Environmental and Competitive Analysis of Easyjet Essay

This report has been written in order to provide an environmental and competitive analysis of the low-cost airline industry sector from the position of Easyjet. It will give a brief history into Easyjet and the low-cost airline industry. It will analyse the internal strengths and weaknesses as well as the external threats and opportunities. Competitors will be analysed through the use of porters 5 forces model. Recommendations will be made for EasyJet’s marketing strategies for the next three years. Corporate History Easyjet was founded in 1995 by Stelios Haji-Ioannou who based the firm around the low-cost, no-frills model of the US flight operator ‘Southwest’. The concept of Easyjet is based on the fact that short flights within Europe are price elastic, meaning the lower the prices the more people will travel within Europe. The deregulation of the European airline industry in 1992 authorised any European airline to operate, fly and land anywhere within Europe. This allowed airlines to expand routes and operate within Europe with much higher precision. Easyjet was initially started from its ‘hanger’ headquarters at Luton airport with two Boeing 737-300’s offering flights from London Luton to Glasgow and Edinburgh at a price of  £29 each way. To date easyJet has now expanded into offering 125 routes from 39 major European airports using their fleet of 122 aeroplanes. EasyJet has also expanded into having large basis at not only Luton airport but also Liverpool, Geneva, and AmsterdamBack in 1999 easyJet gained free mass exposure to an audience of around 9 million viewers through ITV’s ‘fly on the wall’ documentary series ‘Airline’. The launch of easyjet.com in 1997 has become an integral part of the business model and has seen a huge change in the culture of booking travel tickets. Currently easyJet.com provides around 90% of bookings today and in 2001 hit ten million sales making it the second busiest travel website in the UK. Ryanair and easyJet are in fierce competition with each other as they are the two largest low-cost airlines operating within the UK. Since easyJet’s takeover of the low-cost airline â€Å"Go† in 2002 it has become Europe’s largest airline in this sector but still faces fierce competition. EasyJet Mission StatementA mission statement should be the ultimate goal of a firm and should filter down into every department of an organisation. To provide our customers with safe, good value, point-to-point air services. To effect and to offer a consistent and reliable product and fares appealing to leisure and business markets on a range of European routes. To achieve this we will develop our people and establish lasting relationships with our suppliers. (http://easyjet.com/EN/About/index.html)EasyJet’s environmental code based on three pointsTo be environmentally efficient in the airTo be environmentally efficient on the groundTo lead in shaping a greener future for aviation, for example:- carbon offsetting- shaping future aircraft design- for example, the ecoJeteasyJet high efficiency = lower emissions = low faresSWOT AnalysisA SWOT analysis analyses the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of easyJet along with the external Threats and Opportunities. Strengths†¢Well known, respected and memorable brand name†¢Strong and well known leadership figure in Stelios: â€Å"No Bullshit† approach†¢Motivated workforce independently trained at the easyJet academy†¢Very effective advertising strategies developed to reinforce the easyJet brand along with mass exposure through ITV’s ‘Airport’†¢Good knowledge of the market and effective responses to competitors attempting to steal potential customers†¢Fly to a large number of main holiday destinations†¢Lower carbon emissions due to using newer fleet of aircraft†¢Cost reduction with the removal of travel agents†¢High passenger volume†¢Low operating costs†¢Diversification into other markets, car rental, internet cafes and hotels†¢Flat managerial hierarchy, thus reducing costs†¢Innovator with regards to online booking and ticket-less travelWeaknesses†¢Fly only within Europe and no current intentions to expand outside of the continent†¢Rely on computer bookings to such extent that business would be unable to operate with computer failure or virus attack. †¢No customer retention/relationship policy. †¢No points scheme to reward frequent flyers†¢Access to European airports allowed by the deregulation of the industry, which may vary in the future†¢Outsources many of its services to third parties which may be damaging to its reputation†¢Success of Easyjet makes it difficult and expensive to train staff quickly enough. Opportunities†¢Lower costs further†¢Increase fares†¢Introduction of more countries into the European Union has increased potential customers and flight destinations†¢Expand into new routes, outside of Europe, and long haul†¢Decrease turn around times†¢Improve aircraft utilisation†¢Vertical integration to eliminate outsourced functions of easyJet’s procedure†¢Gain first mover advantage with regards to using alternative ‘greener’ fuel cells†¢Introduction of points scheme to reward and retain frequent flyersThreats†¢Rising fuel prices †¢Introduction of a carbon emission tax or other environmental regulations†¢New emerging competition†¢Competitors undercutting prices or offering similar prices for a more efficient/better service†¢Aircraft maintenance problems†¢Terrorism reducing air travel numbers†¢Emerging alternative modes of transport†¢Reputation lost in event of well publicised incident†¢DelaysPEST AnalysisA PEST analysis analyses the Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural and Technological factor influencing the low-cost airline industry. Political Factors†¢Threat of terrorism upon airlines†¢Governments applying taxes upon carbon emissions†¢Introduction of more countries into the European unionEconomic Factors†¢Increasing fuel costs and other environmental restrictions†¢European Union regulations†¢Prospect of higher security and insurance costs due to the increased risk of terrorism. †¢Continuing growth of air travel through continuing globalisation†¢Introduction of the Euro single currency is likely to integrate Europe even moreSocio-Cultural Factors†¢Travel and holidays are becoming more and more typical for a large percent of the UK  population†¢Continuing growth of multi-national enterprises has caused business travel to become more common†¢Gaining customers from France and Germany may cause problems as these nations are still very reluctant in using credit cards over the phone and on the internetTechnological Factors†¢Advancements in e-commerce resulting in increased online competition†¢Improvements in engine technology will allow easyJet’s planes to run more efficiently and reduce emissions†¢Increases in fuel technology offering easyJet alternative fuel sources Porter’s 5 forces model Porter’s 5 forces model looks at: the threat of substitutes, the threat of new entrants, the power of suppliers, the power of buyers and the rivalry among existing firms to analyse the competitiveness within a certain industry. The threat of substitutes†¢Fairly low threat from other modes of transport as the cost and time advantage clearly separates the low cost airlines from the luxury and comfort offered from substitutes such as high speed train services. For example London to Glasgow takes 6 hours on a train and costs around  £80 whereas Easyjet offers the service in 1 hour only costing  £29. †¢Regarding travel into mainland Europe the distance is far too great for train, car and ferry travel to be a realistic worthwhile substitute. For example if a customer was to drive to the south of France for a short weekend break the travel would take too long for it to be realistic and practical trip . The threat of new entrants†¢Limited capacity at suitable airports means any new airline would find it hard to find suitable take off and landing slots. †¢Huge start up capital required for the purchase of aircraft†¢New entrants would be working as a ‘loss leader’ for a number of years due to the large initial expenses†¢The low cost airline industry within the UK is fairly mature but as easyJet were one of the initial firms into this industry they hold a strong position. However within the rest of Europe there are many holiday operators who are attempting to enter the low cost airline industry themselves. The power of suppliers †¢The price of fuel is directly related to the cost of oil which is ever increasing. Easyjet rely on being able to obtain fuel but have no control over the price. †¢Aircraft manufactures are extremely concentrated within the industry with Boeing and Airbus the two main manufactures. The dependence of spare parts from a certain manufactures could pose a risk. †¢The more Easyjet expands the more power it will hold over its suppliers through gaining ‘economies of scale’. The power of buyers†¢Buyer power within the airline industry, especially the low cost sector is especially strong as customers often shop around and try to find the best price. This factor has been extended through the introduction of many online flight search engines such as travelsupermarket.com and lastminute.com. †¢The Civil aviation authority (CAA) provides protection against(1) the consequences of travel organisers failure for people who buy package holidays, charter flights and discounted scheduled air tickets and(2) licences airlines and ensures compliance with requirements of European and UK legislation relating to financial resources, liability and insurance of airlines. †¢Customers experience no negative feature of switching supplier so are happy to do so. Rivalry among existing firms†¢Ryan Air, BMI baby, MyTravelite, Jet2 and Buzz are all competitors with the UK low cost airline industry but Ryan Air is the only one of these to have succeeded and shown a continuously yearly profit. †¢British Airways and other traditional flight operators flying from the UK are competitors but on a much lower scare as they are targeting different market segments†¢There are over one hundred European based low cost airlines,  many of them are very small but still act as competition for easyJet. Different Types of competitorsSimilar specific – same product, technology and target marketSimilar general – Same product area but serving different segmentsDifferent specific – Same need satisfied by very different meansDifferent general – Competing for discretionary spend(Brassington, pg 866)In relation to Easyjet the similar specific competitors are the other ‘no-frills’ low cost airlines, operating within Europe. The largest firm that fits this specification is Ryan Air thus they are easyJet’s prime competitor. Other ‘no-frills’ low cost airlines operating within the UK include Jet2, bmibaby and Flybe. The similar general competitors are other airlines that operate within Europe but which are targeting a different type of clientele. Within the UK the largest operators are British Airways and Virgin but both of these operators tend to concentrate on the more upper class expensive business flights. They are also not in direct competition with Easyjet as they offer flights all over the world and are not restricted to just within Europe. The different specific competitors are firms which offer travel into Europe by means other than air travel. This would be the channel tunnel operator Euro tunnel and the English channel ferry operators such as P&O, Brittany or Stena Line. These are not in direct competition as the main differentiation is that on both the channel tunnel and the ferry crossing people can take their cars onboard. It is also a much longer process so unless visiting the west coast of France weekend breaks would seem rather pointless as the duration of the ferry would be too long. Different general competitors could be firms offering holidays and trips within the UK where no air travel is needed at all. Different general competitors could also be firms supplying other luxury items that may be bought instead of a holiday, such as a new car. Competitor analysisAs the range of competition throughout these groups (above), is at varying intensities the similar specific and similar general groups will be broken down into four segments for ease of analysis. Competition will be analysed through a competitor analysis. Who are our competitors?Segment 1Ryanair: Easyjet’s direct competitorsSegment 2Other UK based low-cost airlines: Jet2, flybe, bmibaby,Segment 3Standard UK based airlines: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM and BMISegment 4European based low-cost airlines: There are over 100 European low cost airlines such as: Condor, g’wings, SkyEurope and Blu Express. AssumptionsIt is inevitable that the continuous growth in the low cost airline industry will begin to slow down as the industry is becomes saturated. It is believed that the current mass of operators will be whittled down to a handful of major airlines. A large number of the smaller low cost airlines that will unavoidably struggle to compete will be involved in take-overs allowing the bigger players in the industry to continue to grow. What are our competitor’s strengths and weaknesses?RyanAir Strengths†¢Well known and respected brand name†¢Low costs due to low airport charges†¢High internet booking ratio†¢High aircraft utilisation†¢Use single type of aircraft†¢Fast turn around times†¢High seat densityRyanAir Weaknesses†¢Recent reports of poor customer service†¢Negative press†¢Airports are often long distance from travellers end destinationUK based low cost airline Strengths†¢All have their own website for bookings and ticket-less travel†¢Some have strong financial backing†¢Fast turnaround time†¢Low operating costsUK based low cost airline Weaknesses†¢Relatively small in comparison to easyJet and RyanAir†¢Large advertising costs†¢Small network of routes†¢Competing in competitive industry resulting in many mergers and take-overs†¢Restricted to the use of certain airportsStandard UK based airlines Strengths†¢Res pected and well known brand names †¢Worldwide service†¢Strong financial backing†¢Respected standard of serviceStandard UK based airlines Weaknesses†¢Low aircraft utilisation (compared to easyJet)†¢High costs†¢High pricesEuropean low-cost airline Strengths†¢Use of  single currency (Euro) can reduce costs†¢Closer to emerging markets (Eastern Europe)†¢Low costs†¢Well know brand names, in their respected home countriesEuropean low-cost airline Weaknesses†¢Relatively small compared to easyJet and RyanAir†¢Virtually unknown in the UK†¢Competing in fierce industry†¢Restricted use of certain airportsWhat are our competitor’s objectives?RyanAir – â€Å"RyanAir’s objective is to firmly establish itself as Europe’s leading low-fares scheduled passenger airline through continued improvements and expanded offerings of its low-fares service. RyanAir aims to offer low fares that generate increased passenger traffic while maintaining a continuous focus on cost-containment and operating efficiencies.† (Ryanair.com)UK based low cost airlines – Initially the UK based low cost airlines objectives are to survive in the industry by increasing their market share. The inevitable saturation of the market will cause many of the smaller low cost airlines to be merged or taken over by the larger players. In order to avoid this smaller low cost airlines need to differentiate themselves from the crowd or gain a unique selling point through lower costs, excellent customer services or exploiting new routes. Standard UK based airlines – Aim to continue their dominance of flights in and out of the UK by emphasising the quality of the service they provide. They also plan to reduce prices in order to shorten the gap between themselves and the low cost airlines. European bases low cost airlines – European low cost airlines need to survive in the market by increasing their market share. This could be established by increasing their network routes or branching into un-targeted countries within Europe. It is also plausible that mergers will occur within this sector to reduce the risk of failure. RecommendationsEasyJet can not avoid the increasing oil and petrol prices which is bound to effect the industry sooner rather than later. It may be recommended that easyJet start looking into using alternative renewable fuel sources. If easyJet can get hold of the technology to run their fleet of planes on a ‘greener’ fuel they may gain first mover advantage and capture large amounts of the competitions customers. Over the next three years it would be recommended that easyJet focus on ‘joining the dots’ of their European network rather than attempting long haul flights as this would be difficult and would carry a large initial risk. If easyJet could ‘join the dots’ in their European network it would fight off the competition from the emerging low cost airlines attempting to grow within the industry. Conclusion In conclusion easyJet have built a strong brand which has positioned them in an excellent spot within the low cost sector of the airline industry. With this sector of the industry predicted to grow, competition is likely to intensify even more but as easyJet has already built a strong brand and customer base it is unlikely they will be forced out of the market. EasyJet need to continue its advertising strategies, reinforcing its image and brand name to continue as one of the industries leading airlines. As the UK market is saturated and offers small or no growth opportunity, it would be logical for easyJet to focus on the expansion of their route networks within Eastern Europe. EasyJet should accomplish this through providing the routes themselves or merging with a competitor that already does. Reference List Bird’s eye view. SWOT analysis of low cost carrier industry (April 2007)http://www.air-scoop.com/downloads/SWOT_Low-Cost-Carriers_Air-Scoop.pdf [7-12-2007]Blythe, J (2006) Principles and Practice of Marketing, Thompson Learning, Bedford Row, LondonBrassington, F. Petit, S. (2003) Principles of Marketing, page Pearson Education, Harlow, EssexChannel 4 news. How green is easyJet? (May 2007) http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/environment/factcheck+how+green+is+easyjet/509642 [20-11-2007]Crawford,C. Easyjet SWOT Analysis (2004) http://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=3412 [25-11-2007]Hoffmann, J. Ryan Air – Environmental Analysis, Discussion of core competencies and Strategy Proposal (2004)http://www.grin.com/en/preview/39017.html [25-11-2007]Manzoor, M. Easyjet (2005) http://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=9339

Quality Nursing Care

NURSING EXAMPLE A Summary of Proposed Research Program for Master of Philosophy Title: The Delivery of Quality Nursing Care: A Grounded Theory Study of the Nurses' Perspective Abstract The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the delivery of quality nursing care from the perspective of practising nurses working in the acute public hospital setting of Western Australia (WA). The study will examine the actions and interactions attributed to quality, and factors identified as enhancing or inhibiting the delivery of quality nursing care. A grounded theory approach is proposed. The sample for the study will be drawn from nurses working in an acute public hospital located in Perth, WA. Data will be collected using semi-structured interviews and some observation. It is estimated that approximately 10-15 interviews will be performed. Theoretical sampling will guide the selection of participants. The significance of this research will be to increase understanding of this complex phenomenon and contribute to efforts aimed at improving and maintaining quality nursing care within the current context of the WA health care system. A substantive theory explaining the process of quality care, focussing on the nurses' perspective, in an acute public hospital setting, will be developed. Implications for practice will be discussed and directions for further research in this area will be provided. Objectives The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the delivery of quality nursing care from the perspective of practising nurses, working in the acute public hospital setting of WA. The study will examine the actions and interactions attributed to quality, and factors identified as enhancing or inhibiting the delivery of quality nursing care. The objectives guiding this proposed study are: 1. To explore and describe nurses' perceptions of the meaning of quality nursing care. 2. To describe nurses' experiences in the delivery of nursing care given to patients in hospital and to compare these with their expectations of quality nursing care. 3. To explore factors identified by nurses as enhancing and as inhibiting quality nursing care. 4. To develop a substantive theory which explains the process used to deliver quality nursing care in an acute public hospital setting, as perceived by nurses. Background The provision of quality patient care is a priority in all health care institutions (Erith-Toth & Spencer, 1991). Formal definitions of what constitutes quality are numerous (Ambler Peters, 1991), as are the approaches used to assess the quality of patient care (Harvey, 1991; MacGuire, 1991). Although much has been written about the phenomenon of quality care, significant variations exist in its interpretation and use, â€Å"unaware or undeterred by the conceptual confusion, quality care continues to be assured, controlled, evaluated and managed in the Health Service today† (Attree, 1993, p. 55). Furthermore, definitions and assessment of quality have rarely considered the reality faced by nurses on a daily basis, in the practice and delivery of quality care. Quality nursing care has been studied from various perspectives using different methods. Much of the research reported in the literature has been quantitative in nature and undertaken in countries other than Australia, pa rticularly North America. Some studies have focussed on the measurement of quality nursing care (Gilloran, McGlew, McKee, Robertson & Wight, 1993; MacGuire, 1991; Pearson, Durant & Punton, 1989; Kitson, 1985), or the meaning of quality nursing care from either the nurses' perspective (Janhonen, 1993; Forchuk ; Kirkpatrick, 1991; Whelan, 1988; Jenkins, 1988) or the patients' perspective (Irurita, 1993; Erith-Toth & Spencer, 1991; Deeny & McCrea, 1991; Rempusheski, Chamberlain, Picard, Ruzanski & Collier, 1988). Other studies have compared the perceptions of quality nursing care from the perspective of nurses and patients (Norman, Redfern, Tomalin & Oliver, 1992; Yonge, 1989; Varholak, 1989; Board, 1988). Of the studies that have explored nurses' perceptions of quality care, two included some elements of the delivery of nursing care (Forchuk ; Kirkpatrick, 1991; Jenkins, 1988). Those studies differ from this proposed study in context, as both were carried out in North America and used health settings other than acute public hospitals. Forchuk ; Kirkpatrick (1991) used survey methods in their study of quality care in a psychiatric facility where nurses indicated that the nursing care they 2 delivered was â€Å"†¦ the best possible under unfavourable conditions† (p8). Barriers to quality nursing care were identified as â€Å"heavy workload and staffing issues† (p8). However, the results of this study are limited by use of a convenience sample and administration of a questionnaire for which reliability and validity were not demonstrated. Jenkins studied quality nursing care in a small hospital in the United States and used a similar design to that proposed for this study. Using the grounded theory method, the characteristics of quality nursing care from the nurses' perspective were found to be â€Å"technical care, adequate time, assessment, observation, teaching, communication, and individualised care†. Some enhancing and inhibiting factors were identified, as well as positive and negative outcomes in the status of the patients. This proposed study is justified in that although the methodology is similar, the study by Jenkins was undertaken in a small hospital, whilst this study will be undertaken in a large acute public hospital. Furthermore, the cultural aspects of this proposed study are different. Another study of quality nursing care was carried out within the context of an acute public hospital setting in WA (Irurita, 1993). This study used grounded theory to explore quality nursing care from the patients' perspective. Patients described different levels of care and suggested that high quality nursing care could not be expected due to intervening conditions such as lack of time, high patient turnover, competing demands on the nurse, lack of consistency and continuity in nurses assigned to their care, ageism, shortage of staff, lack of co-ordination on ward, and communication problems between doctornurse- patients. These findings raise questions requiring further exploration, including the nurses' perspective. A number of factors may determine the quality of care delivered by nurses to patients. A review of the literature by Fitzpatrick, While, and Roberts (1992) identified nursing competence, use of research, communication skills, care management and organisation of workload, provision of health education and health promotion, creative thinking and reflection as elements of high quality patient care. A number of research studies have equated the quality of nursing with the ability of the nurse to exhibit caring behaviours towards their patients. Some of these studies have explored the behaviours identified by nurses (From, 1992; Clarke & Wheeler, 1992; Mangold, 1991; Chipman, 1991; Schaefer & Lucke, 1990; Morrison, 1990; Forrest, 1989; Larson, 1986), while others the behaviours identified by patients (Fosbinder, 1991; Cronin & Harrison, 1988; Brown, 1986; Rieman, 1986; Larson, 1984). Some of the research has compared the views of nurses and patients (Appleton, 1993; Smit & Spoelstra, 1991; Lapsley, 1989; Larson, 1987; Mayer, 1986). Whereas caring has been described as an important component of quality nursing care, exploratory research is lacking in the study of factors which may influence the nurses' ability to exhibit caring behaviours under varying conditions, and what additional factors may be involved in the delivery of quality nursing care. There is evidence in the literature to suggest that although nurses may be capable of providing quality care and know what constitutes quality care, their performance in practice may be affected by factors such as decreased numbers and the resulting reduction in available time, which can prevent the delivery of quality nursing care (Forchuk ; Kirkpatrick, 1991; Hendrickson, Doddato ; Kovner, 1990). A recent survey of 2,488 Australian nurses (Millis ; Tattam, 1994) found that budgetary cuts and management restructuring were having a negative impact on nurses' work environment. Increased workload, reduced standards of care (particularly in the public sector), and a lack of improvement in patient care were also said to be apparent. In WA, hundreds of nurses protested at a rally organised by the Australian Nursing Federation to express concerns about the effects of economic cutbacks in the WA health environment. Specifically, the dismantling of the WA Nurses' Career Structure and the reduction of nursing positions were said to be having a negative effect on the delivery of quality nursing care (Bartley, 1994). Nursing staff in the hospital environment of WA are currently challenged to maintain and improve the quality of care in the face of changing work patterns and moves to promote earlier discharge of hospitalised patients resulting from increasing economic restrictions (Health Observer, 1994). The indication that problems exist in the delivery of quality nursing care in WA warrants closer examination, to discover how nurses deliver quality care and factors which nurses perceive to affect the delivery of quality nursing care in the resent context of acute public hospitals in WA. Increasingly it is recognised that gaps exist between theory and practice (Chine ; Jacobs, 1987; Riley ; Oermann, 1992), an understanding may exist among nurses as to what constitutes quality nursing care, but what actually occurs in practice, under varying conditions, may differ from the recognised standard. Documentation of strategies used by nurses to maintain quality when conditions are adverse are 3 bsent in the literature, as is information indicating what circumstances are favourable to quality care provision and what constitutes the highest quality of nursing care. The suggestion that the delivery of quality nursing care within the public hospital context of WA may be subject to variation and be influenced by different conditions requires further investigation. As stated earlier in this proposal, some research has been performed in other countries on this phenomenon, but few studies have explored quality nursing care from the perspective of practising nurses. The use of the grounded theory method to research the phenomenon of quality nursing care allows exploration in terms of the current time, place and culture and can give new insights into a topic central to the practice of nursing (Chenitz ; Swanson, 1986). Furthermore, the gap between theory and practice may be reduced by a substantive theory developed in this way. Significance The significance of this research will be to increase our understanding of this complex phenomenon and contribute to efforts aimed at improving and maintaining quality nursing care, within the context of the WA health care system. A substantive theory explaining the process of quality nursing care, focussing on the nurses' perspective, in an acute public hospital setting will be developed. Implications for practice will be discussed and directions for further research in this area will be provided. Research Method A qualitative research method is proposed for this study, using the grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). This method, which has its roots in Symbolic Interactionism, will reveal the reality of the quality ursing for nurses by interpreting data using a systematic set of procedures to develop a theory of the phenomenon, grounded in the findings (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Sample Selection The sample for the study will be drawn from nurses working in one area of an acute public hospital located in Perth, WA. Initially, a purposive sampling technique will be used to select nurses for interview. Only Registered Nurses with a minimum of six months post registration nursing experience (of which at least three must have been worked in the study area) will be approached. Participants will need to be able to reflect on and be willing to share detailed experiential information about the phenomenon. Volunteers will be sought initially at staff meetings and a contact number will be left on the notice board in each of the ward areas. Further participants will be approached using a theoretical sampling technique where initial analysis of data guides the researcher to subsequent specific data sources (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). When this technique is used, sampling continues until ‘theoretical saturation' occurs. This is recognised by the establishment and denseness of identified categories as well as an absence of new concepts in the data (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). It is estimated that approximately 10-15 participants will be selected for interview, the final number being determined by theoretical saturation. Procedure Data will be collected from nurses through tape-recorded interviews guided by questions reflecting the objectives of the study (Appendix A). A semi-structured interviews technique will be used where, â€Å"use of the interview guide is not rigidly adhered to by the interviewer† (Chenitz & Swanson, 1986, p. 67). In this technique the researcher explores different aspects of the topic in detail using probes such as how, what, where and when. Interviews will take place in mutually agreeable private venues where the risk of interruptions is perceived to be minimal. Basic demographic information will be gathered from participants before the interview commences (Appendix B). The primary source of data will be the transcribed interviews, however, published literature and some observation will be used as additional data sources. The observations will be performed by the researcher (who is regularly assigned to clinical areas) and recorded by field notes. The main objective of these observations will be to verify data obtained by interview. Furthermore, additional aspects may be noted to be included in subsequent interviews. Data Analysis The constant comparative method of data analysis will be used, whereby data are simultaneously collected, coded and analysed, in a way that allows the creativity necessary for the generation of a theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Interviews will be transcribed verbatim on a word processor and organised for 4 analysis using the Ethnograph computer software (Seidel, 1988). This package numbers each line of the interview transcript and allows for segments of the interview to be coded and selected as required. Firstly, interview transcripts will be coded line by line, sentence by sentence, by a process of ‘open coding', to identify and label common themes and categories by asking questions about the content (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). This will be done by extensively reading the data and listening to the tapes. Categories and subcategories will be developed from this, abbreviated and ‘mapped' onto the numbered interview transcript through the Ethnograph. Coded segments from the interviews will be accessed from the computer for ‘Axial Coding'. This involves putting the data back together again in new ways by making connections between the coded categories and subcategories. ‘Memos' and ‘diagrams' will be used throughout the process of analysis. ‘Selective coding' in which the core category is identified, relationships validated and sub-categories expanded, will take place before a ‘conditional matrix' is constructed and a substantive theory developed (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Reliability and Validity A number of strategies will be employed throughout this study to ensure that he data collection and interpretation accurately reflects the phenomenon. Guba (1981) and LeCompte and Goetz (1982) discuss a number of ways in which reliability and validity issues of qualitative research can be addressed. This study has been designed to incorporate measures to address these issues as follows: †¢ To avoid bias in the data collection and analysis, the researcher (who possesses current personal experience of nursing in a hospital setting) will raise awareness of own preconceptions and bias to the topic by being interviewed by another researcher, using the proposed interview guide. The researcher will avoid imposing these preconceptions on the data collection and analysis. Furthermore, interview transcripts will be reviewed by an independent person to detect the presence of any such bias. A personal diary will also be kept. †¢ Interviews will be transcribed verbatim and transcripts will be checked for accuracy by listening to the tape recording. †¢ The process of data collection and analysis will be clearly described. †¢ During the coding of the data, other researchers will be asked to separately code segments of the transcripts to confirm the categories identified by the researcher. Once the description of the phenomenon is complete, a sample of participants will be approached and asked to validate the description by reading it and seeing if it makes sense in terms of their own experience. Ethical Issues The proposed research will be submitted through the Human Research Ethical Committee at Curtin University of Technology. The study has already been approved for implementation by the Nursing Research and Ethical Review Committee at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Each participant will be informed of the purpose of the study. Participants' personal contribution together with their human rights will be explained and the opportunity to ask questions about the study will be provided. Once the participant is satisfied with the requirements of the study, a consent form will be signed. The consent outlines the purpose of the study, its voluntary nature, the right to withdraw at any time without penalty, as well as providing an assurance that all information provided will be treated in a non-identifiable, confidential manner (Appendix C). The consent form will be signed by the participant and the researcher, and a copy will be kept by each. Participants will be identified on the interview transcript by a numerical number. The identity of the participants will be known only to the researcher who will keep names and workplace details in a secure place, separate to the transcripts (this information will be required if further contact is necessary). In keeping with the requirements of the University, the transcribed interviews and field notes will be kept for a period of five years. Facilities and Resources The majority of expenses related to this project have already been funded by the Nursing Division of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Additional expenses are estimated as follows: Photocopying and paper 5 reams @ $8 $440 5 Inter-Library Loans $200 Audio tapes 5 tapes @ $3 $15 Batteries 6 batteries @ $1 $6 Travel $100 Micro cassette recorder $400 Total: $1 161 Data Storage Data collected will be qualitative in nature and will be stored on a computer while analyses using Ethnograph computer software are completed. The data files will be maintained for five years after which they will be destroyed. Timeline June-August Year 1 Proposal submitted to University Ethics Committee August Year 1-January Year 2 Data collection and analysis February-June Year 2 Writing of final report 6 References Ambler Peters, D. (1991). Measuring quality: Inspection of opportunity. Holistic Nurse Practitioner, 5(3), 1-7. Appleton, C. (1993). The art of nursing: The experience of patients and nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 18, 892-899. Attree, M. (1993). An analysis of the concept â€Å"quality† as it relates to contemporary nursing care. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 30(4), 355-369. Bartley, J. (1994). Hundreds of nurses protest parliament rally huge success. Australian Nursing Federation Newsletter, 10(4), 1-4. Board, R. F. J. (1988). The relationship of expertise to views of quality of nursing care for hospitalized prenatal women. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Michigan. (From Combined International Nursing and Allied Health Literature, 1994, Abstract No. 1990114296) Brown, L. (1986). The experience of care: patient perspectives. Topics in Clinical Nursing, July, 56-62, Chenitz, C. , ; Swanson, C. (1986). From practice to grounded theory: Qualitative research in nursing. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley. Chinn, P. L. , ; Jacobs, M. K. (1987). Theory and nursing. The C. V. Mosby Company, USA. Chipman, Y. (1991). Caring: Its meaning and place in the practice of nursing. Journal of Nursing Education, 30(4), 171-175. Clarke, J. B. , ; Wheeler, S. J. (1992). A view of the phenomenon of caring in nursing practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 17, 1283-1290. Cronin, S. N. , ; Harrison, B. (1988). Importance of nurse caring behaviours as perceived by patients after myocardial infarction. Heart and Lung, 17(4), 374-380. Deeny, P. , ; McCrea, H. (1991). Stoma care: the patient's perspective. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 16, 39-46. Erith-Toth, P. , & Spencer, M. (1991). A survey of patient perception of quality care. Journal of Enterostomal Therapy Nursing, 18, 122-125. Fitzpatrick, J. M. , While, A. E. , & Roberts, J. D. (1992). The role of the nurse in high quality patient care: a review of the literature. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 17, 1210-1219. Forchuk, C. , & Kirkpatrick, H. (1991). Nurses' perception of quality of care. Canadian Journal of Nursing Administration, September/October, 7-16. Forrest, D. (1989). The experience of caring. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 14, 815-823. Fosbinder, D. M. (1991). Nursing care through the eyes of the patient. DNSc Thesis, University of San Diego (From Combined International Nursing and Allied Health Literature, 1994, Abstract No. 1992143848). From, M. A. (1992). The development of a caring nursing student. Abstract from Book of Abstracts, International State of the Science Congress, Washington DC, August, 208. Gilloran, A. J. , McGlew, T. , McKee, K. , Robertson, A. , ; Wight, D. (1993). Measuring the quality of care in psychogeriatric wards. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 18, 269-275. Glaser, B. , ; Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine. Guba, E. S. 1981). Criteria for assessing the trustworthiness of naturalistic inquiries. Educational Communication and Technology Journal, 29, 75-92. Harvey, G. (1991). An evaluation of approaches to assessing the quality of nursing care using (predetermined) quality assurance tools. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 16, 277-286. Health Observer (1994). Silver Chain promotes early discharge. May, 18. Hendrickson, G. and Doddato, T. M. (1989). Setting priorities during the shortage. Nursing Outlook, 37(6), 280-284. Hendrickson, G. , Doddato, T. M. , ; Kovuer, C. T. (1990). How do nurses use their time? Journal of Nursing Administration, 20(3), 31-37. Irurita, V. (1993). From person to patient: Nursing care from the patient's perspective. Unpublished report, Department of Nursing Research, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA. Janhonen, S. (1993). Finnish nurse instructors' view of the core of nursing. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 30(2), 157-169. Jenkins, J. B. (1988). Quality in patient care as perceived by nursing care providers. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Texas at Austin. (From Combined International Nursing and Allied Health Literature, 1994, Abstract No. 112616) Kitson, A. L. (1986). Indicators of quality in nursing care – an alternative approach. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 11, 133-144. 7 Larson, P. J. (1984). Important nurse caring behaviours perceived by patients with cancer. Oncology Nurses Forum, 11(6), 46-50. Larson, P. J. (1986). Cancer nurses' perceptions of caring. Cancer Nursing, 9(2), 86-91 Larson, P. J. (1987). Comparison of cancer patients' and professional nurses' perceptions of important nurse caring behaviours. Heart and Lung, 16(2), 187-193. Lapsley, J. (1989). The caring nurse: Patient dimensions perceptions and expectations. Unpublished project, Perth, WA. Le Compte, M. D. , & Goetz, J. P. (1982). Problems of reliability and validity in ethnographic research. Review of Educational Research, 52(1), 31-60. MacGuire, J. M. (1991). Quality care assessed: using the Senior Monitor index in three wards for the elderly before and after a change in primary nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 16, 511-520. Mangold, A. M. (1991). Senior nursing students’ and professional nurses’ perceptions of effective caring behaviours: A comparative study. Journal of Nursing Education, 30(3), 134-9. Mayer, D. K. (1986). Cancer patients’ and families perceptions of nursing caring behaviours. Topics in Clinical Nursing, 8(2), 63-69. Millis, G. , & Tattum, A. (1994). ANJ readership survey. The Australian Nursing Journal, 1(6), 14-16. Morrison, P. (1990). The caring attitude in nursing practice: a repertory grid study of trained nurses’ perceptions. Nurse Education Today, 11, 3-12. Norman, I. J. , Redfern, S. J. , Tomalin, D. A. , & Oliver, S. (1992). Developing Flanagann’s critical incident technique to elicit indicators of high and low quality nursing care from patients and their nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 17, 590-600. Pearson, A. , Durant, I. , & Punton, S. 1989). Determining quality in a unit where nursing is the primary intervention. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 14, 269-273. Rempusheski, V. F. , Chamberlain, S. L. , Picard, H. B. , Ruzanski, J. , & Collier, M. (1988). Expected and received care: patient perceptions. Nursing Administrative Quarterly, 12(3), 42-50. Rieman, D. J. (1986). Noncaring and caring in the clinical setting: patientsâ€℠¢ decriptions. Topics in Clinical Nursing, 8(2), 30-36. Riley, D. , & Oermann, M. (1992). Clinical teaching in nursing education (2nd edition). National League for Nursing: New York. Schaefer, K. M. & Lucke, K. T. (1990). Caring – the work of the Clinical Nurse Specialist. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 4(2), 87-92. Seidal, J. V. (1988). The Ethnograph version 3. 0 [computer program]. Corvallis, O. R. Qualis Research Associates. Smit, J. & Spoelstra, S. (1991). Do patients and nurses agree? Caring Magazine, October, 34-36. Strauss, A. , & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research. Graounded theory procedures and techniques. Sage: California. Varholak, D. M. (1989). Experiencing quality nursing care in a long term setting: A patient-nurse perspective. Unpublished manuscript. Columbia University Teachers College. Whelan, J. (1988). Ward sisters' management styles and their effects on nurses' perceptions of quality care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 13, 125-138. Yonge, O. J. ( 1989). Nurses ‘ and patients' ‘ perceptions of constant care in an acute care psychiatric facility: A descriptive qualitative study. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Alberta, Canada. 8 APPENDIX A Interview Guide What does quality nursing care mean to you? How does one ensure that quality nursing care is given? Give examples, in your experience, where you think high quality nursing care was given. Describe an incident). What are some of the most important aspects to consider in the delivery of quality nursing care? Can these be prioritised? What factors (if any) prevent you from achieving the delivery of quality nursing care to your patients (or patients generally)? What factors enable or help in the delivery of quality nursing care? Give examples of where improvement s in nursing care delivery could have been made. How would you rate the quality of care given to patients in your area of work? 9 APPENDIX B Demographic Information 1. Length of time employed at this hospital:_____________ 2. Length of time employed as a nurse:_____________ 3. Length of time employed on present ward:___________ 4. Level: New graduate______ Level 1_____ Level 2______ 5. Part-time______ Full-time______ 6. Initial nursing education: Hospital_________ College/University__________ 7. Year completed__________ 8. Post basic educational achievements: ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 9. Current studies: ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 10. Male_______ Female________ 11. Age_________

1the Humiliation of Elizabeth Bennet

Fraiman claims that Elizabeth is a surrogate-son to her father trapped inside her female body during an age when gender roles were rigorously fixed. Judith Butler in her essay of 1990 called â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory, â€Å"states that performing one’s gender wrong initiates a set of punishments both obvious and indirect. Through the contribution of Butler’s theory, this essay aims to demonstrate that it is not only, as Fraiman claims, Elizabeth Bennet who is punished by society for performing her gender wrong, but also Mr. Darcy. In respect to convention, Mister Darcy performs his gender wrong as well as he goes by a feminine name and is often passive, â€Å"unsocial† and â€Å"taciturn† as Elizabeth puts it. He admits: â€Å"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess of conversing easily with those I have never seen before† He admits to Elizabeth at the very that he was embarrassed when she asks him why he was â€Å"so shy of [her]†. It must be considered then that Darcy does not want to â€Å"humiliate? Elizabeth with his â€Å"extensive power† of a â€Å"paternalistic noble† but is rather humiliated by it himself. after all he has many â€Å"feminine† characteristics: He waits to be approached; he prefers listening to talking; e is receptive rather than aggressive; he is anxious about his reputation and judges people according to their manners; he is the person his friends come to for advice, and he writes letters instead of personally confronting people. To perform one’s gender right, as Judith Butler asserts in â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution,† means to perform one’s gender in accordance with hist orical and cultural sanctions that change over time. Butler’s essay deconstructs society’s belief that gender is a fixed natural given. She questions if and how we exist before societal ideology’s imposition by observing gender in a phenomenological way and finds that gender is always performed, but the performance varies according to time period. What does not vary, however, is society’s punishment of people who don’t perform their gender according to the current convention. Elizabeth Bennet has aligned herself with her father and his male, independent perspective. Mr. Bennet bequeaths [to Elizabeth] his ironic distance from the world, the habit of studying and appraising those around him, the role of social critic. Therefore Lizzie is less a daughter than a surrogate son, who by giving up the mother and giving in to the father, reaps the spoils of maleness. In regards to society, however, Lizzie’s male independence is dangerous. She does not behave like a gentlewoman of her time who was expected to draw and do needlework indoors while waiting for a suitor to whisk her off to the altar. Ex. *The haughty Bingley sisters immediately declare her behavior unsuitable: â€Å"To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! What could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum† (Austen 25). *When Mr. Collins proposes to Lizzie, she doesn’t employ â€Å"the usual practice of elegant females, but declines his offer as a â€Å"rational creature speaking the truth from her heart† (Austen 75). While Lizzie’s decision to refuse the buffoonish Mr. Collins is justified, it is nonetheless precarious in her situation. If she and her sister Jane hadn’t married Darcy and Bingley respectively, which can be regarded as the exceptions to the rule, they would have lost their parents? ntailed house to Mr. Collins. Lizzie, within Regency England society, is performing her gender „wrong? by not accepting a promising proposal. Instead, she displays typically male behavior: â€Å"You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this state to hear me? But I will not be alarmed though your sister does play so well. There i s a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me† (Austen 115). Obstinacy and audacity are not socially scripted feminine qualities. Lizzie turns down Mr. Darcy’s proposal in an equally confident manner: â€Å"Every time Darcy opens his mouth, he is superseded by a speech of greater length and vehemence;† â€Å"Her language, her feelings, her judgments overwhelm his† (Fraiman 361). Elizabeth here not only matches Darcy in intellect, she tops him. Many of her characteristics would be highly-regarded in a man, but not in a woman. While letter-communication was common practice in Regency England for both women and men alike, the letter Mr. Darcy writes to Elizabeth is not a regular correspondence letter, but a letter that deals with his strong emotions in a very feminine fashion. In his need to justify himself for Elizabeth’s accusations, he bares his soul in such a forthcoming, dignified, and eloquent manner as only a woman’s love letter would be expected to accomplish. His letter is so well-composed that he likely dedicated hours of drafts to it. Austen emphasizes the uniqueness of Darcy’s letter by putting male letter-writing into perspective. Charles Bindley’s letters are described as chaotic, correspondence-related and short: â€Å"Charles writes in the most careless way imaginable. He leaves out half his words, and blots the rest,† claims his sister Caroline (Austen 33). Meanwhile, she employs feminine terms to depict Mr. Darcy’s writing: â€Å"do you always write such charming long letters† (Austen 32-3). The boyish Elizabeth, in contrast, writes two letters in Pride and Prejudice: both are addressed to Mrs. Gardiner and are simple correspondence letters. Mr. Darcy’s letter therefore is less of a hostile takeover of authorial power, as Fraiman calls it (â€Å"her authorial powers wane†), but rather his only means of expressing himself to Elizabeth (Fraiman 377). He is not a â€Å"controlling literary figure† (Fraiman 383) that replaces Elizabeth’s father, but someone who takes a great risk by revealing sensitive personal details which could be used to destroy him socially to a woman who has just refused him as a husband. In a very feminine way, Mr. Darcy gives Elizabeth power over his family’s reputation and himself. Darcy’s behavior so far has, as Butler puts it, â€Å"initiate[d] a set of punishments both obvious and indirect† (Butler 279). Elizabeth especially, as a member of her society, misreads him repeatedly and therefore indirectly disempowers him because he cannot make himself heard by her. Mr. Darcy’s passive feminine side is generally misread by society as pride, which shows that to perform one’s gender „wrong? results in punishment. Darcy doesn’t court Elizabeth in the way she and society expect; therefore he, just as much as Lizzie, suffers â€Å"a loss of clout† (Fraiman 377). The gender-performance that is expected of Elizabeth and Darcy by society runs anathema to their original one and they realize toward the end of the novel that they have to succumb to society’s gender-script if they want to be together. As Susan Fraiman argues, Elizabeth, as a woman, has to relinquish some of her power: â€Å"Elizabeth marries a decent man and a large estate, but at a certain cost;† â€Å"Darcy disempowers Elizabeth if only because of the positions they each occupy in the social schema: because he is a man and she is a wife† (Fraiman 384). The cost is her compromise, but Darcy has to make it as well; the cost might even be a gain if Darcy respects Elizabeth as a wife, and there is no evidence in the novel that he won? t. Conclusion: Fraiman’s blame of Mr. Darcy disempowering Elizabeth is misdirected in that she reads him solely as a man, not as a person who has as much trouble performing his gender right as does Lizzie. Darcy has to give up passive observing and letter-writing in favor of action, such as saving the damsel in distress Lydia. Fraiman’s critique of Elizabeth marrying Darcy also does not invoke singleness as a liberating alternative, in which case Lizzie would lose even more power. The novel rather reveals the limits of everyone’s personal autonomy in a society where gender roles are fixed. Mr. Darcy never sought to take Elizabeth’s power or independence away-quite the opposite- they caused his falling in love with her. If Elizabeth is disempowered after her marriage, the blame must be directed at Regency society, not Mr. Darcy; marriage itself is always a compromise, after all. Mr. Darcy, just as much as Elizabeth, sacrifices a great deal of his original individuality by aligning his gender-performance with Regency society’s convention. But, as Lizzie says: â€Å"We do not suffer by accident. † 1the Humiliation of Elizabeth Bennet Fraiman claims that Elizabeth is a surrogate-son to her father trapped inside her female body during an age when gender roles were rigorously fixed. Judith Butler in her essay of 1990 called â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory, â€Å"states that performing one’s gender wrong initiates a set of punishments both obvious and indirect. Through the contribution of Butler’s theory, this essay aims to demonstrate that it is not only, as Fraiman claims, Elizabeth Bennet who is punished by society for performing her gender wrong, but also Mr. Darcy. In respect to convention, Mister Darcy performs his gender wrong as well as he goes by a feminine name and is often passive, â€Å"unsocial† and â€Å"taciturn† as Elizabeth puts it. He admits: â€Å"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess of conversing easily with those I have never seen before† He admits to Elizabeth at the very that he was embarrassed when she asks him why he was â€Å"so shy of [her]†. It must be considered then that Darcy does not want to â€Å"humiliate? Elizabeth with his â€Å"extensive power† of a â€Å"paternalistic noble† but is rather humiliated by it himself. after all he has many â€Å"feminine† characteristics: He waits to be approached; he prefers listening to talking; e is receptive rather than aggressive; he is anxious about his reputation and judges people according to their manners; he is the person his friends come to for advice, and he writes letters instead of personally confronting people. To perform one’s gender right, as Judith Butler asserts in â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution,† means to perform one’s gender in accordance with hist orical and cultural sanctions that change over time. Butler’s essay deconstructs society’s belief that gender is a fixed natural given. She questions if and how we exist before societal ideology’s imposition by observing gender in a phenomenological way and finds that gender is always performed, but the performance varies according to time period. What does not vary, however, is society’s punishment of people who don’t perform their gender according to the current convention. Elizabeth Bennet has aligned herself with her father and his male, independent perspective. Mr. Bennet bequeaths [to Elizabeth] his ironic distance from the world, the habit of studying and appraising those around him, the role of social critic. Therefore Lizzie is less a daughter than a surrogate son, who by giving up the mother and giving in to the father, reaps the spoils of maleness. In regards to society, however, Lizzie’s male independence is dangerous. She does not behave like a gentlewoman of her time who was expected to draw and do needlework indoors while waiting for a suitor to whisk her off to the altar. Ex. *The haughty Bingley sisters immediately declare her behavior unsuitable: â€Å"To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! What could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum† (Austen 25). *When Mr. Collins proposes to Lizzie, she doesn’t employ â€Å"the usual practice of elegant females, but declines his offer as a â€Å"rational creature speaking the truth from her heart† (Austen 75). While Lizzie’s decision to refuse the buffoonish Mr. Collins is justified, it is nonetheless precarious in her situation. If she and her sister Jane hadn’t married Darcy and Bingley respectively, which can be regarded as the exceptions to the rule, they would have lost their parents? ntailed house to Mr. Collins. Lizzie, within Regency England society, is performing her gender „wrong? by not accepting a promising proposal. Instead, she displays typically male behavior: â€Å"You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this state to hear me? But I will not be alarmed though your sister does play so well. There i s a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me† (Austen 115). Obstinacy and audacity are not socially scripted feminine qualities. Lizzie turns down Mr. Darcy’s proposal in an equally confident manner: â€Å"Every time Darcy opens his mouth, he is superseded by a speech of greater length and vehemence;† â€Å"Her language, her feelings, her judgments overwhelm his† (Fraiman 361). Elizabeth here not only matches Darcy in intellect, she tops him. Many of her characteristics would be highly-regarded in a man, but not in a woman. While letter-communication was common practice in Regency England for both women and men alike, the letter Mr. Darcy writes to Elizabeth is not a regular correspondence letter, but a letter that deals with his strong emotions in a very feminine fashion. In his need to justify himself for Elizabeth’s accusations, he bares his soul in such a forthcoming, dignified, and eloquent manner as only a woman’s love letter would be expected to accomplish. His letter is so well-composed that he likely dedicated hours of drafts to it. Austen emphasizes the uniqueness of Darcy’s letter by putting male letter-writing into perspective. Charles Bindley’s letters are described as chaotic, correspondence-related and short: â€Å"Charles writes in the most careless way imaginable. He leaves out half his words, and blots the rest,† claims his sister Caroline (Austen 33). Meanwhile, she employs feminine terms to depict Mr. Darcy’s writing: â€Å"do you always write such charming long letters† (Austen 32-3). The boyish Elizabeth, in contrast, writes two letters in Pride and Prejudice: both are addressed to Mrs. Gardiner and are simple correspondence letters. Mr. Darcy’s letter therefore is less of a hostile takeover of authorial power, as Fraiman calls it (â€Å"her authorial powers wane†), but rather his only means of expressing himself to Elizabeth (Fraiman 377). He is not a â€Å"controlling literary figure† (Fraiman 383) that replaces Elizabeth’s father, but someone who takes a great risk by revealing sensitive personal details which could be used to destroy him socially to a woman who has just refused him as a husband. In a very feminine way, Mr. Darcy gives Elizabeth power over his family’s reputation and himself. Darcy’s behavior so far has, as Butler puts it, â€Å"initiate[d] a set of punishments both obvious and indirect† (Butler 279). Elizabeth especially, as a member of her society, misreads him repeatedly and therefore indirectly disempowers him because he cannot make himself heard by her. Mr. Darcy’s passive feminine side is generally misread by society as pride, which shows that to perform one’s gender „wrong? results in punishment. Darcy doesn’t court Elizabeth in the way she and society expect; therefore he, just as much as Lizzie, suffers â€Å"a loss of clout† (Fraiman 377). The gender-performance that is expected of Elizabeth and Darcy by society runs anathema to their original one and they realize toward the end of the novel that they have to succumb to society’s gender-script if they want to be together. As Susan Fraiman argues, Elizabeth, as a woman, has to relinquish some of her power: â€Å"Elizabeth marries a decent man and a large estate, but at a certain cost;† â€Å"Darcy disempowers Elizabeth if only because of the positions they each occupy in the social schema: because he is a man and she is a wife† (Fraiman 384). The cost is her compromise, but Darcy has to make it as well; the cost might even be a gain if Darcy respects Elizabeth as a wife, and there is no evidence in the novel that he won? t. Conclusion: Fraiman’s blame of Mr. Darcy disempowering Elizabeth is misdirected in that she reads him solely as a man, not as a person who has as much trouble performing his gender right as does Lizzie. Darcy has to give up passive observing and letter-writing in favor of action, such as saving the damsel in distress Lydia. Fraiman’s critique of Elizabeth marrying Darcy also does not invoke singleness as a liberating alternative, in which case Lizzie would lose even more power. The novel rather reveals the limits of everyone’s personal autonomy in a society where gender roles are fixed. Mr. Darcy never sought to take Elizabeth’s power or independence away-quite the opposite- they caused his falling in love with her. If Elizabeth is disempowered after her marriage, the blame must be directed at Regency society, not Mr. Darcy; marriage itself is always a compromise, after all. Mr. Darcy, just as much as Elizabeth, sacrifices a great deal of his original individuality by aligning his gender-performance with Regency society’s convention. But, as Lizzie says: â€Å"We do not suffer by accident. †

Biology Lab Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Biology Lab Report - Essay Example There is necessity, especially in sports, where athletics are continuously striving to better themselves, to understand the relationships between cardiovascular fitness and exercise. Though the aforementioned cardiovascular responses to exercise and the factors that influence them are very complex this laboratory report contrives to seek relationship between one such response – heart rate – with exercise in a time-dependent manner. The Step Test will be applied to a total of ten subjects divided into two groups of five each. One group will be allowed to have more than six hours of sleep while the other will be allowed to have less than six. The hypothesis will be tested by counting the heart rates of the subjects at regular intervals during the test and compared to assess whether it holds true. Each subject steps up and down a low platform about 8 inches from the ground. He/she steps up and down for 3 minutes at the rate of 30 steps per minute. Each step is comprised of an up and down at a constant rate. A metronome is used to ensure that the stepping is constant for each subject. Each subject’s pulse rate will be measured using three fingers pressed over the radial artery in the wrist. The pulse rate will be tested for 30 seconds and multiplied by 2 to get the heart rate per second. There will be a count before the test (normal pulse rate) and another immediately after (pulse rate after stress). The subject should be made to sit quietly during the counting. The pulse rate for each subject should be counted at intervals of 30 seconds after the test till it returns to normal. There should be the first count immediately after the test and, thereafter, the next count should be made after 30 seconds rest. Thus, there should be alternate 30 seconds counts followed by 30 seconds rests till the rate returns to normal. The average heart rate

Athelets and Drugs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Athelets and Drugs - Research Paper Example "Although they have legitimate medical uses, steroids are increasingly being used by individuals as a way to quickly build up muscle and increase strength"(Goldberg, 316). Anabolic steroids or anabolic-androgenic steroids are derived from naturally occurring testosterone (male anabolic hormone). Both androgenic and anabolic steroids have their origins in the Greek words means "masculinize." They are used by athletes who want to build up body muscle, for weightlifting, football, and any other sport that require explosive amounts of strength" (Mohun, 21). Steroids use are illegal and banned by most, if not all, major sports and organizations. If a participant is caught using steroids they can be suspended, fined, or even expelled from their particular sport. So why do athletes take this explosive drug you ask' "First, it involves certain personality traits found in many athletes, especially in those who desire, above everything else, to be champions. Second, it has to do with a number of pressures exerted by the sports world on modern competitors" (Dolan, 35). Professional Athletes have a huge influence on other athletes and their fans. Mark McGwire, a retired professional baseball player, openly admitted to taking androstenedione during his record breaking season. Few years back, NFL linebacker Brian Bosworth tested positive for steroids and was banned from playing in a championship college game. He claimed that taking steroids are safe, once it is in small amounts (Nardo, 28). Numerous retired baseball players, such as Ken Caminiti, are coming forward in the news stating that steroid use is widespread in major league baseball. These are men who us "regular Joes" look up to and idolize and if they are saying its okay to use steroids then that makes fans and young kids think it is okay too. Side effects of Steroids Some of the side effects of steroids include "shrinking of the testes, increased acne, loss of hair, extreme aggressiveness, liver damage, high blood pressure, prostate problems, and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke due to an elevation in LDL levels" (Sallis, 131). But there are also women who use steroids as well. "Their side effects consist of deepened voice, rougher skin, extreme aggressiveness, mustache darkens, baldness may occur, and all the heart and organ problems that men are susceptible to" (Dolan, 31). b. Amphetamines and Cocaine Another drug used in sports is Amphetamines, which are classified as stimulant drugs because they instill that same sense of well-being (Dolan, 45). These stimulants include a whole range of substances, from caffeine, through amphetamines to cocaine. All these substances stimulate the body, mentally and physically. Cocaine is one of the most widely publicized recreational drugs. "The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that about six million Americans use cocaine on a regular basis"(Nardo, 55). This number includes people in all professions from professional sports to police officers. But, professional athletes who use the drug both for recreation and as an energy booster before games have been hit unusually hard by the drug. "Seemingly indestructible heroes have been brought to their knees," says William Gildea, a sportswriter for the Washington Post. Example of cocaine abuser athlete Bethea was the number one draft choice of the late nineteenth

Service Operations Management Team Project Essay

Service Operations Management Team Project - Essay Example The third member will be given the task of both internal and external communication and the identifying of new service opportunities for the organization. The member will be engaged on mobile communications and the linkages to the social sites including Facebook and Twitter. The fourth member, will be responsible for marketing, and will have to work together with the third member to leverage on the communication capabilities. The project will majorly pursue Mobile marketing because it has been realized that majority of the target customers are on mobile communication platforms. Every organization and project team requires a decision on the appropriate timings in order to realize the strategic plan. Since this project involves consultancy, it is easier for the project management process to run by dividing the tasks into four subtasks, logistics, co-ordination, communication and marketing. For example, the coordinator will only be concentrating on the decision on the timings of event. When a client needs to be attended to by the organization, the coordinator will decide on the timing of when the client will be attended to depending on the available work force and other resources. The member in charge of logistics will therefore be of great significance when the resources are required, for example, transporting the staff members to the site to offer the consultancy services. In order to get information from or pass information to the clients, suppliers and other service providers, the member in charge of communications does the communication on the various ch annels to present the consultancy services to them and offer necessary information. During the service delivery, the person will maintain the contact with the client until the service is completely delivered. There will be need for the person to collect the opinions of the clients from the communication channels concerning the quality of services they receive from

Consumer Buyer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Consumer Buyer Behaviour - Essay Example (2011). FORBES NAMES NIKE MOST VALUABLE BRAND IN SPORTS. Available at http://business.transworld.net/74449/news/forbes-names-nike-most-valuable-brand-in-sports/ [Accessed on Dec 17th 2012] The global pc market share has observed some extraordinary changes observed by different brands in terms of their market share and revenue. Lenovo has emerged as a global leader in market share in third quarter of 2012 (Gartner, 2012). On the other hand, US PC Vendor market has seen no significant difference in 2012. HP holds the number one spot with 25% of market share followed by Dell and Apple with 21.7% and 12.0% market share. Apple is still the most desired brand of computers in the world but the price of their products restricts major population from acquiring it. Global television market is a very competitive market with so many brands fighting to gain the maximum share in the market. Korea-based companies are still the number in the world television manufacturer with overall 20% market share going to Samsung and 9% to Sony (Displaybank, 2012). In this section, we are going to discuss the current television market trends in global market and the market share of different companies in 2011. Data Source: Displaybank (2012). Result of Flat-panel TV Shipment in 2011 - Korea Leads, China Rapidly Progresses, Japan Slows. Available at http://www.displaybank.com/_eng/share/press_view.html?id=225804 [Accessed on Dec 17th 2012]. With the financial crisis throughout Europe, British Banking sector has become more focused towards its core features (Pettinger T., 2011). Banking sector has a great value in the overall GDP and national output of the nation as mentioned by Pettinger T. (2011). Banking sector alone contributes as much as  £70 billion to the overall output of the country. In terms of tax, the percentage goes to 25% corporation tax which is estimated around  £8 billion. This analysis has a huge impact over the customer trust on different banks and