Sustainable and Ecotourism

Current economic issues and theory Sustainable and Ecotourism Tourism Tourism is one of the foremost economic activities around the world. It growth has been one of the major economic and social phenomena of the twentieth century. Tourism has expanded dramatically over the last years and has become a global industry. We can define tourism as the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"movement of people, spatially and temporally, out of their own communities for leisure and business purposes†. According to the  World Tourism Organisation  (WTO) tourist is a  Ã¢â‚¬Å"visitor staying for more than 24 hours in a country visited for business or leisure purposes†.The term tourism is an umbrella for all relationships and phenomena associated with people who are travelling, whatever the reason. It has no clear boundaries and could be viewed as an industry itself. In my work I would like to show the relationship between the tourism and environment. For the tourism service providers the most important is to grow the industry itself and attract more visitors to destinations. Their main purpose is to gain more and more profit. I think that these type of thinking can be harmful for environment. Similar essay: Role of Advertisement in Tourism DevelopmentTourism and tourist can effect negatively the environment therefore we can talk about a form of tourism which is unsastainable. In this essay I will concern this issue too but my main topic is the sustainability. Fortunately in last years people recognised the importance of the environment and nowadays they are taking this issue seriously. The tourism has negative but also positive impact on the environment therefore we can talk about a sustainable tourism. In the following I deal with this issue more detailed and I try to find the answer how popular it is among tourists or tour operators.Unsustainable tourism As I mentioned tourism is now among the world’s most relevant industries generating jobs for millions of people and profit all over the world. At the same time tourism can have dire effects on the people and places it embraces. Mainly the mass toursim has negative effects. What can be the worst effects of unmanag ed, unsustainable tourism? – previously undeveloped coastal villages can become sprawling, charmless towns o their seas poisoned by sewage their beaches stained with litter – historic towns and their streets choked with traffic – some of the world’s richest environments bruised by the tourist onslaught – distinctive wildlife driven to near-extinction – changes in the landscape coming from the construction of infrastructure, buildings and facilities – air pollution and waste – the intensive use of water and land by tourism and leisure facilities – the disturbance of fauna and local people (for example, by noise)We can write many pros and cons of tourism. I think the worst effect of unsustainable tourism is when only the financial profit come into the strong focus. Becuse tourism makes a few people extremely rich, while impoverishing the majority, who lose their land, their resources and their sense of self. Tourism is not just about money, it should give benefits for tourist and local communities too. The main goals of tourism should include: the satisfaction of tourists, profit for tourism industry, wealth to local people.Changes in the landscape coming from the construction of infrastructure, buildings and facilities is one of the disadvantage of sustainable tourism but this can also benefit to local communities. I think the cooperation between the tourism industry providers (relevant ministries, government, management) and local organizations and communities can mitigate the negative effects. Sustainable Tourism Definition Sustainable Tourism involves social responsibility, a strong commitment to nature and the integration of local people in any tourist operation or development. Sustainable tourism has several definitions.According to the definition of the Federation of Nature and National Parks, sustainable tourism is: â€Å"All forms of tourism development, management and activity that maintai n the environmental, social and economic integrity and well-being of natural, built and cultural resources in perpetuity. † (FNNP, 1993) Sustainable tourism is defined by the  World Tourism Organisation(WTO), the  Tourism Council  (WTTC) and the  Earth Council  as: Sustainable Tourism Development meets the needs of present tourists, host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future.It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems. Sustainable tourism products are products which are operated in harmony with the local environment, community and cultures so that these become the beneficiaries not the victims of tourism development.Sum up these definitions I can say that sustainable tourism is the form of tourism that does not reduce the availability of re sources and does not prevent future travelers from enjoying the same experience. Responsible Tourism, Soft Tourism, Minimum Impact Tourism and Alternative Tourism are terms with a similar meaning as Sustainable Tourism. Sustainable Tourism Development The significance and volume of tourism shows that it is not enough to develop new forms of â€Å"alternative† tourism in order to minimise the negative effects and maximise the positive impacts of tourism development.The whole sector must be developed and managed in a way that it does not damage the natural and socio-cultural environment. In my point of view it can be fully executed if the government, the managers and leaders of tourism industry recognise the harmful and negative effects of tourism and they introduce more regulations related to sustainability, they motivate tour opartors to promote this type of tourism among their clients and they release more related ads and topics in media. This is the responsibility of the wo rld-wide tourism industry.The concept of sustainable development was introduced by the World Commission on Environment and Development in the Brundtland Report in 1987, defining sustainable development as â€Å"development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†. Since its publication, the role of tourism has been analysed and the concept of sustainable tourism appeared. The main message of the Brundtland Report seems to be more and more accepted by the tourism industry all over the world.Ecological sustainability means that tourism development does not cause irreversible changes in a given destination's ecosystem. There is an obvious need all over the world to protect natural resources from the negative impacts of tourism activities. In order to avoid or minimise unfavourable impacts, decision-makers must be aware of all the factors that play a role in the development process. Indicators of Sustainab ility â€Å"Indicators measure information with which decision-makers may reduce the chances of unknowingly taking poor decisions† (WTO, 1996).In other words, in the measurement of the progress that an individual destination is making towards sustainable tourism development, sustainability indicators are commonly accepted as one set of useful tools. â€Å"Indicators are both a tool for management today and an investment in the future, since they reduce the risk of inadvertent damage to the resource base on which the [tourist] industry depends† (WTO, 1996). There are some factors which are pushing the tourism industry towards a sustainable development approach: – Increasing regulatory measures The awareness by governments and operators that the growth of tourism can have a negative impact on the environment I think the government and the competent ministries should take the first steps. They should corporate with tourism service providers and with the management and create new regulations and laws. It is very important to take into account sustainability and preservation of nature. – Tourism professionals and operators recognise that environmental quality is essential for a competitive product – Growing wareness of cost savings from sensible resource consumption – Growing awareness of communities about their potential to influence tourism policy Similiar forms of tourism Responsible Tourism Tourism which operates in such a way as to minimize negative impacts on the environment. For example a  forest trip using â€Å"Leave No Trace† ethics would be considered responsible tourism while dune buggy tours would not. Nature-Based Tourism A term for any activity or travel experience with a focus on nature.These types of trips may or may not be environmentally sustainable or responsible. A cruise ships to view penguins in Antarctica fall into this category. I think that this type of tourism is sligthly more popular tha n sustainable tourism. It needs fewer responsibilty. Travels or trips in nature have always been very sought and beloved among families or other target groups. For example in my village and in the neighboring settlements exist tourist groups who regularly participate in different type of nature-based tours.They often go hiking, climbing, they participate on wine tours, visit thermal bathes or observe animals. They like nature and activities connected to nature but it is not guarantee that they conserve the nature and they improve the place they visit. Green Tourism Often used inter-changeably with eco-tourism and sustainable tourism   but more precisely described as â€Å"any activity or facility operating in an environmentally friendly fashion†. A lodge with composting toilets and solar powered lighting is probably â€Å"green†.There are varying degrees of â€Å"greenness†; an awareness of where resources are coming from and where wastes are going is at the h eart of the idea. Ecotourism The Ecotourism Society defines it as â€Å"responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people†. A rafting trip is ecotourism in that case when it raises awareness and help to protect the watershed. A walk in the rainforest is not ecotourism unless that particular walk somehow benefits that environment and the people who live there.Eco-tourism means when you go to a  trip and you will help to „conserve and improve† the place you visit. In the last few years ecotourism has become a buzz word to sell a variety of products. Almost any term prefixed with ‘eco’ will increase interest and sales. Thus, in the last few years there has been a proliferation of advertisements in the travel field with such references as ecotour, ecotravel, eco-vacation, eco (ad) ventures, eco-cruises, eco-safaris and of course, eco-tourism (Wight, 1994).In my opinion some companies use the word ’eco’ because of particular ineterest or benefit. Maybe that ’eco-products’ and ’eco-services’ make them better reputation or greater madia interest. Therefore I think there are some companies which are not totally aware of the meaning ’eco’ and they use it for their advantage. Marta Honey’s book â€Å"Ecotourism and Sustainable Development†Ã‚  determine 7 defining points of ecotourism:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1) Involves travel to natural destinations – remote areas, enviromental protection.In my point of view it can be dangerous because in remote areas there are living just small group of people who can form a quite closed community. For them it can be strange to accept and receive tourist, especially huge number of tourist. In other hand, growing tourism have other consequences – to build the necessary infrastructure which could change the local ’untouched’ environment. In tha t case I think the tour operators and organizers should keep the tourism under control, regulate the number of tourists, involve local people to the whole process.For example using private accomodation instead of big hotels can be a good idea or small restaurants which offer local foods can be attractive for tourist and prifitable for local people. 2) Minimizes impact – ecotourism – use recycled materials, plentyfully available local building materials, renewable sources of energy, recycling and safe disposal of waste and garbage, environmentally and culturally sensitive architectural design. In my opinion it is relevant to draw people’s attention to these methods or they should be regulated in order to ensure limited damage to the ecosystem. ) Builds environmental awareness  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ   education for both tourists and residents; free educational trips, reading materials – The Ecotourism Societies guidelines; well-trained, multilingual naturalist guide s with skills in natural and cultural history, environmental interpretation, ethical principles and effective communication. I think it is important for tourist to gain some knowledge about the host country. Every nation has other regulations, habbits, values and culture. Environmental regulations and attitude to sustainability differ from country to country and therefore it is recommended to be informed of certain things. ) Provides direct financial benefits for conservation – park entrance fees, tour company, hotel, airline and airport taxes and voluntary contributions. 5) Provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people – local community must be involved with and receive income and other tangible benefits (potable water, roads, health clinics, etc. ) from the conservation area and it's tourist facilities. I think the popular destination, for example National Parks and other conservation areas will only survive if there are â€Å"happy people† arou nd their perimeters. ) Respects local culture – learning beforehand about the local customs, respecting dress codes and other social norms. As I earlier mentioned gain some knowledge about the host country will benefit us. 7) Supports human rights and democratic movements – Ecotourist need to be sensitive to the host country's political environment and social climate and need to consider the merits of international boycotts called for by those supporting democratic reforms, majority rule, and human rights. Marketing for sustainable tourismAccording to my view an intensive marketing activity can greatly influence the success of a given topic. For instance if the marketers release lot of articles and ads about the sustainability and the importance of it as a  result more and more people are going to deal with the topic. If the marketers raise the public attention than they can make the next step more easily. Implementation of the marketing concept in tourism can be ach ieved through the use of a variety of marketing tools and techniques (Popadopolous, 1989; Calantone and Mazanec, 1991). SegmentationSuccessful market segmentation and targeting involve the appropriate matching of tourist needs with the experience being offered, and, in the case of sustainable tourism, the need for this match is particularly important (Tregear et al. , 1997). Tourism organizations need to give greater consideration to segmenting their market with a view to concentrating on those categories of visitor that are not only economically attractive, but are also likely to be susceptible to messages aimed at encouraging them to adopt sustainable behaviors (Dinan, 2000).I think that during the segmentation process the tourism organizations can choose the right target group who will address later with intensive markerting campaign. On the other hand it is also important to deal with people who are not yet the ecaxt target audience. There are key members, for example the tour o parators or travel agents who can influnce the tourists and encourage them to pay greater attention to sustainable tours. Marketing mix All elements of the marketing mix need to be in harmony in order to increase the success ProductIf we would like to achieve more sustainable tourism we should developing products which are more sustainable in nature- conservation holidays, vacation packages using public transport rather than private cars, small-scale rural community-based tourism initiatives- and moving away from offering products which are intrinsically not sustainable- hunting trips, destinations with poor environmental standards. Intermediaries between tourists and tourism service providers are tour operators who create complete holiday packages and bring together a variety of services.These packages are marketed to customers either directly or through travel agents. Each package generally consists of accommodation (often with food service), transport both to and from the destina tion, ground transport within the destination and events or activities. Today, many consumers expect from the tour operators to supply them products which provide not just quality and value-for-money, but also safeguard environmental and social sustainability. Example The Green Travel Market is a global facility to integrate sustainable products into the packages of European and Northern American tour operators.Green Travel Market gives up-to-date and reliable information on existing sustainable tourism products: destinations, protected areas, accommodation networks, individual accommodation, visitor attractions and activities, excursions or tours, incoming tour operators and transport services. Green Travel Marker is in contact with more than 1. 500 touroperators and with its wide range of services help to local products and services to reach European and US tour operators and media. Price The price paid by the tourist should cover the full cost of their holiday.The cost must also be high enough to: – Ensure a satisfactory experience for the tourist I think satisfactory experience means quality and value for the money paid by the tourist. In the case of sustainabilty there are added other values, for example connection to nature, preservation of the origin environment, improve the visited area or just raise awareness. I have heard several times that the tourists were not totally satisfied with their holiday. Maybe the accomodation had not that quality what the travel agency promised or tourists did not receive a service or the visited place were not an ecotourist destination however they paid for it.I guess in these cases the travel agencies are quilty or faulty because they always have to be aware of the services they offer. They always should have up-to-date information and organise trips for the agents in order to get familiar with the offered destination. – Provide a satisfactory level of profit for the tourism industry – Generate an appropriate level of benefits for the host community – Cover costs involved in putting right any damage caused by the tourist to the environment – Pay for the resources consumed by the tourist PlacePlace refers to the location at which any service component the subject of the marketing campaign will be delivered. Place also refer to the channels of information that are used to spread the message. Promotion I think promotion has the most important role of all elements of marketing mix. By using promotional techniques we can create more sustainable forms of tourism. We can reach large number of people by suing promotional methods. Sustainable promotion should focus on promoting and advertising a tourist site, highlighting the unique characteristics of the area in order not to cause disappointment and frustration among tourists.It is important to promote brochures and advertisements which reflect reality. In my opinion it is necessary to show pictures of a given destinati on in order to get more realistic picture. An other good idea can be to create a blog where tourists can share their experineces and give some advice for future travelers. Tourism organizations and destinations can also use literature and advertisements to raise tourist awareness relating to sustainability. They can undertake ‘green marketing’ or promote soft tourism and infomr tourists of the impacts of their presence.Tools Communicating sustainability It is essential to inform tourists in a positive way about sustainability efforts and draw attention that environmental quality means quality tourism experience. If we talk about environmental quality we can mention the following: small-scale, quality service, personal relations, traditions, intact and protected nature, rest, modern lifestyle and healthy and local food. Eco-labelled products provide good quality service and quality products should respect the environment. Example Communication efforts of VISITThe Europea n VISIT initiative developed its own communication strategy for environmental quality in tourism. In 2002, the VISIT image campaign was launched under the motto: â€Å"Caring for the Environment †¦ is caring for the Visitor†. This slogan connects environmental quality with the quality of the product and experiences in addition it raises the overall awereness about this topic. They used print and online media (brochures, catalogues, website, publications) in order to spread the message. The VISIT Holiday Guide was launched in 2003 under the motto â€Å"Your visit makes the difference†.It provides detailed and structured description of more than 1,000 hotels, bed & breakfasts, holiday houses, youth hostels, camping sites and restaurants. Education and awareness programmes Environmental education  is a learning process that increases people’s knowledge and awareness about the environment and associated challenges, develops the necessary skills and expertise to address the challenges, fosters attitudes, motivations and commitments to make informed decisions and take responsible action (UNESCO, Tbilisi Declaration, 1978).Education and awareness programm should address to both the professional sector and the general public. These programms should contain information about the direct and indirect impacts of tourism, the causes with his effects, the global and local issues, the immediate and long-term issues and good practices in the area. Key members of spreading information are tour operators. They can provide variety of information about sustainable tourism issues, encourage their clients to conserve, avoid negative impacts on environment and cultural heritage, to respect national egislation of the visited area as well as traditions of local communities. Education and awareness-raising is also required at all levels of government. The relevant ministries have to deal with tourism and enviromental issues. It is quite important to raise aw areness within the academic sector responsible for training and research on issues regarding sustainable tourism. In my opinion the education and awareness programs means the most important tools of promotion and form the basis of the sustainable marketing. It is essential to start raise awareness in the kindergarten or in elementary school.If we show good example for children and we emphasize the importance of sustainability and preservation they will take this issue seriously form they childhood. I think that is the problem in many countries because people often feel that enviromental problems are just magnified and we have other problems in society or in our life which are more important or urgent. But it is not true because if we don’t take seriously these problems and don’t deal with that issue now maybe that we can do nothing in the future. It is the responsibilty of all people to conserve the environonment and draw other people attention to the importance of the issue.Ecotourism in Hungary In the last few years Hungary has taken a really proactive approach to ecotourism. The country has more than 300 nationally protected areas and over 1 000 locally protected sites. Hungary’s attitude towards conservation and preservation is one that facilitates ecotourism efforts by local businesses and ecotourism demand from tourists. Hungary is a great place where tourists and local people can find number of way to relax and have fun. In the following I  will show some good opportunity for ecotourism in Hungary. BudapestBudapest is the Hungary’s capital and an increasingly popular spot for tourists. With its rich and complex history, stunning architecture, lovely people, and fantastic culture, Budapest is one of the great cities of Eastern Europe. Budapest’s Urban Adventures offer some great, locally-run day tours with a touch of ecotourism for everyone. Their specially designed Budapest tours allow visitors to discover the city i n a  personal and unique way. Unique  local experiences  are integral to responsible travel, and one of the classic local experiences in Budapest is to visit cities thermal baths.Visitors can learn about the country’s spa traditions and explore some of the city’s best landmarks on this adventure. These thermal baths are  icons of Budapest, and are frequented by both locals and tourists who are looking to soak away their problems and pains. Budapest Urban Adventures’  Sights & Spas tour  puts a unique spin on the thermal bath experience by providing visitors with an insight into spa traditions and histories, as well as other traditional and architectural elements of the city. Sights and Spa tour – Highlights: Ride the continent’s oldest subwayLearn about Hungarian spa traditions Visit a church carved into a hill Discover Budapest’s Jewish quarter See Europe’s largest synagogue Admire the buildings from a city tram Walk thro ugh City Park Experience the cosmopolitan vibe of Budapest An other interesting offer of this company is the ‚Budapest Explorer tour‘ by which visitors can explore the capital by tram, foot and metro. Budapest Explorer tour – Highlights: Explore the iconic city landmarks on this Budapest tour Ride the continent’s oldest subway Admire the waterfront from a city tram Walk through City ParkExperience the atmosphere of a Budapest market Stroll along Andrassy Avenue Explore Franz Liszt’s old neighbourhood Discover local Budapest travel highlights and World Heritage sites Farm-House Hostel Many tourists come to Hungary and stay only in Budapest but it is worthwhile getting out of the city and  visiting other part of this wonderful country. In the south part of Hungary there is a tiny village Kiskassa where visitors find the extremely hospitable and totally endearing  Ecohun Hostel. Ecohun is a  traditional Hungarian farm-house  that is  locally o wned and operated.The hostel has the same facilities as a typical hostel, in addition it offers guests a unique insight into the local agriculture industry and traditions. The hostel typically caters to short-term accommodation but for those who are seriously interested in sustainable agriculture and alternative technologies, longer-term accommodation is available. I  think this form of ecotourism is a  very interesting one beacause nowadays lots of people would like to escape from busy cities, hide in a  calm environment and enjoy the opportunities of the nature.I  have some experiences in that area. I  have worked for three summers in a  small hotel in Slovakia. This hotel accomodates tourists who came to the city because of the thermal bath. The hotel has the ideal potentials for ecotourism beacuse it has a  big garden and almost every food ingredients, vegetables and fruits come from that garden, there are lot of animals which are very popular among the hosts, they can stroke and feet them and the hotel is sorrounded by a  large yard with beautiful flowers and trees.They regularly organise traditional programs, for example riding days, arts and crafts camps or public picksticking. I  really enjoyed working here. One thing which I  can suggest to this hotel – to promote themselves more in ecotourism way beacuse they emphasized mainly the accomodation and the related services and such values as nature, original agricultural traditions, calm atmosphere were less highlighted. Local Birdwatching Tours Hungary is home to an exceptionally diverse cascade of birds, making it an  attractive ecotourism destination  for birding. The spring and summer onths are the best period for this type of  ecotourism in Hungary, because most of birds are present. Ecotours  describe themselves as the  natural leaders  in Eastern Europe. Ecotours offer a variety of tours to ecotourism destinations around the world, but the majority of their to urs are in Hungary. Their tours are typically very specialised. They provide profesionally guided birding trips, birdwatching, butterfly, wildlife, nature and culture tours. Taking a tour with Ecotours is a sure way to experience local fauna from one of the leaders in  ecotourism in Hungary.According to my opinion the county’s potentials are good but maybe not well-exploited. People are not well informed about ecotours and ecotravels. In many cases those people are attending on these kind of tours who have similiar hobbies. For example people who like birds and animals they are mostly participating on professionally guided bird watching tours or on wildlife tours or people who love sports are attending on cycling or hiking tours. This is not problem because they can enjoy their hobbies.On other hand I  think these programs can be promoted among people who are looking for a  relaxing weekend. Not just an expensive wellness hotel can provide carefree relaxation but a  t rip in the nature can be memorable and restful. Hungary should more effectively and intesively advertise or promote its potentials. For example when I  was working in a  travel agency in Gyor during my internship I  did not meet with a brochure or catalogue which was focused on ecotourism. Our agency did not offer any type of program related to ecotourism.I  know just some organised cycling tours in Gyor which can be mentioned as ecotourism. Sum up I  think ecotourism must be developed and promoted in the following years beacuse despite of the favorable potentials, ecotourism is not quite popular in Hungary. As I  mentioned good marketing and communication tools can greatly help. Conclusion It is obvious that the tourism is the fastest and largest growing industry in the world beacuse millions of people are travelling every year. Travel and tourism is an important part of the world economy.Fortunately people realized the importance of the environment therefore sustainabl e and ecotourism started to develope rapidly. Eco travel or travel for the purpose of experiencing wildlife, natural attractions and indigenous cultures has become the fastest growing segment of global tourism. Ecotoursim in Hungary  is still growing and will likely continue to experience an increase in ecotourism operators as well as ecotourists. The country has a lot of potential and the right attitude therefore Hungary can become an attractive ecotourism destination in the near future.In my opinion building enviromental awereness is the most important part in the marketing process of sustainable tourism. It is very importatant to start education and awereness programs in elementary schools or kindergartens, organize free educational trips, supply reading materials about this issue. Education and awereness programs should address tourists, general public and government too. It is essential to draw attention to the importance of this topic because we have to care about the future generation. Resources ttp://www. guardian. co. uk/travel/2002/jul/07/travelnews. observerescapesection1 http://www. globalbasecamps. com/sustainable-tourism-ecotourism http://www. mynatour. org/destination/ecotourism-hungary-local-experiences http://www. untamedpath. com/Ecotourism/what_is_ecotourism. html http://www. untamedpath. com/Ecotourism/defining. html http://www. linkbc. ca/torc/downs1/vol26no1_article06. pdf http://www. biodiversity. ru/coastlearn/tourism-eng/tools_si. html http://www. englisharticles. info/2010/06/19/unsustainable-tourism/

Economic development in low income countries Essay

It is no secret that despite the breakthroughs in international economic dynamics, development is still elusive to some of the world’s poorer countries. However, current trends indicate that some of these low income nations are actually faring much better than others. Countries like China, Vietnam, and India might be well on their way to economic prosperity. The purpose of this paper is to identify the current aspects that affect economic progress and identify existing trends within those aspects. This paper gauges the sensitivity of low income countries to such trends. In particular, this paper discusses the aspects of globalization and education; the parts that each of these aspects play in determining the economic fate of low income countries. In the continuing rise of globalization, lines that have previously separated nations are now being blurred. The advent of free trade a few decades passed has increased not only economic, but cultural interactions among countries worldwide. These developments preview a globalized perspective of the economy, where the concept of nation as an economic barrier because of tariffs and trade regulations may no longer apply. If we look at how low income countries fare in the light of a globalizing world market, there are varied effects that can be observed. The influx of multinational corporations into countries of the third world brought about by the prospect of more affordable labor boosts employment rates and strengthens these countries’ current economic standing. Countries like India, Vietnam, and the Philippines currently thrive on jobs provided by various outsourcing corporations from the United States and Europe. On the other hand, some countries tend to suffer trade abuse from countries with stronger markets when it comes to the lowering of trade barriers. Without trade barriers on foreign products, the local companies of poorer countries find it much harder to compete with their foreign counterparts. The larger companies obviously have greater capital and can afford to lower prices much more than local smaller companies. On the other hand despite the lowering of tariffs in the countries where larger companies are based, smaller companies from other countries who want to enter into those markets still have a hard time. A good example of this can be seen in the case of China and the Philippines. China’s booming economy exported goods worth over $18. 6 million into the Philippines in 2005 while the Philippines was only able to export $2. 3 million (Rogers, 2006). Clearly, smaller companies in the Philippines are sorely outclassed by Chinese capital and cheap labor. China has is in fact making remarkable market headway in the international arena despite the prevailing low average income per annum of U. S. $2,040. With regards to direct investment, smaller companies yet find themselves outgunned once more by their larger competitors. Direct investment allows large companies to infiltrate chap labor markets where smaller companies operate. They are able to offer higher wages to workers from smaller companies owing largely to wide differences in capital which is boosted more by differences in foreign currencies. On the other hand, smaller companies neither have the ability nor the need to expand their workforce and operations into other countries. Foreign direct investment is not only useless to them, but it also creates an avenue for their workers to be pirated by larger foreign companies. Therefore it can be concluded that globalization is value neutral when it comes improving the economy of low income countries. Both India and the Philippines experienced long colonized rule which resulted to staggering economies in both cases. Yet after their freedom from their respective conquerors, the economics as well as other aspects of advancement in either country took different turns. Economically, India lagged behind the Philippines for many years proceeding World War II, but India’s investment in education eventually paid off. The Indian government sets aside as much as 55% of the national budget for the development of basic and tertiary education from since 1968 (Basham, 2005). The Philippines also allocates considerable budget in education but rampant corruption in the country prevents any authentic development from occurring. As a result, the country fared consistently low in successive Trends in Mathematics and Science Studies examinations conducted in 1999 and 2004 (Basham, 2005). The trends brought about by education reflect the quality of labor that a country has to offer and consequentially, the strength of its economy. While outsourcing western companies still obtain services from the Philippines for their call centers and medical transcription needs, they go to India for specialized and technological professional services. Therefore it can be concluded that advances in education equate to advances in a country’s economy. It also holds true that countries that make considerable genuine investments in their education system develop a citizenry that fares relatively better in the international job market than countries who do not. In conclusion, there are indeed varying rates of economic development present in low income countries. These rates are partly dictated by trends in globalization and in education. It is imperative for less developed countries to take heed of their neighboring countries’ actions and follow suit, or risk being left behind by a rapidly evolving world economy.

Book review: 1776 by David McCullough Essay

Thesis statement   The year 1776 was the year of battle for the revolutionary war. Great Britain had abandoned slavery many years ago but the revolutionaries had not stopped up until 1862 when they decided to stop it. Book summary The book talks of the revolution in the good year 1776. It was a year that was well started with the barefoot boys and men who came to the farm and the streets to become an army of provincials. According McCullough (1), the old men and the little boys were playing the fife and drum. After chasing the red cots from Boston, later the rag tag revolutionaries of British subjects who had few guns were chased from New York. The book advocates of the ill clad fundamentals and traitors to the top people who fought the legal government that was composed of 13 colonies. On July that year the continental congress took a step forward to dissolve the relationship with Britain. It was considered to be a dangerous move of fighting the most powerful nation of the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   King George was not happy with this and spoke before the parliament to order the revolution to be stopped. The commanders chosen by the king had their own view on this revolution. Lord George German thought that the upheaval had crushed with a critical drive. Edmund Burke was speaking considerably for the pioneers of the revolution but used to term it as their colonies. After 236 years the early part was considered to be a myth and history and the revolution was already forgotten. McCullough (1) emphasizes that the CIA can fight revolutionaries; these are the people who flock behind the populists as Fidel’s and trespass out for Oriented province into Havana. The year 1776 had its Tories who would flee behind the British lines to spy against the Americans and withdraw through the islands of Nova Scotia and common wealth. The black slaves would join the Tories when necessary. Great Britain had abandoned slavery many years ago but the revoluti onaries had not stopped up until 1862 when they decided to stop it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   David McCullough a great story and good record that is an action adventure of a history. He wrote about the myths and stories of the people who would write to the leaders of the nation. However it is believed that the story of David McCullough does not come true. The king, George Washington would always stay brave and straight always as this was a requirement for a leader. Everyone believed in him to lead them in the fights, encouraging and examination of the men in order to learn them. The king was referred as the Virginia gentleman who came after the introduction of the dollar. The English colony or the world power lies on the braveness of this king who introduced the most valuable money in the whole world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However there has been a decline in the nations economy. The revolutionary that took place put the constitution in danger. There was an introduction of a democratic government that was ruled by law and not kings. The formation of a government is the start of having a nation in a country. The king was a brave person and presented his character as symbol that he can solve the problems of the nation. He was elected at the continental congress though he was not sure of his eligibility. The king had a burden of defeat and failures in various areas, people were dead and others were continuing to die. Also he was burdened by the men who could not act on the attack that was heading towards the Delaware River to stop the battle of Brooklyn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The beginning of august came with the rebel siege of Boston and Washington discovered that the available gunpowder was only 10, 000pounds. This was not enough to fight the experienced British army and hired Hessians who were well equipped with better weapons. Cowley & Beevor stressed that, the army had about nine rounds per man and this was not sufficient to beat the British army and hired Hessians. In December 1776 were the difficult moments for most of the men. Washington was tempted when his army became undisciplined and would go away after their period of service was over. He had difficult times of changing the army in the middle of the battle. The congress had given him a command to handle the army but not enough money. This is what made the army to go away very easily in the middle of the battle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fort Washington and his army were defeated in the disastrous Battle of Brooklyn and this led to the loss of New York City. In this battle the continental Army was the only successful withdrawal and this left their enemies surprised that they are defeated but it did not mean that they would win the battles. The army matched with fear towards Philadelphia where two men became frozen to death during the march. General Nathaniel Green suggested wisely of a trail of goods that were to be taken as long as the British navy and the nature of New York arrive at the port. Washington was seen to continue defending facts that could no longer be defended. He was brave and charismatic and would lead the colonies to nationhood but he was not always right.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fort Washington surrender on the 16th of November and this was a severe blow to the colonists. It was a big blow to the colonists at the time, Two thousand of the colonists were taken to prison, fifty-nine killed, one hundred and forty six guns were lost to the British and Hessians within hours. However, the loss of fort Washington created a new achievement in that a new heroine known as Molly Corbin. She was the widow of John Corbin who came from Pennsylvania. She was a brave colonial woman who accompanied her husband into the battle and after his death she took his position. She continued loading and firing the cannon until she was shot nearly to have her arm removed. This is when her captors allowed her to go back to her home in Pennsylvania.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story given by McCullough is clearly described with maps and clear descriptions of the forces placement and the landscape. The scene in the battles can be represented by movies of blood, spear and glory. In this book there is good explanation of why Washington crossed the Delaware. The withdrawal from New York was accomplished without losing the army and the war that outnumbered the British and their navy. In order to cross the Delaware, the General with his staff planned to pass above Trenton and New Jersey by three elements of his army. However only one element could succeed in crossing due to the blowing cold wind and snow. The other two elements of flanks would be prevented from crossing by the freezing river.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      On 3rd of August 1776, the soldiers were ordered to prohibit blasphemy. The American values have changed definitely since the troops are now allowed to have an opportunity to attend public workshop. They are also permitted to rest after going through the great fatigue. In future, the General except at the shipyards or on special occasions excuses them from fatigue duty on Sundays. The General cannot be pleased with the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing. The officers are expected not have the influence of these practices. Strengths and weakness of the book This book is seen to be an amazing book because it is not exactly a book but an experience. It was designed to instill a feeling of pride among the people who served them. The book does not cover many of the areas that readers expected from his book. Hence more details should have been given about the revolutionary war. To add on the book is not clear because many readers may find themselves not remembering anything about the revolutionary war at the end of the book. The book is seen to be attractive as well as convincing; this is because it is written in an educational approach that makes the reader feel present at the events that are happening. Conclusion   The book is a very detailed account of the American revolutionary war as told by chronicles of the real people who lived through it. The only thing it did not mention a whole lot was the pivotal role Vin diesel played when taking the guns from Ft. Greyskull or the path where George Washington jumped the Delaware River on his wacky big front wheel bike. Work Cited McCullough David, 1776, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005:1-4 Cowley Robert & Beevor Anthony, What ifs? Of American history: Eminent historians Imagine what might have been. USA: Penguin group. 2004. Drake Samuel, the Campaign of Trenton, 1776-1777, Washington DC: Lee & Shepard, 2007:23-30 Dwyer William, the day is ours, November 1776-January 1777, an inside view of the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, New York: Viking press. 1983: 101-156 Wood Gordon. The creation of the American Republic, 1776-1787. New York city: UNC Press. 1998: 1-9

JetFan technology Limited. Individual Strategic Business Planning Essay

JetFan technology Limited. Individual Strategic Business Planning portfolio - Essay Example This seems to be quite correct for the business plan as the start up costs and further expenses would be shared among the owners. Furthermore, the responsibilities and work will get further attention from other owners leading to an appropriate planning and focused implementation of the same. Adding to it, the business risks would also be shared among the partners leading to less probability of default for the organisation. JetFan is quite new to this compact electronic equipment cooling segment, which demands it to make enough alliances with the prominent fan manufacturers operating in this segment. Additional contacts and complementary skills of each partner in a work environment of motivation and mutual support can be used to successfully explore this new segment of compact electronic cooling equipments. In ‘company structure and ownership’ a good deal of information has been provided on the shareholders of this company. Overall it seems that, the business plan include s the type of business; however, it fails to identify the legal term attached with it. Product The organisation is looking forward to commercialize the impeller in the compact cooling electronics segment. The JetFan impellers would be smaller and more efficient than their conventional counterparts. The products would be offering enhanced efficiency than the existing impellers at the same cost as that of the rest. The market application of the product would be in cooling, heating, extraction/ventilation. JetFan Ltd has come up with several prototypes including hand dryers and hair dryers, ceiling fans, vacuum cleaners, fiber optical light source cooling and significant market of compact electronic equipment cooling which also includes portable computers chip set cooling instruments. In this business plan, a description of the product has been included. Although, it does not consist much of technicalities, the significant attributes for the customers and its offering in different segments have been mentioned. Type of Opportunity JetFan has been into the commercialization of its impellers to the compact electronics cooling market. The opportunity is expansion towards commercialization of the products. JetFan Ltd now wants its JetFan technology to enter into different segments of electrical and electronics equipments. The opportunity type is not clearly defined; however, a glimpse of the same has been provided throughout the plan. Promise to be Successful: The Product is Unique The promise of JetFan’s success lies behind the problems faced through the traditional fan impellers. In this specific business plan, the author has rightly identified the issues with the

Reflections on reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflections on reading - Essay Example Main hero, Zach is a complicated, not an ordinary person, who is put by author in not a casual kind of circumstances. Maybe this novel is even metaphorical: for example, Zach’s roommate in rehab has a name Raphael, what calls up a parallel with name Raphael like the angel’s name. (Koenig, L.) â€Å"Hairstyles of the Damned† by Joe Meno I loved most. It’s entertaining and helpful for young people, and a little bit philosophical – all at ones. This novel gives reader an opportunity to feel like you are (or were) not alone with your teenage problems, and believe, that if everyone is going through it, you also will. First love and sex, complexes about the way you are and way you look, problems with friends, parents and at school – it’s all common teenage problems. To my mind, such books should be written for a different ages, because in every age there are specifical problems and fears, and in every age it’s important to feel you’re not alone. I also loved the main hero for his mistakes and his honesty to himself. It’s often we can not explain all our emotions to other people, even to family and friends, but it’s important to confess your feelings to yourself and be not ashamed of what you desire. So after the end of my literature class, that force me to read, I think I still be reading sometimes for all three reasons: to know briefly something new, to think about high important things together with the intellectual author and to feel I’m not alone with something that bothers me right

Arabic learning tools. Kingdom of Education web based platform Essay

Arabic learning tools. Kingdom of Education web based platform development. Project evaluation - Essay Example Keeping in mind the increasing importance of the Internet for education I have decided to develop a web site which allows beginners to learn basic Arabic language skills. The name of this web site is â€Å"Kingdom of Education† that is aimed at â€Å"providing an easy way to learn Arabic language and for everyone around the entire world†. Thus, keeping this objective in my mind I have started working on the development of a new technology based solution to offer a great deal of support for learning basic Arabic language skills. In view of the fact that the Internet has expanded so much, and presently there exist a wide variety of similar services and applications on the Web. In addition, a wide variety of technology based solutions are presently operational and offering superior services in all areas of life. In this scenario, the idea of web based learning portal is not a new one. However, I have tried to bring some innovation to this idea. In this regard I have develo ped an online system that offers very quick, simple and excellent approach to learn Arabic. This online learning system will be very effective and useful for people all through the world. This new technology based system will offer a capability to learn and speak the Arabic language quickly. This report presents a detailed analysis of my project. In this report, I will discuss some of the important aspects that are associated with my project. This report will analyze the basic idea and need behind the development of this web site, its objectives, development, research methodology and application aspects. This report will deeply assess the major contributions that this web based platform has made to the Arabic language learning. Research In order to better determine the requirements... After this research and analysis I have analyzed the Arabic learning tools and methods. Presently we have a wide variety of tools and methods around the world that are more complex, paper based and hard to reach. Hence, this manual nature and process of learning Arabic has become very difficult to manage in new technology based age where people have less time to learn and listen. In this situation there is a need for some innovative solutions. For this purpose I have researched the web and found a large number of websites which provide services and support for online Arabic learning. However, these websites have rigid material and traditional ways of learning. By seeing all these situations I have developed an idea which requires building up an online platform that offers an excellent support for learning and teaching Arabic online. For this purpose I have decided to build up an online web based portal that can be easily accessed and managed. These all aspects lead us to offer a grea t deal of support and capability to enhance the overall performance of the system development and application. For the implementation of this online Arabic learning system I have researched for the learning material. Here we need some innovation for new learning material. For this purpose, I have tried to develop more interactive and superior learning material. For this sake I have concentrated on the more interactive books and notes.

Emergence of Confucianism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Emergence of Confucianism - Assignment Example He is well celebrated for coming up with the textual traditions of china. The texts became the foundation and the state ideology of the Chinese dynasties. The texts were mastered by few in the society but penetrated deep in the society and are held sacred by the members of the Chinese community (Xinzhong, 2005). Confucius is locally known as the king qui the founder of the school of thought that is well studied and celebrated. Every country and nation experiences a financial depression at a certain period. It is up to the government to make sure that the situation is well handled and make sure that the financial position is restored as quickly as possible. In Britain, the financial hurricane hit in the year 2008.The financial advisor suggested that they should shrink the government. However, this did not work and led to high taxes and strangled and weakened the economy of Britain. The repercussions were loss of jobs and income to the people, high taxes, high interest and many more effects which that are detrimental to any state. As explained in the documentary, mandate of heaven is a myth and ideology the Asian empires of ancient times grant that they have the right to govern and lead the nation. Heaven is said to bestow the mandate to an individual to be a leader and the ruler of the people in question. Mandate of heaven does not require a leader with the royal blood but rather id concerned with the unique qualities of the person. If a ruler was overthrown, he is considered as have lost the mandate of heaven. This ideology is common in china and was used to support the kings and the rulers of the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The past of the Chinese society is vet strong and influences them greatly. They development is hindered by their retention of tradition practices and philosophies. Culture mix refers to the mixing together of different groups of people with differences in art and

Leadership in nursing practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership in nursing practice - Assignment Example The leadership theory chosen by an individual will depend on the personality of the individual, as well as the individual’s beliefs towards leadership. Leadership in nursing is supported by theories that include motivational theories, interactive theories, and transformational leadership theories (Chambers, 2011, pg. 30). Abraham Maslow hatched motivational theory of leadership. Maslow broke down motivation using his hierarchy of needs, which outlines the motivation required at each level. Motivational approaches are hinged on the belief that team members must be continually and gradually be furnished with an impetus to stay on track with organizational goals. The impetus provided can be in terms of material or appraisals. Interactive theories emphasize the Japanese style of management - theory Z. These theories are hinged on democratic principles. The fundamental principles underlying these methods are harmonious decision-making, fitting employees to their tasks, and career refuge.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The theory lays emphasis on the importance of developing teams to achieve the goals and vision  set by the organization. Teams are developed through training and hand-holding sessions that are planned by the management.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every institution has a style of leadership espoused by its leaders. Styles of leadership also vary according to the individual who take up leadership positions. There are several styles of leadership, which include servant, transformational, autocratic, laissez-faire, and democratic. A leader who animates servant leadership influences and motivates members of his/her teams by building their skills, as well as by building relationships. Besides, the input of each member of the team is brought into account whenever decisions are made in the organization. A leader practicing servant

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The Use of 5S in Aviation Industry - Essay Example ver, the lean system does not only improve the products of the company but also the morality and commitment of the employees (â€Å"Clean and Safe,† 2007; Ramamoorthy, 2007; Levantar, 2012). Relatively, companies that adopted the lean manufacturing systems established the 5S program as the procedure for making the manufacturing environment safe and clean (â€Å"Clean and Safe,† 2007; Levantar, 2012). Particularly, Ramamoorthy (2007) defined 5S program as a â€Å"process designed for planned organizing and standardizing the workplace† (p. 12). Accordingly, the 5S method is a substantial and essential process in implementing the lean manufacturing system in order to acquire and regulate orderly, clean and secure work environment. In relation to this, aerial industries have implemented the 5S program in order to conform to the process of lean manufacturing system. Consequently, this current paper will determine on how aviation industries can implement the 5s process in order to achieve effective and efficient lean manufacturing system. The sortation process is the procedure of segregating and isolating required tools and equipments that are essential in creating a particular product within the work environment. Accordingly, this process involves inventory of materials or tools that are needed and getting rid of those that are not necessary for the work environment. (â€Å"Lean Thinking,† n.d.). In relation to this, the sortation process can be implemented within aviation industries through determining the important equipments and materials in creating aircraft carriers. For example, aviation industries uphold the importance of safe, secure, and functional operating systems, controlling systems, hydraulic systems, fire protection systems, cargo loading systems, flight guiding system, emergency system, oxygen system, electrical system, and water system. Moreover, it is important for an aircraft to have secured and firmed doors and windows that are insulated, well and

A Division of Parody Productions Essay Example for Free

A Division of Parody Productions Essay 1. FACTS: Parody Productions, LLC is a company that sale his playing cards over the internet. The product portrays well-known players from a sports teams history. The plaintiff in this suit, Ronald Swoboda, is included in the New York Mets Hero Deck. Swoboda claims that he has never given Parody permission to use his image. He further contends that through his attorney he sent Parody a cease and desist letter. Parody refused to stop selling cards with Swobodas name and images. In response, Swoboda filed the instant lawsuit to enjoin Parody from the continued use of his name and likeness and for damages for violating his right to publicity, and, alternatively, damages for unjust enrichment. The trial court sustained the exception of lack of personal jurisdiction and this appeal followed. See more: Satirical elements in the adventure of Huckleberry Finn essay 2. ISSUE: The issue is â€Å"Did Court of Appeal of Louisiana approve lack of personal jurisdiction of an internet merchandiser?† 3. DECISION: Affirmed 4. REASONING: Since 1945, technology has advanced to such a degree that it is possible for sellers to reach consumers in their homes worldwide. The onset of the Internet has created a lapse between the method of doing business in 1945 and the legal systems ability to keep up with technology. The purposeful availment requirement for the exercise of personal jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant ensures that it will not be haled into a jurisdiction solely as a result of a random, fortuitous, or attenuated contact, or by the unilateral activity of another party or a third person. In Quality Design, the court ruled that Tuff Coats website was a passive one, whereby information about its product was provided, but actual sales were arranged via telephone or mail.

The video game console market

The video game console market Executive Summary The video game console market is a fast growing market. Sonys PlayStation 3 competes together with Nintendos Wii and Microsofts Xbox 360 for the market leader position. Compared with these competitors, Sonys PS3 includes the newest technologies and provides the highest variety of functionalities. Therefore, Sonys strategy is to target customers who focus on high technologies and multimedia-entertainment. However, this involves that the PS3 competes not only with console manufacturers, but also with other multimedia producers such as PC manufacturers. Due to the fact, that the Sonys PS3 will be quite expensive, the console will be available in a premium edition and in a cheaper basic edition. Considering the distribution of its PS3 games, Sony tries to change its traditional supply chain by providing an Internet platform, where users can download games. This results in saving costs and a faster distribution. Furthermore, the most important marketing tool is the Internet for promoting the PlayStation 3. Blogs, MySpace, YouTube and other kind of websites enable an area-wide promotion of the game console and especially, it is done by consumers. Another important tool is the official website, which offers among others information about the console and about available games. Additionally, Sony promotes its PlayStation 3 together with a meaningful slogan, which differs between Europe (This is living) and U.S. (Play Beyond). Finally, Sonys financing objectives are to sell 15 million exemplars in the first-year and to achieve total sales revenue of $8.25 billion. Its marketing goals are to sell more than 100 million exemplars in the long-run and to become the market leader. 1 Situation Analysis 1.1 Current marketing environment The video game console market is highly influenced from its demographic and technological environment. The worldwide population is growing and more and more people have a strong need for entertainment. Many people require something against boredom in their free time. Furthermore, the technology environment creates a variety of new functionalities which are almost unlimited. According to Moores Law, processor speed and memory capability reduplicate almost every 18 months by constant prices. Additionally, technologies such as High Definition TV provide a new way of entertainment consumption. Finally, another important influence in peoples behavior is enabled by the Internet. Its introduction was a milestone of the new economy. It allows finding almost any required information and enables worldwide communication as well as interaction and it simplifies doing business. 1.2 Current Product Line Before we describe the features and functionalities of Sonys new video game console, the PlayStation 3, we would like to give a short overview of the companys current home video game line: PlayStation (PS1) The Sony PlayStation is the companys first video game console and was produced in the mid-1990s. It belongs to the fifth generation of video game consoles and provides a 32-bit processor. Furthermore, the PlayStation was the first game console that reached the 100 million mark. PlayStation 2 (PS2) Sonys PlayStation 2 is part of the sixth generation era and was released in 2000. Besides its 128-bit processor, it was the fist video game console that provides DVD playback functionality. It placed first in number of units sold in its sixth generation of video game consoles and it became the fastest selling and most popular game console in history, with over 110 million units shipped worldwide by November 2006.[1] PlayStation Portable (PSP) Sonys PlayStation Portable was the companys first handheld game console released in 2004. Besides playing games, it also provides different functionalities such as playing music, watching videos, viewing pictures and using Internet applications. Nowadays, the PSP is the main competitor of Nintendos Game Boy and Nintendo DS. 1.3 Product Analysis The Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) is the seventh generation video game console and the third in Sonys PlayStation series. The console was launched in North America and Japan in November 2006 and is yet expected to be launched in Europe by March 2007. The reason for its delay in Europe is a shortness of supplies with parts of the Blu-ray drive. The console offers high-end technology and it has been described as an engineering masterpiece because of its promising specification and use of new technology.[2] Furthermore, the PS3 will be available in two different editions on the one hand, a basic edition with a 20 GB hard disk drive (HDD), and on the other hand a premium edition with 60 GB HDD. Nevertheless, both editions will have key elements such the Blu-Ray Disc for High Definition movies, the Cell chip, Giga-bit Ethernet for high speed Internet-connection, and an HDMI connection for optimum output on HDTV. Compared with the basic edition, the premium edition will provide some extra features like support for multiple external memory storage devices (Memory stick, SD) and Wireless connectivity. More information about the specification can you find in the Appendix. Furthermore, Sonys newest game console provides a Linux operating system and some Internet applications such as an Opera Web browser and multiplaying functionality. Finally, another feature of the PlayStation 3 is the backward compatibility to Sonys previous video games for PS1 and PS2. 1.4 Target Markets The following section should provide an overview of Sonys target market and of its targeted customers. 1.4.1 Target market approach In our opinion, Sony should use a segmentation approach as their general strategy to reach targeted customers. Although mass-marketing would create the largest potential market, which leads to the lowest costs and results in lower prices or higher margins, we propose segment marketing because it can create a more fine-tuned product offering and price for the target segment. Moreover, this approach enables to select more easily the best distribution and communication channels, and to have a clearer picture of the main competitors.[3] 1.4.2 Segmenting consumer markets Cultural distinctions, different needs and demands of individuals, and diversities in customers buying behaviours require market segmentation of companies to satisfy their customers effectively. Thereby, the market can be divided in geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation variables and the company can focus on target segments which it wants to attract.[4] According to Sony, the main geographic segments of the PlayStation 3 consist of the Northern America market, the Japanese market and the European market. When Sony released his first video game console PlayStation in 1994, the companys main focus was on the marketplace from 12- to 17-year-old boys. But nowadays, Sonys demographic segmentation divides the market of the PS3 in male and female, old and young players and expands its business vastly to a mainstream entertainment.[5] The PS3 offers a multifaceted repertoire of video games which includes something for everybody. Theres not merely one game to ultimately define the PS3 platform, but rather different must-have games for different segments of consumers. Additionally, an important and profitable demographic segment could be the college market because according to a study by Anderson Analytics GenX2Z only 26 percent of students report not playing video games.[6] Furthermore, Sony concentrates on a strong customer loyalty status in the behavioural segment. Besides its popular brand and the high reputation of its products, the company tries to win over its former consumers by the implementation of a backward compatibility which enables to play video games from its previous video game consoles (PlayStation 1, PlayStation 2). Finally, one of the important target segments of the PS3 involves consumers who require high technology. The company is convinced that its consumers desire and want to get the best out of the best. 1.4.3 Characteristics of the targeted customers / product uses As already mentioned, Sonys targeted customers want to have the newest technologies and functionalities. Moreover, they need an entertainment system which provides functionalities such as viewing pictures, movies or listening music. The Playstation 3 can fulfil all this particular requirements and reach therewith a lot of different customers. First of all, video game players can use the console, because it provides high technology and a lot of different available games. Furthermore, movie lovers can use the PS3 because it involves a DVD drive and also allows watching movies in High Definition with its Blu-Ray drive. Moreover, customers can use the game console to see pictures from their last holidays easily by inserting their memory card in the included card-reader. Finally, customer can use the console to surf in the Internet or to use it instead of a computer, because its Linux operation system provides similar functionalities. Summarized, all members of a family can use the PlayStation 3 for different needs. For instance, children play video games during the day and when the father arrives, he uses the PlayStation to read his emails. Thereafter, the mother inserts the SD card in the PS3 and shows him the pictures from her trip to Stockholm last weekend. And at the evening, the whole family watch a movie together. This multimedia functionality provides the biggest benefit for the PS3s consumers. 1.4.4 Purchasing process Some customers make their decision which game console they want to buy dependent from the number of available games. Not only the functionality and technology, but also the variety of games can be important for the decision-making process of customers. Therefore, the company has to offer information about the games which will be available for its game console. The primary channel for providing such information would be the official webpage. Furthermore, the final end-user of the game console is not always responsible for the purchasing process. For instance, sometimes parents purchase the game console for their children, and therewith another party is involved in the purchasing process. 1.4.5 Market size estimations The number of consumers in the video game console industry increased continuously during the last years. Due to the fact, that game consoles of the newest generation are comparable with an entertainment system, we estimate a market size of 400 million potential users in Europe if everybody would buy the product. Considering that one product would be enough for a family, our final estimation of potential consumers will be 100 million in Europe. Furthermore, a forecast report of PricewaterhouseCoopers has shown that by 2010, the worldwide video game market will grow to $46.5 billion, at an average 11.4% compound annual rate.[7] 1.5 Competitive Analysis Nintendo and Microsoft are the main competitors of Sony in the video game console industry. Considering the seventh generation, Sonys PlayStation 3 compete with Nintendos Wii and Microsofts Xbox 360. These two consoles were released world-wide in November 2006 and November 2005 respectively.[8] According to a study of the NPD Group about the best-selling video game consoles for December 2006, the Xbox 360 sold 1.1 million units, the Wii 604.2 thousand units and the PS3 490.7 thousand units. However, the PS3 sales figures include only the U.S. and Japan market, where it is released already. More details about the competition situation will be discussed in chapter 3 Competition. 1.6 Product/Market Analysis Tools 1.6.1 Product Life Cycle According to Sonys previous game consoles, the PlayStation 3 should have a 10-year product life-cycle. Its state-of-the-art technology involves that the usage of the PS3 resources and technology are just at the beginning and can fulfil all game requirements in the next years.[9] The product life-cycle consists of four different stages: Introduction: At this stage, the sales growth increase slowly when the product is introduced to the market. In Europe, the PS 3 is already located in the middle of this stage, because many game-console lovers and fans have ordered the PS 3 in advance to become one of the first consumers after its release in March 2007. For instance, a new PS 3 is pre-ordered almost each 20 seconds in Great Britain.[10] Growth: At this period, a market acceptance of the product is recognizable and the number of sales units increases. First-users report about the product positively and other consumers are becoming curious. Maturity: A slowdown in sales growth will be at this stage because the product has achieved acceptance by most of the buyers. Decline: Most of the potential buyers have already the product and therewith the number of sales declines. Different marketing strategies are necessary for each stage of the product life-cycle. We will discuss our recommended strategies in6 Marketing Strategy. Due to the fact, that the PlayStation 3 was already released in Japan and U.S., Figure 2 shows that the PlayStation 3 is located in a higher position compared with Europe. After shortness of supplies and an enormous rush demand in Japan and in the United States after the release in November 2006, a kind of stagnation is visible in these both markets today. Vendors report that a large contingent of the PlayStation 3 is still available in their shops.[11] Although Sony sees the reason for that in its optimized supply chain, the company has to consider new marketing strategies to increase its sales. 1.6.2 The Boston Consulting Groups Growth-Share Matrix In the following section, we would like to analyse and classify Sonys game console product portfolio by profit potentials. Therefore, we used the Boston Consulting Group approach presented by Kotler.[12] Due to the fact, that the PlayStation 1 is not be sold anymore, we didnt regard it in our analysis. First, we placed the PlayStation Portable in the Question marks sector, because the market of game handhelds is still growing and as the strongest competitor of the market leader Nintendo DS, the relative market share of the PSP increases. Therefore, Sony has to spend a lot of money in the development and advertising of the PSP to keep up with the fast-growing market, and to overtake the market leader. Additionally, we also placed the PlayStation 3 in the Question marks sector, because the market of the seventh generation video game consoles is still increasing and it is not visible already if the PS 3 will take the position of the market leader. Finally, we located the PlayStation 2 in the Cash cow sector. The PS2 has a falling market growth rate after the release of the next generation game console. Nevertheless, it is still the market leader in its generation and it achieved higher sales units (1.4 million) as the Xbox360 (1.1 million), Nintendo Wii (604.2 thousand), and the PlayStation 3 (490.7 thousand) in December 2006.[13] According to the 10-year product life-cycle, the PS2 is in the decline stage and will stay in the market for the next 3 years yet. 1.7 SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis is the overall evaluation of a companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.[14] It is used as a framework to help an organization develop its marketing strategy. Thereby, strengths and weaknesses are internal factors which can be controlled by an organization, whereas opportunities and threats consist of external factors which are uncontrollable by an organization. 2 Objectives Sonys financial objectives are to: Achieve first-year total sales revenue of $8.25 billion, based on an average price of $550 per unit. Sonys PlayStation 3 marketing objectives are to: Achieve a first-year unit sales volume of 15 million, which represent a projected market share of 25 percent. Increase second-year share to 40 percent and become the market leader. Sell more than 100 million units in the long-term. Arrange for distribution through the leading electric, video games and computer retailer in the top 100 and establish an Internet platform. 3 Competition 3.1 Game console industry According to the industry concept of competition presented by Kotler[15], an industry is a group of firms that offer a product or class of products that are close substitutes for another product. The structure type of the video game console industry is an oligopoly, because the Japanese Nintendo and Sony, and the U.S. Microsoft dominate the market. Particularly, the structure is a differentiated oligopoly, because only few companies producing products partially differentiated along lines of price and features. Furthermore, the console industry is characterized by large cost of barriers to entry according to Porters model of five competitive forces. It may cost up to $2 billion to develop a competitive console platform and returns on investment may take several years.[16] Furthermore, these three console manufacturers have a similar business model consisting of the following three income flows: Hardware sales Sales of own software/games Licences fees from other software/game developers that use the console platform Finally, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony compete on a global basis with core markets in Japan, Europe and in the United States. 3.2 Direct competitors The following section compares the direct competitors Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony with regard to their products, prices, sales units and game range. 3.2.1 Product differentiation Furthermore, both competitors of Sonys PS3 provide an internet platform: Microsoft: Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is an online service that is used to distribute video games to Xbox 360 owners. Thereby, Microsoft offers an Xbox Live Marketplace, a virtual market place, where consumers can download movie and game trailers, game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, gamer tag images, and Xbox 360 Dashboard themes.[17] The consumers can pay with Microsoft Points, which can be purchased by credit cards. Nintendo: WiiConnect24 It allows distributing content such as software patches and updated game contents while the Wii is on stand-bye.[18] 3.2.2 Price strategy Nintendo offers the cheapest price in the game console market. Therefore, the company dispense with some extra features such as DVD drives or HDTV quality. Contrary, Sonys PlayStation 3 offers the newest technology with a plenty of accessories, but also the highest price. The following list shows the current prices in January 2007:[19] 3.2.3 Market share in Japan and U.S. The following figures show how many game consoles each of the manufacturers has sold in Japan and U.S. during the last months:[20] [21] Whereas Nintendos Wii was the market leader during the Christmas time in Japan, Microsofts Xbox 360 could sell the most units in the United States. 3.2.4 Games An important criterion for buyers is the volume of games which are available for each game console. At the moment, Microsofts Xbox 360 consists of 82 exclusive games and 132 cross-platform games. In contrary, Nintendo offers 55 exclusive and 96 cross-platform games for its Wii. For Sonys PlayStation 3, 43 exclusive and 77 cross-platform games are planned. 3.3 Market concept of competition Due to the fact, that the PlayStation 3 is more a multimedia centre than only a game console, we have to consider more competitors as only game console manufacturers. Therefore, we used the approach of Rayport and Jaworski to identify direct and indirect competitors by mapping the buyers steps in using the product.[23] The following figure shows the PS3s direct and indirect competitors: Summarized, Sonys PlayStation 3 competes not only with other video game console companies, but also with PC manufactures and other high technology producers. Sonys PS3 offers besides a Linux operating system a plenty of functionalities such as Internet to attract previous PC users and to expand its market. This approach is comparable with Coca-Cola which identifies milk, coffee, tea, and water products as its main competitors.[24] Finally, Figure 7 shows Sonys market position with regard to technology and price compared with its video game console competitors: 4 Product Unique selling proposition The unique selling proposition is a marketing approach to promote a products benefit and to convince customers that the company can deliver it. For Sonys PlayStation 3, the main benefit, especially compared with its competitors, is its functionality as a multimedia centre and its state-of-the-art technology. Nevertheless, Sony has to consider that its targeted consumers are located in different market segments with different demands and wishes. Therefore, the company has to develop different unique selling propositions. First considering the video game hardcore fans segment, these costumers want to have the best and newest technology. Due to the fact, that the PS3 fulfil these requirements at best compared with its competitors, Sony should promote this in its advertisements, especially in game magazines. Furthermore, Sony wants to attract also middle-age consumers and families. The most benefit for these customers is to use the PlayStation 3 as a multimedia system which offers a variety of functionalities. Therefore, the company should focus on its multimedia range. Summarized, the companys unique selling proposition should consist of newest technology and multimedia-functionality. To emphasize this, Sony uses a short slogan after every mention of its products. In the United States, Sony evokes the following slogan: Play Beyond. People should associate therewith that the PS3 is not only a game console which enables playing video games, but also a system which allows playing in High Digital quality and getting a feeling of reality. Furthermore, the PS3 offers more than playing video games, it is a multimedia system that can be used for different pleasures such as Internet surfing or watching movies that can also be interpreted as a kind of playing. However, Sony uses a different slogan for the European market. The reason is that people with few English skills will not understand the impact of Play Beyond or will be interpreted wrongly. Therefore, Sony uses the following slogan in Europe: This is living. The slogan is really simple and uses words which can be understood by not English-speakers. Consumers can associate that the PS3 delivers a kind of living standard and ensures to enjoy living. Furthermore, its a relation to PS3s multimedia functionalities which are desired for every household these days. It emphasizes that the game console is the core of living room entertainment. 5 Distribution 5.1 Supply chain With the video game industry being the fastest growing sector of the growing entertainment industry, the industrys revenue has now reached $26 billion in annual revenue and there is currently no indication of decline in the industry. So, in order to identify how the revenue is distributed, its essential to look at the supply chain of the entire PS3 business. As seen in the supply chain, there are opportunities in many aspects of the console business, coming from the actual console sales as well as extras such as games. The customers, as identified by our segmentation analysis table, are at the end of the supply chain, and their consuming of video games are distributes across several actors. Additionally, the most known among the actors are of course the hardware manufacturers, which include Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. Except for the revenue coming from the console sales, they also get about 20% of the market price for the games, which are mostly sold in the growth level of the product life-cycle. The additional revenue in the supply chain is split among the other actors. Looking more closely at the publishers and developers, we realize that the publishers are likely to take a large portion of the revenue. Those are the large international companies that have sufficient funds to build a distribution network and employ developers to pull off new best-selling games for the consoles. Hardware manufacturers usually try to pull off deals with these companies when they identify potential best-selling games because the top 3.3% of the games bring in 55% of the sales revenue. For this reason, some hardware manufacturers, most notable Microsoft, tend to buy top-creative publishers to secure exclusive rights of new games for their console. Because of the complexity with world-wide game launches, there are almost always distribution partners in the chain, those accounts for an estimate of 10% of the shelf price. Next are the retail channels, which include online stores as well as retail stores. However, they are becoming increasingly bypassed in the supply chain, as discussed in the next generation supply chain (described in detail below). When they do exist in the supply chain though, they take an estimate of 30% of the shelf price. Developers are a mix of artists and engineers that create the actual games played on the console. Typically, they are funded by the publishers and together they take between 40 to 60% of the shelf price. Notably, in recent years another actor have also entered the supply chain as the industry have grown. Those are the middleware actors. Those create reusable software that is used by developers to increase their productivity in creating games. The reason for the shift towards middleware providers has to do with shifting the focus away from technology, and re-using the technology that is already out there. 5.2 Next generation supply chain As discussed previously, there is a change in the supply chain taking place due to the connectivity and Internet capabilities that are becoming an increasingly integrated part of the console business. As illustrated in Figure 3, we can see how several actors in the supply chain are suddenly not present. Because of using Internet as an enabler of distributing and selling games, the need for distribution and retail is almost gone, whereas a larger piece of the revenue pie can be shared between the manufacturer (e.g. Sony) and the publishers of the games. At the same time, the manufacturer can act as a distributor because its the technology and technique they provide that will actually distribute the game over the Internet to the customer. At the present moment, it remains unclear how much Sony will charge for their part in this supply chain, but its possible that it may be around 47%. 5.3 Business Models There are several business models contributing to the revenue income for the PS3. Obviously, sales of the actual console initially generate the biggest revenue. But, as reported by several news agencies, Sony actually makes a loss on each console bought by a consumer. [26] As reported by several sources, a PS3 costs between $725 and $905 to manufacture, but is sold for $599 in the US market. The reason for the high manufacturing price is the high cost of components such as the Blu-Ray DVD, XDR memory etc. (More on that chapter 8). To support several streams of revenue there are three business models for distribution supported by the PS3. Since the console is making a loss per sold unit, there are other ways for Sony to catch up on the income and make a profit in the console business through other business models. The business models are: However, comparing the business models for the PS3 tells us that there are several possible models for generating revenue and profit for the console. Most notably, the Internet Gaming via the PlayStation network and the developer licenses are possible sources of potential profit. 6 Marketing Strategy The Playstation 3 has a broad marketing strategy set by Sony. Launched with slogans such as This is living and Play beyond, Playstation 3 is aiming for a large audience. Thereby, Sony will have to apply a different marketing strategy depending on which level of the product-life-cycle the product currently placed in. For example, at this initial state of introduction the most evident need is to market the console itself, to make sure that it reaches as many customers as possible. A suitable strategy for the first year is to get the message out about the capabilities with the console, and a suitable channel for this message is the kind of Internet forums and channels that teenagers and game-players regularly visit, including MySpace, YouTube and Gaming magazine websites. The greatest benefit from using MySpace as a communication channel is that they reach potentially millions of interested customers and can thus get the message out about the console and its possibilities in gaming and entertainment. The idea with this way of communicating through marketing is to inform, entertain and encourage interaction and debate about all the different things the PS3 can do according to a marketing director at Sony. With this particular way of communicating a marketing message, Sony hopes that the PS3 will be the natural choice not only for hardcore games enthusiasts but also anyone interested in the broad capabilities covered by the digital media and content creation that the PS3 offers. So far, the blog approach seems to be successful because an estimate of 86,000 users interacts on the official PS3 blog. For the second year, there is big need to start marketing the games more actively, to make sure the console owners buy as many games as possible. This stage is characterized by growth and Sony needs to put a lot of effort into taking advantage of the growth in the PS3 business. As seen in the financial projections, there is a big need to get the largest parts of the revenue from the game sales. Throughout both years of the product life-cycle, there is a potential growth level, which can be boosted by getting the message out about the games and the game console. In both case the official webpage for the PS3 also works as an important channel for communication to the customers. By customizing the website to the customers depending on their country origin, Sony makes sure they have a clear message customized for each potential customer by letting the customer specify their region and as well as country to get the information in their local language etc. The website provides information about the PS3 specification, advertisement spots and a list of all available games. Furthermore, users can sign in to get the newest information about the PS3 via newsletter and they can also find answers for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). 6.1 AIDA By looking at the AIDA model that is suitable for the PS3, wed expect it to look like this: A

Buddhism - Every Moment We Live is an Opportunity (for understanding) :: Buddhism

Every Moment We Live is an Opportunity (for understanding) Something that interests us all is ourselves - because we are the subject and main focus of our lives. No matter what you think of yourself, there is a natural interest because you have to live with yourself for a lifetime. The self view is therefore something that can give us a lot of misery if we see ourselves in the wrong way. Even under the best of circumstances, if we don't see ourselves in the right way we still end up creating suffering in our minds. The Buddha was trying to point out that the way to solve the problem isn't through trying to make everything right and pleasant on the external dimension, but to develop the right understanding, the right attitude towards ourselves, and to overall just do what we can. Living in the US at this time, we expect comfort and all kinds of privileges and material comforts. This makes life more pleasant in many ways, but when our every need is provided for and life is too comfortable, something in us just doesn't develop. Sometimes it is the struggle through hardship that develops and matures us as human beings. But when we give up or surrender to restriction and to restraint through wisdom, we find liberation. Life is the experience of restriction and restraint, being born in our own skin and having to live under the laws of nature. Mentally we can fly to the sky, but physically we are bound to limitations that get more and more restrictive the older we get. This isn’t seen as suffering by us because that’s just the way things are. The sense of oneself is something that we are aware of when we are children; when we’re born there is no sense of a self as being anything. As we grow up we learn what we are supposed to be, if we are good or bad, if we are pretty or ugly, if we are smart or stupid. So we develop a sense of ourselves. Even when we get older, sometimes we still have very adolescent attitudes or childish emotional reactions to life that we have been unable to resolve except by suppressing or ignoring them. There is one way of talking about the self that makes it sound very doctrinal. It seemed to me that Buddhists can sometimes say that there is no self, as if it was a proclamation that they have to believe in; as if there were some higher being saying "THERE IS NO SELF BOYS AND

Scops: A Living History :: English Literature Dictionary Essays

Scops: A Living History A scop is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "an Old English poet or minstrel." However, scops were simply so much more than that to the medieval world. They were the only means of entertainment for the people of the time. There was no television or Internet to escape to, and books were not readily available. Most medieval people in the eighth through twelfth centuries could not read or write,so the scops would tell amusing stories or tales of heroic deeds to the music of their harps. The stories would be chanted, giving great honor to those mentioned in the oral recitations, and the scop's song also provided a memory of the culture for those who would come after. According to Kemp Malone, â€Å"At an early date Germanic kings began to keep professional poets.† (p.75) These scops would travel the kingdom, telling their stories and singing their songs. They would have a harp or later a lute; these were the tools of their trade. Creating worlds and places many Anglo- Saxons never saw because few people ever left the place they were born, scops were important fixtures to the medieval world. The scops opened up the outside world to medieval people and engaged the imagination too. In Beowulf, scops are mentioned in recounting Beowulf’s deeds and amusing the men in the mead- halls. Like courtly fools, they would make their audience laugh. However, unlike the fools or court jesters, a scop was not there merely to entertain. They were a living history of the times and places of the past and present. Their ability to memorize many lines of poetry or stories has kept them alive throughout the ages so that we still have them today. The stories were sometimes embellished and altered to be more interesting to the listeners. For example, in Beowulf, there is the story of our hero fighting sea monsters as he swims across an ocean and spending seven days and night in the cold sea. â€Å"The Wanderer† is a tale that mostly likely would have been recited by a scop. The stories that the scops would tell often were elegies for the heroic dead.

racismhf Prejudice and Racism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Huckleberry Finn- Racist Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn depicts how he is a racist. He shows it in many ways in which his characters act. All of the people in the towns are slave owners, and treat black slaves with disrespect. In the time period of the novel slavery was not legal, but racism was. Many scenes in his novel make slaves look like fools. Mark Twain does this purposely to make colored people look and sound like fools, because he is a racist person. Before even getting to chapter, one Mark Twain puts a notice on the book. "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot" (Twain, 2). Twain uses this to show people how he is as a person. If you go against him, you may be prosecuted, banished or even shot. This most likely is because he was a racist and needed power. If slaves were to go against him, they will lose. Mark Twain uses these words to build himself up, and make himself sound like a more powerful person. Mark Twain uses characters that are very similar to him as a person. Huck's father, Pap, is a person like Twain. Pap is a drunken man that is very temperamental. He tells Huck of all the things that Pap feels is nonsense. Pap is always trying to be a powerful figure in Huck's life. Mark Twain probably uses Pap in the book to show readers that he is the same type of person. Twain uses this book to show that he is racist person, and used Pap to show that he is a power thirsty person as well. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a book that was made to degrade the black population of America. Jim, a runaway slave, meets up with Huck after he runs away from Pap. When Jim and Huck see each other, Jim drops to his knees pleading Huck not to turn him in, or hurt him. Mark Twain does this to show that when a black slave and a white person meet the slave should drop to their knees before the white person.