Strategic Planning of Starbucks

Share Your Writing Tips

Share Your Writing Tips Share Your Writing Tips Share Your Writing Tips By Sharon It was about time to get our wonderful readers involved with the blog. Instead of writing an article with one hand, therefore, lets group our knowledge and see what comes out of it. The topic I want to cover is Tips to Become a Better Writer. All you need to do is to send one tip that you used to become a better writer. You can do this either by posting a comment below or by sending me an email via the contact form. Next Monday I will publish all the tips in a single article, so that we can use it as reference. In order to kick start it below you will find my tip: Pay attention to punctuation; especially to the correct use of commas and periods. These two punctuation marks regulate the flow of your thoughts, and they can make your text confusing even if the words are clear. What methods have you used to improve your writing skills? What technique helped you to increase your vocabulary or correct your grammar? Dont be shy and share them with us! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with75 Idioms and Expressions That Include â€Å"Break†20 Slang Terms for Law Enforcement Personnel

The paradoxes of integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The paradoxes of integration - Essay Example However, this has not really been the case in most parts of America. There have been challenges with the campaign to get Blacks, Whites, Asian and people of mixed races to co-exist in the same geographical area. Gould states that: Clearly, most White people do not really stay in neighborhoods that has a large African-American population. This is because some White Americans have prejudice and stereotypes that make the associate Black people with some anti-social behaviors. Gould calls this situation ‘white avoidance’ and it largely refers to the fact that most White Americans decide not to move into an integrated neighborhood (p4). In the past few decades, the new wave of immigration from Asia and Latin America has also shown that America is a multi-cultural setting (Oliver, 2). This suggests that the need for integration to solve racial tensions and differences now exceeds just the Black-White conflict which has existed in America for some time. Although there are signs that Americans choose a neighborhood based on the background of their neighbors, Katz and Lang identify that there are some additional key indicators that Americans look at when choosing a neighborhood they live in. they include: â€Å"job opportunities, their children’s schools, their commute, their future home worth, their healthcare, and their places of worship and congregation.† (p1) This suggests that most Americans look at certain factors other than the skin color or the racial background of their neighbors, there is evidence that racial differences play a major role in choosing a neighborhood an American will live in. People more often than not, settle on neighborhoods that is made up of people of their racial or ethnic background. A survey by MCSUI conducted between 1992 and 1994 (Oliver, p103) indicated that about 50% of Asians and Whites will prefer to live in neighborhoods containing people of

Global Executive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Executive - Essay Example us opportunities available in today’s transnational business environments a global executive has to have a profile to explore these possibilities and navigate his company. He has to have a vision and a strategy. Kenneth Chenault is the CEO of American Express (AmEx), a company that forwarded freight and valuables initially. Today AmEx has evolved into a company that creates and sells financial products and is well known for its charge card. International expansion has made American Express a global payments company. Kenneth Chenault has most of the qualities if not all, that are required to succeed in a global and a highly competitive credit- and charge-card business. According to Timothy O’Brien (1999) Chenault is known to be a â€Å"savvy marketer and a determined revenue builder†. A global executive has to have the following competencies : Strong management skills, able to think globally, sensitive enough to build lead effective teams that are diverse (cross-cultural), competitive, expert in recruiting talent from different regions, must be able to teach, motivate and influence, strong in building inter-persinal relationships, ready to empower people, must ensure feedbacks, has to be a good listener and a communicator as well , ability to encourage constructive dialogue, leadership qualities to lead change and innovation and last but not least to learn from experience.. Doug Lennick and Fred Kiel (2005) have said in their book that the four elements vital for sustained success are integrity, responsibility, compassion and forgiveness. A global executive has to have these qualities. Being a global executive means having a vision and a right strategy. His strategy was to expand the charge card network through banks and financial institutions; offering wider financial and investment services and increasing the market share in niche segments like small businesses and overseas markets. He used technolgy like the web and smart cards for this purpose. He

Health care law Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health care law - Article Example s capability to compensate injured patients equitably and quickly, in the process offering answerable mechanisms that focus on ensuring safe care instead of assigning individual blame. Disadvantages of the system include the perception that the systems method of compensation and treating patients excludes other illnesses (Paterson and Bismark, 2004). This is likely to generate tensions because the assistance given by ACC is higher compared to the treatments received from welfare systems and health. The same benefits and disadvantages are applicable in the Canadian context because the Canadian system addresses similar issues as the New Zealand system. In formulating policies on assisted suicide, it is essential to incorporate limits in these policies. These limits are crucial in ensuring effective decision making as people seek to obtain medical assistance in ending life. In this case, the decision for assisted suicide should involve the family and medical specialist. These individuals are crucial in ensuring that the patient makes the right decision. In addition, it is essential to outline conditions for euthanasia. This is crucial in guiding the healthcare provider in assisting in the suicide. In this case, only individuals with fatal illnesses are eligible for assisted suicide. This will eliminate other people who want to kill themselves without any medical motivations (Behuniak & Svenson, 2003). Paterson, R. and Bismark, M. (2004). No-Fault Compensation in New Zealand: Harmonizing Injury Compensation, Provider Accountability, and Patient Safety. Commonwealth Fund’s International Symposium on Health Care Policy.

The Impact Of Extended Discussions Tourism Essay

The Impact Of Extended Discussions Tourism Essay One of the reasons why it is so difficult to achieve sustainable tourism development in first place is that there is no set definition for it. In the early 1990s, there were more than seventy existing definitions of sustainable development (Holmberg and Sandbrook, 1992). Regardless of the wide academic attention the term received, there is no consensus over a set definition, policies or measures (Berno and Bricker, 2001). As Muller (1994:134) points out there are too many experts with too much advice on the one hand and too few agents with too few resources and too little time to act on the other. The subject matter has been researched by many academics and it has reached a point where too many theories have been put forward, and not so much action (Pearce, 1989). The subject of tourism development may be viewed as in two means: as a process or as a state. In both cases the focus is on the relationships between development and tourism, and what their impact on destinations is (Pearce , 1989). Butler (1993:29) argues that there is no set definition of what tourism development is and how it should be implemented, however the author points out the importance to take into consideration the relationship between tourism, other activities and processes, and the human and physical environments in which tourism is taking place. Sustainable development received a lot of attention over the last decades by private and public sectors, governments, non-governmental organisations and it has evolved over three decades from an environmental issue to a socio-political movement for beneficial social and economic change (Farrell and Twining-Ward, 2003:275). The fact that it was adopted by such a wide variety of organisations proves the ambiguity of the term. Its vagueness is demonstrated by the most widely used definition of sustainable tourism development, proposed by the World Commission on Environment and Development sustainable development is not a fixed state of harmony, but r ather a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of the investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are made consistent with future as well as present needs (WCED, 1987:9). The complex correlation between environmental, social and economic development poses a global challenge on sustainability nowadays (Potter et al., 2004). Development and growth are often used as synonyms; however there is a significant difference in their meanings (Holden, 2008). Development is defined as the continuous and positive change in the economic, social, political and cultural dimensions of the human condition, guided by the principle of freedom of choice and the limited capacity of the environment to sustain such change. (Sharpley and Telfer, 2002: 27). Since the end of the Second World War, many development theories emerged, all of them encompassing different approaches to tourism development such as: modernisation theory (1950s-1960s); dependency theory (late 1960s); neo-classical counter revolution theory (1980s); and sustainable development theory (late 1980s). Development is often associated with developing countries; however it is a term that affected global development at all levels (Potter et al., 2004). At that time developing countries were expected to catch up with the West and enter modern age, so that developme nt was linked to modernisation, which was then related to westernisation. During this period of time one of the main paradigms of development emerged the theory of modernisation (Sharpley and Telfer, 2002). It is an optimistic thesis, which assumes that underdevelopment could be overcome through modernisation from the West to less developed countries and from urban areas to rural (Elliott, 2006). However, modernisation has both positive and negative impacts, and this was the case of tourism in Crete. Tourism development was concentrated on the demand side, attracting as many tourists as possible at that time, and resulted in environmental and cultural degradation (Andriotis, 2003). Adams (2001) argues that sustainable tourism development at present is still underpinned mainly within the industrialised North and West part of the world. It is also portrayed as a EuroAmerican paradigm and a Western construct (Cater, 2006:24). Due to the economic and industrial growth in the 1950s, many natural resources have been used in unsustainable ways, without any environmental concern (Elliott, 2006). These negative aspects have resulted in a call for sustainable development. Consequently, different theories were developed in order to try to establish set guidelines of how sustainable tourism should be developed (Sharpley and Telfer, 2002). In 1994, Muller has introduced the magic pentagon as a conceptual framework of sustainable tourism development. The pentagon consists of the following five angles: economic health; subjective well-being; unspoilt nature/protection of resources; healthy culture; optimum satisfaction of guest requirements. The idea of the framework is that in order to maintain sustainable tourism development these five angles must be balanced, enhancing the positive relationships between them. However, in reality numerous factors may perhaps make it quite difficult to balance all angles of the pent agon and achieve sustainable development (Muller, 1994). Mowforth and Munt (1998) also proposed a list of tools for achieving sustainable tourism and it includes the following factors: area protections, industry regulation, visitor management techniques, environmental impact assessment, carrying capacity calculations, consultation/participation techniques, codes of conduct, sustainability indicators. Many other frameworks were suggested over the years and despite the great progress of academic research in the subject field, there is still a debate on what practices should be embedded to encourage sustainable change (Elliott, 2006). The growing demand for international tourism over the last decades has raised a great concern of how tourism activities change the cultural and environmental assets of destinations. Many tourist areas began to receive negative destination image by unsatisfied tourists. This was the case with the Spanish coastal area of Costa del Sol, as environmental decay and poor image have combined with overcrowding and low safety and hygiene standards, together with the popularity of cheaper forms of accommodation and catering, to reduce the perceived attractiveness of the region (Barke and France, 1996: 302). In the end of the 1990s some tour operators, airlines and hotels for the first time took actions against their negative impact on the environment. This was as a result of eco-tourists boycotts against the unsustainable practices of tourism providers. For example businesses have been put at risk by tourists riot in the ski resort of Vail in Colorado, in 1999 (Holden, 2008). However, Sharpley (2009) argues that there is a lack of proof that sustainable principles are adopted in the business practices of tourism organisations, at present. He also emphasizes on the disparity between the concepts of tourism and sustainable development, arguing that the perception of sustainable tourism is anything other than a myth. A case study of the impact of international tourism on the economy in Turkey showed that despite the significant development of facilities along the coastline, development had many negative impacts on the rural regions of the country. Because of the large investments in the resorts, rural areas were left behind and disparities amongst regions and classes were encouraged (Tosun et al., 2003). Robinson (2004) is another author who doubts sustainable development because of its vagueness, green-washing and possible delusions from the real problems related to tourism activities. Mass tourism activities have been viewed as highly unsustainable and after great critici sms other forms of more sustainable tourism have emerged, such as ecotourism or responsible tourism. Nevertheless, the demand for responsible tourism seems to be lacking, with green holidays being low down on the list for tourists throughout the holiday purchasing process (Sharpley, 2009). Sustainable tourism is often regarded as ecotourism and their objectives are viewed as parallel, both embracing host community sense and conservation of natural, built and heritage beauty and resources. However, ecotourism in fact is a type of nature-based niche tourism, which is simply a mode of sustainable tourism (Wearing and Neil, 2009). Eco-labels of products and services are growing in numbers and greenwashing amongst tourism sectors is gaining popularity, however their environmental credentials are hard to measure (Dahl, 2010). This trend is adopted by many tourism suppliers, who seem to be implementing sustainable practices, whereas none of them have changed in reality. A case study of the ecotourism (dragon tourism) in Indonesia showed that this type of tourism was viewed as a sustainable alternative to the mass tourism, favouring local communities. In fact, after a small-scale survey was conducted in the area, results showed that local communities are lacking employment, an d distributional inequalities exist, favouring external suppliers (Walpole and Goodwin, 2000). Robinson (2004) labels the greenwashing used as a method to cover up for unsustainable tourism practices as hypocrisy. It is also seen as a method to place guilt on tourists and to sell eco holidays, which in fact may not be that green (Robbins, 2008). In that sense, the triple bottom line (TBL) has been introduced to measure organisations performance in social, economic and environmental terms and it is key to sustainable development (Elkington, 1998). The most comprehensive framework to measure these sustainable indicators was set by the UNWTO (2004). However, it is very hard to measure TBL as again there is no consensus on a measurement framework and different measures need to be applied depending whether it is used on organisations or at destination level. Marshall and Toffel (2005) identified that sustainability can be placed on a continuum, where at one end is the micro sustainabilit y and on the other is the macro sustainability. During the past decades sustainable tourism practices tend to be small-scale projects on local level, whereas in order to achieve sustainable development through tourism, they should be happening at large scale, globally (Stoddard et al., 2012). Mullers (1994) statement that sustainable tourism is difficult to achieve is relevant today. It is true that conceptually sustainable tourism development is ideal; however it is hard to implement. Therefore, the main task for tourism organisations and governments is to identify and agree upon common rules and codes of conducted. Sustainable tourism development is not simply an economic process, as suggested by the modernisation theory; it is however multidimensional process and should lead to good change (Chambers, 1997). In order for organisations to adopt the good change the following ethical values should be applied towards sustainable tourism development: self-sufficiency; self-determination; empowerment; and improvement of living standards. Sustainable practices should be adopted by all tourism organisations because earth resources are finite, therefore resources should not be consumed at faster pace that they renew, maintaining biological diversity of the planet. Equity between communities should be sustained, involving local people in development processes, following their customs and cultures. All these should be done through the adoption of long-term strategic planning. Main points are that in order to develop sustainable tourism, key economic and environmental costs should be considered. Economic growth should be achieved in more environmentally and socially sound manners, instead of earlier practices. Issues regarding environment should be considered at government levels, however involving individual consumer. And finally, the needs of present generations should be met in a way that does not compromise on the ability of future generations to do so.

Essay --

1. There is a very homoerotic/masculine feel from the opening scene of Rambo III. We are introduced to a ripped and glistening character that looks like he has been bathing in baby oil/tanning oil for the past 48 hours. There is nothing that seems to hurt Rambo as he takes every blow delivered to him in the opening scene. He is also willing to kill countless amounts of Russians in order to save the American general. The game that Rambo learns to play? It is only a physical game played with goat carcass. Rambo is made out to be un-stoppable and even God-like. When Trautman reveals that Rambo is coming to resue him, Zaysen asks Trautman who he thinks Rambo is†¦God? Trautman replies, â€Å"No, God would have mercy†¦he won’t.† Rambo would rather die than not fight for what he believes in. Even at the end, when all seems lost, he refuses to go down without a fight. His determination to fight is the greatest testament to his masculine identity. The Afghanis respec t this and in this sense, Rambo almost becomes a martyr to them. By the end, it almost seems like they aren’t fighting for themselves, but for Rambo! In relation to Jeffords, the â€Å"hard-body† physique is clearly present with Stallone’s character as are the narratives of heroism, toughness, strength, etc†¦ in the film which helps to clearly demonstrate the mastery over foreign enemies. 2. Orientalism is the way that the Middle East is depicted by its’ friendly acquaintances over in the West. In other terms, it is a â€Å"racist discourse which constructs the orient for Western aggrandizement.† The way that the Afghans are depicted in the film alongside Rambo makes the audience sympathize with them. The little boy also looks up to Rambo. He looks up to him a masculine father-figure. Using th... ...ew what we know now. If only they knew about how 9/11 and the actions the Bush administration took because of it. Furthermore, I wouldn't be surprised if the same question asked of Rambo â€Å"Where’s the honor here?† is asked today by Afghans/Pakistanis wondering where the â€Å"honor† is in unmanned drones? It was hard to figure out who to root for in the film†¦especially with historical bias†¦because the Taliban and entire nation of Afghanistan are made out to be heroes in the film. Back then, it may have been acceptable to insinuate that anyone fighting Russia was practically Christ. They are even referred to as â€Å"freedom fighters† in the film (President Reagan would use this term as well). Today though, we have to watch this film while knowing about the death and destruction caused by terrorists on September 11. Back then, our present â€Å"enemies† were our former â€Å"comrades.†