Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Analyzing Our Dependence on Fuel Oil - 755 Words

As we talked and read about the oil topic in class, I first thought that oil was just the black stuff coming out of the ground. I then thought â€Å"how can I write an entire essay on just oil?† However, as we started talking, I realized that oil is really all of nature’s resources and these resources are slowly being destroyed. Nature is a resource that has been here for as long as people have. We use trees for paper, the rivers and lakes for drinking water and power, and oil for factories and everyday things we come in contact with. It is impossible to go about normal life and NOT encounter something made of oil and nature. One of the most critical problems facing many countries today is our dependence on oil for fuel. The†¦show more content†¦Most of the countries in the world depend on crude oil and its many by-products. With the world’s oil supply expected to run out in fifty to ninety years, very little time remains to find a safe, plentiful, and efficient alternative energy source. Personally, I say we look into water. Not only is it 70% of our world (therefore it is very plentiful) but in the past we have seen its power in the form of steam with trains and other machines. If no alternative is able to replace oil, it will become more expensive because it is becoming much more rare. Oil is tied to most of the things we buy; this is because plastic is made of distilled crude oil. Think of all the things we come in contact with every day that are plastic. Toothbrushes, phone cases, car interiors, food trays, our desks at school, even this keyboard I’m typing on right this instant is plastic. Plastic is a good material to use because it’s durable and is light. When oil is distilled (like the water) it becomes a lubricant. The more times or heavier the oil is distilled, it creates varying levels of lubricant. Wax, heating oil, gasoline, polyester, and many artificial chemicals are made from petroleum (oil). Becaus e there is no reliable substitute for oil at this time, these commonly used items -- along with all of electrical systems and transportation -- would be non-existent. When the oil eventually runs out, nuclear, solar,Show MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Coal On The Environment1423 Words   |  6 Pageswhich brought about electricity and oil, which vastly improved society and have brought us to the technology-filled world we have today. However, coal has also negatively impacted the earth in an ecological way. Although the usage of coal has negative effects on the environment, the benefits gained from its use far outweighs the disadvantages, which makes coal have a large, and overall positive impact on society. This will be proven by analyzing the uses of coal in our present society, the environmentalRead MoreMichael Klares Blood and Oil Essay1504 Words   |  7 PagesMichael Klares Blood and Oil Michael Klare has written an interesting and very relevant book, dealing as it does with the politics of oil, US foreign policy, the Middle East, and the causes of terrorism. He writesRead MoreAnthropogenic Climate Change Through Technology, Fossil Fuels, And Emissions1728 Words   |  7 Pagesgreenhouse gasses radiated by human activities. By analyzing the polar ice centers, researchers are persuaded that human activity has expanded the extent of greenhouse gasses in the environment, which has soared in the course of the last few centuries. Thesis Statement To study how anthropogenic climate change through technology, fossil fuels, and emissions. Introduction Human beings have always been a highly adaptable species. First, when our hunter-gather ancestors started constructing tribalRead MoreThe Alliance Of The United Steel Workers Union And The Environmentalist Group Sierra Club Essay1447 Words   |  6 Pagesissue that manufacturers deal with on a daily basis. The shipment of goods, both internationally and domestically, requires the use of vehicles that use fuel that is harmful to the environment. If these manufacturers can reduce their shipment days, they can have less vehicles on the roads and save time and money as well as cut the costs of fuel and labor. For example, if an overseas manufacturing plant makes a product from recycled goods shipping that product back to the US would not coincide withRead MoreThe Mystery Of Deep Ocean Ecosystems973 Words   |  4 Pagesnothing but love and emotion; it is the Living Infinite,† wrote Jules Verne in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The irony is striking; we rely heavily on o ceans, the iconic feature of our planet, yet more than ninety-five percent of the ocean depths remain unexplored. The disparity between our dependence on the ocean and the attention it receives is marked and it is imperative that deep ocean exploration is addressed in the scientific community. The depths of oceans, the lifeblood of humanityRead MoreThe World Trade Center Buildings1716 Words   |  7 PagesSeptember 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center buildings, the world has been watching America, its citizens and government to gauge our response and the steps we would take to counteract and prevent such acts of terrorism from occurring again. The reaction of our government was to screen and scrutinize foreigners entering our country more closely but it has also cause our government to implement new laws that contradict and violate the constitutional laws of its’ citizens in the interest of nationalRead MoreCost Containment At Managing The Supply Chain1296 Words   |  6 PagesJim Owens, the former chairman and CEO of construction-equipment maker Caterpillar once said â€Å"In our industry, the competitor that`s best at managing the supply chain is probably going to be the most successful competitor over time. It`s a condition of success†. As companies try to gain acumen and growth, they are going to face various challenges irrespective of their industries and business verticals. The companies should do cost containment, carry out effective risk management, perform informationRead MoreSources Of Energy1062 Words   |  5 PagesWith increased additions of renewable sources in our existing infrastructure, major challenges are arising, as their supply is generally unstable and unpredictable. Too often, integrated renewable sources are curtailed and the energy is wasted for the safety of our existing electrical grid [1-6]. A logical solution would be to include large-scale energy storage systems, which would reduce the curtailment and increase the utilization of these clean sources, such as wind turbines and photovoltaicsRead MoreEssay on Did you say Nuclear Power?2035 Words   |  9 Pagessay Nuclear Power? Humans have depended on fossil fuel energy for a long time, however, with climate change and national security becoming a major focal point we need to pursuit other energy sources besides fossils fuel. Therefore, many nations are looking for greener and safe alternatives energy. Furthermore, with the threat of terrorism, countries are now motivated to looking for energy sources, which do not come from oil rich countries that sponsors terrorism. This is the reasonRead MoreGreen Energy is a Substitute Energy Source1720 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction â€Å"Green† (or alternative) energy is a substitute energy source for fossil fuels. Alternative energy is interchangeable with Renewable energy since the sources that are generated are natural and cannot be exhausted, all of which have minimal environmental impact. Alternative energy sources include solar power, which is acquired from the sun; wind power; water energy, which produces hydroelectricity; and biomass energy, which comes from plants. Due to these sources being free and causing

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Essay about The American Civil War was Avoidable - 1142 Words

The American Civil War was Avoidable The explosion of the American Civil War was caused by a vast number of conflicting principles and prejudices, fueled by sectional differences, and set afire by a very unfortunate set of political events. Undoubtedly, the central theme of almost all of the events that led up to the Civil War was one way or another, related to the dispute of slavery. Throughout the nineteenth century, slavery-related tensions brewed to such an extent, that politicians often took accustom to avoiding the hot topic altogether, because they were too scared of either starting a big political feud, or losing votes from one side of the issue or the other. More specifically, three events that were most instrumental in†¦show more content†¦If the parties involved wanted to avoid a war, the smartest move would have been to shoot down the bill initially. Douglas and the South should have approached the issue more subtly. Douglas could have introduced a compromise with the North, in exchange with th e intentions of applying popular sovereignty in the areas. Even though it reinforces true democracy, introducing popular sovereignty contradicts the provisions of the Missouri Compromise which would only create more political drama. A bill that was intended to repeal an important slavery-related compromise would do nothing but destroy all stability between the political parties. The Missouri Compromise left much ambiguity regarding specific cases, so the rulings of the courts played a major role in the political grey areas; thus, slavery was a very sensitive issue in the Supreme courts as well as in Congress. Dred Scott, a slave, had been purchased by a citizen of Missouri. Scott and his master had spent time in Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory, where slavery was prohibited. After his master ¡Ã‚ ¯s death in 1846, Dred Scott sued for his freedom, claiming that his journey to free soil and the fact that his master had died while he was in free soil had made him free. The Supreme Court, like the country itself, was veryShow MoreRelated The American civil war: causes and conflicts Essay1621 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Civil War, which began in 1861 to 1865, has gone down in history as the one of the most significant events to have ever occurred in the United States of America, thus far. At that time, questions had arose wondering how the United States ever got so close to hitting rock bottom, especially being that it was a conflict within the country itself. Hostility steadily grew through the years dividing the nation further and further, and finally leading to the twelfth day in April 1861 in FortRead MoreDebate on Civil War1069 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican Historians’ Debate on the Civil War The American Civil War has without a doubt left a permanent divide on this great nation’s past and present. American historians still debate the causes of a war that began in 1861 between the Union states and Confederacy states. The war can be seen as caused by the principle of slavery, the growing tension between northern and southern ideology or due to a crack in the political system of the time. United States’ history classes focus on teaching studentsRead MoreThe United States And The Civil War859 Words   |  4 Pagesconflicts regarding civil rights as well as continuous opposing views between the North and South. One of the more prevalent issues at the time, even though both Democrat and Whig parties attempted to avoid talking about it, was regarding the institution of slavery and whether or not it was â€Å"right†. Another issue that arose was whether or not the country would go to war with Mexico after Democrat, and current president at the time, James K . Polk went to Congress with a declaration of war with the claimRead MoreThe Cold War During World War II1324 Words   |  6 PagesWhen World War II ended, the last thing the countries imagined was another worldwide conflict. But that’s exactly was soon ensued when the Cold War erupted between the Eastern powers and the Western powers. The Eastern powers consisted of the Soviet Union and the Western powers consisted of America, Britain and France. During World War II, these allies had a common ground to work together in effort to fight against Hitler and the Nazi Party. The Cold War wasn’t an actual war where battles were fought;Read MoreThe War Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction982 Words   |  4 Pagesdollars has been spent on the war in Iraq since it began in 2003, plus over four thousand U.S. troops have died because of this war, and despite a struggling economy the US government is keeping our troops in Iraq with no end in sight. The war in Iraq is a current militar y operation that began, without a declaration of war, on March 20, 2003 and is still taking place today in 2009(Thompson). Americans have been shielded from this war and have forgotten why we went to war in the first place. Thus clarificationRead MoreTo What Extent Was the Cold War Inevitable? Essay1178 Words   |  5 PagesWhat Extent Was the Cold War Inevitable? With the end of World War II (WWII) in 1945 began the Cold War, an international conflict that lasted from 1947–1991 and plagued nations across the globe. As the post-war negotiations were deliberated by three of the strongest world powers, the United States (US), Britain, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), disagreements arose that created tension between the US and the USSR and ultimately instigated the infamous â€Å"Fifty Years War† (CrockattRead MoreWar in Iraq: An Unnecessary War Essay1339 Words   |  6 PagesFighting an Unnecessary War In excess of 600 billion dollars has been spent on the war in Iraq since it began in 2003, plus over four thousand U.S. troops have died because of this war, and despite a struggling economy the US government is keeping our troops in Iraq with no end in sight. The war in Iraq is a current military operation that began, without a declaration of war, on March 20, 2003 and is still taking place today in 2009(Rogalski). Americans have been shielded from this war and have forgottenRead MoreThe Battle Between The Union And A Separate Entity Called The Confederacy1688 Words   |  7 Pagesconfederacy was a profound event in American History, but how did this development evolve? Slavery and democracy had existed for many years, making the Civil War avoidable, yet the course of events still led the United States to the outcome stated above. In order for one to understand this change, one must try to piece together the many instances that would tell him/her the reasons for a Civil War as des tructive as the one fought in the eighteen hundreds between the North and the South. The Civil War wasRead MoreExploring Howard Zinns Life 1575 Words   |  6 Pagesand public intellectual. It argues for his critical, singular position as an academic who left a mark on generations of Americans as well as international persons by guiding us all to critically view various institutions and structures of power, particularly in the realm of government. By looking at four major aspects of his life, as radical historian, civil rights crusader, anti-war activist, and labor rights activist, the paper delineates Zinn’s impact in these areas and how he shaped the thinkingRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union983 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cold War is the name given to the relationship between the USA and the USSR after World War II. The Cold War was to summon widespread endeavours for an impressive period of time and various genuine crises occurred - the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietna m War, Hungary and the Berlin Wall being some. For some, the improvement in weapons of mass destruction was the most focused on issue. A contention of distinctive feelings and reasoning - Capitalism versus Communism - each held, with practically religious

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Does Malcolm X deserve the honor of an American Stamp Free Essays

Introduction – Before the electronic means of communication reached the hands of everyone equipped enough to access and use such technology for correspondence and even until now that electronic mail or email is as common as the early morning coffee for everyone, the US postal office holds a significant role as an institution in the American way of life. Among the most important aspects of the postal service is the existence of postal stamp and how it has become more than an ornament in the envelope of domestic and international mails that Americans send to friends, relatives and business contacts. It has managed to find a niche outside its utilitarian purposes as it metamorphosed into a collectible item as well as an instrument that helped illustrate the shifting social policies in place inside the United States as time went by, particularly with its role in helping make the country a place wherein equal social rights is in place and improving and that institutions that recognize notable icons and personalities does not consider ethnicity and racial background. We will write a custom essay sample on Does Malcolm X deserve the honor of an American Stamp? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Whites, as well as African Americans, are all featured in the different issues of US postal stamps. But is everyone who have earned a status as a social personality have a sufficient enough reason to claim a seat in the list of other icons who are featured in the US stamps or is there a defining line that separates America’s exercise of a system free from racial discrimination from the nomination of every individual who might be a personal favorite but not entirely iconic in the progress of the American way of life as it is today? There are those who will agree that a person such as Malcolm X – born Malcolm Little – achieved a sufficient degree of social importance that earned him the right to have his name and face featured in the US postal stamps, while there are those who may think otherwise. To ascertain the validity of the claims that would stem from those who supports this proposition as well as from those who disagrees with the idea of creating Malcolm X stamps, it is important to put forward first who Malcolm X is and what characteristics and accomplishments he has that made him qualified to be included in the list of African Americans who graced the different issues of the US postal stamp. Who is Malcolm X? – Malcolm X was an Omaha-Nebraska native. Malcolm was the son of Earl and Louise and their fourth child as a couple (since Malcolm X’s father also had children prior to his marriage with Louise). Malcolm X’s young life was characterized by violence, seeing their house burned by white men and seeing his father physically assault her mother, while her mother was just as abusive towards him physically, which he thought was because of his color (Harvey, p3). Historians claim that the turning point of Malcolm X’s life that led him towards his newfound responsibility towards social and civil rights is during his important transition from being a non-believer to becoming a faithful. He was hardly a religious man during his earlier life, and that is putting it nicely since Malcolm X actually confessed to having ‘very little respect for most people who represented religion’ (Harvey, p5). But when Malcolm X converted to Islam, he adopted the name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz and he became more active in not just religious preaching but as well as political sermons that advocated human and equal rights and consistently encouraged fellow African Americans to not be intimidated by actions of hate from white people. Sadly, religion, the institution that empowered him, is also rumored to be the one responsible for his death also, mainly because of Malcolm X’s leaning too much towards radicalism and his actions and words that nurture the atmosphere of civil disobedience and activism. Malcolm X in the American Stamp: Does he deserve the ‘Post’? – A United States Postal Service article stressed about its strong commitment in the effort to honor African Americans who made positive and significant contributions to the way of life in the country, even commenting about how the series featuring African American icons are amongst the popular US stamps in circulation. One of the areas wherein civil rights, equality and the absence of racism manages to display its self is in the selection of the icons and personalities that have adorned and will be featured in the postal stamps used in the United States for US mail. Civil and equal rights proponents will be glad to know that the US stamps accommodate notable African American icons – as a matter of fact, there are already some popular and iconic African American personalities that have made their way towards immortality via their presence in US stamps, and these personalities include Malcolm X as well as contemporary and fellow civil rights advocate Martin Luther King Jr., Booker T. Washington ( who is the first African American that was featured in a US postal stamp), Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman (the first African American woman who appeared in the U.S. postal stamp), Jackie Robinson, Scott Joplin and most recently, Thurgood Marshall. One of the noticeable characteristics among the African Americans who were selected to be featured in the postal stamps aside from Malcolm X is that they are not inclined to senseless and overt acts of violence and the outright disregard for laws and rules. King was contrasted with Malcolm X during their time because he was generally a pacifist, and Washington was known for using education as his main thrust to empower his fellow African American. As for Marshall, he was a civil rights advocate like Malcolm X during his time, but Marshall did not break or went around the law to have his way – he affected social change through the dispensing of morally correct and unbiased justice through the halls of the Supreme Court Justice. He assimilated himself with the system and made positive contribution towards his advocacy not by the distortion of the system but by helping create a just society bereft of crime. Thurgood was an icon because he believed that ultimately, the never ending social struggle is free from the color of one’s skin and ethnicity, like the pursuit of fair and consistent justice by all. This particular characteristic – the ability to win an advocacy without the use of violation and without sowing more seeds of hatred among people of different races, the removal of violence as a means to achieve the victory of an advocacy, to effect social change in a positive manner – is an important characteristic and a significant consideration that the US post office makes every time they select a new icon from the civil rights movement group the act of immortalizing a person via a postal stamp design is a way of supporting everything that the person stands for and represent, and no modern day social institution will deify a person who is synonymous to violence, social disorder and criminal acts. Yes, it is true that not everyone can be saints, but if persons like Mother Theresa and Mahatma Gandhi can live a life without the use of violence, then why should the US postal service consider the criteria of moral soundness be overly high in their selection of the next new face in the US postal stamp? Yes, there are those who achieved their goals by the use of violence and force, like generals who won important wars and ruthless rulers who helped civilized nations and societies – but for those that can be achieved without violence, why would the best man (or woman) in that category be that which utilized violence and showed disregard and disrespect for the law? What message would it send to the public – whose taxes are making sure that federal offices like the US Postal Services operate so that they serve the best interest of the majority, and not the petty qualms of the few whose idolatry towards Malcolm X failed to comprehend the fact that Malcolm X and his acts of violence made him no better than the person and the institution he fought during his lifetime and aimed at changing. Conclusion – Malcolm X was an inspiration to many, mainly because he represents the rebel that every one wanted to become even just for once in their lives, against one act or experience that created the feeling of indignation. And while there are those who staunchly believes that he was instrumental in how the civil rights movement shaped in America during the late 1950’s and before he died halfway the following decade, the position of this paper in this particular issue is that Malcolm X’s violent and law-breaking past have placed him many points below in ranking along with other civil rights advocates – living or dead – in the US history who deserves to be honored with his/her own version of the US postal stamp. Reference: Haley, A. (1995). Autobiography of Malcolm X. Ballantine Books, N.Y. How to cite Does Malcolm X deserve the honor of an American Stamp?, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Contemporary Hotel Marketing for Macro Environment -myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theContemporary Hotel Marketing for Macro Environment. Answer: Introduction In the modern era, the competition among firms and businesses operating in the hospitality industry has become highly intense. Now, it is no longer easy for organizations to attract new customers and retain the old ones in the long run. Businesses are required to develop effective strategies at regular intervals to deal with the increasing competition (Mok, Sparks, Kadampully, 2013). On the other side of this, the changes in macro environmental factors also affect the overall operations and activities of businesses operating in the hospitality industry of Australia. Factors such as technology, legal laws, socio-culture, demographics, etc. affect companies to a great extent. The present report explores different macro-environmental factors and their impact on activities of the business which are operating in the hospitality industry of Australia. External Macro Environment Impact of changing demographics In simpler terms, demographics can be defined as the statistical study which is linked with human population and its overall distribution in the society. In the present scenario, the changes in demographic variables result in affecting areas such as sales and profitability of businesses. The statement can be justified by the fact that in situations of rising in the aging population, the demand of hospitality related services tends to reduce(Kandampully, Zhang, Bilgihan, 2015). On the other hand, increasing young population results in raising the demand for travel, tour, and leisure related services. Changing economic conditions It can be stated that adequate economic growth helps businesses in the hospitality industry of Australia to carry out the smooth flow of their business operations and activities. Here, fall in discretionary income levels can result in lowering down the sales and profitability of these businesses. In simpler terms, discretionary income can be termed as the income which is left after spending and paying all the taxes(Solnet, Kralj, Baum, 2015). Furthermore, people spend their discretionary income on buying products and services of the hospitality industry. On the other side of this, increase in interest rates also affects the operation of companies operating in the hospitality industry. For example, increase in the rate of interest creates obstacles for businesses in terms of growth and expansion. It can be asserted that taking loan from banks becomes difficult and thus, people restrict themselves to spend their money on activities linked with leisure, travel, and tourism. Intense Competition The degree of competition among business has become highly intense, and the factor is beyond the control of organizations. Furthermore, brand, substitute and indirect are the three primary sources from where businesses face competition. The increasing and intense competition is a severe threat to companies operating in the hospitality industry of Australia. The rationale behind this is that intense competition provides customers with various alternatives and options to choose from. At the same time, hospitality businesses are required to operate with low prices to attract more customers and sustain in the marketplace. Companies are even required to operate with the low-profit margins, and this is a significant obstacle to long-term growth. Intense competition is a threat because it affects areas such as brand loyalty, customer retention, and profit margins(Seri?, Gil-Saura, Ruiz-Molina, 2014). The marketers are required to develop effective strategies which can help in getting a competitive advantage over other market players. At the same time, they need to ensure that a lot cost of operations is maintained and this is quite challenging. Society and culture changes and their impact on industry The changing socio-cultural patterns, social values, belief and lifestyle of customers have also emerged as a big issue for marketers in the Australian hospitality industry. The changing lifestyle and pattern of travel have resulted in making the study of consumer behaviour very complicated for the markets. To sustain in the long run, companies in the hospitality industry are required to offer products and services as per changing consumer behaviour, need, and demand. However, it can be critically argued that businesses may face challenges in increasing revenues and profits if the products and services are not according to demand of customers(McPhail, Patiar, Herington, Creed, Davidson, 2015). The marketers are required to carry out changes in their marketing strategy and plans according to the changes in the socio-cultural environment within the country. Political legal changes Legislation linked with the market, monetary and fiscal policies, social regulations, government support to the industry are considered as some critical components of the political-legal element of a macro environmental factor. The changes in laws and regulations encourage businesses to carry out modifications in their existing processes and activities(Assaf Agbola, 2014). The hospitality organization may also face legal consequences and penalties in situations if the laws and regulations are not addressed properly. Changes in the rate of taxes and interest may force customers to lower down their spending on activities linked with leisure, travel, and tourism. At the same time, political unrest in the country may restrict international travellers and tourists to visit that particular nation. Such kind of situations adversely affects the overall operations, sales, and revenues of small, medium and large enterprises operating in the hospitality industry(Buhalis Crotts, 2013). Some other legal issues faced by hospitality industry include health regulations, the degree of foreign investment, liquor licensing, landing taxes, etc. At the time of carrying out marketing activities, it is required by marketers to consider the legal laws and regulations developed within the industry and country.. Technology advancements In the present scenario, the emergence of technology has affected the overall lifestyle and spending of people to a great extent. On the contrary of this, it can be critically argued that technology is considered as a mixed blessing as it has both advantages as well as some disadvantages. The use of technology has resulted in making the entire purchasing process of customers more convenient. At the same time, businesses in the hospitality industry of Australia are now available with a potential platform to carry out marketing and promotion of their products and services(Wijesinghe, 2014). Tools such as email marketing, social media, internet marketing are highly effective in terms of attracting customers. On the other hand, companies are required to upgrade technology at regular intervals and this result in increasing the overall cost of operations. Conclusion It can be inferred that the macro environmental factors are beyond the control of businesses. To sustain in the highly competitive marketplace, it is required by companies to examine the changes in five major marketing environments. It is also suggested that businesses should monitor these changes and should develop effective strategies to lower down the adverse effect of these changes. References Assaf, A. G., Agbola, F. W. (2014). Efficiency analysis of the australian accommodation industry: a bayesian output distance function. Journal of Hospitality Tourism Research , 116-132. Buhalis, D., Crotts, J. (2013). Global alliances in tourism and hospitality management. Routledge , Abingdon-on-Thames. Kandampully, J., Zhang, T., Bilgihan, A. (2015). Customer loyalty: a review and future directions with a special focus on the hospitality industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management , 379-414. McPhail, R., Patiar, A., Herington, C., Creed, P., Davidson, M. (2015). Development and initial validation of a hospitality employees job satisfaction index: Evidence from Australia. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management , 1814-1838. Mok, C., Sparks, B., Kadampully, J. (2013). Service quality management in hospitality, tourism, and leisure. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge. Seri?, M., Gil-Saura, I., Ruiz-Molina, M. E. (2014). How can integrated marketing communications and advanced technology influence the creation of customer-based brand equity? Evidence from the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management , 144-156. Solnet, D., Kralj, A., Baum, T. (2015). 360 degrees of pressure: The changing role of the HR professional in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality Tourism Research , 271-292. Wijesinghe, G. (2014). Reimagining the application of sustainability to the hospitality industry through a virtue ethics framework. Journal of Sustainable Tourism , 31-49.

Friday, November 29, 2019

The Lord free essay sample

# 8217 ; s Test Essay, Research Paper * * The Lord # 8217 ; s Trial * * I woke up this forenoon * * and knew that today, * * The Sun would non be reflecting * * and the clouds would be grey. * * * * As I stepped outdoors, * * rain fell upon my caput. * * My auto wouldn # 8217 ; t start * * so I walked to school alternatively. * * * * I forgot all of my assignments * * I failed all of my trials. * * I dropped my caput in disgust * * and asked the Lord for * * one petition. * * * * # 8220 ; Lord, why is it that * * things won # 8217 ; t travel my manner? # 8221 ; * * He gently replied, * * # 8220 ; Dear kid it is because * * you didn # 8217 ; t thank me yesterday. * * * * I woke you up and enabled * * you to see the Sun once more. * * I gave you shelter, * * protected your household, and even allow * * you make a new friend. * * * * I blessed you far * * greater than I of all time had before. * * But you were excessively busy * * to thank me one time more. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lord or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page * * * * You didn # 8217 ; t experience ill * * because I maintained your wellness. * * You had money in your pocket * * because I maintained your wealth. * * * * You had places on you pess * * and apparels to have on, excessively. * * You had plentifulness of nutrient to eat, * * and what did you make? * * * * You ignored me and went * * about your undertakings. * * But when you wanted something lt ;< p>* * you neer hesitated to inquire. * * * * I was at that place when you needed me * * and that wasn # 8217 ; t excessively long ago. * * But when things started traveling your manner, * * it was me you did non cognize. * * * * As if that weren # 8217 ; t plenty, * * I provided your favourite luxuries. * * This was something I didn # 8217 ; Ts have * * to do-they weren # 8217 ; t even necessities. * * * * And when it was clip to acquire on your * * articulatio genuss and demo your gratitude, * * You decided that after such a * * fulfilling twenty-four hours, you weren # 8217 ; T in the temper. * * * * So I decided to * * give you merely a small trial. * * To demo you how it would experience * * to halt being blessed. # 8221 ; * * * * I began to recognize what * * the Lord was stating. * * And when I got place, I fell * * to my articulatio genuss and started praying. * * * * He said, # 8220 ; My kid, you have * * learned and you know I do forgive. * * But retrieve to retrieve this twenty-four hours * * every bit long as you shall populate. * * * * I love make fulling your life with joy, * * and your hurting I # 8217 ; ll relieve it. * * But merely a simple thank you * * would demo how much you * * appreciate it. # 8221 ; * * * * Pass this on to everyone * * you pray the Lord will bless. * * There are no gimmicks or * * regulations merely this simple trial. * * * * How many people to direct * * it to is all in your custodies. * * *

Monday, November 25, 2019

Darden Essay Example

Darden Essay Example Darden Essay Darden Essay April 15, 2013 Executive Summary Darken Is one of the worlds top performing companies In the food services Industry, with over 2,000 locations and 180,000 employees. Including many brands from luxury restaurants to quick and easy restaurants Darken has been able to develop brand names into clear strategic advantages, which lead to competitive advantages and keeping customers coming back for more. In this paper a team of marketing students analyze Darners current position In the market through research and apply concepts from class to develop a strategic plan for Darken moving forward. Looking at the company through such lenses as source based view of the firm describes the firms most important assets. Using such charts as weighted competitive strength assessment and a nine cell attractiveness chart to show Darners current position and what they need start moving towards, allows the reader to develop an understanding of the teams aspirations for the company. Table of Contents Company Tangible and Intangible Weighted Competitive Strength Assessment.. External Issues Business Level Strategies Recommendations Current Corporate Level Strategy Service Divisions Financial Weighted Competitive Strength Chart Nine Cell Attractiveness Matrix International Strategy McKinney 7-S Model Utilization Company Environment Darken is one of the largest full-service dining companies in the world; they are also an extremely successful company. They have many strengths and a few competitive advantages, but like every other company, they also have some room for improvement. Some of the major strengths of Darken include its strong values, diverse workforce, size, recognizable and successful brands, and its people focused culture. Darken has a number of strong values in place that they believe help the company learn, strive and grow. Some of these values include integrity and fairness, respect and caring, always learning, always teaching, being of service, teamwork and excellence. All of these strong values continue to help Darken as one of the most successful dining services in the world. Darken also has a very diverse workforce. Darken does not care where employees are from all they care about is making them feel comfortable as part of the team at Darken. As the website states, Even though we have a common vision, we embrace and celebrate our individual differences. We are strengthened by a diversity of cultures, perspectives, attitudes, and ideas. We honor each others heritage and uniqueness. Our power of diversity makes a world of difference. (Darken. Com) The size of the company is also a major strength. They have over 2,000 restaurants and more than 180,000 employees. This means that they are continuing to have success because cities continue to want their restaurants, which means more employees. Another major strength for Darken is their recognizable and successful brands. This is strength for the company because these restaurants are well recognized and customers know they take pride in providing quality means and services. The final major strength for Darken is the diversity of food these restaurants have. They have seafood, Italian food, steaks, many other menu items and specialties that vary for each brand. This is strength for the company because these menu items attract customers in to the restaurants and the quality service will make most of its money with repeat customers so focusing on retaining old customers has to be at the top of managers broad strategic plans. Just like any company, Darken also has some areas where they can improve in order to make them even more successful. These weaknesses include they are mostly internalized in North America, they have a low stock price compared to their competitors, Olive Garden and Red Lobster continue to see a drop in sales, reducing hours may create unhappy employees, and no new restaurants. Being mostly centralized in North America is a major weakness because expanding overseas can bring in much more profit. Its great that there are so many restaurants here in the states, but expanding to other parts of the world would make Darken even better. The low stock price compared to competitors is a weakness because it shows that demand for their restaurants is not as high as it is for their competitors restaurants even with Darken being much more diversified then say Buffalo Wild Wings. The continued drop in sales from Olive Garden and Red Lobster is a weakness because a company is only as strong as its weakest link. Obviously the economy is bad and people are beginning to eat out less and less, but Darken needs to find a way to get these two restaurants sales back up. Because of the new Abominate law, companies with 50 or more workers could be hit with fines if they do not provide basic coverage for their employees. As a result of this, some restaurants are beginning to cut hours for employees making part-time workers instead of full time rockers. This is a weakness because cutting hours means less profits along with repeat or even new customers becoming UN happy with the new hours that they were accustomed too, or assumed. Having no new restaurants is a major weakness because it shows that the company is not expanding. Darken has 7 well known restaurants in their portfolio. With a strategic acquisition of well-defined restaurant chain, they could be even more successful and more dominant in the full service dining market. Tangible and Intangible Assets Darken possesses a good amount of tangible and intangible resources that are important for the company to succeed. Using the four test of Resource Based View of the firm it was obvious that both the tangible and intangible resources play a huge part in making the firm unique. These resources also are meant to give the company a competitive advantage over their competitors. A lot of the resources are imitable and shared by other companies, something that Darken has to realize may not be an advantage for them forever. Some of Darners tangible resources that are important to their company are the companys employees, the buildings that each restaurant operates from, and their suppliers. Employees are resources that are able to be touched and in the tangible sense can work to keep the restaurants operating. The buildings house the employees and customers and make it possible for the business to operate and compete. The suppliers are an important tangible resource because they supply each restaurant with the supplies that they need to operate properly. All of these tangible resources are important in the operation of the company as a whole. Darken also has numerous intangible resources that are an important part of the companys success. Some of these intangible resources that attribute to the success of Darken restaurants are their great culture, service, diversity, community these intangible resources because without their culture being so strong there would be no room for the other intangibles to follow. Darken has developed a culture of these other great intangibles such as service, diversity, community work, and sustainability. The service that Darken brings to the table is second to none and they make sure that their employees practice this awesome service on a regular basis. Darken also focuses heavily on diversity which is why they are known as one of the cost diverse companies in the industry. Community work is a big focus of Darken and they make it known that it is an important part of their success. Darken has been around for a very long time and is still striving to keep improving which shows the companys sustainability. All of these tangible and intangible resources that Darken acquired have separated them from other restaurant chains in the industry which gives them a slight competitive advantage. Weighted Competitive Strength Assessment This chart was produced using two competitors of Darken in the food services industry. The two companies are Pander Bread and Buffalo Wild Wing both of which are only a single brand. For this reason they are stronger than any one of Darners brand names or chain restaurants. But in this Chart they are compared to Darken as a whole to show the value of Synergy. (NASDAQ. Mom) External Issues One of the biggest issues facing not only Darken but the whole industry is making sure all restaurants are following ethical laws enforced by Abominate. Darken Restaurants including Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and Longhorn Brands are not abiding ethically under Abominate. Under the new health care law, companies with fifty or more workers could be hit with fines if they do not prov ide basic coverage for full time workers and their dependents. For Darken, which operates more than 2,000 restaurants in the U. S and Canada, employs around 180,000 employees this is a huge expense. The Wall Street Journal reports that Darken is using the new health law to cut hours of full-time hourly workers to work less than 29. 5 hours, thus redefining them as part-timers. This can cause employees to become dishonest which may lead to bad service. The second big issue that can affect Darken industries is the threat of new entrants. As a company Darken needs to figure out what separates them from their competition and continue down that path. Recommendations for External Issues The first recommendation for Darken Restaurants is to continue the diverse workforce. The diverse workforce is viewed as strength by Darken employees and other companies. The employees are valued from the start, where they share in a respectful and caring environment which will keep them honest and motivated. Darken is strengthened by a diversity of perspectives, attitudes and ideas. They honor each others heritage and uniqueness, as well as those of the customers. Another recommendation for Darken restaurants is to run a promotion for each of the restaurants. For example, if you spend over $70 at this restaurant you receive a coupon for 15-20% off at another restaurant in the Darken family. The promotion money it gives them incentive to enjoy another meal at another one of our restaurants. Business Level Strategies In order for a company to be successful their main objective should be to focus on satisfying customer needs and preferences in order to achieve above average returns; generally done via business level strategies. These business level strategies entail actions taken to provide value to customers and gain a competitive advantage. These strategies are a direct result of the competition factor that the company is creating. The five generic business level strategies are cost leadership, differentiation, focused low cost, focused differentiation, and using an integrated low- cost/differentiation strategy (Business Level Strategy). Current Corporate Level Strategy The restaurant industry is all about how your company or organization can gain a competitive advantage. Darken Restaurants, Just like any other company, seems to Ochs on business level strategies. However, only three of the five strategies are predominantly seen throughout Darken Restaurant Corporation. The three strategies that Darken uses are cost leadership, differentiation, and using integrated low-cost/ differentiation strategies. Organizations are constantly competing to be the low cost leader for a wide range customer base. Price is based on internal efficiency in order to have a margin that will sustain above average returns and cost to the customer. Porters five forces model is very useful in helping with cost leadership. The model will help Darken identify their restaurants supplier power, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes and buyer power (Business Level Strategy). In order to attract current and new customers Darken Restaurants need to differentiate themselves from their competition by bringing the highest value to their customers. Value is brought to customers through unique features and characteristics of an organizations products. Darken can create value for their customers by lowering buyers costs, raising buyers performance, and creating sustainability. Implementing a differentiation strategy is important in order to be adaptable to environmental changes, learn new skills and technologies, and be able to effectively leverage objectives across the business. This should enable the firm to produce with differentiated features at lower costs (Business Level Strategy). Recommendation Darken should continue utilizing the business strategy objectives that has led to their success as a company. We do not find it necessary to deviate from the current strategies, because they are already one of the most successful companies in their industry. As long as Darken continues to differentiate themselves from their intention, customers will keep coming back. Darken focuses heavily on diversification. The company began to diversify by opening Olive Gardens, which became their second restaurant. Darken now has nine different restaurants that all serve a different style of food. The style of food ranges from Italian, Caribbean, steak and seafood. Service Divisions Darken has a couple cash cows services. Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden and Red Lobsters are the cash cow restaurants that Darken owns. These services have owns are the most popular restaurants and bring in the most revenue for the company. Darken has two star services that would be The Capital Grille and Bahamas Breeze. These services have much room for growth and have a large market share. The only question mark that Darken has is Seasons 52. It is still unclear in what direction Seasons 52 will go. Eddie Vs. is the only dog that Darken owns; it is not very successful and is only retaining profits from a small amount of its restaurants. Financial The financial of their main companies this year were in the billions. Olive Garden has 3. 6 billion in sales, while Red Lobster had 2. 7 billion in sales, and Longhorn right Enid them with 1. 1 billion. With this amount of sales they have been able to increase their market share from 2. 55 in 2008 to 3. 58 in 2012 and are looking to increase to somewhere between 5. 75 7. 5 in 2017. They have currently been decreasing their long term and short term debt and have been increasing their assets of each division showing that Darken restaurants is only on the rise and is doing everything correctly to get there. Weighted Competitive Strength Chart Competitive Strength Measure Importance Weight Darken Rival A Rival B Rival C Market Share 0. 15 10/1 . 5 11. 15 61. 90 21. 0 Match or Beat R ivals on key attributes 0. 2 7/1 . 4 21. 40 5/1 . 00 31. 60 Benefit from strategic fit 0. 05 91. 45 4/. 20 81. 40 Bargaining leverage w/ suppliers/buyers 8/1 . 60 4/. 80 81. 80 21. 0 Brand Image 31. 15 61. 30 21. 10 Valuable Capabilities 0. 1 91. 90 21. 20 71. 70 51. 50 Sum of weights 7/1 . 05 51. 75 31. 45 Overall weighted competitive strength scores 11. 10 4/. 40 7. 85 2. 3 5. 25 3. 15 Nine-Cell Attractiveness Matrix Strong (6. 7 and up) Average (3. 3-6. 7) weak (0-3. 3) High (6. 7 and up) Darken= High 7. 20 and Strong 7. 85 Rival A-High 6. 75 and weak 2. 30 Medium (3. 3-6. 7) Rival B=Medium 5. 10 and Average 5. 25 LOW (0-3. 3) Rival LOW 2. 95 and weak 3. 15 International Strategy Darken Restaurants is using the international strategy of growth by acquisition. They are very successful when it comes to this process and have made many acquisitions over the last couple of years. Darken simply began with the restaurant we know today as Red Lobster, after they started, the restaurant began to develop quickly and reached 400 locations and became a stylish dining restaurant in Just over a fifteen year span. The first acquisition that the company made was of a New York steak souse that did not do so well and only a couple individual locations still exist. In the early sasss Darken opened their first Olive Garden in Florida. Olive Garden was able to develop into the restaurant it is today by chasing after Tuscany, Italy styles and many different Italian cuisines. Furthermore Darken was not quite done with expanding at this point and diversifying their company to different cultures. The next business that they had opened was the restaurant known as Bahamas Breeze; this is a Caribbean style restaurant. They also opened a sports bar style concept restaurant called Smokey Bones and Season 52. After they were done creating all of these restaurants Darken decided it was best for them to sell some and acquire a couple new ones. They began by selling Smokey Bones and buying out their biggest competitor Rare Hospitality, they made this acquisition for a cost of 1. 4 billion dollars. When buying this company they gained two new very successful restaurants, the Capital Grille and the Longhorn Steakhouse. After this acquisition Darken went forth and bought two other restaurants, these were Eddie Vs. which has a couple locations in Texas, and Yard House which is the most upscale out of all of the restaurants that Darken owns. When it comes to this strategy Darken should change anything that they are doing. Since 2008 their sales have been increasing every year with a slight drop in 2011, but this is expected with the way the economy and even with the bad economy term debts and are paying with more cash for items than they are taking out in debt to pay for these items. In this past year Darners sales were in the billions of dollars and they look to increase this in the current year. This recommendation is superior to any other suggestion because what Darken is doing now makes sense and they are building from every mistake they have made. If Darken were to switch strategies from their current one there is a potential chance that it does not work and it could be a major setback for the company. Furthermore based on the above information one can see that Darken is a growing company and is doing very well financially, with this there is no reason for the company to change their strategy and possibly Jeopardize all that they have accomplished with the current strategy. However Darken has to continually try to improve this strategy to maintain their strategic advantage. This includes constant industry research and rends to discover the next big acquisition. Darken uses a strategy known as multi-domestic, when it comes to competing internationally. What this strategy allows is for Darken to customize its restaurants to fit the style of service expected to help fit the needs of the customers and the cultures surrounding their customers. They do this by presenting different chains of restaurants to fit different styles of the society, and they are very successful at what they do. Darken has been able to attack pretty much every style of food that customers crave when they are looking to go out to dinner. They have done this with he ability to attract every part of the economy that they can both rich and poor. This strategy has worked very well and as time goes on Darken is only getting better at implementing this strategy across their company. The Teams suggestion for this strategy is to keep it and to learn from their previous and future mistakes and build with everything they do. Along with this continual research as mentioned before will help Darken develop in to a sustainable industry leader. As we have mentioned, Darken is a very successful company and is able to develop their brands quickly into industry leaders in particular restaurant disgorges. Not only this is important, Darken also has restaurants that other companies cannot even compete with in that specific category. This is the reason we feel that our recommendation is superior. We see no reason to change the strategy when Darken is the leading company in a lot of categories they have restaurants in and they are only growing larger and larger every year. McKinney 7-S Model At Darken we strive to bring value to the customer through our upbeat restaurant environment, friendly customer service, freshly prepared foods, and a fantastic dining experience. We believe that by following the seven S framework of McKinney we will be able to find the strengths and weaknesses of our company and build upon those. The better we are as a company the more we will be able to bring to our customers. The seven S framework of McKinney is a Value Based Management (IBM) model that describes how one can holistically and effectively organize a company. It can be used in a wide variety of situations where an alignment perspective is useful. These situations include but are not limited to the following: improving the performance of a company, examining the likely effects of future changes within a many, aligning departments and processes during a merger or acquisition, and determine the way in which corporations operate efficiently, effectively bringing value to the customer (The McKinney AS Framework). The first of the seven S components is shared values. What are shared values? They are the interconnecting center of Muckinesss model. In other words it represents what the organization stands for and believes in (The McKinney AS Framework). Darken Restaurants believes in and is committed to delivering genuine service to others. Whether its making an extra effort or a guest, helping our employees develop career skills or improving communities they serve. Darken is also a strong believer in equality, which is why their vibrant culture embraces diversity and inclusion as business imperatives. Throughout all their restaurant locations the spirit of inclusiveness is woven into our strong, values- based culture that we believe gives us a competitive advantage over our competition. This is evident throughout the company starting with the founder Bill Darken, who opens his doors to everyone, and continues to make sure the workforce reflects the makeup of the local community (Darken Restaurants). The second S component of Muckinesss seven S systems is strategy. Strategy describes how the company (Darken) plans for the allocation of firms scarce resources, over time, to reach identified goals (The McKinney AS Framework). Does Darken have the right strategy when it comes to the environment, giving themselves a competitive advantage over their competition, and having the right environment and atmosphere to bring in the right customers? Darken is actively committed to sustainability. The business depends on available, affordable, high quality natural resources, which is why they have chosen to focus sustainability efforts on preserving, conserving and enhancing their ecosystems. Over the past several years, Darken has advanced in sustainability-related activities. They have developed a sustainability strategy and established an Office of Sustainability and internal Sustainability Leadership Council and are continuing to identify and spread sustainable best practices throughout the company (Darken Restaurants). The third S in Muckinesss seven S systems is structure. Structure has to do with the way the organizations units relate to each other. Organizational structure s important for any company by providing guidance and clarity on specific human resources issues, such as managerial authority (The McKinney AS Framework). The structure in Darken, similar to many other large corporations, is a top down approach, meaning that Darners top executives communicate by telling the middle managers, who then tell the lower level employees how things are going to run (Darken Restaurants). The fourth S in Muckinesss seven S systems is system. The system step describes the procedures, processes, and routines that characterize how important work is before it is done: financial systems hiring, promotion and reference appraisal system and info system (The McKinney AS Framework). Darken is a great company to work for due to the fact that they promote from within the company. Promoting from within the company gives their current employees a sort of motivation; if they work hard enough to grab the attention of higher management it will give themselves an advantage over other employees when a promotion is available. Muckiness 5th S, style he is mainly talking about leadership and the way the leaders lead. Darken has a top down approach which is obvious with such a large company. They have presidents for all of their major chains such as

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Week 8 705 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 8 705 - Assignment Example This requires knowledge on budgeting and components of budgets so that a DNP can collaborate with line personnel and inform them to ensure availability of resources for meeting patients’ needs. Ordering of tests and prescription of medicines originates from DNPs and the professionals are the right source of information for budgeting for the necessary resources. DNPs’ knowledge on budgeting can facilitate accuracy in resource allocation and availability of the required resources. In addition, ability to identify each of the direct costs such as personnel, equipments, supplies, and training expenses and to allocate expected costs to them facilitates budgeting within a DNP’s department and informs a facility’s budgeting (Loyns & Gitlin, 2008). Personnel are critical to service delivery and understanding workload volume informs DNPs on the required human resource base. The most common volume and peak volume are important to estimating extreme ends of a facility’s needs that can ensure economic, but sufficient, allocation of resources. Reliance on most common workload, together with further analysis then informs DNPs roles in budgeting for their departments and their facilities. As a leader, a DNP needs to understand human resource planning concepts for informing human resource management on appropriate human resource composition and for ensuring optimal personnel output in a DNP’s department through motivational factors (Waxman, 2012; Loyns & Gitlin,

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Business Systems Analysis and Design Coursework

Business Systems Analysis and Design - Coursework Example As a result to this change we had to come up with a system to help the Buckie Company in collecting this information. The system was to incorporate both a database and was supposed to web based. Scope The system is supposed to allow for the recording of different equipment that the company uses. It is also supposed to allow for the different reporting as stipulated by the owner. Overview The project maintains two levels of users:- 1. Administrators Level: Managers 2. User Level: Data Entry Operator System Analysis Analysis of the system was carried out by prior studying the existing manual system within the organization. Questionnaires were given to the different people who were involved in the running of the manual system. People were first told the importance of the new system and why they needed to answer the questions correctly. The management was involved in coming up with the requirement of the system. Here, they were asked to give suggestions of how the system should look like and the functionalities it is supposed to give. After collecting these requirements, the team visited a neighboring company that had a similar system to learn how it was working. We learnt the flaws in the system so that we would not repeat the same mistakes in the system. This led to coming up with the requirement of the system. ... Maintaining records of Electricity at Work. 2. Maintaining records on Hygiene inspections. 3. Records of gas equipments and pressure after they are tested. 4. Record on all the stocks annually. Main reports that the system is supposed to give. 1. Annual reports on all the stock available at the close of the year. 2. Producing a schedule of inspections to carried out and record the outcome each month. 3. A monthly report of inspections is made and equipment status after the inspection. Goals of the proposed system 1. Improved on a planned way for the company to carry out its activities- Due to the structured way of the system workers will be forced to follow a certain procedure while carrying out the different activities. This will make sure any activity does not skip any of the stipulated steps. 2. Accuracy- The system will ensure the record on the inventory is correct because of the need of passwords and usernames before any person makes any changes within the system. This will ensu re that no items that can be removed from within the system due to fear of being identified on the auditing period. 3. Reliability- the system will be reliable because there will be data backup from system each day on the close of the business. This will ensure no data loss happens in the future in case of fires or any malicious damage by any worker. 4. Storage of a large amount of information allowing for data mining; The system will ensure data from different years will be available allowing easier analyzing of data in future. This analysis would be cheaper if everything had been stored on papers. 5. Easy to operate- easiness will be ensured in the system because of usage of the graphical user interface. This will ensure workers with only basic

Monday, November 18, 2019

Book Review - Joshua Rest -Land Won (Turabian Format) Essay

Book Review - Joshua Rest -Land Won (Turabian Format) - Essay Example The author of the book is an accomplished theological writer with more than sixty books already published. Before his death, Jensen held a BA degree from Wagner College and worked for thirty years as professor at Bryan College in Tennessee. This paper is a knowledgeable review of his informative commentary on Joshua and the journey to the Promised Land. Summary of the Content Even for a person who is not acquainted with the book of Joshua, Jensen’s commentary provides a good resource for studying the entire text. In this detailed analysis, the author puts the book of Joshua in its chronological setting. He traces the flow of events through four parts that detail the journey of the Israelites. The central character in this commentary is the biblical Joshua. The author portrays Joshua as a revolutionary leader who was handpicked by God. His main duty was to lead the Israelites through the remaining part of the journey into the Promised Land. The author provides brief biographica l information on Joshua to make the reader acquainted with the kind of leader he was. To take the reader through the journey, Jensen avails a map detailing Joshua’s three campaigns at the beginning of the text. ... The third and fourth parts deal with the issues of inheritance and consecration as outlined in the book of Deuteronomy. Written in a plain and nontechnical style, this eloquent commentary contains a map, an outline, clear annotation, and a very useful bibliography on Joshua. Another valuable aspect of the book is the comparison the author makes between the proceedings in the book of Joshua and the main beliefs of Christianity illustrated by the New Testament. Evaluation of the Text Like many other works of Jensen, this particular commentary employs a clear nontechnical style. This style is easy to follow through and comprehend. What captures the attention of the reader is the way Jensen outlines each progress in the journey to the Promised Land. For instance, before embarking on an analysis of Joshua’s leadership, the author provides information on events preceding the coronation of Joshua as the leader. He then follows with an analysis of the events that follow until the Isra elites settle in the Promised Land. Since the sequence of events is easy to follow through the commentary, Jensen’s work makes an informative read. The author certainly achieves the goal of making the reader understand the journey and conquest from his point of view. According to Jansen’s commentary, the book of Joshua gives Rehab (the harlot who saved the spies) a special place in the conquest.1 This view is emphasized in the book of Mathew (1:5) which reserves a prime place for her in the Messianic history. Another positive about the book is the way Joshua is portrayed as an admirable mentor.2 This is certainly a perspective most Christians ought to take when reading the book of Joshua. Most people read the book of Joshua as a chronological account of the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Globalization And Environmental Education Education Essay

Globalization And Environmental Education Education Essay The two topics that I have chosen from the sessions are globalisation and sustainable development. I am interested to look at the views from globalisation and environmental education by looking beyond the sustainable development (what is sustainable development, the principles and the importance). First of all, before discussing further in details on the topic of sustainable development, we should know that globalisation and education are world wide issues that interrelated to each other. There is a significant amount of research involving the study of intertwined worldwide discourses, processes, and institutions affecting local educational practices and policies regarded to globalisation and education. Spring (2008) suggests that there are four major theoretical perspectives relating to globalisation and education. They are; world culture, world systems, postcolonial, and culturalist. Many researchers endorse that the major global educational discussions are about the knowledge economy and technology, lifelong learning, global migration or brain circulation, and neoliberalism. However, there are critics of current global trends support educational alternatives that will preserve local languages and cultures, ensure progressive educational practices that will protect the poor against the rich, and protect the environment and human rights. I found this is interesting and we should have a view that sustainable development is a global issue as well as the local one (Atkinsson, 1999). Therefore, personally I interested on the theme of sustainable development which is linked with that of the global dimension within the cross-curricular dimensions of the National Curriculum. I believe as a future teacher, this topic would be interesting to be discussed and analysed. This is because in the future I probably will be addressed by such responsible to educate students with such knowledge. Definition of globalisation and sustainable development Definition of globalisation The term globalisation is used in a variety of contexts, supposedly to indicate economic interdependency and the power exerted by some multinational corporations that no longer have strong links with any particular country, but see themselves as transcending national boundaries (Soubnita, A.T, Sheram. et. 2000). The technological revolution seems to be one of the most powerful engines of the globalisation process (Friedman, 1995: 341) I learned that globalisation is a term that has a very wide definition. Different groups will define it differently and will have different views on what globalisation really is. Moreover, I found that there are numbers of the definition for the term globalisation mostly emphasizing its agendas of growing prosperity and development opportunities for all. Green and Bare (2000) have the ideas that globalisation is the terrible triumph of unrestrained capitalism and the resulting cultural homogenization, the domination of the United States, plundering of the environment, and the widening gap between the rich and poor. Definition of sustainable development As globalisation is requiring development, therefore I believe that the need to avoid further depletion of the world resources in order to develop this world is a general understanding on the definition of sustainable development term. A conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 by the United Unions manifest the first international attempt to draw up action plans and strategies in order to moving towards a more sustainable development. Dresner (2002) mentions about the discussion made in the Brutland Commission in the 1987 where sustainable development was appealed as the resolution of the environmental problems. From the reading on several articles and books, I agree that sustainable development is about ensuring that people can fulfil their basic needs, while preserving the environment so that the future generation can also have the same or even better quality of life. Moreover, I understood that sustainable development recognises that the three pillars the economy, society and the environment which are all interconnected. I interested with a statement that; Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (IISD, 2012) 1.3 Personal views My stand is that the concept of sustainable development can be understood in many different ways, but at its most basic is an approach to development that looks to balance differently, and the needs against the awareness of the environmental, social and economic limitations that we face nowadays. Therefore, I believe that sustainable development is about improving ways of implementing things, for the benefits of both the future and the present time. For the sake of sustainability, we might face many changes in the way we life but that does not mean that our quality of life will be reduced. Thus, from the definition of globalisation in relation to sustainable development I could say that sustainable development is a global issue that needs everyone to play their roles in order to ensure it is a success. Of course, there are goods and bad things regarding globalisation and the relation to the context of sustainable development. Globalisation and sustainable development in environmental aspects I am interested with one of the dominant principles of sustainable development which states that sustainable development is to live within our environmental limit (Dresner,2002). To clarify, the principle is respecting the limits of the earths environment, resources of biodiversity with aims to improve the environment and ensure that our natural worlds resources needed for life are not damaged and remain for future generations. Firstly, Dresner (2002) suggests that one of the principles of sustainable development is any development activity should help to sustain and not endanger our resources. We should have noticed that the Earths life-support systems are draining that once fertile areas can no longer sustain people ( Atkisson, 1999) ; fish resources have been depleted; the atmosphere, water courses and our food supplies have been polluted. It is challenging, to predict its effect on the ecosystems. For this reason, I believe that there is a need to apply the preventative principle that we can do to bring back our environments, which in turn opens up with many new development opportunities. Examples include organic farming and replanting trees. There is an idea that suggests if we are to sustain the planet, we must control population growth and change our patterns of consumption (IUCN, UNEP and WWF (1991)). Moreover, the worlds environment has continued to deteriorate (IUCN, UNEP and WWF (1991)). For example, deforestation at a rate of 14 million hectares a year; greenhouse gases are still increasingly pumped into the atmosphere, and there is a big amount of report mentions that the US has rejected the Kyoto Protocol and the present targets for emission reductions are clearly inadequate. Furthermore, there is a forthcoming crisis of water shortages around the world,and in India the problem is already there where some parts of India the people is still struggling to get enough fresh and clean water supply; and may news reporting that new technologies such as genetic engineering pose new environmental and health threats (IUCN, UNEP and WWF (1991)). I look all these matters with questions, if all these problems are revolving around the world, what is sustainable development really is? How successful is the idea to sustain the development? Globalisation and sustainable development in society To discuss further, I agree that the focus of sustainable development is to look it beyond just the environment. Atkisson (1999) mentions that it is also about to guarantee a strong, healthy and just society. Thus, I believe this means meeting the various needs of all people in existing and future communities, promoting personal well-being, social cohesion and inclusion, and creating equal opportunity (Orr, 1992). In addition, Spring (2008) advises that our attitude on development affects everyone. The impacts of decisions made in a society have very real concerns in others lives. For instance,a poor planning of communities, reduces the quality of life for the people who live in them. Sustainable development proposes a way to making better decisions on the issues that affect all of our lives (Orr, 1992). For example, we can ensure that residents have easy access to healthcare and leisure facilities by uniting health plans into the planning of new communities (Spring,2008). As I understood from sessions of the lessons, our world is not always fair. I find out that the majority of the global population does not have access to adequate resources; and these same people also suffering unjustly from pollution, depletion of resources and land degradation. Therefore, there still a question that pop-out in my mind; How do we work towards greater fairness, environmental justice and social sustainability? A report states that South Africa has taken a massive step forward by eliminating unfair apartheid laws and appointing a democracy that recognises equal rights (Cassius Lubisi, 2008). However, inequalities remain in the way people participate in the economy and benefit from it. On the other hand, there are demands for fairness in international trade procedures, which currently benefit the wealthiest nations when the wealthy people becoming wealthier while the poor stay poor or even poorer; and many cases on the discrimination against the less powerful ones. There are sum of research reporting economic injustices within each country. Therefore, in my view, economic policies and practices need a review in terms of their impacts on people and the world. To discuss further, we should know that social sustainability and well-being also involves education, health and a healthy environment, security, opportunities for relaxation and spiritual renewal, and peoples right to participate in decisions that affect them and not only dependent on jobs or income (Orr, 1992). This is also including the right to information about the environmental health impacts of development activities, and the right to legal action if such activities prove to be dangerous. Globalisation and sustainable development in economics limitation Speaking through the economics specs, Dreser (2002) suggests that to achieving a sustainable economy is meant to develop a durable, stable and sustainable economic development which provides chances for all, and in which environmental and social costs fall on those who enact them (polluter pays resolution), and efficient resource use is incentivised. A report from IISD (2012) states that sustainable development can lead to savings; as a result of SDC scrutiny, UK government has saved over  £60m by improving efficiency across its estate. I always have a thought that more development means for environmental protection and reduce poverty. Here a great mess started, because I believe linking the two concepts sustainability and development together opened the door for some to interpret the need for action as a need for more of the same development (Orr, 1992). They argued that where there is people in poverty and suffering, there is simply not sufficient economic growth. Thus, I assumed that the focus on the idea of sustainability shifted from nourishing living resources, to satisfying development. There are other better ways of thinking about development as a kind of development that would sustain or nourish people, including the poor, and at the same time not overshooting the Earths capacity to renew ecological resources. The Brundtland Report (1987) mentions about development that meets the needs of the present without conceding the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. These ideas really require us to think in a different way about the needs of the present, especially the dilemma of the most needy people, but also beyond them, about the future. Therefore, I personally think that we need to change our focus from continuously abandoning these parts of world to on how to sustain people and the mother earth and not following the old ambiguous path of economic growth as we concern about it. My view is that this belief should be about economic activities that endure people and earth and not about maintaining an economy, especially one based on development-as-growth, which is as noted would damage the earth and fails to benefit the majority of South Africans (Cassius Lubisi, 2008). Sustainable Development calls above all for reforms in the manner that some countries conduct their economic activities (Wackernagel and Rees,1996). Numerous measures have been proposed including: Removing unfair trade barriers Economists estimate that this would allow poorer countries to generate a total income three times the sum of official development aid; Removing Government subsidies that harm the environment and the poor; Upholding the polluter pays principle that those who do harm, must pay for redress; Instituting clear paths of responsibility and liability as for example, a CEO should be liable for the accuracy of a companys environmental reporting; Shifting the tax base from labour to resource use; in other words, rather than taxing us on what we earn through the work we do, tax us on our impacts and what we consume; Price products not only on what value has been added to them, but also in terms of what value they have deducted from the common natural resource base; Increase resource productivity ; create wealth with ever fewer resources. (Wackernagel and Rees,1996) I personally believe that truthful answers will require many companies to change either the nature of their business, or the way in which they go about it. Education for Sustainable Development 5.1 How to educate? In the 1990s, mounting concern over environmental and development problems has meant greater support for an educational approach, which not only considers immediate environmental improvement as an actual goal, but also addresses educating for sustainability in the long term (Wackernagel and Rees,1996). Although some education literature has embraced this new focus of environmental education for sustainability (EEFS), it has failed to outline the essence of this approach and has neglected questions about how it differs from the environmental education of the 1980s (Billet, 2001). No document exists to date which translates the goals of EEFS into guiding principles for its development in schools (Spring, 2008). Essentially, I think EEFS needs further definition. 5.2 Business, society, government and educational institutions Education for sustainable development is a life-wide and life-long learning endeavor which challenges individuals, institutions and societies to view tomorrow as a day that belongs to all of us, or it will not belong to anyone. (UNESCO, 2004:9) The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005,2014) was initiated at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The Decade has achieved an agreement that sustainable development will remain nothing more than an interesting idea without education,. This global initiative has generated inspirational innovations around the world (IUCN, UNEP and WWF (1991)) which I think later bringing a very big impact to the world of education. 5.3 What is education for sustainable development? Billet (2001) mentions that the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) has for years debated that environmental education is about sustaining all life, in socially and economically fairways. EEASA members have also seen environment as the interrelationships between ecological life-support systems and the economic, political and other social systems interrelating within and with the natural world (Billet, 2001). Thus, in my opinion, there is not much difference between environmental education and education for sustainable development. I would recommend that environmental education be not just for teachers to teach the students in school, but it is meant for everyone, in certain those who have an instant impact on the world as corporate or political decision-makers. The implementation of sustainable development in education is expected to produce a higher national workforce to enhance economic growth too (Mohd Zanal, 2009). Mohd Zanal views that an economical aspect is one element in Sustainable Development, and through education in which the country expects to produce more students who are more likely trained in field-related skills. The main question here is what are the elements required in the curriculum at the secondary school level if it would be supportive to the sustainable development of the country? However, based on my schooling experienced years back then, this idea of concerning and understanding of environmental education is not widely shared, and we used to have this one assumption in our mind that environmental education is only for children to learn about nature and how to preserve it. The Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) provides an opportunity to widen the public understanding of the role of education in moving towards ecological sustainability and social justice. This is good because I certain that it gives chances to bring the awareness the importance of education, apparently to educate people about ecological sustainability. Besides that, many countries can interpret education for sustainable development differently in ways that suit their certain context as advised by the lead agency for the Decade is UNESCO. This is because, reflecting back on the meaning of development, it is varied according to different groups views and needs. UNESCO itself has interpreted the idea as an umbrella concept for its various initiatives including the Education for All campaign associated with the Millennium Development Goals, as well as gender-sensitive education, rural development, health care, community involvement, literacy, HIV/Aids, human-rights education, peace education, and environmental education. This idea is hoped can be achieved and practised around the world. For a sense of what education for sustainable development might involve, I agree with the four domains of the Implementation Plan for the Decade: Creating access to basic education for all Re-orienting existing education programmes Raising public awareness and understanding Vocational and professional training for sustainability. The idea is to have Education for Sustainable Development in thousands of local situations on the ground, involving the integration of the principles of sustainable development in a multitude of different learning situations. (UNESCO) 5.3.1. Creating access to basic education for all Everyone should have a basic education if that particular countries are aiming to develop sustainably. In parts of the world, formal education is not yet universal especially for girls (UNICEF, May 2005). Schooling is compulsory in South Africa (Cassius Lubisi, 2008). On the other hand, report states that many children still do not go to school because of severe poverty, too few schools and poor communications and technology. There is also insufficient social support. It is reported that many learners stay home to care for babies and sick parents. In the many schools without ablution facilities, teenage girls are involuntary to miss classes each month. There is also a report states that some 40% of South Africas children are kept out of school to perform domestic duties or work in the fields. Even if a child makes it to school, governments limited capacity to organise existing resources often results in poor facilities and poor teaching (Cassius Lubisi, 2008). Thus I understood that these problems resulting to thousands of learners are dispossessed of the education that is not only their right, but the countrys key to social and economic development. 5.4 Teachers roles : Raising awareness and understanding : How? Creativity, teaching methods and industrial relations are the important elements of sustainable development efforts in the particular subject. This is consistent with the recommendations of Mohd Zanal (2009) who stated that sustainable development, in particular concerning to the development of teaching methods, interaction, participation, and collaboration in teaching and learning, should focus on hands-on experiences, visits to factories, field-work, laboratory work, and placement in specific industries. Mohd Zanal also ascertained that these methods would provide students with the necessary exposure and strengthen the sustainability of technical and vocational education. Supplementary teaching methods should also incorporate problem-solving skills, creativity, and innovation skills. Mohammad Sani (2001) considers that teachers undergo continuous education. This is prevalent particularly when viewed in a number of contexts such as changes in the educational environment itself, chan ges in the value of school and personal values, and changes in school management. This view was also supported by Halif (2006). The state training programs and courses in this service are essential in enhancing the level of teaching professionalism in facing challenges, which stem from outside the profession, such as the changing aspirations of society, and changes in technology. Internal challenges faced by teaching staffs ( the teachers, perhaps) would be the situation of educational organisations (governance), such as changes in curriculum, pedagogy and changes in government educational policies. Each student, for a certain period of time, will be placed in an industry related to their field of study. Billet (2001) viewed learning in the workplace as not only being very useful to students, but a matter which could not be avoided. Many students found the experience of working, partaking in conversation and gaining advice and knowledge from experienced employees pivotal in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for carrying out actual tasks. Further studies of learning in the workplace by Billet (1999, 2001) found that day-to-day activities in the work environment were a very important source of learning and experience to work. It was found that students received guidance in both direct forms through interaction with other employees and indirect form through observation and discussion of activities in the workplace. Workplace learning is also important to teachers or trainers and should become an in-service activity as part of their lifelong learning ( Mohammad Sani, 2001). Conclusion After all, I suggest that any significant efforts to improve the quality of teaching, the facilities at schools, and the health of communities is good steps to increasing access to basic education, and meeting the development requirement, which are fundamental to sustainable development. I believe that the challenge now is to help teachers to meet their responsibilities and do integrity to the exciting possibilities in the curriculum. I hope as a future teacher I would have the opportunity to teach this interesting topic on sustainable development as a global issue and be able to apply my understanding on the topic of globalisation and sustainable development.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Women as Instigators of Tragedy in the Works of William Shakespeare Ess

Women as Instigators of Tragedy in the Works of Shakespeare    It is the very error of the moon; She comes more nearer earth than she was wont, And makes men mad. (Othello 5.2.112-14)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The moon is often seen in literature as an allegory for love, virtue, and chastity. In Shakespeare's comedies, especially, the moon is personified as Diana, the Roman goddess of chastity. In these comedies, the foolish antics of lovers (literally, "lunatics") usually occur under the auspices of the chaste goddess, the lovers behaving like hounds about her feet that snap at each other in competition for her bounty. The moon as allegory for the lunacy of romance helps us understand Shakespeare's view of romance. In the tragedies, however, the moon can represent many things at once: Diana, the goddess of Chastity; the cyclical nature of Fortune; and Hecuba, the witch of insanity. These figures, as their names suggest, are feminine. The tragic heroes often refer to their wives as the moon. The wives are often seen as possessing, at different times, elements of the various associations with the moon. I assert that, by examining the several alle gories of the moon to the principal women of the tragedies, we can see the multiplicity of Shakespeare's attitude toward women. Often in the tragedies, the moon serves as the allegory for the changeability of fortune, the fickleness of women, and--as a result--the cause of madness. For this paper, I will systematically show the various allegories of the moon present in several tragedies. Then I will show how the multiplicity of these allegories is similar to the multiplicity of the principal women of the tragedies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Several principal women of the tragedies are ... ...ators of the downfall of the heroes. Would the heroes have come to such a tragic end without the women? By noting the references to the women as formerly chaste, now inconstant, and always fickle, I argue that they are the cause of the madness of the heroes. Othello kills his wife because he believes her to have cuckolded him, resulting not only her death, but the death of his comrades and himself. Lady MacBeth urges her husband to kill Duncan. Because of his love for Cleopatra, Anthony meets a tragic end. Similar to the moon's ability to make men mad, the wives make the tragic heroes mad. Othello, as this paper's epigraph suggests, would certainly agree. Works Cited Hankins, John Erskine. Backgrounds of Shakespeare's Thought. Hamden, Connecticut: Archon Book, 1978. Shakespeare, William. Othello. Ed. Alvin Kernan. New York: Signet, 1963.   

Monday, November 11, 2019

Human Trafficing: Are We Doing Enough? Essay

Human trafficking has been around for the same amount of time as inequality among people; so basically, all of human history. People are bought and sold, and treated and traded like objects. This has always been part of our society, however dominate. Slavery, prostitution, illegal aliens – all of these things have roots in human trafficking. Since ancient Egypt, when thousands of Hebrews were forced build the pyramids, to present day Italy where hundreds of women are forced to submit their bodies every day. We are thankfully becoming less and less tolerant of this cruel practice in the modern world. Yet, because our tendency to look the other way, to pretend to not know the truth, hundreds upon thousands of people are still being trafficked every year, some right under our nose here in America. We’ve created anti-trafficking laws, passports, citizenship papers, as well as heightened border patrols and increased airport security. There are those who would have you believ e that this is enough – it isn’t. Many people see the fact that human trafficking is slightly declining as a sure sign of success. But like so many other things in the world, our nation’s economy, the availability of jobs, and the price of gas; human trafficking like all these things has fluctuation. Traffickers will find ways around our barriers, loopholes in the system, what have you – unless we stop this for good. Moreover, it is incorrect to say for sure that this problem is declining. How does one even come to that conclusion? Fewer traffickers are being caught so it’s obviously getting better – I’m not buying it. With human trafficking being what it is, underground, unspoken, unnoticed – we can never be sure of all of the statistics. And another frightening thought to explain this suggested decline: Perhaps have traffickers have just developed new smuggling methods and new ways of bypassing security. That would mean that more people are being trafficked then we currentl y estimate and that the problem may actually be increasing instead of decreasing. As stated earlier, prostitution, both legal and illegal forms, has very close ties to human trafficking. This can be seen mainly in several countries of Europe. While prostitution may not be legal across the whole continent, the countries in which it is have shown a distinctly higher rate of trafficked women. As author and activist Christine Stark states on Justice Talking, a National Public Radio station, â€Å"†¦What we have found is that legalization has caused an increase in the trafficking into the area where the legalization exists. The state then becomes the pimp.† Obviously, places where prostitution in legalized is going to have a higher demand for prostitutes, thus increasing the illegal trafficking of women there. Though it may sound like a radical idea in some parts of the world, the apparent solution here would be to ban prostitution everywhere, which would be much more of a possibility if people understood its effects. The U.S. Department of State in 2007 June issue of the â€Å"Trafficking in Humans Report† stated, â€Å"†¦prostitution is inherently harmful and dehumanizing and fuels trafficking in persons.† With any luck, people will start to accept this as a fact that it is rather than the opinion some see it to be. Another product of human trafficking is illegal immigration, or people living in countries unlawfully. Illegal immigration has a number of negative effects on a nation’s economy as well as its society. These illegal immigrants or aliens as they have come to be known, have quite a few disputes surrounding them. First is the argument of whether or not it is correct to use the term â€Å"illegal alien.† Though still an ongoing dispute, the side for it seems to have a lot more accreditation. Assessed January 18, 2007 on illegalaliens.us, â€Å"Calling an illegal alien an undocumented immigrant is like calling a burglar an uninvited house guest.† There’s also the threat of terrorism and terrorist attacks that comes with having undocumented people in a nation. And let’s not forget the public work force’s valid scare, the fact that illegal immigrants steal jobs from those people who reside in that country legally. All these things point back to human trafficking and the damage it causes wherever it goes. The U.S. itself has 11 million undocumented people living in its borders. That’s 11 million people we don’t have any records of, no information about, no accounts of any kind for. We need to put a stop to illegal immigration here and now, or it’s only going to get worse. What have we learned thus far? Prostitution is morally wrong and fuels the trafficking of women everywhere. Illegal immigration is a huge detriment to a nation’s economy and society. Human trafficking is like a slow moving hurricane, bringing terrible destruction wherever it goes. If something is not about this problem soon, we cannot hope to improve as a nation. If something is not done about this problem now, we cannot hope to improve as people.