Continuous Self Development In Work Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3295 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Career Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Self-analysis is defined as the process of investigating and examining ones personal thoughts, emotions, and behavior (VanderBos, 2006). This concept was popularized by the famous psychologist Sigmund Freud, who studied and researched on the field of psychoanalysis- an outcome of the study of self-analysis (Exforsys Inc, 2010). Therefore, self-analysis belongs to the field of psychoanalysis, which is the study about ones subconscious and conscious mind in our daily life. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Continuous Self Development In Work Business Essay" essay for you Create order Psychoanalysis is a therapy as well as a Freudian theory. The aim of psychoanalysis therapy is to release repressed emotions and experiences, to make the unconscious conscious  (McLeod, 2007). There are various means to conduct self-analysis with the help of tools such as personality tests which gives objective explanations of the strengths, weaknesses and needs of a person (Exforsys Inc, 2010). Self-awareness Daniel Goleman (1998) defines self-awareness as the ability to recognize and understand ones moods, emotions, and drives, as well as their effect on others. Also called self-understanding, it gives a clear perception of ones personality, including strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, and beliefs (VanderBos, 2006). Self-awareness (Warmerdam, n.d.) allows a person to understand other people, how others perceive him, his attitude and his responses to them in the moment. Gary van Warmerdam (n.d.) explains that self-awareness is developed through practices in focusing attention on the details of ones personality and behavior which cant be learned from a book. An increasing number of people are recognizing the importance of self-awareness since it is one of the attributes of emotional intelligence and an important factor in achieving success; a deficit in self-awareness can be damaging to ones personal relationships and career (Goleman, 1998). With the help of psychometric tests, we can k now more about ourselves thus attaining self-awareness, then process the results of the tests and undergo a deep reflection to attain self-analysis of ourselves. Now, we can see the relationship between self-analysis and self-awareness. Using self-analysis and self-awareness, we can have continuous self-development of ourselves. Self-development The US Army (2008) defines self-development as goal-oriented learning that reinforces and expands the depth and breadth of an individuals knowledge base and self-awareness. Self-development will complement what one has learned in the classroom and on the job, enhance ones professional competence, and help a person meet his objectives (US Army, 2008). In other words, self- development is the  continuous progression of personal growth by expanding ones self-awareness and improving personal skills (Thum, 2012). Self-development is important to achieving your personal and professional goals. Knowing oneself entails knowing ones abilities, flaws, strengths, and behaviors (Exforsys Inc, 2010). These are essential components to have an effective self-development. The Self-development Handbook (2008) states that it is linked and begins with self-awareness; each supporting the other and raising the capabilities of the individual. Self-development endeavor involves a lot of aspects to consider and apply in order to realize ones potentials. Once these potentials are identified, they become a persons strengths and assets that can empower an individual. Lack of self- awareness can be damaging to ones personal relationships and career success (Reece et al., 2011). In summary, self-development requires more self-analysis and self-awareness is the foundation on which self-development is built (Reece et al., 2011). From Self- development to Continuous self- development in work Organizational changes are creating the need for continuous learning environments that support employees self-development. London and Smither (1999) says that self-development means seeking and using feedback, setting development goals, engaging in developmental activities, and tracking progress on ones own. This assumes that people are capable not only of monitoring their own behaviors, but also of recognizing which behaviors and outcomes are most favorable and desirable (London Smither, 1999). The self-development philosophy underlines the notion that the individual takes responsibility for learning and choosing the methods and place, to pursue goal-oriented learning activities, whether on-the-job or off-the-job (Gauci, 2009).   Self-development also means that individuals must be motivated, feeling strongly about developing, growing and taking action (Gauci, 2009). Organizations can encourage self-development by providing nonthreatening performance feedback, ensuring beh avioral choices for learning, encouraging feedback seeking, and rewarding participation in learning activities and other self-determined behavior (London Smither, 1999). Education and training is a continuing and lifelong process. Mr. Paul Gauci, B.A.(Hons.) M.Ed.(Sheff) MCIPD MIM (2009) explains that the pace of change is so rapid and intense that professional or occupational training can only provide the foundations of knowledge, skills and attitudes on which further development must take place if managers are to remain current and competent. According to Mitch McCrimmon, PhD (2007), some personality types are more interested in learning than others. A quick way to measure ones interest in learning is to take the typology indicator test. Thinking places a premium on competence which is more focused on future possibilities and value change (McCrimmon, 2007). They are abreast of the latest developments in their field. Dr. Mitch McCrimmon (2007) further explains that those w ho prefer sensing and judging value efficiency and prefer to apply existing skills rather than learn new ones. They excel in following complex procedures and get things done in an organized manner, but need more time to learn new skills and adapt to change (McCrimmon, 2007). Often, they excel as managers simply because businesses want immediate profit. Business needs change agents to create better future (McCrimmon, 2007). Gauci (2009) researches that nowadays, self-development has move to a position in the mainstream of management and business development.   According to Pedler (1990 cited in Gauci, 2009) the re-emergence of self-development is attributed to a response to the limitations of systematic and analytical training. It is suggested that the process of self-development enables the attainment of the ability to learn how to learn (Megginson and Pedler, 1992 cited in Gauci, 2009), a continuing openness to experience (Rogers, 1969 cited in Gauci, 2009), and to utiliz e this learning edge (Wick and Leon, 1993 cited in Gauci, 2009) to increase flexibility and adaptability in the organization. Continuous self -development is when one commits himself to improving his knowledge and understanding throughout his career. Continuous development (2009) is an active process involving the individual in decisions about growth and change that is concerned with attainable realities which is the difference between what he currently does and how he can realistically achieve.   It focuses on an attainable and viable role in which the job offers increased challenge, demands and ultimate satisfaction and rewards (Gauci, 2009). Indeed, if continuous development (2009) is a viable way of improving performance and effectiveness in an organization, there needs to be a culture in which it is valued and encouraged.  Organizational barriers to learning such as the lack of information, access, coaching, support; lack of real value for learning and lack of reward and recognition need to be removed (Gauci, 2009).   Learning organizations are those best skilled at creating, acquiring and transferring knowledge and at modifying behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights (Gauci, 2009). Furthermore, encouraging and empowering subordinates to take charge of their own learning can motivate managers to increase their willingness to continue their own development. Analysis Our accumulated knowledge and experience is becoming obsolete as the days go by but the knowledge needed as a manager is increasing rapidly. We need to undergo continuous self-development to overcome the inevitable change and restructuring. Our personal knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge are our most valuable assets. To stay on top of my future career as a manager, I must continue to increase my knowledge and ability. In undertaking continuous self-improvement, we dedicate ourselves to enhancing our earning ability. By learning more, I prepare myself to earn more in the future. I am positioning myself for tomorrow by developing the knowledge and skills that I need to be a valuable and productive part of the economy. Self -Analysis and Self- Awareness Career Planner Test The Prospects Career Planner (Appendix 1) showed that I have a very high probability to be a management consultant, equality and diversity officer, public affairs consultant, environment consultant and a good probability to be a financial manager, retail manager, marketing executive, sales executive. From the result, it shows that I can be a consultant, manager and executive in the fields of management, public affairs, finance, retail, marketing, and sales. These fields comprise the entire business or enterprise which I can be as the manager and executive. To further verify the results of the earlier test, I took the Careerpaths Career Planner (Appendix 2). The result showed that I am interested in things which involves communicating with other people by debating and discussing opinions and ideas to help others improve or grow personally and professionally. My style is administrating which means that I have strength in managing details and creating sophisticated processes that g ets complex work done based on carefully reasoned decisions and facts. I also always can be counted on to deliver what I commit to. Therefore, the result suggested my career choices are in sales, advertising, public relations and hospitality. Again these fields are all related to a business or enterprise. Now no doubt that I can aspire to be an entrepreneur. Since the career planners say that I can be an entrepreneur, I have undergone an Entrepreneurial Personality Profile by Psychtests (Appendix 3) which reported that I am people oriented (89%). This proves the results of the career planner that advised me to pursue jobs that needs communicating and interacting with people such as public affairs, sales and marketing. There is a clear picture that I can be an entrepreneur based on several career planner test. While self-reflecting, I ask myself: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Background I came from an entrepreneurial family which is typical of the Filipino-Chinese people in the Philippines. As the only son in a Chinese family, it is said that I am a crown prince in the family with all the negative stereotypes attached to it. Actually, I am not raised as being spoiled and I dont want to be like that. Since I am from an entrepreneurial family, I feel I have an entrepreneurial nature which I probably inherited from the genes of my parents and not influenced by the environment that surrounds me. I remembered when I was a kid, I used to like selling stuff such as pens or booklets cut out from a magazine to my fellow classmates. I then placed my earnings in a piggy bank and save them. More recently, I ventured in another entrepreneurial undertaking. When I was in my undergraduate years studying at the University of the Philippines, I also did a small business of selling and installation Direct-to-home satellite TV equipment to private homes. Satellite TV is popular i n the Philippines due to the geographic nature of our country and the wide range of available channels for any nationality and race for free or with subscription. Engaging in this business involves technical knowhow of the reception the satellite in orbit as well as the preference of customers in the channels that they want to receive. I source the product from an importer of electronic equipment from China which I came to know and market the product through Ebay and other online shopping websites. The business was successful as I have customers as diverse as European expats, Chinese and Filipinos from different islands by online orders and word of mouth from satisfied clients. Some customers order in bulk for reselling. This business lasted for 4 years until a government regulation was strictly implemented that broadcast and communication equipment including satellite TV must all be registered with the telecommunications agency and the person must have a license from the same agenc y to sell the registered products. Since I dont have any of these licenses, I could not anymore continue this business and came to an end. After finishing my undergraduate studies, I went in to help in our family business and I got involved in the marketing and sales aspect as the assistant to my parents. The nature of business that my family engages is importing food raw ingredients with a wide range of items such as dried fruits, dried peas, milk powder, soy beans, to sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and many others from different countries around the world. These items are then sold wholesale as industrial food  ingredients for food service, bakery and catering industries. I am the assistant to my parents in handling the operations and finance of the company. I get to meet and talk with customers. The family business evolved through the years. Since my grandfathers time, we have been an importer and also engage in retail as grocery as it is after World War 2 and our countrys economy is the 2nd in Asia after Japan. People that time are very eager to buy imported grocery products from the United States and we became the official distributor of some items in the Philippines. Then came the government of Ferdinand Marcos, where a lot of social, political and economic changes happened. It gave our family business opportunities and threats. Opportunities such as having inventories of goods before the import control was imposed and threat of the political uncertainty that caused widespread inflation and devaluation of our currency. After the Marcos regime, the economy was in the worst state and affected the business. Intended Career Path After finishing my MBA, I want to experience the corporate world for a few years in Singapore before going back to my home country. Facing the reality, no one but only me needs take the family business into the new frontier. Currently, due to the global financial crisis, domestic political infightings, and other factors, business now is worse than half-century ago and a diversification or a new line of business is needed with the business soon. I have confirmed that I can have a career as a businessman, but do I have the right traits, qualities and personality to be successful in my chosen career? Personality Test The Humanmetrics Jung Typology Test (Appendix 4) reported that I am ENTJ with distinctive preference of Extraversion over Introversion (67%), moderate preference of Intuition over Sensing (38%), slight preference of Thinking over Feeling (12%) and a moderate preference of Judging over Perceiving (44%). The explanation states that ENTJs often find themselves in occupations that require good analytical and planning skills. ENTJs build successful careers in the areas requiring considerable organizational skills and intellectual efforts, presenting a challenge, and calling for creativity. People with my typology are greatly represented in technological and management consulting and among high- and mid-rank managers. They are also able to realize their potential in start-ups where they often fulfill management positions or take responsibility for the whole project. The Humanmetrics (2012) stated that famous personalities sharing my type are world leaders such as Napoleon, former US pres ident Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Madonna, an American singer, songwriter, actress and entrepreneur among others. The Cut-E Shapes online assessment (Appendix 5) evaluated that I want everybody to immediately receive all information so that rumors cannot even arise in the first place. In an unclear situation, I very quickly feel uneasy and therefore I want open communication. In my opinion, it should be ensured that sufficient space and tangible opportunities are provided for personal and professional development in order to improve professional skills. It is important for me that weaknesses are taken into account. For me, care must be taken that people are treated fairly and with respect. Everybody must be given the feeling that they are important. Feedback from Friends My friends provide me some suggestions based on my personality results and career plan. I asked my group mates to answer a Johari Window and state the adjectives that describe me the most. They find that I am an extroverted, and friendly which are my Arena. Ambitious, knowledgeable, able and organized are my bind spot which I came to realize after they told me. They notice that I can work both alone and in a team but prefer to concentrate on my own tasks. They also feel that I contribute positively to the mood of the group. They said that I contribute to the success of the team but also like it when ideas and solutions I have contributed are recognized. But my friends dont know that I am not prepared to sacrifice my private life or friendships for the career which is my weakness. I also asked my friends if I can be an entrepreneur someday. They all replied in affirmative saying that I have the traits and skills for it. Analysis The psychometric tests and the Johari window feedback from my friends prove that I am an extroverted person. My friends also perceive me to be ambitious which I dont realize before. Probably, they think that I am extrovert and friendly for the sake of ambition which reflects my moderate preference of Intuition over Sensing in the Jung Typology Test. But other people doesnt know that I care and love the people around me and not prepared to sacrifice my private life or friendships for the ambitious career which shows my weakness. This reflects in my slight preference between Thinking and Feeling. My friends also told me that I am organized which reflects the moderate preference of Judging over Perceiving. Overall, the results give me optimism that I have the interest, skills and characteristics to pursue a career being an entrepreneur. Summary Figure 1: My Personal Johari Window After undergoing self-analysis, I came to know better about myself. My friends and I know that I am extrovert, friendly, happy and warm which are essential traits for my future career as an entrepreneur; these are my Arena. I am unaware that I am knowledgeable, able, organized, ingenious and ambitious, which are my Blind Spot according to my friends. A person who is knowledgeable and able has the capability to be an entrepreneur. Being ingenious is a trait I like since entrepreneurs need to be creative and imaginative in finding ways to establish profitable business; coupled with being ambitious makes one an entrepreneur with a foresight. It seems that I have these essential traits which I am proud of. My faà §ade, which I myself know but others are clueless, is my weakness. I tend to be caring and loving to the point that I can even sacrifice my ambitious career plans as an entrepreneur. This is a weakness for being an entrepreneur but these traits are morally good as a human being. I am divided deep inside me, will I follow my mind or my heart? Most likely, I will still follow my heart over my mind. Actually, this reflects on my typology test being split between Thinking and Feeling. Taking an MBA is a choice I made. For me, higher education is essential for my future career. I should apply the theoretical knowledge I learned in MBA and put it into practice. I am young going to start my career life first by working in the corporate world, then establish a new business or revitalize our current business. Working in the corporate world serves as an opportunity for me to experience the real world outside our family business comfort zone, a sort of an eye opener. Thriving in the entrepreneurial field is a challenge. I am aware that I will be faced with long hours, multiple tasks to juggle, and a great deal of hard work. The tests provided me helpful information about the key traits and skills of successful entrepren eurs, and assesses whether there are areas I need to work on. I realized that I am a total people-person, and seem to be very at ease in social situations. This is a very important trait to possess. In order for me to be successful in the entrepreneurial field, I need to create relationships with helpful business contacts, clients, suppliers, and employees. This requires strong interpersonal skills, and a certain degree of comfort initiating conversations and networking, all of which is my strengths. Even I have the same Jung typology as Madonna, a famous singer as well as an entrepreneur.

Designing A Design Services For Sprinkler Systems

You asked the following questions: â€Å"We have a storage arrangement of large wooden boxes stored on top of each other to approximately 20 ft. The boxes are filled with household items of Class III commodities. Section 5.6 does not specifically address this commodity. Would Class III be a proper description of this commodity? Would Chapter 14 be appropriate to determine density? Specifically Figure 14.2.4.2 with high temperature sprinklers?† In response to your questions we have reviewed NFPA 13, 2010 edition that you indicated as the applicable standard. Our informal interpretation is that there are few questions that we are unable to answer; unfortunately, yours is one of them. The protection criteria will have to be discussed with†¦show more content†¦I hope you understand our dilemma regarding basic design for facilities. To date, we ve answered over 2000 written requests for interpretations and countless numbers of verbal requests. I hope we can assist you in the future. The following is some guidance to help get you started. First, A.3.9.1 indicates that a six-sided portable storage container can be a combustible or noncombustible enclosed storage unit with varying dimensions ranging from small portable rental storage units to large freight containers. The Technical Committee on Sprinkler System Discharge is unaware of fire tests, and no design guidance is furnished. A table was also added as Table A.5.6, Examples of Commodities Not Addressed by Classifications where one item listed is Storage Container - Large container storage of household goods. That applies to your scenario. To get you started, check with the client on the commoditi es that will be stored inside the portable moving containers. Typically, household items have a range of commodity classifications from Class I through expanded Group A plastics in the form of foam cushions or mattresses. Since the commodities may vary, the worse case scenario of expanded Group A plastics may be a starting point. The container storage would not qualify as rack storage and would match closer to solid pile storage arrangement. The decision tree in Figure 15.2.2 provides guidance on selecting a density in Table 15.2.6(a) for Control Mode

Marajuanaeffects And After Affects Essay Example For Students

Marajuana:effects And After Affects Essay One of the most common illegal drug in the United States is marijuana. There are mixed views about this drug, some people want it legalized, other people dont. In this essay, I hope to display the facts about this illegal narcotic, and explain many vieMarijuana has many different names such as kif in Morocco, doggo in South Africa and gangi in India. There are many slang terms for this type of drug such as grass, pot, weed, reefer, mj, boo, broccoli, ace, joint, Colombian Tetrahydrocnnabinal(THC) was not found until the mid 1960s. Marijuana can be used medically or for an intoxicant. Doctors prescribe it to relieve pain for people in chemotherapy, or with other diseases. During the 1960s and 1970s mainly teenagers used marijuana. In the 1970s 11% said they used it daily, but recently, only about 5% use it daily. In 1975, 27% of people said they used it that previous month, and in 1978, that figure grew to 39%, but drRapid, loud talking and bursts of laughter are in the early stages of intoxication and sleepy or stuporous is in the later stages. Forgetfulness in conversation, inflammation in the whites of the eyes and the pupils unlikely to be dilated are in the laIt is still undetermined whether light doses of marijuana has long term effect. Some short term effects are; it causes a higher heart rate, reddened eyes, clumsiness, and blunt reflexes. The physical effects of marijuana use, particularly on developing adolescents, can be acute. The emotional development of adolescent users may be interrupted. Scientists feel heavy doses during adolescent damages emotional and intellectual development ane system. Marijuana use has an adverse effect on the social relationships of the user due to severe mood swings and a lack of interest. Marijuana use also causes a motivational syndrome. This means that the user will lose interest in activities and lose Researchers believe that marijuana blocks the messages going to your brain and alters your perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing, and coordination. A recent study of 1,023 trauma patients admitted to a shock trauma unit found that one-third had marijproven to have adverse effects on the female reproductive system. Marijuana and aging affect the brain in very similar ways. This places the long-time user in high risk for serious and premature memory disorders. Marijuana and aging aff ect the brain in veIf marijuana use is abruptly stopped, certain withdrawal symptoms will be experienced: nausea, insomnia, irritability, and/or anxiety. The 1993 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reports that: 33.7% of those surveyed admitted to having tried marijuana at some point in their lifetime, 9% admitted to having used marijuana during the past year, 4.3% used the drug in the past month, anI have displayed the different effects and statistics about this drug, and what its used for. Many people think it should be legalized, many people dont. We all have our different views, and insights about this topic, and I hope someday, we will agree

To Kill A Mockingbird - Parenting Essays - To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird - Parenting The first difference between Atticus and Bob is themselves and their children's hygiene. Bob Ewell's child Burris was a very defiled child, ?he had a dark gray neck, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his fingernails were black deep into the quick? (Lee 27). Burris was instructed by the teacher to leave early to ?wash you hair with lye soap. When you've done that, treat your scalp with kerosene? (Lee 26). Burris was angered by this remark responding, ?You ain't sendin' me home missus? (Lee 27), this displayed a sort of defensive side to the kids due to their dads lack of parenting they have to fend for themselves in a cruel insecure world for a child his age. Scout and Jem were well-groomed children no soiled clothes or face were kept on them for a long time like Burris. The next disparate characteristic is that of their lifestyles. The Ewells lived behind the town garbage dump in what was once a Negro's cabin. ?No economic flatuatuion change their status? (Lee170). The cabin's plank walls were supplemented with sheets of corrugated iron, its roof shingled with tin cans hammered flat, so only its general shape suggested its original diamond. ?The varmints had a lean time of it, the Ewells gave the dump a thorough gleaning every day, and the fruits of their industry made the plot of ground around the cabin look like the playhouse of an insane child? (Lee 170). ?Nobody was quite sure how many children were on the place? (Lee 171), showing their lifestyle to be so corrupt that nobody really wanted to go to the dump to see who or what was there. Atticus, Calpurnia, (the housekeeper), scout, and Jem lived on the main residential street in town. Atticus had enough to support his family since he was ?admitted to the bar and returned to Maycomb and began his practice? (Lee 4), and also to make a living. The next polarity between Bob and Atticus is their community acceptance. Bob Ewell was considered as a ?guest of the county in prosperity as well as in the depths of a depression? (Lee 170). The Ewells were not liked by many due to their grotesque decorum, and their unhealthy habits. ?no public health officer could free them from congenital diseases? (Lee 170). ?He (Atticus) like Maycomb, he was Maycomb county born and bred? (Lee 5). The community accepted Atticus with great reverence with him being a lawyer for them, ready to serve and protect them when justification was needed in their life. ?he knew his people, they knew him, and because of Simon Finch's industry, Atticus was related by blood or marriage to nearly every family in the town? (Lee 5). The last contrast that I am going to relate, are Bob and Atticus's views of morals and values. Bob Ewell was very much a prejudice against blacks; his accusation led to the Tom Robinson trial, of course blaming a black. Bob Ewell doesn't very righteous fatherly morals/values, due to the fact that ?They (his kids) didn't have to go to school, for one thing? (Lee 31), showing he really didn't care that much. Atticus had virtuous morals/values, he, even though assigned, took the Tom Robinson case, even though he knew he was going to be scandalized for it. ?You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head up high (Lee 76). Atticus showed that he doesn't want to have this bother his children as Atticus says in the book, ?I'm simply defending a Negro-his name's Tom Robinson? cal knows his family well. She says they're clean-living folks? (Lee 75). Also, Atticus brings up another good moral/value. In the gift-giving process, Atti cus gives Jem and Scout air-rifles and tells them to ?kill all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird? (Lee 90). This shows that Atticus realizes that even though it's a bird, which are classified as pesky, it doesn't endanger our lives, so we should not endanger its. Bob Ewell and Atticus Finch are contrastable in so many

How to Hang in for the Long Haul

How to Hang in for the Long Haul Why do I love C. Hope Clark’s protagonist Carolina Slade? She’s relentless in the pursuit of truth. She steps around those who say â€Å"no.† She’s a maverick tuned straight into reality - a heroine with her feet in clay, not ether. Writers need this persistence. We shrug off rejection, doubt, and the unknown. This gig ain’t for flakes. Most days, nobody cares what you do. But anything worth doing plays Think about the Nobel Prize recipients in Physics. Englebert and Higgs discovered the Higgs-Boson, aka the God particle, in 1954. Fifty-nine years passed with no one knowing their names. What’d they do in the meantime? Kept working. Followed their passion. Writers in it for the long haul know work never stops; the mountaintop is never â€Å"achieved.† No matter who notices, we must love the invisible toil. In a culture where fans scream for blood after a few losses and ba When I began reading FundsforWriters, I had a pile of unknown stories and a novel languishing after 15 years. Hope’s words comforted me, as did leads from Poets Writers. I began submitting to contests and magazines. Every time I got a submission confirmation, I got a ping of validation. Since childhood I’ve read voraciously, so I made time for this love. I embarked on my personal MFA to study great writers, annotating religiously. Then I returned to my rough stuff, inspired. I found supportive writers’ groups. People said nice, tough things, motivating me to revise. In 2008 a small-circulation magazine accepted a story. Then in 2009, I won a contest. I spent the money on a laptop. This inspired me to start a novel about a teen girl obsessed with Michael Jackson. I got up mornings before work and in six months wrote a draft. I had no idea there would be 25 more. I continued to follow Hope’s journey. Through her I found Nathan Bransford’s and Rachelle Gardner’s blogs. I joined Querytracker. I began querying agents and after 150 emails, found one in 2011. I was a finalist for the James Jones Fellowship and denied a grant. I parted ways with my agent in 2012. I re-applied for the grant in 2012 and got it. (FundsforWriters lead!) Now I’ve published two books: a YA novel and a short-story collection. I have a beautiful website (thank you, Shaila Abdullah!). Check out my trailer, signings, and other news at lynhawks.com. I’ve learned to love The Slog this way: Subscribe to newsletters like FFW. Submit to publications, contests, and grants. Make deadlines and new drafts. Have a goal each day and week. Check off lists. See progress. Make sacred writing time. Defend it like your firstborn. Go for The Personal MFA. Revel in words. Talk to artists who celebrate ups and suffer downs. (I married a musician.) Keep your beloved pet near Find beta readers to keep your story alive. Celebrate what goes well, like the encouraging rejection. Give yourself a daily reward, like a lattà ©. (Caffeine Rewards Program) Find every way to fan the flames of writing love. Be a true fan of you. That’s how this writer does the long haul.

Diploid Cell Definition and Example

Diploid Cell Definition and Example A diploid cell is a cell that contains two sets of chromosomes. This is double the haploid chromosome number. Each pair of chromosomes in a diploid cell is considered to be one  homologous chromosome  set. A single chromosome set consists of two chromosomes, one of which is donated from the mother and the other from the father. Humans have 23 sets of homologous chromosomes. Paired sex chromosomes are the (X and Y) homologues in males and the (X and X) homologues in females. The somatic cells in your body are diploid cells. Somatic cells include all of the cell types of the body, except for the gametes or sex cells. Gametes are haploid cells. During sexual reproduction, gametes (sperm and egg cells) fuse at fertilization to form a diploid zygote. The zygote develops into a diploid organism. Diploid Chromosome Number The diploid chromosome number of a cell is the number of chromosomes in the cell nucleus. This number is commonly abbreviated as 2n, where n stands for the number of chromosomes. For humans, this equation would be 2n46. Humans have 2 sets of 23 chromosomes for a total of 46 chromosomes. Autosomal chromosomes (non-sex chromosomes): 22 sets of 2Sex chromosomes: 1 set of 2 The diploid chromosome number varies depending on the organism with most containing between 10 and 50 chromosomes per cell. Examples of organisms and their diploid chromosome numbers include: Organism Diploid Chromosome Number (2n) E.coli Bacterium 1 Mosquito 6 Lily 24 Frog 26 Humans 46 Turkey 82 Shrimp 254 Diploid Cell Reproduction Diploid cells reproduce by the process of mitosis. In mitosis, a cell makes an identical copy of itself allowing its DNA to be replicated and distributed equally between two daughter cells. Somatic cells go through the mitotic cell cycle, while gametes are reproduced by meiosis. In the meiotic cell cycle, four daughter cells are produced instead of two. These cells are haploid containing half the number of chromosomes as the original cell. Polyploid and Aneuploid Cells The term ploidy refers to the number of chromosome sets found in a cells nucleus. Chromosome sets in diploid cells occur in pairs, while haploid cells contain half the number of chromosomes as a diploid cell. A cell that is polyploid has extra sets of homologous chromosomes. The genome in this type of cell contains three or more haploid sets. For example, a cell that is triploid has three haploid chromosome sets and a cell that is tetraploid has four haploid chromosomes sets. A cell that is aneuploid contains an abnormal number of chromosomes. It may have extra or missing chromosomes or may have a chromosome number that is not a multiple of the haploid number. Aneuploidy occurs as a result of chromosome mutation that happens during cell division. Homologous chromosomes fail to separate correctly resulting in daughter cells with either too many or not enough chromosomes. Diploid and Haploid Life Cycles Most plant and animal tissues consist of diploid cells. In multicellular animals, organisms are typically diploid for their entire life cycles. Plant multicellular organisms, such as flowering plants, have life cycles that vacillate between periods of a diploid stage and a haploid stage. Known as alternation of generations, this type of life cycle is exhibited in both non-vascular plants and vascular plants. In liverworts and mosses, the haploid phase is the primary phase of the life cycle. In flowering plants and gymnosperms, the diploid phase is the primary phase and the haploid phase is totally dependent upon the diploid generation for survival. Other organisms, such as fungi and algae, spend the majority of their life cycles as haploid organisms that reproduce by spores. Key Points Diploid cells are cells with two sets of chromosomes. They have twice the chromosome number of haploid cells.Somatic cells (body cells excluding sex cells) are examples of diploid cells.The diploid chromosome number is the number of chromosomes within a cells nucleus.The diploid chromosome number is represented as 2n and varies among different organisms.A diploid cell replicates by mitosis and preserves the diploid chromosome number by making identical copies of its chromosomes and distributing them equally between two daughter cells.Animal organisms are typically diploid for the entirety of their life cycles.Plant life cycles alternate between diploid and haploid stages.

Research methods psychology Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research methods psychology - Lab Report Example Although exercises promise vast number of health benefits, addiction may disturb the natural flow of life and create health problems. Scientists suggest chemical compounds such as endogenous opioids and catecholamines produced during strenuous exercise are responsible for auto addiction (Adams & Kirkby, 2002). Some researchers believe exercise addiction is a result of psychological condition related with body image and composition. Anorectic or bulimic individual may develop exercise addiction to reduce their body weight instead of vomiting. People in special professions such as long distance athletes, models, dancers etc., in which the thinness is much appreciated, are more vulnerable for exercise addiction (Cumella, 2005). Since exercises are highly encouraged for healthy living and commonly accepted by the society addiction cannot be identified easily (Cox & Orford, 2004) In our society males and females have opposite views on their body image. Thinness is preferred by most of the females while masculinity is preferred by most of males. Therefore both genders engage in exercises to obtain their desired body image in addition to health benefits. Like some other psychological conditions addiction to exercise may have a gender specific tendency. However research evidence are lacking in this area. Therefore it is important to identify any gender difference in exercise addiction. Apparently healthy 100 males and 100 females who are regular members of a gym and between 20 to 30 years of age are selected randomly from the membership registry. Members who are athletes and who have medical conditions (heart disease, pregnancy, hypertension etc.) which limit the exercises and who are known to have any psychological disorders are excluded. Questionnaire: consisted of personal details such as age, occupation etc. and several psychological questions to identify exercise addiction. These questions have a marking scale and according to the final score and the

Online Newspaper Industry in Hong Kong Research Paper

Online Newspaper Industry in Hong Kong - Research Paper Example With the advancement of internet, electronic businesses have boomed in the recent years. Online newspaper has been beneficial not only by proving news and information for the internet users, rather providing the same for the overseas readers (SooperArticles, n.d.). Electronic press has the ability to attract the readership from both the domestic and the overseas readers leading to no geographical limitation for the online newspapers. With the increased internet usage, the newspaper has also become online to attract the customers by getting involved with some popular technical ground such as internet. This reports aims to offer an insight into the online newspaper industry of Hong Kong. Research Question and Objectives The research aims is an effort to look into the online newspaper industry in Hong Kong. The following are certain research questions which are required to be investigated in this paper. 1. What is the present status of newspaper industry in Hong Kong? 2. Has online news paper emerged as an opportunity for the newspaper industry? 3. What would be an effective and successful marketing strategy for the online newspapers? To investigate the above questions, one would require setting his or her research objectives which are related and linked with the above research questions. While framing up the objectives care has been taken to frame up the objectives to be either measurable or observable and at the same time, these must be limited to the scope of the research arena. The research objectives are realistic and viable to offer effective recommendations for successful marketing strategy framework for the online newspaper industry in Hong Kong. The objective... To investigate the questions, one would require setting his or her research objectives which are related and linked with the above research questions. While framing up the objectives care has been taken to frame up the objectives to be either measurable or observable and at the same time, these must be limited to the scope of the research arena. The research objectives are realistic and viable to offer effective recommendations for successful marketing strategy framework for the online newspaper industry in Hong Kong. The objective of this research paper is to offer an effective marketing strategy for the Hong Kong online newspaper industry with an appropriate analysis of the industry, the customers and the prevailing marketing strategies. This report makes a conclusion that this project will analyse the online newspaper industry in Hong Kong and on the basis of this analysis, some recommendations for the marketing strategy will be formulated. Before conducting the research, a literature review has been done to gather some basic information regarding media industry in Hong Kong, different types of online marketing models suggested by the researchers and its advantages as well as limitations. In the later part of the literature review, some of the strategic models will also be discussed as these will be used in later part of the project while analysing the data. The newspapers can arrange some portion of the papers dedicated to these kinds of news. This would enable the companies to increase their customer base. In the recent years, the youth may be interested in some fashion related news or news from the campuses.

Jespersen vs. Harrahs Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Jespersen vs. Harrahs Case Analysis Essay Facts: Darlene Jespersen was a bartender at Harrah’s Casino in Reno in the sports bar. She was frequently praised by her supervisors and customers for being an outstanding employee. When Jespersen first started her job at Harrah’s the female bartenders were not required to wear makeup but were encouraged to. Jespersen tried to wear makeup to work a few times but decided that she did not like it due to the fact it made her feel sick, degraded, exposed and violated. She also believed that it interfered with her ability to deal with unruly customers because it â€Å"took away [her] credibility as an individual and as a person.† After 20 years of working for the company, Harrah’s implemented the â€Å"Personal Best† program contained certain appearance standards that applied equally to men and women. Women were now required to wear makeup and when Jespersen refused, she was fired. Jespersen sued Harrah’s under Title VII. Argument for Jespersen: Jespersen refused to wear makeup to work because the cost-in time, money and personal dignity. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 employers are free to adopt different appearance standards for each sex, but these standards may not impose a greater burden on one sex than the other. Women were required to wear makeup and men were not which allowed men to save hundreds of dollars and hours of time. Harrah’s had no right to fire Jespersen because the rule only applied to women. Argument for Harrah’s: Employers are allowed to impose different appearance rules on women than men as long as the overall burden upon the employees is the same. Harrah’s rules did not impose a heavier burden on women than on men. Outcome: Jespersen appealed the judgment of the United States District Court for District of Nevada granting defendant employer summary judgment in the employee’s sex discrimination action filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The final outcome was that the original judgment granting Harrah’s summary judgment was affirmed because Jespersen failed to present sufficient evidence to survive summary judgment on her claim. My Opinion: I agree with the final outcome of this case. Jespersen did not have enough evidence to prove that by Harrah’s requiring her to wear makeup was indeed sexual stereotyping. The â€Å"Personal Best† program had plenty of restrictions and requirements for men as well as women.

The Problem Of Domestic Violence :: Violence Against Women Essays

A problem has become known and to many, they feel that it's about time that the general public has taken notice. This problem has been a taboo for centuries and in the mid nineties it has chosen to let itself be known, the problem that I am talking about is domestic violence, it has ruined families, and demoralized the victims for years and now because of the "trial of the century" we finally are allowed to discuss it in detail, without fear of reprisal, now we get to familiarize ourselves with it and eventually after we get to know all about it we can, through treatment, get rid of it. In this paper, I will discuss problems with the so called epidemic of domestic violence. This entire paper will be about domestic violence, and because of that I feel it is important to note that "in most families men and women do not engage in physically abusive behavior" (The Brown U.), but because the media feels that it is their public duty to deceive us into believing that this problem is an "epidemic" (Domestic V.) we feel that, that is the case. Webster's dictionary defines epidemic as "a rapid spreading of a disease; to many people at the same time", this is not the case with domestic violence, one it didn't just happen overnight, it has just been popularized overnight, domestic violence has been going on from as far back as anyone can remember and probably farther than that, and two, this is not affecting many people at the same timem, because, as I've stated before, "in most families men and women do not engage in physically abusive behavior". If you as the reader gets anything out of this paper, it is important to me as the writer, that you find that, while domestic violence is a major problem for some families, it is by no means an epidemic. The major reason domestic violence has become so widespread over the last couple of years is because of the O. J. Simpson trial, as one person put it "the O. J. Simpson case would do for domestic violence what Anita Hill did for sexual harassment" (Domestic V.). The trial of the century brought a much needed attention to a issue that for too long was pushed to the back burner; domestic violence was a major issue in the case and it became evident, through the mass publicity of the case, that women weren't crying wolf all these years, because of "the murder of Nicole Brown ... the media would focus squarely on and

Broken Windows Concept

The administrative and operational consideration of the Broken Windows Theory affects many aspects of the police department and the community. The social disorder of a run-down community can be looked at by a single broken window. The idea affects not only the community but the police force as well. Mayors, politicians, police chiefs, and other administrators want their city to look and feel safe. When small time crime invades the community, it can turn into a bigger crime and the fall of the city. The theory was experimented with in many cities with positive and negative results.Police patrol, emergency and critical incident response, police investigations, and future trends were affected in many communities. Implementations of new laws as well as enforcing existing small time crime laws have had big effects on many cities. The Broken Windows Theory George E. Keeling co-wrote an article for the Atlantic Monthly in March, 1982 about the theory about social disorder, and the informal social controls can reduce rebellious behavior, such as vandalism (Keeling, 1982). Small crimes such as public drinking, littering, prostitution, pan-handling, and loitering are targeting in the article.The concept is mainly targeted at low-income cities that increased social disorder and low opinions about police presence and arrests. The concept is that disorder and crime are linked in a developmental sequence. The theory explains that one broken window left unimpaired will solicit other broken windows, and progressively lower the community standards. If that same window is repaired, such as in a beautification program, then crime will be reduced. Also, in an experiment in New Jersey, police began policing on foot instead of cars.The idea was a more personal presence in the city. If criminals saw more police presence they may go elsewhere to commit a crime, and the public would be more inclined to help police in criminal investigations. The testing of the theory involved the coope ration of police agencies, as well as case studies. The police agencies did not like the foot patrol idea because foot patrol was deemed a punishment for officers, and they could not respond to crime as fast as with a patrol car. After five years, the testing was analyzed, and it was discovered that crime was not reduced.After talking with the public, the public seemed to think that crime was reduced, and they felt more secure ND safe in the neighborhood. The theory proved ineffective on lowering crime, but the public praised the police for doing so anyways. The unwritten concept that smaller crimes will lead to bigger crimes could not be proven, but other theories conclude that the Broken Theory is not accurate. Functions of Patrol, Crime Investigation, Emergency and Critical Incident Response Place police officers on foot patrol used to be a punishment, but in the experiment it had an alternative motive.Administrative and operation considerations were evaluated after placing polic e on assassinated foot patrols. Patrol officers on foot had positive and bad negative. The positive outcomes were the intimate relations ship the police acquired with the public. The public got used to a police officer coming into the shops and greeted them informally, compared to Just driving by and only reporting after a crime was committed. The foot patrol officers made a pleasant presence I the community that made the public believe crime was reduced.The negative outcomes with foot patrols were the delayed response to calls and lack of contact with the department. The name was true with emergency and critical incident response (AN, 2012). Criminal investigations seemed to be easier with the public cooperation. Police conduction foot patrols would have an intimate relationship with the public that would aid in criminal investigations. Since crime was not reduced, it was concluded that criminals figured out where police would be and the delayed response time to crime.The connectio n between the criminal, the community, and the police have improved over the years. Future Trends Many cities have tried to explore the Broken Widows Theory into the community over he years. William Britton of New Work's Transit Police by having police enforces petty crime laws and arrest transients, vandals, panhandlers, and fair Jumpers. Rudy Giuliani worked with Britton years later and implemented the Broken Windows Theory and crime was reduced by 65 percent in the mid-ass (Sham, 2007).The theory has been modified for police and the administration with Stop and Frisk Laws and other privacy violation laws. This means that even though the theory was intended to beautify communities and become more community oriented in policing, it went in there directions. Words like community-policing and zero tolerance has the roots of the Broken Windows Theory, but the future may hold more serious punishment for smaller crimes and more police presence in low-income communities.The primary theor y was that if there is one broken window in building, youths, or vandals will break other windows, whereas a building with no broken windows would not receive the attention the latter would. Administrations and operational considerations have improved the idea, and in the future, reconstruct how crime is dealt with and how Alice can protect and serve the community better. Summary The Broken Windows Theory was presented by James Q. Wilson and George L. Keeling in an Atlantic Monthly article.The idea was that crime could be managed with beautification and community assistance. Many experiments proved that crime was not reduced, but the community believed it was because of the police presence. The community also helped the police more who were on foot patrol because of the intimate contact between police and the public. Many mayors and police administrations have tried to use this theory and have had success by not only arresting small time criminals, but finding that many of those cri minals had warrants for larger crimes.

Article Summary: “The Bottom Line: Marketing & Firm Performance” Essay

Leslie M. Fine, author of â€Å"The Bottom Line: Marketing & Firm Performance,† analyzes how marketing relates to how well the firm does overall. A majority of the article is focused on how customer relations’ impact firm performance and can affect shareholder wealth. Firms improving customer equity and reducing the firm’s cash needs, will influence the net present value of the firm. Within recent years, there has been an increase in the awareness that firms should be able to demonstrate that marketing actions affect financial outcomes. Along with this awareness, marketers have realized that the investor is also the customer, especially at the initial IPO, and leading companies to report customer equity statements and customer equity flow statements. The article notes various studies that have been conducted analyzing the impact of customer satisfaction in relation to areas such as the â€Å"stock value gap,† performance of portfolios and the impact of marketing, research and development and operations on firm performance. The studies concluded that â€Å"doing what’s right for the customer is doing what’s right for the firm and shareholder value.† Customer satisfaction has a significant impact on the â€Å"stock value gap† when compare to the top competitor, meaning the lesser the gap the higher the customer satisfaction ratings of the firm. In relation to portfolio performance, the study indicated that portfolios with firms that had high satisfaction scores produced positive trend portfolios. Over a 10-year period those positive trend portfolios yield better than others and more impressively better than the S&P 500. Through reading this article I began to see clearly the importance and relevance of marketing to the success of the firm. As shown by the research indicated in this article, firms should begin to place an additional emphasis of the marketing function throughout the firm. I was particularly interested in the idea of having a Chief Marketing Officer in the boardroom. The idea of having a voice for the customer in the boardroom is positive in all aspects. Firms with a CMO offer additional input if the goal of the firm is to pursue innovation, differentiation and complex branding initiatives. As seen in the articles for this week, innovation and differentiate can excel a firm greatly. Having a CMO will only offer an additional benefit to the firm. Fine also included a section on the â€Å"Bond strategies effecting the firm,† which analyzed that the perceived brand relevance and brand energy provide incremental information to explain stock returns other than the information explained by accounting measures. This section focuses on how mergers and acquisitions use this analysis to determine the value of the target firm. This was interesting to me due to the focus of mergers and acquisitions being on the customer base of the target firm. Typically, my first thought in relation to mergers and acquisitions would be to consider the balance sheet and stock value of the firm as to how the particular target firm could be beneficial. After reading this article I would like to know how much these studies have sparked firms to begin doing in-house research, as well as how many have began focusing on the customer as a driving factor to the shareholder value of the company and performance of the firm.

William Faulkners Spotted Horses And Mule In The Essays - Fiction

William Faulkner's Spotted Horses And Mule In The Essays - Fiction William Faulkner's Spotted Horses And Mule In The Yard William Faulkners Spotted Horses and Mule in the Yard Lei Szabados March 16, 1999 UCONN English 109 Mrs. Drescher Spotted Horses and Mule in the Yard are two short stories by William Faulkner that deal with comedic animal chases. Although both provide entertaining examples of Faulkners work in very similar settings, on the scale of literary value, Spotted Horses rises above Mule in the Yard in depth and insight. This superiority is result of both its narrative style and character development, which causes Spotted Horses to produce an overall more powerful effect than Mule in the Yard. The most notable and important difference between the two stories is the contrasting narrative style. In Spotted Horses, the story is told in first person point of view by a narrator who observes the major events of the story but is involved in only a minor fashion. His narration provides the audience with a look at the town and its inhabitants through the eyes of someone living in the county of Mississippi. This adds a realistic dimension to the image of the story. It is also through this narrative style that Faulkner weaves humor into Spotted Horses. The narrator shows the story in a comic light simply through his words right from the introductory paragraph. For example, the audience is introduced immediately with a casual Yes, sir. Flem Snopes has filled that whole country full of spotted horses. You can hear folks running them all day and night, whooping and hollering, and the horses running back and forth across those little wooden bridges ever now and then kind of like thunder. (349) In contrast, Mule in the Yard is told in the objective viewpoint. With this type of information, the reader can only observe what is seen and heard. Therefore, it follows that the reader must infer everything about the characters and their motivations from only their actions and dialogue. Faulkner weaves humor into the story through the distinct dialogue and ironic situations that occur in Mule in the Yard. For example, in the opening scene, Mrs. Hait and old Het are chasing a mule out of their yard. If the reader imagines the scene that Faulkner writes about with old Hetwaving a shopping bag. [Yelling] Hoo! [As] Mrs. Hait whirled. Again she skidded savagely on the greasy planks as she and the mule rushed parallel with one another (364), there is definitely humor within it. Yet, the humor is not as effective as it is in Spotted Horses where it is a part of the entire tone of the story, not only in the situations but also with the interior involvement of the narrator and his i nteraction with the characters. Because the narrator in Spotted Horses is experiencing the scene where the action is taking place, the reader receives a richer understanding of the characters. It is almost as if the reader might know the characters personally. Importantly, Spotted Horses deals with several more characters than Mule in the Yard, which only has three significant characters. These characters are defined only by their actions through the objective narration. Mrs. Hait is described as an independent woman who wears a calico wrapper and a sweater coat, and a mans felt hat which they knew had belonged to her ten years dead husband (364) and brand new high mans shoes with buttons and toes like tulip bulbs. (364) The audience can only infer that she does not fear the mule based on her several confrontations with him as well as the way in which she refers to it as Them sons of bitches. (364) The author can not tell the audience why she wears what she does or why she has such a motivation to get rid of the mu le besides that he is a nuisance, and there is not enough development in the story to infer definitely what Faulkner intends. This is also seen in the character of old Het, who is described as a tall gangly old black woman personified by a stereotypical southern black dialect. This is seen as she addresses Mr. Snopes in town one day. She says to him, Miz Mannie gimme dis to give you, I wuz just on

Best Picture Oscar Winners at the Academy Awards

Best Picture Oscar Winners at the Academy Awards Since its inception, the Academy Awards has honored one film each year, calling it the Best Picture. The announcement of the Best Picture Oscar winner is often the highlight of an Academy Awards ceremony. Below is a list of every single Best Picture Oscar award winner.   * Please note that the years listed below are the years the films were created, i.e. the Academy Award ceremony that honored these films were held in the spring of the following year. The Best Picture Oscar Winners 1927-28 Wings1928-29 Broadway Melody1929-30 All Quiet on the Western Front1930-31 Cimarron1931-32 Grand Hotel1932-33 Cavalcade1934 It Happened One Night1935 Mutiny on the Bounty1936 The Great Ziegfeld1937 The Life of Emile Zola1938 You Cant Take It With You1939 Gone With the Wind1940 Rebecca1941 How Green Was My Valley1942 Mrs. Miniver1943 Casablanca1944 Going My Way1945 The Lost Weekend1946 The Best Years of Our Lives1947 Gentlemens Agreement1948 Hamlet1949 All the Kings Men1950 All About Eve1951 An American in Paris1952 The Greatest Show on Earth1953 From Here to Eternity1954 On the Waterfront1955 Marty1956 Around the World in 80 Days1957 The Bridge on the River Kwai1958 Gigi1959 Ben-Hur1960 The Apartment1961 West Side Story1962 Lawrence of Arabia1963 Tom Jones1964 My Fair Lady1965 The Sound of Music1966 A Man for All Seasons1967 In the Heat of the Night1968 Oliver!1969 Midnight Cowboy1970 Patton1971 The French Connection1972 The Godfather1973 The Sting1974 The Godfather Part II197 5 One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest1976 Rocky1977 Annie Hall1978 The Deer Hunter1979 Kramer vs. Kramer1980 Ordinary People1981 Chariots of Fire1982 Gandhi1983 Terms of Endearment1984 Amadeus1985 Out of Africa1986 Platoon1987 The Last Emperor1988 Rain Man1989 Driving Miss Daisy1990 Dances With Wolves1991 The Silence of the Lambs1992 Unforgiven1993 Schindlers List1994 Forrest Gump1995 Braveheart1996 The English Patient1997 Titanic1998 Shakespeare in Love1999 American Beauty2000 Gladiator2001 A Beautiful Mind2002 Chicago2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King2004 Million Dollar Baby2005 Crash2006 The Departed2007 No Country for Old Men2008 Slumdog Millionaire2009 The Hurt Locker2010  The Kings Speech2011  The Artist2012  Argo2013  12 Years a Slave2014  Birdman2015 Spotlight2016 Moonlight2017

Ethnic Conflict and Multiculturalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ethnic Conflict and Multiculturalism - Essay Example This essay stresses that admittedly, there are enough instances in history that substantiate Huntington’s theory. But as many instances, if not more, can be presented that contradict the thesis. For example, there is undue stress on the apparent incompatibility of Islamic and Western civilizations and the resultant conflict between the two entities. But a brief look at twentieth century political history would suggest several instances where these two seemingly incompatible entities do successfully cooperate. In other words, the seemingly strong ethno-nationalistic bond within the Islam dominated countries of the Middle East would overwhelm opportunistic commercial alliances between the two ethno-national groups. This paper makes a conclusion that in the prevailing world order, the fight for supremacy in the realms of ideology, material wealth and territorial conquest have superseded conflicts on the basis of differing ethnicity and its attendant attributes such as religion, culture, language, etc. Of all the constituent elements that comprise a particular nationalism, its identification with religion, ethnicity and culture form the core. A nation’s affiliation with these elements is constantly being challenged by forces of change in the economic and ideological domains. In this scenario, justifications for aggression in the name of nationalism seldom holds true. Claims such as ‘aggression is defence’ are not only irrational, but also devoid of merit.

Jocelyn Moorhouses How to Make an American Quilt Essay

Jocelyn Moorhouses How to Make an American Quilt - Essay Example However, when she asks Marianna who the latter would marry, Marianna shows her vulnerable side by saying â€Å"I would marry my soul mate† (American Quilt, 1995). Thereby she reveals the incident she has kept with her from her youth: she met a man by chance, and ended up spending the evening with him, only to find out later, after discovering her inner connection with him, that he was married. Marianna has always been brave; she has chosen whichever path her instincts have told her to follow. Perhaps this is why her character is the most colorful out of all the rest, and why she seems to be the most brilliant amongst the members of the quilting bee. Since she has chosen the â€Å"right colors† in the words of Anna (American Quilt, 1995), her life was much enhanced by it. In life, whatever choices we make have a consequence on our personality. A wrong choice does, like Anna says, â€Å"dull the colors and hide the original beauty† (American Quilt, 1995). This message, I would say, resonates in my life. I have always gone by instinct; that is to say, I have always trusted my instincts, without knowing why, and have made choices based on it. One of the reasons I can identify with the character of Marianna in the movie is that, like her, I too follow my hearts desires. This practice has, indeed, enriched my life. I have always been, and still am, my own person. Sometimes this entails going against the grain, however, in the long run, I have noticed, that it always pays to be true to oneself. One has to be brave to stand up to the opposition of one’s peers or your parents, but if one remains true to oneself, I feel one’s life is all the more enriched for that very reason. Just like Marianna in the movie, I can easily say that I have had no regrets in life, because I have always stayed true to myself.

Geography. Have the various types of aid helped Indonesia recover Essay

Geography. Have the various types of aid helped Indonesia recover after the tsunami and what are the issues that still hinder sustainable developments - Essay Example This is mainly because countries who give bilateral aid want to get something in return for their help in the long-run. Additionally, in order to give the reader a clearer and better understanding of the various types of aid Indonesia has received from countries and organisations such as Germany or the World Bank. Included are Case Studies such as a Case Study from a chemical firm called BASF. The allocation of funds in each sector can be clearly identified through a table. It can record the data of how much each country donated; the cooperativeness between countries can clearly be deduced. While causing great damage to the country and its infrastructure, it can be argued, from an economic point of view, of course, that the tsunami also had some positive effects on the development of Indonesia because through the various types of aid whether it is financial aid or aid donated for their education. Indonesia has a better perspective of becoming sustainably developed now that the catastrophe occurred. Being that the aid could be put to good use for making the environment a better place to live. Later in the essay there will be highlights on the economic point of view. This extended essay deals with the Tsunami that happened in December 24, 2004 and affected the whole South Asian Region with destruction and misery. The essay focuses on Indonesia’s recovery from this natural disaster. After reading the essay, these questions can be answered: Have the various types of aid helped Indonesia recover after the tsunami and did the Tsunami cause major problems for Indonesia or help it to reach sustainable development? In this context, primarily the ‘industrial countries’ would be the main focus. The tsunami catastrophe happened on December 26, 2004, and can be regarded as one of the most devastating and deadliest natural events in world history. The recorded casualties were

Recruitment and Selection in Company Expansion

Recruitment and Selection in Company Expansion Khajurico Nepal is a family owned cottage industry based at Chapagaun, Lalitpur, Nepal. It was established in 1990 with a brand name of Khajuri foods and late in 2003 it was trademarked under Khajurico. Khajuri foods started its brand name by introducing bread and since 1994 it has been expanding widely with diversified products such as cookies and puff pastry. It is the only company where all the production employee is women from which we can see how Khajurico Nepal is promoting women empowerment. Today, Khajurico Nepal not only supplies its product at Nepal but also has opened its new factory in India named after Khajurico India Pvt. Ltd. and supplies its products to Australia, Tibet, Ghana, etc. (n.d.) Establishing a company in a foreign country is a risk. It isnt confirmed whether the company will work or not. There may or maynt be the market for the product that you are going to launch. Similarly, there might also be a problem with the tax, wages and law since the law of one country varies from another and the change in law can occur anytime. Likely, the cultural and language barrier also creates problem while launching a product as the company doesnt know what the local prefers. (Goodman 2015). Recruitment is the process where the organisation seeks for the new employee through the forms and cv that are applied by the candidates. Recruitment can either be internal or external. Internal recruitment takes place within an organisation whereas in external recruitment company brings new staffs by following up certain procedures such as job analysis, job description, job advertisement, etc. (Anon 2017). Selection is the process where right candidates are picked from the list of applicants through different methods such as: testing, gathering information and interview. A candidate is selected after he/she clears all the track races of the selection process. During the selection process, a person should neither be underqualified nor overqualified for the applied post. Hence, they will be placed a misfit for the post. While the selection process it is also important to review their past experience and references (Muhammad Umer Khalid Habib 07:20:48 UTC) Along with this the recruitment and selection process is also a crucial process as the company either needs to recruit their own staff or recruit the staff from the host country of from foreign country. All of these has its own advantages and disadvantages. PCN: Parent country Nationals HCN: Host country Nationals TCN: Third Country Nationals (Gomes 2012) Talking about the recruitment procedure of Khajurico Nepal Pvt. Ltd., currently in Nepal KNPL follows the strategic HR planning of NTBI (National Banking Training Institute) which adheres the following principle: Fair and Transparent Recruitment Competence knowledge, skills and attitude of the candidates Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) External and Internal sources The Recruitment procedure of KNPL: In order to recruit their staffs KNPL follows the following procedure; Sources of Recruitment So as to hire and fill the vacant position KNPL follows the following methods; Advertisement in a National daily newspaper. Advertisement in the Company web site / notice board. External job web sites Outsourcing. Through Talent Hunt and the Company data base (already collected CVs) Any vacant position shall also be full filled internally from the existing pool of staff without going for external vacancy announcement. However, this shall be done on a strong recommendation from the line manager based on the staff performance and upon approval from the Chairman / Chief Executive. In case of all hires within the Chairmans authority, this will be formally notified to the board for information and ratification. Usually, during the selection of candidate the head of HRD submits the evaluation sheet to the CEO which indicates the names of candidates, marks obtained by them in both written and interview and the total score. And through that sheet the CEO makes further appointment. If any of the recommended candidate is unavailable for the appointment, then the next candidate will be appointed. However, it is upon the CEO on how to select the candidate for vacant position. Hence, the appointment will be disqualified and will not be appointed in the institute if; If he/she is below 18 years of age. If he/she is medically unfit. If he/she has had previous employment terminated on grounds of lack of integrity, honesty, misuse of funds and pilferage. If he/she is convicted by a competent court on criminal charge, involving imprisonment of more than six months. If he/she is a foreign national except on conditions approved by the Board with permission of the Labour Department of Government of Nepal. Achieving high performance from the new employees Whether the company is established at home country or a host country it is obvious that they expect high performance from their staffs individually. And in order to achieve a good performance certain steps should be taken which are explained below; Induction/orientation: Induction/orientation is the process of letting the new employees to get adapted towards their new working place. In this phase, the new recruited employees are introduced to their workplace, their work colleagues and their role in that organisation. Usually, every company does an induction/ orientation programme since every candidate has their own prospective (Anon 2016c). In every organisation the induction usually take place in the first day where all the information regarding the company and business code of conduct are provided to the employees. Training: Training is the process of providing extra knowledge, skills, attitudes or social behaviour to the staffs so as to perform the job more efficiently, effectively and skilfully as per the trend and technological change in the market. Since, training takes lots of effort and time, it is very important for an organisation to think regarding the need and objective while providing training to their staffs since high qualified professionals are used.(Anon 2016a) Coaching: Coaching is a technique where the managers act as a coach and guides its sub-ordinated through their experience and knowledge. (Anon 2016b). Coaching can also be defined as a facility that is given by the higher level to their subordinates so as to help them to achieve their goals, develop their own personal strategy and improve their efficiency of doing the work (SEGERS et al. 2011). Hence, it is the way of achieving through daily feedbacks and communication of the staffs. Performance Review: Performance review helps keep track of all the activities and achievements of the employees, thus helping employees stay motivated. Periodic performance review helps employees know how they are doing in terms of their performance and motivates them to do better. It also helps them understand their weakness and how they should improve them. Thus, performance review helps in achieving high performance. Hence, performance = employee ability, motivation and opportunity to participate. (Boselie et al. 2005) Rewards: Rewards are the benefits that an employee deserves after his/her excellent performance in an organisation. Rewards can either be financially or non-financially, financial reward includes salary increment, bonus, allowance, etc. whereas non-financial reward includes accommodation, insurance, etc. Every employee joins an organisation with an expectation of getting reward as per their performance(2017).However, these include linkages with performance expectations in: Positive terms (merit review) Neutral consequences (lateral reassignment to improve person/job match) Negative outcomes such as progressively stronger counselling sessions Succession Planning: It is an implication that identifies the problems, reviews it and works on the problems along with their best employees so as to meet performance expectations for a job different from the one she/he currently holds with greater responsibility. It helps to boosts its employee morale by providing them the position as their performance. Hence, succession planning is done so as to fill the vacant position. (Anon 2016d) Career Development Programs: Career Development Program is carried out by every organisations so as to develop individual capability so as to achieve their future goal and career. Since it fulfils the requirement of both employee and organisation it has been an important need for both of the parties.(Anon 2015) An effective Career Development Program: Is critical for the retention of superior performers. Builds internal bench strength, reduces costs associated with outside hires, and maintains continuity in overall performance of the organization. Today, as per the change in the economic, cultural, environmental and political status, it is a challenging thing for any organisation to establish as well as maintain a goal to achieve an affective commitment from their new employees. According to Sayeed (1989) the personal character, role related factors and structural factors are the board antecedents of organisations commitment. Allen et al. (1990) says that organisational commitment is either affective or emotional attachment towards the organisation. (Kumari Afroz 2013) In this technological era, it has brought up many changes in the working environment of the people. People not only seek good working condition but also seek higher income, benefits, commitment, etc. So as to get achieve a commitment from their employee an organisation needs to fulfil every employee needs. However, a company can achieve an affective commitment through its employee by their employees psychological state such as; (Anon n.d.) (Jaaron 2009) Affective Commitment Continuance Commitment Normative Commitment Affective commitment: It is the emotional attachment of an employee towards its organisation. Here, he/she doesnt fear of any losses but strictly follows the company rules and regulations and states the organisations goals and objective. Continuance Commitment: Some employee fears that by leaving the job they might face problems such as low salary, pension, low allowance, working environment, etc. due to which they get stuck to their job thinking that their change in job might create trouble in their life. Hence, these type of commitment is more seen in higher level staff as they are already established in the particular company and fear to lose the position. Normative Commitment: It is a thinking of the employee that he must work in the organisation. Here, he/she feels that it is their responsibility to work in that organisation. There might be several reasons of an employee to have such commitment such as the company might reward them by paying their education or it might be their own perception to do so. However, it is very much important for an organisation to gain the commitment from their employees so as to increase their level of quality and performance. Culture is the characteristic of particular group of people that belongs to certain part of religion, place and language (Zimmermann et al. 2015). A culture may vary from the people of same or different country. For an organisation, it is a must to understand the culture of the host country and should be sociable with the consumers. They should be updated regarding the potentialÂÂ   business challenges to overcome the competitive market. Following can be the issues on cross cultural management; (PGPExecutive 2015) Ambiguity: People have their own way of thinking, doing, talking or seeing. A word can have several meanings, for example a person can utter a word that might be the same language as of the another but the other person might take it differently which increases misunderstanding between the people. Likely, every culture has its own unique value, and might be reluctant in adapting new culture in the host country. Hence, ambiguity creates an incorrect perspective within an information that one wants to deliver to the listener. Inflexible attitude: There are some people who go to the host country and hesitate to participate in their culture which gives an impression that they are not comfortable with the environment that the host country is providing. Showing this kind of behaviour will hamper the person rather than the host because he/she is the one to lose the team and destroy the relationship of the business with the host country. Ethnocentrism: It is the perception of the people where they think that their own culture is correct. Even though these kinds of people are sent to the host country they dont try to accept the new culture. Rather, they start judging the host countries culture on the basis of their own culture. However, these issues can be corrected by following: By understanding the communication style of host culture By understanding the cultural values By developing the right competencies It is obvious that an organisation faces challenges during their working period. There are several challenges that Khajurico Nepal Pvt. Ltd. should follow up; Customer demography: Customer demography denotes the age, sex, gender, income, race, status, etc. which helps the organisation to target their customer. KNPL should not only understand the demography of the customers but also needs to understand what exactly the company needs to do inorder to maintain relation with their potential customer (Staff 2017) Working culture: The working culture of an organisation may vary from its host country. Working culture is the surrounding of the company on how the company treats their employees and how their employee follows the principles and guidelines of the organisation. An organisation having a good working culture directly influences the staffs to work well with their colleagues. (Anon n.d.) Political Issue: The political issues can both be internal and external. External issues include the following; (Contributor 2015) Governments tax policy which can fluctuate at any given time affecting the companys targeted profit, goals and objectives. Corruption Effects of pressure groups leading to change in governments policy which might affect the production. Trade control Hence, if such issues occurs KNPL should either ask for compensation with the host country or purchase political risk insurance ( it doesnt guarantee that the company will get its compensation through insurance as soon as the event occurs) (Phung 2006). The internal issues occur within the organisation. It might include the following; Strike by trade unions for not meeting their demands Autocracy Disregarding employee performance because of the fear of being replaced by top leaders. Hence, if the internal issue occurs KNPL should organise frequent meeting between the staffs and the management, equal opportunities should be given as per their level of performance and the management should have a flexible approach towards the employees feedback.

The Causes of Deforestation in the Amazon Rain Forest Essay -- Exposit

The Causes of Deforestation in the Amazon Rain Forest      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Amazon Rain Forest crosses several national boundaries in South America, although the majority of it is located in Brazil. It covers over 3,562,000 acres, making it the largest in the world. But globally, over 138,600 acres of rain forest are lost each year to deforestation, 50,000 of those in Brazil alone (Holdsforth), and the world's rain forests are quickly disappearing. Deforestation in the Amazon occurs primarily for three reasons: clear-cutting, fragmentation, and edge effects.       The term "deforestation" refers to the clear-cutting of large sections of primary or original-growth forest, which causes the loss of native species of plant and animal life. This clearing of land is mainly due to agricultural needs, such as farming and cattle ranching, but also occurs to support logging and mining companies. The effect of the loss of forest is most obvious in the loss of native species. Eugene Ng, of the Hong Kong Technical Institute, explains that the "destruction of habitat forces species out of areas, or causes them to die." Other factors, according to Ng, "further restrict their range, exposing them to disease and predators."       Deforestation does not occur neatly. "Fragmentation" also weakens the rain forest. As large sections of rain forest are cut down by farmers, ranchers, and loggers, those plant and animal species are left to die. If all deforestation occurred along the outside boundaries of the forest, then some of the species could move deeper into the Amazon to survive. But as Mason Skold and Bill Myer explain, fragmentation produces "areas of less than 100 square kilometers which are surrounded by d... ...in Forest and to protect the species who live there must take into account how deforestation occurs.       Sources Cited    Center for Planetary Studies. "Deforestation Isn't the Real Problem in the Amazon." June 1996. http://www.ctr_planets/Amazon.html (7 June 2003).    Holdsforth, J. R. "Deforestation Estimates for Eight National Biozone Regions and Implications." 1990. http://www.biozone_project.html (7 June 2003).    Johns, Lucia and Freida Simms. "Deforestation: Global Problems, Programs, and Agreements." Environmental Policy Division,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Congressional Research Service. March 1997.   Ã‚   http://www.cnie.org/nle/for-4.html  Ã‚  Ã‚   (14 June 2003).    Ng, Eugene. "Deforestation Affects Diversity." Hong Kong Technical Institute. 1991.  Ã‚   http://www.hktech.edu/forests_diversity.html  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (12 June 2003)

Constitutional Reform of 1997 in United Kingdom

The UK constitution has a modaretely successful history, it is highly tradition and has stood the test of time and, based on the fact that Britain has never suffered a violent revolution unlike France, we can therefore assume that the UK constitution has many beneficial and enduring strengths. Our constitution ensures that Parliament, and therefore Government, can act quickly and decisively as they are unrestricted by excessive constitutional constraints. It is flexible and adaptable which clearly shows thorugh after the 2010 general elections. However, the lack of restraints on the powers of Government and Parliament may be dangerous especially to minority and invidual rights. There have also been many doubts about this traditional constitution and many questions have been raised to do with the Monarchy and outdated institutions such as the FPTP system. The lack of separation of powers between Government and Parliament means that Government tends to dominate which in many eyes is seen as undemocratic. The first constitutional reform was to do with devolution; Scotland Act of 1998, Wales Act of 199 and the Belfast Agreement of 1998. The original nature of this reform was so that considerable powers were transferred to the devolved representative bodies and executives. Labour wanted to bring about this change due to the fact that they were hugely popular in Wales and Scotland and so the Acts were a means of thanking them for their support. This reform has been believed to be long overdue and has been very beneficial and have given each body the right to have more control over their region however it has caused a bigger rift of the UK and therefore has separated Britain even more. The second reform was the Human Rights Act of 1998. This reform has been extremely beneficial for minority and invididual rights, which has been reflected most recently in the Abu Qatada case where a man who had made terrorist plans has been saved from deportation to Jordan, where he would have most likely been prosecuted for his actions. The European Convention on Human Rights made this Act binding on all public bodies but the UK Parliament due to Parliament being sovereign. Although this act has been beneficial, it would have had more impact should it have been binding on Parliament. Another reform was the House of Lords ; the House Of Lords Act of 1999. Most of the hereditary peers lost their voting rights and there was a major cut down in the number of hereditary peers as it was lowered down to just 92. There was also a decision to separate the Judges from the Lords ( Constitutional Reform Act of 2005) and move them into a seperate building across the road. It is believed to be a moderate decision which has limited the powers of the Lords as many believed there should not be any hereditary peers. In fact a proposal has been put forward for a whole new house to be created. There were 3 other major changes introduced : Greater London Authority Act 1999, Local Government Act 1999 and Freedom Of Information Act 2000. The first established an elected mayor in London with an elected assembly to which s/he is accountable for, the second allowed for local communities to elect a mayor if approved by a local referendum and the third gave the citizens the right to view documents and records of public bodies. Each of these has helped to reinforce democracy within the UK and helped to protect the rights of each citizen by ensuring they are more politically involved and have the right to appoint and elect candidates for powerful positions.

Hotels and the Environment

HOTEL INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENT By VASUNDHARA TANWAR LITERATURE REVIEW When we talk of hotels we never think that something like that could have an impact on the environment and people would spend millions of rupees and infinite number of hours to deal with this so called impact. However this is absolutely the case. The seemingly small problem is literally taking the world by storm. So much so that national governments, hotels and even the UN are taking steps in order to find solutions to this problem.Extensive research has been done in the recent years by economists and scientists etc to come up with the most sustainable ways to run hotels since the degradation of the environment is a major concern worldwide. Papers like â€Å"An analysis of environmental management, organizational context and performance of Spanish hotels† by M. J. Alvarez which addresses the factors that determine the deployment of environmental management practices and its effects on firms’ finan cial performance have been published.Results find support for the notion that age of facilities, size, chain affiliation, stakeholder environmental pressures, and their use of operations management techniques exert a lasting influence on the degree of implementation of environmental management practices by hotel firms. Moreover, findings show a positive relationship between environmental management practices and firms’ financial performance. Various other economists in different countries have drawn similar conclusions. The United Nations environment programme also published a guide â€Å"how the hotel and tourism industry can protect the ozone layer†.Environmental Good Practice in Hotels, published by UNEP IE and the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), presents 15 case studies selected from the IH&RA annual Environmental Award. The case studies document environmental programmes initiated by independent hotels and international chains across the globe – in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Action areas include environmental policy, design and construction, water, energy, waste, emissions, purchasing, staff training, and guest communication. The range of environmental initiatives featured is extensive, from simple recycling easures to water conservation using the latest technology, and from resorts built to strict environmental guidelines, to small hotels where the personal commitment of the general manager drives environmental activities. All case studies highlight the environmental and economic benefits gained by the actions taken. Also included are examples of environmental initiatives taken by national hotel associations, and a list of sources on environmental management publications and programmes in the hotel industry. These are just some examples of what is being said and done by organizations that observe what is going on.The actual participants, the hotels, are also not far behind. Many hotels hav e come up with various innovative ways to contribute to the betterment of the environment. Some of them have won various awards for this very purpose. Hotels now days strive to achieve the ECOTEL ® certification which is primarily the hallmark for environmentally sensitive hotels. One of the pioneers in such activities would be the orchid group of hotels. However, there are others that strive to achieve excellence in this cause and some have been quite successful too. INTRODUCTION Most countries rely heavily on the services sector for its growth.A major part of this sector is tourism. Tourism is one of the leading growth sectors of the economy and brings in billions of dollars for developing countries. When we talk about tourism we can hardly isolate it from talk of hotels. Hotels in a sense are synonymous with tourism and one cannot be talked about without reference to the other. The growth of the tourism industry has greatly increased the amount of stress on the environment. Now each individual has varying degrees of impact on the environment which largely depends on the personal choices made by individuals and is scattered world over. The same is true for hotels.They have an effect on the biodiversity right from its conception. This makes it imperative for us to study exactly how and where do hotels affect our environment, what can be done to reduce this impact and how aware is the current generation of hotels regarding this issue. Taking the example of India we see that as a result of increasing tourism in Goa, developers built several hotels. The hotels soon drew up to 66,000 gallons of water per day from wells and other local sources. Many of the wells and rivers the community had relied on went dry. This is a common problem in many areas where tourism runs into the limits of natural resources.With various such instances in several parts of the world today, ECOTOURISM—tourism that is nature-oriented and environmentally focused—is growing rapidly. This represents a growing market for environmentally friendly options in the tourism industry. Ecotourism aside, many in the hotel industry have recognized the negative impact their business activities have on the environment and have taken action to alleviate those impacts. Environmentally responsible business practices dovetail well with the newfound popularity of ecotourism. They harmonize tourism and environmental sustainability.This awareness has given rise to what can be called the â€Å"GREEN HOTELS†. The term â€Å"green hotels† describes hotels that strive to be more environment friendly through the efficient use of energy, water, and materials while providing quality services. Green hotels conserve and preserve by saving water, reducing energy use, and reducing solid waste. They have seen benefits such as reduced costs and liabilities, high return and low-risk investments, increased profits, and positive cash flows. Identifying these benefits and inc entives has allowed the popularity of green hotels to grow. Hotels are consistently becoming greener.The most costly and wasteful use of resources in hotels are usually in the consumption of nonrenewable energy, excessive water use, and the generation of waste. Through this paper we would try to point out the complex nature of the impact that hotels have on our environment and the steps that can be taken in order to minimize this impact as much as possible. We would also like to shed light on the work that has already been done in this field by various hotels and organizations. Many organizations have done commendable work in trying to reduce their ecological footprint and have, in some sense, become pioneers and inspiration for others.For instance, the orchid group of hotels is pretty known for the kind of work it does. IMPACTS Tourism has a fairly large environmental footprint. Hotels, being at the heart of it, shoulder the responsibility for this. The following table shows that h otels are responsible for 21% of total emissions generated by tourism industry. These just constitute one part of their impact which in reality has many layers and levels to it. The hotels have an impact on the biodiversity at each stage of its life cycle, right from planning to its closure.These impacts could be summarized as follows: At the planning stage, the most important issue in determining the level of impact that a hotel will have relates to choices about its location and design. Even the most sustainably operated hotel will have major impacts if it is built in a biodiversity-sensitive area. Choices about the materials that will be used to construct the hotel, where those materials will come from and the total physical footprint of the hotel will also influence how significant its impacts will be in the operational stage.At the construction stage, impact is determined by the size and location of the area cleared for development and where construction activities are taking p lace, the choice of construction methods, the sources and amount and type of materials, water and energy used to build the hotel, the location of temporary camps for construction workers, inadequate storage facilities for construction materials, the amount of construction waste that has to be disposed of, and other types of damage such as surface soil erosion or compaction caused by construction activities or disruption of natural water flows and drainage patterns.In the operational stage, a hotel's impact comes mainly from the energy, water, food and other resources that are consumed in running the hotel, by the solid and liquid wastes it produces, by the way its grounds are managed, and by the direct impacts of its guests. In addition, regular renovation and replacement of furniture, appliances and facilities can cause impacts through purchasing choices and increased waste generation.Using energy and water more efficiently, using organic and sustainably produced food, reducing, tr eating and disposing of waste appropriately, making sustainable purchasing decisions and managing gardens with natural-style plantings can all help a hotel to reduce its adverse impacts on biodiversity. Similarly, a hotel's relationship with host communities not only affects the sustainable operations of the hotel but also the use of environmental resources by communities themselves. At the closure stage, a hotel's impacts come from the disposal of materials removed from the hotel to refurbish it, convert it for other uses, or demolish it, nd from the work involved in these activities. It may be possible to reuse and recycle some materials, but there may also be some toxic materials, particularly from older buildings, which will require careful handling and management. A responsible hotel operator should also foresee supporting activities of ecological restoration as required. Responsible siting and design, the effective management of energy and water consumption, and the proper dis posal of wastewater and solid waste are important challenges for any hotel hoping to improve the sustainability of its operations.Now even though a hotel has environmental impact through different stages of its lifecycle the most easily cited and the longest running impact that they have is at their operational stage since once a hotel has been built, it stays in the business for very many years under normal circumstances. The day to day running has impacts which are a lot times ignored in the overall picture. This mostly becomes the case because individually, hotels do not have a significant impact on the environment. Collectively however, they can be very wasteful and use huge amount of resources.It has been estimated that seventy-five percent of hotels’ environmental impacts can be directly related to excessive consumption. This is wasteful in terms of resources and creates unnecessary operational costs. The three key areas of environmental impact are energy, water, and wa ste. Energy – Excessive energy use is extremely costly and with minor adjustments, it can lead to massive cost savings. According to Gossling et. al. (2005), â€Å"the average energy consumption per bed per night in hotels might be in the order of 130 Mega joules.Hotels generally use more energy per visitor that local residents, as they have energy intense facilities, such as bars, restaurants, and pools, and have more spacious rooms. Studies have determined that a hotel emits an average 20. 6 kg of carbon dioxide per night. Waste – A study conducted by Bohdanowicz(2005) also indentified that hotels are not only resource intensive and that waste generation is on e of the most visible effects on the environment. One estimate identified that â€Å"an average hotel produces in excess of one kilogram of waste per guest per day†.Approximately thirty percent of waste in hotels can be diverted through reuse and recycling. Water  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Tourists and residents alike require a clean and dependable supply of water for survival including drinking, cooking and cleansing. However, water is integral to the amenities usually expected by tourists, such as swimming pools, landscaped gardens, and golf courses. Water also supports industries such as agriculture that support the tourism industry (Pigram, 1995). Thus, tourists demand more water than local resident s on a per capita basis (Essex, Kent ; Newnham, 2004).It has been estimated by Salen (1995) that 15,000 cubic meters of water would typically supply 100 rural farmers for three years and 100 urban families for two years, yet only supply 100 luxury hotel guests for less than two months (Holden, 2000). In dryer regions, tourists' water consumption can amount to 440 liters a day per tourist, which is almost double the average amount of water used by residents in Spain (UNEP, 2008). In destinations that do not have the required infrastructure and systems to manage these impacts, severe degradation of the environment can occur.The following table summarizes the environmental impact of the day to day workings of any hotel Service/Activity| Description| Main Environmental Impacts| Administration| Hotel management Reception of clients| Energy, water and materials (mainly paper) Generation of waste and hazardous waste (toner cartridges)| Technical Services| Equipment for producing hot water and heating Air conditioning Lighting Swimming pools Green areas Mice and insect extermination Repairs and maintenance| Energy and water consumption Consumption and generation of a wide range of hazardous products Air and soil emissionsGeneration of waste water Pesticides use| Restaurant/bar| Breakfast, lunch, dinner Beverages and snacks| Energy, water and raw materials consumption Packaging waste Organic waste| Kitchen| Food conservation Food preparation Dish washing| Consumption of energy and water Packaging waste Oil waste Organic waste Generation of odours| Room Use| Use by guests Products fo r guests' use Housekeeping| Energy, water and raw materials consumption Use of hazardous products Generation of waste packaging Generation of waste water| Laundry| Washing and ironing of guest clothesWashing and ironing of hotel linens| Consumption of energy and water Use of hazardous cleaning products Generation of waste water  | (Graci, 2009) This gives us a clear enough picture of the ecological impacts of hotels. Thus it becomes imperative that each hotel recognizes them and takes initiative to curb these impacts. With the growth of the tourism sector all over the world and with more and more hotels coming up each day these small things become issues of epic proportions when looked at collectively. In a time when our environment is in a very fragile condition one can’t ignore such a situation.The sooner hotels realize this the better it would be. However, these issues were not even brought to light till very recently. The annual hospitality consultants’ conferenc e in 2007 did not even mention any of the environmental issues that plagued hotels in their top 10 problems of the industry. BEST PRACTICES There are many green practices that hotels can implement and they also help save unnecessary costs. There can be many ways in which a hotel can reduce its footprint. Some of them can be: * Not discharging waste in water bodies – prevents pollution. * Recycling Use of compact fluorescent lights – saves energy. * Reuse of linens – saves water, detergent, energy and greenhouse gases. * Low-flow shower systems – saves water and energy. * Local products – save transportation costs. * Installation of green roofs – saves energy. * Installation of solar heaters or other renewable energy source – saves energy. These points are just a brief outline to what can really be done in order to go green. The possibilities as such are endless. There are some more sophisticated and cost heavy methods that can also be undertaken. BENEFITS OF GOING GREENCost benefits Financial savings are one of the most significant factors that influence the implementation of environmental initiatives in a hotel. This is especially evident for hotel businesses that operate in a highly competitive market and where the cost of energy, water and waste disposal are high. Hotel operators that can maximize their efficiency and reduce waste will be more cost-effective than their competitors. Hotels also use large amounts of energy to keep guests cool in hot temperatures, and equally large amounts of energy to keep them warm during the winter.In some destinations, hotels place an additional, sometimes unsustainable demand on local water resources and generate large quantities of food and packaging waste. Despite the setup costs and the possible lengthy return on investment associated with environmental initiatives, the economic benefits usually outweigh the cost of implementation. Starting with projects that are less ca pital intensive – such as retrofitting light bulbs, energy metering, and training staff to be conscious of energy use – can lead to substantial cost savings. Competitive advantageGreen programs can provide a competitive advantage to leaders as long as green activities continue to be voluntary. Over time, however, green practices in the hospitality industry will become a baseline requirement, particularly as the cost of non-renewable energy continues to rise, regulatory pressure increases, and consumers become more demanding. Therefore, hotels with business models that revolve around green practices will have the strongest opportunity to achieve a competitive advantage by being ahead of the emerging sustainability curve. Employee retentionEmployees are identified as one of the greatest benefits of going green. Employees, like hotel guests, are increasingly sophisticated and â€Å"tuned† into current thinking in society and are far more likely to identify with an employer whose principles and practices are aligned with their values. Environmental programs have proved to be an effective means of generating enthusiasm and motivating staff to work as a team to achieve a common purpose. Many hotel companies use environmental programs as a staff incentive – the financial savings earned are translated into cash or other rewards such as in-house events or trips.Employee turnover rate in the hotel sector is relatively high therefore increasing the retention rate will also save the business money in training of new staff. Customer loyalty There has been a shift in the expectations and demands of consumers. The typical hotel guest of today is more sophisticated and to varying degrees is likely to be concerned about environmental issues such as recycling bottles, cans and paper at home as well as making greener lifestyle choices, such as organic food or fuel-efficient vehicles.Many guests however, make their decision to stay at a hotel facility based on location, amenities, and service. The implementation of environmental initiatives may play a smaller role in a guest's choice of a property. The influence from customers however occurs when their level of awareness increases and they come to expect environmental practices such as recycling. Despite first-time guests basing their decisions on location, amenities and service, customer loyalty may increase once they have experienced a hotel which has demonstrated a level of environmental commitment.Regulatory compliance Hotels must anticipate future regulatory changes and implement initiatives to mitigate the possible costly effects of emerging regulation. Savvy businesses are aware that regulations do not have to be a negative restraint on their daily operations – in fact, they can offer opportunities to gain an advantage over competitors. Some environmental regulations are good for economic competition as they stimulate innovation that can offset the cost of complianc e. By implementing measures in the face of societal and egulatory pressures, unexpected, but substantial cost savings as well as potential new areas of profit may be found. The hotel industry worldwide is increasingly being regulated for waste, water, energy use and greenhouse gas emission. Being aware of pending rule changes will allow you to adopt measures in advance, and avoid potentially higher future costs which may be associated with compliance. Risk management Risk minimization is now viewed as increasingly intertwined with good corporate social responsibility and governance.Managing risk is as much about minimizing the potential damage from decisions and actions taken from within a company as it is about managing external exposure. Traditionally, a hotel's risk management strategy has been focused on health and safety concerns around food and water, pest infestation, fire or water damage, outbreaks of disease, and guest security and safety. In recent years however, environme ntal and social issues are emerging as a key risk issue for the lodging sector. Environmental risks include: * Water and land contamination. * Air and noise pollution. Supply chain environmental practices. * Waste management. Environmental risks also have an impact on the cost of capital for businesses of various types and sizes, and may affect the value of a company over the long term. In addition, the investment community is increasingly regarding excellence in environmental management and performance as an indication of the quality and aptitude of management in general. Some insurance companies and lenders are beginning to selectively adjust their rates based on environmental criteria stipulated by ethical funds.Companies that integrate the environment into their business decisions and reduce their environmental risk and potential liabilities are in a better position to secure investment and reduce their financial and reputational market exposure (Graci and Dodds, 2009). Cause it 's the right thing to do! Beyond regulation and compliance, many environmental and social initiatives are voluntary. Whether driven by cost savings or a principled strategy, the hotel industry is recognizing the environment, the community and their human capital as a valuable resource to be protected.Long-term business sustainability will depend on this. Many hotels have implemented social initiatives and corporate social responsibility (CSR) into their regular day-to-day practices. Corporate social responsibility in the hotel industry ideally exists in human resources management, the local community, and through promoting and practicing environmental initiatives and is heavily influenced by internal and external forces. CSR has been widely expanding throughout the hotel industry, mainly to prove that corporate unethical behavior is no longer a problem.Thus, hotels are embarking on being ethical through social initiatives by protecting and supporting communities, their human resourc es, and by implementing environmental initiatives. Many international and local hotels are becoming involved in corporate social responsibility in order to extend their brand knowledge to different types of audiences, to gain employee retention and improved competitive advantage, and lastly because it is â€Å"the right thing to do†. Sixty-five percent of the top 100 companies in the world employ some sort of corporate social responsibility statement featured on their websites.Several multinational companies have gained a very negative brand reputation based on their past unethical practices. Larger companies have been criticized as being the main culprit in releasing excess greenhouse emissions, climate change, environmental devastation, and unfair treatment of employees. Due to such criticisms and negative publicity, many businesses have increased the focus on corporate social responsibility. HIGH ACHIEVERS When it comes to hotels that are environmentally sustainable the fi rst name that comes to mind is the Orchid group of hotels.The Orchid  became Asia's first Five Star hotel to win the ECOTEL ® certification shortly after opening in May of 1997 and today (January 2011) is the only Hotel in the World to win over  80  international / national awards in 13 years from inception. Under the management of  The Orchid  Owner Vithal Kamat, the hotel has earned more environmental accolades than any other hotel in the world. With this latest achievement,  The Orchid  becomes one of only six hotels in the world to maintain top-level, â€Å"five-globe,† ECOTEL ®-Certification. Though orchid group is a pioneer in environmentally friendly hotels, others ave also done substantial work. The fern group of hotels in India being one of them. The Uppal in New Delhi, Seasons in Pune etc are other ecotel hotels. Various international hotels are also actively involved in such projects that put environmental sustainability at its fore. In conclusion it can be said that though environmental sustainability is big problem that is plaguing the hospitality industry, it’s still not too late to correct the situation. 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