Representation of families in animated sitcoms Essay Example for Free

Representation of families in animated sitcoms Essay Introduction: For my research investigative, I will be comparing the representation between two popular American sitcoms Family Guy and the Simpsons. Both are animated situation comedies, using a conventional nuclear family to portray the typical American family and their lifestyle. Using media textbooks extracted from theorists such as Roland Barthes and Vladamir Propp, I will investigate how they both use the same narrative structure to create their sitcom. I will also use the internet to develop the ideas of the sitcoms and use this to define the narrative patterns between the two sitcoms. The Simpsons: The Simpsons was first created by Matt Groening and was broadcasted on the 19th December 1987. This became the first animated comedy sitcom, catering to the whole family. The characters confirm the idea of a nuclear family living a typical American lifestyle; however the family coherently faces a dilemma which is always solved at the end of the episode. The episodes are normally self-contained narratives involving equilibrium, disequilibrium and a resolution. For example, the protagonist Homer Simpson will begin the day getting ready for work and faces a dilemma at work, in most cases the whole family will attempt to solve together, rather than Homer attempting to figure out on his own. The idea of the families involvement to solve the problem reflects the opening sequence where the family sits down together to watch television. The idea of togetherness with the family effects how the audience will perceive stereotypical families on T. V. The setting also reflects how the audience sees the ideological family. Springfield is a fictional state based in America consisting of a close knit community and many other characters appear on the episodes. The family appear to look like a conventional family; however they have their individual personalities. Homer: A Safety inspector at a power plant, he expresses a careless personality and dominates a crude, ill-mannered, and lazy characteristic, always providing for his family and heavily devotes his life to them. Marge: a typical American housewife and mother, her strong moral values and patient manner are put down by her troubled children and her gawk husband. Bart: A troubled 10 year old often bullying Lisa his sister and lack of respect for the authorities and the community, Bart is one of the most prominent characters. Lisa: an 8 year old strong-headed activist who due to her intelligence sees herself as a misfit with the Simpsons family. Her personality does reflect Marge, however her liberal belief differ from Marges democratic beliefs. To sum up their family, the baby Maggie only communicates through her pacifier and the pets Santas little helper and Snowball IV reinstates their family friendly ideology and safe atmosphere. Most of the episodes are based in Springfield, the home of the family, and the opening sequence shows the camera zooming into the state of Springfield, depicting a birds eye view of the local school, the donut shop (which is significant on Homers characteristics), the town hall and the supermarket all are significant towards their regularity and familiar location. The bold yellow headline and blue sky signify the opening sequence of the sitcom. The soft yellow, blue and white colours reinforce the idea that the sitcom is family friendly also considering the baby-type font used. This can be known as a memorable hallmark. Their gag names and catchphrases have developed neologism; creating their own catchphrases which often audiences can acknowledge them from have made them common. Even though they are animated characters which can develop, the producers have chosen not to and have stayed the same, although the new technology which has developed over the past decade can transform them. They have recently updated the opening sequence, revealing more characters that appear more often in the episodes. This idea keeps the audience interested in character development and the change of characters over time. One idea that hasnt changed since the beginning of the Simpsons is the theme song which is recognised as the Simpsons theme tune all over the world. The orchestral soundtrack is lively and upbeat, which proves the entertainment aspect of the sitcom. The Simpsons had been provided to humour families during prime time, capturing audiences with its exciting linear narrative and realism in each episode. However The Simpsons had been criticized frequently for their lack of quality in the episodes and Bart Simpsons rebellious nature having an effect on boys and acting as a role model towards the younger male audience. Family Guy Family guy consists of the Griffins, a dysfunctional family set in a fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island America. This is also a situational comedy; however the content contains satirical adult humour, amusing American culture. Its mostly recognised for its cutthroat gags on disability, sexual behaviour and cutaway scenes. The Griffin family is constantly compared to the Simpsons, consisting of similar family values and characteristics. Peter Griffin: male protagonist; an overweight safety inspector at a toy factory, recognised in America as a stereotypical blue collar worker. He is often known for his inappropriate nature, reminding the audience of an immature child. Lois Griffin: Mother and wife of the Griffin family, a typical housewife, grew up in a wealthy family, and married Peter Griffin. She teaches piano for an extra income. However she spends most of her time caring for her family. Chris Griffin: The teenage son of Peter and Lois, he appears to have taken Peters genes and deals with typical adolescent inconveniences; girls, acne and school. Meg Griffin: A self-conscious teenage girl who struggles to be accepted in not only school but also at home. She is regularly at the hind end of Peters jokes. Stewie Griffin: A one year old toddler who frequently is misguided about his sexuality. His evil nature is often taken out on his mother, who he repeatedly masters a plan to kill. His sophisticated speech and maturity juxtaposes typical toddlers description. Brian Griffin is the speaking pet dog, following an anamorphic behaviour. He has a refined speech and often corrects Peters immature behaviour. Despite the fact that Brian is a dog, he enjoys human activities and dates women regularly. Brian appears regularly in episodes, and on occasion appears in special episodes with Stewie, travelling in an epic adventure as Dog and toddler. During the episodes the storyline is always cut off on a tangent, and a new storyline is created. This may be seen as difficult for audiences to follow the plot; however it is always based on two centered narratives. The storyline also follows equilibrium, disequilibrium and a resolution, however on one episode where Stewie kills Lois the plot continued onto another episode, finally resolving the problem. Most of the episodes are set within Quahog, and some specials reside in Stewie and Brian going to a different country such as England and Germany. The opening sequence depicts the conventional family setting; Lois and Peter are placed on the piano, happily playing in unison. The other family members appear after, joining together symbolises the family values enforced in the typical idea of a conventional family. Family guy appears to share the same family values as the Simpsons, however the content and the audience is clearly different. The simpsons share family values and humour the typical American culture, however their humour is directed towards adults and children, using satirical wittiness and frequently punning on American products such as Mad TV or the actual TV production company that shows the Simpsons, Fox. Whereas family guy is shown during the late night schedule and the content uses extreme vulgar adult content, profanity, violence and nudity. In a sense, family guys title does mislead the audience into thinking that the program will be based on the same values the Simpsons produces. This is where they differ in style and content. Following my research, I have decided to challenge the conventional representation of families in sitcoms. I will create a DVD poster of a brand new situational comedy based on a family which appear to be a dysfunctional family which struggle to follow the conventional structure of a beginning scene, a dilemma then a resolution. They share the conventional ideology that families are appeared to be shown. I will use Adobe Photoshop to create my poster and Macromedia Flash to create the characters. Stereotypically, the male protagonist is portrayed as reliant on the other family members to bail him out. However in my production, I will portray the male protagonist as independent and smart and place the male characteristics on another character, for e. g. the son.

The Purpose of Internal Controls

The Purpose of Internal Controls Internal controls are a relevant part of any business. In order for an organization to meet its obligations and be a success it is imperative that it implements controls in an attempt to safeguard its assets, its employee and its continual existence. This paper explains the reasons why internal controls needs to be implemented, present a framework which describes its components and identify entities which foresees that procedures are followed and maintained. Controlling What Happens Robins defend territories as pairs during the breeding season and as individuals during the winter. When dogs find bones, they bury it in a safe place and constantly make sure they are safe at all times. What these animal have in common is their desire to protect their assets and possessions. One of the most important acts a manager can do is to safeguard assets. The main purpose of internal controls is to help the organization to achieve its objectives and to make sure that the business operates as efficiently and as professionally as possible. In order to understand internal controls, it is imperative that one knows what they are, the definition of internal controls, the categories, the components of internal controls as well as the entities that foresee that internal control procedures are followed and maintained. According to â€Å"SEC Proposes Rules on Internal Controls, Ethics Codes and Financial Experts on Audit Committees,† the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines internal controls as â€Å"controls that pertain to the preparation of financial statements for external purposes that are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as addressed by the Codification of Auditing Standards Section 319 or any superseding definition or other literature that is issued or adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board† ( Haynes and Boone, LLP, 2002). They play a vital role and cannot be omitted from a business. This is because they ensure that employees as well as employers are providing reasonable assertions. In other words, they check the employees and employers actions and thoughts in a way which are meant to promote and better the business by preventing them from doing things their own way, or from robbing the business . They are established by management and they must make sure it is effective. According to R. L. Hurt, the significance of controls cannot be stressed enough, â€Å"In the importance of internal controls managers, stockholders, employees, and other organizational stakeholders want a company to operate as effectively and efficiently as possible, to have financial statements that are reliable, and to make sure their assets are safe† (Hurt, 2008, p.53). They are basically a plan of organization within a business which co-ordinates with all the methods used in the business to safeguard its assets. It further promotes productivity and aids management to hold on to rules and policies of the organization. Internal controls can be classified into two; preventive and detective. The main purpose of preventive controls is to detect errors within or dampen the chances of fraud. According to â€Å"Internal Control Concept and Framework,† preventive control activities â€Å"aim to deter the instance of errors or fraud† (University Of Washington, 2009). This is the most effective control because it checks against fraud, scams and errors before they occur. It is important to note that before it can become effective, it will be necessary to have a strong risk detection system within the organization. Detective controls identify errors or fraudulent activities after they take place. In other words, â€Å"Detective control activities identify undesirable occurrences after the fact† (University Of Washington, 2009). This method can cause problems if the after effect was significant, such as Enron and WorldCom. In such occasions, the most common detective control is reconciliat ion. In an attempt to help businesses and organization improve their internal control systems, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commissions, otherwise known as COSO was formed. COSO is a voluntary private-sector organization and was established in 1985 and consists of a select committee which includes the American Accounting Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Financial Executives International, Institute of Management Accountants and The Institute of Internal Auditors (The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commissions). The main purpose of COSO is to identify actions or activities which influence fraudulent practices in businesses and to identify way of minimizing their occurrences. According to the American Accounting Association, â€Å"COSOs Mission is to provide thought leadership on enterprise risk management, internal control and fraud deterrence designed to improve organizational performance and governance and to reduce the extent of fraud in organizations†(American Accounting Association, 2008, p. 3). In 1992, COSO established an internal control framework which consists of five components and are meant to be integrated within the management process to ensure success. These components consist of control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information and communication and finally monitoring. Control Environment deals with the controllers and leaders of the business or company. In other words, this component talks mainly with management. The whole purpose is to make managers aware that internal controls begin in top management and thus cannot be effective without them playing an integral role in it. According to Lightle, Castellano and Cutting in their article, â€Å"Assessing the Control Environment,† they state that, â€Å"Of the five, the control environment may be the most critical, as well as the most difficult to manage and evaluate effectively† (Lightle, Castellano, Cutting, 2007, p. 52). They further state that â€Å"An effective control environment supports and strengthens the other control elements whereas a weak control environment undermines the other elements, rendering them useless† (p. 51). This environment emphasizes that if controls are not taken seriously by management, employees will also not take it serious. This is the reason why control environment is the backbone of the rest of the controls and without it, implementing ethical values and integrity in employees will be difficult. Risk assessment deals with the processes used to identifying organizational risks and threats within an organization and finding cost effective controls to deal with them. According to AICPA, risk assessment is â€Å"the identification and analysis of relevant risks to achieve the objectives that form the basis to determine how risks should be managed† (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 2005). An effective way to make this work is to consider both internal and external aspect of the business before it can be successful to its highest capacity. According to Sarbanes-Oxley, an â€Å"effective risk assessment requires; definition of the objectives, determination of the compatibility of the objectives, identification of risks to achieving the objectives, determination of risks associated with change, judgment as to which risks are critical and determination of actions to mitigate risks starting with the critical ones† (Walz, 2008). The third internal control framework of COSO is control activities. This component deals with the actions or actual controls executed in response to the information acquired from an effective risk assessment. They are the actual policies and procedures such as authorizations and approvals which aid management in making sure that organizational objectives are achievable. Information and communication is another important part of business which cannot be overlooked. This is because the process and what information is passed on can cause a lot of problems within the organization. It is imperative that the information flows is as accurate in the organization as possible in a way that ensures the right message is sent to the right person with the right encoding and the receiver has no problem in deciphering it. Effective information and communication helps in minimizing control risks and is directed mainly to employees to be responsible and careful in how they deal with sending and receiving information. In summary, the information and communication component aims in improving or maintaining quality and efficiency in communication within the organization. Unfortunately, some businesses are too big to accommodate any significant control process. According to â€Å"Effective Internal Control Systems Are Key to Ensuring Compliance†, â€Å"Informatio n and communication are the identification, capture, and exchange of information in a form and time frame that enable people to carry out their responsibilities† (Gundling, 2003). Monitoring is the final component of the COSO framework. It deals mainly with the evaluation and assessment of the organizations system of controls. It basically looks as the operations of an organization over a period of time to evaluate whether their objectives are being accomplished. So in effect, it is imperative that management assesses their internal control system to make sure that they are acquiescent to the organizations standard of controlling risks. According to â€Å"COSO Document Covers Internal Control Monitoring†, â€Å"COSO Document Covers Internal Control Monitoring,† he states that effective monitoring occurs by â€Å"establishing a foundation for monitoring, designing and executing monitoring procedures that are prioritized based on risk and reporting the results of monitoring to the appropriate level† (McCollum, 2008). A good way to ensure monitoring is used in its most effective way is to ensure that there are people who are qualified or have gone through training in that field and can ensure that the process it taken the tight way. This is because if management does not fully comprehend its importance the whole process could fall apart. One important aspect of monitoring is that the process should be taken serious and that risks discovered during that period should be directed to the relevant staff for corrective measures. Because of the extreme impact of the scandals that Enron and WoldCom brought into the business field, there have been entities which have been placed into the business field to prevent these fraudulent activities from occurring, one of these is the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. According to† Making compliance effective,† the act â€Å"was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush in large part because of the spectacular failures of Enron, WorldCom and other public companies† (Engle, 2009). Understanding the importance of internal controls can be difficult to comprehend. However the consequences of not adhering them are tougher to deal with. This can be seen by the utter chaos Enron and WorldCom have caused. Without controls goals and assets will be lost and operations will be terminated prematurely. Without internal controls, soon there will be no business. References Haynes and Boone, LLP, (2002). SEC Proposes Rules on Internal Controls, Ethics Codes and Financial Experts on Audit Committees. World Services Group, Retrieved from http://www.hg.org/articles/article_201.html Hurt, R. L. (2008). Accounting Information Systems: Basic Concepts Current Issues. New York: McGraw-Hill. University Of Washington, (2009, July 16). Internal Control Concept and Framework. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/admin/finacct/office/internalcontrol/frame.html The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commissions, Initials. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.coso.org/aboutus.htm American Accounting Association, (2008, April, 1). Mission and operating policies. Committee of Sponsoring Organizations, Retrieved 09/07/2009, from http://aaahq.org/newsarc/COSOChairPosition.pdf Lightle, S., Castellano, J., Cutting, B. (2007, December). Assessing the control environment. Internal Auditor, 64(6), 51-56. Retrieved 09/07/2009, from Business Source Complete database. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=truedb=bthAN=28323854site=ehost-livescope=site American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (2005). Internal control: a tool for the audit committee. Retrieved 09/07/2009, from American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Web site: http://www.aicpa.org/audcommctr/toolkitsnpo/Internal_Control.htm Walz, John (2008, April 11). Retrieved 09/07/2009, from Table Comparing COSO and ISO 9001 Web site: http://www4.asq.org/blogs/sarbanes-oxley/2008/04/table_comparing_coso_and_iso_9.html Gundling, Richard L. (2003, October). Effective internal control systems are key to ensuring compliance. Journal of Health Care Compliance, 2, Retrieved 09/07/2009, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=bthAN=11291132site=bsi-live McCollum, T (2008, August). COSO Document Covers Internal Control Monitoring. Internal Auditor, [65(4)], [13-14, 2]. Engle, Paul. (2009). Making compliance effective. Industrial Engineer: IE, 41(8), Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=43346883site=ehost-livescope=site

Analysing The Tourism Industry Of India

Analysing The Tourism Industry Of India Purpose The paper aims to provide a holistic perspective on various dimensions of the tourism industry in India. Design/methodology/approach The paper combines analysis of various documents as well as insights from researchers. The paper discusses problems of the tourism Industry, strengths of the industry, challenges faced by the industry in India and policy implications of the government. Findings The paper explains the economic importance of tourism Industry in India by outlining the strengths and challenges of the Indian tourism industry. The paper has implications for the government and Industry players in terms of investment in hospitality education and training, infrastructure and better employment practices. Practical implications The paper provides recommendations for some of the initiatives that government and industry players could adopt. Introduction Tourism industry of India is enjoying the growth period, driven by the Indian middle class, increase in tourists who are ready to spend more and the government campaigns to promote Indias Incredible India. The tourism industry in India is substantial and vibrant, and the country is fast becoming a major global destination. It is one of the most profitable industries of India which also contributes huge amount of foreign exchange. In 2006 the amount spent by the tourists in the country was US$ 8.9 billion. Disposable income in India has grown by 10.11% annually from 2001-2006, and most of it has been spent on travels as mentioned in Economy Watch. Foreign tourists spend more in India than almost any other country worldwide. The tourism industry has supported growth in other sectors like horticulture, handicrafts, agriculture, construction and poultry. There is a gap between the potential of the tourism industry and the success achieved till now. Through this study we would try to find out the steps which can be taken to curb the shortages faced by this industry. Industry Contribution Due to booming industries like IT and outsourcing industry, a growing number of business trips are made by foreigners to India, tourists spend more in India than almost any other country across the globe. The Tourism Ministry has also played an important role in the development of the industry; advertising campaigns such as the Incredible India campaigns have promoted Indias culture and have attracted tourists in a tremendous way. Increased tourism in India has created numerous jobs in a variety of related sectors both directly and indirectly. Almost 20 million people are now working in the Indias tourism industry. Indias governmental bodies have also made a considerable impact in tourism by making it mandatory that each and every state of India have to administer support issues related to tourism. A new growth sector is medical tourism. It is currently growing at around 30% per annum. Medical tourist arrivals are expected to reach one million soon. The tourism industry of India is b ased on certain core nationalistic ideals and standards which are: Swaagat or welcome, Sahyog or cooperation, Soochanaa or information, Sanrachanaa or infrastructure, Suvidha or facilitation, Safaai or cleanliness and Surakshaa or security as mentioned by World travel $ Tourism Council, India Initiative. The landscape of India is a natural attraction for tourists and a rich tapestry of cultural heritage is woven into a wide range of tourism products. Indian tourism demand is estimated to grow at 8.8 percent from 2004 to 2013, which would place India as the third-most rapidly growing tourism market in the world after Montenegro and China (HVS Hospitality Services, 2007). There is a phenomenal explosion of domestic tourism which is fueling the industrys revival. India has a wide population of educated, hospitable people who have the moral strength and desire to welcome tourists. The hospitality industry is also booming with an increasing number of hotels being opened in various regions across India. This will in turn help in job creation and in driving the economic growth. Major brands such Emaar Group, Kingdom Hotel Investments; and international fund companies such as Blackstone, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch among others have solidified their interest in the Indian hotel sector. Specific, targeted efforts are being made to develop tourism in India in terms of media campaigns. For example, the Incredible India campaign has had a very strong impact on tourist arrivals. The Brand India message is being communicated globally and penetration is strengthened by reaching prospective visitors through electronic, print and internet media (Himani Kaul, 2009). Sporting events such as the Indian Premier League cricket tournament held in 2008 and the Commonwealth Games to be held in 2010 are also significant drivers for promoting destination India and fuelling tourist demand. Problems faced by the Industry Indias tourism industry has a labor shortage. There is not enough accommodation, rooms and dirty problem, food problem is to stop tourists who come to India. Many parts of the country have not been very good, in terms of appropriate road, rail and air connections. Excessive bureaucracy had delayed new hotel and transport projects. Tourists are often the economic exploitation, and criminal elements in India, Indian women and the elderly can secure access to visitors. Indias tourist attractions were also damaged pollution. Refinery smoke is harmful to the Taj Mahal, and coastal ecosystems, Rann Kutch and the Himalayas are contaminated blow. Delhi, Jaipur, Agra in northern India, transport and communications and Bhuwaneshwar Konark Puri Orissa industry better than other equally attractive destinations in India as per Norah Faith. These problems also shorten the tourist season in India, which then leads to unemployment in off-seasons. As per the Tenth Planning Commission Report on Tour ism; the major impediment to the growth of tourism has been the lack of awareness about the benefits it can bestow upon the host population. The Planning Commission Report has summarized the main factors that affect Indias tourism competitiveness: Lack of concern for competitiveness. Inadequate facilitation services infrastructure improvements at country entry Points and appropriate facilitation services are needed. Lack of quality infrastructure. Lack of emphasis on product quality. Lack of training at the cutting edge. Lack of hygiene. Low utilization of modern marketing and publicity tools. Insufficient involvement by the private sector in tourism development The author Mr. Jauhari talks about Hospitality industry and tourism in India: Hospitality industry is a major employer. The industry includes services such as tourism and food service sector. It was more than from peers, the industrys economic fluctuations. In the world economy the hospitality industry is a major sector. The industry consists of a service industry, including catering, tourism and hotel industry a wide range of varieties. Also includes support for the hotel industry such as airline cabin staff travel and travel agencies, application of information technology (IT) and hospitality and tourism workers in technology business. Hospitality industry is characterized by a large number of employees. Entry-level positions usually require no formal education (S.K.kuthiala) These articles majorly focus on: Infrastructure management: cooperation between different players such as hospitality businesses, infrastructure, state government, the ministry of tourism and environmental agencies. The budgetary allocation for tourism needs to be enhanced and real estate investments are required to upgrade facilities in order that tourists might experience a more consistent service product. Funding opportunities and escalating costs are other limitations. Workforce issues; in turn, this is impeding the professional development of hospitality and tourism as the industry is characterized by long working days and comparatively low levels of compensation. In view of the intense competition for skilled labor and the high rate of attrition at all levels the other key manpower issue relates to the relatively limited experience of and competency in project and construction management. The goal of sustainable tourism requires well coordinated human resource development (HRD) strategies aimed at tourism industry personnel and the host community in general (Srivastava, 2008). Education and training for the hospitality and tourism; an area for concern and discussion relates to the existing provision of hospitality education in India, and especially the curriculum and pedagogy where management preparation and training tend to be omitted. The marketing of hospitality firms; Online marketing has become an important medium for hospitality firms. India is currently behind the pace in this respect and web sites need to add this capability so that they can capitalize on the market opportunities that exist around the world. India lacks in Consumer advisory web sites Strategies adopted for growth and franchising; Destination management; The Indian Governments Incredible India promotional campaign has made a significant contribution to the overseas image of India in the past year and helped to create a positive perception of what India has to offer. However, much more needs to be accomplished in order to deliver on the potential that a tourism experience in India has to offer. Crisis management. This is extremely important dimension that all tourism and hospitality firms need to address. The range of threats to tourism is growing and the outcomes can, potentially have a devastating impact on Indias economy (Dirk Galesser). Recommendations Prioritize the investment in tourism and shorten the project start-up cycles. Establish a single point of access clearance system for new hotel/restaurant/tourism projects. Upgrade airports, water and sanitation facilities and the public transport system as soon as possible. Manage the work force issues by investing in hospitality education and benchmark the curriculum with the best in the world. Establish institutes which train the faculty on a year-round basis. Nurture the right competencies so that prospective employees can perform when hired. India really needs people with outstanding project management experience especially in the management of large chains. Create positive perceptions about the industry, offer competitive wages and invest in employee growth. Any short cuts would have a disastrous impact on hiring and retaining employees in the long run. Invest in the management of online tools for communication. As the internet becomes the main medium for accessing and retrieving information, an online presence needs to be managed so as to create desired business outcomes. This effort needs to be allied with appropriate search terms and links to the main search engines (Vinnie Jauhari) Develop international collaborations in order to learn as quickly as possible from international best practices. Invest in training so that the potential of Indias workforce can be realized. Check the indiscriminate growth of tourism; the local population must be convinced of the need to support regulations in the interest of long-term sustainability. Many of Indias hill resorts have suffered due to lack of concern for capacity management. Ease bureaucratic hurdles.( Shivangi Gupta) Methods Characteristics of tourism are: It is a constantly operating industry. It is affected by seasonal fluctuations. It is highly a Labor-intensive industry especially when it comes to India. Barriers to entry are not strong for this Industry. In India for this Industry Small businesses predominates. It is one industry which is a crucial medium for educational and cultural exchange across the globe. Consumer expenditure of domestic and international tourist is growing at a high rate. Few producers or service providers dominate in the Tourism Industry. Opening of New tourist attractions happens regularly. Mass tourists products have very little differentiation as the industry has not invested in this field up till now. The impacts of tourism are wide ranging reaching economic, social, environmental aspects. Two forms of tourism: International Tourism : Travel to countries outside home country Domestic Tourism: Travel within the country. Factors affecting tourism The tourism industry is complex. Many components of the tourism Industry are linked to the other economic sectors of the country. The resulting interaction of the movement of tourists from the origin to the destination and the drivers involved are available for our analysis: 1. Physical Environment Indian Tourism industry has also developed in a large variety of physical environments, with many of the different environments within India becoming favorable tourist destinations. These environments may include: Hill stations Beaches Deserts Countryside Holy places Historical monuments 2. Technological change. One of the most important variables affecting tourism is the technological changes. Twentieth century, transport technology destination on a large scale are preceded by mass tourism to feel free to spread, the manufacturers of rail or ship built continuous vehicle capabilities. Such developments influence reaches the places are in relation to social and financial reasons The development of large aircraft long-range aircraft Boeing 747, was that an important stimulus for the growth of tourism industry. 3. The biophysical and built environment A countrys bio-physical environment, heritage and artistic life, is an integral part of the tourism industry. Different types of tourism development have different requirements; some countries will support development more than other countries. The industry is eventually located according to the physical distribution of attractions and access to them, which is mainly determined by natural factors. Destination must provide the purpose and needs of tourists for which it is seeking. Tourist practices are influenced by environmental conditions, and restrictions on types of development can take place. Natural features are very desirable and should go together with the infrastructure and tourist attractions. Climate is an important consideration, and favorable weather conditions are crucial. For all tourist activities is an excellent weather, and climate often in a resort holiday season determines the length and profitability. 4. Economic factors Tourism is one of the most prominent global economic performance department. Tourism is the employment of the accommodation, catering, transport, entertainment and other services industries major source of important provisions. In addition, there is a huge production of indirect tourism activities. This is a promotion, because of its multiplier effect of a wide range of important means of economic growth. Tourism is Indias contribution to export earnings in large part on the Indian economy Changing economic conditions largely determine the scale of the tourism industry. With the development of changes in employment structure and a more affluent society, creating a higher level of tourism products. 5. Socio-culturalInfluences Participation in tourism is affected by demographic and social factors such as age, family life cycle, education, occupational structure, population concentration and quantity. Profound impact on demographic and social changes of the population indulge, in the future tourism will be seen. Increased life expectancy and changing composition of the workforce is also important. More and more women participation rate provides a boost tourism, because the two higher income household disposable income. There is also a dink for those who travel more frequently. 6. Political influences Governments at all levels and all parties acknowledge that although tourism is basically a private sector, the impact of the need for government involvement. Government has a profound impact on the economic environment in which the tour operators. The Governments main role is to promote the prosperity of the industry and the most extensive economic, social and environmental objectives consistent with the development. 7. Cultural influences Historical or cultural value is characterized by strong tourist attractions. Three Seductive cultural forms: cultural forms, because it is inanimate monuments cultural forms is reflected in the daily life of a destination Especially in the cultural forms, can it be animated, such as festivals. Tourism is often accompanied by cultural exchange and cultural richness. These contacts can have harmful effects be in the local culture and traditional way of life if they are weakened or destroyed. The relationship between production and consumption Tourism as a production consists of three main components: Tourist country of origin; destinations and travel routes between locations. 1. Tourism generating areas Visitors second homes in other words. Which represent the worlds major markets and tourism market is the main feature found here. 2. Tourism destination areas Attract tourists and what is not available at home. Transport lines connecting the two areas of production, is the key factor. Production activities they are the most important part of traffic. Them as visitors acquire the experience from many different places. These activities are very interdependent. The changing nature of the production process The tourism industry throughout the twentieth century is closely related to rising living standards in developed countries. Half of the twentieth century, largely in the opportunity to travel to the privilege of the rich society, but the following World War II period of rapid growth has enabled more people to travel. In the automotive and aircraft become the main means of transport. A number of important changes are related to the development of the industry International Travel Tourism has become globalized. Global transport infrastructure around the world is rapidly becoming the way of all interrelated. Degree of globalization has also increased more countries to participate in international travel. Organizational Development Tourism organizations from two sources: the government and the private sector. Recognizing the contribution of the tourism industry, the countrys economic and social benefits derived out of it, to almost all government organizations, tourism should be promote. Their responsibilities are of different degrees. Opportunities in tourism, there is caused by large and small scale mixing of all the travel needs of food service from origin to destination. Production activities with other tourism enterprises participate in the emergence of significant growth. Most of the big travel company growth from the market and many tourist destinations and a greater market share and economies of scale drive very competitive nature. Social impact of tourism Tourism is a personal decision by the consumer. Tour Price for the whole package tours, it is usually cheaper to import a larger market holiday. Consumers have a choice variety. Small group travel Small group travel is a popular choice. They use local resources and services as possible. Personal travel Many tourists are actively planning their travel experiences. They like to personalize their trip, and not locked into a tour group. Experienced travelers are seeking to achieve specific wishes. This reflects the visitors experience new and different aspirations. Demands of professional productive activities have been seen as a response to the tourism industry. Economic impact of tourism: Increase the scale of production The profit motive to encourage the development of large scale operations and the size of companies involved in the increase. Increasing size is especially evident in the lodging industry. The action in the hotel industry continued to expand. The large chain hotels can take advantage of economies of scale; small independent can compete on the basis of cost, personalized service. Horizontal and vertical integration Increase in the production and concentration of ownership and control of the growth in size, usually comes through the horizontal and vertical integration. A business may seek to expand or develop its own or combined with other enterprises. Transnational Management Integration continues to act in the tourism point of a multinational or transnational in nature. Multi-country development model is different. Clearly, the global market to provide greater market potential and opportunities, gain competitive advantage. Company wants to diversify its investment portfolio will expand overseas activities. The impact of tourism technology Tourism received a lot of research funds to promote development of new technologies. They changed this productive every field of activity. Consumer choice Tourism motivation and decision-making are increasingly shaped by changing technology. The Internet has allowed a lot of information has become available to tourists. Hotel facilities, reservations, attractions and more like these. Transportation Technology Aircraft The aircraft will benefit the future development of larger capacity aircraft, but still subsonic. Generating capacity in order to promote aviation aircraft and speed increase. Therefore, the new aircraft cannot travel faster than any existing, but they will have a greater range and more seats to reduce travel costs. Land transport Transport is now faster and better competitive long-distance travel. This is the development of infrastructure to work together. Maritime transport Particularly there is a fast growth in the cruise industry. In 20th century Cruise fleet has doubled in the last decade. Keep track of personnel and property Computerization allows operators to operate more efficiently and produce marketing plan activities that can be used to the wealth of data. Global satellite network to provide as a new powerful marketing tool. Technology has changed the allocation process. The political impact of tourism Most governments are now actively seeking to promote tourism, and in their own countries, to take measures to coordinate public and private tourism activities to promote development of the industry. In some parts of the developed world, Government support has been less impending. In many developing countries, tourism is considered to accelerate economic development. Some Governments have also encouraged the development of international tourism, and promote their own political goals. The nature of government involvement: Tourism Promotion The Governments main contribution is both to promote tourism, and in their own country. The most direct way is to establish Tourism Organization, the impact of tourism development. Ministry of Tourism Australia, the implementation of this role, its objectives include: To provide a future development of the industry, the Governments clear statement To strengthen the economic, environmental and cultural awareness of the importance of tourism. Facilitate the entry of visitors Easy to enter a country is a key factor to attract tourists. If the entry procedures for tourists are going to be complex, tourism will be affected. Now some countries with visa-free access in some countries Transport Policy Availability, price and ease of transport within and between countries dominate the visitors flow. Distribution of the traffic dispersion in terms of tourists is important. Governments are generally used for transportation infrastructure and equipment available. Many airlines have entered the Union, to enable them to reduce costs and increase capacity. Under pressure Government have to further do the liberalization of the international airlines. General economic policy The Government policies affect the industry directly and indirectly. For example, when the Government policies and regulations and high inflation would reduce spending, thus limiting the disposable income of the tourism industries. Government revenue, chares levies additional cost to the tourists. Environmental and social impacts of tourism Two major problems threaten the long-term survival of the tourism industry: environmental degradation, and adverse social impact, which is often accompanied by the development of tourism. Tourism and the environment Tourism development is often near the biophysical environment where attractive or unique features. Tourism development often has a heavy pressure on natural resources. The greatest threat is to those who are most vulnerable to natural and man-made pressures. Tourism can help: The deterioration of air and water supply Destruction of natural landscapes Destruction of vegetation Threats to wildlife The challenge is to develop a procedure to assess the potential environmental impacts of tourism development. Other mechanisms can be used to solve the impact of tourism regulations, the establishment of national parks, protection of significant heritage management and legislation to help protect our cultural and natural resources. In tourism development and environmental protection activities linked to the production of future success. Uncontrolled development is likely to undermine the tourist attraction. Adequate planning by the government, the threat of environmental degradation faced by the world tourism industry can be overcome. The social impact of tourism Between visitors and residents can be mutually beneficial social ties: 1. Resident population to gain more understanding of cultural tourists, so as to maintain the national heritage of some of the traditional activities and needs. 2. Passengers bring tourism revenue and maintenance, and for local use these facilities. Visitors can go to the same host country and its culture and traditions of understanding of their homes. The development of tourism can promote each others misunderstanding, hostility and social tensions, the impact of living by the tourists. This could include prostitution, crime and gambling. Social policy and social services must become an integral part of tourism planning, tourism operators and by the host government. Failure to do so may appear hostile to tourists, which can reduce the tourist flow and vitality. Results and Discussions We conducted the survey among diverse demographics to analyze the current situation of tourism industry of India. After collecting data, we first performed the factor analysis on the data. From factor analysis we got five different factors on which we performed multiple linear regression (MLR) to get the refined results. Given below is the output that we generated from SPSS: We can clearly find out that people give importance to Information about tourist spots, tour packages and security then Infrastructure and Hospitality. To attract large number of tourists we need to implement solutions for these factors and have to take appropriate measure for the growth of Indian tourism Industry. Recommendations as per our study Tourism is the worlds largest production activities. This is accepted as their source of income and employment potential of the results of the government. The pace and the future tourism project are to determine the direction of the explosive growth: Information We need to develop an information system which is very efficient and accessible across the globe which also includes remote areas. Security In India we need to make sure that we have to keep safety mechanism ready and speedy by connecting every tourist place, hotels to our police stations. We can keep a chunk of the policemen to cater particular to this need. Creativity Industry people have to start working on framing the package tours with more creativity and innovation as our mass tourist products are more or less same and lack the flexibility which is required. Infrastructure We need to provide adequate protection of the environment. Tourism trend is closely related to national infrastructure. Infrastructures in India needs huge investment outlay and will directly have an impact on the growth of the tourism Industry. Accessibility Transport technology to make long-term fortunes with more affordable, more people to participate in international travel. Chosen to reflect the perceived safety of the destination. Accommodation Tourists will be attracted to the destination best suits their needs. Tourism is trying to provide travel experiences to suit all budgets and circumstances. Attractions Technology will continue to develop and strengthen the tourism experience. Market research will lead to new tourism operators to promote products. This is may be some barriers to international travel. Visitors will be courting the economic development of developed and developing countries. Tourism stakeholders will have to bear greater responsibility. Whether it is a tourist and the host population should not be regarded as environmental quality. The basic strategy of tourism development is to preserve and protect areas such as goal setting apart. Development of guidelines for ethical and environmental regulations should be implemented to maintain sustainable tourism in the next century is feasible. As the state boarders open, population aging, more affluent, tourism is to promote more and more people will go. As production activities, tourisms importance in the global economy will continue to grow. Some more positives and negatives about the tourism industry which can be enhanced and can be prevent respectively: Tourism foreign exchange earnings can be used to pay for imports Protection of the unique environment is often Travel to create employment opportunities, are labor-intensive Local products can be sold to hotels and resorts At the airport with foreign investment Profits can be used to improve housing, schools, etc. Local customs and traditions are preserved To improve cultural understanding 10-20% of the income received in time to stay in

The Nature of the Mind :: essays research papers

A leading exponent of the substantial view was George Berkeley, an 18th century Anglican bishop and philosopher. Berkeley argued that there is no such thing as matter and what humans see as the material world is nothing but an idea in God's mind, and that therefore the human mind is purely a manifestation of the soul. Few philosophers take an extreme view today, but the view that the human mind is of a nature or essence somehow different from, and higher than, the mere operations of the brain, continues to be widely held. Berkeley's views were attacked, and in the eyes of many demolished, by T.H. Huxley, a 19th century biologist and disciple of Charles Darwin, who agreed that the phenomena of the mind were of a unique order, but argued that they can only be explained in reference to events in the brain. Huxley drew on a tradition of materialist thought in British philosophy dating to Thomas Hobbes, who argued in the 17th century that mental events were ultimately physical in nature, although with the biological knowledge of his day he could not say what their physical basis was. Huxley blended Hobbes with Darwin to produce the modern materialist or functional view. Huxley's view was reinforced by the steady expansion of knowledge about the functions of the human brain. In the 19th century it was not possible to say with certainty how the brain carried out such functions as memory, emotion, perception and reason. This left the field open for substantialists to argue for an autonomous mind, or for a metaphysical theory of the mind. But each advance in the study of the brain during the 20th century made this harder, since it became more and more apparent that all the components of the mind have their origins in the functioning of the brain. Huxley's rationalism, however, was disturbed in the early 20th century by the ideas of Sigmund Freud, who developed a theory of the unconscious mind, and argued that those mental processes of which humans are subjectively aware are only a small part of their total mental activity. Freudianism was in a sense a revival of the substantial view of the mind in a secular guise.

My Blind Friend Taught Me to See Essay -- Friendship Essay

How My Blind Friend Taught Me to See "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."Â   Helen Keller Twelve years ago, at the birthday party of a friend, was the first time I met somebody my own age who had a disability. He was tall for his age, thin, and wore eyeglasses, just like I did. It was this commonality that initially attracted me to him, since I didn't know very many kindergartners who wore glasses. I had begun wearing glasses to correct a case of strabismus at age two, and was able to see perfectly when I put them on. However, I was not aware of the fact that his glasses did very little to sharpen his vision, and that he was legally blind. On the last day of second grade, at the unofficial annual picnic at Westland Hills Park, we became good friends. As we moved from the swings to the jungle gym to the sprinklers, I realized how much we truly had in common. We enjoyed the same things: Legos, swimming and being Cub Scouts. Throughout third grade, we spent nearly every weekend together. During this time, though I had been informed of his disability, I never made...

Sports In Schools

Sports in schools Ellen Reardon 5th hour Blessing May 6, 2014 About 6 million high school boys and girls participate in team sports on the courts, in the pools, on the fields, and in the gyms. The amount of stress caused by sports often is insignificant compared to other sources such as family problems, peer conflicts, school pressures, etc. Sports also helps students learn out to manage with stress.The topic of whether or not schools should keep sports programs has been discussed among many school presentiments over the past few years. Students need sports in school for many reasons. Sports can help with stress, focus, grades, and over all motivation. Keeping sports in schools can help students with a lot more than just getting exercise. Sports are a huge stress reliever for some students. They can distract students from the stress of school and stress from home.By doing this it can clear a student's mind for some time giving them the time to relax ND have fun competing. Sports also can help students build some sort of a reliable and hardworking attitude. Sports teach students to be respectful of their coaches while also teaching a team how to rely on each other. Students learn how to respect not only themselves but other people around them. On the other hand sports do cost a lot of money that the schools could spend on other things like new textbook, computers, or lab equipment.There are also ate night games or meets the may make students get home late and not have the energy to complete assignments. Sports may cost a lot of time and money but they are still important. Those 6 million high school athletes would agree that sports are important in school. There are many reason why sports help student, physically and mentally. They help as a stress reliever, as a distraction from the hard work of school, and they help in building good moral character.

Starbucks Review

Review of Starbucks: A Step Above DeVry University Review of Starbucks: A Step Above The product I chose to review is the Starbucks Corporation; the Starbucks Corporation is an American global coffee company and Italian-style coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington (â€Å"Starbucks,† 2012). Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 19,972 stores in 60 countries, including 12,937 in the United States, 1,273 in Canada, 971 in Japan, 790 in the United Kingdom, 657 in China, 453 in South Korea, 356 in Mexico, 276 in Taiwan, 200 in the Philippines, 158 in Thailand and 1 in India (â€Å"How many Starbucks,† 2012) .The first Starbucks opened in Seattle, Washington, on March 30, 1971 by three partners: English teacher Jerry Baldwin, history teacher Zev Siegl, and writer Gordon Bowker. The three were inspired by coffee roasting entrepreneur Alfred Peet, whom they knew personally, to sell high-quality coffee beans and equipment (â€Å"Starbucks,† 2012). Let’s take a look at how and why Starbucks is a step above the competition and on a straight path of success.Starbucks not only sells amazing coffee blends and delectable pastries but as a corporation always looking for ways to stay ahead. I want this review to be more than just a review of coffee, this is a review of Starbucks as a corporation and how they use their position to make the communities they serve better places. Starbuck defines corporate responsibility and fairness. The most amazing observation about Starbucks is all the charities and forms of help they offer.For starters Starbucks and the Opportunity Finance Network have bracelets available for a $5 donation to support and create local jobs, these are available at all Starbucks. Starbucks also takes place in fair trade and ethical sourcing, which brings stability to other regions in which supply their corporation. Other forms of support are the millions of dollars in grant money Starbucks supplies to youth leadership programs within the communities they serve and Review of Starbucks: A Step Above thousands of hours of community service to improve those communities.Other strengths that propel Starbucks ahead of the competition are their community stores, leadership and education programs, housing initiatives and their Starbucks foundation which above all else is about helping their communities and the countries in which supply them (â€Å"Being a responsible,† 2012). Another form of strengths that really set Starbucks ahead of their competition is their beverage selection. Starbucks offers many different coffee verities from flavors to different strengths which allow them to appeal to many different consumers.You can also purchase most coffee drinks hot, cold or frozen which sets them ahead of other coffee houses. Besides coffee Starbucks also offers tea and other non-coffee beverages as well pastries and on the go sandwiches for the breakfast and lunch crowd. Most recent expansion of the Starbucks line was their addition to the K-Cup line and the release of their very own single cup brewer, this giving the consumer the ability to enjoy a hot fresh cup of Starbucks in the comfort of their own home.Also Starbucks offers a unique and comforting experience at each one of their stores, no two are the same and each store is modeled after the community it is located. Overall Starbucks is a true competitor and leader in the coffee market as well exemplifying corporate responsibility. This company not only serves refreshing beverages and delicious treats but uses their influence and power to improve the communities they serve and benefit the countries that supply them.Starbucks started as a small company in Seattle in 1971 and became a worldwide leader in the coffee industry as well a global corporation for good. This is what truly sets Starbucks a step above the competition. References Being a responsible company. (2012, November 13). Retrieved from http:// www. starbucks. com/ How many starbucks are there?. (2012, Sep 8). Retrieved from http://loxcel. com/sbux-faq. html Starbucks. (2012, Nov 13). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Starbucks