New Jim Crow Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

New Jim Crow - Annotated Bibliography Example This source supports the fact that new Jim Crow is prevalent in our society even though not readily accepted by the community. This book assists the reader to understand that racism has taken a new form from the previous practices. This article critically examines the height of racism and how racial biasness has taken a new course through criminal justice. It talks about the challenges faced by the blacks because of their skin color and socioeconomic class they are purported to belong to. It goes further to discuss the role of race and class in criminal justice and points out why belonging to the second-class results to unequal justice with the whites. This article supports the argument that new Jim Crow has taken root in our society through mass incarceration, whereby it states how blacks’ imprisonment is seven times that of whites (Cole 22). This argument is supported by the findings in this publication that found why for every one black graduate from college, 100 have been arrested. It also tends to support the argument that racism still exists in many forms. It points out how crime has been used to victimize the minority. This book highlights and genuinely talks about the flawed Justice System in US. It critically questions the trust of American criminal justice system that for a very long time has been praised by many for being fair and equal to all. This book argues that racial biasness is present although it has been disguised form the rest of the world by freedoms and rights stipulated by the constitution. It shows the degree of unequal treatment by the justice system and links the police to enhancing this biased treatment of the blacks. This book explains how 70% of drivers stopped in Maryland and searched were blacks and how they only constitute to only 17.5% of the overall drivers (LCCR & LCEF 3). This book seems to concur with the argument that new Jim Crow is prevalent in the modern US society, by pointing how

Is The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum a feminist film If so,why Movie Review

Is The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum a feminist film If so,why - Movie Review Example A Nobel prize-winning writer, Bà ¶ll had composed an exposition scrutinizing the Bild-Zeitung (the generally circled every day tabloid that was the trade bovine in for spendable dough the yellow press realm of Axel Springer) for fanning mass craziness with its scope of the Baader-Meinhof group. The paper then marked Bà ¶ll a terrorist sympathizer, and he and his family were subjected to police provocation, hunts, and wiretaps. Bà ¶lls reaction was to compose The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (subtitled "How Violence Can Arise and What It Can Lead To"), about a young lady whose life is crushed when the police associate her with harboring a terrorist (Taubin, 2003). As Katharina is dragged into cross examination and mortified by the police, its unimaginable not to consider this in light of all around archived treatment of ladies in the wake of sex outrages and assault allegations. These points and appeals highly stress the film’s feminist orientation. The specialists tear separated her loft, address her thought processes and history, and make intimations about her. They dont such a great amount of ask as interest, such a great amount of test as demand. She is blameworthy not until demonstrated pure, but rather essentially liable. As an inseparable unit with the states power goes the press, sensationalizing, lying, and talk mongering. This is an immediate analogy for the way ladies are slut-shamed, disgraced in private and open, and as the film advances, it weaves into it layer upon layer (Black, 2015). Some of political movies rise above their historical minute. Yet viewing Volker Schlà ¶ndorff and Margarethe von Trottas The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum today leads to the powerful experience. There is little contrast between this portrayal of West Germany in 1975, when the nervousness about terrorism disintegrated essential majority rule values, and what we are afraid of is going to happen — might undoubtedly be now happening —

Darden's Global Supply Chains Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Darden's Global Supply Chains - Case Study Example Furthermore, the livelihoods of millions of individuals all over the globe are determined by facilitating the provision and production of services and goods bought by the company. Recently, some of Darden’s primary fields of emphasis has been to manage and understand supply chain sustainability well and know how they can impact a positive transformation. Shi and Liao, (2013) state that the company has also recognized prospects for and frequently engages its suppliers on a variety of sustainability problems. From the labour and human rights to seafood and animal welfare sustainability. Their approach is based on building a longstanding, mutually beneficial affiliation with their suppliers and also work with them cooperatively and constructively in order to increase their sustainability enactment when required. By being involved with suppliers to reduce the volume of packaging, the company decreases the fuel amount required to transport goods while decreasing the waste packaging that can be produced downstream. Darden has four different supply chains. To start with, we have Small ware, this is a term in the restaurant industry for things like silverware, kitchenware and tableware, linens and dishes. According to Flint, (2004), the benefit of small ware is that if reduces the price of shipping these minor items this is because all of them do come from a similar region in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, it aids to harmonize all their restaurants in an organized manner. Hence, providing them with small wares of the same quality. By everything being available in a single location, it becomes simple to manage, costs are lowered, and bookkeeping is easy. Therefore, the company can purchase inexpensive unpackaged quantities of products. The second supply chain is frozen and canned food products. The benefit of this supply chain is that it is cheap to operate with the eleven centres of distribution. Also, the distribution centres

Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) - Essay Example Its mission is, PDA has contributed and played a huge role in providing knowledge for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry. It has worked towards increasing the individual’s professional knowledge and abilities. PDA publishes the consensus document called PDA’s technical report on the issues where little or no technical guidance exist , its two major membership publications are; the PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology and the PDA Letter, it also publishes the PDA’s newest membership publication, International Pharmaceutical Quality (IPQ). (PDA Annual report 2007). Apart from this it regularly conducts seminars, conferences and workshops which are designed, developed and executed in the way that they provide ample information regarding professional knowledge and abilities. It holds conferences on topics related to pharmacy, microbiology, quality systems, management etc. In 2007 it published 3 of the technical reports as supplement to PDA journal; PDA has contributed many valuable books to the PDA/Davis health care (DHI) publishing library from where people could get access to them easily. The PDA journal has imposed two important students outreach programs; firstly the student research symposium at the PDA 2007 annual meeting and second being the doctoral program which provides funds for the partial support of four graduate students pursuing doctoral research at various universities. To provide a sound professional knowledge the PDA letter also has articles of many industry experts regarding different issues and topics like; â€Å"Articles of Interest to the Microbiologist: A Review of microbiology-related research published in volume 60 (2006) by Scott Sutton, PhD, Vectech Pharmaceutical Consultants, low energy electron beam applications in aseptic filling operations by Cilag and Ike Harper, Johnson & Johnson†(PDA 2007, 8). PDA has launched a number of student programs to promote learning and research

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - Essay Example These are not only concerning financial dealings but also about the readiness of an individual to own up actions, learn from mistakes and strive for improvement. Here again, supervisor can give a value judgment. Format devised above relies substantially upon measurable parameters on the one hand and upon the assessment of supervisor which itself has a direct relationship with the measurable parameters, thus eliminating subjectivity to a large extent. Greater emphasis is laid on behavioral aspects of an employee compared to traits since the former has a direct and greater bearing upon the success of the individual and his team in achieving the performance targets. Based on the elements of evaluation, in association with the line supervisor concerned, I will develop format for periodical recording of performance. These records are to be maintained by the supervisor for on-going review and also overall review at the time of annual assessment. For annual assessment, I will devise a separate format (again based on the same elements of evaluation) which will be filled-in by the supervisor. This format will have not only the supervisor’s assessment but also a record of his interaction with the employee on the assessment itself and the employee’s own remarks. This will commit the employee for owning up his shortfalls (if any) and spur him to greater efforts in areas of deficiency. Thus, I will work towards an open and transparent system of appraisal, which will meet the due process of assessment. Team performance appraisals are not very relevant in the sales department of an auto company unless the sales persons are grouped as teams. Assuming that Luxurion Auto has teams of salesmen (divided on some basis like a territory or a market segment) and group targets are set for such teams, I will certainly create team performance appraisal

The Australia immigrant entrepreneurship Essay Example for Free

The Australia immigrant entrepreneurship Essay Australia, one of the most cosmopolitan of contemporary western societies, has a long history of immigrant entrepreneurship, with many ethnic groups significantly over-represented in entrepreneurial activities, particularly in the small business sector of the Australian economy. Immigrant enterprises, mainly small businesses, generate significant economic growth, employment opportunities and import export activity across a broad range of industries in Australia. The experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs in Australia vary considerably, with diversity in pathways to immigrant entrepreneurship in Australia evident for both male and female immigrant entrepreneurs. This means that `one size will not fit all, pointing to the need for a diverse, complex policy response to immigrant entrepreneurship in Australia today. In Australia, immigrants have a slightly higher rate of entrepreneurship (18.8%) than non immigrants (16.3%). However, some immigrant groups, such as the Koreans, have much higher rates of entrepreneurship compared to non-immigrants and other immigrant groups. In order to understand the dynamics of immigrant entrepreneurship (Waldinger et al., 2010), stressed the importance of understanding the interaction between the group characteristics of immigrant communities and the opportunity structure in their host country when they settled. This in turn helps explain the rates of entrepreneurship and the characteristics of immigrant enterprises. Light and Rosenstein (2009) developed the concept of group characteristics in more detail. Immigrants draw on ethnic resources, they argued, which include ‘ethnic ideologies, industrial paternalism, solidarity, social networks, ethnic institutions and social capital’. Immigrants also have access to class and other resources that they bring to entrepreneurship and to the ‘ethnic economy’ (Light and Gold 2010). Immigrant entrepreneurship continued to be a feature in Australia in the post-1945 period as Australia embarked on a large scale immigration program that delivered nearly 7 million immigrants, with immigrants a greater proportion of the Australian population than most other western nations (OECD 2011). The ethnic diversity of contemporary Australian society is reflected in the Australian small business sector. In Australia, as in other countries, restaurants, food and other retailing are areas of the economy with a strong immigrant presence (Collins and Low 2010). Australia is shaped by the intersection of a number of factors: ethnic resources and networks, class resources, regimes of regulation, inclusion/exclusion, opportunity, gender, radicalization and family. Collins and Low (2010) argued that while the international research rightly stressed the extent to which immigrant entrepreneurship is embedded in family relationships with immigrant women playing an important role in their husband’s businesses, it is important to recognize the many immigrant women themselves become entrepreneurs in their own right. One key fact that emerges from the Australian research is the increasing diversity of the paths to immigrant entrepreneurship (Collins 2009). Some immigrants arrive in Australia as successful business migrants with ample start-up capital. Other immigrants arrive with high professional and educational qualifications to enable them to fill labour shortages in the corporate sector, though minority immigrants often reach an ‘accent ceiling’ that constrains their promotion opportunities. Others tread the ‘traditional’ path from low-wage jobs to entrepreneurship. Finally, some immigrants see entrepreneurship as an alternative to unemployment and take advantage of federal government programs to assist the unemployed to establish business enterprise. The Australian research on immigrant entrepreneurship (Collins, 2009) shows that there is increasing diversity in the paths that new immigrants take to entrepreneurship: some were previously unemployed, while others were manual labourers before opening a small business. Some must attain university qualifications that are prerequisites for entering the professions (such as doctors, dentists, accountants and lawyers) and opening a private practice, others leave corporate jobs to become entrepreneurs, while still others, business migrants were already established as entrepreneurs before migrating to Australia. The Australian research also points to a diversity of class background among and between birthplace groups of immigrant entrepreneurs (Collins, 2011) and a great diversity in educational achievement. Australian immigrant enterprises are very diverse, and so policy is required to respond to that diversity. While many immigrant enterprises produce or sell ethnic products such as food, coffee or artifacts, many others do not. Immigrant entrepreneurs are spread across the economy, with businesses in the services sector of the economy, including retail, real estate, finance, media and tourism. Others are professionals such as doctors, dentists and architects who run their own private practices. The Federal Australian Government promotes immigrant entrepreneurship directly though it’s permanent and temporary immigration policy (Collins, 2011). Australia introduced an Entrepreneurial Migration Category in November 1976 to allow immigrant entrepreneurs with detailed business proposals and capital to enter Australia under the permanent migration programme as migrant settlers. Over the years this policy has been fine-tuned in the wake of the identification of anomalies in the programme. Evaluations of this programme suggest that it is largely successful. Today business owners, senior executives and investors can apply for a visa under the Business Skills category. The main problem appears to be in attracting a sufficient number of entrants under this category, with Australia facing strong competition from other Western countries, including Canada. In March 2003 three Business Skills Processing Centres were opened and a two-stage process was introduced, whereby business migrants are granted a Business Skills (Provisional) visa for four years. If they establish a business or maintain their legal investment over the four-year period they become eligible to apply for a Business Skills (Residence) visa, an entrepreneurial pathway to permanent residence in Australia. A direct permanent residence category is still available for high-calibre business migrants sponsored by State and Territory governments, known as the Business Talent visa. In addition to these immigration policy initiatives, a number of Federal Government agencies assist immigrant entrepreneurship, directly or indirectly. One Federal scheme, the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS), was designed to assist cash-poor unemployed people in entering the setting-up phase of a business enterprise, allowing them to take advantage of business training and draw on future unemployment benefits during the period in which the business enterprise is being established. The State governments play a key role in the regulation of enterprises in Australia, including those owned by immigrants. These regulations relate to issues such as health and safety requirements and employment conditions, including wages, impacting on immigrant and non-immigrant entrepreneurs. For example, a decision in the 1980s to permit outdoor dining in the State of New South Wales meant that al fresco eating became possible for the first time. Today many immigrant enterprises are concentrated in the food industry, with ethnic restaurants and cafes, most with outdoor tables, in evidence across metropolitan and regional Australia. Ethnic precincts are key spatial sites though, significantly, not the only sites of the ethnic economy in the city (Collins, 2011). In central or suburban parts of the city, ethnic precincts are essentially clusters of ethnic or immigrant entrepreneurs in areas of the city that are designated as ethnic precincts by place marketers and Government officials. They are characterized by the presence of a substantial number of immigrant or ethnic entrepreneurs who populate the streets of the precinct selling food, goods or services to co-ethnics and non-co ethnics alike. Ethnic precincts come in a number of forms. Often they tend to be associated with one ethnic group, as evinced by districts. Each of these ethnic precincts has been developed with the financial and marketing support of local government. Ethnic festivals become key moments in promoting the precinct to a broader clientele, including tourists. Promotion of ethnic festivals is a key element of any strategy to promote immigrant entrepreneurship. Policies designed to develop and promote ethnic precincts (Collins and Kunz, eds,2010), the ethnic economy and urban ethnic tourism(Rath, ed, 2010) will, in turn, help the immigrant entrepreneurs whose small businesses are located in clusters in particular. The important growth in female immigrant entrepreneurship in Australia, like other countries, also suggests a need for policies to be sensitive to matters related to intersection of ethnicity and gender. This area requires further research in Australia. Moreover, minorities face barriers in respect to language difficulties and racism and prejudice, issues that do not confront non-immigrant entrepreneurs. References Collins, J and Low. A. (2010)â€Å"Asian female immigrant entrepreneurs in Small and Mediumsized Businesses in Australia†, Entrepreneurship Regional Development, Volume 22 Issue 1, January 2010, pp 97-111. Collins, J. (2009), â€Å"Ethnic Diversity Down Under: Ethnic Precincts in Sydney†, International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations, no. 4, pp. 1043-53. Collins, J. and Kunz, P. (2010), â€Å"Ethnic entrepreneurs, ethnic precincts and tourism: The case of Sydney, Australia† in Richards, G. (ed.), Tourism Creativity and Development, London and New York: Routledge, pp. 201-14. Collins, J. (2011), â€Å"Ethnic Diversity Down Under: Ethnic Precincts in Sydney†, International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations, no. 4, pp. 1043-53. Collins, J. and Kunz, P. (2010), â€Å"Ethnic entrepreneurs, ethnic precincts and tourism: The case of Sydney, Australia† in Richards, G. (ed.), Tourism Creativity and Development, London and New York: Routledge, pp. 201-14. Light, I. and Rosenstein, C. (2009), Race, Ethnicity and Entrepreneurship in Urban America, Aidine de Gruyter, New York.Light, I. and Gold, S. J. (2010), Ethnic Economies, Academic Press, San Deigo.OECD (2010), Open for Business: Migrant Entrepreneurship in OECD Countries, OECD Publishing, Paris.OECD (2011), International Migration Outlook: SOPEMI 2011, OECD Publishing.http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/migr_outlook-2011-en Rath, J. (ed.) (2010), Tourism, Ethnic Diversity and the City, New York: Routledge. Stromback, T. and Malhotra, R. (1994), Socioeconomic Linkages of South Asian Immigrants with their Country of Origin, Canberra: Australian GovernmentPublishing Service. Rezaei (2011) Royal delicacies at peasant prices: cross-national differences, common grounds towards an empirically supported theory of the informal economic activities ofmigrants. World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2011, vol. 7, issue 2, pages 109-154 Waldinger, R., Aldrich, H., Ward, R. and Associates (2010), Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, Sage, Newbury Park, London, New Delhi. Source document

Aviation and the environment: Virgin Atlantic

Aviation and the environment: Virgin Atlantic Introduction As the years go by and as technology advances the environment is becoming fragile. This is because of the continual pressure on the natural resources available to man. The adverse effects of human activities on the environment have become evident as there has been an increase in earthquakes, floods, landslides, melting of polar ice caps and the rise in sea level towards the end of the 21st century and start of the 22nd. It is due to this fact that the concept of responsible human activities was brought up by environmental conservationists. This concept proposes that the reduction of greenhouse gases can be achieved through the use of cleaner energy and/or through efficient use of energy. The transport industry produces a significant amount of greenhouse gases on a yearly basis; estimated at 15% of the total greenhouse production in the world. Data collected shows that 23% of all carbon dioxide released into the environment is from the transport industry (See, 2009). Carbon dioxide emissions have been seen to grow by half in a period of seventeen years between 1990 and 2007. Studies show that global greenhouse gas emissions are directly proportional to economic growth. The global financial crisis of 2007 resulted in a drop in greenhouse gas emissions as people were seen to travel less. This shows that the transport industry indeed has a significant effect on global greenhouse gas emissions and therefore measures are needed so as to reduce these emissions in an attempt to reduce the yearly global emissions (Banhart and Odoni, 2009). Air transport pollutes the environment by emitting harmful gases such as COx, NOx, SOx and particulate matter into the air. This mode of transport has also been criticized for noise pollution with the concord being an example of a noise pollutant. Pollution from air travel is a major concern for environmentalists as the yearly emissions from the industry are expected to increase in the future. This is due to the fact that air travel is still in its growth stages and as the world becomes a global village more air traffic will result. On the contrary, greenhouse gas emissions from road transport are expected to reduce in the future due to the advancement in technology and the use of more efficient engines i.e. turbocharged engines, computer controlled combustion sequences etc. Gasoline engines have evolved in the last twenty years from carburetor engines, to EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) to VVT-i (Valve Variable Timing with Intelligence). This evolution is expected to continue until emissions from road transport are reduced to the least possible (Balmer, 2010). There are different proposals on the measures that could be taken so as regulate air travel and reduce greenhouse emissions from the industry. These include increased taxation of the aviation industry, abolishment of incentives for air travel passengers and emissions trading schemes. Other factors such as a responsible corporate culture and have also been mentioned as possible ways through which emissions from air travel can be reduced. The harmful effects of aviation on the environment have often brought to question the morality of air travel with some critics claiming that air travel is not only immoral and unethical as it causes damage to the habitats of people without properly compensating them. Africa in particular is the greatest victim of global warming with the continent bearing the brunt of the commercial activities of the modern world. Global warming has been found to result in reduction in food production in Africa by 10%; 2 million people die in a year due to malnourishme nt (Cline, 2007). Some aircraft engineers think that the development of more efficient combustion engines and air frame designs have the potential of reducing the yearly greenhouse gas emissions from the industry. This comes at a time when airplane manufacturers are committed to increasing the fuel efficiency of commercial jets by making better designs. The use of alternative fuels for airplanes is also seen by some aviation engineers as a possible solution to the emissions problem. However, critics claim that as aircraft engines become more efficient there is a proportional increase in aircraft traffic thus offsetting the benefits of the new technology. They further claim that the useful life of an aircraft spans between 12 and 8 years and thus it would take long to replace old technology with new technology thus resulting in extensive damage to the environment. The Virgin Atlantic Airline is at the forefront of the fight against air pollution. This is evident by the numerous programs and ventures started by the company so as to reduce its annual greenhouse emissions. It is also the first aircraft company in the United States that reports its emissions to the climate registry. This study will focus on the Virgin Atlantic Airline company and will attempt to assess the impacts that the airline has to the environment and the measures that have been taken so as to reduce the annual emissions of the company. The study will also focus on the technical aspects of aircraft manufacture and operation that have an impact on greenhouse gas emissions (Virgin Atlantic, 2010). Data will be collected from a study carried out in the Virgin Atlantic airline. The data will be collected from technical personnel, engineers, directors, environmentalists and flight personnel so as to gain an understanding of the firms practices and how they affect the environment. The data will then be analysed and from the analysis discussions and suitable recommendations will be made. Research questions What impacts do airline operations have on the environment? What is the Virgin Airline companys policy towards the environment? Has a pro-environment policy in the company resulted in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty? What technical aspects of airplane design and construction have been changed so as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Which operational measures have been taken so as to reduce green house gas emissions? Are the measures taken by the company practical and realistic? Should other airline companies follow the Virgin Atlantic example? Literature review Exemplary leadership and sound company policies are seen to be the key ingredients in minimizing the effects of the transport industry to the environment. A vibrant leadership that is able to formulate sound policies and that can be able to put these practices into effect is desperately needed if the aviation industry is to go ‘green. The Virgin Atlantic chairman Sir Richard Branson is an example of effective leader who has seen sound company policies being transformed into practical solutions for his organisation. Many companies are yet to adopt similar policies even in an age when there is widespread information on the need to conserve the environment. Sir Branson has welcomed other major airlines and aircraft operators to form a common initiative that will work towards finding solutions for the industry. It is evident that a clear vision at top level management is the driver behind the implementation of environmentally friendly aviation practices (Virgin Atlantic, 2010). Another contributing factor that has enabled the Virgin Airline to reduce its annual carbon emissions is the fact that there exists a flexible and innovative culture within the organisation. According to the company, sustainability must be accompanied by change; staff have to be trained on how to cope with the challenges of the modern world. The companys staff have been educated on the effects of carbon emissions and have been encouraged to find ways in which they could reduce these emissions in their respective areas of work. Such a culture lacks in many aviation companies and is the reason why the Virgin Atlantic is a leader in sustainable aviation. (Virgin Atlantic, 2010). Virgin Atlantic has invested into a fleet of more efficient aircraft that are able to cut the greenhouse gas emissions by 27%. The company has liaised with its manufacture Boeing Commercial Airplanes who have been able to design a more efficient aircraft for the company; Dreamliner 787-9. This is in line with companys goals to have reduced its carbon emissions by 30% before the year 2020. This plane is built from composite materials that are lighter compared to the conventional aluminum alloys. The airplane also has an increased carrying capacity of 290 passengers. Due to modifications in its engines and aerodynamics the aircraft produces 60 percent less noise compared to the A series Boeing already in service. The company also intends to benefits the customer with this new technology through the reduction in air travel fares and the design of improved cabin environments. The company has established a fuel panel that has the responsibility of ensuring that the company saves up to 7000 tonnes of jet fuel in a year. This panel is made up of technical personnel, engineers and pilots who meet periodically and formulate ways of reducing fuel consumption. It is from these meetings that pilots are taught how to minimize fuel consumption when in cruise mode during takeoff and landing. An innovative piloting technique devised by Virgin Atlantic pilots is the continuous descent technique that involves a gradual descent by the pilot from much higher altitudes and thus resulting in reduced fuel burnt and consequently CO2 emissions. The company is also working on the concept of starting grids where the aircraft will be stored in bays close to the runways and then towed to the runways ten minutes before departure. This is expected to cut the amount pre take off fuel consumption by half (Virgin Atlantic, 2010). In a quest to reduce its emissions the company has been able to reduce the weight of its A series aircraft. This involves the substitution of materials inside the aircraft for lighter materials i.e. interior fittings, catering equipment. The company has substituted its metal oxygen tanks with carbon fibre ones, uses lighter paints for aircraft surfaces, replaced metal cargo bins with carbon fibre ones. Other measures such as the removal of used bottles and containers before the next flight have been taken so as to reduce the total takeoff weight of the aircraft. The company has also taken measures towards the implementation of sound air traffic management practices. The chairman Sir Branson is found to say that the efficiency of European airlines could be improved if a single airline management authority was put in place so as to replace the 35 that exist. He further notes that with better air traffic management this could result in better aircraft routes and therefore reduced emissions. The company has proposed the formation of a single sky; a single authority to man and regulate flight routes. This would however require the cooperation of local authorities and government; the company is working towards the achievement of this goal in the future (Virgin Atlantic, 2010). Other measures taken by the company include the reduction in energy used by its ground based sites. This is done through proper employee education, investment in cost effective electrical appliances, installation and the generation of electricity from solar panels. The company has also put measures in place so as to save water in all its processes and operations; cleaning operations, catering, clubhouses to aircraft maintenance. The company has also launched a waste management program that plans to recycle 50% of all the waste generated during active flight and from ground operations. This is aimed at reducing the burden on the environment due to the services and utilities offered to passengers by the airline. The company has even a gone a step further by providing mass transport services for its employees so as to reduce single occupant journeys. The reason for this is to reduce the carbon footprints resulting from services that support the airline but not directly related to it. The Virgin Atlantic airline has shown extraordinary commitment to the conservation of the environment. Not only has the company focused on air pollution but on other forms such as land and water pollution. The chairman of the company has pledged to reinvest the companys profits for the next ten years into the conservation of the environment. This commitment is unmatched by any other airline company and analysts claim that it could be a strategic move to align itself with a rapidly changing world that is becoming increasingly conscious of the threats posed to the environment by human activities (Virgin Atlantic, 2010). Methodology Participants The respondents for the study were selected from employees of the Virgin Atlantic airline in London. This was done so as to gain an understanding of the specific measures that the company has taken with respect to the environment. Respondents from the general public were also selected for the study so as to collect the opinions and feelings of the general public with respect to the aviation industry. These respondents were chosen from people living around airports. Top level management officials were also selected for the study; airline directors and chief officers. Structured and formal interviews Structured and formal interviews will be used in the data collection process. This method has been favoured as it offers several advantages; the researcher will have control of the process, allows the researcher to prioritize questions, prevents the researcher from deviating off the key aspects of the study and saves time by allowing the researcher to ask as many questions in the shortest time possible. The researcher recorded the responses received and then transcribed these responses so as to facilitate analysis of the data. A copy of the questions sheet has been attached at the appendices section (Appendix 1) Emails It was noted during the study that some respondents were not available for face to face interviews. This was mainly due to distance barriers and lack of convenience. Secondary sources Secondary sources such as journals, books, and news prints were compared with the primary data. These were accessed through physical libraries, online libraries and databases. Data analysis The audio records were transcribed to written data. The data was then coded so as to allow for qualitative analysis of the data using statistical software. The IBM V 18 spss statistical package was used to analyse the coded data and from these codes develop visual representations of the data. Benefits of this software include its ability to analyse and develop relationships between various sets of data thus proving useful for the study. Results The answers for each research question were assessed and then coded. These codes were then analyzed statistically and the results displayed visually using pie charts and bar graphs. What do you think is the most notable environmental impact of the aviation industry? Due to the recent increase in aviation related accidents do you think that the aviation industry is still as safe mode of transport? Does the aviation industry need to take necessary measures so as to make it environmentally friendly? Most airline companies are committed to conserving the environment and implementing sustainable practices in their operations. Does company policy have an effect on the approach of an airline company towards air and noise pollution? Do customers tend to prefer airlines that are environmentally conscious? Do you think that the Virgin Atlantic airline has taken genuine steps towards the conservation of the environment? Can changes in the design and engineering of aircraft reduce the impact that they have on the environment? Which aspects of aircraft design do you think are the most critical in the attempt to reduce the environmental impact of aviation? Do you believe that it is possible and practical for airline companies to be sustainiable in nature? Do you support the proposed emissions trading scheme that will have airlines pay for any excessive emissions that they produce? Do you think that the Virgin Atlantic airline provides a good example of environmental conscious business for other airline companies? Discussion Impacts of the aviation industry to the environment The respondents interviewed in the study were found to be well knowledgeable about the aviation industry and its potential impacts to environment. The first question that the researcher asked the respondents was aimed at gaining some insight on the opinions of different people on the effects aircraft operations to the environment. Most respondents claimed that aviation as an industry resulted in pollution to the environment. The three main types of pollution noted in the study include gaseous emissions, release of particles into the air and noise pollution. It was however noted that majority of the respondents claimed that gaseous emissions were the most serious type of pollution that airline companies need to control. It was also found that there is generally minimal knowledge on the existence of particle emissions from aircraft among residents who lived near airports Mainstream media has been found to have a great impact on the opinions of the general public towards pollution and the environment. Coincidentally gaseous emissions which include C0x, N0x and S0x compounds have been extensively covered by media and thus the increased interest/awareness in these issues. Particulate matter release on the other hand has not been well addressed by mainstream media and thus less concern for this type of pollution. In a paper by Person (2005) he claims that particulate matter though ignored by most engineers and environmentalists leads to the damage of the environment, deterioration of human health and has harmful impacts on the engine of the aircraft. In the paper he further addresses the need for engineers and designers to maintain low levels of particulate matter from aircraft engines in an attempt to increase engine lifetime and improve on combustion efficiency. The Transportation Research Board (2005) further explorers the need for a regulatory body t o ensure that all aircraft produce a certain amount of particulate matter so as to reduce environmental pollution. He further states that biofuels though are perceived to be beneficial to the environment could result in higher amounts of particulate matter release into the environment. This study was able to show that there is significant knowledge on the adverse effects of uncontrolled aviation. All respondents acknowledged the fact that the aviation industry places some unseen burden onto the natural environment. However, it was also found that there lacks an alternative source for cleaner, cheaper and readily available fuels. Safety of airline industry The second question was aimed at investigating on the level of trust and confidence of the respondents on the safety of aircrafts. It was found that 63% of all respondents interviewed had confidence in the aviation industry. These respondents claimed that they felt safe and at ease when using this means of transport or operating in the industry. Further probing shows that most respondents thought that aircraft accidents are inevitable and must occur at some point. It was also common belief among respondents that every type of transport has a certain level of risk with most respondents claiming that aviation has the lowest risk factor. Airline directors and airline employees were found to be more aware of the potent risks that exist in the aviation industry compared to environmentalists and residents. This is because these people through their experiences in the industry had come to realize that it is through the continuous checks and quality control processes that airline companies carry out that the accident rates are kept low. Engineers and technical staff were particularly found to be most aware of this fact as they were actively involved in the day to day maintenance of aircraft. One engineer was noted to say he tries his best to ensure that aircraft are 100% accurate but sometimes some things go unchecked and these could result in fatalities. He further claims that no human can ever be perfect including engineers and technical staff and therefore there is always some element of risk that exists when flying a plane. Twenty seven percent of the respondents claimed that the aviation industry was unsafe with most quoting aircraft accidents such as the Flight 93 of United Airlines and the 1977 Tenerife accident. It was also noted that some respondents chose this answer due to lack of sufficient knowledge on the aviation. This was evident among respondents chosen from people living in the vicinity of airports and who had minimal background knowledge on the aviation industry. However, this element of ignorance did not have an effect on the study as only a small proportion of respondents thought that aircrafts were unsafe; 23%. Need for change in aviation industry The third question was geared towards gaining an understanding on the general opinion of industry experts and the public on the need for change by the aviation industry. It was noted that 92% of all respondents acknowledged that there was an urgent need for change in the industry. It was found that almost all of the respondents were aware of the adverse effects that the industry had to the environment and to human life. These include the depletion of natural resources, air pollution, noise, and human health complications such as asthma and allergies. Despite the fact there is sufficient knowledge on the adverse effects of aviation, it was found that little change had been done by most airline companies. After being interviewed most engineers, technical and support staff were found to say that the decision for change had to be made at top levels of the organisation. These respondents claimed that despite the fact that most employees were aware of the need for change they did not have the ability to effect change. The airline directors claimed that most leaders were afraid of change as there was lack of an alternative technology that could be more efficient and cheaper. It was also evident that commitment towards change in the airline industry was lacking as most directors had the ‘impossible or ‘too difficult attitude. A director from the Virgin Atlantic was also found to say that share holders are more interested in profits and less in environmental conservation; thus profits had to be key priority and not environment alism. The year 2007 financial crisis and fuel energy crises were also quoted as factors that tend to slow down the change of aviation into ‘green aviation. Level of commitment in airline companies A survey was also carried out so as to investigate the level of commitment that aviation companies had to the conservation of the environment. The respondents were required to either give a positive or negative response to this question. In an attempt to avoid biases the respondents were divided into categories; establish any differences in opinion by virtue of category. All the environmentalists thought that airline companies lacked the required commitment towards the conservation of the environment and the development of alternative technology. Studies show that environmentalists are often unable to see the economic perspective of any situation and are often biased in their opinions. Goodstein (2010, pp. 9-12) is quoted to says that economists and environmental experts tend to have different opinions as each party is determined to achieve its goals at the expense of the other. From an economic perspective conservation must also have a price tag as the key goal of any business is to make profits. He further outlines the need for economists and environmentalists to agree and make compromises as each cannot exist without the other. Eighty three percent of residents who lived near airports thought that airline companies were not committed to the conservation of the environment. This together with responses from other questions shows that there is a poor opinion of airline companies especially among residents who lived in the proximity. This shows that there is need for public education and community projects so as to improve the relationships between airline and airport authorities with local residents. Most Virgin Atlantic airline employees and support staff claimed that airlines were committed to the conservation of the environment. This is due to the fact that these people have been are exposed to the numerous environmentalist programs within the Virgin Atlantic. However this cannot be meant to reflect all the opinions of employees from all airline companies. This commitment was felt more strongly among top level employees in the Virgin Atlantic; people at these levels have the most responsibility of implementing sustainable practices and due to the perceived burden that they have they tend to overestimate the level of commitment of their organisation. A smaller percentage, 50% of support staff, thought that their airline company was committed to conserving the environment and to sustainable practice. This exposes a trend whereby the further you move from the decision making organs of an organisation the lesser you see this commitment. It was therefore deduced that there is significant commitment among airline companies but not at the desired levels. It was also deduced that an insignificant level of bias exists among some of the respondents; cannot challenge the validity of the data collected. Environmental conservation and customer loyalty Results of data analysis show that there is a relationship between sustainable practices of an airline and customer loyalty/satisfaction. This is because of the environmental awareness that exists among consumers of goods and service. People want to support companies that give back to the society and to the environment within which they operate in. Most customers think that it is the moral responsibility of airlines to employ sustainable practices so as to not to damage the environment in exchange for profits. Customers now relate the neglect of the environment to corporate greed and moral decay. 64% of the respondents interviewed agreed that environmental conservation had an impact on customer preferences and loyalty. These included managers engineers and support staff in the Virgin Atlantic. Maignan and Ferrell (2004, pp. 3-7) expound on the ability of corporate social responsibility to result in an increase in customer loyalty and satisfaction. In the studies the authors were able to establish that these two factors were directly proportional to each other. In fact the authors state that sustainable practices can be used as a marketing strategy by companies and thus offer dual benefits for organisations. The Virgin Atlantic has gained much recognition in the main stream media for its conservational efforts which include sustainability projects, the Gold Standard scheme and the carbon footprint project. This is also the only company that submits data on its periodical emissions. Studies show that public opinion of the company has substantially improved due to this fact and this has brought with it increased customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The Virgin Atlantic airline intends to be the most sustainable airline by the year 2020 and its strategy is to be able to gain control and influence over competitors in the industry by acquiring moral and ethical justification from sustainable practices. Engineering changes and environmental impact All the engineers and airline directors interviewed were confident that engineering practices and changes on aircraft would be able to reduce the impact of the industry to the environment. This is a positive aspect as it shows that commitment and a sense of belief in the part of top level management and of technical staff. A Virgin Atlantic director interviewed said that his company was committed towards the generation of engineering solution suited to the problems of the 22nd century and to the unique needs of this time. He also quoted the energy crisis that has been spurred by international conflicts with Middle East as the hot spot of the crises. This coupled with the fact that oil reserves are slowly being exhausted there is a need for the generation of alternative fuel sources. He however states that the development of an alternative fuel source that could replace jet fuel and that could also make economical sense would take a very long period of time. He therefore said that it would be prudent if the efficiency of aircraft engines could be improved before such a technology could be made possible. 100% of the engineers interviewed also claimed that they could improve the efficiency of aircraft so as to reduce the impacts that these aircraft had on the environment. The researcher asked some engineers to quantify the amount of time and resources that they would need to cut aircraft emissions by half. The engineers claimed that it would be impossible to quantify such factors as such a move would have to be preceded by intensive research and testing. Once these results are positive this would then give a go ahead for the engineers to put these measures into practice. The engineers further stated that some measures such as efficient engines and revolutionary airframe designs could not be implemented by the airline company itself but this had to be in liaison with the aircraft manufacture. An airline engineer was noted to say that â€Å"we as engineers at the Virgin Atlantic can only carry out basic changes on the aircraft. When want major changes to be made on the aircraft we have to relay this information to Boeing so that they could probably effect these changes in the next aircraft that they roll out.† An airline director was quoted to say that it takes a very long time to change aircraft technology. This is due to the fact that it takes long time to design, test, implement new designs and technology. The useful economic life of an airplane is around 10 years and thus it does not make economical sense to retire a plane that has not fully paid back its on its capital investment. This is a challenge that directors and engineers face when trying to reduce aircraft emissions as they are forced to work with outdated and comparatively inefficient aircraft as these aircraft have not yet reached their full work life. Riodan (1985, pp. 1461-1463) looks at the moral obligation of engineers and technical staff to conserve the environment. The author says that engineers have destructive and constructive abilities and further states that lack of regard for the environment leads to destructive engineering. The author also states that the environment provides a platform for all of us to stand