Airasia’s Logistic and Channel Management

As Airasia’s vision is to be the largest low cost airline in Asia, our proposal might be a useful tool for Airasia to achieve their vision. The goal of our proposal is to decrease the operational cost of Airasia to attain cost efficiencies and provided the public with a lowest cost so that â€Å"Now everyone can fly† with Airasia. Objective of this proposal is to develop e-Supply Chain Management to attain a much lower operation cost for Airasia in the coming year. In this proposal, we will discuss about; 1.Analyze of the factors contributing to enable e-SCM for Airasia, 2. Create an appropriate implementation plans to develop e-SCM, 3. Discuss the environmental factors that will affect the implementation, 4. Determine which department will e-SCM help the most, 5. Show the benefit of e-SCM to Airasia and stakeholders and 6. Suggestion for how to further improve the e-SCM. Overview of the company (Airasia, 2010) Now everyone can fly, this slogan held in every Malaysianâ €™s mind deeply. Airasia was an Asia’s leading airline with a dream of making flying possible for everyone.The vision of Airasia is to be the largest low cost airline in Asia and serving the 3 billion people who are currently underserved with poor connectivity and high fares. The mission of Airasia included; †¢ To be the best company to work for whereby employees are treated as part of a big family †¢ Create a globally recognized ASEAN brand †¢ To attain the lowest cost so that everyone can fly with Airasia †¢ Maintain the highest quality product embracing technology to reduce coast and enhance service levels There are 6 main values that Airasia focused in to attain the lowest cost.The strategies used were; ? Safety first o Partnering with GE Engine Services the world’s most renowned maintenance providers and complying with the world airline operations. o GE Engine Services began servicing jet aircraft engines over 50 years ago. o Provide large or small jet engines for commercial or military aircraft as well as engines for marine and industrial applications (Breaking Travel News, 2002). ? Hight Aircraft Utilisation o Implementing the regions fastest turnaround time at only 25 minutes, assuring lower costs and higher productivity. Low Fare, No Frills o Providing guests with the choice of customizing services without compromising on quality and services.  Example services provided food ; beverage, merchandise, excite, baggage supersize, pick a seat, premium service or corporate booking. ? Streamline Operations o Making sure the process are as simple as possible. o Example online ticket booking. ? Lean Distribution System o Offering a wide and innovative range of distribution channels to make booking and traveling easier. Strategy of distribution like call centre, sales office ; airport sales counter, authorized travel agents, mobile booking or online. ? Point to Point Network o Applying the point-to-point network keeps ope ration simple and cost low Analyze Airasia’s Annual Report According to Airasia’s Five-Year Financial Highlights from 2006 until 2009, Airasia’s revenue is increasing steadily. Unfortunately, in year 2008 is having loss around RM497 million. This is because their operating expenses (-RM3,207 million) had exceeded their revenue (RM2,955 million).From the report, year 2008 Airasia had huge amount of air craft fuel expenses (-RM1,390 million) and derivatives (-RM679 million) on operational cost compare with years 2009 –RM928 million and RM22 million. Due to the fuel expenses and derivatives, it causes Airasia making loss in year 2008 (Airasia Berhad, 2010). From the balance sheet, we can know that net current asset of year 2008 and year 2009 was increasing from RM163 million to RM511 million. It is because of non-current assets and current assets increased and current liabilities decreased.On non-current liabilities, borrowings of RM6,068 million in year 200 8 and RM7,068 million in year 2009 (Airasia Berhad, 2010). |Key Ratios (YE 31 Dec) |2008 |2009 | |Revenue growth (%) |n/a |8. 4 | |EBITDA growth (%) |n/a |86. | |Pretax margins (%) |(15. 3) |16. 8 | |Net profit margins (%) |(15. 4) |16. 3 | |Interest cover (x) |1. 6 |2. 1 | |Effective tax rate (%) |n/a |3. | |Net dividend payout (%) |n/a |0. 0 | |Debtors turnover (days) |91 |88 | |Stock turnover (days) |4 |3 | |Creditors turnover (days) |149 |127 | Adapted]From: Chew. B, 2010. Comparing with Malaysia Airlines, Malaysia Airlines have more revenue compare with Airasia but their profit after tax are around the same figure, which are RM493 million in year 2009, RM245 million in year 2008, RM853 million in year 2007, RM133 million loss in year 2006 and RM1,251 million lose in year 2005. Although Airasia revenue lower than Malaysia Airlines around RM8,442 million but Airasia can gain the profit like Malaysia Airlines. In conclusion, the strategies used by Airasia are very successful (Mala ysia Airlines, 2010).Compare Airasia with Malaysia airlines |2009 |Airasia |Malaysia Airlines |Differences in % | |Revenue |RM3,133 million |RM11,574 million |269. 42% | |Net profit after tax |RM506 million |RM493 million |-2. 57% | |Passengers carried |14,253 million |6,549 million |-54. 5% | |Fuel Expenses |RM927 million |RM3,497 million |277. 24% | |Net Current Asset |RM511 million |RM3,023 million |491. 59% | Balance Sheet Ratio for year 2009 |Ratio |Formula |Airasia |Malaysia Airlines | |Current |CA/CL |1. |0. 86 | |Quick |(Cash+AR)/CL |0. 86 |0. 74 | |Net Margin |NPAT/Sales |16. 2 |0. 04 | |Operating Margin |Operating profit/Sales |0. 15 |-0. 06 | |Return On Assets |NPAT/T. Assets |0. 04 |0. 6 | |Return On Investment |NPAT/Net Worth |0. 19 |0. 66 | The factors contributing to e- enable SCM in Airasia The invention of internet has greatly influence the traditional supply chain management in the world. Many company realize the benefits of apply IT into their supply chain managem ent. Internet has provided a great opportunity for company to share and access information faster and increase the productivity and efficiency of the supply chain performance.Other than that, e-enabled SCM lead to deduct the cost and add extra value for the company. Those enabling software like CRM, ERP and EDI which can help in make improvement on the integration with its buyers, sellers, suppliers and partners. Rapid changing of technology forcing the companies must plan to change their business strategy in order to understand consumer behavior and fulfill their needs. Due to the inefficiencies of the traditional supply chain management, many company decided to acquiring e-SCM are aim to better manage their supply chain flow to ensure it is operating smoothly.E-SCM is taking advantage in coordinate the cooperation with suppliers. E-commerce allow the seller promote and sell their products and services through the internet. Some of the buyers today prefer to search, buy, compare or book the products and services on the internet. Since the consumer behavior has changed, all of the companies are forcing to change their supply chain processes to adopt the new channel to meet the customer expectations. Thus, the supply chain needs to be different with the traditional channel.Airasia can provide customers booking flight ticket via internet (Gimenez et al. , 2003). Information sharing is a crucial part in supply chain management. Traditional supply chain management provided limited information flow among the employees, customers or the suppliers. That is higher cost and time consuming to get the information and it will cause the company can’t make a good decision. Therefore, internet provided a chance for company to share and access the real time information among its partners to ensure effective.Extranet can build a network to link the company and the partners together and granted to share and access information faster. Therefore, company can easily get the urgent information instantly in low cost. It can make a big improvement in enhancing the integration company with its suppliers. Other than that, an intranet can send and accept the documents through electronic media among the firms. In addition, internet is a high speed medium where can reach global. Internet can help the Company connect with their foreign partners in a minute for business information, discussion and proceed to procurement decision.It can know as e-procurement, example, Airasia can order the air bus spare part via internet (Gimenez et al. , 2003). Knowledge sharing, in the database management is not only offer precious information, there are also including planning, analyze the result and transfer and transform into meaningful information and share with business partners . Company can get the data with just a few clicks and help them to make a better decision for their business. That is providing big advantages to the company where is cost saving and improve the e fficiency of their business decision.Example, Airasia can collect their sales data and analyze it into meaningful information in order to respond to customer needs and demands and react quickly to the market. It can also use to forecast the company sales, so, the company can make decision to improve their sales (Gimenez et al. , 2003). One of the factors e-enabled supply chain management is it can design an effective supply chain to strive for effective collaboration and integration with suppliers and customers, increase the competitive advantages in the intense competition environment, improve the operational process, and gain a long-term benefit.Even though internet is an inexpensive and faster way to obtain the useful information to assist the company to improve the supply chain management, company has to design a good supply chain structure to make the supply chain flow more effective. The better of the supply chain design, the more benefits company can gain from it. Intense com petition today has forcing the company to do better always in order to survive in the market. Internet has offering the company a chance to design a better supply chain to enhance its supply chain performance by adding new functions to achieve the company objectives (Gimenez et al. 2003). Implementation plans to strategize an e-SCM In competitive environment today, internet technology provided strong tools to strengthen the company’s electronic supply chain management. If the company can carry out an appropriate implement planning, it would lead to obtain a competitive edge. A poor planning may cause supply chain produce the poor result like low quality, poor services and higher cost. Initially, the company must clarify the supply chain goals to indentify which goals are going to set to get best effect in the business.Competitive level, distribution, production, financial and customers needs need to be concern to assure the new supply chain able to achieve company goals and f ulfill customers’ need. Outsourcing can be more suitable because operating a new supply chain is costly. After that, conduct a supply chain readiness audit to analyze the business. To understand the existing company core and capabilities priority. How the company is going to respond with high demand, global reach? It such as an evaluation of business before a new supply chain is implementing.Next step is developing a business case, the top management should develop a business case that understands electronic supply chain can increase the performances of business and it would improve the customer satisfaction, supplier integration and cost effectiveness. To make a better business case can help in achieve company’s mission and objectives. Fourth step is establishing a supply chain coordination unit. Establish a skillful e-SCM team to implement and coordinate the supply chain.The team is to make sure the supply chain is operating under a smoothness condition, reduce the c ost, facilitate business performance and increase customer satisfaction. Training has to give out to improve the SCM team skill, knowledge and leadership (Kalakota et al, 2001). Next, begin supplier integration. Business partners are the important part in the supply chain to help the company to achieve their new business projects or objectives. Electronic supply chain will be inefficient if without any supplier support.Develop a performance score card to evaluate the performance of new supply chain. Reengineering might need when there have problems occur or something is going wrong. Penalties and performance reward may place into the measurement as incentives to drive e-SCM efficiency. The following step is always educate, educate, educate the members who are involve in the supply chain management by provide training, education, mentoring to the members to get the newest knowledge and information to perform well. At the final step, company has to learn to manage failure.Not every sy stem will always implementing smoothly, failure will lead into inefficiencies and influence the company daily operations. Thus, company must able to cope with the failure, understand the problem and learn from the failure and make improvement on it to prevent the problems occur again (Kalakota et al, 2001). Airasia is using Low Cost Carrier (LCC) business strategy to operate their business and transform supply chain management to electronic. Airsia is going to adopt several systems to support the e-SCM to operate smoothly.All of the systems are operating to achieve the business goals by cost effective of the operation (ERP and CRS) and maximize the revenue (YMS). Airasia attempts to integrate information technology with current supply chain management to carry out some planning and strategy that is implementing effectively to support and develop their business to coordinate their daily operation, integration and communication (Kho, 2005 and Wong, 2009). Advanced Planning and Schedul ing (APS) is introduced to improve the internal operational process and achieving low cost business strategy.In airline industry, complex network, huge daily operation and a lots of external factor that will influence the operational performance like bad weather. In order to be successfully implementing a good supply chain, Airasia can use APS to become a core of their supply chain to deal with the customer and supplier requirements. A series of effective functions will provide by APS to support Airasia in their daily operational activities. There are supplier portals, it will provide some useful information for Airasia to help them avoid from any system error such as order processing.APS also assist in inventory planning and maintenance management. APS is ability to integrate Airasia, its maintenance supplier, GE aviation, and other suppliers to manage the inventory such as spare part to check resource availability and place order priority to prevent out of maintenance stock and se t a maintenance schedule to ensure the aircraft is in a safety condition all the time. Route profitability analysis is conducting to set and plan an efficient route in order to save cost and increase revenue (Kho, 2005 and Wong, 2009).Computer Reservation System (CRS) is an integrated web-based inventory and reservation system including call center, airport departure control function, internet and others. Airasia is going to use e-commerce to facilitate the online reservation and purchase e-ticket process. Intermediary had eliminated in this process. Airasia will offer 24 hours per day and 7 days a week for real time transaction that enable local and global customers to book the ticket anytime. The system software will provide data in online booking and categorize stored, update automatically and help in scheduling flight activities.This is also cost effective by less depend on human resource for data entry. Therefore, Airasia can fully utilize the available of vast booking informat ion where bring customers to the website to minimize the unsold seat and maximize their sales. The comprehensive information is available by the supply chain system on the internet for customer to view, search and compare with others companies before they decide to purchase in terms of service, price or flight time.CRS has provided convenient for the company to maximize their sales to meet customers’ needs (Kho et al, 2005 and Wong, 2009). Beside that, Airasia had decided to acquire a Wireless Delivery System (WDS) to provide convenient to the customer so they able to book ticket through their mobile phone while increasing Airasia sales (Kho et al, 2005 and Wong, 2009). ERP is application software integrated with its company system that helps the company to manage the operational activities effectively and efficiency.Airasia can implement ERP system which is a system that will focus on company daily operations and help in save operational cost, maintain integrity, speed up re porting and increase efficiency of the operational performance and better manage its electronic supply chain (Kho et al, 2005 and Wong, 2009). Yield Revenue System (YMS) used to aid in understand, react and anticipated the buyer behavior to enhance the company revenue. The system can effectively result in optimize the Airasia’s flight ticket price and maximize the company expected revenue. Example, seat price is available by different level in the different time.A ticket booking at a later time may be charge a higher price than an earlier booking. Other than that, the system will help the company adjust the ticket price when there have high demand in that destination. YMS is obtaining advantages in charge a lower price to maximize the revenue and adjust the price into higher price when the peak time through the demand forecast. In this case, Airasia can fully understand their consumer behavior and implementing the effective strategy to achieve their revenue objectives (Kho et al, 2005 and Wong, 2009). ECRM is a system software use to build a long term relationship with the customers.Many companies are plan to cut customer service cost while improve customer satisfaction. ECRM is providing extra advantages compare with offline CRM. Airasia will use ECRM to manage the complaints from the customers through the call center and solve the customer problem and question by FAQs with further customer service support line on the Airasia homepage. Besides that, ECRM also provide convenience for customer to check in through the internet and mobile phone. ECRM can help the Airasia indentify the frequent customer and reward them through reward program like frequently flyer program.Email notification may be send to the customers to inform them about the promotion information (Wong, 2009). Environmental factors that may affect the implementation of e-SCM in AirAsia External factors Sociological Social environment includes the cultures, customs, mores, values and demogr aphic characteristic of the society in which an organization functions. Social processes also determine the goods and services, as well as the standards of business conduct, that a society is likely to value and accept. (Smith, 2010) In Malaysia, most of the population is educated and 65. % of Malaysians use internet (Internet World Statistic, 2010). This eases the process of implement e-SCM. When suppliers, customers and employees of Airasia are educated and able to operate a computer, it will be very easy for them to understand the concept of e-SCM, accept and use it. Therefore, the learning cost of Airasia’s e-SCM can be lower down. However, Airasia’s supplier have different values in implementing e-SCM. They may refuse to share actual data with other companies due to lack of trust (Scalet, 2001). This caused a barrier while implementing e-SCM.Political The political environment reflects the relationship between business and government, usually in the form of govern ment regulation of business (Smith, 2010). Political factors such as labour laws, tax, trade policy, and political stability defines what Airasia can and cannot do while implementing e-SCM. During year 2009, the Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi was set to step down in March 2009. This caused political uncertainty. This issue may lead to difficulties in setting rules or changing any structure in Airasia in order to implement e-SCM.Besides, Airasia also operate in other countries, many laws will be different compare to Malaysia. So Airasia will face another issue while implement e-SCM. Economic Economic environment refers to relevant conditions that exist in the economic system in which a company operates. Those factors in economic environment are interest rates, exchange rate, economic growth, inflation rate and others (Smith, 2010). For example, the rising of oil and arousal of low-cost competitors like Firefly will affect Airasia’s operating cost.They will influence the profi ts and availability of funds and cause implication on implementation of e-SCM (Yahoo! Answer, 2010). When Airasia is lack of fund, there will also lack of employees training cost on e-SCM and implementation cost. A Thai individual holds 1%, Airasia holds 49% and Shin Corporation hold 50% of Thai Airasia. Shin Corporation was owned by previous Thailand prime minister and it has strong financial strength to support Airasia to implement technology such as e-SCM (International Transport Workers' Federation, 2007). TechnologicalTechnological environment includes human knowledge, work methods, physical equipment, electronics and telecommunication and various processing systems which used to perform business activities. (Wong, 2009) Technology nowadays helps a lot in e-SCM. The main technology that affects implementation of e-SCM is Internet. It is serving as a medium for information access, transmission and sharing among suppliers, Airasia and its customers. Apart from that, with the aids of other technologies like intranet, extranet, e-mail, online conferencing, and others, all the supply chain partners ofAirasia can easily communicate and collaborate. Speed of information flow faster through Airasia to its customers or supplier. The other technology platform is Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). These technologies have stimulated implementation of e-SCM. Internal factors Human Resource When Airasia implement e-SCM strategy, every process, goal or system must be carry out by employees. Thus Airasia need to provide training to its employee, development, restructure and compensate in order to support e-SCM process. However, some employees may resist to change.Airasia must be award or compensate them so that implementation goes smoothly (Lancaster, 2006). Financial Resource Financial is critical factors that affect e-SCM. Without enough funds and capital, e-SCM cannot be implementing because e-SCM needs huge fund to carry out. Although Airasia is suffering loss during year 2009, Airasia can raise its fund to implement e-SCM by selling its share or capital restructure (Whitley, 2009). Physical Resource The infrastructure needed to be carry out e-SCM are corporate portals, workflow system and tools, EDI, intranet, extranet and others groupware tools.Airasia should gets all infrastructure ready to implement e-SCM. Organizational structure A flattened organization structure can easier to accept, adapt and implement new technologies or strategies (Pearlson, 2006). However, board of directors of AirAsia is too narrow, decision making will be too shallow (Onwutalobi, 2008). When implement e-SCM, decision making need to be fast, effective and efficient. Area that e-SCM help most in Airasia E-SCM helps Airasia a lot in this airline competitive industry and one of the ost significant advantages are reduced manifest preparation time, reduced paperwork handling time, reduced time in communicating with up- and do wn-stream intermodal partners and reduced load transference times between intermodal partners One of the significant e-SCM for an aviation company is the Computer Reservation System (CRS). Online sales through this system captured more than 50 percent of Airasia’s revenue (Corporate website, 2005). The system can also detect the frequent flyers and rewards them accordingly to create higher customer retention rate and lead to a better stage of relationship marketing with the customers.The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) process provides the structure for how relationship with the customer is develop and maintained (Croxton et al. , 2001). CRM can be a system linked together with the CRS in order to obtain the customer description and reservation description to provide them with full range of customer service including the FAQ questions in it. Besides that, Distributed Database System (DDS) is also a core element in this successful Airasia in the airline industry. If Air asia tend to expand to a wider range of market share, a geographically dispersed database can be used to plan its flight schedule carefully.Another element is that Wireless Delivery System (WDS) for the ease of their customers to browse company website details and place their reservation using their mobile phone. Airasia practices online booking if the customers tend to save money for lower price when they purchase their ticket online. The complexity of managing the flexible price can be carrying out using Yield Revenue System (YRS). Airasia can price accordingly by referring to the demand of the flight and pick the best price for Airasia’s yield revenue.Demand driven resource planning and employee scheduling is crucial to the success of all aviation service providers and Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) can help Airasia in the dynamic airline environment. Crew scheduling, fleet management, gate and check-in desk planning and the ground crew planning is a crucial part f or the company to overcome the increasing operating costs. Benefits of e-SCM to AirAsia, suppliers, and consumers The common model of e-commerce supply chain system transaction view is shown as below; company, suppliers and consumers are all linked throughout the whole transaction.So, as Airasia applies e-SCM, besides benefit to Airasia, it also benefits to suppliers and consumers (Hultkrantz et al. , 2001). [pic] Company Airasia can use the computer network to operate its businesses as one of the e-SCM strategies. Airasia’s can introduce booking air ticket through the online website which is assisted Air Asia transformed towards a more well-established communication media which is available 24/7. As the forecast, there will about 40% total revenue can be gain via the Internet transactions.It is because of Airasia can take the advantage of B2B marketplaces to forecast the demand for their services and, using differentiation pricing strategy to attract more customers and gain more market share by implementing the Yield Revenue System (YMS). In addition, the e-CRM in e-SCM allows Airasia to provide personalized service and one-to-one relationships between merchants and consumers. The ERP system had speed up reporting and increase efficiency of the operational performance which will directly increase the satisfaction of customers towards the services quality provided by Airasia.At the end, Airasia can enhancing relationship with both existing and potential customers and also the suppliers since the communication became a straightforward task. Besides that, Airasia can cost saving through the Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) which improved the internal operational process and achieving low cost business strategy. The company can also saves on the cost to operating and managing the bricks and mortar outlets and able to reach national markets without any efforts on developing a physical distribution network.Then, Airasia can reduce the cost of sales com mission of the middleman, which is the travel agent. So, as a conclusion, if Airasia adopted e-SCM, the company can streamline and restructure the services provided to its customers, developing new markets, and thus creating innovative business opportunities to its customers and suppliers. Suppliers [pic] Due to the supplier’s view of e-commerce supply chain, they concern on the process of buy and fulfillment, ship and logistics and fleet management (Hultkrantz et al. , 2001).The suppliers of Airasia can strengthen their forecasting ability, meet and exceed Airasia’s demands by offering the right promotion of products and services at the right time, as well as align their production schedules based on their manufacturing capacity and inventory management is improved because of the efficient information exchange, inventory visibility and transactions through the EDI system. So, the supplier can minimize ordering, handling and other costs and avoid from the bull-whip eff ect which may cause them profit loss from the surplus of the stocks or failed to gain more profit because of the shortage of stocks.In addition, the supplier can increase its reputation by meeting the needs and demands from the customers. Consumers The customer’s view point towards the e-SCM can be represented simply, as the figure below (Hultkrantz et al. , 2001). [pic] The e-SCM delivers value across Airasia customers’ supply chain allow customers make quicker and better decisions because the information about inventory visibility and transactions.Airasia customers can compare the pricing and the quality of services provided by Airasia and the others competitors on Internet. Besides that, the e-SCM automating the e-procurement function, simplified purchasing processes which benefits Airasia in lower their transaction costs and overhead. Since the expenses or costs of Airasia reduced, they may able to lower down the pricing but maintaining the same quality of services , which is also considered as benefit to customers. Customers get the same quality of services but with a lower pay.Through Computer Reservation System (CRS), Airasia can launch the ticketless system which the customer of Airasia has the opportunity in doing the booking and purchasing process at anytime, anywhere as customer preferences. Once the customer booking completed, Airasia will provide customer with a program which include customer booking number, payment and travel details. So, the ordering and settlement process had simplified and more convenient to customers during they check in by just mentioning the booking number and must present identification card (IC) or passport of customer for identification purposes.Recommendation and improvement on e-SCM The constantly changing external environments which faced by the organization or company nowadays cause the Airasia have to always ensure that its own internal resources and capabilities are sufficient enough to meet or exceed the needs of the external environment. So, the e-SCM system that Airasia executed need to always keep up-to-date to meet the needs of the external environments. Besides that, in order to survive in the air flight services industry, Airasia also need to always undertake an analysis about their external and internal environment.The e-SCM system plays an important role in this process because the visible of information about the supplier side and customers’ side is useful in the analysis. So, e-SCM system needs to be improved by reducing the degree of error happened and increase the accuracy and reliability of the data flow within the supply chain flow. Since Airasia still receiving a lot complaint from customers on their service, such as the flight delays, or being charged for a lot of things and also customers is not allowed to change flight or get any refund from Airasia if they couldn’t make it.So, Airasia can improve the e-SCM through the Balance Score Card (BSC) whi ch helps in the improvement of the internal and external communications, and monitor the organization performance based on financial perspective, internal business process perspective, learning and growth perspective and also customer perspective. So, by measuring the quality management and customer satisfaction index, Airasia could further improve the e-SCM based on the feedbacks from the customers and the measurement of the performance. On the other hand, Airasia can also further improve the e-SCM in the collaboration area.There are several unexpected events are converging. Therefore, company can increases the number of platforms, packages and more advanced technologies to do the filtering tasks which only permit meaningful collaboration from sharing data and information, to developing customer reward programs and joint forecasts.ReferencesThe Breaking News (2002), AirAsia ; GE Engine Services Sign Major Engine Maintenance Agreement Worth Over US$20 Million, Breaking Travel News. Available from: – http://www. breakingtravelnews. com/news/article/btn40003248  [Accessed 3 July 2010] Airasia (2010).

Cinema of Attractions

The cinema of attraction. ‘A matter of making images seen. ’ This is what Fernand Leger was writing in 1902 about the new art, trying to describe the possible changes in cinema, by emphasizing the fact that imitating the movements of nature is not necessarily the best way of defining cinema’s essence. This is only one of the writings concerning this topic which influenced Tom Gunning in characterizing the cinematic period before 1906 as that of the ‘cinema of attractions’.In this essay I am going to talk about the cinema of attractions and its main characteristics with examples from several early films, with an emphasis on ‘Un homme de tetes’ (Georges Melies, 1898) and L'arrivee d'un train a la Ciotat (Auguste and Louis Lumiere,1895). History of the cinema of attractionsThe term of ‘cinema of attractions’ was introduced into the study of film by Tom Gunning and Andre Gaudreault in 1985, describing a filmmaking technique used for early films, until 1906, in which the main interest is in the spectacle and the audience’s visual experience rather than in the narrative side. The cinema of attractions employed delights like colors, costumes, commentary, sometimes even grotesque features, like freaks or indigenous people. In the simplest terms, it was a cinema based on entertainment, shock and sensations, the ability of showing something.The main difference between this style and the cinema in later years is the focus: the cinema of attractions is trying to take the spectators on an unique trip to an extraordinary place, by inviting them to look, get involved and be amazed by these perfect illusions, rather than telling a story, while the narrative cinema focuses on human psychology, continuity of the plot and characters. The term ‘attract’ is defined by the english dictionary as ‘to draw by appealing to the emotions or senses, by stimulating interest, or by exciting admiration; allur e; invite’.In cinema, Eisenstein was one of the first people to use ‘attraction’ as a way of describing his techniques, which had either a physical or psychological unexpected impact on the audience, due to its direct address towards it, sometimes causing an emotional shock, through aggressivity and due to the unpredictability of the moment. Attractions of the early cinema. The first film that I am going to analyze is directed by the Lumiere brothers, which interpret cinema as the transcription of real unstaged life, opposing to Melies who saw cinema as invention, artifice, illusion, fantasy.Around this 50 seconds film there are different myths, some of which say that in the first showing of the movie, a lot of the spectators screamed, thinking that the train is going to hit them, and some of them even left the room, because of the illusion of the train moving towards them. This myth is why nowadays people tend to think of the early audience as naive, but at the same time, they forget to take in consideration other aspects, like the transformation which is occurring in front of their eyes, the idea of change and also the historical and social background.The primary object of most early films seems to be the personal space, which is invaded on a certain level. By triggering stress or fear, or choosing real-life danger objects like trains and other vehicles, the personal space is invaded and bodily reactions are being triggered, which is the main purpose of the cinema of attractions, by engaging the viewer in the exhibition. In 1986, Maxim Gorky writes a review of the Lumiere programme, and he uses words like ‘straight at you’, ‘shield’, ‘will reach you’, which, once again, shows the physical reaction that people had. Nevertheless, one must not confuse this with a complete illusion.People did not actually believe that the train will physically hurt them, but they were allowing themselves to enjoy the thr ill of the cinematic magic. If we were to take a clear example of the details which change this perspective of a credulous audience, the exhibition of The Black Diamond Express is one of the strongest ones, as the movie had a presenter, described as a ‘terrorist mood setter’ which introduced the audience in a dramatic atmosphere, by describing the images of a locomotive rushing into the camera as an unique moment in history, in which it will come towards them with its dreadful ‘iron throat’.This puts the danger that people believed to be in, in a new light, showing that their emotions and anxiety were influenced by the atmosphere created, together with the novelty of this type of entertainment. This type of delay, the suspension, the wait for an already announced unusual thing to be happening accentuate its impact over the image perceived by the crowd. Locomotives, trains and generally moving objects were preferred by directors, as they easily created a sen sation of fear, which could also represent a sensual reaction, as we saw earlier, viewers running out of the movie theater.This experience could nowadays be compared to that of a roller coaster, described by Gunning as ‘sensations of acceleration and falling with a security guaranteed by the modern industrial technology’, which in my opinion precisely describes people’s experience from 100 years ago as well, as they were well aware of the fact that it was just an illusion, but that didn’t mean they were refusing to be drawn in the experience, especially considering its innovation.Another aspect of the cinema of attraction is confrontation, which holds the viewer and makes it impossible for him to lose himself into absorption, like before in other arts like painting or sculpture: ‘attractions address the viewer directly, soliciting attention and curiosity through acts of display’. [1] This type of art ask for an immediate response from the audi ence, as the images are moving, evolving- a living screen. ‘Unlike psychological narrative, the cinema of attractions does not allow for elaborate development, only a limited amount of delay is really possible’. TG, p122) It is exactly this newness that makes it exciting, as it instantly produces a show with a high impact, offering sensational thrills through powerful images in motion, without the traditional narrative structure. In this type of cinema, the spectator identifies himself with the camera more than a character and his confrontation with the film is rather unmediated by the story. Hence, seeing this exhibitionist style as a precursor for the later narrative structures would show a misunderstanding of its value. Another iconic film for the cinema of attractions is Un homme de tetes, 1895.I have chosen to discuss this film because of its director, which most of the time is put in contrast with the Lumiere brothers, because of their different styles. The first one uses editing and multi shots, while the Lumiere brothers show nature caught on camera, in a single shot. Still, both styles have the same essence, that of the act of display, the pleasure of the spectacle. One aspect that one can definitely notice in Melies’ film is the presence of a showman/monstrator whose role is to present the film to the audience, a mediator between the crowd and the experience itself.As Gunning states, ‘The showman rather than the film themselves gives the program an overarching structure, and the key role of the exhibition showman underscores the act of monstration than founds the cinema of attractions. ’( TG, p. 122) As an example, Melies, who was a performer himself, during the movie which lasts less than two minutes, gesticulates with his hands towards himself and the heads, in a way directing the public’s attention to the main points, the heads, which are part of his magic trick. This, once again, puts the spectator in an ex ternal position, making him aware of the act of looking.This does not distance him, but, on the contrary, makes him part of the whole show, emphasizing the realism and the interactivity of the cinema. The tricks found in his films represent the typical burst of attraction, when there is a transformation of an object into something else: ‘In its double nature, its transformation of still image into moving illusions, it expresses an attitude in which astonishment and knowledge perform a vertiginous dance, and pleasure derives from the energy released by the play between the shock caused by this illusion of danger and delight in its pure illusion’. (TG, p. 29) One more time, it is emphasized that the audience knew how to make the difference between reality and illusion, and that movement is what cinematography promised, while still experiencing sensational thrills and feeding their hunger of consuming the world through images. From the examples above, we can see Tom Gunnin g’s idea of cinema of attraction come to life, and the way in which it dominated the first decade of early cinema, through the first silent movies and their exhibitionist characteristics. Their ability to show something without a narrative structure has fulfilled the audience’s visual curiosity of thrills, danger nd magic, while drawing them in the film, creating strong bodily sensation. Therefore, cinema of attractions is a primary response to people’s wish of seeing a spectacle apart than storytelling, in which their body is engaged rather than the mind through a succession of instants. Claudia Mangeac 1623 words Bibliography: 1. Tom Gunning: An Aesthetics of Astonishment: Early Film and the (In)Credulous Spectator 2. The Cinema of Attractions Reloaded, edited by Wanda Strauven, Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam 2006 3. Tom Gunning -Attractions: How They Came into the world . Encyclopedia of early cinema, edited by Richard Abel, Routledge 270 Madison Avenu e, New York, USA 5. http://scan. net. au/scan/journal/display. php? journal_id=109 6. http://www. scribd. com/doc/65086032/Tom-Gunning-Primitive-Cinema 7. Tom Gunning, The Cinema of Attraction(s): early Film, Its Spectator and the Avant-Garde 8. Un homme de tetes’ (Georges Melies, 1898) 9. L'arrivee d'un train a la Ciotat (Auguste and Louis Lumiere,1895). ———————– [1] Tom Gunning, ‘An Aesthetic of Astonishment: Early Film and the (ln)Credulous Spectator’ (pg. 121)

Event planning for Asian Market Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Event planning for Asian Market - Research Paper Example In order to promote themselves, several industries, charitable organizations and interests groups have resorted to holding events. This measure is also adopted by those who desire to reinforce business associations, raise money or just celebrate (slideshare, 2013). The Legendary Palace is a Chinese dim sum restaurant. It has the capacity to accommodate 500 members at a time. Prior to become a restaurant, it had been used as a night club, garment factory, book store and rooming house. The Legendary Palace is located in the bay area of California. It was constructed in 1917 and it has become a historical land mark of that place. Hospitality services tend to be intricate. They fulfil social affiliation and self-identity needs, and generate vast opportunities for differentiation. Several products are simple and necessitate performance to a technical norm. As such event management is a novel procedure that requires creativity and innovation.The customer should feel happy and comfortable, during these events. As such, customer satisfaction should be highest priority of event management. In general, there will be no issues for a land mark hotel like the Legendary Palace, with regard to conducting a wedding on a grand scale. However, due to competition, this hotel has to adopt novel practices and procedures to make it a memorable occasion for the Asian customers. This research will identify the problems if any, with the management of a wedding event in the Legendary Palace. Finally recommendations will be provided for the improvement of procedures of the wedding event for Asian customers. I have made a thorough research with regard to the event management of s wedding in a land mark hotel, such as the Legendary Palace. To this end, I perused many books and articles for retrieving the necessary information. I have consulted online libraries for the extant literature on the topic. Moreover, I have

Supports or argues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Supports or argues - Essay Example Therefore, Wade Allison’s contributions in the support of the massive use of nuclear power should be disregarded since no one knows when the use of such nuclear power may be uncontrolled. Allison clearly states notes the health concerns of nuclear radiation; however, he diminishes this fact and narrows it down to small quantity of admission like in the case of X-ray examinations. It is true that small amounts of absorption of radiation into the body are less harmful to the body. Nonetheless, he must have considered that erection of the nuclear power plants may emit such small radiation, but constantly. In other words, medically administered radiations are usually monitored and controlled and are never continuous; thus, they have minimal effect to the human health (Jha and Boseley 02). For instance, examining internal tumors in the body or cracked bones among other internal organs may only subject a person to the radiation once after sometimes. On the other hand, nuclear power plants will subject the environment and the humanity to a constant dose of radiation thereby increasing health risks related to the radiation. Additionally, imagining of a situation where such nuclear power plants are erected about ten to twenty in every nation. What is the amount of the nuclear related radiation will be submitted into the atmosphere? Nonetheless, it is worth noting that small amount of radiation is never highly dangerous to humanity and the environment, but cumulative small amounts per power plant will lead to enormous amounts of nuclear particles into the environment that cannot be tolerated by the human body thereby leading to devastating global health problems (Jha and Boseley 02). Reading from the Allison’s understanding of the history of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he should have noted that massive emission of nuclear related particles or radiation into the environment usually have long and dangerous effects to the present and generation

Scholarship essay Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scholarship essay - Personal Statement Example In 2008, I took the first step to feeling like I belonged here—I began taking English classes at the HCC. From these humble beginnings, I progressed to the point where I was able to begin taking college classes, specifically to do with computers. From here my English improved so much that I was able to pass my citizenship exams just last year. Although I will always be treated as an outsider, I now feel proud to call America my home. The skills that I have picked up on will help me in my pursuit of a degree in Computer Information Systems at the University of Houston. A scholarship will greatly assist me in reaching my goal of completing my degree in Computer Information Systems. I believe that I deserve this not only for my educational achievements, but also for the volunteer work that I have done in the community. I am someone who always likes to give back to the community because I feel that everyone has helped me so much along the way. I am an approved TDCJ volunteer and have participated in the TDCJ Mentoring Program. The main tasks that I have been involved with as a volunteer include fostering care and support, encouraging personal development, assisting in personal visioning, and developing active community partnerships. I feel that this experience has not only helped me as a person, but has also made me appreciate this country that I now call home. For the mentoring program, the objective is to establish a trust-based relationship with accountability and responsibility from both the mentor and the mentee. As I have been a mentor with thi s program, it has been great to listen to the stories of people who come to me with their problems. I feel privileged to be able to offer suggestions and help in any way that I can. Even though my work as a volunteer and a mentor is not directly related to my degree, I feel that I have gained other invaluable skills that will assist me in the future. Looking towards the future, I would like to further my pursuit

Ready means of fashion through which individuals can make visual Essay

Ready means of fashion through which individuals can make visual statements - Essay Example The essay "Ready means of fashion through which individuals can make visual statements" analyzes fashion ready means and visual identity. According to the theory of the Leisure class, some people may struggle to distinguish themselves form others. This is may be by dressing in extremely expensive clothes. Some people also go to extreme ways of looking even different through plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery (Tseëlon, 1995). Wolf infers that women have, in most cases suffered for beauty. This is by trying to portray their identities and lifestyles. According to her, women have the right to expresses themselves the way they want. Women are increasingly modifying their bodies to look different. This is by turning to plastic surgery cosmetic surgery and anti aging products in order to look perfect. Women are using their bodies as a display of identity, class and income. This got contributed mainly by the use of the body as a symbol in marketing, advertising, and in business to dis play a particular image. Fashion industry improves women’s lives by provides them with ways to visually express their personally and professionally (wolf, 2002). Wolf condemns the way women and represented in fashion and how they got treated by largely patriarchal societies around the world. In most cases, women like to express them as young. This leads them to using plastic surgery, diets, make up and aging prevention treatments. Aging psychologically and socially affects women in regards to fashion.

The Pricing Strategies and Programs of Etisalat Essay

The Pricing Strategies and Programs of Etisalat - Essay Example In 1983, the company changed its ownership structure when the United Arab Emirates government took over a 60 percent share of the company, giving it majority ownership, with the other 40 percent of stock offered to the public. Today, this company operates under the brand Etisalat. The firm is a diverse multinational company that operates in 18 countries throughout the Middle East, Africa, The United States, and Africa (etisalat.ae, 1). Etisalat services over 100 million customers in these countries and has achieved annual net revenues of AED 30.83 billion in 2009 (etisalat.ae, 1). The company is a major telecommunications provider to the private citizen and to corporate entities, with mobile services, voice and data services over satellite and fixed-lines. The business also is involved in providing managerial and technical training support services to enterprises as well as SIM card manufacturing, voice and data transit services, and even telecommunications in submarines (etisalat.ae, 1). The business is a major broadband hub for Middle East businesses and consumers with a very broad trans-national network. It provides also roaming and data services for corporate entities. In addition, Etisalat provides iPhone services and Blackberry services exclusive to the se products. Major competitors of Etisalat include Vodafone, MobiNil, Singapore Telecommunications and China Mobile. (BBC News, 1). Current regulations reductions in the UAE and other countries have also reduced barriers of new market entry for competition, thus the business faces even more competition from global and regional telecommunications companies as they are now allowed to enter the UAE and other Middle Eastern markets with less tariffs, taxations, and less governmental involvement. Data on the Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat The CEO is currently Mohammed Khalfan Al Qamzi who has held this position since 2006. Al Qamzi has an excellent track record of bringing innovative solutions to Etisalat founded on years of business management and investment experience. Mohammed Al Qamzi is a graduate of Spokane Community College, attended from 1999 to 2002. Most of Al Qamzi’s experience is in real estate, with involvement in Jumairah Golf Estate, Palm Jabel Ali, and currently works as th e director of real estate venture Palm Jumairah (linkedin.com, 1). The CEOs credentials include vast knowledge of logistics, security, environment and sustainability practices, document management and project control (linkedin.com, 2). His vast resume of business success has brought Etisalat considerable market presence and growth opportunities over the last five years. Marketing Principles for Etisalat Etisalat understands the importance of marketing for brand-building and also to secure differentiation among competitors who offer similar products at similar pricing structures. Targeting for the company involves a blend of strategies. First, Etisalat considers geographic segmentation based on volume of citizens in a region and urban population and infrastructure. Targeting considers gender (considering most Mid-Eastern countries are male-dominated), literacy levels of international and domestic consumers, specific customs and traditions, the income levels of potential consumers, an d the current level of brand recognition of potential customers (marketingmixx.com, 2). Literacy is a significant factor when considering how to target advertising since this region does not support the highest literacy levels when compared to other developed countries across the world. The company’

Historical Research Method Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Historical Method - Research Paper Example This step involves spotting, locating, and collecting data pertaining to the topic of research. The information sources are usually contained in documents such as records, newspapers, relics, photographs, and interviews with people who have experienced or have knowledge of the research subject. Such interviews are called oral histories. †¢Ã‚  Evaluation of materialsEach data source must be evaluated for accuracy and authenticity since they can be affected by various factors like economic conditions, prejudice, and political climate. Sources must pass either an external criticism; the process of determining the trustworthiness, authenticity, or validity, or internal criticism; the process of determining the accuracy or reliability of the information collected. Firsthand information by event witnesses, for example are classically assumed to be more accurate and reliable. †¢Ã‚  Data synthesis and preparing a reportSynthesis is the selecting, structuring, and analyzing the mate rials gathered into central concepts and topical themes. Thesis themes are then joined to form a meaningful and contiguous whole. A literature review of where and how historical materials research method is used in the academic "business" literatureThis will give a description of the relevant literature in business. Historical research method can be used in market research to enable organizations stay fine tuned in business. It can help organizations to penetrate the wants and needs of customers and the techniques.

The Bill Clinton Years in the White House Research Paper

The Bill Clinton Years in the White House - Research Paper Example The New Democrats championed for smaller governments as well as welfare reform and had support from Republicans and Democrats. Moreover, Americans attribute his policies to a centrist Third Way philosophy of power. His charm and power to pull people to his side enabled him to achieve his dream of guiding America to prosperity through the promotion of peace and introducing laws that changed America. Bibliography Clinton was born in 1946 of William Jefferson Blythe, Jr. and Virginia Dell Cassidy (Clinton, 3). His father died in an automobile accident when Virginia was 6 months pregnant. His mother left him under the care of his grandparents in order to study nursing. Virginia later remarried to Roger Clinton, a brother to her late husband. Roger was an alcoholic and gambler who frequently behaved violently to his mother and stepbrother. At times, he came to the defense of the mother when his stepfather abused her. Despite such treatment, he adopted his stepfathers’ name, Clinton as a sign of gesture to him. He grew up in Arkansas where he became a skilled musician, rugby player as well as a student leader at Georgetown University. Moreover, Clinton forms part of alumni of Georgetown University and became an associate of Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Beta Kappa where he earned a scholarship to the University of Oxford (Clinton, 7). Despite having a passion for medicine, he never achieved it but instead opted to study law at Yale Law School. Furthermore, he is married to Hillary Clinton who has served as US Secretary of State since 2009 and a former New York Senator from 2009 – 2009. The Clintons met and dated at Yale Law School where they received their law degrees. The couple has one child, Chelsea. She has been a source of happiness and hope in their lives. He is a Christian and a Baptist. His major achievement as Governor of Arkansas was the overhaul of the education system, which led to increased performance and accountability. He also became Chair of the National Governors Association (Clinton, 15) Achievements Clinton became USA president after defeating the incumbent president George H. W Bush. He rode on the wave of economic growth to power since the incumbent had performed dismally in promoting economic growth. During his years as president, he reigned over the longest era of peacetime economic growth and development (IMDb, 1). During his era, peace was paramount and this provided a favorable environment for economic expansion. This resulted in growth and expansion of the US economy after poor performance under his predecessor George H. W. Bush. Moreover, he assented into law The North American Free Trade Agreement that expanded the US trade market and partners. This contributed to the economic boom since US products recorded massive sales as well as the provision of a favorable business environment (IMDb, 1). Therefore, US traders experienced minimal problems concerning trade policies and regulations with the North American trade partners. Immediately after being inaugurated as president, Clinton accented to the Family and Medical Leave Act, 1963. The law provided for employers to give employees unpaid leave for serious medical condition or pregnancy (Joseph, 12). This Act was signed and got a majority public approval since it helped many people to pay bills and meet other expenses while not on work. Through the Act, Clinton helped reduced financial problems and constraints experienced by the sick or pregnant women and thus, considered the best president.

A comparison of CORBA and Web Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

A comparison of CORBA and Web Services - Essay Example Distributed Applications refer to the applications which can be distributed across different processors and computer systems.This concept helps in deploying an application across systems on a network which might be working a common project or an application. Distribution introduces a whole new set of semantics for ease of computing; some applications by their very nature are distributed across multiple computers because of one or more of the following reasons (Chaffee & martin, 1999):There are some applications which might need to access common data. Therefore, the data which these applications must access must necessarily be residing on multiple systems for administration and ownership reasons. There are several options available with distributed applications like an owner could permit the accessibility of the data-the data might be permitted to be accessed remotely but not stored on the local systems. If the data cannot be co-located, it must necessarily exist on multiple heterogen eous systems. Many applications in particular make the use of multiple processors in parallel computing to run an application and to solve a problem. Other applications may execute on multiple computers in order to take advantage of some unique feature of a particular system. Distributed applications most definitely take advantage of the scalability and heterogeneity of the distributed system (Chaffee & Martin, 1999). Some applications execute on multiple computers because users of the application communicate and interact with each other via the application. Each user executes a piece of the distributed application on his or her computer, and shared objects, typically execute on one or more servers. A typical architecture for this kind of application is illustrated below. Fig 1: Distributed Applications (Chaffee & Martin, 1999) It is necessary for the Distributed application developers to address several issues in a local program where in one operating system process all logic is executed. There are some differences between the objects that are co-located in the same process and the objects that can interact across processes or machine boundaries. The objects that are co-located can communicate faster than the ones that run on distributed applications. When in a group of objects which are co-located, one object fails, the whole of the object group fails. However, in the distributed applications, if one object among the whole bunch of objects running fails, it will not affect the other objects. Also the networks can be partitioned so as to separate the objects into different domains. Concurrent access in co-located objects is possible only through multiple threads. Concurrent access among the objects is possible in objects running in the distributed applications. Co-located objects are totally secure which i s evident through the fact that objects have access only among themselves and any other outer objects cannot access that group of objects. Objects in a distributed application environment are not secure since objects in such an environment are not protected against access from other processes. The communication speeds between the objects belonging to the same process are much higher when compared to the communication speeds between objects located on different machines. This statement implies that distributed applications which most probably might contain more than two objects having tight interactions should not be designed. If such applications are designed, the objects should be co-located to enhance the performance and the communication speeds. When two objects are co-located, they fail together; if the process in which they execute fails, both objects fail. The

Stress and Personality Types Essay Example for Free

Stress and Personality Types Essay Its now widely accepted that there are three basic personality types. These have the wildly original names of Types A, B and C. We all have elements of each type in our makeup. One, or perhaps two, however, will dominate. Its very useful to find out which personality type best describes your personality because this can tell you a great deal about how likely it is that youll become stressed and, if you do, why and how youll handle it. Note: weve used he throughout this article: please take this to mean she as well. Type A The Type A personality traits are impulsiveness, competitiveness and the need to get things, lots of things, done quickly. Type A is always in a hurry, lives by timetables and deadlines, is a perfectionist and has difficulty delegating any tasks, and therefore ends up trying to do everything himself. He is also likely to be impatient and can be aggressive. Such a person is very unlikely to undertake too much self-analysis everyone else has the problem, not him! Anyway, he hasnt got the time to waste in worry out about such things. The Type A individual is often driven by feelings of insecurity. Such a person often becomes one of lifes high achievers, in the belief that by achieving their goals and ambitions they will gain the level of control they feel they need in order to overcome their feelings of insecurity. Generally, a Type A person has no idea why he is so driven. You can see from all this that Type A people are prime candidates for stress and stress-related illnesses. The Type A personality is the energetic one who suddenly has a breakdown when he finally uses up his reserves of energy. This personality type also has the highest risk of heart disease. Because the problems which give rise to stress are part of his personality are personality related, the only way such a person can truly de-stress themselves is by acknowledging the problem and being prepared to change some aspects of their personality and their behavior. That doesnt, of course, stop them from trying to control their stress levels by using exercise, aromatherapy or whatever, but many Type A people have good intentions and then find theyre just too busy to find the time to go to the gym or see their therapist. Type B Type B personalities are not as likely to suffer from stress as much as other personality types unless there is a specific cause, such as bankruptcy or divorce. They are the complete opposite of the Type A personality. If you had to find one phrase to describe a Type B person, it would be laid back. They are more relaxed about things, less driven and generally content with their lot, and are less likely to try to achieve unnecessary aims and objectives. Type B personalities have enough confidence in their fellow human beings to be able to delegate. They are calm and rational and not likely to damage their health long term due to a stressful lifestyle. If you have a Type B personality, say a prayer of thanks. Type C The Type C personality type has difficulty expressing emotion and has a marked tendency to bottle things up, especially anything in their life which is bothering them. He will rarely or ever dispel any stress by throwing a cup against the wall or shouting at someone whos annoyed him. Hell feel like doing so, just like any other person, but even when his emotions are almost overwhelming hell keep an awesome control over his words and behavior. This is a perfect recipe for severe stress problems What is interesting is that the existence of the Type C personality was first mooted in studies of cancer patients. Were all a mixture of these personality types

Cash Flows Essay Example for Free

Cash Flows Essay â€Å"The statement of cash flows reports the cash receipts, cash payments, and net change in cash resulting from operating, investing, and financing activities during a period† (Weygandt, Kimmel, Kieso, 2010, p. 614). Companies are required to prepare a statement of cash flow because it contains important information about the company that deems useful for external sources, such as investors, to make educated decisions about a company. The information contained in the cash flow, such as the company’s ability to generate cash and meet obligations, assists creditors and investors to determine the adequate decision regarding extending credit or investing. The statement of cash flows is divided into three sections: Operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities (Weygandt, et al, 2010). Each of these sections have reflect their own characteristics of transactions and other events. First, operating activities include transactions that create revenues and expenses; these are included in the determination of net income (Weygandt, et al, 2010). Second, investing activities has two purposes: includes the acquisition and disposing of investments and property, plant, and equipment, and lending money and collecting the loans (Weygandt, et al, 2010). Third, financing activities include two purposes: obtaining cash from issuing debt and repaying the amounts borrowed, and obtaining cash from stockholders, repurchasing shares, and paying dividends (Weygandt, et al, 2010, p. 615). Operating activities, which include income statement items are: Cash inflows – from sale of goods and services, and from interest received from dividends received; Cash outflows – to suppliers for inventory, employees for services, and others for expenses (Weygandt, Kimmel, Kieso, 2010, p. 616). Investing activities – investments and long-term assets: Cash inflows – from sale of property, plant, and equipment, and collections on loans to other entities; Cash outflows – to purchase property, plant, and equipment, purchase investments in debt, and making loans to other entities (Weygandt,  Kimmel, Kieso, 2010, p. 616). Financing activities involves long-term liabilities and stockholders’ equity: Cash inflows – from sale of common stock, and from issuance of long-term debt; Cash outflows – to stockholders as dividends, and to redeem long-term debt or reacquire capital stock (Weygandt, Kimmel, Kieso, 2010, p. 616). References Weygandt, J. J., Kimmel, P. D., Kieso, D. E. (2010). Financial accounting (7th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Technical And Vocational Education

Technical And Vocational Education The development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training has clearly been seen as a key to national poverty reduction and socio-economic development in Cambodia, as defined in the Rectangle Strategy of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and the five-year National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2006-2010. These show a commitment to skills development. The National TVET Development Plan, 2006-2011, also identifies the TVET sector as an important element in alleviating poverty, promoting peace, conserving the environment, improving the quality of life for all, and helping achieve sustainable development in Cambodia. However, Cambodias current TVET system is facing several critical issues such as: lack of access to formal training on a national basis, weak links with industry, lack of entrepreneurial focus, poor quality control, inadequate institutional financing, low rates of information and communication technology (ICT) usage and low capacity of TVET teachers, which h ave limited the quantity and quality of system outputs for years (e.g., Asian Development Bank [ADB], 2009; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2004b; International Project on Technical and Vocational Education [UNEVOC], 1997). With the critical importance of the TVET sector, the TVET curriculum must be well prepared for the success of students at the workplace. It can mean the difference between success and failure for TVET students in terms of theoretical knowledge and technical skills as well as being abreast with new technologies in the workplace (African Union, 2007). Similarly, Ben-Peretz (2009) specified the school curriculum as one of three critical domains of education, which should prepare students for their future success. As reported by United Nations Development Program (UNDP) (2011) one of the most vital aspects of education is to produce a workforce which is skillful and able to gain returns on their education and for the overall economy when they are in their careers. Therefore, the education system must be able to understand the needs and necessities of the economy and prepare learners for their economic lives (UNDP, 2011). However, TVET curricula have not focused their relevance to the requirements of the labor market in many countries; and in other nations, for various reasons, employers or managers may prefer to hire unskilled workers or academic graduates and provide on-the-job training programs (Maclean Lai, 2011). There do not seem to be strong gains and work advancement in Cambodia (UNDP, 2011). Additionally, the balance between theory and practice has shifted in recent years. There seems to be a case about the (under)graduates perceptions of the relevance of TVET curriculum to their existing jobs. However, this anecdotal information was only heard second-hand from employers. That is, many employers in Cambodia have complained about the curriculum mismatch that most graduates from universities and technical schools are not well equipped with knowledge and skills needed at workplace, especially soft skills (ADB, 2009; UNDP, 2011). Actually, the importance of survey of (under)graduates perceptions of their study programs helps to improve the quality of TVET curriculum, and could be important for TVET curriculum reform as conducted in many countries (e.g., Lubasha Tripathi, 2012; Singh Singh, 2008). Indeed, the value of surveying the perceptions of students on the relevance of the study program is something that the school committee should consider as being of practical importance to our own educational institution. The lack of feedback from students may probably have been problematic to the school curricular that were intended to offer knowledge and skills for the world of work. Since there is little information about students perceptions on the curricular in Cambodian TVET especially at my workplace, my study on this topic will serve as a helpful source for TVET curriculum development and improvement and brings the school to success in filling gaps between the curriculum mismatch and the needs of the industr ies. The study of student interests will focus on graduates of a TVET institution, which is located in Phnom Penh and offers educational and training services from certificate levels to bachelor degrees in business and engineering studies. The study will be conducted in Phnom Penh, and a group of graduates of civil engineering field between the academic years 2011-12 will be contacted for questionnaires and individual interview. Those graduates work in different job positions and in different companies. The survey research will help to inform the leaders of the institution to look at the importance of student survey on the relevance of TVET curricular and the result will best serve for the school curriculum reform. Statement of Problem The mismatch between education and employment is critically concerning to many related stakeholders. They are also concerned that most universities and TVET institutions have provided knowledge and skills, which are not relevant to industries (ADB, 2009; UNDP, 2011). Therefore, as in many countries, Cambodian graduates find it difficult to deal with the jobs available in labor market when their knowledge and skills are far different from what they have experienced in schools (e.g., Lubasha Tripathi, 2012; Singh Singh, 2008). The perceptions from students are often neglected by many universities and TVET schools in Cambodia; that is why study programs are often found out of date in the current world of work where graduates find it hard to enter. The student voice is often silenced, but it can be regarded as a key mirror to reflect the good match of school curriculum and the industry needs. Moreover, the irrelevance of school curricula is the critical issue faced by many educational institutions in Cambodia (ADB, 2009; UNDP, 2011). Therefore, the knowledge and skills needed by employers cannot be matched when employers hire graduates to perform the jobs. Thus, there are some frustrations for employers to employ graduates who have the knowledge and skills which are irrelevant to their needs. Many employers have complained about the knowledge and skills provided at schools while graduates have expressed their discontentment about what they have learned from schools. Research Question Given this background to the study, the research study will propose the following research question, in order to explore and examine undergraduates perceptions of the relevance of TVET study programs toward their current jobs: What perceptions do graduates in a civil engineering degree (the academic year 2011-12) at one Cambodian Institution hold in terms of the relevance of their studies to their current jobs? Significance of the Research Study The focal findings of this research study will contribute to the quality of school curriculum development, and to the determination of the relevance of the study programs in terms of providing students with skills and knowledge required in the world of work in the field of civil engineering. Specifically, the study will be a helpful reference for the development of TVET quality improvements. Furthermore, the result will provide important information to relevant stakeholders in the TVET sector in order to help create the TVET stream as a main tool for equipping people with high knowledge, skills and competence for their employment and employability in the competitive world. Data in the study will hopefully be utilized for the improvement of curriculum and will also be used to determine areas of weaknesses. The findings can be used as a tool to provide instructors to better master their teaching practices and to aid TVET institutions to create a database on students perceptions of thei r study programs. In order to make effective changes in offering any study programs, it is vital to receive feedback from students who are involved in the specific programs. Hopefully, this survey study will be a valuable asset, and its findings will also serve as a supportive document for researchers from different fields of study to use and build their foundation knowledge of TVET students perceptions of the quality and relevance of study programs to job industries in the TVET system. Chapter Two Literature Review By using the search engine Google Scholar and the James Cook University Library search engine with key terms including: the perceptions of TVET students, the purpose of higher education and further education, the use of student feedback and survey, the quality of higher education and further education, the role of higher education (HE) and TVET, the relevance of study programs to industries, and TVET, I have found and downloaded many useful materials for my literature review of my topic. Although some materials seem to be out of date, they are still useful for the research study, because they can give an overview on the topic, and they can work as a foundation of knowledge to support the literature review. The Role of Higher Education in Preparing Undergraduates for Workforce The international context. An article by Haveman and Smeeding (2006) stated that most Americans expect the nations colleges and universities to promote the aim of social mobilization to make it possible for a student with capability to succeed. According to Mortese (2003), higher education can serve as a model of sustainability by fully integrating all aspects of campus life that students have experienced for their future lives. Furthermore, higher education has become a major driver of economic competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy when the world has faced many matters (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], 2010). To improve employment skills calls for quality teaching and holistic approaches within universities (OECD, 2010; Ben-Peretz, 2009). National and transnational discussions like the Bologna Process, regarding state regulations and incentives, as well as competition among private and state-run institutions all urge universities and educational and te chnical providers to put quality teaching on their agenda (OECD, 2010). In addition, national quality assurance agencies push for reflection on the subject, even if their influence is controversial. Since higher education systems are increasingly diversifying, society is increasingly concerned about the quality of study programs offered to their consumers. This is not only the case in the academic stream, but is the case in the TVET stream. As many relevant stakeholders have recognized the importance of the study program in preparing students for jobs, Lauglo (2006) explained that TVET curricular refer to deliberate interventions to bring about learning which would make people more productive (or simply adequately productive) in designated areas of economic activity (e.g., economic sectors, occupations, specific work tasks) (p. 11). This is because TVET has its great potential to enhance human capabilities and enlarge peoples choices (Ayuba and Pascal, n.d.). Therefore, the education system must be able to understand the needs and necessities of the economy and prepare learners for their economic lives (UNDP, 2011). Additionally, Klimek (2010) noticed that a skill refers to an ability to perform a particular mental or physical activity that may be developed through vocational training or practice. Klimek (2010) also noted that vocational education and training provides people with occupational or work-related knowledge and skills. TVET also includes programs which provide the basis for subsequent vocational programs (p. xxviii). Therefore, TVET curricular are designed and developed as an education alternative to prepare students for the world of work (Klimek, 2010; Ayuba Pascal, n.d.). The changing demands of the workforce in the 21st century have created great challenging problems for TVET providers to respond quickly and efficiently to the continually changing skills requirements of the industries (Rafik, Treadwell, Triki, Gupta, Najah, n.d.). This is important if developed countries are to stay competitive and challenging but it is even more important for developing countries to catch up and fill the gap with the industrialized world (Rafik et al., n.d.). These challenges have resulted in growing debates and demanding solutions on developing better and more effective TVET systems that satisfy the national needs (Rafik et al., n.d.). The Cambodian context. The state of the higher education system in Cambodia, consisting of both university education and vocational and technical training, is largely formed by three factors: very disparate organization mechanisms, poor quality output, and low enrolment (UNDP, 2011). These three factors are greatly slowing down the advancement of higher education and more capable human resources in the whole country, and there should be a major concentrated point when undertaking reforms in education. A total number of eleven ministries and agencies which provide higher education service thus have access to the public education budgets of Cambodia (UNDP, 2011). The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) and the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MoLVT) are the two most important ministries regarding higher education in Cambodia, and while the Cambodian Education Law states that MoEYS is responsible for general, higher and vocational education, it does not provide any explanation for the r ole of MoLVT, which has resulted in a high level of challenges, and hardship in developing strong cooperation links between these Ministries in providing educational and training services to learners (UNDP, 2011). Understandably, this makes coordination of the higher education system very difficult for the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to take actions on this issue. There are 38 public TVET institutions spread over 24 provinces of Cambodia under the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training; and many NGOs, large-and-small enterprises, local centers, and other relevant stakeholders also operate TVET practice on a very small and localized scale with few exceptional cases (National TVET Development Plan, 2008). However, NGOs move in and out of skills training, depending on donor funds availability and/or donor interest. At present, there are approximately 12 national NGOs that run institution-based skills training courses (National TVET Development Plan, 2008). The public TVET provision does not fully meet the need for basic and mid-level skills in the formal and informal economies, of NGOs and other local private centers, like Don Bosco schools, TAYAMA Business school, and EDC Training Center help to fill gaps. Lack of access to formal training on a national basis, weak links with industry, lack of entrepreneurial focus, poor quality control, and inadequate institutional financing continue to limit the quantity and quality of system outputs. Pich (2010) indicated a number of students are smaller in the TVET system than that in the academic stream while the employers need technical knowledge and skills for their business practices. This is the mismatch between higher education and the needs of industries, concerned by many stakeholders if the availability of solutions is not at hand (UNDP, 2011). In summary, we can say that the quality in TVET in Cambodia is low. There should be coordination amongst these ministries to link the educational services to match the requirements of the industries while the relevance of curricular seems to be low when graduates tend to work (UNDP, 2011; ADB, 2009). The Use of Student Feedback for Curriculum Development in Higher Education The international context. Authorities in higher and TVET education often use student feedback as a mechanism to improve course content and delivery. In the TVET sector internationally, survey questionnaires have been used to explore stakeholder perceptions of the quality of TVET education and of the match between the skills of graduates and the needs of industry. For Munro (2008), it is ideal that feedback results are used to assert the strengths and find out areas of improvements in organization. As the practice of survey research is important, Lubasha and Tripathi (2012) surveyed stakeholders perceptions in VET programs in Tanzania, which are relevant to the quality all stakeholders may think, while Singh and Singh (2008) mainly focused on employability skills in Malaysia. Both studies have aimed at the improvement of study programs offered at educational and training institutions in order to perceive the quality of education and training as the key for graduates to be employable after they graduate from schools (Lubasha Tripathi, 2012; Singh Singh, 2008). In the study, Lubasha and Tripathi (2012) found that the determinants of quality in the VET programs such as the quality of VET programs, the relevance of VET programs to employment trends and entrepreneurship, and the perception of delivering the quality VET programs, which are critical for improving the quality of education provided by VET programs in Tanzania. The survey result of Singh Singh (2008) indicated that si gnificantly employers tend to hire local graduates from public universities to non-public graduates. This is because they believe that public graduates have the knowledge and skills they need for their business. Another survey study of 434 TVET graduates in Ghana which was done by Dasmani (2011) indicated that limited teaching and learning facilities for instructors and learners, large class sizes, and weak linkages with employers can lead to poor training and education of students. Dasmani (2011) added that this lack of preparation for the job entries put more pressure and working place difficulties to those graduates. This means that the survey finding is not only important for universities, but it also helps to inform TVET institutions about the perceptions of employers and students whether the TVET programs are at best quality to fill the gaps. It can also serve as an informant in offering better quality TVET programs. Therefore, many countries (e.g., Australia, England, Wales, and so forth) have created specialized research centers for VET and HE (Chalmers, 2007) and many international conferences are organized each year to disseminate and share the results of research in this area, in order to help the TVET sector to be flexible in the world of work (Rafik et al., n.d.). Rafik et al. (n.d.) also added that the main aims of this survey research are: (a) to investigate the current skills gaps in the Libyan manufacturing sector; (b) to make recommendations to the national TVET providers to enhance the skills they provide; and (c) to make recommendations to establish systems that improves the responsiveness of the TVET providers to the emergent needs of the industry (p. 1). Like the above points by Rafik et al. (n.d.), Chalmers (2007) claimed that experience, satisfaction and engagement of each student can be reached through using survey practice. Additionally, Chalmers (2007) recognized that using national student surveys are intended to demonstrate trustfulness and worthwhileness of study programs, and to explicitly articulate a particular view on what constitutes the quality of teaching and learning through student perceptions. Therefore, how the survey results can be used for the evidence-based curriculum development and improvement (Chalmers, 2007; Rafik et al, n.d.). The Cambodian context. As discussed in the global context, the survey of student feedback or perceptions is a useful tool in order to make school curricular change in according to the needs of industries. However, at this Cambodian TVET institutions, the survey of students perceptions and feedback is not yet conducted although survey research can give the school a great deal of information from labor market and industries. Because no surveys have been done or published on student perceptions in Cambodia, it is difficult to find the literature review to support the research study. As seen recently at the Cambodian TVET institution, the school management team has used the telephone survey on graduates whether those graduates hold job positions. The result of the telephone survey has been kept secretly. Furthermore, student surveys on teacher teaching have been done, but no survey on student perceptions on the relevance of the study program. Although information from student feedback can help the school make reform the school curriculum in order to keep abreast with the needs of industries, this case is absent from the school. The action of keeping old curricular is the weak point that should be urgently considered if the school is in the competitive world of providing technical services to students. Chapter Three Methodology As the topic of this study suggests, the study is a type of a survey research. Survey research is sometimes used by schools or other stakeholders of the related fields in order to get feedback from graduates, and which can be excellent vehicles for measuring opinions and orientations in a large population (Rubin Babbie, 2011). In order to get a deep understanding of perceptions of TVET graduates through survey research, this study will use the qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to get both primary and secondary data. The use of mixed methods is to build the synergy and strength that exists between quantitative and qualitative research methods to understand a phenomenon more fully that is possible using either quantitative or qualitative alone (Gay, Mills Airsian, 2009, p. 462). Creswell (2009) also highlighted that most researchers use a mixed methods design because they want to enlarge understanding by integrating both qualitative and quantitative research, or th ey want to better understand, explain or build the results from this approach. In this research, the following sampling methods, data collection methods, limitations of methods, data analysis, ethical issues, and other cases will be raised and discussed in detail in order to capture the practice of the whole research methodology of the study. Sampling Methods Berg (2009) indicated that the rationale of using of subjects is to make inference about some larger population from a smaller one-the sample (p. 48). That is, it is important in quantitative research that researchers keenly consider the probability sampling method (Berg, 2009). However, for qualitative research, sampling is the process of selecting a small number of individuals for a study in such a way that the individuals chosen will be good key informants (e.g., collaborators, co-researchers) who will contribute to the researchers understanding of a given phenomenon (Gay et al., 2009, p. 135). Since a deep understanding of participants perspectives creates the very core of a qualitative research study, the researcher will use a purposive sampling method (one of nonprobability sampling techniques); that is, the researcher relies on his or her expert judgment to select a typical sample of the population (Gay et al., 2009; Singleton Straits, 2005). This is also because each participant is believed to be thoughtful, informative, articulate, and experienced with the area of research topic (Gay et al., 2009, p. 135). Therefore, the researcher will use homogenous sampling which is selecting participants who are very similar in experience, perspective, or outlook; this produces a narrow, homogeneous sample and makes data collection and analysis simple (Gay et al., 2009, p. 137). As indicated above, the participants are ex-students who graduated with a civil engineering degree in the academic years 2011-2012, and they are currently employees holding various positions at different companies. Thus, the researcher can purposefully access the participants in order to get the deep understanding of their opinions about the quality and relevance of their study program of civil engineering and the needs of knowledge and skills from the employers. As the purpose and importance are clearly explained by the researcher, the participants will be asked to volunteer in the research study. With this regard, they are believed to have a deep understanding of the relevance of their study programs to their current jobs. With the purposive selection of a group of graduates with a civil engineering degree in years 2011-2012, the participants with their current jobs are strongly believed to be best for the research topic. The researcher hopes that the participants will be able to give the truths about their study program relevance to the needs of employers. However, the limitation of this selection method will not be able to make a wide generalization of the whole population of the school because a number of participants will be small and limited to the field of engineering (Gay et al., 2009; Berg, 2009). Data Collection Methods The survey research method is sometimes used by many schools in order to get feedback from graduates, and it can be an excellent tool for measuring opinions and orientations in large populations (Rubin Babbie, 2011). With the purpose of getting the views of undergraduates about the relevance of their study program to the needs of employers, the following research methods will be used in order to gather important data from the field. Questionnaires. A questionnaire method is widely useful to many researchers in both the private and public sectors because questionnaires can conveniently be given or sent to relevant individuals to answer or complete a number of questions, and respondents are asked to return questionnaires (Kothari, 2004; Singleton et al., 2005). They are convenient because questionnaires can easily be offered to the respondents, and the respondents can answer the questions on their own when they have enough time to complete the whole questionnaires. Many researchers have also used the questionnaire method because questionnaires are low-cost, accessible to larger participants, extensively geographic, and free from bias from researchers (Kothari, 2004; Creswell, 2009). Kothari (2004) and Gay et al. (2009) showed that a survey is a vehicle for collecting data describing one or more characteristics of a specific population by asking members a series of questions using questionnaire forms. In spite of the wide use of questionnaires, Kothari (2004) pointed out the main limitations of using questionnaires as follows: (a) low rate of return of the duly filled in questionnaires and bias due to no-response is often indeterminate; (b) it can be used only when respondents are educated and cooperating; (c) the control over questionnaire may be lost once it is sent; (d) there is inbuilt inflexibility because of the difficulty of amending the approach once questionnaires have been dispatched; (e) there is also the possibility of ambiguous replies or omission of replies altogether to certain questions; interpretation of omissions is difficult; (f) it is difficult to know whether willing respondents are truly representative; and (g) this method is likely to be the slowest of all (p. 101). In light of the above reasons, the researcher will carefully prepare the general form, the question sequence, and question formulation and words in the structured questionnaires as the researcher is not experienced with the use the survey questionnaires (Kothari, 2004). In the questionnaires, the researcher will focus on the following points: demographic data, the quality of study programs, the relevance of the study programs to the jobs, and the participants perceptions of their jobs in terms of study programs. These points will help the researcher to answer the research questions about understanding the perceptions of undergraduates about the relevance of their study programs to their current jobs. With help of a lecturer from Civil Engineering Department and a list of graduates of civil engineering degree in years 2011-2012, the researcher will contact graduates through phone calls and emails in order for volunteering for answering and completing the questionnaires. According to Gay et al. (2009), the sample size for survey research is common between 10% and 20% of the whole population because the population of this research is about 250. However, the researcher will ask 120 graduates who have jobs, and they will be given questionnaires to voluntarily answer and complete the questionnaires with their honesty and kindness in case that some of respondents will not return questionnaires. The participants themselves will administer the questionnaires. Nonetheless, an explanation of some questions will help the participants answer with clarity and accuracy. The questionnaires will be written in Khmer language that all the participants can fully understand and answer those questions clearly. Individual interviews. After the researcher uses the questionnaire method, the researcher will employ the interview method that is another alternative to collect data survey. The interview method involves presentation of oral-verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral-verbal responses (Kothari, 2004; Rubin Babbie, 2011). Furthermore, it is a tool that allows the researcher to flexibly move beyond the line of question, and it is helpful if the participants can be observed directly, and allows the participants to give more information (Creswell, 2009). With the analysis of the questionnaire results to find out the main themes of responses, the researcher can identify who the participants are for personal interviews in the second step of the research. Thus eight participants will be carefully selected through the results of questionnaires. They are representatives for civil engineering graduates because they are believed to answer the questionnaire questions accurately and have a deep understanding of the relevance of their study programs to their current jobs. Time for each participant to be interviewed will be during time break in order to avoid work interruptions. The interview method can be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured, as to allow the flexibility of questions and answers in order to fully understand graduates perceptions on the curriculum relevance to their current jobs (Williman, 2011). However, the researcher will choose to conduct the personal interview with a small number of graduates with a structured interview model. This is because the research has less experience in the research field. On the other hand, the researcher will gain a clear understanding of information from respondents when respondents understand the purpose of the interview (Kothari, 2004). Despite the advantages of using the method to go beyond simple responses from the participants, there are the limitations of this method (e.g., indirect information filtered by the views of participants, information is gathered in an arranged site rather than in a natural setting, the presence of the researcher which can bias responses, and not all the participants having equal thoughts, feelings and understanding of the same questions and topics) (Creswell, 2009). Similarly, Okojie, Okojie-Boulder and Boulder (n.d.) also added that a limitation of this method is that it can be time consuming and the truth of participant responses will be limited. Therefore, the role and art of the researcher is vital in using the method when the in-depth interviews are the key to get a full understanding of the research topic (Berg, 2009; Creswell, 2009). Ethical Considerations There will be ethical problems in research when the research deals with humans. As Williman (2001) stated that there are two aspects of ethical issues in