Mill on the Voluntary Servitude of Women free essay sample

Q: Explain Mill’s account of the voluntary servitude of women. Servitude can be defined as slavery or bondage in any kind. Mill wrote a critique of voluntary slavery of women as a criticism of paternalism that was present in the Victorian England. Mill portrays feministic attitudes in his book, the Subjection of Women. He takes an analysis of the historical conditions that have led to inequality within the male and female sex, the oppressive nature of marriage law in Victorian England and his proposals for marriage law reform. Mill also talks about the injustices of excluding women from public life and also advocates for women suffrage. In the final part of his argument, Mill sets forward his vision of the ways in which equality can be achieved within society. Hence Mill’s account of the voluntary servitude of women takes a feminist approach as he advocates for equality between the sexes. We will write a custom essay sample on Mill on the Voluntary Servitude of Women or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mill asserts that the adoption of this system of inequality between the sexes was never the result of deliberation or forethought or any social ideas. It arose simply from the fact that from the earliest twilight of human society, every woman owing to the value attached to her by man, combined wither inferiority in muscular strength, was found in a state of bondage to some man (Pyle 1995:87). Mill portrays that society is responsible for creating the status of women in his society. He further advocates a principle of equality for the relations between the sexes adding by way of explanation that the principle admits no power or privilege on either side. The main focus of his work was to portray the attitudes of society and come up with a framework that would redress the inequalities present. He notes:- â€Å"That the principle which regulates the existing social relations between the two sexes – the legal subordination of one sex to the other – is wrong in itself, and now one of the chief hindrances to human improvement; and that it ought to be replaced by a principle of perfect equality, admitting no power or privilege over the one side, no disability on the other†. (Pyle 1995:79). He argued that the inequality of women was a relic from the past, when might was right, but it had no place in the modern world. Mill argued that it was not justifiable to discriminate and oppress women as a result of nature, but that they had to be given a chance to prove themselves. Mill’s analysis of the condition of women revealed that they are brought up to act as if they were weak, emotional, and docile and their role in society lies within taking responsibilities of the household such as raising the family. As such, women were not entitled to education as their responsibility lay in the home. He further argues that men took advantage of this situation and as a result, they used it to enslave the brains of the women to achieve maximum obedience. â€Å" all women are brought up from the very earliest years in the belief that their ideal of character is the very opposite to that of men; not self will and government by self control, but submission and yielding to the other. All the moralities tell them that it is the duty of women and all the current sentimentalities that it is their nature, to live for others, to make complete abnegation of themselves. (Pyle 1995:83) This was the attitude of the patriarchal society that comprised the Victorian England society. Hence women from the onset were subject to indoctrination from the early years of livelihood. Thus for Mill, reforming this structure was essential to change attitude within society and this would, as a result, achieve equality within society. Marriage law according to Mill played a crucial role to the subjection of women in Victorian England. Mill was against the marriage law that existed and on several occasions, he worked as a Member of Parliament to influence legislation and public issues concerning women, (Skorupski 1998). The economic and social status of society gave women little alternative except to marry. In Victorian England, women were taken by force or sold of by their fathers. After marriage, the man had the power of life and death over his wife. She could invoke no law against him; he was her sole tribunal and law (Pyle 1995:37). The wife is the actual bond servant of her husband. She vows a livelong obedience to him at the alter and is held to it through her life by law. † The wife had no right to her own property, no protection against marital rape, and no say in the education of her children. In this respect, Mil argues, the wife’s position under the common law of England was worse than that of slaves in the laws of many other countries. As a feminist, he provided sponsorship of a women’s suffrage amendment to the Reform Act of 1867 and he also supported the Married Women’s Property Bill (1868). He was also in regular contact with women’s rights activists during his tenure as Member of Parliament. According to Mill, societal structures made it difficult for women to shun marriage as there was no other viable option available for them. Religion was one of the only ways in which a woman in Victorian England could escape the bonds of marriage by vowing to celibacy. For the others, very little option was available. Even though she belonged to the wealthy class, she could not attend university as the patriarchal society barred women from attending higher education. To Mill, reformation of marriage law was essential. Marital laws based on equality would transform not only the domestic but also the civic characteristics of both men and women and provide a model of mutual respect and reciprocity that children would imitate in their own adult relationships, (Skorupski 1998:400). This would therefore create a new society in which Mill aspired, would be free of oppression on the part of women. Mill goes on to say that once a just and equal society has been created the best division of duties between man and wife would have the man working outside the home and the woman taking care of the family at home, (Mill 1975). This would therefore contradict Mills aspirations of including women in the public sphere. In asserting that women ought to stay at home and run the household, Okin 1992 :228 argues that Mill is denying women the opportunity to establish themselves fully as equals with men through outside employment, [Smith 2001:185] Some feminists have however criticised Mill’s contention that men and women deserved equality before the law. (Annas 1977; Okin 1979; Goldstein 1980) assert that Mill’s vision of equality did not adequately challenge the existing social division of labour and that it subtly reinscribed gender roles. Stefano (1991:148) argues that Mill was only prepared to grant women equality with men if they manifested traditionally male characteristics like working in the public sphere and that he did not attend sufficiently to women’s differences both from men among various class, racial and other categories of women (Skorupski 1998). Skorupski (1998:405) notes that one of the most interesting aspects of Mills writings on women was his assertion that, domestic and political life was inextricably connected. Hence to achieve change, there was need to begin by reforming the domestic sphere first as this was also connected to the political sphere. The public exclusion of women from politics and the public sphere was to Mill, a desire for patriarchal dominance. He argued that the reluctance by men to back him up in his legislative reforms resembled fear of equality even in the household. As Member of Parliament, Mill advocated for women suffrage (the right to vote). He argued that the vote was an important tool to protection of individual rights. Since marriage law in Victorian England was unfair on women, Mill argued that this would give the women a right to say their rights and also participate in decision making that affected the whole community at large. Shanley (1998:409) notes â€Å"suffrage would develop women’s faculties through participation in civic decisions and enable married women to protect themselves from male imposed injustices such as control of their own income and equal rights to custody of their children. † He therefore argued that, given the opportunity to vote and participate in civic decisions, women would now be able to engage in forums that would discuss their rights and eventually this would in the future, guarantee his aspiration of equality between the sexes. Mill argued that the vote is important to protecting the rights of the women and that women should participate in politics. Again the issue of womens suffrage is raised. Women make up half of the population, thus they also have a right to a vote since political policies affect women too. He theorizes that most men will vote for the MPs which will subordinate women, therefore women must be allowed to vote to protect their own interests and this would help in achieving equality. Mill felt that even in societies as unequal as England and Europe that one could already find evidence that when given a chance women could excel. He gives examples of Queen (s) Elizabeth and Victoria of England, Blanche of Castle and Margaret of Austria as symbols of women who have excelled well in politics. It is for this reason that he suggests that he based his argument that if other women can participate well in politics, then the rest of them should also participate. His central argument was that what men can do, women can also do. Mill mentions of the access to education of the female category. Mill felt that the emancipation and education of women would have positive benefits for men also. The stimulus of female competition and companionship of equally educated persons would result in the greater intellectual development of all. He stressed the insidious effects of the constant companionship of an uneducated wife or husband. Mill felt that men and women married to follow customs and that the relation between them was a purely domestic one. By emancipating women, Mill believed, they would be better able to connect on an intellectual level with their husbands, thereby improving relationships. However some feminists have criticised Mill for contradicting himself on the theme of education. Annas argues saying that, in as much as education is neccesaary for women, Mill seems to contradict himself. This is so in the sense that Mill, in a state of equality, suggests that there should be division of labour whereby the husband goes to work and the wife takes care of household responsibilities. Critics therefore question how feasible Mill’s notion is. How is the woman supposed to attain education whilst concentrating on household duties? Therefore they portray Mill’s ideas as rather confused. Another aspect that was crucial to Mill for equality to be achieved was reformation of the marriage structure itself. By this, Mill advocated for a healthy marital relationship in which husband and wife view each other as equals. This would be achieved by giving women access to education, remunerative work and political representation, Shanley (1995). According to him, this would result in a situation whereby there was mutual understanding between the two sexes and hence this would create a conducive environment for equality. Mill to a certain extent, blamed the state as the main focus for the subjection of women. He states that- â€Å".. the state enforced male dominance in marriage not only directly by the laws of corveture but also indirectly by denying women higher education, employment, professional training and licensing thus closing of alternatives to marriage. † [Skorupski 1998:417] Skorupski (1998) notes that this is why Mill supported reforms such as Women’s suffrage, the Married Woman’s Property Bill, the Divorce Act, the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act and the opening of higher education and professions to women. Education and career opportunities would give women an alternative to marriage and laws such as the Divorce Act would help those women that felt oppressed under marriage. This, to Mill was essential in achieving equality between the males and the females. Mill’s notion of ‘marital friendship’ was also important to theories of feminism. This is so in the sense that this would help change the way in which members of society viewed each other as equal beings and thus, would infuse a sense of equality also in children as they grew up. Hence in the long run, Mill’s aspirations of a reformed society with equality amongst both sexes would be a success. Mill, to a greater extent, rather takes a reformist approach in his feministic attitude towards change in the Victorian England. He argues that the subjection of women could not only end by coming up with laws alone that stipulated how equality should be achieved between the sexes. Rather, reformation of the education system, opinion and access to knowledge is crucial if this idea of equality is to be achieved. He further argues that socital reform should begin at household level as this is where all patriarchal norms and beliefs were instilled. Hence it is necessary to begin reform from the family level first so that it can reach society. In conclusion, although Mills book, Subjection of Women was written in the 19th century, it is has played a significant role in contemporary society as some of his ideas such as women suffrage have been incorporated globally. There also has been a surge in the number of women rights activists and many laws around the globe have been passed to promote these ideas of equality. Hence it is justifiable to conclude that Mill’s works have neen succesfull and useful in the contemporary society. ? REFERENCES Annas, J, â€Å"The Subjection of Women† in Philosophy 52, 1977, 179-194 Mill, JS â€Å" The Subjection of Women†, in Mill, JS â€Å"Three Essays†, Oxford University Press. Skorupski J, (1998), The Cambridge Companion to Mill, Cambrigde University Press. Smith E,Joun Stuart Mills â€Å"The Subjection of Women†: A Re-Examination. Vol 34 No2, 2001 Pyle A, 1995, The subjection of women : contemporary responses to John Stuart Mill, Bristol : Thoemmes,

Free Essays on Open Lunch Survey

Open Lunch The Students’ Point of View â€Å"Lunch period is a closed period which means that students cannot leave the school premises. Once a student arrives on school property they may not leave the campus grounds without a permit signed by an administrator or school nurse,† (the Simley High School Student Handbook.) According to a survey given to Smiley High School students, 98% of the students surveyed think we should be able to leave for open lunch. â€Å" It would be nice to go somewhere else and get a different variety of foods,† one student responded. Only 2% of the students surveyed think we should not have an open lunch. â€Å" It would be so hectic in the parking lot for kids to leave, and by the time you got somewhere, there would be no time to eat.† With open lunch, the option of either eating at a fast food restaurant or at home opens up to students. Sixty-six percent of the students surveyed thought that they would eat at home. â€Å" So many people would go to the fast food restaurants that they would be too crowded for my pleasure,† one student responded. The other 34% of the students surveyed thought that they would prefer to eat at a fast food restaurant. â€Å" Fast food is closer,† was a common response among students. A very controversial topic in dealing with open lunch is whether or not to give each grade the privilege to leave or to only allow the upperclassman to leave. The results show that 95% of the students surveyed do not think all grades should have the opportunity to leave for lunch. â€Å" Just Juniors and Seniors should be able to leave, it should be a privilege everyone gets to have once they are upperclassman, then students would appreciate and respect it more than if they were underclassman, responded one student. The remaining 5% of the students surveyed supported all grades being allowed to leave for open lunch. â€Å" It’s only fair for every... Free Essays on Open Lunch Survey Free Essays on Open Lunch Survey Open Lunch The Students’ Point of View â€Å"Lunch period is a closed period which means that students cannot leave the school premises. Once a student arrives on school property they may not leave the campus grounds without a permit signed by an administrator or school nurse,† (the Simley High School Student Handbook.) According to a survey given to Smiley High School students, 98% of the students surveyed think we should be able to leave for open lunch. â€Å" It would be nice to go somewhere else and get a different variety of foods,† one student responded. Only 2% of the students surveyed think we should not have an open lunch. â€Å" It would be so hectic in the parking lot for kids to leave, and by the time you got somewhere, there would be no time to eat.† With open lunch, the option of either eating at a fast food restaurant or at home opens up to students. Sixty-six percent of the students surveyed thought that they would eat at home. â€Å" So many people would go to the fast food restaurants that they would be too crowded for my pleasure,† one student responded. The other 34% of the students surveyed thought that they would prefer to eat at a fast food restaurant. â€Å" Fast food is closer,† was a common response among students. A very controversial topic in dealing with open lunch is whether or not to give each grade the privilege to leave or to only allow the upperclassman to leave. The results show that 95% of the students surveyed do not think all grades should have the opportunity to leave for lunch. â€Å" Just Juniors and Seniors should be able to leave, it should be a privilege everyone gets to have once they are upperclassman, then students would appreciate and respect it more than if they were underclassman, responded one student. The remaining 5% of the students surveyed supported all grades being allowed to leave for open lunch. â€Å" It’s only fair for every... Free Essays on Open Lunch Survey Open Lunch The Students’ Point of View â€Å"Lunch period is a closed period which means that students cannot leave the school premises. Once a student arrives on school property they may not leave the campus grounds without a permit signed by an administrator or school nurse,† (the Simley High School Student Handbook.) According to a survey given to Smiley High School students, 98% of the students surveyed think we should be able to leave for open lunch. â€Å" It would be nice to go somewhere else and get a different variety of foods,† one student responded. Only 2% of the students surveyed think we should not have an open lunch. â€Å" It would be so hectic in the parking lot for kids to leave, and by the time you got somewhere, there would be no time to eat.† With open lunch, the option of either eating at a fast food restaurant or at home opens up to students. Sixty-six percent of the students surveyed thought that they would eat at home. â€Å" So many people would go to the fast food restaurants that they would be too crowded for my pleasure,† one student responded. The other 34% of the students surveyed thought that they would prefer to eat at a fast food restaurant. â€Å" Fast food is closer,† was a common response among students. A very controversial topic in dealing with open lunch is whether or not to give each grade the privilege to leave or to only allow the upperclassman to leave. The results show that 95% of the students surveyed do not think all grades should have the opportunity to leave for lunch. â€Å" Just Juniors and Seniors should be able to leave, it should be a privilege everyone gets to have once they are upperclassman, then students would appreciate and respect it more than if they were underclassman, responded one student. The remaining 5% of the students surveyed supported all grades being allowed to leave for open lunch. â€Å" It’s only fair for every...

Nora Helmer of A Dolls House, a Play by Henrik Ibsen

Nora Helmer of 'A Doll's House,' a Play by Henrik Ibsen One of the most complex characters of 19th-century drama, Nora Helmer prances about in the first act, behaves desperately in the second, and gains a stark sense of reality during the finale of Henrik Ibsens  A Dolls House. In the beginning, Nora exhibits many childish qualities. The audience first sees her when she returns from a seemingly extravagant Christmas shopping excursion. She eats a few desserts which she has secretly purchased. When her condescending husband, Torvald Helmer, asks if she has been sneaking macaroons, she denies it wholeheartedly. With this minor act of deception, the audience learns that Nora is quite capable of lying. She is most child-like when she interacts with her husband. She behaves playfully yet obediently in his presence, always coaxing favors from him instead of communicating as equals. Torvald gently chides Nora throughout the play, and Nora good-naturedly responds to his critics as though she were some loyal pet. Nora Helmers Clever Side However, Nora has been leading a double life. She has not been thoughtlessly spending their money. Rather, she has been scrimping and saving to pay off a secret debt. Years ago, when her husband became ill, Nora forged her fathers signature to receive a loan to save Torvalds life. The fact that she never told Torvald about this arrangement reveals several aspects of her character. For one, the audience no longer sees Nora as the sheltered, care-free wife of an attorney. She knows what it means to struggle and take risks. In addition, the act of concealing the ill-gotten loan signifies Noras independent streak. She is proud of the sacrifice she has made. Although she says nothing to Torvald, she brags about her actions with her old friend, Mrs. Linde, the first chance she gets.  Basically, she believes that her husband would undergo just as many hardships, if not more, for her sake. However, her perception of her husbands devotion is quite misplaced. Desperation Sets In When the disgruntled Nils Krogstad threatens to reveal the truth about her forgery, Nora realizes that she has potentially scandalized Torvald Helmers good name. She begins to question her own morality, something she has never done before. Did she do something wrong? Were her actions appropriate, under the circumstances? Will the courts convict her? Is she an improper wife? Is she a terrible mother? Nora contemplates suicide in order to eliminate the dishonor she has wrought upon her family. She also hopes to prevent Torvald from sacrificing himself and going to prison in order to save her from persecution. Yet, it remains debatable as to whether or not she would truly follow through and jump into the icy river. Krogstad doubts her ability. Also, during the climactic scene in Act Three, Nora seems to stall before running out into the night to end her life. Torvald stops her all too easily, perhaps because she knows that, deep down, she wants to be saved. Nora Helmers Transformation Noras epiphany occurs when the truth is finally revealed. As Torvald unleashes his disgust towards Nora and her crime of forgery, the protagonist realizes that her husband is a very different person than she once believed. Torvald has no intention of taking the blame for Noras crime. She thought for certain that he would selflessly give up everything for her. When he fails to do this, she accepts the fact that their marriage has been an illusion. Their false devotion has been merely playacting. She has been his child-wife and his doll. The monologue in which she calmly confronts Torvald serves as one of Ibsens finest literary moments. The Controversial Ending of A Dolls House Since the premiere of Ibsens A Dolls House, much has been discussed regarding the final controversial scene. Why does Nora leave not only Torvald but her children as well? Many critics and theater-goers questioned the morality of the plays resolution. In fact, some productions in Germany refused to produce the original ending. Ibsen acquiesced and grudgingly wrote an alternate ending in which Nora breaks down and cries, deciding to stay, but only for her childrens sake. Some argue that Nora leaves her home purely because she is selfish. She does not want to forgive Torvald. She would rather start another life than try to fix her existing one. Or perhaps she feels that Torvald was right, that she is a child who knows nothing of the world. Since she knows so little about herself or society, she feels that she is an inadequate mother and wife. She leaves the children because she feels it is for their benefit, painful as it may be to her. Nora Helmers last words are hopeful, yet her final action is less optimistic. She leaves Torvald explaining that there is a slight chance they could become man and wife once again, but only if a Miracle of miracles occurred. This gives Torvald a brief ray of hope. However, just as he repeats Noras notion of miracles, his wife exits and slams the door, symbolizing the finality of their relationship.

DB Q#4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DB Q#4 - Assignment Example Section 504 contains three alternate prongs based on a three criteria (Zirkel, 2009 P.1, L 3-10). The first prong is for individuals who have; a) a mental or physical impairment that; b) substantially limits; c) a major life activity. The second and third parts are for people who are not currently meeting these three criteria but have a record of or are regarded as meeting the requirements. The office of civil rights (OCR) is the department within the education department that enforces and administers section 504 in K-12 school setting. They are vocal in the interpretation of the second and third prongs in relation to learners. They have also clarified the regarded as and record of points to provide protection against exclusions. OCR has also ensured that students under the first prong are entitled to a free and appropriate education (Zirkel, 2009 P.1, L 11-26). The Americans with Disabilities Act properly covers the deafness disability. It has identified deafness as a condition that substantially limits hearing and also states that hearing is a major life activity. The act has had positive effects on deaf people within public accommodations by ensuring that they are not discriminated against, for example to enter certain premises (Steinberg, 2013 Paragraph 3). The ADA together with ADAAA fails to recognize partial hearing as a disability. Under ADAs definition of disability, the only issue found in people with one deaf ear is that they have difficulty hearing in noisy surroundings. The definition according to ADA means that partial deafness does not substantially limit the person’s abilities, the ruling is evident in the Christine Mengel case (Steinberg, 2013 P.2, Paragraph

Expansion of Aritizia Boutique Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Expansion of Aritizia Boutique - Research Paper Example With a population of over 800000 people, Indianapolis is the largest of the three cities. Colorado Springs follows second and last is Ann Arbor. The economic indicators of the three cities are also good. All have a higher employment rates. The city with the highest employment rates is Ann Arbor. Competition is a major challenge in the three cities. All the three cities have well established Boutiques in the market with the leading in competition being Indianapolis. Colorado Springs also has a number of boutiques, which has been in the market for a very long time. Climate however is on the side of Colorado Springs. With over 300 days of sunshine, Colorado Springs remains the best place to sell light clothes. Comparing all the above factors, Colorado Springs is the best city to expand the Aritizia products.   This research involves looking at the various cities that the expansion is to occur and identifying the various aspects of the city that will make it the best option for expansi on. After all the data is collected, analysis takes place to come up with the best city among the various options. In this paper, analysis of three cities occurs to know which among them, suits the best option for expansion of Aritizia boutique. The three cities are; Indianapolis, in Indiana, Ann Arbor, of Michigan and Colorado springs of Colorado. The main sources of information used in this paper come from various books about the small American cities, the internet and various newspapers. Analysis of the population trend of each city, its overall economic group in the past decade comes about to show the best city among the three cities listed.  Ã‚  

The external and internal environment at Aer Lingus

The external and internal environment at Aer Lingus This paper proposes a new alternative strategy that Aer Lingus could potentially adopt. First and foremost the paper analyzes the external and internal environment regarding Aer Lingus. Here the strengths and weaknesses of the internal environment i.e the company are identified and a PESTEL analysis is conducted in order to assess the opportunities and threats concerning the external environment. Through this in depth analysis of both the internal and external environment we were able to devise three alternative strategies for Aer Lingus. 1. Aer Lingus move towards a Low cost carrier model. 2. Aer Lingus move towards benefit-oriented national flag carrier model 3. Aer Lingus continue with their current strategy and position of being in between an ultra low cost carrier and full service flag carrier in Europe while also adopting a low cost model on transatlantic flights; charging for ancillary services and increase the seat capacity on the planes by reducing the number of business class seats and increasing the amount of economy seats. After much deliberation the strategy we opted for was the third alternative. In considering the first strategy, we realized that it would be very hard for Aer Lingus to compete on cost as Ryanair occupies such a large share of the market, therefore making it very difficult for Aer Lingus to reach minimum efficiency levels. In evaluating the second strategy it came to our attention that with most of Europe in a recession, a flag carrier model would not be a desirable nor profitable strategy. Therefore we suggest that Aer Lingus continue with their current strategy and adopt a low cost approach on transatlantic flights, similar to the one they have incorporated to their European flights and also try to improve connections to Asia by finding a partner. This will enable Aer Lingus to access a new market and improve their profitability. External Analysis: The current economic climate has had a direct impact on the Irish airline industry. People have less disposable income and as a result Dublin airport has witnessed a decline in passenger numbers since 2008. Figures released by the DAA show a significant decline in passengers from 23.5 million in 2008 to 20.5 million in 2009; a decrease of 13% and it s expected that numbers will fall even further in 2010 to 19 million passengers. Ireland is one of the few European countries to impose a 10 travel tax on tourist travelling to Ireland. This along with the 40% increase in airport charges (which is being used to pay for Terminal 2) is considered to be one of the main reasons in the decline of seat capacity which dropped by 140,000 in April 2010 alone and the fall in Irish air traffic by 13% so far this year. Growth has returned to countries which have ditched this travel tax and reduced its airport charges. According to Canadian energy economist Jeff Rubin the maximum an airline company can pay for a barrel is $80 dollars, any higher and the company cannot make a profit, $80 dollars is the breakeven point. Oil prices have been steadily rising since January 2009 and economists have predicted that this year the price of oil will rise to $80 per barrel which could prove detrimental to the profitability of the airline industry. In April 2010 the eruption of an Icelandic volcano caused Irish air traffic to come to a halt. The closure of Irish airspace caused a sharp decline in trips to and from Ireland. In April 2010 The Central Statistics Office reported a decrease of 24.9% in trips made to Ireland and a decrease of 27.9% trips made by Irish residents made overseas in comparison with April 2009. (See Appendix A for an Aer Lingus analysis using Porter s Five Forces Model) Internal Analysis: When internally analysing Aer Lingus, we assessed their strengths, weaknesses, resources and capabilities. A major strength we perceive Aer Lingus to have is that they serve both regional and transatlantic hubs. This fact has positioned them between a low cost carrier and a flag carrier airline. Their partnership with Aer Arann has enhanced their short haul network. They have achieved certain advantages at no extra cost such as an improved network frequency, a deepened penetration in core Ireland and UK markets and a consolidation of long haul traffic in their Dublin hub. A major resource they possess is their network connectivity. Their long haul routes to the USA have been established with strong connectivity, such as New York, Boston and Chicago. They now connect to over 50 US cities. They also possess a large market share on key routes and are seen as a flag ship airline. Their large market share comes from their very competitive cost base. They also have potential for expansion on their long haul network. Valuable assets of Aer Lingus include their well positioned slots, their close to 1 billion in cash and their route network. These assets will ensure that Aer Lingus continue successful operations during a time in which the industry is facing an exceptionally tough trading environment which has progressively deteriorated in the last year or so. An important capability of Aer Lingus is their ability to compete with Ryanair, Europe s largest low cost carrier. Their prices are usually higher than Ryanair s prices, however sometimes not by much. Yet what makes them more attractive to many customers is that they fly into major airports, unlike Ryanair. Aer Lingus also managed to resist two take-over bids from Ryanair due to its strong ties to the Government. During our research we found there to be no airline in the top 100 brands, however, the Aer Lingus brand is well established and something that Aer Lingus themselves view as a main resource. Their brand boasts low fares and good service. Something which may be viewed as a weakness is the fact that this year Aer Linus have vacated some of their slots at Gatwick airport. They have also taken two of their Airbus A320 s out of operation and reduced their fleet size to just three at Gatwick. They deferred two A320 aircraft from this year to next year. And also state there to be some savage pay cuts for the Irish flag carrier. This was a result of the cost and capacity management in 2009. The significantly higher than expected cost of terminal 2 at Dublin airport mean that Aer Lingus flight prices will also be higher than expected. This may cause a knock on effect to passenger numbers and ultimately profits. Evaluation Criteria: When we assessed Aer Lingus s profitability we found that their return on equity has deteriorated even further from 2008 when it was -14.4% to -18.4% in 2009. We then assessed the efficiency level of the airline by computing their sales to assets ratio. In 2008 the efficiency level was 0.64, this improved to 0.69 in 2009. Aer Lingus have the 16th largest market share in the European airline industry, with a weekly departing seat capacity of 300,000. Their main competitor, Ryanair, occupies the largest share of the European market with approximately 1,900,000 weekly departing seat capacities. With the introduction of the Greenfield cost reduction programme Aer Lingus were able to reduce their cost base by 7.4%, setting a benchmark for the European Airline Industry. At present the average price of an Aer Lingus ticket is 77 compared with Ryanair s average price of 44. Strategic Alternatives: One possible way for Aer Lingus would be to move more towards becoming a low cost carrier (LCC). In order to be able to compete with the players in this niche, Aer Lingus would have to make further adjustments to its business model. The Irish competitor Ryanair proves that there is great potential in the low cost carrier market, as they are still both growing in passenger numbers and revenues and maintaining to be profitable even in times of global economic crisis. But such bottom line figures are results of focused streamlining of the airline business model. Almost every complementary service is charged extra, operations are kept to a bare minimum or outsourced wherever this seem lucrative, flights are not interconnected but only point-to-point, and the costs for fleet maintenance and procurement is greatly reduced by the use of only a single type of aircraft. Also over the last few years there has been massive consolidation in the airline industry, especially with respect to LCCs. This underlines the fact that the pressure in this market segment is particularly high. To get into this segment Aer Lingus would have to restructure its flight network, personnel, fleet, and ground operations, but even then it is questionable whether or not Aer Lingus would be able to match or outperform close competitors such as Ryanair. In exhibit [no.B1] the current differences in cost structure between Aer Lingus and Ryanair can be observed. Although the general structure is fairly similar, especially with respect to staff costs, airplane maintenance and Airport and handling costs Aer Lingus faces much higher costs than Ryanair. Overall, this direction could prove to be a risky and somewhat too challenging endeavor. Too many, too important aspects would have to be changed, which is unlikely to happen when taking into consideration that there will be internal politics involved, particularly when it comes to cuts in the field of staff expenses, Aer Lingus biggest disadvantage. (S ee Appendix B.1) Aer Lingus could also try to move to the other end of the scale, namely that of the benefit-oriented former national flag carriers. These airlines maintain extensive hub-and-spoke networks which allow them offer a big variety of different connections. The flights are complemented with different amenities such as free meals and luggage. In addition to the sheer transport service, an overall experience is created and valued by the customers. Flag carriers generally make their money through business customers who are typically not very price sensitive. Aer Lingus already owns the necessary timeslots and connections to provide an extensive network and its fleet could also potentially be modified to provide the more enjoyable flight experience that luxury customers are used to (See Exhibit B2). Also it is questionable if Aer Lingus is actually large enough to maintain a network that can match the advantages of airlines competing with a similar model. Despite the fact that Aer Lingus may h ave some experience with the type of flight that the potential competitors offer, this knowledge might not transfer as easily throughout the whole business, excessive cost for the same amount of benefits might occur. Also with the general economic climate, which is likely to persist over the coming years, even business travellers are increasingly price sensitive or do not fly at all, which makes this market segment significantly less attractive. (See Appendix B.2) A third strategic alternative Aer Lingus could consider is continuing with their current strategy and position of being in between an ultra low cost carrier and full service flag carrier in Europe while also adopting a low cost transatlantic model. Taking into consideration Air Asia s model of low cost, long haul flights between Asia and Europe, we feel that Aer Lingus could apply this same model to their transatlantic flights. They could implement a no frills approach on these flights by adopting an ancillary service. Passengers would pay a basic premium price for their flight ticket. Any extras on board the flight such as meals, the use of a TV, pillows, blankets, drinks etc. would incur an additional charge. We feel that by increasing the capacity of their current fleet, they could increase revenue, and potentially increase their market share. Both Aer Lingus and Air Asia use the same aircraft on long-haul flights, being the Airbus 330-300. However, Air Asia has managed their passenger numbers more efficiently. They have 12 business class seats, compared with Aer Lingus s 24 and 365 economy seats compared with Aer Lingus s 303. If Aer Lingus were to adopt Air Asia s more efficient method they could increase their seat capacity by 15%. (See Appendix B.3) Recommended strategic alternative and its execution: We have highlighted in the previous section three alternative strategies that Aer Lingus can take. We believe that shifting to a no-frills model is not convenient for Aer Lingus because of the greater bargaining power held by Ryanair, which is the European leader of no-frills carriers (it has reported a net profit after taxes of $612.2 million for the first quarter of 2010). Moreover Aer Lingus would not be able to reach the minimum efficient cost to make a profitable low-cost business because it would not be able to develop a learning curve in the short-term. On the other hand, shifting its business model to a western legacy carriers one is not a winning move because at the moment this business model is proving to be unprofitable (American airline has reported a net loss of $359 million for the third quarter 2009, which included the impact of approximately $94 million in non-recurring charges related to the sale of certain aircraft and the grounding of leased Airbus A300 aircraft pr ior to lease expiration. Excluding those non-recurring charges, the third quarter 2009 loss was $265 million or $0.93 per share). We think that Aer Lingus should continue with their current strategy while also incorporating a low cost transatlantic model based on that of Air Asia. In detail Aer Lingus Group Plc should offer enhancements including better food and faster check-in times to customers willing to pay more. In a switch that brings it closer to EasyJet Plc, which attracts a higher proportion of business flyers, Dublin-based Aer Lingus will adopt a hybrid model somewhere between a discount and full-service carrier. Aer Lingus also adds more short-haul routes through a franchise deal with smaller Irish carrier Aer Arann, while seeking to boost long-haul connections by increasing the number of code-share partners. Moreover the agreement with Aer Arann cover 12 routes, giving Aer Lingus new services to Bristol, Blackpool, Cardiff, Durham and Doncaster/Sheffield in England, together with Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. While the flights use by Aer Arann, being ATR 72 turboprop planes, are branded Aer Lingus Regional, with tickets sold through the larger carrier s Web site. Aer Lingus also needs to improve connections to Asia by finding a partner with daily flights to the region. The airline may rebuild its base at London s Gatwick airport should demand improve after paring services and cutting the number of planes stationed there. Luton, England-based EasyJet is the largest carrier at Gatwick, and has attracted more time-sensitive flyers than Ryanair by operating to airports that are generally closer to major European cities than those used by its rival. Aer Lingus is already reducing wages and slashing its workforce by almost a fifth, and more jobs may have to go as the airline braces for a decline in sales in what will be an extremely challenging. The Irish government holds 25 percent of the carrier s stock, with Ryanair owning about 29 percent following two failed takeover attempts. Likely Benefits and Limitations of Strategic Alternative: Aer Lingus has been hit harder than most as the Irish economy struggles to emerge from the worst recession since World War II. That is why a pure low-cost model was limiting its ability to maximize revenue. Through establishing a low cost transatlantic model, Aer Lingus will have access to a new market which has been created as a result of the economic struggle. Moreover since the recession in Ireland is to last longer than anywhere else world, it is impossible for Aer Lingus develop new routes on its own. Through agreements and alliances, Aer Lingus is able to reach new airports and acquire a new market share at a lower cost by sharing fixed costs. In that way the company will increase its profits by raising the number of its itineraries as well as by differentiating its customer target. In fact, Aer Lingus has joined transatlantic routes by deals with UNITED and Jet Blue carriers and regional routes by their agreement with Aer Arann. Question 2 GTSI From our reading of the GTSI case study we consider the main problem to be that the company expanded too quickly: The Company was too ambitious in implementing such complex systems such as the ERP and GEMs systems and similarly in its 007 strategy. The main reason for the failure of the ERP system was that instead of being run as a corporate project it was run as an IT project. The system was initially supposed to have cost them between $3-5 million and was to take between 12-24 months to complete. Instead the system ended up costing them $60 million and took 5 years to complete and in the process 3 CIO departed. The company seemed to have lost sight of the goal of implementing this system which was to act as a means of lowering costs when in fact by trying to complete this system they ended up driving up the costs which was inevitably detrimental to the profitability of the company. Instead of treating the ERP system as a sunk cost the company kept investing money into it and then e ventually in 2005 launched the system before they were certain if it would be effective or not, stating that the company could learn by trial and error . The launch of the ERP system coincided with the launch of the new GEMS system which in addition was a failure. Because the system failed there was a huge back log in orders and nothing was shipped for two months. In an attempt to rectify this problem GTSI solely concentrated on large orders which only accounted for 20% of their customers, leaving the other 80% extremely dissatisfied. This resulted in a huge increase in customer complaints which in turn lowered staff morale which lead to the increase in employee turnover and proved harmful to their reputation. The reason for the failure of the 007 strategy was that it was simply far too ambitious and it did not take into account the impact of doubling the sales force and revenue in such a short period of time would have on the organizational structure. Also because the company operated in a defined market the implementation of this strategy caused their operating expenses to increase significantly. The company undertook too much by trying to implement the 007 strategy and the GEMS and EPRS systems simultaneously. In being too ambitious with their plans they ignored the individual execution required for the strategy and systems therefore nothing was implemented effectively. The company was nearing bankruptcy when GTSI jumped from a net profit of $10.3 million in 2004 to a $16-million net loss by 2005. Moreover the Bank did not extend GTSIs credit facility leaving the executives at GTSI with two months to find a new credit facility. The reaction of its partners was not good. Some of its long-term partners are going to end their relationship as well as customers questioning whether they should continue to do business with GTSI. GTSI s reputation dropped as well as its stock price. In fact GTSI was quoted into NASDAQ Stock Exchange and when its assets and liabilities were degraded, its rating fell down. In this situation the best solution for the company is trying to retrieve its reputation, so it could increase its stock price. By selling some core assets, the firm could get back some liquidity to guarantee for its liabilities to the Bank. Moreover it could ask for some help from the Government which could acquire some of GTSI s stocks and enable it recover some of its past reputation; particularly, by becoming partly a public company, GTSI stocks rating rise as well as its market price. The second step which we consider very important is to develop a centralized training system to make the employees familiar with the new ERP system, so that the company can really exploit the potential of its investment in this IT system. Finally, we state that a common organization culture and strong leadership is necessary to overcome the attrition within the current organization and to make the coordination between GTSI s activities easier. Question 3 Shenzhen After studying the case of Shenzhen Filtroil, the main problems we have identified are the two dysfunctional relationships between (a) Liu and Qian and (b) The American owners, Randolph and Leahman and the Chinese partners, Liu and Qian. Communication is severed and the merged factory Dongwon Filtroil is not operating as a single team. Relationships are a key component of the business so once trust and communication were not there anymore problems occurred. The main reason is the fact that Liu does not feel appreciated and does not feel that his work is recognised. The firm have a huge reliance on Liu as he is the only one who knows the zinc formula. Liu therefore plays a crucial role in the business and once he recognizes just how important he is he becomes greedy. During a conversation with Qian, Liu demands to be paid (RMB) 15,000 a month, 30% commission instead of his current 5% and also to get a new company car. Qian fails to understand the change in Liu s attitude since they had been such good friends. They should be equals in their business relationship as they both own a stake in the company. However, Liu finds Qian too controlling and untrusting by the way that he checks his products when it is not even necessary. He tells Qian that he needs to stop worrying about his workers and concentrate on his own workers. Due to these issues their relationship becomes more and more dysfunctional. Another reason for their relationship problems is that Qian sees Liu as someone who was in a lot of debt and could barely feed his family. He is of the opinion that Liu should be happy that the merged factory Dongwon Filtroil has enabled Liu to live a better life and send his daughter to a good school. Realistically Qian always felt that Liu should be appreciative of anything he has gained from the merger. He didn t value the important role Liu plays in the company s success with his zinc formula. The relationship between the American owners and the Chinese partners is strained because Randolph and Leahman were kept in the dark for a long time about the tension that was building in the Chinese factory between Liu and Qain. The lack of communication meant that problems were left unsolved and the Chinese partners were left dwelling in the difficult task of keeping the business going. We have considered two solutions to the above problems. The first involves fixing the internal relationship issues without any changes to who works in the business. This can be done by improving communication. Liu and Qain need to become more aware of their responsibilities to the business and stop relying on the American owners to fix their relationship problems. They could put contractual agreements in place that tackle the hold-up issue that Liu has created. This would then establish potential to reinstate trust in the company. At the end of the day we have realised that it is not money that Liu really cares about it is about his work being appreciated. If he had a greater stake it would improve communication and also allow both Liu and Qain to act as equal partners as opposed to one controlling the other. This solution will take time and will need the dedication of everyone involved in the business. Another solution is one proposed at the end of the case. Continue working with Liu and give him the raise he requested. Then hire someone to learn Liu s trade secrets. This would then allow Qain and the American owners to make the zinc formula themselves. They could then get rid of Liu by offering to buy him our or force his resignation if necessary. This solution means that they do not have to address the current major issue that is Qain and Liu s relationship.

A Report On LVMH HR Policies Education Essay

Lvmh HR policies are in surplus of required and implement on the concern groups and companies. Through flexible regulation, it besides provides organisation. The map of corporate HR is to normalise certain ways, to exemplify program and to give force to companies ‘ HR squads. In connexion with scheme, HR offers other than hardly of all time oblige. An employee work reciprocally with the concern group which study to corporate central office. Approximately 55 to 60 % of advancements are controlled by companies, the else managed by the concern groups or corporate. There are four types of HR directors at Lvmh. Subsequent the group ‘s construction, they operate on four degrees: corporate, regional, concern group and company degree. The subordinate HR Director or the individual moving as such, studies to the subordinate ‘s President. The subordinate ‘s HR Director gets recommendation and shore up from his company. The concern group ‘s HR Director organizes his companies ‘ HR Directors through monthly meetings. The intent of these meetings is to place vacant places throughout the universe and to analyze the list of possible campaigners for these places, between which are the Ready to Move. Lvmh has ready internal mobility – both geographic and functional – a footing of their human resources policy. This cross-fertilisation of experience within their ecosystem under the consolidative umbrella of the group creates matchless cause of proficient and personal fulfillment. International mobility is indispensable portion of every prospective calling way. It targets to make planetary directors many of them have far above the land cardinal practical move. As an illustration the caput of HR development remember the instance of a Gallic insurance specializer in the manner concern unit who was sent to Romania to head a shoe mill. LVMH be on familiar footings with they could make with hazards to develop likely impending. It needs to set them in new fortunes to assist them develop new accomplishments and set up their bravery. Lvmh actively supports the professional development of its employees. The decentralised organisation of the Lvmh group encourages single enterprise. Half of Lvmh ‘s senior executives and over 40 per cent of managerial staff are Gallic, whereas the Gallic history for 37 per cent of the group ‘s planetary work force. HR needs to develop more planetary concern directors so they can be a portion of globalized top direction. Lvmh mobility procedure works on the web of HR squads who largely staffed with locals. Lvmh did non direct out any experts because non hold local gift. Generally their experts fit two profiles: those sent out by the corporate HQ to command its subordinates and protect its involvements and sent out to develop their accomplishments. To back up the international concern growing relocate is lifting. Though, it non means that increasing figure of Gallic exiles will coerce this disposition. Lvmh lake of planetary directors creates their order adverse in footings of deploying adept director to company ‘s desire program or task given to that director. Lvmh did non pull experts by giving them higher fringe benefits in footings of their degree. The group is motivated for cost effectivity. They know that a good bundle is indispensable, but that it non the chief encouragement to travel abroad. The primary balance-sheet move in the way of bundle is based on the benchmark that proficient should neither lost nor turn from their reallocate. Lvmh ‘s C & A ; B section has connected this draw near as a direct for it does remunerate bundle policy. Specific state based salary is evident for international mission. Salary will acquire hire during the period of mission. That is used as a vital for work out of societal security and pension payments. The mobility rewards are mean comparison to local labor market. Lvmh distinguishable two types of high potencies, HP1 and HP2 is an single likely to accomplish a top direction place such as member of Board commissions, Regional president or Subsidiary president. An HP2 is an employee probably to travel up one or two stairss in the hierarchy. For corporate HR this word picture of high potency is excessively wide and is more relevant for level constructions. It is now sing contracting it. It would retain the definition of HP1 and include those who are considered to be experts in their field. Lvmh is giving specific undertaking or mission to the planetary director in their working content for specific period and give him or her full authorization to take determination for the company, besides they want to larn from this sort of freedom to make new or dare things. Undertaking 2To fit the planetary demand of concern working form Lvmh has to deploy local people instead than experts from the Gallic, because they do non hold know the local civilization or local market how they react in new or old section for their merchandises or what is the tendency among them for Lvmh ‘s merchandises. If they select local director with relevant expertness for their desire undertaking or purpose to accomplish. In this status they can acquire director with accomplishment which they want and besides acquire betterment from his cognition about their merchandise fiting the local public positions and if possible implement them for acquiring better consequences. For LVMH operates in all over universe so, they have to believe globally and move locally for their operations. For illustration they have decided same regulations and ordinances for the all employee universe broad like their rewards and benefits. In France they have decided to give 6500 ˆ per month wage to the planetary director for giving his or her services to the company as per same wage may non be pay in other continent like Asiatic states China or India. Populating criterion in all continents is different so, their policies should be different than headquarter and subordinate in footings of rewards. Lvmh has to take attention for the different civilization base for their scheme in HRM for illustration in Japan they can non deploy younger director on the employee who is senior in footings of age so him or her, because Nipponese have cultural usage that they respect elder individual and do non traverse their words of all time so, in that manner Lvmh has to be specific about cultural differences. Like in South East Asia India is a populated state and have more knowledge base potency campaigners are available to fit their standards but they have to maintain in head that Indian civilization is a versatile and full of festivals. If they want to establish the new merchandise there they have to look frontward for the appropriate gay season for their merchandises and the director who familiar with the usage of this festival and achieve company ‘s end. Before directing the planetary trough on his or her assignment they has to be given developing about linguistic communication which is locally spoken over at that place and have good bid over at least 3 linguistic communications other so French. Looking frontward the HRM policies of Lvmh is to follow divergency in footings of local environment like in UK people like to imbibe Beer while in USA and France prefer to imbibe Wine. Such things keep in head and develop their program for act in a planetary market through their planetary directors who really implement their policies to their concern. Undertaking 3Lvmh has created his name in the planetary universe so they have to choose planetary linguistic communication like Good English talking individual because in the yesteryear they select staff from the France merely, they ca n't talk English fluently for that they have to larn English as a preparation and development undertaking which is programmed by HR section and educate them to cover in English at planetary degree.