Emax electronics uae Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emax electronics uae - Essay Example The product spectrum comprises of photography, IT, audio, mobiles, video, accessories, wellness and fitness, gaming, do-it-yourself, gifting, motor vehicle electronics and navigation, personal care, watches, musical instruments, home solutions, portable and MP3 players, telecom, kitchenware, videos and music, security solutions, home appliances, among many more (Holand and Beall 2012, p.30). This, together with competitive value and unparalleled service, makes Emax one area for every electronics needs. A widely used and comprehensible tool that helps a person to scrutinize the political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological shifts in a business environment is known as PEST Analysis. It aids in comprehending the powers of transformation that a certain business may be exposed to, and thereafter take full advantage of the chances that these transformations present. Emax electronics uses PEST Analysis to adapt and understand its future business environment (Grasser and Meller 2009 , p.7). Transformations in an environment for business can lead to significant opportunities for any organization and at the same time can cause significant threats. For instance, opportunities can emerge from latest technologies that aid in reaching fresh clients, from fresh financing streams that enable an individual to invest in superior equipment, as well as from changed policies of the government that result in new markets. On the other hand, threats can comprise of deregulation which exposes an individual to a shrinking market; intensified competition; or increases in rates of interest which can create concerns if a business is burdened by heavy debt (Grasser and Meller 2009, p.8). Emax electronics has been supported by PEST Analysis to spot its business opportunities as well as being offered advanced warning of substantial threats. Emax’s direction of change within its business environment has been revealed by PEST Analysis. Consequently, it has been able to shape its electronic business so that it operates hand in hand with change, but not against it. Through the use of PEST Analysis Emax electronics has avoided commencing projects, which have a high likelihood of failing for reasons beyond its control. It has succeeded breaking free of some unconscious assumptions when it gets into a new country, market, or region because, through PEST Analysis, it can develop an objective analysis of this fresh environment (Holand and Beall 2012, p.31). The major competitors of E max electronic are other emerging electronic suppliers such as Jumbo Electronics Dubai UAE, Sharaf dj, Emirates Electronics Industries, Abu Dhabi United Electronics, and Carefour. The main advantage that these competitors have over Emax electronics is the fact that they specialize in just a few electronic products. (Ward and Daniel 2012, p.16) With this specialization, their products tend to be deemed perfect by many customers. E max supplying a wide range of products is a setback for them as well as an opportunity of capturing all customers under one roof. It is natural not to be perfect hence even customers will bring out this judgment while purchasing these products (Holand and Beall 2012, p.32). Emax electronics, being a supplier of a wide range of products, might at some point ignore other products and concentrate much on others. This gives

Automobile Industry Essay Example for Free

Automobile Industry Essay Strong demand growth due to rising incomes, growing middle class, and a young population is likely to propel India among the world’s top five auto-producers by 2015 Growth in export demand is also set to accelerate. Tata Nano and the upcoming Pixel have opened up the potentially large ultra low cost car segment Innovation is likely to intensify among engine technology and alternative fuels. Advantage India Rising investments Policy support India has significant cost advantages; auto firms save 10-25 per cent on operations in India compared to Europe and Latin America A large pool of skilled manpower and a growing technology base will induce greater investments. The government aims to develop India as a global manufacturing as well as RD hub There has been a wide array of policy support in the form of sops, taxes and FDI encouragement. FY10 Market size: USD57.7 billion Notes: RD – Research and development, FDI – Foreign direct investment; FY – Indian financial year (April – March); FY16E – estimated figure for financial year 2016; estimates are from the government’s Automotive Mission Plan (2006 – 2016) ADVANTAGE INDIA. For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org. 3. Automotives AUGUST 2012 Contents ï  ¶ Advantage India ï  ¶ Market overview and trends ï  ¶ Growth drivers ï  ¶ Success stories: Maruti, Tata Motors ï  ¶ Opportunities ï  ¶ Useful information For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org 4 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Evolution of the Indian automotives sector 20.4 million units (2012) 11 million units (2007) 2008 onwards 0.6 million units (1992) 1983 1992 0.4 million units (1982) Before 1982 †¢ Closed market †¢ Only 5 players †¢ Joint venture (JV) Indian government and Suzuki to form Maruti Udyog; started production in 1983 †¢ Component manufacturers also entered via JV route †¢ Buyer’s market 1993 -2007 †¢ Sector de-licensed in 1993 †¢ Major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) started assembly in India †¢ Imports allowed from April 2001 †¢ Introduction of value added tax in 2005 †¢ More than 35 players in the market †¢ Removal of most import controls †¢ Indian companies gaining global identity †¢ Long waiting periods and outdated models †¢ Seller’s market Source: Tata Motors, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Aranca Research, Notes: JV – Joint Venture MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org 5 Automotives AUGUST 2012 The automotives market is split into four segments Automobiles Two-wheelers Passenger vehicles Commercial vehicles Three-wheelers Mopeds Passenger cars Light commercial vehicles Passenger carriers Scooters Utility vehicles Motorcycles Multi-purpose vehicles Medium and heavy commercial vehicles Goods carriers Electric twowheelers For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 6 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Revenues have been growing at a strong pace → Gross turnover of automobile manufacturers in India expanded at a CAGR of 17.7per cent over FY07-1 1 Excluding three wheelers, cars account for the largest share of revenues (66.2 percent in 2010) Revenue trends over the past few years in USD million 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.5 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 66.2% 36.6 33.3 21.5% Trucks Cars 58.6 CAGR: 17.7% 43.3 → Market* break-up by revenues (2010) 12.3% Two Wheelers Source: SIAM, Datamonitor, Aranca Research Note: *does not include three wheelers For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 7 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Sector’s growing strength evident from rise in total production figures Total production of automobiles in India (million units) 16.0 → → 12.0 7.6 8 8.4 10.0 8.0 6.0 1.3 0.4 0.4 1.2 0.4 0.4 1.6 0.6 0.5 1.3 0.5 0.6 1.8 2.4 4.0 6.5 8.5 Notes: CAGR – Compound annual growth rate 10.5 Passenger vehicles was the fastest growing segment during that period with a CAGR of 14.5 per cent 14.0 13.4 0.8 0.8 3.0 2.0 0.0 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 0.4 0.5 FY10 0.6 0.6 FY11 FY12 Passenger Vehicle Three Wheelers Commercial Vehicle Two Wheelers Source: SIAM, Aranca Research For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 0.8 0.8 3.1 15.5 Automobiles production increased at a CAGR of 13.2 per cent over FY05-12 18.0 8 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Market break-up by production volume → Two wheelers dominate production volumes; in FY12, the segment accounted for more than three quarters of total automotives production in the country Market share by volume (FY12) → In fact, India is the world’s second largest two wheeler producer; the country is also the fourth largest commercial vehicle producer 4% 4% 16% Two Wheelers Passenger Vehicle Commercial Vehicle Three Wheelers 76% Source: SIAM, Aranca Research For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 9 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Market break-up of individual segments by production volumes †¦ (1/2) Shares in production of passenger vehicles (FY11) Shares in production of commercial vehicles (FY11) 11.5% Passenger cars 8.1% 36.0% MCV HCV Passenger Carriers MCV HCV Goods Carriers LCV Passenger Carriers 49.7% 6.1% LCV Goods Carriers Utility vehicles/multipurpose vehicles 88.5% Source: SIAM, Aranca Research Notes: LCV – Light commercial vehicle; MCV – Medium commercial vehicle; HCV – Heavy commercial vehicle For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 10 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Market break-up of individual segments by production volumes †¦ (2/2) Shares in production of three wheelers (FY12) Shares in production of two wheelers (FY12) 15.8% Goods carriers 15.6% 5.3% Mopeds Motorcycles Passenger carriers Scooters 84.2% 79.1% Source: SIAM, Aranca Research For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 11 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Exports have also grown strongly †¦ (1/2) → Automobiles export volumes increased at a CAGR of 22.4 per cent over FY05–FY12 Over this period, the fastest growth was in the two wheeler segment (25.8 per cent) followed by three wheelers (21.9 per cent) Exports of automobiles from India (million units) 2 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 2 0.5 0.6 0.8 1 0.5 1.1 0.5 1.5 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.03 0.1 → 0.2 0.04 0.1 0.2 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.06 0.1 0.04 0.2 0.04 0.2 0.08 0.3 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 Passenger Vehicle Commercial Vehicle Three Wheelers Two Wheelers Source: SIAM, Aranca Research For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 0.1 0.4 12 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Exports have also grown strongly †¦ (2/2) → Two wheelers accounted for the largest share in exports (by volume) at 67 per cent in FY12 Passenger vehicles account for a sizeable 18 per cent of overall exports Exports shares by volume (FY12) → 18% Passenger Vehicle 3% 12% 67% Commercial Vehicle Three Wheelers Two Wheelers Source: SIAM, Aranca Research For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 13 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Presence of a clear leader in each segment of the market → The automotives industry is concentrated with market leaders in each segment commanding a share of over 40 per cent Market Leader Passenger Vehicles MCVs HCVs LCVs Three Wheelers 45% 16% Others 15% 7% 63% 23% 7% 59% 30% 4% 4% 41% 40% 10% Motorcycles Scooters 59% 24% 7% 6% 51% 21% 14% Source: SIAM, Aranca Research Notes: Data is for FY10 10% For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 14 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Notable trends in the Indian automotives sector †¢ Large number of products available to consumers across various segments; this New product launches has gathered pace with the entry of a number of foreign players †¢ Reduced overall product lifecycle have forced players to employ quick product launches Improving productdevelopment capabilities †¢ Increasing RD investments from both the government and the private sector †¢ Private sector innovation has been a key determinant of growth in the sector; two good examples are Tata Nano and Tata Pixel – while the former has been a success in India, the latter is intended for foreign markets †¢ In FY11, the CNG market was worth more than USD330 million and CNG cars Alternative fuels and taxis are expected to register a CAGR of 28 per cent over FY11-FY14 †¢ The CNG distribution network in India is expected to increase to 250 cities by 2018 from 30 cities in 2009 For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org MARKET OVERVIEW AND TRENDS 15 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Contents ï  ¶ Advantage India ï  ¶ Market overview and trends ï  ¶ Growth drivers ï  ¶ Success stories: Maruti, Tata Motors ï  ¶ Opportunities ï  ¶ Useful information For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org 16 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Sector has been benefitting from strong demand and product innovation Growing demand Growing demand Policy support Strong government support Increasing investments Rising incomes, young population Inviting Greater availability of credit and financing options Goal of establishing India as an automanufacturing hub RD focus; GOI has set up technology modernisation fund Large domestic market Policy sops, FDI encouragement Resulting in Rising investments from domestic and foreign players Greater innovation in products; market segmentation Strong growth in exports as well Strong projected demand making returns attractive Notes: GOI – Government of India; For updated information, please visit www.ibef.org GROWTH DRIVERS 17 Automotives AUGUST 2012 Rising incomes and a growing middle class driving domestic demand growth Rising incomes; growing middle class †¢ Changing income dynamics of India’s population 70 million households Aspirers: annual income INR90,000200,000 Seekers: annual income INR200,000500,000 Strivers: annual income INR500,0001,000,000 Globals: annual income INR1,000,000 Personal (nominal) disposable income is expected to rise annually at 8.5 per cent over FY11-15 Rising middle class – size of the middle class expected to touch 550 million by 2025 from 50 million in 2010 Favourable demographics – a young population is also driving up the demand for cars Demand for commercial vehicles have got a boost due to development of roadways and greater market access 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2005 Strivers 2010 Seekers 2015 Deprived Deprived annual income

sports in the 1950s :: essays research papers

Sports in the 1950's Whether it's Mark McGwire breaking the home run record, Terell Davis breaking the rushing record, or superstars retiring, Americans have always had a fascination with sports. Sports have provided entertainment even before radio or television. Sports provided many things for the fans that watched them. Sports allowed communities to grow stronger and provided great athletes to look up to. With the arrival of television sports took on a whole new meaning. Being able to watch a game together gave the community a new way to bond, giving individuals a visual image of their favorite athletes. The television also opened up the industry of commercialization. Sports, televison, and merchandising on television became a combination that continues even today.The community in the 1950's was like one big family. Children played in the streets, everyone knew everyone else on the block, and sports created unbreakable bonds. Children and their fathers, neighbors, and even complete strangers could alwa ys talk about sports. As televison began to fill American homes, neighbors flocked to each others house to watch different events. Even neighbors who loved different sides crowded around the television to watch the event. Whether it was baseball, wrestling, golf, roller derby, or another sport, television allowed the community to grow closer. It is estimated that one sporting event drew an audience of 150,000 viewers. This is remarkable considering there was only about 5,000 television sets in American homes. That is about 30 people per set! Sports and television did more than just bring the community closer together. Sports on television became so popular that merchandising became a booming business. Whether at a game or sitting in the living room, authentic merchandise was a must for any fan. Much like the merchandise in Karal Ann Marlings book As Seen On TV, the merchandising industry exploited the people.

Analysis: Decision Making In Kava Essay

Decision making is one of the important and crucial aspects in running a business that business executives delegate to their subordinates, in the hope that those they think are qualified to make sound decisions indeed make very good decisions that will always be for the best interest of the company. Decision making is a privilege, but it is nonetheless a difficult task that cannot be avoided. Because of its importance and the difficulty that goes along with decision making, professionals over time managed to draft certain decision making techniques that can help those who find themselves in a great difficulty over the inability to produce a decision making process that will guarantee the providing of the best result possible for a particular business scenario. Decision-making technique to identify the solution – There are several business models of decision making techniques that anyone can utilize; there are no perfect techniques for decision making, what is important is that the person manages to identify the technique that suits his or her needs best. For the case that is being tackled in this paper, the decision making technique which will be utilized is the Measured Criterion technique. What is the Measured Criterion technique? In the Measured Criterion technique, the individual will have to create a table or matrix wherein important goals as well as options to attain the goal(s) is/are identified to allow the person/organization making the decision to look at the goal and the options they can take and decide which option they will resort to. Why is the Measured Criterion the ideal decision making technique for the particular case being discussed in this paper? It is the ideal decision making technique for this particular case because the Measured Criterion style will allow Nik and Alex to plot and identify the particular goals that they need to accomplish so that they can achieve their ultimate goal – to act as catalysts in the island so that their company can have a greater and broader business presence in Kava. These particular goals will definitely open up options for both Nik and Alex, and when there are two persons deciding, there is a very good chance that they may not opt for the same course of action. But through the use of the Measured Criterion, every option is designated with a numerical equivalent that suggests the range and probable efficacy, practicality, comfort and other aspects and characteristics of a particular option, from which the decision will be based. This information will be used on how the decisions and options are considered and weighed. For example, Part 1 of Nik’s planning involved the human resources part. For example, during the decision making process on whether Nik and Alex should advice its head office on hiring Kava local’s to work for the company when its expands its operation and presence in the island, the decision can be based after consulting the Measured Criterion chart, which would reflect points represented in numerical significance – what are the points for opting for hiring locals and the probability that they will stay long and loyal to the company compared to using non-locals to work in Kava and the corresponding level or chances that these particular type of employees will stay long and loyal in the Kava office of the company? Having identified these issues and other issues involved in the decision making task of Nik and Alex necessary to accomplish the goal delegated to them by their company, there is a better guarantee that the option they will take are considered very well and that there are minimized chances that Nik and Alex left something out unintentionally. Steps in decision making – Following the guidelines necessary to undertake the Measured Criterion technique for decision making, the steps towards decision making of the company so that it can achieve its goal in Kava will include the following steps: identification of the course of action needed to be taken, identification of the existence of alternatives and wide variety of options present for every step or action to be taken, the providing of the necessary data and points consistent with the style of Measured Criterion so that every action that presents many different options will reflect the best and worst possible option for the company to take, and lastly, the deliberation on whether the best option as reflected in the Measured Criterion tables should be taken first en route to the actualization of the business plan. During the process of decision making to attain the goal of having the business expand in Kava, Nik will have to identify key information to aid his decision making and provide information in the measured criteria table for further deliberation and consideration. This is important since there are what Luo consider as â€Å"international expansion imperatives† that act as â€Å"building blocks on which a wide variety of international expansion strategies, decisions, and policies are based. They are imperatives because they cannot be unlinked from the decision making process during international expansion (Luo, 1999, p. 6). † Decision making technique analysis – Why is the Measured Criterion selected and used as the decision making technique to assist in the goal of Nik and Alex to undertake the creation of a business plan that will allow their company to grow in Kava? As explained in Virtualsalt. om about how Measured Criteria works, this particular decision makin g technique can help the task at hand (which is the planning of the company on how to have a greater business presence in Kava) by providing a way in which the target goals for the accomplishment of the business plan is already laid out and the corresponding alternatives and options of the company are weighed correctly. Nik, who is an important player in the effort of the company to expand in Kava, needs to be equipped with a decision making technique which would allow him to be able to sort things out and plot the objectives and goals he needs to accomplish, identify his options and plot the strengths and weaknesses of each and every option so that he can pick the best option, use it and contribute to the overall efforts of him and Alex in the achieving of the company’s business goal in Kava for which Nik was sent there for. The Measured Criterion can provide Nik with the style that will enable Nik to efficiently and systematically sort things out. The situation in Kava, with all the confusion that was illustrated in the case scenario, will take its toll on Nik’s ability to focus his mind and his thoughts, and using the Measured Criterion will help offset the negative impact of the messy surroundings in the place. Don Aslett, in his book The Office Clutter Cure, points out that â€Å"a poorly kept workplace makes everyone tense† and that â€Å"too much stuff around is distracting (Aslett, 2005, p. 20). Proposed Solution – The proposed solution for the expansion of the company in Kava includes the implementation of a business action plan that includes human resources, marketing and business strategy. The company should consider the hiring of locals and consider the socio economic and socio political impact of this action to the locals and the government of Kava, including ensuing empathy and support and stabilization of the company; the company should also realign its business strategy so that it will suit the diversity in culture and the heterogeneity of the people present in the island which will be affected in many different ways by the business; the company should also consider the logistics that the company will have to shoulder and address should the company expand operation and business presence in the island, with a back up study on the financial impact of such logistics adjustment on the overall performance of the company; and lastly, the company should plot a timeline to allow themselves the opportunity to measure the positive yield and impact this move will make to the company, so that in the event that the move is deemed as unproductive or lacks promise financially an d business-wise, appropriate remedies can be set up and implemented to cover losses and redirect expansion actions by the company. Examining the decision making model – The use of the Measured Criterion will work well in this particular condition with one consideration in mind: that both Nik and Alex make honest appraisals and put corresponding numerical symbolisms of the importance of each item presented in the matrix. Toney explains that â€Å"other researchers have shown conclusively that the most common reason for organizational failure is flawed decision making† (Toney, 2002, p. 21), and the only way for Nik and Alex to avoid having a flawed decision making is to make sure that the decision making process is free from personal agenda and other politics that go against the best interest of the company. As in the use of any decision making technique, the absence of honesty and objectivity in the part of individuals make human error a significant factor. If Nik uses the Measured Criterion in a way that there is a controlled outcome in numerical value because Nik wants the outcome to correspond with his personal wants and desires (i. e. to leave Kava since Nik expresses dislike in the island), the credibility of the Measured Criterion and the decision that was reached is jeopardized, as with the use of any other decision making technique so long as there is an effort to manipulate the outcome.

Porters Five Forces on Retail Industry Essay

Five forces Model 1) Suppliers power 2) Buyers Bargaining Power 3) New Potential Entrants 4) Threat of Substitutes 5) Industry Competitors STRENGTHS 1) Suppliers power A segment is unattractive if the company’s suppliers are able to raise prices or reduce quantity supplied Ss in apparels section have major brands like, Arrow, Levis, lee, Provogue, Pepe, loues Philip, Zodiac Weakness 2) Customer Buying Power The bargaining power of customer at SS can be a weakness if customer shift to substitutes.There are various other brands which could act as a substitute to SS for eg: Zodiac, Raymonds, Color plus, and Arvind Mills 3) Industry competitors  competitors like Globus, Westside and Lifestyle, Wills Lifestyles, Rpg ,Pantaloon who catered to the same segment of customers, entered the market. 4) New potential entrants Preferred Partner for Foreign Players SS is the preferred partner/retailer for foreign brands entering India. The company has already signed an agreement with UK retailer Mothercare to retail their products. The company has tied-up Estee Lauder’s MAC brand of cosmetics with one strongly performing outlet opened so far. SS has also tied up with Austin Reed for both manufacturing and retailing its brand in India. We expect many more opportunities for similar tie-ups, particularly  as the government has allowed up to 51% FDI in single brand retailing. Shoppers’ Stop has 4 division the Men’s apparels, ladies apparels, kids wear and the Non-apparels. Following is their contribution to the turnover. * Men’s 43% of sales * Women’s 18% of sales * Kids 8% of sales * Non-Apparels 31% of sales SS LOYALITY PROGRAMES SS PIONEERED INDIA’S first loyality programes They have 3 tier loyality programme 1) classic moments for entry level 2) silver edge 3) golden glow, members fall in different cateogory dependimng on theior spends with the company, they also receive reward points which they can redeem later on.

By the end of World War II

By the end of World War II, the nations of Western Europe all faced the burdens of the post-war economies. If not totally destroyed, a nation was in chaos and needed dramatic reconstruction. This is where democratic societies stepped in; recreation of sturdy government was crucial to the revival of Western European countries. Within just a few years after the defeat of Italy and Germany, the European hemisphere bounced back into a stronger, more efficient society than ever before. Some call this the Golden Age of the European economy. As human life became more and more complex and difficult to manage, the government had to accommodate to the citizens needs and wants. Because of the basic importance of the contemporary social structure, its management had a crucial importance in making the countries work. Europe was used to strict authority over its people and complexity in the way they handles a countries affairs was not accepted. Europe was a very special situation though, because it has a long record of traditional social control imposed over the individual by collective authorities, especially the state, and hierarchal religious institutions. Another problem that was going on in modern Western Europe (pg.21, Crozier) the military grew in size a great deal, West European armed forces grew from forty-two thousand to almost eighty thousand within five years after the Second World War. Especially in the country of France. With the militant group emerging larger than ever, the government was working!with more citizens first hand, by supporting the working military group. One of the main pieces to making a modern democracy work was inducing the people to want to partake in the government and have them strive to get involved with the mending of the societal crisis. All post war European countries had to live through the same costly situation of having to resto

Tuesdays with Morrie Essay Example

Tuesdays with Morrie Essay Example Tuesdays with Morrie Essay Tuesdays with Morrie Essay I read the assignment in the syllabus, I was disgusted. I didnt want to read a book, and I didnt honestly plan to do so. I mentioned my frustration to my roommate. When she asked what book, I told her. It turned out she owned her own personal hardcover copy of Tuesdays with Morris. I took the book, and read the first couple pages. The first couple of pages turned Into the first couple of chapters. I ended up reading the book in record time. When I finished reading It, I went and ended the movie as well. Then I went back to the syllabus. Read the book, and write a reflection paper on it. Thats a pretty broadly stated assignment I thought. At first, this bothered me and I didnt know where to start, but now I am relieved that I have that kind of freedom in writing this paper. I am not going to sit and report on what the book contains as far as plot. That would make this a report and not a reflection. As I think back to the book, many things go through my head. First, I think of Mitch, then Morris, and then I think of the many parallels between this story and my own relationship with a close teacher of the past. Mitch Album proves In this book that he has beautiful writing skills. At first I cried, and couldnt bare the thought. He had always inspired me to be a teacher, but now for a different reason then before. At one point in time while reading the book, I stopped mid-sentence, pulled out a piece of lined paper, and rote a letter to my eighth grade teacher, who was a friend of my father. When I finished the book, I began to wonder what I would do when my teacher of life lessons died. The start of the book to the finish, he walks the reader through his own meetings with Morris. He appreciated silence, food, and dancing among many other things. As far as the interpersonal communication that can be observed through this book. There is an awful lot to mention. There was an extremely effective amount of indirect communication between Mitch and myself, the reader. Because of the effect on me, another set of communication took place between my teacher and me. His philosophy was that you must learn to die before you know how to live. He appreciated life and all the little things in it. Even though I dreaded this assignment when I first received it, I have come to appreciate it and be thankful for it. The reader Is pulled in wanting to hear the next life lesson. Then I realized that I have the chance to do what Mitch did.

5 Types of Parallel-Structure Errors

5 Types of Parallel-Structure Errors 5 Types of Parallel-Structure Errors 5 Types of Parallel-Structure Errors By Mark Nichol Writers often have difficulty constructing sentences so that comparisons, contrasts, and lists, as well as parenthetical elements, are logically arranged. The following five sentences demonstrate various syntactical miscalculations; discussions and revisions follow each example. 1. Technology is transforming virtually every industry, changing not only how firms operate internally and engage their customers, but also challenging the underlying business models of entire industries. When a single verb applies to both elements in a statement that employs a â€Å"not only . . . but also† construction, it must precede â€Å"not only.† Here, however, technology changes one thing and challenges another, so the two verbs are parceled out individually to â€Å"not only† and â€Å"but also† and must therefore follow those respective phrases: â€Å"Technology is transforming virtually every industry, not only changing how firms operate internally and engage their customers but also challenging the underlying business models of entire industries.† 2. He wasn’t aiming for realism but drama. Here, a similar construction is necessary to convey a contrast. The conclusion in this sentence of â€Å"but drama† is an awkward, incomplete addition, and to be parallel, the negating adverb not must follow the verb phrase â€Å"was aiming† and the for preceding one noun must be matched by a duplicate before the other noun: â€Å"He was aiming not for realism but for drama.† 3. Like other social media companies, it uses a variety of tools, including spam-fighting technology, automatic identification as well as reports from users, to help combat abuse. â€Å"As well as† is not a substitute for and as a link between the penultimate and final items in a list; it signals a transition from a list to a dependent clause (or, in this case, opens a parenthetical phrase, which is merely an interruptive dependent clause): â€Å"Like other social media companies, it uses a variety of tools, including spam-fighting technology and automatic identification, as well as reports from users, to help combat abuse.† 4. He made his mark both as a professional athlete and also as a philanthropist. In this sentence (and in any sentence), and and also are redundant: â€Å"He made his mark both as a professional athlete and as a philanthropist.† (Both is not necessarily required, but it emphasizes the juxtaposition of a professional athlete also being a philanthropist.) 5. He’s kidnapped by a masked stranger, drugged, and awakes in an unknown facility. For this sentence’s structure to be parallel, the matching verbs kidnapped and drugged must each have a helping verb (a form of â€Å"to be†- in this case, the contracted form of is), or and must replace the comma preceding drugged to indicate that it shares the helping verb with kidnapped: â€Å"He’s kidnapped by a masked stranger and drugged and awakes in an unknown facility.† Note that the second comma has also been omitted; the phrase that begins with awakes- which, because it is in present tense, needs no helping verb- has no subject and is therefore not an independent clause, so no punctuation is required. (The grammatical rule against punctuating in such cases could be relaxed to imply a pause.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before WordsAt Your DisposalContinue and "Continue on"

Read about the Zenos paradoxes of the achilles and the tortoise Essay

Read about the Zenos paradoxes of the achilles and the tortoise - Essay Example Achilles will never get the tortoise, says Zeno. Accordingly, great philosophy shows that quick runners never get the moderate runners. So much the more terrible for the claim that movement truly happens, Zeno says about his tutor Parmenides who had contended that movement is a fantasy. Despite the fact that no researchers today would concur with Zenos decision, we cant get away from the Catch by hopping up from our seat and pursuing none, of these down a tortoise, nor by saying Achilles ought to race to some other target put in front of where the tortoise is right now. What is needed is an examination of Zenos own contention that does not get us neither involved in new conundrums nor devastates our math and science (Dowden 2013). Zeno accepted separations and lengths of time could be isolated into a genuine endlessness of unified parts, and he expected these are an excess of for the runner to finish. Aristotles remedies said Zeno ought to have expected there are just potential infinities, and he should not put or times gap into indissoluble parts. His remedies turned into the by and large acknowledged result until the late nineteenth century. The current standard remedy says Zeno was right to presume that a runners way holds a genuine incalculability of parts; however, he was mixed up to expect this is too much. This remedy utilizes the contraption of analytics, which has demonstrated its essentialness for the improvement of present day science. In the twentieth century it got clear to most analysts that forbidding genuine infinities, as Aristotle needed, hampers the development of set hypothesis and at last of math and physical science. This standard remedy took many years to flawless and was because of the adaptability of perceptive people who were eager to supplant old hypotheses and their ideas with more productive ones, notwithstanding the harm done to practical judgment skills and our guileless

Managing strategic change is fundamental to business success Discuss Essay

Managing strategic change is fundamental to business success Discuss - Essay Example Lewin attempted to explain organizational change by using the example of the physical changes an ice cube undergoes over time. He noted that if you have an ice cube that you want to change to a cone of ice, you melt the ice cube (unfreeze) then you model (change) the water into the cone shape you want by freezing the water (refreeze). By analyzing the change as a process, with specific stages, a manager can begin to monitor and manage the transition. Understanding the reason why the change has to take place is very important in any successful process of change. During the unfreezing stage, some factors have to be accomplished. The organization is prepared in order to accept the changes required. It entails breaking down the existing procedures and management strategies to facilitate the adoption of changes. An important aspect of this process is identifying and developing a good reason why the organization cannot continue in its current way of doing things. Pointers such as poor financial results, declining sales figures, negative feedback from customer satisfaction surveys can be useful in developing the message necessitating the need for change that other people can see, preparing the organization for the impending changes is necessary and the process begins at the center of the organization. Beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors that are currently held must be challenged to pave way for the implementation of the needed changes. This is the most problematic stage because by disrupting the way things are usually done, you destabilize people in the organization who depend on routine to perform their daily duties, which may evoke very strong reactions from the people affected. There is uncertainty created. Through challenging the organization to change, a controlled crisis is created that can be a tool for motivation in order to establish a new equilibrium where people are comfortable with the new changes. At

Staff Satisfaction in Market Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Staff Satisfaction in Market Competition - Essay Example As the paper declares employee satisfaction has been proven to be directly related to overall productivity within an organization, whether the employees are in direct contact with the end consumer or not. This relationship can perhaps best be seen in the service-profit chain described by a report given by members of the Harvard Business School faculty. This discussion stresses that the Purdue University study supported this service-profit chain in reverse by focusing on the employees within corporations who had little to no actual contact with the end consumer. This study also demonstrated that the happy employee deep within the company is more likely to work hard to help other employees within the company with whom they have contact. These other employees, feeling their voices are heard and satisfied that their needs are met, are then more likely to take personal interest in pleasing the customers. These satisfied customers increase exponentially into a loyal market base and much greater profitability for the company. More than a cooperative team working together to meet the customers’ needs, companies with happy, productive employees increase their productivity simply by reducing the need to train new employees as a result of high turnover thanks to an increased employee loyalty. This employee loyalty developed as a result of customer service within the organization further translates to a more competitive market edge. Loyal employees have an active interest in helping their company be successful.

International Marketing (report 3) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Marketing (report 3) - Essay Example The population of Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Canberra comes to about 10.1 million people. The expected market will be 374,535/10.1 million, which is about 3.74 percent of the total population. The density rate of population in developed areas is 1.2% yearly. Data as of 2010 posted the 89% urban population with 1.2% rate of urbanization. The expected sale in five years will be calculated by taking the target market which is male’s surfers and multiplying with the price of one surf board. Assuming one surfboard is $300. The expected sales will be $300 *374,535 =$112,360,500 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2012). Currently there are over 4000 stores selling competitive surfboards in Australia. Since the product is innovative, no other products have been introduced to the Australian market with such advanced technology and extremely limited direct competition. The target market with regard to income of the intelligent surfboard will be part of the 78% of Australians employed and more specifically, the 58% of households earning over $41,000 per year (Yellow Social Media Report 2012). The production costs of competitors vary from $400-$1500. The marketing budget was determined based on the average disposable household income. It was calculated by the income that a single person household would require maintaining the same standard of living was $848 per week (Wilson & Bell 2004). The average amount that an Australian household spends on all sporting goods a year is at $123.24. It will be obtained by adding all the marginal costs plus net contribution. From estimation we obtain; The figure obtained is equivalent to the average amount an Australian surfer spends in surfing. The contribution is adjusted to satisfy the average customer. Average number of units produced per year becomes 10,700 i.e. 112,360,500/ (5*2100). Advertising and publicity costs of Internet and social media will meet 79% of large businesses

National Drug Control Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

National Drug Control Strategy - Essay Example Asides from the issue of drug abuse in its entirety and the prevention strategies, the     President's National Drug Control Strategy has the treatment and recovery vision for the recuperating drug addicts (Whitehouse.gov, 2014). International partnerships, law enforcement, grants and the role of the media are also part of the President’s National Drug Control Strategy.Asides from the issue of drug abuse in its entirety and the prevention strategies, the     President's National Drug Control Strategy has the treatment and recovery vision for the recuperating drug addicts (Whitehouse.gov, 2014). International partnerships, law enforcement, grants and the role of the media are also part of the President’s National Drug Control Strategy. The National Drug Control Policy wrote the foreword to the office of the president of the Obama Administration. The National Drug Control Policy was trying to put the detrimental effects of drug abuse in the American Society (White house.gov, 2014). Moreover, the forward also intends to put it into clarity that the office of the president is trying all it can do to tackle the issue if drug abuse. The goal, which I think deserves the most attention in the fight against drugs in the American society, is a community participation in the fight. Community involvement is essential because it is in the numerous communities that the drugs circulate. Should the community work hand in hand with the law enforcement agencies, then society would eventually be a drug-free society (Whitehouse.gov, 2014). Resultantly, the people would help in developing their respective societies because drugs tend to derail the society’s workforce.

Article Synopsis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article Synopsis - Essay Example The study offers the conclusion that Asian businesses cannot be generalized on the basis of cultural factors since many of them cater to mainstream markets. However, the second generation of Asian entrepreneurs faces a different set of challenges when compared to its elders. Having had the benefits of upbringing in the UK, the younger generation of entrepreneurs has a different mindset and opportunity when compared to its elders’ cultural experiences and practices. The success of Asian business community in the UK has turned it into an entrepreneurial role model for other immigrant communities. This is based on the fact that this ethnic group makes a significant contribution to the UK economy, arguably, even more than the mainstream community. The paper attempts to find out if cultural experiences and practices can be used to classify the success of Asian businesses. Previous studies state that it is their cultural background and practices, which give them the edge when it comes to successful businesses. Their competitiveness arises from the fact that they can use family resources in terms of labour and specialist knowledge and use ethnic network effectively for business development. The study attempts to find out if these factors can be used to determine the reason for their successful ventures. The researchers employed a semi structured qualitative approach for data analysis. Data was collected in the form of interviews with ten leading Asian entrepreneurs in the UK. Questions were framed after referring to previous literature and academic advisors. Data was also collected through e-mails and reports for a greater understanding of the subject. Moreover, interviews were recorded and transcribed to facilitate independent interpretation for the two researchers. Secondly, since one researcher represented the Asian community and other, the host community they were able to provide varied cultural perspectives to the data analysis. The researchers concluded that

National Drug Control Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

National Drug Control Strategy - Essay Example Asides from the issue of drug abuse in its entirety and the prevention strategies, the     President's National Drug Control Strategy has the treatment and recovery vision for the recuperating drug addicts (Whitehouse.gov, 2014). International partnerships, law enforcement, grants and the role of the media are also part of the President’s National Drug Control Strategy.Asides from the issue of drug abuse in its entirety and the prevention strategies, the     President's National Drug Control Strategy has the treatment and recovery vision for the recuperating drug addicts (Whitehouse.gov, 2014). International partnerships, law enforcement, grants and the role of the media are also part of the President’s National Drug Control Strategy. The National Drug Control Policy wrote the foreword to the office of the president of the Obama Administration. The National Drug Control Policy was trying to put the detrimental effects of drug abuse in the American Society (White house.gov, 2014). Moreover, the forward also intends to put it into clarity that the office of the president is trying all it can do to tackle the issue if drug abuse. The goal, which I think deserves the most attention in the fight against drugs in the American society, is a community participation in the fight. Community involvement is essential because it is in the numerous communities that the drugs circulate. Should the community work hand in hand with the law enforcement agencies, then society would eventually be a drug-free society (Whitehouse.gov, 2014). Resultantly, the people would help in developing their respective societies because drugs tend to derail the society’s workforce.

Strategic management (Fujifilm case study) Study

Strategic management (Fujifilm ) - Case Study Example Al., â€Å"Fujifilm: A Second Foundation†). The paper deals with the business plan of the company for the future five years. The marketing projection is done by taking into consideration the entire products of Fujifilm and its market growth in the past years. The operational estimation is conducted by considering the set marketing plan. The outer and inner environment of the company and the competitors’ strength as well as weakness facilitates to estimate the operational prediction. The financial analysis is done by examining the marketing and operations of the company and their performance along with income statement of the previous years. The paper also covers the process of implementation of major objectives in order to achieve success. Finally, the paper is completed with a brief conclusion. 2.0 Marketing Projection The sales projection relates to the estimation of potential sales of a company at a certain time period. The sales projection of Fujifilm’s produ cts and services can be prepared for the coming five years. The marketing projection of Fujifilm for successive five years from present scenario is based on several factors. There may be external or internal factors that affect sales projection (Sane Jose State University, â€Å"Process for Sales Projection†). The marketing and sales of the product of Fujifilm have helped to increase its market share and proper planning will enhance its growth in the coming years. The various factors that are responsible for Fujifilm’s future projection are seasonability aspect prevalent in business, comparative situation of the economy, fashions of new products, changing population and productivity, income of consumer, present market share, innovative product lines, inventory shortage, recent trend in sales and price changes among others (Sane Jose State University, â€Å"Process for Sales Projection†). The various marketing products of Fujifilm are ‘electronics productsà ¢â‚¬â„¢, ‘highly functional materials’, ‘medical imaging’, ‘life science’, ‘graphic arts’, ‘optical devices’ and ‘documents’. These products are expanding globally and are in huge demand in market. To maintain its demand in future, the company needs to develop various marketing techniques. The market share of LCD FUJITAC in global market is 80% and for WV film it acquires 100%. Thus, in the coming years the growth will be high as a result production capacity need to be raised (Fujifilm, â€Å"Highly Functional Materials†). To enhance production as well as growth it needs to develop innovative marketing techniques. The diagnostic materials acquired the top market share; therefore it must be provided prior importance. Due to recession, gradually revenue from medical imaging has lowered down. The forecasting can be done by taking into consideration the various aspects of customers and market and their demand for more innovative products (Fujifilm, â€Å"Highly Functional Materials†). The three sections of products that are manufactured in the company throughout the year are imaging solution, information solution and document solutions. The business growth of these products under these sections varies considerably. By examining the revenue of business trend from the year 2007 to 2011, it is possible to predict the revenue from the

One Year in a Life of Crime Essay Example for Free

One Year in a Life of Crime Essay There are many contributing factors that can lead to living a life of crime, totally unaware of how self-satisfying actions can negatively affect the people around you. The show HBO’s America Undercover â€Å"One Year in a Life of Crime†, is a perfect example of how there can be many factors that will lead you down a path of self destruction. But in the end it is the relationships we have with our parents, family and friends that ultimately shape the type of person we are and affect the decisions that we make. A contributing factor is something that is partly responsible for a development or something that lead to the cause of something else. If we can identify the contributing factors to an undesirable situation that we may be in, then we can learn to avoid them in the future. Or we can even learn from other people’s mistakes. The show â€Å"One Year in a Life of Crime† could be very beneficial for a younger audience to identify contributing factors that lead you down the wrong path in life. Maybe if the thieves’ in the show could have viewed something like this at an earlier time in their life, things might have turned out different for them. Rationalizing and wishful thinking is a contributing factor that prevents the thieves’ from thinking realistically about their future. Rationalization, also known as making excuses, is a way to devise self-satisfying but incorrect reasons for ones behavior. To not see reality for what is it. We all do this from time to time but the individuals in the show seem to rationalizing everything as a way to justify the bad choices they have made. Rob rationalizes his stealing in the scene where we meet his father for the first time. Rob’s father Ed works all week long and only brings home $80, which Rob describes as peanuts. To survive, you have to make extra money, is one way Rob justifies his stealing. In his mind, if he didn’t steal, his family couldn’t survive. In many scenes we hear Rob wishing for this and wishing for that. I wish for a big business so I can make a million dollars and if only I could get some money together to buy hot dog truck. Rob is unwilling to work hard to achieve any of his goals. Fred, who is Rob’s mentor in regards to shoplifting, is even worse when it comes to rationalizing he’s behavior. He can’t believe his old lady left with their little girl after he promised to stop getting high but then couldn’t follow through with his promise. He tells an old friend he wants to stop doing drugs and stealing but it’s just too much for him to handle now that his old lady has left him. Rationalizing helps them justify their own lazy attitude towards hard work and making an honest living. The prevailing attitude towards stealing instead of working is another contributing factor that keeps the thieves’ from getting ahead in life. Easy money for little effort, such as shop-lifting, can be very attractive to some people and they will choose this life style. But the way life works is the more you put into something the more you will get out. If you’re willing to work hard and not give up, there is a good chance you will be successful in whatever you choose to do. When we look at Rob we can see he is always looking for easy money. Rob can’t believe his father works for such little money when there are other ways to make a living. He thinks his father is foolish. When Rob was working for a neighborhood mechanic he had saved over a thousand dollars but thought the job wasn’t paying enough. In his mind, the amount of time and work he needed to put-in, didn’t equal the pay he was receiving. Stealing is easier and doesn’t require a full day’s work. It’s hard to say no to easy money when there is only a small chance of getting caught and if you do get caught, then the punishment is light or non-existent. When a city does not have the resources to deal with a large volume of crime, the justice system can seem like a revolving door for the criminals. If the smaller criminals have to be overlooked because the system is swamped with major crimes, then the threat of jail time for shoplifting looses its power. Time after time we see both Fred do little jail time for his crimes. The first time me meet Fred, he’s accidentally been released from jail after only doing 60 days of a one year sentence. He’s been out of jail for one day and he’s already back to shoplifting. Four months later Fred is arrested for Grand Larceny and Vehicular Homicide. He uses an alias along with a phony I.D. to hide his extensive criminal record and ends up out of jail in just three weeks after plea-bargaining down to minor charges as a â€Å"first offender†. Fred was responsible for the death of someone and because of an overwhelmed justice system he is set free. After you get away with something like this how much of a deterrent is the law when it comes to shoplifting? Not much to Fred because just three months later he’s arrested for stealing silverware and end up in jail for six months. Of course each time we see the thieves’ stealing they are always with a friend, an accomplice, someone who thinks and acts the same way they do. Enabling is a larger contributing factor as to why our thieves live the life that they do. An enabler is a person who, through their actions, allows someone else to behave in a destructive way. Enabling/reinforcing negative behavior by lying, ignoring or covering up for someone not only allows negative behavior to continue but also slows down the process of learning to be responsible for the consequences of their actions. The most common example in the show is the relationship the thieves have with each other. Rob is mentored by Fred in the ways of shoplifting and along with their friend Mike, reinforces their life style as being just and the only way they can survive in the world. Rob’s wife Angela is the perfect example of an â€Å"enabler†. Throughout the year that the show takes place we see Angela enabling Rob to continuing stealing. All she wants is for Rob to marry her and if stealing is the only way for Rob to make money, then she will support whatever decisions he makes. At the end of the show we see Rob has become a drug addict and Angela is still with him even though she hates what Rob is doing to himself. She would rather say nothing then confront him. It’s a lot less work being an enabler then it is confronting Rob and trying to help him. Mike’s mother is another example of how enabling has a negative impact on learning to be responsible for one’s own actions. She bails Mike out of jail and losses the bail money because her son takes off. I’m guess here, but I would bet she knows where he is hiding out and her only reaction is to be indifferent to Mike decision which just cost her $750. The relationships we have with our friends and family play a strong role on how we think and the decision we make. The most important contributing factor as to why the thieves are in their situation has to do with how they were raised. The values they were taught and relationship they have with their parents. We can see Rob is in a pattern of self-destructive behavior and one of the biggest influences is his father. From the show we find out that Rob’s father is an alcoholic, would hit him and also throw out Rob’s toys. Rob even describes a scene where his father rips apart one of his favorite toys, a stuffed bunny rabbit. Here we can see why Rob might think it is ok steal. He learned from his father that if you are strong or smart enough to impose your will on someone then it is ok to take what you want. In Rob’s eyes this is how the world works. This is what his father did to him so he is repeating the same behavior when he shop-lifts. We can only guess at the relationship Fred has with his parents but we know that one of his uncles was a drug addict and Fred witness his un cle taking drugs. It’s a good possibility Fred’s family didn’t discourage drug use or educate him in regards to the negative impact drugs will have on your life. From the time we are born we start to soak in our environment. We start to learn from everything around us. How we act socially mainly comes from the observations and interactions we have with our parents. We learn how to speak, how to ask for things and how to interact with others. When we are children the most important relationship we will have is with our parents and this can greatly affect our adolescences and adulthood. Our role models in life can help shape who we will become. If we see from our parents that hard work and following the rules doesn’t get you very far then we might have an attitude that working hard isn’t the way to go. Without good role models the odd are stacked against us and some individuals will take the easy road of a thieves’ life style. We can change our behavior later in life but it can be a difficult process and most people are not even aware that a change is needed.

British Concepts of the Rule of Law

British Concepts of the Rule of Law Brief 211716 The Rule of Law: Write an essay critiquing the concept of the rule of law. To what extent does todays British state reflect the ideals at its core? Outlined below is a short critique of the concept of the rule of law, as well as an evaluation of the different opinions or perspectives of this concept. The rule of law as a distinct and separate concept is well over a thousand years old. It has legal and constitutional origins in Ancient Greece and Anglo-Saxon England.[1] It was the common law of Anglo-Saxon England that had the strongest influence upon the concept of the rule of law, when even the Norman conquest could not stop its ongoing development.[2] The fundamental basis of the rule of law is the notion that all members of any society are not above the law of the land, whether they are monarchs, politicians, the nobility, or indeed ordinary people. The rule of law itself is a concept that contends that everybody lives under the same jurisdiction, of the law of their particular land from its rulers and its lawmakers downwards.[3] At first appearance the concept of the rule of law seems to be a straightforward one, yet there are disagreements about the exact nature of the ideals at the core of the concept itself. The critique below will thus discuss the extent to which today’s British state reflects the core ideals of the rule of law.[4] England was the country, as already mentioned, in which the concept of the rule of law was developed. The concept being influenced by the common law, Magna Carta, and the Bill of Rights of 1688 establishing the notion that the state should uphold the rule of law to protect its citizens, instead of ignoring the law and subjecting the people to their autocratic will.[5] Magna Carta was supposed to firmly establish the concept of the rule of law and curtail the power of the state. In reality the monarchy, despite often-repeated claims of accepting the concept of the rule of law, still held considerable power until the 18th century, when the Prime Minister started to make widespread use of the royal prerogative instead.[6] The British state regarded the concept of the rule of law as being a reflection of the strength of liberalism as espoused by John Locke and others, the increasing influence of capitalism, as well as a result of the legal and political supremacy of Parliament. The House of Commons passed legislation, whilst the House of Lords contained the highest court in the land, all in the name of the monarch whilst representing the people.[7] The unwritten constitution meant and continues to mean that whether or not the state keeping to the rule of law in Britain was less clear than in other countries. The lack of a written constitution was considered to be a legal not to mention a constitutional virtue instead of a problem as some legal experts have argued. It was assumed that because the British state has claimed to have adopted the concept of the rule of law for its constitutional, as well as its legal systems that the British government and all its departments in reality accepted and adhered to the notion in full. There are times though when governments have acted in ways that suggested they believed that they were above the rule of law. Generally if government ministers or senior civil servants act in ways that appear to be contrary to the rule of law they will lose their jobs, protecting the government from the legal or political consequences of their actions.[8] Providing the political party forming the British government holds a Parliamentary majority in the House of Commons, it theoretically can pass constitutional and legal not to mention politically motivated legislation that might run counter to the rule of law. British governments have on various occasions been accused of only paying lip service to the concept of the rule of law.[9] Detractors of the lack or limited rule of law within the British state as large parliamentary majorities and the powers accorded via the royal prerogative has allowed governments to adopt policies without fully consulting Parliament, the courts, and ignoring the wishes of the general public. Governments with parliamentary majorities have argued that they are carrying out the policies contained within their manifestos, democracy does not always fit in exactly with the concept of the rule of law. The late Lord Hailsham a former Law Lord once described the constitution of the British state as being an elected dictatorship.[10] Arguments, as well as debates concerning how the concept of the rule of law affects the legal and the constitutional situation within the British state partially reflect the vagueness and also the ambiguity of the very of the rule of law itself. People with more liberal or more democratic attitudes were not particularly convinced that the British state was not totally committed to the core values within the concept of the rule of law.[11] The critics of the contemporary British state argue that the rival political parties have considered the concept of the rule of law less important than the gaining and maintaining of political power via the winning elections. Such critics have pointed out that the combination of an unwritten constitution and the use of the royal prerogative has allowed the British state to bypass the democratic process through the use of dubious though not illegal means whenever it suited British governments to do so.[12] However, in many respects Britain’s membership of the European Union has had profound constitutional and legal consequences for the British state when taken as a whole. The British Parliament no longer has the complete legal and political sovereignty with European Union legislation taking priority over domestic laws.[13] The European Convention for Human Rights also has the power to make judgements about British laws and the government can change the legislation it considers to be contravening human rights.[14] The ways in which the British state reflects the core values of the concept of the rule of law has undoubtedly changed 1997.[15] The New Labour government was committed to wholesale constitutional and legal changes which have reshaped the British State, thus affecting how the core values of the concept of the rule of law are reflected inside today’s Britain itself.[16] In 1997 the outgoing Conservative government had been deeply unpopular in Scotland and Wales due to its economic policies whilst it had governed both countries without any Scottish or Welsh MPs. New Labour was the dominant political party in Scotland and Wales so it was committed to the introduction of devolved government to both countries in order to reduce support for nationalist parties as much as making the British state more responsive to the core values of the rule of law.[17] Devolved government has given the voters of Scotland and Wales a greater degree of input into the legal and political decisions that concern their lives. The introduction of devolution also means that the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly can pursue policies and pass legislation that is different from those implemented in England.[18] There is also the possiblity that devolution could to lead to the independence of Scotland at some point in the future, which would literally shrink the British state whilst demonstrating that the democratic will of the Scottish people was not been ignored. Devolved government has also been restored in Northern Ireland as part of the peace process. Power sharing is hopeful sign that there is a return to the normal rule of law after the Troubles had closed down the Storemont Parliament and led to thousands of deaths. Devolution is intended to make the British state more responsive and more representative for all the people of Britain.[19] A fundamental shift in the way that the core values of the rule of law are thus reflected in the British state has been witnessed in the area of human rights. New Labour passed the Human Rights Act 1998 in order to protect the human rights of all British people by enshrining the European Convention of Human Rights into the constitution, as well as the legal system.[20] The purpose of the Human Rights Act 1998 was to make sure that the British state could not abuse or reduce the human rights of its own people, in other words to comply with the rule of law.[21] The Human Rights Act 1998 increased the power of the courts to make legal decisions instead of the Home Secretary using the royal prerogative, for instance for judges to set the maximum term for jail sentences. The Human Rights Act 1998 also made it easier for people to question the decisions of government departments that have adversely affected their lives. Being able to hold the government and its various departments into acc ount is certainly a reflection of core values that mean the British state is abiding by the rule of law. Other legislation such as the Data Protection and the Freedom of Information Act are intended to improve the rights of citizens whilst making the government, officials, and departments more accountable for their actions.[22] To conclude today’s British state does to some extent reflect the concept of the rule of law as the government is democratically elected, yet can have its actions scrutinised by Parliament, the media, and the European Convention of Human Rights. The introduction of devolution in Scotland and Wales has made the British state more responsive to the wishes of its component countries and their populations, whilst increasing the risks of the United Kingdom dissolving in the future. The Human Rights Act 1998 is also a reflection of the core values being reflected as the rule of law. However, despite membership of the European Union and the change linked with the Human Rights Act 1998 the British government and its ministers can still wield considerable influence and power. Bibliography Alder J, (2007) Constitutional and Administrative Law, 6th edition, Palgrave, London Breyer S, (2008) Active Liberty, Oxford University Press, Oxford Coxall B, Robins L Leach R (2003) Contemporary British Politics 4th edition, Palgrave, London Eatwell R Wright A, (2003) Contemporary Political Ideologies 2nd Edition, Continuum, London Gardiner Wenborn (1995) the History Today Companion to British History, Collins and Brown Ltd, London MacDonald A, (2007) Reinventing Britain, Constitutional change under New Labour, Politico’s, London Martin E A, (2003) A Dictionary of Law, Oxford University Press, Oxford McCormick, (2002) Understanding the European Union, Palgrave, London Nugent N, (2003) The Government and Politics of the European Union 5th edition, Palgrave, London Parpworth N, (2004) Constitutional and Administrative Law, Butterworths, London Young H, (2003) supping with the Devils – Political writing from Thatcher to Blair, Guardian Books, London Footnotes [1] Alder, 2007 p. 149 [2] Gardiner Wenborn, 1995 p. 360 [3] Breyer, 2008 p. 19 [4] Martin, 2005 p. 441 [5] Eatwell Wright, 2003 p. 27 [6] Sharma, 2003 p. 15 [7] Alder, 2007 p. 149 [8] Parpworth, 2004 3.15 [9] Parpworth, 2004 3.15 [10] Young, 2003 p. 1 [11] MacDonald, 2007 p. 48 [12] Breyer, 2008 p. 19 [13] McCormick, 2002 p. 5 [14] Nugent, 2003 p. 10 [15] Young, 2003 p. 230 [16] Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 p. 370 [17] Parpworth, 2004 3.15 [18] Alder, 2007 p. 149 [19] MacDonald, 2007 p. 48 [20] Alder, 2007 p. 153 [21] MacDonald, 2007 p. 48 [22] MacDonald, 2007 p. 48

Meaning Of Illusions :: essays research papers

The True Meaning of Our Illusions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every human being has illusions. Unfortunately, the majority of the time, we are unable to uncover their true meaning. This does not mean that our precious visionary images have no answer or meaning and that they make no sense.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our illusions are based and composed with the daily interaction that we have with our culture, personal pre-occupations and daily experiences that sometimes are hard to believe. These are constantly reflected throughout our lifes in a way that we might not be able to notice. An illusion is defined in the Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia as â€Å"a false sensory perception of an actual stimulus† (Encarta, par.1). This article is convincing us that most of our mental images are in a form of basically interrupted stories that are made up partially of our memories and full of frequent scenes from what we encountered in our daily vitality. They can also have an integration of parts from our emotions that are constantly present in them, if we feel depressed, in harmony or loneliness. In psychological terms, illusions are consider to be a very natural process and necessary rather than being conginated as abnormal, which are sometimes known as passive illusions. T his means that our mind plays with our optical visibility by projecting strange figures with a continuous persistence which are usually based on our habits, attitudes and unconscious   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   motivations. These usual visionary spectrums are described in The Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology in an article written by B. R. Bugelski as:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A faint and fleeting, undetailed, and partial, but some people report having vivid,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  detailed images. Presumably people differ in the strength of their imagery, and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  certainly the differ in scores attained on various sense areas. (210) This brief explanation tells us that our illusions are now known to be an undetermined amount of unreal images presented to the bodily of our mental vision, which is also to be a comprehension of a deceptive appearance or a false show.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The human race is discovering something new everyday about the connotation of our visions according to The Encyclopedia Americana :   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Gestalt school of psychology, what we see is the result of processes of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  organization in the brain. Such processes are based on relationships between   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  aspects of the stimulus, so that impressions of size, shape, color, and the like are   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  determined not to merely by the retinal image of the object itself but by the other   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  objects present in the field as well.

Han China and Imperial Rome Essay

Imperial Rome and Han China are both well recognized empires, known as strong and fairly successful. Although the empires had some differences they also had similarities in their methods of political control. Similarities between these empires include the belief that leaders had connections to God, religious tolerance, and public works provided to citizens. Along with the similarities in political control the differences include Rome having a democracy while China had a centralized bureaucracy, Rome had lesser domestic repercussions while China had harsh punishments, and Rome offered assimilation to become a citizen while China did not need to offer assimilation because it conquered states that were already chinese. Imperial Rome and Han Dynasty are similarly structured societies. Both empires believed that their leaders had some sort of connection with God. Rome believed that their emperors were to be viewed as â€Å"god-like† individuals and were to guide them unto the right path. China called their emperors â€Å"God of Heaven† and the emperors had to follow the â€Å"Mandate of Heaven† which states God would bless the authority as leader, and if an emperor did not provide adequately for their empire they could be replaced. Han China and Rome both also tolerated religion. Rome integrated Christianity into its culture while Han China allowed for Buddhism to become integrated. Neither empire persecuted due to religion. The last similarity between Han China and Imperial Rome is the fact that both empires decided public works were important enough to spend quite a bit of money on and to provide to the citizens. These public works included roads, bridges, canals, and aqueducts. All of these were an important part of society as they allowed for transportation, communication, and sanitation. The government in both societies decided how to view the leaders, what they would permit as far as religion, and what to spend government funding on. As well as these similarities, Rome and China had their differences. Imperial Rome differed from Han China in some aspects. For instance, Rome had divided the empire into smaller sections so it could be easier to manage, as each sector had a branch of government to control it. China did not have a Democratic approach, but a Bureaucratic approach. There was one emperor that controlled the entire empire, and the government was highly centralized. Another difference between the government in Rome and China were punishments. Imperial Rome had short and superficial domestic repercussions compared to the strict legalism society of China. Punishments in China were swift and harsh to persuade citizens to stay in order. The Chinese believed humans were dumb and short sighted and had clearly defined laws and rules that were strictly enforced. Rome did not focus so much on punishments as China did. The last difference between these two empires are their allowance or need for assimilation. Rome conquered Germanic tribes that refused to conform to society, even though Rome offered assimilation. This would eventually lead to the end of Rome. China, however, did not need to offer assimilation due to the fact that the conquered nearby states had already accepted chinese culture to be their own, therefore having one culture throughout the empire instead of a mixture of cultures. Han China and Imperial Rome are comparable in political standards in the means of the view of leaders, that they were closest to God, how they decided to spend political funding, on public works for citizens, and their tolerance for religions, Rome allowing Christianity and China allowing Buddhism. Rome and China are contrastable in the sense of Rome being Democratic while China was Bureaucratic, Rome being lenient with punishments compared to China’s strict legalism beliefs, and Rome offering assimilation to conquered Germanic tribes while China conquered already Chinese states and did not need assimilation. Both empires are valued respectively for their contributions to modern society, including their similarities and differences.

Etourism – “Global Distribution Systems †Going, Going, Gone”

Global Distribution Systems – Going, Going, Gone? | Table of Contents Introduction:2 Timeline3 Airline Reservation System3 Computer Reservation Systems (CRS)3 Global Distribution Systems (GDS)4 Who uses GDSs? 5 GDS – Through the years:5 The Future of GDS:6 What should they do? 6 What is the role of the global distribution system in today’s travel agencies? 6 The Internet7 Conclusion8 References9 Books:9 Articles:9 Websites:9 Introduction: GDS – Going, going, gone? Well, certainly Global Distribution Systems have been going for a while but are they yet gone?This paper is on the history, present time and the questionable future of Global Distribution System (GDS). Firstly I go through each stage of their timeline: – Airline Reservation Systems began in the 1960s and is a computerized system is designed to control flight inventory, maintain flight schedules, seat assignments and aircraft loading. It’s used to store and retrieve information and c arry out transactions associated to any air travel. The modern airline reservation system is comprehensive suite of products to provide a system that assists with a variety of airline management tasks and ervice customer needs from the time of initial reservation through completion of the flight. – Computer Reservations Systems (CRS) began in the 1970s. These types of systems charge other travel suppliers for the right to market their products and services through these systems. ‘The computer reservation systems are completely keyboard driven and you must learn the formats in order to operate it efficiently. The web based booking engines are the point and click environment. ’ Travel Agent Training Centre, (2011). Global Distribution Systems (GDS) began in the 1980s and refer to the booking tool travel agents use when making an air, hotel, car or other travel service booking. They provide pricing, availability and reservation functionality to many online travel ag encies. There are currently four major GDS systems: 1. Amadeus 2. Galileo 3. Sabre 4. Worldspan Hotel-ICT, (2011) – The Internet has become the main sales channel and customer interface for low-cost airlines because of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Timeline The timeline stages of CRS/GDS according to Werthner & Klein (1999), is as follows: ———————————————— Time1965197519851995 SystemAirline ReservationCRSGDS Global Travel & FocusSystem Tourism Information Airline Reservation System Airline Reservation System was one of the earliest modifications to improve on efficiency. It’s a moderately simple standalone system that controls flight inventory, maintains flight schedules, seat assignments and aircraft loading. ‘It provides a system that assists with a variety of airline management tasks and service customer needs from the time of initia l reservation through completion of the flight. Videcom, (2006). ARS contain airline schedules, fare tariffs, passenger reservations and ticket records. Airline Reservations Systems sooner or later evolved into Computer Reservation Systems (CRS). Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) ‘A Computer Reservation System (CRS) is a computerized system for saving and retrieving information when needed related to air travel. CRS were created and used by airlines and at a later point they were finally used in tourism intermediaries like travel agencies. ’ marcelvacek. logspot (2010)   An airline's direct distribution works within their own reservation system, as well as pushing out information to the GDS. The second type of direct distribution channels are consumers who use the internet or mobile applications to make their own reservations. Travel agencies and other indirect distribution channels access the same GDS as those accessed by the airlines' reservation systems Well known CRS operations that book and sell tickets for multiple airlines are known as global distribution systems (GDS).Airlines have separated most of their direct holdings to devoted GDS companies, who make their systems available to consumers through Internet gateways. Modern GDSs naturally allow consumers to book hotel rooms and rental cars as well as airline tickets. As well they provide access to railway reservations in some markets although these are not always integrated with the main system. CRS and GDS seem to have the same functions but the major difference between these two systems is that CRS only provide information about airlines whereas by using GDS you can reserve a ticket, a room in a hotel and also a rental car.This is why they are called Global Distribution Systems because you can use GDS to reserve basically everything. Global Distribution Systems (GDS) ‘The term GDS (Global Distribution System) describes a network of one or more CRS for distributing product offer s and functionalities of the participating networks in different countries of the world. In addition to the airline product also other products such as accommodation, car rentals, cruises, or tour operator products are included. Werthner & Klein (1999) Today the travel marketplace is a global arena with hundreds of thousands of buyers (travel agents) and sellers (hotels, resorts, airlines, car rental companies) working together to reserve and deliver the services to the buyer – the traveller. Increasingly Global Distribution System is known for a Global Electronic System, which connects users and suppliers. GDS offer instant access to the supplier's information (i. e. hotels) with immediate function. Many main web portals are also associated to  GDS, including Expedia. com, Orbitz. om, Travelocity. com and priceline. com to name a few. For many years the GDSs had a dominant position in the travel industry. To bypass the GDS and avoid high GDS fees, airlines have started to distribute flights directly from their websites. Another possibility to bypass the GDS is direct connections to the Travel Agencies. According to ITSA there are currently four main GDS companies in operation, these are Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. These are by far the most used systems, comprising the vast majority of the global bookings in the GDS industry. The Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), a development from the Computer Reservation Systems (CRSs), were for a long time the most important distribution channel for airlines. They were effectively developed as travel supermarkets in the pre-Internet era and their primary objective was to connect travel agencies with airlines (Buhalis, 2004). GDSs are still a vital element in the light of the huge variety of tariffs to be administered. GDSs are the main link between airlines and intermediaries, such as tour operators and travel agents.They are also empowering Internet transactions by providing the background link be tween electronic travel agencies and airlines. ’ (Egger ;amp; Buhalis, 2008) There is one downside of using GDS and it is the fact that it costs airlines money to go through a GDS process. Airlines complain that the prices are too high and therefore some poorer airlines have decided to post their best offers by using their own websites instead of the global distribution system so that they do not go bankrupt. CRSs (Computer Reservation Systems) and GDSs were the most important facilities of change in the tourism industry before the arrival of the Internet, as they were established as a comprehensive travel marketing and distribution system and were often called travel supermarkets. The need for GDSs arises from both the demand and supply sides as well as from the expansion of the tourism industry in recent decades. ’ (Buhalis,2003. ) Who uses GDSs? A majority of travel agents (worldwide) and travel websites use the Global Distribution System (GDS) to book their air, ho tel and car reservations. There are currently over 600,000 travel agents worldwide who have access to  GDS. On top of that, there are hundreds of thousands of web portals that use  GDS  to provide information on hotels, airlines, car rentals,  etc. ’ According to 1Hotelsolution, (2009). GDS – Through the years: There have been 3 stages of evolution the first reservation system was called an Airline Reservation system, the second a Computer Reservation System (CRS) and the third evolution is today’s Global Distribution System (GDS). The establishment of the Computer Reservation Systems (CRSs) in the 1970s and Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) in the 1980s, followed by the development of the Internet in the late 1990s, have transformed the best operational and strategic practices in the industry dramatically. ’ Buhalis ;amp; Laws (2008) The big winners here are the airlines, followed by the GDSs. The carriers' major concern was to overhaul their di stribution economics and they did that – reducing the fees they pay the GDSs by about 33 per cent per segment.And the airlines, with assistance from the GDSs, did it on the backs of travel agencies. Travel agencies bear about 80 per cent of that reduced airline payment to GDSs through the incentive cuts the agencies agreed to, while the GDSs foot about 20 per cent of the lost revenue themselves. With travel agencies already under financial pressure, the 80-cents incentive cut they agreed to could mean the difference between profit and loss, survival and bankruptcy, according to the article Airlines the big winners in ‘the GDS wars’ Schaal (2006). For the amount of contestable market share is limited given high load factors. Worse this is not going to get any better due to the constraints on supply due to the high price of fuel. If  we look at the market share of the 3 major alliances they now occupy more than 50% of total traffic. When you then remove the Low C ost carriers out of the loop as they don’t participate in the GDSs the amount of neutral traffic unaligned falls significantly. Perhaps for this reason we see traditional unaligned airlines like Virgin Atlantic starting to evaluate their options seriously.   4Hoteliers, (2011). The Future of GDS: Over the last 10 years, the Internet has proved to be a crucially successful platform for selling travel, appealing to a vast group of suppliers. According to Breaking Travel News (2004), the number of travellers booking airline tickets, hotel rooms and other travel services online continues to grow. The GDSs were actually among the first e-commerce companies in the world as early as mid 1970s. Earlier before the beginning of the GDS, travel agents spent huge amounts of time manually entering reservations.The airlines realised that at this point they could make travel agents more productive and essentially re-invent them as an extension of the airlines sales force. It is these orig inal legacy GDSs that provide the strength to the Internet Travel distribution. While online commerce was growing at a fast pace, agents are more and more facing a new reality whereby customers are finding the cheapest fares for themselves on the Internet. The airlines can no longer afford to put fare content through GDSs and are complaining that the prices are too high.The low-cost airlines have added to this pressure, having found an alternative form of distribution that bypasses the GDSs, as stated by Breaking News Travel, (2004). In an attempt to cut their own costs, traditional airlines have started to make their best fares available on their own websites alone. Although GDSs are still a very useful distribution tool, at this stage it is crucial that they reduce their distribution costs in order to restore profitability and ensure the airlines survival (none of the GDSs are now owned by airlines). This is no doubt leading to the volume of the GDS transactions diminishing.What s hould they do? Moving into a de-regulatory environment will change the rules for GDSs, meaning a shift in focus creating new opportunities. They really need to concentrate on value, content and pricing as priorities in moving ahead. They should also re-evaluate their costs and agent incentives. British Airways (BA) has recently negotiated a deal with Amadeus, Sabre and Galileo, which gives them full access to BA’s fares as indicated by Breaking Travel News, (2004). What is the role of the global distribution system in today’s travel agencies?With the dramatic expansion of the Internet and the proliferation of new sources offering bookable travel content, GDSs are still the primary, most comprehensive and reliable platform for travel agencies and their corporate clients to access, shop and book travel. It is also through GDSs and their rich portfolios of travel planning and management tools those agencies and corporations reconcile and manage daily travel business. Due to their range, extent and supplier relationships, GDSs are also fundamental to the supply of travel products to retailers in the online channel according to Travelport, (2011). The InternetThe Internet has become the main sales channel and customer interface for low-cost airlines because of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The most recent stage of distribution system increase happened in the mid-1990s and counterparts the fast growth of the Internet and its widespread penetration into households by the end of the decade. The internet gave rise to alternative booking channels. ‘ Instead of going to the travel agent to pick up brochures, customers will request details of holidays over the Internet and watch video pictures of the accommodation before booking with the swipe of a credit card. Morgan, (1996). ‘Airlines have a number of options for Internet distribution including airline-owned websites, alliance sites, electronic intermediaries and other forms of sales i ncluding electronic auctioning of unsold seats. A major advantage of these types of services is the ability to offer 24-hour, 7-days-a-week service that in the near future will include bookings via cellular phones using Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) technology. ’ Buhalis & Laws, (2001). By combining the simple protocol of the Internet with a user-friendly interface it represents the main â€Å"vehicle† for creating a worldwide electronic community, integrating research institutes, private companies, public organizations and, most important, private households. ’ Werthner & Klein, (1999). Conclusion The questions are if there is a concentration of power in the hands of the airlines and the intermediaries, is there really a need for a neutral distribution system? What if there was no GDS? If this were the case – would the prices of the products go down or stay the same?From the research in this paper I believe that GDS today is costing us more . As 4Hoteliers stated previously in the paper, the market share of the 3 major alliances they now occupy more than 50% of total traffic. When the Low Cost carriers are removed out of the loop they don’t take part in the GDSs the amount of neutral traffic not united falls considerably. I would agree that the GDS has over time restrained competition and indeed cost the consumer more. GDS – Going, going, gone? They did indeed lasted many, many years but yes I believe they are on their way out.A new generation of people are coming in with more knowledge about technology than the last. They have more of a grasp about computers and the workings of the Internet therefore they will not need GDS, thus, will not need to use travel agencies who are the main users of GDS to book their air, hotel and car reservations. Once travel agencies are out, Global Distribution Systems will no longer be needed. They are soon to be gone. References Books: * Buhalis, D (2003). eTourism. Harlow , England: Pearson Education Limited. P93-94. * Buhalis, D. & Laws, E. (2001).Tourism Distribution Channels-Practices, Issues & Transformations. Cornwall, UK: TJI Digital. P221 * Egger, R. & Buhalis, D. (2008). eTourism Case Studies. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann P264 * Morgan, M. (1996). Marketing for Leisure and Tourism. Hertforshire, UK: Prentice Hall. P263 * Werthner, H. & Klein, S. (1999). Information Technology and Tourism – A Challenging Relationship. Austria: Springer-Verlag Wien. P79 * Werthner, H. & Klein, S. (1999). Information Technology and Tourism – A Challenging Relationship. Austria: Springer-Verlag Wien.P185 * Werthner, H. & Klein, S. (1999). Information Technology and Tourism – A Challenging Relationship. Austria: Springer-Verlag Wien. P188 Articles: * Breaking Travel News (2004) The Future of the GDS. Available from http://www. breakingtravelnews. com/news/article/btn20040216144254916/ [accessed 8th Oct 2011] * Buhalis, D. & Laws, E. (2008) Progress in Tourism Management: Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the Internet—The state of eTourism research. Available from http://www. sciencedirect. om/science/article/pii/S0261517708000162 [accessed 7th Oct 2011] * Schaal, D. (2006) Airlines the big winners in ‘the GDS wars’ in International News. Available from http://0-web. ebscohost. com. ditlib. dit. ie/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=5&hid=8&sid=562024d9-8116-4049-8ab3-6bb0295294dd%40sessionmgr13 [Accessed 7th Oct 2011] Websites: * Hotel-ITC, (2011). GDS (Global Distribution System) – Connect to the world. Available from http://hotel-ict. blogspot. com/2011/04/gds-global-distribution-system-connect. html [Accessed 8th Oct 2011] (Image) * ITSA – GDSs and LTDs http://www. nteractivetravel. org/IndustryBackground/Attachments/GDSs_and_LTDs_FAQs. pdf [accessed 8th Oct] * Marcelvacek. blogspot, (2010). Touri sm & Hospitality Business Applications. Available from http://marcelvacek. blogspot. com/2010/10/what-is-crs-and-gds. html [accessed 7th Oct 2011] * Travel Agent Training Centre, (2011). Computer Reservation System Training Available from http://www. travelagenttrainingcenter. com/Computer%20Reservation%20System%20Training. htm [accessed 8 Oct] * Travelport, (2011). What do travel agents