Literature Review on Marketing Essay

This part of the thesis deals with the research and critical comments on various literatures related with the marketing activities that can be implemented by a firm to improve their business performance. Marketing Strategy: According to Ferrell and Hartline (2010) Marketing Strategy is both art and science where the firm finds or plans ways to deliver their value by fulfilling the needs & wants of their potential customers. This helps in determining the marketing mix and analyzing the competitive advantage of the firm by implementing and presenting new ideas so as to satisfy their customers. Employing strategies helps in increasing the level of sales by branding, advertising & promotion. So as per the authors (Ferrell& Hartline, 2010) the points that are to be taken under consideration by a firm to properly establish a marketing strategy are discussed below: Firstly, a proper marketing plan is to be established as it helps in providing the necessary detailed outline to carry out the marketing program for a firm. As per the authors ,the marketing plan is not at all similar to a business plan; but a business plan contains a marketing plan along with financial, capital and human resource. Therefore, the core means to accomplish the desired goals & objectives of an organisation’s marketing strategy is through its well defined marketing plan. Secondly, a firm must aim in seeking marketing opportunities available by collecting and analyzing the information. The technique used for data collection& analysis is through situation analysis; which is a process of data collection that describes the current& future issues & trends that can have an effect on the internal, customer, external environments respectively (Ferrell& Hartline, 2010). This helps in making the strategy by identifying the environment of the business is dealing in and analyze whether the plan will be beneficiary or not before implementation. Then, a Marketing expansion is to be made by identifying in the best interest of the their customers using marketing tools like segmentation & targeting and this can be calculated by identifying the customers buying process because it will help the managers in rea lizing who are their customers & what exactly do the customers want (Ferrell& Hartline, 2010). Finally, the firm has to implement the plan but must execute certain  activities to increase employee motivation and commitment in achieving the desired goals and objectives effectively by controlling & evaluating the marketing strategy as per the plan proposed. Therefore, implementation of marketing strategy is incomplete without a control mechanism (Ferrell& Hartline, 2010). The key in effective strategic controlling is by maintain an appropriate communication system and the managers must make business decisions as per the interest of the organisation and its customers. Thus, marketing strategy is a never ending process making it important for the managers to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of the plan that has being implemented for future benefits as it can allow the firm to concentrate on its limited available resources & seek their opportunities to increase sales and achieve a competitive edge. By this we can say that strategy plays a key role for a company to be successful in a way that can obtain benefit against its competitors. Analysis of the environment: According to Richard Lynch (2006), analysis of the business environment for an organisation is certainly an important part for this report, as in a much broader sense it helps to describe everything and everyone outside the firm. This includes customers, competitors, suppliers, distributors, government and social Institutions. The following will briefly explain about few marketing analysis that are to be considered for gaining a competitive advantage. The Strategic Analysis is a part of the environmental analysis that contributes in strategically analyzing of the environment by firstly, measuring the Market Size which will enable a firm in assisting and developing a strategy task, then the Market Growth for comprehending how much the market has grown over the years as the growth mainly relates to the organisation’s objectives & lastly, the Market Share to realize how much portion does the firm consume & take benefit within the market in comparison with its major competitors (L ynch, 2006). But for this to be applied the market must first be defined properly meaning the company must realise exactly in which particular market or markets it is entering. The PESTEL Analysis basically defines the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental & Legal factors that can affect the firm as it offers a  valuable starting point of the overall environment surrounding an organisation (Lynch, 2006). Though the PESTEL analysis is depend on past events and experience, but the analysis can be used as a forecast of the future by the managers. Although, this analysis is effective but must be updated on a regular basis as over time the lifestyles, regulations, culture and technology keeps on changing. The Degree of turbulence at the general level of environmental analysis considers the basic conditions surrounding the organisation (Lynch, 2006). Special attention needs to be directed to the nature and strength of the forces driving the change in the dynamics of the environment and the environmental forces that immediate the organisation can be measured according to firstly the Changeability which is the degree of the environment that is likely to change & the Predictability which is the degree of those changes that can be predicted. Lastly, the managers of an organisation must determine the Key Factors of success that helps the organisation in achieving their main goals & objectives as the resources, skills and attributes of an organisation that are vital to bring success in the market place (Lynch, 2006). Usually calculating & measuring the environmental analysis mentioned by the author Lynch; takes a lot of time & money of the company in determining the industry market by statistical tools which is not accurate making it risky & also based on the external factors that keeps on changing making it difficult for every firm to apply the analysis up to its full potential. But, still using Environmental Analysis helps the managers in making effective business & marketing decisions by determining the market industry in which the organisation deals in & identifying the essentials parts that are worth exploring to recognize the success that the firm has by gaining potential for customer satisfaction & differentiating itself from its competitors. The Analysis of the Industry’s Competitive Strategy: Competitiveness of a firm is its capability to achieve its targets. These targets are likely to be conveyed in a range of position depending on the context (Barney 2002). From abusiness perspective, a competitive firm requires to survive in the market and achieve the desired market share and  profitability. The success of a competitive firm can be calculated by obtaining their current position in the defined market. According to Michael E. Porter’s (1985), the best model in realizing a firm’s current situation is by Porter’s five forces model. This identifies the competitive strategy that an operating business has & aims at defeating its rival companies. According to Porter (1985), the guidelines of rivalry are characterized into â€Å"five competitive forces†. These competitive forces are entry to the new competitors, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, and rivalry among the existing competitors. Porter (198 5) further explains that the industry arrangement is reasonably stable, but can altered over time as the industry progresses, and the strong points of these competitive forces varies from one industry to another. Based on this model there’s ahelp in analyzing the bargaining power of buyer’s which willeffect the price that a firm can charge.The power of suppliers defines the costs of raw materials; the intensity of rivalry influences prices of competing. The threat of entry places a boundary on prices, and outlines the investment vital to put offnew competitors; Threats from substitutes usually pose a threat whenever there is a technological or low-cost breakthrough. Chaffey (2002) supports Porter’s model forces as it still provides a useable framework for studyingthe threats arising. The value of Porter’s model enables managers to think about the current industry that is in a structured and easy-to-understand system for further analysis. But, the above model’s framework is fundamentally fixed, while the competitive environment in general is constantly changing and it does not apply to a nonprofit type of organisation (Lynch, 2006). It also assumes that the buyers have no major significance than the aspect of the micro-environment; But the customer are always considered to be more important than other aspects of competitive strategy development process. Thus in order to solve these issues the SWOT analysis can be implemented (Lynch, 2006). As the SWOT analysis determines the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for a firm with in the environment it operates. Even though the model has been questioned with few critical remarks but for the managers of any major firm this model still demonstrates to be a useful for a competitive strategic analysis within the industry. So, there is no doubt that this is the best model that aims at defeating the major competitors in the market. Customer Relationship Analysis: According to Nigel Hill, Greg Roche & Rachel Allen (2007), Customer Satisfaction is all about how a firm succeeds in maintaining their customers as top of their agenda. This further identifies the 3r’s of customer loyalty which are Retention, Related Sales & Referrals. The 3r’s are basically the customer’s behavior that must staying longer, chose to use more of the services/products by a firm. This can be further useful by helping in noticing the customers Attitudes & Behavior towards the firm and prove to be effective for the firm’s achievement of their goals in satisfying their customers. Thus, to improve customer satisfaction organisation’s should focus on its resources on areas where they are least meeting the essential of their customer requirements. But as per the authors (Hill, Roche& Allen, 2007) ‘The profitability of customers increases the longer you keep them’ meaning is that the value of a customer typically increases over time by identifying a customer lifetime value by the following points. An Acquisition is a process of acquiring customers occurs wholly in the first year with a functioning business organisation i.e. before & just after becoming a customer. The Base Profit is the difference between sales revenue earned by a particular good or service and the cost to produce or provide that good or service. The Revenue growth will increase when the customers are satisfied as a satisfied customer have a tendency to buy or use more of the firm’s products or services. Customer satisfaction also leads to Cost Savings as long term customers will cost lesser in providing services as they became familiar with the organisation’s techniques & are more likely to get what they expect. In Referrals a highly satisfied customers will recommend and even applaud the product or service to their family & friends which thus brings more customer by eliminating the cost of acquisition of a customer. The long term customers who are satisfied with what the organisation has to offer will be also ready to pay a Price Premium meaning a higher price since they trust the product or service which results in adding value of the firm. According to Lynch (2006) The Internal Analysis is very crucial as it adds further value for an organisation which in turn is beneficiary for them if they take time in analyzing their business performance through which they can improve the overall customer satisfactory level. Hencethe firm must make in-depth analysis of their departments to determine which areas are to be immediately improved. Overall, it is very important & a responsibility of an organisation to establish a well refined relationship with their customer in such a way that satisfies them and results in earning more profits & establishing a competitive edge on a long term basis. The Market Segmentation: According to Sally Dibb & Lyndon Simki (1996), the market segmentation aims to identify groups of customers with similar needs and then the firm tries to select their segments by targeting thus determining how to position their products/services that helps to appeal in the targeted market of a region. This over all helps the firm in realizing which type of consumers are there and whether they prefer or like the services/products that the firm has to offer and this can be measured by making a research and getting at most possible feedback from the existing customers. The Segmentation process of a market segmentation comprises of three diverse portions namely Segmentation, Targeting & Positioning. It is very important to fully understand how different can the markets be segmented before making a final decision. It is clear that there are three points in the process at which assistance is defiantly necessary. As there is a need to recognize the categories of factors that will contribute to a positive result. During the analysis, it is important to create the qualities that emerging segments display. After the segmentation output has been confirmed, direction is needed for the criteria to review the desirability of the different segments. (Dibb & Simki, 1996) The most commonly used way is arranged in few steps, that tells that segments should exhibit measurability, so that segment size and  prospective can be measured; substantiality, so that the segments are sizeable to be profitable; accessibility, to reach the customers in the segments; actionability, letting segments to assist successfully with marketing programmes and lastly; stability, so that resources can be safely financed (Kotler, 1994). This is clearly aimed at managers during the segmentation process, as it shows features that are in contradiction to emerging segments that can be matched. The problem concerning with market segmentation compared to the authors comments (Dibb & Simki, 1996) is the fact that marketers sometimes fail to produce a usable segmentation answer as it is very difficult for them to analysis information that is constantly changing making the data material collected not precise. On top of that, this analysis is mainly based on statistical information which is at certain point difficult to calculate accurate information as statistical data are also based on the closest assumption value. The Marketing Mix also plays an important role as it identifies the product/service of an organisation, then determine at what price to sell the goods and services, later defines the place which is suitable for production and announce effective promotion methods to bring more customers (Hill, Roche& Allen, 2007). In order to obtain market segmentation success the managers should become critical about the quality of information they are receiving as it plays a vital role for implementing a marketing strategy by questioning the source of data and considering when it was collected. The method of data collection should be correct, durable and must be up-to-date as soon as possible. Marketing ethics: As per Bodo B. Schlegelmilch (1998), marketing ethics is an ethical dilemma that deals with relating the marketing function. The ethical issues usually arise in marketing situations for a firm. This part thus relates to how a firm should make ethical marketing decisions to obtain the satisfaction of the society & must focus on the ethical issues that connect with analyzing the market opportunities that are available. Marketing has been criticized for hurting the interest of customers, society and the environment in the presentation of the marketing mix by stimulating societal moral decay, endorsing materialism and affecting the environment. â€Å"Marketing ethics is thus alarmed with the moral principles and values which guide the marketing  decisions and activities in an ethical manner† (Jobber, 2010). The assistance of both the primary stakeholders (Customers, Employees, Suppliers, Shareholder & other investors) & secondary stakeholders (Media, Special-Interest Groups & Go vernment Institutions) is important to support the ethical activities of marketing practices (Schlegelmilch, 1998). But the most important factor for the reason that ethics are to be considered by the marketing managers are so to satisfy their organisation customers and employees (Schlegelmilch, 1998) as the customers are the people who buys the goods & service which runs the business & employees are those people that works for the company and are determined by their attitudes towards the jobs to keep the business running as well. While all other factors are directly or indirectly related with these two factors making it utmost important to satisfy them so as to achieve the desired goals & objectives. The Marketing activities has an impact on the society and the environment as a whole. Therefore the managers of the organisation should behave responsibly within the best interest of those who will be affected. In conclusion, marketing ethics is an important factor to be considered, despite the challenges and uncertainty a company faces with its applications. Conclusion This chapter presents the theoretical background of the major areas for marketing techniques of the research. The aimis to review the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings on marketing techniques for theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topicas the reviews are secondary sources and do not require any new or original experimental work.

Gangs and Gang Culture Essay

Casper Walsh is a journalist and author including the sixties Gangster story. His childhood was surrounded by crime and violence. He has been involved with the British prison system since he was 12 years old, as a visitor when his father was in prison, an inmate and now a rehabilitated drug user and creative writing workshop facilitator. The Guardian is a British national daily Newspaper that identifies with centre liberal nationalism and its readership is generally on the mainstream left of British political opinion. It is and readership is mainly white middle class people and its headquarters are in Manchester. This text portrays the picture about the media perception of gangs in our society. According to the author the term gang is usually associated with crime and violence by the media which has made not only youth male, but also working class individuals victims of media stereotyping. He is trying to point out the fact that the media is actually painting a bad picture and only covers the bad side of the gangs. He is also trying to attack the press and convince the reader that gangs are not all that bad and they are necessary in the process of growing up. The text is meant to show that there is nothing new or that scary about gangs, and that youths in every generation will always risk being bad. As a reader of this text I think that the media likes the idea of talking or writing about things that attract the attention of news readers. This makes it difficult sometimes to have a balanced opinion on this particular issue. Stories of this nature such as the negative side of gangsters attract a lot of attention from the readers so media tend to exaggerate when reporting and in this present day people respond to the media views. In this text the writer makes use of stylistic features such as â€Å"irony and paradox. In paragraph 1 there is of an ironical statement when he refers to â€Å"the non-existent good old days† by this he means that every generation has always had some youth behaving differently. In other words society seems to think that youth behaviour in the present time is worse than the one from the past which is not always the case. The fact of the matter is that every generation has always had its fair share of youth trouble. There is also an example of a paradox as stylistic feature in paragraph 1 where the writer talks about â€Å" rooftop shouting and table banging about the breakdown of teenage society†. He thinks that the media is creating a moral panic by portraying youth behaviour as big crisis out of control. For example the media will talk about dysfunctional families, as the cause of crime and violence in our society. But it is true that not every criminal comes from a dysfunctional family although some do. In my opinion I think the use of figures of speech is necessary for the writer to be able to deliver his message in a way that is not offensive to the reader. The fact that he is writing to particular class of people, it is important that the author communicates to them in a language they will understand. I find the word â€Å"Dim view† used by the writer in paragraph 1 inappropriate since what is dim to one person will not necessarily be dim to another. This text portrays the writer`s personal opinion of the media when covering gang related issues in our society. The writer puts all the blame on the press and doesn’t at any one time show that there are bad gangs who do horrible things. The sense of passage would change if the point of view was varied. I find the writer`s opinion not balanced because it only talks about his side of the story. There is some truth in what the media covers on gang related issues. We live in a free and fair society where most people have a choice about decisions that affect their lives. This applies to youth in our society having a choice of whether to join a gang or not without affecting their livelihood. It is not infact a necessity to join a gang in order for you find your identity as a person. People can choose alternative routes to gangs by joining activities such a social sports club, a church and still find themselves. The author only talks about male and youth yet at present we have female gangs and not everybody in gangs is necessary youth. Gangs have lords who are old mature people who actually run and use the youth to do the dirty work for them. The author is writing based on his own experiences and encounters and another person who had a normal life cannot look at gangs the same way. Looking at the facts of this text it is clearly stated that the writer comes from a gang and criminal back ground. My research about the writer found that not only himself but also his father was in jail for sometimes and as a result of this the author was influenced to work with offenders in and out of prison. In the light of this the author will have biased views on this matter to support his background and the people he stands for. The fact that the author is addressing the media which is made mainly with middle class people such as journalists , he makes use of the Guardian newspaper to conveys his message accordingly. Perhaps the author`s text would have changed in terms of tone and balanced view if he had used a different category of paper. I think he would have done some research and would have been able to find evidence to support his arguments. In addition to this he might have used a simple way of writing his text to put his message across.

Alternative managmentb of hypertensive patient among the lower economic class

Alternative managmentb of hypertensive patient among the lower economic class Hypertensive patients of the lower economic class prefers non-conventional methods of managing blood pressure levels. Hypertension is one of the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide affecting up to 800 million (or 20%) of the worlds adult population. It is estimated to cause 4.5% of the current global disease burden and is often as prevalent in many developing countries. Health seeking and utilization of health care services for hypertension in developing countries is often a complex issue, since people often seek care from multiple sources outside the formal orthodox health care system. Empirical studies of preventive and curative service have often found that the use of health care services in general is related to availability, quality and cost of services as well as to social structure, health beliefs and personal characteristics of the user. Traditional medicine (TM) is an important and often underestimated part of health services. In some countries, traditional medicine or non-conventional medicine may be termed complementary medicine (CM). TM has a long history of use in health maintenance and in disease prevention and treatment particularly for chronic disease. The frequency of utilization of CAM is increasing worldwide, and is well documented in both African and other global populations to be between 20 80%. Traditional health practitioners often play a major role in health care in many countries. For example, the reported use of herbal medicine (a form of CAM) in the general population from different parts of the world varies, with figures like 40% in the United States, 38.5% among the Indian community of Chatsworth in South Africa and 48.5% in Australia. Complementary and alternative medicine examples are herbs and garlic which can be included in the non conventional methods for hypertensive patients in the lower economic class. The purpose of this paper is to answer the following questions: What non conventional methods can be used by the lower economic class people to manage hypertension? What health organization acknowledges these methods? Is there a significant decrease in the blood pressure of lower economic class patients who follow the non conventional methods?

Job Training and Management Development Assignment

Job Training and Management Development - Assignment Example The aforementioned steps are applicable in a healthcare setting to impart new skills needed by nurses and other healthcare professionals (Guo, 2003). For instance, during training, and in the need analysis, management tells nurses about job performance skills needed, develop healthcare objectives and assess prospective training skills. Typical skills imparted to nurses during training include hands-on activities, such as handling patients with various needs. The training exercise at any stage bears the foundation for future career excellence. Ideally, it is a process of skills’ transfer, which requires management to make skills transfer easy (Belaiche, 1999). As a result, trainers in a healthcare setting maximize similarities between work situation and training situation. Contrastingly, as the name goes, management development is an activity that targets managers. Dessler (2008) defines management development as attempts to improve future or current management performance through skills, knowledge or changing management attitude. Management development is a more personalized activity and prepares managers for additional long-term job roles (Guo, 2003).In addition, management development is a process through which manager plan for, and eventually fills senior level openings. This is commonly referred to as succession planning. Management development is implemented using two methods, which include management on-the-job training, and management off-the-job training. Either way, the process’ sole aim is to improve future and current management performance. Correspondingly, management development is of particular importance to the healthcare setting. Senior healthcare professionals are involved in training to improve skills, such as employee management. They are tasked with ensuring job satisfaction and quality nurse performance, which requires patience and strategic approach to achieve.  

Islamic Rites of Passage Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Islamic Rites of Passage Study - Essay Example The hope is that the person will die with the Shahada on their lips; Washing and Shrouding of the body in a clean white cloth (kafn), is a tradition passed down from Abraham and symbolizes not only purity, cleanliness and simplicity, but adherence to the Quran. As Muhammud said, "When one of you shrouds his dead brother, he should shroud him in the best of manners." All Islamic rituals demand purification before performance. The absence of color, the cleansing of the body, also signify a transition from worldly contamination, and preparation for a better, holier place. A variant on this practice is that those who die as martyrs may be buried in their own clothes, and some sects will use three sheets, while others only one. Performing such rituals on the body not only reaffirms faith, but allows comfort for the bereaved, who are caring for and helping the lost loved one. Funeral Prayers (Salat-l-Janazah) are said outdoors, with the Imam standing in front of the body. These are similar to the five daily prayers, with the first said aloud, the others silently, and known as Takbirs. The time, place, language, objects and actions provide a continuity, yet a transition from life to death, and allows individuals to add their own silent intentions for the person. Burial, which takes place quickly after death, to avoid worldly contamination, is always facing Mecca, and in a simple grave.

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 83

Discussion - Essay Example While my preference to be a quiet person during teamwork has hindered my role as a team member, it has also helped strengthen the team in many ways. For instance, I have not been able to communicate effectively during teamwork and this has adversely affected the perception of my team members towards me. Additionally, I have not been able to work to my full potential during teamwork because some of my team members see me as hands off person when it comes to critical matters that are supposed to be handled by all the team members. When it comes to the benefit of my preference as a suite person to my behavior, I have to note that I have developed a listening attitude over the years and this has helped progress my team in various ways. This means that I have helped my team by analyzing each of the perception of my team members before coming up with a conclusive blend of ideas. This has greatly benefited my role as a team member by working behind the scenes. Owing to the fact that my preferences may portray me as a resigned person, I have developed various strategies for managing my preferences so that I behave in a way that is most effective for a team member. Some of them include being proactive when performing various tasks as a team and communicating to team members where necessary as a way of opening

Genetic reprogramming holds great promise for the discipline of Research Paper

Genetic reprogramming holds great promise for the discipline of regenerative medicine, because of the ability to obtain patient- - Research Paper Example These cells are similar to embryonic cells in that they can differentiate into the various body cells under favorable conditions. The advantage of iPSCs cells over the embryonic cells is that they do not need embryos during production. This makes the technology ethically acceptable. IPSCs cells production involves inserting of stem cell associated genes into specialized somatic cells using viral vectors (Xiong et al 1). Genetic engineers hopefully believe iPSCs cells will initiate the production of cells or tissue from a patient that will repair the damaged tissues. The cells regenerated through induced pluripotent stem cell method are most suitable in restoring damaged cells and tissues. This is because the patient’s immune system will readily tolerate them. This will eliminate the problem of graft rejection exhibited in xenografts or isografts. Elimination of immune suppressive drugs on patients usually does happen. Despite all these seemingly possible setbacks, induced plur ipotent stem cells have proofed to be the future of the regenerative medicine. Patients suffering from cardiovascular disease and other disorders will find cure after the establishment of this technology. Application of iPSCs in treatment of cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease affects the cardiovascular system (the heart and the blood vessels). These diseases include coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, pulmonary embolism among others. The iPSCs technology promises a positive break through to the medicine world (Amit &Joseph112). The ability to induce adult specific cells into stem cell without use of embryo enables clinicians to change other cells from a patient. The body recognizes the cells as self and therefore no rejection can occur. Researchers are successfully modeling many cardiovascular diseases by this technology. The improved understanding of the cardiovascular diseases provides a better treatment in the medicine world. Formation of cardiomy ocytes Reprogramming of somatic cells into iPSCs is by integrating or non-integrating method. The integrating method uses viral vector while the non-integrating method uses a plasmid to deliver the genes. For cardiovascular disease treatment, the most suitable is the non-integrating method. Reprogramming of the fibroblasts of the dermis of the patient produces the iPSCs for use. A method called embroyoid body differentiation turns the iPSCs to revolve into cardiomyocytes (Nelson et al 2). The cardiac cells produced this way show the same characteristics of human cardiac cells although they may differ in morphology. To determine functionality of the iPSCs, cardiomyocytes researchers use molecular techniques such as immunocytochemistry and polymerase chain reaction techniques (Amit & Joseph117). The cardiomyocytes formed from patient cells posses the mutations that cause disease in the patient. These cells serve as the model for the disease and therefore further investigations are pos sible. Modeling of inherited cardiovascular diseases is very important in determining its cure. The iPSCs cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells) provide the best model for these diseases. The iPSCs provide insights to concerns of heart repair. This technology is a potential source of cells for repairing the heart and blood vessels. Studies done by Li and co-researchers gave the evidence that induced pluripotent stem cells would provide unlimited resources for transplantation. This form of tissue

Journal 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal 8 - Essay Example The medium in which Rehnquist used is oil on aluminum, providing it a different texture. Additionally, F-111 fully wraps around four different walls, taking up a lot of space and the area is completely filled with a variety of images. B: The painting itself is appears to be a grouping of icons from the time period, most especially easily determined by the girl under the 60s style hair dryer. Additionally, the scale on which it was painted is enormous, filling up an entire space. The image of the airplane passes through many other objects that do not seem to relate to it at all in terms of context but include the girl, what appears to be an advertisement for spaghetti and then an explosive cloud. This piece of art is contemporary and ahead of its time but could possibly reflect the issues during that time such as the war in Vietnam and shows that while there was a war going on, there are other pieces of American nostalgia also

Differences in competencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Differences in competencies - Essay Example These differences emerging can be clearly seen at various patient are situations for example variations in approaches to decision-making or nurse care. One patient care situation that brings out differences in nursing care among ADN and BSN nurses is cardiac care units. Baccalaureate nursing care approaches include altruism, values of autonomy, integrity, social justice, human dignity and unconditional regard for all patients. Their nursing practice include disease prevention, health promotion, early detection of human health deviation, quick and adequate treatment of chronic and acute illnesses as well as compassionate care for people nearing death. As a result of their training, BSN nurses are able to respond to more demanding patient care tasks like those witnessed in the cardiac care units. Johnson (1988) state that BSNs are associated with lower rates of failure-to-rescue and mortality rates. These can be attributed to their good nursing care approaches like quick and adequate t reatment of chronic and acute illnesses. Research conducted in various cardiac care units reveal that there were 4.9 fewer deaths for every 1000 patients in those hospital intensive care units (ICUs) where a large proportion of nurses had a bachelor’s degree (Van den Heede, 2009). ... These indicate higher level of clinical support among the BSNs compared to other types of nurses like the ADNs. An emphasis on compassionate care for patients indicate a higher level of promotion of human dignity among the BSN nurses. BSNs make a higher utilization of protocols or care maps in order to guide patient progress during their hospitalization period. This presents a scientific and more systematic nursing approaches among the BSN. In their efforts to maximize on patient autonomy and human dignity, BSNs emphasize on teaching patients on how skills for taking care of themselves in relation to their type of disease or medication, and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Emphasis on healthy lifestyles is an incorporation of prevention measures with treatment. It prevents the progression of the disease or emergence of other diseases that can worsen the present condition. Due to their level of education, the BSNs have a higher level of expertise as compared to the ADNs. It should be not ed that BSNs take four years to receive their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree while the ADNs take 2-3 years to receive their degree. BSNs undertake their studies in universities and senior colleges whereas ADNs undertake their studies in community colleges. As a result of their levels of expertise, the BSNs are more competent case management as compared to ADNs. This is can also be linked to their high levels of scientific, critical-thinking and leadership skills. Due to the superior level of competency among the BSN, ADNs can work under BSN and but the BSN cannot work under the BSN. BSNs are more capacitated in working under a variety of inpatient and outpatient environments as compared to

Human Anatomy and Physiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Anatomy and Physiology - Essay Example The hip joint is a good example of a ball and socket joint. A ball and socket joint is so-called because of its general physical makeup, which consists of a bony pocket and a ball-like appendage on the connecting bone that fits within this pocket. This type of joint provides a wide range of motion in several directions as well as the ability to carry a great deal of strength. In addition to the hip joint, the shoulder joint is another example of a ball and socket joint. The bones of this joint consist of the ilium, the femur and the ischium. The ilium contains â€Å"four spines serving as sites for muscle and ligamentous attachments† while â€Å"two large processes - an upper, lateral ‘greater trochanter’ and a lower, medial ‘lesser trochanter.’ †¦ provide attachments for muscles of the legs and buttocks† (â€Å"Human Anatomy Online†, 2004). The important ligaments involved in this joint include the pubofemoral ligament, the iliofemoral ligament, the ligaments of the sacrum and the ischiofemoral ligament. The major muscles involved in this joint include the iliopsoas muscles, the gluteous muscles, the piriformis and gemellus muscles, the sartorius muscle, the pectineus muscle, the quadriceps femoris muscles, the gracilis muscle, the adductor muscles and the hamstring muscles. The iliopsoas is actually two muscles that blend (â€Å"Human Anatomy Online†, 2004). The psoas major originates at the â€Å"sides of T12 to L5 vertebrae and intervertebral discs between them† and its insertion at the lesser trochanter of the femur. The iliacus originates at the iliac crest, iliac fossa, ala of sacrum, and the anterior sacroiliac ligaments while insertions are at the tendon of psoas major and the body of the femur, inferior to the lesser trochanter (â€Å"Muscles of the Hip and Thigh†, 1998). These muscles are the strongest flexor muscles of the thigh and work to maintain erect posture at the joints as well as to raise the trunk from a flat (lying

Truth and Socrates Essay Example for Free

Truth and Socrates Essay ?Euthyphro is a dialogue between Socrates and a traveling cleric. The two men meet at court, where the cleric, Euthyphro, claims to have a clear definition of piety. Socrates exclaims that he wishes to know the definition of piety so that he may better defend himself in his upcoming trial. Euthyphro agrees to teach Socrates, and so they begin to discuss. Early on, Socrates makes clear his desire for a universal truth, or a definition of piety that will be true in every case. Euthyphro makes several attempts to define piety in a way that satisfies Socrates. The first attempt at a definition does not satisfy Socrates because it is merely an example. In trying to define piety, Euthyphro merely states that his current undertaking at court is pious. While Socrates does not disagree outright, he presses Euthyphro for a universal definition of piety that could be used in every situation. Euthyphro’s second definition, â€Å"what is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious,† pleases Socrates because it is a universal statement. This definition is general enough to be widely applicable, and seems to outline the defining characteristics of piety. Upon closer inspection, however, Socrates finds the definition unsatisfying. Because the gods disagree about so many things, and act in contradiction to each other, it would be foolish to assume they would all agree upon the definition of piety. Euthyphro points out in his defence that all the gods would agree that Euthyphro’s current action of bringing his father to trial is pious. Socrates dismisses this, as it is not a universal definition and is essentially just another example. Euthyphro attempts to satisfy Socrates by amending his definition slightly. Piety, says Euthyphro, is what all the gods love, and the impious is what all the gods hate. Socrates is not satisfied by this definition, either, and so he tries a different tack to extract a definition from Euthyphro. Socrates does this by asking: â€Å"Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods? † When Euthyphro seems unsure, Socrates simplifies his question with an analogy. He asks Euthyphro if something is â€Å"carried† because it is â€Å"a thing carried,† or if it is â€Å"carried† because something is carrying it. Both men agree that the action confers the state of being. That is, a thing loved is so because someone loves it, and the thing itself is not creating a state of â€Å"loving† within the people around it. Likewise, being loved is not a state inherent to the thing loved, but is the result of the love others bear for the thing. Moving from his analogy back to Euthyphro’s definition, Socrates shows the fallacy in Euthyphro’s statement. Being god-loved cannot confer piety, as it confers â€Å"god-loved-ness† instead. Therefore, in Euthyphro’s statement, all the gods loving something would make that thing universally god-loved, but in no way makes it pious. An act is loved by the gods because it is pious, and not the other way around. Socrates, presumably tired of Euthyphro’s poor definitions, takes a stab at defining piety himself. He muses to Euthyphro that piety is a species of the genus justice, and that perhaps starting there would help the two men to agree on pious qualities. Socrates uses a poem as an example: â€Å"You do not wish to name Zeus, who had done it, and who made all things grow, for where there is fear there is shame. † While surely, says Socrates, those who feel shame also feel fear for their reputation or good name, those who feel fear do not necessarily feel shame as well. Being fearful of disease or poverty is not shameful, and is quite understandable. Shame is a smaller part of fear, covering a smaller area, just as piety covers a smaller area than justice, although the two entirely overlap. With a newfound agreement on the properties of piety, Socrates again asks Euthyphro to define piety by what part of justice it constitutes. Euthyphro states that â€Å"the godly and pious is the part of the just that is concerned with the care of the gods, while that concerned with the care of men is the remaining part of justice. † Socrates seems pleased by this new definition, but has one area that must be further defined – namely, the term â€Å"care for. † Socrates points out that the term â€Å"care for† means to benefit the object of care. Caring for the gods would then benefit them and make them better, an impossible act of hubris that flies in the face of the religion of the day. Euthyphro quickly enhances his definition: it’s the kind of care that a slave gives to his master. Socrates continues to press Euthyphro and demands to know what goal the gods intend to achieve by way of human service. Euthyphro gives a long-winded answer that Socrates immediately reduces to two independent clauses. The first is that the gods achieve, by way of human servitude, piety on earth in their servants’ actions. The second is that piety is the knowledge of how to sacrifice and pray. Socrates points out that Euthyphro’s latest definition reduces piety to a sort of commerce between gods and men, where pious men are the best bargainers and most skillful traders. Euthyphro agrees, although he would prefer grander wording. Socrates then asks: If pious men are trading with the gods, and the gifts from gods to men are obvious, then what are the gifts from men to gods? Euthyphro answers that the gods desire from men pleasing attitudes such as honour and reverence. Socrates once again reduces Euthyphro’s statement to a simpler form: â€Å"The pious is once again what is dear to the gods. † The argument has come full circle, back to a point where an object is conferring an action upon actors, and logical analysis leads round and back again. Socrates points this out, eager to dive back into defining piety, but Euthyphro claims he is now in a hurry and must continue the conversation some other time. While Euthyphro is unable to define piety in a convincing way, Socrates himself takes up the challenge in The Apology. While he doesn’t come right out and say it in so many words, Socrates clearly details how a man should act throughout his life and care for his soul to ensure a pious existence. According to Socrates, a man who wishes to live a pious life, insofar as he wishes to take the greatest care of his soul and follow the purest pursuits on Earth, should seek the truth in any form, at any cost. This is most clearly expressed by the statement â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living. † Socrates would presumably define piety as the pursuit of truth. Piety, in the religious world of Socrates, can be taken as a more all-encompassing trait than it might be in modern times. Because everyone in Socrates’s society participated in the same religion, piety was a universally positive trait. Good things came from the gods, and men who engaged in religious acts were generally also pillars of Athenian society. Today piety has a narrower definition. Because religion no longer holds the position it once did in the world, and because people follow so many different religions, piety has been relegated to a rather specific set of qualities, most of which involve devotion to the church. In Socrates’s time, goodness and godliness were so close as to be inseparable, and so to be pious was to be a multitude of positive adjectives that existed in the wide realm of goodness and godliness. Piety is a desirable trait in humans, spawning bravery, kindness, wisdom, and all manner of positive attributes in those who are considered to be pious. However, each of these positive attributes is directly connected with discovering truths. Bravery or courage, one of the most readily identifiable positive traits, is a special kind of knowledge (Plato, Laches 196. c). By understanding the risks and rewards of a particular action in a certain situation, brave people will risk themselves to a certain degree, presumably because they have calculated the rewards to be justifiably great. An equally courageous act, the admission of ignorance, would allow a general to withdraw his troops from a potentially compromising situation, probably to the disdain of his fellow generals. While scorn may be heaped on this general for â€Å"fleeing,† his courage and strength of character saves the lives of his soldiers to fight another day; a prouder or more ignorant general would foolishly stand his ground and lose. Prudence, it would seem in this situation, is part of bravery. The observance of the truth, that of the general’s previous ignorance of the current field of battle, allows the general to be courageous and brave. Truth is far more important than anything else. Truth is possessed by the gods, and occasionally discovered by man, perhaps by some design of the gods. When mathematics was discovered, and the objective truths of the hypotenuse and division were used, the gods were credited with the creation, or perhaps the release of, these intangible and indisputable truths. Men could not touch them, overturn them, or argue about them. They simply were. When the prophet at Delphi relayed a message from the gods, specifically that no man was wiser than Socrates, the truth of the matter was unquestioned by Socrates. Socrates, incredulous at this prophecy, began to pursue the meaning of the statement. Socrates refers to this as â€Å"my investigation in the service of god. † Wisdom, a desirable trait on its own, seems to be the knowledge of things. But how could Socrates be the wisest man? He had no knowledge of many things, such as politics, poetry, or craftsmanship. As he interviewed learned men in Greece, he began to realize an important difference. Many men in Greece had knowledge of things. They knew how to write, fight, or create, but these were not the truths Socrates sought. These were merely the men’s experiences, an amalgamation of experience. An objective truth, such as the use of a hypotenuse, was nowhere to be found. Socrates, in his staunch pursuit of truth, considered what he knew to be true in the same manner as geometry. He realized there was little he knew so well as his own ignorance – namely, the truth was that he did not know much at all. And so it became clear to Socrates that his wisdom was a by-product of the admission of his own ignorance, and that the pursuit of truth, no matter how damaging to the reputation of the seeker, was considered wise by the gods. Truth and piety became intermingled for Socrates, as he followed his divine mission in the pursuit of truth, no matter the cost to his reputation, or the danger it posed for him. Socrates’s willingness to die for the truth is an act of piety, as is his impoverished life and disregard for his reputation. When Socrates meets someone who thinks he is wise, Socrates believes he is coming to the assistance of the gods by showing that person his ignorance (Plato, Apology 23. b). Socrates devotes his whole life, and his death, to the pursuit of truth, no matter the cost. Because Socrates associates the notion of truth so closely with the gods, it could be said that his god is truth, and vice versa. When the notions of â€Å"god† and â€Å"truth† become synonymous, Socrates’s definition of piety becomes apparent. Bibliography Brickhouse, TC. and Smith, ND. (1990). Socrates on Trial. Oxford University Press. Grube, G. M. A. and John Cooper (2002). Five Dialogues. Hacket Publishing. Linder, Doug (2002). The Trial of Socrates. University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law. Retrieved November 11, 2013. Plato (400 BC). Apology. 17a-42a. Plato (400 BC). Euthyphro. 2a-16a. Plato (400 BC). Laches. 178a-201a. Plato (400 BC). Crito. 43a-54e.

Dealing With Video Games’ Problems Essay Example for Free

Dealing With Video Games’ Problems Essay In present-day society, with the Internet technologies developing rapidly, video games have assumed an increasingly crucial role in people’s lives. Admittedly, video games may attract lots of people, and gaming industry has achieved a good success. However, there are many problems with video games such as game addiction of China’s youth and the utilitarian behaviors of the game companies so that it is important to reinforce the regulation of video games. The most severe problem caused by video games is gaming addiction, especially for China’s youth. â€Å"The youth of China are the most plugged-in, an alarming statistics shows that 42% report feeling addicted to the video games, according to Dr. Tao, who set up China’s first Internet addiction clinic at the Military General Hospital in Beijing† (Dubois). Addiction is an appropriate word to describe those game players who immerse themselves in the virtual world of video games and cannot control themselves. â€Å"Long-term Internet addiction would result in brain structural alterations, which probably contributed to chronic dysfunction† (Dubois). â€Å"People’s Daily reported a 14-year-old boy who died after a four storey fall due to hallucinations brought on by his obsession with the popular video game Legend.† (Dubois). Also, other similar tragedies happened because of the addiction. According to China Daily and The Guardian, two Chinese teenagers from different places committed suicide by  jumping from buildings after playing World of War C raft (WOW) for dozens of hours (Dubois). Therefore, it is apparent from these facts that China is facing a problem of gaming addiction. Moreover, the problems are also caused by the utilitarian gaming industry. Game companies are utilitarian that they do not consider the effect that their games will bring to the players but just care about their profit. To attract more kids, â€Å"Game console sell gift cards at convenience stores that allow kids to make purchases on video games, even if they don’t have a credit card† (Henn 4). This will make some kids play video games without their parents’ permission and may even cause addiction and family conflicts. Henn states â€Å"Researchers in game companies tweak games to get players to stay on longer, or to encourage them to spent money on digital goods† (2) and â€Å"the idea is to make gamers uncomfortable, frustrate them, take away their powers, crush their forts—and then, at the last second, offer them a way out for a price† (3). Young players may not have ability to make money, but they spend more and more â€Å"virtual curren cy (paid for with real cash)† (Clendenin) to get the latest and best virtual gaming equipment, which may even cause crimes. People’s Daily reported that a 19-year-old college student stole 20,000 RMB at school in order to pay for the expensive virtual commodities in his favorite video game. Thus, unethical behaviors of gaming industry are also serious problems to solve. Regulations on video games may help to alleviate the severe situation. But to eradicate these problems, the Chinese government must have regulations that are powerful enough. Although the Chinese government has already built up some regulations on video games, these regulations may be not sufficient. In April 2007, the Chinese government introduced  some regulations to deal with such situation. It introduced an anti-addiction system that required the players register with their real name and ID number and will limit the time players spend in their virtual world (Clendenin). â€Å"There is also a total ban on minors handling virtual currency, used by many online games† (Clendenin). The system indeed prevents players from overindulging in online games to some extent. However, the system is not as effective as expected since players just turn to other games after limited hours or they use fake registration information and change it frequently. Meanwhile, the game companies, which depend so much on video games for profit, will also invent more â€Å"countermeasures to cope with these regulations†(Clendenin). So if these regulations have no supporting measures, they may well become an ineffective attempt to solve these complicated issues. Hence, in order to eradicate the problems caused by video games, the Chinese government should have more powerful regulations on video games. To sum up, video games now indeed have caused serious problems for China’s youth. After knowing the reasons for the problems, to deal with such situation, reinforcing the regulation of video games is essential to help solve the rigorous problems in China. Works Cited â€Å"Multitasking After 60: Video Game Boosts Focus, Mental Agility.† Shots. Writ. Jon Hamilton. NPR, 4 Sept. 2013. Radio. â€Å"Video Game Creators Are Using Apps To Teach Empathy.† All Tech Consider. Writ. Steven Henn. NPR, 20 Nov. 2013. Radio â€Å"How Video Games Are Getting Inside Your Head—And Wallet.† All Tech Consider. Writ. Steven Henn. NPR, 29 Oct. 2013. Radio Zhang, Zeoy. â€Å"Has China’s Online Gaming Addiction Become an Epidemic?† The Diplomat. The Diplomat, 4 Oct. 2013. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. Clendenin, Mike. â€Å"China Tightens Online Gaming Regulations.† InformationWeek. N. p., 25 June 2010. Web. 20 Mar 2014 Dubois, Matthew. â€Å"Log in, sign out.† The World of Chinese. N. p., 9 Mar 2013. Web. 20 Mar 2014

Natural And Eco Tourism In Dubai Tourism Essay

Natural And Eco Tourism In Dubai Tourism Essay Tourism is a fast-growing industry, but with the credit crunch in 2008, figures have dropped as people have less money to spend as a tourist all over the world. Many countries rely on tourism sector greatly as the income generated by this sector is easily planned to be invested in other sectors of the country like education, sports, defence and health. Economic recession has led to increase in oil prices. These fluctuating oil prices result in the airline industry imposing further fuel surcharges to cover higher costs, which have to be met by the consumer through increased air ticket prices. This has put the consumer off travelling during the expensive periods. Unfortunately, the tourism sector these days is experiencing not only economical disasters but other emerging issues as well. In order to look at the whole scenario of travel and tourism industry in terms of latest alarming situations (decreased access to natural resources for the local communities and environmental degradation) lets take Dubai as a destination. In this context, we will particularly look at the destination not economically but ecologically and naturally specifically.http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5CEJ5GGFrNM6u6mXLPX17O856OyMIPO_xUPmcR5o89jjkxOXh Infrastructure of Dubai The Dubai government Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is the main organisation for the promotion and development of tourism in the emirate. The department has taken over the licensing of hotels, hotel apartments, tour operators, tourist transport companies and travel agents. It has a supervisory role covering all tourists, archaeological and heritage sites, tourism conferences and exhibitions, the operation of tourism information services and the licensing and organisation of tour guides. The government provides on-going development to the infrastructure, and the recent opening of the port Rashid cruise line terminal is just one of a series of innovation aimed at widening the total tourism product base within Dubai. It is hoped that this terminal will do for cruising what the opening of Dubai Duty Free did for air traffic arrivals. The government has a direct stake in the tourism sector through the development and ownership of a number of the major hotels as well a s spectacular theme parks such as Wild Wadi. This investment is not just a matter of expenditure: it is clearly demonstrating that quality must be paramount. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQQeds-zs-P2La2ChQp9qvZfpxcvmC8cse3NVJcGeUGbl_Vhtsb The DTCM had set an aggressive target of attracting 15 million tourists by the year 2010, which they have achieved. Projections for the immediate future are summarised in the following figure. Targets for Dubais tourism future Year Dubai hotel guests (Millions) Dubai hotel beds (Thousands) 2003 5.24 39.8 2004 6.08 48.2 2005 7.06 55.9 2006 8.19 64.8 2007 9.49 75.2 2008 11.01 87.2 2009 12.78 101.2 2010 15.00 117.3 2011 18.24 122.7 Such targets are not over-ambitious for DTCM. Expatriates and foreign visitors can enjoy a relaxed and pleasant life style in Dubai. There is virtually no crime, apartments and villas are modern and spacious, and the climate greatly appeals to those who enjoy warm weather. There are many clubs and societies in Dubai. Freedom of worship is allowed for all religions. Foreign newspapers, magazines, films and videos are all available. Alcohol may be consumed in hotels and in licensed club premises. Women can drive and move about unaccompanied. In 2002, free hold ownership for UAE nationals as well as expatriates in certain select property developments was introduced in Dubai and 25 years mortgage loans become available. Initially focus was centred on the Palm, Dubai Marina, and other developments of Emmar properties but after the completion of these projects new man made wonders are forthcoming. The potential for visiting friends and relatives will thus be substantially increased. The Palm had already been described as the 8th wonder of the world and was the sort of project that some say could only have taken place in Dubai. It consists of two massive, artificial islands: the Palm Jumeirah and the Palm Jebal Ali. Each island is being built in the shape of a palm tree consisting of a crown of 17 fronds, a trunk and a surrounding crescent island, the back of which forms a protective break water. Each island is approximately six kilometres long and 5.5 kilometres. Together they will add nearly 120 kilometres of much sought-after coast line to Dubai. Approximately 3000 homes and at least 40 luxury hotels have been built on each island, capable of birthing a total of 400 yachts. The Palm is just one of several Nakheel residential projects: others include the World, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Lake Towers and the Gardens. Dubai will continue to improve the destinations infrastructure, and the following are just some of the developments that are either already planned or completed or in actual construction or development to support visitor growth targets: Hydro polis- the worlds first under water hotel Dubai airport expansion to handle 70 million passengers by 2016 Dubai Festival City-4 kilometre site along the Creek Dubai land the regions biggest tourism project aiming for 200,000 visitors a day- to include five themed leisure areas and the Mall of Arabia, the Worlds biggest mall Extending Dubai Railway project Burj Dubai the worlds tallest tower The emirate contained a mix of natural and cultural attractions that formed the basis of a very marketable leisure tourism product. The existing natural attractions included: Miles of clean un-crowded beaches along the shores of Arabian Gulf http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ00bEjqDhgeTP_RaZMGxiHhDFPdfphroNR6kutwq75Ed-yFtcFFA A subtropical climate with average temperatures of 18 C in January 33 C in July and annual precipitation of less than 150mm,contributing to a yearlong tourist season The availability of water sports of all year around in the gulf Desert dunes for a variety of outdoor activities and leisure pursuits The Hatta Mountains for Wadi-bashing and other adventurous pursuits The Al Maha environmental conservation reserve, the base for the re-introduction of the Arabian Oryx. Dubai is a migratory crossroads in both spring and autumn for many bird species. The Khor Dubai Wildlife sanctuary is home to one thousand Greater Flamingos. Dubai also had a strong cultural heritage to exploit for tourism purposes. Important elements of this cultural attractiveness to western visitors include: The exotic middle eastern atmosphere associated with the hustle and bustle of the Souks and dhow Wharves along Dubai Creeks The distinctly Middle Eastern architecture of the wind towers , Mosques and palaces The traditional welcoming and hospitable culture of the Arab world Mass and sustainable tourism Mass tourism is the result of advancing in the means of technology especially air, rail and road. The comfortable aircrafts with essential in flight services and many more to offer the passengers have made travelling fun and simple. Since having the foreigners in a country for pleasure or holidays in great numbers have left many negative impacts in the past therefore the need of the sustainability was felt. In past, mass tourism has threatened the destinations with cultural, environmental, social, religious and economical impacts therefore; the urge to develop the tourism sector became necessary for tourist boards and governing bodies. This led to sustainable tourism. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQvy1JvgM6QidDTw6dR41a7XNKXd04pE2Z2VQ3VAkZ8_sfiHRJB Sustainable tourist activity, on the contrary, encompasses being sensitive to the cultural, religious and environmental and social aspects of a particular destination, aiding the environment and fostering the local economic growth through travel and tourism activities. Sustainable tourism surrounds the ideals of protecting and not disturbing the natural resources and maintaining the good relationship with the host population. Going back to the example of Dubai as a destination, in past due to the weather, gold, tax free country, and Dubai airport facilities and duty free, safaris, luxurious accommodation etc., the destination has confronted with the mass tourism. Traffic, noise pollution, litter pollution, fights with the local community and crimes made the authorities alert and minimize the negative effects of the tourism despite of its economical advantages. DTCM the tourist board of strategic planning in the country thus, implemented the plan to restrict the infinite number of tourists. The figure above states that clearly which can only be undergone by a destination that follows sustainable tourism policy. Looking at the marvellous, unique projects of Burj ul Arab, Safari, water sports, Dubai Mall etc. the evidences that a destination may have to support Sustainable tourism. It is obvious that Dubais main industry is not Oil but tourism. Even many forthcoming events and projects will keep attracting the tourists from all around the world. Sustainable tourism means to meet the present demands of the tourists without risking the future of the destination which is very apparent in DTCMs planning. All the resources of the country are well planned and utilized to serve the tourism sector. Eco, Natural, Cultural tourism are the elements that unveils the well management and strategic scenario of the destination. Acceptance of a Cosmo-Politian lifestyle Although these natural and cultural assets have clearly contributed to Dubai s success as a destination, it is very important to emphasise that they have been greatly enhanced by ambitious investments in the tourism infrastructure on the part of both public and private sectors. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTFfNT_QL9Deu-0yevTkJPQfRCJn0NWYDPdwesha_pGXYawgJOc Destination Dubai United Arab Emirate (UAE) comprises seven members: Abu Dhabi, the capital city, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaima and Fujairah. Dubai, with an area of 3885 square kilometres, is a second largest emirate. It is situated on the banks of the Dubai creek, a natural inlet from the Arabian Gulf, which divides the city into Deira District to its north and Bur Dubai to its South, the city ranks as the UAEs most important port and commercial centre. Along the Arabian Gulf coast there are off shore islands, coral reefs and Sabkha (salt marshes). Stretches of gravel plane and sandy dessert characterise the inland region. To the east, a range of mountains lie close to the Gulf of Oman and forms a back bone through the Mussandam peninsula. The western interior of the country, most of it in Abu Dhabi, consists mainly of desert interspersed with oases.http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSjkF0Jjz6PAvFd4pMa2m1dYkScE5EREigE2N3ZhEvVd4lKQ87t The emirate embraces a wide variety of scenery in a small area. In a single day, the tourists can experience everything from rugged mountains and owe inspiring sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks from dusty village to luxurious residential districts and from ancient houses with wind towers to ultra modern shopping malls. Tourism in Dubai The impressive development, climate, hospitality and world class airport has attracted many tourists around the world to the detention of Dubai. In 1985, the introduction of award winning air line Emirates was established to smooth the transaction of tourists in and out. In 1989, Dubai recorded only 630 thousand visitor arrivals, but number increased drastically to over 8 millions, in 2003, with at least 458 thousand coming from the UK. Dubai has managed to increase its number of visitors by over 1200% in little more than a decade and tourism is now, at 12% of the gross domestic product (GDP), one of the emirates more important and fastest growing sectors of the economy. Dubai significance as a global destination stems from the fact that it can be viewed from two main perspectives. It is not just a simple holiday destination; it is an important commercial, trading and business centre as well. Therefore visitors to Dubai provide examples of the three categories into which tourists are usually divided. They are identified as:http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTRbbNqdZ3UbOTAo7IJsw-_Yo4gEPDaxDyBae93cGYOWL2Iu_Pd Leisure visitors 44% Business visitors 45% Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) 8% Not classified 3% Previously viewed in tourism terms as little more than a duty free stop over, Dubai today has become a highly acclaimed destination offering an outstanding range of facilities and services for both leisure and business travellers. Its geographical location is 55 degree East, 25 degree North on the Southern shore of Arabian Gulf. It is strategically located at the cross roads of three continents Europe, Asia, Africa- a natural meeting place. Dubai is now a major aviation hub for the Emirates airline and so attracts visitors wanting a stopover. Natural and eco tourism Emirates airlineWelcome from our Chairman Emirates airline chairman promoting greenery The first Eco flight (see appendix 1) from Dubai to San Francisco known as green flight took off on 18th Jan 2009 indicates the vigilance of the government in terms of its environment. Such an initiative was worked out between EK airline and Airbus Company to promote safe and pure environment. This indicates that the award winning airline is environmental conscious and promotes it product (flying with the carriage) but not on the risk of spreading pollution. It is the best example of eco and natural tourism as EK airline does not want to take any step which can damage the surroundings of the people or harmful natural life animals and plants survive in. Al Maha desert resort It is generally accepted amongst most nations that approximately 8 to 10% of their land area should be put aside for the conservation of their indigenous habitats, the function of such a policy is to insure that the nations historic environment is permanently retained as part of its heritage that the diversity of fauna and flora within the nation is kept intact as a representative sample of the original habitat. It is intended that such conserved areas can function without disturbance or undue intervention from human elements.http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcuBM8v_futKEADdvnA8aCImMtCHCk1C6To_1EjsGC71Pii7wBhg Al Maha is the first eco tourism resort in UAE. Dubai has several environments worthy of conservation within such a frame work. Apart from the dune environment there is also the mountain habitat around Hatta and coasts intertidal strip. Each of these represents a separate, distinct and unique habitat type within Dubai. Each has its own fauna and flora, its own appeal to the visitor and its distinct historic, geological and archaeological merits. Al Maha has been developed with key eco tourism principles under pinning its commercial success. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQjmQD_KzmpEHJbxRIxlembZmQGjNJ5QKOT5jAs5s4HCy6D4aZkRg The environment is supposed to be free of intrusive disturbances with surroundings; this includes the restriction of all artificial noise from the operation and ambient noise from the resorts surroundings. The restriction of any human structures which impinge on the natural land space confines the development of the resorts own infrastructure to a minimum land area. The land making up the resort must provide a natural, original and unique environment for the guests, where they feel a part of the conservation process; this allows the guests to feel that their support is directly contributing to the conservation of the area they are experiencing. One of the major contributors to the success of eco tourism resorts worldwide is the fact that the guest enjoys exclusivity. The rate charge is function of the exclusivity enjoyed and paid for by the guest. The undisturbed settings, the personal attention and service standards not achievable in the large public facilities are the basis of high yield eco tourism products. The guest must be assured of privacy, discretion and an unobtrusive environment. The experience must also be meaningful to the visitor, providing aspects which are educational, comfortable and divergent from normal life style-thus assuring the guest the time spent in the resort is an enchantment to his or her quality of life. The resort must meet the perceptions and expectations of the guests with regard to: Accommodation Facilities Architecture and design Surroundings To meet these criteria, Al Maha has adopted traditional historic aspects, with operational requirements, to meet the guest perception and expectation of the desert and Arabian heritage. A portion of land surrounding the core area of the resort has been demarcated for protection, and all activities capable of devaluing the environment are restricted. Isolation has been reinforced by means of the introduction of animals proof fencing, which will allow the establishment of indigenous species in viable breeding numbers within free roaming settings. The program has been very successful and guests are now issued with their own fauna and flora checklist guide to record the various species that they have seen. The variety of elements used provides a suitable illustration of how far the desert resort has now developed in terms of conservation: Grass (Herb, Dune, Basket and Cats Tail) Shrub ( Broom Bush, Dye Plant and Milkwort) Herb ( Callous, Palm Lettuce and Arabian Cotton) Plant (Crimson Wort, Spiny Disk and Dwarf Pea Plant) Tree (Salam, Ghaf and Sidr) Mammal (Sand Gazelle, Arabian Hare and Gird) Reptile (Monitor Lizard, Sand Skink and Sand Snake) Birds (Common and may be resident or migrant-300 species recorded) Impacts of natural and eco tourism in Dubai Unprotected environment of any country in any regard can disturb the economy drastically. The disastrous situation where the government invests most of its resources in tourism sector rather than sports, education, health and other sectors, can lead the destination sudden collapse that causes destruction to the economy as a whole. Ignoring the eco and natural issues in destination planning and promotion will cause the following pitfalls: http://static.amefiles.com/images/news/large/5/77505-Al_Maha_Desert_Resort_Spa.jpg All the tourists will misuse the resources of the destination and there will be nothing left to offer for next group of tourists next season. For example, beaches of Dubai or safari. It is important that the authorities are well managing such sites so that they are presentable to be offered to other tourists for amusements and relaxations. The entire infrastructure used to access natural sites like deserts, wild wadi, zoo, Al Maha Desert need to be watched by authorities all times. The expensive bridges, motor ways, services need a lot of investment to be built so their utility should be long lived and must be equally used by locals and tourists safely. Natural life of Dubai is consisting of desert and likely animals. Their protection is momentous so that they are not endangered or extinct. Hunting such species should not be appreciated at all and in fact some fine must be imposed upon to undergo this pleasure. Tourists might need this notification. The increasing demand and forecast of tourism is a major threat for the land and other resources (like in Egypt the residents were asked to move their ancestors house because the government wants to build a five star hotel to accommodate Tourists in Luxor) in the country. It is due to the planning in future which may lead to lay more buildings to accommodate the tourists by making hotels, services, park or other type of attractions. The demolishing 0f the deserts will affect the habitat of many species and their existence will be affected. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTxax9lvclTZKx5F0YuGvdM-iVZVqT9I94uDlkUKcpL5Jziqhwl-A Pollution no matter air, dust, litter or noise by tourists will also demonstrate the inability of DTCM (local tourism board) to prevent the destination from negative effects of touristic activities. Especially beaches and deserts if polluted by the tourists will result in developing hatred in host population and conflicts will take place. Welcoming host population is the biggest element to like a destination. Any naturally or ecologically disruption in the surroundings of the local community will force the government to put a stop to the transition of tourists. This can be done very easily but the damages that have been made to the destination can never be repaired so quickly. The greater developments in Dubai to promote Tourism is of course utilising the natural resources like mountainous area, land, desert, beaches etc. This never stop development might not leave enough attractions for coming generation to be proud of. The natural treasure of wild life or other animals will become the history. Establishing tourism sector on the risk of losing the real identity of the country should not be the approach of the strategic planners. Sustainability tourism is the answer of all such issues. Ecotourism became popular in the 1980s as a form of tourism that focused exclusively on wildlife, nature or exotic cultures. Some research indicates that such tourism may not in fact benefit these communitiesas it might lead to them becoming dependent on the tourist economy, without developing skills that would allow them flexibility in the economy and be more of a long term guarantee./ Recommendation Tourism sector of Dubai has a lot to offer. Millions of tourists have visited the destination and many more are planning to visit this luxurious, advance, modern destination to enjoy the safari, Wild Wadi and marine life etc. http://www.mydigitallife.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/dynamic-architecture-dubai.jpg Due to the Political turmoil in certain parts of the Middle East, is likely to benefit Dubais tourism industry and economy. To the extent that Dubai is viewed as an alternative destination to countries such as Lebanon, Tunisia and Egypt, it is likely to benefit as some visitors change their travel plans in favor of the emirate. The collapse of the Hariri government in Lebanon has plunged the country into what is likely to be a prolonged period of political uncertainty in which the threat of violence is ever-present. Events in Tunisia and Egypt have generated a great deal of negative publicity for the tourism sectors in those countries, and will likely impact bookings and arrivals this year. Regardless of whether these concerns are justified, the likelihood is that some of the most important tourism destinations in the Middle East are likely to see a fall in visitors in 2011. Conclusion From the outgoing account I want to sum up that that Tourism is now the fastest growing sector of Dubais economy, contributing about 19% to the Dubais GPD in 2005, and 20% as of late 2007. This is made possible by ever increasing numbers of tourists. About 3.6 million tourists visited Dubai in 2001 and more than six million came in 2005. As of 2007, Dubais hotels received about 6.5 million visitors that contributed us$3.5 billion to the local economy. Dubai is one of the few international destinations to see an increase in visitors over the last year, successfully retaining its position as a world-class tourism and trade hub as Despite the economic climate, visitors to Dubai reached an all-time high of 11,996,449 in 2010 and even though the pace of growth has slowed.   Having developed a highly desirable and increasingly diversified premium tourism product, Dubai continues to meet the needs of an ever-expanding audience. With so much to offer both leisure, eco, sustainable, natural, and cultural and business visitors, from groundbreaking attractions to world-class hospitality, it is little wonder that Dubai is experiencing such significant growth. Dubai attracts more visitors each year than any Arab country outside of Egypt and hosts a major shopping festival in the first quarter that traditionally attracts hordes of regional retail visitors.http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSv4NvD-_IwJuoy-AWEL8N5MtjqSOVS1uxzttsqWaNuKEskRWTYZA In this regard, the dense growth of this sector has never let the strategic planners ignore the environment, local populations right, natural sightseeing, cultural values and belief etc. The fast emergence of Dubai on the world tourism map and its spectacular performance is undoubtedly the result of aggressive global marketing and promotional agenda being pursued by the  Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing  (DTCM). The department, in co-operation and co-ordination with public and private sector organizations, has been successfully developing the appeal of the destination that offers tourists the opportunity to explore traditional Arabian hospitality along with a contemporary lifestyle. All the attractions are well planned and maintain the ecology and natural resources of Dubai for future tourism and its host population. Continuing its aggressive marketing and promotional drive in 2010,  DTCM  has high lighted the strengths and attractions of the emirates vibrant tourism industry in 36 overseas travel exhibitions and hosting exclusive road shows and workshops in 10 countries. Dubais tourism product offering has considerably expanded last year and more changes are expected this year. Last year, the global tourism industry too underwent rapid changes due to the global economic downturn, requiring fast-rising destinations like Dubai to adopt strategies to remain at the cutting-edge of the highly-competitive business. In short, Dubais position as the leading tourism destination and commercial hub in the world is very prominent and DTCMs mission is to strengthen the Dubai economy through the development of sustainable tourism. Appendix 1 Emirates operates worlds longest eco-flight Sunday 18 January 2009 8:38 AM The  Dubai-based airline Emirates has claimed that the first service to operate on its new route from Dubai to San Francisco was the first ever cross-polar green flight and the worlds longest eco-friendly journey. On December 15th, the airline began operations on the 16-hour, non-stop service that uses a Boeing 777-200 long-range aircraft in what the company has called the Em-vironment flight. To plot the most efficient course for the flight, Emirates has worked with government agencies in Dubai, Russia, the US and Canada. Other measures that the airline will also employ to maximize the eco-friendly potential of the new route include the use of electrical power while the aircraft is on the ground in Dubai, the minimal use of thrust when landing, and single-engine taxiing to its destination gate at San Francisco airport. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates chairman and chief executive, said:  After months of planning, Emirates Em-vironment flight is a best-practice trial of how airlines, governments, manufacturers, technology providers and airports can work together to be as eco-efficient as possible. The San Francisco inaugural flight will be a dual milestone of commencing services between two great cities and also demonstrating the best our industry can offer in environmental efficiency. Emirates claims that, with some 58 Airbus A380s, A350-XWB and Boeing 777 planes on order (more than any other airline), it will have the worlds greenest fleet of wide-bodied aircraft Appendix 2 http://www.africa-ata.org/images/aba/uar_spdj-1222.jpg Appendix 3 The Emirates Groups vision is to be an environmental leader in the aviation and travel industries.   Our goal is to make sustainability and eco-efficiency the cornerstones of all group operations, in the air and on the ground. Aviation is one of the worlds most important contributors to economic and social development particularly in the developing world. The aviation industry employs over 32 million people worldwide and represents 35% of world trade by value it contributes US$1.1 trillion per annum to world GDP. The aviation industry recognises that, although it is only responsible for less than 2%, of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, it must be committed to growing sustainably and reducing growth of its emissions.   To put this in perspective, shipping accounts for some 4% of human emissions, while ground transport accounts for almost 14% (IPCC, 2004).   At current growth rates, aviation is expected to account for only 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.   Read more about this at  www.flyingmatters.org. Emirates is committed to a global solution for managing the growth in international aviation emissions, through ICAO the International Civil Aviation Organisation as mandated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.   Our customers, staff and regulators are increasingly conscious about the environment and greenhouse gas emissions.   Emirates has committed to environmentally-responsible operations through the Groups Corporate Environmental Policy (click here to view).   This policy is implemented internally through the Emvironment programme which is communicated internally and externally to staff, customers and all stakeholders. Our focus is becoming an ecologically-efficient organisation growing our business to be economically sustainable, while using fewer resources and creating less waste and pollution.   If we achieve these aims, it benefits our customers, the environment and our business the triple bottom line. The Emirates Groups commitment to eco-efficiency means multi-billion dollar investments in the most modern, eco-efficient technology available- in aircraft, engines and ground equipment we strive to be leaders in eco-efficiency in our industry and in our region. We are committed to operating our assets in the most environmentally responsible manner, and in compliance with all applicable environmental regulations and standards. Emirates firmly support our industrys four-pillar strategy to reduce emissions, as developed by our industry body the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Read more about this strategy at  www.enviro.aero. Implementation of this strategy includes the use of new technology throughout our Group; making significant investments in the most modern, low-noise, low emissions aircraft available; encouraging governments to make air navigation more fuel and emission friendly; and reducing the environmental impact of our ground operations. We are committed to further reductions in fuel consumption and emissions per passenger our fuel efficiency rates are already 30% lower than the global fleet average. Other goals include staff education, waste reduction and recycling, lower energy use and greater communication internally and externally. Our Emvironment Champions

Cooperative Learning in Mathematics Essay -- Math Education Learn Educ

Cooperative Learning in Mathematics There have recently been many new trends towards the use of cooperative learning in many classrooms, particularly in mathematics classrooms. Cooperative learning involves students working together to accomplish shared goals. In this type of situation, students must feel they can only reach their learning goals if the other students in their group also reach their own learning goals. Students have to understand their achievements are interrelated. Cooperative learning helps students to fully understand the mathematical concepts and assists them in developing social skills that will take them through life. There are different methods of teaching, in addition to cooperative, such as competitive and individualistic. In competitive learning, students are graded on a curve, which means they have to work against each other and try to work faster and more accurately than their fellow students. In individualistic learning, students work towards goals that are separate from their peers. When working on their own, they can work on their own pace, and work for their own set of goals. (Johnson 104). When using cooperative learning, it includes characteristics of both individualistic and competitive learning. In order for a cooperative learning environment to be most effective, there needs to be group rewards along with individual accountability. When each individual succeeds in their group, the group is rewarded; this prevents certain students from dominating the work. There are different methods for cooperative learning that incorporate individual and group rewards. One such method i s Student Teams– Achievement Divisions (STAD). With motivation to win, the groups compete ag... ...athematics. The students develop social skills and learn to work as part of a group. This greater understanding of mathematics and the social skills will stick with the students for the rest of their life. Works Cited Bol, Linda, Nunnery, John A., and Whicker, Kristina M. â€Å"Cooperative Learning in the secondary mathematics classroom.† The Journal of Educational Research. Sept./Oct. 1997. (p. 42-8). Leiken, Roza, and Zaslavsky, Orit. â€Å"Cooperative Learning in Mathematics.† Mathematics Teacher. March 1999.(p. 240-6). Lew, Marvin and Mesch, Debra. â€Å"Isolated Teenagers, Cooperative Leanring, and the Training of Social Skills.† The Journal of Psychology. (p. 323-333). Johnson, David W., and Johnson, Roger T. â€Å"Using Cooperative Learning in Math† Teaching and Learning Middle Grade Mathematics.-Student Resource CD. Key College Publishing. 2004.

Fossil Fuels: Our Societys Dependency :: essays research papers

Fossil Fuels: Our Society's Dependency Our society has become dependent on fossil fuels for energy. That seems fine for now considering the fact that everyone is generally happy in the present situation. Fossil fuels are relatively inexpensive and seem to be doing the trick right now. Using fossil fuels arise such issues as global warming, rising costs of scarce resources, and shortages of raw materials. None of these problems will draw full attention until the demand is needed, it's the old supply and demand scenario. Although my opinion may seem pessimistic if you look at past events it points to the supply and demand scenario.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During World War II rubber supplies were cut off to the western world and we began to work on a compound that was a synthetic rubber. We succeeded in supplying the demand and now that same synthetic compound is used today. My theory is that the same thing will happen with such things as plastic, which is made from fossil fuels. Someone will either come up with a synthetic plastic or come up with something to substitute for plastic. The person who comes up with the solution will become and instant millionaire and everyone will be happy. There is one draw back of this way of solving problems, I mean sure it's great to wait until the demand but we should still learn from our mistakes. We should learn to plan ahead and see what the consequences could possibly be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We still have other demands to meet, there are three major demands of fossil fuels and they are heating, transportation, and industry. Although transportation is taken care of, we may not like the thought of a solar car or an electric car but there are solutions out there. Frankly the oil companies don't want to lose their monopoly in the transportation industry and that brings us into the whole economy issue. If we run out of fossil fuels what will happen to the economy? Will it suffer? These are just a few questions that are asked everyday, but for now we are just going to look at solutions for demands on fossil fuels. This chart below illustrates the demands and the possible solutions. Energy Demand Alternative Energy Sources and Practices heating - solar heating, heat pumps, geothermal energy, biomass gas, and electrical from hydro and nuclear plants transportation - alcohol/gasohol and hydrogen fuels, and electric vehicles - mass transit, bicycles, and walking - solar energy, nuclear energy, and hydroelectricity - improved efficiency and waste heat recovery In conclusion I don't think the need for a substitute for fossil fuels will

California Gold Rush Essay -- American History

There have been many discoveries that have shaped our nation as a whole. Discoveries have allowed our country to thrive and become one of the most powerful nations in the world. When we look back at our nation's rich history, it is clear to see that there was one discovery in particular that had a vast impact on the United States; the discovery was gold in California. It was in this vastly unoccupied territory that the American dream was forever changed and California emerged as a powerful state busting at the seams. The California Gold Rush shaped California into the state that it is today. California is defined by its promise of entrepreneurial success and its acceptance and encouragement of obtaining the American Dream. During the late 1840's California did not show much promise or security. It had an insecure political future, its economic capabilities were severely limited and it had a population, other than Indians, of less than three thousand people. People at this time had no idea of what was to come of the sleepy state in the coming years. California would help boost the nation's economy and entice immigrants to journey to this mystical and promising land in hopes of striking it rich. In 1839 a man by the name of John Sutter arrived in California. Sutter appeared to be somewhat of a drifter, and had failed to establish himself before arriving in California. However, in the land of great promise, he planned to establish an empire for himself. Sutter was granted eleven square leagues, or 50, 000 acres, in the lower Sacramento area. This was a common land grant for the times. Sutter got to work and began to improve his land. He went on to build a fort, accumulated over 12,000 cattle and hired hundreds of workers to hel... ... of official or meaningful government was established. The gold was easily accessible and there were no restrictions on the methods or terms of its use. This created economical problems within the state. While the gold was plentiful, there was a lack of other supplies and necessities. "Food was hard to come by in anything but hard tack -- and stuff like jerky and dried beef. Fresh vegetables were very rare." California was becoming known for its entrepreneurial opportunities; soon many were coming to California, not to work in the mining filed, rather to set up business and cater to the mining communities. Soon there were saloons, hotels, and red light districts spread throughout San Francisco and outer mining communities. Women who were forced to rely on men to support them back home, came to California and were able to work and support themselves in these towns.

Construction Industry in the UK †Research Report Essay

Synopsis This report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights into the UK construction industry, including: The UK construction industry’s growth prospects by market, project type and type of construction activity Analysis of equipment, material and service costs across each project type within the UK Critical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, and the risks and opportunities they present to participants in the UK construction industry Analyzing the profiles of the leading operators in the UK construction industry Data highlights of the largest construction projects in the UK For more details on the content of each report and ordering information please contact: Phone:+91 22 4098 7600 E-Mail: customerservice@researchonglobalmarkets.com Related Link: http://www.researchonunitedkingdom.com/construction-in-the-uk-a-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2018.html Summary The UK construction industry showed signs of recovery towards the end of 2013. The industry underwent a difficult period during much of 2012, revealing how fragile the recovery actually was. However, in 2013, production increased by 1.3%, and was up by 4.3% annually in the fourth quarter of the year. This growth was supported by government investments in infrastructure and affordable housing schemes. The industry is expected to record a forecast-period (2014-2018) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.20%. Scope This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the construction industry in the UK. It provides: Historical (2009-2013) and forecast (2014-2018) valuations of the construction industry in the UK using construction output and value-add methods Segmentation by market (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, institutional and residential) and by project type Breakdown of values within each project type, by type of activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by type of cost  (materials, equipment and services) Analysis of key construction industry issues, including regulation, cost management, funding and pricing Detailed profiles of the leading construction companies in the UK Reasons To Buy Identify and evaluate market opportunities using our standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts Understand the latest industry and market trends Formulate and validate business strategies using Timetric’s critical and actionable insight Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures Evaluate competitive risk and success factors Key Highlights Infrastructure investment remains a key strategy to supporting economic growth. In the 2014 budget, the government announced plans for a new garden city, with 15,000 homes for Ebbsfleet in Kent. In the 2013 budget, the government announced various measures to support infrastructure construction. Economic improvements and a declining unemployment rate are expected to support demand in the residential construction market. To increase the affordability of housing and support residential construction, the government announced the creation of a Help to Buy Scheme (HTBS) in its 2013 budget. The first component of this scheme, which launched in April 2013, was the Help to Buy: equity loan, where the purchasers of newly-built homes would be granted interest-free government loans of up to 20%.