Quantitative Risk Analysis in Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Quantitative Risk Analysis in Investment - Essay Example Risk analysis is common now-a-days in all types of investment as the modern risk management literature has grown significantly. Many theories and models have been developed in the area of risk management by eminent thinkers. This paper takes a look at the classical risk analysis framework, namely mean-variance framework. The essay takes a descriptive approach wherein the mean variance model is discussed in the context of single as well as portfolio investment. An attempt is also made to incorporate the application of the model in pricing of insurance policies. Risk analysis in the context of investment is the process of quantifying the possibility of incurring loss to the return from the investment. The return from an investment is prone to risk when the actual return varies from expected return. Since risk measures the possibility of incurring an outcome, it can be measured with the help of probability and other statistical measures. As defined by T. V Bedford, risk analysis is the process of identification and quantification of scenarios, probabilities and consequences (Bedford 2001 p. 11). It is notable here that risk analysis cannot be possible without measuring return from the investment as risk and return are correlated and risk measures how actual return varies from expected return. ... Risk analysis of individual security investment is relatively easy as compared to that of portfolio. Risk Analysis in Portfolio Investment Portfolio is the collection of securities selected for investment. The logic behind investors' preference for portfolio rather than individual security is that the risks in portfolio can be reduced more easily than that of individual security. In other words, portfolio facilitates the risk diversification through spreading risks across all securities in the portfolio. The loss in one security can be nullified by the profit from another security/ securities in a portfolio. Calculation of Expected Return The analysis of risk in a portfolio is possible only after measuring return there from. The level of return expected from an investment is calculated by using the expected value of the distribution, and the probability distribution of expected returns for a portfolio. Then, risk is measured by the degree of variability around the expected value of the probability distribution of returns. The most accepted measures of this variability are the variance and standard deviation (Frank 2002 p. 21). The expected return from a portfolio can be estimated with the following model: (Source: Frank 2002 p. 21) Where, = 1.0; n = the number of securities; = the proportion of the funds invested in security i; = the return on i th security and portfolio p; and = The expectation of the variable in the parentheses (Source: Frank 2002 p. 21) Calculation of Portfolio Risk Risk is the chance that actual return will differ from their expected values. The expected value of return can be obtained from probability estimates for expected

Government Regulation of Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Government Regulation of Abortion - Essay Example When the question of rights is brought up, there are always points and counterpoints flung across the table. Rights have become the epitome of our existence on one hand and also the topic of many a coffee table conversation on the other. Besides, if one claims the right to exist, one wonders if the corollary is thought of - how would one exist Perhaps, another very compelling question would be the fact that a mother has to bring forth a life and ensure its sustainability. Therefore, the question of abortion has to be viewed not just from the point of the unborn infant, but also from the viewpoint of the mother and others associated with the newborn. A discussion on abortion and its relevance in American society would be incomplete without a reference to Roe v. Wade, the all-important case that gave all pro-choice supporters a boost. The United States Supreme Court upheld the view that a mother could abort her fetus up to a "point at which the fetus becomes 'viable'" (410 U.S. 113, 1973). Here the court described 'viability' at around 24 weeks of pregnancy. Apart from this, the court also mentioned that the mother could choose to abort a fetus, if she had reason to believe that her physical health was in jeopardy. This landmark decision has led to heated debates and not much of an end in sight. " the Issue Legalized abortion has become the most hashed-over political and theological debate in a nation devoted to debates." (Baird & Rosenbaum, 2001). Political & religious thoughts on abortion: It is difficult to isolate politics from religion. The two are so closely intertwined that very often what is a political statement, might sound like a deeply religious one. There is a very fine line that can be drawn between religion and politics and it is a commonly accepted fact that this has been the position from time immemorial. Though abortions have been legalized in most states in the US, there are constant dissensions on the issue that flare up into major verbal as well as physical clashes. It would be relevant to mention here that political parties have always had to face the questions raised by pro-life as well as pro-choice voters as part of their political campaigns. As an election issue, it is just as important as the amount of federal money that is being spent on the defence services and probably more so when an election is imminent, as the situation right now is. When the subject of discussion and debate is a contentious one like abortion, political parties try to project a very unified view; however, their credibility on their stance is always at stake. It is commonly believed that Republicans are pro-life and would like to see Roe v. Wade relegated to the back pages of legal history. John McCain, for instance, has been a consistent pro-lifer since 1984. (Head, 2008). The Democrat viewpoint is generally one of pro-choice. However, a recent report on the views of Barack Obama on the issue recounts his commitment to take constructive measures to reduce the number of abortions in the country (Chicago Tribune, 2008). This seemingly near-pro-life attitude has led to the formation of a Catholic group that believes that voting for a supposedly pro-choice

Change Management at Netflix

Change Management at Netflix Organizations That Manage Change Well: Netflix’s Constant Evolution â€Å"The only constant in life is change†, a quote by the philosopher Heraclitus in 400 B.C.E remains true today (Graham, 2007). Whether it be in response to a major event or discovery that shakes an organization’s core function, or simply in accordance to incremental transformations, change is inevitable for all organizations. While some organizations experience the pressures of change more often than others, all organization’s must recognize, anticipate, and plan for external change forces, as well as set forth internal organizational changes to remain relevant and competitive in any given industry or field (Chou, 2011). Leaders of organizations must evaluate the industry in which their organization operates within and apply their findings to anticipate possible major changes to minimize disruption, as well as seek new practices and technologies to increase productivity, effectiveness, and overall performance. The adaptability and willingness to change is a co mpany’s greatest competitive advantage. For all organizations, change is a vital and ongoing process, which if implemented and managed correctly, allows an organization to evolve with modern changes and remain successful within their field. Being adaptable and ready for change is a company’s greatest competitive advantage when operating in today’s the rapid and constantly changing global market (Anderson, 1991). This increased presence of change must be met by highly skilled and organized leaders who use methods and strategies to successfully manage changes and their implications (Chou, 2001). One company that has gained and maintained mass success due to their adaptability and forward-thinking methods is Netflix – United States most popular internet streaming service. With over 109 million users, in over  190 countries around the world, streaming more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies streaming per day as of 2017, Netflix is the world’s leading internet entertainment subscription streaming service. The streaming service offers users the ability to stream network and original television series, documentaries, and feature films. The service allows members to watch as much as they want, when they want, and where they want – with service access on nearly any  internet-connected  screen. Members are able to play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments (Netflix, 2016). The company was founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in September of 1997 in Scotts Valley, California. The now tenth largest internet company when based on revenue, began as a DVD rental by mail delivery service and has continued to change and adapt its business models and according strategies to external and internal factors ever since its startup (Netflix, 2016). Change has the capacity to better an organization or demise of it. When change is handled and managed successfully, success and growth will result. Netflix’s success, and Blockbuster’s eventual demise are examples of how organizations offering similar products and services can either thrive or fail in the face of external technological and industrial changes. During Netflix’s initial years of operation, both Netflix and Blockbuster offered physical hard copy movie rentals. Blockbuster, which had seamlessly survived the change from VHS to DVD technology, provided its services by means of retail locations where costumers could browse movie options on shelves, make their selection, and pay the initial fee based on various factors such as how recently the film was released, or how many nights the customer wished to rent it for. Originally, Netflix used a similar business model as Blockbuster, basing their services on pay per rental basis, but rather than having retail locations, Netflix customers would go to the company’s website to make their rental selection, that would then be mailed to the customer’s home. However, after a short initial trial of this original method and receiving lackluster response, Netflix introduced a subscription feature to its business model. Subscription members could rent a movie, keep it for however long they wished or return it to rent another for one monthly fee – allowing members to rent as many movies as they wished for one fixed price (Lotz, 2017). The differentiation this created between the two companies’ business models began Netflix’s success in the industry and its domination over its indirect competitors, such as Blockbuster. Blockbuster was heavily dependent on revenues generated from hefty late fees to create a large portion of their revenue as part of their business model. Netflix could charge less for their services, and eliminate late fees from their business model due to their decreased cost of operations. Netflix’s consumer-friendly model of no late fees, low cost and wide media selection overpowered the immediate convenience of going to a corner store to pick up a movie for a night for many consumers (Satel, 2014). By April of 2003, Netflix had reached one million subscribers. Blockbuster launched its response to Netflix’s competitive threat by implementing an online unlimited rental subscription service for the fixed price of $19.99 per month in August of 2004, but by this time Netflix had already established its place and customer base in the market, impeding on Blockbuster’s venture potential (Satel, 2014). Netflix’s initial DVD rental by mail delivery service began stealing market share in the entertainment industry, respectively due to its adaptable business model to fit a niche consumer need. However, Netflix achieved the success that it has today by anticipating and adapting to a major upcoming change that was recognized at the time of its founding. This massive change was the internet and its possibly infinite capabilities. Netflix’s founder, Reed Hastings, stated that he originally dubbed his company the name ‘Netflix’ because even in 1998 he had recognized the potential of the world-wide web. Reed one day he expected, and hoped, that his company would be offering DVD rentals by means of an online streaming service, therefore he wanted to name the company something that complied with its eventual fate (Fortune.com, 2009). Netflix was created at the time of the wide spread adoption of the DVD, founders of the company, Reed and Marc, even tested their initial mailing DVD service idea by mailing a CD-Rom back to themselves because they did not yet own an actual DVD. The founders expected that just like VHS – DVDs would be around for a long time, but anticipated and prepared for the day that they were not. The company’s name and its origin highlight how Netflix as an organization was not only ready for change disruption, but waiting for it from the very beginning. In 2007, Netflix launched the company’s online streaming service. Subscribers were still able to continue mail order DVD rentals, but could also stream a limited number of hours online – all for the fixed monthly subscription price (Huffington Post, 2015). This was the result due to the change of available technology and consumer wants. Just like ten years before when the switch was made from VHS to DVD, the next change was ensuing. This was the adoption and availability of high speed internet and portable computers capable of streaming media. In 2010, Netflix began expanding into the global markets. The company first expanded into Canada, then in 2011 moved into various other countries around the world (Lotz, 2017). Competition quickly ensued, not only were other online steaming services becoming available and more widely utilized, such as Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, but television networks were also beginning to offer online streaming subscription services, as streaming services had enabled consumers to cancel or decrease their cable packages while still enjoying media entertainment, just at a lower cost. To maintain and grow their market share and customer base, Netflix began to produce original and exclusive content in the form of series, movies featuring popular actors, and documentaries. Netflix could produce smash hits for their customers because they created shows based on what their users preferred to watch. By using their own website’s analytics of what their members were watching, for how long, when they stopped watching a series or movie, and more. For example, 70% of media being streamed on Netflix by its’ users are television series (Fortune.com, 2009). These observations helped them to produce highly rated, award winning exclusive series, which helped Netflix to keep their existing members and gain new subscribers. Since online streaming subscriptions have a very low switching cost for users, it was vital that Netflix recognized this potential threat and adapted their practices in accordance (Investopedia, 2016). Although not seamlessly achieved, Netflix has gained and maintained its immense amount of success as an online streaming entertainment subscription service by constantly reinventing itself in accordance to changes in technology, regulation, and consumer wants – all while also creating and pioneering changes within their industry to meet and anticipate the needs of the stakeholder (Management Help, n.d.). This has been achieved by having adaptable and separate business models for each business function, each with their own strategy. These organizational changes would not have successfully occurred without the proper internal implementation, and management of change. Devising the best strategic and tactical plans is essential for success, but cannot be achieved without an in-depth understanding of the human side of change management. This refers to the alignment of the company’s culture, values, behaviors and people to encourage the desired results.   Managing change is a complex, dynamic, and challenging process (Mabey, 1993). It is never a choice between technological or people-oriented solutions, but a combination of both (Bullman, 2000). Effective change has been characterized as unfreezing old behaviors, introducing new ones, and re-freezing the new (Mosca, 2011). Successful organizational change begins at the top. An organization’s leaders and upper management must have a clear and concise understanding of the change that is occurring and be able to clearly articulate it. In times of change and uncertainty, all eyes go to the organization’s leaders for strength and direction.   Leaders must be aligned with one another and moving in the same direction towards the common goal. Next, the case for the change must be clearly laid out. A clear explanation of what changes will occur and why they are necessary must be communicated to every layer within the organization. In times of change, it is essential for all members of the organization to know what is expected of them so that feelings of insecurity and confusion, feelings which can lead to resistance to and denunciation of the change, can be calmed.   A multitude of various factors are associated with failure rates when it comes to succeeding in change management. Even if change is endorsed by management, an ill-conceived implementation plan, lack of commitment from an organization’s leaders, and limited utilization or integration of already existing systems and processes within the organization can lead to the failure to accept and adapt to organizational changes (Mariotti, 1998). Another important aspect of successful change management is knowing the values that matter to the organization and the overall goals the organization wants to achieve. Focusing on reacting to those opportunities for change relevant to overall organizational goals, as opposed to reacting to every invitation for change, helps companies to make smart and practical decisions (Mosca, 2011). Due to globalization and overall resource development, new forces and opportunities for change are occurring more rapidly than ever, it is important to develop responses and proactive actions that align according to an organization’s, or their stakeholder’s needs (Bataldon, 1998). Constant change with a lack of reasoning leads to negative organizational performance, as unnecessary change is a drain on company resources, including financial, and human alike. Large organizations, which employ a high number of employees, will not perform as they become exceedingly bureaucratic. As stated by Steiner, organizations that are known to be bureaucratized and hierarchical are less flexible, and less willing to change, as well as less likely to empower their staff (Steiner, 2001). Organizations will not get full value from their employees if they insist that employees do only what they are told. Therefore, leaders must learn how to manage change, to move forward with successfully. There is no one best way to manage change in an organization. Organizations must introduce approaches to organizational change which matches their specific needs, and requirements (Mosca, 2011) Netflix as an organization has demonstrated their capabilities of successful change management based on their multitude of major changes evident throughout the company’s existence. Netflix has been able to achieve this by their unique and somewhat unprecedented organizational culture. Netflix, although a large organization with nearly five thousand employees (Statista, 2016), is not a typical industrial firm, which is what many of today’s traditional organizational theory and practices are based on, but rather is a creative firm. The difference between the two is substantial – industrial firms thrive on reducing variation, or reducing errors, while creative firms thrive by increasing variation, as stated by the company’s founder and current CEO, Reed Hastings (McCord, 2015). Due to this difference of firm variety, Netflix must create and adhere to different organizational methods relevant to their newer and less common style of business – creative. Netflix’s core culture concept is based on open and honest communication between all levels and in every aspect of the firm’s function. Netflix does not have set vacation policies, rather they encourage employees to decide their own appropriate amount of vacation, when they wish to take it and communicate this to their managers. To encourage employees to utilize this policy, upper management is encouraged to set a precedent by taking vacation time themselves and communicating that to their employees. The CEO even reportedly taking four different week-long vacations in 2015. However, this concept is also protected from abuse by Netflix’s next major culture feature. This is the notion of their compensation method. Results are rewarded, but effort producing no result is not. If an employee, although at one time was extremely valuable and well liked, no longer fits Netflix’s changing needs, they will be given an honest explanation and very generous severance package. Netflix has found that by focusing on building the best team by having the best talent has enabled them to continue to adapt and evolve as a company. Once an employee can no longer benefit the company, they are able to bring in new talent to keep company moving forward. Employees of Netflix understand this concept upon being hired, which is why almost all severed employees are understanding and accepting of their termination. Netflix believes in trusting in the hired talent to complete the given tasks in the best way the talent sees fit. Netflix giving their employees the freedom of autonomy allows for flexibility, and innately eliminates the issues resulting from bureaucratic or hierarchical structure, something that can often arise in a firm of Netflix’s size (Mosca, 2011). Netflix found that by replacing rules with transparency, accountability, and trust, overall productivity and performance improves, and expenses decrease. Netflix believes in hiring good, talented people – letting common sense and acting in the best interest of the company guide employee behavior (McCord, 2015). Due to new technology, regulatory changes, societal or stakeholder expectations, as well as competitors – rule-driven organizations, operating within a rapidly changing industry, are unable to keep up with the constant adaption required to gain or remain successful, losing customers and market share to those organizations that do have the capability to evolve. Netflix maintains its ability to change through its organizational culture concept – freedom and responsibility. The company invests in hiring the best possible talent, and rewards high-performer – weeding out continuous, unimproved low performers. References Graham, D. W. (2007, February 08). Heraclitus. Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/heraclitus/ Anderson, P., & Tushman, M. (1991). MANAGING THROUGH CYCLES OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE. Research Technology Management, 34(3), 26-31. Chou, & Zolkiewski. (2011). Managing resource interaction as a means to cope with technological change. Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business Research. Mabey C. Mayon-White. (1993). Managing change. 2nd ed. The Open University: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd. Davies C, Finlay L, Bullman A. (2000). Changing Practice in health and social care. The Open University: SAGE Publication. Rosenberg, S., & Mosca, J. (2011). Breaking down the barriers to organizational change. International Journal of Management and Information Systems, 15(3), 139. Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2017, from https://ir.netflix.com/ Lotz, A. (2017, October 26). The unique strategy Netflix deployed to reach 90 million worldwide subscribers. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from http://theconversation.com/the-unique-strategy-netflix-deployed-to-reach-90-million-worldwide-subscribers-74885 Mariotti J. (1998). 10 steps to positive change. Ind Week. How Netflix got started. (2009, January 27). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from http://archive.fortune.com/2009/01/27/news/newsmakers/hastings_netflix.fortune/index.htm I. (2016, January 12). Netflix: Porters 5 Forces Analysis. Retrieved October 26, 2017, from http://www.investopedia.com/university/netflix-porters-5-forces-analysis/ Netflix: employee count 2016 | Statistic. Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/587671/netflix-employees/ Organizational Change and Development (Managing Change and Change Management). (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://managementhelp.org/organizationalchange/#anchor61645 McCord, P. (2014). How netflix reinvented HR. Harvard Business Review, 92(1), 71-76. One Huge Reason For Netflixs Success. (2015, March 03). Retrieved October 27, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/netflix-culture-deck-success_n_6763716 Satell, G. (2014, September 21). A Look Back At Why Blockbuster Really Failed And Why It Didnt Have To. Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregsatell/2014/09/05/a-look-back-at-why-blockbuster-really-failed-and-why-it-didnt-have-to/#2054abeb1d64

College Admissions Essay: A Life Changing Experience :: College Admissions Essays

A Life Changing Experience    The experience of the APEC Youth Science festival was incredible. It has had an enormous impact on me in many ways, changing the way I look at the world and connecting me with people and events far beyond my formerly limited experience. I am extremely glad to have had this opportunity. It was a wonderful experience on multiple levels. It challenged me and expanded me intellectually and socially. I feel that this experience has had an immense impact on me.    Through this program I had first-hand access to some of the brightest young minds in both the United States and the world. The sharing among students of ideas and experiences in science, and in other areas as well, was enlightening. I felt like I had the chance to absorb knowledge from those around me. This environment spread beyond the students and also included the faculty and speakers. We had access to incredible faculty who were able to give much to the experience and share their own science insights. The program also brought in speakers and other science professionals from around the world who were at the top of their respective fields. This festival gave me real access to the movers and shakers of the science world, an experience beyond any available to me anywhere else.    The most fascinating aspect of this experience, for me, was the exposure to new cultures. This includes the twist culture puts on science. I found huge difference in the viewpoints of many cultures towards science related issues surprising. For instance many cultures had vastly different ways of looking at the forthcoming issues surrounding the implications of genetic engineering. The Asian and American cultures were very different in many work habit areas as well. There was an interesting group dynamic as culturally mixed groups strove to collectively complete group projects. The cultural sharing in science went beyond how questions were answered to how they were asked to which questions were most important and even which questions were addressed. while observing the cultural spin on science and work habits was an interesting pastime, the true wonder was cultural sharing on a greater scale.    This program exposed me to Asian cultures in a way I had never thought possible. Living in an Asian country, even for only a week, and being mixed with students from around the world brought me face to face with cultures I had never before truly experienced.

Meno-Plato Essay

Meno begins his quest to have Socrates explain virtue by nature by stating that having beautiful things is to have virtue. â€Å"So I say that virtue is to desire beautiful things and have the power to acquire them† (77b). To help him to understand that this statement is not complete, Socrates inquires about specific characteristics that might comprise having something beautiful. These characteristics include wealth, a position of honor, justice, and the pursuit of happiness. Only in perfect combination to all of these specific characteristics assert â€Å"virtue as a whole† (77a) To desire beautiful things means to secure a good thing for oneself, according to Socrates. Under this explanation, all men desire good things and the men who desire bad things want to attain bad things for some benefit despite the fact that misery is a potential result. Therefore the act of desiring is with the intention of pursuing happiness as a virtue. â€Å"No one then wants what is bad, Meno, unless he wants to be such. For what else is being miserable but to desire bad things and secure them? † (78a). This characteristic of attempting to have happiness through securing good things and having power over them is a component of â€Å"virtue as a whole† (77a). Wealth and positions of power, under Socrates’ definition of â€Å"virtue as a whole† (77a), are only considered to be components of the nature of virtue if they are accomplished through just means. â€Å"It seems then that the acquisition must be accompanied by justice or moderation or piety or some other part of virtue; if it is not, it will not be virtue, even though it provides good things. † (78d-e) this reveals that the intention and process of acquiring good things is important to the nature of virtue as a whole. Without just process wealth nor positions of honor are not attributes of virtue because regardless of their significance as good or beautiful, they cannot be truly appreciated as virtuous without morally righteous intentions. â€Å"Then to provide these goods would not be virtue anymore than not to provide these goods would not to be virtue any more than not to provide them, but apparently whatever is done with justice will be virtue†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (79a) justice and good intention are required to be the basis of any good thing in order for it to be considered truly virtuous. However, in true response to Meno’s search to know the nature of virtue Socrates states that although that virtue as a whole is still under question. In order to understand virtue you must understand each characteristic that makes up virtue. â€Å"†¦that by answering in terms of the parts of virtue you can make its nature clear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (79e) Virtue is not defined by any one definition, rather it is the characteristics and process of attaining these characteristics that comprises the nature of virtue. Socrates refutes Meno’s assertion that to attain beautiful things is to have virtue. Through this rejection he goes on to examine this differences between wanting good and beautiful things and, attaining bad things under the belief or idea that they are, in some way, good. However, having good things is not enough. These good things must be attained justly otherwise their significance to â€Å"virtue as a whole† (77a) is obsolete. These characteristics of wealth, a position of honor, justice, and the pursuit of happiness are mutually inclusive and together, begin to describe the nature of virtue.

Psychology †Stereotype Essay

Prejudice means the attitude toward the members of some group based solely on their membership in that group and it can be positive or negative. The main reason of prejudice is most probably stereotyping and it involves generalizations about the typical characteristics of members of the groups. Prejudice is ubiquitous and it affects all of us and it sometimes cause negative consequences. Hence, many people search works or studies to remove prejudice effects. We also learn from texts which is called ‘’Understanding Prejudice and ‘’The Cognitive Process’’ by Gordon W. Allport. In addition George Aliken says †If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed, and color, we would find some other causes for prejudice by noon. ’’ It shows that prejudice cannot be removed totally and I strongly agree with this statement. In other words, people cannot have a chance to get rid of prejudices because of many stereotypes, a fear of the unfamiliar and the effects of social environment. Stereotypes is the main factor why it is impossible to get rid of prejudice totally. Each society has many stereotypes about different issues and it is impossible to isolate people from society not to affected these stereotypes. To begin with, stereotypes may cause dangerous results if they are taught as truths especially for children. It is called early learning process and it includes passive acceptance of information and lack of awareness. (Cole, Jim Understanding Prejudice) It also don’t give opportunity to children to test these stereotypes or any information which is given by instructors or adults. I mean that especially children can gain many new stereotypes easily and they may believe as a truth. If this condition happens, it would very difficult to change or manipulate these belief systems because many psychologists argue that childhood is most important process to shape character and many characteristic feature are gained at childhood. (http://psychology. about. com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/childdevtheory. htm) For example, a teacher who hates black people can teach that black people are bad and even evil. It is undoubted fact that children who are in that classroom is influenced badly by this approach because students especially who are in elementary school trust their teacher completely. It can affect whole life of people and it is difficult to prevent. On the other hand, any experience cause to acquire new and dangerous stereotypes. Actually, experiences are more effective way to gain stereotypes because memory generally cannot be forgotten but inputs are easily forgotten in a short time. According to research, Children who have bad childhood memory which cause change the viewpoint toward any group say that these kind of events influence whole life. It is way to gain stereotypes and it may cause discrimination if event relates to black people or muslim people. Children start to think all black people bad and we should avoid them, if any black people stole their money or beat them.. These kind of event affect all children and they cannot forget even now. (http://www. ehow. com/info_8621376_bad-childhood-affect-relationships. html) There is important point to have stereotypes, it does not matter how you acquire it. Sometimes national belief or values cause prejudice, sometimes unconscious people cause it. Prejudice prevent people from listening the other people and this is a big obstacle to developing empathy skills. Hence, stereotypes is main factor to acquire prejudice and also it is main obstacle to get rid of prejudice. Being a part of any group is so important thing for many people. They think that they cannot live without this because they believe that groups prevent them from being alone and it is necessary to compete others. There is competition between group members so being a part of a group is important point. (Dugan, A. Maire Prejudice) However, it causes prejudice against other groups because group members start to consider other belief system is completely wrong and they don’t accept any other beliefs because of the fear of unfamiliar. To begin with, each political or economic group have common goal and they have to have strict approach about some issues to achieve that. These kind of approach definitely consist of some prejudice against others. Each group member feel thinking like this on the contrary case my group lose competition they think out of group. Moreover, people may start to care about people who are like them. I mean that people may judge others because of their groups without any reason so they don’t care about issues which belongs others. For instance, an earthquake happened three months ago and many people sent many aid but some people did not sent because of some ridiculous reasons such as discrimination. They think that people who live in Van may support terrorist group and they did not deserve any aid. However, I think that anybody can think like this, there is one explanation to understand this situation and it is being a part of group. The conflict between their group and other groups prevent people from thinking logically and as a result of this they don’t send any aid materials for the victim of earthquake for this situation. I think that this kind of prejudice is very dangerous and it is very troublesome. People can not think freely until they leave group because if they resist group or reject to accept some group prejudices, they most probably face being out of group. Hence, prejudices which generate being a part of group are irrepressible. Prejudices does not depends on any logical reasons, they include dogmatical causes and people does not think whether it is true or not. People can behave differently in spite of under the some conditions toward two different people. This situation may conclude in a two different way. Firstly, people recede from one group. Therefore, people has negative attitude to this group. On the other hand, people get closer their own group. It may be seen a positive result of prejudice. If people feel belonging one group, they will start to love group members without any reason and they does not aware of group members’ mistakes. The while, sometimes they start to hate other people because any group members hate them. This enhance connection between group members but if we consider others, situation will vice versa. People start to think like other group members, they afraid to show thoughts when they think differently group members. Thus, it is starting to change the way people think. Prejudices cause sometimes behavioral changes. It is called discrimination. Problem start to be insoluble when people act. Behaviours return to habits and then free thinking start to get lost. As a resut of this, people are categorised us and others. Some people will be scapegoat because of the nature of categories and some people will be heroes because of same reason. For instance, many negroes are famous athletes and many famous athletes are national heroes; then many negroes are national heroes. It is ridiculous but it is a result of prejudice. Prejudices raise intolerant people and these people suppose that their all thoughts and beliefs correct. Hence, it is impossible to get rid of prejudices. Prejudices originate various reasons or factors and almost all people have some prejudices because getting rid of these is pretty difficult for people. ‘’Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices – just recognize them’’ – Edward Roscoe Murrow. Actually it is important point to recognize them because many people does not aware of this during whole life. However, We can reduce the effects of prejudice but it is impossible to remove prejudice because of stereotypes, being a part of group member and the effects of prejudice on way of thinking and connection between people . It may only possible to live in island singly but I am not sure for this. WORK CITES BOOK ENTRY I don’t use any book. ARTICLE ENTRY. Cole, Jim. ‘’Understanding Prejudice’’. jimcole@beyondprejudice. com Gordon, W. Allport. ‘’The Cognitive Process’’ Massachusetts Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. , 1991 WEB SOURCE ENTRY Pru, Laura. ‘’How Does a Bad Childhood Affect Relationships? (http://www. ehow. com/info_8621376_bad-childhood-affect-relationships. html) June 20, 2011. March,22 2012 Cheery, Kendra. Child Development Theories. (http://psychology. about. com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/childdevtheory. htm) March, 22 2012 FILM ENTRY I don’t use film source.

Is Britain a Meritocratic Society

Is Britain a Meritocratic Society It was determined by history that people need a belief based upon which they would build their present and future. Here is where the need for formulating various concepts of society derives from. One of the popular approaches to defining society is that of the meritocratic society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is Britain a Meritocratic Society? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More First coined by Michael Young in his 1958 book named The Rise of Meritocracy, this conception is a combination of merit and aristocracy. Merit, broadly speaking, is a prominent value distinguishing one between the others and a will and hard work to use them as a tool for achieving success in life, and aristocracy is the upper class of the society who are the most privileged. In general, meritocracy is an aristocracy based on merit and ignoring kinship1. That said, meritocracy or a meritocratic society is a type of society in which those who have talents and extraordinary intellectual abilities and skills will achieve success in life and, what is more, reach the leading and ruling positions in their community regardless of their family ties and background2. According to the postulates of this approach to defining society, those who are the brightest and the most hard-working and persistent will occupy the highest positions in the society whether it be ruling a little group of people, an organization or a whole country. Generally speaking, meritocracy is: A principle of allocation of people to positions in the socio-economic hierarchy, typically jobs. †¦ The theory is that meritocracy offers a ‘ladder of opportunity’, on which everyone has an equal chance to climb as far as their ‘merit’ permits.3 Meritocratic society operates based on several principles, as initially defined by Michael Young in his book. First of all, meritocracy requires administrative tool controlling the redistribution of human talent. That means that there should be specially authorised organization testing people’s unique abilities and skills before they occupy their positions in the society. Generally speaking, it means that there should be a special network of examinations and that certain position requires a certain set of skills, so prior to entering it, the potential occupant should be tested for having such skills. Second, the skills mentioned above should be fixed and unchangeable.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It does not mean that they remain the same over centuries; instead, they change once in a while so that they correspond to the needs of certain historical epoch but what remains unchangeable is the high level of knowledge and talent required for taking up higher appointments. Third, there is no place for competition in a perfect meritocracy. This principle ma y sound a little weird if thinking about the very essence of the meritocratic approach but it is believed that administrative procedures have no defects thus eradicating competition as such. It may be explained by the fact that people are redistributed according to their abilities and talents so that they believe that they are exactly where they deserve to be thus there is no need to compete with others and prove that they are better than others4. Such a conception of society is a source of particular problems. First and foremost, meritocracy as such leads to socio-economic inequality in the society. From the theoretical perspective, it is viewed as the path towards equal opportunities but the practice has proven that society cannot operate when based on merit. Instead, family ties and the background, not intellectual abilities or unique skills, are the criteria for determining chances for success. It may be easily explained by one simple fact – those who have already occupie d high positions in the society do not want their children to hold lower ones thus blocking access to the talented people without the similar background5. The second challenge is the problem of defining the merit as such. As the times have changed, one new element was added to the concept of merit. It is that of kinship as it was already mentioned above. That said, as long as society values prestige and family ties instead of creative and intellectual potential, it cannot function and develop as a meritocracy in its traditional sense. The third problem of such a conception of the society is that living in the meritocratic conditions people are taught that inequality is justifiable. The reason for this belief lies in the definition of merit as such6. As long as people believe that they do not have the opportunity to obtain certain positions without certain skills or talents and that they deserve to be exactly where they are, they do not have the desire to change this reality, self-ev olve, and reach new horizons. Many may believe that meritocracies are as dead as Julius Caesar but, in fact, they are not the tales of the past. Nowadays most developed societies consider themselves to be meritocratic, as they believe that there are equal opportunities to succeed in life for everyone who has talent and works hard.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is Britain a Meritocratic Society? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, they claim that the harder you work, the higher you get, and, of course, your talent and intellectual and creative potential are the only things that limit you in climbing the ladder. Together with that, people in the developed societies stress that they totally ignore the person’s background and family ties if he or she demonstrates yearning to succeed in life and has unique skills. Britain in this sense is not an exception, and it is a meritocratic society. In general, mos t people stick to a concept of merit. What is more, today, it almost does not matter what class you come from or what your ethnic background is because if you are talented and persistent, the possibility of achieving success is high. More than that, you are most likely to achieve the position your skills allow you to, so everyone in the society occupies exactly the right place. What is more prominent is that there have been many positive shifts in the movement towards perfect meritocratic society such as elevating a barrier of class. That means that birth in a working-class family, for example, does not preclude a talented person from gaining higher education and becoming a citizen of high-status. Regardless of the positive developments mentioned above class still matters in the overall setting of one’s life. It originates from the parents’ love and their desire to help their children find the best possible place in life not from stressing that class is a barrier to in tellectual and creative development. That said, parents might want to let their kids attend the most prestigious schools they can afford thus granting them certain merits in life7 as education has become one of them. What is more, they may help their children occupy particular positions thus inverting the natural course of meritocracy. Parents’ interference with their children’s lives is what is one of the main preclusions to perfect meritocracy. It should be said, however, that this statement is only fair in the case of high-status families, especially those occupying the highest ruling positions in the society. In most cases today, those who hold them cannot make a boast of their social status as they have it due to their background. It does not mean that they do not have any merits at all; it only means that, in the case they had not had the status of their family, they would not have been where they currently are since their skills and talents do not correspond to it. That said, the desire of the parents especially those who are involved in politics and ruling the country to prevent their children from falling is what keeps British society from achieving a state of perfect meritocracy.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Together with that, universal access to education including school and higher education is what is often viewed as a preclusion to build a perfect meritocratic society in its traditional sense. There is a point of view that the ability to obtain education should not be universal, as it inverts the natural course of the development of meritocracy because it is a primary source of inequality in the society8. The main argument in favour of this statement is that there is inequality in the ability of families to help their children with gaining the education and that the one with more prestigious education occupies better positions of higher status regardless of the level of knowledge, skills, and talent. I am strongly inclined to believe that even though there are many problems deriving from the meritocratic concept of society, there is one promising opportunity of the present times that can help return to the meritocratic society in its traditional sense. With the outburst of informat ion and communication technologies and the overall shift to the knowledge-driven world, those without family ties with the highest circles of the community have gotten their chance to succeed in life with the help of their skills and talents. Since higher education has become available to nearly anyone and is no longer a prerogative of the privileged ones, the educational system has become that administratively authorised unit that can control the redistribution of talent. I do believe in it because education leads to inequality in society not in the case of different level of the college prestige but in the case if some people had the opportunity to obtain the higher education because of their family’s status in the society, and others had not. When everyone is equal in access to education, even though the level of prestige differs, there emerges the possibility of equality because all that as the end results matters is not the name of the college indicated on the diploma bu t the level of knowledge and whether a person has skills needed for feeling the position. That said, the level of education has become one more merit. Of course, those enjoying the advantage of kinship will occupy most ruling positions but people with high intellectual abilities and robust creative potential will find their way to attaining a high place. One more argument in favour of the meritocracy of British society is the Queen’s Honour system9. It may be considered to be out in the left field but, in fact, meritocracy is about being rewarded for unique skills and persistent work. With this in mind, Queen’s system of Honours proves that there is some other way to reward people rather than the career, power, and money and that those who work for the good of their country should be titled and remembered. Together with the system of rewards, it also demonstrates the hierarchy in the society with being knighted as a symbol of reaching the highest ladder of it or the hi ghest rank possible. So, British society is just one little step away from becoming a perfect meritocracy. Since the end of World War II, there have been many positive shifts in achieving social justice and equality such as carrying out various reforms aimed at eradicating barriers keeping talented and skilled people away from becoming successful and obtaining high status in society. It should be said that taking one last step towards transforming in a perfectly meritocratic society may be even harder than all those previous ones that have already been taken, as it would mean that those occupying the highest ruling positions would let their children live their lives by means of their own unique character traits, knowledge, and persistence, i.e. their merits. Bearing in mind everything that was mentioned above building a society based on meritocratic approach is only possible in the case if every next generation forgets about the success and status of the current generation and start s its way from the very beginning with their intellectual and creative potential as the only criteria for achieving set objectives. It, to my mind, is impossible due to the human’s nature, as the parents always want their children to have the best conditions for living their lives. The only option that might be possible in such case is creating conditions for fair competition in the society even though it is contrary to the postulates of the meritocratic society. I can explain it by providing the statement that without the competition there is no opportunity for achieving equality, as there are people who might have similar skills and talents so there should be a way of choosing it. So, developing competitive atmosphere together with education may become that administrative tool for redistributing human talent that is necessary for meritocratic society in it traditional sense. Reference List Allen, Ansgar, ‘Michael Young’s The Rise of the Meritocracy: A Philosoph ical Critique, British Journal of Educational Studies, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 367-382. Bloodworth, James, Meritocracy is a Myth, Independent (2014). Web. Duru-Bellat, Marie., Tenret, Elise., Whos for Meritocracy? Individual and Contextual Variations in the Faith’, Comparative Education Review, vol. 56, no. 2, p. 223-247. Gelman, Andrew, â€Å"Meritocracy Won’t Happen: The Problem with the Ocracy†, Washington Post (2014). Web. Lister, Ruth, ‘Ladder of Opportunity of Engine of Inequality?’, The Political Quarterly, vol. 77, no. 1, 2006, pp. 232-234. Saunders, Peter, Meritocracy and Popular Legitimacy, The Political Quarterly, vol. 77, no. 1, 2006, pp. 183-194. Strong, Roy, Englands Class System is a Meritocracy, The Telegraph (2014). Web. Wooldridge, Adrian, Measuring the Mind: Education and Psychology in England C. 1860-c.1990 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008). Footnotes 1 Adrian Wooldridge, Measuring the Mind: Education and Psychology in En gland C.1860-c.1990, p. 166. 2 Peter Saunders, Meritocracy and Popular Legitimacy, The Political Quarterly, vol. 77, no. 1, 2006, p. 183. 3 Ruth Lister, ‘Ladder of Opportunity of Engine of Inequality?’ The Political Quarterly, vol. 77, no. 1, 2006, p. 232. 4 Ansgar Allen, ‘Michael Young’s The Rise of the Meritocracy: A Philosophical Critique, British Journal of Educational Studies, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 370-374. 5 Andrew Gelman, †Meritocracy Won’t Happen: The Problem with the Ocracy†, Washington Post. 6 Marie Duru-Bellat Elise Tenret, Whos for Meritocracy? Individual and Contextual Variations in the Faith’, Comparative Education Review, vol. 56, no. 2, p. 223. 7 Peter Saunders, Meritocracy and Popular Legitimacy, p. 183. 8 James Bloodworth, Meritocracy is a Myth, Independent. 9 Roy Strong, Englands Class System is a Meritocracy, The Telegraph.

Topics for Ecology Essays

Topics for Ecology Essays Ecology is the study of the interactions and reciprocal influence of living organisms within a specific environment. Its usually taught in the context of biology, though some high schools also offer courses in Environmental Science which includes topics in ecology. Ecology Topics to Choose From Topics within the field can range broadly, so your choices of topics are practically endless! The list below may help you generate your own ideas for a research paper or essay. Research Topics How are new predators introduced into an area? Where has this happened in the United States?How is the ecosystem of your backyard different from the ecosystem of another persons backyard ecosystem?How is a desert ecosystem different from a forest ecosystem?What is the history and impact of manure?How are different types of manure good or bad?How has the popularity of sushi impacted the earth?What trends in eating habits have impacted our environment?What hosts and parasites exist in your home?Pick five products from your refrigerator, including the packaging. How long would it take for the products to decay in the earth?How are trees affected by acid rain?How do you build an ecovillage?How clean is the air in your town?What is the soil from your yard made of?Why are coral reefs important?Explain the ecosystem of a cave. How could that system be disturbed?Explain how rotting wood impacts the earth and people.What ten things could you recycle in your home?How is recycled paper made?How much carbon dioxide is released into the air every day because of fuel consumption in cars? How could this be reduced? How much paper is thrown away in your town every day? How could we use paper that is thrown away?How could each family save water?How does discarded motor oil affect the environment?How can we increase the use of public transportation? How would that help the environment?Pick an endangered species. What could make it go extinct? What could save this species from extinction?What species have been discovered within the past year?How could the human race become extinct? Describe a scenario.How does a local factory affect the environment?How do ecosystems improve water quality? Topics for Opinion Papers There is a great deal of controversy about topics that link ecology and public policy. If you enjoy writing papers that take a point of view, consider some of these: What impact is climate change having on our local ecology?Should the United States ban the use of plastics to protect delicate ecosystems?Should new laws be enacted to limit the use of energy produced by fossil fuels?How far should human beings go to protect ecologies where endangered species live?Is there ever a time when natural ecology should be sacrificed for human needs?Should scientists bring back an extinct animal? What animals would you bring back and why?If scientists brought back the saber-toothed tiger, how might it impact the environment?

Cause and Effect Essay - McDonalds Causes More Deaths than Terrorists

It was probably inevitable that one day people would start suing McDonald's for making them fat. That day came this summer, when New York lawyer Samuel Hirsch filed several lawsuits against McDonald's, as well as four other fast-food companies, on the grounds that they had failed to adequately disclose the bad health effects of their menus. One of the suits involves a Bronx teenager who tips the scale at 400 pounds and whose mother, in papers filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, said, "I always believed McDonald's food was healthy for my son." Uh-huh. And the tooth fairy really put that dollar under his pillow. But once you've stopped sniggering at our litigious society, remember that it once seemed equally ludicrous that smokers could successfully sue tobacco companies for their addiction to cigarettes. And while nobody is claiming that Big Macs are addictive -- at least not yet -- the restaurant industry and food packagers have clearly helped give many Americans the roly-poly shape they have today. This is not to say that the folks in the food industry want us to be fat. But make no mistake: When they do well economically, we gain weight. It wasn't always thus. There was a time when a trip to McDonald's seemed like a treat and when a small bag of French fries, a plain burger and a 12-ounce Coke seemed like a full meal. Fast food wasn't any healthier back then; we simply ate a lot less of it. How did today's oversized appetites become the norm? It didn't happen by accident or some inevitable evolutionary process. It was to a large degree the result of consumer manipulation. Fast food's marketing strategies, which make p d McDonald's just suffered its first quarterly loss since the company went public 47 years ago. The obvious direction to go is down, toward what nutritional policymakers are calling "smart-sizing." Or at least it should be obvious, if food purveyors cared as much about helping Americans slim down as they would have us believe. Instead of urging Americans to "Get Active, Stay Active" -- Pepsi Cola's new criticism-deflecting slogan -- how about bringing back the 6.5-ounce sodas of the '40s and '50s? Or, imagine, as Critser does, the day when McDonald's advertises Le Petit Mac, made with high-grade beef, a delicious whole-grain bun and hawked by, say, Serena Williams. One way or another, as Americans wake up to the fact that obesity is killing nearly as many citizens as cigarettes are, jumbo burgers and super-size fries will seem like less of a bargain.

Question and answer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Question and answer - Essay Example The theory requires that the goods should be tradable to enable high cost countries to import goods from low-cost countries; therefore, forcing currency values back to purchasing power parity. The big mac index has relevance because although there are other methods of comparing efforts the Big Mac index receives a lot of attention. For example, the United Nations and the OCED are involved in the International Price Comparison Programme, which analyses a wide range of prices; hence, producing more demanding estimates of the exchange rates that would eradicate price dissimilarities between their members (Carbaugh 394). I would not substitute it with a basket of goods index because it reflects more than just the cost of meat, bread and vegetables, but also non-tradable elements such as labor and rent; hence, comparing countries roughly at the same stage of development. The basket of goods looks at the non-tradable imports and services indicating that they should be alike in different countries. The global consumption habits can be derived by establishing the international correlation risk where inequalities in food consumption should be determined. The basket of goods reflects the inequality in food consumption where the little there is in the food basket it reflects how the global market is working. The between link currency and international trade is determined by various factors such as differential inflation where a country with low inflation rates exhibits a rising currency values. Secondly, the link between the two is differential interest rates where exchange, interest, and inflation rates are highly correlated because by manipulating interest rates the central banks exert influence over inflation. Additionally, the link between currency and international trade is brought about by public debt and current account deficits where some countries work with money that they do not have in

How Google Is Making Us Smarter Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

How Google Is Making Us Smarter - Research Paper Example Through the use of computer, tablet as well as Smartphone technology, children are able to learn new things spontaneously as well as in various modalities (Shirky, 3). Pat Wyman, best-selling author of Amazing Grades: 101 Best Ways to Improve Your Grades Faster, clearly maintains that the â€Å"21st century learners use all three learning modalities as they interact with technology†. As the children can learn by watching videos, reading or listening to audios, internet empowers them to learn in their best suited way and technology permits them to turn out to be better critical thinkers as they organize all the information they learn for school projects (Atlantic, 2). The curiosity of the children as well as their ability to absorb information has enabled them to understand topics or subjects that they normally would not due to increased accessibility to means of information. The children have developed online comprehension and reading skills that have made them smarter. Unlike the conventional modes of learning, for instance, books or tutorials from teachers, the information provided by the internet is unlimited. The internet technology is unlimited unlike the information that is garnered from teachers, adults and textbooks that is limited by time, cost and experience (Druin et al. 89).The best study resource ever developed is computer or internet. It is full of crucial information, provides boundless avenues of carrying out research and analyzing the desired results (Shirky, 3).

Job Anaylsis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Anaylsis - Assignment Example the interviewer and interviewee is at two different locations at the time of the interview. 2. The major challenge with one to one interview is that the in most cases the interviewer is only conversant with a limited scope of knowledge which is in line with his/her line of career or day to day duties which they tend to concentrate with during the interview. This is always a disadvantage to the interviewee more so when one is conversant with the line of interest of the interviewer because they don’t get to be tested in other areas that one may be good at but the interviewer don’t ask because they are not conversant with (Armstrong, et al.2012). 3. For the case of one to one interview, I would suggest that they have a panel instead of one panel so that each member of the panel will have a chance to ask a question in line with their area of competence. This will work to the advantage of both parties since they will be able to examine the applicant one most of the areas of their interest and the interviewee will also get a chance to prove that he/she has a line that is best in or they may prove to be good at different areas. In the telephone interview, I would urge the company to communicate early enough the exact date and time of the interview so as to enable the interviewee to do prepare and thorough research for the interview and one can also control his/her environment before the interview so as to avoid poor communication during the interview. 4. It is very important to carry out a background investigation for a job. This is necessary since it will enable you to really understand the company you want to work for better. It also helps one to make intelligent guesses of the questions one is likely to expect during the interview or at least one will be able to know which sections the employer might be really interested with. The interviewer may also ask a question about the company to determine if one is

Explain and justify ways in which individuality, difference and Essay

Explain and justify ways in which individuality, difference and diversity can be respected and celebrated in work with parents - Essay Example The factor of working with parents generally helps to nurture as well as provide boundaries which ultimately lead towards the development of relationships (CSSP, 2010). It is usually described as the services which intend to facilitate the parents with regard to enhancing their parenting abilities. Moreover, it is regarded as a form of work which assists parental relationship, increases the confidence level of the parents and enhances the interactions between the child and parents (Crown, 2012). It has been apparently observed that social inequalities tend to exist in every community in different forms which deeply influences the lives as well as attitudes of the people by a considerable level. A community is found to be generally composed of different individuals who possess a broad assortment of values, opinions and beliefs which can be observed to be a significant reason behind the existence of social inequalities. It can be stated that there are different ways by which the aspect s of individuality, diversity as well as difference can be distinguished as well as valued in the course of working with parents. In this similar context, the facet of parents’ engagement can be considered to be one of the significant ways by which individuality, difference and diversity can be valued and distinguished (CSSP, 2010). In this discussion, the ways in which difference, diversity as well as individuality can be celebrated and respected related to working with parents will be taken into concern. Moreover, the legislative policies or the acts including Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 98, Equality Act 2010 and Special Educational Needs & Disability Act 2001 will also be discussed. Besides, the ways in which various aspects such as inclusion, equal opportunity, anti-discriminatory practices and non-judgemental approach can support working with parents will also be highlighted in the discussion. Individuality, Difference and Diversity Can Be Respected and Celebrate d in Work with Parents The chief principles relating to working with parents include the rights as well as requirements of the children, building partnership with the parents and adopting strength-based approach. It has been viewed that a major proportion of the parents desire to perform significant activities in order to offer a better life to their children along with developing their learning practices. The parents as well as the practitioners both work together towards delivering long-term benefits which ultimately poses an optimistic impact upon the development of the children. It is quite necessary to build an effective partnership with parents for the purpose of working together in delivering best interests with regard to the children. There are supposed to be several ways through which the parents can support the learning development of their children. The parents can develop the learning competencies of their children by generating an optimistic home learning

Strategy Formulation - NIKE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategy Formulation - NIKE - Research Paper Example They also experience high operation costs in markets that are not suitable for its products since they begin by sneakers. Opportunities The company has the opportunity of promoting its brands not only as sportswear but also as fashion-oriented products (Blakey, 2011). A number of people use NIKE products exclusively as fashion wears. It also experiences high demand for both footwear and clothing meant for leisure activities. The company should employ and development its use in internet sales that has been provided to increase its growing capacities with an excellent marketing platform. Threats Experience a large number of Competitors who replicate the product designs of NIKE and its business model (Bamberger and Meshoulam, 2000). Some of these companies that give NIKE stiff competition include Adidas-Solomon AG, Reebok, and many others. It experiences financial losses due to unstable costs and margins caused by the use of different international currencies. These are threats that res ult from the fact that it is involved in international trade where it has to buy and sell goods in different foreign countries. The model of its products has not changed much from what was designed by Knights. This has significantly reduced the competitive advantage with other similar products that have much improved. BCG Matrix Nike operates on segments including Apparel, equipment, and footwear that it supplies mostly in Europe, U.S, Africa and Middle East, Latin America and Asia pacific (Slack and Parent, 2006). However, NIKE has a problem with child particularly in the Nike air shoe, which has not only faced difficulties in its sale but has also received several, complains from the customers. Therefore, it is important that this shoe’s quality... The research tells how Phillip Knight a business graduate from the University of Stanford Nike initiated NIKE Company in the year1962. The company started has an importation business organization that dealt with sportswear including athletic shoes from Japan to United States. Originally, NIKE was known as the Blue Ribbon Sports. Later it was named NIKE after successful growths and expansions. Currently, the company indulges in business activities encompassing of designing, product development marketing of footwear, sporting equipment, apparel, and accessory product. It is the largest footwear seller all over the world. NIKE currently sells to over 160 countries all over the world including Europe, Australia, Canada, Latin America, Asia, and United States. Some of its facilities are in Oregon, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Netherlands. It also has leased facilities that include Nike-women stores, Nike-towns, Nike factory stores, and more than 100 administrative and sales offices. NIK E brands include Bragano, Converse, Cole Haan, Hurley, g series, and Baver. NIKE should introduce more products or improve on the currently available products in order. This initiative will improve the product outlook and satisfy the emerging consumer demand. The company needs to develop more products both in sportswear and fashion wear in order to expand its markets and increase the volume of sales. It should also expand further into foreign markets both in the future and currently through aggressiveness and being the leading footwear industry.

Job Anaylsis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Anaylsis - Assignment Example the interviewer and interviewee is at two different locations at the time of the interview. 2. The major challenge with one to one interview is that the in most cases the interviewer is only conversant with a limited scope of knowledge which is in line with his/her line of career or day to day duties which they tend to concentrate with during the interview. This is always a disadvantage to the interviewee more so when one is conversant with the line of interest of the interviewer because they don’t get to be tested in other areas that one may be good at but the interviewer don’t ask because they are not conversant with (Armstrong, et al.2012). 3. For the case of one to one interview, I would suggest that they have a panel instead of one panel so that each member of the panel will have a chance to ask a question in line with their area of competence. This will work to the advantage of both parties since they will be able to examine the applicant one most of the areas of their interest and the interviewee will also get a chance to prove that he/she has a line that is best in or they may prove to be good at different areas. In the telephone interview, I would urge the company to communicate early enough the exact date and time of the interview so as to enable the interviewee to do prepare and thorough research for the interview and one can also control his/her environment before the interview so as to avoid poor communication during the interview. 4. It is very important to carry out a background investigation for a job. This is necessary since it will enable you to really understand the company you want to work for better. It also helps one to make intelligent guesses of the questions one is likely to expect during the interview or at least one will be able to know which sections the employer might be really interested with. The interviewer may also ask a question about the company to determine if one is

Strategy Formulation - NIKE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategy Formulation - NIKE - Research Paper Example They also experience high operation costs in markets that are not suitable for its products since they begin by sneakers. Opportunities The company has the opportunity of promoting its brands not only as sportswear but also as fashion-oriented products (Blakey, 2011). A number of people use NIKE products exclusively as fashion wears. It also experiences high demand for both footwear and clothing meant for leisure activities. The company should employ and development its use in internet sales that has been provided to increase its growing capacities with an excellent marketing platform. Threats Experience a large number of Competitors who replicate the product designs of NIKE and its business model (Bamberger and Meshoulam, 2000). Some of these companies that give NIKE stiff competition include Adidas-Solomon AG, Reebok, and many others. It experiences financial losses due to unstable costs and margins caused by the use of different international currencies. These are threats that res ult from the fact that it is involved in international trade where it has to buy and sell goods in different foreign countries. The model of its products has not changed much from what was designed by Knights. This has significantly reduced the competitive advantage with other similar products that have much improved. BCG Matrix Nike operates on segments including Apparel, equipment, and footwear that it supplies mostly in Europe, U.S, Africa and Middle East, Latin America and Asia pacific (Slack and Parent, 2006). However, NIKE has a problem with child particularly in the Nike air shoe, which has not only faced difficulties in its sale but has also received several, complains from the customers. Therefore, it is important that this shoe’s quality... The research tells how Phillip Knight a business graduate from the University of Stanford Nike initiated NIKE Company in the year1962. The company started has an importation business organization that dealt with sportswear including athletic shoes from Japan to United States. Originally, NIKE was known as the Blue Ribbon Sports. Later it was named NIKE after successful growths and expansions. Currently, the company indulges in business activities encompassing of designing, product development marketing of footwear, sporting equipment, apparel, and accessory product. It is the largest footwear seller all over the world. NIKE currently sells to over 160 countries all over the world including Europe, Australia, Canada, Latin America, Asia, and United States. Some of its facilities are in Oregon, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Netherlands. It also has leased facilities that include Nike-women stores, Nike-towns, Nike factory stores, and more than 100 administrative and sales offices. NIK E brands include Bragano, Converse, Cole Haan, Hurley, g series, and Baver. NIKE should introduce more products or improve on the currently available products in order. This initiative will improve the product outlook and satisfy the emerging consumer demand. The company needs to develop more products both in sportswear and fashion wear in order to expand its markets and increase the volume of sales. It should also expand further into foreign markets both in the future and currently through aggressiveness and being the leading footwear industry.

The Secret by Petrarch Essay Example for Free

The Secret by Petrarch Essay During the Middle Ages, European thinkers began to examine the world of humanistic thought.   While this way of thinking was not new and humanism was pondered by ancient thinkers thousands of years earlier, the thing that made this line of thought so unique in Europe during this time was the strong influence of the Church.   Thinkers like the Italian Francesco Petrarch and borrowed many philosophical elements from the Church and classical humanism, trying to synthesize the City of God with the City of the World.    However, because of their rejection of the synthesis between these two worlds, the Church did their best to ensure that such acceptance of humanistic thought had no place in Church doctrine, and Petrarch was caught between his deep love of faith and his passion for reason. Despite his love of God and his desire to live a life ruled by adherence to reason, Petrarch must seemingly choose between the two and sacrifice his free will for his religious faith, but he instead chooses to attempt to synthesize them; Petrarch’s basic teachings in â€Å"The Secret† seek to reflect that a synthesis between faith and reason is possible and both the City of God and the City of the World knowable, reflecting an emerging line of humanistic thought of his age that increasingly caused tension between the thinkers of the time and the Church.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Petrarch was a renowned fourteenth-century poet and scholar, and his contributions to European culture could end with these accomplishments.   What he contributed to the world of Christian humanism would also go onto inspire generations that followed and lead to the Renaissance.   In his â€Å"Secret Book† Petrarch brings up the classical argument that God gave humans the intellectual potential to figure out the world for themselves. Because of their ability to understand the world through philosophy and reason, Petrarch’s beliefs conflicted with the Church doctrine that human intelligence and capability is limited by God’s will.   Much like the thinkers Marcus Aurelius of Ancient Rome and St. Augustine, Petrarch’s â€Å"Secret Book† sought to explore his faith and his knowledge as it relates to the City of God and the City of the World. Borrowing the spirit of St. Augustine, and with truth as his guide, Petrarch created dialogues that examined his relationship with the worlds of God and man.   The book begins with Petrarch introducing the extent of his spiritual and humanist struggles and how they relate to the afterlife: â€Å"Often have I wondered with much curiosity as to our coming into this world and what will follow our departure† (Petrarch).   The information that he cannot know torments him and he relays his questioning in the form of a dialogue between he and St. Augustine. Petrarch is unhappy and St. Augustine suggests his unhappiness may be caused by his acceptance of the City of the World and his neglect for the City of God.   St. Augustine recalls the words of classical philosopher Cicero: â€Å"They could look at nothing with their mind, but judged everything by the sight of their eyes; yet a man of any greatness of understanding is known by his detaching his thought from objects of sense, and his meditations from the ordinary track in which others move† (Petrarch). Petrarch experienced this detaching as a man of greatness of understanding, and the parallel between his time and thought with the ancient philosopher help show that human intelligence and reason continued to evolve.   The dilemma comes in trying to figure out whether this knowledge is attained by man himself or given by God, and whether the material world and the senses are as valuable as the promise of an afterworld. One of the main problems that Petrarch experiences in his â€Å"Secret Book† is the place of free will within faith.   Augustine reminds Petrarch that he chooses free will even with his faith: â€Å"No man can become or can be unhappy unless he so chooses† (Petrarch).   Petrarch comes to realize that it his choice for things in the City of the World, including his love for women and material things, and the only thing that makes these bad is that they prevent him from knowing the eternal City of God. To both Augustine and Petrarch, reason did not necessarily need to erode faith in God, but could go a long way in reinforcing it and in essence proving it correct.   His equal love for both and his desire to retain them as significant aspects of his life were keys to understanding his position in his writing.   In his book, Petrarch sought to synthesize his worldly thoughts and action with those of his faith, and his humanistic views were largely frowned upon by the Church, though they were nothing more than a precursor for the thought that would come to dominate Europe. The basic teachings of Petrarch not only borrow from Christian and humanistic thought from the past, but attempt to show that God granted men the ability to reason and free will to be pursued if they so choose.   While man may pursue with passion the many elements of being free, including worldly pleasures outside of faith, they run the risk of alienating themselves from God’s world, which was portrayed by the Church as the only singular dictator of human action.   By stating humans have free will within the confines of religious faith was an extremely controversial and revolutionary line of thinking for his Petrarch’s time, and reflected the growing tension within society. Though the Church’s power was fully realized and would not be relinquished, many people would use Petrarch’s arguments about free will to help liberate them from the often oppressive doctrines of the Church, while still managing to retain the love of God and their religious faith.   Prior to Petrarch’s work, this concept of synthesizing faith with reason was not only frowned upon by church leaders, but almost unheard of in a highly Christianized world. As the lone authority on matters of faith, morality, and will, the Church would continue to fight against any and all lines of thought that remotely challenged the sovereignty of its rule over the citizenry of Europe, but the growing humanism after the Black Death made many men like Petrarch question humanity’s place and purpose in the universe. Because of the legacy of the Church and the importance of religious thinking, there was really only one place such thought could begin from, and religious scholasticism was the foundation for all thought that would eventually supplant it, much like the line of thought espoused by Petrarch.   While Petrarch was seen as challenging the authority of the Church, and even the authority of God as the lone dictator of human freedom, he was also stating that the free will humans enjoyed was granted by the very same God. Petrarch was a devout Christians that also contributed greatly to the growth of humanism.   His personal dilemmas were centered around his beliefs that the City of the World must be known as much as the City of God, and his love for each was too strong to deny one for the other.   While too much knowledge of the City of the World could lead people to avoid learning about the City of God, it was also important to understand the world and the people in it as a way of understanding God’s truth.   Petrarch was also alive during a strange time of great tension, where the Church was largely corrupt and in turmoil, Europe was emerging from the Dark Ages, and the growing humanism was slowly changing the ideas of all people. Petrarch believed in the goodness and potential of people, and had faith in man’s ability to understand the world, which is all he sought to do.   The rejection by the Church of the synthesis of the City of the World and that of God is related to its fear that people will not follow its doctrines, and is nothing more than the last gasps of a power structure that could not hold a monopoly over the will and the faith of men and women across Europe. For men like Petrarch, humans can have a relationship with God and learn his truths by using their own reason and intellect.   The rejection of the synthesis of the two cities is nothing more than an attempt by the Church to keep control over the masses of people.   But, with the help and inspiration of men like Petrarch, people would eventually realize the benefit and power of their own free will and seek to understand the City of God and the City of the World alike. Works Cited: Petrarch, Francesco. â€Å"Petrarch’s Secret.†Ã‚   Francesco Petrarch – Father of Humanism.   Trans. William H. Draper. 1911. 7 Mar 2008. http://petrarch.petersadlon.com/secretum.html.

Thailands Tourism Industry In The Globalization Era Tourism Essay

Thailands Tourism Industry In The Globalization Era Tourism Essay CHAPTER 1 At present, that the world is in the globalization era which causes more aggressive competition on businesses in several regions. This explain more about concepts of various countries in the free world or capitalistic world where there is the centre in the western countries those focus on development. As countries use developmental strategies to maintain economic, political, and military power and influence of the capitalistic world (Hongthongkham, 1976). Tourism today has become an industry that is now crucial to the world economy, it is now a widely held view that in almost every country tourism has grown, and has become a core product in the international trade of those counties. Tourism now rates between 1-3 out of the top 10 key industries globally this industry is now vital to economic prosperity (http://thai.tourismthailand.org/about-thailand/economy/, 2010). Thailand has a significant tourism industry which has the potential, with Government policies and assistance, to be developed much more this growth for Thailand provides an excellent source of foreign currencies. Since ancient times mankind has explored and travelled and now with modern technologies especially in transportation and communication, and an increasingly mobile world population there can be almost limitless growth. This growth has changed the way business is being done, from clusters of techniques to a more specialized planning organization. With market integration now called tourism industry is now a very important factor in the economies of many countries today (Nuntajak, 2010). The tourism industry of Thailand has change dramatically and is now a major industry in world tourism. Over the past decade, international tourist arrivals in Thailand have grown faster over the past 10 years, from 8.58 million in 1999 to 14.09 million arrivals in 2009 by the Tourist Authority of Thailand or TAT (2010). Thailand has been gaining an increasing market share of international tourists. During that period, the tourism industry has been one of the great significant sectors for economic growth and each year there were each tourists spending money, at least 3,000.00 baht per person per day when tourists come to Thailand (TAT 2009). For Thailand, the number of international tourists are increasing every year, a number of factors are responsible for tourism growth and development of the tourism industry in Thailand over other destinations, Owing to the friendly, welcoming, and peace loving nature of the Thai people. There are many reasons why Thailand appeals to wealthy tourists of foreign and different cultural destinations who have travelled to Thailand, to enjoy a unique and fulfilling experience. An important part of the Thailands tourism industry success is because of the physical geographic diversity of Thailand (TAT 2010). Due to Phuket, a part of Thailand, is another world class destination. This place is serenely beautiful and is well known for the beaches and the blue seas and also one of the top ten diving destinations in the world. There are many activities available around Phuket such as, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, parasailing, fishing, surfing beach, jet skis and the place for honeymooners. Generally Speaking, international tourists are focusing not only on the product, but also on the people who work for the hospitality and the tourism industry can give the right information to tourists. Therefore, there are many international tourists increasing arrivals to Phuket. According to the statistical reports by Department of Tourism (2006), the number of international tourists arrivals in Phuket was 1.2 million in 2008 and 1.1 million in 2009 and is now a significant share in the Thai market. The statistics showed the number of international tourists that generate revenue, prosperity to the local and more importantly to create a multi-professional occupations, such as interpreter, translator, waitresses, airline officers, including tourist guides who close with international tourists all through the time they are stay in Thailand (tourism.go.th, 2010). Moreover, tourist guides are the personnel group having roles in encouraging and supporting tourism. They are the cultural diplomat because they tell tourists about various stories on society, tradition, cultural arts, economy, and politics (Ritthirak, 2002). Therefore, tourist guides are a career which creates a lot of benefits to the country. But in fact, 22, 732 tourist guides apply for the tourist guide licenses from Tourist Guide and Tourism Business Registration Office on December 31, 2001. A tourist guide may have ability to use more than 1 language (Ritthirak, 2002). Before applying for the tourist guide licenses, those tourist guides have to pass the quality creating process in order to have knowledge, ability, moral, and code of conduct. In practice, Tourism Authority of Thailand coordinates and provides Tourist Guide Training Standard Curriculum for implementation of educational institutes in the university level all over the country. The standard curriculum contains basic knowledge subjects which are necessary for working. After receiving the training, tourist guides can bring the evidence to apply for the tourist guide licenses from Tourist Guides and Tourism Business Registration Office of Tourism Authority of Thailand. In the beginning the status of the tourist guide was not recognized. Supaporn Makjeang mentioned in Tourist Guide Principles (1996) that anyone could be a tourist guide if he or she could speak English and it was not necessary for them to receive high education. It was not until the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) was founded in 1977 and the professional tourist guide training course was created that professional tourist guides were developed. The training courses have been operated until now and expanded to other major provinces. Moreover, the Professional Tourist Guide Association of Thailand was founded on July 29th 1975 as the center of all tourist guides (Tourist Guide Association Thailand, 1992). Nowadays, the basic knowledge of the tourist guide is mentioned as the basic requirement except from the fluency of foreign languages. This policy makes the university graduates get more jobs. Travel agencies always employ the tourist guides who finish the training courses from the institute guaranteed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). This stimulates people who are interested in the tourist guide occupation to finish the training before the job application. Moreover, some government places, especially the Grand Palace and the royal temples, allow only the tourist guides who already passed the training course and have tourist guide licenses to operate the tour (Khummanon, 1996). The expansion of tourism industry and the increasing of the number of tourist guides in Thailand, caused some immoral competitions among tourist guides. They try to do everything to get their own benefits regardless of the rules and their major duty. For example, do not do their job as best as they can, do not pay attention to their clients or take their clients to the shopping area where they received the commission, trying to persuade the tourists to believe that the goods and services are of high qualities with fair prices. In the case of jewelry, some tourist guides said the color mirror are the precious stone, some said gold but its only the metal guilt with gold or said the dog bones as tiger bones (Lookdamnoen, 1989). Lookdamnoen also advises that the first place where the travelers arrive in Bangkok, Bangkok International airport, there are some people trying to submit tendered place where the tourists can meet upon arrival and claim that they are the officers of the airport and favor some services, such as accommodation, sightseeing, excursion and transfer services. They advise some information with documents for tours and excursions with unfair price. In additional, the bad manners of tourist guides such as shouting, crapping to call tourist groups, showing boredom when some tourists came late for the appointment because of the misunderstanding of language or any mistake, showing anger when tourists ask for some explained information, etc (Charoenmuan, 1992). The Tourism Authority of Thailand in the conference of 1/1995 mentioned the tourist guides behaviors that ruin the reputation of their occupation as follows: Forcing tourists to purchase some optional tour by deceiving or intimidating the tourists to accept that tour beside the original deal with the tour company. Taking tourist to the cheating or unfair price shops so that they receive tip or commission from the shop. Requesting some tips or special payments by convincing the tourists to be sympathetic with the management that has no benefit. 4. Taking the tourists passports or air tickets until the tourists pay some additional costs. At the conference of 1/1996 there are some other behaviors that caused the bad reputation and the loss of the honor of the code of ethics as mentioned in the second Ministerial Regulations (1996) of the Act of the Tourist Business and Guide 2008. 1 Explaining or informing some unreal or incorrect information that causes harm to the nation, religion, and the monarchy. 2 Not performing his own duties as a tourist guide who should be concerned with the benefit of tourists as the first priority. 3 Being dishonest, seeking some improper benefit or forcing tourists to do something they are unwilling to do. 4 Disobeying the moral standard. 5 Not believing in the local tradition and regulation of each travelling place. Therefore, the above problems that can say the causes of Thai tourist guides unsuitable behaviors are based on the loss of their moral of the rules and they forgot the importance of their own duties, though they are educated from acceptable institutes as professional tourist guides. Therefore, the assumption of these is the lack of the code of ethics that is the basis of all behaviors and caused people to do the right or suitable things, concerning the collective benefits, and feel responsible for society. All these can be taken as the principle or rules of the suitable performance that the researcher is interested in the ethics of Thai tourist guides and the ways to solve them that can be applied to be the basic idea and promote the professional tourist guides effectively. Related Literature Tour guiding is a highly regarded profession today and being a tourist guide comes with great responsibilities as lives of people while on holiday are entrusted in tourists care. Therefore, it is of vital importance that tourist guides strictly follow and adhere to the tourist guide standards and professional tourist guides code of ethics in order to promote ethics and high moral behavior in the perspectives of international tourists who are travelling in Phuket. This study will look at related fields of business ethics, some ethical theories, moral, and tourist guides ethics in Thailand. Therefore literature review covers the following The importance of tourist guide Tourist guide situation in Thailand Classification of tourist guide in Thailand Qualifications of tourist guide Manners of tourist guide Role and responsibilities of tourist guide The Characteristics of tourist guide Code of ethics of tourist guide Business ethics Normative ethics Moral theory Virtue theory Duty theory 1.2.10 Related research 1.2.1 The importance of tourist guide A tourist guide is a significant component of the travel industry as he has the sole responsibility of taking care of the tourist including all travel arrangements of providing information and explanations (Pongsabuth, 1997). In addition, Supaporn Makjeang in the Principle of Tourist Guide (1996) mentioned that tourists are strangers to their destinations because they are not familiar with the local people, cultural and custom. When travelling alone without a tourist guide, they face problems and challenges and in most cases land up wasting their money and time. Therefore, with time, tourists have come to favor having a tourist guide for their trips. The term tourist guide is used in the travel business with on ease of the understand. However, academics have defined the concept of tourist guides more in terms of rules and responsibilities. A numeral of terms are use to explain those whose responsibility it is to take care of and to inform of tourists. Courier was the term most generally applied to describe tourist guide , today a courier can be called tour captain, tour escort, tour manager, and tourist guide (Jafari, 2000). During the 19th century Thomas Cook became the first travel company that operated group tours by train to Loughborough and other places in Europe (Kruttawacho, 2008). This required tourist guides who could explain and guide tourist on these trips. The Tourism Authority of Thailand in cooperation with Chulalongkorn University in 1961 (Mr. Sumonchart Sawaddikul, a professor at the Faculty of Arts), designed a training course training on professional tourist guides. The first tourist guides student for this course were the third year and upper Faculty of Arts students at Chulalongkorn University. Thereafter the course gained popularity and interested student began to in role. After Chulalongkorn University offered the course for 13 years, Silapakorn University implemented the same course for the first time in 1973 (Khummanon, 1996). In addition, the Humanities Faculty of Kasetsart University started the same course for its own students and opened a new tourism course for the graduated who were still unemployed. Nowadays the course has become widely recognize and other University as the Rajaphat and the Rangsit, ect. have capitalized on its importance and have started offering it to the general public. Due to tourism growth the government realized the need to pass a bill on standards and procedures for tourist guides. The bill stipulated that the Tourism Authority of Thailand be the support and controlling body for the tourist business and tourist guides, by making sure that they meet the standards required by law (that each tourist guide have a tourist guide license) as set out in the Tourist Business and Tourist Guide Act 2008 of Thailand (Tourism Authority of Thailand, 2010). The tourist guide licenses are issued after a person completes the training course arrange by the government service. Each course requires different levels of education. The qualifications stipulation is that one has to be a Thai citizen, aged 20 years or older, with good written and spoken Thai. Tourist guide situation in Thailand Increasing number of registered guides in Thailand demons that working as a tourist guide has become a popular career in the tourism industry. The language requirement in the number of tourist guides in Thailand, (see Figure 2.1). One reason of tourist guides increasing because students who studied in tourism industry course when their graduated TAT approves the tourist guide license. Therefore, the number of registered guides is quite high. Figure 2.1 Number of tourist guide license requirement and approval during January 2010 to November 2010 Source: Tourist Business and Guide Registration Office, Centre (2010) From the implementation year of the Tourist Business and Tourist Guide Act of 2008 until November 2010, there were 42,075 registration tourist guides in Thailand and 35,010 for General guide and 7,065 for Specific guide. Most tourist guide (30,781) was in English language (see Table 2.2) Figure 2.2 Tourist guide classification by languagesJ:ToonioWork_TWitoon20 02 54figure 2.2.jpg Source: Tourist Business and Guide Registration Office, Centre (2010) Classification of tourist guide in Thailand There are two main types of tourist guides: the general guide and the specific guide, as followings: General guide: a tour guide who has knowledge about general tours to places around the kingdom, able to speak Thai and also convey information in other languages to tourists. General guide (Foreign): silver bronze card color, a tour guide who can conduct tours for Thai and foreign tourists all over the Kingdom in Thailand. General guide (Thai): golden bronze card color, a tour guide who can conduct tours specifically only for Thai tourists all over the kingdom in Thailand. Specific guide: a tour guide who has specialized knowledge; e.g. history, archeology, trekking, etc. to give the information to tourists with specific interests. Specific guide (Foreign-specific area): pink card color, a tour guide who can conduct tours for Thai and foreign tourists only for provinces listed on the card and those in the adjacent areas. Specific guide (Thai-specific area): light blue card color, a tourist guide who can conduct tours specifically for Thai tourists only using the provinces listed on the card and the provinces of adjacent areas. Specific guide (Forest trekking): green card color, a tourist guide who can conduct tours for Thai and foreign tourists specifically in the forest trekking areas. Specific guide (Art cultural): red card color, a tourist guide who conduct tours for Thai and foreign tourists specifically on areas concerning history, archeology, art, cultural, or Thai literature all over the kingdom in Thailand. Specific guide (Marine): orange card color, a tourist guide who can conduct tours for Thai and foreign tourists specifically about history, archeology, art, cultural, or Thai literature to tours all over the kingdom of Thailand. Specific guide (Seashore): yellow card color, a tourist guide who can conduct tours for Thai and foreign tourists in the areas by the sea or on islands, with the distance from the coast to the tourist attractions of no more than 40 nautical miles. Specific guide (Natural destinations): purple card color, a tourist guide who can conduct tours for Thai and foreign tourists only on the natural attractions printed on the card. 2.8 Specific guide (Local cultural): brown card color, a tourist guide who can conduct tours for Thai and foreign tourists on the culture, history, geography, and archeology particularly within the local cultural attractions named on the card only. Moreover, there are three kinds of tourist guides; an on-site guide, a city guide and a specialized guide (Mancini, 1996). 1.2.4 Qualifications of tourist guide Wannathanom (2003) mentions that being a tourist guide, one should have some specific qualifications since it is a career for those who have to interact with many people from different cultures and different behaviors. Eighteen attributes which are of importance to the tourist guides were identified, which are Klamsaengsai (2006) mentioned that: Good personality: before taking care of others, the tourist guide has to initially concentrate on his or herself, especially with regards to cleanliness and overall neatness. Human relations: this is about the ability to impress tourists and to create friendships with their automatically. Be a knowledgeable person: the tourist guide should be erudite about the destination and related topics, and possess a broad and deep knowledge for the benefits of the tourists. Eloquence: in the career of a tourist guide cannot be avoided because verbal communication is one tool for achieving success. Perceptiveness: good tourist guides should be able to notice and memorize surroundings quicker than tourists, since some notices can be useful for the tourist guide in answering popular questions from tourists. Service mentality: this qualifying is most important for tourist guide who works in the service industry. Tourist guides need to have the spirit of being a service provider to make others happy instead of doing the work just for money or temporary experiences. Travel Experience: the more travel experience they have the more confident the tourist guide will be. Punctuality High responsibility: one big responsibility of the tourist guide is to take care of all tourists, all throughout their traveling, therefore tourist guides cannot abandon their duties of looking after the tourist. Punctuality is one significant thing that the tourist guide who acts as a tour leader needs to respect. Patience: the tourism industry can be called a people based industry where both demand and supply are mainly related to individuals with different characteristics. If there is pressure from tourists or other problems, tourist guides have to refrain themselves. Intelligence: this does not mean being a genius but tourist guides have to be conscious of every situation and so that everything goes smoothly. Sense of humor: not exactly like a comedian, but tourist guides should have some talent in sharing jokes and general information. Good mentality and good health: in tourist guides, it is a hard based type of work taking care of a group of tourists. Tourist guides always have limited time to relax, therefore they should take care of themselves as well. Good memory: besides recognizing tourist information, tourist guides must try to remember. Then, they can call tourists by their correct name and making a tourist impression Leadership: in conducting tours, tourists always believe that the tourist guide is the head or the leader of the tour who can help them in every difficulty. Tourist guides should be able to control the group. Honesty: this is the quality needed for every career including that of the tourist guide who have to take care of tourists, follow the itinerary, or recommend good shops to tourists without cheating. Foreign Language: in case of inbound or outbound tours, proficiency in foreign languages, especially English is one important attribute for tourist guides to achieve in communicating with foreign tourists and to make the tour go smoothly. Be enthusiastic: as being a leader of the group, tourist guides need to be active and reactive anytime to make tourists feel confident. Problem solving ability: for both predicable and unpredictable problems, tourist guides are the heroes in the eyes of tourists, so they have to use their experience and their talent to solve the problem. Referring to H.Q. Zhang, I. Chow (2004) conducted to assess tourist guide performance that service quality of tourist guide should/should be or has as followings: Punctuality Ability to solve problems Knowledge of the destination Honesty and trustworthiness Knowledge of information about safety regulations Ability to deliver the service promised in itinerary Politeness Being good at presentation skills Well trained Ability to briefing visitors on daily itinerary Ability to respect for customer Ability in communicating in foreign languages Ability to being friendliness Ability to general friendly atmosphere Ability to neat and tidy appearance Ability to always being available for help Ability to paying attention to detail Ability to informing visitors about destinations customs Ability to introducing reliable shops Ability to sense of humor According to Hall mentions that in Handbook of Professional Tour Management (1993) the tourist guides should have some qualifications that make an advantage trip as follows: The ability to attract prospects: the tourist guide should be a positive sales factors, some travelers want a status symbol, and security. Tourist guide should be able to command and control the group by the follow factors. Knowledge of the area: tourist guide should knowledge of historical place and have been there before when the tourist guide speak with more empower to advice facilities and attractions, to assess the period of travel days, and to remember and handle the possible problems. First aid skills: tourist guide must be prudent about any medical burdens. And another skills as artificial respiration, CPR, water safety, and first echelon first aid are important. Having someone available in these areas to provide the convenient thing to tourist. Forcefulness and decisiveness: tourist guide should have able to manage people and decision making. This is no job for an unsteady, timid personality. A positive outlook: tourist guide should be an optimist and optimism must be made communicate, definite maturity is essential, enabling them to maintain a perspective to communicate this with confidence. Honesty and loyalty: tourist guide should have moral must be practiced on behalf of the tourist guide, no cheating the tourist. This is both unfair and unwise, and ultimately reflects on the escort. Assertiveness: tourist guide had better possess self-assurance, self-pride, and a certain amount of ego. When a receptionist insists there are fully single rooms as promised by the vouchers, tourist guide must be stable. Get me a supervisor this does not mean being loud and abusive, or acting tough; that it mean exhibiting inner strength and resolution. It means insisting on the rights of the tourists. A claim demeanor: the best tourist guide do not panic, even internally. They are able to think clearly when riot threatens. A warm personality: tourist guide must be a bit of the commanding officer in the tour, while establishing leadership credentials, must still communicate a sunny disposition, flash that ready amile, and reveal an enthusiastic. Tourists expect their escort be lively, gifted with attractive voices, and having that essential sense of humor. A clean and neat appearance: tourists can afford to look casual or untidy, but tourist guide present a perpetually appearance. Tourists wonder how he or she can keep looking fresh. Good health: tourist guide should be reasonable a good health, free from weaken complaints, and blesses with a reserve of power. Tourist guide must always be up and stay ahead of their passengers who wake up first and sometimes the last to bed. Even when the escort is not feeling in top form. Tourist guide should have ability to bounce back from the head cold or upset stomach, along with the power to persevere. Flexibility: tourist guide should have ability to change directions when they might face with equipment breakdowns, failure in communication, disagreeable and troublesome passengers, illness, natural disasters, transportation delays, and so on. Anticipation: tourist guide figures out in advance everything that might go wrong and tries to insure against this occur. That means frequent conversations with the bus driver or cruise personnel, advance phone calls, a survey of facilities before leading in the group Negative qualities: the thing that the tourist guide should acknowledge tourist do not want the tourist guide who are dishonest, who are congenitally lazy, whose manner is abrasive, who are frightened and unstable, and who have no talent for managing others. Therefore, there is not yet concluded rather than well-designed to give all conclusions of the tourist guides qualifications. In what it mostly depends on governments tourism policys development and adaptation of each country Manners of tourist guide Manners and ethics of tourist guides is their verbal behavior, interaction and the best practices of tourist guides in order to maintain prestige of the professional status, and professional tourist guides who make a profession of honor which has been respected as representatives of the country and the Thai people (Makchang, 1996). Tourist guides are responsible the full time and not leave tourists on their own. Integrity to tourists do to not lose the integrity tourists benefits such as, taking the tourists to buy only at shops where tourist guides get more commission with no regard for the quality of the product. Tourist guides should understand that they are in the position of service providers to tourists and not show inappropriate reactions to tourists when tourists do not perform according to schedule. Tourist guides should have an understanding of the desires and needs of their tourist. They should also give equal attention to everyone, and maintain harmony. Tourist guides should have compassion, A desire for others to be happy the purpose of tourism is to help as tourists want to be happy and enjoy travel that tourist guides can willingly provide to tourists.