Are Gap Years a Good Idea Essay Example

Are Gap Years a Good Idea? Essay When you think about graduating high school. it is about ingrained in your encephalon that college is the following measure. You think. Who doesn’t have a college grade? And where in life am I traveling to acquire without one. But school is non for everybody. A batch of childs. including me. merely travel to college because it seems like the right way. Childs who have no thought what they want to make. believe well a college grade could be utile. good why would you desire to travel make something. when you have no thought why you’re even making it. Well. there may be another option. There is a British tradition. which is called a spread twelvemonth. Defined by Cambridge Dictionaries Online as a twelvemonth between go forthing school and get downing university which is normally exhausted traveling or working ( Cambridge University 1 ) . Now this sounds interesting. doesn’t it? What if you had a whole twelvemonth to make what you needed. travel or work. something to assist you calculate out what you truly desire to make with your life. In Britain. there is now this option. With this thought in your caput a inquiry comes to mind. should the U. S. follow the British tradition of pupils taking a spread twelvemonth? In the paragraphs below. I will state you why I think the U. S. should. I have looked at both sides of whether or non the U. S. should follow this British tradition. I have found though. that it is working enormously for the UK. That is the chief ground I think that the U. S. should utilize this thought. if it is working so great for the UK and their colleges have a better repute possibly we should besides believe about following this thought. I think pupils should take a spread twelvemonth for many other grounds besides though. which have to make with the pupil. First and first. it offers a great secular experience and gives pupils clip to make what they need to make. It besides gives those pupils who have no hint what they would wish to major in or do after college. clip. Time is what many pupils need. be ing rushed into college right after high school and holding to make college applications during senior twelvemonth truly stresses some pupils out. We will write a custom essay sample on Are Gap Years a Good Idea? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Are Gap Years a Good Idea? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Are Gap Years a Good Idea? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Me being one of these pupils. last twelvemonth when using to colleges. I had to compose that I was undecided. And here we are halfway through my first semester of college. and I am still open and have perfectly no hint what I want to make. And I feel like a batch of pupils are in the mute state of affairs I was in. Possibly if gap old ages were a more widely accepted thought and promoted so pupils who didn’t rather know what to make would hold another option. Anybody can make breach old ages besides! It is non merely used for immature pupils. Older people traveling back to school. have this option besides. And no affair the money state of affairs there are so many options. so no affair what if you wanted to go you could. There are pupil travel abroad plans. voluntary and scholarship options. No affair if you have money or non. you can acquire a great secular experience that will give you clip and excess accomplishments which most pupils will non hold in college. Many people th ink taking a twelvemonth off of school is unsafe. Not unsafe in a physical manner. but mentally. An sentiment of many who are asked about spread old ages is that pupils will non return to school one time they have had the freedom of no school for a twelvemonth. It is believed that pupils will go mentally lazy. and will non desire to work once more and recognize that they truly do non hold to travel back. But in researching this. I have found that childs who take spread old ages to make progressive things have loved their determinations and come back ready to larn once more. On the ill-famed website planetgapyears. com. many pupils tell about their experiences with spread old ages and how it truly helped them go motivated once more. Even though people think childs will non travel back to school. I think it’s better for person to take a interruption so travel to college when they are non ready. Surveies show that the dropout rate for incoming college fresher is about 30 % ( NCES 1 ) . Most freshers who are non equipped to manage college yet or who are non ready. but do it anyways. merely stop up dropping out. A Student dropping out provides lower statistics for good colleges. non because the college is making a bad occupation but because childs merely are non ready. Why should a individual go to college when they are merely non ready for it? If the dropout rate is high why non allow a pupil defer their application until they are ready? This is how the British spread twelvemonth works. a pupil applies to colleges their senior twelvemonth of high school. like a normal autumn applier would. Once accepted. the pupil so defers their application and the university gives them an sum of clip off. When this clip is over. they start in the following semester. Most British colleges offer this to pupils. and a batch of colleges really promote it to pupils who think they are non ready to manage the college life. I think the U. S. should make this to. merely because it is worki ng so good in Britain. The spread twelvemonth is proven to be a helpful and great experience for pupils. If it wasn’t why would universities promote it? Students come back from these trips or old ages off with a new found want to larn and a invigorated head. After traveling to school for four twelvemonth. it is decidedly difficult to be excited to make the same thing for another four old ages. But with a spread twelvemonth. you’re making something else for a twelvemonth. so when you come back you are in larning manner. Another statement person who is against spread old ages may do is that they are expensive. particularly if you are looking to go. This is wholly incorrect though! Travel is merely one option. you can take to merely populate at place and work. or concentrate on something else! You do non hold to pass money to take a spread twelvemonth. But there is ever that option excessively! Many pupils want to take a spread twelvemonth. but have no nest eggs or money to make so. No job! British universities offer 1000s of going options. such as scholarships. and analyze a broad plans. Scholarships can assist you acquire started and do it much cheaper. And analyze abroad plans are excessively. they help pupils acquire more for their money. And the survey abroad option besides helps them still be a portion of the university they would wish to go to! So you’re non to the full out of school. you’re merely off the chief campus for a small piece. Besides there are voluntary options. where you can pass a small spot of your clip volunteering but acquire to travel someplace for free or for a little fee! So there are many options for pupils who are non good off with money. which we know in this economic system is a batch of us. so why non make it? You must inquire truly how popular spread old ages are in the UK. Well I found statistics on a web site called gapadvice. org. A non-biased web site towards gap old ages. this web site is geared towards pupils who are looking to take spread old ages. It gives basic statistics and even research on spread old ages into how helpful and good they are for pupils. Harmonizing to UCAS Figures. the students take a spread year’ rate per twelvemonth is about 7 % . and has stayed near to around 7 % since 2002 until around 2011. But this twelvemonth had a surprising. 37 % decrease rate in the sum of pupils taking a spread twelvemonth. You may inquire why this twelvemonth had a decrease rate. Cipher is truly certain why. but a survey called Revision of Gap Year Provision study commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills could merely speak good things about spread old ages. This study was carried out by Dr. Andrew Jones from Birkbeck. University of London. to speak about if he thought spread old ages were aching or good to pupils. Wholly he says in this study is that it is good to pupils to take spread old ages. happening that Planned and well-structured spread old ages are a extremely good experience for immature people. They are frequently of import factors in easing the following measure in instruction or employment. Participants gain a broad scope of life accomplishments and other more specialised accomplishments. These accomplishments are frequently the 1s employers identify as lacking in new recruits and are valued by universities. Gap twelvemonth engagement besides benefits wider society both in footings of the activities immature people undertake and the wider impact of easing the integrating of immature people into society as working citizens ( Jones 1 ) . This is astonishing. A professional does a survey and finds merely good things about pupils taking spread old ages. He besides found that in the UK between 200. 000 and 250. 000 immature people aged 16-25 are estimated to take a gap twelvemonth of some sort each year ( Jones 1 ) . This figure is immense and has merely gone up since the earlier 2000’s. I think with merely good things to state about spread old ages. what is the injury in taking one? So I’m certain most pupils think. what’s the point? But if you truly think about it. everyone has someplace they would wish to go to finally. So take this clip to go at that place. Almost every pupil narrative I read online from a student’s position. said that taking the spread twelvemonth was one of the smartest things they have of all time done. And on top of that. that it was one of the best experiences of their life. I’m certain every bit shortly as you would advert taking a twelvemonth off of school to your parents. is every bit shortly as you would leap off a span. this is the same for me. My parents believe college is a necessity and would give me some brainsick expression if I had even mentioned taking a twelvemonth off of school last twelvemonth. But I do repent non even adverting it. As of now. it’s taking me some clip to acquire used to college. I have adapted reasonably good. but I decidedly think a pupil like me who has no thought what they want to major in or make outside of college. a gap twelvemonth would hold been a good acquisition experience for me. I didn’t have a opportunity to make this. but you do. With so many plans you hardly have to pay any money to see a whole new civilization and portion of the universe. You can see custodies on activity and travel at the same clip with volunteering. And you could even remain place. but don’t be lazy. take an internship. acquire a occupation. make something productive. It gives you clip and options to believe about what you would wish to make when you grow up. and gives you clip to put a fiscal land for yourself before traveling into college. Students come back with secular experiences and things many people have neer seen before. which gives them a leg up in college. If there is merely good to state about it. so why non?

Descriptive Essay Sample on My Father Who Is He for Me

Descriptive Essay Sample on My Father Who Is He for Me I have been asked numerous times throughout my life what my dad is like. I have always asked the person to clarify if they want to know about my dad or my stepfather. Both have been a very important part of my life; however, they have significant differences. The same question always arises: If a man is my father does that automatically make him a dad? I believe anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. My biological father stands about five-feet ten-inches tall and reminds me of Santa Claus in a way, with his big belly, white hair, mustache and beard. From the time I can remember my father has always had a three-bedroom house big enough for his current wife and her child. Our weekend visits usually meant spending time with our stepmother and stepsister. Since my father was a truck driver he was gone most of the time. Weekends when he was at home I recall spending much of my time fighting for his attention, which left me feeling emotionally closer to him when he was on the road rather than when he was in the same room with me. I still have these same feelings after all these years. I never enjoyed seeing my father hugging and kissing my stepsister and pushing me away when my stepmother was in the room. My father claimed he held high family values; everything he did was for his family. The part he frequently left out was that this only applied to his current family, not the children he had left behind, emotionally and physically. My father worked long, hard hours driving an eighteen-wheeler truck across the United States to provide for his family. Unfortunately, he did not use his money for his biological children. My mother stopped receiving child support payments when I was around six-years old. One day when I was around 11 years old my father told me â€Å"I will always be a truck driver. This is the only way I can stay away from the house and make my marriage work.† My father quit school in the 11th grade and began driving trucks when I was approximately four-years old. He did not believe then or now that having an education would help anyone succeed in life. Life experiences are all the education you need, and if you need something someone will give it to you. Unfortunat ely this is my father and the way he is; luckily for me he was not the father figure in my day-to-day life. Now to introduce my stepfather, he has been in my life since I was five-years old. My stepfather stands six-foot two-inches tall. Although he is very tall, he has always been a slender man. I remember to this day the large, six-bedroom house we grew up in; everyone had his or her own room for privacy. I can still remember playing baseball in the backyard, table tennis in the den and having my stepfather at my soccer games cheering me on. Although there were a total of five children in the house my stepfather always spent one-on-one time with each child, making us feel important and loved. I will never forget the Christmas when I was nine-years old; all I wanted that Christmas was a red fur coat. I found out fifteen years later that my stepfather spent two months driving around and calling every major store in an hour’s radius of our home looking for a red fur coat. It was the last present I opened that day and though I did not know it at the time I learned what the true meanin g of family and loving someone is. My stepfather was a very quiet, cold looking man on the surface, but when it came to family he was the warmest person I knew. He always seemed to know when I needed a hug to cheer me up or when I needed to be left alone to sort things out. I believe my stepfather holds high family values; he was very focused on his family. He worked very long, hard hours in management for an aerospace company. He believed in being home every night with his family with an occasional business trip a couple of times a year. My stepfather once told me, â€Å"If your family needs help you should be there to offer any support you can. Always put your family before your career; it is the only one you will ever have.† My stepfather graduated from college and went straight to work; he held one job his entire life until he chose to retire. From the time I can remember my stepfather always challenged us to be the best we could be at whatever came into our lives; he instilled in us that if we want something badly enough we will work hard enough to get it. He challenged us to attend college so we could have a career; a job is a job but a career will make our family successful. Both my biological father and my stepfather have had major effects on my life. Although I do love my biological father, after all he did help bring me into the world, I do not consider him to be my dad. I will always consider my stepfather to be my dad; after all he has always provided the love and guidance that I needed while growing up. Anyone can be a father, but it takes unconditional love to be a dad. My father has taught me what kind of life I do not want, while my dad taught me how good life can be. Caring, loving and nurturing through the good times and the bad are some of the values that make a dad.

Culture Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Culture Comparison - Essay Example Kinship is determined in different ways within different societies but relates to two underlying principles of descent – unilineal and cognatic. Societies that are concerned with unilineal descent trace either their father’s (patrilineal) or their mother’s (matrilineal) group; those concerned with both their matrilineal and patrilineal descent are said to be concerned with cognative descent. Cognative traces can involve any of four variations including bilineal (matrilineal and patrilineal), ambilineal (both recognized, but individuals can choose which one they accept), parallel (females follow their matrilineal descent and males follow their patrilineal descent groups) and bilateral (descent is traced from all biological ancestors) (O’Neil, 2006). ... Individual people are recognized in accordance with their real family and ancestors or their membership of a particular set (Bavin, 1991, p.323). They also focus on matrilineal, patrilineal and generational moieties, semi-moieties, and subsections. The subsection system disseminates the people into eight categories that distinguish between male and female members in each (everyculture.com). The Navajo, on the other hand, function within a matrilineal system and is thus unilineal. Every Navajo belongs to one of the sixty-four clans (everyculture.com), wherein membership is passed via the mother’s family. In the same way that clan membership is inherited in the female line of kinship, property is also inherited from the female side but advantage and property however, are passed from male to male, but the mother’s brother passes both to her (his sister’s) children. Although operating within a matrilineal system the Navajo also believe they are born for the clan of t heir father (everyculture.com). Two to six matrilineal clans can form a clan group if they consider themselves to be affiliated but they are not given a clan group name (Aberle, 1961). Within Warlpiri, as in other indigenous Australian systems, the ‘collaterals and lineals are merged’ (Frey, 2008), meaning that the system is extended to all people in the society and even further to those outside and beyond the society. The following diagram provides a way of illustrating Warlpiri genealogy, wherein it shows that an aunt is only found in reference to the father’s sister – no aunt is so named on the mother’s side – and the term uncle is only found on the mother’s side in reference to the mother’s brother. The

Career Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Career Development - Essay Example Active career development initiatives by a company are a key retention tool to keep the best talent within its fold. It is one of the greatest motivators to keep an employee happy and engaged. Most organizations consider career development as part of their critical human resource strategy. Form the employee’s point of view career development initiatives gives them a clear focus about their career track. Economic and technological changes have resulted in working careers becoming more unpredictable. Presently, career opportunities tend to be seen in the light of employability recognizing that career development frequently goes beyond the boundaries of one organization. Career development can be understood as an enumeration of consecutive job and training. In continuation with demands of the modern labour market, there is increased emphasis on employees’ active role and level of involvement with respect to his or her career. This is reflected in concepts such as personal initiatives, employability, or preparedness to change

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Assignment Example The living things respond to the environment mainly through the receptors that responds to stimuli; a stimulus is a kind of energy such as chemical energy and sunlight energy. When a substance is highly concentrated outside the cell than the concentration inside the cell, diffusion or osmosis takes place thus enabling them to multiply (Deising, 23). From the above description, it is clear that CukE and Milk enabled the cells in the culture dish to multiply since the reindeer cells were activated. To illustrate this further a given fluid that can either be containing high concentration of salt or sugar outside a cell is likely to enter the cell if the cell is lowly concentrated. A given change in the blood sugar level is described as a deviation from homeostasis that the body works in order to reverse. Due to the fact that different receptors respond to different stimuli thus causing changes in the cell, the reindeer cells were therefore stimulated by the milk to multiply. ... ion of ciliate protozoa in the year 1895 as he made a comparison between the reindeer that originated from domestic ruminant and the reindeer from the zoological garden in Germany. He concluded that both were the same, Lubinski who worked in Northern Canada with the caribou (Starr, 87) further proved these results in 1958. The UV rays originating from the sun usually have an effect on the reindeer cells in one way or another as it is described in the book of Acts Climate Impact Assessment – Scientific report`. This is well illustrated as follows; various studies have shown that the exposure of enhanced UV radiation interferes with the growth of cells whereby the larger cells are inhibited to a larger extent as compared to the smaller ones (Karentz et al). Other scientists such as Vincent and Laurion further made an evaluation in 1998 that the smaller cells resisted the UV rays on a great deal as compared to the large cells. The UV rays inhibit photosynthesis from taking place within the cell because it interferes with the whole process (Starr, 426). Therefore, the UV rays have the ability to destroy the reindeer cells thus reducing their number. The UV rays in connection to the DNA Damage Checkpoint Genes might have also played a big role in this context by lowering down the number of cells. With reference to the book of checkpoint Controls and Cancer`, it is described as a signal cascade that plays a big role in blocking the cell cycle at the metaphase, G1, G2 and in slowing down the DNA replication rate in phase S. Apart from the cell cycle blockage, the cells also respond in many different ways such as DNA repair, apoptosis and in the activation of the transcription. However, many genes have damaged the DNA checkpoint pathways (Holzapfel &Naughton, 125). As soon

Customer Service Quality To Gain Customer Satisfaction Tourism Essay

Customer Service Quality To Gain Customer Satisfaction Tourism Essay This study investigated the customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction of Travelodge Covent Garden. As per I know, this is the first student research based on customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction at the Travelodge London in Covent Garden. This study was to examine customer service quality of hotel, Impact of customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction, Importance of customer service policy and importance of employee training to improve customer service quality. A questionnaire was circulated in electronic form to 250 customers those who stayed at Travelodge Covent Garden hotel from April to September 2010.Only one fifth (#50) of the total customers were the actual respondents .09 employee of Travelodge Convent Garden were involved in this research. That means 59 completed questionnaires were collected. The respondent customers of Travelodge Covent Garden London, provided information of their visit, customer service quality, degree of customer satisfaction, worst thing that can not satisfy customer, why they choose this hotel and their opinion about the employee of this hotel. The respondent employees provided information how they improve their customer service quality and how they motivated their customer to come to this hotel. The picture of this study was not straight- forward; some differences which were quite different than common supposition were come out. The study found that customers were expected to get high quality of customer service provided by hotel staff. From this study it could be said that that customer service quality of this hotel is good but their room service quality fail to get customer satisfaction. Based on these findings, some recommendation had been pinched. It was recommended if business want to get competitive in todays global market they should concern about their customer service policy by providing training to their employees, as research shows that only trained employee can provide better service to their guests. Customer service manager should concern that their customer will get better customer service and at the same time standard room. 1.0- Introduction: The main aim of this study is to report the impact of customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction of Travelodge Covent Garden. With so much competition in todays global economy, customer service is necessary for any business. In todays increasingly competitive hospitality sector, every organization marketing strategies and tactics is to make profit and contribute to the growth of organization. Customer service quality is a comprehensive issue that effects all organization. Does not matter how big or small the organization is or what is their interest. Todays business world, not necessarily hospitality organization, all organization are interested in evaluating and implementing marketing strategies that aim to improve customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction which will help them to be differentiate from other. Customer service is a kind of service which involves a series of work designed to get customer satisfaction. It is one of the most important elements of the marketing mix for products and services. To stay in the competitive market organizations have to consider that customers are not only interested for product or service but also have some concern of how they are getting it. Customers are more educated, more aware about their money. Their expectation of the organizations and the people they buy from is much higher, they want better customer service. Customer service provides an income for the business, it also provides feedback, which can help the organization to improve service delivery on products, improve customer service bring up to date marketing, Production and transference equipments. In this assignment my problem statement is Does customer service quality play a vital role in order to gain customer satisfaction at Travelodge Covent Garden, London? Quality service is the key to a successful hotel business. When customers get better services from a hotel they become satisfied and want to come back at the same hotel when they needed. A satisfied customer will often be a repeat customer. Also that customer may tell other people and referred them in the same hotel where they get great service, which is one of the cheapest effective advertising for that particular hotel. Travelodge Covent Garden is one of the greatest budget hotel situated in the heart of London. With Travelodge, consumers can expect an easy, calm, stress-free experience and reliable standards of quality and service. Travelodge provides them the best budget hotel which has the spatiality of good customer service and room quality. 1.2- Research question: This study is set up to answer the following research questions: 1. What is the definition of customer service? 2. Discuss the importance of having great customer service in hotel. 3. What are the most important principles of great customer service? 4. How to improve customer service in hotel? 5. How customer service builds loyalty and profit? 6. Why hospitality organization such as Travelodge Convent Garden should assess the success of their customer service policy and how this organization can use this to improve the provision of staff training and development. 7. What are the disadvantages of negative customer service? 1.3- Significance: 1. Customer service is a service which principally helps an industry to keep a deep understanding with customers and manage their customers information to understand what is the need and want of their customers. 2. This project will help an industry to improve their customer service. Customer service can make or break a business. 3. This proposed study has also vital significance for evolution of theories of customer service which would help hotel organizations to adopt effective marketing strategy. 4. This research is beneficial to get some reason of having a good customer service policy in business. 5. This research has managerial implication, as managers can get advantage and have better understanding of their customers. 6. It provides that high quality of customer service create loyal customers which are beneficial for the future of hotel. 7. Apart from the above mentioned significance, this research will give me a chance to explore my ideas and views, as a post graduate diploma in hospitality and tourism student which will help me to gain knowledge for my future profession. 1.4- Research Objectives/Goals/Aims: The objectives of this study are to examine customer service management as a competitive advantage for hotel business. The research aim and objectives explored in this study are: 1. To help the hotel to enhance their competition. 2. To review literature on customer service and its effectiveness. 3. To get loyal customers and to build good reputation and image of hotel. 4. To evaluate competitive advantage of Customer service. Customer service is as important as product quality of hotel. 5. To examine whether hotel business adopts customer service management as a tool to keep customer longer to increase revenue. 1.5 Ethical implications: Ethical insinuation in a research is principally to carry out the research in a moral and responsible way. As a researcher I must discover a reasonable way of what methodological theory recommends and what is ethical possible from practical viewpoint. As a researcher it was always attempted to continuance objectivity by making sure all data were collected accurately fully. Some ethical issues I took into consideration are: a. Ethical treatment of participants: I designed my survey questionnaire in such a method that respondents do not suffer discomfort, awkwardness or loss of privacy. In order to protect the respondents I clarified the respondents about the benefits of this research and the participants rights and protection. b. Anonymity and Confidentiality: I offered complete anonymity and privacy to all participants in my research. During the time of my survey questionnaire I never asked name, address or any personal information which might recognize the specific person. All data which I collect kept confidential and used for only research purpose. 1.6 Hypothesis: Good customer service can help this particular hotel to beat the competitors between the hotels. In todays world market it is as important as product quality of hotel. It can make or can break. By providing great customer service quality a particular hotel can get repeat customer or loyal customer which is helpful to save money that might be spent on advertising. Repeat business and word of mouth advertising are the best ways of maintaining a healthy business. 2.0 Literature review: Reviewing literature is essential for assignment. It can critically form the foundation on which research is built. According to Jankowicz (cited in Saunders, M.et al.2007) literature review is a review which is written for project report should therefore be a narrative and critical analysis what other authors have written. This literature review will introduce the concepts of customer service, importance of customer service, and development of customer service which can help a hotel organization to gain customer satisfaction and to be profitable in competitive hotel business. 2.1Definition of-customer service: Many researchers have difined customer service quality in different ways. Customer service is the stipulation of  service  to  customers before, during and after a purchase. According to Jamier, L. Scott. (2002),  Customer service is a progression of actions designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation. The book  Rules to Break and Laws to Follow is written by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, Ph.D. in 2008.In this book they write that customer never forget the services that they get from an organization. Sometime their trust can be destroyed when they do not get proper service quality or it can be destabilized one day at a time, with a thousand small demonstrations of incompetence. In todays hyper-competitive business environment, Customer service quality is a significant factor that helps in differentiating service products. According to various literatures, satisfaction of customer is obtained with the escape of high quality service and products. Now consumer are more educated, better informed, more value conscious and demand more for their money. Their expectations of the companies and the people they buy from are much higher. In short, they want better customer service. 2.2 Importance of Customer Service quality: Marquardt (1989) points out that Customer service quality improvement becomes the most valuable fact in the service industry .This service quality can improve productivity, decrease the cost, build customer satisfaction and increase profit for organization. This is one of the greatest keys for the success of a business. It can literally make or break business. In business, if anyone wants to generate profits by selling their products and services to people who need and want to buy. Customers want to know how the organisation or hotel industry can make their lives better or easier or how the organisation can relieve them of their pain. Customer service is the most important function in todays hospitality industry. Many researchers(Olsen2002;kang,Nobuyuki and Herbert,2004;soderlund and Ohman,2005) stated that good customer service quality have been correlated to customer behavioural intentions like purchase and loyalty intention, willingness to spread word of mouth. Those customers who experience good customer service from a hotel are likely to return to this hotel and even spend more money at other attractions in the area. Jones and Farquhar (2003) told that good customer service quality make an impact to gain loyal customer. Bolton (1998) pointed out; service quality manipulates customers consequent behaviour, intentions and preferences. When a customer chooses a contributor that provides service quality that meets or exceeds his or her expectations, he or she is more likely to choose the same provider again. Besides, Cronin and Taylor (1994) also found that service quality has a significant effect on repurchase intentions. Good customer service helps to increase business. People or customers who leave the hotel which provide them good customer service are likely to tell their  friends  about the good time they have and also tell their friends and family what type of services they have got. In return, their friends and family will also come to the same hotel, building a growing customer base. Thats why its essential to be consistent in providing excellent customer service, quality food and an inviting or friendly atmosphere. 2.3 Importance of customer service policy: Having customer service policy is important for any hospitality and tourism business. It is a structure that describes the companys doctrine of doing business. Many researchers are pointed out some reason of having good customer service policy: 1. Good customer service policy helps to increase the brand name of a hotel. It pushes the brands name of any companys into customer mind. It shows a very positive attitude of customers towards the hotel or company. 2. This policy helps company to get more profit continuously which help to amplify revenue. 3. It helps to adjust and acclimatize employees principles and approach in accordance to company service policies. 4. Good customer service policy can feel up whatever consumer want, so consumers spend more for getting these services. 5. It helps to get good competitive advantage which is helpful to maintain companys position up to date and marketable. 6. Repetition of customer is achieved by a good customer service policy.Customer service policy is a fundamental factor which must be maintained a very standard level especially in hospitality sector in order to achieve target market. Advertising is essential in growing and maintaining a profitable hotel business. Good customer service helps to increasing advertisement for a hotel. Guests expect high-quality service. Lunchars (1996) said: the results of a 1990 survey of conference participants revealed that eight of the top ten factors rated most important for guest satisfaction were related to service quality rather than to the quality of facilities. While the leisure and business markets will undoubtedly have different specific demands for facilities, fulfilling guest expectations for quality service will be necessary for success across all market segments. On the other hand Poor customer service can wreck the reputation of a hotel, restaurant. People will talk over the Internet or by word of mouth and after getting poor service people will not visit this hotel. Customers are not only external but also internal as well. Some researchers noticed that a person who has experienced poor customer service from a restaurant will most likely share their bad experience with an average of 10 other people. Those 10 people are extremely like to pass it on again, and after that a huge wave of negative publicity has grown. It is revealed that 80% of all hotel complaints are related to poor service not for poor products and quarter of those surveyed pointed out they would not ever return to this hotel where they received poor service. These following policy are essential to provide good customer service quality in hotel: 1. A general early check in or late checkout process is maintained. 2. Customer can cancel or adjust their reservation if required. Any cancellation can be done in respect to the type of reservation made. 3. Special needs can be made in request area when customer information is confirmed as a part of online reservation process. By following these basic rules in maintaining good customer service, company build a relationship with their guests, a relationship that helps their business grow and prosper. 2.4 Conclusion of literature review: Although many researchers have been done so far on common information of customer service and many theories have been described by researchers but only a few studies have been provided on explaining the effect of customer service in particular hotel. To make a better position in hotel business, increasing profit and getting a brand name at Travelodge London in Covent Garden it is needed to be researched or studied further on various aspects. There is no complete research have been done till now specially impacts of customer service in Travelodge hotel. A fastest budget hotel like Travelodge in Covent Garden in London is situated in tourist attracted place. Many types of tourist come here and enjoy holiday. So it can be said that this area could be the best place to carry out this research. 3.0. Research Methodology: According to Kumar, R. (2005) research methodology is one technique of finding answer to such questions. There are two major types of data collection methods for this analysis: Secondary data collection methods and primary data collection methods. Both data collection methodologies have been used in this research. 3.1 Secondary data collection: Secondary data are those types of data which are existed and has already been examined by an academic. Saunders, M.et al. (2007) said that literature sources are divided in to three categories: primary like email, report etc; secondary like newspapers, books, journal etc and tertiary are those like encyclopaedia, index etc. In this research all data were collected through the library of London Victoria College, British library, Internet search engines, commercial bibliographic database and dictionaries. 3.2 Primary data collection: It is raw data. This data may be collected by survey based on questionnaire or interviews. Survey based questionnaire provide quantitative data; on the other hand interviews provide qualitative data. Guba Linchon (1994) said, Both qualitative and quantitative method may be used appropriately with any research paradigm (cited in Saunders, M. et al.2007,pp.100). Both two types of data collection method were used in this research. 3.2.1 Questionnaire Survey: A self-administered internet arbitrated questionnaire was planned to collect raw data. A semi-structured questionnaire has been prepared and given to about 250 customers whose had stayed Travelodge Covent Garden hotel at least one night in the previous six months. I am contacted those customer by e-mail as my friend who is the customer complaint manager in this hotel. After explaining him that I am doing this research for my study and it is not harmful for the organisation rather than from this research, organization can be benefited. Then he helps me to get those customer mail address.Questionnaire question was closed format questions as respondent (customer) can quickly and easily answer the questions. The questionnaire consisted two sections: First section was designed to explore the demographic data of respondent like age, gender; status (tourist or local consumer) etc .Second section of questionnaire identified the impact of customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction . This questionnaire took 5-10 minutes to fill up. Different methods were used for every part of the questionnaire. For example, the questionnaire asked consumer to signify the quality of customer service in this hotel, using Liker rating scale (very good= 4, satisfactory= 3, poor= 2, very poor= 1). There were some open ended question are also attached with closed format question like If you have responded others please specify and also give them (respondent) an opportunity to express their own idea. 3.2.2 Interview: An interview strategy has been carried out to collect qualitative data which is connected with philosophically phenomenological. According to Kvale, S. (1996) Qualitative Interviews also depend very much on the connection between interviewer and interviewees in developing the open dialogue which can allow a joint construction of considerate in the interview. This technique was applied when the interview was conducted to the H.R manager and Guest complaint manager and some other employee of Travelodge Covent Garden hotel. The interview was conducted through face to face conversation. 3.3 Data Analysis: Data analyses are two types, quantitative and qualitative data analysis. 3.3.1 Quantitative data analysis: Table, graph chart, pie chart has principally used to analyse quantitative data. Quantitative data refers to numerical data which has been given in percentage form for better understanding. Saunders et al. 2007 pointed that Quantitative data is supported on meanings derived from numbers and data collection marks in numerical outcomes and analysis conducted through the use of diagrams and statistics. 3.3.2 Qualitative data analysis: It is a data analysis process which refers to all nonnumeric data that have not been quantified and this process allow us to develop theory from data. Saunders et al. (2007) argued that qualitative data is based on meanings articulated through words and collection results in non-standardized data requiring classification into categories and study conducted through the use of conceptualization. 4. Finding: Questionnaire was given to 250 customers and it was circulated on August to September 2010. 50 of the total respondents were customers and 09 people were employee of Travelodge London Convent Garden. That means 59 completed questionnaires were collected. This Questionnaire was designed to get information from respondents that customer service quality makes an impact and help to gain customer satisfaction in Travelodge Covent Garden, London. In this questionnaire three sections were designed, First section was designed to explore the demographic data, second section of questionnaire identified the information of customers visit and third section designed to identify the impact of customer service quality to gain customer satisfaction. 4.1 Demographic Characteristics: Demographic data which provide respondents age, gender, status etc Table-1 Age of respondents Age(years) Number of respondents Percentage (%) 21-30 21 42 31-40 17 34 41-50 12 24 50+ Total 50 100 This figure shows that biggest numbers of respondents were aged 21-30; the second biggest group of respondents were aged 31-40, that means large numbers of respondents were aged between the ages of 21-40 (Table-1). Figure-1: Gender This figure shows that 30 out of 50, which means 60 percent were male and 20 out of 50 means 40 percent were female. Figure-2: Customer status Figure II, it shows that most of the guest who came in Travelodge London Covent Garden were holiday maker, out of the total 50 respondents 70 percent were holiday maker and the other 30 percent were business customer. 4.2 Information-customers Visit: This section of the questionnaire were designed to get information of customer service quality of Travelodge London in Covent garden and also identify the level of satisfaction of those customers who came in this hotel. Figure 3: Frequency of visit to the Travelodge London Covent Garden. Respondents were asked how many times they were visited in this hotel. This figure shows that 16 percent of customer visited in this hotel very often and 34 percent were visited often, 38 percent sometimes and 12 percent seldom, that means most of the customer came here sometimes and often ( Once in a year and once within six months). Figure-4: Planning to stay at this hotel. Respondent were asked how many time they were stayed in this hotel. This figure showed that the biggest number of customer was stayed here 3-5 days. The second largest number of respondent (24 percent) indicated that they wanted to stay here 2-3 days and 20 percent agreed to stay for a single night. Figure- 5: Main reason to visit in this hotel Figure- 5 showed that 42 percent guest visited here with friends and relatives, 16 percent came here for rest and relaxation, 14 percent came for business reason, 22 percent came for fun , sports and recreation. Only 6% came for attending conference, seminar and other forms of educations. 4.3 Customer service quality in Travelodge Covent Garden: Majority of guest expressed their satisfaction with the overall customer service quality of Travelodge Covent Garden but they were less satisfied with the quality of the room. In Figure- 6, Respondents were asked how the customer service quality of Travelodge Covent Garden London, figure shows that Majority of customer were satisfied about the customer service quality f this hotel. As shown in this figure 46% respondents were satisfied, 14% respondents said that the customer service quality of this hotel was good and 4% said it was very good.24% commented that it was poor and 12% said it was very poor. Adding three points(very good, good and satisfactory) of measuring scale it could be said that 64% commented positive attitude towards the customer service quality of Travelodge Covent Garden and 36 percent showed negative attitude towards the customer service quality of this hotel. As found Figure-7, it was apparent that the staffs in this hotel are friendly towards their guest. Largest number of respondents (52 percent) were agree that their staffs friendliness.22 percent said they were disagree and 12 percent commented that they were strongly disagree. Figure-6: customer service quality which is offered by Travelodge London Covent Garden. Figure-7: Staffs in this hotel is friendly towards the guest. Figure-8: Room quality of Travelodge Covent Garden As per figure-8, it was showed that the guest of Travelodge Covent Garden did not think that room quality of this hotel is satisfactory. Only 4 percent said it was good.42 percent respondents said that it was satisfactory while largest number of guest (38%+16%=54%) said that was unsatisfactorily (poor and very poor) Figure-9 Worst reason that cannot satisfy customer Figure show that most of the customers (70 percent) think that service quality is the main reasons to gain customer satisfaction on the other hand 30 percent think that quality of product is main reason. *Motivate customer to come again and again. This question was asked to customer service manager, guest complaint manager, human resource manager and staffs to know how they are satisfying their customers. First of all they are attracting their customers by their web sites which provide all information about their hotel. They offer lowest price with great customer service quality, clean and comfortable rooms and do everything which is needed for a good nights sleep. Travelodge do things differently to other hotel companies for attracting more customers. *Any plan to improve customer service system and room quality? This question was asked to the customer service manager, human resource manager to know about their customer service improving plan and improving about room quality. They inform that they are trying to overcome this problem. Already their company has taken some plan to develop their room quality and customer service system. They also said that by this time customers complain rates decreased significantly. They consider that customer service quality and room quality are gradually increasing and get customer satisfaction as their customers complaints are decreasing. 5.0 Recommendation and Conclusion: It is recommended that customer service is an important factor for a hotel to gain satisfied customer and this customer will be loyal customer. Business can be gain more profit by this loyal customer and customer service help to make relationship with customer. Training is fundamental for improving customer service. Training process help employee how to check in ,how to check out, how the reservation system work, how the equipment work ,how to provide better service to customer and how to deal customer nicely .Smile and eye contact is essential for good customer service. Employee of Travelodge London in Convent Garden must need to provide their customers requirements. Today customer not only want better product they also want services, If company failed to provide better service to their client. In this case they not only lose their customer who get their service but also lose their other customer because of bad reputation .So that company have to concern that the service provided by them is superior to make their customers to be loyal. The study discovered that company website is an important element to provide better service to their customer. For providing best customer service company should use website. In this website customer can get all kinds of service and idea about this hotel. From this research, It can be said that customer service quality help to get brand name. The study showed that the room service quality of Travelodge Covent Garden failed to satisfy their customers expectation. So it could be suggested that if they want more customer they should concern their room service quality. Frome this study it is finding that customer service quality had effective relationship with customer satisfaction. Customer service quality of hotel had positive relationship with guest but room quality revealed an unsuspected result of a negative relation with consumer. It was discovered that room quality was not good but guests expectation was high. Finally, it could be said that further research is still needed to justify the outcome of this research. The research issue may have been similar but the situation in all the research may be different including this research. Further researchers are welcomed to conduct a similar research as this in the identical content. 6.0 References: 1. Saunders, M. et al (2007)Research methods for Business students.4th edition, Essex, UK: Person Education. 2. Peppers, Don et al (2008)Rules to Break and Laws to Follow Wiley. pp.  24, 164 3. Marquardt, I. A. (1989) The link between Total Quality Improvement and Market Orientation in Guiry M. and customer service: The Critical Focas for a Firm, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Marketing Science Institute Conference. 4. Olsen, S.O. (2002) Competative Evaluation and the Relationship between Quality, Satisfaction and repurchase Loyalty. Academy of Marketing Science, 30(3), 240-249. 5. Kang, S. S.; Nobuyuki, O. et al (2004)Service quality and its Effects on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Behavioural Intention: Hotel and Ryokan Guest in Japan. Asia Pacific Journal of tourism Research, 9(2), 189-203. 6. Jones, H. Farquhar, J. D. (2003) Contact Management and Customer Loyalty Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 8(1), 71-78. 7. Bolton, R. N. (1998) A Dynamic model of the Duration of

Feminism in Antigone and A Doll’s House Essay -- Literary Analysis, So

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, â€Å"A woman is like a tea bag. It's only when she's in hot water that you realize how strong she is.† This is very evident in both Antigone and a Doll’s House. Antigone is a Greek play by Sophocles about a young girl who decides to take on the task of burying her traitorous brother to honor the gods even though her tyrannical uncle Creon has outlawed the burial. A Doll’s House by Ibsen follows Nora Helmer, a housewife who has borrowed money without her husband’s knowledge or consent for the purpose of taking him to Italy for medical reasons. It outlines the internal and external conflicts she experiences in the final days of her secret. It is important to understand the roles of women in both plays because during the time periods they were written, women were held to very different standards and were far more oppressed than men. There are many examples of nonconformity of women in Antigone and A Doll’s House in the ways that the main characters rebel against what is expected of women. Nora and Antigone are headstrong, sharp-witted, and willing to break the law for love, three character traits that were uncommon and almost frowned upon by society for women in history. Nora and Antigone were both very headstrong women. During the time periods of both plays, women were expected to be subservient and share the same opinions as their husbands. The two lead women in the plays show their obstinacy and ability to take care of themselves in many instances. One example in Antigone’s story is when she says (to her â€Å"stereotypical woman† sister) of her plan to bury Polynices, â€Å"He is my brother and—deny it as you will—your brother too. No one will ever convict me as a traitor, (Sophocles 18). She then goes on to... ...use she knows that she will be following the gods’ law and honoring her own flesh and blood by burying Polynices. All in all, the women in the plays go against the rules and practices of society so that they can do something for the ones that are close to them. On the whole, Nora Helmer and Antigone certainly prove that women have the ability to do anything a man can do, just as well. The roles of women in Antigone and A Doll’s House are certainly different than the roles of men, and the two main women in both plays transcend the expectations and beliefs of what women can and cannot do. They prove this in several ways, including the fact that they were determined, very intelligent and clever, and wiling to break the laws of man for loved ones. Antigone and A Doll’s House are great works of classic literature that portray women as strong and intelligent beings.

Effective Environmental Impact Management through Ecotourism

The world has seen the growth of tourism increase dramatically in the past fifty years and with this growth comes a concern for the cultural and environmental impacts associated with it. Ecotourism is the new breed of tourism based around the concept of nature and cultural appreciation, espoused by many to bring significant economic benefits to the host countries as well as being a sustainable alternative to mass tourism. The aim of this paper is to review the literature that focuses on the environmental impacts of ecotourism. This will be achieved through the discussion of five key areas. First, the multitude of definitions surrounding ecotourism will be examined with a view to identifying the core concepts. Second, the key players involved in the ecotourism industry will be identified. Third, the positive and negative impacts associated with ecotourism will be discussed. Fourth, the contributing factors that determine the level of environmental impact. Fifth, the future of ecotourism and how it can be managed. Finally, conclusions and recommendations for future research. World tourism is growing in terms of number of travellers as well as in economic expansion (World Tourism Organisation (W. T. O), 1997) and as the worlds largest industry (Nelson, 1993) it earns approximately $US 2. 5 trillion annually (Dearden, 1993). Tourism takes on many different guises and nature-tourism is one of these, which, in it's most sustainable form has been labelled ecotourism. Within the worldwide tourism industry ecotourism is one of the fastest growing sectors (Eagles, 1995) and according to a 2001 W. T. O and United Nations Environment Programme study ecotourism may represent between two and four percent of global tourism (W. T. O, 1997). Although this is a relatively small percentage share it is not the volume that is significant but the fact that it is a type of tourism that attempts to minimise the negative effects of traditional mass tourism, be these economic, social or environmental (Doan, 2000). There has been a proliferation of ecotourism-related articles in professional journals since the late 1980s (Sirakaya, 1999) and due to the expansive nature of ecotourism the literature covers a multitude of topics. It is for this reason that for the purpose of this paper I have focused on the journals that are concerned particularly with the environmental impacts of ecotourism. These journals take the form of definition articles (Edwards, 1998; Sirakaya, 1999; Fennel, 2000), articles on particular case studies (Burton, 1998; Doan, 2000; Thomlinson, 1996; Obua, 1997; Nianyong, 2001; Chin, 2000), and articles on impact related aspects from more of a resource point of view (Beaumont, 2001; Tyler, 1999; Acott, 1998). Section 1: Defining the Concept of Ecotourism Before even beginning to identify what environmental impacts ecotourism is having on the environment it is important to clarify the concept of what it is. The problems of defining ecotourism have been debated at length (Blamey, 1997), and there is a tremendous amount of literature exploring the definitions of ecotourism. It can be observed that Ceballos-Lascurain (1983) was one of the first people to provide a working definition (Sirakaya, 1999; Thomlinson, 1996; Edwards, 1998; Fennel, 2001). His definition was normative and he suggested that ecotourism incorporates the notions of travelling to relatively untouched natural areas with the objective of enjoying and admiring the area's natural and cultural manifestations. From that period on the definitions came to include the notion of ecological sustainability and that ecotourism should provide economic benefits for local people, as well as provide funds for conservation of the visited areas (Boo, 1990; Lindberg and Hawkins, 1993; Tyler, 1996). Researchers from the field of biological research tend to focus mainly on the environmental aspects of the definition (Tyler, 1999; Nianyong, 2001; Acott et al. , 1998) when using the term ecotourism in their research papers. While others have not included a definition of what they consider ecotourism to stand for (Obua, 1997; Burton, 1998), suggesting that people reading articles in the tourism journals are assumed to have a comprehensive understanding of what the term ecotourism means. In the recent years research focusing on the definitions of ecotourism have been performed through content analysis of pre-existing definitions, one such being by Sirakaya (1999) who looked at it from a supply side view and identified whether tour-operators in the America's viewed themselves in fit with their own ecotourism definitions and policies. These definitions took a normative and positive viewpoint that can also be seen in Fennels (2001) article. He also used a content analysis method and incorporated the concept of definition alterations over time as well as differentiating between definitions provided by government and individuals (researchers) mainly in the Americas. Perhaps the most exhaustive study of definitions was undertaken by Edwards et al (1998), who conducted a content analysis of the ecotourism policies employed by the government agencies of all the countries in the America's. All these content analyses provide a fresh insight into the definition of ecotourism although they are biased due to the fact that they use very few definitions provided by researchers and governments outside of the America's. A commonly cited definition that I think encapsulates the main findings of the three content analysis studies previously described (Sirakaya, 1999; Fennels, 2001; Edwards et al. , 1998) is one that originated from the Ecotourism Society (1993), and for the purpose of this review is the definition I shall be using. It is:- Purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the cultural and natural history of the environment, taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem, while producing opportunities that make the conservation of natural resources beneficial to local citizens. Section 2: Identification of the Key Players in the Ecotourism Industry In this section I will identify four different groups who have key roles to play in the ecotourism industry; the communities residing in the host ecotourism country/area, the tourists, the tour operators, and the government agencies. All of the above groups are interconnected and affect each other and in turn effect the environmental impact on ecotourism destinations, this will be discussed further in section four. The literature only provides very fleeting references into the nature of the communities that are affected by ecotourism. The main way that local communities would appear to get involved in the ecotourism industry is through being employed in the local tourist activities. Be it through building accommodation (Obua, 1997), guiding (Chin et al. , 2000), or by being involved in local conservation projects (Nianyong, 2001). Yet even descriptions of these activities are very minimal and so will not be addressed further in this review. On a general level of description about the tourist group the authors tend to refer to them as eco-tourists (Beumont, 2001; Acott, 1998), and they are observed to be mainly westerners (Chin et al. , 2000). It is agreed that all eco-tourists have the underlying wish to travel to natural areas with a view to appreciating the unspoilt environment (Tyler, 1999; Beumont, 2001; Acott, 1998) and within this concept is the discussion in the literature concerning the ‘spectrum' of nature based tourists (Burton, 1998). Beumont (2001) identified a range of different types of nature based travellers by suggesting that each eco-tourist is unique in terms of their knowledge of the nature and attitude towards it. This idea can be seen in a slightly different guise in Acott's (1998) research which takes a much more phenomenological approach and segments eco-tourists into ‘shallow' and ‘deep' groups. Shallow eco-tourists are of an anthropocentric frame of mind in that they view humans as separate from nature and that nature is an instrument that serves human ends. ‘Deep' eco-tourists adopt a much more holistic view of the world and view humans to be intrinsically linked with the environment. Burton (1998) identifies these differing types as ‘casual' and ‘dedicated' eco-tourists with ‘dedicated' ones having higher expectations in terms of the quality of the ecotourism experience. Eco-tourism as a product is delivered by the ecotour operators and companies (Thomlinson, 1996). They characteristically have the parent business located in the base country (predominantly western) who prepare nature tour packages and then co-ordinate with the other half of their business in the destination country (Higgins, 1996). The majority are small-scale operations (Blamey, 1995; McArthur, 1994). This enables the operators to practice environmentally responsible practices and to ensure high quality experiences for the tourists (Burton 1998; Thomlinson, 1996). In compliance with the definition of ecotourism ecotour operators ideally should act in an environmentally responsible manner yet many researchers suggest that they are masquerading as ecotour companies and use the term ecotourism as a marketing tool (Nianyong, 2001; Thomlinson, 1996; Beaumont, 2001; Burton, 1998). With respect to government agencies involvement and attitudes towards ecotourism the content analysis study conducted by Edwards et al. 1998) provides the most comprehensive insight into their agenda's. As well as this empirical study the literature identifies them as playing an important role in the management of the ecotourism industry with them being the creators of the policies which control the exploitation of natural areas (Nianyong, 2001; Chin et al. , 2000; Beaumont, 2001; Burton, 1998). This is especially true when the ecotourism activities take place in national parks as designated by governments (Obua, 1997; Nianyong, 2001; Woodward, 1996). The influence they have on environmental impact management will be discussed further in section 4. Section 3: The Positive and Negative Environmental Impacts. The positive environmental impacts are essentially indirect benefits that are derived from educating tourists on environmental issues, and providing economic benefits for the destination country/area to aid in conservation of their natural resources. With respect to issue of education Beumont (1998) cites the writings of Boo (1991) and Goudberg et al. 1991) who argue that ecotourism provides environmental education or interpretation for participants which in turn creates awareness and understanding of the natural environment therefore creating support for conservation. This idea is supported by Chin et al. (2000: 31) whose qualitative study based around a questionnaire completed by 210 eco-tourists who visited Bako national park in Borneo. It showed that â€Å"90% of respondents indicated the importance of learning about nature as part of their experience, suggesting that visitors to Bako would be highly receptive to educational strategies. It is the ecotour operators who are essentially the main providers of the environmental education and Blamey (1995) notes that ecotour operators in Australia primarily set up their businesses because of their personal interest in the environment. Economic benefits derived from ecotourism and that positively impact the environment take a number of forms. Boo (1990) argues that ecotourism can stimulate the economy and in turn generate direct funding for conservation. An example of this is where Doan (2000) cites Wells (1993) who talks about mountaineering fees that are being used for the cleanup of Sagmarth National Park in Nepal, and has led to increased ecological quality. An indirect environmental benefit derived from ecotourism is that it provides an alternative to more damaging types of industry (Thomlinson, 1996). This can be seen in a case study (Obua, 1997) where forest ecotourism was introduced in the Kibale National Park as a sustainable industry instead of ruining the environment through logging. The definition provided by the Ecotourism Society suggests that ecotourism should not alter the integrity of the ecosystem, yet as Tyler and Dangerfield (1999) argue almost any level of human exploitation has impacts on an ecosystem. His qualitative research took the viewpoint of resource management, the resource being the ecosystems that are exploited by ecotourism, and points out that most of the ecosytems that are visited have developed independently of human interaction and have to adapt rapidly to deal with the human incursion, depending on the level of human disturbance. Tyler (1999) does point out that marine environments are particularly susceptible to the development of ecotourism, a topic researched at length by Mason (1998) who, through the use of a qualitative research tool assessed the potential effects on two marine environments and found that predominantly negative biophysical effects occurred due to development of ecotourism. A study on forest degradation due to ecotourism (Obua, 1997) was the only quantitative research on the subject of environmental impact that was found in the literature. Perhaps an area for future research? Other environmental impacts of ecotourism outlined in the literature take the form of general comments about how animal behaviour is disrupted with particular reference to altered eating habits (Burger, 1998; Tyler, 1999; Thomlinson, 1996). Pollution created in the forms of rubbish as well as water and vehicle pollution which is also mentioned in the literature (Mason, 1998; Chin et al. , 2000; Nianyong, 2001) as well as damage done to vegetation due to trampling. An indirect environmental impact that is discussed in some depth by Burton (1998) and to a lesser extent Beaumont (2001) is the fact that most eco-tourists have the expectation of appreciating the natural environment without the presence of large numbers of people. This has led to the exploitation of previously untouched area in an attempt to provide ecotourists with quality experiences. Section 4: Determining the level of Environmental Impact In the literature one of the biggest debates is whether eco-tourism leads to mass-tourism and it's associated environmental problems (Beaumont, 2001; Doan, 2000; Mason, 1998; Obua, 1997). Even if it does not lead to fully-fledged mass-tourism it agreed throughout the literature that an increase in visitors to sensitive natural environments causes an increase in associated environmental impacts. Discussion on at what point the number of tourists is too much for a destination focuses on the concept of carrying capacity (Doan, 2000; Thomlinson, 1996). This is the theoretical limit to the number of tourists that an area can sustain without deleterious effects (Boo, 1990). They also refer to Butler's life cycle model and Burton (1998) cites Thomlinson's (1996) empirical evidence, and argues that once the number of tourists reach a certain level then ecotourism turns into mass-tourism. So as described, the number of tourists converging on a destination is a key factor on the level of environmental impact, yet what factors contribute to the differing numbers of ecotourists? A common idea in the literature is the attitudes of the governing bodies towards the development of ecotourism sites (Thomlinson, 1996; Obua, 1997; Chin et al. 2000; Nianyong, 2001). A common theme is that governments have been tempted by the prospect of making a ‘quick buck', and therefore do not put in place policies limiting exploitation of their countries natural resources, and policies limiting numbers of tourists. Although one country that has minimised environmental impacts through limiting the number of western tourists is Bhutan (Brunet, 2001), yet not totally as they s till allow an unlimited number of Indians to cross their borders, a policy controlled by the government! Nianyong (2001) also illustrates that governments should be instrumental in helping to develop environmentally responsible policies within their country as well as providing funds for research. Yet in the case of Nianyongs' research which was a survey conducted in China, he points out that a lot of ecotourism destinations are in the third world, this is can be seen in the way that most of the case studies on ecotourism are based in the third world. These host countries can't afford to provide funds for appropriate ecotourism development, a point corroborated by Chin et al. 2000) whose study was based in Malaysia. Yet paradoxically authorities were responsible for increasing the number of eco-tourists to the Bako national park in 1988 through tourism promotion. Chin et al. (2000) suggests that this was driven by economic interests. The next area of discussion focuses on how eco-tour operators affect the level of environmental impact that ecotourism destinations experience. As previous ly mentioned it is suggested that eco-tour operators are simply exploiting the concept of ecotourism by using it as a marketing tool. Burton (1998) cites a number of researchers who suggest that surveys indicate that a large number of eco-tour operators cannot be considered to act in an environmentally responsible manner (Botrill and Pearce, 1995; Weiler, 1992; Holden & Kealy, 1996; Jones, 1993). This obviously has serious implications for the level of environmental impact and in Belize supposedly ecotourism companies have destroyed large swaths of mangrove swamps in order to develop luxury bungalows (Thomlinson, 1996). Also although most eco-tour operators are small businesses there are so many of them they can negatively impact the environment through a cumulative effect (Thomlinson, 1996; Beaumont, 2001). As illustrated the number of ecotourists descending upon an area is one of the main factors determining the level of environmental impact Yet there are references in the literature that point out that it is the innate attitude of the actual eco-tourist towards pro-environmental causes that plays an important part in the level of environmental impact that ecotourism destinations experience (Acott, 1998; Chin et al. 2000; Beaumont, 2001). Acott (1998) who discusses ecotourism in terms of ‘shallow' and ‘deep' differentiates different types of eco-tourists in terms of the level to what extent they pursue environmentally sustainable lifestyles. He uses the example of a low impact eco-traveller who stays in very basic accommodation and pursues a minimal impact experience compared to a larg e group of bird watchers staying in a luxury hotel with the expectation of a westernised ecotourism experience. Section 5: The Future of Ecotourism The focus of this section is to identify the numerous variables correlated with the success of ecotourism as a sustainable option for the future, and the recommendations documented in the literature to ensure the long-term success of ecotourism. As it is recognised that large numbers of tourists have detrimental affects on the environment, many of the researchers talk about limiting visitor numbers (Burton, 1998; Thomlinson, 1996; Nianyong, 2001; Chin et al. 2000). Yet how many is too many? Tyler (1999) and to a lesser extent Doan (2000) suggest that the resource base (the ecotourism destination) as an ecosystem needs to be considered primarily, and to define saleable products that will have an absorbable impact. In relation to actually controlling the number of visitors it is generally agreed that government tourism agencies are ones who have the power to implement these controls. Thomlinson (1996) suggests that infrastructure should be limited thus discouraging large scale tours, this was actually achieved in Bako National Park Malaysia, whereby the authorities decided not to build a main road into the park and only allow tourists access to the park via river boats. Nianyong (2001) also suggests that operators wishing to establish ecotourism businesses in national parks should have to obtain licenses thereby maintaining the integrity of the industry. There are also suggestions that as ecotourism is after all a business, causing smaller eco-tour operators (who have less of an impact on the evironment) being forced out of the market by larger operators. These larger operators are seen to be the leading edge of mass tourism and achieve greater profits through economies of scale (Burton, 1998, Thomlinson, 1996). Therefore they argue that government agencies need to promote and perhaps subsidise the smaller operatives and restrict the growth of larger operators. Yet the tension that exists with governments, especially in third world countries, is that they lack funds and by limiting the number tourists they are limiting the economic benefits provided by the ecotourism industry. These government agencies have to realise that although increase in visitor numbers means greater profits, eco-tourists want to experience nature without being crowded by other humans (Burton, 1998). Boo (1990: 96) noted in reference to the environmental effects of ecotourism ‘that tourism, if not managed properly, can destroy tourism'. The issue of educating eco-tourists is the other fundamental tool that can be used in maintaining the sustainability of ecotourism. By creating positive attitudes towards environmental preservation amongst tourists it fosters awareness about the future implications of ecotourism amongst the very people who are the consumers of the product, and who directly impact the environment they are visiting. Fortunately according to Sirakaya's (1999) research ‘according to tour operators, ecotourism also includes involvement in after travel to inspire personal responsibility'. The raises the point addressed at length by Beaumont (2001) that it is the responsibility of the eco-tour operators to provide quality education to the tourists. Nianyong (2001) also points out that local communities in the host destination need to be educated and involved and encouraged to participate in environmental conservation. A point only briefly touched upon in other articles. Section 6: Conlusion Five lines of enquiry were discussed, each focusing on different aspects. However, these aspects are highly interconnected. The first section outlined how research into the definitions of ecotourism had mainly been qualitative. Recently however the research has tended to be functionalist in nature with quantitative studies employing content analysis techniques as a means to attempt to settle the definition debate. I observed definite core themes in the research yet felt as did the most recent researchers did that pinpointing an exact definition was act of futility, due to the global nature of ecotourism. Yet the definition I used at the bottom of section 1 provided the basis of reference for the duration of the review. In the second and third section the research findings illustrated the interconnectedness of the key players in the ecotourism industry and the effects they are having as a whole on the environment. The articles that were found to provide the best insight into the detailed effects of what environmental impacts ecotourism has on host countries were found in Case Study articles, where various regions were examined in depth. Although a problem with these case studies was that they were slightly limited in that they all examined ecotourism activities in national parks. I would suggest future research that focuses on areas that are not national parks, but which do accommodate ecotourism, one such place being Kodaikanal in southern India, a place where as an ecotourist myself, inspired this review. There was also a distinct lack of detailed quantitative research of a geographical nature into environmental impacts, yet research of this nature is inherently difficult due to the complex nature of ecosystems. Section four and five viewed ecotourism and it's capacity to minimise environmental damage in the context of ‘the bigger picture' by pulling together the previous sections. The literature acknowledged that ecotourism is a business after all and that market forces as with nearly everything in this world are driving factors behind whether ecotourism is a success or not in the future. Yet it can be seen just through observing the recent initiation of new journals such as the Journal of Sustainable Tourism that there is concern for the well-being the environment, especially with the dramatic annual growth of tourism. Therefore research into the ecotourism industry will almost certainly continue apace. This is fortunate as Tyler (1999) points out there are a multitude of dimensions and paradigms associated with ecotourism research, ranging from philosophy to ecological economics. To conclude, the future of ecotourism is an uncertain one. Negative environmental impacts have definitely been observed, although in other areas where effective policies have been implemented the environment has apparently not suffered and the sustainability of the industry is assured. There is evidence that supports the theory that ecotourism leads to mass tourism and it's associated problems. Yet, I would observe that the commonality amongst all these issues is that geographical location causes the differing variables associated with ecotourism development and is the deciding factor as to whether ecotourism can be implemented successfully to protect the environment. This is where further research should be directed enabling future ecotourism planners to have a reference point according to their global location.

Victims of Sin

Victims of Sin Sin affects everyone in every way. Sin is one of the main themes in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter". We most vividly see the affects of sin through Hester Prynne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, and Pearl.A scarlet letter was worn to show openly someone's sin. Hester Prynne wore a scarlet letter "A" on her bosom which signifies adultery. She had a child, Pearl, with a man who was not her husband. Because she sinned and broke the seventh commandment, she became an outcast in society. She used to be looked upon as one of the most beautiful women in the town. Hawthorne describes her as "being beautiful from regularity of feature....she was lady-like, too" (50). However, after she stood on the scaffold, women called her a "brazen hussy" (51).Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale had an affair with a married woman, Hester Prynne. As a result of the affair, Pearl was born.English: Engraving of American author Nathaniel Ha...

Exploring Strategy The WritePass Journal

Exploring Strategy Abstract Exploring Strategy ) defines the PESTEL as an integrated analysis including the elements of political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environment and legal in order to determine a sectors capacity. 2.1.1 Political Politically, the Hi-Fi sector is supported in their effort to produce a superior product for a diverse international market (Jansson and Waxel, 2011). Politics influence the modern Hi Fi market to continually innovate and build, reflecting the Hi-Fi industry need for continuous technological input. Regulations and taxation play a direct role in how well the Hi Fi industry international trade statutes have the potential to promote positive development (Jansson et al, 2011). Companies including the advanced manufacturing firm Linn contribute a substantial amount in taxes and international revenue to their nations coffers, enhancing the political need to protect them (The Economist, 2014). Companys including Richer Sounds maintain 100 per cent UK operations, using this support as a means of positive branding (Sounds, 2014). The Telegraph (2010) article lays out the attractive tax cuts that the Chinese government utilizes to entice the emerging Hi Fi companies to set up operation there. With each tax rate adjustment companies including Acramm Quad and NAD among others will seek out tax havens that allow them to retain revenue (Telegraph, 2010). Decisions by the UK regulatory body, including the decision to take the nation digital has a great deal of influence on the continued development of the UK Hi Fi industry (Kessler, 2014). With figures illustrating that only one in 20 have receivers capable of this new transmission as well as only 40 per cent of new vehicles are equipped with the technology, there is a considerable gap to be addressed before implementation (Kessler, 2014). 2.1.2. Economic Economic factors in for Hi-Fi firms have the potential to substantially assist nations in their economic recovery efforts (The Economist, 2014). This factor impacts the Hi Fi industry with through direct acknowledgement and support of technological advances (Macintosh, 2010). Lacking this opportunity for growth stagnates the market directly influencing production and development.. International statistics demonstrate a slow 1% growth rate in the industry over the past year (Euromonitor.com. 2014). Yet, long term country reports indicate a steady pattern of growth (Euromonitor.com, 2014). The Hi Fi industry has begun to focus on the high end products including Acram’s newest cinema receiver citing the argument that features are more important than fidelity (End, 2014). The economy can create issues for the industry by failing to provide consumers with the funding to buy products. Linn, another UK Hi Fi brand has used this same philosophy to become a leader in the audiophile str eaming music hardware area, a very rapidly developing area (End, 2014). Yet, there is a real potential for a lack of innovation that fails to produce useful products. Further establishing this trend is Naim’s offering of hi resolution music products that appeal to the very high end market including the Nait 5si and the SuperNait 2 (End, 2014). However, the economic conditions can hinder the opportunity for these offerings to take hold. 2.1.3. Socio-culture The very nature of the spread of technology is a benefit for the Hi-Fi industry (Andy, 1997; Macintosh, 2010; The Economist, 2014). Yet, if there is a perception of negativity surrounding any company or product, there is the opportunity for a diminished reach. With each new auditory advance, the Hi-Fi sector has an opportunity to utilize their technology to enhance that offering (May, Mason and Pinch, 2001). Yet, conversely, any misstep in the innovation process can set the entire effort back. The continuous advance in technology aids in producing new employment opportunities which enhances the entire system (Pratt, 1997). There is a strong desire on the part of the consumer and manufacturers to create the very best auditory offering (The Economist, 2014). This element of complementary competition enhances the potential in the Hi-Fi industry, yet increases the price consumers feel at the retailer. As company’s including Acram, Linn and Naim compete to produce high end offerings, the entire range of development opportunities benefits (End, 2014). This adoption of hi tech equipment has an associated ripple impact on stores that sell these products, increasing their technology capacity (End, 2014). As new products emerge, the stores upgrade in order to implement the product, thereby changing the entire culture surrounding the offering. 2.1.4 Technological There has been a historical shift from a Hi Fi industry based on individual components to a modern real market based on emerging technology (Sounds, 2014). This factor directly impacts the Hi Fi industries capacity to produce useable products. With the advances technology has created including the inclusion of LCD television, audiophile and multi room Hi Fi progress there is a perception of increasing value in the industry. The increase in complexity alongside reduction in size and integrateable capacity make Hi-Fi products critical components for many new technologies (The Economist, 2014; Macintosh, 2010). This is a clear indication of the support that each of these areas offers the Hi-Fi sector. Online advances including internet offerings have the potential to increase the utilization of the Hi-Fi product, thereby increasing the markets intrinsic value (Macintosh, 2010). Today’s leaders in the industry including Rob Follis cite the fact that modern Hi Fi offerings are better than ever before (End, 2014). This fact includes the recognition that as technology continues to turn from individual components to integrated technology, the Hi Fi sector will continue innovate in order to remain relevant. 2.1.5 Environmental Modern production concerns can have an impact on the manufacturing of any Hi-Fi product (The Economist, 2014). These concerns can significantly slow development and production of any product line. With aspects including pollution during production there is the potential for this aspect to create detrimental operating conditions. This contention supports the argument that a strategy that incorporates these elements benefits the entire effort (Jansson et al, 2011). 2.1.6 Legal Multinational and international legalities have an opportunity to impact the Hi-Fi development and production capacity (Jannsson et al, 2011). As laws change as nations jockey for position and revenue causing a collateral impact for the companies involved. Competition between industry rivals can be fierce, requiring a strong a consistent legal awareness (The Economist, 2014). 2.2 Opportunities and Threats There is a real opportunity to capitalize on emerging technologies in order to expand the Hi-Fi industry capacity (The Economist, 2014). Yet, there is a threat of poorly designed products that diminish trade. Real time examples including continued development of the IPod and Ipad based technology, tablets and personal computers integration lead the way for considerable opportunities in the industry (Macintosh, 2010). The economic factors support the argument of growing opportunities in the field of home audio and visual serve to drive the consideration of potential revenue gain in the market (The Economist, 2014). Companies such as Linn and Acram have a unique opportunity to harness emerging technology in order to reach the high end clientele (End, 2014). Conversely, the PESTLE confirms the threat that any overextension in an effort to remain competitive can diminish production and development potential (Jannsson et al, 2011). Advances in the field of medicine provide ample opportunity for the Hi Fi industry to benefit from auditory related sales as well as building real brand awareness (The Economist, 2014). Elements of the Hi-Fi industry touch on the developing technology surrounding Wi-Fi and the internet, providing further opportunity for the industry to gain market share (Jannsson et al, 2011). Yet, the need for technology can slow a development process, diminishing a company’s revenue potential. An opportunity in the Hi-Fi industry rests in the field of cell phone and portable communication (The Economist, 2014). The PESTLE demonstrates that national and international variances in regulations can become a substantial detriment for the Hi Fi industry (Moodysson and Jonsson, 2007). There is a real threat for established companies including Acram, Quad and Warfeldale among others to move to China in order to take advantage of the lower tax brackets (Telegraph.co.uk, 2010). Yet, each emerging market and technological advance is an opportunity for the Hi-Fi industry to further integrate (Macintosh, 2010). A balanced consideration must take place in order to successfully implement strategy. 2.3 Key drivers for change Leading the key drivers for the Hi-Fi industry is the need for advances in production, marketing and development (Macintosh, 2010; The Economist, 2014; Jannsson et al, 2011). Every new change at each level will have a direct impact on the consumer and the industry. The second driver remains the political environment on where these companies choose to develop their products (Telegraph.co.uk, 2010). Lacking a positive environment, the capacity for the Hi Fi industry to operate will be further driven by the rate of revenue available in the market (End, 2014). These drivers will determine marketing efforts and production levels for every company in the market. 3 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis 3.1 Porters Five Forces Huggins and Izushi (2011) define the Porter’s Five Forces model as efficient manner of market assessment including the element s of new entrants, substitution, bargaining power and competitive rivalry. 3.1.1 Threat of new entrants The growth potential of the Hi-Fi industry makes the threat of new entrants substantial (The Economist, 2014). There is a clear opportunity for increased brand awareness accompanied by the potential to add a substantial revenue stream to any company’s income. With companies including Linn and Acram focussing on the high end market, there is recognition of value that will be emulated by others (End, 2014). These elements are consistent with the needs of many competitors in other areas of the technology market such as computers, tablets and personal electronics (The Economist, 2014). The Hi-Fi industry is highly attractive to evolving and developing entities as well as established companies (Jannsson et al, 2011). Established companies can easily expand and advertise, while new entrants can progressively build and promote themselves. This area is of high concern due to the rate of new entrants. 3.1.2 Threat of Substitute products The Hi-Fi sector is dependent on technology, the availability of copies, or similarities in products is high (Jannsson et al, 2011). With emerging nations, such as China, offering substantial potential for competition this is a significant concern for any Hi-Fi strategy. Expanding on this same threat of substitution is the fact that some nations allow for copies of a successful product based on their own design (Jannsson et al, 2011). Regulation s and their enforcement have the potential to play a key role in reducing or increasing the substitutions for any Hi-Fi product on the market. With companies recognizing that products including the Xbox and Playstation among others, can take on the role of other instruments, the threat rises (End, 2014). Developing and competing products make this a category of high impact. 3.1.2 Bargaining power of customers The consumer centred nature of the Hi-Fi industry makes it highly dependent on the perception and application of their products (Jannsson et al, 2011). Any faulty offering or substandard item will directly impact the company’s bottom line (The Economist, 2014). Modern consumers demand an integrateable produce that has the latest technology at the lowest prices, making their overall bargaining power substantial. There is a need to remain on the edge in the mind of the consumer in order to continually expand brand loyalty (Macintosh, 2010). Acram and Linn’s current move into the upper end market has been favourably received by the consumers, driving their position in the market higher helping to advance their market share considerably (End, 2014). Yet, any failure would provide amply incentive for these same consumers to seek another brand (The Economist, 2014). Resting on the correct anticipation of needs this is an area of moderate to high priority. 3.1.3 Bargaining power of suppliers The high number of competitors alongside the proliferation of technology diminishes the bargaining power of suppliers (The Economist, 2014). If one company is not willing or able to make a product, there are several others that will (Moodysson et al, 2007). However, the more advanced technology that the company possesses, the more likely that that effort will be successful in the market (Jannsson et al, 2011). Yet, in the case of specific technology there is the real opportunity to have a strong bargaining strategy based on the knowledge the company has (Jannsson et al, 2011). If one company does not possess a certain technology, their associated bargaining position will suffer. Linn, noting the potential available in the market, spent liberally to develop the audiophile music download label that propels their current sales strategy (End, 2014). This example has been emulated by companies such as Naim, which hope to become a prominent member of the market (End, 2014). With many suppliers available, there is a low to moderate priority in this segment. 3.1.4 Intensity of competitive rivalry The potential for revenue and sustainability make the Hi-Fi sector highly competitive (Jannsson et al, 2011; The Economist, 2014). This rivalry consists of companies including Linn, Acram and Niam, often accounting for the majority of the market share, provides a dynamic illustration of the desire of each company to provide the very best Hi Fi product (End, 2014). There is competition at every level of production, development and marketing in order to make the most of the emerging product (Macintosh, 2010). However, this intensity of competition allows for a consistent series of technological advances which is a clear benefit to consumers and manufacturers (The Economist, 2014). With each advance the opportunity to become a market leader will lead to an intense effort to be the first producer. The competitive environment makes this element very high concern for the Hi Fi industry. 3.2 Industry Attractiveness There is a real opportunity to gain both brand awareness and consumer loyalty with a quality Hi-Fi offering, making the market attractive (The Economist, 2014). The long term consumer trend of sustainable spending is a further indication of positive long term market potential (Euromonitor, 2014). Yet, the fact that this is a well-known fact encourages other manufacturers to maintain a position in the market, making competition fierce (Moodysson et al, 2007)). Each of these factors supports an illustration of a growing market that offers both a ripe opportunity for success and an equally dismal chance for failure. Naim and Linn both demonstrate a high degree of value in the area of Hi Fi industry innovation which in turn increases the overall attractiveness of the market (End, 2014). This is a moderate factor in overall industry making the circumstances acceptable for continued expansion. 4 Conclusion Both the PESTEL and the Porter’s Five Forces evaluations have illustrated the potential for both sustained revenue gain as well as increased brand awareness. This is a supporting argument for a strategy including the Hi-Fi sector. However, the very competitive nature alongside the nuances of technological innovation provides ample potential for loss. With factors depending heavily on technology there is a genuine opportunity for gain to be considered in the Hi-Fi sector. 5 References David, F. R. 1999. Strategic management: Concepts and cases.  Prentice Hall. Euromonitor.com. 2014.  Home audio and cinema market research, industry trends. [online] Available at: euromonitor.com/home-audio-and-cinema [Accessed: 2 Mar 2014]. End, B. 2014.  British hi-fi companies seek sanctuary at audios new high end. [online] Available at: techradar.com/us/news/audio/hi-fi-radio/british-hi-fi-companies-seek-sanctuary-at-audio-s-new-high-end-1166158 [Accessed: 6 Mar 2014]. Huggins, R. and Izushi, H. 2011.  Competition, competitive advantage, and clusters. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Jansson, J. and Waxell, A. 2011. Quality and regional competitiveness.  Environment and Planning-Part A, 43 (9), p. 2237. Kessler, K. 2014.  SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com | The British Tree Huggers Get it Right For Once. [online] Available at: soundstagehifi.com/index.php/international/soundstage-uk/674-the-british-tree-huggers-get-it-right-for-once [Accessed: 6 Mar 2014]. Macintosh, R. 2010. Evolution and Revolution in the Hi-fi sector.  University of Glasgow, 1 (1), pp. 1-5. May, W., Mason, C. and Pinch, S. 2001. Explaining industrial agglomeration: the case of the British high-fidelity industry.  Geoforum, 32 (3), pp. 363376. Moodysson, J. and Jonsson, O. 2007. Knowledge collaboration and proximity the spatial organization of biotech innovation projects.  European urban and regional studies, 14 (2), pp. 115131. Pratt, A. C. 1997. The cultural industries production system: a case study of employment change in Britain, 1984-91.  Environment and Planning A, 29 (11), pp. 19531974. Sounds, R. 2014.  Richer Sounds The UKs Hi-Fi, Home Cinema Flat Panel TV Specialists!. 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Developing a Multi-Criteria Decision Making Model for PESTEL Analysis.International Journal of Business \ Management, 7 (24).