Sustainable Tourism Planning

Introduction Tourism is a major economic activity for many countries across the globe. A country such as New Zealand has relied on tourism industry for economic growth. The concept of sustainable tourism development has expanded in the last 40 years following the increasing public awareness of environmental issues.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sustainable Tourism Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bhatia (2007), in his study suggested that sustainable tourism development refers to any form of tourist activity which is economically and socially equitable and acceptable, respects the environment and conserves cultural and natural resources. According to World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism development is aimed at meeting the needs of visitors and the host countries and cities and at the same time furthering the future prospects (Smith, 2010, P. 2). Thus, sustainable tourism development should b e economically viable and also protect the tourist resources i.e. cultural, historical and natural resources (Curtin, 2003, P. 2). Importance of adopting a Sustainable Tourism Planning Approach The following are the benefits of adopting a sustainable tourism planning approach. First, a tourism plan provides the criteria for measuring new tourism projects. With this regards, a tourism plan aims at defining the objectives, implementation procedures and policies for developing new tourism projects. A research that was done by Pearce Butler (2002) suggested that a tourism plan plays an important role of developing new prospects within a planned framework. A tourism plan facilitates the development of new policy measures of supporting tourism organizations and improving their competitiveness. A tourism plan clearly explains the strategic themes and priorities for a country’s engagement in tourism. A tourism plan provides the tourism stakeholders such as tourists, companies, envir onment and the community with a sense of involvement and ownership. The stakeholders participate in the planning process because most of the decisions have implications on them (Hall Kearsley, 2001, P. 273-294). Towards creating a sustainable tourism development Achieving a sustainable tourism development calls for an interactive process. It is important for tourism managers to assess the developments on a current basis in order to mark any significant changes. Indicators of Sustainable Tourism supply the tourism management team with required information for making decisions for sustainable tourism development (Fennell, 2008, P. 10).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Indicators enable tourism management team to find out whether sustainable tourism has been achieved or not. They function as an early warning system to monitor economical and social changes over time thus preve nting negative effects (Weaver Oppermann, 2000, P. 354). The World Tourism Organization has proposed several Indicators of Sustainable Development that can be used by tourism management team in decision making. The indicators include site protection, stress and use intensity, social impact and development control, waste management, planning process, critical ecosystems, consumer satisfaction, local satisfaction and tourism contribution to local economy. According to Dymond (1997), the indicators are aimed at meeting ecological, planning, social and economic goals. The role of local authorities in Sustainable Tourism planning (public sector) According to Swarbrooke (1999), the government intervenes in order to liaise, manage and plan the various group of interests that have a stake in tourism. The government is also responsible for marketing and promotion of tourism destinations. The government through its tourism department is responsible for managing tourism throughout the state. T he government usually obtains funds from taxes and the private sector in order to promote and market the country as a tourist destination. The role of private sector in Sustainable Tourism Development Sustainable tourism planning cannot be managed by the public sector alone. The government is usually not well equipped at local level to respond to the rapidly changing demand of national and global tourism demands. The private sector on the other hand possesses broad as well as powerful tourism planning techniques that are well coordinated. The roles of private sector in developing a sustainable tourism include the following: Private sector business provides accommodations, transport, attractions and other visitor facilities and services. The private sector encourages and promotes tourism marketing and development. Usually, the private sector intervenes in tourism to ensure that the business objectives like revenue maximization and others are balanced with stakeholders’ interes ts and local needs in relation to attractions, beaches, infrastructure and other resource base which are utilized by the tourism (Middleton Hawkins, 1998, P. 106).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sustainable Tourism Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Private sector provides the financial resources that are required for tourism development and planning. They also provide the staff expertise which is required to enhance tourism planning and development (Swarbrooke, 1999, P. 97). Steps that are involved in creating a Sustainable Tourism Planning Tourism planning refers to the act of managing future events with the purpose of achieving objectives. The tourism development planning process involves a number of steps. The study recognition and preparation is the first stage in the process. In this stage, the planning authorities i.e. the private sector and the public sector, recognizes the strategy that is requ ired for planning process (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). The second stage that is involved in tourism development planning process is setting the goals to be accomplished. For a development plan to be effectively designed, it is important to set clear goals that are to be accomplished. A clear understanding of tourism goals enables the management team not to lose sight during the planning process. The objectives to be accomplished should not be vague and unachievable. Also, the objectives to be accomplished should not be conflicting (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Survey of existing data is the third stage. Tourism management team should search for the available information before carrying out data collection. Surveying the available data is important because it saves time and resources (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Implementing the new surveys is the fourth stage that is involved in tourism development planning process. This stage plays an important role of filing the info rmation gap once the present data have been surveyed (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Analysis of primary and secondary data is the other stage. Both the primary and secondary data is analyzed by taking into consideration various issues such as asset evaluation, market analysis, development planning and impact analyses (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Policy and plan formulation is the sixth stage that is involved in tourism development planning process. This process enables the tourism management team to develop and evaluate alternative plans that facilitate the accomplishment of most tourism goals (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Recommendations is the next stage. In this stage, various recommendations are put forward in order to facilitate policy choice (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Implementation of the plan and monitoring is the last stage that is involved in this process. During this stage, the preferred plan having been completed is implemented and closely monitored with a view of detecting any deviations (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 163-167). Conclusion Good tourism planning is the means of achieving economic prosperity. Both the government and private sector plays an important role in tourism development planning. It is important for the planners to involve all the main stakeholders such as the visitors and tourist c ompanies during the planning process. Reference List Bhatia, A. (2007). The Business of Tourism: Concepts and Strategies. New Delhi: Pvt. Ltd. Curtin, S. (2003). Whale-Watching in Kaikoura: Sustainable Destination Development? Journal of Ecotourism, 2 (3), 1-34. Dymond, S. (1997). Indicators Of Sustainable Tourism in New Zealand: A Local Government Perspective. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 5 (4), 1-9. Fennell, D. (2008). Ecotourism, Edition3. London: Routledge. Hall, C Kearsley, G. (2001). Tourism In New Zealand: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kandari, O Chandra, A. (2004). Tourism, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Volume 3. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House. Middleton, V Hawkins, R. (1998). Sustainable tourism: a marketing perspective. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Pearce, D Butler, R. (2002). Contemporary issues in tourism development. London: Routledge. Smith, S. (2010). Practical Tourism Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Swarbrooke, J. (1999). Sustainable tourism management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Weaver, D Oppermann, M. (2000). Tourism Management. London: John Wiley Sons. This essay on Sustainable Tourism Planning was written and submitted by user Gavyn K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

True Love and Chaos essays

True Love and Chaos essays DIRECTED BY: Stavros Andonis Efthymiou Starring: Miranda Otto Ben Mendelsohn Naveen Andrews Kimberley Davies A GOOD old- fashioned road trip. Old being the word emphasised in this low budgeted movie. True love and Chaos is a long drawn out road trip movie on a very tight budget, leaving no room for any Hollywood special effects or quality scenery. The main problem with a film like this is, that it fails to keep the audience emotionally attached long enough to consider watching any longer. True love and Chaos is set across the lower half of Australia, from Melbourne to Perth. The scenery along this road was very arduous and the long expanse was extremely difficult to hold interest to the viewer. Three mates travel across in search to find Mimis (Miranda Otto) mother and find out who her father is. Mimi is a waitress and part time singer who is having Hanifs (Naveen Andrews) child. Hanif is along for the adventure because of the consequences of his involvement in a drug theft, masterminded by his friend Dean (Noah Taylor). Now of course the reason Dean is there for the ride, is to protect the drugs he has stolen from his brother Jerry (Ben Mendelsohn). Jerry is the psychotic brother to Dean who wants his drugs back and will stop at nothing to ensure their return. To put this bluntly, the movie leads to catastrophe! The only real saviour to this film is Morris (Hugo Weaving) a hard drinking hippy who sings Leonard Cohen songs. Morris joins the pathetic crew on their journey to Perth and with his vulgar drinking habits and his drunken ways, this man is the only reason the film would hold together and keep the viewers attention. True Love And Chaos is a movie you would not choose to view or you would change channels soon after commencement due to its lacklustre appeal. It is very hard to find any emotional attachment t ...

History of the North American Free Trade Agreements

History of the North American Free Trade Agreements A free trade agreement is a pact between two countries or areas in which they both agree to lift most or all tariffs, quotas, special fees and taxes, and other barriers to trade between the entities. The purpose of free trade agreements is to allow faster and more business between the two countries/areas, which should benefit both. Why All Should Benefit from Free Trade The underlying economic theory of free trade agreements is that of comparative advantage, which originated in an 1817 book entitled On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation by British political economist David Ricardo. Put simply, the theory of comparative advantage postulates that that in a free marketplace, each country/area will ultimately specialize in that activity where it has comparative advantage (i.e. natural resources, skilled workers, agriculture-friendly weather, etc.) The result should be that all parties to the pact will increase their income. However, as Wikipedia points out: ... the theory refers only to aggregate wealth and says nothing about the distribution of wealth. In fact there may be significant losers... The proponent of free trade can, however, retort that the gains of the gainers exceed the losses of the losers. Claims that 21st Century Free Trade Doesnt Benefit All Critics from both sides of the political aisle contend that free trade agreements often dont work effectively to benefit either the U.S. or its free trade partners. One angry complaint is that more than three million U.S. jobs with middle-class wages have been outsourced to foreign countries since 1994. The New York Times observed in 2006: Globalization is tough to sell to average people. Economists can promote the very real benefits of a robustly growing world: when they sell more overseas, American businesses can employ more people. But what sticks in our minds is the television image of the father of three laid off when his factory moves offshore. Latest News In late June 2011, the Obama administration announced that three free trade agreements,.. with south Korea, Colombia and Panama... are fully negotiated, and ready to send to Congress for review and passage. These three pacts are expected to generate $12 billion in new, annual U.S. sales. Republicans stalled approval of the agreements, though, because they want to strip a small, 50-year-old worker retraining/support program from the bills. On December 4, 2010, President Obama announced completion of renegotiations of the Bush-era U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement. See Korea-U.S. Trade Agreement Addresses Liberal Concerns. The deal that weve struck includes strong protections for workers rights and environmental standardsand as a consequence, I believe its a model for future trade agreements that I will pursue, commented President Obama about the U.S.-South Korea agreement. (see Profile of U.S.-South Korea Trade Agreement.) The Obama administration is also negotiating an entirely new free trade pact, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which includes eight nations: U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and Brunei. Per AFP, Nearly 100 US companies and business groups have urged Obama to conclude TPP negotiations by November 2011. WalMart and 25 other U.S. corporations have reportedly signed onto the TPP pact. Presidential Fast-Track Trade Authority In 1994, Congress let fast-track track authority to expire, to give Congress more control as President Clinton pushed the North American Free Trade Agreement. After his 2000 election, President Bush made free trade the center of his economic agenda, and sought to regain fast-track powers. The Trade Act of 2002 restored fast-track rules for five years. Using this authority, Bush sealed new free trade deals with Singapore, Australia, Chile and seven smaller countries. Congress Unhappy with Bush Trade Pacts Despite pressure from Mr. Bush, Congress refused to extend fast-track authority after it expired on July 1, 2007. Congress was unhappy with Bush trade deals for many reasons, including: Losses of millions of U.S. jobs and companies to foreign countriesExploitation of labor forces and resources and defilement of the environment in foreign countriesThe enormous trade deficit generated under President Bush International charity organization Oxfam vows to campaign to defeat trade agreements that threaten peoples rights to: livelihoods, local development, and access to medicines. History The first U.S. free trade agreement was with Israel, and took effect on September 1, 1985. The agreement, which has no expiration date, provided for the elimination of duties for goods, except for certain agricultural products, from Israel entering the U.S. The U.S.-Israeli agreement also allows American products to compete on an equal basis with European goods, which have free access to Israeli markets. The second U.S. free trade agreement, signed in January 1988 with Canada, was superceded in 1994 by the complex and controversial North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, signed with much fanfare by President Bill Clinton on September 14, 1993. Active Free Trade Agreements For a complete listing of all international trade pacts to which the U.S. is a party, see the United States Trade Representives listing of global, regional and bilateral trade agreements. For a listing of all worldwide free trade pacts, see Wikipedias List of Free Trade Agreements. Pros Proponents support U.S. free trade agreements because they believe that: Free trade increases sales and profits for U.S. businesses, thus strenghtening the economyFree trade creates U.S. middle-class jobs over the longtermFree trade is an opportunity for the U.S. to provide financial help to some of the worlds poorest countries Free Trade Increases U.S. Sales and Profits Removal of costly and delaying trade barriers, such as tariffs, quotas and conditions, inherently leads to easier and swifter trade of consumer goods. The result is an increased volume of U.S. sales. Also, use of less expensive materials and labor acquired through free trade leads to a lower cost to manufacture goods. The result is either increased profit margins (when sales prices are not lowered), or increased sales caused by lower selling prices. The  Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates  that ending all trade barriers would increase U.S. income by a whopping $500 billion annually. Free Trade Creates U.S. Middle-Class Jobs The theory is that as U.S. businesses grow from greatly increased sales and profits, demand will grow for middle-class higher-wage jobs to facilitate the sales increases. In February, the  Democratic Leadership Council, a centrist, pro-business think-tank headed by Clinton ally former Rep. Harold Ford, Jr., wrote: Expanded trade was undeniably a key part of the high-growth, low-inflation, high-wage economic expansion of the 1990s; even now it plays a key role in keeping inflation and unemployment at historically impressive levels. The  New York Times wrote  in 2006: Economists can promote the very real benefits of a robustly growing world: when they sell more overseas, American businesses can employ more people. U.S. Free Trade Helps Poorer Countries U.S. free trade benefits poorer, non-industrialized nations through increased purchases of their materials and labor services by the U.S. The  Congressional Budget Office explained: ... economic benefits from international trade arise from the fact that countries are not all the same in their production capabilities. They vary from one another because of differences in natural resources, levels of education of their workforces, technical knowledge, and so on. Without trade, each country must make everything it needs, including things it is not very efficient at producing. When trade is allowed, by contrast, each country can concentrate its efforts on what it does best... Cons Opponents of U.S. free trade agreements believe that: Free trade has caused more U.S. jobs losses than gains, especially for higher-wage jobs.Many free trade agreements are bad deals for the U.S. Free Trade Has Caused U.S. Jobs Losses A  Washington Post columnist wrote: While corporate profits soar, individual wages stagnate, held at least partly in check by the brave new fact of offshoring that millions of Americans jobs can be performed at a fraction of the cost in developing nations near and far. In his 2006 book Take This Job and Ship It, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) decries, ... in this new global economy, no one is more profoundly affected than American workers... in the last five years, weve lost over 3 million U.S. jobs that have been oursourced to other countries, and millions more are poised to leave. NAFTA: Unfilled Promises and a Giant Sucking Sound When he signed NAFTA on September 14, 1993,  President Bill Clinton exulted, I believe that NAFTA will create a million jobs in the first five years of its impact. And I believe that that is many more than will be lost... But industrialist H. Ross Perot famously predicted a giant sucking sound of U.S. jobs heading to Mexico if NAFTA was approved. Mr. Perot was correct.  Reports the Economic Policy Institute: Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed in 1993, the rise in the U.S. trade deficit with Canada and Mexico through 2002 has caused the displacement of production that supported 879,280 U.S. jobs. Most of those lost jobs were high-wage positions in manufacturing industries. The loss of these jobs is just the most visible tip of NAFTAs impact on the U.S. economy. In fact, NAFTA has also contributed to rising income inequality, suppressed real wages for production workers, weakened workers  collective bargaining  powers and ability to organize unions, and reduced fringe benefits. Many Free Trade Agreements Are Bad Deals In June 2007, the Boston Globe reported about a pending new agreement, Last year, South Korea exported 700,000 cars to the United States while U.S. carmakers sold 6,000 in South Korea, Clinton said, attributing more than 80 percent of a $13 billion U.S. trade deficit with South Korea... And yet, the proposed new 2007 agreement with South Korea would not eliminate the barriers that severely restrict the sale of American vehicles per Sen. Hillary Clinton. Such lopsided dealings are common in  U.S. free trade agreements. Where It Stands U.S. free trade agreements have also harmed other countries, including: Workers in other countries are being exploited and harmed.The environment in other countries is being defiled. For example, the  Economic Policy Institute explains  about post-NAFTA Mexico: In Mexico, real wages have fallen sharply and there has been a steep decline in the number of people holding regular jobs in paid positions. Many workers have been shifted into subsistence-level work in the informal sector... Additionally, a flood of subsidized, low-priced corn from the U.S. has decimated farmers and rural economics. The impact on workers in countries as India, Indonesia, and China has been even more severe, with innumerable instances of starvation wages, child workers, slave-labor hours and perilous work conditions. And  Sen. Sherrod Brown  (D-OH) observes in his book Myths of Free Trade: As the Bush administration has worked overtime to weaken environmental and food safety rules in the U.S., Bush trade negotiators are trying to do the same in the global economy... The lack of international laws for environmental protection, for example, encourages firms to go to the nation with the weakest standards. As a result, some nations are conflicted in 2007 over U.S. trade deals. In late 2007, the  Los Angeles Times reported  about the pending CAFTA pact: About 100,000 Costa Ricans, some dressed as skeletons and holding banners, protested Sunday against a U.S. trade pact they said would flood the country with cheap farm goods and cause big job losses. Chanting No to the free-trade pact! and Costa Rica is not for sale! protesters including farmers and housewives filled one of San Joses main boulevards to demonstrate against the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Democrats Divided on Free Trade Agreements Democrats have coalesced in favor of trade policy reform over the past decade as President Bill Clintons NAFTA, WTO and China trade deals not only failed to deliver the promised benefits but caused real damage, said Lori Wallach of Global Trade Watch to  Nation contributing editor Christopher Hayes. But the centrist  Democratic Leadershp Council insists, While many Democrats find it tempting to Just Say No to Bush trade policies... , this would squander real opportunities to boost U.S. exports... and keep this country competitive in a global marketplace from which we cannot possibly isolate ourselves.

Human Rights Act 1998 s 3 s 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Rights Act 1998 s 3 s 4 - Essay Example Rights Act was geared towards bringing about a â€Å"major constitutional change† within the UK3 in order to ensure that the freedoms and human rights guaranteed to individuals under the European Convention of Human Rights were more effectively incorporated into national law. Klug and Starmer have spelt out the goals of the HRA as follows: (a) ensuring compliances with human rights principles (b) interpreting domestic legislation such that it is compatible with the Act (c) introducing the doctrine of horizontal effect and (d) modifying grounds for judicial review4. In the balance of division of powers within the UK, Parliament emerges supreme and therefore this leads to a centralized form of Government. Parliamentary Sovereignty in the UK has therefore posed the urgent need for Constitutional reform within the country.5 However, Klug and Starmer also point out that five years after the Human Rights Act came into force on 2nd October 2000, conflicting views are offered about its efficacy, with some experts concluding that the only difference is that a wider range of questions may be asked by judicial authorities although the answers remain the same while others contend that UK courts have demonstrated their ability to interpret and apply the principles of the ECHR in national law. The essential conflict with the democratic principles of Parliamentary Sovereignty6 upon which UK law has been based - mandating Parliament’s authority as the supreme law making authority, has also produced resistance to the HRA7. The two major sections of the HRA that are significant are sections 3 and 4. The provisions of Section 3 of the Human Rights Act states that Parliament legislation must be read and given effect to in a way that will be compatible with Convention rights â€Å"so far as it is possible to do so.†8 In the event that domestic legislation is found to be incompatible with individual rights spelt out in the Convention, and statutory interpretation is not possible,

Lee Cantor's Assertive Discipline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Lee Cantor's Assertive Discipline - Essay Example behavioral modification plans and offers a systematic approach to the reinforcement of appropriate student behavior, encouraging teachers to â€Å"catch the student being good† and implement a detailed systematic plan for the use of mild punishers for wrong behaviors (Canter 1989). The system was designed in response to the widespread need for greater classroom management skills. By 1991 about 750,000 teachers had been trained to use Assertive Discipline. However, the popularity of the discipline was mostly built on good marketing rather than on profound research. This fact has been repeatedly underlined by the scholars, who argued that Assertive Discipline and its impact on students should be examined on a wider territory and a variety of settings in a longitudinal study. Though the discipline has received many appraise, it has also met much critical argumentation about the appropriateness of the operant procedures in the modern humanistic education system. However, as Evans et al. suggested, strong criticism was mostly the result of a long-lasting argument between humanism and behaviorism and this argumentation can go forever (p.13). This paper examines researches having been done on Assertive Discipline. We will see where the program has been implemented and whether it has been effective in a variety of settings. Assertive discipline got much praise. Lee Canter (1989) enumerates the dissertations, master’s theses and research projects dealing with Assertive Discipline. The results revealed that teachers dramatically improved student behavior when they used Assertive Discipline approach. Assertive Discipline helps to reduce the frequency of disruptive behavior in the classroom, greatly reduce the number of students referred to administrators, increase students’ time-on task. The teachers implementing Assertive Discipline were evaluated as more effective in classroom management. Research carried out in school districts in Oregon, California, Ohio and Arizona

Analysis of E-Tailing Service Quality Essay Example for Free

Analysis of E-Tailing Service Quality Essay Their study focused on the consumers’ purchase and delivery (PD) choices, as part of a broader e ort to understand consumers’ shopping behavior. The present article begins by criticizing the content validity of E-S-QUAL (Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Malhotra 2005), the principal academic measure of e-retailer service quality, which is probably the most important construct in contemporary services research. Joel E. Collier et al. , (2006) in their article extended the work on e-service quality to encompass not only Web site interactivity or process quality but also outcome quality and recovery quality. A conceptual framework of e-service quality is proposed and empirically tested that combines process, outcome, and recovery dimensions. Contrary to previous service quality studies, formative instead of reflective indicators are used to conceptualize e-service quality. Their study found empirical support for the use of formative indicators and the three-dimensional approach to conceptualizing e-service quality. Liao. C, et al. , (2006) evaluated using structural equation modeling. Results show that consumers’ behavioral intentions to continue using a B2C web site are determined by all three key drivers: perceived usefulness, trust, and habit. Furthermore, not all dimensions of web quality have a significant effect on perceived usefulness and trust. Hao-erl Yang,s (2007), study stated that e-quality metric needs continued development and validation when measuring customer’s satisfaction and loyalty in e-shopping environment. Jamie Carlson Aron O’Cass (2009), study examined that impact of e-service quality attributes on the development of flow, and further investigates the impact flow has on consumers’ Website loyalty and word-of-mouth behavior. Most companies try their best to continually satisfy their customers because customer satisfaction seems to be an important barometer of customer’s behavioral intentions and has been regarded as an important antecedent of loyalty. Eduard Cristobal Fransi and Frederic Marimon Viadiu, paper analyzed various elements that influence the purchasing behaviour of online consumers. These elements include the aesthetic aspects of a website and the interactive processes that take place at the time of purchase. The study analyses the expectations and perceptions of a sample of Spanish online customers. On the basis of these attitudes, the sample of respondents is segmented. In addition, the main factors that determine online service satisfaction are identified. The analysis thus allows differentiation of both customers and service quality. The paper concludes with recommendations for online retailers who wish to operate a successful ‘virtual’ retail outlet. Noor et al. , (2007), study explored the internet service quality in service industry particularly in e-ticketing for transportation services. The primary data for this study was collected through web observation. Result shows that appearance and linkages are among the two most important determinants that should be used when measuring the quality of internet services. Through the findings, a guideline of the transportation websites regarding the important features could be developed. The findings show that e-ticketing websites would be an advantage to have all these features in order to increase user satisfaction in doing online transactions. Nittana Sukasame focused on the e-service quality dimensions in successfully establishing ecommerce ventures. Consequently, success is measured in terms of growth rate. The following factors selected from previous studies on e-service quality linked to successful e-commerce entrepreneurs are proposed: content, accessibility, ease of use, reliability, responsiveness, and security. Additionally, the factor linked specifically to e-service domain enhancing automatic tasks such as self-service technology is examined. His study could generate different views on the e-service quality paradigms associating with the competitive success of the e-commerce entrepreneurs.

Cruel World :: essays research papers

Cruel World During the twentieth century, many Haitians lived a life full of poverty and terror; do to the many wars and epidemics that were established in the country. Throughout her novel Krik? Krak!, Edwidge Danticat depicts the violence, brutality and cruelty her people suffered during that time. In her first two stories, we get a glimpse of the horror in which the Haitian culture had to endure. Whether it was a group of protesting students getting gunned down, a young women being gang raped, or an innocent women being sentenced to life in prison because she was believed to be a witch, the terror and horror seemed endless. How could a human being treat another in such a manner? How could a Haitian treat another Haitian with so much cruelty and have that kind of malice for his own people? Danticat shows us the pain of her people through her words and demonstrates their healing power through her various short stories. In her first short story, "Children of the Sea" we are introduced to two young adults who are in love with one another but who are separated because of the terror which existed in their Haitian society. Because they feared for their lives, they had to part in hopes that they would stay alive to see each other once again. The society in which they lived was became incredibly violent due to the Haitian army trying to rid the country of anyone who was against the government or who they thought was a traitor. The army or macoutes, as they were referred to, were cruel and ruthless. One of the young narrators in the story wrote in her journal "a group of students got shot in front of fort dimanche prison today†¦. our neighbor madan roger came home with her son's head†¦. the macoutes by the house were laughing at her. they asked her if it was her dinner" (p.7). The mascoutes mocked and laughed at helpless women carrying around the head of her dead son, who they had previously shot. They shot him because he didn't agree with the government and its policies. But the mascoutes did not stop at just taunting Madan Roger, they also severely beat her. "the soldiers came looking for her son. madan roger was screaming, you killed him already †¦. he hated you like I hate you criminals. you killed him.

Write a Set of Instructions Explaining in Objective Terms

It is very important to pass down the formal rituals of the town to next generations. In order to pass down the ritual, the community will need a large black box to keep the folded papers together when the lottery starts, one folded paper with large black dot on, a stool to put the large black box on, and piles of stone. Remember the ritual might vary slightly from other communities, but the ritual is an important part of our society's history and its present. In our society, a lottery will be held every year, on July 27th at noon, since there are only 300 people; it is possible to finish the lottery before the late lunch.The ritual of the society is not only a tradition, but also a ritual to guarantee our success every harvesting season. Remember the quote â€Å"lottery in June, corn be heavy soon†. Steps in the ritual process are shown below. The lottery can be divided into a preparatory stage, lottery stage, and finishing stage. A preparatory stage takes a day or more. A ni ght before the June 27th, the lottery official should make a list of the heads of the families, and the members of each household in each family. Second, based on the number of the people on the list, the lottery official has to make lottery ballots.Remember, one ballot should be marked with a black circle. All ballots must be same size, and are folded in a same way. Third, if all the ballots are done, put the ballots inside the black box. On the following day, before the lottery starts, lottery official has to gather up the children and make them to collect stones and put it in a pile next to the town square where the lottery is held. After telling children, remind the people about the lottery through the announcements. Then, when everyone has gathered, the lottery official enters with a wooden black box, followed by a postmaster carrying a stool.Place the stool at the center of the square and put the black box on it. Second stage is before the lottery stage. After everyone have ga thered, remind people about the rules of the lottery; wife draws with the husband’s family, if there is somebody in absence, a substitute will choose the ballot to fill in the missing person, and everyone takes only one folded paper. The third stage is Lottery stage; when the lottery official had finished going over the rules of the ritual, proper swearing-in by the postmaster takes place; the official starts the recital of perfunctory tuneless chant.After all the perfunctory steps of the lottery are done, start the lottery immediately. The lottery official should read the names of the head of the families. When their family name is called, representing one's family, a head of the household approaches the black box and chooses one folded paper from the box. When every man representing each family had drawn, open the paper and check which family has won the first-round lottery. Check the number of family members of the the family that had drawn the paper with the black dot.Aft er counting the number of the family members, make a set of ballots just for the family that had drawn the paper with the black dot (make sure every member of the family would pick one folded paper from the box, and one of the folded papers inside the box is marked with a black dot). When the lottery official had finished making new sets of ballots for the second round lottery, call each member of the family into the box, and make everyone take one folded paper from the box.Remind each family member to not open the folded paper until everyone had finished choosing the folded paper. After every member of the family had picked their choice of folded paper, tell the participants to open the paper. Announce the winner of he lottery. The last step is finishing stage. Start the ritual of the lottery. Use stones that boy had gathered up. Stone the winner till the death. Announce the end of the ritual lottery, and dismiss the crowd. The lottery official takes the box and put the box away un til the next lottery in the next year.

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 1

Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade,† Mary-Lynnette said as she and Mark passed the old Victorian farmhouse. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"Rowan. And Kestrel. And Jade. The names of thegirls who're moving in.† Mary-Lynnette tilted herhead toward the farmhouse-her hands were full of lawn chair. â€Å"They're Mrs. Burdock's nieces. Don't you remember I told you they were coming to live with her?† â€Å"Vaguely,† Mark said, readjusting the weight of the telescope he was carrying as they trudged up the manzanita-covered hill. He spoke shortly, which Mary-Lynnette knew meant he was feeling shy. â€Å"They're pretty names,† she said. â€Å"And they must be sweet girls, because Mrs. Burdock said so.† â€Å"Mrs. Burdock is crazy.† â€Å"She's just eccentric. And yesterday she told meher nieces are all beautiful. I mean, I'm sure she's prejudiced and everything, but she was pretty definite. Each one of them gorgeous, each one a completely different type.† â€Å"So they should be going to California,† Mark saidin an almost-inaudible mutter. â€Å"They should be posing for Vogue.Where do you want this thing?† he added as they reached the top of the hill. â€Å"Right here.† Mary-Lynnette put the lawn chairdown. She scraped some dirt away with her foot so the telescope would sit evenly. Then she said casually, â€Å"You know, I thought maybe we could go over there tomorrow and introduce ourselves-sort of welcome them, you know†¦.† â€Å"Will you cut itout?†Mark said tersely. â€Å"I can organize my own life. If I want to meet a girl, I'll meet a girl. I don't need help.† â€Å"Okay, okay. You don't need help. Be careful withthat focuser tube-â€Å" â€Å"And besides, what are we going to say?† Mark said, on a roll now. â€Å"‘Welcome to Briar Creek, where nothing ever happens. Where there are more coyotes than people. Where if you really want some excitement you can ride into town and watch theSaturday night mouse racing at the Gold Creek Bar†¦.'† â€Å"Okay. Okay.† Mary-Lynnette sighed. She-looked at her younger brother, who just at the moment was illuminated by the last rays of sunset. To see him now, you'd think he'd never been sick a day in hislife. His hair was as dark and shiny as Mary Lynnette's, his eyes were as blue and clear and snapping. He had the same healthy tan as she did; thesame glow of color in his cheeks. But when he'd been a baby, he'd been thin andscrawny and every breath had been a challenge.His asthma had been so bad he'd spent most of his second year in an oxygen tent, fighting to stay alive. Mary-Lynnette, a year and a half older, had won dered every day if her baby brother would ever come home. It had changed him, being alone in that tent whereeven their mother couldn't touch him. When hecame out he was shy and clingy-holding on to theirmother's arm all the time. And for years he hadn'tbeen able to go out for sports like the other kids. That was all a long time ago-Mark was going to bea junior in high school this year-but he was still shy. And when he got defensive, he bit people's heads off. Mary-Lynnette wished one of the new girls would be right for him, draw him out a bit, give him confidence. Maybe she could arrange it somehow†¦. â€Å"What are you thinking about?† Mark asked suspiciously. Mary-Lynnette realized he was staring at her. â€Å"About how the seeing's going to be really good tonight,† she said blandly. â€Å"August's the best month for starwatching; the air's so warm and still. Hey,there's the first star-you can make a wish.† She pointed to a bright point of light above the southern horizon. It worked; Mark was distracted and looked, too. Mary-Lynnette stared at the back of his dark head.If it would do any good, I'd wish for romance for you, she thought. I'd wish it for myself, too-but what would be the point? There's nobody around here to be romantic with. None of the guys at school–except maybe JeremyLovett-understood why she was interested in as tronomy, or what she felt about the stars. Most ofthe time Mary-Lynnette didn't care-but occasionally she felt a vague ache in her chest. A longing to †¦ share. If she hadwished, it would have been for that, for someone to share the night with. Oh, well. It didn't help to dwell on it. And besides,although she didn't want to tell Mark, what they were wishing on was the planet Jupiter, and not a star at all. Mark shook his head as he tramped down the path that wound through buckbrush and poison hemlock. He should have apologized to Mary-Lynnette beforeleaving-he didn't like being nasty to her. In fact, she was the one person he usually tried to be decent to. But why was she always trying to fix him? To the point of wishing on stars. And Mark hadn't really made a wish, anyway. He'd thought, if I was making a wish, which I'm not because it's hokey and stupid, it would be for some excitement around here. Something wild, mark thought-and felt an innershiver as he hiked downhill in the gathering darkness. Jade stared at the steady, brilliant point of lightabove the southern horizon. It was a planet, she knew. For the last two nights she'd seen it moving across the sky, accompanied by tiny pinpricks of light that must be its moons. Where she came from, nobody was in the habit of wishing on stars, but this planet seemed like a friend-a traveler, just like her. As Jade watched it tonight, she felt a sort of concentration of hope rise inside her. Almost awish. Jade had to admit that they weren't off to a very promising start. The night air was too quiet; there wasn't the faintest sound of a car coming. She wastired and worried and beginning to be very, very hungry. Jade turned to look at her sisters. â€Å"Well, where is she?† â€Å"I don't know,† Rowan said in her most doggedly gentle voice. â€Å"Be patient.† â€Å"Well, maybe we should scan for her. â€Å"No,† Rowan said. â€Å"Absolutely not. Remember what we decided.† â€Å"She's probably forgotten we were coming,† Kestrel said. â€Å"I told you she was getting senile.† â€Å"Don't saythings like that. It's not polite,† Rowan said, still gentle, but through her teeth. Rowan was always gentle when she could manageit. She was nineteen, tall, slim, and stately. She had cinnamon-brown eyes and warm brown hair that cascaded down her back in waves. Kestrel was seventeen and had hair the color of old gold sweeping back from her face like a bird's wings. Her eyes were amber and hawklike, and she was never gentle. Jade was the youngest, just turned sixteen, and she didn't look like either of her sisters. She had white-blond hair that she used as a veil to hide behind, and green eyes. People said she looked serene, but she almost never felt serene. Usually she was either madly excited or madly anxious and confused. Right now it was anxious. She was worried about her battered, half-century-old Morocco leather suitcase. She couldn't hear a thing from inside it. 00 â€Å"Hey, why don't you two go down the road a little way and see if she's coming?† Her sisters looked back at her. There were few things that Rowan and Kestrel agreed on, but Jade was one of them. She could see that they were about to team up against her. â€Å"Now what?† Kestrel said, her teeth showing just briefly. And Rowan said, â€Å"You're up to something. What are you up to, Jade?† Jade smoothed her thoughts and her face out and just looked at them artlessly. She hoped. They stared back for a few minutes, then looked at each other, giving up. â€Å"We're going to have to walk, you know,† Kestrel said to Rowan. â€Å"There are worse things than walking,† Rowansaid. She pushed a stray wisp of chestnut-colored hair off her forehead and looked around the bus stationwhich consisted of a three-sided, glass-walled cubicle,and the splintering wooden bench. â€Å"I wish there was a telephone.† â€Å"Well, there isn't. And it's twenty miles to BriarCreek,† Kestrel said, golden eyes glinting with a kind of grim enjoyment. â€Å"We should probably leave our bags here.† Alarm tingled through Jade. â€Å"No, no. I've got allmy–all my clothes in there. Come on, twenty milesisn't so far.† With one hand she picked up her cat carrier-it was homemade, just boards and wiresand with the other she picked up the suitcase. She got quite a distance down the road before she heard the crunch of gravel behind her. They were following: Rowan sighing patiently, Kestrel chuckling softly, her hair shining like old gold in the starlight. The one-lane road was dark and deserted. But notentirely silent there were dozens of tiny night sounds, all adding up to one intricate, harmonizing night stillness. It would have been pleasant, except that Jade's suitcase seemed to get heavier with everystep, and she was hungrier than she had ever beenbefore. She knew better than to mention it to Rowan, but it made her feel confused and weak. Just when she was beginning tothink she would have to put the suitcase down and rest, she heard a new sound. It was a car, coming from behind them. The engine was so loud that it seemed to take a long time to get close to them, but when it passed, Jade saw that itwas actually going very fast. Then there was a rattling of gravel and the car stopped. It backed up and Jade saw a boy looking through the window at her. There was another boy in the passenger seat. Jade looked at them curiously. They seemed to be about Rowan's age, and theywere both deeply tanned. The one in the driver's seat had blond hair and looked as if he hadn't washed ina while. The other one had brown hair. He was wear ing a vest with no shirt underneath. He had a toothpick in his mouth. They both looked back at Jade, seeming just as curious as she was. Then the driver's window slid down. Jade was fascinated by how quickly it went. â€Å"Need a ride?† the driver said, with an oddly bright smile. His teeth shone in contrast to his dingy face. Jade looked at Rowan and Kestrel, who were just catching up. Kestrel said nothing, but looked at the car through narrow, heavy-lashed amber eyes. Rowan's brown eyes were very warm. â€Å"We sure would,† she said, smiling. Then, doubtfully, â€Å"But we're going to Burdock Farm. It may be out of your way†¦.† â€Å"Oh, hey, I know that place. It's not far,† the onein the vest said around his toothpick. â€Å"Anyway, anything for a lady,† he said, with what seemed to be an attempt at gallantry. He opened his door and got out of the car. â€Å"One of you can sit up front, and I can sit in back with the other two. Lucky me, huh?† he said to the driver. â€Å"Lucky you,† the driver said, smiling largely again. He opened his door, too. â€Å"You go on and put that cat carrier in front, and the suitcases can go in the trunk,† he said. Rowan smiled at Jade, and Jade knew what she was thinking. Iwonder if everybody out here is so friendly? They distributed their belongings and thenpiled in the car, Jade in the front with the driver, Rowan and Kestrel in the back on either side of the vested guy. A minute later they were flying downthe road at what Jade found a delightful speed, gravel crunching beneath the tires. â€Å"I'm Vic,† the driver said. â€Å"I'm Todd,† the vested guy said. Rowan said, â€Å"I'm Rowan, and this is Kestrel. That'sJade up there.† â€Å"You girls friends?† â€Å"We're sisters,† Jade said. â€Å"You don't look like sisters.† â€Å"Everybody says that.† Jade meant everybody theyhad met since they'd run away. Back home, everybodyknew they were sisters, so nobody said it. â€Å"What are you doing out here so late?† Vic asked. â€Å"It's not the place for nice girls.† â€Å"We're not nice girls,† Kestrel explained absently. â€Å"We're trying to be,† Rowan said reprovingly through her teeth. To Vic, she said, â€Å"We were waiting for our great-aunt Opal to pick us up at the bus stop, but she didn't come. We're going to live at Burdock Farm.† â€Å"Old lady Burdock is your aunt?† Todd said, removing his toothpick. â€Å"That crazy old bat?† Vic turned around to look at him, and they both laughed and shook their heads. Jade looked away from Vic. She stared down at the cat carrier, listening for the little squeaking noises that meant Tiggy was awake. She felt just slightly †¦ uneasy. She sensed something. Even though these guys seemed friendly, there was something beneath the surface. But she was toosleepy-and too light-headed from hunger-to figure out exactly what it was. Rowan was still looking polite and puzzled, but Kestrel looked at the car door on her side thoughtfully. Jade knew what she was looking for-a handle.There wasn't one. â€Å"Too bad,† Vic said. â€Å"This car's a real junkheap; you can't even open the back doors from inside.† He grabbed Jade's upper arm so hard she could feel pressure on the bone. â€Å"Now, you girls just be nice and nobody's going to get hurt.† They seemed to drive a long time beforeVic spoke again. â€Å"You girls ever been to Oregon before?† Jade blinked and murmured a negative. â€Å"It's got some pretty lonely places,† Vic said. â€Å"Outhere, for example. Briar Creek was a gold rush town, but when the gold ran out and the railroad passed it by, it just died. Now the wilderness is taking it back.† His tone was significant, but Jade didn't understand what he was trying to convey. â€Å"It does seem peaceful;† Rowan said politely from the backseat. Vic made a brief snorting sound. â€Å"Yeah, well, peaceful wasn't exactly what I meant. I meant, take this road. These farmhouses are miles apart, right? Ifyou screamed, there wouldn't be anyone to hearyou.† Jade blinked. What a strange thing to say. Rowan, still politely making conversation, said, â€Å"Well, you and Todd would.† â€Å"I mean, nobody else,† Vic said, and Jade could feel his impatience. He had been driving more and more slowly. Now he pulled the car off to the side of the road and stopped. Parked. â€Å"Nobody outthere is going to hear,† he clarified,turning around to look into the backseat. Jade looked, too, and saw Todd grinning, a wide bright grin with teeth clenched on his toothpick. â€Å"That's right,† Todd said. â€Å"You're out here alone with us, so maybe you'd better listen to us, huh?† Jade saw that he was gripping Rowan's arm with one hand and Kestrel's wrist with the other.

Personal Observation of My Nephew essays

Personal Observation of My Nephew essays When we were kids we had it so rough. Everyday, we had to wake up early, go to school and learn new information that would help us through life. Sometimes after school we would come home and start our homework or watch television or even play with friends until our parents or guardians fixed us dinner. Yes our lives were so tough. Although I could not observe my nephew during school and daycare hours I observed him when he got home from day care. My nephew is seven years old and in the first grade. He his very tall and skinny - it runs in the family. He is laid back and even though he has a little brother, he stills enjoys playing by himself. He is a loner. He has his moments when he loves being outside, then he has moments when he likes to be inside. Honestly, he is spoiled and that is because he is the first grandson. His personality consisted of all of us wrapped in his body. Usually, my nephew gets home around 4:00-4:30 pm when the day care van drops him off home. He typically does his homework when he goes to daycare so when he does get home he can relax. When he gets home we ask him about his day at school and what he learned. He responds with "good"; he does not say much about what he learned. So then he takes off his school uniform. Where we are from the children have to wear uniform - usually black, blue, or khaki pants or shorts with a polo shirt which is the school colors. On this day my nephew wore his khaki shorts and a black polo shirt and black Nike's. He changed in to a white tee shirt and blue balling shorts. After he changed clothes he went into the living room and got he remote control. He changes the channel to Disney which had Phineas and Ferb playing. I think he loves this show because these boys is always doing something and never get caught by their parents. While that show was on commercial he went to his toy bend and got out o of his toy cars. He played with the car during the commer...

Overview of Animal Cruelty

Overview of Animal Cruelty The term animal cruelty gets thrown around a lot, but an animal activists definition of animal cruelty may be very different from that of a hunter, a vivisector or a farmer. There is also a legal definition of animal cruelty that varies by state in the U.S., to confuse things further. Essentially, though, animal cruelty boils down to inhumane acts against animals of all walks of life, including starving domesticated pets, torturing any creatures and excessive killing of animals for sport. Animal Cruelty Law in the United States In the United States, there is no federal animal cruelty law. While some federal laws, like the Animal Welfare Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act or the Endangered Species Act restrict when or how certain animals in certain situations may be harmed or killed, these federal laws do not cover the more typical case, such as the person who intentionally kills the neighbors dog. Every state has an animal cruelty statute, and some offer stronger protections than others. Hence, the legal definition of animal cruelty will vary according to which state you are in, and some places have very large exemptions. For example, most states have exemptions for wildlife, animals in laboratories, and common agricultural practices, such as debeaking or castration. Some states exempt rodeos, zoos, circuses and pest control. However, some states may also have separate laws banning practices like cockfighting, dog fighting or horse slaughter - activities observed as inhumane by the majority of Americans. Where the legal definition is lacking, at least for animal rights activists, is in protecting all creatures from unnecessary suffering at the hands of mankind.   In any case, if someone is found guilty of animal cruelty, penalties also vary by state. Most states provide for the seizure of the animal victims and reimbursement for expenses for the animals care, and while some allow counseling or community service as part of the sentencing, twenty-three states have felony penalties of over a year in prison for animal cruelty. For more information, the Animal Legal and Historic Center provides an excellent, detailed overview of animal cruelty statutes in the U.S. To find your states animal cruelty statute, go to the Centers site and choose your state from the drop-down menu on the left. The Common Understanding Animal cruelty cases make headlines around the country every day, whether its the person who kills the neighbors cat, the hoarder of sick and dying animals, or the family whose starving, freezing dog is tied up outside in the middle of winter. These acts would likely constitute animal cruelty under any states animal cruelty statute, and would also fit with the publics common understanding of the term. However, when it comes to animals other than cats and dogs, peoples concept of the term animal cruelty varies greatly. Most animal activists would say that traditional agricultural practices such as debeaking, tail docking, castration, and confinement on factory farms are animal cruelty. Although some people do agree, as evidenced by the passage of Prop 2 in California, factory farmers and most other states animal cruelty laws havent yet adopted these same values. While some might base their definition of animal cruelty on how much the animal suffers or feels pain during death, the amount of suffering is not relevant for animal rights activists because the animals are deprived of their right to live and exist free of human use and abuse. Some may also base their definition on which type of animal is involved or how intelligent they perceive that animal to be. The slaughter of dogs, horses or whales for meat may be the epitome of animal cruelty to some, while the killing of cows, pigs, and chickens are acceptable to those same individuals. Similarly, to some, the killing of animals for fur or cosmetics testing may constitute unacceptable animal cruelty while the killing of animals for food is acceptable. Among the general public, the more culturally beloved the animal is and the more unusual the harm is, the more likely they are to be outraged and label the harm to that animal as animal cruelty. To animal activists, a much wider range of harms is called animal cruelty. Animal rights activists would argue that cruelty is cruelty, regardless of how common or legal the harm is.

International Relation- PED Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Relation- PED - Essay Example growth of the political economy of development enables the exposure of the interconnected topics, ideas and the role played by such ideas towards shaping a country’s development aspects. The assignment is put together in order to provide an understanding platform of the existing literature on economic development studies. The work is organised in a way that will elaborate more on the Post-war consensus that took place from 1950s and in the 1960s. During this period, the ideas portrayed in the literature indicate that they were focused on the theory of classical dualism. This particular theory led to the development of policies that were concentrated more on the creation of the suitable pre-conditions to facilitate development. The study will shed light on the event of increasing awareness, and the role played by advancing ideas. The ideas were resulting from the reducing reliance on the state of developmental and the increasing dependence on structural adjustment lending that will be assayed. In reference to Ranis (2004), the previously ignored sub-field of development economics was reinvented between the 1950s and the 1960s. During the time, the current models of the economy were deemed only to offer insights that were rather limited towards solving the challenges facing the third world. The Keynesian, Solow, and Harrod-Domar were the dominant economic models at the time. However, the ideas in these theories have little relevance for most societies. In accordance with Cairney (2012), the ideas incorporated in this literature are more of connected to the business cycles and other steady-state properties. In a more specific tone, the contemporary development models are viewed as related to the advanced countries. The Keynesian theory, for instance, has an abstract theoretical construct that abides by the abundant assumptions portrayed by the macro- theory of neo-classics. Contemporary development ideas also focused on full employment, perfect competition, and