Health and Fitness Essay

For many years there has been a debate between which is better for weight control and all around health and fitness, Cardiorespiratory Exercise or Weight Training. Many people tend to focus only on one aspect of the physical wellness. For example women, like myself may focus more on cardiorespiratory and flexibility training more so than Weight training. This is out of fear of injury, or the muscles becoming too bulky. Women tend to want to burn more calories, therefore they focus on exercises’ such as aerobics, walking, swimming, and jogging. Research shows that working out with weights has health benefits beyond simply bulking up one’s muscles and strengthening bones. Studies are finding that more lean muscle mass may allow kidney dialysis patients to live longer, give older people better cognitive function, reduce depression, boost good cholesterol, lessen the swelling and discomfort of lymphedema after breast cancer and help lower the risk of diabetes. Although Weight training has its benefits for variety of reasons; it also has its downside. Weight training promotes short term stiffness of the blood vessels, which could promote High Blood Pressure over time and increase the load on the heart. This would not be good for someone who has a history of Hypertension. A variety of studies have shown that the best way to offset the cardiovascular stress caused by strength training is to combine cardiorespiratory endurance exercise such as a brisk walk, bicycling, or elliptical machine, immediately after a weight training exercise. Regular aerobic exercise causes your lungs to process more oxygen with less effort; your heart to pump more blood with fewer beats; and the blood supply directed to your muscles to increase. As a result, by performing cardiovascular exercises, you are increasing your body’s endurance and efficiency. Miriam Nelson of the American College of Sports Medicine states, â€Å"Ideally, you want a combination of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise and moderate-intensity strength training† Bottom line to all of this research is both Resistance training and Cardiorespiratory exercise is good for the body, if done in the right order. http://www.the-invisible-gym.com/why-is-cardiovascular-training-and-resistance-training-important.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/20/AR2007042001772.html

Facilitate the Counselling Process Assessment Essay

I declare that this assessment is my own work, based on my own personal research/study . I also declare that this assessment, nor parts of it, has not been previously submitted for any other unit/module or course, and that I have not copied in part or whole or otherwise plagiarised the work of another student and/or persons. I have read the ACAP Student Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct Policy and understand its implications. I also declare, if this is a practical skills assessment, that a Client/Interviewee Consent Form has been read and signed by both parties, and where applicable parental consent has been obtained. 1. Name two signs you would look for to let you know Vara is ready to end counselling. Two signs I would look for to let me know that Vara is ready to end counselling are, firstly, if Vara is sounding a lot more confident and she looks a lot happier, then she probably is. Secondly, if Vara started to run out of issues to raise and discuss in counselling. I would be able to recognise that Vara is ready to end counselling. 2. Briefly describe how you would support Vara’s sense of autonomy. I would support Vara’s sense of autonomy by, acknowledging and helping her to recognise, her achievements since beginning with counselling. I would summarise these achievements for Vara. Vara has spoken to her husband Alec, and made him aware of her feelings. This is something she found quite difficult to do in the past. Since Vara communicated her feelings of ‘being fed up and wanting to end the marriage’, Vara and Alec have decided to trial a three month separation. In speaking up for herself she has generated real change in her life. Both Vara and her husband Alec, are looking into the possibility of seeing a marriage counsellor. In seeking this kind of counselling she is showing strength of character, she is looking for solutions and not just running away from her problems. She has the friendship and support of Julie and is trying to increase her work hours as a translator. I would acknowledge that it was Vara that made these changes in her life, not me. This will empower Vara with the confidence to know that she is a strong and capable women who can stand up for herself. 3. Briefly describe how you would inform her about opportunities for further support. I would inform Vara about opportunities for further support, by communicating to her that although our counselling sessions will be coming to an end, she is always able to reconnect with me, if she feels the need. Vara has indicated that she and her husband are interested in pursuing marriage counselling. I could provide Vara with some contacts for marriage counselling in her local area. Or, if she felt more comfortable, I could arrange a referral for her to a marriage counsellor that I think would be a good match for her. 4. Briefly describe three key steps to assist the process of ending the counselling process with this client. I would start this process a few sessions before the final counselling appointment. Firstly, I would encourage Vara to express any concerns she may have in regards to managing on her own without the support of the counselling relationship. I would be encouraging Vara to express her feelings about ending the counselling relationship. This will give Vara an opportunity to reflect and prepare for ending the counselling sessions. I would set the final appointment sometime in the future, so that Vara can have time to adjust to the thought of managing on her own. Secondly, I would plan with Vara to have a longer interval between our appointments, so that Vara can try out coping with her issues on her own. This will enable Vara to discuss any lingering issues that may need some attention before ending the counselling relationship. Lastly I would summarise for Vara the progress she has made, and acknowledge all the accomplishments she has made. She is now a stronger more capable women, who can stand up for herself and take care of herself. I would make sure that Vara knows that I have an open door policy, and that if she ever felt the need to reconnect with me, I would be happy to see her again. 5. Give an example of what you might say to Vara when ending counselling to ensure the underlying issues are managed. An example of what I might say to Vara when ending counselling to ensure any underlying issues are managed is, ‘Vara can you describe for me some of the strategies you have been using to help bring about the changes you have made’. This will give Vara the opportunity to reflect on how she has implemented these changes, and will reinforce the fact that it was Vara who has facilitated these changes, not me. I would also say ‘what do you think could be some coping skills you could use if these issues start to come up again’. This will give Vara the opportunity to reflect on how she has coped with these issues in the past, and to list some coping strategies that work best for her and her situation. Again this will reinforce the fact that Vara is the one who is coping with her situation, not me. I would also say ‘can you tell me again, what some of your underlying issues have been’. This will help Vara identify what the core issues are, and will make it easier for her to recognise if these issues come up again, so that she is ready to deal with them. 6. Provide an example of one of your session client notes. Client session notes. Clients Name: Vara Clients Age: 56 Date of session: 20/11/14 Session # 8 Session Duration: 60 minutes Others present: Nil Status of session: Kept Location: Office Information given by client: Vara is a 56 year old Polish immigrant. Came to Australia 25 years ago. She has raised 3 children who have all left home. Feeling very unhappy and ‘trapped’ in her marriage. Husband is ‘traditional’ male, who controls finances and has a ferocious temper. She has been secretly working and saving money. She wants to live her own life, but fearful of how she will cope on her own. She still loves her husband Alec. Summary of client’s issues: Vara has spoken to Alec and they have agreed to a 3 month trial separation, they are looking into marriage counselling. I have offered her a list of marriage counsellors in her area and offered a referral if preferred. Vara will be living with her friend Julie during her separation, and will be seeking more work hours as a translator. Notes of counsellor: I feel that Vara has made enormous progress in counselling, and believe that at this point she would benefit from marriage counselling. I have agreed to see her again if she feels the need arises.

Anxiety and anti-anxiety drugs

Anxiety and anti-anxiety drugs In order to understand what exactly anti-anxiety drugs are, and their uses, we need to know what is anxiety and anxiety disorders are. Anxiety includes in a normal human emotion that everyone experiences at times in their life. The word anxiety is a ‘Latin’ word. People when face a problem like before taking a test, or making an important decision, they show anxiety or nervousness. It is a normal reaction against stressful conditions. Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling of dread, which does not control easily. People experience anxiety in three ways: 1. generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) 2. panic attacks 3. phobias GAD: People with GAD show worrying, nervousness and tension. This is towards any particular situation but is connected to your whole life. Panic attacks: These are the extreme attacks of anxiety that comes in an unpredictable way and last for 10minutes.people going through these attacks having difficulty in breathing and behave in an uncontrolled way. Phobias: These are the feeling of fear towards a current particular situation or thing. Although the situation or that thing is not dangerous to them but they behave so anxiously and nervously about that. It may include social phobia-fear to go on social events or to meet people, animal phobia-fear from animals etc. There is difference between anxiety and fear. They are actually are two common and a different phenomenon that are misunderstood as same thing. Fear is a feeling of uneasiness and being threaten on current situation, but on the other hand Anxiety leads towards feeling of threat, intense nervousness, and uneasiness for future situations. Anxiety and fear are not always harmful but in some situations they are quite healthy, beneficial and necessary for our survival. Anxiety disorder is different. They can cause such distress that it interferes with a person’s ability to lead a normal life. An anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness. For people with anxiety disorders, worry and fear are constant and overwhelming, and can be crippling. Anxiety disorders can be defined as, ‘Constant feeling of threat for future events when there is no need to feel threaten that ultimately make you unable and incapable for normal functioning.’ Severe anxiety that lasts up to six months is considered as abnormality and thus categorized as Anxiety disorder. Anxiety becomes a disorder when the symptoms become chronic and interfere with our daily lives and our ability to function. The reason behind this could be the family history of that person or gene or it could be certain trauma from which that person is suffering. For e.g., it is seen in many people with depression have panic attacks at some point. Some people who are anxious have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD. Anxiety is not always distressful but it can help you stay alert and focused, spur you to action, and motivate you to solve problems. But when anxiety is constant or overwhelming, when it interferes with your relationships and activities, it stops being functional’that’s when you’ve crossed the line from normal, productive anxiety into the territory of anxiety disorders. In addition, studies have shown that anxiety disorders run in families, which means that they can at least partly be inherited from one or both parents, like the risk for heart disease or cancer. Moreover, certain environmental factors such as a trauma or significant event may trigger an anxiety disorder in people who have an inherited susceptibility to developing the disorder. ANTI ANXIETY DRUGS: Anti-anxiety drugs are the set of medications that are made to treat anxiety disorder and relieve the patient from the feelings of tension, nervousness and discomfort by regulating heart rate and normalize breathing. When a person is suffering from anxiety disorder, Anti-anxiety drugs are recommended, but these drugs should be taken under the administration of doctor, because they have serious side effects which cannot be ignored. If symptoms of an anxiety disorder are present, the doctor will begin an evaluation by asking you questions about your medical history and performing a physical exam. Although there are no lab tests to specifically diagnose anxiety disorders, the doctor may use various tests to look for physical illness as the cause of the symptoms. If no physical illness is found, you may be referred to a psychiatrist, psychologist, or another mental health professional that is specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. Psychiatrists and psychologists use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate a person for an anxiety disorder. Anti-Anxiety Drugs include: – Benzodiazepines (BZDs): diazepam, Chlordiazepoxide, Oxazepam, Lorazepam, Alprazolam, Clonazepam, Flurazepam. – Azapirones: Buspione, Gepirone, Ispapirone. – Sedative: Hydroxyzine. – Barbiturates: Amobarbital, Pentobarbital, Phenobarbital, Thiopental. – Beta blocker: Propranolol. – Antidepressants. These medicines are helpful in reducing the symptoms of anxiety disorders include anti-depressants and anxiety-reducing drugs. Like, In panic attacks: it helps in to enhance the patient motivation and accelerate progress toward facing panic and all of its repercussions. Those drugs which are helpful in these area must be helpful in one of the two stages of panic. The first stage is anticipatory anxiety: all the uncomfortable physical symptoms and negative thoughts that rise up as you anticipate facing panic. The second stage is the symptoms of the panic attack itself. In general anxiety: medications help reduce some of the symptoms of anxiety. In phobias: medications can help to reduce the tensions associated with entering the fearful situation. Certain therapies are also used to treat anxiety disorder like: Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) addresses the emotional response to mental illness. It is a process in which trained mental health professionals help people by talking through strategies for understanding and dealing with their disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy: This is a particular type of psychotherapy in which the person learns to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings. Dietary and lifestyle changes And Relaxation therapy. †¦

Philosophy A New Way To Be Mad By Carl Elliot Essay

Philosophy A New Way To Be Mad By Carl Elliot - Essay Example Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID), also known as Amputee Identity Disorder or Apotemnophilia (from Greek ÃŽ ±Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€žÃŽ ­ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ½ÃŽ µÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ½ "to cut off", and φÎ ¹ÃŽ »ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ± "love of") is the overwhelming desire to amputate one or more healthy limbs or other parts of the body. Sometimes its sufferers take it upon themselves to amputate their own limbs and/or penis. Although it most commonly refers to people who wish to amputate limbs, the term BIID also applies to those who wish to alter their bodily integrity in general (Wikipedia). As a normal human being one strives to be self sufficient. It is more of a vice than virtue to take assistance from someone. If you ask any amputee about the thing he would like to have in this world, his answer would be to get his/her amputated part back. Therefore, the development of a psychological condition in which one intends to become â€Å"incomplete† from â€Å"complete† is difficult to understand. The essence o f condition which leads to disintegration from an integrated and superior stage is what is hard to believe.... In the second essay of "Genealogy of Morals" Nietzsche delve into the development of bad conscience. He mentions that when a man (slave/common man) is deprived of manifesting his "will to power" towards the others (masters/influential people) his energies are turned against himself inwardly and "the instinct of cruelty turns back after it can no longer discharge itself externally." Therefore, it is that cruelty generated in the conditions of helplessness which causes the state of apotemnophilia. Coupled with above, the generation of feeling of self pity and pity from others can be another reason of such behavior. As a normal healthy person is expected to help, the apotemnophiliac from inside is not inclined to do that. Now in normal circumstances he will be looked down upon not helping someone. However, by creating a self generated disability he is not only avoiding the situation of helping others but also generating permanent circumstances in which he is thought to be deserving a preferential treatment. However, what ever the theories are we must understand that the condition of these individuals is not a new phenomenon, but according to few it seem to be on rise. Whether this observation is true or not is debatable. Because we are living in a far more connected world than what it was before. To ascertain that whether the phenomenon is on the rise in recent past is really not possible as the record of our eras' "less interactive" past is not available. However it can be conveniently said that it is prevalent in the prosperous society as compared to a backward one. It is because in prosperous societies more individuals are on "self actualization" stage and thus are more prone to feel their inability to express their energies outwardly, resultantly leading to

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the methods to estimate Research Paper

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the methods to estimate uncollectible receivables - Research Paper Example However, the disadvantage of such method is that it does not consider customers and their past trend for paying off their debts. It may be possible that in previous years, 20% of the receivable would have been uncollectible because customers were not trustworthy. However, this assumption may not be correct for the current year customers. In such a case, the percentage should also be revised accordingly. Another demerit of this method is that it applies to all of the company’s sales, which may include cash transactions also. It must be noted that uncollectible amounts are only against receivables (Barry, Ralph and Steven). It requires time to calculate uncollectible receivables by this method as bifurcation between cash and credit sales is difficult especially when the volume of transaction is high (Barry, Ralph and Steven). In this method, the collectibles are first analyzed as per their period. Such receivables may be classified as 15 days past due, 30 days past due, etc. Estimates are then made for debts beyond one year or other such criteria (Belverd and Marian). This aging helps to ascertain the will and financial health of the customer for paying off the debt. Another advantage of such aging method is that it helps to prioritize the efforts of recovery for individual debts based on the due days. More aged items are given more priority for recovery (Belverd and Marian). Disadvantage of such method is that it estimates those receivables to be uncollectible which may be received after certain time. It may be possible that the customer was willing to pay the amount, but he was unable to do that due to any reason such as liquidity crisis. Subsequently, customer may pay that amount which was expensed out as bad debt (Belverd and Marian). In this method, different classes of aging are applied different percentages for estimating the bad debts. For example, by applying 10%, 20% and 50% to 6 months, 9 months and 12 months old

INTERNATIONAL JOINT VENTURES Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

INTERNATIONAL JOINT VENTURES - Assignment Example In essence, Shanghai General Motors was established in mid 1997 with the initiative of a joint venture with another world leading automotive industry known as General Motors (Anderson 2012). The business relationship was meant to be an equal contribution. This relationship was later sealed with the first automotive assemble in 1999 and the first vehicle been Buick Regal. Four years later, the company was rated as the second largest single market that had hit the market with General Motor products. In this regard, Shanghai General Motors is involved with the assembling of components of vehicles that emanate from parts imported from different corners of the globe particularly from US, Korea, Brazil among other countries that are capable of producing automotive parts across the globe. At times, the company makes orders on these parts in advance because some require lengthy shipping to comply with the orders given by customer in various parts of the world (Klein and Abels 2008). From the re onwards, this joint venture has immensely improved to become China’s largest automotive manufacturing company. ... According to Luo and Yan 2001, it is worth noting that China is among the leading countries that have advanced technologically and thus the automotive industry is not un exception. Of importance to note is that automotive industry is one of the world’s crucial technological areas as it involves variety of vehicles which are targeted by millions of people globally. Never the less, information gathering from this multi billion company has not been easy because some of their facts keep on fluctuating depending on the behavior of the market and their potential competitors such as Chery and MD Rover. Actually, they believe in coming up with unique brands, which they place into the market without having to advertise first to bar their competitors from coming up with similar brands that might threaten their ever growing market of automotives. In addition, it becomes cumbersome for individuals to easily access their numerous distinct plants where most of the assembling is done in rega rd to their policy. Type of joint venture It is apparent that Shanghai General Motors Company has been one of the biggest car manufacturing companies in china. The company was formed after a successful collaboration between General Motors and SAIC. With continued lack of advanced technology imported to china by other companies, SAIC decided to approach GM with intent of importing top technology to china on the basis that SAIC would help GM to jointly work in china. In this regard, SAIC and GM privately held a joint venture in 1997 and Shanghai GM (SGM) was born. The investment was valued at $ 1.69 billion. In light of this, it is apparent that the privately held joint venture between the two companies improved their performance (Baran, et al 1996). With GM, china was not only a

Highlight important points Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Highlight important points - Essay Example The series presents twelve substitutes that have socio-economic structures that extend the probabilities for equity, oneness, fairness, justice and a firm society (Bell 50). Some of these originate from diverse dispensations, some bear a national or global level, some come up because of revolutionary movements, some governments adopt while others reject such models in their policies. In these narratives, the female figures explicate on their role to form these models and depict their unique challenges and viewpoints in the movements. The book addresses an augmenting acceleration of making water, oil, land and the natural world a commodity, an issue that has elicited the matter of power play and the issue of taking away resources that some communities have survived and sustained themselves with since time immemorial. Oil is one instance where the domination of international affiliations has elicited displacement of masses of people, conflicts in the social arena and destroyed the relationship between aboriginal communities and their surroundings (Bell 18). The book asserts how diverse groups from the entire globe are struggling to shield an alternative comprehension of the globe and how people ought to handle it, however (Bell 21). They observe resources such as oil as a parcel of the worldwide commons, the collection of natural resources, fundamental services, social spaces, and cultural diversities that should be of public trust that everyone ought to enjoy rather than merchandise for sale. The Spanish term â€Å"el bien comun† meaning the common good, summarizes the conception of such assets. The basic notion of life, intelligence, inter-relationships, normal culture and earth’s treasures lies behind the commons and are not capital. In all places, aboriginal people are claiming their independence over their land, which inculcates the autonomy to self-ruling and ardent control

Four questions to answer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Four questions to answer - Essay Example This happens to describe the relation between the organisation and the employees. This is a key factor as it lets the employees know about the organisation’s policies and the transparency that it maintains in the internal as well as the external affairs of the organisation. This Professional area has some important elements embedded in it. Trade Unions, Health and Safety and Grievance and Disciplinary are a few to name. Let us now take a better look into all these elements individually and also integrating them so as to have a better understanding of the concept of Professional Areas. An associate member is expected to help improve and enhance the relationship between the employees and the organisation. Also one has to make sure, the execution of the policies and practices which necessarily cover the employee’s relationship with the organisation are carried out and this would also include industrial relations and those strategies associated with it. To maintain healthy relation between the organisation and the employees the Associate members should make sure that all the disputes are resolved at the earliest possibility. These disputes could be individual or collective. Ensuring the coverage of tribunals, grievance and disciplinary, employment law, contracts of employment and terms and conditions seconds none in the order of importance when the Employee relation with the organisation is concerned. They make up for a good relation by ensuring the employees rights and responsibilities. The resolving of issues though sounds like a normal job, demands plenty of diplomacy and spontaneity. The simple issues left unattended could turn into complex ones and they might be of great risk to the organisation. So the Associate member should resolve every issue, no matter what intensity it is of and should properly influence those leading the issue to the right approach. Among those critical jobs that the Associate members carry out, one that has to be definite ly discussed is checking the proper understanding of the organisation’s policies and procedures by the employees and making sure that they are integrated within the employees and are maintained in the workplace. On the other hand, the Associate members make certain it is just not the employees who need to have an understanding of the organisation’s policies and procedures, but also the HR Professionals who need to have an understanding of the full range of employee relations policies, practices and the employment laws. This is done to better manage the risk and the Associate member might also need to train them with individual coaching as per the requirements. They need to have a desire to learn as the job demands the necessity to learn about the continuously evolving employee relations both locally and globally. This is achieved by maintaining relationships with the counterparts, the formal bodies and communities of practice. This information gathered by the Associate member is then used to improve and make better changes in the employee relation plan. They also lead the negotiations between the trade unions, work councils and similar bodies regarding the labour issues and sometimes bring them to the notice of the higher authorities, depending on the intensity of the issue thereby creating an amicable working environment and building up a healthy relationship among them. The Associate membe

The only way to cope with a changing world is to keep learning. (Dixon Essay

The only way to cope with a changing world is to keep learning. (Dixon 1998) Critically discuss the Dixon quote in relation to the way that SST can develop an organisations intellectual capital - Essay Example This paper has tried to capture the main aspects of organizational learning which are essential for the growth of an organization. The organizational learning is directly correlated to the growth and development of the intellectual and social capital of the organization, which are generally referred to as the wealth of any organization (Alavi and Leidner, 2001). There are many ways of improvement and growth of social and intellectual capital of an organization. Some of the ways explored in this paper are communities of practice and soft system thinking. The communities of practice have a direct relation with development of social capital of an organization. The soft thinking methodology is generally applied by organizations to develop the intellectual capital with the organization. The main objective of the paper is to emphasise the importance of learning the changes in the current scenario for organizational growth. The paper also aims to throw some light on the concepts that can le ad to improvement in organizational learning like improving intellectual and social capital (Wong, 2005). Learning in an organization is directly proportional to the growth and development of intellectual and social capital of the organization. The most important aspects of improvement in intellectual capital of an organization are through soft system thinking (Yeo, 2002). The systems thinking is one the components described in the learning organization theory. The concept of soft systems thinking is the key which holds all the other concepts of the learning organization together. The soft systems thinking framework is a conceptual set of knowledge and tools which have been developed in the course of over 50 years. The origin of soft system thinking lies in the field of systems dynamics where it is used to make patterns clearer and also helps to change them effectively (Gao, Li and Nakamori, 2002). The system in the soft system

The Un and Their Involvement in the Rwandan Genocide Essay Example for Free

The Un and Their Involvement in the Rwandan Genocide Essay In this paper I will give a brief history of the Genocide in Rwanda, and then I will focus on one key question: What responsibilities did UNAMIR have to help, and did they successfully accomplish those responsiblities? History of Rwanda: After the start of the First World War the Belgians moved eastward and took over Ruanda-Urundi (The colonies that were previously occupied by the Germans). In 1924, the League of Nations officially awarded that land to the Belgians. The Belgians saw the differences and problems between the Hutus (the lower class farmers) and the Tutsis (mostly upper class herdsmen), and they decided to give control of the country over to the Tutsis. From then on the Tutsis began to abuse their power and they were dominant and abusive to the Hutus. In 1933 all citizens were required to have racial identity cards, which separated the two races even more. July 1962, Ruanda-Urundi gained their independence. The Urundi and Rwanda governments split and each formed separate countries. Urundi became a monarchy and changed its name to Burundi. Rwanda continued to have ethnic struggles and there was much violence. The first president elected was of the Hutu race. His name was Gregoire Kayibanda; after the election the Tutsis were made out to be the bad guys, and they were blamed for everything. Things continued to get worse for the Tutsis, and in December 1963, after a few Tutsi militias entered into Rwanda, 14’000 Tutsis were brutally murdered. In 1973, Kayibanda was removed from the Government and Juvenal Habyarimana was put in as the new president. Habyarimana was very much anti-Tutsi and in 1986 he closed the Rwandan boarders to all Tutsis and even moderate Hutus. As opposition to the Habyarimana regime many Tutsi officers from the Ugandan army, grouped up with Rwandan Tutsis and they formed the RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front). On October 1, 1990, the officers deserted their army with all weapons and equipment in hand and moved into Southern Rwanda. This act begun what would be 4 years of the worst genocide in history. After the invasion of Southern Rwanda, the RPF moved North-East. Habyarimana defeated them with the aid of French paratroopers, provided by President Mitterrand. In December of 1990, an extremist newspaper prints â€Å"The Hutu Ten Commandments† which show the extreme hatred that the Hutu people had for the Tutsis. From that time on, the slaughtering of Tutsis continued, but there was pressure from many different countries for Habyarimana to make peace with the RPF and the Tutsi people. In 1993, there was a meeting held in Arusha, Tanzania with the hope of bringing peace to all; this was when the â€Å"Arusha Accord† was established. The â€Å"Arusha Accord† officially states that the war is over and that the remaining Tutsi refugees may return to Rwanda. The UN is called in to make sure that everything is carried out smoothly and they appoint a chapter 6 peace keeping force, UNIMAR, to see that out. On the 6th of April, 1994, the airplane carrying President Habyarimana and the President of Burundi, Cyprien Ntaryamira, was shot down. Both Presidents were killed. This marked the end of negotiations for peace and, to put it lightly, all hell broke loose in Rwanda. Between April 6th and the beginning of July, 1994 a genocide occurred that is easily one of the biggest disasters in the history of the civilized world. UNAMIR: The United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) was deployed during the time that peace talks were taking place. It was a Chapter 6 UN mission and was sent to keep the peace between the two rivaling groups, oversee government activities, and ensure safety until elections took place. The United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR) also played a role in the mission for Rwanda and they were treated as a Sector within UNAMIR. UNOMUR was stationed in Kabale, which was on the Ugandan side of the Uganda/Rwanda border opposite the area under RPF control; they were to monitor the flow of men, arms, and supplies from Uganda to the RPF in Rwanda. Their force consisted of MILOBs. A Chapter 6 mission mandate states: â€Å"First of all, seek a resolution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their choice†. That was another major problem, because when the killing was going on the troops were not allowed to defend themselves because they were only there to enforce peace by negotiation and not by way of force, as stated by the mandate. The ROE also stated that the military personnel were to, â€Å"Only fire when fired upon. † UNAMIR was an ill-equipped, undermanned, and severely limited mission. The troops in Rwanda totaled 2’584 people; they had virtually no means of transportation, very limited supplies, and very few weapons. Most of the equipment that they had was out-dated and virtually unusable. The mission had to put in requests for everything ranging from toilet paper to ammunition; much of which was never provided. This was a large part of what made UNAMIR a complete failure. There was a complete lack of attention to the mission in Rwanda and no country wanted to provide resources to help. The reason that they could get no reinforcements or supplies was because of the unwillingness of Western countries to contribute anything. The exception to that is Belgium, who contributed most of the troops that were deployed into Rwanda. The different countries around the world saw the mission in Rwanda as a sideshow to the other things that were going on, for example, in the former Yugoslavia, in Somalia, etc. This unwillingness and unconcern was what allowed the Genocide to occur and what facilitated the deaths of 800,000 people in Rwanda. There are many reasons why UNAMIR failed, most of which I have attempted to explain, but it is impossible to point the finger at just one group. There were many different factors that contributed to the Genocide. UNAMIR itself tried as hard as it could under the limited supplies and the mandate that they had. Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire did what he could with what he had, and he with the small contingent that he had saved the lives of many, but had he been given the things that he needed many thousands more could have been saved. This was not an organization, or a mission that failed; it was the failure of humanity.

Impacts on Student Learning and Academic Achievement

Impacts on Student Learning and Academic Achievement Education is the most important part of life to uphold intelligence and human can increase knowledge through which an individual move the world for good and sinful on the basis of his wishes. Education, in fact, is one of the major life processes of human beings, as there are other vital processes to live likewise education, are also a vital process in every aspect of human life. (Ahmer. F Anwer. E, 2013) There are many factors which effects on students learning and academic achievement including student performance, teacher role, family support, school environment, peer relationship and the most important factor is the socioeconomic status of parents. According to Mehmood and Saifi (2011), socioeconomic status is a combined measure of an individual’s or family’s economic and social position relative to others, based on income, education, and occupation.† The home environment is influenced by the factors such as parent’s education, occupation, income, and facilities provided to their children. All these factors together can be defined by a single term the â€Å"socio-economic status† (SES) of parents. Thus we can say that the socioeconomic status of parents affects the performance, learning and academic achievement of students. I have selected this topic because of the multiple reasons; the reason is that being a student I have also face many hurdles during my studies till now so those movements force me to choose this topic. Like me, most of the students in our society also face financial problems. So due to low socioeconomic status students cannot compete and unable to achieve their goal. In addition, they become dependent on parents and parents make decisions for them. Moreover many students end up with psychological problems like stress and depression due to the financial crisis and they can’t achieve their ultimate goal. It is generally said that the performance of students in academic depends on the socioeconomic status of their parents. Higher the socioeconomic status the better exposure to learning facilities. If parents are well educated and economically stable they afford their children to get a better education and they always support their children what they want to do. As in literature, it is also stated that well-educated parents ensure their children’s future earning by providing them auspicious learning environment but the students who belong to a low socioeconomic status family even they can’t afford their basic needs. Such students do not have access to learning facilities. (Ahmer. F Anwer. E, 2013). Research shows that students from lower socioeconomic background faced a higher risk of low achievement as compared to students from a higher socioeconomic background. Home environment and parents education are directly effect on students learning. (Nasreen. A, 2013). So the environment at home is the basic learning unit and effects a child interest and ambitions for the future. If we look upon on our society most people are more interested in rich people and they show more respect towards them and their children. So research shows that lower Socioeconomic status students have lower and lower academic achievement as compared with students of higher Socio-economic status. When a teacher makes a decision about students based on their class and Socio-economic status, they are taking the first step in checking students from having an equal opportunity for academic achievement. Ghazi et al. (2013). Due to teachers stigma mostly students suffered from their studies and they cannot show good performance in education. So its educators responsibility to overcome this stigma of poverty and help those students to boost up their hidden talent. Being a citizen of a developing country almost more than half of the total population is living in rural areas and they mostly belong to the low socioeconomic family. As our country is on the list of poor countries where the majority of the population belongs to low socioeconomic status. So it’s very difficult for parents to fulfil all the needs of their children. Poverty is the main problem which has a direct effect on students learning especially when it occurs early in the child’s life. When it remains throughout their life it influences child development in different ways, like the physical and mental health of the child as well as it influences on parents health also. It also influences child affective interactions. According to Karwowski (2012), Parents’ social position influences many aspects of their childrens school careers. The higher social position of parents of children with disabilities may make it easier for them to meet their costly needs, as well as to act as they support their children in contacts with educational institutions and to help them in their studies. I have also experienced this kind of situation in my school life. When I completed my secondary education with good grades, I got admission in Aga Khan higher secondary school but unfortunately, at that time, my father lost his job. At that time I had no any option to get admission even I couldn’t continue my studies and I missed one year and I felt at that time. Even I didn’t talk to my family members and it was a moment of disappointment for me and the family as well. At that time I consulted a counsellor who advised me to continue my studies in another college. After all these situations I realized the importance of socioeconomic status.at that time I became very sad because it was very difficult for me to cope with that situation. Due to the economic crises, I had to leave my previous school which was at the top level in our area. In literature, it is also stated that parents income level is an important factor that affects the academic achievement and performance o f their children. If the parents earn good and adequate than there would be less stress for the parents as well as for their children. They will provide learning resources easily to their children. While parents with low income, they cannot afford easily their children such a learning environment which becomes a barrier in the learning process. (Ahmad. I Khan.N, 2012). In addition, low income of parents also leads to conflicts in families due to lack of access to basic needs of their children. So the students who belong to a low socioeconomic status they cannot get a quality education and they cannot access new technology facilities like the internet to get information and they are unable to acquire new technology. As in a research among the students of a university in Sargodha shows that students who are getting facilities of new technology show high grades and they show better performance as compared to those students who belong to low socioeconomic status. Azher et al,. (2013). Another factor which affects students learning and academic achievement is parents education. Educated parents can easily understand the basic needs and important resources for their children. For the progress of any individual education plays a vital role in their life. According to Ahmad and Khan (2012), parent’s education level play an important role in the academic performance of their children. Because educated parents can easily manage the difficulties in any mode of their children’s education and they know how to encourage to create interest in the academic performance. Educated parents can easily manage their timetable to check and balance their daily activities.in addition, especially mother education is very important for child development which has a big effect on a child’s performance and academic achievement. According to Lacour. M Laura. D (2011). It is stated that mother education has an important effect on children’s score rather than parents income. The mother’s educational level has 20% higher efficiency than the father’s education level on the academic achievement of students. Another negative effect of low socioeconomic status is the cognitive development of children. Most parents use alcohol and other substance like cigarettes to cope up with stress during financial crises as I encountered such a client in my neighbour who always drinks alcohol when he faces any problem. He has two children and both are not good at their studies. Both of them always missed their classes and they even cannot solve simple mathematics problems. According to Brogan (2009). The families among low socioeconomic status there are more incidents of substance abuse, which effects on their child’s cognitive development. Especially if any mothers use alcohol during pregnancy their children are more prone to attention problems and the children with premature birth develop neurological problems like mental retardation. They also cause lessened brain development. All these problems lead to learning and performance disabilities which effects on academic achievement of children. Being a nursing student it’s our responsibility to teach about the importance of education for the better development of child and family. Another important factor is parent’s income which influences a student’s performance, therefore, it is recommended that the government should take some serious initiatives to provide jobs to people and raise the socioeconomic status of people. The government should provide financial support and should give scholarship especially to those who cannot afford the expenses of education. Mass media also play an important role in the awareness among people regarding the poor literacy condition in our country on account of socioeconomic problems.in addition, we can counsel students to do extra efforts along with their studies so that they don’t have to compromise with their studies. In conclusion, I want to say that keeping the view of the above discussion there is a direct relation between socioeconomic status and students learning and academic achievement. Especially the parents income and education level which has a great impact on children academic achievement. Therefore it’s very important to raise the socioeconomic status of people so they can easily afford their children education expenses. For this, we can have interventions individually and on government level like educating parents, mass media awareness, and scholarship etc. As it is stated in a study which is conducted in International Islamic University Islamabad that socioeconomic status has a significant impact on students learning. Akhter (2012).

Financial Performance Benchmarking in the Electricity Distribution Indu

A Review of Research Literature Results on Financial Performance Benchmarking in the Electricity Distribution Industry Introduction Since the late 1980s, there has been significant regulatory reform in the electricity transmission and distribution industries in many countries. Under traditional cost-of-service rate regulation, companies recover their costs under a regulated rate of return, which may provide little incentive to minimize costs. Alternatively, incentive or performance based regimes are designed to incent productive efficiency by compensating the company for achieving costs savings. Joskow [1] and Joskow and Schlalensee [2] discuss a number of economic regulatory models have been proposed in the literature. According to Jamasb and Pollitt [3], incentive regulation usually involves some form of benchmarking or comparison of actual versus some reference level of performance. We will review the literature results on benchmarking methods for electricity distributors. Jamasb and Pollitt [3] published the results of an international survey on the use of benchmarking in incentive regulation of electricity transmission and distribution utilities. Farsi et al. [4] provide a summary of benchmarking methods used in regulation in several countries. Both of these survey papers cite Corrected Ordinary Least Squares (COLS), Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) as methods commonly employed in electricity distribution benchmarking. After briefly describing several models of incentive regulation, we compare the literature results presented in each survey paper ( [3], [4] ) with respect to the techniques mentioned above (COLS, DEA, and SFA). We then present addition results from the literature on th... ...-specific efficiency levels in parametric, semi-parametric and non-parametric settings. Sickles, R. 2005, Journal of Econometrics, Vol. 126, pp. 305-334. 30. Estimation of technical inefficiiency in panel data models with firm and time specific effects. Kumbhakar, S.C. 1991, Economics Letters, Vol. 36, pp. 43-48. 31. Panel estimates of a two tiered earnings frontier. Polachek, S. and Yoon, B. 1996, Journal of Applied Econometrics, Vol. 11, pp. 169-178. 32. Reconsidering heterogeneity in panel data estimators of the stochastic frontier model. Greene, W.H. 2005, Journal of Econometrics, Vol. 126, pp. 269-303. 33. Kuosmanen, T. Stochastic semi-nonparametric efficiency analysis of electricity distribution networks: application of the StoNED method in the Finnish regulatory model. Aalto University School of Economics. s.l. : Social Science Research Network, 2011.

Nasty Trick in Stephen Cranes The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Essay

Nasty Trick in Stephen Crane's The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky "The great Pullman was whirling onward with such dignity of motion that a glance from the window seemed simply to prove that the plains of Texas were pouring eastward" (91). Boom! We're on a train witnessing the liquid landscape of Texas. This fact is all Stephen Crane chooses to tell us. In fact, he doesn't even use the word "train" until the ninth paragraph when he is writing dialogue for the man who is the betrothed to the woman implied in the title of the piece, "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky." We learn in the second paragraph that the couple is on a coach from San Antonio and that "the man's face was reddened from many days in the wind and the sun" (91). We also learn that the "bride was not pretty, nor was she young" and it would seem that this couple are rather out of place on this coach speeding away from San Antonio (91). Crane is up to something. Don't think he's going to leave them on this train. No, I am here to inform you that he has a nasty little trick up his sleeve an d his goal is to "deceive to delight"; he is going to try a fast bait and switch, dangling the barbed hook before your startled imagination, and then, when you least expect it, he plans to go for the kill, jerking the carpet out from beneath your very feet. The couple "were evidently very happy" (91). The "man's face in particular beamed with an elation that made him appear ridiculous to the negro porter" (92). It would seem that this handyman "bullied" them in ways to which they seemingly naà ¯ve. In fact, everything about this couple seems naà ¯ve, simple, unsophisticated. She tells him the time "with a shy and clumsy coquetry" which causes a passerby to grow "excessively sardonic" and... ... of Yellow Sky to learn of Potter's new marriage. Upon bearing witness to this fact, a befuddles Scratchy replies "Well, I s'pose it's all off now," and, "placing both weapons in their holsters," his feet make "funnel-shaped tracks in the sand" as they carry him out of the story, the covers of the book folding shut on this scene (99). And this, I suppose, explains that nasty little trick Cain had up his sleeve, his goal of "deceiving to delight" accomplished with whatever degree of success the reader is willing to grant him, his fast bait and switch ploy holding up an "innocent and unsuspecting" simpleton only to, with deft slight of pen, transform him into a hero before our unsuspecting eyes. Works Cited: Crane, Stephen. "Bride Comes to Yellow Sky." Literature: The Human Experience. 8th ed. Ed. Richard Abcarian and Marvin Klotz. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 91-99.

Shoe Horn Sonata :: John Misto

The Shoe- Horn Sonata *** "The Shoe- Horn Sonata" is a play by John Misto that gives an insight into two lives of two female POWs in WW II and is a vector of Misto’s thoughts. It explores the little known and often terrible events associated with female prisoners of war. The play follows a friendship of two women through the war to a point of tension that’s beyond what any normal friendship would have to deal with. Misto engages his audience by using a multitude of mediums to portray his story creating a truly multimedia performance. The playwright challenges the audience to look beyond this to the underlying ideas of survival, loyalty and truth. *** The play opens with a scene almost as dramatic as the characters, introducing Bridie. She stands on a spotlight demonstrating the "Kow Tow" bow for respect in the centre of the stage then "claps her hands sternly", immediately revealing the strong assertive nature of her character. The audiences become intrigued, and listen as she straightens difficulty from the Kow Tow, showing she is forceful and feisty but not young. As the "On Air" sign becomes visible the audiences realize she is being interviewed as she informs her audience she had enlisted in WW II following her dad’s footsteps. She tells her audience that her father gave her a Shoe-horn and two pieces of advice, â€Å"Don’t sit on a toilet seat until you have lined it with toilet paper† and â€Å"Never kiss a Pommie on the lips†. A marching song â€Å"Fall in Brother† was heard as images became visible on the screen of â€Å"Women Disembarking Singapore†. Misto created a dramatic atmosphere that captured the audience’s attention right through the introduction. The second scene appeared to be in the motel room where Bridie’s Friend Sheila is introduced. This scene was in the Motel Room, which was used several times in the play being a place where private revelation and growing tension between Bridie and Sheila took place. Tension between the two took place immediately in scene two as, â€Å"Bridie and Sheila stop in the doorway. There is slight but obvious tension between them†, Silence and body language were used by the two characters to create such tension towards the audiences as it is a emotion which no words can cater for or adequately express.

Environmental Movement Essay

Environmentalists advocate the sustainable management of resources and stewardship of the environment through changes in public policy and individual behavior. In its recognition of humanity as a participant in (not enemy of) ecosystems, the movement is centered on ecology, health, and human rights. The environmental movement is represented by a range of organizations, from the large to grassroots. Due to its large membership, varying and strong beliefs, and occasionally speculative nature, the environmental movement is not always united in its goals. At its broadest, the movement includes private citizens, professionals, religious devotees, politicians, and extremists. History of the movement The roots of the modern environmental movement can be traced to attempts in 19th-century Europe and North America to expose the costs of environmental negligence, notably disease, as well as widespread air and water pollution, but only after the Second World War did a wider awareness begin to emerge. The US environmental movement emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, with two key strands: preservationist such as John Muir wanted land and nature set aside for its own sake, while conservationists such as Gifford Pinchot wanted to manage natural resources for human use. Among the early protectionists that stood out as leaders in the movement were Henry David Thoreau, John Muir and George Perkins Marsh. Thoreau was concerned about the wildlife in Massachusetts; he wrote Walden; or, Life in the Woods as he studied the wildlife from a cabin. John Muir founded the Sierra Club, one of the largest conservation organizations in the United States. Marsh was influential with regards to the need for resource conservation. Muir was instrumental in the creation of Yosemite national park in 1890. Muir was also personally involved in the creation of Sequoia , Mount Rainier , Petrified Forest and Grand Canyon national parks. Muir deservedly is often called the â€Å"Father of Our National Park System. â€Å" During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, several events illustrated the magnitude of environmental damage caused by humans. In 1954, the 23 man crew of the  Japanese fishing vessel Lucky Dragon 5 was exposed to radioactive fallout from a hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll. The publication of the book Silent Spring (1962) by Rachel Carson drew attention to the impact of chemicals on the natural environment. In 1967, the oil tanker Torrey Canyon went aground off the southwest coast of England, and in 1969 oil spilled from an offshore well in California’s Santa Barbara Channel. In 1971, the conclusion of a law suit in Japan drew international attention to the effects of decades of mercury poisoning on the people of Minamata. At the same time, emerging scientific research drew new attention to existing and hypothetical threats to the environment and humanity. Among them were Paul R. Ehrlich, whose book The Population Bomb (1968) revived concerns about the impact of exponential population growth. Biologist Barry Commoner generated a debate about growth, affluence and â€Å"flawed technology. † Additionally, an association of scientists and political leaders known as the Club of Rome published their report The Limits to Growth in 1972, and drew attention to the growing pressure on natural resources from human activities. Meanwhile, technological accomplishments such as nuclear proliferation and photos of the Earth from outer space provided both new insights and new reasons for concern over Earth’s seemingly small and unique place in the universe. In 1972, the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm, and for the first time united the representatives of multiple governments in discussion relating to the state of the global environment. This conference led directly to the creation of government environmental agencies and the UN Environment Program. The United States also passed new legislation such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act- the foundations for current environmental standards. By the mid-1970s anti-nuclear activism had moved beyond local protests and politics to gain a wider appeal and influence. Although it lacked a single co-ordinating organization the anti-nuclear movement’s efforts gained a great deal of attention. In the aftermath of the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, many mass demonstrations took place. The largest one was held in New York City in September 1979 and involved 200,000 people; speeches were given by Jane Fonda and Ralph Nader. Since the 1970s, public awareness, environmental sciences, ecology, and technology have advanced to include modern focus points like ozone depletion, global climate change, acid rain, and the potentially harmful genetically modified organisms . Scope of the movement Before flue-gas desulfurization was installed, the air-polluting emissions from this power plant in New Mexico contained excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide. Environmental science is the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment. * Ecology, or ecological science, is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of living organisms and how these properties are affected by interactions between the organisms and their environment. Modern environmentalism Today, the sciences of ecology and environmental science, rather than any aesthetic goals, provide the basis of unity to most serious environmentalists. As more information is gathered in scientific fields, more scientific issues like biodiversity, as opposed to mere aesthetics, are a concern. Conservation biology is a rapidly developing field. Environmentalism now has proponents in business: new ventures such as those to reuse and recycle consumer electronics and other technical equipment are gaining popularity. Computer liquidators are just one example. In recent years, the environmental movement has increasingly focused on global warming as a top issue. As concerns about climate change moved more into the mainstream, from the connections drawn between global warming and Hurricane Katrina to Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth, many environmental groups refocused their efforts. In the United States, 2007 witnessed the largest grassroots environmental demonstration in years, Step It Up 2007, with rallies in over 1,400 communities and all 50 states for real global warming solutions. Many religious organizations and individual churches now have programs and activities dedicated to environmental issues. The religious movement is often supported by interpretation of scriptures. Most major religious groups are represented including Jewish, Islamic, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, Christian and Catholic. Radical environmentalism Radical environmentalism emerged out of an ecocentrism-based frustration with the co-option of mainstream environmentalism. The radical environmental movement aspires to what scholar Christopher Manes calls â€Å"a new kind of environmental activism: iconoclastic, uncompromising, discontented with traditional conservation policy, at time illegal †¦ Radical environmentalism presupposes a need to reconsider Western ideas of religion and philosophy (including capitalism, patriarchy[10] and globalization)[11] sometimes through â€Å"resacralising† and reconnecting with nature. [10] Greenpeace represents an organisation with a radical approach, but has contributed in serious ways towards understanding of critical issues, and has a science-oriented core with radicalism as a means to mediaexposure. Groups like Earth First! take a much more radical posture. Criticisms A study reported in The Guardian concluded that â€Å"people who believe they have the greenest lifestyles can be seen as some of the main culprits behind global warming. † The researchers found that individuals who were more environmentally conscious were more likely to take long-distance overseas flights, and that the resulting carbon emissions outweighed the savings from green lifestyles at home.

Mountain Men and Merchants

Mountain Men and Merchants; How the West was Explored and Tamed Chad D. Ramsey Student #4101887 History 300 Professor Tracy Derks December 15th 2011 During the beginning and throughout the 19th century, mountain men, trappers and merchants of the fur trade made a vital impact on the development of the previously uncharted West. These men came primarily from the East coast of the United States with a desire for adventure and the calling of a better life.Men like James Bridger, Jedediah Smith, Osborne Russell, Warren Ferris and numerous others left with expedition teams with what they could carry on their backs and on pack animals to explore the Western frontier. While these men appeared to be brave, and experienced some of the harshest conditions that the West had to offer, they were not alone, nor without help in the frontier. The mountain man had to forge relationships over the years with a key ally he would need to survive, the American Indian.Many members of these tribes, most not ably, the Crow, Flathead, Cheyenne, and Shoshone helped these mountain men in their education and understanding of the complexities of the relatively unexplored area. These adventurers, frontiersmen, and trappers were also an industrious cross section of society, who played a vital part in the history of the United States. While American Indians helped Mountain Men to explore the rugged West and were a vital link to route exploration and survival techniques, it was the trappers’ writings, maps and fur trading that played a more important role in the development and exploration of the West.One of the most important roles that these Mountain Men played initially, was that of cartographers. The rough sketching, and understanding of the layout of the land and of cardinal direction, were key ingredients for the success of the Mountain Man. Utley described these talents in Mountain Man Warren Ferris when he observed, â€Å"By Ferris’s time, most trappers could visualize a m ap of the American West more accurate and comprehensive than existed anywhere on aper. Some of what they saw, and knew, leaked out through St. Louis newspapers or spread by word of mouth. Most, However, remained locked in their minds, awaiting the intermediary equipped by training and skill to lay it before the literate world. †1 During the summer of 1847, proclaimed Mountain Man Jim Bridger had already been assisting the early Mormon pioneers who had been crossing the vast stretches of the plains in search of their Zion.Bridger had conferred with Mormon leader Brigham Young about the accuracy of his on hand maps, and even spent time drawing a map of the region for him in the dirt. Stanley Vestal described this situation when he wrote, â€Å"All that Brigham had to go by were the maps prepared by Colonel John C. Fremont- and divine guidance. Old Jim had not heard of divine guidance, and said he was â€Å"ashamed of the maps of Fremont, who knew nothing about the country, onl y the plain travelled road, and that he (Bridger) could correct all the maps published of the western world. 2 These invaluable resources also included the ability to disseminate the information and details of the drawings and maps onto other pieces of parchment, or to communicate them verbally into written form within the pages of a journal or other medium. Within the pages of Osborne Russell’s book titled, Journal of a Trapper are some nine highly detailed maps and routes that take the reader along the many legs of his journeys from 1834-1843. His maps and drawings are an example of a man who was dedicated to the work he was undertaking, and for the detail and chronology that went into it.One such excerpt concerning these details was from Osborne’s journal from June 19, 1835 when he stated, â€Å"This country affords no timber except the quaking Asp which grows in small scrubby groves in the nooks and ravines among the hills 20th we left the waters of Gray’s Creek and crossed a low place in the mountain in an east direction fell on to a small stream running into Lewis’ fork-distance 10 mls. 21st travelled East following this stream to the mouth about 15 mls which [was] about 30 mls.Below the mouth of Salt River. †3 The techniques of hunting and survival were both crucial skills for the mountain men and the trapper. They each had unspoken rules and guidelines that they lived by on a daily basis, and were the ethos they lived by. They trusted their lives to those that they knew, and who with they had fought, and were highly skeptical of any outsiders. The mountain man rarely asked anyone for any kind of assistance, while he held his own standards and earned his daily keep.These men were richly versed in the art of setting up and breaking down a campsite, and could build survival shelters and out buildings that could easily withstand the harshest of winters. Mountain men were also skilled and versed in the field craft of hunti ng game, and known for not wasting any part of a kill. Weber described one of these situations when he noted, â€Å"His companions on that trip long remember how Huddart, crazed by thirst, stuck his head inside a freshly killed buffalo to drink its blood; the story continued to be told on the trail for at least another decade. 4 Some of the essentials that every frontiersman, hunter, and trapper would have on their body or near them at all times included the following: Moccasins and buckskins, a Russell Green River knife found at most trading posts or rendezvous, a trusty horse, a good, comfortable hat to keep the sun off of the face, a â€Å"possibles bag† that carried in it everything to care for and fire a rifle, and lastly, a reliable hunting rifle.Osborne describes his personal kit he carried with him, when he declared, â€Å"A trapper’s equipment in such cases is generally one animal upon which is placed one or two epishemores, (rectangles of buffalo robe which served as padding under the saddle, and as mattresses to sleep on), a riding saddle and bridle, a sack containing six beaver traps, a blanket with an extra pair of moccasins, his powder horn and bullet pouch, with a belt to which is attached a butcher knife, a wooden box containing bait for beaver, a tobacco sack with a pipe and implements for making fire, with sometimes a hatchet fastened to the pommel of the saddle.His personal dress is a flannel or cotton shirt (if he is fortunate enough to obtain one, if not antelope skin answers the purpose of over and undershirt), a pair of leather breeches with blanket or smoked buffalo skin leggings, a coat made of blanket or buffalo robe, a hat or cap of wool, buffalo or otter skin, his hose (socks) are pieces of blanket wrapped around his feet, which are covered with a pair of moccasins made of dressed deer, elk, or buffalo skins, with his long hair falling loosely over his shoulders, completes his uniform.He then mounts and places his ri fle before him on his saddle. †5 In addition to the American Indian helping the mountain men and trappers with survival and hunting knowledge, mountain men also did the same for the Indian in return. Trappers and hunters were the first to introduce to the Indians the use of forged metals for hunting and survival. Large and small game traps were a valuable asset that could be used in multiple areas, and hunting rifles and knives were routinely traded and purchased by the American Indian to enhance and improve their way of life. Notes . Robert Utley, A Life Wild and Perilous: Mountain Men and the Paths to the Pacific (New York: Henry Holt and Co. , 1998), 155. 2. Stanley Vestal, Jim Bridger Mountain Man a Biography (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1970), 160. 3. Osborne Russell, Journal of a Trapper: In the Rocky Mountains Between 1834 & 1843, ed. Aubrey L. Haines (Santa Barbara: The Narrative Press, 2001), 14. 4. Weber, David J. The Taos Trappers (Norman: University of O klahoma Press, 1971), 73. 5. Russell, Osborne. Voices from the Wilderness: the Frontiersman’s Own Story, ed.Thomas Froncek (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974), 321. Bibliography Morgan, Dale. Jedediah Smith and the Opening of the West (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1953). Russell, Osborne. Journal of a Trapper: In the Rocky Mountains Between 1834 & 1843, ed. Aubrey L. Haines (Santa Barbara: The Narrative Press, 2001). Russell, Osborne. Journal of a Trapper: or, Nine years in the Rocky Mountains, 1834-1843: being a general description of the country, climate, rivers, lakes, mountains, etc. , and a view of the life by a hunter in those regions by Osborne Russell, ed. L. A.York (Boise: Syms-York, 1914). Russell, Osborne. Voices from the Wilderness: the Frontiersman’s Own Story, ed. Thomas Froncek (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974). Utley, Robert. A Life Wild and Perilous: Mountain Men and the Paths to the Pacific (New York: Henry Holt and Co. , 1998). Vestal, Stanley. Jim B ridger Mountain Man a Biography (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1970). Weber, David J. The Taos Trappers (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1971). http://www. mountainsofstone. com/rendezvous. htm http://westernexplorers. us/FurTrade. html http://www. uintahbasintah. org/usmountainmen. htm

Critical Review of Related Literature Essay

The economic system is the the method in which a country produces, distributes and consumes goods and services. An economic system must answer four basic economic questions that will direct a nation’s economic activity (Pride, Hughes and Kapoor, 2010): †¢ What goods and services- and how much of each- will be produced? †¢ How will these goods and services be produced? †¢ For whom will these goods and services be produced? †¢ Who owns and who controls the major factors of production? Four types of economic systems have been formulated and implemented throughout human history. These are: traditional economy, command economy, capitalist/free economy and mixed economy. Traditional economy is based on culture, tradition and rituals. This type of economy, which developed gradually characterized by slow productivity and low rising capital-labor ratios, usually consist of agriculture based societies (Mokyr, 1989). Command economies are economies in which the government owns and controls major factors of production. Also called centrally planned economy, the government decides on all issues regarding labor, mode of production and what goods and services to produce. Socialist and communist societies are examples of command economies. However, most leaders of these forms of government realized that although it was based on the principle of equality, the system was inefficient leading to shortages or surplus of products which usually resulted in political unrest (Taylor, 2007). Capitalist economic system is a system wherein individuals and private enterprises own and operate the major factors of production. Based on the lassiez-faire theories of Adam Smith in which individuals are given the freedom to utilize resources as they deem fit. The role of the government is limited to regulation and creating economic rules. This system promotes competition and prices of goods and services are determined by the mechanisms of supply and demand (Pride et. al. 2010). The last type of economy is the mixed economy wherein the advantages of capitalism or free market economy is combined with some of the principles of a command economy. In this economic form, goods and services are exchanged between households and firms. The government, on the other hand still regulates and imposes rules, but ian important responsibility of it is to collect taxes from business owners and its citizens, which will enable to also provide goods and services such as education, infrastructure and security (Pride et. al. , 2010). In this context, the market (producers of goods) answer the â€Å"wants† while the government provides the â€Å"need†. Economic Shift These economic systems have created economic shifts that determined the primary products of that economic era and the modes of production. In the traditional economies, agriculture was the main form of industry. In fact, economists estimate that the British economy in 1760 was comprised of almost 90% agriculture industries (Mokyr, 1989). However, the advent of the Industrial revolution changed the economic landscape from agriculture to industrial. The introduction of machines, technological innovations and assembly lines in to the modes of production shifted the economy form producing agricultural products to manufactured products. Post-World War Two and increasing globalization would witness another global economic shift. Again, technology played key role in the rise of service economies. Service economies are not directly engaged in manufacturing but is involved in the â€Å"provision of human value added in the form of labour, advice, managerial skill, entertainment, training, intermediation and the like† (OECD, 2000). The rapid development of information and communication (ICT) technologies have allowed companies to tap on the knowledge and intellectual properties of economies packaging them as a distinct economic output. This form of economy has bled into different industry sectors such as ICTs and healthcare, as companies are pressured to â€Å"concentrate on core competencies, reduce costs, exploit external, specialized expertise, giving rise to business process outsourcing companies. This has enabled foreign companies to tap into other foreign countries’ labor providing much needed jobs especially for developing countries. The shifting of economies, the development of technology and the success of mass production has led to the commodification of products and services. This has stripped away the personalization of products and services, mutating relationships into an exchange relation or as Karl Marx (1978) called it â€Å"callous cash payment†. Pine and Gilmore (1999), point out that although commodification has led to cost-savings, it no longer breeds growth and profitability. Thus, they reveal that there is another aspect of economy that has not fully been explored and tapped by businesses. They labelled this new approach as the Experience economy. Companies that identify experience as a distinct â€Å"economic output† are given new horizons to expand their businesses. Experience= â€Å"Economic Output† The concept of an experience economy is rooted in the principles of creating â€Å"sensations† between the consumer and the product creating â€Å"memorable† experiences (Pine and Gilmore, 1999). This economic strategy engages the customer, customizing products and services according to their needs and wants, turning the them into not just passive users of products but as important factors in the creation and marketing of the product. Pine and Gilmore (1999) refer to the coffee bean as a perfect example of the effect of experience as an â€Å"economic output†. The coffee bean is a commodity that if manufactured and sold as a good in a grocery sees a jump of between 5-10 percent in ts price from a raw commodity to a manufactured and packaged good. However, when a cup of coffee is sold in cafe’s and coffee shops, its effectively jumps to 100-300% percent of its raw price and people are still willing to pay for it? Why? Pine and Gilmore attribute this willingness to the â€Å"experience† factor that cafe’s and coffee shops add to the cup of coffee. The added experience of an ambiance of comfort, relaxation and satisfaction effectively raises the value of the cup of coffee. And yet, customers are willing to pay for that expensive cup of coffee because the drinking of one is no longer focused on the coffee itself (although the quality of the product still has the biggest percentage in the satisfaction criteria) but on the whole experience of drinking it. Experience itself is not a new concept, but economists and producers of goods have , in the past, attached it to the delivery of services that it’s power is largely unappreciated and tapped (p. 2). However, Pine and Gilmore (1999) reiterate that â€Å"experiences are as distinct from services as services are from goods† (p. 3). When a person buys a service, he purchases a set of intangible activities carried out on his behalf. But when a buys an experience, he pays to spend time enjoying a series of memorable events that a company stages-as in a theatrical play- to engage him in a personal way. (p. 2) It is through this concept of a theatre and stage that the authors initially frame the concept of experience economy. The consumers are the actors in theatres, stages and plays which are prepared, scripted and planned by companies. Thus, for the experience to be truly credible and believable, manufacturers and suppliers must change their perspective from merely providers to â€Å"stagers of events†. Customers and clients are no longer viewed as just but are treated as guests. The stagers of events must therefore be flexible, ready to adapt to the demands of their guests. This relationship between the stager and guest is much more deeper than â€Å"the callous payment of cash† referred to by Marx (1978) but actually creates a relationship between both parties building on trust and quality service. Although experience economy have primarily been associated with the entertainment industry, with the efforts of theme parks and movies to deliver realistic and truly interactive attractions through the use of 3D technology, surround sound and, in the case of Walt Disney theme parks, productions that immerse the â€Å"sights, sounds, tastes, aromas and textures† of their guests (Gilmore and Pine, p. 3). However, other industries have taken notice of this approach. Service industries such as restaurants are investing on ambiance and in services that engage all the sensations of their guests to create unique dining experiences. IT companies are racing to create much more powerful processors to create ICT experiences that are â€Å"interactive and life-like† (Grove, 1996). It has also been adapted by parking lots, department stores, appliance repairmen, and increasingly by businesses themselves to create much more dynamic and productive workplaces by bringing employees and the products closer. Evidently, the experience economy has become a philosophy for companies that seek to distinguish themselves from the competition. In this light, what industries have been greatly transformed by this philosophy? What strategies did they create in order to provide their guests with unique experiences? Did the adoption of this philosophy bring about positive effects? Or did it further lead to consumer alienation? This paper will attempt to answer these questions by reviewing cases of experience cases and provide a picture of the effect of this strategies. A critique of the philosophy will attempt to reveal its strengths, weaknesses and limitations when applied in the real world. Review of Related Literature The Cruise Ship Experience A doctoral dissertation study by Hosany and Witham (2009) focused on the cruisers’ experiences and analyzed the relationships between tourists’ experiences and personal evaluation of satisfaction and feedback. Based on the conceptualization of tourism experiences by Oh, Fiore and Jeoung (2007), the study hoped to contribute on the experiential concept of tourism by enhancing its theoretical progress and advancing important implications for cruise markets (Hosany and Witham, 2009). Oh, Fiore and Jeoung (2007) conduced a study that sought to provide empirical evidences of the experience economy as posited by Pine and Gilmore (1999). Using the setting of a Bed and Breakfast Inn, which has been identified as highly experiential in nature (McIntosh and Siggs, 2005), guests were asked to measure their lodging experiences. Utilizing a rigorous and methodologically sound approach to scale development, Oh et. al. (2007) were able to create a sound and valid scale which measured tourism experiences. The main objective of Hosany and Whitham’s study therefore was to validate the measure developed by Oh et. al. (2007) by applying it to the context of cruise tourism. This main objective was supported by two specific objectives: †¢ to identify the underlying dimensions of cruisers experiences †¢ to investigate the relationship between cruisers’ experiences, satisfaction and intention to recommend The study chose to examine the cruiser experience since these trips offered â€Å"total escape, safe transportation to exotic destinations, Vegas style entertainment, luxurious pampering service, quality food and beverage, innovative onboard features and awe-inspiring aesthetics among others† (p. 5). Cruise vacations are chosen because of their promise of luxurious care and entertainment (Cartwright and Baird, 1999) and are laden with experiential benefits that engage tourists in a unique social experience (Kwortnik, 2006). Employing survey method, the Oh et. al. (2007) tourism experience scale was reworked in order to apply to the context of the study. Variables such as: cruiser’s experience, memory, arousal, overall perceived quality, intention to recommend and satisfaction were measured along with other variable of interest such as demographic variables that included: gender, age, travel companion, number of past cruises taken, and nationality. The four dimensions of experience: education, entertainment, aesthetics and escapism were represented with four statements and were rated using a 7-point scale ranging from [1] strongly disagree to [7] strongly agree. Variables such as arousal and memories about the cruise experience were also measured using 7-point scales. Overall perceived quality and overall satisfaction were assessed through two items each (poor/excellent and inferior/superior, and extremely dissatisfied/extremely satisfied and terrible/delighted respectively). Finally, respondent;s intention to recommend were measured using the question â€Å"How likely is it that you would recommend this cruise to family and friends or family members† and through a scale of [-3] extremely unlikely and [+3] extremely likely. Data collection was done aboard the cruise ship â€Å"Rhapsody of the Seas† which is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International Cruise Line. It was achieved by approaching the cruisers less than hour after disembarking from the ship and while waiting for their coach transfers. All in all, 169 questionnaires were accomplished out of the 1859 guests onboard. The study established the validity and generalisability of the Oh et. al. (2007) measure for tourism experience. Data also revealed that the four realms of experience (education, entertainment, aesthetics and escapism) can be applied in the context of cruise experiences and still be proved reliable and valid. Although the four dimensions varied in their importance in explaining the variable outcomes of arousal, memory, overall perceived quality, satisfaction and intention to recommend, the results were similar with Oh et. al. (2007) which identified aesthetics as the main factor in experiential outcomes. This also agrees with Kwortnik’s (2008) conclusions that a ship’s design and ambient features affect cruiser’s emotions and behaviors. Hosany and Witham’s (2009) findings on entertainment contradicted Oh et. al. (2007) in that it was found to be the second strongest determinant of outcome variables. The study attributes this to the reputation of cruise ships as entertainment havens. Education and escapism dimensions were found to be of little consequence to the cruise ship experience. The study also found out that the four dimensions of cruisers’ experiences have direct impacts on passenger’s intention to recommend. Overall, Hosany and Witham’s study provide tangible and empirical findings that back-up the concept of experience economy posited by Gilmore and Pine (1999). The study’s initiative to investigate the concept’s application on an industry that has yet to be fully explored but is a perfect setting for investigating experience economy is the its greatest strength. The literature review of the study provides rich, background detail on the concepts of experience economy and other recent studies on the cruise ship industry. However, the sample of the study barely scratched the population of the its main study. The time constraint (two weeks) and the focus on only one cruise ship could be seen as the greatest weaknesses of the study. It would have been interesting to see a comparison of experiences between two cruise ships that ply the same cruise route. A lack of the effect of cruise ship employee behavior on the overall experience is an area that should have been investigated but was overlooked. This should have been an important factor for the study since Gilmore and Pine reinforces the importance of the company’s interaction in setting the feel for the â€Å"stage of experience. † the study also did not take into account the sociological aspect of the cruise, such as the effect of other cruiser’s behavior on the whole experience. Despite these, the findings of the study that revealed its greatest contribution by proving the validity of Oh et. al. ‘s (2007) tourism measure. This is a giant step for the further investigation of experience economy by providing a reliable test that can be applied in different tourism contexts. Experience Economy in the Rural Context Isaac Kwamena Arthur’s (2008) paper entitled â€Å"Conceptualisation of Experience Economy as Competitive Advantage for Rural Food Industry and Rural development† sought to introduce a framework which can be applied to the rural food industry in order for it to attain a competitive edge in an experience economy. The paper presents evidences that point to the positive implications of experience economy on business profits and community development. Studies have proven that experience economies add value to rural businesses (Fiore et. al, 2007), its usefulness in industries such as tourism (Richard, 2001; Hayes and Macleod, 2006; Oh et,al. 2007), small city development (Lorentzen et. al. , 2007) and its implication on the development of urban sports and recreation settings (Howell, 2005). Despite most experience economists identifying its products as â€Å"competitive† (Lorentzen, 2008) and providing a higher degree of â€Å"customer satisfaction and profitability† (Sims et. al. , 2007), they do not present any framework or theory to guide firm’s in maintaining this competitive advantage. Thus, Arthur’s paper sought to provide a deeper understanding of experience economy through the presentation of strategic approaches that can be adapted by rural food industries to maintain competitive advantage. Guided by the research question: â€Å"what is the experience economy and what strategic approaches exist for experience producers in the rural food industry to utilize in achieving competitive advantage? † (Arthur 2008, p. 2), the paper analyzed different views on strategic management concepts while adapting on Gilmore and Pine (1999) concept of experience economy. Employing an extensive literature review, Arthur (2008) explores the concepts of experience economy and its applications drawing mostly on the works of Gilmore and Pine (1999). he reveal that although earlier authors have identified the concept of â€Å"experience industries† (Toffler 1970, p. 221), it was Gilmore and Pine that â€Å"indicated a new orientation of experience, which is central to creating events around products† (Arthur 2008, p. 3). This idea of creating events around products therefore create experiences (such as an educational show on how a product is manufactured) which becomes the package in which products are marketed and sold. In applying the experiential economy concept on rural food industry, Arthur (2008) focused on the two forms of experience realms: customer’s â€Å"passive† or â€Å"active† involvement and the level of â€Å"immersion† or â€Å"absorption†. These two forms delineate the individual’s participation in the experience and the bond that is created between the consumer and the experience (Gilmore and Pine 1999, p. 30-31). Arthur (2008) then enumerates different examples of experiential economy at work in the rural food industry, such as the local food producers organizing food processing festivals wherein consumers can watch how food products are prepared. For further immersion, Arthur (2008) suggests educational tours that introduce consumers to the inner workings of food processing plants and by encouraging their participation in some of the processes. The escapist realm of experience can be attained by customers â€Å"being engaged in the production and processing of their product† (Arthur 2008, p. 5). He also suggests the creation of theme parks and utilization of venues where consumers can purchase various food products in order to engage the aesthetic realm of experience economy. In discovering a framework for maintaining competitive advantage, Arthur (2008) first defined the parameters of competitive advantage. He cites Besanko,et. al. (2007) definition as his basis for identifying competitive advantage as the â€Å"firms specific abilities to do or achieve things which are superior over their competitors in the market (Arthur 2008, p. 7). Arthur identifies three models which can be utilized to attain competitive advantage in the rural food industry: five Force model, resource-base view, and the relational view. The five force model identifies an industry’s profitability (Porter, 1985; Grant, 2002 and Xu et. al. , 2006) and offers an understanding that competition is not merely between competitors but involves the whole process of production and its players. The identification of these five forces are attributed to Porter (1985, p. 4): †¢ threat of new market entrants †¢ threat of substitute products or services †¢ bargaining power of suppliers †¢ bargaining power of buyers †¢ rivalry among competitors The resource base view looks at the â€Å"internal organizational resources and capabilities to achieve competitive advancement in a selected environment† (Douglas and Ryman, 2002). This framework looks at how a firm’s uniqueness can give it an edge against its competitors (Grant, 2002). Various management literatures identify relational view as the â€Å"inter-firm relations† which gives rise to a firm’s profitability (Dyer and Singh, 1998; Duschek, 2003; Douglas and Ryman, 2003). It sheds light on the importance of networking in creating competitive advantage. In combining these three models, Arthur (2008) provides a framework for rural food industries that builds upon the five force understanding of the prospects of obtaining competitive advantage through experience offerings in the rural food industry, strengthened by the firm’s identification and utilization of its capabilities and resources according to the resource base view model, and finally, through a seeking out and building of strategic alliances (based on the relational view model) to cement its position in the industry. Although Arthur (2008) was able to identify the contribution and importance of experience economy in different industry sectors,it was not able to provide new insight on the topic. This can be attributed to the methodology adapted by the study and its heavy reliance on the works of Gilmore and Pine (1999). However, it was able to achieve its both its objectives with the discovery of a framework for maintaining competitive advantage in rural food industries by reviewing and combining three strategic management models. This is the study greatest strength since it pioneers initiatives towards the creation of frameworks which cater to the performance of industries in the experience economy. But, its the study’s greatest strength is also its biggest pitfall. With the absence of a real data gathering research methodology and reliance on previous works, Arthur’s (2008) suggested framework remains a hypothesis and not yet a valid theory as it remains to be tested and operationalized within the context of the rural food industry. On a positive note, the author does plan to test his conceptual framework in a empirical case study of the Thisted food industry in Denmark. Exploring the Inner Sanctum of Experience Mark van Doorn of Philips Research presents a fresh look at the concept of experinec economy in his paper entitled An Inside Story on the Experience Economy (2006). In this paper, Doorn (2006) explores the concept of experience as a cognitive process that shapes the individual’s consumption behavior and answers the need for â€Å"psychological self-determination and well-being† (p. 1). An analysis of literature leads Doorn (2006) to cite Turner’s Literary Mind which explains that top understand the mind, one must dwell on the body and the â€Å"primitive underpinnings of the mind† (Doorn 2006, p. 2). Turner gives importance to the story or â€Å"narrative imaging† as the main component of â€Å"thought, crucial for planning, evaluating, explaining, for recalling the past and imaging the future† (Turner 1996, p. 4-5). Turner reveals that the human mind engages in experiences by creating narratives to explain even the simplest of acts (p. 13). This follows with Cognitive Science Theories that state that experiences are absorbed by the senses and processed by the mind. Doorn (2006) also explores the concept of ambient narratives wherein individuals are immersed in an interactive experience created from a mixture of virtual and real world concepts which they can change according to their own experiences. Doorn’s (2006) analysis of experience economy is such a departure from the usual studies on the topic. His paper reveals the connection between economics, psychology and literature by dispelling normal academic notions of experience economy as rooted in the delivery of personalized and highly specialized products and services. He posits that the melding of literature and performance with business and technology can actually lead to a much more interactive and effective experiential economy. However, Doorn’s (2006) analysis only reveals these connections and yet ends up with more questions regarding the creation of a â€Å"grand unification theory† (p. 10) that will answer and describe the cognitive processes of experience economy. Impacts of Experience Most studies undertaken under experience economy seeks to measure the â€Å"experience†, overlooking the impact of â€Å"experience economy† on the society in general and its effects on tourism. Joanie Willet answers this dearth of literature in her study entitled Cornwall’s Experience of the Experience Economy; Longitudinal impacts (2009). The paper will investigate the impact of experience economy on a selected area by evaluating socio-economic changes which have resulted from regional experience strategies and the impact of experience economy discourses on the area. Cornwall, England will be the case study of regional economies that really heavily on tourism. The paper is guided by the following objectives: †¢ Review the Key Tenets of the Experience Economy according to Gilmore and Pine (1999) †¢ Discuss experience economy with regards to Cornwall †¢ Trace socio-economic changes in Cornwall brought about by experience economy Findings of the study reveal that underneath Cornwall’s image as a wealthy tourism destination is a society plagued by â€Å"severe inequalities and deprivation† (p. 10). Government efforts to create an idealized English setting to promote tourism has constrained the economic opportunities in Cornwall. Willet (2009) reveals that efforts to create a unique English â€Å"experience† for tourists have led to sociological impacts detrimental on the Cornish locals. However, Willet (2009) discovers that Gilmore and Pine (1999) provides a provision wherein the personalization of â€Å"guest’s experiences† require locals to adopt advanced skills and educational assessments which will balance out the detrimental effects of the experiential economy. Willet’s (2009) study provides a holistic picture on the true sociological impacts of the rise of experience economies. This study revealed that the ideals of Gilmore and Pine’s (1999) of customized services and unique services does not necessarily lead to the development of both the consumer and producer. However, the study would have yielded deeper empirical evidence by employing research methods a such as surveys with both tourists and locales ad interviews with the key players in the Cornwall micro-economy. But overall, Willet’s study is a cautionary tale that reveals the two-sides of economic ideas. Lise Lyck’s lecture on Experience Economy as an Instrument to Create Economic Profitability presents the other side of Willet’s study. Employing case study to describe the hotel economic landscape of Copenhagen and analysis on three frontrunner hotels in Copenhagen, the investigation sought to answer two primary objectives: â€Å"Shall hotels invest in experience economy? † and â€Å"How do risk and business cycle development influence decision-making and profitability? † The methods revealed that with the construction of the Oresund Bridge brought a large influx of clients in accommodations for Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden. This led to an expansion in the number of hotels in the Oresund region, totaling to 196 hotels with 19,036 rooms in total. This economic expansion has led to hotels banking on a delivery of unique accommodations through the employment of experience economy. The case study focused on three hotels in particular: Hotel Fox (formerly Old Park Hotel), Hotel Skt,. Petri and Guldsmeden Hotel. The utilization of unique marketing techniques, innovations in core values and hotel concepts and the focus on consumer behavior have indeed turned the hotel’s adoption of the experience economy into profits and the establishment of new and better images. The case study also revealed that there was a dependency to business cycle development, which guided the creation of a framework that was specifically catered to the investment in hotels. This model, when applied to the case studies, rendered useful decision-making insights in the context of experience economy investment projects. This study presents another framework that is useful in the application of experience economy in real world situations. The study was able to demonstrate that through innovative industry practices and a full commitment to the delivery of unique experiences can indeed yield profits especially for service sectors such as hotel chains. Once again, this study blurs the distinction between the delivery of service and experience. Is is however evident that in the context of hotels, the delivery services are much more effective and appreciated when packaged as an experiential product. Research Proposal The review of related literature revealed the different aspects in which the economics of experience have been investigated. The manner in which experience economy was investigated mirrored an outward spiral model in which early studies focused on the description, distinction and investigation of the â€Å"experience† itself. Studies that focused on these were able to reveal the importance of consumer behavior in influencing the type of experience to be delivered. Most early studies also sought to prove or disprove the initial principles posited by Gilmore and Pine in their assertion of the experience as a separate â€Å"genre of economic output† (Gilmore and Pine, introduction) â€Å"distinct from services as services are from goods† (p. 2). However, recent studies on the topic have led to a widening of horizons, and stepping out from the core of the spiral model of experiential economic research. These studies, such as Willet and Lyke, explore the socio-economic impacts of the real world implementation of experience economy. These studies have revealed the positive and negative impacts on businesses and communities, both cautioning and encouraging economic policy-makers and decision-makers. Useful data culled from the review of related experience economy literature for the research proposal would be the tourism experience measure of Oh et. al. (2007) discussed and adapted by Hosany and Witham (2009) in their own investigation of cruisers’ experiences. The study can utilize and adapt this tool in measuring tourist behavior and satisfaction towards Thai indigenous tourism products. Although Arthur’s study is merely a proposal, its ideas on the local implementation of experience economy and its framework for competitive advantage can be applied on the case study of the Four Seasons hotel and the Rose Garden Hotel. The numerous case studies presented in the review of related literature can provide a useful guide for analyzing the economic viability of experience economy in the context of Thai tourism. Especially of value is the last case study of hotels in Copenhagen which provided a framework and guidelines in the implementation of investment projects based on experience economy. The research proposal can then prove or disprove the validity of the framework by applying it to experience economy investment projects in the context of Asian countries. References: Taylor, John. (2007). â€Å"Economics. † Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Mokyr, Joel (ed. ). (1989). â€Å"The Economics of Industrial Revolution. † Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. Pride, William, Hughes, Robert and Kapoor, Joey. (2010). â€Å"Business. † Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (2000). â€Å"The Service Economy. † Science Technology Industry. OECD. Gilmore, Jim and Pine, Joe. (1999). The Experience Economy: Work is Theatre and every Business is a Stage. † Aurora, OH: Strategic Horizons LLP. Grove, Andrew. (1996). â€Å"Keynote Speech: Comdex computer show. † November 18, 1996.