Knowledge Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Knowledge Management - Term Paper Example This discussion stresses that it is always possible to build a network within the organization where data from various departments will be collaborated into a single centralized system before forwarding it to Google’s platform. As far as the use of the database is concerned to, the platform put forth by Google cloud services makes it possible for all individual systems within the organization to have a common access so that organizational roles and functions on the database can be undertaken on a collaborated purpose.As the report highlights  comes with the cloud services offered on Google’s website is that it makes organizational innovation more revealing. That is, is stimulates the act and practice of organizational innovation among the personnel within the organization. This is done in a number of ways. Because of the idea of bringing about collaboration, it becomes almost mandatory that every sector of the organization should be working on its own miniature databa se that would be forwarded into a centralized system before sending it to the Google database. This decentralized system eradicates the temptation that certain departments will be waiting on the centralized system to get all the work done. Rather, the innovative skill of every sector is quickened and brought alive as they all take up a role to deliver within the organization.  Expert systems and neural networks are both components of a technology based management system that is rooted in the principles of knowledge management.... cloud services offered such as replication, patch management and backups require that people within the system get themselves at breast with the technological time to be able to live up such challenges. By so doing, creativity and innovation is highlighted among the people because they will be forced to live up to modernity and time. 2. Generally, expert systems and neural networks are both components of a technology based management system that is rooted in the principles of knowledge management. This is because in both cases, there is that conscious effort by stakeholders to ensuring that the capabilities, insights and experiences available to the human resource base are identified, nurtured, utilized and developed through the use of basic technology (Guo & Sanchez, 2005). As far as expert systems is concerned, it could be said to be tilted more towards artificial intelligence that allows for the use of computer system to undertake the basic processes of decision-making that would have otherwise existed for the human resource to undertake. The process is referred to as expert systems because in its delivery of work, it functions and undertakes processes as a human expert would do. The capabilities available in expert systems thus have to do with the fact that it does not use logical procedures of developers but use consequential logical reasoning to solve complex problems. In the long run, the inadequacies and weaknesses of the creator of the systems are overshadowed by the complex reasoning capabilities of the system and this is a huge advantage to users of expert systems. Neural network is also attributed to artificial intelligence in the manner in which it uses the artificial basis of the biological concept of neurology to solve basic technological problems of

Development of the Constitution Act of Canada and the sections which Essay

Development of the Constitution Act of Canada and the sections which apply to immigration - Essay Example Immigrants were freely allowed in to Canada so that they could occupy the available lands and create market for Canadian commodities. Two years later, in 1869, the government passed the first immigration Act that had a few discriminatory restrictions. The discriminations were for strategic reasons and was supported by some Acts such as the1885 Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act (Makarenko). The Second World War made the Canadian government to enact more legislations on immigration that did not allow immigrants from enemy countries. These restrictions were enacted in the Wartime Elections Act and War Measures Act. After the world war there was need to create a more socially integrated nation that would favor economic growth considering that there were immigrants from counties that were perceived as enemies. Later the government banned immigration of Chinese people due to Canadians losing their jobs to immigrants. In 1976, the Canadian government introduced another law that provided a new policy for admission of immigrants and it gave categories of immigrants. The categories were independent, humanitarian, assisted-relative and family classes. Later, in 1978, the government recognized refugees as legal immigrants (Makarenko). The government still recognizes the earlier reasons for the need for immigrants. The country still needed immigrants for economic growth and thus in 2001 the government passed Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that put restrictions on immigration eligibility (Government Of Canada, 2001). Later the government got into agreement with America and British-Columbia so as to regulate inflow of refugees from these two countries (Makarenko, 2012). Makarenko, J. (2012, August 12). Immigration Policy in Canada: History, Administration and Debates. Retrieved from Maple Leaf Web:

President Bill Clinton's Impeachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

President Bill Clinton's Impeachment - Essay Example Jones to his hotel room and started to make a sexual advancement towards her. Ms. Jones refused to have sex with him (Linder). Included in the least of potential witnesses for Ms. Jones case against President Bill Clinton was a woman by the name Monica Lewinsky. Monica Lewinsky had worked in the White House in the year 1995 and was an intern. Linda Trip, who then was a former employee at the White House, provided Lewinsky’s information. Ms. Trip was a confidante of Ms. Lewinsky, and she had managed to record some of the conversations that she had heard with Ms. Lewinsky without the knowledge of Ms. Lewinsky. The conversations that were recorded were mainly about her contacts with the president. On 12th January of 1998, Ms. Trip provided the tapes of her secret conversations that she had had with Ms. Lewinsky to Kenneth W. Starr who was an Independent Counsel that was pointed to carry out an investigation Whitewater Estate that belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Clinton. On 15th January, Starr secured an approval from Janet Reno, who was the then Attorney General. Janet Reno requested and received an order the Court of Appeals. The request was to expand the scope of the Whitewater prove and introduce new accusations. The next day, there was a meeting between Ms. Tripp and Ms. Lewinsky at a hotel, and federal agents secretly recorded the conversation. The federal agents later confronted Ms. Lewinsky claiming that she had committed perjury and further demanded that she should cooperate in providing evidence against the then president. Ms. Lewinsky at first denied them her cooperation and claimed that much of what she had told Ms. Tripp was not the truth about the events. July of 1998, this was after Ms. Lewinsky had been granted sweeping Immunity from the prosecution by Starr, who was the special prosecutor in the case. Under these new circumstances, Ms. Lewinsky confessed to having had a sexual relationship with President Bill Clinton, which did not include

Reflection paper - Characteristics & Support of Effective Coaching & Essay

Reflection paper - Characteristics & Support of Effective Coaching & Mentoring - Essay Example First, the team members expect that the coach should be objective and have positive criticism. This expectation requires that their coach is able to give constructive criticism to the members regarding their performance during the training, as well as being able to point out and acknowledge the positive aspects of the trainees (Knight, 2008). This is vital, since it enables the team members to know the truth regarding their performance, in terms of where they are doing well, and where they need changes and improvements, without frustrating or even killing their morale. The other expectation that the participants have regarding their coach’s characteristic is that; the coach should be readily available. This means that the coaches should avail themselves whenever the team members need them, or be available to the team members, whenever they make appointments with them. For the coaching to be effective, the relationship between the coaches and their team members who they are tra ining should be that of partners (Knight, 2002). This is because, individuals feel valued and appreciated, whenever they treated as equals, as opposed to being treated as subordinates, or even being dominated over by others, regardless of their position in the chain of command. Thus, to make the coaching more effective, the trainees require to have the freedom to make choices regarding certain aspects of the coaching, and requires the coach to honor their choices, being a partner to the coaching exercise (Knight, 2008). This way, the members of the team being coached requires the coach to be available when they need him, or whenever they make an appointment with the coach. This is also aligned with the principle of punctuality as one of the expectations that the participants would expect their coach to have. The participants in the coaching sessions expect that the coach will be available in good time, when they set such time. The availability and the punctuality of the coach are th e two characteristics that are fundamental for effective coaching, since they go a long way in enhancing the trust that the team members will have on their coach (Knight, 2008). The other important expectation that the participants have regarding the characteristics of the coach is that; the coach should be knowledgeable in the subject matter. There is nothing that commands respect and trust more, than an individuals’ competency and demonstrated knowledge and ability in the field of specialization of the individuals. Thus it is through being highly knowledgeable in the subject matter, that a coach is able to win the trust of the participants, since they have the comfort that they are gaining the best (Lipton & Wellman, n.d.). This motivates the individuals to be even more enthusiastic and committed to learning, considering that they have the belief that they are achieving the best. However, the most significant expectation of the participants regarding the characteristics of the coach is that the coach will have good listening skills, and thus be able to give them positive emotional support. Listening skills are vital for coaching, considering that they enable the coach to learn the team members, including their strengths and weaknesses, and thus enable the coach

Jason Aldean Night Train Essay Example for Free

Jason Aldean Night Train Essay Jason Aldean is an American country music singer who since 2005, has recorded for Broken Bow Records. In his years as an artist he has released five albums and sixteen singles. His 2010 album My Kinda Party is certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His 2005 self-titled debut, 2007 album Relentless and 2009 album Wide Open are all certified platinum. Of his singles, eight have reached the number one position on the Hot Country Songs charts: Why, Shes Country, Big Green Tractor, The Truth, Dont You Wanna Stay (a duet with Kelly Clarkson), Dirt Road Anthem, Fly Over States, and Take a Little Ride. Seven more have reached top ten on the same chart. Aldean’s latest album titled Night Train debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts and number two for the year. Shortly before the release of the album Billboard writer/ reviewer Ray Waddell did a detailed track-by-track review of the album. In this he talked about how originality, pace, musical skill, lyrics, overall impact and production played a part in each of the songs. Overall his review of the album Night Train and Jason Aldean as an artist was very detailed and applauded Aldean on his new album. Before Ray Waddell the reviewer of Jason Aldean’s Night Train album does a track-by-track review he does an overall review and quotes from both Aldean and his producer Michael Knock about the album. In this overall review Waddell talks about the type of music that the album has the instruments used and what as a whole the album has to offer the listeners and fans. The part that stands out most from the Billboard review and that really shines a light on Waddell’s feelings of the album is when Waddell says that â€Å"In the end, the two ended up with a record that stays true to Aldeans sound and still manages to move that sound forward sonically, vocally and lyrically.† (Waddell) This shows that not only what Jason wanted and tried to get out of and across with this album but also what the producer wanted from this album came true. Both men and the many men and women that they work with put in many hard long hours and in the end it paid off. From Waddell’s review fans can read that Jason Aldean has put out another successful album that is moving into the future in all aspects but is what the fans have grown to love and expect. The first seven tracks on the Night Train album are â€Å"This Nothin’ Town†, â€Å"When She Says Baby†, â€Å"Feel That Again†, â€Å"Wheels Rollin’†, â€Å"Talk†, â€Å"The Only Way I Know†, and â€Å"Take A Little Ride†. Each of these tracks bring something new to the stage but they also contain bits and pieces of the old and the things that work. In the first track â€Å"This Nothin’ Town† review Waddell points out that in the song Jason says â€Å"Theres something to be said when you hear a song for the first time, those visions pop into your head, and you can see it. This is one of those songs† (Aldean) Each of these songs has something special about it and in the review Weddell points out the strong points of each song. Some of the comments that he had about these songs included â€Å"Despite the ringing guitars and an arena-rock sound, this ones harkens back to 70s rock bands like Kansas or Journey, blended in with a prominent vocal by Aldean and a strong sense of melody, and A great intro leads to a power ballad that sequences perfectly on the record. Add a blistering guitar solo and Aldeans ownership of the vocal and this one sounds like a hit.† (Weddell) These along with the many others show that this album is really something special and not just another country music album. Weddell looks at every aspect of a song and critiques each of those aspects individually and all together so for this album to have done so well it is really an accomplishment on the part of Aldean and his production crew and band. The last eight tracks of the album are â€Å"I Don’t Do Lonely Well, â€Å"Night Train, 1994, Staring at the Sun, Drink One for Me, Black Tears, â€Å"Walking Away, and Water Tower. Just like the first seven Weddell gives high marks for these tracks. He talks about what each track contains both vocal and instrumental wise but also talks to and about Aldean about his reaction to these tracks and the process that he went through when creating them. Some of the many positive review points include â€Å" One of the albums standout tracks, this funky hick-hop blockbuster is a tribute to Joe Diffie and the 90s, and The albums most notable ballad and powerful vocal, with the great line, She gets under your skin like a tattoo, a wah-wah guitar solo, and nostalgic feel.† (Waddell) In the last eight tracks are some of the most notable and powerful songs and Waddell points this out to further signify that this album and its tracks are good and have put together work for Aldean and the country music industry. Some may say that this was just another typical Jason Aldean album and that he is just wasting time recording other people’s songs. It is through this review anyone can see that although he may not write the song he makes it his own through the way that he sings performs and records the song. It is apparent that each of the songs means something to him. Included in this review Aldean says that â€Å"Night Train was a perfect example of just how far things have come the last few years, going from a bus pulling a trailer to now like a freight train with bus and tractor trailers. The title, more than the song, sums up where were at right now.(Aldean) This is what make the album good and what proves that the review is positive and effective. It does not matter what everyone out there thinks it is what the fans and supporters think. Night Train is an effective album both in that it has true meaning and influence but also in that it effectively show that Jason Aldean along with cou ntry music are moving forward in all aspects of the music.

Evolution of Community Kitchens

Evolution of Community Kitchens Abstract Community kitchen, as a concept is critical for ensuring the food security of the vulnerable population. It is a gathering point where groups of people come together to pool their resources to cook large quantities of food. The main focus of this research thesis is to understand the concept of community kitchens and their operation in different social settings. This research also aims to understand the role of the government agencies (if any) in ensuring the food security for the communities (which is their primary responsibility). In the changing context of state relegating to a secondary position, initiatives by such private actors assume significance. By highlighting on two different case studies of organizations, we tend to unravel the process of community kitchens in separate social environments. With the help of participant observation, focus group discussions and in-depth individual interviews, this research is an exploration of the possibilities of food security through the c oncept of community kitchens. Introduction Community kitchen is an institution where food is prepared by the members of a community in a collective manner. There are different models of community kitchens that exist around the social space. Generally it is observed that members of a community who prepare food are also the consumers of the same meals cooked collectively. However there are other models like Akshay Patra (our case study in the present study) where food is collectively prepared but distributed among the non preparers of the food cooked. Community kitchens aid the community in preparing affordable meals through a self sustaining institution. The purchase, preparation and consumption are more often than not done in a collective manner which makes the enterprise a cost effective and time efficient in nature. While meeting a communitys social needs, collective kitchens are a mechanism which provide financial, social and food security to the community members. Community kitchens are socially rooted institutions, they help in increasing the solidarity among the members of the community. Grace Campbell states The formation and operation of community kitchens varies widely across communities and cultures and is largely dependent on the membership, yet each organization requires a well-equipped kitchen, willing participants, and initial capital. Food security is a modern day challenge, which needs to be addressed at all levels of society. Community kitchens at local level provide access to affordable and nutrition rich food to the members of a community, which goes a long way in ensuring food security. Globalization, inflation, increasing gap between the haves and have nots, are the major reasons which are keeping an average man food insecure. In such a scenario, this research aims to explore food security through the concept of community kitchens. Food security Food security is a condition in which all people at all times can acquire safe, nutritionally adequate and personally acceptable foods that are accessible in a manner that maintains human dignity.[1] The four components of food security, as described in the literature, are the quantitative, the qualitative, the social, and the psychological. The quantitative component describes what is traditionally known as hunger, not having enough to eat at the individual level, or not having food in the house at the household level. The qualitative component concerns the quality of the available food (its nutritional adequacy, safety, and variety). Individuals often compromise on food quality to cope with a lack of funds to purchase suitable foods. The psychological component includes the fears and decreased feelings of self-worth associated with dealing with the lack of funds to purchase sufficient, quality food, whereas the social component describes many of the coping strategies used to acquir e food when funding has run out, such as charity, stealing, and buying on credit. [2] In the 21st century disparities in economic growth have questioned the socio-economic and environmental sustainability. The issue of food security has now become a global concern. Notwithstanding the technological and scientific developments in the area of agricultural productivity, hunger and malnutrition continue to be a threat to the humanity. Access to food is still perceived by many as a privilege, rather than a basic human right, and it is estimated that about 35 000 people around the world die each day from hunger. An even larger number of people suffer from malnutrition. [3] UNFAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) defines food security as Food security is food available at all times; that all persons have means of access to it; that it is nutritionally adequate in terms of quantity, quality and variety; and that it is acceptable within the given culture. Only when all these conditions are in place can a population be considered food secure. Based on the UN definition research world over emphasizes on four main components of the issue of food security those being availability to provide sufficient food to all, equal accessibility to nutritious food, acceptability of food based on local traditions and cultures and lastly adequacy which emphasizes on sustainability of production and distribution of food. Food security in India Food security has been a major development objective in India since the beginning of planning. The achievements of green revolution have somehow failed to reach the bottom of the pyramid. Chronic food insecurity remains at an all time high. Over 225 million Indians remain chronically under nourished. The state of Indias food security is worsening by the year.[4]The cost of food items is increasing rapidly, making them unaffordable to a majority of the people. In recent years, there has been a state policy focus towards household level food security and per capita food energy intake is taken as a measure of food security. The Indian government has been implementing a wide range of nutrition intervention programmes for achieving food security at the household and individual levels. The Public Distribution System (PDS) supplies food items, such as food grains and sugar, at administered prices through a network of fair price shops. There have been a range of food-for-work and other wage employment programmes. Another approach adopted by the government is to target women and children directly. This includes the mid-day meal programme for school going children, supplementary nutrition programme for children and women and Right to Food bill. [5] The Right to Food Bill introduced in the parliament in 2009 insists on the physical, economic and social right of all citizens to have access to safe and nutritious food, consistent with an adequate diet necessary to lead an active and healthy life with dignityWith the Right to Food campaign, hunger and food insecurity have come in the center of development discourse in India. Notwithstanding all these developments, our country is a habitat of people with unconscionable level of malnutrition and hunger. Malnutrition levels among the children and women are even higher than the overall average. Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council for Medical Research) estimates that nearly 40% of the adult population in India has a Body Mass Index of less than 18.5, which implies chronic energy deficiency of epic proportions, bordering on a national humanitarian crisis. [6] Since food security of the vast majority in the region is at stake, addressing such a wide range of issues demands community value-system based participatory approaches to ensure involvement of all the stakeholders. The various government schemes may serve as immediate means for dealing with food insecurity but shall be of ultimate irrelevance, until we work on developing our local community based food systems strong.[7] One of such means is through the institution of community kitchens. Community kitchens in their historic perspective Community kitchen as a concept is old, dating back to the late 15th century, which has undergone change over the years and the current form seems to be involving the community to address larger social issues like food security. In India, Sikhs have a history of providing food along with every worship service, ceremony, or event, and when Gurus gained popularity, people traveled from far of distances and gathered in groups to hear them preach the principles of equality and humanity. It was in the late 15th century that Guru Nanak dev ji, the founder of Sikhism, started the institution of Langar (community kitchens). Langar is a Persian word meaning an alms house, an asylum for the poor and the destitute.[8]Langar upheld and reinforced the Sikh principles of service to mankind, equality of all and humility. Although the institution was begun under aegis od Guru Nanak, it was institutionalized by Guru Amar Das, who sought to encourage a tradition of eating together that had begun with Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Langar is the collective kitchen which is run in the Gurudwara. The institution feeds all who come, regardless of their religion, caste, gender or creed. Sikh devotes are involved in each stage from the food preparation, to feeding and to cleaning of the utensils. Today, this institution of Langar is cornerstone of Sikh religion, encouraging the discipline of service and a spirit of co-operation, philanthropy, equality, the ideas and practices deeply imbedded in the community kitchen movement. The practice and its origin must be seen in the light of its contradiction to the Hindu and Muslim custom at the time, which separated people on basis of caste (social ranking) or purdah (seclusion of women). In the recent past various moments around the concept of community kitchens can be seen across the world. In the nineties of the last century community kitchen was seen as a movement in Nicaragua, when Sandinista government lost power. The fall of the government put the nations food security policy in turmoil. It was then that community kitchens were set up all across the country to address the issues of hunger and deprivation. Similarly in Abkhazia, after the end of war between Georgia and Abkhazia (1994) community kitchens were established to provide food to the vulnerable populations of the country. The focus of the state sponsored community kitchens were women, children and elderly. Self sufficiency and sustainability were attained by purchase at local level and secondly by employing the local community. In America too, we see the moment of community kitchens. A not for profit body called Second Harvest was a pioneer to work in the area of food security in USA. Extensive community kitchens were set up to create hunger free America. The programme was unique as it involved students in the food preparation and distribution process. This led to skill enhancement and job training for the unemployed youth. History also holds evidence of collective kitchens operating in San Francisco. Community kitchens were set up there to meet the need of the immigrants and other discriminated sections of the population. These kitchens continue to encourage community unity through resource pooling, cultural exchange, and social interaction. Although in most of the cases the community and collective meal programmes were primarily organized to address financial challenges, many kitchens now focus on expanding social circles, multicultural interaction, address the challenges of hunger, dealing with food insecurity, and building community capacity. Food security and community kitchens Collaborative solutions that will make our communities resilient in the 21st century dont need to be at vast scales alone. Efforts at local community, household and individual levels play an important role to deal with the issue of food insecurity. One such model of community kitchens is a smart, practical program that has the ability to promote local food security. This model not only ensures that the participants have access to affordable food, but also in a sustainable and cost efficient manner. These are resilience building institutions, and work on principles of shared equality and mutual benefit. This local level initiative has the ability to grow across a wide range and make an impact on the global food security level. Community kitchens as alternate means of livelihood Community kitchens can serve as means of alternate livelihood to women of the marginalized sections, unemployed youth, local unskilled labor and other marginalized communities like sex workers. Community kitchen has the ability to provide the financial means whereby a group or a community can live a dignified and sustainable life. Sex workers face continuous social exclusion and are in a constant search for a stigma free means of livelihood as a pre-requisite for a dignified and better tomorrow. Initiation of community kitchens provides as a means of employment for many unskilled and semi-skilled workers thus ensuring a livelihood to the community. Collective kitchens serve to reduce vulnerability of marginalized sections of the society. It provides source of income as well as a sense of ownership and possession to the members of the community. Sex works lead a life of stigma and discrimination. The degree of stigma is higher among male and transgender sex workers. As members of the society it is their right to be a part of the normal social life, without any marginalization. Especially sex workers facing stigma of HIV Aids have a natural right to live in supporting environments free from social stigmas. United Nations Community based programs like community kitchens have a crucial role in assisting communities to identify and change stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors related to HIV and sex work and to foster a spirit of tolerance and inclusion. Community kitchens provide meaningful and comprehensive set of alternatives and meaningful economic options to sex work. Hunger, food productivity and illiteracy: establishing the link While talking about building community capacity the children of the community must remain the central focus. Children, who come from remote rural areas, work so hard at the household level that going to school remains no priority for them. It is a well established fact that knowledge has the ability to transform society. Education to these children can serve as a force which can liberate the coming generations from the clutches of abject poverty. Children living in vicious circle of hunger and illiteracy require special attention by the government and society, in form of new schools, better learning facilities, learned teaches, and locally relevant syllabus taught in their local language. Have we ever wondered why the hungry are always also illiterate? A study by World Bank states that the people who are undernourished and the adults who are illiterate are mostly the same people, mainly the poor in rural areas. Illiteracy and hunger thus are cause and effect of one another, making it a vicious cycle of poverty. Collaborating the solution of the issues of education and hunger represents an important step forward, it has led to the creation of a new partnership initiative called mid day meal scheme in India. Hunger among children leaves them with very little energy to attend school and learn effectively. Medical research proves that hunger impairs both mental and physical growth of children. If millions of hungry children cannot learn, or are forced to work instead of attending school we will not reach the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education. Offering incentives like noon meal encourages children to attend and their parents to send them to school and such initiatives could have a major impact on child nutrition, school attendance and social equity. Universal and nutritious mid-day meals would be a significant step towards realization of the right to food.[9] National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE), popularly known as the Mid Day Meal Scheme, was launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th August 1995, initially in 2408 blocks in the country. The mid day meal scheme aims to ensure food security among the school going children in India. Under the aegis of the scheme the school going children in all government schools are to be provided with free lunch. Midday meal scheme began as a strategic program to address two most pressing problems in India: hunger and education. The government of India had made education for children between the age group of 6-14. Hunger obstructs the process of holistic education, as children are forced to leave schools and take up menial jobs. Lack of education curtails opportunities for development and leads to vicious circle of poverty and hunger. Midday meal programs (school lunch) emerged to address the multiple challenges of poverty, hunger, and access to education. Rationale behind the mid day meal scheme is firstly, to protect school going children from chronic hunger. Secondly to attain advancement in school attendance and enrollment rates. Thirdly, enhance socialization and feeling of oneness among students, thus breaking the schakels of gender, race, class and caste. Supreme Court of India passed an order on November 28, 2001, which mandated Cooked midday meal is to be provided in all the government and government-aided primary schools in all the states. This order expedited the implementation of the scheme. Mid day meal scheme was soon extended across the nation and across all government schools, government aided schools and for children in anganwari centers. The allocation and off take of food grains under the scheme during the 10th Plan and the first two years of the 11th Plan 2007-08 2008-09is presented in Table 1. The table 1 summarizes the allocation of funds in terms of food grains each year, from 2002-03 to the last financial year. The allocations have risen considerably over the years, both in terms of the rice and wheat food grains. It is seen from the table that allocations from the central government have been more than the off take or utilization of the food grains in the implementation of the scheme. The summary of subsidies in different states, as on November 2009, is listed below: The table 2 shows a comparative analysis of how the central government is contributing in terms of money and food grains for the smooth running of the mid-day meal scheme. It can be seen that in Karnataka the subsidy varies with three grade levels. Subsidy in terms of money is same for the level 1 to 5 and from 6 to 7, however it increases from 1.80 rupees to 2.20 per child per day when students reach grade 10. The grains available for children below grade 5 are 100 grams per child per day, which increases to 150 grams of grains per child per day from grade 6 onwards. On an average all states are providing 100 grams of grains per child per day in lower primary level and 150 grams per child per day in the upper primary level. Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh provide highest amount of monetary subsidy per child per day that is 3.00 rupees. Karnataka state shows the lowest figures (1.80 rupees) in terms of monetary subsidy. It must also be borne in mind that higher subsidy does not necess arily correspond to better performances. We shall look into the state of Karnataka in detail in section three. The scheme has a long history especially in the state of Tamil Nadu, where it was introduced by K. Kamraj government in 1960s and expanded by M.G Ramachandran in 1982. Ever since it has been adopted by most of the states in India after the landmark directions by the Supreme Court of India. The purpose behind the judgment was to enhance enrolment, retention, and participation of children in primary schools, simultaneously improving their nutritional status. The judgment aims to cater to the nutritional needs of low-income groups in both rural and urban areas (Planning Commission, 2007).[10] As per the programme the Government of India provides grains free of cost and the States will provide the costs of other ingredients, salaries and infrastructure. By January 2004, nearly 50 million children received midday meals provided either by the Government or by NGOs working in partnership with the government.[11] However, inconsistent food quality, occasional food poisoning, poor hygiene, and operational concerns were among the complications to the provision of government-sponsored midday meals. The meals were prepared by teachers, who cooked the same meal every day: ghoogri, gruel made of boiled wheat. Children reported that that they grew tired of eating the same food daily, they did not like the taste, and it often made them feel sick. In 2004, a fire accidentally started by a teacher cooking the midday meal killed 90 children in Tamil Nadu, an event which underscored the safety issues inherent in meals prepared in makeshift kitchens based on school sites. Given the scope of hunger in India and the difficulties faced by the government programs, the task of feeding school children was still a significant challenge. Public private partnership implementation As the research is based on two organizations located in the state of Maharashtra, the following section analyses the public private partnership model used to implement the mid day meal scheme in the state. The State of Karnataka introduced the provision of cooked meals in June 2002 which saw a successful private sector participation in the programme. One such initiative was Akshaya Patra, which started with leadership from ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness). The programme has evolved into a movement where by children in the government schools are provided with cooked lunch on all working days. The state and the central government support the Foundation in the execution of the programme. Hence the programme runs a collective kitchen based on a public-private partnership. The Akshay Patra program is conducted in partnership with the various State Governments and Central Government. All of these governments provide a subsidy to support about 55% of the running cos t of the Akshay Patra program. The Central Government support is routed through the respective State Governments. The meal includes a nutritious mix such as sambar, rice, vegetables and some curd on most days. Since the success of this programme there has been an in the private sector participation in India. The partnerships in execution of the programme are not limited to rural areas but also major urban centers like Delhi, and Hyderabad.[12] About the study Statement of the problem In the Indian context both GDP and food grain production have risen at a faster growth rate than growth in population over the past 50 years. Yet our country faces chronic hunger and starvation among large sections of our population. There has been declining calorie consumption especially in the bottom 30% of the pyramid. Attempting policy reforms in an era of overall weakening governance and state commitment in social sectors seems a challenge. In this background, concept of collective and community kitchens have evolved and grown acquiring various dimensions in the past few years. This research aims to explore the possible link between community kitchens and food security. The research revolves around the idea of community kitchens being the possible means to attain an end of food insecurity examining the models of Ashodaya Samiti and Akshay Patra in the Indian scenario. Ashodaya Samiti is a sex workers organization working for HIV prevention since January 2004 in Mysore district of Karnataka. In 2004 University of Manitoba was directly implementing the HIV prevention project ably supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations Avahan project.[13] The organizations collectivization and formal registering as Ashodaya Samithi was done in December 2005. Community mobilization since then has today resulted in the formation of the community based organization to take ownership of HIV awareness, prevention care, support activities and beginning of an entrepreneurial venture in the form of community kitchens. The second organization under study is Akshay Patra. Children from economically weaker sections are forced to seek work in place of education. Some of those who do manage to attend the school drop out to feed themselves and their families while others are known to perform poorly because of short attention spans and extreme hunger. Realizing that a nutritious school meal is an effective means of gettingunderprivileged childrencome to school and complete their education, Akshay Patra was formed as a not-for-profit organization in June 2000. The purpose of the organization in their words is to provide unlimited food for education, through modern community kitchens, thus freeing children from the vicious cycle of poverty and ensuring them an education.[14] Objectives of the study The main objectives of the current study are to Understand the evolution of the concept of community kitchens in India Provide a socio-economic profile of the respondents who are engaged in community kitchen in both settings (of the cases undertaken) Analyze the implementation of community kitchen undertaken by different organizations namely Ashodaya Samiti and Akshaya Patra Study how community kitchen is serving as a means to break social barriers (as demonstrated by Ashodaya Samiti). Understand how community kitchen could be a potential mechanism for eradicating hunger among school going children in the context of mid-day meal programme of Akshay Patra. Analyse the constraints in mobilizing the resources to keep the community kitchen a sustainable enterprise. Methodology Data collection for the research was done in two major organizations, Ashodaya Samiti in Mysore and Akshay Patra in Bangalore. The period of data collection was from 10.02.2010 to 22.02.2010. The data collection involved personal visits to both the organizations, interviews, focus group discussions and -participant observations. The current exploratory study attempts to understand the functioning of the community kitchens. Both primary and secondary sources of data have been collected for the study. The secondary data for the study came from annual reports of the organizations, websites, documentaries and media reports that have been provided by the organizations. The primary data for the study was collected from a diverse group of individuals engaged with both the organizations. In Ashodaya Samiti focus group discussions were carried out with the 20 sex workers who are the key in managing and operating the community kitchen. Individual in dept interviews were also carried out with 2 senior officials of the organization. The interview schedule consisted of open ended questions to include more information, their feelings, attitudes and understanding of the subject of community kitchen. In Akshay Patra data was collected through participant observation and interview schedules. Interviews were carried out with the workers in the kitchen to understand the mechanization of the operations. In-debt interviews were also carried out with the media spokesperson of the organization and the programme director. Visits to the kitchen on daily basis allowed an in-depth investigation of the process of food preparation and its distribution among the schools across the city. In this study in depth interview was useful in understanding the concepts related to community kitchens. The tool was helpful as it ensured that I received detailed information which helped me in exploring the idea to its depth. Focus group discussions were used as a form of qualitative research in which a group of people which included male, female and transgender sex workers of Ashodaya Samiti were asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards sex work as their livelihood, need to collaborate at community level, evolution of the organization from heath interventions to community kitchen, empowerment through community kitchens and their future expectations from the project. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants were free to talk with other group members. Participant observation which has its roots in the traditional ethnographic research was used a qualitative research strategy. Participation and observations were carried to varying degrees to study the communitys daily activities in both the cases (Ashodaya Samiti and Akshay Patra). Participant observation took place in the community settings, in locations like the sex workers day care centers, the Ashodaya hotel, community kitchen of Akshay patra which had direct relevance to the research questions. Engagement was done in such a manner such data could be collected by observing what life is like for an insider while remaining, inevitably, an outsider. While in these community settings, careful, field notes were made to record all observations. Data Analysis The current section provides an overview of both the organizations included in the study i.e. Ashodaya Samiti and Akshaya Patra. Ashodaya Samiti: Community kitchen used to break social barriers The first case that is presented in this section is the Ashodaya Samiti. The history of Ashodaya Samiti has to be seen in the backdrop of project Avahan. In the year 2003 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded an India Aids initiative to reduce the spread of HIV in India under the project AVAHAN. Avahan was set up as a far ranging Aids prevention project, and has been a success story since its inception. Under the aegis of the project aids prevention work is carried out in six major sates in India. Within these states, it provides, prevention services to nearly 200,000 female sex workers, 60,000 high-risk men who have sex with men, and 20,000 injecting drug users, together with 5 million men at risk. [15] In 2003, UNAIDS studies reported that Asia presented the greatest risk of expansion of the global epidemic. The HIV cases have been on a continuous rise since the past decade. The major reasons for that are high prevalence of unsafe sex work and injecting drug users. Initial inter ventions by Avahan indicated that HIV transmission in south India was primarily sexual, and in the north-east mainly related to injecting drug use.[16] The Indian national response had a sound strategy for addressing high-risk groups. However, coverage of these groups was variable across the states and national average strikingly low.[17] [18] The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation designed a programme with help of technical experts to look into the HIV and aids prevention strategies. The project began with full co-operation from the Indian government. Avahans aim was to help slow the transmission of HIV to the general population by raising prevention coverage of high-risk and bridge groups to scale by achieving saturation levels (over 80 percent) across large geographic areas. Considering the scale of the country the project was magnanimous in its objectives. To avoid any complications the project began with local level involvement in operations and planning. Avahan in Karnataka As mentioned earlier, the project was started in six high prevalence states namely Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland. The prevalence in the first four states was predominantly due to male, female and transgender sex workers. In the other two states there were high incidences of the spread of virus due to injecting of drugs among the people. In Karnataka, University of Manitoba took the initiative to take up the project in the 18 of the 30 districts. Among the 18 districts, in 16 districts the i

Tiger Airways Case Study

Tiger Airways Case Study Tiger Airways is an ultra-low cost airline which commenced services on 25 March 2005. It is currently the largest low-cost airline operating out of Singapore in terms of passengers carried. In 2006, the airline flew 1.2 million passengers, a growth of 75% from the previous year. These days, the hottest news pops that Tiger Airways and Thai Airways International will form an airline based in Thailand, where Thai Airways International and Tiger Airways will own 51% and 49% respectively of the newly formed airline. Operations are expected to begin in the 1st quarter of 2011. This paper is based on this information with further discussion the business model and strategies with Tiger Airways and the whole low-cost airline industry. Question 1 a) Discuss why Tiger Airways jointly launch a low-cost airline with Thai Airways. Provide 5 (five) reasons. Tiger Airways and Thai Airways are both infusive airlines in Asia. Tiger Airways jointly launch a low-cost airline with Thai Airways can benefits both two companies to achieve a win-win situation. Tiger Airways based on Singapore, choose to co-operate with Thai Airways could further develop the international market in Asia. Thailand is one of the most famous tourist resorts in the world. Tourism is a major economic factor in Thailand, contributing an estimated 6.7% to Thailands GDP. No doubt, more and more people will choose Tiger Airways to Thailand as it price advantages. This strategic decision will attract more passengers to Tiger Airways. Compare to Jet star, Air Asia and other low-cost airlines, Tiger Airways is still smaller than its rivals. This move could increase the overall strength of the market competitiveness in Asia. Tiger Airways is all along with its low-cost airline business model from the day when it established. This is a superexcellent chance to advertise its business model and corporate image. b) Evaluate whether Tiger Airways decision in the above strategy is considered as a strategic decision. Support with 6 (six) reasons. The definition of a strategic decision is the decision that is concerned with whole environment in which the firm operates the entire resources and the people who form the company and the interface between the two. There are some characteristics/features of a strategic decision A strategic decision has a major resource proposition for an organization. The resource proposition of Tigers decision is to occupy Thailands international airlines which concerned possess a new market of Asia civil aviation. A strategic decision deal with harmonizing organizational resource capabilities with the threats and opportunities. Thai Airways used to be Tigers competitor, this decision change the competitor to its partner contains with threats and opportunities. A strategic decision deal with the range of organizational activities. Tiger Airways plans to increase its fleet to 68 by 2015 and has the same pan-Asian aspirations as its competitors through this co-operation. A strategic decision involves a change of major kind since an organization operates in ever-changing environment. Both Tiger Airways and Thai Airways are low-cost airlines. This move signified that the two companies want to through this co-operation to change the environment of Asia civil aviation. A strategic decision will involve a lot of risk. Thai Airways own 51% of the low cost airline that means they control the scales. If some contradictions between them, this decision will be a big risk for Tiger Airways. A strategic decision is consider both administrative and operational decisions. Tigers decision aim to reduce cost which co-operate with Thai Airways to achieve the airline business in Thailand through its operational decision of cost-saving actions. c) Discuss which 5 (five) macro-environment factors that will most likely affect the low-cost airline industry. Political factors are how and to what degree a government intervenes in the economy. Specifically, political factors include areas such as tax policy, environmental law, trade restrictions, tariffs, and political stability. Eg, if the government wants to increase the airport construction fees, that must can be a big challenge for the low-cost airline industry. Because it will threaten the price advantage which is the biggest advantage for low-cost airline industry compare to others. Furthermore, governments have great influence on the airport infrastructure built, foreign affairs and many other factors that will most likely affect the low-cost airline industry. Economic factors include economic growth, exchange rates and the inflation rate. These factors have major impacts on how air tickets operate and make the price decisions to each low-cost airline industry company. As the low-cost airlines usually between country to country ,the exchange rates and other economic factors will direct influence the costs of goods and the supply and the price of tickets in the low-cost airline industry . Social factors include the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social factors affect the demand for the low-cost airlines products and how that company operates. For example, Tiger Airways not only supply the airline services but also supply hotel booking, sightseeing tour and other services. But all these should take different social factors into account. Technological factors include technological aspects such as aerosatsystem, technology incentives and the rate of technological change in this industry. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient service level and influence strategic decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to innovation in the low-cost airline industry. Law factors include the relevant laws affect low-cost airlines. Eg. Tiger Airway Australian only provide domestic service in Australian, because the legal rule of Australian to limit. Question 2 Based on the case study and information on the webpage (www.tigerairways.com/sg), analyze 3 (three) levels of strategy that you can identify at Tiger airways. Corporate and Business level strategy. Operational strategy. Porters Competitive Strategy Model Porter (1980) has described a category scheme consisting of three general types of strategies that are commonly used by businesses. These three generic strategies are defined along two dimensions: strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope is a demand side dimension and looks at the size and composition of the market you intend to target. Strategic strength is a supply-side dimension and looks at the strength or core competency of the firm. In particular he identified two competencies that he felt were most important: product differentiation and product cost Competitive Strategies for Tiger airways In view of the above challenges, low-cost airlines must do three things to ensure their long-term survival. Cost Leadership. Tiger airways maintained a sustainable low-cost advantage over their full-service competitors. Tiger airways ensured that their costs per passenger-km continue to be 50 per cent or more below those of full-service airlines and continuing to reduce their own costs too. Differentiation Strategy. Tiger airways focused on differentiation of their product, that mean they must also offer a product with some frills, which is very highly rated by passengers in terms of value for money. They have draw lessons from the successful model by their competitors like Virgin Blue in Australia and JetBlue in the USA. Virgin Blue was the first carrier outside North America to introduce multi-channel real-time satellite TV to its flights called Live2Air. The strategies of Tiger airways are twofold to take on the legacy carriers and attract higher-yield passengers, and to add points of difference from other low-cost airlines Market Share and Market Segmentation Strategy Tiger airways ensured that on most of their routes they become the number one or number two carriers in terms of market share in Asia. This dominance, combined with their low fares, gives them a very powerful defensive position should new competitors attempt to enter, while also ensuring a strong cash-flow base on which to mount further expansion. Tiger Airways survival and success is due in no small measure to its growth strategy, which has focused on becoming dominant in most of its markets. Operational strategy As mentioned earlier, the chief difference between low cost carriers and traditional airlines fall into three groups: service savings, operational savings and overhead savings. Tiger Airways tend to focus on short haul route. To achieve the low operating costs per passenger, this type of carriers need to have as many seats on board its aircraft as possible, to fill them as much as possible, and to fly the aircraft as often as possible. Tiger Airways want to through its low cost airline affect the traditional airline hub-and-spoke networks poses interesting questions for the airlines industry and policy makers. It means choosing to perform a system of activities differently from that of traditional rivals and providing a coherent set of key activities that reinforce each other to achieve such position in a sustainable manner. Despite the challenges faced, Tigers low-cost model appears to be sustainable in Asia as it has been in the Singapore, Thailand, China and elsewhere. It has a different and substantially lower cost structure than the conventional network model, because the latter imposes higher costs on those who operate network systems. While Tigers network airlines can reduce their unit costs further, they can match those on short-haul routes. Tiger Airways competed for a part of their own traditional markets with low-cost carriers and it will increasingly generate most of their business from the denser, short-haul, inclusive tour markets and from long-haul routes. Within Asia, in South-east Asia and even in Australia, Tiger Airways cleared that low-cost airlines will become the dominant carriers in domestic and short-haul markets. It is not a passing phase. Tiger Airways was here to stay and it will dominate most of the markets they enter. Tiger Airways jointly launch a low-cost airline with Thai Airways was a example to prove. Question 3 a) Using Porters 5 (five) forces model, analyse all the forces in the low-cost airline industry. Buyer power Low-cost Airlines generally have a large number of buyers. Many of these are individual consumers purchasing flights directly from the airline, although there are B2B sales to charter companies, discounters, and similar buyers. In the low-cost carrier market, airlines are competing for the same market segment. The bargaining power of the consumers is increasing as the supply exceeds the demands. Price sensitivity is high; a result of factors such as the growth of online price comparison sites, corporate travel expense policies for business flyers such as Jetstar and Virgin Blue. The consumers are price sensitive. One of the challenges that all the low-cost Airline must face is the lack of customer loyalty in the low-cost carrier arena where passengers easily switch to airlines that offer lower fares. Buyers have no loyalty in low cost airlines such as Tiger Airways as the trip is purchased according to price. Supplier power Low-cost Airlines must enter into contracts when buying or leasing aircraft from suppliers. Breaking hose contracts can often imply a heavy financial cost. Furthermore, Boeing and Airbus effectively form a duopoly of suppliers of new jetliners, not only in the large jetliner category, with planes such as the 747 and A380 but also in small jetliner category with planes such as the 737 and A320. In the market for lower-capacity regional jets and propeller-driven aircraft, companies such as Embraer, ATR, and Bombadier are significant suppliers. The relative lack of alternative manufacturers or substitute inputs increases supplier power. Air Indias passenger fleet consists of 46 Boeing, 78 Airbus, seven ATR, and seven Bombadier planes. Southwest Airlines is the worlds largest low-cost carrier. Southwests successful business model involves not only flying multiple short, quick trips into the secondary airports of major markets but also using only one aircraft type, the Boeing 737. Suppliers offer fuel, labor, airport and security services all with changing prices. Aviation fuel is another vital input. Number of fuel suppliers is still relatively few. However, it is difficult for suppliers to forward integrate. Strategic alliance among airlines for economies size such as code sharing and economies scale such as purchase of fuel and aircraft could reduce the supplier power in some level. New entrants The economic entrance barriers to the not only low-cost airlines but also all the airlines industry is relatively high. For an entirely new company, they include the considerable up-front outlay needed to obtain planes, although this may not be an issue for an existing airline beginning to offer flights to a new country or region. Distribution is not particularly easy, as new players need to establish an online booking system, and relationships with travel agents and other sales intermediaries. It is also vital to obtain airport slots for take-off and landing. There has been a growth in air traffic over recent years which mean that congestion at airports in many countries is expected, especially the major hubs. The time slot given to an low-cost airline is important, and is something all airlines negotiate with airports. Established airlines will already hold the monopoly over slots at certain airports, making it harder for new low-cost airlines to infiltrate. This creates difficulties for a new low-cost airline aiming to negotiate prime slots at busy airports and can result in it being restricted to offering flights only at off-peak times, or having to fly to airports further away from popular destinations. This can be a deterrent to new airlines, as customers may seek more convenient alternatives. For example, in Singapore infrastructure constraints pose as a formidable entry barrier. Because of the intense price war, a new entrant will find it almost impossible to offer rates that are lower than Tiger Airways. The airline industry is highly capital intensive. New entrants are challenged by expensive aircrafts, high cost of operation and war for talents. New entrants also find it very hard to look for suitable airport as airport slots are reserved for established airlines. Substitutes Other forms of transport such as road, rail and marine travel are considered as substitutes to airline travel. Buyers take into account not only the cost of travel but also how long the journey will take on corresponding forms of transportation. In some countries, air travel makes it easier to overcome long distances and has certain benefits such as shorter travel time than rail travel, even including the time to check in. However based on the price advantages of low-cost airlines, rail and road transportation will not becomes more attractive alternatives for a majority of buyers. Furthermore, many consumers are now aware of the environmental impact of air travel, and are turning to rail travel instead. It is possible to travel around much of the world by long-distance bus or train, although levels of service vary and some border crossings may present a difficulty. Rivalry In the airline industry where the market is highly saturated, the rivalry between existing airlines is one of the strongest forces. Rivalry is increased by the presence of low-cost carriers in the market, as these companies can compete more intensely on price. Switching costs for buyers are low. Besides, existing airlines such as SIA will sometimes marketed big promotions which almost has the same price as low-cost airlines, it means that it is easy for them to change to a competitor. In terms of intra-industry competition is also high. Eg. In Asia, Tiger Airways as a new entrant poses as a threat to established low-cost carriers such as Jetstar and Virgin Blue. The competition in the budget sector is very high as all airlines has the same no frills philosophy. Price is the major differentiating factor in the low-cost carrier market, an area where Tiger Airways lead. b) Provide a conclusion and reason on the attractiveness of the low-cost airline industry. No doubt, the biggest attractiveness of low-cost airline industry is based on its great price advantage as it saves money compare to the ticket price of the traditional airways. Besides, it promotes great vacations. For example, Tiger Airways also supply Airways hotels, Travel insurance, Budget accommodation, Car hire etc. With Tiger Airways you would be thrilled because you get to have a great holiday. At the same price compare to other transports ,you do not need to worry anymore about long and tiresome journeys by bus, train or car. This would invariably involve countless days on road, living out of a suitcase and staying in uncomfortable hotels. The flight does away with all this inconvenience. Question 4 Explain value chain analysis. Based on the case and research done through the companys website, analyse the value chain of Tiger Airways. Value Chain Analysis describes the activities that take place in a business and relates them to an analysis of the competitive strength of the business. Influential work by Michael Porter suggested that the activities of a business could be grouped under two headings: (1) Primary Activities those that are directly concerned with creating and delivering a product (e.g. component assembly); (2) Support Activities, which whilst they are not directly involved in production, may increase effectiveness or efficiency (e.g. human resource management). It is rare for a business to undertake all primary and support activities. Primary Activities Primary value chain activities of Tiger Airways include: Primary Activity Description Inbound logistics Tiger Airways based on Singapore, Tiger Airways can attempt to co-operate with Airbus to lower the cost of the airplanes. It can also co-operate with food suppliers to get cheaper and more delicious. Operations Tiger Airways now operates a fleet of 19 Airbus A320-family aircraft and is committed to increasing its fleet size to 68 by December 2015. The airline operates flights to 33 destinations across 11 countries and territories in Asia and Australia from its aircraft bases in three locations Singapores Changi Airport Budget Terminal, Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne and Adelaide Airport in South Australia. Besides it has detail duties, responsibilities and specifications for every position include Flight Dispatchers, Operations Controllers, Flight Safety Manager, Pilots and Cabin Crew. Outbound logistics Tiger Airways of Singapore has agreed to open their operations in various countries. It is also stepping forward to associate with a Global Distribution System company to strengthen its ticketing system to enable travelers to access to more passengers. Marketing and sales The Company recorded an operating profit of $28.0 million and a profit for the year attributable to shareholders of the Company of $28.2 million for the financial year ended 31 March 2010. Revenues grew 28.6% to $486.2 million while operating costs grew only 7.7%, despite the 53.8% increase in passengers compared to the preceding 12 months. Growth in revenues was supported by the combination of passenger seat revenue increasing 19.6% and ancillary revenue growth of 87.4%. Ancillary revenues currently comprise 19.4% of our revenue base, an increase from 13.3% in FY2009. Management continues to be focused on optimising ancillary revenues, with initiatives such as the carriage of cargo being introduced in FY2011. During the last 12 months from 2009 to 2010 the number of passengers reached at 4,872,000 Service Besides online sales and flying services à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’Tiger Airways also supply Tiger Airways hotels, Travel insurance , Budget accommodation, Car hire etc. Support Activities Support activities include: Secondary Activity Description Procurement The procurement of Tiger Airways was a low-cost carrier operates a fleet of Airbus A320s. Now Tiger Airways has a fleet of 19 Airbus A320 aircraft and it aim to increasing its fleet size to 68 by December 2015. Human Resource Management The human resource management was organized by its special department in details. Processing of Employment Pass, Airport Pass and Staff Pass Administer Staff intranet database Administer procedures for new hires and resigned employees Compiling of information for surveys requested by its special agencies. Technology Development Around 75% of Tiger Airways seat sales come from the internet, both from the public and agents, while the balance 25% comes from call centers and airport outlets. By these years ,Tiger Airways continue to develop its webs power by co-operate with Facebook, Twiter, Youtube and other media agencies . It also emphasis on advising. For example in 2005, it had an increase of more than 60% in revenue and website visits since it launched its new advertising campaign: Whats New Pussycat? Infrastructure By 16 June 2010, the biggest shareholder of Tiger Airways is Singapore Airline Limited which holds 33.55% of the company shares. Approximately, 31.8% of the companys shares are held in the hands of public. Question 5 a) Analyse at least 5 (five) common cost-cutting strategies adopted by low-cost carriers that directly affect the passengers. 1. Develop creativity. A good example to support this strategy is the invention of Boeing 737. The Boeing 737 is a short-term and lower-cost twin-engine airliner developed by U.S. which influenced the whole low cost airline in the world. With this aircraft, it can save the gas but also narrow the costing of supplier to gain the biggest benefit of airline. Southwest Airline is the biggest low-cost airline in the world which using only this aircraft type to add a batch management to get the cost-cutting. 2. Rational use of resources. The low-cost airlines usual have limit resources, however use it rational become the key to success. After 911 the airline industry in U.S. was decreased. But Southwest Airline remodeled its Boeing 737 , added six more seats to every plane and guarantee will not effect the comfortable of the passengers, which help Southwest gain the profit even the past-911 time. 3. Efficient chick in service. The low-cost airways usually provide short-term service. The fly travel time will not over 2 hours. All the passengers concerned how fast they can chick in and how long they can arrive. The same successful example of Southwest Airline proved that they only need 10-15 minutes from chick in to take off, which usually take 1 hour to do that. This action not only gains the trust of passengers but also save the time. As time is money in business, they gain the efficient cost-cutting. 4. 0 strategy. Every low-cost airline should have a self- orientation of their company. For the low-cost airlines 0 means no luxury fitment, no free-service of food, no provide of TV and ear phone ect. to make a cost-cutting. 5. Effective and efficient operation. The low-cost airlines operate many planes. The key is how to operate them efficient. The biggest successful factor of Southwest Airline is the number 11 in its cost-cutting culture as 11 means they guarantee every Boeing 737 of their airline fly 11 times per day. It gains both the passengers benefit and the max operation of their airplanes. b) Recommend at least 3 (three) future strategies that Tiger Airways could implement to maintain its low-cost strategies. Break-even. A useful method for making expense comparisons is break-even analysis. Break-even is the point at which gross profit equals expenses. In a business year, it is the time at which your sales volume has become sufficient to enable your over-all operation to start showing a profit. It is important for low-cost airlines to remember that once sales pass the break-even point, the fixed expenses percentage goes down as the sales volume goes up. Locating Reducible Expenses. The airlines profit and loss statement provides a summary of expense information and is the focal point in locating expenses that can be cut. Taking cost cutting Action. When the airlines have located a problem expense area, the next step obviously is to reduce that cost so as to increase the profit. A key to the effectiveness of your cost-cutting action is the worth of the various expenditures. As long as you know the worth of your expenditures, you can profit by making small improvements in expenses. Keep an open eye and an open mind. It is better to do a spot analysis once a month than to wait several months and then do a detailed study. Take action as soon as possible. You can refine your cost-cutting action as you go along. Conclusion The low-cost airline revolution has injected a dose of democracy into the travel world. Low-cost airlines have succeeded in taking over a large part of the market. Tiger Airways jointly launch a low-cost airline with Thai Airways provide a new opportunity, a new market and a new business model based on its successful business strategies. Moreover, Tiger Airways get ready to take off more quickly; enabling it as competitive airline to schedule more flights and provide more attractive schedules for passengers. No doubt, there is a bright future for Tiger Airway!