Balearic Islands Consist Of Four Island Tourism Essay Essay Example

Balearic Islands Consist Of Four Island Tourism Essay Essay Example Balearic Islands Consist Of Four Island Tourism Essay Paper Balearic Islands Consist Of Four Island Tourism Essay Paper Introduction Balearic Islands consist of four island which are A, B, C and Mallorca. Mallorca is the largest island of the Balearic archipelago which accounts for about three quarters of the land with 80 % of its population in Balearic Island ( Bull 1997, 140 ) . It country has covered about 3640 kilometre per square with the 555 kilometer of the entire seashore length of the island ( Garcia and Servera 2003, 288 ) . The clime of Mallorca is typically Mediterranean with moderate mean temperatures. During the summer, the prohibitionist and warm season takes topographic point. The one-year rainfalls are 625 millimeters, with mean temperature 16 celcius and 18 celcious except in the high mountain. With its favourable clime, extended coastline and attractive beaches have lured visitants for many centuries. The development of Mass Tourism Definition of Mass touristry Butler s life rhythm of Mallorca Exploration A ; involvement stage-1930s The pantryman s lifecycle theoretical account ( 1980 ) , describes the growing, stagnancy and diminution stages of a tourer finish can be best apply in the finish of Mallorca from the growing phase to post-stagnation phase. In the period of geographic expedition and engagement phases of Butler s theoretical account which started in 1930 s touristry takes topographic point in Mallorca act simply as an instrument for exciting cultural and rational activity ( Bull 1997, 141 ) . Early on development phase 1955s When it comes to 1955 Mallorca Island is in development phase where mass touristry started to turn during that period. There was a re-establishment of the tourer board that have significantly change the touristry on the island whereby the touristry become more closely associated with the development of bundle vacations and mass touristry from the turning markets in western and northern Europe ( Pearce 1991 and Williams 1997 ) . However in 1959, Spanish authorities took the novice to simplify the process of sing the state in order to overhaul the Spanish economic system through touristry by deriving abroad gross ( Stabilisation Act of 1959 ) . The Numberss of visitants started to growing invariably in early 1960s, bulk of the visitants were dominated from UK and Germany in big volumes concentrated particularly during summer season ( Clark 1988 ) ( Figure 1 ) . Consolidation stage-1980s-1990s Between 1960s-1980s the effects from the roar of international touristry to Mallorca, it led to an intensive resort development of the along the coastline. Most of the island originated from the rapid growing of inexpensive bundle vacations in the sixtiess. However in the late of 1970s, many edifices, resorts and flats were built in order to provide big Numberss of visitants and turning figure of the populations. Majority of these early resorts were portrayed by standard tower block architecture, short of proper substructure and deficiency of planning, which are typical of the consolidation phases of Butler s theoretical account. Buswell ( 1996, 321 ) has described the growing of tourer declaration on Mallorca as unplanned and piecemeal, even helter-skelter . After that resorts have been capable affair to stricter be aftering Torahs which set up in the 1980s and 1990s. Subsequently Mallorca has maintained its popularity with tourers, peculiarly from UK and Germany furthermore invar iably attracts more than 10 thousand visitants per annum ( Buswell 1996 and Government Balear 2003 ) Stagnation and Decline stage-1990s-2000s In late 1990s, environmental force per unit areas begin to emerge in Mallorca sing to the issue such as H2O deficits, clime alteration, overcrowding, and over commercialisation every bit good as anti-social behaviour by its visitants. This finally causes an overall of diminution in figure of visitants arrive to its finish. In commissariats of finish life rhythm kineticss, the touristry merchandise of Mallorca was get downing to stagnate and decline and needed direction planning and policy intercession to convey about its rejuvenation ( Butler, 1980 ) . Development of Mass touristry in Calvia, Mallorca Calvia is a municipality of Mallorca which is besides one of the largest touristry having countries. It accounted about one tierce of the entire flow of tourers to Balearic Islands. It covers 145 kmA? and has a coastal strip of 56 Km of beaches and drops which make it as perfectly suited finish for mass touristry. It offers adjustment for 120,000 bedspaces and with about up to 1.6 million visitants a twelvemonth ( Aguilo, Algere and Sard, 2005 ) . Furthermore, with its location in bantam distance from the airdrome of Palma creates an easy accessible to the visitants. The population of the occupant increased from 3000 in dwellers during 1960 up to 30,000 in the late 1890ss ( Dodds 2007 ) . Since 19th century, touristry began to be as chief economic activity of its island ( Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda, 2005 ) . Tourism development in Calvia boomed in the sixtiess and has been based on short-run economic addition. As Aguilo et Al. ( 2005 ) provinces, it was one of the first municipalities to see negative effects of mass touristry. Lack of be aftering ordinances resulted in urban conurbation and deficiency of environmental respect, similar to many Mediterranean resorts. The theoretical account of touristry development in Mallorca has been based on short-run involvement, limitless constructing out of melody with local conditions, and an unsustainable development of exceeding natural resources . Tourist development took topographic point in 1960s to 1980s and was headlong and unplanned. Economy In economic point of position, touristry is of import as it create occupation chances, substructure development every bit good as foreign exchange. The unemployment rate is much lower than national norm ( Ministerio de Trabajo 2005 ) as there are about 31,793 people employed in restaurant-bars, 2057 in agencies of transit lease, 483 in supermarkets, 398 people employed in souvenir stores and another 1,684 work in other tourer installations. Meanwhile 1,402 involved in beach concern and 18,003 are involved in supplying tourer activities. It has been estimated that Calvia owns a entire figure of 61749 vacancies supplying tourer activities ( Molz 2004 ) . It has 30 % higher income per capital of national and 5 % higher of E.U. degrees ( Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda 2005 ) . Looking at these figures it becomes perfectly obvious 85 % of Balearic Island s GNP is from tourer industry, and touristry is the major beginning of income for the municipality of Calvia . Therefore its economic system is wholly reliant upon it. From the statistics Numberss given, it can be conclude that there is high figure of labour force fall ining the labor market, the tourer monoculture particularly during the peak seasonal form, labor with a low wage system, and force per unit area of work during high season ( Local Agenda 21 2001 ) . Socio civilization impact While touristry provides certain economic benefits to a part at least in the short term, it besides causes perturbation to the local manner of life. For the locals the concerns may deduce due to the unrealized promises, devastation of an older and simpler manner of life, insufficiency of employment chances or dissatisfaction with the economic alterations which came with mass touristry development. Before touristry takes topographic point, Calvia was basically a hapless and rural country with small outside contact and general history of out-migration with its ain linguistic communication and civilization of Catalan roots ( Ruzza 2004 ) . However touristry has entirely altered these characteristics ; a huge figure of in-migration from the Spanish peninsula arrived to carry through the demand for labour created by the growing of mass touristry, peculiarly in the edifice industry and the hotel concern. Consequent to that the impermanent immigrant population, has bit by bit turn into occupant, finally this causes the loss of cultural individuality, struggle over linguistic communication issues, and deficiency of societal integrating within local and immigrant population and bantam engagement in local societal life. Although Calvia is Spain s richest municipality and one of the richest in Europe, it has the lowest degree of instruction in Spain which itself the lowest in Europe ( Ayuntament de Calvia 1995 ) . Besides, bulk of employment are for servers and house cleansing agent which are deficiency of trained skilled professionals. Consequences of excessively many visitants Reason tourer choose Calvia as vacation finish The continuity of the Sun and sand theoretical account ( 2005, 222 ) , describes that the ground induces tourers to take the peculiar Sun and sand finish include the clime of 76.2 % , the beaches ( 51.2 % ) , the monetary value ( 36.4 % ) , and the quality of the hotels ( 22.2 % ) . Among all, clime is the cardinal ground followed by the beaches which induces tourers for taking such finish. As a consequence Calvia received a turning figure of visitants who travel to a mass touristry vacation finish attracted by the Sun, beaches and the clime. Calvia were seen as a theoretical account based on value, in footings of monetary value competition it has lure many visitants particularly from UK and German with it standardisation of the vacation experience ( CIITIB, 2002 ) . Social impact For the local point of position, visitants seem to use the physical environment from the local nevertheless the net income that generated from the visitants are non portion with the local community. Thus it create inauspicious impacts on supports and deficiency of benefit sharing with the local people who will bear touristry related costs to both the homo and natural environment. Finally conflicts arise between local populations with huge figure of visitants as they need to vie for limited usage of resources such as H2O, sanitation, energy and land utilizations. For tourers the position is frequently recapitulate with the statements such as this used to be a Eden but now it is ruined because of overcrowding, over commercialisation or overdevelopment. The mass touristry cohesiveness and the assortment of jobs experienced in Calvia have excessively frequently created blemish aboard beautiful natural scenery ; crowded with big Numberss of tourers as if they were many cowss ; ruined traditional civilizations and occupational forms by making a insidious touristry industry characterized by low paying service occupations and manipulative values ; and ignored the demands of local citizens and the community values that were inconsistent with matter-of-fact economic demands of the touristry industry. Environmental impact The risen Numberss of visitants and occupants have huge environmental force per unit area in Calvia . As mentioned in pantryman s life rhythm, Mallorca was in the period of stagnation in 1990s may put on the line by emerging environmental force per unit area peculiarly H2O deficits and climatic alteration. Inadequate H2O supply The issue of unequal H2O supply particularly during peak period and summer season, H2O supplies is exacerbated by visitants flows for usage in hotels, swimming pools and golf class. Harmonizing to the statistic documented in 1995, the H2O ingestion by visitants amounted of 160 litres per twenty-four hours whereby occupant is merely 130 litres. High demand in energy ingestion Annual ingestion of primary energy in Calvia sum to 72,000 TEP per twelvemonth of which merely 2 % is renewable. However, the ingestion per twenty-four hours was 6.47 kwh and visitants ingestion amounted to 2.14 kwh per dark stay in a hotel ( Dodds 2007 ) . Pollution by Conveyances The emanations of C dioxide equaled 1,400,000 tones which 58 % is due to transporting tourer in and out of Mallorca. In Calvia 1995 statistic,70 million journeys per twelvemonth where 50 million where from visitants which are a major cause of traffic congestion. Urban waste In 1995 Calvia produced 41000 tones of urban waste with about 1.25 kilograms per occupant / twenty-four hours nevertheless 1kg per visitants per twenty-four hours. Furthermore the options for disposal were limited. The production of effluent and solid waste in visitant countries frequently surpass the transporting capacity of local substructure due the high seasonal demand. Deterioration of the Land usage Building development in Calvia has been inordinate with aggregate business of flaxen beaches and of import enclaves along the bouldery coastline. With over 60 % of Calvia district was affected by dirt eroding. There was uninterrupted land business by urbanisation and development of new substructure harm caused by preies and waste mopess and desolation by forest fire. Harmonizing to an accounting of the distribution of the full country of Calvia made by Schmitt ( ) in 1991 the build-up-area has quadrupled in the old ages from 1968 to 1991 ( +311.6 % ) . However 57 % of archeological heritage were at high hazard of impairment. Overcrowded beach About 80 % of the analyzed instances show overcrowding despite an urban beach or natural beach. There is a strong seasonal concentration of visitants between June and September because of the demand for Sun and beaches. Subsequently this led to overcrowded beach with less than 6 mA? of beach surface per individual with increasing anthropogenetic force per unit area over the coastal zone ( Garcia and Jaume 2003, 287 ) . Solution Calvia is an illustration of a mass touristry finish which, from a consequence of touristry force per unit area in the late eightiess, faced important economic, societal and environmental diminution. As mentioned by Butler ( 1993 ) touristry is an activity because of its trust upon the care of natural environment and natural procedures, should impart itself toward sustainable development. In the instance of Calvia the lessening of touristry Numberss and Balearic Island as a whole goaded ordinances and attempts to travel towards turn toing the jobs of the debasement of the environment, impairment of societal systems and installations and the menace of farther touristry diminution. Definition of Planning and Policy The definition of planning is highly equivocal and hard to specify. Chadwick ( 1971, 24 ) provinces that planning is a procedure of human idea with an action based upon the thought in point of fact, premeditation, thought for the hereafter, nil more or less than this is be aftering . Meanwhile Hall ( 2008, 90 ) supported Chadwick s thoughts to reason that most of import facet of planning is that it is directed towards the hereafter . However, be aftering can non be accomplished without policy because it is closely related footings. Wilkinson ( 1997 ) linked planning and policy by saying planning is a class of action, whereas policy is the execution of the planned class of action. Planing and policy in the instance of Calvia Calvia Plan for tourer Excellent 1990 The program was developed in 1990 as to aim the menace of diminution. It comes along with the Balearic Autonomous community in cooperation with the municipalities as to overhaul, better and diversify the touristry. This program included edifice clearance to recover unfastened infinite, seek to compensate the seasonal nature of touristry and preparation and employment. However this program is chiefly focused on the industry supply side alternatively of sustainability of the finish and host community did non affect at all. As a consequence, it did non try to get the better of the turning issues that have arisen. Calvia Local Agenda 21 ( LA21 ) 1995 At the terminal of 1994, the Town council of Calvia , together with a scope of working groups, drew up the Local Agenda 21 for Calvia as a long term schemes integrated with economic, societal, territorial and environment actions. In explicating LA21 in 1995 and Action Plan in 1997, the Municipality of Calvia actively involved the support of local community, all the stakeholders, NGO every bit good as national and EU authoritiess. The cardinal aims for LA21 Calvia concentrating on come ining a new civilization based on sustainable and participatory urban and touristry planning ; stress environmental direction of the finish, expression for for understanding and consensus with societal representatives, control development and act for more stable employment in the country. ( Calvia Agenda Local 21, Mallorca, Spain 2004 ) . In 1998 New Balearic Law in Calvia was set out as to restrict adjustment growing, reconstruct bing hotels and to protect 40 % of natural countries. The aims of the LA21 comprises of 10 strategic lines of action and 40 enterprises. Cardinal consequences that have been achieved since the execution of Calvia s 1997 program The LA21 Action Plan which were set out in 1997 were seems to hold betterment in a general motion toward sustainability within the part and as Calvia is reasonably independent, it was able to follow and implement many enterprises without the demand for coaction from higher authorities. Among those cardinal consequences that have been achieved since the execution of the LA21 action program are stated below: Planing and Regeneration Zero addition in figure of hotels and flats every bit good as bead of 200 beds 1993-2002-about 30 edifice clearance program actions were carried out including existent edifice destruction and the purchase of urban secret plans to forestall farther building. Demolished edifices of the full surface country reaches more than 13,500mA? . Upgraded country in Magaluf A ; Palma Nova tourer country by making prosaic zones and seting tree as to better the overall quality of the country. 32 kilometer cycling and walking way was built in Paseo de Calvia Environmental instruments Tax on H2O for preservation and awareness runs advancing its usage and preservation established Recycling A ; urban waste decrease programs to guarantee 70 % of all urban waste is separated at beginning, easing A ; cut downing cost of recycling attempt, minimising land fill. Termination of sea dredging antecedently used to bring forth beaches and more environmentally friendly steps put in topographic point to minimise eroding New modulating for restricting ground tackle harm A ; harbor congestion caused by boats Constitution of Marine park A ; tellurian protected countries as to protect wildlife A ; ecosystems Economic instruments Enforce an eco-tax in 2002 by Balearic Government ; the financess were used to transport out Calvia council rehabilitation and regenerative undertakings. Voluntary instruments Renovation programmes for hotels, tourer adjustment and tourer installations established to upgrade quality and pull a higher output tourer Socio cultural instruments Programs to battle offense, lodging and other societal issues Multi-cultural and societal programmes such as dance, submerged picture taking and linguistic communication categories established to assist incorporate immigrants into Mallorquin civilization. Calvia has been recognized internationally for its attempts decision 2.0 The development of mass touristry in Calvia, Mallorca. 2.1 Definition of Mass Tourism Over the last decennaries, touristry has progressively playing a critical function as a beginning of economic sector despite for many developed and developing states. The touristry industry has given an chance to 1000000s ofpeople to go internationally, as travel and diversion are going more accessible to people, it is cognizable to be the universe taking economic sector during this decennary.

11 Taboos in Chinese Culture

11 Taboos in Chinese Culture Every culture has its own taboos, and it is important to remain aware of them when traveling or encountering another culture to ensure you dont commit a social faux-pas. In Chinese culture, some of the most common taboos involve gift-giving, birthdays, and weddings. Numbers According to Chinese tradition, good things come in pairs. Therefore odd numbers are avoided for birthday celebrations and weddings. To avoid bad things happening in pairs, activities such as burials and gift-giving are not performed on even-numbered days. In Chinese, the  number four (å››, sà ¬) sounds like the word for death (æ ­ », sÇ ). For this reason, the number four is avoided- particularly on phone numbers, license plates, and addresses. For addresses that do contain fours, the rent is usually less and apartments on the fourth floor are typically rented by foreigners. Work Shopkeepers may opt not to read a book at work because book (æ› ¸, shÃ… «) sounds like lose (è ¼ ¸, shÃ… «). Shopkeepers who read may be afraid their businesses will suffer losses. When it comes to sweeping, shopkeepers are careful not to sweep toward the door, especially during the Chinese New Year, in case good fortune is swept out into the street. When eating a meal, never turn over fish when you are with a fisherman as the motion symbolizes a boat capsizing. Also, never offer a friend an umbrella because the word umbrella (傘, sÇŽn) sounds similar to æ• £ (sn, to break up) and the act is a sign that you will never see each other again. Food Young children should not eat chicken feet as it is believed that doing so will prevent them from writing well when they start school. They may also become prone to fighting like roosters. Leaving food on one’s plate- particularly grains of rice- is believed to result in marriage to a spouse with many pockmarks on his or her face. Not finishing a meal is also believed to incur the wrath of the thunder god. Another Chinese taboo relating to food is that chopsticks should not be left standing straight up in a bowl of rice. This act is said to bring bad luck to restaurant owners as chopsticks stuck in rice look similar to incense placed in urns. Gift-Giving Since good things are believed to come in pairs, gifts given in pairs (except sets of four) are best. When preparing the gift, do not wrap it in white as that color represents sorrow and poverty. Certain gifts are also seen as inauspicious. For example, never give a clock, watch, or pocket watch as a gift because to send a clock (é€ Ã© Ëœ,  sà ²ng zhÃ… ng) sounds like the funeral ritual (é€ Ã§ µâ€š,  sà ²ng zhÃ… ng). According to Chinese taboo, clocks symbolize that time is running out. There are many other such ominous  Chinese gifts to avoid. If you give an unlucky gift by accident, the receiver can make it right by giving you a coin which changes the gift to an item they have symbolically purchased. Holidays It is a Chinese taboo to share stories about death and dying and ghost stories during special occasions and holidays. Doing so is considered extremely unlucky. Chinese New Year There are many Chinese New Year taboos  to be wary of. On the first day of the Chinese New Year, inauspicious words cannot be spoken. For example, words such as break, spoil, die, gone, and poor should not be uttered. During the Chinese New Year, nothing should be broken. When eating fish, diners must be careful to not break any of the bones, and be extra careful not to break any plates. Also, nothing should be cut during Chinese New Year as that signifies one’s life could be cut short. Noodles should not be cut and haircuts should be avoided. In general, sharp objects like scissors and knives are avoided during Chinese New Year. All windows and doors in the home should be open on New Year’s Eve to send out the old year and welcome the New Year. All debts should be paid by Chinese New Year and nothing should be lent on New Year’s Day. When preparing paper dragons for the Chinese New Year, it is taboo for women who are menstruating, people in mourning, and babies to be near the dragons when the cloth is being pasted to the dragon’s body. Birthdays One long noodle is typically slurped on one’s birthday. But revelers beware- the noodle should not be bitten or cut as this is believed to shorten one’s life. Weddings In the three months leading up to a couple’s wedding, they should avoid going to a funeral or wake or visiting a woman who has just had a baby. If one of the couple’s parents passes away before the wedding, the wedding must be postponed for 100 days, as attending happy celebrations during mourning is considered disrespectful to the dead. If a roasted pig is given as part of the bride’s gift to the groom’s family, the tail and ears should not be broken. Doing so would mean the bride is not a virgin. Fifth Lunar Month The fifth lunar month is considered an unlucky month. It is a Chinese taboo to dry blankets in the sun and build houses during this time. Hungry Ghost Festival The Hungry Ghost Festival is held during the seventh lunar month. In order to avoid seeing ghosts, people should not go outside at night. Celebrations such as weddings are not held, fishermen do not launch new boats, and many people opt to postpone their trips during the Hungry Ghost Month. The souls of those who die by drowning are considered to be in the greatest turmoil, so some people refuse to go swimming during this time to lessen the chance of a run-in with wayward ghosts.

Social Media Affecting Interpersonal And Intercultural Communication Essay

Social Media Affecting Interpersonal And Intercultural Communication - Essay Example The traditional intercultural communication has come under immense threat of getting obsoleted due to the increasing level of human interaction through the use of social media. In the light of globalization, the present day society is becoming more and more dependent on the internet and the social networking system in their daily communication. The major modes of communication are driven by technology and the internet. These may include the social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, the online chatting and VOIP services like Face Time, Skype etc., the online blogs, micro blogs and different online forums. The social media has influenced the people from different cultures and countries to communicate with each other as well as provide information about themselves on the web through the social networking sites, personal websites and blogs (Hofstede, 2001). The cultural communication system has been reshaped to emerge as a more open and widely integrated system all across the globe. Discussion The invention and development of new technologies in the communication and networking aspects have presented a wide array of choices for communication connecting all the parts of the world through the World Wide Web. Internet connection has gained major importance throughput the world with the connection facilities spreading to even remote parts of the world. ... The social media provides people from all over the world with the opportunity to display their information as well as demonstrate their culture, interests and activities through sites like Pinterest, We Heart It, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media sites. The different social networking sites are made user friendly so that people from varying backgrounds can easily use these media. These sites use computer mediated communication (CMC) system to make it easy for people to communicate and express themselves (Herring, 1996). The users can also create personalized websites to provide information about them and express their ideas and interests. This mode of communication has highly influenced the social lives of people all across the globe and exchange their ideas and information on different areas of discussion. The social media communications have made it simpler for people to exchange text, videos, e-mails, instant messaging as well as communicate through the use of rea l time audio and video chats using Skype, Face Time etc. The social networking sites are internet based service systems that allow people to create public profiles on the web within a system which they can completely control, maintain a connection with other users which may include the acquaintances, friends and family members. The social networking sites also make it possible to view the activities of the connections within the system. The first social networking site was launched in the year 1997 named Sixdegrees.com having all the above mentioned features. After the launch of this social site, the social media experienced a boom with a number of social sites being formed for different

How much Gas is Preduced Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How much Gas is Preduced - Essay Example The reaction proceeds as follows: In this experiment one can see that two moles of HCl react with one mole of magnesium to produce one mole of each MgCl2 and H2. Since the product H2 is gaseous in nature, one can safely assume that if the reaction proceeds at standard temperature and pressure (273K, 1 atm) the volume of one mole of H2 produced will be 22.4 litres. Also, one mole of Magnesium will have the mass in grams equal to its molecular weight i.e. 24. Therefore, the mass of magnesium used in the reaction can be converted into the number of moles of magnesium used in the reaction, for e.g.  The Pressure sensor was used in the experiment to calculate the pressure at which the volume of gas was to be computed. Other equipments used in the experiment were weighing balance, tongs, measuring cylinder, flask, test tubes, stop-cock, glass-tube etc. The materials used in conducting the experiment were moderately diluted HCL and powdered Magnesium. The diagram of the apparatus is given as follows: The mass of Magnesium used in the reaction is measured by the weighing scale and the volume of HCL is measured by the measuring cylinder keeping in mind that the pressure required is 0.5 atm. The acid is sufficiently diluted so as to have a smooth reaction as the reaction between Hydrochloric Acid and Magnesium is exothermic i.e. a lot of heat is evolved. Also the gas produced Hydrogen creates a lot of fizz in the flask. When combining the reagents into the flask, care must be taken that none of the gas being produced escapes when adding the reagents together, before sealing the container. Therefore, we add hydrochloric acid in the flask first followed by Magnesium and instant sealing of the flask so as to prevent the escape of any hydrogen gas. The gas is attached to a pressure sensor by a glass tube which records the pressure

Industrial Revolution in Europe Essay Example for Free

Industrial Revolution in Europe Essay The industrial revolution had a great impact on Europe, especially when it comes to social and economic aspects, since they underwent a great change during the period. Still, whether the industrial revolution was positive or negative as a whole depends on if you focus on either of these two aspects. Optimists will say that it was good, and theyll focus on the favourable consequences on economy. Pessimists, however, will focus on social aspects, since society suffered a decline as to way of life. When it comes to economy, most of the consequences of the industrial revolution on it were quite positive. Wages rose, and people had enough money to buy goods. Industry developed, making it more efficient to produce products with the help of machines. These made it more profitable for industries, since work was done faster and without a need for a big human work force, thus creating mass production. It was cheap to make goods, and they were produced at a large scale, which in turn led to consumers being able to afford more products. Another thing was the creation of banks, which favoured economy as they lent money to set up even more industries. Mercantilism also helped European countries, since they had a market for their goods. Also, industries were favoured by the construction of better roads and canals, and with the invention of the steam engine, as well as with the construction of turnpike trusts. Goods were transported in faster, safer and cheaper ways, which had a positive effect on industry and economy. The improvement of the transport system also had positive effects on social aspects. Now that people had more money, they could use it to go on day holidays to the coast, since they could use the railroad. Improvement in transportation also eventually led to the creation of national sport leagues, as teams could move around from place to place. Another positive consequence of the improvement of transport reflected on peoples diets. Fresh food could be transported faster and cheaper into urban areas, thus making it available for consumers, who, with the improvements in economy, now had money to buy it, as well as some mass produced clothes. Still, even if people had more money, standards of living didnt rise as  much. To get money, people had to work for long shifts, and housing was also more expensive. This made people pack together in small houses. Over-crowding inevitably led to the quick spread of diseases and illnesses as pollution from industries and wastes filled the cities, affecting people who lived very close together. People working in the city also had bad working conditions. They worked for long shifts under unhealthy conditions, and accidents were common due to the over-tiredness of the workers after so many hours of work. Also, for a family to meet monthly expenses, children had to work. Child labour was common, and children had harsh jobs, working all day instead of being able to go to school and get an education. Another negative consequence of the industrial revolution was the sharp increase of crime in cities. As industries and large farms prospered, small farmers and peasants suffered. Many were left without a job and thus migrated into the cities. Population increase in urban areas, however, didnt always match the increasing need for workers in industries; many people were left without a job and thus had to resort to crime to be able to survive. It is clear that the Industrial Revolution had a great impact on peoples lives throughout Europe. A capitalist economy flourished, while workers suffered unhealthy conditions as they struggled to survive in a changing society.

Joan of Arc :: History

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc is a French National Heroine who became a Saint of the Roman Catholic Church because of her great achievements. Joan was a simple peasant girl who rescued France from defeat in one of the darkest periods of the "Hundred years' war" with England. She led the French army to victory against the English and paved the way for the coronation of King Charles VII. Joan has become one of the most admired characters in European history. As France was struggling during the Hundred years' war, a young peasant girl was born in the small town of Domrà ©my. Joan was born on January 6, 1412, which was a very unstable time for France. The English and Burgundians ruled much of the country and France was suffering. The Royal Family was weak, the King was insane and Charles the Dauphin, future King, was a coward. Total defeat was not far away. Joan was born a peasant, however, she was to bring the French new inspiration and succeed in driving out the English. Joan was like any other peasant girl in the 15th century. She could not read or write, but she worked hard on her father's farm and acquired her faith and prayers from her mother. In the village she was remembered as a good and simple girl. She had three brothers and a sister who died young. As a peasant, she always remained close to home and didn't even consider leaving the village until she was thirteen and had begun hearing voices. She identified the voice as that of God, telling her that she would have to perform a great task. By age sixteen, she had visions and heard the voices of Saint Margaret, Saint Michael and Saint Catherine sending her on a sacred mission. She must go to the aid of the Dauphin and liberate France from English domination. In 1429 Joan left her home and traveled to the court of the Dauphin. He feared her voices might be from the devil, therefore, he sent a priest to test her. He found no harm and she at last made her way to Chinon were she would find the King. However, when she arrived, the king was hidden among courtiers and although she had never seen him before she recognized him immediately and made straight for him. The King was anxious to believe her voices and therefore he reassembled his troops and placed them under Joan's command.

Enhancing quality in assessment Essay

Quality assurance refers to refers to any systematic process aimed at ensuring that services and products being developed meet the specified requirements and standards (Sale, 1990). Thorough testing by the quality assurance on products and services is important so as to give developers a chance to fix glitches before new technology prior to the products or services being unleashed to the consumers (Hernon & Altman, 1998). Appropriate quality assurance can also support firms in attaining a competitive edge in the trading ecosystem which is extremely complex. It can also help in improving customer acquisition and retention rates through helping in distributing cutting edge services to consumers more dependably and faster. Assessment refers to any process which appraises skills, understanding, knowledge and knowledge of an individual. The vital elements of assessment which requires being quality assured include the assessors, the assessment process, the assessment system, collecting the evidence and making the judgment (Oakland, 1989). Assessment principles propose that assessments should be reliable, fair, flexible and valid. Assessors carrying out the assessment should make sure that assessment decisions engage the evaluation of adequate evidence which will enable a judgment to be made regarding competence of an individual. Assessors judge the individuals against benchmarks or competency standards which are developed by the industry with an aim of assessing whether such individuals are competent. Individual needs of the customers should also be assessed in order to find out whether the products and services provided to them satisfy those needs. This assessment will help in understanding and improving those individual needs (Oakland, 1989). When individual needs are met this will increase the customer’s satisfaction, customer loyalty and also the company will be having a competitive edge over its competitors (Fox, 1993). In order for a company to be successful it should be able to meet the customer expectations. Customer expectations should be made public in organization where appropriate criteria should be introduced and also high standards should be set with an aim of meeting the individual needs of the customers. Also during the assessment there should be a systematical way of analyzing, gathering and interpreting evidence in order to find out how well the performance of the company matches the standards and expectations of the consumers (Harlen, 1994). The information gathered will be used in explaining, documenting and enhancing performance. This will help in creating an organization culture which focuses more on satisfying the individual needs of the consumers which will eventually increases the performance of the company (Garcia, 2009). Assessment is frequently subdivided into two categories namely formative assessment and summative assessment. Formative assessment possess a developmental purpose which is aimed at helping individuals in a company to work more effectively through giving them feedback in connection with their performance and also ways of maintaining or enhancing their performance. This will help the company in ensuring that the customers’ needs and expectations are achieved. On the other hand, summative assessment is used to show the extent of the individual’s success in attaining the assessment criteria used in appraising the intended performance outcomes of the company. Different customers have different needs and requirements and therefore companies should assess those needs in order to satisfy all their individual needs (Gitlow, 2005). Quality assurance process prevents hitches from occurring, detect and correct hitches that do happen, and promote higher standards of care. Assessment activity should be within a quality management system concerned with constant improvement. Two main factors which drives the demand for ensuring the quality of assessment include philosophy of quality management and the desire to follow the set requirements. Assuring assessment quality will leads to many benefits to the organization. Improving the consistency and quality of assessment will assist the assessors to have more confidence on their judgments, individuals to deem that they have been treated in a just way, and community, employers and other groups to value assessment judgment issued. A great concern on quality in assessment easily forms part of the overall approach of the organization and management of quality processes (Quality management and quality assurance standards, 1994). Quality assurance is very concerned on a systematic approach to enhancement that is aimed at responding and recognizing to the expectation and needs of all the groups of stakeholders in organizations. Stakeholders expect quality assessment and training carried out in an environment which is systematic that also assures its services and processes. Quality assurance processes the support staff which supports them in providing effective and efficient service that is focused appropriately on the needs of customers and clients. Quality assurance involves constant improvement (Vitale & Vengroski, 1993). The cyclical approach of ‘plan, do, assess, and act’ encourages the need to execute processes, assess their efficiency and act to continue with further improvement (Fox, 1993). Organizational needs should also be assessed where all departments should be assessed and also the employees. Employees should also be allowed to have self-assessment and peer reviewed assessments so as to determine their performance and help in knowing areas to improve in order to enhance their performance (Gitlow, 2005). All the groups and stakeholders which contributes to the performance of the company should be assessed and analyze them in order to come up with effective ways of enhancing the performance of the company. This will also help in increasing customer’s satisfaction since all their needs will be assessed and therefore working towards fulfilling those needs. Assessing individual, groups and organizations needs therefore it very significant towards improving the performance of the company. References Ciccone, K. R., & Lord, J. T. (1992). IQA-2: continuous performance improvement through integrated quality assessment. Chicago: American Hospital Pub.. Fox, M. J. (1993). Quality assurance management. London: Chapman & Hall. Garcia, D. (2009). Quality management. Chandni Chowk, Delhi [India: Global Media. Gitlow, H. S. (2005). Quality management (3rd ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Harlen, W. (1994). Enhancing quality in assessment. London: P. Chapman Pub.. Hernon, P., & Altman, E. (1998). Assessing service quality: satisfying the expectations of library customers. Chicago: American Library Association. Oakland, J. S. (1989). Total quality management. Oxford: Heinemann Professional Pub. ;. Quality management and quality assurance standards. (1994). Sydney: Standards Australia ;. Sale, D. N. (1990). Quality assurance. London: Macmillan. Vitale, B. A., & Vengroski, S. M. (1993). Quality assessment and improvement in long-term care: a continuous process. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis. Source document

Nigerian Economy, Gdp and Production.

NIGERIAN ECONOMY/GDP AND PRODUCTION Nigeria recorded a Current Account surplus of 11. 60 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2011. Current Account to GDP in Nigeria is reported by the African Economic Outlook. Historically, from 1980 until 2011, Nigeria Current Account to GDP averaged 1. 2 Percent reaching an all time high of 37. 9 Percent in December of 2008 and a record low of -18. 7 Percent in December of 1986. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country.Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. Nigeria recorded a Current Account surplus of 5035. 99 USD Million in the third quarte r of 2012. Current Account in Nigeria is reported by the Central Bank of Nigeria.Historically, from 2005 until 2012, Nigeria Current Account averaged 2373. 87 USD Million reaching an all time high of 9455. 37 USD Million in December of 2009 and a record low of -4410 USD Million in September of 2010. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION. In 2011 and 2012, Nigeria’s industrial production increased by 0. 10% as reported by the Central Bank of Nigeria.Historically, from 2007 until 2012, Nigeria Industrial Production averaged 3. 15 Percent reaching an all time high of 14. 90 Percent in December of 2011 and a record low of 0. 10 Percent in June of 2007. In Nigeria, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in industrial sector of the economy such as manufacturing, mining, and u tilities. This page includes a chart with historical data for Nigeria Industrial Production. The data given on this page shows a year over year change in a seasonally adjusted Industrial Production Index.Industrial Production Index is an economic indicator that measures changes in output for the manufacturing, mining, and utilities. Although these sectors contribute only a small portion of GDP, they are highly sensitive to interest rates and consumer demand. This makes Industrial Production an important tool for forecasting future GDP and economic performance. Industrial Production figures are also used by central banks to measure inflation, as high levels of industrial production can lead to uncontrolled levels of consumption and rapid inflation. Nigerian Economy, Gdp and Production. NIGERIAN ECONOMY/GDP AND PRODUCTION Nigeria recorded a Current Account surplus of 11. 60 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2011. Current Account to GDP in Nigeria is reported by the African Economic Outlook. Historically, from 1980 until 2011, Nigeria Current Account to GDP averaged 1. 2 Percent reaching an all time high of 37. 9 Percent in December of 2008 and a record low of -18. 7 Percent in December of 1986. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country.Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. Nigeria recorded a Current Account surplus of 5035. 99 USD Million in the third quarte r of 2012. Current Account in Nigeria is reported by the Central Bank of Nigeria.Historically, from 2005 until 2012, Nigeria Current Account averaged 2373. 87 USD Million reaching an all time high of 9455. 37 USD Million in December of 2009 and a record low of -4410 USD Million in September of 2010. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION. In 2011 and 2012, Nigeria’s industrial production increased by 0. 10% as reported by the Central Bank of Nigeria.Historically, from 2007 until 2012, Nigeria Industrial Production averaged 3. 15 Percent reaching an all time high of 14. 90 Percent in December of 2011 and a record low of 0. 10 Percent in June of 2007. In Nigeria, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in industrial sector of the economy such as manufacturing, mining, and u tilities. This page includes a chart with historical data for Nigeria Industrial Production. The data given on this page shows a year over year change in a seasonally adjusted Industrial Production Index.Industrial Production Index is an economic indicator that measures changes in output for the manufacturing, mining, and utilities. Although these sectors contribute only a small portion of GDP, they are highly sensitive to interest rates and consumer demand. This makes Industrial Production an important tool for forecasting future GDP and economic performance. Industrial Production figures are also used by central banks to measure inflation, as high levels of industrial production can lead to uncontrolled levels of consumption and rapid inflation.

Mans Journey into Self in Heart of Darkness and A Essays

Mans Journey into Self in Heart of Darkness and A Essays Mans Journey into Self in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now English Mans Journey into Self in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Hu240 Inherent inside every human soul is a savage evil side that remains repressed by society. Often this evil side breaks out during times of isolation from our culture, and whenever one culture confronts another. History is loaded with examples of atrocities that have occurred when one culture comes into contact with another. Whenever fundamentally different cultures meet, there is often a fear of contamination and loss of self that leads us to discover more about our true selves, often causing perceived madness by those who have yet to discover. The Puritans left Europe in hopes of finding a new world to welcome them and their beliefs. What they found was a vast new world, loaded with Indian cultures new to them. This overwhelming cultural interaction caused some Puritans to go mad and try to purge themselves of a perceived evil. This came to be known as the Salem witch trials. During World War II, Germany made an attempt to overrun Europe. What happened when the Nazis came into power and persecuted the Jews in Germany, Austria and Poland is well known as the Holocaust. Here, humans evil side provides one of the scariest occurrences of this century. Adolf Hitler and his Nazi counterparts conducted raids of the ghettos to locate and often exterminate any Jews they found. Although Jews are the most widely known victims of the Holocaust, they were not the only targets. When the war ended, 6 million Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Communists, and others targeted by the Nazis, had died in the Holocaust. Most of these deaths occurred in gas chambers and mass shootings. This gruesome attack was motivated mainly by the fear of cultural intermixing which would impurify the "Master Race." Joseph Conrads book, The Heart of Darkness and Francis Coppolas movie, Apocalypse Now are both stories about Mans journey into his self, and the discoveries to be made there. They are also about Man confronting his fears of failure, insanity, death, and cultural contamination. During Marlows mission to find Kurtz, he is also trying to find himself. He, like Kurtz had good intentions upon entering the Congo. Conrad tries to show us that Marlow is what Kurtz had been, and Kurtz is what Marlow could become. Every human has a little of Marlow and Kurtz in them. Marlow says about himself, "I was getting savage (Conrad)," meaning that he was becoming more like Kurtz. Along the trip into the wilderness, they discover their true selves through contact with savage natives. As Marlow ventures further up the Congo, he feels like he is traveling back through time. He sees the unsettled wilderness and can feel the darkness of its solitude. Marlow comes across simpler cannibalistic cultures along the banks. The deeper into the jungle he goes, the more regressive the inhabitants seem. Kurtz had lived in the Congo, and was separated from his own culture for quite some time. He had once been considered an honorable man, but the jungle changed him greatly. Here, secluded from the rest of his own society, he discovered his evil side and became corrupted by his power and solitude. Marlow tells us about the Ivory that Kurtz kept as his own, and that he had no restraint, and was " a tree swayed by the wind (Conrad, 209)." Marlow mentions the human heads displayed on posts that "showed that Mr. Kurtz lacked restraint in the gratification of his various lusts (Conrad, 220)." Conrad also tells us "his nerves went wrong, and caused him to preside at certain midnight dances ending with unspeakable rights, which were offered up to him (Conrad, 208)," meaning that Kurtz went insane and allowed himself to be worshipped as a god. It appears that while Kurtz had been isolated from his culture, he had become corrupted by this violent native culture, and allowed his evil side to control him. Marlow realizes that only very near the time of death, does a person grasp the big picture. He describes Kurtzs last moments "as though a veil had been rent (Conrad, 239)." Kurtzs last "supreme moment of complete knowledge (Conrad, 239)," showed him how horrible the human soul really can be. Marlow can only speculate as to what Kurtz saw that caused him to exclaim "The horror! The horror," but later adds that "Since I peeped over the edge myself, I understand better the meaning of his stare it was wide enough

Postal Service Wants to Offer Payday Loans

Postal Service Wants to Offer Payday Loans Even though it loses massive quantities of it every year, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) wants to loan you money. Short-term â€Å"payday† loans are just one of the financial services the USPS has proposed offering though Post Offices in order to serve the scores of American â€Å"unbanked† individuals and families, while protecting them from predatory payday lenders and, of course, bettering its own dismal financial status. According to a report from the USPS’ inspector general, one in four U.S. households lives at least partially outside the financial mainstream without bank accounts or using costly services like payday lenders – and spends an average of $2,412 each year just on interest and fees for such alternative financial services. â€Å"Many of the 34 million financially underserved households - representing 68 million adults - are treading water very close to the economic edge,† wrote the inspector general. â€Å"Unexpected expenses can push them over the brink into homelessness or bankruptcy, which come with broad social and economic costs.† The inspector general estimates the USPS could bring in almost $9 billion a year by capturing just 10% of the $89 billion spent on alternative financial services in the U.S. every year. â€Å"Postal financial services may appeal to many customers who feel abandoned by major financial institutions,† states the report. â€Å"Postal organizations have an unmatched ability to reach consumers from diverse backgrounds.† As the report notes, many international postal services are already garnering significant new revenue by offering financial services. Of course, the USPS also hopes to make money by charging interest on these short-term loans, but at a far lower rate than those charged by traditional payday lenders. USPS Brand Payday Loan vs. Traditional Payday Loans The USPS inspector general suggests the Postal Service could offer short-term – payday – loans with interest rates of 28%, compared to the average interest rate of 391% charged by traditional payday lenders. For example, a person borrowing $375 from a traditional payday lender would end up having to pay back a total of about $896, including $521 in interest and fees. The same $375 borrowed from the USPS would end up costing only $423, including $48 in interest and fees. â€Å"That single loan from the Postal Service could effectively put $472 back into a consumer’s pocket, which he or she could then use on more economically productive expenses,† stated the report. â€Å"If even one-tenth of the 12 million Americans who take out a payday loan each year got this hypothetical Postal Loan instead, they could collectively save more than half a billion dollars a year in fees and interest.† In addition, says the inspector general, short-term Postal Service loans would allow the estimated 10 million unbanked U.S. households which cannot afford high-interest rate payday loans to borrow the money they need. â€Å"There is a wide range of consumers who need access to small-dollar credit, and the Postal Loan could strongly appeal to these different types of borrowers,† noted the inspector general. â€Å"For example, people whose income varies throughout the year, consumers with no other avenues to credit, families with unexpected expenses, and others.† Finally, contends the report, affordable Postal Service loans would help people break the â€Å"cycle of debt,† that forces them to borrow more money to make payments on existing loans. According to a 2104 report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, more than 80% of payday loans are either extended or followed by another loan less than two weeks later. While the â€Å"average† interest rate for traditional payday loans may be 391%, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has warned consumers of online payday lenders charging interest rates of 650% USPS Vows Not to Compete with Banks If you own a bank, don’t worry. The inspector general makes it perfectly clear that the USPS has no intention of becoming a bank or even competing with banks. Instead, says his report, in offering small short-term loans and other financial services, the Postal Service would â€Å"greatly complement† the services offered by banks. Correctly noting that banks are closing branches in inner city low-income and rural areas nationwide, the inspector general says the USPS would help banks â€Å"fill the gaps in their efforts to reach the underserved.† And remember, â€Å"The Postal Service also is among the most trusted companies in America, and trust is a critical element for implementing financial services,† he added. Also See: Postal Services Wants to Deliver Groceries

Human Resource Management of eBay in China Essay

Human Resource Management of eBay in China - Essay Example eBay’s failure in China is attributable to its rigid and product-centered approach that did not complement consumer behavior in China. Cultural differences, unique characteristics of Chinese consumers and hence their demands from e-shopping differ vastly from that of American buyers. This problem identification requires the development of appropriate solutions to help eBay tackle the threat of dominant competition in China that is being posed by Taobao. A success in doing so would allow eBay to capture the booming e-shopping market in China which is expected to grow to an astounding $315 billion dollars by 2015 and therefore, presents a monumental opportunity for eBay to move forward with its plans of global expansion. The report proposes an incorporation of the expertise of local managers and workers in the operations of eBay China to remove issues that are being posed by cultural barriers. It should also be noted that this Human Resource Management initiative will also help in cost reduction and minimization. Diversity in a workforce is integral to idea generation and would also help redesign eBay’s business model to suit to the needs of the Chinese C2C market. Drawbacks of the proposed solution are also discussed and it is recommended that further reports are commissioned to assess the validity of the said drawbacks and how they should be minimized. Contents 1.Terms of Reference 3 2.Literature Review 5 3.Problem Identification 7 3.1 Background 7 3.2 Competition from Taobao 9 3.3 Cultural Issues 10 3.4 Unique Characteristics of Buyers 10 3.5 eBay’s Business Model 11 4.Evaluation of Alternatives 11 4.1Employing Local Managers 11 4.2Transferring Core Employees with Chinese Background 13 5.Recommendations 14 6.Reflective Appendix 15 References 17 1. Terms of Reference eBay is a global internet-based business that acts as an intermediary between consumer-to-consumer transactions for a wide range of products that include electronics, automobil es, clothing, sporting gear and several other products falling under various categories. eBay entered the Chinese market in 2003 through its acquisition of EachNet (Zhang et al. 2009) with hopes of gaining a considerable market share and to repeat the success that it had achieved in the U.S. However, as industry analysts would later report eBay failed to compete with the dominant force of Taobao – a local website that was launched by Alibaba in hopes of battling the imminent threat that eBay posed to sellers in China’s booming internet shopping market. While, commentators and analysts have evidently explained the reasons why eBay eventually could not make a significant impact on the online shopping market in China, it is important to note that much of that discussion has been directed towards assessing comparative analyses between the business models of eBay and its adversary Taobao. The purpose of this report however, is to focus specifically on the Human Resource Man agement of eBay in China in order to utilize the evaluations derived from the assessment to propose recommendations and suggestions that could be undertaken by the multinational corporation. The report aims to do so by defining the problems and issues that eBay faced in the Chinese market which posed as obstacles in allowing the organization to capture a considerable market share within the industry in the face of tough competition. These main issues include exploring