Native Title Law Reform Australia Essay

Mabo and others v State of Queensland (No.2 (1992) HCA 23, is arguably one of the most famous native title claims in Australian history. This case was the first in Australian history to successfully overturn Terra Nullius and essentially led to the creation of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (‘The Act’). Terra nullius means land belonging to no one or land that has never been subject to sovereignty of any state and is a part of International Law. The majority of Indigenous People view terra nullius in a negative way, as this term had been used as a means for justifying invasion or takeovers of traditional land. The result of terra –nullius on ATSI (Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders) meant that they have suffered countless wrong doings and injustice towards them. ATSI were not seen as official Australian citizens according to the law until 1967. This meant the law offered no protection of basic human rights or land rights resulting in large losses of spiritually significant land. The first case to take legal action over land rights was the 1971 Gove land rights case. The Yolngu people took legal action against Nabalco Mining Company in the Northern territory Supreme Court. The Yolngu people claimed that Nabalco Mining were illegally mining on their land (the Gove peninsula) without approval. However a number of set backs were encountered such as terra nullius not allowing for native title and the Doctrine of Reception which effectively outlined that once a country (in this case Britain) has colonized a territory, that country’s law now automatically applies, overruling any previous laws that were once in place. For the Yolngu people this unfortunately meant that their claim was rejected in 1971 (by Justice Blackburn) as the Australian legal system did not have to abide by Native Yolngu land laws. This caused further cultural divide between the Indigenous customary law and the English legal system. â€Å"Native title is the right of Indigenous people to their traditional land.†(Cambridge Legal Studies, preliminary, pg 98). The English legal system had a very different approach when it came to property rights, Aboriginal Peoples divided land according to the amount of space needed to provide for a large number of people in accordance to how much food there was available in that area, for example clans living near coastal regions  need far less space to find food than a clan living in the outback as food there is few and far between, this is how land was divided. Were in contrast to the English system we see individual property rights Eddie Mabos lifelong battle for social, human and land rights for the Torres Straight People is an admirable one still remembered today as the first successful claim of Native Title and the first overturning of terra nullius. The Doctrine of reception made the challenge of proving traditional ownership even more difficult unlike past cases such as the 1971 Gove land rights case. Murray Island was different Murray Island had distinct borders; it also had a mythical God called Malo (pronounced Mare). Malo is the source of Meriam heritage and culture. Malo can be seen as a form of Common Native Law. Land ownership, responsibilities; religious beliefs and ritual dances were all covered within Malo law providing the groundwork of an affective case against the state of Queensland. Malo has existed for as long as the Island and its Native People and was therefore a valid piece of evidence in both Mabo cases. Eddie Mabo was able to prove that land was passed down from father to son, generation to generation thanks to Malos law and tribal dances. â€Å"Malo, or Bomai, which is his secret and more sacred name, established the laws which decreed that clans must keep to their own paths, ‘swim with their own kind’, sow their lands and conserve the seas. – From Malo – Bomai topic in Mabo – The Native Title Revolution. The affective criterion for achieving justice involves a number of elements each being interdependent of one another and only when used as a whole can are they of any good affect. When assessing the effectiveness of Native Title Law Reform fairness, equality, access and efficiency need to be considered. As fairness has been a large issues of concern for Aboriginal People in the Past, Civil disputes involving Aboriginal land rights certainly begs the questions of who is at fault? When taking legal action for Native Title claims the plaintiff must prove that they owned the land previously and are therefore entitled to claim it. Burden of proof has not been fair in this situation as the Traditional Land was not received lawfully but was taken from underneath them without a leg to stand on. Therefore if this system were to be fair than it should be up to the owners  of the land to prove they came by the land in agreement with Traditional Indigenous Owners. The second issue is equality. Equality is difficult to achieve as the law can lead to injustice if everyone is treated the same. Disadvantaged people may include, Indigenous and Torres Straight Islanders, young, economically disadvantaged and the elderly, the same may be applied to access. And finally efficiency, efficiency means weighing up the cost of achieving a goal for example financial cost, time, and human resources all add up and if the cost outweighs the result than that in some cases can be seen as a negative result. In conclusion steps to repairing past damage and injustice inflicted upon the Aboriginal And Torres Straight Islander People are progressing yet it is still unbelievably difficult for ATSI people to claim any compensation thanks to large disadvantages in all aspects of the law. Resources are costly and access can be difficult for some people in their situation therefore they are still being put second best in the eyes of the law and Justice has not been achieved for the ATSI people meaning that although Native Title Law Reform is a step in the right direction we still have a very long way to go before true equality is reached. Reference list: AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER, 2008 The native title revolution, Australian Government, Canberra, accessed 11 May 2014, . Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Social Justice Reports, 1994-2009 http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/sj_report/ and Native Title Reports, 1994-2009 High Court of Australia – The Wik Peoples v The State of Queensland & Ors; The Thayorre People v The State of Queensland & Ors [1996] HCA 40 (23 December 1996) Mabo – Native Title revolution 2000, Film Australia, Pdf, accessed 11 May 2014, . Social Justice and Human Rights Issues: The Global Perspective, 2010 Charles Sturt University, accessed 11 May 2014, . National Native title Tribunal, 2013 Australian Government, accessed 8 May 2014, . The High Court Recognition of Native Title – The Mabo Judgment and Its Implications, 2012 Treaty Republic, accessed 9 May 2014, .

An exploration of evil and its development within the Macbeth play Essay

‘Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural events’ Macbeth, one of the most ingenious plays ever written that expresses the power of good against evil. It is a gloomy tale of a Scottish general’s murderous ascension to the throne, aided by supernatural prophecies and a scheming wife whose lust for power eclipses his own, and has precious few good things to say about the human race. In this essay I will exemplify the exploration of evil and malevolence and its development within the Macbeth play. In Elizabethan times, there used to be a natural order and a way of life. It was called the Elizabethan World Picture. This is a chain of command starting from the most divine beings at the apex and the most to the earthly at the base of the chain; everyone had a place, and a role to fulfil. All the creatures of the Universe were arranged in their proper order. At the top was the initiator of all and sundry, god. Below him was the divinely appointed King. The importance of the King cannot be over-estimated: on him rest the fate of the state. Below the King, and deriving their power from him in proper feudal order, came Earls, Dukes, fundamentally the top Churchmen and all the rest of the aristocracy, all the way down to the customary common folk and the servants, below the servants were peasants and the beggars at the foundation of the sequence. This was the hierarchical structure of society and when this is broken in the play, so is the natural order of the world and unnatural and evil things become to occur. Shakespeare shows when the rightful place of things is upset, then everything will be upset, until state of affairs is returned to customary. When Macbeth slays King Duncan, then nature went chaotic. Elizabethan order in the 17th century was Monarch ruling by divine right, and the worst possible crime was to commit regicide. Shakespeare tries to show us the great disruption caused by the regicide. Owls kill falcons (where Macbeth is the owl and Duncan is the falcon), dark in daytime and horses eating each other. The natural order is the most important theme in the play. ‘Tis unnatural, eve like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last, a falcon, towering in her pride of place, was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d’ Act II scene IV ‘And Duncan’s horses, -a thing most strange and certain,-†¦Tis said they eat each other. They did so, to the amazements of mine eyes.’ Act II scene IV 1603-1606 coincided with the accession to the English throne of James VI of Scotland who also became James I of England who was a protestant. James I showed a lot of interest in paranormal and supernatural things, he was also affectionate of people who penchant him and said pleasant things about him. James himself wrote a book on witchcraft and had fancied himself an expert, it is also claimed he persecuted witches and had them hung. So Shakespeare wrote the play on honour of James. Shakespeare took this into account and expressed homage to James by constructing it as a supernatural play by supplement witches, apparitions, ghosts and the Kings Evil and Kings Admiration. He also created the hero Banquo as one of James’s ancestors. This very much appealed to James and he enjoyed the play enormously. But what James knew was that his ancestor Banquo did not have entirely sanitary hands, he to performed iniquitous things in his epoch. The faith in the existence and power of witches was extensively believed in Shakespeare’s time, as was demonstrated by the European Witch Craze, were almost nine million women were put to death for being perceived as witches. The belief of the majority of people during the seventeenth century suggests that the witches are influential figures who can implement immense power over Macbeth; the intensity of the calamity is dependant on whether Macbeth is in full control over his deeds or the witches control the naive and inexperienced Macbeth. Witches, ghosts, and disturbances of nature appeals to the fascination of human nature, Shakespeare knew this and with this verity in mind, his intentions were to create the witches, and at the commencement of the play the frame of mind is set with the three witches. The Witches are associated with evil, as Banquo is quick to comprehend, and although their promise to Macbeth appears to foretell the good upcoming, it in reality brings him calamity. Even commencing Act I scene I the witches put their own words into Macbeth’s mouth. ‘Fair is foul and foul is fair’ The witches in Act I Scene I ‘So foul and fair a day I have not seen.’ Were Macbeth’s first words Why are the witches’ words in Macbeth’s mouth? We are supposed to associate him with the witches and evil, this echo introduces the idea of a divination and prompts the question of Macbeths own self control. Is Macbeth in charge of his own destiny or are the witches enticing and alluring him, and taking control of his fate for him? The witches are also very erudite because they opt the perfect time to approach Macbeth when he is full of battle triumph and fresh from killing. They entice him in and he supplicates of them to tell him more, he chooses his individual fate in this particular segment of the play. ‘Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.’ Act I scene III The witches speak Macbeth’s innermost and intimate thoughts. They know exactly what to say to Macbeth and their timing is precise; the evil just seeps through right from the beginning of the play. They tell Macbeth prophecies that manipulate him in which disaster strikes at the end of the play. The witches are referred to as women with beards, entirely sordid and squalid in appearance, and also Shakespeare’s choice of words is amazing as it hangs you in suspense and leaves you wanting more. ‘When shall we three meet again, in thunder, lightning, or in rain?’ Act I scene I ‘When one wins, one must lose’ The witches on a few occasions refer to Macbeth as something depraved and malevolence, and on one juncture as there son. ‘Hath been but for a wayward son, spiteful and wrathful.’ Act III scene V ‘By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked comes.’ Act IV scene I The Witches and the apparitions also give Macbeth a false sense of security, they make him feel secure, make him feel protected and make him feel as if he can always turn to them, but, they betray him and lead him on knowing what will happen to him. They just use him for there own amusement and make him corrupt. ‘As by strength of their illusion, shall draw him on to his confusion†¦ and you all know, security is mortal’s chiefest enemy.’ Act III scene V It’s not only the witches who exemplify the evil in the play; it’s also the supernatural and paranormal things that happen such as the apparition of the dagger. Macbeth begins to hallucinate about a dagger covered in blood in his hand pointing to Duncan’s room. The dagger symbolizes the point of no return for Macbeth. If he chooses the path in which the dagger leads, there will be no turning back for him. ‘Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee: I have thee not and yet I thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Also Macbeth visions Banquo’s ghost in the middle of the great feast and Banquet, he almost has a nervous breakdown. Lady Macbeth attempts to calm him down but to no avail. He sees his ghost as a sign for the future and he goes crazy. Shakespeare somehow makes you feel sympathetic for him. ‘Avaunt! And quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Act III scene IV Also, the witches show Macbeth three apparitions. One of them presages: – ‘Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Act VI scene I The second apparition notifies: – ‘Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of women born shall harm Macbeth.’ Act VI scene I And finally the third apparition warns: – ‘Macbeth shall never be vanquish’d be until Great Birnham wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him’ Act VI scene I In the end, all of these apparitions come to pass and Macbeth was warned about them in advanced. Macbeth did be cautious of Macduff but in the end he did not massacre or kill him, and he did not take into precaution the guarding of Great Birnham Wood. Also, the witches only warned him of things to come; they did not tell him how to transaction with them†¦ At the commencement of the play, Macbeth is regarded as the most honoured men in Scotland. He had just won a victorious battle and was referred to as a dignified and courageous man. ‘For brave Macbeth, he well deserves that name’ Act I scene II At first, Macbeth felt he had no reason to kill King Duncan; he deeply cared and esteemed Duncan and the witches’ prophecies which stated that in the future, he will become king. ‘If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir.’ But as the play grew on, with Lady Macbeth pushing Macbeth and testing his manly hood, Macbeth soon becomes a cerebral, sadistic and merciless king. The witch’s were only partially to blame for Macbeth’s downfall; Macbeth himself did the dirty deeds. Macbeth is not naturally inclined to perform malicious and spiteful deeds, but he deeply desires supremacy and power. Macbeth’s character is physically strong and mentally weak, and it is this weakness that instigates the downfall and change of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth forces him to make the wrong choices, which puts his leadership at steak. She is mostly responsible for the evil doings of Macbeth. This line shows that she considers Macbeth as a ‘wimp’, and a feeble human. ‘Is too full o’ the milk of human kindness’ Macbeth’s manliness is always being tested so he has no choice but to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth transforms Macbeth into a greedy, cold-hearted human being; by saying things such as â€Å"Are you a man?† She undermines his masculinity, to make him feel at fault, and have it her way. ‘When you durst do it, then you were a man’ Act I scene VII ‘Thou esteem’st the ornament of life and live a coward in thine own esteem’ Although not a â€Å"secret, black, and midnight hag†, as an evil female, Lady Macbeth could be contemplated as a witch according to the standards of Shakespeare’s day. She is more heartless than Macbeth, she lures him and the killing of Duncan was mainly because of her desires to be queen. ‘Look like the innocent flower, But be the Serpent under’t.’ Act I scene V Also, the fact that she works with the witches to influence Macbeth suggests that she is at least indirectly allied with them. At the start of the play Lady Macbeth appears as a nice, beautiful and respectful wife but underneath lies a conniving, deceitful woman. Lady Macbeth’s strong power is used to effortlessly persuade her weak husband. Her strength inspires him at the beginning of the play, but after he realizes his actions he persists with his bloody path. Macbeth does say that he does not want to prolong the foolishness but again is persuaded by Lady Macbeth. Macbeth, while he clearly likes the idea, and even shares her desire, falters on holding his promise to her until she threatens his manhood directly, she is so single-minded in her purpose that she can sacrifice all her femininity and all human feelings in her lust for power ‘We will proceed no further in this business†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢At I scene VII Lady Macbeth is blinded by her own ambition and her own pride, she will not see the proper and loyal side to life, and she would even take life from her own infant to persevere with her plans and her promises. ‘I had given suck, and know how tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gum, and dash’d the brains out, had I sworn as you have done this’ Act I scene VII Lady Macbeth is very manly on the inside, she is very cruel and would never relinquish in battle, it is like she would prefer to be a man than a women. ‘Unsex me here’ As the play draws to an end, so does Lady Macbeth. In Act V, we see Lady Macbeth falling apart, a downfall we later learn leads her to suicide. Macbeth, on the erstwhile hand, has forgotten his guilt and is ready to slaughter more innocent people. As Macbeth progresses with his evil acts, Lady Macbeth begins to go through an episode of insane sleepwalking, convinced that her hands are stained with blood that can not be washed off. At her suicide, Macbeth has already thrown away his conscience and executes even more evil acts without even admitting her to his conscience. The doctor says that the disease that she has cannot be cured. ‘The Thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now? What! Will these hands ne’er be clean? No more o’ that, my lord, no more o’ that: you mar all with this starting’ Act V scene I ‘This disease is beyond me practice: yet I have know those which have walked beyond their sleep who have died holily in their beds’ Act V scene I On act II scene II Macbeth says ‘will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine making the green one red’ lady Macbeth then says that this deed can be washed away, she soon suffers from the same fate at the end of the play. ‘A little water clears us of this deed’ Act II scene II But Lady Macbeth does not have the concluding say in the end, and nor do the witches have the ultimate say; it is Macbeth who has the final say. The witches did not tell Macbeth to command murders and kill Macduff’s wife and children. In the commencement of the play Macbeth is a kind, loyal, hero, and at the end he becomes an evil tyrant. To Duncan, Macbeth is the most honourable and successful of his noblemen. Duncan’s gifts of position and land to Macbeth are met with his being murdered in cold blood. The thing that started Macbeth of was the prophecy that Macbeth found rather alluring was that he would be future king. ‘All hail, Macbeth!, that shalt be king hereafter!’ ‘Let not light see my black and deep desires’ Act I scene IV Macbeth gains from this foul act the fair position of kingship, which, of course, is met with tragedy at the play’s end. Shakespeare has taken the structure of Tragedy and imbedded its shadow into almost every part of the play. Along with the central rise and fall, there are many switches and unexpected turns of good and bad convincing the reader by the play’s end that the witches are right indeed. When Macbeth returned after completing his brutal murder his character had changed for the worse he became obsessive over his ambition; becoming future king. Macbeth then decided that he would kill Banquo because he was with him when he getting his prophecies from the witches, and therefore he knew that Macbeth had a reason to kill Duncan. Macbeth hired three murderers to finish Banquo. He does not want to kill Banquo himself because he cannot kill a friend and lose the support of one. ‘But wail his fall who I myself struck down.’ Act III scene I Macbeth changes drastically from the beginning of the play, he becomes much more evil and much more sinister from when the play began. He orders murders to savagely annihilate Macduff’s innocent wife and children, with Macduff only hearing about it from the Ross. ‘But I have words that would be howl’d out in the desert air, when hearing should not catch them.’ Act IV scene III When Macbeth hears about his wife’s death, Macbeth broods on life’s futility. ‘She should have died hereafter; there would have been a time for such a word. To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time; and all of our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death.’ Act V Scene V Even when Macbeth does get confronted by Macduff and his gathered forces, he refuses not to surrender and chooses to fight on and get killed. The honour and bravery that once run bright through Macbeths blood still remains to some extent. ‘They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, but bear- like I must fight the course. What’s he that was not women born? Such a one am I to fear, or none.’ Act V scene VII The language that Shakespeare uses is so powerful and so indulging and at the same times. All of his idioms have meaning and life and some of them are just so magnificent to read, the language used on all the evil that develops is outstanding and is not just put there for any reason. ‘I am in blood yet stepped in so far that I should wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er’ Act III scene IV The weather set in the play is also dark, gloomy and moody. On every occasion the witches are brought into milieu, the weather changes to dark and dreary. Always comes thunder before the lightning, which comes before the witches. And before every apparition, the thunder strikes again. I believe that Shakespeare uses thunder and lightening because they represent the power of the witches and the turbulence of Scotland. ‘In thunder lightning, or in rain’ Act I scene I Darkness, in our society, represents and is an indicative of Evil. For instance, a dark night, a dark place or even a black cat all symbolises horror and evil. Shakespeare knew this and used the witches, Macbeth and the in orderly Scotland as prime examples. Even in appearance the witches are ‘Secret, black, and midnight hags’ because they represent the agents of chaos. Macbeth is an agent of disorder, he murders and he consults witches, because of this he is described using dark imagery. Scotland it self was in shambles when Macbeth ruled, it all represented the evil. Scotland under the rule of Macbeth is described as, â€Å"shrouded in darkness†, by Malcolm.. ‘Sighs, and groans, and shrieks that rent the air’. Scotland All these descriptions of Scotland portray Scotland as a place where the agents of darkness have shrouded the land. In conclusion, there is a big comparison between the beginning and the end of the play. In the beginning, Macbeth was Valiant; Lady Macbeth was pure and sweat-hearted, Scotland was in peace and natural order was rightfully in place. At the end of the play, Macbeth had become a tyrant, Lady Macbeth had died and was cruel and sadistic and Scotland was described as ‘shrouded in darkness.’ In the end, the Evil reigns supreme over the good.

Historical and religious values and attachments to the Holy Lands of Essay

Historical and religious values and attachments to the Holy Lands of Jews, Christians and Arab Muslims - Essay Example The three major and most dominating religions of the world are in rivalry with each other since ages in order to capture and practice complete authority in the Holy Land. This is due to their religious beliefs and the Prophetic evidences existing in the Holy Land. Compare and analyze the historical and religious values and attachments to the â€Å"Holy Lands† of Jews, Christians and Arab Muslims. The Holy Land which was once recognized as ‘Palestine’ has a deep and distinctive association with three major religions of the world including Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Since ages the followers of these religions have maintained rivalry to occupy and practice authority over the Holy sites of Palestine. These religions have numerous similarities such as the concept of Monotheism and dissimilarities or conflicts on the basis of Prophets and their teachings which always have been a reason of dispute among them. Holy Land as the name indicates is the sacred place wher e Muslims, Christians and Jews go for performing religious duties and obligations. The place is blessed to witness the Prophetic events concerning Prophet Solomon, Prophet Jesus and lastly Prophet Muhammad. Presently Holy lands are under the authority of Jews however, historical records reflect that it was once in the influence of Muslims and Christians as well.... Christians Christians are the followers of Prophet Jesus. Since the time of Prophet Jesus till now they are claiming authority over the Holy Land as most of the life of Prophet Jesus was spent there. Christians recognize Palestine as their Prophet’s Land and therefore they have been struggling hard to get the hold of the Holy Land so that they can implement their religious teachings there. Most of the events in the life of Prophet Jesus which took place in the Holy land are mentioned in New Testament which reflects the close association of Christians with Palestine1. Christians believe that Prophet Jesus was crucified in the Holy land therefore they have built an extraordinary monument at the place where it all happened. The special monument is known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Since ages Christians have been traveling to the Holy land for performing several religious practices and rituals2. Christians want to establish their rule over the Holy Land in order to smooth the pathway for pilgrimages and also to take over the place which initially belonged to their Prophet. An exchange of powers is seen among the followers of the three religions when it comes to practice authority over the Holy Land. Presently it is under the control of Jews and previously it was under the influence of British who separated the area into two divisions; one was for Muslims and other was to be built as a Zionist State3. It has been a great time that Christians did not get its possession although they regard it as the most prestigious place for themselves. This has induced a much intense desire among them to get complete control over the matters of the Holy Land. This could

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Waiting for Godot - Assignment Example People who are interested in seeing literary works or who are more philosophical will be seeing this drama on stage. The theatrical presentation shows the characters talking about nothingness and hoping for Godot to come who never comes. They talk just for the sake of talking and end up doing nothing. When the audiences leave the theatre, they may have the feeling of analyzing their own situations with those of Vladimir and Estragon. The alienation and feeling of nothingness that the characters undergo may be transferred to the audience. The new style of theatre dramatizing plays like Waiting for Godot that have very less story in them and a message of nothingness and human pathetic condition. This theatre appeared applicable when people face crises in their lives and can relate their lives to the story played on the stage. The theatre is much more informative about human condition. The tramps shown in the play who have nothing to do and who think about committing suicide are depictive of the human condition in today’s time of crises when people are trapped by the feeling of nothingness and they face conditions of solitude and seclusion. The tramps have no idea of time and space. Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot was enough influential as people have not rejected the play as delivering some absurd story or valueless content, but they valued it as spectators and see themselves and their lives attached to the play. The second clip shows a somewhat converted version of Waiting for Godot and the story is named as Waiting for Elmo. This is a comic piece in which, two cartoon characters are waiting for Elmo and ponder over the notion that if Elmo never comes and they keep on waiting. In it, the tree starts leaving and is talking as it sees the two people waiting endlessly for Elmo who is not ready to

Preliminary investigation report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Preliminary investigation report - Essay Example The company's target markets include local clients as well clients from foreign countries. The company's mission is to be able to offer innovative, web-based software products for land and water resource managers requiring efficient information access for operational, tactical and strategic planning. In more specific terms, the company's long-term objectives include t he following points. Within 5 years, the company's hope to earn $10 million in gross revenues, have an annual profit of 30% after tax, increase forest industry market share by 15% annually in BC and Western US, penetrate one new vertical market per year, be able to maintain the growth rate of in the vertical market by adding one project or client on an annual basis, and break into the international market by snagging a minimum of international projects per year in Asia. Several concerns and opportunities were mentioned. The first is to establish the company as a household name when it comes to land management software. The company also hopes to establish itself as a big brand name in providing consultancy services, training, and customization in the said field. In order to establish itself as a market leader in the local scen... In order to establish itself as a market leader in the local scene, one should have a lot of customers. To rake in more sales, the company should be visible to potential clients locally as well as abroad. With this end in mind, the company is keen on putting up their own website. This will serve not only as a information center to current and potential clients but will bring in more sales what with the ease of availing products online and within the comforts of one's home. The company, being global in scale has recently felt that the market is too large to maintain strong relationships with all potential buyers. The company has been used to utilizing direct mail to attract new clients. However, this method does not ensure that the brochures and advertisement material are reaching the decision makers of the target companies. The current advertisement setup uses mail-outs to special groups which have been selected based on predefined criteria. These are sent out every 2-3 months. Instead of doing this, focus on the key persons for such companies, send them emails and find out how they will be able to use the software, and if possible, set up presentation meetings over lunch or dinner. This way, with a clear void to fill, the goal is more focused and a strategy to present the product in the best way possible to the potential customer can be formulated. Also, contingency plans can be setup in case the client rejects the first approach. Moreover, if the correspondences would prove that the prospect is a dead end, it should send the signal that it's time to move on to other prospects, thus saving time. To determine the contents for a website, the researcher should be familiar with the operations of the company. Before the interview sessions, the

Discuss critically the role of secured creditors in business Essay

Discuss critically the role of secured creditors in business insolvency - Essay Example The security grant provided to the creditors is entirely dependent upon the whether the debtor is able to conform to the loan covenants. In case, the debtor is not in default, the creditor does not have control on the security3. However, if the debtor is in default, the creditor has complete control on the collateral, subject to any limitations imposed by insolvency law. Additionally, the secured creditor gets priority at time of settlement from the sale of security compared to other creditors. If one sees it with a creditor’s point of view, the provision of collateral reduces the default risk of creditor and in return, the debtor expects some valuable terms of loan, which create flexibility for debtor in repayment. One of the valuable terms is less interest payment on secured credit than an unsecured credit4. The priority given to secured creditors in repayment create a less advantageous situation for unsecured creditors, which does not allow them to agree on flexible terms i n loan. This often leads to consensus on a higher interest rate in case of unsecured loan. If all these terms are seen with the eyes of a debtor, both secured and unsecured creditors try to reduce their risk by agreeing on particular terms of loan. In one case, there is a grant of security with a reduced interest on loan; in another, there is a higher rate of interest on compensating for no security and less priority. There has always been debate over this matter in the literature and it suggests the debtor not bother much while choosing between the two. History US federal bankruptcy law offers two choices for formal bankruptcy, which are Chapter 7 or Chapter 115. Chapter 7 involves the transfer of control of the firm to a creditor-appointed trustee. In Chapter 11, the debtor’s management usually remains in control of firm during the proceedings. Earlier, debtors had more control in the proceedings of insolvency, which the creditors noticed and did not prefer6. This later led creditors to come up with more strict contracts regarding provision of finance in Chapter 11, which shifted a significant control to the creditors from debtors. Despite this control, chapter 11 is weaker when compared to Recent UK Bankruptcy situations enjoyed by secured creditors. English insolvency law did not factually enforce a stay on the implementation of secured claims. This allowed a secured creditor having an all-encompassing security interest, commonly known in UK as a ‘floating charge’—to impose against the entireness of the debtor firm’s assets. In effect, the floating charge holder (FCH) led to a private liquidation, known as an ‘administrative receivership’ (or ‘receivership’ for short)7. When a company is financially distraught, a secured creditor or court takes the company into receivership. A company is in receivership when a secured creditor or a court appoints a receiver who can control all the assets of the co mpany. The appointment of receiver comes under the security of fixed charge such as land, plan, machinery, equipment etc. It also comes under the security of floating charge such as cash and stock. The receiver can also have right to manage the company matters subject to terms of

What were the chief charactistics of the Renaissance Consider Essay

What were the chief charactistics of the Renaissance Consider artistic, intellectual and civic innovations - Essay Example Art styles such as naturalism was developed by the Greeks which involved painting the human body in the nude. Oil paint was invented. Other artists such as Donatello worked using marble and bronze. Ceramic clay was also used. Artists such as Raphael, Michelangelo, and da Vinci emerged in the late 1400’s and early 1500’s. One of the famous paintings of the time was the Mona Lisa. Northern Renaissance painters such as Jan Van Eyck also emerged. Eyck invented the oil glazing technique. This technique replaced the egg-tempera which was used earlier. Innovations were also made in the field of science. Nicolas Copernicus made an attempt to prove that the sun was at the center of the solar system and not the earth. It was this theory by Copernicus that led to other discoveries such as those of Galileo, Kepler and Newton. This was the most important discovery made during the Renaissance. Humanism can be defined as the general idea that man is uniquely different from other types of beings and as such can develop his own culture. It involved the urge to know more about the heritages of Rome and Greece. People were of the belief that a lot could be learnt from the past. One of the most renowned humanists was Niccolo Machiavelli who brought about new ideas of conducting politics. Humanism advocated for a change in how things were done. It encouraged a shift from a contemplative way of life to an active life. In general, the renaissance period brought about a new age and a new way of conducting activities. It was the birth of a new school of thought and a new breed of artists, philosophers and scientists. It brought about the momentum that spurred further

Organisation for Facilitating Globalization - IMF and World Bank Essay Example for Free

Organisation for Facilitating Globalization IMF and World Bank Essay The fund is an autonomous organization affiliated to United Nations Organisation. Starting from the initial membership of 31 countries at the time of inception, the Fund has a membership of 186 countries. It is financed by various participating countries with each country’s contribution fixed in terms of quotas according to the relative importance of the national income prevalent in the country and international trade. The total financial resources of the fund is equal to the quotas of all the countries combined together. The contributed quota of a country determines its borrowing rights and voting strength. The following are the functions of International Monetary Fund: 1.Monitoring economic and financial developments of its members; 2.Providing machinery for international consultations; 3.Providing machinery for altering sometimes the par value of currency of a member country; 4.Functioning as a short term credit institution; 5.Lending institution in terms of foreign exchange; 6.Providing machinery for the orderly adjustment of exchange rates and 7.Functioning as a reservoir of the currencies of all the member nations who can borrow the currency of other nations. 8.Granting loans for financing current transactions other than capital transactions; World Bank: The International Bank of Reconstruction and Devlopment popularly known as the World Bank was formed as a part of the deliberations at Brettonwoods during 1945. It was floated in order to give loan to member countries initially for the reconstruction of their war ravaged economies and later for the development of the economies of the poorer member countries. The World Bank provides its member countries long term investment loan on reasonable terms. World Bank has granted many loans for financing specific projects. During the recent years, it has also been engaged in giving structural adjustment loans to the heavily indebted countries. The World Bank is an inter governmental institution, corporate in form whose capital stock is entirely owned by its member governments. The World Bank group consists of the following: †¢World Bank; †¢International Development Association; †¢Inernational Finance Corporation; †¢Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency †¢International centre for settlement of Investment disputes. Reference: http://classof1.com/homework-help/international-economics-homework-help View as multi-pages

Assessing Service Quality At A 5 Star Hotel

Assessing Service Quality At A 5 Star Hotel 1.1 Introduction Tourism has become one of the great pillars in the Mauritian economy since some years. Today Mauritius is very popular in the Indian ocean and has emerged as a major tourist destination. According to statistical research done, we can say that Mauritius is facing a continual increase in the inflow of visitors during the recent years. Consequently, the hospitality industry faced a rapid growth to accommodate demands, causing a great increase in the number of hotels. The total passenger arrivals during the period January to September 2010 numbered 879,833 representing an increase of 7.3% over the figure of 819,741 for the corresponding period of 2009. Tourist arrivals for the first nine months of 2010 attained 646,656. This represents an increase of 6.2% over the figure of 608,885 registered in the corresponding period of 2009. However, one of the greatest challenges facing hotel organisations today is the ever-growing volume and high level of competition. (Kamdampully et al ,2000). In the highly competitive hotel industry, service becomes one of the most important elements for gaining a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Improving quality gaps has become a critical issue for the hotel industry in Mauritius as it represents an important source of competitive advantage. In consequence, hotels need to ensure customer satisfaction through the provision of high quality service to their guests for achieving their financial objectives. Increased employee performance is a viable way for hotels to remain competitive. On the other hand, given that delivering service quality and satisfying customers has become the life hood of service providers. Per se, service quality and customer satisfaction need to be investigated to know where the hotel stands and to develop proper methods leading to excellence. The impression that tourists will have of the organisation as a whole will depend on their interaction with the front line employees which means that the latter have a role to play in service quality. However, service quality control is of great importance for customer retention. Customer loyalty is a key determinant for the long term financial performance of organisations (Jones sasser, 1995) . Reichheld and sasser (1990) found that if a firm increases its customer retention rate by 5%, then its total lifetime profits from a typical customer will rise by 25-125%. 1.2 Problem statement The tourism and hospitality industry in our island is developing more rapidly than other industries. Based on data available on tourist arrivals and information gathered from stakeholders, tourist arrivals for the year 2010 has been revised upwards to 920,000. This represents an increase of 5.6% over the figure of 871,356 in 2009. Service quality occupies a significant role in the hotel industry as there is a need to provide service properly. Efficiency cannot be achieved without good proper service quality standards. Assurance of service quality is of great importance in various hotels. So, it is important to alleviate all the downfalls of service quality in this sector to ensure satisfaction of customers . This study is mainly carried out because in Mauritius, the main problem that the hospitality industry is facing nowadays is that demand for high quality service is increasing considerably due to competition. As our country is focussing more on tourism for a better economy, it is vital to see whether the expected class of services are provided to the tourists at the hotels. This shall allow Mauritius to respond to the challenges of the incoming competitive global business environment. By providing high quality service, hotels can enjoy long term profitability. Adapting it to concerned hotel, it is important to know if the employees and the management of the hotel are providing high quality service to the guests to ensure customer satisfaction. 1.3 Objectives of the study The aim of the study is to assess the level of service quality provided by the Hotel. This study will help to know the needs and expectations of the customers of the hotel. The study will also identify the hotel`s current situation and this will help the management of the hotel to develop future strategies to improve services . The study will focus on these objectives : To assess customers` perceptions and expectations of the level of service provided by the Hotel using a modified servqual model. To identify aspects of service that reveal weak and strong areas ( Gaps ) of service quality. To evaluate the level of customer satisfaction at the hotel. To identify appropriate techniques, strategies or action plans to enhance the service at the hotel. 1.4 Profile of organisation Location This 5 star hotel is one of the worlds great resorts -the height of cool, modern elegance, imbued with the warmth of tropical Mauritius, truly one of the Leading Hotels of the World. It lies on a beautiful stretch of sandy coast, looking out over tranquil Trou dEau Douce Bay. Out in the lagoon, are two beautiful islands, including Ile aux Cerfs with its spectacular 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Bernhard Langer. This is 5-star luxury at its best, the perfect holiday setting for couples and families, with a fabulous range of facilities, including an extensive range of water sports and land-based activities, 5 restaurants, a renowned Givenchy spa and personal butler service. The Resort also features three spectacular waterfront Villas, which have redefined the benchmark for luxury in Mauritius. Opened in May 2005, the hotel offer ultra-exclusive and spacious accommodation, using the latest technology to meet the high expectations of the most discerning guests. The hotel comprises of 300 rooms including villas, standard rooms, junior suites, and royal suite. There are 2 Bars known and also 3 Restaurants 1.5 Outline of study The study on assessing service Quality comprises five chapters . Chapter 1 relates to the introduction on service quality in this new century. Then the problem statement is explained followed by the aims and objectives of the study and lastly the hotel profile is shown. Chapter 2 consists of the literature review on service quality and discusses all its related key theories. This chapter has the main objective of broadening knowledge on service quality and customer satisfaction. The second part of the literature review sets out to develop and understanding of the distinctiveness application of service quality and customer satisfaction concepts to the tourism and hospitality industry. Chapter 3 explains the methodology used throughout the study , the methods used for data collection, the sample size , the sample techniques , the data analysis , and the limitations of the study. Chapter 4 presents the actual data findings accompanied by the necessary analysis. Chapter 5 consists of the conclusion and recommendations pertaining to the study. Chapter 2 The literature review The chapter sets out to clarify various concepts around which the thesis would be based. This part is normally divided into three sections whereby the first part gives an insight into the world of services. Then secondly the concept of service quality and its determinants are dealt with on a general point of view. And finally the last section offers a review of customer satisfaction and some elements of services attached to it. Within the chapter, much emphasis has been focussed on the work of Parasuraman , Zeithaml and Berry (1988) who devoted particular attention to the field of service quality. Services Since a couple of years services are growing in importance in the world economy and this is majorly due to the advent in technology. Services are diverse and omnipresent in most industries. They are economic activities that create value and provide benefit for customers at specific times and places as a result of bringing about a desired change in the recipient of the service (Lovelock, 2003). Services can also be viewed as including all economic activities whose output is not physical product or construction , is generally consumed at the time it is produced, and provides added value in forms (such as convenience , amusement , timeliness, comfort or health) that are essentially intangible concerns of its first purchaser ( zeithaml and bitner,2003) Although the process of services may be tied up to physical products, their performances are essentially intangible and do not result in ownership of any kind. This can be identified in all the definitions .In simple terms services can be described as deeds, processes and performances. Characteristics of services Intangibility Services cannot be seen, tasted, felt, heard or smelled before they are bought, as they are rather performances than objects. Customers usually derive value from service without obtaining ownership of any tangible elements in most cases (lovelock 2003) . For example, a tourist cannot know how his holidays would be like, at a particular destination until he/she experiences it. Inseparability Production and consumption of services are done simultaneously, after that they had already been sold before hand. Services cannot be separated from their providers, whether they are people or machines ( Kotler and Armstrong,2001). Customers usually need to assist the production process or even participate in it. This often reveals to be an essential ingredient in the service experienced by the customer. Heterogeneity Services are subject to degrees of variability as they are performances that are frequently produced by humans ( Zeithaml and Bitner,2003). Performances vary from producer to producer, from the customer and from day to day. This is due to our uniqueness; productions of services are delivered differently and experiences, lived in unique ways. Perishability Services are highly perishable items since they cannot be stored for later use or sale. It has a shorterm supply elasticity. Services cannot be stored and carried forward to a future time period (Rathwell,1966,Donnelly,1976 ; and Zeithaml et al..1985).For example, if a tourist reserved for a stay in a hotel during peak seasons ,he may not be re imburse if he does not show up. Customer Expectations Customer expectations are beliefs about service delivery that works as standards or reference points against which performance is judged . It provides understanding of how the customer defines quality of service and facilitates the development of customer satisfaction questionnaires ( Pizam and Ellis,1999). Consumer expectations , therefore , serve as the cornerstone or foundation on which service quality is measured ( Clow et al ..,1997) and represent a critical step in delivering quality service. In simpler terms, Expectations is defined as a person`s thought of the future service that he/she will consume. These are expectations have arised by the person`s personal experience, on the internet, by friends and colleagues through word of mouth etc. Customer perceptions As diverse individuals, we all tend to see the world in our own specific ways. Customers act and react on the basis of their perceptions rather than on the objective reality, meaning that each customer experience services differently. Thus ,it is important for organisations to know how consumers perceive their services so as to take necessary dispositions to enhance quality. Perception is defined as the process by which an individual selects ,organizes and interprets stimuli into meaningful and coherent picture of the world ( Schiffman and kanuk,2002) . Each consumer`s interpretation process is based on this own needs, values and expectations : as such , a cognitive judgement. Customer perceptions are the evaluation of particular services by actually experiencing them. They are always considered relative to expectations . Oliver ( cited in Williams and buswell,2003) defined customer perceptions as `a comparison to excellence in service by the customer `. However , the notion of excellence is difficult to be known and whether this standard can be used to judge a particular service is questionable. Finally, customer perceptions should not only be viewed as being made at the end of and experience ( zeithaml and al..,1990) . It is believed that there is an endless potential for judgements to be made all through out the service delivery process. Perception creation starts whrn the customer first enters the service provider`s premise and continues during the service delivery process till it ends . Thus , it may be assumed that an overall perception is built after a particular experience. Service Quality Service quality is a central issue in this ever growing service economy. It is considered a critical determinant of competitiveness, as it is a source of differentiation for various firms . For instance, and appropriate service quality definition is an essential starting point. Through time , numerous quality concepts have been developed ,starting by shewhart ( cited in Williams and Buswells, 2003 ) with conformance to requirements. Then , Deming (1986) defined quality as the predictable degree of uniformity and dependability at low cost while juran proposed fitness for purpose ( Juran and godfrey,1999). Afterwards, Feigenbaum ( 1991) came with the total quality control throughout the organisation. Crosby ( 1979) equated quality to conformance to requirements until Peters ( 1987) offered the concept of customers perception excellence , which revealed be be fundamental in assessing quality. It is difficult to define service quality due to the various caracteristics of services ( such as tangibility ,perishability ) and to the changing needs and expectations of both providers and users. Quality practitioners view quality from various approaches but most of them prefer the user-based approach to quality. Kotler and Armstrong (2001) define quality as the ability to satisfy stated if implied needs with totality of features and characteristics of a service. In broad terms, quality focuses on the benefits created for customers` side of the equation (lovelock,2003). It is all about how customers, both internal and external , evaluate an organisation`s services. Service quality is modelled as the consumer comparing service attribute ( perceptions) to standards of excellence/ ideals for those attributes ( expectations) (oliver,1993;Parasuraman e al.. 1988). According to Deming ( cited in Van Der Wagen) , 1997) quality does not necessarily mean high quality. It means a predictable degree of uniformity and dependability, with a quality standard suited to the market . he also stated that as a concept , it is closely related to value for money. Whereas for Edvadsson ( 1998) , quality means satisfying needs and meeting expectations ; not only those of customers but also those of employees and owners. High quality service is considered as a critical determinant of long term profitability as service quality affects the repurchase intentions of both existing and potential customers ( Ghobadian e al..,1994 ) . Hence , it can be stated the concept is an effective means to ensure survival or even obtain a competitive position in today`s dynamic environment. However , the only appropriate means is to thrive for continuous improvement. Measuring service quality : As service quality is becoming a major part of business practice , it is important to be able to measure and research its effectiveness ( Mei et al..,1999) . For instance , different management practitioners and writers proposed various models to assess service quality. The figure 2.1 shows the gaps model of service quality Source : Zeithaml , V.A , Parasuraman, A.,Berry, L.L ( 1990) ,Delivering Quality Service : Balancing Customer perceptions and Expectations. Gap 1 : Customers expectation = Management Perceptions : as a result of inadequate marketing research orientation, lack of upward communication, insufficient relationship focus with both customer and stakeholders or even inadequate service recovery. Gap 2 : Service quality Specifications Management Perceptions: as a result of the absence of wholehearted management commitment to service quality , Poor service design, absence of customer defined service standards or even inappropriate goal setting. Gap 3 : Service Quality specifications Service Delivery : owing to poorly qualified employees , inadequate internal support systems , insufficient capacity to serve , customers not filling their roles or problems with service intermediaries among others. Gap 4 : Service Delivery External communications : due to inadequate horizontal communication and propensity to over promise. Gap 5 : Customer Expectations customer Perceptions : as a result of influences exerted from customers` side and because of the previous four gaps ( providers` gaps) Consequently, a process model ( Zeithaml et al..,1990) was developed to assess these gaps and take corrective actions. Servqual Model . SERVQUAL ( Parasuraman et al.,1990) had its roots from a strongly user oriented research done through numerous qualitative studies ( mainly focus groups). Parasuraman et al..,(1988) originally evolved a set of ten dimensions ,which was consolidated into five broad criteria after further in -depth research to evaluate service quality SERVQUAL is viewed as the mostly used ,valid and generally accepted measurement tool ( brown and bond,1995). It assesses customers` expectations and perceptions of quality through five generic dimensions described below : Reliability : ability to perform and deliver promised service dependablyand accurately. Responsiveness : Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Assurance : Employee`s knowledge , courtesy and ability to inspire trust and confidence ; serving with a smile and be courteous in their approach. Empathy : Caring and individualized attention the firm provides its customers . Ability to make him feel unique and to cater to any of his requirements. Tangibles : Appearances of physical facilities , equipments,personnel and communication materials used to enhance image of the organisation and to signal quality. SERVQUAL questionnaire contains 2 sections : an expectations section consisting of 22 statements and a perceptions section consisting of a matching set of company-specific statements ( Zeithaml et al.,1990). Expectations are measured to serve as standards against which perceptions are compared to determine service quality gap. The instrument is applicable across a broad spectrum of services but it can be adapted or supplemented to fit the characteristics or specific research needs of an organisation. the model has been criticized by a number of academics (Carman 1990; Babakus and Boller 1992; Teas 1994). Criticism was directed at the conceptual and operational base of the model, mostly its validity, reliability, operationalization of expectations, and dimensional structure. However, there is general agreement that servqual items are reliable predictors of overall service quality (Khan 2003) SERVPERF MODEL SERVPERF is quite a different approach from SERVQUAL in the sense that it tries to eliminate the expectations /perceptions problems ( Cronin and taylor, 1994 ) . It considers customer satisfaction, rather than service quality , as the sole construct determining purchase intentions . It is a performance-based model that considers service quality to be same as performance and Robledo (2001) confirmed that it is more appropriate for satisfaction measurement of Business` process by customers ( Baggs and Kleiner,1996) Importance -Performance Analysis ( IPA) IPA is a technique used to identify attributes that are considered as important factors to customers. It measures their relative importance associated with a service/product and also indicates the degree of performance ,i.e level of satisfaction (Martilla and james ,1977). As SERVQUAL,IPA support the view that quality is a function of customer perceptions of performance. SERVPEX MODEL Another model is the SERVPEX (Robledo ,2001), developed for airline services , which possess 26 attributes and a three -factor structure (tangibles, reliability and customer care). It is a basic tool for investigating perceived service quality and expectations. Quality Audit Quality audit is also an instrument assessing quality . It is often carried out as part of quality standard certification processes (e.g ISO 9000) and in TQM programs ( Rajendra and Devadasan,2005). Various researches developed quality audit tools and techniques for specific fields ; chapman et al.,2002 ( cited in Rajendra et al., 2005), to enhance quality in libraries , while, Takeuchi et all,1983 ( cited in Chua Chow et al.,2005), to improve customer service. Critical Incident Technique ( CIT) A critical incident is an observable action or form of expression, which is complete enough in itself to allow inferences to be drawn ( Davis , 2006). CIT is a very useful technique in solving real workplace problems and Edvardsson and Roos (2001) confirmed its limitless capacities in dealing with these types of problems . For instance ,CIT provides a generic road map to identify and resolve organisational problems ,particularly customer- centered ones ( Davies,2006 ) . It is like analysing the interactions of customers with providers during a service delivery . As such , it can be applied to the total customer experience ( Williams and Buswell,2003). Unfortunately, CIT has had very little exposure in the practical sphere. Direct Investigation Approach (DIA) DIA is basically a qualitative technique , which is also known as mystery shopping . It involves disguising an inspector as a customer and allowing him to actually experience the service level of an organisation under evaluation ( Baggs and kleiner, 1996). It provides an objective snapshot of the service experience through the detailed report of encounters and observation that the inspector would submit. QUALITOMETRO QUALITROMETRO is a method on the service quality dimensions ,proposed by parasuraman et al.,1988, conceived for evaluation and ON-LINE service quality control(Francheschini and Rossetto, 1995b). It allows for the possibility of a separate measurement of expected (observed as ex-ante) and perceived (observed as ex-post) quality without the potential for cross-influence on the same questionnaire . But QUALITROMETRO is still under advanced experimentation ( Francheschinie et al.,1998). Managing service quality One road to success in this dynamic world of changing customer expectations is good management practices to maintain excellent quality levels. The pioneer in this field was an American ,W. Edwards Deming who developed quality management strategies for the Japanese. Quality strategies for the Japanese . Quality management came from two ideas about how to run organisations better ; the first is about customers and the second about efficiency . Service quality management is a philosophy of continuous evaluation and improvement ( Van Der Wagen,1997) . It encloses a blend of practices such as quality control , quality measurement and service management Research done by Stephan and Yvonne Lagrosen (2003) on quality management revealed that the following core values were necessary to dash off on a quality journey. 1.Customer orientation . satisfaction of the needs and wants of customers is the ultimate goal ,being considered as the basis for quality management. Both internal and external customers are included . It is of most relevance for services as customer participation is often required in production is often required on production and also due to the high interaction level. 2. leadership commitment . an active and visible commitment from management is required . Managers need to act as role models for quality ; focus need to be more on the processes rather than the outcomes. 3. Participation of everybody . Development of quality requires the participation of each organizational member. Employees should be empowered and for services , this is particularly important for the front staffs, who perform their duties in direct interaction with customers. 4. Continuous improvements . It is important to have a sustainable development of quality and to adopt a learning culture in today`s dynamic environment. Companies should constantly renew and improve all their services processes . Focus should not be only on short-term benefits but also on long term ones. 5. Management by facts. Effective management information systems must be developed ; decisions should be based on reliable and well-documented facts. A selection of indicators related to quality and satisfaction should be used. 6. Process orientation . Firms should have processes designed to enhance customer satisfaction . The way services are produced and delivered are essential to achieve service quality. Service blueprinting is a valuable and adequate tool in this context. Total Quality Management ( TQM ) TQM is one of the most common frameworks for managing quality. It can be regarded as the highest level of quality management ( Dale, 1999) . Development of this concept is largely attributed to Japanese manufacturing companies and to quality experts including W.Edward Deming , Joseph M. Juran and Philip Crosby ( cited in Peters, 1999 and Hutchins,1992 ) .TQM is principally designed to reduce an organisation`s defects , to determine its customers` requirements, and to satisfy these requirements ( Morrison,2001) . Five principles of TQM : Commitment to quality. Quality is the top priority of any firm instituting a TQM program . Management must take the responsibility to participate and direct the TQM process to ensure its success. Focus on customer satisfaction . TQM organisations recognise that customer care about quality and make the necessary efforts to find out their expected service quality levels. Upon determination of these standards, every effort is made to meet or exceed those expectations. Assessment of organisational culture. The consistency of the existing organisational culture must be assessed with the TQM principles . A team of top executives and employees usually does this practice over a period of several months. Empowerment of Employees and teams . The success of a TQM program is greatly due to the empowerment of employees that allows them to better satisfy each individual customer. Measurement of Quality Efforts. TQM firms must be able to measure the outcomes of their quality improvement efforts . Various service quality indicators ( such as customer satisfaction and employee performance measurements) should be utilized. HOLSERV Mei et al.., (1999) brought about some amendements to SERVQUAL and developed HOLSERV to fit the Australian hospitality industry . Three items were deleted and eight others were either modified or added to the initial measurement tool, transforming it to 27 items , divided into three dimensions ( employees, tangibles and reliability ) as a final scale. It is also more user friendly and reliable but the technique needs to be supplemented with qualitative research. JUWAHEER`S ADAPTED SERVQUAL Juwaheer ( 2004) modified the servqual to explore the international tourists` perception of hotel operations in Mauritius . 39 attributes were developed through nine hotel factors , which were identified as service quality and customer satisfaction determinants. Q-Sort technique Q-sort method ( Ekinci and Riley , 1999) serves the purpose of improving surveys . It addresses problems like where is no consensus on the meaning of a particular concept ( e.g service quality). Q-Sort technique can assess the validity of quality dimensions before they are used in measurement tools but its results must be subject to factors analysis to ensure reliability. It must further be noted that it is only a preliminary approach in scale development. Service Quality in tourism When we talk about tourism, we must also talk about quality issues to provide a quality tourism product. Among the service industries tourism is especially significant in terms of its sensitivity to quality issues and in fact, service quality is one of the goal tourism policy issues in the light of the rapid growth of the industry. Valid approaches regarding service quality for the tourism industry is the customer oriented and the value-oriented approach of Garvin`s five definition of quality (Williams et al..,2003) since the specific issue of quality in tourism has not yet been address by management academics and no specific definitions have been attributed to the industry. The customer-oriented approach views customers as central to the organisation and to all aspects of the operational procedures. This explains the necessity of constantly gathering information on guests` expectations (which Diaz-martin et al., 2000, considers as a segmentation variable in tourism), perceptions and complaints concerning services. Services are delivered according to the needs and wants of customers so as to enhance their holiday experience. Moreover, the customer must derive value from the tourism product ; the quality in tourism must be both in terms of the physical product ( hotel design, room,restaurant, menu items , etc ) and the service being offered. According to Horst Schulze, president and chief executive of the ritz carlton hotel company, ( service can only be accomplished by people. The hotel can be breathe-takingly beautiful adn the food memorable, but a poor employee can quickly sour the experience). The service element is crucial in enhancing the quality of the experience of the tourist , who will always be conscious of, and even assessing , the attitude , skills and competencies of the host delivering a particular service. Gronroos (1984) , regarded service quality from 2 point of view : technical adn functional quality. The technical quality is the actual outcome of the service while the functional quality is all about the process that has been undergone to deliver the outcome. Both are considered equally important owing to their impact on customers and can surely be applied in the tourism context. The world Tourism Organization (WTO, 2003b) has defined quality in tourism as : the result of a process which implies the satisfaction of all legitimate product and service needs, requirements and expectations of the customer , at an acceptable price , in conformity with the underlying quality determinants such as safety and security, hygiene , accessibility , transparency , authenticity and harmony of the tourism activity concerned with its human and natural environment. In the above definition we can clearly find that elements of both the customer-oriented and value oriented approach has been considered together with attributes which are directly connected with the tourism concept. Tourism quality is taken from a holistic perspective in this definition. One universal truth about the tourism industry, it is that nothing

The Patriot Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Patriot was a very accurate movie. It has gone to great lengths to have the most accurate information and to tell the real story, but still make it interesting. The movie itself contains tents, ammunition boxes, medical kits, campaign furniture, uniforms, weapons, battle formation and more that were made completely flawless with help from museums and the Smithsonian Institute (Revolutionary War experts). Also too some amazement, the movie has very accurate weather details. One of the main things that isn’t accurate but was put in the movie to show significance, was the old flag that was ripped but Gabriel sowed it back together and at the end of the movie Benjamin Martin leads the militia with it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Theme is about freedom, but it is a different freedom then you are thinking of. It’s the freedom for Benjamin Martin trying to live his life in peace and not be bothered by war. Benjamin Martin is a well known war hero from the French Indian war. After that war all he wants to do is be peaceful and live a happy life with his family. He is shortly dragged into the war because the English army comes to his farm and kills his son, so he gets his revenge and returns into another mental state of mind. Martin wants his life back the way it was with his family on his farm and being peaceful, so for this he forms a militia and fights for his freedom against the English army.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  &...

Democrats and Republicans View Points Essays -- Politics

Since the beginning of their inception the Republican and Democrats have had a great divide on their perceptions of what is best for this great nation of ours. Republicans and democrats are distinct in several ways above all in their ideas, politics and world views. Republicans seem to be known as conventional or cautious and they seem to embrace economic equity beyond any other thing. Whereas a Democrat seems to be more open minded and they stand for government supported programs. The purpose of the paper is to analyze, compare and contrast the two parties positions on the issues of same sex marriage, race based affirmative action and illegal immigration. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia â€Å"Affirmative action" means constructive periods reserved to rise the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded. Fletcher (1996) stated â€Å"Affirmative Action was spiraling unpleasant as Republicans in Congress and state legislatures across the country criticized the issue†. America gives the impression to be held up with fair-mindedness as equality which increases questions in the minds of many who are not acquainted with the unique purpose of Affirmative Action. This will always be an ongoing problem throughout history but has come a long ways from the early nineteen hundreds. Racial discrimination is noticed more in schools and in the workplace. Springer (2003) reported that the New York Times surveyed a few thousand respondents and found that eighty percent of black respondents believed in affirmative action. Republicans are said to have old-fashioned american main beliefs. They trust that people who are skilled for a profession should g... ... 4 (Dec , 2003), pp. 289-311 Published by: Springer Articles Stable URL: http:// www.jstor.org/stable/3657306 Margaret E. Dorsey and Miquel Diaz- Barriga Senator Barack Obama Immigration Reform – Journals of Black Studies, Volume 38, NO. 1, The Barack Obama Phenomenon (Sep., 2007). Pp. 90-104 Published by: Sage Publications, INC.Articles Stable URL: http:// www. Jstor. Org/stable/40034404 Stoyan Zaimov Same Sex Marriage stirring Battle for the Heart and Soul of the GOP, Observers Say The Christian Post (Jan. 2012) Michael A. Fletcher Washington Post Staff Writer (Sept 18, 1996) pg. A12 http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/10/democrats-push-to-repeal-defense-marriage-act/ http://prospect.org/article/democrats-gay-marriage-problem-0 http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/Values.htm http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/affirmative-action/ (Apr 1, 2009)

Chronicle of a death foretold :: English Literature:

Chronicle of a death foretold Chronicle of a death foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a fictitious novel. It was originally written in Spanish but was later translated to English. The story began on the morning of Santiago Nasar’s murder. We are being told the story in first person view by an unnamed narrator who has witness the events that occurred. I think there is a surreal and repetitive tone; I get the feeling that the narrator is investigating the murder because we are told the story years later from an omniscient point of view and all the characters’ thoughts are shared. There were two main themes that I noticed. The main theme was how unpowerful the women are in the story. This is shown when Marquez writes "The brothers were brought up to be men. The girls were brought up to be married.† This excerpt shows the severity of the lives women lead in the reserved Colombian culture of the town. A woman's worthiness as a wife was measured by her beauty in conjunction with her ability to gracefully run all aspects of a household. The idea that the woman in a marriage is expected to suffer is significant-no woman enters marriage expecting to be happiness unless she is fortunate enough to love whichever man decides to court her. In this Spanish culture, unlike Western culture, marriage is not based on love. There is also the importance of cultural traditions like honor. The twin brothers murder Santiago Nasar because he took their sister’s virginity away. Also, I became aware the there in an emphasis on the dream that Santiago had, with the trees and the weather on the day he was murdered. Some recalled that it rained and some said that it was sunny. One technique used in the story as a motif as magic realism. This is the incorporation of fantastic or mythical into realistic fiction. I noticed that Marquez keeps on repeating the murder before it occurred, this helped to build suspense. From the second chapter I understood that the narrator implies that Santiago is innocent for the crime he dies for. But if he is innocent, then who took Angela Vicario’s virginity? The brutality of the social conventions surrounding women becomes clear in this chapter. Because she was not a virgin when she married, not only is Angela abandoned by her husband, but she is beaten by her mother. The double standards of her culture are highlighted by the fact that the narrator, Santiago and some other friends are all at a whorehouse doing whatever they please. This novel reminded me of the difficulty of understanding events.

“A” Is for “Absent” Essay

In a recently published article called â€Å"’A’ Is for â€Å"Absent’† by Chris Piper a proofreader for The University of Texas at Arlington who wrote about how enrolling in a course which he dreaded to do but decided to take the course anyway to complete now rather later. Piper initially received high grades on almost all projects. Being absent ultimately caused him to drop ten points and he ended with a final grade of a â€Å"C† due to his absences. Piper â€Å"admittedly feels like he earned the grade that was given to him at the time†. He also admits the syllabus clearly states what would occur if he missed more than the allotted â€Å"freebies.† He feels as though if he’s receiving great grades on test, quizzes etc†¦ he shouldn’t be penalized for his absences. Piper feels like as long as he’s paying for his education he should be able to do what he likes as long as he maintains high scores. Being absent ultimately causes you to miss the most essential parts of class. You miss class participation, peers, directions and test or quizzes that may be given on any given day of that class. Being absent is a way of saying that this class isn’t that important to me. As a peer in your class if I work hard just like you but you receive the same grade as I do but are never there, that doesn’t send a great message to me nor to the rest of our peers. Being a student requires you to attend class on a regular basis. When you feel like you’ve earned that grade that you’ve received you either feel as a student you worked hard or you haven’t. Paying for an education is a choice that you make coming to class is another. However, rules are rules and need to be followed. A paid education to me means you need to work double hard to maintain what great grades you achieve. Nothing in life is free, you get what you deserve. As long as I’m paying for their services it’s my choice to do what ever I like to do. Chris feels that â€Å"professors who implement attendance policies often argue, if this were a job, and you failed to show up, you would be fired.† However, there’s a difference between going to work and going to class. A job pays for your services and going to school I pay for there services. As long as I’m getting high marks when I do attend I shouldn’t be penalized and this is my choice. In conclusion, being absent, earning the grade and self paying for my education all seems fair but not to Chris Piper who feels like absences shouldn’t affect his grades especially if you’re paying for your education. He should be able to do what he likes as long as he maintains high scores. â€Å"A† Is for Absent Essay â€Å"A† is for Absent Some college professors follow the â€Å"not required, but explicit† attendance policy. Some professors make it very clear that students attend all classes, but it is not enforced through grade reduction. Broward College in Hollywood Florida suggests that each professor create an attendance policy with the syllabus, but does not insist on any penalties. The virtues of this includes treating students as consumers of education rather than kindergarten children by letting the student know that the professor holds classroom attendance in the students best interest, and will provide quality instruction to the students who attend. Excessive absenteeism can affect the outcome of the career path that the student has chosen. Why be mediocre when you have the ability to excel in any given class. Colleges need to find a way to treat students like adults while also ensuring enough of them show up for class to succeed. Your transcript is like a prison record, it will follow you where ever you go. â€Å"A† is for Absent The University of Maryland’s attendance policy states, â€Å"students are excused from attending classes in cases of emergency or religious holidays. The University of Maryland does not insist upon attendance nor do they asses penalties, moreover, Maryland does not require that any professor create his or her own attendance policy for the students enrolled in each professor’s class. Northern Illinois University’s policy on attendance is,†if a student misses more than four classes in a course that meets three times per week, the professor must lower that students grade by at least letter†. This type of policy gives advantages by not only ensuring classroom attendance, but by making it very clear to the students what will happen if they miss class excessively. A different version of this policy is found at South Seattle Community College, which recommends that the professor not decrease the students grade if they miss less than 20% of the semester. There is a clear and obvious link between class attendance and performance. Student who come to class regularly and are well prepared tend to do much better than the students who do not. The purpose of attendance policies is to ensure that students attend classes regularly, and to ensure that the student is successful upon graduating. â€Å"A† is for Absent http://www.ehow.com/list_646440_attendance-policies-marylandu-college-students.html http://www.south-seattle-cc-attendance-policy-college-students.html http://www.broward-community-attendance-policy_students.html http://images.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0PDoKyrujhSjHAAkKejzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBtdXBkbHJyB

Explore the Claim That a Consumer Society Is Always a Throw Away Society Essay

Consumer society is one that creates desire and encouragement for greater amount of goods, services and peoples identification with brands. A throwaway society is one that constantly creates waste for desire for new products. Nowadays, people self define in other ways leaning towards personal likes or dislikes such as music tastes, cars we drive or latest fashion accessories allowing people to feel a sense of belonging to particular groups in society As opposed to an Industrial society where people were defined by class structure and their profession. This shift in culture offers us insight into how and why our relationship and values with material goods from buying to disposal helped form a consumer society and explore the claim Is a consumer society always a ‘throw away’ society? To enable an informed evaluation I will introduce the following factors mass consumption in U. K. contemporary society, supermarkets positive sum power and Bauman’s theory of ‘The Seduced and the Repressed’ Generally when we think of consumerism our immediate thoughts are what goods or services we have bought images of bags brimming with promotional food offers, new clothes and shoes or maybe treated oneself to a new kitchen as the last one looked ‘dated’. Rarely does our natural cognitive ability allow us to start at the end of this process to consider the waste and disposal that is created from such mass consumption. Waste is a function of who we are. ‘Evidence in the social sciences’, 2009, track 2) It is part of everyday life in that we all create a certain amount from daily essentials such as food its packaging, leaving the heating on or replacing household items. Notwithstanding the importance of eating, clothing ourselves and live in an environment conducive to health. One of the reasons for this change in attitude to shopping something that was considered mundane and necessary is the rise in affluence over the past 50 years. The rise in affluence has come about due to more women in the workplace so ouseholds now have a dual income therefore more of a disposable income and the 40% rise over 17 years in employee’s earnings allowing people to have more money than ever before. (Brown, 2009, p. 110) Although difficult to measure the exact escalation in wealth we can see from total domestic outgoings that people now spend less on essential provisions and more on treats or what is referred to as ‘luxuries and necessities’ In 1957, 33% of income was spent on food yet in 2007 this reduced by 18%. In contrast to a 16% rise over the same period for ‘services’ showing peoples values and habits have changed with the prospect of having more money to spend on items that are not needed but wanted. With more women in the workforce this places constraints on time to complete domestic chores or raise a family. Cheap kitchen appliances allow woman to enter the workforce this then generates greater affluence and income to support the purchase of yet more labour saving devices. Another best use of this valuable time is people visiting the supermarket. For some, supermarkets offer freedom of choice for others it limits choice only selling what it wants to sell. Supermarkets lure us in with offers that cannot be beaten ‘buy one get one free’ or spend over ? 50. 00 and receive ? 5. 00 of your fuel. When you put it like that why wouldn’t you want to be part of it? They sell an abundance of items from food, clothing to the latest must have gadget, credit cards and insurance most of which is cheaper here than if you were to visit independent stores buying items separately and of course you don’t have the time to do this. Supermarkets claim to work on a positive sum power ethos. This ethos argues that all benefit from this action – workers and farmers get a living wage and sell all their stock, consumers make purchase at cheap and affordable prices and supermarkets make profit. What is the alternative? The lowly paid worker does not earn a wage so is financially worse of? Or the farmer is left with surplus perishable stock that he cannot shift? Meaning fewer customers as people take their money elsewhere. Therefore from a supermarkets viewpoint they are doing everyone a favour. So the consumer gets home unpacks the bags of food realising then that actually don’t having anything for dinner or the time cook a real meal. Instead puts on newly purchased cheap outfit and new shoes throwing out the ones bought only a few weeks ago along with food wasted from last weeks shop and goes out for dinner with friends without a care in the world other than being complimented and showing of new outfit to friends. Not even considering the waste created from one day helps accumulate approx 6. million tonnes of food wasted a year amounting to over ? 400 squandered per household annually . The current attitude is ‘I can replace goods cheaply and easily the important thing is that I fit in’. (The Food We Waste (WRAP) cited in Brown, 2009, p. 106) Within Bauman’s theory society is divided into two categories â€Å"The seduced and the repressed†. Depending on factors such as employment, education, wealth, age, gender, individuals belong in one o r the other. This is a contentious view and deliberately so as it evokes emotion and dialogue. Although it is not exactly accurate as some people choose where to shop maybe to support local businesses, not own a car for environmental reasons others are content with what they have and have no desire to conform. (Hetherington, 2009, p. 25) Given the title one would not wish to fall into the ‘repressed’ the majority of people will desire to be in the ‘seduced’ camp as here anything is possible if you have the means. Being here gives access to the ‘in crowd’ or ‘keeping up with the Jones’ even if that means buying beyond your means. An example of this could be a child whose parents are unemployed, on benefits resulting in him not having the latest fashion trend or cool trainers might be in the ‘repressed’ category. Society forces pressure on the parents who succumb to the need of acceptance within a ‘seduced’ society reinforcing Bauman’s theory. I agree with this claim about a consumer society but not the word ‘always’ as it is a generalisation. The words ‘mostly’ or ‘sometimes’ are better suited as there are individuals and sections of society who consume conscientiously, aware of limited sustainability of natural resources. There are those who value recycling and others who acknowledge that happiness is not a direct link of material gain. The recession along with education are driving forces on people’s attitudes towards consumerism and waste firstly the disposable income to spend is no longer available meaning people are having to make do with what they have and rethinking their current attitude. Secondly schools have to include projects as part of their curriculum exposing current and future generations to the existing issues and long term benefits of such a valuable process.

IKEA’s Marketing Strategy Essay

One thing that makes IKEA becoming the best known global furniture retailer in the world is its marketing strategy. IKEA is a strong ban and many people across the globe think of IKEA when they thought about furniture. The key success of marketing strategy is IKEA’s standardization. IKEA stores around the world look alike and they all contain core value of organization’s culture. It looks and operates the same in every market markets. However, IKEA stores have to adapt to local markets. First standard is the most important standard. IKEA has had as a guiding principle to work in the same way and be seen in the same way in every country it operates. IKEA strategy is to keep the price low and attractive for as many people as possible. This marketing strategy is called merchandise; the product range and the prices of the products. The price should be the same in every market. Prices on products are supposed to be considered low compare to what consumers find in another store. IKEA aims deliver high value at low price. Location of the store usually locates at the outskirt of the city. The reason is that the consumer who buy furniture usually use personal car as a transportation (consumers using public transportation are rarely seen). The designs of stores are supposed to look basically the same in important dimensions: signage, display, store layout and design, and colors. They should contain Swedish identity such as the color of Swedish flag; blue and yellow. The purpose is to give the same shopping experience regardless of where the store is located. Still different stores adjust the room-settings they use to fit the local housing and living conditions, rather than an original setting. For example; room adjustment in IKEA Japan would be small and its furniture will considered for limited space, unlike IKEA store in Europe where housing has more space. It also adapts its design to impress local market as well. Service levels are similar around the world with staffing about the same everywhere. The number of employee in each level should be the same everywhere in the world. IKEA presents unique strategy. IKEA concept is to have the low prices you as a consumer pays a price which if consumer wants to pay lowest price; consumer has to pick things up in the  store, carries to your car, takes home and assembles yourself. Nevertheless, IKEA also offers delivery service.1 Another important strategy is public relation. The best known channel is the IKEA Catalog, which is developed by IKEA Communications in Älmhult, Sweden. It is produced in 38 different editions, in 17 languages for 28 countries. All this adjustment is made from a standardized base (same products, same overall info etc) meaning that country/region adjustments are really fairly small. Other important channels are IKEA websites, publications, and brochures.2 IKEA has adapted its product and design to fit in many market. Nevertheless the key success of IKEA is its standard and core value. This makes people reco gnize IKEA. Even though many new competitors try to copy IKEA or compete with it. IKEA manges to maintain its competitive difference and advantage. Its brand still strong in house retailer business.