To relate the function of management to a real life company, Singapore Airlines

Part 1: The Singapore Aviation Industry Overview

Singapore Airlines famously known as (SIA) is a company celebrating over two decades of exemplary performance in the aviation sector. This airline, one that has outdone its competitors for over 25 years enjoys national career status in Singapore. That is, it has stamped its presence in not only Singapore but also in Asia. Moreover, the airline has direct flights to the United States of America. The state has over 50% stake in the company. The state shares are monitored by a company called Tamasek holdings. However, there is minimal involvement of the state in the daily operations of the airline. Singapore Airlines as per the year 2011 had 21,534 staff. The Airline employees’ interests are taken care of by five worker unions (Cendrowski, 2010). This paper seeks to discuss a number of issues surrounding the management of SIA and how they affect the airline success.

The Organization Structure of SIA

Singapore Airlines has adopted a unique working style. The firm subdivides its Cabin crew employees into groups of thirteen persons each. Group members are given joint assignments. The reason behind this is to ensure group members’ nature a relatively strong bond (Cendrowski, 2010). Those leading these groups also play the role of counselors. Another unique factor in the operations of SIA is the presence of check-trainers who often monitor the performance of various groups.

Part 2: The Changing Trends in SIA

Management Change

Singapore Airlines is constantly trying to align with the ever changing market demands. To thrive in attracting and retaining customers, the airline is looking to improve its services and streamline its functions. To achieve this noble goal, the airline is embracing innovation and new technologies. Moreover, SIA stresses on the need for cost effectiveness in all its operations. This strategy is in line with its long term plans of doing a general overhaul in its operations. The airline is seeking to increase its general performance in the market without necessarily increasing service prices. The move is aimed at taming competition by improving the quality as well as quantity of services offered to clients. However, on a number of occasions, the company has outdone its performance policy by embracing major initiatives. A guess in point is the 2008 financial crisis; here the management of Singapore airlines converted to business class all its transatlantic flights. This was a radical managerial move. During the financial crunch, the airline was facing a reduction in its revenues, internationally; most airlines were trimming down their travelling costs.  Despite it being pains taking, the strategy rewarded well after the financial crisis was addressed (Donaldson, 2001).

Group Dynamics

The division of employees into different groups fosters an effective service culture. The Main objective of Singapore airlines is to increase its revenues while at the same time staying ahead of its competitors. Chong (2007) asserts that the adoption and subsequent reinforcements effective service culture is very well in line with the overall competitive strategy of the company. The management of SIA has been able to increase the productivity per employee by nurturing interpersonal bonding and production mentality. The aforementioned implies that groups do not compete but operate in accordance to the firm set goals. The management has succeeded in making groups understand what is required of them by the organization and how to work in order to meet these goals. The firm also evaluates the contribution of each group to firms’ performance annually. This evaluation helps nature a sense of belonging which diffuses tensions related to group competitions. With diffused tensions, cabin crew employees are able to compare notes with other individuals from other groups. The cordial relationship between Singapore airline employees and their employer nurtures a good relationship between the employees and consumers. This therefore improves the company image and subsequently its performance.

Part3:

Planning

Planning is often the nerve organ of a business establishment. It is a function that requires the management/leadership of a company to ascertain the future prospects of a company using present performance. Good planning is required to ensure SIA stays ahead of its competitors. Being an uncontrollable process, the management needs to analyze the factors that may derail SIA performance and devise ways of addressing the same. This will ensure that the firm is enjoying a strong footing as far as its goals and objectives are concerned

Organizing

Having a sound plan does not guarantee success. Management needs to marshal resources to help it implement plans. By getting organized, SIA is able to devise a sound organizational structure i.e. one that is well aligned to its goals. In addition, being organized enables a firm boosts its relationships with not only customers but also with its employees. Management needs to devise ways that seek to foster smooth departmental operations as well as sound ways of addressing grievances and work related differences between employees

Directing

Directing enables a firm management affect and monitors the behavior of its employees. This is often centered on staff motivation and related performance. Motivation plays a very critical role in improving the contribution of an employee to a firm. Recognition and reward are two common ways that can be used to motivate an employee. A company that motivates its employees is able to attract and retain excellent market brains.  Singapore airline has embraced this function and has been able to attract and retain its employees by constantly rewarding their efforts. Singapore Airlines offer pay incentives in accordance to individuals’ contribution or the airline performance.  

Controlling

Corporate culture helps instill firms’ values, mission and vision on employees. Management of a company is responsible for the inducement of these values. The corporate culture of a company needs to align well with both the short and long term goals of a company. To thrive in business and stay ahead of competitors, SIA core culture ought to be aligned with client safety, customer relations and team spirit. Singapore airlines are often facing cutthroat competition from its competitors. The management needs to enact sound values that guide employee operations to enable it stay ahead of its competitors. Employees’ services and values play an important role in shaping customer perceptions.

In conclusion, management plays a very important role in daily firm operations. Firms with a sound management i.e. one that is able to align its functions with the larger company goals often stay ahead of their competitors. From the above discussion, it is apparent that Singapore airlines through sound management have been able to stay ahead of its competitors for nearly three decades. Its management design is well aligned to the ever competitive environment. Finally, the firm airline policies are often aligned to consumer tastes and preferences. Here, the consumer is often viewed as the boss.

References

Cendrowski, S. (2010). Singapore Airlines.  Fortune, 161 (8),  22-22.

Chong, M. ( 2007). The role of internal communication and training in infusing corporate values and delivering brand promise: Singapore Airlines Experience.  Corporate Reputation Review, 10(3), 201-212.

Donaldson, L. (2001). The contingency theory of organizations. CA :Sage Publications, Inc, Thousand Oaks.

DISADVANTAGES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

The Disposal of Nuclear waste

Used nuclear rods are a health hazard. Nuclear rods are the materials making up the nuclear reactors. They are arguably the most radioactive items that are often hard to dispose. Being highly radioactive, the rods need to be handled with utmost care to contain its deadly capabilities. The Ways of disposing nuclear rods are often difficult and there is not sure way of disposing these materials. This implies that there is likelihood that there is a probability that it might come to contact with human beings and animals. For example, the United States of America has developed ‘permanent’ points of disposing these nuclear materials beneath their soil. This is a catastrophic move because these storage areas are not immune to natural disasters i.e. earthquakes and other calamities that might tamper with the nuclear rods and expose the public to danger (Tyler &Spoolman, 2008).

Huge Capital Investments

Construction a nuclear plant is an expensive venture. Despite it calling for high levels of investment, construction of an individual plant often takes a long period of time i.e. between 6 – 12 years (Troon, 2010). This long periods of constructions leads to cost overrun. In addition, it does not guarantee safety. Twelve years is a long period of time to ascertain the safety of a facility. That is, it is easy for it to develop leakages during this time which can be of a negative impact to the environment.

Nuclear Proliferation

Breeder reactors have been misused by a number of countries. A good number of countries are using nuclear energy to develop weapons of mass destruction i.e. nuclear bombs. Iran is an example of a rogue economy that is enriching uranium to make nuclear bombs.

Expulsion of Radiation

Expulsion of radiation is a major con as far as nuclear energy is concerned. Nuclear radiations are very disastrous to human beings and life in general. For example, a nuclear radiation has the ability to damage body cells. An exposure to large amounts of nuclear is catastrophic as it can lead to long term illnesses or even death. Moreover, since radioactive wastes are unable to decompose for a long period of time, they are very harmful to the environment.

Contamination problems

Recent nuclear research and testing has proved that there are acute contamination issues that are yet to be contained as far as the production of nuclear energy is concerned. Recently, for example, there was this nuclear reservation plant in the United States of America that shows tendencies of contaminating Columbia River. Nuclear contamination is a tragic environmental disaster as it destroys the aquatic and its effects live on for long durations.

Nuclear Accidents

In the same breath a nuclear energy benefits and expansive region, a single nuclear reactor accident spreads its particles over a wide area. Its results are catastrophic. A number of nuclear scholars have argued that accidents related to nuclear reactors are more acute than those of nuclear energy itself. An accident may lead to genetic modification, an ailment that interferes with body operations. A common form of disaster resulting from a nuclear reactor is called meltdown. This is a disaster that occurs when fission reactions cannot be contained leading to a massive explosion of nuclear and subsequent release of harmful nuclear pieces to the environment.

Nuclear Plants a target to terrorism

Terrorists have already set targets in Nuclear energy plants and its waste storages. More often, nuclear plants are not designing to stand terrorism aggression. That is, most nuclear plants cannot withstand a terror attack. Given terrorists single out a nuclear plant for an attack, the effects will be catastrophic to not only the attacked country but also to the entire world.

Nuclear Decommissioning

The production costs of nuclear energy and the associated environmental costs still accrue way after a nuclear plant produces its form of energy. The process of containing the negative effects of an already closed nuclear plant is often expensive. Moreover, trying to return already used nuclear machinery to its original safe mode is tedious and time consuming. In addition, it exposes employees to health risks while spreading its tragic effects to the environment. Nuclear decommissioning is a sensitive process that often leads to accidents, mainly caused by people’s error (Fridell, 2010). The process of decommissioning calls for much more energy than the one used during the construction process. Despite the financial costs incurred, this process is hazardous to the environment.

The scarcity of Uranium

Uranium, the raw material used in the production of a nuclear energy is a non-renewable resource. With the ever increasing demand of nuclear power, uranium is fast depleting. This therefore implies that its supply may last for not more than 70 years going by its all-time demand. The depletion of uranium implies that sooner than later, the world will be heading back to greenhouse gas emitters. The return to traditional sources of energy i.e. coal, petroleum and gas is disastrous to the environment (Bodansky, 2004).

A number of people observe that nuclear energy is a permanent source of energy in the world. Some of them assert that, nuclear power is the cure of global warming. While others are of a contrary opinion, a group of persons who are against nuclear i.e. they own a discerning opinion in regard to nuclear plants and weapons of mass destruction. Both the aforementioned sides have a firm backing of their observation as postulated by the pros and cons above. From the discussion, it is apparent that nuclear energy is never a sustainable form of energy. First, nuclear wastes and reactors are life threatening to both the current and the future generations. Secondly, uranium is a non-renewable resource. This implies that as demand for energy power increases, uranium sources are fast depleting. In addition, it can be argued that the resource will not be available for use by the future generation (Deal, 2010).

ADVANTAGES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

Limited Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Nuclear energy has passed the test of being a clean form of power. The generation of heat and electricity through nuclear often emits low levels of carbon dioxide. Given the relatively reduced gas emissions, nuclear energy can be said to be a least contributor of Global warming. Environmentalists often lambast the generation of power through coal and petroleum because their reaction often releases large amounts of greenhouse gases to the environment. In the current state, greenhouse gases are the primary threat to environmental catastrophe (Oxlade, 2012). This is because they are responsible for the rise in global temperatures and climate change. Given there is zero emission of these greenhouse gases in nuclear energy production, it is apparent that nuclear reaction has minimal negative effects on the environment.  

Low fuel costs

The fuel costs associated to the production of nuclear energy are very minimal compared to those used in the production of heat and electricity form coal, petroleum, wind or even gas. In addition, its production is often very economical. This is because a small amount of fuel is required to produce relatively large amounts of heat and energy. The production of nuclear energy involves the reaction of radioactive elements, substances whose fission do not call for fuel. Moreover, nuclear power comes from a low priced substance, uranium. The low cost of production materials makes nuclear power a cheaper source of energy. From, environmentalists’ point of view, the production process of nuclear energy is environmental friendly as its benefits outshine the costs. More often, the reactors responsible for the production of nuclear heat and electricity use uranium as its catalyst.

Huge Potential Capabilities

The deposits of Coal, gas and petroleum is fast depleting. This implies that their supply is limited and will be exhausted in the future. However, nuclear energy has a huge potential. That is, it will still supply heat and energy way after coal, gas and petroleum are exhausted. Solar energy can be said to match the huge potential capabilities of nuclear energy but it has to be noted that the potential capabilities of nuclear energy are increased by improved technologies. Therefore, with the ever improving technology, the world is able to shun pollutant energy sources and embrace the cheaper clean sources. In addition, it is estimated that there are large amounts of uranium deposits in the earth surface that are capable of supplying world energy for a hundred years.

Reliability

Nuclear is arguably the most reliable form of energy in the entire universe. Its prowess outshines that of other power sources i.e. coal, wind, petroleum and gas. The reliability of nuclear energy is showcased by the ability of its power plants to operate for considerably long hours on a daily basis. In addition, nuclear reaction does not require fossil fuel for its reactors. Therefore a shortage of oil or goal supply does not hamper the production of this energy. Uranium is often used by nuclear reactors to produce energy.   This form of nuclear fuel is easily available at cheaper prices. Another aspect of reliability is brought about by the ability of nuclear plants to produce huge amounts of energy as compared to other sources. Being able to produce large quantities of energy within a postulated period of time ranks it the best in terms of reliability.

Less Plant space

Nuclear energy production plants occupy less space. The advantage of occupying less space is that these plants can be established in areas that have already been developed, an action that is not possible with the other sources of energy. This undertaking brings with it a number of environmental advantages. First, power plant locations can be restricted from residential zones. Secondly, there is minimal contact between raw materials and the environment. This is because uranium use is restricted to a given location. Finally, incidences can easily be contained much easily as the plants can easily be zoned off.

High Energy generation and Ease in transportation

Nuclear energy is the lone form of power that can be generated in relatively large amounts by a single plant. Nuclear energy can be produced in huge quantities within short time periods. That is an economy is able to meet its energy demands of a specified period of time by producing nuclear energy as a concentrated form. With the ability to produce enough energy in advance, a state is better placed to address environmental concerns with much ease. Also, concentrated form of energy is much easier and cheaper to transport. This reduced bulkiness also minimizes the level of contact with the environment.

Low Plant Maintenance costs

The construction of plants brings with it the destruction of an ecosystem. Worst even is the idea of refurbishing an already running plant on constructing other plants within minimal time frames. Nuclear plants come with a live expectancy of up to 60 years after construction. Despite the minimizing operational costs and rapidly increasing profitability, the plants bring the lifeline to an ecosystem. This is because once a plant is already operational, there are minimal disturbance to the environment. Moreover, raw material transfer is regulated thereby minimizing its contact with the environment.

Critical Review: Keynesian political economy

This paper seeks to critique the thoughts advanced by renowned scholar, Keynes in relation to political economy. According to the article under review, Keynes theory critiques a common school of thought relating to the self-regulation of markets. Much of Keynes arguments seek to water down the thoughts of both the classical and neoclassical economists. The article argument largely revolves about the effects of politics on markets. According to the author, Keynes school of thought tends to disagree with the assertion that the forces of demand and supply are responsible for the pricing of market commodities.  Keynes widens his net of thought beyond price mechanisms. Keynesian school of thought asserts that low demand for produced goods is a systematic hitch whose result can never be limited to price mechanism failure. In accordance to his school of thought, politics play a cardinal role in shaping the populace demands for goods and services. The aforementioned issues are largely reputed by other scholars, i.e. Karl Marx.

Keynesian school of thought dwells much on the instability of the production system as brought about by a capitalistic economy. Keynes school of thought has not gone down well with modern economists who have advanced differing thoughts on the subject. In their discerning opinion, other scholars advocate for and administrative mechanisms that will seek to stabilize and provide adequate market for products automatically. Keynesian political economy is not a perfect theory as it does not meet the expectations of not only other economic thinkers but also that of the contemporary business world. The theory fails to accommodate divergent thoughts that relate to market mechanism. This essay seeks to critique the shortfalls associated with Keynes Theory on political economy.

The essay offers an analysis of the shortcomings of the theory in an effort to explain why other scholars and contemporary economic society share a discerning opinion. The essay begins with a brief description of the Keynes theory as advanced by the article and then delves into the main controversies surrounding the theory. Political economy theory by other scholars also form part of the description used in the essay

Keynes developed a political economy theory that sought to showcase the effects of capitalistic economy politics on market operations. The political economy theory of Keynes fails to appreciate the need of individualistic choices in an economy. According to Keynes, a capitalistic economy is an ogre that should never be banked on to safeguard the livelihoods of those dependent on it as it makes lives unbearable in the long run. This assertion is very insensitive and untrue in that it also implies that personal pursuits towards economic improvements often fail.

On matters investment, Keynes asserts that savings does not necessarily mean investment. Given that decisions related to investment are not influenced by an increase in savings is tragic. This school of thought defies that of most renowned economic scholars who assert that investment decisions are often guided by savings. Whereas other economic scholars found a tradeoff between consumption and savings, Keynes saw a tradeoff between demand and a leakage in the circular flow of production.  Going by his Keynesian thought, a leakage in the circular flow does not necessary induce demand. In addition, Keynes observes that any investment related to savings will worsen off the state of individuals in both the short and long run. This notion is not in agreement with his argument of political economy and confines it in the incomes of participants in an economy. Moreover, in the contemporary business world, investment is guided by past profitability of a venture. That is to realize a profit; a firm needs to price its goods above the incurred production costs. The wider the margin between a set price and the costs associated to production, the higher the profit margin. Therefore it is apparent that the theory of Keynes fails to observe the basic principles of markets.

In a capitalistic economy, the states often chip in to ensure macroeconomic conditions needed for good business are in place. According to Keynes, the move by the state to establish workable conditions brings market instability. Without considering the intention of a state in totality, Keynes argument is true. Considering the state increases taxes to foster macroeconomic stability, demand will relatively go down. However, looking at the totality, state moves are meant to cushion citizens from unfavorable states that may jeopardize their private interests. Keynes fails to appreciate the fact that government actions are often guided by public interest

In conclusion, the article has articulated Keynesian issues in an understandable manner. However, it fails to pinpoint the concrete reasons as to why Keynes related politics to markets. In addition, it is apparent the forces of demand and supply are largely responsible for production decisions. This is because, the market often dictates what it needs and is ready to consume at a given time. A firm that is sensitive to the market needs will often sell its produce at a good price thereby increasing its profitability. Finally, the effects of government hand on markets cannot be understated.

References

Amable, B. (2003).The Diversity of Modern Capitalism. London :Oxford University Press.

McConnell, C. (2008). Economic principles. Sydney: McGraw-Hill.