Monday, May 18, 2020

My Views On Teaching And Teaching - 903 Words

I believe knowledge is far more valuable when shared and teaching is significant as it imparts knowledge to others. My teaching experiences in college as a private tutor and in graduate school as a lab instructor have not only helped me to improve my teaching skills, but also have encouraged me to pursue a life-long career in teaching and research. Now that I am equipped with the knowledge of fundamental Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology as well as research experience, I am eager for a teaching opportunity to share what I have learned and to inspire those young and fresh minds so often found in academia. My primary objective as teacher is to persuade my students to learn the fundamentals of the courses, but beyond that, I hope to raise their confidence for critical thinking, develop problem-solving strategies, improve learning skills, and prepare them to function effectively when encountering real world challenges. Practically, I perceive teaching and learning as a closed-loop system where transferring information, evaluating responses, re-adjusting parameters, and obtaining a final output are all cross-linked and equally important. I encouraged and highly valued my students for independent thinking as it is the foundation of problem solving. In my belief, it is the teacher who defines the students’ responsibilities and the overall tone of a class. I would be responsible for providing the basic course knowledge in the form of lectures, reading material, and hands-onShow MoreRelatedMy Views on Teaching Essay examples933 Words   |  4 Pagesforever in their lives of the students. There will be different philosophies of education in this paper that will be discuss. Every philosophy perspectives that teachers have chosen for the students it is important because it can depends on their teaching strengths and effectiveness. The goal of any philosophy could be that every student would be able to succeed in their lives. The students are not alike, but most of them have similarities. For a teacher she/he needs to find a philosophy that worksRead MoreMy Views On Teaching Fourth Grade Teacher1758 Words   |  8 PagesThis past semesters has been an eye opening experience that has changed my views on teacher. Ever since I w as little, I have always wanted to be a fourth grade teacher. However after being placed in a second grade classroom my views have changed. I liked the idea of teaching fourth grade because my fourth grade teacher was my inspiration in life. When I was in Ms. Petro’s class I enjoyed being able to watch the students progress over time. Being able to see the drastic improvements in little childrenRead MoreTaking a Look at Hegemonic Assumptions1237 Words   |  5 Pagesour own best interests but actually work against us in the long run (Brookfield, 1998). A few common examples of this in teaching are the perfect 10 that we should strive for perfect evaluations in everything we do and that a good teacher always gets a perfect evaluation, that teaching is a vocation it is a calling in life and if you do not give all your time over to teaching then you are not a good teacher, that the answer must be out there somewhere that someone somewhere has previously solvedRead MoreThe Importance Of Critical Reflection On Teaching1270 Words   |  6 PagesImportance of reflection: Reflection on practice has different meanings, in my view it means constructive criticism: being honest with myself, becoming aware of and understanding my own strengths, and being able to review activities and constantly test assumptions related to our work. These have been my approach to critical reflection throughout the year. This is supported by Brookfield, he says that Critically reflective teaching happens when we identify and scrutinise the assumptions that undergirdRead More My Philosophy of Teaching Essay506 Words   |  3 PagesMy Philosophy of Teaching When thinking of a philosophy of teaching, four major issues need to be considered. Those issues are one’s views on education, the role of the teacher, teaching and learning, and on the children. This is something that someone entering the teaching profession needs to give serious thought to and realize the importance that this will hold in the future. The following essay will express my philosophy of teaching. One very important factor in every life isRead MoreKincheloe on Critical Pedagogy1283 Words   |  5 Pagespolitics† (1). Kincheloe’s goal in this reading is to characterize teacher thinking by examining social and historical forces that have shaped teaching, and to understand who benefits and who is punished when it is defined in specific ways. Kincheloe also discussed in the reading that the separation of mind and matter has profound and unfortunate consequences. This view led to a conception of the world as a divided system into two distinct realms: an internal world of sensation and an objective world composedRead MoreUnderstanding The Current Epistemological Understanding1627 Words   |  7 Pagesin now. b. With what degree of certainty can we describe or explain content within our teaching area? What are the implications of that for teaching? When describing or explaining content within an elementary classroom, I can be confident in what I am teaching my students. I have this confidence because the information I will teach will have been researched and proven to be true. For example, when teaching science or math (or really any subject), I will use methods, formulas, equations, etc. thatRead More2016 Teaching Portfolio : Erin Link Essay1192 Words   |  5 Pages2016 Teaching Portfolio: Erin Link Teaching Experience Responsibilities: This was my first semester with Copper Mountain College, however, my career in education started over 10 years ago. I have been fortunate to serve in a variety of teaching roles. These range from cooperative teaching experiences in preschool special education classrooms, one-on-one behavioral tutoring for children with autism, and a supervisory teaching role in a community college lab preschool program. Each of these contextsRead MorePersonal Philosophy Of Educational Essay Essay1240 Words   |  5 PagesKofi Annan, of Ghana said, â€Å"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family† (nobelprize.org). My ambition to become an educator stems from a desire to help children grow into productive and successful adults. I am a mother of six children. As I have guided my individual children through the different stages of their childhood, adventures, adversities, and educational experiences, I have come to realize that all children haveRead More Professional Essay example1116 Words   |  5 Pageswhen my sister and I would play school with our friends. It was one of the best experiences that I had. It was this experience that helped me make up my mind about being a teacher. Now as I move through the different stages in the educational program, I have determined that I have developed certain beliefs. By teaching and working with children, people can see my beliefs. My philosophy towards education is progressivism. Progressivism can be found in my views about public schools, my teaching

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Lepenski Vir - Mesolithic Village in the Republic of Serbia

Lepenski Vir is a series of Mesolithic villages located on a high sandy terrace of the Danube River, on the Serbian bank of the Iron Gates Gorge  of the Danube river. This site was the location of at least six village occupations, beginning about 6400 BC, and ending about 4900 BC. Three phases are seen at Lepenski Vir; the first two are whats left of a complex foraging society; and Phase III represents a farming community. Life in Lepenski Vir Houses in Lepenski Vir, throughout the 800-year-long Phase I and II occupations, are laid out in a strict parallelepiped plan, and each village, each collection of houses is arranged in a fan shape across the face of the sandy terrace. The wooden houses were floored with sandstone, often covered with a hardened limestone plaster and sometimes burnished with red and white pigments. A hearth, often found with evidence of a fish-roasting spit, was placed centrally within each structure. Several of the houses held altars and sculptures, sculpted out of the sandstone rock. Evidence seems to indicate that the last function of the houses at Lepenski Vir was as a burial site for a single individual. Its clear that the Danube flooded the site regularly, perhaps as much as twice a year, making permanent residence impossible; but that residence resumed after the floods is certain. Many of the stone sculptures are monumental in size; some, found in front of houses at Lepenski Vir, are quite distinctive, combining human and fish characteristics. Other artifacts found in and around the site include a vast array of decorated and undecorated artifacts, such as miniature stone axes and figurines, with lesser amounts of bone and shell. Lepenski Vir and Farming Communities At the same time as foragers and fishers lived at Lepenski Vir, early farming communities sprang up around it, known as the Starcevo-Cris culture, who exchanged pottery and food with the inhabitants of Lepenski Vir. Researchers believe that over time Lepenski Vir evolved from a small foraging settlement to the ritual center for the farming communities in the area--into a place where the past was revered and the old ways followed. The geography of Lepenski Vir may have played an enormous part in the ritual significance of the village. Across the Danube from the site is the trapezoidal mountain Treskavek, whose shape is repeated in the floor plans of the houses; and in the Danube in front of the site is a large whirlpool, the image of which is repeatedly carved into many of the stone sculptures. Like Catal Hoyuk in Turkey, which is dated to roughly the same period, the site of Lepenski Vir provides us with a glimpse into Mesolithic culture and society, into ritual patterns and gender relationships, into the transformation of foraging societies into agricultural societies, and into resistance to that change. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com Guide to the European Mesolithic, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Bonsall C, Cook GT, Hedges REM, Higham TFG, Pickard C, and Radovanovic I. 2004. Radiocarbon and stable isotope evidence of dietary change from the Mesolithic to the Middle Ages in the Iron Gates: New results from Lepenski Vir. Radiocarbon 46(1):293-300. Boric D. 2005. Body Metamorphosis and Animality: Volatile Bodies and Boulder Artworks from Lepenski Vir. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 15(1):35-69. Boric D, and Miracle P. 2005. Mesolithic and Neolithic (dis)continuities in the Danube Gorges: New AMS dates from Padina and Hajducka vodenica (Serbia). Oxford Journal of Archaeology 23(4):341-371. Chapman J. 2000. Lepenski Vir, in Fragmentation in Archaeology, pp. 194-203. Routledge, London. Handsman RG. 1991. Whose art was found at Lepenski Vir? Gender relations and power in archaeology. In: Gero JM, and Conkey MW, editors. Engendering Archaeology: Women and Prehistory. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p 329-365. Marciniak A. 2008. Europe, Central and Eastern. In: Pearsall DM, editor. Encyclopedia of Archaeology. New York: Academic Press. p 1199-1210.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Montessori Philosophy the Planes of Development - 2038 Words

Montessori Philosophy: The Planes of Development Most people’s idea of how children grow and develop is a steady continuous movement along a path from point A birth, to point B adulthood. Maria Montessori’s philosophy on how humans learn differs in that she believed learning for children and youth occurred as a series of waves or cycles. After years of observation, Montessori concluded there are four distinct planes of development that everyone must pass through on their way to adulthood: birth-6, 6-12, 12-18, and 18-24. In each of the planes she believed that children and youth are drawn to different skills and activities and if they are provided with the opportunities to explore and practice them, children can make†¦show more content†¦The absorbent mind, so prevalent from birth to age six, gives way to the conscious mind in the second plane of development. Learning now takes place at a slower, steadier pace. Children in the second plane of development are much less drawn to the repetition of activities, unless there is some variation involved. Children in the second plane of development are also no longer solitary beings. They now tend to gravitate towards others in their environment. Around the age of 6, children begin to become interested in their classmates and are learning how to get along. They start to choose to work with others on projects of mutual interest. By 11 or 12, most students prefer to work with others rather than individually. Between the ages of 6 and 12, children exper ience great growth physically. However, what stands out greater than their physical growth is their capacity for great mental growth. In the second plane, children will reason about what has become part of their lives through the power of imagination and intelligence. They need to hear stories of greatness and goodness and moral values. The mind of the elementary child concerns itself with building a conscience, that inner sense of what is right and wrong. During this period of growth, they need toShow MoreRelatedThe Educational Work Of Maria Montessori1349 Words   |  6 PagesMaria Montessori was born on the 31st August 1870 in the town of Chiaravalle, Italy. Maria got her quest for knowledge from her parents who were both well educated. She started her education at a local state school and proceeded onto a technical institute where she intended to pursue a career in engineering. This was unusual at the time as there were barriers that constrained women’s careers, leavin g them with fewer options to pursue technical careers than their male contemporaries. Even after graduatingRead MoreMaria Montessori Education Essay1052 Words   |  5 PagesMaria Montessori was born on August 31,1870†¯in†¯Chiaravalle, Marche, Italy to a financial manager father and an educated mother who highly valued education. Due to this, Montessori was a properly educated woman with a talent and passion for†¯higher education†¯which was extremely unusual for an Italian woman during her time. In†¯the†¯19th†¯century there was much controversy on whether children belonged in the work field or in the classroom. Based on their families†¯social class†¯a child would either go workRead MoreChild Development1167 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The Montessori method of education is one of the very unusual approaches of educating young children that has been based on the experiences and research of educator and physician Maria Montessori (1870–1952). The method basically arose from what Dr. Montessori’s discovered and named it the â€Å"the child’s normal nature† back in 1907 (Montessori, 1972). This happened during one of her experimental observations with young children who had been given the freedom they need d in an environmentRead MoreMontessori And Traditional School System3001 Words   |  13 PagesMontessori has a different perspective than the traditional school system because of its approach to treat each person as an individual. The Montessori method is actually a philosophy of education. This philosophy emphasizes the fact that education should go far beyond the acquisition of knowledge, and instead be a practical aid to life and help developing the whole of the human’s persona lity. In her book â€Å"The Four Planes of Education†, Maria Montessori often refers about the unknown potentialRead MoreReflection on Observation Essay4612 Words   |  19 Pagespresence and watching, you cannot help but feel that you are somehow changing or influencing the class and the students that make it up. My observations took place in two settings, the first and my primary observation source, was at Children’s Garden Montessori School in El Cerrito, my daughter’s school, it is a private pre-school with children ages two to five. My second observation was the Fit Kids program at my local Berkeley YMCA, this program was created for children over the age of eight and combinesRead MorePhilosophy of Montessori Education2683 Words   |  11 Pagespath, seeking the release of potentialities.† Discuss the statement with reference to Montessori philosophy. Dr Maria Montessori started her work in the field of education and child psychology, when she had already obtained a doctor’s degree in medicine and surgery. Her scientific training and experience were exceptionally broad based and unique. Her approach to education encompassed the whole development of man from birth to adulthood. The most important contribution of her work, in the presentRead MoreWhat Does It Mean to Be an ‘Expert Generalist† and What Does the Montessori Teacher Need to Make This a Realistic Statement?2140 Words   |  9 Pageswhat does the Montessori teacher need to make this a realistic statement? | Mali Engelbrecht | Table of contents: Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p 4 Enlightened generalist †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p 4-8 Pre-school vs. elementary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p 5 Cosmic Education †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..p 5 Parent education and communication †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p 6 Tim Seldin †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p 6amp;7 Traditional vs. Montessori †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreDefine the Term Sensitive Periods and Link Them Appropriately to the Child’s First Stage of Development2382 Words   |  10 Pagesappropriately to the child’s first stage of development. Explain how you would support these sensitive periods during this first crucial stage.- Briefly outline the stages of growth (planes of development). -Define the term sensitive periods and give full details of the six main periods, together with examples to show your understanding. -Explain why it is important to support and facilitate these periods during the child’s first stage of development (birth – 6). - Outline any adverse consequencesRead MoreSensitive periods2107 Words   |  9 Pagesappropriately to the child’s first stage of development . Explain how you would support these sensitive periods during this first crucial stage. Dr. Maria Montessori, basing on her scientific child observation, concluded that children learn and adjust to their surroundings on their own and by the means of inner powers (Montessori, 1966) they possess at birth: the Absorbent Mind (Montessori, 2007a), human tendencies (Montessori, 1966) and sensitive periods (Montessori, 1966). Essential skills acquisitionRead MoreMontessori and Its Effect on Our Lives7951 Words   |  32 Pages Montessori and Its Effect on Our Lives ABSRTACT Montessori is the foundation of every childs education and course of life. It not only develops the intellectual ability but also the physical and mental capabilities. This paper is about Montessori and the effect it has on our lives. It explains the purpose of Maria Montessoris work for the development of individuals and improving the traditional education system. Table of Contents Conventional Knowledge and Education 5 Chaos Theory

Essay on Oppression of Women in The Awakening - 768 Words

Kate Chopins novel The Awakening in the opening chapter provides the argument for womens entrapment in roles that society has forced upon them. Chopin was not just trying to write an entertaining story but trying to convey arguments against these social injustices. Women are like these birds trapped in these cages unable to free themselves from these imposed roles by society. Chopin opens her novel with the a parrot in a cage repeating the same phrase over and over. The parrot is pretty to look at, but when the bird speaks it is very annoying. This is the way women were potrayed in the late 19th century restricted to very limited space in society, --- hung in a cage outside the door pretty to look at, but annoying because†¦show more content†¦He walks away from the main house toward his own cottage since he could not concentrate on reading because of the noise --- The parrot and the mocking bird --- had the privilege of --- [making] all the noise they wished (516). The typical male attitude that women were entertaining to look at and possess, but were irritating creatures because they chattered incessantly. That Mr. Pontellier like most males --- had the privilege of quitting their society when [birds or women] ceased to be entertaining (516). Mr. Pontellier goes back to the same boring task --- once more [applying] himself to the task of reading the newspaper (516). That men were able to apply themselves to the same menial and meaningless task over and over. Men were self-absorbed, concerned only with work, and obtaining possession not maintaining relationships with their families. He was already acquainted with [most of the paper] and he glanced restlessly over the editorials --- which he had not had time to read before [leaving] New Orleans the day before (516). Here is reading the paper when he hasnt seen his family all week. Also, he is restless ready to get back away from the pretty, incessantly chattering birds that he owns that irritate and annoy him. The passage goes on to describe the surrounding scenery, Madame Lebrun, and theShow MoreRelated`` Night Women `` By Edwidge Danticat And The Story Called The Awakening921 Words   |  4 PagesThe story called â€Å"Night Women† by Edwidge Danticat and the story called â€Å"The Awakening† by Crystal Wilkinson portray womanhood in different ways. However, both stories are very interesting and convey powerful ideas to the readers. Although the portrayal of womanhood is different, they share some similarities. To start with, I would like to express my thoughts about â€Å"Night Women†, which has become one of my favorite stories due to its unique language, exquisite metaphors, and powerfulRead More Comparing Edna of Kate Chopins The Awakening and Nora of Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House 1038 Words   |  5 PagesComparing Edna of Kate Chopins The Awakening and Nora of Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House Kate Chopins work, The Awakening, and Henrik Ibsens play, A Dolls House, were written at a time when men dominated women in every aspect of life.   Edna Pontellier, the protagonist in The Awakening, and Nora, the protagonist in A Dolls House, are trapped in a world dominated by men.   The assumed superiority of their husbands traps them in their households.   Edna and Nora share many similarities, yetRead MoreEssay on A Male Dominated Society During the 19th Century952 Words   |  4 Pages During the 19th century, women were controlled by a male dominated society. The women were in pure agony knowing that there was no faith for them to have a crucial change in civilization. This could often lead to â€Å"clinical depression† in which a human could feel lonely, empty, confounded and miserable. In this time period, women’s role in society was to be simply mothers and wives. A world where women had rights, control, and power was a fantasy. According to Hall, h e states, â€Å"Key to all feministRead More The Variety of Feminisms and their Contributions to Gender Equality by Judith Lorber1120 Words   |  5 Pagesideology that holds those aspects together is the oppression of women in general. Though, it is when talking about male dominance, women’s resistance, and women’s social roles, that the views on feminism changes. In the book, The Awakening, Kate Chopin greatly reveals women’s resistance within a male dominated society through her main character Edna Pontellier. Similarly, in her short, The Story of an Hour, Chopin emphasized the oppression that married women went through with their husbands during theRead MoreDemoralization In The Awakening1584 Words   |  7 PagesThe Awakening. Coupling this description with Edna taking her life at the end of the novel and Chopin’s own inferred demoralization, due to the almost universal aversion to The Awakening, the natural conclusion is that it is a work of â⠂¬Å"great personal demoralization†, (Companion 5) as Michael Levenson states. Levenson suggests most modernist authors and artists paint a bleak picture of their time period because they are demoralized. Although the portrait Chopin paints of female oppression in 1899Read MoreFeminist Literary And Cultural Theory By Donald Hall1338 Words   |  6 Pages(200). For example, feminist analysis is being able to recognize the different degrees of social power that are given to and used by men and women (Halls 199). While cultural feminism is one of the many types of feminism, it is an important issue in society. It mainly focuses on the stereotypical roles and characteristics that are given to women. The Awakening by Kate Chopin is an excellent example of cultural feminism. Kate Chopin was born in 1850 when society was filled with stereotypes and patriarchyRead MorePersonal Demoralization In The Awakening1561 Words   |  7 PagesPersonal Demoralization in The Awakening To demoralize someone is to dishearten or discourage them and cause them to lose hope. Kate Chopin uses words like â€Å"depressed† (56), â€Å"hopeless† (56) and â€Å"despondency† (p115) to describe Edna Pontellier, the heroine, in The Awakening. Coupling this description with Edna taking her life at the end of the novel and Chopin’s own inferred demoralization, due to the universal aversion to The Awakening, the natural conclusion is that it is a work of â€Å"great personalRead MoreThe Symbolism Of Birds Throughout Chopin s The Awakening1564 Words   |  7 PagesThe Symbolism of Birds in Chopin’s The Awakening In the 1899 novella, The Awakening, Kate Chopin illustrates the social oppression that women experienced during the Victorian Era (1837-1901). The protagonist in the novella, Edna Pontellier, reflects the progressive women of the late 1800s who began to question the traditional gender roles of society. In contrast to customary women such as Adele Ratignolle, the model character in the story who displays very high standards of being a wife and a motherRead MoreWomen s Patriarchal Oppression By Kate Chopin Essay1621 Words   |  7 PagesNovember 2016 Women s Patriarchal Oppression Women have been denied social power and the right to various forms of self-expression during the 19th century. Feminism is the belief that women should be treated as equals to men and have the same opportunities. Feminist analysis discusses about topics such as women in society that s been through oppression, dehumanizing, and depression. Several brave female writers came forth during this period, to speak out against their oppression through the meansRead MoreEssay on Romanticism, Realism and Local Color in The Awakening1018 Words   |  5 PagesRomanticism, Realism and Local Color in The Awakening nbsp; Kate Chopin is an author who was born in 1851 and died in 1904.nbsp; Her father died when she was young, and her husband died when she was thirty-one leaving her with six children.nbsp; Due to this, she had little male influence throughout her life.nbsp; This may possibly be why she had so little inhibition when writing her novels.nbsp; She seemed to concentrate on the oppression of women and presented socially unacceptable ideas

Emergency Contraception free essay sample

The idea of Emergency Contraception is not a new to society, however it is still igniting many debates just as it did when it was first introduced to the United States. Emergency contraception continues to be a highly emotional and controversial issue, both for advocates who believe EC will lower the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, and for opponents who believe that using EC amounts to an abortion. The controversy fueling this debate centers around one of the ways that emergency contraception works. Emergency contraception can prevent or delay ovulation, affect the movement of the egg or sperm: making them less likely to meet, it can also interfere with the fertilization process and prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. In March of 2009, a United States judge ordered the FDA to allow 17 year olds the ability to acquire the emergency contraceptive without a prescription. We will write a custom essay sample on Emergency Contraception or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This overruled the 2006 ruling that anyone under the age of 18 was not permitted to receive Plan B without a prescription. Jessica Welbourn, who is an active intern at Naral Pro-Choice NY, said, The passage of the new law reducing the age from 18 to 17 will reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and will reduce the number of unsafe abortions because minors who are afraid to ask for help from parents/doctors and dont have access to the pill will take termination into their own hands. This will prevent the situation from even getting to that stage and will avoid an abortion all together. (Anderson Orr,  2009). Though there is no solid evidence many suggest that by reducing the age to 17 they are exploiting young women and encouraging teens to have risky sex. The reality is that teens will continue to have sex; sex education is not the only way to prevent teen pregnancies, there must be contraceptive readily available to them without the fear that their family will find out. Many do not agree with the argument that this will help with unplanned pregnancies and abortions. The Center for Reproductive Rights says making Plan B more widely available could reduce them, but The New York Times reports that since 18-year-olds were allowed to get Plan B without a prescription in 2006, there has been no evidence of it having an effect on the countrys teen pregnancy or abortion rates. Some argue that a girl can get an abortion without parental notification in some states, so why not Plan B. While parents would like their children to wait as long as possible to begin having sex, the reality is that teens are having sex much younger than many parents think. Some teens, or preteens, begin having sex or engaging in sexual behavior in junior high. By the time they are seniors in high school, an estimated 65 percent of teens have had sex, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007. (Dawn,  2009). Unfortunately, a percentage of those teens will become pregnant. After more than a decade and a half of decline (a 27 percent drop from 1991 to 2000), teen birth rates rose again in 2006, which was the last year for which data are available. It is still unclear on what caused teen birth rates to rise again, with supporters of abstinence-only sex education programs and contraception-based programs each blaming the other side for the increase. However, a 2007 study in the Journal of American Public Health attributed the trend in decreasing pregnancy rates to improved contraception use among teens during that time. (Anderson Orr,  2009). Providing information about contraception and how to use contraceptives properly may also delay sex in adolescents. The study, submitted for publication in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that providing junior high school students with information on abstinence, as well as contraception and sex education, delayed initiation of oral, anal, and vaginal sex and reduced the frequency of sex for those who were sexually active. Giving teens more information about their options to prevent unintended pregnancy, including emergency contraception, is as important as improving access to it. (Galanos,  2009)

Strategic Management And Leadership Strategy Evaluation - Free Soluti

Question: Discuss about the case study Strategic Management and Leadership for Strategy Evaluation. Answer: Introduction Singapore airline is regarded as a national symbol of Singapore and have its hub at Changi Airport of Singapore. It is the flag carrier of the country forming a group with several subsidiaries, like SIA Engineering Company which handles the maintenance and repair of aircraft and has joint ventures with 27 companies including Rolls-Royce and Boeing. The airline has grown over the last decades from a small regional airline to the worlds leading cargo and passenger carrier. The company has a fleet of modern aircraft and provides best service to Asia and other part of world. The Singapore Airlines has its origin in the year 1947 when the demand for airlines started growing and the market has developed the potentiality with the introduction of twin-engined Airspeed Consul between Ipoh, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by a Malayan Airways. Initially there was a joint shareholder of Malaysia Singapore Airlines between the government of Malaysia and Singapore (Wirtz and Heracleous 2013). However, in 1972, the joint venture had ended and two new airlines called as Malaysian Airline System and Singapore Airlines had started. In the beginning, Singapore airlines had a modern fleet of 10 aircraft with 6000 staff members and a route network around 18 countries and 22 cities. Soon the airline began to create its own brand name and maintaining its standards of service. Further with continuous product innovation and investment, the airline of a small island became a large multinational company. The paper describes the strategic plan of the Singapore airlines by discussing the several points like mission, vision and objectives of the company, environmental analysis at macro level, industry analysis, and capability analysis. The paper also states the proposed strategy and strategy evaluation method of the company. Vision, Mission and Objective Statement The Vision of the Singapore Airline is to place the airline in a globalised world with continuous growth and maintain loss free record. The vision statement of the airlines indicates that the company is responsible not only for attaining excellence in the airlines industry but also to be a good citizen by improving the lives of the people. Keeping this in mind the company has made commitments towards the health and welfare of the citizens and education and arts for the societies and all the countries where they operate (Rothaermel 2015). One of the main aims to achieve its vision is to preserve the environment and believe in sustainable development. The mission statement of the Singapore airlines states "Singapore Airlines is a global company dedicated to providing air transportation services of the highest quality and to maximizing returns for the benefit of its shareholders and employees." It indicates to satisfy the shareholder by giving them good returns by providing superior service at competitive price and generating a yield that helps in expansion and modernization of the airlines (Stauss 2013). These steps will keep the employees happy and motivated and they will be satisfied. The objective of the company is to ensure the security of the people and deliver the best of the service to the customers. The company aims to provide service that satisfy the need of the people and want to operate within their resources and deliver value for money. The other objectives are to see that the staffs are competent enough to perform their task effectively and optimize their potentiality (Mellahi and Frynas 2015). Moreover, the company aims to be a good citizen by taking care of the environment and believing in sustainable development. Macro Environmental Analysis: PESTEL The Pestle analysis helps to understand the effect of the macro environmental factors on the companys growth and development. It explains the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental forces that affect the organization (Smit and Dula 2014). Political: The political factor plays a major role in the operations of the airlines in the industry. The airline carries the countrys flag as it represents a national carrier of the country and is headquartered at the capital city of the country to represent the country. Hence given the fact that airlines represent the nation, any political changes affects its brand (Ward and Peppard 2016). The government gives full support to the airlines and if withdraws its support then the airline faces heavy disaster Economic: As the airlines operate across the national boundaries, any change in economic conditions of national or international levels will affect the company due to the intense resources carried by them. One of the most potential threats is the price of crude oil that increases the fuel cost of the company. Any political disturbances in Arab countries lead to increase in crude oil price and affect the cost structure of the company. This rise in fuel cost could be handling by passing it to the customer but for Singapore Airlines, it is difficult as it already has a premium pricing strategy. Social: Changing social changes in the society affects the airline business to a large extent. Initially the travel by flights were availed by the richer section of the society but gradually with rising disposable income, even the middle income group people has started opting for air flits (Mellahi and Frynas 2015). Further, the customer now looks for a low cost carrier rather than a high cost carrier. Singapore airlines that have positioned itself as a premium airline has increased its shareholding in Tigeriar, a Southeast Asian low cost carrier to overcome the social issue. Technological: Technological innovation always helps the company to develop competitive position in the industry. Singapore airlines do continuous research and development by innovating new products and fleets to satisfy the customers. Some of its innovations are reclining seats, seatback entertainment system and headsets (Thomas2015). Legal: Airlines do get affected by the changes in the regulatory framework of the country. For security reasons, different countries have different regulatory requirements that need to be met by the airlines and thus affects its cost of operations. Environmental: The airlines need to be environmental friendly due to the national carbon reduction targets that have to be achieved to control global warming in the world. The airlines need to integrate the green issues in their strategies and corporate social responsibilities. Singapore airlines are slow in it and have to fasten up its strategy for sustainable environment. Industry Analysis: Porters Five Forces Michael Porter five forces analysis have identified the five forces of market that affects the performance of the companies. They are as follows: The threat of new entrant (weak): The threat of new entrant in airline industry is weak The air travel industry has reached the saturation point with national carriers that gets the support from the government, especially in long haul airlines passenger sector. Hence the traffic growth in airline industry generally comes from growth of national carriers and not by entry of new entrants due to the congestions in the skies and airport (Sengupta and Sengupta 2014). Further, airline industry demands huge capital investment for the nascent firm which does not become possible for the new firms. However, in short haul sector, there are some threat of new entrant like Air Asia and Jet Star due to low capital investment. The intensity of rivalry (high): There is intense rivalry in the airline industry but it varies according to routes. For routes where the airlines provide good service, the rivaly intensity increases, Like the route of London to Paris. Under the situation Singapore Airlines has adopted price-cutting strategies with high quality service. Some routes are monopolized by few carriers like the Kangaroo Route that connect Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia has been monopolized by Singapore airlines due to weak competition among the rivals. The Threat of Substitute Services (moderate): It refers to the extent by which the services can be replaced by another similar service. Inc case of short haul, the threat of substitute service is moderate due to increasing investment in transportation business along with Singapore Airlines (Ward and Peppard 2016). However, in case of long haul, there is less threat for substitute services and there has been increasing cons o business. The bargaining power of the Customer (moderate): The bargaining powers of the customer are moderate in the airline industry. The switching cost between airlines is very low as the information about the flights availability is easily available in the websites (Johnson 2014). Few websites also show the comparison between the flights rates, routes and services that makes the switching cost very less. Under the situations, the airlines need to start loyalty schemes where with the increase in the number of flights with the company, makes the customers earns loyalty points and lessen their fares. The bargaining power of Suppliers (strong): The bargaining powers of the suppliers are generally strong in case of airline industry due to few suppliers and large buyers (Hit, Ireland and Hoskisson 2012). It requires the supply of high end technology goods that is not available with many, like, fleets are supplied by Boeing and Airbus where duopoly exist and engines are supplied by few suppliers like, Pratt and Whitney, Rolls Royce and General Electric. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis of Singapore Airlines identifies that that the strength of the airline is its brand image, size and its positioning strategy. The company has always been benefitted by applying the first mover strategy and always being ahead of its competitors in terms of quality and price. However, the company faces a weakness in the market in terms of huge competition for short haul carrier and loses the customers due to large number of low cost carrier in the South East Asian markets (Abdi et al. 2013). The company is even not able to attract more passengers in the home land because the homeland customers are already matured and there is more demand for short haul route than the long haul route, which faces huge competition. Moreover, the company also faces huge competition in North American market and unable to develop competitive advantage against the rivals. Singapore airline has the opportunity to avail the resources of 24 members companies of the Star Alliance, which is the most successful airline strategic alliance. Though, the company is struggling in some market, in markets like India its flourishing in a joint venture with Tata Sons. The threat to the airlines is the rapid growth of several airlines of Middle East, like, Etihad and Emirates which are adopting similar positioning strategies as the Singapore airlines (Heracleous and Wirtz 2012). Initially the airline was the leader in business class products but now similar products are introduced by airlines like British Airways. Capabilities Analysis Singapore Airlines have been able to succeed and achieve a strong competitive position in the industry due to its efficient usage of resources. The major resources are discussed here under threshold capabilities and distinctive capabilities are discussed through value chain analysis. Threshold capabilities Physical resource: The physical resources that are available maintenance centre, hangar and catering centre. Both Singapore Airlines and Government have together invested in developing the infrastructure and physical resources in Changi Airport. Planes: Singapore airlines have 22% 747-400 aircrafts of the total world production. The planes have better fuel efficiency and greater flying range and quieter cabin than any other airlines (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson 2012). The airlines have strong competitive power to attract customer with low cost and high quality service. Finance: The sources of finance are revenue and shareholders funds. The source of revenue is the sales which is not unique and depends on its marketing strategies. But the shareholders fund is able to establish a strong financial position for the company as it has grown at a rate of S$500 million every year (Sexton 2014). Te another strong point is the company has no debt. Such a financially strong position is unique in the airline industry. Human Resource: The Singapore Airlines have a comprehensive human resource management system that training and motivation programs for its employees. The companys labour cost is lowest as compared to other airlines (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014). The company has got consecutive awards for its employee training programs and has spent enough in training the employees. It believes that the essential factor for success of any organization is human resource. To motivate the frontline staff, the company has started programs like, outstanding service on the ground floor which is unique and valuable in nature and is difficult for other company to imitate its culture. Technology: In terms of technology, Singapore Airlines is the first to launch several innovative products like, in-flight entertainment system for customers and global satellite in flight fax and telephone service (Hill and Jones 2013). Further, in regard to pre-flying service, the internet check-in service and centralized baggage tracing unit system was introduced by Singapore airlines which had made the management of handling baggage effective. Reputation: The Company has established a unique reputation and goodwill by winning about sixty awards in various categories at the national and international levels. Distinctive Capabilities VRIO Analysis VRIO analysis does a resource based study to understand the resources and its capabilities minutely and apply them for gaining competitive advantage. Value: indicates that only a company should concentrate mainly on value added resources as this will only bring competitive advantage. A Singapore airline has taken care of it and has gained competitive advantage in the market on its basis. The company has been able to create a value in the minds of customer that in-flight crews of the airline provide the best hospitality as compared to other airlines. This has been achieved by strategic brand positioning and advertising the products through the image of a Singapore Girl (Heracleous and Wirtz 2014). The after sales service by the airline is different and unique to retain the customer. Hence the companys employees are the most valuable resource for the company. Rarity: It refers to the consideration of those resources that are valuable and are capable of providing temporary competitive advantage. The company strategy of entering into membership with Star Alliance to share the lounges and terminals and expand the route network has given frequent benefits to the regular fliers and helped the company to spread the service globally and given it the chance to develop a rare resource which other competitors could not develop. Further, the company is able to provide best of the customer service by training its employees through rigorous training programs which had made them efficient and helped them to provide flawless service to the customer Imitability: The company should adopt develop such strategies which become difficult for the competitors to imitate. It then becomes the source of competitive advantage. Singapore Airlines is known for its differentiated customer service by providing innovative and premium quality service. Further, Singapore Airlines is able to maintain a fleet of latest aircraft with low maintenance cost and safety assurance from any kind of flight accidents. Thus has created the competitive advantage for the company in the industry. Organizational: The firm should be well organized to develop and leverage full potentiality of its resources and capabilities. Singapore Airlines infrastructure and technology application is highly advanced and has given the company the opportunity to utilize its resources aptly. Proposed Strategy The TOWS analysis can be drawn from the SWOT analysis which helps to identify the proposed strategy. The company can diversify their market by using their strength and opportunities. To overcome the threat, the company can adopt the strategy of merger and acquisition with some airline companies in South East Asian countries and North American region (Heracleous and Wirtz 2012). To avoid the weakness of low cost competition in short haul sector, it can apply the cost leadership strategy. Further, internal factors can be developed to overcome the threat and weakness of the company. Strength Brand image Size First Mover strategy Quality Weakness High cost for short haul carriers Huge competition in North American market Opportunities Strategic Alliance with Star Joint Venture with Tata Sons SO Strategies Use the alliances with Star to increase its size and improve its quality. Be the first mover in many developing countries by making similar joint venture as that with Tata sons WO Strategies Develop cost leadership strategy for short haul carriers Enter into joint venture in North American Market Threats Rapid growth of several low cost airlines in Middle East Imitation of its strategy by the competitors ST Strategies Adopt the strategy of merger and acquisition with airline companies in South East Asian countries. Use its first mover strategy to overcome the threat of imitators WT Strategies Develop internal factors to overcome the threat Adoption of modern technology to reduce cost Figure1: TOWS Matrix Source: Author Strategic Evaluation The evaluation of the strategies can be done by using SAF (suitability, acceptability, feasibility) model. The suitability evaluation of the strategies can be done by understanding the external environment analysis. It examines whether the strategic options are suitable under the given external environment (Fan and Lingblad 2016). The threat and opportunities can be most suitably dealt by availing the opportunities and encounter the threat by making alliances with the local companies. The company merger and acquisition strategy is most suitable to combat the threat from competitors. The company can also avail the resources of other member companies of Star alliance which is the most suitable strategy and can aim at obtaining cost leadership. Suitable Strategies Rank Merger and Acquisition 1 Utilization of resources from other members of Star Alliance 2 Development of alliances with local companies 3 Understanding the external environment analysis 4 Figure 2: Ranks of Suitable Strategies Source: Author Feasibility focuses on whether the company has the requisite resources to continue with the strategic choices. The feasibility analysis helps to evaluate the internal capacities of the organization. The strength and weakness of Singapore airlines helps to do the feasibility analysis. The most feasible strategy will be to adopt the policy of diversification and enter the market in alliance with domestic companies given the suitable external environment and internal resource capacity (David and David 2016). The Singapore Airlines has 88 destinations in 38 countries that create a suitable external environment to emphasize on diversifying their route to get the competitive advantage. Further the companys strength is its internal efficient resource and low cost operation which makes it feasible to diversify the products and expand its market. The company should however strengthen its asset turnover ratio to make diversification of product effective. Acceptability focuses on financial and shareholders aspects of the strategy. It examines the risk and return of the strategies and the reactions of the stakeholders towards the strategy (Eden and Ackermann 2013). The risk and return can be examined by capital budgeting techniques and then if it satisfies the conditions of the techniques then it can be evaluated. The reaction of the stakeholders is reflected through the share prices and if it is favourable then the strategies should be accepted. The financial tool that can be applied is Net Present value method, Internal Rate of Return Method, Payback method and others. Conclusion The paper describes the strategic plan of the Singapore airlines by discussing the several points like mission, vision and objectives of the company, environmental analysis at macro level, industry analysis, and capability analysis. The paper also states the proposed strategy and strategy evaluation method of the company. The vision statement of the airlines indicates that the company is responsible not only for attaining excellence in the airlines industry but also to be a good citizen by improving the lives of the people The mission statement means to satisfy the shareholder by giving them good returns by providing superior service at competitive price and generating a yield that helps in expansion and modernization of the airlines. Further, the objective of the company is to ensure the security of the people and deliver the best of the service to the customers. The environmental analysis is done through Pestle which explains the affect on the organization due to the changes in the external factors. The industry analysis is done through Porters Five Forces which identifies that the most strong and the most weak forces of the market that affects the growth and development of the company. The threshold capabilities and the distinctive capabilities of the organization s studied in terms of basic resource analysis and value chain analysis. Based on the SWOT and TOWS analysis, the paper proposed the strategies that need to be adopted by the company and later the evaluation of the strategies are done through Suitability, Acceptability and feasibility analysis. References Abdi, A., Ashouri, M., Jamalpour, G. and Sandoosi, S.M., 2013. Overview SWOT analysis method and its application in organizations. Singaporean Journal of Business Economics and Management Studies, 1(12), pp.69-74. David, F. and David, F.R., 2016. Strategic Management: A Competitive Advantage Approach, Concepts and Cases. Eden, C. and Ackermann, F., 2013. Making strategy: The journey of strategic management. Sage. Fan, T.P.C. and Lingblad, M., 2016. Thinking through the meteoric rise of Middle-East carriers from Singapore Airlines' vantage point. Journal of Air Transport Management, 54, pp.111-122. Heracleous, L. and Wirtz, J., 2012. Strategy and organisation at Singapore Airlines: achieving sustainable advantage through dual strategy. In Energy, Transport, the Environment (pp. 479-493). Springer London. Heracleous, L. and Wirtz, J., 2014. Singapore Airlines: Achieving sustainable advantage through mastering paradox. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, p.0021886314522323. Hill, C.W. and Jones, G.R., 2013. Strategic management theory. South-Western/Cengage Learning. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014. Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D. and Hoskisson, R.E., 2012. Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Johnson, B., 2014. Reflections: A perspective on paradox and its application to modern management. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 50(2), pp.206-212. Mellahi, K. and Frynas, G., 2015. Global strategic management. Oxford University Press. Rothaermel, F.T., 2015. Strategic management. McGraw-Hill. Schofield, A., 2016. Mixing models: Singapore Airlines refines the formula for low-cost carrier ownership. Aviation Week Space Technology. Sengupta, N. and Sengupta, M., 2014. Singapore Airlines: Gliding with People Excellence. Sexton, D., 2014. Maximizing the Value of a Business: Using the Right Metrics. Business and Economics Journal, 2014. Slack, N., 2015. Operations strategy. John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Smit, W. and Dula, C., 2014. Singapore Airlines Scoots into the Low-Cost Long-Haul Category. Stauss, B., 2013. Flying High in a Competitive Industry: Cost effective Service Excellence at Singapore Airlines. International Journal of Service Industry Management. Thomas, M., 2015. WestJet Airlines: hybrid but profitable. Strategic Direction, 31(8), pp.23-25. Ward, J. and Peppard, J., 2016. The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a Digital Strategy. John Wiley Sons. Wirtz, J. and Heracleous, L., 2013. Singapore Airlines: Managing Human Resources for Cost-effective Service Excellence.