The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Essay - 5

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business - Essay Example The unfair dismissal, which has been defined as the termination of employment deemed to be ‘unjust, harsh or unreasonable (Pizam, 2010), in another organization was appeared. In which, the employees were sacked; subsequently, the aggrieved party filed a petition against the unfair dismissal. And, the court gave its verdict in the favor of the victims. And, they re-joined the same organization on the court orders. In addition to that, after going through the different reports over the ethical issues, I came across with the news pertaining to the ethical violations in one of the renowned organizations; however, it would also be unethical to mention the name of that organization. But, the ethical violation in that organization was that the organization had frozen the overtime and other benefits of its own employees just because of the employees had carried out a Trade Union activity. A number of impacts can be observable from the practices of ethical violations. First, the discrimination of any form would not help in entertaining the corporate objectives of the organization. This would create the environment of grouping or empire building within the organization. In which, one group would be working at the cost of other groups. And, the organizational objectives would not be compromised but also be neglected. In addition to that, discrimination would engender the environment of hostility within the organization. And, the hostility would only convince the staff to work to improve group’s benefits. Also, if the corporate objectives of the organization would be compromised, the organization would not earn profit or sufficient revenue; and, in the long-run, the organization would need to fight for its own survival. The unfair dismissal and the freezing of overtime and other benefits would hardly find any reasonable or legitimate justification as both actions on the side of the organization were carried out with the insincere

Techniques in marketing products Essay Example for Free

Techniques in marketing products Essay 1. Intro to company product or service chosen for evaluation. The company I have chosen is Tesco PLC and service provided by them which is Tesco Mobiles established in May 2003. Service mentioned above is a mobile virtual network operator. The type of the company is private and owned by Tesco Mobile Services Ltd in 45%, Tesco Mobile Communications Ltd by another 45% and O2 Communications Ltd by 10%. Products provided by the company are mobile telecommunications. Another important point I would like to consider is that Tesco’s mobile services run on the O2 network in the United Kingdom. 2. Explanation of the marketing strategy used to market the product/service. Tesco Mobiles concern based its strategy on Ansoff’s Matrix diagram attached below and the one used by them is market penetration. Strategy used currently by Tesco Mobile Company is definitely less risky than it used to be at the beginning as the diversification which is less predictable, expect more work and more time. One of the reasons why that is a market penetration is that they established the company in 2003 so currently they are already 12 years in a business environment. Market penetration is mainly defined as an activity of growing the market share of a present product. Tesco Mobiles is perfect example for a market penetration as they are providing already existing product on the existing market. It used to be diversification for Tesco at the beginning because the concern is mainly recognized by groceries not electronic accessories but currently as it already exists for so long we can define it as a market penetration. However Tesco Mobiles is currently using market penetration to measure the amount of adoption or sales of a service or product which is associated to the total theoretical market for that service or product. 3. Explanation of TWO risks of the marketing strategy. So far market penetration strategy seems like safe way to keep the sale of the product and make profit on it. However this strategy does not work for all of the products provided by the company. Market penetration focuses on the low prices at the same point to increase market share and demand for a product. When demand for the product increase then concern can save money on  production costs per unit by making a greater amount of the product. There are missed opportunities when the company provides good quality, luxury products when in a market same products with less quality are already provided as a cheap purchase. At the end of the day even when the company decrease the price of the luxury product and raise it step by step later on customer probably may go elsewhere when for them seems the same product is cheaper. Second point of the risky way of a market penetration I would like to consider is poor company image. When company focuses on the market penetration of one product it can hurt or decrease sale of the other products provided by them. If company which is providing high quality product will focus on a cheap sale in a market penetration then image and reputation of the luxury producer can without any doubt suffer. 4. Analyse of FOUR advantages of the marketing strategy. There are absolutely more advantages than disadvantages found in a market penetration. Firstly as the product will attempt to the already existing market as already existing product the result of this may be quick adoption and diffusion of the product in the market. Another point worthy to consider is discourage competitors. When for example Tesco provides existing product into existing market that Sainsbury’s got already it may interest the customers and bring them back to Tesco by the more attractive price or look of a product. Third advantage presented by the market penetration is high product turnover. In the situation when there is high product turnover in terms of fast sales retailers are forced to order more from the suppliers which at the same time give more profit to the suppliers. To conclude advantages of the market penetration the last point likely to provide is raising profitability. Market penetration is mainly know and defined as the way of selling current services and product to already existing target market which makes it profitable and least risky through all of the Ansoff’s Matrix strategies. 5. Critical analysis of two other strategies that won’t be useful for the product/service and why? Two other strategies that I would like to mention and use them as the ones I will not provide are diversification and product development. Diversification is a strategy which enter new industry or market and that is  the most risky strategy for the business. There are several disadvantages of diversification. As the diversification does not provide that much protection while investing money into something new people does not always feel confident to actually purchase the product before someone else will recommend it. However if the company will experience any loses while performing diversification during the market consolidation then in result some business units might be subsidized. Another strategy that in my own opinion will not be useful is product development which brings new product to existing market. In case of this strategy company might experience and sometimes is very likely to have product failure. As the product is ‘’first-time’’ mover in a new market and obviously people same like in case of diversification might not feel confident to purchase the product. However company must be concerned of target audience for their new product which has no experience in sale yet.

An Analysis of After Apple-Picking :: After Apple-Picking

An Analysis of After Apple-Picking "After Apple-Picking" has often been compared to Keats' "Ode to Autumn," as if it were primarily a celebration of harvest. But its elevated diction as well as its images, mood and theme, all suggest a greater affinity with Keats' :Ode to a Nightingale." In that weary, drowsy poem the speaker longs to escape through art, symbolized by the nightingale, from the pain of the real world and wants to melt into the welcome oblivion of death: My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk, Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk, Frost's narrator, standing on the earth but looking upward, is also suspended between the real and the dream world: My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree Toward heaven still And there's a barrel that I didn't fill. The long and short lines, the irregular rhyme scheme, the recurrent participles (indicating work), the slow tempo and incantatory rhythm all suggest that repetitive labor has drained away his energy. The perfume of the apples - equated through "essence" with profound rest - has the narcotic, almost sensual effect of ether. Frost's speaker, like Keats', is suffused with drowsy numbness, yet enters the visionary state necessary to artistic creation: Essence of winter sleep is on the night, The scent of apples: I am drowsing off. I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight I got from looking through a pane of glass I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough. The glassy piece of ice - which distorts, transforms and makes the familiar seem strange - is, like Keats' nightingale, a symbol of art. In his dream state (the word "sleep" occurs six times in the poem), Magnified apples appear and disappear, Stem end and blossom end, And every fleck of russet showing clear, and he rhythmically sways on the ladder when the boughs bend with his weight. As the apples are gathered - and the poem written - he becomes both physically and mentally exhausted: An Analysis of After Apple-Picking :: After Apple-Picking An Analysis of After Apple-Picking "After Apple-Picking" has often been compared to Keats' "Ode to Autumn," as if it were primarily a celebration of harvest. But its elevated diction as well as its images, mood and theme, all suggest a greater affinity with Keats' :Ode to a Nightingale." In that weary, drowsy poem the speaker longs to escape through art, symbolized by the nightingale, from the pain of the real world and wants to melt into the welcome oblivion of death: My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk, Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk, Frost's narrator, standing on the earth but looking upward, is also suspended between the real and the dream world: My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree Toward heaven still And there's a barrel that I didn't fill. The long and short lines, the irregular rhyme scheme, the recurrent participles (indicating work), the slow tempo and incantatory rhythm all suggest that repetitive labor has drained away his energy. The perfume of the apples - equated through "essence" with profound rest - has the narcotic, almost sensual effect of ether. Frost's speaker, like Keats', is suffused with drowsy numbness, yet enters the visionary state necessary to artistic creation: Essence of winter sleep is on the night, The scent of apples: I am drowsing off. I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight I got from looking through a pane of glass I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough. The glassy piece of ice - which distorts, transforms and makes the familiar seem strange - is, like Keats' nightingale, a symbol of art. In his dream state (the word "sleep" occurs six times in the poem), Magnified apples appear and disappear, Stem end and blossom end, And every fleck of russet showing clear, and he rhythmically sways on the ladder when the boughs bend with his weight. As the apples are gathered - and the poem written - he becomes both physically and mentally exhausted:

The Movement of Disease Essays -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Movement of Disease The desire to travel and explore developed among many early civilizations. This mobility provided these cultures with many advantages that have helped to advance their societies. Unfortunately, these movements are also responsible for the transmission of numerous diseases and their resulting adverse effects upon the inhabitants of the Earth. This essay seeks to outline the causes of epidemic diseases, explain their diffusion around the world, and explore why they are more harmful in certain societies. During the First Great Transition, small mobile groups of hunter-gatherers began to adopt sedentary lifestyles. This was facilitated by the development of agriculture and the practice of animal domestication. Although the foundation of agriculture originated in the Mediterranean, it spread to Europe, the near East and eventually the rest of the populated world. With more efficient methods of food production, the population of these groups began to significantly increase. Domesticated animals were not only used as a supplementary food source (meat and milk), but also for providing animal power in labor-intensive activities (such as plowing). The transition to a sedentary lifestyle caused a major decline in health in these growing societies as virulent and lethal diseases began to appear. "The major killers of humanity throughout recent history-smallpox, flu, tuberculosis, malaria, plague, measles, and cholera-are diseases that evolved from diseases of animals, even though most of the microbes responsible for our own epidemic illnesses are paradoxically now almost confined to humans."1 As early farmers began to live closer to and spend more time with livestock and pets, the germs from these animals w... ...s. As trade became a compelling force for the cultural evolution of many societies, they helped to spread diseases over the entire world. Due to an auspicious piece of luck, Europe, with many more domesticated animals and therefore epidemic diseases, was able to develop immunities that the populous of the Americas lacked. Sources: 1. Diamond, Jered. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. New York: W.W. Norton. 1997. Pg. 196-197. 2. Chant, Colin. Pre-industrial Cities & Technology. London: Routledge. 1999. Pg. 51. 3. Diamond. Pg. 205. 4. Ehrlich, Paul R. Human Natures: Genes, Cultures, and the Human Prospect. Washington D.C.: Island Press. 2000. Pg. 268. 5. Ponting, Clive. A Green History of the World: The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1992. Pg. 224. 6. Ehrlich. Pg. 254 7. Diamond. Pg. 212.

For those not familiar with this storyline Essay

For those not familiar with this storyline, Romeo + Juliet is just your average boy-meets-girl, boy-and-girl-fall-hopelessly-in-love, boy-kills-girls-cousin, girl-feigns-death, boy-and-girl-commit-suicide plot. Not one to watch with a box of chocolates and a boyfriend bonfire, but a box of tissues may well be needed. Director Baz Lehrmann chooses to set this epic in Mexico, a perfect modern backdrop for the violent gangland culture Shakespeare’s script conveys in a modern context. The two families-the Capulets and the Montegues- are beautifully contrasted; the lighthearted Montegues in open Hawaiian shirts, against the tight black clad Capulet boys sporting many gold accessories. These two groups of arch nemeses are, however, united by their mutual habit of openly wearing guns with such flair and style they could easily pass as a fashion accessory, rather than an accessory to murder. In the prologue the role traditionally played by the chorus is adopted by a real life U. S anchorwoman. The prologue is so turned into a news bulletin. You are literally drawn in to the film as the shot slowly zooms in on the television showing the newsreader, before the shot hurtles down a metropolitan street, dragging the audience, with trailing stomachs, behind it. Lehrmann captivates his audience from the outset with a visually stunning repeat of his prologue, utilising imagery from the whole film and conveying the entire storyline in under a minute. Contrary to what you may think, this in fact draws the viewer into the film. The imagery used in the prologue directly links to and supports the words in the scripted opening, and translates them into the modern context. â€Å"Two houses, both alike in dignity† is represented by two giant skyscrapers either side of a road, one bearing a huge sign saying Capulet, the other Montague. As Romeo, Dicaprio shows the full depth of his acting ability. From lovelorn-â€Å"Did my heart love ’til now? † to murderous â€Å"Either thou or I or both must go with him† and back down again through all the levels of shock, anxiety, and of course suicidal. Clare Danes gives a beautiful portrayal of young innocent Juliet. Her facial expressions are convincing and manage to wordlessly express every feeling perfectly. Her lines are also delivered with huge compassion and emotion. Danes along with Dicaprio shows a huge variety in her performance, keeping a wide audience interested in a script labelled by many as â€Å"boring†. This is not the first time modern directors have messed around with the â€Å"star cross’d lovers†. Most notably Bernstein’s all singing all dancing West Side Story, but also China Girls and-more loosely- Romeo Must Die. However, this is the first modern adaptation to stick with Shakespeare’s script. Lehrmann has obviously had to make cuts in the text for the sake of the length of the film, but the dialogue he leaves in is fantastically effective. This spunked up version a timeless classic engrosses a viewer of any age from the outset, and keeps its grip almost complete through to hugely moving finale. Even staunch traditionalists must see that dragging this dusty play kicking and screaming in to a twentieth century riddled with guns, drugs, and rock n roll has revived it in a way no amount of Lawrence Olivier ever could.

Free Essays on The Zodiac Killer

The late 1960’s and early 1970’s represented a great deal of things to a great deal of people. To the San Francisco Bay area, as well as the rest of California, the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s represented terror, fear, and death. What started out as a seemingly random, but brutal murder on the night of October 30th, 1966, turned out to be the start of a series of horrific murders that would span 2,500 suspects, 56 possible victims, and over 400 miles. On the calm, cool night of December 20th, 1968, a young seventeen year-old named David Arthur Faraday was getting ready to take a young sixteen year-old named Betty Lou Jensen on her first date. David arrived at Betty’s house, picked her up, and promptly proceeded to Lake Herman Road, a well known "lover’s lane" of the local teenagers. After a while, a car, possibly a blue Valiant, pulled up next to David’s 1961 brown and beige four-door station wagon, and a man got out. "Framed only in silhouette, the man appeared to be stocky in build and slightly heavy, with an eerie sense about him" (Tina 3). The man requested that the teens get out of their car, but they refused. Upon hearing David and Betty’s refusal, the man pulled out a gun, and fired a round into the right rear window, shattering it with incredible force. He then moved to the front of the car and fired another round into the left tire. Stricken with panic, David and Betty rushed out of the car, but the man was there to meet them. Betty was able to scramble out, but David wasn’t so lucky, as he was met with the cold, hard barrel of a gun pressing behind his left ear. "The shot made a deafening blast, as the bullet entered David’s head at a horizontal angle, blowing it apart" (Tina 3). With David out of his way, the killer turned his attention back to Betty. "He pursued her through the woods, his gun drawn, and shot her five times in the back from less than ten feet away." (Tina 3). The killer then got... Free Essays on The Zodiac Killer Free Essays on The Zodiac Killer The late 1960’s and early 1970’s represented a great deal of things to a great deal of people. To the San Francisco Bay area, as well as the rest of California, the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s represented terror, fear, and death. What started out as a seemingly random, but brutal murder on the night of October 30th, 1966, turned out to be the start of a series of horrific murders that would span 2,500 suspects, 56 possible victims, and over 400 miles. On the calm, cool night of December 20th, 1968, a young seventeen year-old named David Arthur Faraday was getting ready to take a young sixteen year-old named Betty Lou Jensen on her first date. David arrived at Betty’s house, picked her up, and promptly proceeded to Lake Herman Road, a well known "lover’s lane" of the local teenagers. After a while, a car, possibly a blue Valiant, pulled up next to David’s 1961 brown and beige four-door station wagon, and a man got out. "Framed only in silhouette, the man appeared to be stocky in build and slightly heavy, with an eerie sense about him" (Tina 3). The man requested that the teens get out of their car, but they refused. Upon hearing David and Betty’s refusal, the man pulled out a gun, and fired a round into the right rear window, shattering it with incredible force. He then moved to the front of the car and fired another round into the left tire. Stricken with panic, David and Betty rushed out of the car, but the man was there to meet them. Betty was able to scramble out, but David wasn’t so lucky, as he was met with the cold, hard barrel of a gun pressing behind his left ear. "The shot made a deafening blast, as the bullet entered David’s head at a horizontal angle, blowing it apart" (Tina 3). With David out of his way, the killer turned his attention back to Betty. "He pursued her through the woods, his gun drawn, and shot her five times in the back from less than ten feet away." (Tina 3). The killer then got...

20 Exploratory Essay Topics Ideas Relevant to Globalization and Minority American Communities

20 Exploratory Essay Topics Ideas Relevant to Globalization and Minority American Communities There are many things which contribute to minority communities. This means that the topics available for your next essay are seemingly endless. Students can examine how people, ideas, and even organizations move and interact with different minority communities throughout America including groups like African Americans, Asian Americans, and Mexican Americans often referred to as Chicanos. Students can also explore each of their cultures of origin. Historical migration changes which influence groups of immigrants moving to new locations as well as other facets which contribute to the growth of specific migration and migrant communities in certain cities are all examples of potential subject matter. Even more exciting is the ability to take an existing or previously existing migrant or minority community and explore what the individuals within that community created amongst themselves and shared with other communities. Minority communities have provided a great deal of music throughout history, with each minority community creating their own music genre. The same is true for artwork as well as literature and even some scientific contributions. That being said, selecting a single topic from this wide range of ideas can be tiresome and exhausting. It is for this reason that you will find 20 sample exploratory essay topics listed below. Eleanor Roosevelt’s Contributions to Women as a Minority Community in America Jane Addams Contributions to Women as a Minority Community in America Frances Willard’s Contributions to Women as a Minority Community in America Cesar Chavez’ Contributions to Mexican Immigrants as a Minority Community in America The Impact of Illegal Immigration on Minority Community Creation Contributions to Farm Workers as a Minority Community in America by United Farm Workers Contributions to Women as a Minority Community in America by Women’s Suffrage Movement. American Civil Rights Movement’s Contributions to African Americans as a Minority Community in America Physical Traits Contributing to Minority Communities in America Religious Traits Contributing to Minority Communities in America Involuntary Inclusion in Minority Communities Migration’s Creation of Minority Communities History of Gender Contributing to Minority Communities in America Facets of Race Contributing to Minority Communities in America Ethnicity Changes Contributing to Minority Communities in America Minority Status of Chicanos in the US Minority Status of African Americans in the US Minority Status of Native Americans in the US Minority Status of Asian American Immigrants in America Minority Status of Women in America Arent those topics exciting? Well thats not all. We also offer to your attention 10 facts on globalization of  American minority communities with our exploratory essay writing tips in order to properly cover these topics. Now you can read a sample essay on one of the topics from the list above to give you a better understanding of what requirements you have to meet for your next paper writing assignment. Sample Exploratory Essay: Minority Status of Chicanos in the US There have been many movements of ideas, institutions, and individuals between minority American communities in the United States. Multiculturalism and mass migration has allowed for Chicanos, Asians, and African American communities to come together as one.  This coming together and sharing of cultures in 19th and 20th centuries has created a global village, so to speak. The sharing of such ideas and ideologies between different groups has also led to the creation of even broader communities. This is particularly true of the Chicano minority group in the United States. Mexican American constitute large numbers of immigrants in cities with Mexican names such as San Antonio, Los Angeles, in Albuquerque. But these individuals are members of the community which has existed in the Southwest since the 1800’s. The community has changed from mexican society to distinctly Chicano. Chicanos have been defined by mainstream society as people who are of Mexican descent. Unlike other minority groups in the United States they are at the same time indigenous and an immigrant community made up of Mexican descendants who have lived in the territories previously owned by Mexico. Unlike all other ethnic groups within the United States, Mexico   fell under the rule of the United States through the conquest of their territory. Mexico was defeated by the United States in a war which left more than 60,000 Mexican Americans north of the new border . It was their geographic location north of this new border that converted their status from Mexican to Mexican American. Since that time Chicanos have regularly been viewed as a racial minority, a minority which was never quite part of the white American majority. The racial nature of this minority community has created anti-mexican discrimination which is best combated with the multitude of legal changes implemented by courts ranging from local levels all the way to the Supreme Court again racial targeting. In cases where race is the backbone of oppression it is largely because the Chicanos are considered inferior by the majority. It is for this reason that their minority status remains problematic today. Rather than converting into the majority and assuming the title of American they are still considered a separate minority under the banner of Chicano. During the most part of 20th century Chicanos have been defined as a racially different minority, different from Americans. In California many states used the term Chicano to describe a distinct race. Groups from Latin America as well as Native American have all been blended together under the title of Chicano. Bringing a minority status has cultivated the idea that Mexican Americans are different from other Americans. Being classified as a minority in the United States enforces racial subordination. It does not guarantee equal treatment in society and in spite of attempts to implement equality still allows for the growth of racism. While many Chicanos do not consider themselves inferior and continue to adopt their original lifestyles and cultural nuances the truth of the matter is that while they remain titled a minority they will remain treated as immigrants and not allowed to exist as equals. References: Almaguer, Tomas.  Racial fault lines: The historical origins of white supremacy in California. Univ of California Press, 2008. Cheng, Wendy.  The Changs Next Door to the Diazes: Remapping Race in Suburban California.  2013. Hira, S. Questions and Answers about Reparations for Colonialism. (20). Ong, Paul M, and Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris.  Jobs And Economic Development In Minority Communities. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2006. Print. Steger, Manfred B.  Globalization. Print. Taneja, Preti.  Assimilation, Exodus, Eradication. London: Minority Rights Group International, 2007. Print. Williams, Phillip.  Special Education In Minority Communities. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, 1984. Print.

Ocean Noise Pollution Essay Example

Ocean Noise Pollution Essay Example Ocean Noise Pollution Paper Ocean Noise Pollution Paper For millions of years, the oceans have been filled with sounds from natural sources such as the squeaks, moans and clicks of whales and dolphins, the snapping of shrimp, the sound caused by wind upon the surface and even the occasional rumble from earthquakes. Over millions of years, the oceans marine species have developed into what they are today, with their own specialized acute hearing abilities, communication skills and echo location abilities at natural sound levels. Hearing is generally as important to many marine creatures as sight is for humans. The oceans once referred to as the The Silent World by Jacques Southeast, has now become an increasingly noisy place since the industrial age. According to Wisped, Noise Pollution is excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life. Noise pollution could also be defined as a type of energy pollution in which distracting, irritating, or damaging sounds are freely audible. As with other forms of energy pollution (such as heat and light pollution), noise pollution contaminants are not physical particles, but rather waves that interfere with durably-occurring waves of a similar type in the same environment. Thus, the definition of noise pollution is open to debate, and there is no clear border as to which sounds may constitute noise pollution. In the narrowest sense, sounds are considered noise pollution if they adversely affect wildlife, human activity, or are capable of damaging physical structures on a regular, repeating basis. Hearing is the universal alerting sense in all vertebrates. Sound is extremely important because animals are able to hear events all around them, no matter where their attention is focused. Sound travels far greater distances than light under water. Light travels only a few hundred meters in the ocean before it is absorbed or scattered. Even where light is available, it is more difficult to see as far under water as in air, limiting vision in the marine environment It is similar to looking through fog on land. So, the best opportunity for long-range vision underwater especially in murky water is to swim beneath objects and see their silhouettes. In consequence, most marine animals rely on sound for survival and depend on unique adaptations hat enable them to communicate, protect themselves, locate food, and navigate underwater. Animals change the rate of sound production and the structure of the sounds to send different messages. Underwater sound allows marine animals to gather information and communicate at great distances and from all directions. The speed of sound determines the delay between when a sound is made and when it is heard. The speed of underwater sound is five times faster than sounds traveling in air. Sound travels much further underwater than in air. Thus marine animals can perceive sound coming from such further distances than terrestrial animals. Because the sound travels faster, they also receive the sounds after much shorter delays (for the same distance). It is no surprise that marine mammals have evolved many different uses for sounds. Marine mammals, such as whales, use sound to identify objects such as food, obstacles, and other whales. By emitting clicks, or short pulses of sound, marine mammals can listen for echoes and detect prey items, or navigate around objects. This animal sense functions just like the sonar systems on navy ships. It is clear that producing and hearing sound is ITIL to marine mammal survival. Whales and dolphins are celebrated for their sounds, but many species of fish and marine invertebrates also use sound. Fish produce various sounds, including grunt, croaks, clicks, and snaps, which are used to attract mates as well as ward off predators. For the taffies, sound production is very important in courtship rituals. Sound is produced by the male taffies to attract the female for mating and is especially important in the murky waters that taffies inhabit where sight is limited. Ashes also produce sound when feeding. When a fish eats hard food, such as coral, it will produce a sound. Fishes sometimes gnash their teeth without the presence of food, which may be a way to scare away predators. As you can see, sound is very important to its underwater inhabitants. It allows them to navigate, to hear approaching predators and prey, and is a way of communicating with other members of the same species. There are a lot of sources of noise in the marine environment. Naturally occurring noises include underwater volcanic eruptions and storms. Background noise in the ocean is produced by reeking waves, wind and rain, and by the huge number of small crustaceans and other animals. A typical background noise level is about 100 decibels (db), which is about the same in energy terms as 40 db in air. Wind and waves in storms, and choruses from fish and invertebrate can increase this level to about 1 20 db. Measurements show that the Pacific Ocean is still relatively quiet and that most of its background noise is produced by wind and by marine creatures. This is in contrast to the Atlantic Ocean, where most of the background noise is from the churning propellers of ocean-going ships. There are also several man-made (anthropogenic) sources of ocean noise, some of which are the unintended by products of human activity (e. G. Sell propulsion), while others are produced for a specific purpose (e. G. Military sonar). Whales, dolphins and porpoises today face a wealth of man-made threats including hunting, ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear and issues arising from climate change. However, one man-made threat that is not as commonly acknowledged as others is ocean noise pollution. This is partly due to the fact that it is not a visible threat, so can be easily overlooked. The noi se becomes problematic and highly hazardous when it is man-made. In the past several years many studies have shown that man-made ocean noise emanating from such sources as are military sonar equipment, ship traffic, and underwater drilling, commercial shipping seismic surveys for Oil and gas exploration, mineral and aggregate extraction, construction (e. G. Drilling, dredging and explosions), acoustic deterrent and harassment devices(e. G. Pincers on fishing nets used to deter predators) and recreational activities(e. G. Boating). Noise pollution in the oceans has been shown to cause hysterical and behavioral changes in marine life, especially in dolphins and whales, which rely on sound for daily activities. However, low frequency sound produced by large scale, offshore activities is also suspected to have the capacity to cause harm to other marine life as well. It can also cause hemorrhage or other trauma to the marine mammals auditory system, sometimes leading to permanent hearing loss, and, indirectly, death. It also causes displacement from their natural habitat, disruption of feeding, breeding, nursing, and other behaviors vital to the species survival. Some of he sounds produced by these man-made sources can travel for hundreds of kilometers in marine environment, potentially affecting many marine animals over a huge are. The growing amount of human noise pollution in the ocean could lead fish away from good habitat and off to their death, according to new research from a KICK-led team working on the Great Barrier Reef. Noise pollution might also severely affect the distribution offish, and their ability to reproduce, communicate and avoid predators. For example, some studies have reported that Atlantic herring, cod and blue-fin tuna flee sounds and school less coherently in noisy environments. That could mean that fish distributions are being affected, as fish avoid places polluted by man-made noise. Not only can squids and octopuses sense sound, but as it turns out, these and other so-called asphodels might be harmed by growing noise pollution in our oceans?from sources such as offshore drilling, ship motors, sonar use and pile driving. Giant squid, for example, were found along the shores of Austria, Spain in 2001 and 2003 following the use of air guns by offshore vessels and examinations eliminated all known causes of lesions in Hess species, suggesting that the squid deaths could be related to excessive sound exposure. The effects of noise pollution on whales depend, among other things, on the distance the whales are from the source of the noise. If the sound is very powerful and close to the animals it could well bring about permanent ear damage, internal injuries, and even death. Even sounds less powerful can induce temporary deafness, as was shown by studies carried out on seals, dolphins and belugas in captivity. Knowing just how dependent whales are on sounds, there is much cause for concern. During March of 000, at least 17 whales stranded themselves in the Bahamas and the population of beaked whales in this region disappeared. A federal investigation identified testing of a U. S. Ana active sonar system as the cause. There are many things we can do to decrease ocean noise, Ocean Link, an organization dedicated to ocean education, says on its website. The first would be to simply recognize that there is a noise problem in the oceans, which some governments have begun to do. With formal recognition, it may be possible for national and international agencies to work together to help reduce this problem. For any new policies regarding ocean noise, scientists should follow the precautionary principal to ensure that no further harm will come to marine mammals. From this perspective, governments should adopt legislation with the habitats of marine mammals in mind, ensuring that important areas would receive the least impact possible. While these may come too late for hundreds of sea animals that have already been damaged by underwater noise, with the right and concerted action, the seas may resonate with the sounds of whale songs, not the human-produced lethal noises of engines and machinery.

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOR - Essay Example Having an experience of over 40 years, I had the ability to manage work place diversity because in the marketing section I met a lot of people with different backgrounds. Since employees act as the image of the firm, by properly treating the customers it also promoted the image of Holden Company. Holden’s employees clearly comprehended their individual goals and objectives and how they relate to the greater goals of the company, were found to be naturally engaged in their work. Most firms have to the realization that achievements are associated with their ability to manage, track and communicate goals and aims-informing their employees and connecting reward system with group and individual performance in order to keep them engaged in their work. Since I am also an Australian, I was able to note that the process of setting goals and objectives, aligning them with the corporate aims and tracking them made the Holden Company to easily focus on strategy and greater execution of business. Therefore, there is always a direct relationship between financial and non financial rewards with respect to motivation and employee satisfaction (Bruce & Pepitone, 1999:104-108). This includes both the younger employees like Mike and older employees like me. Motivation is what makes people to have that drive to do something thus the driving force of human behavior. Motivation within an individual accounts for the direction, level, and persistence of the effort expended at work. The level refers to the intensity of effort put forward by a person. Direction represents the individual’s choice when faced with several alternatives. Persistence is determined by how long an individual will stick with a given action. As a result it initiates, guides and maintain the goal oriented behaviors hence motivation it is what drives one to take a cause of action (Laubly,

Midnights Children of Colonial Empires Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Midnights Children of Colonial Empires - Essay Example The British had lost America in the Revolution and they clung to India with all .their might and cunning. Many of the men in power believed that imperialism was a natural part of human struggle for survival in which the fittest emerged rulers. In other words, they believed that the white Europeans, being endowed with' superior qualities' had all the right to rule others. The European powers had a sense of moral superiority as the Industrial Revolution had brought them previously unheard of prosperity. They also needed a market for the goods they produced. Prosperity had whetted their appetites and they had developed taste for exotic goods .There was a fierce competition between European nations to go ahead of others and conquer farther territories. The hunger for empire building was such that many times they resorted to barbaric means .King Leopold of Belgium unleashed a reign of terror in Congo which he deemed to be his private property. The people in charge, like the clerk Clive of the East India Company, amassed huge fortunes by exploiting the local population. The Europeans brought Christianity to the conquered lands, and tried to root out the old traditions. The British empire was the largest of the European empires, and 'the jewel in the crown' was India .In spite of the might of the greatest empire in history, India gained her independence in 1947, after almost two centuries of British rule, without the use of force or violence, but became the heir to the colonial legacy of division left by the British.. "Midnight's Children" is a seminal work by Salman Rushdie, written in the style of Indian oral story telling, which explores the experiences of various characters in colonial and post - colonial India .It is the story of Saleem Sinai who was born on the midnight of 14th August 1947 exactly at the time when India became independent. The story spans some three generations, beginning with Dr. Aadam Aziz who came to Agra from the Kashmir valley with his family. Of his three daughters , one marries Sinai and another , Zulfikar and emigrates to Pakistan. Beginning with the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, the story goes on to the frenetic days before the Transfer of Power in India and the days that followed. In a style reminiscent of the Arabian Nights the book recounts the story of some of the children born on that fateful midnight. It touches upon the formation of Bangla Desh. The reader gets a glimmering of the legacy of colonialism. To continue in power, the colonial rulers used every means, even killing without provocation., as in the infamous Jallianwala Bag Massacre. . On the 13th April 1919, a British officer named General Dyer entered an enclosed compound in Amritsar where thousands of Indians had gathered for a peaceful protest against the British ,and opened fire on the unarmed men, killing and maiming hundreds of people. .Rushdie begins his book with this incident. "They have fire a total of one thousand six hundred and fifty rounds into the unarmed crowd. Of these , one thousand five hundred and sixteen have found their mark."(Rushdie 41) Rushdie describes the sound of the gunfire evocatively-"There is a noise like teeth chattering in winter". (Rushdie 41) After the massacre, there was approval for Dyer's action in the House of Lords. This incident rang the death knell for the empire

Financial Reporting and Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Reporting and Analysis - Assignment Example 2) Non-cash items usually include those items which do not include the transfer of money. The most feasible way for adjusting non-cash items is by adding the same form the net income of the firm (Hung, 2000). 3) The stock market participants were able to predict the fall in the revenues of Charter. As a result the company’s stock prices began being priced low by the stock market forces. A low price allocates a low level of dividend (Berk & DeMarzo, 2013). A low share price allocation also helps a firm to attract a large number of small investor (Rioja & Valev, 2004). However a declining share price also indicates a firm’s low revenue which also repels a number of investors who expect growth and rising dividends (Chandra, 2005). The financial performance of airlines industry is generally analyzed on the basis of return on equity (ROE) or return on assets (ROA). The airline industry is immensely capital intensive and profitability is usually measured on the basis of returns available on equity or assets. Accordingly it is seen that the ROA for the airlines industry on an average is around 9.8. From the given data it is seen that firm 6 incurs a ROA ratio of 9.95. Hence this firm belongs to the airlines industry. Banking firms puts special emphasis upon the returns from operations. Hence net margin is usually one of the critical parameters for judging the efficiency of the firms in this sector. The banking industry usually incurs a net profit margin of 16. From the given data set, it is seen that firm 9 has a net profit margin of 12.82. Most brewery firms analyze their financial effectively by analyzing the gross margin ratio. Breweries usually have a gross profit margin of 60. From the given data it can therefore be analyzed that firm 8 has a gross profit of 60.21. Hence firm 8 belongs to brewery industry. Departmental stores usually experience a very high level of liquidity and hence

Solar Powered Heat Pump System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Solar Powered Heat Pump System - Research Paper Example Solar panels have been available for some time now. In 2006 B&Q, one of the largest DIY companies in the UK started marketing solar panels for around  £1,500 each. Microgeneration provides technology for ‘heat and/or electricity on a small-scale from a low carbon source’ (Roberts & Sims 2008, p. 363) and generated power should not exceed ‘50kW for electricity generation and 45KW thermal for heat production’ (Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act, 2006 as cited in Roberts & Sims, 2008, p. 363).Scientists measure energy from the sun and translate it into ‘kilowatt hours per day per square meter’ (Caldwell 1994, p. 97). Sunlight that reaches the earth’s surface depends on latitude, the barriers like cloud or humidity. However, the sun’s energy is distributed in a uniform manner. For example, a rain forest in Washington is stricken by the sun’s energy, which is translated into 3kwh/d/m2, but southern Arizona and nearby are as receive 7kwh/d/m2. Full sunlight refers to a thousand for every square meter of global radiation. Companies that market photovoltaic forecast PV output with the use of computer models and simulation that include insolation data. In predicting an unknown area, they use the common rule of ‘plus or minus 10 percent on an annual average based only on latitude and closest weather data’ (Caldwell 1994, p. 98). There are factors that should be considered in determining costs of installations. Number one factor is the site and the weather. The photovoltaic output is sensitive to transients like clouds.

Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment - Case Study Example Third, the company has not been keen in defending the interests of the female employees who occasionally experience sexual harassments. Such acts are perpetrated by the company’s top officials that the company values due to their performance and hence does little about such cases. The company has received several complaints from female employees regarding sexual harassments but failed to act since such behaviors are â€Å"acceptable† in some of the countries that the company functions. Nelson would have taken strict measures with regard to the unethical happenings. With regard to child labor, the company should have inspected the subsidiary company to make it clear that child labor is not tolerated. Nelson should also have ensured that the company takes care of all employees’ interests regardless of the country. Here, the company would have provided the most appropriate working solvent and take all complaints seriously. Moreover, Nelson would have also made it cl ear to all employees regardless of their positions that sexual harassments are not entertained and would be penalized. With regard to formulation of a code of ethics, Nelson should ensure that all of the reported unethical issues are addressed in the code. Such issues include rules governing child labor, employees’ health, and issues regarding sexual harassments and similar behaviors in the organization’s subsidiary companies. This would ensure that the company has a predefined culture, which takes care of all individuals’ interest. With respect to suggestions, I would suggest a code that caters for the interests of the main stakeholders and improve the reputation of the company in the face of the public and the customers. The code would also deter unethical behaviors in the

Solar Powered Heat Pump System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Solar Powered Heat Pump System - Research Paper Example Solar panels have been available for some time now. In 2006 B&Q, one of the largest DIY companies in the UK started marketing solar panels for around  £1,500 each. Microgeneration provides technology for ‘heat and/or electricity on a small-scale from a low carbon source’ (Roberts & Sims 2008, p. 363) and generated power should not exceed ‘50kW for electricity generation and 45KW thermal for heat production’ (Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act, 2006 as cited in Roberts & Sims, 2008, p. 363).Scientists measure energy from the sun and translate it into ‘kilowatt hours per day per square meter’ (Caldwell 1994, p. 97). Sunlight that reaches the earth’s surface depends on latitude, the barriers like cloud or humidity. However, the sun’s energy is distributed in a uniform manner. For example, a rain forest in Washington is stricken by the sun’s energy, which is translated into 3kwh/d/m2, but southern Arizona and nearby are as receive 7kwh/d/m2. Full sunlight refers to a thousand for every square meter of global radiation. Companies that market photovoltaic forecast PV output with the use of computer models and simulation that include insolation data. In predicting an unknown area, they use the common rule of ‘plus or minus 10 percent on an annual average based only on latitude and closest weather data’ (Caldwell 1994, p. 98). There are factors that should be considered in determining costs of installations. Number one factor is the site and the weather. The photovoltaic output is sensitive to transients like clouds.

Existing and Possible Generation Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Existing and Possible Generation Model - Essay Example The paper tells that the first generation which was put into use from the 1950s to mid-1960s and it focused on technological push. This was aimed at swift industrial growth and new technological prospects. The second generation innovation was popular in the mid-1960s to late 1970s. This generation focused on the existing technologies and used them to develop a new brand of products. It took advantage of the balance in the supply and demand chain. The pull on the market was exploited by the highly efficient companies, more like a survival of the fittest analogy. In the early 1970s to mid-1980s, the third generation came into focus. It is known as the coupling model because it integrated the technological push and market pull generations. Companies had to adopt new strategies that involved rationalization and consolidation.5 The fourth generation brought about an emphasis on manufacturing strategies. Manufacturing companies formed alliances and this shortened product life-cycles in the market. It was rampant in the period of early 1980s to early 1990s and was branded, the integrated model. The fifth generation model was a target for survival in the market. Companies focused on flexibility and adaptability to changing times. It was the adopted from the mid-1990s. The companies had to be more competitive so as to keep up with the industrial revolution, fast innovation was, therefore, an arsenal that top companies possessed. The models stated above came with their pros and cons. A ‘one size fits all’ strategy is yet to be innovated. Like all great ideas, the business management novelties followed certain procedures before implementation: the idea generation, concept development, evaluation, selection and ultimately the actualization of the concept through implementation. Innovation can be described as a technological push (like in the case of the first generation strategy) or a market pull (like in the case of the second generation strategy) or a combin ation of both which outdoes the individual strategies. The researcher would, however, adopt a network approach type of model where innovation is approached simultaneously from an internal and external aspect.

General Motors Essay Example for Free

General Motors Essay General Motors Company, known as GM, was founded in 1908 in Flint, Michigan by William C. Durant and Charles Stewart Mott. The present chairman and CEO is Daniel Akerson. Akerson joined GMs board in 2009 as the company went through a bankruptcy reorganization. He became CEO Sept. 1, 2010, and led GMs 2010 return to the stock market — at the time the largest initial public offering in U.S. history (Detroit Free Press, 2013). The headquarters for GM is presently located in Detroit, Michigan. GM specializes in designing, manufacturing, marketing and distributing cars, trucks and vehicle parts. The brands under GM include Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun, Holden, Isuzu, Jie Fang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM employs over 200,000 people and has 396 facilities on six continents. GM is divided into five business segments: GM North America, GM Europe, GM International Operations, GM South America and GM Financial. The two biggest markets for GM are the U.S. and China. According to Dan Akerson they continually do well in both markets and are making further progress in their European business (General Motors, 2013). In July, 2009, GM filed for bankruptcy. Later that year, GM emerged from a government backed Chapter 11 reorganization. Then in 2010 GM made an initial public offering (IPO) that was one of the world’s largest and helped them to return to making a profit later that year. An IPO is a type of public offering where shares of stock in a company are sold to the general public. Through this process GM, a private company, became a public company. Because of t he bankruptcy GM had to start from the beginning and figure out what caused them to go under previously and what they needed to do to become a top organization again. With the start of the â€Å"new† General Motors they were starting over so they created a new clearer vision and a new business model. As of 2012, GM was ranked among one of the world’s largest automakers. The company’s total worldwide vehicle sales were 9.3 million (The New York Times, 2013). GMs net revenue in the second quarter of 2013 was $39.1 billion up from $37.6 billion in the second quarter of 2012 (General Motors, 2013). Since their bankruptcy GM has been reporting record profits and has steadily climbed back up the ladder with customer satisfaction and productivity. Akerson said, So, here we are four years out of bankruptcy and weve made $25 billion (before taxes and interest). I think thats more than the companys ever made in a four-year period (Detroit Free Press, 2013). The company’s progress is indicative of a new business model that begins and ends with great vehicles. GM leveraged their resources to maintain stringent cost management while taking advantage of growth and revenue opportunities around the world, to ultimately deliver sustainable results for all of their stakeholders (General Motors 2010). Being one of the biggest markets for GM, General Motors North America (GMNA) has been a key contributor in bringing in a profit for the whole organization. They currently have 5,000 dealerships, 34 plants and employs over 68,000 people. The profits reported for GMNA for the second quarter was an adjusted EBIT of $1,976 million compared to $1,891 million for the same period a year ago. Total net sales and revenue was $23,495 million compared to $21,552 million for the same period a year ago. For the six months, the company reported adjusted EBIT of $3,390 million compared to $3,533 million for the same period year ago. Total net sales and revenue was $46,474 million compared to $44,727 million for the same period year ago (Bloomsburg Businessweek, 2013). The current president, Mark Reuss, of GMNA has recently revamped the organization. Attached is a copy of the previous organizational structure and the new structure. The old GMNA consisted of a vertical structure which is a hierarchical structure with many levels of authority and the jobs were grouped by function into departments. They were divided into different in dependent automakers. Each independent automaker was operated differently and competing with each other. The competition among its own independent automakers and lack of centralization was costly. When they restructured after the bankruptcy, GMNA adopted a flatter structure where accountability is key. The new structure is centralized and unified; a team versus several individuals working towards common goals. With this structure GMNA is running in a more streamlined manner and it’s a more cost effective way of running there organization. GM has a diverse listing of employment opportunities. The positions range from engineering and manufacturing positions to Human Resources and Research positions. According to several employees, past and present, GM provides great pay and hours. GM promotes employees to further their education and training. The work environment was fun, friendly and like working with family. Working in the plants many of the employees had to do shift work and heavy manual labor this didn’t seem like a deterrent they still enjoyed the job and the coworkers. The environment appears to be open when it comes to management and employee interaction. The CEO Akerson is a strong believer in management by walking around. Everywhere hes been you see pictures of him with employees. Hes a reminder that management is a contact sport, Merten says (Detroit Free Press, 2013). The reviews were mostly all positive. The only negative things that seemed to keep popping up were the long hours and the stress to meet deadlines. GM has enlisted their customers and employ ees to send them ideas to help improve vehicles, sales, marketing, etc. and they act on the ones that will improve their ability to serve the customers better. GM has come a long way since 2009. With the reorganization changes they have become quicker and more decisive so the customers’ needs are met and they are producing reliable vehicles. It seems like GM really is getting back into what they are best at; building vehicles and serving their customer’s needs. References Detroit Free Press. (August 5, 2013). General Motors CEO Dan Akerson Shares Top 9 Leadership Lessons. Retrieved August 21, 2013. http://www.freep.com/article/20130805/BUSINESS0101/308050088/dan-akerson-GM-CEO-leadership-lessons Jones, Gareth R. George, Jennifer M. (2013). Essentials of Contemporary Management. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. General Motors. (July 25, 2013). Investors: Earnings Releases. GM Reports Second Quarter Net Income of $1.2 Billion. Retrieved August 21, 2013. http://www.gm.com/content/gmcom/home/company/investors/earning-releases.conte nt_pages_news_emergency_news_072513-q2-earnings.~content~gmcom~home~company~investors~earning-releases.html General Motors. (2010). General Motors Company 2010 Annual Report. Retrieved August 21, 2013. http://www.gm.com/content/dam/gmcom/COMPANY/Investors/Corporate_Governance/PDFs/StockholderInformationPDFs/Annual-Report.pdf Indeed. (2013). GM Employer Reviews. Retrieved August 21, 2013. http://www.indeed.com/cmp/GM/reviews Bloomsburg Businessweek. (July 25, 2013). General Motors North America, Inc. Announces Earnings Results for the Second Quarter and Six Months Ended June 30, 2013. Retrieved on August 22, 2013. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=24368349 The New York Times. (August 21, 2013). General Motors. Retrieved August 21, 2013. http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/general_motors_corporation/index.html?offset=20s=newest

Analysis Of Malaysia As A Tourist Destination Tourism Essay

Analysis Of Malaysia As A Tourist Destination Tourism Essay How a country is perceived, both domestically and from abroad, from the quality of its goods and services, to the attractiveness of its culture and its tourism and investment opportunities, to its politics, economic policies and foreign policy, can be shaped under a brand. In this section, we will focus on tourism, its impact on nation branding, its effect on GDP and the benefits of tourism branding. In the latter part of this section, we are going to analyse the tourism industries of India and Malaysia, their successful tourism campaigns, and further scope of improvement in the respective areas. We will also try to enumerate what are the major constituents of a tourism industry in any country and their relative importance, in the two countries taken as our focus areas. The early history of tourism tells us that people travelled from one place to another mainly because of food or shelter. But in due course of time, large scale mobility of people was caused by the natural elements of human pressure, livelihood or a better standard of living. In the words of UNESCO, tourism is a traditional instrument, which enables culture to be rehabilitated and made known to the rest of the world. Tourism has become a popular leisure activity. International tourism activities have grown by leaps and bounds in the past years.   With the dismantling of national boundaries, the tourism scenario is changing. There is a steady growth in the number of tourist arrivals and more satisfactorily the average spending of foreign tourist has gone up. Tourism is vital for many countries such as Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia and Maldives and last but not the least, India. The associated goods and service industries in these countries have sprouted to aid the tourism industry. These include transportation services, hospitality services such as accommodations including hotels and resorts, and entertainment venues like amusement parks, shopping malls and casinos etc. It is universally accepted that government promotion of tourism is a good idea that brings excellent return on investments. It generates jobs like no other, and its development also leads to development of infrastructure, education and related industries. However, promoting tourism successfully requires setting a context that will allow the tourists to appreciate what is on offer. THAT context is the brand or the overall image of a country. If a country is widely viewed as secure, modern, clean and efficient, chances of getting tourists to frequent attractive destinations are good. If a nation is known for its unique features whether they be cultural, manmade or natural, there will a positive curiosity towards them encouraging tourists to discover first hand something new. On the other hand, if a country is known for civil war, crime and corruption, inadequate infrastructure or unfriendly population, inviting tourists to your country is a mammoth task. They either require pretence of not existing, or there will be a lot of convincing to be done that it doesnt impact the travel experience in any adverse manner. Tourist choice behaviour is one of the most needed studies by today. Tourists take into account the various factors in terms of facilities, local attractions etc, before choosing their destination. Local attractions, accessibility, facilities are some of the factors that generate tourist flow to a particular location. Absence of any of these facilities may deter the tourists from travelling. Hence, tourism has to be seen in totality and as comprising of its constituents mainly attraction, hospitality and the transport facilities in the country. We are going to look at each of them in the following pages. The model that this section follows is as under: Attractions A  tourist attraction  is a place of interest where  tourists  visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities. Attractions are the major factors, which ensure the flow of domestic or international tourists to a specific place. Some examples include historical places,  monuments,  zoos,  aquaria,  museums  and  art galleries,  botanical gardens, buildings and structures (e.g.,  castles,  libraries, former  prisons,  skyscrapers,  bridges), national  parks  and  forests, theme parks  and  carnivals,  living history museums,  ethnic enclave  communities,  historic trains  and cultural events. The history of attractions has often been inextricably linked with the development of travel industry in any country. It can be assumed generally that older attractions (either manmade or natural) were not designed to appeal to travellers. Some of the best examples include the Tajmahal, Niagara Falls and the Pyramids. Most modern tourist attractions on the other hand, have been purpose-built for visitors, like theme parks or casinos. However, in the Asian context, this may differ as the attractions are generally perceived as more elaborate culture and history. The definition of attractions has been changing over time; and a few broad classifications of tourist attractions can be as follows: Natural Man-Made Outdoor Indoor Heritage Based Purpose Built for tourism Special Global Events Local Festivals/Events Drawing Power (high) Drawing power (low) The growth of small local attractions has also been manifold due to an increase in the number of independent off-beat travellers. Interest in exotic destinations and wildlife has led to the development and upkeep of modern zoos and safari parks. The continuing trend of increased leisure time, greater mobility and more disposable income has led to a boom in the attractions sector. Parallel attractions like theme parks have also emerged, and a number of shopping centres and waterfronts have become tourist attractions in their own right. Culture and Tourism Culture is a human construct, existing in representations and understanding by the people. Culture defines a society in a way which makes it different from the next. Contemporary societies are not isolated, insular entities. There is a constant exchange of ideas, beliefs and faiths; travel and tourism undoubtedly play a significant role in this. Culture and creative industries are being increasingly used to promote destinations and enhance their competitiveness and attractiveness. Many locations are now developing their tangible and intangible cultural assets as a means of developing comparative advantages in an increasingly competitive tourism marketplace. People, when they visit a country or a destination or a city, are always keen to visit the sites that are important, the places of distinction, the question is always what is there to see, what is there to experience and the destinations provide further encouragement through the printed material, the information, the brochures that they provide to visitors. There are also wider benefits of developing relationship between culture and tourism such as enhanced image and support for the cultural sector. Culture creates distinctiveness in a crowded global market. Local communities are beginning to come together to develop cultural products for tourism rather than competing directly with one another. New policies are likely to feature new structures and projects involving public-private partnership and bringing together a wider range of stakeholders to use culture not only to make destinations attractive for visitors, but also to promote regions as destinations to live, work and invest in. Local communities are not only hosts; they define the sense of the place, providing cultural experience for tourists. Culture in all its forms is likely to figure strongly in the tourism product and promotion of most regions, even those which have traditionally relied on their natural assets, such as sun and beach or mountains, for their attractiveness. Destinations are also trying to increase their comparative advantage by adding to their stock of cultural attractions. They are also trying to develop their intangible culture and creativity. Culture creates authenticity and distinctiveness in the global tourism market. In this regard, tourism experiences that can connect people and visitors to local cultures are very important. In many cases, destinations are also linked to specific cultural events (e.g. connected to famous places, people or historical events) which can also play a catalyst role in this development. The Cultural Heritage of India is a vibrant mosaic of lively and magnificent colours. Indian Culture encompasses a unique blend of food, fashion, festivals, dance and music that spellbound the four corners of the world in its euphoric nature.  India is a popular destination and boasts a cultural heritage that is worth exploring. As a tourist one has many choices to explore from cuisine to dances to music. All diverse in nature encompass to form the culture of India. Very few countries in the world have such an ancient and diverse culture as Indias. Dating back to over 5000 years old civilization, Indias culture has been enriched by successive waves of migration which were absorbed into the Indian way of life. The Indian culture comprises of Indian music, Indian Dance, Indian cuisines, costumes and Indian Festivals.   Internet has also become a universal tool which offers the possibility to tourists to package destinations and events with accommodation and travel. Architecture and Tourism Because tourism is such an enormous industry, which involves monuments, museums, and other special purpose buildings, it is not a phenomenon that can be controlled. It always stands within the cultural and political conditions of the environment, and the tastes and habits of tourists thronging a place. Everything from historical monuments to exotic holiday destinations has been redesigned and packaged for mass consumption. As a result, the histories of specific sites have been re-conceptualized. Some have been preserved and celebrated, while others have been left to decay. Monuments like the Tajmahal or the Cellular Jail were not built for tourist purposes; however they have been converted into one now. A more contemporary example of construction for attraction, and certainly one that is totally synonymous with its location is the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The association is incredibly strong and more amazing given the fact that Eiffels structure to celebrate the Worlds Expo was designed for disassembly and should have come down in 1909 after just 20 years. Possibly the biggest construction sites of all are to be found today in the Middle East which has made huge strides to develop other sources of wealth including tourism, by constructing hotels and islands. Dubai has made the biggest splash, with the Burj Al Arab embedding deep in everybodys psyche. One of the best architectural tourism spots in the world is China. Chinese architecture ranging from the various dynasties that ruled it has undergone a great evolution. People recognize Chinese architecture from  The Great Wall of China  and the beautiful pagodas. But there is more to Chinese architecture than that. People who are interested in  architecture  will find China to be a virtual unexplored region which has some of the best monuments and buildings.   China  is a country of architectural marvels both ancient and modern and it is one of the best tourist destinations for people who love architecture.   Some notable Chinese architecture that are a must see are Terra Cotta Warriors in the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang in Xian, the Hanging Temple, Forbidden City etc. In Budapest, an eastern European country, architectural tourism has been promoted very well. Monasteries, churches, caves, Basilica etc are some well known attractions which pulls throngs of tourists here annually. History and Tourism Tourism is a powerful economic development tool. Tourism creates jobs, provides new business opportunities and strengthens local economies. When heritage and history is paid attention to and used to our advantage, it also helps to protect a nations natural and cultural treasures and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. In the past, the tourism industry saw its primary role as marketing ready products to travellers, such as package tours to Mumbai. But countries are now looking for new ways to attract travellers, and today culture and history are more likely to overlap than any other domains. A concrete example is India, which with its potpourri of different religions and faiths, is a centre for people from countries following similar faith. Tourists from countries like Thailand, Indonesia or Burma (which follow Buddhism as well) desirous of visiting Bodhgaya are attracted to the history and heritage of the country. This can be exploited to promote history and heritage tourism making India a lucrative destination for people sharing the same faith. Also an example is the International Kite Festival held in Gujarat every year, which is slowly turning into a big crowd puller year after year. Cashing in on the history of a place and promoting heritage tourism refers to travelling to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and the present. Food and Tourism Food is something an increasing number of us remember from our travels. Like never before, holiday makers are choosing where they go by what they can put in their stomachs. Food is a manifestation of a destinations culture which can be invaluable for giving travellers a hands-on experience. You can open a different door with every meal. The last few years has seen an incredible shift in the way holidays are created and marketed, and that is because people demand authentic experiences. Eating traditional dishes is considered very important on a holiday. People also willingly miss meals in their hotel or resort to try out local restaurants. Tourists are becoming more experimental as well as sophisticated in what they eat during a vacation. Supermarkets have also played a major role in making foreign foods more available. Food festivals are another crowd puller. Singapore hosts an annual food festival each July celebrating a different aspect of its culture. The colourful opening of the  West Bengal Tourism  and  Food Festival  is a reflection of the states positive efforts to boost the tourism sector.   Indian cuisine ranges from the simple and bland to the lavish and complexly pungent. Each region has its specialty cuisine, though some dishes are available throughout the country. All the states have their own signature dishes which are world famous and tempt the tourists to visit those states, for having an authentic experience. Indian sweets and various varieties of tea, especially Assam Tea, boost tourism in India. The cooking styles and flavours of every region of India is unique and differs from each other. While Kashmir is famous for its 24-course banquet- the Wazwan; coastal Goa, Kerala and Bengal specialize in fish, seafood and coconut-based dishes. Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are the best states to taste vegetarian specialties. Bengal, Bikaner and Delhi are particularly famous for sweets. Food tourism includes all unique and memorable food experiences, not just four star or critically acclaimed restaurants. Price is not necessarily indicative of quality. According to industry research, true food tourists are perfectly happy at a roadside cafà © in the middle of nowhere, as long as there is something memorable about their visit. Transport Relevance Though transportation as a topic can be discussed independently, tourism cannot thrive without travel. Transportation is an integral part of the tourism industry. It has been largely due to the improvements in mobility that tourism has expanded to such a stage. Transportation links various cities and countries in some cases. Tourism is all about travel, and the role of transportation in its operation cannot be overemphasized. Accessibility and tourism activities have broken barriers and opened formerly off-the-beaten-track areas to visitors through aggressive marketing of some far-off paradise with the availability of transport. It is, more often than not, seen as only that part of tourism which is in charge of bringing the tourists to their destinations; provide a means of getting around the place and leaving it once the stipulated duration is over. In fact, the transportation system of a tourist destination has a huge impact on the tourism experience which explains how people travel and why they choose different forms of holidays and destinations. Access to tourism sites relies heavily upon the state of infrastructure, and the efficiency of the public transport system. Tourists arriving at international cities need mobility and few decide (or can afford) to hire private  transport. Because of this, the public  transport  system is an essential service for this population, especially in cities large enough to need bus, metro and train systems. However, in congested cities with weak public  transport  networks, the influx of tourists exerts additional demand pressure on the  transport  system. Modes Available There are five modes of transportation, based on the physical characteristics of the service offered and the right of way over which a transportation carrier operates. These are air, highway, rail and water, arranged in decreasing order of speed. All modes of transportation are regulated in some manner, be it economic or non-economic. Economic regulation has been reduced in a number of transportation markets in recent years, beginning with domestic airline deregulation in the United States in the late 1970s. Since then, many other countries have deregulated their national transportation systems to some degree, including air, highway and rail. Internationally, economic regulation has been reduced in some markets, with the European Union being a prime example of including not only air but other modes as well.   Passenger transportation plays a critical role in determining the success or failure of nearly every segment of tourism. Without a reliable and economic form of passenger transportation to, from and within a destination, enticing tourists to visit that destination may be very difficult. Island economies like Hawaii, Andaman Islands or Malaysia are almost fully dependent on air transport access. Off-beat destinations The transportation carrier may also become a destination in its own right, such as a few cruise liners in areas like Singapore, Malaysia, Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera. Other forms of transportation serving as destinations include Palace on Wheels, The Orient Express etc. For about the past four years, the travel industry in Asia and the Pacific has been undergoing a dynamic change, and the growth of low cost carriers has been cited as the single most important factor currently shaping the regions airline industry. Thus at the same time, tourism has also had a major impact on transport modes and networks through its ability to supply additional motivations for leisure and business travel. Due to the intensity of worldwide competition and product parity, positioning strategies will become a strategic weapon for tourism destinations. Tourist destinations, for example resorts which can be fairly similar, can succeed in developing strong and differentiated brands through excellent access to transportation facilities. Transport policies and decisions of governments can play a big role in the destinations available to tourists. If the public sector does not cope with the demand in terms of transport infrastructures, tourism industry might not develop in those regions. Hospitality Hospitality  is the relationship between guest and host, or the act or practice of being hospitable. Specifically, this includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers,  resorts, membership clubs, conventions, attractions, special events, and other services for travellers and  tourists. Hospitality is about compensating/equalizing a stranger to the host, making him feel protected and taken care of, and at the end of his hosting, guiding him to his next destination. Cultures and subcultures vary in the extent to which one is expected to show hospitality to strangers, as opposed to personal friends or members of ones  in-group. The tourism industry has several components food, accommodation, place of attractions, transportation etc. All these components are related to hospitality. Hospitality and tourism experiences have important emotional dimensions that traditional marketing tend to underplay. By understanding the hospitality-based transaction between guests and hosts, marketers and commercial operators can deliver customers experiences through which to build customer loyalty and a robust business better able to withstand. The guest and host relationship has a long tradition, pre-dating modern hospitality and tourism businesses by thousands of years and universally evident across all societies. Hospitality creates an impression of hosting and hospitableness, which prioritizes guest experiences. The Indian civilization is one of the oldest on earth, and like every culture has its own favourite stories including some on hospitality. That of a simpleton readily sharing his meagre morsels with an uninvited guest, only to discover that the guest is a God in disguise, who rewards his generosity with abundance. That of a woman who lovingly cooks up all the  Khichdi she can afford, for everyone who is hungry till one day when she runs out of food for the last hungry person to whom she offers her own share, and is rewarded by the god in disguise with a never ending pot of Khichdi. Most Indian adults having grown up listening to these stories as children believe in the philosophy of Atithi Devo Bhava, meaning the guest is God. From this stems the Indian approach of graciousness towards guests at home, and in all social situations. Benefits of Tourism Branding While many regard branding as simply creating a new look and tagline, if done correctly, a genuine brand management strategy should positively influence all aspects of a nation. The reputation of the country we live in, work and study matters. An attractive and distinctive identity makes it easier for a city (and its citizens) to be preferred in any competitive setting because the place is seen to have qualities that resonate positively with key audiences and can enhance the well-being of its citizens. We can retain different campaigns for a country. They can include exports, education, foreign trade etc. All these should contribute to a clear identity of a nation. It is the tourism promotion in whatever form (advertising, PR, websites etc) that will have the biggest impact on the attitudes to a nation. Tourism is the acceptable public face of a national brand. Clarke (2000) has identified six benefits of branding related to tourism destination products (TDPs): As tourism is typically high involvement, branding helps to reduce the choice; Branding helps in reducing the impact of intangibility; Branding conveys consistency across multiple outlets and through time; Branding can reduce the risk factor attached to decision making about holidays; Branding facilitates precise segmentation; Branding helps to provide a focus for the integration of producer effort, helping people to work towards the same outcome. Impact on GDP Focussing exclusively on India in this section the tourism industry has contributed enormously in the flourishing graph of Indias economy by attracting a huge number of both foreign and domestic tourists travelling for both leisure and business purposes. As per the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 by the World Economic Forum, India is ranked 11th in the Asia Pacific region and 62nd overall, moving up three places on the list of the worlds attractive destinations. It is ranked the 14th best tourist destination for its natural resources and 24th for its cultural resources, with many World Heritage sites, both natural and cultural, rich fauna, and strong creative industries in the country. India also bagged 37th rank for its air transport network. The India travel and tourism industry ranked 5th in the long-term (10-year) growth and is expected to be the second largest employer in the world by 2019. The hotel and tourism industrys contribution to the Indian economy by way of foreign direct investments (FDI) inflows were pegged at US$ 2.1 billion from April 2000 to March 2010, according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). According to the Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 brought out by the World Economic Forum, the contribution of travel and tourism to gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to be at US$ 187.3 billion by 2019. The report also states that real GDP growth for travel and tourism economy is expected to achieve an average of 7.7 per cent per annum over the next 10 years. Export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to generate US$ 51.4 billion (nominal terms) by 2019. Furthermore, the sector which accounted for 6.4 per cent of total employment in 2009 is estimated to rise to 7.2 per cent of total employment by 2019. Deeming the growing rate of the tourists arrival in the country, the Indian tourism industry designed a wide spectrum of holiday packages and cheaper airfares to attract more tourists. The booming success of Indian tourism industry has led to a drastic change in the hospitality department as well. The increase in the ratio of tourists resulted in the increase of room rates and also setting up of a wide range of hotels and other residing areas. The Indian tourism industry offers online booking system, one of the basic proofs of technological advancement in this sector. These online bookings are applicable for booking the air tickets via Internet by logging on to the website and also booking the hotel room of the place to be visited. The Role of Tourism Industry in India GDP also features medical tourism that includes traditional therapies like yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy and other conventional systems of medicines is currently estimated at USD 333 million and is most likely to reach USD 2.2 billion by the year 2012. Analysis of India as a preferred tourist destination Tourism is the largest service industry in India. As we have seen in the previous section, it plays an extremely important role in the Indian economy by direct as well as indirect impact. Countries such as USA, UK, Singapore, Thailand and Australia feature high on the list of favourite tourist destinations. Which leads us to the million dollar question Where does India stand among other Preferred Holiday Destinations? India is a Land of all seasons, where beauty beckons, culture echoes, diversity delights and tradition talks. Those who reach India are greeted with a gracious Namaste, Namaskaaram, Vanakkam or Sat Sri Akal denoting warmth, hospitality and respect a tradition in tune with the countrys age-old motto Atithi Devo Bhava where the guest is treated as God. The Incredible India campaign focuses on the hospitality of our country, and the pristine and undiscovered lands it offers. The campaign has been running successfully for some time now, and has succeeded in pulling both domestic and international travellers to Indian destinations. Graciously endowed with mist clad mountain ranges, deep blue seas, enigmatic deserts, golden beaches, emerald green valleys, palm fringed backwaters on the one hand and unique art forms, exciting fairs and festivals, interesting pilgrim centres, exclusive heritage sites, royal forts, majestic monuments, architectural marvels and exotic flora and fauna on the other, this legendary land is unique in all aspects it is no wonder that India has emerged as one among the Top Five Tourist Hotspots of the world, with a tremendous increase in tourist traffic all through the year. Many factors have been collectively responsible for boosting our countrys economic reserves and the impact of Indias economic growth on tourism is increasingly being felt in niche sectors. India abounds in attractive and well-preserved historical sites, ancient monuments of architectural grandeur and not-so-ancient mosques/durgahs, churches and places of worship of other diverse faiths. India is also known for some of its fine beaches like Goa, Mamallapuram, Kovalam, Pondicherry, Puri-Konark etc. In addition island tourism has been developed at Andaman/Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands. All across the country are wildlife sanctuaries whose areas extend over several thousands of square kilometres, where wildlife can be observed in their natural surroundings. Each sanctuary supports several species of wildlife, being well known for one particular species. In some cases, there are rare or even endangered species. India is a land of fairs and festivals with atleast one fair in each day of the year. These fairs and festivals add colour to the social life of Indian people. Some of the important fairs and festivals are Pushkar fair in Rajasthan, Crafts Mela at Surajkund, Holi in North India, Pongal in Tamilnadu, Onam in Kerela, Baisaki in Punjab, Bihu in Assam, Dance festivals at Khajuraho and Mamallapuram etc. India has a treasure trove of handicrafts for any discerning shopper, in truly remarkable variety of styles and prices. Over the years, India has developed world standard accommodation infrastructure for entertaining the visitors. There are about 60,000 classified hotel rooms in India and about 35,000 rooms are under construction. These hotel rooms scattered in various cities are of varying price range. Some of the major hotel chains in India are the Oberois, Taj Group of Hotels, Welcome Group of Hotels and India Tourism Development Corporation Hotels. Despite the fact that India has a wealth of amazing places waiting to be seen and appreciated and an unbeatable tourism potential, India receives far lesser tourists compared to other relatively smaller countries. Most foreigners who visit India for the first time are heard complaining about Over priced Hotel rooms Corrupt autos and taxi drivers waiting to take them for a ride, literally! Lack of proper infrastructure Confusion and chaos at the airport Unhygienic conditions etc Probable Areas of Improvement India is well known for personal bonding and relations with their tourist customers. What will be promising for India is the effectiveness of proactive relationship building strategies undertaken by India. India should focus on building and maintaining strong tourist relationships. It should also note that the selection and training of tour guides who are directly dealing with the tourists is undertaken properly. Accordingly, the holiday destination managers may undertake certain measures to improve the status of the dominant factors, which will ultimately lead to the improvement in visitors perception towards India as a tourist destination. Hence expertise and communication, and familiarity with tourists are the most effective relationship-building strategies. The next effective strategy could be investing in

Character of Hamlet in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare Hamle

Character of Hamlet in Shakespeare's Hamlet Hamlet is a man of many discoveries. The tragic hero in Shakespeare's Hamlet undergoes many changes throughout the play. His mindset is set deep and far away from the physical world that both helps him and hinders him in his plight for revenge against his uncle, Claudius, and his mother. When Hamlet is first introduced in Act I, Scene II, the reader is shown the depths of his sorrow. The King asks Hamlet "How is it that the clouds still hang on you" and the Queen tells him to "Cast thy nighted color off." By these comments one can envision Hamlet as someone who appears and radiates out his sorrow over his father's death. Hamlet lets the reader know that his sorrow runs much deeper than his clothes and sorrow filled eyes, saying about them that "These indeed seem, for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passes show; These but the trappings and the suits of woe." In this statement Hamlet pours out that his sorrows courses through every part of him. This sadness plays a huge part in Hamlet's overall mindset, his sorrow over his father's death has left him empty and without the will to live and prosper in this world. "O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His cannon `gainst self- slaughter!" Hamlet is contemplating suicide here, but understands that he has no chances for a peaceful after life if he takes his own life. He needs to find peace in the afterlife because his thoughts about this world are this: "How weary stale, flat and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! `Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed." Hamlet finds n... ...s of Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He returns secretly to Denmark and is prepared to and does carry out the Commandment. Throughout Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet finds the strength and drive to carry out the wishes of the Ghost of his father. His weakness laid in his sorrow over the death and in his fascination with the divine and eternal, where he found his strength was not from within himself but in other's abilities to devote themselves emotionally or with their lives to someone else's battle. Sources Consulted Greenblatt, Stephen. Shakespearean Negotiations: Inside the Mind of Hamlet. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998.   Nevo, Ruth. Comic Transformations in Shakespeare. London: Methuen & Co., 1980. Shakespeare, William. The New Cambridge Shakespeare: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Philip Edwards. Cambridge: Cambridge U P, 1985.

The Case of Billy Frank Vickers :: Essays Papers

The Case of Billy Frank Vickers According to the article, Prosecutors Doubt Inmate Confession True, by Angela K. Brown, Billy Frank Vickers, condemned inmate, received a lethal injection on Wednesday night January 28, 2004 for a 1993 murder after confessing that he was involved in about a dozen other crimes, including the shootings that placed a cloud of suspicion over Davis for three decades (Brown). Jack Strickland, a former prosecutor in the Davis case, said he had never heard of Vickers and that his claims were a last-ditch attempt to get attention and monkey around with the system. Now the question arises of whether lethal injection was the best option for punishing Billy Frank Vickers, not because he is innocent, but because of the question of whether it is humane to take away someone’s life by inserting chemicals into his or her body that may cause more pain than can ever be imagined. I personally believe that there is no justifiable reason to give someone the death penalty as a form of punishment. In the minds of the American public and jurors in capital cases the perception of lethal injection is of a clean, clinical, and painless end. As stated in the article, Lethal Injection, seventy-one percent of those responding to a 2001 survey considered injection to be the least cruel form of execution (Lethal Injection). This perception is an advantage to the state because the public is much more willing to accept execution in this form and jurors are more willing to convict and pass the death sentence. At times it is understood why the death penalty would be considered in cases. Maybe the people are a threat to not only society but also to themselves, and need to be put to death so they can do no harm to anyone. Vickers gunned down a grocery store owner who was probably trying to make a living for himself and his family. Now this man is gone; his family is left in agony, and maybe Vickers deserves to die. Some people may say an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, but do two wrongs make a right? Some people may consider the death penalty as inhumane. As stated in the article, Naked City, by Rita Radostitz, Texas uses three chemicals in the lethal injection process: sodium thiopental (an extremely short-term anesthetic), pancuronium bromide (which paralyses the diaphragm and other muscles so the inmate is unable to move or speak, even if he is in pain), and potassium chloride (which stops the heart).

Psychiatric evaluation in the Philippines Essay

1. How would you describe the status of Filipino mental health based on prevalence of psychiatric cases released by DOH and the National Center for Mental Health from 2009-2012? As taken from the report, the WHO identified that stigma, discrimination and neglect have prevented care and management from reaching persons with mental disorders .Psychiatric patients in the Philippines are usually managed in a mental hospital setting. DOH-commissioned Social Weather Stations survey found that 0.7 percent of total Filipino households have a family member who has a psychological disorder such as depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and substance abuse. The status of mental health in the Philippines is also greatly affected by psychosocial issues and stress happening in the country such as economic crisis (poverty) and problems in interpersonal relationship (family, friends and workplace). Although for now the status of Filipino mental health is being balanced by our cultural practices, it is with great importance that we recognize that to further decrease the incidence of psychiatric cases, we need to seek medical assistance to manage them. The Philippines is a country in which psychiatry is taboo. Despite being a very modernized and americanized nation for the most part, plenty of Filipinos still hold onto old traditional and religious beliefs. Psychological disorders are not seen as such, but are thought of as demonic possessions and the like. The social stigma associated with mental illness is a major cause for non-use of health and psychosocial services by Filipinos. The lack of understanding of mental illness and the importance of mental health among Filipinos is as serious as the lack of a regular and useful database on the prevalence, manifestations, causation and risk factors of mental illness in the country. Thus, in my point of view, although the Philippines has lower number when it comes to psychiatric cases than other countries, our approach in handling such cases are still primitive that it would greatly affect the society and might contribute to the future increase of such cases. 2. Criticize the DSM-IV-TR in terms of reliability and practicality. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is used by clinicians and psychiatrists to diagnose psychiatric illnesses. It improved diagnostic objectivity by adding prototypes or decision trees outlining defining features of disorders, which lead clinicians through sets of questions regarding the presence or absence of symptoms. Mental health providers use the manual to better understand a client’s potential needs as well as a tool for assessment and diagnosis. The DSM-IV Text Revision is based on five different dimensions. This multiaxial approach allows clinicians and psychiatrists to make a more comprehensive evaluation of a client’s level of functioning, because mental illnesses often impact many different life areas. I have read several reviews about this system and there has been charges that DSM criteria and categories have little lapse when it comes to reliability and validity of its diagnoses. Some even suggested widespread concerns that DSM diagnostic categories lack clinical, research, and educational utility and that they are misused in a variety of contexts. As I was browsing the net I found two studies that used to describe the reliability and validity of the DSM-IV TR: Hoffmann (2002) Hoffmann studied prison inmates to look at diagnoses of alcohol abuse, alcohol dependency and cocaine dependency, to see if differences would occur in a computer-prompted structured interview, compared to the DSM-IV-TR criteria. It was found that the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis was valid and that the interview data supported the idea that dependence was more a severe syndrome than abuse. The symptoms from the automated interview matched those of the DSM criteria. Lee (2006) Lee studied the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of ADHD to see if it would be suitable for Korean children, and looked at gender differences in the features of ADHD in the DSM. The DSM lists eighteen criteria for ADHD linked to children’s behavior. In total, 48 primary school teachers rated the behavior of 1,663 children (904 of which were boys, the remaining girls) using a questionnaire. Lee looked for concurrent validity by comparing the DSM-IV-TR criteria with criteria arising from the questionnaire, and compared DSM behavioral and psychological characteristics with those found in an ADHD test. Previous studies had showed that ADHD children had oppositional deficit disorder, ODD, as well, having problems with peers and discipline. Lee decided that finding the same correlation would support the diagnosis and show the DSM to be a valid tool. The same relationship was observed, and so it was said that the DSM-IV-TR had concurrent validity. Also found it to be reliable, as the correlation could check for similar diagnoses. However, the study found that for girls, the DSM-IV-TR symptoms and diagnoses were less compatible than they were for boys, which was a weakness found with the DSM as a diagnostic tool. When it comes to practicality, the DSM-IV TR provides readily available diagnoses that helps clinicians to plan a treatment to patients since the DSM-IV is a categorical classification system. To be reliable as a diagnostic classification system, there would have to be consistency with the DSM. This means that the DSM is reliable if the clinicians using it consistently arrive at the same diagnoses as each other. Validity is the extent to which a measure of a psychological variable measures what it sets out to measure. Essentially this means the correct variable (in clinical psychology, this variable will be a mental disorder) is measured, by arriving at the correct diagnosis. Needless to say, if the DSM were not reliable, it would not be valid either. This is because if it is unreliable it means inconsistent diagnoses are made, and so it must not be valid either as surely the correct diagnosis is being made. 3. With the patient’s right to privacy, what are the advantages and disadvantages of observing such right in a psychiatric setting? Privacy is defined in terms of a person having control over the extent, timing, and circumstances of sharing oneself physically, behaviorally or intellectually with others. Psychiatric patients have unique needs and quite often several issues are at stake. Although we handle these patients with a specialized form of care, all of them have all the same rights. One of the most important right is the right to privacy. Advocating a patient’s right is one of the fundamentals of nursing. The nurse must safeguard the patient’s right to privacy. This does not only mean the right to be left alone but more importantly avoiding unwanted intrusion into the patient’s life. The nurse advocates for an environment that provides for sufficient physical privacy, including auditory privacy for discussions of a personal nature and policies and practices that protect the confidentiality of information. Maintaining the privacy of a psychiatric patient and practicing confidentiality has a lot of advantages. It helps establish trust between a health care provider and the patient, whereas he feels respected thus gathering needed information regarding the patient’s status, including needs and concerns becomes easy. It also helps to reduces worry on the part of the patient and maintains his dignity. Therefore it could give the patient a sense of control and promotes autonomy. Moreover every freedom should also have its limitation. When we talk about privacy in the psychiatric setting, in times where patients lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves, their best interests should be considered during the treatment. Any treatment should be the least intrusive option for the patient. A patient’s right to privacy may be limited in situations where a person must be continuously observed, such as when restrained or in seclusion when immediate and serious risk to harm self (such as when the patient is under suicide precautions or special observation status) or others exists. Although this advocates for the safety of the patients in the hospital, some patients may find this experience confusing or upsetting. Furthermore, in practicing their right to access their records, some psychiatric patients might become more worried and pessimistic after reading their records especially if they are not responding well to treatments. And also in case of involuntary hospitalization (which is usually justified by patients’ imminent dangerousness to themselves or others, or their inability to meet basic needs) patients feel their privacy is being violated. In acknowledgement of the seriousness of depriving a patient of freedom in an involuntary commitment, the involuntary patient could insist his right to privacy and might withhold key information about his status that may contribute to his treatment. The patients’ rights especially regarding his privacy has its advantages and limitations which may result to various effects on his well-being. Health care providers should consider privacy a basic human right and confidentiality a professional obligation.