Ethics, innovation and entrepreneurship Essay

With reference to one or two organization that you have studied, discuss the influence of ethics and innovation on the role of entrepreneurship (entrepreneur) and intrapreneurship (intrapreneur). Conceptual approaches play a vital role in influencing the role of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship in an organization. Innovation, which is one of the concepts, is the ability to think anew by developing new services or products. It is synonymous with risk taking as defined in the entrepreneurial behavior. Organizations that create innovative products take on the greatest risk because they create new markets. It is the act to carve a new niche in it, as deemed by most entrepreneurs. Ethics, on the other hand is the basic concepts and fundamental principles of decent human conduct. Organizations that mobilize this conduct concerned with decisions and what and how to do it. For example, ethical considerations in the role of entrepreneurship and intrepreneurship are revolved around the ways of an organization approaches its customers by instilling good values throughout the conduct, and also through consideration in the branding of the products or services, based on morality as it portrays the image of the organization. These two concepts influence the survival of an organization in the modern world to cater the society’s demands. One of the organizations that best fit these criterions is IKEA. IKEA has introduced various ethical conducts throughout the century. One of its most significance considerations is that IKEA introduced IWAY. It is an ethic code that had been introduced by the founder of the organization as a code of conduct between the organization and its suppliers since the year 2000. It encompasses guidelines concerning working conditions, prevention of child labour, the environment and responsible forestry management. This ethical conduct is to ensure that the suppliers won’t go overboard although things may seem inevitable as most suppliers don’t put that much of concern regarding the issues and most organizations seek for reduced cost. However, IKEA prioritizes morality, and dare to be venturesome, in starting their business with ofits from the quality. This ethical conducts inhibit bribery and anything related to the impropriety andanother organization as it is to ensure that their products are top-notch and can initiate a much greater pr results in creating quality products for the customers, hence providing customers the best of what they should opt for from an organization. It will  promote trust in business, and enhance in the growth of likely more organizations alike to adhere to the same code of conduct resulting a better lifestyle in a society. People benefits from getting to use quality products, while organization and suppliers gain profits as the business go viral from the trust embedded by the customers. However, this code of conduct, to a certain extent, won’t be able to stand a chance against the long run of the business. From time to time, organizations should revise on how they conduct their business as policies change overtime in order to adapt to the current demand of the world. IWAY can’t stay appr opriate for organizations as benefits and importance would be totally different years after. Hence suppliers will end up breaking the guidelines, resulting in contract breaches causing damages and loss to both organizations. Code of conduct, is about refinement in order to get it sustainably carried out, yielding its finest outcomes. In the innovative aspect, IKEA had been coming up with the concept of sustaining the price by introducing the ‘do-it-yourselves’ concept. Lowest price is the basis of IKEA’s concept. IKEA identify new customer needs for furniture from not just from those who can afford but also among the young and less wealthy. So the founder had came out with the idea of designing furniture in kit form, leaving the customer to put them together by themselves hence, reduce the cost of assembly. The furniture is put in flat-cardboard boxes, so that customers can access to the self-service warehouse without using any third-parties. This results in almost 80% of reduced cost for transportation. This innovation, as deemed to be potently reducing most of the cost, comes from having the customers engage in the idea of ‘do-it-yourselves’. IKEA’s prices have been 30% below any other traditional furniture manufacturers. Its contemporary and innovative avant garde idea had garnered both the attention of customers and suppliers. This results in impactful effects on the society as more classes of people would be able to possess high quality products and furniture. IKEA’s ‘do-it-yourselves’ furniture not just exhibit the exquisite design and sophisticated image from the company but indicates their stand in providing quality products in affordable price. This will entirely improve the social standard of a society and cater the demand of the customers, to own furniture that suits their social living within the current globalization. However, this strategy is not foolproof. There have  been numbers of debates on how customers comment that some I KEA’s products are complicated to assemble and in further action, require the need of an expert hence require more expenses. This will get us back to square one where buyers would have to pay for assembling the products. The idea of ‘do-it-yourselves’ is vividly attracting attention of customers and suppliers however, it would be better if proper guidelines and further proposal is planned for this strategy to work. Entrepreneurs are gambling to the fact that they’re selling unfinished products to the customers hoping profits in return, however this won’t be likely to occur without proper planning and detailed reviews. As discussed in the passage above, IKEA is been putting priorities to both the suppliers and also the customers. Attention on the suppliers was to ensure that the raw materials used reach the standard of quality to yield the best products. Customers were given priorities in the aspect of wanting them to buy the products, by taking care their needs, and demands. Exclusion of any of these two societies would leave a profound impact to IKEA itself. But in this aspect, it would be better if slight inclination of priorities were given to the suppliers instead of the customers. A great enforcement on how the expensive raw materials should have been taken into count by IKEA, is essential and should undergo ethical inspection, so that it gratifies the satisfaction of both the supplier and customers. Any organization should be aware that, if the materials are not off good quality, this will affect the selling process, as well as will hinder the profits gained. It is for us to realize that even though entrepreneurship is about approaching the customers need, venturing to their demands, it is highly recommended that we should look back and reflect that without having proper supplies and the right suppliers, none of that would happen. To deduce, both the concepts, innovation and ethics influence the role of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship in an organization. Without the actualization of these two concepts, IKEA won’t be able to achieve such influences in the modern world of furnishing.

Conflict Management Plan

1. Identify the available conflict management strategies and their strengths and weaknesses.Strategy Strengths Weaknesses CollaborationMakes the team stronger while building morale. Ability to problem solve. Sharing in responsibility Not sharing same ideas Causes most popular vote Can be time consuming while coming to an agreement CompetitionForces team to think outside the box for better results Cause team members to disagree and never reach a solution AvoidanceRefocuses team to real problem Takes personal feelings out of the issue Problem still exist Team relationship becomes taintedAccommodationAllows the team to come to a resolution by giving and takingRequires some team members ideas to be put on the back burnerCompromiseAllows team to come to a solution in a timely mannerMay effect team negatively if one member feels they compromise more than others2. Which of the available conflict management strategies is most appropriate for the current situation with Clyde and Dan? Provide your rationale, including what factors you considered in making your selection. Your response should be at least 100 words.The most appropriate conflict management strategy for the current situation is collaboration. I feel if both men are brought together to discuss their issues in a non-hostile environment then the real problem will present itself. This will allow both team members to voice their opinions and a resolution can be offered up.Once the problem is in the open they can focus on how to resolve it. I made this selection because it sounds like maybe it could be a personality conflict with a lot of he said she said. The only way to resolve it is to know what the real problem is. The only way to know that is to bring the men together to talk about it.3. If the selected strategy is not successful, what is your alternate strategy? Provide your rationale for this selection. Your response should be at least 100 words.If the first strategy is not successful then the next option i s avoidance. This will force the team members to put their personal feeling toward each other aside so that they can focus on the project. Team members will not always get along. How they feel about each other can be a problem, but as long as they can put those feelings aside for the betterment of the team then they can focus on the common goal. As long each of the of participating and sharing the work load the team can be successful.4. What potential road blocks might be encountered in resolving the conflict? How would you address these? Your response should be at least 100 words.Some potential road blocks is the team members are hell bent on not working together. When every option for resolving the problem has been exhausted then there may be a need for different measures. The idea is to keep the team together and focused on the project. If the actions of these two men  lower the morale of the team and make it impossible to work together then it is my recommendation both team me mbers be replaced. The focus is the team and the project.

Freedom from Fear Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Freedom from Fear - Essay Example The fear came as a result of a market crash that led to economic, political and social implications. Poverty, unemployment, deflation, minimal profits and poor personal and economic growth fueled the fear (Bernanke, 2004). The depression signified a time in history where the market dynamics failed to meet the expectations of the American people. The depression trickled down to other parts of the globe causing panic and fear. Furthermore, the depression led to critical, political changes in the United States. This can be explained by the landslide win of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932 (Bernanke, 2000). Lastly,  the depression caused increased emigration due to fear and panic experienced by the American people (Bernanke, 2004). The fear caused by the depression hindered the progress of the American people to a considerable extent. This is because some left the United States because of the deem future they pictured (Bernanke, 2004). Additionally, the economic and social situation presented many challenges that hindered the progress of the American people. However, behind the devastation, the fear helped the American people to regain their confidence and hope for a better future (Bernanke,

HEART DIESAES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HEART DIESAES - Essay Example Types of heart diseases Coronary heart disease is a condition in which the coronary blood vessels increasingly become unable to supply sufficient blood and oxygen due to a blockage caused by plague deposits (Gregson 2001, p.16); eventually, this results in a reduced supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. In addition to that, the Coronary heart disease results in intense chest pains, angina, and could eventually trigger a heart attack or devastating injury to the heart muscle. In this regard, common symptoms for coronary heart diseases include angina, pressure on the chest and other places such as arms, neck, back and jaws, in addition to a fatalistic shortness of breath (Chenzbraun 2010, p.9). Well-determined risk factors for the Coronary heart disease include cigarette smoking, hypertension, alcoholism, diabetes, and obesity, in addition to family history, stress, lack of adequate exercise, and hyperlipidemia. The treatments for Coronary heart disease include lifestyle changes suc h as smoking and alcohol cessation, medications such as statins, nitroglycerin, and aspirin, which lowers risk of recurrence (Pampel and Pauley 2004, p.57); in addition, other treatments available are surgical operations such as the coronary artery bypass or heart transplant and non-surgical operations such as the coronary angioplasty using stents. Angina pectoris is a warning sign for heart attack; also known as angina, it is a medical term for the chest pain that follows insufficient supply of blood to the heart. There are different types of angina, with different intervals of pain ranging from just a few seconds to several minutes, and each one of them has different causes and risk factors as well. For instance, stable angina presents with chest discomfort and allied symptoms triggered by some activity such as running but minimal or non-existent at rest or with medication, while unstable angina is very severe and occurs with minimal exertion, with a crescendo pattern, Micro-vascu lar angina presents with chest pains too, but unlike the other two, its causes are unknown. Common symptoms of angina pectoris include chest discomfort, a sort of pressure or heaviness sensation, in addition to referred pains in such areas as the upper central abdomen section, including the back, neck, jaws, or shoulders; some people may also present with autonomic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and pallor. Major risk factors for angina pectoris include cigarette smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and an inactive lifestyle, in addition to family history of premature heart disease; the most common treatment for angina is nitro-glycerine, a potent vasodilator that supplies more oxygen to the heart muscle. Congestive heart failure denotes the condition whereby the heart becomes unable to supply a sufficient amount of blood to the rest of the body due to fatty plaques (Caldwell 2007, p.6), resulting in a reduced oxygen supply to the body tissues. Symptoms for heart failure include shor tness of breath, a swelling of the legs, and intolerance of exertion or exercise, while common causes of the condition include coronary artery disease, heart attack, cardiomyopathy, in addition to all other conditions that overwork the heart such as hypertension, valve, kidney and thyroid diseases, and diabetes.

Aesthetics in Web Design PowerPoint Presentation

Aesthetics in Web Design - PowerPoint Presentation Example Website design aesthetics anglicizes how much a web site engages its viewers at a first glance, demographic compliance; and market expectations or intended population. ï€ £Ã‚  Web Design Aesthetic Considerations†¢Ã‚  SimplicitySimplicity in a web design refers to an approach of expressing of putting forth any information in a complete yet economic way. All good designs always have little content but very communicative.†¢Ã‚  ConsistencyDesign consistency means that all the elements used in the design should be unified so as to make a coherent whole of ideas. Hence a design will be visually clear to the readers or viewers. Chronological flow of information i.e. from one single link to the other of the same subject or topic gives a chronological sequence in the ideas being passed.†¢Ã‚  Color schemesA color scheme greatly influences the quality of a web page by either improving or destruct effective communication. It therefore advisable to judiciously use colors appropr iately for good expressions of oneself and attraction.†¢Ã‚  AudienceAudience input influences every aspect of a design work. To incorporate audience, a designer has to contemplate on the levels of complexity and formality in the language usage.†¢Ã‚  StructureGood websites are always well organized with their content presented vividly.†¢Ã‚  FormatOne has to ensure that background doesn’t interrupt the readership of any text intended for viewers; allow for possibility to change font sizes.

Financial Analysis of Capilano Honey Limited Case Study

Financial Analysis of Capilano Honey Limited - Case Study Example The main competitor of Capilano Honey Limited is Bega Cheese Limited, which is engaged in producing both natural and processed cheese products. Bega Cheese Limited deals in dairy products, kids snacking and nutritional powders. The components which are necessary to assess the competitive strengths of a company are revenue, EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization), profit before and after tax, net assets and earnings per share. The revenue of Capilano Honey Limited for the year 2014 was $86,003 only (Capilano, 2014), whereas Bega Cheese Limited provides revenue of $1,069,392 in 2014. The increased revenue of the competitor indicates that Bega Cheese Limited is efficiently managing its business operation and because of that, they are able to generate more revenue than Capilano Honey Limited. The EBITDA of Capilano Honey Limited was $9,054 and that of Bega Cheese Limited was $122,506 in 2014 (Bega Cheese, 2014). EBITDA provides an idea of core profitability position of an organization. As EBITDA of CZZ is less than Bega Cheese Limited, it reflects that the operating profitability of the company is not as good as its competitor (Kaplan & Atkinson, 2015). Therefore, CZZ needs to improve its operating profitability position to maintain its position in the market. Comparing the profit before tax (PBT) and profit after tax (PAT) of both the companies, it has been analyzed that the PBT of CZZ was $6,490 and that of Bega Cheese Limited was $93,580 in 2014 (Bega Cheese, 2014).

Popular culture particular on graffiti or production of kitsch Essay

Popular culture particular on graffiti or production of kitsch - Essay Example Usually popular culture is considered to be a special social phenomenon which has its genesis, special features and tendencies of development. A great contribution to the development of study of popular culture was made by Stuart Hall. Popular culture, Stuart Hall argues, is constructed by the "double movement of containment and resistance." And it is really so because there are a lot of contradictions in popular culture though it is considered as a united system. According to Hall resistance in popular culture is caused by individual accepting the art works. It means that every persons understands the works of culture in a different way and that brings various meanings and opposite opinions. Another interesting statement of Stuart Hall is that culture is "a process, a set of practices." Hall considers that social processes affect the personal thinking and understanding of many things. So everything flows from the public to individual. Hall names some processes that cause resistance and containment at the same time. These processes are: personal and social interaction; mass media and global communication; rules, norms, and conventions existence; everyday rituals and practices of daily life; group identity and group differences1. The central place in this theory is occupied by the research of the mass society which was the result of such processes as industrialization and urbanization. Mass culture was considered as a special type of a culture which substitutes the traditional forms of the folk culture. This theory was supported by the works of F.Nitsche, M. Webber, Z.Freud, D.Thompson and others. In the works of these scholars popular culture was the expression of ‘spiritual non-freedom’2. So in the frames of this theory the phenomenon of popular culture had got the negative character. Here the main point was the notion of cultural industry

Parents Handbook Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Parents Handbook - Assignment Example These may include examples such as the link between school experiences and family experiences (Shaffer, 2009). The exosystem’s main concern is the link between the social settings that the individual does not have active roles in and the person’s immediate context. For instance, a husband’s experiences at work may influence the wife’s experiences at home. The macrosystem is used to describe the culture within which individuals live. Cultural contexts in this category may be used to mean ethnicity and poverty. The chronosystem, on the other hand, is used to refer to the pattern of environmental events as well as the transitions over an individual’s life and the sociohistorical events (Shaffer, 2009). This theory is very important for the parents and the overall population. This is because the parents get an idea concerning how their children’s development is affected by the environment implying that they can choose the most appropriate environ ment for the children to grow up in for the best outcomes. In addition, the adults may understand the contexts that affect their own experiences, which could help in improving their livelihood. Among the four most common parenting styles that include authoritative, authoritarian, neglectful, and permissive styles, the most effective method and the one that I believe is the most beneficial is the authoritative style. This is because this style ensures that the child is disciplined and encourages communication where the child can express their feelings on certain issues. This style is mostly characterized by communication where the authoritative parents listen to their children, allow them to express their opinions, and encourage them to discuss any options (Hughes, 2013). These parents also place limits and ensure that their children are aware of the consequences of doing certain things. This ensures the administration of consistent and fair discipline, as the children are aware of the expectations

Business Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

Business Decision Making - Essay Example The move can result in either being positive or negative depending on the approach used in the new market segments. There are 3 groups that are likely to benefit from this study. The first lot consists of the company employees who may gain skills in pitching new customers in the new market niche. Identifying customer trend may help them to take the necessary actions to coup with challenges that may arise in the event of initiating business activities in the new markets. Through sharing this knowledge, the employees can act as machines to aid management in implementing appropriate marketing strategies. The second group is the employers who automatically gain insight as to how new market can actually be managed having consumer preference data. Finally, business analysts can use these findings as valuable guide whenever advising Appalachian PLC. Through analysts, the firm can be in a position to determine whether they will have a significant profit income or not. The study was limited to the real income and age of clients in China from a merchandise firm in the UK; the interest was on the type of prices that can be charged and the levels of income in China. For the purpose of this study, what constitute pricing is determined by the employer. This study was restricted to customers based in China. This sample included a range of customers evenly distributed within China Republic. Barden, a freelance writer specializing in new business ventures and a former managing editor of Commerce and Accounting, stated the importance of through market research and gave specific examples of new markets that have successfully been reached. The Company that was used in undertaking the research activity currently makes huge profits for every furniture sale by offering services such as customized furniture according to customer need, amount of cash, and customer locality.

Think and Grow Rich Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Think and Grow Rich - Essay Example According to the research findings general or specialised knowledge cannot be weighed in the scale of monetary achievements. The worth of knowledge should not be quantified in terms of money. For example, let us compare two students who have done post-graduation in Economics that is to say they have specialised knowledge of Economics. Is it correct to assume that they should earn equal amount of money, just because their level of education is equal? One of them may choose to join the banking industry and the other one may prefer the teaching job. There can be substantial difference in their monthly compensation. On this count, it is incorrect to draw the conclusion that the banking job is better than the teaching job. The inclination of an individual to take up the job and one’s internal satisfaction has lots of significance. Acquisition of knowledge, aggrandisement and accumulation of wealth cannot be weighed in the same scale. Hill argues that â€Å"knowledge will not attra ct money, unless it is organised, and intelligently directed, through practical plans of action to the definite end of accumulation of money.† Now, who said knowledge has to attract money? An individual with absolutely no skill may suddenly become a rich on winning a lottery. Acquisition of knowledge and acquisition of wealth need to be understood in the correct perspective. They are two independent propositions and need not have beneficial influence on each other in all contexts. 3. With the second part of the quote, â€Å"An educated man is one who has so developed the faculties of his mind that he may acquire anything he wants, or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others," Hill hits the mark. For example one can earn money with hard work. But this is a limited and restrictive approach. One can earn more money by working intelligently, meaning thereby by directing men under him to work by applying certain methods and procedures of work and just involve in the supervision part of it. Such an individual is working in principle, without actually working, because directing and inspiring others to work and earn profits is also part of the work. Knowledge need not be in the possession of the man who accumulates the fortune. For example a contractor’s knowledge is in getting the assignment of contract done through may be hundreds or thousands of workers he employs for the purpose in view. He does not do the work by himself nor is it possible to do and complete such a herculean task by one’s own physical efforts. Certain candidates are being interviewed for the post of Human Resources Development Manager. Questions like, â€Å"Who is the Finance Minister of Pakistan?† â€Å"Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Army in Iran?† â€Å"Who is the Governor of Reserve Bank of India† are asked to the candidates and the Chairman of the Board of Selection expresses poor opinion of the candidates when they fail to answer such questions. In fact, why should the candidates know the answer to such silly questions? If by chance, one of the candidates answers one or two questions

Ethical issues we face Essay Example for Free

Ethical issues we face Essay Ethical issues we face in the day-to-day job or private life Ethics is one of the most important aspects in our daily lives, whether we are employed within an organization or act as members of a society. Issues concerning ethics have increased significantly especially over the last two decades as a result of globalism and of a fast-changing world. Nowadays, the extensive usage of social media requires certain ethical behavior that goes hand-in-hand with the real world. Ethical issues in the workplace. Ethical issues vary on the type of business an organization is involved in. However, certain issues remain the same and dealing with them is very crucial since their effects on the future of an organization might be devastating. Among them I can mention: Health and Safety It is important to have a proper balance between the costs of production and the health of employees. All companies must ensure a safe work environment. However, there have been cases where in order to cut spending companies have failed to pay close attention to the health of their employees. Sexual harassment Sexual harassment is one of most common ethical issues in the workplace behind which a large number of legal trials exist. Asking sexual favors in exchange of promotions is not only unethical but also punishable by law in most of the countries. Conducting personal business on company time This can significantly impact personal job performance and the overall results of a company. Taking advantage of other’s work There are times when we are required to work in a team and thus having an interaction with others when reaching the predetermined goals. Sometimes this can cause that certain individuals might take advantage of other’s work at a time when their contribution was minimal or lacking professionalism. To tell or not to tell Observance of improper business practices conducted by managers or fellow employees can cause an ethical dilemma. In such cases we often ask ourselves to tell or not to tell. On one hand we are aware of their wrongdoing and  want to report the problem, but on the other hand fear of losing the job cause us to remain silent. Other issues include late arrivals, lying to customers, nepotism, laying off of an experienced workforce and hiring of cheap labor, whistle-blowing etc Ethical problems in private life Ethical problems in our private life have a broader range as we are part of more complex environments. Some of them are as follows: Finding money which does not belong to us. Gun control Abortion Global warming Stem cell research Environment Public goods Disparities in wealth Racism

Management Strategies Of World Heritage Site In Mauritius Tourism Essay

Management Strategies Of World Heritage Site In Mauritius Tourism Essay 2.1 Introduction Growing interest in culture and heritage by tourists has led to such an increase in the number of visits to cultural heritage destinations in the world that cultural tourism has become one of the fastest-growing market segments in tourism. The preservation of cultural heritage through tourism receives more and more recognition and at the same time, collaboration and stakeholder involvement are increasingly used in the tourism development process (Aas, Ladkin and Fletcher, 1999, p. 29). Bramwell and Lane (2000) add that collaboration and partnerships have come of age in the field of tourism. Although it is understood that in order for conservation efforts to be sustainable, there is a need to work closely together with the local communities, site managers and other stakeholders (IMPACT, 2004), practice still shows that heritage management often does not involve any of the local counterparts (Imon, DiStefano Yin, 2006; Taylor, 2006). This chapter offers a literature review of the most important concepts related to the topic of the research upon the management of world heritage site. Firstly, some definitions of the basic terms used, such as cultural and heritage tourism. Then, it examines heritage management in depth, the main elements of the management and the challenges that managers have to face. Finally, the link between the management of built heritage and natural attractions and the key issues of this management is established. Within these issues conservation and protection by different bodies such as UNESCO, Local Community and stakeholders and also an empirical review management of another heritage site, are covered. 2.2 Heritage tourism With growing economy, tourism is one of the biggest phenomena that the world is experiencing today. Heritage tourism is one of the significant commodities and a great marketing tool that has the power to influence all forms of tourism. Heritage tourism helps to understand and appreciate the past of a country. According to the World Heritage Council of 1996, they have put forward this definition for the word heritage, heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today and what we pass on to the future generations. Swanbrooke( 1994:222) state that tourism is based on heritage, where heritage is the core product that is offered , and heritage is the main motivating factor consumers. A review of approaches to defining heritage tourism shows that this concept is extremely complex. Academic world has not yet found agreement over the issue of understanding the nature of Heritage tourism in a unified and specific way. Some studies have define Heritage tourism as leisure trip with the primary purpose of visiting historic, cultural, natural, recreational and scenic attractions to learn more about the past in an enjoyable way Understanding of heritage can be all encompassing and features many viewpoints, such as visitor experience (Poria et al., 2001, 2003); supply and demand (Apostolopoulos and Gayle, 2002); and the perception of social, natural and cultural history (Christou, 2005). Some authors emphasize the importance of motivations of heritage tourists, who act in accordance with their perceptions of their own heritage (Poria et al., 2001). Heritage tourism is also described in terms of tangible objects and resources (Garrod and Fyall, 2001) and intangible experiences and elements of the culture of a social group or nation (Timothy and Boyd, 2002). 2.3 Cultural Heritage Tourism During the 1990s, cultural tourism was identified as one of the major future growth areas in tourism industry (Zeppel and Hall, 1992). This fast-growing segment of the industry attracts visitors who tend to stay longer, spend more, and travel in the off-season (Calhoun, 2000, p. 92). The growing proportion of cultural tourism within tourism, according to Richards (2001) is due to the fact that more and more tourist attractions are now being defined as cultural. Thus, it is hard to define the concepts of cultural tourism and cultural tourist since they have a broad sense. Cultural Heritage tourism is commonly regarded as tourism with the main purpose of viewing tangible representations such as historic and cultural elements of the built environment (e.g. colonial architecture, monuments, houses of worship) and the physical landscape, but also includes intangible components including myths, folksongs and value systems, for example (Halewood Hannam, 2001: 566; Prentice, 1993: 8; Smith, 1989: 5; Timothy Boyd, 2003: 4). The term of cultural tourism is so broad that it covers concepts such as heritage, arts, creativity, urban, culture, rural culture, indigenous culture and popular culture. Attention will be paid to the heritage aspect of cultural tourism. After investigating cultural tourism, the subject will be narrowed down to concentrate on built heritage. Given the large variety of forms that cultural tourism can have, it is unrealistic to provide only one definition, as broad as it could be. However, Richards (2001, p. 7) suggests that cultural tourism covers not only the consumption of the cultural products of the past, but also of contemporary culture or the way of life of a people or a region. Cultural tourism therefore covers heritage tourism (related to artefacts of the past). Heritage tourism is widely concerned with the representation of the past. . 2.4 World Heritage Site UNESCO adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1972. The purpose of the convention is to ensure the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value. The outstanding universal value is translated into ten criteria for evaluating sites nominated for inscription on the World Heritage List. The Convention states that the World Heritage Committee (WHC) should coordinate the process of designating the sites through a system known as inscription, which includes an evaluation of the resources by experts against a set of known criteria. The aim of the inscription is to encourage conservation of the resources within designated sites and surrounding buffer zones on a local level and also to foster a sense of collective global responsibility via international 25 cooperation, exchange and support (Leask 2006). As of April 1, 2009, 186 countries are party to the Convention; 878 properties are inscribed on the list 679 of which are cultural, 174 natural and 25 mixed (Engelhardt 2009). Moreover, WHS are the testimony to the natural wealth of the earth and the cultural excellence of human kind. They represent the best and most important examples of our cultural and natural heritage. Hall and Piggin (2002: 402) stated that the bestowing of WHS status on a Heritage attraction is a significant factor on the basis of the inherent qualities of the property. Throughout the world there are natural and man-made heritage sites that are considered to have a very great importance to the humanity. By giving those sites an importance, we are protecting our most valuable heritage. According to the operational guidelines for the implementation of the World heritage convention, WHS can be classified as natural or man-made. 2.4.1 Natural Heritage site Natural Heritage designates outstanding physical, biological and geological features; habitats of threatened plants or animal species and areas of value on scientific or aesthetic grounds or from a conservation perspective.   Types of natural heritage Physical and biological formations or groups of such formations, which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view. Geological and physiographical formations and precisely delineated areas which constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation. Natural sites or precisely delineated natural areas of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty. 2.4.2 Cultural Heritage Site   Cultural Heritage designates a monument, group of buildings or site of historical, aesthetic, archaeological, scientific, ethnological or anthropological value. Types of Cultural Heritage: Monuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science; Groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science; Sites: works of man or the combined works of nature and man, and areas including archaeological sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view. 2.5 Impact of tourism on WHS There has been an increasing interest in the impact of tourism on World Heritage Sites (WHSs) over the past 20 years. This is motivated in part by the commonly held view that World Heritage Listing increases visitor numbers. While the reality of this view is still subject to debate (Buckley, 2005), an expectation of substantial growth in tourist interest has been noted as a driving factor in recentWorld Heritage nominations (Jones Munday, 2001; Rodwell, 2002).Impact is a change (whether environmental, economic or social change) in a given state over time as the result of external stimulus (Hall and Lew 2009). Tourism impacts, according to Ritchie and Goeldner (1994) and Mason (2003), include economic, social, and environmental impacts. In tourism, the impact of tourism is experienced in all elements of tourism system. Tourism system refers to various sectors involved in facilitating travel to and from a destination, and the inter-relationships between these sectors (Hall 2008). Ther e are several approaches to analyzing tourism system. Tourism system from a geographical point of view includes four elements, i.e. generating region (the source region of the tourists); transit region or route (the region the tourist must travel through to reach their destination); destination region (the region that the tourist chooses to visit and where the most obvious impact of tourism occur); and the environment (encompassing the overall travel flows and with which the tourist interacts) (Hall 2008). There are two more approaches to tourism systems, one focuses on the supply and demand dimension of tourism, whereas the other one emphasizes the systems functioning for particular stakeholder groups (ibid.). This particular study focuses on tourism impact occurring in the destination region. According to Frechtling (1994), studying the economic impact of tourism means analyzing travels activity impact on resident wealth or income in a defined area. Stynes (1997), on the other hand, said that economic impact analysis of tourism traces the flows of spending associated with tourism activity in a region to identify changes in sales, tax, revenues, income and jobs due to tourism activity. Frechtling (1994) acknowledged that many studies of tourisms economic impact emphasize on travel spending, similar to Stynes view above. However, Frechtling stresses that travel expenditure studies tend to obscure the impact on residents income and wealth because tourists spending sometimes has little to do with resident earnings and employment. Therefore, travel expenditures are best viewed as merely the initial monetary activity that stimulates the production process and initiates economic impact (ibid.) 2.6 The Management strategies of WHS The management of WHSs was first addressed as a specific field of interest in 1993 by Fielden and Jokilehto in the Management Guidelines for World Cultural Heritage Sites. Reference is made in the Management Guidelines to giving heritage a function in the life of the community, discussing objectives with local authorities and tourism boards and the need for a comprehensive tourism development strategy for individual sites (Fielden Jokilehto, 1998). However, given that the primary aim of the World Heritage Convention is to ensure . . . the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of cultural and natural heritage (UNESCO, 1972, Article 4), it is not surprising that the emphasis of the Management Guidelines at that time was on the conservation of tangible heritage rather than the management of intangible heritage and visitor activity (Rodwell, 2002; Wilson Boyle, 2006). Moreover, according to the Article 5 of World heritage convention which states that to adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning programmes This approach changed in 1997 when a standardised format for the nomination of sites for inscription on the World Heritage List was adopted. A management plan became a pre-requisite for all new nominations and sites inscribed before then were required to submit plans by 2005. Since 1997, the requirements for a formal planning approach and stakeholder participation have been further developed in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (UNESCO, 2005). The Operational Guidelines suggesting an effective system of management should include a continuous cycle of planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and feedback, together with the active involvement of stakeholders in the planning process (UNESCO, 2005, Article 111). The expectation of a holistic and integrated approach to achieving . . . an appropriate and equitable balance between conservation, sustainability and development, and ensuring . . . the active involvement of [. . .] Local communities is further accentuated in the Budapest Declaration on World Heritage (World Heritage Committee, 2002). However,in keeping with the preceding discussion, little guidance or advice is provided on how to achieve this in practice (Wilson Boyle, 2006). 2.6.1 Preservation and Conservation The object of conservation is to prolong the life of cultural property and, if possible, to clarify the historic and artistic messages therein without loss of authenticity. This is the definition given by the Organisation of World Heritage Cities (www.ovmp.org) of conservation. Heritage attractions are considered historic documents, suppliers of architectural, social and economical historic information about the past that is not available from any other source, and this makes conservation even more important. Another definition similar to the previous one, but that emphasizes the ultimate effort of conservation was given by Cunliffe (1997), arguing that conservation has to ensure that the important aspects of a site are understood if it is to be retained in the context of future change or development. Conservation of these site are very important in case of eventual change or development that may occur in the future. Historic building differ from new one as they are expected to last forever in other words as long as it is wanted. Worthing and Dann (2009) stated that in an historic context, the terms maintenance and repair cannot be exchangeable as they might be for other building types. Moreover, cost of maintaining and repairing an historic feature is not usually huge however when cost arises it is usually due to a poor management. Pearson and Sullivan ( 1995, P.11) outline the aims of conservation management as the explanation of all the values of heritage places, the development long-term preservation and the implementation of management practices that safeguard the fundamental nature and physical form of the place. Conservation is, without doubt, one of the most important tools in heritage management. According to Millar (1989) it is the first stage in heritage management; she considered that conservation is the critical issue in world heritage site management long-term planning (Millar, 1989:10) now that heritage tourism is in its greatest growth. Other authors, such as Shuhaimi, agree with her statement arguing that realizing that tourists will bring about substantial negative impact on heritage sites, the management of these sites must have a master plan that will emphasize on conservation (Shuhaimi, 1997: 127). To implement the right management policy, Du Cros (2001) argued that the priority between the two basic elements involve must be clear. One of those elements is conservation, while the other is commodification and promotion of the site. The author stressed that this management priority should be used as a guide for converting, in the appropriate way, places into heritage attractions. This statement shows again the importance given by professionals to the conservation issue. Conservation is, probably, the heritage management issue more in conflict with tourism since its objective is to preserve and to protect heritage, while tourism interests want to market sites and generate economic benefits by attracting as many visitors as possible. However, tourism is also one of the basic issues if not the basic one. 2.6.2 Visitor management Visitor management is becoming an increasingly important issue in world heritage site for those responsible for heritage sites, particularly those that have achieved WHS status. Shackley (2006) states that the number of visitors have been increasing due to the accessibility to facilities by the society such as reduced travel costs, extensive media publicity given to sites. On the one hand, visitors bring is not only source of revenue, through admission fees, but also these sites provide them both educational and recreational opportunities. However, those visiting the site brings in the risk of harmful impacts upon the site and other artefacts found there ( Shackley,1998; Garrod, 2008). Encouraging more visitors may be at the same time a blessing as well as a curse for a typical heritage site. While some sites are relatively robust and can withstand increased levels of visitation, others will be more susceptible to damage. It is important, therefore, for those responsible for the heritage site to undertake visitor impact balance and design strategies that will be appropriate for the site. The visitor management is mostly important to sites that inscribed on the World Heritage list, enabling them to result in greater awareness on the part of prospective visitors and for higher visitation levels to result (shackley, 1998; Fyall and Rakic, 2006). Visitor management strategies are designed in such a way to contrl the number of visitors as well as their flow on the site. In order, to minimize the the management should restrict the visitors access to certain areas by establishing pathways, controlling the time of visits and by limiting the size of group of groups ( WTO, 1997) 2.6.3 Buffer zone The concept of buffer zone has been treatedin every version of the Operational Guidelines from the first version produced in 1977, forward to the present. The initial concept, then defined as one which may be applied, appears as an optional inscription requirement, and one without a clear purpose. The Operational Guidelines 1977 state: 26. When setting the boundary of a property to be nominated to the List, the concept of a buffer zone around the property may be applied where appropriate. In such instances the nominations would include: a) a precise definition of the surface area of the property itself, including the sub-surface area where necessary b) an indication of the buffer zone around the property itself (i.e. the natural or man-made surroundings that influence the physical state of the property or the way in the property is perceived). Such buffer zones will be determined in each case through technical studies and provided with adequate protection. 2.7 Organisation involved in the management of WHS Heritage management has been described as the process by which heritage managers attempt to make sense of the complex web of relationships surrounding heritage in a manner which meets the values and interests of many of the key stakeholders (Hall and McArthur 1996: 19). This raises questions, however, as to what occurs in situations where the management of heritage sites is shared by various organizing bodies with different functions and status and where there is no single coordinating body to bring these organizations together. Contrary to broad expectations, the UNESCO designation does not involve an overarching control of the management of sites (Bianchi 2002; Bianchi and Boniface 2002; Evans 2002). Rather, World Heritage Site status inevitably exposes designated areas to a complex web of national and regional policies and regulations (Hall 2006). These policies tend to arise from a discourse of heritage as having primarily a cultural tourism purpose, thus necessitating that the heritage sites be conserved and presented appropriately for international tourist consumption. Leask (2006: 13) argues that the key dilemma here is that it is difficult to balance tourism activity with the conservation role, often creating a tension or conflict between the usually large numbers of stakeholders involved. In particular, this emphasis on conservation and presentation to cultural tourists often means that less heed is paid to local community issues, including local community contemporary use and practice relating to t he site (Garrod and Fyall 2000). 3. World heritage Site in Mauritius 3.1 Le Morne Brabant Le Morne Cultural Landscape, a rugged mountain that juts into the Indian Ocean in the southwest of Mauritius was used as a shelter by runaway slaves, maroons, through the 18th and early years of the 19th centuries. Protected by the mountains isolated, wooded and almost inaccessible cliffs, the escaped slaves formed small settlements in the caves and on the summit of Le Morne. The oral traditions associated with the maroons, have made Le Morne a symbol of the slaves fight for freedom, their suffering, and their sacrifice, all of which have relevance to the countries from which the slaves came the African mainland, Madagascar, India, and South-east Asia. Indeed, Mauritius, an important stopover in the eastern slave trade, also came to be known as the Maroon republic because of the large number of escaped slaves who lived on Le Morne Mountain. It is a symbol of slaves fight for freedom, their suffering, and their sacrifice, all of which have relevance beyond its geographical location, to the countries from which the slaves came in particular the African mainland, Madagascar, India, and South-east Asia- and represented by the Creole people of Mauritius and their shared memories and oral traditions. Management of the Landscape At present there are two heritage legislations which govern the management of the Le Morne Cultural Landscape; The Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund Act of 2004 and the National Heritage Act of 2003. Copies of these legislations may be obtained at the seat of these two institutions and they may be contacted for any queries regarding management issues related to the landscape. The vision of the Fund for the cultural landscape is as follows: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to serve as a focal point for current and future generations to celebrate resistance against oppression anywhere in the world as well as commemorate the suffering of humans through slavery and other systems of exploitation. It should be a living example of oppressed people achieving freedom, independence, dignity and respect for their values and cultures. It will do so by becoming a centre of excellence in terms of research, in particular the history of maroons in the wider context of slavery, and by playing a prominent role in unlocking cultural and economic opportunities for those who have suffered most under the system of slavery. The Mission To preserve and manage the cultural landscape of Le Morne so that it can be used in a wise and sustainable manner without compromising its authenticity and integrity. To develop Le Morne as a focal for celebrating resistance to slavery by furthering high quality research on slavery in general that will not only be made available to the public but in which the latetr can also participate; To utilize Le Morne as a tool for local economic development and capacity building so that it will play an important role in opening up opportunities for those who have been left behind in terms of economic development. To cherish Le Morne as a symbol of reconciliation and forgiveness, not only nationally but also on a global scale, so that humanity will combine forces to resist exploitation of one human by another; and To rally around Le Morne in support of those who continue to be oppressed and exploited by other human beings, so that it is not only a symbol of the past but a living reminder of the present. 3.2 Aapravasi Ghat Aapravasi Ghat is the site through which 450,000 indentured labourers from India first set foot in Mauritius between 1830s and the 1920s, marking one of the great waves of migration in recorded history. Set on the bay of Trou Fanfaron, in the capital Saint Louis, Aapravasi Ghat is the remains of a cluster of three stone buildings dating from the 1860s, built on the site of an earlier immigration depot. The remaining buildings represent less than half of what existed in the 1860s. The nominated site is tightly drawn around the buildings and covers 1640 sq metres. It is surrounded by a buffer zone which is part of the heart of the rapidly expanding city and a busy harbor. The island of Mauritius was chosen as the site for the first recipient of this new indenture system in 1834 (year of the post-abolished of slavery occurs), as it was perceived to be an expanding plantation economy unlike the exhausted West Indian sugar producers, and also because of its proximity to India. In Mauritius, most indentured workers were recruited from North India, especially Bihar and the Northwest Provinces such as Uttar Pradesh, although smaller numbers came from the Tamil and Telugu districts of South India. In the almost 90 years that the system was in operation, the British authorities in India handled around 1.2 million indentured labourers through emigration depots. Protection and Management Legal provision: The Aapravasi ghat site is owned by the Ministry of Arts and Culture. The core area is protected as a national monument in terms of the National Heritage Fund Act of 2003 and earlier legislation. This provides for the consent of the National Heritage Fund to be sought for any work done on the site. The Buffer zones are regulated by the Municipal Council of Port Louis as part of their overall regulation of their area under the Local Government Act. Management structure: The day-to-day management of the site is the responsibility of the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund. The Board of the Trust consists of representatives of key member institutions such as national Heritage fund, and the Ministries of Arts and Culture, Tourism and Finance. A technical team drawn from the Board reviews all site work. On 15th February 2006 a more detailed Draft Management Plan was submitted by the State Party on 15th February 2006. The Plan details what needs to be addressed in terms of management structure, and legal protection. Currently there is no national policy on World Heritage sites which impact on decisions by local authorities. 4. Methodology 4.1 Introduction This chapter deals with the different methods and instrument that were used in order to conduct this survey and also elaborate upon the methods chosen. It evaluates the management strategies which were being used to manage those WHS, Le Morne and Aapravasi Ghat. The objective is to show the different methods used to collect information and the reason why they have been used. Consequently, the research aim is to recalled and the objectives are shown so that the research framework is established. The survey was conducted at National Trust Fund, Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund, Le Morne Trust Fund and Ministry of Arts Culture with the members responsible for managing both sites. Moreover, this chapter is devoted on the limitations of the methods used and the general limitation encountered during the gathering and analyzing data. 4.2 Sources of data Once the objectives were identified, a research plan was developed to gather the information. For this study, both primary and secondary data were used in order to gather information for analysis. Primary data: new information collected for the specific purpose of a particular research project. Secondary data: data that already exist and which have been collected to fit the purpose of other studies. First of all, Primary data are new data collected specially for the current study. Such data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. On the other hand, secondary data was useful in finding out what have been done in previous research and theoretical information to grasp the real meaning of subject. The information gathered for this particular study was mainly done on the management strategies being used by the different bodies responsible Le Morne and Aapravasi Ghat. 4.2.1 Primary Data Primary data as stated before is a set of new data collected from the survey itself for purpose for the research. There are two approaches of primary data; the quantitative ad the qualitve approach. The first approach is mostly scientific method, while the second is more flexible, while the second is more flexible. Both, qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to conduct the survey. Qualitative approach was much more appropriate for the investigating into the problem. Moreover, Finn et al,2008, states that, qualitative approach tends to examine reality in all its complexity because they are free to ask question a qualitative researcher cannot easily pursue. This approach enable to gather rich information about small number of subjects from a small number of people can be collected ( Veal,1997). To investigate more the research, quantitative approach was also needed. This was used in order to gather information from workers of the different parastatal bodies. 4.2.2 Secondary Data A vital step, in any research process begins, is the review of previous research on which the topic was chosen. Secondary data was essential for the topic chosen. It is useful in finding out what have been done in previous research and theoretical information to grasp the real meaning of the subject. In fact, an important part of nearly all research is a review of the literature review ( Veal, 1997: 96). Information gathered was about the management of heritage site especially world heritage site as conservation and preservation, management strategies and visitor management. Thus, in this project, secondary data was mainly used in order to develop the research idea and to get information required to answer to the main question. Questionnaire Design The questionnaire used for this survey comprises of 27 questions divide in four sections namely; section A the respondent profile, section B based on attributes of the WHS, secti

Film Proposal Essay

Film Proposal Essay FILM PROPOSAL CAMINO Camino is a documentary about the life-changing journey to Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain. It is a 500-miles walk   and it usually takes between 30 and 40 days. Thousands of people are doing this trip because they are searching for the answers about themselves:   about their loves, jobs or   the meaning of their existence. The main character is a young man who choose to travel alone from   France to Santiago, which is the most popular and busiest Camino route, in searching of the purpose of his life. The film will provide the audience a knowledge about the pilgrim route and why it is also called The Spiritual Walk. The screenplay is organized into 3-act structure. The first one is The Set Up where we will see the main character who is engaged to his lovely girlfriend but he just received an offer for a better paid job in the big city. He needs to stay alone for a while, somewhere out of the reality,   to rearrange   his priorities because the life he lived by now makes him feel miserable. One day he sees a group of tourists waiting next to the bus stop. They look very interesting to him and somehow very familiar to something he have already seen. After a short conversation with them he decides to fallow the group without telling any of his relatives and not even his fiancà ©e   about this. Then we see the main character on the airport waiting on the check-in desk for the flight to France. The second act , called The Conflict, starts with the plain which is landing in France. There he continue the journey alone. He will meet a lot of people from different cultures with different stories and all of their personal stories and advices will help him to find his answers. The first thing he sees in France is a homeless dog. The dog will follow him to Santiago where is the end of the Camino walk.   The main character knows everything he needs to know about Camino ( from the tourists ) and the only rule he has to fallow is to keep walking. He is very interested to see what kind of people are travelling through these routes and how they spend their holidays. He will be in danger and the dog will help him. The dog will meet a female dog but it will stay with the main character. Some of the remarkable icons on the Camino route will appear on the background so this will be the part of the documentary which will make the story more reliable. At   third and the final act , The Resolution, the main character still do not know the answer of his question and he feels disappointed of himself but just before he get into the airport he sees the dog. The only creature that stayed with him during the whole   journey. Then he realises that the answer was in front of him during all this time. He leaves the dog in Santiago but when he goes back at home , he stays with his girl because the meaning of the life is to find the other half and if you do not like the life we live , just change it. Make it the way you want it to be. As I already said the main character is a young man who is engaged to the love of his life. He lives in a small town where the time stopped ages ago and the life there doesnt suit his personality. He is courageous, a bit egotistical, a risk-taker, energetic,   gregarious, very intelligent and also a very good listener but now he is on that period of his life when he is very stressed and confused with his thoughts and feelings. He combines all of the characteristics needed to be on this trip. He represents the people there. They are not crazy or idiots, they are just confused and they do something to reach the happiness. The documentary will be black and white 2D animation. It is suitable for group of two or three. When it comes to the sound, the whole group will take the decision who will work on it : we as a filmmakers or we will meet students from the Music Department. Ive made the character design and a rough version of the story board but I would like to discuss every aspect of the project with the group as they will be part of the project as well. I have made some backgrounds so the other part of the group will have a clear idea of how the visual design looks like. For this project I was inspired by a web site, which   I incidentally found on Internet. It is about peoples experience in Spain during their Camino walk. My documentary is about a personal story and how a man is struggling with his emotions and feelings.   My film is will be combination of different stories and in purpose   to attract the audience   so that they will see what could happen on this trip and why   its worth it. Internet is full of stories and tips good to know if you decide to go on this trip. I read a lot of articles and I watched films and personal video clips related to the matter of the documentary.   They perfectly represents the idea of the walk. As the film is target to a selected audience ( adults) the film will contains dynamic actions, personal stories, a love story, friendship. The story itself represents the meaning of the Camino de Santiago route. Bibliography: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2159915/Walk-lifetime-Why-epic-Camino-trail-Spain-route-true-happiness.htmlhttp://hostelgeeks.com/3-travel-stories-from-the-famous-camino-de-santiago/ Camino de Santiago Camino de Santiago http://www.theroadtosantiago.com/camino-stories.html Filmography: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441912/

Problems with Public Schools Essay -- School Education Academics Teach

Problems with Public Schools In order to fully understand the issue of school vouchers, we must examine first the current situation in public schools and identify the problems. Then, we must look at the effect vouchers will have on these problems. Finally, we must discuss the objections to vouchers leveled by their main political opponents. In order to examine the potential benefits of school choice, we must first look to the current situation in American education. Public schools today are in a state of crisis, while access to private schools is diminished because the private schools cannot adequately sell what some are giving away for free. The organizational structure of these public schools is inherent to the centralized and bureaucratic structure (Boaz and Barrett 1996). The crisis in American schools takes three major forms. First, student academic performance is declining, particularly in urban areas and among traditionally disadvantaged student populations. Second, discipline and moral behavior is quickly becoming non-existent. Third, the per-pupil expenditure is inflated beyond what is necessary. Declining Academic Performance The first problem with public school today is that academic performance is declining, particularly in urban areas and among disadvantaged populations. America is faced with an educational crisis in two areas: business skills and liberal education. First, we examine the problem with skills. In the 1980?s, America?s ?education crisis? received widespread publicity. Several reports were done on the impact of this education crisis on the workforce. These reports, especially those by the Hudson Institute and David Kearns, indicated massive shortcomings in education that left high-s... ...ling. http://www.educationext.org/20023/73.html. retrieved April 28, 2003 Savas, E. (2000). Privatization and public private partnerships. New York: Chatham House Schaub D. (2002). Can liberal education survive liberal democracy? Public Interest, Spring2002 Issue 147 Tyson L. (1990). New Perspectives Quarterly, Fall 90, Vol. 7 Issue 4, p26 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1996). Report assessing environmental education in the United States and the implementation of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Woiceshyn G. (2000). Ayn Rand Institute. Rational Education. retrieved April 28, 2003. Socializing students for anarchy. http://education.aynrand.org/anarchy.html Wolfram G. (2001). Michigan?s prevailing wage law forces schools to waste money. Michigan Education Report, Fall 2001.

Colgate-Palmolive :: Oral Hygiene Industry

Colgate-Palmolive has remained a leader in the oral hygiene industry. The company operates all over the world and has been successful in all markets. One reason the company has remained successful is because the company understands its customers and customer buying behaviors. This paper will discuss different segmentation variables for Colgate-Palmolive. This paper will also discuss the behavioral influences. Finally, this paper will make some recommendations for the Colgate-Palmolive company. Segmentation Variables According to Keller and Kotler (2009) there are four segmentation variables. Those four variables are geographic, psychographic, demographic, and behavioral. Colgate-Palmolive operates in four geographic divisions: North America, Latin America, Europe/South Pacific, and Greater Asia/Africa (Datamonitor, 2011). The company sells its products in over 200 countries (Colgate-Palmolive, 2011). Demographic variables include age and life-cycle stage, life stage, gender, income, generation, and social class (Keller & Kotler, 2009). According to Laidler and Quelch (2011) â€Å"CP’s consumer research indicated that consumers of the baby boom generation (adults born in the 1940’s, 1950’s and early 1960’s) were becoming more concerned about the health of their gums as opposed to cavity prevention and were willing to pay a premium for new products addressing this issue.† Colgate offers a wide variety of products that address total oral care. Mothers, Hispanics and people with a busy schedule are also a target market of Colgate-Palmolive. Women and mothers are generally the person that does the shopping for the family. Pictures of mothers and their children are in many of their advertisements. The United States has a growing Hispanic population that Colgate has begun to market to. The company has advertisements in Spanish and packaging in Spanish (Veiders, 2008). For people on the go, Colgate developed the Colgate Wisp. In order to better understand the psychographic variable the company has put into place a new business planning tool. This new business planning tool will help executives measure the impact of the company’s advertising strategies. The business planning tool will also help the company determine where they should reallocate advertising and promotional spending (DeSanto, 2010). There are many consumer behavioral variables. Many of Colgate’s products are impulse buys and are decided in the store (Drug Store News, 1900). The company realizes how important shelf space and in store promotions are. They are offer a wide variety of products to fit anyone’s needs.

Essay Comparing Candide and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein -- comparison

Comparing Voltaire's Candide and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein  Ã‚   Voltaire's Candide and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein are classics of western literature, in large part, because they both speak about the situation of being human. However, they are also important because they are both representative of the respective cultural movements during which they were written - the Enlightenment and the Romantic Era. As a result of this inheritance, they have different tones and messages, just as the Enlightenment and Romanticism had different tones and messages. But, it is not enough to merely say that they are "different" because they are linked. The intellectual movement from which Frankenstein emerged had its origins in the intellectual movement from which Candide emerged. By examining each of these works from the context of these intellectual movements, the progression in tone from light-hearted optimism in Candide to a heavier brooding doom in Frankenstein can be explained as being an extension of the progression from the Enlightenment to the Era of Roman ticism. The Enlightenment had its roots in the scientific and philosophical movements of the 17th century. It was, in large part, a rejection of the faith-based medieval world view for a way of thought based on structured inquiry and scientific understanding. It stressed individualism, and it rejected the church's control of the secular activities of men. Among the movement's luminaries were Descartes, Newton, and Locke. They, among others, stressed the individual's use of reason to explain and understand the world about himself in all of its aspects. Important principles of the Enlightenment included the use of science to examine all aspects of life (this was labeled "reason"),... ...The need is never satisfied for the reader, for Shelley's perception of society after the Enlightenment is a bleak place where human needs are supplanted by the monolithic focus on reason alone. This stands in sharp contrast to the ending of Candide. While the young man is constantly denied the company of his one true love, Cunegonde, throughout the work, in the end he finds her and finds satisfaction in a life near his friends as a farmer. The Enlightenment found optimistic hope in a dark age through the potential of the progress of human society, but to the Romantics, this improved world was less than optimistic if untouched by human elements such as love and imagination.    Works Cited: Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Bantam Books, 1991. Voltaire. Candide. In Candide, Zadig and Selected Stories.Trans. Donald Frame, New York: Penguin Group, 1961.

College Alcohol Use Essay

Summary: Argumentative essay on the topic of drinking on campus. Compares the consequences versus the benefits of alcohol consumption by college students. Drinking on campus is a problem that affects most college students, either directly or indirectly. I, for one, am against drinking on campus. As a student of Stevens Institute of Technology, I can say that drinking on campus is as rampant as a fire in a toothpick factory. Several friends of mine at colleges around the country tell me that their schools face the same problems. Here, at Stevens, much to the college community’s surprise, we had a snow day in February. The night before our well-deserved day off, a Tuesday, most of the general Stevens populous got drunk. That wouldn’t have been so bad if everyone locked themselves in their rooms and drank to their liver’s content, but it was not so. In addition to getting wasted, everyone partied all night, with music blasting and partiers yelling. Needless to say, it wasn’t a good night for anyone trying to get some sleep. The whole night wasn’t wasted though; it was fun watching inhibition-less people wander around. On a trip to the bathroom, I saw one guy making a fool of himself trying to get together with this girl. Ten minutes later, that same person walked into my room and sat down on my chair. He then told me to get out of his room. A friend of mine had a similar experience. A drunken resident stumbled into his room and fell down on his bed, saying, â€Å"I think I’ll crash here tonight. † Luckily, he got up and decided to leave before my friend beat the alcohol out of him. Upon reaching the door, it took him a good 10 seconds before he realized that the knob was on the other side. While I realize that college students generally don’t have it easy and they need to unwind every now and then, large consumption of alcohol simply isn’t the answer. I suppose it’s OK to go out and have a drink every now and then, but many people take that to an extreme. Plain and simple, the statistics disfavor drinking on campus. Perhaps the most stunning statistic is the fact that fourteen-hundred college students between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four die each year from unintentional, alcohol-related injuries, the majority of which includes car crashes. That’s not surprising when coupled with the fact that 2. 1 million students drove under the influence last year. Five hundred thousand more are inadvertently injured under the influence of alcohol and six hundred thousand students are assaulted by another student who has been drinking. Approximately twenty-five percent of college students accredit low academic performance to alcohol and thirty-one percent of students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse. Another huge impact of alcohol is sexual abuse. In excess of seventy-thousand students fell victim to alcohol-related rape and sexual assault. Four hundred thousand students had unprotected sex and twenty five percent of them say they were too drunk to even remember if they consented to it. Property damage is another plague brought unto colleges by alcohol abuse, especially here at Stevens, where several card-readers that allow access to residence halls were destroyed on several occasions. Around eleven percent of student drinkers say they have committed vandalism of property while drunk. Many administrators also report that their campuses have an increasing problem with alcohol-related property damage. Alcohol inevitably leads to health problems. More than one hundred and fifty thousand students develop alcohol-related health problems and almost 1. 5% of these students have attempted suicide. Five percent of college students are involved with the police for alcohol-related issues and an estimated one hundred and ten thousand students have been arrested as a result of their drinking. In conclusion, although I recognize the pro- side to this debatable issue, I think that the consequences of drinking far outweigh the pleasures. Drinking should not be allowed on college campuses.

Informative Speech on Art Communication

A. Gain Attention The most famous quote that people associate with art is â€Å"A picture paints a thousand words†. Although this is a quote widely known, I would say that the quote â€Å"Painting is a blind man's profession. He paints not what he sees, but what he feels, what he tells himself about what he has seen† accurately describes the essence of art. B. Arouse Interest Art is an outlet for self-expression and creativity. Through the use of paintings many artists have created works that have become known throughout the entire world. And why are these paintings so famous? visual aid: Andy Warhol, American Gothic, Guernica, The Persistence of Memory, The Last Supper, The Scream) * Complexity * Controversy C. Thesis Statement. Without a doubt, art is a form of communication that allows one to express what they cannot accomplish through the use of words. D. Establish Qualifications Through the art history course that I took here at Seneca Valley and the extensive rese arch that I have done I have discovered many ways through which art can communicate a message that the artist wants to make public.E. Forecast Organization and Development There is a form of communication called aesthetic communication and this is what the messages given through the form of art are. They are creative representations of an artist’s ideas, perspective, views, and values through the use of various symbols, colors, and methods. Through these uses of art, the artist creates meaningful works, whose purpose is to invoke a response from the audience. There are hundreds of examples of paintings that have had huge effects on society.There are paintings which have captured history and the values during a certain time and there are paintings that have made a social commentary on the time of creation. BODY A. Through the use of symbols, many paintings convey messages that might mean different things for different people. Visual aid: the persistence of time and Andy Warhol ’s Campbell’s soup. What are these artists trying to say? Symbolism of melting clocks, ants, and the fading painting: Andy Warhol’s symbolism of the soup cans: humor, poking fun at the traditional painting of the fruit bowl, repetition.One might not immediately derive this from looking at the painting. Some might even criticize it because they don’t understand the message. All these things might mean something different to someone from a different culture. What you are exposed to ultimately influences your thoughts and perceptions on a subject and artists do count for this. They know that there are differences in the way that people see their paintings. They embrace this. Everything is not always black and white in the world of art.Although many art historians analyze paintings for years and years, sometimes in some cases, we may never know the entirety of the message that the artist wanted to convey through the painting. These two paintings attempt to te ll a story through the use of these symbols B. Paintings have also become a way to capture history in the making. They were used before photographs and now, some paintings are the only things we have to rely on for knowledge about certain ancient cultures. â€Å"It is said that art is a way of communicating that which is within to those who are on the outside. The artists who capture these moments in history, obviously found it necessary that they paint it. They want to show the world an event, a person, or a place that has extreme significance to them. Take for example, Pablo Picasso’s Guernica. This painting was a response to the devastating events which took place in Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The painting shows severed head, mutilated animals and bodies, and overall suffering. Through this painting Picasso made a comment on how war and fighting ultimately leads to suffering of innocent beings.This painting clearly shows his anti-war views and his promotion of peace. Francisco De Goya’s painting: Tres De Mayo Shows French soldiers being executed for defending Madrid. The way that it is portrayed in the painting, you can obviously tell what Goya thought about this event. He felt the need for these martyrs to be remembered. He valued their lives and wanted justice for what the French had done. This is also a way to communicate what took place on that day and through these horrible images, the painting can be interpreted as a call to arms, to defend Spain.Going back to symbolism, the stance of the man in white says a lot about Goya’s view. He has a Christ like stance in the painting, which shows that Goya believes that he is a martyr. He is someone sacrificing himself for his people. C. Paintings are also used to make social commentary on beliefs or issues that we face in the world. One of the most famous paintings that reflects a time in history is American Gothic. This painting has been taken to be a satire of the MidWestern life and way of thinking during the time that Grant Wood painted it.This painting is widely used to show current social issues and the people in the painting are usually replaced with what the current culture believes is the standard. In those times this painting reflected the simpler life, but the meaning is unknown. Many believe that he was being satirical, poking fun at the innocence of the Western life and the simplicity. The title also seems to be satirical as well, â€Å"American Gothic†. The Gothic movement was most certainly not American and he might be making fun by comparing adding this gothic architecture to the surrounding all American scene in the painting.Andy Warhol’s The Last Supper Series: One painting in particular features an outline of the last supper painting and brand names plastered all over the painting. This is a comment on our society today and our obsession with materialistic things, comparing it to the times of the last supper makes our obs ession seem even more dramatic. The painting is also a comment on the excessive advertisements in our society today. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www. brainyquote. com/quotes/keywords/painting. html

A comparison of the pros and cons of Hybrid cars to those of fuel-cells

A hybrid car is a fuel efficient car which has 2 motors. One is electric motor while the other one is a gasoline powered motor. It has in addition to these a special system to capture braking energy store in an on board battery.A fuel-cell car produces electricity directly, the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen; the byproduct being water. A fuel –cell vehicle utilizes the electricity produced by the fuel cell to power motors at the vehicle’s wheel.A hybrid car has many advantages; they don’t use energy while idle, they also use less than gas motors at low speeds. With gas motors doing better at high speeds, it can deliver more power for a given motor weight. The electric motor works great at a time like rush hour and this way it doesn’t produce any exhaust therefore reducing smog levels.When a hybrid reaches a speed of 40 mph, the gas motor kicks in and gives a good feeling to the driver something most car owners are looking foe when on the highways. Hybrid cars also change the battery while running.Its disadvantages will include cost and complexity. It is a new technology and the cost is high. It also has its complications since the systems have to work together. If one system breaks then it might affect the others thereby making it really expensive to fix.Advantages of a fuel-cell car include:- low cost both in maintenance and purchase, its performance and rangeas read on ‘http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/cars_pickups_suvs/fuelcell-vehicles.html’, it is known to be a smooth, quiet and fun to drive. They are also widely available in most parts of the world. They have disadvantages as; they contribute to global warming, they pollute air since they ran on pure hydrogen.  Ã‚   My opinion is that let there be wide variety since we are all different and have different tastes so let the variety to chose from be available.

My Country Nepal Essay

Culture is embedded in the high peaks of Nepal, tradition flows with its rivers, art traverses through its valleys and religion lies in the heart of its people. Nepal, in short, is a country where art, culture and religion are a part of life of the inhabitants. People celebrate every moment with aroma, adding novelty to the traditions without affecting their essence. Art of Nepal The art and architecture of Nepal is deeply influenced by the religion. Unique craftsmanship can be found in temples, architecture, shrines, fountains and the design of religious objects. Art and religion is so deeply interlocked that it is impossible to separate the one from the other. All art forms express both Hindu and Buddhist iconography. Buddhism in Nepal Buddhism, the fourth largest religion all over the world, has strong roots in Nepal. Buddhism in Nepal dates from the birth of Siddhartha Gautama himself, therefore Buddhist influences are evident on the culture of Nepal. Nepal is the meeting point for Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Culture of Nepal The culture of Nepal is a assemblage of music, architecture, religion and literature. This mountain kingdom is multi-ethic and multi-lingual. The land is rich with unique cultural groups like Tharu,Yadav, Ahir, Newars and others. Food of Nepal Nepalese are great foodies and their food varieties are hot, spicy and nutritious. Newari and Thakali cuisines are the original taste of Nepal. Otherwise, Nepalese style of cooking has been influenced by Indian and Tibetan cooking. Dal Bhat tarkari is the staple food of Nepal. Meat curries and monos are the hot favorites among the tourists. Music of Nepal The rhythm, beats, bounce of Nepali traditional folk and classical music is spiritual enough to sooth you and entertaining enough to cheer you. Music is associated with every event in Nepal, then be it birth, marriage, festivals or national events. People of Nepal The people of Indo-Aryan community are the original inhabitants of Nepal. No wonder their descendents form the majority even now. Other major groups in Nepal are Gurungs and Magars who live mainly in the western region; Rais, Limbus and Sunwars who live in the eastern mid hills; Sherpas, Manangpas and Lopas who live near the mountains of Everest, Annapurna and Mustang respectively. Religion of Nepal Religion in Nepal is not only a system of social coherence based on certain rituals and beliefs, rather it is the binding force that ties the mountain kingdom together. Though Nepal is famous, as the world’s only Hindu Kingdom, equal respect is given to other religions as well. Buddhism is the second largest religion followed in Nepal, others being Tantrism, Islam and Christianity.

Russian Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Russian Policy - Essay Example Strobe Talbott, the presidential advisor to President Clinton, in his book, ‘The Russia Hand: A Memoir of Presidential Diplomacy’, has provided a vivid account of the period especially with regard to the relationship with the former Russian President, Boris Yeltsin and his subsequent fall from grace. It should be noted that the author is qualified to write his opinions and observations since he played a vital role in US Russia relations during that period. He has had personal access to all the primary stakeholders in the process including Clinton, Yeltsin and later with Vladimir Putin. The book, written in the form of a memoir clearly states that the era of Putin would not have occurred without the era of Yeltsin. This would create an impression that the transition was a smooth one planned by Yeltsin, but it is far from the truth. The relationship between President Clinton and his Russian counterpart was unprecedented in the history of the United States. It is said that the number of meeting between the US President and Yeltsin outnumbered the total meetings by all the US and USSR premiers in the past. President Clinton was of the view that the cold war attitude of former presidents including Eisenhower and Truman is no longer relevant in the changed circumstances (Talbott 133). It required a closer approach devoid of suspicion and intrigue that had been characteristic of the attitude between the two superpowers of the time. Yeltsin who had continued the reforms of Gorbachev was in an unenviable position. The country was opening up to reforms which included to a large extent, private business and ownership. People were optimistic about a situation where free market enterprise and freedom of thought and speech would result in a resurgent and prosperous Russia. But the actual situation is his country was far from rosy or perfect. A country used to Communist rule

Discuss the ways in which individuals and communities demonstrate Essay

Discuss the ways in which individuals and communities demonstrate agency in their lives - Essay Example Agency facilitates the way the individual’s negotiates their lifestyle particularly through interpersonal dialogues. Some may however not use interpersonal dialogues but settle on constructing their lives â€Å"spaces† individually, and avoiding linguistic interactions and interpersonal dialogues entirely. Nevertheless, it is vital to note that individual’s demonstration of agency later on forms the building blocks of a community. This is because individuals are community agents since they express their thoughts on cultural matters to other people. Through agency, people are able to carry out face-to-face conversations with people from other communities. This has an impact on either side of the communities since culture is a negotiated meaning (Gutman 5). Being a negotiated meaning, a cultural forum in which the culture is negotiated and re-negotiated is what makes and remakes the culture and the community. This therefore supports the earlier argument that throug h agency, individuals are not passive recipients of community outcomes. Through agency, individuals are able to engage in cultural construction (Gutman 6). Another demonstration of agency is seen in babies. ... This could also mean that the adults from the children could also be the same. Children therefore exploit the meaning they derive from the pre- existing culture to build their own understanding of the world that later on helps them or destroys them as adults. Based on this argument, it is evident that agency plays a vital role in shaping up the future of individuals. For instance, if an individual is given to express his/her opinion of an event, the person will be treated by the other based on the opinion. There is also a probability that the individual may influence others in the process. The opinion may have been constructed from the way the individual views the society from his/her own small world. Agency also influences personal behavior among individuals. The various changes in personal behavior evolve with time and it determines the way people respond to different circumstances. The changes in individual behavior lead to changes in the culture of a society. Some individuals vie w them as suggestions meaning they can be ignored, circumvented or disregarded (Gutman, 6). Through agency, cultural influences have no power over individuals unless they allow them to have power over them. Gutman (7) concluded that the depiction he had of Mexican men was wrong. This is because what he saw was different from what he had the society expected of Mexican men i.e. the men were hard drinkers and philandering macho men. This therefore shows that the men had evolved and developed their own views and goals different from the overall depiction of community as seen by outsiders. The limiting factor in the argument above is the lack of empirical data to measure the extent of ignoring or circumventing the cultural influences in the above case. Furthermore, the

Potential sheath removal issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Potential sheath removal issues - Assignment Example The blockage may be attributable to conditions including atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease (PAD) and renal vascular hypertension. Carotid artery stenosis, venous narrowing and narrowing in dialysis fistula or grafts can also result in blockage. Patient preparation is essential. Medications, herbal supplements, recent illnesses, medical conditions and allergies should be well documented (Benson et al. 2005). This is because the procedure involves anaesthesia and iodine in the x-ray dye. Medication used especially blood thinners, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin should be reported. The procedure involves imaging using radiation. It is, therefore, essential that women be examined for pregnancy to minimize radiation exposure to the foetus. Before the procedure, patients are restricted to eat or drink except medication. The procedure involves the use of several equipment a balloon catheter, stent, sheath, wire guide and x-ray imaging equipment. The imaging procedure applies the principle of fluoroscopy to develop an angiograph (O’Grady 2002). During the procedure, the guide wire directs placement of the angioplasty balloon catheter and the vascular stent. The sheath is used for catheter exchanges during the procedure. A vascular tube is placed to allow catheter exchanges and is usually removed after the procedure by a nurse. The procedure is executed in an interventional radiology suite by an interventional radiologist. Seldinger technique is the preferred technique for percutaneous catheterization of the femoral artery. It is effective for both arterial and venous access. Although a radial approach is applicable, the femoral approach is the most preferred method. In this procedure, the ideal puncture site is the femoral artery (Berry 2004). The femoral stick is well located to avoid surgical complications. The puncture site is precisely selected to avoid complications associated with the surgical procedure.

Career in Dental Surgery Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Career in Dental Surgery - Personal Statement Example I go to his clinic and read his books about Dental Surgery. I have found great interest in the career of Dental Surgery. I want to be like that dentist that changed world history. "The extravagant headline "The Dentist Who Changed World History" is taken from the title of an article that appeared in Harper's Magazine, in December, 1943. The dentist referred to was Maurice William (1881-1973), who practiced in New York and who, if he didn't change world history, at least influenced the course of events in China." (4) The people in rural areas have less health resources so they are migrating to urban areas. A new report says "The year 2008 will be the first time that more than half of the earth's population-nearly 3.3 billion people-will be living in towns and cities." (5) Although people are generally afraid of approaching dentist as Taylor Caldwell, "[An] Anglo-American novelist, a prolific author of popular fiction, who used often in her works real historical events or persons"(6), says "I was never afraid of anything in the world except the dentist." (7) But I love Dental Surgery Career. I believe that if I do not love a career, I can not move forward in that career. this career. Motivation is one of the best gifts people possess in all aspects of their lives, but many of them do not even realize they have it or may not know how to use it. Motivation is a feeling that compels us to strive and succeed in all that we do or intend to do. Many people achieve success beyond their wildest dreams. It is often seen that they are not necessarily the smartest people around. Generally, it is seen that the people who succeed financially are the ones who are motivated to achieve success. Human beings have enormous

Environmental Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Environmental - Essay Example This means that France alone has a stronger economy almost compared to all the 22 countries put together. Germany (3,401.0) has a higher GDP than all the 22 countries combined. This is followed by Japan (5,964.0) and the biggest difference comes from USA (15,680.0) (CIA). This is to say that the USA has the strongest economy and has reliable economic power to exploit and control the oil in the Middle East. The 2012 GDP of Israel (240.9) lies way below that of the combined states in the Middle East. However, when compared to Gaza and Westbank combined (6.641) creates a very big difference. Israel lays a stronger economic position than the Westbank and Gaza by a minimum thirty six times. That translates to Israel having a lot of control in the region especially compared to its neighbour. The geo-political relations in the region have largely contributed to who owns much stake in the Middle East oil (Central Intelligence Agency). For instance, the USA, a world power and its allies (UK, France, Japan and Germany) therefore have a large stake in the control of oil in the Middle East. According to TÃ ©treault (2012), oil ownership and relations to the stronger powers have given some Middle East countries more power than others. TÃ ©treault, Mary Ann. "The Political Economy of Middle Eastern Oil." 2012. University of California Library. 30 January 2014