality with his religion and is tormented by it constantly. Nick's death destroys his faith in God and causes him to question whether he had ever really believed at all. He is ridden with guilt over his failure to give Nick the redemption he was looking for. He made desperate cries for help but Michael was too concerned with trying to lead a ‘good life' to notice. The one good thing he could have done was to be true to Nick, however he fails to realise this until it is too late. Although he does eventually return to the Mass he simply â€Å"existed beside it†. There is no longer any future for him in religion; he must concentrate on looking after Catherine. As the Abbess said, â€Å"the way is always forward, never back†. Michael is facing in the right direction but it is up to him to start walking. Catherine, like Michael, cannot reconcile her sexuality with her religion. As a postulant nun she is preparing to sacrifice her whole life to serve God. Iris Murdoch believed that one of life's great tasks was to engage in a process called unselfing. By joining the convent Catherine is attempting this process. Therefore, her feelings for Michael are totally improper for someone in her position; consequently she is ridden with guilt, which leads to her attempt to take her own life. The entire community is oblivious to her feelings for Michael. She is viewed as being something the other members should aspire to, â€Å"our little saint† as Mrs Mark observes. Dora is particularly in awe of her, both for her beauty and apparent sexual purity. She also feels slightly threatened by her as she represents what she can never have or be. It is as a result of Dora's interest in Catherine that we first get a suggestion that she is not as holy as everyone believes. Dora questions her motives for wishing to enter the abbey and Catherine's reply is, â€Å"There are things one doesn't choose †¦ I don't mean they are forced on one. But one doesn't choose them. These are often the best things†. This hints that she is not whole-hearted in her wish for a religious life: it appears that it is what was always expected of her, rather than being of her own design. Dora is the only character who notices this; the rest are all deceived until the dramatic incidents at the end. However nobody suspects that she may have feelings towards Michael. The only incident where we are given an inkling of any attraction is when Nick is working on the van and Catherine is sitting beside him with her skirt up around her waist; Michael arrives and she doesn't readjust it. Michael feels uncomfortable in this situation but gets the impression that she must â€Å"positively dislike him† as she looks up at him without smiling. Catherine ultimately fails to suppress her love for Michael and when the new bell falls into the lake she views this as a sign that God has condemned her, driving her to attempt to take her own life. Like Michael she cannot be truly good as she cannot reconcile her faith with her sexuality. There are also religious conflicts within the community as a whole. Firstly there is the conflict between the abbey and the lay community. The abbey is cut off both physically and in terms of the role it plays in everyday life. The abbey is separated from Imber Court by a large lake. The only way to reach the abbey is by a rowing boat which can be pulled across from either end. Then there is a high wall which goes all the way around the abbey. The only way in is through a door in the wall, which surprisingly is always kept unlocked. Toby discovers this when he climbs over the wall into the abbey as part of his sexual awakening. This incident follows the embrace with Michael and is Toby's attempt to convince himself that he is not homosexual. There is very little contact made between the abbey and the court. We only see rare glimpses of the nuns and Michael is the only person who is allowed to visit the Abbess. Most communications are made through Mother Clare, her intermediary. These boundaries are all representative of the widening gap between lay and spiritual life, and the fading role of religion in everyday existence during the 1950's when Murdoch was writing. People were abandoning the church in favour of other beliefs more relevant to the world they were living in. The community as a whole is separated from the rest of the world as there is a boundary wall enclosing both the abbey and the court. As Michael comes to realise, the community was an impossible dream; it is an attempt to isolate themselves from the realities of life. We also see religious and sexual conflicts between individual characters. Take for instance the contrasting speeches given by Michael and James Tayper Pace, in chapters 9 and 16 respectively, on how to live a ‘good life'. James teaches that the good life is, â€Å"to live without any image of oneself†. He has absolute faith in God and believes that he will guide him through life. James is a very sure person, confident in his own beliefs and very dismissive of anyone who disagrees with him. â€Å"I have little time for the man who finds his life too complicated for the ordinary rules to fit†. This viewpoint is very much the orthodox view of religion that had held prominence unchallenged for centuries until the time period in which Murdoch wrote the novel, when people started challenging this blinkered outlook. Michael by contrast takes a much more open stance. He believes this it is important to, â€Å"have some conception of one's capacities† so as to know â€Å"how best to use such strengths as one has†. Rather than having blind faith in God alone he suggests that you should explore yourself, test the boundaries of your capabilities. Ironically Michael fails to be aware of his own shortcomings in his dealings with Nick and Toby. To most modern audiences this attitude would seem much the better of the two. Nevertheless, in presenting these two different viewpoints Murdoch acts as a moral philosopher but allows us to contemplate and draw our own conclusions. She does not appear to be endorsing one in particular, possibly suggesting that the way forward is a compromise between the two. There is also a conflict of character between Mrs Mark and Dora. Mrs Mark strictly enforces the religious ideals of the community. For example when Dora asks her what she and her husband did before entering the community she is told, â€Å"We never discuss our past lives here †¦ when people ask each other questions about their lives, their motives are rarely pure†. In fact Dora is asking purely out of interest, she does not attempt to judge others. By conversing with Mrs Mark she was simply trying to show human warmth but this is killed by Mrs Mark's restrictive nature, which is reflected in the community as a whole. Murdoch uses symbolism to show conflicts with this novel and the most obvious use of it is the two bells. The old bell depicts scenes from the life of Christ, illustrated by rural, peasant images. It is inscribed with the words, â€Å"Vox ego amoris sum† (I am the voice of love). The bell is symbolic of a traditional way of life that had existed for centuries, with religious and secular life co-existing in harmony. In contrast the new bell is covered with â€Å"arabesque swirls†: these are meaningless, therefore reflecting the declining importance of religion in peoples' lives. Spiritual fulfilment was becoming more abstract during the 1950's, an example being Dora's revelation in the National Gallery when she is standing in front of Gainsborough's painting of his two daughters and experiences something â€Å"real† but at the same time â€Å"perfect†. In the past people would have turned to religion to provide such feelings and called them revelations. The story of the bell flying into the lake and the nun who drowned herself because she was having a relationship with a man are representative of the ongoing conflict between sex and religion. When the old bell is rung again it heralds the revealing of the long know truth that this conflict will never die, as Catherine declares her love for Michael and Toby confesses to James Tayper Pace over his encounters with Michael. The tarnishing and growths encrusted on the bell from years of being underwater illustrate the loss of purity in contemporary religion, also the tarnishing of Michael and, through his actions, Nick. The lake is another important symbol which contains different meanings. As well as providing a physical gap between the court and the abbey it is symbolic of the divide between spiritual and temporal life. When at the end of the novel Dora cuts the painter on the rowing boat it shows that there is no future for these two lifestyles to exist side by side. The lake is particularly significant when analysing the character of Toby. When he is contemplating his relationships with Dora and Michael he walks â€Å"carefully† around the lake. He is young and inexperienced in the ways of the world, not yet ready to make important decisions such as his sexuality. The murky waters of the lake represent the mysteries of life; Toby has tested the water out but is not going to throw himself in until he is certain. His ability to swim is also symbolic of the fact that he can cope with situations that face him; likewise, the aquatic nun who comes to the rescue of Catherine and Dora. She has learnt to live a purely religious life. Dora cannot swim at the beginning of the novel, she is drowning in Paul's restrictive power, however by the end she has learnt to live without him and take control of her own life. By contrast, Catherine is never able to come to terms with her feelings for Michael, resulting in her near death experience by drowning. There are other significant examples of symbolism. When Michael is in the chapel and describes the singing of the nuns as â€Å"hideous purity† this symbolises the struggle between sex and religion which is taking place inside him. It is because of this conflict that he finds their singing repulsive, as they have what he wants but knows he will never get; a truly religious life. Catherine is in a similar position, therefore it is perhaps significant that they both have the same dream about the drowning nun. There is ironic symbolism in the name of Dora's lover, Noel Spens. Noel is a very Christian name but he speaks out strongly against religion. He believes that it misguides people and places unfair restrictions on their lives. Dora's changing musical tastes are also significant. At the beginning when they hold an evening of Bach's music, Dora dislikes this as she finds it too structured and formal. She much prefers listening to Noel's jazz music, with its jungle rhythms and exuberant style. However by the end of the novel we are told that she has taken an interest in listening to Mozart. This is representative of the change from chaos to order in her life in general. She learns to take control of her life and not let Paul repress her. Initially she describes marriage as being â€Å"enclosed in the aims of another†. She is scared of Paul's physical power and will follow his orders to the letter. She is like the butterfly trapped on the train. Toby saves her from his restrictiveness by allowing her to rediscover her youth. He releases her. At the same time Dora saves Toby from being trapped in a relationship with Michael by allowing him to realise that he is not homosexual. There are many conflicts within this novel, the majority of which relate in some way to that existing between sex and religion. It is its destructive nature which makes this conflict so dark and I would argue that it is a conflict that can never truly be resolved. We do see different kinds of conflict as I have discussed but these do not play such a central role in the novel.

The Freedom of Speech Essay - 1300 Words

A long, long time ago our fore fathers sat down and drafted the most influential document of our lives as Americans, The Constitution. In this historical guideline for a free society the first Amendment deals with what they thought was a main need in our society that did not necessarily exist in other cultures at that time. This main need was free speech. Since this document was put into place, the issue of free speech has been heatedly debated among the common public, big business, and worldwide industries. The government has always been the moderator in cases dealing with free speech, much like when the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) fought diligently to get the government to mandate warning labels on media containing adult†¦show more content†¦In the FCC’s definition of what is indecent it states,† †¦.anything described in a patently offensive way, and lacking serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific is considered obscene and indecent.à ¢â‚¬  While there is obvious violence and profanity in this movie it can be described anyway else. It’s a movie about war how can violence and profanity be edited without keeping the integrity of the creative work as a whole. â€Å"If we put Big Brother in charge of deciding what is art and what is free speech, we would see self- and actual- censorship rise to new and undesirable heights.† says Rep. Jan Schakowsky. (CNN 1) Rated – R movies aren’t the only programs that broadcasters are getting scared away from playing. The Oscars this year got the worst ratings they ever had in history simply because they were not entertaining and it appeared too pre-programmed. The lack of spontaneity and abundance of predictability just proved that the American public wants something to entertain them and not bore them to tears. Yes, the FCC does rely on viewer complaints but according to Sean P. Means of the Salt Lake Tribune,† the complaint process has been hijacked by the Parents Television Council, which is a right wing organization whose members Spam the FCC with complaints through e-mail†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ out of the million plus complaints last year, 99.9% were from the PTC.† (Means 2) The thought that one groupShow MoreRelatedFreedom : Freedom Of Speech And Freedom Of Speech1167 Words   |  5 Pagesdetermining how much freedom the citizens in a society has. 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Just imagine a life where you could possibly be killed for speaking your mind and stating your opinion, other countries are living lives like that. According to Katy Davis, The United States ratified the first amendment on December 15th 1791 (Davis, n.d). We as a country don’t know where the governmentRead MoreFreedom Of Speech : Speech1105 Words   |  5 Pages Freedom of Speech Freedom of Speech, part of the First Amendment, is a privileged right that should not be taken lightly. The Milo Bill is said to protect students’ right to their freedom of speech on school grounds. It was introduced at Tennessee’s State House and is named after Milo Yiannopoulos, a British public speaker who made a career out of â€Å"trolling† liberals and gained publicity for uncalled-for acts, such as racist and harassing comments on Twitter, which got him banned from the social

Essay about Footloose Comparison - 1029 Words

Dr. Faucette English 111 October 14, 2013 Footloose â€Å"While the 1984 original is hardly a perfect film, New Footloose has some hefty shoes to fill,† as stated by Benjamin Wood. The original movie and new make of the movie Footloose are perfect examples of change in pop culture. In my essay, I have decided to compare and contrast the values and characteristics of these two movies. From the first to the second there are the same basic ideas, but so many differences in the characters and events. Christ Lemire describes the old Footloose as a â€Å"flood of fond memories† for anyone who grew up in the 1980s. This movie was a true symbol of the growth of pop culture during this time. The main character, played by Kevin Bacon, was a bad boy†¦show more content†¦Unlike the first, the boy actually lost his mother from a battle with cancer. This shows how different our world is today. It also shows his motivation behind his urge to dance and his movement against the council in the town. The second movie has the same script and outline as the first. The difference is the way the characters walk, talk, and act. They wear clothes that are more dated to our pop culture now. Also this movie is different in the fact that nowadays it would be very rare and very uncommon for a city to ban dancing. Have you seen Miley Cyrus lately? I mean she isn’t the first to do something crazy. In my opinion, this second movie is viewed and focused more along the lines of the love story between the boy and the rebellious girl. The film and the tunes were intertwined to create a pop-culture phenomenon unlike any were likely to see anymore, outside of perhaps Glee, simply because we consume entertainment so differently 27 years later (Lemire). I personally love the second one, but it wasn’t a big deal to everyone like the first was. I never even knew about it until it came on the television one day while I was bored watching TV. Our culture today is more worried and focused on other things. 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I concluded that this was for the following reasons: A. it kept my mouth busy, and B. it kept my mind off the overhead of stress. Good examples of Å’sing-a-long songs are ones from soundtracks such as Grease, Footloose, even Disney soundtracks were fun and kept me singing. For part of the emotional symptoms I would listen to calming music and the other part I would listen to fast paced music that expressed how I felt at that particular time. For example, when feltRead Moreanne meets her class1602 Words   |  7 Pagesthem. This situation reveals the actual situation at schools. Anne Lacey’s antagonist is Miss Enderby, a headmistress. Unlike Anne, who lacks confidence, Miss Enderby perceives herself as a master of that place, which is proved by a metaphorical comparison (â€Å"sailed majestically†); by her behavior (â€Å"motioned to the children to take their seats† and â€Å"waved back by a movement of her headmistress’s hand†, â€Å"rewarded by a smile†); speech characterization (she tends to give orders and instructions not expectedRead MoreThe Cyclical Teen Musical Film2030 Words   |  9 Pagesdual-structure narrative and thematic elements often remained. Many films from this decade are considered canonical and follow all of the narrative structures and elements, with some possible slight changes, including Fame (1980), Flashdance (1983), Footloose (1984), and Dirty Dancing (1987). Feuer also argues the female-centered teen musical came about in this era as well, exhibited in films such as Flashdance, Dirty Da ncing, and Hairspray (1988). These films still included a dual-focus narrative, itRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Out Of This Furnace By Thomas Bell1707 Words   |  7 Pagesliberal in their belief and get involves in politics in the United States. A new generation of Slovakian like Mary and Dobie, who were born in the United States are more interested in being an American and shows very little interest in their old in comparison to their older generation. Steel town product like Dobie redefines and articulate the role of Slovakian immigrants in the United States. After the death of Mike in an accident in the steel mill, at very young age Dobie fills in the huge responsibilityRead MoreEssay Public Subsidies for Sports Facilities3522 Words   |  15 Pagesinvestments and use its workers. In our forthcoming Brookings book, Sports, Jobs, and Taxes, we and 15 collaborators examine the local economic development argument from all angles: case studies of the effect of specific facilities, as well as comparisons among cities and even neighborhoods that have and have not sunk hundreds of millions of dollars into sports development. In every case, the conclusions are the same. A new sports facility has an extremely small (perhaps even negative) effect onRead MoreAdidas - Market Entry in Indonesia5422 Words   |  22 PagesCompetitive Advantage of Labor 6 2.2 Unity through Diversity? 6 3. Cross-Cultural Dimensions 7 3.1 Culture at national and organizational levels in Indonesia 8 3.2 The German culture at national and organizational levels 9 3.3 A Cross-cultural Comparison 10 4. Challenges of Entering Emerging Markets 12 4.1 Market Entry Strategy 12 4.2 Meeting the Challenge 13 5. Recommendation 15 I Love you soooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15 III. Bibliography 16 IV. Appendix 20Read MoreInternet Banking16942 Words   |  68 PagesMachines (ATMs) had the most penetration in the environment in comparison to other measures like phone banking, mobile banking, and internet banking. There has been an exodus of offers with which the banks have penetrated in the economy and this sea change has been made possible by the availability of technology. However, there is a still a percentage of customers who would believe in the concept of conventional banking in comparison to the modern banking methods which are confusing and at timesRead MoreThe Cause of Globalization18688 Words   |  75 Pagesconsiderable barriers to international capital movements. This result has been replicated many times (with some modifications) in the subsequent two decades. Frankel (1993) and Marston (1995), in contrast, use the relevant (covered) interest rate comparisons to argue precisely the opposite—that OECD capital markets were highly integrated by the late 1980s. Extending these analyses outside the OECD is fraught with difficulty, and preliminary results are inconclusive (Montiel, 1995). 5. Though systematicRead MoreRyanair Analyses44239 Words   |  177 Pages114-135, Spring issue, 1991 32 Gerry Johnson, Kevan Scholes Richard Wittington: Exploring Corporate Strategy, Prentice Hall, 2004 33 Ibid 30 31 29 25 Competences are difficult to assess in absolute terms. That is why usually a basis of comparison is needed to determine their development. Looking at the organisational history can provide a basis as improvements and/or declines become obvious, industry norms will offer hints about competitors’ competence levels and also benchmarking helps

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - 1468 Words

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott This book is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It in a town in New England in the 1800’s. It about a family and the girls growing up during the 1800’s and the things they have to face. The growing pains that all girls have to go through even now. This was a very sad book at the end when Beth dies. The four main characters are Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth the story centers around the four girls and the life they have during the time they are growing up. Marmee the girls mother is another main character because she is always supporting them in every decision and helping them to make through bad times even when they did not get anything for Christmas. The setting was in New England during the Civil War†¦show more content†¦The sacrifice, though tearfully made, brought twenty-five dollars, and financed the trip. Mr. Lawrence sent along John Brooke, Lauries tutor, to assist Mrs. March in her journey. Both Mr. and Mrs. March grew to be very fond of John - and he, in turn, became very fond of Meg. Back at home, dark days were to visit the little women. Patterning herself after her mother, Beth continued to care for the large, impoverished Hummel family. One night she returned home depressed and crying. She had just held the Hummel baby in her arms as he died of Scarlet Fever. Beth also contracted the fever, becoming much more infirm than anyone expected. It was a somber time for all, as she hovered near death. Fearing the worst, the girls finally telegraphed their mother of Beths deteriorating condition. But the very night Marmee returned, Beths crisis passed and her health improved. It was a happy family that welcomed their mother home. As the second Christmas arrived, the girls anticipated their fathers homecoming. Their joy was complete when Laurie arrived and announced, Heres another Christmas present for the March family, and in walked their father. During the jubilant family reunion, Mr. March admired his family, reflecting on how the girls had changed over the years. Meg had defeated much of her vanity, and had cultivated industry and the womanly skills to create a happy home. Jo had become aShow MoreRelatedLittle Women By Louisa May Alcott1041 Words   |  5 PagesIn her novel Little Women, Louisa May Alcott delves into the social expectations placed on American women in the mid-nineteenth century. Alcott explores the different impacts of these expectations through the experiences of the four March sisters as they transition from childhood to adulthood. As she follows the life of the girls as they struggle to balance the new world of social elegancies with the morals ingrained in them by their mother, Alcott challenges these social expectations and highlightsRead MoreLittle Women, by Louisa May Alcott800 Words   |  4 PagesLittle Women, by Louisa May Alcott, was published in 1868 and follows the lives, loves, and troubles of the four March sisters growing up during the American Civil War.1 The novel is loosely based on childhood experiences Alcott shared with her own sisters, Anna, May, and Elizabeth, who provided the hearts of the novel’s main characters.2 The March sisters illustrate the difficulties of girls growing up in a world that holds certain expectations of the female sex; the story details the journeys theRead MoreLittle Women, By Louisa May Alcott866 Words   |  4 PagesLouisa May Alcott was born and raised in Massachusetts from a financially struggling family, which will soon change due to Louisa’s writing talents. Louisa was homeschooled the majority of her childhood, which sparked her writing career. Many of her life experiences influenced her writing but the main one, that got her started, was her father, Amos Bronson Alcott, a philosopher and teacher. As she grew older, she befriended abolitionists, she soon becomes a part of, which greatly influence her laterRead MoreLittle Women By Louisa May Alcott1680 Words   |  7 PagesLittle Women, a novel written in 1868 also known as the 19th century. Louisa May Alcott, the author of the Little women captures values of social class and characteristics of the 19th century that are then reflected in the characters in her book. The characters in the book are written about the actual people in Louisa’s family. Little Women has themes such as coming of age, developing self-knowledge, overcoming personal faults, and female independence. The way Louisa wrote Little Women makes allRead MoreEssay on Little Women by Louisa May Alcott674 Words   |  3 PagesBorn in Germantown, Pennsylvania, Louisa May Alcott is best known for her novel Little Women. She was educated by Ralph Waldo Eme rson, Margret Fuller, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, who were family friends, and also educated by her father. Her novel is always in the top ten of the most-read books next to the Bible. Little Women takes place during the 1860s in Concord, Massachusetts. The story begins with four young girls trying to understand the importance of not being selfish, and it follows the livesRead MoreLittle Women Or Meg By Louisa May Alcott966 Words   |  4 PagesLittle Women or Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy by Louisa May Alcott is a coming-of-age story about four girls with all different personalities and different ways of going through the world. Alcott was persuaded by a talented editor from the Roberts Brothers firm to write a story for girls, and while Alcott was hesitant because she was not the largest fan of girls; she began the task. While this piece was originally geared to satisfy younger girls, the piece goes far beyond the point of just being anotherRead MoreEssay on Little Women by Louisa May Alcott816 Words   |  4 PagesLouisa May Alcott’s Little Women is an engaging and remarkable â€Å"snapshot† of its time. Written in response to a publisher’s request for a â€Å"girls’ book,† Little Women is a timeless classic of domestic realism, trailing the lives of four sisters from adolescence through early adulthood. The life-like characters and their tales break some of the stereotypes and add to the strength of the plot that embeds the last few years of the Industrial Revolution and social customs and conflicts, such as the CivilRead MoreThe Value Of Sisterhood In Little Women, By Louisa May Alcott1325 Words   |  6 Pagespriority. Even though the novel Little Women and the poem Goblin Market are different in regards to their primary storyline, genre and writers, they do discuss a similar theme, the value of sisterhood, in a way that helps in the understanding the achievements that sisterhood can orchestrate. Little Women is an 1869 novel written by Louisa May Alcott that majors around four sisters who are living with only their mother as the American Civil War was underway (Alcott 3). The March girls, who are theRead MoreThe Theme Of Family In Little Women By Louisa May Alcott1027 Words   |  5 PagesSarah Percy Wilson Theme- family is most important English 05 October 2017 Classic Novel Analysis In the novel Little Women by: Louisa May Alcott, a common theme is expressed throughout. To the family in this story, each other is the only thing that matters, therefore, displaying the message family is the most important thing you can have in your life. The four sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy, belong to a very poor family inRead More The Importance of the Family in Louisa May Alcott Little Women864 Words   |  4 Pages Many times people are asked to think about what is important to them. A person may say their home, car, children, material items and some may even say family. In the book Little Women (1868-1869) written by Louisa May Alcott illustrates several family values. The story of the March family starts out during the civil war in New England. The family is left to survive on their own because their father went to protect his country. During the years of life the March children, Margaret (Meg), Josephine

Delta Airlines free essay sample

There are three significant factors indicating that the U. S. airlines industry is in the growth stage. The airline industry has been introduced to the public and demand has been generated from consumer therefore the development phase has passed. Secondly, revenues have been growing every year, with the major exception caused by the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. Lastly, we see that product and brand differentiation is happening in the U. S. airlines industry. There is a fierce competition between companies to gain a loyal consumer base. In addition, prices differ between competitors and new entrants who are trying to grow by using lower prices, such as Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airlines. Money is being invested into marketing and loyalty programs to secure positions and remain competitive. The U. S. airlines industry is in a growth stage and this will continue after the effects of the terrorist attacks in 2001 begin to fade. As the industry grows to favor low cost leaders, Delta struggles harder in its attempt to compete as a product differentiator. COMPANY BACKGROUND Delta Airlines, Inc. is an air carrier company competing in the low cost dominated market of airlines whose business structure consists of three major business divisions: passenger, cargo and other. Delta is the largest competitor in the cargo division, in terms of revenue, among US passenger airlines. The other division of the business unit focuses on providing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, pilot training, travel packages, staffing services, and other various support activities. The problem is focused primarily within the passenger segment of Deltas services. The airline provides its customers with more than 13,000 daily flights to 313 destinations within the US, as well as within 58 countries; their services are offered on all 6 populated continents operating through 10 hubs located in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Delta also utilizes their membership in the SkyTeam global alliance giving them access to many major international airlines, but also giving those competitors access to their routes as well; additionally, they have multinational marketing alliances with many other international airlines outside of the SkyTeam. Delta also offers the SkyMiles frequent flier program, which is the worlds largest airline loyalty program, the Business Elite service, and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. These services offer customers who choose to participate the ability to earn mileage as a reward for frequently flying on Delta Airlines. HISTORY OF DELTA AIRLINES The airline company was first founded as a crop-dusting service under the name of Huff Daland Dusters in 1924 in Macon, GA; and by 1928 they had moved to Monroe, LA. Huff Daland Dusters was bought by CE Woolman, along with two of his partners, and established as Delta Air Service. The first passenger flights offered under the new airline were flown between Dallas, TX, and Jackson, MS. In 1953 they acquired Chicago and Southern Airlines (CS), the first airline for Delta, and flew passenger flights under the name Delta CS until 1955. Over the course of the past 60 years, Delta has acquired, merged, and formed alliances with several large international, domestic, and regional airlines in its efforts to increase the number of routes and the size of the business. The most significant developments were the acquisition of PanAms European flights and PanAm Shuttle, and the merger with Northwest Airlines. The acquisition took place in 1991 when Delta purchased all of PanAms transatlantic and European flight routes; this was the largest acquirement of flight routes in history giving Delta a substantial and competitive edge in the European market. They also purchased PanAm Shuttle, which it renamed Delta Shuttle, which currently offers hourly flights from New York to Boston, Chicago, and Washington D. C. , as well as among Los Angeles and San Francisco. The merger that made Delta the largest passenger airline in the world occurred in 2008 when they combined their assets with those of the sixth largest airline in the US, Northwest Airlines. Although Northwest operated under their own name until the integration was complete in 2010. For a list of Delta’s major mergers and acquisitions see Table 1. Despite the success Delta has experienced from these powerful unions, they have also experienced downturns. During the 1990s and 2000s, Delta performed a series of mergers and acquisitions which eventually led to the filing for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 in 2005. This in turn led to Deltas having to sell its wholly owned subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines to SkyWest Airlines. For a complete breakdown of Delta’s subsidiaries, see Table 2. COST CUTTING IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY The airline industry is currently characterized by the substantial price competition. The operating costs are seriously impacted by changes in volatile fuel prices, passenger traffic, government regulations, and a number of various other factors. In order for an airline company to profit from its operations, they must figure out a way to minimize and control these costs, while maintaining the ability to preserve enough of the features necessary to keep customers satisfied. Due to the fact that Delta is the worlds largest airline in terms of fleet size and passenger traffic, they face a larger challenge than the competitors. Considering that fuel costs typically account for 35 percent of airline operating costs, every penny increase in the price per gallon for jet fuel costs Delta about $40 million per year. Owing to the fact that the airline industry has little to no control over rising fuel costs, it is imperative for Delta to reduce costs or increase passenger travel in order to remain competitive. The following are some ways airlines typically reduce costs in passenger travel: Standardized Aircraft – offers the ability to buy aircraft in bulk, lower maintenance costs, and incur less costs on training personnel. Online ticket sales and flight check-in – resources are not used on call centers or agents and it reduces the need for check-in desks and employees to work them. Baggage charges and fees – fuel consumption and aircraft loading times are directly related to baggage volume and weight. In order to offset these cost, some airlines have imposed charges for checked baggage, late-checked baggage, and extra baggage in an effort to reduce aircraft weight and time spent loading the aircraft. Point to point flights – this means that flights are flown directly to the destination instead of going through a central hub. This reduces the number of flights an airline flies and reduces the need to accommodate passenger connections, which greatly reduces the need for numerous employees. Other options for reducing costs include: hedging fuel costs by purchasing and storing fuel while fuel prices are low, removing non-essential features from aircraft, lowering airport fees by reducing time aircraft stay on the ground, and using staff to do multiple tasks. Although there are multiple ways in which costs can be offset, an airline of Deltas size can have a very difficult time making these kinds of adjustments. For example, Delta already owns many different models and sizes of aircraft that are needed for each individual route (regional, domestic, or international); they have also already increased the number of online and kiosk services for its customers to reduce the need for some employees, but still require customer service representatives due to the large number of flights and passenger volume which they handle daily. DELTAS COMPETITIVE PROBLEM The number of low-cost carriers has grown exponentially and have put the full service airlines under many competitive pressures; the number of low-cost carriers in Europe increased ten-fold from 1995-2001. * In order to maintain the ability to compete in the airline industry today, an airline must obtain the most operationally efficient model available. The market has developed so many low cost alternatives that maintaining a high number of services is difficult to correlate with cost reduction possibilities. Delta has built such a large empire in a very costly industry, thus leaving themselves in the difficult position of creating an ability to offer lower price options in order to compete while still attempting to cover the costs associated with offering those flights. The goal of differentiation can lead to an advantage in the long-run if the importance of maintaining the ability to profitably compete in the short run is acknowledged, and the creation of the long run strategy for competitive advantage is properly managed. An important portion of the long run strategy for a full service airline should be customer relationship management (CRM), but they must be able to integrate the policies organization wide while maintaining a profitable business competence. The current access Delta has had to cost reduction opportunities are insufficient to affect the appropriate level of change within the cost structures they currently maintain. This results in an inability of Deltas to operate solely within the low cost structures of their competitors. By moving slowly toward the strategy of offering better associations with their customers and creating long-term relationships, they can gain a sustainable competitive advantage within the industry. The existing elements of a CRM strategy which Delta utilizes are its frequent flyer programs, which dont focus closely enough on customer needs and wants. The profitability made available to the airlines as a result of this relationship is a great help to the airline, but do not provide an advantage for the company. Exhibit 2 shows the global system seat capacity by alliance; Deltas association with SkyTeam is not providing a competitive advantage in the market. The industrys current take on offering CRM is to simply keep up with competitors offers as opposed to evaluating the most valuable customers and tailoring offers to them. This results in the services offered by any competitor become quickly widespread throughout the industry and do not help to offer any differentiation from the competitors. For example, Delta waited to deploy the self-service kiosks claiming that they could save money on the later investment. * This attitude creates a lag in the customers perceptions of the company; this lag is especially detrimental to a company trying to establish themselves as differentiated from their competitors. Exhibit 3 shows the US carrier capacity increase or decrease in trans-Atlantic markets during the third quarter of 2013. DELTAS ATTEMPTS TO RECTIFY THE ISSUES As previously mentioned, Delta has implemented many cost cutting maneuvers over the years. They started in 1993 with launching non-stop flights between Los Angeles and Hong Kong. Driven by the success of this emphasis on overseas routes they began code-sharing agreements in 1994 allowing the airline to buy tickets from competing airlines and resell them to its own customers allowing more flight flexibility. They also began a restructuring campaign reducing the operating expenses and cutting the work force down. This campaign was a drastic attempt to slash costs in a program they coined Leadership 7. 5. This program was attempting to reduce the cost of flying to 7. 5 cents per mile, resulting in an overall reduction of $2 billion in operating expenses over a three year period. * One of the ways Delta was to make this possible was by slashing the work force by 20 percent, realign the domestic routes, and discontinue some routes in Europe. Exhibit 4 shows the trend in Europe toward lower cost airlines. These reductions left the company more profitable in the short run, but also created a loss in reputation due to the decline in customer service and the increase in customer complaints which resulted from the overcrowding and frequent delays. By 1997, they had dropped to last place in on-time rankings. The most recent cost reducing strategic move for Delta came when they purchased an oil refinery in Trainer, PA. They brought the refinery on-line in 2012 after the investments required to maximize its jet fuel production. This could result in a huge advantage for Delta over the volatile and ever rising fuel costs the industry is so prone to. Delta also decided to invest $2 billion in enhancing the customer facing services including access to boarding passes, flight updates, and even luggage-tracking capabilities through a mobile app. * This move toward more tech-savvy offers to customers shows a clear direction toward a CRM strategy which could result in future advantage for Delta. THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT To evaluating a firms external environment is to understand the environment in which they compete and the structure of the industry. It is necessary to know the industry structure because it drives competition and, in turn, determines profitability. The Porters Five Forces Model, and the addition of complementors, demonstrates the attractiveness of an industry and gives an analysis from the perspective of the focal firm by giving information on the industrys buyers, suppliers, or rivals; this also helps identify opportunities and threats for a company. When applying this model to the airline industry, we see that the intensity of competition for any industry that develops rivalries generally have low product differentiation, high fixed costs as exit barriers, and a large number of competitors. We can determine from this information that overall rivalry for Delta would be high because major airline companies compete closely and powerfully for global market share and growth. American Airlines, Northwest, AirTran Airlines, US Airlines and United Airlines are just a few of the competitors that help develop a high intensity for competition for Delta. The threats for potential entrants are a minor threat to existing airlines. The more airlines there are, the lower prices will be, due to competitive forces that drive the ticket prices down. So for the airline industry, the threat for entry would be at a medium level. This is because new entrances may be able to secure second hand aircrafts to establish a lower cost structure from lesser start up costs than are typical. However, securing airport infrastructure, such as facilities and airline routes are also difficult to acquire because of the high number of government regulations. Hence, because the government regulations for an airline are very strict and there are quite a few regulations to follow, such as security, aircraft integrity, air/land traffic controls and business regulations, the threat for substitutes that would compete with Delta Airlines would be analyzed at a low level. This is due to the fact that there are many other means of transportation in the market, but they are inadequate compared to the efficiencies of traveling by plane, such as international travel. Examples include: trains, buses, boats and railways. In regards to the buyer power in the airline industry, the lack of product differentiation, the small number of buyers, and the fact that the buyer is an only customer of the focal firm would result in a high level of buyer power. This is evidenced by a wide variety of other airlines to choose from, and the customers have the option to compare ticket prices online and choose the cheapest (which may not be Delta as evidenced earlier in this report). With the continually rising fuel costs, the cost of production of the actual aircraft, and the extensive government regulations, it is hard for a company to consistently lower prices and turn a profit in the airline industry. Exhibit 5 shows the average fuel costs and average fares for the industry, representing how Delta is unable to produce a large profit due to the cost of tickets and the high fuel costs. This is why Delta Airlines attempts to create a better flight experience as an alternative to cheaper fares. As for the bargaining power of suppliers in the airline industry, this could be analyzed at a high level. This is due to the fact that there are just two types of suppliers that meet the average government regulation requirements. In this industry, Airbus and Boeing control this market; therefore Delta can only rely on them to supply the aircrafts. A complementor can be the determining factor of whether or not a customer chooses to fly with them or a competing airline. Therefore, complementors are crucial to Deltas services and offers because an advantage or product improvement can affect the overall demand for their service. Some examples of complementors for the airline industry would be: Orbitz, MYOBtravel. com, Priceline, or Kayak. com. A visual representation of Porters Five Forces is available in Exhibit 6. THE INTERNAL VRIO The internal analysis of a company produces valuable insight into how the firm may be able to cut costs, differentiate, or otherwise better compete within their industry. This analysis, used in union with the external analysis, can be a useful tool with which the corporate strategy can grow and build off of. The internal analysis consists of evaluating the value of the firm, the rarity of the product or service, whether or not the product or service is costly to imitate and whether the organizational structure supports the business in a valuable way. When these things are considered and implemented in a valuable way, they stand to create a sustained competitive advantage. VALUE Delta has done several things to attempt to increase the value of its flight experience. For instance, Delta has increased flight routes to provide more destination options with less time in layover. In 2011, Delta awarded approval to create joint venture with Virgin Australia to increase options for customers traveling between Australia and the United States . ** Delta has also used its frequent flyer miles program in which they use their own branded credit cards to produce value for the company. Through the program customers earn miles by purchasing airline tickets, staying at partner hotels, by using ground transportation partners, and by booking vacations through partner company’s services. These miles points can be converted to be used as Delta SkyMiles, and can be used to book flights, upgrade to First Class or Business Elite, pay for a membership to Delta Sky Club, shop at SkyMiles Marketplace, bid at SkyMiles Online Auction, and purchase Broadway tickets. Delta does make available the option to donate the SkyMiles to charity or give them to friends and family, which is unique. ** Also, by offering several options to check in they have added additional value to the process. These features include: online check in, Fly Delta app check in, Airport Kiosk check in, Airport curbside check in. Passengers can also use the Fly Delta app to change flights, pay for checked bags, get airport maps, and get parking information; this app is made available to iPhones, iPads, Window’s phones, BlackBerrys, and Androids. ** Delta has also been using improvements in the customers flight experience to try to add value; they are the first airline to offer passengers the ability to keep their devices on and able to be used during flights. They also offer power outlets for users who may need to charge devices and Wi-Fi access to passengers who wish to view Deltas site (or Wi-Fi for purchase to those who wish to browse other sites). They offer complimentary inflight TV shows, movies, and music; the TVs are touchscreen, located on the back of the passengers seats, and controlled by the passenger giving them the ability to create their own satisfying, unique experience. Delta also offers overhead TVs that play new movies and popular TV shows, giving the customers yet more options for in flight entertainment. ** Several seating options are made available to Deltas passengers to offer more comfort during the flights; these options include: flat-bed and seat sleepers for elite passengers, larger seats in first class, extra legroom in economy comfort, and window and aisle seats with bulkhead seats in preferred. ** RARITY Deltas size creates a unique capability to utilize resources and capabilities in such a way that smaller inadequate firms cannot. However there are many airlines of various sizes in the current industry, especially when including both international and domestic carriers. By working toward enhancing terminals to make them more appealing and partnering with Chef Michael Chiarello to create a three course menu for Delta flights, available to flights from LAX to JFK**, are some of the ways Delta is attempting to create a unique flight experience for their customers. This ability is rare in this industry which, for one, focuses on cost reduction, and for two, doesnt possess the ability to create these sort of offerings. COSTLY TO IMITATE The practice of acquisitions and mergers in the airline industry is very costly. It would be hard for any competitor to imitate Deltas scale. This is largely due to the method by which companies within this industry achieve growth, through mergers and acquisitions which the government closely regulates. It would also be hard for a new competitor to stand against Deltas long established brand. By merging with Northwest Airlines and therefore creating the largest airline company who also owns its own concourses in its main hub in Atlanta providing a advantageous control of the airport. It is also difficult to imitate the level and types of services and amenities offered by Delta. They offer airport lounges for customers to await flights in, Wi-Fi for passengers, and the exceptional level of customer service provided to the passengers. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Delta has been come to be known for its high employee morale, attributable to the fact that Delta offers above average compensation and benefits as compared to their competitors. They show pride in their employees and offer full medical benefits, 401K, and free travel. Employees are satisfied with Deltas open communication style, and tend to prefer to stay with the company; this fact was supported when Delta employees agreed to accept pay cuts during an unstable financial time. Another thing that sets them apart from other airlines is the relatively low level of unionization. Despite the fact that the airline industry is very labor intensive, only 17 percent of Deltas employees are unionized. The high level of employee morale can also be attributed to the business principle upheld by Delta: Commit to being a great place to work. They understand that by providing for their employees, their employees will reciprocate. Although Delta generates revenues through both air transportation and cargo shipments, the highest earning revenue activity is the air transportation. According to Bidnessetc. com, â€Å"Delta generated almost 86% of its 2012 revenues from passenger sales and the rest from cargo shipments and other airport services. † While carrying cargo has not always been a part of Delta’s business model, it has proved to be very successful for them. Delta started carrying cargo in 1946 and it soon started pursuing global cargo delivery. Delta Cargo can be broken down into 4 aspects: express, general, specialty, and services. Express cargo can be broken down to small international and large international. General cargo ships almost anything under 300 pounds. Specialty cargo is for animal remains, live animals, perishables, and firearms. Services include dangerous goods and coolers for international perishables. ** Since the acquisition of Northwest Airlines in 2008, Delta now delivers cargo to every region of the world. In 2011, Delta Cargo produced $1billion of the company’s $35 billion generated revenue. ** RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES The company’s resources and capabilities create a means to which the firm may utilize to create and sustain a competitive advantage. The capabilities are aspects of the business which create an ability to utilize resources in such a way as to add value to the company. These elements of analysis are essential to fully understanding how you can utilize assets to achieve the strategy, or to determine if that strategy is achievable. EMPLOYEE/EMPLOYER RELATIONS Delta employs about 80,000 workers worldwide and operates on a particular code of business ethics, which are enforced throughout their labor force. They strive to maintain positive employee/employer relationships, have made it a goal to understand their employees, and are committed to building an open and honest communication structure. The company believes that their success is reliant on the relationships they build with their employees, as that reflects into the employee’s relationships with customers. As Delta spent time building their brand name over the years, they have also built trust with their employee base. As previously mentioned, their customers voluntarily took pay cuts during a downturn in order to help stabilize the company. This is an extent of loyalty not often seen. With this help from the workers, Delta was able to maintain profitability for several years more. This loyalty can be seen reflected in the customers loyalty as the customers see the pride established in the workforce. Despite the benefits that the loyalty of employees provides, more is necessary to provide a true advantage to Delta. LOCATION Delta is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, within the most frequently traveled airport in the world. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport flies more than 994,000 aircrafts which service more than 89. 4 million passengers each year, Delta accounting for approximately 56 percent of these flights. This clear dominance at such an important hub gives Delta an apparent advantage over its competitors. They also offer 37 destinations across the Atlantic Ocean, in addition to being the primary carrier to Africa. They have 10 hubs located in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita which offer a range of options available to those making trips through their services, allowing them to offer more flexibility within their scheduling. Delta has established clear advantages in the area of location establishment. REVENUE Although the majority of their revenue is produced through passenger air travel, they remain to be one of the leading cargo carriers amid US airlines. The cargo revenue is produced through both domestic and international markets, and is associated with the largest global airline cargo alliance, Sky Team Cargo. Delta also offers its customers two general types of flights: an economy class, which is basic air transportation, and business class, which is luxury air transportation. The business class option is the more profitable division due to the fact that business travelers are less price sensitive and more concerned about comfort. It also attests to the business class being more profitable when the fact is considered that the average traveler is more likely to change/cancel flights based on the price. â€Å"The industry faces substantial challenges from unprecedented revenue declines and volatile fuel prices, but Delta is the best positioned network carrier to weather these economic conditions(†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦)†. COMPETITION By analyzing a the competitors, the firm may be able to turn the attention on identified risk and better determine how to reduce costs. Some of Deltas major competitors include American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, and Continental Airlines. Exhibit 7 shows the year over year changes in revenue per seat mile by competitor since 2005. It has been considered that the low cost carriers may eventually dominate the market and push out the large, established companies like Delta which may not be able to sufficiently reduce costs in order to remain competitive. The trends in the market have shown the gaining popularity of the budget airlines. CONCLUSION