Happiness in Marriage Essay

What changes did Sanger describe in married relations in recent generations? Marriage was synonymous with maternity. But the pain, the suffering, the wrecked lives of women and children that such a system caused, show us that it did not work successfully. Like all other professions, motherhood must serve its period of apprenticeship. What changes did Sanger hope would come about if unplanned pregnancies still occur in the United States? Sanger hoped if unplanned pregnancy could be prevented it would allow the husband and wife to become more stable before planning a decision of having a child. That in the end it would help them to support and afford proper care for the child. Do debates concerning birth control and unplanned pregnancies still occur in the U. S.? Yes debates still occur in the United States some churches still don’t recognize birth control and don’t allowed abortion. Are Sanger’s points still relevant and explain your decision? I would say yes, it’s still relevant because of high number of young adults having unplanned pregnancy without knowledge of the future and the risk of having a unborn child at a young age. How do Sanger’s views on marriage apply to today’s definition of ‘marriage’ (single parents, same sex parenting, and blended families). Sanger ‘s definition apply to a happy relationship between husband and wife, but for today society we have different types of parents some are in same sex, divorce and single parent who are just happy to have a children and do the responsibility of the parent even if the child is theirs or not, but for me I will not include the â€Å"OctoMom† Nadya Suleman on the single parenting because she cannot support those kids and now that it’s the tax payer’s money is suffering from her wrong doing.

HR Training Class

Organizations are continuously seeking to improve quality in which there is more focus on their customer service and relations. In most organizations the customer service skills contribute to the success of the organization. Individuals with good people skills are the foundation to excellent customer service. The skills associated with good customer service are problem solving, team work, leadership selection is not an effective way to improve productivity in situations where only a few applicants compete for a large number of openings, or a business involves only easily learned tasks (Brown, 1996).Employees have many options to improving their performance In the event an organization encounters these situations, selection techniques would not be used but training would be used. In any organization, when employees have interactions with customers it represents the organization. The perception held by the customers experience will influence how they will perceive the organization and its products. When determining the training needs of organizations employees and filling positions are important factors in the HR management processes.Having the right number of people with the right training in the right jobs to meet its sales goals for the new product is essential in a viable organization (Kusluvan, 2003). A job analysis needs to be completed to know the skills needed for each position. The job description will lay out the skills and abilities of an individual needed to fill a job will come from the job analysis. The needs assessment role is to give answers to such commonly asked questions such as the when, who, and why.Conducting needs assessment protects the assets of an organization and facilitates conservation and proper utilization of resources set aside for training. A needs assessment helps to know whether training is the ideal solution to a performance deficiency (Barbazette, 2006). If training does not help resolve a deficiency in skills and knowledge, t here would be no need for the training. Organizations should know the reason training to avoid wasting resources in training materials. Needs Assessment PurposeAltschuld and White (2010) point out training needs assessment serves several multiple purposes only if proper implementation takes place. The needs of the organization is the most important when it comes to the training offered. Serving the business needs with training adds value only when it is  needed. Lastly, it will help correct the issues that the clients may present. The clients know what they want but do not know the way to correct issues concerning human performance. A needs assessment can communicate distinctive information given by the client, also give other reason on the clients original feeling.The other reason for the assessment is to match up with the employee’s performance needs ultimately meeting the needs of the organization. A major role of the assessment is to gather the information that will bac k the design of the training, which best fits the needs of the employee’s job description. Also, it results in recommendations regarding non-training issues that are affecting the achievement of the desired organization and employee performance goals (Barbazette, 2006). It is equally as important for the individual assessor to know the issues and give suggestions as to how these issues could be addressed. In addition, training needs assessment helps protect the continuance of the training functions in an organization.During hard times the risk will not be so high if the training provided adds value to the organization. In the process of a needs assessment one should consider the needs of the business, employee performance, and individual learning. The evaluation methods consist of different factors such as organization needs, learner reaction, job performances and learning. The goal in training is to be able to identify positive changes in each of the four needs assessment pr e-measures when post-measured during evaluation (Lenan & Bailey, 2006). The evaluation measurement can cause the organization to begin a new needs assessment. A needs assessment uncovers the existing performance deficiencies. The assessment will address the following questions: Need of training?Organizations need to compare the deficiency to the business needs and confirm that the positive outcome of training employees outweighs the problems inherent in performance deficiency (Tobey, 2005). In order to answer this question, one will have to complete an alternative analysis along with a feasibility analysis. Individual training?Individuals that can provide a solution to the deficiency should be involved in the training. The targeted population should be analyzed to acquire the knowledge of their deficiency. The analysis will also help design the  training program needed and that would be of interest. Unstable Performance ResolvedThe best way to solve performance issues is by offeri ng training or if training is not feasible offer was to solve the issues. A performance analysis will identify the deficiency of skills; this can be solved by training. Best Performance Ways?To achieve the best results there is a better way to accomplish the task. Job performance standards such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) should be set by the organization (Tobey, 1987). Government regulations should also be considered when completing the task in a required manner. Conduct task analysis to identify the best way to perform. Training Timing?Organizations have to consider the best time to complete the training due to the holiday schedules and business cycles will impact the employee attendance.Improvement of the organizations performance is done through the performance and commitment of the employees as well as training. Training will aid employees in their current roles and help develop them for possible future added responsibilities. Some of the purposes of training are to update employee skills, preparation for promotion, and success in management while satisfying the employee needs. Some organizations provide apprentice training.The implementation of a training program being successful depends on more than the organizations ability to identify the needs. The success depends on the ability to obtain information to design a training program to fit the need. Some experts think that the design of the training programs should be focused on objectives of the instructional training’s willingness of employees, instructor’s characteristics and principles of learning. There are many methods of training employees, these methods consist of presentations, role play, on the job training, case study, online web base seminars and simulations.The method of training chosen is online web- based training because it is very convenient to use. If ones company is not  already using it, then there should be plans to implement online training as a part of th e overall plan for education. Web-based training has several advantages. †¢Provides employees access to training materials twenty four hours a day so, they can learn and complete on their own schedule †¢Management can track employees progress†¢Expenses are cut due to not having to provide instructors, venue or materials †¢It enables staff members from various geographical settings to take the training at their convenience without the time or expense of traveling. Since the introduction of the internet, organizations now have virtual online training. This is a way that the company can offer training on various subjects in an online environment. Some organizations offer certificate programs for the completion of the courses employees complete. Ways to motivate employeesThe most indisputable way to motivate employees into attending a training session is to make it a requirement to attend training on scheduled work hours. There are ways to motivate employees that are not interested in attending training sessions are as follows (Tobey, 2005; Rossett, 1987).Provide incentivesThe most common incentives for employees to attend training will include opportunities for promotion, college credits, certificates and monetary compensation. Relate the training to an employee’s immediate jobEmployees are more willing to attend training when the material covered will be directly related to their immediate job performance. Employees would be more motivated to attend a training session on a computer program that the organization will be using in two months than a training session on â€Å"Future Trends on Office Automation† (Rosset, 1987). Therefore, training should be provided before the implementation of the product instead of with the thought of we may use it. Make the training interestingEmployees are more interested and willing to go to training if the session are interesting and they gain useful information associated with their position. I ncrease employee buy-in in the trainingIf the employee has a say in the information covered and the type of training given they will be more likely to attend these sessions. Provide the food.The organization provides lunch during the training session for the employees as the presentation is carried out. This would be the highest possibility that the employees would attend this training. Reduce the stress of attending the trainingOften times, employees are willing to attend training but their schedule constraints keep them from taking the time away from their schedules. The organization can assist employees with attending training by reducing their workload or giving assistance with workload. Customer feedback is significant to respond to customer needs and issues to ensure satisfaction of the Company’s products and services (Brown, 1996). Feedback in training is important in helping make improvements for future training sessions. Sample of survey used to collect feedback.1. O verall how would you rate the training class? ExcellentGoodFairPoor*2. Please rate the following aspects of the training classExcellentGoodFairPoorn/a Did your trainer actively ask questionsDid your trainer have a professional demeanorPlease rate the qualifications of the instructor3. Based on your experience at this training class, how likely are you to attend future training class with this instructor? Very likelySomewhat likelyNot likely4. What did you learn from the training?ExcellentGoodFairPoorn/a5. What do you think about the quality of training?ExcellentGoodFairPoorn/a6. Were the training materials enough?7.Suggest other methods of training8.What did you learn from the training?In conclusion, all organizations should place training employees on customer service at the top of their priorities. Customers will continue to come back when they receive good service and back service will drive customers away. Therefore all organizations need to continue to enhance the customer serv ice skills of their employees through customer service training.

Media reading analysis and response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media reading analysis and response - Essay Example Some scholars, like Myoshi, have argued that we are in many important ways living in a more mobile world where transient actors experience greater freedoms and decreased loyalties. Such a frame work implies a substantial decline in the significance of traditional notions of borders and the nation-state. In the field of education William Brody, the President of Johns Hopkins University, sees opportunities and constraints as knowledge and services become less connected to nation-states and physical sites. How one views the world therefore affects how one anticipates the future. This essay will examine Myoshi's suggestion that the nation-state has declined in important ways; in addition, it will discuss the future implications for the future development of media systems in the Asia-Pacific. As an initial matter, while conceding that Myoshi characterizes the modern world as less national and more ethnically-oriented, he does not state flatly that the nation-state is non-existent or wholly irrelevant; the specific problem, in his view, that "we face now is how to understand today's global configuration of power and culture that is both similar and different vis--vis the historical-colonial paradigm" (1993: 727). This new global configuration is traced from colonization to decolonization to the modern setting. It is ironic that Myoshi refers to the decline of the nation-state in the article's title. This is ironic because the nation-state is also characterized as a myth created and perpetuated by major western powers and one must reconcile whether the decline to which Myoshi refers is to a decline in the influence of an actual nation-state or a decrease in the effectiveness or the legitimacy of the nation-state myth. A careful reading suggests that it is the myth that is in decline. This conclusion is the most plausible for several reasons. First, Myoshi suggest that the goals and the powers have over time been rather consistent. What has changed, mostly, has been the proffered justification for engaging in exploitive behavior. The world has evolved, for instance, from the War on Communism to the War on Terrorism. The world has evolved from colonization to globalization. Labels and slogans change, but the pursuits and the consequences do not. Indeed, referring to a decolonized globe, Myoshi sees little change in terms of consequences for the exploited and the powerless, arguing that the nation-state was always a western-imposed "cartographic unit" (1993: 729), a "counterfeit reproduction" of the colonizer's own administrative structure (1993: 730), and, in effect, a contrived and disingenuous creation. Second, Myoshi argues that with the end of formal colonialism new myths and contrivances have been manufactured by capitalist powers. One set of myths has been sw ept under the rug and another risen to accomplish the same objectives. Third, and persuasively, Myoshi demonstrates how western notions of the nation-state and nationality conflict significantly with more local notions related to ethnicity and ethnic identity. People tend to align themselves more along ethnic lines than national identity and this suggests that Myoshi may be correct of both counts: that the

Rap and Hip Hop Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rap and Hip Hop - Term Paper Example Experts are not unanimous in their conclusions. The influence of rap music is intense and it can have mostly negative effects. The worrying factor is rap has become part of the popular culture. It has made rapid strides since it originated 1970s. â€Å"It is a known fact that hip-hop has taken over, in a sense, the mainstream youth culture,† said Emmett Price, a professor at Northeastern University in Boston, who teaches hip-hop culture. â€Å"So, the young kids from the age of being able to speak to going on to high school are influenced by hip-hop culture whether they listen to music or not.† (Killion†¦) A correlation exists between rap music and increased criminal behavior, sexual activity and drug use. Tricia Rose opines, â€Å"A key aspect of much of the criticism that has been leveled at hip-hop is the claim that it glorifies, encourages, and thus causes violence. This argument goes as far back as the middle to 1980s—the so-called golden age of hip-ho p—when politically radical hip hop artists, such as Public Enemy, who referred to direct and sometimes armed resistance against racism ‘by any means necessary,’ were considered as advocates of violence.†(p.34) The wise saying goes—‘a lie repeated from a platform a thousand times, becomes the truth.’ In the present times of internet revolution, it is necessary that the young adults should know many things.

Wrtie an executive summary based on Why It's So Hard to be Fair for Essay

Wrtie an executive summary based on Why It's So Hard to be Fair for your supervisor who is having trouble rallying his team - Essay Example ve the underlying reasons as to why employees are being laid off or if they do, time is not taken to allow for questions or even employees’ input on the matter. Firm B employees are further advanced good layoff packages as a sign of consolation. The employees of company B later file law suits claiming unlawful layoffs while none or just a few from firm A file similar suits (122-23). Firm B fund itself using a lot of resources in the lawsuits over and above the funds and benefits granted to the laid off workers. The difference in the above outcome was solely based on the approach taken to handle the situation and this is in regards to process fairness. This entails the manager treating the employees fairly and for the employees to feel that they have been treated as so. After the layoffs it was noted that for firm A the productivity increased for those who were left while in firm B it reduced. This therefore means that the employees who were left were affected by either in a positive manner or negatively. Those of firm A increased productivity because they believed that they had a responsibility toward enhancing organisational growth and felt that if they fail to work hard everyone stands to lose in one way or the other. In firm B workers felt that the laying off process was unjust as no much explanation was give and this reduced their morale a great deal (Brockner 123). As seen above time, resources and productivity was lost simply because the manager in firm B did not take time to be courteous enough to explain the issue at hand or even listen and discuss the situation with employees. The firm also ended up losing a great deal of money in the process. Employees need to feel in such situations their views are taken into consideration as well as their plight. This calls for the management to involve employees in decision making more so in areas that will affect their wellbeing. This scenario is also true with customers who need to feel that they have been

Change the attitude Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Change the attitude - Essay Example I am also afraid that during one of my angry bouts, I might seriously hurt someone physically. Through this research paper, I will therefore attempt to delve deeper into the underlying causes of angry behavior, to try and understand the reasons why it develops so easily. In this way, through an understanding of the underlying causes, I may be able to find ways and means to cope with this behavior and change my attitude. Ambrose and Mayne (1999) have summed up the problem of anger as an attitude prevailing among members in society as follows: â€Å"Anger remains one of the most significant problems facing our society today. In a world growing more crowded, with the pace of life increasing exponentially†¦..there is growing potential for anger to play a destructive role on a frighteningly large scale.† (p 362). Anger and aggression is undesirable behavior because it generally leads an individual to manifest that anger against a loved one or an acquaintance. According to Averill (1993), over half of most aggressive actions involving anger are perpetrated against a loved one or an acquaintance, while only 6% of anger episodes are directed against external objects. In offering an explanation for anger, Jeremy Griffith focuses upon biological elements which contribute to this kind of attitude. He points out that unlike animals, human beings are fully conscious. As a result human insight into the past enables a person to make predictions about what is likely to happen in the future, and it is this consciousness that also endows human beings with the ability to control their instincts and manage their lives.(www.humancondition.info). However, in some instances, a conflict develops, between orientated instinct and the experimenting intellect which seeks to understand life’s patterns and to develop greater control over the events in one’s life through using one’s mind. The instincts in effect, try to stop the necessary search for knowledge which is initiated

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Business Law - Essay Example This means that there is unlimited liability and the owner will be responsible personally to repay any debts that may arise from the business. An electrical contracting business would require large amounts of capital to set up and then run the day to day activities. Such limitless capital would not be available with a single person who plans to open a new business, thus he may resort to borrowing or taking loans from lenders. This too is not a guaranteed way to acquire capital as lenders would be unwilling to invest in a new business controlled by a single person with unlimited liability. They would want the personal assets of the owner to cover their loans so that in case of default in the repayment, the assets might be used to recover the loan provided. Secondly, an electrical contracting business needs sophisticated machinery and constant supervision. A single person will not be able to control and supervise 24/7, causing mismanagement which the competition can take advantage of. However, a sole proprietorship is easy to form and dissolve as it does not include legal formalities for starting and closing a business. Although a business such as an electrical contractor would require a government license giving permission to produce and supply electricity which would require certain conditions to be fulfilled. A sole proprietor does not need to share his profits with anyone and he pays minimum income tax as he is not a partnership or a corporation which pay a large proportion of their profits in tax. Electrical contracting business as a Partnership An electrical contracting business being set up as a partnership means ownership is shared between 2 to 20 people. This means that the business will have greater capital and credit resources. A partnership is governed by the law and follows a written document known as the partnership agreement. This document contains all the provisions necessary for smooth running of the business for example managerial duties, share of profits etc. A partnership too can be formed relatively easily as compared to a company. Forming a partnership for conducting an electrical contracting service would require a government license. This license can be achieved relatively easily as compared to sole proprietor business. A partnership consists of two or more thus each person can utilize their managerial skills and benefit the business. For example a partner who is an electrical engineer can work on the machines while another partner who is an accountant can manage the accounts of the business and ensure smooth running. A partnership means the risk of the business is spread over the numerous partners thus one person does not have to take the burden. However, a partnership has unlimited liability as well. This means that all the personal assets of the partners are at risk and a bad decision by one partner can result in loss for all the partners. Being a partnership there is still a limit to the amount of capital that ca n be acquired thus the business has a limitation on the size. Lastly, a partnership will be subjected to large amounts of taxes under the law. A partnership can acquire several types of tax id numbers, e.g.  A Federal EIN Number - The Federal Tax Identification Number is used to identify a business entity and is required for employers and corporations as well as partnerships. A State Sales Tax Id - Sales tax

Concept and product testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Concept and product testing - Essay Example This step is undertaken to introduce the product idea to the customers, see their reactions for the product idea and gather suggestions to add-on. Similarly, product testing also consists of conducting a research on the product. The manufacturer produces a few product samples. This helps the customers to see the final product and judge its features and its look. Both concept testing and Product testing is very important because the failure rate of new products are very high. So concept testing is done to test the idea among the customer and product testing is done to check the feedback of the customers for the final product before commercialization. The research undertaken for testing the concept of the product turned out to be positive. 100 participants were considered for the research. These 100 participants consisted on people from the age group of 13 to 35, in which two groups were made (Students and Working Professionals). The majority of respondents liked the product idea and i ts features. They also gave few suggestions. Now, after receiving a positive response for the product idea, sample products are manufactured and even the suggested ideas are added to the final product. Research is again conducted on the product to test the final product in the market. Again same 100 respondents were considered. Almost 76 % participant considered the product among their purchase list. The participants from student group found the price to be high. So they would prefer a lower price. Otherwise, the feature and the look were well accepted. People found the display of the Kindle amazing. The eBook reader received a very good response from the people. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 5 Research Method 9 Results 11 Product Testing 12 Objectives of research 15 Research Techniques 16 Results 18 Limitations of the Study 19 Conclusion 20 References 21 Bibliography 25 Appendices 27 Appendix 1 27 Appendix 2 29 Introduction A product is regarded as any offering in exchange for a price. It can be tangible as well as in-tangible in nature. After the completion of developing the product, the marketer can plan to launch the product into the market. New product development takes time and it is also quite risky and costly. The failure rate of new products is really high in the market. This happens due to several factors. But the most common factor is lack for proper market research. The marketers should do a proper market research for his product. If they are successful then, after developing the product, another product research is also necessary. This will not only give a true picture to the market, but also save him from incurring huge losses before developing the idea or concept (Lesch & Rupert, 1994, p. 5). It is a well known fact that if well-structured concept testing or product testing method by knowledgeable researcher can really help a company to improve its ability to create successful innovative products or services. However, the re sult of concept testing is not really achieved in reality due to low quality of research. The advancement in the technology and digital media has affected all of us. Similarly, the advent of eBook readers has created a buzz in the market. The increase in popularity of reading books in electronic form has encouraged the marketer to think about product named Kindle. It’s a new idea that will help in creating a device in which one can read numerous books and other reading materials in electronic form as pdf files (Parrickrau, 2011, p. 211). The product idea called Kindle is actually an electronic book reader. It would like a book publication in electronic form. In that device people can read books, see images, etc. Uncountable numbers of books can be stored in a single device. This device

Dirty Pretty Things Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dirty Pretty Things - Movie Review Example The movie develops to a scene where Okwe is given a task to repair a broken toilet by Juliette, who is a prostitute, and this leads to making of a horrendous finding. Okwe decides to report to the manager Sneaky, and he is blackmailed in order to remain quiet (Bradshaw, 1). Nonetheless, it gets to a point where he discovers other illegal business, which influences him into seedy London underworld. In contrast, Senay is also influenced by his endeavor to finance her escape to America. It is evident that these two immigrants are influenced into illegal businesses due to their problems such as poverty, fear of being deported (Roger, 1). Therefore, this movie is able to present the interrelationship of the nature of the capitalist system, immigration, and crime (Rovi, 1). For instance, the capitalist system is evident by the fact the Okwe is has medial training, but he is forced to work as a taxi driver instead of seeking formal employment. The aspect of immigration in the movie is prese nted by the fear that these two characters portray due to the risk of being deported. Furthermore, they are influenced into crime due to poverty they are subjected to since they are illegal immigrant without ability to seek good employment. ... The aspect of poverty in this movie is presented by the couch space that is rented by Okwe in the small flat of the chambermaid, who is called Senay; in fact, she hails from Turkey, where she fled due to an arranged marriage. There are other characters such as Guo Yi, who is involved into poker games at the mortuary where he works. Moreover, there are others such as Ivan and Juliette, who is a prostitute (Rovi, 1). In this case, the movie focuses on presenting main characters who are subjected to poverty and they are forced to be involved in unpleasant jobs to earn their stay in London. However, there are other characters, who are Londoners existing in the movie either as customers or immigration officials. The aspect of capitalism is also presented by the effort by Okwe to work in two jobs, whereby be drives a minicab during the day and in a hotel during the night, and he buys illegal herbs at a local cafe (Roger, 1). These illegal herbs are meant to keep him more or less awake in o rder for him to work without sleep. There is another attribute of faithfulness portrayed by Okwe, whereby he remain faithful to his wife in Nigeria by the fact that he desist to engage in any form of sexual relationship with Senay despite living in the same house; in fact, she like him but Okwe never gets carried away (Bradshaw, 1). These characters are presented with ability to make little money from activities such as supplying room service sandwiches after the hotel kitchen are closed. Nevertheless, it is evident that they make a significant contribution to the Western economy as shadow workers. They also operate through a network of contact and support in London underworld; in fact, members of this network

The Five Forces by Michael Porter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Five Forces by Michael Porter - Essay Example This model distinguished the strength of rivalry and hence the revenues and attractiveness of an industry. Five Forces Model can be utilized as an instrument to enhance a strategic edge over the rivalry of companies inside an industry in a competitive manner. The Five Forces Model is as follow (Bowers et al, 1990): The characteristics of these forces provide the companies the appropriate framework to give them the ability to create the necessary strategies in order to be successful in the industry (Thurby, 1998). To provide an in-depth review of the industry where a company dwells, the researcher will use Porter's five forces model (Campbell et al, 2002). The model of pure competition implies that risk-adjusted rates of return should be constant across firms and industries. However, numerous economic studies have affirmed that different industries can sustain different levels of profitability; part of this difference is explained by industry structure. Michael Porter provided a framework that models an industry as being influenced by five forces (Cemal and Keskin, 2003). The strategic business manager seeking to develop an edge over rival firms can use this model to better understand the industry context in which the firm operates. The discussion will be initially covered by the description of the buyer's power over the industry followed by the depiction of the power of suppliers over the companies (David, 1999). Another attribute of the industry that will be taken into account is the intens ity of competition among companies as well as the level of potency of new companies who have recently entered the market of retail. And finally, the ability of substitute product to affect the business disposition of a company will also be taken into consideration (David, 2001). Buyer's Power Based on Porter's five forces analysis, companies in the industry sell to a few large customers/buyers (Downes, 1999). Likewise, the industry also displays an apparent impracticality for customers/buyers to switch from one source of supply to another. This is reflected by the cost of raw materials as well as the costs of operations. Moreover, the products offered by companies in the industry are essentially interchangeable and indistinguishable (Gratton, 1999). The product

Examine what is meant by situation ethics Essay Example for Free

Examine what is meant by situation ethics Essay Joseph Fletcher an Anglican theologian was the main person to challenge the view that ethics and morality have to be based around laws and rules. He developed three ways of making moral decisions, these were: 1. The antinomian way 2.The legalistic way 3. The situational way The antinomian way was a way of making decisions without any laws or principles. It is what feels right at that particular time and on no bases whatsoever, only on how it feels to you. This was also where existentialism arose. Existentialism being a principle developed by a 19th century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. His theory was that the best way to make decisions was for each individual to find their own unique bases for morality; the foundation for his argument was that no objective or rational bases could be grounded in moral decisions. So the antinomian approach is therefore that in every existential moment or unique situation the situation itself provides the ethical solution. The legalistic approach being at the other end of the scale. This is a way of making decisions with regard to laws or rules. The legalist will live their life in accordance with a set of guidelines or rules. For example Jews will abide by the rules of the Torah and make their decisions primarily from this source. Joseph Fletcher suggested a third way of making moral decisions and this was called the situational way, which consists of a compromise between antinomianism and legalism. In the situational approach every decision is made on one universal principle and that is love. In situation ethics his view was to look at each situation individually. His main line of argument was that the only moral principle that could be applied to all situations is that of love, or: To do whatever is the most loving thing. (Fletcher quoted by Jenkins, Ethics and religion p47). Whereas Natural law theorists ask what the law states, Fletcher asks what is the best possible decision to help others and provide love in doing so. Therefore in his view this is not a law in itself, and its not dictating what should be done in any particular situation but rather an approach that informs moral choice. In other words you should always have someones best interest at heart. Another one of Fletchers arguments was that Christians are meant to love and care for each other and God is also portrayed to be all-loving. As this is the case for Christians shouldnt morality also be based around this theory to do the most loving thing? The Christian perspective like many other religions is based around the idea of natural law. The natural law ethic arose in the 4th century BCE by Aristotle. The Christian theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas further developed the ideas first put forward by Aristotle. He argued that the natural purpose of the world is found in God. He outlined natural law in the following way by suggesting that all people should follow the law of God. He also believed that Human purpose was to reproduce, to learn, to live harmoniously in society and to worship God. (Jenkins p26, quoted by www.faithnet.freeserve.co.uk/situation_ethics.htm). His ultimate belief was that Natural law describes not only how things are, but also how they ought to be furthermore this happens when things fulfil their natural purpose. Natural law is only concerned with what seems to be the natural course of action for humans to take and this is where the conflict arises with situation ethics. There are many circumstances where what appears to be natural doesnt appear to be loving. This is why theologians such as Joseph Fletcher dont agree with the natural law ethic as it causes much controversy. For example the Catholic Church undertook the natural law approach to guide them in terms of their sexual behaviour. They saw the natural purpose for sexual intercourse to be procreation, so therefore anything that proves to be a barrier to this end result is not allowed i.e. contraception. When developing an approach to Situation ethics Fletcher suggested 4 working principles and 6 fundamental principles to outline his ideas. The 4 working principles are: 1.Pragmatism- being ideas and theories that have to work in practice, to be right of good it has to produce a desirable outcome that satisfies loves demand. The main emphasis is that the practical course of the action should be motivated by love. 2.Relativism- To be relative, on has to be relative to something, as situation ethics maintains it has to relate to love and should always respond to love in each situation. Fletcher says it relativises the absolute; it does not absolutise the relative (Fletcher quoted from Vardy; Puzzle of ethics p126). Meaning each absolute can be made relative to love but relativism cannot be applied to a concrete situation as love acts differently in different situations, it depends on how its applied and this varies with each circumstance. 3.Positivism- this is accepting to act in love by faith rather than by reason, once faith is declared it is supported by logic. In situation ethics positing a belief in God as love or a higher good and then reasoning what is required in any situation to support that belief. 4.Personalism- This is the desire to put people not laws first. It is always what is the best to help a person that makes a decision a good one. As God is meant to be personal therefore morality should also be person-centred. However It is the main framework of situation ethics that is outlined by the 6 fundamental principles. These are: 1. There is only one thing that is intrinsically good- love. Actions are good if they are fulfilling love by helping them but reversibly they are bad if they hurt people. No single act in itself is right or wrong it always depends on the situation the circumstance occurs in. Love always decides the actions that are good or bad. 2. The ruling principle of Christian love is agape love. Agape love is self-giving love and this doesnt require anything in return. The overriding principle of decision-making is love. 3. Love and justice are the same. In Fletchers words love and justice are the same thing, for justice is love distributed. (Fletcher quoted by William Bailay p73). He also claims that justice is love at work in the community in which human beings live. (Vardy, Puzzle of ethics p128). 4. Thout shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (William Temple quoted by Vardy, puzzle of ethics p123). As the neighbour is a member of the human family therefore love wills the neighbours good. Love is practical and not selective. Christian love is said to be unconditional so we should show love to everyone and that includes are enemies. 5. Only the end result justifies the means, love is the end- never a means to something else. Love can justify anything in situation ethics as long as the end result satisfies love. 6. Loves decisions are made in the circumstance of each situation and not prescriptively. Humans have a responsibility of freedom. No one is bound by laws, so with this responsibility comes the notion to do the most loving thing and to apply this to every situation. Fletcher claims that it is a mistake to generalise. You cant say Is it ever right to lie to your family? The answer must be, I dont know, give me an example. A concrete situation is needed, not a generalisation. It all depends may well be the watchword of the Situationist. (Puzzle of ethics, Vardy p.130) There are many moral dilemmas when given certain situations, and taking the situational view we are faced with the duty to do the most loving thing possible, and to serve agape love. Taking an example from William Bailay, on a wilderness trial to Kentucky many people lost their lives to Indians who hunted them down. In one case there was a woman who carried her child with her and her child was crying. The babys crying was betraying the rest of the camp as the cries were leading the Indians to them. The mother clung to her child and as a result the whole camp was found and they were all killed. In another case a Negro woman and her party found themselves in the same situation, their lives were in danger, as they too would be found out if the baby continued to cry. However the Negro woman strangled her child to stop its cries, and as a result the whole party escaped. How can we tell which action was love? The Mother who kept her baby and brought death all, or that of the mother who killed her own child to save the lives of her family and friends? This is a perfect example of the type of decisions that situation ethics confronts us with. In situation ethics there is no definite right or wrong, it has to be applied by each circumstance. Likewise there is no intrinsic value, no goodness or badness held purely in an action itself. Situation ethics says it all depends on the situation and whether or not it fulfils love. Goodness and badness are not properties of moral actions they are predicates. This demonstrates one of the key aspects and an advantage for situation ethics. Sometimes morality can be somewhat restricted however in taking the situational approach there are no moral rules. If someone with morals can only abide to duty they cant go outside their own boundaries. This is the case in many orthodox religions. Whereas situation ethics maintains that there are no absolutes, you are allowed to go outside certain boundaries if in doing so you are providing the most loving result. Take the Islamic faith for example. Muslims follow the laws of the Koran; one law is do not steel, which is an absolute. But say if there were a single mother living in the poorer regions of the country who had no money and was struggling to feed her starving children. Would it be right for the mother to let her children starve? Or would it be better for the woman to go against the law and perhaps steel some food in order for them to survive? If the woman followed her religion seriously then it would not be morally right for her to steel and as a result her children lives would be at stake. This is the advantage of situation ethics, it says that words like never and absolute cant be used because their will always be exceptions. Another advantage of situation ethics is that people are always put first, it is a personal matter. People are made more important than principles. This goes against the legalistic approach. Where legalism put laws in first place conversely situation ethics makes people the main emphasis. Furthermore we often find that the outside world is constantly changing. As we live in the modern day and age we are on a constant roller coaster of changing situation. As a result of this many religions find it extremely difficult to apply their laws to the modern world. Take the Torah being applied to the modern age or orthodox Jews attempts to conserve laws against modern relativism to be an example. Because situation ethics can change with time this gives it a huge advantage. Situation ethics also makes the important link between love and justice, which is another key aspect and this is shown as the third of the six fundamental principles. To Fletcher justice is love distributed and Justice is love working out its problems. (William Bailay p73) However there have also been many criticisms of Situation Ethics. When referring to the meaning of love, this is sometimes seen to be too general. As love has no definite meaning, it changes according to the situation, it becomes relative, and so it cannot be said that there is only one moral absolute. As there are no specific guidelines for agape love it could be said that it is possible to justify any action. These are dangerous boundaries. The question What might happen if I allow euthanasia once? could be asked. It may be hard to know where to draw the line; people all over the place might start killing their grandparents because they are too oldin the name of love! Situation ethics sometimes relies on spontaneity, however spontaneity can sometimes be misguided. It may turn out to be irrational and foolish. The abandonment of rules may in turn reduce situation ethics to antinomianism. It may lead to a state of moral flux as rules play an important part in sociological maintenance. It is also been decided that there are certain examples of absolutes. Take rape, child abuse and genocide, these are all examples of absolutes that are wrong and under no circumstance would they be right. You would not be able to justify this with love. It is often quite hard to understand exactly what is meant by the meaning of love. It can be hard to know what they most loving thing to do is. It is also hard to know what the most loving thing is in terms of the consequence. How can we predict all the consequences of an action? This can be shown by euthanasia. Say their was a man who had aids and had only a 5% chance of getting better again, he approached his friend and asked him if he would end his life for him. What happens if he got better? Even if there is only a very tiny chance there is still a chance. The man might suddenly make a recovery and go on to lead a long and prosperous life. How can we predict the consequences? It is also hard when attempting to share love out fairly in a particular situation. This can also be shown by this example of euthanasia; it is hard to know what is the best for the person, friends and family. It might be best for the man but what might be best for him might not necessarily be the most loving thing for the family or their friends. It is also quite hard to view a situation from a totally unbiased perspective. There is a possibility that a decision could be made selfishly with or without realising it but as its in the name of love it is justifiable. This again makes the boundary for love very hard to distinguish. It is also questionable as to whether it is possible for all members of society to judge each situations by its merits. A lot of time and energy has to go into the decision this isnt always accessible to everyone. How practical is situation ethics? Finally on what basis is it possible for the situationist to make moral decisions? What happens when there are no ultimate ethical principles? The situationist is making prejudiced decisions based potentially on personal whims. An example of a danger caused by this can be seen in the actions of Adolf Hitler and his attitude towards the Jews in the Second World War. For those who felt that situation ethics went to far in attempting to set itself free from any conception of law, there is an approach that combines both theories of natural law and of situation ethics. This approach is known as proportionalsim. Proportionalists hold the belief that there are particular situations where moral rules should be abided to unless there is a proportionate reason for not contending with them. This reason would be grounded in the situation itself. In this way the primary precepts of natural law could be accepted (e.g. killing, stealing, lying etc) as the ground rules unless there was a sufficient reason for not doing so. Proportionalists hold a clear distinction between moral and non-moral acts. For example proportionalists would say abortion is wrong, but it may be morally right in the circumstances of that situation. However unlike situationalists they say that love does not then make a wrong action right. Furthermore they still incur the same problems that situationalists face in trying to determine what bests serves love in a situation, and on making decisions by selfish means.

Business Development Plan and CRM: Thomas Cook Group

Business Development Plan and CRM: Thomas Cook Group 1.0 ABSTRACT Customer relationship management(CRM) consists of the processes a company uses to track and organize its contacts with its current and prospective customers. CRM in its broadest sense simply means managing all customer interactions. In practice, this requires using information about ones customers and prospects to more effectively interact with its customers in all stages of its relationship with them. We refer to these stages as the customer life cycle. The customer life cycle has three stages: Acquiring customers Increasing the value of customer retaining good customer BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT The specialist area o fbusiness development comprises a number of techniques and responsibilities which aim at gaining new customers and at penetrating existing markets. Techniques used include: assessment of marketing opportunities and target markets intelligence gathering on customers and competitors generating leadsfor possible sales advising on, drafting and enforcing sales policies and processes follow-up sales activity. Project work: Learning of the major products and services of Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. Major Clients Major Competitors Acquiring a larger market share Learning about Customer Relationship Management Objectives Acquiring new customers. Retaining existing customers To have larger market share Limitations: Sometimes it is very hard to get an appointment with a corporate client as they have tough schedules. Meeting the right person in the organization is not an easy task who has the decision making power. Lack of transparency by companies in providing their data. Time period constraint was there for carrying out analysis. 2. INTRODUCTION 2.1 Company Profile Thomas Cook Group plc is a leading international leisure travel group, created by the merger of MyTravel Group plc and Thomas Cook AG in June 2007. Thomas Cook Group plc is a fully listed company on the London Stock Exchange. Thomas Cook (India) Limited is a part of Thomas Cook Group. It remains as a subsidiary of TCIM Limited, an unlisted private company, incorporated under the laws of England and Wales having its Registered Office at Peterborough, England, U.K. and holding 55.87% of the post Rights Issue paid-up equity share capital of the Company. Thomas Cook UK Limited (TCUK) apart from holding 21.45% of the post Rights Issue paid-up equity share capital of the Company, also holds 100% holding in TCIM Limited. Thus, TCUK indirectly holds 77.31% of the present paid-up equity share capital of the Company. 2.2 Thomas Cook (India) Limited During the year 2008, the Company successfully consolidated various businesses across Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its subsidiaries. The Company derived the synergy benefits in 2008 arising out of various initiatives like network harmonization, closure of non-core and loss making units, manpower realignment, and contributions from tourism boards for marketing spends, re-negotiation with vendors due to increased bargaining power. The one-time cost of integration amounted to Rs. 69.8 million. Thomas Cook organized a 19 city Summer Holiday Sale, a pan-India Holiday road-show offering the best Holiday deals. The roadshows were very successful giving a boost to the Domestic Business. The year 2008 was focused on Domestic Tourism with its launch through the brand name: My India, My Way. During the year, packages catering to the needs of different segments of customers were created. the Company was the first Travel Company to offer Indian Rail Bookings online in partnership with IRCTC on its portal. Further, the Company also integrated with Hotels4u real time on www.thomascook.in giving its online customers first hand access to over 30,000 hotels in the Hotels4u inventory. The Company also tied-up with Axis Bank for pre-paid forex card which offers exchange upto 7 currencies. Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. is the largest integrated Travel and Travel related Financial Services Company in the country offering a broad spectrum of services that include Foreign Exchange, Corporate Travel, Leisure Travel, and Insurance. The Company launched its Indian operations in 1881 and is celebrating its 127 years of world-class service in India. Thomas Cook (India) operates in the following areas of business, namely:Leisure Travel, Corporate Travel Management, MICE, Foreign Exchange, SWIFT Network, Travel Insurance, Credit Cards, Pre-Paid Cards, Life Insurance and E-Business. Post March 31st 2008, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) is a part of Thomas Cook Group plc UK (TCG). On March 7th 2008, TCG announced its decision to acquire TCIL from Dubai Investment Group. Thomas Cook Group plc is one of the largest travel groups in the world with a market capitalization of approximately US$6 Billion. In June 2006, Thomas Cook (India) acquired LKP Forex Limited and Travel Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd. (TCI).TCIL presently operates in over 61 cities across almost 166 locations in the country. The company has overseas operations in Sri Lanka which is a branch of TCIL and Mauritius which is a subsidiary of Thomas Cook (India). The Company employs over 2,500 resources and is listed on both the Bombay Stock Exchange as well as the National Stock Exchange. Thomas Cook (India), over the years has received several prestigious awards such as the Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Golden Award for Best Travel. Recently, the Company won the Best Tour Operator at the CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards 2008 and was also accredited the P1 rating which is the highest financial rating given by Crisil. 2.3 Financial Facts of the Company Revenues as on December 31, 2010 as declared in the annual report was Rs 2588 million crore. A dividend of 37.5% on the equity share capital had also been the proposed dividend on the equity capital and preference Capital absorbs Rs. 93 million for dividend and Rs. 16 million for Dividend Tax. 2.4 Listing of Shares THOMAS COOK INDIA LIMITED is listed on two Stock Exchanges in India viz. Bombay Stock Exchange Limited, Mumbai and National Stock Exchange of India Limited, Mumbai. 2.5 Principal Bankers: State Bank of India ICICI Bank Limited HDFC Bank Limited IDBI Bank Limited Deutsche Bank Standard Chartered Bank The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Apart from this Thomas Cook has won the following awards: Best Travel Agency Award2004 given by TTG Asia Part of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for the 5th year in succession. The Golden Peacock Award for Corporate Governance, for the second time in a row. The Criteria for this award are transparency, excellence in conducting business, various levels of management, social and environmental responsibility, ethical business practice and Consistent creation of value for all the stakeholders. The National Tourism Awardfor 2001-2002 2002-2003, winning the second rank in category 1 for the company that achieved the highest foreign exchange earnings from Ministry of Tourism. National Tourism Award Best MICE Operator2006-07 National Tourism Award 3rd prize Inbound Operator2006-07 The Association of Business Communications of India(ABCI) where the company won the first prize for its website www.thomascook.co.in Awarded The Best Outbound Inbound Tour Operator of the Year award at the Hospitality India Awards 2006 hosted by Hospitality India. Recipient of the prestigious Government of India Ministry of Tourism award for Excellence in Conference Tourism Best Travel Agency India for the year 2008by TTG Asia Part of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Best Tour Operator by CNBC Awaaz in 2008 Best Outbound Tour Operatorin the 4th Hospitality India Explore the world Annual International Awards 2008 2.7 SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths Image Overall presence Customized services Efficient sales staff High focus on customer satisfaction Handling last minute transactions Weakness Inability to fully cover each market Not aggressive in advertising Opportunities Unexplored Market Hotels in Manesar Threats Other players in foreign exchange market. 3.0 INDUSTRY ANALYSIS 3.1 About Foreign Exchange Market In todays world no economy is self sufficient, so there is need for exchange of goods and services amongst the different countries. So, unlike in the primitive age the exchange of goods and services is no longer carried out on barter basis. Every country in the world has a currency that is legal tender in its territory and this currency does not act as money outside its boundaries. So whenever a country buys or sells goods and services from or to another country, the residents of the two countries have to exchange currencies. Foreign exchange market is described as an OTC (over the counter) market as there is no physical place where the participants meet to execute the deals. The largest foreign exchange market is in London, followed by the New York, Tokyo, Zurich and Frankfurt. The market are situated throughout the different time zone of the globe in such a way that one market is closing the other is beginning its operations. Therefore, it is stated that foreign exchange market is functioning throughout 24 hours a day. 3.2 Need for Foreign Exchange If an Indian company exports cotton fabrics to USA and invoices the goods in the US dollar. The American importer will pay the amount in US dollar, as the same is his home currency. However the Indian exporter requires rupees i.e. his home currency for procuring raw materials and for payment to the labour charges, etc. Thus, he would need to exchange US dollar for rupee. If the Indian exporter invoices their goods in rupee, then the importer in USA will get his dollar converted in rupee and pay the exporter. From this we can infer that in case goods are bought or sold outside the country, exchange of currency is necessary. 3.3 Following are the major bifurcations: Full fledge moneychangers these are the firms and individuals who have been authorized to take both, purchade and sale transaction with the public. Restricted moneychanger these are shops, hotels, etc that have been authorizes only to purchase foreign currency towards cost of goods supplied or services rendered by them or for conversion into rupees. Authorized dealers these are the ones who can undertake all types of foreign exchange transaction. Banks are the only authorized dealers. The only exceptions are Thomas Cook, Western Union. 3.4 Participants in foreign exchange market The main players in foreign exchange market are as follows: Customers: The customers who are engaged in foreign trade participate in foreign exchange market by availing the services of banks. Commercial Banks: They are the most active players in the foreign exchange market. Commercial banks dealing with international transaction offer services for conversion of one currency into another. They have a wide network of branches. Central Bank: In all countries Central Bank have been charged with the responsibility of maintaining the external value of the domestic currency.. Generally this is achieved by the intervention of the bank. Exchange Brokers: Forex brokers play a very important role in the foreign exchange market. However the extent to which the services of foreign brokers are utilized depends on the tradition and practice prevailing at a particular Forex market centre. Overseas Forex market Speculators 3.5 Major Competitors The major players in the foreign exchange market VKC FRR WEIZMANN FCM TT FOREX CENTRUM RR SEN MERCURY 4.0 SERVICES 4.1 Holidays Inbound Inbound Tourist refers to tourists/ travelers coming to India. Inbound tour operators promote India as a tourist destination. TCIL organizes tours for foreign tourist visiting India. TCIL organizes Individual tours, group tours and Conferences. Various services offered in inbound business are accommodation, ticketing, roundtrip, excursion, land arrangements, airport transfer etc. These services are procured from providers of these services like hotels, airlines, transporters, guides etc. within India. Customers are typically individuals and are sourced by overseas principals, tour operators or travel agents. TCI, one of the subsidiaries is among the leaders in inbound tourism and works closely with tour operators worldwide. TCI has a widely distributed network of travel agents and tour operators worldwide. It has around 20 offices in India and a total of 11 offices in USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Spain, China, Korea, Japan and Australia. TCIL also acts as a ground handling agent domestically for Charter flights coming from international destinations. TCIL also offers customized individual holidays, group escorted holidays, MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition) arrangements and emergency medical assistance. Inbound travelers handled by our Company are primarily from Europe and USA.TCIL enters into business arrangements with the foreign tour operators for servicing their customers when they arrive in India. 4.2 International Holidays Outbound tourist refers to Indian Nationals traveling out of India. TCIL offers outbound tour packages across approximately 50 Countries. Outbound packages include various services like air tickets, visa, travel insurance, airport transfer, hotel accommodation, sight seeing, etc. International Holidays is further classified into following categories: Group Escorted Holidays: These are ready made packages where a group of travelers is escorted by a Tour Manger. Customised Individual Holidays: Tailor made packages based on individual requirements MICE: Dealers/Employees are sent on tour by Corporates. Sales agency amongst others for Star Cruise, Rail Europe, Globus, Cosmos Tours, Greyhound, Amtrak, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, Japan Rail and Costa Cruises 4.3 Domestic Holidays Domestic Travel refers to Indian Nationals (Tourists, Business Travelers, Students, Leisure travelers) traveling within India. Various services offered are accommodation, ticketing, roundtrip, excursions, land arrangements, airport transfer, etc. These services are procured from service providers like hotels, airlines, transporters, guides, etc. TCI, one of our subsidiaries specializes in special interest and incentive tours, conferences and air charter / cruise ship ground operations. It operates its own Taj Mahal Tour and Delhi City Tour and is a General Sales Agent (GSA) for the Palace on Wheels and the Deccan Odyssey. TCIL is an active member of various industry and professional organizations. 4.4 Air Tickets Book your Air Tickets for your travel with TCIL either offline or online through the sitewww.thomascook.in.   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   TCIL offers a complete range for flights, right from Low Cost to Full service Airlines, to choose from. 4.5 Rail Tickets Book your Rail Tickets for your travel with Thomas Cook either offline or online through the sitewww.thomascook.in. You can choose either Indian Rail Tickets that are available via IRCTC or International Rail Tickets via Rail Europe. TCIL offers a complete range for Rail Bookings, International or Domestic. 4.6 Corporate Travel Corporate Travel forms a dominant share of overall travel business of our Company. TCIL manages the travel budgets of several large national and multinational companies. The large scale of operations enables it to effectively manage travel budgets of several Multi National Companies, Blue-Chip companies and Multinational banks to their advantage. The Company provides Integrated Travel Management / Advisory Services to more than 300 Corporates. TCIL provides customers a complete basket of products for all their travel needs: Air Reservations Hotel Reservations Land arrangements which includes sight seeing, car rental, transfers etc. Passport / Visa Service Conference / Incentive tour arrangements Foreign Exchange Insurance The branches specialize in offering tailor-made Travel Policies for each corporate, thereby bringing savings on spend. Based on requirements and volumes of business, corporate are serviced either by having a dedicated relationship team visits clients office regularly or having a dedicated expert travel consultant with Centralised Reservation System located at the clients site as an implant. 4.7 Meetings, Incentives, Exhibitions Conferences Experience:This refers to the experience of the travelers right from the time they board the airline to the foreign destination till the time they come back. The travel here is a REWARD for the dealers/employees of the company who have done well over a period of time. The company (as well as the employees) expects the trip to be an enjoyable, hassle free and fun filled experience. Thomas Cook understands their concern and provide them this experience through our:- Experienced, dependable and extensively traveled Tour Managers, who are available with the group 24 X 7, provide their personalized services to the group and at times, act as crisis managers. In contrast, the other tour companies often send their ticketing person as the tour manager. The requests for special Dietary requirements are taken care of completely. The Indians are very particular about the food they eat (e.g.) Jain food. It is made sure that the clients get the same, irrespective of the location they are traveling to. The sightseeings that are offered are often exotic and different from the rest of the tour operators. Customer Focus/Customer Centric/Exceptional Service:This primarily refers to the experience of the corporate with the sales representatives. There is a huge extent of customization in case of a MICE trip in terms of destinations, hotel requirements, conference needs, sightseeings to be covered, gala dinner venue, team building activities etc. The prime focus is always to cater to our customers specific needs and the intent is to delight the customer by always delivering more than promised by us/expected by them. Dependable:This comes out of the reputation of the company (TCIL) and the vast experience of handling a large number of MICE movements in the past. The fact that TCIL has trusted business partners (suppliers) for every destination and that there is always an experienced tour manager with the group ensures that the clients feel secure when they travel with us. Moreover, the reputation of the company ensures that there will be no let up in the service quality and there wont be any trivial financial issues. Reservoir of Knowledge:The experienced employees of the MICE business make sure that they function as a travel consultant to the client rather than being a travel agent to them. It is believed that with the expertise, TCIL is in a position to provide multiple options to our customers. This is especially true in case of clients who have a budget constraint. Once the client is provided with multiple options along with the pros and cons for the same, they are in a much better position to take a decision regarding the destination as well as the services that they expect us to provide them. Value for Money/Cost Effective: TCIL is committed to provide quality service to its clients and they do not believe in any compromise on the same (0% Compromise). It is made sure that the experience that our clients get is of a greater value than the cost that they pay for it. If TCILs cost is more than the competition, then there is ALWAYS a very strong reason for the same (which could be better quality of hotels, better airlines, EXTRA inclusions etc.). Product Innovation:Over the last decade or so, the MICE industry has been booming. Since then, some of the companies have been traveling each year (with multiple incentives/conference tours). They are always looking out for new destinations for the incentive trips. TCILs endeavour is to be ahead of the competition at all times and product innovation is one way of doing that. TCIL has promoted new destinations at different points of times which have traditionally never been thought of for a MICE trip. E.g. Jordan, Japan, Macau, Canada. Moreover, within the same destinations, TCIL has managed to change the product mix by changing the venues for Gala Dinner (at cruise, Desert Safari etc.) or including some exotic sight seeings or providing some out of the box team building activities or in any other way. Wide Reach:TCIL is confident of providing our customers with the best of the services at any destination that they wish to visit. This is due to the vast resources of the company and due to the number of trusted business partners that we have all over the world. One Stop Shop for MICE needs/Integrated travel services:Its the firm belief that once the customer enters one of our offices, all his travel needs will be catered to. TCIL provides the customer with the forex services, insurance cover and a travel card. Moreover, TCIL can service their visa requirements better than any other tour operator because of our goodwill and the relationships that we have with the various embassies/consulates. We have the ability to provide the customer with a 360 degree experience on a consistent basis. Work with Play:This is particularly true in case of the corporates who have an offsite for a conference/meeting. TCIL ensures that after a hard days work, they have a relaxed and fun filled evening. This can be done by sending them on a night cruise or by treating them to a Gala Dinner with free flow of liquor and a Live DJ. In one of the cases, we had sent a couple of VJs and RJs (RJ Taraana) from India who made sure that everyone from the group was involved in the fun activities. 4.8 Thomas Cook Credit Card Salient Features: Thomas Cook Titanium MasterCard features in brief: The card has been specially designed for frequent travelers. Attractive 6 reward points for each spend of Rs.100 on the card on Thomas Cook products Free Delivery of Foreign Exchange within city limits Rs. 5,000 discount on any Thomas Cook GIT product 1 Free Air ticket to a domestic destination on the issuance of new card Complimentary travel inconvenience insurance policy Access to MasterCard travel lounges at Airports across the world Redemption of reward points for Thomas Cook holiday packages, hotel stays, air tickets, airline upgrades, etc Conversion of Thomas Cook reward points to frequent flyer miles convert the reward points earned on card to frequent flyer miles on select domestic airlines. Positioned as a comprehensive travel card Assured gifts for the joining fees free air ticket / discount voucher Higher reward points for card swipes at Our Companys outlets Redemption of reward points against Thomas Cook products encouraged 4. 9 Travel Insurance Insurance business of being carried out through our 100% subsidiary Thomas Cook Insurance Services (I) Ltd. (TCISL). TCISL is a corporate agent of Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited. TCISL entered insurance distribution in 2001 and offers the following products and services: TravelCare (Overseas Travel Insurance)- Travel Care offers security for travelers which covers travel insurance, hospitalization, loss of documents, Repatriation of Remains, emergency Cash Advance or any other crises which requires assistance. FamilyCare- An Overseas travel Insurance cover for entire family of 4-5 persons with single overall sum insured. ScholarCare (Overseas Student Insurance)- A customized product for all students studying abroad which ensures timely assistance in case of unexpected surprises in a foreign land. CorporateCare (Overseas Corporate Travel Insurance)- For Companies where employees travel abroad frequently on work, we have customized group policies. All foreign trips undertaken by employees in a year are covered under a single policy. TCISL provides all insurance products at all our outlets, leveraging on ability to cross sell insurance products to our Travel and Forex customers. 4.10 Foreign Exchange Thomas Cook India is the largest non banking authorized Dealer in India providing an array of foreign exchange products and services to various customer segments in India, Srilanka and Mauritius It has the largest network of branches with 144 locations across 53 cities in India including 28 airport counters in major cities working 24 x7x 365 days. It also has a vast presence in Mauritius with 12 locations including international airport and also in Sri Lanka at 3 major locations. It has been awarded the best foreign exchange company by CNBC Awaaz for the year 2008 and 2009. 4.11 Service Strategy of Thomas Cook To deliver exceptional service to all internal and external customers By Being  Ã‚  Ã‚   By Providing  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By Ensuring Proactive   Professional Service  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Personal Care Speedy Flexible Transparent Reliable Creative 5.0 FOREIGN EXCHANGE Thomas Cook has been granted an authorized dealers license (category II) by RBI to deal in foreign exchange through its designated branches. Under this license, we have been, inter-alia, granted permission to undertake the following activities: 1. Retail purchases of foreign currencies and travelers cheques. 2. Bulk purchases/sales of foreign currencies from/to authorized dealers, money changers and franchisees. 3. Release / remittance of foreign exchange for the following activities: a. Private Visits b. Remittance by tour operators/travel agents to overseas agents/principals/hotels c. Business Travel (including for Central and State Government officials) d. Fee for participation in global conferences and specialized training e. Payment of crew wages f. Film Shooting g. Medical Treatment abroad h. Overseas Education i. Remittance under educational tie up arrangements with universities abroad j. Maintenance of close relatives abroad k. Stall rentals and participation fees in connection with participation in overseas exhibitions / fairs 4. Import and export of foreign currency and export of encashed Travelers Cheques 5. Maintenance of foreign currency accounts with banks abroad and undertaking forex cover operations in India and abroad. The activities permitted by RBI are carried out only at the specific locations permitted by RBI. As an Authorized Dealer, we are a member of the Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India. Our Company provides the foreign exchange and payment solutions for: Individual travelers Foreign exchange for leisure outbound travelers Foreign Exchange for migration, employment, medical treatment Remittances for students studying abroad, gift remittances etc Encashment services inward remittances for inbound tourists visiting India, Non Resident / Resident Indians. Corporates Travel money and remittances for business travelers. On site support for inbound tour conferences. Film production houses traveling for shoots abroad. Remittances of tour proceeds for tour operators. Institutions Bulk purchases and sales of foreign currencies from Banks, Non Bank Retailers and Money Changers. Our business model revolves around leveraging its position as an Authorized Dealer with systems, ability and experience of handling large volumes of forex transactions for both wholesale and retail customers in a highly cost-efficient manner. 5.1. Network The strong network enables TCIL to attract large wholesale clients such as public and private sector banks, FFMCs and RMCs to use our services. TCIL has a strong network of approximately 160 offices in 55 cities and 100 RMCs Hotel Franchisee. The Company has foreign exchange counters at the international airports of Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Cochin and Trivandrum which are open 24 hours and 365 days a year to cater to the needs of the international travelers. It also has a round-the clock Foreign Exchange counter at the New Delhi Railway Statio

Community Radio Stations in Rural or Developing Areas

Community Radio Stations in Rural or Developing Areas In recent times, media has prioritised the use of mass communications, where the rural areas receive information from their nearby capital cities. The minor community has always been overlooked. Community radio is the form of radio that emphasises on a community, allowing its members to plan, produce, perform and make the use of media to make their voices heard and existence sensed. The members of the community, often on a volunteer basis, for which the radio broadcasts for, are the ones who elect the board members, make the policy for the station, manage the station and produce the programmes that is represents the community (Kim Mahling Clark, 2007). It is the means of expression of the community, rather than for the community (Lumko Mtimde, 1998). Community radio is an influential tool for empowerment of the unnoticed groups struggling to be heard in the society. The word ‘community’ refers to a group of people living in the same place who share characteristics and/or interests. The term ‘community’ can be classified on the basis of the geographical location and a social group of individuals who share specific interests. Hence a community radio is the one that broadcasts solely for the entertainment, development and empowerment of a community. This goal is met by allowing the members of the community to voice their opinion about the issues and the policies that affect their personal lives (Lumko Mtimde, 1998). However, claiming that community radio broadcasts solely for the needs of a community will not suffice. The mainstream radio also take the responsibility of the communities. Also categorising the community radio as a small-scaled, alternative and socially beneficial form of radio is insufficient, as these can be the defining features of commercial and public service radio (Chignell, 2009). Gordon, in his articl e, summarised the definition: Everybody who has any interest in radio knows what exactly community radio is all about. But these people, at times, contradict each other. However, it is unanimously agreed that a community radio is the one that is run principally by volunteers on a non-profit concept, this is where the agreement ends (Gordon, 2006). A community radio must either be registered as a non-profit making organisation or must be run by an entity that is registered as non-profit making organisation. Therefore it is understood that the objective of the organisation running a community radio should be to serve and educate their target community and not to make profit out of the business. When Jose Ignacio Lopez came across the question â€Å"Do we work primarily for our gain, or to help improve the social conditions and the cultural quality of life of the people in our communities?† he said that, â€Å"Community radio stations are not looking for profit, but to provide a service to civil society. A service that attempts to influence public opinion, create consensus, strengthen democracy and above all create community – hence the name community radio.† (Lumko Mtimde, 1998). The community radio must take up the responsibility to educate their audience about the local political party and help them cast their vote; community radio can also help the listeners preserve their local environment. The networks of community radio stations can serve as an effective platform for the conception of national news and distribution of information (Kim Mahling Clark, 2007). There can be as many community radio stations as the number of communities a country is comprised of. This is restricted by the frequencies available for the broadcast. However, some countries have legislations which renders some communities ineligible to community radio licenses. Source of income has always been a challenge for these radio stations. A well-harmonised pooled source of funding or a microcredit loan system for community radio improvement that is not a matter to donor priorities may help the struggling radio. The radio should seek for donors who would provide them with the required equipment and technological support. If the legal and political scenario does not encourage the development of community radio and if there is potential in a community, then the international development community should come forth and inspire the government to help the community establish their community radio (Kim Mahling Clark, 2007). Nepal’s topography did not allow the coverage by electronic media or the distribution of print media. The low literacy levels with poor electrification added to misery that media was in the early 1900s. The content covered by the radio, television and the two daily newspapers were essentially unrelated to the rural community, which comprised of an approximate of 80% of the country’s population at the time. When the airwaves were made public, it gave birth to a few radio stations that mainly broadcasted pop music for the urban youth. After a long and hard battle with the conservative politicians and bureaucrats, the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ), along with other organisations, who were determined to bring the Radio Sagarmatha (RS) into life, received their license. When the officer came over to hand in the license, he said, ‘You have won the war’. To which the RS programme director replied, ‘Lately, you have obeyed the law!’ The RS is run by a station manager/programme director, six full time producers, two technicians, a music librarian, an engineer, an accounts officers, a station helper and some 26 volunteers. These volunteers play an important part, as they would in any community radio, to help the RS to function. RS has actively taken interest in women empowerment. The station has two regular access spots: the first where the audience call the station and record their feedback onto an answering machine and the second is a vox-pop segment where the producers ask people in the streets to record their opinion on a particular topic. A pre-recorded daily segment called It’s My Turn Now allow the people of the community to speak their mind on any topic. For the children, the radio broadcasts a serial, which is sponsored by UNICEF, in which a grandfather tree and a baby parrot interact with children who play around the tree. Monthly, or sometimes weekly, programmes are produced with collaboration w ith community groups and local NGOs. The radio has regularly covered the topics of meter tampering by taxi drivers, thieves and pickpockets, prostitution, AIDS, leprosy, TB, quality of air and water, child labour and abortion (Colin Fraser, 2001). References Chignell, H., 2009. Key concepts in radio studies. s.l.:SAGE publications ltd. Colin Fraser, S. R. E., 2001. Community radio handbook. s.l.:UNESCO. Gordon, J., 2006. A comparision of a sample of new British community radio stations with a parallel sample of established Australian community radio stations. 3C Media, Journal of Community, Citizen.s and Third Sector Media and Communications, pp. 1-16. Kim Mahling Clark, K. C. C. C. B. D., 2007. Community radio: its impact and challenges to its development, s.l.: s.n. Lumko Mtimde, M.-H. B. N. M. K. N., 1998. What is community radio?, s.l.: AMARC Africa and Panos Southern Africa.

Technological Frontier :: essays research papers

America has been a country full of optimism, perseverance, and freedom of ideas and beliefs. The frontier- a mental or physical area where much remains to be done- is a belief that has and still propels and influences America today. The technological frontier is probably the most influenced by the frontier belief. There is always room for better in technology. The technological advancements in the past 50 years outnumber the amount advancements from the beginning of time up to 50 years ago. Technological advancements have made it easier to for humans to live and adapt to their universe. Technology has expanded exponentially from the beginning of time until the 90's. In the 90's technological advancements have taken off at a higher exponential rate. For every frontier that appears to be complete, a new frontier has opened up and is unsolved. The frontier consists of branches that have branches themselves, resembling a tree. The frontier is far from ending, if there is an ending. Duri ng this rapid technological advancement period where we are trying to fulfill that long-term, near perfect technology, there have been short-term constraints in technology that have and will continue to open new branches in technology. Engineers have been trained to discover new technologies that enhance human life by designing new products and things that make life easier and safer for everyone. Engineers are obligated to use their skills, intelligence and apply their knowledge to promote human welfare. An example of this has been the advancement of communications. Instead of sending a letter to a family member or loved one by pony express, now one can send mail in just seconds through e-mail. This technological advancement makes it easier and better to communicate that is satisfying to humans. These advancements in the long term will have small constraints, but in the short term there're broader constraints and limits. Email about five years ago could only be accessed through internet service providers such as: AOL, Prodigy, CompuServe, TexasNet, and institution accounts. Now email can be retrieved and sent over the internet without having these big name internet service providers. There are now services like Yah oo, Hotmail, Rocketmail, and Juno that offer free email accounts over the web for any one. Within the past few years, technology has allowed email users to send voice and video emails, which was impossible before. Email still has delays ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes when you send your email over the internet.

Selbstüberschreitung: Jonas Cohns Wertphilosophie und Pädagogik vor dem Hintergrund der Ethik Friedrich Nietzsches :: German Essays

Selbstà ¼berschreitung: Jonas Cohns Wertphilosophie und Pà ¤dagogik vor dem Hintergrund der Ethik Friedrich Nietzsches ABSTRACT: Teaching philosophy and pedagogy at the University of Freiburg from 1897 to 1933, Jonas Cohn fought mainly against Friedrich Nietzsche and the influence of the ethics of Nietzsche on the youth of his time. A declaration made by Cohn in the Preface of his Science of Value (1932) shows this: "The title 'science of value' means polemics, too: I fight against all, who following Nietzsche deny the possibility of a science of value." But this opposition to Nietzsche and to his followers is not the only aspect of Cohn's relation to Nietzsche. On the other side, Cohn attempted to integrate some of the important traits of Nietzsche's ethic in his own conception of philosophy and pedagogics. The expression "self-transcendence" (Selbstà ¼berschreitung) stands for this ambition of Cohn. This can be demonstrated by some biographical data and by the interpretation of Cohn's philosophy of value. "'Wertwissenschaft' ist auch polemisch gemeint: Ich kà ¤mpfe gegen alle, die im Gefolge Nietzsches eine Wissenschaft vom Werte leugnen." - Diese eindeutige Erklà ¤rung stellte der reife Jonas Cohn, Philosoph und Erziehungswissenschaftler an der Università ¤t Freiburg von 1897 bis 1933, seiner "Wertwissenschaft" von 1932, seinem Hauptwerke, im Vorwort voran. Hat Jonas Cohn seine Lebensarbeit gegen Friedrich Nietzsche und dessen Wirkung ausgerichtet? Ich mà ¶chte diese, von Cohn selbst nahegelegte, Auffassung relativieren und aufweisen, daß Cohns Wertphilosophie und Erziehungslehre trotz weitreichender Differenzen Zà ¼ge Nietzschischen Geistes aufgenommen hat. Der Titel und Grundbegriff der Cohnschen Ethik "Selbstà ¼berschreitung" signalisiert nicht nur Parallelità ¤t und Nà ¤he zu Nietzsche; "Selbstà ¼berschreitung zeigt auch an, daß Cohn Intentionen Nietzsches, Momente des fà ¼r Nietzsche signifikanten Begriffs der "Selbstà ¼berwindung" in seine "objektive Wertlehre" à ¼bergefà ¼hrt hat. Ich werde zunà ¤chst anhand einiger biographischer Daten die Bedeutung Nietzsches fà ¼r Cohn wahrscheinlich machen, bevor der Inhalt der Wertphilosophie und Ethik Cohns selbst kurz zur Sprache kommen soll. Drei Momente sind auszufà ¼hren, die Cohn in seiner Biographie mit Nietzsche konfrontierten: Zeitliche und à ¶rtliche Nà ¤he zu Nietzsche und die persà ¶nliche Begegnung mit Denkern, die Cohn beeinflußten. Jonas Cohn (1869-1947) studierte nach einem glà ¤nzenden Abitur in Berlin (1888) zunà ¤chst in Leipzig, Heidelberg und Berlin Naturwissenschaft und promovierte mit einer experimentellen Arbeit in Botanik in Berlin 1892 zum Doktor der Philosophie. Nach der Promotion in Botanik wandte sich Cohn dem engeren Gebieten der Philosophie zu, ohne dabei zu unterlassen, seinem "geistigen Leben durch empirische Einzelarbeit gleichsam einen festen Unterbau zu schaffen". (SD, (1) S. 6) Diesen empirischen Unterbau erwarb sich Cohn in der experimentellen Psychologie bei Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) und Oswald Kà ¼lpe (1862-1915) in Leipzig, wo Cohn in den Jahren 1892 bis 94 am Psychologischen Institut arbeitete.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Fairest of Them All? Essay

As in the Disney movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the evil queen is obsessed with being the fairest, or most beautiful, woman in all the land. The word beauty, by definition, is the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether from sensory manifestation, a meaningful design, or something else such as personality. But what is beautiful to me may not evoke the same response or feeling from you. How is the queen to know she is the fairest in everyone’s eye if not everyone holds the same definition of beautiful? Why is it that we are attracted to some people and not attracted to others? The well-known phrase, â€Å"beauty is in the eye of the beholder† may hold some truth. Perception dictates how we view everything. People’s views are gained through experience and the environment in which they live. With that being said, our ideal depiction of beauty may slightly differ because no two people experience the same things in life, but aspects as to what people find attractive overlap. These overlapping qualities can be grouped into categories, which include the influence of personality, facial beauty, and body beauty and how it’s changing with society. Both males and females, at some level or another, are concerned with how they look to others. Typically, females are more preoccupied with the idea of looking beautiful. Don’t misinterpret what I’m saying; males care about what they look like as well, but generally not to the extent of that of females. This paper will focus on the perceptions people have on beauty as it pertains to women. Influence of Personality on the Perception of Beauty A study was conducted in which a group of researchers wanted to examine if the infl... ...International Journal Of Cosmetic Science, 27(6), 317-325. doi:10.1111/j.1467-2494.2005.00286.x Haughton, N. (2004). Perceptions of beauty in Renaissance art. Journal Of Cosmetic Dermatology, 3(4), 229-233. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00142.x Leist, A. (2003). What Makes Bodies Beautiful. Journal Of Medicine & Philosophy, 28(2), 187-219. Swami, V., Furnham, A., Chamorro-Premuzic, T., Akbar, K., Gordon, N., Harris, T., & ... Tovee, M. J. (2010). More Than Just Skin Deep? Personality Information Influences Men's Ratings of the Attractiveness of Women's Body Sizes. Journal Of Social Psychology, 150(6), 628-647. doi:10.1080/00224540903365497 Weller, J. E., & Dziegielewski, S. F. (2004). The Relationship Between Romantic Partner Support Styles and Body Image Disturbance. Journal Of Human Behavior In The Social Environment, 10(2), 71-92. doi:10.1300/J137v10n02_04

Global village Essay

America was a time of challenging authority and established conventions. It was into this era that a Professor of Media studies at Toronto University rose to media personality status. Marshall Mcluhan is famous for introducing society to catchy aphorisms such as â€Å"the medium is the message†. Although his theories have always been contested, they were popular at the time and are currently enjoying a revival. One such theory is his vision of the â€Å"Global Village† which I will discuss in this essay. To understand the term, a comprehension of some of his other ideas is necessary. Mcluhan was influenced by Harold Adams Innis who suggested that each medium of communication had a time â€Å"bias† which affected the stability of society. In short, he saw that â€Å"time biased† media such as stone carving would endure time and lead to a stable society. â€Å"Space biased† media, such as papyrus, could easily be revised and lead to an unstable culture (Meyrowitz 1985:17). Mcluhan went beyond this to suggest that different media have â€Å"sensory bias† (Postman went beyond this to argue that the medium contains an â€Å"ideological bias†). Mcluhan saw each new media invention as an extension of some human faculty. In The Medium is the Massage he notes, â€Å"All new media are extensions of some human faculty† (Mcluhan and Fiore 1967:26). The book illustrates some examples; the wheel of the foot, the book of the eye, clothing of the skin and electronic circuitry of the central nervous system. In terms of the â€Å"global village† the last extension is the most important. He saw us as breaking our ties with a local society and, through our new electronic extensions, connecting globally to a new world of total involvement. â€Å"We now live in a Global Village†¦a simultaneous happening† (Mcluhan & Fiore 1967:63). He refers to the village as a global community, existing with a level of connection associated with small rural settlings. We can see evidence for this in terms of what is sometimes termed an â€Å"always on† culture. News travels instantaneously across the globe, 1 in 6 people own a mobile phone (Guardian 2002) and the Internet smashes old barriers of communication. However, the Internet was in its infancy when Mcluhan used the term, which was first used in response to radio. There is some debate over the origin of the term â€Å"global village†. Eric Mcluhan writes that James Joyce reffered to a similar phrase, as did Wyndham Lewis. His opinion is that his father was probably already developing the concept and found it referenced in Lewis’ work afterwards. Mcluhan’s view of the â€Å"Global Village† was positive. He saw it championing greater social involvement and wrote, â€Å"In an electronic information environment, minority groups can no longer be ignored† This is a technological determinist attitude as it holds the medium as the single key to their involvement. Mcluhan also notes, â€Å"there is absolutely no inevitability as long as there is a willingness to contemplate what is happening† (Mcluhan and Fiore 1967:25). This is rather at odds with some of Mcluhan’s other material. He often makes poetically powerful statements about our helplessness in the face of technology (â€Å"All media work us over completely† (Mcluhan & Fiore 1967:26)). Digital TV offers increasing interactivity with Internet functions such as e-mail and online banking available next to greater entertainment choices. It is being put to an alternative use in sheltered housing by allowing residents in difficulty to contact the manager; an example of how new technology is including minority groups. However, with the advent of digital TV the Government has come under pressure to sell the broadcasting spectrum that analogue occupies and is planning to do so before 2010. The effects of this look set to create a greater divide than the one it healed. 50% of homes currently have digital TV but a third of homes are unable to receive digital TV at all. A report by the Department of Trade and Industry found that 6% of the population are likely to object to the switch-off based on the cost of upgrading and the belief that we watch too much TV (The Observer, 2004). If the analogue signal were to be switched off, those who couldn’t (or wouldn’t) receive digital TV would have no access to TV. The gap between rich and poor would accelerate and a greater social divide would exist. Technological Determinists refer to a â€Å"technological revolution† and since the invention of this term there has been concern for those left outside. The issue is more complex than Mcluhan presents it and subject to factors beyond that of just the medium. In Mcluhan’s time the Internet was far from the widespread facility it is today. He died in 1980, but only 5 years later the system to which the phrase â€Å"online community† is most pertinent was operational. Internet forums allow a number of people across the globe to converse in real time. The Internet seems to provide the most convincing argument for the â€Å"global village†. With broadband most actions are instant, allowing the user to converse, transfer money, view information and order products regardless of geography. Mcluhan’s idea of electronic circuitry extending the nervous system is easier to comprehend when you consider someone sitting down at a computer. The physical action of typing becomes the cause, but the effect is realised in an electronic global network. Meyrowitz notes how â€Å"At one time, parents had the ability to discipline a child by sending the child to his or her room-a form of ex-communication from social interaction† (Meyrowitz 1985:Preface). This is no longer the case. The Internet offers the possibility of extending our central nervous system across the globe. It is intrinsic in today’s society and much has been written over its social effects. Wellman and Gulia remark, â€Å"those on either side of this debate assert that the Internet will create either wonderful new forms of community or will destroy communication altogether† (Wellman: â€Å"The Networked Community†). The reality is unlikely to be as clear as this (although Mcluhan’s â€Å"global village† would suggest that it is). Meyrowitz has argued that new media blur the boundaries between public and private behaviour (Meyrowitz 1985:93-114). The same headline in a newspaper and read by a newsreader are two different messages. Print media does not invite the same depth of character analysis that TV does. The public broadcast begins to merge a private situation and invites a personal reading of the presenter. The personal homepage is an explicit example of the blurring between public and private boundaries. People from all walks of life are making available to the connected world their presentation of themselves. Cheung notes how it can be emancipatory as it allows you to rehearse your presentation (Cheung 2000). Unlike face-to-face communication you can refine your presentation until you are content. Mcluhan envisaged the â€Å"global village† as creating a greater level of social involvement and to some extent we can see this happening with the personal homepage. Individuals are reaching out to a global mass audience to say, â€Å"this is me†. Grosswiler notes that Mcluhan â€Å"would have agreed with the idea that electronic media increase the desire for closeness and intimacy in the Global Village† (Grosswiler 1998:118). However there is a problem in defining what we mean by â€Å"closeness and intimacy†. A personal webpage is more personal than the BBC homepage but not as personal as face-to-face communication. Mcluhan would argue that the â€Å"closeness and intimacy† on the personal webpage is the only type that exists as we live in the â€Å"global village†. For Mcluhan there was no other village and intimacy could be with anyone, anywhere. There is a tendency by those who consider the Internet in a technologically determinist way to view it in isolation. The Internet is for most people not the totality of their social interaction, although it is becoming increasing possible to live your life without human contact. It is possible to order almost everything you could need using the Internet, yet town centres still exist. I may talk to friends online but the majority of communication with them will be face-to-face. Mcluhan is often accused of exaggerating his conclusions and this is evident. While the personal webpage is popular it doesn’t provide a substantial system of interaction. It also clear that while a minority of people make friends online, face-to-face interactions comprise the majority. Mcluhan’s famous aphorism â€Å"the medium is the message,† represents the belief that the medium itself has social impact of which the masses are usually considered to be unaware. If the power of the media is so great, how is it that determinists such as Mcluhan can stand outside of it to comment? Furthermore Mcluhan thought that as soon as we are aware of something as environment, a greater process must be in effect (Mcluhan, Eric). However, Mcluhan was considered knowledgeable enough to sit on a board set up to examine â€Å"the totality of communications problems in modern society† (McBride cited in Briggs and Burke 2002:258-260). The outcome of this report would have made interesting reading but unfortunately political conditions halted proceedings. Maybe I would be discussing a different concept if the report had gone ahead. Mcluhan once remarked that the one thing a fish is not aware of is water. The water determines everything the fish does yet the fish is blissfully unaware. The point is that we are the fish and technology our water. However this doesn’t prove the argument, it simply explains it. At first glance the phrase appears clever yet contains no empirical evidence and is typical of Mcluhan’s inventive and persuasive useful of language. Mcluhan’s global village is perceived as optimistic. Yet a Marxist interpretation offered by Ang notes that â€Å"the making of the â€Å"global village† can be rewritten as the transformation, or domestication, of the non-Western Other in the name of capitalist modernity† (Ang 1996:150-180 cited in Grosswiler 1998:142). While the idea of the spread of communication remains constant, it is seen to destroy individual non-western cultures to make way for capitalist exploitation. The sociologist Tom Nairn argues that while Mcluhan’s â€Å"global village† could be reality, it is prevented from being so by the social forms of capitalism† (Nairn 1968:150 cited in Grosswiler 1998:34). He is not denying that it is achievable, but notes, â€Å"The potential of electric media is, in fact, in contradiction with a great deal of the actual social world†. He accuses Mcluhan of creating myths and ignoring the contradictions of his theory. The graphic below compare the distribution of Internet routers and the global population. (Soon-Hyung Yook, Hawoong Jeong, and Albert-Laszlo Barabasi at http://www. cybergeography. org/atlas/geographic. html) It is obvious from the map that the majority of the world is not connected. According to this the â€Å"global village† is made up of a minority of the worlds population. This is a model far from creating greater social involvement and has the potential to create a global divide between the connected and the unconnected. In my introduction I cited a statistic claiming that 1 in 6 people own a mobile phone in support of the â€Å"global village† concept. As with Mcluhan’s aphorisms this initially seems persuasive but closer inspection reveals the truth. The statistic suggests proportionality. As Briggs and Burke explain, â€Å"While there were 600 million telephones in the world in 1982, half the world’s population lived in countries which together had fewer than ten million†. Again this undermines the â€Å"global village† vision and adds empirical weight to Nairn’s criticism that the potential of the media is in contradiction with reality. As with the Internet, the â€Å"global village† is presented here as almost exclusively existing between developed western countries. Mcluhan’s vision dictated that minorities couldn’t fail to be incorporated, yet they have been excluded by virtue of being unconnected. Furthermore the Marxist view upholds that where third-world nations are included, it is only as means of stripping them of identity for capitalist ends. These points considered, it seems that Mcluhan’s vision is not a reality. Much of the world is unconnected and I need cite no evidence that it has not led to world peace. However, it should be noted that Africa is currently leading the way in the realms of mobile phone ownership. It has become the first continent in which the number of mobile phone users exceeds that of landline subscribers. A report â€Å"has estimated that there will be 60 million people using mobile phones by the end of the year – more than double the 27 million who have a landline† and mobile phone ownership is growing at an annual rate of 65%, double the global average (Guardian, May 2004). It seems that we may be fast heading toward a â€Å"global village†. However even with Africa’s growth in mobile phone ownership, this still only brings the total to 6% of the population (Guardian, May 2004) and Internet access is considerably lower. While it may be true that a virtual village has been created, it is far from the all-inclusive global vision that Mcluhan prophesised.