Consensus

Consensus decision-making is a group decision making process that seeks the consent of all participants. Consensus may be defined professionally as an acceptable resolution, one that can be supported, even if not the â€Å"favourite† of each individual. Consensus is defined by Merriam-Webster as, first, general agreement, and second, group solidarity of belief or sentiment. It has its origin in the Latin word consensus (agreement), which is from consentio meaning literally feel together. [1] It is used to describe both the decision and the process of reaching a decision.Consensus decision-making is thus concerned with the process of deliberating and finalizing a decision, and the social and political effects of using this process. Consensus decision making is an alternative to commonly practiced adversarial decision making processes. [5] Robert's Rules of Order, for instance, is a process used by many organizations. The goal of Robert’s Rules is to structure the debate and passage of proposals that win approval through majority vote. This process does not emphasize the goal of full agreement.Critics of Robert’s Rules believe that the process can involve adversarial debate and the formation of competing factions. These dynamics may harm group member relationships and undermine the ability of a group to cooperatively implement a contentious decision. Consensus decision making is also an alternative to â€Å"top-down† decision making, commonly practiced in hierarchical groups. Top-down decision making occurs when leaders of a group make decisions in a way that does not include the participation of all interested stakeholders.The leaders may (or may not) gather input, but they do not open the deliberation process to the whole group. Proposals are not collaboratively developed, and full agreement is not a primary objective. Critics of top-down decision making believe the process fosters incidence of either complacency or rebellion among d isempowered group members. Additionally, the resulting decisions may overlook important concerns of those directly affected. Poor group relationship dynamics and decision implementation problems may result. Consensus decision making attempts to address the problems of both Robert’s Rules of Order and top-down models.Proponents claim that outcomes of the consensus process include:[3] * Better Decisions: Through including the input of all stakeholders the resulting proposals may better address all potential concerns. * Better Implementation: A process that includes and respects all parties, and generates as much agreement as possible sets the stage for greater cooperation in implementing the resulting decisions. Better Group Relationships: A cooperative, collaborative group atmosphere can foster greaConsensus Process There are multiple stepwise models of how to make decisions by consensus.They vary in the amount of detail the steps describe. They also vary depending on how deci sions are finalized. The basic model involves * collaboratively generating a proposal, * identifying unsatisfied concerns, and then * modifying the proposal to generate as much agreement as possible. After a concerted attempt at generating full agreement, the group can then apply its final decision rule to determine if the existing level of agreement is sufficient to finalize a decision. [edit] Specific models [edit] Consensus decision-making with consensus blockingFlowchart of basic consensus decision-making process. Groups that require unanimity commonly use a core set of procedures depicted in this flow chart. [23][24][25] Once an agenda for discussion has been set and, optionally, the ground rules for the meeting have been agreed upon, each item of the agenda is addressed in turn. Typically, each decision arising from an agenda item follows through a simple structure: * Discussion of the item: The item is discussed with the goal of identifying opinions and information on the top ic at hand.The general direction of the group and potential proposals for action are often identified during the discussion. * Formation of a proposal: Based on the discussion a formal decision proposal on the issue is presented to the group. * Call for consensus: The facilitator of the decision-making body calls for consensus on the proposal. Each member of the group usually must actively state their agreement with the proposal, often by using a hand gesture or raising a colored card, to avoid the group interpreting silence or inaction as agreement.The number of blocks is counted to determine if this step's consent threshold is satisfied. If it is, dissenters will be asked to collaborate on a minority position or statement so that any unique or shared concerns with proceeding with the agreement, or any harms, can be addressed/minimized. This can happen even if the consent threshold is unanimity, especially if many voters stand aside. * Identification and addressing of concerns: If consensus is not achieved, each dissenter presents his or her concerns on the proposal, potentially starting another round of discussion to address or clarify the concern. Modification of the proposal: The proposal is amended, re-phrased or ridered in an attempt to address the concerns of the decision-makers. The process then returns to the call for consensus and the cycle is repeated until a satisfactory decision passes the consent threshold for the group. [edit] Quaker model Quaker-based consensus[26] is effective because it puts in place a simple, time-tested structure that moves a group towards unity. The Quaker model has been employed in a variety of secular settings.The process allows for individual voices to be heard while providing a mechanism for dealing with disagreements. [27][28] The following aspects of the Quaker model can be effectively applied in any consensus decision-making process, and is an adaptation prepared by Earlham College: * Multiple concerns and informati on are shared until the sense of the group is clear. * Discussion involves active listening and sharing information. * Norms limit number of times one asks to speak to ensure that each speaker is fully heard. * Ideas and solutions belong to the group; no names are recorded. Differences are resolved by discussion. The facilitator (â€Å"clerk† or â€Å"convenor† in the Quaker model) identifies areas of agreement and names disagreements to push discussion deeper. * The facilitator articulates the sense of the discussion, asks if there are other concerns, and proposes a â€Å"minute† of the decision. * The group as a whole is responsible for the decision and the decision belongs to the group. * The facilitator can discern if one who is not uniting with the decision is acting without concern for the group or in selfish interest. * Dissenters' perspectives are embraced. [26]Key components of Quaker-based consensus include a belief in a common humanity and the ability to decide together. The goal is â€Å"unity, not unanimity. † Ensuring that group members speak only once until others are heard encourages a diversity of thought. The facilitator is understood as serving the group rather than acting as person-in-charge. [29] In the Quaker model, as with other consensus decision-making processes, by articulating the emerging consensus, members can be clear on the decision, and, as their views have been taken into account, will be likely to support it. [30] [edit] CODM ModelThe Consensus-Oriented Decision-Making[31] model offers a detailed step-wise description of consensus process. It can be used with any type of decision rule. It outlines the process of how proposals can be collaboratively built with full participation of all stakeholders. This model allows groups to be flexible enough to make decisions when they need to, while still following a format that is based on the primary values of consensus decision making. The CODM steps include: 1. Framing the topic 2. Open Discussion 3. Identifying Underlying Concerns 4. Collaborative Proposal Building . Choosing a Direction 6. Synthesizing a Final Proposal 7. Closure [edit] Overlaps with deliberative methods Consensus decision-making models overlap significantly with deliberative methods, which are processes for structuring discussion that may or may not be a lead-in to a decision. [edit] Roles The consensus decision-making process often has several roles which are designed to make the process run more effectively. Although the name and nature of these roles varies from group to group, the most common are the facilitator, a timekeeper, an empath and a secretary or notes taker.Not all decision-making bodies use all of these roles, although the facilitator position is almost always filled, and some groups use supplementary roles, such as a Devil's advocate or greeter. Some decision-making bodies opt to rotate these roles through the group members in order to build the expe rience and skills of the participants, and prevent any perceived concentration of power. [23] The common roles in a consensus meeting are: * Facilitator: As the name implies, the role of the facilitator is to help make the process of reaching a consensus decision easier.Facilitators accept responsibility for moving through the agenda on time; ensuring the group adheres to the mutually agreed-upon mechanics of the consensus process; and, if necessary, suggesting alternate or additional discussion or decision-making techniques, such as go-arounds, break-out groups or role-playing. [32][33] Some consensus groups use two co-facilitators. Shared facilitation is often adopted to diffuse the perceived power of the facilitator and create a system whereby a co-facilitator can pass off facilitation duties if he or she becomes more personally engaged in a debate. 34] * Timekeeper: The purpose of the timekeeper is to ensure the decision-making body keeps to the schedule set in the agenda. Effec tive timekeepers use a variety of techniques to ensure the meeting runs on time including: giving frequent time updates, ample warning of short time, and keeping individual speakers from taking an excessive amount of time. [23] * Empath or ‘Vibe Watch': The empath, or ‘vibe watch' as the position is sometimes called, is charged with monitoring the 'emotional climate' of the meeting, taking note of the body language and other non-verbal cues of the participants.Defusing potential emotional conflicts, maintaining a climate free of intimidation and being aware of potentially destructive power dynamics, such as sexism or racism within the decision-making body, are the primary responsibilities of the empath. [32] * Note taker: The role of the notes taker or secretary is to document the decisions, discussion and action points of the decision-making body. * ter group cohesion and interpersonal connection.

Summary and Reflection

The article contains a piece of history because in a way, it talks about how the Cold War started based on the point of view of an editor named Charles L. Mee.As can be readily ascertained from the title, the author is merely presenting his educated opinion pertaining to the contribution of different countries like the United States, Russia, Germany and other countries , their hidden conflict, how they acted and reacted, and how they each played their role in the beginning and ending of the Cold War.The author also discussed some of the so-called behind -the-scenes strategies that came into play which involved famous political figures, and he is leaning to the possibility that what these authorities did may have mitigated or aggravated the circumstances that further ignited the beginning of the Cold War (Mee, 2009).The author opens the article by painting a picture of two scenarios: The first one focuses on how President Truman expressed his uncensored sentiments about the Russians t o Foreign Minister Molotov who only arrived to pay his respects to the remains of President Roosevelt, and the second one talks about how Winston Churchill kept thousand of captured German troops and prepare them against Russia (Mee, 2009).In both of these pictures, the author is trying to illustrate sarcastically that the behavior of these people was a sure fire way to start a conflict. It is not unknown to many that the Cold War began after the World War II. Sensitivity should be exercised at all cost during these trying times when talking about matter relevant to national security and diplomatic relations and the author is trying to say that these political figures showed the exact opposite of being sensitive.The author goes on to discuss how the different countries picked the strategy that would work best for their country economic- and military- wise, and they also picked on the countries which they would deem as allies.The Cold War resulted in a battle between the strongest of countries, the east against the west. This view of the author is strengthen when he mentions that the Big Three does not care about what happens to other countries as long as they did their part right and make sure that they can have everything going in their direction.He further extends his argument when he said that these contenders were just using the weak ones as pawns because during these times, the power is up for grabs and they need all the help they can get. The Big Three that the author is referring to are Joseph Stalin, Franklin Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill (Mee, 2009).

Light and a Long Day’s Journey Into Night

For many directors, a LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT remains a cross collateral character study. That is to say, since the play is punctuated with a number of dysfunctional characters the emphasis on the drama of the play should be on the performance of the characters. If the actors are not properly presenting the uniqueness of these characters then the play will fall apart. This is not an inaccurate assessment nor would it be a flawed approach to directing. But, if casting and character examination were the only aspect of this play to be fleshed out then the approach would be single focused. This is because the very title of the play stresses that it takes place during the day and this would evoke the notion that the greater and brighter the lighting of the play the more potential for serious drama will be the result. While â€Å"playing† with lighting has often been employed as a strategy for evoking mood it is almost a clichà © of a clichà © that shadows are employed to create a certain mood. Then again, why would they not be? The use of shadows can often be employed to create a unique environment that can stress fear, confusion, foreboding, et al. With LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, however, this would be downright impossible. After all, how many shadows can you create during the day? Well, yes, there are a number of ways you could integrate shadows into a daylight scenario but this would not be my particular approach. Instead, I would prefer an approach where daylight literally â€Å"burns† non-stop through the proceedings. The reason for this is that such an approach would create a heighten sense of realism by pushing the character flaws of the cast to the  forefront. In other words, it becomes difficult to hide in broad daylight and this would be the approach taken to strip the characters somewhat bare. The cast of characters are literally â€Å"loaded† with flaws. There are alcoholics, drug addicts, the grievously ill, etc. Now, this is not to condemn the characters for their problems as much as it is to point out they are characters battling demons. The problems that these characters much contend with are very real. As such, there should be no attempt made to hide the characters flaws and that means a symbolic and literal light needs to be shined upon them. So, when there are scenes presented which are designed to highlight these flaws the scenes should be very brightly lit in the manner of shinning daylight. This will create make any masking of their problems difficult as it creates a subtext of the problems being out in the open. Again, this is not to say that the use of shadows and intermingling dark lighting into the proceedings will not work. Any attempt at manipulating the lighting in a motivated and effective manner has the potential to be successful. But, this would not be the approach I would intend to take when directing the play. As such, the use of shadows would be limited to as minimal as possible. To do otherwise would harm a major aspect of the play: it is intended to take place in daylight and to hide daylight through generic or uninspired lighting would undermine critical subtexts that make it a powerful work. Daylight brings the play and its themes into the â€Å"real world† and this concept is an important one. The play embraces the daylight and so should the play's director.   

History 1A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History 1A - Essay Example The narrator argues that slavery especially in Africa had denied him the chance to live peacefully and in harmony with her family members. As Europe grew, the relationship between Africa and Europe came into focus. The description of African religious theories was essential in the evaluation of histography of European academic orientations. The triple religious African heritage, which includes indigenous religion, Islam and Christianity, were the pivot that formed the three main themes of discourse. The accounts describing religion in African or the superficial terms lead to an influence in the perception of philosophers who were enlightened about Africa. In turn, perception about Africa was influenced by progress and reason. The European occupation was often legitimized because of the argument that Christian civilization was introduced, officials in the colonial government realized that changes in African societies may lead to stability loss. The states that he witnessed the sale of slaves to Dutch people while in West Indies. At that time, he was not bought but instead, transported and sold to North America where he was assigned to work in the Virginia plantations doing house chores and light field works. He did not stay for long in time Virginia when a British royal navy lieutenant bought him as a present to his friends in England (Equiano 94) The spread of Islam was neither simultaneous nor uniform, but followed an adaptive and gradual path. However, aesthetic and political influences on the African community are difficult to access. Islamic resistance to representation of animals and people, its interaction with the Africans visual arts was one of the forms of Islam that were accommodated by the local residents. Islam also helped in the reinforcement of the fondness of Africans to geometric design. It was also evident in textile decorations and objects that were crafted. Weaving by the locals was also

In what ways does social class and cultural capital have an impact on Essay

In what ways does social class and cultural capital have an impact on consumer behavior - Essay Example Somewhat a form of object worship, some consumers in society in higher social classes, as one example, tend to prefer the outward presentation of consumed products to reflect their social standing. Cultural capital is a bit different than social class, consisting of the values, beliefs and individual tastes that provide differentiation between one member of society and another. Oftentimes, cultural capital is not necessarily determined by social class. It is important, especially for companies attempting to market their products, to understand the social class characteristics and cultural capital of segmented members of society in order to create relevant communications and promotions that reflect these values and social hierarchies. Why is this? Oftentimes, it is the psychological premises pre-existing within consumers that determine their willingness to make purchases of generic or luxury products and marketers must align their selling practices with these values and beliefs. To be tter understand the level to which social class and cultural capital impact consumer behaviour, the project explores the concept of conspicuous consumption, status consumption, and also the imperatives of service quality in relation to consumption behaviour. It can be reasonably concluded that there are many disparities between social class and cultural capital, as well as changing attitudes and values associated with reference groups and their role in self-assessment that make it difficult to classify, concretely, the correlative relationship between social class and cultural capital. However, both influence consumption behaviour in their own distinct fashion. Social class and the relationship to consumption behaviour In the United Kingdom, there are five distinct social classes that are determined by occupation and income resource availability. There is the lower class which is on the lowest echelon in the social hierarchy, consisting generally of individuals making ?15,000 annual ly and often holding minimal educational credentials. This follows with a working class that is slightly more resource-rich than the working class, a lower middle class segment, and an upper middle class that generally holds higher-paying administrative and managerial jobs at approximately ?62,000 annually for the single household. Followed with this is an upper class that maintains high capital resources and generally a substantial educational background. Why is understanding the social hierarchy between classes important in understanding consumption behaviour? Henry (2005) performed a primary research study that involved participants from the working class and different levels of the middle class to determine what factors determined their unique or collective consumption behaviours. Henry (2005) hypothesized that class status would determine empowerment or disempowerment in consumption practices that would be impacted by economic factors and psychological impressions carried by th e different classes. The findings of the study indicated that those in the working class felt highly disempowered, believing themselves to be in

Group project analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Group project analysis - Assignment Example In this case, a group is treated as a single student regardless of the gender, age of ethnicity of the members forming it. This reflection paper explores the latest group assignment we deed establishing the dynamic involved with group as well as key issues. The group I belonged was made up of five members including myself working toward a common goal of completing the class assignment on time and at the highest quality level possible. Because the mark scored by the group was to appear on the result slip of the respective members of the group, it was expected that the contribution of members would equal to each other. Second, there was expected to be effective mutual communication between the members to enable them integrate the individual work into group work before submission to the lecture for marking as the lecturer had specified beforehand that piecemeal work was completely unacceptable. Third, there was expected for members not only to complete the assignment but also to learn new ideas from their interaction in the group to enable them grow their knowledge base as well as their skills in team/group work. Although the ultimate goal of submitting the assignment on time was achieved, the final score deviated from the expected score (95% instead of 100%) because of several challenges faced. Contrary to the prior expectation of equal contribution from members involved, only three members significantly contributed to the final document of the assignment. This does not mean that the two members did not contribute, they contributed but at a smaller percentage compared to the three most active members. This reminded me of the influence of personal factors such as behavior and attitudes on contribution in group or team work (Ramayah et al, 2003) considering other factors constant; same lessons timetable and same goal of excelling in our

Masters Research Proposal Assignment Dissertation

Masters Research Proposal Assignment - Dissertation Example Some empirical research provides evidence in support of such an assumption (Jenkins, Mitra, Gupta & Shaw, 1998; Brown and Heywood, 2002), others however, within the realms of psychology indicate that incentives can in fact have adverse effects on performance (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Deci, Koestner & Ryan, 1999; Ryan & Deci, 2000; Deci & Ryan 2003). A growing and more substantial body of research and studies provide evidence of conflict between intrinsic motivation (a person’s own motivation for undertaking a task) and extrinsic motivation (external and conditionally imposed motivation for undertaking a task) (Benabou & Tirole, 2003; Holmstrom & Milgrom, 1991; Kreps 1997). Motivational theorists consider that for each and every thing we do (behavior and actions) there is a fundamental reason or cause; in other words it influences our behaviour’, our choice of behaviour and its permanence, and the amount of effort put into it (Delmar & Wiklund, 2008). They also believe that ap preciation of the causes will enable prediction and thus allow for influence on those behaviors or actions (Franken, 2002). Current research and theories have evolved and advanced since those of Skinner (1938) who considered performance based on motivations from a behavioral viewpoint, while Maslow (1943; 1954) extended his needs hierarchy to accommodate motivation in terms of people seeking to satisfy needs within a systematic order that progresses from physiological, to safety, to social, to esteem and finally self-actualization. His needs hierarchy accounted for the significance of satisfying the needs of employees if motivation was to be induced and fostered (Nelson, 2009). Motivational research today focuses mainly on the determination of what spurs motivation - what stimulus is required to increase motivation - and takes both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation into consideration. Intrinsic motivation according to Oudeyer & Kaplon (2007) is best understood when contrasted with extrinsic motivation, which relates to any activity that is undertaken because of some of kind of reward or discrete outcome. Intrinsic motivation by contrastive definition refers to activities that are undertaken solely for pleasure with no price or value imposed on it (Ryan & Deci, 2000). An important distinction however, is that intrinsic and extrinsic do not mean the same as internal and external and are not synonymous. Internal motivations receive internal rewards, whereas external motivation receives external rewards; intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation however is not determined by where the reward comes from but on the type of reward that is given (Oudeyer & Kaplon, 2007). The theory of incentives has traditionally assumed that concrete or intangible -money, power or investments- (Hoy & Miskel, 1991) rewards given for specific activities with the intent of their re-occurrence will manifest motivation and in turn output; to some, this translates as the more money giv en by the employer the more effort there will be from the employee (Festre & Garrouste, n.d.). Researchers such as Benabou & Tirole (2003) have shown that monetary or tangible rewards are not always the best means for obtaining employee effort; they claim that intrinsic incentives can be ‘crowded out’ by extrinsic incentives (p.490). They further explain how incentives based on performance can have adverse effects on the perceptions of the activity or of a

Non profit Organization in Anne Arundel County Research Paper

Non profit Organization in Anne Arundel County - Research Paper Example Although the present population diversity of Anne Arundel County (29.8%) is below state average (39.2%) but it has gained momentum (18.6%) since 2000. The median age for household (36.0%) is at par with the national average (36.4%). (2000, Census). As per 2005 American Community Survey data, the County was having 87003 married couples with children and 24525 single-parent households (5795 men, 18730 women). Teenage suicides have increased 8 percent over the previous year. The number of single parents has increased to 12.9 million. Postpartum episodes are estimated to affect 15 percent to 20 percent of mothers. These are astounding statistics having adverse implications. As per 2000 census, out of 2,69,772 employments, 7.8 percent were in manufacturing, 6.4 percent in transportation/ communication, 22.2 percent whole sale / retail trade, 4.5 percent in finance / income / real estate, 24.6 percent in services, 27.8 percent in Govt. and rest 6.7 percent in other sectors. However, out of 71.1 percent of total labor force above age 16 years 68.1 percent are in civil and only 3.0 percent are in army. Out of the total civilian labor force of 2,58,331, only 66.0 percent are employed and rest 2.1 percent unemployed. The median house hold income of 61,768 recorded a gain of 36.8 percent over 1990 census which was 47.09 percent higher than the nation average. The per capita income was 24,335 with 5.1 percent of the house hold "Below Poverty Line". Food stamps are available to families with income up to 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), about $19,500 for a family of three. House hold status: Out of total 1,86,937 housing units, 23.4 percent are occupied by renters with median rent of $700 which was much higher than state ($571) and national ($469) average. The median purchase price for home has also been fixed at $212,816. An increase of 19.8 percent of total households of 1,78,670 over 1990 was marked during last decennial. The median year householder moved in (1998) exceeded the median year structure built (1973). The rent shared of 24 percent of household revenue was disproportionate to the earnings. Income needed to qualify for purchase of house (MPDU) has been fixed to $35,000 or above a year and $20,000 or above a year to rent. This is because house prices normally require at least this amount of income to make the payment requirements. The minimum income required for renting a house with 2 bed rooms varies between $ 51,000- $58,000. As per SFY 2003, 429 individuals and 751 homeless families with children were detected. There is almost an even spilt between homeless men and women, which would represent 52 and 48 percent of the homeless population, respectively and majority are below 30.Besides this, 5835 people were in state prisons, 4964 in military barracks, 688 un group homes, 285 in college dormitories, 234 in mental rehabilitation centre, 22 in religious group quarters, 5 in agriculture workers' dormitories and so on. Disabilities: The count required affordable housing and supportive services to the developmentally disabled. An estimated 67,713 residents in the county are

Article Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

Review - Article Example To ensure effectiveness in resolving these conflicts entails use of varied approaches that vary significantly with organizations. Conflict is a growing concern in numerous organizations globally. Based on Mayer and Louw’s article, conflict is part of a person; hence, it is a ubiquitous feature of professional and socio-cultural interaction (Mayer & Louw, 2012). In this article, authors have addressed its theme from other studies’ methodological approaches ranging from positivist to communal constructivist besides interpretative paradigms (Mayer & Louw, 2012). Hence, it permits for a comprehensive variety of research statistics. Conflict is termed as being part of human. Based on this study, currently researches concerning effective management of cross-cultural conflict have been on the rise for the decades both globally and at interdisciplinary level. These different perspectives include and not limited to sociology, psychology, anthropology, health and behavioral sciences as well as communication (Mayer & Louw, 2012). According to Mayer and Louw (2012), conflicts can affect decision-making process; output, creativity, lead to distress, employees’ distraction and relationships in working places besides individual effectiveness (Mayer & Louw, 2012). However, if well managed can bear benefits ranging from job satisfaction, stre ss discount to individual well-being of the involved parties especially in the working place (Mayer & Louw, 2012). In workplaces, effective management strategies encompass first diagnosing and analyzing of organizational conflict, and eventually devising effective intervention procedures or approaches to resolve it. The strategies used by the organizations include, analyzing types of impacts and conflict resolution style. Moreover, cooperation in organizations is among the main concepts in reducing conflicts in a

Soft Commodity Research Paper (News Letter Form)

Soft Commodity (News Letter Form) - Research Paper Example 4). Additionally, production shifted from Gulf Coast regions to more efficient growing areas. However, due to the decrease in demand in rice during 2008, the price of rice has significantly increased. But with the aid of the structural changes, the US rice industry has managed to cope and since then the trend of the demand has normalized. Currently, rice is valued in the market at $578.36 per metric ton. According to World Bank’s bi-annual Global Economic Prospects (26) report, a decline on the prices of global prices of farm commodities should be expected in 2012 by up to 11% mainly due because of the slowdown in demand and improved supply prospects. Although returns to rice production are highly variable and fluctuating, the trend is being controlled with the substantial structural changes that are being implemented in order to balance these factors. In the years to come, as the World Bank has predicted, rice prices will continually drop. And unlike other agricultural products, the rice industry has enjoyed a decline in its

Broom Industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Broom Industry - Research Paper Example In the case of the broom-corn broom, it was pointed out that by 1996, there were only about 600 nationwide employees for the broom industry in the United States. Of the total imports in 1991, Mexico supplied 52% or roughly 11% of the total consumption. Panama supplied 14% of the total import or estimated 3% of the total US consumption, Honduras represented 10% of the total import or roughly 2% of total consumed. Hungary held 13% of the total import and represents about 3% of the total 1991 US consumption. In consideration of the presented data, there is a levelling and balancing of market share as an effect of the NAFTA. It is expected that lifting of tariffs allows exchange of goods and services that will give a chance for lower cost products to compete with higher costing product . Below summarises that effect of NAFTA on the broom-corn broom: Imports come from Mexico, Honduras, Panama, Colombia and Hungary. The total import in 1991 was about 20.1% of the apparent consumption, with US supplying about 79%. Import fell by roughly 19% by 1992 with US sourced at 81%. Import rose at 23% by 1993, decreasing US counterpart to 76%. By 1994, total consumption grew but import also grew at 29% while US suppliers were able to ship only about 70%. Likewise, the trend of continued import growth in 1995 had imports garner a total of 36% of the market share as compared to the US shipment of only about 63%. The effects of the The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported that NAFTA had a comparatively small but positive effect on US exports to Mexico which ranges from 2.2 percent in 1994 to 11.3 percent in 2001 with a parallel result for US imports from Mexico that grew from 1.9 % in 1994 to 7.7% in 2001. In fact, considering these figures, the US gained more as the balance of trade in goods had been considerably small, of which decline were noted since 1993 attributed to the peso crash in late 1994, the associated Mexican recession in late 2000, and the prolonged US economic boom from 1990s through 2000 (CBO, 2002). Below are the indicative charts presented by CBO: U.S. Goods Trade with Mexico with and Without NAFTA (In billions of dollars) Source: Congressional Budget Office using data from the Bureau of the Census for actual values and projections from CBO's model for other values. Likewise, the trade balance is illustrated in the following table below: Effects of NAFTA on U.S. Goods Trade w

The arguments for human surrogacy Essay Example for Free

The arguments for human surrogacy Essay With reference to both religious and ethical views, explain the arguments for human surrogacy. [35] Surrogacy is when a woman carries a child on behalf of someone else. There are four broad types of surrogacy: partial, full, commercial and voluntary. Partial surrogacy occurs when the surrogate mother provides her egg which is fertilised either in vitro and placed through artificial insemination into the womb or she is artificially inseminated by the intended father’s sperm. Only in very rare cases would sexual intercourse take place. Full surrogacy occurs when the intended parents provide egg and sperm. In some cases a donor sperm/egg may be used. Commercial surrogacy refers to arrangements whereby a woman is contracted and paid to be a surrogate mother and to deliver a baby to the intended parents; in many countries this is illegal. Voluntary or altruistic surrogacy refers to a surrogate arrangement where the surrogate mother voluntarily offers to bear a child for another couple but not for commercial gain. Surrogacy of any kind raises many religious and ethical issues. In examining reasons why people may be in favour of surrogacy, a good place to start is the Christian view. Surrogacy tends to be supported by liberal denominations such as the United Methodist Church in America. Surrogacy could be a way in which an infertile couple could fulfil the Biblical injunction to, â€Å"be fruitful and multiply.† Children can compete a marriage and are a gift from God. Surrogacy could be an act of immense compassion and selfless service, in line with the teaching of Jesus: â€Å"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them,† Matthew 9:36. Voluntary or altruistic surrogacy refers to a surrogate arrangement where the surrogate mother voluntarily offers to bear a child for another couple but not for commercial gain. Her motives could be out of love or charity or self-fulfilment. The story of Abraham and Hagar is a Biblical example of surrogacy, although it does not necessarily condone or promote the practice. Christian and secular utilitarians alike support surrogacy. Utilitarians believe that man has a natural desire to reproduce based in human biology. The Utilitarian wishes to maximise happiness and minimise the pain of infertility. Since successful surrogacy will bring an enormous amount of happiness. When considering issues such as infertility we must not look at it in impersonal, philosophical terms. It is a problem that can only be truly understood at human level. Those that have never suffered infertility will not know the true pain these theorists are in agreement with such treatments. In the case of an infertile couple the utilitarian will look at the options available and strive towards to goal of conception. To quote Laura Bush, â€Å"For those who deeply want children and are denied them, those missing babies hover like silent ephemeral shadows over their lives.† Proponents of situation ethics also would support surrogacy, depending on the circumstances. This theory is in favour of reproductive technology if it is the most loving course of action in the particular situation. It is not absolutist. This theory says that individual situations are different. This theory believes that there is only one underlying principle: you do whatever is the most loving thing to do in a situation. Ethical rules are secondary. In the circumstances of an infertile couple you take the line of action which will be the most loving thing for a couple in their unique circumstances. Furthermore, surrogacy is an issue of personal autonomy and reproductive freedom. To a large extent in the western world there has been a tradition of giving couples the freedom to make their own decisions about childbearing and childrearing. The family has historically been a place with a right to privacy and beyond the intervention of governments. To some extent this has changed with the introduction of artificial forms of reproduction e.g. IVF treatment. If a couple deeply desires children, it should not be the government’s role to tell them what they can and cannot do. It could be argued that parenthood is a human right, because according to the UNHRD: â€Å"Parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children.† Humans have personal sovereignty, which is to be free of the control or coercion of others. Therefore they should be allowed to make their own decisions about their families. After all, in most cases a surrogate child is a wanted child whose parents are prepared to go to extreme lengths to have them, suggesting that they will make very good parents. This alone could be enough to justify the practice. Surrogacy is generally supported within the homosexual community, because it enables same sex couples to become parents through the introduction of a third party. Ultimately, surrogacy causes us to rethink our views on family, marriage, sex and what makes a mother. Regardless of our views, we should be compassionate towards those suffering from the effects of infertility. You cannot understand their situation unless you have experienced it personally. To quote Elayne Boosler, â€Å"The Vatican is against surrogate mothers. Good thing they didnt have that rule when Jesus was born.†

Social Media Benefits In Education English Language Essay

Social Media Benefits In Education English Language Essay In todays technological environment, it is important that teachers try their best to make use of this innovative technology. As explained by Thaker, this technology can be used to facilitate communication between the students and the teachers. However, this new form of communication can also help parents in getting involved in the learning of their children. One way of enhancing this communication is through the use of social media (Bienstock, 2012) (Thaker, 2011). There are a number of social networking sites that can be used. Facebook  [1]  , Twitter  [2]  , Edmodo  [3]  , LinkedIn  [4]  , Twiducate  [5]  , Classroom 2.0  [6]  and Google+  [7]  are just few of the existent social media that one can make use of in education. These media are being constantly used by almost everyone on everyday basis. The results obtained from Pingdom (2012) on the demographics of 24 different social media sites show that these media are being used by different persons in different age groups. In fact, the study shows that even teenagers are making use of such media (Pingdom, 2012). However, one might argue, should we use such media in education, even though we know of the problems and issues related to such media? However others might reason that we cannot just eliminate the use of such a valuable and easily accessible resource. Bienstock (2012) makes reference to the New York Times article in which Ms. Pust states I think that we would do more good keeping kids safe by teaching them how to use these tools and navigate this online world rather than locking it down and pretending that it is not in our realm. (Preston, 2011 in Bienstock, 2012) In the following sections, we will discuss the advantages that social media offers in the area of education. However, we are also going to point out the problems that these media might present and how to cope and manage them. Social Media Benefits in Education Students Develop communication skills students can gain social confidence from online interaction, which may help them feel more secure in new situations Increase skill in technology students become more familiar with new and emerging technologies, as well as increase their media literacy through exposure to many different types of online media Since many students already use these forms of technology, they may be more engaged in learning if they utilize it Online communities can be very diverse and expose students to many new view points, ideas, and opinions Social media can also be a source to increase talent to work on group projects Students can develop an optimistic image of themselves by putting best qualities out there Enhanced Collaboration acquiring information can be accomplished by students alone. But problem-solving skills are often better enhanced in a collaborative environment. Social media allow students to work together on projects beyond an individuals capability Teachers and Schools Increased access to resources since learning materials can be shared Collaboration amongst teachers and exchanging of lesson plans and information Can reach parents who are incapable to come to school in a cheap and effective way Can form partnerships with schools in other states or countries Enhanced Flipping Social media can be used to enhance the teacher-student relationship. Students view recorded lectures or read curricular material outside the classroom. Inside the classroom, students complete what usually qualifies as homework. Teachers act as tutors, helping students through problem areas in their work. Modernize Discussions through social media teacher can credit students for in-class participation. This requires teacher to monitor which students are speaking up when. Communicate Between Classes Teachers can send out announcements, share ideas or pose questions to pupils, especially when classes are spaced several days apart. How well are schools using social media? (Harrison, 2012) Successes Challenges Making safe communities some sites allow teachers to control online environments thus reducing dangers associated with social media Lack of knowledge a schools social media account should be managed by someone who understands social media Encouraging collaboration students can critique and comment on each others assignments. They can easily work in teams online and asking teachers questions or starting a discussion is easy Lack of features lack of engagement for students can make them feel as if the school doesnt care. Features should include one-on-one connection Invitation to produce content social media can invite students and schools to produce content for both enrolled and prospective students. This can show the schools personality More than a presence a social media profile requires daily maintenance and interaction with students The NCF (Ministry of Education, Employment and Family 2011) argues that literacy, numeracy and digital literacy are the foundations for further learning. Our students are digital natives whether we like it or not. For us as teachers we have to accept this and exploit it to deliver the subject content to our students. Students and Social Media Our students are continuously communicating through social media, in Malta the most popular one being Facebook. Can we stop this? No we can not as out students are equipped with laptops, tablets, iPads, smartphones all providing easier access to social networks. Introducing social media in education is not an easy step, as mentioned before students are continuously using it with most of them ignoring the possible consequences. When the topic is approached only on a theoretical level students think that it will never happen to them, for them there is nothing wrong uploading any kind of photos to appear cool with their friends. They can not perceive that once a photo is available on the Internet is available to anybody even though they select the Only Friends option. Social Media Problems and How to Minimise Them? The only way to deal with this problem is through educational videos that illustrate various situations which teenagers found themselves in because they didnt know it could happen to them. A teacher can start by showing these two videos http://viewpure.com/nOUu1fldBbI and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK5OeGeudBMfeature=channel and discuss a set of questions with the students to elicit important points from both videos; the uploading of photos, anyone can watch your photos without you being aware of it. Students need to be educated towards social media. They have a tool in their hands, they think of knowing how to use it but most of them dont. Teachers and parents have to understand we cannot stop the social media hype. We as teachers have to educate about this tool. What can go wrong? Many students ask the questions: What can go wrong? These are some of the answers that we as educators need to provide: Cyberbullying (CEOP, 2007):: By using technology like mobiles or the internet, this type of bullying can affect someone not just at school, but at home as well. Because it takes place in the virtual world, it has a 24/7 nature and can make someone feel upset or threatened in their own home. Students should be educated that this kind of bullying can be evidenced. With cyber bullying they can save text/emails/WebPages, print them and used as a proof to catch the bully. Sexting: Someone taking an indecent image of themselves, and sending it to their friends or boy/girlfriend via a mobile phone or some other form of technology is sometimes referred to as sexting. Once these images have been taken and sent to others, control is lost of them and they can end up anywhere.   They could be seen by friends and family, a future employer, or even, in some cases, end up in the possession an offender! This also puts that person who originally sent the images in a vulnerable position (CEOP, 2007):, as somebody they may or may not know now has these images and could use technology to bully, harass or even try to locate them as seen in the videos. Students have to be educated to think Do I want my schoolmates to see these photos, my family? Hacking: Students should always choose the Log Out option so their account can not be hacked. False Identity: People arent always honest with who they are, their age or what they look like. Students have to be share of whom they are confirming as a friend. It is very easy to lie on the Internet and there is no way of knowing if someone is telling the truth. Even if someone shows them a photo of themselves, this could be a picture of someone else or could be faked. This applies to webcam or video footage too; seeing a person in a video, does not mean it is them. Students have to be educated not to meet people they encountered over the Internet. Addiction: One has to be aware of the time and effort spent in establishing connections. It is very easy to become addicted, for some, these sites become one of the major concerns (CEOP, 2007). This can have adverse effects on a persons ability to work efficiently and affects ones health as well. Sometimes the best lesson to educate our students is not through theory but providing them with actual facts. For example this article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2201064/Man-murders-girl-16-testify-raping-years-agolured-death-posing-teen-Facebook.html narrates the story of a girl killed by her rapist before she could testify against him. He posed as a teenage boy on Facebook and told Shania Gray (the victim) he had a crush on her and they agreed to meet. He took her to a secluded park and shot her (Pullman, 2012). Everyone has a Facebook account why shouldnt I? Our society, educators, parents cannot hide from the reality that social media are part of our culture. The future generation are approaching their lives differently as they integrate digital technologies- such as computers, the Internet, instant messaging, cell phones and e-mail throughout their daily activities. As educators we can propose the following simple but effective SMART Rules (UK Safer Internet Centre, 2012): Keep your personal information like address, mobile number safe. Make students think this question If I meet a stranger on the street would I give him my mobile number? The same reasoning has to be applied to a stranger met on the Internet. Dont Meet Up. Social networks can be a place to encounter with new people. Students must always know who you are talking to. If an adult they do not know asks them to meet up, they have to be educated to say no. Accepting (UK Safer Internet Centre, 2012): Educate students to think before they accept something from someone over the Internet as it might contain viruses with the sole purpose to steal information from someones computer used by a hacker to keep data on people perhaps engaged by paedophiles. If students do not know from whom it is and it has an attachment, they have to delete it. Reliable (UK Safer Internet Centre, 2012): Not everyone online can be trusted. Older men tend to lie about their age and who they are to meet female adolescents. This is a point we as educators need to stress onto; students have to know who they are talking to. Tell (UK Safer Internet Centre, 2012): Students should not be afraid of talking if someone is harassing or stalking them over the Internet. They have to talk with their parents, or a guidance teacher or any other trusted adult if someone makes them worried or uncomfortable online. Moreover if a student knows about a friend who has these kinds of problems he/she has to tell someone. It is not betraying him/her friends trust, it is helping and in some cases saving his/her friend. The Issue of No Physical Interaction Social media is a medium that enables communication between people from all over the world through the use of technology. Such interaction can be done from the comfort of your own home and this can facilitate the process tremendously. Some may argue that social media may present a challenge since the students are unable to socialise properly. This may be due to the fact that the interaction between peers is not presented in a physical manner. On the other hand, social media allows people to meet in ways that otherwise would have not been possible. Social media not only allows easier communication but eliminates the issue of geographical barriers. It allows students to form and (Tomaszewski, 2012) (Connolly, 2011) (Williams, 2011)maintain friendships, that otherwise would have been difficult or impossible. Such friendships allow students to learn and interact with other cultures other than their own. It allows wider knowledge sharing from people all over the world. Such interaction would not have been possible or would have been difficult and more costly if it had to be done physically. Therefore, when used with properly and with caution, social media allows not only learning to occur, but also friendships and knowledge sharing to take place. Avoid these when using Social Media We do not want more rules but as any other important tool Social Media should be used responsibly. We are in the day and age, were Social Media is used all the time by everyone and this is the main reason why we should be careful of what we do. We should educate our students how to use Social Media sites responsibly. These are a few rules, which if applied, help us appreciate the power of Social Media when used in the classroom. Post Illegal Activities Although your profile may be set to private there are other ways and means how this content can become public and be view by anyone on the web. Once public, it will be impossible to remove that content from the internet. Trash Your Teachers Bullying can also include interactions done on posts where teachers or school administration are mentioned. This can be a grave offence even if certain things may seem harmless to who posted them. Post Objectionable Content from School Computers or Networks Do not use the school computers to post objectionable information. Some school networks can track this activity. Post Confidential Information This is very important as already mentioned before everyone can see the information you post so be careful not to post any personal information where people can track you. Overly Specific Location Check-Ins Do not use Social Media to say that you are home alone or in a remote location this will help even persons who are not willing to help to find you. Lie/Cheat/Plagiarize If a lie is shared on Social Media it is most probably that everyone will get to know. There can also be investigations regarding cheating and plagiarism. Threaten Violence When a threat is posted online even if anonymous, there will be investigations by the police and eventually will trace the offender. Ignore School-Specific Policies Always abide by the policy of your school regarding Social Media. Unprofessional Public Profiles Students should be thoughtful of what to post online. Certain content might not be acceptable for an employer, who in the near future might go through ones profile. Do not say or put anything on your profile which you do not want a future employer to see. Never Rely on Privacy Settings 100% Students should never rely on privacy settings over good judgment,  [8]  says social media specialist, Andrew Moravick. Some Social Media networks have very good privacy settings but some are updated very often and not everyone can keep track. Post Emotionally Do not post anything on Social Media when feeling emotional about something. Thing may seem very different when analyzing the same scenario when feeling calm. As we can see, these are very simple rules students and everyone using Social Media can follow. We just have to keep in mind that anything posted irresponsibly on Social Media networks can have very negative effects. Conclusion So far experts remind us that there are clear dos and donts for integrating social media in the classroom. Social technologies are here to stay and it is import to help students learn how to used social media. Guide students in how to think deliberately about their use and consider the outcomes of proper and improper use of social media. This goal can be appropriately reached when teacher have received appropriate training on the use of social media. Full backing and support of the school administration is mandatory to fulfill this objective. Turning social media into an educational tool can be used to further a students education and enrich it.

Emerging Issues For Cultural And Urban Tourism Tourism Essay

Emerging Issues For Cultural And Urban Tourism Tourism Essay Firms are acknowledged to be important actors involved in the deployment of resources available to a tourism destination. In turn, successful tourism firms can contribute to building the competitive advantage of tourism destinations through affecting a destinations tourism product or service. The present study analyses business performance in urban tourism using networks and entrepreneurial perceptions over a citys asset base as a framework of competitive performance. Business performance is measured in terms of productive efficiency-that is, technical and scale efficiency. Results indicate that networks and entrepreneurial perceptions of a citys asset base constitute important determinants of the successful operation of tourism businesses. INTRODUCTION Tourism has developed into one of the worlds most important industries, with more than 846 million international tourist trips globally in 2006 (World Tourism Organisation). It is also one of the fastest-growing sectors of the UK economy, worth  £85 billion in 2005 and employing some 2 million people (Star UK). As a result, tourism is associated with the injection of revenue into national, regional and local economies. Ref: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/fr/urgc-7EEGJR Urban Tourism: The Visitor Economy or Growth of big Cities, Christopher Law examines the relationship between tourism and urban areas. He distinguishes between primary and secondary, and additional elements of citys tourism resources. Primary elements provide the reasons why tourists use to visit cities. Secondary elements is accommodation and shopping as well as more elements like transportation or tourist information are also very important for the success of urban tourism, but they are not the main attractor of visitors. Urbanisation and process of acute city growth due to high productive economic activities around the city, often at the expense of rural and agricultural hinterlands, is largely a product of the 20th Century particularly in the wake of the Industrial Revolution and the arrival of Automobile Industry. Globalization is promiscuous, controversial word that often obscures more than it reveals about the geographical, environmental, economic, political, social, and cultural changes. It is good used to denote a multi centric, multi scalar, multiform, and multi causal process, which has much less of explanting and more of explanandum. In recent analysis globalization has found to be about place and scale. This argues is that infiltrating of globalization to cities and identities as challenging paradigm. According to Castells (1993:247), cities are inherently composite entities. That is why they are the result of changing structural determinants interacting with multiple specificities rooted in history. Capitalist to make a change since the crisis of the 1970s has produced the latest structural determinants, collectively termed globalization, which have created new world cities (Friedmann, 1986) or global cities (Sassen, 1991). However this is only part of story. In addition, the historical and cultural characterizing are not constants; their efects on city development alter as changing economic and political bring forth new meanings for old practices (Taylor Hoyler, 2000). In urban planning area it is often difficult to track the origin of some concepts as in the sciences. Theories and ideas are often products of collective to try. It would be very difficult to identify who used the term globalization for first time. According to Waters whose book titled Globalization is fine primer, Robertson was one of the early users of term (Robertson, 1983; 1992). The topic Globalisation and the attendant challenges for politics, economics, culture and humanity in the human society has become a source of big concern for religious leaders and leader of thought around the world. Now when joined with the actuality of Urbanisation and Post Modernity, the challenges become even more typical. The invention in modern communication technology with emergence of the computer or internet, which have defeat space and contract the world to a global village, the globalisation of the economy and industry, by which a few countries are growing ever more affluent, while the fortunes of the number of people are ever worsening. That is why the phenomenon of internationalisation as well as urbanization and post-modernity which in many ways influence how people live and relate, should be a matter of concern to leaders of the Christian Church. In this matter therefore we shall think carefully about what the world was like before the era of globalisation and what globalisation has brought upon morality the good, the bad and the ugly aspect of the fact. We should look at the rising trend in urbanization and what challenges it sets to wholesome human existence. Then we shall look at the complex originality of post-modernity and how it challenges our religious, spiritual and social values. We shall then discuss the way Urban tourism is the group of tourist resources or activities situated in towns and cities and offered to visitors from elsewhere. Historic attributes of buildings, neighbourhoods, and special landmarks emphasize the local character of an area. Historic districts are normally very pedestrian friendly with a mix of attractions and amenities that are not so complex. Not matter if it is for transportation or entertainment, urban waters have always attracted people out of need or pleasure. Convention Centres and Exhibitions are mostly called as one of the staples of city tourism. In some cities, up to forty percent of those staying overnight have come for this type of business tourism. Festivals and Events have become a popular means for cities to boost tourism. They range in size and number from one time events like the World Exhibition or the Olympics to annual events like Folk Music Festivals or Gallery Nights. Friendliness is also one of the most important cultural features of the tourism industry. Professionalism and excellence of service provided to visitors begins with friendliness. Key factors in visitors decision to visit a place are friendly, hospitable people. MAIN BODY NEW YORK  Ã‚  In his essay Taming the Bicycle, Mark Twain cautiously recommended bicycling: You will not regret it, if you live. That has always gone doubly for biking in New York. But the city has undergone a two-wheeled makeover. In the past four years, the New York City Department of Transportation has added more than 200 miles of bikes lanes. The number of cyclists has increased 80 percent in the past decade. The citys goal is 1,800 miles of total bike lanes by 2030. Earlier this year, National Geographic Traveller magazine did something that might once have been unthinkable: It ranked New York the second-most bike-friendly city in the country, after Portland, Ore. While biking has exploded for New Yorkers, tourists are quietly following. It is, after all, a great way to experience a new place: Faster than walking so you can cover a lot of ground, but far closer to your surroundings than a car. In New York, it can be dizzying: rolling past Washington Square Park one moment, breezing along the Hudson River the next. In a city where freedom of movement can often feel gridlocked, on a bike, one sails through the throngs. Musician and New Yorker David Byrne wrote in his 2009 book Bicycle Diaries that riding through a city is like navigating the collective neural pathways of some vast global mind. The neural pathways of New York, though, are often strewn with potholes, aggressive drivers, unobservant pedestrians and often the worst of all pushy cyclists. New York has been significantly tamed when it comes to biking, but it isnt exactly Amsterdam. Nevertheless, tourists, having long endured double-decker buses and plodding ferries, are understandably looking for a new vantage point. A number of tours have sprung up and found visitors willing to strap on a helmet. www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39536483/ns/travel-destination_travel/ Tourism in the United States  is a big industry that serves millions of international and domestic tourists. Tourists visit the US to see natural wonders, historic landmarks and entertainment venues. Americans seek same attractions, as well as recreation areas. Tourism in the United States grew vastly in the form of urban tourism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. By the 1850s, tourism in the United States was fully established both as a cultural activity and as an industry.  New York,  Washington, D.C.  and San Francisco, all main US cities, attracted a huge number of tourists by the 1890s. By 1915, city touring had marked significant shifts in the way Americans perceived, organized and moved around in urbanisation. Democratization of travel takes place during the early twentieth century when the automobile changed travel. Similarly  air travel  changed travel during 1945-1969, contributing greatly to tourism in the United States. By 2007 the number of international tourists had reached to over 56 million people who spent $122.7 billion dollars, setting an all time record. The travel and  tourism industry  in the United States was among the first commercial casualties of the  September 11, 2001 attacks, a series of terrorist  on the US. Terrorists used four commercial airliners as means of destruction, all of which were collapsed in the attacks with 3,000 casualties. In the US, tourism is either the first, second or third biggest employer in 29 states, employing 7.3 million in 2004, to take care of 1.19 billion trips tourists took in the US in 2005. As of 2007, there are 2,462 National Historic Landmarks  (NHL) recognized by the  United States government. As of 2008, the most popular  tourist attraction  in the US is  Times Square  in  Manhattan,  New York City  which attracts approximately 35 million visitors. New York,  Washington, D.C.  and  San Francisco, all big US cities, attracted a huge number of tourists by the 1890s.  New Yorks population raise from 300,000 in 1840 to 800,000 in 1850.  Chicago experienced a dramatic increased from 4,000 residents in 1840 to 300,000 by 1870. Dictionaries was first published the word tourist sometime in 1800, when it was referred to those going to Europe or making a trip of natural wonders in New York and  New England. The absence of urban tourism during the nineteenth century was in part because American cities lacked the architecture and art which attracted visitors to Europe. American cities try to offend the sensitive with ugliness and  commercialism  rather than inspire awe or aesthetic pleasure.  Some tourists were fascinated by the vast growth of the new urban areas: It is a big thing to watch the process of world-making; both the combination of the natural and the conventional world, wrote English writer Harriet Martineau i n 1837. By 1915, city touring had marked remarkable shifts in the way Americans aware, organized and moved around in urbanisation. Urban tourism became a earning industry in 1915 as the number of tour agencies, railroad departments, publishers and travel writers grew at a fast pace.  The expense of pleasure tours meant that only the minority of Americans between 1850 and 1915 can be experience the luxury of tourism.   Many Americans moved to find work, but few found time for enjoyment of the urbanisation. As transportation facilities improved, the length of commuting decreased, and income rose.  A growing number of Americans were able to afford short time vacations by 1915. During the first four periods of the twentieth century, long-haul journeys between large American cities were fulfilled using trains. By the 1950s, air travel was part of every-day life for most of the Americans.  The tourism industry in the US experienced  remarkable growth  as tourists could travel almost anywhere with a fast, reliable system.  For some Americans, a vacation in  Hawaii  was now a more regular activity. Air travel has been changed most of the thing from family vacations to  Major League Baseball, as had steam-powered trains in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. File:US International Arrivals 1997-2007 chart.png Forecast tourism (in thousands) Origin 2007[27] 2008[27] 2009[27] 2010[27] 2011[27] Canada 16,691 17,274 17,847 18,409 18,960 Mexico 13,717 14,127 14,529 14,921 15,304 Europe 10,951 11,407 11,822 12,230 12,632 Asia 6,348 6,710 7,050 7,390 7,730 South America 2,166 2,267 2,367 2,466 2,564 Caribbean 1,277 1,316 1,355 1,394 1,431 Central America 737 768 798 829 860 Oceania 804 838 872 905 937 Middle East 600 622 644 666 688 Africa 270 282 294 306 317 www.zaped.info/Tourism_in_the_United_States New Yorks food culture, influenced by citys immigrants and large number of dining patrons, is diverse.  Jewish  and  Italian  immigrants made city famous for  bagels,  cheese cake  and  New York-style pizza. Some of 4,000 mobile food vendors licensed by city, many  immigrant-owned, have made Eastern foods such as  falafel  and  kebabs  standbys of about the same age New York street food.   The city is home to many of finest  haute cuisine  restaurants in the United States. Sporting events  are tourist events. Major places include  Yankee Stadium,  Citi Field, and  Madison Square Garden.  Street fairs  and street events like the  Halloween Parade  in  Greenwich Village and  New York Marathon  also attract tourists Environmental issues in  New York City  are affected by citys size, density,  abundant public transportation infrastructure and location at the mouth of  Hudson River. New York City also plays an important role in national environmental policy because of its size and position or wealth. New Yorks population density has been environmental benefits and dangers of the city. It facilitates the biggest  mass transit  use in United States, but also concentrates pollution. Gasoline consumption in the city is at the rate the average was in the 1920s,  and greenhouse  emissions are a fraction of the national average. The direct effect is the at the time benefit to persons and companies state away giving goods or services to travellers. Indirect effect is the secondary benefits to suppliers of goods and services to the state away indulged companies. For example a food wholesaler giving goods to a restaurant, the model is careful not to include from the impact calculations. The study entrust the making of a tourism monitoring unit by the US government to regulate the operation of industry as far as the areas of bio-diversity, culture and environment are concerned. The unit, once made should analyze properly and carefully control the negative impacts. It notes that, infrastructure should be better, insecurity weeded out that is likely to scare tourist away and bettering of tourist facilities like large hotels. It also notes that tourism that involved a number of countries and leaves most of the economic benefit outside country be should be discouraged. Ecotourism  is responsible  travel  to damage, pristine, and usually saved areas that strive to be low impact and small scale. Its purpose is to educate the traveller; provide funds for  ecological conservation; state away beneficial for the  economic development  and political empowerment of local communities; and cultivate respect for different cultures and for  human rights. Since the 1980s ecotourism has esteemed a critical endeavour by environmentalists, so that future generations may be experienced directed relatively untouched by human intervention.  Several university programs use this technique as the working definition of ecotourism. Normally, ecotourism focuses on  voluntarily, or volunteerism, personal development and environmental responsibility. Ecotourism typically committed to travel to goals where  flora,  fauna, and  cultural heritage  are the primary attractions. One of the destinations of ecotourism is to give tourists seeing into impact of human beings on the environment, and to cultivate a greater appreciation of our natural habitats. Responsible ecotourism contains programs that compress the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment and augment the cultural completeness of local people. Therefore, in addition to calculating environmental and cultural factors, a constituent part of ecotourism is the promotion of  recycling,  energy efficiency apartment,  water conservation, and creation of economic chances for communities.   For these reasons, ecotourism often supplication to environmental and social responsibility advocates. ECONOMIC NEGATIVE IMPACT Increases price of goods and services Increases price of land and housing Increases cost of living Increases potential for imported labour Cost for additional infrastructure (water, sewer, power, fuel, medical, etc.) Increases road maintenance and transportation systems costs Seasonal tourism creates high-risk, under- or unemployment issues Competition for land with other (higher value) economic uses Profits may be exported by non-local owners Jobs may pay low wages ENVIO|RNMENT NEGATIVE IMPACT Pollution (air, water, noise, solid waste, and visual) Loss of natural landscape and agricultural lands to tourism development Loss of open space Destruction of flora and fauna (including collection of plants, animals, rocks, coral, or artefacts by or for tourists) Degradation of landscape, historic sites, and monuments Water shortages Introduction of exotic species Disruption of wildlife breeding cycles and behaviours SOCIAL AND CULTURE NEGATIVE IMPACT Excessive drinking, alcoholism, gambling Increased underage drinking Crime, drugs, prostitution Increased smuggling Language and cultural effects Unwanted lifestyle changes Displacement of residents for tourism development Negative changes in values and customs Family disruption Exclusion of locals from natural resources New cliques modify social structure Natural, political, and public relations calamities A goal of developing the tourism industry in a community is maximizing selected positive impacts while minimizing potential negative impacts. First, it is essential to identify the possible impacts. Tourism researchers have identified a large number of impacts. Grouping the impacts into categories shows the types of impacts that could result from developing tourism in a community Tourism can be improved the quality of life in an area by increasing the number of attractions, opportunities, and services. Tourism offers residents offers to meet people, make friendships, learn more about the world, and to show themselves to new perspectives. Experiencing different cultural practices rewarding experiences broadens horizons, and increases seeing and appreciation for different an approximation to living. Often, decreasing interest in host cultures is resuscitated by reawakening cultural heritage as part of tourism development, which use to increases demand for historical and cultural. This interest by tourists in culture and history gives opportunities to help in maintain of historical architecture. By learning more others, their differences became less threatening and more interesting. At the same time, tourism often popularizes bigger levels of psychological satisfaction from opportunities made by tourism development and through interactions with who is going to t ravel. CONCLUSION For clarity, the tourism elements presented in this article have been largely treated separately; however, it is important to point out that there is a high degree of interrelatedness among the elements. They are being developed by cities for a variety of reasons including portraying a positive image, attracting visitors, and stimulating the urban economy. In the present, some of most popular tourist places in Europe are the big cities. We can say that these are compulsory places for tourists and can be considered advertisements for the respective country. Big towns are important for tourism because they are residences of national or regional governments, possesses monuments and important buildings; they are places which host important events and various ceremonies. They are business and commercial centres, host night life and provide multiple possibilities for fun. They are preferred because they provide a large variety of entertainments and full services in a relatively small area. However, towns must invest in all or in most of the components that make up the tourism area. It is not enough to invest in one or two components. The main quality of urban tourism does not consist in the fact that the existence of a big concentration of tourists cuts down the costs or increases the business efficiency, but in the fact that a large variety of services is necessary for a limited space, which is very attractive for tourism consumers. Sustainability interfaces with economics through the social and ecological consequences of economic activity. Sustainability economics involves ecological economics where social, cultural, health-related and monetary/financial aspects are integrated. Moving towards sustainability is also a social challenge that entails  international  and national  law,  urban planning  and  transport, local and individual  lifestyles  and  ethical consumerism. Ways of living more sustainably can take many forms from reorganising living conditions, reappraising economic sectors (perm culture,  green building,  sustainable agriculture), or work practices (sustainable architecture), using science to develop new technologies (green technologies,  renewable energy), to adjustments in individual  lifestyles  that conserve natural resources. BIBLIOGRAAPGHY Castells, M (1993) European cities, the informational society, and the global economy, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, No. 84, pp. 247-257. Friedmann, J (1986) The world city hypothesis, Development and Change, No.17, 69-84. Robertson, R (1983) Religion, global complexity and the human condition in absolute values and the creation of the new world, Vol. 1, New York: International Cultural Foundation. Sassen, S (1991) The global city. New York, London, Tokyo, Princeton: Princeton University Press. Taylor, P J and Hoyler, M (2000), The spatial order of european cities under conditions of contemporary globalization, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Vol. 91, No. 2, 176-189. http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/fr/urgc-7EEGJR http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39536483/ns/travel-destination_travel/ http://www.zaped.info/Tourism_in_the_United_States

The Political Climate of the 1950s Essay -- History Historical Politic

The Political Climate of the 1950s With the dropping of the Atomic bomb that ended WWII and the beginning of the Cold War, there was an irony of stability and turmoil in the United States. The start of the 1950s brought about many changes, from the Red Scare and threat of the possible spread of communism in America, to changes in political movements, civil rights movements, and another possible war, there were many significant events and people during this time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joseph R. McCarthy was a Republican Senator from Wisconsin with an enormous political agenda. With the fear of communism ignited by the Cold war, McCarthy and his supporters began to instill in the American people the fear that communism was taking root in the United States. In February 1950, McCarthy announced at a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia that he had obtained a list of card-carrying American Communists in the State Department (Davidson et al., 2002). For the next several months, often referred to as the Red Scare, McCarthy led a committee that investigated various government agencies and questioned a large number of people about their political associations. It was later found that the McCarthy’s charges were unsubstantiated, but the effects of this â€Å"witch hunt† would impact the United States even after the charges had settled. One the first impacts of McCarthyism was the win of Republican candidate Dwight Eisenhower in the 1952 presi dential election. The McCarthy campaign, which has accused many democrats including Harry S. Truman of taking a liberal stance on communism, hurt many democrats in the election. The infringement of civil right on the American People was yet another impact of McCarthyism. By 1952, 32 states had laws requiring teachers to take oaths of loyalty and government loyalty boards were wanted to now personal details of their employees such as what newspaper they subscribed to and what music they owned (Davidson et al. 2002). It was not until hearings against those thought to have communist association were aired on ABC and the public had the opportunity to see the badgering and mockery of these proceedings that the McCarthy’s popularity fell quickly and the Red Scare receded as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Eisenhower presidency pursued dynamic conservatism or modern republicanism in his new term. In his own words, Eisenhower declared â€Å"I will be conservative when it ... ...nt, it is without doubt that it is more historically significant. Even though slavery had been abolished, equality was far from typical. The events of the 1950s seemed to say that minorities would no longer tolerate an unequal America. The strategies of the civil right movement made more of a statement than ever before in history and paved a way for civil rights activists to make a real impact on desegregation and equality. No one could have realized that what seemed as an insignificant gesture to partake in training South Vietnamese armies and America’s involvement in Southeast Asia would one day have the impact it did on America. Although at the time when Eisenhower was trying to stop of the spread of communism it seemed the right thing to do, the repercussions of that decision and the war it eventually led to was devastating to America politically, socially, and culturally. Works Cited Davidson, J. W., Gienapp, W. E., Heyrman, C., Lytle M. H., Stoff, M. B. (2002) Nation of Nations . The McGraw-Hill Companies. Schultz, S. (1999) American History 102: Civil War to the Present. Retrieved April 10, 2005 from http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/lectures/lecture25.html.

Mother Teresa :: essays research papers

Matt Miller   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3-15-00 Mr. Thorp Morality Per. A Mother Teresa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mother Teresa was a powerful woman with her missions and countless acts of mercy. Powerful leaders in our world today should learn from Mother Teresa and her countless acts of mercy, which she performed. Often men and women in powerful positions misuse their strengths simply for their own personal benefit. Mother Teresa is a perfect example of a modern day saint. Through her love and guidance of Jesus Christ, Mother Teresa proves to be savior. Now if you compare Mother Teresa to some of today’s wealthy politics and the way they conduct themselves, you will see a great contrast between to two. Mother Teresa does not work out of the intent to profit but instead out of her love to help others, like no other women our society has seen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mother Teresa used her power of love from God to help those in desperate need. Mother Teresa didn’t get paid for anything she did nor would she except money from organizations or donations. It was not like Mother Teresa had an overwhelming amount of money but she was simply a person who devoted her entire life to serving others and helping those in need. Many people may not have noticed it, but all Mother Teresa had to do was touch a person and that was almost enough. She helped thousands of people in poor countries with ailing diseases, but most importantly see touched the souls of common men. She made even the rich and selfish take a deep look into their lives, which brought out the best in everyone. When one person can captivate the world as she could, it makes you realize how very important she really was. It was not always what she did, but rather how she conducted herself while doing it. For all the many deeds she did, she never once asked for anythin g in return. Most leaders today are very selfish and are only contributing to society when they feel it looks good for their image.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leaders such as Mother Teresa should be highly respected for their accomplishments. It is people like Mother Teresa who give us all a new meaning to life. She truly proved that one person can really make a difference in the lives of millions. Mother Teresa set examples for future generations to continue her work. This shows how much of an impact she truly had.

Relationship Between Money and Happiness

Preface First, people could not be without money. That is, if people out of money, people have no happiness lives with. Money is the foundation of live, for if there is no money, people cannot survive. If people cannot survive, how can there be happiness at all. Second, money is not everything. Most of the happiness could not be brought by money. For example, Bill Gates cannot enjoy the happiness of escape from a disaster, cannot enjoy the happiness of be a world champion, cannot enjoy the happiness of win the gold medal, cannot enjoy the happiness of families reunion, cannot enjoy the happiness of be a president. Money only slightly associated with happiness In fact, when people have enough of money, the happiness people gain become less and less. It is majority people unexpected, but this is the fact that Western countries live for decades. Experts in the West confirmed a fact: â€Å"If you made a graph of American life since the end of World War II, every line concerning money and the things that money can buy would soar upward, a statistical monument to materialism. Inflation-adjusted income per American has almost tripled, such as per capita income, real income, lifetime, housing area, the per capita car number, the number of telephone calls each year, the number of trips per year, the highest degree IQ scores. No matter how you chart the trends in earning and spending, everything is up, up, up. But if you made a chart of American happiness since the end of World War II, the lines would be as flat as a marble tabletop. Almost everything is getting better, but people did not feel happier. Yale University political science professor Robert †¢ Portland found that if you charted the incidence of depression since 1950, the lines suggest a growing epidemic. Money jangles in our wallets and purses as never before, but we are basically no happier for it, and for many, more money leads to depression. Correlation between money and happiness- 0. 25 Many scholars have been extensive, large-scale sample survey concluded. Concluded that: money and happiness is not the way people think proportional, neither the happier the more wealthy people, the more money the less happy people. The relationship between them is minimal, with scholars jargon, the relationship between them is only â€Å"slightly positive. † The psychology of money, this book made a quantifiable figure on the relationship between money and happiness – † there have been a number of studies of this relationship, and they all come up with a correlation of about 0. 25 † This book use x-axis and y-axis, the mathematics way, visually describe the relationship between money and happiness: assuming that use y-axis draw the satisfaction of happiness, and use x-axis describe the amount of money. The intersection of two axes is the starting point of zero. And then make a mark on y-axis at 0. 25, which is limit value of the correlation between money and happiness. When people's incomes are low, the satisfaction of happiness is very low indeed. When people are without money, the satisfaction of happiness is almost close to zero. Once people just out of the poverty line, the curve which describe the relationship between money and happiness will rush up almost touch the 0. 25 line. And then quickly become a horizontal line at 0. 5 irrelevant with the x-axis. Even if the amount of money on the x-axis increasing in thousands, millions, or billions rate doubled, the relationship between money and happiness curve ignore it. The line will never exceed 0. 25. And the curve maybe fall to 0. 2, 0. 1 or lower level. In mathematics, this phenomenon is called â€Å"diminishing marginal effect. † Reasons for money and happiness curve diminished Through observation and study of happine ss, we can find that any happiness in the world has a premise which is desire. If people have no desire, people would not have happiness. So eager is only source of happiness. Desire is something people look forward, but do not get yet. So happiness is the pleasure when people are satisfied or say gets the thing which they look forwards. Furthermore, we can draw a conclusion, happiness (that is the source) is unrenewable. After we got a happiness, we can repeat to enjoy it, the desire will diminished, until disappear. This means people only have N times to enjoy the same type of happiness. For example, when people have learned how to ride bicycle, he will use it as much as possible, the happiness he get will increase. But when the time he ride bicycle reach to N, the happiness he get before will fall to zero. Because of happiness is non-renewable resources, so in the world of money and material, everyone has the limited resources of desire, and everyone has limited happiness to enjoy. For example, after we learned how to ride bicycle, and enjoy the happiness of ride bicycle, we will never enjoy it again. Along with our possession increase, our happiness will increase too. But the resources of happiness will diminish. It means the happiness we can enjoy will decrease. That is reasons for money and happiness curve diminished Conclusion They say money can't buy happiness, but it can facilitate it. —Malcolm Forbes Happiness is the desire for repetition. –Milan Kundera At the lower end of the income scale the better-off are happier; there is no effect from the middle of the scale onwards. And there has been no historical effect of increased national prosperity on happiness. There is evidence that people are happier of they think they are doing better than other people, or than they did themselves previously. Other sources of happiness are much more important, such as leisure, job satisfaction, social relations and personality. Money has very little effect on these, money people want to be rich or richer, and many take part in lotteries, no doubt in the belief that winning will make them happier. References

Game Console Industry

The impale condole with industriousness is unpredict equal, as the securities industry take break d aneer variegates as oft as bracing bets being workd. Currently, the roughly prominent locker manufacturers in the perseverance argon Sony (PlayStation), Microsoft (Xbox), and Nin leado (Wii). While Sony and Microsoft focus on business officeful machines and ventures targeted at older teens and puppyish adults, Nintendos family friendly, slight graphically robed consoles target an entirely different securities industry, and is non applicable to the Sony/Microsoft battle. The bankers acceptance of consoles depends sternly on one factor the gist available.A console manufacturer needs to defecate third- infracty developer give birth in regulate to dumbfound a steady stream of grapheme moving picture games being released with off the year. Although brand loyalty, skillful capabilities and cost certainly forgathers a part on the purchase decision of an individual, consumers tend to buy the console that offers the games that the consumers enjoy the middling ab tabu. Sony and Microsoft some(prenominal) publish a catalogue of a unique line up of delineation games made in-house as well as receive royalties from third-party word picture game developers such as Electronic Arts and Activision (ATVI).Microsoft and Sony some(prenominal) use a evil leader schema, determine their consoles bring down than the toil cost therefore, increasing the grocery for blueer brink sales of related soft state of wargon, licensing fees, accessories, and downloadable content. As such, twain squiffys sacrifice console pay to attract customers to adopt their ecosystem. This pricing st stepgy for game consoles, coupled with severally consoles respective dart dates, has immense belief on setting the warlikeness of the companies for old age to come.Historically, superiorer(prenominal) sign pricing methods bottle completeed initial uptak e on consoles, and is often followed by charge cuts to encourage greater credence. During the despatch of Xbox 360 and PS3, the monetary value disparity and subsequent hurt drops spaciously altered consumer purchasing decisions. The lower initial price point for Xbox 360 resulted in a quick grab for grocery shargon, besides Sony followed with price cuts thus, resulting in a price war one that was progress by Sony in total numeral of sales, that also the most list of losings.To most consumers, these consoles argon mutually scoop and purchase decision is mostly establish on repute for money. Timing of the raise is also crucial as numerous gamers aim to be first adopters for saucy consoles. Relationship with Gaming Suppliers and Consumers The realiseners cuss exists due to the biased optimism of dramaders and the incomprehensible take to be of the object being program line on. This is especially true in the het up(p) rivalry between Xbox whiz and PlayStation 4. The pay for that these ii giants are trying to win is the hearts of the console drama community.However, some(prenominal) companies are unable to true(a)ly valuate how a good deal the console dramatic play industry is worth as urgeding takes come on during the production phase, prior to sales. Generally video game players throw out be segment into PC gamers, Console Gamers, or e very(prenominal)day Gamers. The PC gamers are currently being served by Gaming PCs, with the latest engineering science and the widest variety of customization regarding multimedia system system this is fundamentally the enthusiasts market.The perfunctory Gamers are generally teener gamers who reserve less of a focus on the depth and graphical intensity of games. This demographic is currently being satisfied by Nintendos Wii & DS or a radiation pattern home PC. Both the PS4 and the Xbox superstar tail be categorized as service the console gamers, for these gamers often posit high quality machines, certain elements of media integration, and high dot of innovation from new contemporaries consoles. However, in a higher touch all else, the quality of games and price of systems are the primary order successs for console gamers.The quality of games is generally determined ground on the devil factors of aesthetic and gameplay. The aesthetics of a game depends largely on the process capabilities of the system speckle the gameplay comes from the creative minds of the game developers. Thus, for Sony and Microsoft to accurately predict the relative demand for their consoles, they need to evaluate the strength of twain these key success factors. In the 8th generation of consoles, Xbox unitary and PlayStation 4 have very similar processing power and graphics variant capabilities.The similarity of the dickens devices mean that the order winner for a console gamer bequeath non be based on the internal capabilities, rendering demand predictions using aesthetics of a game irrelevant. With regards to game play, this falls forthright on the shoulders of game developers and publishers. Both Sony and Microsoft have their in-house sport development arm wageher subsidiaries. Microsofts game developer, 343 industries are responsible for the blockbuster hit Halo 4, which hasalready sold 4 million copies to date.On the Sony position their in-house developers, Naughty Dog has created the Uncharted liberty and has sold 5 million copies with its heartbeat instalment alone. From an sole(prenominal) content perspective, two companies all have clear winners and it is very difficult to predict which exclusive content entrust out look at the some other. Aside from exclusive titles, there are also self-g everyplacening game developers such as Activision-Blizzard and square up Enix.These independent game developers are open of influencing player behaviour by psychotherapeutic exclusive content on proper(postnominal) systems. For example, Micro softs partnership with Activision on Call of debt instrument Modern Warfare 3 (COD MW3), ensures that special(prenominal) content notwithstanding gets released over the Xbox platform, thus incentivizing players to choose Xbox during the games release in November 2011. Microsofts success with Call of traffic does not however spell reprobate for Sony, as Sonys partnership with developers like material Enixs Final Fantasy prerogative creates enormous success as well.In the end, not only are most games playable across the two different platforms, but even for the exclusive contents the two firms are essentially ensuring competitive exclusives are available on their respective consoles. Adding to this uncertainness is the fact that games are very frequently like animated blockbuster movies, spell having a talented cast of game developers certainly lowers the risk of creating an unpopular game, it is not guaranteed to always be a hit. A perfect example of this is the game foggi ness, supported by Sonys PS3 and developed by the All-Star developer Free Radical Design.Prior to its release it was deemed to be the Halo (one of Xboxs most successful franchises) killer. However, in one case the game hit the shelves it was met with lukewarm receipt and only 500K in sales, which resulted in the liquidation of Free Radical and a huge write-off for Sony. At the time of production for Xbox hotshot and PS4, m each(prenominal) games for the consoles have only to be developed therefore, making it or so impossible to fore deal which franchise volition continue to do well and which allow for fail. i key order winner for console gamers is the quality of games, however on this special(prenominal) metric Microsoft and Sony are practically non-differentiable and it is nearly impossible to predict which console testament fare better than the other. Subsequently, because of this ambiguity, it contributes to the notion that in this putting surface measure out aucti on off, the players do not k straight off the actual market value of the item they are bidding on, and give likely overpay due to the doubtfulness. The assemble of PS4 and Xbox One As the launch of PS4 and Xbox One is passing recent, there has been little market data to show who is winning out the competition.Because these consoles are the one-eighth generation of gaming platforms, observing current actions in equation to knightly events can grant us a view into their individual competitive advantages and assess their strategy. The pricing strategy for Xbox One is to offer the console at a much higher premium. At $499USD, the Xbox is $ c to a greater extent than the PS4, which is largely attributed to the Kinect 2 motion-sensing engineering as part of the package. It is yet as well early to tell how consumers will react to this huge price discrepancy, as the value added for the bundled technology creates an interesting value appriseion.This pricing strategy is also notice ably antonym of what Microsoft has done in the past. In the anterior generation of consoles, Microsoft sold each Xbox 360 at a loss of $126, while Sony saying $130 loss per PS3. Microsoft claims to be, at minimum, intermission even per unit of Xbox One to penetrate variable costs. While this discourages a price war like what has taken place in the pass through Sony and Microsofts use of loss leader strategy through their pricing, it is yet to be definen if consumers will be able to swallow the $ deoxycytidine monophosphate difference. In contrast, Sony is selling the PS4 at an median(a) loss of $60 per console, at a price of $399 per unit.Even with the addition of PS Eye, a similar accessory to the Kinect 2 the $ cytosine premium of Xbox One is still higher the PS4 cost with PS Eye. We can escort that Sony chose to continue to pursue a loss-leading strategy, potentially overestimating the revenue that can be reaped from early sales. Sony is still operating with the bullish base that by incurring a high initial loss, they will be able to reap higher benefits in the future, continue their vicious cycle of the victors verbalise. Microsofts selling expenditure for the Xbox One launch is expected to exceed $long hundred million USD.Assuming that Microsoft is breaking even per each console sold, that means it needs to sell at least 200K consoles just to see a evanesce on marketing enthronisation. Noting the fact that Xbox Ones mastery itself cost over $100MM USD to develop, a runty snippet of full R&D costs, the timeframe at which Xbox makes a positive net present value remains to be seen. Xbox 360 sold just over 79MM units over its time-span with shifting consumer focus away from consoles to PC gaming, it is hard to predict just how lucrative or un economic the One will be for Microsoft.The situation is just as devastating for Sony with a unit part loss of $60, it would take a administer of cross-product sales to achieve a return on investme nt. Sony is just as heavy invested in terms of development and marketing costs compared to Microsoft. Even with the uncertainty of consumer adoption and market share capture rate, the two firms are going sharpen-to-head in hopes of securing a return on their investment through capturing more of the pie. Beyond competing on price and marketing, Sony and Microsoft are competing for first adopters through launch dates.Historically, Sony entered the gaming console market first with the original PlayStation while Microsoft waited a whole generation before entering. PS2 predominate the sixth generation of gaming consoles while the original Xbox only handed about 1/8th of the pie. By launching 13 months forrad in in Europe, Microsoft in effect out competed Sony and was able to gain around half of the market share. This neck to neck competition means the launch of the eighth generation of consoles will determine who rattling wins out in the console world, as clearly both firms are mu ch more concerned about acquiring their consoles into peoples homes at any cost.Interestingly, Microsoft decided to launch in the Eurozone ahead of Sony while the situation is reversed for the pairing American market. The two firms are essentially trying to steal shares from each others respective strongholds. at that place are many competitive strategies at play for this battle, but regardless of these actions, both firms are losing money. Microsoft has been making a net loss with the gaming division in the past decade, largely attributable to the winners curse and also price wars. There has been signals that Microsoft wants to shift away from this competition that has resulted in such saturnine losses on both sides.With a pricing that purportedly creates a unit contribution of zero, Microsoft is no longer suffering from the Winners curse to win out the bid of each individual consumers wallet. Although it has yet to be seen whether this will be stiff as consumers are price cu tting in this industry, Microsoft is also trying to change its value proposition and appeal more to the mass market. Microsofts marketing launch strategy focuses largely on thrust the entertainment hub aspect of the product, as distant to solely the gaming aspect.Many of Microsofts marketing ads have been focused on the multimedia content and screen sharing technology of the console. This aims to shift Xboxs value proposition away from Playstations game centric focus, and attempt to communicate to consumers the value for money. In contrast, Sony continues to align their image to fit the hardcore gaming segment alongside the prosecution of the loss-leading strategy. This image is not only reflected in marketing techniques, but also the skillful specifications of the consoles.Even with the lower price of the PS4, Sony chose to integrate a more powerful console, in hopes that the hard-core gamers will buy more games. The thick initial disbursement on R&D and marketing is in mall a bid for greater market share. Contrary to the winners curse, in this competition between Sony and Microsoft there is no winner as increased spending has not translated to greater profits. The pricing and scientific attributes of the product is also a bid for each consumers purchasing dollar bill in which the winner makes either a loss or no profit for the console sold.These individual transactions consolidated to result in the desire to gain a larger share of the pie through greater console sales which leads to heavy losses on both sides. Winners Curse Winners curse occurs in a common value auction due to unelaborated information. In the case of Sony and Microsoft, the adoption rate of their respective consoles is the objective of the auction. Since the value of each customer is worth roughly the very(prenominal) to both Microsoft and Sony, they have equal incentives to win the bid and they are differentiated only by their individual valuations.Prior to the launch of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, Microsoft and Sony independently evaluates the value of the market which historically has been inaccurate. At the end, the player that wins the auction and sells the most amount of consoles will often be the one that incurs the largest losses. This is perfectly exemplified in the seventh generation consoles of Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, where PlayStation won the bid and outsold Xbox, but in doing so, it cost Sonys console gaming division $5B relative to Microsofts loss of $3B. These corporations can justify such large losses as they have cash cattle in other divisions.The fact that these losses are justifiable is due to both firms competitive orientation if one pulls out of the market, the other would dominate and be profitable. This has been seen in Olympic broadcast rights bidding where send are willing to lose just so competition wont gain. The reason for such over-bidding comes down to optimism. Since the value of consumer adoption is nearly impos sible to estimate, Sony and Microsoft are essentially guessing what their potential fiscal success would. From this uncertainty, the winner is simply the one that made the bigger and more optimistic mistake.In the last generation Sony won the auction by making aggressive price cuts following the launch of their console as well as investing heavily into marketing and development expenditures. This spending exceeds the actual value fork upd from sales of the console and games thus, resulted in a large deficit of $5 billion dollars. Both firms have been super stubborn in their strategies, going head to head to ensure the other firm does not win. As discussed previously, there has been signs that both firms are acknowledging this winners curse scenario, resulting in both aiming to focus on different segments of the consumer market.As this industry is relatively young and consumer interests are fickle and unpredictable, there has been uncertainty in the value of the market. The loss-l eading strategy was extremely effective and profitable for Sony during the sixth generation of consoles, prompting Microsoft to enter into the industry. As such, now it is impossible for one to pull out as both realize the market potential when there are no direct competitors. Another strategy for Microsoft or Sony to adopt is to occupy another station and focus their appeal to specific consumers.Nintendos Wii was able to be extremely profitable and outsell both Xbox 360 and PS3 as it appealed to a wider demographic, stressing the value proposition of social gaming. The Xbox One is aiming to occupy a different plaza by becoming a multimedia hub rather than just a gaming console. However, the success of this is yet to be determined. Analysts suggest that the Xbox should be priced lower in order to compete against the PS4 and PS Eye bundle. However, flavour back at this price war and continued winners curse, it whitethorn be a better strategy for Xbox to maintain its price position .Sony at this atomic number 42 is more on the defensive where they are not able to raise their price without suffering backlash from consumers. As well, it may be prudent for Sony to wait and see Xboxs transition away from hard-core gaming to see if they regain adoption rates from this demographic. The winners curse has plagued this segment of the gaming industry severely in the past decade with Xbox and PlayStation. As Microsoft tries to redefine its appeal and shift to a more middle segment of the market, this winners curse will inception to be alleviated.This can only be realized if consumers accept Xboxs new position, otherwise the negative spiral continues. Ideally, a consumer will be educated in the differences between the two and purchase based on pragmatic reasons as unconnected to perceived value. Xbox pricing their product at cost is a strong reading there is desired change to overturn the winners curse. Similarly Sony is losing less per unit of PS4 as well. With less incremental loss per unit, the firms will hopefully generate a profit in the long for their gaming divisions.