Miss Carolines First Day Essay

I walked into the classroom to see all my new pupils, I was nervous at first but then Miss Maudie introduced me to the class and everything was fine. I wrote my name on the board and told them what it said and where I am from. The class just murmured back to me. I started the day by reading the children a story about cats, I think they liked it but then again some of them did seem immune to imaginative literature. After reading I went to the blackboard and printed the alphabet in large capitals. I wasn’t surprised that everyone knew what they were seeing as most of the first grade had failed last year and where now back again for me to teach them. I choose Jean Louise Finch to read out the first line, when I discovered she could read. I then made her read My First Reader and the stock-market quotations from The Mobile Register aloud. I was shocked that Jean was literate but I told her not to tell her father not to teach her anymore as it would interfere with her reading. Jean then replied to me trying to tell me that her father hadn’t taught her anything, I just smiled and shook my head somebody had obviously taught her, she wasn’t born reading The Mobile Register. Jean then told me Jem had taught her and he read a book to her where she was Bullfinch instead of Finch. Jem said she got swapped when she was born. She was about to carry on but I just interrupted her, she was quite clearly lying to me so I told her again to tell her father not to teach her anymore because it is better to begin reading with a fresh mind and that I will try and undo the damage. Her father does not know how to teach properly. At least at the end of it she mumbled sorry to me but then again it was her fathers fault for teaching her in the first place. I am introducing a new way of teaching that I learned about in college I hope it is going to work well. The Dewey Decimal System is the new way of teaching it consists of me holding up cards to the children with words on them. I then caught Jean writing a letter so I told her to tell her father not to teach her to write either and that she doesn’t start writing until the third grade. It really surprised me that she was able to do this but also angered me because it is just going to make it harder to teach her the proper way to read and write. At lunchtime I told everyone who goes home for lunch to hold up there hands and then everyone who brought a pack lunch I told them to put it on there desk. I had a walk around to see what the children had and if I approved. I then stopped at Walter Cunningham’s desk, he didn’t have any lunch, at first I thought he had just forgot it so I asked him and he just looked straight ahead a muscle jumped in his skinny jaw then I asked him again. He finally replied with ‘Yeb’m,’, so I went to my desk and opened my purse and lifted out a quarter for him to go town and buy something then he could pay me back the next day. He shook his head and drawled softly ‘Nome thank you ma’am,’ I was getting impatience and told him to come get it, he shook his head again, and the third time he shook it I heard someone whispering to Jean saying ‘go on tell her, Scout’. I didn’t understand but then Jean told me Walter is one of the Cunningham’s and from the country. It was then clear to me that Walter didn’t forget his lunch; it was just that he didn’t have any today nor would have any tomorrow or the next day. I didn’t like the way Jean had to tell me all of this so I hauled her up to my desk; I had just had enough of her. She had started on the wrong foot in everyway. I just could not take anymore of her so without a thought I made her hold out her hands and I picked up my ruler and gave her half a dozen of quick little pats and made her stand in the corner. Now I think about it I do feel guilty but I think she did deserve it and hopefully will teach her a lesson. Everyone had now realised what I had done and broke out in a storm of laughter. I threatened the rest of the class with a similar fate and they exploded again, it only went quiet when the shadow of Miss Blount fell over them. Miss Blount is a native Maycombian as yet uninitiated  in the mysteries of the Decimal System, appeared at the door hands on hips and announced that if she hears another sound from the room she’ll up everyone in it.’ She also told me the sixth grade couldn’t concentrate on the pyramids because of the so called racket coming from my room. I did not appreciate her coming into my classroom and telling my pupils to be quiet. The bell then went for lunch everyone filed out I just sunk in my chair and put my head in my arms. A lot had happened in just half a day and there was still the afternoon to come. Everyone came back from lunch, I was standing in the middle of the room and I’m sure the children could see sheer horror flooding into my face when I saw the cootie crawling out of Burris Ewell’s hair I screamed ‘it’s alive’. Little Chuck told me not to be afraid of a cootie and brought me back up to my desk and got me a drink of water. I really do not like cooties and insects so that’s why I reacted in such a way. I took out a thick volume, leafed through its pages and read for a moment and told him a good home remedy for Burris. I told him I wanted him to go home and wash his hair with lye soap and when he’s done that treat his scalp with kerosene. He looked and me and said ‘What fer, missus?’ I replied quickly to him to get rid of the cooties because the other children might catch them and we wouldn’t want that. The boy then stood up he was filthy, his neck was dark grey and his hands were rusty also his finger-nails were black deep into the quick. Before he left I also asked hi to bathe him self before he comes back tomorrow. I was very surprised when he just laughed at me rudely and told me that I wasn’t sending him home and that he was already on the verge of leaving also that he had done his time for this year. I was quite puzzled about this so I asked him what he meant. The boy didn’t answer though .An older pupil from the class then told me he was one of the Ewell’s, and that this school is full of the apparently they only come in the first day and then leave. He had the first day of the first grade for three years now. Burris stood up and I told him to sit back down please that was a serious mistake. The boy’s condescension flashed into anger and told me to try and make him. I just did not know what to do. Luckily Little Chuck stood up and just said let him go and that he was a mean one, a hard-down mean one and  Little Chuck was right. Burris walked towards Little Chuck but then his hand went up and just said ‘Go home’. Burris seemed afraid of Little Chuck, I still didn’t know what to do so I took advantage of this of his indecision and told Burris to go home and if he doesn’t that I would call the principal. When he was walking out he shouted to me ‘Report and be damned to ye! Ain’t no snot-nosed slut of a schoolteacher ever born c’n make me do nothin’! You ain’t makin’ me go nowhere, missus. You just remember that, you ain’t makin’ me go no-where!’ I just couldn’t hold it in and I started crying, don’t know what came over me it was just what he had said, I was only trying to help him. Everyone came around my desk they all made me feel a lot better. I was happy when they asked me to read the story about the cats again, so I opened up a book and started reading for them again. I liked my first day but I hope tomorrow goes better and I get no more cheek from the children or Jean telling me lies. Other than that I think I will have a lovely time at this school.

An Avian Flus Emergency Scenario in the State of Illinois

An Avian Flus Emergency Scenario in the State of Illinois Pandemics are a source of concern to any society in the contemporary world. They can either be man-made or natural. Regardless of their type, disasters pose a risk to human life and property. Avian flu is one such form of natural disaster that can wreck havoc in the society.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on An Avian Flu’s Emergency Scenario in the State of Illinois specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Also known as the avian influenza, the condition is brought about by naturally occurring viruses. The micro-organisms (Type A virus), are usually found in wild aquatic birds, domestic poultry, and other animal and bird species (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014). In this paper, the author reviews two emergency scenarios involving avian flu outbreaks. In the first case, an occurrence of the pandemic in Chicago is analyzed. The parties in command of the response to the outbreak, as well as the coordination of activities of the various state and local agencies are some of the issues addressed in this scenario. In the second case, an outbreak in the larger state of Illinois is outlined. The author of this paper recommends several epidemic control steps to deal with the issue. The legal authorities involved in the response plan, as well as various factors that determine the success of the proposed plan, are some of the other areas analyzed in this section. An Emergency Scenario in Chicago, Illinois The Pandemic Under normal circumstances, avian flu does not affect humans. However, the virus can cause a serious pandemic if it finds its way into the human population. Such a case was reported in the 1918 ‘Spanish flu’ epidemic. Healthcare providers in Chicago have noted a growing number of individuals seeking health services as a result of symptoms associated with avian flu. After a careful follow-up, the authorities have determined that an influenza pandemic is de veloping. Taking Charge of the Incident The Illinois Department of Public Health would command the avian flu response initiative. The agency is tasked with the responsibility of addressing health issues in the state.Advertising Looking for term paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be responsible for the coordination and the overall federal response to the avian flu (Homeland Security Council [HSC], 2007). The commanding status of DHS is strengthened through the appointment of pre-designated Principal Federal Officials (PFO), as well as regional PFOs, responsible for the coordination of influenza responses. Coordinating Resources and Working Together The management of the federal, state, and local resources determines the effectiveness of the response mechanism. The U.S. Government provides state and local authorities with guidance on the best pharm aceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. The federal and state authorities are expected come up with the best interventional measures to deal with the emergency. On their part, the local authorities play the role of implementing these proposals at the community level. The major role of the federal authorities is to fund the program (HSC, 2007). The state and local agencies ensure that the hospitals and the emergency departments have the capacity to handle the large number of patients affected by the condition. There are other issues that the two authorities need to deal with. For example, they need to provide healthcare workers with the necessary protective gear. They should also provide them with the information needed to handle the situation, together with the necessary materials and infrastructure (HSC, 2007). Given this scenario, the state and local authorities would be liable if anything happens to the personnel implementing the re lief programs. Laws, Rules, and Regulations Important for the Response The Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance would be essential in handling the pandemic. The regulation falls under the Justice Assistance Act of 1984 (HSC, 2007). It calls for maximum assistance from the U.S. Government. Other rules and regulations would be specific to the non-pharmaceutical measures of dealing with the pandemic. Addressing a Localized Cluster of Phase 5 Pandemic Recommended Epidemic Control Steps There are several control measures that can be put in place to deal with an outbreak that is restricted to a Chicago cluster. The primary control strategies for addressing the avian flu pandemic include prophylaxis among the individuals exposed to the virus. The strategy can be achieved through the use of antiviral medications, vaccinations, and the adoption of infection control and social distancing measures (Tyshenko, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on An Avian Flu’s Emergency Scenario in the State of Illinois specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is not possible to develop a matching vaccine within a short duration to respond to the scenario. As such, social distancing and infection control measures are more appropriate. Voluntary home quarantines, dismissal of students from schools, isolated treatment for the infected, and other non-pharmaceutical interventions are recommended (Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007). Invoking Legal Authorities to Respond to the Emergency Such legal authorities as the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S. Code 264), which falls under section 361, may be evoked to help in dealing with the situation. Applying the laws would facilitate isolation and quarantine efforts by the federal government (CDC, 2014). The act supports the enforcement of measures necessary for prevention of entry and spread of communicable di seases in the country. The federal government, through the various federal agencies, prepares and encourages communities, organizations, and businesses to deal with such outbreaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention might be forced to exercise its authority under section 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CDC, 2014). The code authorizes the agency to detain, medically examine, and release individuals arriving in the U.S. The persons who are taken through these procedures are those suspected of carrying infections. In most cases, travelers from regions hit by the avian influenza are more likely to carry the virus and infect people in other regions (CDC, 2014). Factors Affecting the Success of the Proposed Plan The success of the avian flu response plan would depend on various factors. One of them is the effective coordination of resources between the federal, state, and local authorities. In addition, enhancing the accountability of the various authorities in carrying out th eir mandate would facilitate effectiveness in the response initiative. Failure to synchronizing the activities of the assisting personnel would jeopardize the entire process. Organization is very important, regardless of the level of expertise among the personnel or the complexity of the equipment used.Advertising Looking for term paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The federal government would be expected to provide the necessary support to the individuals and agencies involved in responding to the emergency. For example, the state’s Department of Public Health should effectively manage, supervise, and control the activities of all the stakeholders involved in the initiative. The major responsibility of local authorities would be to enhance cooperation from members of the public. Possibilities of Effectively Controlling the Outbreak Effectual coordination and definition of duties, as indicated above, would help to control the epidemic. Currently, the avian flu pandemic is at phase 5. Under such conditions, the proposed plan is likely to contain the epidemic, making sure that it does not deteriorate to phase 6. The Adequacy of the Government’s Plan The national government’s strategy to deal with the outbreak of, together with the efforts made by the Illinois’ Emergency Management Agency, appears adequate enough to de al with the problem. The authorities acknowledge the need for non-pharmaceutical and social distancing measures as immediate responses. For this reason, the efforts seem sufficient enough. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Seasonal influenza (flu): Information on avian influenza. Web. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Interim pre-pandemic planning guidance: Community strategy for pandemic influenza mitigation in the United States- Early, targeted, layered use of non-pharmaceutical interventions. Web. Homeland Security Council. (2007). National strategy for pandemic influenza: Implementation plan one year summary. Web. Tyshenko, M. (2007). Management of natural and bioterrorism induced pandemics. Bioethics, 21(7), 364-369.

Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements

Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements By Mark Nichol When are designations for historically significant phenomena treated with initial capital letters, and when are the names rendered with lowercase letters? Exceptions, as always, are available to confound us, but the rules are fairly straightforward. Names of political and cultural periods or events are often capitalized in their original connotations, but when such nomenclature is used by extension in a generic sense, the designations are (usually) lowercased. For example, one should write, for example, â€Å"The arts and sciences flourished during the Renaissance,† but â€Å"The downtown district is experiencing a renaissance.† (However, to describe someone as well rounded in skills or talents, write â€Å"He’s a Renaissance man† even when he is not a contemporary of Michelangelo.) The same distinction applies for such terms as â€Å"golden age† (â€Å"The Golden Age was the first of Hesiod’s Ages of Man,† but â€Å"Jazz music has experienced several golden ages†) and â€Å"belle à ©poque† (â€Å"The period of peace and optimism in France in the nearly half century before World War I came to be known retrospectively as the Belle Époque,† but â€Å"They look back on that prosperous period as a belle à ©poque†). Similarly, one would write â€Å"China’s infamous Cultural Revolution was a decade-long time of great turmoil,† but â€Å"American society has undergone a cultural revolution of late,† and while references to the mid-twentieth-century tension between Western nations and the Communist Bloc capitalize â€Å"Cold War,† any such conflict without open hostilities is a cold war. The Enlightenment was a specific cultural movement in Europe and Britain’s American colonies during the 1600s and 1700s, or a similar era in any one of several countries. Generic usage is as follows: â€Å"In the Western world, the concept of enlightenment in a religious context acquired a romantic meaning.† However, in specific usage, enlightenment is capitalized: â€Å"The Russian Enlightenment is a period in the eighteenth century in which the government in Russia began to actively encourage the proliferation of arts and sciences.† Adjectives preceding names of political entities are often erroneously capitalized. No civilization has ever gone by the official name of Ancient Greece or Imperial Rome, for example; the first word in such designations is generally a mere descriptor and is therefore lowercased: â€Å"The course is a general overview of the history of ancient Greece†; â€Å"This essay will discuss the economic structure of imperial Rome.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and TimesFor Sale vs. On SaleCharles's Pen and Jesus' Name

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 48

Essay Example The risks and benefits, the rights and wrongs, or the pros and cons of genetically modified food and science are global concerns in both public and private arenas (Adolphs, Hamilton and Nerlich, 58). In today’s technological world however, GM crops and products play an important role in driving modernization and as such they are here to stay; as long as focus is not placed on future technological advancement instead of today’s risks and disadvantages, and if research, assessment, controls and policies are adequately and stringently evidenced then the benefits, will eventually negate the risks. Martin Teitel, in his article entitled ‘Unsafe at any Seed?’ argues against GM food claiming the argument that GM foods are better for the environment, farmers and consumers â€Å"should be taken with a grain of salt† (1). He further purports that this new technology has grown too quickly with insufficient testing, has entered supermarket shelves too soon, and necessitates further research and an objective commission to verify and validate the safety of such foods prior to entering the market. This paper will argue in agreement of Teitel’s paper in some respects but will not concur with others. Although Teitel has put forward some pertinent points that are significant if biotechnology is to continue and develop, his argument falls short in that he fails to consider the debate from two perspectives – that of the opponent and that of the advocate of GM foods – and has remained steadfast on the side of opponents at the risk of sounding dogmatic and ill informed. The situation is not as black and white as Teitel paints it; within the developed world scientists are at odds in their convictions on measurement of risk, both for health and the environment. Many are convinced that assessments are not necessary or are too harsh, while

Aacounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aacounting - Assignment Example From the analysis of the working capital, one can make a conclusion that the company is doing well because the working capital position of the company has improved from the 2005 to 2006. The current ratio is a measure that is used to show the ability of a company to clear its short term debts by the use of current assets. The preferred current ratio is usually 2:1 or 1.5: 1 depending on the industry that the company is found. The company is improving in performance and that shows that the company will be able to cater for its short term obligations. However, in comparison with the industry’s average, the company is performing the average. That means that the company has potential that it can exploit so as to be in the same level as the industry players and that would contribute to the success of the company because more investors would be attracted. The acid test ratio is used to show the ability of a company to clear its short term debts with the use of current assets but excluding inventory. Inventory may at times not be liquid and that means that it cannot be f much help in a short duration of necessity. The ratios also signify the ability of the company to cater for its short term obligation using current assts. The acid test ratio for the company is also not within the industry’s average. However, the company has made significant progress and that implies that if the trend continues, the company will be able to match the industry’s average. The return on equity is the rate at which the company is able to utilize the shareholders funds. The rate should be favorable so as to ensure that the company shareholders get a reason to always do business with the company. It shows the amount of net income that is usually returned as a percentage of the equity contributed by shareholders. The ratio is useful in the measurements of the profitability of a company because it

Asda-the company's capital structure starting from 2008 Essay

Asda-the company's capital structure starting from 2008 - Essay Example The cost of debt to a company is therefore relatively less than equity financing. Besides this, debt is considered cheaper by the providers of finance and it attracts tax relief on interest payments. The greater the level of debt, the more will be the financial risk to the shareholder of the company. Hence the return required would be higher. This also helps in establishing the gearing mix of a company. The higher a company is geared, the higher would be the risk involved. There are many factors that contribute towards the availability of different sources of funds {(Goyal et al (2005); Darren (2006)}. Equity financing is raised by issuing equity shares or rights issue, preference shares issued are not considered as equity issue as they carry a fixed percentage that is to be paid to the preference shareholders and hence in substance preference shares have a debt nature attached to them so they are categorized under debt issue. Equity finance is considered a comparatively more risky approach of raising finance than debt financing, it is also considered more costly to raise equity finance than to raise debt finance (Burton et al, 2003). Asda is a UK based supermarket chain which deals in clothing, grocery, children toys and other general products used during normal routine. It is a subsidiary of the American Wal-Mart. Asda initiated its business involving Dairy products and later went on to diversify its business. It has been always renowned for its great marketing strategies. It was taken over by Wal-Mart as a subsidiary in 1999. Asda is considered as the second largest retail chain business after TESCO in the United Kingdom. Later in 2009, Wal-Mart made a deal to sell Asda to Corinth Services Limited for an amount of  £6.9 million. Since that deal Asda is a subsidiary of Corinth Services Limited (Telegraph.co.uk, 2010). Gearing is one major issue which has a critical effect onto the capital structure of a

Production And Consumption Inseparability

Production And Consumption Inseparability Inseparability of production and consumption refers to the concepts of interaction and service encounter. The process of simultaneous production and consumption involves the presence of customers, the customers role as a co-producer, customer-employee and customer-customer interactions that makes it unique from a product (Shostack 1977). Researchers often refer to the customers as partial employees in a service setting. During co-production, customer involves himself in self-service (self check-in), using technology and machines offered by the service provider (airlines). 2.1 Service encounters During simultaneous production and consumption, it is the service encounters, that are the critical moments of truth in which customer often develops a perception/ attitude about the business (Bitner et al. 2000) and creates a differentiation from other competitors. In the airline industry, these service encounters are on which the organisation, either thrives or dies based on customers evaluation of their service. And the successful organisations take it a step further to enhance their core or essential features with extended or enhanced features. Service encounters can take place across a range from the traditional face-to-face (check-in, cabin crew), telephone (telephonic check in, booking tickets), and lastly through the internet (web check-in, booking tickets) and at every point the airline industry thrives to make it easier and comfortable (less time consuming) for the customer. A successful organisation is which that exceeds the customers expectations (enhancing features) and not just meeting their expectations (core features). But Harris et al. (2003) suggests that if the core features are not met by the airline industry, it is that leads to customer dissatisfaction. He also suggests that only 5% of the unhappy customers complain to the service providers, thus making it difficult for the service providers to address the issue. What intrigues even more is that the 95% of the customers, who do not complain, talk negatively about the service to their acquaintances. . However, when dissatisfied customers do complain and the problem is resolved to their satisfaction, they are very likely to return. The reasons for dissatisfaction may vary across long queues at check-in or booking counter, incompetent personnel, unsafe website and so on and so forth. Bitner et al. (2000) suggests that in the airline industry core factors vary from friendliness of the staff, knowledge about the service, efficiency, and quality service, sanitary and safe environment. But to create differentiation from their competitors these organisations, provide added or enhancing factors and those include concierge service, reservations, seating by host, lounge/ hotel facilities for delayed flights and so on and so forth. Today in the airline industry, companies do offer most of these features but it is noted that the cost increases for a more pleasurable experience. For example, an Air India flight provides cheaper flights just barely meeting the core features, but Emirates for the same route provides expensive flights with a varied extended factors. What companies like Air India could do to provide a better experience would be to remove/ reduce the unsatisfactory experience (upgrading a customer, complimentary meal in case of delayed flights, trained personnel to deal with unhappy customers). 2.2 Shostacks Models Based on Shostacks Continuum, the package tours (Flights+ Hotels) offered by most airlines, form the intangible end, even though there are tangible ends to be considered. Shostack (1977) suggested that there is no element known as a pure service and that there is always a continuum between the tangible dominant goods and intangible dominant services. The airline industry, the tangible elements include the interiors of the flight, food, seat and also the overall graphic continuity from buying tickets to the attendants uniforms (Shostack 1977). Even though the airline industry is intangible dominant, different market segments require different elements to make it an experience for them. Say for example in the case of Virgin airlines they have three tailored traveling experience for three different markets. In the case of students/ backpackers or during bad economic conditions, it is elements such that reaching from one destination to the other or a no frills flight would be of emphasis on the nuclear core (cheap flights+hostels, bed and breakfast) In the case of business travelers, it would be schedule frequency along with comfort would be most important (a comfortable travel+ hotel with internet, office facilities). Lastly for tourists (with families), it would be unison of in-flight and post-flight services (hotels) that would be of paramount importance (Comfortable flight-but not too expensive+hotel near a tourist destination) But in the case of tangible elements the various markets demand differently. For example, for flights like Air Asia, which offers low cost air travel, the travelers are not provided certain tangible elements such as food and drink in-flight. But these airlines just cater to travelers who wish to travel on a limited budget. So the challenge for other firms is to create an experience for each market, so that it would form an experience for each of them as each of their needs differ from another. The challenge is to understand how consumers perceive a certain service and what as a firm they should do to manage and meet the expectations (Lovelock and Gummesson, 2004). Shostack (1977) defined a model that was termed as total market entity where she argues that a change in one element may change the entity on a whole or partial basis. Say for example in an air travel there, it is a unison of both tangible as well as intangible factors. And some tangible factors just act as service elements/evidence. 1. Peripheral evidence: this refers to a tangible factor, which no or little value if it exists on its own. It is part of the service or is required to experience a service. For example a flight ticket, does not mean anything on its own, but is essential for completion of a service. 2. Essential evidence: Consumers do not own these and can exist on its own as its highly dominant in its impact on a service purchase. An example of an essential element provided by Shostack is the DC-10 aircraft, which was involved in a few crashes in the 1970s. But even though all the issues were resolved, US refused to fly in a DC-10 aircraft that eventually led to scrapping them off completely. This model however does not show how a service functions and this is explained using another model by Shostack-Service Blueprinting. It has been developed to deal with processed, acts and flows and in (fig 4), a blueprint for airline travel has been presented under how airlines try to reduce variability 2.3 Service experience Every time a customer is interacting or having a service encounter, a service experience is taking place and because simultaneous production and consumption takes place, the customer mostly experiences the service in the firms physical surroundings (Groove and Risk, 2001). In some cases the level of involvements between the customer and the employees of the organisation is high and in some cases very low and some with no involvement at all. And the nature of physical environment depends on the nature of service as well as service experience. What the firms aim to do is make profit while creating a satisfactory or unique service experience. What determines an experience is also the nature of the physical space. For a high involvement case, (for example, self check-in, lounge services, website) customer satisfaction can be enhanced, by creative use of physical design (Bitner 1992). In the second case, where the employees play a major role, and where customers have less or no contact (cock-pit, cargo personnel) with the service personnel, the physical environment should be to motivate, satisfy the employees, as no or few customers will experience that. In the last case, where there both customers and employees interact in the same environment at the same level (counter check-in), the servicescape is the most complex as it needs to appeal to the customers but at the same time be efficiently motivating the employees (for example, at a check-in the counter needs to look clean and efficient to the customers, but also comfortable for the employee-nice seats, environment). Thus the environment should be neutral to appeal to bot h customers and employees. Other than the physical environment, it is the customer to whom the service is delivered is what is important. Like mentioned earlier, different customer have different needs and it varies based on their gender, age, social status and so on and so forth. For example, a customers needs travelling on business class will vary from that from one travelling in economy class and the service provider needs to meet each of their needs. What normally happens in the airline industry is that the customer travelling on business class is more looked after than the economy class traveller. This would mean that it creates a negative service experience for the traveller. 2.4 Service Quality Service experience is defined by the quality of service provided by the airlines. Based on this service quality, a conceptual model by (Parasuraman et.al 1988), defines the gap between what the customers expect and what is provided. From this model, it can suggested that to create a better service encounter for the customers: Gap1 This represents the void between the perceptions and expectations between the marketer and the consumer. The key is to understand what the customer expects rather than forming a perception of what they might want. Parasuraman et al. (1988) suggests that this void can be filled if sufficient market research is done prior to offering the service. For example, if an airline firm is to find out what a particular target market is looking for, before offering enhanced factors. Gap 2 This refers to the void between what the company perceives and the service quality specifications. For example, low-budget flights like Air Asia advertise that they provide in-flight entertainment, but the quality is limited (all passengers view the same programme on a single television set) Gap 3 This is the void between quality specification and service delivery. For example in the case of few Asian airline companies, the quality of service provided would be accepted by the home nation. But outside the home nation, the quality specification may not be on par with what the customers expect. For example, in India, Kingfisher airlines claims to provide world class travel experience to its customers. Even though the service provided is perceived to be on par with top airlines in India, the quality of service offered is nowhere close to airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways etc. Gap 4 This relates to the void between the standard of quality promised and the service delivered. Thai airways has positioned itself has an airline that brings together quality as well as hospitability (Travel with the Thai touch, Smooth as Silk). But what raised issues and led to negative publicity was when their personnel were found to be rude to passengers. This led to a completely contradicting image of what they claim to be to what is delivered. 2.5 Differentiation To create a differentiation from their competitors, airline firms use the Porters Generic Strategy Model (1980): Cost Differentiation Cost Leadership (No Frills) Rynair, EasyJet, AirAsia Differentiation (Premium price for superior quality) Singapore Airlines, Emirates Cost Focus (Differentiation only for a particular target group) Kingfisher Red-low cost Business travel Differentiation Focus (Premium price for superior quality for a small target group) Concorde flights used by BA, Air France A380 flights-Singapore airlines, Qantas, Air France Scope Narrow Broad Fig 1: Porters Generic Model for the airline industry Airlines Pursuing cost leadership strategy Airlines pursuing an integrated strategy (some stuck in between) Airlines unable to achieve either a cost leadership or differentiation strategy Airlines pursuing a differentiation strategy High Fares Low Fares Low Service Level High Service Level Fig 2: Airlines Realized Business strategies (adapted from Dostaler, Flouris 2004) Using Fig 1 and fig 2, Porters Generic strategy can be explained as: Cost Leadership Cost leadership refers to gaining competitive advantage and giving your company an edge over the others. This can be attained in two ways: Firstly increasing profits by reducing costs. Secondly increasing market share by charging low prices. Airlines such as Air Asian, Rynair have chose to cut costs to a minimum, thus enabling to charge the customers low prices. This tactic helped them gain market share, and also have all their flights fully booked, which leads to further reduction in cost. But where they did compromise in on the in-flight and other services. For example, these airlines do not even provide water in the flight; one is expected to buy them, free seating etc helps them price their tickets low. Smaller airlines even provide just few routes at cheaper prices than their international rivals. But the risk if when competitors follow suit and hence firms should look for means to continuously reduce costs. Differentiation Strategy This involves making ones service different and more unique. This could be achieved by airlines in terms of their airplane types, costs, brand image etc. Singapore Airlines, Emirates have portrayed this image of making travel an experience with their superior quality. But as Porter (1980) argues that for a company using differentiation strategy, they would incur additional costs for research, development, innovation as well as advertising, which are normally recovered from the customers. Focus Strategy Airlines using focus strategy focus on a niche market and this could be a unique low cost airline for a target group or high-end price for another target group. For example, the A380 airplanes used by Singapore Airlines and Emirates charge a premium price of  £3600 for Business Class travel on Emirates from Heathrow to Dubai. So this is for the target group who like to travel with a lap of luxury with pool tables, spas, Internet, lounge area etc during their flight of less than 7 hours. There is very less competition in markets where focus strategies are used. But the risk is when the niche will disappear and when the business and customer preferences change over time. 2.6 VARIABILITY OF SERVICES One other feature of services marketing is its heterogynous nature and organisations strive to reduce the variability that would lead to building a strong brand. The aim is to communicate a persistent image and message to its customers at different places and different times. Service Variability can take place in different ways. Variations in external Conditions -weather, crowding and differences in service locations Variations in service delivery- customer interactions with employees Variations in customer perception-customers perception of a service may differ from place to place and with time too The figure below shows the causes and consequences of service variability in any organisation. High Level of perceived risk for buyers Difficulty in presenting an image of consistent quality Difficulty in developing strong brands Services are produced live Often leads to no chance to correct mistakes before consumption Often reliant on imperfect human inputs May be difficult to blueprint the service Variability of Service Fig 3 : Cause and Consequences of Service Variability The issue of variability leads to difficulty in attaining a uniform output especially in services that require a lot of human interaction. Say for example, we still have not developed technology to eliminate the need of humans completely. Airlines do not use robots to replace the human cabin crews as one human interaction is essential and secondly some technologies are too expensive to adopt suggest that behavior varies not only amongst different employees but also amongst the same employee on different days and with different customers (Lovelock 1983). And even though scripting and blueprinting is used to reduce variability, it still has its demerits. To provide a good service as well create an experience for the customer and to ensure reduced service variability, the airlines use the following techniques: 1. Employee Training As employees are part of any service provided, most airline firms have a rigorous selection and training process. For example, Singapore Airlines hires staff who fit in with the Singapore Girl image and portray the same values as the firm does. Firms who invest a lot in selection and training process mostly offer higher quality service than others. Air India does not provide constant training to its staff and hence issues arise when the staffs do not communicate a coherent message. Staff hired should be able to empathise with the customers as well as trained to deal with different types of unsatisfied customers. Also it is taken care to see that the staff matches the cultural differences of the country they are based in. 2. Scripting Most airlines have pre-determined scripts for each type of service encounter, which consists of either verbal responses or series of actions. The usage of verbal scripts is common while booking a ticket or enquiring about a service. Like for example, when a customer calls a call centre for a query, they normally have a script, which goes by: Good morning, Thank you for calling Malaysian Airlines. My name is Ben and how may I help you? Similarly a scripted message is used after a call or as an apology. In the case of scripted actions, it would how all cabin crews, follow the same actions once passengers are in the flight. All messages and actions are scripted so as to ensure a coherent image, message as well to ensure that the information is communicated at all times. But this has its limitations in terms of how at times personnel feel restricted from offering superior service based on their judgement. 3. Blueprinting Shostack (1982) suggested that blueprinting allows quantitative description of critical service elements, such as logical sequences of actions and processes, time that happen at a place of service delivery. It also defines actions for the place of interaction (front-line) as well for events taking place beyond the line of visibility. (Zeithaml, Bitner et al. 2006) define service blueprinting as a tool for simultaneously depicting the service process, the points of customer contact, and the evidence of the service from the customers point of view. With this description, the authors emphasise the different systemic layers overlapping in a service, from the layer of customer interaction and physical evidence to the layer of internal interaction within the service production process. The figure 4 below shows a service blueprinting for an air travel. Fig 4: Blueprinting for Air Travel Airport exterior Parking Baggage claim Seats Gift shops. Toilets Terminal Food/beverage Magazines Airplane Seats Gift shops. Toilets Terminal X-ray machine Metal detector Conveyor belt Computer/ credit card Desk Ticket Terminal Airport exterior Parking Online/ website Mechanic Check plane Metal detector Conveyor belt Conveyor belt Remove bags Pilot Serve customer Greet customer Send off customer Load bags on plane Check Passenger Greet take bags Registration Leave airport Pick up luggage Immigration Exit plane Fly Board plane Check in Wait at gate Security check Arrive at airport Reservation Support Process Contact Person Backstage Onstage Customer Physical Evidence 4. Quality Audits This is done to monitor the consistent quality provided by the airlines. Ground service analysis covers ticketing, check-in, security, lounges, boarding, departures, transfer, arrivals, and corporate branding. Onboard service analysis is a detailed and complex Qualitative evaluation of all product and service delivery elements core product standards, service efficiency and critical factors of staff service delivery. IATA carries out frequent safety audits. 5. Quality Awards Airlines often advertise the awards they have received for their superior quality. These awards are recognized worldwide and ensure that these airlines provide world-class travel experience for their travelers. For example, in 2009, Singapore Airlines was awarded the Airline of the Year award for its superior quality and safety. These information may not be too relevant for the customers, it just adds enough publicity to make consumers realize how one offers superior service than another thus prompting them to try these airlines on their next travel. 6. Service Recovery However thorough an airline is on its quality and service provided, there would still be occasional glitches. And a feature of any service is its heterogeneous nature, where each service encounter is different from another one. Berry (1995) argues that companies do not empower front line employees to solve problems immediately. A service failure does not automatically lead to a lost customer. But once an issue is identified, if it is dealt with promptly and the right actions are taken to ensure that the customer is satisfied, then it mostly would not lead to a lost customer. But in case of a major issue, the customer might seek financial compensation. 7. Customer Retention Parasuraman et al. (1985) suggests that even though there is a positive relationship between service quality and customer loyalty, above a certain level, additional improvements in quality do not have further impact on customer retention as there is no point in increasing quality costs if it cannot be passed down to the customers. The variability of services poses a high threat when it comes to brand building, but since humans are an integral part and cannot be eliminated completely, steps are taken to provide better training, motivate and encourage employees as they all form part of the service encounter. As Lovelock and Gummesson (2004) suggests that performance is less variable when machine-intensive technologies are used. So as to reduce the consequences of service variability, airline industries have adopted the use of technology so as to reduce if not eliminate the factor of human error. These include: Use of computerised system instead of telephone operators. Use of self-check in Kiosks at airports, mobile check-in (SSTs-Self Service Terminals) Using website to book or amend tickets. The other dimension of variability is the extent to which a service can be altered to meet the demand of individual customers. Services that are manufactured for a large number of customers are difficult to be customised like in the case of air travel, but can be customised in particular areas. For Example scheduled airline service is highly standardized in design but offers modules for customizing specific elements, such as alternative schedules; service to or from different airports in the same metropolitan area; different classes and prices; seat location; and a selection of drinks, food, and other amenities. But with the evolution of technology, industries especially the airlines are adopting technology as far as possible as with rising competition there is no room for error. But not using humans at all is impossible. 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