Starbucks Global Issues

Business Faculty Starbucks Case Study. Written by: Module title: Issues in Global Business & Consultancy Module code: 6IM004 Word count: 2902 Contents Introduction3 Methodology4 Company’s profile5 Globalisation6 Globalisation of markets6 Globalisation of production7 Antiglobalisation protests7 Business ethics8 Employment practices8 Human rights8 Environmental pollution9 Moral obligations9 Conclusion10 References:11 Introduction Globalisation referred by Hill (2009) is the shift towards a more integrated world. It is the process of economies, societies and cultures integrated through a global network.One of those networks is trade network. This means that there is a movement of materials and goods between national boundaries. Globalisation also involves movement of labour and causes a variety of effects: political ethical, cultural, social, etc. More importantly, the effects brought by it can cause issues that require further investigation. The purpose of this report is to cent er around a major organisation – Starbucks Coffee Company and to carry out a depth investigation into its position in global market and issues related to it.The report will firstly present the research methods used to get the information and justify that. Secondly, will discuss globalisation and its position in Starbucks Company including criticism that exists. Later on, the report will discuss ethical issues raised by the globalisation of the company, including employment practices, human rights, environmental pollution and moral obligations. Finally, the conclusion will be drawn. Methodology In order to investigate the company and its operations, the research has to be carried out so that issues could be addressed.As described by University of Oxford, research â€Å"comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applica tions† (2010). The stock of knowledge in this case refers to the information of the company. Research is carried out to define a series of problems or issues. The context of research has to be described in order to specify why it is important to understand and learn about raised questions.Also, particular research methods have to be chosen, described and justification on why they were chosen and what impact it has on the discussion has to be given. To start with, two topics to investigate were chosen for the research. The definition of issues was given to understand what information is needed. Then, the research was carried out. There are different methods the research can be carried out, however for this case study the research was based on the collection of qualitative data that already exists.Brassington & Pettit (2003) describe it as a secondary data that was collected by someone else for one purpose and is later used by someone else for the same or other purposes. It can include newspapers, magazines, books, websites, memos, transcripts of conversations, annual reports, etc. This type of research allows one to understand existing theories and look for examples which then may lead to drawing the conclusions about relevant issues. In this case study, numerous sources of secondary data was used: books, journal articles, web-sites.Also, statistical and numerical data presented by Power Point presentations was acquired I order to justify theories and identify company’s positions. â€Å"Case study† term has to be brought in this context as the research is focusing only one specific objective – Starbucks Coffee Company. Colorado State University (2010) defines case study as a collection and presentation of information of specific agent and drawing a conclusion only about that specific agent. It is a form of qualitative research. Researches investigating a case study do not look for discoveries but focus on exploration and description.A ll in all, the methodology used to conduct a research helped to build a case study centering around Starbucks Coffee Company, which provided a depth-description of it, raised questions and provided justifications. Finally, after emphasizing the importance of issues and the importance caused to the company, the research allowed drawing the conclusions and giving recommendations. Company’s profile Starbucks, first opened in Seattle in 1971 and now operates in over 16,000 locations in 50 countries.The mission of the company is to nurture the human spirit – â€Å"one person, one cup, and one neighbourhood at a time† (Starbucks 2010). The company emphasizes the fact how important it is to Starbucks to deliver the best coffee to its customers. Therefore it aims to serve coffee grown under best conditions, also including ethical and healthy standards. The organisation sees its employees as the heart of the company and treats them with respect and dignity. It even offer s the percentage of the equity to its employees also called â€Å"partners† by the company.The company aims to be known not only for the quality of the coffees it offers but also for being a responsible business. It wants to be respected by customers, partners and suppliers. Therefore Starbucks has established ethical policies to follow: â€Å"we have identified three areas of focus: ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement† (Starbucks 2010). The company is constantly expanding by adapting international strategy – joint ventures or providing licenses to other companies to own and operate Starbucks stores.This is the impact of globalisation which will be discussed further. It is still look for countries to set up in (Jung 2003). Globalisation As mentioned before, globalisation is a shift towards integration of economy, cultures and societies. Hill (2009) identifies two sectors of globalisation: globalisation of markets and globalisati on of production. Globalisation of markets Hill (2009) defines globalisation of markets as the merging of very distinctive from the historical point of view and separate national markets into one global unit.He continues explaining that markets converge as consumers’ tastes and preferences from different countries are becoming more and more alike. Vrontis et al. (2009) confirms that the world is becoming similar in terms of consumers’ needs and environmental factors no matter what geographical locations they are in. Moreover, globalisation also stimulates the movement of people from one country to another which means that it is easier for people to learn about different cultures more easily as well as adapt new lifestyles. As consumers have same demands, similar marketing strategies can be applied worldwide.Starbucks is a facilitator and benefactor of globalisation of markets as it offers the same basic product worldwide. Although there are many proponents of standardi sation used globally, there are also supporters of the view that markets cannot be standardized due to cultural influences upon the consumers. Despite that, firms operating internationally, bring their own assets to other countries – products, operating strategies, marketing strategies and brand names that can be amended later on. For instance, Starbucks operates in a number of countries with different tastes.If we take UK and China, the coffee served is the same, the brand promotion is similar, the logo used is the same as a result of strengthening brand identity and image, while the food served in stores has the flavour of the culture the store is located (Simmons 2005). This brings up the standardisation vs. adaptation phenomenon which occurs in global markets. In this case Starbucks uses both approaches by standardizing products (coffees) and promotion campaigns (same image) and adapting to different cultures (different flavours).Starbucks shows adaptation further by offe ring green tea frappucino’es in Asia and separate men-only and family areas in Middle East. Due to globalisation and expansion, Starbucks has the largest market share in the industry. [pic] Picture1: Starbucks locations worldwide (www. pajamadeen. com 2008). Globalisation of production According to Hill (2009) globalisation of production refers to â€Å"sourcing goods and services from locations around the globe to take advantage of national differences in the cost and quality of factors of production (labour, energy, land, capital)†. Outsourcing allows companies to compete ore effectively and benefit from economies of scale. Starbucks is the facilitator of globalisation of production as highest quality Arabica beans for coffees are produced in coffee farms in Latin America, Africa and Asia (Starbucks 2010). Although it might seem that globalisation of production can implement high costs on the organisation, in reality it doesn’t. Hill (2009) explains that trans portation costs have declined as well as costs of information processing due to technological development. These changes now allow Starbucks to achieve their goal to serve best quality coffees by dispersing production system.In this way, the company also enjoys lower prices of production due to ability of the chosen locations to produce coffee beans better than let’s say United Kingdom. Moreover, the benefits of globalisation of production can be seen not only by Starbucks but also by people living in production countries as new work places are created. Antiglobalisation protests Although business leaders and economists insist that international trade and investment is driving global markets towards a greater prosperity, stimulates economic growth and helps to create jobs, globalisation has its critics.The actions of the critics are called globalisation protests (Hill 2009). Critics protest against issues raised by globalisation including job losses in the industries that are attacked from foreign competitors, unfair wages for unskilled workforce, environmental degradation and cultural imperialism (the use of power to spread the values and habits of foreign country under the costs of native country – The University of Florida Interactive Media Lab 2010). Starbucks is no exception in this case.When it decided to cut 600 stores in the US and 61 in Australia cutting of up to 12,000 jobs in America and 685 in the country, this, as said by British journalist â€Å"earned VIP status at the top table of brands that anti-globalisation activists love to hate (cited in O’Neill 2008). This was criticized as the company betrayed it’s view about employees seeing in the heart of the company by cutting job places during difficult economic times in order to save profits. The jobs were most important to immigrants and students to support themselves.Another criticized factor was that the skills gained in the company by the workforce were hardly tran sferable (O’Neill 2008). Starbucks was perceived negatively in the UK and other European countries as well. These â€Å"American bullies† (Bloomberg 2005) are blamed for devastating local cafes, treating staff badly and putting its suppliers to poverty. However, Starbucks is trying to reduce criticism by showing the awareness of the countries they get products from – Sumatra, Kenya, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, participating and supporting local charities and winning awards.Starbucks leader Howard Schultz explains that the company is trying not to influence other countries and adapting to local cultures by serving the core product adding local tastes. Business ethics The criticism of anti-globalists has increased the number of ethical issues in the company. Hill (2009) defines ethics as â€Å"the accepted principles of right and wrong that govern the conduct of a person, the members of profession, or the actions of an organisation†. Ethical strategy i s the path of actions conducted by businessmen that do not violate the accepted principles.Many ethical issues in international businesses depend on different political systems, laws, development and cultures. What can be acceptable I one country can be highly restricted in another. Starbucks Coffee Company has a number of ethical issues to be discussed. Employment practices The question often faced by international companies is what employment practices should be applied in the countries they operate. Do the same working hours, wages and benefits should be used?Back in 1999 the concern was raised in Kent, United States, about Starbucks employment practices as the complaints included suspension without pay for swearing or supporting unions, safety issues, unstandartised wage system and denied promotions. To overcome that Shultz introduced healthcare benefits that were welcomed with praise for the company. The benefits were also applied for part-time workers that was seen a good impl ementation of business ethics by US president (Organic Consumers Association 2010). Moreover, individual complains were handled and opportunities provided for the promotion.In general Starbucks has been rated at no. 16 on the list of 100 Best Companies to Work for in 2007 (2008) and no. 11 on the list of best companies for women to work too. This leads to the assumption that the company implements good employment strategies. Starbucks offers benefits such as tuition reimbursement, partner benefits, a wellness program. All in all, Starbucks tries to implement a standardized employment strategy in its stores worldwide, providing same benefits to the employees and emphasizing the view of workforce being in the heart of the company. Human rights Basic human rights are still not accepted in certain countries.The companies have to inform their employees about the human law so that practices they conduct would be correct. However, Starbucks has already suffered from misconduct of human rig hts. One of the most obvious examples goes to December 2010 when staff locked up opponents of the regime in Bahrain in a branch in the capital Manama (Spencer 2010). The company had to apologize for the incident. Talking about the human rights within the organization, Starbucks is committed to treat all employees equally with the provision of human rights and eliminating discriminatory practices (Starbucks 2010).The company has Starbucks Global Human Rights Policy which guides employees and â€Å"protects the unique rights of children to pursue basic education as a priority over work, prohibits forced labor, supports the rights of employees to engage in free association, and supports the provision of equal human rights to all persons† (Starbucks 2010). Environmental pollution Ethical issues arise when environmental regulations differ between the home country of the company and other nations the organisation operates (Hill, 2009).Less developed countries are not as strict ther efore pollution there might be bigger. This concern Starbucks as it acquires its products in third world countries. To show its responsibility, Starbucks has created Starbucks Shared Planet Tm, which has 3 commitments: â€Å"sourcing our coffee ethically, acting as good stewards of the environment, and being actively involved in our communities† (Starbucks 2010). The company aims to minimize the negative effect it gives to the earth, tackle climate change and encourage others to follow their footsteps.The company is focused on reducing the environmental effects by using disposable cups, increasing recycling policies and reducing the use of energy. Moral obligations The power of using and moving resources from country to county and controlling it is constrained not only by regulations but also by social responsibility which is the consequences of economic actions (Hill 2009). Theorists insist that for the success the companies get from nations, the organisations should give so mething back to the societies to make equilibrium.Therefore social responsibility refers to the honourable behaviour of the company in the response to the participation of certain agents to their success. Starbucks highly values its suppliers and the communities they are based in. Therefore the company is involved in local charities and campaigns. â€Å"Since 2001, Starbucks has contributed $126 million to communities in cash and in-kind donations and has supported nearly 1. 5 million volunteer hours (Starbucks 2010). † The company wants to make the difference I the communities its plants operate.Starbucks want to provide good environments to their suppliers and employees so that it could be transferred to the customers later on. Conclusion It can be clearly seen that due to converging markets businesses are trying to expand internationally. Starbucks Coffee Company is not an exception. It now has the largest share of the market and continues to grow. However, not all of the countries converge in the same way, which makes some of them still very distant. Therefore Starbucks has to adapt different marketing strategies worldwide.This can be resulted in the criticism by anti-globalisation movement, which raises important questions on business ethics. It can be seen that Starbucks has faced a number of problems considering employment practises and human rights, however it is heading towards strong business ethics concept by trying to adapt similar employment processes offering benefits, having human rights protection protocol, participating in local communities and encouraging the reduction of economical pollution. References: 1. Hill, C. W. L. (2009) International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace. th edn. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. 2. Brassington, F. & Pettitt, S. (2003) â€Å"Principles of Marketing†. 4th edn. London: Prentice Hall. 3. Marques, J. F. (2008) Spiritual Performance from the Organisational Perspective: a Starbucks Way, C orporate Governance. 8 (3), pp. 248-257. 4. Vrontis, D. , Thrassou, A. & Lamprianou, I. (2009) International Marketing Adaptation versus Standardisation of Multinational Companies, International Marketing Review. 26 (4/5), pp. 477-500. University of Oxford. (2010) Frascati Definition of Research. [Online]. Available at: http://www. dmin. ox. ac. uk/rso/applying/frascati. shtml (Accessed 3 December 2010). Colorado State University. (2010) Writing @ CSU [Online]. Available at: http://writing. colostate. edu/guides/research/casestudy/pop2a. cfm (Accessed 5 December 2010) Starbucks Coffee. (2010) Starbucks Company Profile. [Online]. Available at: http://www. starbucks. com/assets/company-profile-feb10. pdf (Accessed: 13 December 2010). Global Exchange. (2003) Lattes for all: Starbucks plans global expansion. [Online]. Available at: http://www. globalexchange. org/campaigns/fairtrade/coffee/662. tml (Accessed: 13 December 2010). Pajamadeen. (2008) Why Starbucks Failed in Australia. [Onli ne]. Available at: http://www. pajamadeen. com/tag/starbucks (Accessed 13 December 2010). University of Florida. (2010) Cultural Imperialism. [Online]. Available at: http://iml. jou. ufl. edu/projects/Spring01/Poux/Cultural%20Imperialism. html (Accessed 15 December 2010). Spiked. (2008) Starbucks and the socialism  of fools. [Online]. Available at: http://www. spiked-online. com/index. php/site/article/5547/ (Accessed 9 December 2010). Business Week. (2005) Starbucks: Selling the American Bean. Online] Available at: http://www. businessweek. com/innovate/content/dec2005/id20051201_506349. htm (Accessed 11 December 2010). Organic Consumers Association. (2010) Starbucks’ Grinding Labor By Doug Nielson. [Online]. Available at: http://www. organicconsumers. org/starbucks/grinding. cfm (Accessed 13 December 2010). The Telegraph. (2010) Bahrain human rights petition Starbucks. [Online]. Available at: http://www. telegraph. co. uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/bahrain/8191731/Bahrain- human-rights-petition-Starbucks. html (Accessed 13 December 2010).

Linking words

To vary the language there are alternatives like besides (dessuten/dessutan) and in addition (i tillegg): She is a good car mechanic. Besides, she is a very nice person. but: It was pouring down, but we managed to finish our work. However is a good alternative for but: His friend, however, didn't like it at all. We can also use expressions like yet, still, nevertheless (likevel) to vary our language: It was pouring down, still/nevertheless we managed to finish our work. or: Would you like to do it now or would you rather wait?The following expressions are often used: ither – or (enten – eller / anten – eller), whether – or (enten – eller / anten – eller), neither – nor (verken – eller): He must either walk or use his bike. Whether you walk or use your bike is the same to me. so: It was a long way to go, so we had to start off quite early. Therefore and consequently are words that could be used as alternatives. There are conjunct ions which introduce subordinate clauses (leddsetninger/leddsetningar).Here are some of the most common ones: Time clauses: when, while (mens), after, before, until/till, since, as soon as, as long as: While e were having breakfast, the sun broke through. Concessive clauses (innr?mmelse/ vedg?ing): though/although/even though/even if (selv om / sJ?lv 0m), whatever (hva – enn / kva – enn), no matter who/what/when/how (uansett hvem, hva, n?r, hvordan / uansett kven, kva, n?r, korleis): We tried once more, even though we knew it wouldn't work. Whatever you do, please dont leave me here!Comparative clauses (sammenlignende/samanliknande): than (enn), as – as: He did much better than me, even though I did as well as I could. Conditional clauses (betingelse/vilk?r): if, unless (med mindre), provided (that) (forutsatt at / f?resett at), as long as: I'll go if you go! This won't work unless you get more help. Causal clauses (?rsak): because, since, as: He wouldn't listen to me, because he was so angry. Since/As he was so angry, he wouldn't listen to me. Using Relative Pronouns Relative pronouns (who, which, that) are used to combine sentences: I have two good friends.They will come to me tomorrow. – I have two good friends, who will come to me tomorrow. Jogging is a nice sport. Everybody can do this sport. – Jogging is a nice sport, which everybody can do. Combining sentences with relative pronouns is more common in written English than in spoken English. Using Ing-torms The ing-form of the verb can be used to make the language more varied and often better. Look at the two sentences She was walking through the main street and She met two good friends.They can be combined by using a conjunction: While she was walking through the main street, she met two good friends. But you can also use an ng-form and shorten the sentence: Walking through the main street, she met two good friends. NB! When you use an ing-form like this, the subject of the two parts must be the same. Another example: Standing in front of me, she could see the stage much better. An ing-form can be used to replace a defining (n?dvendig) relative clause: Did you talk to the person who passed you? – Did you talk to the person passing you?Using Infinitive Constructions Infinitive constructions can be used to make sentences â€Å"flow† better. Look at the ollowing examples where that, when, where, how, what sentences are replaced by infinitive constructions: I was glad that I could leave – I was glad to leave. She was sorry when she heard about the accident – She was sorry to hear about the accident. We found out where we could leave our luggage – We found out where to leave our luggage. He knew how he would get to the place – He knew how to get to the place. Do you understand what you have to do? Do you understand what to do? NB! The subject in the main clause and the subordinate clause must be the same. Look at the following sentence: My father told me what I should do. In sentences where the indirect object (me) is the same as the subject of the subordinate clause (l), we can use an infinitive construction to improve our language: My father told me what to do. Using Special Expressions There are lots of words and expressions which can be used to bind sentences together and which can help us continue a special line of thought.Here are some which you may find useful: to begin with/flrst of all – for det f?rste in the first place secondly, thirdly for det andre, for det tredJe finally – til slutt to sum up – for ? runde av besides – dessuten/dessutan turtnermore – videre/vidare in addition – i tillegg on the contrary – tvert i mot on the one hand – p? den ene siden / p? den eine sida on the other hand – p? den andre siden / p? den andre sida because of this – p? grunn av dette consequently – derfor for this reaso n – av denne grunn above all – framfor alt first and foremost – f?rst og fremst in spite of, despite – til tross for / trass i yet, still, nevertheless – likevel

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Perspectives on Caring About Animals - Essay Example Third, the book explains the human-animal bond (Davis 29).   The book explains that having pets generates a healthy environment. By having pets, the elderly person can be preoccupied with an activity that keeping boredom out of the home.  Ã‚   The book also shows the important of giving space to the animals to do their thing. Doing their thing includes sleeping, roaming around, feeding, self hygiene, and even mating. Impact.The book creates a great impact on my current knowledge about pet care (Davis 57). The book adds significant knowledge to my daily preparation pet nutrition. The book enumerates the vitamin and mineral requirements of my favorite pet dog. My application of the book’s food discussion has generated big results. My pet dog had metamorphosed from a lazy sleepy dog to a more active and playful ball retriever. Whenever I play catch the ball game, my pet dog runs faster, higher, and whoops (dog sound) more excitedly. The nutrition part of the book has allowed my pet dog to have more playing time. After feeding my dog the necessary vitamin and other energy-boosting food requirements, my pet dog’s energy  Ã‚   has quadrupled. Research Perspectives.     The book greatly contributes to my research perspectives (Davis 29). The book adds to my current knowledge about pet care. The book rejects many of the traditional ways of caring for animals. Many of the traditional ways are not medically approved by the authorized pet care authority, Medical Veterinarian.   The book discusses the social values about pets (Davis 137).

Utilization of Social Media in Arab Uprisings Essay

Utilization of Social Media in Arab Uprisings - Essay Example Both Tunisia and Egypt were revolutionized simultaneously because they were dividing sophisticated techniques of technologies in strengthening their results of rebellion. The civilians of these countries wanted to end and preempt numerous years of humiliation, bribery and exploitation. The crowded citizens in the streets did not gather to promote their political views or suggestions, but their main objective was to riot against social economic conditions; such as high cost of living and unemployment. The beliefs of citizens transformed due to their political involvements and this made both the juveniles and elderly to discover themselves both as patriots and rebels. Communication technologies were highly useful and this made a lot of people able to reach their groups in effective time. This essay encompasses all the supportive materials to explain the rebellion of Arabs, covers in details some of the techniques which were utilized in success of their uprising and also conclusions. Social networks were useful and played significant informational and organizational duties. The social platform such as Facebook facilitated the removal of Tunisia’s Ben Ali and Egypt’s Mubarak to digital platform. Assertions for example ‘‘This is Facebook Uprising† were regular in major lanes and cities, whereas root problems of corruption and exploitation of human rights in most of the Arab nations was a menace. Media of interactions such as Facebook, YouTube, and mobile phones were in plenty and were mainly used by a number of literate persons. Many of the Protestants in streets and cities lost their lives but the revolution groups prevailed persistence with their technological plans. Groups of networks generated friends, families and members of other networks.

Cultural Impacts of Sino-Japanese War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cultural Impacts of Sino-Japanese War - Essay Example At the same time as both - China and Japan - had benefited from a mostly symbiotic, i"big brother-little brother" rapport in prehistoric times, and the twist of the 20th century marked the commencement of their disturbed rapport up to now. Japan's imperialist triumph over China in the earliest Sino-Japanese War (1894-1985) upturned China's preceding supremacy within the bond and lay down the tenor for Japan's domination over China for the century ahead. China's consequential bearing of Achilles' heel and persecution was worsened by enforced lenience to Japan at the "Versailles Peace Conference post-World War I"ii, which sparkled crowded anti-Japanese lobbies terminating in the 'May Fourth Movement of 1919' and a countrywide imposed sanctions of Japanese merchandise that pursued (Shih 1986). Later on, Japanese carnage in the following Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) also seeded crowded anti-Japanese movements and cemented China's hatred of Japan, eventually fueling the anti-Japanese con stituents of Chinese jingoism. Till 2005, 'the Rape of Nanjing of December 1937'iii - the most horrible single event of Japanese bloodbath in China, where 300,000 Chinese nationals were cruelly assassinated throughout six weeks - persisted to exist on in Chinese reminiscences as a mark of Japanese brutality and a stimulation for continuous anti-Japanese ways of thinking in China these days (Backman 2005). The intensifying Sino-Japanese conflict is driven both by larger historical factors and by East Asia's changing strategic balance. World War II and the Cold War left the Sino-Japanese rivalry unresolved (Backman 2005). Japan's surrender in 1945 did not result in regional reconciliation or integration in East Asia, or a common acceptance within Japan of the ravages perpetrated by the imperialistic regime. Although most Japanese supported the U.S.-created peace establishment and vowed never again to engage in warfare, the values, perceptions, and leaders of the period of imperial expansion were not categorically washed their hands of, as their fascist equivalents had been in Europe. This was partly the result of U.S. decisions to retain the emperor and permit politicians and bureaucrats associated with the imperial wartime regime to regain positions and organize political parties in the "new" postwar Japan (McCluskey 1999). More broadly, postwar Japanese society did not entirely jettis on its distorted self-image of Japan as a struggling Asian nation beset by Western imperialists and eventually forced into a defensive war. Many Japanese also prefer to see themselves as victims of the war and not as aggressors, largely as a result of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Moreover, the Communist victory in China in 1949iv created lasting geopolitical divisions between the two Asian powers that made reconciliation even more difficult. In order to strengthen their own nationalist credentials, the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) deliberately sought to sustain and strengthen a public image of Japan as a potentially aggressive, militaristic nation. During the Cold War, the U.S.-Soviet strategic conflict in East Asia not only overshadowed but effectively

Equal Opportunity in Education Essay Example for Free

Equal Opportunity in Education Essay The whole object of education isto develop the mind. (Sherwood Anderson) The United States of America has developed a system to educate its youth by a publicly funded system. It is the law and born civil right of each citizen to attend some form of education by a particular age. The public school system is set in place for those who choose not to send their offspring to private, religious, or charter schools. This is the present incarnation of the public school system. It is said to be equal in all manner throughout the country. That has not always been the case in this nation. That has brought forth numerous laws and enactments to grant those who find themselves on the lesser side of gaining knowledge more of an equal footing where education is concerned. In this land of opportunity, there is an expected level of availability that is expected. In a world of intense competition from within and outside of the country education one of the few ways of balancing the scales of the socially or monetarily disadvantaged is proportionate education. In this nation children have at one point or another in history been systematically held back for one reason or another. The reasons differ in the once beliefs that they were not able to learn or personal thought of not being worthy to be taught. In 1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson granted the states the right to uphold the separate but equal doctrine that ruled the land. This was a great lost to all those that held a hope those later generations would do better than those who came before. Education began to become more balanced when separate but equal was pushed aside by the landmark case of Brown vs. The Board of Education. In 1954 The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Henry Billings Brown. This would begin the integration of public school which was the first step into equal opportunity for students nationwide. The Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was the next big step creating a system that would seek a fair learning experience for all. Its basic notion is that state and local funds for schools should be equitable before federal Title I funds are added to schools with large concentrations of low-income students. (americanprogress.org) The Title I funding has a slight problem in its workings that has been a detriment to the children who attend these schools. The amount of money allocated to the schools is based on the salaries of the teachers. That is a problem for schools with a high turnover ratio. Schools that have moderately younger staff that is relatively new to the task of educating young minds make less than the veterans of the better school districts. This translates into less money per teacher and that equals less money for the school and the children. It is unfortunate that less money ultimately means less of educational opportunities. The fact is that children in low income areas do not receive a fair share of money. The student need is not met by the standards laid out by the government. Money is the root of a proper education in this high end technological world. Without proper funds the simplest of supplies cannot be purchased. Computers, books, calculators, or simple printer ink is not available on a scale that is considered suitable. The eventual sharing of materials is a detriment to the students who are not allowed to have their own because of lack of equipment ready for use. The civil rights case would eventually open the door for other minorities. One that would take advantage of the Brown ruling was those with disabilities. In Brown the Court declared that it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. (web.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu.) They would use this to rally their forces and demand equal opportunities for cognitively i mpaired children. Mills vs. the Board of Education of the District of Columbia and the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children vs. Pennsylvania were two cases that brought the plight of these students to the light of day. The law would be changed to give them the rights that they so richly deserved. The newest in leveling the field of education has come through the No Child Left Behind Act which was signed into being by former President George W. Bush in 2002. These reforms express my deep belief in our public schools and their mission to build the mind and character of every child, from every background, in every part of America. (George W. Bush, 2001) No Child Left Behind puts an emphasis on improving the quality of public education. It calls for increased accountability, more choices for parents and students, putting reading first, and a higher emphasis on standardized testing. However the standardized testing is one of the biggest problems of the act. The majority of teachers has a problem with the testing and calls it bias. They also put forth that the testing takes away from the true teaching of knowledge, rather they now teach to test. This makes the education of the nation less than competitive with other countries. To combat these problems in our ever changing world we must go back to the beginning. In that thought process society must rethink its past transgressions. The country must avoid the same mistakes of the past. Politicians are not the ones who should make the decisions to lead the future of United States of America. Educators should be in charge of educating the youth. Those who have spent their lives gaining knowledge to teach the children of their world should be tasked with the job of finding a way to educate equally. This task should be given to those who best fit the job description. The assignment should be outsourced if it is needed. Other countries excel in education and this nation could learn from those who educate on higher levels. Educating the masses on a more equal platform will only add to greatness. Reference Quotes on Education (n.d.) Retrieved May 20, 2011, from http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/eduquote.htm Ensuring Equal Opportunity in Public Education (n.d.) Retrieved May 20, 2011, from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/06/comparability.html Plessy v. Ferguson (n.d.) Retrieved May 20, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson OVERVIEW Executive Summary (n.d.) Retrieved May 21, 2011, from http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.html The Need for Equal Opportunity and a Right to Quality Education (n.d.) Retrieved May 21, 2011, from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/detail? Equal Opportunity (n.d.) Retrieved May 21, 2011, from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer An American perspective on equal educational opportunities (2002) Retrieved May 21, 2011, from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?

Being on Time Essay Example for Free

Being on Time Essay Being on time is very important. It is a sign of respect to the person you are meeting. If you are always late, youre creating a bad reputation for yourself. People feel they cant trust you or rely on you, so it impacts relationships. It also impacts self-esteem. Being late is upsetting to others and stressful for the one who is late. Peoples stress level is very high when theyre late. Theyre racing, worried, and anxious. They spend the first few minutes apologizing. And that’s not the best way to making a good impression. So if you want to be on time you must first figure out why you are always late. The reason can usually be classified as either technical or psychological. For example if youre always late by a different amount of time 5 minutes sometimes, 15, or even 40 minutes other times it is likely that the cause is technical. Its a case of bad planning, of thinking you need less time than you actually do. Another technical difficulty for some people is the inability to say no to additional commitments when theyre short on time. But if you are literally always 10 minutes late, its psychological. Youre arriving exactly when you want. The question is why? For some people, its a resistance thing. They dont want to do what other people expect them to. Another category is the â€Å"crisis-maker†. These are people who cannot get themselves together until they get an adrenaline rush. They need to be under the gun to get them selves moving. There are also people who are late because they worry they won’t have nothing to do while waiting. This problem can be solved easily. Always carry a book or magazine. So you aren’t feeling bored and you don’t have the feeling of â€Å"excess† time when you are waiting. And that’s not the only thing that can help you to deal with lateness. You can also†¦ †¢ Clean out your purse or briefcase each evening so it’s ready to go the next morning. †¢ Know how much money is in your wallet so you won’t run out of cash at an awkward time. †¢ Give up that â€Å"one last thing† before walking out the door. †¢ Think about what you could do with an extra five minutes for every place where you arrive early. †¢ Review your plans for the rest of the day and make note of things that have changed. †¢ Keep a clock in a prominent location so you can check it quickly when you have to leave your activities. †¢ Always keep keys, purse and backpack on hooks and a shelf by the exit door. †¢ Set your clocks 5 to 10 minutes ahead. Although remember that at dinner party its rude to arrive early; you might surprise the host and find him in his bathrobe vacuuming. In Japan, China, Germany and the United States being on time is the rule. In other places, such as Latin America punctuality is rare. Punctuality exhibits respect for the time of others; you do not waste their time while they wait for you. But it makes it difficult for Germans to act spontaneously. You cant really call someone and say, Lets go for a coffee. Many Germans will want that date in their diaries for at least a week. Back in the technological dark ages, you couldnt contact people so easily, so you made an effort to meet them on time. Nowadays if you are running late you simply call the person and delay or cancel the meeting. However that should not become a habit, because you may delay, but time will not. I used to be late all the time. But I’ve got tired of running down the street to catch the bus and bored of explaining to everyone why I’m late again. So I decided to deal with the problem. First step was setting my clocks 5 min ahead and it really works for me. But I realized that everything is in my head. I just have to decide that the meeting or event is just too important for me to be late. I won’t say I’m always on time, but I’m trying. As someone else said: Better late than never, but better never late! [pic].

Impact Of The Mega Sport Event On Tourism Tourism Essay

Impact Of The Mega Sport Event On Tourism Tourism Essay There are only two mega sport events namely the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics based on the scale of media interest. It means mega-sport event has unique natures such as outstanding reputation, adequate attention and worldwide scope already. A well-managed mega-sport event such as FIFA World Cup will attracts millions of visitors to a place. The tourism related to mega-sport event can be classified as sport event tourism that Foo L. M (2000) defined sport events tourism as the main purpose of the travel is to take part in an organized sporting activity, either as a spectator, participant or official. For example, the diverse preparations in Sydney for the 2000 Games not only cater for the 11,116 athletes, but also take into consideration the potential tourism inflow from Olympic spectators (which could number in the millions), athletes families, and estimated 15,000 media personnel (Groote, 2005). During the event holding, tourists spend money in related tourism businesses like restaurant, shop and hotel, and they may also visit surrounding tourist destinations and attractions. Obviously, tourism obtains benefits directly and indirectly from mega-sport event; while these benefits are various and long-term. In case of 2000 Sydney Olympics (Australian Tourist Commision, 2001): Visitors to Australia: 406,500 international visitors in September 2000, 15% higher than September 1999 (Australian Bureau of Statistics preliminary data). Worldwide Olympic TV audience: 3.7 billion in 220 countries (IOC) Worldwide Olympic Internet audience: 20 million (IOC) Brand Australia has been advanced by ten years, meaning what the world now knows about Australia, it wouldnt have known until 2010 had Sydney not hosted the Games (ATC). The ATCs media relations program generated an addition A$3.8 billion in publicity for Australia between 1997 and 2000 (ATC) The ATCs partnerships with major Olympic sponsors, such as Visa, McDonalds, Kodak and Coca-Cola generated in additional A$300 million in additional advertising exposure for Australia (ATC). In late 1999, the ATC launched the Australia 2000 fun and games campaign to encourage visitation to Australia in 2000. This was aimed at insuring against avoidance, as had been the experience of other major event host cities and countries. In 2000, visitor arrivals to Australia increased by 10.9% to almost five million according to preliminary Australian Bureau of Statistics figures (ABS). In excess of 100 business events, generating millions of additional export dollars for Australia can be directly attributed to the ATCs New Century. New World, Australia 2001 campaign aimed at capturing business tourism for Australia off the back of the Games. (ATC) etc. Furthermore, Hudson S. (2003) summarized relevant benefits for the host as follows: Major sport events can be catalysts for new facilities and new or improved infrastructure When sport facilities are built, they become permanent event venues Major sport events can be catalysts for attracting training sessions and other types of events, such as meetings and exhibitions There is potential for various sport events year round Sport events can reflect and enhance culture and local traditions, helping to create a unique and attractive sense of place Media coverage and its impact on developing a sport destination image can be more important than actual visitor spending Sport events can assist in destination branding by providing powerful, active lifestyle images and making cultural themes come alive However, hosting a major sports event also has high risks that mainly affect the sustainability of the tourism. For example the Olympic Games of 1976 in Montreal, it was a financial disaster for the city that almost bankrupt (Newton, 2012) and afterwards they were still faced with the financial debts until 2006 (CBC News, 2006). 2.2 Marketing in tourism 2.2.1 Mega-sport event marketing Funk D. C (2008) believed that effective marketing activities are able to shape the image of the city and stimulate the economy for the host; to reach specific target markets and position the destination to non-residents for the tourism marketers; to build community identification and create jobs for governments; to increase brand awareness, launch new products and services, and open new markets for sponsors. In terms of mega-sport event which is in essence experiential, interactive, targeted, and relational; these features are highly relevant and desirable given the modern marketing environment (Crowther, 2011) which can be explained as events create a social setting for attendees and help raise attendees involvement level; therefore, attendees are apt to be more receptive to marketing messages and images associated with the event than they are to those presented via other methods (Pope Voges, 2000; Meenachan Shipley, 1999). Therefore, event marketing is defined as a tool for experiential marketing that focuses on consumer experiences, and treats emotionally and rationally driven consumption as a holistic experience (Vel Sharma, 2010) and it offers an additional advantage, in that it actively engages the consumer with the brand and its personality (Sneath, et al., 2005). 2.2.2 Motivation of sport event tourist MacInnis D. J, Moorman C. Jaworski B. J (1991) defined motivation as an internal factor that arouses and prompts goal-directed behavior. Furthermore, Schiffman L. G Kanuk L. L (2001) detailed a motivation process which includes five stages: needs, tension, drive, want and goal. (Figure 1) Need recognition Goal behavior Want pathway Drive state Tension reductionFigure 1 Sport and event consumer motivation process Source: e.g., Schiffman L. G Kanuk L. L (2001) In the first stage: need recognition, Reisinger (2009) mentioned that potential consumers recognize a need when faced with a problem, we can understand the problem as a catalyst. As mentioned above, the problem of sport event consumer is the desire to seek the experiences. Second stage is the customers are considering how to satisfy this need and at the third stage, people will consider the pathways by their preference to reduce or eliminate the unpleasant state. Want pathway can be considered as decision-making processes and finally the goal behavior which can be understand as the acquisition satisfy peoples need, reduce tension and restore balance. A well-understanding of motivation process will help the marketer to know (Horner Swarbrooke, 2007): When to attempt to influence consumers (focusing marketing activities at the time when most consumers are making decisions to buy a particular product) The choice of advertising media based on which media the majority of consumers use to gain information about tourism products The selection of appropriate distribution channels or marketing intermediaries For example, the VisitBritains strategy for 2012 London Olympic Games focused to inspire visitors to explore Britain (VisitBritain, 2010) As the figure shows, the marketing strategy of VisitBritain focuses Awareness (inspire) and Intention (explore) stages. The marketing challenges are: Inspire: (long-term develop): Address the loss of market share and maximise the value of tourism working with the nations and regions of Britain Develop new product offers to stimulate demand in partnership with the nations and regions Explore: (Britain-led): Gain market share Grow Britain brand awareness Challenge negative perceptions of welcome, value and quality 2.2.3 Marketing strategy related to tourism Foxall (1981) defined marketing strategy as being an indication of how each element of the marketing mix will be used to achieve the marketing objectives. It is simple but easily to understand. Normally, the marketing objectives in tourism of mega-sport event host should be: To maximize the economic benefits for tourism across the host city/country To enhance the image of the host as a visitor destination To deliver- and showcase a world class welcome in and after the event A widely used marketing mix is the 4 Ps that product, price, place and promotion. Product Funk (2008) summarized unique aspects of the mega-sport event product: it is an intangible product; social facilitation via sport and reliance on product extensions. Intangible means it is an experiential product and social facilitation via sport means it has great impacts as mentioned above. However, these features are natural. Therefore, exploring on extension product is the key to stimulate and meet the demands of tourist. Such as UK launched new 50p coins to commemorating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (BBC, 2010) and create new travel routes for tourists as an event-related tour products and etc. à ¨Ã‚ ¡Ã‚ Ãƒ §Ã¢â‚¬ Ã… ¸Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ºÃƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã‚ Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¼Ã… ¡Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ·Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¤Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ §Ã‚ »Ã‚ Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ µÃ… ½Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‹â€ Ãƒ §Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ…  Ã‚ ¼Ã…’http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_482a6f7d010004ue.html Furthermore, as sport has the ability to directly and indirectly influences a number of aspects in a persons life (Beaton Funk, 2008), sport marketers are likely to package themselves as the forefront in the battle to improve quality of life as sport and leisure activities become central components of promoting health lifestyles, and building more integrated communities (Funk, 2008). à ¦Ã…  Ã…  Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¥Ã…  Ã… ¾Ãƒ ¥Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬Å"à ¦Ã‹â€ Ã‚ Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ªÃƒ ¦-†¦Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ºÃƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬ ºeventà §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ®Ã‚ £Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¼Ã‚  Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã…’à ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã… ¸Ãƒ ¦Ã‹Å" ¯Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¤Ãƒ ¥Ã… ¾Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬Å"à ¨Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ²Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ´Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¥Ã…  Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ªÃƒ §Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ ¦Ã…“†°Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ®Ã‚ µÃ‚ ¼Ã…’à ©Ã‚ ¦-à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‹â€ Ãƒ ¦Ã‹Å" ¯Ãƒ ¥Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ §Ã‚ ²Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ §Ã‚ ¥Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à ¦-†¡Ãƒ ¥Ã…’- ¼Ã…’à ¦Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ §Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ §Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ §Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¾Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à ¦Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ³Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¤Ãƒ ¥Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ©Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ºÃ… ¡Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾brandà ¦Ã… ½Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ Price Price can be understood by if it is valuable. Getz and Cheyne (1997) found that focus group participants identified important quality factors that can influence a decision to travel to an event, including reputation of the event, caliber of participants (the best in their field), international scope, and the presence of celebrities, rarity is also a factor. Obviously, mega-sport event has all these factors: outstanding reputation; national caliber; international tourism market; celebrities (NBA stars etc.) and once in four years. As mentioned above, mega-sport tourists pay for an experience which often involves sensory, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and relational values that replace functional values (Schmitt, 1999). A well-managed service system should be marketed to the audience as favourable factor. In adverse, weakness of service will lead tourist doubt to come. For example, a safety doubt emerging after the news that with one week remaining before the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, it only has 4,000 guards trained and ready which was expected to provide over 10,000 security personnel for the event (Bartnik, 2012). à ¨Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ªÃƒ ¤Ã‚ ºÃƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¦Ã…“†°Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¤Ã… ¡Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¤Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ ¥Ã…  Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¼Ã… ¸Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¦- ¹Ãƒ ©Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à ¥Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã¢â‚¬Å"à ¦Ã‚ ¶Ã‹â€ Ãƒ ¦-†¦Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ¡Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ ¨Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ¼Ã… ¸Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¥Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¼Ã… ¡Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â€š ¬-à ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ½Ãƒ ©Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ §Ã… ½Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¢Ã†â€™ Place It refers to the place where the customers can buy the product and how the product reaches out to that place. The most effective way is media such as Internet, PR and TV. Many scholars believe that media coverage of sport events will help countries to present themselves in favorable terms (Whitson Macintosh, 1996), and will assist destinations in building a positive image that helps to generate future tourist demand (Faulkner et al., 2000). à ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ºÃƒ ¤Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬  Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ §Ã¢â‚¬ º-à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ´Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¨Ã…’Æ’Ã ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ´Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à ¥Ã‚ ¯Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ºÃ… ½Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ½Ãƒ ©Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ ¥Ã…’-à §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ ¥Ã…“ ºÃƒ ¦Ã… ½Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à §Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒ §Ã‚ »Ã…“à ¥Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‹Å"à ¥Ã‚ ¾-à ¨Ã‚ ¶Ã…  Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¶Ã…  Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã‚ Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ¼Ã…’ Social media such as Facebook, Flickr and TripAdvisor are increasingly being exploited within mega-sport event marketing campaigns. For example, Facebook has more than 300 million active users, 50% of whom log on everyday. The internet provides a worldwide platform to distribute the information. Recently emerging channel is mobile. According to VisitBritain (2010), 400m are already using the mobile internet and this will double by 2012; 87% of people are already using their mobile for media consumption at home, and 2012 London Olympic Games became the first mobile internet Games. Development of technology help marketers delivers the information more effective, however, traditional media still important such as newspaper, which are still widely used by old peoples; TV, which covers lots of computer illiterate and broadcast, which can reach the people who have no time to look such as taxi driver. Promotion Promotion is the business of communication to the customers such as what benefits the company or organization has to offer rather than exhibit the features. Hosting the mega-sport events means a valuable promotion opportunity as it can improving a destinations image and building a destinations brand for sustainable development (Getz, 1997; Hall, 1992; Jago, et al., 2010; Prentice Andersen, 2003; Ritchie, 1984) . This means that the city can show off its tourist attractions and the infrastructure that has been generated (Chalip, 2002; Owen, 2005; Whitson Horne, 2006). Awareness of the region is also positively impacted which again brings in domestic and international tourists and potential investors (Gursoy Kendall, 2006; Solberg Preuss, 2007). For example, in a study examining the effect of special events on a countrys brand building, Jun and Lee (2008) reported a positive relationship between the role of special events on the attitudes of young Korean students towards Germany, specifically, the more exposure Korean students had to special events held in Germany, the more likely they were to form positive attitudes toward Germany. These findings supported Chalip and Costas (Chalip Costa, 2005)general theory that special events can be an extension of a destination brand or can be promoted as certain features of destination brand. Political support à §Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¯Ã‚ Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ -à ©Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã‚ Ãƒ §Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ³Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¤Ãƒ ¥Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ©Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ºÃ… ¡Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¦Ã… ½Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ ¦Ã‹â€ Ã‚ Ãƒ ¦Ã… ¾Ã…“à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ 2.3 Destination service quality Even though marketing strategy is well managed, tourists experience of a hotel, restaurant, or casino will imparts a different sort of knowledge than simply reading or hearing about it (La Tour, et al., 2009). Destination management includes how competition in tourism increasingly involves geographical systems where suppliers of hospitality, transportation, entertainment, and cultural services collaborate to increase the attractiveness of the destination and improve its ability to acquire customers (Bieger, 1998; Bieger, 2000; Buhalis, 2000; Ritchie Crouch, 2000; Go Crompton, 2000). Event managers are often preoccupied with delivering a high quality program (Getz, 1998), which is basically what visitors come to experience, but equal attention to service quality is essential for ensuring visitor satisfaction. SA Tourism (2008) concedes to the following ten challenges for 2010: 1) poor access to channels of tourism information, 2) insufficient accommodation, and 3) compelling attractions and activities, 4) inadequate service levels and skills shortage, 5) inadequate public transport, 6) insufficient focus on tourist safety and security, 7) limited institutional capacity, 8) managing expectations, 9) demand management and 10) displacement of general tourists. In the public eyes, hosting an event is a stimulator of tourism industry to the host city. Fourie and Santana-Gallego (2011) did a research on the impact of mega-sport events on tourist arrivals and resulted at there will be 8% increase of the arrivals on average to the host. The Olympics and FIFA World Cup are more than the average. For instance, by the data from ForwardKeys (2012), bookings made by 12th May show a 13% increase in the expected number of arrivals to London during the Olympics Periods and the rest of UK also receive 4% increase. Such a rapidly inflow of tourists will bring lots of problems such as transport disasters. Atlantas 1996 Olympic Game has provided a cautionary tale of mega-sport event travel chaos: with bus drivers getting lost, athletes arriving moments before their events and overloaded trains that couldnt get residents home (Wheatley, 2011). Therefore, how to provide quality destination service to tourists experience, while an influx occurs during the mega-sport event is one of the key factors of the successful tourism operation in mega-sport tourism marketing. Gronroos (1983) described service quality construct relates the level of experienced quality to both technical and functional dimensions of serve provision (see figure 10.1): Technical quality refers to the result of the service and/or the question, what has been provided? Functional quality on the other hand, refers to the way the service has been delivered and relates to the question, how has the service been provided? 2.3.1 Technical quality Technical quality refers to the relatively quantifiable aspects of the service such as The hotel guest will get a room and a bed to sleep in, the consumer of a restaurants services will get a meal, and the train passenger will be transported from one place to anotherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Gronroos, 1984). In terms of mega-sport event, as influx of tourists, the capability of original infrastructure is not able to meet the needs. That is why Terret (2008) mentioned cities are interested in hosting of the Olympics Games as they can accelerate infrastructure projects. For example, Olympic experience shows that a highly robust and resilient public transport system is a prerequisite to handle exceptional Olympic mega event traffic demands (Bovy, 2006). In terms of London, it struggles with constraints on the Tube, which handles 12 million trips a day during normal times and the Olympics is estimated to add three million trips on the busiest days (Kirka, 2012). Therefore, it invested  £80m in permanent transport improvements for DLR (Media centre Press release, 2008), we have seen new rail links created in East London, and improvements to existing underground and overground train services (Pettinger, 2009) and the increase of capability achieved that a train arriving in the Olympic Park area every 15 seconds (London Olympics Transport Upgrade, 2012). This improvement will shorten the time that tourist move in and out the Olympic Park and reduce the crowd risk. In other hand, a strong public transport will also encourage tourist to choose so that avoid general car traffic on the primary Olympic transport network accordingly. 2.3.2 Functional quality Local human resource support Functional quality creates a competitive edge by focusing on the more personal aspects of the service encounter such as The accessibility of a teller machine, a restaurant or a business consultant, the appearance and behavior of waiters, bank tellers, travel agency representatives, bus drivers, cabin attendants, business consultants, plumbers, how these service firm employees perform, what they say and how they say it do also have an impact on the customers view of the serviceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Gronroos, 1984) In terms of mega-sport event, a special group volunteers was critical to the successful staging of mega-event because they provided the substantial amount of unpaid additional labour that was needed and also the outstanding service that help the tourists. For example, in Beijing 2008 Olympic games, there were 70,000 volunteers (Associated Press, 2007) applied in various positions such as translation and interpretation, protocol and reception, contest organization, food and beverage, medical services, security and transportation et al (Volunteer Positions Requirements, 2008). To ensure the service quality of the volunteer, a series of training was made before volunteers officially starting their services. In terms of Beijing 2008 Olympic Game, the training includes 4 parts (Organization and Administration of Olympic Volunteering, 2008) 1. General training: basic Olympic knowledge, brief introduction to the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, Chinese history and traditional culture, history and cultural life in Beijing, knowledge and skills necessary to serve the disabled, etiquette norm, medical knowledge and first-aid skills. 2. Professional training: professional knowledge and skills required in voluntary services. 3. Venue training: venue functions, knowledge concerning the sports held in the venue, internal facilities, organizational structure, rules and regulations. 4. Job training: job responsibilities, specific work, business procedures, and operating norms. These well-trained volunteers helped the foreign visitors overcome language and cultural barriers, and provide professional service so that enhance the satisfaction of tourists experience in great extent and assist Olympic Games operating smoothly. However, Bejou et al. (1996) mentioned that there are non-standardized services in which the knowledge, behavior and commitment of the service providers are crucial. Oneil et. al. (1999) believe that this experiential product (such as event) is produced and consumed simultaneously, is highly heterogeneous and very difficult to store and/or control, but basically, if expectations are met, service quality is perceived to be satisfactory; if unmet, less than satisfactory; if exceeded, more than satisfactory. In contrary, poor events may causes by such as an emphasis on quantity rather than quality, a product rather than a market orientation, poor physical conditions and lack of information, and poorly selected or inadequately trained personnel (Jackson Schneider, 1990). 2.4 Sustainable tourism development The evaluation of the sustainability impacts of any mega-sport event is a complex and difficult task and it involves far more than simply estimating its potential revenue and expenditure (Dodouras James, 2004). As hosting a mega-sport event can also constituted a unique opportunity for the diversification and enrichment of the hosts tourism product, this legacy will benefit the tourism development in the future. For example, the building of tourism infrastructure in the case of Barcelona significantly enhanced its image and credibility as an international tourist destination (Duran, 2005). Musgrave Raj (2009) summarized the three sustainable aspects that influenced by mega-sport event as Figure 1: Mega-sport Events Social Environmental Economic Positive: Induced development and construction expenditure Long-term promotional benefits Civic pride Community development Increased employment opportunities Positive: Raising awareness of environmental issues Development of waste land Long-term conservation of area Positive: Direct/indirect expenditure Increased property value due to regeneration Additional trade and business development Induced development and construction expenditure Event product extensions Negative: Future use of infrastructure not maximized Interruption of normal business Resident exodus Disruption of lifestyle Media impacts Community apathy and antagonism Increased risk of security issues Unequal distribution of wealth Negative: Site/location damage short- and long-term Waste and pollution Noise pollution Traffic disruption and congestion Increase in energy demands and other natural resources Negative: Cost of event failure to local/national economy Inflated price of products, services and amenities Unequal distribution of wealth Fig. 1. 1. The three pillar impacts of events (Musgrave Raj, 2009) Consequently, the objectives of sustainable development are: optimizing socio-cultural impacts; minimizing environmental impacts and maximizing economic impacts (Smith-Christensen, 2009). Specifically, in terms of tourism, these impacts can be operationalized in the post-event period to attain, magnify and sustain their objectives as a sustainable sport tourism legacy. And accordingly, the sustainability of strategies that originate from sport tourism development policies, which according to sustainable development principles should maintain economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental integrity (Campell, 1996; Fitzgerald Leigh, 2002). 2.4.1 Social impact By social impacts we mean the consequences to human populations of any public or private actions that alter the ways in which people live, work, play, relate to one another, organize to meet their needs and generally cope as members of society. The term also includes cultural impacts involving changes to the norms, values, and beliefs that guide and rationalize their cognition of themselves and their society (Interorganizational Committee on Guidelines and Principles, 1994). To achieve the outcome that optimizing socio-cultural impact, the organizer should reduce the negative impacts and magnify the positive impacts. Tassiopoulos Johnson (2009) summarized the social impacts that brought by event tourism as follow: Negative impacts of tourism: Sex The sexual industry has grown rapidly rely on the mega-sport event due to some event attendees travel abroad to enjoy uninhibited casual sexual encounters and result on a bad impact of the local. For example, as many as 40,000 women could enter South Africa to work as prostitutes during this years football World Cup 2010 (The Telegraph, 2010). The grave danger of this growth has led to the spreading of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (Cooper, et al., 2005). Health There are diseases such as swine flu should be noted when people from different countries interact. For example, the recording of more than 8500 cases of malaria infections in the UK, which have been a result of tourist and visiting friends and relatives (VFT) traffic to malaria-infected destinations. These diseases may not fatal but they can cause social and economic stress to the host community. Commodification Commodification implies that the demands of tourism (inclusive of events) have led to the mutation and sometimes the destruction of the meaning of cultural performances and special events. Staged authenticity refers to simulated experiences that are developed to satisfy the needs of the visitor. Standardization refers to where the visitor attending an event searches for the familiar, leading to a loss of cultural diversity (Cooper, et al., 2005). Disruption of lifestyle of residents Sherwood (2007) refers to increases in traffic and noise and the general disruption to normal daily routines caused by the hosting of an event in the destination. Furthermore, overcrowding, congestion and noise are ascribed to an influx of event visitors in the host destination. This may cause that resident exodus, for instance, third of Britons holidaying abroad this summer have deliberately chosen dates to avoid London 2012 (Gerges, 2012). Crime and vandalism Many scholars such as Mathieson and Wall (1982) have suggested that large numbers of visitors to an event carrying relatively large amounts of money and valuables with them will provide a source for illegal activities including drug trafficking, robbery, vandalism and violence. For example, only 10 weeks before the FIFA World Cup 2010, in South Africa, there were 50 murders happened in one day while the South Africas murder rate actually dropped slightly last year (Tay, 2010). Positive impacts of tourism: The fostering of community/civic pride Events can be used to put new life into ceremonies and rituals, making them come alive, combining them with skills and crafts. This can inspire and assist with fostering local pride of a host community and provides the best possible experience for the event attendee (Tassiopoulos Johnson, 2009). Creating sociocultural awareness and peace Events take people to new places and can broaden their understanding and knowledge of other cultures and environments. This can be regarded as an educational process and, if channeled properly, this education can lead to greater awareness of, and sympathy and admiration for, other societies. Cultural exchange that takes place between the event attendee and the host community can assist in fostering peace. The belief in the relationship between tourism and peace is so strong that in 1986 the International Institute for Peace through Tourism was set up. Shared infrastructure When developments for events take place, for example, the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the local infrastructure is often enhanced to meet the needs of the developments. The host community can find that the quality of their life is enhanced through being able to enjoy this improved infrastructure. This type of infrastructure can include upgrading sporting venues, improvement of airports and general transportation. Direct sociocultural support The funding generated from various events can provide funds to assist to restore heritage sites, conserve natural and cultural sites, or assist local charities. The proceeds earned from these events in terms of registration fees and goods sold are donated to various charities within the local community. 2.4.2 Environmental impact The environmental impact indicates that (Mathieson Wall, 1982; Jenner Smith, 1991; Boers Bosch, 1994; Puczko Ratz, 2002; 2005): Impacts on the natural environment, i.e. air quality, geological factors, water quality, depletion of natural resources, flora and fauna; Impacts on the man-made environment, i.e. buildings visual impacts, changes in land use, infrastructure; Impacts on the ecosystem. The depletion of natural resources is accelerated by the use of fossil fuels in transportation, the heating of accommodation and the operation of catering facilities (which are usually non-renewable energy sources like coal, crude oil or natural gas). In more environment-friendly solutions, heating and energy consumption is based on hydro, solar or wind energy. Wasteful and careless use of the drinking water supply significantly impairs the effectiveness of water management, and decreases available freshwater resources. The wasteful use of the water supply could be avoided by a more environmentally friendly attitude and modern technology. The positive elements of the environmental impacts most commonly catalogued relate to the new facilities that might not have been politically or financially feasible without the event. On the negative side, growing attention is being focused on the environmental damage due to development for mega sports events (Tolios, 1997). 2.4.3 Economic impact Event tourism can generate positive economic impacts, in addition to longer-term place marketing benefits and media exposure for destination, along with sporting or cultural policy benefits (Musgrave Raj, 2009). à ¤Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ºÃƒ ¤Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¨Ã…  Ã‚ ±Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à ¦Ã…  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ µÃ¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à ¥Ã‚ ·Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ½Ã…“à ¥Ã‚ ²-à ¤Ã‚ ½Ã‚ Ãƒ §Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ §Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¥Ã‚ ½Ãƒ §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¦- ¹Ãƒ ©Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¾Ã¢â‚¬ ¹ While these impacts are extremely relevant and often very important, an honest assessment of the value of a particular mega sports event must also include estimates of the negative impacts, such as commodity price increases a

The Dual Nature of Power Essay -- power, abuse, wars, crimes, properly

â€Å"With great power comes great responsibility.† This phrase correctly assesses that the more power a being has, the greater capacity they have for both good and evil; for the creation of beautiful things or the destruction of that which is lovely. The possession of power does not necessarily mean that the power will be used honorably. In the timeless Lord of the Rings saga, the two wizards, Saruman and Gandalf, were both imbued with great power. Their reaction to the power, however, was very different. On one hand, Gandalf had a healthy respect for the seductive properties of power and managed to resist using and abusing it for his own ends. Conversely, Saruman gave in and attempted to set himself as a dominant ruler; ultimately failing and creating a colossal amount of ruin in the process. They were both given power, one used it properly and achieved many great feats; the other abused the power and lost everything. This concept applies to the human race as well. Some look at the horrors committed by human being in the past and conclude that we have degenerated far below the common animal. Others point to the great achievements off science and art, along with the selfless aid granted to the helpless, from American ghettos to war-torn countries, and insist that we are progressing toward a perfect utopia. What they both fail to see is that this power can be used to accomplish wonderful deeds or destroy all that truly matters. The dark use of this power can be seen in all the wars, the crime, and the corruption that has plagued mankind since before recorded history. It can be seen in every Stalin, Capone, and Attila the Hun in history, who have not let the concept of morality to stand between them and supremacy. One parti... ...ar, facing disease and hardship or when a soldier throws himself on a grenade to save his comrades. The bad is evident in families torn apart by drug abuse and also in every shop clerk shot and killed during a holdup. This war’s outcome really depends on the individual and the choices they make; every decision will take them down one path or the other, often having greater consequences than they could ever imagine. The people who claim that humans have become less than animals, along with the optimists looking forward to a utopia, both fail to see the whole picture; they need to recognize the dual nature of the power humans in order to reach an accurate conclusion. When they only focus on one extreme, they gain a false worldview that will taint all of their assumptions. Power can be used for evil or good; the choice lies in the individual possessing it.

Shakespeares Hamlet - The Ambiguity Essay -- English Literature Cust

Hamlet – the Ambiguity      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The extent of the ambiguity within William Shakespeare’s drama Hamlet deserves consideration. Literary critics disagree in their assessments of how prevalent the ambiguity is in the work.    Lawrence Danson in the essay â€Å"Tragic Alphabet† discusses the equivocation and ambiguity within the play:    Equivocation – the conflict between the reality Hamlet perceives and the language used to describe that reality – has made all expression a matter of mere seeming, and Hamlet knows not seems. His rejection of the Claudian language extends to a rejection of all the symbolic systems that can denote a man. Thus, even his own punning (both verbal and silent) is inadequate: Hamlet chooses â€Å"nothing† since he cannot have â€Å"all†:    ‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of silent black, Nor windy suspiration of forc’d breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected haviour in the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly. 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. (I.ii.77)    In an ambiguous world, where all is but seeming, and hence misinterpretation, no symbol is successful. (70)    D.G. James says in â€Å"The New Doubt† that the Bard has the ambiguous habit of charging a word with several meanings at once:    â€Å"Conscience does make cowards of us.† There has been, I am aware, much dispute as to what the word means here. For my part, I find not the least difficulty in believing that the word carries both its usual meaning and that of â€Å"reflection an... ... Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: Univ. of Delaware P., 1992.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"Hamlet: A Man Who Thinks Before He Acts.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar. N. p.: Pocket Books, 1958.    Shakespeare's Hamlet - The Ambiguity Essay -- English Literature Cust Hamlet – the Ambiguity      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The extent of the ambiguity within William Shakespeare’s drama Hamlet deserves consideration. Literary critics disagree in their assessments of how prevalent the ambiguity is in the work.    Lawrence Danson in the essay â€Å"Tragic Alphabet† discusses the equivocation and ambiguity within the play:    Equivocation – the conflict between the reality Hamlet perceives and the language used to describe that reality – has made all expression a matter of mere seeming, and Hamlet knows not seems. His rejection of the Claudian language extends to a rejection of all the symbolic systems that can denote a man. Thus, even his own punning (both verbal and silent) is inadequate: Hamlet chooses â€Å"nothing† since he cannot have â€Å"all†:    ‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of silent black, Nor windy suspiration of forc’d breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected haviour in the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly. 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. (I.ii.77)    In an ambiguous world, where all is but seeming, and hence misinterpretation, no symbol is successful. (70)    D.G. James says in â€Å"The New Doubt† that the Bard has the ambiguous habit of charging a word with several meanings at once:    â€Å"Conscience does make cowards of us.† There has been, I am aware, much dispute as to what the word means here. For my part, I find not the least difficulty in believing that the word carries both its usual meaning and that of â€Å"reflection an... ... Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: Univ. of Delaware P., 1992.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"Hamlet: A Man Who Thinks Before He Acts.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar. N. p.: Pocket Books, 1958.   

Discussion Surrounding Global Alliances Operating in the Airline Indust

The international aviation industry is arguably one of the most competitive and cut-throat businesses in the world today. Characterised by high revenue but notoriously thin profit margins, modern international airlines are constantly searching for methods to gain advantages over their competitors and attract new customers. One of these methods which has become popular since the late 1990s is that of the global airline alliance. Today there are three major alliances in operation, each containing different member airlines. These alliances offer airline customers various advantages over travel with a traditional carrier. Nevertheless, these advantages have been criticised by some as being anti-competitive, there are several examples of airlines that prefer to remain unaligned, and have become extremely successful. Who are these alliances, why are they so popular, and why are they so strongly criticised by some? The Star Alliance was founded in May 1997 by five airlines from three different continents, and today is the largest and oldest of the three major alliances in operation today. It features the highest number of member airlines of any alliance, and also the greatest number of flights and destinations served (Star Alliance, 2011). It is also independently rated by Skytrax (2011) as the world’s best airline alliance, having additionally won the award every year it has been presented except for 2010, when the award went to Oneworld. Furthermore, the Star Alliance is probably the most useful for New Zealand based frequent fliers, as New Zealand’s principal airline, Air New Zealand is a member. Air New Zealand frequent fliers are able to take maximum advantage of co-ordinated scheduling, frequent flier points, and international lo... ...df O’Sullivan, M. (2010, September 17). Virgin hints at signing up to Skyteam. The Sydney Morning Herald, p. Business 3. Oneworld. (2011). An introduction to Oneworld: The alliance that revolves around you. Retrieved 17 September 2011 from http://www.oneworld.com/content/factsheet/W1_2011-01%20Introduction%20to%20oneworld.pdf Rodrigue, JP. (2005). Market share of world airline traffic. Retrieved 18 September 2011 from http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch3en/conc3en/airalliances.html Skytrax. (2011). World Airline Awards. Retrieved 17 September 2011 from http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards_2011/alliance2011.htm Star Alliance. (2011). Star Alliance: About. Retrieved 17 September 2011 from http://www.staralliance.com/en/about/ United Airlines. (2011). Star Alliance. Retrieved 18 September 2011 from http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,1519,00.html

History of Eastern State Penitentiary Essay

I think that a prisoner in the Eastern State Penitentiary has the dullest daily routine that any human could ever have. Picture a prisoner living behind a cell with a heavy dungeon-door and thick walls. Literally, speaking, the daily routine revolves around the cell. As†¦notes, a prisoner â€Å"is led to the cell from which he never again comes forth, until his whole term of imprisonment has expired† (Dickens, n. d, pg. 13). A prisoner typically wakes up, takes a bath and turns the bed up and against his cell wall to create space for working on it. The works include personal interests ranging from painting to manufacturing a Dutch clock. He receives food through the grated iron door in the cell and at the end of the day lies on the bed in despair. He moans, and tries to listen to identify if a cell similar to the one he is in exists besides him. He wonders how the person in the next cell, if exists, would be doing, walking, dressed and his emotional status until sleep tak es him away. I find that I have difficulty describing a daily routine of a prisoner in Eastern State Penitentiary because it literally does not exist. The prisoners are in confinement, thus restricted to have a typical life. They simply live in misery. I think that this could be attributed to the contradicting effects of the prison structure that deviates from the intended outcomes. As Eastern State Penitentiary (2014) notes, the prison was simply meant to facilitate a shift from punishing offenders to rehabilitating them through change and spiritual reflection. The proponents of the prison believed that solitary would provoke criminals to think about their behavior and unacceptable crimes, thus driving them towards penitence.  Each prisoner was to have his own cell with running water, a skylight, central heat system and a flush toilet to facilitate penitence at a time that the U.S. president lacked running water and a central heating system at the White House. Nonetheless, I think that the resulting structure and its execution did not align to the original intent. Dickens indicates that even though the idea of the prison was human, kind and meant to reform the prison system, the manner in which it was designed and executed is not appropriate. The miseries that the prisoners get from confinement are worse than physical torture. It is a dangerous punishment, which the prisoners suffer silently because the typical eye cannot see their miseries. I tend to agree on Dickens based on the encounters he has with the prisons. Dickens describes the prison as hopeless solitary confinement with wrong and cruel effects and there are justifiable reasons for that. Upon entry, prisoners lose their identity as cell numbers become their identity. Some prisoners have to have illusions of having a wife or manufacturing Dutch watches, indication of dreams lost inside the cells. More disheartening is that people with crimes deserving less punishment, such as receiving stolen goods are driven to confinement. The prisoners cannot receive outside visitors, letters from home, books or contact the outside world in any way. I believe that the solitary confinement can only be summed up in Dickens way, â€Å"mental anguish†¦so acute and so tremendous, that all imagination of it must fall far short of the reality† (Dickens, n. d, pg. 13). In entirety, I would say that attempting to describe the daily routine at the prison is difficult. The hopeless solitary confinement psychologically affects prisoners and robs them off a normal life in which they would have a daily routing. They just live in their despair without the rehabilitation promised by the original intent of the prison. References Dickens, C. (n. d). _Philadelphia, and its solitary prison_. Retrieved from https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/d/dickens/charles/d54an/chapter7.htm Eastern State Penitentiary. (2014). _Short history of Eastern State Penitentiary._ Retrieved from http://www.easternstate.o r g/learn/research-library/history