Research some initiatives that reduce the devasting impact that Essay

Research some initiatives that reduce the devasting impact that hospitality operations have on our environment - Essay Example Political rationality is based on the ability to solve problems and arrive at effective, collective decisions. Technical rationality is dependent on the value of efficiency. These modern environmental management methods require a rationality of both means and ends. They specify the means by which given ends can be achieved. Those ends are environmental goals such as less pollution and the conservation of water. There is a close relationship between hotels and the environment. Various features of the physical environment are an attraction for tourists. The environment covers all of people's natural and cultural surroundings. The natural environment is what exists in nature such as the land and its soil and topography. The built environment consists of man-made physical features consisting of infrastructure development. Tourist facilities and infrastructure constitute one aspect of the built environment. The ensuing tourism development and tourist use of an area generate environmental impacts. Hotels have signified their commitment to ensure a healthy and clean environment. There are three international hotels which have implemented very successful environmental initiatives. The Shangri-la Hotels and Resorts Hong Kong has initiatives on environmental management. In the area of environmental sustainability, the hotel's focus is primarily in five areas: climate change; ozone depletion; water use management; waste disposal management; and indoor air quality. Shangri-La is ramping up energy conservation initiatives so that it will reduce 2006 group-wide energy consumption figures by 12 percent by the end of 2008. Currently, the group practices a wide array of environmentally friendly measures such as fitting all guestrooms with water-saving devices in taps and showers as well as using energy-saving lamps in more than half of the group's guestrooms. Shangri-La was an industry leader in initiating environmental procedures even before its hotels began to receive ISO14001 certifi cation, the international Environmental Management System Standard. The group has an extensive list of internally developed environmental best practices that all hotels have implemented, with inspections to monitor for compliance. The inspection results affect each hotel's annual performance and development review scores. In addressing impacts on climate change, the group is working on reducing carbon dioxide emissions per room night by 6.7 kg., as compared to 2006 figures. Shangri-La has three broad methods for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases: through existing systems and processes; the use of new technologies and alternative energy sources; and by building more efficient buildings. In new hotels, Shangri-La seeks to save energy and resources through a variety of techniques involving rainwater harvesting, hot water production using solar panels or heat pumps, and improvements in building envelope design to reduce heat loss or heat gain as well as air filtration. (Shangri-la Company website). Another international hotel with a sterling reputation on environmental

About post-classical network period of television (1980s- present) Research Paper

About post-classical network period of television (1980s- present) - Research Paper Example Various themes predicated in the show reveal a drastic shift in the values of families, individuals, also how women empowerment had begun as a struggle back in the era. Furthermore, the effect of social class system on the overall social blanker of the society is also apparent. Therefore, the paper will explore the dimension where Lorelai Gilmore had to go through a hard struggle her entire life for the sake of her brilliant yet angelic daughter Rory Gilmore as a single mom. Also, the paper will explore the educational aspects of the era explicating how the educational system is quite competitive not just in terms of brilliance but also in terms of class struggle. Therefore, the paper will aim at explaining transitions in the society over time by focusing on the two aspects highlighted above. The post classical network period was a period of immense experimentation with comparatively bolder themes. With the advent in technology and industrialization, the social change also followed where people started accepting the liberal mindset. Yet, that doesn’t imply that there was absolutely no resistance. This was one of the reasons why TV shows started focusing on tabooed themes to explain the issues surrounding them. Gilmore Girls revolve around the central theme which narrates the story of a single mother struggling to nurture her daughter and raise her as an empowered individual (Diffrient & Lavery 21). Her daughter, Rory is an extra-ordinary student with a passion for reading and hopes to get into Harvard one day. Lorelei`s status conscious affluent parents didn’t approve of her lifestyle choice to raise her daughter as a single child, thus she left the comforts of her parent`s home and moved to a small-town with a simple life. Though both the mother and the da ughter love their simple lifestyle, yet Lorelei isn`t capable enough to financially support her daughter`s education and thus, she had to reach out to

Travel industry in Pakistan tourism

Travel industry in Pakistan tourism Introduction and Background of the Research The Travel Industry in Pakistan is undergoing a period of drastic changes. Customer demands and loyalty levels are changing every season with competitive packages being offered by the travel management companies to stay in the business. Also to compete with the International travel industry, local companies have to be at par and offer excellent services and rates. The industry is all about enabling customers to build mutual relationships with their clients and to give them the means with which they can maximize the benefit of every idea or initiative effortlessly across their clients. The travel sector has been categorized as Inbound and Outbound Travel. Inbound travel refers to the people who wish to travel to Pakistan where as Outbound travel refers to the people wishing to travel abroad. If a person travels to some foreign land it is included in Outbound Travel and if the same person returns to Pakistan, it will be characterized as Inbound Travel. Considering the economic and political conditions of Pakistan, there has always been disparity between outbound and inbound travel. This is also because of the Non Returning Pakistanis who wish to pursue their careers outside Pakistan and after certain time, call their families abroad. The Travel Sector has always been focusing on outbound travel because of the adequate infrastructure provided by other destinations such as Far East, Middle East and Europe. The sector in Pakistan has also been a victim of lack of support by the government despite the growing number of travel management companies in Pakistan. An independent report by World Economic forums Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008 (TTCR) suggested that tourism facilities remained unsatisfactory in Pakistan. Due to the absence of world class tourism facilities, Pakistan is constantly being put on the back foot when it comes to tourism promotion. In addition to a poor tourism infrastructure, the country also lacks standard and competitive hotel rooms at popular tourism sites. The TTCR ranked Pakistan at number 110 out of 124 countries, when it came to provision of standard and competitive hotel rooms. (Euro Monitor, 2009) According to the Members List posted on the TAAP (Travel agents association of Pakistan) currently there are over 700 travel agents working across the country that have been categorized as: Figure 1.1: Distribution of Travel Management Companies in Pakistan (TAAP, 2009) Travel may be broadly classified in three different categories worldwide and the same classification applies to Pakistan as well. Travelling for business purposes, these include personnel from companies travelling for varying needs including training and development, Business development etc. Travelling for leisure activities, these would include either travelling to meet relatives aboard or travelling to different countries for the sake of entertainment. The third and the most popular segment in Pakistan at the moment is the religious segment, this would include people travelling for the purpose of religious pilgrimages (Hajj, Umrah, Ziarat etc) There are several travel management companies working in Karachi and most of them provide services to all the three segments, but there are certain others who specialize in single segment only with their major focus being towards providing services to the corporate sector. In this era travel agencies are not only providing its customers with tickets for their travel, but they are working towards creating an overall experience for their clients and these include it from the other. These leaders in the travel business have been serving customers with a variety of travel products and services and catering to their daily, seasonal and corporate needs. The industry has diversified from normal ticketing to packages (domestic and international), Visa facilitation, Cars and Campers vans, Cruise packages across Pacific and Atlantic oceans, Meetings-Incentives-Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE), Rail packages and even Call Centres. Because of their extensive approach to serve the travel industry, leaders or the so called travel-pundits have now been able to serve in multiple cities in Pakistan and even abroad. Some of them have also started 24 hours office with day and night shifts to cater to their customers 24/7. Travel market has expanded globally and even these travel pundits in Pakistan and specially Karachi are able to cater to corporate accounts globally with the ease of online ticketing and payment settlement done online. Another aspect which the local market i s catering is handling accounts of international travel agencies through local call centers in Karachi due to availability of cheap labor and savings they can make. Travel industry in Pakistan still has a long way to grow which has been slow due to political and economic instability in the country, however, the travel gurus have been making day night efforts to explore more opportunities and line up a growing pace for the industry. Objectives and scope of the Research The Corporate, Leisure and Religious travel segments are the three main areas of operations in the Travel segment. Since our Pakistani consumers are still not comfortable with the concept of e-ticketing and are still in the phase of adapting to paper less tickets, the operations of Travel Management Companies are still preferred by the masses. Our consumers still rely on Travel Management Companies to map out their itineraries and have loyalty levels associated with certain agencies. Several packages are offered by Travel Management Companies in Karachi for the corporate, leisure and religious travel segments. There are companies that specialize in a certain segment as well. The growing competition and influx of Travel Management Companies in Karachi necessitates their analysis in terms of their marketing mix and current practices in order to differentiate the services offered by them, retain old customers and attract new ones. Travelers who prefer to leave the job of ticketing and travel mapping to the specialists in the field lay emphasis on the company that would give them the best possible rates with the most services. In order to decipher consumers preferences and criteria behind selecting a travel management company, we intend to incorporate this in our thesis as one of the areas of research and will try to gather reasons accruing to this selection. The success factors behind leading players in the industry will be sought and a comparative analysis of their practices and packages offered will also be conducted. The scope of the research is specifically based in Karachi, Pakistan. Due to time constraints and traveling issues, all the interviews and surveys of consumers and the travel management companies will be conducted in Karachi only. Problem Definition and Research Questions Worldwide travel management companies have been doing well for over two decades. The growth of travel agency bookings has outperformed the growth in airline traffic in the first half of 2010. Although in 2009; there was a rise in internet bookings as cost savings topped the priority list for travelers. (Jones, 2010) In Pakistan, the prevailing trend depicts a rise in the advent of travel management companies. The reasons normally accrued to this rise is the preference of travelers to rely on travel management companies to set their itineraries in the most cost effective and convenient way. In todays environment, travel management companies need every advantage to compete with pressure from mega-agencies, online travel companies and regional players, especially as competition intensifies and economic conditions continue to falter. With the web breaking distance barriers between countries and making information available to all via just a click, travel services for business, leisure and religious travel have pressed travel management companies for the best possible options. Overall business travel transactions processed by members of the UKs Guild of Travel Management Companies grew by 12 percent year-over-year in the six months through June 2010. (GTMC, 2010) Leisure travel has also witnesses a rise following the post recession stage and leisure travel is expected to be more profitable than corporate travel. (World Travel Market, 2010) Till date very little research has been done on the travel industry in Pakistan. In our thesis we would explore the various factors that have lead to the success of few out of the so many established in the country in the light of the different segments of travel services that are provided. We would also be examining the services offered by these companies in order to have a comprehensive picture of the industrys success factor. Hence our research problem is: To explore the success factors of leading travel management companies in Karachi. Some of the research questions that we would try to explore are: What are the variables driving success for the travel industry? What are the 7Ps of the travel management companies? What attributes do consumers consider while opting for a travel management company? Who are the major players in the leisure, religious and corporate travel categories? What can travel management agencies do to further improve the travel management practices? Research Methodology The research methodology that will be used is divided into two phases, primary and secondary. The research would include both, Qualitative and Quantitative Research, based mostly on primary data collection. In the first phase we will determine the top travel management companies based on their number of customers and other International key success factors. Once the top 5 players are identified, the second phase will begin in which we will be finding out customer perception of travel agents and their packages through questionnaires. Secondary Research will be conducted to find out the various packages and services being offered by the travel management agencies. Comparative analysis will be done for various travel management companies on the basis of their offerings. Sampling will be done on the basis of quota sampling. 20 travel agencies will be approached and the top 5 travel management agencies will be selected based on the number of customers they cater for. Limitations of the Research The limitation of the study can be firstly accrued to its scope being confined to Karachi and hence may not be reflective of the services being offered by travel management companies across the country. The scenarios witnessed by the 5 key travel agents from Karachi might not be reflective of the market. As travel sector is not a listed in any of the stock exchange, it will be difficult to extract authentic details from travel management companies and information given by the agencies will have to be relied upon. In order to keep the research free from any sort of biasness, use of reliable research studies and data provided by the authorities with relevant facts and experts opinions will be provided to defend our reasoning. CHAPTER TWO An Introduction to Travel Management Companies Heathrow International Travel defines a travel management, as means to meeting the demands and expectations of travelers, be it individuals or part of a group. Further elaboration by the travel industry dictionary states that travel agent is any person who sells travel products on a commission basis or who meets certain minimum qualifications, which can vary widely according to those who uses the term or sets the standards. (Travel Industry Glossary, 2007) Laurie Lico Ablanese, teacher and author at Vagner College, U.S, defines the job of a travel agent as a person who can perform one or more of the following functions that can be characterized as that of a travel consultant, tour organizer, small business executive, or travel guide. (Albanese, 2010) Travel agents may choose to become certified by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA) for which they require a minimum of 18 months of experience as an agent, along with a complete 12 course program. There are various other certifications that travel agents acquire in order to gain more expertise, the most famous certification being that from IATA. These certifications are a key criteria for travel management companies operating worldwide as they assist travelers in selecting an authentic company for their travel requirements. For corporate, religious and leisure travel management agencies, certification from International Air Travel Association (IATA) is mandatory as it certifies your identity throughout the world. Each agent is given a distinguished code which enables the agent to be tracked anywhere in the world. The various other certifications include the following: United Federation of Travel Agents Association (UFTAA): UFTAA represents national travel agents associations in a significant number of countries. It remains the most prominent body representing the interests of travel agents worldwide and enjoys consultative status with the United Nattions. Its membership also includes a large group of Travel Partners, including major airlines, hotels, tourism boards, shipping companies, car rental companies and many other operators allied to the tourist industry. UFTAA is essential for corporate travel segment. World Tourism Organization (WTO ): WTO, not to be confused with the World Trade Organization, serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues. Based in Madrid, WTO is entrusted by the United Nations to help countries maximize the positive impacts of tourism, such as job creation, infrastructure development and foreign exchange earnings, while at the same time minimizing negative environmental or social impacts. Representatives covering Africa, the Americas, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia are responsible for overseeing specific projects and working. Their key emphasis is on leisure travel. World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC): Founded in 1990 with support from American Express, WTTC is a high-level private sector-only lobbying group whose membership comprises Chief Executives of multinational accommodation, catering, cruises, entertainment, recreation, transportation, and other travel-related companies. WTTCs mission is to raise the awareness of the full economic impact of the Travel and Tourism industry. International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH RA): Officially recognized by the United Nations, IH RA represents the interests of the worlds hotels and restaurants. Members include hotel and restaurants operators, corporate hotel executives national hospitality association, hotel schools, and suppliers to the hospitality industry. The association is responsible for lobbying international policy, making bodies to resist regulations that could damage their business, estimated to comprise 300,000 hotels and 8 million restaurants. Pacific Asia Travels Association (PATA): Founded in 1951, PATA is the dominant industry association in one of the worlds most popular Travel and Tourism region. Based in Bangkok, its membership includes nearly 100 government, states, and city tourism bodies, 76 airlines and cruise lines, some 2000 companies and organization, and 17,000 individuals in 78 Chapters worldwide. Its programmers and designed to help members enhance their competitive edge through research and marketing services, product development and educational seminars and workshops. International Airline Passenger Association (IAPA): With over 400,000 members around the world, IAPAs main goal is to represent the views of travelers who fly often, by speaking out on safety and health issues related to flying. One area in which IAPA has made efforts is the improvement of aircraft cabin air quality. It also offers members discounts on hotels worldwide, savings on car rental, comprehensive travel insurance, and other benefits. (Insight, 2009) All travel agencies in Pakistan are subject to the local rules and regulations filed under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture at Federal Level and Department and Tourist Services at provincial level. A travel agency cannot operate without a valid license issued by the Department of Tourist Services (DTS). A license issued is subject to many requirements such as competent staff, financially sound management and location suitable for public dealing. A Bank guarantee is furnished to Department of Tourist Services after final inspection and then a license is issued to operate the travel agency. The license is valid for one year from the date of issue and has to be renewed after the expiry date. These are separate from the certifications they need to register for International traveling. Specialization of Travel Management Companies Travel agencies have been regarded as critical information, planning and booking providers for a large number of travelers (Duke Persia 1993; Mihalik, Uysal Pan 1995). Travel products provided by travel management companies include air ticketing, visa facilitation, worldwide hotel reservations, worldwide car rental reservations, travel insurance, airport meet and assist service, rail, bus tickets and MICE (Meeting, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions). (Oasis Travels, 2010) These products vary from one travel Management Company to another depending on their expertise and the market they operate in; these are further classified according to the sectors in which they specialize. Travel management agencies have opted for specialization in various fields including corporate, personal, event, leisure or school travel. Corporate Travel Business travel is a highly valuable part of the travel and tourism industry. Not only does it continue to grow, but also average spending by business travel customers is higher than in the retail sector. Travel agencies are inclined towards the corporate sector because of various reasons, major ones being the following High quality, high yield (earns more revenue) part of travel and tourism Year-round sector means more full-time jobs More shock-proofed against downturns or disasters Investment can regenerate urban areas. (Business Travel Operation, 2008) Companies usually arrange the corporate travel on various occasions major ones being conferences and meeting, exhibition, and trade fairs, incentive travel, corporate events and outdoor events. The revenue from each of these occasions is different but according to a tourism department of UK the major contributor of revenue in the corporate sector is when company personnel travel for meetings and conferences and as per an estimate for the year 2003 meeting and conference, related travel has amounted for around  £7 billion. (Weaver, Han, 2008) Conferences and meetings are worth over  £7 billion in 2003. This part of the sector includes sales conferences, management meetings, annual general meetings, training courses, business presentations and product launches. The market for exhibitions and trade fairs is worth over  £2 billion per year, trade exhibitions are for buyers and sellers in specific trade sectors. Incentive travel is used by organisations to motivate their staff. They are usually offered in industries with high profit margins such as cars and financial services. Incentive travel is used by organisations to motivate their staff. Corporate events include staff and client entertainment. Sporting occasions are the most popular for corporate events. Close links exist between corporate events segment and the contract catering industry. Its market worth between  £700 million and  £1 billion per year. (Bized, 2008) Religious Travel Religious travel now a day is a very comprehensive and expansive terms, previously it was only used to account for the travel that is done for the purpose of religious pilgrimages but today the concept of religious travel has primarily centered on the notion of pilgrimage. Although this type of journey remains at the heart of religious travel in many ways, it is no longer the sole form or reference point The growing religious tourism sector is currently valued at US$18 billion per year with Hajj pilgrimage, Palestine, Jordan, Iran and other Middle Eastern destinations identified as top draws for religious travel. With more than 300 million global travelers annually, the faith-based travel and hospitality market provides destination management organizations, wholesalers, suppliers, and travel agents unprecedented opportunities for new business avenues and clientele. Today, religious travel and hospitality is defined by, Travel to a religious destination, (Travelling to a religious destination is the most common and traditional meaning of the phrase religious travel. It may be right to attribute the success of this form of travel to all the major religions of the world. The word that has been associated with religious travel is pilgrimage.) Travel to a religious gathering (. People of various faith and disciplines have been travelling and gathering for religious purpose and celebrations.), Travel with a missionary and/or humanitarian intent and Travel with a fellowship intent. (Most short-term mission trips typically last from seven to 14 days. Volunteer vacations are a related form of missionary travel) (World Religious Travel Association, 2010) According toaccording to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. .. Click the link for more information.  Kevin J Wright, president of the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA WRTA Worcester Regional Transit Authority (Massachusetts) WRTA World Religious Travel Association WRTA Western Regional Transmission Association WRTA Western Reserve Transit Authority (Northeast Ohio)  ), specialist travel providers need to develop the best possible travel experiences to leverage income from the three billion people around the world who trace their religious roots and faiths to the Middle East. Religious tourism is recognized as one of the most resilient markets in the travel industry, said Wright, who will be conducting a seminar entitled `The New Era of Religious Tourism` at Arabian Travel Market the Middle East`s premier travel and tourism event to be held in May in Dubai. Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia  (sà ¤`dÄâ€Å" Éâ„ ¢rÄ `bÄâ€Å"Éâ„ ¢, sou`-, sà ´-), officially Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, kingdom (2005 est. pop. .. Click the link for more information.  is the market`s primary driver, with the Islamic Hajj hajj  (hà ¤j), the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, one of the five basic requirements (arkan or pillars) of Islam. Its annual observance corresponds to the major holy day id al-adha,   and Umrah   The Umrah or (Arabic: Ø ¹Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ÃƒËœÃ‚ ±ÃƒËœÃ‚ © ) is a pilgrimage to Mecca performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year.   pilgrimages seeing the Kingdom receive over six million worshipers annually. The religious tourism industry in Saudi Arabia alone generates an estimated $7 billion annually and with the market expecting 20 percent growth in the coming years, tour operators, hotels and airlines are already tailoring products to tap into the religious market. Pilgrimages are not the sole driver of the religious market anymore and people of faith are increasingly seeking greater quality travel experiences across the full spectrum of sub-sectors whic h drive the industry, Wright said. Mark Walsh For details of the dart player, Mark Walsh, please see Mark Walsh (Dart player) Mark Walsh is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and political activist. .. Click the link for more information., Group Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions organizer of Arabian Travel Market, which takes place from May 5 8, 2009, at the Dubai International Convention Exhibition Centre said the need to examine robust tourism revenue streams would be critical in ensuring the industry weathers the current economic downturn. Our industry is changing and tour operators and travel companies need to examine alternative business avenues to increase profits during these challenging times. The religious tourism market is one such possibility and remains extremely relevant to Middle East based operations. Through these informed discussion sessions, exhibitors and visitors alike can better understand the business potential available to them. According to Wright, Jordan and Palestine are huge growth markets. Ninety-five percent of tourism in Palestine is religion-based, while Jordan is targeting tourism revenues of up to $2.4 billion, per year, by 2010 over 60 percent higher than income generated in 2007, he said. Iraq is also emerging as a serious player in the sector. Areas of religious significance, such as Najaf home of the sacred shrine of the son-in-law of Prophet Mohammad already welcomes eight million pilgrims a year, but a new airport will increase inbound in ·bound  1  Ã‚   adj. Bound inward; incoming: inbound commuter traffic. Adj. 1. inbound   capacity to over 20 million. Citing Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi  (à ¤`b thà ¤`bÄâ€Å", zà ¤-, dà ¤-), Arab. Abu Zabi, sheikhdom (1995 pop. 928,360), c.   as an example of how feeder destinations can benefit from mass pilgrimages to Saudi, Iraq and other holy sites, Wright added: Abu Dhabi International AirportAbu Dhabi International Airport (Arabic: Ù†¦ÃƒËœÃ‚ ·ÃƒËœÃƒËœÃ‚ ± Ø £ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¨Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€  Ø ¸ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¨Ãƒâ„¢Ã…   Øلؠ¯Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  ) (IATA: AUH,  ICAO: OMAA .. Click the link for more information.  handled nearly 15,000 Hajjes last year, which increased its passenger traffic rates to Saudi Arabia by 34.5 percent the potential for everyone in the region to benefit is astoundinga ·stound  Ã‚   tr.v. a ·stound ·ed, a ·stound ·ing, a ·stounds To astonish and bewilder. See Synonyms at surprise. [From Middle English astoned, past participle of astonen, .. Click the link for more information.. (Mojnews Agency, 2009) Leisure Travel Leisure travel may be defined as travel that is undertaken for pleasure and personal purposes. The  World Tourism Organization  reports top ten countries as the most visited from 2006 to 2009 by the number of international travelers. When compared to 2006,  Ukraine  entered the top ten lists, surpassing  Russia,  Austria  and  Mexico,  and in 2008, surpassed  Germany.  In 2008, the  U.S.  displaced  Spain  from the second place. Most of the top visited countries continue to be on the  European continent, followed by a growing number of  Asian  countries. In 2009,  Malaysia  made it into the top 10 most visited countries list.  Malaysia  secured the ninth position, just below  Turkey  and  Germany. In 2008, Malaysia was in the eleventh position. Both  Turkey  and  Germany  climbed one rank in arrivals, occupying seventh and eighth positions respectively, while  France  continued to lead the ranks in terms of tourist arrivals. (UNWTO, 2009). USA earns the most revenue from leisure travel amounting to around $ 94.2 billion in the year 2009, followed by Spain with $53.2 billion, France and Italy with annual revenue of around $48.2 billion and $40.1 billion respectively. The other destinations that made it to the top ten lists include Chine, Germany UK, Australia, Turkey and Austria. It may be noticed in that the major income to the travel management companies in the leisure sector is through travelers traveling to the European Continent, as out of the 10 most visited countries seven are from the European Continent (WTO, 2009) Key Performance Indicators for the Travel Industry Key Performance Indicators an Overview According to the KPI Library, Key Performance Indicators are measures of business performance; also known as business or performance metrics, measures, ratios or simply performance indicators. These performance indicators can vary from company to company and from industry to industry. The key performance indicators for the Travel Management Companies can be ascertained by exploring the issues like price wars, safety and security issues, passenger demands and availability of information. These may also include supply chain information, inventory information, package tracking, flight/travel activities, and passenger details with preferences. Integration of key information and emphasis on customer loyalty also plays an important role in the success of transportation and travel industry. (Gala, 2009) Given the high number of variables in the travel booking process, each travel agent has their own preferred way of doing things. A few KPIs, which you can be useful as a starting point and to trigger further thought as per MAIA Intelligence India, are: Specifications for service delivery requirements: Response times to enquiries Ticket delivery arrangements Hours of service and out of hours arrangements Payment methodology Variety of packages provided Financial Perspective: Quantification of Financial aspect can be measured using the parameters like operating profit, % increase in planned sales, actual sales step-up ratio and % increase in travel and entertainment cost. Customer Services and Satisfaction Perspective: Customer Services and satisfaction can be taken care of by employing metrics number of ancillary facilities, favorable review index, % increase in customer base and look/book index. Internal Operations Perspective: Internal Operations can be known with number of booking channels, abroad to local bookings ratio and packaged to independent bookings ratio. Business Planning and Growth Perspective: Business planning and growth perspective can be gathered by assigning values to ticked delivery standards, disaster recovery planning effectiveness, % increase in number of tour packages sold and number of staff retention initiatives taken. (MAIA,2009) Based on the key performance indicators and analysis of success accruing to travel management companies worldwide, the success factors for the travel management companies in Karachi can be evaluated. Consumer Preference of Travel Management Companies Abroad According to a report by the Hong Kong Consumer Council (1998), Travel agents in Hong Kong have faced difficult times because of increasing customer demands and internal competition in the industry. Complaints against travel agencies had increased by 12.4% for the year 1996/97, as compared with the previous year. The purpose of the study was to assess customers expectations and perceptions of service provided by travel agents, and to explore how the service factors derived from the factor analysis were related to overall customer satisfaction. The results of the study as verified by an article published by Vincent C.S. Heung, Department of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, showed that customers perceptions of service quality revolved around the availability of All Inclusive Package Tours. Out of a total of 183 Hong Kong consumers who were surveyed and asked to rate 29 attributes that might affect their choice of travel agency for all-inclusive package tours, the results showed that of the 29 attributes, agency reputation was rated as the most important attribute in travel agency selection, followed by word-of-mouth communication and staff attitude. (Heung, 2000). In Karachi, since the total number of travel management companies operating are 245, heavy competition exists and agency reputation might b

vampires :: essays research papers

Vampires True vampires possess different characteristics, powers and weaknesses than the fictional vampire. The outward appearance is only slightly different to that of a human, their eyes are usually larger and more defined with long lashes. Their features are often pointed; the females and males are slender. This helps hide their inhuman strength; therefore their opponents almost always underestimate them. All vampires are attractive; because of this vampires are almost always hunted by the same sex, to help prevent the hunter from forming an emotional attachment with their intended victim. Vampires are in a sense immortal. They cannot die of old age and are always in their prime at around 20 – 30 years of age (physically). They are immune to almost any diseases and poisons and cannot spread a disease from one human to another. They can recover from most wounds; a new vampire might take three days to recover from a wound that would take an older vampire three minutes. Vampires can of course be killed if the wound is large enough that they will die before they have time to heal, this means that old vampires are almost impossible to kill as they heal almost instantaneously All vampires are extremely strong generally the older they get the stronger, faster and smarter they get. Age is not everything in the power department; the quantity of self-discipline and will power the vampire has limits the force it can gather. The powers/abilities that the average vampire has are: - Weaponry, All vampires have an affinity with weapons, they can pick up almost any weapon and use it effectively, young or new vampires are trained in weaponry and martial arts. Vampires usually become an expert in one or two weapons. Vampires are the best assassins but aren’t used very often because they aren’t easily found and the reluctance of the seeker because of the misconception that the vampire will kill them, and then ask about the job proposition, when it would actually happen the other way around, in most circumstances. - Vampires are stronger and faster than any other known species, even Elves who are widely thought of as the fastest and strongest sentient creatures that still exist. Some common misconceptions about vampires are: - Sunlight is traditionally a way to kill a vampire. This is partly true, vampires are allergic to sunlight, especially young vampires, the reaction lessens the older and more experienced the vampire becomes.

Personal Plan for Success

A Personal Plan For Success I often wondered how people succeeded in balancing their personal lives and maintaining a career at the same time. â€Å"One has to take a backseat,† I thought. Through the years, I have come to realize that it is not necessarily the case. When I came here to this country to work, I got to meet many people who I have come to admire in their pursuit and success in living a well-balanced family and professional life. Then I said to myself, â€Å"It is not easy but very possible. † Growing up, I always have been a planner. I want to know how things will transpire and when they will be accomplished.I do this to a fault at times but so far it has guided me through life. At this point in my life, I can truly say that I have accomplished most of what I have set out to attain. I am married to a great man and I have a good career as a critical care registered nurse. This time I have decided to take another big step in my life; I decided to continue my education and go for my master’s degree. Time to make another plan for success. Many people have asked me why I finally decided to go to graduate school after all these years of working as a registered nurse.My answer would always be, â€Å"It’s time. † Before I reached the decision to go back to school, I have put a lot of thought into it because I know it will not be an easy road to travel but my decision felt right. Getting my master’s degree will help me define a career path that will allow me to branch out to another field of nursing that has interested me. It will open up new opportunities to use my acquired nursing skills and knowledge. Acquiring a graduate degree will allow me to advance professionally and will help me become more marketable in the competitive healthcare job market.To succeed in something, I must set goals both short-term and long-term. These goals serve as a guide so that I may keep focus on what I want to accomplish at the end. I am a realistic person so I want to have goals that are reasonable. My long-term goal is to find a job that would allow me to spend more time with my family and at the same time be professionally and financially satisfying. For my short-term goals, I know that I will have to succeed in several of them before I reach the fulfillment of my long-term goal. At this time my short-term goals are to learn how to be a student again, to learn how to avigate through my online school and to be able learn how to fulfill my assignments and readings required to pass my courses in school. There are challenges that present themselves to me at this time. (Nellen, 2000), â€Å"To be able to have control over your time, don’t let it manage you! † (para. 2). This is probably the most difficult challenge I have. Coming home from a full 12-hour shift, I am just too tired to do any schoolwork. Attending on an online program helps because I can do things at my own pace. To manage my time, I try to keep a schedule and follow it as strictly as I can.It is my way of developing a new habit so that school will not be so much of a stressor. I rely a on my calendar to guide me on what to do daily. I find this very helpful, especially in making sure I do not miss any deadlines, meetings or other things that I need to do. Another challenge is the financial aspect of going back to school. In the kind of economy we are in, I sometimes need to work some overtime to make ends meet but being in school takes my time away from that. To tackle this situation, my husband and I decided to change our working situation a bit.He started a part- time job to augment our budgetary needs while I am in school. I also decided to take out a student loan to take off the burden of paying for school at this time. This may sound confusing to some people but just getting back to the student mindset is a challenge too. It has been quite a long time since I had study and do assignments and projects. I h ave to remind myself that I am back in school and that there are things that I need to do . To overcome this, I have set aside two hours a day for me to be a student. At this time I do my readings and other schoolwork.I am hoping that by doing this I will be able to include it in my daily routine so that I can budget my time better. When a person has goals, it is important to set milestones that would mark the achievement of these goals. These help in encouraging one to persevere toward the fulfillment of his ultimate goal. My first milestone would be when I successfully pass my first course of my master’s program. This is important because this tells me that I can do it. This conveys to me that the adjustments that I have made to meet my challenges work.A second milestone would be when the time comes that I can navigate through the different applications in the online learning system with ease and comfort. The final milestone would be passing that final course to complete my master’s program. This would validate that all my hard work was worth it. For a good plan to work, it is important that everybody involved in it fully understand what is going on. Effective communication plays a fundamental and essential part in this. Every day and every minute we communicate whether it may be verbally or non-verbally.Martha Graham, an American modern dancer and choreographer, once said, â€Å"The body says what the words cannot† (Lewis, 2012, para. 2). As a person, I am very expressive. Aside from verbally communicating my thoughts, I am very transparent in my body language too. I have no problem saying what I have in my mind but there are times when I cannot fully state what I have to say in the fear that I may offend somebody or say the wrong thing. This fear sometimes hinders me from effectively saying what needs to be said. I have found myself being overly cautious in the words that I use and sometimes that comes across as me being unsure of what to say.In contrast to this, there are times when I find myself talking too fast and not allowing time to let the person I am talking to respond. Another weakness that I have is that I fail to read the non-verbal cues. I tend to get so engrossed in the conversation that I look past the body language. Looking back at my communication strengths and weaknesses, I have come up with some strategies that I can use to improve my communication skills. I have to learn to listen attentively. There is a big difference between simply hearing what the other person is saying and listening to what he is trying to say.Hearing is simply receiving sound from somewhere whereas listening is being able to absorb and understand what is being said. By using this method, I can take a step back and process the conversation better so I can respond better. Another strategy that I can use is to hear the words behind the actions. I have to use the non-verbal cues sent my way to understand better what the messag e is. This way, it is easier to respond appropriately. If I understand better, I can avoid that fear of being offensive and I can be more eloquent in my choice of words to use.The last and final strategy that I have come up with is the use of feedback. Feedback allows for effective communication to exist. Here the flow of ideas takes place. With feedback, it is easy to clarify certain points of the conversation that were unclear. Feedback allows for open communication and active learning. Writing this paper has made me think and summarize what has been happening the last couple of months. It has been a long journey for me to reach this point of my career. I know I will be facing challenges in the next couple of years but having goals and strategies to help me go through them will help me persevere.Knowing my strengths and weaknesses and having a plan to improve them will guide me to succeed. During my undergraduate years, I took the first step in developing a career. I learned what I needed to function as a good nurse. With this new endeavor I have, I believe I will learn to be the best nurse I can be. Bibliography Lewis, J. J. (2012). Martha Graham quotes. Retrieved from http://womenshistory. about. com/cs/quotes/a/qu_graham_m. htm Nellen, A. (2000). Manage work, don't let it manage you: Tips for managing your time and getting ahead. Retrieved from http://www. cob. sjsu. edu/nellen_a/time_management. htm

Three Components to the Justice System

of the justice system The Criminal Justice System James E. Boyd Strayer University Douglas Brinkley The Justice System Criminal Justice is a phrase that refers to the collection of the three criminal justice systems. The federal, state, and local public agencies deal with the crime problem. These agencies process suspects, defendants, and convicted offenders and are interdependent insofar as the decisions of one agency affect other agencies. The three components of criminal justice are Law Enforcement, Courts, and Corrections.While all independent, they all must work together towards a common goal. The goal is to establish order and peace for all citizens of this great nation. Police The first component of the criminal justice system, perhaps the most dangerous, is law enforcement. Police departments are public agencies whose purposes are to maintain order, enforce the criminal law, and provide services. This includes the local police as well as the federal and state departments.They head the criminal justice system because they are the ones that find and capture individuals who break the laws set forth by the state or federal government. Law enforcement personnel are also responsible for ensuring the cases are strong enough to stand up in court. They cooperate with prosecutors in criminal investigations, gathering evidence necessary to obtain convictions in the courts. Court The second component of the criminal justice system is the court.Courts are tribunals where persons accused of violating criminal law come to have their criminal responsibility determined by juries or judges. The court system includes prosecution, defense lawyers, judges, and juries. Judges hear the cases and preside over the participants to make sure that all laws are followed while the cases are being tried. Some cases are tried in front of a judge only, while others have a jury of 12 citizens who determine the guilt or innocence of a defendant based on facts brought forth during a trial .A jury may also make a recommendation of what a sentence should be. A judge ultimately decides a sentence unless there are pre-determined sentencing guidelines that need to be followed. Sentencing guidelines are more prevalent in the federal justice system. Corrections The third and final component of the criminal justice system is corrections. The role of this component is to uphold and administer sentences handed down by judges. Corrections include probation, parole, jail, prison, and a variety of new community-based sanctions, such as electronic monitoring and house arrest.The corrections system, which is tightly intertwined with the previous two components, is very important and quite large. The corrections component includes jails, prisons, correctional officers, probation officers and parole officers. The purposes of correctional agencies are to punish, to rehabilitate, and to ensure public safety. References. Schmalleger, Frank (2010) Criminal Justice Today (11th Edition) : An Introductory Text For The Twenty- First Century, Chapter 1, Pgs. 16 & 17. Judiciary Judiciary Police Police Corrections Corrections

Mosaic of Thought Workshop for Reading Comprehension

'Mosaic of Thought' Workshop for Reading Comprehension When was the last time you finished a book and you were asked to complete a worksheet about it? You probably havent had to do that since you were a student yourself, however, this is something that most of us ask our students to do on a daily basis. To me, this doesnt make much sense. Shouldnt we teach students to read and comprehend books in a manner that is consistent with how they will read and comprehend as adults? The book Mosaic of Thought by Ellin Oliver Keene and Susan Zimmermann, as well as the Readers Workshop method, moves away from worksheets with comprehension questions that use more real-world, student-driven instruction. Rather than depend solely on small reading groups, the Readers Workshop method blends whole group instruction, small needs-based groups, and individual conferring to guide students through the application of the seven basic comprehension strategies. What are the thinking strategies that all proficient readers use as they read? Determining What is Important - Identifying themes and diminishing focus on less important ideas or pieces of informationDrawing Inferences - Combining background knowledge and textual information to draw conclusions and interpret factsUsing Prior Knowledge - Building on previous knowledge and experiences to aid in comprehension of the textAsking Questions - Wondering and inquiring about the book before, during, and after readingMonitoring Comprehension and Meaning - Using an inner voice to think about if the text makes sense or notCreating Mental Images - Implementing the five senses to build images in the mind that enhance the experience of reading Believe it or not, many children may not even know that they are supposed to be thinking as they read! Ask your students if they know to think as they read - you may be shocked by what they tell you! Ask your students, Did you know that its OK not to understand everything you read? They will most likely look at you, surprised, and answer, It is? Talk a little bit about some of the ways that you can build your understanding when you are confused. As you know, even adult readers, are confused sometimes when they read. But, we bet it made them feel a little better to know that they dont have to fake understanding when they read; the best readers question, reread, look for context clues, and more in order to better understand and move through the text. To get started with the Mosaic of Thought reading strategies, choose one of the comprehension strategies to focus on for a full six to ten weeks. Even if you only get to a few of the strategies in a year, you will be doing a major educational service for your students. Here is a sample schedule for an hour-long session: 15-20 minutes - Present a mini-lesson that models how to use the given strategy for a certain book. Try to pick a book that really lends itself to this strategy. Think aloud and you demonstrate how good readers think as they read. At the end of the mini-lesson, give the kids an assignment for the day that they will do as they read the books of their own choosing. For example, Kids, today you will use sticky notes to mark the places where you could really visualize what was going on in your book. 15 minutes - Meet with small needs-based groups to meet the needs of students who need extra guidance and practice in this comprehension area. You can also build in time here to meet with 1 to 2 small guided reading groups, as you may be doing in your classroom now. 20 minutes - Use this time for one-on-one conferring with your students. Try to get to 4 to 5 students per day, if you can. As you meet, delve deep with each student and have him or her demonstrate to you exactly how they are using this strategy as they read. 5-10 minutes - Meet again as a whole group to review what everyone accomplished and learned for the day, in relation to the strategy. Of course, as with any instructional technique that you encounter, you can adapt this concept and this suggested schedule to fit your needs and your classroom situation. Source Oliver Keene, Ellin. Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy Instruction. Susan Zimmermann,  2nd Edition, Heinemann, May 2, 2007.

three types of outpatient cancer treatments

three types of outpatient cancer treatments INTRODUCTIONIn the American society, cancer is the disease most feared by the majority of people within the U.S. Cancer has been known and described throughout history.In the early 1990s nearly 6 million cancer cases and more than 4 million deaths have been reported worldwide, every year. The most fatal cancer in the world is lung cancer, which has grown drastically since the spread of cigarette smoking in growing countries. Stomach cancer is the second leading form of cancer in men, after lung cancer. Another on the increase, for women, is breast cancer, particularly in China and Japan. The fourth on the list is colon and rectum cancer, which occurs mostly in older people.In the United States more than one-fifth of the deaths in the early '90s was caused by cancer, only the cardiovascular diseases accounted at a higher percentage. In 1993 the American Cancer Society predicted that about 33% of Americans will eventually get cancer.English: Gross appearance of the cut surface of a ... In the United States skin cancer is the most dominating in both men and women, followed by prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. Yet lung cancer causes the most deaths in men and women. Leukemia, or cancer of the blood, is the most common type in children. An increasing incidence has been clearly observable over the past few decades, due in part to improved cancer screening programs, and also to the increasing number of older persons in the population, and also to the large number of tabacco smokersparticularly in women. Some researchers have estimated that if Americans stopped smoking, lung cancer deaths could virtually be eliminated within 20 years.The U.S. government and private organizations spent about $1.2 billion annual for cancer research. With the development of new drugs and treatments, the number of deaths among cancer patients under...

Audit of Alex Blenheim Samples for Students

The methods which are applied by an entity and which give promise to accomplish the aims and objectives set by an entity from its business processes are called as internal control system of an entity. It helps in attaining the goals of efficient and effective reporting by management and auditor about the affairs of the company, proper and timely compliance of rules and regulations lay down by government. The internal control weakness is defined as a deficiency in the systems designed and employed by an entity to ensure effectiveness in the working of an entity in relation to aim and objectives set by an entity. In the given case of Alex Blenheim Pty Limited, to assess the weakness in internal control system firstly the assessment of internal control environment and its effect on company policies and procedures is require to be done.   The control environment of an entity is base for efficient and effective reporting of the financial and non financial matters to the stakeholders of entity both internal and external for achievement of aim and goals set by strategic objectivities if an entity and it is the foundation of effective control system in an entity. The Alex Blenheim may objective is to reduce the cost of goods to company including the overheads costs or by achieving the high volume of sales as the company is low margin company. The company is planning to reduce the levels of inventory, early receipts from debtors and early payments to creditor to increase the working capital margins of the company. The company is maintaining very goods internal control policies in relation to Inventory of Raw Material, Work in Process and for finished goods. The company is maintaining the computerized system of internal control of inventory. It contains all the five elements which are required for good internal control system. The elements of good internal control systems are Control environment, Entity’s risk evaluation process, information system, control activities and review of internal controls to reduce the weakness of controls are presents in company internal control policy of inventory.(Scaldeo,2013) A good internal control in relation to inventory involves the controls which enables an entity to: If any of the above is followed in making controls of inventories, there is weakness in controls relating to Inventory. The following are weakness in the internal control of inventory in Alex Blenheim Company: The weakness could impact the working of an entity and hampers the ultimate objective of the company which the company is required to achieve by implementing the controls systems. The weakness can damage the effectiveness and efficiency of business control environment which are root causes for business risks in any business. Steps Taken To Reduce The Imapct Of Risk In Internal Control System The following are the steps taken by an entity to reduce the impact of risks in internal controls: Feng, M., Li, C., McVay, S. E., & Skaife, H. (2014). Does ineffective internal control over financial reporting affect a firm's operations? Evidence from firms' inventory management. The Accounting Review, 90(2), 529-557. Salcedo, C. A. G., Hernandez, A. I., Vilanova, R., & Cuartas, J. H. (2013). Inventory control of supply chains: Mitigating the bullwhip effect by centralized and decentralized Internal Model Control approaches. European Journal of Operational Research, 224(2), 261-272. Strand L, (2014) , â€Å"10 Common Internal Control Deficiencies Found in Small Business† available at https://www.lbahs.com/blog/bid/397513/10-common-internal-control-deficiencies-found-in-small-businesses accessed on 06/05/2017

Galileo's Siderius Nuncius Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Galileo's Siderius Nuncius - Essay Example k became a sensation that made Galileo famous and well-known in his time, as well as initiating further discoveries of how celestial bodies such as the rocky planets, the Earth’s moon, Jupiter and its satellites, the Sun’s spots as well as discovering larger numbers of stars in constellations such as Orion and the Pleiades that cannot be easily seen by naked eyes through a compound telescope (13). While Galileo’s discoveries stirred controversy with the Catholic Church by disproving the scriptures regarding how planets, the sun, and other celestial bodies orbit the Earth, his method of observing the movement of planets with satellites, mainly Jupiter and its four moons allowed for the support of the Copernican theory of planetary movement, and initialising the disproving of the traditionally-accepted Aristotelian theory of a geocentric view of the cosmos. Galileo reported his initial observations of three bright bodies around the planet Jupiter, which he noticed to change positions in the course of a few months, from January to March of 1610, but remarkably remained in a straight line all throughout the time of observation (64). He begun observing the large planet around early January, wherein he records the appearance of three bright stars orbiting around Jupiter, but do not have similar sizes, and in which Galileo describes as such: â€Å"the more eastern one and the western one appeared a bit larger than the remaining one† (65). After a few days, Galileo observed another star which was hidden behind Jupiter, emerging and trailing in a straight line along the other three stars that were initially discovered a few days prior, in which Galileo describes the alignment to be similar to the alignment of the zodiac constellations (66). After observing Jupiter and its Medicean stars (later found out to be its satellites or moons) f or a period of three months, Galileo was able to compare the stars’ orbit to the Earth’s and Mars’ moons, which change phases at

Information Technology Malware Management in the Enterprise Essay

Information Technology Malware Management in the Enterprise - Essay Example Every business or an enterprise ought to follow this classic approach with the â€Å"just-on-time† feature that entails malware information assessment and handling (IATAC, 2009). Background Malware problems are ever growing and continue to be a nuisance for computer users. Manufactures of malware programs have continued to increase over the years and by 2010, there were 14 million different malware programs recorded. An astonishing 60,000 sections of malicious code was being discovered every single day. A rather recent work known as the Koobface surfaced, its purpose was to target people on social networks and it’s created profited by making 2 million dollars in one year. A worm known as the Mariposa has been known to create the largest network of zombie machines on the entire planet. Experts, despite making their best efforts, could not calculate its exact size however they were able to pinpoint the number of computers that became infected by Mariposa which was over 12 million. What the worm did was drop spyware that stole susceptible information from the individuals who suffered, which includes bank account numbers and credit card credentials. This idea was completely planned by a solitary hacker in Spain who happened to make a blunder by chance that uncovered him and he was arrested (Milosevic, 2010). Forms of Malware Web attacks are counted amongst the foremost subtle and dangerous ways cyber criminals use. For instance, if you are searching any sites which may seem good and harmless but at the backend they are uploaded with various harmful malware which secretly get downloaded in the browser’s PC. It can happen as such that cyber criminals square measure all their probabilities and then they frame a hijack process. Mostly the advertising banners on these sites are used for such reasons hence it is extremely important that enterprises must place security barriers between the company’s system and internet arrangement (Baloch, 2011 ). Other forms within which malware can be formed include: Botnets Instant electronic messaging Phishing tries Skype malware Gaming malware Redirects If an administrator fails to execute an immediate action once he/she has recognized the entry of malware, then it can be ascertained that a door has been opened for criminals to siphon personal information from the computer. In the fight against the malicious software system, it isn't enough to treat individual infected machines. Enterprise Strategy for fighting Malware Too often, organizations create the error of treating malware infections as a series of irregular occurrences. Anytime a bug is discovered, IT merely cleans up or rebuilds the affected host and the whole system moves on with routine operational tasks. Nonetheless this approach does not permit the enterprise to stay up with progressively aggressive and innovative attack techniques used by malware authors. It is this time when management needs to take corrective action to bypass malware defenses, evade detection, and resist efforts to get rid of it (Zeltser, 2011). In fact, combating malware whether it is a big or a small enterprise atmosphere requires locating suspicious programs on servers and workstations and then executing the strategy for removing them. However it can also be done in the manner to conjointly investigate the areas infected and detecting the departments which interfere with the utilization of malware on the

Divorce and Child's Welfare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

Divorce and Child's Welfare - Essay Example Of particular interest would be the academic performance of children of divorce in terms of gender difference and age. With the aide of social and developmental theories, the different arguments can be examined. The research aims to find to evidence that divorce affects children negatively using attachment theory, role theory and systems theory as an investigative framework. The results of the investigation are expected to yield relevant information that can form the conceptual theoretical foundation of alternative social work interventions to alleviate the circumstance of affected children. The sanctity of Matrimony is subject to various pressures of modern living. Some couples commenced in wedded bliss only to find later in the marriage of their inability to cope with various encumbrances that come with the package. The consequences of separation already have a profound effect on couples. What more on children that comes as the product of that union Divorce, according to Guttmann (1993), was a symptom of social disease (p.2). The public's opinion is divided. Some would advocate that divorce has positive outcomes while others would argue that the prevalence of divorce only mitigates social decay. Conflicting values ensue between cultures that accept divorce as a necessity and cultures that consider divorce as erosion of moral codes. Societies that consider divorce as an acceptable solution to disagreeing couples provided laws that would oversee the implementation of the divorce conditions. However, despite the presence of these laws, many fathers saddled with the financial burden of providing for the dissolved union has produced several negative outcomes. The inability to provide financial support to the family has left his children in need of economic assistance. The loss of one parent has placed more pressures on the family. The single-parent without the benefit of the financial assistance from the estranged spouse is forced to resort to other means to support the children. Aside from the loss of economic support as a consequence of divorce, the loss of a parent that should have been part of the basic social unit has placed undue pressures on the children of the union. In recent years, some experts noted a decline in the effects of union dissolution on children. Amato (2001) attributed the decline to the more accommodating society on the occurrence of divorce and the stigma associated with marital dissolution is reduced. In addition, external intervention programs were more effective and accessible in recent years (Brown, Young & Allen 2003). The stigma of divorce has worn off. Majority has accepted divorce as a consequence of inevitable circumstances. Children should not be in a household where conflicts between parents are an everyday occurrence. It will benefit the children more if they are removed from such an environment. The two parents should agree on how

Financial reporting analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial reporting analysis - Essay Example Under this ratio, a business’s efficiency to use its material and labour is analysed with the residue of the revenue and the costs reflecting the gross profit. Net Profit Margin: This ratio is almost similar to the Gross Profit ratio with a further extension of scrutinising the administration and other selling costs – resulting in the net profit for an organisation. The ratio displays the net profit of a company as a percentage of its revenue. Return on Capital Employed: This is an important measure of evaluating a company’s profitability. It measures the efficiency of a firm towards utilising the funds invested in it (Fridson & Alvarez, 2002). Liquidity Ratios evaluate a company’s ability to pay off its debts as soon as they fall due. These ratios are used to analyse a company’s ability to continue its operation in the long run. Bankruptcy is one major issue that is highlighted while analysing the liquidity ratios. There are two main types of liquidity ratios: Current Ratio: This ratio assesses a company’s ability to pay off its short term liabilities with its current assets. Usually the benchmark is to have twice the amount of current assets as compared to the current liabilities but this varies within different industries. Quick Ratio: Quick ratio analyses a company’s ability to pay off its current liabilities with its most liquid assets i.e. excluding costs – which takes time to convert into cash. The usual standard is to keep a 1:1 ratio (Helfert, 1997). The Gearing or the leverage ratios give an insight to the risk faced by an investor within a company. This risk is usually affiliated with the financing of the company whereby a firm which is highly financed via debt is considered to be a risky venture for potential investors. Since both Essakane plc and Westwood plc are not hugely affected with any major debt financing issues, the gearing ratios for the company may not be analysed. Market value ratios

Team mission statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Team mission statement - Essay Example The author concludes by saying that â€Å"the mission statement affirms the company’s commitment to responsible action.† Site Relevance. This site provides the knowledge essential in making a good mission statement. In order to formulate one, each of the members of the group what exactly is a mission statement and why it needs to be established. Understanding what comprises a good mission statement is a prerequisite in having one. This site has given me an adequate knowledge on how companies come up with their mission statements which can also be applied in our virtual team. Site Summary. In her article entitled Virtual Teams Need Human Touch, Jane Hawkrigg identifies the challenges commonly faced by virtual teams together with the specific strategies which should be employed in order to maximize the productivity of virtual teams. The author stresses that virtual teams harnesses the diverse talents and potentials of each member which are geographically separated. The following are the identified best practices for virtual teaming as identified by a global research group: virtual teams need special leadership; trust is essential; team building pays off; don’t abandon face to face meetings; performance in consistency; and the use of technology to maximize performance. Site Relevance. This site has been primarily important in giving me an understanding of how to maximize the potentials of our team-members. In order to create a mission statement, these guidelines are important because they are the factors which should be considered for the virtual team to succeed. It should be noted that as a virtual team is different from a typical one, special considerations should be prioritized. Since the mission statement defines the team and its goals, these identified best practices should be emphasized on the

PRINCIPLE OF NURSING PRACTICE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PRINCIPLE OF NURSING PRACTICE - Essay Example Nurses have to have a particular code from which to determine the correct way of tending their patients. To reduce confusion, the Nursing and Midwifery Council created numerous principles that determine how all interactions between nurses and patients should be conducted. The principals established by the 'NMC' are meant to generate a pattern that allows health care workers to avoid issues that might stall patient treatment. There are different factors in the wider society as well as in the healthcare sector that affect nursing ethics. For instance, the reality of evolving and improving technical operations means that health workers constantly have to revise or add to the existing code of medical principles. Nurses are at the fore front of this development as they are the ones that administer the recommended treatments to patients. The situation becomes particularly complicated when they have to make decisions concerning medical developments that have not yet been thoroughly research ed or tested. It is true that a nursing license does not necessarily confirm that a nurse will only engage in ethical nursing practices (O’Carroll and Park 2007). This is why the NMC was created to underline the basic moral and ethical obligations that a practicing nurse is compelled to observe. Nurses are not only compelled to follow the guidelines of the NMC, but also the government’s laws pertaining to the rights of their patients. Nurses can be held accountable for unethical actions by the government. Whenever nurses make ethical decisions that countermand some aspect of the government's rules, they can be held liable in a court of law (Griffiths and Tengnah 2008). There are some circumstances in which implementing the principles denoted by the NMC is difficult or impractical (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2008). For instance, as a student nurse, I observed that many doctors who have patients in the intensive care unit have to work under serious pressure to preserv e the lives of their patients while also remembering to observe the instructions of the patient's family members. There was a patient of mine who was of a religious denomination that did not believe in blood transfusion. Even though my patient was in serious need of a blood transfusion, her family members refused to allow it. Soon was tension between the family members and patient's doctors. At one point, one of the younger doctors suggested transfusing the patient while the nurses diverted the attention of the family members. While this was being seriously considered, the patient began to show small signs of improvement. This averted what might have amounted to a breach of the Principle B which calls for nurses to make decisions on treatment after holding consultations with the patient’s family members because they can be held accountable for their actions. In the intensive care unit, the nursing ethical principle that is easier to apply is Principle C- ensuring that all ris k to the patient is minimized in the course of administering treatment (Lawson and Peate 2009). In all that I do for my patients, or, as mentioned above, collaborate with other medical practitioners in, I always strive to ensure that it is for the betterment of the patient. Most of the time, patients in the intensive care unit are completely dependent on their doctors and nurses. The medical practitioners tending to them are not only charged with prescribing the

Team mission statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Team mission statement - Essay Example The author concludes by saying that â€Å"the mission statement affirms the company’s commitment to responsible action.† Site Relevance. This site provides the knowledge essential in making a good mission statement. In order to formulate one, each of the members of the group what exactly is a mission statement and why it needs to be established. Understanding what comprises a good mission statement is a prerequisite in having one. This site has given me an adequate knowledge on how companies come up with their mission statements which can also be applied in our virtual team. Site Summary. In her article entitled Virtual Teams Need Human Touch, Jane Hawkrigg identifies the challenges commonly faced by virtual teams together with the specific strategies which should be employed in order to maximize the productivity of virtual teams. The author stresses that virtual teams harnesses the diverse talents and potentials of each member which are geographically separated. The following are the identified best practices for virtual teaming as identified by a global research group: virtual teams need special leadership; trust is essential; team building pays off; don’t abandon face to face meetings; performance in consistency; and the use of technology to maximize performance. Site Relevance. This site has been primarily important in giving me an understanding of how to maximize the potentials of our team-members. In order to create a mission statement, these guidelines are important because they are the factors which should be considered for the virtual team to succeed. It should be noted that as a virtual team is different from a typical one, special considerations should be prioritized. Since the mission statement defines the team and its goals, these identified best practices should be emphasized on the

Men and Women are Made Not Born Essay Example for Free

Men and Women are Made Not Born Essay In this essay I will write about how women and men are made not born. I will beintroducing different cultures and their views on men and women, how women at onestage in time did not have any rights to become what they wanted, I will give my ideas onthe subject and I will also research other authors work to get a different variety about whywomen and men are made not born. Firstly I will start by researching different cultures and their ways of life. This reallyinterests me because it is good to see how different people and their countries really andfrom each other. In Australia men and women are equal,they both can work in any job they desire, they both have the right to vote and go to war. It was not always like this though in Australia, it was a long time until women got equalright to men. It was the nineteenth century when women were given the right to vote andto stand for election into parliament. Although it was not until the 1960s to the 1970swhen women gained equality with men with work, the law and general social standing. Ifwe take a look into a totally different country like Afghanistan, women are made bytheir fathers and husbands. Marriage for women is chosen by their families, women mustbe completely covered by a long veil and accompanied by a male relative when theyleave the house and women must do what they are told by their fathers and husbands. Soas we can see, it is hard for women in Afghanistan to become what they want and be whothey want to be. Another culture I want to look at is how women became men in the mountains ofNorthern Albania. A girl or her parents could decide to make them a male, circumstanceswhich would arise in order to do so would be that their husbands or fathers died at war orhad died from other reasons, so the wives or daughters would take on the lead role for thehousehold. They would become men if they wanted to work and build their communitiesinto something better, for example, working in the Communist Party Action Group, youcould only be a male to be a member. In order to get out of an arranged marriage orprotection against the kidnapping and trafficking of young women, it was easier for girlsto become men. What I am trying to say with researching different cultures is that in some countries menand women can choose how they want their lives to turn out and make a future forthemselves unlike other countries where peoples lives are made up for them. Another way we could look at the topic Men and Women are Made Not Born is thatmen and women have to earn what they want to achieve, they are not just born with theirtalents. For example, if a person does a good job for someone then they are going torecommend them to other people, thus achieving a good reputation. As ( Mead, G 2007,p. 29) quotes the self is something which has a development: it is not initially there abirth, but arises in the process of social experience and activity. This means that whenchildren are born they do not immediately have the social skills they require in life to dowell for themselves. The child has to go through a development which slowly teachesthem their life skills. It is up to the individual to decide what they want to achieve in life,they have the choice to carry on their education in what ever field they choose to bettertheir chances in the work force. The same in the work force, people have to betterthemselves to do better than others, to compete with the competition in order to get thejob. With an individual improving themselves in all kind of aspects, they are likely to geta good reputation and make something of themselves. This proves the heading Men andWomen are Made Not Born. In Australia it is a free country, everybody has the right to do or become what they wantto become. I believe the term men and women are made not born, to mean that it is up toboth men and women to make their lives and achieve what they want in life. Everybodyis their own unique person. Whether they are Australian, Chinese, Asian, American andso on, with their own personal beliefs. I guess the main reason I have focused on culturesis because I believe that an individuals culture has a massive effect on the lifestyles theylive which develops an individual into their own unique, special person. References: Factors that brought about the womens movement, www.skwirk.com.auAlessandro Monsutti, Culture of AFGHANISTAN, www.everyculture.comBessant, J. Watts, R. (2007) Sociology Australia, Allen Unwin. NSW. Gardner, J. (1987) Atlas of the World, Australia: Readers Digest. McWhirter, N. (1999) Book of Millennium Records, Virgin Publishings: Great Britain. Young, A. 2007, Once Were Women, Good Weekend, 20st October, 47-48. Mead, G 2007, The Self in Classic Readings in Sociology, Mind, Self and Society, pp25-32

Human Resource Information System

Human Resource Information System This paper generates propositions analyzing the association between Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and the reliance, pharmaceutical industry places in the technology and models the effect of those associations on HRIS implementation success. It gives information about the human resource management at different levels and how the information technology is used in human resource department to fulfill all its functions with ease. It also gives information about the aspects that help in effective and optimal use of Human Resource Management system and effectiveness in integrating the HR activities with IT. It gives the idea of the uses of different modules of HRMS and other software related to Human resource management. It says about the margins of error and the performance level of current HRMS. It provides with the clues about the challenges faced by most of the pharmaceutical companies in which HRMS assists them to successfully deal with it. It enlightens the pros cons and the outcomes of usage of human resource information system used in pharmaceutical industries. This system adds value to the Human Resource functions but also changes the competencies that define the winning of human resource professionals. This paper also generates the importance of HRIS in Novartis International AG. It also explains its various challenges while implementing the system in the company. Introduction The main use of technology advancement in the corporate has driven the change of means, needs and styles of working. When advanced work effectiveness and output, falling in line with time management agendas and devotion to punctuality guidelines, there are more profits to employees effectively, and best utilization of available resources and a successful deal with corporate. The term, Human Resource Management System (HRMS) or Human Resource Information System (HRIS), matches to all the features in the business system. HRMS is the procedure engaged by the combination of better ways of technological development with conventional ways of the human resource mode of functioning. A Human Resource Management System or Human Resource Information System (HRIS) or HR system is the systems and processes between human resource management (HRM) and information technology (IT). HRM is a discipline which blends its basic HR functions and processes with the information technology. HRMS software was provided by the PeopleSoft.Inc. Earlier, most of the administrative jobs constituted tiresome practice of manual paperwork like determining payroll, tracing data, conserving the collection of database, maintaining and evaluating productivity records, keeping employee personal information, addressing issues and resolving conflicts and scrutinizing employee welfare schemes have now become a simple, time-saving and cost-saving process. There are other functions such as monitoring and retrieving periodic employee performance, planning, controlling and coordinating activities, organizing tables, figures and statistics and evaluating them. This technology is used as a device to make the work environment simple, standardized and user-friendly. Importance of Information System to HR Better safety Better service Competitive Advantage Fewer Errors Greater Accuracy Improved Communication Increased Efficiency Increased Productivity More efficient administration More opportunities Reduced labor requirements Reduced costs Superior managerial decision making Superior control The Human Resources Department needed more management-level information and support to encounter all the expectations. These practices have now begun to branch into the different trends that makeup many organizations today. The huge part of human resources is now E-business. Many companies have implemented a web-based system known as the Oracle Human Resources Management System which helps data access through centralized core HRMS system, enabling companies to control and measure their workforce potentials and allows them to manage risk by recording and monitoring compliance with statutory, regulatory, and industry requirements relating to their employees. The stronger use of technology has allowed HRM professionals to invest more time in counselling, selecting, and coaching managers and front-line supervisors. History of HRIS 1950s virtually non-existent 1960s only a select few 1970s greater need 1980s HRIS a reality in many organizations 1990s Numerous vendors, specialties Aspects helping in effective and optimum use of HRIS HRIS is useful for the employees according to their needs. It can be accessible by adding or modifying the modules and also by offering different facilities to them. Also, HRMS is The best means by which the employees of different departments within the company can communicate. It gives information to support and analyze the companys continuous development. It establishes the level of knowledge which is helpful for upgrading the process and research-based practices. It creates the companys planning agenda and defines its decision making process. It Verifies validates the companys mission statement. Effectiveness in integrating the HR activities with IT To prevent from moderating data and viewing information, a role based security is designed. To make the functionalities easy, various functional roles are available which provides ways of data recording, forwarding, reporting and authorizing. It helps to record and view information for different plant, locations, department and employee. HRIS have different segments categorized as modules like payroll module, HR management module, training module, employee self-service module, etc. The maintenance work consumes less effort due to its different way of designing. Uses of different modules There are different types of HR modules in Human Resource Information System, and they are as follows: Payroll module: This module mechanizes the pay process and calculates different deductions and taxes, by gathering information on employee presence and their work timings. It helps to generate periodic pay checks and employee tax reports. For calculating automatic deposit and manual checks, data is generally available from the human resource department. It contains all employee-related dealings as well as all the information is combined with financial management systems. Benefits administration module: Employee benefits programs such as encompass insurance, compensation, profit sharing and retirement of the employees are being tracked and managed by this system for the organizations. HR management module: This module covers different aspects from application to retirement. All the basic information of the employees such as their demographics, address data, selection, training and development, capabilities, skills, compensation records and other functions are recorded with the help of this module. This module helps the system to offer the facility to read applications and enter appropriate data to specific database fields, informs employers and helps to provide position management and control which are not in use. Human resource management systems work is mainly the job placement, recruitment, training, compensation, evaluation and developments of the people working in the company. Mainly, industries use computer based information systems to create pay checks and payroll results; to maintain personnel records and information of the employees; and training and developing the employees. ATS module: Nowadays, online recruiting has become very popular as the key method of employment by the human resource department. This helps in gathering potential and eligible candidates for the available positions in a company. ATS module generally helps in the following ways: It investigates personnel usage in a company ; recognizes potential applicants for the available positions; It helps in recruiting through company-facing entries; It provides help in hiring through online recruiting sites or publications which is marketed to both recruiters and applicants. Training module: It offers the system for the companies to help in managing and tracking employee training and growth efforts. This system is generally known as a Learning Management System and it is a stand-alone, that permits the HR to track all the information of the employees regarding their education, qualifications and skills, as well as recording their training courses ,books, CDs, etc. whichever are available to improve their skills in different areas. Thereafter the employees are registered for the appropriate courses which are offered at a particular dates with specific sessions, with delegates and training resources by which they are being recorded and managed within the same system. The learning management system helps the managers in approving training, budgeting and arranging together with performance management and appraisal metrics. Employee Self-Service module: This module is useful for the employees of the companies to ask question to the human resource about HR related information. They can also perform HR transactions through the system such as querying about their attendance records from the system without asking the HR personnel. This module also provides service to let the upper managers approve overtime requests from their subordinates without disturbing the functions of HR department. Benefits to the Employees The ways in which employees can be benefited by the HRMS are as follows: Identification of employees key skills for retention excellence. Automated and precise performance appraisals promote healthy relations. Expedite employees recruiting process. Multitude data pulling from single entry can cut in various reports. Helps building a successful environment where employees strive to perform well and exceeding their goals. A collegial flexible work place, Employee input in to how the work gets done, trust in senior management and lack of hierarchy flexible work arrangement. Web-based management system can streamline improvement plans by collaborating creation, implementation and monitoring phases. Help manage workforce and resources. Focuses and aligns staff development and resources. The margins of error The margin of error for the HRIS system is very minimal. The HRIS system maintains and updates its form of modifications or additions of HR modules on a regular basis. The performance level of this system is ideal. Unique areas where the pharmaceutical company uses HRMS effectively The HRMS system, implemented in various pharmaceutical companies, is highly sophisticated and provided with latest versions. Consultants who are expertise in making the software, seeks suggestions and advice on the implementation of the HRIS software in their own company. All the pharmaceutical companies customize its HRIS as per the needs and requirements of the personnel and staff. The unique areas where the pharmaceutical company uses the HRMS effectively are: It contains all the personal information of the employees such as their training, experience, education, leave, job description, pay description at a single point of access. All the information about the leave allocation and movement can be easily drawn with the help of it. It helps in searching appropriate applicants for the available vacancies and in the interviewing process. It is also helpful in managing the insurance of the employees easily. It is important for the growth of the employees which are under their respective training given for their skill development. It is helpful in development of the employees performance appraisal system. It is also helpful in managing all the policy documents at a single source depository. It is also used to do online survey about the companys environment by the employees. By the help of this software, an employee gets the benefit of suggesting any useful advice for the companys well-being. It facilitates with an extra benefit to the employee by notifying about the urgent and critical notices or important messages from a single point. It gives an access to collect opinions easily, fast and with security and confidentiality companywide. It can be used as a budget allocation and consumption tool. The long term benefits The HRMS software is a customized tool and due to this reason, it had very high level of flexibility and the company gets the advantage of adding more features and HR modules according to their specific needs of the management and employees. This provides the company to communicate the employees with their respective departments even better day-by-day. Recently online HRMS newsletter is introduced which enables the employees to share news and information. Through this, it is involving the employees to participate in sharing and gaining knowledge and capabilities with the other departments of the company. Reasons why HRIS fails sometimes Unclear goals/objectives System solves the wrong problem Improper vendor/product selection Low user involvement Planning overlooks impact on clerical procedures Lack of HR/functional expertise in designing Underestimate conversion effort Management- unrealistic expectations Lack of overall plan for record management Lack of flexibility and adaptability Misinterpret HR specifications Poor communication between HR/IS Inadequate testing The HRIS software is sold by different vendors. Some of the contacts of the vendors are PeopleSoft, Oracle HR Applications, Ascentis Software, Eric Systems Inc., Infinium, and Spectrum. Novartis international AG case Now, lets take the case analysis of Novartis International AG. It is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland with 140 branches worldwide. Around 100,000 associates work in this company. This company manufactures drugs such as diclofenac, carbamazepine, letrozole, methylphenidate, etc. There were various issues that Novartis faced regarding its Human Resource System. Some of the issues are as follows: Significant priority of the company was to implement a firm wide HRIS that would convert many of transaction-based HR core processes to an internet-based system. HRIS project was an integral part of Novartis long term strategy for improving overall HR service delivery to the organization that would result in a full HR transformation. A gap in the infrastructure priority was the lack of a global HR information system. Managers in the company were unable to figure out quickly how many HR associates were working at Novartis. Lack of number of associates within the company to fill the leadership position. The existing IT systems within Novartis were not up to mark. Centralization or standardization of HR data. No consistent standards. No consolidated database. Difficult in supporting in the businesses in identifying, moving, and tracking talent. Multiple fragmented systems. Exposure for many small vendors with non-integrated niche application. Exposure to legal/regulatory non-compliance. Employees are feeling stretched because of initial post-merger integration. The top internal issue is little centralization or standardization of HR data. The company operated in 140 different countries. Due to lack of HRIS in the company, the company has many loop holes such as no consistent standards, no consolidated database, and no ability to provide data in form to reflect their matrix structure whereas has difficulty in supporting the business in identifying, moving and tracking talent etc. So, with the implementation of new HRIS, the company will be able to solve the problem easily and allow the managers and HR professionals to respond to the business challenges. The top external issue is the Shifting of HR role from functional expert and transaction processor to strategic partner and change agent. The implementation of HRIS system will enable the HR transformation. It will cut down most of the administrative activities of the HR managers leading to be an evolution of the basic role of HR in the company. There will be requirement of more skilled and professional HR associates who can act as a strategic business partner and change agent. Major challenges faced by Novartis in implementation of the HRIS: 1. The HRIS effort represented a major transformation in the fundamental role and responsibilities of the HR function within Novartis. 2. The new system changed the relationships of HR professionals with their business partners. 3. HR associates expected to play a more strategic, consultative role to the business. 4. Technical challenges for system implementation such as web enabling, SAP R/3 -a core transaction processing system, SAP business warehouse (BW), an enterprise HR portal solution etc. Competencies needed by the HR professionals at Novartis for using HRIS The HR professionals at Novartis should have more human resource knowledge; understand their business and its language. They must have expertise in staffing, development, compensation, etc. They must be able to deliver innovative HR practices that add value to the company. HR professionals need to be effective, able to detect trends and early signals and initiate flexibility in fast changing environment. With implementation of HRIS, the HR professionals have to be a technology expert to deliver services to employees and help them to understand the new system. They must be proficient in using technology to collect data and producing it more strategically valuable information. Hence, HRIS is very essential in the companies all over the world providing better safety, competitive advantage, fewer errors, greater accuracy, improved communication, increased efficiency and productivity and reduced labor requirements.