Fast Food and Subway

News that Subway has passed McDonald's as the world's biggest fast-food chain is hardly a surprise to Australians, given the sandwich chain has 1,254 stores in Australia, compared to just over 780 McDonald's stores. But the rapid and unrelenting growth of Subway in Australia and overseas does raise an important question for the franchise sector: Are franchisees now favouring smaller and cheaper franchise options? Franchising expert and SmartCompany blogger Jason Gherke, of consultancy Franchise Advice, says Subway and McDonald's have pursued very different growth strategies.Where Subway uses relatively low entry prices and smaller store formats (which mean lower rents) to attract franchises, McDonald's has a strategy of owning the land that a franchisee can build a store on, with the exception, of course, of stores in shopping centres or other retail precincts. â€Å"There is a much more significant capital investment required from both the franchisor and the franchisee under the Mc Donald's model,† Gherke says.The rate at which both chains grow is directly related to that. Whereas McDonald's would need up to five years of lead time to scout store locations, get planning approvals and build a store, it could take only months to get a Subway store planned, established and up and running. The trend towards smaller store formats is one Gherke says is also evident in the pizza sector, where Pizza Hut has moved away from a dine-in concept to a pure take-away concept.Rivals such as Eagle Boys have also modified their franchise offering to include â€Å"express† outlets which can be opened in small spaces within petrol stations and airports, for example. However, McDonald's is unlikely to be too worried about being in second place to Subway – Gherke says its slower growth means that McDonald's franchises remains much sort after, and very expensive. â€Å"I wouldn't hazard a guess at what a franchise would sell for these days, if you could actually get your hands on one. â€Å"And while other fast food operators are reducing the size of their stores, McDonalds has concentrated on changing its menu (particularly to include healthier options) and changing its store formats (with the inclusion of McCafe outlets in most stores). â€Å"I can't say that I've noticed a down-sizing of their outlets. McDonalds have modified their menu and their offer rather than their footprint. † And of course, store numbers aren't the only thing that counts in the battle for the stomachs of consumers. According to IBISWorld, McDonalds has a 19. 5% share of Australia's fast-food market, compared with Subway's share of just 2%.

Miguel Street Essay

Discuss the representation of man and manhood in the 2 short stories of Miguel Street. On Miguel Street, the representation of man and manhood can be seen negatively in these two short stories† â€Å"Bogart† and â€Å"A thing without a name†. Where as a man’s manhood is considered strong if certain characteristics such as aggression, evading the law and their present living circumstances. The story about Bogart illustrates where his manhood being threaten where as Bogart is unable to father a child by his Tunapuna wife so he finds a means to escape this difficulty. He goes elsewhere, run a â€Å"high-class† brothel, meets another woman and successfully impregnates. Once he has achieved his goal of proving his virility, he may return to Miguel Street although he returns as a bigamist as Hat would say â€Å"To be a man, among we man†. He would now be seen as a high standing man of the community, playing with the surrounding children and giving them parties, which is a vastly different from the life he once had by pretending to be a tailor but now is seen The main character in â€Å"A thing without a name â€Å" Popo is a carpenter by profession but he is not considered a man among his peers as his wife was the main breadwinner of the family which did not bothered him as he would continue to make â€Å"a thing without a name†. This however changed when Popo wife left him for another man, it is then that he was accepted as â€Å"one of the gang â€Å"within Miguel Street, as they could related to his pain and heart ache. His man hood was however bruised by the separation of his wife , so he would then retaliate by fighting the other man and going to prison, which eventually made him an hero on Miguel street.

Why is collaboration technology important Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why is collaboration technology important - Essay Example These Web 2.0 applications are responsible for facilitating participatory sharing of information, the use of interoperability and the user-centered design regimes. This helps the organization grow as a whole and the employees reap the rich benefits that are linked with it in more ways than one. The collaboration technology settings are important as nearly all organizations are profit-driven and aim to explore what lies ahead of them through the application of resources and proper deployment of tasks and activities (Mora-Valentin, 2011). It would be tantamount to suggesting that the usage of collaboration technology would immensely increase the profits and accumulate positive vibes about the technological hold the organization finds itself plugged with. The collaboration technology therefore is a much desired regime which will assist the employees since they are proactively looking forward to bringing results at the end of the day. It would be a good fit to find more collaboration tec hnology software that shall facilitate working methodologies in the long

Healthcare Information Systems - Hardware and Software Essay

Healthcare Information Systems - Hardware and Software - Essay Example The device features an embedded touch screen so that physicians can update patient information regardless of a keyboard. Likewise, physicians can update patient information, process menu driven applications by just touching the screen and following instructions. Moreover, the device has an added unique sensitivity filter that can even work accurately, when physicians are equipped with hand gloves. In addition, the device also includes features such as (Tablet PC, ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) and mobile clinical assistant (MCA) systems, peripherals and accessories – TabletKiosk, n.d): Verifying patient’s information Scanning labels that are associated with medication and blood vial Image and data capturing suite Two dimensional bar code scanner Integrated 2.0 megapixel camera 13.56 MHz radio frequency identification reader that is integrated in the handheld device Another handheld input device named as Sahara Slate PC, provides two way input methods i.e. active digitizer and r esistive touch technology. As the size of the LCD screen is large, physicians can easily view patient related reports and documents without scrolling.

Information Technology and Computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Information Technology and Computing - Essay Example The researcher discusses the opinion in which the information technology (IT) is associated with a clean and safe environment. But states that this is far from the truth. Considering its background processing’s in the manufacture field it seems, the tidiness seen in the infrastructures of IT is only peripheral. The manufacture of hardware involves the use of thousands of materials. Many of these materials are highly toxic, for example Lithium - that is a major component in laptops, CPUs and mobile phones. With mobile telephony zooming off, we can soon see millions of handsets joining the scrap heap every year in the near future. To this pile, adding lakhs of CRT monitors every year, especially when LCD monitors start coming down in price. It is stated in the essay that Government should come up with legislation compelling vendors to initiate a take back and successful recycle mechanism; else the dream could well end up in an ecological nightmare. The failure to pass crucial le gislation in many countries has allowed the computer industry to resist addressing many criticisms, such as the amount of hazardous material used to make their products and the ever-growing pile of waste that results from the dynamic pace of innovation in the Information Technology (IT) industry. As a result, the researcher mentiones that double standards may exist between countries. MNC will start shipping machines free of the toxic chemicals, in which the law is strict and will ship machines with toxic substances, where law is flexible.

Criticlly assess the basis of obedience by states in international Assignment

Criticlly assess the basis of obedience by states in international law. What factors do states take into account in compliance with international law rules - Assignment Example nal protocol faces the most potent challenge of embracing of the formulated laws and sustenance of the appropriate adherence across the member states (Alter, 19). While the membership of the international community has evolved in the recent past to be synonymous with the most acceptable yardstick for development, there are several considerations that make the expected transition the challenge it is today. The platform on which the international law is founded outlines the integrity of the leadership and governance of the international community and is built on commitment to comply with the binding regulations. Due to the unavailability of a political structure at such a level, only goodwill can be applied in the delivery of the commitment expected for compliance and adherence. In such an arrangement, it is evident that there are loopholes which expose the sovereignties of individual member states to the mercy of external forces. External interference is a contradiction to the existence of the member states as sovereign states, which is the predominant building block of the international community. In the protection of the integrity of the individual state and the international community, there is undoubted favor for the integrity of the member state sovereignty which is the basic unit of the international community. In light of conflicting interests and objectives as expected in such an arrangement, there are important considerations to be made by the leadership of the individual member states regarding becoming signatories of the effective protocols as well as the details of compliance. State behavior in embracing international law and handling international relations is important in determining the considerations that are likely to be highlighted by various leaderships before making commitment to such undertakings (Raustiala and Slaughter, 544). While politics therefore becomes central to the nature of state behavior detailing embracing international laws,

Professionalism in Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Professionalism in Practice - Essay Example Therefore, taking up a teaching profession is not by chance in most cases. Most practicing teachers believe that to become a teacher is a ‘calling,’ where one just feels indebted to take up a socially responsible profession that would help shape the society in a positive and generally accepted way. Thus according to Howard Sharron (1987), by virtue of being a teacher, one would have committed him/herself to answer the calling of helping others gain knowledge. In most cases, it is out of love of doing good things that would promote peace and tranquility in the society. Basically, one main reason for an individual to decide to take up the teaching profession is the need to instill good morals and values in pupils so as to create a habitable environment comprising of knowledgeable people who use the power of reasoning in conducting themselves in their daily lives. Instilling discipline among children is one of the core tenets of teaching as this would contribute towards the development of a generation that can distinguish between what is wrong and good. This would be the stepping stone of creating a crime free environment as in most cases people are redeemed by education from behaving in a rogue manner. Haim Ginott, (1972:9), sums it all when he says, â€Å"school is a perfect preparation for the world.† Another reason of becoming a teacher is the commitment to be part and parcel of developing the educational background of pupils hence improving the country’s literacy rate. A country that has got a higher literacy rate stands better chances of economic development and growth because educated people are enlightened in most of the things hence they are able to make informed decisions that would benefit them. 2. A teacher in every school is expected to uphold some values that define the profession. First and foremost, a teacher has a great responsibility of molding the values of children since they spend a great

Breakthrough in Airline Industry Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Breakthrough in Airline Industry - Thesis Example Two successful companies are proposed as case study samples for the survey and extensive person-to-person interviews, namely, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. In addition, two other profit-taking companies, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, shall serve as subjects of secondary interest as the thesis looks into their CRM practice by requesting them through e-mail or fax to fill up a questionnaire on the topic. If feasible, the proposed research shall locate any remaining office or persons that can speak for the failed Oasis Airlines, which is currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. Learning about the CRM techniques of both a successful and a collapsed airline is valuable to the proposed thesis since it will enable us to evaluate which process is more effective and useful. Whilst one airline after another goes out of business or on the edge of bankruptcy, a handful of airlines continue to operate profitably as if no crisis assails the industry at all. The most prominent of these successful airlines are Southwest Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, American Airlines and EasyJet. ... Southwest Airlines, for example, was recently honored by the US Department of Transportation for having the least number of complaints received from customers. It is interesting to see what management and operational strategies do these airlines employ to insulate their companies against the current economic crisis as well as the instabilities common to the industry, which can be highly instructive to both practitioners and students of management and marketing. 1.1 Main question: How do the fairly successful airlines handle their contacts with customers as compared to the customer relationship management applications used by failed airlines 1.2 Sub-questions: (1) Can adoption of CRM in the airline industry make a difference between long-term and short-term profitability (2) Which is more beneficial to an airline: online selling of plane tickets or through travel agents (3) Are loyalty schemes that reward frequent flyers part of good CRM practice that should be offered by troubled airlines (4) What tangible benefits have successful airlines derived from CRM for this to be considered a breakthrough system of management for the highly vulnerable airline industry 2. Literature Review Research for the proposed thesis shall focus on the actual results and benefits of CRM applications in airlines in light of the inherent difficulty in managing an airline and the turbulence experienced by the industry in the past few years. In effect, it will measure the impact of CRM applications on the bottom line of airlines based on the experience of Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. Studies of airline CRM in the existing literature, on the other hand, mostly discuss the rationale and mechanics of this process

Town Quay development at Southampton Waterfront Assignment

Town Quay development at Southampton Waterfront - Assignment Example The area is considered as a prime location because of its panoramic view of the sea and the volume of business activity surrounding the area. Although it is currently being used as a car park, the business potential of the area is quite considerable. There is a need to comprehensively and meticulously plan how the development project will operate to avoid any problems that may make the venture a failure. One must always take into consideration that a comprehensive evaluation of local and government planning policies and guidelines should be undertaken to ensure that the project is harmonious with them. The main goal is that the development actually complements and benefits the surrounding area and addresses the needs of the community. In short, the project is to be undertaken with full regards to the community as a whole. It has long been recognized that this strategy is one determining factor in the financial viability and sustainability of the venture. In the development appraisal portion, an analysis is provided on the following: planning constraints, observable constraints, uncertain matters to be investigated, access and egress, neighbours and any other matters that are likely to influence the success of the development. A development plan is then provided that shows the layout for building massing, use and phasing, suggested storey heights, parking, landscaping, access and egress. We make use of an ordinance survey map to illustrate the scheme. Following this is an evaluation of how the development plans and the site appraisal fares with the aspirations of the local planning authority. It is also in this section where an analysis of how the scheme will fit in with the established property market, ABP's dock estate and the surrounding buildings. After all this, a residual valuation that analyzes the commercial viability is presented along with the provision of 3 options showing how ABP may obtain a return from the site. Section 1 - Appraisal of the Site Planning Constraints Local and government planning policies should be evaluated when planning for any development. Any project that fails to do this has a greater chance of failure as local laws are sufficient grounds for non-continuance of the project. In any case, we are developing the area for the local population and we don't want them to be alienated. In evaluating, there is a need to determine what construction practices and parameters are allowed on the area. For example, vertical structures may only have a

Organisational Behaviour and the Standard Chartered Bank Scandal Essay

Organisational Behaviour and the Standard Chartered Bank Scandal - Essay Example This was used to fund terrorist groups. The US branch of the bank hid 60,000 transactions with Iran for almost a decade. Speaking in a press conference on August 8th, Standard Chartered Bank CEO, Peter Sands stated that â€Å"there was no systematic attempt to circumvent sanctions in Iran†. He admitted that some deals violated US sanctions of Iran but that was not the whole representative policy of the bank. However, this incident wiped off $17billion from the bank's market value and shares fell by 7% within the 24-hour period (BBC News, 2012a). According to the Telegraph (2012) the US Treasury department showed suspicion that some US banks are collaborating with Iran to fund the nuclear weapons programme of Iran. However, Standard Chartered Bank kept this secret until the lid was opened upon them. A senior business writer for the Guardian in the UK did a thorough critique of the situation at hand (Palmer, 2012). In his critique, he identified important pointers and actions th at are relevant to the case and give a broader view of the concepts involved in the breach. He identifies that widespread illegal activities committed in different parts of the world cannot succeed unless some international banks cooperate with the persons indicted for the activity. In citing a similar case, Palmer identifies that HSBC bank was indicted for helping Mexican drug traffickers to circumvent sanctions by covering up their transactions and presenting them as legal (Palmer, 2012). In the events leading to the Standard Chartered scandal, it is said that the head of Standard Chartered Americas wrote to the director on 5th October, 2005 stating that the UK headquarters' transactions with Iran were â€Å"very serious and even catastrophic enough to cause major reputational damage of the bank† (Palmer, 2012). However, the warning was not heeded and this led to the scandal. However, Standard Chartered went on and altered wire transactions for the Iranian government (see A ppendix 1). Deloitte, the bank's auditors came out and claimed that they had no knowledge of the actions of the bank's employees and this activity was not disclosed to them (Palmer, 2012). However, Palmer insists that the current CEO, Peter Sands served as the finance director between 2002 and 2006 before assuming his current position and he had served long enough to know about this spate of illegal transactions. This is an offence and the management and staff of Standard Chartered Bank are indicted for their role in breaking an international legal convention. This is clearly the case of an unethical behaviour and requires a lot of attention from the major stakeholders. This paper undertakes analysis of the subject and its implications to organisational behaviour. Organisational Structures/Culture and the Scandal â€Å"In banking, there has always been an overlap between corporate governance and banking regulations† (Gup, 2007 p13). This implies that banking has always had a corporate governance culture that requires the people charged with directing the affairs of the bank to follow some important regulations and considerations in decision making and the running of the banks. Gup goes on to state that these rules and imperative requirements were in place since the 1930s where most banks in the developed world had to react to the major economic crises that came up prior to the Second World War (2007).

A tale of two airlines case Essay Example for Free

A tale of two airlines case Essay As Professor Roger McPherson’s wait to go through the security process a second time dragged on into its third hour on this Spring day in 2002, (all passengers had to be rescreened upon the discovery that one of the airport screening machines was unplugged) he was reminded of another delayed business trip and the role that information technology played in the story. At 5:30pm on February 15, 1995, 200 feet off the ground, Professor Roger McPherson gazed anxiously through the fog as his airplane moved to touch down at Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta, more than 1 hour and 15 minutes late. He had 30 minutes to catch his 6:00pm flight to London, where he would be meeting with the executive leadership of a major British power company to discuss their information strategy. He felt fortunate, however, to be flying this carrier, which had a reputation for outstanding service. He was even more comfortable because he had a full-fare first-class ticket and was a Gold Card member. Professor McPherson was always uneasy about the large premium charged for full, first-class tickets, but knew that in a crunch it often meant the difference between a making a connection and missing one. He well remembered a decade ago flying this airline from Milan to London to connect to a flight to New York. Bad weather then had also reduced his 1-hour-and-30-minute connect time to 10 minutes. A discussion of the problem with the first-class cabin attendant had resulted in a phone call from the pilot to London (the airlines hub city), and a car to whisk him and one other passenger to the New York flight, which took off only one minute late. That extraordinary service had made Professor McPherson a 10-year devotee of the airline. In the network age, he knew it would be different and he was secure. The airline flying to London would have identified him off their computer as a close-connecting passenger. It would have noted he checked no bags through, and it would be anxious to capture his $2,500 fare—about 10 times that of the average passenger—on an only moderately loaded flight. As his plane pulled into the gate at 5:40pm, he knew it would be tight but he would make it, particularly given the fact that all planes were coming in late. Moving his 57-year-old frame into a dim recollection of a high school 400-meter specialist, he set off. Two escalator rides and one train ride later, the gate came into sight and he braked to a halt at 5:53pm. It was close, but he had done it. Looking through the airport window, however, he was stunned to see the air bridge detached from the plane with splendid teutonic efficiency 7 minutes early. The door to the bridge was closed, no agent was in sight, and he was reduced to waving his bags through the window to the pilot 20 yards away (it had, after all, worked once in a similar situation on Continental Airlines). Alas, by 5:58pm the plane was pushed back, and the agents emerged and quite cheerfully (and unregretfully; they had no clue who he was) booked him onto another airline that would leave 1 hour and 45 minutes later. He would be 30 minutes late for his meeting in London, but the executives would understand. Distinctly irritated, he straggled off to the new airline’s first class lounge to begin a frantic series of phone calls and faxes to the United Kingdom. As he trudged through the airport, McPherson began to see the beginning of a lecture on service in the network economy and the fact that technology is only a small enabling piece of a total service concept. At 7:50pm, comfortably seated in the first-class cabin of his new carrier, McPherson jerked to attention as the captain came on to announce that because of a leak in the hydraulic system, there would be an aircraft change and a two-and-one-half-hour delay. Sprinting off the plane, McPherson realized that the meeting with the power company executives, planned three months ago, would be over before he got there. The following day he was due in Frankfurt to give the keynote address at a major information systems conference. Flying to the United Kingdom to connect to Frankfurt would be a hassle and unnecessary since the purpose of stopping in the United Kingdom   was now totally negated. Glancing up at the departure board, McPherson was surprised to see a 7:55pm boarding departure for a plane to Frankfurt, nine gates away. Pulling into the gate at 8:02pm, he discovered several things: 1. The plane was at the gate, and with commendable dispatch the gate agent relieved him of his London boarding pass and his London-to-Frankfurt ticket and hustled him onto the plane minutes before the door closed. 2. The cabin attendant, giving him his favorite drink, explained that because of favorable tail winds across the Atlantic and the fact that eight passengers (plus now McPherson and one other) had very tight connections, they had decided to hold the plane for 15 minutes to get the extra passengers and still arrive on schedule. The note of pride in the cabin attendants voice was evident. One-and-a-half hours later, appropriately wined and dined, McPherson drifted off to sleep, reflecting on what a remarkable case study had played out in front of him in the previous two hours. Information technology, operations strategy, management control, an empowered (also unempowered) work force, and service management had been interwoven into a tableau. A revised format for his speech in Frankfurt began to emerge. Best of all, he would not have to go through a case release process because it had all happened to him.

Anti-Social Personality Disorder and Psychopathy Comparison

Anti-Social Personality Disorder and Psychopathy Comparison What is the distinction between Anti-Social Personality Disorder and Psychopathy? Is this distinction practically useful? The first step in answering such a question would be to define the terms, it is here that the first problem is encountered. On consulting Rycroft (1977, p.12) it appears that â€Å"behaviour disorder is a psychiatric diagnostic term embracing psychopathy† This definition paraphrases that contained in the fourth edition of the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders referred to by Hare(1993 p.24). In addition to being enduring patterns of markedly deviant behaviour, the characteristics are first diagnosed as a disorder in adolescence or early adulthood. The American definition judges anti social behaviour disorder by what is done. A vastly different definition can be found in Home Office Research Document 225 (Moran Hagell 2001), where, what is put forward, is acceptable behaviour, once again, specifically in adolescents. Thus the Home Office/NHS definition of anti social behaviour is one in which adolescents fail to meet the set of criteria that would identify them as functioning normally. They are judged by what they fail to do. In this document Moran and Hagell do go on to define anti-social personality disorder as an extreme form of anti-social behaviour. They also make a very important distinction, â€Å"anti-social behaviour is what people do whilst anti-social personality disorder is what people have. Psychopathy is a psychiatric and medico legal term for what used to be called moral  imbecility. Despite the fact that Cleckley (1952) suggests that the term psychopathic personality was replaced by personality disorder, it was still in use by the medico-legal authorities in England and Wales as evidenced by its use in the Mental Health Act 1959 where it was defined as: â€Å"a persistent disorder or disability of mind (whether or not including sub normality of  intelligence) which results in abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct  on the part of the patient, and requires or is susceptible to medical treatment† In common with anti-social personality disorder, psychopathy is something that a person has rather than does. This distinction from other deviant or socially unacceptable behaviour allows for the treatment of offenders in special hospitals. If these definitions are not sufficient to confuse, in the United States of America the terms psychopath and socio path are used interchangeably. Hare (1993 pp 23-24) condemns this practice and contrary to a large body of medical opinion posits that the terms anti-social personality disorder and psychopathy are not interchangeable either. Hare (1993 p.22) suggests that the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the term psychopathy for which he claims a literal meaning of â€Å"mental illness† is largely due to inappropriate and irresponsible use of the term by the media. According to Hare,(1993 pp34-70) the difference between anti-social personality disorder and psychopathy is that the former refers primarily to a cluster of criminal and antisocial behaviours whilst the latter is a syndrome defined by a cluster of both personality traits and socially deviant behaviours. He has produced a list of key symptoms of psychopathy. Hare shows that the criteria for diagnosis of psychopathy is, or should be, different, and following on from this, it can be seen that whilst most criminals are not psychopaths many criminals will have some degree of anti-social personality disorder. If the distinction between psychopathy and anti social personality disorder was universally agreed and referred to in the treatment of offenders then it might have a practical usefulness. Alas this is not the case, even the criteria for determining psychopathy cannot be agreed. In 1995 Prins as quoted by Bartlett and Sandland (2003 p311) added further indicators to the criteria for diagnosis. Does this mean that some offenders have previously been misdiagnosed? The distinction that Hare continues to make between psychopathy and anti-social behaviour is not universally accepted. In England, the medical profession are slowly beginning to contest the insistence of separating psychopathy from anti-social personality disorders. Bartlett and Sandland (2000 pp48-51) point to the fact that Section 1(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 defines the terms used in the Act and whilst they accept the definition of other terms in the sub section they strongly contest the validity of the definition of psychopathic disorder. They base their argument on the fact that the criteria for definition are not distinct from the results of that behaviour. They argue that: â€Å"abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct does not merely characterise the  malady; they are indistinguishable from it, at least in current medical understanding†. They suggest that the medical profession consider the term psychopathy outdated and prefer instead to speak of anti-social or dis-social personality disorder. It is not only within England and Wales that there is disagreement, the mental health legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland does not distinguish between psychopathy and anti-social behaviour disorder. Even amongst the legal and medical establishments of Great Britain and Northern Ireland there is no agreement. Gough (1968) suggests that the concept of psychopathy can be traced to the work of J. C. Pritchard who in 1885 classified psychiatric disorders into two broad categories, moral and intellectual sanity. Pritchard referred to aberrations of the conative and emotional areas of the brain. That Pritchards thinking affected other health professionals can be inferred from the work of Grob (1994 pp149-150) in which he recounts the history of Boston Psychopathic Hospital which opened in 1912. Amongst the variety of deviant types who were treated there, were prostitutes and juvenile delinquents. By current definitions these types indulge in anti-social behaviour but without further in-depth diagnosis neither would be classed as psychopathic. Perhaps this type of thinking was influenced by Ceasare Lombroso (1876) who claimed that the heavy punishments of his day could not be justified by the effect they might have, because the behaviour of those who committed crime could not be changed. They were born criminals. In an age of more enlightened approach towards criminality Fennell and Yeates (1999) propose that there is undoubtedly a moral hierarchy of mental disorder. They suggest that in crude terms the mentally ill are divided into afflicted or deserving mad whilst people with anti social personality disorder; and the definition which includes psychopathy is assumed here; are seen as the bad mad or undeserving mad. Unfortunately it seems that this classification of the mentally ill, fuelled by the media has developed a strong and negative influence on popular perceptions of those mental disorders which are identified by anti-social behaviour. The theory of criminal behaviour proposed by Eysenck in 1964 muddies the water even further Peck and Whitlow(1979) examine his claims that extroverts are more likely to show more criminal behaviour. Although a later study by Cochrane in 1974 discredited this conclusion it does point to an over emphasis on which type of people are prone to anti-social behaviour rather than why anti-social behaviour occurs. At least Hare (1993) makes an attempt to explain why psychopathy occurs in certain individuals, he suggests that something is missing and that this something is conscience. A dictionary definition of conscience would include, moral sense, the sense of right and wrong. It is this sense which is missing in the psychopath. In psychology the notion of conscience is closely related to the psychoanalytic theories of Freud. Wrightsman (1997) explains how these theories have contributed to social psychology and particularly the understanding of the socialisation of the individual. He explains that the contents of the superego are distilled from the influences of parents, teachers and other persons and eventually become internalised as conscience. Braithwaite (2003 p394-395) in his work on re-integrative shaming suggests that conscience is what prevents most people from committing crime rather than the deterrence of punishment. He suggests that societies which replace much of punishment, as a means of social control, with shaming and appeals to the better natures of people, have less crime. The argument continues that punishment should be reserved for the psychopaths because they are beyond shaming. The problem arises once again that punishment will not deter further offending. The psychopath will play the game whilst confined but on release, because of his inability to learn from experience, will continue to offend. Braithwaites suggestion indicates that our prisons should be full of psychopaths which is clearly not the case. If this argument was put forward in respect of people suffering from anti-social personality disorder it would be more credible. The notion of born criminal continues and to compound the problem further Graft (1961) suggested that there is probably more than one type of psychopath, he included, brain damaged, affectionless, emotionally unstable and impulsive. To this list can be added the sexual psychopath (Dobson 1981). Without actually using this phrase Marshall and Barbaree (1990) as cited by Ward, Polaschek and Beech ( 2006 pp33-45) suggest similarities between psychopaths and sexual offenders, notably that both groups are likely to have experienced physical and sexual abuse as children. Although there may be some similarities between types, not all sexual offenders are psychopaths, nor are all psychopaths sexual offenders. Such indiscriminate use of the term psychopath is not helpful and probably only serves to fuel the belief that nothing can be done to alleviate the condition. As late as 1976 Cleckley, whose work is discussed by Hare(1993 pp27-28) suggested that since psychopaths cannot benefit from exp erience there is little that can be done for them. Perhaps this pessimistic view stems from the belief that the onset of anti social personality disorder occurs in adolescence or early adulthood. Hare (1999) cites the work of sociologist William McCord in which it was concluded that although attempts to deflect a person from psychopathic patterns in early life had not been successful, there was hope for those programmes in which an individuals social and physical environment was completely changed. McCord appears to have recognised that sufferers from anti-social behaviour disorder are not born bad but might be made bad as a result of early life experiences. This suggestion appears to be born out by the work of Rutter et al (2007) with Romanian adoptees who had suffered trauma as a result of institutional deprivation. Rutter and his colleagues have shown that the early influences in life, particularly the influence or lack of parental care, can have profound effects on the development of the child. It is not suggested that early separation from the mother automatically causes anti-social behaviour disorder, but Rutter and his colleagues have shown that adverse early life experiences do cause trauma and disruption of emotional and psychological development, what has been described as the primal wound. What is important about studies of adopted institutionalised children is that whilst their behaviour is what they do, it can be linked to the trauma they have suffered and to the resultant emotional and psychological problems that they have. Optimistically Rutter believes that even when emotional and socialising deprivation has occurred, it can be addressed, and the sooner it is addressed, the greater the chances of the abandoned child leading a relatively normal life. He found that those children who had been institutionalised for less than six months fared better than those who had been institutionalised for a longer period. Rutter and his colleagues discovered that children in their sample who had suffered institutional deprivation in Romania had greater problems than those from Romania who had not been in an institution, or children who had been adopted from within the U.K. It was noted that IQ and inattention had a negative effect on scholastic attainment, the children exhibited autistic like patterns, possibly a response to profound lack of interpersonal interactions and conversations. These children also suffered dis-inhibited attachment, inattention/over-activity problems and emotional and conduct disturbances. The findings concerning scholastic attainment are borne out by research conducted by Beckett et al (2007). When considering the work of Goldfarb (1943) as cited by Woods (2004) the foregoing should not be surprising, his research showed that institutionalised children show higher levels of aggressive behaviour and score lower in IQ and sociability tests than non institutionalised children but these problems were more severe for those children who remained in the orphanage for longer. A few years later Bowlbys (1951) maternal deprivation hypothesis suggested that a failed or damaged attachment was likely to cause long term difficulties for a child. Despite the fact that Bowlbys research was criticised as being flawed, Woods (2004) reveals that his emphasis on bonding and attachment has been held to be correct by Michael Rutter(1982) If the foregoing is examined in the light of the NHS/Health Advisory Service indicators of 1995, that is; a capacity to enter into and sustain mutually satisfying personal relationships, continuing progression of psychological development, an ability to play and learn so that attainments are appropriate for age and intellectual level, a developing moral sense of right and wrong, and a degree of psychological distress and maladaptive behaviour being within the normal limits for the childs age and context, it could be argued that unless these problems are resolved such children might be in danger of exhibiting anti-social behaviour and/or developing anti-social personality disorder. This hypothesis is stated to make the point that a lack of clear definition, and aetiology in the study and management of anti-social behaviour disorder and psychopathy, if indeed the two are separate, only serves to encourage much more speculative explanations of behaviour. There is perhaps a belief that it is unreasonable to label a child as a psychopath and if this is one of the reasons that the British medical establishment prefer the designation anti-social personality disorder then this is beneficial, particularly if it prompts recognition that symptoms of the disorder are recognisable at a very early age. Certainly the research of Goldfarb, Bowlby, Rutter and others has  shown that causes for anti-social behaviour in children can be identified and responded to, the earlier the response the greater the chance of effecting fundamental change. Experimental data concerning the effects on animals of enriched and impoverished environments is readily available and supports the conclusions based on observations of adopted children. Boddy (1981pp205-208 ) describes experiments carried out by Bennet et al in 1964 in which it was found that rats from age twenty five days to eighty days reared in an enriched environment had cerebral cortices which were thicker and heavier than rats of the same age reared in impoverished environments. This study was complemented by work conducted by Krech et al in 1962. This study found that differences in learning ability correlated with structural and biochemical differences induced in the cerebral cortex as a result of exposure to different environments. Obviously similar experimentation on the human brain is unacceptable and the only evidence available is from the post mortem examination of human brains. Boddy points to the study of the brain of a blind deaf mute carried out by Donaldson (1980) which was found to have atrophied visual and auditory areas. Sight and sound were missing as a result of defects in the corresponding areas of the brain. If, as the studies with institutionalised children appear to show early damage due to a deprived environment may be repairable, why does there appear to be permanence of psychopathy or anti-social behaviour disorder in adults? The psychopathic personality scores high as an extrovert and Boddy (1981 p253) quotes Grays work of 1972 in pointing out that the extrovert is not readily conditionable because the septo-hippocampal system which inhibits responses that have been punished or have failed to elicit reward is relatively insensitive. There is more than a suggestion here that conscience, guilt and remorse are missing in the psychopathic personality because of a defect in the septo-hippocampal system. Because of their psychological profile psychopaths and people suffering from anti-social behaviour disorder are unlikely to seek out or even believe that they need therapy. If this class of person is forced into undergoing therapy, for example by the justice system, they are unlikely to take an active part in their treatment. It could be argued that their belief systems are so entrenched that they cannot be changed. Aitkenhead and Slack (1985 p323) suggest that we acquire a large body of knowledge over a lifetime and that this knowledge is incorporated into our belief systems which then affects our interactions with society. It maybe that certain information has to be acquired at specific times in life. Body (1981 p208) points to the work of the ethologist Nash in 1970 which has wide support amongst psychologists. Nash suggested that the external stimuli for many crucial events in development must occur within critical periods. If this is true then it would explain why adults with psychopathic personality disorder or anti-social personality disorder do not, indeed cannot respond to therapy. If the window of opportunity for essential socialising influences can be identified then steps can be taken to ensure the necessary conditions for socialisation are present. In the absence of this information an assumption that these conditions should be available from birth or as soon as possible afterwards may eliminate or reduce the instances of psychopathy and anti-social behaviour disorder. There is no doubt that anti-social behaviour disorder and psychopathic personality disorder cause problems for society and for the individuals concerned. Even here there is no clear understanding of the immensity of the problem. Rutter, Gillo and Hagell (1998) suggest that obtaining accurate data on which to assess the state of the problem that anti -social behaviour poses is also problematical. There is no single source of data concerning anti-social behaviour, therefore data has to be drawn from official statistics, criminal records, victim surveys and self report data which means that research is based on estimates rather than facts. What is the distinction between Anti-Social Personality Disorder and Psychopathy? Is this distinction practically useful? It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine if there is any real distinction between these two afflictions or if there is only one malady with two or more names. Hare(1993 pp34-70) does make a distinction between anti-social personality disorder and psychopathy in that one refers primarily to a cluster of criminal and antisocial behaviours whilst the other is a syndrome defined by a cluster of both personality traits and socially deviant behaviours. Hares view seems to be in the minority. The continued distinction appears to have no practical use at all. Scotland and N.Ireland seem to manage quite well without making a legal distinction. A universal adoption of the term anti-social behaviour disorder or better still, psychopathy in its original meaning of â€Å"mental illness† might have more practical use if it removed the sad/bad madness dichotomy. M ore accurate collection of data would obviously help to obtain a clearer understanding of the extent of the problem. The practice of waiting until adolescence or early adulthood before diagnosis,when previous research indicates that at this point nothing can be done to change behaviour, seems to be insane. In the light of the work conducted by Nash, Goldfarb, Bowlby, Rutter and others, the sane, the moral, thing to do would be to diagnose as early as possible after birth and then put measures in place to ensure that all developmental milestones are achieved. What the affliction is called is not nearly as important as its treatment. References Bartlett P. Sandford R. (2003) Mental Health Law, Policy Practice. (2nd Ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Beckett C. Maughan B. Rutter M. Castle J. Colvert E. Groothues C. Hawkins A. Kreppner J. OConnor T.G. Stevens S. Sonuga-Barke E.J. (2007). Scholastic Attainment Following Severe Early Institutionalised Deprivation: A study of Children Adopted from Romania. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 1063-1073 Retrieved 1 November 2008 from e-prints Soton, University of Southampton. Boddy J. (1981) Brain Systems and Psychological Concepts. Chichester: John Wiley Sons Ltd. Braithwaite J. (1996) Re-integrative Shaming. In McLaughlin E. Muncie J. Hughes G. (Ed) Criminological Perspectives 293-299. London: Sage. Dobson A.P. (1981) Cases and Statutes on Criminal Law (2nd Ed). London: Sweet and Maxwell. Gabor T (1986) The Prediction of Criminal Behaviour. Toronto: Toronto University Press. Gough H.G. (1968) A Sociological Theory of Psychopathy in Spitzer S.P. Dervain. N.K. (Ed). The Mental Patient:Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York: McGraw Hill (1968) 60-67. Grob M. (1994) The Mad Among Us. Cambridge Mass: Harvard University Press. Hare R.D. (1999) Without Conscience.The Disturbing World of the Psychopath Among Us. New York: Guildford Press. Moran P. Hagell A (2001) . Intervening to Prevent Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Home Office Research Study 255. London. Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate Retrieved Home Office Data Base October 31, 2008 from www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/hors225.pdf Peck D. Whitlow D.(1975) Approaches to Personality Theory. London: Methuen. Rycroft C. (1977) A Critical Dictionary of Psychoanalysis. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Rutter M. Beckett C. Castle J. Colvert E. Kreppner J. Mehta M. (2007) Effects of Profound Early Institutional Deprivation: An Overview of Findings from a U.K. Longitudinal Study of Romanian Adoptees. European Jouurnal of Developmental Psychology 4(3) 332-350 Rutter M. Gillo H. Hagell A. (1998) Antisocial Behaviour by Young People. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ward T. Polaschek D.L.L. Beech A.R. (2006) Theories of Sexual Offending. Chichester: John Wiley Sons. Wrightsman L.S. (1972) Social Psychology (2nd Ed). Monterey Cal: Brookes Cole Publishing.

Mobile Maintenance Overview

Mobile Maintenance Overview MOBILE MAINTENANCE OVERVIEW THE PROJECT Over the last decade, we have seen the pace of technology development increase hugely. From mobile phones to tablet devices to smart televisions, right up to connected vehicles and homes. This technology shift is inevitably moving into aviation travel sector. Both the Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 require connectivity, and digital tools, to maintain them. Engineering needs to have integrated systems and hardware within the business to keep pace. Achieving such integration will provide us with the latest tools in support of our drive for greater efficiency and improved productivity. Our goal is to use technology to help us become market competitive. The Mobile Maintenance project is one of Engineerings primary Tier 1 programmes and forms part of the Our Plan business objective to use digital technology to transform our business. It aligns with the work we are doing under the banner of the Capella change programme. With investment being made in mobile hardware, a new content management solution and significant enhancements to the SAP, the project will roll out over the next 18 months. Beginning in the ramp arena, online/mobile working will cascade on into hangar maintenance, and then component workshops. The new content management solution will come on stream one aircraft type at a time, with component maintenance manuals shortly thereafter. INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE In the current financial climate, the decision by BAs Capital Investment Committee to approve this capital investment should be seen as a fantastic endorsement of everything Engineering intends to achieve via the project. Once the cost of the original mobile working trial is added in, the total capex underpinning Mobile Maintenance comes to some  £8million. The graphic below provides an indication of how the funds have been invested. 33% 22% 45% INVESTMENT BREAKDOWN Hardware SAP Enhancements INVESTMENT EXPLAINED BENEFITS Of course, the investment decision was driven by the compelling benefits case Engineering were able to make. As well as the obvious productivity and efficiency opportunities, successful implementation opens up the possibility of achieving a wide variety of non-financial gains across Engineering. PEOPLE AND PROCESSES Drive up the quality of information underpinning resource and load planning activities. Reduce the frustration caused by having to leave the aircraft side mid-job. SAFETY AND QUALITY Improve access, and adherence, to maintenance manuals, procedures and processes. Reduce the risk of unrecorded work. OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE Reduce ADDs and delays through easier, quicker and more accurate access to technical information. Vastly improved situational awareness both in the satellite control and for the production teams. SAP Enhancements Just over 1/5 of the investment has gone into the largest single group of changes to SAP since it was introduced in 2004. Resulting in new transactions and improvements to exisiting ones, in addition to the new eTask app. Hardware 1/3 of the investment has been on hardware. From the devices to servers and WIFi infranstructure. This portion of the investment was vital in ensuring the implementation becomes a success. ICMS The largest portion of the investiment is in the new integrated content management system. A replacement for the TI Portal and Knowledge warehouse, ICMS will provide remote, direct, accurate technical documentation to all engineers. For additions or queries regarding the MMHandbook contact [emailprotected] Ensure colleagues carry out their role with the most up-to-date information at their fingertips. Increase the productivity and efficiency of the delivery and support teams in the organisation. Provide the opportunity for greater visibility of task work steps. Remove SAP data entry lag, and risk of data transcription errors, to improve compliance data timeliness and quality. Better quality data will provide greater richness of information to improve the quality, and delivery, of the daily production plan. DELIVERABLES DELIVERABLES OVERVIEW Mobile maintenance often attracts the immediate thought of iPads and the eTask app, mobile maintenance is a huge amount more than just an app on a device. The SAP enhancements upstream all interlink with one another, from enhancing the notifications we rely on for compliance, to creating a balanced plan and managing our operation. The information produced upstream of the app allows the engineer to work with accurate, well planned information on his device, while the app offers him/her immediate benefits with the functionality offered by eTask. DEFECT WORKBENCH The defect workbench is a new SAP transaction available for use by both production and the EOCC. It allows a user to search, review and fully define a D3 or D7. The transaction is data rich and allows accurate definition of notifications ensuring the user has all the information available to make informed decisions on what action should be taken. Notifications can be directed to relevant departments using the new milestone function while communication lines between planning, production and the engineer at the aircraft side are opened up with the remarks function. SLOT PLAN The slot plan is an engineering version of the airops software we use today to monitor the operation, it is a graphical display of our aircrafts flying schedule allowing a planner to select and analyse maintenance opportunities to plan revisions. The slot plan is the point of entry to the planning workbench and is the first step in the process to creating a new revision or editing an existing one. PLANNING WORKBENCH A data rich transaction allowing a planner to analyse the outstanding notifications of an aircraft. A compliance pane, defect pane and modification pane organise the notifications in a logical manner while quick review columns offer immediate information about a notification including; material status, life rule and number of re-assess alongside many others. The main function of the planning workbench is to create accurate plans for work in the production environment. LOAD AND CAPACITY Once the notification definition process we will have going forward with mobile maintenance improves and the data is more accurate the load and capacity tool will be a very important tool for engineering. The load and capacity tool will offer a graphical representation of the capacity (resource available) vs the Load (the planned work). This will allow a planner to balance revisions and ensure the plan is achievable. The tool depends on engineering working together to define notifications properly, most importantly defining man hours on ADDs. RESOURCE PLANNING DASHBOARD (RPD) The resource planning dashboard is a digital T card board and interlinks with both the load and capacity tool and the TACD. The RPD (resource planning dashboard) allows a shift manager to organise a shifts colleagues in to teams based on who is available. The transaction offers information of the colleagues skills, cover and availability and so the teams can be planned accurately and efficiently. There will also be a crew room view which will show everyone which teams they are allocated to. The RPD relies on data fed from the HR system and time manager, with this in mind, it is vital that any time manager data is entered in advance of the event, this includes overtime, leave, sickness and any other absence. Failure to do so will result in the colleagues absent or on overtime failing to show correctly in the RPD. This is important as the RPD feeds the allocation system in the TACD which allocates work to the engineers devices. TASK ALLOCATION AND CONTROL DASHBOARD (TACD) TACD is the new version of the electronic whiteboard we use today to manage our operation in the satellites. It allows the FSDE to view and analyse the progress of the work being carried out by the engineers on the aircraft, while having the ability to create tasks from VHF calls and allocating them directly to an engineers device instantly. The TACD interlinks directly with the eTask app and the functionality provided allows the progress of tasks and revisions to be monitored in real time offering a substantial operational awareness improvement. ETASK APP (IPAD BASED) The eTask app is the next generation Ramp app. Following on from the trial version, the eTask app has an abundance of functionalities available that allow an engineer to work more efficiently and effectively. Greater task detail, allocation flexibility, stores integration and reporting functions offer huge improvements to the initial ramp app. The major benefit being increased engagement time at the aircraft side, integration to the content management system and access to up to date technical documentation supports the information already on offer within each task pushed to the device. INTEGRATED CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ICMS) The new content management system is engineerings single solution for technical documentation and procedures. ICMS replaces the TI Portal and knowledge warehouse bringing considerable aesthetic, control and accessibility improvements. Desktop and device access provides aircraft manuals in the same format, hyperlinked and integrated with the eTask app whilst offering smart search functionality. Offline content also allows manuals to be saved to a device for review with automated updates adding in any TRs directly to the manual ensuring adherence to the most recent version. TRAINING TRAINING SOLUTION With engineering investing in one of the biggest change projects since the introduction of SAP it is vital that the training solution provided gives all colleagues the most support in the movement towards mobile working. This section will explain the training solution offered as well as where supplementary information and support can be found. TRAINING DEVELOPMENT Mobile maintenance training was developed in house by a team of hard working experienced engineering colleagues. They are volunteers who devoted their time to the project to ensure that the content developed was in the best interests of their own colleagues and engineering as a whole. The training concepts were developed alongside the GLA and their own experts to ensure it adhered to training guidelines. In respect of the practical training the colleagues whom deliver the courses are also engineering production colleagues who volunteered to support the work areas in the road towards mobile working. ASCEND British Airways corporate learning tool is Ascend, it allows courses to be built and stored online for completion at a time that suits without being off lined from the work areas. Ascend also allows learning to be tracked and audited by quality. SAP ENHANCEMENTS ASCEND COURSES The mobile maintenance ascend courses were designed to give a how to demonstration of the new SAP enhancements. Software is a difficult product to train and the team toyed with different methods. One being the use of screenshots and annotations, however, when analysed, it was found that around 2000 screenshots would need to be produced which was both unmanageable and counterproductive as a training tool. The chosen method was to use videos of the transaction actually in a realistic scenario. Many software products use this method for training and a professional software was sourced to produce the content over a period of 2 months. The videos can be stopped, paused and scrolled through if further time is required on a certain point or notes need to be taken. ETASK ASCEND COURSE BALEARNING APP The eTask ascend course is a little different to that of the SAP Enhancements, the ascend course serves as a placeholder for the competency assessment but the content itself is based on a BA corporate app named BALearning on the iPad device itself. The BALearning app allows an identical mimic of the real eTask app to be created. The content can then be manipulated to direct a user to choose the correct process and function resulting in the user becoming familiar and aware of how the eTask app works. If a user makes an error it is not a problem as the learning app offers a safe environment to practice in. The eTask training app that is released is available at any time allowing a user to refresh on functionality when required. BALEARNING APP FIX Some users have reported the BALearning app is malfunctioning and the screen blanks on opening. This is due to a problem Mobile Enabled Operations encountered in March with corporate apps across the BA network having issues. The fix: Delete BALogin App and Device Doctor App and then reinstall, following that enter the BA App store and ensure all apps are up to date including the BALearning app. This should remedy the fault. ASCEND COMPETENCY ASSESSEMENTS The ascend competency assessments are a quality requirement. PRACTICAL TRAINING The training team were very keen to have a practical element of training included in the solution, one that allows candidates to practice using the new tools in a safe environment with instructors who are experts in the developments. The solutions were again developed by the SME team alongside the GLA. EOCC PRACTICAL TRAINING The EOCC have developed a comprehensive practical training and readiness programme. This includes a full 1 day training course using the new tools in a safe environment while learning new processes and procedures attached to those tools. They also assess individuals on a 1 on 1 basis prior to going live ensuring the candidates are capable and ready to use the tools, assessing competency in addition to setting up layouts and variants applicable to their role. MVS MAINTENANCE VISIT SIMULATION Production colleagues, once they have completed the mandatory ascend modules will be allocated to an MVS course. A Maintenance Visit Simulation course is a 1 day offline course where a candidate will experience and use all of the tools produced from mobile maintenance in a simulated aircraft visit. The simulation begins prior to the aircraft visit highlighting the process of data enrichment and timely entering of HR data, from there the simulation moves through the satellite to the aircraft arrival and through to the aircraft departure. At each point of the aircraft visit the instructors demonstrate functionality and highlight any key points while the candidates actually work the aircraft on the devices like they would in a real life scenario. The candidates are assessed by monitoring their engagement throughout the session as well as a written exam at the end of the session. POST TRAINING SUPPORT For additions or queries regarding the MMHandbook contact [emailprotected] As with any training programme there are often further questions and clarity required by a candidate. For that reason a post training support structure has been implemented. KEY USERS Key users in each area are the first port of call for any clarifications or questions regarding mobile maintenance and they will be on hand to every shift to aid in the process of implementation and beyond. Again key users are engineering colleagues and have candidates best interests in mind. YAMMER Yammer is BAs business social media option. There is a mobile maintenance group which is monitored daily by the project team. Any questions or queries will be answered in a timely and accurate manner so dont hesitate to ask for any clarity or report any issues found. Yammer is available via a desktop or via the app store on the iPad. KEY FUNCTIONS QRH This mobile maintenance handbook offers an overview of the project, deliverables, training as well as offering a comprehensive quick reference handbook (QRH) for functionality of the new deliverables. It is a working document so if there is anything that is missing please report it to the owner or mobile maintenance yammer page. ENGINEERING PROCEDURES BA ENGINEERING TECHNICAL PROCEDURES AND WORK INSTRUCTIONS Mobile Maintenance is now part of British Airways Engineering Technical Procedures/Work Instructions. Alongside this there will be local procedures which will be briefed and cascaded by your business area representatives. Follow the instructions below to access the engineering procedures and work instructions related to Mobile Maintenance

Research Issues in Parapsychology Essay -- survival-after-bodily-death

"I shall not commit the fashionable stupidity of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud." -C.G. Jung (Society for Psychical Research) "Parapsychology is a belief in search of data rather than data in search of an explanation." -C.E.M. Hansel (Alcock ix) For years, ghosts and poltergeists have been a part of our popular lexicon. From stories told around the campfire, to motion pictures like The Haunting, to books like the Scary Story series, everyone has heard a good ghost story or two. Many people claim to have actually been party to a few supernatural experiences themselves. But for as long as we have told these frightful stories, science has been attempting to explain them beyond the typical bump in the dark. This investigation into the paranormal eventually evolved into the field of parapsychology. Current research in parapsychology has three focuses: psychokinesis (PK), extrasensory perception (ESP), and survival-after-bodily-death experiences. Psychokenisis is direct mental interaction with objects animate or inanimate. Extrasensory perception is a general term for obtaining information about events beyond the reach of the normal senses ("Parapsychology FAQ"). Survival-after-bodily-death is the investigation into events and phenomena dealing with life after death. In this paper, I intend to look at parapsychology and the study of survival-after-bodily-death. This area of parapsychology is perhaps the most recognizable, yet also the least investigated. I intend to look at the rise of this field of inquiry as a science, the arguments for it and against it, and why survival-after-bodily-death is not as prominent a field as it once was. History Parapsychology's roots can be traced back to the... ...botree.com/ [Accessed 20 April 1999]. Parapsychological Association (1999, Dec.). Parapsychology FAQ. [Online]. Available: http://www.parapsych.org [Accessed 20 April 1999]. Price, Harry. Confessions of a Ghost-Hunter. Putnam & Company: London, 1936. "Online Research in Parapsychology." Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. [Online] Available: http://search.eb.com/bol/topic?eu=70964&sctn=1 [Accessed 26 April 1999]. Rhine, Louisa E. The Invisible Picture. McFarland & Company: Jefferson, 1981. Society for Psychical Research. [Online]. Available: http://129.215.50.44/spr.html [Accessed 20 April 1999]. Tyrrell, G. N. M. Apparitions. Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd.: London, 1953 Weiner, Debra H. and Radin, Dean I., eds. Research in Parapsychology 1985. The Scarecrow Press, Inc.: Metuchen, 1986. Wilson, Colin. Mysteries. New York: G.E. Putnam's Sons, 1978.

Operation Individual :: Short Stories Technology Papers

Operation Individual A thousand cars, well Computer Assisted Rovers, rode up and down the sky highways of the Upper East Side. Enormous skyscrapers reached to the top of the massive dark sooty heavens that surrounded Chicago, kind of like a bubble that kept them away from the world. The year was 3015, and the world was a completely different place. It was like a metropolitan on speed. Society no longer needed sidewalks, telephones, thanks to video recorded messages, and basically crime, since the Big Brother Project made sure that THEY were watching at every possible moment. Everything was going great except for Operation Artificial Individuals, which was a project designed for the creation of a robot, that looked exactly like a human, thought like one, talked like one, and looked like one. You are all aware of the term artificial intelligence, which is understanding and even placing thought and intelligence into machines. Well since the end of the 22nd century a new term has come out, artificial in dividual or once again A.I., which was coined by Dr. Allan Newell. Dr. Newell who began Operation A.I., created artificial individuals, and mass-produced them for distribution all over the world. Now anyone could have a playmate, a brother they always wanted, and even for the desperate there was the spouse, and at prices that anyone could afford. When they were tested they were immediately approved and found to be very safe and reliable, and just as fast as they were approved they were put onto the shelves for sale. Ten years later they had filled almost half of the city of Chicago, and in many more places around the globe the same thing was happening. What people didn’t know was that the robots had the ability to take over the world if asked to. I know this because I was the one who helped create them; I was working directly under Dr. Newell when we created them. My name is Dr. Mark Altman, and I was the one who programmed them with the ability to do anything that the person with the "key" wanted them to do. See the key was exactly what it sounds like, if you have the key, all you have to do is insert it into the mainframes in his lavatories, type commands, and the artificial individuals would be at your every whim.

Domestic Violence Against Women and Children Essay -- Violence Against

One of the most complicated issues facing health care professionals and governmental agencies today is that of domestic violence. Domestic violence encompasses any violence that is inflicted upon one family member by another family member. Thus, domestic violence can be described as spouse abuse, child abuse, sibling abuse, or elder abuse. Most authorities suggest that domestic violence is typically expressed in violence against women and children. Such acts of violence can involve health care professionals in the treatment of physical injuries, the psychological impact upon the victim, or the aggressive behavior of the abuser. Often governmental agencies are called upon to investigate such matters to ensure the safety of the victims or to determine appropriate punishment for the offender. However, given the importance of the bonds and rights of the family that our culture maintains, it is difficult to determine when the situation at home â€Å"is no one’s business† and when it merits intervention from outside parties in order to protect the welfare of those involved. Despite these difficulties and complexities, domestic violence is considered to be a worldwide health problem necessitating urgent intervention (â€Å"A Priority Health,† 1998). The purpose of this paper is to explore the incidence and treatment regarding domestic violence. Incidence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The occurrence of domestic violence appears to be a worldwide problem occurring in every nation on earth. The small island of Fiji reports incidents of husbands killing wives over marital disputes (Adinkrah, 1999). Japanese officials refer to domestic violence as a â€Å"hidden crime† (Mieko, 1999). One survey conducted by the local government of Tokyo indicated that: one-third of the women interviewed had suffered physical violence from their husbands, violence was repeatedly inflicted on almost seven percent of the women, and over three percent indicated that they had been beaten severely. The government of India suspects that at least five thousand women were burned to death in 1991 by their husbands over marital conflicts (Singh & Unnithan, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Sweden is generally considered a country sensitive to social and family issues, it is also plagued with incidents of domestic violence. Consequently, the Swedish government introduced a new offense in 1998 ... ... from maritally violent homes. Families in Society, 75(7), 403-415. A priority health issue. (1998). World Health, 51(5), 15. Reid, S. T. (1991). Crime and criminology, 4th ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. Russell, D. E. H. (1984) Sexual exploitation: Rape, child sexual abuse, and workplace harassment. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Singh, R. N., & Unnithan, N. P. (1999). Wife burning: Cultural cues for lethal violence against women among Asian Indians in the United States. Violence Against Women, 5(6), 641﷓653.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Straus, M. A. (1977). Wife-beating: How common and why?† Victimology, 2(3-4), 443-458.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tutty, L. M., Bidgood, B. A., & Rothery, M. A. (1996). Evaluating the effect of group process and client variables in support groups for battered women. Research on Social Work Practice, 6(3), 308-324. Ways for Child Protective Service social workers and caseworkers to integrate domestic violence issues into case practice. (1997). Public Welfare, 55(3), 10. Ways for Child Protective Service supervisors to integrate domestic violence issues into case practice. (1997). Public Welfare, 55(3), 8.

Education Theatre Essay

â€Å"CAN you still remember your Grade I teacher? † This was once the by-line of an advertisement of one financial institution. This is also the base concept of the play â€Å"Ang Guro† staged by Stairs Production and Imagination Beyond Events Philippines at West Negros University Gym last Saturday, January 21. The musical play was written by occupational therapist Paul Ballano. This is his form of loving tribute to his Grade I school teacher, Mrs. Cecilia Resontoc, who was instrumental in making him pursue, work and reach his goals, despite all odds. As Paul fondly recalled after the curtain call, Mrs. Resontoc made him believe in what he can do, what he can achieve, and what he can become. The soft–spoken yet talented singer Karel Marquez performed the lead role perfectly. Comely, gentle yet versatile, Karel took in the part of Ms. Amelia Resontoc, a young high school teacher who has the knack of understanding and motivating her students. With her strong convictions, she encouraged her students to keep on going by singing â€Å"The Climb†, as she accepted each of their individual differences in â€Å"True Colors. † Izzy Trazona, one of the Sex Bomb Dancers, showed off her acting and dancing prowess as one of the talented yet late bloomer students of Ms. Resontoc. Sheila Asuncion, who plays the mother of Karel, not only played her role well but also belted out one powerful, heart–rending rendition of â€Å"The Prayer† together with the lead singer. Together with Charina Ramirez, Kath Jarabelo, Zac Celadania, Yab Aragones, Jake Duquiatan, Vida Masakayan, Jess Ibasco, Juddie Fe Suarez, Ahmee Galguerra, Owen Siy, Sweet Reyes, Jen Galope, Kiana Rodriguez, Armand Go, and playwright Paul, they composed the powerhouse of a cast which made the play a natural success. Moreover, the play’s universal theme on the crucial role that teachers play in the molding of the country’s young minds and the nobility of the teaching profession are great ideas which need to be brought to light. No wonder why the Department of Education and the West Negros University supported the staging of the musicale. The stage set and backdrop were to the minimum. Same with the costumes. But the plot thickens with almost real-life dialogues and scenes which every teacher and student or school administrator in the audience could easily identify with. The different personalities of teacher and students, and the varied circumstances which caught each web of each other lives provided the audience with hearty laughs, and flowing tears. The end of the play may have been tragic, but all good works do not go in vain. Especially that of the noble teacher Ms. Amelia Resontoc. Directed by Sweet Grace Ballano, â€Å"Ang Guro† may still have to undergo some minor refinements in stage blocking, but it has carved a better niche for itself in the world of stage plays. The cameo roles which some WNU dancers and students did in the play are also worth mentioning. But because the play is conceptualized and brought to different schools all over the country with no thought of a bigger profit, except to fulfill the writer’s dream and to bring forth the messages of acceptance, honor, love and understanding. It’s just quite sad to note that not everybody in the teaching profession or those who are enrolled in education courses have watched the play. But still, like a good book, or a worthy movie, the musicale â€Å"Ang Guro† has touched hearts and minds. And if all the student-members in the audience took leave of their seats to go thank their teachers in the audience and give each a warm hug, such is indicative that the musicale has brought its message across its audience’s hearts. Thus, warm kudos to the members of production and the cast of â€Å"Ang Guro† and to the wonderful people and sponsors in Bacolod who brought the musicale here. Well, what or who then is the â€Å"guro†? Probably they could be as specific as Socrates, Anne Sullivan, Marva Collins, Mary McCloud Bethune, Bel Kaufman or, from the namesake of the lead player in the musicale, Mrs. Cecilia Resontoc – all of them having one thing in common: they were all teachers in their own time. Or in generics, a â€Å"guro† can just be a â€Å"he† or a â€Å"she† – nameless or faceless yet gentle and wonderful beings who have long been forgotten but whose valuable lessons and strength in character will always be remembered by their students. So, at this point, can you now recall your Grade 1 teacher? Or even your other teachers? I hope you can. I would like to end with a part of a speech of John Schlatter of Cypress, California which I adapted. â€Å"Throughout the course of the day I have been called upon to be an actor, friend, nurse and doctor, coach, finder of the lost article, money lender, psychologist, substitute parent, and a keeper of faith†¦ I am allowed to see that life is reborn each day with new questions, burst of ideas and young friendships†¦ I know that if I build with love and trust, what I build will last forever†¦ I am a warrior, daily doing battle against peer pressure, negativity, fear, conformity, prejudice, ignorance, and apathy. But I have great allies: curiosity, intelligence, creativity, faith, love and laughter which all rush to my banner with indomitable support†¦ I AM A TEACHER. † Dear teachers, our hats off you. GOD BLESS.

Thomas Jefferson on Slavery and Race

B. Jefferson on Slavery and Race The terms of the emancipation proposal considered by Virginia legislators were all slaves born after the act would go on with their parents to tillage, arts or sciences, until girls (18) and boys (21) would colonize to places that â€Å"render the most proper† out with arms and domestic animals to declare them free and independent and extend the alliance and protection.Jefferson believes blacks are inferior to whites, he differentiates the two races by stating the obvious first, color, figure, hair, odor, he also states how they are harder working and don't require as much sleep. He also includes how adventuresome they are, they desire love more and are more sentiment and their â€Å"griefs are transient. † â€Å"This quality is the germ of all education in him. † Slavery influenced masters and other whites in ways of creating â€Å"boisterous passions† that created degrading comments to one another.This is spread through t he children and other whites seeing or being raised only one way of seeing a â€Å"master† degrade his slaves. Slavery influenced slaves that they prefer ways that avoid areas that can or have made work for them. Jefferson said â€Å"l tremble for my country when I reflect that God is Just† because e believes slavery is not right, he hopes for the total emancipation and that slavery is â€Å"disposed in the order of events with the consent of the masters. Jefferson's hopes for the end of slavery differed from his fears because he hoped of an emancipation, which happened. Rather than slaves taken from â€Å"masters† which would anger them. Jefferson's notes do not seem to be something typical of the era or that most would agree on, slavery and segregation were very strong and blacks were not even considered or thought of to have human rights like they have today during that era.

Reaction Paper to Ethics Essay

Ethos – Characteristic way of acting Ethics’ Greek word is ethos. The ethos of man as man is revealed in the following: He is able to distinguish between good and evil, right or wrong, moral and immoral; he feels within himself an obligation to do what is good and to avoid what is evil; and he feels himself accountable for his actions, expecting reward or punishment for them. In our study, ethos refers to those characteristics belonging to man as a rational being endowed with intellect and free-will. It provides the person with knowledge that he may know what to do and how to do it, thus, ethics provides the guides to the performance of an act. In the topic discussed above, I learned that ethos or ethics is important to us, in able for us to become a noble man or noble woman, we need to know what is good and do it and know what is evil and avoid it. We need ethos in our lives to be aware of the result of each action that we do in our everyday lives, if it will result to a good thing which is represented by rewards or it will result to a bad thing which is then represented by punishments or consequences. In our childhood days, we intend to copy the ones who are bigger and older than us, thinking that what they are doing is always right, so we do what they do, because we don’t know how to act yet, we don’t know what is good for us or bad for us back then. Now we’ve grown up and became knowledgeable about what is good and what is evil, but in each day of our everyday life, sometimes forgot that what we have been doing is wrong but seems to be right for us, like lying for the benefit of ourselves to keep us safe from being scolded by our parents, cheating during the quizzes, drinking with our peer groups or circle of friends and a lot more. What I’ve learned in ethics is the ethos: that we are accountable for all our actions and we have an obligation to do things right for us to be able to attain the good life. It gives us awareness for the things we must do and the things we must avoid. We’re not a child anymore, so we know what is good and what is evil, but sometimes, even we know it is bad, we are forced by our own desire to try it. Our curiosity leads us to try things done by common people in our society, then later, we find it good, but deep inside, we feel it is wrong. â€Å"But they did it, so I did it so†, that was the  common alibi. Now, I know that what we’ve done is wrong and we are now expecting punishment for the things we have done. We are now aware and will try to not to do it again. We would not depend on the activity of other people to be our activity too, but rather, we would have a basis in every act that we do, thinking first if it would be good or right for us, or bad f or us. Gerson R. MonteserGeneral Ethics BSIT-CPT IIReaction to Chapter 2 Man must strive for happiness What makes a man happy? Is it riches? Is it gadgets and gizmos? Is it fame? Or is it freedom? So what does make a man happy? I believe that man is a non-contented being, even he said, this is enough, but deep inside of him, he needs more. Man is in a continuous search of things that would make them happy for a long period of time. When a man has this desire to gain an object or an experience that he really loves to have, he will strive for it, he will work for it, and he will do anything to get it. He will set his desire as his goal in life, and he will commit to have it whatever it takes, which is said to be the highest commitment. But, when he achieved his goal in life, he will search for something to have again, and this would result to a never ending desire while he is still here in the earth. Now, the Enlightened One, Gautama Buddha states that man must strive for happiness but happiness can not be attained in this world for it is a state of peace. So, the happiness can be attained by having peace? Is that right? Maybe yes, because Gautama Buddha looks happy and at peace in his monuments, statues, and pictures. So, we have to be in peace in order to achieve true happiness. But how can we achieve peace? In my opinion, you should be contended in material things, and start to be at peace by not worrying for problems that come to our life, instead, be thankful because God gave us another day to live. Problems would never remain a problem, it will just pass in our life like that we are in and obstacle course, and the problems are the obstacle that will add difficulties in our way to success. So, to be at peace, one must be relaxed and just think a problem as a part of life that will make a man stronger than before. If we don’t have problems in  life, we would become a lazy couch potato, we will never do anything because there is nothing to be worried about, so, it’s like we are just the animals here in the earth that doesn’t have any problems. In this lesson, I learned that we must strive for our happiness, and by all means, we must strive to have peace. Some ideas came in thought that Gautama Buddha said happiness is not here on earth, so where can we find happiness? So, this thing comes to my mind, that we can attain true happiness when we are dead. Funny, but it makes sense, because Gautama Buddha added that it is in the states of peace, the happiness must have in the state of peace, and that peace would be when a person is dead, you know, because he would be now rest in peace, funny right? I didn’t know too, so I’m just drawing my own conclusions. Don’t judge me. Well, that’s all. Gerson R. MonteserGeneral Ethics BSIT-CPT IIReaction to Chapter 3 Man does not act without any motive or objective in view I have watched in the television a various number of news about burglary, kidnapping, sexual harassment, rape and slay, illegal drug selling, murder and etc, but the common thing a policeman always try to find out is their motive in doing this so. Motive is the reason why a man does act, and without motive, he has no reason to do the act. In our lesson, this chapter discusses about man and his ends. The definition of an end is both termination and goal of activity. It is that which completes or finishes a thing, and it is that for which the thing is finished. By an end, therefore, we mean the end of an activity or what we call end is the purpose or goal of an act. The only way to give meaning to human existence is to have a goal, the very reason for being and existence. Very well said, the above states all the things that define the man and his end, so what does will it to do with the topic motive? As in my opinion, motive would add to the man’s end, in his will to finish his end, he has to have a motive in doing it, so that, the motive will push his mind to achieve the activity he is trying to end. In my own understanding, activities involving the act of achieving the end is like a man trying to achieve his goal; the reason he work, or the reason he continuous to live is because of his goal that must be achieved to meet  his end. Now, for him to achieve his goal and to meet his end, he must have a great motive or a big reason for all his why’s: why he needs it, why he wants it, and why he must have it. If a person is motivated, and he and his will agrees on that motive, he would be a fierce person, so much eager to achieve something he loves, that no other people could hinder him from achieving his goals, and no one could ever put out the fire that is inside of him that pushes him and making him an indestructible man because nothing stops his way to his end. There was a person here in the earth that demonstrate this kind of motivation and that is Steve Jobs. His doctor said that he would just live in a few weeks because of his severe disease. The doctor added that Steve Jobs must do everything he wants to do before he died. So, Steve Jobs spend all his time in developing apple gadget and his motive is undisputable that he wants to develop a good apple gadget that will be known in the whole wide world. Not knowingly, Steve Jobs live more than the doctor said and he saw how the result he worked hard for and that moment, he accomplished his goal in life, he met his end – the fruit of his motivation. So, that’s what motives do, it pushes someone to do something even it is beyond his abilities. Gerson R. MonteserGeneral Ethics BSIT-CPT IIReaction to Chapter 4 Ignorance – negation of knowledge The absence of intellectual knowledge in man is what we called ignorance. It also means the presence of what is falsely supposed to be knowledge. In my own understanding, it’s the rejection of man to the truth because he doesn’t know what the truth is. Like for example, people becomes ignorant when they feel that they are stupid because other person teach them how to do something. They rejects the knowledge being taught to them, thus, they became ignorant. Ignorant people are proud people, who thinks they are wise but actually they are fool. They seems to be smart in their own ways, neglecting the view of others, they only Lack of education results in ignorance and ignorance finally leads to living in a limited world. People who don’t want to be taught and relies only on what he knows or depends only on their own belief are ignorant. They will defend what they know and will say that it is right even if, in the eyes of others, it is wrong. Thus ignorance is the curse for human beings. They are great hindrances on the path of progress. To achieve the optimum goal, spread of education is must. Without it people are cut off from useful information. Only education can remove the ignorance. After all, education does not hurt but ignorance does. What I’ve learned was that because of ignorance, people kept neglecting the true knowledge they must have, and because of their ignorant thinking, they don’t have any progress at all, their learning is still small and not growing because of their way of thinking that their knowledge is enough and they keep claiming that they know everything and they do not need any teachings from professionals, thus making them a fool of themselves. People in that thinking are boastful and full of pride, always boasting that they know things, pretending to be a professional in every field but they don’t have any basis to prove their statements, they only depend on their own understanding not consulting any other person insights and view. People in the present time is in this situation and the only thing that would be able to put it aside is by means of themselves realizing that their thought and way of thinking is stupidity and nonsense. This could be done by asking him to act what he says to prove if it is true, for if his experience is his best teacher that would teach him the true knowledge about this world. As far as I know, ignorance would not refer only to people with unawareness to knowledge but also people with awareness to knowledge but keep neglecting it. In my conclusion, ignorance could only mean the refusal of a person to knowledge that surely would result to lack of improvement and personal development. Gerson R. MonteserGeneral Ethics BSIT-CPT IIReaction to Chapter 5 Good act may become evil†¦ This caught my attention while I’m reading my module in ethics. I never taught that a good act may become evil, but there is a follow-up phrase, by reason of circumstances. So, a good act may become evil by reason of circumstances and by circumstances we mean, the situation in the present time. As far as I know, this is always been done by people who doesn’t have enough awareness in a particular area he or she currently stay. This good  act that may become evil could be considered as an extrinsic act where the act which is in itself is not evil but is now evil on account of something. I thoroughly searched how a good act may become an evil act and I found out that it becomes evil when you feel you do something good and you are proud of it but in the other side, you’ve just broken a law without further notice. For instance, you saw street children in the sidewalk in Manila, and then, due to your compassionate heart, you gave them coins as your alms to him and you feel great about it. It is good to your side, but it is bad for the community, because you have no assurance that the money you’ve just gave would be spent for food. You gave alms to make you feel better from the pity in your heart; your money, although given with good intentions, just might encourage children to commit crime and make their parents lazy. Children should not beg, they should be in school studying, be with their parents who would take care for them. If you truly wish to do good, you shouldn’t give alms, you should take these children to a good institution that would take care of them, to nurture them and to change their lifestyle. Most of us feel great whenever we encounter these situations, helping others, but some of us are doing this to be known and their hearts are with pride. The true essence of giving is that you never boast to what you did, hence, you give secretly and helping others anonymously. You don’t take credits to what you’ve done because it is a part of your life, to help others, not like those politicians and other government officials that whenever they do projects in helping people, they always put their large name with it stating that it was there project, for the purpose that the people would know that they are good. I learned that not all good are really good; sometimes it becomes bad depending on the circumstances.

Has Globalization Transformed International Politics?

Has Globalization transformed International Politics? Introduction A wide debate on how globalization affects global governance has taken place during the last years. Globalists and sceptics have argued about the transformations going on, their nature and importance. As Chanda notes, throughout history, interconnections between states and people have been growing (Chanda, 2008). However, globalization seems to have pushed these changes to a point in which a new global order arises, threatening to transform the essence of international politics. This essay will explore the ideas that have raised around the issue of globalization within international politics, trying to give a response on whether they have suffered a transformation or not. With this purpose, I will first try to give a proper and widely accepted definition of globalization. On a second section, I will look at the different perspectives defended by globalists and sceptics, as the theories proposed by both are quite relevant to understand the reach of the current circumstances. In order to give a response to the question of the title, in a third section I will focus on different areas of global governance, analysing how globalization is supposed to have transformed politics. I will refer to issues of cooperation, sovereignty, welfare, economy and security, considering the arguments of both globalists and sceptics as means to find a conclusive answer. In every section, I will try to give a personal response to every enquiry previously raised. Finally, I will end with a conclusion in which I will try give a general answer to the question on whether globalization has transformed international politics or not. Defining some concepts Defining globalization and its nature seems necessary in order to understand the issues that it has raised. Reaching a consensus on the definition of globalization is quite complicated. As Kiras, (in Baylis, 2005, p. 480) notes, it is a phenomena open to subjective interpretation and, consequently, definitions differ widely. However, it is possible to find some basic characteristics that most theorists have pointed about globalization. As a very simple explanation, Scholte (cited by Mingst, in Vayvr , p. 89) defines globalization as â€Å"the emergence and spread of a supraterritorial dimension of social relations†. Meanwhile, Thomas (cited in Clark, 1998, p. 481) defined it as â€Å"the process whereby power is located in global social formations and expressed through global networks rather than through territorially-based states†. These two general descriptions suggest that globalization is about a vast growth of interconnections between societies, governments and trade actors around the world. Summing both definitions, it can be argued that globalization is as a process that involves a shift in the spatial scale of the human social organization of our world, linking distant communities and expanding the reach of power relations through all the continents. Held (1997, p. 253) that this shift that characterizes globalization involves that day-to-day activities become progressively influenced by events taking place in other places around the planet, even those on the other side. In addition, globalization implies that actions and decisions adopted by local minority groups can have an important impact on the global issues. Thus, globalization is a multidimensional condition. It involves mostly every aspect of life. Social, technological, cultural, economic and political spheres are affected by and take part in the process of globalization. Increasing flows of power, capital, labour force, information and ideas is another of its basic characteristics. Globalization has been usually defined as a matter taking place out of the human control. However, Mingst (1999, p. 9) clarifies that this process is not inexorable and argues that â€Å"what is critical in globalization theory is the recognition that people perceive that this process is actually taking place, although not all are similarly affected†. The reach of globalization Although some consensus can be reached when defining the basic characteristics of globalization and the transformations that it ca uses, the problem comes when trying to specify the reach of its consequences and its real importance. As Rosenberg points the globalization debate is not about the reality of the change. It is about the significance and the nature of these changes that are taking place, and about the driving forces behind them (Rosenberg, 2005, p. 43). There has traditionally been a great division between globalists and sceptics. Globalists maintain that there are important transformations taking place in the world which are leading to a radically different new order. On the other hand, sceptics sustain that these changes are not that significant (Weis, 1999, p. 59). It can be argued that globalists see globalization as a threat for the current order. They think that international politics, global economy and social relations around the world will suffer a huge transformation due to globalization. Meanwhile, sceptics suggest that, although it is true that some changes are taking place, none of them will modify the essence of power and economy relations. There are two basic points in which globalists and sceptics disagree. The first one refers to the dilemma of whether globalization has led to transcendence of territory, meaning that cross border and open-border relations have been substituted by trans-border relations. Sceptics believe that transcendence of territorial space is not possible, as all transactions take place inside national defined borders and are subject to the laws of the state in which they operate (Weis, 2000, p. 61). The second divergence refers to the weight of these new transnational networks within the national and international panorama. Globalists see that there is an increasing influence in all fields, while sceptics state that globalization is mainly a financial phenomenon that affects some capital markets. When referring to international politics, the divergence between globalist and sceptic authors is also notable. Globalists believe that globalization implies a drastic power shift that restricts the capacities or national organisms, institutions and policies and favours the emergence of non-national actors. Even some sceptics have agreed with this theory, suggesting that globalization within international politics is about actors winning or losing power. Furthermore, there is a popular belief which suggests that if global networks exist, national ones are in danger, and thus globalization would cause the erosion of the power of the state (Weis, 2000, p. 4). However, it is not clear whether this theory overemphasises the changes in power without indentifying its sources. Thus, when discussing if globalization has affected International Politics, the main objective is trying to define if states have been more or less affected by the issues that globalization has raised. Of course there is always the trouble of the difficulty that it implies trying to give substance to the notions of ‘moreà ¢â‚¬â„¢ or ‘less’. However, what we can do is looking at different issues within nternational politics and analyzed the way in which globalization has transformed them –consequently changing the way in which states and international actors address these problems. That will be the task for the next section. How has globalization affected international politics? In a wide context, globalization has increased the demand for new policies aiming to address global problems that have appeared, showing certain limitations of current international organizations and states. Globalization has raised the problem of transborder networks becoming more relevant than local, regional and international ones. Together with it, theories on how the authority of states has been eroded have flourished. Governments acting within the power network of international relations seem to have overshadowed their own policy preferences in order to support others and avoid incurring high costs. Thus, economic integration and political interdepence appear to be keys of understanding the changes that globalization is pushing within international politics. Now, I will focus on the main areas in which globalization is sought to have exerted an important influence on the issues of governance. International cooperation Krahmann (2003, p. 29) remarked that many authors emphasize the fact that, through the years, global governance has been concentrated in specific regions, mainly in the developed countries, due to the concentration on power and trade networks in this areas. However, he points that this situation has been gradually shifting into a new panorama. Especially since the end of the Cold War, globaliza tion has been seen as force of change. As Weis also notes, â€Å"an unprecedented widening and deepening of international cooperation has led some to maintain that the nature of the state and of world politics are being fundamentally transformed† (Weis, 1999, p. 6). Globalization is one of the causes of states cooperating over more areas and not monopolizing the control over internal issues when they could have international consequences. International institutions and treaties have multiplied in the last years. Their expanding web has come to regulate all the problems of interstate activities. States have recognized the limitations of their capacities when addressing global problems and, as Krahman states, globalization has contributed to the creation of new networks among governments, implying international organizations, NGOs and even smaller community groups. States have continued to play a central role on international politics. However, there is little doubt that this kind of organizations, together with multinational corporations, are increasingly participating in the regulation and formulation of international policies, promoting cooperation between international actors. The absence of a global authority within international governance is also one of the reasons for the rise in cooperation (Vayrynen, 1999). However, some doubts arise contrary to these evidences. There is not real prove that globalization has been the main cause for this expansion of international organizations. Moreover, it is not clear proliferation of these new entities is really pushing forward a relevant transformation on international politics. In fact, Rosenberg (2005, p. 43) points that rather than states decision-making being undermined by the rise of international organizations, a â€Å"vigorous re-assertion of great power national interests† has taken place. Nevertheless, if globalists were true and globalization is actually transforming cooperation within International Politics, I would argue that this transformation is positive, rather than negative. If that is true, it could be argued that globalization of technologies and information has revealed to the whole world certain issues that were hushed up. It has made governments and people more conscious of problems taking place in countries that they have never thought about. The fast international mobilization after 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean is a good example of how cooperation has improved. Sovereignty Mingst (in Vayrynen, 1999, p. 90) defends that globalization of information and economy has challenged the state, as it sees â€Å"its sovereignty undermined and constrained and its structures unable to provide the necessary public goods†. Focusing the issues of sovereignty, Mingst and others have noted that the ability of states to initiate actions has been reduced and its sovereignty has been circumscribed. Krahman (2003, p. 333) pointed that this loss of sovereignty leads to a fragmentation of authority which benefits three entities that become increasingly powerful: subnational groups, upranational organizations and private or voluntary actors –such as NGOs or Transnational Corporations (TNCs). Thus, decision-making capacities which were traditionally taken by national states are increasingly being devolved to specific actors. Globalists have described a picture in which globalized system and people are divided, as citizens are still determined by the st ructure of the state even when their confidence in national sovereignty has been eroded. That would lead to the renaissance of national links and the reaffirmation of cultural, religious or ethnic identities (Castells, 1997, p. 74). Globalists continue of affirm that this situation would lead to the end of the current state-centric world defined by both realists and liberalists (Mingst, in Vayrynen, 1999, p. 90). From a more sceptic position, the threat on sovereignty does not seem so disturbing. â€Å"The danger is not that states will end up as marginal institutions, but that meaner, more repressive ways of organizing the state’s role will be accepted as the only way of avoiding the collapse of public institutions†, says Evans (1997, p. 64). The fact that economic or other kind of gains can be pursued without help of sovereignty does not imply that the sovereignty of the state is compromised. Thus, it seems more likely to think of globalization as a tool to reconstitute the capacity of the state, rather than eroding it. Nor even civil society does not seem a likely substitute –as some globalists have pointed (Falk, 2005, p. 222)– for public institutions of government. In fact, the growth of these kinds of new actors requires solid state powers in order to develop properly. Both international and local actors need vigorous capable organizational counterparts in the state. As Evans pointed, â€Å"a move toward less capable and involved states will make it more difficult for civic associations to achieve their goals† (Evans, 1997, p. 82). Rather than globalization challenging the power and the integrity of the state, certain authors see a picture in which both engage in everlasting reciprocal regulation that ends up redefining the state itself (Clark, 1998). Clark remarks that one of the main issues within globalization is its challenge to the realization of democracy. Globalization requires a new way of behaving in the international sphere that cannot consist on merely extending domestic practices to international activities. As he argues, it is not possible to maintain that â€Å"aggregation of democratic states produces democratic multirateralism†. In this context, the theory of the ideological pendulum proposed by Evans (Evans, 1997, p. 83) looks like the better explanation for all this changes. We are witnessing the end of an era in which the states tried to handle with more issues than what they really could. Now the new tendency is the contrary, as there is an excessive pessimism on the capacities of states (Rodrik, 1997a, p. 413). The excessive optimism on the states capabilities is turning into a situation in which it sees necessary ceding part of its sovereignty to other entities. However, this does not mean that sovereignty is in danger, nor even that states will lose their central role. As Chanda suggests, throughout history states have been able to give response to wide or global problems without surrendering or compromising its sovereignty (Chanda, 1998). The dismantling of the welfare state? Taking again in consideration Mingst definition of the challenges of globalization for the state, we see that the second one referred to the guarantees of social welfare that governments can provide. He asserted that in an era of globalization states structures are â€Å"unable to provide the necessary public goods† (Mingst, in Vayrynen, 1999, p. 90). Many globalists blame globalization for the dismantling of the welfare state and the expansion of the division between rich and poor in more developed states. In the global era, national economies are exposed to fluctuations that they cannot control and that affect their capacities to provide traditional welfare conditions (Hirst and Thompson, 1999, p. 164). Rieger (in Held and McGrew, 2000) states that there is a real globalization pressure which seeks to minimize welfare state –mainly from private enterprises, especially TNCs. The power of trade unions has been apparently eroded and democracies seem to become more restrictive. Firms that operate in globalized and integrated markets suffer major cost differentials in social benefits and, thus, globalization seems to threaten the welfare state. In addition, in a period of globalization, the number of citizens depending on the welfare states increases –as a consequence of migration and movement of labour force– and governments become unable to afford welfare. Moreover, the integration of markets on global levels leaves no space for welfare states in which the rates of labour productivity and production quality are similar. Thus, globalist authors suggest that the only way for avoiding that globalization ends up with the welfare state is by signing new international social contracts (Castells, 1997, p. 253). If we take in consideration this theory, it would be quite clear that globalization has transformed the way in which governments have to deal with welfare states issues. Moreover, it would mean that the global order is pushing for a renewal of the international policies within this field. However, sceptics have a totally different vision of the problem. Rieger, for instance, admits that although it is possible to see a pressure of globalization on welfare state, this pressure is not unsustainable (in Held and McGrew, 2000). Sceptics argue that globalization has not brought any drastic dismantling of the welfare state. In fact, it seems even more difficult to change the status quo of the welfare state as the pressure of globalization becomes stronger. In fact, studies have demonstrated that globalization does not affect wages, employment or income inequality; especially in countries were the welfare state is strong (Slaughter and Swagel 1997). Consequently, it would be possible to conclude that globalization is not transforming international policies related to the welfare state in a crucial way. Governments are, in fact, renewing their policies constantly, but there is no real evidence that the new global order has reduced states’ capability to provide welfare to its citizens. Political economy Globalization of economy and trade has traditionally been seen as the main responsible for the loss of authority of the states within international politics. Globalists state that prosperity and power are increasingly a consequence of private business between private actors across the boundaries of countries. Transactions taking place inside national borders have lost weight, and thus globalists assert that, within global economy, â€Å"it has become harder to sustain the image of states as the preeminent actors at the global level† (Nettl, cited in Evans, 1997, p. 65). Globalists believe that nowadays private actors make the decisions on which territory is included in the global markets or excluded from the global production networks. Thus, states are seen merely as mediators, which just can try to make their nations attractive for investors, but they cannot run the global economy system. In fact, it has been mentioned that states engaging in policies contraries to the interests of financial actors would be punished with measures such as a decline of their currencies or its access to capital (Evans, 1997, p. 67). Furthermore, globalists state that even the own market can react against hostile decisions of states. â€Å"Capital has long demonstrated willingness and ability to react to what it perceives as unfavourable policies† says Weis (1999, p. 8). Taking these arguments in consideration, it could be argued that globalization has undermined the power of states within political economy, thus radically transforming this aspect of international politics. However, some sceptic authors, such as Rodrik (in Nye, 2000, p. 349) state that economic globalization is far away from being extended as it seems. He think s that â€Å"international economic integration remains remarkably limited†. In fact, some arguments support this theory. There are still great obstacles for the global market, such as tariff barriers or linguistic and cultural differences. National borders have not disappeared, contrary to what most globalist theorists argue, and their restrictions and rules are still relevant in most international transactions. Moreover, the levels of investments in national assets are still higher that internationals. There are still strict restrictions for the mobility of labour around the world. Thus, Rodrik suggests that â€Å"while formal barriers to trade and capital flows have been substantially reduced over the past three decades, international markets for goods, services, and capital are not nearly as thick as they would be under complete integration†. It is possible to argue, as Evans does, that the role of states within international political economy is not undermined by the fact of its becoming increasingly dependent on private actors and global trade. In fact, it has been proved that the bigger is the reliance on trade, the more important is the role of the state (Evans, 1997, p. 68). Thus, powerful and involved states are more likely to participate actively within global markets. Then, the role of the state is not really undermined, and even â€Å"high stateness† can be a competitive advantage. It can be argued that globalization is not responsible for the growth of the multilateral economic order; neither is it a cause of undermining the power of states as international actors. Then, if some crucial transformations have taken place during the last years within international political economy, it would be unfair to blame globalization. Globalization of crime As a final point, I will briefly refer to one of the issues that has been more present within international politics in the last years. National security is one of the main problems pointed to have emerged as a big challenge of globalization. As Kiras (in Baylis, 2005, p. 482) pointed, globalization of technologies and information has improved the capabilities of terrorists. Communication and mobility of people across the borders is increasing, and this gives more facilities for criminals to act. Apart from terrorism, a new global organized crime seems to have emerged, conditioning certain economic and political aspects of international politics and, moreover, destabilizing national governments (Castells, 1997). In fact, there is a growing importance of economic flows with criminal origin –such as those coming from the illegal weapons or drugs markets. Whether globalization can be blamed for these circumstances or not is a difficult question to be answered. However, it is clear that this is one of the issues that have transformed international politics in a more crucial way. Governments are not able to fight with this new global crime by themselves, so they are moving towards multilateralism in foreign policy and defence (Castells, 1997). Whether this multilateralism is something that erodes the autonomy of the states or just a positive cooperative measure is a question that still needs to be answered. Conclusion The debate between globalists and sceptics is still continuing nowadays. However, recent events have come to support the theories of the latter ones. As Rosenberg points, globalization has not transformed the essence of international politics. The new global and radically distinct order that globalists had announced is not a reality. Little essential changes have taken place (Rosenberg, 2005, p. 3). While examining the issues of sovereignty, welfare or trade that globalization has raised, it is possible to perceive that it has pushed some transformations. However, most of them are not significant. Moreover, it is not quite clear in what grade globalization is responsible for them. Nevertheless, it can be argued that the global order is not undermining the power of the state. Instead, states that are strong and participative seem to be more powerful and play a more important role within the issues of globalization. As Clark stated, instead of globalization eroding the capacities of states, it is more appropriate to sustain that globalization in a process parallel to an apparent reconstruction of the state (Clark, 1998, p. 491). International politics are suffering a shift on the policies that they need to apply in fields like welfare and finance. Although this shift does not affect the nature of international politics, it seems necessary to preserve the predominant position of traditional states. New private and public powers are arising, and governments need to learn to deal with them in order to keep their status. 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