Gestalt Laws Essay

The Law of Figure-Ground This law is to subdivides the image into two parts, one that is clear to the eyes and another one, that is not so clear, sometimes our mind focus so much in one image that can see the other one. This image is a great example, where you can see batman and joker. The Law of Simplicity This law is about that a content of what you see must be simple, otherwise the person that is seeing the image, ads or a website get tired of looking the important information on it. Example of a good usage, advertisement from WWF The law of proximity This law says that the items that are the belong together must stay that way, to avoid misunderstanding and to become clear. For example you can see that is clear that the name of the woman on the front cover of the magazine it’s called Nicole Scherzinger The law of similarity This law is used a lot in the packaging of the products where the people associate color, shapes, forms or typography to a certain brand. A really strong example of that is coca-cola. The Law of Symmetry This law says that the symmetrical images are mo please to our eyes and we associate better parts of the images better if they are symmetrical. A example is this photo of a building that have symmetrical architecture. The Law of Similar Background This law helps grouping information by giving a different background. Such as this image that uses the background color blue to identify the sponsors. The Law of Closure The Law of Closure explains why elements are recognized even if they are incomplete or nonexistent. The Law of Gap-filling The Law of Gap-filling says that our brains fills the gaps in a image. Such as this dalmata that is not complete The law of continuity This law explains that every time that we see a continuous image or a arrow we tend to continue follow that direction. As this image that says to look to the left but our brains follow the arrow.

Insurance Business in Bangladesh Essay

Acknowledgement We really enjoyed working on this report . At the time of completing different parts of the report like collecting information from different source and working with the group members and then compile different parts of the report and so on. This report is a required term paper of our â€Å"Banking & Insurance† course and our honorable course faculty, Mr. Md. Amdadul Hoque is the person who has guided us throughout preparing the report . We are thankful to him and we have tried to make this report as his instruction. We would like to thank all mighty Allah for keeping everything on right track. Finally, we would like to thank our parents and friends without whose support it was impossible for us to complete the report. OBJECT OF REPORT This study addresses the findings of the prolem of insurance companies in public and private sectors in Bangladesh and to suggest policy measures for improving insurance services delivery process in Bangladesh. The following research questions were addressed: what are the ways of overcoming the problems of Insurance business in Bangladesh? Moreover, this writing will try to highlight the underlying causes behind the non-popularity of the insurance companies in Bangladesh. We also highlights the prospects of insurance business in Bangladesh. BACKGROUND OF THE INSURANCE BUSINESS IN BANGLADESH In Indian subcontenent the insursance come at the period of British. During the tine of Pakistan period there was about 49 insurance company in the country. After independence of Bangladesh, insurance industry was nationalized. Subsequently through the enactment of Insurance Corporation Act VI, 1973, two corporations namely Sadharan Bima Corporation (SBC) for general insurance and, Jiban Bima Corporation for life insurance were established in Bangladesh. SBC was acting as the sole insurer of general insurance till 1984. Between 1985 to 1988 first generation of private general insurance companies were emerged as Bangladesh Government allowed the private sector to conduct business in all areas of insurance for the first time in 1984. A total of 16 private general insurance companies were registered in that phase. In 1996 another 8 private general insurance companies were registered. The third generation of private general insurance companies, which included 18 companies, came into operation between 1999 and 2001. The general insurance market in Bangladesh now consists of 43 private sector insurance companies and 1 state owned insurance company. Insurance Corporation (amendment) Act 1990 provides that 50% of all insurance business relating to any public property or to any risk or liability appertaining to any public property shall be placed with the SBC and the remaining 50% of such business may be placed with this corporation or with any other insurers in Bangladesh. But for practical reason and in agreement with the Insurance Association of Bangladesh SBC underwrites all the public sector business and 50% of that business is distributed among the existing 43 private general insurance companies equally under National Co-insurance Scheme. INSURANCE COMPANIES IN BANGLADESH There are two types of Insurance companies in Bangladesh Genarel insurance companies in our country are as follow : Agrani Insurance Co. Ltd. Asia Pacific General Insurance. East Land Insurance Co. Ltd. Global Insurance Ltd. Home Land Insurance Co. Ltd. Janata Insurance Co. Ltd. Loyeds Insurance Company ltd. Mercantile Insurance Company ltd. Paramount Insurance Company Limited. Pioneer Insurance Company Limited. Provati Insurance Co. Ltd. Pragati Insurance Limited. Phoenix Insurance Company Ltd. Peoples Insurance Co. Ltd. Northern Generla Insurance Co. Ltd. Meghna Insurance Company Limited . Karnaphuli Insurance Co. Ltd. Islami Commercial Ins. Co. Ltd. Green Delta Insurance Co. Ltd. Federal Insurance Company Limited. Eastern Insurance Co. Ltd. Desh General Insurance Co. Standard Insurance Limited. Sonar Bangla Insurance Ltd. Sadharan Bima Corporation ltd. Samata Insurance Company ltd. South Asia Insurance Co. Ltd. Takaful Islami Insurance Ltd. Life Insurance companies in Bangladesh: American Life Insurance Company. Delta Life Insurance Company Ltd. Federal Insurance Company Limited. Jiban Bima Corporation Popular Life Insurance Company Ltd. National Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Progati Life Insurance Limited Rupali Insurance Company Limited Sunflower Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Baira Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Fareast Islami Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Home Land Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Meghna Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Padma Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Prime Insurance Company Limited Progressive Life Insurance Company Ltd. Shandhani Life Insurance Co. Ltd. PROBLEMS OF INSURANCE BUSINESS IN BANGLADESH 1.1) Lack of trustworthiness : Lack of trustworthiness is the most important barrier (71.9% respondents) in case of popularity of the insurance companies where as lengthy process in getting payment after any incident is in the second position with 62% response. It can be seen that both the stated variables are related in the sense that time killing behavior in payment after incidence is reducing the trust of the customers towards the insurance companies 1.2) Low income of the people : It was also found that the low income and purchasing power (43%) doesn’t permit the people of Bangladesh to go for an insurance policy. Practically we can easily relate the above mentioned factors. For example, in one hand the lower income of the people is creating barrier in buying insurance policy 1.3) Unattractive offerings: the insurance companies offer many types of policies but these are not attractive to the peoples for this reasons they did not take policies. They always make same types of offers this is also a reason of demotivation. 1.4) Lack of information about the insurance companies: the insurance companies are not delivering their information (regarding company and insurance policy) properly or evenly which is another problem (42.8%) in case of non-popularity of the insurance companies. 1.5) High service processing cost : The service cost of insurance business are very much higher than other business and this is also a reason of non popularity of insurance business. 1.6) Less convincing sales people: Surprisingly it was found that the sales people are doing well in convincing customers even though still 22% people believe that sales people are not that much convincing. 1.7) Lengthy process to get payment after incidents: The most important barrier in case of popularity of the insurance companies where as lengthy process in getting payment after any incident is in the second position with response. It can be seen that both the stated variables are related in the sense that time killing behavior in payment after incidence is reducing the trust of the customers towards the insurance companies. PROSPECTS OF INSURANCE BUSINESS IN BANGLADESH It is the general belief of common people that Insurance companies are not sincere in making payment and resorts many whimsical reasons for declining claims which are not taken care of while opening policy. Due to the negative attitude,the penetration rate in the industry is still very low (only 0.62% of GDP) even having immense prospects. Overall solvency position of general Insurance companies was found moderate. On analysis, it was found that 15.38% companies have poor solvency position followed by 23.07% marginal, 42.30% above average and rest 19.23% have satisfactory solvency position. Solvency position is usually determined by a good number of indicators likeequity base, exceptional loss reserve, technical reserve, internal capital generation, underwriting leverage etc. The new Insurance ordinance re-fixed the minimum paid upcapital of TK. 400 million which will have to be met within a stipulated timeframe.None in the industry is at comfort zone regarding capital as per new law. A few 1st generation companies together with the listed third generation companies have paidup capital of TK. 150 million or more. However, couple of 1st generation companies enhanced their equity base through generating exceptional loss reserve. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The demographic trends suggest that as private insurance companies (both local and multinational) have proliferated in Dhaka city, better educated and more affluent people have gravitated to these insurance companies for insurance services. These people/clients are likely to have better information about the quality of services provided by both public and private insurance companies and their inclination to select private insurance companies suggests, implicitly, that the quality of service is better at these private firms even though their (private insurance companies) service cost is somewhat higher. Moreover, many branch operation of private insurance companies help the people to make evaluation among them and making an insurance decision in favor of those which are trustworthy. But between the private local and foreign insurance company choice, clients are mostly considering foreign private insurance companies due to its trustworthiness, experience in operation and wide area cove rage. Less number of branches of the public insurance companies may be another prime reason of not being preferred by the local clients. By definition, it might be more authentic if the clients were inclined towards the public insurance companies from trustworthiness point of view, but as statistics suggests in favor of choosing foreign private insurance firms, probably we have to be satisfied by saying that it is in many respect guided by client’s psychology of getting better and prompt services. The incentive structure must also play a role in ensuring the quality services delivered by the public insurance companies. One solution is to tie part of the compensation of insurance personnel in public companies to services rendered and feedback received from clients. This, of course, is a complex issue and has implications for pay scale administration, since public bank staffs, as government servants, are paid according to certain pay structures. While beyond the scope of this paper, authors feel that compensation flexibility is necessary to reward those who are dedicated to providing quality insurance services. If compensation adjustments can’t be incorporated, benefits-including promotion, transfer in more valued branches, study leave, performance bonus and the like-could be tied to performance evaluation mechanism. There must be a formal procedure of evaluating the employees by the clients through some questionnaire type performance appraisal form. A suggestion, objection or recommendation book in the branch can be introduced where the clients can even complain or appreciate about a specific employee. Public awareness and the transparency of the high official may have a positive impact on that issue. Moreover, clients have rated reference by family and friends as another very important determinant in insurance provider choice. To enhance a positive reputation of the insurance company, they can follow the strategies stated below: – Do a lot of personal selling of services to the clients and encourage existing customers to tell good about your services to the potential customers. Carefully choose personnel who interact with the customers . Positive and societal marketing activities to build and project specifi company image to maximization of popularity. Design facilities to achieve specific marketing or image objectives of the organization . Establish formal system for controlling quality of insurance services to provide specific effort to encourage customers to tell others about your services. From the political and social behavior of the people it can be said that demand for these services will be higher in near future. Even staying more with an insurance company is also dominated by many special services. Insurance companies, especially public one must think about more value added services. BIBLIOGRAPHY 01)Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2004. â€Å"Report of Financial Service Providers in Bangladesh†. 02)Berri, Leonard L. (1980), â€Å"Service Marketing is Different 03)www.google.com 04)â€Å"Insurance Principiles And Practice† By M.N Mishra.

Analysing Strategic Management and Leadership

Analysing Strategic Management and Leadership This unit is all about strategic management and leadership. This assignment will cover the link between strategic management and leadership style in organisation in different situations. Strategic management and leadership is an ability to anticipate the future requirement that is for an organisation to be proactive in maintaining flexibility, motivation and empower the people to create the strategic change for the growth of organisation. Strategic management is all about shaping strategies and taking important decision for the organisation to survive and to get success in the face of competitive challenges and from other pressures from within and outside organisation. 1.1: Link between Management and Leadership Both word strategic management and leadership are often used interchangeably, although these words actually describe two different concepts. The main aim of management is to maximize the output of organisation through administrative implementation. His functions include; org anizing, planning, directing and controlling. While according to John Kotter (1996)† leadership is the set of practises that create the organisation in first place or adapt them to significantly changing circumstances. Strategic management is a vital area for any organization. It helps to improve an organisational performance and productivity. It is the responsibility of the strategic manger to design strategies for the future needs of the organisation. Designing and setting the plan is the job of strategic managers or we can say strategic management but to bring this plan and design into practice is the job the leadership. Leadership qualities are required to achieve those goals and targets which are set by the strategic management. ‘Central to strategic success is aligning the right leaders with the right skills in the right places at the right times to achieve desired competitive results’ (William J. Rothwell 1999) To run an organisation successfully and get th e goals and objectives of the firm both qualities of a manager and leaders are needed. A manager needs leadership qualities to be effective be and successful in taking initiative while leader needs some management capabilities to run the organisation. It is the job of the strategic manager to decide what they need to do and what they need to avoid to achieve objective in longer term. They make the policies internally and externally to achieve their goals. 1.2: Impact of management and leadership styles on strategic decisions. Management and leadership style play pivotal role on strategic decisions. They make decision according to the expectation of the organisation and their decision always have the support of the team. It is the style of the management and leader which keeps organization moving. Different styles have different type of impact on strategic decision and organisation. For example if we look at the democratic style of management and leadership, in this style management always consult and discuss with their team which makes them feel more responsible and motivates them to work hard. It is the job of strategic manager to decide and make critical decision regarding the future of the organisation. It is the wisdom of the management and leadership that drives the organisation forward. It is their vision which has always great impact on the organisation. Their style of management and leadership plays vital role on the decision making and on the future of the organisation. They should have the style which changes according to the situation, sometime they are very much cooperative and give everybody chance to express but if situation demands them to be more authoritarian they have the style approach and power to change them.

Non - Naturalism in British Television Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Non - Naturalism in British Television - Essay Example The paper addresses contemporary television sequences and raises new questions about such issues in adaptation. The importance of the content lies in its attempt to place British television at the centre of late twentieth century British culture and to relate the criticism of television drama to a wider history of aesthetic debates and arguments. The study does not proposes a theory of everything or a new general theory of television, but enlightens with historical and critical analysis of one bit of television, a particular corner of the field of dramatic narrative which has a particular political, cultural and aesthetic efficacy of its own, at the same time, it shares the efficacy of the ‘television’ itself. According to Dennis Potter, a professional writer for television as well as a creative artist, most television ends up offering its viewers a means of orienting themselves towards the generally received notions of ‘reality’. The best naturalist of realist drama, of the Loach-Garnett-Allen school for instance, breaks out of this cosy habit by the vigour, clarity, originality and depth of perceptions of a more comprehensive reality. The best non-naturalist drama, in its very structures disorientates the viewer smack in the middle of the orientation process which television perpetually uses. It disrupts the patterns that are endemic to television, and upsets or exposes the narrative styles of so many of the other allegedly non-fiction programme. It shows â€Å"the frame in the picture when most television is busy showing the picture in the frame†. It is potentially the more valuable of the two approaches. Naturalism and realism have had a history of disagreement since nineteenth century. ‘Non-naturalism’, then is shorthand founded on shorthand. The critic or professional has ever referred to naturalism in television drama as a term of approval, something

R&D 3 Plan and Develop Solution Progress Check TMGT421 Research Paper

R&D 3 Plan and Develop Solution Progress Check TMGT421 - Research Paper Example Testing and recording these features will make it possible and easy to know which components of the air conditioners make them high electric energy consumers (United States, 1989). These sampled features will then be cross-examined with the minimum electric requirements of the components of domestic air conditioners. After adjusting the identified features to the recommended electrical energy requirement thresholds, the modified air conditioners will be reinstalled in the houses from which they were sampled (National Research Council (U.S.), 1990). The efficiency and effectiveness as well as the electric energy consumptions of these air conditioners are to be monitored. One feature that shall be incorporated on the experimental air conditioners is the thermostat to regulate the temperatures within which they should operate. It is known that an air conditioner should run two to three cycles per hour; hence, adding a temperature regulator will ensure that these cycles are not prolonged thereby leading to too much of electric consumption. The project will use five air conditioners that shall be left to operate for a period of five months after making the necessary adjustments. Both qualitative and quantitative data shall be collected to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness (qualitative, since th e user will give reports0 and new electric bill collected from the designated households (quantitative) to give a report of the changes realized on the electric energy consumption (National Research Council (U.S.) and National Academies Press (U.S.), 2010). Nonetheless, the modified air conditioners should be highly effective and efficient than the current ones. National Research Council (U.S.)., & National Academies Press (U.S.). (2010). Capabilities for the future: An assessment of NASA laboratories for basic research. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press. United States. (1989). R & D in the construction industry:

Valuation of Nonlisted Companies in Emerging Markets Essay

Valuation of Nonlisted Companies in Emerging Markets - Essay Example Rapid changes are taking place in the economies of these countries and they provide a wonderful ground for investors to reap huge benefits. When compared to the developed world, the return on investment in these economies is higher and faster, as the rate of industrialization and growth in niche sectors is rapid. While we talk of investment, we have to distinguish between investment in listed companies and non-listed companies in these emerging economies. There is a difference in the way investments and returns are made in listed and non-listed companies. While listed companies are governed by stringent rules dictated by the respective governments, non-listed companies enjoy a certain degree of autonomy in their operations. There is a difference in the valuations of these non listed companies as compared to the listed companies. It is very important to critically examine the valuations of these non-listed companies in emerging markets, before a foreign or even a domestic investor puts in his capital. In the International Experts Meeting on Corporate Governance of non Listed Companies, held in Istanbul, Turkey on 19-29 April, 2005, a large number of policy makers, business leaders and other experts deliberated on the issues of corporate governance of non listed companies, namely different ownerships, sourcing of capital, transparency requirements, professional management and the role of the policy makers in ensuring the above-mentioned factors. This meeting was organized by the OECD and had participants from 36 countries1.The group concluded that there was a need for better corporate governance, meeting compliances, increase in size and capital ploughed in, transparency and working towards shareholders' benefit in non listed companies in the emerging markets to help the economy which, in many case was dependent on the success of these family-owned entities. In another study conducted in Chile, it was found that in some case, there is a conflict of interests between controlling and minority stakeholders. Pyramids seem to be an effective way of separating cash from controlling rights. This is an effective way for economic groups to exercise control over productive assets and to establish internal capital mechanisms that can compensate for poorly developed formal markets. However, establishment of pyramids could be detrimental to the market value of companies and to the economy of the country as well2. Research Process After reviewing the available literature, it seems logical to go about the research process by undertaking a study of non- listed companies in emerging markets, the main examples being China, India, Russia, Brazil. This would represent almost the majority of the developing world. A relative analysis of company ownership, cost of capital, cost of resources, market valuations, professional management, corporate governance and popularity on the local and international stock markets could be carried out. Two cases per country: one of a listed company and another of a non-listed company could be compared and the discussions and results arrived at. A study of each country's policies in the area of listed and non-listed companies would also have to be undertaken, and the need for improvement/change in

Community assessment of Marinette, Wisconsin Research Paper

Community assessment of Marinette, Wisconsin - Research Paper Example On the other hand, it is said that approximately ten percent of all families and 34 percent of families with a female householder and no husband present had incomes below the poverty level (Bayless, B. 2005). The below graph shows the poverty levels at the county of Marinette. The major cause of non violence related death in the county of Marinette is mainly the usually the lung related ailments and this are mainly caused by smoking of tobacco. It is reported that approximately about 15% of all the deaths which are reported in this county is due to smoking. It is also said that cigarette smoking do usually cause about 79% of all the lung cancer deaths in this county and about 13% of all the deaths in this county is due to heart related ailments (Bayless, B. 2005). According to the police unit in this county, the overall crime rate which was reported in this state is the highest in all the counties in the Wisconsin state. However, most of the crimes which are committed in this state mainly consist of petty robbery which is followed by burglary. Assault is also on the increase in this states and the below table highlights the crime rate at this country and it is based on statistics which were collected in the year 2004. As at the year 200, the major language which was spoken in this county is the Germany language and this was attributed to the fact most of the inhabitants of this county are whites from Germany and they consist about 37.8% of all the white population which is about 98.08%. Other primary languages which are spoken in this country include English and polish. The secondary language includes Spanish, French, Hindu and the native language. According to the below table, we can see that the population of this county is somehow composed of whites and the majority of the whites are from Germany and hence making it the major language which is spoken in this county. The Germans are also followed by the polish and of which some of them speak the Germany language. Marinette County, Wisconsin Estimate Total: 42,729 White alone 41,653 Black or African American alone 106 American Indian and Alaska Native alone 314 Asian alone 64 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone 0 Some other race alone 256 Two or more races: 336 Two races including Some other race 32 Two races excluding Some other race, and three or more races 304 Source: U.S Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community survey. What are the 3 main causes of death in the community The main cause of death in the community is mainly attributed to heart and lung related ailments. Most of these deaths are usually attributed to smoking of cigarettes which have affected most of the community members. Also

The Role of Milk-Derived Peptides in Metabolic Syndrome Article - 1

The Role of Milk-Derived Peptides in Metabolic Syndrome - Article Example Several factors have led to increased incidences of metabolic syndrome and they include unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, the obesity epidemic, and tobacco use. Metabolic syndrome (Mets) can be reduced by improving one's diet and this may involve taking low- fat milk and dairy products, high intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and reduced intake of meat, sugar, and fat. A change in lifestyle can also lead to a reduction in Mets and it may involve regular physical activity and check on the dietary habits. Several signs serve as indicators of metabolic syndrome and a victim may display several of them. Such as blood pressure exceeding 130/185 mmHg, fasting blood glucose equal or higher than 100mg/dl, large waist circumference (length around the waist) for men 40 inches or more, women 35 inches or more. Triglycerides levels may rise to 150mg/dl or more. Several researchers have reported on the beneficial role of dairy peptides in the prevention of metabolic syndrome and have created much debate with many commercialization of dairy products currently on-going. The aim of this paper is to review the perceived beneficial effects of dairy products in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome and to analyze the known facts and the perceived faults that exist in the role of dairy products in the prevention and treatment of the disease. Bioactive peptides derived from milk have been found to be beneficial in prevention and treatment of MetS. Various mechanisms of managing Mets may include; decreasing body mass, regulating insulin, blood pressure and cholesterol with the ultimate goal of losing 7% -10% of one’s current body weight. If one has impaired fasting glucose tolerance a diet which is rich in fiber and low saturated fat with increased physical exercise can help reduce this. It has been noted that peptides from dairy products are protective in preventing ischemic coronary disease, heart attack, and diabetes.  

The Clash of Civilizations Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Clash of Civilizations - Term Paper Example Huntington (1998, pp.19) has called this a rediscovery of â€Å"new but often old identities.† Huntington (1998, pp.21) has argued that world has become â€Å"multi-polar and multi-civilizational† which character has been replacing the bipolar world of the cold war period. He (Huntington, 1998, pp.21) has further stated that a new grouping of states has been emerging based on world’s major â€Å"seven or eight civilizations. These civilizations have been listed as the Western civilization, Latin America, former Soviet Union, Eastern world, Muslim countries, Sub-Saharan African nations, and also the lone countries (Huntington, 1998). It is also observed that â€Å"the balance of power among civilizations are shifting†, in favor of Non-Western countries as they are amassing more wealth, political strength and military base (Huntington, 1998, pp.21-23). Drawing attention to the â€Å"gap between Western principles and Western action,† Huntington (1998, pp.184, 21), opined that â€Å"west’s universalist pretentions† has escalated this conflict. He (Huntington, 1998, pp.103) has further suggested that in order to survive the conflicts, West should accept its identity as unique rather than universal and integrate what is called a western identity. Another assumption of this book is that the world is being split into two distinct and separate cultural entities, namely, â€Å"the peoples of Western Christianity, on the one hand, †¦(and)†¦ Muslim and Orthodox people, on the other†(Huntington, 1998, pp.28). Huntington (1998, pp.102) had believed that Aisan civilization and Isl amic civilization would be the two major forces that would put great challenges before the west against its present domination of the world. This analysis of world politics has also concluded that â€Å"Muslims have traditionally divided the world into Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb, the

Locus of Control, Optimism Levels, and Perseverance during a Essay

Locus of Control, Optimism Levels, and Perseverance during a Frustration Task - Essay Example According to Strain (1993), the concept of Locus of Control has not yet been applied to the study of college students and their ability to persist at school. Individuals with internal Locus of Control are believed to be mentally more aware, able better equipped for learning, and highly motivated as compared to those with external Locus of Control (Stone and Jackson, 1975). It is hypothesised in this report that a higher degree of optimism will correlate with a greater internal Locus of Control in an individual. And that a higher level of pessimism will correlate with a greater external Locus of Control. An optimist will perceive that many aspects of life are controllable and will therefore make efforts and take risks which will promote this belief, thus turning their Locus of Control internal. Whereas pessimists perceive that they are helpless to affect the events happening around them, so they will avoid taking steps to change things and thereby change their Locus of Control to exte rnal. The study of Locus of Control - both internal and external was found to provide valuable evidences on the behaviour and approach of individuals studied in terms of their reactions to marketing approaches where the factor of luck was involved (Tosi, Rizzo, and Mero, 2000). It was found that individuals with internal Locus of Control were more vulnerable to ideas of luck than those with an external orientation Miyazaki, Anthony, and Sprott, 2001). According to Tosi and colleagues (ibid), internal control is often correlated with better and more efficient work control in terms of adjusting to work environment, satisfaction, coping with stress, as well as level of involvement in one's job. While those with an external Locus of Control might exhibit a highly negative approach towards tasks or jobs that require independent action or decision making. A deeper analysis of such negativity or pessimistic behaviour was more deeply examined by Seligman and Martin (1991), these researchers repor t a strong link between pessimism and depression and suggest that the negative acts or behaviours are most often the results of learned helplessness. In this present study, those with an internal Locus of Control will likely be able to overcome the challenges presented to them. Individuals with an external Locus of Control will be more likely to have a negative outcome during the evaluations. The tasks presented in this experiment have to do with easily solvable "Non-Frustration" puzzles and unsolvable "Frustration" puzzles. It is expected that there will be a greater degree of perseverance for the "Non-Frustration" puzzles than the "Frustration" puzzles. In regards to GESS scores, the hypothesis is that the higher the score the more likely the test subject will be willing to persevere with a Frustration puzzle than those with a lower GESS score. Similarly, with a higher ICI score the hypothesis is that the subject will have greater perseverance with the Frustration puzzle than thos e with a lower ICI score. In summary, three hypotheses will be tested in this study. Hypothesis 1 is that there exists a relationship between Internal versus External Locus of Control and Optimism and Pessimism as measured by the GESS and ICI. Hypothesis 2 is that the GESS and

School Lunches Essay Example for Free

School Lunches Essay Studying at school takes much energy from millions of students all over the world. Pupils spend at school approximately 8 hours per day. Therefore many pupils have chronic illnesses, according to that 80 % of school leavers are limited in a profession choice. These problems arise due to malnutrition in school canteens. Consequently this problem worried minds of society. The aim of the report is to explore level of food which submit in Latvia and other camps of the world. â€Å"We can do a tremendous amount of good for kids across the country if we change school lunches,† says Chef Ann Cooper, the self proclaimed â€Å"renegade lunch lady†. Chef Ann Cooper is a celebrated author, chef, educator, and enduring advocate for better food for all children (Insite, 2010) It was established that one of the causes of various â€Å"school† diseases such as dental caries, stunting, disease of the gastrointenstinal tract as well as obesity occur due to the poor quality of food, which is provided by the school administrators, assert Hutton (2011). The author claims that students who chose eating lunch which was proposed by school tended to have excess weight in comparison with those students who chose taking lunch from home. Read more:  Essay About School Canteen   As a rule, students prefer eating fatty meals, for instance, burgers, french fries, chips, drinking sugary lemonades than fruits, vegetables and drinking still water. (Suddath, 2009) It means that the school administration should ban to sell fast food which contain high level of fats. Lucy Komisar is an investigative reporter and author of articles in â€Å"The New York Times† newspaper contend, that schools get food for lunches free of charge from the Agricultural Department and then some schools cook it on site but unfortunately majority schools prefer to turn these qualitative and fresh products into fried chicken nuggets, fruit pastries and others. It means that food loses the nutrition qualities after being processed. Many schools continue to exceed the standards for fat, saturated fat and sodium. (Komisar 2011) The author consider that it occurs because the school administration aspires to save money, because they not want to pay a salary to kitchen workers. Such situation occurs at present in United States of America. The problem of unhealthy food is actual not only in United States of America, but also in European countries. The statistic shows that an obesity epidemic reigns in Great Britain as well, because 25% of young people being classified as obese or overweight (Oliver 2012). Oliver (2012) believes that a school meal is vital for children`s health,  because it is one-third of a child’s daily nutritional intake. It is badly that parents of some children are too busy to cook for their children or they cook – ready meals, thus the only one possibility to eat nutritious meal for children is a school canteen, notes Oliver. Hence government should do everything to encourage children to make healthy choice, otherwise â€Å"children will continue to suffer† wrote author. Finally, compare existing situation in Latvia. The government of Latvia banned to sale in the school canteens and kindergartens unhealthy food and beverages such as: ships, coloured fizzy drinks, dye – containing chewing gums, report Leta (2006). The author state that instead of lemonades school canteen offers more healthier drinks, such as fruit or vegetable juices, water or milk. Milk and dairy products contain many valuable nutrients – calcium and protein, which should be acquired by an organism in childhood and adolescence, recommend doctors. Latvian reform of transformation school`s food, shows good results. The research shows that majority of pupils consider that the most healthier food is dairy products, soups and grain as well, ascertained the research participants. Pupils admitted that at their daily diet there are many vegetables and fruit, which helps them to restore energy (Leta, 2012). Thus the situation in Latvia is encouraging that our children will be healthy and the most cleverer in the world.

A Study Of Semantics and Pragmatics Interface Essay

A Study Of Semantics and Pragmatics Interface Essay Grice suggests that there is an apparent division of labour between semantics and pragmatics in terms of saying and implicating. For every linguistically acceptable sentence of a language, a semantic theory delivers truth-conditions that have been transplanted onto a Gricean view of the semantics-pragmatics divide. As a result, many people conceive that truth-conditions can be put in a way that they are necessarily free from pragmatic considerations. Some argue by challenging the view for pragmatic intrusion into truth-conditional content while others insist preserving a pragmatically clean conception of semantics. Different proposals appear in supporting these controversial arguments. In this paper, I will focus on studying the boundary between semantics and pragmatics, and examining their interface. LINGUISTIC BACKGROUND Semantics and pragmatics are both involving sophisticated methods of studying meaning with different focuses where semantics focuses on the relation between signifiers, such as words, phrases, signs and symbols, and what they stand for, their denotata while pragmatics studies the ways in which context contributes to meaning. The key issue is whether their objects to be analyzed can be separated from each other or if each sub-discipline can give one individual object called meaning. Semantics was conventionally responsible for compositionally deduced sentence meaning, in which there is a combination of the meanings of lexical items and the structure involved. Unquestionably, the truth-conditional semantics is the best developed approach to sentence meaning. It appears that such formal methods allow the translation of vague and ambiguous sentences of natural language into a precise metalanguage of predicate logic with the provision of sense-making logical forms. Pragmatics was recognized as a study of utterance intended meaning, and so it is the meaning in context, and was hence undertaking with a different aspect of field to be studied. It was also regarded as a separate enterprise with different object of study. Yet, the so-called semantic under-determination view was created as the boundary between semantics and pragmatics began to be blurred. This view was a revolutionary idea for the theory of language meaning in response to generative semantics that was prevalent in 1960s and 1970s where attempts of syntactic meaning were given to primarily pragmatic situations. The importance of the Oxford ordinary language philosophers should be noted to show the way to the study of pragmatic inference and its supplement to truth-conditional representation, now known as Gricean intended meaning with inherent truth-conditions. SEMANTICS / PRAGMATICS INTERFACE Semantics / Pragmatics Distinction By convention, we spoke of the distinction between semantics and pragmatics as differentiation between the meaning of words (semantics) on the one hand and how the speaker made use of words (pragmatics) on the other. This characterization is however loose and ineffective. For instance, the study of indexical expressions such as I and yesterday shows that different occasion of use can have different denotations in the word concerned. Notwithstanding, a definite traditional meaning is found from each indexical word type, that is, there is no variation in a meaning from context to context. In fact, more precision is required. According to Richard Heck (2001), some terms such as the number determiners two and three, or proper names such as Bill Clinton and George Bush are deemed as having a stable standing meaning in such a way that they are referring to the same object or property. Other terms like I, here, or this and so on have unstable standing meanings in the sense that, in different contexts, they can be used to refer to different objects. For example, the traditional meaning of I in English does not have variation across contexts; standard meaning is used in every context in agreement with the meaning of I which is (roughly) the same as the speaker in the context. In a context, however, George Bush uses I to refer to himself, when I is in agreement with its standing meaning. In contrast, Gray Davis uses I in agreement with its standing meaning to refer to himself as well, that is, Gray Davis. According to Perry (2001), however, we prefer applying the concept of referential content which has a wider usage to just using referential expressions in contexts. In other words, standing meaning of a term is context-constant while referential content of a term is the object, property, or function that it has as its content in a context which is conceivably distinct from its standing meaning. Semantics / Pragmatics Boundary Rajman (2007) points out that the boundary between semantics and pragmatics is very critical in view of the constraint of linguistic processes. Traditionally, semantics is in charge of conventional or lexical, i.e. unvoidable meanings, as entailment and meaning are supposed to have (for example, Paul killed Peter Æ’Â   Peter is dead). And, pragmatics has taken charge of meaning in context in relation to conversational implicatures, which is presumably nonconventional. Metaphors and irony are two of the typical examples of nonconventional meaning (conversational implicatures) (Rajman, 2007). The Gricean view has challenged the classical view that the semantics-pragmatics boundary is not connected to the difference between conventional meaning and meaning in context. Actually, Grice has defined form and meaning of words as conventional implicatures. In (1.1)-(1.3) below, words like even, therefore, but are responsible for specific meanings (Ivan is not expected to like Iris, there is a semantic entailment between being an American and being outspoken, and there is a semantic contrast between having children and being a lawyer): Even Ivan likes Iris. (1.1) Joe is an American; he is, therefore, outspoken. (1.2) Stephanie has five children, but she is a lawyer. (1.3) The difference between truth-functional meaning (what is said) and non-truth-functional meaning (what is communicated) earmarks the boundary between semantics and pragmatics. Pragmatics is therefore defined meaning minus truth-conditions. The domain of pragmatics is therefore confined to two types of implicatures in Grices perspective, namely, conventional implicatures and conversational implicatures. Specific expressions may initiate the entailment of conventional implicatures which, as Rajman (2007) suggests, they have separable (the implicature is attached to a specific word), non-deletable (a conventional implicature cannot be negated) and non-truth-functional (the content of the implicature does not involve in the truth-conditions of the sentence) meanings. In (1.1), even initiates at least two conventional implicatures, given in (1.4) and (1.5): Even Ivan likes Iris. (1.1) People other than Ivan like Iris. (1.4) Among these people, Ivan is the less expected to like Iris. (1.5) Obviously, these meanings do not provide the truth-conditions for what is mentioned, that is the proposition (1.6): Ivan likes Iris. (1.6) Conversational implicatures resulting from a linguistic expression initiates in the use of one conversational maxim (generalized conversational implicature) or not (particularized conversational implicature). The conversational implicatures are non-conventional (resulting from conversational maxims), non-separable (the implicature is attached to a meaning), deletable (implicatures can be canceled) and as conventional implicatures, non-truth-functional. A conventional generalized conversational implicature have a temporal meaning of and (and then), as in (1.7): Michael pushed Daniel and Daniel fell. (1.7) PRAGMATIC INTRUSION AT THE SEMANTICS / PRAGMATICS INTERFACE Grice (1978) noted that there is a need to take into consideration of pragmatic processes of disambiguation and reference assignment to indexical expressions before assessing the sentences truth conditions. In addition, Kempson (1975, 1979, 1986) and Atlas (1977, 1979, 1989) believe that negation in English should not be recognized as ambiguous between narrow-scope and wide-scope, yet, it was semantically underdetermined instead. That means, on the basis of the recovery of the speakers intentions, the widely known example (2.1) is not semantically ambiguous between (2.2) and (2.3) but the range of negation is applied pragmatically in each particular utterance instead. (2.1) The queen of England is not bald. (2.2) à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã†â€™x (QoE(x) à ¢Ã‹â€  à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â€š ¬y (QoE(y) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ y = x) à ¢Ã‹â€   ¬Bald (x)) (2.3)  ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã‹â€ Ã†â€™x (QoE(x) à ¢Ã‹â€  à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â€š ¬y (QoE(y) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ y = x) à ¢Ã‹â€  Bald (x)) (2.2) is a presupposing reading: the person who fulfils as the property of the queen of England contains only one person and whoever satisfies this requirement is not bald. The reading in (2.3) is non-presupposing: the queen of England is not bald as no such person ever exists. It is because (2.2) entails (2.3) that the semantic underdetermination (sense-generality) view has both formal and cognitive support in which the boundary has become more and more unclear. According to this view, semantic analysis uncovers only part of the utterance meaning which pragmatic enrichment may complete this process. For instance, sentence (3.1) is naturally developed with the outcome sense before being put under the test of the truth-conditional analysis as in (3.2). (3.1) Timothy dropped the camera and it broke. (3.2) Timothy dropped the camera and as a result it broke. Major concern goes to delimitation of the scope of such an enhanced, truth-conditional representation, called what is said (Recanati, 1989) or explicature (Sperber Wilson, 1986; Carston, 1988) opposite to implicatures. Carston (1988) reasons that as long as the enhanced meaning has reached an optimal relevance level under the Relevance Theory of Sperber and Wilson (1986), such enhancement process can be stopped accordingly. Another post-Gricean boundary dispute provides with a so-called middle level of meaning. For Bach (1994, 2001) and Horn (2006), both what is said and what is implicated count. People often speak blurredly and non-literally; and it is more quickly to do so since inference is fast, while utterance is relatively inefficient. For instance, (4.1) may be spoken by a father comforting his little son who cut his finger (Bach, 1994). But what the father meant was not the content of the sentence alone (the minimal proposition in (4.2)) but instead an extension in (4.3). (4.1) You are not going to die, George. (4.2) There is no future date at which you will die, George. (4.3) You are not going to die from this cut, George. Under the same condition, spoken sentences which are incomplete semantically, although they correspond to complete syntactic forms, like (5.1), are further completed to show the utterance meaning, as from the example in (5.2). (5.1) Tom is not good enough. (5.2) Tom is not a good enough singer to be a star in Hong Kong. They are implicitures as they are implicit in what is uttered, under such extension and completions, which are neither what is said nor implicatures as perceived. The middle level of meaning is formed, while the label what is said is designated for what is explicitly said. Default semantics (Jaszczolt, 2005) represents an opposite view, in which a representation of spoken meaning is created as a combination of various output linguistic and non-linguistic sources. The combined representation comprises word meaning and sentence structure, cognitive assumptions, social-cultural assumptions, and conscious pragmatic inference, which is the mere level of meaning and its construction, does not give preference to any of the sources mentioned above. If that implicit proposition is the fundamental intended meaning, the logical form of the spoken sentence may uncommonly be replaced by an implicit form, for example, (4.4). (4.4) There is nothing to worry about, George. According to the principles of pragmatic compositionality (Recanati, 2004), the formation of meaning is continuing even if the explicit/implicit distinction may cause many theoretical disputes and much experimental research to be conducted. The field was mainly divided into those who accepted the default semantics (e.g., Levinson, 2000; Horn, 2004; Recanati, 2004, 2007; Jaszczolt, 2005), and those in whom pragmatic additions are always inferential (Sperber Wilson, 1995; Carston, 2002, 2007). Up to that time period, post-Griceans more or less followed contextualism in a way that pragmatic processes might affect the truth conditions of the spoken meaning. COMMUNICATION AT THE SEMANTICS / PRAGMATICS INTERFACE In pragmatics, a speaker can express a thought without really putting it into words. He can say one thing but may mean something else. For communicating something to someone, the speaker has to make clear the utterance even if it does not convey what he intends to express. The hearer has a task of understanding the speaker to the extent that he has to recognize the communicative intention of the speaker in producing the utterance and in particular, to identify the meaning of speaker. The hearer also needs to figure out what has happened in the given situation that the speaker spoke that sentence with that meaning. An utterance Mary has beautiful handwriting and her English is grammatical may be used as an evaluation of Marys philosophical ability to implicate that Mary is no good at philosophy (Grice, 1961). Moore (1942) gives a pragmatic contradiction of an utterance Snow is white, but I dont believe it, which may mean you are denying what you have just maintained (snow is white). A capable hearer grasps the semantic contents of a sentence by understanding that the language acts as a function of its constituents in relation to syntactic structure. Bach (2010) suggests that there should not be any intermediate level of meaning existed between the semantic contents of a sentence and the speakers communicative intention in uttering it. Rather, the speakers act of uttering that sentence may invoke additional information to help hearer understand its contents. Bach (2010) further remarks that it is utterances rather than sentences that contain the primary linguistic items with truth-conditional contents. Utterances are the only available subject matter for truth-conditional semantics as what Recanati (2004) prefers as truth-conditional pragmatics. In communication, as Bach (2010) points out, the job for pragmatics is not to offer a representative for semantics but to explain how incomplete sentences in semantics can be used to convey complete meaning. TEACHING PRAGMATICS There are three major questions requiring further exploration: 1) what chances are given in language classroom for developing L2 pragmatic ability; 2) can pragmatic ability be developed in a classroom setting without teaching pragmatically; and 3) what effects do different instructional approaches have on the development of pragmatics. Classroom research can be called upon to address the first and third questions, including the resources, processes, and limitations of classroom learning, with exploration be done through data-based studies in classroom settings. Those who are beginners to the field can draw relevance from the sea of literature on educational research in general and second language classroom research in specific. Hence, we can gain insight acquired for the research of classroom-based interlanguage pragmatics (e.g., Chaudron, 1988; Allwright Bailey, 1991). Literature search on question one and question three shows the deficiency as to the provision of direct teaching s trategies in pragmatics that uncovers at least two limitations, for example, teacher-fronted teaching and potentials for pragmatic development over time (Kasper, 2006). As for the answers to the second question, it is related to whether pragmatic ability can be developed without classroom instruction where such relevance can be drawn from the pragmatics and interlanguage pragmatics literature. It is free of charge for the adult learners to get a certain amount of L2 pragmatic knowledge because of the universal property of some pragmatic knowledge (e.g., Blum-Kulka, 1991; Ochs, 1996), and other aspects of pragmatic knowledge may be learnt from L1 users. Theories and research studies in recent years provide plenty of universal features in discourse and pragmatics. Through taking turns and sequencing of contributions, conversational organization is a universal property of spoken interactive discourse, which may vary in cultural and contextual implementations, among others. Making use of cues in the utterance, context information and different kinds of knowledge origins, speakers and listeners are able to transport indirect pragmatic intent and implicit meaning to each other (Gumperz, 1996). DISCUSSION The use of semantic underdetermination and the recognition of pragmatic inference about the speakers intentions have become more and more popular. The same applies to the conversion of some of the context-bound information into the semantic content. As a result, two disciplines which are originally separate in nature, namely, the formal study of sentence meaning and the informal study of speech acts have become indistinguishable. The centre of attention has thus been focused on the utterance rather than the sentences. Throughout the past three decades, however, the direction of change has not been consistent. There are a number of suggestions that maintain semantics and pragmatics as two separate disciplines where one school of thought suggests keeping the objectives of semantics and pragmatics distinguishable. Regarding pragmatics learning, Kasper (2006) appeals for more classroom research on pragmatics teaching that could relate learning outcomes to classroom processes. It may include longitudinal observation of classroom discourse as well as explorations of students and teachers subjective theories about L2 pragmatics; and how pragmatics competence could best be developed in pedagogical context (e.g., target-based teaching on complimenting, conversational closings and so on), thus enabling ongoing exploration of substantive and methodological issues. CONCLUSION The study of semantics / pragmatics interface can tell the difference between what is said and what is communicated within the context in question, which can be supplemented by pragmatic intrusion at their interface to achieve the purpose of disambiguation and reference making to indexical expressions. Hence, the job of pragmatics is intended to convey near-complete meaning in communication. Learning of pragmatics definitely can help learners to understand the utterance intended meaning that goes beyond what is given by the language form. More classroom research can be done on pragmatics teaching to address the questions of learning opportunities for the development of L2 pragmatic ability in language classroom, and effects of different instructional approaches that can help develop such pragmatic ability.

Contemporary Hospitality Industry Assignment Tourism Essay

Contemporary Hospitality Industry Assignment Tourism Essay The main aim of this report is to provide a brief description of the hospitality industry in UK along with its size, scope and diversity in order to convince the panel of potential investors to invest in the hospitality industry.My management consultancy firm was asked to produce a formal report focussing on the foreign business people to help them to decide whether to invest or not in particular sector of the industry for the coming London 2012 Olympic games.It will provide them a brief description of different ownership styles, management styles as well as organisational structure of several different sectors of the hospitality industry.Moreover, it will also provide the detail analysis of current trends, issues and recent developments within the industry.There are different sectors in the hospitality industry like hotels, restaurants, clubs and bars, contract catering, casinos etc.The particular sector that I am going to focus is the accommodation sector i.e. hotel and I am presen ting the ideas that i have generated while doing the research. Hospitality industry is a very broad industry.It is not always easy to define the hospitality industry.There are different criteria of defining it.One of the way of defining hospitality industry is by using Standard Industrial Classification(SIC) which was founded in United Kingdom in 1948.It defined the hospitality industry under the 1968 classification, as Establishments (whether or not licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquors)providing meals, light refreshments, drink or accommodation. (jones, 2002).Hospitality industry is defined as hotel, motels, inns or such businesses that provides transitional or short-term lodging, with or without food.(Businessdictionary.com). Both definition suggests that hospitality industry is the industry which provide food and accommodation to the guest.Hospitality industry is made up of two distinct services- provision of overnight accommodation for people staying away from home, and the provision of sustenance for people eating away from home or not preparing their own meals. (jones, 2002). British Hospitality: Trends Developments 2010 which was published today has revealed that, despite the recession, the UK hotel industry is continuing to expand, with over 10,400 rooms opening in 2010 and a further 43,000 planned for the period 2011-2015.(British Hospitality Association,14/11/2010).The hotel industry is flourishing every year.Moreover, the tourist coming to the UK especially London is never stopping.The amount spent by overseas visitors to the UK rose by 15.9% during July 2010   to  £1.96b, compared with  £1.69b during the same month of 2009, according to the Governments latest Overseas Travel and Tourism figures. The number of overseas visits to the UK increased by 4.9% to 3.24 million during this period, compared with 3.1 million in July 2010.(Caterersearch.com).By looking at the figures above we can say that it is secure and safe to invest in the hotel industry. There are various sectors in the accommodation where businessman can invest.They can invest in different types of chain hotels, business and conference hotel,budget hotels, boutique hotels, motels,lodges etc.They can invest in the existing property or build up hotels by themselves.If they invest in chain and popular hotels they may save the time and money for the advertisements and promotions.Budget hotels are also getting popular nowadays because of the low disposable income.People want to spend less money and get good facilities and service.Moreover, they can also construct a new hotel by themselves where they can be the sole owner and can have control over the profit and loss of the business.Business people can also buy the franchising license or do the management contracting. Scale, scope and diversity The hospitality is one of the largest and fastest growing industry in the world. There are just over 46,000 hotels and guest houses in the UK, and the hotel industry remains a significant sector of the economy, with an annual turnover of around  £40billion (Trends Statistics, 2008, British Hospitality Association). According to the British Hospitality Association, the industry is made up of about 127,000 properties and employs a workforce of 1.6 million people.It is very large and diverse industry.It is the third largest company that provides employment. The scope of the UK hospitality industry is very big.There are different commercial sector like hotels, restaurants, fast food outlets, takeaways, motels, hostels, pubs, clubs etc whereas the welfare sector like educational institutions, halls of residence, hospitals, old age homes, prisons etc.Many tourists are coming to the country every year as the london is popular city around the world.We can find many big hotels in london in order to accommodate large no. of tourists every night.Therefore large no. of workforce is required in order to run such hotels which creates millions of jobs. The hospitality industry is very diverse due to the innovation, ownership, classification and grading system, level of service, leisure facilities, future trends etc.There are different types of hotel which provide standard services to the guest.The hotel now not only provide the food and accommodation but also provides facilities like internet, gymnasium, swimming pool, sauna bath, jacuzzi, night clubs, shops, hair and beauty salons, laundry, car parking, conference and meeting rooms etc.The ownership and classification of hotel grading system also make it diverse.There are different type of ownership and management style like sole owner, partnership, public limited company and private limited company.The grading system of hotel by rating with stars from 1 to 5 level according to the level of service they provide to their guest. Food service is also one of the important facilities provided by the hotel.The facilities provided by the hotel depends upon the type of the hotel.There are one or many restaurants in a hotel.The restaurant provide different type of facilities like ala carte menu, buffet service, bar menu, catered service, room service etc.Nowadays we can usually find a restaurant in every hotel.Thus, food service is one of the important sector of the hotel industry. Another important sector of the hotel industry is entertainment.Different types of guest come to the hotel some of them are business people, leisure guest, holiday makers etc.Leisure guest and holiday makers are travelling fully for the purpose of entertainment.They want to utilise their holidays and enjoy a lot.Therefore, the hotel should provide entertainment facilities like night clubs, bars, themed parties, casinos, swimming pools, sauna and jacuzzi, sports facilities etc.They should arrange the indoor activities so that the guest dont need to go outside searching such facilities. Organisational Structure Organistaional structure is the relationhsip between the people and different departments of an organisation.Different organisations have different organisational structure.Some organisations have tall structure whereas some have flat structures.Tall organisational structure is in mainly found in large organisations such as hotels which consists of different levels of staff from the managers to the workers whereas the flat organisational structure do not have many level of staff.For e.g. in a flat stucture of a restaurant an owner can be the manager and the chef as well.The organisation is divided in two different parts front of the house and the back of the house.Front of the house are the departments like food and beverage, accommodation, conference and banqueting etc whereas back of the house are the departments like finance , food preparation areas, and the areas not seen by the guest. In the accommodation sector you can find different types of ownership and the structure.Mostly two types of ownership are popular in the hospitality industry.They are sole ownership or the franchised.Sole ownership means opening hotel by yourself without taking any financial help from other except loans.The advantage of this type of organisation is that the owner have sole access to the profit and can make the hotel according to his ideas and concepts whereas the disadvantage is that you have to bear all the lossess of the business and may not have full support as those of chain hotels.In this type of ownership the owner will have direct control over the business. The hotel can be chain hotel or franchised and it can also be the partnership or limited companies.You can directly own a hotel in the chain or can get it be franchised.You can invest in a chain hotel where you can be a part of renowned chain whereas in franchise system of ownership you need to pay the franchisor a royalty fee in order to operate the business.In this type of ownership one can save the expense of marketing and promotions as it is already well known by the public.Moreover you will be also less affected by ups and downs in the business as you are part of a chain. Both of the above mentioned ownership and management style is popular in the hotel industry.The solely owned hotel should be more promoted in the market as everybody do not know more about the hotel.They should try to be unique by offering wide range and standard services so that guest would be lured to come back again and refer it to other guests.On the other hand the chain hotel should try to maintain their standards as compared to the other chain hotels so that the guest would feel the same standard of service like in any other chain hotel. Contemporary issues The hospitality industry is facing many contemporary issues in todays world.There are lot of managerial and operational issue in the hospitality industry.Some of the operating issues are standard operating procedure, food and safety, employee expectations, flexible working, socio- cultural issues, recruitment and retention, e-commerce etc whereas the managerial issue are key players in the hospitality industry, international aspects, marketing considerations, education and training providers, media issues etc. One of the important managerial issue in the accommodation sector is to identify the key players in the industry.There are lot of big brands who are leading in the market.So, you need to identify who are the key players and see how they manage their organisation in order to achieve their goals and objectives.Therefore, in order to remain competitive with such organisations you need to focus on the marketing strategy and providing good service to the guest.You should monitor the things happening around the organisation and should manage the staff properly in order to increase the level of output.Todays world is filled with competition so in order to be in the line you should try to focus on the staff management because if the staff is happy then only the organisation can achieve their goal.The guest judge the hotel by the level of service they provide and the facilities they offer so it is very important to provide quality of service to the guest. The operational issue should also be taken into consideration in order to have an effective organisation.One of the most important operational issue in the accommodation sector is employee expectations.Staff are the person responsible for the smooth operations of an organisation.Employee has lots of expectations from the management.They expect to receive their performance appraisal from their manager, to get trainings for their career development and growth, flexible working hours, good communication etc.They also want to have promotions and recognition for their hard work.So, it is an important contemporary issue.Therefore, for an organisation to be successful need to address the employee expectations. Another important operational issue in the accommodation sector is standard operating procedure. A standard operating procedure is a company wide formalised structure to handle specific operational activities. (operating procedure from ibis) .It helps to improve the quality and the speed of a particular operational procedure.For example booking of hotels can be done through internet.It will be easy for the guest to book the room on internet.They dont need to waste their time by calling the hotel and asking the receptionist for all the details.It is will be also easy for them if they need to make any changes for their booking.Moreover, the receptionist also can utilise their time by doing other important work instead of handling the telephone calls. Changes in last 20 years There have been tremenduous change in the accommodation sector in last 20 years.People have started spending more money in leisure travel and holidays.The innovation of budget airlines was also the main cause of people travelling from one place to another.Moreover, the budget hotel also came into existence which provided facilities to the guest in cheaper rate.So, people started to spent more money in the hospitality industry as a result of which it flourished significantly.The e-commerce was also introduced where people can book the hotel rooms through internet and make any changes in their bookings.They could find the information of the hotels and can choose the appropriate one.There was also the growth of large chain hotels and hospitality companies all across the world.There was emergence of quick service restaurants and the contract caterers such as garner merchant and compass.Moreover the big companies continue to become even larger through merger and acquisition.These all fact ors contributed to the significant changes in the hospitality industry. Current trends There are various current trends present in the accommodation sector.People have been much conscious about their health as a result of which they are attracted to healthy eating or the organic food.Innovations in technlogy is also one of the current trends.Due to inventions of new technnologies the life of people have become easier.The term globalisation has also created an impact upon the hospitality industry where people are thinking in the term of expanding their business all around the world like Accor groups.They are opening their hotel branches in most of the countries.Not only accor most of the leading hospitality brands are expanding their business all around the world.Consumer spending is also one of the current trends.People are tending to spent more money as a disposable income.Making bookings through the website reservations is also the trend that contribute to flourish the hospitality industry.People can easily book the rooms in the hotels. The current trends has positiv e impact upon the hospitality industry. Conclusion The hospitality industry is composed of two factors.They are accommodation and sustenance.Accommodation is one of the important sector of the hospitality industry.Millions of tourists come to London every year.So thousands of rooms are required to accommodate such tourists.Therefore, it is price worthy to invest in the accommodation sector.Moreover, the 2010 olympics is also coming nearer which means large number of tourists will be coming to this place.As a result they need to build more hotels for the tourists.So the business people can invest in this sector which would be more fruitful.On the other hand there are various contemporary issues facing the accommodation sector.We need to address the operational and managerial issues as soon as possible for the smooth functioning of the organisation.

Nike Air Flightposite :: essays research papers

SUMMARY This report recommends that basketball players try the Nike Air Flightposite. These shoes are hyper-thin, with a fully integrated molded foamposite PU upper construction and a full-length, dynamic sleeve. This shoe is built for speed with a zippered dynamic-fit lace cover; the shoeliner is encased with Zoom Air to provide enhanced cushioning and responsiveness during quick moves. All-around players seeking a high traction shoe with a sock like fit. Among other advantages, the Air Flightposite extremely lightweight and has a great forward roll for fastbreaks. Cost is close to $160.00 a pair, but is worth every penny, if you are indeed a serious basketball player. INTRODUCTION This report will present the necessary information to help you pick the right pair of basketball shoes. There are many different combinations of components, which will make a basketball shoe perfect for you. Finding the shoes just right for you is a long and energy-draining process. There are a few questions you must ask yourself when purchasing your basketball shoes. Will the materials and construction of the shoe produce the quality you expect? Will the shoes provide you with comfort? Will the shoes reflect your playing style? Are the shoes constructed in a way that will provide stability, and greatly reduce the risk of pain and injury? And will the style of the shoe reflect your personality and describe your game? The answer to all of these questions is yes, if you are considering the Nike Air Flightposites. BACKGROUND The basic problem of actually purchasing a pair of basketball shoes, is the fact that there are so many brands, choices, styles, and prices. The following are some important characteristics that the Air Flightposite will provide. Quality Quality is a top priority when picking your shoe. Materials and construction are the two factors to quality and the Air Flightposite has just the quality you are looking for. The shoe has a combination of synthetic leather, neoprene dynamic fit sleeve with a high wrapping foamposite construction. The midsole features fully integrated phylon foam, with full length Zoom Air sockliner for enhanced cushioning and responsiveness during quick moves. Comfort Along with quality, comfort is a major factor. Comfort can be obtained by trying on different sizes. These shoes have a basic â€Å"shrink to fit† system. Many shoes may offer an inner bootie system, but none compare to that of the Air Flightposite. The inner bootie system of these shoes is actually secured with the outer shell allowing for no movement, which will keep your feet in place, providing maximum comfort.

Emotional Poverty Within Material Wealth in Romeo and Juliet Essay

Shakespeare centers Romeo and Juliet on the tension of opposing forces, including the conspicuous dichotomies of life and death, peace and war, and young and old. But Shakespeare also explores the underlying theme of emotional poverty within material wealth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The affluence of the Capulets is apparent in the first act, when the stage is continually adomed, between scenes, for the family's banquet. First, before Juliet's initial appearance in 1.3, long crimson tapestries are unfurled from the gallery to coverthe cracked marble ofthe facade, and the bench is given an ornate cushion and the fountain a decorative cover. Before 1.4, a festive garland is strung acrossthe gallery, and additional benches are carried onstage. Finally, before the masque begins in 1.5, candelabra with burning candles are brought in to flank the gallery.   Romeo is seen brooding alone on the balcony. His first sighting of Juliet is then strikingly staged. All the revelers below, except Juliet, suddenly freeze in their motions, ghostly white masks held up to conceal their faces, and the stage darkens except for spotlights upon Romeo and Juliet. The grandeur of the Capulet home is dimmed into relative non-existence as Romeo and Juliet's sudden love springs to life. Shakespeare's stopped-motion technique is employed once more during the masque, again to dramatic effect. After Tybalt's rage against Romeo's intrusion is quelled--by a slap trom Capulet--the stage is again darkened, and the partygoers are once more frozen. their faces concealed behind the masks. Romeo and Juliet speak with each other for the first time, gracefully dancing in an emotionally charred circle at centerstage, Romeo attired in green velvet and Juliet in a splen... ... David Kortemeier depicts his earnest but ineffectual Friar Lawrence with dry humor and real fondness for Romeo. Shakespeare briskly paces the concluding scenes. He emphasizes the swiftness of events and multiplying misfortunes rather than lingering on moments as he had done with earlier sequences. This approach works welI in evoking the rapidity of the tragedy, but it deprives the play of some of its power. For example, Romeo's dying kiss with Juliet is followed immediately, almost comically, by the entrance of the Friar, well before the tragic nature of the double-suicide has had a chance to be fully absorbed. Nevertheless this production is effective drama, due especially to directorial prowess and a slew of rich supporting perfommances. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Eds. Maynard Mack and Robert Bayton. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 1981.

Essay --

Thomas Alva Edison is a man of creativity and innovative thinking. According to Patricia Daniels, author of Thomas Edison, â€Å"Thomas Edison is regarded as one of history's most influential inventors, whose contributions to the modern era transformed the lives of people the world over.† Throughout his life span, he managed to achieve over 1,300 patents. A world record, no man could possibly break in their lifetime. From his early life, establishment of Menlo Park Laboratory, to inventing the phonograph and modernizing the first incandescent light bulb, via later years, he is sure the â€Å"Wizard of Menlo Park.† Thomas Edison’s early life was filled with downfalls and achievements. He was born on February 11th, 1847, in Milan, Ohio to Samuel and Nancy Edison (Endersby 1). The last child of 7 siblings to survive until adulthood. They lived in Ohio prior to moving towards Port Huron, Michigan in 1854 after his father's lumber business failed. Edison was a sickly child throughout his childhood years. It was not until his family relocated when he began school at the age of 8 years old. He attended a private school called Reverend G.B. Engle. After 3 months, his mother Nancy took him out of school because the teacher called him â€Å"addled† meaning a slow learner. From that point on she educated him at home only after he accepted a job selling newspapers and candy to passengers on the Grand Trunk Railroad in 1859 (Endersby 1). While working there he set up his first laboratory for experimenting and a printing press called the Grand Trunk Herald. One day while experimenting in the l aboratory, a fire broke out causing him to discontinue working there. This tragic event almost caused him to become deaf due a conductor boxing his ears. Yet it did n... ...e the ones in West Orange Laboratory. One experiment that got him going prior to his death was searching for an alternative to rubber for Henry Ford. During his last 2 years of living Thomas Edison was in deep critical condition. Then on October 18th, 1941 in his New Jersey home, Thomas Edison died at 9 pm. His very last words were â€Å"It’s very beautiful over there† , said to his wife Mina. Thomas Alva Edison revolutionized the world like no other person. His inventions impacted countries profoundly to become more modern. He started of with the establishment of Menlo Park Laboratory, to inventing the first phonograph, improving the Incandescent Light Bulb, and creating new inventions all the way until his later years. It is a tragedy when a mongul like Thomas Edison passes away. Yet the â€Å"The Wizard of Menlo Park† does not exist, his legend will forever exist.

Foreshadowing and irony in “Story of an Hour” Essay

Throughout the story â€Å"Story of an Hour† there are a few subtle instances of foreshadowing and irony. These instances explain the some of the scenes throughout the story. The opening sentence foreshadows Mrs. Mallard’s death at the end of the story as it explains how serious Mrs. Mallard’s heart trouble really was, as great care was taken to break the news of her husband’s death. The irony that is of Mrs. Mallard’s death upon finding out her husband did not die in the train wreck, and when she sees him the shock kills her. Richards was so careful to break the news of Mr. Mallard’s death it’s ironic that Mrs. Mallard ended up dieing when she learned he was still alive and not of his supposed tragic death. The detail where â€Å"her bosom rose and fell tumultuously† is more than just a feeling. That sentence leads the reader to a better understanding of why Mrs. Mallard’s died so suddenly after she sets her eyes on her husband. The line explains how Mrs. Mallard is becoming more and more agitated with overwhelming feelings of sadness for her husband but at the same time freedom for herself. This, getting her troubled heart going, she feels the possibility of death approaching and tries to fight back with her will. The Mood inside the her room is confusion, as Mrs. Mallard is both upset of the death of her husband but at the same time excited with the possibilities of being a widow finally being able to gain some control over her life. As Mrs. Mallard looks out the window she sees the tree tops, blue skies she hears the birds singing and the noise of the street below. All of these things open her eyes to the freedom her husband’s death has giver her. The confusion inside disappears as she looks out the window into a potentially happy life awaiting her. Richness is added to the story by all the hints, clues and suggestions show how Mrs. Mallard spends an hour of rollercoaster emotions from sadness, happiness, freedom, relief and finally shock. Which in the end takes her life after feeling the highs and lows of her emotions in such a short period of time, her troubled heart just can’t take it.

Homeschool vs. Public School

Final Essay Home Schooling: From Home to Harvard We're all familiar with the popular images of homeschoolers in America: Extreme fundamentalist families shutting out all other points of view. These stereotypes are touted freely by the popular media and conventional schooling experts alike. But they have little to do with the realities of homeschooling for most families today, and are rarely backed by factual data. The average home-schooled student scored â€Å"81 points higher on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) than did the general population in 2000†. Winters) At the National Spelling Bee in 2000, the top three winners were home-schooled. Studies show that, â€Å"home-schooled children also tend to score higher on basic skills testing than do public school children†. (Winters) According to the Wall Street Journal, â€Å"Evidence is mounting that homeschooling, once confined to the political and religious fringe, has achieved results not only on par with public educ ation, but in some ways surpassing it. † (Reider) However, one subject continues to surface whenever the issue of home schooling arises. Public school administrators, teachers, and parents are all concerned about whether home schooling can be considered a good process of education. Therefore, I intend to prove that home-schooled children are properly socialized, fully educated and college admissions increasing acceptance rates of home schooled applicants prove that they’re prepared for the next level of education. Supporters of public schools maintain that public school students learn to work well with others, including those of differing backgrounds, and that they can achieve greater independence by attending public school. Negotiating the communal spaces of schoolyard, classroom, athletic field, and laboratory prepares them for â€Å"real world† experiences, they contend. Critics of home schooling believe that home-schooled children miss out on these important opportunities. Without the chance to interact with those of diverse backgrounds, critics are concerned that home-schooled students will fail to appreciate and understand one of the core values of American life: to tolerate and appreciate the differences between cultures or groups and among individuals. They fear that isolation breeds intolerance, prejudice, and even fanaticism. In response to such criticism, proponents of home schooling answer that home-schooled children have plenty of social opportunities. The National Home Education Research Institute conducted a study and found that â€Å"an average home-schooled child participates in 5. 2 activities per week outside the home†. (Dr. Brian Ray) These children are involved in music, dance, drama, and art classes, visit museums and zoos, and join home-schooling groups or local churches. They form athletic teams and compete in home-school tournaments. They participate in book and foreign language clubs, scout groups, and have pen pals. In fact, home school participants believe that, because â€Å"the average time spent â€Å"in class† can often be compressed to about half a day, home-school students have more time available to them than do students in public school to pursue special interests†. (Golden) These activities may include practicing the piano, learning lines for a play, or studying ballet. Being a home-schooling student opens up many hours in a day do be able to do specific things they would not have been able to do if they had attended public school. Advocates of home schooling maintain that in the process of participating in outside activities, home-schooled children benefit by socializing with people of all ages, not just those of their peer group (Stevens 35). They note that the world does not consist of people who are all the same age and that students are at a disadvantage if they spend their day with their peers. One home-schooling researcher claims that home schooling â€Å"reduces that degree to which children find themselves constantly and obsessively being compared to, and comparing themselves with, other children their age. (Gaither) A home-schooled child’s days, he believes, are more like the â€Å"real world† than that of students in public school. Research conducted on the socialization of home-schooled children lends support to the arguments of home-schooling advocates. Home schooled children are found to be as well adjusted as public school students when measuring â€Å"aggression, reliance on othe rs, perception of support from others, perceptions of limits to be followed, and interpersonal relations among family members. † (Lines) Another study indicated that home-schooled children had less behavioral problems than children attending public school. Supporters of home schooling will often â€Å"turn the tables on their critics, pointing to the negative influences present in public schools†. (Kranzow) In particular, a sizable percentage of home-schooling parents worry about the â€Å"wrong kind† of socialization found in public schools and keep their kids at home primarily for that reason. They believe the prevalence of illicit drugs, alcohol, smoking, and premarital sex undermines the moral principles taught at home. They fear the negative influences of peer pressure and want to protect their children from American pop culture. As a result of the recent growth of homeschooling in the US, colleges and universities have received an increasing number of applications from home-schooled students. Admissions offices have found it necessary to assess whether and how their admissions requirements should be modified to allow fair review of the credentials submitted by homeschooled students. It is estimated that â€Å"50% of homeschooled children attend college, the same percentage as children educated in public schools†. (Klicka) But are these students skilled enough to compete successfully with conventionally-schooled students in the college setting? Klicka concludes that homeschoolers and traditionally educated students demonstrate similar academic preparedness for college and academic achievement. Through my research on the homeschooling process, I have discovered that home schooled children’s test score and their home school â€Å"portfolios† have impressed many colleges, most of them prominent or ivy league. Each year  Harvard University  takes up to 10 applicants who have been homeschooled. â€Å"In general, those kids do just fine,’ says David Illingsworth, senior admissions officer at Harvard University. He adds that the number of applications and inquiries from homeschoolers is ‘definitely increasing. ’†(Klicka) The students' average scores were typicality in the â€Å"70th to 80th percentile, with 25% of homeschooled students enrolled one or more grades above their age-level peers in public and private schools†. (Klicka) Peer groups have less influence on this population than they generally have in lives of those who are educated more traditionally, while faculty members looked to play a critical role in the transition to college process, above and beyond the role they play in the lives of more traditionally educated students. One might contest that, whether at a public school or in a homeschooled environment, grasping the learning material can be difficult for a child due to teaching style and their coordination with learning. Much of this is due to teaching style and its coordination with learning style. Because it’s extremely difficult to teach in a way that best fits each student, a child may be â€Å"left in the dust† due to the lecturing of the teacher according to the majority of the students learning style. Homeschooling, on the other hand, allows flexibility to define a curriculum that still meets the requirements, yet takes into account the best learning style for the child. Generally, educational success tends to measured in academic achievement. If this standard alone were applied to home schooling, most people would agree that home schooling can be a successful alternative to public school. In terms of academics, sociability and the higher level of education, the home schooling process has indicated through test-scores evidence and increasing acceptance rates by college admissions to be a highly effective method of education. Alyssa Statham Professor Clifford EH 102; MW 930 December 8, 2011 Work Cited Page Kranzow, Jeannine M. â€Å"Taking a different path: The college experience of homeschooled† Diss. Indiana University, 2005. Pro Quest Winters, Rebecca. â€Å"Home Schoolers: From Home to Harvard† Time, 156, 11 September 2000, 55. Cogan, Michael F. â€Å"Exploring Academic Outcomes of Homeschooled Students† Journal of College Admission. 208. Dec. 2010 p. 18 Gaither, Milton â€Å"Home schooling goes mainstream† Education Next. 9. 1 2009. P. 10 Stevens, Mitchell L. â€Å"Kingdom of Children: Culture and Controversy in the Homeschooling Movement† Princeton University Press. Sep 2001 Jones, Erika M. L. â€Å"Transition from Home Education to Higher Education: Academic and Social Issues† , Volume 25, Number 3, 2010, p. 1-9. Reider, John , Stanford's senior associate director of admissions, as quoted by Daniel Golden,  The Wall Street Journal, Feb 11, 2000, pg. 1 Daniel Golden,  The Wall Street Journal, Feb 11, 2000, pg. 1 Klicka, Christopher J. â€Å"Homeschooled Students Excel in College† Esq. Senior Counsel for Home School Legal Defense Association Ray, Brian Dr. â€Å"U. S. Homeschool Population Size and Growth† NHERI December 23, 2008

Purpose of a Job Description Essay

The primary purpose of a job description is to identify the duties, essential functions and requirements of the position. Job descriptions also serve several other important functions. A good job description can assess work flow and eliminate duplication of effort and also help to assist in the evaluation of the employees’ job performance. It should be a statement of what duties and responsibilities the employee is expected to complete and a means for achieving them. Job descriptions can also be used as recruitment tools, compensation surveys and other benchmarks tools. Job descriptions are used for different purposes by the employee and the Human Resources Department. Human Resource managers, can use job descriptions for employee training and development and establishing and updating performance standards. In general, a job description includes the title, a description of the tasks performed, and information on working conditions. It can also include any other attributes that the employer requires for that position such as: education, knowledge, skills and personality suitability. (Verma, 2007) Many business challenges such as the introduction of new technology, or increased business competition, can be more easily met when employees are well prepared and trained to have the required skills. The company I work for, for example, informs all the employees with the latest updates within the company by sending a letter. With detailed job descriptions, you can compare the actual tasks of employees to what needs to be done within the organization. This helps you easily identify critical areas that need to be addressed, ensuring you have a global view of your organization’s strengths and weaknesses and, at the same time, a detailed view of each employee’s areas of strengths and areas for improvement or change. In the recruitment process, a job description gives potential employees comprehensive information about the job for which they are applying. An accurate and effective job description filters applicants who are being evaluated for the opening – helping generate a higher-quality pool of applicants. It also serves as a resource to the supervisor who is filling a position by helping determine the types of selection tools that should be used when hiring. The Sim-Industries HR department has been in place for 1, 5 years now and they still have not made time to develop job descriptions, because the management did not see this as a priority. The company was in its initial fase and all the employees were expected to be flexible during that period. For example, the finance manager worked in the finance department but was also involved in the human resource department and he was furthermore acting as the PA of the CEO. Currently we have two hundred employees and I believe that it is time to start setting up job descriptions. We need structure and the different kind of functions within the company should be defined. It must be clear what duties a colleague has and what he or she is responsible for within the organization. It will be a lot clearer for new employees to have a job description as they will then have a better understanding what the organization is expecting from them. As I can see now in the organization, many employees do not exactly know what their duties are and who is responsible for what. Therefore I think that we should consider the introduction of another type of management. With for example performance management, we will reach more personal involvement between employees and managers due the fact that the system is based on managing the strategy of the organization. The goals in the organization will be more specific when the managers constantly ask themselves: ‘How are we going to reach that? ’ and ‘Who is responsible for that? ’ When they start using the new system, the strategy will become clearer.

Mexico: the Yucatan Peninsula

Mexico: The Yucatan Peninsula The Yucatan Peninsula is located in southeastern Mexico, which separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, on the northern coastline on the Yucatan Channel. The Yucatan Peninsula lies east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a northwestern geographic divider separating the region of Central America from the rest of North America. The Yucatan Peninsula comprises of the Mexican states of Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo; the northern part Belize; and Guatemala's northern subdivision of El Peten. Geology The peninsula is the exposed part of the large Yucatan Platform. The Yucatan Peninsula is an unconfined flat lying erosion landscape. Sinkholes, locally called cenotes are widespread in the northern lowlands. According to the Alvarez hypothesis, the mass extinction of the dinosaurs at the transition from the Cretaceous (K) to the Tertiary (T) Periods (the K-T Boundary) 65 million years ago was caused by an asteroid impact somewhere in the Caribbean Basin. The deeply buried Chicxulub Crater is centered off the north coast of the peninsula near the town of Chicxulub. The now-famous â€Å"Ring of Cenotes† outlines one of the shock-waves from this impact event in the rock of ~65 millions years of age, The presence of the crater has been determined first on the surface from the Ring of Cenotes, but also by geophysical methods, and direct drilling with recovery of the drill cores. Water resources Due to the extreme erosion nature of the whole peninsula, the northern half barely consists of any rivers. Where lakes and swamps are present, the water is marshy and is not suitable for drinking water. The thousands of sinkholes, locally called Cenotes throughout the region provide access to the groundwater system, and the cenotes have long been relied on by ancient and contemporary Mayan people. Vegetation The short and tall tropical jungles are the predominant natural vegetation types of the Yucatan Peninsula. The boundaries between northern Guatemala (El Peten), Mexico (Campeche and Quintana Roo), and western Belize are still occupied by the largest continuous tracts of tropical rainforest in Central America. However, these forests are suffering extensive deforestation. Etymology There is a popular myth that the name Yucatan comes from the Yucatec Maya phrase for â€Å"listen how they speak,† or â€Å"I don't understand your words† — supposedly said by contact period Maya, when the first Spanish explorers asked, what the area was called. The proper derivation of the word Yucatan is widely debated. However, it is also claimed that the actual source of the name â€Å"Yucatan† is the Nahuatl (Aztec) word Yokatlan, â€Å"place of richness. † People The Yucatan Peninsula comprises a significant proportion of the ancient Maya Lowlands. There are many Mayan archaeological sites throughout the peninsula; some of the better-known sites are in Chichen Itza, Tulum and Uxmal. Indigenous Mayans and Mestizos of partial Mayan descent still make up a sizable portion of the region's population, and Mayan languages are still widely spoken there. Economy In the late historic and early modern eras, the Yucatan Peninsula was largely a cattle ranching, logging, chicle and henequen production area. Since the 1970’s, the Yucatan Peninsula has fixed its economy towards tourism, especially in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Once a small fishing village, Cancun in the northeast of the peninsula has grown into a thriving city. The Riviera Maya, which stretches along the east coast of the peninsula between Cancun and Tulum, houses over 50,000 beds and is visited by millions of tourists every year. The best-known locations are the former fishing town of Playa del Carmen, the ecological parks Xcaret and Xel-Ha and the Mayan ruins of Tulum and Coba. Climate Like much of the Caribbean, the Yucatan Peninsula lies within the Atlantic Hurricane Belt, and with its almost uniformly flat terrain, it is vulnerable to these large storms coming from the east. The 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season was a particularly bad season for Mexico's tourism industry, with two forceful category 5 storms hitting, Hurricane Emily and Hurricane Wilma. The 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season was a typical year which left the Yucatan untouched, but in the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season Yucatan was hit by the Hurricane Dean (which is also a category 5 storm); nevertheless Hurricane Dean left little damage on the peninsula despite heavy localized flooding. Strong storms called nortes can quickly descend on the Yucatan Peninsula any time of year. Although these storms pummel the area with heavy rains and high winds, they tend to be short-lived, clearing after about an hour. The average percentage of days with rain per month ranges from a monthly low of 7% in April to a high of 25% in October. Breezes can have a cooling effect; humidity is generally high, particularly in the remaining rainforest areas. Bibliography â€Å"Beautiful Underground Lakes & Rivers. † Wonderfulinfo. com. 5 January 2010. http://www. wonderfulinfo. com/photos/underground/ â€Å"Climate and Weather of Mexico. † yahoo. answers. com. 26 Sept 2009. http://answers. yahoo. com/question/index? qid=20090419162859AAZ2D7m&. crumb=eYF8u9vJN5s â€Å"Mapas de Mexico. † Mexicoadventourist. com. 5 January 2010. http://www. mexicoadventourist. com/Mapas/YucatanMap. jpg â€Å"Mexico’s Government. † Viva Mexico. 2 October 2009. http://staff. esuhsd. org/balochie/studentprojects/mexico/MexGovernment. html Parfit, Michael, â€Å"Yucatan Peninsula,† National Geographic. Aug 1996. 108-113. â€Å"Sunset over the Yucatan. † flickr. com/photos/afagen/. 5 January 2010. http://www. flickr. com/photos/afagen/2262221520/ The World And Its People. â€Å"Mexico – The Land Yucatan†. New York. Greystone Press. 1964. 34-35. â€Å"The World Factbook – Mexico. † CIA the World Factbook, 10 Sept 2009. ttp://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/countrytemplate_mx. html â€Å"Yucatani iguanaleso naplo. † atjeffs. blog. hu/2008. 5 January 2010. http://m. blog. hu/at/atjeffs/image/Yucatan_peninsula_250m. jpg â€Å"Yucatan Sunset. † flickr. com/photos/bjkresearch/. 5 January 2010. http://www. flickr. com/photos/bjkresearch/183792616/ â€Å"Yucatan Peninsula Sunset. † flickr. com/photos/kevmac66/. 5 January 2010. http://www. flickr. com/photos/kevmac66/3495944443/ â€Å"Yucatan Peninsula Resort. † Alwaysonvacation. com. 5 January 2010. http://www. a lwaysonvacation. com/LSS/images/29225/YucatanPeninsula3BedroomsSle