Aging Literature

This literature review addresses several issues related to the study of aging. Theoretical perspectives, research methods, and current controversies are reviewed. One issue that has beset the development of research on aging is a definition of old age (Scanzoni & Scanzoni, 1988, p. 549). Research in the United Kingdom and the United States has found that the older a person is in a chronological sense, the later is the chronological age at which that person tends to think old age begins. The concept of old age also is affected by social stratum: lower-status persons, as an example tend to think that old age begins in the fifties, while higher-status persons tend to think that old age begins around age 65. Advances in medical science and technology have led to increased life spans for an increasing proportion of the population; however, social development has not kept pace (Scanzoni & Scanzoni, 1988, p. 549). Thus, many among the growing numbers of older people lead increasingly less rewarding lives. Further, the increasing numbers of persons in the population aged 65 or older demand that research into aging develop methods that address the differences among age groupings within the 65 and over classification. There also is a subjective context to aging (Scanzoni & Scanzoni, 1988, p. 550). Younger people tend to perceiving old age differently from older people, at a general level, and at a specific level all persons do not age . . . ehavior will be evaluated in the context of one's basic beliefs. If these basic beliefs are unrealistic or irrational, one's expectancies will likely also tend to be unrealistic and irrational. Adaptation enables an individual to understand the surrounding environment (McDougall, 1995, pp. 26-27). Adaptation occurs through the functioning of the mental processes of assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation involves the perception and interpretation of new information within the context of existing knowledge and understanding. Accommodation is a more advanced process that involves the restructuring of mental organization in order to include new nformation. The ecological approach to psychology is a functional approach. In this approach, psychological problems are construed as instances of adaptation. Ecological science defines perception as an awareness of one's environment. The focus in on a being's vertical experience. Vertical experience implies that an environment permits a being to both live and reproduce. The environment is integral to thi s definition of perception, because varieties of meaningful experience cannot be studied as instances of perception unless an environmental component is integral to the being

Hiroshima Cause and Effect Essay

Alexa Gombert English-Kiernan 10/28/12 Period 1 On August 6, 1945, America was responsible for the death of over 100,000 innocent souls. On this day, an American aircraft dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. This was the first atomic bomb ever used in the history of warfare. In the non-fiction book Hiroshima by John Hersey, first hand six survivors of this horrific event describe accounts of the bombing and its effects in vivid detail.The atomic bomb affected civilians of Hiroshima and the city’s environment in that people began acting irrationally, suffered from injuries and deaths, and it led to erratic environmental occurrences. The atomic bomb affected civilians of Hiroshima in that they began acting irrationally in the hours after the explosion. This irrational behavior can be seen through the actions of Mr. Fukai and Mrs. Kamai. Mr. Fukai was a secretary of the diocese who lived in a mission house with many priests and religious men.When the bomb went off, all of the survivors from the mission house abandoned the pile of rubble that was once their home, and set out for their designated safe area. Father Kleinsorge went to get Mr. Fukai, but irrationally Mr. Fukai refused to leave and said, â€Å"Leave me here to die† (44). Mr. Fukai foolishly said he wanted to die in the burning city. He wasn’t in the right state of mind and therefore was unable to a reasonable decision. Mrs. Kamai, who was found cradling her dead baby, exhibits another example of irrational behavior as a result of the atomic bomb. Hersey relays Mr.Tanimoto’s odd account when he wrote, â€Å"She was crouching on the ground with the body of her infant daughter in her arms. The baby had evidently been dead all day† (60). Holding the dead corpse for four days, Mr. Tanimoto ‘tried to cremate the baby, but Mrs. Kamai only held it tighter’ (81). During this time Mrs. Kamai was unstable and unable to make rational decisions becau se she was in shock as a result of the bombing and the chaos that came with it. Through her desperation to keep her dead baby, Mrs. Kamai demonstrates how the inhuman bombing of Hiroshima led to irrational ehavior. While some Japanese citizens were affected psychologically, others were affected physically. Civilians of Hiroshima were affected by the atomic bomb in that they suffered from severe injuries and burns. Being that this was the first atomic bomb ever used, its physical impact on people was uncertain. However, Father Kleinsorge and Mr. Tanimoto were able to witness the bomb’s physical impact when they were trying to assist the weak and feeble. While on a walk, Father Kleinsorge came across a number of desperate and wounded military men.He described them as â€Å"all in the same nightmarish state: their faces were wholly burned, their eye sockets were hollow, the fluid from their melted eyes had run down their cheeks† (73). Father Kleinsorge’s descriptio n portrays the severity of people’s injuries as a result of the bomb. The immense heat that radiated from the bomb caused these soldiers’ eyes to melt and faces to burn. Another physical effect of the bombing on Hiroshima is portrayed by Mr. Tanimoto. Mr. Tanimoto was trying to assist critically injured victims when he experienced a gruesome event.The bombs affect was apparent when Mr. Tanimoto ‘reached down and took a women by the hands, but her skin slipped off in huge, glove-like pieces’ (65). Mr. Tanimoto was taken back when he pulled off the skin, which indicates that the injuries caused by the bomb were fatal and agonizing. The heat from the bomb caused this victims skin to burn and come off with excruciating pain. However, the bomb didn’t effect just people. When the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima it resulted in an erratic reaction by the environment.Father Kleinsorge noticed these odd environmental patterns while on a walk he noted, â€Å"th rough the wreckage of the city†¦was a blanket of fresh, vivid, lush, optimistic green† (93-94) The town was in ruins, however, now there were flowers blossoming everywhere over the ruble and ashes. The bomb’s purpose was to wipe out all living things, but ironically it unintendedally catalyzed the sporadic growth of flowers and plants. On August 6, 1945 the first ever atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. It’s power and abilities were unknown being that it was the first of ts kind. In the book Hiroshima, the bombs affects were seen through the eyes of its survivors. The bomb affected Hiroshima’s citizens in that they exhibited absurd and illogical actions. The environment was also affected in that the bomb triggered natural events that were very uncommon. The inhumane nature of the atomic bomb proves that humans will do anything to get their way despite the consequences. Their desire for power will never change and their methods of warfare are only going to get more and more deadly.

Impact of Data Warehousing and OLAP Models on Management Accounting Dissertation

Impact of Data Warehousing and OLAP Models on Management Accounting - Dissertation Example The questions were categorised into seven sections that cover the aspects of familiarity of the organisation with these tools, historical data for planning the implementation, changes and compatibility of people in various departments, contribution of OLAP to management accountant and other departments. The data collected were analysed in Excel and by SWOT analyses. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in implementing OLAP and data warehouses for the organisation and the management accountant have been analysed. It has been identified that the strengths are more and the threats are less. Hence the impact of the OLAP and data warehouses on management accountant is positive and their overall benefits it that the data analysis and reporting is easy and efficient. Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction 1.1. Research scenario 1.2. Identification of research problem 1.3. Main research question and Assumptions 1.4. Aim and Objectives of the Research 1.5. Methodology of r esearch 1.6. Structure of the research Chapter 2 – Literature Review 2.1. The Traditional Accountant 2.2. Challenges faced by The Traditional Accountant 2.3. Transition of role 2.4. The Data Marts 2.5. Introduction to OLAP 2.6. OLAP models 2.6.1. Data analysis in OLAP 2.6.2. OLAP components 2.7. The role of OLAP 2.8. Mapping the BI 2.9. Database Design 2.10. Warehouse Management 2.11. Challenges and implications of BI tools Chapter 3 - Methodology of Research 3.1. Research Methodologies 3.2. Qualitative survey method 3.3. Data collecting instrument 3.4. Sample space and sample size 3.5. Validity, Originality and Limitation of the research Chapter 4 – Data Presentation and Analysis 4.1. Qualitative Data representation 4.1.1. Section I Questions – Data Representation 4.1.2. Section II Questions – Data Representation 4.2. Preliminary data analysis in EXCEL 4.2.1. Analysis of section I questions 4.2.2. Analysis of section II questions 4.2.3. Analysis of secti on III questions 4.2.4. Analysis of section IV questions 4.2.5. Analysis of section V questions 4.2.6. Analysis of section VI questions 4.2.7. Analysis of section VII questions 4.3. SWOT analysis method 4.4. SWOT analysis of research data Chapter 5 – Research Recommendations 5.1. Strengths 5.2. Weaknesses 5.3. Opportunities 5.4. Threats 5.5. Research Recommendations Chapter 6 – Research Conclusion References Appendices Appendix A – Questionnaire Appendix B – Data Collected from First Participant Appendix C – Data Collected from Second Participant List of Figures Fig.2.1. The cube architecture of OLAP system. Fig.2.2. Database segregation in Business Intelligence using OLAP. Fig.4.1. Analysis of first question in section I. Fig.4.2. Analysis of second question in section I. Fig.4.3. Analysis of third question in section I. Fig.4.3. Analysis of third question in section I. Fig.4.5. Analysis of fifth question in section I. Fig.4.6. Analysis of sixth q uestion in section I. Fig.4.7. Analysis of seventh question in section I. Fig.4.8. Analysis of eighth question in section I. Fig.4.9. Analysis of first question in section II. Fig.4.10. Analysis of second question in section II Fig.4.11. Analysis of third question in section II Fig.4.12. Analysis of fourth question in section II Fig.4.13. Analysis of fifth question in section II. Fig.4.14. Analysis of sixt

Types of Accounting Systems Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Types of Accounting Systems - Term Paper Example â€Å"Under cash based accounting revenue is recorded when cash is received, and expensed is recorded when cash if paid† (Weygant, et. al. 2002, pg.89). The use cash based accounting is suitable for small businesses that deal primary in cash such as a hot dog vendor or a pizza cart. The use of cash based accounting is not in compliance with the generally accepted accounting principles, thus public companies cannot utilize this method of accounting because it would violate GAAP and SEC mandates. It is easier to implement a cash based accounting when the firm does not have account receivables or account payables. It is possible for accountants to convert a system from a cash basis accounting to an accrued basis accounting. The process is time consuming due to the fact that the accountant must use a lot of adjusting entries. The users of financial statement or stakeholders require precise and accurate financial statements that are free of fraud and materials errors. The major sta keholders groups that use often use financial information of companies to make decisions include the employees, lenders, shareholders, board of directors, suppliers, managerial staff, governmental institutions, and the community. The employees need information regarding the financial activity of the company they work for to provide them with security that the company is aligned with the going concern principle. The lenders evaluate the financial statements of companies to determine whether to lend them money or not. Banks and others rely on the accuracy of the financial statements to make decisions worth thousands or millions of dollars. Suppliers often extend credit lines to corporate customers based on their evaluation of the financial performance of an enterprise. The general public expects corporations to act in a socially responsible manner at all times. The shareholders make buy and sell decisions based on the results of the financial statements. Wall Street would collapse if investors stop believing in the accuracy of financial statements. Back at the turn of the century a series of financial scandals caused investors in the US to lose confidence in the accuracy of financial statements released by public companies. The US Congress reacted by passing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act raised the consumer confidence, overall accountability, accuracy, and it imposed severe penalties for white collar crimes. Executive managers such as CEOs found of fraudulent financial activity can receive penalties of up to 20 years in prison. The CEO now has to sign the financial statements prior to being release to certify that they are free of fraud and material error. Accountants utilized a concept knows as depreciation to reflect the loss in value of an equipment or machinery as time passes. The most common depreciation method used by accountants in the United States is straight line depreciation. Straight line depreciation is calculated by diving price minus salvage value by lifetime in years (price – salvage value) / (years). Depreciation helps adjust the value of an asset. Companies that depreciate its assets receive a tax benefit because depreciation is categorized as an expense the lowers the net earning of the company. Three additions depreciation methods are LIFO, FIFO, and weighted average. The MACRS depreciation method is one of the best methods to reduce taxes in the short

Three FBLA goals important for Business Leadership Essay

Three FBLA goals important for Business Leadership - Essay Example Always focus on your own strengthens and bring forward the best effort even if you feel it isn’t enough. I am a proud American; but since many years it seems like the strength of the patriots in the past is sliding off from its foundations. The citizens are not as committed to the cause as before. We are the makers of America and we need to believe that this is our country and provide maximum effort to its development. Without the development of one’s own character it would not be possible to develop the character of the nation. Through integrity, commitment, ownership, flexibility and balance it would not only be possible to incorporate an excellent character but at the same time bring forward a strong asset for the economy at large. Strong relationships are to be built with the businesses, the tertiary sector and many other organizations related to community for students to understand their level of importance while educating them. The role models and mentors play a vital role in enhancing the knowledge regarding the real world. It is always wise to absorb as much information as possible from these mentors as it will go a long way into your future. In the contemporary world today, businesses are becoming extremely complex, and for this reason the education systems are working with the organizations to plan and implement a strong curriculum. Some of life’s best lessons are learned from the hardest situations. Never run from these situations, always believe in yourself and come forward to manage them and learn from them. Believing in the cause helps the individual understand the importance of the situation, and he, then participates with complete effort. It is essential to not only believe in yourself but also in the case at hand. The American business enterprise requires motivated and committed individuals who not only present their abilities and skills but also provide a level of

Brief a case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Brief a case - Assignment Example She appealed to the Supreme Court California, which reversed the sentence. The legal question presented to the Supreme Court was if it was known that a certain group of defendants was negligent but not clear specifically who was directly responsible, can a plaintiff sue the main companies involved as per the market share statistics? The Supreme Court determined that the plaintiff could recover against the manufacturers that are already known with respect to the market share concept. The Supreme Court added that for such a case to suffice, the plaintiff must present a number of the main distributors. However, if the defendant could prove that they were not responsible for the harm caused, then they could be dismissed from the case. The reasoning used here was that the defendants should not be let off simply because the plaintiff does not have a way of identifying those responsible. In addition, in such sensitive cases as medication, the consumer is deemed helpless to protect themselves from any harm that may come from the drugs that they take. The defendant s would also be in a better position to bear the cost of an injury that results from manufacturing of a defective drug. This was a trademark infringement case where Coca-Cola Company was seeking to enjoin Koke Company of America from continuing to use the word ‘Koke’ in their products. On the defense, Koke maintained that using Coca-Cola name in its brands the Coca-Cola Company represented usage of cocaine in its products. From the side of the Coca-Cola Company, it should retain the usage of this name. This came as a result of increased sales by the Coca-Cola Company implying that this company did not want to share any work which sounded similar to the one it used (Clarkson et al. 157). The case was ruled against Coca-Cola Company, which appealed to the U.S Supreme Court. The legal question presented before

Prioritizing Ethical Issues of a Corporate Example Dilemma Described Essay

Prioritizing Ethical Issues of a Corporate Example Dilemma Described - Essay Example They need immediate help and Tru-Seal is able to provide that, so it should. Secondly, Tru-Seal is not capable of accommodating the deal with Ford currently unless it increases its workforce. If it does not increase its workforce, the deal with Ford will be jeopardized. This will be a lose-lose situation for both Tru-Seal and the residents of the Jones County. Thirdly, Tru-Seal should increase the workforce because the Indian firm seems positive on continuing with the deal with Ford after it acquires Tru-Seal. In order to continue the work smoothly, it is unlikely for the Indian firm to completely replace the existing workforce at that time with new and inexperienced workforce as it would affect the quality of work as well as productivity. Last but not the least, it is not established that the Indian firm will acquire Tru-Seal. Unless it actually acquires it, chances exist that Tru-Seal might not be acquired in which case, it would be an unwise decision to not increase the workforce now. Yes, it is better for Tru-Seal to keep the union informed about the pending sale of the company. In spite of all the differences of the company with the unions, and the history of the company’s tough relations with the unions, informing the unions will be safer and less inconvenient choice compared to not informing them. If Tru-Seal does not inform the union, the union might engage in legal proceedings against the company at the time of its sale to the Indian firm, thus incurring a lot of cost to the owners in fines and damages. On the other hand, even if the union is informed about the pending sale, it is more likely that the union will support the decision of increasing the workforce at the Jones County given the high unemployment rate at present. Having met all environmental regulatory actions to date and having fostered a good relationship and open dialogue with the Michigan Department of Environmental

Wireless communications networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wireless communications networks - Essay Example In formal settings, the explosive growth of wireless networks arrived along with the proliferation of laptops and tablets, which proposes a promising future for wireless communication networks. The following paper discusses the use of wireless communications networks in formal settings such as offices. First, wireless communications networks are economic to install in offices today (Zhu and Li, 2013). Advanced wireless communication networks have undergone numerous changes because of investments in research, competition, and recurred obsolescence. Unlike wired communications, wireless communications networks only need transmission, serving, and routing ports and stations. Wired networks need costly wires, labor for installing these cables through tight channels, buying identical socket faceplates, buying gear and physical solutions for cable maintenance or troubleshooting. With wired communications, offices have cable clutter connecting servers and desktops from cubical to cubical or from maintenance rooms to the roof of the building. Clutter can be dangerous for employees within a formal setting because it can trip a person or wear away and shock a user touching it with naked hands. Secondly, wireless communications are safe. Wired communications networks that employ incredible 1,024-bit encodes will require an entire human generation to recover data that was destroyed. On the other hand, wireless communications employ 802.11x networking, which is a sufficient solution for an ordinary formal setting (Zhu and Li, 2013). Such networking rates today can replace wired communications networks in offices. As wireless communications continue to advance in terms of speed and coverage, wired communications networks will become obsolete soon. The function and architecture of wireless technologies involved in wireless communications determines the most suitable formal setting. For instance, an

Contract Modification Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contract Modification - Case Study Example The defendant promised to pay an additional sum of money for each flats timely construction fearing he would face liquated damages for delay under the original contract. After finishing about eight more completed flats, the plaintiff refused to work any more and also refused to return the remaining 460, which was the amount owing from the subsequent promise or the eight completed flats. The defendant tried to argue that following Stilk v Myrick3, they were not liable to the plaintiff because the subsequent promise was not legally enforceable due to the fact that no consideration had been paid for it .The plaintiff had offered no consideration because, in exchange, the plaintiff was only offering to do what he was already bound to do.4 The Court held that there was indeed a benefit for the defendant in that he would avoid the penalty liquidated damages and have the convenience of continuing with the same carpenter At the time this case was decided, it was widely expected that that this new notion of a "practical benefit analysis" would be applied to future cases concerning part payment of debts. 5If thoroughly applied the previous cases of Foakes v Beer and Pinnel's case would be rendered as not good precedent.6 Therefore, where the creditor accepts less than the full amount owed to him and promises to waive the rest of the money it would not be difficult for him to prove that there have been any practical benefits received. 7Lord Blackburn who gave the dissenting judgement in Foakes v Beer acknowledged this, as follows:8 "All men of business ... do everyday recognise and act on the ground that prompt payment of a part of their demand may be more beneficial to them than it would be to insist on their rights and enforce payment of the whole. Even where the debtor is perfectly solvent, and sure to pay at last, this is often so. Where the credit of the debtor is doubtful it must be more so."9 The case of Re Selectmove Ltd.10 involved an appeal by a company from an order arising from the request of the IRC to recover a large amount of taxes and to wind up the defaulting company. The company pleaded that the IRC had promised through an agreement that they could pay the arrears in a monthly scheme and pay the new taxes promptly. The court held in line with Williams v Roffey brothers that this arrangement amounted to a practical benefit to the IRC. However the case was decided in the favour of IRC and Peter Gibson L J made it very clear that if the Court of Appeal were to accept the practical benefits analysis, "It would in effect leave the principle in Foakes v Beer without any application". He also said that the creditor will almost always look at the practical benefits of any bargain but they cannot be classified as new consideration and this has been the view in Foakes v Beer. This view of the Court of Appeal has been subjected to much criticism. 11It is often said that it overlooked the incompatibility between the decisions of the Williams v Roffey and Foakes v Beer and that it is not possible to restrict this case merely to a restriction or expansion of the practical benefits doctrine but a clear line needed to be drawn between a promise to pay additional sums of money under the Williams v Roffey Case and a promise to accept a lesser amount of money in lieu of the full payment under the rule in Foakes v

Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

Accounting - Essay Example This has affected the performance of entire divisions ROI. The company should therefore be more careful in selecting assets in the future in order to make sure that its ROI remains high at all the times. The performance of the newly purchased capital item could also be low because the company is charging too high depreciation in the early years. Although depreciation does not incur any outward cash flow, but it is recorded in order to get the tax advantage. The company can lower the depreciation amount for the capital item in order to improve the divisional ROI accruing for the Capex (Capital Expenditure). Gary Speed can improve the performance of future Capital Acquisitions by keeping in mind the depreciation and ROI calculation policies of the company. Since these policies are little different from the market, Gary Speed will have to change his accounting practices and way of thinking accordingly in order to predict a more accurate ROI and cost saving plan from the new purchase. Gary Speed can improve the ROI from the capital expenditure by lowering down the depreciation of the assets in the first year. He can charge lower depreciation in the earlier years and higher depreciation in the future years in order to show to the board that the purchase is performing as well as expect . Gary Speed can also formulate a new plan for calculating ROI. He should make changes to the way EverGreen Corporation calculates the ROI on its Capex. One great of calculating the accurate ROI from the capital purchase or a project is by using the IRR or internal rate of return method. Gary Speed can use this method in order to get the accurate picture of ROI and profitability potential of new purchases. This way he can be sure that the ROI from the project is neither overstated nor understated. This will give the accountants in the company and managers a better ground to base their decisions upon. Currently, the

‘Cousin Kate’ by Christina Rossetti Essay Example for Free

‘Cousin Kate’ by Christina Rossetti Essay This Victorian poem is about the narrator (a fallen woman), the Lord and Kate. It is a ballad which tells the story from the narrator’s perspective about being shunned by society after her ‘experiences’ with the lord. The poem’s female speaker recalls her contentment in her humble surroundings until the local ‘Lord of the Manor’ took her to be his lover. He discarded her when she became pregnant and his affections turned to another village girl, Kate, whom he then married. Although the speaker’s community condemned the speaker as a ‘fallen’ woman, she reflects that her love for the lord was more faithful than Kate’s. She is proud of the son she bore him and is sure that the man is unhappy that he and Kate remain childless. Some readers think that she feels more betrayed by her cousin than the lord. This poem is a dramatic monologue written in the Victorian era. Structure The poem is written in first person narrative. It has 6 stanzas of 8 lines: One stanza each on the narrator, the Lord and Kate; stanza 4 contrasts the position of the narrator and Kate; stanza 5 criticises Kate and stanza 6 focuses on the narrator’s triumph at having a child. Each stanza is the same length and each line has a similar rhythm, giving it a ballad-like feel. It could also be conveying the strength and perseverance of the narrator who has to face life in conflict with the expectations of Victorian society. Note that the tone changes as the poem progresses regret, accusation, bitterness, triumph. The rhyme scheme always connects the B (2nd line) of each couplet. E. g Stanza one – AB/CB/DB/DB. Sometimes the first line of the couplet is rhymed. The rhyme emphasises the last world to aid meaning. The regular rhyme could also suggest that narrator has not only been dominated by the Lord (because men and in particular men of a higher social standing) but is also trapped with Victorian social conventions (she is now a fallen woman in conflict with the values of her society). Sometimes the first line is rhymed as in Stanza 3 – AB/AB/CB/AB. In this case the words ‘Kate’, ‘gate’ and ‘estate’ are stressed in order to convey the way Kate has been elevated from her position in society. However in stanza 5 this rhyme of ‘true’ and ‘you’ contrasts the narrator’s strength of feeling with Kate’s. ‘Cousin Kate’ is written with an iambic rhythm. Generally, one line of the poem has three feet, and the next has four. The poem, therefore, generally follows the following pattern: da dum da dum da dum da dum da dum da dum da dum Iambic rhythms often follow the natural rhythm of speech, a little like a heartbeat. If we apply this to one of Rossetti’s lines, it reads as follows: â€Å"Because you were so good and pure†. Therefore the meaning of the words is captured in the line as specific words are stressed. The repetition of: ‘Why did a great lord find me out’, conveys the anger and bewilderment of the speaker at her change of circumstances, whilst the phrase: ‘good and pure’ has a hollow ring by its second occurrence. Thereafter, repeated phrases are altered to highlight the contrasting situations of Kate and the speaker: The community ‘call’ Kate ‘good and pure’, but ‘call’ the speaker ‘an outcast thing’. Kate ‘sit[s] in gold’, the speaker ‘sit[s] †¦ in dust’. The image of dust connects to a life of poverty and also suggests how she has been soiled by society. Whereas ‘gold’ suggests that her cousin has riches. Kate’s fate is to ‘sit †¦ and sing’, the speaker’s to ‘sit and howl’. This suggests the mental anguish that the narrator is experiencing at being abandoned whereas to ‘sing’ indicates that Kate is content. However, the speaker believes her ‘love was true’, while Kate’s ‘love was writ in sand’ suggesting that her love is stronger than Kate’s. The echoed structure in the final stanza – that Kate has ‘not got’ and is ‘not like to get’ the gift of a child – emphasises the speaker’s sense of triumph. Language The speaker’s questions in the first stanza express her anger and confusion at the experiences she has had to endure: ‘Why did a great lord find me out†¦ Why did a great lord find me out? ’ She suggests that before the arrival of the ‘great lord’, she was happy and ‘contented’ (line 3). She was not looking for a new situation in life. It came unexpectedly. The idea that the lord filled her heart with care suggests that she had less to worry about previously. She is angry that he made her anxious instead of happy and took her away from her friends, her ‘cottage mates’ (line 3). She questions her cousin Kate in stanza 4 suggesting that she loved the lord whereas her cousin did not marry for love. The speaker addresses her questions, laments and moans to Kate. She begins the third verse, ‘O Lady Kate, my cousin Kate’ and the fifth, ‘O cousin Kate’. Throughout, she employs a tone of accusation, repeatedly using the word ‘you’ as she compares Kate to herself. In the last four lines, the speaker draws her attention away from her bitterness at Kate and addresses her son. She calls him ‘my shame, my pride’ (line 45). The oxymoron highlights the conflict that she experiences at loving the Lord and her son but also knowing that she has defied moral convention. Through active and passive verbs Rossetti emphasises the powerlessness of women in Victorian society by associating the lord with a series of actions which take the initiative. He ‘f[ound]’ the speaker ‘out’ / ‘praise[d]’ her / ‘lured’ her / ‘wore’ her / ‘changed’ her / ‘cast’ her ‘by’ / ‘fooled’ her. These are harsh actions, which become more ominous with regard to Kate. Like a stalker, the lord: ‘saw’ her / ‘chose’ her’ / ‘watched’ her / ‘lifted’ her ‘To sit with him’ / ‘bound’ her/ ‘won’ her / ‘bought’ her. Like a hunter, the lord ‘f[ound]’ the speaker ‘out’, ‘lured’ her, then ‘chose’ his next victim in Kate, whom he ‘watched’, then picked up (‘lifted’) and ‘bound’. Both women are referred to as birds, with Kate seeming to be trussed and bound by her fine clothes and wedding ring. In ‘Cousin Kate’, the dove image draws on these ideas of hope and fulfilment and is a symbol of purity that stands in direct contrast to the contaminated state the speaker finds herself as she describes herself as ‘an unclean thing’ (line 15). However, she acknowledges that the tenderness associated with the dove is no match for Kate’s ‘stronger wing’. Even though the speaker claims that she ‘would  have spit’ and ‘[would] not have taken’ the lord, the fact that this is in the future conditional tense indicates that the reality of the situation is in fact very different – she will always be powerless. Alliteration is used throughout the poem: The soft innocence of the speaker before her life changed is conveyed by the soft M of ‘maiden’, ‘mates’ and ‘mindful’ in stanza 1 When the speaker claims that she was led to the lord’s house to lead a ‘shameless shameful life’, the sibilance in this line reinforces the joining together of oxymorons that these words perform. It also reflects the hushed manner in which the speaker was ensnared by the lord, taken in, then later cast aside The speaker’s anger shines through the harsh consonants of ‘Lady Kate, my cousin Kate’ In the final stanza, the speaker emphasises the close bond she shares with her son when she asks that he ‘Cling closer, closer yet’ (line 46). The emphasis here highlights her fear and together with the repetition of the word ‘closer’, suggests that it is for her own comfort, as well as her son’s, that they remain together. Strong images are used to convey the predicament of the narrator. She claims that the lord considered her as a ‘plaything’ (line 12) whom he could treat how he liked without any regard for her feelings. Much like the ‘silken knot’ (line 12) he wore around his neck (a cravat or tie), he treated her as a fashion accessory he could use and then cast away, rather than as an individual with her own needs. The speaker recognises that the lord ‘changed me like a glove’ (line 13). He used her and moulded her into a shape that suited him and then, like a glove that no longer pleases, dispensed with her completely. A glove is an intimate and personal object that fits itself around its user. By describing herself as a glove, the speaker acknowledges that she lost sight of her own needs and desires in an attempt to please and suit the lord. Essay title: Explain how Rossetti creates sympathy for the narrator in ‘Cousin Kate’. Use examples from the poem to support your answers.

Ethical Issues In Operations Management Commerce Essay

Ethical Issues In Operations Management Commerce Essay Ethics in the business sector especially in the operations management is getting more popularity. Ethics is concerned about the rules of human behavior and considers whether or not there is any objective right or wrong. The study of ethics is divided into certain divisions which include descriptive morality, ethical theory, and applied ethics. In business, the concept of ethics is present for thousands of years now. The purpose of this research is to explore the body of knowledge with regards to ethics in operations management. Three questions are presented to set directions as follows: (1) what are ethical issues faced in operations management; (2) how do companies resolve ethical issues in their operations management; and (3) does ethical behavior within the operations function need management. Operations management refers to the approach of managing, designing, improving, and operating business processes or systems that are focused on producing or delivering goods and services. A review of literature about the operations management and the ethical issues within it is conducted to obtain answers to the research questions which are presented by the end part. Chapter I Introduction Ethics is a term which refers to moral philosophy that focuses on the aspects of good life and the difference between better and worse. Ethics is concerned about the rules of human behavior and considers whether or not there is any objective right or wrong. Furthermore, ethics is concerned about the foundations of moral principles and how it evolved. Vee and Skitmore (2003) listed three things that contitute ethics as follows: (1) ethics refers to a system of moral principles which serves as a basis for judging actions as right or wrong; (2) ethics refers to the rules of conduct which illustrates a particular accetable group of human actions; and (3) ethics refers to moral principles of an individual. Considering the definition of ethics, it can be deemed that its main objective is to guide the society on deciding what is good from bad and what is better from worse which is also referred to as normative ethics. This may be done in a general way or may address certain ethical issues o nly. Another form or ethics is termed as metaethics wherein the meaning of ethical language is analyzed to identify their true meaning. Simply speaking, the true meaning of referring to something as a moral act or a right act is analyzed. The study of ethics is divided into certain divisions which include descriptive morality, ethical theory, and applied ethics. The first division which is termed as descriptive morality refers to ethics which is based from the actual principles, customs, beliefs, and practices of the society. Cultural facts differ from certain societal groups to another around the world and these forms as the basis for their acts and what they believe should be right. Second division of ethics is ethical theory which refers to the understanding and justification of moral concepts, principles, and theories. Final division is applied ethics which is focused on the ethical issues in the society. This report belongs to the applied ethics division since its objective is to obtain an understanding on ethics in business and the ethical issues in operations management and how may these be resolved. To achieve this objective, some basic concepts on ethics shall first be discussed followed by its relation to th e business world specifically in operations management. Moreover, a literature review shall be conducted to examine the common ethical issues that occur in operations management and how these are faced by the business sector and other concerned societal groups. This report is expected to add in the body of knowledge which is concerned about ethics in the workplace with discussions that connect the three mentioned division of ethics. Its significance shall be seen in a way that it examines the ethical trends and changes that occur in the business sector from the traditional era to the modern era. Research questions that will serve as guides for the paper are as follows: (1) what are ethical issues faced in operations management; (2) how do companies resolve ethical issues in their operations management; and (3) does ethical behavior within the operations function need management. Some examples of ethical considerations in operations management decisions include customer safety, employee safety, materials recyclability, waste disposal, pollutions, repetitive tasks, stress in workplace, restrictive company cultures, employment policies, fluctuations in working hours, consumption of energy, energy efficiency, implications of plant location, closure, and vertical integration on employment, impact of process location on environment, and exploitation of resources. The next section shall present a literature review of the ethical issue in operations management that actually existed in the business sector and how are they resolved. It shall provide an overview of the ethical issues in the real world to offer a better understanding of the phenomenon. Chapter II Literature Review Businesses in todays world are faced with the pressure of having to comply with the ethical standards to ensure their continued market penetration without risk of being stripped out of the limelight. Businesses face this challenge through their own corporate social responsibility. In this review, the literature regarding the ethical issues in operations management is explored. Articles wrote by authors who focused on the topic of ethics in operations management are identified. Subtopics to be considered are the ethical issues that exist and challenge the operations management, the ethical leadership of an operations manager, their ethical decision-making, how the operations managers ethically influence the people under them, and how ethics in operations management can boost the morale and integrity of an organization as a whole. This review is structured to analyze ethics in operations management through a deeper examination on the mentioned subtopics and findings are considered in t he end. Ethical Reasoning Ethical views differ from one society to another due to the differences in religion. People more often take their religion as the basis for their ethical reasoning since religions present a certain standard for morality. For example, Christians are guided by the Ten Commandments found on the Bible. Other religions are also guided by their own religious books like the Koran and Bhagavad Gita which teaches what people ought to do. Models for good or moral acts are also established in some religions like the Saints or holy people. Despite the fact that the society seem to have grown with the tradition of basing their ethical standards with their own religions, philosophers believe that ethics can stand alone without religious grounds. In philosophy, ethics base its analysis on what is right or wrong on reasoning and experience rather than incorporating religious standards and teachings. This fact also articulates that people who have valid ethical views or ethical standards of living ar e not only those that belong to any religious sector but also those that do not believe to any religion at all. Moreover, the challenge for religious ethics is the idea that something is referred to as ethical because it is approved by God which makes it arbitrary. Ethics should be independent and saying that something is right or wrong should not be based on someones approval. For this reason, a person should learn to have his own skill of moral reasoning. The goal of philosophical ethics is to deal with ethical issues without regarding to any religious views. Ethics is evaluative. This means that referring to an act as either a rightful act or a wrongful act is equivalent to judging or evaluating it. However, it is not enough just judge or evaluate something. A judgment should be supported by certain norms or reason. Furthermore, it is not acceptable to say that a conclusion is given just because the speaker feels that way. A speaker who evaluates something is expected to explain deeper why he delivered such conclusion or attitude. Giving justifications to certain ethical conclusion is essential to ethics. A persons reasoning may be based from a prior experience regarding the said conclusion. Reasoning may not always be rational of objective since everyone can admit that in every decision making done, emotions and feelings always interfere. A person can conclude that say because he might have experienced the emotions that are accompanied in that certain situation. Ethical evaluation has several domains including action, consequences, character, and motive. In evaluating a certain situation, the actions of either the parties involved constitute either right or wrong deeds. When concluding who of the parties is right, it is necessary that a person know the meaning of the term right. Right actions are those that are permissible including those that are obligatory and optional while wrong actions are those that are not permissible. Another domain of evaluating an ethical situation is the analysis of the consequences. An action is considered right if the results are positive while it is considered wrong when the consequences are otherwise negative. This is studied in teteological ethics which is beyond the scope of this report. Another area of ethical evaluation is the analysis of character of the doer of an action. People with bad character traits usually has negative outlook on life and are likely to act in a way harmful to others. Last domain if ethical evaluation is the motive or intention behind an action. These ethical evaluation domains shall guide this report in analyzing the reasons behind ethical issues that exist in business. Ethics in Business Ethics in business is not a new trend. In fact, it is already present for over four thousand years now. With the changing trends in the business world, the society is getting more concerned about the corporate responsibility of businesses. Debates have also been conducted focusing on the social issue of poverty among the workers and the corresponding responsibility of the employers about the issue. Even in the ancient times, issues on ethics in business can be observed just like in the teachings of Aristotle about the harmful effects of the gaps that exist between the economical utilization of goods and the profit making objective of many merchants. At present, the rise of the concept of corporate social responsibility among the business sector constitutes corporate initiatives of integrating several ethical aspects such as establishment of codes of conduct, environment management system measures, health and safety in the workplace, compliance to financial reporting standards, certif ications schemes, company partnerships with community groups, and support for projects that are aimed for community development. There are several factors for the demand of the society for business ethics as a corporate responsibility. Some of these include the changing social role of corporate entities, globalization, developments in technology, and moral authority democratization. In the past, the responsibility or regulating all aspects of social life rests in the hands of the government. However, with the evolution of time, some duties are being moved from the government to the other sectors of the society including the individuals, the social groups, and the business sector. With this trend, corporate entities are required to establish their own self-regulation policies especially that the government has recognized the fact that fully controlling the business sector is not always an efficient way of influencing corporate behavior. Increased pressure is put on the business sector about the possible consequences of their policies on the society. Globalization is another driving factor for the societys demand of business ethics among the business sector. Currently, many businesses enter the international market and corporations tend to invest worldwide since this gives them more opportunities to grow. However, with the trend of entering in different foreign markets, there are complex things to consider including ethics. Customs and traditions in foreign lands differ from each other and some business practices that may be acceptable to one nation may not be accepted in the same sense in another. Businesses are often expected to adapt with the customs and values of the foreign land that they are trying to penetrate. Pressure on companys corporate social responsibility is high since there is still no firm and effective supervision governing the international business behavior. Developments in technology seem to be a great source of questions of morality. Technology at the current time is considered advanced and it provides a way for people to experience things that are thought to be impossible before. Technological development brings convenience to the society and contributes to the establishment of a kind of life that is better than before. Ethics come to picture as the society examines the real consequences of technology to the way of life. The effect of technology to the world is complex and the government has not enough capacity to handle the issues accompanying it which makes it necessary for the business sector to take actions on whatever consequences their own technology may bring. In the past, moral authority often rests among a few groups in the society including the Church, the government, and the theorists. At present, the opinions of the mentioned authorities are now considered as a regular opinion which can be aligned with the opinions of a regular entity. The power and control they once had over judging and handling ethical issues has faded and now there is a democratization of moral authority. This again puts pressure on the business sector to manage their ethical affairs seriously since everyone seem to have the authority to criticize their business practices are compliance to ethical standards. Businesses are compelled to open their policies to the public when questioned about their business ethics. Moreover, with the intrusion of media, the businesses are more exposed to public which makes them susceptible to any ethical criticism. The relationship of a business to its stakeholders is the primary concern of business ethics. Stakeholders may include all the entities that have interest on a company or are influenced by the company such as the shareholders, the customers, the employees, suppliers, competitors, the government, and others. Seeking business strategies that will consider the interest of all the stakeholders is not an easy task for a company but an important mission of every manager and all the high ranking company officials. Like any other company managers, operations manager has one of the most important duties of handling decision making processes regarding ethics in operations management. Ethics in Operations Management To obtain a better understanding of operations management, it is necessary to define what operations mean. Operations refer to the portion of business which is responsible for the production of goods and services. Operations management therefore refers to the approach of managing, designing, improving, and operating business processes or systems that are focused on producing or delivering goods and services. In other words, operations management involves the process of converting a set of inputs into outputs (Hassin, 2009). The term operations management originated from the concept of productions management used in the past which refers to the process of converting raw materials into finished products. However, with the evolution of time, the term expanded to production and operations management to integrate the operations in the servicing industry until currently, it is now termed as operations management. The main objective of the operations management is to ensure that products and services are delivered to customers at best quality but at lowest costs. Some huge organizations have separate operations management departments that do operations activities while some companies do not have, but regardless of this fact, all organizations have operations endeavors and every organizational member is involved in operations in some way. A companys operations management function is headed by the operations manager who has the primary duty of managing resources involved in operations. Some of the areas of decision making that are included in the duties of a companys operations management are formulation of operations strategy, setting of operations performance objectives, configuring process types, ensuring prompt service, layout design, planning for long-term capacity, facility location, technology to be adopted, designing of products and services, designing processes, and employee motivation. Business activities which are considered as operations include manufacturing, supply, transport, and service. Manufacturing activity involves the conversion of raw materials to final products which are eventually sold to customers. Supply is another business activity which involves the change of ownership of a certain physical good from the company to the customer. This is a usual business activity among the companies in the retail distribution industry. Third business activity described as included in operations is transport. This refers to the process of transferring of goods from one place to another. Finally, service is an operations activity which involves changing of the condition of the customers. Operations of a certain company may not only be limited to only one of the mentioned activities. For example, a company which manufactures a certain product also supplies the same to the end customers. In this company, several operations management activities involved are manufacturi ng, supply, and transport. Different organizations belonging to different industries adopt operations strategies that fit their businesses. However, some approaches adopted by different organizations in their operations strategies tend to be common and similar to each other. Certain requirements for an effective operations strategy include appropriateness, comprehensiveness, coherence, consistence, credibility, and ethicality. Appropriateness refers to the alignment of the operations strategy with the companys competitive strategy. This is especially necessary when operations strategy is formulated for the purpose of connecting the companys operations to its goal of developing a competitive edge over the competitors. An operations strategy is also required to be comprehensive where all aspect of operations is tackled. Operations management is included in a companys complex process of business and achieving excellent performance which makes it necessary for every strategy to deal with every aspect of operations rather than limiting tactics on minor operational decisions. Furthermore, it is not enough that operations strategy be comprehensive, it must also be coherent. Every element of the strategy which refers to specific operations function must point to the same direction for the strategy to be effective. From period to period, operations strategy may be modified but one important thing is noted, it should be consistent through time. Credibility is another factor for an effective operations strategy. It is important that every strategic goal is realizable to maintain credibility. A strategic objective which the operations management failed to achieve may give a negative impact on the strategy and the employees may be discouraged to support it subsequently. Finally, an effective operations strategy should be ethical. An operation strategy may have consequences after its implementation which makes it necessary to be formulated based of ethical standards. The role of ethics in operations management is important especially in world-class operations and it should be considered in corporate responsibility. This claim is based on the fact that most of the ethical issues in businesses originate from the operations level. Another reason for importance of ethics is the ethical consequences that arise from the strategy of some companies to obtain cost advantage by outsourcing. Ethics in operations management is concerned on the way how profit is obtained rather than on the quantity of profit which is considered enough. The tension is between profits and the responsibilities of the company. Steenkamp (2010) described operations management as a management function which receives least attention and understanding. Aspects in operations are often left to the engineers and other concerned professionals or especialists. The term is not even used among the organizations in the servicing industry. Realizing this gap, it is important to understand that operations management should be taken into consideration since it is one of the functions that helps an organization to create and increase its value. Ethical issues comes with the importance of understanding operations management. Ethical dilemmas refer to a certain situation or issue wherein a decision has to be made to adopt one of the two equally urgent yet incompatible alternatives (Mirwoba, 2009). One popular ethical issue discussed in the literature regarding operations management is opportunism. This issue has been a topic of many empirical studies conducted to focus on business and management field. Opportunism is considered in the literature as an unethical behavior which refers to the abuse of opportunity. In company operations, managers or other professionals involved are vulnerable to unethical choices due to plentiful number of opportunities which may be abused. Some of the factors that drive professionals to engage in unethical behaviors are the pressures brought by the demands for cost reduction and unrealizable strategic objectives. One area of operations which is faced with an increased vulnerability of engaging to unethical behavior is the procurement since the employee assigned in this proce ss handles a significant amount of company resources (Carter, 2000). Furthermore, the procurement process has an increased exposure to the external environment of a certain organization which makes it possible for easy conduct of an unethical act. This is not beneficial to the organization since its reputation is in jeopardy since the employee assigned in the procurement process acts in behalf of the organization as a whole when dealing with third parties. The empirical and conceptual research history of ethics in the procurement process of a business is affluent. The procurement activity within business operations is also the subject of another article by Ho (2012). The importance of ethics in managing business operations is stressed out in the article. Ethics is an essential requirement in order to build and maintain a good relationship between a business entity and other parties included in the conduct of its operations such as the suppliers. The procurement function in a business organization is critical for the achievement of business goals since. An organizations effective operations depend on the effective performance of the purchasing function while achieving global competitiveness depends on effective operations. It is therefore important that ethics is integrated in the whole process to ensure good relationship to suppliers and eventually to satisy the needs and wants of the customers. One ethical challenge by procurement off icers is the situation where many suppliers compete and offer different favors and gifts just to create a business deal. In many situations, the relationship of the procurement officer not only to the supplier but also to his employer may also be affected. More ethical challenges include having to exagerate the problem of either the buyer or the supplier in order to obtain a business deal, offering preferential treatment to certain parties, allowing certain personalities to interfere with business deals, engaging in reciprocity, and seeking and providing information of different qoutes from different competitors either in a fair or unfair manner. Bribery is another requently mentioned ethical issue in the literature (Vee Skitmore, 2003). Bribery refers to the act of offering payments, goods or opportunities in exchange for something favorable. Accepting gifts is not a bad act but the situation tells whether it is unethical. When in operations, accepting gifts from people who have direct influence on the operations functions maybe considered as unethical expecially when the person being gifted and have the ability to satisfy the interest of the gift giver. Other ethical issues to consider in operations are breach of confidence, negligence, and fraud. The establishment of a code of conduct within an organization can greatly help operations especialists to decide on a certain ethical issue. Everyday, everyone are faced with the need to decide on a certain ethical issue. Organizations are faced with the pressure of having to demonstrate to the public their ability to decide correctly on an ethical issue. Organizations need to maintain a good reputation and the public trust to ensure their existence on the market. In order to achieve this, it is important for an organization to develop their own ethical code of conduct to guide every employee to decide correctly and to instill discipline among them. Ethical leadership is seen as an important factor to instill ethics in a certain organization (Monahan, 2012). In the literature, ethical leadership is increasingly studied relevant to the operations of organizations. Many articles relating to the role of unethical behaviors in the failure of great companies take the example of Enron where thousands of employees were harmed due to the unethical actions of a few executives. Not only were the employees harmed but the ethical controversy also influenced other external factors such as the confidence of the public over the financial systems and the emergence of more strict government legislations. The increasing number of companies being involved in many ethical controversies which even brought them down made it possible for the others to realize the importance of integrating ethics in managing company operations in order to ensure profitability. Companies are more and more aware of this trend and have started to take actions to redirect their strategic plans to include ethical strategies in their paths to success. However, this move is never an easy way since in the current business environment where every company strives for international penetration or globalization and competition is getting tougher, ethical considerations are getting complex and extensive too. In this situation, ethical leadership in a company is needed to be headed by a charismatic leader (Mackie, Taylor, Finegold, Daar, Singer, 2006). In two studies mentioned by (Monahan, 2012), it was revealed that one problem among organizations that concerns ethics is the lack of ethical leadership. Employees often do unethical actions or misconducts due to their lack of trust over their company leaders and the situation is even worsened by the poverty and weak economy. Furthermore, survey results support the idea since a significant percentage of employees were observed to question themselves is ethics even exists within their own organizations. Actually, having to follow the standards is an easy task. However, everythings gets complicated when ethical dilemmas arise and there is no one in the organization to take responsibility. This prompted the need of every organization to have an ethical leader. Managing ethical behavior not only within operations management but within an organization as a whole is one of the nost pervasive and complex challenge of modern companies (Stead, Worrell, Stead, 1990). There are three theories introduced in the literature which describe ethical leadership (Plinio, 2009). These theories include transformational leadership, servant leadership, and authentic leadership. The first theory states that a leadership transforms both the leader and followers through increasing the level of conducts and aspirations. The second theory, on the other hand, states that the leader should possess the character of devotion to change the ethical views of the followers. Finally, the third theory states that ethics comes from every individual through being true to themselves. Ethical character within an organization will not be achieved unless every member develops their own ethical character within themselves. Every member of an organization should have the choice of analyzing their inner character in every mistakes done, career setbacks that occur, and failures on their jobs. In other words, every organizational leader should develop their integrity to foster ethics. Harris, Sapienza, and Bowie (2011) mentioned in their article the decision-making process of managers. Individual differ in ethical decision-making. In fact, those that belong to the business world even have greater differences than those that do not. The differences may be due to different influences such as socio-cultural factors. Decision-making in a certain ethical situation is really a dilemma. This is especially true when the operations manager is required to choose between two alternatives which are unfavorable. This can be considered a tough challenge for the person in the situation. In some cases, ethical dilemmas may be impossible to resolve due to reasons like disintegration of value system. In todays world when every company aims for globalization, companies are faced with conflicting issues between the company objective of profitability and their corporate social responsibility. Ethics in the global market is complicated, so is the decision-making that operations managers have to face. The literature proposes theoretical concepts regarding ethical decision-making including relativism, moral imperialism, and universalism (Mirwoba, 2009). Relativism refers to the principle that a company should follow the ethical standards and norms of the country where they do business. Companies, therefore, follow different sets of ethical standards depending on the culture of a certain nation. This can be unfavorable to a business since there is no constant standard that employees should remember. A company cannot establish its definite ethical standards since cultures in other nations may be conflicting. Complexity occurs when operations in home market differ from the operations done in foreign markets. In the theory of moral imperialism, things are done in the opposite way of relativism. Moral imperialists argue that individuals should retain their own ethical views even when doing business in foreign lands. Ethics applied in operations in the home market is done the same way in other company branches even in global markets. Some authors, however, argue that the mentioned theories can both serve as bases for an ethical decision making where a certain alternative is chosen considering the norms in the foreign market and the company standards. In the theory of universalism, universal guidelines are considered. These often include fundamental human rights issues, environmental protection, consumer protection, and basic freedoms. This foundation of code of ethics is the most advantageous to many corporations since serious mistakes in actions and uncertainties in operations may be avoided. Most of the discussions focused on the operations management in private corporations which are profit-oriented. However, ethical issues not only occur in profit-oriented companies but also with non-profit corporations (Robinson Yeh, 2007). The challenge of strict compliance to ethical standards among the non-profit corporations is driven by the attempt of doing the right things. Furthermore, non-profit organizations are inclined to achieving their social goals rather than maximizing profits. When people encounter the concept of soc

Economic Country Analysis For Poland Economics Essay

Economic Country Analysis For Poland Economics Essay 1. Introduction: Today with a GDP of 2,7% (2010 figure projected by European Commission) Poland is one of the fastest growing European economies. The country suffered relatively little from the recent financial crisis in the world markets due to a large internal demand for consumer goods from the growing middle class and low level of household debt compared to its western peers. In addition there has been almost no exposure to sub-prime mortgage product, the country did however suffer from lower demand for its export products. (European Commission, 2009) The Polish state went through a major transformation since it abolished communism in 1989. It joined NATO in 1999, and the European Union in May 2004. With a population of 38.1 million it is the 6th most populated country in the EU. Polands capital is Warsaw and it has a population of around 2 million inhabitants. Poland has an area of 312,678 sq km and is geographically located in the heart of Europe between Germany and Russia. Polands strategic geographic position has been a source of conflicts and for many centuries, currently its attracting foreign direct investment as it is the EUs gateway to the east. (GUS, 2010) Despite steady economic development Poland still has a large development gap to close compared with countries such as Germany or Britain. Currently the GNI per capita is $11,880 (World Bank, 2008). It is expected to join the Euro zone in 2012-2014. Countrys main export products are: foodstuffs, machinery, transportation equipment and chemicals. Polands political situation is stable with a liberal pro reforms government in office. One last thing to keep in mind is that the Catholic Church plays an important role and despite the fact that it is formally separated from the state it does have a large impact on the social policy. The aim of this report is to look at Polands economy from a broad international investors perspective and give some recommendations whether it is a good destination for investment. 2. Factual description Political and social situation The political stage in Poland has been shocked by the crash of the government plane in April 2010 where countrys residing president, Lech Kaczynski, and many prominent politicians have died. Despite the tremendous scale of the tragedy the markets have been largely intact indicating investors confidence in the Polish economy. The political system can be described as a mix of parliamentary and presidential with a somewhat dominant position of the legislative branch. President Kaczynskis death forced a new presidential election where Bronislaw Komorowski, previous speaker of the parliament and a prominent politician of Civic-Platform, came out victorious in the second round having defeated ex-Presidents twin brother and leader of the parliamentary opposition Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Mr Komorowski is closely connected with the center Civic Platform-led government which suggests that the Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, will be more capable of introducing new reforms. Because Poland has traditional had a largely fragmented multiparty system, the current government is a coalition between the above mentioned Civic Platform and PSL. The international investors should welcome recent changes in the political environment both the legislative and executive branch of the government are largely open to friendly political and economic relations with both the EU and its biggest neighbour Russia. Poland is the only EU country to start its recovery without having fallen into recession, and we expect a continued gradual strengthening of growth in 2010-2011. (Eastern European outlook, 2009) Economic structure and growth According to the European Commission, in 2010 Poland will be the fastest developing country in the EU. Strong economic performance should continue throughout 2011 when Poland is expected to remain amongst the fastest growing economies in Europe (Business news, 2010). Nowadays polish economy is well diversified. The traditionally dominant agricultural sector currently contributes 5% of GDP while, it is a large beneficent of the CAP policy and requires major improvements in its production efficiency. The industrial sector of the economy makes up 30% of the GDP. The sector is mainly concentrated around food processing industries, the automotive industry (the biggest brands Deawoo and Fiat) and labor-intensive processes such as textiles and clothing industry. Polands highly educated work force and relatively low labor prices have attracted investment from many international companies. Especially German firms with labor-intensive processes have moved to Poland to benefit from lower wages . Increasing wages are expected to incentivize these firms to move on to other low-wage countries. While this may sound like bad news, the good news is that Poland is now seen as a destination for knowledge intensive businesses with higher profit margins. With one of the largest internal markets in the EU, Poland is a heavyweight both within the region and the Community. Poland has a relatively closed economy, with a relatively well balanced import and export structure slight dominance of imports. Polands GDP growth is expected to reach 2.7% in 2010 and 3.3% in 2011. (such prognoses for Polands economy were presented on May 5th, 2010 by the European Commission) In 2008 unemployment fell to 9.8% (a historic low), but climbed back to 11% in 2009, and remains above the EU average. Inflation for 2008 reached 4.3%, more than the upper limit of the National Bank of Polands target range (3%), but fell to 3.4% in 2009 due to global economic slowdown. If Poland wants to sustain its rapid economic development and attract both development of regional business and foreign investment it needs to address several issues: simplify laws and lower the time required to form new businesses, streamline its rigid labour code, improve the efficiency of its commercial court system. Furthermore, the state has to address the issues of growing spending on the health care and pension systems. These areas cripple the budget and Poland has a budget deficit little beyond 3% of GDP. One of the reasons the state faces these issues is negative population growth and aging society a problem Europe is largely familiar with. (Theodora, 2010) Country Forecast Overview (3 Year) Key Indicators 2009 2010 2011 Real GDP Growth (%) 1.70 3.10 3.40 Consumer Price Inflation (av;%) 3.45 2.50 2.30 Budget Balance (% of GDP) -1.77 -3.00 -2.80 Current-Account Balance (% of GDP) -1.67 -3.00 -3.40 Exchange Rate US$:Euro (av) 3.12 3.12 3.14 Exchange Rate US$:Euro(year-end) 2.85 3.13 3.10 Source: Country Forecast Poland May 2010 Country Forecast Overview (3 Year) Key Indicators 2009 2010 2011 Real GDP Growth (%) 1.70 3.10 3.40 Consumer Price Inflation (av;%) 3.45 2.50 2.30 Budget Balance (% of GDP) -1.77 -3.00 -2.80 Current-Account Balance (% of GDP) -1.67 -3.00 -3.40 Exchange Rate US$:Euro (av) 3.12 3.12 3.14 Exchange Rate US$:Euro(year-end) 2.85 3.13 3.10 Source: Country Forecast Poland May 2010 Year GDP in Billions of USD PPP % GDP Growth 2005 518.00 3.65 2006 567.48 6.27 2007 623.43 6.86 2008 668.58 5.00 2009 688.69 1.70 Source: EIU Country Data 2009 2008 GDP (purchasing power parity) $686.2 billion $678.8 billion GDP per capita (PPP): $17,800 $17,600 Labor force: 16.99 million Unemployment rate: 11% 9.8% Investment (gross fixed): 20.7% of GDP Public debt: 47.5% of GDP 45.2% of GDP Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% 4.2% GDP composition by sector (2009): agriculture: 4.6% industry: 28.1% services: 67.3% Labor force by occupation (2005): agriculture: 17.4% industry: 29.2% services: 53.4% Export / import structure Polands geographical position between the developed Western states and the emerging markets of Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine and perhaps Belorussia in the future) makes it a strategic location for exporting industries trying to access high demand consumer markets (Lopez, 2009). Polish main agricultural products are: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork. Major industrial sectors are: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass blowing, beverages, textiles. Polands exports in 2009 (est.) equaled $134.7 billion down from $178.4 billion in 2008. The export structure by products is as follows: machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6%. The export structure by destination is: Germany 24.9%, France 6.2%, Italy 6%, UK 5.7%, Czech Republic 5.6%, Russia 5.3% (2008) Polands imports in 2009 reached $141.7 billion (est.), significantly below the $204.4 billion for 2008. The imports structure by products is as follows: machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9.1%. The imports structure by trading partner is: Germany 28.3%, Russia 9.9%, Italy 6.2%, Netherlands 5.4%, France 4.8%, China 4.5%, Czech Republic 4% (2008) (Source: CIA WorldFactbook, 2010 ) Budget (2009): revenues: $83.68 billion expenditures: $93.47 billion Fiscal policy The direction of fiscal and monetary policies is largely influenced by the European Union and Polands ambition to join the Euro-zone. Adopting of the single currency requires the state to reform the public finance and curb the inflation and budget deficit in line with guidelines of the ERM II. The government had a deadline in mind to join the Euro-zone in 2012 however due to the global financial crisis it has been rumored that the date may be pushed back to 2013-2014. Before this happens Polands constitution needs to be amended and the budget balance has to be brought back to 3% of GDP. (Europa Press releases, 2009) Fight with the fiscal deficit is made difficult by the fact that currently around 66% of the spending is fixed with major portion of the funding going to social security/pension schemes and wages in the public sector. Over the next two years the fiscal deficit is projected to oscillate around 3-4%. On the positive side the government has proposed a tightening of its budget in July 2010 and hopes to benefit from the expected rise in the economic cycle. What may worry potential investors is that the upcoming parliamentary elections will incentivize the government to postpone and budget cuts until it secures a second turn. Another issue is the public debt level. This is especially a hot topic due to the situation in Greece. Polands public debt level has stabilized over past 5 years due to strong economic growth, in 2008 it has slightly exceeded 45% of the GDP and by the end of 2010 should be just below 50% of GDP. While this is still an acceptable level as Maastricht treaty has set the limit at 60%, it should be kept in mind that going beyond 50,55,60% will trigger more strict targets for fiscal restraint. (The Market Oracle, 2009) Monetary policy The main goal behind the monetary policy in Poland is to contain the inflation within the 2.5% +/- 1% target band. The National Bank of Poland has lowered the policy rate from a high of 6% in October 2008 to 3.5% in June 2009 in an attempt to stimulate the economy (Reintje Maasdam, 2009). The gradual appreciation of the Zloty (since March 2010) aids monetary loosening. However, as inflation remains stubbornly high, the NBP is reluctant to cut rates further. Moreover, if the interest-rate differential with the euro zone and Switzerland is narrowed too much, this could push the zloty down again. 2009 and in 2010, the slowing economy will curb wage growth with a disinflationary effect, while the strengthening zloty will also help to keep inflation in check. Inflation is expected to be around 2.5% in 2010. The zloty responded strongly to the risk aversion to Eastern Europe. 3. Analysis of factors influencing the business environment Thanks to largely limited exposure to subprime mortgages, consistent fiscal and monetary policy, large internal market and low level of household debt, Poland was more immune to the turbulence on the world markets than other members of the European Community. Poland was the only state in the EU in 2009 to report a positive economic growth of 1,8% GDP. source: Data from Central Statistical Office  as of  31.05.2010  and Eurostat as of 12.05.2010.   Poland currently is the main recipient of EU cohesion funds, with EU transfers set to reach an annual average of 3.3% of GDP in the coming years (Katarzyna Szulc, 2008). This should allow for major investment in infrastructure including railway, highways and new airports, which will in turn help attract large inward FDI flow. This is all good news for the investors, especially if we keep in mind that there are major investments made due to the preparations for 2012 Euro Cup. Postponing of the adoption of the euro has been seen as a major issue until recently, but now with the events in Greece many people find the polish zloty comforting. Poland has a generally well educated population which allows it to be competitive in more knowledge intensive industries but needs to improve the ease of doing business. It is currently constrained by large bureaucracy and outdated laws governing new business formulation and taxation. Perhaps the legislators need not look as far as Singapore for success stories and benchmarks for best practices but can turn to their Baltic colleagues. Poland Compared to global good practice economy as well as selected economies: Source: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank Washington, D.C.Doing Business 2010, Poland, 2009 Poland has been successively reducing the gap separating it from the 15 old EU countries. In 2000, Polands GDP per capita was USD 4.473 and in 2009 it rose more than four times to reach USD 18.072. Our country has also recorded a stable increase in consumer expenditure at an average annual rate of 5 percent. source: World Economic Outlook Database, October 2009 4. Recommendations and issues for discussion Poland will most likely remain a good destination for investment over the next couple years. While it may perhaps not yield returns as high as less developed countries such as Kazakhstan it is characterized by a much lower risk profile and transparent legal and political systems. Poland is currently a major recipient of EU funding which helps improve the infrastructure and lower the gap between rural and urban areas. Furthermore the Euro 2012 requires an enormous rise of the hospitality and transportation sectors. The even should help promote Poland around the world and lead to an influx of tourists. Poland also benefits from a rising middle class which is a source of high demand for consumer goods. In addition as there will be further growth in the real estate sector as the ratio between the number of dwellings and inhabitants is below EU average. These trends should be strengthened by the planned reductions in the personal income tax.

Free Essays - Blind Ambition in Macbeth :: Free Macbeth Essays

Throughout the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, the reasoning of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is completely subverted and undermined by their insatiable ambition. Macbeth was at first reasonable enough to keep his ambition in check, however it eventually became to strong for even Macbeth and therefor over powered him. To the contrary, Lady Macbeth was overcome by her ambition from the very beginning. Reasoning was abandoned after the decision to kill Duncan was made. At that point we see no serious questioning of the motives of the three witches when they told their cunning and misleading predictions. Macbeth even went as far as to ask for their advise a second time - this second time would of course lead to his downfall. The decision to kill Duncan also signified the last serious attempt at moral contemplation on the part of Macbeth. Throughout the novel we see that the Macbeth's ambition completely subverted their reasoning abilities and eventually lead to their downfall. Macbeth, whom initially was a very reasonable and moral man, could not hold off the lure of ambition. This idea is stated in the following passage: "One of the most significant reasons for the enduring critical interest in Macbeth's character is that he represents humankind's universal propensity to temptation and sin. Macbeth's excessive ambition motivates him to murder Duncan, and once the evil act is accomplished, he sets into motion a series of sinister events that ultimately lead to his downfall." (Scott; 236). Macbeth is told by three witches, in a seemingly random and isolated area, that he will become Thank of Cawdor and eventually king. Only before his ambition overpowers his reasoning does he question their motives. One place this questioning takes place is in the following passage: "- Two Truths are told, As happy Prologues to the swelling Act Of the Imperial Theme. - I thank you, Gentlemen. - This supernatural Soliciting Cannot be Ill, cannot be good. If Ill, Why hath it given me Earnest of Success, Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor. If Good, why do I yield to tat Suggestion Whose Horrid Image doth unfix my Heir And make my seated Heart knock at my Ribs Against the use of Nature?" (Shakespeare; I, iii, 125-135) Even as he questions their motives, he does not come to the logical assumption that these three evildoers are in fact pushing him down a path filled with evil and despair. He says that their visit "cannot be ill, cannot be good" and goes on to explain why it cannot be either of these two things.

Hate Crime Laws: Are They Constitutional? Essay -- essays research pap

Are hate crime penalty enforcement laws constitutional? â€Å"That’s Gay.† If you are around teenagers today, that is a phrase you will most likely hear very often. It is not necessarily meant as a homophobic or hate-filled remark, and most of the time it is referring to an object, an idea, or a conversation; things that obviously have no sexual orientation. But now, according to a bill passed by the senate, it could almost be considered a hate crime. Many people support the widening of hate crime laws, assuming that with stricter penalties, the crimes will lessen. In June, 2004, Senate passed a bill that received a record number of votes, passing 65-33, including 18 Republicans voting yes. The measure will add sexual orientation, gender and disability to the list of motives that provide for enhanced federal prosecution of a violent crime against a person (Lochhead). The current hate crimes law, which originated during the civil rights movement of the 1960s when many Southern states failed to prosecute assaults on African Am ericans, includes crimes motivated by hatred based on race, color, religion, and national origin. Many see this as a step forward, but there are some who think it is unconstitutional. Religious groups argue that "It advances the radical, well publicized agenda of homosexuals to gain acceptance for, and legal recognition of, homosexuality as a normal lifestyle" (Toalston). So who’s right? Should there be a separate category for crimes committed to minorities? Shouldn’t all crimes be treated just as serious as another? I believe that the categorizing of crimes into Hate Crimes is just further segregating people because of their differences, and that paying more serious attention to crimes committed on minorities is sending a bad message to those who are in the majority. First off, many people perceive hate crime perpetrators as crazed neo-Nazis or "skinheads". However, most hate crimes are carried out by otherwise law-abiding citizens who see little wrong with their actions. Alcohol and drugs sometimes help fuel these crimes, but the main determinant appears to be personal prejudice. New FBI data shows that the number of hate crimes reported in 2003 increased slightly, from 7,462 in 2002 to 7,489 in 2003. The 7,489 hate crime incidents reported to the FBI in 2003 involved 8,715 separate offense... ...will continue to believe that the widening of the classifications of hate crimes is just a way to keep certain people happy and to make them feel safe, while it really only further separates people who are viewed as different. Hopefully, sometime in the near future, we will figure out how to reach the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups of the world and prevent them from harming others. But I can tell you right now, that will not be accomplished by passing any bills that include the word â€Å"victim†, because it proves itself that its too late to help. Bibliography Lochhead, Carolyn - â€Å"Senate OKs bill including gays as hate crime victims† The San Francisco Chronicle, June 16, 2004 Toalston, Art – â€Å"Baptist agency lists '10 Reasons' to oppose hate crimes legislation† The Baptist Press, July 2 CivilRights.org - â€Å"New FBI Data Reports Increase in Hate Crimes† November 17, 2004 http://www.civilrights.org/issues/hate/details.cfm?id=26241 APA.org - Hate Crimes Today: An Age-Old Foe In Modern Dress http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/hate/ www.fbi.gov – Uniform Crime Reports http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm

Investigation on Enzymes :: Papers

Investigation on Enzymes Introduction Sam and Sarah planned and carried out an experiment to see the effect of pH on the activity of the enzyme amylase which breaks down starch into sugar. They decided to investigate 5 different pH's 2,4,6,8 and 10. 1. The used a measuring cylinder to measure out 5cm3 of starch and placed it in a test tube. They then added acid or alkali until they got to pH2. They checked this using indicator paper 2. They placed the test tube in a rack on the bench and added 5cm3 of amylase which they had also measured using a measuring cylinder. 3. Immediately, they took out a drop of the mixture and placed it on a spotting tile which had 2 drops of Iodine in it. They repeated this every 30 seconds until they knew all of the starch had been broken down, so they stopped. 4. They then repeated the experiment at the different pHs'. 5. They did the experiment 3 times for each pH Aim Sam and Sarah planned to discover the effects of pH on the activity of the enzyme amylase which breaks down starch into sugar. Prediction I predict that the pH that the enzyme will work best at is 8 because amylase is mostly found in the mouth and salivary glands. This area is normally slightly alkaline, so the pH that this enzyme would most likely work best at would be 8. Table pH 2 4 6 8 10 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 Time (Min) 17 15 15 9 8.5 8.5 7 8 8 6 5.5 5 9

Hospitality Management Essay

Introduction The tourism industry is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing and successful industries, with revenue of recorded 693 million international tourist arrivals in 2001, reported by World Tourism Organization (WTO), nevertheless its definition cannot be agreed on. Youell (1998; pg.9) presents a definition given by WTO in 1993 defining tourism as â€Å"activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure and other purposes.† During the nineteen century, there was a surge of mass tourism due to the advancement of all types of transportation as well as the development of seaside resorts. Society had greater income and more time for leisure (Urry, 2002; pg 16). Although tourism industry continued to grow, there was a shift in the tourism behaviour, WTO justifies this behaviour stating that society had become more aware of the environment and developed the sudden interest in different activiti es and opportunities involving local culture. Fennel describes alternative tourism as â€Å"small scale†; â€Å"locally-oriented†, tourists became more aware of local communities and with the environment. This theory is supported by WTO adding that consumers are now looking for â€Å"special, high quality, unforgettable experiences in which they can be active participants†. Furthermore it is added that special interest tourism is an extra motivation to tourist interest in engaging in more specific activities. Focusing solely on this topic, the author is to write a report on the grounds of special interest tourism. In order to achieve this, the author has chosen to analyze the surroundings of ecotourism in Amazon, Brazil. Therefore the report should offer the reader, provided with a justification, a sight full reportage based on one only special interest tourism, highlighting its history, size of market, market segmentation and examples of products available for the chosen special interest tourism. A review of models of motivation and tourism motivation enabling a study of different characteristics of the participants in the chosen special interest tourism should be included on the second section the report. The third section provides the reader an evaluation and profile of ecotourism identifying key organizations, agencies, communities, and businesses involved in the development of ecotourism in Brazil. Finally the last section incorporates an appropriate conclusion and recommendation which should include approaches that could provide a greater opportunity for the development and promotion of the ecotourism in the Amazon. Descriptive profile of the Special Interest Tourism activity The author had a chance to consider all options of research and carefully chosen to undertake a research and write a report concerning ecotourism in the Amazon. This topic was chosen as this is a new concept of special interest tourism and is in constant growth. Also this gives the author a chance to inform herself about ecotourism and its significance to the environment. As for the destination, Amazon was chosen because of its size, as it is the biggest tropical rainforest in the world and biggest biodiversity. Ecotourism activities have had a significant growth over the years due to â€Å"consumer concern about the environment† (WTO, 2002). United Nations decided to make 2002 the International Year of Ecotourism, focusing their reason to â€Å"bring together governments, international agencies, NGOs, tourism enterprises, representatives of local and indigenous communities and identify some agreed principles and priorities for the future development and management of ecotour ism† (Butcher, 2007, cited in CNEP/ WTO 2002a:7). Although 2002 was awarded as the International Year of Ecotourism by the United Nations, there is a general uncertainty concerning its history and meaning. Fennel (1995, pg. 25) defines ecotourism relating to nature, stating it is â€Å" a sustainable form of natural, resource-base tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature† connoting that such activity should occur in natural areas, contributing to the preservation of this. Opposing to this, WTO gives an alternative meaning to ecotourism, also based on the grounds of nature as â€Å"form of tourism in which the main motivation of the tourists is the observation and appreciation of nature† (WTO, 2002) Further to this, WTO views ecotourism as a form of tourism with 5 characteristics: 1. Tourists’ motivation should be nature-based involving observation and appreciation of nature as well as  preserving it. 2. It should contain educational features. 3. It should be organized by specialized tour operators for small groups. 4. It should minimize the negative impacts of the environment. 5. It should support the maintenance of natural areas by generating beneficial income to local communities, organisations and authorities responsible for the conservation of ecotourism areas. In contrast to the above definitions, based on nature, the International Ecotourism Society (ITES) offers a more profound meaning relating nature to local communities, â€Å"is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well being of local people† (ITES). It is agreed that both organisations have the same principles regarding the maintenance of ecotourism areas, where tourists should respect the environment, provide financial benefits and empowerment to local communities. Although there is a general disagreement on the exact meaning of ecotourism, all researchers agree that involves the environment and local communities; however it appears that there is an uncertainty about its origin. Research shows that ecotourism can be traced back to the late 1970s, this supported by Fennel (1999.pg 18) who presents reasonable arguments from studies demonstrating the origin of ecotourism. He describes how ecotourism emerged through tourists searching for environmental travelling surrounding nature and wildlife. In accordance with WTO (2002) ecotourism is a small niche market with a big potential for growth and economic advancement, one that if well managed can be used in conservation and preservation of nature and of the environment. Following their research based on the most popular countries for ecotourism, WTO has identified the market segmentation for ecotourists, which shows that: †¢ The majority is aged between 30 and 50 years old †¢ Mostly women †¢ Preferred activities were wildlife viewing, being in wilderness areas followed by seeing rare species. †¢ The top five preferred destinations for ecotourists were United kingdom, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America Estimated as the biggest and richest ecosystems in the world, the state of Amazon in Brazil comprises of nine countries in South America all together, occupying almost half of the whole country. The state of Amazon is approximately 5million square kilometres, home to 200 mammal species, 950 bird species, 2,500 fish species and 300 reptiles’ species, making the Amazon the largest tropical rainforest in the world. In addition, the Amazon River, which cuts right through the state, is the second biggest river in the world after the Nile. Boats and ships are the best way of transportation as the Amazon is covered in forest. Amazon got its name after the Portuguese explorers started expeditions along the river for a lost city known as ‘Eldorado’ in the hope of uncovering a city made of gold, before the British, French and Spanish explorers found it. Eldorado could never be found, but the name remained the same. Amazon is not only the habitat of thousands of species but also home to indigenous tribes who live off the land just like their ancestors did depending on the ecosystem for their food, shelter and livelihoods. Although ecotourism is a new concept, it is rapidly becoming a fast growing economic factor in the Amazon as it attracts major tourists for its attractions. On the other hand, it is also in danger due to deforestation, logging and forest cleaning, which presents a threat to the Amazon (www.amazon-rainforest.org). As a form of special interest tourism, it is important to have products available for this, which represents the nature preserving its natural habitat. With this in mind, there are many activities disposable for tourism as ecotourism is growing in the Amazon (www.embratur.gov.br). With the growth of ecotourism in the Amazon, many ecological crosswalks activities are provided to tourists wanting contact with the largest biodiversity of the world. The National Park of Pico da Neblina and the national Park of Jaà º are two of the most popular locations for crosswalks in the Amazon (www.embratur.gov.br). Another popular product available to tourists is cave tourism otherwise known as espeleotourism, consisting of exploring the inside of caves and studying their formations. Within the Amazon, Mato Grosso is the most visited cave  (www.embratur.gov.br). Floatation is an additional form of ecotourism activity, consisting of light diving with the use of a snorkel and a mask allowing the diver to be enchanted by the beauty underneath the water. Mato Grosso is the most popular and sought after location for this in the State of Amazon. Fauna watching is popular for those mostly interested in wildlife. National Parks in the Amazon grants visitors with thousands of different species, experiencing nature at its best. Bird watching has become reasonably popular to numerous tourists who travel specifically to Amazon for its biodiversity in search of all types of endangered species. Considered as the most sophisticated city on the planet and an important location for ecological tourism, Manaus the capital of Amazon forest is home to almost 1.5 million inhabitants. The city attracts tourists for its natural beauty, ecological parks and a diverse of over 15 attractions (www.embratur.gov.br). These include: âž ¢ Paricatuba Waterfall located in the bank of Negro river formed by sediment and surrounded by vegetation. âž ¢ Love cascade situated at Guedes bayou and filled with cold and crystal clear water. âž ¢ Parque do Mindà º, one of the last resorts housing endangered species. âž ¢ Grove of the National Research Institute of Amazonia (INPA) âž ¢ Zoo of the Forest War Instruction Center (CIGS) which house 300 species of animals, among monkeys, jaguars, ariranhas (Brazilian otters), snakes, alligators, macaws, tapirs and land turtles. âž ¢ Tupà © Beach whose only access is by riverboat It is clear that tourists travel to Brazil for its raw beauty, especially to Amazon which is rich in biodiversity. Ecobrasil has published statistics on international ecotourism to which shows that 39% of tourists visit Brazil for its natural beauty, this being their main motivation for doing so, while 7% visit Amazon as their main source for ecotourism (www.ecobrasil.org.br). Ecobrasil has also demonstrated results carried by Embratur Domestic market study carried in 2005/2006 in which shows that 6% of tourists view ecotourism as a motivation for travel, confirming that only four million tourists are interested in ecotourism. Profile of the evidence of the motivation and satisfaction of SIT Above the author mentioned the statistics for tourists that visit Brazil and their motivation for such. However some researchers have identified other motives for motivation which explain reasons to choose a specific ecotourism location. Maslow generated a hierarchy of needs based on what motivates individuals when deciding where to go on holidays and what activities to pursue. This hierarchy of needs is based on a series of levels, starting on the lowest level and terminating on the upper level once all levels of achievement are satisfied. The hierarchy of needs is displayed as a pyramid and at the lowest level, this for physiological needs, where individuals have the needs to satisfy their most basic needs such as eating and clothing. Once this need is achieved, Maslow identifies the individuals desire to carry on achieving the remaining needs until all levels of the pyramid are satisfied (Mullins, 2007, p.258). On the contrary to this view, Ryan (1997) has argued that the tourist behaviour is behind the motivation of the traveller leading to a certain type of holidays, focusing on the social motivation rather than needs. He identifies how two tourists from different backgrounds can have different attitudes to holidays but have similar motivation for such stating â€Å"both sets of behaviour arise from the need to be with others†. Ryan also recognizes theoretical models of motivation by classifying theories and their researchers. One of these the concept identified by Pearce who argued travel motivation through the concept of travel career ladder, this corresponding to â€Å"learning through tourist experience† (Ryan, 1997, p.37). The travel career ladder is characterised by different forms of motivations, with relaxation at the bottom of the ladder, followed by stimulation, relationship, self-esteem and development and fulfilment, and it should be by order of travel experience, the more experience they are, more interest they start developing and their motivation to travel start to increase. This meaning that a tourist on their first holiday is looking for relaxation however the more they travel, motivation starts to change as they become more concerned with learning about history and culture, and in time, the tourists will rich the upper level of the ladder, searching to get more involved in the province (Ryan, 1997). Other analyses have emerged with the expectancy of encountering tourists’ motivation for choosing this type of special interest tourism. Thus Hall and Weiler (1992) have identified researchers who have studied motivations for specific special interest tourism. Hall and Weiler (1992) have identified research made by Crompton in which he noted that tourist were in a cultural and educational travel motivations. This can be said it is closed linked to what was later interpreted by Read (1980) in which he admits what motivates tourists is the need for authenticity and uniqueness as well as educational. With this he emerged with the idea of REAL tourism, translating that travelling should be rewarding, enriching, adventuresome and a learning experience for the tourist. Hall and Weiler have created a table identifying tourists motivations associated with the specific special interest tourism and they have concluded that tourists may have various motivators related to the special interest activity. Therefore, it is said that the motivations for the participants in ecotourism are apart from learning is to be in contact with the nature or indigenous civilians. A further argument into the motivations of tourists has emerged, as Page and Dowling (2002) presented two sides of ecotourism: hard and soft tourism. Hard tourism refers when the participant are environmentalist who take sustainability quite serious and is purely interest in the nature and being in contact with the wilderness, taking a prolonged trip in almost undisturbed location, while soft tourism refers to tourists in short term trip, have little contact with nature and are not strongly committed environmentalists. However, motivations are not the only factors tourists take into account when deciding on the special interest tourism. The type of product and expertise by those involved promoting this specific special interest tourism. Hall and Weiler (2002) argue that experienced professionals play an important role on the tourists’ selection of destination. Professionals such as Specialty Travel Index offer a multitude of travel opportunities worldwide (http://www.spectrav.com/index.shtml). Evaluation of the development of a named SIT within an identified destination area Butcher (2007) views community participation as an important step to the development of ecotourism, as decisions made concerning ecotourism affects the community and their lives. Butcher adds that this initiative is also supported by World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) in which they state communities should have a high level of control on the development of ecotourism. Additionally communities should be intensely in all decision-making concerning the growth of the landscape â€Å" tourism should therefore respect and value local knowledge and experience, maximise benefits to communities, and recruit, train and employ local people at all levels (Butcher, p.67). Ecotourism should be beneficent local communities, conservation of the environment and provide financial contribution to the upkeep of a conservation project. In addition local communities’ involvement in the development of ecotourism â€Å"improves the tourist experience† (Page and Dowling, 2002). Alternative Travel Group (ATL) is an example of the above, in which they work effectively with local communities. Founded in 1979 is an organisation based upon sustainability http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php) ATL collaborates with local communities, listening and acting on what was suggested. This allows communities to express their concern about the conservation of their habitat (http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php). Profits go towards construction of infrastructures and conservation projects in the most necessitated areas. They incentive individuals to present their ideas and providing they are sustainable to which they can invest on. Hence they have various projects ongoing worldwide which benefit local communities and preserve the environment (http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php). It is not only local communities that play a vital role in the making and development of ecotourism, many organisations, agencies and small businesses have an important and constant involvement in the successful and promoting of this growing form of special interest tourism. World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) is the largest non-governmental organisation in the world. Based in over fifty-two offices and active in over ninety countries, it has over five million supporters worldwide, many volunteers (Butcher, p. 42). WWF has three main missions that represent their work: safeguarding the natural world, tackling climate change and changing the way residents live. Consequently they have generated a program designed to protect the environment. Amongst other projects, WWF is working in ensuring the ecosystem in the Amazon maintains its environmental and cultural contribution to local people (http://www.wwf.org.uk/). WWF main objectives regarding the Amazon as a whole are: âž ¢ Tackling deforestation âž ¢ Encouraging responsible agriculture and production âž ¢ Helping create protected forest âž ¢ Ensuring free-flowing rivers and forest-friendly roads Moreover WWF has enlisted the help of Sky TV in promoting the safeguarding of rainforest in Amazon. Both work with local communities offering them with economical help to look after millions of hectares of forest, combating illegal logging and forest deforestation (http://www.wwf.org.uk/). Additionally WWF closely works with two UN bodies, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). WWF has written guidelines highlighting a community-based ecotourism in which the organisation directly works with communities in conserving and preserving the environment and provide advice on how to deal with issues surrounding their landscape. One of their project is based in Manaus, capital of Amazon, a community –based initiative, the Silves Association for Environmental and Cultural Preservation, this aims at protecting the fishing lakes at this site. On top pf this, WWF opened an ecolodge in the same region run by local people, 20% of all profits go towards the management of preservation of the site. In addition, WWF has created a programme in Brazil solely based on raising awareness about forms of ecotourism that should be practiced based on its principles (http://www.icrtourism.org/Publications/WWF1eng.pdf). The international ecotourism society (TIES) is a non-governmental organisation funded in 1990 with the objectives of aiding the development of ecotourism, helping communities, organisations to promote and practice the principles of ecotourism. TIES have clear aims concerning ecotourism which consists of bringing together individuals, institutions and tourism industries in the interest of ecotourism, educating tourist and professionals on ecotourism and influencing organisations on practicing all principles regarding ecotourism. Working in partnership with other NGOs such as Planeterra and yourtravelchoice.org, all three organisations provide tourists with opportunities to get involved in ecotourism activities, help local communities, work together in inform tourists on how to conserve the nature. Furthermore, they offer their own input on eco-destinations, allowing individuals to get some relevant information on ecotourism and its issues (www.ecotourism.org) Although Planeterra is more involved with community, they still remain concerned with the environment. This non-governmental organisation organises community based projects worldwide in order to help local people live in a more environmental safe surroundings (http://www.planeterra.org/). The Brazilian Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Trade Association (ABETA) is an association that closely works on the development of ecotourism activities in Brazil. Their goal is to promote the conservation and preservation of Brazil’s cultural and historical heritage (http://www.brazilnature.travel/index.php). ABETA promotes amongst adventure tourism, ecotourism activities such as bird watching, caving, safari and wildlife. Thus in partnership with the Tourism ministry, Brazilian tourism board (Embratur) and BBECO which is administered by ABETA, all have the same common aspiration: promote Brazil as one of the top destinations for ecotourism while keeping it environmentally safe (http://www.brazilnature.travel/index.php). Embratur, a Brazilian Tourism Board is an organisation responsible for providing policies in tourism related activities, including ecotourism activities such as hiking, cave tourism, floatation, bird watching and fauna watching (www.embratur.gov.br) Ecobrasil, a Brazilian ecotourism Association  is a NGO founded in 1993 whose primarily focus is on ecotourism. Whilst incorporate a clear mission in which they want to promote Brazil as a â€Å"reliable destination for ecotourism†, their vision is to â€Å"forward ecotourism and sustainable tourism through building knowledge networks and participate in and/or develop projects that helped advance the knowledge about good ecotourism practices and planning in Brazil†. Hence their objectives is to create a network of data solely on ecotourism, commitment in minimising the impact of tourism on the environment, acknowledge statistics on ecotourism and represent ecotourism on a worldwide level (www.ecobrasil.org.br). Proecotur – Programa de Desenvolvimento do Ecoturismo na Amazà ´nia Legal (programme of ecotourism development at the Legal Amazon) recognises that ecotourism has a huge potential to be converted into the biggest source of income on the Amazon, predicting up to three million ecotourist annually. Therefore they have generated new strategies to guarantee that Amazon becomes the most popular state for ecotourism. They believe the creation of a sustainable environment does not require greater investments, rather intelligent strategies for transportation. With this to attract tourists they agree that there is a need for improvement in the transportation and improvement of the quality of services available to tourists plus there should be a creation of more sustainable products (http://www.faunabrasil.com.br). Conclusion Although tourism is not a new concept, ecotourism is. This emerged with the individuals growing concern with the environment. There is a general disagreement when defining ecotourism but many researchers and organisations agree that is a form of activity in which participants want to be in touch with the nature and with the environment and this should follow principles set by organisations for the safekeeping of the environment and also benefiting local communities. Various researchers have attempted to clarify the motivations for tourist choice of destinations and specials type of interest, and with this it was concluded that none could have a general agreement on these except that  tourist could have common attitude when selecting destinations. They could be educational and cultural; however the idea of tourist wanting new, unique and untouched surroundings gave away to the new concept of Real travel: rewarding, enriching, adventuresome and learning. Ecotourism is a growing and prosperous form of special interest tourism and the activities incorporated for this are increasingly generating income to those involved in promoting ecotourism and to local communities who should be involved in the decision-making concerning the development of ecotourism. The author during the research into organisations involved in the promotion of ecotourism has come across the fact that most organisations are non-governmental organisations that depend on volunteers. Also the majority of these organisations are interrelated having common objectives when it comes to ecotourism: promoting all ecotourism activities, safeguarding the environment and preserving the nature. Recommendations Although organisations are interlinked with one another, it appears that it is not enough, as the market segmentation show, only a certain type of individuals practice ecotourism and ecotourism related activities. Brazil is popular with tourist for its beauty therefore NGOs, agencies and business should do more to promote ecotourism in Brazil, speciality in Amazon, which is a huge area with a lot to offer to all types of tourists. Hence all organisations should work together not only in the safeguarding of the environment but advertise Brazil as the best country for ecotourism, enhancing its beauty and reasons to visit as well as promoting ecotourism activities in a way that appeals to all age groups and gender. Additionally NGOs, agencies and business should stress the need to practice the imposed regulations in protected areas in order to preserve the nature for tomorrow. Another recommendation would be to look how other forms of special interest tourism could be useful in providing aid in the development of ecotourism. An example of this would be religious tourism. 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