Benihana Company Essay

Helping our guests feel welcome is as important as our cooking. And it is just as great a skill. Ever striving for excellence in hospitality, it is truly our restaurant family who has built Benihana’s success. Company History: Benihana, Inc. owns and licenses restaurants in the Benihana and Benihana Grill chain of Japanese dinnerhouses. The restaurants specialize in an exhibition-style of Japanese cooking called teppanyaki. Customers sit around a communal table at which a Benihana chef slices their seafood, steak, chicken, and vegetables with lightning speed, grills their meal right in front of them, and then tosses it accurately onto their plates. The restaurants are decorated with Samurai armor and valuable art, and Shoji rice paper screens partition the dining areas. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 1996, the company had sales of over $81 million, an all-time high. By December 1996, Benihana operated a total of 49 licensed and wholly owned restaurants in 20 states as well as in Bogota, Columbia, and Aruba, Netherlands Antilles. Early History, from Tokyo to New York The founder of Benihana, Inc. was a 25-year-old Olympic wrestler from Japan named Hiroaki Rocky Aoki. He got his start in the restaurant business by working after school in his family’s coffee shop in downtown Tokyo. His mother named the family business Benihana after a red flower that survived the bombing of Tokyo during World War II. Rocky was a scrapper, defending himself in the streets and schoolyards against bigger boys. He got hooked on wrestling, became a national university champion, and earned a place on the 1960 Olympic team. Although he didn’t compete because he was over his weight limit, he did fall in love with New York when the plane stopped there on the way to the Games in Rome. That fall he left Japan for the United States. In 1964, Aoki graduated from New York Community College’s School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. During the summer he earned money driving the only ice cream truck in Harlem. The job was not easy, as he explained in an article in Management Review. â€Å"Every time I robbed, I get up earlier the next day and work later to make up. Every time I lose money, I get more challenge.† With that philosophy, he managed to save $10,000 during the summer, which, along with a loan, was enough to start his first restaurant, Benihana of Tokyo. Aoki’s concept for his new restaurant, derived from specialty restaurants he knew of in Japan, was part entertainment and part food service. He wanted to offer Americans food they were familiar with, such as chicken, steak, and shrimp, prepared in a novel setting. He chose the teppanyaki table–a stainless steel grill surrounded by a wooden eating surface–where customers could watch a knife-wielding, joke-telling chef prepare and serve their food. His parents and brothers came from Japan to help him get started. Unfortunately, New Yorkers equated Japanese food with raw fish and weren’t comfortable sitting at a table with strangers. They ignored the midtown Manhattan eatery until the restaurant critic of the New York Herald Tribune gave it a glowing review. Suddenly, everyone in New York, including the Beatles and Muhammad Ali, wanted to sit around one of Benihana of Tokyo’s four teppanyaki tables. Within six months after the review the restaurant had paid for itself, and Aoki quickly opened another restaurant in a larger, fancier building. The new location provided the same teppanyaki-style cooking but was decorated with valuable art, Samurai armor, heavy wooden ceiling beams brought from Japan by Aoki’s father, and sliding Shoji screens to provide some privacy. 1965-80: Building a Company The Benihana concept combined reasonable prices with good food, and, by preparing what was eaten right at the table, held waste to a minimum. Profits were good, and, in 1968, Aoki opened his first Benihana of Tokyo outside New York City–in downtown Chicago. That location made $700,000 in its first year and continued to be one of the company’s top earning outlets. Between 1969 and 1972, the company opened six more of its own restaurants and licensed franchisees to open another ten. In a joint venture with the Las Vegas Hilton, the company developed Benihana Village, a 38,000-square-foot complex of restaurants, bars, and other entertainment venues. In 1972, the company grossed $12 million and the Harvard Business School selected Benihana of Tokyo as a case study of an entrepreneurial success story. With business going so well, Rocky Aoki could devote time to his other interests which included racing balloons and powerboats, collecting items ranging from vintage cars to slot machines and learning backgammon. â€Å"Rocky wanted to play,† Joel Schwartz, the company’s president, explained in a 1989 Forbes article. To help oversee the chain’s operations and expansion, Aoki brought in a management company, Hardwicke Cos., as a partner in 1976. The relationship lasted only four years and, in 1980, Aoki ended the partnership, paying $3.7 million to break the contract. As Rod Willis of Management Review explained in a 1986 article, â€Å"He [Aoki] felt the company’s management style clashed with his predominately Oriental workforce, and he wanted to maintain control over each restaurant’s quality.† The following year Aoki settled, without admitting any guilt, a Securities and Exchange Commission charge that he had improperly traded in Hardwicke stock while serving as vice-president of Hardwicke. The 1980s: Ups and Downs To help pay off the debt incurred in the split with Hardwicke, Aoki decided to take part of the company public. He accomplished this by having Benihana of Tokyo (BOT) form Benihana National Corporation (BNC) in 1982 and then taking the latter company public the following year. Investors paid the Miami-based BNC $11 for a unit consisting of two common shares and a warrant to buy another at $6. With the $5.5 million raised by selling half a million of these units, BNC bought 11 restaurants from Aoki in exchange for 60 percent of the BNC common stock and $2.5 million to pay BOT’s debt. Later in the year, BNC bought another three restaurants from BOT for $7 million. In spite of the new corporate structure, Benihana of Tokyo and Benihana National Corporation remained under the management of the same group of executives. As corporate president, Joel Schwartz continued to oversee the day to day operation of both companies. Aoki, who served as chairman of both entities, retained 51 percent of the common stock in BNC and kept about 30 restaurants in the privately held BOT. Aoki developed new concepts for the Benihana food chain but he also continued to play hard, becoming a championship-level backgammon player and setting a world record in off-shore powerboat racing. The Double Eagle V, a 400,000 cubic-foot gas balloon, displayed the Benihana logo as it became the first crewed balloon to successfully cross the Pacific Ocean, with Aoki as one of the crew members. One of Aoki’s new concepts was Benihana National Classics, a line of Chinese gourmet frozen foods, introduced in 1984 and sold in supermarkets. Chinese cuisine was chosen when the company found that Japanese food didn’t freeze well. Within a year the Classics were the best-selling Oriental frozen foods in the United States, with sales in one quarter alone reaching more than $40 million and profits climbing to over $4 million. The company’s stock took off, going as high as $21.50 in 1985. In December of that year, Restaurant and Institution magazine named Benihana of Tokyo the most popular family-style restaurant in America. At that time, Benihana of Tokyo and Benihana National together operated or franchised restaurants in 60 locations, from Seattle to New Jersey, serving a total of 25,000 customers a day. Benihana National’s frozen food success quickly attracted the attention of major food companies. When Campbell Soup and Stouffer’s began offering their own lines of Oriental frozen foods, however, Benihana couldn’t compete. The company lost $11 million on frozen foods between 1985 and 1987 and finally sold the business, for $4.5 million, to the small company that had been producing the dinners for them. Frozen food, however, was not Aoki’s only new idea. In 1985, Benihana National opened its first seafood restaurant, The Big Splash, just north of Miami. Aoki believed the sea would be the primary supplier of food in the future, and, borrowing an idea from a Malaysian fish market, came up with the concept of a seafood marketplace/restaurant. Customers could choose from hundreds of varieties of fresh seafood, decide how they wanted it cooked, and watch it being prepared. The idea was so popular initially that a second Big Splash was opened. The seafood restaurants soon experienced difficulty, however, registering losses of $2.7 million during 1987. The wide variety of options ran completely counter to the tight focus and minimal waste of the Benihana steakhouses. At the Miami location, the majority of customers were retirees who resented the high prices and preferred to eat fish they were familiar with. â€Å"All we sold was salmon and red snapper,† Aoki told Eric Schmukler in a March 1989 Forbes article. The company closed its Big Splash outlets in March 1988. The 1988 fiscal year was a hard one for Benihana, as the company recorded a loss of nearly $7 million. Despite the company’s financial problems with Classics and Big Splash, the Benihana restaurants themselves were still popular. By the end of fiscal 1989, the publicly owned Benihana National Corp. reported profits of some $1.8 million on sales of $34 million at its 20 restaurants, with Aoki’s privately-held Benihana of Tokyo taking in similar revenues. 1990-94: Making a Turnaround Rocky Aoki kicked off the new decade by opening a gallery in one of the Miami Benihana restaurants to display a portion of what was becoming known in the art world as the Rocky Aoki Collection. Having spent more than a year consolidating his diverse collections, Aoki told Antiques & Collecting, â€Å"I think it’s a natural to have a gallery here. More than 90,000 people eat in this restaurant every year; why not provide them with something beautiful to look at, not to mention buy, if they so desire.† In a 300-square-foot space that had been the restaurant’s gift shop, diners could view etchings by Icarts, lamps by Tiffany and Handel, and bronzes by Remington. The publicity about Aoki’s collection helped generate business for the restaurant, and overall company revenues continued to grow. Profits, however, were less than a million dollars a year, and BNC stock fell below $1 a share. Angry at the situation, some shareholders sued. As Marilyn Alva reported in a 1992 Restaurant Business article, the shareholders claimed Aoki and his management team were in a conflict of interest by managing the two companies. The complainants further maintained that Benihana management had misappropriated the assets of Benihana National Corporation, passing them through Benihana of Tokyo for their personal benefit. The shareholders, however, were ultimately unsuccessful in trying to take control of the company away from Aoki. Meanwhile, Benihana management took advantage of a health-conscious American public’s growing interest in Japanese food and entertainment. With the tag line, â€Å"We have been the restaurant of the ’90s since the ’60s,† Aoki and Schwartz instituted a major advertising campaign stressing the fact that Benihana had always offered healthful food. Soon afterwards, in 1993, the Atlanta Benihana of Tokyo restaurant added an 18-seat sushi bar and 35-seat Karaoke dining room to draw more customers on weekday nights. Despite the higher labor and food costs associated with sushi, the company reported an increase in beverage sales, and a lot of sampling of the $.99 sushi pieces by people waiting to eat at the traditional teppanyaki tables. Learning from its experience a decade earlier, in 1994 Benihana National Corp. decided to get into the frozen food business again. This time, however, by entering into a licensing agreement with Campbell Soup Co., the company hooked up with a major marketer rather than trying to compete with the big names. The new product was a line of frozen stir-fry kits featuring the Benihana trademark. The dinners served six people and sold for about $8.00. As Peter McMullin, an analyst with Southeast Research Partners, told Florida Review.Net, â€Å"This time the strategy makes sense because it is linking with a high profile food company to help strengthen the distribution side and offsetting the razor-thin margins of retail by manufacturing with a low cost producer like Campbell.† By the end of the fiscal year, revenues were over $70 million, with profits up 41 percent to $2.4 million. 1995 and Beyond: A New Company At the beginning of 1995, Benihana National announced it would buy Aoki’s 21 Benihana of Tokyo restaurants on the U.S. mainland, along with the U.S. rights to the Benihana trademark, for about $6.15 million. On May 16, a newly created subsidiary, Benihana Inc., acquired the BOT restaurants and, through a merger, simultaneously acquired Benihana National. BNC shareholders received one share in the new holding company for each of their shares of Benihana National. Aoki continued to serve as chairman of the new company and Schwartz as president. Benihana Inc. now owned or licensed the 43 Benihana restaurants in the continental United States along with a franchise in Honolulu. It also had the rights to develop or license Benihana restaurants in Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands. Aoki kept private his Benihana of Tokyo restaurants in Hawaii, Britain, and Thailand. During 1995, the new company took several steps to attract more customers. Benihana introduced weekend luncheon service and, following the success in Atlanta, opened sushi bars in seven locations. The company also instituted a national Karaoke contest for its patrons. In the fall, the company opened its first smaller format unit, called the Benihana Grill, in Sacramento. At 3,800 square feet, the Grill format was less than half the size of the traditional Benihana, and enabled the company to open units in smaller locations, particularly in urban areas. Schwartz had been refining this format since 1989 as an alternative to the company’s more common free-standing, special use restaurant buildings. The Benihana Grill was designed to accommodate 10 to 12 teppanyaki tables, compared to the 18 tables in the typical Benihana. Analyst Peter McMullin remarked, â€Å"Initial indications are encouraging even before the grand opening. With the lower capital costs of approximately $500,00 0 versus a stand-alone restaurant cost of $2 million, this could become an enormous growth vehicle for Benihana.† The new hours and offerings helped increase guest counts in existing restaurants by 8.7 percent and same store sales by an average of 7.7 percent for fiscal 1996. This rise, plus the addition of the Benihana of Tokyo restaurants and the new Benihana Grill, resulted in annual revenues of over $81 million. Benihana’s growth came primarily from increased traffic in its existing restaurants, and the company continued to support that strategy. Early in 1996, in an effort to gain a larger share of the ethnic market, the company launched Spanish-language television advertisements in Miami and Los Angeles. In May, Benihana kicked off a two-year, $5 million ad campaign, focusing on the entertainment value of teppanyaki cooking. â€Å"We want to bring the Benihana name to a different audience,† company president Joel Schwartz told Nation’s Restaurant News in a May 6, 1996 article. â€Å"The ads show that Benihana is a place the entire family can come to and have a good time–a place they will see the chef perform and flip shrimp.† Individual restaurants also developed innovative marketing techniques. A visit and meal at the Benihana in Bethesda, Maryland, for example, is one of the activities in the county’s social studies curriculum for third graders l earning about Japan. The company did not depend entirely on its existing restaurants for growth. During 1996, it also signed leases for several more Benihana Grills and expanded its franchise operations, including restaurants in Bogota, Columbia, and Aruba, Netherlands Antilles. Benihana’s track record of steady growth in same store sales, rising customer count, and profitability appeared to be continuing into the late 1990s as revenues for the first half of fiscal 1997 were up over eight percent from the year before. Further Reading: Alva, Marilyn, â€Å"Very Rocky Business: Aoki Besieged by Shareholder Suits,† Restaurant Business, February 10, 1992. â€Å"Benihana Buying Founder Aoki’s Units,† Nation’s Restaurant News, January 16, 1995, p. 14. â€Å"Benihana Profits Rise 67% for First Nine Months of Fiscal ’95,† Nation’s Restaurant News, February 12, 1996, p. 12. â€Å"Benihana Testing Stir-Fry Kits,† Supermarket News, October 17, 1994, p. 28.

Gertrude’s as Shakespeare Essay

Where a twenty-first century audience would express sympathy for Hamlet’s loss and would understand his hesitation in taking vengeance, an Elizabethan audience would not sympathise towards him for avenging his father’s death, and would question why Hamlet is showing inaction. As Dori Ripley suggests, ‘The church advocated God’s vengeance, while the state demanded justice through God’s chosen representative(s)’ (Ripley, 1), meaning it would be Hamlet’s duty to avenge his father’s death in the eyes of the Elizabethan Church, for God’s cause. Therefore, this would certainly contribute to Hamlet’s turmoil, with the added pressure to ‘exact God’s vengeance on the wicked’ (Ripley, 2), and become King of Denmark. However, in the eighteenth century, Thomas Hanmer drew attention to Hamlet’s delay in avenging his father’s death, suggesting that ‘Had Hamlet gone naturally to work there would have been an end of our play’, meaning Shakespeare’s play would not have been as dramatic for his intended audience of his era. Ernest Jones suggests that Hamlet refrains from killing Claudius earlier in the play because he had already committed the deed Hamlet himself subconsciously wished to carry out; ‘The long â€Å"repressed† desire to take his father’s place in his mother’s affection is revealed in unconscious activity by the sight of someone usurping this place exactly as he himself had once longed to do’ (Jones, 99). This is evident in the play when Hamlet has the opportunity to kill Claudius, however he decides to wait for when he is in ‘th’incestuous pleasure of his bed’ so he is guaranteed to suffer the same pain Hamlet’s father did when he was in purgatory. Eliminating his competition in the most torturous way suggests Hamlet’s hatred towards Claudius for marrying his mother. As an extension of this Hamlet is somewhat hostile to his mother throughout the play, shown through the language Shakespeare uses when Hamlet is alone with her. His anger towards his mother’s sexuality is expressed, thus: O shame, where is thy blush? Rebellious hell, If thou canst mutine in a matron’s bones, To flaming youth let virtue be as wax (3. 4. 82-4) Hamlet demands to know how young people can be expected to control their passions if mothers cannot control theirs. In the same scene, Hamlet pleads with Gertrude not to sleep with Claudius that night and to, Refrain tonight, And that shall lend a kind of easiness To the next abstinence (3. 4. 166-8) After that until she no longer wishes to sleep with Claudius. Whether this is right must be considered in psychoanalytic terms because abstinence stores up emotions that leads to a later emotional explosion. In the context of the play as a whole, this is symbolic because throughout Hamlet stores up his confusion, anxiety and turmoil until he explodes in the final scene, ending in death and destruction of the dynasty. Recent developments in Hamlet criticism suggest Hamlet’s attitude towards his mother can be explained in terms of Freudian psychoanalysis, in particular the Oedipus Complex where ‘unconscious ideas and feelings centre round the wish to possess the parent of the opposite sex, and eliminate that of the same sex’ (Rycroft, 118), according to Charles Rycroft in ‘A Critical Dictionary of Psychoanalysis’. Although this is a modern theory which did not exist during the Shakespearean period, Shakespeare unconsciously reflects this possible interpretation of character in the play. Hamlet seeking to avenge his father by eliminating Claudius, his mother’s husband, could be one of his motivations and subsequent causes of his emotional turmoil. His confusion is, therefore, redirected onto Ophelia who experiences Hamlet’s anguish. Rycroft also suggests that this is symbolised in Hamlet as ‘persons who are fixated at the oedipal level that are mother-fixated or father-fixated reveal this by choosing sexual partners with obvious resemblances to their parents’ (Rycroft 119). However, Ophelia’s qualities are not representative of Gertrude’s as Shakespeare suggests Gertrude tends to sexually dominate men in the play whereas Ophelia is obedient to them, suggesting she is vulnerable. Therefore, whether Rycroft’s analysis is related to the play must be considered because it does not directly link to Hamlet’s situation, choosing to have a relationship with Ophelia because she resembles his mother he has sexual desires for. In Gertrude marrying Claudius, Hamlet’s jealousy is provoked, which eventually contributes to his rage when alone with his mother, ‘You are queen, your husband’s brother’s wife’. Here, Shakespeare shows Hamlet’s confusion within his complex situation, that his mother has become queen by incestuously marrying her husband’s brother. Combined with Hamlet’s oedipal fantasy and his mother’s new marriage, therefore, he is bound to show rage and confusion towards his mother and hostility towards her new partner. In conclusion, Hamlet is a character whose mind is in turmoil, which is subliminally presented through Shakespeare’s use of soliloquies. This turmoil could exist due to Hamlet’s life experiences, whether they were his father’s death or his mother’s hasty marriage to his uncle, who murdered his father. These occurrences may have caused Hamlet’s confusion between mothers and lovers, his contemplation of suicide and his hostility towards others, resulting in catastrophe at the end of the play. An Elizabethan audience would not sympathise with Hamlet’s hostility towards other and his delay in taking vengeance and so could argue that his mind is in turmoil, the reason why he is inactive.

Airline Economics Essay Example for Free

Airline Economics Essay Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA Haven't found the essay you want? Get your custom sample essay for only $13.90/page ? The purpose of this note is to provide background to the study of the airline industry by briefly discussing four important economic aspects of the industry: (1) the nature and measurement of airline costs; (2) economies of scope and hub-and-spoke networks; (3) the relationship between yields and market characteristics; and (4) the S-curve effect. The Appendix to this note contains a glossary of key terms used throughout the discussion. Airline costs fall into three broad categories: flight sensitive costs which vary with the number of flights the airline offers. These include the costs associated with crews, aircraft servicing, and fuel. Once the airline sets its schedule, these costs are fixed. traffic-sensitive costs which vary with the number of passengers. These include the costs associated with items such as ticketing agents and food. Airlines plan their expenditures on these items in anticipation of the level of traffic, but in the short run, these costs are also fixed. fixed overhead costs which include general and administrative expenses, costs associated with marketing and advertising, and interest expenses. The largest category of costs is flight-sensitive. An important point about an airline’s cost structure, and a key to understanding the nature of competition in the industry, is that once an airline has set its schedule, nearly all of its costs are fixed and thus cannot be avoided. Because it is better to generate cash flow to cover some fixed costs, as opposed to none at all, an airline will be willing to fly passengers at prices far below its average total cost. This implies that the incidence of price wars during periods of low demand is likely to be greater in this industry than in most. There are two alternative measures of an airline’s average (or, equivalently, unit) costs: cost per available seat mile (ASM) cost per revenue passenger mile (RPM) Cost per ASM is an airline’s operating costs divided by the total number of seat-miles it flies. (An available seat mile is one seat flown one mile.) It is essentially the cost per unit of capacity. Cost per RPM is the airline’s operating costs divided by the number of revenue-passenger miles it flies. (A revenue passenger mile is one passenger flown one mile.) It is essentially the cost per unit of actual output. These two measures are related by the formula: Cost per RPM = cost per ASM ( load factor where load factor is the fraction of seats an airline fills on its flights. In the end, it is cost per RPM that an airline must worry about, for it must cover its cost per RPM to make a profit. Airlines differ greatly in both their costs per ASM and costs per RPM. For example, in 1992 Southwest had a cost per ASM of 7.00 cents, while USAir had a cost per ASM of 10.90 cents. Similarly, Delta had a cost per RPM of 15.33 cents while American had a cost per RPM of 13.81. Differences across airlines in cost per ASM reflect differences in: 1) average length of flights (cost per ASM declines with distance). 2) fleet composition (cost per ASM is smaller with bigger planes). 3) input prices, especially wage rates. 4) input productivity, especially labor. 5) overall operating efficiency. Differences across airlines in cost per RPM reflect differences in cost per ASM plus differences in load factor. Two airlines might have very similar costs per ASM, but quite different costs per RPM because of differences in load factor. For example, in 1992 USAir and United’s cost per ASM differed by less than 2 cents (USAir 10.90, United 9.30), but their costs per RPM differed by nearly 5 cents (USAir 18.54, United 13.80) because of USAir’s lower overall load factor (USAir .59, United .67) Economies of Scope and Hub-and-Spoke Networks Economies of scope play an important role in shaping the structure of the U.S. airline industry. The source of economies of scope in the airline industry is the hub-and-spoke network. In hub-and-spoke network, an airline flies passengers from a set of â€Å"spoke† cities through a central â€Å"hub,† where passengers then change planes and fly from the hub to their outbound destinations. Thus, a passenger traveling from, say, Omaha to Louisville on American Airlines would board an American flight from Omaha to Chicago, change planes, and then fly from Chicago to Louisville. In general, economies of scope occur when a multiproduct firm can produce given quantities of products at a lower total cost than the total cost of producing these same quantities in separate firms. If â€Å"quantity† can be aggregated into a common measure, this definition is equivalent to saying that a firm producing many products will have a lower average cost than a firm producing just a few products. In the airline industry, it makes economic sense to think about individual origin-destination pairs (e.g., St. Louis to New Orleans, St. Louis to Houston, etc.) as distinct products. Viewed in this way, economies of scope would exist if an airline’s cost per RPM is lower the more origin-destination pairs its serves. To understand how hub-and-spoke networks give rise to economies of scope, it is first necessary to explain economies of density. Economies of density are essentially economies of scale along a given route, i.e., reductions in average cost as traffic volume on the route increases. Economies of density occur because of two factors: (1) spreading flight sensitive fixed costs and (2) economies of aircraft size. As an airline’s traffic volume  increases, it can fill a larger fraction of seats on a given type of aircraft and thus increase its load factor. The airline’s total costs increase only slightly as it carries more passengers because traffic-sensitive costs are small in relation to flight-sensitive fixed costs. As a result, the airline’s cost per RPM falls as flight-sensitive fixed costs are spread over a larger traffic volume. As traffic volume on the route gets even larger, it becomes worthwhile to substitute larger aircraft (e.g., 300 seat Boeing 767s) for smaller aircraft (e.g., 150 seat Boeing 737s). A key aspect of this substitution is that the 300 seat aircraft flown a given distance at a given load factor is less than twice as costly as the 150 seat aircraft flown the same distance at the same load factor. The reason is that doubling the number of seats and passengers on a plane does not require doubling the number of pilots or flight attendants or the amount of fuel. Economies of scope emerge from the interplay of economies of density and the properties of a hub-and-spoke network. To see how, consider an origin-destination pair – say, Indianapolis to Chicago – with a modest amount of traffic. An airline serving only this route would use small planes, and even then, would probably operate with a low load factor. But now consider an airline serving a hub-and-spoke network, with the hub at Chicago. If this airline offered flights between Indianapolis and Chicago, it would not only draw passengers who want to travel from Indianapolis to Chicago, but it would also draw passengers from traveling from Indianapolis to all other points accessible from Chicago in the network (e.g., Los Angeles or San Francisco). An airline that includes the Indianapolis-Chicago route as part of a larger hub-and-spoke network can operate larger aircraft at higher load factors than an airline serving only Indianapolis-Chicago. As a result, it can benefit from economies of density to achieve a lower cost per RPM along the Indianapolis-Chicago route. In addition, the traffic between Indianapolis and the other spoke cities that will fly through Chicago will increase load factors and lower costs per RPM on all of the spoke routes in the network. The overall effect: an airline that serves Indianapolis-Chicago as part of a hub-and-spoke network will have lower costs per RPM than an airline that only serves  Indianapolis-Chicago. This is precisely what is meant by economies of scope. Relation Between Airline Yields and Market Characteristics An airline’s yield is the amount of revenue it collects per revenue passenger mile. It is essentially a measure of the average airline fares, adjusting for differences in distances between different origins and destinations. Airline yields are strongly affected by the characteristics of the particular origin-destination market being served. In particular, there are two important relationships: Shorter distance markets (e.g., New York-Pittsburgh) tend to have higher yields than longer distance markets (e.g., New York-Denver). Controlling for differences in the number of competitors, flights between smaller markets tend to have higher yields than flights between larger markets. The reasons for relationship 1) are summarized in Figure 1. higher cost per RPMlower load factor Cost per ASM generally falls as distance increases. This is because, say, doubling trip mileage does not require doubling key inputs such as fuel or labor. Thus, shorter flights have higher cost per ASM than longer flights, and airlines must achieve higher yields to cover these higher costs. In addition, shorter distance flights generally have lower load factors than longer distance flights, which implies a higher cost per RPM for shorter distance flights, again requiring higher yields. Why are load factors lower for shorter flights? The reasons has to do with the greater substitution  possibilities that consumers have in short-distance markets (e.g., car of train travel are more viable options). In short –distance markets, we would therefore expect that some fraction of time-sensitive travelers (e.g., vacationers) would travel on these alternative modes, so short distance flights would have a higher proportion of time-sensitive travelers (e.g., business persons) than longer distance flights. Competitive pressures thus force airlines to offer more frequent flight schedules in short-distance markets, which leads to lower load factors. The reason for relationship 2) has to do with the economies of density discussed earlier. Smaller markets will have lower traffic volumes, and airlines will generally operate smaller aircraft at lower load factors, increasing costs per RPM and yields. The S-curve effect refers to a phenomenon whereby a dominant carrier’s market share (share of RPM) in a particular origin-destination market tends to be greater than the carrier’s share of capacity (share of ASM). Thus, for example, if United offers 70% of the seats flown between Denver and San Francisco, and Continental flies the remaining 30%, then the S-curve effect says that United’s share of the actual traffic in this market will be greater than 70% and Continental’s will be less than 30%. This translates into an S-shaped relationship between â€Å"share of capacity† and â€Å"market share,† as shown in Figure 2. The S-curve effects stems from two sources. First, an airline with a greater share of capacity in a market is likely to have greater visibility in that market, so passengers are likely to contact it first. Second, an airline with a greater capacity share is likely to have more frequent – and thus more convenient – departures. This, too, works to boost its share of the actual traffic. The S-curve phenomenon makes capacity an important competitive weapon in the rivalry among airlines. An airline with the financial resources to purchase  aircraft and airport gates to achieve a dominant capacity share on key routes is likely to win the fight for market share. This suggests that, in general, it will be very difficult for a small carrier to challenge a dominant carrier at a hub airport, unless the small carrier can achieve significant cost advantages unrelated to scale. The history of competition in the post-deregulation airline industry seems to bear this out. Airline Economics. (2016, Oct 10).

Psychological development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

Response - Assignment Example integrate technology into daily wearables and intents to launch more of the tech-enhanced shirts at a time when every other person is exploring the domain of wearable tech. the shirt is to mark the company’s entry in the fast growing market segment of wearable technology and is projected to be a real game changer. In the High Line article, Jeremiah Moss analyses the impact of the park to its surroundings in terms of economic and development and transformation. Just a few years old the park had become necessary for shoppers, models, tourists and even socialites. It received 3.7 million visitors in 2011 alone and half of the visitors were from outside New York. The park has led to the birth of a corporate stretch on the West Side hence a complete make up of the neighborhoods. Prior to the redevelopment of High Line, properties in the area were under-valued by 8% as compared to median rates of Manhattan but now have gone up by 103%. This is now receiving mixed reactions as it seems to benefit the elites who can afford the new lifestyle of High Line at the expense of locals who are losing a lot of business to its

Malcolm X Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Malcolm X - Research Paper Example He was a son of two active black nationalists who followed the teachings of Marcus Garvey, the most influential pan-Africanist of the early twentieth century. Malcolm was placed in an Ingam County juvenile in Mason, Michigan. He worked hard and was obtaining good results in school. Seeing this made his half sister Ella proud when she came to visit him. Though many people of his time believed that Malcolm X and his followers were only spreading hate across the nation, his speeches accomplished a lot more than that. Because of him, black people in North America are now shown more respect by people of the white race who were once their oppressors. To the eyes of many, this was not real freedom. Malcolm X was fighting to change this sad reality and win the respect of people for all black people nationwide. Demonstrating this fact, after his death, affirmative action became a part of a larger design by Pres. Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty program to benefit the minorities of the society who were not given the opportunity to seek formal education and denied equal job opportunities as the white population. (Haley, 1964) The debate on this issue is still going on today. These facts prove that black people are finally being accepted for who they are in the society they live in and shown the respect they deserve. A formal apology has not yet been witnessed but the fact that it is being discussed alone still demonstrates that whites are finally recognizing blacks as human beings no inferior than whites and deserve equal respect to whites. The black people were the same ones who once accepted white supremacy and believed themselves to be inferior. They were unqualified and, as human beings, did not recognize their rights like most black people of that time. (Perry, 1991) They endured police aggressions and harassments. Newton, who was familiar with the law, guided his people into a militant resistance whose purpose was to defend its community and would not attack unless a ttacked. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr The Civil War was only the beginning of a Civil Rights Movement that would last a century. Malcolm X, like Martin Luther King Jr., Marcus Garvey and many more, was part of this movement. These people fought for freedom of black people and created awareness of the negative effects of racial discrimination. Proof of this is the fact that the American government feels ashamed for the past events, which is the reason why details of shameful events like slavery, hate crimes and assassinations of various black leaders are never disclosed for the people to learn more about. Slavery, for example, is a part of its history that the government constantly tries to keep hidden. Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965 at 3:10 P.M. Many people believe that the FBI might have killed him. Whether or not he was killed by the FBI or by the NOI, the information would still be disclosed. The existence of Malcolm X was therefore vital to the American l ifestyle because he was a bold man who was not afraid to speak his mind and by doing so he created consciousness of the harm that racial discrimination caused in humanity. (Goldman, 1979) Malcolm X as an Activist Malcolm X was an activist whose legacy will continue to live on for years to come. Along with other Civil Rights Movement leaders he influenced the way of life in America and today, evidence of this is seen during the month of February which

United States trade conflict with China Term Paper

United States trade conflict with China - Term Paper Example The U.S. Chinese trade is in great favor of China. The continued trade war between the countries is unhealthy not only for the two nations, but also to the world economy. China cannot be ignored as an economic powerhouse.The international relation between the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America is often referred to as Sino-American relations. Since the beginning of the cold war to date, the relation between the two countries has been pretty cyclical. In fact, many analysts find the relationship not only complex, but also multi-faceted. The two countries cannot be considered enemies by any standards, but yoking them as allies could also be questioned. For a long time, the two countries have had a stable relationship. However, this relationship is threatened by competition and trade policies that have continued to stir controversy. The United States and China have the largest economies in the world. Therefore, any tension between them spills over to other countries and regions consequently affecting the entire world. China has the world’s largest population, while the United States has the world’s largest economy. This makes the two countries to be the largest trading partners in the world. Moreover, the bilateral relationship qualifies to be the most essential one in the 21st century. The two countries are the world’s economic giants and their united efforts towards attaining world peace and economic stability can yield unimaginable results. Amidst the trade tensions, the United States and China have a common stand in many fronts... For instance, while other economists think the United States benefit more from its trade with China and imposing taxes on Chinese products is unjustified, others think the trade has destroyed the United States and its high time the United States took a bold step towards saving its local businesses and citizens from Chinese firms. According to Feigenbaum, the Sino-American trade wars will not end soon. However, the wars will be broadly manageable (Feigenbaum). Schuman, The Time business reporter, takes a rather interesting approach to the issue. He holds that resolving the war between the United States’ government and China will not be an easy one (Schuman). He cites the reluctance of both governments to drop their demands as the major hindrance to striking a consensus. Both governments, for instance, insist on fulfilling public demands, which have been a hindrance to a smooth trade. While the United States insist on preserving local jobs, the Chinese government is interested i n finding market for locally produced products and an avenue for investment. A research by the Queensland University Staff on the probable effects of the United States’ regulation of Chinese imports favored the introduction of strict measures to control Chinese imports (126). The research concluded that setting such measures was inevitable and would be to the advantage of the United States government (126). It further stated that the United States â€Å"pressure should continue† (Queensland University Staff, 126). A sour trade relation between the United States and China is evidently destructive. All the countries stand to lose. The world’s economy is already threatened by this unhealthy competition and rivalry, and it could even get worse. If not resolved, the rivalry will result in

As a beginning teacher, discuss the challenges that issues of Essay

As a beginning teacher, discuss the challenges that issues of inequality may pose to the implementation of Singapore National Ed - Essay Example Despite the meritocratic educational system adopted to diminish the rather diverse students’ backgrounds, teaching might still be experienced differently due to their ethnic, racial, gender or social class orientations (Kang, 2005). Stemming from these limitations, teachers in the hope of encouraging competition among students might unconsciously promote inequality of learning across groups of students, and further attempt to justify their actions without taking into consideration the possible implications. Generally, The MOE policy initiative was targeted at developing a sense of national identity, that consider Singapore’s developmental challenges and constraints, as well as a confidence in the country’s future (Chang, 1995). According to Poon (2008), the Singapore government on its part has promoted equality of opportunity across the student divide irrespective of the racial, social or religious backgrounds. First, Singapore has established integrated schools in place of the colonial era separate language medium schools that hampered interaction between students from diverse racial backgrounds. Secondly, education has been made accessible to all citizens through the government-subsidized education and educated well-trained teachers. In addition to the centralized resource distribution for all schools, the curriculum and examinations have been standardized as a measure for all students irrespective of their social backgrounds. Therefore, the comparatively exhaustive education opportunities available for the Singaporean population mean that a level competition field has been created for students despite their social or ethnic backgrounds (Tan, 2008). Research has however established that despite the equal opportunities, inequalities are evidenced in the educational outcomes. For instance, certain groups such as the Chinese seem relatively highly educated than their Malay and Indian counterparts. Further, it is not determinable as to whethe r education yields equal returns in the economy with respect to the segments of the population. But with equal education opportunities, inequality of outcomes exists because of biological destiny and cultural deprivation (Sim & Print, 2009). According to Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968), theorists of the biological destiny believe that difference in intelligence exist across the racial/ethnic, male/female or rich/poor segments is derived from the notion that some groups are naturally dominating and therefore would be â€Å"natural† for some groups to perform better than others. Disagreements have arisen as to whether IQ tests measure that which is learnt or innate to a student. From a sample of questions in an IQ test, it is clear that specific pieces of knowledge are measured (Lai, 2004). Additionally, cultural deprivation as a source of inequality in outcomes postulates that certain individuals or groups of people (especially from the lower social class or ethnic group) are vi ewed as inferior in throughout the culture. Such groups are considered to experience failures in life due to the cultural values that they hold (such as laziness, disobedience and rashness in decision making). For instance in Japan, while a specific section of Korean origin is deemed lowest in social order due to their violence and dumbness, immigrants

Supreme court cases and the concept of Federalism. How they relate to Essay

Supreme court cases and the concept of Federalism. How they relate to the Federalists 10, 46 or 78 arguments - Essay Example Raich (2005), South Dakota V. Texas (1987) and Lawrence V. Texas (2003). Moreover, the discussion will also highlight how these cases relate to the Federalists 10, 46 or 78 arguments. The case of Gonzalez v. Raich (2005) is mainly related to the legal medical use of marijuana. In relation to this case, it can be ascertained that during the year 1996, California law passed the ‘Compassionate Use Act’, authorizing the use of marijuana for medical treatment. On the other hand, Controlled Substances Act (CSA) banned the use of the same. This difference in the viewpoints persisting between California law and CSA eventually led towards a conflicting situation. The major issue, which emerged in relation to the case, is mainly determining whether Congress is having the power to regulate marijuana production agreeable to the interstate commerce clause. Specially mentioning, this case addresses the federalism concept in the form of witnessing the involvement of both federal government and individual states concerning the regulation of producing and consuming marijuana (Oyez, Inc., â€Å"GONZALES v. RAICH†). South Dakota v. Dole (1987) is related to the case wherein South Dakota sued district court against Dole and the US government in relation to the violation of Section 158. This particular Section sets the constitutional limits on Congress regarding the power based on â€Å"21st amendment to the US constitution.† In accordance with the South Dakota law, individuals aged 19 and above are permitted to buy beer having 3.2% alcohol. The case illustrates the dispute regarding the state and the power of federal government in relation to the implementation of a minimum drinking usage. Again, the involvement of state as well as the federal government in this jurisdiction issue relates the aforesaid case with the concept of federalism (Thomson Reuters, â€Å"SOUTH DAKOTA v. DOLE, 483 U.S.

Classical and Greek Hero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Classical and Greek Hero - Essay Example 34-47). This paper discusses and compares classical hero and Greek hero in the context of the examples from the novels "The Odyssey", "Oedipus The King" and "Beowulf" in a concise and comprehensive way. - Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, was a hero of the Trojan War in the Iliad. It was his idea to build a huge wooden horse, hide Greek soldiers inside, and smuggle them into the city of Troy to capture it. The Odyssey is the story of his long and magical trip home after the war. - Achilles was the greatest warrior of the Greeks, and fought and died in the Trojan War. He was shot by an arrow in the heel, the only weak part of his body. The tendon that connects the human calf and heel is called the Achilles tendon. Burton (pp. 34-47) discusses that the most popular hero was Herakles, or Hercules. The most famous of his deeds were his 12 labors. They included killing the Hydra, a many-headed monster, and capturing the three-headed dog Cerberus, who guarded the gates of the Underworld. Hercules was so great a hero that the gods granted him immortality. When his body lay on his funeral pyre, Athena came and carried him off to Mount Olympus in her chariot. Blackmore (pp. 135-162) mentions that Homer's epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey created a classical setting for Greek Heroes. These poems are full of battles, peril, violence and war and adventures that portray the heroic characters be courageous. The heroes, in these poems, face a barrage of arrows without flinching and are ruthless enough to kill many men without regret. The heroic characters battle for love, duty, and to protect their homes and families and beloved. A hero is understood in Greek mythology as a person of divine ancestry who has an unlimited and unprecedented courage, strength and power and it is celebrated by both the gods and people. Classical and Greek heroes portray traits of strength, ability, resourcefulness, honor and pride and power. Homer's heroic characters depict these characteristics by confronting challenges through out the poems (Blackmore, pp. 135-162). In ancient Greece, it was a widely accepted value to strive for a hero's excellence. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey do not explicitly detail the characteristic of excellence or a hero, but the behavior of the heroic characters can be analyzed to derive these attributes. Odysseus, Achilles and Diomedes are three of Homer's most noteworthy characters in his epic poems that demonstrate the values of a hero's excellent. They personify what was expected of a classical Greek hero (Blackmore, pp. 135-162). Knox (pp. 78-86) discusses that one of Homer's most controversial heroes is Odysseus from the Odyssey. Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, is a key example of the traits that were expected from a hero. He was known for his

The Affordable Care Act and Primary Care Essay Example for Free

The Affordable Care Act and Primary Care Essay The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of providing increased access to primary care and the expected impact of the 2010 Affordable Care Act on the delivery of primary care in the United States, extending current trends through the year 2023. Addressed topics will include a brief overview of the Affordable Care Act, current state of primary care and the impact of the Affordable Care Act upon primary care patients, providers and payers. The Affordable Care Act In March 2010, President Obama signed comprehensive health reform, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law. This law makes preventive care, including primary care, family planning and other services more accessible and affordable for many Americans. According to the Center on Budget an Policy Priorities , the ACA would expand health care coverage to 32 million citizens who are currently uninsured. Expanded coverage of Medicaid and Medicare allows for increased inclusion of individuals who previously were not eligible for state and federal health insurance programs. The Medicaid expansion is 100% federally funded for the first three years (2014-2016) and at least 90% federally funded through 2022 and beyond (CBO, 2013). Included in the law is health insurance reform that makes illegal preexisting condition clauses in health insurance coverage and provides coverage for young adults under a family health insurance plan. Affordable Care Act and Primary Care 3 The uninsured and self employed would be able to purchase health insurance through state-based â€Å"exchanges†. Subsidies would be available to those who cannot afford to purchase insurance if they meet income requirements. Primary Care in the United States In the United States medical practice was not regulated until the 20th Century. Medical care was provided by a â€Å"doctor† who may or may not have been trained at a medical school. Many doctors received no formal training, learning as apprentices. These early practitioners provided a multitude of medical services to an entire family including delivering babies, setting fractures, surgeries, diagnosing and dispensing medications. Through organizations such as the American Medical Association the practice of medicine became regulated. These early pioneers were the early practitioners of primary care. Influenced by American ideals and desire for technology and wealth, the number of medical students choosing a path in primary care diminished in favor of specialty practice such as surgery, cardiology, radiology, etc. For several years there has been a decline in the United States primary care workforce. Primary care providers include general practitioners, general internal medicine practitioners, family physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. The United States healthcare system has been facing a decline in its primary care Affordable Care Act and Primary Care 4 workforce, infrastructure and access to primary care services for several years. According to research (Petterson,2013) a number of factors, including poor reimbursements to primary care providers, low comparative income, and poor quality of work life due to high patient loads, have contributed to more providers choosing to train and practice in specialty medicine. This trend has led to a shortage of primary care providers across the country, likely contributing to fragmented care, inappropriate use of specialists, and less emphasis on prevention. Patients People who have access to a regular primary care physician are more likely  than those who do not, to receive recommended preventive services and timely care for medical condi ­tions before they become more serious and more costly to treat by visiting the emergency room instead of a primary care provider (Abrams, 2011). Patients are more likely to adhere to physician recommendations when seen by a primary care provider. Among low-income patients, access to primary care is associated with better preventive care, better management of chronic conditions, and reduced mortality. Preventing illness is as much a part of primary care as is the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions. The Affordable Care Act provides positive incentives to encourage people to obtain preventive primary care services. Through provisions in the act, applying to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as the privately insured, the law eliminates coinsurance, deductibles, and co payments for approved preventive services Affordable Care Act and Primary Care 5 and tests, such as blood-pressure and cancer screenings, mammograms and Pap tests, and immunizations. Studies have shown full coverage of preventive services with no patient cost, increases use of preventive screening services over time (Abrams, 2011). In a study of low-income patients, researchers found that even small incremental changes in co-payments had a substantial impact on the afford ­ability and utilization of care. Included in the ACA is the concept of a patient â€Å"medical home.† This is a pri ­mary care site that provides patients with timely access to care, including availability of appointments after regular office hours with patients to manage health conditions and prevent complications, coordinates all care, and engages in continuous quality improvement (Abrams, 2011). Primary care providers will be the coordinators of the medical home. These medical homes will also ensure greater coordina ­tion between the primary care site and local emergency departments. Primary Care Providers With the ACA the total number of primary care office visits is expected to increase from the 462 million visits in 2008, to 565 million in 2015. Also  expected is the need for an additional 52,000 primary care providers by 2025 due to insurance coverage expansion (Hofer, 2011). The ACA will entice primary care providers to accept more of the newly covered by increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments for primary care services. There are two Affordable Care Act and Primary Care 6 provisions in the ACA that augment payments to primary care providers, one provides a bonus to providers whom participate in Medicare, the second increases reimbursements for Medicaid participation. The goal of these financial incentives is to stabilize and expand the existing primary care workforce. The Affordable Care Act invests an estimated $3.5 billion in the primary care provider bonus program from 2011 to 2016. As a result, Medicaid primary care phy ­sicians are estimated to gain an additional $8.3 billion in reimbursement between 2013 and 2019 (Abrams, 2011). To address this growing shortage of primary care providers, the Affordable Care Act provides support of education and training for primary care providers and community health centers. The Affordable Care Act includes $1.5 billion authorized over 2011 to 2015 for the National Health Service Corps to provide scholarships and loan forgiveness for primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants practicing in health professional shortage areas (Abrams, 2011). Other provisions that offer financial support for training new primary care physicians include more favorable loan repayment require ­ments for the federally supported Primary Care Loan Program and a loan repayment pro ­gram for pediatric sub specialists and child or adoles ­cent mental or behavioral health providers working in underserved areas. The necessary midlevel primary care practi ­tioner is recognized through scholarships, loans, and loan repayment programs, as well as through the creation and expansion of training opportunities. Affordable Care Act and Primary Care 7 Payer The Affordable Care Act brings an unprecedented level of scrutiny and transparency to health insurance companies. The concept of an insurance exchange is a major component of the federal Affordable Care Act. An important component of the federal law is that individuals must have health insurance with federal subsidies to help them pay for it. To improve access and protect patient rights, ACA introduces new commercial insurance standards, such as the removal of medical underwriting, elimination of lifetime limits, prohibition of pre-existing condition exclusions, and removal of cost-sharing for preventive services. Insurance plans will be required to cover essential health benefits which are defined under the ACA (Rosenbaum, 2011). Insurance companies expect significant changes in enrollment, demographics, and plan types. Economic, behavioral, political, and strategic influences are expected to shape the changing insurance coverage landscape, according to a Department of Health and Human Services Report. Implications for insurance industry stakeholders are considerable, due to being regulated by state and federal government. Insurance companies and insurance trade publications are stating they will be forced to raise premiums due to ACA requirements, fess and taxes forced upon them ( DHHS,2013). The ACA imposes an annual fee or excise tax on most businesses that provide health insurance, starting in 2014. The fee will be raised proportionately each year among Affordable Care Act and Primary Care 8 insurance providers based on their share of the health insurance market (DHHS, 2013). Certain insurers are exempt from federal excise tax, including public charities and social welfare organizations. In addition, nonprofit insurers that receive more than 80 percent of their gross revenue from government programs that target low-income individuals, seniors, and people with disabilities (including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program) are not subject to the tax. Supply and demand will determine how the excise tax is ultimately split between insurance companies and purchasers. Insurers have recently turned in strong financial results and thus are well positioned to bear some of the tax (DHHS, 2013). It is speculated they will pass a portion on to consumers. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that premiums subject to the fee will be 2 to 2 ½ percent higher than they would otherwise be. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that ACA will slightly reduce premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance in the near future. For employers with more than 50 workers, CBO estimates that the law will reduce average premiums by up to 3 percent in 2016. For small employers, the estimated change in premiums ranges from an increase of 1 percent to a reduction of 2 percent . It is important to note that the health insurance industry will gain millions of new enrollees in the next few years as a result of ACA. Insurance plans providing preventative health coverage will benefit financially by providing less expensive care for treatable Affordable Care Act and Primary Care 9 chronic conditions and early diagnosis on other medical conditions. Summary  With the oncoming implementation of the Affordable Care Act the benefits of the plan encourage the active role of the primary care provider. The uninsured patient now has access to health care that will afford him a better quality of life and address the financial implications of a poorly managed health care system in the United States. The ACA provides a means to entice more into the field of primary care. While it is in the early stages of scrutiny, the health insurance industry is a growing industry and is positioned to be profitable as a result of ACA, even with increased regulation. Conclusion With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the United States is positioned to provide a more sustainable and stronger health care system, due in part to the primary care provisions provided with the ACA. The health care system outlined would provide expanded service for patients, improve outcomes and quality and reduce future health care spending for the nation. References Abrams, M., Nuzum, R., Mika, S. and Lawlor, G. (2011, January). Realizing Health Reform’s Potential. The Commonwealth Fund. 1, 1-8. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Issue-Briefs/2011/Jan/Strengthen-Primary-Care.aspx Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2013, July). Status of the ACA Medicaid Expansion After Supreme Court Ruling. Retrieved from http://www.cbpp.org Congressional Budget Office. (2013). CBO’s Estimate of the Net Budgetary Impact of the Affordable care Act’s Health Insurance Coverage Provisions Has Not Changed Much Over Time. (CBO Publication No. 144176). Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office. http://www.cbo.gov/publication/44176. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013, February). Health Insurance Premium Increases in the Individual Market Since the Passage of the Affordable Care Act. (DHHS. Research Brief). Washington, D.C. http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2013/RateIncreaseIndvMkt/rb.cfm Hofer, A., Abraham, J., Moscovice, I. (2011, March). Expansion of Coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Primary Care Utilization. Milbank Quarterly. 89(1): 69-89. http://www.milbank.org/publications/the-milbank-quarterly Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 42 U.S.C.  § 18001 (2010). Petterson, S., Liaw, W., Phillips, R., Rabin, D., Meyers, D. and Bazemore, A. (2013). Projecting US Primary Care Physician Workforce Needs: 2010-2025. Annuals of Medicine. 6, 503-509. http://annfammed.org/content/10/6/503.full Rosenbaum, Sara. (2013, February). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice. Public Health Reports. 126, 130-135. http://www.publichealthreports.org/

Shinee Facts Essay Example for Free

Shinee Facts Essay 1. When Onew Taemin were practicing on the rooftop in their trainee days, they didn’t know that they would be in SHINEE together. 2. Minho BoA like playing together at the waiting room (after they both made comeback) and also at pre-recordings. 3. Jonghyun used to LIKE dressing up as girls. But he thinks that it was embarrassing. 4. Taemin’s favorite song from Lucifer album is â€Å"Life†, he likes ballad songs and likes listening to it while travelling. 5. During trainee days, the other members used to don’t understand Onew’s jokes. But now, they understand it immediately. 6. Key’s favorite song in Lucifer album is â€Å"electric heart†. 7. There was once that Taemin, Minho, and Jonghyun went bathing together and there Taemin said â€Å"I’m a man†. 8. Taemin always carries a bag containing a lot of sweets around, all with a SHINEE logo attached on it. He will give out these sweets whenever he sees noonas. 9. â€Å"If I meet an alien, I will definitely be scared at first, but after awhile when I get to know it, I will consider how to send it back home.† -Jonghyun 10. Key has a love-hate relationship with horror movies and horror stories, he yearns for them but he is also scared of them, he likes them but he also dislikes them. He lost his composure/image in the cinema many times because of that, he is only able to rent horror movies/dramas to watch at home to continue scaring himself. 11. Onew feels shy about presenting himself to people, and because of it, he did not dare to participate in auditions. When he was a trainee, everyone else seems to be improving everyday, while he seems to be staying stagnant and not improving, that to him is the saddest period of his life up till now. 12. â€Å"When I first saw Taemin, I thought he was really pretty. At that time there was a trainee noona in front of him, and Taemin was even prettier than her†. -Eunhyuk 13. Jonghyun is a very lively student in high school, able to digest English and Korean songs very well. Formed a band, composed music during that time, believes that if you truly like something, it is not difficult to persevere on. 14. Minho’s ideal type just need to be of an average height, must definitely be kind at heart, have long hair, wears dresses frequently. 15. Key is confident that he can be a gourmet chef, nobody can escape his dumplings trap. Our Comments: Onew is a sweet person put into a group of evil people. He deserves some sort of respect as the leader, so we shall spare him any nastiness. He is undeserving of the hatred bestowed upon him by, not only haters, but Shawols and Shinee as well. He has done nothing to deserve this treatment. This poor man needs to catch a break once in a while, and we shall deliver this break. His constant abuse from fellow members must cause him great distress and pain. Yet Shinee doesn’t appreciate him. Or his talents. So, Onew, we, P B, do issue you an apology, on behalf of the human race. P B Scale Appearance: 9.4 Slightly large nose. Good Complexion. Very pronounced apple of the cheeks. Soft jawline, as opposed to most males. Almond shaped, monolid eyes. Overall soft facial features. Definitely not ugly, contrary to popular opinion. Body is proportional for the most part. Fairly toned. Not the best looking for his age, but better than a majority. Talent: 8 Dancing is proficient. Truthfully, Onew has the best singing voice in Shinee. He is a little rough with control, but taking his age into consideration, he is good. Good at everything, but not fantastic at any one thing. Personality: 7.9 Awkward. But adorkable. He tries. Doesn’t succeed very much, but he tries. Gives a valiant effort. Total: 8.4 Jonghyun Basic Bio: Name: Kim Jonghyun Position: Lead Vocalist Birthdate: April 8, 1990 Bloodtype: AB Height: 173 cm. Our Comments: Jonghyun is the devil. He is the Lucifer. His singing is the Lucifer. We overall just despise this man. He’s short, he’s mean, and therefore has a Napoleon complex. He is like the tiny raptor in Jurassic Park that chases them into the laboratory and tries to eat them. He is not the biggest dinosaur on the island, but definitely the most annoying. His singing is God-awful and f*cking horrible (Cussing is never appropriate, but this is a special exception). It’s just bad. During his performance of â€Å"Lonely Night† on Immortal Song 2, we wanted to shoot ourselves in the face. Of course my friend, you will have many a lonely night, and your only solace will be Key. P B Scale Appearance: 3.5 His nose is disgustingly huge. Not only is his nose large, but his nostrils are excessive. His nose is upturned, and you see all of that excessive nostril. And in stark contrast to Onew, his face isonly angles, which is much too harsh. It makes him always look angry. And when he is attempting a smile, or a cheerful expression, it’s creepy. Let’s not forget how short he is. The Peach is taller than him, and she is a 16 year old, half asian girl. So there is no excuse. In short, Jonghyun is the very definition of a troll: Nasty, short and ugly. He hides under bridges. And terrorizes people, like poor Onew. Talent: 5 His vocal control is commendable, though control of his voice is insignificant due to the fact that he sounds like a cat getting raped. We don’t know how many of you people have heard this happen, maybe outside of your house, or to your own cat, but it is offensive. His dancing is average, nothing special. But his eternally angry face makes any attempt at dancing scary. Technically, his ability to control his voice and range would make him about a 7. But the sound of his voice drastically drops the score. Personality: 0 He’s mean. He’s very mean. You shouldn’t treat people the way he treats people. Especially Onew. Onew is his elder, and the leader. Jonghyun should treat him with respect and dignity. But because of his Napoleon complex, he finds the need to belittle and overall, just piss off, Onew. Total: 3.5 Key Basic Bio: Name: Kim Kibum Stage Name: Key Position: Vocal, Rap Birthdate: September 23, 1991 Bloodtype: B Height: 177 cm. Our Comments: Key is flaming. The second most flaming man in the world of Korean Entertainment. Jo Kwon is unsurpassable. There is no way either of them are the least bit straight. Key is one of the many Kim Kibums. However, congrats Key, to this day, you are the only Kim Kibum that has any real effect in the entertainment world. Not to mention the fact that you’re the only one still active in your group. Key in a nutshell is just fabulous. He sings a very good Kesha. He should just keep doing what†¦ Key does. P B Scale Appearance: 9.4 Key looks like a feminine, younger version of Jo Kwon. Almost as if he were  Kwon’s little sister. However, he does have one flaw. His eyebrows are awful. And as a gay man, he should be ashamed. His best assets however, are definitely his cheekbones. Very well pronounced; good genes. His body is in good proportion. Overall, we admit Key is attractive, but very feminine. Talent: 6.2 He’s a better rapper than Minho. Easily. Without any effort. We’re pretty sure everyone on this planet is a better rapper than Minho. However just because he’s better, doesn’t mean he’s fantastic or even remotely good. His singing is subpar. Dancing is passable. His best talent is swaying his hips to â€Å"Abracadabra†; it’s sickenin’. Personality: 8.6 He’s a nag, but who wouldn’t be trapped in a group with 4 kids. He’s in love with Jonghyun, which is obviously some sort of personality defect. Key’s maternal instinct is sensational. Without him, Taemin would probably be dead. Total: 8.06 Minho Basic Bio: Name: Choi Minho Position: Rap, Sub-Vocal Birthdate: December 9, 1991 Bloodtype: B Height: 184 cm. Our Comments: Minho is just futile. He doesn’t really do anything in Shinee, except rap badly. We don’t really see how he’s â€Å"flaming charisma† either. He’s not stunning, or even remotely good looking. He just looks like Rango. Other than the obvious, there is not much to say about Minho. He doesn’t matter, and we’re pretty sure that if he wasn’t in Shinee, it would make no difference. Except for the fact that Onew might finally be in a pairing. Introducing: TaeNew. P B Scale Appearance: 5.5 Minho is basically ugly. Sorry Shawols, it’s the truth. Everything is so long: His arms, his legs, his fingers. It’s just gross. He’s an alien. Not the sexy kind like T.O.P or Bom, but like Kyuhyun. Weirdly elongated, and kind of awkward. Talent: 3 Unlike the other three aliens, Minho has no talent. What Minho does is not rapping. He is talking (and not even fast, which is an excuse for most), with an autotuned voice. There’s a reason people’s voices are autotuned. And Minho is no exception. Shawols, netizens, everyone: You all really have to stop praising his rapping. For the sake of Minho, if you really care about him. Pretty soon he’s going to start believing your lies. We weep for Minho; we really do. All the pitiful guy has is his â€Å"rapping†, and truth is, it’s awful. Guess this means he has nothing. Personality: 1.9 His personality is nonexistent. There’s nothing really special about him. He’s good with kids, so I guess that’s a plus? We don’t know. He’s just plain vanilla. Total: 3.4 Taemin Basic Bio: Name: Lee Taemin Position: Lead Dancer, Maknae Birthdate: July 18, 1993 Bloodtype: B Height: 175 cm. Our Comments: Taemin is a cute little girl. And if you like him, and are older than him, you have pedophilia. He†¦is kind of a she. But a cute she. Taemin just shoots out estrogen. There’s not one testosterone producing cell in his body. It’s not his fault, and we are not bad mouthing it; it’s a medical condition after all. He’s really innocent and naive. His love for banana milk (which is delicious!), ice cream and â€Å"Lasco*†say it all. If you looked up â€Å"Perfect Maknae† in the dictionary, you’d find Taemin. He’s  cute, young, respectfuland knows how to use his â€Å"aegyo*† effectively. Too bad Shinee doesn’t appreciate his efforts. It seems all they do is bully him, when they’re not harassing Onew. Don’t worry Taemin, we know tons of groups that would want you all to themselves. P B Scale Appearance: 8.7 Taemin is the prettiest little girl in K-Pop. He has a cute nose. His features are very soft and round, and make his face look very feminine. It’s not his fault his face looks this way, but it’s his hairstylist’s fault he looks even more feminine than he should. His only flaw as â€Å"the perfect maknae† is that he’s a bit too tall. But his fans like that, so it’s okay. Talent: SC 9.2 He is a dancer. He’s not one of the absolute greatest, but definitely one of the best for his age. Over the years, Taemin has improved, and we hope he will continue to build his abilities. Personality: 7.9 The perfect maknae personality. He’s adorable, childish and you just want to be maternal towards him. Key cannot be blamed. Total: 8.6 Overall Shinee: 6.4 Shinee to us just seems like a TVXQ replacement. But a bad knock-off. Like a Chinese pikachu doll. Not successful and it’s just wrong. They’re too young. They had it way too easy.  Unlike their predecessors, they did not have to share a 1,000 square foot apartment with 20 other men. They did not starve and were not forced to sleep on the floor because of the lack of beds. They endured nothing, have felt no pain, and this has just created a spoiled group (Which is why they abuse Onew). Their souls and dreams were not broken by the iron fist that is SM Entertainment. They were not made thankful for their presence in the world of K-Pop. Because Shinee did not have to go through half a decade of intense, bone-crushing training, they don’t appreciate how easy their path to stardom has been. Shinee is given catchy songs by the maker of all catchy songs, and this explains their popularity. Without SM’s vast resources, they would be nothing more than the average, unpopular boyband.

Key Elements Of Industrial Relations Commerce Essay

Key Elements Of Industrial Relations Commerce Essay Worldwide approximately 6,000 workers lose their lives each and every day of the yeas due to work-related accidents, injuries, or diseases. An estimation of 2.2 million people throughout the world die every year because of work-related accidents and diseases and 270 million other people suffer from serious injuries and 160 million people suffer short or long term illness due to work each year. As this is a very high number and a critical issue in worldwide ILO has been at the heart of ILOs agenda, to protect against sickness, disease and injury taking place due to employment. As such this topic can be seen as an important issue in the IR systems of the world. The objective of this assignment is to see and come to a conclusion whether ILO can make a difference in the issue of Safety and Health at Work in the world today by looking closely at ILO, their work, views and recommendations on this issue through the knowledge and information that we got from this subject Industrial Relations. This discussion paper will also help us to improve our ability to communicate and generate ideas and give more comprehensive knowledge about Industrial Relations and its concepts and to identify what ILO needs to do in order to improve and make world more aware on Safety and Health at Work as this is a very important issue in the world today for its workers and employers. Betterment of Safety and Health at Work will establish much better relationships with their employees, have more satisfied and healthy workers, as such working place and people will be more happy and problem free which will help companies to achieve their goals easily and gain profits. Henc e, the IR system throughout the world will be more efficient and effective making the working environment and world a much better and safer place. (Safety and Health at Work, n.d.) 2.0 What are IR and IIR? Traditionally Industrial Relations (IR) focuses on formal and informal institutions of job regulation which includes collective bargaining, unions, employer associations and labour tribunals. A countrys industrial relations are formed by a series of influences like that countrys history, culture, law, technology, economic policies and response to globalization. Industrial relations are defined by Dunlop (1958) as the study of employment rules and their variations over time. As per Dunlop, government agencies and management unions established a network of rules to govern the workplace and the work community. It is the study about who generates the rules prevailing worker-management relations in the workplace, the temperament of those rules, and how they are managed and standardized. (Kelly, 1999) International Industrial Relations deals with the bodies and phenomena that have cross national limitations as their industrial relations features of multi-national companies or the international labour movement. 2.1 Key Elements of Industrial Relations (Refer Appendix 1) 2.2 Systems View of IR 2.3 Approaches to Industrial Relations 2.4 Success of an IR System Success of an IR system depends on a company successfully attending to certain issues by enabling and ensuring harmony within the economy and in turn gaining social development. (Refer Appendix 2) 3.0 International Labour Organization (ILO) Overview ILO was founded on 11th April 1919 at the peace conference by the Treaty of Versialls that ended the World War I. It was created mainly in response to humanitarian concern over the conditions of workders, political and economic considerations. Since its early days the ILO has made signal contributions to the world of work as in the first International Labour Conference held in Washington in October 1919 ILO adopted six International Labour Conventions dealing with working hours in industry, maternity protection, night work for women, unemployment, minimum age and night work for young people in the industry. The International Labour Office is the permanent secretariat and operational headquarters of ILO. There are more than 40 branch offices under the leadership of a Director-General with administration and management being decentralized in each regional area. Director-General is elected every five years by the governing body and is subjected to the instructions of the governing body and responsible for efficient conduct of the International Labour Office and other which may be assigned. ILO Administration Tribunal examines employment-related complaints by officials of International Labour Office who has recognized jurisdiction and currently serving 46,000 international civil servants who are serving of former officials of around 60 organisations. Universally ILO is regarded as an authoritative source of knowledge on the world of work and they have established institutes and centres that provide specialized research, training and support for the ILOs offices and constituents. (About the ILO, n.d.) 3.1 Structure of ILO Tripartite Constituency ILO is the only tripartite U.N. agency with government, employer, and worker representatives which makes them unique forum where governments and social partners of its 185 member states economy freely and openly debate and elaborate on labour standards and policies. 3.2 How ILO Works Tripartism and Social Dialogue Most important concept ILO is the cooperation between governments and employers and workers organizations in developing social and economic progress. By bringing together governments, employers and workers ILO aims to serve the needs of working women and men and setting labour standards, developing policies and devise programmes. This very structure shows ILOs social dialogue in action as workers and employers together have an equal voice with governments in its deliberations and these views are reflected in ILO labour standards, policies and programmes. Tripartism is encouraged within ILOs constituents and member states through promotion of social dialogue between trade unions and employers by formulation and implementation of national policy on social, economic and many other issues. ILOs main work is accomplished through three main bodies (The International labour Conference, the Governing body and the Office) which is comprise of governments, employers and workers representatives where the work of Governing Body and the Office is assisted by tripartite committees covering major industries. They are also supported by committees of experts on matters such as management development, industrial relations, vocational training, workers education, occupational safety and health, and special problems of women and young workers. To examine matters of special interest to concerned regions, regional meetings of the ILO member states are periodically held. (How the ILO works, n.d.) 3.3 Mission and Objective of ILO The primary goal of the ILO today is to promote opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. (Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General) 3.4 The ILO Constitution The Preamble to the Constitutions says Whereas Universal and Lasting Peace can be established only if it is based upon Social Justiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Please see ILO website for full text) 3.5 Scope of the ILO 3.6 Works of the ILO ILO seeks to ensure that labour standards are respected in practice as well as in principle while working with its member States as they are the global body responsible for drawing up and overseeing application of international standards. 3.7 Key Issues Tackled by the ILO Some of the key issues tackled by the ILO are: Global job crisis Social protection floor initiative Realizing the Millennium Development Goals Social Justice and a Fair Globalization 3.8 How ILO Intervenes 3.8.1 International Labour Standards and its Effects 3.8.2 Recent Status of International Labour Standards As at November 2012 the International Labour Standards can be said to have: 189 Conventions (C 189, Domestic Workers Convention, 2010) 202 Recommendations (R 202, Social Protection Floors Recommendation 2012) 185 Member States (Maldives, South Sudan, Republic of Palau) International Labour Standards are classified as; Basic Human Rights, Employment, Social policy, Labour Administration, Industrial Relations, Conditions of work, Social Security, Employment of Women, Employment of Children and Young Persons, Protection for Special Categories 3.8.3 Means of Action used by ILO 3.9 Areas Handled by ILO under Conventions and Recommendations 3.9.1 Conventions and Recommendations Conventions and Recommendations are two instruments used by the ILO to set international labour standards to set out basic principles and rights at work. Conventions are legally binding international treaties that might be ratified by member states and recommendations serve as non-binding guidelines. As convention lays down the basic principles to be implemented by ratifying countries while related recommendations complements the convention by giving more thorough guidelines on how it could be applied. Recommendations can also be self-ruling and not linked to any convention. There are 8 fundamental conventions and four priority governance conventions. (Refer Appendix 3) Total Number of Conventions: 189 Convention Fundamental: 8 Convention Governance (Priority): 4 Up to date Conventions: 82 Shelved Conventions: 25 Withdrawn Conventions: 5 Conventions in force: 153 Number of Protocols: 5 Number of Recommendations: 202 Withdrawn Recommendations: 36 3.9.2 Why these Areas are Important Some important Conventions and Recommendations are: No. 29 Forced Labour Convention (1930) No. 87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention (1948) No. 98 Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention (1949) No. 100 Equal Remuneration Convention (1951) No. 105 Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (1957) No. 111 Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention (1958) No. 138 Minimum Age Convention (1973) and Recommendation NO. 190 No. 182 Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999) and Recommendation No. 146 (ILO Conventions and Recommendations, n.d.) Details are given in the Appendix (Refer Appendix 4) T F 3.10 Supervision and Monitoring of Application of Standards ILO has a large standard-setting and supervision agenda and is essentially based on two types of procedures a regular procedure and ad hoc procedure which is activated on adversarial basis and is described in its Constitution. Present structure is the outcome of a series of adjustments made by the Conference and the Governing Body throughout the years in order to adapt the procedure to the growing numbers of conventions and states that are parties to them. As ILO is a tripartite organization its constituents and decision makers are not only the governments but also workers and employers and they all play an active role in the supervision of ratified conventions. (Romano, 1996) Below are some of supervisory documents, reports and bodies Annual Reports Under Article 22 ( ILO Constitution)- Ratified Conventions Under Article 19 ( ILO Constitution)- Non-ratified Conventions Committee of Experts on Application of Conventions and Recommendation (CEACR) Conference Committee on Application of Standards Global Report Reports under Declaration of Social Justice for Fair Globalization of 2008 3.11 ILOs Complaint Procedure ILOs complaint procedure is regulated by Articles 26 to 34 of the ILO Constitution by which a complaint can be judged against a member state not observing a convention to which it is a party and can be filed by: Another member state also having ratified the same convention Any delegate to the ILO Conference (each member state is also represented by a delegate representing the employers and a delegate representing the workers) The ILO Governing Body (composed of 28 state representatives, 14 representatives from employers and 14 representative of workers) This shows that a compliant cannot be filed by an individual and is mostly done by trade unions of the country which are represented in the ILO (Complaints, n.d.) Below are committees for complaints: Committee on Freedom of Association Commission of Inquiry 3.11.1 Declaration of Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up These declarations makes sure that these rights are universal and that they apply to all people in all states, regardless of their economic development and the commitment is supported by a follow-up procedure. The Declaration and its Follow-up provides three ways to help countries, employers and workers to achieve the full potential of the Declarations objective. They are: Annual Review composed of reports from countries that have not yet ratified Global Report Technical cooperation projects (About the Declaration, n.d.) 3.11.2 Core Labour Standards 4.0 Safety and Health at Work Every 15 seconds, a worker dies from a work-related accident or disease. Every 15 seconds, 160 workers have a work-related accident. There are more than 2.3 million deaths per year everyday, 6,300 people die as a result of occupational accidents or work-related diseases. From these 317 million accidents occur on the job annually which results in extended absences of workers from work. Hence, the human cost of this danger is huge and the economic burden caused due to poor occupational safety and health practices is anticipated at 4 percent of global Gross Domestic Product each year. 4.1 What is Safety and Health at Work? Safety and Health conditions at work differ from country to country, economic sectors and even social groups. Their concept of work culture is a reflection of the essential value systems adopted by that party and such cultures can be seen in practice in the managerial systems, personnel policy, principles for participation, training policies and quality management of the task. Safety and Health at work or Occupational safety and health (OSH) aim is the promotion and upholding of maximum level of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; in summary the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job. Main goal is to promote a safe and healthy work environment for every worker. The main focus is on three different objectives; The maintenance and promotion of workers health and working capacity The improvement of working environment and work to become conducive to safety and health, and Development of work organizations and working cultures in a direction which supports health and safety at work while doing so promoting a positive social climate and smooth operation and enhancing productivity of the work. 4.2 Reasons for selecting this Topic Main reason why I chose this topic is because today this is one of the main concerns in the world and the work environment. As industrial relations is a very important concept in each and every country today as creating and establishing a safe work environment is vital to the success of any business and is one of the best ways to retain staff and get their maximum productivity. As such this is very important and essential even though it might cost a bit to implement such safe practices and install safe equipment but not taking any action might lead to severe problems. As I used to work before and after finishing my studies I plan to go and start work I feel that safety in any workplace is essential and that businesses need to ensure this in order to keep their staff happy and make them work to their full potential. I also feel that knowing and understanding the OHS laws and new work health and safety laws will help me to avoid unnecessary costs and damage to myself and to my fellow w orkers and provide me satisfaction and an organization the foundation they need to achieve long-term success. When I go back to work I want to go to a place where there is best safety and health at work which will make my life safer in the work environment. This also a very crucial issue that people need to give their time and effort to make it better, specially international organization like ILO, to take notice and do something and make a difference in the world so that more people are aware of this problems, solutions and actions that will taken if there is bad safety and health at work as deaths and injuries take a primarily a heavy toll in developing countries, where most of the population is occupied in dangerous activities, such as agriculture, fishing and mining. Also the most affected are the poorest and least protected, often women, children and migrants throughout the world. 4.3 ILOs Approach on Safety and Health at Work ILO has a Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment, SafeWork, which aims to create worldwide awareness of the scope and consequences of work-related accidents, injuries and diseases. SafeWorks aim is to place the health and safety of all workers on the international agenda; and to encourage and support practical action at all levels. As ILO says Decent work is safe work. (Safety and health at work, n.d.) The ILO published ILO-OSH in 2001 titled as Guidelines an on occupational safety and health management systems to help organizations with introducing OSH management systems. These guidelines encourage constant progression in employee health and safety, accomplished through a constant process of policy, organization, planning implementation, evaluation and action for improvement, all supported by constant auditing to resolve the success of OSH actions. In order to assist employers to keep up with the speedily changing and competitive industrial environments the ILO management system was created. ILO recognized that national legislation is vital but inadequate on its own to tackle the challenges faced by industry as such they selected to guarantee free and open distribution of administrative tools in the forum of occupational health and safety management system supervision for everyone to provide everyone with tools for industry to create safer and healthy working environment and set up a positive safety cultures within the organizations. 4.4 Safety and Health at Work Standards The ILO Constitution put forth the principle that workers should be protected from sickness, disease and injury taking place from their employment. ILO standards on occupational safety and health supplied fundamental tools for governments, employers, and workers to set up such practices and to provide for maximum safety at work. ILO have also adopted more than 40 standards in particular dealing with occupational safety and health, as well as over 40 Codes of Practice and almost half of ILO instruments deal directly with occupational safety and health issues. (Refer Appendix 4) 4.5 Good Practices of Safety and Health at Work in Different Countries The Healthy Workplaces Campaigns (formerly known as European Weeks for Safety and Health at Work) running since 2000 are one of EU-OSHAs principal tools for raising awareness of issues related to occupational safety and health, and promoting the idea that good health and safety is good for business. Also these campaigns are now largest of their kind in the world. (Healthy Workplaces Campaigns, n.d.) Some other good practices are: Assistance in planning and organization of all features of work, at all stages, to make sure working conditions which will not in the short or longer term damage the health and safety of the employees; Collaboration with the Internal Safety service, Safety Committee and involvement of workers, to make sure that all aspects of health and safety at work are incorporated in the workplace review and the solution of problems; Primary elements of the assessment principles of prevention are implemented in advising how the work is to be planned and performed. All company documentation needed for the risk assessment is collected; workplace and individual employee files are kept. Workplace assessment is performed in an efficient and practical way also in regard to the environment. Appropriate directions to the workers and their education are included; and Necessary training and expert assistance when needed are ensured. 4.6 Safety and Health at Work Situation in the Real World and its Reasons 4.6.1 Situation in General throughout the World Work plays an essential role in peoples lives as most workers spend at least eight hours a day in the workplace, whether it is an office, factory, on a plantation, etc. Hence, it is vital that work environment to be safe and healthy but this is not the case for many workers around the world. Each and every day workers around the world are faced with different health hazards, like dusts, gases, noise, vibration, extreme temperature and many more. It is very unfortunate that some employers take little responsibility for the protection of the workers and their health and safety. Actually some employers have no idea that they have the ethical and legal responsibility to protect their workers and due to this lack of knowledge and attention given to health and safety and hazards, work-related accidents and diseases are common throughout the world. (Your health and safety at work, n.d.) Map 1: Maplecroft Global Map of Health and Safety Risk 2011 http://human-rights.unglobalcompact.org/media/v_hr_solutions-20110825_121354/hr_solutions/images/global/health_and_safety.jpg 4.6.2 Safety and Health at Work in Relation to Sri Lanka Activities relating to occupational safety and health (OSH) in Sri Lanka are operated through priority outcome 2, Enhanced labour administration and promotion of equitable employment practices of the Decent Work Country Programme for Sri Lank 2008-2012. As occupational Safety and Health deals with the safeguard of the most valuable and indispensable human asset of any country, its workforce which includes not only the wage employment but all the working population who engages in some kind of self economic activity contributing to national development. According to ILOs estimates, in Sri Lanka about 4,000 accidents are being reported annually and around 600,000 working days each year are lost due to accidents. Since year 1896 till 1950 in Sri Lanka considerations on Occupational Safety and Health was confined to Mines and to the relevant machinery and only extended to Factories under Factory Ordinance to date. These shortcomings in relation to Occupational Safety and Health coverage in the formal sector is a key concern because only 30 percent of the labour force is covered by the statutory provision on OSH. As the government realized the need for wider coverage the state took responsibility to ensure safe and non-exploitative work environment for all Sri Lankans and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Manpower embarked on formulating new legislation with technical assistance from ILO. As a result the new Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act has been approved by Cabinet now and is expected to be presented to Parliament for their approval. (Safety and Health at work, Sri Lanka, 2012) 4.7 What is ILO doing about Safety and Health at Work at Present? Since its very beginning 90 years ago the protection of workers lives and health has been a key objective of the ILO. As todays rapidly changing world with its technological change and fast-paced and globalised economy causes new challenges and pressure on all areas of the world of work, especially for occupational safety and health which ILO has made as an integral element in their Decent Work Agenda. The Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork) is ILOs lead unit on OSH which plays an important role in sharing best practices in the field and raising awareness of OSH issues. The four major goals of SafeWork are: Develop preventative policies and programmes to protect workers in hazardous occupations and sectors; Extend the effective protection to vulnerable groups of workers falling outside the scope of traditional protective measures; Better equip governments, employers and workers organizations to address problems of workers well-being, occupational health care and the quality of working life; and Document the social and economic impact of improving workers protection so that it can be recognized by policy and decision makers. (World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2009, 2009) The celebration of Word Day for Safety and Health is an essential part of Global Strategy on ILOs Occupational Safety and Health as they promotes the establishment of a global preventative safety and health culture by involving all stakeholders focusing international attention on emerging trends in the field of occupational safety and health and on the magnitude of work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide. It is also the day that worlds trade union movement holds its International Commemoration Day to honour the dead and injured workers who were the victims of occupational accidents and diseases they organize worldwide mobilization and campaigns on this date. The world day for Safety and Health at Work held on 28 April every year has become one of the most important international events for promoting OSH. Each year there is a theme which is built on promoting a preventative safety and health culture in the workplace with different sub-themes. Theme of 2012 centers on the promotion of occupational safety and health (OSH) in a green economy as there is a change in the world to a greener and more sustainable economy. In this as the green economy grows it is imperative that safety and health at work are incorporated into green jobs policies. This means that integrating risk evaluation and management measures in the life cycle study of all green jobs. (World Day for Safety and Health at Work in 2012: Promoting safety and health in a green economy, n.d.) ILO has also been actively supporting initiatives in some countries for developing national policies and programmes where else in other countries closely working with their governments to establish national tripartite advisory bodies for OSH. 4.8 Monitoring and Control Processes Adopted by ILO The ILO has developed an amount of comprehensive instruments to promote its work in the field of OSH and most of these international instruments are concerned with specific hazards or specific sectors. The ILO Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) and its accompanying Recommendation (No. 197) describes requirements for countries to promote OSH through national OSH systems and programmes, building a preventive safety and health culture and applying a systems approach to the management of OSH and to make this happen employers, workers and governments all play key roles. Below table shows ILOs Strategic Approach on Occupational Safety and Health C:UsersuserDesktopilo.png There are three main components of the Promotional Framework Convention as per the table. (Refer Appendix 5) ILO has also established a knowledge management hub in the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (ILO-CIS) to provide workers and employers with relevant up to date information regarding health and safety issues. The centre supports the ILOs action plan on knowledge and management and international association by being accountable for: Compiling OSH related information and ensuring worldwide access to it Creating and disseminating ILO OSH publications (including the ILO Encyclopedia and related products) Maintaining an international network of national and international OSH institutions. ILOs principle that Decent Work must be Safe Work, SafeWork aims to create worldwide awareness of the dimensions and consequences of work-related accidents and diseases; place OSH on the international and national plans and provide assistant to the national efforts for the development of national OSH systems and programmes in line with applicable international labour standards. 4.9 How it works in China and Indonesia ILO works with governments, workers and employers in China and Mongolia and are strengthening their efforts to prevent accidents and diseases at work by promoting a preventative safety culture via the biennial China International Forum on Work Safety and the observation of World Day on Safety and Health at Work each year on April 28. Also national occupational safety and health systems including legal frameworks, inspections, and occupational accidents and injuries reporting, training and information, and social dialogue are being strengthened in China. ILO has also been promoting a practical training programme on WISE (Work Improvement in Small Enterprises) in SMEs to meet the challenges in China as many young and migrant workers are employed in small and medium-sized enterprises. ILOs safety and health mandate also include helping workers, employers and governments reaction to the challenges created by HIV/AIDS and other health and psychosocial risk. Risk management focuses on prevention and anti-discrimination in the workplace as a key for successful response. In China Safety and health at work is a workers human right and an essential part of people-oriented, safe development plan put forward by their government as a healthy workforce and safe and productive enterprises are part of their sustainable development strategy. (Safety and health at work, Co-Beijing, n.d.) In Indonesia ILO has closely worked with tripartite partners to strengthen national OSH system and to ensure that OSH issues are fully incorporated and covered in all ILOs programmes as a primary part of the ILO Decent Work agenda in Asia. Under ILO-Jakarta all the projects and programmes have a component to make sure that improvement of OSH execution through research and training programmes. In Indonesia also ILOs health and safety mandate includes assisting workers, employers and governments reaction to the challenges faced by HIV/AIDS and by influenza pandemic through its HIV and AIDS programme and Avian Influenza and the Workplace project. In order to realize the goals of Asian Decent Workk Decade ILO is also helping Indonesia develop and apply preventative safety and health culture in workplaces. The Manpower Act No. 13 of 2003 mandated that every enterprise have to apply OSH management system to guard the safety of the workers and to comprehend the best productivity. Within the enterprise the cooperation of workers is essential for the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases. The enterprise policy should also reflect that workers duties in hazard control have as their counterpart the recognition of certain basic rights; particularly workers have the right to remove themselves from danger and refuse to carry out or continue work if they have rational justification and believe that it presents impending and serious threat to the