Saturday, August 31, 2019

Socio-Economic and Political Conditions in Sparta and Athens After 800 B.C.E.

Ancient Greece was in a pretty bad shape during the period from 1200 to 800 B. C. E, which is referred as the Dark Age of the Greece. Eventually, after 800 B. C. E, Greeks started expanding their empire from the Mediterranean towards east as far as the Black Sea, and towards west as far as the Atlantic Ocean. At this time, two prominent city- states named Athens and Sparta stood as two pillars in the Greek history. Although these two city -states are geographically close to each other in Greece, they were rivals and shared many differences.However, some of the social conditions were similar in these two city -states. During the Archaic age (800- 500 B. C. E. ), these two city- states progressed tremendously both politically and economically. Even though the Greeks came out of the Dark Age and were expanding with prosperity, they faced new problems with growing population, hunger, and land shortage. Moreover, their lands were not fertile to feed the needs of the growing population, an d there was turmoil everywhere because of the tyranny of the aristocrats.To improve their economical, social, and political conditions, the Athenians and the Spartans created new political systems, introduced important reforms and stood as the role models in the Greek political development. The Spartans responded to the economic crisis by conquering Messene, their rich neighbor, in 715 B. C. E so that they can add the rich region’s resources. Sparta is a city -state in the southern part of Greece which was under the control of aristocracy. In fact, Sparta’s asset was its powerful military, and it is the protector of Greece.Spartans oppressed the Messenian slaves after their revolt against the Spartans. In order to appease the non- nobles, who demanded equal rights, as they assisted the Spartans in the war, the aristocrats later, reformed the state system to â€Å"Lycurgan regimen. † According to this reform, all Spartans were given equal rights, and the state wa s ruled by two kings with the assistance from the nobles. Taking into consideration the economic situations in Sparta, the Messenian slaves called â€Å"Helots† did all the physical work while the men of Sparta devoted their lives for the military.Boys in their young age were forced into military training. Although family life was important to Spartans, their social life was compromised as men spent much of their lives in the military. So they established close relationships with other men in the military. The main aim of the Spartan men was to be trained as the best infantrymen and sacrifice their lives in the battle. Spartan women were good wives who devoted their lives in bearing children and had rights to own property.In the same way, Athenians implemented law of codes, reforms, and adopted democracy with the help of prominent and thoughtful aristocrats and ascended from the economic and political distress and oppression of the aristocrats. In the late sixth century B. C. E, Draco, an aristocrat, published the first law of code which asserts that law belonged to all citizens, Later, Solon, an aristocrat who became â€Å"archon,† a chief magistrate of Polis, reformed the prevailing social conditions by freeing the slaves, recalling exiles, and made enslavement for debt illegal.He thus introduced democratic ideals into their political system in response to the tyranny of the aristocrats and nobles on small farmers and landowners. Although Athens was under the aristocratic rule in the beginning, it later adopted the democratic form of government under the leadership of a prominent aristocrat named Cleisthenes. Undoubtedly, Athenians were the first to introduce democratic sovereign and legislation with a council (â€Å"Boule†) and an assembly of citizens (â€Å"Ecclesia†). They also developed their infrastructure, and â€Å"Acropolis† clearly reveals their love for architecture.Young boys were not forced into military and wer e given opportunity to excel in education, arts, and other talents. The Athenians enjoyed better social life than the Spartans, and family life was important. Like Spartan men, Athenian men maintained close relationships with other men. Women were confined to giving birth and raising children along with other household chores, and they were considered inferior to men. Unlike the Spartan women, they had less freedom. Even though Athenians adopted democracy, women and slaves have limited rights and were not granted citizenship. Ancient Greeks rose from their dark age in 800 B. C. E.  and started expanding their empire in the neighboring regions.With their progress several economic and social tensions appeared such as population growth, hunger, and food shortage. In response to this economic and social distress, the two city-states, Athens and Sparta, with their own distinctive social structure, developed into two significant political systems. Athenians emphasized not only on firm p olitical development, education, and culture but also on individual freedom and justice. Democracy and legislation with two presiding bodies were introduced into their political system and even the poor were allowed to vote in the election.On the contrary, Spartans focused on training their youth as soldiers and thus strengthened their military. With the military power they conquered their resourceful neighboring region, Messene, and later reformed their state system with two ruling kings and five noble overseers. Their reform system also presented equal rights to all Spartans. The above discussed political and social reforms were necessary for both the city-states at that time of chaos in order to survive. Even though they underwent many deadly conflicts, Athens and Sparta established themselves as prominent city-states in the political development of ancient Greek history. Socio-Economic and Political Conditions in Sparta and Athens After 800 B.C.E. Ancient Greece was in a pretty bad shape during the period from 1200 to 800 B. C. E, which is referred as the Dark Age of the Greece. Eventually, after 800 B. C. E, Greeks started expanding their empire from the Mediterranean towards east as far as the Black Sea, and towards west as far as the Atlantic Ocean. At this time, two prominent city- states named Athens and Sparta stood as two pillars in the Greek history. Although these two city -states are geographically close to each other in Greece, they were rivals and shared many differences.However, some of the social conditions were similar in these two city -states. During the Archaic age (800- 500 B. C. E. ), these two city- states progressed tremendously both politically and economically. Even though the Greeks came out of the Dark Age and were expanding with prosperity, they faced new problems with growing population, hunger, and land shortage. Moreover, their lands were not fertile to feed the needs of the growing population, an d there was turmoil everywhere because of the tyranny of the aristocrats.To improve their economical, social, and political conditions, the Athenians and the Spartans created new political systems, introduced important reforms and stood as the role models in the Greek political development. The Spartans responded to the economic crisis by conquering Messene, their rich neighbor, in 715 B. C. E so that they can add the rich region’s resources. Sparta is a city -state in the southern part of Greece which was under the control of aristocracy. In fact, Sparta’s asset was its powerful military, and it is the protector of Greece.Spartans oppressed the Messenian slaves after their revolt against the Spartans. In order to appease the non- nobles, who demanded equal rights, as they assisted the Spartans in the war, the aristocrats later, reformed the state system to â€Å"Lycurgan regimen. † According to this reform, all Spartans were given equal rights, and the state wa s ruled by two kings with the assistance from the nobles. Taking into consideration the economic situations in Sparta, the Messenian slaves called â€Å"Helots† did all the physical work while the men of Sparta devoted their lives for the military.Boys in their young age were forced into military training. Although family life was important to Spartans, their social life was compromised as men spent much of their lives in the military. So they established close relationships with other men in the military. The main aim of the Spartan men was to be trained as the best infantrymen and sacrifice their lives in the battle. Spartan women were good wives who devoted their lives in bearing children and had rights to own property.In the same way, Athenians implemented law of codes, reforms, and adopted democracy with the help of prominent and thoughtful aristocrats and ascended from the economic and political distress and oppression of the aristocrats. In the late sixth century B. C. E, Draco, an aristocrat, published the first law of code which asserts that law belonged to all citizens, Later, Solon, an aristocrat who became â€Å"archon,† a chief magistrate of Polis, reformed the prevailing social conditions by freeing the slaves, recalling exiles, and made enslavement for debt illegal.He thus introduced democratic ideals into their political system in response to the tyranny of the aristocrats and nobles on small farmers and landowners. Although Athens was under the aristocratic rule in the beginning, it later adopted the democratic form of government under the leadership of a prominent aristocrat named Cleisthenes. Undoubtedly, Athenians were the first to introduce democratic sovereign and legislation with a council (â€Å"Boule†) and an assembly of citizens (â€Å"Ecclesia†). They also developed their infrastructure, and â€Å"Acropolis† clearly reveals their love for architecture.Young boys were not forced into military and wer e given opportunity to excel in education, arts, and other talents. The Athenians enjoyed better social life than the Spartans, and family life was important. Like Spartan men, Athenian men maintained close relationships with other men. Women were confined to giving birth and raising children along with other household chores, and they were considered inferior to men. Unlike the Spartan women, they had less freedom. Even though Athenians adopted democracy, women and slaves have limited rights and were not granted citizenship.Ancient Greeks rose from their dark age in 800 B. C. E.  and started expanding their empire in the neighboring regions. With their progress several economic and social tensions appeared such as population growth, hunger, and food shortage. In response to this economic and social distress, the two city-states, Athens and Sparta, with their own distinctive social structure, developed into two significant political systems. Athenians emphasized not only on firm p olitical development, education, and culture but also on individual freedom and justice. Democracy and legislation with two presiding bodies were introduced into their political system and even the poor were allowed to vote in the election.On the contrary, Spartans focused on training their youth as soldiers and thus strengthened their military. With the military power they conquered their resourceful neighboring region, Messene, and later reformed their state system with two ruling kings and five noble overseers. Their reform system also presented equal rights to all Spartans. The above discussed political and social reforms were necessary for both the city-states at that time of chaos in order to survive. Even though they underwent many deadly conflicts, Athens and Sparta established themselves as prominent city-states in the political development of ancient Greek history.

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Role of Culture in International Management

‘One of the most important rules to remember when working within a multi-national organization is that there is not necessarily one right way of doing things,'says Professor Geert Hofstede With developing globalization of business across the world, the ability of employees to work effectively and efficiently has become increasingly important to the entities success. Cross-cultural understanding by individuals and the organization as a whole serves to eliminate misunderstandings that could harm the business and maximize the best attribute each individual has to offer. Effective international managers are those with the wisdom to seek competitive edge through intercultural training, gaining a complete understanding of their global markets so they can plan and execute accordingly. in addition the new, globalized, borderless economy is facing international managers. The premise has changed from unlimited growth to uncertainty and caution, but importantly, the premise of opportunity in global business remains unchanged. The uncertain economy and increasing geopolitical complexity simply levels the playing field for managers around the world. How managers respond, how they manage and turn the increasing threats into opportunities, becomes vital to success in today's environment. Now, more than ever, all students must recognize that they will have the qualifier â€Å"international† in front of whatever their chosen career field. The whole world is now connected electronically and psychologically; it is hard to imagine any business or nonbusiness organization that is not directly affected by globalization. The challenge in the uncertain global economy is to learn and effectively practice international management. Those with the knowledge and skills to apply on international management will be taking a big step toward gaining a competitive advantage in today's uncertain, unprecedented environment.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story Chapter 32

Chapter 32 All for One, and†¦ Well, You Know They might have been the Magnificent Seven or the Seven Samurai. If each of them had been a trained professional, a gunfighter with a character flaw, or a broken warrior with a past – or if each had a secret reason for joining a suicide mission, an antihero's sense of justice, and a burning desire to put things right – they might have become an elite fighting unit whose resourcefulness and courage would lead them to victory over those who would oppose or oppress. But the fact was, they were a disorganized bunch of perpetual adolescents, untrained and unprepared for anything but throwing stock and having fun: the Animals. They sat on the registers as Tommy paced before them telling them about the vampire, about Simon's death, and giving them the call to action while the Emperor stood by quoting passages from Henry the Fifth's speech at the Battle of Agincourt. â€Å"The cops aren't going to believe it, and I can't do it alone,† Tommy said. The Emperor said, â€Å"‘We few, we lucky few†¦ â€Å" â€Å"So who's with me?† The Animals didn't say a word. â€Å"Barry,† Tommy said, â€Å"you're a scuba diver. You've got some balls, right? Sure, you're balding and going to fat, but this is a chance to make a difference.† Barry looked at this shoes. Tommy jumped to Drew, who hung his head so that his greasy blond hair covered his face. â€Å"Drew, you have the most complete knowledge of chemistry of anyone I've ever met. It's time to use it.† â€Å"We've got a truck to unload,† Drew said. Tommy moved to Clint; stared into his thick glasses, ruffled his curly black hair. â€Å"Clint, God wants you to do this. This vampire is evil incarnate. Sure, you're a little burned out, but you can still strike a blow for righteousness.† â€Å"Blessed are the meek,† said Clint. â€Å"Jeff!† Tommy said. The big jock looked up, as if the key to the universe lay in the fluorescent lights. â€Å"Jeff, you're big, you're dumb, your knee is blown out, but hey, man, you look good. We might be able to use that.† Jeff began whistling. Tommy moved on. â€Å"Lash, your people have been oppressed for hundreds of years. It's time to strike back. Look, you don't have your MBA yet – they haven't completely juiced you of your usefulness yet. Would Martin Luther King back down from this challenge? Malcolm X? James Brown? Don't you have a dream? Don't you feel good, like you knew that you would, now?† Lash shook his head. â€Å"I have to study in the morning, man.† â€Å"Troy Lee? Samurai tradition? You're the only trained fighter here.† â€Å"I'm Chinese, not Japanese.† â€Å"Whatever. You're a kung-fu guy. You can reach into a guy's pocket and take his wallet before he knows it's gone. No one has reflexes like you.† â€Å"Okay,† Troy said. Tommy stopped on his way to the next man. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Sure, I'll help you. Simon was a good friend.† â€Å"Wow,† Tommy said. He looked to Gustavo. â€Å"Well?† Gustavo shook his head. â€Å"Viva Zapata!† Tommy said. â€Å"Leave him alone,† Troy Lee said. â€Å"He's got a family.† â€Å"You're right,† Tommy said. â€Å"Sorry, Gustavo.† Troy Lee got up and stood in front of the other Animals. â€Å"But you fuckers. You worthless bags of dog meat. If Simon could see you he'd shoot every one of you. This could be the best party we ever had.† Drew looked up. â€Å"Party?† â€Å"Yeah,† Troy Lee said, â€Å"party. We drink some brews, kick some ass, dismember some monsters – maybe pick up some babes. Christ, Drew, who knows what kind of shit we could get into. And you're going to miss it.† â€Å"I'm in,† said Drew. â€Å"Me too,† said Barry. Troy looked at Jeff and Clint. â€Å"Well?† They nodded. â€Å"Lash, you in?† â€Å"Okay,† Lash said without conviction. â€Å"Okay,† Tommy said. â€Å"Let's throw the truck. We can't start until morning anyway. We'll figure out a plan and get some weapons then.† Troy Lee held up a finger. â€Å"One thing. How do we find the vampire?† Tommy said, â€Å"Okay, let's get to work.† Morning found the Animals in the Safeway parking lot, drinking beer and discussing the strategy for finding and disposing of a monster. â€Å"So, as far as you know, drugs don't affect them?† Drew asked. â€Å"I don't think so,† Tommy said. â€Å"Well, no wonder he's pissed off,† Drew said. â€Å"What about guns?† Jeff asked. â€Å"I've got Simon's shotgun at my house.† Tommy thought for a moment before answering. â€Å"They can be hurt; I mean, damaged. But Jody heals incredibly fast – this guy might even be faster. Still, I'd rather have a twelve-gauge against him than nothing.† Barry said, â€Å"A stake through the heart always works in the movies.† Tommy nodded. â€Å"It might work. We could try it. If we get that far, we can cut him up, too.† â€Å"Spearguns,† Barry said. â€Å"I've got three of them. A CO2 model and two that use elastics. They won't shoot far, but they might pin him down while we cut him up.† â€Å"I've got a couple of short fighting swords,† Troy Lee interjected. â€Å"Razor sharp.† â€Å"Good,† Tommy said. â€Å"Bring 'em.† â€Å"I'll bring the Word,† Glint said. He'd been shouting â€Å"Get thee behind me, Satan,† all night, putting the Animals on edge. â€Å"Why don't you just go home and pray,† Lash said, giving Glint a push. â€Å"We need some action here.† He turned from Glint and addressed the group. â€Å"Look, guys, spearguns and swords are great, but how do we find this guy? The cops have been looking for him for three months, and they obviously haven't had any luck. If he's really after Tommy, then the best thing we can do is ambush him at Tommy's apartment. And I'm not sure I want to face him when he's awake. Simon was my friend too, but he was also one of the quickest people I ever met and the vampire took him out like he was a baby. And the paper said that he was armed. I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He's right,† Drew said. â€Å"We're fucked. Anyone want to catch the ferry to Sausalito and terrorize some yuppie artists? I've got mushrooms.† â€Å"Shrooms! Shrooms! Shrooms!† the Animals chanted. Suddenly there was a staccato clanging, like someone banging on a garbage-can lid with a stick, which is pretty much what it was. The Emperor, who had been silent all night, stepped into the circle. â€Å"Before your spines go to jelly, men, take heart. I've been thinking.† â€Å"Oh, no!† someone shouted. â€Å"I think I have a way to find the fiend and dispose of him before sundown.† â€Å"Right,† Drew said sarcastically. â€Å"How?† The Emperor picked up Bummer and held out the little dog as if he were displaying the Holy Grail. â€Å"Pound for pound, a better soldier never marched, and a better tracker never sniffed out a sewer rat. I've been so stupid.† â€Å"Beg your pardon, Your Majesty,† Tommy said. â€Å"But what the fuck are you talking about?† â€Å"Until last night I didn't know that the lovely young woman with whom you share your abode was a vampire. Yet every time we passed your building Bummer went into a frenzy. He's been the same each time we've encountered the fiend himself. I believe he has a special sensitivity for the smell of vampires.† They all stared at him, waiting. â€Å"Gather your courage and your weapons, good fellows. We'll meet here in two hours and remove this evil from my city. And a little dog shall lead us.† The Animals looked at Tommy, who shrugged and nodded. They had a new leader now. â€Å"Two hours, guys,† Tommy said. â€Å"The Emperor's in charge.† Cavuto watched the Animals disperse though his field glasses. He was sitting in the parking lot at Fort Mason, a hundred yards from the Safeway. He put down the binoculars and dialed Rivera's number on his cellular phone. â€Å"Rivera.† â€Å"Anything happening there?† Cavuto asked. â€Å"No, I don't think that anything will now that it's daylight. The lights stayed off after the kid left, but I could hear a vacuum cleaner running. The girl's up there but she didn't turn on the light.† â€Å"So she likes to clean in the dark.† â€Å"I think she can see in the dark.† â€Å"I don't want to talk about it,† Cavuto said. â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Not much. Some kids were dropping pebbles on me from the roof. The guys in the foundry below the kid's apartment are moving around now. A couple of bums are doing some close-order public urinating in the alley. What's happening there?† â€Å"The kid worked all night, drank some beers with the crew; they just split up but the kid and the wacko are still here.† â€Å"Why don't you call in some relief?† â€Å"I don't want this out of our hands until we know more. Stay by the phone.† â€Å"Anything from the coroner?† â€Å"Yeah, just got off the phone with him. Massive blood loss from the guy in the truck. None from the guy in the morgue. Heart attack. They still haven't found the girl's body.† â€Å"That's because she was cleaning house all night.† â€Å"Gotta go,† Cavuto said. Tommy and the Emperor were waiting in the parking lot when the Animals returned in Troy Lee's Toyota and began unloading equipment. â€Å"Stop, stop, stop,† Tommy said. â€Å"We can't run all over the City with spearguns and swords.† â€Å"And shotguns,† Jeff said proudly, jacking a shell into the chamber of Simon's shotgun. â€Å"Put that back in the car.† â€Å"No problem,† Drew said, holding up a roll of Christmas wrap. â€Å"Dallas, November 22, 1963.† â€Å"What?† Tommy said. â€Å"Lee Harvey Oswald walks into the book depository with a Venetian blind. Minutes later Jackie's scooping brains off the trunk of a Lincoln. Anybody asks, we're all giving Venetian blinds to our moms for Christmas.† â€Å"Oh,† Tommy said. â€Å"Okay.† Clint climbed out of the Toyota wearing a choir robe, a half dozen crosses hung around his neck. He held a Baggie full of crackers in one hand, a squirt gun in the other. â€Å"I'm ready,† he said to Tommy and the Emperor. â€Å"Snacks,† Tommy said, nodding to the Baggie. â€Å"Good thinking.† â€Å"The Heavenly Host,† Clint said. He brandished the squirt gun. â€Å"Loaded with holy water.† â€Å"That stuff doesn't work, Clint.† â€Å"O ye of little faith,† Clint said. Bummer and Lazarus had left the Emperor's side and were nosing up to Clint. â€Å"See, they know the power of the Spirit.† Just then Bummer jumped and snatched the Baggie, then took off around the corner of the store, followed closely by Lazarus, Clint, and the Emperor. â€Å"Stop him,† Clint shouted at an old man coming out of the store. â€Å"He's taken the body of Christ.† â€Å"Don't hurt him,† the Emperor shouted. â€Å"He's the only hope for saving the City.† Tommy took off after them. As he passed the bewildered old man, Tommy said, â€Å"Last week they were playing cards with Elvis.What can I say?† The old man seemed to accept this and hurried off. Tommy caught up with them behind the store, where the Emperor was holding Bummer in one hand and fending off Clint with his wooden sword with the other, while Lazarus licked the last few crumbs out of the torn plastic bag. â€Å"He ate the blessed Savior!† Clint wailed. â€Å"He ate the blessed Savior!† Tommy caught Clint around the waist and pulled him away. â€Å"It's okay, Clint. Bummer's a Christian.† Jeff rounded the corner, his size-fourteen Reeboks clomping like a quarter horse. He looked at the empty Baggie. â€Å"Oh, I get it. They freeze-dried him, right?† Drew came around the corner, followed by Lash and Troy Lee. â€Å"Do we have a partying platoon, or what?† Drew said. Jeff said, â€Å"I never knew that they freeze-dried Jesus, did you?† Lash checked his watch. â€Å"We've got less than six hours before it gets dark. Maybe we should get started.† Tommy released Clint and the Emperor lowered his sword. â€Å"We need something to give Bummer the scent,† the Emperor said. â€Å"Something that the fiend has touched.† Tommy dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out one of the hundreds that Jody had given him. â€Å"I'm pretty sure that he touched this, but it's been a while.† The Emperor took the hundred and held it to Bummer's nose. â€Å"It shouldn't matter. His senses are keen and his heart is righteous.† To Bummer he said, â€Å"This is the scent, little one. Find this scent.† He put Bummer down and the little dog was off with a yap and a snort. The vampire hunters followed, losing sight of Bummer as he rounded the store. When they came around to the front of the store, the manager was coming out, holding a snarling Bummer in his arms. â€Å"Flood, is this your dog?† â€Å"He's his own man,† the Emperor said. â€Å"Well, he just ran in and blew snot all over the cash in register eight. You train him to find money?† The Emperor looked down to the hundred-dollar bill in his hand, then at Tommy. â€Å"Perhaps we should find something else to put him on the scent.† â€Å"Where was the last place you saw the vampire?† Tommy asked. The gate guard at the Saint Francis Yacht Club wasn't buying a word of it. â€Å"Really,† Tommy said. â€Å"We're here to decorate for the Christmas party.† The Animals waved their gaily wrapped weapons to illustrate the point. â€Å"And the Archbishop has come along to perform midnight mass.† Tommy pointed to Clint, who grinned and winked through his thick glasses. â€Å"Deus ex machina,† Clint said, exhausting his Latin. â€Å"Shalom,† he added for good measure. The guard tapped his clipboard. â€Å"I'm sorry, gentlemen, I can't let you through without a membership or a guest pass.† The Emperor cleared his throat royally. â€Å"Good man, each moment you delay may be paid for with human suffering.† The guard thought that he might have just been threatened, hoped, in fact, that he had, so he could pull his gun, and was just letting his hand drop to his gun belt when the phone in the gate booth rang. â€Å"Stay here,† he instructed the vampire hunters. He answered the phone and nodded at it, then looked across Marina Boulevard to where a brown Dodge was parked. He hung up the phone and came out of the booth. â€Å"Go on in,† he said, obviously not happy about it. He pushed a button, the gate rose, and the Animals went in, headed for the East Harbor. Two minutes later the brown Dodge pulled up and stopped by the gate. Cavuto rolled down the window and flashed his badge. â€Å"Thanks,† he said to the guard. â€Å"I'll keep an eye on them for you.† â€Å"No problem,† said the guard. â€Å"You ever get to shoot anyone?† â€Å"Not today.† Cavuto said. He drove though the gate, staying just out of sight of the Animals. At the end of the dock the Animals and the Emperor stared forlornly at the big white motor yacht moored a hundred yards out into the harbor. Bummer was in the midst of a yapping fit. â€Å"You see,† said the Emperor, â€Å"he knows that the fiend is aboard.† â€Å"You're sure that's the boat that he came off of?† â€Å"Most definitely. It chills my spine to think of it – the mist forming into a monster.† â€Å"That's great,† Tommy said, â€Å"but how do we get aboard?† He turned to Barry, who was applying sunscreen to his bald spot. â€Å"Can you swim it?† â€Å"We could all swim it,† Barry said. â€Å"But how do we keep the gun dry? I could go get my Zodiac and take us all out there, but it'll take a while.† â€Å"How long?† â€Å"Maybe an hour.† â€Å"We've got four, maybe five hours until sunset,† Lash said. â€Å"Go,† Tommy said. â€Å"Get it.† â€Å"No, wait,† said Drew, looking at the rows of yachts in the nearby slips. â€Å"Jeff, can you swim?† The big power forward shook his head. â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Good,† Drew said. He took the Christmas-paper-wrapped shotgun from Jeff, then grabbed him by the arm and threw him into the water. â€Å"Man overboard! Man overboard! We need a boat.† The few owners and crew members who were performing maintenance on the nearby boats looked up. Drew spotted a good-sized life raft on the stern of a sixty-footer. â€Å"There, you guys, get that.† The Animals scrambled after the raft. The yacht's crew helped them get it over the side into the water. Jeff, flailing in the water, had slapped his way back to the dock. Drew pushed him away with the shotgun. â€Å"Not yet, big guy.† Over his shoulder he shouted, â€Å"Hurry, you guys! He's drowning!† Tommy, Barry, and Lash were paddling the rubber raft for all they were worth. The yachtsmen and the Emperor shouted instructions, while Drew and Troy Lee watched their friend trying not to drown. â€Å"He's doing really well for a non-swimmer,† Drew said calmly. â€Å"Doesn't want to get his hair wet,† said Troy with Taoist simplicity. â€Å"Yeah, can't waste that two hours of blow-drying.† Tommy moved to the front of the raft and held his paddle out to Jeff. â€Å"Grab it.† Jeff flailed and thrashed, but didn't grab the paddle. â€Å"If he stops paddling his head will go under,† Troy called. â€Å"You'll have to grab him.† Tommy whacked Jeff on the head with the plastic paddle. â€Å"Grab it!† The power forward slipped under for a second and bobbed to the surface again. â€Å"That's one!† Drew called. â€Å"Now grab it,† Tommy yelled. He raised the paddle as if to strike again. Jeff shook his head violently and reached for the paddle as he went under again. â€Å"That's two!† Tommy pulled the paddle up with Jeff on the end while Barry and Lash wrestled the big man into the boat. â€Å"Well done, men,† the Emperor said. The yachtsmen stood at the end of the dock, watching in amazement. Drew turned to them. â€Å"We're going to need that raft for a while, okay?† One of the crewmen started to protest and Drew jacked a shell into the shotgun, ripping the wrapping paper. â€Å"Big shark hunt. We need the raft.† The crewman nodded and backed away. â€Å"Sure, as long as you need it.† â€Å"Okay,† Tommy called. â€Å"Everybody in the raft.† Drew and Troy Lee helped the Emperor get into the raft, then handed over Bummer and Lazarus and climbed in themselves. The Emperor stood at the front of the raft as they made their way across the harbor to the Sanguine II. Twenty yards from the yacht Bummer began barking and bouncing around the raft. â€Å"The fiend is definitely on board,† the Emperor said. He picked up Bummer and shoved him into his pocket. â€Å"Well done, little one.† It took five minutes to get everyone on board and the life raft secured to the stern. â€Å"How we doing on time, Lash?† Tommy asked. â€Å"We're looking at four, maybe four and a half hours of daylight. Will he wake up at sunset or dark?† â€Å"Jody usually wakes up right at sunset. So let's say four.† â€Å"Okay, everybody,† Tommy said, â€Å"let's spread out and find the vampire.† â€Å"I don't know if that's a good idea,† said Jeff. He was dripping and his lips had gone blue with the cold. The Animals looked at him. He was embarrassed by the attention. â€Å"Well, in all of the horror movies, the people split up and the monster picks them off one by one.† â€Å"Good point,† Tommy said. â€Å"Everybody stay together; find this fucker and get it over with.† He raised a gift-wrapped spear-gun in salute. â€Å"For Simon!† â€Å"For Simon!† the Animals shouted as they followed Tommy below.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 7

Law - Essay Example the UK government was in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights; the Grand Chamber of the European Court dismissed the appeal of the British government in October 2005. But as of June 2006 there has been no revision in UK law on the issue.3 Once the European Court of Human Rights ultimately rejected the British government’s inexcusable appeal in the John Hirst’s case they granted the New Labour Government with a rare and genuine opportunity to implement their much proclaimed policy of political and social inclusion.4 Until Hirst’s case, whenever any person in the United Kingdom is sentenced to imprisonment they sacrificed more than their rights or freedom. They also sacrificed their right to vote and along with it their position as citizens. Convicts remain the last primary group to be prohibited from the electorate.5 Consequently their welfare is mostly overlooked and politicians have little motivation to pay comprehensive and knowledgeable attention in penal policy.6 The electoral disentitlement of inmates is a remnant of the nineteenth century which plays no contemporary role and which is in conflict with the declared commitment of the government to social and political inclusion.7 Sentenced inmates in the UK have been stripped of their right to vote ever since the Forfeiture Act of 1870, immediately after the vote was bestowed upon multitudes of working class men in urban areas and after transportation was closed down as a court ruling.8 The forfeiture was brought in by a privileged class resolute to shun impoverished offenders away from the ballot box. In the past, the moving of lawbreakers and a quite controlled authorisation had implied that right to vote for inmates had never been a problem.9 The beginnings of the electoral banning of inmates can be traced back from the ancient concept of ‘civic death’, a sentence involving the forfeiture of citizenship rights.10 The prohibition reveals outdated and negative concepts of social

Reflection on the Development and Application of a Fundamental Nursing Essay

Reflection on the Development and Application of a Fundamental Nursing Skill in Nursing Practice - Essay Example This is why it is very essential for nurses to be able to carry out an analysis and clearly respond to these new challenges that keep arising in a very proactive way. As such, development of critical reflective and thinking skills does assist nurses in meeting the ever emerging challenges related to giving needed care in context of a dynamic and rapid change of environment so as to develop into a critically reflective nursing practitioner. There are different approaches to critical thinking and reflective practices. My model for this paper is the Gibb’s Reflective cycle. This paper focuses on a patient with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy; he suffers from epilepsy and also scoliosis. Cerebral palsy is a condition whereby there is a brain damage disrupting normal functioning of the body muscles. Spastic quadriplegia is one of the nine forms of cerebral palsy and which is quite common (Banta, 2003, pp.2-18). It disables and a very serious form of cerebral palsy compared to o thers because it affects the whole body. It causes muscle stiffness or paralysis of all the four quadrants of the body. Such patients cannot walk and have impaired speech functions (Rucker, 1985, pp.206-207). Their necks are floppy due to lack of control and are prone to constant seizures. Epilepsy on the other hand is still a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures which occur as a result of episodes of disturbance to the brain. While Scoliosis is the curving of the spine away from the middle hence goes sideways (Burtner, et al., 1999, pp.748-57). During my recent nursing placement, I undertook a five week program at a learning disability care home situated on the northwest of England. It was quite an experience and worked as an eye opener in my nursing career. At the time of my placement and throughout the period, I happened to observe and took part in a program aimed at feeding the residents within the learning disability care home. In this program, I focused mainly on a res ident called James (real name withheld for patient confidentiality reasons). This patient has a medical history of spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy; he suffers from epilepsy and also scoliosis. As a result of his health condition, James has developed dysphagia, which is a swallowing difficulty and for that reason he has to eat and drink in a way that does not harm him since he has no control of the process and relies on nursing help. About the Gibb’s Reflective Cycle I learnt about the Gibb’s reflective cycle during my nursing study practice. The cycle involves various stages starting with stage one which involves the description of a given event under study. Here, I have to describe in clear detail the kind of event under reflection. This stage includes details such as the place, whoever was there, the reason as to why I was there, what I was doing, the kind of context the event had, the happenings, my part that I played in the event, and others including the resul ts (Stephenson, 1993, pp.1-18). Stage 2 is about how I felt. Here, I try recalling the things that did go on inside my mind and try explaining why this event stuck in my mind. This could entail how I felt before the event took place, what I was thinking at that time, how the event made me feel, how others made me feel, and my take on the outcome, among others. The 3rd stage has more to do with the evaluation process where I try to make a personal judgment of what took place regarding what I felt was good or bad about my experience. This leads to the 4th stage in which case I try to carry out an analysis of the event.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive Essay

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive - Essay Example Townsend (2011, p. 587) illustrates that the compatibilities which electronic and electrical equipment must comply with include designing equipment during the production process in a manner which facilitates reuse, repair, recycling and disassembly. This compatibility is guided by the WEEE’s principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The major goal of the directive is described by Vaisvila and Vaicikonis (2006, p. 43) as the minimization of the disposal of unsorted municipal refuse or waste and thus facilitate the achievement of a separated WEEE collection. Additionally the directive provides that the management systems within electrical and electronic industries must be designed and organized both in individual basis and collectively so that the directive is not violated by these industries.   Hidy, et al. (2011, p. 990) add that apart for provision of recycling and recovery targets, the WEE directives provides that export of electronic and electrical equipment ca n only be achieved through compliance with the WEEE directive. Furthermore the directive provides that manufacturers of this equipment must take responsibility for the costs associated with the picking of waste from the collection centers and also for the processes of refurbishing the equipment in readiness for reuse or recycling.Quinnell (2005, p. 71) explains that the large appliances which are used in households such as washing machines and refrigerators are covered by the WEEE directive. Small appliances such as hair dryers.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Digital project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Digital project management - Essay Example Undoubtedly, the field of project management has as well been influenced by this innovative technology. Currently such highly refined online collaboration technology is used in the field of project management for remotely handling and managing the projects, directing business contracts as well as managing virtual relationships (Mumbi & McGill, 2007), (The Project Wall, 2011) and (Filev, 2008). This paper discusses the important aspects of digital project management. In this scenario I will assess the prime strategies and techniques which can be applied by a project manager in order to deliver the required results of the project. This paper will also discuss new developments and advancements in the field of project management. Project Management 2.0 This section discusses a new evolutionary paradigm of Project Management 2.0 that is evolved through the high-tech support and facilities of web 2.0. Project Management 2.0 (sometimes mistakenly acknowledged as the Social-Project-Managemen t) is one of the evolutionary information technology (IT) based project management practices. Additionally, this new IT based project management is implemented through the interface of new enhanced Web 2.0 tools and technologies. In this scenario, the modern Web 2.0 tools and technologies like wikis, blogs, shared communication boards, collaborative software, etc. have really supported the development of project management to a superior level. Additionally, through the implementation of these new Web 2.0 technologies, shortly distributed as well as globally distributed online virtual teams are competent to work in cooperation with a great deal of additional proficiency by using the next-age, usually less costly or free online development and project management systems. In addition, these innovative applications and effective tools completely change the customary approach of the project manager. Moreover, the new Project Management 2.0 practice demonstrates an impressive enhancement in the competency for collaboration or cooperation in distributed project management teams (Filev, 2008), (The Project Wall, 2011) and

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The Recipe Book as a Tradition in the Family Essay

The Recipe Book as a Tradition in the Family - Essay Example Different families have different items among their possessions that they hold most dear. These items usually have some special meaning to the members of the family and they seldom give out these items outside the family. Among the many possessions in my family, there is one that has incomparable value. It reminds everyone of our past and is the basis of some of our traditions in the family. This special item is a recipe book that my grandmother wrote. The recipe book contains several recipes that my grandmother developed. These recipes have been in use in my family for such a long time that some of the meals have become our identity among friends and relatives. It is a tradition in the family to cook a meal from the recipe book at least once a week. We always look forward to meals prepared from the recipe book, as they are usually special. Our family also uses the book when we have guests and during special events and occasions. Owing to this tradition, the recipe book has become so special in our family. My family intends to keep the recipe book for generations to come. That is to keep the recipes a family secret down the years and ensure we maintain our uniqueness when it comes to preparing special meals. Only select members of the family will inherit it down the generations to keep the traditions going. Currently, the book is under the custody of my mother who, when the time comes, will decide whom to give it. Everyone in the family hopes to inherit it and be the master of those rich meals in their own family.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The relationship between entrepreneurial venture financing and the Term Paper

The relationship between entrepreneurial venture financing and the life cycle of a venture - Term Paper Example In the final stages i.e. at the maturity stage the businesses make use of more traditional sources like issue of additional equity or internally generated funds for financing the expansionary programs. Introduction The word ‘life cycle’ in the context of ventures is used in reference to the various stages of its evolution. The initial stages begin with the commencement of the new venture in the form of efforts and intentions of the nascent organization. This stage is accompanied by the procurement of requisite non-financial and financial resources. Here it is important to highlight that finance forms the ‘backbone’ of every venture. Even the most successful business plans may not eventually be carried out in the event of fund shortage. However, the level and form of financing required for each stage of the business is different. In the initial stages when the entrepreneur has just chalked out the plan for the initiation of the venture some amount of funds ar e required for assessing the viability and financial feasibility of the proposed venture. This is a part of the early stage financing required by the business. The fund that puts the business in operational mode is referred to as ‘start up capital’. The next stage of financing is for meeting the development or expansionary needs of the business (Parker, 2006, p.1). Problem Statement- The venture life cycle has an impact on the financing pattern of the business venture. In this paper it will be shown how the financing needs of the business is aligned with the various stages such that the entrepreneur can maximise the value of the business venture. Importance of paper- The paper shows that the various stages of business require varying sources of financing. While in the initial stages it may not be possible for a newly formed business to seek for outside equity or lending. In such instances the entrepreneur of the business has to arrange for funds from internal or known s ources like family or friends. Again after this the business reaches the development and the growth stage. During these stages the business can seek for external sources like equity capital or venture funds. At the same time it can tap the banks and financial institutions for loans and overdraft facilities. At the maturity stage the business may not have to rely on outside sources as the retained earnings generated over the years can be used for financing the future growth and expansionary plans of the business. This paper manly highlights the importance and the use of various avenues of funds at the various business stages. This can give an entrepreneur an idea as to how to meet the funding requirements or which sources to be tapped at each stage of the business. Hypotheses- This paper assumes that the sources of funds to be employed in the various stages of the business also vary as per the strength and longevity of each stage. Methodology The paper is based on the secondary sourc es of data. To highlight the various types of funding requireme

Friday, August 23, 2019

What would be political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli's position about Term Paper

What would be political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli's position about the Second Amendment in the contemporary United States - Term Paper Example He was one of the officials in the Florence Republican and was given a post to deal with military and diplomatic affairs. He was one of the most influential philosophers of the western politics. All other political theorist who came after him referred to him directly of indirectly in his or her work. His writings, like The Prince and The Discourses of the First Ten books of Titus Livius, are well remembered by many authors and politicians who came after him (Soll, 34). Through his creativity in politics, therefore it was possible to predict what he would have said on the second amendment on the United States’ constitution. This amendment was adopted in 1791 together with bill of rights. This amendment was to protect the United States citizens with the right of keeping and bearing firearms. However, Noccolo Machiavelli would have different opinions on this right to keep and bear arms. Machiavelli would support it and on the other hand, he would deny the rights giving different reasons. The second amendment grants the United States citizens to keep and bear firearms (Spitzer, 23). This right was given due to many reasons. Possession of the firearms was important in the following ways, it helps to repel dangerous invasions, grants one the right of personal defense, and it enables people in organizing militias. Machiavelli would have supported this amendment because in his writing, he said that before anything else, each person must be armed. He advised that military service should a responsibility to every citizen. Therefore, every citizen should have a possession of some firearms to ensure that the society is secured from any invasion. He supported possession of arms giving reasons that good men do not make war the only profession neither can a good government can allow its citizens to make war the only profession (Soll, 37). He advised that each government should practice the art on war during the time of peace but war should occur when it is necessary to acquire glory. He believed that every citizen is considered a good man when he uses those arms in a correct way that is meant for. In addition, a government is considered well government when it uses its military to serve that society in a wrong way. Therefore, he would support the second amendment of the constitution. Furthermore, Machiavelli would support the second amendment of the United States’ constitution, which grants citizens the right of possessing firearms by claiming that this right would show that the government thrusts its citizens. Failure to grant the citizens this right, it will show that the government lacks faith to the citizens. This would make the citizens hate the government. However, the citizens should not be disarmed to ensure that the relationship between them and the government is kept in touch. This shows that Machiavelli would support the second amendment of United States constitution. There are some reasons that would make Machiavelli oppose the second amendment of the United States constitution. As the constitution would give rights to the citizens to keep and bear firearms, Machiavelli will oppose it just in case the citizens will use the firearms in a wrong way. He would oppose it is saying that only good citizens would use the firearms during the necessary times to prevent invasion from other people. Those who will not follow this should be dealt accordingly. He said that not all people do good things all the time. This is because their minds change like tides and at times, they can cause arm without realizing what they are doing. Therefore, keeping and bearing of firearms should be abolished since it will cause a lot of harm if the citizens use them in a bad way. He would argue this idea that not everyone

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The meaning of life Essay Example for Free

The meaning of life Essay All praise be to God, the Sustainer of All the Worlds,and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad,and on all his Family and Companions. [Brother! You wanted a few words of advice from me, so listen to a few truths included in eight short stories, which since you are a soldier, are in the form of comparisons of a military nature. I consider my own soul to need advice more than anyone, and at one time I addressed my soul at some length with Eight Words inspired by eight verses of the Qur’an from which I had benefited. Now I shall address my soul with these same Words, but briefly and in the language of ordinary people. Whoever wishes may listen together with me. ] The First Word Bismillah, â€Å"In the Name of God,† is the start of all things good. We too shall start with it. Know, O my soul! Just as this blessed phrase is a mark of Islam, so too it is constantly recited by all beings through their tongues of disposition. If you want to know what an inexhaustible strength, what an unending source of bounty is Bismillah, listen to the following story which is in the form of a comparison. It goes like this: Someone who makes a journey through the deserts of Arabia has to travel in the name of a tribal chief and enter under his protection, for in this way he may be saved from the assaults of bandits and secure his needs. On his own he will perish in the face of innumerable enemies and needs. And so, two men went on such a journey and entered the desert. One of them was modest and humble, the other proud and conceited. The humble man assumed the name of a tribal chief, while the proud man did not. The first travelled safely wherever he went. If he encountered bandits, he said: â€Å"I am travelling in the name of such-and-such tribal leader,† and they did not molest him. If he came to some tents, he was treated respectfully due to the name. But the proud man suffered indescribable calamities throughout his journey. He both trembled before everything and begged from everything. He was abased and became an object of scorn. My proud soul! You are the traveller, and this world is a desert. Your impotence and poverty have no limit, and your enemies and needs are endless. Since it is thus, take the name of the Pre-Eternal Ruler and Post-Eternal Lord of the desert and be saved from begging before the whole universe and trembling before every event. Yes, this phrase is a treasury so blessed that your infinite impotence and poverty bind you to an infinite power and mercy; it makes your impotence and poverty a most acceptable intercessor at the Court of One All-Powerful and Compassionate. The person who acts saying, â€Å"In the Name of God,† resembles someone who enrolls in the army. He acts in the name of the government; he has fear of no one; he speaks, performs every matter, and withstands everything in the name of the law and the name of the government. At the beginning we said that all beings say â€Å"In the Name of God† through the tongue of disposition. Is that so? Indeed, it is so. If you were to see that a single person had come and had driven all the inhabitants of a town to a place by force and compelled them to work, you would be certain that he had not acted in his own name and through his own power, but was a soldier, acting in the name of the government and relying on the power of the king. In the same way, all things act in the name of Almighty God, for minute things like seeds and grains bear huge trees on their heads; they raise loads like mountains. That means all trees say: â€Å"In the Name of God,† fill their hands from the treasury of mercy, and offer them to us. All gardens say: â€Å"In the Name of God,† and become cauldrons from the kitchens of Divine power in which are cooked numerous varieties of different foods. All blessed animals like cows, camels, sheep, and goats, say: â€Å"In the Name of God,† and produce springs of milk from the abundance of mercy, offering us a most delicate and pure food like the water of life in the name of the Provider. The roots and rootlets, soft as silk, of plants, trees, and grasses say: â€Å"In the Name of God,† and pierce and pass through hard rock and earth. Mentioning the name of God, the name of the Most Merciful, everything becomes subjected to them. The roots spreading through hard rock and earth and producing fruits as easily as the branches spread through the air and produce fruits, and the delicate green leaves retaining their moisture for months in the face of extreme heat, deal a slap in the mouths of Naturalists and jab a finger in their blind eyes, saying: â€Å"Even heat and hardness, in which you most trust, are under a command. For like the Staff of Moses, each of those silken rootlets conform to the command of, And We said, O Moses, strike the rock with your staff,1 and split the rock. And the delicate leaves fine as cigarette paper recite the verse, O fire be coolness and peace2 against the heat of the fire, each like the members of Abraham (UWP). Since all things say: â€Å"In the Name of God,† and bearing God’s bounties in God’s name, give them to us, we too should say: â€Å"In the Name of God. † We should give in the name of God, and take in the name of God. And we should not take from heedless people who neglect to give in God’s name. Question: We give a price to people, who are like tray-bearers. So what price does God want, Who is the true owner? The Answer: Yes, the price the True Bestower of Bounties wants in return for those valuable bounties and goods is three things: one is remembrance, another is thanks, and the other is reflection. Saying, â€Å"In the Name of God† at the start is remembrance , and, â€Å"All praise be to God† at the end is thanks. And perceiving and thinking of those bounties, which are priceless wonders of art, being miracles of power of the Unique and Eternally Besought One and gifts of His mercy, is reflection . However foolish it is to kiss the foot of a lowly man who conveys to you the precious gift of a king and not to recognize the gift’s owner, it is a thousand times more foolish to praise and love the apparent source of bounties and forget the True Bestower of Bounties. O my soul! If you do not wish to be foolish in that way, give in God’s name, take in God’s name, begin in God’s name, and act in God’s name.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Consumer Questionnaire for Soft Drinks Essay Example for Free

Consumer Questionnaire for Soft Drinks Essay 1. What is your monthly budget for consumption of drinks? Ans- Around Rs 300. 2 . Are you satisfied with the drinks available to you in the market? Ans- Yes, although different flavours would be appreciated, along with aerated fruit drinks. 3. Do you find the price range of these drinks to be appropriate? what is yan approximation of an ideal prioce? Ans- Not really. As it exceeds the budget if you generally eat out more than twice a week as is the case with most people. Rs 15 for 200 ml 4. Are you willing to make changes to your existing choice of product? what would u like to see in a drink? Ans- Yes, if a new product with my requirements is available. Less sugar , less preservatives natural, no preservatives colour calories etc 5. What more do you expect from your drink manufacturer that can help you to derive maximum satisfaction? Ans-Healthier drinks are more appreciated as opposed to sugar filled carbonated drinks. Also the pricing can be changed to make it better for consumers to buy on a regular basis. QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RETAILERS- MORE MANAGER, SADAKAT PEERZADE. 1. What is your approximate profits from the sale of Soft drinks per month? Ans- turnover Around 1-2 lakhs, about 2-3 % . 2. Are you willing to take up promotional activities for a new range of products in this line? What kind? Ans- yes if the product is up to the standards we require and we get some incentives. 3. What is the feedback received from the consumers regarding the available products? Ans- Customers wanted more healthy options, drinks with less sugar, the most popular being Real fruit juices. 4. Do the existing manufacturer provide you assistance for the marketing of their products? Ans-Yes such as discounts on products and special offers offering extra quantity at the same price. Coupon booklets are also used along with leaflets. 5. Do you suggest any changes in the Marketing/Distribution system which can help to save cost? Ans- Providing more coolers and other storage facilities for stock to ensure better distribution. Also better packaging, quick deliveries so extra stock need not be kept. Free samples.

Psychological Contract And Motivational Problems Management Essay

Psychological Contract And Motivational Problems Management Essay The recent change of management at Wingos incorporating the new mission statements has seen a lot of changes with employees both the managers and non-managers. This report will analyse the current issues at Wingos (Reading Store), what as gone wrong, why it has gone wrong and how to make it better. The acquisition of Wingos by Melrose Plc has brought about a drastic change which has seen a change in the management style. Staffs have embraced this change with resentment and resistance which will be outlined in the report. Some staffs have become disillusioned and left while some had decided to stay and resist the changes and this as seen a great rise in lateness and absenteeism as well as low productivity. The fundamental areas addresses are the psychological contract, motivation and the management problems. This report has been structured in the following way. The first part addressed the issues with the use of relevant theories and research. The second part draw up conclusions on the findings and analysis and finally, the third part of the report suggested some attainable recommendations. One major problem identified with Wingos is the psychological contract. The psychological contract has been broken on both the management and the employees side. According to Robinson, Kraatz, Rosseaus(1994) the psychological contract is an unwritten agreement that exist between employers and their employees, meaning what employers expects from it employees and what the employees expect of their employers (Mullins, 2005). As well as the managers expectation of the staffs such as displaying a positive attitude, be responsive to leadership influence and working diligently, the employees also expects the management to be fair, trustworthy and create opportunities for development (Boddy, 2008). Before the new management started, the staffs dwell on the old psychological contact which is I will work hard for and act with loyalty towards my employer. In return I expect to be retained as an employee provided I do not act against the interests of the organisation. I also expect to be given opportunities for development and promotion should circumstances make this possible. (Torrington et al, 2008). The new Wingos management have broken this psychological contract. Staffs who had joined straight from school and having the impression for a job for life, hoping to stay until retirement and get promoted according to their length of service has seen all of this taken away from them. This has resulted to lack of commitment from staffs as well has lack of motivation. Some of the staffs believe the new management has broken the psychological contract and this can be supported by Parks Kidder (1994) who suggest that when the psychological contract is broken, staff reduce their commitment to the organisation and some of them are less willing than ever to give their all for the good of their organisation. (Cited in www.internationalmta.org). Some staff playing by the old psychological contract became disillusioned and left the organisation whilst some staff decided to stay and resist the changes. This action can be supported by Herriot and Pemberton (1995) where they describe a typical reaction to breach of the psychological contract as to leave to stay or keep your head below parapet, or to stay and take your revenge. Some of the staffs that decided to stay and resist the change can be seen as taking revenge against the management and by doing this, it could lead to de-motivation and can result in low productivity and high absenteeism. B. MOTIVATIONAL PROBLEMS Motivation is one of the major problems Wingos is facing currently. De-motivation has been made obvious by the attitude and behaviours of the staff after the change in management. Motivation is very important to Wingos because there are a lot of potential gain from it such as high productivity, low labour turnover and low absenteeism. It is obvious from the staffs that they are de-motivated seeing from their performance as well as the stores performance. There is evidence that staff had low morale and according to Herzberg 2 factor theory (1959) the staffs wants to have a sense of achievement, and chance of improvement (Mullins, 2005). Staffs come in whenever they want, the shop floor looks generally untidy which reduces productivity and staff are not in agreement. 1. Low Productivity: Less motivated staffs tend to have low productivity. It is evident that the traditional Wingos and the new Wingos have productivity issues. With the traditional Wingos profit had fallen drastically which lead to the new system but despite productivity did not improve. The lack of motivation has resulted in some staff delivering reduced level of productivity. Low productivity could be as a result of various factors. Such factors includes competency (www.team buildinginc.com) that is the staffs from the traditional Wingos had fairly routine work and not particularly challenging, which means they were not really interested in the root of how to carry out their work. And in the new Wingos, conversations with various staffs have made it clear that staffs find it difficult to do their job properly because of general lack of training. Taylor (1911) motivation theory describes how the application of scientific methods to the management of workers could improve productivi ty. (www.netmba.com). He also went ahead to argue that workers need close supervision and control to enjoy there work and they should be given the necessary training in other for them to work efficiently. McGregors (1960) Theory X supports this reaction that workers are viewed as lazy and wish to avoid responsibility (www.tutor2.net). Another factor which can cause low productivity is the productivity standard (www.teambuildinginc.com). It is evident at Wingos that there has been lack of communication between the staff and their line managers and the line managers with their district manager. There are no set standards or clear definition of the standard performance and this could result to de-motivation amongst staff. Locke (1975) supports this reaction to identify this motivation behaviour. According to Lockes goal- setting theory Wingos staffs have been de-motivated because there is no clear goals on what they need to achieve to increase productivity and there is no appropriate f eedback on why there has been decrease in their productivity (Mullins, 2005). 2. Lateness and Absenteeism: Following the acquisition by Melrose Plc and the introduction of new ways of doing things and also the break in the psychological contract, there has been a marked increase in lateness and absenteeism. This lateness and absenteeism increase could be as a result of various factors such as stress. Mitch McCrimmon in his article on How to Manage Absenteeism states that Motivated employees overcome obstacles to make it to work. The key to reducing employee absenteeism is to create a culture where employees want to come to work. (www.suite101.com). He also mentioned that factors such as stress keep staffs away from work because they are not motivated enough to be at work in the first place. Signs and Symptoms of stress within Wingos staffs includes low morale, absenteeism, performance (levels of produce wastage were high), relationship at work (tension and conflict between colleagues) etc. According to Vroom (1964) motivation theory, he believes that all three core concept of his expectancy theory must be met for staffs to be motivated. Currently, staffs at Wingos are not getting the intrinsic rewards they expect such as caring managers. All of this could lead to stress and as a result lateness and absenteeism is common. 3. Lack of Team Spirit: Another problem identified was the lack of team spirit. Staff are not seen to be productive because they are seen working on their own and there was less practiced of team working. The lack of team spirit as seen, as resulted to staff feeling de-motivated and lacking direction. One staff cannot do a teams work and if the team is not working together, individual will become stress which could lead to de-motivation and the task will not be achieved. This can be supported by Adairs model of leadership function that a task needs to be achieved by not one person but a team, the team needs should be met because if not met, an individual will be dissatisfied which could lead to de-motivation and the performance of the task will be impaired (www.teambuilding.co.uk). This therefore suggests that, management has set up teams and has not directed in the right way and therefore leaving the staffs de-motivated. 4. Personality Issues: Huczynski and Buchana(2007) defines personality has The psychological qualities that influence an individuals characteristic behaviour patterns in a stable and distinctive manner. (cited in Armstrong,2009) The differences in an individual can determine what motivates them. Every person is different from every other person in some respects but similar in other respects. As it can be seen with the staffs, some staffs left the company because the psychological contract of promotion was broken while some staff stayed behind to resist the change. C. MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS 1. Leadership Style/Management Structure: One major issue identified is the leadership and management style. About.com 18/11/09 defines leadership as the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal (www.about.com). The current situation in Wingos suggests that there is a fault with the leadership because, rather than the employees getting motivated, they have been de-motivated. According to Carnall (2007) when problems such as low motivation and low morale of employees, conflict between departments as seen amongst full-time and the weekenders and lack of capacity to adapt to changing circumstances as seen with the staffs generally occurs then there is a reason to conclude that the structure of the organisation is poor (Carnall, 2007). It has become obvious that most of the staff in regardless of their working time or days have found the top-down management style oppressive. According to Kotter (1990) Management is more to do with planning, controlling and putting appropriate structures and systems in place while leadership is more to do with anticipating change, coping with change and adopting a visionary stance. (McKenna, E 2001). Before February 2008, the management style that exists was the Laissez- Faire style. Managers provided little or no direction and gives staffs as much freedom as possible. After March 2008, the management adopted the autocratic leadership style. Manages retain as much power and decision making and did not consult staffs or allowed them to give any input. Herzbergs (1966) two factor theory supports this behaviour that before the change, staffs were motivated by the motivators (satisfier) such as chance of promotion, sense of achievement, interest in the job etc. While after the change, with the hygiene factors such as pay, company policy, the kind of supervision etc do not lead to higher levels of motivation but without them there is dissatisfaction (www.accel-team.com). Scholl (1981) claims that pay alone will not motivate an individual (Mullins, 2005). 2. Performance Management System (PMS): The critical factor of bringing this change in to place is to have the right number well trained staff and motivated. As a result of this change, the opposite of the aim was evident. Staffs were easily de-motivated and lost their morale which can be seen as a result of the managers behaviours. The managers assume according to McGregor Theory X (1960) that employees must be threatened with punishment to get them to put in adequate effort at work (Thomson, 2002). The staffs felt the system is unfair and this is as a result of improper use by the managers. This is an evidence of the autocratic leadership style. The managers can be seen not consulting the staffs or allowing them to give any inputs. The system that has been put in place to benefits the company, the managers and the staffs by seeing to the needs and development of staffs has been used improperly. Some studies over the past years shows that this type of leadership could see organisati on having high turnover and absenteeism and this is evident at Wingos. (www.essortment.com) 3. Lack of communication: Wingos has introduced a drastic change following being part of Melrose Plc. The management style had change. There is no evident to suggest that staff were fully enlightened about the new changes introduced. One main complaint identified was that there is lack of communication between employees and the management and even within the managers and the next level up. 4. Lack of training: Staffs had not been properly trained on the new changes and this has reduced their output and not able to do their jobs properly. CONCLUSION The analysis and findings concludes that staffs have become de-motivated as a result of the drastic change in the management and leadership style. The change has caused insecurity amongst the staffs such as staffs leaving and some staying back to resist the change. Psychological contract as been broken and which has seen some staff left the company and there has been low productivity. This is supported by Parks Kidder (1994). Managers had used tools such as Performance Management System which is supposed to motivate staff to de-motivate them. There has been lack of communication which has resulted to staffs being resentful and resisting change. All this issues needs to be addressed for the company to be successful. If not resolved, there could be a further decrease in productivity, increase in absenteeism and staff loss to competitors. In other for all of this to be resolved, there are key areas that need to be addressed, such as the psychological contract, motivation of staffs and the management style. RECOMMENDATION Psychological Contract Due to the fact that, the psychological contract is perceived to have been broken, a new contract should therefore be established. Rousseau and Greller (1994) describe the psychological contract as a contract that encompasses the actions employees believe are expected of them and what response they expect in return from the employer.'(Cited in www.gowerpublishing.com). The only way for staffs to be aware of the actions expected of them by the management and what response they expect in return from the management is by undertaking a staff survey, to be completed by both staffs and managers. This should help identify the expectation from both staff and could help understand the new contract. Effective Change For an organisation to be successful when carrying out changes, there are three necessary conditions to be met which includes awareness, capability and inclusion (Carnall, C). It is important for staff to be aware of the changes that are going to take place in any organisation because according to Mayo (1949), he concluded that workers are best motivated when there is better communication between them and their managers. (www.tutor2u.net). As well as communicating with staffs, if they are included in the decision making, they are more likely to accept change. Staffs also need to be capable and be sure they know what is required of them and this can only be effective if staffs are given adequate training. Therefore, it is recommended that staffs should be well informed by having regular meetings with their line managers (this can bridge the gap between the full-time staffs and the weekenders and also create good team spirit), staffs should be well trained in other for them to do their jobs accurately and should be involved with decision making by creating suggestion boxes and implementing some of the suggestions. And if a suggestion is used, the staff should be rewarded. Employee Appraisal It is recommended that, the management re-visit the PMS which is to see to employee appraisal rather than punishment. Staffs needs to understand why the PMS has been put into place and what benefits are available for them in it. Staffs have different personality and are diverse in their own way and managers needs to understand the individual needs of their staffs. Following a staff appraisal, knowing that the managers are aware of their personal needs and goals, they will tend to be more motivated, and in return there will be high productivity, high labour turnover and staff retention. Relationship The managers should develop an interest in their staffs by getting to know them, their way of life and their families. According to a CIPD survey, a good relationship between employees and line manager is the most important factor for motivating staff and establishing a positive psychological contract (Thomson, 2002). The staff appraisal can also build the relation between the staff and their managers. One of the benefits of appraisals is that, staffs experience improved relationship with their managers and vice versa (Thompson, 2002). This recommendation can help build the gap between the workforce by creating a good team spirit. Monitoring Absence Staffs sickness absence should be monitored. It is recommended that line managers should interview staffs when they return back to work to identify the reason for their sickness. And if the sickness is work related, managers should ensure that the situation is dealt with appropriately. Management Training The type of leadership style recommended at Wingos is the Democratic style. Before February 2008, the type of leadership practiced was the Lassie Faize style which saw the company going down. After March 2008, the new management introduce the autocratic style which saw staff de-motivated and some staff left the company. Introducing the democratic leadership style, will increase motivation amongst staff and staffs will support the vision of the company and the company generally will see growth. Therefore, all managers should be trained on how to motivate their staffs and learn the approach of the democratic or participative leadership style. Although this is a good recommendation as it will see increase in staff inputs towards Wingos, however cost of training should be considered. Exit Interviews Retention of employees should be addressed by interviewing staffs before they leave to identify why they are leaving. If the reason for leaving is given, it should be dealt with in a positive way and it should be treated discreetly. Although some staffs may choose not to disclose their actual reason of leaving, it is highly recommended that manager doing the exit interview should not be well known to the staff leaving. This is because staffs tend to open up more when they are in a neutral environment.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Comparison Anthem Vs. By The W Essay -- essays research papers

In the stories, Anthem, by Ayn Rand, and By the Waters of Babylon, by Stephen Vincent Benet, each of the main characters posses a desire deep within themselves to discover things that they do not already know about. Equality and John both live in societies where almost all knowledge of the past has been forgotten. These communities are enveloped in superstition, which causes them to fear the unknown. The desire within Equality and John, however, brings them past these fears and leads them to learn many new things about the â€Å"old times†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anthem starts off with Equality feeling as though he sinned for thinking of learning and discovering new things. He stumbled upon a tunnel one night, something that he immediately knew was from the unmentionable times. This tunnel provided a place where Equality could experiment and think as an individual. It was here that he discovered electricity. Although he was aware that the scholars would be upset at him for disobeying the laws and performing experiments on his own, Equality was so excited about his invention that he wanted nothing more than to share it with his people. He felt that it would help their society tremendously. The scholars were angry because he challenged their ways of thinking and tried to alter the system that they had created. They talked of destroying his invention and Equality listened no more. He ran away from the city to the uncharted forest, where it was said that no man ever survived.... Comparison Anthem Vs. By The W Essay -- essays research papers In the stories, Anthem, by Ayn Rand, and By the Waters of Babylon, by Stephen Vincent Benet, each of the main characters posses a desire deep within themselves to discover things that they do not already know about. Equality and John both live in societies where almost all knowledge of the past has been forgotten. These communities are enveloped in superstition, which causes them to fear the unknown. The desire within Equality and John, however, brings them past these fears and leads them to learn many new things about the â€Å"old times†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anthem starts off with Equality feeling as though he sinned for thinking of learning and discovering new things. He stumbled upon a tunnel one night, something that he immediately knew was from the unmentionable times. This tunnel provided a place where Equality could experiment and think as an individual. It was here that he discovered electricity. Although he was aware that the scholars would be upset at him for disobeying the laws and performing experiments on his own, Equality was so excited about his invention that he wanted nothing more than to share it with his people. He felt that it would help their society tremendously. The scholars were angry because he challenged their ways of thinking and tried to alter the system that they had created. They talked of destroying his invention and Equality listened no more. He ran away from the city to the uncharted forest, where it was said that no man ever survived....

Monday, August 19, 2019

a bridge to the 18th century Essay -- Free Essay Writer

Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Neil Postman identifies himself as a â€Å"neo-Luddite†. What bothers Postman most is the fact that the great innovators of this time have no frame of reference other than their own experience, and that experience is only that of the 20th century. Advocates of trends such as information superhighways and economic globalization appear to know nothing of history, philosophy and culture; they live digitally in the hollow present.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Postman assesses different ideas in each chapter: Chaper One: A Bridge to the Eighteenth Century   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Postman heralds the accomplishments of personalities of the 18th Century, including Goethe, Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Kant, Hume, Gibbon, Paine, Jefferson, Franklin, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Haydn, among many others. Chapter Two: Progress   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Postman summarizes, â€Å"The idea of progress is a product of the Enlightenment. The eighteenth century invented it†¦ but it also criticized and doubted it and its limitations and pitfalls. Reason, when unaided and untempered by poetic insight and human feeling, turns ugly and dangerous. Chapter Three: Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When assessing various technological advancements, Postman encourages the reader to be question, â€Å"What is the problem to which this technology is a solution?† â€Å"Whose problem is it?† â€Å"Which people and institutions might be most ser...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

An examination of how Sherlock Holmes abilities and techniques, :: English Literature

An examination of how Sherlock Holmes' abilities and techniques, allied to his personal characteristics, enable him to solve crimes There are many reasons to explain why Sherlock Holmes is one of the world's most famous fictional detectives. However, the main reason for this is that not only are the stories complex, but the actual character of Sherlock Holmes has extreme depth, with some subtle elements of his character only becoming apparent when he is in certain situations. This is why Sherlock Holmes is one of the most, if not the most interesting fictional characters to study. One of Holmes' most famous professional characteristics is his power of observation. An example of this is where Holmes is examining a room "Why, it's a dummyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is fastened to a hook" (The Speckled Band). This is a very unlikely thing for a normal person to observe; but not for Sherlock Holmes! However, Holmes' powers of observation would be worth nothing without his excellent reasoning and deduction abilities. An example of this is connected to the quote above (from The Speckled Band). After Holmes discovered that the bell pull (rope) was a dummy, and taking into account only facts that may be considered, by lesser men, insignificant he solved the mystery of a woman's death. "It would crawl down the rope.... sooner or later she must fall victim" (The Speckled Band). It is by Holmes' use of reasoning and deduction that one of his most famous personal characteristics also comes to light. This is his characteristic of making people around him feel beneath him, in other words, Holmes has a high level of self-esteem. He astounds people with his intelligence. He pretends that he does not mean to do this "I do not wish to make a mystery" (A Scandal in Bohemia). There is but one case that I have come across in which Sherlock Holmes is outwitted by someone, and when he realises that he has been outwitted, he is amazed "Holmes staggered back, white with chagrin and surprise" (A Scandal in Bohemia). He is especially amazed that it is a woman that has outwitted him. This has some, but only a slight, effect on his belittling characteristic "He used to make merry over the cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it of late" (A Scandal in Bohemia). Holmes has a great store of knowledge that he has acquired over many years at his disposal, and this helps him greatly in his cases "my special knowledge of tobacco ashes enabled me to pronounce as an Indian cigar" (The Boscombe Valley Mystery). This yet again proves just how intelligent Sherlock Holmes is.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Cold War Essay

The Cold War represents the disputes between the Soviet Union and the United States, and may be the most noteworthy political issue of the late 20th Century. The Cold War was a very political issue because it influenced foreign policies, impacted our economy, and even affected Presidential elections. The United States was worried that the Soviet Union would extend communism throughout Europe with its power and control over smaller and weaker countries. At the beginning of the Cold War the struggles between the United States and the Soviet Union were more political than military. The Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb on August 29, 1949 which alarmed the United States because they were not expecting the Soviet Union to have knowledge of nuclear weapons (The Cold War Museum, n. d. ). Consequently, Americans were uncertain of their own safety, prompting President Truman to reexamine the United States position in the world. He required the United States to amass conventional and nuclear weapons to cease the Soviet influence from spreading around the world. The arms race began, and each side mass produced and strategically placed missiles throughout their country and their allied countries. Other events occurred during the Cold War era adding fuel to the Cold War: the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Bay of Pigs. My first interviewee was a female in her early sixties whom lived through the Cold War period – my mother. As a retired school teacher, I expected my mother to have a deeper understanding of the Cold War than a person that simply lived through the period. Her definition of the Cold War clearly supported the definition stated in this course. When I asked my mother what words or phrases come to mind when she thinks of the term Cold War, she did not hesitate in her response: â€Å"United States and the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, John F. Kennedy, George Patton, and World War II† (B. Rego, personal communication, May 27, 2013). She related to me that the aspects of the Cold War that she remembered were â€Å"that the Soviets felt that the United States was not revealing key military information after World War II, and their suspicions were confirmed when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima† (B.  Rego, personal communication, May 27, 2013). I went on to ask her to name any key events that are mainly associated with the Cold War, and she replied â€Å"the Bay of Pigs† (B. Rego, personal communication, May 27, 2013). My mother was able to accurately remember the parties involved in the Cold War, as well as key details and key events of the period having lived through the period, not as a child but as a young adult. My second interviewee was a male in his mid-thirties whom did not live through the Cold War period, but studied it in school. My younger brother’s definition of the Cold War was â€Å"long period of tensions between countries† (J. Rego, personal communication, May 27, 2013). His definition is similar to the definition provided in this course with the exception that he did not mention specifically the United States and the Soviet Union. When questioned about what aspects of the Cold War he remembers he stated â€Å"I remember Korea and Vietnam† (J. Rego, personal communication, May 27, 2013). Although he is not incorrect in his response, it was interesting to me that he again omitted the involvement of the United States and the Soviet Union. When asked about the key events mainly associated with the Cold War, my brother said â€Å"the only key event I remember was the Berlin Wall, and when President Reagan and Gorbachev signed the peace treaty† (J. Rego, personal communication, May 27, 2013). His recollection of the key events associated with the Cold War albeit accurate, were lacking in detail. He did not mention the Bay of Pigs, or the Cuban Missile Crisis. I suppose that the generation gap between our mother and our generation has unfortunately made the details of the Cold War less memorable. My final interviewee was a male in his early twenties whom also did not live through the Cold War period, but studied it in school. My son’s definition of the Cold War was â€Å"a weapons race between the USA and Soviet Union with no shots fired† (A. Egnew, personal communication, May 26, 2013). His definition is similar to the definition provided in this course in that he recalled the parties involved being the United States and the Soviet Union. When asked what words or phrases come to mind when thinking of the term Cold War he replied â€Å"stockpile and weapons race† (A. Egnew, personal communication, May 26, 2013). I questioned him about any key events that he could remember that is mainly associated with the Cold War, and his answer was â€Å"I can’t name any† (A. Egnew, personal communication, May 26, 2013). It is interesting to me, yet not surprising that as the generation gap widens the details of the Cold War are more easily forgotten. The Cold War was a very prominent event in United States history for key events such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs, and the Berlin Wall, but noteworthy also for the civil rights movement, gender equality, and racial segregation issues (Farber, 1994). The Cold War changed the way Americans view authority, and opened the door for American citizens to question political decisions. Without the Cold War period, perhaps our lives today would be much different. Would slavery still exist? What about racial segregation? Our lives today would surely be different if the Cold War never happened.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Assess the socio-economic impacts of tourism in East Africa

Kenya attracts about 780,000 tourists per annum because of its prolific wildlife, white sandy beaches and hot climate. Tourism in Kenya is worth an estimated $500 million a year, Kenya's principal tourist resources are the wildlife rich savannah grasslands and its beautiful beaches and coral reefs. Tourism really started to grow in the 1980s with the development of mass transit such as the Boeing 707. Tourists also flock to sample a culture which is perceived as completely different from Western culture, however the socio-economic gains of tourism are not without their cost. By the late 1980s tourism was Kenya's main earner, worth 43% of its income in 1990. There are two sides to the coin regarding tourism, its detractors describe it as a form of economic colonialism, while its promoters claim that it raises the standard of living for people and puts money back into the communities. In Kenya its main primary resources are its huge number of national parks (there are more than 50) which are intended both to promote tourism and to manage and maintain the existing environment. The parks help to protect the animals and fragile ecosystems from being totally over run by tourists and poachers, today no one is allowed to kill any of the animals in the park, however the welfare of the animals is still be affected indirectly by tourism. The creation of the parks caused the native people, such as the Maasai, to be forced from the parks as no one was allowed to live in them. Tourists stay either in tents in the park or in hotels or villages on the outskirts of the park. Minibus safari trips take tourists round the park and let them view the animals. The creation of these parks has had a large impact on the people living in them, both socially and economically. The Maasai and other such tribes now have to live on the outskirts of the parks away from their traditional grazing lands and find it harder to live a nomadic lifestyle. The Kenyan government has a policy stating that one quarter of the income from tourism sites should go back into the local communities. This policy is not being enforced sufficiently though and the actual amount that the indigenous tribes receive is estimated to be as low as 2%. The Maasai find themselves having to sell trinkets and knick-knacks to tourists in order to generate an income. An estimated 70% of the people employed in the safari parks are not Maasai. Increased tourism to traditional Maasai villages has led to traditional dances and rituals being turned into cabaret for tourists eager to sample another culture. This can have the effect of making the Maasai feel like they are people living in a museum that is designed to entertain western tourists, however the upside is that traditional dances and rites that may have been lost through time have been preserved instead. Tourism in rural Kenya has had many positive effects. Some of the Maasai can now afford to send their children to boarding schools in the cities to improve their education and future, using money they have generated from tourists, both in the formal and informal sectors. There have also been improvements in the infrastructure of the villages the Maasai now live in, with the government using some of the revenue of tourism to build wells, improve housing and establish small local schools. The benefits of tourism however are mainly in the cities as this is where the government will spend most of its GDP, choosing to further develop the core areas rather than the periphery, in which the Maasai lands lie. A large percentage of the income generated by tourism will also be taken out of the country as international companies make most of the money on tours, e. . tour operators, travel agents, air companies etc. This means that often the people at the bottom of society do not see any benefits for a long time, it is only relatively recently in Kenya that the government has started to put money back into the very communities that generated it in the first place. Tourism needs to be carefully managed by governments otherwise they risk destroying their valuable resources that cannot be replaced. Tourism in Kenya is also popular in the beach resorts of Mombassa and other smaller towns or cities along the Indian Ocean coast. Large numbers of western tourists have resulted in a huge growth in the numbers of hotels and resorts, benefiting the local economy more immediately and obviously than in rural areas. The local people find work in the new industries associated with tourism and the wealth of an area will increase. These jobs though are often only seasonal and often badly paid and exploitative. Local traditional shops may close or be affected by some tourists demands for western foods and goods, such as traditional restaurants starting to serve pizza instead of local food. Many tourists do not want to see or experience the real Kenya, but instead merely want a hot climate, nice beach and things to be like they are at home. This is a mental attitude that is causing severe negative social affects on Kenya, both in rural park areas, and the more urbanised coastal resorts. By shifting the Maasai out of the National Parks, the Kenyan government has displaced a whole people from its natural home. They have no access to their traditional grounds where they could work as pastoral farmers in complete self sufficiency. The Maasai argue that they parks are only rich in wildlife and resources due to their careful maintenance of them, and the large numbers of tourists will destroy them, despite the best efforts of the government. By designating some areas as parks the government has increased the intensity of tourists in these areas, thus helping in some places to drive the animals away, ruining the resources which they depend upon. There is also an increasing amount of rural-urban migration as the young economically active members of the communities move to the cities in search of work and jobs, seeing there is no future staying in the villages. It can be argued that they will suffer from cultural dilution as their traditional way of life becomes infused with the western way of life. The locals will wear traditional outfits and garments in front of the tourists as they know it is what they want to see and will make them more likely to purchase trinkets and jewellery etc, though when they are at home they will often wear western style clothes. The situation is similar in the coastal resorts, where traditional cultures are being swamped by the western life style, imported by huge numbers of tourists. A large amount of the local population are Muslim, and to them women walking round through the beaches and towns in western swimwear is offensive as it clashes with their beliefs and culture. The real problems arise though when the local girls start to copy the tourists, which threatens to destroy local traditions. There has also been an increase in crime, drug usage and prostitution, both male and female, though males are often more obvious due to the male dominated society that exists. This is yet another example of tourist and government helping to destroy the areas natural resources. Fear of crime and a sleazy image will help to dissuade tourists from visiting Kenya and as such a large amount of economy is dependent upon tourism, will cause widespread economic problems, and probably social ones as well as unemployment rises. The large number of tourists at coastal resorts is also causing permanent damage to the coral reefs that surround the shores, with large numbers of tourists walking upon, and destroying the coral. At one place there may be up to 20 boats a day, all dropping their anchors on the choral and all the tourists showing scant regard for the delicate ecosystems below their feet. If this carries on then eventually there will be no coral left. Tourism is a double edged sword to developing countries, it can provide enormous economic benefits to the government, however these are rarely distributed to the people at the bottom which the tourist industry is usually based on exploiting in some shape or form, eg the Maasai in Kenya. Careful management is needed of natural resources and more care must be taken to preserve local traditions and cultures, without reducing them to the status of purely tourist exhibits. It is easy to say the â€Å"traditional† societies are being destroyed, however the local people may often prefer to have the material gains associated with the western lifestyle.