Language Arts For Students With Learning Disabilities Education Essay

The intent of this qualitative instance survey is to look into the extent to which auxiliary instruction service plans deliver instructional patterns in Language Arts to upper simple pupils with larning disablements. The job addressed the extent to which holding experienced and trained forces able to guarantee pupils ‘ IEPs are in close alliance with auxiliary instruction service instructional programs is indispensable in bettering pupil accomplishment for upper simple pupils with larning disablements and the challenges directors and school coordinators have when supplying services to pupils with larning disablements. With a important sum of importance being put on the per centum of pupils hiting proficient on province English/ Language Arts trial supplemental instruction services has become and continues to be a valuable resource for educational leaders, instructors, decision makers and parents in the predicament to keep schools and instructors accountable under the No Child L eft Behind Act of 2002 current answerability system. This qualitative instance survey will research the challenges one Virginia school territory faced when supplying auxiliary instruction services to upper simple pupils with larning disablements. The research inquiries addressed the challenges SES directors and school coordinators face when supplying SES services to pupils with larning disablements. The research methodological analysis includes a qualitative instance survey design which investigates the relationships and forms through the experiences of participants. A qualitative methodological analysis was selected to obtain a better apprehension of the experiences and perceptual experiences SES directors and school coordinators face when supplying SES services to pupils with larning disablements. This survey will research the demand for experient forces who are prepared to guarantee that the pupils with larning disablements SES programs are in closer alliance with their IEP. The consequences of this survey could help auxiliary instruction services and schools with coaction through webs, partnerships, and confederations within and beyond the school puting in garnering a broader extended cognition of larning schemes for pupils with larning disablements in auxiliary instruction services plans. Auxiliary Education Services Instructional Practices in Language Arts and Math for Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities By Sharon R. Carter B.S. , Hampton University, 1998 M.A. , Cambridge College, 2006 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Administrative Leadership for Teaching and Learning Walden University April 2011DedicationTo my hubby whose love and support enabled me to go on my surveies and do this a possibility and to my grandchildren who have been a approval to our household. Recognitions I would wish show my deepest grasp to my commission chair Dr. Lora Bailey and the 2nd commission member, Dr. Michael Cass. I am indebted to the many co-workers who have supported me throughout my classs. I would wish to thank my hubby for without his support I would wish to thank all my old professors at Walden University who have made available their support in a figure of ways. Without their counsel this thesis would non hold been possible. It has been a pleasance to analyze at Walden University. I owe my deepest gratitude to all the professors at Walden University. I would wish to thank God for I would non be successful without God who guides me in my mundane life and activities ; I thank Him for the good wellness he has given to me, and for the success in my surveies.Table OF CONTENTSResearch Design and Approach 28 Menace to Validity 28 Data Collection Procedures 28 Data Analysis Procedures 28 Role of the Researcher 28 Participants Rights 28 Drumhead 28 Mentions 35Appendix A: Title of Appendix Error: Reference beginning non foundCurriculum Vitae Error: Reference beginning non foundList OF TABLESTable 1. # Table 2. # Table 3. Summary of Findings #Chapter 1: Introduction to the surveySince No Child left Behind Act of 2002 passed the trust on pupil public presentation on English, Language Arts trial to keep pedagogues and schools accountable to the province answerability system has become progressively indispensable. The No Child left Behind Act of 2002 current answerability system places considerable weight on the per centum of pupils hiting proficient on province English, Language Arts trials. Under No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 each province must set up pupil public presentation benchmarks and place schools non doing equal annual advancement ( AYP ) through province specific appraisals McQuillan & A ; Salomon-Fernandez ( 2008 ) . As Lee ( 2004 ) explains the current accountably system is based on the concluding end of holding all public school pupils proficient in English, Language Arts by 2014. As McQuillan & A ; Salomon-Fernandez ( 2008 ) explicate each provinces demands for ( AYP ) demands differ. However, in each province as a consequence schools neglecting for four back-to-back old ages or more may confront disciplinary action. Schools in danger of non run intoing the end face effects and may be ordered into certain intercessions. Schools non doing equal annually advancement AYP for 3 back-to-back old ages are considered, † in demand of betterment. † Further McQuillan & A ; Salomon-Fernandez ( 2008 ) work provinces that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 authorizations that schools, â€Å" in demand of betterment † must do auxiliary instruction services available to pupils in Title 1 schools. Auxiliary instruction services ( SES ) has become significantly critical in the predicament to help each province in run intoing the pupil public presentation benchmarks and hiting proficient on province linguistic communication humanistic disciplines trials. This linguistic communication arts research-based academic aid must be aligned with the province a cademic criterions set in each province ( Casserly 2007 ) . In a 2008 survey McMullan & A ; Salomon-Fernandez explain that SES is offered to the economically deprived pupils who receive the free and reduced-price tiffin plan ( p.1 ) . Students with disablements are non excluded from having these services. Ahearn 2007 ) states that â€Å" auxiliary educational services plans must be consistent with a pupil ‘s single instruction program under Section 614 Persons with Disabilities Act of 2004 ( IDEA ) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and pupils with disablements must have appropriate auxiliary instruction services and adjustments [ 34 CFR A §A §200.46 ( a ) ( 4 ) and ( 5 ) ] † ( p. 1 ) . In add-on, all partnerships and confederations must work together to guarantee that pupils ‘ with disablements auxiliary instruction service instructional services are closely aligned with the pupil single instruction program. Open communicating between, instructors, scho ols, auxiliary instruction services suppliers and school coordinators is indispensable in guaranting consistent auxiliary educational services. In fact the sharing of pupils with disablements persons instruction programs ( IEP ) is critical in vouching consistent auxiliary educational services. Consequently Ahearn ( 2007 ) states that, â€Å" all auxiliary instruction services suppliers are non required to function pupils with larning disablements nevertheless the jurisprudence does province that, if no supplier is able to supply the appropriate services with necessary adjustments the Local Education Authority ( LEA ) needs to supply these services straight or either through a contract † ( p.2 ) .Background of the StudyAfter-school plans have become a popular attack to heighten academic chances and results of public simple and secondary school kids in the United States Chatterji, Kwon, & A ; Sng, ( 2006 ) . Educational organisations such as private and charter schools, every bit good as religions based organisations and private concern may use to go auxiliary instruction services suppliers. Tutoring services or instruction services interested in going a auxiliary instruction services supplier must subject an application to its State Department of Education for blessing so that it may look on a province list of sanctioned suppliers Chatterji, M. , Kwon, Y.A. , & A ; Sng, C. ( 2006 ) . Information that is requested to go a supplier covers such countries as the applier ‘s current experience, including the grades/number of pupils served, experience with specific pupil populations, and geographic scene. The applier ‘s basic auxiliary instruction services plan information, including academic topics, class degrees and demands of pupils ‘ served location ; transit, cost, and information refering the applier ‘s plan design ; operations, and organisational capacity are needed. Harmonizing to Chatterji, Kwon and Sng ( 2006 ) , the province may O.K. a supplier merely if it has a demonstrated record of effectivity in increasing pupil accomplishment and will utilize instructional schemes that are high quality, based upon research, and designed to increase pupil academic accomplishment The supplier ‘s services must besides be consistent with the instructional plan, academic content of the province in which she or he wish to offer auxiliary instruction services ( Casserly 2007 ) . The SES supplier must supply auxiliary instruction services that are consistent with federal, province, and local Torahs. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 provinces that there are extremely qualified instructors for every schoolroom, nevertheless the jurisprudence is non specific on the makings of coachs furthermore coachs in auxiliary instruction service plans do non hold to be certified instructors ( Ascher, 2006 ) . Some auxiliary instruction service suppliers require developing runing from four to 20 hours and merely a few evaluate their coachs. Casserly ( 2007 ) in speech production of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 provinces that auxiliary service suppliers are to guarantee that their tutoring services c ourse of study are aligned with the province academic criterions and consistent with the direction provided by the local instruction bureau ( LEA ) . However, suppliers in each metropolis course of study are in alining with province criterions to the same grade. Casserly ( 2007 ) explains that most suppliers have the same linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plan that they use in every province. Many provinces have had to fight with contention environing effectual linguistic communication humanistic disciplines plans. The job is compounded as the figure of suppliers and the assortment of pupil accomplishment shortages grows. Marzano ( 2003 ) work adds that the new epoch of school reform is the high accent on informations. He explains that the accent is for schools to utilize informations to place likely successful intercessions and utilize informations to find the effectivity of pupil accomplishment. Further, he states that schools must look carefully at the research and so use alterations. Marzano ‘s reform is to near alteration on an incremental footing. To exemplify this, Marzano ( as cited in Reynolds, Teddlie, Hopkins, and Springfield 2000 ) described a schools acceptance of a new course of study and instructional plan bit by bit alternatively of all at one time. States must take their clip with the execution of auxiliary instruction services linguistic communication humanistic disciplines plans in finding the effectivity of each plan. Wenger ( 2001 ) research suggest that auxiliary instruction services linguistic communication humanistic disciplines plans should be an extension of the school twenty-four hours for pupils designed to heighten larning with pedagogues working together and sharing cognition in the attempt to further pupil larning. The literature on auxiliary instruction services and pupils with larning disablements suggest that small is known about pupils with disablements who are accessing auxiliary instruction services ( Ysseldyke, J. , Lehr, C. , & A ; Bulygo, A. 2008, January 1 ) . In a papers prepared by the Project Forum at the National Association of State Directors of Particular Education ( NASDSE ) they expresses the demand for auxiliary instruction service suppliers that specialize in tutoring for pupils with larning disablements and the demand for experient forces that are prepared to guarantee that the pupil ‘s single instruction program ( IEP ) is in closer alliance with the pupil â €˜s auxiliary educational service instructional program. In an article on auxiliary instruction services under NCLB by Eileen Ahearn in a opinion given by the United States Department of Education, June 13, 2005 p.10-11 auxiliary instruction services must be consistent with the pupil single instruction program under 614 Persons with Disabilities Act ( IDEA ) or the pupil ‘s individualised services under Section 504 † ( Ahearn 2007 p.2 ) . Hargreaves ( 1995 ) proposed the thought proposing effectual educational alteration requires the educational environment to be a â€Å" moving mosaic, † non an environment feature of inactive, chiseled functions and boundaries. Alternatively, the boundaries flexible and antiphonal to what occurs during the alteration procedure. The traveling Mosaic Fosters collaboration through webs, partnerships, and confederations within and beyond the school scene.Problem StatementThere is a job in the N. N. Virginia Public School territory . Despite that fact that Supplemental Education Services plans mandates that schools necessitating academic betterment must do free tutoring available to pupils who receive the free and reduced-price tiffin plan in Title I schools. School SES coordinator and SES directors continue to confront challenges with supplying linguistic communication humanistic disciplines services to pupils with larning disablements in the upper simple class degrees. A possible cause of this job as stated by Ahearn ( 2007 ) is that that there are merely a few experient forces in the auxiliary instruction services tutoring plans trained to guarantee that the pupil ‘s single instruction program is in close alliance with the pupils ‘ auxiliary instruction service instructional program. A survey by Ahearn ( 2007 ) confirmed that SES suppliers are frequently encouraged by the school territories to function pupils with larning disablements, although the staff may non hold the experience and preparation to function them. Casserly ( 2007 ) acknowledged that the NCLB ( 2002 ) mandates â€Å" extremely qualified instructors † for every schoolroom during the twenty-four hours nevertheless ; the jurisprudence is non specific on the makings of coachs. Coachs in auxiliary instruction service plans are non required to be certified instructors. Possibly a survey which investigates the challenges SES directors and school coordinators face when supplying SES service to pupils with disablements will be to research the demand for experient forces who are prepared to guarantee that the pupils with larning disablements SES programs are in closer alliance with their IEP. The intent of this survey is to analyze the challenges that SES directors and coordinators face when supplying services to upper simple pupils with larning disablements. The survey includes elaborate indebt informations aggregation of one of Virginia school territories SES directors and school coordinators challenges with supplying linguistic communication humanistic disciplines services to upper simple pupils. My hypothesis will turn to the extent to which holding experienced and trained forces able to guarantee pupils ‘ IEPs are in close alliance with auxiliary instruction service instructional programs is indispensable in bettering pupil accomplishment for upper simple pupils with larning disablements and the challenges directors and school coordinators have when supplying services to pupils with larning disablements. Outcome-based ratings will be used to find the extent to which pupils with disablements are having auxiliary instruction services.Purpose of the StudyThe purpo se of this qualitative instance survey will be to research the demand for experient forces who are prepared to guarantee that the pupils with larning disablements SES programs are in closer alliance with their IEP. The survey will research the experiences of auxiliary instruction service supplier ‘s directors and school coordinators. The purpose of this survey is to understand the perceptive of the auxiliary instruction service supplier ‘s directors and school coordinators consciousness of the instructional patterns for pupils with larning disablements in auxiliary instruction services plans. Information gained from this survey can help educator leading within the K-12 context on whether there is a demand for more rigorous demands for trained staff in auxiliary instruction services plans able to vouch that pupils with larning disablements supplemental educational services are consistent with a pupil ‘s single instruction program under Section 614 ( vitamin D ) Individuals with Disabilities Act ( IDEA ) or the pupil ‘s individualised services under Section 504.Nature of the StudyThe survey used a qualitative instance survey method. Creswell ( 2007 ) states that the research worker in a survey selects persons for a survey because they have purposeful information and apprehension of the research job. The SES school coordinators and SES directors have direct cognition of the challenges they face when tutoring pupils with disablements in SES Programs. A qualitative interview allows the research worker to verify information from other beginnings or information devel oped by the research worker ( Hatch 2002 ) . Rubin states that the qualitative interview will let the research worker to arouse elaborate information about the research subject by following up on replies given by the interviewee during the treatment ( p. 4 ) . A qualitative instance survey method of research has been chosen to reply the research inquiries for this survey. A qualitative position attack allowed for a more in-depth survey into the services for pupils with larning disablements in auxiliary instruction services plans. Qualitative research is done when the referees wants to authorise participants to portion their narrative. The features of a qualitative research survey include researching human behaviour in research in its natural scene, garnering field notes, carry oning interviews and roll uping artefacts or records and instance surveies ( Hatch, 2002 ) . In a qualitative survey informations is gathered straight by the research worker and can be debatable in footings of prejudices on the portion of the research wor ker. The accent of the survey was to research the extent to which the supplemental instruction services directors and school coordinators provide services to pupils with larning disablements. Participants from this survey included six auxiliary instruction services directors and six auxiliary instruction school coordinators. Each coordinator was hired by the school system to coordinator auxiliary instruction services in linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math to simple schools. The auxiliary instruction service directors provided services for simple pupils in linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math.Research Questions and HypothesissThe undermentioned research inquiries are addressed in the survey: What are the auxiliary instruction service school coordinators perceived challenges with supplying services to upper simple pupils with larning disablements in auxiliary instruction service linguistic communication humanistic disciplines plans? 2. What are the auxiliary instruction service managers/directors perceived challenges with supplying services to upper simple pupils with larning disablements in the auxiliary instruction service linguistic communication humanistic disciplines plans? 3. Explain the relationship between the challenges for auxiliary instruction service managers/directors and school coordinators who provide services to upper simple pupil with larning disablements?Definition of FootingsAuxiliary instruction services ( SES ) : A auxiliary instruction services plan that requires schools in academic betterment to supply free tutoring to pupils who receive the free and reduced-price tiffin plan. Auxiliary instruction services ( SES ) supplier: A auxiliary instruction services supplier is a tutoring service that offers auxiliary instruction services. No Child Left Behind Act of 2002: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 is a set of federal plans that necessitating provinces to better the academic accomplishment of public school pupils considered at hazard for school failure. Coach: A coach is a individual employed to teach another in some subdivision or subdivisions of acquisition, or a private teacher. Academic Appraisals: Academic appraisals are a set of high-quality, annually pupil academic appraisals that include, at a lower limit, academic appraisals in mathematics, reading or linguistic communication humanistic disciplines, and scientific discipline that will be used as the primary agencies of finding the annual public presentation of their State. Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Eligible: The free and decreased monetary value tiffin plan provides free and reduced-price school tiffins to pupils based on the pupil ‘s household ‘s income. Adequate Yearly Progress ( AYP ) : Adequate annual advancement is a step of pupil accomplishment on the province appraisal in reading and mathematics. Title I Eligible School: A Title I school is a public school in which a per centum of kids are from low-income households. Local Education Authority ( LEA ) : The local instruction authorization is a board of instruction that supervises public simple or secondary schools. Public School Choice: Public school pick is a plan in which the chance is given to pupils in a school identified as necessitating betterment to reassign to a better public school in their territory. State Educational Agency ( SEA ) : The State Education Agency is responsible for the State supervising of public simple and secondary schools. Elementary and Secondary Education Act ( ESEA ) : The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is a major federal jurisprudence impacting k-12th grade instruction enacted in 1965.PremisesAuxiliary instruction services have the potency of bettering pupils ‘ public presentation, but it is non clear if the additions that were made in several schools are attributed to auxiliary instruction services. The literature discussed the demand for auxiliary instruction services plans to incorporate the Individual Education Plan of pupils with larning disablements into the pupils ‘ tutoring plan, but did non province how and to what extent. This survey will set up the demand for experient forces who are prepared to guarantee that the pupils with larning disablements auxiliary educational service instructional program is in closer alliance with their single instruction programs and to what extent auxiliary instruction services plans are run intoing the demands of pupils with larning disab lements.RestrictionsAuxiliary instruction services plans and school territories may overstate claims if they think it will demo their plan or school in a more positive mode. Certain subjects will cover with actions or beliefs for which there is a socially favorite place. Auxiliary instruction services suppliers may non maintain a record of their services from the old twelvemonth. Therefore, auxiliary instruction services tutoring suppliers may non be able to place the pupils with larning disablements in their auxiliary instruction services plan, or the makings of the coachs supplying services to the pupils with larning disablements in their plans. The interviews will be conducted confidentially. Interview books will be approved by the thesis commission ; this will assist to guard against research worker prejudices which could interfere with the reading of the informations.Significance of the StudyA survey analyzing the demand for experient and trained staff for pupils with larning disablements in Supplemental instruction services linguistic communication humanistic disciplines tutoring plans is relevant to educator leading within the K-12 context and the greater professional instruction community. Researching auxiliary instruction for pupils with larning disablements will advance positive societal alteration by guaranting that pupils with larning disablements receive a just and appropriate instruction and that all partnerships and confederations work efficaciously and take a collaborative attempt to vouch success for all pupils. The research on auxiliary instruction services has determined that this is the first clip federal financess have been used to pay for pupil tutoring services outside of the school system ( Ahearn, 2007 ) . This job affects all pupils with larning disablements because these pupils must as every bit of import base on balls the Virginia province ( linguistic communication humanistic disciplines ) Standards of Learning ( SOL ) trial. Researching auxiliary instruction for pupils with larning disablements will advance positive societal alteration by guaranting that pupils with larning disablements receive the extra aid they need to hold in order for them to have an equal and appropriate instruction and that all partnerships and confederations work efficaciously and take a collaborative attempt to vouch pupil success and accomplishment.Summary and TransitionA qualitative instance survey will be used for this survey. The principle for this qualitative instance survey will find the demand for experient and trained staff for pupils with larning disablements in auxiliary instruction services simple linguistic communication humanistic disciplines tutoring plans. The survey will include six Virginia auxiliary instruction service directors and managers and six auxiliary instruction services coordinators from one school division in the province of Virginia take parting in the auxiliary instruction services simple linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plans. The research worker ‘s aims will be made clear to the auxiliary instruction services directors and managers verbally and in authorship. The participants, rights, involvement and wants will be considered when picks are made sing describing the information ( Creswell 2009, p.149 ) . A cryptography system will be developed and used for the interviews to let easy reading of participant ‘s responses. Chapter 2 represents a reappraisal of literature that gives an analysis of auxiliary instruction s ervices, the increasing figure of auxiliary instruction suppliers and the effectivity of the auxiliary instruction services plans. Chapter 3 discusses the research method to be used for the quantitative study research survey. Chapter 4 and 5 explores the quantitative research survey, the informations aggregation, written text of the interviews, study and the eventful illations. Chapter 2: Literature Reappraisal Experienced and trained forces are needed to guarantee pupils ‘ IEP ‘s are in close alliance with auxiliary instruction service instructional programs are indispensable in bettering pupil accomplishment for pupils with larning disablements. This survey will look into the challenges directors and managers in SES plans and school system forces have when functioning pupils with larning disablements. Highlighted in this survey are the plants of Marzano, Hargreaves, and Wenger. Hargreaves ( 1995 ) suggested that effectual educational alteration requires the educational environment to be a † traveling mosaic † that Fosters collaboration through webs, partnerships, and confederations within and beyond the school scene. The literature reappraisal was conducted through scholarly articles, and research databases that focused on analyzing the demand for experient forces who are prepared to guarantee that the pupils with disablements auxiliary educational service ILP is i n closer alliance with their IEP. Supplemental instruction services information was obtained by seeking relevant databases. Survey studies and related articles from 2002 to show. Walden ‘s Dissertation and Theses database, EBSCO, and ERIC served as Tier 1 and 2 database resources. Datas on the school territories non doing AYP was obtained through the Virginia Department of Education web site and imperativeness studies and NEA province affiliates. The hunt footings used in this survey include auxiliary instruction services, auxiliary instruction services ( SES ) supplier, No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, Tutor, Academic Assessments, and Adequate Yearly Progress ( AYP ) , Individual Education Plan, Individual Learning Plan and pupils with larning disablements. The subjects in instruction that led the research worker to form the presentation of literature into the undermentioned subdivisions include: The Procedure of Informing Parents, The Amount of SES Providers, Classroom Curr iculum and SES Reading and Math plans, SES Effectiveness. This chapter seeks to reply the undermentioned inquiry as it relates to the research inquiries that guide the survey: What are school leaders and SES Manages and managers perceived challenges with the SES simple linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math tutoring plan? What are some challenges staff members encounter when working with pupils with larning disablements in SES plans?The Procedure of Informing ParentsUnder the No Child Left Behind Act parents are able to take a supplier for their kid from the state-approved supplier list. Although parents can bespeak the aid of their local school, parents make the concluding determination. Parents must guarantee that their kid attends and participates suitably in the auxiliary services Sessionss and work with the school territory and the supplier to develop and place specific academic accomplishment ends for their kid. The quality of territory presentment letters va ried well ; some were easy to read and presented the options in a positive visible radiation, while others were confounding, discouraged the usage of the options, or were biased in favour of district-provided services. This makes it progressively hard for parents to take the most appropriate auxiliary instruction services supplier for their kid. Classroom Curriculum and Language Arts and Math Programs Auxiliary instruction suppliers must utilize a high quality, research-based linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plan designed to increase pupil accomplishment and consistent with the direction provided by the local instruction bureaus and aligned with the province criterions. Many provinces have had to cope with contention environing â€Å" effectual † linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plans. Several suppliers have pre-and post-assessments and merely a few have research-based linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plans ( Casserly 2007 ) . The job is compounded as the figure of suppliers addition and the assortment of pupil accomplishment shortages grows. It seems that suppliers in each province are alining their auxiliary instruction plan course of study with province criterions to the same grade. Most suppliers have the same linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plan that they use in every provi nce. In a study measuring Supplemental Educational Services ( SES ) in Virginia, conducted by the Center for Research in Educational Policy ( CREP ) at the University of Memphis. In 2007-2008 a big bulk of SES supplier representatives ( 96.5 per centum ) reported that they aligned their services and course of study with local and province academic content and criterions either often or on occasion. Most SES coordinator responses ( 83.4 per centum ) indicated that SES suppliers ‘services were aligned with province and local criterions. The bulk of SES coordinator responses ( 93.9 per centum ) indicated that SES suppliers complied with applicable province and local Torahs. The bulk of SES supplier representatives ( 85.7 per centum ) reported that they were able to accommodate services to each school ‘s course of study either often or on occasion. Three-fourthss of SES supplier representatives ( 75 per centum ) noted that coachs often or on occasion incorporate SES services with schoolroom acquisition activities. The bulk of SES coordinator responses ( 78.8 per centum ) indicated that SES suppliers collaborated to put ends for pupil growing either often or on occasion. Over half of SES division coordinator responses ( 68.2 per centum indicated that supplier ‘s adapted SES services to each school ‘s course of study.The Amount of SES ProvidersIn a survey conducted by the Civil Rights Project, UCLA, 2007 analyzing the tendencies in execution of auxiliary educational services and student engagement in SES, from 2002-03 to 2006-07. The survey concluded that the entire figure of pupils having SES services had increased over a five old ages period. The per centum of eligible pupils really having services declined or leveled off after five old ages. The survey concluded that over a five twelvemonth period the figure of SES suppliers expanded greatly in four of the six provinces studied. In one of the six provinces studied the figure of SES supplie rs remains the same and in one of the other provinces included in the survey the figure of SES suppliers declined. The figure of suppliers grew well in all 11 territories. This research survey will research the challenges school auxiliary instruction services coordinators and directors face when functioning simple pupils with disablements.The Effectiveness of SESThe Center on Education Policy, 2007 examined attempts provinces have undertaken to transport out the auxiliary educational services demands of NCLB, concentrating on school twelvemonth 2006-07. The survey describes the processs used to reexamine and O.K. possible SES suppliers and the extent to which provinces were able to supervise the quality and effectivity of SES suppliers. There survey drew informations from a autumn 2006 study of province instruction bureau functionaries in 50 provinces. Thirty-eight provinces reported being unable to supervise the quality and effectivity of SES suppliers â€Å" to a great extent. â €  Merely 10 provinces reported being able to make so â€Å" to a great extent. † States attributed their inability to supervise to deficient staff and financess. The greatest challenges to implementing auxiliary services related to supervising the quality and effectivity of SES suppliers. Forty-one provinces and about half ( 51 % ) of school territories called this a moderate or serious challenge. In a study measuring Supplemental Educational Services ( SES ) in Virginia, conducted by the Center for Research in Educational Policy ( CREP ) at the University of Memphis. In 2007-2008, 35 SES suppliers delivered SES services to 3,344 pupils in 26 school divisions. In entire, 3,344 SES pupils ( 3,758 contracts ) received SES tutoring services from 35 suppliers across 53 schools in 26 divisions in Virginia in 2007-2008. Within the 26 divisions, 55 Title I schools were required to offer SES services. Twenty-six ( 26 ) Selenium suppliers established 1,357 contracts in mathematics , while 32 SES established 2,401 contracts in reading/language humanistic disciplines. In the state-level analysis utilizing informations from all SES suppliers combined, no important differences in either reading/language humanistic disciplines or mathematics public presentation were found between pupils having SES services and those non having SES services. While the study findings revealed overall satisfaction with SES execution and services, all respondent groups noted countries for betterment. These countries include: 1 ) integrating of SES services with schoolroom direction ; 2 ) parental engagement and division aid in advising parents about SES services ; 3 ) limited hours of SES services ; 4 ) monitoring of SES services both at the school site and in places ; and 5 ) transit to and from SES services. Most SES supplier representatives ( 78.6 per centum ) reported that they gave direction to pupils with disablements often or on occasion. Many SES supplier representatives ( 71. 5 per centum ) besides reported that they offered appropriate direction to ELL pupils as needed either often or on occasion. Many SES coordinator responses ( 67.4 per centum ) indicated that SES suppliers offered services to particular instruction and ELL pupils. Nineteen ( 19 ) per centum of pupils having SES services ( 572 pupils ) were pupils with disablements. Seven school divisions in Virginia participated in a United States Department of Education ( USED ) pilot for reversal of Public School Choice ( PSC ) and Supplemental Educational Services ( SES ) during the 2007-2008 school twelvemonth. These divisions offered SES to eligible pupils go toing schools in their first twelvemonth of school improveme Chapter 3: Research Methods The chief intent of this survey is to look into the challenges that SES directors and coordinators face when supplying services to elementary pupils with larning disablements. The research worker besides sought to bring out if underdeveloped coaction through webs, partnerships, and confederations within and beyond the school puting would help auxiliary instruction services staff in garnering a broder extended cognition of larning schemes for pupils with larning disabilties. The qualitative instance survey design was used to reply the research questions.. Hatch ( 2002 ) describes five qualitative paradigms rationalist, station rationalist, constructivist, critical/ women's rightist and poststructuralist. Hatch ( 2002 ) describes a paradigm as a belief system that guides the manner we do things The philosophical qualitative paradigms that guides my research into auxiliary instruction services for pupils with disablements would be the station rationalist paradigm. The station rationalist research worker sees themselves as informations aggregation instruments and studies generalisations based on careful analysis of interview i nformations ( Hatch, 2002 ) . The station rationalist paradigm states that there may be a existent universe out at that place, but it ‘s impossible for worlds to genuinely cognize it ( Hatch, 2002 ) . This qualitative survey will compare the challenges supplemental instruction services school coordinators and directors face with supplying tutoring services to simple pupils with larning disablements. The research inquiries explored the challenges that SES directors and coordinators face when supplying services to simple pupils with acquisition disablements. There were two hypothesis in this survey. There are important challenges with holding untrained particular instruction coachs in auxiliary instruction services simple linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plans able to guarantee that pupils with larning disablements single instruction program under Section 614 Persons with Disabilities Act of 2004 ( IDEA ) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and pupils with disablements must have appropriate auxiliary instruction services and adjustments [ 34 CFR A §A §200.46 ( a ) ( 4 ) and ( 5 ) ] . The undermentioned research inquiries are addressed in this study.1. What are the auxiliary instruction service school coordinators perceived challenges with supplying services to pupils with larning disablements in auxiliary instruction service linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plans? 2. What are the auxiliary instruction service managers/directors perceived challenges with supplying services to pupils with larning disablements in the auxiliary instruction service linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and math plans? 3. Explain the relationship between the challenges for auxiliary instruction service managers/directors and school coordinators who provide services to student with larning disablements?

Critical Analysis of Presentations

I have chosen to analyse the performance of Jamie Hackshaw (Son), Danny Hodsall (Father) and Lee Green (Doctor), and my own group's presentation, which were both based on breaking the news of cancer. Danny Hodsall's group portrayed the news of cancer being broken to a Father and Son in a Doctor's Surgery. Ours involved the news being broken initially to the victim's daughter, and then to the rest of the family. In Danny's group, the doctor was positioned with his back to the audience. This was effective because it meant that the focus was not on his face, just on the reactions of the Father and Son. It might have created a problem with acoustics and blocked the audience's view of the Father and Son's faces, but was avoided by the way the actors positioned themselves. The Doctor spoke loudly to compensate. In our group, I (Julie) was incorrectly positioned, with my back to the audience during the second scene, which I feel might have impaired the audience's view of my reaction, and the reactions of other members of the group. In the Doctor's Surgery, fewer characters and no unnecessary conversations made a strong impact, focussing on reactions when the news is broken. This also meant it felt realistic. One problem with taking this approach could be that there was less opportunity for personalities to be conveyed to the audience through interaction with others. In my opinion, the impact of the news was greater because the personalities of the characters were not elaborated on. In our presentation, the story was slightly more complex, as more characters were involved. It focused on the situation in which the characters found out, as well as their reactions. This could be considered a disadvantage, as it took attention away from the impact of the bad news. However, one advantage of having a larger group of characters would be that personalities are easily distinguished/ recognised due to interaction with others. The change of scene in our presentation added variety. Scene two added to the tension/awkwardness of the situation, as the family had just sat down to a quiet dinner when the news was revealed, causing chaos. Important aspects of both presentations were the Parent/Child relationships. In the ‘Doctor's Surgery', a stereotypical Father/ son relationship was illustrated by use of language. An example of this was the Father's comment to his son † At least you'll get to have time off school† This and other reassuring comments (from the son also) gave the impression that Father and Son were hiding their emotions from each other, although clearly their fears were just below the surface. In contrast, the ‘Mother-and-Daughter' relationship between Emma (Sarah) and Charmaine (Hannah) was honest and blunt; they communicated their opinions and emotions without restraint or much concern about upsetting the other. This behaviour is stereotypical of Mother and daughter relationships, as is the reserved behaviour of Father and Son. I think both presentations could be improved by varying the reactions of the family members. In the Doctor's Surgery, the Father and Son both react by suppressing their emotions, while in our presentation, all of Sarah's daughters reacted similarly, in anger.

Legalizing marijuna Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legalizing marijuna - Essay Example Different stakeholders foster different reasoning on the issues, but it is more realistic that the government should legalize the drug since the economy is losing billions of dollars on the drug through illegal trade; the money that can possibly develop other aspects of the economy. Besides, marijuana has numerous medicinal uses – a fact which has contributed to the increasing number of users of the drug in the American society. The illegal market is an informal term used in reference to the unofficial market. Activities in such markets lack government accreditation and are, therefore, illegal. In fact, the government prefers to assume that the market is nonexistence in the American economy. On the contrary, the market is rife in the country and is the leading cause for the infiltration of illegal firearms and other drugs. Marijuana is a commonly used drug among the numerous social groupings in American social circles, a fact that implies that the government loses a lot of mon ey by failing to recognize such trades (Barton 12). By legalizing the drug, the government makes it an official product in the market and, therefore, gains better regulation to its usage as it currently does with tobacco products and alcohol. Additionally, the government stands to gain tax benefits and provide employment to thousands of people currently peddling the drugs most of whom will seek legitimate certification to handle and dispense the drug. The failure to legitimize the drug contributes to the rise in crime thereby inflating the government budget on security. Police and federal law enforcement officers use resources worth millions of dollars investigating and apprehending drug peddlers. Unfortunately, the more they arrest, the more new operators arise to continue the lucrative marijuana market. This, therefore, requires the government to use a lot of money alongside other resources in keeping the street drugs free (Jamerson 40). The fact that they have not succeeded thus far makes it a loss to the taxpayers whose money is literally wasted. With effective legislations, the drug can possibly gain access to the American market thereby making it easier to manage its sale and its subsequent usage. This would earn the economy the excess money and other resources that the police and other state officers use in containing the ever-increasing black market. By considering the drug illegal, the government discourages other secondary researches on the drug. However, scientific proof has established that the drug has numerous medicinal uses implying that with more research; a lot about the chemical composition of the plant may result in better drugs to some of the most notorious diseases. Marijuana smoking reduces gramps and the menstrual discomforts; the drug also treats such serious ailments as cancer while it slows down tumor growth and seizure. Generally, the drug is beneficial and with government permission, scientists would foster more researches on the dr ug and find better treatments to some of the most dangerous diseases. Cancer, for example, is an incurable disease that claims thousands of lives in the country annually; researches have established that marijuana has an effect similar to that of the antiretroviral drug on Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome victims. The drug can, therefore, make the thousands more productive for longer periods thereby foster the country’

Strategic Analysis - Dunkin Brands Group, Inc Research Paper

Strategic Analysis - Dunkin Brands Group, Inc - Research Paper Example Strategic Analysis - Dunkin Brands Group, Inc The company needs to improve its liquidity position in order to avoid any certain liquidity crisis. Gross profit margin of the company has slightly decreased over the years and net profit margin of the company has improved over the years. It indicates that the effectiveness and efficiency of the company has improved in generating net profit out of its total sales revenue. Return on equity of the company has decreased over the year, which indicates the efficiency of the company has decreased in generating income out of its total equity. However, return on capital employed has increased over the years, which indicate that the company has generated more revenue out of its total capital employed as compared to the year 2012. Average settlement period for debtors has improved over the years, which indicate that the company is now efficient enough in collecting receivables from is debtors. Nevertheless, the average settlement period for creditors has decreased over the years, which indicat e that the company is delaying its payments to the creditors. Thus from the above analysis it can be said that the company needs to improve its liquidity ratio to meet the necessity of liquid funds. The profitability of the company is average and it can be improved by improving the gross profit margin and the return on equity. Apart from these, payment to creditors should be made quickly in order to improve the brand image among creditors and shareholders.

Contemporary Application of Economic Theory (proposal) Research Paper

Contemporary Application of Economic Theory (proposal) - Research Paper Example This research shall seek to scrutinize the validity of the model and assess how the model has succeeded over the years in fetching the economic environment of England with reliable economic predictions, based on which economic policy analysis of England can be attributed to. The literature review and theoretical framework of this research work shall be built purposely around the research questions. To this effect, there shall be three major themes which will be looked at. These themes have briefly been discussed below: The ‘suite of statistical forecasting models’ used by the Bank of England was born out of behavioural game theory. Behavioural game theory has been lowered by economists to mean the empirical determination of â€Å"how individuals make choices under conditions of uncertainty and strategic interaction† (Gintis, 2005). It is based on clues of how people make choices under uncertainty and strategic interaction that the Bank comes out with its forecasts of inflation and output growth as inputs into the forecasting process (Kapetanios G, Labhard V and Price S, 2007). Major components of the model include simple linear autoregressive (AR) models, information from existing history, univariate non-linear models, more information from extra variables, Linear vector-autoregressions (VARs), and use of Bayesian techniques. The major and most outstanding impact of the model on economic policy making in England’s economy is that the model has succeeded in coming out with reliable forecast for decision making on inflation and other macroeconomic variables. This is not without the challenge of dealing with the unconditional mean but as noted by Stock and Watson (2007), â€Å"the well-documented move towards macroeconomic stability, sometimes referred to as the ‘Great Stability’, has made forecasting more easy in the sense that macroeconomic variables stray less far from the unconditional mean† (Kapetanios G, Labhard V and Price S, 2007, p.

Toyota Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Toyota - Essay Example This paper seeks to explain and illustrate the Toyota’s corporate responsibility to its consumers, environment, employees, stakeholders, and to the general public. This will be done through looking into the company’s corporate responsibility page and showing examples of how this company helps others. According to the Toyota’s corporate responsibility page, the company embraces corporate social responsibility initiatives; this includes information regarding policies, people and organizations that are related to the corporate social responsibility of Toyota Company. Toyota Company engages and promotes both with their partners and individually social contribution events and activities that aid in strengthening communities and contribute to supporting and enrichment of the society. In addition, Toyota embraces environmental responsibility. For example, everything from the basic stance of Toyota Company to its specific initiatives is put in place to make the environme nt better. In-depth annual environmental activities coverage is part of Toyota’s social and environmental initiatives. Toyota Company has been in support of SOS children villages’ mission to provide safe homes to thousands of children orphaned in the country. Toyota has also been a pivotal partner in the progressive development of the SOS children village from 2010 as a major part of the company’s corporate social responsibility program. Toyota Company has also made contributions to Mater Heart Run in 2012. This is the company’s fifth year in sponsoring a noble program aimed at helping children from poor families who are unable to afford the expenses of cardiac surgery. In other cases involving Toyota and its customers, the company’s public relations department helps the consumers to their satisfaction in case of crisis. Toyota also remains socially responsible and solves its customer related issues. For example, The Toyota’s public relation department has the mandate to handles customer complaints and grievances. When there was a Toyota Acceleration case crisis, Toyota tried to deny the existing problem and responded very slowly to the crisis. The Toyota Company had realized the problem much earlier but responded late. The public relations department of the distressed company could calm customers down neither. Toyota however never complied with the law and failed to notify the authorities of the technical problem. This led to the failure of Toyota failed in rectifying the manufacturing problem; thus, failed to restore its image as a customer safety oriented company (Rothaermel, 2013). Those held accountable for the crisis was the board for miscommunication and focusing on varying values and goals. The Japanese managers who failed to make quick decisions and confined information to them. However, after the crisis, Toyota initiated an effective way to manage the aftermath. It changed its motto and issued 4 letters to th e public apologizing for the problem within a span of one month. These effectively calm the customers down as they felt considered and understood. After the apology went through, Mr. Toyoda managed to resume the management of the company in order to show a refocus on the strategy and values of the company. Mr. Toyoda committed his personal time in his testimony to the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government reforms. The management of

Dadaism and its Influence on Late Mid Twentieth Century Essay

Dadaism and its Influence on Late Mid Twentieth Century - Essay Example The essay "Dadaism and its Influence on Late Mid Twentieth Century" concerns the Dada movement and their art. Design can be shown to have benefited from the innovations that occurred through the Dadaist movement. This paper will review the way in which Dada was defined and relate its evolution to the meaning that was placed in artistic works within the culture of Dada. The discussion will turn towards the work of James Reid and Vivienne Westwoods in order to reveal how Dada has been influential in design. Through focusing on these two designers, the concepts of Dada will emerge as influential to the development of their work and its importance in the evolving topics of design. Defining Dada often leaves the one doing the describing in a perpetual negative space. The explanation is often more focused on what Dada does not represent. Dada does not represent the common, the beliefs that had come before it about what defined art. Dada is about the avant-garde, even though it is technical ly a precursor to avant-garde ideas, but it is questionable that the definition of that term would suffice to describe Dada. Dada can be described for its visual impression, defining what is seen by what is perceived. An example of this is the use of words in order to create a visual impact. What the words say is not more important than the composition of the lettering, the way in which the visual impact performs. The viewer experiences the sensation of reading, but the experience is beyond just that concept. Dada took the evolution of design and printing to a place in which visual impact was used to create communication. At the time of Dada, the explanation of it was obscure; the idea of the irony in its creation meaning that it was the antithesis of all that was art. Dada was â€Å"nothing† as described by Duchamp. According to descriptions by Blythe and Powers (2006, p. 7) â€Å"Dada directed its energies toward challenging accepted notions of art and the tradition of oil painting, most noticeably by designating pre-existing mass produced objects – so called ‘Readymades’ - art and by using the playful language of puns offering humour and simultaneous meanings†. Dada was about using art against itself by creating graphically designed pieces that could be interpreted as anti-art, which in turn made them quintessentially art. The irony of Dada was always that in trying to not be what it was it was more itself. Dada, in not being art, became essentially artistic. Dada was much more than the creation of works of art. The concept of Dada was that it was a culture, defining ways of thinking through new perspectives. Dada was a challenge to the standard, a reversal of tradition in which to be expected would be a sin. Phrases such as â€Å"

E-BUSINESS INDIVIDUAL REPORT WITH A WEBSITE Essay

E-BUSINESS INDIVIDUAL REPORT WITH A WEBSITE - Essay Example Official websites play the role of public relations for the business establishments. Their customers have direct connection to the company and feel better informed when they access the official websites. Internet has also opened up a new concept of business operation, the click concept or rather the online shop concept. Gone are the days when to launch a product a brick and mortar model was required. The new trend in the market is the online marketing of products. The click and mortar model of e- business is preferred by many now. Products are shown in these websites with their properties and price range. The customer is able to choose from the options and order the product. The payment is done online and the product is delivered at home. Thus, completely removing the cost incurred in having a brick establishment. Having a proper shop in mall or in a commercial area is a very costly affair but the new trend in the market has made it a complimentary service rather than an essential se rvice. The spread of internet in the globe across has brought this remarkable change. Most people have access to internet in their daily lives and are more accessible through internet (Weill and Vitale, 2001, p.7-9) Business Literature on e-business Internet has indeed condensed the boundaries amongst the countries across the globe. Making promotion in other countries very easy. Doing business in other countries is also become easier due to easy mode of online payment. Shipment from across the globe has also become a very conceivable concept. Making it easier for business establishments to do business online. The main focus when a company makes their website should be, to create attention amongst target audience. The website has to be informative and attention grabbing in a right sense. Attention of customers looking for the particular product on the internet has to be first caught. The website therefore needs to be appealing to the target audience. Viral marketing is a very new con cept. For websites the term used is SEM, search engine marketing. The basic goal of SEM is to promote a certain webpage by increasing the traffic of the website. This can be done either developing the content of the website in such a way that the hits on the website is maximised. The first step for any website marketing is to make it more visible. Optimisation of search engines provides this facility to the website. Once the attention of the viewing customers is won, then business can be done with them. Certain aspects must be taken care of when websites are designed. It is important for each website in order to get more customers that it appears in the first page of any search engine. Customers often search their requirements in search engines and very few like to go beyond options appearing on the first page. The website also needs to be very informative about the origin of the company, the history behind the company, the products that are available and the extra services given by the company. The website should also have details about the various payment modes accepted by them. These informations are very essential for the customer looking for making an online booking of a product. Display of products on the websit

Critic of A Family Finds Entertainment by Ryan Trecartin Essay

Critic of A Family Finds Entertainment by Ryan Trecartin - Essay Example The genius of the film is not in the plot. The story is generally reflective of a teenager’s life in a highly urbanized environment whose sense of self is driven by consumerism and mass media. It is about a suicidal teenage character named Skippy whose gender is quite difficult to define but easily recognized to be Trecatin (being such, Skippy will be addressed as a boy) being clod in an outlandish costume who started in the film hidden in the second floor bathroom of their home. Skippy was asked and pleaded to come out by family and friends but instead of coming out, indulged in a surreal self assessment in the character of Kafka that drove him to cut himself. The irony was presented with the partying and singing downstairs while Skippy is in a self-mortification mood ready to cut himself/herself up. Strangely, a seashell told him to stop and stop he did. He left home and met a filmmaker but later hit by a car. A band played in electric frenzy followed by fireworks and festiv ity. The idea of the movie was not to conform but rather to challenge which is the genius of the film. ... recatin playing a role of female makes a statement that narration should be gender neutral and characterization should depend on the personality of the characters. This explains the over emphasized dialogues of the characters with Trecatin playing as Skippy and another female character. The construction of the character is not based on physiology but rather on the articulation of its mind. The way it investigate the circumstances and progression of the life of Skippy demonstrates that narration and story-telling can be done in non linear and even unrealistic way. The speech also does not have to taken literally just like Skippy’s seeming existentialist articulation when he was contemplating of suicide. There, it requires the consideration of not just the dialogue of the character but also the accompanying juxtaposition of the character’s body and its facial expression to finally get what the character is saying. This explains why the characters are outlandish because th ey complement the seemingly curt verbiages to complete a full dialogue. To illustrate, one can feel the gravity of the proposition that confounds Skippy when he was attempting to kill himself. Yet, the narration was only a serious of short talk, with series of impressions that were cut short by editing, but we are able to get it when we factored in the facial expression, the altered speech, the unorthodox lingo and body language of Skippy. The message that was delivered by shell or snail for Skippy not to take his life seems Kafkaesque in surrealism, but we get the message clear. Taking the whole context and narration of the film, Trecatin only illustrates that there are other ways of investigating certain phenomena whose story-telling is more contemporary albeit absurd in its presentation but the

Address and analyse an existing Food security intervention in Essay

Address and analyse an existing Food security intervention in preferably a developing country (poor African,Asian countries) - Essay Example Hence, the concept of food security has to be more inclusive in order to capture the dimensions of the issue. Availability of food to the needy people is considered to be food security. Normally, food energy intake at household level has been given priority in assessing food security. But in the case of Kerala state in India, it will be unrealistic to expect food self sufficiency. But through public intervention methods, importantly through Public Distribution System, Kerala has done considerable successful interventions in food security, though the problem has not been solved fully. The issue of food security in the form of non-availability of sufficient calorie intake exists only in exceptional marginalized pockets of the state (Ahluwalia, 1993 and Dre’ze and Sen, 1995). The problem of food insecurity persists in India, even though it is a food surplus and food grains exporting country. Massive scale of chronic hunger and malnutrition are the sides of this problem. The prevalence of malnutrition in India is higher than many of the very poor African countries. The percentage of under weight children below five, is 43 in India while it is 28 in Sub Saharan Africa and 42 in South Asia. Likewise, the number and proportion of people living in chronic hunger in India is far above than any other country in the world (UNICEF, 2010). But when the children below the age of three are considered, then the situation seems to be more severe with 45.9 percent of children as malnourished and the anemia prevalence of 56 percent women. Again, data from the NNMB reveal that nearly half of the adult population had a body mass index below the norm in 1993-94 (Datta, 1998; Suryanarayana, 1999 and Gulati etal,). It is to be noted that the rate of decline of the malnourish ed persons has been very slow. The situation has again been worsened during 2008-09 with rapid increase in prices of

Video Game Design Essay Example for Free

Video Game Design Essay Video games is no doubt the widely celebrated market leading the entertainment industry for youngsters. From the basic Atari consoles with mere up and down buttons and a special plastic rifle spewing infra red bullets to Level Up internet games where you can fight opponents in the other side of the world, this violent entertainment industry is definitely not stopping from evolving into a bigger money making monster. News reports further observe that â€Å"fueled by a growing portable gaming market, sales of video game software and hardware topped . 5 billion, a six percent increased over 2004s $9. 9 billion and topping 2002, which held the previous record of $10. 2 billion, according to The NPD Group. † (CNNMoney. com. , 2006) The industry is not devoid of morale and ethical issues despite its support from the business sector and overwhelming support from its consumers. In fact, conferences of video game event are worldwide in scope. The Entertainment Software Association are preparing for the E3EXPO slated for next year. â€Å"E3Expo remains an important event for the industry and we want to keep that sense of excitement and interest, ensuring that the human and financial resources crucial to its success can be deployed productively to create an exciting new format to meet the needs of the industry. The new event ensures that there will be an effective and more efficient way for companies to get information to media, consumers, and others,† (ESA, 2006) as its leader Lowenstein promoted. With video gamers on one side, video game creators on another, the public continues to debate on the issue of social responsibility in this video game industry. Who is responsible for all the violence found in video games? Debates arise from the breadth of the studies against video games to those that could see measures that regulate the games aimed at protecting young minds who could not distinguish from real to non real. These debates arise because people acknowledge the social responsibility that needs to be addressed. Social responsibility is the vanguard of the morales of a community. When something is not ethical, these two words are brought up like a bell that calls people into order. In the video gaming industry, where sex and violence reach both adult and juvenile minds, where gamers can spend days on end in front of a monitor totally locked in a world of play and totally forgetting his other social duties and responsibilities, something is not right. Video game designers must be socially responsible not to design games that are violent. They should not step outside market decision. There is no such thing as letting the market decide in this age of complex marketing and advertising tactics and strategies. Social and psyschological studies would prove that issues arising from violent video games must find immediate solutions from all stakeholders including designers. â€Å"Not only can excessive video game playing cause behavioral and social changes in a person, but it can also result in neurological changes as well. A recent study utilized positron emission tomography in order to show that levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine increased while playing video games. (Ingram, 1998) â€Å"The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado, near Denver and Littleton. Two teenage students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, carried out a shooting rampage, killing 12 fellow students and a teacher, as well as wounding 24 others, before committing suicide. It is considered to be the deadliest school shooting, and the second deadliest attack on a school in United States history after the Bath School disaster. † (Wikipedia. com. 2006) The advent of video games was expected with the development of software and computer hardware industries. Tracing back, the need for entertainment increased the need to develop technologies that would cater to this need. The need for entertainment was spawned by the decline of social values that are based on physical social interaction. This is not over simplification. Statistics show that one of three six year old have their own televisions in their room. The alarming statistics should make the community act on these issues. Unfortunately, the community itself is hooked on these video games where society’s need to release their frustrations can be exhausted. Doctors believe that whatever the content, children and adults must not be hooked on technologies like the computer and television for more than two hours a day. American statistics note an average of five hours of television and computer use a day. Health risks due to technologies are on a rise. One of three people in America is obese due to improper diet and lack of exercise. One of ten teenagers have been jailed for at least five times before turning eighteen. It is a fact that parents hold two jobs to sustain a family. One million children a year become member of divorced households. The need to be entertained exists because a void in the values exists. And this void is being nurtured by sex and violence found in games created by the very same people who are void of this nurturing. There is no amount of creative video game that can replace family and social dynamics. Violence is violence. As it is, the juveniles are desensitized from blood and gore so much so that the need for more blood and gore leads to more blood and gore. Unlike television, video game is an interactive system. The creator is the one who thinks of the big plot where all subplots follow. He is the one who creates the characters that the gamers choose from the start. How can the creator not be responsible for something he created when he is a member of society who will feel and face the consequences of his creations. Maybe these video game creators rake in millions of dollars now but a few years from now, the wars they create and on the video console will become flesh and blood as proven by recent bomb attacks. But no matter how violent this creative output becomes, American dare not cross the right to free speech. Courts are also in disparities. â€Å"Our contemporary court decisions show that the right to free speech is more important to us than eliminating offensive content about women, says Ren Reynolds. Whether games even qualify as speech, though, is still up for debate. St. Louis County recently asserted that games are not speech, and therefore are not protected under the First Amendment. However, in a separate case, the 7th Circuit U. S. District Court of Appeals found that games are speech. Most of us, including feminists concerned by representations of women, are not in favor of diminishing our rights under the First Amendment. † (Hall, 2002). Video game creators cannot forever run away from their social responsibility. Sooner or later these young creative dynamic people at the prime of their lives will become old. They will one day see themselves at the hands of their caregivers in hospices. Their game buddies would be in other hospices as well remember good old killing days of blood and gore. They must not expect society to be as compassionate when they can’t keep up the level of their games when they grow old. Investing on one’s future is answering to the call for social responsibility. This responsibility is not in the hands of just a few but in all of the stakeholders. Being responsible is just like thinking about creating the bomb that can be dropped in Hiroshima. The Chernobyl accident effects have been passed on to generations in the enviornment as well as with their people. It is only when creators give true service to the community when they are truly creative and worthy of awards. Reference CNN Money. Video game set sales record in 2005 January 14, 2006: 3:56 PM EST Game Boy, PSP lift the industry, despite languid holiday season http://money. cnn. com/2006/01/13/technology/personaltech/gamesales/index. htm ESA. Entertainment Software Association Announces Evolution of E3Expo for 2007 http://www. theesa. com/archives/2006/07/for_immediate_r. php Hall, Wesley. Kitchen Sink. Oakland: Oct 31, 2002. Virtual Morality; Violence and Ethics in Video Games Vol. 1, Iss. 1; pg. 75 Ingram, Jay. June 12, 1998 Positron Emission Tomography Wikipedia. com. 2006

A Look At Airasia Management Essay

A Look At Airasia Management Essay The transportation service company that we have selected is AirAsia. AirAsias principal activity is to provide air transportation services. Since 2001, AirAsia has broken the travel norms around the globe and become the worlds best airline. AirAsia has gained an award winning and most low-cost airline in Asia. With a fleet of 72 aircraft, AirAsia flies to over 61 domestic and international destinations with 108 routes, and operates over 400 flights daily from centers in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. AirAsia is a very successful low cost carrier. In a very short time, it became a market leader in the Asia region. AirAsias main base is the Low- Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Through the corporate philosophy of Now Everyone Can Fly, AirAsia has become more popular and many people choosing Air Asia as their preferred choice of transport. AirAsia believes in the no-frills, hassle-free, low fare business concept can bring the business to very successful and feels that keeping costs low requires high efficiency in every part of the business. Apart from the principal activity of providing airline transportation service, AirAsia also involved in the courier service which consists of Delivery-to-Door (directly to the specific destination) and Airport-to-Airport two parts. The rates of such services are cheaper than other couriers by up to 50 percent lower price. It guarantees your courier with more value and savings. Customers can easily access to the service by just a few clicks in the AirAsias website. It is very convenient, efficient and cost saving. Besides, customers can easily track their consignment using the Google Maps. AA16a History of AirAsia AirAsia was established in 1993. Before 2001, AirAsia fail to sufficiently stimulate the market and attract enough passengers from Malaysia Airlines in order to establish its own niche market. On 2 December 2001, because of the failure of establishment, the airline was up to sale and purchased by Tony Fernandess company Tune Air Sdn Bhd. Tony Fernandes then enrolled some of the lending low-cost airline experts to restructure AirAsias business model. He invited some experts to join the executive team. In late 2001, AirAsia was re-launched in Malaysia as a trendy, no-frills operation with three B737 aircraft as a low-fare, low-cost domestic airline. In 2003, AirAsia has already become more attractive in its market demand, subsequently opened a second hub at Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru and launched its first international flight to Bangkok. After that, AirAsia started a Thai subsidiary, added Singapore itself to the destination list, and commenced flights to Indonesia. Airasia start to commence airline service in many other countries in the subsequent years. In the year 2006, Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) was established in Kuala Lumpur International Airport which cost the establishment fee of RM108 million which can handle 10 million passengers a year. After that, AirAsia has hedged 100% of its fuel requirements for the next three years, achieves an aircraft turnaround time of 25 minutes, and has a crew productivity level that is triple more than Malaysia Airlines. It achieves an average aircraft utilization rate of 13 hours per day. AirAsia is currently the largest single customer of the Airbus A320. The company has placed an order of 175 units of the same plane to service its routes and at least 50 of these A320 will be operational by 2013. On 27 December 2006, Air Asias CEO Tony Fernandes unveiled a five-year plan to further enhance its presence in Asia. In the plan, AirAsia will strengthen and enhance its route network by connecting all the existing cities in the region and expanding further into Indonesia, Southern China and India. Hence, with increase frequency and addition of new routes, AirAsia expects passenger volume to hit 18 million by the end of 2007. On 27 September 2008, AirAsia has on its list 106 new routes to be added to its current list of 60 over the next few years. The number of old routes discontinued has not been publicly disclosed. On 12 November 2008, AirAsia abolished fuel surcharges. In doing so, it claimed to be the first airline in the world to abolish fuel surcharges. By May 2008, the airline had flown 55 million cumulative passengers. In 2010, it has the worlds lowest costs for an airline, at the rate of below 2 cents per seat per kilometer. AA01a AirAsia SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is the combined analysis which examines the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of one company. It is a very important analysis in a company because it can identify the internal (strength and weakness) and external (opportunities and threats) factor for a company in order to achieve their goals and objectives hence to be low cost carrier company in airline industry. To be successful in the company management, a company needs to consider the companys ability and how to integrate it with internal and external factor. Main purpose of the analysis is to identify the internal and external factor that AirAsia need to consider for low cost carrier in airplane industry. Strengths The primary strength of AirAsia is the low cost leader in Asia. The strength of AirAsia is to maintain low cost; whereby they dont have to provide benefits to their workers, but still can maintain the best quality of their fleet. AirAsia has successfully created a low-cost airline mentality among their workforce. The workforce is very flexible and high committed in making AirAsia the lowest cost airline in Asia. AirAsia reduce its cost by attaining efficiency in every part of the business and maintaining simplicity. Therefore every system process must incorporate the best industry practices. The first thing for the low cost apply is the time concept. Time is money. An airline makes money when the aircraft is flying, not when the aircraft is parked.  In order to maintain low cost, AirAsia must consider of high aircraft utilization (which keep the aircraft flying as much as possible) to minimize the time spending on the ground. Secondly, no frills is the factor to achieve low cost. AirAsia only provide those necessities for their customer and reduce the unnecessary cost to be incurred in the fare of airline. For instance, The Company do not provide free food beverages, free seating, ticketless airline are all the activities excluded in order to achieve a more competitive price by wasting money on insignificant services. On the other hand, streamline operations that allow the process making as simple as possible is the key of a successful low cost carrier. The second strength of AirAsia is the excellent utilization of Information Technology (IT). The Low Cost Carrier (LCC) is expected to expand rapidly by attracting more customers to join the market thus increasing the degree of rivalry within the industry. The excellent utilization of IT have directly contributed to their promotional activities, brand building exercise as well keep the cost low by enabling direct purchase of tickets by consumer thus saving on airline agent fees. AirAsia was recognized for being the first airline in the world to introduce SMS and IVR booking solutions to its guests to expand its booking system. AirAsia widely utilizes the internet as a booking and payment channel has kept them to be the leading airline company in Asia. Its comprehensive website at (www. airasia.com), allows guest to book and pay for seats, check flight schedules, and acquire information about the airline. The website is so popular, that approximately 45% of AirAsias business is done th rough internet sales. AirAsia became the first airline in the world to offer a multi-lingual website that comes in 6 languages English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, Tamil, Thai, and now Bahasa Indonesia. This is also one of the advantages of the company as the website is user friendly as well as enabling company to focus on different market segment especially countries in Asia. On the other hand, the management team of AirAsia is also very good in strategy formulation and execution. This is no doubt a crucial strength for Airasia as company strategy is the core element of a business. To be successful in their long terms objective and their business, AirAsia need to identify their strategic management. Company can easily achieve their vision and mission base on the good management. With good management, company is required to be considered of its ability. The ability of the company can be integrated by the SWOT analysis. Airline industry is a unique and complex industry, thus without a good and right management, its possible that AirAsia could not be able to compete with the complex business environment. AirAsia has a strong management team instead of just a general management. The simply general management involved in the major four functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling may not be sufficient to support the whole organization. It is more concern in the management internally but rather creating competitiveness. The strategy that management team of AirAsia have formulated was a combined of several proven strategies by other low cost airlines. The strategies included Ryanairs Operational Strategy which emphasis on no frill and landing in secondary air port is a good starting point for the organisation. Other strategies like Southwests People Strategy focus mainly on employee while Easyjets Branding strategy is an excellent idea by linking the organization with other service providers like hotels, car rental and etc. Weaknesses The second part of the internal factor of SWOT analysis is the weaknesses. The main weakness of AirAsia is that they do not have their own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility. Why AirAsia need maintenance, repair and overhaul facility? It is because since AirAsia is expanding to a huge company and they have huge number of planes need to be serviced in order to ensure the safety of the customer. The lack of own maintenance teams may lead some problems such as renewing contract, misunderstanding of the contact, lack communication, poor quality and delayed services amongst others. On the other hand, they also may not drive the same standards and mission that drives by AirAsia and there is a risk that the confidentiality may be compromised. Thus, without a proper MRO facility, it will affect the productivity and performance of the company causing a hindrance to the road of success of AirAsia. The second weakness of AirAsia is that AirAsia has received a lot of complaint from customers on their service. For examples, flight delays, being charged for more and not able to change flight or get a refund if customers could not make it. Customers are the main source of income for an enterprise especially when it involves services, it is crucial that Airasia set their priority on customers by having the concept of customer first. To maintain a good customer service is essential when competition is getting intense nowadays. When a customer feel unhappy with the services provided to them, it may distort company brand name besides presenting a negative and undesirable image to not only a single customer but a number of them when they are being acknowledge and influent by negative feedbacks through unsatisfied customer. Therefore it is significant for AirAsia to be serious on considering customer complaints and utilized them to improve their services. After reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of AirAsia, we must also consider the external factor of SWOT analysis which is opportunities and threats of Airasia in market place. Opportunities The opportunity of AirAsia is depend on the ever-increasing oil price. The increase of service cost or production cost is the most undesirable result which will decrease the overall return earning of their company. However, the increasing oil price has become another opportunity for AirAsia instead of bringing threat to the company. It is mainly because AirAsia has been emphasized in the low cost strategy and being a low cost leader, although the extra cost of the increase oil price will bring disadvantages to AirAsia, this effect will not be a huge impact to AirAsia, its cost will still be the lowest among all the regional airlines as other airline company also facing the same problem. Thus, AirAsia has a great opportunity to capture some of the existing customers of full service airline and other low cost airlines customers as well. Thus, this opportunity creates a winning position for Airasia when it is a threat for other airline company. Secondly, the ASEAN Open Skies agreement that has been reached is another opportunity for AirAsia. Open Skies is an international policy concept which calls for the liberalization of rules and regulations on international aviation industry especially commercial aviation. ASEAN Open Skies allow unlimited flights among ASEANs regional air carriers beginning December 2008; it allows AirAsia adding Singapore routes which has proven to be high yielding and is expected to deliver sustained profit. This will definitely increase the competition among the regional airlines. Moreover, AirAsia stands at the gate of profitable opportunities, their recent developments and intended expansions will give them a global exposition. As they venture into internet booking and ticketless services for their marketing processes, they would be opened to electronic commerce business solutions for their enterprise, such as SCM, ERP, and EDI etc. Furthermore, the use of internet services for their services would open more opportunities for AirAsia in the process of solving network, communication, and information related problems that could be inherent in the organization. The population of Asian middle class is reaching almost 700 million by 2010 can also creates a larger market and a huge opportunity for all low cost airlines in this region including AirAsia. You can imagine that more and more people would be willing to travel by air; it would bring advantages to AirAsia, however, as well as other company. Threats AirAsia take advantages of lower landing fees at low cost terminal, which is also without airport lounges charges. They also provide E-ticket rather than printed ticket to customer which is cheaper. However, due to the certain rates like airport departure, security charges and landing charges are beyond the control of airline operators, this is a threat to all airlines especially low cost airlines that tries to keep their cost as low as possible. For example, Changi airport in Singapore charges SGD21 for every person who departs from Singapore. This is an extra cost that is compulsory to pay. Different airport charges differently and this might lead to extra uncertain cost for AirAsia. Another threat would be security of their networks. As mentioned above, Airasia is highly depending on their information technology and information system used. For example online booking, customer information and details kept in system may be risky when the security of the networks is susceptible. This will put the company at risk to bear the enormous loss when the information system is being destroyed. The internet is a public domain and as such it is vulnerable to be attacked by hackers or viruses, AirAsia ought to be conscious of these threats and have proper plans and control to prevent any of these to happen. Owning to the facts that most organization are struggling for survival, major players may enter targeted market segment which is profitable. Alternatively, Market segments growth could attract major competition. This will create another threat for AirAsia. AirAsias profit margin is about 30% and this has also already attracted many competitors. Some of the full service airlines have or planning to create a low cost subsidiary to compete directly with AirAsia. For example, Singapore Airlines has created a low cost carrier such as Tiger Airways which is one of their business strategies to gain market value and compete with low cost airline. Therefore it is vital for Airasia to maintain competitive among the rival by upgrading their services consistently. Users perception that high budget airlines may compromise their safety, thus to keep costs low is another threat to AirAsia. AirAsia must have high-quality planning in order to provide customers first-class airline service by ensuring their safety and comforts with an affordable price. AirAsia needs to aware of the market demands and policies for local territories, because economic slowdown could reduce demand for AirAsia. Local Airlines would have easy access to certain information that could aid them; therefore, AirAsia needs to be on constant market audit, market researches and control to keep up with such competition. In conclusion, Swot analysis is a very effective way of identifying strengths and weaknesses, and of  examining the opportunities and threats one tends to face. Carrying out an analysis using  the SWOT framework helps AirAsia to focus activities into areas where one is strong and where  the greatest opportunities lie. SWOT analysis from AirAsia is one of the major components to strengthen the business and allow them to be able to compete with the competitor by possessing a firm position in low cost carrier airline industry. Porters Five Forces Model Power of suppliers In every business industry, suppliers always exist. Power of the suppliers is important as it will affect the industry. Suppliers supply inputs in order to produce goods or services to the customers. Inputs can be referred to raw materials, services such as expertise, components, and labor which are essential to run the firm or to power up the company. In the airline industry, the suppliers are quite influential since there are only two major suppliers which are Airbus and Boeing. Hence there are not many choices for airline industry. Nevertheless, the global economic crisis has limited the new entrant and also reducing the upgrade of planes in the immediate future.    However, both suppliers provide almost same standard aircrafts and hence the switching to AirAsia is low. Moreover, AirAsia placed a large amount of order from Airbus in order to accommodate the heavy demand from the public on its reasonable flights. AirAsia have no problem acquiring airplane from their supplier, AirBus because AirAsia is mainly an AirBuss airplanes user. Its rival, MAS whereas is mainly a Boeings airplanes user. Power of buyers. Besides the compulsory existence of suppliers, buyers are also necessary in the business industry. This is because they are the prerequisite for the company to keep running. Buyers who are also recognizes as the stakeholders are people who demand goods and services from the firm. This tells us that buyer tends to hold bargaining power and this pressurizes firms. Price changes can be sensitive in the competitive market and the consequence might cause firms to lose or gain in revenue. In our case, buyers demand reasonable and affordable flight price from AirAsia. Years after this airlines been incorporated, it successfully satisfy the buyers bargaining power for flights at a low fare by introducing campaign such as Mind Blowing Fair, New Year Sale, 500,000 Free Seats and the latest with Fabulous Fly-Day. AirAsia is first to introduce ticket-less traveling, are nearly accomplish. In this industry, buyers have no bargaining power on price of fare like those in a morning market. In fact, they are often offered cheap fare flight on limited period such Every Friday, 11am-4pm. AirAsia adopted an information technology (IT) similarly to other airlines which called Yield Management System (YMS). Even though this system has affected the price of fare, but it is able to achieve fairness in business to the customers and the firms. As an example, a reservation done at a later date will be charged more than the one done earlier for the same seat. This is to provide advantage in term of lower price for the customers who had put efforts in buying fares earlier. Moreover, high demanded routes or destination tends to be more expensive compare to destinations which are less active. By doing so, AirAsia would be able to cope with total seats demanded by the customers. If price of fares are the same overall, AirAsia would unable to earn from flights which are less popular. The intensity of competitive rivalry The word intensity means the pressure or amount of forces being applied. Thus, this Porters force talks about how competitive are the firms or companies in the business market. In this competitive market, many firms often fall due to their incapability to cope with competitive pressure from the rivals. Those firms will end up losing more than their cost of input or eventually strive into other markets. In order to survive in a competitive market, firm must not fall into dilemma when it comes to advertising, invest in research and development(RD), innovate new yet efficient product and up to date with latest technology. This is because those efforts by least can provide the firm competitive advantages in the market. In Malaysia, there are only two main airlines companies which are operating and dominating in the countrys market, apart from other foreign airlines company. They are AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines (MAS). Firefly is actually a wholly owned airline by MAS. Both of these airlines have been rivals for at least a decade. Thus, it can be concluded that AirAsia is receiving high intensity of competitive pressure from MAS. MAS have always strived to provide comfortable and reasonable fare flights to compete with AirAsia. However, AirAsia is still capable to resist their pressure by providing customers with cheap fare tickets without losing the quality of their services. The main competitive advantage of AirAsia is low cost in providing services. For example, meals during flight are not provided which can save up the cost to provide foods and in return, reducing the cost of fare. Spaces in AirAsias airplanes are fully utilized so that the airplane is able to load more passengers in a single f light. This enables the company to earn more and making them capable to provide cheaper fare flight. AirAsia through its designated system provide customers a comfortable service in booking the flights through internet and mobile. Customers can surf mobile.airasia.com to book flight using mobile or http://www.airasia.com using the internet. Their systematic online electronic ticket ordering process enables them to even cope with mass booking by the customers during day and night. The diagram explains how the system works and notify why the errors are kept to the minimum. It is a computer reservation system (CRM) powered by Navitaires Open Skies technology that includes Internet, call center, and airport departure control functionality. This system has greatly assist AirAsia in achieving success. Even Tony Fernandes, CEO, AirAsia agrees: Navitaires Open Skies technology has truly enabled AirAsias growth from 2 million passengers to 7.7 million passengers in less than two years. Open Skies scaled easily to accommodate our growth. However, I would strongly declare that even though AirAsia indeed is receiving competitive pressure from MAS but, the market or industry itself is not competitive as both of them have already dominate their respective market segments. Threat of New Entrants Barriers to entry are designed to block the way of potential and new entrants from entering a market profitably and to compete with the existing firms. Capital requirements, economy of scale, product differentiation, government and legal barriers are some of the examples of barriers for a new entrant. New entrants to a business will bring a brand new capacity and a desire to gain market share this will apply pressure on prices, costs, and the rate of investment. There is always an underlying pressure for response and alteration for the existing players in a business when there is a new entrance. The competition in a business will be high if it is easy for other companies to enter to this business. As we know the biggest barrier for a new player to enter any business especially airline industry is the cost of entry. Airline industry is a business that requires huge and large investment. Thus, AirAsia has a low threat of new entrants because the airline industry is so saturated that there is barely space for a newcomer even to squeeze its way in. Cost of buying and leasing aircrafts, safety and security measures, customer service, research and development, high manpower and technologies causes the airline industry to become one of the most expensive industries in the world. In this world of today, every primary activity is carried on by specific information technologies especially for business like airline industry. It is extremely costly for a business to implement these information technologies systems. So, this is another barrier for the new players to enter to certain business. For instance, Advanced Planning and Scheduling System (APS) are significant in aviation business. It is costly for a company to implement this system but without implementing and employing the system, no airline as well as AirAsia can run their business smoothly. Air Asia requires APS system to maintain their customers loyalty because APS system is competent in optimizing operational planning and scheduling which enable Air Asia to create new source of cost advantages. As a result, this shows that Air Asia has a high threat of new entrants since those systems are costly to implement. Brand name of existing airlines and frequent fliers point are other barriers to entry. It is really difficult to decoy consumers out of their existing favorite brands. Somehow, an airline with a strong recognition can maintains old customers and lures new customers even though its prices are higher. How does Air Asia do it? Information Technologies (IT) is one of the major that enables Air Asia to offer their customers in lowest possible prices. All airlines industry competes on costs. To maintain and to improve in the current market position as well as new market, AirAsia has implemented the Low Cost Carrier System (LCC) in order to continuously searching for cost advantages. AirAsia has successfully positioned their simple but strong slogan Now Everyone Can Fly in their customers mind by offering lowest possible prices. Lowest possible prices lead to increase in their profit. Its net profit for the second quarter ending 31 December 2004 was reported RM44.4 million, a 322% increase over the previous quarter (AirAsia, 2005). This again shows AirAsia has a high threat for new entrants to enter. Threat of New Substitute Threat of new substitute means the availability of a product that the customer can purchased rather than the industrys product. In other words, substitute product is an alternative of products that offers by other firms that have similar benefits or functions. Profitability of an industry will be affected by the availability of substitutes because customers have the choice to choose. A number of factors such as consumer switching costs, prices and quality of substitute products will determine the presence of threat in this aspect. For local airlines, the threat of substitutes face by AirAsia might be a bit higher than international carriers. Substitutes for air travel to the desired location in a local country include train, car or bus yet time, money, personal preferences and convenience will determining ones decision. Although airlines travel maybe a slightly expensive than by bus or car, the time taken is much faster. Since AirAsia has implemented Low Cost Carrier System which can offers customers in lowest possible price has lead to most of the customers switch to AirAsia as the switching costs is low. AirAsia faced a low threat substitutes for international carriers since there is a low threat of new entrants. Besides, most of the customers choose to travel by air since traveling through air save times. However, in the worldwide market, AirAsia still needs to compete with many existing players such as Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. Nevertheless, AirAsia builds and maintains its competitive advantage by offering services at a price that is basically lesser than competitors prices. Above and beyond AirAsia has become the first airline that executed ticketless travelling among its competitors by using computer reservations system. Computer reservation system is a programmed and computerized system that used to store and retrieves information and perform transaction associated to air travel. This assisted AirAsia to perform operation effectively and efficiently. ERP, SCM, CRM In todays globalize economy, information technology (IT) has driven fundamental changes in the nature and application of technology in business. Cross-functional system is the third era of information system, coming after calculation system and functional system. What exactly is the purpose of the system? What benefits will organizations obtain after implementing the system? These questions are so frequently asked that some companies even gave up on executing the cross-functional system as it involves coordinating activities across multiple departments and require workers to comprehensively change the way they used to work. However, cross-functional system will be extremely beneficial if it is applied in the correct manner. A successful application of cross-functional systems is dependent on two factors, people issues and technological issues. People issues include corporate culture, work units and individual decision makers. The important factor in corporate cultures and work units is no doubt cooperation, only by working together managers are able to share information through the system. For efficient decision making, useless or incorrect information in cross-functional systems must also be prevented. Technological issues on the other hand, include information system (IS) elements. Management must compare the advantages of using information system elements such as inputs, processors and outputs with the costs involved. There are plenty of examples regarding cross-functional system, but Supply Chain Management (SCM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) are the 3 types of enterprise system going to be discussed. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the current trend in most of the organization, where SCM is define as a set of synchronized decisions and activities utilized to efficiently integrate suppliers, warehouses, transporters, retailers, and customers so that the right product or services is distributed at the right quantities, to the right location and at the right time in order to satisfy customers high demand and minimize any unnecessary cost occurred. SCM core objective is to improve customer service by eliminating waste from the system in all types of form including wasted time. Being able to eliminated wasted time allows the coordination of business processes to be speeded up. Commonly, supply chain contains three flows that organizations need to take into account. First is the material flow, where all physical products including the end-products, raw material and so forth flow along the chain. Information flow consist of all types of data including demand, supply shipment, orders and all sort of information that are required in the supply chain. Lastly is financial flow, involving all transfer of money, payment and credit related data which is vital in the supply chain. On the other hand, a companys supply chain is complicated because it might involve hundreds and even tho