Reflection of Short Story Mercy Essay - 1154 Words

Hunter Hendricks Mercy Essay Professor Malloy 17 October 2012 Steel-Toeless In Pinckney Benedict’s 2008 short story â€Å"Mercy,† the narrator and his father both take pride in their family’s ranch. The narrator works hard for his father each day, taking breaks only to sneak treats to the miniature horses being kept on the neighbor’s ranch nearby. The narrator’s father; however, does not show the same compassion for the animals as his son. He is adamant about keeping the horses off of his land and warns his son that he will shoot to first to intrude. The narrator views his father in a very austere manner. When we are first introduced to the narrator’s father we find that he has a no-nonsense view of life. He does not†¦show more content†¦The father knows how much the horses means to his son, so giving him this job shows that he does not actually want to have to kill them. In addition, the father takes the time to ask his son about the horses when he finds his son out on the fence, â€Å"What makes them run like that?† (125). He even goes as far to ask if his son would like to own one. The narrator is hesitant to answer, not sure if it a trick question or not. He answers truthfully, saying yes that he would like to own one. It is at this moment that we first see the fathers caring side. The father is showing an interest in what matters to his son. Second, the father shows he is empathetic. For instance, when the narrator finds himself waiting on his father while he loads the steers into the trailer to take to the stockyard. His father insisted that he stay in the cab as he did not have steel-toed boots and could easily lose a toe, just as he had done. Again this shows how his father is worried about more than just getting work done. The narrator is intently watching in the rearview mirror as his father loads his favorite steer, Rug, onto the trailer and then finishes up with the others. Just then his father stopped. â€Å"When they were all embarked, when for the moment his work was done, his face fell slack and dull, and his shoulders slumped. And for a brief instant he stood still, motionless, as I had neverShow MoreRelatedReflection Paper 1787 Words   |  4 PagesFebruary 10, 2013 Theo 104 Reflection Paper #1 I. Introduction This paper will be written to discuss ideas that have been discussed in Theology 104. This class has covered such a wide range of topics in just the first 4 weeks. The 2 topics I have decided to write about are the importance of personal testimonies and God’s grace. II. Part One a. Theological Definition A testimony is how one person’s Christian walk came to be. They are used to show how someone was saved. It tells about theirRead MoreDualism Of Romanticism1299 Words   |  6 Pagesfor ever one day† (Blicher 20). Also, Morten does not seem to be affected when his mother dies. His only comment on her death is that â€Å"God grant her a blessed resurrection† (Blicher 13). Although the story portrays everything to be ideal, in reality, there are social issues and doubt within the story. Morten was in poverty when his father died and had to work at the manor to support him and his mother. There is doubt in marriage when Miss Sophie is arranged to marry Lord Gyldenlove where she choosesRead MoreCritical Analysis : I Stand Here Ironing 1175 Words   |  5 Pagesabsentee fathers could do nothing to better their unique situation. They were at the mercy of how their mothers handled unfortunate state of affairs. 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With his macabre tone, Connell takesRead MoreRevenge In Eumenides And Metamorphoses1352 Words   |  6 Pagesstrict obedience to the principle of â€Å"eye for an eye† without consideration of the circumstances that led to the act or the undesirable consequences. This type of Justice resulted in a bloody cycle of revenge and death that continued throughout the story. Whereas the new notion of Justice allows for the accused person to present his case before an impartial jury and judge who are sworn to act according to justice. This type of justice system seeks to banish the caustic nature of revenge from societyRead More Comparing John Cheever’s The Swimmer and The Five-Forty-Eight1264 Words   |  6 PagesComparing John Cheever’s The Swimmer and The Five-Forty-Eight Two stories by John Cheever, The Swimmer and The Five-Forty-Eight (5-48), will be explored in terms of how the characters, genre and point of view in these stories give rise to classic fiction. The Swimmer is of a suburban man, Neddy Merrill, who decides to return home from work by swimming eight miles through all of his neighbors pools along the way. At each pool he encounters a former mistress, distant and unfriendly neighboursRead MoreFlannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Revelation1436 Words   |  6 Pagesupon southern grotesque within her two short stories, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and â€Å"Revelation.† These two short stories are very similar to each other, which is why I believe that O’Connor often writes with violent characters to expose real violence in the world while tying them in with a particular spiritual insight. The first short story that O’Connor refers to with southern grotesque and violence is in â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find.† In this short story, O’Connor depicts a violent characterRead MorePoe and Perversely1719 Words   |  7 Pagesmain characters of both. 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God is viewed to be the one that directed, commanded, and spoke into existence, the universe and everything in it. (Lecture 2, 2016) Genesis 1 starts with, â€Å"In theRead MoreThe Appearance Of Gerasim Brings Light For The Gloomy Story1271 Words   |  6 PagesHowever, not everyone in the society is so callous. The appearance of Gerasim brings light for the gloomy story. The servant represents the side of people who are having compassion and empathy with others. Gerasim is the he is the complete opposite of Ivan, and he has all wonderful virtues. He has kindly seen his job in Ivan is a kind of help and duty to the dying people; he comforts and heals Ivan in some degree, as Tolstoy describes, â€Å"Gerasim did it all easily, willingly, simply, and with a good

The Diversity Within The Workplace Essay - 2257 Words

INTRODUCTION The need for one organization to outperform the others has given rise to a diverse workforce comprising of different individuals who significantly differ from one another. Diversity in the workplace has been defined as the differences and similarities among the employees that make up an organization in terms of age, cultural background, sex, religion (Anon., n.d.). The diversity in the workplace in terms of age is more often referred to as generational diversity. The desire by some to stay and work longer has led to the current workforce capturing many generations. With countries such as the US capturing as many as 5 distinct generations, others have been able to capture 4 and 3. The various generations segment the different age ranges into generations generally governed by different attitudes to work, preferences and value systems. The attitude, preference, and values held by any generation affect the way they approach their works. 21st-century organizations tend to prefer managers who can deal with the different generations as they have different characteristics and present diverse challenges. The attitude of the various generations greatly differs in the workplace. The generations in the workforce have been segmented into the following demographics: the Traditionalists (also known as the silent generation or the greatest generation); the baby boomers; generation X; generation Y (also known as Millennial), and finally generation Z. An under standing of theseShow MoreRelatedDiversity At Workplace Diversity Within The Workplace3281 Words   |  14 Pages1.0 Diversity at workplace Diversity is a very extensive subject and can be in any genre or class; it is difficult to categorize because of its complex nature. 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Numerous executives have embraced the fact that their hiring practices are inconsistent with their new motto (we do not discriminate†¦), but fail t o realize that it is more of an internal issue than it isRead MoreDiversity Within The Workplace : Diversity6655 Words   |  27 PagesDiversity in the Workplace What diversity are we talking about? We have ethnic mixes, cultural differences, racial diversity, and religions across the spectrum, wide age ranges, class mixes, and sexual orientation options. The world is so connected that we are doing business by e-mail and computer transmission all over the globe at all hours of the day and week. We encounter a staggering variety of people every day. We have so many types of people in the workforce today that we must define whatRead MoreThe Diversity Within The Workplace1540 Words   |  7 PagesIt is a known fact that in order for companies to flourish, excellent leadership practices and employees go hand-in-hand. What most companies have failed to acknowledge is how diversity within the workplace, especially in management and executive leadership, does not have a very strong presence. Numerous executives have embraced the fact that their hiring practices are inconsistent with their new motto (we do not discriminate†¦), but fail to reali ze that it is more of an internal issue than it isRead MoreThe Diversity Within The Workplace1324 Words   |  6 PagesAs the global reach of each organization grows, their objectives have not changed, however, their look toward leadership has. The increased diversity in the workplace requires superior synchronization by identified employees to meet effectively the mission and vision of the organization. This individual must be capable of meeting the needs of subordinates with their area of expertise with set expectations for meeting organizational goals. While the world analyzed this need, several theories becameRead MoreWorkplace Diversity Within The Workplace865 Words   |  4 Pagesmarket today is workplace diversity. Workplace diversity is defined as all characteristics and experiences that defined each employee as individuals, but it can also be misunderstood as discrimination against employees. Diversity can include race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability and sexual o rientation discrimination. One reason why workplace diversity is important is because when you respect your employees productivity rate rises and many companies do not know that. A diverse workplace targets toRead MoreWorkplace Diversity Within The Workplace1322 Words   |  6 Pagespast decade, diversity in the workplace has become one of the most frequently discussed topics in management groups or circles, while interested academically in the actual prospective of workplace diversity has remained limited. To be successful in managing diversity in the workplace first one must understand it from a personal perspective. To be able to derive knowledge and strength from one’s differences shows deep faces in character. A book I read in high school defined diversity as â€Å"the mosaicRead MoreDiversity Within A Diverse Workplace1320 Words   |  6 PagesDiversity is seen as the difference among people. These factors include gender, race, ethnicity, age,sexual orientation,reli gion,capabilities/disabilities. A Diverse workplace,in the last 30 years, become an important issue to emerge, and it’s effects this can have on a organisation. More and more research has gone into a diverse workplace and effects it can have on an organisation competitive advantage. Although having diverse workplace, brings about opportunities and threats, diversity is complexRead MoreDiversity Within The Workplace : What Is Diversity?1857 Words   |  8 PagesDiversity in the workplace What is diversity? Diversity in the workplace means having employees from a wide range of backgrounds. This can include having employees of different ages, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation, religious belief, work experience, educational background, and so on. Advantages of diversity If you have a diverse workplace in your business, you can benefit from the different talents, experiences and perspectives of your employees. Find out more about the advantagesRead MoreDiversity Within The Workplace Within Australia1976 Words   |  8 PagesDiversity in organizations has become a huge interest within the workplace due to many factors such as globalization, migration, innovation and most importantly because it is morally correct. Generally, as businesses main goal is profit, and the â€Å"workforce diversity management is such a pervasive business practice†(Bowes, L. 2013) they need to keep up with global markets. Diversity in Australia is important, as it is one of the most culturally diverse in the world, with 27% of Australian population

Balanced Budget Essay Research Paper Balanced BudgetThomas free essay sample

Balanced Budget Essay, Research Paper Balanced Budget Thomas Jefferson stated, # 8220 ; I place economic system among the foremost and most of import virtuousnesss, and public debt as the greatest of dangers. To continue our independency, we must non allow our swayers load us with ageless debt # 8221 ; ( Grinsburg 1 ) . This quotation mark illustrates the importance of keeping a balanced budget ; hence, it is necessary to stand steadfastly resolved that the authorities should equilibrate its budget. Three chief statements uphold this premiss. They are as follows: 1. It is executable for the authorities to equilibrate the budget, 2. A budget shortage harms the United States through making a trade shortage and increasing the national debt, 3. A balanced budget would profit the United States by supplying excess financess for societal plans, revenue enhancement cuts, and cut downing the national debt. Argument 1: It is executable for the authorities to equilibrate its budget On of January 7, 1998, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office released a budget prognosis that # 8220 ; shows the federal budget to be in effectual balance, with a projected shortage of merely $ 5 billion this twelvemonth a fiddling per centum of an estimated $ 8.5 trillion gross domestic merchandise # 8221 ; ( Bartlett 8 ) . The authorities was able to equilibrate the budget without doing negative complications. This balance came absent of any important revenue enhancement additions and/or authorities cuts in disbursement. Because the United State # 8217 ; s economic system has been comparatively productive in the past few old ages, the authorities was able to equilibrate the budget through an addition in revenue enhancement grosss. During this clip the authorities was really able to increase its disbursement slightly, while the American people were free from extra revenue enhancement loads. In fact, harmonizing to the U.S. Treasury Department, # 8220 ; federal grosss are up 10.5 % over the same period a twelvemonth earlier, while disbursement is up merely 3.8 % # 8221 ; ( Bartlett 6 ) . Basically, this shows that it is non merely possible for the authorities to equilibrate its budget, but it can besides be done without negative effects. Keeping a budget shortage, on the other manus, drastically hurts the stableness of the U.S. economic system. Argument 2: A budget shortage harms the United States through making a trade shortage and increasing the national debt About everyday on the intelligence one hears something about the Federal shortage and the U.S. budget jobs. Presently, the Federal shortage is over five trillion dollars, and that divided out among the U.S. population peers over 19 thousand dollars per individual. This tremendous debt couldn # 8217 ; T hold been created overnight. The authorities # 8217 ; s failure to equilibrate the budget resulted in both the big trade shortage and big national debt. First, the authorities needs to concentrate on the trade shortage. Lowering the budget shortage will assist the American public with national nest eggs which, in the long tally, will deliverance the trade shortage. # 8220 ; The ballooning federal shortage had cut national nest eggs far below the states investing demands. As a consequence, the U.S. had to import capital from overseas, which necessarily resulted in a trade shortage # 8221 ; ( Koretz 1 ) . The chief point of all this is that private nest eggs is down, and needs to be brought back up. # 8220 ; Thus, while the populace sector # 8217 ; s salvaging public presentation has improved mightily in recent old ages, America # 8217 ; s household nest eggs rate has plummeted to its lowest degree in 39 old ages go forthing the U.S. still extremely dependent on foreign capital ( Koretz 1 ) . Another cardinal point to this issue is high foreign debt. By 1997, the U.S. # 8217 ; s # 8220 ; net foreign debt was more than 1 trillion and was increasing at an one-year rate of 15 to 20 per centum, with Japan having about $ 300 billion and China more than $ 50 billion in U.S. exchequer bonds # 8221 ; ( Huntington 28 ) . Extinguishing this foreign debt would be another good measure in the right way for the U.S. authorities. The 2nd obstruction is that the national debt is troublesome. The national debt and involvement payments mean higher revenue enhancements. The involvement on this debt is turning everyday, and something demands to be done so revenue enhancements don # 8217 ; t maintain acquiring higher to pay for it. # 8220 ; Today, the authorities must pass 40 cents of every personal income revenue enhancement dollar to pay involvement on the national debt # 8221 ; ( Ginsburgh 1 ) . If 40 cents doesn # 8217 ; t blow your head, so possibly the billion dollar figures will. # 8220 ; Gross involvement on the debt will go on to rise well over the following 5 old ages from $ 360 billion in 1997, to $ 412 billion by 2002, and by 2007 merely the involvement on the debt is projected to be $ 483 billion This $ 493 billion is merely $ 50 billion shy of our full discretional budget for the current financial twelvemonth # 8221 ; ( Hatch S1152-1187 ) . These Numberss are impossible for most U.S. households. You may inquire how does something like this even Begin to go on. Let # 8217 ; s interrupt it down even more. The U.S. national debt stands at over $ 5 trillion dollars, and that translates into over $ 19,000 for every adult male, every adult female, and every kid in America. The debt of an mean household is more than $ 72,000. That is more than the mean household income in America. You think its bad on household, what about the immature heads of American conveying us into the 21st century? # 8220 ; For many immature grownups who are taking advantage of pupil loans to obtain a better instruction, the national debt can peal up $ 2,200 in extra costs on that loan # 8221 ; ( Hutchinson S985-988 ) . The elective functionaries in office demand to concentrate harder on these subjects and quit jostling them out the back door of the capital. Even worse, the demographics of the U.S. are altering drastically. Peoples are populating longer, seting an even larger load on the entitlements. Along with this, the figure of working taxpayers will worsen when the # 8216 ; babe boomers # 8217 ; make retirement. This will intend fewer grosss for the authorities, doing the state of affairs worse. Something gt ; has to be done to repair the budget job, or hereafter coevalss will hold the job that they did non make. Argument 3: A balanced budget would profit the United States by supplying excess financess for societal plans, revenue enhancement cuts, and cut downing the national debt A balanced budget is indispensable for the hereafter well being of our state. Currently, persons within our state are recognizing that without some kind of economic action societal plans like Social Security will hold to be shut down, revenue enhancements will hold to be raised to outrageous sums, and the national debt, including involvement payments, will suck our budget prohibitionist. The most feasible option to forestalling these jobs is equilibrating the budget. Social Security and other societal plans seem to be progressively at hazard with the aging population of the United States. Presently Social Security and Medicare combined do up 32.5 % of the Total Federal Outlays ( Congressional Research Service 1 ) . This already big figure is expected to increase when babe boomers seek retirement. Without a balanced budget, the babe boomers could do serious jobs. Estimates show that to supply for the babe boomers through these plans, the authorities # 8220 ; would hold to raise [ revenue enhancements ] by about 50 % to raise adequate money # 8221 ; ( Krugman 94 ) . Clearly, this is an alternate that the authorities does non desire to take, and, thanks to a balanced budget, it won # 8217 ; Ts have excessively. Our recent balanced budget has even lead to a excess with provides an sum of excess financess that can be used to assist plans such as these. Even without a budget excess, a regular balance would hold the same consequence because the authorities will cut down its national debt, which means fewer involvement payments and hence agencies more money to pass on these plans without holding to revenue enhancement the American people more. The national debt in itself is a big job, as seen in the old statement. In add-on to harming our society by puting larger revenue enhancement loads on Americans, the involvement payments on the national debt take money and resources off from other countries. Many argue that # 8220 ; the best manner to safeguard Social Security is to use all of the excess to paying down the national debt. Such an attack would shrink the authorities # 8217 ; s involvement costs which are presently one seventh of all disbursement and potentially go forth adequate money in the overall budget to cover the spread between Social Security costs and payroll revenue enhancement grosss for decennaries, harmonizing to disposal projections # 8221 ; ( Brownstein 1 ) . When the authorities has run a debt so big that it spends an tremendous sum of money on involvement entirely, it is wise policy to desire to extinguish that fiscal load and apportion the money to more good undertakings. Because the authorities can equilibrate its budget with no negative effects, it should seek to make it. After all, the benefits are a necessity for the economic endurance of our state in the hereafter. Balancing the budget besides prevents a demand for the authorities to revenue enhancement Americans more. With a budget shortage, the authorities may hold to seek more money from its people in order to fund its budget ; nevertheless, with a balanced budget, this is non necessary. First of all, revenue enhancements are already really high on Americans, and hence, any policy that might take down revenue enhancements would be good. Harmonizing to a Tax Foundation survey, # 8220 ; State and local revenue enhancements claimed an amazing 38.2 per centum of the income of a average two-income household doing $ 55,000 up from 37.3 % in 1996 Federal taxed under President Clinton consumed 20 per centum of America # 8217 ; s full gross domestic merchandise in 1997 The mean American household today spends more on revenue enhancements than it does on nutrient, vesture, and lodging combined # 8221 ; ( Grams S882-884 ) . With revenue enhancements already this high, the authorities ought to seek to take down the revenue enhancement load on the populace. By making a balanced budget, the authorities can work toward cut downing the national debt which will take down the sum of money paid on involvement, which will take down the sum of money the authorities needs to roll up through revenue enhancements. In decision, the budget shortage causes harmful jobs, such as an extra trade shortage and a big national debt, that need to be reduced. In add-on, a balanced budget would assist neglecting societal plans and relieve the revenue enhancement load topographic point on U.S. citizens but making a excess and take downing the national debt. It is besides really executable for the authorities to take this class of action because, with the increased revenue enhancement grosss, the authorities can balance its budget without raising revenue enhancements and/or cut authorities disbursement. Plants Cited Bartlett, Bruce. # 8220 ; Bartlett # 8217 ; s Notations: Having Budget Excess May Enhance Growth. # 8221 ; Detroit News, 2 Mar 1998, p.6 Bartlett, Bruce. # 8220 ; Bartlett # 8217 ; s Notations: New Budget Challenge: Keeping Books Balanced. # 8221 ; Detroit News, 19 Jan 1998, p.8 Brownstien, Ronald. U.S. News and World Report. 23 Mar 1998. P 1. Congressional Research Service, Entitlements: Brief Descriptions of Largest Programs, 17 Feb 1994. Ginsburgh, Justin. On-Line. Available [ hypertext transfer protocol: //www.enteract.com/ jgins/budget.htm ] Grams, Rod. # 8220 ; Why We Must Return Any Budget Surplus to the Taxpayers. # 8221 ; Congressional Record. Daily erectile dysfunction. 24 Feb, 1998, p. S882-884. Hatch, Orrin G. # 8220 ; Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. # 8221 ; Congressional Record. Daily erectile dysfunction. 10 Feb 1997, p. S1152-1187. Huntington, Samuel P. # 8220 ; The Erosion of American National Interests. # 8221 ; Foreign Affairs. Sept-Oct 1997, p.28-49. Hutchinson, Kay Bailey. # 8220 ; The Budget. # 8221 ; Congressional Record. Daily erectile dysfunction. 5 Feb 1997, p. S985-988. Koretz, Gene. # 8220 ; Economic Trends. # 8221 ; Business Week. 19 Jan 1998, p. 1. Krugman, Paul. The Age of Diminished Expectations. The MIT Imperativeness, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1997. 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Westjet Case Culture free essay sample

Culture is imperative in any business. It separates the good companies from the great ones. As WestJet continues its goal of becoming a low fare international airline, it will face numerous obstacles. The problem addressed here deals with the people aspect. How can WestJet maintain its current people culture as the company expands? How can WestJet instill the culture into its new people? And how will WestJet meet the cultural differences in other markets? Answering these questions is essential to the future success of WestJet. Analysis In order for us to address how to reach WestJets long term goal of becoming the largest low fare airline in the world while maintaining its culture, we must understand where we are today. We have developed a S. W. O. T. analysis centered around WestJet’s culture. Strengths The culture is very democratic and people feel safe in the organization. The CEO has taken special care to give primary importance to the interests of the employees and puts their interest foremost. We will write a custom essay sample on Westjet Case Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The employees enjoy complete freedom as well they have full authority which helps them act in interest of the company and customers. WestJet applies a bottom up approach, the employees are part of the decisions and policy changes. WestJet’s profit sharing plan allocates bonuses based on profit margins to most of the employees. This profit sharing plan has a ceiling of 20 per cent of net income and cheques are handed out twice a year. The profit sharing program combined with the share purchase plan gives the people of WestJet an ownership stake in the corporation. This further reinforces WestJetter to act in the interest of the company as the employees are aware that company growth will in turn result into their own growth. The people are innovative and always thinking of ways and means to reduce the costs which would mean an increase in profitability. There is also a strong sense of belonging. The employees believe in working in teams and are excellent team players. WestJet’s working process creates a very relaxed, fun, youthful environment in which creativity and innovation are rewarded. The climate of positivity, trust, and honesty exists that make WestJet an employer of choice. Weaknesses The people of WestJet are closely knit. They are the corporation’s key strength. They have been instrumental in the organization’s success and its expansion. As WestJet expands, the employees may find less time to nurture the culture into the new hires and may find that the culture becomes diluted. They may also find it difficult to go beyond their existing roles and provide those value additions and innovations to the company. This may also mean an increased cost to the corporation and it would lose its business advantage which makes it competitive in the business environment. The reduced profitability of the company may also translate into reduced interest of the employees and reduced commitment. Opportunities The airline industry has undergone significant changes over the decades and years. The freedom to enter and exit any market and to offer any services has altered the way airlines operate. No doubt, there will be many opportunities WestJet could have in order to be competitive and successful in the near future as they move forward. For instance, there might be lots of opportunities for growth and to achieve and maintain corporate competitive advantage like more integrated air route networks, alliances, mergers, expansion of national and international markets etc. However, they need to keep in mind that the soul of the organization is their unique culture and the profitability is not always the top priority for long term success. WestJet has been built on a guest loyalty, WestJetter satisfaction, and public reputation based on the WestJet sprit. Having about 50,000 applications coming in to WestJet every year, obviously, money is not the most important reason why people want to work for WestJet. It is because of the friendly, caring and sharing working environment that WestJet has fostered that make people want to work for WestJet. Motivated and engaged people are the most important resource West Jet has which maintains the WestJet culture. The climate in WestJet is very strong and unbreakable. The culture is the huge advantage which could attract people of all ages and backgrounds because everyone wants to be a part of something as great as WestJet. We feel that WestJet can leverage the cultural framework it has build so hard to build as you grow in other markets. Threats In today’s globalization era, it has become imperative for companies to expand outside their home market in order to survive. Organizations face severe challenges while expanding their operations outside their home territories. The volatile airline industry is no exception. Entry barriers are obstacles that prevent new companies from breaking into an industry, and of course could prevent WestJet from expanding to other national markets or international markets. We have focused on five main threats which you need to be aware in your growth strategy. WestJet must be aware of potential changes to government regulations that could increase costs and reduce profit margins. Government regulations such as changes to labour laws, environmental laws, airline regulations, etc are all things that could have profound effect on WestJets culture. Competition is another significant threat, as WestJet grows and costs increase it opens the door for additional competition. Competition is the airline industry is critical for the millions of people who depend on air travel in their business and family life. One of the main national competitors would be Air Canada which has well-established alliance with some foreign companies and it will be a challenge for WestJet to get into the international market. Competition could potential affect the culture my reducing profit margins. Economy is an outside factor that is out of the direct control of the company and people, however; it could threaten the WestJet culture if there is a global economic downturn. For example, the increasing price of fuel due to the economic change is the greatest cost for airlines and in a way could affect people’s leisure, optional travel, as well as business travel and of course it would potentially affect the West Jet culture. Demographic Uncertainty as WestJet expands into other markets. In term of demographics, we should keep in mind that different people equals different markets based on the different needs of customers. No business can be all things for all people. Instead, WestJet must reach specific customers’ needs and familiar and satisfy their particular needs within these new markets. Also, they need to identify those customers and try to understand as precisely as possible what they want and consider all of the reasons why these new guest might fly with WestJet. WestJet also has to be agile with respect to culture in the new markets. This does not mean the basics of WestJets culture have to change completely but WestJet may have to be adaptive. Unions have become major forces influencing wages and working conditions. WestJet (not a unionized company) has done a wonderful job of motivating, encouraging, and connecting with their people. They have built a great reputation and satisfaction among employees and guests fostered by a unique culture and sprit based on their beliefs and values. Unionization would change the working climate and potentially change the peoples’ motivation system, which would damage the West Jet culture because of the loss of empowerment. Solution WestJet‘s culture and people are a pillar to it future success. We recognize the importance of developing a plan that addresses elements that WestJet can apply to three specific areas. First, maintaining the culture with the current people base, second, developing the culture into the new people and third, meet the cultural differences as WestJet moves into different markets. WestJet must maintain and build on the current culture with its current people base. The WestJet Strategic Plan is a systematic and elaborate plan of how WestJet plans to accomplish its goal. For the WestJet people to take ownership of the strategic plan, we are suggesting that WestJet involve employees at various levels in the development of that plan. Often we hear that employees feel excluded from the planning process. With WestJets current culture and employee ownership, we feel that including employees from all levels of the organization in strategic planning would be a great fit. This option will generate increased profits and improve employee satisfaction at no additional cost. By involving employees from various levels it provides indirect job shadowing with senior management and gives employees a new perception of management leadership skills. Trust is important to WestJetters, and by having all levels at the strategic planning table, it will bring a sense of cohesiveness and transparency for the entire organization. The process for including all WestJetters in the strategic planning process would include having a package of information developed with such information as market growth trends, current market share and profit projections, competitor information, the current WestJet vision, mission, values and goals. This information could then be shared by WestJet managers to their respective groups. Then after a defined time frame, each group will come back together and generate a list of key issues, opportunities, and priorities as seen through each groups’ prospective. Each group would designate one employee to represent their group at the strategic management table, allowing the entire group to feel engaged giving a direct link between the employees group and the management team. Once the strategic planning session is complete, the group representative would report back to the group about the plan and the process it achieved. The process would compliment the current culture by fostering empowerment and trust. WestJet has done a phenomenal job of communicating the culture to the current staff and the public. However, these communication channels have to be enriched in order to maintain the open and honest atmosphere that has developed. As a company grows, the loss of communication channels will be detrimental. As employee communications suffer we see employee disengagement, increased turnover, absenteeism, loss of focus, innovation suffers and potential customer dissatisfaction. WestJet can ensure that employee’s communication does not suffer by â€Å"walking the walk†. If executive management makes a conscious effort to visit and talk with different employees each month, it has a greater chance of keeping communication lines open. Bottom up communication really starts at the top. Top management has to give the lower level employees an open door. To keep the door open, supportive communication is needed. Management needs to be honest, specific, take ownership, and listen to what the employees have to say. Currently WestJet has wonderful motivation programs in place that give the employees a sense of ownership and accountability. The employee share program, the stock option program, and the new LEAD program are all valuable motivators. In order to sustain this culture of positivity, WestJet could implement motivation programs that are centered on extraordinary acts of cultural display. This could include an employee going out of their way to help a sick guest or a senior employee taking time to mentor a junior employee. The reward could be as simple as a small donation to a charity of the employee’s choice or a gift certificate. Employee involvement and communication gives the current employees empowerment in sustaining WestJet’s competitive advantage of being a profitable low fare airline. As officials have indicated, WestJet has a significant growth plan. Consider that along with growth comes new employees it is essential that the WestJet culture is transferred to the new employee base. New Westjetters need to feel the same sense of ownership, accountability, and openness that the veteran employee feels. We recommend that a mentorship program is developed to link a new employee with veteran employee. The learning objectives of the mentorship program would allow learning opportunities for both the new employee and the mentoring employees, build relationships and display WestJets culture. The mentorship program would be an ongoing one year program that would see the new employee spending a week with the mentor at the onset of their job and then follow-up with meetings and interactions throughout the year, followed by an evaluation by both the mentor and apprentice. As WestJet grows, we anticipate the employee base is going to triple over the next ten years. As mentioned earlier, communication to all employees is extremely important. Keep in mind that as the generations change, so will the communication mediums. WestJet will need to incorporate the use of other mediums in order to communicate; such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and wikis. We would recommend that WestJet surveys all employees, especially new employees on a regular basis to understand what communication medium they prefer. We recognize that various methods will be needed but it is essential that WestJet does not jeopardize communication channels by not utilizing the preferred mediums. As mentioned previously, as the age demographics change at WestJet, so will the needs. Flexible time off, environmental programs, child care programs, and healthy lifestyle programs are all things that your new people base may value as motivators. The motivators must meet the needs of this new employee base or retention will be an issue. Employees are not loyal when their personal needs are not met. Not only do new employees need to be coached but so does the organization in order to know its people base. We would suggest that WestJet develop a communication tool such as a survey to address personal needs and values of employees. From this information, WestJet will be better able to develop motivation programs that meet both extrinsic and intrinsic needs. WestJet is looking to rapidly expand in the near future and maintaining the WestJet culture is going to be a challenge. Changing markets accompanied by changing workforce and customer dynamics (as new market areas are entered, the potential customer and hiring pools alter as well) leaves numerous factors to be taken into account. First, consider that different people in different markets have different needs. This requires being adaptive and receptive to change. One cannot expect the culture in a new area (i. e. other North American and International Markets) to be a ‘perfect fit’ based on the past success in other areas; for example Calgary and Hamilton. Consider the differences that already exist between the two established Canadian Hub Centre’s: East versus West – Calgary and Hamilton. While both are in Canada, each represents two distinctly different cultures. The common characteristic in all places is the low airfare. This ties these two different markets but can these core competencies be successfully duplicated in other markets outside of Canada? Within Canada, WestJet has done an excellent job of creating this image of being an economical, high energy and fun organization but consider the costs of recreating this corporate culture in new markets. It is not the same from Calgary to Hamilton as it would be from Calgary/Hamilton to Beijing. The logistics are much more costly; just consider equipment maintenance and fuel costs alone. Consider the logistics of transporting and implementing culture, you are now in a different country with different market expectations, regulations and demands. This is not to say that it can’t be done but the question becomes whether it can be done without WestJet being flexible on their application of its corporate culture and cultural structure in different markets. Flexible in this case refers to WestJet expanding its sensitive line (willingness to process new information) when it comes to the usage and importance of maintaining its cultural values throughout the expansion process. Different markets will require different means of collaborating, mitigating and implementing the unique WestJet branded culture. Ill fate awaits those who use assumptions, groupthink and are homophily. WestJet cannot afford to presume that new markets will be automatic. To maintain and continue growth through the use of expanding the current culture (as Bell claims is the major goal) will require a major investment in research and development teams that can determine the viability of a market. For instance: will this market support the culture? Is there a market at all? More specifically, is there a sustainable and profitable potential market? Profitable in this case goes beyond monetary value; it also refers to the cultural profitability: what will happen to our culture in this new, unfamiliar market? WestJet has to expand from the inside-out. Granted that the existing corporate culture has a vibrant, positive, empowering, engaging, and dynamic; there is an additional area in which WestJet has to improve its cultural strategy. While the major concern revolves around how WestJet culture can be maintained and recreated in new markets, there is little consideration given to how vast and diverse the outside world really is.