Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Sustainable tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sustainable tourism - Essay Example This paper aims to find links of term of sustainable tourism with sustainable development. Moreover, this paper will try to highlight their influence on each other. It was around mid 20th century when experts (Gruder, pp. 81-88, 2007) all around the world increasingly felt that no development witnessed over the time was free from the cost of environmental deterioration. They realized that human species has been developing at an accelerating pace, and this growth has benefited many people as well. However, this development has been happening at the expense of sustainability of this planet. Quite understandably, as responsible citizens of this planet, and keeping in mind the long-term existence of humans on this planet, some steps were essential. In the year 1972, at the Stockholm Conference on Humans and the Environment (Meadows, pp. 1-14, 1972), it was the first time when under flag of United Nations, this topic was brought under consideration. Despite the fact that it was after mid 19th century when the concept of sustainable development came up on the screen in its current form; however, in some form or the other, the concern of balancing human growth with other environmental and external factors has been there since centuries. In context of tourism, one of the earliest examples of tourism were found in Mesopotamia, where the administration made sincere efforts in development of recreational areas, preservation of animals and plants and balancing their reproduction growth with the hunting activity (Butler, pp. 40-45, 1990). Many other great rulers like Alexander the Great and Asoka followed these ideas and tried to implement concept of sustainable development in the field of tourism within their capacity and constraints and research of that time (UBC, pp. 11-27, 2008). One of the most important developments in the field of sustainable developments was presentation of the romantic vision by Hall (pp. 13-34, 1998) in the 19th

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Advances In Biomedical Science And Technology Science Essay

Advances In Biomedical Science And Technology Science Essay Due to the advances in biomedical science and technology, mammalian cloning has, in the last 13 years, become feasible. This first came to the publics attention with the publicity surrounding the creation of Dolly the sheep in 1997. Through the process of HSCNT(Human Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer), hundreds of mammalian organisms have been cloned and carried to term. However, the process is by no means perfect as not only do numerous embryos fail, but many of those born have significant birth defects, some of which only come to light later in development. To this date, no successful human reproductive cloning has occurred. None the less, rapid advances in technology suggest that human cloning will be reliable in the foreseeable future. This realization has led to an unprecedented debate about ethical and human rights issues which must be balanced against the more broadly beneficial aspects of scientific advancement. An immense amount of people believe that cloning completely interferes with ethical and human rights. This is somewhat due to the fact that cloning in animals has not been 100% effective. Animals have been cloned before but many of them have had birth defects and short life spans. Dolly the sheep became a scientific sensation when her birth was announced in 1997. Her relatively early death in February 2003 fuels the debate about the ethics of cloning research and the long-term health of clones. [Science Museum.org; no name reference] Although Dolly lived to be an adult, she was one of 227 attempts to survive this long. This showed the inefficiency and complications of cloning. Hundreds, if not thousands, of attempts are necessary to produce just one viable clone. On average, just 3% of attempts succeed. (Vergoff:2001) The fact that many of the clones (produced in an attempt to produce just one clone) do not live reflects the reason that people believe cloning is cruel. Antoher reason that they might think cloning is innapropriate is because when comparing nuclear generated embryos and embryos produced during sexual reproduction, a significant number of the cloned embryos fail where as not so many natural embryos do. Because of this fact, mainstream scientists agree that due to the very low success rates of reproductive cloning in animals, this technology is not appropriate for application to humans. The side of the public that feels human cloning is wrong is also against it for reasons other than the clones not being reliably functional. According to them, cloning humans is unethical, inhumane and immoral.'[Students for students: 2010] The process is seen as just copying the identical genes, which means it will decrease the diversity of genes. To put it simply, as a human one is meant to see the differences in others and cloning would eliminate this. People would not be completely unique. These people also question the opinion of some parents. They understand that if a parent has a child whose kidneys fail, that they would be willing to clone their child as to donate one of their newly cloned childs kidneys to their own child. However, one could then question whether it would not be strange to suddenly have two identical children. This is where personality is brought to attention. Although human cloning is the process by which an exact genetic replica is made of an individual, this does not, necessarily, mean the same personality, or person, would develop.(Cadena:2007) The question that stands is whether the clone is inferior and different to the general public or not. Most do not like the idea of cloning as it will separate us into two different groups: humans and clones. Aldous Huxley reflects his point of view in his book, Brave New World in a satirical sense. He shows his view of the future with human cloning in a negative way. The novel is set in London in the years that Huxley calls A.F. which stands for after Ford. Henry Ford is the developer of the assembly line technique of mass production and the mass production implies cloning in this sense. At the beginning of the novel, the director of a centre called Hatcheries and Conditioning is taking a group of young students on a tour around one of the labs. He shows them how human beings are custom made and placed into different social castes which were almost like different cultural groups(minus the culture). He then leads them to a special room where the humans are brain-washed. A common phrase that the brain-washed characters say throughout the novel is Put your arms around meHug me till you drug me, honeyKiss me till Im in a coma. Hug me honey, snuggly [Lenina, Chapter 13, pg. 194] His novel relates to the debate of cloning as it reflects his idea of a future with human cloning. Although it is satirical and far-fetched, it makes one question cloning as it displays cloning in a negative way (all humans being the same and put into categories). The anti-human cloning groups see the future of cloning in a similar manner: dark and once again, inhumane. Taking the above concerns into consideration, many people still believe that human cloning is entirely beneficial. This is because there are an incredible number of positive outcomes of human reproductive cloning. On the lighter, appreance side: Dr. Richard Seed, one of the leading proponents of human cloning technology, suggests that it may someday be possible to reverse the aging process because of what is learnt from cloning. Plus, cloning could better cosmetic procedures such a breast implants. This is because with the new technolog, doctors will be able to produce things such as fat, bone and cartialage that matches the patients exactly. On the more serious side, scientists may one day be able to treat people that have had heart attacks by cloning their normal heart cells and placing them in the damaged areas of their heart, give victims of accidents which cause any parts of their body to become deformed their original face features back through cloning(limbs for amputees may be regernerated) and even give women looking for breast augumentations implants the same as their normal tissues in order to prevent them ferom becoming ill. On average, one carries 8 defective genes inside of them which cause them to become sick when they would otherwise remain healthy. With human cloning and its technology it may be possible to ensure that we no longer suffer because of our defective genes. [Smith, S] Many life threatening illnesses such as cancer, leukimea, kidney failure and liver failure could be taken away due to cloning. Ont op of this, cloning technology can test for and possibly even cure genetic diseases. Propnents of cloning also suggest it may serve as a treatment for infertility, allowing those who cannot/can no longer reproduce to pass on genes to future generations. [Kolehmainen,Sophie] A lot of parents think of human reproductive cloning as a way of saving childrens lives. There are plenty of examples of what could happen in the future after human reproductive cloning begins: If a couple becomes infertile after having one child, they would be able to clone their child to have a second one. Parents also state that they would find human cloning benefficial as if they lost their child in an accident, they could get their perfect baby back.(Smith, S) The general attitude of this group of people is why not? If a person can be saved from leukemia, why would anyone feel the need to stop this from happening? Despite this question there is still a debate in which many other factors contribute. An example of one of these is religion. Many in the Western nations wonder whether clones would have a soul. They also question whether it is playing God or not if humans create rather than naturally conceive. Many groups have publicly disapproved of human reproductive and human therapeutic cloning. These include religious organisations, such as the Catholic Church, who disapprove of these technologies. [Werts, D, C: 2002] Go on about regulation.(cant be extended globally) Many groups have publicly disapproved of human reproductive and human therapeutic cloning. Ask dad Although there are many negatives to do with human reproductive cloning, it is expected that it will occur in the future. This is because there are so many bennifits of this cloning surrounding medical purposes. Personally, I worry about what a future with human reproductive cloning will hold. In my opinion, I think it would be ideal if, in the future, cell cloning could be used for medical purposes only and not human reproductive cloning for reasons such as infertility as this would be immoral. However, there is a chance that cloning will not happen in the future and this would probably be best. We are humans and we cannot change the fact that some of us cannot have children or predict the day we are going to die. This is the way of life and to me, cloning humans in this way does not seem right. All in all, the topic holds a debate that will continue for a long period of time before any decisions are made. etc

Friday, October 25, 2019

The War Against Terror and Chinas Treatment of the Uigher Ethnic Minor

The War Against Terror and China's Treatment of the Uigher Ethnic Minority In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush reached out to the world to back the U.S. in a war to eradicate terrorism. One of the more surprising participants in this coalition, China, had until that point been at odds with U.S. policy but seemed to find sufficient common ground with the U.S. to support the war. In recent months however, China has not been lauded for unprecedented cooperation with its â€Å"strategic competitor† but has instead been criticized for using the war on terror as carte blanche to step up its â€Å"Strike Hard† campaign in the Uigher Xinjiang Autonomous Region in the northwest, resulting in unprecedented numbers of executions of political prisoners, a suspension of free religious worship, and a general decline in respect for human rights. The western media has claimed that Beijing had been waiting for a chance to crack down on Uigher separatists and is now behaving as an opportunist to pu rsue these goals while the U.S. is in no position to decry its behavior. However, this opportunism argument only explains some of the recent actions in Xinjiang; in this paper I will seek to show that Beijing’s increased policing of Xinjiang serves primarily to demonstrate to the international community that it will not be excluded from Central Asia. The Roots of Today’s Conflicts in Xinjiang An overview of the history of this volatile region is vital to understanding the present struggle for control. The movement for self-rule of Xinjiang dates back to the beginnings of China’s last dynasty, the Qing (1644-1911) when ethnic Chinese sought to settle the region and incorporate it into the ... ... with the reports of separatist bombings, verifiable data from the Chinese government is virtually impossible to come by; more recent reports, particularly those from after September 11, are from reliable à ©migrà © sources and anecdotal evidence presented in reputable publications. [17] Dillon, Michael, p. 25. [18] Smith, Craig S. â€Å"China, in Harsh Crackdown, Executes Muslim Separatists.† New York Times, Dec. 16, 2001, p. A1. [19] Smith, Craig S., p. A1. [20] Rosenthal, Elisabeth. â€Å"U.N. Official Fears China Uses Terror War as Front for Abuses.† New York Times, Nov. 10, 2001, p.A7. [21] Smith, Dianne L., p. 163. [22] Donnelly, Tom. â€Å"China’s Persecution Complex.† The Weekly Standard. Feb. 4, 2002, p. 21. [23] Eckholm, Eric. â€Å"U.S. Official Praises China for Its Cooperation in Rooting Out bin Laden’s Terror Network.† New York Times. Dec. 7, 2001, p.B5

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Interdiscuplinary Study in Consumer Behaviour Essay

With the development of a consumer society, increasing consumer power in the market place, the growth in marketing, advertising, sophisticated consumers, ethical consumption etc, consumption is recognized as central to modern life. Thus it entails to go into a depth of the different approaches to consumer behaviour. Many human sciences give a variety of reasons to explain why a consumer behaves in a particular way in a given situation. Studies of consumption investigate how and why society and individuals consume goods and services, and how this affects society and human relationships. These are found in many social sciences such as economics, psychology, sociology, etc. The present study tries to investigate these theories based on consumption and consumer behaviour and how far these are interlinked as well as different from one another. It is also aimed at studying the relevance of these theories with the help of primary data and research. The purpose of this study is to find out whether there is some interlink between the various theories and approaches given by different economists, psychologists and sociologists. The hypothesis framed for the research is that Consumption is greatly influenced by the income factor. The data used in the study was mostly secondary in nature from the internet and reference to several books. The theories of consumption studied for this purpose are the demand theory, indifference curve analysis, revealed preference theory, Keynes’ consumption theory, permanent income hypothesis, relative income hypothesis, life-cycle hypothesis, Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, the sociological theories of consumption given by G. Katona, Ruby Turner Norris and the theory of Conspicuous consumption given by Veblen. An attempt has been made to study consumer behaviour with the help of primary data collected from a sample of 40 people from 4 categories namely, students, housewives, employees and businessmen. They were asked to rank the different factors that influence their buying behaviour. The influential factors given in the questionnaire were taken from the consumption theories given in economics, sociology as well as psychology as given above. From the analysis of both primary as well as secondary data, it was found that majority of people give importance to their income level. However, it is also found that, besides income factor, people also think about sociological and psychological factors while purchasing a commodity such as security, safety, fashion, advertising, comforts and prestige issues. As given in the Sociological theories of G. Katona and Norris, it was seen after the primary data analysis that the economic theory of consumption lacks such social structural variables. Thus it is concluded that in the construction of any consumption function or theory – for a particular product, for a particular class of products, or for consumption in general – not either economic or sociological or psychological variable is to be regarded as the key determinant. Different combinations of all these three enter into different statements of consumption functions at different situations and time periods according to the necessity or urgency of the wants.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Having good manners is important to everyone Essay

The subject of my presentation is Having good manners is important to everyone especially in today’s society. It should not matter whether a person is at home, work, or just hanging out with friends; manners are always important in all that a person does. Your manners are important all of the time. It is possible to manners in the way a person walks, talks. However sometimes good manners are regarded as old-fashioned, something that are now out of date and unnecessary. It is true that opening doors for each other, waiting our turn to be served, often seems to be a thing of the past. Good manners provide a moment in time where someone stops and considers our needs, offers us a seat, asks us politely for something with a ‘please’ and says ‘thank you’ afterwards. These niceties may only take a second, but they are an important second in our busy world of rushing around, solely thinking of ourselves and what we need to do. Those moments can make us stop and consider the importance of noticing the other person, the waitress, the sales person. Do we really need to bark out our orders, demands? How much more pleasant would it be for all concerned if we asked for something politely, with a ‘please’ at the end of the request. And acknowledged receipt of it with a smile and a ‘thank you’. Road rage is evidence of extreme bad manners, which usually involves one person driving inconsiderately. Good manners are about appreciating that life is not all about us and what we want. Our needs have to be negotiated along with everyone else’. Now I would like to tell you the examples of the importance of good manners. First, Thank you letters are important. Whether someone has sent a gift or entertained you at their home, it is important to acknowledge their effort and thoughtfulness. They have done something special for you and a handwritten note or letter shows that you are prepared to respond and take the time to value what they have done and thank them for it. Writing a thank you letter is an important skill to learn. Constructing an effective letter, with good grammar and an important message is a valuable skill to have, and one that is rarely taught in these days of rapid texting and instant messaging. Next, saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to the people we deal  with when we want or need something is basic good manners. And ‘excuse me’ if we sneeze or cough, covering our mouth with a tissue. Holding the door open for someone else, offering an elderly person or a pregnant lady a seat are good manners but they are also demonstrating respect, empathy and consideration for the other person. A simple gesture like that can improve the mood and quality of someones’ day. But it is important to be respectful back and return the compliment with a simple thank you or a smile. Good manners are a two-way exchange. Even if we do not respect the person sometimes good manners are about respecting their position or status and what that represents. We may respect the fact that someone is a manager or a school teacher or highly educated and when they are in that role we moderate our behavior towards them and give them respect out of deference for their position.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Peak, Peek, and Pique. How to Use these Homophones Correctly.

Peak, Peek, and Pique. How to Use these Homophones Correctly. Homophones are words that sound the same when spoken but have different meanings and spellings. Peak, peek, and pique are examples of homophones. These three words are often used in business so let's clarify each one. A peak is a topmost point, such as a mountain peak, or to reach that point: We're at peak demand right now. We need more staff assigned. A peek is a glance or a quick look. It has a fun, furtive innuendo. It can also mean to glance or to peer at. It's frequently paired with sneak - I took a sneak peek at next quarter's sales projections. The similar spelling of sneak and peak can lead you to use the incorrect peak. Correct use of peek: Accountants peeked at the new software at the annual meeting. Fashion week offers a sneak peek at pink running shoes. Pique means to bring interest or excitement. You will sometimes see peek one's interest for pique one's interest, but don't be fooled. If you're piquing someone's interest, you are exciting their interest not taking a quick look at it: The training proposal piqued my interest. Decisions will be more accurate if field staff can write shorter, more accurate reports on drilling productivity. Dictionary.com offers spelling tips to help you remember the correct use of peak, peek, and pique. You have to reach to gain the peak. If you peer at something, you are peeking. And if you're piqued about something, there's usually a question in your mind about it.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Guide to Writing a Dialogue in an Essay

Guide to Writing a Dialogue in an Essay Composing a dialogue is one of the most intricate parts of essay writing. Many students instantly realize that crafting a good dialogue within the context of a story takes a lot of time and requires more work that simply describing the events. And thats not surprising as a dialogue should not simply present the direct quotations from different characters but bring the story to life. If you are unsure about how to use dialogue in your essay, read on. Lets figure out the main rules and standards together! Moving the Story Forward The main role of a dialogue is to help the story move forward by presenting conversations and thoughts. You can use a dialogue to speed up the pace of your essay if you feel that the narration slows it down or you can use it as a break between the long and overwhelming paragraphs. When writing conversations, you need to remember a few important things: Dialogues move the action, set the scene, explain the descriptions and predict the reactions and activities. They can do all these things at once, so dont use the conversations to just convey the information. Remind yourself of the characters voice to write a dialogue that sounds like a real speech. You may even use some grammatical mistakes to show the realistic conversation but make sure that you keep the balance between the actual talk and readability. Always use the speech as a characterization tool. From your words, a reader should understand a lot about the character: morality, background, appearance, etc. To advance the story, your dialogues should sound natural, not forced, and clear. At the same time, the conversations have to convey the characters emotions and show the reader how they interact with each other. Using Thoughts in Dialogue Using thoughts and memories in the conversation can also show the important details of your story. This indirect dialogue is another way to change ideas without the quotations. You may also use a combination of direct and indirect dialogue for emphasis. It looks like this: Billy and I moved on to the next painting.â€Å"That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.† He curled his lip in disgust. Well, I thought he was the ugliest thing I’d ever seen, and told him so.â€Å"And also, you stink. But most of all, your taste in art stinks.† To reveal emotions and thoughts, you need to use the sensory details: tasting, smelling, hearing, seeing. Try to show what is going on, dont tell. Thus, your essay will be more realistic and engaging for your reader. Formatting Your Dialogue The right format and style are key to the successful dialogue. Correct punctuation, tags and paragraphs are even more significant than the quotations themselves. Without following the main rules, it would be hopelessly confusing to understand who is speaking. Therefore, make sure that you format your dialogue accordingly. Rule 1: Punctuation goes inside quotations. â€Å"Ill call you tomorrow!† Anna screamed. Make sure to use two quotation marks for speech and one mark for speech within the speech. Even such a small thing as using the quotation marks can poorly reflect on your essay. Rule 2: A new speaker – a new line. If you have several characters in your essay, its important to know who is speaking. With the line break, your reader wont be confused. â€Å"I wish I could fly,† John said longingly.â€Å"Why don’t you grow wings, then?† Sarah snapped back. If there is the action connected with a character, describe it in the same paragraph, then start a new line. Rule 3: Break up dialogue in two parts. Its annoying to wait until the end of a speech to put a dialogue tag because it is unclear for a long time who is speaking. Thats why is it better to write the first thought, place a comma and tag, and then continue the dialogue. â€Å"I can’t believe I failed the exam,† said Ben. â€Å"I studied and studied, but somehow I choked and left most of it blank.† As you see, all dialogues follow a simple guideline. Keep the main rules in mind and start writing a dialogue to convey your message!

Sunday, October 20, 2019

What Santa Claus can teach you about your career 

What Santa Claus can teach you about your career   Many of us look towards role models when figuring out how we want to live our lives, and having a professional role model is no exception. When choosing a person to help us shape our own career paths, we often look to mentors or successful individuals in our chosen fields, celebrities, or even famous athletes. But since it’s the holiday season, why not turn to someone iconic and accomplished in his field- have you ever thought about looking at Santa Claus? It’s not a joke- Santa may be a fictional character who rarely gets discussed until wintertime rolls around each year, but perhaps thinking about how he handles his job can teach us all a valuable lesson about how we can best handle our own.We’re not alone here- others agree that we can learn a lot from the work ethic of Santa Claus: â€Å"The Santa Claus work ethic has also conquered time. He, the reindeer and them elves are going at 10X levels all year long in preparation for one single night.   If you can duplicate the work ethic of Santa Claus you too can create a success that will go down in history.†Let’s take a closer look at some of the best-known work habits of jolly old St. Nick and what they can teach you about your career and professional journey.Santa is a great manager.Think about it, every year Santa is able to motivate and inspire the loyal elves, reindeer, and all the other employees at the North Pole to rally together and do the impossible- deliver gifts to all the good children in the entire world in just one night. If you thought your job was stressful and driven by intense deadlines, think of the beehive of activity that occurs in Santa’s workshop each year! Yet despite it all, Santa is able to get his team to get the job done. If you find yourself in a position of leadership, overseeing a team on a challenging project and a tough deadline, just ask yourself â€Å"What would Santa do?† in order to get through it successfully.Santa is task -focused.Santa never wavers or strays from his important role on Christmas Eve, year after year. He doesn’t even let the pressure of being a celebrity deter him from his critical responsibilities. He stays focused, goal-oriented, and on task- and so should you with every project that you are a part of in your career journey.Santa puts others first.Do we ever hear a bad word about Santa losing his cool, or griping about his job, or having an insane list of demands that must be met before he gets to work each year? Nope, and perhaps that’s part of what makes him so successful. Santa puts the needs of all the good children of the world before his own. That’s both an inspiring attribute to have at work and a good way to not get derailed from your professional responsibilities- regardless of what field you’re in.Santa has a great attitude at work.Despite long hours, brutal weather, and a seemingly impossible schedule, Santa always manages to stay jolly- and wh o among us wouldn’t like the idea of working alongside him? His great attitude helps keep his staff motivated and the proof is in the pudding- do you ever hear about high levels of staff turnover amongst the elves and reindeers on Santa’s payroll? No, they stick around year after year for a good reason. Try being the person with the great attitude at work- no matter how tough or stressful or exhausting things are- and you may be surprised at how far it can take you.Santa has unparalleled dedication.Do you ever hear about Santa showing up late, or being a few days behind on his appointed rounds, or taking a year off? You don’t, and chances are you never will because his dedication to his job is second to none. The truth is, people who remain dedicated to their jobs often find career success and best position themselves to achieve their professional goals.Santa does his homework.Think about all the research and preparation Santa has to do each year to determine wh o was naughty and who was nice among all of the children in the entire world, figure out which child wants which gift, and then make sure his inventory and delivery strategy will keep him on schedule. After thinking about what’s on Santa’s work plate, maybe your job doesn’t seem as harrowing as it did before. Whenever you’re working on a project, approach it like Santa would: do your homework, research carefully, and plan diligently. Santa’s secret for project success can work for anyone.There you have it- some of the reasons why Santa is a great boss who’s happy and successful at his job year after year. Consider adopting some of his best work habits and you’ll be setting yourself up for success in whatever career path you set your sights on.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Pakistan International Airlines Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Pakistan International Airlines - Case Study Example This report aims to research the main reasons behind the customer service issues in PIA that have been a constant source of not satisfying customers properly. Having traveled by PIA more than once, I have myself been subject to a few customer service issues, the details of which will be presented later on in the paper. The research discusses some of the concepts in literature pertaining to customer service standards and links them to PIA's existing standards; and analyses the areas where there is a gap between the two. In the fast-paced world of today where technology is the dominant factor, it is essential for businesses to retain their customers in order to grow and expand. PIA, however, has not been emphasizing upon this idea until late. The attitude of PIA, at least on the forefront, leads its customers to think otherwise. The purpose of this research paper is to identify the customer service issues faced by PIA customers while traveling by the airline. It is important for the PIA management to realize and focus on the specific issues that have been a regular factor in causing negative perception of PIA in the minds of its consumers (Anthony, Steven & Quinn, 2009). It is necessary for PIA to identify these issues and establish ranks; and accordingly identify the most important issues that are the biggest contributors to negative customer satisfaction. Only then can PIA modify its operations in terms of better training and address the issues in order to generate higher positive reviews from customers. The research will focus entirely on the customer perspective and will seek to identify the root causes, according to them of the problems that they face when travelling by PIA. Research Question The research question for this paper should focus on the customer and their feelings regarding PIA service. Thus the research question is: "What are the most important issues causing the greatest disappointment amongst the international customers of Pakistan International Airlines" The paper is focused on identifying the issues of international passengers since it is not possible to include the views of domestic passengers for the scope of this study. Furthermore, the airline industry has become highly symmetrical in that the domestic and international services do not have much of a difference. Issues identified in the international arena will also be present, to a certain extent, in the domestic travel. Thus, it is important to address international issues and identify the root causes of these issues so that they can be addressed. Marketing experts would advise a research question aimed at getting the most out of the customer regarding the root causes of the problems rather than the problems itself (Etzel, Walker, Walker & Stanton, 2000). Thus the research question will be accompanied with a survey aimed at finding out root

Friday, October 18, 2019

Criticism on the play Proof by David Auburn Essay

Criticism on the play Proof by David Auburn - Essay Example Criticism on the play Proof by David Auburn As Robert’s funeral preparations get ready, his other daughter Claire returns from New York. Meanwhile, Catherine gets connected with one of her Father’s former student called Hal. Catherine is a college drop out and is depressed and seemingly also susceptible to mental illness. Catherine is shown to be in dilemma as towards her future after the death of her beloved father. The plot of the movie takes an interesting dimension when Hal discovers in Robert’s notebook a proof of a mathematical theory which was thought to be an unsolvable mystery. It is a captivating discovery. But Hal get astonished when he understands that Catherine is the person who wrote the proof. But did really Catherine write it? However the hand writing of the proof matches with Robert and the story continues to untangle the mysterious nature of connection between genius and madness and it’s inheritance. The story reveals how the appearance of the Mathematical proof creates havoc in th e life of the three characters living. Review Proof is a wonderful drama, which explicitly describes the mathematical world and the mystery attached to it. It is a family drama which is mathematical and human relationship centered and the three characters Catherine, Claire and Hal revolve around it. The primary fact that is noticeable about the play is the similarity which its hold against some other plays like â€Å"Arcadia†. ... The character of Catherine also brings about lots of questions and arguments towards her capability of formulate brilliant mathematical formulas and theories. Because, in the play, Catherine demands that the mysterious mathematical theorem is written by her and not by her father .Here the focus is on the fact whether women have this potential element to bring about mathematical works and achievement like man. â€Å"Catherine in the play has been trained (up to a certain point) as a mathematician, so a question is raised and tackled in the play — can a woman really do highly original work?†(Weber).The movie displays Catherine to be suffering manic depression and shown to be susceptible to her father’s disease. However the mental illness of her father, Robert is not clearly mentioned in the play. The question as to the relevance of Robert’s illness to his mathematical geniuses is also left in dark by Auburn. Catherine here is depicted to be uncertain with re gard to her chances of succumbing to the mental illness as her father. The central focus of the play is whether Catherine has inherited the illness of Robert and the heightened tension surrounding a home with recent death. Catherine’s mood swings and sarcastic nature and exclusive intelligence are the possible warning that she could be a victim to her father’s illness. Catherine shared an intricate relationship with her father, and withdrew from outside world just to take care of him. They grow closer despite the illness, and the love that the father and daughter have for each other comes through, even beyond his death (Auburn, 25). There is no question about the great amount of love and compassion between the father

Based on DQ1 Potential Problems and Based on DQ2 Six Steps Assignment

Based on DQ1 Potential Problems and Based on DQ2 Six Steps - Assignment Example â€Å"Feedback is an essential part of learning† (Seun, 2010). b) Implementing all changes at once is not a wise move. If a program is not working the managers must find ways to make changes, but these changes can not occur all at once because this can lead to information overload for the employees. A timetable must be created to slowly implement the changes to the total rewards program. c) It is true that during the design process of the total rewards a lot of groups should be involved such as human resources, executives, finance, employees, board of directors, and customers, but the actual implementation should involve a limited number of people. A way to involve different stakeholder groups, but limiting the number of people is by creating a committee. For a committee to be effective it must have well run meetings (Ala). d) A thorough analysis of the total reward program is needed to ensure the program is viable during both good and bad times. A good strategy to ensure the success of the program during bad economic times is to create an emergency fund that covers at least six months of the total cost of the program. A way to eliminate bias from the process is by hiring a consulting firm to evaluate the program. e) â€Å"Good communication skills are an indispensable asset without which the goals -- be it in any field -- may not be realized† (Buzzle, 2013). Firms must communicate well to their employees the different aspects of the total rewards program. Communication must be made both in verbal and written form. I completely agree that consistent communication is imperative towards the success of an enterprise. Creating a policy regarding proper communication in the workplace can help open the lines of communication between the workers and the managerial staff. At my place of work communication among the employees is good. Some of the techniques that my company uses to maintain good

Questions about Gender and Generation Management in the workplace Essay

Questions about Gender and Generation Management in the workplace - Essay Example the organisations achievement of objectives (Bagilhole & White, 2013) It helps in coordinating the various generations in the workplace because all their opinions matter and everyone’s input is valued and incorporated in the firm’s means of achieving the objectives. 2. I would prefer working with generation X due to the fact that it’s a generation made of young people who can make quick decisions and have innovative minds. Their fast decision making tendencies helps in moving the firm forward and achieving the set objectives which increases the value of the firm. Also, the innovative minds helps in coming up with new ways of doing things and processes gives the firm a competitive edge against competitors. 3. Generation Y would be most challenging to manage and lead due to the fact that it is made up of quite older people who are a bit resistant to change. Most of them get stuck with rules and procedures set earlier, and are not willing to change. This makes incorporating valuable changes in an organization difficult; and of course this means that the firm cannot move forward as fast as expected or as planned. 4. The average age for retiring from work is 60. Some of primary reasons as to why people should retire are; it is a state requirement for civil servants to retire, they are no longer as productive as before and also to concentrate on something else they had wished to do. The reasons are individual and others come from external forces like the state requirement for civil servants to retire in order to give way for other qualified citizens to get the chances to work. 5. Generation X is impatient and at the same time dismissive. Most children born during this era display a lot of impatience in most things they undertake in their day to day activities, including undertakings at school, work and even at home. They also dismiss most of the ideas offered by other people mostly the older generation including their parents and other older siblings. On the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Zara Industries Case Analysis Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Zara Industries Case Analysis Assignment - Essay Example Ferdows, Lewis, and Machuca suggest customers purchase clothing from Zara as a response to the unique retail store experience. The fashions are presented in a spacious store, averaging approximately 1,000 square meters, but in limited supply. For example, they may display just one of each size of a given style of pants, so the customer feels as though they must buy the clothing or miss out on the opportunity (Ferdows, Lewis, and Machuca). 2. How does the design function at Inditex differ from similar design shops at H&M and GAP? Explanation Zara has its supply chain completely under control. The company is able to have its inexpensive, fashionable clothing styles from the designer to the retail location in about two weeks (Capell). It typically takes GAP 9 months for clothing styles to make it from design to retail. H&M on the other hand takes approximately 20 days to get its designs into its stores; because like Zara, its costs are under control and the supply chain is very tight (L arenaudie). Impact on Costs and Profit Approximately 70% of the compensation paid to sales managers working in the Zara retail locations is based on commission. This is an incentive for them to accurately identify trends on a daily basis to inform the 300 designers what is hot at the moment, and what is not selling very well (Capell).

Implementing Cloud Computing Programs Research Paper

Implementing Cloud Computing Programs - Research Paper Example The process of implementing cloud computing programs is detailed particularly because of the several steps that the interested parties need to go through in the course of undertaking the project. As such, all entities should consider employing strategies that are in line with their ventures. The next section highlights some of the strategies that are far-reaching in ensuring a successful implementation of cloud computing programs. Â  Planning is particularly imperative because it provides the interested parties with the opportunity to analyze and re-evaluate their ability to handle the key steps of the implementation process contentedly. This includes forecasting on the entire process and the parties who will be involved in procuring all the needed hardware and software as well as the mechanism of going about the installation process. Similarly, planning entails forecasting on how the installed software, hardware, and the backup systems will be tested (Gulla, 2013). Also, planning is far-reaching given that it enables the interested parties to understand the alternatives at its disposal, the scope of technology and the business model. Â  Given the number of cloud installation programs that are currently going on as well as the planned ones, it is important to take note of the fact that there may be lack of enough expertise and talent to handle all of them. In that regard, it is imperative for organizations to ensure that they have key cloud computing experts at their disposal. Interested entities should, therefore, consider not only recruiting, but also training and retaining available staff.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Zara Industries Case Analysis Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Zara Industries Case Analysis Assignment - Essay Example Ferdows, Lewis, and Machuca suggest customers purchase clothing from Zara as a response to the unique retail store experience. The fashions are presented in a spacious store, averaging approximately 1,000 square meters, but in limited supply. For example, they may display just one of each size of a given style of pants, so the customer feels as though they must buy the clothing or miss out on the opportunity (Ferdows, Lewis, and Machuca). 2. How does the design function at Inditex differ from similar design shops at H&M and GAP? Explanation Zara has its supply chain completely under control. The company is able to have its inexpensive, fashionable clothing styles from the designer to the retail location in about two weeks (Capell). It typically takes GAP 9 months for clothing styles to make it from design to retail. H&M on the other hand takes approximately 20 days to get its designs into its stores; because like Zara, its costs are under control and the supply chain is very tight (L arenaudie). Impact on Costs and Profit Approximately 70% of the compensation paid to sales managers working in the Zara retail locations is based on commission. This is an incentive for them to accurately identify trends on a daily basis to inform the 300 designers what is hot at the moment, and what is not selling very well (Capell).

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 6

Research Paper Example The woman-centric themes of the poems shall be dealt with in this paper. The formal innovations that these poets have made in their poetry shall also be an important part of this paper. This paper shall also look at the divergences within their poetry. Obviously, even though women share many of their concerns, to say that their concerns are identical would be to reduce the complexity and depth of the issue at hand. This paper shall argue that the feminist content of these poems needs to be looked at in terms of the need for solidarity amongst women of all ideological orientations, arising out of their experiences as women in a patriarchal society (Hoffman 48). Anne Sexton’s poem â€Å"Cinderella† speaks of the problems inherent within fairy tales. It speaks of the harmful stereotypes that are perpetuated within and through such stories. The stereotype of the wicked stepmother is one such stereotype. The importance of Sexton’s poem lies in its ability to subtly pi nt at such stereotypes and laugh at them while at the same time rebuking society for believing in them. When she says, That's the way with stepmothers. (373), she intends the reader to detect the sarcasm within the lines. This is intended to reveal the extent to which women in such stories are victimized and portrayed as villains. The reference to the ball as a â€Å"marriage market† (373) is another instance when events that are considered important in popular imagination are deconstructed and viewed as events with social and economic significances. Sexton continues with themes of relevance to women in â€Å"Her Kind† where she expresses solidarity with women of another era. She refers to witch-hunts that have taken place in history, arguing that ‘witches’ were just women who were different from what a patriarchal society wanted them to be. Sexton herself was considered to be a woman different from conventional models of femininity. This may have led her to express her solidarity with other marginalized groups of women from history. Greg Johnson concurs with this view in his review of Diane Wood Middlebrook’s biography of Anne Sexton (408). Sexton repeatedly uses the line â€Å"I have been her kind† (405) in order to emphasize the importance of such solidarity. Her life is important here also because it reveals how difficult it is for women, even famous poets, to lead their lives in a patriarchal society. The self-positioning of female subjectivity in Sylvia Plath’s poetry spans across the subjects of sexuality, history, kinship and heavily politicised and gendered notion of rationality. The focus of the essay shall be on â€Å"Daddy,† â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† and â€Å"Metaphors.† In â€Å"Daddy† one finds the coalescing of the identities of her father and a tyrannical political leader. Owing to the immediate historical backdrop of the poem, the Second World War, one may well speculate t hat the reference here is to the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. The analogy between her father and Hitler points to the collusion between patriarchy and dictatorships. It is against the Nazi ideal of racial purity that the speaker establishes her own identity as proudly hybrid when she says â€Å"With my gipsy ancestress and my weird luck/And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack/I may be a bit of a Jew.† (631) This repudiation of purity enables her to construct her identity outside the rigidly deterministic

Monday, October 14, 2019

Phenylthiocarbamide Taste Perception in Type 2 Diabetics

Phenylthiocarbamide Taste Perception in Type 2 Diabetics Phenylthiocarbamide taste perception in type 2 diabetics and healthy subjects: A case-control study Authors: Wajiha Hassan, Hina Hassan, Muhammad Usman Anwar, Muhammad Umar Kamal, Ehsan Ullah ABSTRACT Objectives: We conducted this study to find out any epistatic relationship between expression of PTC gene and the genes controlling T2D development through comparing the relative frequency of PTC taste perception among T2D patients and healthy subjects. Methods: It was a case-control study conducted in diabetes clinics / centers located at various teaching hospitals in Lahore city. A total of 270 (135 diabetics and 135 healthy) subjects were tested for PTC taste perception by pouring a drop of PTC solutions of 0.0125%, 0.125% and 0.25% concentrations to determine super-tasters, tasters and non-tasters. The proportion of tasters and non-tasters was compared in two study groups with the help of Chi Square test and a p value of 0.05 or less was considered significant and to reject the null hypothesis. Results: Mean age of T2D patients and healthy subjects was 34.21 ±5.74 and 32.90 ±7.44 years respectively. Male to female ratio among T2D patients and healthy subjects was 1:14 and 1:1 respectively. Only 22 (16.29%) of T2D patients and 40 (30.37%) of healthy subjects were super-tasters which was significant difference (p = 0.009) and Odds ratio (OR) was 0.4624. A total of 39 (28.89%) of T2D patients and 25 (18.51%) of healthy controls were non-tasters which was also significant difference (p = 0.04513) and OR was 1.788. Conclusions: Supertasters and tasters of PTC have odds ratios of 0.4624 and 1.788 to have type 2 diabetes mellitus. Key words: Phenylthiocarbamide, taste perception, type 2 diabetes mellitus Introduction: Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) taste perception is a genetically controlled trail.(1) Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a widely occurring multifactorial disease with complex multigenic inheritance playing an important role in its pathogenesis.(2, 3) Interaction of genes conferring inheritance of T2D, pre-diabetes and obesity and those causing PTC taste perception has not been studied in detail though some investigators have highlighted that a possible link exists between the phenotypic expressions of these gene complexes.(4-6) We conducted this study to find out any epistatic relationship between expression of PTC gene and the genes controlling T2D development through comparing the relative frequency of PTC taste perception among T2D patients and healthy subjects. Methods: It was a case-control study conducted in three diabetes clinics located at various teaching hospitals in Lahore city i.e. Jinnah A Diabetes and Endocrinology at Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Diabetes Management Center, Services Hospital Lahore and a diabetes clinic at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. A sample of 270 (135 diabetics and 135 healthy) subjects was taken by simple random sampling technique with the help of lucky-draw method among the patients attending these clinics and their attendant/relatives who were non-diabetic. The confirmation of non-diabetic status of the control group participants was obtained by their random serum glucose P value of 0.05 or less was considered significant and to reject the null hypothesis. Results: Mean age of T2D patients and healthy subjects was 34.21 ±5.74 and 32.90 ±7.44 years respectively and there was no significant difference of age distribution among two study groups as shown in Table 1. Table 1. Age distribution of the study population Seventy (51.8%) of the T2D were males and 65 (48.2%) were females. Thus male to female ratio among T2D patients was near to 1:1. About half (n=67, 49.6%) of healthy subjects were males and 68 (50.4%) were females. Thus male to female ratio among healthy subjects was 1:1 as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1. Gender ratio among study groups Only 22 (16.29%) of T2D patients and 40 (30.37%) of healthy subjects were super-tasters which was significant difference (p = 0.009) and Odds ratio (OR) was 0.4624. Seventy-one (52.6%) of T2D and 73 (54.1%) of healthy controls were tasters which was not significantly different (p=0.141) and calculated OR for tasters as compared to non-tasters was 1.556. A total of 39 (28.89%) of T2D patients and 25 (18.51%) of healthy controls were non-tasters which was also significant difference (p = 0.04513) and OR was 1.788 as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2. Frequency of super-tasters, tasters and non-tasters in T2D and controls Discussion: Perception of bitter taste is a variable trait both within the same population and between different human populations.(7) Bitter taste perception is encoded by a family of 25 TAS2R taste receptors.(8) Whereas, the two most studied genes are TAS2R38, the one associated with the ability to taste PTC (phenylthiocarbamide) and PROP (6-n-propylthiouracil).(9) Approximately 75% of the world’s population are considered ‘‘tasters’’, and perceive these substances as moderately to intensely bitter. These compounds are weak or tasteless for the remaining 25% of the population, who are considered ‘‘non tasters’’.(10) Another study revealed that tasters can be further divided into two sub-groups: â€Å" tasters†, who perceived moderate intensity from PTC/PROP, and â€Å"supertasters† who perceived these compounds as extremely bitter. Thus, the population distribution of non tasters, tasters and super tasters is nearly 25%, 50% and 25% respectively.(11) In current study, the distribution of PTC taste perception for non-tasters, tasters and super-tasters was 25 (18.5%), 71(52.6%), 39 (28.9%) among the healthy controls which is quite comparable to the findings of Bartoshuk et al.(11) A study from American population showed that 71.2% of their study population was taster and 28.8% was nontaster.(12) A study from a neighboring Asian country reported that taste perception to PTC compounds was present (tasters) in 67% and absent (non-tasters) in 33%.(13) Another study from same Asian country reported that 66.38% of the study population was taster and 33.62% was non-taster to PTC.(14) However, a study from a Pakistani population of young healthy adults revealed the distribution of PTC tasters and non-tasters as 73.75% and 26.25% respectively.(15) Similarly, another group of investigators from Pakistan reported that 81.33% of the healthy adults were tasters and 18.6% were non-tasters.(16) Our observations are comparable to both the studies especially prevalence of non-tasters in our study is approximately the same as reported by Iqbal et al.(16) The second point of discussion in current study is the phenotypic association between the genes encoding for PTC taste perception and diabetes which has been studied by the procedures and methods mentioned earlier. Why the authors did conduct this study? A simple answer is the compelling and enormous links between diabetes and taste perception proposed in the recent literature.(17-19) A study has revealed that increased serum glucose levels induce a concentration-dependent impairment of taste perception in T2D patients as the result of an adaptation of the sensory cell to elevated circulating concentrations of glucose.(5) A study from an Asian population revealed a significant difference in taste sensitivity to PTC between the diabetics and non-diabetics, the former being less sensitive than the latter (16.7 vs. 6.8%).(20) A decrease in palatability of the glucose solutions induced by the glucose load (negative alliaesthesia) has been reported between PTC tasters and non-tasters wher e tasters showed higher hedonic ratings (Mean 4-25), as compared to non-tasters (Mean 3-70) and this difference was more evident after the glucose load in non-tasters.(21) More recently, genetic analysis of bitter tasters and non-tasters have shown that a polymorphism in TAS2R38 is associated with differences in ingestive behavior of the two groups, which may in turn be linked to the development of pre-diabetes and T2D.(22) However, by far the most delectable observations have been reported by Wang et al., who observed significant differences in plasma levels of leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and insulin-like growth factors-1 between tasters and non-tasters to PTC.(4) They also found a positive correlation between plasma levels of glucose and body mass index (BMI) exclusively in non-tasters which indicate that besides the regulation of food consumption, taste perception also appears to be snugly linked to the circulating metabolic hormones. It is proposed by the previous investigators and supported by the authors of current study that people with different taste sensitivity may respond differently to the nutrient stimulation. More robust investigations probing into the link between taste perception and peripheral metabolic control could potentially lead to the development of novel therapies for obesity or Type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: Supertasters are less whereas tasters and non-tasters are more likely to have type 2 diabetes mellitus. Further work is encouraged to unveil the link between taste perception to PTC and T2D. Acknowledgements We acknowledge the participating institutions, their staff members, patients and healthy volunteers for their cooperation. We are thankful to Prof. Dr. Tehseen Iqbal, Professor of Physiology at Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College, DG Khan, Pakistan for his critical, analytic and logistic help without that this research would have never been completed. References: 1.Kim UK, Jorgenson E, Coon H, Leppert M, Risch N, Drayna D. Positional cloning of the human quantitative trait locus underlying taste sensitivity to phenylthiocarbamide. Science. 2003 Feb 21;299(5610):1221-5. 2.Schmidt B, Dragano N, Scherag A, Pechlivanis S, Hoffmann P, Nothen MM, et al. Exploring genetic variants predisposing to diabetes mellitus and their association with indicators of socioeconomic status. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:609. 3.Banerjee M, Saxena M. Genetic polymorphisms of cytokine genes in type 2 diabetes mellitus. World J Diabetes. 2014 Aug 15;5(4):493-504. 4.Wang R, van Keeken NM, Siddiqui S, Dijksman LM, Maudsley S, Derval D, et al. Higher TNF-alpha, IGF-1, and Leptin Levels are Found in Tasters than Non-Tasters. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2014;5:125. 5.Bustos-Saldana R, Alfaro-Rodriguez M, Solis-Ruiz Mde L, Trujillo-Hernandez B, Pacheco-Carrasco M, Vazquez-Jimenez C, et al. [Taste sensitivity diminution in hyperglycemic type 2 diabetics patients]. Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2009 Sep-Oct;47(5):483-8. 6.Hajnal A, Covasa M, Bello NT. Altered taste sensitivity in obese, prediabetic OLETF rats lacking CCK-1 receptors. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2005 Dec;289(6):R1675-86. 7.Robino A, Mezzavilla M, Pirastu N, Dognini M, Tepper BJ, Gasparini P. A Population-Based Approach to Study the Impact of PROP Perception on Food Liking in Populations along the Silk Road. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(3):e91716. 8.Behrens M, Meyerhof W. Bitter taste receptors and human bitter taste perception. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2006 Jul;63(13):1501-9. 9.Behrens M, Bartelt J, Reichling C, Winnig M, Kuhn C, Meyerhof W. Members of RTP and REEP gene families influence functional bitter taste receptor expression. J Biol Chem. 2006 Jul 21;281(29):20650-9. 10.Guo SW, Reed DR. The genetics of phenylthiocarbamide perception. Ann Hum Biol. 2001 Mar-Apr;28(2):111-42. 11.Bartoshuk LM, Duffy VB, Miller IJ. PTC/PROP tasting: anatomy, psychophysics, and sex effects. Physiol Behav. 1994 Dec;56(6):1165-71. 12.Keller KL, Reid A, MacDougall MC, Cassano H, Song JL, Deng L, et al. Sex differences in the effects of inherited bitter thiourea sensitivity on body weight in 4-6-year-old children. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010 Jun;18(6):1194-200. 13.Saraswathi YS, Najafi M, Vineeth VS, Kavitha P, Malini SS. Association of phenylthiocarbamide taste blindness trait with early onset of childhood obesity in Mysore. Journal of Paramedical Sciences. 2011;2(4):6-11. 14.Hussain R, Shah A, Afzal M. Distribution of sensory taste thresholds for phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) taste ability in North Indian Muslim populations. The Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics. 2013;14:367-74. 15.Raziq MA, Farog A, Iqbal T, Ahmed A. Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) Taste Sensitivity and Blood Groups in Students at Bahawalpur. Journal of Sheikh Zayed Medical College. 2011;2(1):152-4. 16.Iqbal T, Ali A, Atique S. Prevalence of Taste Blindness to Phenylthiocarbamide in Punjab. Pakistan Journal of Physiology. 2006;2(2):35-7. 17.Yu JH, Shin MS, Lee JR, Choi JH, Koh EH, Lee WJ, et al. Decreased sucrose preference in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2014 May;104(2):214-9. 18.Wasalathanthri S, Hettiarachchi P, Prathapan S. Sweet taste sensitivity in pre-diabetics, diabetics and normoglycemic controls: a comparative cross sectional study. BMC Endocr Disord. 2014;14:67. 19.Gascon C, Santaolalla F, Martinez A, Sanchez Del Rey A. Usefulness of the BAST-24 smell and taste test in the study of diabetic patients: a new approach to the determination of renal function. Acta Otolaryngol. 2013 Apr;133(4):400-4. 20.Ali SG, Azad Khan AK, Mahtab H, Khan AR, Muhibullah M. Association of phenylthiocarbamide taste sensitivity with diabetes mellitus in Bangladesh. Hum Hered. 1994 Jan-Feb;44(1):14-7. 21.Bhatia S, Sharma KN. Taste impairment for glucose in diabetic PTC tasters and non-tasters. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 1991 Jul;12(3):193-9. 22.Dotson CD, Shaw HL, Mitchell BD, Munger SD, Steinle NI. Variation in the gene TAS2R38 is associated with the eating behavior disinhibition in Old Order Amish women. Appetite. 2010 Feb;54(1):93-9.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Tolstoys Philosophy of Art Essay examples -- Visual Arts Paintings Ar

Tolstoy's Philosophy of Art Tolstoy approaches art with a very specific and narrow view of what is real and what is counterfeit in classifying artwork and what makes a work of art good or bad. Tolstoy believes that a work of art can be classified as "real" if and only if "one man consciously by means of certain external signs, hands on to others feelings he has lived through, and that others are infected by these feelings and also experience them" (10). He believes that art can only be defined as real by its ability to make the audience feel what the artist had intended to convey with his/her artwork. The feelings the artist intends to convey must also be sincere and true feelings based on personal experience, expressed to the audience in such a way that the viewer/listener feels as if the artist is merely expressing something he/she feels and has always longed to express. To offset this definition, Tolstoy defines counterfeit art as having "no impression on anyone" (513). He says that distinguishing real art from counterfeit art can be done simply by determining the "infectiousness of art" (514). Tolstoy claims that any piece of art, no matter how beautiful, intriguing, interesting, poetic, striking, or realistic cannot be defined as real unless it also maintains this quality of infectiousness. After defining the difference between real and counterfeit art, Tolstoy goes on to relay the difference between what classifies good and bad art. Tolstoy cl...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Free Trade With China :: essays research papers

China will continue its efforts to enter into the World Trade Organization (WTO), Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Wu Yi said in Beijing on April 21 during her talks with Renato Ruggiero, director-general of WTO. Wu said that although China hopes to solve this problem as soon as possible, it is prepared for new difficulties and obstacles it will face in the entry process. No matter what the outcome, she said, China will not stop but rather speed up its reform and opening drive. She noted that China's position on entering WTO is firm and clear, and China's entry will be not only beneficial to China but also to all members of WTO and the development of the world economy. Wu said that China asked to join the multi-national trade system 11 years ago because the country realized at that time that the objectives of the reform and opening are to gradually change from the planned economy to a socialist market economy. China's participation in the WTO shares the aims of reform and opening, as well as those of the socialist market economy, which was advocated by the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. Wu said she is satisfied with the progress made in the recent third meeting of the Chinese working group, saying it indicates that as long as the parties concerned have a sincere desire to solve the problem, and bring that sincerity to the negotiation table, the discussions will move forward. The major negotiation parties should work harder to be flexible and down to earth, in order to make the most of the current opportunity, she said, adding that China's efforts alone are not enough. Wu said that major members of WTO should not take China's development potential as reality and therefore make an unrealistic evaluation of the situation. China firmly opposes economic hegemonism and hopes that major negotiating parties will raise their requirement on a legal basis and within the mechanism and scope of WTO agreements, she noted. In the meantime, she continued, they should also take into consideration China's economic status as a developing country and its social and economic situation.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Villain, Hero, or Victim?

Katie Parlier Villain, Hero, or Victim? Jay Gatsby is one of America’s most prized antagonists who the reader genuinely wants to believe in but his personae of a hero is falsely presented and admired. Characters are commonly placed in either the hero or villain category, but Gatsby is the exception because he exhibits more qualities of a victim. Gatsby has fallen victimized by Daisy’s guise. During the initial relationship between Daisy and Gatsby in Kentucky, Daisy continues to encourage Gatsby’s affections even though she knows that there is no future with Gatsby.Gatsby is not and will never be aristocratic and in his pursuit of the impossible, Gatsby loses his identity along the way. A victim is defined as a person who has been harmed or tricked, and Gatsby unquestionably falls prey to Daisy’s ability to â€Å"smash up things and creatures and then retreat back into her money or †¦ vast carelessness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Before Gatsby and Daisy even met, Gatsby had set a goal to leave behind his poor roots and create a successful life full of wealth.Gatsby in the summer of 1924 has accomplished exactly that but because of his encounter with Daisy his initial dream changes and becomes further complicated because it now depends on the actions of another person. After Daisy and Gatsby’s month of romance, Gatsby has tacked on the ambition to not only become wealthy and successful for himself, but for the hope that Daisy will acknowledge his prosperity and select Gatsby as her husband. Daisy presents Gatsby with a false sense of hope because she knew all along that money was not enough, she must be involved with an aristocratic society.This fictitious sense of hope causes Gatsby to attain the maximum amount of money in the minimum amount of time; even it is accomplished in unsavory ways. Gatsby is victimized by Daisy’s lies and becomes a criminal just to satisfy Daisy’s needs. His criminal activity caused as a result by Daisy’s actions lead Gatsby into a downward spiral that is recognizable throughout the novel with the endless parties. Now that Gatsby has acquired his great wealth, he decides to attract Daisy by throwing ostentatious parties that attract people like kids flocking to the wonders of a circus.The never ending flamboyant parties become so vast, that the host morphs into a ghostlike entity with his presence known lurking around the parties every once in a while without being recognized as an actual man. Gatsby becomes this grand and mysterious socialite who not known by the own people who visit his house. His personality does not exist for the partygoers, so they have to create their own versions of the great Jay Gatsby. Gatsby does not bother with making friends while he is in West Egg because his only goal is to attract the attention of Daisy.Because he does not socialize, he has lived the life of a hermit creating new ways to fascinate Daisy while Daisy is out living her life without the slightest memory of Gatsby. Daisy does not acknowledge the presence of others unless they are some use to her, and manipulation and deceit towards Gatsby only continues to escalate as the novel progresses. The final victimized act of Gatsby’s life occurs when takes the blame for Daisy’s actions against Myrtle that eventually lead to his death. Just before Daisy’s hits Myrtle with Gatsby’s car, Daisy has chosen to stay with Tom because of Gatsby’s suspicious business practices.However Gatsby still believes that Daisy will come back to him because she never outright admitted to loving Tom. Just like Gatsby and Daisy’s month of love, Daisy is never able to tell Gatsby the truth and completely end her relationship with Gatsby because she likes the power. In both cases Gatsby is presented with the false sense of hope and once again becomes the victim of Daisy’s fun and games. Daisy is too selfish to realize that she is pla ying with someone’s life and her actions could have long term consequences to others.Up until the very end Daisy continues to manipulate Gatsby like an inconsiderate puppet master. She controls the strings of Gatsby’s life, but when things get messy Daisy takes the quickest way out, to remove her fragile societal image from the dubious situation. Daisy’s influence on Gatsby turned him from a strong-willed man who created a destiny to make himself a better man to a disappointed fool who modeled his life actions after the feelings of another. Gatsby has become the ultimate victim to the alluring qualities of a woman and never has the chance to recover.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Musical Instruments Classification Essay

All musical instruments can be divided into four major classes: aerophones, chordophones, electrophones and percussion. The biggest and the most versatile class is aerophones which can be further subdivided into free aerophones and pipe aerophones. On the next level free aerophones fall into those with free reed and with beating reed. Beating reed aerophones are represented by single reed (organ pipes) and double reed (human voice) instruments. Free reed instruments in their turn split into those with framed and unframed reed. Each of these two groups is then subdivided according to the way they are played. Unframed reed aerophones can be wind-blown (bull-roarer, Aeolian harp), mouth-blown(leaf instrument), or mouth-blown-and-plucked (Jew’s harp) while frames reed instruments are mechanically-blown(barrel organ, orchestrion), foot-blown (harmonium, pedal concertina), hand-blown (bayan, accordion), and mouth-blown (harmonica, khaem). The pipe subclass splits into brass, reed pipe and edge pipe aerophones. Each of them is further divided into two subclasses: brass aerophones into those with (trumpet, French horn) and without (didgeridoo, trombone) valves; reed pipe into single reeds (clarinet, saxophone) and double reeds (oboe, bassoon); edge subclass into whistle flutes (whistle) and tree flutes (flute, piccolo). The second largest major class of musical instruments is percussion instruments which fall into membranophones and idiophones. Membranophones are subdivided into those with determinate pitch and with indeterminate pitch. Both of them are then classified by the type of impact: struck (roto drums, snare and bass drum), rubbed (friction drum), and blown (kazoo). Idiophones split into pitched and unpitched and then also include struck (triangle, bell, castanets), rubbed (glass harmonica), plucked (kalimba), and shaken (jingles) percussion insruments. Chordophones have only three primary subclasses: bowed chordophones (violin, cello), plucked chordophones (guitar, banjo), and struck chordophones (piano). The last class of electrophones includes electric/acoustic (electric guitar, bass etc) and electronic insrtruments. Electronic ones then split into electromagnetic (electric organ, synthesizer) and digital (MIDI keyboard, MIDI guitar).

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Food and Beverage

Answer: Food and Beverage Service is the service of Food made in the Kitchen and Drinks prepared in the Bar to the Customers (Guest) at the Food & Beverage premises, which can be: Restaurants, Bars, Hotels, Airlines, Cruise Ships, Trains, Companies, Schools, Colleges, Hospitals, Prisons, Takeaway etc Food & Beverage Outlets are divided in to the following categories: Restaurants: Restaurants are places where Food & Drink is served. There are various types of Restaurants: All Day Dining Restaurants: They are sometimes called as Coffee Shops or Cafe in Hotels.They are usually big in size with many Covers (seats), compared to other Restaurants in the same Hotel. The main reason why they are called All Day Dining Restaurant is because of their hours of operation, as they are open for Breakfast in the Morning to Lunch in the afternoon to Dinner in the Evening. Fine Dining Restaurants: Fine Dining Restaurants are characterized by their elaborate and exclusive menu with special emphasis on the very high quality food they serve. The emphasis being on fresh ingredients and natural flavors or on the type of Cuisine served, or both.Usually the operation of this restaurant revolves around the Head Chef or Chef De Cuisine of this Outlet. Specialty Restaurants: These are Restaurants which usually have a type of National or Regional Character or Cuisine attached to them, for example: Italian Specialty Restaurant, Chinese Specialty Restaurant etc. In some Hotels they do also sometimes have Multi Cuisine Specialty Restaurant, which literally means that Restaurant serves cuisine from more than one country, or the dishes on the Menu at that Restaurant has Food Specialties from many different countries. . Lounge: Lounges can be found in different hotels. Their main purpose is to offer Food & Drinks in relaxed surroundings with comfortable and cozy seating in relaxed surroundings. There are many kinds of Lounges ranging from a Lounge in a Lobby, Cocktail Lounge and Cigar Lounge to Executive and Club Lounge in special Floors. 3. Bar: Bar is a place where drinks are served. There is usually a small Snacks Menu too. The service is fast and quick.There are various kinds of Bars ranging from Formal bars to Club Bars, Pubs, Pool Bars, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars, Beach Bar to Juice Bars and many more. 4. Discotheque/Nightclub: They are outlets where Music and Entertainment takes priority with the Food & Drink. The operation is very fast and the guest numbers are large. Security is an important aspect in these operations. Music and entertainment can range from DJ to live bands playing. 5. Room Service/In Room Dining: Room Service, also known as In Room Dining .It is the service of Food & Drink in Guest Rooms in a Hotel or a Resort. Depending on the size and type of Hotel or Resort its functions vary. 6. Meeting and Conference Rooms: Meeting and Conference rooms together with Ball Rooms come under the Banquets & Conference section. They are a great source of Revenue in Food & Beverage Department usually in Corporate and City Hotels. MICE (Meetings, Incentives, and Conferences & Exhibitions) can alone bring much revenue in some hotels in comparison to other outlets in Hotel. 7.Ball Rooms: These are large Function Rooms which are primarily used for Functions and Weddings. The Staffing ration of Full Time Staff in this section is very less as the Function and Wedding Business can sometimes be seasonal and extra staff is usually filled in by the use of Casual Staff. This Section is the most Dynamic section in Food & Beverage with the Conference Section, which is more physically demanding and creatively oriented. 8. Delicatessen: Delicatessen or Deli traditionally had been a place where fresh meat and other produce were available.Hotels nowadays use this concept of having a Deli on their premises, where guests can buy fresh produce ranging from Freshly Baked Bread, Cold Meat, Fresh Salads, Cakes, Home Made Ice creams and light and healthy drinks. 9. Ot hers: There are many other Food & Beverage outlets ranging from Fast Food Outlets to Food Courts to Snack Bars which are usually stand alone or in a shopping centre. This is just a brief introduction to Food and Beverage. Detailed information on Food and Beverage can be found at Food and Beverage Bible E Book By Santosh Koripella at: www. foodnbeveragebible. com

Methodologies used for determining the sustainability of residential Essay

Methodologies used for determining the sustainability of residential and commericial properties - Essay Example The criteria are the following: Management – provision of a home user guide concerning the operation and environmental performance of the home, a considerate constructors scheme, a commitment on construction site impacts and a security conscious design. For Civil Engineering design and projects, the United Kingdom industry uses the assessment and awards scheme CEEQUAL. Like the the Code for Sustainable Homes, the CEEQUAL also use a points-scoring assessment but instead of 9 criteria, CEEQUAL is made up of 200 exhaustive questions relating to environmental and social impacts of a project including resource usage, ecological impact, waste management, community relations, landscaping and even archaeology. Projects are graded as Pass (>25%), Good (>40%), Very Good (>60%) and Excellent (75%). A CEEQUAL assessment is undertaken by a CEEQUAL-trained project member whose evaluations are checked by a certified CEEQUAL verifier. As with all point-rating system, the assessment can be affected by biases thereby leading to inaccurate points assigned. For example, the criterion MATERIAL in the Code for Sustainable Homes calls for a range of 0.3 to 1.8 points for sourcing building materials responsibly. While there is a technical guidance manual to help the assessor, the points assigned can still be subjective. There is also the question of whether the items such as composting facilities and rain water collection will actually be used. The Code seems to check only for its presence as having a home-user guide seems to be enough to earn points and not its actual application. Essentially, the assessment methods provides no guarantee on the degree of sustainability that could occur. Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006. Code for Sustainable Homes: A step-change in sustainable home building practice.[pdf] West Yorkshire: Department for Communities and Local Government. Available at www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/code_for_sust_homes.pdf>

Monday, October 7, 2019

Psychology. Creating a Personal Counselling Theory Essay

Psychology. Creating a Personal Counselling Theory - Essay Example Based on these 13 dominant counselling theories, I have formed my own personal counselling framework. My personal counselling theory is comprised of two of these dominant theories: Albert Ellis' rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) and Alfred Adler's individual psychology. These two theories hold similar viewpoints in regard to defining, describing, identifying, explaining, and changing behavior. The context of both theories explained by Mosak and Ellis (as cited in Corsini & Wedding, 2005) stressed that Ellis believed emotional disturbances resulted by the person's view on the situation, and that his type of therapy, the therapeutic process, with one main intervention technique would change irrational beliefs into rational ones. Adler, also believed emotional disturbances resulted by inferiority feelings and his type of therapy, individual psychology, with various intervention techniques would encourage social interest. According to the "Nature of Theory" (n.d.) article there are four primary elements of a good theory: Philosophical, descriptive, prescriptive and evaluative elements. This paper will examine each element in regard to Adler's and Ellis' theories concluding with my personal views. This paper will identify and justify the theoretical frameworks that make sense to me and will integrate them into a cohesive personal theory. My personal way of understanding and describing the human condition and facilitating change will also be discussed. More specifically, this paper contains five sections, the introduction, the philosophical assumptions, the counselling experience, reflections and the closing. The First section, the philosophical assumptions, will discuss my philosophical assumptions as it relates to my theory. I will provide my personal views on the nature of humans, the nature of well adjusted functioning, the major causes of the problems, and the nature of change. I will incorporate my theories view on each level, and discuss how it relates to the four elements of a good theory. The second section, the counselling experience is comprised of two topics: my definition of counselling, and the process of beliefs limited to the counsellor client relationship. The first topic will include my original and revised definition of counselling. The second topic will be broken down into six subsections including counsellor and client roles, session structure, emphasis on past, present and future, emphasis on beliefs, the relationship of behaviors and emotions, the change process including resistance, interventions, the criteria and definition of success and contextual factors. In th e six subsections, I will incorporate my personal beliefs and reflections including strengths and weakness I may have in the area, my personal counselling theories stance in that area, and how it relates to the elements of a good theory. The third section will reflect on the limitations of my personal theory and explain why I am drawn to this theory from a professional and personal context. The last section will

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Distributed databases Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Distributed databases - Research Paper Example Vertical partitioning involves creating of tables with fewer columns and utilizing additional tables to keep the outstanding columns. Normalization also comprises this partitioning of columns within tables, but vertical partitioning goes further than that and fragments columns even when normalized. Different physical storeroom might be applied to comprehend vertical fragmenting. Non relational databases initiated the idea of column based databases (Abuelyaman, 2008). The rationale for choosing this partitioning scheme is that it is cost efficient more than other schemes. In addition, it fits the required distributed databases required for this work. In order to surpass the limitations of accessible partitioning algorithm; a fresh algorithm known as VPartition, is recommended that enhances the performance of the current algorithm. The algorithm comprises an enhanced vertical partitioning system where cost is computed in terms of time utilizing greedy technique (Poniatowski & Safari Te ch Books Online, 2003). This leads to improved data consignment as compared to earlier approach. The characteristics of VPartition that comprises a series such as [I, T, TI, w, p, r, D, C comm., C route, N] where Recommended timing system to manage sale, purchase and management of data is a time warp. Time Warp system is a novel method for database concurrency management, varying from other kinds of systems in at least five respects (Jeffesron & Sowizral, 1999). First, it obeys an object-oriented strategy to database concept in which there are no prescribed distinctions between transaction u objects, system objects and Udata~ objects. Second, it uses neither abortion-and-retry nor locking to resolve right of entry conflicts. In its place, it employs a more influential synchronization instrument: broad rollback. The third unique feature is that it is free of starvation and deadlock. Another distinction is that it is

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Micro Economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Micro Economics - Assignment Example It is exploitative in nature and it takes unfair advantage of the fact that there are a few firms operating in the market and consumers must turn to them to buy their service (Schiller, Hill, & Wall, 2013). In order to protect the consumers from such exploitative practices and not let the companies take advantage of the consumers’ lack of options, government regulators should intervene and oversee that no collusion takes place. Collusion remains to be a problem in today’s economy as well. Recently, a collusive agreement between top Silicon Valley executives took place whereby they agreed to not hire away valuable employees from each other’s companies (Fung, 2014). Although this collusion was not in the form of controlling prices or output levels, it still shows the exploitative nature of collusion and the harm is does to the people. I agree with statement 1 since it adequately describes the need for free and open markets where the supply and demand equilibrium is not disturbed. Collusion upsets this equilibrium and harms the consumers with artificially high product prices and the companies themselves with its inefficient resource allocation. Statement 2 is also similar in nature and describes how collusion can upset the way market forces are working. In an Oligopoly, collusion is easier and consumers are at a disadvantage. To ensure that the market remains corruption free and exploitation does not take place, it is necessary to let the market forces work to achieve equilibrium rather than setting up an artificial price for the selfish interests of the companies. Fung, B. (2014, April 23). What the Apple wage collusion case says about Silicon Valley’s labor economy. Retrieved from Washington Post:

Friday, October 4, 2019

Meeting the Customer Needs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Meeting the Customer Needs - Essay Example From this study it is clear that the most important question is how to know the specific needs of the customers related to some specific products. The marketing research plays the vital role in this case. The survey design and the questionnaire design play the major role to identify the customer needs. Through the proper data collection and analyzing the data are the most appropriate way to find out the customer needs and to satisfy the needs accordingly. In this particular case the target organization is the McDonald’s.This paper highlights that  maintaining a great service quality and the product quality are all about understanding the requirements of the customers and delivering the tailor-made services to satisfy them.   Understanding the customer behavior is another very important factor to be focused on to run a successful business. However, these are the basic rules to delivering satisfying services. The measurement of the steps taken towards the customer satisfacti on is also very important. The primary and secondary data are important to support the outcome of the services related to the customer satisfaction. In regards to this research, the secondary data used are gathered from the Internet, journals and other publications in order to get basic information about the nature of the influences of the customer satisfaction. And the primary data are collected from the survey made from the sample size of 50 people selected randomly.... It is very vital to understand the importance of the customer satisfactions. Customer needs are the base of any business. However, the most important question is how to know the specific needs of the customers related to some specific products. The marketing research plays the vital role in this case. The survey design and the questionnaire design play the major role to identify the customer needs. Through the proper data collection and analyzing the data are the most appropriate way to find out the customer needs and to satisfy the needs accordingly. In this particular case the target organization is the McDonald’s. Introduction: Maintaining a great service quality and the product quality are all about understanding the requirements of the customers and delivering the tailor-made services to satisfy them. Understanding the customer behavior is another very important factor to be focused on to run a successful business. However, these are the basic rules to delivering satisfyi ng services. The measurement of the steps taken towards the customer satisfaction is also very important. The primary and secondary data are important to support the outcome of the services related to the customer satisfaction. In regards to this research, the secondary data used are gathered from the Internet, journals and other publications in order to get basic information about the nature of the influences of the customer satisfaction. And the primary data are collected from the survey made from the sample size of 50 people selected randomly. McDonald’s has been taken as the target brand in this case. The whole paper is stratified into five chapters and each chapter has its own relevance to prove the importance of the customer satisfaction to win

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Similarities and differences between monopolies and oligopolies Essay Example for Free

Similarities and differences between monopolies and oligopolies Essay According to Mankiw, N. G. (2004) monopolies and oligopolies can be defined as: Monopolies are based on a market where there are several buyers but only one seller of a product or service whereby the seller sets the price for products and services provided. Oligopolies are based on a market where there a few companies own or control the production of a product or service whereby the few companies control the market of products and services provided. Differences: Monopolies have only one seller. Oligopolies have at least two or more sellers. Monopolies offer only one product or service. Oligopolies offer more than one good or service. In monopolies the seller can set the price without competition. In oligopolies the sellers set prices based on competitor prices. Monopolies usually exceed marginal profits. Oligopolies usually meet marginal profits. Monopolies are unable to achieve any level of profit they want due to high prices that reduce consumer purchases. Oligopolies have a better chance of achieving the level of profit desired because prices are lowered to raise consumer purchases. Monopolies usually have no close substitute for products or services offered. Oligopolies usually have a small number of close substitutes for products or services offered. Similarities: Both monopolies and oligopolies consist of large organizations Both monopolies and oligopolies hold considerable market control over specific products and services. Both monopolies and oligopolies hold specific copyrights for products and services provided. Both monopolies and oligopolies are affected by increased production in the fact that higher production reduces the price of products and services. Both monopolies and oligopolies are able to achieve a monopoly on production id specific products or services under copyright. Both monopolies and oligopolies impact the production and sale of products and services. HOW WOULD YOU CLASSIFY MICROSOFTÂ ©? I would consider Microsoft to be an oligopoly company because there are several other companies that offer similar products. However, given that Microsoft holds copyrights to specific software such as Microsoft word, Microsoft Visio, and so forth O do believe that they are moving closet to becoming a monopoly company. HOW WOULD YOU CLASSIFY THE POWER INDUSTRY IN YOUR AREA? EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING. My first thought was that the power company in my area (Hampton, Virginia) would be a monopoly. However, after some research I believe that the power industry in Hampton, Virginia would be considered an oligopoly because there are several different companies offering the same services. According to Google (n. d. ) some examples of local companies offering similar services include but are not limited to: Dominion Virginia Power www. dom. com Jacqui Electric Company www. jacquie. com. au Bay Electric Co. Inc. www. bayelectricco. com. References Mankiw, N. G. (2004). _Principles of economics_ (3rd ed. ). Chicago, IL: Thomson South-Western. Google (n. d. ). Local business results for electric company near Hampton, VA. Retrieved February 6, 2008, form http://www. google. com/search? sourceid=navclientie=UTF-8rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS207US207q=electric+company+hampton+VA.

Factors Affecting Motivation of Employees

Factors Affecting Motivation of Employees Many people are currently working in call centres and much more are expected to work in them in the near future. Motivation of these call centre employees is of utmost importance so as to refrain them from leaving their work. Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation is to dredge out the factors that affect the motivation of the employees working in call centres and to contribute to research in the area of motivation among call centre employees. Method: The method that will be used is through questionnaires, where employees will be able to complete a set of questions which will specifically address the subject of Motivation amongst the workers. Benefits of the study: This study will be of great benefit as it responds to the call for more investigation into the factors that de-motivate call centre workers to perform. It will further be of importance to call centre managers who, through considering this study will be able to rethink their approaches to productivity, particularly on how they could better motivate their staff to achieve higher output. Almost all consumers have had experience with call centres (Anton, 2000; Dean, 2002). Why are they essential? Call centres are strategically important to many organisations because they are often the major customer interface, and they can provide a service-based competitive edge using high volume, low cost delivery via telephones (Callaghan and Thompson, 2001). Call centres are a growing part of the service industry in many countries and a substantial amount of call centre jobs have been created in this sector in recent years (Baumgartner, Good, Udris, 2002; Holman, 2003; Moltzen Van Dick, 2002; Wegge, Van Dick, Fisher, West, Dawson, 2006). Researchers already recognised that service work, that is, work in call centres was stressful according to a study carried out by Donovan in 1920. The conflicting demands for both quality and quantity, and the emotional nature of customer interactions all contribute to the strain that call centre workers experience (Varca, 2006). Moreover, scho lars have shown that call centre workers are under great pressure to meet their productivity goals at the same time as delivering quality customer service (Deery et al., 2002; Kinnie et al., 2000; Singh, 2000). As a result, call centre work carries with it high levels of employee stress. Consequently, the call centre employees need to be constantly motivated so as they demonstrate keenness and enthusiasm for their work. Motivation is simply the process of arousing and sustaining goal-directed behavior (Nelson Quick, 1997). One of the managers primary tasks is to motivate people in the organization to perform at high levels (Moorhead Griffin, 1992). The Hawthorne Studies conducted by Elton Mayo from 1927 to 1932 showed that views of how managers behave were a vital aspect of motivation and improved performance. This study brought to light the fact that peoples psychological and social needs have to be taken into account to make them feel important and thus motivate them to work. In addition, the work of Maslow in 1943 provided a major impetus to employee motivation since he put forward a theoretical framework of individual personality development and motivation based on a hierarchy of human needs. Likewise, Herzberg and McGregor also developed theories of motivation . Herzberg was of view that to motivate workers to give their best, proper attention must be given to a different set of factors, the motivation or growth factors. Additionally, McGregor argued that the style of management adopted is a function of the managers attitudes towards human nature and behaviour at work. He put forward two suppositions called Theory X and Theory Y which are based on popular assumptions about work and people. The ingredients of motivation lie within the employees themselves. So, managers should have the knack to motivate their de-motivated employees since, as mentioned above, employees at call centres face a lot of ordeals. Moreover, organizations are made of their individual members. The individual is a central feature in any workplace whether acting isolation or in a group, in response to the expectations of the organization. Where the needs of the individual and the demands of the organisation are incompatible, it can result in frustration and conflict. So, managers have as main aim to keep the motivation of their employees at a high level so as to achieve desired results and performance. PROBLEM STATEMENT Call centres are facing a major problem these days, namely absenteeism which can have a large impact service quality. Due to this problem, there is fewer staff to handle customer interactions, wait queues tend to swell and call centre employees are under high work pressure. This tends to impact directly on their morale and similar behaviour may be fostered in those left to carry the can. Call centre work is very monotonous due to highly repetitive nature of the job. Thus, call centres run the risk of the employees easily losing enthusiasm and becoming demoralised. Moreover, call centres provide limited career opportunities and they risk losing their best people if they cannot provide adequate career prospects. Talented employees lose interest in their work; they become de-motivated and stop working towards the high standards they set up before. Additionally, call centre employees have to work in night shifts which pose a problem to them. Employees, mainly the female staff fear workin g at night for security reasons. Social life is almost inexistent for them, since they work all the time. They also face problems such as inconvenient postures due to computer work and high noise level. It can thus be deduced that the work of these persons is not so simple and very demanding. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study has as aims to determine the factors which affect the motivation of call centre employees. Its objectives are to acknowledge the problems faced by call centre staff so that the managers of call centres take necessary incentives to motivate their staff. This will help create a better working environment in which each employee will thrive. Besides, this study will benefit to the learning population who may be doing research on this particular topic. METHODOLOGY There are two types of data that can be collected, namely primary data or secondary data. Secondary data is data which exists already and which has been produced by some other person. It is known as secondary research because the person using it is the secondary user of the data. Primary data, on the other hand, refers to the process of generating and collecting original data from the intended operation for an organisation. It is the organisation which determines precisely and accurately what information is needed and from whom it is needed. It then sets about acquiring the data. Primary data sources are obtained by using one or more of the following techniques such as observation, surveys, experiments and questionnaires. To proceed with the study, primary data will be used, namely questionnaires. A questionnaire is a tool used by to deliver questions to respondents and then noting down their answers. Three types of information can be collected while using questionnaires. Fact: data such as demographic information, age, gender and so on. Opinion: beliefs, attitudes, feelings and knowledge. Motive: knowing peoples reasons for a particular belief or action. Questionnaires will be used since they will help to compare results as all the employees of call centres will be asked the same set of questions logically related to the problem under study, that is, factors affecting motivation. Thus, their responses can be added meaningfully. At around 150 questionnaires will be distributed to the employees. Firstly, the method of sampling used will be convenience sampling. Convenience sampling will enable me to give the questionnaires to any person whom I know, who will in turn give them to other colleagues to be filled in. Cluster sampling will also help me distribute the questionnaires. This consists of drawing up a list of clusters that together comprise the whole population and then selecting a sample of clusters (by using simple random sampling). The call centre employee population is conveniently divided into groups. For example, there are employees doing morning shifts and those doing night shifts. So, questionnaires will be given to these two groups accordingly. BENEFITS OF THE RESEARCH There are several benefits of the research. Firstly, this research may be used as a tool for managers to motivate their staff. Managers, as well as employers, will get a glimpse of the factors affecting the performance of the employees and through this; they will be able to implement several measures to encourage them to work. For example, it could be found that employees value getting access to training and development programs (Shah and Bandi, 2003). Having access to vocational training is perceived as a real job enrichment and benefit, so the organisation would highly benefit from it. Furthermore, through this study, the employment rate could increase. Since managers would be aware of how to attract and motivate their staff, more and more persons would be eager to join the call centre industry. As a result, the rate of unemployment will decrease, hence benefiting to the Government and the society as well. Amongst these target audiences, that is the managers and the Government, the re is also the learning population which will get benefit from it. Students may use this study as a means to acquire more knowledge on call centre industry or even use the data to carry on with their projects. While conducting the research, several direct and indirect costs need to be taken into account. Expenses such as printing and photocopying of questionnaires and transport need to be catered for. Moreover, a budget is also being allowed for unexpected expenses which may crop up in the course of the research.