Developing Leadership Skills at QEWC

Summary This report discusses the different programs of developing leadership skills in employees in Qatar with special interest in Qatar Water Electricity Corporation. The report focuses on the various programs and how they are applied. In addition, the criteria of choosing the most appropriate candidates to be trained in leadership skills together with ways through which the company can facilitate will also be discussed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Developing Leadership Skills at QEWC specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, there are employees who work for QEWC whose leadership skills have not been recognized hence the organization does not give them a chance to improve their skills. With regard to this issue, the report presents ways of identifying the employees who should be trained in leadership skills. The research will be conducted through primary and secondary methods. Primary methods include condu cting interviews for QEWC workers to get their views on training in leadership skills. The secondary methods of research include getting information from books, websites, articles and newspapers. Definition of a Leader A leader can be defined as a person who motivates people or employees in a bid to ensure that they direct their efforts towards achievement of a common goal. Good leadership emanates from ideas but the ideas must be passed on to the relevant people in an engaging manner . In other words, leaders inspire the rest of the team members and give directions on what should be done. The term leadership is at times used interchangeably with management making reference to the management system of a company to be its leadership or managers as the leaders of teams involved in management . Types of Leaders Autocratic Leaders Autocratic leaders possess most of the powers and authority to make decisions. The employees are never consulted when decisions are being made neither are the y given a chance to make their contribution. They are expected to comply with orders given without asking any questions. Since a motivating environment is important for the employees, this is created by coming up with a system of punishments and rewards. Autocratic leadership faces a lot of criticism since organizations which practice it are associated with high rates of employee absenteeism as compared with other organizations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bureaucratic Leaders In bureaucratic style of leadership, the leader adheres to strict policies and procedures to run the organization. If anything is not in the laid down procedures, the leaders consult those who are above them. Such leaders are comparable to police officers since their work is to enforce rules. This type of leadership can be used when the employees are involved in performing repetitive tasks. It can also be used when there is need for the employees to understand certain procedures or when they handle dangerous machines that make it necessary for operation procedures to be given repeatedly (Kippenberger, 2002). Charismatic Leaders This type of leadership is very close to transformational leadership since charismatic leaders imbue the team members with enthusiasm and powerfully influence the team to move forward. However, charismatic leaders may believe in themselves more than they believe in the team members. This poses a risk of slowing down some projects or even collapsing of organizations when the leaders leave. Charismatic leaders have followers who believe that success in the organization is tied to the leaders. They are therefore considered to carry heavy responsibilities which call for great commitment (Sadler, 2000). Democratic/Participative Leaders Democratic leaders encourage other members of the team to give their views during decision making although they are the fin al decision makers. This is advantageous in that it enhances satisfaction of the team members and also helps them improve their skills. The employees have a feeling of being in control of what goes on in the organization and this increases their motivation. Democratic leadership style may slow down things to allow members to contribute but the results are always worth the effort. Democratic leaders are appropriate in situations that are focused on quality and team participation. Importance of Leadership Leadership is important in any organization since it increases efficiency and ensures that the goals of the organization are achieved. The first importance of leadership is that it initiates action in organizations . Leaders begin the work by informing other employees about the policies and plans to be followed. The second importance of leadership is that leaders motivate employees through non-economic and economic means hence increasing the productivity.Advertising We will writ e a custom essay sample on Developing Leadership Skills at QEWC specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The third importance of leadership is that leaders offer guidance to the rest of the employees. Leaders are not only supposed to supervise the subordinates but also offer guidance to them. The fourth importance of leadership in organizations is that leaders increase the morale of other employees hence enhancing efficiency at the workplace (Management study guide, 2008). Leadership in Qatar Companies Structure Leadership is very important for companies that run their businesses in Qatar. There are different leadership structures that Qatar companies adopt but the most common structure is the functional structure (Communication talk, 2007).This is a structure used by companies to organize their leadership on the basis of the demands and the roles of the company. The different groups and teams in the companies are recognized on the basis of s imilar functions in the companies. The structure operates in a bottom-up system which means that leadership in the companies is not entitled to a single individual. It comprises of small functional sections such as marketing, human resources, and finance with their leaders. These small sections are controlled by the overall leaders of the companies to ensure that every department is run effectively. Functional structure of leadership gives the top leaders of companies in Qatar the opportunity to run the companies effectively. Programs offered To ensure good leadership in Qatar companies, different programs are offered to enhance the leadership skills of the leaders . Companies in Qatar conduct specialized programs to assist their employees in enhancing their skills of leadership. The companies endeavor to ensure that their employees have leadership skills that conform to international standards of best practice. Such programs result in long-term plans of improving the leadership cap acity of the employees. The leadership programs offered give employees organizational and personal leadership skills that impact the companies positively. The programs are characterized by universal principles and equip the employees with capabilities that eliminate the need for relying on consultations all the time. The programs address specific problems that face leaders in their attempts to come up with strategies of improving work performance in the companies .Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Structure of School Leadership in Qatar Research has shown that school leaders in Qatar often find themselves in difficult situations due to the pressure that is associated with running the schools. As a result, schools in Qatar have adopted leadership strategies such as increasing the tasks of non-teaching staff and distributing leadership in a clear manner. Most schools in Qatar consist of governing bodies which are comprised of the parents, the community, local authorities, trust governors and staff. The senior leadership of the schools includes the head teacher, deputy head teacher, assistant head teacher and business managers of the schools. In some schools, there might be more than one deputy and assistant head teachers . The leadership is also comprised of a middle leadership structure with departmental leaders who are accountable to members of the senior leadership. Programs There are different leadership programs for schools in Qatar that are designed to meet the leadership needs of all those who hold leadership positions. For example, leadership seminars and workshops are held for school heads to equip them with the knowledge of managing their schools. During the seminars, school heads get the opportunity of sharing leadership experiences with their colleagues and discussing ways of improving leadership in their schools. Since there are student leaders in the schools, there are also programs that target student leaders. For instance, there are leadership academies in Qatar where student leaders can acquire leadership skills. The leadership offered by students in schools is important since it makes the leadership of senior leaders in the schools effective. Structure of Community Leadership in Qatar The structure of community leadership in Qatar is characterized by hereditary dynasties. These dynasties take the form of local governments which are accountable to the federal government. Individuals from ruling families are the occupants of the most senio r political positions, information which has been backed research conducted by Northwestern University of Qatar (Qatar Northwestern University, n.d). The political system manages to preserve some of its formal and informal values while adapting to the social changes and economic changes. In the leadership structure of the community, sheikhs are recognized for their roles of keeping the cultural heritage and functioning as modernizers. Traditional Majlis are also part of the leadership structure through which the local people can gain access to the senior leaders. Programs There are different programs in Qatar aimed at enhancing community leadership. The programs are geared towards enhancing a progressive society, promoting cultural life and dealing with the community needs. Some of the programs of fostering community leadership through a progressive society include Doha debate, Qatar career fair and Qatar debate. The ultimate goal of these programs is to produce community leaders wh o have the capacity to address the various social needs in the community. Other programs like reach out to Asia and Social Development Center are aimed at producing leaders who can meet the social needs of the community members. In addition, there are programs like Arab and Islamic Heritage Library which train leaders who can preserve the heritage of the country . Leadership in QEWC Structure The company was formed in 1990 and is one of the largest public companies in Qatar. It is mandated with the management of generation of power and stations involved in desalination of water. The structure of the company comprises of a board of directors which has a total of eleven members. The board is headed by a chairman assisted by the deputy prime minister. The leadership structure of the company is crucial since all parties involved must work together to ensure that the company meets the power needs of the country . Identifying Leaders at QEWC As already mentioned, leadership is very import ant in any company since it is through leadership that the performance can be improved (McConnell, 2003). There is a reasonable number of employees working for QEWC who have demonstrable leadership skills. Identifying employees with leadership skills and ensuring that they realize their full potential is one way through which QEWC can improve its performance. When a company has a wealth of employees with good leadership skills, it is assured of good performance since they have the capacity of influencing all the other employees of the company . To identify employees with potential leadership skills, the company should conduct an assessment by assigning employees various tasks without revealing to them that they are conducting an assessment. Such assessments are normally designed to measure particular leadership skills. The employees can also be monitored in their daily activities and through a close monitoring process, it is easy to identify employees with leadership skills. Trainin g Once QEWC identifies employees who have good leadership skills, it is important for the company to train the employees in various leadership skills. Leadership is natural but it is enhanced through training since there are particular competencies that good leaders should possess (Hubpages, 2011). The training process enables the employees to realize their full potential since some of them do not even have the knowledge that they can become good leaders (Noe, 2002). Problems in the Process The process of identifying and training leaders may be faced with some problems. The first problem that may arise during the process is that not all employees are contended when their colleagues are identified as potential leaders. Some might feel that they also deserve to be leaders despite the fact that they might not be in possession of leadership skills. Such employees become difficult to deal with since they might lack respect for the new leaders. Another problem is that the process of train ing leaders may be costly. This implies that the company has to use a lot of money and resources in training the new leaders, something that may affect the financial strength of the company. People Interested in becoming leaders at QEWC QEWC has the responsibility of ensuring that employees who are interested in becoming leaders at the company meet certain standards. This implies that the company has to come up with selection criteria to select the best leaders. There are different methods that can be used to select the employees who have the capacity of becoming leaders. The first method that the company can use is conducting surveys. The surveys involve analyzing the performance record of the employees and identifying those who have demonstrated leadership skills in their work. The second method that can be used to select the leaders is conducting interviews. This is an appropriate method since it identifies the best candidates who perform well in the interviews. Testing the Emplo yees In order to identify the best employees to be trained as leaders, the company can use various testing methods. The first method that can be used is administering written tests. Written tests are designed with questions related to leadership that require the candidate’s response. The tests are then marked to identify the employees who score high marks. The second method that can be used to test the employees is giving them project tasks. Some of the projects require the employees to apply certain leadership skills which can be used to identify the best candidates. In some situations, case studies may also be applicable in testing the candidates to undergo the training programs (Employee Testing, 2003). Starting the Tests The time of conducting the tests is also important to the company. They should be conducted during a period when the candidates do not have much pressure since this might affect the credibility of the results. The tests can be administered either during w orking periods or in seminars. Sometimes it is advisable to organize seminars that train employees on leadership then administer the tests after the seminars. This gives the employees a good chance of applying the knowledge they gain from the seminars and also ensuring that all the employees are given equal opportunity. Interview with QEWC Employee Interviewer: Do you think there are employees working at QEWC who have leadership skills? Employee: Yes, there are many QEWC employees who have leadership skills. Interviewer: has the company been doing enough to ensure that such employees realize their leadership potential? Employee: I think the company has done little to ensure that such employees realize their potential in leadership. Interviewer: do you think it would be a wise decision for the company to train such employees in leadership? Employee: Definitely, this would benefit the company. Interviewer: What is your final comment regarding the leadership QEWC? Employee: The leaders hip is not bad but the company needs to invest more in training more leaders. Results and Interpretation of the Interview The results of this interview indicate that QEWC employees believe that there are individuals in the company who have the potential of becoming good leaders. However, the company has not given them a chance of realizing their potential in leadership. The employees have a feeling that there is more that the company can do to promote this but little effort has been made. The interpretation of the results of this interview are that there is need for QEWC to come up with strategies of ensuring that QEWC employees who have the potential of becoming good leaders are trained in leadership skills. This is because there is a clear interpretation that the employees are not fully satisfied with the leadership of the company. Conclusion Leadership is very important in organizations since it plays a crucial role in achieving the organizational goals. Without leaders, it would be difficult to achieve the goals of an organization because leaders ensure that employees perform their work effectively. There are different types of leadership styles that may be used in different situations. However, it is important for organizations to identify the most suitable types of leaders to enhance achievement of the goals. QEWC is an important company in Qatar that is concerned with provision of electricity services hence good leadership is crucial. Recommendations QEWC should adopt certain leadership skills to ensure that the company meets its goals in serving the people. It is important for the company to put the interest of the employees first since employees play an important role in the company. This can be achieved by using a leadership style that values employees. One of the most appropriate leadership styles that the organization can use is democratic leadership style. This style of leadership gives the employees a chance to express their views which makes the m feel motivated. QEWC should also increase its programs in order to identify more employees who have the potential of becoming good leaders. References Communication talk. (2007). The Importance of Leadership Communication Skills. Web. EBR. (2010). Qatar Electricity Water Company Q.S.C. Web. Employment Testing, E. (2003). Test Reliability – Employment Testing. Retrieved from https://www.employment-testing.com/reliability.htm Hejleh. (2011). The Country of Qatar. Retrieved from http://www.hejleh.com/countries/qatar.html Hubpages. (2011). Need and importance of training employees in your organisation. Web. Kippenberger, T. (2002). Leadership Styles. New york: John Wiley Sons. Management study guide. (2008). Importance of Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/importance_of_leadership.htm McConnell. (2003). How to design, implement, and interpret an employee survey. New York: Amacom Div American Mgmt Assn. NBRI. (2011). Assess how employees think, fee l, behave, and what to do about it. Retrieved from https://www.nbrii.com/products/employee-surveys/ Noe, R. (2002). Employee Training and Develpment. London: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Nwlink. (2010). Leadership Styles. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadstl.html Qf-Research-Division. (2009). Qatar Science Leadership Program. Web. Qla. (2011). Qatar Leadership Academy. Retrieved from http://qla.edu.qa/index.php QWEC. (2011). About Qatar Electricity Water Co. Retrieved from https://www.qewc.com/qewc/en/ Sadler, P. (2000). Leadership styles:preferences and perceptions of employees of an international company in different countries. New York: Ashridge Management College. UAE. (2011, 11 21). UAE, Qatar organisations lead the way in leadership assessment for business sustainability. AmeInfo , pp. 1-2. University, Q. N. (n.d). Leadership Programs. Retrieved from https://www.qatar.northwestern.edu/ Vtaide. (2007). Definition of a Leader. Retrieved from http://www.vtaide.com /gleanings/leader.html Walker, P. (2006). The Importance of Leadership. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/10/30/execed.leadership/ WSJ. (2011). Leadership Styles. Retrieved from http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/how-to-develop-a-leadership-style/ This essay on Developing Leadership Skills at QEWC was written and submitted by user Amber F. to help you with your own studies. 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Cause and Effect Essay

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Financial And Market Analysis Of Premium Economy Business Commerce Essay

Financial And Market Analysis Of Premium Economy Business Commerce Essay In the airlines industry, in order to achieve success in the market competition, superior market players have to generate a good understanding about the underlying demands in the market. Traditionally, airlines provide three major flight classes to the customers, namely economy, business and first class flight and services. With the prosperous economic development and the increasing demand in air travel, the idea of premium economy is introduced and it is now being widely accepted by the airline industry. Premium economy, or maybe called differently by different airline companies, generally offers a wider space and more premium service to passengers, and accordingly, requires a higher ticket price. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current performance outcomes and the market potential of premium economy business. The first question will be answered with the comparison and analysis of five selected airline companies which have already launched premium economy business during operation. These five airline companies include Qantas, United Airways, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airbus, and ANA. Then based on the performance outcome comparison, the second question will be answered with a further market demands and input-output analysis. 2.0 Premium economy business in the five selected airline companies Premium economy, a niche market strategy widely introduced in long haul market of business travel, is not standardized. In United Airways, the idea of premium economy is called Economy Plus; while in British Airways, it is called World Traveler Plus. Meanwhile, premium economy business is being carried out differently in the five selected airline companies. Some may only provide extra legroom with other service no more different from standard economy; while other airline companies may emphasize a clear distinction from traditional business by introducing priority boarding, excellent on board service and entertainment, etc. 2.1 Qantas premium economy business Premium Economy is available on all Qantas A380 aircraft and selected B747-400 aircraft with selected flights from Sydney to Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Bangkok, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, San Francisco and New York, and from Melbourne to Los Angeles, London, Singapore and Hong Kong. In Qantas premium economy project, passengers are entitled to benefits such as priority check-in, extra legroom for stretch out and relax, personal TV, laptop power for all premium economy seats, and priority in disembarkation. Qantas has introduced three types of aircraft and twelve scheduled flights to provide premium economy business. Detailed seat information is extracted and analyzed. Averagely, premium economy delivers a 2 extra inches of seat width, 7 extra inches of legroom. However, with an analysis into the seat number, it can be seen that premium economy business is not so widely introduced in Qantas. Averagely, seats for premium economy business just take up 9% of the total available seats in one flight. As to the ticket price for each class, generally, in Qantas, premium economy is generally 80% more expensive than standard economy. And the price for premium economy stays quite the same for the whole month, thus preventing discount for advanced bookings (Qantas, n.d.). 2.2 United Airways premium economy business Premium economy is widely available on 15 types of aircrafts in the United Airways. The flight routes are selected between a variety of North American destinations and Hawaii. In United Airways, premium economy is called as economy plus, which is not a separate class of service but differs from standard economy with up to 3 to 5 inches of extra legroom. Generally, seats for economy plus are located nearer to the front of the aircraft, so that passengers in this section will be served first. Benefits such as priority check-in, personal TV, laptop powers, or priority in disembarkation are not entitled to economy plus passengers. Averagely, premium economy delivers almost the same inches of seat width, 4 extra inches of legroom. With a look into the seat numbers, the total average seats available on these aircrafts are 210, and averagely, seats for premium economy business take up 23.7% (50 seats) of the total available seats. As to the ticket price for each class, generally, in United Airways, premium economy cost much the same with standard economy (United Airways, n.d.). 2.3 British Airways premium economy business Premium economy is called world travelers plus in British Airways, and it is available on 5 types of aircrafts and a variety of flight routes. In British Airways world travelers plus project, passengers are entitled to benefits such as priority check-in, extra legroom for stretch out and relax personal TV, laptop power, and priority in disembarkation. Averagely, premium economy delivers almost the same inches of seat width, 7 extra inches of legroom. With a look into the seat numbers, the total average seats available on these aircrafts are 268, and averagely, seats for premium economy business take up 11.5% (30 seats) of the total available seats. As to the ticket price for each class, generally, in British Airways, premium economy is generally 90% more expensive than standard economy (British Airways, n.d.). 2.4 Virgin Atlantic premium economy business Premium economy is available on 6 types of aircrafts and a variety of flight routes. In Virgin Atlantic premium economy project, passengers are entitled to benefits such as priority check-in, extra legroom for stretch out and relax personal TV, laptop power, and priority in disembarkation. Averagely, premium economy delivers a 4 extra inches of seat width, 7 extra inches of legroom. With a look into the seat numbers, the total average seats available on these aircrafts are 360, and averagely, seats for premium economy business take up 12.6% (45 seats) of the total available seats. As to the ticket price for each class, generally, in Virgin Atlantic, premium economy is generally 46% more expensive than standard economy (Virgin Atlantic, n.d.). 2.5 ANA premium economy business Premium economy is available on 5 types of aircrafts in ANA. The flight routes are selected from Nagoya to Taipei and Tianjin routes, Narita-Hong Kong route, Narita and North America as well as the NRT LHR route. In ANA, premium economy differs from standard economy by providing priority check-in, laptop powers, and priority in disembarkation. Averagely, premium economy delivers almost the same inches of seat width, 4 extra inches of legroom. With a look into the seat numbers, the total average seats available on these aircrafts are 257, and averagely, seats for premium economy business take up 12.3% (32 seats) of the total available seats. As to the ticket price for each class, generally, in ANA, premium economy cost much the same with standard economy (ANA, n.d.). 2.6 Comparison of the premium economy business With the introduction about the five selected airline companies premium economy business, it is noted that all the five companies have provided passengers with up to 7 inches of extra legroom. Additionally, except for United Airways, Qantas, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and ANA have provided extra benefits for check-in/out and on board service. Such benefits can save much time spent on travel and could leave passengers with a good service impression. However, such benefits are provided with the increase in operation costs. Moreover, the adoption levels of premium economy differentiated with each other to a great extent. Among the five airline companies, Qantas has the lowest percentage of premium economy seats to the total available seats at around 9%; while for United Airways, the percentage of premium economy seats to the total available seats is at the highest level around 23.7%. The diversification in product portfolio may generate the problem of cutting costs down. 3.0 Financial performance of the five selected airline companies As no specific revenue information on the premium economy business could be available from the companies released financial reports, comparison of the financial performance for the five airline companies would be carried out with theoretical analysis. For the airline industry, major airlines have long been troubled by the matter of tremendous fixed costs such as the repair and maintenance of the aircraft, overhead costs and the increasing costs of fuels. In order to cover such costs, airline companies need a great number of passengers to meet the break-even point. In calculating the break even points for each airline service product, the companies may generally follow the formulas below (Horngren, Sundem Stratton, 2002) Break even point (for output) = fixed cost / contribution per unit Contribution (p.u) = selling price (p.u.) variable cost (p.u) Break even point (for sales) = fixed cost / contribution (pu) ÃÆ'- selling price (pu) During operation, the companies will try to lower the break even points so that they can maximize their profits. In order to achieve this, companies can get down on the following aspects: control the fixed cost, increase the output units (loaded passengers), or increase the selling price. As to fixed cost control, it mainly involves improvement on internal control and management; while the pricing strategy will be mainly affected by the passenger market. 4.0 Product profitability analysis When making decisions on new product launches, the companies should assess the profitability of current product portfolio, and the potential profits which may be generated with a new product portfolio. Due to the fact that premium economy generally provides passengers with up to 7 inches of extra legroom and above 2 inches of extra seat width, the introduction of premium economy will inevitably lower the fixed cost amortization. However, if the implementation could generate more loaded passengers, then the decline in fixed cost amortization could be subsidized. The impact of decreased fix cost amortization could be measured by assuming that if the same level of product profits be generated, how many loaded passengers are required. With the figures calculated, a market analysis should be carried out to find out whether such target could be achieved. 5.0 Market acceptance and market potential Every individual in the global world could be potential customer to the player. However, due to limitations resulting from factors like geography, operation scales, cost and benefit principal, etc, the player has to narrow down onto series of segment markets and figure out its target customers, and then focus its marketing efforts and its merchandise on the selected areas (Kurtz, 2010). Information about target consumers backgrounds and their complex buying decision making process is an indispensable part of accurate market identification and positioning activity (Nicosia, 1966). The idea of premium economy is firstly introduced to address the increasing demand from business travel. Unlike traditional market strategy which emphasize heavily on price and cost, strategies for premium economy pays more attention to the product and service quality, as in many cases price is not the primary issue for the business traveler. With the help from advanced information technologies such as visual conferencing, instant messaging system, content management system, etc, business can be done with participants locating all around the world. However, when coming to circumstances under which face-to-face interaction is inevitable to the success of the business, air travel, for its convenience and time saving characteristics, will come as the first choice for business travelers. To such targeted business travelers, what they want most from the flight would generally be the comforts and time saving. Traditionally, the time spent on waiting for check-in/out procedures would almost be more than two hours, which may mean quite a huge time cost to the business. Moreover, exhausted by the uncomfortable sitting environment, passengers may take certain time to fresh up their spirit and energy. This may generally have negative impact on their performance. With the introduction of premium economy business, travelers are provided with more space in which they can stretch out regularly and release the pressure so that they will not feel tired after the journey. Moreover, with the priority in check-in and disembarkation, business travelers could save more time for other important issues. With the product being accepted in the market, it should also be figured out the potential market volume. According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), in 1999, approximately 30 percent of passengers from London to New York were business travelers (1.14 million passengers) (Sky Trails Airline, Ltd, n.d.). If such percentage could be applied to other heated commercial flights, the total market potential could then be analyzed and the product profitability could be worked out accordingly. 6.0 Conclusion With the increasing demand of long haul travel and the increased consumptive power, the introduction of premium economy will become a popular and inevitable trend in the airline industry. In order to make a proper investment decision on product introduction, the airline companies should first work out the break even point of the new product, and then analyze whether such profit could be realized in the current market. Moreover, in introducing the product, the companies should also consider the characteristics and major demands of the passengers and then further tailor the products to their specific needs. List of references ANA, n.d., Premium Economy, viewed 17 August 2010, http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/uk/e/travelservice/reservations/special/py/index.html British Airways, n.d., World Traveler Plus, viewed 17 August 2010, http://www.britishairways.com/travel/world-traveller-plus/public/en_gb Horngren, C, Sundem, G Stratton, W 2002, Introduction to Management Accounting, Prentice Hall, London. Kurtz, DL 2010, Contemporary Marketing, 13nd edn, Thomson South-Western, Mason, Ohio. Nicosia, F 1966, Consumer Decision Processes, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs. Quantas, n.d., International Premium Economy, viewed 17 August 2010, http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/international-premium-economy-class/global/en Sky Trails Airline, Ltd n.d., Business Plan, viewed 17 August 2010, http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/business-plans/Business-Plans-Volume-09/Airline-Company.html United Airways, n.d., Economy Plus, viewed 17 August 2010, http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,1314,00.html Virgin Atlantic, n.d., Premium Economy, viewed 17 August 2010, http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/cn/whatsonboard/premiumeconomy/index.jsp

Insurance History Essay

Some 2,000 years ago in Roman times a form of life insurance was practiced by burial societies who paid out funeral costs of members funded by monthly contributions. It is thought that these were year to year arrangements but unfortunately there is not enough evidence remaining to be exact on how they operated. In Britain in the middle ages Trade Guilds provided funeral costs to members in much the same way. The earliest life insurance policy in England was recorded as being effected on the 15th June 1583. The policy was on the life of a William Gybbons (a salter in the City of London) and was taken out by a Richard Martin. The premium was set at  £8 per  £100 pounds of benefit insured. Even at that early date it is of interest that when the policy ended in a claim there was dispute between the insurer and the policy holder over whether the policy should pay up. Luckily for Richard Martin he won the case and the insurer lost. In those days life insurance policies where underwritt en by individuals as opposed to insurance companies. It was also common practice for people to take out life policies on the rich and famous in the hope that they might benefit if that person died. We would have regarded it as a form of gabling. The first actual life insurance company was the Annuity Association founded by the Rev Dr Assheton on the 4th October 1699. Unfortunately this company only survived for 46 years before going bankrupt. Many life insurers were set up as mutual companies where ownership of the company was among the members of the life fund. The policies did not have fixed sums insured as they do today, but instead the fund would pay out what it could afford based on the number of people in the fund that died that year. Now we can be thankful that life insurance has developed since those days. Most policies offer fixed sum insured which can be up to very large amounts. There are a numerous number of insurers all vying for your business. Not only are there pure protection policies but also those which are also linked to some form of investment factor. Life insurance law has grown up and now there are several layers of protection for the naà ¯ve consumer. Whilst all these changes have been good for the co nsumer it also means that the consumer needs to be more aware of what type of life policy they need and where best to purchase that cover. Choice is a wonderful commodity but you need to be able to make a wise selection. More recent changes have been in the growth of life insurers and life insurance  intermediaries who are using the internet as a place of business. Here costs can be controlled, wider markets searched at the click of a mouse and policies handled and concluded at a faster pace. Why not check out what term life cover you could get by visiting http://www.protected.co.uk/ This article was written on the 15th February 2007. This article does not represent ‘financial advice’ as each persons individual requirements will be unique to their needs. If there is something in the article which you which to rely on then please check those details with any person from whom you purchase a term life policy at the time of purchase.

Is It Appropriate for Learning to Read? Essay

Dr. Carla Hannaford, an educator and neuroscientist, presented a revolutionary research that helped people have a better understanding of the things they know and those that they do. Dr. Hannaford’s book entitled Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All In Your Head, has been praised for the insightful link made between the body and learning. Joseph Clinton Pierce even considered it as a research work that is greatly significant in understanding education and child development. Aside from that book, she also authored the book, The Dominance Factor: How Knowing Your Dominant Eye, Ear, Brain, Hand, & Foot Can Improve Your Learning. In this book, she looked at the link between the part of a human’s body favored for â€Å"seeing, hearing, touching, and moving† and a person’s way of thinking, working, reading, playing, and interacting with others (Hannaford, 1997). Basically, the research study conducted by Dr. Hannaford scientifically elaborated and explained the connection of one’s mind and body movement and its implication in his/her learning and thinking abilities. In the Dominance Factor book, Hannaford emphasized on the idea that combining one’s dominant eye, ear, hand, and foot has tremendous effects in the way an individual learn. She also discussed the idea of an individual’s dominance profile. This dominance profile, which can be discovered in a simple and non-invasive muscle-testing, is a key element in molding a person’s way of thinking, acting and communicating with others. According to Hannaford, there are actually 32 different combinations of a person’s â€Å"dominant hemisphere, eye, ear, hand, and foot† (Hannaford, 1997). Each profile also helps a person identify what weaknesses they may encounter under stress. She even asserts that understanding one’s profile will help parents and even their children learn together in the best method suitable for them and that which will help the children perform at their highest capability (Hannaford, 1997). The concept presented by Dr. Hannaford could be tested and used in the different learning skills of people. Applying the dominance theory to an individual’s reading abilities is interesting but poses both a positive and a negative manifestation. Hannaford gave two major profile combinations that are easy to assess. She assumes that a person with a dominant â€Å"logic hemisphere, right eye, right ear, right hand, and right foot† understands better in a structured learning method and an orderly and chronological information presentation (Hughes & Vass, 2001). On the other hand, a person with a dominant â€Å"gestalt hemisphere, left eye, left ear, left hand, and left foot† learns faster through a perception of the bigger picture and understands the main idea yet has difficulty in looking at the details or the step-by-step procedures (Hughes & Vass, 2001). Being aware of this assessment, parents who will be able to easily identify the dominant profiles of their children will find it easier to teach their children how to read and read well considering that they will be able to apply the method that will be best applicable for their children. For the children, since their parents already know how they could read better, they will be able to find the learning process more enjoyable and to their advantage especially given that their parents applied the technique where their child may respond well. However, utilizing the dominance theory also poses negative consequences. Parents who are able to identify the dominant profiles of their children, whether it is as easy as the left and right combinations or more complex like an overlapping combination of the two, will only give focus on that dominant profile. In doing so, they are disregarding the development and enhancement of the other profiles of their children which is not that dominant but may well be applicable to their children. It somewhat constrains the parents to single-out the dominant profiles and set aside those which are not dominant at the moment. In all these, it is observable that any theory poses both positive and negative consequences. Although the ideas presented regarding the dominant profiles and reading skills is interesting, the parents should still consider the holistic growth of their children wherein the young ones develop all their skills as much as possible to their full potential and capabilities. References Hannaford, C. (1997). The Dominance Factor: How Knowing Your Dominant Eye, Ear, Brain, Hand and Foot can improve your Learning. UT: Great River Books. Hughes, M. , & Vass, A. (2001). Strategies for Closing the Lea