Ethics Paper on Facebook Beacon

Abstract Facebook began in February 2004. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg and his collegiate comrades at Harvard University. Rapidly expanding, Facebook’s exponential growth led to its membership growing to over one billion users, as of September 2012. One would imagine that with such growth would come more opportunities for challenges to arise: one of these challenges being users and their rights to privacy. As part of Facebook’s advertising system, their primary means of generating revenue, Beacon sent data from other companies and websites to Facebook.Following a lawsuit, Beacon then changed to accommodate these requests. On December 5, 2007, Facebook declared it would allow users to choose not to participate in Beacon in which the owner of Facebook apologized for the dispute. When approaching a solution to this ethical dilemma, Facebook had a couple alternative decisions they could make. They could leave the Beacon system as it was, they could change the Beacon fe ature to accommodate requests, or they could delete the feature all together.Using the various ethical approaches to determine which option was best in determining how to solve their issues; one option would prove most logical. Under the utilitarian approach, choosing to keep the Beacon feature would not be the best decision to make. Changing the Beacon feature to allow users to choose to participate or opt out of using the feature. In the end, with this option, more would be satisfied, making it the best choice under this ethical approach.Facebook’s overall reasons for changing the feature spanned farther than just making users happy, it dealt with compliance with the law, so I feel that the positive outcomes from the change will outweigh any potential negative outcomes in the future. Ethical Dilemma Facebook began in February 2004. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg and his collegiate comrades at Harvard University. Initially, the site was aimed at other Harvard students but was eventually expanded its membership to other colleges surrounding the Boston area.Rapidly expanding, it then opened its membership to high school students, and finally to anyone 13 and over. Facebook’s exponential growth led to its membership growing to over one billion users, as of September 2012. One would imagine that with such growth would come more opportunities for challenges to arise: one of these challenges being users and their rights to privacy. In an attempt to alleviate fears concerning privacy, Facebook enabled its users to choose from a variety of privacy settings and chose how viewable their profiles are.Although Facebook requires all users to provide a user name and a picture that can be accessed by anyone, users can regulate what other information they have shared is viewable, as well as who can find them in searches, through those privacy settings. As part of Facebook’s advertising system, their primary means of generating revenue, Beacon sent dat a from other companies and websites to Facebook, in hopes of permitting certain ads and Facebook users to communicate their activities with their online friends, some of the activities being circulated through the Facebook user’s newsfeed.The service creates controversy shortly after its launch because of apprehensions concerning privacy and in November of 2007 a group, MoveOn. org, generated a group on Facebook and an online petition requiring that Facebook cease to circulate user activity from other websites without clear and obvious permission. Within fewer than ten days, the group obtained 50,000 members. Following a lawsuit, Beacon then changed to accommodate these requests. On December 5, 2007, Facebook declared it would allow users to choose not to participate in Beacon in which the owner of Facebook apologized for the dispute. Carlson, 2010). Relevant Information Although Facebook, and other social media sites, are very public in the data users can opt to share, Beaco n took away a user’s right to choose what would become public. In doing so, they violated user’s rights. This caused a dilemma for the Facebook media giant because they generate revenues through advertisements, which keeps its services free for users. They had to formulate a way to keep their partners, who used Beacon to promote their businesses, while still maintaining a sensible amount of privacy for its users. McCarthy, 2007) It was this right to choose privacy that enabled Facebook to differentiate itself from other social media giants, such as MySpace, in the first place. How Facebook chose to come to a resolution would affect many of the stakeholders in the company. The primary stakeholders that would be affected by this decision would be the Facebook Company, who would want to still generate revenue while still providing this free service for its users, and its users, who wanted to ensure the privacy of their profiles.Other stakeholders would include advertising companies, who would want to reach the vast amount of Facebook users and increase the visibility of their brand. Other social media sites would be stakeholders, as well, because they could gain the users that Facebook would lose if they did not fix the dilemma, and generate profits as an end result. (Phillips, 2007) Possible Alternatives When approaching a solution to this ethical dilemma, Facebook had a couple alternative decisions they could make.They could leave the Beacon system as it was, they could change the Beacon feature to accommodate requests, or they could delete the feature all together. Leaving the Beacon feature as it was would have had negative consequences for the company. They would likely feel mass criticism from its users who felt their privacy was violated. With a plethora of free social media sites available to the public, Facebook would risk losing a vast amount of membership and, thus, lose money. The second option Facebook had was to completely get rid of t he Beacon feature.If they chose this option, they would likely have to find a new way to compensate for the revenue that would be lost by doing so. Remember, the main way Facebook was able to keep its services free to users, was to generate revenue through advertisements. In deleting the Beacon feature, Facebook would have to charge on one end: through users or advertisers. Either way, it would be a large amount of revenue that would have to be compensated for in the short time it would take to get rid of the Beacon feature.The last choice Facebook had would be to modify the Beacon feature to accommodate the requests of those who felt it violated their privacy. Doing so would be an attempt to balance the needs of the Facebook Company as well as the users who felt they needed a greater sense of privacy when dealing with the Beacon feature. Appropriate Standards If the Facebook Company was to use the various ethical approaches to determine which option was best in determining how to s olve their issue, one option would prove most logical. Under the utilitarian approach, choosing to keep the Beacon feature would not be the best decision to make.Under the utilitarian approach, the best course of action would be the one that contributes to the greatest amount of overall happiness. The first option, keeping Beacon how it was, in the end, would only make the Facebook Company and the advertisers happy. Because the sheer volume of consumers greatly outweighs that of the advertisers and solely the Facebook Company, it would not comply with the Utilitarian Approach. The second option, however, would include changing the Beacon feature to allow users to choose to participate or opt out of using the feature.This would allow the partnership between advertisers, Facebook, and its users, without having to take drastic measures. In the end, with this option, more would be satisfied, making it the best choice under this ethical approach. The third option of deleting the Beacon f eature would satisfy users who were concerned about their privacy, but it would leave Facebook with the daunting task of finding new ways to generate revenue. Basically, it would leave one side satisfied, and the other with a great burden.Therefore, this option would not be best under this approach. (Anderson, 2004) Implementation of Alternative As stated above, the most ethical course of action would be to modify the Beacon feature to satisfy both the needs of its users and the advertisers that use the feature. This alternative would include creating a method for users to either choose to participate in the program and also provide its users with all pertinent information relating to the Beacon feature so that users could make an informed decision regarding their participation with the program.This second option proved to be the best course of action because despite the fact that the different goals stakeholders have, they all had one common one: to keep Facebook running. Facebook would have to produce income to maintain its functionality as a free social media site to its users. Modifying the Beacon feature would enable Facebook to use the Beacon feature, but also enable its users to make an educated decision to permit the feature to monitor their internet activity. This meets the solution for the ethical dilemma and satisfies all sides.In order for Facebook to implement these changes, they would need to quickly act to enlighten all potential stakeholders of the changes to the Beacon feature. Beacon would need to be completely reshaped to enable Facebook users to have an obvious process to choose to participate, or not, in the service. They also would need to create incentives so that users would want to opt into the Beacon feature. The Facebook Company would need to reach out to all advertisers to devise a way to reach the users of Facebook without the initial problem of violating their privacy.Reflection The immediate outcome that comes to mind would be th e satisfaction of the users who felt their rights to privacy were violated. This would have a positive impact on the Facebook Company’s image. It would show that Facebook is a company that cares about its users and not just one that cares about its bottom line. The option of modifying the Beacon feature would be one that the Facebook Company could be proud of. This choice, following the Utilitarian Approach, maximizes the happiness of the most people involved overall.One potential outcome that is unintended would be the future demands that could come. Because Facebook saw the potential consequences of unhappy users, they quickly devised a way to satisfy the needs of these users. Consequently, the next time they implement a feature that makes its users unhappy, they may have to deal with the demands that might be enforced later. Overall, the Beacon feature was more than a feature that made users unhappy; it actually violated one of their fundamental rights: their right to priv acy.Facebook’s overall reasons for changing the feature spanned farther than just making users happy, it dealt with compliance with the law, so I feel that the positive outcomes from the change will outweigh any potential negative outcomes in the future. References Facebook. In (2012). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Facebook Facebook beacon. In (2012). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Facebook_Beacon Martin, K. (n. d. ). Facebook (a): Beacon and privacy. Corporate Ethics, Retrieved from http://www. corporate-ethics. org/publications/case-studies/ McCarthy, C. (2007).Facebook announces modifications to beacon advertising program. CNET, Retrieved from http://news. cnet. com/8301-13577_3-9826724-36. html Carlson, N. (2010). The full story of how facebook was founded. Business Insider, Retrieved from http://www. businessinsider. com/how-facebook-was-founded-2010-3 Phillips, S. (2007, July 24). A brief history of facebook. The Guar dian, Retrieved from http://www. guardian. co. uk/technology/2007/jul/25/media. newmedia Anderson, K. (2004). Probe ministries. Retrieved from http://www. probe. org/site/c. fdKEIMNsEoG/b. 4224805/k. B792/Utilitarianism_The_Greatest_Good_for_the_Greatest_Number. htm

Crossing Borders †Interracial Dating Essay

In the hodge-podge of American culture you are bound to find interracial dating. There are many differences between people. One that is obvious to the naked eye is the difference of race. In the society that we live in it is sometimes difficult for people of different races to be a couple. The Dominant Culture puts out an invisible border that separates people of different races. In an experiment that I did with a white friend named Michelle, we went out as a couple. Me being Indian and her being Caucasian posed some difficulties for some people to understand. We first went to a park and decided that we would just sit on the swings. There was another little Caucasian girl next to us. The next thing I saw really surprised me and Michelle. The mother of that little girl came and quickly grabbed her daughter and brought her to another part of the playground. All along, the mother looked at me and Michelle in a weird way. After that, we went to the shopping mall. Keeping in mind that we are in a predominantly white suburb, we held hands at the stores. People looked at us as if we were from another planet. I guess they could not believe that an Indian guy and a white girl could be going out on a date. We even brought another one of my friends to see the reaction of other people that me and Michelle could not see. Our other friend, Jim, said that many people kept on starring at us. Also that some people were whispering about us after they had passed us up. This really was a surprise to me. This experiment that I did was a real eye-opener because it gave me the evidence that people really were not happy seeing different races dating. Although this is not the opinion of all people, it seemed to be the opinion of a quite a number of people. These people are what keep the invisible border present in society. The real question that I asked myself is why this happened. One conclusion I came to was that since this was a primarily white suburb, people would not be too open to different races just being there. If someone different from them was to come into their society, it would be natural for them to not accept them. Especially in a situation that involved dating, people would be closed minded. Not only would they want themselves having nothing to do with interracial dating, they would want others of their same race not to be involved with interracial dating. The white people in this suburb probably looked down upon Michelle for being with an Indian guy. Furthermore, the events of September 11th did not help this situation either. Ever since that date, Indian people have been clumped into the whole middle-eastern terrorist category. This just gives the people of this suburb a reason to denounce me and our relationship. Much of this anger comes out of stereotypes. Since these people think that most middle-eastern people are bad or somehow connected to terrorism, this creates a stereotype that I am labeled with. Another reason we got such a hard time is that our cultures did not match up. Even though we have similar values, the customs of Caucasians and Indians are obviously different. Many people in the suburbs that we saw probably did not understand my culture, so what they do not understand, they do not like. People still have stereotypes of Indians. They might think that we cannot speak English or that we smell. These stereotypes bring the Indians in a lower regard with the dominant culture. Why is it harder for black and white couple to be accepted by society rather then an Indian and a white couple? This particular question can be answered in many ways. One of the many reasons is that social standards are set in our community that base blacks down the totem pole. Blacks have been discriminated against from the start of slavery and to this day in some rare cases. The dominant culture has looked down upon blacks because of their skin color for many generations. This is cause for the dominant culture to look down upon blacks. When it comes to Indians, some white people perceive Indians as somewhat semi-British. Whites are less prone to be against a relationship with an Indian person. It is more accepted for Indians to date white people because the dominant culture holds Indians in higher regards than blacks. It is because of biased thinking that this notion came into being. After everything, people are still not open to other ideas or beliefs. Even though the dominant culture puts out an invisible border, that border is becoming more visible with stereotypes that are put out there. This invisible border is displayed by their actions when they see interracial couples. They make it more difficult for these couples to be together. Other things like September 11th added to this invisible border in me and Michelle’s case. What this means is that the majority of our society will be closed minded to interracial dating. What it also means is that the racial lines will be erased if these couples get married and have children. The dominant culture wants to keep the races separate. In relating my experience with Michelle in that suburb, I felt like we should not be together as a couple. The reactions I got made me feel like I did something wrong. It is this feeling the invisible border is suppose to bring to me. I realized this only in the end. It is up me to decide who I date. It should be the concern of the two people that are dating and not the society.

True comedy explores themes as serious and important

True comedy explores themes as serious and important as appear in any tragedy. Demonstrate to what extent Educating Rite contains serious and important themes as well as being a comic play. BY D.. Thomson Educating Rite True comedy explores themes as serious and important as appear in any tragedy. Demonstrate to what extent Educating Rite contains serious and important themes as Wily Russell play entitled ‘Educating Rite' Is a dark and comic drama set within the confines of a University classroom. The play features two characters, Frank a troubled lecturer who has grown disillusioned with his existence, and Rite, a working classLiveryman with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to find meaning In life. The drama tackles many serious themes including alcoholism, social class and exclusion, relationship troubles and gender roles. It addresses these issues in an engaging and comic way, the seriousness of these issues often disguised by the wit and charm of the characters. The way that Frank is introduced to the reader says a lot about his character. The curtain draws on Frank frantically scurrying about looking for a hidden bottle of whiskey that he has concealed in his bookshelf. â€Å"Eureka† exclaims Frank as he finally finds it.This somewhat amusing scenario serves to highlight an unhappiness felt by the character and Issues around alcohol. This point Is further highlighted during a rather sardonic going and throwing with his partner. Frank concedes In this conversation that he Is taking on extra work â€Å"to pay for the drink†, and the billing nature of the dialogue suggests that all is not well in his relationship. Rite enters the scene full of energy and life after battling with the door knob on the way in. Her demeanor is that of a nervous working class girl who is desperately trying to come to grips with surroundings that are totally alien to her.Rite's brash and unconventional manner is perfectly illustrated in her attempt to convers e with Frank about an erotic painting displayed in his room. â€Å"This was like the porn of its day, wasn't it? † Rite innocently asks. The characters repeated questioning disguises an awkwardness she feels amidst an overwhelming desire to gain an education and move up In the world. In amongst their troubles there begins to blossom a friendship between the pair, Rite compared to the elitist crowd with which he is familiar.Frank on the other hand is an enigma to Rite, she does not understand why Frank is so unhappy in a life that she so separately craves for herself. This dynamic brings about some truly comic moments between the characters, an example of this being when Frank attempts to familiarize Rite with the works of E. M Forester. In this dialogue, Frank tries to emphasis to Rite the importance of looking at literature from an academic perspective. This point is somewhat lost on Rite when she Jokingly asks â€Å"Does the repeated use of the phrase â€Å"only connectâ €  suggest that in reality E. M. Forester was a frustrated electrician. Rite's relationship with men is a theme that develops throughout the play. Rite feels eke she is being held back by her husbands expectations. Her relationship with her husband deteriorates as she continues to study against her spouses wishes. This culminates in her partners desperate attempts to keep her in her place by burning her books. Rite's charm is not lost on Frank, he tells her at their very first meeting that he thinks she is â€Å"rather marvelous†. As the relationship develops Franks fondness for Rite grows and he becomes increasingly protective of her and perhaps Jealous of her progress.This point is illuminated when Rite begins to make friends amongst other students. When Rite is invited to travel with some new friends Frank immediately barks â€Å"you can't go†, this hasty response shows that Frank is fearful of losing influence over Rite and perhaps losing her altogether. Rite's relationship experiences demonstrate the struggles that working class women were likely to encounter at this time and the opposition they faced from the expectant and often overbearing men in their lives. As Rite progresses through her academic studies she begins to feel a disillusionment with her present life and a feeling that she does not belong.Her studies opened up a ewe world to her that she had not previously encountered. She began to feel ill at ease with her working class background as she regarded those around her as lacking in culture and ambition. She did not however feel at ease amongst academics and scholarly types either and this left her in a sort of limbo where she began to lose sight of what makes her unique. Her feelings are demonstrated in the following quote, â€Å"I'm a freak. I can't talk to people I live with any more. An' I can't talk to the likes of them on Saturday, or them out there, because I can't learn the language. This frustration was further compou nded by Franks desire to preserve Rite's individuality at the expense of her progression. His criticism of Rite's work as containing â€Å"nothing of you in there†, illustrates Franks desire to conserve the things in Rite that he finds most alluring. The play ends on a rather sad note as both of the characters are left with uncertainty surrounding their futures. Franks drinking and subsequent behaviors have taken their toll on his work and on his relationship. Franks future lay in Australia without his former partner as punishment for his actions.Rite also faces upheaval in her life s she begins to come to grips with the changes that have occurred as a result of her decision to gain an education. What is clear is that the pair are unlikely to be sharing the play in a poignant scene between the characters with Rite giving Frank a haircut that she had previously promised. This moment of rare intimacy between the pair illustrates the warmth the characters feel for each other, it does however seem improbable that they will share many more moments like this in future. To a large extent Educating Rite tackles many serious and important theme's in a UN- evasive and thought provoking way.It is a credit to the author that he is able to tackle such issues while maintaining a thread of comedy throughout the play. As examined in this essay, the play is able to look at issues such as social class, gender roles, alcoholism and relationship troubles without descending into morbidity and manages to keep the reader engrossed throughout. The humanness of the characters and their flawed nature helps the reader to empathic with the pair and their conflicting views of the world provide the catalyst for an often dark but comedic tale. Bibliography Russell, W. (2007). Educating Rite. 1st deed. London: Methuen Drama.

English Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English Class - Essay Example In a traditional educational setup, the decision making power solely rests with the teacher. When the students are not allowed their adequate share of decision making, they become more of objects rather than conscious human beings with analytic and evaluative senses. (Freire) has identified two basic types of educational concepts, namely the banking education and the problem-posing education, and has discussed the traits of both. The banking education is the typical pedagogical approach in which the teachers are in charge and the students are enslaved. In the exams, children’s memory is checked rather than their analytical skills. The problem-posing concept is on the other end of the scale. In the problem-posing educational concept, the teacher is always cognitive and never narrative. The teacher adopts a reflective approach and inculcates his own reflections in those of the students. In this system of education, neither the teacher nor the students standardize the concepts. T o them, reality keeps transforming and so do the concepts. What is the "banking system" of education? This is a system of education in which the teacher and students do not mutually exert mentally to realize the truth, but the assumed truth is fed into the students by the teacher. The teacher is always right! The teacher prepares the lesson beforehand and makes the presentation in the class.

THE IMPACT OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE ON EMPLOYEE Essay - 1

THE IMPACT OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE ON EMPLOYEE TURNOVER WITHIN A RETAIL ENVIRONMENT - Essay Example The study will measure quantifiably by use of assessment tools. The research question is: Transformational Leadership: Transformational leaders are able to inspire followers to by granting individualized attention to their followers, considering their needs and abilities, playing an especially important role in the followers† growth and development (Robbins & Judge, 2005; Zacharatos, Barling, & Kelloway, 2000). Idealized influence: A form of leadership behavior that results in leaders becoming role models for their followers. The leaders are admired, respected and trusted. Followers identify with the leaders and wish to emulate them (Bass & Avolio, 1993) In idealized influence, behaviour of the leaders is very influential and it makes the followers to walk on the path chosen by the leaders. Thus the leaders are followed willingly by the people. Inspirational motivation: Leadership behaviors that motivate and inspire followers in their work by providing a challenging work environment. Leaders provoke followers to imagine an attractive future for themselves (Bass & Avolio, 1993) Intellectual stimulation: Strategy the results in followers becoming more innovative and creative within an organization. (Bass & Avolio, 1993) The characteristic of Intellectual Stimulation in the leaders exposes his or her ability to stimulate the intellectual capacity of the people. Those who are really genius and their intellectuality and knowledge is definitely a blessing for the attainment of the organizational goals then the leaders motivate such people to use their intellectual potentials for the growth of the organization. Individualized consideration: Individualized consideration is also one of the characteristics of the transformational leaders. It is the leadership strategy that empathizes an individual employee’s needs. It concentrates on individual’s achievement by positioning them as mentors and coaches to help them realize their potential. The

News Story Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

News Story - Assignment Example Marisol Franken, an administration coordinator for community services targeting Australians over the age of 55 corroborated McKay’s statements. Speaking to the media at the same event, Mr Franken most people turned up for physical fitness in the evenings and over the weekend. He, however, urged people to take physical fitness seriously, especially the Australian elderly. â€Å"We need to have a nation that is physically fit,† he averred. The report also showed that most Australians were not physically active. 34.1% of the people interviewed did not participate in any sporting activity or physical fitness program while 6.3% only participated â€Å"occasionally†. Only 29% of the research sample engaged in sports more than twice a week. Noting that physical fitness was key to the general health of an individual, McKay termed the findings as â€Å"grim reality†. He, however, stated that the research identified various constraints that hindered people from participating in sports of physical fitness programs. Some participants cited age as a major constraint where they stated that they were too old to take part in sports. Others were afraid of the occasional injuries that people sustained in sports whereas others were simply not interested. There are some who cited heavy responsibility at home or at the work-place while others put the blame on financial challenges. In light of these findings, it is important that relevant authorities take up the challenge and work towards a better, healthier and physically fit Australia. There is need to put appropriate measures into place to encourage Australians to participate in sports and physical fitness programs. Moreover, every Australian has a responsibility of his or her health. It is a high time Australians came out of their cocoons and took sports and physical fitness seriously. The level of physical fitness in Australia is very low. A large number of Australians do not participate in sports

Australian taxation law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Australian taxation law - Assignment Example (1+GST rate) ? FBT rate Hence, the following benefits of Paul shall be as follows: Car fringe Benefit $22,500 Entertainment Fringe Benefit $ 2,000 Loan Fringe Benefit $ 8,000 ---------------- Employer’s type 1 aggregate fringe benefits $32,500 amount 46.5% + 10% ------------------------------------------- $32,500 x (1 – 46.5%) ? (1+ 10%) ? 46.5% rate $32,500 ? 2.0647 = $67,102.75 Total Fringe Liability This is the total value of the fringe benefits tax liability of Chatswood Pty Ltd. for the year ended 31 March 2011. For purposes of computation, ‘the FBT year is the 12 months beginning 1 April and ending 31 March. Currently, the FBT rate is 46.5%. A GST of 10% is applied on most goods and services that are supplied in Australia and on goods imported into Australia’2. ‘If an employee receives certain fringe benefits with a total taxable value of more than $1,000 in an FBT year (1 April to 31 March), employer must report the grossed-up taxable value of the benefits on their payment summary for the corresponding income year (1 July to 30 June). This is called the reportable fringe benefits amount’3. Therefore, the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) that should be paid by the employer Chatswood Pty Ltd., at the end of the year is $67,102.75. The car fringe benefit, the loan fringe benefit and the entertainment fringe benefit which were granted to Paul by his employer are all entitled to Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit that is available to Chatswood Pty Ltd. However, the $1,000 salary of Paul is not considered as a fringe benefit since there is an imposed tax on the salary which is being paid by the employee. As defined under the Finance Act of 2005: â€Å"Fringe Benefits† means any consideration for employment provided by way of: (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"any privilege, service, facility or amenity, directly or indirectly, provided by an employer, whether by way of reimbursement or otherwise, to his employees (including former employee or employees) (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  any free or  concessional  ticket provided by the employer for private journeys of his employees or their family members;  Ã‚  and (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  any contribution by the employer to an approved superannuation fund for employees†.4 The total value of all fringe benefits given to a particular employee by his or her employer in an FBT year is known as their individual fringe benefits amount. 2. Peter’s is liable to pay a capital gains tax (CGT) for the sale of the gift shop for the year 2010/2011 based on the following computation: Gross Sale Proceeds from the gift shop: $840,000 Less: Incidental Cost of Disposal : $(60,000) Net Sale Proceeds: $780,000 Less Cost of Asset: $(450,000) Capital Gain: $330,000 Therefore, Peter shall be liable to pay a CGT on his gain amounting to $330,000. ‘Capital gains tax is a tax on the profits which may be made from the sale of capital assets. Only individuals are liable to pay CGT, cor porations are not liable to CGT. A liability to pay CGT arises only when a chargeable person makes a chargeable disposal of a chargeable assets’5. Some of chargeable assets include lands and buildings, paintings, jewelry, plant and machinery. However, no CGT shall be imposed on the sale of his main residence as he is entitled to ‘Private Residence Relief’. To qualify for the exemption based on the ‘Private Residenc

Spanish Cuisine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Spanish Cuisine - Essay Example There are several fantastic contributions as well as influences (from Arabs and Romans who conquered Spain and stayed there) to Spanish cuisine and recipes. However, other dishes came from American and European influences and later adaptations were made to suit the Spanish taste. As a matter of fact, food prepared in Spain is usually abundant, fresh, as well as filled with flavor. In addition, Spaniards dearly love their food. It is important to note that the 2 essential ingredients that are must in Spanish food include garlic and olive oil. However, since Spain comprises of discrete geographical zones, settled by various cultural and ethnic groups, in addition to varying weather from one region to another, the regional cuisines vary a lot. The following are typical Spanish ingredients as well as food. The first ingredient is olive oil which is also called lard. Spain being the world’s largest producer of olive oil grows numerous olives all over the country and it is therefore no surprise that several Spanish dishes are prepared using this ingredient. Secondly is the Ham or jamon in Spanish which is a much cherished food and Spaniards take it very seriously and usually will pay a lot for quality ham. In fact, Spaniards are so proud of their ham that they have many museums for the same. The third common cuisine is seafood and fish. Spain is found in Iberian Peninsula and thus surrounded by water on 3 sides; there is always plenty of fresh seafood in the markets. Spaniards thus consume shellfish or fish every day. Anything, ranging from shrimp to halibut, in addition to octopus as well as baby eels is widespread on restaurant menus and markets. The fourth delicacy is cheeses which are of great quality and can be f ound everywhere in Spain. Spaniards make cheeses from goat, cow, sheep, milk as well as mixed milks. Various kinds vary from soft cheeses like

Why NOT to Vote for Mitt Romney Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why NOT to Vote for Mitt Romney - Research Paper Example Earlier on during his career, he abstained to take any political positions, but with time as he indulged himself into politics, and it was in 1994 Senate race that he aligned himself with the Republican Party. He is also believed to have changed his position on issues like abortion and stem cell research, also his stance on gay rights etc to a more conservative shift, more so to align himself with the Party line. Considering his views on foreign policy, he is an advocate for the American Exceptionalism and is found to have Mormon beliefs in this regard, i.e. God has chosen him to carry the task, however, his political beliefs more so reflect the secular ideals of Mormon belief system. Considering his past record and performance in government as well as in business, there are many reasons why not to vote for Mitt Romney. His track record as a businessman reflects his take on the economy as a whole which may turn out to be disastrous for the U.S, also his fraudulent track records alone are proofs enough speaking for his character and charisma. More so, even the conservatives generally in favor of the Republicans are wary of Romney as their Presidential Candidacy for his inexperience and paradoxical track record as Governor. For instance, the health care plan posed by his as Governor is similar to the Obamacare one, also the conservatives doubt him for his credibility as he has been found shifting positions on issues like abortion, gun rights, his position over TARP etc. Moreover, on the political front too, his position doesn’t seem to be any stronger as he had already done bad in the primaries in South, also the Mormon factor might as well take him down. Thus, the paper aims at exploring all these perspectives in detail, shedding light on the issue of why not to vote for Romney. Firstly, the most crucial issue for America at this point of time is the economy of the state, and any prospective candidate for Presidency should have a strong vision in this reg ard to deal with the crises. However, Romney is a very weak candidate in this context, as he is known for his success rate for running Staples and Dominos, which were running on a huge loan and a low turn-out rate, with an even lower wage rate (Romney and Tomothy pp 43). America needs a visionary to steer the economy at the right pace, rather than someone who has the capability to deliver pizzas and that too, not having an exceptional turnout. Secondly, during his career as a businessman he often has had fraudulent records which he has been managing to deal with using unethical and illegal tactics, thus posing a question mark on his character as a representative for the people of America. Romney`s company Bian Capital has had charges of fraud, and though he was Vice President of the company, still he didn’t buy any shares for the company as he was already aware of the financial risks, thus he is a man who doesn’t even own what he does, owing a country however is even a riskier business. Moreover, he managed to escape the Olympics scandal by paying off huge cheques as donations to various parties involves in the process, thus being another evidence for his bad track record. Moreover, various reports when indicated that he also has a residence in Utah, he never denied the charges though pretended to be ignorant of the fact which clearly implies of his intentions to run office from here as well, which he had managed to do illegally as wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Also, he is too inexperienced for holding office as a President; as he has often seen making controversial statements and treating government as a

Caffeine Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Caffeine Abuse - Essay Example Caffeine abuse is becoming increasingly common among college students and could have damaging impacts on their health. For many of us it is hard to function without caffeine. Whether it be writing your research paper late last night or waking up early this morning in order to make it to class on time, caffeine can often be a college student's best friend. Actually, caffeine is a stimulant found in seeds, fruits and leaves of more than sixty plants. It is found in most parts of the world. Go in Arabia and you will find caffeine in the coffee bean. Visit China and caffeine will be there in tea leaf. In West Africa and Mexico, caffeine exists in the kola nut and the cocoa bean, respectively. Although the aforementioned figures are quite old but things today are not quite different. But, the point is that lots of foods and beverages are the source of caffeine and that's the reason why it is hard for people to stay away from using it. In fact, it is the easy availability of caffeine that most people never become able to quit using this substance. Here, it can easily be noticed that tea and coffee remain to be the premier source of caffeine, which are used all over the world because of the "wake-up" effect. Since the available caffeine gets absorbed by your body without much ado and creates a direct impact on cardiovascular and nervous systems, the usual result is increased attentiveness and decreased fatigue. This is the foremost reason why college students don't become able to stay away from developing a bad habit of drinking tea or coffee. But, the range of symptoms caffeine intoxication or caffeine abuse can show up with an ingestion of 100mg of caffeine but 250mg or higher Over the course of my college career I myself have become quite dependent on caffeine in order to keep up with the high demands of school, work and a social life. Like many of you I have become so accustomed to caffeine that I often disregard its potential for abuse. According to the US News & World Report, caffeine is the world's most popular habit forming drug and its abuse among young people is a growing concern for many doctors. "In the past three years alone, the number of 18 to 24 year olds who

Data Envelopment Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Data Envelopment Analysis - Essay Example Their job involves selecting the efficient player for the match out of the whole team. Coaches tend to have problems in choosing the first eleven players to field for crucial football matches. Most football teams have more than twenty players yet; only fourteen players—eleven active players and three substitutes take up the slots. To beat this dilemma, the coaching staffs have come up with various strategies that help them to determine the finest players for the crucial matches facing the teams. For a player, good performance in the preference list for the coaching staff means that he is able to deliver for the team. The overall performance for any team relies solely on the effort of each player because a win for any football team, is an ultimate goal for any football team in the world. The Castrol EDGE index is the latest common technology that analyses and ranks each player’s performance in a football match. The ranking system is a creation of Castrol, which initially was to rank the players at the Men’s club association football under the sponsorship of FIFA. The system considers the duration for the players actions and the power of the opposition team. Currently, the Castrol EDGE index is used to rank the performance of all the footballer players participating in the top five Europe’s leagues in the football season, 12-month period. To build the Castrol Index Ranking, the first step involves finding the â€Å"Castrol Index Score† for every player in each tournament, league, or Championship league match. The second step is to weigh the Castrol Index Score to get the â€Å"Castrol Ranking Points†. The final step, the cumulative points, earned in each match played in the tournament or 90 the divided by the total number of minutes the player played multiply league. The Castrol Index Ranking = {(90 x the Total Castrol Ranking Points) / Total minutes played} During the UEFA EURO 2012, for each player, the Castrol EDGE Ind ex considered every save; pass, tackle, and shot to determine the effect of such actions on the respective team’s probability to either score or concede a goal. The number of points that a player receives depends on the zone of the action within the pitch. So are the number of points awarded for blocked shots, intercessions, and tackles. As for attempts to score, the Castrol EDGE index points to the attacking player but penalizes the goalkeeper conceding the goal. Deductions results for the fouls that arise. Table 1 The Table beside shows the top ten Players of the UEFA EURO 2012 according to the Castrol EDGE index ranking. The ranking scales down the magnitude of prowess the football player ever displayed during the UEFA EURO 2012 event alongside the rest of the players. The ranking also determines a player’s ability to perform in the game of football, and further helps to estimate the market value of a football player during the inter-clubs transfer window. The coach ing staffs around the world easily rely on the Castrol EDGE index to prepare line-ups for various matches ahead of their football teams. Good rankings for a player tend to boost the confidence in the coaching staffs for their players, a fact that can be justified since each player earns a point for every complete action during the football match, which also reflects the player’s ability

Vaux-le-Vicomte Essay Example for Free

Vaux-le-Vicomte Essay Architecture is the style of art in which spatial configuration is most important. The way in which the body of the building situates itself on the landscape, the way in which the building rises and falls with the horizon and the way in which Vaux-le-Vicomte’s facade and garden is what this essay will seek to explore. The Vaux-le-Vicomte is located in Maincy, was built in 1656-1661, with the intention of housing artists/poets/writers by the parliamentarian/financial secretary of France. The essay will focus on the element of light as it applies to the chateaux as well as how the building can be considered a Baroque masterpiece (Blunt 108). The basis of the Vaux-le-Vicomte’s design was a castle. The building actually an offshoot of a castle which explains its grand design. Three men are attributed to the design of the Chateau, which was purchased by Nicolas Fouquet: The architect Le Vau, the painter/decorator Le Brun, and the landscape artist Le Notre (Vaux-le-Vicomte 2008). The structure of the once castle turned into one of the â€Å"predominant chateau’s of France† (Sitwell 100) begins with the Baroque age architecture. Baroque architecture is known for its lavish nature, its supreme accoutrements to buildlings increasing in size and grandeur and the culmination of which is seen in Vaux-le-Vicomte. The elements which define the Baroque era in art and which are exemplified in Vaux-le-Vicomte are fanciful, extravagant and theatrical, each of which are extremely dominant in the facade of the chateaux with the dome, in the spire/gazebo atop the dome and the high windows with Corinthian columns as a faux facade to the architecture. Baroque art was in opposition to the previous artistic movement of the Renaissance in many ways. The Baroque era was the flowering of the Renaissance in different ways: While the Renaissance was static the Baroque had a certain dynamism or movement in their architecture. The Baroque style and the fact that the castle was redesigned into a grand chateaux had a lot to do with the expansion of France in the 1600’s. This is when colonization was very popular and strong and nationalistic monarchs such as Louis the VIIII were pressed into creating such grand scale items in order to prove their powerful positions. The imprisonment of Nicolas Fouquet in fact had to do with him outshining the king during a royal visit to the chateaux. The focus of the Baroque movement can be found with the scientist Galileo. Galileo changed how people see the world around them and thus their place in the world. Space of universe becomes fascinating aspect of Baroque art. Light becomes just as fascinating and symbolism of light and scientific point of view can be seen through the architecture of Vau-le-Vicomte, in the way the windows are situated in the building to the way in which the sun’s reflection from the rivers and the fountains plays upon the building itself. The theme of Baroque art is sensuality with emotion; thus there must be passion in the architecture (despite the Catholic Church’s resistance to such design avenues). Thus, the chateaux was in defiance of religious points of view (which also attributed to Nicolas’ imprisonment) as well as supporting this new scientific outlook on the world while also encapsulating light/sun as a main architectural element of the building (Wolf 45). The truly beautiful and Baroque encompassing element of the chateaux is it’s wide garden space. This space truly sees Galileo’s philosophy of the scientific point of view and one’s relationship with the outer design of things in the gardens pure geometrical forms made with bushes, fountains, walkways and more. Le Vau designed the house to have a pavilion which is in turn surrounded by wings. The crowning achievement of Le Vau is found with the cupola which is extravagant in itself as it is the highest point of the chateaux and therefore the first symbol anyone sees upon coming up to the once castle (McCarthy 3). As well as the copula there is also a pedimented entranceway found on the front of the chateaux – thus the design aspect of the outside of the house if dichotomized in a relaxed form as well as a formal form. This dichotomized nature, â€Å"This dual personality, severely formal on one side, grandiloquent on the other, was repeated in the treatment of its walls. Originally designed in brick, then altered, presumably at Fouquets request, to Creil stone, a concave recession pulls the visitor inward toward the great entrance vestibule, then thrusts him through the immense airy space of the saloon out to the garden terrace† (Shama paragraph 16). It is from this formal standpoint of the raised threshold that the spectator can see the vibrant and lush design of Le Notre. Le Notre’s design encapsulates everything Baroque: The pattern of the plants (i. e. hedges, shrubs, etc. ) there is a distinct nature of lavishness mixed with formality (as is the Baroque style). The element of water and subsequently light is essential in the portrayal of Baroque in the garden, â€Å"The play of water intersects the view, not with the furious drama of the Versailles fountains, but rather the more modest gushing of cascades and drowsy pools where water trickles from lichen-mottled stone mouths. Indeed, the whole house seems elevated on a platform or pedestal so that it appears to be not so much surrounded by a moat as actually floating on a body of limpid water. † (Shama paragraph 17). Another interesting element of the chateaux’s gardens is how very similar in construction it is to Frank Lloyd Wrights’ Falling Water house in Pennsylvania, and how conscious both landscape architects were to the landscape itself; from the horizon to the way in which the water reflected the sun on the facade of the chateaux; the viewer can tell that there was much thought in the placement of each water pool, and fountain (even with Nicolas’ diversion of the river by 45 degrees in order to have such spectacular natural architecture). The design of the gardens by Le Notre is so very singular in its approach and cohesive because Nicolas gave the landscape architect free rein over the garden. The word cohesion is used appropriately here as the entire estate would not have worked well if several gardeners were employed by Nicolas; the design would have been flawed because not every landscape artist can build with unification along with other designers; thus the design process by one ‘gardener’, Le Notre, is so important to the lasting impression of the chateaux. As has been mentioned the beauty of the landscape was achieved through harmony of the building and nature working as a combined force of Baroque architecture. The three architects of the chateaux, architect Le Vau, the painter/decorator Le Brun, and the landscape artist Le Notre, worked as a combined force of Baroque artistry as described by Shama, The result is a pleasing comedy of the unexpected: the house suddenly appearing in its inverted reflection in a mirror pool; steep escarpments that are abruptly made accessible with hidden flights of steps; teasing games of freedom and captivity made more poignant by the inescapable ghost of Superintendent Fouquet. From the stepped terrace at the back of the house, the frame of the great Oriental rug-garden is delineated by white pathways punctuated with mercilessly pruned conical topiary and statues of lions and tigers, the Graces and various deities. Within those borders, low hedges weave embroidery patterns that echo the curves and angles of the house itself. (Shama paragraph 19). Even the way in which the pathways are cut according to exact geometric measurements is breathtaking. The elements of mythology mix in with the complete design of the garden especially as the visitor goes from the promenade to the central allee and back into the grotto. It is this space in the garden that the nature of mythology and the extravagance that the Baroque period is best-known for come into fruition. The grotto is lorded over by two river god statues who are in a reclining mode carved within two niches. In the actual park, past the two reclining gods the viewer sees other elements of the Baroque mixed in with mythology such as little fountain or ‘water grille’ in which woodland deities romp around. It is at this point in Le Notre’s design that the active viewer begins to see how he had some fun with his design, â€Å"The ground drops sharply away toward a rectangular reflecting pool. Advance farther and another barrier interposes itself: a broad lateral canal, uncrossable, as elegant in form as its name, poele (frying pan), is homely. To reach the river gods requires another walk around the canals perimeter† (Shama paragraph 20). This essay has shown how the unification of landscape with construction has lead to one of the Baroque era’s finest accomplishments in architecture: Vaux-le-Vicomte. The design of the gardens could not have been exemplified as the genius that it is without the facade of the chateaux as well as the partnership between each architect (Wolf 67). The elements of water and light played an important role in the overall design in that they allow the chateaux the illusion of floating on water which adds that element of a fairy tale or otherworldliness which is further emphasized by the architects inclusion of various statues around the grounds of wood nymphs and river gods. Thus, the extravagance of the Baroque era is found in an enormous amount in Nicolas Fouquet’s chateaux. Works Cited Blunt, A. Art and Architecture in France: 1500 – 1700. Penguin Books. 1953.McCarthy, G. The Theatres of Moliaere. Routledge. 2002. Shama, S. Palaces and Pleasures: Vaux-le-Vicomte: A Perfect Chateaux Envied by a King. 20 October 1991. Online. 2 April 2008. http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9D0CE1DB1E3FF933A15753C1A967 58260sec=spon=pagewanted=all Sitwell, S. and Smith, E. Great Houses of Europe. Putnam. 1961. Vaux-le-Vicomte. 2008. Online. 2 April 2008. http://www. vaux-le-vicomte. com/en/vaux images-chateau. php. Wolf, J. Louis the XVI. W. W. Norton. New York. 1968.

Why the theories of supply and supply elasticity are important

Why the theories of supply and supply elasticity are important EXPLAIN USING RELEVANT TOURISM, LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY EXAMPLES WHY THE THEORIES OF: -SUPPLY -THE THEORY OF SUPPLY ELASTICITY ARE KEY CONCEPTS IN HELPING US UNDERSTAND AND EXPLAIN WITH OUR INDUSTRY ? This preface provides a comprehensive introduction to the task given for the individual learning outcomes. The Assignment needs to stretch on the Key concepts in understanding the theory of Supply and Supply Elasticity in relevant to Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry (Hotel Industry) . The given assignment encompasses the following, PART 01 The factors which could determine the Demand and Supply of Hotel supplies in United Kingdom. It will cover the Key concepts Elasticity of supply in relevant to Hotel Supplies supplied in United Kingdom Hotel Supplies will include the following- Room Amenities- Bath Accessories, City Information Brochures and Stationeries Imported Food Materials New Zealand lamb Chops, Spices , Seasonal P er I Perishable foods Imported Spirits Expensive wines, Rare Collection Cognac, liqueurs and S Single malt. Maintenance Supplies PART 02 The reasons that firms seek to expand their businesses via internationalisation. Illustrating with Hotel industry of how firms that you have researched have pursued the globalisation objective. All these topics are gradually explained as we go and the key terms are highlighted in the task. The underlying concepts and basic principles are used to design the text. Introduction The hospitality industry is major service sector in the world economy. The industry encompasses an extensive variety of service industries that include food service, tourism and hotels. The hospitality industry is a 3.5 trillion Pound service sector within the global economy. London has been named the 2012 for International Games.There are a multitude of benefits for London hosting the Olympics, biggest of them is Hotel revenue in terms of Revenue, which means Demand for Hotels are already forecasted. The demand for the hotels in any market is determined basically by the amount of travellers inflow in that place. This study may examine the relationship between the Supply and the factors affecting the hospitality sector using some of the theories adapted from Mr. Don Burton notes. Reference: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com SUPPLY CONNOTE The term Supply states the total amount of the product that producers are willing and able to provide at a particular price over a given period of time. Here willingness is the keyword and this is determined using various analytical factors in ones mind. The hotel business faces the complexity in the commission of managing the chronological demand for its products put on show for the rest of the world. Also the supply of rooms has outpaced the demand over the last decade. Especially in the United Kingdom, since it is the worlds first industrialised country and stands sixth in the world economy with the power of purchasing parity has to follow some theories in order to sustain healthy in their competitive environment And as per the fact in 2012 the hotels in UK needs to offer 1 million rooms, the demand in the near future is high. The hotels have two basic means of achieving sustainable competitive advantage within their product market by focussing on low price and to meet the demand the Customers. Reference: http://ezinearticles.com/?cat=Business:International-Business SUPPOSITION OF SUPPLY The regulations of supply declares that, The Law of Supply claims that when other things are equal, the quantity supplied of a good rises when the price of the good rises IMPINGE ON SUPPLY Supply agenda shows the Law of Supply states that as the price of a good rises, the quantity supplied of the good rises, and as the price of a good falls, the quantity supplied of the good falls, ceteris paribus. Simply put, the price of hotel supplies increases the supply to the hotel also increases, when price of Hotel Supplies falls then the supply to the Hotel is also reduced. This is done because the Supplier has invested his opportunity cost in other sources. The Graph illustrates when demand for Hotel room is high the quantity supplied of Hotel Supplies are also high when compared to 2010. Source: http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx FACTORS AFFECTING SUPPLY There are various factors that may affect the Supply of the hotels either undeviating or deviating. These are some notable direct factors such prices of relevant resources, technology, prices of other goods, number of sellers, expectations of future price, taxes and subsidies, and government restrictions.. This is bulleted below in detail, Prices of relevant resources Technology Prices of other goods Number of sellers Expectations of future price Taxes and subsidies Government restrictions Source Roger. A Arnold, Economics, 4th Edition, Page No.72 FACTORS WHICH CAUSES CHANGE IN SUPPLY PRICES OF RELEVANT RESOURCES Resources are needed to produce goods. For example, Source is Steak when the price of Steak gone down, then the hotel will purchase and stock more of steak to sell more steaks in hotels which increases the supply of Steak. In that case Supply Curve will move towards rightward. If there is no resource, that is less steak available thus creating less supply of rooms. Consequently, the preparation of steak will decrease, and the supply curve will shift leftward. TECHNOLOGY Most of the western countries have their usage of advanced technology to serve the hotel companies better. The development and in place highly integrated business processes technologies and system are definite. The hotels states the objective in promoting the hotel interface technologies such as property management system, point of sales system, video on demand security and access control which improves Hotel supplies efficiently and effectively. Therefore, the supply curve will shift to the right. PRICES OF OTHER GOODS When change in the price of one good can lead to a change in the supply of another good For example the Lobster price increases dues to worst climatic conditions making lobster unavailable in market then supply of Fish Increases. Lobster Fish Price Case- 1 Case -2 Quantity NUMBER OF SELLERS If more sellers begin producing a particular good, perhaps because of high profits, the supply curve will shift rightward. If some sellers stop producing a particular good, perhaps because of losses, the supply curve will shift leftward. EXPECTATIONS OF FUTURE PRICE If the price of a good is expected to be higher in the future, then producers may hold back some of the Hotel essential supplies today. Then they will have more to sell at the higher future price.. TAXES AND SUBSIDIES Some taxes increase per-unit costs. Suppose tax on Liqour is increased and producer is suppose to pay 2 pounds per Bottle. This tax leads to a leftward shift in the supply curve, indicating that the manufacturer wants to produce and offer to sell few of Liqour at each price. If the tax is eliminated, the supply curve shifts rightward. Subsidies have the opposite effect. Suppose the government subsidizes the production of Rice by paying wheat farmers 3 pounds for every bushel of wheat they produce. Because of the subsidy, the quantity supplied of rice is greater at each price, and the supply curve of Rice shifts rightward. Removal of the subsidy shifts the supply curve of corn leftward. Government Restrictions The government restrictions affects import of hotel supplies for international market, For example stricter Import duties implies adverse affect on hotel essentials thus giving less Output, the supply to the guest will be restricted with available foods. In this case the Supply curve moves towards left. Reference: Roger A Arnold, Economics, 2008 edition, P.No-71 PART B Price elasticity of supply When price changes, there will be not only a change in the quantity demanded, but also a change in the quantity supplied. Frequently we will want to know just how responsive quantity supplied is to a change in price. The measure we use is the price elasticity of supply.( PeS ) In simple terms the responsiveness of quantity supplied to a change in price. is called Price Elasticity of Supply. When it relates to hotel industry the responsiveness of Hotel supplier to a change in price of the product. The supply to hotel supplies in market will depends on change in price of hotel supplies in market or price offered by the Competitors. supplies Hotel Quantity Demanded The figure shows two supply curves. Curve S 2 is more elastic between any two prices than curve S 1. Thus, when price of Hotel Supplies rises from P 1 to P 2 there is a larger increase in quantity supplied of Hotel Supplies with S 2 (namely, Q 1 to Q 3 ) than there is with S 1 (namely, Q 1 to Q 2 ). For any shift in the demand curve there will be a larger change in quantity supplied of Hotel Supplies and a smaller change in price of Hotel Supplies with curve S 2 than with curve S 1. Thus the effect on price and quantity of a shift in the demand curve will depend on the price elasticity of supply. Reference : Roger. A Arnold, Economics, 2008 Edition, Page No.57 Source : http://economics.about.com INTERPRETATION OF SUPPLY CURVE Source : A. M. Shella , Economies of Hotel management , 2002 edition, P- No.91 KEY CONCEPTS IN DETERMINING THE PES WITH HOTEL SUPPLIES ARE FACTORS AFFECTING PES Spare production capacity When there is plenty of spare capacity  then the business will increase its output and therefore the Hotel Supplies supply will Elastic in response to Demand. Stocks of finished products and components If the stocks are products are high in the market supply will be elastic. Conversely when Hotel Supplies stocks are low, supply will be inelastic in response to a change in demand. The ease and cost of factor substitution If both capital and labour resources are  occupationally mobile  then the elasticity of supply for a Hotel Supplies is higher than if capital and labour cannot easily and quickly be switched 4) Time period involved in the production process Supply is more price elastic the longer the  time period  that a firm is allowed to adjust its production levels. The  momentary supply  is fixed and is determined mainly by planting decisions made months before, and also climatic conditions, which affect the overall production yield. Source: http://www.amosweb.com FACTORS DETERMINING PES Two factors that affect the numerical value of the price elasticity of supply are The Amount that costs rises as output Rises and time period of analysis. 1) The Amount that costs rises as output Rises When the Additional cost for producing additional output, this encourages more firms to produce for a given price which is raised, then more elastic will be supply. The lees the conditions apply, the less Elastic will supply be. 2) Analysis of Time Period when time period is longer then the time for analysis is more, responsiveness to the price change. Longer times enables the supplier to find alternatives. Time period are of two Long Run and Short Run. For example, the supply of the Ethnic Restaurants is not very elastic for a period, because Raw material used in production cannot easily switch to other goods. However, given enough time, a year or more, resources can move between productions, resulting in a more elastic supply. Reference: John Sloman Alison Wride, Economics, 7th Edition, Page 58. Conclusion Subsequent to the above text consisting of the Supply theories and its implication we could identify the factors that may directly cause the Supply either Surplus or Shortage. Having said that, the necessities of the supply are proposed transparently combining various abilities and the willingness of the producer and their assumption. Also the producer Supplying behaviour is related to the nations economical status and external factors (Climate, Transport, Trend) in the United Kingdom on the whole. TASK 2 WORD COUNT 1500 ANALYSE THE REASONS THAT FIRMS SEEK TO EXPAND THEIR BUSINESSES VIA INTERNATIONALISATION. HOW FIRMS THAT YOU HAVE RESEARCHED HAVE PURSUED THE GLOBALISATION OBJECTIVE? Introduction Surfacing the fact that the humankind business endeavours eyeing on high levels of branding and marking their presence all over the world by adapting the input called the Internationalisation. Most of the third world nations are now in the realism of making the most out of it, in terms of manpower and technological progression. With the presence of WTO the world trade organisation and its phenomenal support it has even made easier to connect nations across the globe with traditional business evolution in the way it is suppose to be. Having said that, the key concept is globalisation and its revolution in the modern business environment. This perceived text from the research will clarify the concept of internationalisation and the purpose it serves to aid the organisation picked as an example. And will also justify the adaptation on globalisation to pursue the objectives with complete satisfaction. Internationalisation The expression is closely attached with the term economic globalisation. This concept can be rephrased as the integration of national economy in to the international economy. Which is done by trade foreign investment, capital flows, spread of technology and the presence of security. The late 20th century offers the rural sociology and revitalization in the crisis of development theorist. The rising concern in the sustainability reveals the limits of up gradation concept. It is vital that every nation and the business existing should imply the globalization in their environment. Of-course the unrevealing support of the nations involved in the globalisations speaks loud for its own steps forward in the long lasting business era. However internationalisation is commonly recognised and path driven by amalgamation of vital aspects such as Economic Technological Socio cultural political Biological factors. Source: http://www.dadalos.org/globalisation/grundkurs_4.htm This phrase can also be acknowledged for the fact that it is transnational circulation of ideas, languages or cultural variance. These aspects are belonging to the humanity across the world which has gone through the process can be said to globalised. Significance of internationalisation Globalisation has a various aspects which affects the world business in several different ways. The emergence of the concept was very vital and as discussed earlier the positive outcomes are way too longer. It is advised to adhere to the principles of global marketing instances. The swiftness of internationalisation will continue to have a growing impact on business organisations and their practices evenly. Internationalisation hastens the development of the third world countries. Internationalisation of communication has a phenomenal upshot. Internationalisation fetches equalization of income distribution. Internationalisation brings about increased opportunity in the poor countries. Pessimistic values on internationalisation Although the rising concerns in the firms affiliated with the paradigm internationalisation, which has left hardly any hurdles or negative effects relating the organisation with that of its man power resource etc. The developed nations in this modern business environment adapt the policy of outsourcing which happens in manufacturing and white collar jobs. The exploitations of the globalisation have led the child workers usage in atrocious conditions in order to produce cheap good by ignoring safety concerns. Earlier in this business world, the workers had stable jobs but now the people live in constant dread of losing their jobs to competitiveness in the environment.. The world of terrorism has involved them in usage of internet for their global terror information postal. Nevertheless the growing concerns of the firm have witnessed these negative aspects in establishing their brand. Submission of Internationalisation in relation to a hospitality firm. Globalisation is measured in various key aspects and the most immense thought has to be prearranged to the people industry which is called the hospitality trade. This concept is symbolized by the rapid movement of people, information and capital across national borders worldwide. Although this paradigm is a contemporary force with careful definition it is accepted. Global expansion with common product and branding position are in place to acquire the establishment in control. Sales and marketing of the firm programming in such a way they capture the global economy. Organisational structures that allow delivery of service with local operational control and the usage of world capital market as a primary source of funding. Quilon a personification in the task Succeeding to the illustration and the task given, in which the concept of internationalisation is completely implemented and has witnessed a global accolades for its idea. Quilon the hospitality firm being an example for the task given demonstrates certain prolific dimension to the global restaurant chains. A group of TAJ HOTELS RESORTS Concerning Quilon As a part of an iconic Indian hotel group called the the Taj hotels and resorts Established in 1903, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is one of Asias largest and finest group of hotels, comprising 61 hotels in 42 locations across India with an additional 16 international hotels in the UK, Maldives, Mauritius, Malaysia, Australia, USA, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa and the Middle East. From world-renowned landmarks to modern business hotels, idyllic beach resorts to authentic Rajput palaces, each Taj hotel offers an unrivalled fusion of warm Indian hospitality, world-class service and modern luxury. As they march on in the United Kingdom and established two hotels out of which the crown plaza has the significant Michelin starred restaurant named Quilon. Three other considerations in global expansion for Quilon Restaurant (A Taj Group) Source : Managing the Multinational Enterprise, John M Stopford, P.no 697 Strategic scope for Quilon Global perception is a matter of survival of the business. That is why a strategy is formed to drive the organisation to attain its penultimate vision of a firm. In the following text lets notify the significant features or strategy adopted by the hospitality firm which I have chosen in order to showcase the firms benefit in using the paradigm internationalisation as a business tool. Quilon has adopted Porters diamond theory of international competitive advantage identifies a diamond of four interrelated areas within a nation that assist that country to be more competitive in international markets the four areas being factor conditions, competing firms within the country, support industries of the country and home demand. Source: Porter, M E (1990) The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Macmillan, P.No 691 1) FACTOR CONDITIONS The success of Quilon was depended on the national governments willingness to invest in these areas over long periods of time. Porter emphasised that competitiveness was not just a matter of comparative advantage. Resources can also be home-grown and specialised. Thus, goes well beyond natural resources but can assist in delivering national competitiveness. The Quilon has managed to take competitive advantage on UK market with resources being efficiently used for its establishment has No.1 Ethnic Indian Restaurant. 2) RELATED AND SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES Internationally competitive suppliers and other related industries represent a critical resource for international success. Clusters of such industries, each offering expertise and world-class service, can be vital. For example, Quilon (THE TAJ GROUP) relies on its world success not just from Hospitality sector but on a range of other products like Food Products, Automobile, Steel and Telecom. 3) FIRM STRATEGY, STRUCTURE AND RIVALRY Fierce national competition will drive innovation, force down costs and develop new methods of competing that can then be used internationally by the same companies. Similarly, the Quilon success in Uk was its strength of the highly competitive home market. In Asia the parent company of Quilon has TATA GOUP has established major share of Indian Market. TAG group in UK Hospitality sector has first started with TETLY tea 51 BUKINGHAM PALACE HOTEL and BOMBAY BRAISSIERE which helped Quilon to survive rivalry between the competitors. Source : http://uk.tata.com/ 4) DEMAND CONDITIONS Highly sophisticated and demanding Customers in a nations home market will drive up innovation and quality. Quilon Authentic food with taste and quality created demand among the customer which resulted in tailoring the Menu and delivering the innovate food within the Market. Which awarded Quilon with One Michelin Star for the Quality Delivered. In addition, there are two other factors that are important : 1. The role of Government- Quilon stages of improvement can be influenced by the government regulatios and subsidies. 2. The role of Chance Events The competitive advantage of Quilon can shift in unpredictable ways by various reasons like Recession, Oil price rise and So on. Source: Managing the Multinational Enterprise by John M Stopford, P.No-707 Quilon (The TAJ Group) Market Portfolios The Taj group examines its existing Hospitality portfolio and decides whether new products are necessary. Initially, the firm may provide additional products and services for the domestic market before expanding into international markets . Alternatively, the company may decide to internationalize on the basis of a single successful product. Source : MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS PRACTICES, Tim Hannagan, 4th Edition, P.No- 43 More frequently firms expand internationally by first developing a portfolio of products with the ultimate objective of entering numerous international markets. This was the approach followed initially by Taj Group when it first decided to internationalize. The company built up a portfolio of Hotels and restaurant before venturing abroad. Less frequently firms expand rapidly into many international markets first with a single product and only later do they develop a full portfolio of products. 51 Buckingham Gate was the first international property from the luxury group Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces which was acquired in 1982, formerly known as St Jamess Court Hotel. After the success of 51 Buckingham Gate, they expanded their hospitality sector by Opening Quilon Restaurant and Bombay Brassiere by 1903. Conclusion: Conversely speaking it is incumbent on all hotel organizations that have aspirations to develop brand names across national boundaries to understand what globalization means. A truly global enterprise will have the ability to react quickly to market opportunities, no matter where they present themselves by applying business concepts that have been proven in the context of a global undertaking. In a world moving more and more towards globalization, hotel organizations will need to communicate more quickly, operate more productively, offer their employees greater opportunity and deliver their customers enhanced benefits. Those companies that address these issues today will be better prepared for the global market space of tomorrow.

Management Of Innovation And Change: Novotel

Management Of Innovation And Change: Novotel 1. Introduction: Novotel is one of the worlds major hotel chains, occupying a leading place in Europe and with locations globally. Started in 1967 by Paul Dubrule and Gerard Pelisson, they expanded their empire by building new hotels and buying other hotel chains. Novotel merger with Jacques Borel hotel and its restaurant groups in 1983 saw the group renamed Accor. Currently, Accor employs over 145,000 people and operates in 132 countries. Within hospitality industry Accor operates more than 2100 hotels with over 2 million rooms and more than 53,000 employees in this sector (Novotel: p3) This report analyses Novotels change management programme in the early 1990s which was outlined in three major parts:- Firstly, case study has the summary of the actions that managers took in terms of strategy and organisation. Secondly, the consideration of the sequence and timing of events, and how this resulted in rapid transformation in an organisation employing more than 30,000 people. Third, the emphasize in dialogue nature of the change processes, giving an inside stories from those who have taken part in the process. This gives a nice picture of what went right and what went wrong and the action to manage implementation of change. I have outlined the analysis in the following parts, ciritical evaluation of models of innovation and change management, the evaluations of key triggers of change and the likely sources of resistance to change, and then I have outlined a challenges which managers face during change management, and lastly, I have developed conclusions and recommendations to move Novotel forward, these recommendations based on my analysis. 2 Innovation and Change (Hotel business): _ [ evaluation of alterative models of innovation and change management ] Although much has been written about managing change in large private and public companies, very little has been written about managing change in an ever-changing hospitality and hotel industry in particular. The ability to effectively manage and embrace change is so of great benefit to todays hotelier. And, to successfully intact and overcome change, Hotels need to have specific attitudes and set of skills to go about change and planning for that inevitable change. In the case study, Novotel has adopted a competitive strategy that includes reducing costs of operations (Novotel: p.25). That is to say, their business strategy is cost leadership and persuading this business strategy requires being open to ideas and that it responds quickly and flexibly to the ideas that re-present opportunities for potential revenue growth (Blumentritt, 2004). Firms can compete on price or differentiation (Porter, 1980; 1985), Novotel can be non-price attributes include its brand, reputation and service. On the other hand, there are different types of innovations, the first type is Incremental innovation, this modestly improves a firms processes or services or it can be used in fine-tuning its business model, i.e. the way it creates value for its customers. Radical innovation significantly improves existing products and services or completely replaces them with new ones. Radical innovation occurs less frequently than incremental innovation partly because most organisations do not have the technical and human resources required for radical innovation, and because radical innovation happens so quickly organisations are not prepared for the risks and uncertainty which comes with this type of innovation. It should be noted that, Innovation is not a competitive strategy in itself, but it is used to enhance any competitive strategy once the strategy has been designed. If the strategy involves increasing the rate at which new products or services are introduced, then innovation can impact the firm in more than one or different ways. 2.1. The change process and methodologies Over the last 20 years the speed and scale of organisational change have accelerated and there has been a significant increase in the number of approached to change management. There are several forms of change in an organisation, some forces and others deliberate. The Strategic Change Initiative (organisational change process) Fig. 1 A Model of the change process, Boddy 2005 The first type if change is, systematic change is slower, less ruthless, more focused and more carefully constructed and timed. There are different approaches to systematic change such as: quality improvement, work reprogramming, benchmarking, and strategic planning. The nature of these approaches can be overly formalised and so stifle initiative in the organisation (Huy,Q. and Mintzberg, H.2003). Another type is, Organic change, this type of change is done internally in the organisation or other words it seems to ascend from the ranks without being formally managed. The problem with the organic approach is groups within organisation may begin to work at cross-purposes and this will result in scramble over resources, yet its outcome can be dramatic. Planned change is an iterative, recurring, process which involves analysis, action and evaluation, and further action and evaluation. It is an approach which maintains that once change has taken place, it must be self-sustaining to maint ain the momentum. This means that, all change agents or stakeholder i.e organisation, managers and recipients jointly diagnose the organisations problem and jointly plan and design the specific changes (Burnes, B. 2003). Another type is emergent change which is a continuous process of experiment and adaptation aimed at matching organisations capabilities to the needs and dictates of an energetic and uncertain environment. This type of change is achieved through a number of small to medium scale incremental changes. Another type is, dramatic change is frequently initiated in times of crisis or of great opportunity when power is concentrated and there is great stakes to be controlled. Mintzberg (2003) argues that unlike the phoenix of mythology, which could rise from its own ashes but once every 500 years, companies cannot continue to rely solely upon the mythical promise of dramatic re-emergence. 3. NOVOTEL: Change Management Programme From Kurt Lewins work (appendix 1) in the 1940s to the present day, organisational change, as a systematic process, has become the core and part of organisational life. Change in organisations does not have to be dramatic or far reaching, Stickland (1998) notes, sometimes change is incremental and hardly noticed: a new piece of equipment or software is introduced or a person leaves and somebody new joins the organisation. Sometimes change is large and dramatic: a complete re-organisation, a merger or a take-over, and no one and nothing in the organisation is unaffected (Stickland 1998:298). The recent economic crisis has provided a sense of urgency that helped organizations everywhere to successfully implement changes that would have been difficult if otherwise. Various cultural and structural factors have a direct effect on the very success of the organisation. These are highlighted when an organisation attempts to redefine itself, to change their image in an attempt to maintain or enhance their capabilities (Gratton, 1999). In Novotels case, they were forced because of plummeting annual profits and in response they adopted a competitive strategy that includes reducing their operational costs and also reduce service prices in the hope of increasing their hotels occupancy (Novotel: p.23). Being more innovative in this way also requires being open to ideas from previously untapped sources inside and outside of the company, and designing a firm that responds quickly and flexibly to the ideas that represent opportunities for potential revenue growth (Blumentritt, 2004). 3.1 Key triggers of change Reason which can trigger change can be listed as internal Triggers (i.e. New staff, Conflict, Sales /profit drops, De-motivation, Skills gap, Loss of key staff) and External Triggers (i.e. Economy, Supply, Government policies, Competitors, Funders, Customers, Shareholders, Media, Public and technology ) These triggers for change can be are analyzed using various managerial tools which are available in order to gain an essential understanding of the environment, both external and internal: A PESTEL analysis: this tool has five dimensions which are political, economic, social, technological, environmental, legal. It is used to pick up factors in the local or micro, and national or macro contexts that managers need to take account of. Another tool is, STAKEHOLDER analysis this is a cultural or values audit that provides an understanding of some of the people factors over and beyond a resource audit. A Third tools, SWOT analysis this is a simple approach which measures strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. It provides a structure in which to lay out the need and the readiness of the organization for change. As previously mentioned, a change in competitive strategy is likely if the firm faces loss of customers, lack of pricing power or shrinking profit margins like in the case of Novotel (Novotel : p.12). Beckhard and Dyer (1983) point out that another important change trigger is simply strategic choice on the part of existing management team. Some ways this may occur through strategic planning, interaction with customers, competitors, etc., and gut instinct that a new market or product is worth pursuing. This type of trigger is much more generative and proactive than reacting to the environment or working to maintain alignment. Regardless of which of these many triggers initiate the change process, there are several key activities that can facilitate a successful change implementation (see appendix 4). Furthermore, I have put together a way to successful implement change from managers perspective in section 3.3. 3.2 Sources of resistance to change Initially after the change has been effected, there is resistance to change, these resistances can be grouped in different categories such as, Individual (i.e. fear of failure, ignorance, status loss, inertia, role loss) or Team (social loafing, pairing, lack of openness), can be organisational, (board members/top management, culture, structure, huge costs, limited resources, contracts or beliefs) or External factors such as (investors, suppliers, regulators, media, politics or collaborators.) As Kotter and Schlesinger (1979) emphasized, despite the risk of resistant behaviours have been acknowledged by many experienced managers, very few of them tend to take time to systematically analyze situations in terms of determining potential individuals who may resist change with different reasons. Firstly, one of the most obvious reasons for people to resist change initiatives has been the feeling that new circumstances will damage staff self interest. Also, , Employees can face increased levels of anxiety or fear from changes or proposed changes in the work environment. The term self interest entails a political meaning which refers to power relations with in the organization. In other words, new ideas about the way employees work usually impacts relations between different individual groups. Salaman (2000) argues that organisational employees actively strive to avoid and divert control; they seek to maximise their own interests which they may or may not see as coincident with the organisations, and they attempt to resist the domination of others while advancing or defending their own area of control and autonomy (Salaman, 2000, p.123). This means that, staff can resist change to maintain their social status in the organization Resistance can become overt i.e. in industrial a ction, including working to rule and strikes (Coram, R, and Burnes, B. 2001). Secondly, the aim of change efforts has been to create a new pattern of working which employees are expected to adopt themselves. From this point of view it is argued that employees do not resist to the idea of change but to its potential outcomes (Dent Galloway-Goldberg, 1999). As shown in the Novotel case study, the re-structuring made the reorganizing of personnel and management structure, roles were re-definite so is the reward systems and payment (Novotel: p14). Third, almost all prescriptions for a successful change implementation emphasize the necessity to make individuals understand meaning of change. Daft (2000), states that employees may tend to resist change when they are not informed about needs, purposes and outcomes of it. This is also vivid in the Novotel change programmes, a testimony from a receptionist in France, described that they didnt understand what the project was all about (Novotel : p.21) In addition to inadequate knowledge about change, if employees are suspicious about real intentions of change initiators, there is a high possibility of resistance. Fourth, change plans aim to move an organization from their existing position to ideal one and as Stapley (1996) states this transition period is kind of a journey that contains a lot of uncertainties. Curtis and White (2002) define uncertainty as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢lack of information about future events (Curtis White, 2002, p.17). When people lose their personal control, it becomes difficult to make rational decisions which would produce desirable outcomes. As a result, individual who experiences loss of control is likely to resist change because of apprehension brought by uncertainties about change (Novotel : p. 18) . Kotter and Schlesinger (1979) argue that difference in information that groups work often leads to differences in analyses, which in turn can lead to resistance (p.108). Fig 2. Framework for Managing Change 3.3. Managers Role: Overcoming Challenges In order to overcome change, managers face challenges when implementing strategies. The key element in implementing change or change management process is communication. Having effecting communication approach towards employees. Furthermore, employees attitude, perception of managers actions, employees motivation and continuous improvement of the working environment can be other elements a manager responsible for change should take. Below is the list of common challenges posed for managers tasked with implementing change management and they can mitigate any resistance:- Employees Communications: During the change process, take time to interact with employees as not all employees are outspoken or bound to hold their views to themselves and this could result in underground resistance to change. When this happens it could result in delays and will hinder understanding of staffs unfulfilled needs and expectations. This is on Lewins unfreezing stage (Levasser, 2001). Employees Co-operations and Collaborations: Managers in hotel industry ought to understand that different individuals do not the same views or opinions about change, most people tend to be worried about change. In other words, Managers needs to promote cooperation with staff before and during change process. Employees Motivation: This is critical especially during the change implementation stage, Manager ought to make sure that employees are stay motivated and be ready to listen to staffs opinions, and also take time to explain what is happening, this will help staffs morale. Employees Attitude: according to Levasseur (2001), this is also a focus during implementation stage (Lewins stage), a Manager should try his/her best to understand employees attitude. In addition, Conners (1998) lists stability, immobilisation and denial are factors in human cycle of negative response in hospitality, Manager as a leading person should be bare these 3 factors in mind. 4. Conclusion: In summary, resistance to change blocks the end results change was meant to produce, that means innovation is undermined, and whatever change is generated will be a reaction a reaction to the circumstances and part of the process by which those circumstances persist. On the other hand, responding or choosing to pursue change, promotes innovation and will do so naturally and consistently as a function of what is observe to be possible. Change based on this second view is likely to be an improvement on what already exists. It is also important to know how beneficial the change to be enacted is important to the organization and its staff. With high demand of staff in hospitality industry, it is good for leading managers in change management process to pay attention to the attitudes, motivation, cooperation and be receptive to views raised by staff as this will motivate employees and also it will create a conducive environment for and encourage staff. When staff are encouraged, they will be willing to accept change and sustain hotels competitiveness. To successfully meet and overcome change, Novotels Presidents need to have specific attitudes and skills for envisioning; anticipating and once they know the impending change, and planning for that inevitable change. And having known the impending change they need to know how to effectively communicate that change to co-workers, clients and external collaborators and future prospects to stay in charge of the competition. While change may not come easily, hotel operators can be sure that it will indeed come. 5. Recommendations Plan for Change: Because there are multiple countries which change is happening, Huy and Mintzberg (2003) highlights that, the realization that effective organizational change often emerges inadvertently or develops in a more orderly fashion. For the organisational change to succeed, all types of change should be considered (Huy, Q. and Mintzberg, H.2003:79). This means, there at Novotel needs to organise and formulate change management strategy that can look into inducing change from one country to another rather than focusing on their hotels but they should consider different customs in different countries. Eliminating this concern can reduce stresses caused by what is regarded as an unwanted interaction. Change Resistance Management: Change resistance is effectively reduced by decreasing resisting forces rather than increasing driving force. This driving force is the fear of punishment and forcing people to accept change can result in increased resistance. Success will only come by removing the resisting force. For further recommendation on strategies to decrease resistance. (see appendix 5) Keep Staff Updated: though out the change process, make sure to update staff and make it clear to them on what they should expect, also make sure the pass information is on as early as possible even if it is bad news. These updates and information reduces anxiety which is caused by uncertainty. According to Mullins (2005) he makes an emphasis that knowledge removes fear from an individual and gives them confidence to join the course of change. Communicate after change: this refers to the Lewins refreezing stage in Levasseur (2001) book. Manager as a leading person should continue to communicate with staff, about the change which is being implemented,. Through communication, Manager can discover to what extent change has had an impact to staff and take necessary steps to support them.

Existentialism Essay -- essays research papers

Existentialism, which spread rapidly over continental Europe after the First World War, is essentially the analysis of the condition of man, of the particular state of being free, and of man's having constantly to use his freedom in order top answer the ever- changing and unexpected challenges of the day. According to the Existentialists, the starting point of every philosophical investigation is concrete human existence. That means that human personality in itself should point the way to the absolute value of reality. A single definition of existentialism is impossible. Definitions, provided by dictionaries are only part of what existentialism is about. †¦central to each definition is the assertion that existentialism is a theory or statement about the nature of man's existence. (1) The term is so difficult to define because, unlike other terms, existentialism is not universal. In other words, there are no two existentialists, which share exactly the same values or beliefs. Al though, here is one major theme: a stress on individual existence, subjectivity, individual freedom, and choice. There are two kinds of existentialist; first those who are Christian, and on the other hand the atheistic existentialists. Many unfamiliar with the subject people associate existentialism with atheism, but they are wrong. The truth is that the majority of existentialists are not atheists. Sartre, which we place among atheists, stress that central concern of philosophy is human existence. He says that human being is a special kind of consciousness (being-for- itself). Everything else is matter (being-in-itself). He believes that human being has no God-given essence and is absolutely free and absolutely responsible. According to him, anguish is the result of the absolute freedom and responsibility. He also says that human existence is absurd and unjustified. Therefore, the goal of human being is to justify his/her existence.(2) Sartre believes that there are those in our history who have established a religion to reassure nothing more than what he calls a "fundamental project ." That means that when we become anguished by the affairs of life we pursue a fundamental project in attempt to flee this anguish. He says that we try to make ourselves Gods in hopes that others would see us divine, and hold us in higher regard. To pursue a fundame... ...ice and this choice was his and his alone. This shows us again that we always have choices, no matter what we might use as an excuse. 1) Barnes, Wesley. "Is Existentialism Definable?" The Philosophy and Literature of Existentialism. Woodbury: Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 1968 2) Douglas W. Shrader, Ashok K. Malhotra. "Pathways To Philosophy". Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 1996. p. 83-86, 87-93, 97-100 3) Sartre'sThoughtsOnPersonality,http://library.thinkquest.org/18775/sartre/pers.htm 4) As above 5) Roberts, David E. "Introduction" Existentialism and Religious belief" New York: Oxford University Press, 1959. 6) Robert C. Solomon. "The Big Qestions" Harcourt Brace College Publishers, New York, 1998, p.241-273. 7) Soren Kierkergaard,ysiwyg://16/http://www.fortunecity.com/263/exist/kierk.html 8) Existentialism And Soren Kierkergaard, http:www.tameri.com/csw/exist/kierk.html.