New York fashion week Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

New York fashion week - Essay Example Designers came up with events and conferences that were economical and aimed at reaching the people in the crucial time of the economic drop, giving them options that would help save. Further, they took to options that would help them cut out on runway costs or other organizing costs. Some of the events that have been part of the New York fashion week aimed at cutting down on costs, economizing and bringing to their audience what they are sure to receive with delight, technology. The costs of the show that would usually go up to $750,000 had been cut down and designers have gone economy friendly, however, not forsaking the striking patters, designs and beauty of the clothing range. In the current fashion scenario, simple and breathtaking are the two words often complimenting each other in collections that have been popular and sought after. The collections that are more wearable and simple in design still contain the glam and beauty that a more expensive and complicated array of fash ion clothing would hold. The birds collection by Andrew Holdes turned out to be a combination of just this. The colors were solid, the designs simple, angled and interesting. The collection included clothes with modern silhouettes that combined classic British tailoring with enduring American work wear, the most sought after style in the current season. Green jackets were cropped, corduroy vests with shawl collars paired with huge scarves as leather trimming and epaulets were added to other pieces.

Cross Cultural Issues Essay Example for Free

Cross Cultural Issues Essay With hot topics like globalization and cross-cultural opportunities in the Asia Pacific rim, one might think it would be easy to research the implications of cross cultural issues. Rather, what the writer found was a significant discussion all around the periphery but little in-depth analysis. Discussion prevailed on the socio-economic and technological ramifications. Others resources focused on the language issues but little work was intuitively available on the subtleties of cross cultural issues one may encounter. Based on experience working in the Asia Pacific rim for two years as a PMO Manager, and training PM’s in many European countries, I decided that understanding international socio-cultural issues encountered in business is essentially at the heart of the issues companies will encounter in globalizing operations. Therefore, the writer will approach the crosscultural issues from a personalized understanding based on his many months of first hand mistakes in understanding cultural issues encountered in Asia Pacific. I will base my observations of cross-cultural issues on my experiences in working most closely with individuals from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, and India. Naturally there are more countries in the Pacific Rim but these mentioned provided the most opportunity for interaction. I want to also acknowledge the contributions of my wife, Helena Shiu Leung Chow Ballow, whom I initially met in Asia. Her wisdom, coaching, and meaningful insights on the many differences between Western and Eastern business and cultural practices were, and remain till this day, illuminating, helpful and daunting. Introduction Clearly we all understand to some degree the impact of cultural issues in communications. If nothing else, we have encountered situations where language was the barrier. But language may be the smallest of the issues when dealing with other cultures. Even when we pull out our Translation Guides or employ translators we may get pass some of the language difficulties. But from the writer’s experience, language is the least of the issues. Ingrained and systemic patterns of cultural behaviours can be so subtle as to completely deny meaningful communications. I found a really good example of just how easily cultural variances can cause communications problems. In this case the issues was â€Å"psychological filtering† of appearance or gesture. I would think is would also be easy for the reader to extrapolate this example into some experiences that may have encountered even in the West. Timofeev (2002), in an article in National Concepts and Globalization, provided the following example: â€Å"The idea or rather the hypothesis that underlies this paper was stimulated by a trivial chat with a friend of mine. Being a linguist by trade, Russian by origin and living in Finland, she is well aware of cross-cultural discrepancies and provided me with a curious example. It was a TV commercial of an international brand of Persil washing powder. Two young ladies were shown sitting in a crowded place, some restaurant or a cafe. One of the ladies notices quite a peculiar manner her friend has chosen to wear her wristwatch. It was placed above the cuff of her blouse. It turned out in a second that the only reason for placing her watch there was to cover some stain that regular detergents failed to deal with. Oh dear, you should use Persil instead! So everything was straight and simple. But before that, when the attentive and thoughtful lady was describing her version of her friends peculiar manner of wearing her watch in Finnish (and I guess that the German, French and English versions were quite similar to that in Finnish), she said: You are such a busy person. You have to wear your watch so that it can always be seen. While in Russian the same lady made quite a different guess: Your watch must be terribly expensive since you wear it so that everyone can notice it. The Russian version, when translated into English, seems to be full of irony; it describes the ladys manner as showing off. It would definitely undermine the main purpose of the ad, which was to provide a friend and those watching the commercial with thoughtful advice about using detergents. (p. 1)† To understand the issues we must start with a framework definition of culture. There are just too many definitions of culture, and even speaking the same language, we might get off tract pretty quickly. So, the writer did some research and decided on the following foundational definition of culture upon which to proceed. This is summarized by Kim (1999): â€Å"As the author himself confesses that there are 160 different definitions of the term culture and picks up the definition of scholar Clyde Kluckhohn. According to him, Culture consists of patterned ways of thinking, feeling and reacting, acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiment in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i. e. historically derived and selected) ideas and attached values. continued  © 2004, 2005 Dennis G. Ballow, Sr. , PMKT, Inc. , All Rights Reserved Globalization and Cross-Cultural Issues in Project Management, page 2 Another scholar, Triandis, presents a psychological perspective to the description. Culture is a subjective perception of the human made part of the environment. And this includes the categorization of social stimuli, associations, beliefs, attitudes, roles, and values individuals share. Culture thus is a melting pot consisting of many things gathered over a period of time in which religion and language play a great role. (p. 228)† Now, with a definition of culture in hand, and a real life example to back up the idea, we will look at some relatively common cultural issues that impact communication, and thus, also have implications for Western corporations working in the Asia Pacific Rim. Cross-Cultural Issues and Implications I will present the materials in a table format such that it may be easier to digest. A simple summary provided by Bhagat et al (2002 provides a good stepping-stone for analysis of the cross-cultural issues: Cross-border transfer of organizational knowledge is most effective in terms of both velocity and viscosity when the type of knowledge (i. . , human, social, or structured) being transferred is simple, explicit, and independent and when such transfers involve similar cultural contexts. In contrast, transfer is least effective when the type of knowledge being transferred is complex, tacit, and systemic and involves dissimilar cultural contexts. (p. 204) Table 1: Cross-cultural Implications – Asian (China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan) and the West Cross-culture Dimension Language Implications Asian Perspective Not that complicated to the Asian. Foreigners should have more respect and learn the language. American Perspective English is the international business language so everyone should use it. Implications It is generally good practice to â€Å"localize† materials when feasible. Local words and expressions sometime just do not properly translate for English and may actually be offensive. A focus on team activities and collaboration vs. individual competitive activities is preferred. Individualism vs. Collectivism Strong Collectivism The Asians depend more on groups or institutions to determine what they should do and emphasize loyalty to the group. They are more likely to cooperate with others to avoid risks and reduce responsibilities. Their value systems appreciate duty to the group and harmony among its members while pursuing personal goals is viewed rather negatively in Asia. The Asian person does not consider contracts as seriously as the Americans. They think there will always be changes and the contracts can be reasonably modified according to changes. Instead, they tend to pay more attention to relationships than contracts. Strong Individualism They rely on their own view to determine what they should do. They tend to work alone and are reluctant to cooperate because their individualism and masculine culture view cooperation in general as a sign of weakness and place a high value on independence and control. Americans place greater importance on contractual safeguards than the Asian. They believe that contracts can ensure that their partners tendencies to focus on individual goals and aspirations do not interfere with their own individual goals and aspirations. Cooperation Nothing is cast in stone for the Asians. Authority is seldom, if ever, challenged. But when encouraged and trust is gained by the instructor, students will interact better, and challenge each other in a negotiative manner as not to create a †save face† problem. This takes much longer that you will ever plan – so take time to let the process work itself through. Asian employees seldom have the chance to really participate in the decision-making process. So activities requiring decisions may well take longer. continued

Impact of Uber on UK Mini Cabs

Impact of Uber on UK Mini Cabs Introduction The intense rivalry among competitors in the market is a critical driving force for each organisation. A healthy competition among competitors builds fuel for organisation long run, and while seeking progress firm practices influences other companies in the industry. The present research enables the researcher to find out such influences produced by Uber through their innovative practices. The research attempt shed lights on Uber Cab Company performance and the impact made by the organisation on other minicabs in the UK taxi industry. The researcher looks to utilise the journals of Wallsten (2015) and Edward, George and Sarkar (2010) for perceiving current issues efficiently. The investigation tries to perceive strategies and practices executed by Uber to advance in the UK taxi industry along with identifying the influence made on minicabs performance. Literature review The rise of Uber and the subsequent disruption in taxi industry has been a key research issue in recent years. For example, the study of Sundararajan (2014) revealed that the success of Uber was mainly due to the convenience offered by the service compared to existing cab services. This view has been upheld by other researchers such as Malhotra and Van Alstyne (2014) and Isaac (2014). All these studies point to the fact that Uber offer higher value to taxi customers in terms of lower charge, higher convenience and better safety offered by Uber. The theory of quality-value-loyalty chain was used by Wallsten (2015) to evaluate the success of Uber in Taxi industry. Figure 1.1: Quality-value-loyalty chain Source: Wallsten (2015) As per Quality-value-loyalty chain, price, product quality and service quality develop the perceived value of a product or service which in turn contributes to customer loyalty towards the product or service. Among these elements, competitors are easily able to imitate product quality and price. But it is very difficult to imitate service quality (Edward, George and Sarkar, 2010). Due to this, service quality has an enhanced role in creating value and loyalty for the product or service. Wallsten (2015) notes that the superior service quality of Uber has helped the company in creating value for customers and in developing loyal customer base in taxi industry. From the review of existing literature available on Ubers success in taxi industry, it can be understood that the ability of the company to offer better value, service quality and convenience was the main reasons for its success. Research purpose The study intends to identify the impacts that created by Uber Cab Company in the UK taxi industry and analyse influence that the company made on minicabs in the country.   Ã‚   The research objectives of the current research are: To evaluate the factors affecting satisfaction of cab customers To assess the factors contributing to the competitive advantage of Uber in UK Taxi industry To analyse the impact of Ubers growth on mini cabs of UK To provide suggestions to mini cabs of UK to remain competitive in UK Taxi industry Rationale Despite being a start-up in the UK taxi industry, Uber cab services had provided growth to the traditional taxi service in the country. The process made the countrys private taxi firm to stand tall where other numerous taxi companies had failed. According to Megaw (2016), 97% of the organisation that tried fit their name in the industry had fallen within the first four months where Uber showed resilience in making an impact which flew beyond the capital. The company had expanded beyond borders leaving a note on taxi industry to look for an urgent lift in which the mini cabs have experienced most of the damage. Uber was able to advance in each market that they have entered which led to protests and strikes in the UK. Uber Cab company flexibility had attracted few drivers who worked in mini cabs in London to join in the company. The low pricing strategy that the company presented has made controversies as competitors had alleged the practice unhealthy and artificial. Uber started its o peration in the UK with four locations and increased the size to eighteen with 30,000 drivers in London (Torrance, 2016). Data analysis interprets that since Uber started its operation, the private hire operations in London has attained a decline of 11% assuming minimum ten private taxi business close in every month. The research seeks to identify major reasons for the customer to choose Uber cab over minicabs by comparing their service using service quality framework and looks to interpret recommendation for minicabs in order to survive the situation. Scope and limitation of research The Uber Cab Company intervention to the UK taxi industry has been questioned severely by the minicab operators as their low payment system and other operations has affected minicabs and provoked few operators to end their operations in London area. The investigation gathers ample evidence for interpreting the features that attracted customers to Uber service so that certain recommendations could be drawn to the minicab operators in the UK for improving their business in the location. Research methodology For constituting the study, the researcher has to acquire efficient information on operations of both Uber Cab and minicab services. For carrying out the research both primary and secondary data collection method is used by the researcher. The literature and journals on the topic are utilised to attain secondary data, and the primary information is collected through executing a survey on taxi customers. The survey is conducted on 55 customers who use taxi services in London in which 30 female and 25 male customers are targeted. The survey method enables researcher to understand consumer perspectives on services provided by Uber Cab and minicab companies improving study strength. The data achieved from books, journals, articles and websites belong to the secondary resources which are used by the researcher to analyse the issue further. The adequate information attained from these practices is used to provide significant interpretations for present research problems from which efficien t recommendations are drawn for the minicab operators. Action plan      Ã‚   Research objective By when Resources to be used (2.1) when do you know this objective is achieved which is after the by when to ensure that you have actually achieve the objective How will you monitor this objective is being achieved? method of monitoring Topic selection 17th December to 22nd December 2017 Books, articles and online journals for study topic selection 21st December 2017 22nd December 2017 Reporting Regularly to supervisor Aim and objective preparation 23rd to 24th December 2017 Adequate journals and books 23rd December 2017 24th December 2017 Reporting Regularly to supervisor Literature review 25th December to 10th January 2017 Secondary resources like books and publications both online and offline for literature review preparation 8th January 2017 10th January 2017 Timely informing supervisor work status updates Research methods 12th January to 16th April 2017 Journals and books for perceiving research methods 13th January 2017 15th April 2017 Updating report status to supervisor Data collection 17th January to 16th February 2017 Survey on customers as primary resource and data from books, journals and company reports as secondary resource 15th February 2017 16th February 2017 Communicating status to supervisor Interpretation of data 17th February 1st March 2017 Comparison of primary and secondary information and analysis descriptive methods 25th February 2017 1st March 2017 Updating work status to supervisor Conclusion and recommendation March 2nd 14th March 2017 On the basis of interpreted data and analysis 13th March 2017 14th March 2017 Timely report to supervisor Final submission 15th March 2017 2.2 Undertake the proposed research investigation in accordance with the agreed specification and procedures. Questionnaire design This research was deliberated to mainly evaluate the effect of UBER Cab Company on mini cabs in the UK. For conducting the study, the research has opted UBER Cab Company to carry out the study. The research has mainly opted questionnaire method so as to gather data and information from the customers of UBER Cab Company to know more about taxi and the scope of them. For developing and evolving the questionnaire, the research has adopted Likert scale method, and to the customers of UBER Cab Company, the questionnaire was distributed with the aid of survey method. By opting the customers of UBER Cab Company for conducting the survey, the data gathered by the researcher was accurate and appropriate to the question of the research. Data collection method For the study, the research decided to opt primary data collection using survey method. The research was done with the aid of survey that was carried out on the customers of a minicab in London. The researcher decided to opt about 55 as the sample size for the study where 30 were women, and 25 were men. With the aid of survey method, the researcher could gain more knowledge and understanding about the company and the taxi services. All the research questions were related to the study and the questions prepared was simple and very easy to understand. This helped the researcher to get the opinions of customers. Advantages of survey method: With the aid of primary research, the research could gain relevant, apt and specific answers when compared to any other research methods. With the aid of Likert scales, the researcher could understand more about the topic and do not spend more time on the data collection. Survey method is cost effective and time-consuming. Disadvantages of survey method: The survey that is closed and structured might have less validity and reliability than other methods. There can be favourable answers been marked by the researcher so as to support the subject. The respondents will not be able to give their maximum as they will not be aware of the reason behind the survey. Advantages and disadvantages of ANOVA method The survey method was analysed with the aid of ANOVA method through which qualitative data collection was collected. Over more than two groups the data are examined and reviewed constancy for gaining the result in the case ANOVA method. The t-test is mainly compared to ANOVA methods as instead for ANOVA method t-test is used for the similar use. The advantages of ANOVA are: ANOVA method is mainly opted to relate groups of various samples sizes when compared to the t-test. Without cumulating the probabilities of Type, I error, with the aid of ANOVA more than two grouped can be evaluated. The disadvantages of ANOVA are: Incorrect results can be gained from ANOVA if the samples are gathered from the average population. ANOVA helps to makes sure if the samples are different from each other and also indicates the samples that are different from the similar ones. D3: Justify the choice of data collection methods To get accurate and reliable data and information the researcher adopted primary research for this study conducted on UBER Cab Company. The research has adopted survey method as the research strategy to gather data from the customers of UBER Cab Company London. The responses gathered from different customers were different and had different opinion and suggestions. The questions were closed and structured through Likert scales. Likert scales also aided the researcher in understanding the questionnaire. It was comparatively easy for the researcher to gather quantitative data with the help of survey methodology that made the research to be analysed easily with the aid of ANOVA method. 2.3 Record and collate relevant data where appropriate The researcher has used ANOVA analysis for testing the data collected from taxi customers of London. The researcher collected data from 55 taxi customers (30 female and 25 male customers). The working hypothesis adopted by the researcher is that there is clear difference in taxi service preferences of male and female taxi customers of London. This working hypothesis is tested with the help of ANOVA analysis. SS df MS F P Price 388.9286 1 388.9286 9.24 0.028759 Accessibility 388.9286 1 388.9286 5.08 0.073916 Convenience 388.9286 1 388.9286 3.56 0.117844 Driver behaviour 388.9286 1 388.9286 6.69 0.049044 Quality of car 388.9286 1 388.9286 10.89 0.021476 Safety 388.9286 1 388.9286 14.9 0.011879 2.1 ANOVA analysis of customer needs from taxi service From the above ANOVA analysis it can be understood that the opinions of male and female taxi customers significantly diverge in terms of their needs and expectations from taxi services available in UK. The analysis shows that female customers gave greater importance of safety, quality of car and driver behaviour when compared to male customers. On the other hand, male customers gave higher importance to convenience aspect while choosing taxi services. SS Df MS F P Reliability 388.9286 1 388.9286 6.65 0.049507 Assurance 388.9286 1 388.9286 14.25 0.012957 Tangibility 388.9286 1 388.9286 4.12 0.098139 Empathy 388.9286 1 388.9286 11.68 0.018887 Responsiveness 388.9286 1 388.9286 2.83 0.153344 2.2 ANOVA analysis of customer rating of service quality of Uber From the ANOVA analysis of the customer rating of service quality of Uber it is clear that both male and female customers have diverging opinions regarding the different dimensions of service quality of Uber. For example, it is evident that reliability, empathy and assurance elements of service quality of were given higher rating by female customers while male customers gave higher importance to responsiveness of the service of Uber. SS df MS F P Reliability 388.9286 1 388.9286 8.36 0.034132 Assurance 388.9286 1 388.9286 5.71 0.062422 Tangibility 388.9286 1 388.9286 21.02 0.005922 Empathy 388.9286 1 388.9286 3.28 0.129892 Responsiveness 388.9286 1 388.9286 11.02 0.021017 Methodology I used simple random sample because it is the simplest way to select participants from a population. According to Saunders, et al., using these methods means that each individual in the population has the same chance of being selected for the sample (2012) The survey questionnaire was developed on free online source distributed to employees via email, and social media messaging. Printed sheets of questionnaire were also provided for data collection. The expected sample size is set to 100 participants from the target population and the sampling is undertaken based on simple random sampling method. 2.3 ANOVA analysis of customer rating of service quality of UK minicab The above analysis of customer rating of service quality of UK minicabs reveal that female customers hold very different view regarding the service of minicabs when compared to female customers. It is evident from the analysis that female customers opinion regarding the reliability, assurance, tangibility and responsiveness of minicabs diverge from that of their male counterparts. SS Df MS F P Uber 388.9286 1 388.9286 2.43 0.179774 Minicab 388.9286 1 388.9286 14.25 0.012957 2.4 ANOVA analysis of customer likelihood of using of Uber and Minicab The above ANOVA analysis shows that female customers are much more likely to not use minicabs than male customers. On the other both male and female customers are equally likely to use Uber as taxi service in London. 3.1 Use appropriate research evaluation techniques Effectiveness of Project planning was developed by the researcher for implementing the current research project. The plan entailed the main steps of the project alongside milestones, objectives, review dates and resource allocation. This research plan was highly efficient in enabling the implementation of the research within the allocated time frame. One area where the research faced difficulty was in using ANOVA analysis method in data collation stage. The lack of knowledge and experience of the researcher in using ANOVA analysis method was a key obstacle in the smooth implementation of the research. Achievement of research objectives: Objective 1: To evaluate the factors affecting satisfaction of cab customers The primary objective of the current research was to evaluate the factors affecting satisfaction of cab customers. From the survey of taxi customers in London, the researcher was able to understand that convenience and accessibility were the most important factors that customers considered while selecting taxi service. From this it was inferred that convenience and accessibility of the cab service were the most important factors affecting satisfaction of UK cab customers. Objective 2: To assess the factors contributing to the competitive advantage of Uber in UK Taxi industry One of the other objectives of the research project was to assess the factors contributing to the competitive advantage of Uber in UK Taxi industry. With the help of the customer survey, the researcher evaluated the service quality dimensions of Uber. From this analysis it was understood that reliability, responsiveness and tangibility of service of Uber was rated highly by customers. From this it can be understood that Uber gains competitive advantage in UK taxi sector by offering reliable, responsive and tangible service. Objective 3: To analyse the impact of Ubers growth on mini cabs of UK The other objective of the research to analyse the impact of Ubers growth on mini cabs of UK. This was achieved by comparing the service quality of minicabs with that of Uber. From this comparison it was revealed that that reliability, responsiveness and tangibility of service of minicabs were inferior to that of Uber. This gap in service quality dimensions can be adjudged as the reason for the success of Uber in UK taxi market at the expense of minicabs. Objective 4: To provide suggestions to mini cabs of UK to remain competitive in UK Taxi industry The last objective of the research project was to provide suggestions to mini cabs of UK to remain competitive in UK Taxi industry. Form the research project it was understood that reliability, responsiveness and tangibility of service of minicabs were inferior to that of Uber. Hence it is recommended that minicabs seek improvement in reliability, responsiveness and tangibility elements of their service. Effectiveness of research methods: In the current research, survey method was used for collecting data from taxi customers in London. This data collection method was highly effective as it helped the researcher in collecting data from large number of customers with relative ease. As the data was collected from London this improves the validity of the research findings as London has a very diverse population. However, the research findings cannot be extrapolated across UK as the scope of the study was limited to London city. The research study is using both primary and secondary data. Primary data is obtained from the online survey and appropriate case study examples to interpret the results and Analysis. Secondary data has been used in Literature review .This section starts off by introducing you to four commonly used qualitative data collection methods. These collection methods and many others are also described and explained how to use them in evaluation. It then explains how you may go about involving participants: This is also known as sampling. The section ends with a discussion of a couple of approaches to qualitative data analysis. I will have to use some of these methods as part of your routine project monitoring activities, in a needs assessment or baseline or as part of an evaluation exercise. Quantitative and Qualitative data collection methods There are two ways of analysing qualitative data. One approach is to examine your findings with a pre-defined framework, which reflects your aims, objectives and interests. This approach is relatively easy and is closely aligned with policy and programmatic research which has pre-determined interests. This approach allows you to focus on particular answers and abandon the rest. I refer to this approach as framework analysis (Pope et al, 2000). The second approach takes a more exploratory perspective, encouraging me to consider and code all your data, allowing for new impressions to shape my interpretation in different and unexpected directions. I refer to this approach as thematic network analysis (Attride, 2001). Benefits of research results: The main benefit of the research results is that they outline the scope of competition between Uber and minicabs in UK taxi sector. This would help minicab service providers in understanding the areas where there is scope for improvement in their service. Difficulties faced in the research: One of the main difficulties faced in the current research was related to collecting data from taxi customers in London. The researcher faced difficulty in collecting data as the researcher lacked previous experience in collecting primary data through survey. 3.2 Interpretation and analysis of data 1. Gender Pie chart 1: Gender of the survey respondents Source: Created by the author Gender of the survey respondents is represented by the above pie diagram. From the above diagram, it is observed that relatively increased number of females (54.55%) constituted the participants of this survey program. 2. Rate the following factor in terms of their significance in your selecting a particular taxi serve (Scale of 1-5 where 1= Very high and 5= Very low) Bar chart 1: Ranking of factors that customers considers in selecting a taxi serve Source: Created by the author Analysing the significance of the various factors that a customer considers while adopting a taxi service, it is observed that convenience and accessibility were the mostly rated elements. The importance of safety element and pricing strategy were also identified from the customer responses. Thus it could be interpreted from this survey result that service efficiency, product attribute and pricing constitutes the main elements that influence the decision-making the process of the customers. This is in line with the literature study of Wallsten (2015) that explains the concept of Quality-value-loyalty chain. 3. Rate the following elements of service quality of Uber on a scale of 1-5 where 1 = Very good and 5= Very bad? Bar chart 2: Customer rating for the service attributes of Uber Source: Created by the author Responsiveness, tangibility and reliability were the highly rated characteristic features of Uber services. This is in line with the findings of Sundararajan (2014) and Isaac (2014) who identified that service excellence was the key element that provided an improved competitive advantage for Uber. However, it is also observed from the above pie diagram that Uber has received a negative customer response regarding its assurance. 4. Rate the following elements of service quality of minicabs of UK on a scale of 1-5 where 1 = Very good and 5= Very bad? Bar chart 3: Rating for the service quality of minicabs of UK Source: Created by the author A multitude of opinions was gathered from the customers regarding their rating for the service quality of minicabs. However analysing the above bar diagram it is apparent that majority of the customers has given comparatively a higher rating for the empathy element in the service quality of UK minicabs. 5. Rate the likelihood of you using the following services when you use taxi service next time on a scale of 1-5 (1= Very high and 5=Very low) Bar chart 4: Probability of selecting Uber and minicab services Source: Created by the author Analysing the probability of customers in selecting a taxi service, it is observed that majority of the participants opined that they prefer to opt Uber services. This signifies that Uber has achieved an improved recognition and competitive advantage compared to other minicab services of UK, which is in line with the reports of Isaac (2014) and Wallsten

Love Your Enemies :: English Literature Essays

Love Your Enemies Jesus said, â€Å"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.’ But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let them slap your left cheek too†¦ love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.† Is it possible to follow this teaching of Jesus today? The answer is yes, conveying this teaching is possible. There are still some people who do live in this way. One person who lived this way was Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi was a man of peace from India. By no means did Gandhi resort to violence. Gandhi showed that the powerless had power. He never fought back instead he would sit and pray. Gandhi always wanted equality and peace among everyone. If someone were harm in any way, he would have never turned and hurt them. Instead he would have prayed or just ambled away. Although with his courageous words and actions he was a very powerful person he still could not control the decisions and actions of others. Gandhi once said,†I have no strength, save what God gives me. I have no authority over my country men, save the purely moral." Like many of our brave and peaceful leaders Gandhi was also assassinated. He died on January 30, 1948. Everyone should be more like Gandhi. Everyone should be kind and peaceful and then the world may be an easier place to live in. It’s not an easy way to live because you often act or even speak before you act. Several people often do things without thinking. It’s human nature. For example if person ‘A’ were to clout person ‘B’, person ‘B’ would automatically strike back. This is unquestionably not what Jesus would do. There is only very few people who would actually just turn the other cheek or walk away. Instead everyone else would probably do the same or even worse than what the other person did. Another way we can follow this philosophy is by, as Jesus said, â€Å"Do unto others as you would have done unto you.† Think about this, no one would want someone to harm them, emotionally or physically, and the other person probably feels the same way. Verbal abuse, talking about others, judging others also part of this. This damages others, and it’s hard not to do this because everybody does it but just because everybody does doesn’t make it right.

Nobel Prize Winner’s Talk

REPORT Nobel Prize Winner's Talk (A New Kilogram Next Year) Main Speaker: Nobel Laureate Professor Klaus von Klitzing Lecture Topic: â€Å"A New Kilogram Next Year – How my Nobel Prize Contributed to this Development Date: Tuesday 2nd October, 2018 TIME: 6pm VENUE: JFK Lecture Theatre, UWI Immediately upon being invited to the event I was unbelievably excited. It made me feel like this vast world suddenly became smaller and things that seemed unreachable became all the more possible and all the dreams that could ever be dreamt could be truly actualized. Of course getting credit for attending was just a plus, but having such a once in a lifetime opportunity, to hear from one of the Rock stars of the scientific world definitely could not be missed. They say that great leaders once had great mentors and that to be the best, you have to learn from the best. As such, hearing from one of the greatest minds in the world could not be passed. I had to know the secrets of his lifetime adventure. As I proceeded to the JFK Lecture Theatre, the surreal sunset and cool breezes brought an air of expectancy and anticipation. Located outside was a distribution table where we received additional reading resources. Upon receiving them, I walked inside not knowing what lay in the minutes ahead. The seminar, I found out, was hosted by CARISCIENCE (The network of Research and Development Institutions in the Basic Sciences in the Caribbean), in conjunction with the German Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation, The Faculty of Science and Technology of the UWI, the University of Trinidad and Tobago and the University of the Southern Caribbean. This, I believed to be very commendable, having all the collegiate institutions coming together for a common purpose. This should be the goal of every individual, organization and the global community as a whole. The event launched the annual CARISCIENCE Nobel Laureate Lecture Series and this year they invited Noble Laureate Professor Klaus von Klitzing, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1985, for his discovery that under the appropriate conditions the resistance offered by an electrical conductor is quantized; that is, it varies by discrete steps rather than smoothly and continuously. The lecture was moderated by Dr. Richard Taylor, while the opening remarks were given by Professor Dyer Narinesingh; the President of CARISCIENCE. He did elaborate on the goals and vision of the organization which included; a singular Caribbean intellectual space which encourages problem solving and converting knowledge into wealth creation. He also mentioned that they set out to foster collaboration with international affiliates which would expose stakeholders to relevant equipment, methods and technologies and henceforth be a voice for the Caribbean region. He also drew reference to Loreal's vision : Diversity + Inclusion = Innovation The objectives of the organization seemed relevant and highly necessary to facilitate the ongoing progress being made within the region. To create a competitive, highly innovative, critically minded workforce to create a name and competitive edge for our Caribbean citizenry. He ended with the notion that â€Å"it cannot be business as usual† if we are to continue to harness the potential of young minds in this time. The Welcome Address was then presented by Professor Indar Ramnarine, who encouraged â€Å"impactful research that should reshape the boundaries of your fields.† I found this highly motivating as we seek to be world changers in this age. Not only to occupy space but to make a distinct dent in our respective fields and make full use of the time allotted us, to better humanity. He also stated that, â€Å"It is not only possible to understand the intricacies of the world but also to improve it.† Ah yes, our vision should indeed be: to identify the problem, gauge the solution, implement the solution and continue to improve the solution. The Introduction of the Speaker was performed by Dr. Brian Cockburn, who articulated a summary of the career paths and accomplishments of Professor Klitzing. This only sought to inspire me more on this journey to think bigger and dream larger. As soon as the Nobel Laureate Professor Klaus von Klitzing commandeered the stage, instantly the fires of passion that burnt ever so brightly oh so many years ago, was distinctly evident, burning just as intensely even at this age. This jovial character, was clearly thrilled to be speaking about his life's work and the opportunities it still presented him today, in being able to visit the Caribbean. I immediately could not help thinking, wow, I hope at the closing end of my life, I still feel such passion, fervor and irradiate such vibrancy about the things that excite my soul. Not only was he surprisingly pleasant but his speaking skills were far from boring, as he carried us on the journey with him through the process of the discovery day, to giving us the information that we could indeed buy ourselves our own Noble Prize, however, in so doing not be privy to the elaborate â€Å"Hogwart-esque† feast they had to attend. It definitely seemed like something out of a storybook. He also mentioned the ages of the new Noble Prize winners for Physics this year, with Arthur Ashkin being 97 years and Gà ©rard Mourou being 76 years. Absolutely incredible! This just proves that age is just a number and that we should never let something like age stop us from achieving our full potential. This is a continuous learning process and Life is indeed the teacher. It demonstrates perseverance, diligence and discipline to the highest degree and there is lot to be learnt from their immense persistence to the task. (#whatisretirement?) As he proceeded to his topic â€Å"A New Kilogram Next Year – How My Noble Prize Contributed to this Development†, he explained how the initial constant was acquired. The Kilogram (kg), the basic unit off mass in the metric system and was considered equal to the mass of the international prototype of the kilogram, a platinum-iridium cylinder (Big K), kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures laboratory at Sà ¨vres, France. The accuracy of every measurement of mass or weight worldwide, whether in pounds and ounces or milligrams and metric tons, depends on how closely the reference masses used in those measurements can be linked to the mass of the International Prototype of the Kilogram (IPK). The most minuscule of accuracy discrepancies would have tremendous impact in fields such as medicine, engineering and electronics, which are dependent on precise measurements. Consequently, it effects other phenomena like force, energy and luminous energy, which use it as fundamental building blocks for measurement. It has been identified that the cylinder is indeed changing in measurement due to gas initially used in its creation and is now slowly seeping out of the cylinder, consequently changing its dimensions making it an unreliable standard for measurement. To facilitate this, a drastic change had to be made and as such in November 2018, the international scientific community plans to redefine the kilogram by basing it instead on a constant of nature, making it a profound moment in the history of measurement. Thus, since the kilogram remains the only SI unit represented by an unstable artifact, the redefinition included expressing the kilogram in terms of Planck's constant, which would aid in avoiding future problems. Firstly, physicists required an accurate measure of Planck's constant which is the quantum-mechanical number that relates how a particle's energy relates to its frequency and through E = mc^2, to its mass. Thus once a fixed value is achieved to Planck's constant, a new definition of the kilogram can be derived. In order to measure Planck's constant precisely, two experiments are being conducted. One known as the Avogadro Project, involves counting the number of atoms in two spheres of silicon that each have the same weight as the Big K. Having obtained this number, the precise number of atoms comprising a particular substance, researchers can calculate Avogadro's constant, convert it for a value for Planck's constant and relate the kilogram to atomic mass. The second experiment uses an instrument called a watt (or Kibble) balance, which is a type of scale, that produces a value for Planck's constant by measuring a one-kilogram test mass, which is calibrated by using Big K, against electromagnetic forces. Planck's constant is proportional to the amount of electromagnetic energy required to balance the mass. Two differing universal constants are used in order to calculate the current and voltage that make up the electromagnetic force. The Josephson constant and von Klitzing constant are used. (Yes I got to meet one of the only two living remaining constants!!! I felt truly blessed.) The discovery of the von Klitzing constant, is part of the Quantum Hall Effect, which earned Professor von Klitzing, his Nobel Prize. While he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, experiments conducted led to observations of the effect of magnetic fields applied to semiconductors allowed to cool to extremely low temperatures. This led to the discovery that electrical resistance rose stepwise, rather than smoothly and continuously, indicating an integer fraction of a specific number, 25,812.807 ohms, now identified as the von Klitzing constant. Thus, the Quantum Hall Effect is now used worldwide for calibrating electrical resistances and the von Klitzing constant is utilized by the scientific community to measure current in a watt balance. Essentially, the fundamental constants can aid in establishing possible units that can retain their significance for lifetimes and species to come, through the Quantum Hall Effect. Additionally, we were rest assured that the new kilogram will be defined in such a way that nothing will change in our daily life. It will be indeed more stable and more universal. Granted that as Henry Marks stated, â€Å"Science is measurement. Everything you measure is expressed in units,† this was definitely a plus. He continued by explaining who decides the best definition of the SI Unit, which comprises of diplomats from sixty member states and forty-four associate states, at the General Conference on Weights and Measurements. The most recent having occurred in August 2018, based discussions to adapt a resolution that would replace the current SI, with the revised SI, provided the amount of data uncertainties pertaining to the current standard. The precondition for the new kilogram must be reliable, as well as have an uncertainty smaller than fifty micrometers. This stipulation was fulfilled in July 2017, and as such would be finalized at the next conference which is to take place in November 2018. Finally, he noted that the best values of fundamental constants, (h, e, c Kb, Na) creates the most stable basis for the new system of units and hopefully by the next General Conference on Weights and Measures in November 2018, will be the replacement for the present SI System. The Professor, was also sure to reinforce the need as scientists to question continuously. Question nature and the way things work. Question the problems posed to you. Question what you understand and what you want to solve. He emphasized the need to always stay curious and always gain inspiration from other subject matter, which would bring new perspectives and ideas to trains of thought. He also asked several questions that he left up to us to solve. They included:Are fundamental constants really constant?How do they change due to cosmic radiation, global warming, with time?Are there other fundamental constants in the universe?What happens if you combine other fundamental constants? (with regard to velocity of sound/gases and temperature)What impact does the Quantum Hall Effect have on living cells?Opinion of the role and future of physics in life Physics is the cornerstone of life and everything surrounding it. Every basic principle rests on the foundation of Physics (of course this is me being highly biased). It involves the study of matter, energy and their interactions and other sciences are dependent on its theories to further develop their own and improve the quality of life. I do believe we have the upper hand as physicists and a greater responsibility to society to find answers to the most fundamental questions in life. To explain why the world work as it does and to provide adequate, substantial, mathematically correct evidence to question the bases of such thought. Physicists perceive beyond the normal realm and consider factors outside regular streams of thinking and are then conditioned to think outside the non-existent box. This will prove ideal to the future of Physics in this society, as we break down to the fundamental backbone of structures and understand how they function, how they can be improved and how they can be manipulated by variables. This skill is essential for countless applications and is necessary for continued development in any sector. Technological advances can occur due to the discovery of new particles, forces and structures in the subatomic world. There would also be enhanced computational and calculation power causing extraordinary leaps and bounds unfathomable before. With this would also bring the onslaught of artificial intelligence integrated lifestyles to the common man, allowing multipurpose use. Not to mention the development of quantum artificial intelligence if large-scale computing is actualized. Vast use of computers and electronics would lead to even more advanced medical breakthroughs with prosthetics, which would enhance the human experience and even possible come to define consciousness in terms of nature's fundamental forces. Additionally with the exponential advancement in space technology, conditioning for studying and visiting the cosmos would seem closer to realization, even as space transport is made more readily accessible. Physics is indeed a driving force into a very futuristic ideal, expanding space and time, and blazing the trail for the reorientation of the human mind. Cheers to the future of Physics!

Theological Virtues of Faith

The theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity furnish a strong basis for all other virtues. The cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, are the foundation of all moral virtues. The theological virtues define our relations with God; the moral virtues define our relations with ourselves and our fellowmen. If we have these virtues, we are on the way to perfection. | 43. Moral Virtues Are there any other virtues besides the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity? –Besides the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, there are other virtues, called moral virtues. . These virtues are called moral virtues because they dispose us to lead  moral, or good lives, by aiding us to treat persons and things in the right way, that is, according to the will of God. Moral virtues are opposed to the capital sins. For example,  humility  is opposed to pride;  liberality  is opposed to avarice;  chastity  is opposed to lust;  meekness  and  patience  are opposed to anger;  temperance  is opposed to gluttony;  brotherly love  is opposed to envy: and  zeal  and  diligence  in what is good are opposed to sloth. 2. Moral virtues are an outgrowth and  completion  of the theological virtues.The theological virtues perfect our interior being; the moral virtues perfect our  exterior. If we sincerely strive after these virtues, we are on the road to perfection. The theological virtues affect our relations with God; the moral virtues affect our relations with our neighbor and our own selves. For example, faith makes us believe in the existence of God. Temperance makes us regulate our appetites. Which are the chief moral virtues? –The chief moral virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance; these are called cardinal virtues.All other moral virtues spring from the cardinal virtues. These are called  cardinal  from  cardo, the Latin word for  hinge, because all our moral a ctions turn on them as a door turns upon its hinges. All other moral virtues depend on them. How do prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance dispose us to lead good lives? –Prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance dispose us to lead good lives, as indicated below: 1. Prudence  disposes us in all circumstances to form right judgments about what we must do or not do. It teaches us when and how to act in matters relating to our eternal salvation. Prudence perfects the intelligence, which is the power of forming judgments; for this virtue, knowledge and experience are important. Prudence shows us how to leave earthly things in order to earn riches for eternity. It is the eye of the soul, for it tells us what is good and what is evil. It is like a compass that directs our course in life. It is opposed to worldly wisdom. â€Å"Be prudent therefore and watchful in prayers† (1 Pet. 4:7).Prudence is a virtue of the understanding. 2. Justice  disposes us to give ever yone what belongs to him. -It teaches us to give what is due to God and to man. It makes us willing to live according to the commandments. Justice perfects the will and safeguards the rights of man: his right to life, freedom, honor, good name, sanctity of the home, and external possessions. The just man is an upright man. He gives to every one his due: he gives God worship; the authorities, obedience; his subordinates, rewards and punishments; and his equals, brotherly love. Render to all men whatever is their due; tribute to whom tribute is due; taxes to whom taxes are due; fear to whom fear is due; honor to whom honor is due† (Rom. 13:7). 3. Fortitude  disposes us to do what is good in spite of any difficulty. -It gives us strength to do good and avoid evil in spite of all obstacles and afflictions. We possess fortitude when we are not hindered by ridicule, threats, or persecution from doing what is right; when we are ready, if necessary, to suffer death. The greatest for titude is shown by  bearing great suffering  rather than undertaking great works.No saint was ever a coward. The martyrs had fortitude. 4. Temperance  disposes us to control our desires and to use rightly the things which please our senses. -It regulates our judgment and passions, so that we may make use of temporal things only in so far as they are necessary for our eternal salvation. We have temperance when we eat and drink only what is necessary to sustain life, preserve health, and fulfill our duties. We should strive to be like St. Francis of Sales, who said: â€Å"I desire very little, and that little I desire but little. However, temperance does not consist in refusing or denying ourselves what is necessary, thus unfitting ourselves for good works. Which are some of the other moral virtues? –Filial piety  and  patriotism, which dispose us to honor, love, and respect our parents and our country. It is, however, no virtue but a sin if we are so prejudiced in f avor of our parents that we find no good in others; or if we are so â€Å"patriotic† that we see no good in other nations. The division and mutual antagonisms of nations and peoples in which certain ones rofess to find themselves as â€Å"superior† can certainly not please God; from them come war and revenge. God is Father of all nations and peoples, without exception. 1. Obedience, which disposes us to do the will of our superiors. Obedience consists not only in  doing  what is commanded by our superior, but in being  willing to do  what is commanded. One who grumbles and murmurs while doing what his mother asks him to do is not obedient. Obedience is a virtue only when one subjects his will to that of another for God's sake, not for material or natural motives.Christ is the model of obedience, for He obeyed completely and lovingly, even to the death of the Cross. â€Å"An obedient man shall speak of victory† (Prov. 21:28). 2. Veracity, which disposes u s to tell the truth. We should always be truthful, as children of God, Who is Truth itself. Veracity, however, does not require us to reveal secrets, or to reply to questions about which the questioner has no right to ask. In cases such as these, we should either remain silent, or return an evasive answer. â€Å"Wherefore, put away lying, and speak truth each one with his neighbor, because we are members of one another† (Eph. :25). 3. Patience, which disposes us to bear up under trials and difficulties. In sickness and ill fortune, in the difficulties of our occupations, in our weaknesses, let us have serenity of mind, for the love of God: â€Å"And bear fruit in patience† (Luke 8:15). â€Å"Be patient in tribulation, persevering in prayer† (Rom. 12:12). Besides these, there are many other moral virtues. Religion  is the highest moral virtue, since it disposes us to offer to God the worship that is due Him. Religion is classed under the virtue of justice.

Beautiful essays

Crazy/Beautiful essays ?Crazy/Beautiful? is set in both an upscale California neighborhood and an urban, Latino ghetto. It follows the relationship of the troubled daughter of a wealthy congressional representative, and an A student with big dreams. Nicole's self-destructive behavior threatens the relationship and Carlos? promising future. The main conflict in this movie is between Nicole and Carlos. As he gets involved with her, hisA? average slips to barely passing, and his dreams of attending the Naval Academy seem to have fallen by the way-side. Other conflicts occur between Nicole and her father, Carlos and his mother, Carlos and his friends, and Nicole and her stepmother. The majority of the conflict in this movie is relational. Nicole feels that after her mother's suicide, her father stopped loving Nicole as well. Because of this, she is always looking to fill that void, so she latches on to anyone whom she feels will love her. Most of the time, the characters use avoidance in any conflict situation. Nicole's father never attempts to have any type of dialog with her until the end of the film. Even when Carlos has made up his mind that he needs to stop seeing Nicole, he avoids telling her until she pushes him to do so. The only character that does not avoid conflict is the stepmother, she is always yelling at Nicole and telling her how terrible of an influence Nicole is on her younger half-sister. With the end of the movie, comes the resolution of all conflict. Nicole decides she needs to work things out with her dad, and herself, thanks to Carlos. She decides to go to the rehab center her father wanted her to, and Carlos stays by her side. They both realize how much they love the other and work things out. Carlos even achieved his dream of becoming a pilot. ...