Role of Financial Institutions and the Central Bank in Kenya Essay Example for Free

Role of Financial Institutions and the Central Bank in Kenya Essay Briefly explain role of the following Financial Institutions in the economic development of Kenya: a) Kenya Industrial Estates: Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE) Limited was established in 1967 as a subsidiary of Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC) with a major role of promoting indigenous entrepreneurship by financing and developing small scale and micro enterprises. KIE Limited was established to facilitate development and incubation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) countrywide by establishing industrial parks, providing credit and business development services (BDS) in a sustainable manner. The services offered by KIE include; * Development of Industrial Estates and Provision of MSMI Incubation Services Kenya Industrial Estates LTD provides serviced workspace through construction of industrial estates/incubators in fast growing business centres. These facilities provide entrepreneurs with specific services to nurture and encourage growth of their enterprises to sustainable levels. Apart from flexible and affordable workspace, the enterprises within the incubators are able to access financial support for machinery, equipment and working capital, shared utility services, management and technical assistance including skills upgrading, marketing, accounting, legal, secretarial services and internet and networking. New industrial estates are being developed in fast growing urban centres and Special Economic Zones as identified in the Vision 2030 * Financial Support Services Credit Facilities: KIE provides affordable medium to long-term finance to MSMIs for the purchase of machinery, equipment and working capital, either for start-ups, expansion, modernization or rehabilitation focusing on priority sectors identified in Vision 2030. Special Credit Facilities for Marginalized Areas: This product is availed in marginalized areas with favourable terms and conditions. Top up Loan Facilities: This is a product targeting the existing KIE clients (loanees, mortgages and tenants) who have/had good credit record and have potential for growth and wish to acquire additional capital or financial assistance Bid Bond Facility: A bid bond is issues as part of a bidding process by the surety to the project owner, to guarantee that the winning bidder will undertake the contract under the terms at which they bid. KIE charges for this service at a negotiable rate. Performance Bond Facility: For this product, KIE has set aside funds in a commercial bank to facilitate performance bid bond facility to its A Rated Clients Industrial Shed Rehabilitation: This facility is for mortaged industrial workspace where the mortgagee can access credit facilities to rehabilitate or expand and modernize their workspace * Business Advisory Services To ensure success and growth of its incubatees, KIE LTD has set up business solution centre’s which provide entrepreneur capacity building training, mentoring and consultancy services, preparation of feasibility studies, business plans, business counseling, needs assessment, project implementation/supervision/monitoring, technology selection services, marketing support, rehabilitation, expansion and repositioning/modernization. Facilitating Inter-Firm linkages This programme involves facilitation of linkages between the small, medium and large-scale enterprises mainly to enable technology transfer. KIE facilitates improvement of technology and standards of the MSMIs through equipment upgrading, apprenticeship training and provision of working capital. District Business Solutions Center The KIE LTD District Business Solution Centre’s (DBSC) support the government strategy to revitalize the SME sector and thus the economy as articulated in the new sessional paper No. 2 of 2005 on Development of Micro and Small Enterprises of Wealth and Employment Creation for Poverty reduction The Private Sector Development Strategy Paper (PSDS) The districts in focus are considered the milennium districts and include, Muranga, Meru South, Bondo, Siaya, Bungoma, Suba, Kilifi, Turukana and Garissa. Business SME solution centre’s are facilities that are set up to offer platforms from which entrepreneurs can develop business ideas into profitable business ventures run and owned by individuals. It also provides breeding grounds for existing business for growth and take-off. b) Industrial Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC):ICDC is the pioneer Development Finance Institution (DFI) established in 1954, to acilitate economic development of Kenya through provision of medium and long-term financial solutions. * It provides equity solutions to entrepreneurs through Joint ventures and Strategic partnerships to promote and encourage private sector investment and entrepreneurship for job and wealth creation. * ICDC also seeks to grow existing businesses and promote establishment of new ones through provision of corporate and wholesale loans at competitive rates and also through asset financing. * ICDC also provides Management and Advisory Services to corporate institutions. The Services offered include: * Corporate Secretarial * Share Registration * Internal audit c) The Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC): AFC is a wholly owned Government Development Finance Institution (DFI), established in 1963 initially as a subsidiary of the Land and Agricultural Bank. In 1969, it was incorporated as a full – fledged financial institution under the Agricultural Finance Corporation Act, Cap 323 of the laws of Kenya. It was then tasked in assisting in the effective and peaceful transfer of land to indigenous farmers, as well as injecting new capital to farm owners to spur development. After successful implementation of this task, AFC was further reconstituted in 1969 to assume a wider mandate by taking over the functions of the Land and Agricultural Bank of Kenya. Today AFC remains the leading Government Credit institution mandated to provide credit for the sole purpose of developing agriculture. This role is crucial given that Agriculture is the mainstay of the Kenyan economy where 80% of the Kenyan population which is rural based relies on agriculture as their main support system. AFC provides subsidized loans e. seasonal crop credit, water development loan, cash crop loan, horticulture and floriculture development loan, machinery loan, agribusiness loan, livestock and fisheries development loan, the vuna account loan, stawisha group loan and the school based to assist individuals, groups and corporation wishing to engage in agriculture as a business with finances to enable them start, grow and profit from this ventures and to grow the Kenyan economy while creating employment opportunities to the youth and the rural folk.

Analysis of Situational Leadership Theory

Analysis of Situational Leadership Theory The situational theory of leadership is becoming increasingly popular in the context of modern organizational leadership. This is evident from the manner in which it is surfacing in academic literature such as books, journals and research reports. A leadership style refers to the pattern of behavior; including both action and words as exhibited by a leader or as perceived by followers. Situational leadership revolves around job-related maturity. According to Mark, et al (2009) job maturity refers to an individuals ability in performing a job and this is a key factor determining a leaders behavior. The situational leadership model puts it that effective leadership is dependent on both the acts of management and leadership and that these enhance an organizations match to current global trends. The model emerged from the realization and understanding that not all individuals within a group or community being led compare in terms of maturity level and that the need for a leadership style differ with situations. Thus the model is based on situational variables as it relies on day-to-day perceptions of a leader as well as the environmental observations rather than research data. Current research shows that effectiveness in the light of this model involves a leaders assessment of the development level (maturity) of their followers as well as the situation at hand to adjust their leadership approach accordingly (Norris Vecchio, 2000; GEN Dennis, 1999). Situational leadership entails first understanding ones predominant leadership approach and the level of the followers development process. Situational leadership is particularly becoming an effective strategy among Army leaders given the current rates of technological advancement and combat techniques. Situational leadership is thus very vital in challenging the ambiguous and complex nature of the modern military environment. Background of the Situational Leadership Model The situational leadership theory was developed by Hersey and Blanchard in the 1960s basing on Reddins 3-D framework of leadership (Hersey Blanchard, 1996). The developmental process of the model focused on three key categories: consideration; initiation of structure; and leader behavior. In situational leadership, the subordinates job-relevant maturity (both psychological and job maturity) is the primary situational factor determining a leaders behavior. Maturity is regarded to be a product of the education level and/ or experience. Psychological maturity is an important aspect of job maturity and it reflects a persons state of motivation, that is, their confidence and self-esteem levels; which are highly influenced by ethical practices in a firm. Hersey and Blanchard identified that physiological maturity is associated with an individuals orientation towards achievement as well as the ability and willingness to assume responsibility. Hersey and Blanchard thus concluded that perfor mance is basically a behavioral manifestation of job relevant maturity (Hersey Blanchard, 1996). Proponents of this model hold the notion that each situation demands a different leadership style and thus the best course of action is dependent on the situation at hand, that is, effectiveness in leadership is dependent on the adaptability to adapt to situations. It is also imperative to note that the leader-follower relationship determines the outcome of any particular task. Lee-Kelley (2002) points out that situational leadership is based on both versatility and effectiveness. Four leadership approaches apply under the situational leadership model and are dependent on followers job-related maturity. The major notion under this model is that flexibility and adaptability determine which of the diverse styles would apply in the context of varied situations, followers or tasks. The Four Leadership Approaches/Styles Applied in Situational Leadership S1: Directing (high task, low relationship behavior) Leaders take the responsibility of determining the roles and tasks for their followers. They thus are involved in close supervision of the follower activities as well as taking and announcing all the decisions. In this regard, the leaders are more concerned with the challenge of meeting goals and accomplishing tasks than on building strong relationships with their subordinates (Norris Vecchio, 2000). Communication in this style is usually one way since leadership autocratically categorizes employees duties. S2: Coaching (high task, high relationship behavior) Although the leader has the power of making decisions, he/she usually involves the suggestions of the followers while maintaining a good relationship with them. Although communication is two-way, final decisions on ideas are usually made by the leader rather than their authors (Mark, et al. 2009). Leaders are thus focused on selling their ideas to the followers to have them understand the importance of their tasks and the various organizational processes. S3: Participative (high relationships, low task behavior) This style is usually very motivating to subordinates as it involves a shared decision making process and a two-way communication channel (Hersey Blanchard, 1996). Followers are usually included in all job-related duties as well as in determining how tasks and responsibilities are to be accomplished. The leader often relies on the followers contribution in organizing the day-to-day responsibilities such as tasks and processes allocation. S4: Delegating (low relationship, high task behavior) In certain situations, leaders are compelled to entrust their followers with much of the decision making process. The leaders task thus entails monitoring progress although he/she is not extensively involved in the process of making decisions. However, the leader is more focused on problem solving and taking decisions but grants the followers the authority to determine the final decision. Followers decide when it is appropriate to involve the leader. There are four major follower maturity levels that determine the necessity for a leadership style (Hersey Blanchard, 1996). Follower Development Process/Maturity Levels The first maturity level (M1) encompasses followers who usually have no confidence, knowledge or skills necessary for them to work independently. Such individuals usually require supervision and direction before they can be entrusted with tasks. In such a situation, effective leadership would entail applying the directing approach of leadership (Peter, et al. 2008). The second level (M2) of maturity involves followers who generally have the will to do a task but they lack the capacity to do so independently. This means that leading such a group would necessitate that the leader employ an approach that can coach the followers at their duties. The third maturity level (M3) includes individuals who are usually highly experienced and can attend to the task in question satisfactorily. Participative leadership is best suited to lead such followers. However, these followers lack the confidence to assume sole responsibility of seeing a task to accomplishment. The fourth maturity level (M4) i ncludes those individuals who are not only experienced but are also confident and able to take on the task (Mark, et al. 2009; Fernandez Vecchio, 1997). They are not only willing and able but are also confident that they can successfully fulfill accomplishments independently. In the event of M4, leaders usually assume the delegating leadership style. It is essential to note that differentiated leadership is only possible under the situational leadership approach since different followers with varying levels of needs, abilities and maturity levels are led. The situational model is based on the perception that real leadership revolves around people management in a manner that is fair for the sake of being mutually rewarding as well as providing productive objectives; which are usually free of any manipulation. According to Hersey and Blanchard, the process of controlling, influencing and motivating followers towards attainment of stated accomplishments relies on three key leadership skills: (i) prediction of future behavior; (ii) understanding the behavior of the past; and (iii) the changing, controlling as well directing behaviors (Lee-Kelley 2002). In this regard, research shows that effective situational leaders are usually engaged in a number of behavioral manifestations: relationship and task behaviors, which are important in driving creativity and innovation among followers. Applying Situational Leadership in the Military Services Overview The increasingly complex military environment demands for an effective approach to leadership, one that is adaptive to the different followers situations. The US Army Field Manual (FM) 22-100 emphasizes on the ability of any military leader to adjust to the particular situation or individuals being led (US Army Field Manual (FM) 22-100, 1999). Use of the model is evident among successful military leaders. Military leaders such as combat leaders are usually not confined to any one leadership style in any given situation, not with the dramatically changing nature of the battle field now and in the future. It is increasingly becoming mandatory that military leaders be adaptive (flexible) enough to engage styles that will enhance the success of the soldiers. Situational leadership in military would be important especially in enabling military leaders to take advantage of techniques from the four styles of situational leadership for the sake of motivating soldiers towards accomplishing mi ssions successfully. Ability to make use of cultural awareness, sound judgment, self control, and intelligence is the key to effective situational leadership. As a Military Leader According to Lau (1998), the concept of situational leadership became of particular importance in the military following the formation of the continental army. It is also based on the recent view that control, teamwork, discipline, and organization are deficient within the forces (GEN Dennis, 1999). In this regard, military psychology has been developing situational leadership frameworks for the last 100 years to promote effective military behavior based on the view that particular behavior among military individuals would inevitably facilitate better outcomes. While using this model, it is necessary to make use of the studies and facts about military figures and units encountered during my service to avoid repetition of past mistakes over an over. This way, one would be able to learn from these past histories and focus on key concerns that address soldiers simultaneously in regards to mission accomplishment tasks. This would help in focusing on the task and social aspects of duty as one adapts his/her leadership style to match followers needs and abilities. Studies reveal that this training has had more emphasis on the managerial training rather than the tactical approaches (COL Kent LTC David, 2001); this would be a challenge and an opportunity to apply the various leadership approaches within the constraints of the situational model of leadership to get the best from the soldiers. Studies have shown that difficulties associated with compromises on the gratification level, solution seeking and perfectness due to autocratic rules can be effectively solved through the situational leadership approach, whereby combat leaders take advantage of the opportunity for adjusting communication flow through adapting to leadership styles that are situationally appropriate (GEN Dennis, 1999). Military leadership tasks revolve around being both a social specialist and a task specialist, that is, ones primary goal is to accomplish the groups main challenge of defeating enemies in combat. Such a role requires being more informed, active and intelligent than the followers. As a social specialist, ones challenge would encompass building and maintaining a close relationship with the group, keeping the group together, and providing morale (Peter, et al. 2008). As a military leader, being able to situationally adapt to the social needs of the followers would help in mitigating issues concerned with low morale such as desertion, crime, malingering and absenteeism. Thus, the social specialist role helps one to be able to improve a teams cohesiveness. An ideal military, situational-based leader is one who is able to excellently and concurrently apply both the task of a specialist and an equal competency as a social leader (COL Kent LTC David, 2001). Social situational adaptability is especially important for effective and successful leadership among leaders at the lower levels than it is for the higher levels. It is imperative that one be conversant with the dynamics of the rules in the army to achieve untried solutions and meet challenges with this model. For effectiveness, one has to continuously look for situations in which they can apply new alternatives. More particularly lower ranks require that one be less sensitive on rank differences and have more foresight and initiative regarding what is right or who is right; this is an example of ideal situational adaptive ability in which they would be dependent on information to tackle challenges (Lau, 1998). Still on situations, using technical expertise while at the same time focusing on the groups cohesiveness, especially because of the stressing nature of the military environment, would be the perfect thing to do. This implies that ones adaptability and flexibility has to be impressive as military work usually involves surprises which would necessitate this. Therefore, a flexible leadership model such as situational leadership is most applicable in the military situation due to the necessity to successfully handle unanticipated events. Being an adaptive leader is paramount to conceive the importance of creating an environment for enabling followers as well as junior leaders to expand their rational risk-taking. It enables them to enhance their development, training and coaching levels (Lee-Kelley 2002; Lau, 1998). This is particularly so in the face of the increasing sophistication of the hardware, techniques and tactics applied in the military today. Situational approach in military leadership involves training the subordinate officers to tackle more complicated tasks with use of fewer resources. John Blair and James Hunt describe the various elements that influence the situational approach of leadership within the military. They sought to enhance the understanding of the major characteristics defining leadership in future battle fields as well as the extent of their influence on commanders, soldiers and the army in general (COL Kent LTC David, 2001). James and John emphasize on the organizational and environment al factors (macrocontigency factors) and the microcontigency factors encompassing the situational factors that are particular to tasks, individuals or unit. Most current military services derive from the situational leadership model. Situation leadership training in the military began as early as the 1970s but only limited studies have been on the same in the military context. Recent research on the air assault battalion of US National Army Guard shows that this model works effectively within the military (Mark, et al. 2009). A military leaders major accomplishment under this model would be to facilitate the development of the job-related maturity of the soldiers. According to the guidelines outlined in FM 22100, the effectiveness of a combat leader relies on the ability to demonstrate flexibility in terms of the leadership approach while leading other soldiers (Lau, 1998). This is because the military is characterized by different behaviors with some responding best to suggestions, coaxing, gentle prodding or directions. An example of one approach involves applying the S2 (coaching) style for the subordinates in maturity level 3 to improve their motivation, commitment, and ownership of decisions. Thus, being situational implies that one has the ability to shift from using an overly directive approach to suing one that allows the subordinates to be self sufficient; this is the basis for leadership and subordinate development in the army. FM 22100 indicates that the most important competency of any military leader is being able to identify the needs of the subordinates as well as their abilities so as to figure out the best approach to bring ou t their best (US Army Field Manual (FM) 22-100, 1999). Effectiveness and success is thus enhanced by the ability to use a combination of the features of all the four situational leadership styles to fit with individuals, place and task involved; since it is usually difficult to lead in battle fields that require different techniques while based on a single approach. Studies in military leadership have identified that unit outcomes are improved by integration of transactional and transformational competencies into the various situational leadership approaches (GEN Dennis, 1999). Shortcomings of the Situational Leadership Model Studies by the Air University Leadership and Management Program Advisory Group identified that the situational leadership model has some limitations that are worth noting (COL Kent LTC David, 2001). While the model is effective in outlining the appropriate style of leadership based on job-maturity it fails to take care of other important considerations within the military. For instance, the model does not address the extent to which leadership is practiced, the different styles essential in the event of specific combat action, staff versus operations leadership or the various styles that may be appropriate in the vent of combined, joint, or even service leadership. This is because leaders may not be able to identify situations where the various leadership styles apply more appropriately or that they lack the capacity or expertise to employ the appropriate behaviors whenever the telling or the directing styles are most appropriate. It is difficult to assess the readiness level of the followers since this model involves a multifaceted approach (Fernandez Vecchio, 1997). Conclusion The situational leadership theory is becoming increasingly popular in modern organizational leadership especially in the military set up. Leadership is an important aspect of combat power and thus the reason for situational model popularity. The most important task in combat situational leadership is being able to motivate the soldiers through morale factors enhanced by unit cohesion. A leaders adaptability is the key necessity for the success of the situational leadership model. Communication is one way to improve task motivation and leadership outcome in the context of this model. Communication is also two in an effort to improve morale and participation. However, the S1 and S4 styles usually involve more situational concerns than just the subordinates readiness. The appropriateness of a leadership style changes with change in the leadership environment. The model emphasizes on using more than one style of leadership especially when developing followers. According to this model, th ere is a no best leadership style since the key determinants of leadership is the adaptation to the job maturity and the skill level of the subordinates. As proven Situational leadership is thus very vital in challenging the ambiguous and complex nature of the modern military environment.

Development of Aircraft Maintenance Programme

Development of Aircraft Maintenance Programme 1.0 Introduction. The aircraft maintenance scheduling process is very detailed and encompasses the inputs of various departments of an airline. The maintenance programme needs to be efficient and cost effective. To establish a good maintenance programme there needs to be a liaison with the marketing, flight operations, engineering and finance departments so that the regulatory requirements of the airworthiness of the aircraft can be maintained. The objective of this paper is to produce a cost effective and efficient maintenance programme for KalAir. This will be based on one aircraft type operating on the domestic route and another aircraft type operating on the regional/international routes. The study will cover A 10 year maintenance plan. A suitable type of maintenance programme. In-house or outsourcing decisions. Type of skills required and the number of staff The aircraft chosen to operate the domestic route will be the ATR 72-500. The aircraft has the capability to use a propeller brake hence there is no need for an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) when the aircraft is on ground. This will save weight on the aircraft and there will be less component maintenance costs and less spares will be required. The ATR 72 powered by the PW127F engines provides outstanding short field performance even on difficult hot and high airfields and this will be very useful for KalAir as most of its domestic destinations have short fields which are both hot and high. The A318 aircraft is chosen for the regional/international routes because fewer aircraft is required in the first 5 years compared to the E190 and this would save KalAir some money with its upfront capital outlay. Also similar type of aircraft in the A320 family is used in the region, hence more maintenance options and expertise will be available and higher spares availability can be achieved through spares pooling. 2.0 Purpose of Maintenance Maintenance is defined as ‘the action necessary to sustain or restore the integrity and performance of the airplane (Hessburg 2001). This will be achieved by carrying out the necessary inspections, repair, overhaul and the replacement of parts. Maintenance processes can be divided into three different categories namely hard time, on condition and condition monitoring. The hard time process requires the item to be removed and overhauled or discarded before exceeding a set time interval. This time interval can be based on calendar time, flight hours, flight cycles or at check intervals. The on condition process is where the item will be checked and tested periodically to see whether it meets the test standards and deterioration limits before deciding to replace the item. The condition monitoring process can either be a failure based or a predictive maintenance process if there is a trend analysis of the failure rates recorded. Generally condition monitoring components are usually operated until failure occurs and replaced as an unscheduled maintenance item until enough operator and industry experience is built. Maintenance is carried out on aircraft to ensure the aircraft can operate safely at all times. Maintenance is in place to ensure there is aircraft availability at all times to keep the fleet in service. If an aircraft is taken out of service the whole flight schedule will be disrupted and passengers need to be put on alternate carriers or be provided with accommodation to cope with the delay. The airline has to maximise the value of the aircraft by keeping the airframe, engine and components in good working condition by carrying out effective maintenance. Provision has to be made for chance failures like tyre bursts, hard landings and also for deterioration due to the environment and age which might cause corrosion problems, fatigue failure and wear and tear. 2.1 Types of maintenance checks Pre-flight checks are usually done before the first flight of the day and transit checks are carried out when the aircraft is on ground at its destination before the next take-off. These are cursory inspections of the aircraft to look for obvious damage, fluid leaks, and loose panels and to also ensure that oil levels are correct. The letter checks start of with the A check where it involves the opening of some access panels to conduct checks and servicing. Some special equipment will be required to carry out some of the checks like engine boroscope inspections. The C check is a detailed inspection of individual systems and components for functionality and serviceability like flight controls and engine inspections. In this phase of check extensive inspections will be carried out to check for fatigue failure and corrosion. As this check requires a hangar visit for about five to fifteen days this opportunity will be used to clear deferred defects and carry out the embodiment of service bulletins and airworthiness directives. The D check is an extensive structural check of the aircraft where both visual and non destructive test inspections are carried out to check for deformation, corrosion and cracking. As structural checks require a lot of disassembly to gain access for inspection it is very labour intensive and takes about twenty to thirty days on average. Table 1 is an example of the block maintenance and intervals for the different checks that will be used for the A318 aircraft in KalAirs fleet. Type Interval Downtime Main Purpose Daily 36h 2 to 3h General visual inspection (GVI) A Check 600 FH Overnight Servicing, Engine boroscope, GVI C Check 18 Mths 3 to 5 days Operational Check 1C/3C 2 days 2C 3 days 4C Check 5/6 Yrs 14 to 21 days Structural Inspection (Corrosion) 4C 5Y HMV 21 days 5Y only 14 days 8C Check 10/12 Yrs 24 to 51 days Structural Inspection (Corrosion+ fatigue) Table 1: A318 Block Maintenance Source: ATE Lecture notes 2008 Table 2 is an example of the block maintenance and intervals for the different checks that will be used for the ATR 72 aircraft in KalAirs fleet. Type Interval Downtime Main Purpose Daily 24h 2 to 3h Checks and zonal visual inspections A Check 500 FH Overnight Zonal visual inspections, lubrication, servicing and operational checks C Check 4000 FH 3 to 5 days Operational and functional checks on aircraft and powerplant systems Propeller Inspection 8000 FH 3 to 5 days (part of C check) Based on, on wing engine monitoring Structural Inspections 4C Check *2/4/8 Yrs 13 to 27 days Structural Inspection (Corrosion+ fatigue) * based on estimated 5.5FH daily utilisation Table 2: ATR 72 Block Maintenance Source: Adapted from ATE Lecture notes 2008 2.2 Maintenance Systems To carry out the maintenance on the KalAir fleet of aircraft there are two kinds of maintenance systems available. One is the pyramidal system where a set of jobs is planned for a particular interval and another set of jobs is added at the next multiple of this basic interval. The benefits of this system are that a fixed set of tasks are allocated and it can be completed within the time frame without much variation. However in this system the aircraft will be out of service for a long period of time and the workload for the maintenance staff will be subjected to cyclical variations leaving them idle at times till the next aircraft comes for maintenance. The other option available is a progressive or equalised maintenance system where large checks are broken down into smaller checks of equal size and carried out more frequently. The checks can be small enough to be carried out overnight and this will allow the workload for the maintenance personnel to be more constant. Therefore to me et KalAirs tight flight schedule and to maximise the workforce an equalised maintenance programme will be adopted. 3.0 In-house or outsourcing decisions The decision to conduct the maintenance in-house or to outsource the maintenance for KalAir that operates a fleet of three A318 aircraft in the first five years and four A318 aircraft in the next five years together with four ATR 72 aircraft for the whole ten year period is not an easy one. KalAir has not previous experience of operating either of these aircraft types and neither have they operated aircraft that were produced by these aircraft manufacturers. Moreover it would not make economic sense to acquire all the necessary tooling and equipment to maintain three A318 aircraft for the first five years. The capital investment to carry out heavy maintenance cannot be justified but, KalAir needs to ensure that it has adequate capability to handle line maintenance. As KalAir is operating in a region that is in close proximity to the Gulf and Indian sub-continent outsourcing the maintenance for the A318 aircraft would be the best solution. The heavy maintenance, engine overhaul and co mponent repair can be out sourced to maintenance organisations in India as there are about five airlines operating a total of about hundred A320 family aircraft (ATI). An alternative option of sending the A318 aircraft for maintenance in the Gulf is also available but the maintenance costs might not be as competitive as in India and the number of spares available in the Gulf region might be lower considering that less A320 family aircraft operate in that region. KalAir has some experience operating turboprop aircraft like the Antonov An 24 and Fokker F-27 and this experience can be credited towards carrying out maintenance on the ATR 72 aircraft. The systems architecture on turboprop aircraft that are western built and Russian built do not vary very much because of the use of more mechanical systems. Unlike western built modern jet aircraft which have a large amount of avionics introduced. Hence consideration can be made to carry out a larger portion of maintenance of the ATR 72 aircraft in-house. Also the hangar space required would not be very much and the equipment acquired to maintain the ATR 72 would not be a high investment compared to acquiring maintenance equipment for the A318 aircraft. Also the availability of the ATR 72 aircraft is very important as the airfields in the domestic sector are not very well developed and do not have navigation aids. Hence having in-house maintenance capability is quite important. KalAir can establish an in-house maintenance program together with a packaged deal where provisions for engine off wing maintenance, component and line replaceable units can be outsourced to the maintenance organisation in exchange for replacement parts thereby ensuring that the ATR 72 aircraft can carry on with its normal flying schedule as soon as possible with minimal down time. 4.0 Maintenance Engineering Organisation Structure The maintenance and engineering organisation structure of KalAir will be established according to the following areas covering these job responsibilities. The assumption here is based on the previous operating experience of KalAir and that there is already some maintenance capability with adequate hangar space. Technical Services Engineering, publications, planning and training (for both A318 ATR 72 fleet) Aircraft Maintenance Hangar Line (for both A318 ATR 72 fleet) Maintenance Control Centre (for both A318 ATR 72 fleet) Shop Maintenance Structures, mechanical and instrument (for ATR 72 fleet) Material Purchasing and receiving Stores and inventory Quality Quality Assurance Quality control Safety reliability The organisation has to be structured this way so as to ensure that it has maximum capability of handling the ATR 72 maintenance and the ability to handle an adequate amount of maintenance on the A318 so that it would not jeopardise the flight schedule. To ensure this KalAir will need to hold a large inventory of spares. This list of spares to be held will be based on the Minimum Equipment List of both the A318 and ATR 72 aircraft and also ‘AOG spares so that it would not render these aircraft on ground (AOG). Spare engines for both aircraft need to be kept by KalAir so that a Quick Engine Change (QEC) can be carried out and the aircraft replaced with a new engine. The engine that is removed can then be sent to the engine repair facility for repairs to be carried out. The materials planning needs to be done well in advance and the availability of spares and tooling needs to be ensured before the aircraft goes into the hangar for maintenance. 4.1 Manpower management As two aircraft types are operated by KalAir engineers will be type rated on both aircraft. Provisions will have to be made such that maintenance staff are trained to Part 66 standards with certification for Category A, B1, B2 and C for both the ATR 72 and A318 aircraft. KalAir needs to ensure that there is at least one staff with a Category C rating for the A318 and ATR 72 aircraft so that he can sign the certificate of release to service for these aircraft after the necessary maintenance. Though heavy maintenance of the A318 will not be carried out in-house the certification of staff at Category C level might be required for two purposes. One reason is if an AOG team is dispatched to recover an aircraft for a collapsed landing gear for example and the other is for ensuring the continuing airworthiness management of the aircraft during the airworthiness review. The line maintenance team will comprise of two groups of staff on duty one the ATR 72 team and the other the A318 team during the day. Each team will have three to four staff and one of whom will act as the team leader. KalAir will operate a three shift pattern operating twenty four hours. Table 3 shows the shift pattern and the manpower allocation. There is an overlap in the shifts so as to allow a proper handing and taking over between each shift. Shift Time A318 staff ATR staff Manpower 1 0630-1530 4 8 12 2 1500-2330 4 6 10 3 2300-0700 6 6 12 Table 3: Shift pattern and manpower Though maintenance staff will be cross trained on both aircraft types to meet manpower requirements for unexpected incidents a clear distinction between the two teams will be maintained during the normal operations. A higher provision for ATR staff is made for shift 1 because of the increased activity of aircraft at 1000hras and 1400hrs. A consistent number of staff will be maintained for the night shift as the work packages will not vary considerably, if it does the staff strength can be increased or overtime can be introduced. At the maintenance control centre two staff will be present during shift 1 and 2 as that is when all the flying activity takes place and the flight schedule needs to be maintained and the unexpected maintenance will be scheduled for the night shift. The line stations will be manned by Part 66 certified Category A staff to certify the aircraft after transit checks. 5.0 KalAir Maintenance Programme The KalAir flight schedule for an A318 and ATR 72 aircraft combination for year 1 and year 5 onwards is attached in Appendix 1. Based on this flight schedule the flight hours and the flight cycles can be calculated for both the fleets and is shown in Table 4. Year 1 to 4 Year 5 to 10 Aircraft Daily FH Daily Cycles Daily FH Daily Cycles A318 1 15 3 15 3 A318 2 15 3 15 3 A318 3 11.5 2 11.5 2 [A318 4] NA NA 8 2 A318 Average 14 3 12.5 3 ATR7 1 14.3 4 14.3 4 ATR7 2 14 5 14 5 ATR7 3 9.5 3 9.5 3 ATR7 4 3 1 10 3 ATR7 Average 10.5 4 12 4 Table 4: Aircraft cycles and flight hours The scheduling of the aircraft will be planned according to the average flight hours and cycles. Since the flight hours and cycles over time have been obtained, the calendar based and usage based inspections can be scheduled. The hard time maintenance intervals will be designed to be incorporated in the scheduled checks to allow for less down time. The aircraft that has the highest daily flight hours in each fleet will be the first in the sequence when the maintenance is planned. The maintenance schedule for the A318 aircraft will be based on the data available in Table 1 and the maintenance schedule for the ATR 72 will be based on the data in Table 2. The calculations for the A318 aircraft give about 7 A checks in a year. This can be scheduled such that an A check together with a split C check is done at a one and a half month interval carried out throughout the night over six days. Hence the C checks will be similar to a single task oriented maintenance concept except that it would be carried out over a longer time period with less aircraft visits. The 4C check and the 8C check come together with structural checks and heavy maintenance. For year 5 when the new A318 aircraft arrives it can be used as a replacement aircraft over the period of time when the existing A318 aircraft go through their heavy maintenance. A request for an earlier delivery for the A318 aircraft can be made so that the heavy maintenance can be carried out earlier. This will cause a delay in implementing the new flight schedule but it will definitely save KalAir the costs of leasing an aircraft in the interim and it will not disrupt the existing flight schedu le. The 8C check can be scheduled anytime after 10 years but as this will be a heavy maintenance combined with a C check it will take about 21 days. This will leave no alternative for KalAir but to schedule this heavy maintenance back to back for all the three older A318 aircraft after the newest A318 aircraft that came in year 5 completes its 4C check and heavy maintenance. For example A318 1 will undergo maintenance first because it has the highest utilisation, followed by A318 2 and so on from March to May during the period of heavy maintenance. The 4C checks will commence after receiving the fourth A318 aircraft if possible. The other aircraft will then be sent to a third party maintenance organisation for heavy maintenance. This 4C checks for the A318 will be scheduled from March to May of Year 5. This is to allow for stability of the flight schedule and the balance of work load for the maintenance staff as the ATR 72 fleet will return from their heavy maintenance beginning in October in Year 4 till January in Year 5. This is to give an allowance because it has been seen from past experience that when aircraft return from heavy maintenance there is an increased occurrence of maintenance snags. In Year 10 the 8C checks require restoration of main gear and can commence from March to May of Year 10 to synchronise all A318 heavy maintenance during this period. As this can be planned ahead provisions for a leased A318 can be made without being affected by the peak summer periods. If an A318 is unavailable KalAir can wet lease another type of aircraft that has similar capacity and operating capabilities. For the ATR 72 as the maintenance is planned to be carried out in-house. Based on a 500FH interval for an A check it works out to about one check in one and a half months. A C check will be at about a 15 month interval based on the flight hours of the flying schedule. It would not be productive for the ATR maintenance staff to remain idle between the inspection intervals hence the C1 and C3 checks in the first five years will be equalised before the first heavy maintenance in Year 4 which will allow it to be carried out in a shorter time. The C check intervals will be shortened such that each ATR 72 aircraft will undergo a check in a year. The maintenance will be scheduled such that the ATR7 1 has the highest utilisation will undergo maintenance first followed by ATR7 2 and so on. The heavy C checks for the ATR 72s will commence every year in October and last till January the following year. In the first five years it is possible to make a minor change to the flight schedule to free one aircraft so that the other aircraft can spend some time in the hangar for the heavy checks. Moreover this will last during the October to January time frame which is long enough for passengers not to be affected by the minor change in the flight schedule. With reference to the flight schedule in Appendix 1 the third ATR72, AT7 3 can operate to SUZ instead of TOZ at 1400hrs and operate another flight to TOZ departing for TOZ at 1800hrs as TOZ has capability to handle aircraft at night. This amendment to the flight schedule can be done during the October to January time period. From Year 6 onwards it would not be possible to use a block concept for the ATR 72 C checks because it would not be possible to take an aircraft out of the flight schedule. It would be possible to use a single task oriented maintenance concept for the C checks but the aircraft will still have to be out of service during the periods of heavy maintenance where structural inspections need to be carried out. For example the 8C check comprises structural inspections, landing gear replacements and propeller inspections which are huge job packages to be completed over a period of night stops. Hence it would be better to ground the aircraft to carry out this heavy maintenance and the necessary modifications and embodiment of Airworthiness Directives. During this period from October to January another ATR 72 aircraft can be leased to operate the schedule. It is also possible to operate an ATR 42 aircraft if an ATR 72 is unavailable because of the spare parts commonality and cross crew qualifi cation. The assumptions made in creating the maintenance schedule for the A318 and ATR 72 fleet of aircraft are. Aircraft maintenance is performed during the night at KKV The C checks for the ATR 72 from Year 1 to 4 will be performed during the day and night. The maintenance base is located within the vicinity of KKV airport. The heavy maintenance for the A318 is outsourced. The experienced gained on the first aircraft for the checks will allow maintenance staff to complete the same type of work on the other aircraft in a shorter time frame. The scheduled overhaul of engines and components with will be planned to synchronise with the scheduled checks. 5.1 Maintenance Costs The maintenance costs for the A318 and ATR 72 aircrafts are calculated and attached in Appendix 2A to 2D. The average flight hours and cycles from Table 3 are used to calculate the maintenance costs based on these utilisation rates. The assumptions made here are that the average distance travelled by the A318 aircraft is 1000nm and 200nm for the ATR 72, both the aircraft will depreciate to 30% of its original value after 12years and the cost of investment will include spares which amount to about 19% of the aircraft price. The annual maintenance costs for the A318 aircraft is about two million a year. From Year 5 the maintenance costs per aircraft is slightly less because an extra A318 has been acquired and the flight hours per aircraft are slightly lower giving rise to a lower cost per aircraft trip. The maintenance costs for the ATR 72 aircraft is about one million a year and it works out to about one thousand dollars per aircraft trip. The maintenance costs from Year 5 onwards has shown an increase because more flights are undertaken with the existing fleet of ATR 72 aircraft giving rise to a fifty cents increase per aircraft mile. 6.0 Issues to overcome There is a strong need to lease an aircraft for both the A318 and ATR 72 fleet when these aircraft undergo heavy maintenance. This is due to the high utilisation of the aircrafts in the normal flight schedule. There is a need to have an ‘AOG team and necessary spares inventory stationed at KKV in the event that an aircraft becomes stranded at one of the overseas stations. Supplementary work force can be employed from within the region or the Indian sub continent when the ATR 72s undergo heavy maintenance or the situation warrants it. If difficulties arise in carrying out the work in-house KalAir should establish strong relationships with maintenance organisations in India to outsource work as both the aircraft types operate in India and manpower will not be an issue. 7.0 Conclusion Due to its unique location and surroundings KalAir has to build up substantial maintenance capability. It can outsource maintenance work but has to hold sufficient inventory of spares to keep its fleet flying. KalAir cannot afford to have an ‘AOG and keep the aircraft on ground due to the unavailability of spares because of the very tight flight schedule it is operating. As all domestic traffic needs to be carried it also cannot afford to cancel flights and cannot remove aircraft from service to carry out maintenance. As the lessor requires that all aircraft return to base and no night flights can be conducted it gives a good opportunity to schedule all maintenance at night and clear all faults before the first flight the next day. Due to the constraints that KalAir faces it would be more prudent to lease aircrafts in the short term period when the A318 and ATR 72 aircraft undergo heavy maintenance to meet the flight schedule. References Clark, Paul. Buying the big jets: fleet planning for airlines. Ashgate Pub., 2007 Air Transport Intelligence Fleet Search http://www.rati.com/frameset/frameset_f.asp?target=../news/news.asp (accessed 3rd June 2008) Alfares, Hesham. K. Aircraft maintenance workforce scheduling. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering 5(2), 1999 ATR aircraft website. http://www.atraircraft.com/public/atr/html/products/products.php?aid=506pid=28710 (accessed 3rd June 2008) Hessburg, Jack. Air carrier MRO handbook. New York : McGraw-Hill, 2001. Kinnison, Harry A. Aviation maintenance management. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004. S.Yan et al. Airline short-term maintenance manpower supply planning. Transportation Research Part A (38), 2004 1.0 Introduction This paper will look into the regulatory requirements laid down by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisations and then the procedures that need to be taken for a commercial airline based in the EU to meet these requirements. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was created on 28th September 2003 and endowed with the regulatory and executive tasks in civil aviation safety. EASA has jurisdiction over new aircraft type certificates, design related airworthiness approvals for aircraft, engines and parts. EASA has also developed regulations for air operations, flight crew licensing and has also established common technical requirements and administrative procedures for ensuring the continuing airworthiness of aircraft. European Commission Regulation 1702/2003 of 24th September 2003 is on the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, as well as for the certification of design and production organisations. European Commission Regulation 2042/2003 of 20th November 2003 is on the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances, and on the approval of organisations and personnel involved in these tasks. Annex I of EC 2042/2003 is on Part M Continuing Airworthiness, which lays down the measures to be taken to ensure that maintenance and airworthiness is maintained. It also specifies the conditions to be met by the persons and organisations involved in continuing airworthiness management (De Florio 2006). Annex II of EC 2042/2003 is on Part 145 Maintenance Organisation Approval, this establishes the requirements to be met by a maintenance organisation to qualify for the issue or continuation of an approval for the maintenance of aircraft and components (De Florio 2006). Annex III of EC 2042/2003 is on Part 66 Certifying Staff, this establ

Free Billy Budd Essays: A Deconstructive Reading :: Billy Budd Essays

A Deconstructive Reading of Billy Budd Billy, who cannot understand ambiguity, who takes pleasant words at face value and then obliterates Claggart for suggesting that one could do otherwise, whose sudden blow is a violent denial of any discrepancy between his being and his doing, ends up radically illustrating the very discrepancy he denies. - Barbara Johnson, p. 86 With Barbara Johnson's splendid Critical Difference we are willy-nilly plunged into deconstruction. At the moment I shall not attempt to explain this radical and highly subversive critical mode, except to say that what you are about to see is an example of it. At the moment you may well ask (being, as you undoubtedly are, still very impressed by Dryden's splendidly anti-naïve reading), "you mean it is possible to be even more intelligent about Melville's story?" I remember asking myself the same thing when I first noticed the chapter in Barbara Johnson's book on Billy Budd. But I began to read it anyway and I soon found myself in the throes of a critically different excitement! The first thing that truly grabbed my attention was a remark Johnson makes apropos of the following quotation from Melville's story: "innocence and guilt personified by Claggart and Budd in effect changed places" (62). The narrator says this apropos of Billy having killed Claggart. This is what Barbara Jo hnson says apropos of the passage in question: "Interestingly enough, Melville both invites an allegorical reading and subverts the very terms of its consistency when he writes of the murder: 'Innocence and guilt . . .'" (83). Now that's deconstruction, folks! "Both invites . . . and subverts"? Wow! Needless to say, ALL CLAIMS JOHNSON MAKES FOR HER READING ARE SUPPORTED BY MELVILLE'S TEXT. What does Johnson, then, claim? I shall try to be as brief as possible about this splendidly anti-naïve reading. Johnson's first item on the agenda is to put into question Billy's innocence. (Melville himself tells us that "innocence was [Billy's] blinder" 49.) She asks us to consider Billy a kind of "reader" (Johnson calls him a "literal reader" 85). Billy is a "literal reader" in that he seems to take things at face value. He seems to believe, in fact, that things are what they seem to be. If Claggart appears to be nice to Billy (and he does) then Claggart must be nice to Billy (he isn't, of course).

The Faults in the Recent Project of Sainsbury :: Sainsbury Business Management Essays

The Faults in the Recent Project of Sainsbury In 2000, Sainsbury’s began its â€Å"business transformation programme†. The grand plan includes what is arguably the largest and most ambitious retail supply chain project in Europe. The main driver was the need to cut costs. However, internal research found that the company’s cost-per-case was significantly higher than its nearest rivals. Sainsbury‘s had been managing distribution in the same way for more than 40 years, which is mainframe-based warehouse management system, Its typical distribution center was almost as old. Compared to the age of the average Tesco depot—seven years—Sainsbury's depots were nearing the end of their useful life. The old system of depots was designed for the purposes, such as packing for meat and own-brand goods. However, it means that one store could be receiving goods from five or six different depots in any one day, which was highly inefficient. The old delivery system was also ill-suited to changes in customer tastes, habits and store locations. Supermarkets have to offer a wider range of products, in smaller volumes and at lower prices, than in the past, to people who shop when they need to rather than stocking up once a week. â€Å"Today, Sainsbury’s carries 2.5 million cases per week from around 2,000 suppliers. It also has to deliver them to 500 outlets every day, ranging from traditional large stores to smaller shops on previously untapped territories, such as railway terminals and Shell petrol stations. Given this diversity, daily â€Å"waves† of restocking are required from 5am onwards.† (http://www.supplymanagement.com/archiveitem.asp?id=8784, 4/4/2005) In order to service this need, Sainsbury revamped its supply chain and created a complete end to end supply management system. â€Å"The initial timeline for the project was seven years, as the struggling chain set about pruning a network of 25 distribution centres to just nine facilities in eight regions around the UK. Another part of the plan was to build four giant warehouses, two of them fully automated, for  £400 million each." (http://www.supplymanagement.com/archiveitem.asp?id=8784, 4/4/2005) Sainsbury did it in three years, to catch up with, in some cases, and some cases overtake its rivals. Sainsbury's uses a number of IT systems to manage its supply chain, mostly within the Accenture outsourcing deal. Distribution warehouse management systems are provided by Manhattan Associates. Eqos has built an alerts system to improve stock availability in store, based on Microsoft .net technology. And Retek has supplied software to forecast product demand in Sainsbury's stores. By implementing automation, Sainsbury was hoping also to avoid human errors so that errors were right at the first time Although, Sainsbury has been working hard to improve its supply chain, however, the operation of its four new automated depots

Good Advice Essay -- Advice Philosophical Papers

Good Advice When we first started to talk about good advice, I didn't fully understand what makes good advice, well, good. "Advice is advice." I said to myself, walking home from class trying to think of where to start. As the subject grew in class, everybody started to get deeper into the subject until we all had a well-based understanding on what good advice is. Everyone had a little different perspective than everybody else, which made the subject very interesting. I realized that there are many requirements for good advice. Looking back on my paper, I realized that I made one point about good advice, which was the only point that I really looked at. This point was how I viewed good advice at that time. I think advice is good when it lets me approach something by myself, so that I, as an individual, can grow with what I learn from it. As apposed to forcing some orders upon me. By ordering me around, the advisor can’t get me to think about what is right for me. This way, I will never learn and it will do me more harm than good in the long run. I still stand by my original opinion, but since then I have learned much more about good advice. Then I heard about the second part of the paper and I was interested in taking notes on people's papers because that day in class, I realized that I could get much more deep into this subject. When I took the notes, I was amazed by how different the advisors were from paper to paper. The advice came from teachers, parents, friends, experts, mentors, and even themselves. This made me realize that advice can’t always be expected or unexpected because I will never know where it will come from. John also made me realize that personal advice is best when it comes from somebody that knows ... ...dvice. The biggest connection with good advice and writing isn't within the phonics or the way it is written. The biggest connection is within the total thought process of both of them. If I want to write a good paper, I should sit and think about it. I should ask myself, "Who is the reader, and what should I do to get the desired effect from them?" This is the same with advice. In writing, I should take the time to think personally about what I want to write about. I’ll analyze the situation like I am giving very important advice. There has to be a connection between the reader and I. The second connection is where I shouldn’t jumble up advice, otherwise it won't be good. The same goes with writing. Size doesn't matter, but I should get to the points I want to reach, otherwise I’ll lose the reader's attention. If I follow this advice, I will become a better writer.

Reflection Paper on “Amistad” Essay

Amistad was based on the true story of a group of Africans that were kidnapped and sold as slaves. They revolted against their captors and win, but are later defeated by a group of Americans. Upon arrival for their â€Å"trial†, they are represented by an attorney who wins their case several times over but due to corruption and fear of civil war, they are constantly denied their victory until they finally win out at the supreme court as they were represented by once President of the USA, John Quincy Adams and are sent back home, to Africa. The movie focused on slavery. Slavery has always been the most shocking phenomena of our world. Slavery was the first human rights issue to arouse wide international concern yet it still continues today. Slavery like practices remains a grave and persistent problem today. Slavery, by itself seems very unnatural and provokes mixed feelings from the heart of each person. Some people are descendants of those who used to be slaves years ago. Some faced â€Å"slavery† even in the contemporary times. And some people just simply do not understand the possibility of one human being considering another human being its slave. Slavery, by definition, is the first historical form of exploitation, under which a slave along with different implements of production becomes the private property of the slave owner. So, in other words slavery converts an individual human being into a â€Å"thing† or even some kind of consumer item. This phenomenon has done a lot of harm to millions of people, taking away lives and destroying the fate of the people who could have been happy. The majorities of those who suffer are the poorest, most vulnerable and marginalized social groups in society. Fear, ignorance of one’s rights and the need to survive do not encourage them to speak out. Slaves might belong to a different race, religion, nationality, or ethnic background. By focusing on such differences, slave owners felt they co uld deny basic human rights to their slaves. As what stated in the Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, â€Å"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.† It means that all people are equal and that there is no superior and we should respect this freedom. We must treat them as a people not as an animal. Aristotle said that to overpower people does not mean that  we are superior to them in nature. Article 4 of the UDHR states that â€Å"No one shall be held in slavery or servitude: slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their form† and Article 3 Section 18(2) of the Philippine Constitution states also that â€Å"No involuntary servitude in any form shall exist except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.† This two provisions simply prohibits forced labor that no person shall be forced to work for the payment of a certain debt or gratitude. Slavery is the product and the extension of unjust act. We have these laws to ensure us and protect our rights. Perhaps the most blatantly cruel and most obvious element of slavery is the fact that the slave loses his/her freedom. Slavery is the possession of another person as one’s own property, thereby relieving them of their basic liberties and freedoms. This total disrespect for humanity was shown in a variety of ways. The slave had no rights whatsoever. The living and working conditions of slaves and their food were extremely poor. Those were inhuman conditions in which the slaves had to survive. Endless executions of the slaves made the situation even worse. Slavery was a period of time when one race treated the other race as animals, things, property, but not as people. And despite many efforts to end slavery, it still exists today. Some 27 million people worldwide are enslaved or work as forced laborers. That’s more people than at any other point in the history of the world. In order to effectively eradicate slavery in all its forms, the root causes of slavery such as poverty, social exclusion and all forms of discrimination must be addressed. In addition, we need to promote and protect the rights of all especially the most vulnerable in our society. Where human rights violations have already been committed, we are called upon to help restore the dignity of victims. These people were brutally treated, experienced inhuman pain and still had the strength to try to learn to read or at least to listen to somebody reading. It is necessary to pay tribute to all these people who in spite of the cruelty in their lives managed to remain kind inside and some of them even tried to understand their masters. As what Aristotle said, â€Å"Liberty should be always held out to them as the reward of their services.†