Evaluation Of A Semi Structured Interview - 1138 Words

Analysis of Results In order to meet the study objectives, in addition to the case study, a semi-structured interview was conducted using non-random sampling. As respondents of the interview had to have particular characteristics such as ability to value property and knowledge about the property market, estate agents were contacted. A total of 7 interviews were conducted with estate agents in the West Hampstead/Kilburn area. The interviews lasted approximately 10 minutes. The participants were as follows: Table 2: Participants Participant Company 1 Maygrove Estates 2 Hunters 3 Foxtons 4 Foxtons 5 Dutch and Dutch 6 Plasso 7 Plasso All the participants had between 6 months to 6 years of experience of being an estate agent. As stated previously, recording the interviews was not allowed due to confidentiality reasons therefore there might be a slight bias in the responses as they were written by the interviewer and not transcribed. For each question the analysis involved coding the answer by placing it into a category. Once the categories were established they were placed into a table and the frequency of each was recorded. The method of analysis is a descriptive method of frequency distribution. For each question a table of the frequency of distribution is presented together with a bar chart followed by an analysis of the results and discussion. The raw data is available in the Appendix 7. Section 1: Understanding sustainability Question 1. In your opinion do buyersShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of Interview Data Research And Discuss The Key Characteristics Of The Processes Of Data Collection And Analysis When Using1669 Words   |  7 PagesCritically evaluate the role of interview data in qualitative research and discuss the key characteristics of the processes of data collection and analysis when using interviews as main data source.  Introduction Interview is a research-based communication that widely used in qualitative research. It collects research data through the conversation and interaction between interviewers and interviewees. This kind of conversation differs from daily one. Kahn and Cannell (1957, p. 149) described interviewingRead MoreEvaluation Of A Program Evaluation1227 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction The purpose of a program evaluation is to assess working programs and determine if the outcomes are sufficiently effective (Houser, 2015). 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The structured interviews are largely verbally administered questionnaires.Read MoreMethods And Results Of Local Government s Performance Measurement Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesRESEARCH METHOD Approach. This chapter discusses the methodology of the thesis. As mentioned, this thesis mainly uses qualitative data collected via literature and document review, and semi-structured interviews to answer the research questions. This is because the qualitative approach is more suitable to â€Å"provide a great deal of descriptive details†¦emphasizes on process†¦[and] is concerned with explanations† (Bryman, 2004, pp. 280-281), which is essential to examine the process and results of

When Corporations Rule The World Essay - 1168 Words

When Corporations Rule the World There is not a very positive view of people in this book. The ideal that people are naturally bad is an overwhelming concept in the book, When Corporations Rule the Wold by David Korten. The book examines the nature, recent developments, and policies of corporations around the wold. Korten find nothing good or positive, instead he focuses on how corporations are like cancerous tumors on America and how we can rid ourselves of these cancers. He sees the planets living spaces being eaten up for the benefit of powerful corporations and financial institutions. He sees these once useful institutions turning into instruments of a market tyranny that are destroying livelihoods, displacing people, and feeding†¦show more content†¦economy. He says that it should not be a difficult standard to meet given present levels of technology and organizational expertise. However, it requires making markets accountable to all people, not simply those with the most money. This means that markets and trade must both function within a framework of rules established and enforced by open, democratically accountable governments. He sets forth ideals that limit corporations power and influence over the Media soaked American public. It will take a committed effort on the part of civil society to design and put in place an economic system supportive of economic justice and environmental sustainability. This system is as follows: Prohibit political advertising on television. TV political ads are far more often misleading than informative, extremely expensive, discredit the political system, and give money inordinate power in deciding elections. Place strict limits on individual campaign contributions. The principle of democracy is one person one vote, not one dollar one vote. Place strict limits on campaign spending. We want to know what a political candidate can do with a limited budget, not how effectively he or she can manipulate us with large amounts of money. Strip corporations of their fictitious human rights. Take appropriate legislative action to put aside the legal fabrication created by a corrupted court system that corporations have the same rights as individuals. Only living thingsShow MoreRelatedWhen Corporations Rule The World1240 Words   |  5 PagesWhen Corporations Rule the World David C. Korten’s book When Corporations Rule the World, analyzes the worlds economic development and argues that our economy is controlled by multinational corporations who’s interest is in profit and money and not in the well-being of society or the economy. Korten believes that the Government does not have enough power because we let the corporations get too big and gain too much wealth. 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Innovation and Entrepreneurship Free Essays

Student: B00227358 University of the West of Scotland Issues Surrounding the Role of Innovation in the Economic Growth Process Introduction The modern world economy shows that the scientific and technological knowledge and innovation are key factors for sustainable economic growth. Much of the competitive advantages that the country holds today derives from the use of scientific knowledge and applied technology become the corporate level to develop new products or services through the management of technological innovation, marketing, and organizational. The world globalization highlights the urgent need for business organizations that produce goods and services for domestic or international market recognize the strategic value of innovation and incorporated into its business management as an instrument or tool that is part of your corporate culture. We will write a custom essay sample on Innovation and Entrepreneurship or any similar topic only for you Order Now Innovation is an essential element for any organization in order to survive, grow and significantly influence the direction of any industry. Development does not; however, guarantee success, but most be followed up with successive streams of innovation and change, from the incremental to the radical. Discussion The most reliable way to be successful in the industry is to innovate better and longer than the competitor, leading companies develops innovation portfolios that they can use to help sustain growth over the long term. Innovation and change is an essential part of any business activity, but only some people recognize its importance and significance. Companies recognize that key factors such as productivity, competitiveness, and productive marketing and organizational efficiency, depend increasingly implement suitable mechanisms to change from the stage knowledge generation (Science and Technology), or import and assimilation of it to the stage of practical application through the process of innovation. In the recent years, entrepreneurship has become the most successful innovation to increase the economical growth of the country. Entrepreneurship has long een briefly viewed as a foremost vehicle for financial development and it has captivated investigators from a kind of disciplines with very varied analytical approaches. Audretsch Thurik, in their paper â€Å"What’s new about the new economy? Sources of growth in the managed and entrepreneurial economies,† demonstrates the change which is being made in the OECD countries. According to them, the reason for this change is the entrepreneurial economy (Audretsch Thu rik, 2001, 267). The paper is an attempt to articulate and identify the differences between the new emerging entrepreneurial economy and the managed economy. According to this paper, there are a total of 14 trade-offs that confronts these two economies. The major economic benefits of European integration will come not through economies of scale, but rather through economies of diversity (Audretsch Thurik, 2001, 308). The countries that have adopted the entrepreneurial economy have been successful in making additional growth. In another paper, â€Å"Linking entrepreneurship and economic growth,† Wennekers and Thurik looks at the link between the entrepreneurship and the economic growth of a country. The paper concludes that entrepreneurship really matters for the prosperity of a country. In today’s modern world of economics, entrepreneurship plays an essential role in the growth of economy. According to the paper, ICT-revolution and globalization implies the need for a structural change which requires a considerable reallocation of the resources, this increases the demand for entrepreneurship (Wennekers Thurik, 1999, 140). The Schumpeterian tradition of the analysis which concerns the form, innovation and entrepreneurship is examined in the paper, â€Å"Innovation, entrepreneurship and the firm: a post-Schumpeterian approach. Burton proposes a post- Schumpeterian framework as a remedy for the defects in the Schumpeterian framework. The framework presented by Burton is based on four main elements Diffused Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Management; Collaborative Business Arrangements for Knowledge Creation; Knowledge Protection; and Knowledge Creation (Burton, 2001, 7). We can look take assistance from this framework to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. Furthermore, in â€Å"Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Growth: Evidence from GEM data,† demonstrates the occurrence of the high growth prospective of the new emerging firms. There are different rates of economic growths which have been observed in the country. Not every entrepreneurial start-up contributes to the generating economic growth. It shows that other factors also influence the economic growth of a country. Innovation in science and technology is also an essential part in contributing to the growth of economy in a country. Economic growth is a process through which knowledge is transformed into quality goods and services that satisfy human needs (Wong et al, 2005, 335). The companies are the means through which scientific and technological knowledge is applied in a practical way through the production process, and is transformed into goods and services increased level or better quality, which contributes to the economic and social transformation. Organizations need a change of approach, which involves focusing attention on existing technologies that when used on a widespread basis through processes of innovation, can have a significant impact on the UK economy. Most countries recognize the importance of science and technology as tools for economic growth, but many developing countries focus exclusively on the generation of knowledge in basic research support. Countries must adopt strategies to improve the infrastructure of basic services, so that the appropriate level of the same foster technological development necessary to achieve sustained economic growth: Without a decent infrastructure of basic services it is not possible to develop major applications of technology. Many developing countries have made the mistake of not giving enough importance to the training of technicians and technologists, and artisans, which are home to many small and medium enterprises. Today most of the curriculum and curriculum of universities in developing countries have become obsolete (Murray Blackman, 2006, 132). In an increasingly globalized world requires changes in national policies to incorporate science and technology in the design of economic strategies, in order to achieve: 1. The use of existing technology, using the strategy of â€Å"shadow and fast â€Å"using ICT (information) than is available in the world, 2. Attracting Foreign Direct Investment in technological capability and seek to promote links with other firms in the chain, 3. † Upgrade â€Å"of existing technological capacity in the business sector, 4. Identify market niches and incorporated into the chain 5. To promote international technology partnerships, 6. Using technology foresight methodology in the various sectors (Murray Blackman, 2006, 132). Among the various fiscal and policy instruments that can be implemented to stimulate technological innovation and boost business ties between the actors. We need to promote intellectual property, promote international cooperation in technology transfer, and promote co-financing for technological innovation and venture capital funds for technological innovation. Other than that encourage the creation and development of small and medium enterprises to promote business development centers and technology incubators, implement technology parks; enhance the technological links with companies in free zones are also very important. There are many issues involved in the role of innovation. For many years, we have tried to understand the relationship between innovation and development in global and in particular its economical dimension. This interest has increased significantly. While this issue has been addressed in the literature at least since the 60’s and 70’s, is the late 80’s and 90’s in that discussion has intensified in part by the new avenues that are opening the economy informational. A new technological revolution based largely on information, and spread through the global economy, affects the spatial conformation of economic activities (Uljin, 2003, 15). This is due to the characteristics that result from different combinations of endogenous processes such as fixed capital investment, research and development, education, the advantages in the use of technologies, the economies of scale, the allocation of resources, and a variety of institutional factors that vary between countries. This applies not only within countries but even between regions. The industrial map is diversified, resulting in regional differentiation based on the vocation of the places on those parameters. Innovative industries of the new technological revolution do not show a generalized spatial dispersion. On the contrary, are located in regions where they meet the requirements for innovation. Three issues deserve particular attention. First, it increases the importance of knowledge and intelligence as the basic factors of the system. They are the key for access to and ownership of information that feeds the dynamics of innovation by enabling technological transformation and modernization of the economy (Uljin, 2003, 15). Second, it involves growing interdependence among various actors and resources. Among them are companies that make up the economic structure of a region, universities, local government, the labor market, community, entrepreneurship, infrastructure and funding sources. Conclusion This is particularly important as the playing experience with innovation policy has become a panacea for a variety of problems. It is clear that the contexts in which they have successfully implemented these policies contain factors that are areas of opportunity for action and that lessons should not be isolated without context. Third, the information economy, enhances the integration between regional and global networks. The paradox of the twentieth century is that, in a global economy, regions and cities become increasingly important, even when they have less power than national governments and are always in constant competition. The regions have enormous advantages to compete globally; from greater flexibility to adapt to changing conditions at the national level can be tackled only with painful effort behind. References Audretsch, A. D. and Thurik, A. R. 2001), â€Å"What’s new about the new economy? Sources of growth in the managed and entrepreneurial economies,† Industrial and Corporate Change, Vol. 10, No 1, Pp. 267-309 Burton, J. (2001), â€Å"Innovation, entrepreneurship and the firm: a post-Schumpeterian approach,† International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management Vol. 1, No. 1, Pp. 7-29 Murray, P. Blackman, D. (2006), â€Å"Managing Innovation through socia l architecture, learning, and competencies: a new conceptual approach,† Knowledge and Process Management, 13, 3, Pp. 32-143 Uljin, J. (2003), â€Å"Cultural Conditions of Championing Innovation in International Technology-Driven Firms: Ways of Conceptualisation and Assessment,† ECIS Reseach, Pp. 15-19 Wennekers, S. and Thurik, R. (1999), â€Å"Linking entrepreneurship and economic growth,† Small Business Economics, Vol. 13, No 1, Pp. 140-149 Wong, K. , Ho, Y. P. Autio, E. (2005), â€Å"Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Growth: Evidence from GEM data,† Small Business Economics, Vol 24, Pp. 335 – 350 How to cite Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Papers

Anesthetics And Red Blood Cell Rheology- Here Lecture Review

Question: The following data is obtained for the flow characteristics of a fluid. (rad s-1 ) 0 11.64 23.28 46.57 116.40 232.80 (Nm-2 ) 0.008 0.073 0.130 0.232 0.500 0.890 Plot shear stress (Nm-2 ) versus strain rate (rad s-1 ) and classify the material behaviour. Suggest a suitable constitutive law to predict material behaviour. Plot a graph of apparent fluid viscosity as a function of strain rate over the measured range. Blood flows at constant velocity through an inclined artery and drops a total vertical distance of 10 cm. At the entrance to this stretch of artery the blood pressure is 6.6 kPa. Assuming the total fluid energy to be unchanged, calculate the blood pressure on exiting this stretch. Some pathological conditions result in deposits forming on the walls of arteries reducing their internal cross-section available for blood flow. If such a condition results in the internal diameter of the aorta reducing by one quarter, calculate the increase in blood velocity and increase in pressure gradient required to ensure that the volumetric blood flow remains unchanged from that in a perfect aorta. Compare and contrast the arterial and venous circulatory systems. Include a discussion on the construction of the blood vessels, the flow conditions and all other relevant details. How does the composition of blood affect its rheological properties? Answer: The following is the graph drawn between shear stress and strain rate from the data given: In the above graph as there is an increase in shear stress, the shear strain rate is more than proportionally increased. The curve is cupped downwards and hence the material behavior can be confirmed as Dilatant(How Tion, Faiz, Zakaria Takashi, 2015). (ii) Constitutive equations are used to determine the relationship between shear stress and shear rate. The rheological behavior of blood is complex, and thus, a single equation cannot completely determine the various rheological variables. The following are some of the constitutive models to determine the material behavior (How Tion et al., 2015: Newtonian fluid model: this is applicable for high shear rates where the diameter of blood vessels is larger than blood cells. In this velocity is considered to be constant at all shear rates. Bingham fluid model: applicable at low shear rates and considers RBC aggregation. Thus, under yield stress (threshold shear stress) it behaves as a solid elastic material. Einstein model: this is valid for suspensions with a small percentage of particles. Quemada model: this can be applied to the blood data over a broad range of shear rates. Solution 2 The total fluid energy remains constant, and the velocity is constant. Hence, the blood pressure at the entrance and exit will be same. Therefore, the blood pressure at the exit is 6.6kPa. Solution 3 Diameter and pressure gradient are related as follows: D1 = d, D2 = d/4 P1= P1, P2= P2 D1 + P1 = D2+ P2 Pressure gradient, i.e., P2-P1 = d d/4 P=3d/4 Velocity and diameter are related similarly as: V12 + d1 =V22 + d2 V22 - V12=d1-d2 (V2-V1)2 = 3d/4 V2-V1 = 3d/4 Solution 4 The circulation of blood from the heart to the body parts and from the body parts to heart is done by blood vessels. The blood circulatory system is thus constituted by heart and blood vessels. Circulatory system can be classified as arterial circulatory system and venous circulatory system (Swift and Weinstein, 2009). Arterial circulation originates from the left heart and involves arteries such as the aorta, coronary arteries and pulmonary arteries. These vessels transport oxygen-rich blood, hormones, nutrients, etc.. from heart to various organs and peripheral tissues. The exception is pulmonary arteries, which carry less oxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs (Swift and Weinstein, 2009). The venous circulation is a low-pressure system that transports oxygen-depleted blood and waste through the veins and venules from different organs and tissues to the right side of the heart. Exceptionally, pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left side of the heart(Coffman Lempert, 1975). The following table gives a comparison of arterial and venous circulation (Pilgrim and Meier, 2015): Arterial system Venous system Type of blood vessels Includes pulmonary arteries and systemic arteries Includes Superficial veins, deep veins, systemic veins and pulmonary veins Flow direction Blood is directed from the heart to various organs and tissues Blood from peripheral tissues and organs are transported to the heart Concentration of oxygen Oxygen rich blood is transported with the exception of pulmonary artery Low-oxygen or deoxygenated blood is carried with the exception of pulmonary vein Location Arteries are located deep in the body Veins are located superficially Anatomy The walls are made of thick elastic tissue and smooth muscle with more rigid walls to handle high pressure of blood Thin walled with less elastic tissue and very less smooth muscle layer with less rigid walls Valves Absent (except for semilunar valves) Present especially in limbs Solution 5 Viscosity determines the rheology or flows behaviour of fluid. Blood, a two-phase liquid can be considered either as a suspension of cellular elements (majority red blood cells and to some extent leukocytes and platelets) in liquid phase plasma or as an emulsion under certain high shear stress condition. The consideration of blood either as a suspension or as an emulsion depends on the flow conditions and such transition is the main factor for its specific rheological behaviour (Franceschi, 2013). Blood can be considered as a non-Newtonian fluid whose viscosity does not remain constant and varies according to the flow conditions. With the increase in the shear force the viscosity of blood decreases and vice versa (How Tion et al., 2015). The Determinants of Blood Viscosity thus are plasma composition, properties of RBCs and properties of WBCs. Leukocyte concentration: Leukocytes contribute to a minor fraction of blood cell population and thus almost negligibly affects the viscosity of blood under bulk flow conditions. But hyperviscosity is seen when the concentration of leukocyte reaches near to erythrocytes, and this is experienced in various cases of leukemia. Increased leukocyte concentration leads to aggregation and slugging of WBCs and thus affects the rheology of blood (Determinants of Blood Viscosity, 2009). Plasma composition: The protein content of plasma determines the viscosity and increase in the content of proteins lead to hyperviscosity and thus affects the rheology of blood. A significant relative difference in the contribution of protein fractions to the viscosity is seen, and this is observed because of different molecular shape and size of plasma proteins. For example, fibrinogen contributes 22% to plasma viscosity even though it constitutes only 4% to total plasma protein content and globulin contributes to a larger extent to the viscosity because of higher molecular weight in comparison to albumin. The rheological properties of blood or plasma are also affected by the non-protein content of plasma, but this can be considered as a minor determinant (Determinants of Blood Viscosity, 2009). Red blood cell properties: The features of RBCs that contribute to the rheological behaviour of blood are deformability and aggregation. The ability of RBC to undergo a reversible change in the shape in response to deforming sources is defined as deformability. Deformability is a unique property contributing partly to the rheology of blood. Under high shear conditions, deformability contributes to thinning of blood, and this promotes the orientation of RBC to the blood flow. Under low shear stress, reversible RBC clumps are formed, and this denotes aggregation of red blood cells. Aggregation affects the particle size and increases the distortion of blood flow and also increases frictional resistance. Thus, RBC aggregation contributes to the non-Newtonian behaviour by increasing blood viscosity. The ratio of red blood cell volume to the whole blood volume is defined as Hematocrit value. This is a dynamic parameter that varies according to the fluid balance of the body. Hematocrit value reaches to higher value during pathological conditions and this causes increase in blood viscosity (Determinants of Blood Viscosity, 2009). Thus it can be concluded that alterations in hematocrit, RBC deformability and aggregation, plasma composition and leukocyte concentration affects the non-Newtonian rheological behaviour of blood (Determinants of Blood Viscosity, 2009). References Aydogan, B. and Aydogan, S. (2014). Anesthetics and red blood cell rheology. Korea-Australia Rheology Journal, 26(2), pp.205-208. Determinants of Blood Viscosity. (2009). Acta Medica Scandinavica, 180(S456), pp.14-16. Franceschi, C. (2013). Definition of the venous hemodynamics parameters and concepts. Veins and Lymphatics, 2(4), p.1. How Tion, P., Faiz, A., Zakaria, N. and Takashi, H. (2015). The Study of Flow Characteristics of Newtonian and Power-Law Non-Newtonian Fluids by Dam-Break Flow Model. AMM, 802, pp.51-56. MARIK, P. (2010). Hemodynamic parameters to guide fluid therapy. Transfusion Alternatives in Transfusion Medicine, 11(3), pp.102-112. Michael J. Simmonds, O. (2013). Blood rheology and aging. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology : JGC, [online] 10(3), p.291. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3796705/ [Accessed 12 Mar. 2016]. Pilgrim, T. and Meier, B. (2015). Once normal coronary arteries, always normal coronary arteries?. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent., 85(3), pp.406-407. RESULTS OF BLOOD, PLASMA AND SERUM VISCOSITY MEASUREMENTS. (2009). Acta Medica Scandinavica, 180(S456), pp.46-50. Swift, M. and Weinstein, B. (2009). Arterial-Venous Specification During Development. Circulation Research, 104(5), pp.576-588. Sylvester, P., Gould, D. and Lee, L. (2013). The Cerebral Arterial System: A Visual Recall Device. MedEdPORTAL Publications.

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Film Analysis Paper Essays - Psychology

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Film Analysis Paper In the film Shawshank redemption, we get an up-close testament to how interpersonal communication affects individual to individual circumstances. Interpersonal communicationis a term commonly referred to as an exchange of information between two or more people, usually with a messenger and receiver. Through communication concepts and ideas, the audience is introduced to intersectionality between characters' personas, circumstances, and tactics of conveying different communication strategies. As it pertains to Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, if we attain these levels, then acceptance of others choices will help us function to become a tighter knit society. In Shawshank redemption, we are introduced to the tale of Andy the banker, who's sentenced to life in prison after being accused of slaying his wife and her lover. In the process, he meets another prisoner by the name of Red. The two instantly bond over time, introducing the interposal imperative concept. Per Woods, the triangle of the Hierarchy of needs can be attributed to every individual in society. In Andy's case, he's specifically forced to succumb to physical need and safety needs through communication (Woods 22). One of the captain guards even goes as far as beating a prisoner who hurts Andy, after Andy begins helping the guard with his taxes. This tradeoff provides self-sufficiency for the guard, and safety for Andy (as well as cold beer, which falls into a physical need after some time). Another example of one of the hierarchy of needs at work within the film comes from one of the prison gangs. Some individuals within Shawshank joined a gang called the "sisters" and assault ed/jumped Andy on numerous occasions, due to the longing for others company, acceptance, and affirmation" (Woods 24). A young inmate joins Red and Andy midway through the film, and Andy helps the young man attain his GED. By doing so, Andy simultaneously helped the man by the name Tommy reaffirm his self needs portion of the hierarchy of needs. This part of the triangle proclaims that "being valued and respected by others" is an essential human need (Woods 25). A final aspect of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is that of self-actualization. A soon as one of the older prisoners in the movie by the name of Brooks is released on Parole, he finds it hard to adjust to the real world, and ends up hanging himself. Maslow states that each of us wants to cultivate new dimensions of mind, heart, and spirit." Brooks killed himself because he found himself to be of no use to the world, thus reaffirming Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Overall, this film and paper taught me a variety of things about interpersonal communication. For one, communication between individuals is not only for self-sufficiency, but a clear majority of the public tends to operate based on how those around them effectively communicate thoughts, ideas, and messages to them. It's important to study communication because without it, there would be no basis of understanding day to day societal living. The film provided explicit examples of communication for reasons of affection, inclusion, and control, the three main reasons as to which Maslow claims interpersonal communication is pursued by individuals. The film was very effective for studying communication, as it provided many subtle examples, as well as explicit ones. Communication is best understood when magnified and studied under a lens, and should always be the main prerogative of any individual, company, brand, etc. that wants to sustain a good relationship with his/her loved ones, or cl ientele/consumers. WORKS CITED Wood, Julia T. Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters . Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.

The Evolution of Art Essay Example

The Evolution of Art Essay Example The Evolution of Art Essay The Evolution of Art Essay Stacie Mueller Art 100 Professor Morris 24 February 2012 The Evolution of Art To even begin to define art, we must have a starting point in history where something was first perceived as art. The question begs, though, why do we perceive it as art? To look up the word in a dictionary, you will find the term aesthetics almost always applied to its definition; however, much of we call art today is not exactly pleasing to the eye. Our shifting social attitudes have affected how art has been presented to us over time. We see depictions of hate, of war, of death, and many other forms of sorrow and horror. Moreover, we must consider how technology and modern conveniences have allowed a greater realm in the world of art: Photography and Photoshop programs, computer generated graphics, and applications for use with tablets and smart phones that allow us to modify images in an infinite number of ways. Loosely defined, the word art seems to be applied to almost anything: The written word, photography, performance arts, computer graphics, commercial art, fashion, culinary, comics, and so on. For purposes of this research paper, however, the focus will be on the more concrete forms of art that we’ve come to know throughout history. The definition of art has certainly shifted and changed over time and across cultures; in this research paper we will explore how art has evolved. Art is many things to one person, and certainly carries different meanings for another person. However, anything and everything cannot be art or it would be difficult to appreciate art’s true essence; the quality that brings forth contemplation and deliberation. Besides creativity, art takes deep thought, imagination, and accomplishes a specific goal. Artists help us see things that matter and give us a different perspective with a specific goal in mind. The earliest art was discovered on cave walls in Lascaux, France. Paintings on the walls included large numbers of animals in various activities, as well as humans. In Art: A New History, Paul Johnson shows us the ingenuity of early artists: Pestles and mortars were found at Lascaux, with the discovery of â€Å"no less than 158 different mineral fragments from which the mixtures were made† (9). Techniques of these early artists included engraving with flakes of sharp flint, spraying paint, and the use of stencils. The use of colors, binding agents and tools to get the material to the walls such as brushes, and blow tools, is remarkable for the time period. It appears that the purpose of the cave paintings was to tell a story; as if the artists were attempting to make a connection with the animals they hunted and also feared (Getlein, 5). In the years since, many things have occurred in history affording great influence on art. The introduction of Christianity into the Roman Empire created a dynamic, cultural shift over religious beliefs (Getlein, 345). Realism, which centered around depictions of everyday life, was seen in art during that period of time. As the Roman Empire shifted into the Byzantine Empire in the early Middle Ages, Emperor Constantine ruled that Christianity was to become the state religion. Hence, Byzantium art glorified Christianity in attempt to express its mystery. The subject matter became primarily religious and imperial, moving away from realism, while showing a more compressed, abstract style. Rather than depicting images of ordinary daily life, artists created more complex scenes that represented spiritual and heavenly splendor. Mosaic was a favored technique of Byzantium artists: An example of this is the mosaic depicting Christ as Pantokrator in the Santa Maria la Nuova (Getlein, 350). During the early Middle Ages we saw emotions in art shift back to realism in Carolingian art. When the emperor Charlemagne was crowned king in 800, uniting Christianity with Roman beliefs, chapels were designed to rival Roman and Byzantine architecture. The Chapel of Charlemagne is a mighty example of Carolingian art: Massive stone structure with an octagonal plan, mosaic decoration, and an interior framed by massive arches (Getlein, 15. 13). Some competition with Byzantium may also be implicit in Charlemagnes promotion of figural painting and carving, for he embraced and encouraged representational art at precisely the time when Byzantine rulers were renouncing images in favor of iconoclasm. The Romanesque period (1050 to 1200) gave us the proliferation of churches with thick stone walls, round arches and barrel vaulted stone ceilings. One such example is Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy (Getlein, 15. 14). Evolving from Romanesque style, Gothic art is more ornate. Churches are characterized by soaring interiors and large stained-glass windows. The Chartres Chapel exemplifies Gothic art in its flying buttresses and ornate towers (Getlein, 15. 18). During the late Middle ages, art became an even more powerful means of storytelling. This was a common device of religious art of the Middle ages, for example in the frescoes by Giotto from the Church of San Francesco de Assisi, where sequences of panels were used to tell stories from the Scriptures or lives of saints (Getlein, 15. 26). The definition of art continues to change as we cross continents. The symbolism in African art, for example, was quite strong. The use of masks was one of the most interesting parts of their everyday life. Masks were meant to be kept in motion, as Getlein explains, because they represent â€Å"the head or face of a spirit being that has appeared in the community† (420). The nowo mask was used to represent the guiding spirit of Bondo, a women’s organization that regulates female affairs. Bondo is an initiation that prepares young girls for womanhood. An important feature of the nowo mask is the rings around its base; they are meant to represent a chrysalis, as girls emerge as women at the conclusion of Bondo (Getlein, 420). In more modern times we’ve seen various forms of â€Å"isms†: Impressionism, Expressionism, Naturalism, Realism, Modernism, and Surrealism – to name a few. Impressionist painting was perceived as working from outer appearances. Expressionistic artists intended to show a more inner dialogue, particularly with their use of color. The objective attention to appearances places Impressionism within the context Naturalism. While Naturalism and Realism are terms which are used interchangeably, the Naturalist is more impressed by the surface of things, such as the textures of fabric, the play of light, or the sheen of gold. The Realist tends to probe deeper into appearances, seeking the essence. Twentieth century Modernism is a reaction to Naturalism. Trevor Pateman describes Modernism as that which â€Å"can be defined as being concerned with the inner, or subjective, at the expense of the outer, or objective† (Pateman). The modernist viewed art as an agent of social change and even helped shape many political movements. The Surrealist movement sought techniques which would permit essence to break through the illusions of appearance, emphasizing imagery from dreams and fantasy. In this, Surrealists sought to act like Realists of the inner rather than the outer world. In all of these â€Å"isms,† however, there is a certain common ground: a focus on people, nature scenes, and everyday items. We can see that art has gone through many evolutions, but even though the technology of today has created more mediums for the creation of art, I wouldn’t say it has been transformed. Art, it seems, has forever been intended to speak the language of the unconscious mind. The human condition, nature, and events continue to capture the attention of artists. Clowney, David. Definitions Of Art And Fine Arts Historical Origins. Journal Of Aesthetics Art Criticism 69. 3 (2011): 309-320. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. Getlein, Mark. Living With Art. 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print. Johnson, Paul. Painted Caves and Giant Stones. Art: A New History. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. 7-16. Print. Keizer, Joost. Michelangelo, Drawing, And The Subject Of Art. Art Bulletin 93. 3 (2011): 304-324. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. Pateman, Trevor. Isms: Expressionism, Impressionism, Naturalism, Realism, Surrealism. Selectedworks. co. uk. N. p. , 2005. Web. 2 Mar. 2013

Chemistry - Fluoridation of Water Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chemistry - Fluoridation of Water - Essay Example The world has realized the importance of regular fluoride intake. Hence there are many dental products are available in the markets that have fluoride as chief component. With the changing climatic conditions, high mobility rate of the population and availability of wide range of fluoridated products, people have started experiencing side effects of fluoride. Hence water fluoridation needed or not is still controversy. About Fluoridation Water fluoridation process is defined as â€Å"the adjustment of the natural fluoride concentration of fluoride-deficient water to the level recommended for optimal dental health† ("American Dental Association").Fluoride is an ionic form of Fluorine which is thirteenth naturally found element in the soil. Fluoride is abundant near the mountainous area where it can readily get dissolved with groundwater or surface water. Fluoride has great affinity towards calcium and hence found at the bones and teeth. ("Oral Health in America†).As per t he facts sheet released by American Dental Association (ADA), fluoride has capacity to reduce incidences of dental cavities in children up to 60% whereas for adults it is 30-35 %. (â€Å"American Dental Association†). ... Dr McKay was startled to see so many patients having brownish spots on their teeth. This was something he never experienced before. He kept observing such patients for almost 6 years while having discussions with fellow dentist but he failed to diagnose correctly. He started suspecting drinking water supply. Later on these mottled enamel stains were coined as â€Å"Colorado brown stain†. ("NIDCR") Further Dr McKay got opportunity to work with Dr G.V Black, who was a renowned Dental research scientist. They put immense efforts to solve brown stains mystery came up with two distinct findings. The first finding was children whose permanent teeth are yet to erupt are getting more affected with Colorado Brown Stains than the adults. Second finding was that brown stained or mottled enamel teeth are less susceptible to decay. In spite of so much of thesis both these geniuses could not identify the prime causative factor and continued doubting drinking water. Dr Black worked on the sa me topic till his death ("NIDCR"). Later on, in 1923, Dr McKay was invited to Oakley, Idaho to inspect some pediatric cases where children were having similar brown stains on their teeth. Parents told that brown stains appeared only after they started drinking water through newly created pipeline of nearby water source .Dr McKay asked the civilians to cut off this water supply and he got the hint that drinking water could be the probable cause of mottled enamel. Water samples were sent for lab investigations but there were no conclusive findings ("NIDCR"). In 1931, Dr. McKay and Dr Grover Kempf started investigating Bauxite water sample with the help of chemist of Mr. H.V Churchill. They conducted â€Å"photo spectrographic analysis† with the water sample couple of times to make sure the

Experimental versus Non-Experimental Research Assignment

Experimental versus Non-Experimental Research - Assignment Example They produce different research results and findings and this helps to draw conclusions and different responses to given studies. The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast experimental and non-experimental quantitative research approaches. In order to complete this research, the following objectives are going to be explored: Quantitative research is a systematic empirical investigation of a given social phenomenon and it employs various statistical and mathematical techniques to define the variables and measure them in order to draw a conclusion (Nykiel, 2012). Quantitative research is an empirical research that seeks to use mathematical and other statistical methods to evaluate a given research topic. Quantitative research involves the development of an appropriate method and an appropriate approach to study a given phenomenon. Measurement is a distinct and unique aspect of quantitative research. This is because quantitative research involves finding ways and means to measure a given set of data objectively in order to draw a conclusion on the research variables (Carter & Thomas, 2010). This is done by formulating a hypothesis and evaluating the hypothesis through the observation of specific elements and aspects of interest (Macnee & McCabe, 2012). Therefore, there is the need for some kind of variables that can be numerically measured and analyzed in order to draw a conclusion on the subjects at hand and the matter being studied. Therefore, quantitative research is an empirical observation and a mathematical expression of the relationship between the variables (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2012). The main approach that is used in quantitative research is to define a hypothesis and operationalize the research. Operationalization of a research is done through the definition of variables and putting the variables in a way and manner in which they can be measured and matched against each other.  Ã‚  

The Treaty of Versailles Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Treaty of Versailles - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the Four long years into the Great War had left the world stranded in a state of disarray. It was no surprise that news of a ceasefire between the Allies and the Central Powers came like a delightful echo and spread all over the world. War stir people celebrated in the streets with all their emotions. The black clouds of war were finally starting to disperse proclaiming a new era of peace. But a lot more was to be done to ensure the progression of current state of tranquility. Many delegates from over 36 nations gathered in Paris in January 1919 merely two months after the cease fire to canvas a plan for post war negotiations. Top four delegates of the Paris Peace Conference- David George Lloyd of Great Britain, Woodrow Wilson of United States, Georges Clemenceau of France and Vittorio Orlando of Italy had a huge task ahead of them. Mission was to lay down terms regarding some of the most sensitive issues of territory, finance and redist ribution of map in front of the Germans and their allies. Big four, as they were called, had an additional work of negotiating and signing treaties with many nations including Berlin’s wartime allies and Turkey. But their most important settlement and by far the most famous treaty of Versailles was signed with the Germans. The twentieth century historiography was enduringly marked by the peace treaty of 1919 known as the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty of Versailles was a failure not only due to the fact that it had numerous inherent weaknesses but also because it paved way for renewed hostilities. The vindictiveness of British and French peace terms were not only silly but also imposed a humiliating punitive peace on Germany after World War I.2 The treaty for constructed for the purpose of ensuring peace but, ironically, the Treaty of Versailles sowed the seeds of World War II by exerting a negative impact on Germany, ruining it politically and economically and imposing a à ¢â‚¬Å"dictated peace†. The harsh punitive peace exerted by the treaty supported the rise of the Nazis and resulted in the Third Reich, which inevitably led to the volcanic eruption in the form of World War II. Bloody yet Fruitful Wars: Each of the three great wars fought in the last century concluded with renewed hopes of transcending ancient rivalries of states and transforming them into cordial ties ensuring mutual benefits. World War I culminated in the formation of fourteen points and the League of Nations while World War II introduced the world to the United Nations and the principles of the Atlantic Charter. The end of Cold War in 1989 resulted in the breaching of the Berlin War and crumbled the communist bloc. The aroma of a heady promise of liberation engulfed the world soon after the end of the Cold War. It is quite fascinating to recall and ponder over the cumulative reasons which forced the rivals to fight for their rights. This paper highlights various aspects invo lved in the construction of The Treaty of Versailles, its impact on Germany, inherent weaknesses and their contribution in renewing hostilities.3 The failure: The treaty of Versailles failed to smother conflicts and brought neither peace nor resolution. Despite great expectations, the peace terms were not able to ensure and maintain a lasting peace. The treaty defied the principles of democracy, self determination and collective security and was a perfect example of French and British cruelty disguised in the name of peace terms. The failure of The Treaty forced Germany to seek economic revisionism. The Unjust Victorious Powers: The delegates of victorious powers met in 1919 in Paris to formulate a peace treaty in an effort to minimize the changes of future hostilities. As expected, the defeated powers were not allowed to have a say in construction of the treaties and their role was only limited to obliging by the clauses of the peace terms and signing them once they were ready. The Paris Peace Conference was dominated by three prominent figures: US President

Hotel Description Location The Grand View Hotel Tourism Essay

Hotel Description Location The Grand View Hotel Tourism Essay The Grand View Hotel is a traditional hotel built in the 1950s offering traditional facilities. It is sited on the seafront at a convenient location, which is close to its competition hotels and the main shopping center. Accessibility of the hotel is high. It is less than 30 minutes from the nearest airport and supported by good road, rail and bus linking to major cities. The Grand View Hotel is a 250 rooms establishment in which 200 are double rooms and 50 are king bedded rooms, all includes private bathroom. The rooms are of a good size, comfortable and with different decorative styles. At present, there is a large garden and a small swimming pool in the hotel, parking space with a capacity of 120 cars is also available. On top of that, there is a restaurant which serves buffet for breakfast and lunch as well as a la carte for dinner. The lobby lounge area is fairly large which is suited to a business type of hotel. There is also a pub; however it is in poor decorative order. There were several refurbishment programs launched which included the signs replacement, renovation and redecoration of front desk, restaurant and bar. Generally speaking, the hotel is in good physical condition except the front desk. On top of that, the hotel used to redecorate 25 guest rooms each year. Consistent Standard of Excellence: We will consistently provide our guests with a superior quality product and make a conscious daily effort to be better than our competition. Personalized Guest Service: We will meet the specific meet of each guest with a professional, friendly, prompt, courteous, and enthusiastic, attitude from all staff all times. Company Goals The purpose and values of Grand Ford are to generate a multi-faceted success. Maintaining the financial well-being of hotel by the strict control of all costs at all times without exception. Gain reputation by providing high quality of products and services which beyond the guests expectation. Increase the quality of the entire workforces and reduce the staff turnover rate by providing better staff training benefit. Provide a fantastic and comfortable environment to every valuable customer in order to satisfy their needs. Company Objectives In order to reach our goals, several objectives should firstly be achieved: Reduce the total labor cost from 46% to below 35% within the first year. Reduce the cost of sales in FB department to 35% within the first year. Reduce the annual staff turnover rate from 102% to 50% within the first year. Increase the average room occupancy rate from 19% to 55% within 2 years and reach the standard of 70% within four years. Human Resources Human Resources Policy The hotel is able to reduce labour costs and staff turnover by hiring the right person for the right position at the right time for the price, or salary in another word. Training programs will be provided to staff mambers in order to enhance their performance thus the guest satisfaction and finally increasing profitability. Organizational Structure Staffing It is known that reduction of staff can be a de-motivator, however, there will be a huge over staffing if we do not reduce any workforce on such a low occupancy. It is planned to reduce serveral staff in some particular departments such as housekeeping and front office. With the growth of business and new coming construction projects, the hotel will certainly relocate and hire a certain munber of staff in order to maintain a smooth daily operation. Staffing level will be monitored on a monthly basis in the first year operation and quarterly in the rest of the operation with high level of flexibility. Recruitment With the aim of having the most suitable person to be crew members who are able to generate an overall experience beyond guests expectations, both internal and external recruiting methods will be applied in the Grand View Hotel. Positive attitude, enthusiasm, outstanding interpersonal relationship and high standard of qualification will be required for appliances. Aiming to reach the potential pool of appliances, recruiting advertisement will be placed in industry journals and in the hotels official website. For the internal preparation, the hotel will review the job analysis on a regular basis to ensure that the documents best describe the job and that they are properly prepared for effective recruitment and selection process. On top of that, laws and regulations will be taken under serious consideration during the process. Selection In order to be fair and to get the most suitable person to fill up vacancies, a multi-hurdle strategy will be applied meaning that elimination of candidates during selection process will be based on the job specification. Interviews will be the most commonly used tool to assess a candidate. Furthermore, for external appliances, job tests will be another method that the Grand View will use to select an operational staff while group assessments will be applied for the rest. For internal selection meaning promotion and relocation of staff, potential employees performance and past records will be taken under consideration. Orientations Orientation programs are designed to provide new employees a clear direction of their job and the hotel directions. The hotel can benefited from a good orientation program in terms of higher morale in the workplace thus improving the performance and the productivity and therefore a higher bottom line. Regarding the above factors, orientation programs will be provided to each staff member within their probation period in the Grand View Hotel with the following elements. Aimed to improve the skills and performance of staff members, thus enhance the customers comfort and satisfaction therefore raise the reputation and influence the revenue of the hotel. Training for staff in all levels is considered as the main step to achieve goals. On the job training is one of the training methods that will be applied in the Grand View focusing on operational and entry level staff. It is effective in both cost control and performance improvements as it is conducted during business operation in actual work settings. For managerial level staff, group discussion and workshops will be useful in order to share experience and keep track of the hotels operation generally. All training programs will be reviewed on an annual basic. Besides on-site training, off-site training is also encouraged. The hotel will support staff to take job relevant courses organized by recognized organizations. Staff Payroll We intend to maintain an annual staff payroll with a maximum of 35% of total revenue. Salary of level 1 will be offered to entry level employees and level 2 for department heads for the first half year in order to control costs. However, salary levels will be adjusted according to the performance which will be reflected by the bottom line in order to motivate the staff and ecourage better performances. Salary reduction will unusually be seen in the Grand View Hotel since this will de-motivate the employees and as a result, the staff turnover rate will increase. Environmental Scan Political The political environment includes such areas as government policies, political trends and internal political issues. The political environment is very stable and beneficial for the hotel meaning that the political situation supports local businesses and establishments. This is extremely beneficial for the hotels future because this means it can concentrate on attracting more markets meaning more variety in customers. We can also concentrate on the customer satisfaction which involves their needs and expectations. September 11th had a huge impact in the tourism in the USA. The uncertainty of political situation because of the September 11th attracts, have led potential customers to think twice about travelling abroad or within the country itself. This has a huge effect on the hotels business which we will also have to contain in to the analysis. Economic Since the main industries of the area are Distribution/ Hospitality, Banking and Finance. We intend to meet the demand in these areas by offering various services especially in the area of conferences since our target market is business costumers during the weekdays. Unemployment levels also have a big effect on the economic situation. The employment level is high especially in the areas of management/professional and clerical/secretarial work. This in return aids our hotel in the way that the environment is safer due to the high employment rate and this attracts more travelers, giving us the opportunity to catch the attention of these customers, to maximize our revenue. Social The employment level is very high; it is currently half of the national average. A large proportion of the populations of that employment level are in management/professional and clerical/secretarial jobs. But also the employment levels for skilled non-manual, skilled and semi-skilled manual work is also high. But that is not the case for unskilled employment. A large proportion of the population is families with the average of 2 children per family. Since one of the main industries is Banking and Finance, we will be looking to attract business travelers whose aim is to locate a convenient and appropriate property that accommodate their needs for a professional working ambience. Technological The continuous changing world of technology can pose a lot of threats, but if the right actions are taken at the right time it can also be an opportunity. Technology can give us the competitive edge in terms of conference and meeting equipment. Equipment is expensive, but with a large variety of suppliers and different options like buying, renting and leasing, it can become a relatively in expense way of modernizing our facilities. The hotel technologies include fast wireless internet, security cameras which ensure the safety of the guests, conference equipment, transportation, and so on. We will also try to build up and maintain good relations with our technological and safety partners to ensure that when problems do occur, that they can be solved as fast as possible. Legal In the United States there are 3 different kinds of legal systems. The first being Local legislation, the second State legislation and the third being Federal Legislations. There three have a huge amount of impact on how the hotel is run. The legislations meaning the laws that are imposed on the hotel include and are related to the operators of the hotel, consumers and employees. These 3 legal systems enforce various laws and regulations which include the minimum wage, health and safety laws, anti-discrimination laws, employee rights and employer rights. Environmental The environmental aspect is a very critical issue since it encompasses a wide range of aspects. It ranges from ecological issues to staff attitude/morale to environmental regulations. This is where we split up the environmental issues into 2 sections. They are internal and external. Internal is everything that is within the hotel that has a moderate amount of affect on the hotel. External is everything that affects the hotel coming from outside the four walls. Internal environment includes staff attitude and morale which has been low since the poor performance of the hotel which can also be seen from the high staff turnover. These will decrease tremendously due to the new regulations, training and vision of the hotel. External Environment includes environment regulations which are set by local, state and federal legislations which the hotel has to abide by. Marketing Plan The marketing plan is a very important guide to lead a successful establishment. Our marketing plan will be based on the companys target market, as well as the goals and objectives of the property. Situation analysis: Internal environment The guest rooms, front desk, restaurant and bar, are all in poor condition. The restaurant and the front desk were last refurbished 7 years ago. Only 25 guestrooms were redecorated each year, which demonstrates that the guest rooms are potentially not in the most desirable standard and lack of modern amenities. As the hotel is located in a popular area for conferences during both on and off seasons, there will be a very high demand of business travelers. But when considering internally, there are no conference facilities or any sort of business services in the hotel. Moreover, the guestrooms are not suitable for holding conferences or meetings. Those problems have drawn the attention of the management team, and proper investments and constructions will be conducted in the very early stage of the operation in accordance with the aforementioned. By reviewing the information and statistical facts which were provided by the previous owner, we found that the hotel occupancy was always below the average. On the other hand, the staff turnover rate was extremely high, which means that the morale of the employees was unacceptable. The customers were all disappointed by the food, the facilities and the service quality of the hotel. As the reputation of the hotel was bad, occupancy rate will inevitably be affected. In regards to the financial situation, it was terrible to see that the net income was growing negatively. Furthermore, there were plenty of long term debts and accounts payable, which even worsened the financial situation of the hotel. Those liabilities should be of concern by the management team as they can potentially affect the upcoming operation of the property. Customer environment Referring to the marketing research and statistics, we found out that there are 2 main types of customers, them being business and leisure travellers. As the local area is becoming well known in terms of conferences, it is important for us to realize that many events will be held throughout the year. Therefore, we predict that the demand for accommodation of the business travelers will increase. Besides, we can see from the statistics that 80% of the customers came for business purposes in the first quarter and more than 50% for the entire year. In addition, around 154,000 of those travelled during the weekdays according to the research provided by local Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Board, which contributed the most to the customer base. These factors and numbers provided us with significant information about the importance of investing in business and in conference facilities. Also, the hotel is located along the seafront, just 30 minutes away from the airport, therefore the leis ure travelers will also be our main customers as our property can easily be accessed by the customers due to the geographical reason. Tourists nowadays are expecting more they are willing to spend more in order to get better experiences for their stay. By this, we reckon that services and facilities rank the first when it comes to choosing hotels. Therefore our upcoming investments, constructions, and strategies would be tailored for our customers in order to satisfy or even to exceed their expectations. SWOT analysis Strengths Convenient location for customers because of the nearby airport and excellent transport links. Prefect venue for conferences. Having the biggest capacity while comparing with the competitors within the same area. Weakness Lack of development in terms of facilities and services. No clear guidelines and competent management team to operate the hotel. High turnover rate. Poor image and reputation. Poor and inconsistent service. Limited financial support. Of poor condition including the front desk, restaurants, guest rooms. Low liquidity and high liabilities. Opportunities Plenty of conventions and events will be held within the area. New technologies to reduce the operation cost. Fast market growth Threats The ever-changing market trends and needs. Government regulations and laws which may restrict expansions and developments Economic instability New entrants Target Market: The main target markets of the Grand View Hotel are Business and Leisure travelers. Special packages and facilities will also be promoted to attract the customers. Marketing Mix: 4Ps Product As Grand View Hotel will be a 3 diamonds hotel, we provide different facilities to fit with the needs of the market. We guarantee that the services will be delivered with high quality and all the employees will be trained for enhancing the skills and knowledge. . The Grand View hotel has 200 Double rooms and 50 King rooms, a restaurant, a lounge and a bar. We also provide room services, conference facilities, fitness facilities including a fitness club and a swimming pool. Furthermore, parking spaces are also available. Some of the facilities will be constructed within one year and we plan to constantly refurbishing the guest rooms and to provide more amenities and entertainment. There will be also some modifications for the restaurant so as to provide better services. Different packages will be provided to attract more guests, such as Honeymoon packages, conference packages as well as leisure traveler packages in order to diversify our customer base. Price As there is high elasticity of demand in the hospitality industry, its a big challenge to establish the most appropriate price. Therefore, the price should be flexible to handle and fit in different target markets. The room rate will be modified seasonally according to the demand and from the surrounding competitors as well. Special price and discount will be offered for large group and business travelers. But, the groups have to discuss with the sales department for more details. The price for the regular guests will be consistent to keep their loyalty. The leisure travelers will be upgraded for free during the low seasons and also free use of the facilities depends on the demand and season. The discount will be offered for weekends. The price will be differentiates at different times. But, the main idea for the price is to maximize the revenue but also to satisfy our guests. Place The location of the hotel is fixed. The hotel is sited along the seafront, close to other hotels and a short distance from the main shopping center, and also it is near the airport and with good transport links to major cities and other resorts. Moreover, the area of the resort has become a popular location for conferences, both in and out season. Its also the best place for holding conferences which includes conference facilities, fitness club, good infrastructure and superstructure in the city, and a fantastic sea view. We will provide shuttle bus to take customers from the airport and to the airport every 30 minutes from 6a.m to 1a.m. Promotion We will promote through direct and indirect distribution channels. We will approach our potential customers who are already targeted through the direct sales call and mail, to communicate with them and find out whats best suitable for them. And then, we will also advertise in local newspapers and business press to let people know about the hotel. Moreover, we will also put the hotel on the Local Visitor Guide to attract more transient guests and place posters throughout stations and airports. Furthermore, we will pay the Public Relation Agency to find more potential customers and transient customers from all over the world. We will use different advertising media depending on different conditions for different markets. Moreover, we will set up our own hotel website so that the potential guests can have access to the hotel easier. Competitive advantages: As we are going to be a 3 diamond hotel, we are going to provide quality services and comfortable ambience for our customers, and re-create customers satisfaction and professional image. The employees are the ones to deliver the quality service so they will be trained to be professional and efficient by effective training programs. As the employees can learn by working and training, they will be motivated and the morale will increase in order to provide and give the best services to the guests. Furthermore, the guests can also keep their memorable and happy experiences with us. These factors will contribute to our uniqueness among our competitors and gain the reputation. The Grand View hotel will provide many different business services and facilities such as photocopying, stationary preparing, direct dial phone, fax, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Moreover, we have a fitness club, including a swimming pool, stair climbing machines, treadmills, fitness walking, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Since our hotel focuses heavily on our guest rooms, we will provide a wide range of guest amenities and entertainments. We try our best to maintain a very competitive edge and we strive to be the best amongst our competitors with our comfortable guestrooms and quality services. Action Plan In order to turn around the worst situation that we are facing currently, we are going to do several revolutions, investments and constructions according to the marketing plan and try to improve and gain back the reputation within the first operating year. The first action that we are going to do is to adjust the staff numbers of different departments since effective staffing schedule can save the hotel dozen of money. In order to schedule the staff effectively due to the low occupancy, the number of staff in food and beverage, hotel service and front desk will be cut down. The main goal for the FB department is to maximize revenue. For that to happen, the first action that will be taken is that employees are required to participate in numerous training sessions (training program 3), which include general training for example up selling, but also on the job training and coaching which will be carried out by the supervisors and/or the FB manager. Targets will be set for each and every employee, which they will have to achieve. If these targets or requirements are not met then some corrective actions will have to be taken, and this will be done in the form of further training and coaching sessions but also severe employee evaluations. The menu types will be shortened (Menu type 1), to ensure that we can minimize our costs but also we will find a right supplier with the right quality for the right price (Supplier type 2) to ensure that we find the perfect equilibrium between the quality of our food and the production cost and the selling price. All these d ecision will be in affect as soon as we reopen the hotel. Revision of Standard operating procedures will be set in place to ensure speed, quality and to satisfy guests to the fullest. Moreover, we will do the refurbishment (level 2) of the rooms and front desk upon we start the operation in order to create better working environment to our staff and more enjoyable lodging venue to our customers. The refurbishments will include the new decorative scheme. Replace carpets, curtains, linen, light fittings, deep clean other furnishings. Paint woodwork and ceilings, wallpaper walls. We are planning to refurbish 50 rooms every year. In order to provide a better lodging experience to our customers, the in room entertainments and amenities will be added into service. Since our first mission is to attract the guests to come to our hotel and gain reputation by our excellent services and facilities. As advertising helps to promote our hotel, therefore we are going to do our advertising in accordance with the most profitable market timely. First of all, we will do our advertising through the local newspaper, business press and direct mail in the first three months. We will focus on advertise the weekday and weekend rooms, and also the meal. Since the above media are the most effectiveness in advertise the rooms and meal, therefore we will use those media for our first advertising. Risk Assessments and Control Risks are inevitable. We have to identify different risks to avoid and reduce the possibility of risks occurring. Investing in insurance is essential because if these risks occur, it will cost more and at the same time affect the reputation of our hotel. Here are some risk assessments identified: Asset Property risks There are some risks, such as fire, explosion, crime or natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and tsunamis which could possibly occur and destroy our assets and property. Legal risks Large amount of money are being won in consumer, individual lawsuits and in class action suits. Our hotel is liable to its employees, its guests and, in some instances, to the general public. Bomb threat After the 911 incident, the United States has the essential risk of more terrorist attacks. Economic Crisis threat A loss amount of money may be happened due to the economics crisis of country. For example: the great depression. Leakage of private and confidential information of the hotel There are a lot of private and confidential information of the hotel and there is a risk of employees leaking out the other information which can greatly affect the business of our hotel. Budget 1st year Assumptions: Room Division Totally 50 rooms under renovation Contribution to revenue: 65% Food and Beverage Department Cost percentage: 35% Contribution to revenue: 35% Sales Room 4,823,174 FoodBev 2,597,094 7,420,268 Cost of Sales Room 353,246 Food Bev 908,983 908,983 Payroll Related Room 558,495 Food Bev 506,584 1,065,079 Gross Profit less Wages Room 3,911,433 Food Bev 1,181,527 5,092,960 Central Admin Payroll 154,140 Other Direct Costs 256,250 Income before Fixed Charges 4,682,570 Total Fixed Costs 674,325 Income before Taxes 4,008,245 Business Tax Paid 1,202,473 Income after Business Taxes 2,805,771 2nd year Assumptions: Average room rate states the same Average occupancy increased to 55% New facilities: in room mini bar, second bar, data point, quick check in/out, shop business service and additional parking area Sales Room 5,863,284 FoodBev 3,420,249 Other 1,465,821 9,772,140 Cost of Sales Room 353,246 Food Bev 1,197,087 Other 879,493 2,076,580 Payroll Related Room 609,450 Food Bev 506,584 Other 34,000 1,150,034 Gross Profit less Wages Room 4,900,588 Food Bev 1,716,578 Other 552,328 7,169,494 Central Admin Payroll 154,140 Other Direct Costs 678,250 Income before Fixed Charges 6,337,104 Total Fixed Costs 674,325 Income before Taxes 5,662,779 Business Tax Paid 1698834 Income after Business Taxes 3,963,945 3rd year Assumptions Average room rate states the same Average occupancy increased to 62% New facilities: health club, conference and function rooms Sales Room 6,570,348 FoodBev 3,832,703 Other 1,642,587 10,950,580 Cost of Sales Room 353,246 Food Bev 1,341,446 Other 985,552 2,326,998 Payroll Related Room 738,899 Food Bev 680,428 Other 85,000 1,504,327 Gross Profit less Wages Room 5,478,203 Food Bev 1,810,829 Other 572,035 7,861,067 Central Admin Payroll 154,140 Other Direct Costs 1,613,625 Income before Fixed Charges 6,093,302 Total Fixed Costs 674,325 Income before Taxes 5,418,977 Business Tax Paid 1625693 Income after Business Taxes 3,793,284 4th year Assumptions Average room rate states the same Average occupancy increased to 70% Sales Room 7,394,419 FoodBev 4,313,411 Other 1,848,605 12,324,032 Cost of Sales Room 353,246 Food Bev 1,509,694 Other 1,109,163 2,618,857 Payroll Related Room 834,449 Food Bev 680,428 Other 85,000 1,599,877 Gross Profit less Wages Room 6,206,724 Food Bev 2,123,289 Other 654,442 8,984,455 Central Admin Payroll 154,140 Other Direct Costs 1,634,000 Income before Fixed Charges 7,196,315 Total Fixed Costs 674,325 Income before Taxes 6,521,990 Business Tax Paid 1,956,597 Income after Business Taxes 4,565,393

William Golding’s main reason to explore the defects of human nature Es

William Golding’s main reason to explore the defects of human nature in his novel Lord of the Flies is to portray the destruction caused when civilization is consumed by DEFECTS OF HUMAN NATURE William Golding’s main reason to explore the â€Å"defects of human nature† in his novel Lord of the Flies is to portray the destruction caused when civilization is consumed by the dark side of human nature. He also wanted to divulge the reactions and behaviors of different types of people under same situations. The four main â€Å"defects of human nature† that is explored in the novel are fear and insecurity, indolence (longing for excitement), being dependent on others and ignorance towards reality. These defects make the boys join Jack’s tribe even though Jack is selfish, quick-tempered and violent. Fear plays an important role not only in the novel but also in our lives as it reflects upon our actions. Everyone reacts differently while experiencing fear or insecurity. Early in the novel, Jack mentions that â€Å"We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English; and the English are best at everything. So we’ve got to do the right things† (Pg. 42). Later on, when Jack is asking the boys to raise their hands up if they don’t want Ralph as a chief, he endures humiliation as no one raised their hands. It is the fear of being ruled under Ralph which leads Jack to being the chief of the savages. Furthermore, when the â€Å"littl’uns† are afraid of the beast and tell Ralph about it, he denies it as â€Å"there isn’t a beast† (Pg. 35). This is one of the reasons why the boys left Ralph to join Jack’s tribe. Jack gave the boys a way to deal with their fear from the beast. He told the â€Å"littl’uns† that â€Å"fe... ... the only ones who take the signal fire seriously. Later on in the novel, after the feast, Ralph admits that he is responsible for Simon’s death. Piggy refuses to believe it as â€Å"It was dark† and â€Å"It was an accident† (Pg. 173). Though deep inside, Piggy knows that it was murder. Similarly, there are many people in this world who refuse to accept the true facts no matter how obvious they are. As Golding grew up during the war periods, he witnessed these â€Å"defects of human nature†. He explored these defects in the novel Lord of the Flies so that people can relate it to themselves, acknowledge the problem and find solutions for it before civilization is consumed by darkness and ruled by savagery and fear. As mentioned earlier, he hopes that the world unites as soon as possible as he knows that there is no one who can rescue this world from chaos and darkness.

‘My parents kept me from children who were rough’ by Stephen Harold Essay

Introduction: Sir Stephen Harold spender was an English poet, novelist, and essayist who concentrated on themes of social justice and the class struggle in his work, (February 28, 1909, London- July 16 1955). Stephen spender took a keen interest in politics and declared himself to be a socialist and pacifist. This poem is about a boy who longs to be part of a group of children who he looks up to. I think the poet is writing about himself because he uses a lot of words like ‘my’, ‘me’ and ‘I’. Analysis: The fist line seems to blame the Parents of the situation, and only after finishing the poem, you understand that is was actually the parents fault. In the first paragraph the poet introduces some of the things the children do. The poet writes about them throwing â€Å"Words like Stones†, this indicates that the language would hurt him, it was insulting. He also writes about how they dress and take off their clothes. The children wear rags and ‘torn clothes’, these boys wore such torn and ragged clothes that he could actually see their thighs where the clothes were torn. â€Å"They ran in the street†, as a middle class boy, his parents probably would not allow him to play in the streets. â€Å"And climbed cliffs and stripped by the country streams†, these boys could go wherever they wanted, without parental supervision. This gives the idea that the children have a reckless nature, they are the lower class. This is a gang of kids that the author was not allowed to hang around, but he must have felt very lonely. He is quick to show the misery of their situation. The second verse, it tells movement of a jerking action. I think this is effective because it helps paint a picture in the reader’s head of the boy â€Å"jerking† under the boy’s knees, of the violence involved when they attack him. He was frightened of these boys, because they would fight him, and pin him to the ground, kneeling on him so he couldn’t escape. Perhaps they hit him as well. (Jerking hands) â€Å"I feared the salt coarse pointing of those boys who copied my lisp behind me on the road†, He was frightened by the way they pointed at him in a rude way, and mimicked the way he spoke. The third verse shows, that these boys were strong, agile boys, who would lie in wait for him to pass by. They hid behind hedges, and as he drew near they leapt out at him, â€Å"barking like dogs† or shouting roughly. They threw mud at him, and he could not retaliate, but had to keep walking, and pretend it was funny. But actually, it was frightening and hurtful. He really wanted to be friends with them, and play their rough games, but they never invited him, he was just the object of their scorn. The contrasts again between weak and strong, lithe, sprang, barked. Those are all strong words suggesting that he was bullied by the local ‘gang’ of street children. He was excluded from their community because of his class and his lisp. He seems to be envious of their freedom, the freedom that â€Å"rough kids† take for granted. There seems to be two existing worlds, one of the lower class, and the other the middle class, this seems to create an invisible barrier between the two worlds. The children and the boy are all jealous, jealousy works both ways. The middle class boy wants to change his life, he see’s the bully’s to be free, though he is not, and they see him to have everything he’s ever wanted, but either way no ones happy, he wants to spend a day in their shoes. The poem is set as 3 stanzas, quatrain, the lines 1 and 2 are erratic. There is a lot of alliteration, for example, climbed, cliffs, and country. Conclusion: The poem is about rich vs. poor, over all in the poem â€Å"My parents kept me from children who were rough† a young boy is being bullied by rough and strong boys who intimidate him, so his parents have chosen to keep him away from them. It also brings in two worlds of childhood, the lower and higher of children.

Battle for Freedom essays

Battle for Freedom essays The goal of the North was to create an equal opportunity for the Blacks, giving them political power, economic power, and providing them with education. The Civil war was among the first steps in the direction of reconstructing the South. There were many things that took part in the derivation of the Civil War. One of the things was Slavery. Slavery had been a part of life in America since the early colonial period and became more acceptable in the South than in the North. Southern planters relied on slaves to run larger farms or plantations and make them profitable. This did not sit well with many Northerners who felt that slavery was uncivilized and should be abolished. Likewise, the people of the Southern states did not agree with Northern peoples views on slave ownership. They viewed themselves as superior to the blacks. This discontentment alone created unrest and grounds for a war. The war lasted from 1861 to 1865, with the North being the victor the next step was to rewrite the wrong and place laws in motion that would maintain the values of the North. President Lincoln had a plan for Reconstruction which supported the ideas of the North. Lincoln outlined his plan in his Proclamation of Amnesty; this ten percent plan required that ten percent of the voter took an oath to the Union than they could organize a government, providing that it abolished slavery and allowed blacks to be educated. After Lincolns plan Pres. Johnson created a plan. Johnson was from the South and favored slavery he was a confirmed racist. Pres. Johnsons plans for Reconstruction were to restore the authority of the southern states to the Union. Unfortunately for him, many of Johnsons plans were unpopular and eventually overturned. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments aided the Norths vision of Reconstruction. The amendments provided a series of advantages for the Norths ideal Union. More specifically the 13th amendment aboli...

The eNotes Blog Les Misérables A Tale of VictorHugo

Les Misà ©rables A Tale of VictorHugo In honor of what would be Victor Hugos 214th birthday (wow), enjoy a tribute to his most famous and longest-lived work, Les  Misà ©rables. Lets start by defining what  les misà ©rables  means. The literal translation is the miserable ones,  but there remains the distinct possibility that the thematic significance of the title may still be a mystery. Its likely that there are a lot of people out there without even an inkling of an idea what Les Mis  is actually about, so lets set the scene: Les Misà ©rables  is the story of Jean Valjean, a convict, who has just been released from prison after serving 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. Influenced by the bishop to begin a new life, Jean assumes a new name and moves to a new location where he becomes a respected citizen and makes a fortune in manufacturing. The police inspector, Javert, is suspicious of him, but it is not until Jean’s conscience prods him to reveal his true identity that he is forced to flee. But thats not all! Through a series of events and conflicts, Jean finds himself responsible for a young girl named Cosette after the death of her mother. Then theres a whole host of drama regarding some fleeing, some fighting, a lot of love, and, oh yeah, a little thing called the French Revolution. Okay, so now you have a brief summary  of what happens in  Les  Misà ©rablesbut what does all that mean? You can have a great story with incredible surface-level storytelling, but the best works have undercurrents peace,  justice, violence, love conquering all, etc. So what do we see in Hugos novel? Like his contemporary Charles Dickens, Hugo had a rather pessimistic outlook on society; that is to say, he looked at society like a prison (school, friends, the workplace = Alcatraz). Starting at the novels onset and continuing until its conclusion, Hugos masterpiece is a plea for social justice. Further,  Hugos description of the Paris rebellion in 1832 is a metaphor for this class struggle for human rights which Valjean undergoes. In essence, the themes in Les  Misà ©rables  are social justice,  human rights,  and  class conflicts that result from this struggle, and the existential theme of the  meaning of life. It took Hugo rather a long time to finish  writing of Les  Misà ©rables; there were likely breaks in his work, but  it took the author almost twenty years to write  the story to completion. Those twenty years were pretty  rough for Hugo- in that time he suffered the death of both his daughter and his son and his wife committed a little infidelity with one of his best friends. So, keeping his heartbreak in mind, it makes sense that a key component of  Les Miserables  is, well,  misery. In the tradition of the epic novel, Hugo takes the reader through all the extremes of human emotion: squalor, courage, romance, and grief. The novel also takes us through a strife-ridden portion of Frances history, through a period of unrest and failed revolution. The novel is filled to the brim with the struggles of individual people and the challenges of a great nation. Its a *little* depressing, to be sure, but sometimes misery loves company, and theres something to the notion of beautiful sadness. Also along the lines of putting ones personal life into their work, we can catch a glimpse of Hugos own life experiences and values within the pages of his novel. Throughout  Les Miserables, there is the father/daughter relationship between Jean and Cosette (though Cosette isnt  technically Jeans daughter- it would be too complicated to get involved in the politics of 19th century adoption). But with that in mind,  Les Mis says a lot about parental love and relationships. Throughout his life,  Hugo  took a personal stake in society and social regulation. Initially employed as a lawyer, the author-to-be developed a working knowledge of the law and its failures for the less fortunate members of society (later on, it becomes clear that a  lot of people were aware of social injustice and thus the continued revolutions in France, on which this novel happens to be based). But beyond the presence of a revolutionary mindset sweeping through France both before this novels publishing and after,  Les  Misà ©rables  has stood the test of time as a social novel. Much like his British contemporary, Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo was very concerned about problematic social conditions of the time. He explored how these issues manifested within microcosms of life in Paris- much like Dickens did with London. For example, the squalor, filth, and disease  of the poor is apparent in street urchins like Gavroche and in the plight of the wretched prostitute  Fantine and her daughter Cosette. Also, just as the character Magwitch in Dickenss novel  Great Expectations, Hugo includes a poor, social outcast who is not only a criminal but also perhaps the most moral character of all. Les  Misà ©rables is a story that has been circulating throughout the world (no exaggeration) for more than a century. It has been reworked time and time again into various adaptations through print, stage, and recently onto the big screen. When powerful stories remain in culture for any great length of time, we can be certain there is something inherently valuable and captivating about it. Without a doubt,  Les  Misà ©rables  has remained one of the most powerful stories in circulation. Victor Hugo was a fascinating man who spent his life as a poet and a novelist. He lived through some of the most tumultuous times in the history of France and died a national hero. His life was filled with struggle and sacrifice, much of which was reflected within his work;  Les  Misà ©rables  deals in the loss of his beloved daughter, the struggles between classes, and the power of human nature. In honor of Hugos birthday, step away from the screen and try to knock out a couple chapters of this historical and literary masterpiece. Or even watch it on TV/Netflix, because no matter how you take it in,  Les Mis  is a story worth knowing.