The Treatment of the Working Classes, the Poor and the Uneducated Research Paper

The Treatment of the Working Classes, the Poor and the Uneducated - Research Paper Example The novel explores various themes such as ambition, social isolation, science, psychological balance, and moral responsibility among others (Shelley 23). However, one of the key themes explored in Shelly's book is the treatment of the working classes, the poor and the uneducated in the society. Thus, this paper will analyze how the treatment of working class, the poor and the uneducated theme is brought out in Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein. According to Shelley (25), the monster represents the oppressed, the poor people in the society, and how the working class is brutalized in the modern industry. There is a clear evidence of class struggle in Shelley's novel, and that is why she uses this theme to criticize the society and expose some of the economic, social, and corruption problems people experienced during that time and their effects on society. One of the key causes of the English revolution in 1640 and the French Revolution in 1789 was the rise of wealth and strengt h of the bourgeoisie, which resulted in capitalism. King Charles sided with the upper class and the noble people in the society during the English revolution, but not the common ones. ... This is also applies to the upper and working classes. The upper class people are highly educated and have a lot of wealth while the working class people are poor and uneducated. For this reason, the bourgeoisie use their wealth and power to exploit the working class in order to get profit. According to Shelley (45), the monster argues that he is gentle and docile to his king and lord; thus, demands that Victor should perform his part, as well. This means that the bourgeoisie should give back to the working class since what they are giving back is not enough. It also reveals a separation of class in the society since it contributes to the idea of social inequality. For instance, during the French revolution only the noble people became bishops and army officers and were able to hold real power while the working class who consisted of 95% of the France population could only become peasants. In Shelley’s novel, the De Lacey’s family represented the common people who were poor and powerless, but virtuous. Additionally, in the novel, Frankenstein did not create an evil creature, but rather the cruel treatment the monster received from the world made him evil. Nearly every creature in Mary’s novel assumes that the monster is destructive and dangerous due to its appearance, yet it is open and warm-hearted. Despite his attempts to show his noble intentions, the monster is rejected and assaulted by the entire society and families. Thus, this rejection and violence that he experiences convinces him that man is a barbaric being; hence, becoming a cruel creature and vows to take revenge on society and his creator. Moreover, after the monster observed De Lacey’s family through a hole in the wall, he

Human Impacts on the Ecosystem Essay Example for Free

Human Impacts on the Ecosystem Essay The three cycling matters of the ecosystem and the key elements are Carbon, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen. Humans have impacted each and every-one of these cycles in different ways throughout time and keep increasing as time goes on. All living things are made of carbon. Carbon is also in the air, water and rocks. The humans have impacted the Carbon Cycle by releasing a large amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is caused by the burning of oil, natural gases and coal. All these release carbon dioxide and other types of water molecules into the air. Phosphorus is a chemical compound found in many different forms like, soil, water and sediments. This is also a nutrient that animals and plants need to be able to grow and produce faster. When it comes to phosphorus, these types of fertilizers are then used to grow crops, feed their animals and many more. As time has passed humans have increased the amount of phosphorus which has been reaching the ocean. This has caused water pollution problems that have caused fishes to die, the overgrowth of algae and so much bacteria. When we take a deep breathe most of the air that we inhale is nitrogen. Most plants need nitrogen to survive. We normally get our nitrogen from soil. Many agricultural crops like; peas, beans, alfalfa, etc. grab a lot of nitrogen from the air that can cause fixation on land. There’s other agricultural crops that use mostly fertilizers instead of nitrogen like; corn, wheat, potatoes, cotton, etc. Humans have impacted and altered the amount of nitrogen from making fertilizers and burning fossil fuels and keep increasing as time goes on. These activities have increased the amount of nitrogen between the living world and the soil, water and atmosphere.

‘Animal Farm’ Shelley’s ‘The Mask of Anarchy

‘Animal Farm’ Shelley’s ‘The Mask of Anarchy How is the theme of Oppression represented across the three texts studied? Oppression is a theme at the centre of George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ and Percy Shelley’s ‘The Mask of Anarchy’. The unjust and cruel treatment of unsuspecting masses by figures of authority is clearly identified as a problem in society for both authors. The theme of oppression presents itself through character representations, emotive language and the concept of inertia. Within Jean Genet’s ‘The Balcony’ these issues are also apparent helping to reveal the need for reform and revolution. Throughout all three texts, the theme of oppression is expressed through the break down in law and order, causing devastation and the subsequent oppression of the proletarian masses. The Russian Revolution parallels Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ through many aspects. The fable, written in 1945, is seen to be based on his opinion of events during the revolution such as the removal of the Tsar, the Russian dictatorship and the economic and social hardship that the proletarians had to endure. It’s important to understand Orwell’s contextual influences as this forms the basis of his novel. Chapter one commences with Mr Jones who â€Å"was too drunk to shut the pop-holes† to the hen-houses. This initial introduction to his character reveals his apathy towards his farm. By using â€Å"drunk† it infers that Mr Jones can’t live up to his responsibilities and consequently is drowning his sorrows by intoxicating himself in order to forget about his situation. Contextually, this drunkenness can be seen as Orwell’s parallel with the Tsar and his treatment of the Russian proletarians. Before his removal from power in 1917 the Tsar was unable to successfully rule and consequently this affected the citizens as they didn’t receive the basic resources that any person needs to survive. Undoubtedly, Orwell wanted to show this disregard for responsibility through Mr Jones as he was the owner of the farm and held the same responsibilities for his animals as the Tsar did for his people. One of the main grievances of society in Russia was his approach to the farming economy. He failed to upgrade the out of date farming system which allowed the peasants to be controlled by the rich land owners. Freedom of speech within Russia was highly restricted and during 1916 a raise in taxes caused the people to become desolate and poor. This mirrors the situation of the animals on the farm as without food the animals would struggle to survive demonstrating Orwell’s disgust at how the Tsar oppressed his people. Similar to Orwell’s animosity at the events that occurred in Russia, Percy Shelley mirrors the outrage of the English people in response to the Peterloo Massacre during 1819. Many innocent victims were murdered for protesting for a reform of parliamentary representations and Shelley demonstrates this injustice in his poem ‘The Mask of Anarchy’. The first stanza opens with â€Å"As I lay asleep in Italy there came a voice from over sea† informing him about the massacre. With the events taking place in Manchester and the Narrator speaking from Italy, it reveals how enraged Shelley felt about the event. It is significant that the â€Å"voice† reached him in Italy as it confirms the extent of public outcry with the news of a massacre reaching across the world. The injustice of these people remains the featured tone throughout the poem and their oppression becomes the main focus for a reader. Old major is used by Orwell to demonstrate the need for change and revolution due to oppression. Contextually this character can be seen as a parallel to the Communist Marxist, Karl Marx. Communism is the ideology that everyone should work for the good of the country and in turn profit equally from their hard labour. In retaliation to Mr Jones’ mistreatment of his animals Old Major decides to promote a revolution and overthrow their oppressor. He tells the animals that their â€Å"lives are miserable, laborious and short’. The rule of three is deliberately used by Orwell in order to convey the extent of their oppression. These emotive words are not what we would usually associate with life. â€Å"Miserable† suggesting that the animals are fed up and tired of life under Mr Jones because when someone’s miserable they have become tiresome of demoralising events or actions. â€Å"Laborious† infers that the work they do for the farm is not enjoyable any more and they aren’t reaping the rewards of their hard work. Their lives are then deemed to be â€Å"short† which implies that they are over worked and will not live to their full life expectancy due to the terrible conditions they are forced to endure. Evidently, Old Major is an advocate for change and he symbolises a better life for the oppressed masses. John Molyneux suggests that Orwell offers â€Å"a sympathetic investigation into the lives of the poor and the poorest† within Russia. On the face of it, it appears that Orwell was sympathetic but was it merely because he feared for the destruction of Socialism and the rise in a Totalitarian society or that he genuinely ‘sympathised’ with the oppressed Russians? Orwell does allow us to be sympathetic towards the animals on the farm through showing their desolate conditions. He determines that as readers we are aware that they are â€Å"unfed†, contextually referring to the famine in Russia, again this adds to the sympathy that is created as the reality of the situation becomes real for a reader. However, the politically motivated background of ‘Animal Farm’ leaves John Molyneux’s interpretation to question. The use of character representations, paralleling the figures of authority in Russia, infers that Orwell was more concerned about cr eating a cynical view of the rulers in Russia rather than a one sided â€Å"sympathetic investigation† into the poor Russians lives. Nevertheless the oppression of the proletarians is never questionable. The hardship identified by Orwell and his critics verifies his intention in demonstrating oppression at the centre of a Totalitarian society. Similar to the sympathy evoked by Orwell this technique is used in ‘The Balcony’ by Jean Genet to create oppression for the prostitutes. The play was set in France in an unmade city during the 1950’s exploring the life of prostitutes in a brothel where men could explore their sexual fantasies and vent their frustration at the development of the revolution. Emotive language is used by Genet in order to portray the oppression they encounter from authoritative figures. In Scene One, the Bishop uses derogatory language in association with Irma’s position as a prostitute. He declares that she is a â€Å"slut†, a â€Å"bitch†, a â€Å"trollop† and a â€Å"tramp† all of which categorise Irma as a typical prostitute. By making Irma aware of her status as a prostitute it degrades her and makes her feel worthless. â€Å"This desire for status lies at the plays core† suggests Madeleine M.Schwartz. This statement is conceivable as the desire for status causes the clients of the brothel to pretend to be figures of authority. The need for power and feelings of worthlessness were common in brothels in the 1950’s as prostitutes were mainly lower class women similar to Irma who felt dejected by their positions and wanted it to change. As a result, characters such as the Bishop could manipulate these insecurities and oppress people who they believe are lesser than they are as it increases their importance and status. The idea presented by Schwartz is relatable to Animal Farm; characters such as the Bishop and Old Major are aware of their authority over the masses and use this to their advantage. The difference between these two texts is that in ‘The Balcony’ the brothel presents an illusion of power and authority whereas in Animal Farm these themes are reality for the animals. The prostitutes even though this is their job, have a choice whether they stay in the situation of being degraded by their clients in their house of illusions. However, there is no escaping the oppression for the animals. Carmen, a prostitute in The Balcony, declares that â€Å"this world of illusions oppresses me†, the concept of an ‘illusion’ suggesting that she is engrossed in a world where deception is the cause of her oppression but she has the choice to leave. In contrast to this the animals of the farm aren’t under an illusion of power. Even Old Major is oppressed, by referring to him as â€Å"old† infers that he is slow and weak showing that he is susceptible to the cruelties around him. Even though he is seen as higher to the animals he inevitably would suffer from the corruption under Mr Jones. Contextually Orwell could be taking a direct attack at Communism by accusing the system of being â€Å"old† and outdated suggesting that Communism oppresses all of its followers. The character of ‘Anarchy’ represents Shelley’s interpretation of the corruption and failings of the government under George III. The definition of Anarchy is ‘a state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems’ this is an indication to the corruption of the government during the 1800’s and it indicates the harsh and oppressive qualities of the character ‘Anarchy’. Similarly to Shelley, Orwell uses characteristics in order to emphasise their intent at oppressing their victims. Squealer at one point in the novel â€Å"looked very sly†, he is Orwell’s symbolism of the Propaganda used in Russia during the dictatorship, by giving him a â€Å"sly† personality it infers that he cannot be trusted and will manipulate the other animals in order to obtain control. This reveals Orwell’s opinions on Russian Propaganda as he believed that it was used to control the populat ion by false or exaggerative information. Similarly to Orwell, Shelley implies that as a result of parliamentary corruption society became manipulated through the confusion brought about by the ‘Anarchy’ that swept through the country. Both authors use analogies and characteristics as a way of communicating the experiences of the oppressed masses in different socities. The use of contextual experiences by George Orwell is also a literary device used by Percy Shelley within ‘The Mask of Anarchy’. He uses the experiences of the people in England during the early 19th century to demonstrate their oppression and his anger towards the massacre. Similar to the animals on the farm the people of England are being oppressed by figures of authority and are being denied their freedom of speech. Within the poem Shelley uses the mystical characterisation of an Image which arose like â€Å"a light†. By using â€Å"light† to symbolise the Image, Shelley could be inferring that the idea of a peaceful rebellion is the way forward for England and the end of oppression. Light throughout history has always been of comfort to people as it allows them to see what is going on around them. In order to make them realise their oppression Shelley’s use of the personified ‘Image’ as a way of helping the proletarians rise against their oppressors and take part in a peaceful rebellion. She states that â€Å"slavery† has â€Å"grown to an echo† of their own names; therefore, by comparing Englishmen to slaves it suggests that they don’t have any basic human rights. A slave holds no power, political influence or any control over their own lives. This symbolism reveals the extent of their oppression as a typical English citizen in the 19th century should have freedom of speech. Therefore Shelley is implying that by taking away a person’s freedom of expression and right to protest they might as well be slaves. However, the use of â€Å"grown† to demonstrate how they became symbolic of a slave creates the impression that they hadn’t always been this way and the ‘Image’ is there to help guide them in the right direction. The gradual exploitation by authoritative figures led to the decline in their own collective power as a society. The ‘Image’ howev er opens up opportunity for the people of England to realise their oppression and do something about it instead of standing by whilst they are oppressed. Accordingly this leads to the concept of Inertia and implies that the people of England are in this situation due to the oppression inflicted upon them by the rich. This theme materialises due to the oppression that the masses endure which creates another dimension to the problems throughout society. The basis of inertia relates to ‘a tendency to nothing or to remain unchanged’ linking directly to the consequences of being oppressed which is relatable across the three texts. By ignoring their situations the victims allow oppressive authority figures to control their lives. A lack of enthusiasm and self-worth remains at the core of why they refuse to acknowledge the need to rebel and rise up against the people who oppress them. In ‘Animal Farm’ Orwell uses Boxer as a symbol for the proletariat in Russia. He can be seen as an exploited hard worker on the farm who continuously declares that â€Å"Napoleon is always right†. Orwell uses this symbolism to reveal the unintelligence of the workers and their incapacity to have their own views leading uncontrollably to their oppression. Shelley within ‘The Mask of Anarchy’ supports this and uses the symbolism of the ‘Image’ and its encouragement to try motivating the proletarians b y declaring that â€Å"to hold no strong control over your own wills† is to be free from oppression. It’s evident that Shelley and Orwell recognise this inability to have freedom of speech without the need to stay within the constraints of their society. By not being able to have their own opinion the oppressed masses become anxious of rebelling and speaking out. When they are finally given a platform to improve their lives they feel unable to change it for themselves. This can be seen in ‘The Mask of Anarchy’ when the masses are told to â€Å"Rise like lions after slumber† in an effort to motivate them. By using the imagery of a sleepy lion awaking from slumber Shelley creates the impression that the Englishmen are slow to react to changes around them perhaps as a result of a build-up from fear of repercussions. Again, Orwell presents this installation of fear by authoritative figures through the imagery of the dogs. The animals on the farm were â €Å"silent and terrified† after the dogs chased Snowball away. The brutality of these dogs is used to control the animals in every aspect of their lives. The dogs can be seen as Orwell’s symbolism of Stalin’s secret police, who like the dogs, installed fear into the proletariats making it difficult for them to speak out against their corrupted leader. Both Shelley and Orwell recognise this as a social defect that needed to be reformed either by motivation from other sources or by education. Evidently, a lack of education becomes a tool of oppression in each of the texts. The pigs within ‘Animal Farm’, the personified politicians in ‘The Mask of Anarchy’ and the clients within ‘The Balcony’ all use their victim’s lack of education to their own advantages in order to establish their authority and create a divide between the rich and the poor. In ‘Animal Farm’ the gradual changes in the seven commandments demonstrate the pig’s ability to manipulate the other animals. Napoleon takes advantage of the animal’s illiteracy and adds small changes to the commandments in order to accommodate his hypocritical flaws. â€Å"No animal shall drink alcohol† was a rule created during the earlier part of Napoleons rule but had subsequently changed to â€Å"No animal shall drink alcohol to excess†. The animals noticed the change but instead of questioning it they simply declared that they had â€Å"reme mbered wrong†. Within ‘The Mask of Anarchy’ Shelley reinforces the need for education by using the symbolism of the Image that appeared to define freedom. She states that â€Å"Science, Poetry and Thought are thy lamps†. By referring to education as a â€Å"lamp† Shelley is inferring that education allows you to become aware of your surroundings, when you switch on a light things become clearer. Unlike the animals of the farm, the English people are given the tools they need to rebel and become aware of their situation. This is realised by Irma in ‘The Balcony’ as she reveals â€Å"modestly† that she has an education. This modesty displays a sense of pride that she, despite her occupation as a prostitute, has the ability to understand the situation of the revolution around her. Undoubtedly, education provides the masses with the ability to better them-selves and as a result it’s clear why oppressors want to prohibit this an d remain in control. Again, character representation is critical as it links directly to the contextual influences of each text. Napoleon, Snowball and Squealer the pigs within ‘Animal Farm’ can be seen as a representation of Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin and the personification of Propaganda. Napoleon and Snowball were the leaders of the Communist Revolution in Russia. Castlereagh, Eldon and Anarchy within ‘The Mask of Anarchy’ represent the corrupted politicians in England at the time of the Massacre and the clients within ‘The Balcony’ take on the roles of figures of authority such as the General, the Judge and the Bishop in order to show their desire in having power giving them the chance to be the oppressors instead of being oppressed. Each of these characters tries to prevent the proletarian masses from receiving too much power as it would threaten their positions. As a result, characters such as Napoleon, Snowball and Squealer took precautions. After the remova l of Mr Jones they apparently disposed of everything seen as â€Å"the mark of human beings† onto the rubbish heap. However, we later learn that the pigs â€Å"had taught themselves to read and write from an old spelling book† which belonged to Mr Jones. This gives the pigs an advantage over the other animals who couldn’t read as they would be able to manipulate and oppress them as a result of their difference in intelligence. Again in ‘The Mask of Anarchy’ Shelley, within stanza 19, Shelley states that Anarchy â€Å"bowed and grinned to everyone, As well as if his education had cost him ten millions to the nation†. This infers that due to Anarchy’s apparent high level of education the action of him ‘bowing’ becomes significant. He cleverly allows the Englishmen to think that they are in control as by ‘bowing’ to them it indicates some level of respect and unity. As a reader we know that this is not the case a s he â€Å"grinned† indicating that he only â€Å"bowed† in order to gain the trust of the people. Without realising it, the animals and the English proletarians have allowed themselves to be oppressed. They have wrongly given trust to manipulative figures who intend to use it for their own selfish gain and have ironically heightened their oppression. Oppression is a theme identified by Orwell, Shelley and Genet as a fundamental issue within society and it is successfully presented through their text using effective literary devices. The use of contextual experiences from their time demonstrates their frustration at the inert attitudes of the masses. The inability to fight against their oppressors and the immense authority they gain from this is recognisable in each text as a method of control. It is clear that the need to reform and revolutionise society is ironically prevented by the proletarian’s lack of education and this situation all the more enhances their inescapable oppression. 3,220 words

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Essay -- essays research papers

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), is the most common psychiatric disorder among children today. It’s symptoms are not necessarily obvious and start at various times. Some children give indication of having the disorder before they are born, others are not diagnosed with having it until their preteen years. ADHD overlaps with several other conditions, further confusing physicians and mental health professionals who attempt to provide a diagnosis. Hyperactive children, who are often misdiagnosed as "emotionally disturbed," create a lot of chaos in the home and at school. The number, severity, and types of symptoms differ from one child to the next, each of whom show a different pattern of behavior and personality. There are, however, certain similarities among ADHD children. ADHD was described as early as 1845 by the German physician Henrich Hoffman in his classic Der Struwelpeter (Slovenly Peter), a collection of humorous moral tales for children. The heroes were taken from his observations of children. In 1902, Dr. G. F. Still, described the behavior of a group of hyperactive children. He knew of no medical reasons for their behavior and made no mention of their educational needs or social skills. He said that part of the problem with ADHD children was "deficient training in the home." In 1923, researcher, F. G. Ebaugh, was one of the first to publish a professional paper recognizing ADHD as a long-term problem requiring cooperation and intervention by several professional disciplines. Over the past four decades, dozens of labels have been used for a collection of traits that has come to be known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children who have some of these traits show them most of the time; the types, number, and level vary within each child from moment to moment and from situation to situation. Research studies point to a 5 to 10% number of children who have the syndrome. Some experts believe the true number is closer to 20% of the general population. In a recent study of over 9000 children in the Midwest, the number of children who have been medically diagnosed as hyperactive was about 3%. The number of undiagnosed children, based on data from teachers and parents, was estimated at about... ...D children also have sleeping problems, coordination problems, are self-centered, impatient, reckless, and have extreme emotional problems. Some indications that a child will be ADHD are, apparent hyperactivity in the womb, poor maternal health, mother under 20 years of age, first pregnancy, high blood pressure during pregnancy, maternal alcohol abuse, heavy maternal smoking, and drug abuse. Research now indicates that hyperactive children continue to have multiple problems as adolescents, though the hyperactivity has decreased. Problems with aggression, poor self-concept, impaired peer relationships, and poor school performance become prominent. The ADHD adolescent is often sad and depressed. Children whose obseverable symptoms continue into adolescents have higher rates of delinquency and conduct disorders and lower IQ’s and academic achievement scores than those whose symptoms stop at early adolescence. There are many helpful and sucessful programs for children and adolescents who have this disorder. With the right help and medication, many ADHD children can grow up to lead a normal life.

Passenger Satisfaction Survey

Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Hkkjrh; jsy ifjogu izcU/ku laLFkku y[kuA Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management Lucknow July 2012 PASSENGER SATISFACTION SURVEY REPORT AND BENCHMARKING OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Dr. KALPANA DUBE Senior Professor (Finance & PPP) Assisted by Kishor Mehta, CMI, IRITM Ankit Tandon, RA, IIM Lucknow July 2012 Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management Lucknow Government of India – Ministry of Railways DisclaimerThe findings contained in the Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report are meant to focus on those Service related areas which require better attention by the Service Providers. Like all other Surveys these represent only an indicative checklist of areas of action and reforms and are by no means exhaustive and fully descriptive. The Survey was restricted to some cities of northern parts of the Country, the observations and findings get limited to that extent and may not apply ipso fact o to all Indian Railway Passenger Services. PPP Knowledge Center, Copyright  ©IRITMMESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR PPP knowledge centre was setup at IRITM in 2008. IRITM has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIM Lucknow, for writing Research Papers, Case Studies and assimilating research findings into comprehensive periodic reports to be used for improving training inputs. This is the 4th publication of the Centre. The earlier 3 publications :1. Ideas on PPP, Dr. Kalpana Dube, Sr. Prof. (Fin. & PPP), IRITM & Ashish Shukla 2. A Handbook on Project Finance & PPP Terminology, Dr. Kalpana Dube, Sr. Prof. (Fin. & PPP), IRITM & Ankit Tandon 3.Studying the Efficacy of an Airport Modernization Concession Agreement, Dr. Kalpana Dube, Sr. Prof. (Fin. & PPP), IRITM The above publications have been well received not only by the Railways but even outside in the Government, Private Sector and Educational Institutions. Indian Railways is the life line of the nation. It has been instrumental in bringing about a social, cultural and economic revolution in our society and has been a strong uniting and integrating force. Despite being a monopoly in passenger services which are highly subsidized, can it afford to have a dissatisfied customer?To keep the nation moving and the customers happy, our net social service obligations in 2010-11 constituted 17. 57% of total expenditure. Analysis of profitability of Coaching Services showed a loss of 21,324 crores to which net suburban losses in Chennai, Kolkatta and Mumbai contributed Rs. 2364 crores. Other factors have also accelerated the situation which include low second class ordinary fares non suburban commuters and concession in fare extended to various categories. No other transport sector today is offering rates which could compete with the Railways.Despite so much of effort if we are still unable to keep our Customer satisfied there certainly seems to be some communication gap between us and the Customer. In order to asses th at gap IRITM conducted a â€Å"Passenger Satisfaction Survey† on the Northern, North Central and North Eastern Railway, the result of which are summarized in the publication. We hope the results would allow us the Railway personnel to introspect about our â€Å"Customer Demand† and initiate us to give a better service and be more vocal in showing our concern for keeping our Customer Happy. Ashima Singh Director IRITM Lucknow July 2012FOREWORD Passenger Amenities and provision of certain essential as well as desirable features on Railway stations as well as on-board train services continually engage the attention of policy makers in the Railway Board as well as the Field Officers in the Zones and Divisions. The ground level scenario at major stations in the country differs in terms of scope as well as its perceived usefulness by the Railway Passengers. The present survey was designed to get a comprehensive feedback on 37 different service parameters related to passenger conveniences and station facilities.While the objective assessment fields were readily responded to by most passengers the open ended questions did not elicit detailed replies and were perfunctory. The perception gap between Passenger responses and Railway Officers’ responses also highlighted some interesting differences. Illumination at Stations, Signage and Clarity of Train Announcements and Booking Counter experience have got very favorable responses. The deficiency areas which were most reported on were cleanliness on platforms and train toilets, late running of trains as well as unauthorized people in compartments.What must be emphasized here is that none of these areas actually require capital expenditure or investments or repeated policy directives. They just require vigilantism, active supervision and better coordination among the service providers within the various departments. A standard protocol of maintenance, cleanliness and supervision functions needs to be wo rked upon just like the various service related parameters put in operation at the newly developed and modernized airports. (Please refer Annexure). This is a standard checklist of service parameters insisted upon by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).A similar drill would go a long way in ensuring better services on our premium stations especially A1, and A categories. The booklet has been designed in such a manner that passenger responses can be very easily understood through use of colorful graphics and simple data presentation, however the larger question which needs to be addressed is that can we provide station and on board housekeeping services which are game changers and path breaking at the same time? Which reflect a paradigm shift in the way Passenger Services are traditionally being offered by Indian Railways.Perhaps the new Station Development Corporation announced recently may introduce sweeping changes to radically alter the present system of addressing Passeng er Amenities and general conveniences to be made available to the public. The Station Development Corporation has been conceived with the primary objective of augmenting and improving passenger related amenities at stations. All the issues highlighted in the current survey would perhaps get addressed if fast tracking the activities of the Station Development agency can show visible early results.The areas of action being well designed concourses, high end waiting spaces, easy access with disabled friendly options for station premises, congestion free platforms, modern catering facilities etc. The Report has been made more useful by adding edited versions of the comprehensive, pan-India Passenger Service Surveys and Station Cleanliness Surveys conducted by the CAG (Railways) in the last few years. In addition, some additional literature and visuals of world class stations have been added to give a feel of what the future may look like in the days to come for Passenger Amenities and S ervices in Modernized Railway Stations.The Report has also been substantiated with identifying certain important performance benchmarks, using examples from the Aviation Sector. Performance benchmarking and improving customer perception are important milestones in improving station premises and passenger services beyond the conventional targets to the next level. A level which is path breaking and futuristic in its vision and implementation. If the checklist of the 37 parameters used in this study as well as the findings contained in the Audit Reports are read and comprehended by the Railway officers responsible for these functions, the purpose of the survey would be fulfilled.However, it may be useful to reiterate that station maintenance procedures must follow the KISNE principle i. e. Keep It Smart Neat and Efficient. Also while we cannot promise the moon to our customers we must ensure that what we do promise we deliver at all times with 100% efficiency and Zero Failures. These are achievable because we have a long experience of managing stations and procedures are well laid out. What is perhaps needed is a well established drill of adhering to a standard protocol of Station and Train Maintenance Practices and not allow the drill to falter even for a day.A well thought strategy, precision in execution and applying Six Sigma principles for not deviating from the Standard Maintenance and Supervision Protocol would go a long way establishing a New Order which is easy to replicate and easy to follow. Dr. Kalpana Dube Senior Professor IRITM Lucknow July 2012 The more you engage with customers the clearer things become and the easier it is to determine what you should be doing. —-John Russell CONTENTS SN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 TopicsObjectives of the Passenger Survey Criteria and Methodology Sample Size/Target Respondents Passenger Survey Findings Response by Railway Officers Suggestions for Proactive Action Comparison of General Public & Railway Officers’ Response Perception Gap – Between the General Public as Rail Users and Railway Officers as Rail Users Graphical Representation of the Findings Strategy For Promoting Indian Railways Image And Train Travel Experience – Some Suggestions Benchmarking & Performance Assessment Measures Sub Report One: Sample Service Quality Specifications For Delhi International Airport Ltd. DIAL) Conceptual Background for Railway Stations as Profit & Investment Centers Sub Report Two: CAG Recommendations on Passenger Services in Indian Railways 2008-09 Sub Report Three: CAG Recommendations on Cleanliness and Sanitation on Indian Railways 2007-08 Annexure 1: Citizen Charter on Passenger Services of Indian Railways Annexure 2: Questionnaire Used for the Passenger Satisfaction Survey for IR Performance & Service Standards Page No. 1 1 2 3 5 6 7 9 10 – 25 26 27 28 33 38 40 42 46Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Obj ectives of the Passenger Survey †¢ †¢ To review the facilities provided to the passengers right from ticket booking to the on-board travel experience in the trains To asses if facilities provided in trains were adequate and effectively maintained or not, from the point of Passenger Satisfaction in Station Maintenance Practices. To know the priority areas so that these can be strengthened to optimize passenger satisfaction.To asses the overall travel experience of the passengers in the Indian Railways and their perception of the organization. †¢ †¢ Criteria and Methodology An open ended questionnaire with about 37 parameters was prepared and survey was conducted with the help of three field executives provided by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow. The survey was conducted over a period of ten days through direct contact and filling up of the questionnaire by on-board passengers of all the Travel Classes (AC, 2nd Sleeper).The routes identified for th e survey were mainly on the Northern part of the country Lucknow – New Delhi – Lucknow, Lucknow – Gorakhpur – Lucknow, Lucknow – Varanasi – Lucknow, Lucknow – Allahabad – Lucknow, Lucknow – Kanpur – Lucknow, Lucknow – Moradabad – Lucknow, Lucknow – Firozpur – Lucknow. All the Stations surveyed belonged to A-1 and A category. 1 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Sample Size/Target Respondents The sample size of the survey was around 700 passengers which included 100 Railway Officers as well.The general passengers age profile was from 15 years to 65 years with maximum response coming in from the young adults/youth i. e. 26-35 years of age. About 28% were female respondents and balance were males. Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it. ——–Peter F. Drucker 2 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Passenger Survey Findings Top Efficiencies 1. Illumination & Signages 2. Availability of Porters (Coolies) at the Station 2.Booking Clerk Competency & Behaviour 3. Clarity of Announcement at Stations Top Deficiencies 1. Cleanliness of Toilets 2. Unauthorized Vendors & Passengers 2. Cleanliness of Platforms 3. Late Running of Trains Top Three Concerns/Priority Areas 1. Punctuality 2. Quality of services 3. Safety Satisfactory Services (Rated as Good) 1. Ambience of Waiting Rooms/Rest Rooms 2. Seating, Water, Trolley facilities at the Platform 3. Pricing of Food 4. Linen/Bedroll Cleanliness 5. Fans and Lights in the Trains 3 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance StandardsOther Findings of the Survey †¢ More than 60% of the people have used IT Enabled services such as Internet Ticketing, Enquiry Kiosks, Touch Screens, etc. 64% of the passengers surveyed confirmed that t hey have seen service improvements in the Railways in the last five years. 31 % of the passengers surveyed are satisfied with the Railway Amenities/ facilities. 35 % of the passengers surveyed think that Railways are giving Value for Money for the services provided. 47 % of the passengers surveyed rated Overall Services provided by the Railways as Good †¢ †¢ †¢ Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. ——Bill Gates 4 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Response by Railway Officers Top Efficiencies 1. Booking Clerk Competency & Behaviour 2. Quality & Quantity of Food made available 3. Clarity of Announcement at Stations Top Deficiencies 1. Coach/Toilets occupied by Unauthorized Passenger & Vendors 2. Handling of Theft Cases 3. Cleanliness of Toilets/Coaches Top three Concerns/Priority Areas 1. Quality of Service 2. Punctuality 3. CleanlinessSatisfactory Services (Rated as Good) 1. Water in the Coaches 2. Seating, Water, Trolley facilities at the Platform 3. Cleanliness of Platform 4. Ambience of Waiting Rooms/Rest Rooms 5. Illumination & Signages 5 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Other Findings of the Survey †¢ More than 70% of the Railway Officers have used IT Enabled services such as internet ticketing, enquiry kiosks, touch screens, etc. 94% of the Railway Officers surveyed confirmed that they have seen service improvements in the Railways in the last five years. 7 % of the Railway Officers surveyed are satisfied with the Railway Amenities/ Facilities. 86 % of the Railway Officers surveyed think that Railways giving Value for Money for the services provided. 85 % of the Railway Officers surveyed rated Overall Services provided by the Railways as Good. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 6 This handbook on Passenger Satisfaction Survey and Benchmarking of Performance Standards has been compiled using the results obtai ned in a 15 day extensive Passenger Survey launched by IRITM PPP Knowledge Centre in association with IIM Lucknow.The survey was in the northern part of the country covering A-1 and A category stations. 700 responses were obtained on 37 different passenger service parameters under nine categories ranging from Point of Sale to On-board Facilities to IT based Passenger Transactions. These have been compiled in easy to read, colourful graphics in this Report. The Report has been made more useful by adding edited versions of the comprehensive, pan-India Passenger Service Surveys and Station Cleanliness Surveys conducted by the CAG (Railways) in the last few years.In addition, some additional literature and visuals of world class stations have been added to give a feel of what the future may look like in the days to come for Passenger Amenities and Services in Modernized Railway Stations. This handbook would be of use not only to IRTS Probationers but also to all frontline Managers and S taff in Indian Railways responsible for Station Maintenance, Sanitation and Passenger Amenities. The handbook can also be accessed on the IRITM website www. iritm. indianrailways. gov. in.A customer is the most important visitor on our premises, he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so. — Mahatma Gandhi Hkkjrh; jsy ifjogu izcU/ku laLFkku y[kuA Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management Lucknow Hardoi By-Pass Road, P. O. Manak Nagar, Lucknow – 226 011 Ph. : 0522-2471961, Fax: 0522-2473929, website: www. iritm. indianrailways. gov. in

Free Essays on Racism In A Worn Path

Racism in â€Å"A Worn Path† In Welty’s â€Å"A Worn Path†, Phoenix Jackson’s encounters with other characters as well as her thoughts and perceptions demonstrate a theme of impending black equality in the south after the civil war. Throughout the story there are many references to race and racism. Her thoughts and comments on the way to town, the hunter she happens upon, and her visit to the medical building all demonstrate that racism is an integral part of this story, and indeed a part of her time. The world that Phoenix lives in is a much different world than the one of today where equality is important. In her time, race was a very deciding factor on social hierarchy, and this is clearly indicated in, â€Å"A Worn Path.† On her way to town, Phoenix says while climbing up the tiresome hill that runs through the path, â€Å"Seem like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far.† This is clearly an indication of a reference to bound slaves that old Phoenix can remember from her younger years. She also notes, â€Å"Something always take a hold of me on this hill- pleads I should stay.† This statement seems to be referring to the blacks struggle to attain equality in a very unequal world during this period of unrest following the years of the civil war and the release of the slaves. Later as Phoenix continues, she sits to rest. While sitting, she witnesses a little boy who brings her a slice of marble cake. Clearly this illusion is brought on by very old age, but it also appears to be a reference by Welty depicting integration in the south, as represented by the black and white cake(SYKES P151). As she travels further on her journey, a black dog knocks her into a ditch. This in itself can be considered to have some bearing on the racist theme set so powerfully by Welty, ... Free Essays on Racism In A Worn Path Free Essays on Racism In A Worn Path Racism in â€Å"A Worn Path† In Welty’s â€Å"A Worn Path†, Phoenix Jackson’s encounters with other characters as well as her thoughts and perceptions demonstrate a theme of impending black equality in the south after the civil war. Throughout the story there are many references to race and racism. Her thoughts and comments on the way to town, the hunter she happens upon, and her visit to the medical building all demonstrate that racism is an integral part of this story, and indeed a part of her time. The world that Phoenix lives in is a much different world than the one of today where equality is important. In her time, race was a very deciding factor on social hierarchy, and this is clearly indicated in, â€Å"A Worn Path.† On her way to town, Phoenix says while climbing up the tiresome hill that runs through the path, â€Å"Seem like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far.† This is clearly an indication of a reference to bound slaves that old Phoenix can remember from her younger years. She also notes, â€Å"Something always take a hold of me on this hill- pleads I should stay.† This statement seems to be referring to the blacks struggle to attain equality in a very unequal world during this period of unrest following the years of the civil war and the release of the slaves. Later as Phoenix continues, she sits to rest. While sitting, she witnesses a little boy who brings her a slice of marble cake. Clearly this illusion is brought on by very old age, but it also appears to be a reference by Welty depicting integration in the south, as represented by the black and white cake(SYKES P151). As she travels further on her journey, a black dog knocks her into a ditch. This in itself can be considered to have some bearing on the racist theme set so powerfully by Welty, ...