Product Life Cycle of Nokia Essay

INTRODUCTION In the present context, managing has become one of the most important areas of human activity because of increasing role of large and complex organisations in the society. Because of their increasing role, the organisations have attracted the attention of both practitioners and academicians to find out the solutions for business problems. Concept Defining the term management precisely is not so simple because the term management is used in a variety of ways. Being a new discipline, it has drawn concepts and principles from a number of disciplines such as economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, statistics and so on. Each group of contributors has treated management differently. For example, economists have treated management as a factor of production; sociologists have treated it as a class or group of persons; practitioners have treated it as a process comprising different activities. DEFINITION â€Å"Management is the art of getting things done through and with people in formally organized groups† — Koontz â€Å"Management is the art of knowing what you want to do and then seeing that it is done in the best and cheapest way† – F.W. Taylor â€Å"Management is the art of securing maximum results with minimum effort so as to secure maximum prosperity and happiness for both employer and employee and give the public the best possible service† — John Mee. â€Å"Management is the accomplishment of results through the efforts of other people† — Lawrence â€Å"Management is simply the process of decision making and control over the action of human beings for the expressed purpose of attaining predetermined goals† – Stanley V. â€Å"Management is a process involving planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling human efforts to achieve stated objectives in an organization.† From the above definitions, the following features are identified:1) Organised Activities: Management is a process of organized activities. Without organized activities, two groups of people cannot be involved in the performance of activities. Where a group of people are involved in working towards a common objective, management comes into existence. 2) Existence of objectives: The existence of objectives is a basic criterion of e very human organization because all organizations are deliberate and purposive creation and, therefore, they should have Introduction to Management some objectives. Without objectives, it becomes difficult to define the direction where organized group of activities would lead to. 3) Relationship among resources: Organised activities meant to achieve common goals are brought about to establish certain relationships about the available resources. Resources include money, machine, material, men and methods. All these resources are made available to those who manage the organization. Managers apply knowledge, experience, principles for getting the desired results. Thus, the essence of management is integration of various organisational resources. 4) Working with and through people: Management involves working with people and getting organisational objectives achieved through them. The idea of working through people is interpreted in terms of assigning and reassigning of activities to subordinates. 5) Decision Making: Management process involves decision making at various levels for getting things done through people. Decision making basically involves selecting the most appropriate alternative out of the several. If there is only one alternative, there is no question of decision making. Nature of Management: – The study and application of management techniques in managing the affairs of the organization have changed its nature over a period of time. The following points will describe the nature of management 1) Multidisciplinary: Management has been developed as a separate discipline, but it draws knowledge and concepts from various disciplines like psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, statistics, operations research etc.,. Management integrates the idea and concepts taken from these disciplines and presents newer concepts which can be put into practice for managing the organisations 2) Dynamic nature of Principles: Principle is a fundamental truth which esta blishes cause and effect relationships of a function. Based on integration and supported by practical evidences, management has framed certain principles. However, these principles are flexible in nature and change with the changes in the environment in which an organization exists. 3) Relative, Not absolute Principles: Management principles are relative, not absolute, and they should be applied according to the need of the organization. Each organization may be different from others. The difference may exist because of time, place, socio-cultural factors, etc.,. 4) Management: Science or Art: There is a controversy whether management is science or art. An art is personal skill of business affairs. Art is characterized by practical knowledge, personal creativity and skill. The more one practices an art, the more professional one becomes. Management can be considered as an art because it satisfies all these criterion of an art. A science is a systematized body of knowledge of facts. It can establish cause-and-effect relationships among various factors. It involves basic principles, which are capable of universal application. Management can be considered as science because it satisfies all these criterion of a science. Introduction to Management 5) Management as profession: Management has been regarded as a profession by many while many have suggested that it has not achieved the status of a profession. Profession refers to a vocation or a branch of advanced learning such as engineering or medicine. 6) Universality of management: Management is a universal phenomenon. However, management principles are not universally applicable but are to be modified according to the needs of the situation. Importance of Management Management has been important to the daily lives of people and to the organisations. The importance of management may be traces with the following. 1) Effective utilisation of Resources: Management tries to make effective utilisation of various resources. The resources are scarce in nature and to meet the demand of the society, their contribution should be more for the general interests of the society. Management not only decides in which particular alternative a particular resource should be used, but also takes actions to utilize it in that particular alternative in the best way. 2) Development of Resources: Management develops various resources. This is true with human as well as non-human factors. Most of the researchers for resource development are carried on in an organized way and management is involved in these organized activities. 3) It ensures continuity in the organization: Continuity is very important in the organisations. Where there are no proper guidelines for decision making continuity can not be guaranteed. It is quite natural that new people join while some others retire or leave the organization. It is only management that keeps the organization continuing. 4) Integrating various interest groups: In the organized efforts, there are various interest groups and they put pressure over other groups for maximum share in the combined output. For example, in case of a business organization, there are various pressure groups such as shareholders, employees, govt. etc. these interest groups have pressure on an organization. Management has to balance these pressures from various interest groups. 5) Stability in the society: Management provides stability in the society by changing and modifying the resources in accordance with the changing environment of the society. In the modern age, more emphasis is on new inventions for the betterment of human beings. These inventions make old systems and factors mostly obsolete and inefficient. Management provides integration between traditions and new inventions, and safeguards society from the unfavorable impact of these inventions so that continuity in social process is maintained. Functions of Management:To achieve the organisational objectives managers at all levels of organization should perform different functions. A function is a group of similar activities. Introduction to Management The list of management functions varies from author to author with the number of functions varying from three to eight. Writers Henry Fayol Luther Gullick R. Davis Management Functions Planning, Organizing, Commanding, Coordinating, Controlling POSDCORD- Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, Directing Planning , Organising, Controlling Planning, Organising, Motivating, Coordinating, Controlling Planning, Organising, Staffing, Leading, Controlling Koontz Different authors presented different variations. By combining some of functions, these are broadly grouped into Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, and Controlling. 1) Planning: Planning is the conscious determination of future course of action. This involves why an action, what action, how to take action, and when to take action. Thus, planning includes determination of specific objectives, determining projects and programs, setting policies and strategies, setting rules and procedures and prepar ing budgets. 2) Organising: Organising is the process of dividing work into convenient tasks or duties, grouping of such duties in the form of positions, grouping of various positions into departments and sections, assigning duties to individual positions, and delegating authority to each positions so that the work is carried out as planned. It is viewed as a bridge connecting the conceptual idea developed in creating and planning to the specific means for accomplishment these ideas. 3) Staffing: Staffing involves manning the various positions created by the organizing process. It includes preparing inventory of personal available and identifying the sources of people, selecting people, training and developing them, fixing financial compensation, appraising them periodically etc. 4) Directing: when people are available in the organization, they must know what they are expected to do in the organization. Superior managers fulfill this requirement by communicating to subordinates about their expected behavior. Once subordinates are oriented, the superiors have continuous responsibility of guiding and leading them for better work performance and motivating them to work with zeal and enthusiasm. Thus, directing includes communicating, motivating and leading. 5) Controlling: Controlling involves identification of actual results, comparison of actual results with expected results as set by planning process, identification of deviations between the two, if any, and taking of corrective action so that actual results match with expected results. Introduction to Management TAYLOR & SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT The concept of scientific management was introduced by Frederick Winslow Taylor in USA in the beginning of 20th century. â€Å"Scientific management is concerned with knowing exactly what you want to do and then see in that they do it in the best and cheapest way† Since Taylor has put the emphasis on solving managerial problems in a scientific way, often, he is called as father of scientific management and his contributions as the principles of scientific management. Taylor carried experiments about how to increase the efficiency of people. On the basis of experiments, he published many papers and books and all his contributions were compiled in his book â€Å"scientific management†. His contributions are divided into two parts. Elements and tools of scientific management Principles of scientific management FEATURES / ELEMENTS AND TOOLS OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT 1) Separation of planning & doing: Taylor emphasized the separation of planning aspect from actual doing of the work. In other words planning should be left to the supervisor and the worker should concentrate only operational work. 2) Functional foremanship: Taylor introduced the concept of functional foremanship based on specialization of functions. In this system, eight persons are involved to direct the activities of workers. Out of these four persons are concerned with planning viz., route clerk, instruction card clerk, time and cost clerk and disciplinarian. The remaining four persons are concerned with doing aspect of the job, viz., speed boss, inspector, gang boss and maintenance foreman. It is against to the principle of unity of command.

Innovative Practices in Education Essay

Introduction The word ‘innovation’ is derived from Latin word ‘innovare’, which means â€Å"to change something to new†. In other words, we may say that ‘innovation’ means changing the regular way of doing things and involves doing the regular things in a novel way. The role of a teacher in present context has remarkably changed because of the various factors such as social, cultural, economic and technology developments across the globe. â€Å"Teachers in today’s era must be innovative, imaginative, and resourceful and have thorough knowledge of the subject and adopt new techniques to teach innovatively.† J. Krishnamurthy1 Teaching, in the KRISHNAMURTHI FOUNDATION INDIA (KFI) schools as opposed to other regular schools was said to be â€Å"different† and hence the researcher picked up these schools to study what and how â€Å"innovatively† the students are taught. KFI schools come under the genre of â€Å"alternative schools.† â€Å"An alternative school is an educational setting designed to accommodate educational, behavioral, and/or medical needs of children and adolescents that cannot be adequately addressed in a traditional school environment.†2 Its unique features are as follows: †¢Alternative schools have a small number of students, maximum 200 in the entire school . †¢Not more than 15-25 kids in a class †¢Children are allowed to learn the basic skills of reading and writing at their own pace. †¢There is little or no internal hierarchy in alternative schools. †¢Excellent teacher pupil relationship . †¢Family atmosphere †¢There is an inherent spirit of cooperation with self discipline. †¢Uniqueness of each child is nurtured. †¢The ambience is essentially fluid and informal. †¢There is no uniform. â€Å"KFI schools are not just about transference of ideas or facts in books, but is also about feeling the earth, watching the sunset, listening to the birds, seeing the colours of the leaves change in the different seasons and observing nature in its many colours, forms and shapes, in reality and this has shaped the entire structure of the school based on the ideology of Jiddu Krishnamurthy.†3 Methodology of the Study †¢Normative survey along with participant observation was used in the present research as it was a qualitative research . †¢Qualitative research seeks out the ‘why’, not the ‘how’ of the topic.3( Yang.W.E, 1997) Data Collection Tools Actual visit to the school and interaction with the teacher, students and principals through interview and questionnaire techniques and actual participation in school activities. The tools used were: †¢Interview †¢Participant Observation †¢Document analysis Learning the KFI way†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ a few insights Classes are not only about completing the content but also about understanding the content; with this core understanding every teacher at the school determines to use innovative teaching practices in classroom teaching. The term â€Å"innovative† is used to describe the combination of the three teaching practices in these schools †¢Student centered pedagogy †¢ Taking the learning beyond the classroom †¢Giving importance to personal relationships apart from the academic subject matter. These learning environments strive to cultivate a sense of community and belonging, and qualities of safety, respect, caring, and even love amongst the students .The term â€Å"innovative† in the context of this research describes combining these practices with technology i.e use of ICT( information communication technology ) in class room teaching. Student-centered pedagogy includes practices of teaching and learning that are project-based, collaborative, foster knowledge-building, require self-regulation and assessment, and are both personalized (allowing for student choice and relevance to the individual student) as well as individualized (allowing students to work at their own pace) and according to their particular learning needs. Each of these elements has a strong base of prior research, linking them to positive outcomes in terms of developing skills among students.4 Hence these a re techniques in which they learn to think for themselves, and develop the ability to make clear logical arguments, and deal with complex ethical issues.Students enjoy total intellectual freedom, and unfettered interaction with other students and adults. 1. Autonomous learning is a unique innovative technique which is actively implemented in the academic transaction process. It implies gradual switch from traditional teacher-centered studies to a self-learning process, when students are placed in such conditions where they are to employ their critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills in addition to the problem-solving skills that will make them experts on a subject studied through project- work, group work etc. For Example- A project on garbage disposal in class V was given to make them learn about environment and sustainability. 2. Cooperative learning directed towards focusing on students’ team work while doing their project assignments. 3. Task-based approach to learning, which requires using learning situations and tasks that do not make students merely reproduce the knowledge acquired, but also stimulate their creativity in order to find new original answers to unconventional tasks. For example- growing flowers in the school compound to teach students of class VII, about seasonal flowers, types of soil and usage of organic fertilisers. Another e.g- Selling organic compost and making money running a small business annually for class X th students to teach them about selling and profit in economics. 4. Moving outside the class – This teaching practice refers to learning activities that include learning in nature and beyond the traditional boundaries of the classroom, and also by providing opportunities for 24/7 learning (for example, research outside the classroom), fostering cross-subject connections, and promoting global awareness and cultural understanding. For example – seeing the actual working of a venus-fly trap plant grown in the campus to teach about carnivorous plants. 5. Story- based learning – This method, called ‘story-based learning,’ aims to encourage students to study various core subjects and be curious enough to find the answers by themselves. ‘One reason behind this learning design is to help students to comprehend the variety and interconnectedness of real life and equip them with the right mindset and solutions.’ 5 For example- The high-school students learnt a story about spices and ships, which would bring students into studying the history, agriculture, business, politics, culture and international trade of the East India Company in class VIII. 6. Workshops including interactive lectures, presentations, individual assignments, puppet making, independent and self-learning activities during practical classes and seminars, role plays and simulations, case-studies, individual and team projects, holding master-classes and workshops. 7. Extensive use of tape recorder, e-book, graphics, pictures, charts in daily 8. Blogs : A Classroom outside the classroom! Blog is derived from weblog. It is a diary or regular opinion columns posted on the internet. In blog, the writer posts diary entry which others can read and comments on it. Web-blogging is used in two main ways in teaching. Firstly, students are encouraged to write and post their blogs. If students are learning to write journals or engaged in other form of extensive writing in the classroom, is the right place to check their ability of writing. Secondly, the teacher writes the main blog entries, which students can then comment on. They send assignments or projects to students on the taught topics, by which students can complete the work and send it back to teachers. So the blog encourages teaching outside the classroom. 8. Role playing- For example, while teaching accounts the role of accountant can be explained by role playing technique. Invoice and bills can be given to students and asked them to assume the role of accountant. Here the real entries pertaining to transactions are made by the student and this is more practical approach to teaching where theory is supplemented by proper practical knowledge. 9.Wiki- A wiki is a web based platform for collaborative writing. It is used within a private domain as well as public domain for writing together. The important feature of wikis is particularly used for language learning which is record of all drafts. Students and teachers work on it collaboratively. An example of a private wiki used for language learning was used in KFI school-based project to produce a school newsletter for parents within the public domain. Students can be asked to be collaborative as class to produce a Wikipedia entry because such projects help to promote team-spirit and increase motivation, empower students to construct knowledge, and enable them to learn new things in an interesting, stress-free way. To keep up with the educational expectations of today’s youth, we’re called on to use innovative teaching techniques. Where resources and training programs aren’t available to keep pace with our growing technological expansion, methods must be developed and used that involve active learning without depending on high technology. Simulations, games, and role playing are viable alternatives for learning about and experiencing real-life situations. 10. Innovative evaluation- the 360 0 approach- Teacher’s report- Students’ progress is assessed systematically and continuously. Evaluation is comprehensive, non-comparative and points to possibilities for growth are given to each and every student. Parents receive reports twice a year. Parent’s report- However, in the month of September parents send a report to school on their children based on the observation made at home. How he/she behaves at home, his/her eating habits, behaviour with siblings etc †¦anything extra that the parent wants to tell is also welcomed. This report facilitates a joint awareness and understanding of the child by the school and home. Students take formal examinations from class VIII onwards and all the teachers seem to support it completely because they feel students have to take the public examinations at the end of Tenth and Twelfth standard. 11. Meditation & assemblies- Every morning there are separate assemblies for the Junior and Senior sections, apart from this every school has â€Å"me time† in which the children and the staff sit all by themselves being â€Å"in silence† and think about the day ahead. It is easier said than done to sit in silence for 15 minutes because as Krishnamurthi says, â€Å"Only a mind in silence and stability is a mind that can learn anything†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.or even teach anything† 4 Hence this meditation time is important for both the kids and the teachers and there is no fixed way of meditation. The only requirement is that one should sit in silence. Sometimes in the evenings guided meditations are also held for the senior students who want to come. It is a voluntary thing and no one is forced to do so. It is an important innovative technique in teaching â€Å"self- inquiry† and introspection to the students. There is no punishment system, only talking, counselling and understanding that takes place if someone makes a mistake. Conclusions †¢This holistic education is usually characterized by several core qualities. First, it encourages experiential learning. †¢Secondly there is more discussion, questioning, experimentation, and active engagement in a holistic learning environment. †¢Thirdly, personal relationships are considered to be as important as academic subject matter. These learning environments strive to cultivate a sense of community and belonging, and qualities of safety, respect, caring, and even love. †¢These innovative techniques are practiced in diverse ways in alternative schools like KFI that provide a carefully designed, multiage â€Å"prepared environment† that encourages children to explore ,experiment and learn according to their own pace and interests. †¢It is possible, however, that these certain universal features of the KFI schools can easily be shared with, and developed by, other schools like the non-formal working environment and child-based, student-centric project aided learning which doesn’t require too much training or infrastructure , just a willingness to experiment and innovate on the part of the teacher. †¢ In many respects it is like a traditional school; children take board exams, have a curriculum and timetable etc. But what makes them special and effective are the teachers and their passion for teaching, their innovative methods of teaching, the fearless and joyful interaction among teachers and students. †¢The board results of such schools were better than the regular schools in their area but the stress experienced by the students, teachers and parents was comparatively much less, as what came out from the interviews and observation of the students and data analysis. Recommendations From the insights gained in innovative teaching and its impact on the teaching learning process, the researcher would like to make certain recommendations for other schools as well. a.Schools therefore need to emphasize on those aspects of learning which would help children to self-observe and reflect; find ways to search for knowledge instead of memorizing only. b.The project approach in teaching is inter-disciplinary, integrates arts, music, dance, yoga, meditation in the curriculum and leads to collateral learning. c.This is accomplished through evolutionary syllabi that emerge out of the needs of students and can be easily made by the subject teacher and head of the institution. d.The students are independent, responsible and confident of their learning. e.In line with J.Krishnamurthy’s philosophy, teachers lay emphasis on collaborative learning and team work. f.The teacher’s role is that of a facilitator, a generalist. g.The teaching style is informal, participativ e, democratic and illuminative. h.The teacher is a learner too. i.Meditation and yoga has definite positive outcomes on the behavior of students and also their ability to learn. Hence it should be encouraged by all schools. j.This holistic and innovative education in KFI schools is usually characterized by experiential learning. k.Secondly there is more discussion, questioning, experimentation, and active engagement in a holistic learning environment leading to overall personality development. l.Thirdly, personal relationships are considered to be as important as academic subject matter. These learning environments strive to cultivate a sense of community and belonging, and qualities of safety, respect, caring, and even love amongst students and teachers. References : 1. Bax,S.(2003). The end of old age teaching: A New Approach to Education and Laerning. ELT journal, 57, 278-287. 2. Alternative School, http://www.healthofchildren.com/A/Alternative-School.html#ixzz2BQfZSoIf 3. Martin, Donald W. (1975) â€Å"An Analysis of Selected Works of Jiddu Krishnamurti: Implications for Higher Education† University of Cincinnati, Ohio (U.S.A.), research paper. 4. Gefter, A., â€Å"Living online: This is your space,† New Scientist 2569 (2006): 46-48. 5. Gupta Deepti, 2005. ELT in India: A Brief and Current overview, Asian EFL Journal Volume 7. Issue 1, Article 12. Bibliography 1. Nunan David (1991) Communicative tasks and the language curriculum. TESOL, Quarterly 25(2), 279-295. 2. O’Grady, William, Michael Dabrovolsky, and Mark Aronoff. 1993. Contemporary linguistics: An Introduction. New York: St.Martin’s Press. 3. Pahuja N.P. Teaching of English, Anmol Publications Pvt.Ltd, New Delhi 1995. 4. Prensky, M., â€Å" Digital nayives, digital immigrants,† On the Horizon 9.5 (2001). 5. Thelwall, M., â€Å"MySpace, Facebook, Bebo: Social networking students,† Association of Learning Technology Online Newsletter 11 (2008). 6. Vyas A. Manish and Patel L. yogesh â€Å"Teaching innovatively – A new Pedagogy for a New Century.† PHI Learning Pvt Ltd. New Delhi (200

Analysis of Erik, Phantom of the Opera Using Two Contrasting Personality Theories

The tremendously popular and well-known Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical production of The Phantom of the Opera was based on the French novel Le Fantome de l'Opera written by Gaston Leroux in1910 (Leroux, 1910/1990). The original novel gave little direct details with respect to Erik’s past; what was abundant however were hints and implications about the character’s life history throughout the book (Leroux, 1910/1990).Erik was actually not his birth name but rather a name given to him by accident, and Leroux had simply called him â€Å"the man’s voice† in the novel; Erik, however, had referred himself as â€Å"the opera ghost† and â€Å"the angel of music† throughout the texts (Leroux, 1910/1990). The history of Erik was revealed in the novel mostly by the character Persia (also known as the Persian or the daroga), a local police chief in Persia that followed Erik to Paris.The character Erik will be described below based on the transl ated work of Leroux (1910/1990), followed by an analysis of his personality using concepts derived from (1) the Freudian theory of psychoanalysis, and (2) the Skinnerian radical behaviorism concept. These two theorists were chosen because they represent polar opposites on how personality is viewed. While Freud maintained that the unconscious is the underlying driving force from which personality develops, Skinner rejected all non-observable parameters such as thoughts, feelings, emotions, and the unconscious in his scientific analysis of human behavior.Freud’s emphasis on personality development was on the continuous struggle between the id and the superego, and how successfully the ego can manage a healthy balance between them. Freud also determined 5 psychosexual stages that must be negotiated and satisfied during childhood development, failure on doing so will result in aberrant personality traits. Skinner, however, believed that all behavior, and hence personality, are le arned as a function of environmental factors.A behavior that is reinforced will likely to be repeated, one that is punished will most likely not. He maintained that genetic predispositions allow humans to react to stimuli within a certain range, and where within that range our behavior falls is determined by how we are shaped by the influence of the environment we find ourselves. In this paper, the major differences in how those two theorists might interpret Erik’s personality will be discussed. The Character Erik Erik was born in a small town on the outskirts of Rouen, France.Hideously deformed at birth, his mother was horrified by his appearance and his father refused to even look at him. Tortured by ridicules and spite from his own mother, he ran away as a young boy and was adopted by a band of travelling Gypsies. He earned his living by performing in freak shows, where he was labeled as the living death. Despite his monstrous appearance, Erik was an extremely talented ind ividual. In addition to possessing a most eerie and supernatural singing voice, he gained great skills as an illusionist, magician, and ventriloquist.A fur trader recognized Erik’s gifted abilities and mentioned it to the Shah of Persia, who then ordered to have him brought to his palace. Erik soon proved to the Shah his knowledge in architecture, and the Shah commissioned him to design and build Mazenderan, an elaborate palace full of trap doors, hidden passages, and secret rooms such that no one could be certain of his/her privacy: someone would be listening or spying at anytime and anywhere. The Shah could practically vanish from a room in an instant and reappear elsewhere in utter secrecy.During Erik’s tenure with the Shah, he was also employed as a political assassin, carrying out the Shah’s orders by strangling his victims using an unique noose known as the Punjab Lasso. Pleased with his work but determined that no other such palaces should be built and ow ned by anyone else (not to mention Erik and his workers were the only ones that had intimate knowledge of the palace’s layout), the Shah first ordered Erik and his workers be blinded but then realized he could build another one even without his eyesight, ordered their executions.By the intervention of the local police chief (the Persian), Erik escaped to Constantinople and was employed by its’ ruling Sultan to build his grand palace of a similar design. Alas, he was later forced to escape Constantinople for the same reason he fled Persia. Erik’s next destination was most likely to be somewhere in Southeast Asia, where he decided that he was tired of his nomadic lifestyle. Eventually, he returned to Paris and successfully bided on a contract to help build the Paris Opera. Using his extensive experiences from the past, the theater was built withtrap doors and secret passageways throughout. In addition, Erik built himself a palace, or a playhouse, of a sort deep wi thin the cellar of the opera house so that he did not have to live amongst the cruelty of humankind. He spent the next 20 years or so in his â€Å"home† writing and composing music of various sorts. At about the same time, a beautiful and technically talented chorus girl by the name of Christine Daae, who had lost all passion to sing and perform due to her father’s passing, somehow heard Erik’s singing and music in her dressing room at late nights.Thinking that must have been an â€Å"angel† sent by her father, Christine took singing lessons from the â€Å"Angel of Music† during the nights and later emerged as a virtuoso singer better than she ever was. By now, Erik was secretly in love with Christine, and one night he revealed himself to her from behind a mirror in her dressing room, wearing a mask, and led her through the mazes and labyrinths into his domain in the cellar of the theater.It turned out that Erik had been composing his masterpiece f or the last 20 years, and realizing his genius, Christine asked if he would play a part from the masterpiece for her, and Erik refused as the piece was yet incomplete. Erik’s original plan upon the completion of his masterpiece was to go to his bed, which was in fact a coffin, and fall into an eternal sleep. Feeling the obvious pain from Erik and yearning to see his face, Christine ripped the mask off, and saw the horrible disfigurement. Another person vying for Christine’s affection was the Vicomte Raoul de Chagney.A childhood friend of Christine, he was captivated by her new-found voice, so unearthly passionate that led Raoul to fall madly in love with her. In the final chapters of Leroux’s novel, Erik kidnapped Christine straight from the stage during one of the performances, showed her the completed masterpiece, and asked her to marry him instead of the Vicomte so that the two of them can live a happy life, rather than him simply slip way into his â€Å"bed † and dies. If she were to refuse, however, Erik would detonate the massive amount of gun powder he had secretly accumulated under the opera house over the years.Christine submitted to his request in order to save herself, unknowing Raoul had fallen accidentally into Erik’s torture chamber while searching the opera house for her with the help of the Persian and the opera house staffs. Acknowledging her acceptance, Erik gave Christine a gold ring and kissed her cheek. He was so overwhelmed with joy that he fell to his knees and cried uncontrollably. Seeing the genius with a tortured soul finding happiness at last, Christine cried with Erik. Erik then surprised Christine by saying that he is now willing to let her go, and she was free to marry Raoul.Erik freed Raoul and let them both leave the dungeon, but not before making Christine promise to come back and bury him upon his death. Christine kissed Erik on his forehead, and disappeared into the night with Raoul. Carrying his most cherished possession, the diary kept by Christine detailing everything that had happened between them, Erik went to the Persian and told him the whole story, with the hand-written diary as proof. Erik died three weeks afterwards. Christine kept her promise and returned to the opera house, but before the burial, she slipped the gold ring Erik had given to her three weeks earlier onto his finger.Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Approach to Erik’s Personality The core concept of psychoanalysis developed by Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939) is the significant influence the unconscious mind has on the conscious (Burkitt, 2010; Freud, 1923/1990). The unconscious is a vast reservoir of latent thoughts and memories (real, repressed, or false) that are not associated with the activities of the conscious mind, but those activities consciously executed are in fact directed and driven by the unconscious (Burkitt, 2010; Freud, 1923/1990).In the novel, Erik was able to util ize this power of the unconscious to strategically place himself in the mind of Christine, letting her to believe that he was sent by her deceased father and thus masquerading as the â€Å"Angel of Music†. According to Freud, the oral stage is the first stage of psychosexual development (Freud, 1923/1990; van Beekum, 2009). In addition to providing nourishment, the mother’s breasts provide a source of love, pleasure, and security to the infant (Freud, 1923/1990; Wagg & Pridmore, 2004).Weaning would therefore create a stressful situation for the infant: giving up the comfort feelings the mother’s breasts have provided. Some infants are easier than others to succeed in negotiating and resolving this conflict between the id and the ego (Freud, 1923/1990; van Beekum, 2009) by redirecting their psychosexual energy (libido) toward other challenges. For those infants that do not, the psychosexual development theory affirms they will develop into orally fixated adults ( Freud, 1923/1990; van Beekum, 2009; Wagg & Pridmore, 2004).Although it was not detailed in the novel, Erik most likely was never breast-fed as his mother loathed his appearance and his father refused to even look at him. It is therefore reasonable to assume that as an adult, Erik would have an extreme case of oral fixation, constantly seeking for the pleasure and comfort that would have been derived from oral stimulations denied during infancy. In theory, adult manifestations of oral-stage fixation include nail-biting, eating, chewing, smoking, and alcoholism (Wagg & Pridmore, 2004).Similarly, they may derive psychological pleasure from talking and constantly seeking knowledge (Wagg & Pridmore, 2004). Although Leroux did not detail Erik’s personal habits, we can certainly see that he was constantly looking for and acquiring knowledge and skills, being an accomplished magician and ventriloquist, a brilliant architect and master builder, a royal assassin, a music genius with a most haunting, unearthly, yet passionate voice (Leroux, 1910/1990).Instead of talking, Erik’s obsession with oral stimulation was manifested as singing: singing to himself, hoping to seek solace throughout his life; and later to Christine as well as giving her vocal lessons. It therefore appears to me that the desirable, pleasurable substance he chose to keep in his mouth was music in the form of his own voice. The first, and most psychoanalysts would argue to also be the most important, ego defense mechanism identified by Freud was what he called repression: threatening thoughts and ideas are repressed, or pushed back into the unconscious (Freud, 1923/1990; Rosenzweig, 1943; Wagg & Pridmore, 2004).Repression can therefore be viewed as a barrier used by the conscious mind to block out specific (usually painful, unpleasant, or inappropriate) thoughts arising from the unconscious. In the phallic stage (around age 4 years) during which a child’s sexual energy is focused o n the genitals, the aggressive thoughts in the Oedipus complex about the same sex parents are learned to be repressed (but must be resolved later) by the developing boy (Adler, 2010; Rosenzweig, 1943; Wagg & Pridmore, 2004). One of those feelings the boy represses is the fear of castration, which will be discussed below.Base on a Greek legend in which Oedipus, the Thebes king who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, the term â€Å"Oedipus complex† was used by Freud to describe a boy’s sexual desires toward his mother and rivalries toward his father (Adler, 2010; van Beekum, 2009). Freud theorized that such thoughts and feelings and the psychological defenses against such thoughts and feelings are of critical importance in personality development as they will become the fundamental reaction pattern the individual relies on throughout life (Adler, 2010; van Beekum, 2009).Freud noted that during this phallic stage when children begin to explore their geni tals – boys with their penises, at the same time they are also concerned with their fathers’ penises and girls who do not have them. Freud theorized that while the boy is struggling with his intense sexual desire toward his mother, he must have also realized that he does not have the physical strength to overpower his father; he fears the father may castrate him as an act of revenge, leaving him without a penis and therefore resembling a girl – Freud termed this unconscious fear â€Å"castration anxiety† (Adler, 2010; van Beekum, 2009).In order to resolve this conflict successfully, the developing boy pledges allegiance to his father. He tries to become a person like his father, and by assuming his characteristics, the boy replaces his father to become the authoritative, father-of-the-household figure and so, by extension, achieves sexual relations with his mother while diminishing the fear of being castrated (Adler, 2010; van Beekum, 2009).In Erikâ€℠¢s case, I believe his total alienation from his family as well as the society at-large led to a totally unresolved Oedipus complex: he felt no love for his mother, he did not know his father at all, and therefore no parent to identify with. Failing to identify himself with one parent, Erik therefore was incapable of moral internalization. He did whatever made him feel good at the time; he neither feared nor knew punishment because it did not matter what he does or does not do, the results were inevitably the same.In other words, his repressive defense mechanism, neither learned nor developed in childhood, was practically non-existent. Having no basic repressive skills and thus letting the thanatos force of the id to freely and repeatedly surface to the conscious and gratified, it is no wonder why Erik experienced frequent negative emotional outbursts, lack of remorse as an assassin, and an irrational, maniacal fixation on whatever he wished for, specifically, Christine. In addition , his obsession with Christine may be a way Erik dealt with impulses that he knew was unacceptable even to himself.I believe he unconsciously identified himself with Christine, both talented and tormented but with the exception of her being accepted publically and he loathed. Because he could never be accepted by the public regardless of how talented he was, teaching Christine all he knew and thus controlling her may be a way Erik thought he could live his imaginary â€Å"good life† through her success. By allowing Erik to kiss her on her cheek, a pivotal moment in the novel was created as Christine appeared to have melted his cold heart.Although Maslow’s self-actualization theory may view Erik’s reaction as a peak experience, I do not believe that to be the case. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs placed self-actualization on the very top of the ladder and can only be achieved after all other needs, physiological, safety, belongingness and love, and esteem, are satisfied (Hanley & Abell, 2002). Clearly, none of Erik’s life needs were even close to being satisfied, and therefore the innate process of self-actualization (Hanley & Abell, 2002) must have been foreign to him.I believe Erik’s reaction was another manifestation of the uncontrolled id surfacing to the conscious. This time, however, it was the eros force of the id that surfaced. This tremendous emotional release of positive energy, or catharsis, was so foreign yet comforting to him that he b roke down and cried uncontrollably. This was most likely the very first time the eros and not the thanatos force of his id was gratified as he was so accustomed to in his life up to that very moment; he finally felt the positive aspect of what it is to be human.The sensation of having the eros drive satisfied was so much more pleasurable than having the thanatos drive satisfied, his ego decide to choose to release Raoul and free Christine, allowing them to be married. B. F. Skinn er’s Radical Behaviorism Approach to Erik’s Personality In stark contrast to personality theorist such as Freud and Jung, Burrhus Frederick Skinner (1904 – 1990) viewed personality as a result of previous history of reinforcement (such as rewards and punishments) and that personality is determined and controlled by environmental factors (Moore, 2011).Therefore, in order to understand the behavior of a person, we must first uncover the set of environmental conditions where the behavior is exhibited. Skinner reasoned that in the presence of a discriminative stimulus, a characteristic response is elicited (Moore, 2011). Depending on how the response is reinforced, the behavior of the individual toward that discriminative stimulus is gradually shaped (Moore, 2011). In his principles of operant conditioning, Skinner emphasized how behavior can be changed by manipulating the reinforcing consequence (Moore, 2011).Skinner strongly rejected mentalism; terms such as perso nality, psychical structures (Freud’s id, ego, and superego), needs, and instinct were of no meanings to Skinner and instead, he favored the directly observable behaviors and emphasized on the function of the behavior in his research (Moore, 2011). According to Skinner, there is no free will (Moore, 2011). In Skinner’s view, what we see as personality is basically a group of responses to the environment, and if the responses are rewarded, then they are more likely to be repeated.Freud viewed the id as the instinctual driving force from the undifferentiated core of personality while Skinner asserted that what we see as a driving force is really humans’ innate susceptibility to reinforcement (Moore, 2011). Rather than seeing the ego as how humans respond to the world according to the reality principle, Skinner reasoned that all responses are learned, and different behavior will be exhibited by an individual under different circumstances.Refuting the Freudian conce pt of the superego as a set of internalized social rules and values that guide the ego in the continual struggle and negotiation with the id, Skinner believed that behavior is learned from how the society punishes such behavior: we simply control those behaviors that are not allowed by the society – exhibiting such behaviors will lead to unpleasant consequences. Therefore, Skinner interpreted the Freudian ego defense mechanism as avoidance to conditioned aversive stimulations, or punishments (Moore, 2011).In terms of genetic predispositions, Skinner suggests that genes (biological factors) provide an individual a range of response capabilities, but it is the environment that selects for the type of response that best suits the individual’s survival. Skinner also did not deny the existence of internal processes such as emotions and thoughts; he viewed them as individual characteristics caused by the environment and as such they are irrelevant in the explanation and the understanding of behavior (Moore, 2011).Erik appeared to have been genetically gifted with an extremely wide range of response capabilities as well as a talent in knowledge acquisition. Born grotesquely deformed, the environmental factor that selected him came in the form of a band of wondering Gypsies. Exploiting his deformity for monetary gain, they actually provided Eric a chance to survive into adulthood. Because he was gifted as a learner, he mastered the Gypsies’ many different performing skills and incorporated them into his own routines, further securing his acceptance within the band – the members could reliably depend on him as a money maker.His childhood experience thus far conditioned him to be independent: He could not depend on his family because he was a disgrace to them, he had no friends, and the band of Gypsies took pity on him for the sole reason of being able to make money off him. The more he enriched himself, the more valuable he was to the compan y. The reinforcing consequence was shelter and food, and his learned response to the environment was therefore to learn as much skill as he could and to become as selfish as he could.To Erik, it was every man on his own and for his own. Erik would not have any problem in being an assassin. Within the Shah’s realm, killing as directed by the Shah was rewarded. In addition, I believe that it is more than likely that Erik viewed â€Å"punishment† as normal, and hence his interpretation of â€Å"punishment† was not as an aversive stimulation, but rather normalcy. He therefore had no fear of being â€Å"punished† for being a killer and at the same time, successful killings were repeatedly reinforced with wealth and status.This changed, however, when Christine entered the picture. Erik developed an obsession toward the beautiful, talented, but emotionally devastated (due to the death of her father) chorus girl. Behaviorist view obsession as random acts that are by chance reinforced (Moore, 2011). Christine was fascinated with his genius, and thought that he was an angel sent by her father. Having not seen his disfigurement, I believe Christine did love Erik before that revelation. She respected Erik for his talent, and curiousenough to learn more about this â€Å"Angel of Music†. Erik no doubt was first captivated by her beauty, and when they actually spoke, Erik must have been pleasantly surprised that, for the first time in his life, he was treated as a person with no ill side-effects. These encounters-in-the-shadow made Erik feel good about himself, and together with a lack of negative consequences, he became obsessed with her – having a â€Å"relationship† with Christine made him happy, easing the anxiety within.Under Skinner’s concept of operant conditioning (operant because, in Erik’s case, he did not expect to be reinforced with kindness), I would think that by changing the environment from greed, hate, treachery, and death to that of kindness and warmth provided by the presence of Christine, Erik was able to radically change his behavior from total selfishness, oblivious to the needs of others to one that was more or less compassionate. This radical change, however, did not come overnight.It was through multiple encounters with Christine, each time they learn more about each other, each time his action was reinforced by the increasing level of kindness and respect returned to him, that his behavior was shaped. Erik did not know love, compassion, kindness, or any other behavior that we associate as positive, and clearly those behaviors were not instinctual to him. With Christine, he was being rewarded for â€Å"being good† – a teacher, a nurturing figure, or even, a lover.The need to possess Christine solely for himself, however, proved to be overwhelming. Brief liaisons in the shadows, no matter how frequent, were no longer satisfying. He needed the environmen t created by the presence of Christine all the time. Simply put, Erik had learned to become an addict; he was addicted to Christine. Behaviorists view love as a stimulus that elicits a range of responses (Moore, 2011; Tolman, 1923). Upon experiencing the love stimulus, infants and toddlers may respond by stop crying, smiling, cooing, etc.and the outstretching and flaying of their arms may be interpreted as wanting more of the stimulus (Moore, 2011; Tolman, 1923). Erik never experienced love and yet he felt pleasure from the stimulus. Unlike unpleasant stimuli such as fear and anger that one reacts by removing oneself away from the hostile environment, Erik needed to remain in the environment that gave him pleasure. In order to do so, he must have Christine in order to create an environment that continuously provides him with that stimulus, love.Most likely triggered by seeing her perform on stage that night, Erik resorted to the familiar solution in obtaining reward quickly and easi ly: he kidnapped her, threatened her with her very life if his addiction was not satiated. However, the environment where Christine is present may prove to be the key in his ultimate decision to free her. Skinner viewed that all behaviors are controlled by the environment, and I believe we are seeing this concept consolidate in Erik’s decision. In the presence of Christine, Erik was compassionate, accommodating, and aware of the turmoil within himself and Christine.I believe that in the environment created by her presence, he saw the impracticality and impossibility in the hope of spending the rest of his life with her. Letting her free was the choice he made in order to make Christine happy, for giving her this happiness would be his own greatest reward. Summary In this essay, the personality characteristics of Erik, Phantom of the Opera, were discussed using the Freudian psychoanalytic approach and the opposing Skinnerian radical behaviorism as references.The Freudian appro ach would suggest that Erik’s personality was a manifestation of his unconscious, orally fixated psychosexual development and an unresolved Oedipus complex with no repressive ego defense mechanism. Erik’s life had been devoted to the satisfaction of the thanatos, the id driving force that leads toward aggression, destruction, and death. Without any internalized social rules and values (superego) as a guide to his actions, his ego had very little to resolve between the id and the superego.As such, the id, driven by the thanatos force, repeatedly surface to the conscious and thus repeatedly gratified. The Skinnerian approach would view Erik’s personality as shaped by previous history of reinforcement in his given environment, steadily and progressively as he developed from a severely deformed, ridiculed child to a highly talented but tormented adult with little conscience. Everything that made up the person Erik was learned, and he had no free will to choose other wise. Through operant conditioning, Erik learned to be ruthless, selfish, and hateful.A behaviorist may interpret Erik’s need to possess Christine as a conditioned need for a stimulus, an addiction, and the respect and kindness returned to him by Christine functioned as reinfocers. In total disparity to his personality, the pivotal moment of the story came when Erik chose to let Christine and Raoul free. A Freudian psychoanalyst may interpret this as his unconscious need to re-experience the pleasure he felt when he first unleashed the id eros force when Christine allowed him to kiss her on the cheek, a pleasure far surpassing what a gratified id thanatos force was able to offer him up to that point.Radical behaviorism may view Erik’s decision in releasing Christine and Raoul was environmentally influenced. First in the presence of Christine’s voice alone and later with her physical presence repeatedly created an environment that was pleasurable to Erik – he was rewarded and reinforced with respect and human kindness. In that environment, he behaved compassionately – making Christine happy gave him pleasure in return. It would make her happiest with Raoul, and so the decision to free them was made. These two opposing theories provided very different explanations to Erik’s personality.However, I believe elements from both theories may be combined for a more comprehensive analysis on his behavior. It is very likely that Erik’s behaviors were learned and shaped by the hostile environment he constantly found himself since birth. Those behaviors, however inappropriate from a â€Å"normal† person’s point of view, were none-the-less necessary in ensuring his survival. The other aspect of his personality was his unconscious need for love and human kindness, something that he knew not existed until he encountered Christine.This is the turning point for Erik’s personality development and likely to be the first battle between the thanatos drive that he was so accustomed to and the newly surfaced eros drive that his ego now must resolve. At the end, it was the eros force that predominated. Behaviorists would interpret that his act of compassion was defined by the environment with the presence of Christine; in her presence, Erik was able to explore the positive aspects of human behavior, ultimately realizing that he too possessed those qualities all along, just that they were, as Freud would put it, hidden in the unconscious.

Russell and Bromley Retirment Homes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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History of Perus Independence - Research Paper Example Peru is an independent nation - a division of Latin America that was separated during the Colonial period. The Colonial period which lasted for about 400 years laid the base for development and evolution of Latin America. Latin America was worst affected by the Colonial regimen undergoing several problems each mutilating periodically. The problems included evacuation of the native population, replacement of power and as a result, development of the country seemed to be a herculean task. The native people were the ones who suffered due to the Colonial invasion. (Keen, 2007). Sanitation was not provided and hence new diseases started to spread taking a toll on the lives of the people. Floods and famines also contributed to the death of native people. Even the culture of Latin America underwent a complete change due to the zealous priests who opposed the native culture. Exploitation was felt more than the development of the country. This resulted in problems which later led to a situati on where the people had to bring about a new change. Even the constitutional powers were under their control which modified the entire government. The Colonial history proved to be advantageous as well as disadvantageous to the natives. Some of the colonial aspects helped in improving the identity of the nation and this helped the country to gain popularity among the other countries.

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Outline for Proposal - Research Paper Example PAYDAY LOAN SERVICES IN A CONVENIENCE STORE Problem statement The writer will explore the feasibility of establishing a Payday loan service in Topeka, Kansas. The feasibility includes exploring options of locating the payday loan service in a convenience store that is accessible. The room will have a counter for disbursing funds and maintaining records. Research will include state and local requirements for establishing payday loan service as a sole proprietorship, competitors’ analysis for internal assessment for crafting payday loan service strategies, and a market analysis to study the lending rates and charges in relation to pay loan services in Kansas State. Research questions 1. Who are the users of payday loans? 2. Do the payday loans solve their financial problems? 3. What is the eligibility for obtaining a payday loan? 4. Who are the competitors in the market? Purpose statement To promote access to diverse, healthy and comprehensive financial services for households i n Kansas. This will be through offering cost-effective loan rates and innovative methods of loan applications for customer convenience. Literature Review What is a payday loan? Payday lending business will provide short terms loans for a maximum period of two weeks, to households who are in need of money or individuals that do not opt for other sources of credit.Caskey and John (2012), define a payday loan service as a loan gotten from a business that is not a bank. Thesebusinesses operate under different titles and take postdated checks as collateral. Hodson (2009) describes a payday loan as a short term borrowing where the borrower borrows money at a high interest rate. The borrower writes a postdated personal cheque in the month they wish to borrow including a fee in exchange for cash. The borrower does hold onto the cheques and cashes it on the agreed upon date. How pay day works The borrower visits a lending store and secures cash, which is due in full at the borrower’s next pay day. The borrower then writes a post dated cheque with the full amount including the fees. Upon maturity of the check, the borrower returns the loan and if he fails to, the lender redeems the cheque.The borrower incurs a bounced cheque fee from his bank plus the cost of the loan. The loan incurs additional fees and an increased interest rate for failure to pay (Schurter, 2012). The writer will have well laid down policies that govern mutual understanding between the business and the borrower, in that the borrower will pay the amount by the next pay day which will be after 14 days. Eligibility to qualify for the loan will be for persons with steady jobs and persons above the age of 18 years. This will be verified via pay stubs and bank statements. The process of loan involves the borrower securing a small cash loan pay, he then writes a postdated cheque which is a form of collateral to the business in the full amount plus loan fees to the business. When the cheque matures, t he borrower returns to the business to pay the loan in person. Advantages of payday loans Research by Payday Loan (2013) supports the merits that payday loans offer to its users. This service allows people with little no credit to get credit of $700 and above in a day. Less bureaucracy in application as the applicant only needs to provide proof of employment and recent pay stubs. Payday loans does offer quick cash for any reason and less paperwork is involved in the application as the

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To Kill a Mocking Bird - Essay Example Racism refers to the belief that there are differences in the ethnic groups on the basis of people’s characters, abilities and status. Racism, hence, classifies people in different groups and considers some races as superior to the others. The concept of racism is losing its colour. It is, however, not justifiable to believe that racism has been eliminated completely from the society. The literature is full of such works which identify the instances of racism in the society from the 20’s till now. Throughout history there have been many forms of racism against different groups of people. One way we can really know is by the writers word in literature or school books. One way has been exposed is in "To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee in which she depicts the racial problems of the Deep South in 1930 (Thernstrom 1997; Claudia 1994; Lee 1960). In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses many characters in the book, including Atticus, Jem, Scout and Tom to convey the major t hemes of the story regarding courage, racism and stereotyping to the reader. The story clearly describes the issue of racism as it was in the 1920s and 1930s in America. It is a story which revolves around a black named Tom Robinson who is accused of raping a girl which he has not even done. Racism can be seen in the very core of the theme of the story. The story shows that blacks have always been treated inferior to other races and because of their ethnicity and colour they have always been blamed for things that they have not even done (Lee 1960). The story shows how a town gets one sided when it comes to the issue of rape of a girl by a black. The black named Tom Robinson provides with enough evidence that he is not committed the crime but no one believes him because of his colour. The treatment of Tom Robinson in the story can clearly tell that the jury was being biased only because he was a black. Not only this but racism is also showed in the words of the characters in the sto ry. As at one instance Scout clearly states that â€Å"He’s just a nigger’ (Lee 1960). Racism as practiced in the society against blacks is seen in the courtroom as told by Lee. This can be clearly seen in the character of Mr Gilmer when he cross examines Tom Robinson. It is seen how Mr Gilmer makes a mockery out Tom’s story. It is seen that even the judge is not objecting to Tom Robinson’s treatment by Mr Gilmer. These racist comments passed by the lawyer against Tom Robinson clearly depict the theme of racism as being practiced in the society against the blacks. Similarly Stereotyping also can be witnessed here as the judges in the courtroom were not paying any particular heed to Tom Robinson’s plea as blacks automatically are considered to be criminals. Therefore it can be said that Chapter 19 is the amalgamation of all these themes together to give out a masterpiece which co-relates the judgment and the main theme of the whole story (Lee 1960; Thernstrom 1997). The story tells as to how stereotyping against the blacks or inferior class is being done in the society and how it is actually affecting the lives of many individuals living in this world. An example of stereotyping is the way people think about Dolphus Raymond without even knowing him. For example in chapter 20 Scout says â€Å"somehow, I didn’t think Atticus would like it if we became friendly with Mr. Raymond, and I knew Aunt Alexandra wouldn’

Exam 1 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Exam 1 - Research Paper Example This event requires adequate replacement mechanisms for the economic continuity of the nation. Chronological trends indicate that replacement of the retired workforce has been a challenge to the regime. The low application turnout towards governmental vacancies has been attributable to the negative perspective from college graduates. The graduated professionals from colleges have a very low opinion towards serving the regime. Most of these seniors from college do not have a vivid understanding of government jobs. Additionally, the government takes an extremely lengthy duration to recruit a single employee. In this case, the government ought to implement strategies to attract college graduates and professionals towards the available posts in agencies. The government should shorten the recruitment span. This would entail superficial recruitment of workers without investigating the individual in great depths. A span of probation would determine whether the individual deserves the post. Additionally, the government should also educate the college graduates about serving in diverse posts. This would inculcate a new perspective of serving the government into the college graduates. Pay banding The General schedule has dictated on the compensation channels to the employees serving in the regime. Under the schedule, the level step of an employee determines the payment. The time of experience within the post determines the step of the employee. For instance, a one year old employee in service might belong to step one. This philosophy surfaced much focus on time spent in service, rather than an individual’s performance. Managers have minimal discretion, while technicians express immense authority within the urgency. The technicians decided the grade of equipment to a department in the agency. Pay band strategies performed a replacement of the General Schedule. These strategies oversaw the delegation of much authority and support to the managers. The strategies also focused on performance of an employee to determine payment. Pay banding initiated immense advantage even to the recruitment process. This system required new recruits to receive their pay according to their range within the agency. Consequently, it would appeal for more attention and attraction from the college graduates and talents. Evidently, this was a remedy to the concept of the General schedule. Category rating In this system, line managers have utmost authority towards the recruitment procedure. This system was a remedy to traditional methodologies of recruitment within agencies. The traditional methodologies used the philosophy of â€Å"rule of three.† According to this principle, the recruitment process involved picking three best candidates. This was regardless of the close performers of the top applicants. Category rating implemented a new strategy of grouping the applicants according to their performance. For instance, there would be clusters of â€Å"highly qua lified,† â€Å"qualified,† and â€Å"not qualified.† This would give the appointing manager a platform to choose an individual from the top category. Upon exhausting the first list, the manager has an alternative to choose from the subsequent category. This was an outstanding recommendation for the governmental agencies. The selection procedure is more accurate and fair. Question 2 Government agencies have the capacity of maintaining well-adjusted and trained workforce. The government

Sunshine State Essay Example for Free

Sunshine State Essay Sunshine state is a movie which talks about racial differences, nature and cooperation. Sunshine state was set in Plantation Island which is in Florida. The island is a evidence of a notorious racial segregation. The African-American lives in the vicinity of Lincoln beach while the whites are situated in Delrona Beach. The movie focuses on the two aspects: real estate development which sacrifices the nature and racial segregation. A large scale corporate development is altering the lives of two communities: one black and the other white. The coastline of Plantation Island is planned to develop and turned into an upscale resort; however the local inhabitants have different opinions regarding the development. Mary Temple, is the six generation who owns a motel at Delrona beach. She is tempted to sell her property however her parental obedience is preventing her to sell it. Her former husband, Steve wants the motel to be sold immediately because of the value it possesses. The environment was portrayed as a money generating machine, but the local see it as a symbol of their cultural heritage. They already got used to place they were living and they do not want progress because they know that progress can change their lifestyle They are not prepared for a change that would destroy the only thing that reminds them of their past. One of the golfer said that the environment is overrated. I do not agree to this statement. The environment is not given too much hype; it is how it should be. I believe that the environment should stay the way as it is, undisturbed and preserved. The environment does not deserve to be improved nor be destroyed just for the satisfaction of men. The coastline of Plantation Island should be preserved because it represents the people who are living there. John Sayles’ did a great job in this movie; though it may look a little dull John Sayles has successfully impart the message of the film. I like how Sayles used different characters to get the audiences’ attention. The commentaries of the golf players were hilarious. It was something that got me attach to the movie. The subplot was a lackluster; I don’t see how it was related to the main plot. Overall, the movie is a good eye opener for people who believed that progress is a solution to the rising problem economic problem. Progress is not a solution, it is just a innovation that only solves the immediate problem but does not necessarily solve the root of the problem. Work Cited Seamon, David. Place, Placelessnes, Insideness and Outsideness in John Sayle’s Sunshine State. Journal of Media Geography.

The Importance Of Sustainability In Hotels

The Importance Of Sustainability In Hotels Human activities over the past centuries have affected the earths ecosystem. Today, the negative consequences of human actions can be noticed everywhere. Being one of the larger industries in the world, the hospitality industry is an important contributor to these problems. In this report, Ill be focusing on what impacts humans have on the eco-system. Defining what sustainability truly is. How hotels can benefit from practising sustainability and what they could do to be sustainable with references. Human Impacts on the Planet To understand the magnitude of human impacts on the environment, economies, cultures and society, we must first understand the contributions of the travel and tourism sectors. Travel and tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, which is responsible for creating jobs, increasing a countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating revenue worldwide and many more. It comes with positive and negative effects. In 2008, there were 922 million international tourist arrivals with tourism receipts of US$944 billion [8]. It is estimated that the global travel and tourism industry contributed 9.6 per cent of global GDP and 7.9 per cent of worldwide employment in 2008 [9]. Tourism and travel is also a vector of climate change, accounting for approximately 5 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Our human footprint on earth is disrupting the biogeochemical cycle that has remained unchanged for millions of years. Lavish cities built on deserts irresponsibly waste our limited water supply and fragment habitats. Hotels wasting huge amounts of energy, water and food after being built upon habitats that contain life necessary to the biogeochemical cycle such as photoautotrophs and other primary producers. Excessive amounts of food are both consumed and wasted beyond our human needs. Another consequence of human activity is the changing climate. Human activity has caused increases in the concentration of greenhouse gases, which have led to increases in air and ocean temperatures, and global sea levels. As our planets natural resources become depleted, man is urged to become more responsible in their usage of non-renewable resources and look for other renewable resources either in the form of energy, water or raw materials. What is Sustainability? UNWTOs definition of sustainability is: Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability [9]. In simple terms, sustainability means: things can keep going, can sustain themselves, can continue into the future and go on forever. From a human perspective, sustainability for our planet means that it can continue to do what it was designed to do; provide fresh air, clean water, produce food and have a high quality of life. Unsustainability means that it cannot and that is where we are at now. There are four basic principles to follow to achieve sustainability. These could be seen as the care instructions for our planet. Reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and heavy metals. Reduce our dependence on synthetic chemicals that persist in nature. Reduce our destruction of nature. Ensure we are not stopping people globally on meeting their needs. Demand for the earth services: air, water and food increases as the population increases and living standards rise. But the earths ability to provide these services is declining because of the way we are living. In our search for prosperity, growth and success, we are destroying the system that we as humans are completely dependent on, nature. We humans have become a threat to our own way of life. The earth is a system and everything is connected, society, environment and economy. To live sustainably, we need to follow the four care instructions and apply them to everything we do at home and at work. Sustainable operation in hospitality can be defined as a hospitality operation that manages its resources in such a way that social, economic and environmental benefits are maximised in order to meet the need of the present generation while protecting and enhancing opportunities for future generations [2]. Many hotels today have recognised the negative effects their business activities have had on the environment and have taken steps to minimise or prevent those impacts from happening. Today, the term green hotels describes hotels that achieve to be more environmentally friendly through the efficient use of energy, water, and materials while providing quality services [10]. Green hotels conserve and preserve by saving water, reducing energy use, and reducing solid waste. They have seen benefits such as reduced costs and liabilities, high return and low-risk investments, increased profits, and positive cash flows [10]. Identifying these benefits and incentives has allowed the popularity of green hotels to grow. Using the Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco, as an example, what is so different about this hotel? Why is it green? The answer truly is that its green from the inside out. The concrete of the basement, and all the walls and floors have recycled contents in them. The carpet backing is 100 per cent recycled. The drapes, the sheets, curtains and bed spreads in the hotel are washable. This is very important because they do not have to use chemicals to keep them clean. The wood that Orchard Garden uses throughout the hotel is actually Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified maple and all the guestroom furniture is made out of that material. The beautiful wood panelling that you could see in the restaurant, lobby and hallway is actually recycled particle board. Another unique feature of the hotel is the key card management control system. Simply by slotting the key in a switch right by the front door in the guestroom will enable all the light switches, air-conditioning and heating. Or chard Garden also encourages their staff to implement green business practices. These are the things that you can truly do and it shows that it does not necessary cost more money to go green. (For more information, refer to case study, page 18) Why Should Hotels Practise Sustainability? Hotels, resorts, motels, hostels and other forms of accommodation are the largest sector of the travel and tourism industry, and it has been shown that hotels have the greatest negative impact on the environment compared to other commercial establishments. Implementing good environmental practices in hotel operations, including using biological resources more sustainably, can result in positive business benefits as well as make an important contribution to biodiversity conservation. Key business benefits include: Appealing to engaged consumers Tourists are increasingly motivated by sustainability and contributions to biodiversity conservation, as well as healthier environments and products. Reducing costs Good biodiversity practices can actually lower a hotels operating costs, by reducing expenses for resource procurement, usage and disposal. Improving the quality of the destination Destinations rich in biodiversity are attractive places, appeal to quality customers, and offer scope for biodiversity-based recreational activities. Improving employee productivity and sense of responsibility to the environment Employees are often strongly motivated by actions to enhance biodiversity; such motivation helps to increase employee productivity and loyalty, and can reduce staff turnover. Securing a hotels license to operate Implementing good practices for biodiversity demonstrates that a hotel cares about the environment and runs a responsible business, and can lead to increased support from government, staff and local communities. Attracting investment from socially responsible investors Investors want to be sure that their funds are invested in businesses that have good environmental records. Energy and Water Consumption, and Waste Created in the Hospitality Industry Hotels are one of the largest consumers of energy, which provide guests with high levels of comfort, services, facilities and amenities. On average, Americas 47,000 hotels spend $2,196 per available room each year on energy. This represents about 6 per cent of all operating costs. Through a strategic approach to energy efficiency, a 10 per cent reduction in energy consumption would have the same financial effect as increasing the average daily room rate by $0.62 in limited-service hotels and by $1.35 in full-service hotels [2]. Hotels are aware of their costly consumption of non-renewable energy, huge generation of wastes and excessive use of water, and are taking measures to be greener. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there are 47,000 hotels that spend $2,196 per available room each year on energy which represents about 6 per cent of all operating costs [2]. Utilities make up 20 per cent of the average US hotels operating costs a huge percentage with a major impact on the bottom line and the environment. Inefficient use of lights, heating and air conditioning is one of the major culprits in this waste of resources. Solid waste generated by hotels comes in many sizes and forms. Wastes from 25 hotels were examined. The statistics showed that from 1991-1993 the hotel waste consisted of 46% food waste, 25.3% paper, 11.7% cardboard, 6.7% plastics, 5.6% glass, and 4.5% metals [10]. This gives a clear indication of the various forms of waste that a small number of hotels can be produced in a city. It is estimated that by 2010, water use will increase to approximately 475 gallons per day for each room in high luxury facilities [10]. This will continue to put more stress on an already stressed environment. The use of water will always be a vital part of the guests experience. However, hotels must take the initiative to inform guests of the impacts their actions would have on the environment. Energy Conservation Hotels can have large, costly energy requirements, especially in areas for cooling, heating, lighting and others. There are various alternatives and ways to conserve energy such as: Solar Power The application of the suns rays can be used for natural lighting, heating and capturing electricity through solar panels. Wind Power Wind turbines capture the kinetic energy stored in the wind, which is then converted into electricity, very similar to those used in farms. Hydropower Hydropower is electrical energy that is generated by using the flow of water through a turbine with a generator. Geothermal Power Geothermal power is energy that is gained by heat stored beneath the surface of the earth. Pumps bringing heat from beneath our feet can be used to directly heat hotels and other buildings or used as a source of power that drives steam turbines to produce electricity. Hotels worldwide are recognising the benefits of energy conservation and are undertaking projects to tap onto these benefits, and doing their part to save the environment. Choices made when purchasing equipment can have a major impact on the hotels operating expenses and on the environment; therefore, it is important that efficiency be considered before purchasing energy intensive equipment. For example, the Solar Valley Micro-E Hotel, Dezhou City, eastern China, is the worlds largest solar-powered hotel. It has thousands of permanent solar panels and solar heat pipe collectors to harvest the energy from the sun, and stores enough energy to sustain 70 per cent of its needs. The Hyatt Regency International Hotel in New Zealand understood that guests often left appliances and heating and cooling systems on when they were out of their rooms. The hotel developed a project to link energy use with room occupancy. Now when a guest leaves the room, all energy appliances shut down, with the exception of refrigerators, alarm clocks, and other essential appliances. The project costs were $16,000, while the payback period was only 14 months, with savings of $14,000 annually [10]. About 40 per cent of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louises electricity needs are met by wind and hydro electricity. Since 1999, they have been using green power derived from sources such as wind, hydro and biomass. They produce little or no greenhouse gas emissions and have minimal environmental impacts. The Sheraton Auckland Hotel and Towers realised that the daily washing of sheets, towels, flannels, tablecloths, and other linens accounted for 35% of the energy consumed in the laundry process, while drying consumed 65%. The hotel simply changed the temperature of the wash from 85 degrees Celsius to 65 degrees Celsius. This change saved $2,000 in energy costs in the first 3 months alone, and the linens came out just as clean. This project, in addition to reducing energy costs, reduced the use of washing chemicals and decreased pollution of the hotel wastewater. Also, allowing the hotel guests the option of having linens washed every other day rather than daily can significantly assist in energy and water conservation [10]. A hotel can have thousands of individual light bulbs and may use 30 per cent of its total electricity. Lighting is the second largest energy consumption system in a hotel and presents one of the best opportunities for energy savings by doing some simple upgrades. By making upgrades in guest rooms, common areas and behind-the-scenes areas, a hotel can see immediate, consistent savings with no impact on the overall guest experience. Ways to save electricity: Replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs can reduce maintenance and cut lighting costs. CFLs last many times longer and use five times lesser energy than a traditional light bulb. A compact fluorescent light used in place of an incandescent light that is left on continuously for 12 months, all 8,760 hours of the year, will pay for itself in less than one year [10]. Install motion sensors or key-activating systems in rooms. With such a system the room lights will always be off when unoccupied, without inconveniencing the guest. When upgrading lighting systems in common areas, consider installing new control systems to manage lighting in large areas. Computerised lighting controls will allow hotel operators to provide the ideal level of lighting based on the time of day, event or situation. This will prevent unnecessarily high lighting levels or unneeded lighting. Hotels should educate their staff to switch off lights and turn down heating or air-conditioning when rooms are unused. Simple actions like closing the drapes during the summer months can save the hotel money in air-conditioning costs. Install films on windows, which will lower heating and cooling loads. Window films can also reduce the glare in guestrooms. Use proper insulation and reflective roof coverings. This can save in heating and cooling costs. Purchase appliances, which are Energy Star certified wherever possible. In laundry areas, remove old washing machines and replace them with both energy and water conserving models. Use natural daylight in lobby, bar and restaurant for as much as possible. Consider installing skylights. Exterior lighting can be used as a design element and can have dramatic effects. However, consider adding timers, which would switch off the lights at times like 3am, when no one is around to impress. Install solar water heating systems for heated pools. Use covers to cover hot tubs and pools when the areas are closed, this will reduce evaporation. Exit signs, such as LED, when installed throughout a building can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in energy and maintenance costs. Use an energy management system (EMS), which is designed to control the mechanical equipment in the hotel, thereby saving utilities such as gas and electricity. This system determines when air-conditioning or heating can be switched on/off or up/down. As soon as the guest enters the room, his room key card is inserted in a slot behind the door. Electricity for the light and the air-conditioner will now be activated. As soon as the guest leaves the room the utilities will be automatically switched off. The energy consumption of the hotel can be monitored by comparing reports generated by the energy management system and the front office. For example, if occupancy levels are not high the energy consumption should be lower and visa versa. In kitchens, use smaller convection ovens to replace oversized conventional ovens. If available, schedule an energy audit with the local energy provider or energy auditor. Water Conservation Water conservation is just as important as energy conservation. Fresh clean water is one of the most valuable commodity on earth. Using improved technologies hotels can deliver equal or better services to guests using less water. From a guests perspective, the use of water is a vital part of his or her experience. Any water restrictions would result in guests being unhappy and so maintaining adequate water comfort must be central to all water management strategies. Ways to save water: Start a linen reuse programme for towels and sheets in all guest rooms. Giving the option to guests to choose whether or not they want to reuse their towels and sheets, which can save huge amounts of water and reduce chemical wastage. Laundry washers, which use final rinse water for prewashing of the next load of laundry. Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators. 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM) showerheads and 1.5 GPM aerators are recommended for water savings and guest satisfaction respectively. The latest generation of sink taps is equipped with infrared sensors that automatically turn off when a person walks away or when the allotted quantity per wash has been delivered. Install low-flow toilets or toilet-tank fill diverters. The THC Rotorua Hotel in New Zealand had urinals that flushed automatically every nine minutes. Each flush used 10 liters of water. This added up to 66 litres per hour, regardless of whether the urinals had been used or not. The total consumption for three urinals was 4,740 daily [2]. After realising the huge water cost, the hotel installed detectors that could sense when someone is using the urinals, and allow flushing to occur after being used. This greatly reduced the water usage from 66 litres per hour to 40 litres during the day and 20 litres in the night. For gardens, watering should take place either early in the morning or later in the day to reduce the possibility of evaporation in hot weather. Switch to drought resistant plants. Replace mowed landscaping with artificial ground cover or native ground cover. Pool covers will reduce evaporation and have the added advantage of reducing heat loss in cooler climates. To reduce water use, consider rainwater harvesting and/or a greywater system. Properties investing in fountains and water features should turn off appliances at night and consider the use of greywater. In kitchens, use a food-thawing machine instead of running water over foods for faster thawing. Water conservation urges hotels to use improved practices that will reduce and enhance the beneficial use of water, addressing the technical and human side of water management issues. For example, The Houston-based Green Hotels Association observed water use in the San Antonio-based La Quinta Inn. Through a one-month period, the hotel showed an average of 100 gallons of water being used per guest per billing period. The chain totaled more than a billion gallons in the first nine months in 1996. La Quinta Inn then installed low-flow showerheads and aerating faucets in each room, resulting in a saving of $1.50 per room per month. Replacing all toilets with ultra-flow toilets at a cost of $3,250 showed a payback in 2.1 years and annual water saving of 180,000 gallons per year [10]. Waste Reduction The hospitality industry creates tons and tons of waste each year due to its mass facilities, amenities and services provided to their guests. To give an indication of the size of waste created, The European Union produces 1.3 billion tons of waste each year. In other words, 3.5 tons of refuse and liquid or solid waste per European citizen, nearly a third of this food waste for which the food service industry has a responsibility. Another 40 45 million tons of this huge mountain of waste is classed as hazardous, or particularly dangerous [2]. In response to current trends, hotel owners and operators are analyzing ways to make changes in operations to cut waste disposal costs, protect the environment and increase guest loyalty. A few proactive hotel corporations have mandated hotel environmental programmes such as water and energy efficiency and more recently, waste reduction and recycling. Ways to reduce waste: To increase guest involvement, place recycling instructions in guest rooms and locate recycling collection containers in convenient locations in convention halls and public areas throughout the hotel. Always place a trash container along side of the recycling container in public areas to avoid trash being thrown in the recycling bin. Buy guest amenity and office products that contain recycled material. Provide amenities such as shower caps, shoe wipes on request. Shred office paper and use it to package shipments. Decrease the number of hard copies of documents by establishing a central filing system to store documents. Use recycled, unbleached and chlorine-free paper products, and try to minimise the amount of paper used by staff and guests. Print with soy-based inks, which are less harmful to the environment. Purchase vacuum cleaners with reusable bags versus disposables ones. Reduce the need for pesticide applications in guest rooms and employee work areas by removing food containers, garbage and recycling containers daily; clean employee break rooms daily to remove crumbs and spills; and report cracks around doors and windows to the engineering department for repairs to prevent crawling pests from entering. Re-dye stained bath towels and washcloths for reuse as pool towels and cleaning cloths. Re-dye linens and carpet to match remodeled decor. Re-dye tablecloths and napkins to match new color schemes when remodeling; reuse worn table linens as cleaning rags or remake into aprons, laundry bags, mattress covers. Provide reusable items such as cloth napkins, glass cups, ceramic dishes, etc. with all food and beverage services. Just by using glass or plastic coasters can reduce cocktail napkin waste, and by providing mugs for coffee instead of disposable cups can play a large part in conserving the environment. Purchase refrigerators, freezers, and coolers which are CFC-free. Donate leftover food to a local non-profit organisation. Consider using a compost bin. Purchase cleaning products with less hazardous constituents. Use a hazardous chemical containment pan to prevent leaching of unused chemicals. Donate leftover guest amenities, old furniture and appliances to charities. Refinish and reupholster damaged and dated furniture. Use dry, concentrated dishwasher chemicals in dispensers to reduce chemical spills and waste. Most guests are pleased to see the use of products made from recycled materials, energy efficient light bulbs, low-flow showerheads and recycling programmes in hotels and restaurants that they patronise. Hotel managers report that most guests are willing to participate in the hotels recycling efforts. No matter how well planned the hotels waste reduction and recycling initiatives may be, they probably wont succeed without the support of the hotel department managers and staff. Successful hotel recycling programmes require employee involvement, training and recognition. Involve all employees in the recycling programme. They are already disposing of waste as they perform their daily jobs. Recycling is simply disposing of job related waste in a different container from the one used for trash. Hotels should seek their ideas in organising the recycling programme and for methods of collecting and storing the materials. Employees are more likely to support a programme that they understand and have helped design. Case Study The Orchard Garden Hotel Location: 466 Bush Street, San Francisco, California 94108 Management Company: Portfolio Hotels Resorts, LLC Number of Guests Rooms: 86 rooms Awards and Certifications: San Francisco Green Business Green Seal Certified Silver LEED certified U.S. Green Building Council Best Organic Restaurant in San Francisco British Airways Tourism Located in the heart of San Francisco, the Orchard Garden Hotel is near the Financial District, Union Square, and the Chinatown gate. At 10 stories, the 56,000-square-foot building includes 86 guestrooms and a 56-seat restaurant and bar. The hotel opened in 2006, and in 2007, it became the third hotel in the U.S. and the fourth hotel in the world to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Among the Orchard Gardens most innovative features is the key card. After allowing guests into their room, the card becomes a powerful energy-management system. Guests activate the rooms lighting and mechanical systems by inserting the card into a slot near the door. When they leave the room, they remove the card from the box, turning off all systems except for one outlet, which can be used to charge laptops or cell phones. The system, which cost about $37,000 to install, was anticipated to save nearly 20 per cent in energy costs, paying for itself in two years. Since the building is located in an urban centre, multiple public-transit lines stop within walking distance of the hotel. The hotel also features bicycle stalls for both employees and guests, and employees who cycle to work are welcome to use a guestroom shower. High levels of insulation reduce sound transmission between rooms while improving energy efficiency. More than 80 per cent of all regularly occupied spaces are day lit, reducing the need for electric lighting, and a roof terrace strengthens visitors sense of connection to the natural environment. The project team selected materials for their recycled content, regional origin, and low chemical emissions. Materials used in the project include concrete made with flyash in place of some of the cement, wood certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards, and low-emitting carpeting made with recycled content. During the construction process, the project team diverted 77 per cent of all waste, by weight, from the landfill. The entire hotel is designated tobacco-free. Housekeeping staff use green cleaning products, and all fabrics, selected for their low chemical emissions, are machine-washed to avoid the use of dry-cleaning chemicals. Bins in each room encourage guests to recycle, and the hotel uses recycled paper and soy-based inks for their printed materials. Thanks to these and other strategies, the hotel has been recognised by the San Francisco Green Business Programme and certified according to Green Seals standard for lodging properties. Conclusion For a hotel to change its traditional ways of operating and to accept sustainability will take time. Being sustainable is not costly and does not really have a slow payback rate. A hotel can start its journey in becoming green by implementing simple changes, policies and services such as providing your guests with bicycles, walking maps to encourage them to do something that is more environmentally friendly and healthy. Creating an incentive programme to encourage your staff to participate in and improve upon environmentally friendly practices. Replacing a simple incandescent light bulb with a CFL. Coming up with creative ways to reward hotel guests for being green. One great example is Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers offers a free meal to guests who generate 10 watt hours of electricity on the gym bicycle [12]. These are only a few examples of what hotels could do, while some steps may be small, none are insignificant. If we can follow the four basic principles (page 4) to achieve sustainability, we can work together to be sustainable. We will all have a better quality of life, we will waste less, we will pollute less and we will create more things we value in society while improving our planets chance of providing us with the very things we need to survive.