PESTEL and Porter’s Five Force Analysis of QANTAS Essay

Executive Summary The following paper provides an analysis and evaluation of the current market position of Qantas and the airline industry. By assessing the company both internally and externally by applying PESTLE and Porter’s Five Force frameworks, this report will assess Qantas’ opportunities and strengths within the aviation industry. In addition to this, the report will focus on the specific resources and capabilities that enable Qantas to obtain a competitive advantage over its competitors through the use of the VRIO framework. A final analysis will be conducted to identify issues Qantas face and recommendations of how they can rectify these issues. 1. Background Qantas began in the Queensland outback during 1920. It was first registered as the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services (QANTAS) and has since grown to be Australia’s largest domestic and international airline, as well as one of the strongest brands in Australia, employing close to 35,000 personnel worldwide (Qantas, 2010). Based out of Sydney, Qantas currently operates close to 5000 weekly flights across Australia, New Zealand, Africa, North America, South America, Europe and Asia, flying close to 50 global destinations (Qantas, 2010). There a four major domestic airliners that have the majority of the market share in Australia; Qantas, Virgin Blue, Tiger Airways and Jetstar (Dixon, 2006). Nicknamed ‘The flying Kangaroo’, Qantas is the largest Australian global airlines and is a charter member of the â€Å"One world Alliance†. Qantas operates domestically under ‘QantasLink’, which carries out 2000 regional flights weekly. They also operate their low fare airline ‘Jetstar’, and Qantas Freight (Qantas Airways, 2012). 2. PESTLE ANALYSIS Applying the PESTLE analysis on the aviation industry will help to identify the environmental influences by arranging them into six categories; Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental (Issa, 2010). Future trends and requirements for change based on these trends can be identified through this analytical tool (Johnson, et al, 2008). 2.1 Political Terrorism has had a major affect the aviation industry. It is still a very  real possibility of airplanes being hijacked or blown up in mid air and this has put a negative impact upon the industry. The recent Malaysia Airlines tragedies are evidence of this, as is September 11. 2.2 Economic Oil prices have a significant impact on the airline industry. Due to recent developments in the oil markets, airlines have to employ non-monetary methods; techniques include hedging or airline alliances, in order to increase fuel-buying power. This will allow airlines to buy fuel in larger quantities and create contractual agreements with oil suppliers (Thompson and Gamble, 2012). The most recent and economically crippling factor that has influenced the airline industry is the Global Financial Crisis (GFC)(Nuguid, 2011). This presents a potential weakness or threat for Qantas who may come to feel that their premium price for quality service is not enough to get the customers to fly with them. 2.3 Social The number of people using airlines to fly to holiday destinations has increased due to economic growth. Therefore, the market has expanded and new opportunities for tourism have opened in previously frequented countries. How society is observed as it transmits to air travel has a great deal to do with September 11, 2001. As a result of this tragic event, the judgments of the world have become increasingly profound to the background of passengers traveling on planes. It has shaped something of a undesirable perception for particular cultures and beliefs. This discourages people to travel with other passengers or airline, directly affects the airline industry (Reilly.N.J, 2010) 2.4 Technological Technological developments have both created new opportunities as well as threats for the aviation industry. Development in information and communication technologies has enabled strong communication and has  consequently provided customers with an alternative for frequent travelling, for example; Qantas Frequent Flyer programs. Airlines are now able to expand their outreach directly to consumers through e-commerce. For example, airlines like Qantas are able to introduce ticketless travel through the use of technology (Thompson and Gamble, 2012). 2.5 Legal The implementation of the carbon tax had a negative affect on the aviation industry, as the airlines could not absorb the higher cost of fuel. This meant to offset costs travelers would pay extra in ticket prices (Herald, 2011). Some governments provide subsidies that provide an unfair advantage and prices lower than market conditions which affects the functioning of airline industries directly and Global environmental policies regarding emissions and international route deregulation may affect airline operations in present as well as in future (Fulton.J, 2010). 2.6 Environmental The aircraft’s emissions have a significantly high impact to the environment as they travel several kilometers above the surface of the earth. Aircraft emissions cause significant damage to the atmosphere (Penner et al. 2001). Noise polution is another major environmental concern (â€Å"Aircraft Noise is Unhealthy†, 2008). 3. Porter’s five forces In order to analyse the industrial environment of Qantas Airlines and evaluate the nature of the competition faced by the company, the following analysis was carried out using Porter’s Five Force framework (Porter, 2008). 3.1 Competitive Rivalry The competitive rivalry in airline industry has been increasing, especially through mergers, acquisitions and subsidiaries. Qantas established it’s low-cost airline Jetstar in 2003 creating a two-brand strategy. By having these â€Å"two brands† the Qantas Group is able to assess different market opportunities and deploy the best product to suit the opportunity and  specific market conditions this also creates a competitive advantage. New rivals have emerged following the footsteps of Qantas, such as Singapore Airlines and British Airways, and are threatening Qantas’ market share in the no-frill, low-price trade by offering lower costs and attending customer service (Mouawad, 2010). 3.2 Entry Barriers There are high barriers to enter this industry, as it requires a large initial capital investment. In conjunction with the price wars and low profit margins, it has become difficult to make substantial profit. It is very common for airlines to project losses in their financial statements. Therefore a new entrant must be able to handle losses at the beginning. Another barrier to entry is the limited availability of landing slots in Australian airports. The slots are already reserved by established airlines and are difficult to obtain especially in airports with high passenger demand (Czemy 2008). 3.3 Threat of Substitutes There are many substitutes in terms of long distance travel such as; cars, trains and cruise boats and these are generally cheaper. However, air travel has the absolute advantage in terms of time. Thus, the threat of substitute is relatively low. 3.4 Bargaining power of suppliers Boeing and Airbus are the main aircraft suppliers for large airlines like Qantas. Qantas plans to spend capital investment worth around US$17 billion in more fuel efficient, next generation aircraft, such as the Airbus A380, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A320 neo (Qantas, 2014). Qantas is heavily dependent on the price of oil for its profit margins, which implies high bargaining power of oil suppliers. Price hedging is limited and high rises in prices can manipulate Qantas’ fuel costs. Due to the limited number of aircraft suppliers, and the continuous need for fuel, it can be said that the bargaining power of suppliers is quite high. (Thompson and Gamble, 2012). 3.5 Bargaining power of buyers Consumers have high bargaining power with Qantas, which is mainly attributed to their price based preference. Receiving the same service, the consumers will select the airline that offers them best value for their money. Due to  the widely available information technology tools, such as Flight Center and SkyScanner, consumers have the ability to compare flight services and prices before making their final selection. Since the switching costs for customer is very low, the bargaining power of buyers is high. 3.6 Analysis Qantas gains its competitive advantage through its strategic capabilities that are gained from its resources and capabilities. It is through these, that the company can respond to its external environment and succeed. The airline industry is very competitive and as a result, profit margins are usually low. Also, the bargaining of the supplier is very high which undermines companies in the airline industry to exercise control over their supplier. With high entry cost, new competition into the international airline market is very low. Qantas can continue to dominate this market while still competing with domestic market using the Frequent Flyer program to increase loyal customers. 4. Opportunities and Threats By conducting both the PESTLE and Five Force analyses for the macro-environment we are able to determine a number of opportunities and threats that the aviation industry possess. Opportunities Threats Offers continual expansion opportunities for both leisure and business destinations Technology advances can result in cost savings, from more fuel efficient aircraft to more automated processes on the ground Technology can also result in increased revenue due to customer-friendly service enhancements like inflight internet access and other value-added products for which a customer will pay extra A global economic downturn negatively affects leisure, optional travel, and business travel The price of fuel is not the greatest cost for many airlines. An upward spike can destabilise the business model Terrorist attacks anywhere in the world could negatively affect air travel Government intervention could result in new costly rules or new international competition 5. Resources and Capabilities The following is an evaluation of Qantas internal resources and capabilities. Resources Capabilities Airport locations/hangers Engineering facilities Trained personnel In-flight food (Neil Perry’s involvement) Qantas lounges/restaurants Storage facilities for inventory, ranging from machinery to uniforms Training facilities for flight attendants and pilots New IT systems to promote more efficient operations including the evolution of e-tickets New development in cost effective service (e.g. with food, cutting costs on ingredients) New developments for the ‘frequent flyer’ scheme to adapt to competitors’ similar concepts including the Chairman’s Lounge Fleet development: â€Å"The airline has been constantly growing since its inception as a result of increasing fleets. Qantas has been purchasing Boeing aircraft makes like the 747-400. The availability of more aircrafts meant that the company can maintain schedules and meet maintenance needs of the old aircrafts (Qantas, 2014). By applying the VRIO framework to Qantas we can observe that not all resources sustain a competitive advantage. Jetstar, QantasLink and the Qantas brand in general are all strong resources that allow Qantas to sustain their competitive advantage. However, from the aforementioned  resources this competitive advantage for the Qantas Group as a whole is unsustainable. From the analysis, Qantas’ core competencies can be identified as their two-brand strategy, their diverse services and their reputation. 6. Issues The following is a list of weaknesses/ issues as identified by the SWOT framework: 1. Competitors 2. Higher labor and other operating costs than its competitors 3. The current strategies Qantas include their low-cost carrier and the Frequent Flyer Program (Jones, 2009) 4. Ongoing disputes between Qantas management and militant unions 5. Speculation that British airways will quit its $1.3 billion stake in Qantas (Qantas, Working Towards Our Vision, 2013) 6. Outdated IT systems. Recommendations To help reduce the affect of the aforementioned weaknesses Qantas could: Attract customers through improved customer service Advertise in social media  Engage employees and establish a better employee management system Adopt a corporate level strategy, which is the long-term direction of an organisation (Porter, Smith, Fagg), for Qantas this will focus on cost reduction. Develop a business level strategy that focuses on the need for differentiation (Michael A. Hitt, 2006). Focus should also be on the increased use of IT, to increase operational efficiency ie. Cloud Computing (Harrison, 2005). 7. Conclusion The Qantas Group has adopted potential alliances and partnership strategies to expand in the aviation business. However, there are some threats that will always affect them such as fuel costs, low cost airlines and alternative transportation. Qantas has remained strong by applying their core competencies like their two-brand strategy and their service diversity. To survive in both the global and domestic markets, the Qantas Group need to  establish efficient strategies to maintain the firm position in aviation industry as well as preparing for the unexpected. 8. References: â€Å"Aircraft Noise is Unhealthy†, (2008) Health Hype.Com. Available from http://www.healthhype.com/aircraft-noise-is-unhealthy.html (cited on 20th, March, 2013) Czemy, A (2008). Airport Slots: International Experiences and Options for Reform. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Dixon, G. (2006, February 23). Qantas not afraid of competition. The Age . G.G. Dess, G.T. Lumpkin, M.L. Taylor, A.A. Thompson, and A.J. Strickland III, Strategic Management (Boston, McGraw Hill, 2004) pp. 141-148. Harrison, M. A. (2005). The Blackwell Handbook of Strategic Management. Wiley-Blackwell. Herald, S. M. (2011, July). Airlines count the costs of carbon tax. Business Day , 1-2. Issa, Tomayess and Chang, Vanessa and Issa, Theodora. 2010. Sustainable business strategies and PESTEL framework. GSTF International Journal on Computing. 1 (1): pp. 73-79. Johnson G. Scholes K. Whittingham W. 2008. Exploring Corporate Strategy. 8th edition. Prentice Hall Jones, C. H. (2009). Strategic Management Theory: An Int egrated Approach Strategic Management Series. Cengage Learning. Keith Porter, Paul Smith and Roger Fagg, â€Å"Leadership and Management for HR Professionals,† Chapter 10, Third edition, Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier, Page 381- 411 Michael A. Hitt, R. D. (2006). Strategic Management Concepts (Vol. 7). Cengage Learning. Mouawad, J (2010). Pushing 40, Southwest Is Still Playing the Rebel. New York Times. Available from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/business/21south.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 (cited on 20th, March, 2013) Nuguid, A. (2011). IBIS World Industry Report I6402 Domestic Airlines in Australia. IBIS World. Porter, M. (2008). The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review , 78-91. Thompson, A. and Gamble, J. (2012). South West Airlines in 2010: Culture, Values, and Operating Practices. Case 13. In Essential of Strategic Management. McGraw Hill. Qantas. (2010). Qantas Fact file. [Online] Available from: http://www.qantas.com.a u/infodetail/about/FactFiles.pdf Qantas. (2014, July 1). Fleet Development. Retrieved September 1, 2014, from Qantas: http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/fleet-developments/global/en Qantas. (2013). Working Towards Our Vision. Sydney: Qantas Group.

Everything for Sale

Everything for Sale by Robert Kuttner: A Summary [Insert full name here] [Insert institutional information here] Everything for Sale by Robert Kuttner: A Summary In his book, Robert Kuttner (1999) tries to shake the dominant orthodoxy of laissez-faire economics, which he sees as the â€Å"natural form of capitalism,† by attempting to â€Å"reclaim a defensible middle ground† between when the market is â€Å"best left alone† and when it â€Å"needs help† (p. 5). Kuttner’s chief premise is that a mixed economy is necessary for a society that is civil and decent, a society where the economy is in optimum health.For Kuttner, unfettered laissez-faire economy is in conflict with mixed economy, and that their opposition is essentially a struggle between the moderate but rational dissent — the call for a mixed economy — and the prevailing orthodoxy, or the desire to retain the economic status quo. He further maintains that a mixed economy is r ealistic precisely because there is virtually no escape from politics, especially in the economic landscape where the government can influence its course by adopting certain national economic policies.Kuttner readily accepts some notable contributions of the market system. For instance, he concedes that â€Å"[m]arkets accomplish much superbly,† and that â€Å"[t]hey offer consumers broad choices† (Kuttner, 1999, p. 11). Paraphrasing Adam Smith, Kuttner (1999) states that â€Å"the great paradox of the market is that the individual pursuit of self-interest aggregates to an efficient general good† (p. 11). He reaffirms the long-held belief that markets, when left alone, can lead to a vibrant economy.Yet, Kuttner eventually notes that the free market capitalist system is not entirely a rigid structure that has an aversion to changes. He believes that, â€Å"[f]or economies to operate efficiently, drastic change or abrupt disjuncture is the exception rather than t he rule† (Kuttner, 1999, p. 12). Thus, markets may accommodate new prices, whether higher or lower than the prevailing prices. Old businesses may go insolvent, and new businesses offering the same goods or services may take their stead.Through the introduction of changes, the market is able to correct itself. In his book, however, Kuttner proposes something else. Kuttner seeks to dispel the complement notions that government interventions in the market are never successful and that markets are self-correcting and can thus work on their own. To reclaim the so-called middle ground, Kuttner offers detailed examples of how previous government interventions in the market did in fact work. He also writes about the shortcomings of the market for healthcare, the labor market, and the financial markets.By providing those examples, he then reduces the theoretical clout of contemporary laissez-faire economics, which he then deploys to draw attention to his position in favor of mixed econ omy. Kuttner further combines these examples with the premise that there are many kinds of economic and social goods that the market simply cannot provide without failing in one significant way or another. For instance, transportation and communication infrastructures are often financed by the government in association with other private and political entities.Though the funds are not entirely from the government, it cannot be doubted that the government has its share and that it is through its political efforts that the infrastructure projects are realized. Thus, for Kuttner, without the participation of the government in the economy, no matter how limited, the country will hardly be having the social and economic goods it now enjoys today. Clearly, â€Å"markets are not perfectly self-correcting† for Kuttner (1999) and, as a necessary consequence, â€Å"the only check on their excesses must be extra-market institutions† (p. 62), which is short of saying that the chec k is the government itself. Kuttner lists several areas upon which excesses have been committed. For instance, he states that even the seemingly innocent frequent-flyer program is guilty of frustrating shopping around for travel services by other airline companies since this program is designed to entice people to â€Å"stick with a favored carrier in order to earn mileage credits† (p. 261). To curb this, Kuttner (1999) states that there must be a regulated airline competition where â€Å"[r]egulators could set a zone of tolerable prices, to reflect actual costs more nearly† (p. 68). Another example is the case of the electric power market where the subsequent technological innovations in the first three decades of the mass availability of electricity led to the situation where â€Å"real prices rose dramatically between 1930 and 1933,† except that the â€Å"introduction of public power and federal regulation in the mid-1930s† brought back the â€Å"virt uous pattern of declining prices, technical advances, and increasing usage† (Kuttner, 1999, p. 272).Even the environment is not spared from the failure of a free market. Kuttner observes that the laissez-faire system has encouraged more spewing of pollutants, the manufacture of dangerous products, and others. Through regulatory measures out of broad public-policy goals, Kuttner believes that markets will have no choice but to cut down their waste discharges. The discussion cites other examples in order to illustrate the fact that the free market oftentimes finds help from the federal government.Kuttner (1999) concludes his book with a restatement of how nations â€Å"have now experienced more than two decades of the celebration of markets and denigration of government† (p. 361). Instead of continuing such prevailing notion, he reasserts that â€Å"the case for the market is much more of a mixed case than its champions insist,† especially since markets have become increasingly impulsive in breaching what used to be the province of rights.For Kuttner, the more these markets try to penetrate the province of inalienable rights in their relentless pursuit of profit, the more constraints from the government are needed. Otherwise, the whole foundation upon which the free market capitalist system stands will likewise become endangered. Reference Kuttner, R. (1999). Everything for sale: The virtues and limits of markets. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Great Gatsby and Elizabeth Barrett Browining Essay

The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald and Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning are influenced by their varying context in their portrayal of love in their respective texts. Both authors explore the concept of love using various language features such as metaphors the use of irony. The Great Gatsby explores how the desire for the American Dream has taken prevalence over romantic love during post world war 1. This is contrasted with Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese where we are able to visualise her passion towards her lover through linguistic construct and also through the construction of an intimate sonnet. The Great Gatsby is set in what is commonly known as â€Å"The Roaring Twenties† or â€Å"The Jazz Age.† Given the 20s was about opulence, the nihilist attitude is reflected in romantic needs. Fitzgerald dismisses the idea of idealised love and refers to America’s love with the American Dream. Post World War 1 was a period of hedonism that reflected people’s determination to forget the sufferings and loss of the war. It was also a time of moral confusion. There was a mood of superficial optimism as people tried to hide their disillusionment. Fitzgerald explores the difficulty of individuals maintaining moral integrity in a material society that values wealth above all others. It was a time where there was great importance placed on what people had and not what people were. Fitzgerald’s use of Nick as the unreliable narrator is meant to represent cultural mores of the 20s. He represents the voice, failings and cynicism of the time and acts as a filter through which ideas and characters are reflected and mediated. We gain a pessimistic and fragmented insight into the tragic love story of the novel. The fragmentation and complex structure of the novel builds up Gatsby as the paragon of the Jazz Age and epitome of the American Dream. Ultimately, someone who represents the 20s cannot gain true love in the face of Tom’s wealth and riches. At the end of the play, Nick comes to fear that he is living in a loveless and faithful w orld. The narrative structure shows that time is a representation of love. The exploration of love in The Great Gatsby is treated with great ambiguity as Gatsby who is to be admired for his hope and vision, is sadly tragic and is unworthy in a society in which he loves. Fitzgerald is alluding to the fact that in successful America at the time, many were preoccupied with their social standings and wealth. The American Dream took precedence over romantic relationships. He condemns  love to be distrustful and faithless. This is shown through the numerous relationships throughout the novel. The relationship between Daisy and Mr. Gatsby is a clear example. Before Gatsby went to war, Daisy promised to wait for him but instead, married the very wealthy Tom. It becomes clear that Gatsby loves and wants the idea of Daisy rather than the real version. In order to eligible for Daisy’s love, Gatsby recreates himself to become a successful and wealthy man; hence he shows Daisy all his possessions after their meeting at Nick’s house. When Daisy cries over Gatsby’s â€Å"beautiful shirts† it highlights, the materialistic views she possesses and the relationship between love and money at that time. Part of Gatsby’s yearning for Daisy is her link to an exclusive society that he desperately wants to join. Gatsby’s love for Daisy is clear when he takes the blame for the death of Myrtle. We are positioned to see his devotion to Daisy as being foolish. â€Å"I love you now, isn’t that enough?† Although Daisy is unsatisfied with her marriage and enjoys her relationship with Gatsby, she never intended to leave Tom. In the end, it is not enough as Gatsby is not accepted in society or accepted by Daisy. F.Scott Fitzgerald shows the shallowness of love through the relationship of Myrtle and Tom. Their relationship is a symbol of an exploitative relationship. Myrtle is not content with her marriage and vies for a higher position. Myrtle admires ‘breeding’ and the aristocratic society and sees nothing immoral about her position as Tom’s mistress. She feels more superior when walking around New York with Tom and looks down on people who cannot afford materialistic goods although she normally would not be able to afford these products either. Tom provides Myrtle with presents that she normally would not receive. Ironically, Myrtle condemns her husband, George Wilson, for not owning his wedding suit. However, Tom doesn’t want to sustain the relationship with her. It is purely for his sexual needs. Hence, Fitzgerald depicts love to be superficial and is determined by the amount of wealth and social standing of a person. F.Scott Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream. Gatsby is an apparent self-made man who went from almost nothing to extravagance and wealth. However, Gatsby, Myrtle and George are seeking a better life but only achieve humiliation and death. Myrtle dies in the pursuit of the American Dream. Ironically, she is killed by Daisy who represents the idealised woman of her time in terms of wealth and status. Elizabeth  Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese explores love from the perspective of a 19th century women in order to convey the passion she feels for her lover. Barrett Browning ref lects a society where idealised love is admired and where there is faith in the individual. Barrett Browning presents an optimistic view of love. She manipulates the Petrarchan sonnet form, which is traditionally written from a male perspective, by subverting the writing scheme. She subverts the form by writing as the subject and object of the poem. Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes of her personal experience of love and idealised love. She is challenging how the art form challenges woman and celebrates love as a liberating force. By exploring her emotions, she explores her own identity. Elizabeth Barrett Browning believes her love with Robert has elevated so much that they approach transcended beings, â€Å"Our two souls stand up erect and strong.† Barrett browning is suggesting that if they didn’t have a body they would still move towards each other in passion. She captures the intensity of their love and the depth of their love through the line â€Å"Until their lengthening wings break into fire† This reiterates their passion and connection of love. There is a stark contrast with F.Scott Fitzgerald’s bleak view towards idealised love to Barrett Browning’s optimistic representation of love. In each sonnet, Browning portrays the notion of love has empowered her and made her value herself as an individual, â€Å"I love thee with the love I seemed to lose† (sonnet 43) She reveals to us that before she met Robert, her life was characterised by fragmentation and loss. This reinforces how love has transformed her life. She attempts to measure her love for Robert through the line, â€Å"I love thee to the depth & breath & height.† The use of the half-rhyme unifies Sonnet 1 but fractures it at the same time. Half rhymes show the impact of the love she is feeling and the reassessment she is feeling. The half rhymes are created to show how the predictable known ways of seeing the world have led her to innovation. In conclusion, it can be seen that both authors deal with love in their respective texts. However, F.Scott Fitzgerald takes a pessimistic view towards idealised love and rather, comments on the love for the American Dream in his society. Elizabeth Barrett Browning takes a more optimistic view, suggesting that it is a liberating force.

Philosophy Statement on Adult Education Essay

For human beings, learning appears to be unstoppable and insatiable. People are always craving, curious and willing to learn new things every time. New information or methodology never fails to excite the curiosity and interest of the people thus inspiring learning attitude and enthusiasm. Even though at adult age or middle age, the rate of learning enthusiasm of the people never declines and sometimes it even increases with every year that passed on someone’ life. This idea is attributed to many factors that includes the psychological and emotional maturity of the person’s perspective towards learning and education, which is characterized by an upsurge in the degree of seriousness and willingness. Some cases are attributed to factors such as financial capabilities or time availability but most of the cases are because of the personal reason within the individual. Thus, adult education is a conventional and constructive approach to the learning process because it based on the humanistic and progressive philosophies of the human being. Adult Education The Corley and Stedman define adult education as â€Å"all forms of schooling and learning programs in which adults participate. Unlike other types of education, adult education is defined by the student population rather than by the content or complexity of a learning program (2005). † Accordingly, it is the learning process and enthusiastic approach of adults to the world of knowledge and information through the use of the schooling methodologies whether formal or informal. There are actually many reasons why an adult wants to participate in the education process. Some adults reasoned out that they want to learn new things and information which are not yet available during their schooling periods thus they want to be updated. Others want to develop or enhance their skills by taking either a masteral or a doctorate degree on their field of career or acquire skills on a new career they wish to embrace. While other, commonly the people who have not yet experienced schooling process or became literate, wants to learn the basic skills which they have not yet learned. Because of different reasons, the adult education programs offered at the present caters to different motives or needs. These programs ranged from categories such as literacy training, community development, university credit programs, on-the-job training and continuing professional education (Corley & Stedman, 2005). In addition, due to the surging demand and popularity of the idea of adult education many institutions have already established facilities and programs to accommodate the interested students. Programs vary in organization from casual, incidental learning to formal college credit courses. Institutions offering education to adults include colleges, libraries, museums, social service and government agencies, businesses, and churches (Corley & Stedman, 2005). Conclusion Adult education is normal process and something that should not be subjected to discrimination and subjection because learning is a human impulse or need that can be satisfied or fulfilled regardless of age and social status. Age and time should not be a hindrance to the acquisition of skills, information and literacy. Humans regardless of age always have humanistic and progressive philosophical aspects that continuously crave for enhance and learning to aid the development of a person in all aspects. Education whether in form of literacy, practical knowledge or scientific information will help the person realized and fully understand himself or herself and his or her environment thus continuous attainment of knowledge is important and adult education is one means of attaining it.

Prescription Drug Abuse on Teenagers Research Paper

Prescription Drug Abuse on Teenagers - Research Paper Example Since most of the teens tend to avoid reality in life, they take these drugs in order to control their moods, feelings and mental status. Teenagers have become familiar with the names of the brands of numerous prescription drugs and are in fact able to explain the effects that specific drugs have on them. The disadvantage with taking prescription drugs is that they change one’s state of the mind in a harmful manner. For instance, teenagers who take barbiturates tend to engage in socially unacceptable behavior such as stealing. A survey conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2004 indicated that overall drug abuse by teens had decreased but abuse of prescription drugs indicated an increase. Pain killers are among the most commonly used prescription drugs by the teenagers. Prescription drugs have remained popular in the US because even without the prescription of the doctor there are a big numbers of those using these drugs. Prescription drugs are perceived by teena gers as milder in effect, less costly and safer than hard drugs. They are hence perceived to be better evil compared to hard drugs found in the streets such as marijuana. In most cases, teenagers use prescription drugs in order to get high which is an important feeling when identifying with fellow friends. Apart from getting high, prescription drugs are used by teens to increase concentration or alertness and to reduce pain or anxiety. Since prescription drugs are taken under doctor’s prescription, teenagers do not experience a lot of stigmatization when they are known to use them by their peers or superior others.

Define the major flora of the different regions of the human body and Essay

Define the major flora of the different regions of the human body and discuss the methods employed in preventing both exogenous and endogenous wound contamination - Essay Example The mutualistic tendencies these microorganisms exhibit aid in the protection of the individual’s immune system, respiratory system, and even gut (Price & Frey 2003, p. 67). This is especially when it comes to fighting off pathogens. However, they can also cause diseases when not properly monitored. Exogenous and endogenous infections occur as a result of the presence of these microorganisms. Exogenous infections occur when pathogens enter the body through portals such as the respiratory, intestinal, and even reproductive areas. Endogenous infections often occur as a result of the patient’s distorted resistance (immune). Some of the methods implemented to deal with exogenous infections include; sterilization, cleaning, and disinfection (Gruendemann & Mangum 2001, p. 43). In doing some of these operations, it is easier to reduce the manner in which an individual is exposed to a harmful external environment. A technique used to deal with endogenous infections includes; skin preparation, where the patient undergoes thorough screening to determine whether the skin may act as a contaminant or not. Antibiotic prophylaxis is also another method where the surroundings of the patient are treated to reduce or eliminate contamination (Gloster 2010, p.

Jason Reitman and his Works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Jason Reitman and his Works - Essay Example All three movies have some excellent art work and the various aspects discussed within this paper are the lighting, mise en scene, genre, acting and sound and editing. With every new movie, Reitman has shown considerable improvement, with ‘Juno’, out of the three, being the best, in my opinion, in these regards. However, the acting trophy goes to George Clooney in ‘Up in the Air’ for delivering a very powerful piece on corporate America. All three movies have America as a common backdrop for their stories. â€Å"Juno† has a very basic story line as well as concept attached to the tale; it is about a young girl trying to explore the nooks and crannies of intimacy and relationships without understanding the implications that might arise along with the same. The film has been directed in a very concise manner making use of pencil stylized ‘rotoscoped’ images right from the credits in the beginning, making use of animation in order to help th e audience understand the maturity level of the girl and the kind of colourful life that she always wanted to live for herself. This entire sequence took a period of seven to eight months to be mastered as each and every shot that follows Juno on her way to the medical pharmacy was taken in short screenings. The set design is incredible, assisting in providing the film with a touch of wonder. (Chris) Full of sarcasm, Juno helps to put an indie spin on the movie and gives a very intense performance with her dominating nature and need to control everything that might not even be in her reach. However, she understands where she went wrong by getting pregnant but decides to bring about a change in a couple’s life with the help of her baby who she is willing to give up in order to make someone else happy. There was a vast amount of dramatisation in the film played by the other characters, namely Juno’s parents which helped to calm the situation by making her understand what she had gone through, and helping her come out with a solution rather than screaming at her and making her feel the pain of the implications and consequences that she was already suffering. The characters in the film were, thus, portrayed excellently, with the young actors doing their best to get the message out to young America regarding teenage pregnancies. The entire design of the film is based on the four seasons of the year and the film has, thus, been divided into four aspects with different materials used to give the picture of the various seasons that passed by. For example, the use of fake flora and flowers were made in order to depict spring taking place. Fans were used in order to blow leaves and flowers around in order to show autumn and the shedding of leaves and trees. The use of fake cherry blossom trees were also made to make the set look more real. Different colours were also employed wisely by the director as he tried to use each colour to signify the weather on t he outside. The lighting was, thus, very high key in most places, giving off a myriad of colours, or a very warm feel to the entire movie. On the other hand, the film ‘‘Up in the Air’’ has a very gloomy feeling to it; the film revolves around a question of how much an individual’s life weighs and it reaches out to a large audience because it is centred around the