Jet Blue Case Analysis free essay sample

Technological * Beginning e-ticketing * Automated systems (cockpits) * Advertisements (newly introduced animated) Porters Bargaining power of Buyer: H Threat of Substitute: H Bargaining Power of Suppliers: H Threat of New Entrance: L Competitive Rivalry: H Core Competencies: Logistics Competitive Advantage: Efficiency Strategy: LCP 4p’s Product: JetBlue is cornering the marketplace with its productivity, in-flight features, and customer service. Due to the fact that the company only purchases new planes of a single type, maintenance downtime is reduced and it is able to keep its planes in the air. In fact, JetBlue maintains the highest in-air average in the industry. Additionally, JetBlue employs an operational recovery tool technology that allows planners to minimize flight cancellations and delays. On board, JetBlue prides itself on treating all customers as equals and providing more comfort than other airlines. Features that draw customers in include assigned leather seats, more leg room, and superior on-board service. Furthermore, JetBlue is one only a few airlines that offers each passenger free Direct TV and XM satellite radio entertainment. We will write a custom essay sample on Jet Blue Case Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Finally, with regard to customer service, JetBlue focuses intently on attracting and motivating a talented workforce. The company gives each employee a sense of ownership in the operations. This value and respect bestowed on each employee translates into a motivated, productive workforce that focuses on customer satisfaction and exceeds consumer expectations. Price: Although JetBlue focuses on service value through highly productive personnel and aircraft, potential consumers are still interested in value when they fly; the Price aspect of the marketing mix. Customers are interested in quality service at a reasonable price. In this regard, JetBlue excels, doing things that their competitors cannot or will not; offering the cheapest fares, cross-country. With its low-cost strategy, JetBlue has found that it can increase market share and dazzle customers with top-quality at lower prices. This combination has generated a significant competitive advantage for other airlines to surmount. (Penetration) Place: JetBlue continues to analyze the market. Through an investigative study, the company determined it was best not to compete in the New York-Boston and New York-Washington shuttle markets with the current dominance of Delta and US Airways shuttles. However, JetBlue is considering giving major airlines a run for their money as they consider to enter the high-demand Caribbean market. Promotion: JetBlue surprisingly has quickly garnered a loyal, satisfied group of flyers which has led to repeat business. As JetBlue has discovered that attracting new customers and customer turnover can be costly, the company focuses strong attention on customer retention through its high quality/low cost strategy and free word of mouth advertising. This approach helps increase the company’s profit margin and simultaneously reduce costs.

Free Essays on Water Pollution & Conservation

Research Paper Water and Water Pollution and Conservation in Bulgaria The water is one of the most important substances for the survival of the people on Earth. It is also essential for every single national economy and the conditions of life of populations. In connection with the rapid development of industries especially power and water supply, the necessity of water is growing enormous. In a world of scarcity Bulgaria is among the last places of water usage per capita in Europe, nevertheless the country has very limited resources. Despite that fact the state is in leading positions of water usage per capita, again in Europe, with 454m ³ annually (Pf. Doncho Donchev and Pf. Hristo Karakashev, 2000). The water resources of any given territory include under soil water, rivers, dams, marshlands, glaciers. The relief, geological structure, weather, soil, vegetation are among the main factors influencing the formation of the water, and again these conditions are the reasons why there aren’t any glaciers in Bulgaria (Pf. Doncho Donchev and Pf. Hristo Karakashev, 2000). If the mankind wants to survive, it must prevent water pollution, which can even lead to death in some areas where the H2O is highly polluted, in regions near Power Plants, Oil Refineries and around other industries releasing their chemicals in the water. New purification stations must be built next to these industries, otherwise people will continue to shift the potential pollutants from one part of the biosphere to another â€Å"until thresholds levels of damage are exceeded as more people, farms households and industries produce more waste. Emissions of organic water pollutants Industry shares of emissions of organic water pollutants Kilograms per day Kg per day per worker Primary metals Paper& pulp Chemicals Food & Beverages Stones, ceramics & glass Textiles Wood Other Country/Year 1980 1998 1980 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 Bulgari... Free Essays on Water Pollution & Conservation Free Essays on Water Pollution & Conservation Research Paper Water and Water Pollution and Conservation in Bulgaria The water is one of the most important substances for the survival of the people on Earth. It is also essential for every single national economy and the conditions of life of populations. In connection with the rapid development of industries especially power and water supply, the necessity of water is growing enormous. In a world of scarcity Bulgaria is among the last places of water usage per capita in Europe, nevertheless the country has very limited resources. Despite that fact the state is in leading positions of water usage per capita, again in Europe, with 454m ³ annually (Pf. Doncho Donchev and Pf. Hristo Karakashev, 2000). The water resources of any given territory include under soil water, rivers, dams, marshlands, glaciers. The relief, geological structure, weather, soil, vegetation are among the main factors influencing the formation of the water, and again these conditions are the reasons why there aren’t any glaciers in Bulgaria (Pf. Doncho Donchev and Pf. Hristo Karakashev, 2000). If the mankind wants to survive, it must prevent water pollution, which can even lead to death in some areas where the H2O is highly polluted, in regions near Power Plants, Oil Refineries and around other industries releasing their chemicals in the water. New purification stations must be built next to these industries, otherwise people will continue to shift the potential pollutants from one part of the biosphere to another â€Å"until thresholds levels of damage are exceeded as more people, farms households and industries produce more waste. Emissions of organic water pollutants Industry shares of emissions of organic water pollutants Kilograms per day Kg per day per worker Primary metals Paper& pulp Chemicals Food & Beverages Stones, ceramics & glass Textiles Wood Other Country/Year 1980 1998 1980 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 Bulgari...

Why is technology important to students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why is technology important to students - Essay Example The 21st century has posed a new challenge to the traditional way of learning as administered by teachers to their students. These days, learning is no longer limited to the 4 walls of the classroom, nor the pages of the school approved textbook. With the advent of the internet, search engines, laptops, smart phones, and tablet PC's, the world of education and learning has entered unknown territory. Technology is now an integral part of the educational system. It has become a vital and all too important part of the modern day classroom and learning process of the modern student. Education is no longer limited to a mere 40 minutes per class subject in school. Technology has allowed education to extend far beyond the recognized educational system and has come to offer the highest benefit to students in terms of a well rounded education thanks to the gadgets that help in their discovery and learning processes. Students of today must be computer savvy in order to ensure that they will be able to compete in the modern workplace. Lack of technological education such as basic computer skills will prevent these students from reaching their full employment potential. That is why the modern day teacher must work with the students in order to provide themselves with challenging learning opportunities (qtd. in Hayden). Education has never before had an all too important role in the future of a student. The advent of technology has forced the students to develop a higher level of thinking and analytical skills (Delgado, Rick â€Å"Top 10 Reasons Technology is Important for Education†). The use of computers and other technology based equipment in the modern or digital classroom has provided the students with the ample development of their problem solving skills through the use of computer software and other programs that help them to accomplish that task. By successfully completing the assigned tasks, the students sense of motivation and self - esteem is heightened an d their desire to learn more about topics of interest to them is fueled by their exposure to the technology that helped them kindle their interest in the topic. It is important to note however, that even though not all the students in a school will have computers at home, they all have an equal chance at learning while in school because of the computers that are readily available either in the computer lab or the library. These gadgets are available free of charge to the students who can use it to research any topic on an unlimited basis. However, the advent of technology also poses new problems for the students and the teachers who use learning tools such as power point presentations. Not all students manage to learn at the same pace. There are some who require extra time to process their learning material and the oral lecture of their teachers. Power point presentations and other technological advancements have also made teaching faster and easier for most teachers. They then fail to take into account the learning curve of their students (Hayden, Kelly â€Å"Reasons Technology is Important in Schools: The Digital Age in Classrooms). Technology has allowed students to also become their own teachers because they are given projects that require them to research and understand various materials

The essential components of effective literacy program Essay

The essential components of effective literacy program - Essay Example This paper highlights the five essential components of effective literacy program.Literacy has been defined as individual's ability to read and write.The term also embraces other operational definitions such as computer and multimedia operations as well as understanding health concepts. The five essential key areas of effective literacy according to the US National Reading Panel include the phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, the fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. All these are predictors of effective literacy among individuals and needed to be properly assessed for an objective measure of students' learning outcomes.The skills in communication are vital in the life and development of a person. Success during childhood as well as later stage in life is usually dependent on the individual's ability to read, write and grasp learning about complex situations. Acquiring literacy is a complex task and in fact, nations across the globe are confronted with so many issues in r elation to severity of literacy problem. In the estimates of UNESCO (Rotary International, 2007), there are nearly 800 million people globally over the age of fifteen (15) have insufficient basic reading and writing skills. Added to that, over 64% percent of the world's population is illiterate women and children.Literacy is traditionally defined as the ability of an individual to read and write. It may also encompass other functional abilities, such as operating computer, understanding disease prevention, or reading signs in a market (Rotary Club, 2008). Former President Bill Clinton once said in his speech, ""Literacy is not a luxury; it is a right and a responsibility... if our world is to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century we must harness the energy and creativity of all our citizens" (Better World Quotes, 2008). Consequently, comprehensive reviews on the problem on literacy have created demand for programs that attributes to the improvement of students' skills in reading and writing (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2004). Components of Effective Literacy According to the United States National Reading Panel (2000), there are five essential key areas or components of effective literacy that can fit into a school's literacy program. The said five key areas are the: phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, the fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension.These elements must be considered in literacy programs. Phonemic awareness is the ability of the individual to hear, recognize and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. It does not include visual recognition of the alphabet letters, only their sounds. To build this, the instructor may strategize teaching through the use of poems, nursery rhymes, wordplay in songs, literatures and the use of oral language. On the other hand, alphabet letters and sounds being represented are introduced in phonics instruction. This will enable the individual to successfully recognize words and spelling. There are several ways in which phonics can be built, examples include letter-sound correspondence or letter naming and letter blending or putting together multiple letters sounds. Indoor games like picture shows, spelling bee, word factory, scrabble, message relay and puzzles may be encouraged by instructors in their respective classes. In addition, fluency is defined as the ability to read texts or sentences accurately and smoothly. The use of guided and repeated oral reading, audio recording (play back and repeat listening of voices) and echo reading are some ways in building fluency. In English classes, speech choir, role playing activities and theatrical shows may be required by the teacher. Similarly, vocabulary refers to the definitions of words that are heard

Organisational Change Management Essay Example for Free

Organisational Change Management Essay Organizational Change Management encompasses all activities aimed at helping an organization successfully accept and adopt new technologies and new ways to serve its customers. Effective change management enables the transformation of strategy, processes, technology, and people to enhance performance and ensure continuous improvement in an ever-changing environment. A comprehensive and structured approach to organizational change management is critical to the success of any project that will bring about significant change. Fig I. Adapted from State of Oklahoma CORE Project Change Management Plan In any large implementation, the Project Team can expect to experience resistance and reluctance to change. The Organizational Change Management will provide the various stakeholder groups information about the project’s purpose, scope, benefits, timeline and training opportunities as well as how the individual job environment will change due to the implementation of the applications. The messages we will provide via this plan will be customized, based on the specific needs of each group affected by the project. It is the intent of the project team that this Organizational Change Management effort will lessen the â€Å"Production Dip† that is inevitable in any varied and complex project. 2. Objective †¢ Discuss the Organizational Change Management team and explore ways Organizational Change Management can work with Apps Delivery †¢ Cover Organizational Change Management tools †¢ Explain Organizational Change Management metrics 3. Organizational Change Management Scope Overview a. Stakeholder Management The impact of organizational change imposed by implementation of a project should always be taken into account. To promote a successful delivery, identify who will be affected by the business process and technology changes that the project will cause. 1* For each stakeholder, determine their degree of support for the project and their influence on the organization. Develop a plan for how to build greater support among those with the most influence. 2* Identify stakeholders’ current and target level of project awareness. Ensure that stakeholders have an accurate understanding of the goals and anticipated impact of the project. 3* Assess your organization to identify enablers and challenges to implementing the project 4* Enroll stakeholders to participate in initiatives and to advocate/facilitate change. b. Communication Good communication is the lifeblood of any project. It is essential that the Project Manager provide timely and high quality information about the project to all stakeholders. It is equally important to listen to the stakeholders. Actively solicit their feedback and then respond constructively. 5* Identify the stakeholder groups in your project (e.g., senior management; end-users; sponsor) 6* Develop a communication plan that specifies who will get what information at what time, in what format and through what means of delivery (See section on Communication below) 7* Monitor feedback and respond in a constructive manner Discuss and record lessons learned throughout the project. Use them to improve how the next project may be carried out. c. Training Many IT projects fail because the user community receiving the product of the project (or the IT group responsible for maintaining it) does not receive adequate or properly focused training. It is important to understand the training needs of each stakeholder group, develop targeted training activities, and deliver content with the appropriate method. A good training plan will serve as an effective road map for training activities. d. Stakeholder Objectives An Audience Assessment will help you to determine the best feedback channels for each identified stakeholder group. It is important to understand the major questions and concerns that these groups may have, so that adequate attention can be paid to correcting misunderstandings, filling in the gaps, undoing rumors, etc. If you understand what the potential barriers to acceptance are, you will be better prepared to take proactive action to eliminate them. On the basis of these data, the project team will take appropriate steps (e.g. meetings with stakeholder groups, set up an information web site, distribute a newsletter) to alleviate the concerns of our Stakeholders and ensure that additional difficulties with perceptions about the project do not arise. These actions are detailed in the project’s Communication Plan. 4. Communication Objectives Effective strategic communication is the key to successfully implementing large-scale organizational initiatives. Interview your major stakeholders and find out what information they need. Based on this information, establish a formal Communication Plan that spells out in detail who requires what information, how they will get it, who will provide it, and the means and timing of all regular communications including reports, meetings, postings on web sites, etc. Consider every means of communication at your disposal to get the work out about the potential benefits, timing and training opportunities associated with your project. Make the Communication Plan available to all stakeholders, and be open to modifications in it as your needs change. Communication is the glue that binds internal and external stakeholders to the vision, mission, goals and activities of the project. Effective communication engages the hearts and minds of all stakeholders by facilitating movement along the continuum presented below. Fig II. Taken from State of Oklahoma CORE Project Change Management Plan 5. Training Objectives As stated earlier, training may be a crucial component of your Organizational Change Management Plan. Especially where business process is changed or new skills are required, it is paramount that employees be fully prepared before they are expected to perform new duties. The following steps will help you establish a training program appropriate to your project: Review your organization’s policies and procedures and determine which of them may require modification. Work with the organization to help them adapt to the changes. Learn the impact your project will have on individual jobs and workflow. Where impact is substantial, ensure that focused training is available. In the tables that follow, record the groups relevant to your project, their specific training needs and information about the training materials and facilities that you will use. Establish an appropriate curriculum. It is possible that the same material should be presented in very different ways depending on the background and skill level of the audience (e.g. business staff may require a less technical presentation than IT staff). Find or develop well qualified trainers. Create a plan for the post-implementation training support that may be required as new employees come into the organization, or as existing employees change jobs.) The project is expected to require significant modifications in the organization’s workflow and policies. So that the employees will be properly prepared when the new system comes on line, the project team has conducted extensive analysis of training needs. Based on this, the team has produced a plan that should smooth the way to a successful implementation. Steps taken include the following: a. Perform and Analyze the Results of a Job/Workflow Impact Analysis This system implementation will result in changes to business workflow. These changes will have a significant impact on the skills required of some of the people who will use the new system. In order to ensure that adequate training is provided, the project team performed a gap analysis between skills available and skills required, as follows: 8* Identify those positions (i.e. jobs) affected by the new system 9* Used specific tasks to link positions to new workflows (i.e. linked tasks required in the workflows to tasks performed as part of individuals’ jobs). 10* Noted those tasks that have changed. 11* Listed the skills required to perform each task 12* Determined if existing employees already have the skills needed to perform the new or changed tasks 13* Have arranged for training where skill gaps exist 14* Mapped positions to components of the new system 15* Are taking steps to ensure that each individual receives training for the components they will use 16* Will modify recruiting profiles to reflect new skill sets b. Provide the Organization with Information Necessary to Prepare for Upcoming Changes 17* Reviewed the policies and procedures of each major group in the organization that will be impacted by the new system (e.g., divisions, departments, etc.). 18* Identifed those policies and procedures that will change as a result of the new system. 19* Provided a checklist of needed changes to each organizational unit. 20* Assist organizational units in development of plans to adapt to the changes. c. Develop Curriculum and Content It proved necessary to develop very focused training programs for the various stakeholder groups in this project. Therefore, the training team has tailored the curriculum (topics covered, reference and other training materials used) and the content (specific information to be delivered) for each group. The training will be provided in settings appropriate to the content and group responsibilities (e.g., Technical group in the computer room; office personnel in a training room). The training team has paid serious attention to methods of delivery, and as a result while most employees will receive classroom presentations, certain groups will receive hands on training. In addition, several Powerpoint-based presentations will be made available on the project web site as a means of distributing key information about the project to all stakeholders. The following list was used as a guide in development of this training program: 21* Staff will receive training on new business processes prior to technology training, in order to help understanding and acceptance. 22* Advance arrangements have been made for all facilities and equipment required for training. 23* The training team will hold overview sessions with employees to explain conceptual differences between existing system and the new system. 24* Focused hands-on training will be provided where it can be expected to have significant impact. 25* Given the extensive nature of this implementation, the training team has developed module-specific curriculum outlines with learning objectives, agendas, materials, instructors, etc. 26* Training materials will be made specific to each audience. 27* We will use the train-the-trainer method as a means of cutting cost and also ensuring that training can be made available in the future. 28* The training team plans to develop job aids (checklists, workflow summaries, etc.) for use after rollout. 29* The training team w ill conduct surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of training. The organization will use this information to improve the training program in future implementations. 6. Training Plan Strategy Identify different audiences who require training Conduct training needs assessment and skill gap analysis Document requirements for the training team –Training development Schedule Prepare managers and supervisors to coach their employees through the change Develop Transition plan Train Organization resources 7. Organizational Change Management: Approach and Resources For best results, the entire project team and all new users of the system should adopt the role of Change Agent for the project. Following are some of the tools identified for Organizational Change Management to be effective in a large and complex implementation project. Review these tools with the project team. Select those that will provide the most benefit to your project and summarize how you intend to use them.

Revenge :: essays research papers

Taking revenge is a bitter sweet thing. I have always thought that people should always get what they desire, whether it be a grade, a smile and hug or in some cases, revenge. When I was in high school there seemed to be someone always trying to get me in trouble, they would say things that wouldn’t be true or do things to make me look bad. The fact that I never seemed to do anything to them would make me mad and wonder what I could do to get them back. Revenge would usually come in some sort of verbal put down or I would try to physically hurt them. It always seemed when I would get the revenge right away I would feel really good but as I thought about what I did, and what they did to me I would always feel guilty or wish I would have never done anything to them in return. In the bible it is said that we should treat others as we would like to be treated, and when I would hurt someone physically or mentally I would be disobeying what the bible said. If I am to get revenge on others, what happens when they get revenge on me, will it ever stop or would it have been easier to just walk away and no say anything or let it bothered me. Now that I’m in college I feel that revenge comes in different forms. Now instead of hurting others I am in for taking revenge on the basketball floor. If I get beat, it means my team and I didn’t play up to our potential or that they worked harder than us on a given night. Its not a life or death matter but when the next game comes I want to beat the life out of them. When the game is over and I feel that the revenge has been taken I don’t feel like I shouldn’t have done it or that I feel bad that they lost and I won, I have feelings of happiness and joy.

Buddhism has developed in a variety of different forms

Introduction:Buddhism is one of the six major religions in the world. Like other religions it has a highly developed system of beliefs, a moral code and a transcendental dimension. In simple words, it looks beyond ordinary human experience to something deeply spiritual which can be realized through leading a good moral life and religious practice. Buddhism takes its name from the Buddha, a human being whose teachings developed into what is now known as ’Buddhism’.It has existed for about 2500 years, even older than both Christianity and Islam.   For some, Buddhism is a religion, for others it is a philosophy or a culture. This religion emerged in north-eastern India in the area along what is known as the ‘Ganges basin’. At that time (fifth century BCE), this area running alongside the River Ganges had become a place of civilizations, with abundance of food, rising population and increasing urbanization. Note that Buddha was not a god but a flesh-and-blood human being.  His family name was Siddhartha Gautama but later was referred to as the Buddha which means ‘Enlightened One’ or ‘Awakened One’. Once someone asked the Buddha, ‘Are you a god?’ His reply was ‘No, I’m not a god, I’m awake!’ Although the Buddha didn’t claim to be a god, he did affirm that he was a fully realized human being, that he fully understood the nature of the human condition and that he had discovered a state of being known as Nirvana. This was a state in which all selfish desire and therefore all suffering had come to an end. He taught that by following his teachings, others too could realize once and for all this blissful state.Buddha taught that there are six realms of existence – gods, humans, jealous gods, animals, ghosts and hell-beings. The realm of the gods is one of great pleasure but it is not a place that one should aspire to particularly. This is because this world is no t eternal and eventually the gods themselves will fall into the lower realms. The best of all realms is said to be the human realm. This is because the suffering we inevitably experience in life doesn’t make us too complacent and consequently we are more likely to make the effort necessary for spiritual progress. The gods are too absorbed in pleasure to attempt this.Buddhism has been described as ‘a moral system without a god’ and ‘a faith without a god’. The essential teachings of the Buddha can be summed up in the following quotation from a Buddhist scripture.† Not to do evil, to cultivate good, to purify one's mind†. Buddhism is practiced worldwide. It started in India and from there spread to Sri Lanka, China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, and Laos. In the twentieth century, Buddhism has spread to the West, including Europe, the UK, and the USA. What has been distinctive about the spread of Buddhism is its a bility to keep its core teachings intact but at the same time showing great flexibility in adapting to the culture that adopts it.For the interest of this topic, the compares will be between Thailand Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism. This two countries practice Buddhism but it appears quite different, but the essential teachings of the Buddha are interpreted along very similar lines. This is because over the centuries, various forms or schools of Buddhism have emerged with slightly different practices and rituals. The earliest form of Buddhism is known as Theravada. A new form of Buddhism emerged from this which is known as Mahayana Buddhism. The latter is a broad umbrella and covers such schools of Buddhism as Zen, Pure Land and Nichiren. A third major branch of Buddhism is known as Vajrayana of which Tibetan Buddhism is the principal expression. All three traditions Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana – continue to flourish.As mentioned above, both Thailand Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism believe in the story of prince Siddhartha reaching enlightenment. However, they vary in the role of this in the grand Buddhist cosmos. Theravada Buddhism is practiced in Thailand; it is often called Southern Buddhism because of the path it took through Southern India to Southeast Asia. This system remains true to the original teachings of Prince Siddhartha, (also known as Sakyamuni Gautama Buddha), that are found in the Pali scriptures. The Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path are the main focus of the school.They believe that the Buddha was a man who liberated himself through meditation and contemplation. They look upon him as a teacher as opposed to a deity, and so images of the Buddha in these lands are revered or venerated, not worshipped. In this system, each individual must strive to liberate oneself through enlightened actions. Neither gods nor magic spells can assist the process.Buddhism in Thailand: The Thai form of Buddhism is sometimes called Lankavamsa (mea ning Singhalese or Sri Lankan lineage) because it was introduced to the 13th century Sukhothai Kingdom by monks from Sri Lanka. This form of Buddhism grew as the Sukhothai Kingdom expanded over Northern and Central Thailand. However, Ayuthaya in central Thailand grew into a powerful kingdom, and eventually annexed Sukhothai in 1376. The Thai Kings of Ayuthaya made conquests over areas of central Thailand formerly held by the Khmer Empire, which had been practicing a blend of Buddhism and Hinduism much more akin to Mahayana Buddhism than to the Sri Lankan form. The Ayuthaya kings incorporated many of these beliefs into the Buddhism they had inherited from Sukhothai.This has had a lasting effect on Thai Buddhism to this day. It is ironic to note that during Dutch persecution in Sri Lanka during the 18th century, the ordination lineage of monks there broke down. It was Thailand (then known as Siam) that restored the Sangha (brotherhood of monks) in Sri Lanka. Hence, the main sect of Bu ddhism in Sri Lanka is known as Siam Nikaya (meaning Siam Sect)Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism: The Vajrayana system is a sect of Mahayana Buddhism, and represents the occult branch of Buddhism that is today practiced mainly in Tibet and some parts of Bhutan and Nepal. Also known as Tantric Buddhism, it owes its origin to the scholar Padmasambhava who went to Tibet from Bengal. He assimilated Hinayana and Mahayana doctrines of Buddhism with the pagan Bon religion of Tibet and the occult practices of Tantric Hinduism.Thus beside meditation and contemplation, Vajrayana also prescribes the visualization of Buddhas passionately embracing their shaktis and the use of ritual diagrams (mandalas), special chants (mantras), specific postures (mudras) and sexual practices (maithuna) to attain enlightenment and liberation. The idea of these practices is not to indulge the senses. The aim is to experience and understand the fleeting nature of the material world. A true adept or siddha thus become s fully aware that material existence or ‘samsara' is no different from spiritual release or ‘nirvana'.ConclusionAs stated earlier, these two main branches of Buddhism has different practices, but they all have some fundamental similarities. They believe that Siddhartha was the son of a powerful king, and that his father brought him up surrounded by all the pleasures of the world, isolated in the palace, so that Siddhartha would never know sorrow. The prince grew up, married, and had a child, always surrounded by luxury. There are more similarities as well, but the differences in Buddhism are very significant.REFERENCE:Buddhism and Buddhists Act www.buddhart.com2. Cousins, L. S. (1996). â€Å"The Dating of the Historical Buddha: A Review Article†. Journal of the   Royal Asiatic Society Series 3 (6.1): 57-63. Retrieved on 20073. Davidson, Ronald M. (2003). Indian Esoteric Buddhism: A Social History of the Tantric Movement. New York: Columbia University Press. ISB N 0231126190.4.Gethin, Rupert (1998). Foundations of Buddhism. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-289223-1.5.Gombrich, Richard (ed.); Heinz Bechert (ed.) (1984). The World of Buddhism. Thames ;HudsonHarvey, Peter 1990, An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and practices, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 148-169. Kvaerne, Per 1984, Tibet: the rise and fall of a monistic tradition’, in the world Buddhism: Buddhist monks and nuns in society and culture, eds Heinz ; Richard Gombrich, Thames and Hudson, London, pp. 261-2788. Morgan, Kenneth W. (ed), The Path of the Buddha: Buddhism Interpreted by Buddhists, Ronald Press, New York, 1956; reprinted by Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi; distibuted by Wisdom Books