Life Is a Continuous Journey Essay

Life is a continuous journey. Some journeys are short and some long. Some journeys are sweet and pleasant while some are sour. Some journeys are too memorable to be erased by the sands of time. I had one such experience. The memory of this journey continues to flicker, on and on, in my mind even after several years. We reached on 9th Dec., as our train reservation was for the following day by North- East Express. We reached the station early in the morning, the next day and boarded the train. The train started off at 6.00 a.m. I sat by the window and enjoyed the passing scenery. The sights of numerous rivers, bridges, countryside, evergreen paddy fields, lush green tea gardens, vast plains, etc. enchanted me a lot. In the late afternoon we reached Rajshahi station, which is the gateway to khulna. Some of us got out of the train to have a look at the station. The hustle and bustle of people moving about, the coming and going of trains and the enticing sights of the various stalls of t he station attracted our attention and we too moved about the platform enjoying these sights. We didn’t realise how quickly the time had passed. Suddenly we saw our train moving. We were at the far end of the platform and ran with all speed and might to catch the train. I was the last to notice the movement of the train and so the last to run. I too ran after my friends to catch the train. But the train was moving fast. Within moments my friends managed to get in. As I was about to reach the train, I slipped and fell on the platform. I saw my train speeding away before my sight. I shivered with fear. My friends were shouting at the top of their voice asking me to run faster. Just then a coolie lifted me and ran with me to the door, where my friends pulled me in. I just looked back and waved my hands at the good Samaritan, who had helped me-1 got only a glimpse of his face. But that face continues to remain afresh in my mind. The incident deeply scared me and I dared not to move an inch from my seat thereafter. It took some time for me to recover from the shock. The wonderful sights of New Delhi and Agra failed to bring back my lost enthusiasm and interest. I don’t even remember what I saw and how the rest of the excursion ended. The incident at the N.J. P Railway Station was too great to be forgotten by a few passing bliss. I can never forget this memorable journey. The reminiscences of this journey often flicker in my mind every now and then. Whenever this happens, I say a short prayer for the kind and unknown Samaritan, who helped me on that fateful day to get into the train. It was, by far, the most unforgettable journey of my life- a journey that has left its deep scars on the canvas of my life.

Current Legislation Essay

Introduction As a teacher I must ensure that current legislative requirements are met. Gravells (2008) states that there is legislation that applies to the entire lifelong learning sector. There are also areas of legislation that apply to particular courses. This paper explains the general areas relevant to me and the areas I must also consider in teaching Business Administration and Planning. Legislation Relevant to the Lifelong Learning Sector General Legislation Although ECM refers to learners to the age of 19, OFSTED applies it to the performance of FE colleges. The Protection of Children Act 1999 legislates that teachers must have current Enhanced Disclosure checks by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988 and The Data Protection Act 1998 also apply. Human Rights, Diversity and Equality The six areas of diversity in law are disability, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation and religion / belief. Discrimination is forbidden in these areas by legislation including: †¢Sex Discrimination Act 1975 †¢Race Relations Act 1976 (amended 2000) †¢Human Rights Act 1998 †¢Equal Opportunities Act 2004 †¢DDA – Disability & Discrimination Act 1995 †¢DDA Part 4 Code of Practice 1995 †¢SENDA – Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 Health and Safety Petty (2009) confirms that the sector has a responsibility to provide a safe environment for learners. This is also where specific needs for specific courses arise. Generally, the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 and the Management of the Health & Safety at Work Act always apply. For Business Administration and Planning The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 is an example of HSE legislation relevant to my own area. Conversely the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and COSHH – Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 do not apply to my work. Codes of Practice I am also responsible for fulfilling responsibilities prescribed in Codes of Practice. For example, I must register with the Institute for Learning and comply with their Code of Professional Practice (2009). Colleges may also have Codes of Practice to which I must comply. References Gravells, A. (2008) Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector 3rd ed. Exeter: Learning Matters. Francis and Gould (2009) ‘Achieving Your PTLLS Award – A Practical Guide’. London. Sage Publications Limited. Department for Children, Schools and Families (2004) ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’ [online] UK: Available from http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2004). ‘Children Act 2004’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/pdf/ukpga_20040031_en.pdf [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1999). ‘Protection of Children Act 1999’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/pdf/ukpga_19990014_en.pdf [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1988) ‘The Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1988/ukpga_19880048_en_1.htm [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1998) ‘The Data Protection Act 1998’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980029_en_1 [Accessed 4 February 2010] Petty, G (2009) Teaching Today 4th ed. Cheltenham. Nelson Thornes Office of Public Sector Information (1975) ‘Sex Discrimination Act 1975’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2000) ‘Race Relations Act 1976 (amended 2000)’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1998) ‘Human Rights Act 1998’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2004) ‘Equal Opportunities Act 2004’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘DDA – Disability & Discrimination Act 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘DDA Part 4 Code of Practice 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2001) ‘SENDA – Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1974) ‘Health & Safety at Work Act 1974’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1999) ‘Management of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1999’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1992) ‘The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Institute for Learning (2009) ‘Code of Professional Practice’. Available from http://www.ifl.ac.uk/professional-standards/code-of-professional-practice [Accessed 4 February 2010]

The pros and cons of applying affirmative actions Essay

The pros and cons of applying affirmative actions - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that affirmative action is often regarded as a policy concern towards discriminatory factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. The present research has identified that the initial affirmative action was enacted in the United States under Executive Order 10925 by President John F. Kennedy on 6th March 1961. Furthermore, in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson executed the enactment of Executive Order 11246 focusing on the equal distribution of employment opportunities among various social classes and genders. The author has rightly presented that it was during the Second World War that discrimination amid the socio-economic context had emerged as a serious concern which led to the rising significance of equal rights, humanitarian approaches and various other social norms which aimed at facilitating proper distribution of resources in the community. Through this enactment, the application of Affirmative Action wa s aimed at mitigating unethical discriminatory practices in the fields of education, business and employment among others and thereby imbibing ethical concerns as well as justness within the society. This paper illustrates that since its initial application in 1961, the purpose of enacting the affirmative action had been to serve every religion and cast with equal opportunity in order to facilitate proper education and employment throughout the socio-economic context.... Accounting both the Pros and Cons of Applying Affirmative Actions From a generalized perspective, the affirmative action can be observed to guide a society towards equal distribution of wealth and development opportunities. Therefore, it is quite obvious that such policy concerns will motivate growth and thereby prove to be quite advantageous for the society. In this context, the benefits can be recognized as affirmative action tends to compensate minority interests, serve as a booster to social diversity and exposure platform to varied fields. By compensating minority interests in terms of education and employability, affirmative action facilities equal opportunities to various social classes, especially to those groups who are observed to avail limited exposure to national and global prospects owing to their restricted power and involvement in the society. Correspondingly, by serving as a booster to social diversity, affirmative action benefits as the community interests in terms o f equal distribution of salary and wages irrespective of the gender, race, ethnicity or any other discriminatory factor, precise and universal employment as well as educational norms which further facilitates the exposure of the society not only in the national but also in the international context. To be summarized, the most significant benefit of affirmative action can be identified as its role towards augmenting sustainable social growth (Holzer, and David, â€Å"Affirmative Action: What Do We Know†). Conversely, affirmative action can also be identified to impose crucial disadvantages towards societal development in the long-run. For instance, from a global perspective, affirmative action has often been accused to give rise to reverse

Avon Products, Inc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Avon Products, Inc - Case Study Example This approach helped Avon achieve its transition from direct sales of the beauty business. The Company developed additional distribution channels that helped it improve in sales. Through its double commitment in the beauty products the company was able to gain The Company had begun to improve through its commitment in the beauty products business. Maintaining its dividend at $2.00 per share did not result to a drop in Avon’s Stock price. It maintained a fairly steady stock price during this period. Investors held Avon stock since it paid high dividends. The Company planned to reduce its dividends but was worried that it might drive down the stock prices. Retail business was helping the company make more sales thus increased profits. Avon was to reduce its dividends to conserve cash flow in the company (Tiemann 3). It believed that many of its investors would sell their shares quickly once it reduced its

Military Uniforms and Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Military Uniforms and Standards - Essay Example A distinct uniform and corresponding heraldic sign was one of the most essential factors in the ancient warfare enabling soldiers immediately determine the belonging of combatant   and at the same time maintain the unity of their group on the battlefield (Martin and Ullrich, 1963).However, in the medieval times there was barely a single feudal lord rich enough to maintain a standing army and, therefore, uniforms were extremely diverse. It was not until the end of the 17th century that the growth of commercial trades and development of centralized states led to emergence of large standing armies and typical military uniforms in the modern sense of this word. Those days on the military uniform started to increasingly acquire the meaning of patriotism and pride going beyond its initial purpose of mere identification. As a famous historian of European military costumes wrote, â€Å"The esprit de corps of standing armies on the Continent owed much to the jealously preserved traditions linked with their uniforms† (Martin and Ullrich, 1963, p.139).Eventually, the color of uniforms worn be large national standing armies became traditional. Thus, the British army adopted their famous red uniforms that lasted for more than two centuries until the transformation of warfare methods and strategies required camouflage clothes; the Russian army stuck to green uniforms, the French and Austrian militaries were dressed in white colors, and the Prussian troops wore blue colors. These colors dominated uniforms of all national militaries.... Those days on the military uniform started to increasingly acquire the meaning of patriotism and pride going beyond its initial purpose of mere identification. As a famous historian of European military costumes wrote, "The esprit de corps of standing armies on the Continent owed much to the jealously preserved traditions linked with their uniforms" (Martin and Ullrich, 1963, p.139). Eventually, the color of uniforms worn be large national standing armies became traditional. Thus, the British army adopted their famous red uniforms that lasted for more than two centuries until the transformation of warfare methods and strategies required camouflage clothes; the Russian army stuck to green uniforms, the French and Austrian militaries were dressed in white colors, and the Prussian troops wore blue colors (Keegan, 1993). These colors dominated uniforms of all national militaries while the distinction between various regiments within the army was achieved either through use of different colors of trousers, buttons, cuffs or other accessories. For example, up to now the five regiments of the British Foot Guards differ from each other due to the particular grouping of their uniform buttons (Wright, 1965). However, despite these differences the function of military uniforms worn those days was similar: to demonstrate belonging of the person to the army of a state showing the difference between particular branches or regiments without going beyond one unique style. This remains one of the key functions of the military uniform used nowadays. The importance of military uniforms worn by modern armies also act as a symbol of order and discipline that have traditionally been considered the most essential feature of military organizations. A

Cell phones at school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cell phones at school - Essay Example Cell phones should be allowed in schools. The simple fact is that cell phones make the campus a safer place to be. During these perilous times, that consideration should be of the highest priority. In an emergency like a fire or terrorist incident, students with cell phones are able to immediately communicate with police and other authorities. This provides for a rapid response to any emergency; one that could shave precious minutes off of the time it would take to notify an administrator, have the staff member verify the emergency, and then phone officials. The classic example of this position is the tragedy that happened at Columbine High School. When two students started using guns on their instructors and classmates, "students and teachers began phoning to alert police of a shooting going on...[and] a teacher on a cell phone desperately pleaded for rescue with the police as she simultaneously shouted at her students" to stay down (Breggin, 2000, pp. 4-5). The fact that there were several groups of students located in is olated areas of the large campus makes the case for cell phones at school; they were able to be safely rescued by police as a direct result of their ability to call and advise them of their location and status. While such extreme situations occur rarely, when they do take place, cell phones in the hands of the students can save lives. The prima

Express Trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Express Trust - Essay Example This may also be associated with duty which by the ethical and moral norms of society you must perform. This is even characterized as a higher form of justice and so important to modern human relations that it has been transformed from a purely ethical concept with limited application to a moral norm of society. Every member of society is bound to uphold it and even becomes embodied in laws. Express trusts are "built around concepts of loyalty and good faith" (Hudson 2008). In an express trust there exist a relationship where a person entrusts his or her property to another to keep, preserve and latter to give the same property to another person who is meant to benefit from that property. Moreover "The trustee is one example of a more general concept of English law: the fiduciary. Thus, it is often said that trustees bear 'fiduciary duties'. For our purposes the terms 'trustee' and 'fiduciary' can be read as being synonymous. The fiduciary principle in express trusts is the idea that such trusts have a nature that it is a matter of confidence, good faith, loyalty and legal obligation to the purpose of such trusts. An example of this is when a grandfather entrusts a piece of land to his son which his son will give to the grandson on his 18th birthday. The father, son of the grandfather, has the duty to his father, the grandfather to keep, preserve and maintain the piece of land and later give the land to his son, the grandson. Duties & Powers Question: What are the powers and duties of the settlor What are the powers and duties of a trustee What are the powers and duties of the beneficiary Answer: The settlor is duty bound to make certain that the property that will be put into an express trust is truly owned by him because "the settlor must have had all of the rights in that property, or 'absolute title', before the declaration of the trust". Clearly, one cannot deal with property in which one has no rights: therefore, the settlor must hold all of the rights to be settled on trust before that trust can be declared" (Hudson 2008). The settlor is the original owner of the property involved in the trust. Thus absolute title means that the right to do with the property as he or she pleases regardless of the concern of others or free of implications to other individuals. This includes sell, lease, destroy and even donate. The settlor has absolute power over the property up to when the trust is constituted. Once it begins his direct power over the property is set aside and he is duty bound to give possession of the property to the trustee. "Once the trust is created, the trustee acquires 'legal title' in the trust fund and the beneficiaries acquire the 'equitable interest' (or, sometimes, 'beneficial interest') in the trust fund in accordance with the terms of the trus

Research paper. Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

. Project - Research Paper Example When relating this to personal life, it is evident that the world created a lot of pollution that has resulted in climatic changes. However, with the induction of such businesses, the world has been recording impressive performance in regard to pollution. As a matter of fact, this has heightened the activities which are geared towards improving the world. This has taught people that they can have different approaches in accomplishing their missions. For example, many businesses have enhanced their sustainability though they are engaging in society responsibility. Similarly, it has taught people to embrace better ways of production while reducing pollution and environmental hazards. The most common business formation in the recent times is the Benefit Corporation. This is a business that is formed by entities whose first objective is not to realize financial profits but to fulfil ethical goals such as transparency and accountability. These businesses are formed to consider the good of the society as well as the environment. Benefit corporations have redefined what is considered as being a successful company in the present climate that supports transparent and ethical business practices. With such preparations, the corporation is likely to reflect a positive impact on the community and the society (Pakroo 12). In terms of the impact on society, a benefit corporation is accountable to general public and issues an annual benefit report. The consumers and the general public then use the results of the corporation to determine if the benefit company has had a positive impact on its society (Lyons 10). After these, the public has to agree or disagree if there has been positive impact on the community. On the other hand, there has been formation of the low profit limited liability corporations in the world. This type of business aims to limit the gap between for-profit business and non-profit business entities. There are some businesses that are solely formed make prof its, while others are formed without any interest in realizing profits. However, low profit limited liability companies have structured investments in an environment that is socially beneficial. Consequentially, they factor benefits of profitability while complying with the revenue collecting bodies which reinforce the national government's revenue generation while also functioning in the capacity of debt collectors. The only difference is that, L3c’s do not seek to consolidate their revenue. Therefore, they will work under the legal frame work and tax acceptance to run the businesses. Most of these corporations rely on market positions, branding, and the positivity accrued from social enterprising methods such as advertising. There are a number of reasons for formation of these corporations. First, there are limited numbers of companies that are formed solely to provide social benefits. Therefore, there is a limited supply of such services, yet, they are vital in running an economy. Apparently, most companies are formed for the sole purpose of realizing profits. As such, they will maximise their revenue and not participate in activities that bring social benefits to the society. Therefore, supporting the formation of such companies is of greater benefit to the society (Lyons 9). So, they will be able to benefit from the products and services of these upcoming companies. Without such an approach, it is possible that there will be no social

Introduction to the Law of Evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Introduction to the Law of Evidence - Essay Example However, in case the police arrive at a crime scene and there is no suspect within the site, then the police officers have to conduct a thorough investigation of the crime scene and look for any possible links that could lead to the identification of the real suspect. In most occasions, the police dust for fingerprints at the crime scene in order to discover who was at the scene of crime and perhaps try to identify the key suspect(s). Additionally, in the recent past, police officers have been dusting the crime scene for ear prints even thou there has been heated debate on the reliability or accuracy of ear prints as evidence to a similar extent as fingerprints. In this regard, the National Training Center for Scientific Support for Crime Investigation in the United Kingdom has been a compiling a database for ear prints in order to prove that ear prints are not similar and hence, they can be equally used as evidence (Dennis, 2013). This present essay aims at providing answers to prob lem questions that are based on a case study that revolves around the law of evidence. 1. Whether the prosecution can rely upon ear prints and fingerprints as evidence To begin with, Smith and Gordon (1997) described evidence as a piece of information that aims at proving or refuting facts that have been presented. In law, evidence provides a basis for understanding what happened at a particular time. In the writings by Dennis (2013), he wrote that law of evidence is â€Å"the body of rules that determine whether and even how a piece of evidence can be used as a means of proving a fact.† Moreover, the law of evidence regulates what can be legally admissible in the court of law for the purpose of proving or refuting facts that have been presented in a given case and even, on occasion, how the court should consider the evidence that has been presented. In normal police investigations, police officers always try to discover who was at the crime scene, before, during, and after a crime has occurred, which could range from murder, burglary, or even rape. In order to identify the presence of somebody in a particular crime scene police officers look for Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sample. Calladine et al. (2003) described DNA as â€Å"a molecule that encodes the genetic instructions that are used in the functioning and development of all living organisms. Police investigations rely on DNA samples, which can be obtained from blood samples, hair, fingerprints and even ear prints, because they are purely identical or interlined to one single person. Berry and Watson (2003) clarified on this point by stating that it is only DNA samples of identical twins that may match to a greater extent but ordinarily DNA are restricted to one particular person. Based on this knowledge, prosecutors greatly rely on DNA samples to prove the presence of a particular person at a crime scene and hence, relate him or her with the crime committed. In the present case study, police off icers carrying out investigations into the death of Jeremy Spring dusted the deceased apartments for fingerprints and ear prints in order to identify the likely suspect, who murdered Jeremy Spring. Henry Wynther’s fingerprint and ear print sample were found within the apartment but the fingerprint sample had only six matching ridge characteristics while the ear print only showed gross features. With reference to the writings by Ramsland (2013), it can be stated that the prosecution

Strategic managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic managment - Essay Example In emergent strategy the organization evolves as it learns through experiences. Robin Hood’s group had advanced from the emergent strategy and in the second year his band grew. The increasing band size was of concern as the discipline became difficult to maintain and expenses did not commensurate with the loot. According to Cook and Macaulay (2007) as the team grows the focus of team effectiveness starts to dull. The new members do not share the same sense of understanding the purpose of the group and the mission, and the objectives are no longer clear and relevant. Strategic drift started occurring because Robin’s lieutenant’s resisted the idea of a transit tax on the travelers. Lorsch and Tierney (n.d.) contend that professionals develop their own perspectives irrespective of what the leaders might think. Looking through the lenses dissolves the dilemma in strategy (Scholes, 2005). The lenses are different ways of viewing the strategy development. In the Robin Hood case, the strategy has been viewed through the lens of experience. It is adaptation born through the political process. It cannot be through the lens of design as it was not planned or logical and it has not been perceived through the lens of ideas because it has not emerged from diversity or variety. It was out of a vengeance and conflict. Here the individual and collective experience is central and culture and history strongly influence the strategic thinking and choices. Strategy developed with time and there high chances of strategic drift, which has occurred in this case. Negotiation also influences the strategic direction when seen through this lens. Hence the analysis of this case shows that the experience element has determined the strategy. In times of strategic drift, organizations can either experience performance problems or opt for strategic management development programs. There is an increased commitment to strategic management and leads to

Mother Tongue Essay Example for Free

Mother Tongue Essay Today we live in a society that is often called a salad bowl. It is called a salad bowl because it consists of various different people from various different backgrounds. We all live together in a society, but we still retain our own distinct flavors which helps to contribute to the richness and diversity of society. Unfortunately, today we also live in a society in which some of these groups are marginalized and looked down upon by others. Hence, often times as individuals we feel the need to compromise the way in which we communicate our ideas so that we can appeal to the views of the majority. Two authors explore how their attempt to compromise almost caused them to become detached from their roots. In Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan, Tan talks about growing up as a young child in America and learning the English language. She speaks about growing up as a writer and her mothers imperfect diction which had a major influence on her. On the other hand, In her essay, Censoring Myself, Betty Shamieh talks about being an American playwright and having to censor herself because of how her work was viewed. Both authors explore the influence that their background had on their ability to express themselves. As individuals we should not be afraid to express ourselves because of our differences, rather we should use our differences and show how our distinctions make us very unique. Firstly, In Mother Tongue, Tan talks about how her mothers limited English diction skewered her perception of her mother. Tan mentions how, Like others, I have described it to people as broken or fractured English (Tan 273). This shows how Tan viewed her mothers English speaking abilities. She describes it as if her mother spoke damaged English, which needed to be mended or repaired. For Tan it was imperative that she spoke proper English and used proper diction, thus she was ashamed of her mothers English. Tan fell under the impression that her mothers English speaking abilities reflected the quality of what she had to say. Since her mother expressed her words in an imperfect manner, tan believed that her thoughts were also imperfect (Tan 274). Her perception was also supported by how people in society responded to her mother. Tan states that people in  department stores, banks, and restaurants would not take her mother seriously. They would provide her bad service, pretend not to understand her, or act as if they were mute (Tan 274). This further contributed to Tans feeling of embarrassment and shame towards her mother. Tan also describes an incident in which her mother went to the hospital and was told that the hospital had misplaced her CAT scan. The hospital did not show any remorse for losing the scan, nor did they assure her that they would locate it, that is until her mother had Tan speak to the hospital (Tan 275). As a reader this shows us how language is perceived and the role that it plays in the lives of individuals. For Tan it was imperative that she was able to blend in and be like others, so that she wouldnt be ridiculed. Luckily, she was able to realize the positive influence that her mothers diction bought her. Furthermore, Tans mother teaches her to think in a different manner than the other children in her school. Tan states that her developing language skills were influenced by her family and in this case her mother, hence it affected her results on achievement tests. Since her mother taught her to think differently she was unable to perform as well in English as she did in math and science. Later Tan realizes the value of this different systematic way of thinking and it contributes to her rebellious nature towards her teachers who suggested shed be much better in engineering, accounting, or anything else than English, since she was of Asian descent. She decided to challenge this stereotype, and thanks to her mother became a writer, who didnt write using challenging diction that required a lot of thought, but rather diction that could be read and understood by audiences such as her mother. This is the reason she starts writing about her mother: â€Å"I wanted to capture what language ability tests can never reveal: her intent, her passion, her imagery, the rhythms of her speech, and the nature of her thoughts† (Tan 277). She acknowledged the richness that her mothers heritage provided her and then she decided her first reader and critic should be her mother. Overall this taught Tan that she didnt need to compromise to the high caliber and complexity of the English language, but rather she could express her thoughts in a simplistic, yet effective way which could be understood by everyone. In her essay, Censoring Myself, Betty Shamieh talks about being an American playwright and having to censor herself because of how her work was viewed by others. She states: I have been censored in many ways. But I think the most overt example of censorship I have yet faced is my experience with a project called the Brave New World Festival (Shamieh 294). For the Festival she wrote a monologue about being the sister of a suicide bomber in mourning because she was unable to prevent his vicious act of terrorism. Her approach towards writing this play was to promote anti-terrorism, but due to the harsh tragedy of 9/11 she felt that there would be some potential backlash. When she was asked to perform her monologue at the Brave New World Festival, she was very skeptical of being criticized, thus she asked a famous actress named Marisa Tomei to act in the play (Shamieh 295). Post 9/11, president Bush let it be known on national television that he thinks citizens better watch what they say (Shamieh 294). This shows the amount of tolerance that was granted towards individual expression post 9/11, where anything that was said could be viewed in light of terrorism. As an Arab American Shamieh acknowledged that her work would be a source of criticism, but she felt the need to express her view and in doing so had to compromise so that she could get her play preformed. Moreover, Shamiehs play was ridiculed for its content, so being afraid of losing her spot in the festival she produced another piece that could be preformed. This shows the censorship she faced with her work and her need to compromise her writing so that it would appeal to the majority. Shamieh states that: Arab American artist are largely faceless in this country and I felt that, by dropping out, I would be helping those who are trying to keep it that way (Shamieh 295). This portrays Shamiehs want to express her views and to represent the Arab community, whos voices were neglected. Essentially she was trying to give a voice to the voice less. She later presents a story about an Arab-American girl who ends up on a hijacked plane and talks the hijackers out of their plans. Once again her intent was to promote anti-racism, but in a humorous way, yet her new play was not only censored, but this time completely taken out of the festival. This shows the ability individuals had in being ab le to express their ideas. Being an  Arab American, Shamieh had the right to express her views, yet despite this, her work was viewed under a wrong light and taken out of the play. This taught Shamieh that as individuals we will often face censorship for many reasons, whether it may because of our race, ethnicity, gender, sex, etc. For Shamieh, this experience taught her to write about the things she cared about, the things that represented who she was. She acknowledged that she was censoring herself by not producing a play about the Palestinian experience, which was a huge part of who she was (Shamieh 296). As individuals we will often face criticism from others, but the important thing is to express our voices so that we can communicate our ideas and portray ourselves under a proper light. Hence, often times as individuals we feel the need to compromise the way in which we communicate our ideas so that we can appeal to the views of the majority. Authors Betty Shamieh and Amy Tan were both subjected to trying appeal to others. They both explore how they found themselves and attempt to tell readers to express their individuality. As American citizens, majority of us come from different backgrounds which gives us a broader perspective. We should try not to forget our roots and neither should we become entrenched in trying to appeal to others who see us under a different light. We as individual bring about diversity and cultural richness to America, hence we should not be afraid to communicate our ideas in a manner that represents who we are. When we constantly feel the need to compromise we often lose our identities and our own unique individuality. We are discrete individuals and we should utilize our differences, rather than trying to hide or forget them. If we do not s tand up and express our perspectives then others will express them for us. So, thus we need to communicate our ideas in an effective manner, while still retaining our original flavors in the salad bowl. Works Cited 1) Neweib, Janice. Mother Tongue by Amy Tan. The Mercury Reader: A Custom Publication. New York: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2011. 271-277. Print. 2) Silverman, Jonathan, and Dean Rader. Censoring Myself by Betty Shamieh. The World Is a Text: Writing, Reading, and Thinking about Visual and Popular Culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2011. 294-296. Print.

Brand Equity Case Study Nike Marketing Essay

Brand Equity Case Study Nike Marketing Essay The world constantly changes and disparities, however, some top brands seem to keep their leadership position in their industry to this day. Strong brands are amazingly durable and have the ultimate ability to overcome many challenges. Either does Nike. Since its creation in 1971 in the USA, the Nike swoosh is still one of the worlds most valuable brand despite of the severe crises. Ranked at 26 on the list of Interbrands Best Global Brands in 2009 with a brand value at $13.2 billion dollars, up 4% from a value of $12.7 billion last year, Nike is the best among sports brand, left the big competitors, Adidas and Puma far behind (Interbrand report, 2009). So how has Nike got ahead and stayed ahead? Figure 1: Swoosh = achievement. Source: www.nikefootball.com This article will be employed Elliott and Percys structural framework of brand equity synthesis to investigate in four dimensions of Nike brand equity, namely: brand attitude (functional and emotional features), symbolic meaning, brand awareness and brand loyalty to draw the deposit picture of Nike brand equity in the sportswear industry. About Nike In 1962, inspired by athlete aspiration, Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight shook their hand to cofounded Blue Ribbon Sports, precursor of Nike. The initial business then was to distribute low-cost and high quality Japanese athletic shoes to American. Today, Nike not only designs and sells athletic shoes at every profitable market worldwide, but also operates in athletic apparel, sport equipment and subsidiary venture including Cole Haan, Converse Inc., Hurley International LLC, Nike Golf and Umbro Ltd (Nike report, 2009). Headquartered at Oregon, United States, Nike has been presented across more than 160 countries around the world targeting its primary market regions: United States, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. Nike employs about 32,500 people as of May 31, 2008 (Datamonitor Research, 2009). By indirect or direct way, Nike touches the lives of millions more with its innovative products that transform every sport into a winning battle (Superbrands, 2002). Nike customers The decade ago, Bill Bowerman, the co-founder of Nike once said If you have a body, you are an athlete (Nike company overview, 2010). This motto transmitted not only the whole brand characteristics but also the main targeted customers. They are athletes and anyone with a body. Nike offers a wide product portfolio of sport-inspired lifestyle apparel, accessories and equipment. Nike provides athletic footwear for runners, trainers and basketball players. The company also offers shoes and equipments specially designed for those addicted tennis and golf players and etcetera. Such diverse product extensions enable the company to satisfy the varied athletic needs of its customers (Datomonitor Research, 2009) Nike and its rivals Sportswear has been a thriving market in recent years. According to the research Global footwear: Industry profile releasing by Datomonitor in 2009, the global footwear market generated total revenues of $ 196,617 million in 2008. Thus, Nike has experienced intense competition from the moment its first sporting shoes being introduced to their customers. Globally, this market is dominated by the big three namely Nike, Adidas, and Puma (Sport+Markt Report, 2008; Keynote Report, 2010). Adidas Adidas was truly the first sports company, it was founded in 1920. They once really blew in the decade of 70s and 80s. By the early 90s, Adidas realized itself forgotten in the back of game. In the 21st century, the brand has steadily affirmed its position and seems on renaissance. Adidas brand increased its value at 6%, ranked 62th on the list of Best Global Brands 2009 and continued to take the second largest sporting goods manufactures behind Nike (Interbrand, 2009) The overall Adidas brand competes straightly and closely with Nikes value proposition. Nike aims To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world, meanwhile, Adidas mission is Improving every athletes performance through innovation. The brand values of Adidas have been claimed that authenticity, inspiration, honesty and commitment are derived from sport. (Datamonitor research, 2009) Puma Figure 1: the leaping puma symbolizes the combination of speed, power and elegance exhibited by professional athletes Placed at 97th, Puma brand appeared at the first time on the Interbrand annual report. Interbrand analysts gave the positive compliments for Pumas effort to compete against the big rivals. Through new design, co-branding and partnerships with celebrities and famous designers such as Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan, Puma refreshes their brand image. The company defines its brand as the mixes of sport, lifestyle and fashion to increase its desirability (Puma report, 2009). The Puma brand differentiates itself from Nike by communicating lifestyle driven style with active lifestyle themes whereas Nike focusing on performance driven style. Nike brand equity Having and holding customers is likely to be a competitive battle which each brand tries all efforts to win. They compete for functional attributes, distinctive services or innovative technologies (Aaker, 1991). So what are emotional and functional benefits which Nike provides for their customers? Functional and emotional features of the brand Since Nike was set up by someone who has a deep passion for athletics and running, it should come no surprise that product is important. Products that are comfortable, authentic, functionally innovative and uniquely designed (Nike report, 1985). The innovative technology is considered as one of the defining dimensions of Nikes brand identity and corporate culture. The simple driving concept has led to some impressive innovations which is considered as one of the defining dimensions of Nikes brand identity and corporate culture. The first highlight was Air cushioning, using pressurized gas to cushion impact and new materials such as Urathane, that was used first with the Air Max running shoes (Nike report, 1987). More recently, to obtain maximum performance, Nike Sport Research laboratory has discovered the innovative technology such as Shox, which are made mostly of rubber and spring back adding more power to a runners stride and Total 90 Concept, a range of equipment to help players perform over 90 minutes of a soccer match (Keller, 2008) Such innovative technology which Nike has used has gained the strong hold in consumers perceptions. The research of Ross and Harradine (2004) focusing on relationship between young school children and branding, particularly sportswear shoes brands showed that children aged from 4 7 years old believed that these brands could improve their personal performance. They do very fast shoes. They make you run faster. They are also comfortable and look good, they added. Clearly, functional benefit is the fundamental and classical features to communicate with customers. However, if Nike just provided high quality running shoes to enhance athletic performance, Nike would not be strong brands. According to Aakers (1991), big brands need to be beyond the purely functional relationships. They should create a more strong emotional attachment with core consumers because emotional bene ­fits add richness and depth to the brand and the experience of owning and using the brand (Aakers, 2009) Figure 2: Nike Commitment to win Source: Nikefootball.comGuinn et al (p219, 2008) stated that Nike offers emotional benefits which are the exhilaration of athletic performance excellence; feeling engaged, active, and healthy; exhilaration from admiring professional and college athletes as they perform wearing your brand when they win, you win too. Associated brand with the top athletes, Nike tells story of brands which the main themes is sportsmanship and unrelenting effort. These are the story of Michael Jordan who won a record 10th scoring title and was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players (NBA history, 2010) in Americans National basketball association championship. Lance Armstrong survived and won a second straight Tour de France while Tiger Woods completed the career Grand Slam, ensuring his place in golf history at the age where most of us are still wondering what we will do when we grow up (Nike report, 2000). The most three prominent athletes has generated the inspiration for young and next generation of athletes. Nike has succeeded to transfer their inspirations to every single purchaser. Wearing every pair of Nike shoes is to engage a passion for excellence and encourage to do your own thing. Just do it the tagline could sum up all the greatest values of brand which is (Superbrands case study, 2002). Symbolic meaning Products are no longer just products, they move beyond the functional meanings. Nowadays, they are definitely social tools serving as a means of communication between the individual and his significant references (Grubb and Grathwohl, 1967 as cited by Banister and Hogg, 2003). Products are considered as a symbol of individuality and uniqueness, and also symbol of affiliation and social identification. It is particularly trued with the fashion brands. Fashion brands such as clothes, bags, shoes and etc satisfy opposing functions, both social identification and distinction among individuals (Banister Hogg, 2003) Nike must have understood the recipe well. The Just do It campaign in the early 1990s would be a perfect example. Losing ground to archrival Reebok which was quick initiative on designing style, fashion aerobics shoes in 1980s (Keller, 2008), Nike responded dramatically and forcefully by launching the Just do it campaign which was mainly focused on person wearing on products instead of product itself. Purchasing an athlete-endorsed product is one means of symbolically and publicly demonstrating aspirations to be a part of the group and such behaviors are directly influenced by the extent to which a fan identifies with an athlete endorser Carlson and Donavan (2008)Heroes and hero worship was being built as the main themes of advertising. Celebrity endorsements such as Bo Jackson, John McEnroe and Michael Jordon appealed to the consumers sense of belonging and hipness. In other words, Americans consumers were convinced that wearing for every part of your life was smart (the shoes are designed for comfort) and hip (everyone else is wearing them; you too can belong to this group) (CFAR, 1998). Just Do It campaign succeeded (Nike increased its share of the domestic sport shoe business after launching this campaign in America from 18 percent to 43 percent, regained the leader position) because it could fascinate customers in both separating ways. Wearing Nike as a self fulfilling image declaration if you are hip, you are probably wearing Nike. But perhaps most importantly, it could create the desirable needs -if you want to be hip, wear Nike (CFAR, 1998). Symbolic meanings of Nike brand are also tracked in the research on Symbolic and functional positioning of brands of Bhat and Reddy (1998). This study showed that Nike scored high on the prestige and personality expression scales (See Appendix). The findings of Hogg et al (1998) also support the success of attached the symbolic and emblematic meanings to sportswear brands. The youth showed facility in interpreting the symbolic meanings attached to the sports brands which were associated with the different sports stars (such as footballers, rugby players, athletes and tennis players) and with different sports (e.g. football and rugby.) Brand Loyalty Luring by good shoe with innovative functionality and athletic aspiration value, Nike has indeed come to mind and heart of its customers. By the mid of 1990s, 77 percent of male Americans from the age of 18 to 25 chose Nike as their favourite shoe, according to Rozanski et al (1999). The figure still remains stably despite of that up and down year Nike has been experience, gaining the high score of customer satisfaction at 79 percent rated by The American Customer Satisfaction Index Organization (2009). Figure: 3NIKE The American Customer Satisfaction Index Base- line 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Previous Year % Change First Year % Change All Others NM 73 76 79 79 78 81 81 83 79 81 83 82 83 1.2 13.7 Athletic Shoes 79 74 74 76 79 76 79 79 82 77 76 79 79 80 1.3 1.3 NIKE 82 74 73 73 78 74 76 76 78 75 72 75 78 79 1.3 -3.7 adidas 75 74 74 75 78 73 76 74 77 75 78 77 78 78 0.0 4.0 Source: American customer satisfaction index organization, 2010 It could be said that loyalty to the Nike brand is driven by many external and internal factors such as brands subjective and objective characteristics and loyalty building programs. One visible example of creating innovative method to capture the strong relationships with Nike users is that creating Joga.com, a social network site for foot ball fans. Launching quietly in the early 2006, the site became an instant hit, peaking at 7.5 million viewers when Nike showed Ronaldinho video clips, according to Nike (2006). More than 1 million members from 140 countries signed up by mid July. In this site, fans can create their personal blogs, build communities around favorite teams or players, download video and organize pickup games. By enrolling consumers in building and shaping the content of the website, Nike pulled their loyal customers closer, nurtured deeper bonds of loyalty and advocacy. (Kotler and Amstrong, 2007) Brand Awareness Brand awareness is the first and crucial stage of consumers preference. It refers to the strength of a brands presence in the consumers mind (Aakers, 1996). Nike has been successful in building awareness. The Swoosh symbol has been appeared everywhere, on shoes, hats, billboards and soccer balls across the globe too remarkably to such extent that one author used the title The Swooshification of the World on Sports Illustrated column that imaged a future in which the swoosh could surpass sports to become a letter of the alphabet and the new presidential seal, among other things(Keller, 2008). True be told, the recognition of the swoosh is extremely high. According to Keller (2008), as of 2000, 97 percent of American citizens recognized the brand logo, as the strong brand penetration. The studying of Arona and Stoner (2009) on understanding brand personality also assists this fact. The findings indicated that Nike was perceived as a dominant force or authority in the market place, reaching at nearly 90 percent (Figure below) Figure 4: The difference between Nike and Adidas. Source: Arora, R. and Stoner, C. (2009) a mixed method approach to understanding brand personality, Journal of product and Brand management, 18(4), 272-283. The results of Ross and Harradines research (2004) on brand recognition and awareness on children is also supportive, which showed that Nike could be recognized consistently without identification of brand name, even by the youngest group (aged from 4 to 6 years old). This perhaps may reflect the general level of advertising and promotion that children are exposed to. How has Nike done to build brand awareness? Sponsorships, advertising and experience focused retailing (Nike town) are three vivid channels that Nike has applied to enhance its brand image and awareness. Among these strategies, athlete endorsements could be considered as the most significant success of Nike brand. Nike has been invested millions of dollars to associate their brand names with easily recognizable athletes with the aim of brand image building (1.6 billion dollars is spent on multiyear athlete endorsement by Nike according to Horrow (2007). Athletes at the top of their respective sport such as Micheal Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Lance Armstrong who are well liked and respected by members of the brands target audience are chosen as endorsers to associate the Nike brand with the athletes celebrity image. This strategy has been paid off, for example, since Tiger Woods and Nike cooperated, annual sales for Nike Golf have exceeded to nearly $500 million dollars with an estimated 24 percent growth per year in the first five years of the agreement (Pike, 2006 cited by Carlson and Donavan, 2008). Conclusion Since the Nike name is chosen in 1971 with the concepts of victory, success and speed, Nike has been keeping its great speed in the fierce competitive environment. Building brand image and its associations around a famous person and conducting the two way conversation with power consumers through innovative digital channels, Nike has hold the strong presence in the heart of consumers. REFERENCE Aaker, D., 1996. Building strong brands. New York: The Free Press Aaker, David A., 1991. Managing Brand Equity. New York: The Free Press Elliot, R. and Percy, L., 2007, Strategic brand management, Oxford: Oxford University Press Guinn, T., 2008. Advertising and Integrated brand promotion. South Western: South Western Educational Publishing. Keller, K., 2008. Best practice cases in branding: lessons from the worlds strongest brands. 3rd Ed. NJ : Pearson/Prentice-Hall. Kotler, P., and Armstrong, G., 2007. Marketing: an introduction. 8th Ed. N.J. : Pearson Prentice Hall Aaker, D. (2009) Beyond functional benefits, Marketing news, 30, 23-24. Arora, R. and Stoner, C. (2009) a mixed method approach to understanding brand personality, Journal of product and Brand management, 18(4), 272-283. Banister, E., and Hogg, M. (2003) Negative symbolic consumption and consumers drive for self-esteem, the case of the fashion industry, European Journal of Marketing, 38(7),850-868. Carlson, B., and Donavan, T. (2008) Concerning the Effect of Athlete Endorsements on Brand and Team-Related Intentions, Sport Marketing Quarterly, 17 (3), 154-162. Court, D. et al. (1997) If Nike can just do it, why cant we, The McKinsey quarterly, 3, 24-34. Hogg, M., Bruce, M. and Hill, A. (1998) Fashion brand preferences among young consumers, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, 26 (8), 293-300. Ross, J. and Harradine, R. (2004) Im not wearing that! Branding and young children, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 8(1),11-26. Ross, J., and Harradine, R. (2004) Im not wearing that! Branding and young children, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 8 (1),11-26. Rozanski, H., Baum, A., and Wolfsen, B. (1999) Brand Zealots: realizing the full value of emotional brand loyalty, Strategy and Business Fourth Quarter ,19, [Online] Available at http://www.strategy-business.com/article/13741?gko=31937 The American Customer Satisfaction Index, Score by company NIKE, [Online] Available at: http://www.theacsi.org/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=149Itemid=157c=NIKE (accessed 20/05/2010). Brandrepublic (2002) Superbrands Case Studies Nike, [Online] Available from:http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/148384/superbrands-case-studies-nike/(accessed 22/04/2010) Center for Applied Research CFAR (1998) Mini case study Nike -Just do it advertising campaign, [Online] Available from: http://www.cfar.com/Documents/nikecmp.pdf(accessed 20/05/2010) Datamonitor research (2009), Nike, Inc. 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Criteria for eco-hotel

Criteria for eco-hotel Introduction Tourism is one of the leading growth sectors of the global economy, bringing in billions of dollars annually in developing countries and transporting millions of people internationally. But the tourism industrys growth through the years has created an increasing amount of stress on the environment. Ecotourism is nature-oriented and environmentally focused and is growing rapidly. Ecotourism aside, many in the hotel industry have recognized the negative impact their business activities have on the environment and have taken action to alleviate those impacts. Environmentally responsible business practices dovetail well with the newfound popularity of ecotourism. They harmonize tourism and environmental sustainability. Eco-hotels are a name given to represent a hotel or an accommodation that has made the surroundings improvements to its structure so as to reduce its impact on the environment. This is known also known as green hotel which are environmentally-responsible accommodation that follow practices of green living. To be considered as environmentally responsible these hotels have to be certified as ‘green by an independent third-party or by the state they are located in. Traditionally, these hotels are qualified as Eco Hotels because of their location, their design inspired by the use of traditional building and the eco activities they offer. Chapter 1 Literature Review 1.0 Criteria for eco-hotel: An eco-hotel must as a rule meet the following criteria: Rely on the natural environment Environmental sustainability Should be able to safeguard the ecology Should sensitize people about the environmental training programs Should be able to bring intercultural exchange Should be able to increase the countrys revenue Maintaining the organization building by using non-hazardous cleaning agents and laundry detergent 100%organic cottonsheets, towels and mattresses Non-smoking atmosphere Renewable power sources like solar or wind energy Bulk natural soap and facilities as an alternative of individual packages to reduce waste Guest room and hotel lobby recycling bins Towel and sheet re-use (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these slightly used items to reduce water utilization) Energy-efficient lighting On-site transportation with green vehicles Serve natural and local-grown food Non-disposable dishware Offers a fresh-air exchange structure Gray water recycling, which can be used in the kitchen, bath and laundry water for garden and landscaping Newspaper recycling plan 1.1 Hotels having this Criteria Copenhagen: No.1 Green hotel in the World. Eco star: 1 Stars: 4 Location: Europe Country: Denmark Copenhagen Towers in line with the Green Building Standard is the first hotel in Denmark that has got linked with the UNs Global Compact. It has been considered that the building can saved about 1.373 tons of carbon dioxide annually and it has also been awarded the golden nail for being the most pioneering eco-friendly building. The Crowne Plaza Towers was constructed in 2009 using the most modern renewable and most sustainable resources. According to the president of Copenhagen Hotel Management, Sandeep Sander, the notion used by the hotel was to be more sustainable first to produce most of the energy used and to save as much energy as possible. â€Å"One of the key power saving initiatives is the mechanism of a groundwater based system, is based on the idea of recycling energy, and provides both heating and cooling to all 366 hotel rooms, the conference room section, kitchen, restaurant, and the ancillary office building.†Actions such as intelligence control of lightning and low-energy light sources have been taken to guarantee that the consumption is kept low. The majority of the part of the hotels IT infrastructure were used on foundation of energy saving and renewability. Managing director for Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers, Allan L. Agerholm acknowledged: â€Å"The bikes invite the guests to move in new habits that benefits their personal health and wellbeing as well as the environment in general. The guests plainly provide the energy in the hotel. On one hand, the biking might represents an emblematic sustainable act. Yet on the other it also presents that the socio-eco-awareness now also apply for the service area.† The Crowne Plaza Copenhagen has used this new concept- green concept- for the interests of the hotel, its employees and the guests. the prominent Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, the Hotel Nikko Hongkong occupies one of the citys choicest locations in Tsimshatsui EastISO 14001 plus other awards. Eco star: 2 Stars: 5 Location: Asia Country: Hong Kong In line with ISO 14001, Hotel Nikko Hong Kong has dedicated itself to the ecological shield. Its purpose has been to give environment-friendly services in their industry so as to be distinctive competitive as compared to others. Its aim is to provide good biodegradable services for its guests. It has also committed itself into taking appropriate techniques to stay away from pollution and towards the preservation of resources. To sponsor tourism marketing, Hotel Nikko has joined Friends of the Earths 2008-09 as a Saturn corporate member, the second highest contribution tier. The hotel management and staffs also helps to support environmental services to the guests so as to diminish wastage of natural resources and pollution done to the environment. To encourage its employees, the â€Å"Green Innovator Award† was the mechanism used to award the most innovative and convenient environment initiatives anticipated by the hotel. The concept used by Hotel Nikko Hong Kong is the 6R. Th e 6R concept consist of the following aspects: Reduce, Reuse, Replace, Repair, Refill and Recycle. The hotel has used this concept to control waste water organization. It is done in the safest way. The orchid- ECOTEL licensed by HVS Eco Services website has a wealth of good information Eco star: 3 Stars: 5 Location: Asia Country: India A tree always grows from its roots; every building needs a strong base The Orchid Hotel is found in Mumbai and it is Asias first qualified environmental friendly five-star hotel and it has been approved the ISO 14001. They just think in having a sustainable development which can build up an experience where: Deluxe need not disturb, Comfort need not compromise and Enjoyment need not be insensitive. The creation itself was designed particularly in such a way that is eco-friendly and even the resources used are sustainable and can be conserved. For the civil work, they have used: Cement They have opted for the PPC (Portland Pozzalana Cement) which hold 15-20% fly ash, as compared to OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) Their internal partitions were built from wall panels made of compost waste and they can be reusable later. AAC (autoclaved aerated concrete) Water conservation by adopting the 6R theory Aerators/flow restrictors Sewage management plant Drip irrigation Drinking water treatment (aquazone) Rubber wood Medium thickness fibre wood Reused wood Triple glazed windows 1.2 Environmental Management In the 1980s and 1990s environment pressures has greatly affected the various industries and nowadays it has become such an important thing that it is not only affecting the outputs but even the inputs and process. Hotel industry has provided a major benefit to local and national economies; its growth has also put in danger the environment and socio-cultural area of where its developing. David Kirk (1981) argue that the hospitality sector is more affected as most hotels restaurant are situated near beauty and historic places where the need to protect is greater and even more vital. The addition of services to attract more tourists has already affected such places and thus more constrains crops up when building such facilities. Moreover tourists dont care about their action which contributes to the degradation of the environment. They expect to be pampered and dont pay attention to lashings of hot water, long time showers, and huge amount of supply of towels, copious food and more the need to be taken to the airport in limousines. We can say that nothing can be done to reduce the amount of waste without the help of the tourists, even if manager applies new ways of doing in the management of waste guests plays an important role. Environmental management is such a broad concept that it encloses aesthetic, cultural, ecological and social. There is a whole big work that should be done to educate people about the importance of a proper management of them. The hotel industry is one that consumes a lot of energy as a huge amount is to provide comfort and service to guest that are ready to pay for a unique treatment and entertainment. The amount of energy varies from Hotels due to their size and volume of guests. In the investigation of Paulina Bohdanowicz (2001) she finds out that Heating and air conditioning represent the highest energy consumption and is even consuming twice as catering which can be found at the second position. There is a wide misconception in the hotel industry about reduction of energy use. Tourism is not giving an important consideration to this aspect as there is no proper planning to directly influence the output of energy consumption. Local resources could be used like solar, wind, hydro these are excellent source of alternative energy as they have low impact over the environment. As tourism is a growing and evolving industry eco-(sustainable) tourism represent a currently small market but with time it may become the leading industry with millions of environmentalists and more consumers aware of environmental issues. Unfortunately more developers, planners believe that doing a sustainable development cost more and take more time. It will also provide less profits as more investment and less services will be available. It is true that green building offer many advantages like better economic opportunities, more comfort and convenience, better working and enhanced working environment, competitive advantage through the marketing and technology advancement, greater profits as building green cost less if it is correctly control and operated, offer an increase product and asset value as it represent the new era. The slogan â€Å"think globally, act locally† has been around in green politics for a long time but it is still very relevant. Problems are created at a local level through the business, leisure and activities provided by hotels. Robert F. Bruner (2004) clearly states that when you look around, it as if as economy has gone global, each one is copying on others ways of doing. These activities may result in effects on the environment at a local level and collectively at a national and global level therefore to change global trend one must change locally. Tourism objective is to offer service entertainment, comfort and luxury as well as a numerous range of services in an aggressive competitive market. There is a must to consume more energy to provide such services. The only way to control the production of such services is to get in close cooperation with all the stakeholders involved right at the beginning of the planning stage. 1.3 Some Important events in Environmental management: 1956: Clean Air Act; 1970: Department of Environment established; 1972: publication of â€Å"Limits to Growth†; 1973: formation of Green Party; 1974: Control of Pollution Act; 1987: Montreal Protocol (CFC emissions); 1987: Treaty of Rome; 1987: Bruntland Report (sustainable development); 1987: HM Inspectorate of Pollution; 1990: European Environmental Agency; 1990: White Paper on Environmental Strategy; 1992: Rio Earth Summit Conference; 1993: UK National Sustainability Plan. Environmental management was given more importance with the rise of health problem due to pollution from industries. Industries expanding themselves caused great damage to environment with the massive pollution they were doing. Without the interest of the highest level of an organization it is less likely that a company will involve itself in environmental management. Therefore to be able to do such thing there should be the participation of everyone in a company so that ideas develop flourish. The first step is to have a vision and to transform them into objective and targets with clear monitoring so as to have control and communication being done for everyone to go into the same direction. The next step is to conduct an environmental audit into the company so as to identify areas to be made targets. Environmental Management touches sector like purchasing policies, waste management and waste disposal in a company. A department should be created in order to fulfill those required task so as to enhance and to show a real endeavor towards environment protection. 1.4 Environmental management in the hospitality industry Not much interest was put in the hospitality sector until the creation of the International Hotels Environment Initiative, which was launched by the Prince of Wales. The first main objective was to create a manual on environmental management for hotels. The Hotel Catering Institutional Management Association (HCIMA) and the World Travel and Tourism Council have established an initiative on environmental management awareness. The programme, known as â€Å"Green Globe†, has as its main objective the aim to provide practical and low-cost means by which hospitality companies can follow rules to undertake environment improvements base on international guidelines. 1.5 Policies and Standards set for Eco-Hotels There are several places in the world whereby green hotels/ eco hotels are now being practiced. In most cases, by setting up several laws and regulations on hotel construction, government has forced the hotels builder in constructing eco-hotels. There are also several associations which are fighting for a more eco-friendly buildings and hotels. A few key building environmental assessment tools presently in use comprise of: Canada: LEED Canada / Green Globes China: GBAS India: Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) / GRIHA Japan: CASBEE United States: LEED / Living Building Challenge / Green Globes / Build it Green / NAHB NGBS / International Green Construction Code International Green Construction Code (IGCC) United Kingdom: BREEAM A few key building environmental assessment tools such as BREEAM (United Kingdom), and CASBEE (Japan) are a great help for the consumers in determining a structures aim and level of the environmental accomplishment. They reward credits for optional construction features which sustain green model in categories such as the site location and upholding of building site, conservation of water, etc. The stage of achievements are then determined through the number of credits. Governments have begun to command a reduction in the use of energy and emissions. In US in the construction industry, â€Å"Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design† also known as â€Å"LEED,† is being developed as a widely-accepted standard. The LEED certification has been modified by the U.S. Green Building Council to give facilities to all buildings to earn points in many categories, helping thus the hotel operators to be able to obtain certification for their existing services. They thus earn points by being sustainable in: The low energy use which reduces the release of air pollutants and greenhouse gases By reducing water consumption by 30% The use of recycle products to renovate. The use of innovative technologies that help in reducing energy usage thus achieving other types of sustainability. There is on about 1,200 LEED-certified buildings till the end of 2008, most of which are new instead of renovated buildings. The government also plays a very significant role in the industrys eco- environment, not only by creating environmental resources to help the industry. The government officials also shared their acquired experience on ecological work with the practitioners. According to the United Nations Environmental Program, 2001, the French Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment along with some hotels has been sponsoring the making of teaching materials for environmental issues. The Hong Kong and French government also shows the importance of pursuing sustainable tourism by funding two cases. Referring to: Hotels environmental management systems (ISO 14001) by Wilco W. Chan and Kenny Ho we can see the chart with the different departments and its aims. Introduced in China during the year 2003 with the publication of China Hotel Associations standards for green hotels, it was targeted to build and develop 10,000 green hotels by 2010. In May 2007, URBN Hotels Resorts, a hotel situated in Shanghai, entered into an accord with Emissions Zero, a company which sells offsets greenhouse gas emissions. URBN plans was to calculate the hotel ‘s total amount of energy consumed, to then purchase credits in order to reduce its footprint by investing In the local green projects. In the islands where tourism industry is backbone for economic growth, due to the fear of losing developers, there is often a lack of regulations. Two examples are Barbados and Jamaica, whereby they utilize funds raised to coordinating the Plan for a Sustainable Tourism and the Tourism Product Development Company. They have developed curriculums concerning sustainable practices for the different hoteliers. The Government initiatives for examples such as Energy Conservation Building Code 2007 are mostly focused on how to preserve environment. A new code had been launched June 2007 clearly specified that only the energy performance requirements for all commercial buildings will constructed in India. 1.6 IPD Environment Code In February 2008 the IPD Environment Code, which was supposed to be a good practice global standard, has been launched. The Code was introduces in order to measure the environmental performance of corporate buildings. Its aim is to accurately assess, evaluate and deal with the environmental impacts of commercial buildings. The Code covers a broad array of building types which have as aims to: environmental plan creation Communicating a responsibility to the improvement of the environment. Create performance targets Environmental improvement plans Life cycle assessments United Nations (UN) has introduces an Agenda 21 which is connected to sustainable development, a blueprint of action. It is supposed to be taken internationally, on a national scale and locally by different types of organizations of the UN, governments, and major groups that is in every part in which the humans has an effect on the environment. A great number of organizations, due to the increasing interest in eco-building concepts, are now developing the different standards and rating systems which are encouraging the governments regulators as well as the construction professional in adopting eco-buildings with more conviction. There are also different codes being written which are now being adopted by the government in order to reduce the different environmental impacts of all the buildings. 1.7 Eco activities offered to tourists by Eco-Hotels Over the past years, the tourism industry has begun to promote and expand and some tourists adopted and supported the concept of ecotourism, especially in coastal and marine locations (Miller, 1991; Miller Auyong, 1991b; Grenier et al.,). Ecotourism dates to year 1965 when Hetzer required a reconsidering of cultural education in tourism context and promoted ecological tourism (eco-tourism). Today eco-tourism has become an international concept that makes up the principles of preservation, conservation and sustainable development. According to Valentine (1991) in the literature ecotourism is also recognised as ‘adventure tourism, nature-oriented tourism, alternative tourism, appropriate tourism, soft tourism, responsible tourism, ethical tourism, environment-friendly travel, green tourism, sustainable tourism, and nature tourism. The list could be extended with other alternatives like equality tourism, ethnic tourism, ‘cultural tourism, socio-ecological tourism, photo-saf ari tourism, dive tourism or surfing tourism. A tourist activity, a private venture or government service, and a guide for ethical conduct are some technical definitions given to ecotourism. For Hetzer (1965), responsible eco-tourism is assessed against four standards: Minimum environmental impact; Minimum impact on and maximum respect for host cultures; Maximum economic benefits to the host countrys grassroots; and Maximum recreational satisfaction to participating tourists. The Ecotourism Society, a non-profit organisation created in 1990 to serve tour operators, conservation professionals, protected area management specialists, researchers, and guides, among others, defines ecotourism as responsible travel that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people. For example in Shanti Maurice hotel, along with the local inhabitant, use composting for waste reduction. However, there is not yet any standard method to quantify the amount of ecotourism. Bangs (1992) notes that, while generic tourism increases around 4% annually, ecotourism is growing at a rate of 30%. Lindberg (1991) stated that nature-based tourism contributed between $2 and $12 billion in 1988 to the economies of developing nations. According to Miller (1993), today, demand for travel shows greater deviation and magnitude than ever before, so making the tourism industry the biggest business on the earth. The increase in availability of public transport, car ownership, outbound travel, and new interests in nature based ecotourism, with the increased leisure time implies a promising future to marine eco-tourism. As a result more careful and detailed preparation and planning is necessary to accommodate the estimated arrival of tourists to coastal areas. But still ecotourism is often disadvantaged by limited access, lack of transport and poor resort facilities, including lodging facilities. It is essential to achieve a good balance between the development of leisure and the preservation of natural resources is to sustain the high quality of recreational activities. The concept of the 3s (sea, sand, sun) tourism is changing to more sustainable tourism activities. There are different eco hotels which offer different activities to tourists depending on their surrounding environment. Hereunder is a list of eco hotels of different eco star ratings and the eco activities they offer to the tourists. 3 star Eco hotels Leaves and Lizards Arenal Volcano Cabin Retreat(Central America-Costa Rica) Guests learn about consequences of deforestation and its effects on biodiversity, climate and water during their stay at Leaves and Lizards. Information is shared and discussed during guided tours, through casual conversations and written material in guests rooms. Activities available there to tourists are horse riding, white water rafting, zip lines (Tyrolean traverse) and canyoning. Admirals Inn-north (America- USA) Information of all the local environmentally-friendly activities that are in the area, including beach walking and hiking are given to guests. Al Tarfa Desert Sanctuary Lodge Spa- (Africa-Egypt) Al Tarfa is an adventure destination, offering daily activities such as guided walks in the desert, local community experiences, camel or horse rides inthedunes or 44 visits to local pharaonic, as well as Islamic ruins and natural hot springs. Other rewarding experiences can be arranged, including trips to theadjacent Oases, theWhite Desert Protected Area and theGilf Kebir National Park. Lake Manyara Tree Lodge- (Africa-Tanzania) This offers a number of specialist safaris as activities to guests. Ants Nest and Ants Hill- (South Africa) The aim of Ants Nest and Ants Hill is to provide a uniquely flexible safari experience Club Afrodit- (Europe-Turkey) This hotel provides various activities like morning gymnastics, nature walks, tennis, ping-pong, aerobics, basketball, volleyball, darts, water polo. Eco-Lodge Itororà ³- (South America-Brazil) Eco-Lodge Itororà ³ offers a range of activities from hiking tours to horseback riding and swimming in the crystal-clear natural pool. Ferme de Candeloup- (Europe-France) This eco hotel also acts as a Yoga centre .During the Winter, a forty minute drive brings guests to the nearest ski station, which is also just a short walk to the Spanish border. Whitewater rafting, horse riding and many other activities can also be pursued in the neighbourhood. For those of a more leisurely disposition, Candeloup is at the heart of the Juranà §on wine region, which begs to be explored. Finca del Buen Consejo- (South America-Ecuador) They offer activities in many of the local beautiful sites such as waterfall visits, mountain climbing, fly fishing, and pre Inca civilization ruins Hotel Planinka- (Europe-Slovenia) Activities organised by the hotel for the guests include mountain adventure park, paintball, hiking mountain biking, sledging, ice skating. Best Western Kamloops- (North America-Canada) In the area guests will find some of the finest golf courses in the country, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, fossil exploring, and Western Heritage visit. For more winter activities nearby is the excellent ski Sun Peaks Resort, which is quickly becoming one of the premier ski areas in the country. Hosteria Huechulafquen- (South America-Argentina) Guests can enjoy different excursions with diverse difficulty levels like horseback riding, trekking, mountain biking, long walks, kayaking, bird watching, scenery hiking, and the hotel specialises in catch and release fishing. Ibo Island Lodge, Quirimbas Archipelago- (Africa-Mozambique) Ibo Island Lodge provides turtle and hatching viewing opportunities to guests to the island. Iglu-Dorf- (Europe-Switzerland and Germany) Activities available there are snow show walking, igloo building and sculpting. Inkaterra Machu Picchu- (South America-Peru) Group eco-activities, such as bird watching or a guided orchid walk, are provided on their 12-acre grounds. Laguna del Lagarto Eco Lodge- (Central America-Costa Rica) The Lodge is operated in harmony with nature following extensive ecological guidelines. It is a perfect place for passionate bird-watchers and rain forest lovers. More than 10 km of well marked rainforest trails make birding and exploring easy, whether guests prefer to go alone or with a naturalist or birding guide. Matemo Island- (Africa-Mozambique) For guests who enjoy water sports, sailing, windsurfing, water skiing and banana boats, these activities are offered. Kayaks and snorkels are also available for guests to explore the islands clear waters. Rivertime resort and Ecolodge- (Asia-Laos) Rivertime resort and Ecolodge provide river tours to guests. And Tours most fascinating temples, monasteries, museums and many other sites of interest take guests to the city and local areas in the resorts minibus. Sosian Lodge-africa Kenya Sosian offers a huge range of activities including walking, horse-riding, camel safaris, game-drives, night-drives, fishing, bird-shooting, archery, tennis and swimming in the waterfalls behind the ranch house. 4 star Eco hotels Belvedere Bed Breakfast- (Europe-Italy) All sorts of activities, are provided at this hotel, like walking, trekking, mountaineering, cycling, skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing or just relaxing surrounded by good food, wine and beautiful scenery. Brompton Lakes- (Europe-England) The site is directly on the Coast to Coast long distance footpath and ideally placed for walking, cycling and other outdoor activities. There is also a tennis court, free mountain bike hire and small rowing boats on the lakes. Cedar House Inn and Yurts- (North America-USA) Cedar House Inn and Yurts provide horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, tubing down the Etowah or Chestatee Rivers and swimming in Dicks Creek. Mountain biking on rugged trails or road bike on the same mountainous route used by professional racers is also available. Chem chem- (Africa-Tanzania) Guests at Chem chem can experience unforgettable walking safaris and bird watching excursions. Cotton Tree Lodge- (Central America-Belize) All guest excursions are focused on the local environment and community. Guests visit waterfalls, caves, Mayan ruins, wildlife reserves, an

AMERICAN VALUES Essay -- essays research papers

R.E.M. ....Religious, educational and moral values. These are the three values that affect society today the most, I think. Society may look down on people if they do not live by what society thinks is correct. For example if a persons values are corrupt then society will look down on that person, but if a person has real high morals then society will think that they are fake of just a â€Å"goodie†. In society today you will be looked down anyway your moral beliefs are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first value that I think has a big part in society today is religion. This is a value that nobody likes to talk about in the world today. In the public eye, the people as a nation believe in a god that society comes to understand. Many different people have different god’s but society will only socialize with the word god in a crisis or a time of need. A good example is what happened on 9/11/01. You would never turn the television and see the president asking for god’s grace to bless that nation, but in the time of need society turned to a god of their understanding to relieve some of their pain and fear. Personally I am religious and I have always known the god that is in my life, but as society can shape anyone i never talk about him for the fear that society look down on me as an individual. I believe that I should not have to fear society and should express my religious beliefs to my fullest capability.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel that education is the second most im...

Essay --

SUMMARY Amazon.com, Inc. (hereafter referred to as â€Å"Amazon†, â€Å"it†, â€Å"the business†, or â€Å"the company†), is an online retailer that has branched into content creation and web services. Its main competitors include retail giants Wal-mart and Target, as well as entertainment providers Netflix and Barnes and Nobel. Recently, it has found itself competing with technology giant Apple as ventures into cloud services. Amazon was incorporate in 1994 and was offered publically in 1999. It has grown rapidly into the world’s number one online retailer, with millions of products. To achieve this, Amazon has acquired a global network of distribution centers and used technology to provide consumers with access to the best products at the lowest rates. Amazon’s services have become integrated into the modern consumer’s demands for immediate (or near immediate) gratification and investors are highly optimistic about the company’s prospects. Amazon has recently been demonstrating growing revenues in a time where overall sales in the retail industry are growing much more slowly. However, this is not all that is important to an investor. While the company’s revenues are high, it reports losses as it continues to spend to expand rapidly. Investors should carefully analyze past financial statements to determine whether the growth rate in sales is sufficient to match the current expectations and market prices for the retail giant. Such an analysis will reveal that Amazon’s current method of operation plans for the company’s long term profitability, so the company may not be an ideal choice for the more short-term investor. Additionally, Amazon has increased its areas of operation by branching into content and web services and the investor should be aware... ...e Amazon its positive image in the eyes of consumers. Recently, much has come to light that shows less than stellar working conditions for Amazon’s employees. In December 2013, Amazon workers in Germany walked off of their jobs and went on strike claiming â€Å" We are people, not robots†. Claims across the world state that Amazon pays its workers in its distribution warehouses only a little more than the appropriate minimum wage for work that is more demanding than typical retail work. The BBC even found that working conditions at Amazon warehouses could be linked to higher rates of mental and physical defects. If Amazon does not provide better worker’s rights and benefits, it may lose its competitive advantage as employees turn to other employers. However, it is possible that this will just push Amazon to pursue technological improvements to replace human workers.

L.A.R.P. (Live Action Role Playing game) :: essays research papers

Larp   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yo jimbo is a friend of mine. His company, Dreamscape, had had a huge effect on my life. It has changed my life in many ways. I have made many new friends, discovered my love of role playing, and adopted an over all different life style.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dreamscape is a Fantasy L.A.R.P. (Live Action Role Playing game) or Larp. Dreamscape runs an event once a month, at Fountain Blue state park in Mandeville La., where people come from all over La. And even the Mississippi area to play. At an event choose a race to play out of the preset races. I personally play a lizard man. You are required to where makeup and prosthetics to make your self look as much like your race as you can. Then you choose a class, which is like a job. You can buy skills off certain charts depending on your class. The skills you buy help determine what your character knows and is capable of in the game. Combat is done with foam weapons so that no one gets hurt, and spells are represented by a packet of bird seed which is thrown at the target of your spell.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  jimbo is now sole owner of Dreamscape, head of plot, (the developer of the over all story line) and the highest level player character in the game. He spends much of his time making rule calls and playing NPCs (None Player Characters) to further the story line.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dreamscape has had a major impact upon my life. The first time I went was January of 2004. I was one of the only lizard men in the game. That quickly got m a reputation amongst the other people who played. I began to learn peoples names and got invited to other things that they were doing, between the monthly events. I discovered I loved to role-play. Before Larp I believed that I just loved to play video games and the reason I even tried Larp was because it sounded a lot like one of my favorite games. I quickly realized that it wasn’t as much a love of video games as it was a love of being able to make a personality in my head and play that character as if I were them. L.A.R.P. (Live Action Role Playing game) :: essays research papers Larp   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yo jimbo is a friend of mine. His company, Dreamscape, had had a huge effect on my life. It has changed my life in many ways. I have made many new friends, discovered my love of role playing, and adopted an over all different life style.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dreamscape is a Fantasy L.A.R.P. (Live Action Role Playing game) or Larp. Dreamscape runs an event once a month, at Fountain Blue state park in Mandeville La., where people come from all over La. And even the Mississippi area to play. At an event choose a race to play out of the preset races. I personally play a lizard man. You are required to where makeup and prosthetics to make your self look as much like your race as you can. Then you choose a class, which is like a job. You can buy skills off certain charts depending on your class. The skills you buy help determine what your character knows and is capable of in the game. Combat is done with foam weapons so that no one gets hurt, and spells are represented by a packet of bird seed which is thrown at the target of your spell.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  jimbo is now sole owner of Dreamscape, head of plot, (the developer of the over all story line) and the highest level player character in the game. He spends much of his time making rule calls and playing NPCs (None Player Characters) to further the story line.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dreamscape has had a major impact upon my life. The first time I went was January of 2004. I was one of the only lizard men in the game. That quickly got m a reputation amongst the other people who played. I began to learn peoples names and got invited to other things that they were doing, between the monthly events. I discovered I loved to role-play. Before Larp I believed that I just loved to play video games and the reason I even tried Larp was because it sounded a lot like one of my favorite games. I quickly realized that it wasn’t as much a love of video games as it was a love of being able to make a personality in my head and play that character as if I were them.

Nature function of Academic English

IntroductionThere has been an ongoing discourse about different approaches that translates to the best way of teaching the English language and what appropriately constitute to the language itself. Genre knowledge has been the source of much discourse in the academe because of how it affects the disciplinary and professional cultures of teaching Academic English (Berkenkotter & Huckin 24).The academic discourse further covers the features of the language in terms of linguistic, grammatical and vocabulary features. The discussion of such features and how it is affected under the different approaches is evaluated to provide for the grounds for the approach that must be seriously considered in for the academe use. Research about written discourse and text that hold such a prominence in the academy are analyzed according to formal discourse genres, their characteristics as well as the common linguistic features it possess (Hinkel 2).Above the question of the importance of the genre appro ach, there is also a question as to how explicit the teaching instruction must be. Contradicting sides would argue about the necessity of the teaching such approach (Freedman & Medway 193). Others would argue if it is even possible (Freedman & Medway 193). Others would wonder if it would benefit the students or would it prove to be more dangerous (Freedman & Medway 193). There is also a discourse about the right timing by which such an approach should and could be applied to a class depending upon the students’ age and capabilities in writing (Freedman & Medway 193).Genre & Academic DiscourseLiterary genres were discussed as early as in Aristotle’s The Poetics and developed in the Rhetoric that shows how he defined genres as a simple way of classifying text types, this is what was generally accepted over time (Clarke 242). According to traditional views, genre was limited to being primarily literary, defined by textual regularities in terms of form and content, classif ied into simplified categories and subcategories (Clarke 242). Under this definition, genre was not seen as relevant in terms of the discussion of composition and pedagogy (Clarke 242).Most of the linguists advocate that there should be a concentration for mastery of the different genres in the English language and that the teachers should focus on giving specific instruction that teaches the characteristic of each genre (Mercer & Swann 222). The students need a model by which they could follow in keeping with a genre structure (Mercer & Swann 222). They see grammar to play an important role in the process of learning the genres because it enables the students to â€Å"manipulate the text† contradictory to the process approach that sees the trouble in explicit manner of teaching grammar due to its unnecessity and danger to the students’ learning (Mercer & Swann 222).The common misconception would refer to genre and text type to merely be the same aspect of a text but i n reality they actually differ in terms of texts with particular genres having different linguistic characteristics and other literary features (Johns 73). However, different genres can be similar linguistically. Genre can be described as text characterized by external criteria, for instance written or spoken text, different audience, different context or purpose (Johns 73-74).On the other hand, text types can be represented by rhetorical modes such as â€Å"exposition† or â€Å"argument† as different text types (Johns 74). They are seen to be similar in terms of internal discourse patterns despite having different genres (Johns 74). The two concepts then refer to complementary perspectives on texts however they still remain different (Johns 74).Teaching and Writing GenresIn a classroom environment, text types that are written and spoken are related to the different demands by which the school requires and depending upon the subject areas of focus. There are different writing tasks that involve genres that go way beyond the literary realm (Schleppegrell 77). Factual and analytical genres exist under the evolution of the academic English language. The usual technique would be for students to read massive amount of authentic texts to give awareness to the difference of the ranges of genres and determine the registers they encounter for their own chose subject matters (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 303).Students are then made of aware of the differences between academic and non-academic genres. Through the process of being exposed to the different genres, the students are familiarized with the different lexical, grammatical and organizational features of the texts that exist that train them along the way (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 303).Genre KnowledgeThe academic discourse on genre gives two perspectives in terms of structurational and sociocognitive that deals with the activity language undergoes from diverse fields like â€Å"sociolinguistics, cognit ive psychology, educational anthropology and conversation analysis (Berkenkotter & Huckin 24).†Ã‚   This is the new concept that is emerging on top of the rich body of research regarding the genre’s structure from the structurational theory (Berkenkotter & Huckin 24). There is the constant need for the academe to monitor and recognize the changing pattern that language undergoes and thus the changes in the genres as well (Berkenkotter & Huckin 24).Full participation any general disciplinary and professional culture requires knowledge of the written genre and they are referred to as the â€Å"intellectual scaffolds on which community-based knowledge is constructed† thus placing a priority to monitor the pattern changes (Berkenkotter & Huckin 24). At the same time, they are worth examining because the genre of academic discourse also produce criteria like a â€Å"community’s norm, epistemology, ideology, and social ontology (Berkenkotter & Huckin 25)† Linguistic Features of Academic DiscourseAccording to Martlew and Sorsby (1995) â€Å"Written language like spoken language achieves communicative ad conceptual goals by using a complex system of arbitrary symbols and conventional rules†¦ In literate societies, a developed writing system is pervasive in children’s environment and it is likely that each individual child constructs, or re-invents, their own approach to writing from whatever salient experience the environment offers which they can utilize at different levels of development (Mercer & Swann 287).†There are certain linguistic expectations from students who enter into an academic arena and such a language practice can be reflected in most social groups more than others (Schleppegrell 43). Some students can encounter difficulty because of a lack of familiarity to such linguistic standard as there are differences between the registers in an academic scenario and that of an informal interaction (Schleppegre ll 43). Despite the fact that the classrooms can provide for an avenue for the students to develop such a standard and be trained by spoken and written language activities, the teachers need to remember how the forms of language can take its place in the academic context (Schleppegrell 44).For example, academic texts are by nature â€Å"informationally dense and authoritatively presented (Schleppegrell 44).† In order to get the extract the position and information from certain texts, the teachers and students must be able to unpack the meaning and recognize the position and ideologies of the text (Schleppegrell 44). Linguistic choices and the awareness of it enable a wider participation in the contexts of learning (Schleppegrell 44).   Having a clear perspective of the grammatical features that are seen as tools in deciphering school texts then provides as the foundation for a more efficient research of language development in terms of functionality as well as learning new registers (Schleppegrell 44-45).Most research focus on grammatical and lexical features of the student’s language production that produces a language analysis from a systematic functional linguistics (Schleppegrell 45). Deviating from a structural approach to grammar, a functional approach do not just focus on their syntactic category (nouns, verbs, adjectives) or their elements in the sentence (subject, predicate), it focus on identifying the revealing the context of schooling in the language that are used in the text, focusing on the register as the so-called â€Å"manifestation of context (Schleppegrell 45).Studies show how different features are values when comparing writing in writing classes and writing in other academic courses (Hinkel 5). The important consideration if providing the students with linguistic and writing skills that would equip them to handle new information and expand their knowledge (Hinkel 5). Some practitioners say that exposure to a variety of rea ding and experience with writing does not constitute to having a heightened awareness in discourse, vocabulary, grammar and linguistic features of academic writing or having better writing skills (Hinkel 5). They defended explicit instruction in advanced academic writing and text is what can provide the utmost equipment (Hinkel 5).General Nature and Functions of Academic EnglishFurthermore, Martlew and Sorsby (1995) said, â€Å"Writing however is a visible language, graphic symbolic system whose roots we suggest lie in pictographic representation before links are established with spoken language. In this respect, development reflects evolution in that all writing systems which represent sounds of language evolved from pictorial representations rather than from spoken language.† Academic English offers such changing concepts (Hyland 2). The one who coined the definition for English used in academic purposes was Tim Johns (Hyland 2). It was during this time that English became an economic imperative and it has been the leading language for disseminating academic knowledge (Hyland 2).Each discourse community has developed its own mode of discourse. This constitutes to the growth of Academic English. By nature it would expand and evolve to fit and address the different fields of study in need to communicate, basically that points to every discipline (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer). New objects, processes, relationships and others need new terms to be added in the lexicon. There is a need to reinterpret words that already exists to become other words that are defined by their specific fields, like a set is different in conversational English and Mathematical English (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 285).New words are also created as part of an existing word stock, like clockwise or feedback (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 285). There is also a need to borrow from another language. A term called â€Å"calquing† mean having to create new words to imitate a word that a lready exists from another language like omnipotens mean almighty in Latin (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 286). There is also a need to invent totally new words like the time when the word â€Å"gas† was created to be party of the field of chemistry (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 286).There is also creating â€Å"locutions† or sense of phrases and compound words as well as non-native word stocks (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 286). The nature of English is known to be shaped by certain social and cultural functions under the language of academic communities of discourse (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 290-291). The researchers suggest for having more than one valid and culturally based ideology regarding Academic English for it to be open to other cultures and factors (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 291).ConclusionDue to culture, styles of writing differ but this does not make one inferior over the other (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 290). Further research about Academic English should have a greater level of sensitivity for other cultures or for cultural diversity (Hoadley-Maidment & Mercer 290).   It is also necessary to have a proper balance between over-prespecification of the curriculum and planning and the right amount in terms of explicit teaching of genre and other features according the students’ knowledge, abilities and background (Wiley & Hartung- Cole 205). The academe must not loose sight of social-cultural context of the relevance of Academic English in exchange for a more uniform approach or for the search for a common standard for academic discourse (Wiley & Hartung- Cole 205).Works CitedClark, Irene, et al. Concepts in Composition: Theory and Practice in the Teaching of Writing. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003.Berkenkotter, Carol, and Thomas N. Huckin. Genre Knowledge in Disciplinary Communication: Cognition, Culture, Power. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1995.Hinkel, Eli. Second Language Writers' Text: Linguistic and Rhetorical Features. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002.Hoadley-Maidment, E. and Mercer, N. English in the Academic World. Open University course U210 The English Language: Past, Present and Future, 1996.Hyland, Ken. English for Academic Purposes: An Advanced Resource Book. New York: Routledge.Johns, Ann M., ed. Genre in the Classroom: Multiple Perspectives. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002.Freedman, Aviva, and Peter Medway, eds. Genre and the New Rhetoric. London: Taylor & Francis, 1994.Mercer, N. and Swann, J. Learning English: Development and Diversity. Open University course U210 The English Language: Past, Present and Future, 1996.Schleppegrell, Mary J. The Language of Schooling: A Functional Linguistics Perspective. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004.Wiley, Terrence & Hartung- Cole, Elizabeth. â€Å"Model Standards for English Language Development: National Trends and a Local Response.† Education. 119. 2. (1998): Page Number: 205.