Carriage of Goods by Sea Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Carriage of Goods by Sea Act - Essay Example These exceptions exist, in order to protect the carrier from being liable for the loss of the goods in dire circumstances. Such exceptions protect the carrier to the extent of their ability to prove that it was indeed necessary to lose the goods at sea. I agree with the exceptions because they only operate at sea, where such issues could arise, such as sea perils that could force the carrier to lose the goods. In addition, I concur because the carrier has to prove the reasons for the loss of goods, failure to which they become liable for the loss (Anton, 2010). Therefore, the exceptions are fair to all the parties involved. The lack of a defibrillator is an event external to the passenger because it shows negligence on the part of the airline. However, the installation of the equipment is expensive and airlines have become reluctant in the installation. Bob’s case shows negligence as a defibrillator is a part of medical equipment necessary for in-flight emergencies. It is an unexpected event because the airline did not have a compelling reason to incorporate the defibrillator in its medical equipment. Such cases as Bob’s occur rarely, however, it is the responsibility of any airline to ensure the safety of passengers. It is the responsibility of an airline to determine the medical conditions of its passengers (Anca, 2007). However, Bob’s case was unexpected and the airline could take an action of installing defibrillators to avoid a repeat of such cases. Therefore, the company is not responsible for Bob’s death.

Culture and workplace ethics Essay Example for Free

Culture and workplace ethics Essay Culture in the workplace has very little to do with the well known culture of literature, music and art. In the workplace, culture actually refers to the shared work environment, belief systems, behavior expectations and expected efforts, all of which usually characterize a certain organization or business enterprise. The work setting culture mainly includes things like, socialization expectations, dress code, how different groups within the organization perceive issues relating to attendance, problem solving and quality of work output. Finding the appropriate culture to fit an organization is a vital element in ensuring that a particular field or job is successful. Corporate culture has a lot of influence on ethics of an organization. It is through it that right or wrong decisions are made. They determine whether to adopt strategies that will benefit majority of the people in the workplace positively or adopting ones with an impact of affecting most workers in a negative manner (Russell, Para 3). Effect of culture on workplace ethics The organization’s culture is quite important perhaps more than most people appreciate. It holds various categories of people within an organization together and thus it has a lot of impact on what people within the organization perceive to be right or wrong. Even though certain conducts like corruption might be considered to be vice and thus culturally immoral in some organizations, there are other workplaces where the behavior is considered to be appropriate. Culture is usually deep rooted in an organization since although it is manmade; it takes several decades to grow. New employees in each and every work place are first introduced to the operating culture in the workplace and thus it is usually in each and every person working in the workplace. Ethics comes after culture and it therefore has to sing to the tune of culture (Lagan, Moran, pp 46). The depth of culture within an organization is usually realized when someone attempts to alter an organization’s culture in a manner that is not consistent with the shared believes and norms of the organization. Such a person usually meets a lot resistance regardless of whether the intended cultural change is ethical or not. Culture within an organization is usually not stagnant but it is rather dynamical so as to take into account the changing business and workplace environment. Due to the fact that the workplace ethics are tied to culture, they also have to keep on changing so as to be consistent with the workplace culture (Russell, Para 4). Workplace ethics is highly influenced by the leadership of the entire organization. These are the people who are charged with the mandate of running the business and making decisions for the entire organization. The organizational culture determines the type of people to take managerial decisions. Therefore, if the culture of an organization is to be led by men and women of high integrity, then the workplace in such an organization is likely to be ethical. This is due to the fact that when an organization is led by such people, they will always make decisions with each and everyone within and without the organization in their mind. Their decisions will in most cases affect majority of the people in a positive manner. In this case, culture is very important on business ethics since it determines in an indirect manner the type of decisions to be made by the managers leading the organization (Hopkins, pp 78). On the other hand, if the organizational culture of a particular enterprise is one that allows men and women of less integrity to lead it, people who enter these offices via unethical channels where merit is not a priority, then such managers will in most cases be unethical. They will in almost all cases make unethical decisions which are likely to only benefit very few individuals within the organization while exposing the majority, mainly the junior members of staff to unfair treatment. Workplaces operating from such environments are mostly unethical and clearly this is as a result of the organizational culture. Most of the decisions adopted in such organizations are usually only aimed at maximizing the profits of the organization without putting into consideration other parties who are likely to suffer as a result of such decisions. These types of managements are mainly self centered and are only worried about their business organizations with little or no concern at all for other people. They are not worried of whether their actions are ethical or not, as long as business is running and making profits nothing else worry them. This attitude is usually enhanced by the organizational culture which in turn affects the workplace ethics significantly (Russell, Para 7). The corporate culture of an enterprise determines the criteria of promotion. If the culture of an organization enhances promotion based on merit, then the workplace will be more ethical as compared to instances where promotion is not based on merit. Since employees seek for promotion every now and then, they have to look for the criterion that is used for promotion so that they can be well equipped to qualify for promotion. Such a culture of promotion will take decades to develop and will thus be very much deep rooted to eliminate within the workplace (Lagan, Moran, pp 69). The culture of an organization determines the values that are to be held in high regard within the organization. If a culture holds unethical behaviors in high esteem, then such conducts will be dominant in the organization. Rewards will be awarded to those people who excel in such conducts. In this case, the organizational culture is mainly concerned with appreciating the efforts of its employees who have excelled in certain field regardless of whether their actions were ethical or not. Such a culture therefore, promotes unethical behaviors among its employees (Brooks, Dunn, pp 120). In other organizations, the culture is very clear and is tailored towards promoting ethical behaviors among its employees. In fact, the employees who excel in ethical conducts in various fields in the course of their work are identified in a fair manner and rewarded so as to encourage them to continue in the same spirit and be even more ethical in future. The other employees are also challenged to act ethically and at the same time they are made to desire to act ethically so as to be rewarded like their counterparts who were more ethical than then in a certain period. This form of culture thus acts as a tool for enhancing ethical behaviors within an organization to develop (Bassman, pp 55s). Culture within an organization determines how the organization as whole perceives the outsiders, more so its competitors. There are cultures which are tailored towards viewing the competitors as enemies and thus it promotes actions which will deal with such enterprises as enemies. Such a culture will promote unethical behaviors to its competitors and enmity arises between the two organizations. Culture is responsible for various unethical actions that might be penetrated to the other organization since it has made everyone within the workplace of the organization to develop a negative attitude towards its competitors (Russell, Para 9). At the same time, culture can act as a catalyst for enhancing ethical behaviors among the various employees of the organization especially in their actions towards the competitors. Culture will in this case promote good relations among the two organizations and it will make the employees to perceive the other organization as a competitor and not an enemy. This form of culture will promote actions that will enhance positive competition between the two sides and thus ethical behaviors will be enhanced greatly (Lagan, Moran, pp 89). While there are employment regulations and laws governing the manner in which employees are to be treated, the ethics of an organization are more tailored by the organizational culture and not such laws and regulations. The ethics therefore goes beyond the regulations and the laws connecting the business practices of an organization to the workers’ personal beliefs. Culture in this case plays a leading role in ensuring that the actions adopted by the organization are in line with it. In this case, the organizational culture ensures that various employees in the workplace within the enterprise work together for a common objective as well as having the intention of doing the right thing in a world that is quite diverse and complex (Bassman, pp 126). The culture in operation within an enterprise determines how an organization treats its outsiders and whether or not it does anything that is likely to affect them negatively. For culture to be able to promote ethical actions among its employees towards the outsiders, then it must be one that encourages decisions that will affect these people in a positive manner. Among the current issues that has brought a lot of criticism in the entire world is that of pollution. An organization is considered to be ethical if it emits fewer pollutants to the environment. This means that it is concerned about the environment and the consequences of disposing untreated chemicals to the environment. On the other hand, there are organizations that are completely unethical. They pollute the environment without really caring how many people will be affected by the same. This affects the workplace environment indirectly since the employees will face hostility from members of public and will in several occasions be referred to as unethical people who do not care about tomorrow. This might make the organization to loose several employees to other companies which are more ethical as employees will like to be associated with organizations with good reputation (Brooks, Dunn, pp 258). Conclusion Culture is a very important element in every organization. It is responsible in shaping the ethical behavior of the employees and also the workplace ethics. This is due to the fact that ethics within an organization is driven by the culture that is in operation within an organization. Culture is therefore a very important force in driving ethical practices of an enterprise. This is mainly because the organizational culture takes time to grow and mature and that it is taught to all new employees which make it to be deeply rooted within all employees. Culture has the ability of making an organization to act either ethically or unethically. Work cited: Bassman, Emily S. ; Abuse in the workplace: management remedies and bottom line impact; ISBN 089930673X, Quorum, 1992. Brooks, Leonard J. Dunn, Paul; Business Professional Ethics for Directors, Executives Accountants; ISBN 0324594550, Cengage Learning, 2009. Hopkins, Willie Edward. Ethical dimensions of diversity; ISBN 080397289X, SAGE, 1997. Lagan, Attracta Moran, Brian; Three Dimensional Ethics: Implementing Workplace Values; ISBN 097574223X, eContent Management, 2005. Russell, Mike; Workplace Ethics Business for Social Responsibility: Initiatives for corporate culture’s committed to ethical business practices, concern for the environment and global humanitarian causes (2008): Retrieved on 5th August 2009 from http://sandiego. jobing. com/blog_post. asp? post=8929.

Is Ritalin Good Essay -- essays research papers fc

Is Ritalin Good? Have you ever suffered or known anyone that has suffered from attention deficit disorder? A.D.D. is a biologically based condition causing a persistent pattern of difficulties, which includes three types of behavior. These three types are difficulty attending or focusing on a specific task, difficulty inhibiting behavior, and difficulty controlling impulses. In 1950 the prescription drug Ritalin was patented and manufactured by the CIBA-Geigy Corporation. This drug stimulates the central nervous system, with effects similar to but less potent than amphetamines and more potent than caffeine (Bailey 1). Several million children are being treated with Ritalin on the grounds that they have attention deficit disorder and are suffering from there inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. In the past decade, there has been growing evidence that Ritalin has had negative effects on a child’s mind and behavior leading to such disorders like psychosis, mania, drug abuse, and addic tion. It suppresses creative and spontaneous activity making them more docile and obedient because of the way that Ritalin produces malfunctions in their brain rather than improving its function (Breggin 124). Prescribing Ritalin to children with diagnosed attention deficit disorder brings more negative side effects than solutions and leads to addiction. Most parents realize that their children have the disorder once the child starts attending school. Most of the time teachers are the ones who point out the child’s symptoms. The parent then takes the child to a social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist for answers. â€Å"The American Psychiatric Association lists fourteen signs, of which at least eight must be present for a child to be officially classified as ADD.†(Passwater 1) Out of these fourteen signs are normal actions of children. Some of these signs include fidgeting with hands or feet, easily distracted by extraneous stimuli, having difficulty following instructions and blurting out answers before questions are completed. (Passwater 2) It would seem by these signs that when a child doesn’t seem to be adapting to our system, we label them as having ADD and prescribe them Ritalin. With the new increase in prescriptions being filled around country, more and more children are on Ritalin, so much that the nega... ...f any kind. Works Cited Bailey J. William. â€Å"FACTLINE on Non-Medical Use of Ritalin.† Indiana Prevention Resource Center November 1995: 1-6. Indiana University. Online. 22 March 2001. http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/pubs/factline/ritalin.html Breggin K. Peter. â€Å"Talking Back to Ritalin†. Maine: Common Courage Press, 1998. Hanchett, Doug. â€Å"Speed Chills: Ritalin hits campuses: College kids Using drug to study, party.† Boston Herald May 21, 2000: 1-4. Local and Regional. Online. 22 March 2001. http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/rita05212000.htm Passwater A. Richard. â€Å"Ritalin Warnings: Side Effects, Cautions, Alternatives for ADD, ADHD† Ritalin Alternative 1999: 1-13. "All About Pycnogenol" Avery Publishing Group. Online. 23 March 2001. http://www.ritalinalternative.com/index2.html â€Å"Ritalin Led To Boy's Death.† The Associated Press April 18, 2000: 1-3. Channel 25 Eyewitness News. Online. 24 March 2001. http://www.thewpbfchannel.com/sh/health/stories/health-20000418-163859.html Wen, Patricia. â€Å"As Easy To Get As Candy.† The Boston Globe Oct 29, 2000: 1-13. Conservative News Forum. Online. 20 March 2001. http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a39fca5b129fd.htm

Essay --

What exactly is a hipster? Dictionary.com defines one as "a person, especially during the 1950s, characterized by a particularly strong sense of alienation from most established social activities and relationships". Throughout history, there have always been droves of individuals who choose to be nonconformists. This is a lifestyle that labels such people as outcasts, hippies and beatniks. Those who are labeled as such endure a rough lifestyle, whether it is living in nature or perhaps walking the streets as a vagabond. These people live by complex philosophies, but to what purpose? I’m fascinated by the fact that they experience discrimination and ridicule, but choose to keep living with it. So exactly what is the appeal to counterculture? What is it about modern society and the mainstream that causes these people to ostracize themselves and announce their individualism? That’s what I hope to find out. I decided to track back to the roots of counter culturist movements. I discovered that after World War II, the nation’s economy boomed and fear began to grow over the growing nuclear arms race. Concern about the future led many young people to become more active in social causes, from the civil rights movement to President Kennedys Peace Corps. This generation was known as the beat movement, it defined an ideology for disaffected, rebellious youth of that decade. Due to the economic boom, many people could afford to go to college and enrollment rose from 3.1 million to almost 5 million. Protest began to rage across the country. The beat movement led to many new youth culture movement in the coming years, such as hippie culture. The hippies represented a rebellion against mass culture in the U.S. They rejected traditional values an... ...ed to hold their own place in history and be known for fixing an issue or perhaps toppling the government in their own obscure fashion. I believe that growing numbers of non-conformists happens to be ironic and an entirely different situation on its own, but perhaps it’s for a more personal reason. Looking at history up to now, one would address my earlier conjecture, who would want to put themselves through hell and ridicule, most likely knowing that they cannot cause upheaval alone? I believe that it is due to the fact that none of these people are comfortable being mixed into a crowd. They strongly look towards transcendentalism to individualize themselves. The youth doesn’t want to be labeled as a just another number. They want to feel important and be their own person. Riots and violent protests might not be the most orthodox solution, but it sure is effective.

Absolute and Relative Poverty Essay

The article I chose for this assignment is titled Absolute and Relative poverty. The author talks about the difference between the two terms, likewise defining them as clearly as possible as if to ensure that the reader is clear about what the difference between being absolutely poor and being relatively poor. The World Bank Group is the institution that mostly deals with the global issues of poverty advocating neoliberalism, western democracy, and open markets and structural adjustments to the economy. This article seems to be a research about Absolute and Relative Poverty. It is a research mainly because of the extensive lists of references and reading suggestions that she noted at the end of the article. Hence, the kind of research that the author used was by using available data and existing sources, primarily the World Bank. For those people who are attempting to change the dynamics of poverty, they thought they understood it, thinking it was fairly simple, but in hindsight complicated. To understand the dynamics of poverty, there are three interrelated terms to consider; (1) absolute poverty, (2) relative poverty, and (3) poverty threshold. Absolute poverty, as defined by the World Bank Group, is living under one dollar a day. People that are living in absolute poverty cannot even meet the basic necessities to live. Sad but true. And many are found in LDCs (Least Developed Countries). Relative poverty, â€Å"measures how people on the lowest rungs of the income ladder compare to the remainder of the population. Poverty threshold measures the income that a society needs to even live the minimal standard of living. The Great Depression followed by World War II, incapacitated the economy so much so that poverty was in the rise. World Bank was established in 1945 in Bretton Woods, NH whose goal was to eradicate poverty. In the twenty first century, the World Bank and the United Nations created the Millenium Development Goals (MDG), who likewise was created to eliminat e poverty by the year 2015. Jeffrey Sach heads the MDG but his critics are biased on his belief that the only way to eliminate poverty is through economic growth. Additionally his critics believe that too much attention into resolving absolute poverty loses its effectiveness if relative poverty is dismissed when it is just as important in solving poverty. Another dimension of absolute and relative poverty is globalization. Some researchers believe that globalization has contributed to poverty while some think of the opposite. Ironically, neither side can rove otherwise. The World Bank claims that in 1990 there was a modest decline in poverty, which means that globalization is truly not an indicator of alleviating poverty. Further there is no standardized method of measurements to validate the effectiveness of globalization on fixing absolute and relative poverty. In our textbook, Chapter 11 talks about poverty in America. In my opinion poverty in America is different. There is a huge disparity in what it means to be poor in the United States and being poor in LDCs. Poverty in America is more like subsidized because there are so many outlets and organizations that help the poor people. Non-profit organizations like homeless shelters operated by volunteers provide food and shelter and welfare programs that provide financial help. I think that poverty whether absolute or relative is a tough road to conquer. Too many people in the world are extremely poor. Whether it is society, our religion, our culture, or our geography that influences poverty, it is in the interest of ALL humankind to work hard toward an effective solution to eradicate poverty.

Human trafficking bibliograph Essays

Human trafficking bibliograph Essays Human trafficking bibliograph Essay Human trafficking bibliograph Essay Annotated Bibliography Abas, M. , Ostrovschi, N. , Prince, M. , Gorceag, V. , Trigub, C. , and Oram, S. (2013). Risk Factors for mental disorders in women survivors of human trafficking: a historical cohort study. BMC Psychiatry. Volume 13. Issue 1. This article addresses the mental state of women who have been trafficked. It speaks of the issues they have as a result of the ordeal they have endured. Some of these mental issues consist of: depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Elliot, J. McCartan, K. (2013). The Reality of Trafficked Peoples Access to Technology. Journal of Criminal Law. Volume 77. Issue 3. The research conducted in this article discusses how people who have/are being trafficked may have access to technology such as pcs, cellular phones, and other forms of technology and how these forms of technology may help or hinder them in escaping their situation. It also addresses how technology could assist in responding to trafficking. Feingold, D. (2005). Think Again: Human Trafficking. Foreign Policy. Issue 150. This article outlines the many reasons for human trafficking. It explains how women, men, and children are trafficked and sold for use of slaves. It also explains that this is not a new occurrence, but is an issue that has not been widely addressed in the past. Harvard Law Review. (2013). Counteracting the Bias: The Department of Labors Unique Opportunity to Combat Human Trafficking. Volume 126. Issue 4. This article discusses the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. The act ensures that it will prosecute violators, protect victims, and prevent trafficking. It also discusses human trafficking for uses in the sex trade and for labor purposes. An analysis is conducted in the article to outline the responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security nd the Department of Justice in regards to human trafficking. Knepper, P. (2013). History Matters: Canadas Contribution to the first Worldwide Study of Human Trafficking. Canadian Journal of Criminology Criminal Justice. Volume 55. Issue 1. This article discusses the history of human trafficking. It explores the first worldwide study conducted on the topic. The study was conducted during the 1920s by the League of Nations and included Canada as one of 28 countries to participate. Oguz, G. (2012). International Cooperation in combating human trafficking in EIJ: evidence from Turkey. Irish Journal of Sociology. Volume 20. Issue 1. This article explains how human trafficking is heavily involved in organized crime across the world. It also focuses on the international factors involved and how the wider international community might be able to play an effective role in helping to tackle Peters, A. (2013). Things that Involve Sex are Just Different: US Anti-Traffcking Law and Policy on the Books, in Their Minds, and in Action. Anthropological Quarterly. Volume 86. Issue 1. This article also discusses the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. It defines the difference between sex-traffcking and non-sex trafficking. It also analyses the laws that were on the books for human trafficking, laws on human trafficking and its meanings in the minds of legislatures, and laws put into action for human trafficking. Smith-Canoy, H. Smith, C. (2012). Human Trafficking and International Cheap Talk: The Dutch Government and The Island Territories. Journal of Human Rights. Volume 11. Issue 1. This article focuses on the underlying issues of the Netherlands and surrounding countries on the international fght against human trafficking. They have policies against human trafficking, but fail to implement them as proposed.

Simple Créer (to Create) Verb Conjugations in French

Simple 'Crà ©er' (to Create) Verb Conjugations in French In French, the verb  crà ©er  means to create. When you want to change it to another tense like created or creating, you will need to conjugate it. The good news is that this verb is relatively straightforward and similar to the majority of French verbs. Conjugating the French Verb  Crà ©er French verb conjugations are different than those in English. When conjugating a French verb, we must change the verb ending to match both the subject pronoun and the desired tense. Doing this can be confusing for French students, but it becomes easier with each new verb you learn. Crà ©er  is a  regular -ER verb  and it follows a very common verb conjugation pattern. Simply pair the subject pronoun with the appropriate tense needed for your sentence. For instance, I created is jai crà ©Ãƒ © and we will create is nous crà ©erons. Practicing these in context will help with memorization. Subject Present Future Imperfect je crà ©e crà ©erai crà ©ais tu crà ©es crà ©eras crà ©ais il crà ©e crà ©era crà ©ait nous crà ©ons crà ©erons crà ©ions vous crà ©ez crà ©erez crà ©iez ils crà ©ent crà ©eront crà ©aient The Present Participle of  Crà ©er The  present participle  of  crà ©er  is  crà ©ant.  This acts as a verb, though it can also become a gerund, adjective, or noun in some contexts. The Past Participle and Passà © Composà © A  common way to express the past tense created in French is with the  passà © composà ©. To construct this, begin with the subject pronoun and the proper conjugate of the  auxiliary verb  avoir. Then, add the  past participle  crà ©Ãƒ ©. As an example, I created is jai crà ©Ãƒ © and we created is nous avons crà ©Ãƒ ©. Notice how  ai  and  avons  are conjugates of  avoir  and that the past participle does not change. More Simple  Crà ©er  Conjugations The subjunctive verb mood will be used when the verb is uncertain. Similarly, the conditional implies that something may not happen unless something else also happens. The passà © composà © and imperfect subjunctive are primarily literary forms and are often found in writing. While you may not use all these forms, its important to at least know about them. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Passà © Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je crà ©e crà ©erais crà ©ai crà ©asse tu crà ©es crà ©erais crà ©as crà ©asses il crà ©e crà ©erait crà ©a crà ©Ãƒ ¢t nous crà ©ions crà ©erions crà ©Ãƒ ¢mes crà ©assions vous crà ©iez crà ©eriez crà ©Ãƒ ¢tes crà ©assiez ils crà ©ent crà ©eraient crà ©Ãƒ ¨rent crà ©assent To express  crà ©er  in the imperative form  is easy. Keep things short and sweet for these assertive sentences and skip the subject pronoun. Rather than tu crà ©e, use crà ©e alone. Imperative (tu) crà ©e (nous) crà ©ons (vous) crà ©ez

Tips Tricks How to Use the Control Panel

Tips Tricks How to Use the Control Panel Tips for Using the Control Panel When logged in, you will see a table with a list of all your orders. If you have a total of more than 8 orders, we will split your orders into pages. There are several columns in the table. Column Date shows the date when the order was placed. Deadline column only shows a deadline for orders that are currently in progress and will display late orders in red color. The Progress column displays the progress of the paper. Not every writer keeps the client notified of the progress, so if you feel like you need to know what is going on, click the Request progress update link from the Actions menu. The Writer column will show writer ID. It is done mainly to help you sort the orders by the writer ID, to have the idea how many of your orders are done by the same writer. In Quick actions column you have access to some quick actions you can perform with an order, without accessing the page for that order. Below you can also see a block that is called One-touch support request. This block will help you send a message for any order you have in progress without opening the corresponding order details page. You can send a message to staff or to the writer. This is useful when you have a quick comment for the writer, or when there is no update on the order and you want to notify staff about it. Click on the corresponding order to access a detailed information and actions page. On this page, you will be able to upload additional instructions, communicate with the writer or staff directly.

(Balance Scorecard) Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

(Balance Scorecard) Accounting - Assignment Example According to balanced score card, the performance of a firm is measured on the basis of four perspectives, which are financial, customer, internal business process or value chain and learning and growth. The name balanced scorecard reflects balance between long term and short term objectives, financial and non financial measures, leading and lagging indicators, and between internal and external perspectives. Balanced score card is more than a system of measurement. It should be transformed into a strategic management system (Brigham and Louston, 2009, p.112). The new measurement system is used to align and communicate with the new strategies of firm and to properly manage them. For this, the suggested steps could be: classification and translation of strategy and vision, communicating and linking the strategic measures and objectives, planning, setting targets and aligning strategic initiatives and enhancing the learning and strategic feedback (Chandra, 2011, p.95). There are a community group of volunteers who are taking over some greenhouses at a nursery garden with an objective to grow plants as a way of providing training to the young people with learning difficulties. The principal sources of income to this community group of volunteers will be the sale of food and plants which are grown at the site, individual funding from each of the learning disabled, grant funding and charitable donations. It is advisable to them to use an appropriate balanced scorecard for the work. The use of balanced scorecard will provide the nursery volunteers with lot of benefits and the balanced scorecard should be produced with an appropriate number of financial and non-financial measures. In addition, the grant funder can apply some key performance indicator to the contract to reassure themselves that the service is being run appropriately by the volunteers. It is important to build a balanced scorecard which communicates the strategy of firm for certain

Business Law, Minor Essay 1000 words Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Law, Minor 1000 words - Essay Example The essential characteristics of a federal constitution is the supremacy of a written constitution. A natural corollary of a written constitution, is its rigidity. It ensures the authority of courts, appointment of governors and the parliament's power to legislate in matters of national interest. It may, however be clearly understood that the nature of federalism is more of a historical background based on a nation's necessity .The Australian federal system has generally worked satisfactorily even though it had undergone substantial changes in the years following its establishment. The debate today Is about its future .There is a general consensus that the Australian federal system does not work as well as it should, keeping in view the commercial operations, management and administrative environment. The question for the commonwealth and the state government is not only to enhance its performance and reputation but also to secure a better future, independent of the monarchy ."Austra lia is already a republic by any reasonable test- a state in which sovereignty is derived from the people. The one element in the constitution not consistent with a republic is the crown."( Turnbull m,1993). It is a system of government where the power comes from the people and all offices are accountable to the masses . The genre of contemporary political leaders also wish to see their country transforming into a republic as also said by the labor party candidate - Kevin Rudd. The implications of the republic debate is subtle but important. It implicates that Australia would legally be independent of Britain, which many believe is still a far fetched theory. Even Mr. Rudd has turned his boats back and has now decided that a referendum on a republic would not occur in the first term of a Labor government. Hence, " the theory of republicanism is on comatose and on life support" ( The Australian,2007). The legal issues involved in the process is full of complexes, to be achieved instantaneously .It starts with the Australian constitution itself . Section 1 of the Constitution states that the Legislative power of the Commonwealth is vested in a Federal Parliament which consists of "the Queen, a Senate and a House of Representatives ". ( Pylee 2006 , p.147) Section 2 goes on to provide that the Queen's representative shall be a Governor-General who holds office "during her pleasure" . Also sections 58 & 59 confers extraordinary power over Australian affairs to the Queen. The above sections being only a few declaring the real power of the monarchy

How to Become More Effective Within the Organization Essay

How to Become More Effective Within the Organization - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that people in organizations spend over 75 percent of their time in an interpersonal situation. Thus, it is no surprise to find that at the root of a large number of organizational problems is poor communications. Effective communication is an essential component of organizational success whether it is at the interpersonal, inter-group, intra-group, organizational or external levels (How-to Books, online). For human communication to be high in quality or effective, it must take into account not only the choice of language but also the movement of vocal cords, the reception of sound and its translation into neural signals, syntactic and phonological processing. Even facial expressions and gestures influence the quality and outcome of communication. As for the communication message, social psychologists give it three components: content, context, and treatment. Content is the essence of what one person desires to communicate to another, while the context is the way the communicator presents the content of his message to his audience. As for treatment, it is how communication is arranged and conducted by the speaker, which supports the content and context of the message. In a business setting, empathy is vital in communication. Lack of this element is said to be holding down the success of most organizations, where people spend 75 percent of their time in interpersonal, intra-group, inter-group, organizational and external communication.

Effects of Climatic Changes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effects of Climatic Changes - Essay Example These gases in turn deplete the ozone layer and the green house hence leads to climatic change. This paper will explain in depth why there is much effect on developed countries by climate change compared to developing countries. This will be done by presentation of points of view and summarizing by picking on the best. Climatic changes Global warming is one of the greatest hazards facing the universe today. This heat from global warming cause’s oceans and atmosphere to heat up, and leads to changes in climate that poses a great threat to the universe (World Resources Institute (WRI), 2000). Global warming is majorly triggered by activities carried out by man, for instance burning of charcoal. Scientists have forecast global warming that will be accompanied adverse effects. The warming cause’s deaths from extreme cold and hot conditions, extreme weather as drought and floods, pathogens spread to other areas of a new invasion, changes in yields of agriculture, erosion, gl aciations and host many other effects. The effects will be of more harm to countries that are poverty stricken because of their locations, which hinder them from adaptation. However, one reason for not ignoring the changes due to its uncertainty is that it can be mitigated. Victims from global warming effects can also be helped out by aiding them to adapt to the changes. It is illogical to wait for solutions from methods of science provided that the harm is to extend to other areas. Only Americans are still in doubt of global warming and its aftermath and prevention of the act. The delays brought by debates in the US are projected to be of great harm as a result of suffering and hardship. Industrialized countries are believed to have greatly contributed to effects of global warming like changes in temperature and hindering ways of dealing with them (World Resources Institute (WRI), 2000). Currently, the emission of carbon dioxide that mainly emanates from coal burning, oil, and foss il fuels are from these industries. All the responsibility is borne by the U.S.A. They are the major emitters of the gases produced by the green house. In contradiction, the emission of these gases by countries stricken by poverty is from consumption of essential goods and services. Therefore, U.S.A. should wholly responsible for the eradication of this hazard in the globe as a whole. Treaties have been signed by nations on climate change. However, they acted less compared to the extent of the crisis to act out on them. In 1992, a framework was put in place to ensure that the levels of gaseous emissions reduced. However, most countries never adhered to it. In particular, the United States went against that by increment of their levels of emissions. However, the poverty-stricken countries were politely advised to minimize their levels of emissions as they were surpassing the primary source. Arguments arose that cuts were to be imposed on both developing and developed countries. The d eveloped states were to be exposed to big cuts in relation to rights to emitting of gases while the poor states were to be exposed to increases on these cuts. On the other hand, a practical argument was that, the same per capita should be entitled to emission of gases trading and shifting to sources that can be renewed (World Resources Institute (WRI), 2000). In general, these emissions have profound effects on the United States. The big question is if the powerful United States will accept to change their ways of living. To them

Government Agency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Government Agency - Essay Example They are supposed to help each other especially in the absence of the other person since he is the nearest one in the area. One post man was sick for one week so he was not able to deliver the mails. While the other knows it, he deliberately did not finish he tasks of the other post man, leaving some mails undelivered. Upon the return of the sick postman, he discovered that not all mails were delivered and some of them are urgent. It has caused the conflict between the two postmen so that the Postmaster had to intervene. As a judicial authority, the Postmaster has pushed for a truce between the two postmen, giving a proper sanction to the one who failed to deliver the mail such as asking him to deliver the remaining mails, while helping the sick post man to deliver the recent mails. The Postmaster has also created a rule that the postman at the adjacent county should be responsible for all the letters left by a sick postman-partner so that he is liable for any loss or

Effects of Climatic Changes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effects of Climatic Changes - Essay Example These gases in turn deplete the ozone layer and the green house hence leads to climatic change. This paper will explain in depth why there is much effect on developed countries by climate change compared to developing countries. This will be done by presentation of points of view and summarizing by picking on the best. Climatic changes Global warming is one of the greatest hazards facing the universe today. This heat from global warming cause’s oceans and atmosphere to heat up, and leads to changes in climate that poses a great threat to the universe (World Resources Institute (WRI), 2000). Global warming is majorly triggered by activities carried out by man, for instance burning of charcoal. Scientists have forecast global warming that will be accompanied adverse effects. The warming cause’s deaths from extreme cold and hot conditions, extreme weather as drought and floods, pathogens spread to other areas of a new invasion, changes in yields of agriculture, erosion, gl aciations and host many other effects. The effects will be of more harm to countries that are poverty stricken because of their locations, which hinder them from adaptation. However, one reason for not ignoring the changes due to its uncertainty is that it can be mitigated. Victims from global warming effects can also be helped out by aiding them to adapt to the changes. It is illogical to wait for solutions from methods of science provided that the harm is to extend to other areas. Only Americans are still in doubt of global warming and its aftermath and prevention of the act. The delays brought by debates in the US are projected to be of great harm as a result of suffering and hardship. Industrialized countries are believed to have greatly contributed to effects of global warming like changes in temperature and hindering ways of dealing with them (World Resources Institute (WRI), 2000). Currently, the emission of carbon dioxide that mainly emanates from coal burning, oil, and foss il fuels are from these industries. All the responsibility is borne by the U.S.A. They are the major emitters of the gases produced by the green house. In contradiction, the emission of these gases by countries stricken by poverty is from consumption of essential goods and services. Therefore, U.S.A. should wholly responsible for the eradication of this hazard in the globe as a whole. Treaties have been signed by nations on climate change. However, they acted less compared to the extent of the crisis to act out on them. In 1992, a framework was put in place to ensure that the levels of gaseous emissions reduced. However, most countries never adhered to it. In particular, the United States went against that by increment of their levels of emissions. However, the poverty-stricken countries were politely advised to minimize their levels of emissions as they were surpassing the primary source. Arguments arose that cuts were to be imposed on both developing and developed countries. The d eveloped states were to be exposed to big cuts in relation to rights to emitting of gases while the poor states were to be exposed to increases on these cuts. On the other hand, a practical argument was that, the same per capita should be entitled to emission of gases trading and shifting to sources that can be renewed (World Resources Institute (WRI), 2000). In general, these emissions have profound effects on the United States. The big question is if the powerful United States will accept to change their ways of living. To them

Discuss the ways in which Toyotaro, the protagonist of Maihime (The Assignment

Discuss the ways in which Toyotaro, the protagonist of Maihime (The Dancing Girl), thinks of his own identity - Assignment Example His story explicates the fact that he had done a mistake by following and doing what other people told him to do. For instance, he asserts that during his childhood, he was a sort of dictionary to his mother and law in the service of his boss (Ogai). This implies that he was not following his heart and doing whatever he wanted or whatever pleased him, but whatever pleased those around him. Toyotaro identity changes when he falls in love Elise, a German dancing girl. He falls in love with this girl despite their varied culture and race. This love transforms Toyotaro to the extent that he loses his job (Ogai). While in the ship, he feels guilty for leaving her behind and that’s when he fully thinks of his identity. For once, a sense of being himself and deciding for himself engulfs him. He does not fear anymore what would become of him when he makes his own decisions. In conclusion, Toyotaro’s discovery that he was able to decide for himself on how he was going to live his life was the climax of the realization of his identity. This was a problem affecting several young Japanese during Mori Ogai’s generation. In this case, he emerged as an enlightened young intellectual capable of choosing his fate and not depending on adults to choose their destiny for

A capitalist economy Essay Example for Free

A capitalist economy Essay A capitalist economy is fuelled by the needs and whims the consumer. Hence, understanding the customer’s buying behavior and needs is critical for a marketer to succeed in such an environment. Once a person’s basic survival needs such as food and shelter are satisfied, buying needs are influenced by the need for self-esteem. Consumers buy things to boost their sense of pride and society plays a crucial role in influencing this behavior, through media outlets such television and Internet. They not only inform consumers about a product but also psychologically tell them why they should purchase it, by affecting them on a subconscious level. Peer opinions and brand consciousness also impact consumer behavior since it influences their status among peers. Buyers approach a new purchase and repurchase quite differently. If they are satisfied with the previous purchase, almost no research goes into the repurchase. When it comes to a new purchase, a consumer’s buying behavior depends upon the amount of involvement in researching the product, before actually buying it. For instance, a car or house involves a lot of money, which is why a consumer naturally spends more time trying to learn about the various options available in the market. See more: My Writing Process Essay On the other hand, buying everyday products like soap, perfume and clothing involves lesser consumer research and requires lesser decision time. However, sometimes consumers also buy things on a whim without any prior research; it involves a miniscule decision time and is called impulsive buying. An individual buyer’s personality will also affect their buying behavior. For instance, a person who was raised in a poor family and having a conservative spending attitude would spend more time researching an item before buying it. The probability of such a person making an impulse buy or brand-conscious decision is also very less, since people with such a personality tend to make rational decisions based on their needs. Buying a common food item such as salad dressing involves very little decision time, since the product would be a repurchase for most people and the financial risk involved is very less. However, health-conscious buyers may spend additional time researching nutritional information before buying a specific brand. There are also quite a few varieties of salad dressing available in the market to choose from, which may increase the research time of buyers who have a fine appreciate for food. Three brands of salad dressing that would considered are as follows, 1) Wild Thymes 2) American Garden 3) Briannas Fine Salad Dressing Wild Thymes is basically a Gourmet Foods company that caters to people who have an appreciation for fine food. It offers an exclusive variety of salad dressings that come in various fruit flavors, which are not offered by mass market brands. Their products are also 100 percent natural, catering to health-conscious buyers. They are sold online on Amazon. com as well as in other retail outlets. The cost of a Wild Thymes salad dressing is priced at $6. 50 for a 11 oz bottle. Briannas Fine Salad Dressings is a specialty salad dressing company that exclusively focuses on salad dressing. It offers an exhaustive list of salad dressing variants such as Asiago Caesar, Blush Wine Vinaigrette and Zesty French. Its products are sold through its own online store it costs $6. 3 for two bottles of salad dressing, which is comparatively cheaper. This brand caters to professional chefs and cooking enthusiasts. American Garden is Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) brand that caters to the mass market. It offers Russian, creamy Ranch and Thousand Island salad dressings and is reasonably priced. It caters to mainly to families with children, as the website is filled with pictures of children and also offers various kids’ recipes. It primarily appeals to low-income and middle-income families owing to its price and widespread availability in retail stores.

Toyota Motor Corporation the effective management of people

Toyota Motor Corporation the effective management of people Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) Toyota Motor Corporation also known as TMC is a Japanese born company famous for its car making as well as providing financial services and participating in various lines of business including housing, IT and financial activities. Over the years, TMC has become the largest car manufacturing in the world (operating in America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania) after General Motors and is the biggest in Japan producing an estimated eight million vehicles per year. (Toyota Annual Report, 2009) Founded in 1937, its current name, TMC was incorporated in 1981. As of March 31, 2009 TMCs capital totalled to 397.05 billion yen, (Toyota Annual Report, 2009) and despite the current financial crisis, the company only announced its first annual loss in 71 years in May 2009. Importance of Project Management Many organisations use project management in order to survive in todays fast changing environment and it is part of the way things are done in businesses as described by Heerkens (2007). In using project management, companies translate both their strategies and objectives into action because this brings change to organisations and giving the fact that change is almost necessary if a company is to gain competitive advantage, this explains it multiple advantages including the following: Achievement of goal is made possible and decision making is based on more adequate information, thus making collaboration more focused and orientated toward gaining competitive advantage. Clear terms of reference allow employees understand their roles and responsibilities and how these can relate to the company i.e. objective, scope of deliverables, role, responsibilities, structure and schedule all give a clear path of progression in terms of what is expected from people, Dobson (2004) Forecast of revenues and expenditures is made possible by the allocation of budget. As a result, employees feel connected to the organisation from the corporate level where important decisions are made, thus facilitating an effective management. Time constraints (scope, time and cost) and specific expertise are used as measuring tools thus allowing the linkage of HRM to technology and the reduction of managers workload whilst increasing efficiency in the workplace by standardising HR processes. As a result, problem solving is made easy and fast, Harris et al (1996) In the organisational context, a hierarchical structure including the necessary step for achieving the objectives contribute in reaching the end. Different efforts are appreciated and team members recognise the importance of project management by pioneering it main focus. This ultimately leads to success and a drive toward effective management of people which is a critical component of organisational competitiveness as stated by Kerzner (2009). Because the success of any project depend on the leadership and motivation styles of sponsors who are experienced and ensure effective delivery, a sense of achievement is created for both employees and the organisation. Project management has served as tool to many big organisations in terms of innovation and when dealing with changes in the business environment, both employees and managers are able to witness the achievement of their respective goals and that of the organisation all in the same aim to gain competitive advantage, Larson et al (2006) The next sections of this report discuss some of these advantages in the context of TMC. Recruitment, Selection and Training of Personnel in TMC towards Market Advantage The concept of employee resourcing is aimed at employing people with the right skills and attitudes for the organisation. This appears to be acceptable in principle. But there is a tendency to interpret it because managers tend to recruit people who have the same characteristics as themselves. Most of TMCs senior executives are Japanese men, whereas most successful western corporations employ more diversely at the corporate level. In todays modern organisations, key issues include flexibility, innovation, creativity and the success of organisation is not likely to result from those who display similar characteristics to those already in the organisation. It can therefore be argued that organisations which perform better are those who employ people that think for themselves and have ideas and behaviour that are different from others While this suggests the usual selection methods which require evidence of continuous and verifiable employment actually works against the organisation that is seeking innovation, TMC with its The Toyota Way of lean product development and management principles illustrates otherwise. (Liker et al, 2004) So far TMC has been able to achieve market advantage by keeping up with it technology and more importantly being ahead of its competitors. In 1997, the company launched the Prius as the world first mass-produced hybrid car which was achieved through their people system. (Toyota Annual Report, 2009) TMCs system is centred on people from their recruitment and selection as well as their training and development in the company. The Toyota Way, as discussed by Liker et al (2004) must be part of their DNA. This concept has so far helped TMC achieve it organisational competitiveness. However, many overseas managers and engineers working for TMC have admitted working under too much pressure, Liker et al (2004). Others have embraced this and felt at home in an organisation where they feel valued. Either way, the question remains whether TMC is an employer of choice. TMC has recently been accused of weak designed practices with relation to the human resource as a result of the recent failure to spot technical issues, Sullivan (2010) In Sullivans view point, reward and recognition, training, hiring, the performance management process, the corporate culture, leadership development, staff retention and risk assessment all contributed to TMCs downfall. The company certainly has a very rigorous hiring process and often only recruit those who have had higher grades and are smart. But it can be argued that intelligence isnt always the key, particularly in an industry that is influenced by changing technologies and competition. The aim of recruiting should include making the organisation attractive to potential candidates by being the employer of choice where people are not only valued but want to be part of the organisation. This may be difficult for TMC as being a Japanese company involve adopting a culture of bureaucracy which ultimately affects the structure of the company as a whole. Introducing flexible working hours in the UK for example and where mostly men are employed, hiring women could all assist in this sector. Still, it remains managers job to examine the situation and identify alternative options in order to achieve market advantage. Armstrong suggested that learning programmes and training schemes should be developed in order to increase employability both inside and outside the organisation. To deal with the challenges faced by training, TMC introduced lean training where all team leaders work together to produce a new model. When producing Corolla for instance, TMC brought a team leader from each of their operating regions and together, they worked in 12 different assembly points around the world which reduced the number of working hours by 30%. (Toyota Annual Report, 2009) In addition, the company has a website that allows all its team members to take part in self training sessions which include weekly and location based trainings locations. (TMC Sustainability Report, 2009) However effective and efficient is this process of recruiting and training, the relationship between individuals who are brought to work together is crucial to the intended success. Teamwork Teamwork is an important aspect of an effective management of people and therefore represents a critical component of any process of project implementation. It defines the relation between individual and other external parties as well as being dependent on each other in their particular tasks. There is reliability on the individual capability. (Tarricone et al, 2002) More importantly, team members all have different skills and each contribute toward the organisations social culture and vision. (Gibson et al, 1980) Theories and Concepts of Teamwork Tuckman (1965) presented a theory of four different stages of group development that he further developed by adding a fifth stage after its popularity in 1970. The first four stages are represented by the guidance in the development and behaviour of the team members. Performing Performing Norming Focus on the Task Forming Storming Storming Figure 3.1: The Different Stages of Group Development Source: Adapted from Tuckman (1965) In the organisational context, the success of teamwork will depend on peoples ability to communicate within the team as well as their commitment to achieving the tasks in question. Contrary to this view, a project team might have different characteristics which allow them to accomplish their task in accordance with the given time and budget. As well as being fully involved, team members have to keep their manager aware of the issues, changes, risks and quality improvement. Gibson et al (1980) were adamant that communication and involvement are two different characteristics and that all that matters was the target or task that was required to be achieved by the team. The following attributes were discussed by Tarricone et al (2002) in the same interest of finding out what represented a successful teamwork. Attributes of Team Work TeamWork Interpedently Individual Skills Liberty of communicat-ion and suggestion feedback Commitment To team Team size Commitment to team and shared Goals Figure 3.2: The Six Attributes of a successful Teamwork (Adapted graph) TMC and Teamwork TMC refers to each of its employee as team member. To them, making customers happy is directly linked to how well they work together as a team. While this partly relate to Tarricone and Lucas (2002) six attributes of teamwork, particularly where team work and commitment are concerned, people have different competencies and as mentioned by Francis et al (1979), wouldnt it be easier if everyone focused on their given tasks? Or maybe TMC has found that taking care of each other, Critchley et al (1986) and respecting each other is primordial. We can still question TMCs communication and feedback standards because of the guidance they use from their recruitment to the training where strict rules are used. Harris et al (1996) outlined this in saying that members must have the right to express their feeling with regard to the work being carried out. Again, it is the managements job to not only give adequate direction, but also divide the job among the members while making sure they are not just following set rules but contributing individually. It is clear that TMC challenges its employees. For example, the company believes that respecting and trusting it people will ultimately mean that they will give 100% of output. They also agree that everything cant be done through machines and therefore human force is important. Thats why the company motivates it team members by trusting them and given them responsibility in order to fulfil their objectives. However, being a corporate company involves having low tolerance in terms of mistakes. TMC is currently at the centre of massive allegations regarding quality issues involving their recent cars. They have taken actions to correct these issues but could this be related to team members working under too much pressure? Is TMC too consumer driven? Or maybe the culture of the company which evolve around the Toyota Production system is in need of restructuring. The 5th stage of Tuckmans (1965) theory particularly represents this as being the split of the group after fulfilment of their purpose. In Tuckmans (1965) view, moving on is helpful to the team members as it creates a sense of recognition. What is obvious is that TMC understands teamwork and refers to it as its foundation. The next figure represents an example of how teams are formed in TMC. Team Size Team Member 5-8 Team Leader 3-4 Group Leader 5-8 5-8 Asst. Manager 4-10 Smallest Group 4TLs 18 TMs Largest Group 5 TLs 23 TMs Manager Figure 3.3: Typical Toyota Organization Assembly Operation Source: Bill Constantino, former group leader, Toyota, Georgetown. While other organisations use highly skilled employees to find solutions to day to day issues such as quality of products, maintenance of equipment etc, TMCs system (see figure 3.3) allows employees to do thing differently. Work groups are responsible for solving problems that occur and have many responsibilities including carrying out monthly planning in advance for quality production, scheduling etc. Another example of teamwork in TMC is where experts select two or three members depending on how many people are needed for the task and each member has to learn every job to allow rotation. The company believes that this way no member gets the load of work and the system runs smoothly while motivating employees. TMC and Change Management The management of TMC spotted the need for change from an early stage and has ever since been improving the companys productivity, quality, customer service etc. The company cultivates the leadership and teams styles change culture as well as growth to devise the strategy of what they refer to as The Toyota Way or the 14 Principles of Management. (Liker, 2004) This is also explained by the 4P model of The Toyota Way (Liker, 2004), where he highlights the Philosophy, Process, People and Partners and Problem Solving as a way of improvement and uniqueness of TPS. These 4Ps also constitute the 14 principles of management. Fig: 3.4: A 4PModel of The Toyota Way Source: Adapted from Liker (2004) However, change has its issues and most organisations begin to realise this when they are hit by competition or often bankruptcy. TMC experienced this in 1950 when the company encountered bankruptcy and began changing its culture. As recognised by Bridges (1995) with his transitional model of change, often dramatic change is needed in order to survive in a competitive market place. TMC accepted the challenge to survive in the US market and started working towards the companys vision by motivating and inspiring its employees. As a result of leading the global market, the company introduced the Prius in 1997. Change is part of TMCs leadership as well as being environmentally friendly when making cars and despite the current crisis facing all automobile makers, TMC remains a leader deriving from change as their main culture. Leadership and Motivation Both leadership and motivation have emerged as some of the most important aspects of an effective management of people and referred to as two elements that complement each other. In the 21st century, organizations are seeing leaders as those who set direction, has clear vision, inspire and motivate teams in achieving tasks. Once motivated, employees begin to prioritize organizational goals and culture, thus encouraging change and it adherence. TMCs Leadership Approach TMC doesnt follow a set of rules but rather exercises very unique values and approaches that set them apart from others. They believe in building employees strengths as well as building car. (Liker, 2004) Chemers, (1997) referred to leadership as a common task where people support one another. Hiebert et al (2001) on the other hand associated leadership with interpersonal relationship and corporate strategy. At TMC, Managers involve their subordinates into the thinking process which also reflect part of McGregors (1960) Theory-Y (participative style), and adjust themselves to situations depending on the project, or resources available which is reflected in Fiedlers (1967) approach. Fiedler (1997) further highlighted the environment as being the principal factor that influences leadership. He referred to this as contingency theory and placed leadership styles in two categories, task-oriented or relationship-oriented and situations in high-favourable and low-favourable. He came to the conclusion that task-oriented leaders perform more effectively and that when the level of situation favourability was intermediate, relationship-oriented leaders performed better. The leadership philosophy at TMC can be represented by the 2-dimentional leadership matrix of The Toyota Way, (Liker, 2004) where leadership styles have been divided into four types: Bureaucratic Manager, Group Facilitator, Task Master and Builder of Learning Organizations. Again we can distinguish similarities here to that of the Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid (1964) where the organization man manager shows the ability to balance between organizations goals and peoples needs. John Adairs (1973) Action-Centered Leadership Model proposed that a good leader must perform following 3 main responsibilities. Figure 4.1: The Action-Centered Leadership Model Source: Adair (1973) A good leader in Adairs (1973) point of view is the one who create balance between these three circles. TMC achieves performance by giving importance to both production and people (team), but in doing so people and production needs are left unfulfilled. This is almost a subtle way of telling people what to do as represented by the next graph. Figure 4.2: The TMC Leadership Model Source: Liker (2004, P. 196) Liker (2004) associated The Toyota way with that of the organisation that is building a learning organisation which nurtures the abilities and motivation level of its team and plans ahead in order to get the maximum out of employees. This has so far resulted in them setting example to many organisations by adding values to their existing culture. The 4P model of The Toyota Way studied by Liker (2004) put people on the third level from the bottom up along with long-term vision of the companys goals and adequate knowledge of technical and management skills. This is all well but we can argue that the primary goal as well as injecting that vision and knowledge to people should also include putting people at the very top since without them nothing is possible. Such an approach will allow employees to feel even more part of the company, motivates them further and enables them to put a maximum effort in order to achieve a longer-term success. However, at TMC, leaders encourage and respect position and decision making capabilities of their people working from the very bottom as many of them recognized having started at the bottom. (Gertner, 2007) Deriving from Fiedlers Theory (1967) and Adairs Model (1973), development of mutual trust and respect are very important to TMCs management relation which is the primary key to HRM practices in the 21st century. (Toyotas CSR Initiatives, 2010) TMCs Motivational Approach For most organisations, the ultimate goal is to make the employees work at their full potentials and this cannot be achieved easily as every individual is motivated differently. The concept of motivation has been developed by many scholars over the years. Fritz Heider (1972) developed two concepts of motivation which were Intrinsic and Extrinsic and which he believed were driven by the factors including employees attribution, beliefs and desires. Similarly, Maxwell (2008) discussed motivation factors where he associated needs, values and goals to peoples level of production. Figure 4.3: Employment Motivational Factors Source: Maxwell (2008) TMC is constantly committed to making improvements rather than just responding to problems that occur. The management develops friendly relationship within the teams and recognises their improvement. As a result, 94% of ideas in the company are adopted. For a Japanese company which guaranties life time employment, this is an obvious expectation because it allows internal promotion and develops motivation. However, motivation is a concept that changes with time and research on dynamic motivation carried out by Herzberg (1987) in his Dual Structure Theory pointed out that the diversity of motivation distinguishes between motivators (challenges) and hygiene factors (job security). But how important is job security in the 21st century? It is clear that being made redundant is no longer a threat and bigger organisations like TMC need to work harder in motivating and retaining their employees particularly in an age where competition and changes in the environment are part of their day to day lives. Heider (1972) believed that intrinsic motivation was driven by employees own self-esteem rather than financial reward which is often short lived and costly, while the extrinsic concept was influenced by the outside. Other factors were studied by Maslow (1954) in his Need Hierarchy Theory where he highlighted human needs as being very important and need to be satisfied if advancement was to be made possible. Agreeing with McGregor (1960) and Heider (1972), Maslow found money the least important. TMC recognises employees participation and money isnt used as motivator. At least not from what we have seen from their recruitment, selection and training strategies and team work structure. For any project implementation purposes, managers will need to further develop the process of working together by perhaps understanding employees needs rather than those of the organisation. This can assist in promoting motivation and therefore adhere to the organisations cultural implications which are becoming more homogenous in todays business environment. This also presuppose an understanding of employees own culture and context. TMC and Cross-Cultural Issues Taylor in the 20th century, studied how employers can increase their workers efficiency and decrease waste, later referred to as Muda by Japanese. TMC with their Toyota Production System champions this culture as well as what the company refers to as Kaizen which means team. Although Kaizen happens to be the improvement of Toyotas culture, it differs from the philosophy of Command and Control. The methodology of Kaizen is based upon monitoring results and making changes. TMC employs the very best people and trains them on cross training issues. By doing so, managers believe they are removing any problems from the root. But people are different and being a global company implies employing people who are culturally different. This therefore raises another concern about how diverse TMC really is. As earlier discussed, TMC is a global company still mainly run by its Japan headquarters. Its top leadership does not include foreign executives. This has resulted in slow problem solving of recent crisis of product defects. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently stated that the heart of Toyotas issues lies in its secretive corporate culture in Japan. (Financial Times, 3rd March 2010, P. 22) The interesting debate on these recent quality issues which is linked to the cross-cultural training and consultation factors is that TMC focuses on their Kaizen concept, which is eliminating problems; whilst Americans and other Western consumers focus on the transparency concept which is based on the freedom of information. Either way, organisations can hardly avoid mistakes. It is how managers address these issues that determine their future. So far TMC has proven its success deriving from its leadership culture which has resulted in: Promoting innovation and creativity as well as developing new ideas which are recognised by the management. Continuous expansion allowing TMC to explore foreign markets and achieve stability in the global economy. Efficiency and uniformity of the workforce allowing the maintenance of a respectable level of stability and competitiveness in the business environment. However, limitation of promotion prospect TMC might lead to a need to consider using more Total Quality Management (TQM) which results in rising cost for the company. This can also create inner conflicts considering the current rise in competition. Also, TMC should be mindful of the fear for disappearance of personal identity on the employees side; because the majority of ideas are adopted from employees. They are treated as a team which limit their recognition as individual. TMC and Diversity Since the early 1990s, large organisations including TMC have recognised Diversity as being an important aspect of managing people and declared themselves as being committed to equal opportunities. (Cockburn, 1991) Diversity is reflected in TMCs famous respect for people and continuous improvement. Reichenberg (2001) referred to this as a perspective that made business sense and the United Nations in particular has embraced this philosophy which further proves the companys efforts. However, being a Japanese company involves certain level of collectivism, which raises concern about TMCs diversity policy. Morrison et al (1991) used Hofstedes (2001) international cultural diversity study to demonstrate organisations relationship with their suppliers and customers and how these can be affected by diversity. For instance matching customer diversity to that of the service offered will imply considering ethnic differences which will lead to parties speaking the same language. This fits TMC because as stated by Lichtenthal et al (2001), the company benefits from matching its sales people to demographic attributes of buyers since buyers are more trusting of those who share similar cultural attributes to themselves. Managers often need something to go wrong in order to decide that change is necessary and prepare employees to cope with it. Claiborne (2001) discussed Toyotas racist advertisements and this lead the company setting out a $7.8 billion, 10-year diversity program. Conclusion We have seen that successful people management comes through a process of selection, training, teamwork, leadership, motivation, involvement and participation such that employees feel their needs and interests are being appropriately addressed. When combined with the organisations own requirements for achieving efficiency and effectiveness, this emphasises the need for managers to provide leadership which is characterised by both strong task and relationship orientations. Both leadership and motivation go hand in hand because for any form of task to succeed, a leader with motivational skills is needed in order to get results. TMC is an excellent promoter of Diversity and contributes in areas such as education, safety among young people and programs such as Toyota Teen Driver, Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), sponsors events for non-profit organizations like YMCA, National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) etc. However, in the 21st century, managers are faced with many other challenges including uncertainty and constant changes in technologies which all affect the implementation of projects and human resource development. One ought to ask if TMC has remained stock in the 20th century with the classical thinking where division of labour, span of control and line of authority were pioneered by Fayol et al. This is certainly reflected in the companys team work strategy earlier discussed. Also, although employees have a massive input in TMCs success, how far are they allowed to disagree with the proposed goal of the organisation as discussed by McNabb et al (1995)? Perhaps the structure and success of TMC shows a different picture which promotes a learning organisation with their Lean Training and The Toyota Way. But how flexible is TMC when it comes to employees? And are the companys leaders born or manufactured? The answer ultimately lies somewhere in the middle as TMC has had mixed success stories and the management is able to provide the environmental support needed to motivate employees toward the achievement of their vision. To lead an adequate change as proposed by Kotter in 1995 with his eight stage model, managers are faced with understanding the importance of employees need, vision, communication, empowerment and culture. Implementing project will therefore involve the identification of the micro-processes that affect the day to day formal and informal life of employee, Cornelius (2003). Or with regard to change management, there need to be a clear line between people and the organisation as proposed by Fisher,2005. Recommendations As discussed, managers are faced with several issues when dealing with implementation of projects in general. Making these issues manageable will require TMC to rethink its structure and level of control when it comes to team work. It could be that the Japanese culture which is often too reliant on employees efforts needs a different leadership style which will allow the company to meet international competitive requirements as they affect the organisations overall success. In terms of coping with the turbulent external environment, TMC should perhaps consider recognising individuals for themselves rather than the group. They can begin this change in African countries where they have a small percentage of market shares. TMC promotes many of its current employees from inside the company. While this is good for keeping the companys visions and values, employing managers from outside might facilitate obtaining more open minded and goal oriented employees. This is particularly needed now when questions are being raised about TMCs public relation and image due to the companys recent defect issues.

Tragic Flaws in Oedipus the King Essay example -- Oedipus the King Ess

Oedipus the King, Sophocles’ classical Greek tragedy, presents tragic flaw(s) as the cause of   the near-total destruction of the life of the protagonist. This essay examines that flaw. In his essay â€Å"Sophoclean Tragedy† Friedrich Nietzsche agrees that there is an â€Å"error† within the protagonist, but refrains from specifying exactly what it is: The most pathetic figure of the Greek theatre, the unfortunate Oedipus, Sophocles takes to be a noble man called to error and alienation in spite of his wisdom, yet called too, in the end, through monstrous suffering, to radiate a magic power rich in a blessing which works even after he passes on. . . . these very actions attract a higher, magical circle of influences which ground a new world upon the rubble of the old (16-17). Not all critics believe that there was â€Å"error† within the protagonist. Some critics, like Herbert J. Muller in his essay â€Å"How Sophocles Viewed and Portrayed the Gods,† believe that Oedipus had no tragic flaw, that he was an innocent victim of the gods: Nor is there in Oedipus the King the deep sense of outrage that modern readers may feel. None of the characters, including the chorus, complains that Thebans are suffering for no fault of their own, in this plague sent by the gods; they simply assume that Thebes must be properly purified of its defilement. Although technically innocent, Oedipus accepts his â€Å"guilt†. . . .(56) This reader, however, disagrees with the above critic, and agrees with Aristotle’s analysis. In his essay â€Å"On Misunderstanding the Oedipus the King,† E. R. Dodds takes the reader back to Aristotle in his consideration of this question of the flaw: I shall take Aristotle as my starting point. . . . From the thirteenth chapter of... ...clean Tragedy.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Nietzsche, Friedrich. â€Å"Sophoclean Tragedy.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Segal, Charles. Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. â€Å"Sophocles† In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984. Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Transl. by F. Storr. no pag. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed new?tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&part=0&id=SopOedi Van Nortwick, Thomas.   Oedipus: The Meaning of a Masculine Life. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998.

Opening up the Alaskan Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Essay -- Enviro

Opening up the Alaskan Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Many preconceived notions exist in the realm of environmental policy. Decisions are constantly made that effect human health or environmental integrity in order to reap great economic benefits for the many. Often these choices compromise the role of human beings as environmental stewards of the planet. It is my attempt in this paper to outline the development of a very controversial part of the proposed comprehensive energy policy: the opening of the Alaskan Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil drilling. I will introduce the case by offering some background of the situation followed by an analysis of pertinent economic, ethical, social, and ecological issues. I will present the actors and their respective positions and investigate how they interacted with the rules, regulations, and laws that govern the policy. I will finally discuss what the potential alternatives are and what lessons are being learned. Background The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge of Northeastern Alaska, which stretches for 20 million acres across a fragile tundra landscape, is home to over 350 (nearly extinct) musk ox and 180 bird species, which migrate from even Argentina or Chile. It is the largest Polar Bear denning area in the United States, offers calving ground for the 129,000-member herd of Porcupine Caribou, and supports among the largest populations of grizzly bears, wolves and moose (Student Pirg’s 2001). It remains one of the most pristine areas on the planet and is especially sensitive to environmental pollution due to the slow growth rate of the ecosystem. The Refuge was first established in 1952 in a joint effort between biologist Lowell Summer and National Park Servi... ...Washington. Murphy, Kim. In Alaska, the Hunt for Oil, Gas only Begins at Wildlife Refuge; Energy: High Prices, Pro-Business Government Fuel the Drive for Drilling Activists are Gearing Up. Los Angeles Times February 6, 2001. Nuclear Energy Institute. URL: http://www.nei.org/ Student PIRG’s. Save America’s Arctic. www.pirg.org/enviro/arctic/index.html Time Magazine. How Much is Under the Tundra? Time Inc. 2/19/2001, Vol. 157 Issue 7. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2001. Potential impacts of proposed oil and gas development on the Arctic Refuge’s coastal plain: Historical overview and issues of concern. Web page of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks, Alaska. 17 January 2001. http://arctic.fws.gov/issues1.html Verhovek, Sam Howe. Drill, Say Alaskans, Who Know Their Pockets Are Lined With Oil. New York Times: Anchorage. March 15, 2001.

Pepe Jeans Case Essay

The main advantage of Pepe not carrying inventory is obviously the cost savings, as it is usually not efficient or cost effective for that matter, to carry excess inventory. The downside is not having enough pairs of jeans on hand to ship to stores when demand is high. An inventory would help alleviate this. The six month lead time is both an advantage and disadvantage for Pepe. The long lead time is positive in that once a retailer places an order, they only have a week to cancel the order. Pepe is able to realize a profit after only ten days rather than months later. The contract locked retailers in immediately and keeps them from reneging on the deal. The downside is that many stores may be turned off by the long lead. It was mentioned in the article that most manufacturers have lead times of a few months or less. The independent stores also tended to order less volume due to the inflexible order system, and the trouble with fashion is that items typically have a short wearable life before they go out of style. Corporate purchasers were worried that the jeans they ordered may go out of style before they even arrive. If I were the manager of Pepe, I would assure my retail partners that every reasonable action was currently being taken to help reduce the current lead time. I would mention the options being considered and thank them for their partnership. I would then sit down with the CFO as well as the best analysts in the company and run reports to forecast the most efficient method of reducing lead time. The case mentions two alternatives to reduce lead time: working with a Hong Kong sourcing agent or building a finishing operation in the UK. Without seeing the company’s financials, it is difficult to say which would be a better choice. The article does mention that Pepe has no long term debt and appears to have plenty of cash on hand. If that is truly the case, then the better option may be to invest in the finishing factory. There would be a large investment up front, but lead time could be cut in half while reducing costs by up to ten percent as well. On the other hand, the sourcing agent could possibly reduce lead time down to as little as six weeks. The problem with this option is that costs to soar by as much as thirty percent.

Community Based Ecotourism Project in Ghana

Course Name Student name: |Assessment No: |Module Level: |Module Tutor: | |Cristina, Selam and Sofia |1 of 2 |5 |Birte Schmitz | |Module: Principles of Tourism Planning |Assessment Method: |Weighting: |Date of submission: | |and Development | | | | | |Group Executive Summary and |50% (25% executive summary and |As per AR1 | | |Presentation |25% presentation) | | |Length: |20 minutes for the presentation | | |2000 words plus tables and charts (10-12 pages executive summary) | |Learning outcomes assessed: |Assess the impacts of tourism planning. | | |Assess the limitations of tourism planning. | |Identify the various stages of the planning process | |Skills Mapped: |Group working | | |Research Strategy | | |Creative & innovative thinking | Feedback |Assessment Criteria |Weight |Strength |Areas of Improvement | |% | | | |Conduct a stakeholder analysis |30 | | | |discuss how your proposed product | | | | |may positively & negatively affect | | | | |their lives within the count ry. | | | | |How might any negative impacts be minimised? | | | |Highlight the positive and negative |30 | | | |socio-cultural, environmental | | | | |and economic impacts of | | | | |developing your product. | | | | |Work effectively as part of a team. 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Hand in a well written executive summary, which is |10 | | | |spell checked, referenced within the text, has a | | | | |biography and does not include poor grammar. Marks | | | | |will be deducted otherwise. | | | | |Self Presentation – please see hand in guidelines. 20 | | | |Marks will be deducted for poor report format, | | | | |spelling & grammar, lack of in-text referencing and | | | | |incorrectly formatted bibliography | | | | |Deductions: Late Submission | | | | |Deductions : No Front Sheet | | | | |Total mark out of 100% | | | | Subject to ratification at the validating University Subject Board Community-based Ecotourism Project in Deme village in Ghana [pic] Cristina Aldea, Selam Misghin a and Sofia Whyte Summary This report analyses the development plan of a community-based tourism product of a village in Ghana. It provides a brief description of the chosen site; mid and long term development plans and impacts. It also conducts a stakeholder’s analysis and highlights strategies to ensure sustainability, cooperation with local government and indicates how demonstration effects may be minimised. List of contents 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. pg. 3 2. Mid and long term development plans†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ pg. 6 1. Table: Mid term development plans†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. pg. 6 2. 2 Table: Long term development plans†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦pg. 7 3. Impacts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ pg. 7 4. Model approach to sustainable tourism product†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ pg. 8 5. Strategies to ensure sustainability†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ pg. 9 1. Table: Highlighted strategies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. pg. 10 6. Stakeholder analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. pg. 10 7. Strategies to ensure cooperation with the local government†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. pg. 1 1. Human Resources in tourism development†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦pg. 12 2. Education and training†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. pg. 12 8. Avoiding demonstration effects†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦pg. 13 9. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦.. pg. 14 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. pg. 15 1. Introduction Ghana is a country in West Africa with a population of 21 million people, and often labelled â€Å"Africa for beginners†, home to a number of diverse people and cultures, all finding ways to live together in a rapidly developing and modernizing country. (Lonely Planet). Fig. 1: Map of Ghana [pic] Source: AddictedtoTravel, 2009 Volta Region is situated in the East part of Ghana. Highlights of this region are the massive man-made Volta Lake, the largest in the world and the tallest mountain in West Africa, Mount Afadjato (885m). (Addictedtotravel, 2009). The Hohoe (ho-we) District is one of the 17 districts of Volta Region in Ghana and was created in 1979 and the major ethnic groups here are Ewes, Akpafu/Lolobi, Santrokofi, Likpe, Logba, Tafi and Nyagbo, with a population of around 144,500, in 2000. The total number of households in the Hohoe stands at 32844, with 7172 living in the urban area whiles the rest of 25672 live in the rural area. (Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ghana and Maks Publications & Media Services, 2006). Fig. 2: Hohoe in Ghana [pic] Source: Hebert, 2009. Deme village is the chosen site for the development of this community-based tourism project and is located in Hohoe District. The area is surrounded by tropical forest, home for different amazing species of monkeys, exotic birds, bucks and buffalos. The wonderful diversity of nature is not the main attraction here, the historical heritage and vibrant cultural identity is instead. Every year in November there is the celebration of the Gbidokor Festival of the Gbi-Ewes, where chiefs of the two tribes, the Gbi and the Ewe, wearing traditional colourful costumes are carried in palanquins, surrounded by drumming and dances of the local people. The population of this village is part of Ewe ethnic group, and the majority of people speak Ewe language, and the majority of the youngsters speaking English as well. (Ghana Tourism Board, 2008). Fig 3: Deme village in Hohoe, Ghana [pic] Source: fallingrain. com, 2009 This project seeks to help the people of Deme village to generate income from tourism in order to alleviate the poverty level of their community, to provide basic facilities for living conditions, to educate and encourage the locals to preserve the natural resources and endangered animal species and to promote the unique culture and traditions of the Ewe tribe that most of the locals belong to. The current tourism provision in Deme village is inexistent, but the tourism statistics of the Hohoe area show that an increasing number of visitors are becoming interested in the natural and cultural beauty of this district. Touristy attractions that are close to Deme, such as Tafi-Atome Monkey Sanctuary and Mole National Park registered a number of approximately 97,129 arrivals in 2007. (Ghana Tourism Board, 2009). 1. Mid and long term development plans The idea of this community-based ecotourism project is to create a place where tourists can experience real rural African village life by staying in the village itself and taking part in its daily activities and traditions. Table 2. 1: Mid term development plans (2010-2015) |Introducing the idea of developing eco-tourism to the local people. |Educating local people to come in contact with tourists, to take pride in their culture and traditions, even though| |the economic resources are limited. | |Come in contact with the local gover nment and try to obtain funding and their involvement. | |Building an eco-lodge to accommodate tourists (10 basic huts), toilets, a small eating place; electricity | |facilities, clean drinking water and first aid care are also priorities. | |Organising volunteering placements programmes for people who would like to get involved in this project (such as | |students, teachers). | |Creating a community fund and raise awareness of the programme in order to obtain sponsorships (from charity | |foundations, Ghana Tourism Board). |Come in contact with niche travel agents and the Regional and National Tourism Boards in order to promote the | |tourism product, such as Jolinaiko Eco Tours and Ghana Tourism Board. | |Create community experiences that tourists can take part when visiting the village (ex. : fishing with the locals, | |learning how to weave a mat or a basket, learn the dancing moves of the Ewe tribe, meeting the storyteller of the | |village, etc. ). | (Jolinaiko Eco Tours, 2009 ). Table 2. 2: Long term development plans (2015-2020) |Maintain the tourism product authentic and sustainable and try to minimise the negative impacts, if these occur. | |Introduce other community experiences, such as excursions. |Building a community centre and a school in the village. | 2. Impacts Tourism, as a form of human activity, takes place in an environment, which is made up of both human and natural factors, and can have major impacts. Impacts can be positive or/and negative, and are usually referred as economic, environmental and socio-cultural. (Mason, 2003). The development of the community-based ecotourism project of Deme village can trigger a series of impacts. Economic impacts include: †¢ Reduce the poverty level of the community through generating jobs for the locals (also avoid money leakage). †¢ Contribution to the community development. †¢ Over-dependence on tourism. Socio-cultural impacts, according Burns and Holden (1995, cited in Mason, 2003), â€Å"are greatest when there is a large contrast between the culture of the receiving society and the origin culture†, and these are: †¢ Preserve the traditional cultural activities of the Ewe tribe and the unique lifestyle †¢ Educating the local people (regarding taking pride in teaching their culture and traditions and act as hosts to visitors; the income earned by the locals through tourism is used to send their children to school) †¢ Avoid migration of the local youngsters in order to preserve the unique culture and customs and transmit it from generation to generation (through generating jobs and a higher quality of life) †¢ Overcrowding (causing stress for both visitors and locals) †¢ Demonstration effects (behavioural changes of the local people through observing the behaviour of the tourists and wanting to adopt it). Environmental impacts include: †¢ Educate the locals to act in consideration with preserving the natural environment and the endangered species of animals †¢ Pollution (air pollution, solid waste, litter, noise) †¢ Damage or/and disturbance of wildlife habitats †¢ Over-fishing (community experiences include fishing with the locals in the Volta Lake) †¢ Footpath erosion In order to reduce some of the negative impacts listed above, the tourism product needs to be sustainable developed. (Mason, 2003). 4. Model approach to sustainable tourism product The sustainable development strategy is defined by Brundtland (WCED 1987 p. 49 cited in Hall, 2008) as â€Å"sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†. The ecotourism project of Deme has been planned having sustainability and minimizing the possibly negative impacts as the main concern. It is vital for this poor community that tourism activity is planned sustainable. The development plan was made following the community approach of Murphy (1985, cited in Hall, 2008), who promotes â€Å"the use of an ecological approach to tourism planning that emphasised the need for local control over the development process†. So, the local people are at the centre of this small scale tourism project, which directly benefit from it, and the environment will be slightly modified and preserved. There will be a small number of tourists visiting that will be accommodated in 10 basic clay-made huts, an eating place serving traditional food (fish, cassava and mango dishes, using local products). Tourists can come in contact with unique experiences that involve the locals: learning how to weave a basket or a mat out of reed, learning the Ewe tribe dancing moves, go fishing with a local fisherman, and enjoy a meal with a local family. This approach will ensure that both the tourists and the locals gain a high level of satisfaction, poverty is eradicated and tourism in Deme is sustainable. (Hall, 2008). 5. Strategies to ensure sustainability To ensure sustainability there must be strategies because sustainability in tourism development is really important. Sustainability strategy has to connect with all stakeholders in the tourism planning so the developed tourism can have a future. The sustainable development has to guarantee that the natural, cultural and all other resources of tourism are preserved for stable use in the future, at the same time as bringing benefits to the local community. (Inskeep, 1994). Table 5. 1: Highlighted strategies: |Save energy by reduce emission through renewable energy sources. |Encourage efficient use of natural and local resources. | |Support the sustainable use of land. | |Protect and develop biodiversity. | |Constantly informing the visitors. | |Encourage environmental education a nd community involvement | 6. Stakeholders analysis According to Hall (2008), stakeholders are â€Å"individuals, groups or/and organisations with an interest on an issue, problem or outcome that are directly influenced or affected by the actions or non-actions taken by others to resolve the problem or issue†. Stakeholders in Deme are people with an interest and directly involved in the tourism activity of the village. They are: the local community (fishermen, the boat makers, the eating place owner, the traditional ewe-an crafts vendors, the local tourist guides, the youngsters of the village), Ghana Tourism Board, the local and national government and the travel agent that will market the tourism product and will make the bookings. The local community is the main stakeholder involved in this tourism project, because the tourism product offered is local community experiences, which means that everybody is involved. Directly earning income from this tourism project will be: the locals working on building the facilities for accommodating tourists, the locals taking part in teaching the tourists about the customs and traditions of the Ewe tribe (basket weavers, the dancers), fishermen that will supply the eating place, and will also act as tourist guides, the boat makers. The youngsters of the village will benefit indirectly through educational programmes that will teach them about sustainable tourism and how to protect the environment and their local traditions and culture. This tourism project will positively affect and change the lives of the locals. Negative impacts might be over-dependence on tourism and tourism activity not constant. This is why the planning process needs to take into consideration these aspects and make sure the influx of tourists is constant. Ghana Tourism Board will benefit through internationally raising awareness on tourism business in Ghana, the local/national government through taxes from the tourists/ taxes from the locals. This tourism product will be sold to the tourists through an independent niche travel agent who will benefit and make profit from the tourists that will book their holidays with them. (Hall and Richards, 2003). 7. Strategies to ensure cooperation with the local government The regulation of tourist development is determined by policies, which together inform an overall set of planning principles for the area being planned. The determination of these policies is based on several considerations. Thus, the form which tourism planning takes will be influenced by general government policies and private sector policies. Cited in Elm Publications (2002) page: 6-1 Ghana’s government has a role to play in formulating appropriate policies and strategies for human resource development in tourism. Support for continental and regional structures are part of this, but it is also necessary to encourage private initiatives and, in particular, Ghanaian entrepreneurs. Properly conceived, government interventions in the tourism sector can play an important catalytic role. It is important, for example, to create institutional mechanisms that bring together governments and private entrepreneurs, thus avoiding damage that may be caused if they work at cross purposes. Cited in CABI (2001) page: 73 The problems in Ghana’s tourism are closely related to structural imbalances in its overall development pattern. There are no clear strategies for development in general or for tourism in particular, and tourism has not been integrated with other economic sectors. The economic crisis and the need to provide more employment compel governments to speed up replacement of expatriate senior staff by nationals. Cited in CABI (2001) page: 66, 68 7. 1 Human Resource (HR) in tourism development HR development in tourism is aimed at reducing dependence on import personnel and replacing them with workers from local areas. This requires an understanding of the market for labour in the tourism industry, and an awareness of quantitative and qualitative requirements of the industry. Cited in CABI (2001) page: 68, 72 7. 2 Education and Training It is important to emphasize in Ghanaian tourism, cooperation is especially urgent in education and training, as well as in a wide range of skills, including management and information technology. This should not be confined to the formal education system. While formal training is obviously important, it may often be more beneficial and most cost-effective, in practice, to focus on informal training, either on the job or through programmes carefully tailored to meet defined objectives and targeted at specific types of individuals. Cited in CABI (2001) page: 73 8. Avoiding demonstration effects Demonstration effect is seen as a socio-cultural impact regarding the tourism activity and is referred to as the behavioural changes in the resident population when coming in contact with tourists. The impacts are greater when the culture of the host community and the tourists is very different. This situation can have negative effects especially on the young host community who becomes resentful because they are unable to obtain the goods and lifestyle demonstrated by the visitors. (Burns and Holden, 1995). The demonstration effect may encourage youngsters to migrate from rural areas in search for the lifestyle from urban areas â€Å"demonstrated† by the tourists. (Mason, 2003). Demonstration effects in Deme village will be minimal because this is a small-scale project and the number of tourists visiting the area will be controlled by the travel agent involved in this project. Anyhow, the demonstration effect involves the individual perception of the locals upon the tourists’ behaviour and it is not something that can be measured and totally controlled. This could be minimal if locals are taught about the important value of their culture and that they should be proud of being part of the unique environment that surrounds them, and also the effects of globalization. Educational programmes should help minimise demonstration effects, together with sustainable development. (Mason, 2003). 9. Conclusion This case study report has analysed the development plan of a community-based ecotourism project in Ghana. The development plan of Deme village has been conducted having the community as the main resource for tourism. The local people are involved in all aspects of tourism activity in order to break the poverty barriers that enable the community to have a decent lifestyle. 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